Alan Broadbent Trio

Press, 13 July 1989, Page 6

Alan Broadbent Trio

The Alan Broadbent Trio, presented by Jazz South, in the Christchurch College of Education auditorium, July 12, at 7.30 p.m. Reviewed by Paul Goodson.

I have remarked before on the excellence of the college auditorium as a venture for jazz concerts. Tiered seating rising gently from a spacious stage creates a feeling of involvement and intimacy, and breaks down any artificial barrier separating' audience from performers.

Regrettably I have also had previous occasion to censure late starts to concerts, however plausible the reason given. On a happier note, I haven’t, in the past, paid explicit tribute to Jazz South. This enterprising body continues to promote concerts featuring artists of real talent and flair, and last evening’s entertainment proved no exception. The term “jazz” encompasses as many styles and nuances as do the categories of “folk” and “popular” music. At first hearing the Alan Broadbent Trio has an air of “classical jazz,” without that cool intellectualism which sometimes takes the music off the boil. In terms of melodic inventiveness and rhythmic contour, the pianist (Alan Broadbent) carries the major task of shaping his group’s response to basic thematic material.

As a stylist Broadbent brings an almost classical poise to his keyboard artistry. His feel for the organic ebb and flow of phrasing, created from, and not limited by, harmonic directions, was particularly well exhibited in more reflective numbers such as Victor Young’s “My Foolish Heart.”

Self-effacing he is not, however; rather, this precision gives his performances a clarity and control which enables his partners to build on, rather than compete with, the piano’s greater expressive range.

Both Broadbent and Frank Gibson jun. (drums) have a marked ability for expressing improvisatory freedom within a prescribed rhythmic arc. Putter Smith (double bass) sometimes sounded less at ease in the first half, with recourse to some indeterminate progressions and less focused melodicism. But he brought quirkiness and adroit humour to many of his solo spots, especially in the superbly realised blues number, “Waiting for Charlie.” This was a quality jazz recital. There was also evident ease and intuitive understanding within the group: an indispensable if elusive quality to jazz performance which is never developed overnight.