Paul Grabowsky Quintent with Joe Lovano

A queue for this one - it had been anticipated by many, including Paul, who'd said the night before he was looking forward to it.

And the trouble with great music is that you end up listening instead of thinking about the blog. I do remember that the music was great. Yes. I remember that much.

We're talking Paul Grabowsky on piano, Scott Tinkler on trumpet, Philip Rex on bass and Simon Barker on drums... so people would go for that alone, wouldn't they? Then add Joe Lovano into the mix...

The pieces we heard were from the CD Tales of Time and space, including 'Reason and Rhyme', 'Updraft', 'Circle of Trust' [newly presented as a possible anthem to sado-masochism! - even Grabowsky looked surprised, and he was the one making the strange segue...] and 'Tailfin'.

Tailfin was a highlight for this little punter. I felt like the whole world was in it as we moved from blazing playing to quieter moments. Simon's drumming was featured; my notes include a comment on his fluidity. My notes also include that he and Phil were working very hard in this piece. The energy required to maintain the tempo was obviously immense. The sound was fantastic. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Also featuring in this set was the Aulochrome which Joe Lovano played. A double soprano saxophone with one mouthpiece, the sounds from this had me sitting forward. It does sound like two sopranos being played at once, but more. I guess the whole is greater than the sum of its parts...