Music

Christian McBride, Benny Green & Gregory Hutchinson

Ronnie Scott’s, London

5/5

Superbass jr. with two top cats

It is always a pleasure hearing Christian McBride in any band configuration, but this time with Benny Green on the piano and Gregory Hutchinson on the drums, the quality of musicianship was even more impressive than usual. Entitled ‘Remembering Ray Brown’, the gig was celebrating the jazz legend Ray Brown that all three musicians have played with and learnt from, and took us through a selection of Brown’s infectious jazz pieces and arrangements to the raucous appreciation of the audience. Brown was, just like McBride is now, a star double bass player who made sure his instrument got equal exposure.

McBride has a seductively commanding tone alive with rhythmic warmth and his playing is always effortlessly paced and full of easy depth. He is the soul of the trio, with Green and Hutchinson exploring the opposite ends of the temperamental scale, Hutchinson extrovert and instinctive, Green contained and delicate. The energy between the players was amazing to witness. You could tell that these three have played together many times before.

One of the nice things about jazz is that the standards are treasured even more so when they come from a different, perhaps simpler era. One of the most thrilling pieces, FSR (allegedly ‘For Sonny Rollins’), rolled with a prominent fluid bass line, rich piano chords and inspired solos. The upbeat Gumbo Hump started with a handsome drum sequence and continued apace. Your feet got going in the fast Captain Bill. It’s the kind of music that makes you have to move, even if you restrain yourself to only tapping your feet and hands lest you elbow your very close neighbours.

In contrast to the jaunty numbers, the aptly named Tenderly showcased Green’s sensitivity as a player, but it is in the memorable L’il Darlin, Brown’s beautiful arrangement of Count Basie’s piece, that Green impressively held the audience’s attention with measured delicacy. It is not often that I have heard such remarkable jazz piano playing, true old-school class. McBride and Hutchinson were also stellar throughout, Hutchinson exuberant and creatively disruptive in the best jazz sense, with the audience readily responding, and McBride just masterful.

The three players announced the pieces in turn with experienced smoothness and customary anecdotes. And of course they all delighted with their solos. They have done this set many times before, nevertheless their enjoyment was palpable and only added to the excitement of hearing them perform. A full sugar rush, but with lasting memories.