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Howard Lawes

Jazz fan, alto sax player, album reviewer and festival volunteer

About Me

My Jazz Story

The best show I ever attended was Phronesis recording their live album, Life to Everything, at the Cockpit Theatre in 2013. The set was introduced by Jez Nelson of Radio 3 and we were told that this was to be recorded for the new album. Phronesis are Jasper Hoiby on double bass, Ivo Neame on piano and Anton Eger on drums. The word Phronesis relates to intelligence and the music played by the band is certainly intelligent, the composition, the arrangements and the execution is exceptional and very exciting. The style of music is European jazz, complex rhythms, syncopation yet sufficiently melodic to be accessible to a wide audience. In one piece called “Song for lost Nomads” hints of Latin American rhythms evoked endless travelling culminating in a positively brutal drum solo that had cymbals crashing to the floor and drum sticks flying through the air. All the instruments dominate by turns but the solo player is so well supported by the others with such empathy between them that music gains in value with the double bass amplified to emphasise Hoiby’s sometimes exquisite melodies. Playing in the round was clearly advantageous as each musician could see both of the others. The audience greatly enjoyed the performance; the finale was an exhibition of virtuosity at the highest level and received a very well deserved standing ovation.