Dave McKenna

Press, 22 July 1986, Page 8

Dave McKenna

Dave McKenna, jazz pianist, presented by Jazz South in association with the Christchurch Town Hall at the Limes Room, July 21, 8 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman

Have you ever caught a whiff of a tune you know, and not been able to quite remember its title? Has a half forgotten lyric ever sprung to mind, yet for all your straining of the old grey matter you could not recall that missing vital line?

If so, and if the experience left you in a state of brain-pummelling frustration, then the Limes Room was definitely not the place to be last evening.

At that venue there was simply the sight and sound of Dave McKenna, ‘‘whiskeyland” pianist, surfing his way stylishly through a sea of jazz tunes, some ancient, some once modern. There was no written programme, nor were any announcements given to aid identification of the tunes.

Not that this really mattered for the complex-

ities of the solo piano sound under Dave McKenna’s fingers gave one more than ample material to focus on. Melodies were twisted and turned into new and expressive shapes by a commendably supple right hand. Improvlsatorial lines skimmed the range of the keyboard with clear articulation and unerring sense of direction.

The strength of Dave McKenna’s playing, though, undoubtedly lay in his left-hand work. Whether punching out a walking bass, rolling accompanying chords, pounding out a rocketing stride figure or coaxing a delicate tenor voicing, his left hand brought all the rhythmic and harmonic interest to his playing of a fully-fledged rhythm section.

Apart from a few tunes presented as individual pieces, such as a tenderlydelivered “Tin Roof Blues,” Dave McKenna’s mystery programme fell neatly into four medley packages. The first of these

comprised tunes for those with a sweet tooth. “Sugar,” “Ain’t She Sweet” and other similarly themed numbers sped by in a satisfying blend of moods and styles. Next, it was variations on the theme of weather with optimistic material such as “The Sunny Side of the Street” complementing songs with a more appropriate message such as “Singing in the Rain.”

After the interval it was time for a baby medley (“Baby, Baby All the Time” and “I found a New Baby” to name but two) before finishing with a 30-minute medley of Rodgers and Hart standards. In this, “You took Advantage of Me” appealed for its lively swing, and “Bewitched” for its •gentle, intelligent embellishments.

In all, Dave McKenna’s traditional sound fell pleasantly, and at times seductively on the ear. That he was able to sustain a hour programme without recourse to the spoken word, is in itself testimony to the musical skills of this accomplished solo jazz pian-