Joe Webb
Swansea Maritime Museum
★★★★★

SWANSEA’s jazz festival seems to have taken a step forward, with significant support from Swansea Council. This year’s jazz festival has ticketed gigs and free events available around the Swansea marina, in bars and in a small outdoor amphitheatre, all of which adds to a genuine festival feel this afternoon.

As a September sun dips outside the glass of the industrial and maritime museum, the sell-out audience is anticipating a rare appearance in Britain of Neath-born pianist, Joe Webb. It’s a very appropriate space for his performance. A stripped-back warehouse feel houses the small stage with a tantalising upright piano, stripped of its front board and lid.

When the youthful Webb trio (featuring bass player Will Sach and drummer Sam Jesson) amble on stage there is a palpable air of expectation. The audience are fully aware of Webb’s reputation, even if they have never seen him play before. Others have and are excited.

The relaxed pianist welcomes the audience, simply saying: “We’re going to play some music for you. Some old, some new.” Then off we go, and the exposed workings of the upright piano begin their impossibly fast rhythmic rises and falls in visual complement to Webb’s fingers as he races into a breakneck rag.

One of my favourite novels is EL Doctorow’s social and political epic, Ragtime. Doctorow’s writing style was described like the virtuoso performance we are priveliged to see and hear today: “The rhythmic and syncopated nature of ragtime, pulling readers through the story at a brisk engaging pace… Interweaving lines to a blur of sound.” It’s hard to describe the music better than that, because that is what Webb does.

It is an aural rollercoaster which demands audience holding-of-breath until the end, then resolution with a gasp, a laugh and applause. Sach and Jesson don’t have to worry about rhythm — Webb’s also got that covered. They provide a counterbalance and contrasting mood to the happy cadences from the exposed piano. Webb — fingers racing, sometimes stabbing and even using gentle karate chops to punctuate rhythms — is mesmerising.

After a rag about an all-night hot-dog stand in Germany, Munching In Munchen, a tug towards sentiment with a rag version of When You Wish Upon A Star, there is a reworked Armstrong song Muskrat Ramble, retitled Goalmouth Scramble, reflecting Webb’s love of football. And then at one point Webb asks the audience: “Old or new?” “Old!” they shout. “Fast or slow?” “Fast!” they shout.

Even demanding mainstream jazz fans can’t fail to be engaged by this musical handbrake turn to ragtime. Resistance is futile.

But maybe seat belts should be provided for the audience.

Joe Webb plays Ronnie Scott’s December 4, 6, 8 and 9. Tickets: bandsintown.com.