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Barry Green Sextet, The Vortex, London
The sophisticated swing of a new generation of young British boppers makes itself well and truly heard
On the move: Barry Green

 

AS THE vibrant sound of Bud Powell’s Webb City rings out at the Vortex, pianist Barry Green leads his sextet with a creative authority.

The cascades of notes fall from Miguel Girodi’s trumpet and flugelhorn, George Crowley’s Dexter Gordon-like tenor saxophone buffets the venue’s walls with his sonic ideas and Sam Braysher’s alto streams out with an instinctive lyricism.

On Green’s opening composition The Cross, the delving sounds of Flo Moore’s resonating bass and Jon Scott’s bouncing drums create a surging beat and on his second original piece Pim, the power and flowing fluidity of Braysher’s horn stream out.

Another Green tune, Ding Dang Dong, swings with boppish authenticity after vocalist Brigitte Beraha has tenderly sung the pianist’s adaptation of the EE Cummings poem It May not Always Be So.

Green is a musician on the move who has established a growing reputation among US and British musicians for the potent originality of both his piano playing and composition and this session, expressing his excitation and musicianship, explicitly tells us why.

 

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
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