Steve Jordan described this gig as stellar, and it was in many senses. First of all, the music which was originally performed by Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane is amazing. The sextet is certainly starry: they were Andy Panayi (tenor and soprano), Alan Barnes (alto), Steve Fishwick (trumpet and flugel), John Donaldson (piano), Simon Thorpe (bass) and Peter Cater (drums). The arrangements were gorgeous, rich and exciting with beautiful harmonies (and dissonances) and great rhythms. The playing was terrific: the timing was spot on, and the solos just engulfed one.
Andy and Alan commented on the music, but Andy was the conductor. It seems that nothing except the set list was decided in advance, and they had freedom to construct each song as they wished. This just added to the joy of the evening.
All of the musicians were jaw- droppingly awesome, the horn section especially so but the rhythm section was tremendous too. A special mention for Steve Fishwick for depping so faultlessly – a measure of his talent and professionalism and he appears so calm!
Favourites? Difficult: the first tune, “Miles” hit you in the face with the horn chorus. Maybe also “Dat Dere”. By that time in the second set everybody on stage was grinning at the quotes and riffs of their colleagues.
We are lucky to have Steve Jordan about. He supplies the set list below.
We complete our January/April programme with the stunning young saxophonist and flautist Alex Clarke. She brings with her the dream rhythm section: Rob Barron piano, Dave Green bass and Clark Tracey drums. We hope to see you on Wednesday 26 April.
Dave
ALAN BARNES/ANDY PANAYI SEXTET
SETLIST, FLEECE JAZZ 12/4/23
- Miles (Davis) from the 1958 album Milestones
- Two Bass Hit (Lewis-Gillespie) also from the album Milestones
- Jeanine (Duke Pearson) from the 1960 album Them Dirty Blues by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet
- This Here (Bobby Timmons) from the 1959 album The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco
- Wabash (Julian Adderley) from the 1959 album The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago
- Blue Train (John Coltrane) from the 1957 album Blue Train by John Coltrane
- Lazybird (John Coltrane) from the 1957 album Blue Train by John Coltrane
* * * * * * *
- Locomotion (John Coltrane) from the 1957 album Blue Train by John Coltrane
- Jive Samba (Nat Adderley) from the 1962 album Jazz Workshop Revisited by The Cannonball Adderley Sextet
- Dear John (Freddie Hubbard) from the 1991 album Bolivia was dedicated to John Coltrane and based on Coltrane’s Giant Steps
- Naima (John Coltrane) dedicated to Coltrane’s first wife
- Dat Dere (Bobby Timmons) from the 1960 album Them Dirt Blues by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet
- I’m Old Fashioned (Jerome Kern) from the 1957 album Blue Train by John Coltrane
- ENCORE: Del Sasser (Sam Jones) from the 1960 album Them Dirty Blues by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet