Despite living in Rye, I must admit to a certain lack of appreciation of the broad spectrum of jazz, and Miles Davis is known to be very much an acquired taste! However, the Friday night performance led by Will Collier both mesmerised and entertained the enthusiastic audience at the Brewery Yard Club – whether one was an avid Davis aficionado or not.
The music was complemented by the unique atmosphere that the club is well known for creating. You can almost imagine the “smoke filled” New York jazz clubs in which Miles started to develop his extraordinary repertoire. He was a pioneer of “Cool Jazz” in the early 1950s and continued performing until just before his death in 1991, albeit with a five-year break, due to poor health. His style of music changed considerably during his long career, and he was one of the first to introduce electric instruments into his music.
It is hard to believe that the four performers: Will Collier (double bass), Robbie Robson (trumpet), Ivo Neame (piano/keys) and Simon Lea (drums) were joined by Ivo for the first time that evening. You wouldn’t have known it as the quartet took us along a journey through time with a selection of Davis’ music, with ‘Summertime’ for me a highlight. The combination of solo contributions and syncopation created an inspiring and wonderful evening for the many who attended.
So, an unexpected and pleasant surprise for me to hear a different type of music, performed by high quality musicians, in the unique and perfectly matched environment of the Brewery Yard Club. We are lucky to attract such talent to Rye.
Image Credits: Peter Connock .