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Inspiration and indifference marked the second weekend of the Earshot Jazz Festival, with concerts of varying quality heating up venues across the city.
Those who came to hear Patricia Barber sing at The Triple Door Friday night may have been disappointed, as the early set found her leaning toward the instrumental side of her repertoire.
Although her piano playing is not without merit, Barber's reputation was made as an interpreter of her own material. The three original tunes she played were brief, with long jams on standards such as “Caravan" and “Groovin' High" dominating the 75-minute set.
The guitar/bass/drum trio, while perfect support for her original tunes, was DOA when it came to spontaneity.
With the exception of an “Autumn Leaves" on which she lengthened climactic notes with a brooding incandescence, Barber's singing suffered from distraction and indifference.
Later that night, at Tula's, the Ralph Alessi Quartet showed there was still something modern to be found in modern jazz. The first set was made up of six new Alessi compositions, the material was nothing short of brilliant, and the musicians (trumpeter Alessi, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, pianist Andy Milne, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Mark Ferber) refined, thoughtful and focused.
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