Steve Glendinning Quartet

Review and photo by Lance Liddle from Bebop Spoken Here, 2 July 2016

Steve Glendinning Quartet

Steve Glendinning (gtr); Chris Jelly (vbs); Mike Clarke (bs gtr); Mark Robertson (dms)

I’ve got mixed emotions about this gig. Thrilled and proud to have been there, sad for those who missed it, whilst, at the same time, greeting those absentees with a fully justified “na-na-na-na-na”!
You thought you’d heard good vibes earlier this week? Man, you ain’t heard nuttin’ yet! Chris Jelly is to vibes playing what Mark Cavendish is to sprinting!
It began low-key with Glendinning playing an unaccompanied piece by a lutist from the court of Louis XIV, proving that jazz did begin with Louis.
So What?, you might say as the quartet segued into the Miles Davis classic from Kind of Blue. Vibes, guitar and bass answering the question punctuated by drums. This was just the start.
Next up, East of the Sun. Great song going back to the days of Sinatra with Dorsey and beyond. The quartet had used it earlier for a soundcheck and here it was in all its glory. If I never hear a better version then I will die happy!
Watch What Happens – a fast bossa nova – showed off all four before slowing down for an emotive A Time For Love.
Both Steve and Chris are lynchpins in the funky outfit known as King Bee so it was no surprise that the first set concluded with an item from that genre – Big Ship (at least I think that was the title!)
The second set began with more solo guitar before hitting the deck with either Chick Corea’s Spain or Meet the Flintstones – can’t remember which! What’s in a name?!
A Pat Metheny number then, for me, the next number was the number 12 bus.
Superb session!