Kenny Garrett Quartet

[Tanager]

Hi all,

I managed to get away from work Saturday evening and take in one set apiece from Kenny Garrett's quartet and the opening act, Christine Tobin.

Garrett came out of the gate hard, putting in a wrecking ball of a performance. I didn't recognize the first track, but the second song was "Chief Blackwater," which was (according to Garrett) inspired by/dedicated to McCoy Tyner, which is especially apt, because the playing by all members on this song was incendiary.

I didn't recognize either the bassist or the drummer (he did not have Chris Dave or Charnett Moffett with him, but Vernell Brown was at the piano), but both players were excellent - the drummer in particular, especially during an intense set of exchanges with Garrett in the closing minutes of "Chief Blackwater," during which they traded fours, twos, and finally single bars and ratcheted the flame up really high.

Unfortunately (IMHO), they slackened off a bit after the first two tracks and reverted to some more funk-flavored (and, I suspect, easier to digest for most of the crowd) playing. A duet between Garrett (on soprano) and Brown on a medley of Korean and Japanese folk songs was a welcome change of pace and the sole ballad feature of the first set, which closed with a funky "Happy People."

I, personally, vastly preferred the TraneTet-esque fireworks of the first two songs to the more relaxed mood which followed, but the band was regardless very impressive, and Kenny played a long solo passage which floored me. I don't know how the second set turned out, as I simply had to get back to my hotel (which is all the way back in Wimbledon) and get some sleep, but I am hoping he turned up the heat again.

[RainyDay]

I realize now that I never read this thread even though I saw it. And the reason why is because I missed Garrett this year at Yoshi's due to illness and missing his week at Yoshi's just about broke my heart because I manage to see him at least once or twice a year. Reading that someone else saw him must have made me subconsciously just a little jealous. Enough of the psycho babble.

I slso enjoy the Korean/Japanese ballads. They are so unexpected and so lovely. When I saw him last, he was at the 2PM family set at Yoshi's and these two darling little girls were resting their arms on the stage with their head on their hands just enthralled with these ballads and Garrett played to them. It was really sweet.

I heard he had some new personnel and I wonder if he will work with Dave again, who I think is just a madman on drums. I believe peterdubya said Garrett had recorded with this band but I haven't heard whether the CD is out or not. PBW said it was a slight departure from the direction of his last couple of CDs. there has been a lot of debate about his last efforts. I really enljoyed Simply Said. I like parts of Happy People very much, especially the last track.

Garrett is my favorite alto guy. He has so much emotion and he draws from the blues and R&B in a way that other don't. I guess that is also what makes him a little controversial for some.

[Tanager]

I actually didn't like Happy People nearly as much as Standard of Language, which I find the far more adventurous set. I don't know who his drummer was at this show, but he was a monster, too - if you get a chance, definitely catch the current Garrett quartet.

I know a lot of people like the R&B stylings which Garrett sometimes lets come to the floor - count me among those who just aren't that into it. When Garrett gets up a head of steam, though, count me among those who dig the hell outta his playing.