Classical and Jazz: Review - The Steve Grossman / Damon Brown Quintet at Soho’s Pizza Express
Published: 31 March, 2011
by TONY MARSHALL
LEGENDARY US tenor sax player Steve Grossman is over here again to play with Damon Brown, confirming the Camden Town trumpet player’s status as a world-class musician.
The Steve Grossman/ Damon Brown Quintet are greeted like old friends as soon as they step on stage at Soho’s Pizza Express.
Brooklyn-born Grossman is widely respected by London audiences. He made his debut as a teenager, replacing Wayne Shorter in the Miles Davis group, and there’s no bigger recommendation in the jazz world than that.
Like other jazz legends, he is a great showman. “I don’t want to grandstand,” he jokes before introducing the rest of the band.
His partnership with Damon Brown is long-standing, which he acknowledges before launching into the opening bars of Blues for Damon, a track from their recent album.
They are joined by a brilliant international rhythm section of Spain’s Ignasi Terraza on piano, Germany’s Martin Zenker on double bass and Holland’s Sebastian de Krom on drums.
What follows are some outstanding solos – including Martin on bass and Ignasi on piano – in a lively rendition of Green Dolphin Street, and a tantalising drum solo from Sebastian on Lee Morgan’s bossa nova Ceora.
Steve’s brilliance comes to the fore with riffs on an old Freddie Goldsmith song.
In the band’s second set, veteran alto star Pete King plays a version Charlie Parker’s greatest hit, Confirmation with Damon’s horn hitting all the high notes.
This is music to lift the spirit. And on an ordinary Wednesday night in central London, the warm-hearted ensemble playing makes it a rare privilege – jazz at its rawest and most thrilling and best.
A night to remember.