Wertico One-off at Jazz Hastings
VICTORIA KINGHAM
Soft-spoken and unassuming, Paul Wertico becomes, behind his kit, a force to reckon with. You can hear why he remained for many years the lynchpin of the Pat Metheny band, and why his lifelong list of awards, recordings, professorships, books, and compositions is unrivalled. Hence his lead, in a rapidly organised session on a normally quiet Monday night in Hastings, resulted in a superb one-off.
Joss Peach, Josephine Davies, Terry Pack, Enrico Pinna, Paul Wertico
He flew in from Copenhagen, and along with acclaimed jazz/fusion guitarist Enrico Pinna, was joined by tenor/soprano maestra Josephine Davies, the Monk-like spare piano sounds of Joss Peach, and the mellow unflinching bass of local luminary Terry Pack – these last three work together as (most of) Pack’s Full Circle. Nobody knew what was going to happen, Wertico announced, but that was jazz: experiencing the moment.
Under his unobtrusive but definitive direction, his elegant fills, faultless time, intuitive dynamics, and technical brilliance, that moment rapidly expanded into two exceptional sets. Beginning with a pensive line from Davies, the music morphed into an exploratory guitar/bass alternating riff session. A subsequent blues-based number, in which Davies’ concentrated awareness and clarity absolutely shone, clearly drew the attention and response of Pinna and his guitar. Together the two emerged as a formidable duo lead – outstanding renditions of ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’ (we all hope for that, don’t we? said the woman on my left) and ‘Willow Weep For Me’ – favourites which, in lesser hands than these, could have sounded trite (overshadowed by so many immortal renditions) but instead settled in, moved forward, developed, and transfixed a wildly enthusiastic, capacity audience.
The second half progressed seamlessly through free-improv to ‘Open Water’ (from Full Circle’s latest CD) and finally into the modalities of ‘Impressions’, foregrounding not only Davies’ unique, windswept soprano inventions, but also Pinna’s incisive, casually brilliant work on a supreme electric guitar that he had custom made from a vintage Steinberger (a firm specialising in minimalist, headless instruments) and which Pinna finished himself with dye and wax, pickups and other hardware. A completely original evening in all directions then – but that’s jazz: experiencing the moment…
So Jazz Hastings has moved to Barnaby’s with a definite, defiant, noise. The jazz musicians who have always played here because they love it now have a new outlet and potentially a double-sized audience. There are whispers that Barnaby’s may have to expand to the next-door building …
Paul Wertico played at Barnaby’s Jazz Lounge on 15 June, and went on the day after to The Jailhouse at Arundel. All a quick trip from Copenhagen, where until 27 June he is taking part in a three-week tour with The Doky Brothers, whose eponymous gold-winning 1996 album featured The Brecker Brothers and Curtis Stigers. Further information: paulwertico.com, Barnaby’s at barnabyslounge.co.uk, and many tracks on Bandcamp tinyurl.com/Wertico
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