Tom Ollendorff trio, Hawk's Well, Sligo ****

The Tom Ollendorff trio at the Hawk's Well theatre l-r: Tom Ollendorff, Conor Chaplin, Dave Ingamells. Picking up the pieces from new Fresh Sound New Talent release Open House and two years on from A Song For You completing an Irish tour here at …

Published: 15 May 2023. Updated: 11 months.

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The Tom Ollendorff trio at the Hawk's Well theatre l-r: Tom Ollendorff, Conor Chaplin, Dave Ingamells.

Picking up the pieces from new Fresh Sound New Talent release Open House and two years on from A Song For You completing an Irish tour here at the Hawk's Well last night, double bassist Conor Chaplin from both albums joined by Juncture's Dave Ingamells, Ealing guitarist Tom Ollendorff proved his mettle certainly in the delicate softly vocalised singing that he adds to his guitar lines at times. And in the front row you could hear an array of softnesses making a benevolent halo that zings over the strongly melodic originals especially in a short set sprinkled with standards that included Charlie Parker's 'Bongo Beep' inspired by a challenge set by the QOW trio's Riley Stone-Lonergan to learn Bird tunes during Lockdown.

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The exterior curve of the Hawk's Well on what was a dry, warm-ish, spring Sunday evening.

Best of the standards was the trio's rendition of Newk's 'Airegin' in 9/4. Of the O's own tunes 'Hollywood' was most appealing but 'Carnival' is pretty special and when the trio played 'Passing Ships' an audience member said out loud ''lovely'' when it ended. And it was.

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The waters of the Garavogue seen from Hyde Bridge, a short walk away from the Hawk's Well. Caught in that sensual music all neglect/Monuments of unageing intellect (W. B. Yeats - from Sailing to Byzantium)

We also had a tune partially inspired by Ollendorff's new interest in Brazilian guitar - Luiz Bonfá's 'Pernambuco'. On the album there is sax from Ben Wendel but the trio set was not diminished by the lack of a horn. Peter Bernstein and Mike Moreno influenced ostensibly as a player, as a writer Ollendorff created 'Hollywood' given an interest developed during Lockdown in arrangements found on early movies. Playing seated, occasionally tapping his foot, sprays of lines delivered with his eyes closed or sprung open enough to shoot a glance over to drummer Ingamells who watched him, fittingly given the location, like a hawk - sheet music did not litter the stage. You get a sense of flow and the tunes betrayed a Romantic at heart, a firm impression that tallies with Ollendorff's slightly diffident manner - he is not about the big I Am that in this day and age has to be cherished. 'Istanbul' he told us was inspired by playing in what was in ancient times Byzantium - ''one day you might hear me play 'Sligo'''. All the Os: Oh yeah, top, O and co, the words of Yeats again: O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?

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George Coleman, Live At Smalls Jazz Club, Cellar Live ***

With Greenwich Village jazz club Smalls owner Spike Wilner on piano, George Coleman - now in his late eighties recording here last year on this live album originating from inside Smalls itself - the Memphis born legendary Miles Davis tenor …

Published: 14 May 2023. Updated: 11 months.

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With Greenwich Village jazz club Smalls owner Spike Wilner on piano, George Coleman - now in his late eighties recording here last year on this live album originating from inside Smalls itself - the Memphis born legendary Miles Davis tenor saxophonist, who is on among other Miles albums such classics as Seven Steps to Heaven, My Funny Valentine and Four & More, references Miles from the get-go on Live at Smalls Jazz Club as the album opens with Miles' 'Four' and also includes the Rodgers and Hart classic 'My Funny Valentine' that Miles made his own. If you love Miles this is a trip down memory lane given how Coleman's sound - even given the ravages of time - sends you there. He has influenced many saxophonists down the years including English icon Iain Ballamy and you can hear the debt Iain for one owes to Coleman when he played ballads on 2020's What's New. Very respectfully supported by the great bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth, Coleman completists will have to have this warts and all. We liked 'Blues for Smalls' most and the deep sentimentality that the Maiden Voyage saxophonist translates pertinently on Hoagy Carmichael's 'The Nearness of You' that wrings emotion out of every pore. George Coleman, photo: cover art detail

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