Sergi Sirvent Smooth Trio At Jamboree

Sergi Sirvent Smooth Trio
Jamboree
Barcelona, Spain
May 24, 2025

The media and popular impact of different musical areas and their players is often a challenging mystery to unravel. Many authors suffer from a significant imbalance between their media exposure and audience reception, compared to the intrinsic quality of their work. The case of Sergi Sirvent is particularly outrageous: one of the most fascinating musicians in Catalonia—and, by extension, in Spain and the European scene—continues to receive, after more than two decades as a professional, shockingly low levels of public recognition and exposure.

The Barcelona native is much more than an excellent pianist: he is a tireless, boundless and multifaceted artist who navigates with equal ease between strictly jazz territories, genre-free improvisation and reinterpretations of classical music, among many other styles. Beyond his primary instrument, he also delves into experimental free atmospheres through his project Sergi Sirvent Trumpet Affairs, where, unexpectedly, he performs on trumpet, producing a compelling sound and approach that evokes both Don Cherry and Lester Bowie. And as if all that were not enough, he sometimes transforms into an alter ego named Jim Skillman, where he explores a peculiar brand of folk-rock as a guitarist and vocalist.

His work rate and performance are simply astonishing: Sirvent seems able to produce in a matter of days what others might take months to accomplish—with, in most cases, excellent results. Granted, his imaginative abundance can feel overwhelming: there have been years when he has released nearly one record per month (he has over fifty published recordings as a leader), and naturally, not all are of equal significance. Perhaps this diversity—of style and quality—turns against him. But even so, it does not explain the fact that his two shows in the Jamboree's Sala 1 drew only about thirty attendees in total, just fifteen for the second set. His Smooth Trio is a strong and high-voltage group, and "smooth"—if taken to mean an association with that subgenre—is only true in name, especially live. Most importantly, the composer offers a unique perspective. Only a very few could have delivered the smart re-harmonization of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" that he gifted us mid-set. Okay, maybe he does not have Chano Dominguez's accurate attack, Marco Mezquida's charismatic elegance, Iñaki Salvador's fiery edge or Ignasi Terraza's refined traditionalism—but Sirvent fully deserves to be considered part of that select group that defines current Iberian excellence in piano-led jazz. And not just for his outstanding command of the instrument, but for the lush creative ecosystem he has cultivated over more than 20 years. Sadly, his popularity and current drawing power remain far below that of the aforementioned names.

Standards & Other Things (Vol.1 & Vol.2) (Selffish Records, 2024), an engaging double disc blending milestones from jazz tradition with fresh originals, formed a significant part of both sets. However, each show opened with brand-new material slated for the trio's upcoming release. The second performance began with "Allow," a composition defined more by its harmonic progression than by any phrase. The pianist started by sketching shades of the more serene McCoy Tyner, eventually shaping his distinct identity through a flowing crescendo interwoven with rhythmic-melodic breaks shared by all three players. As in other pieces performed that night, his solo unfolded organically within the skeleton of the composition—its beginning and end hard to pinpoint, yet no less captivating for that. Next came the ironically titled "Onda Super Jazz," which could also have been called "Onda Super Monk." For those familiar with Sirvent's output, this was not surprising: references to Thelonious Monk are frequent in it, and this theme might have been one of the genius from North Carolina's own, despite not directly quoting him, or so it seemed. Jordi Mestres demonstrated his reliability with a brief yet promising bass statement echoing Charles Mingus—an affinity that would later be confirmed—while Oscar Domenech dazzled in the fours with a precise and emphatic attack. It was followed by "Old School," another creation that insisted on Monk's language, this time with more identifiable line fragments, skillfully reworked so as not to reveal their origin.

"Bessie's Blues," included in Volume 1 of Standards & Other Things, began with Doménech's deft brushes, soon joined by the pianist to set a gospel-inflected mood that introduced John Coltrane's classic number. His ensuing speech paid tribute to a piece deeply associated with Tyner, but without resorting to his language. Instead, it drew from the rhythmic and accessible side of Don Pullen. Bass and drums engaged in a flavorful exchange, punctuated by sparse piano chords, before the artist returned to the gospel feel, building toward a controlled paroxysm from which the tune re-emerged with striking clarity. Then, "Car Lights (passing by)," a new self-penned item, ushered in a vibe reminiscent of Don Grolnick at his best: a carefully crafted slow tempo (not quite a ballad), evocative and shadowy, matching its title and conjuring those indefinable sensations that arise when taking or sharing a moderately drowsy night drive.

The high point of the evening, though, was surely the aforementioned reimagining of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," which appears on Volume 2 of the album referenced above. The bandleader introduced the song by explaining its origin and the meaning behind the title. What followed was a subtle transformation of the theme's most distinctive and beloved chords—a bold move that rendered the masterpiece more dramatic and slightly less nostalgic, shaded in a darker light reminiscent of "Saint James Infirmary," and thus fully in sync with the spirit of Mingus's elegy. Any remaining doubt about Mestres' devotion to the Arizona bassist vanished after his gorgeous intro, perfectly attuned with its author. The keyboardist then switched into Paul Bley mode, offering an introspective, devastating improvisation. To break the somber feeling, the trio launched into a radiant and powerful new number titled "Rúcula," in which swing and the distinctive piano stylings of Count Basie and Duke Ellington were celebrated. A relaxed walking bass grew steadily in intensity, propelling the player's slyly subversive spotlight moment, again cleverly woven into the piece's shifting structure. Then followed a spectacular, near-ferocious intervention on drums by Doménech apparently possessed by the spirit of Elvin Jones.

Here, the performance ended, victim of a brevity as unwelcome as it was understandable. The enthusiastic audience applauded and cheered, but out of respect, refrained from asking for an encore—perhaps aware that such a request would be unfair given the painfully low turnout. Yet, in a gesture of professionalism and generosity, the trio returned to the stage and played one final selection. They closed with "Where's the Music," a work first outlined in 1998, abandoned and taken up again two decades later. Its waltz feel and probing harmonies surely stirred memories among longtime fans of earlier projects of his—especially the excellent Munchies (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2015).

Listening to Sirvent is like hearing the very core of modern jazz piano unfold before your ears. As already mentioned, you will notice influences from Monk and Bley, as well as hints from many others. None are crudely mimicked—rather, their heritage is integrated into a singular language. His deep knowledge of improvised music, both classic and contemporary, is matched by a refreshingly oblique and insightful approach: always respectful, always inventive. In short, he commands our highest admiration.

In a brief post-show conversation, the artist bitterly joked that perhaps he will have to die in order to finally be recognized. Obviously, we hope that will not be necessary, and that at some point—perhaps due more to luck than logic—his status will improve. A critically acclaimed release or a live appearance that catches the attention of the right cultural influencer could be the spark. Looking ahead to his calendar—less than crowded, according to his website—one finds a promising date at one of the most prestigious concert halls in Catalonia: L'Auditori de Barcelona. Nearly a year from now, in May 2026, he will present Recreacions Tímbriques : de Mompou a Bartók (SelffIsh Records, 2020), a program co-led with drummer David Viñolas that will explore the space between improvisation and 20th-century European composition. As a Spanish proverb says, "Nunca es tarde si la dicha es buena"—a happy outcome is worth waiting for. And so we keep on waiting.

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