Recently I had the good fortune to walk into a jazz bar and
catch another performance by the Al Scott Trio
Having seen him once before I felt lucky to have returned
weeks later and caught his next gig. Even before considering
his musical talent, it's a pleasure to see him perform. I think a
profoundly deaf individual would still be able to enjoy Al. He
reminds me somewhat of the young Daniel Tammet (a maths
genius), in that when he talks about his performance he is
exceedingly humble and unassuming, even though a moment
before his skill was just impressing the shit out of you. He
could get away with putting on airs and graces if he so
wished, but that's simply not Al's disposition at all.
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Recently I had the good fortune to walk into a jazz bar and
catch another performance by the Al Scott Trio
Having seen him once before I felt lucky to have returned
weeks later and caught his next gig. Even before considering
his musical talent, it's a pleasure to see him perform. I think a
profoundly deaf individual would still be able to enjoy Al. He
reminds me somewhat of the young Daniel Tammet (a maths
genius), in that when he talks about his performance he is
exceedingly humble and unassuming, even though a moment
before his skill was just impressing the shit out of you. He
could get away with putting on airs and graces if he so
wished, but that's simply not Al's disposition at all.
I found him very approachable and warm, and I imagine that
as his talent is more widely recognised he will do well to have
a dependable group of friends that give him some respite from
what is bound to be a great deal of attention in the world of
music.
That it tends to receive significantly less commercial
recognition than other musical forms is probably what has
been Jazz's best friend in terms of filtering out people who are
purely in it for fame and fortune. It tends to attract a more
passionate performer who has an actual relationship with
music rather than seeing and using it as a means to an end.
Al certainly seems to have this heartfelt relationship with his
music, and listening to him play I was made to feel as though
a jazz tradition was moving through him, and his own
unegotistical style was just letting it flow.
Working well with his double bass player and drummer, Al
adhered with varying degrees of closeness and freedom to
jazz standards by Charles Mingus, Miles Davies, and other
luminaries. By way of eye contact and body language he
ensured that no departure from the backbone of the score
ever evolved into something unwieldy for the trio, yet at the
same time great journeys were undertaken with the entire
ensemble making it safely back to base camp.
I would go so far as to predict that if you haven't seen Al
perform, your choice it to do it now while there's space in the
bar, or to wait a relatively short time time till it's standing room
only on a TV floor audience with something involving Jules
Holland.
A thorough and rigorous critique of any artist will normally
include a few comments on areas with room for improvement,
although with Al there seem to be no significant flaws or
weaknesses. No reviewer wants to come across as fawning,
but sometimes there's simply nothing bad to say. This is one
of those times.
Robert Baylis
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