Scotty Barnhart@Charlie O’s Jazz Club 11.14.09
By George W. Harris

Having been amazed earlier this year by the impressive “out of nowhere”
debut disc by perennial sideman Scotty Barnhart, I had to see him in
concert to find out if he was as good as he seemed on Say It Plain
(which also includes cameos by Marsalis and Terry). Let me tell ya,
there wasn’t a trace of disappointment; he came dressed as dapper as a
downtown haberdasher, and along with the reliable trio of John Heard/b,
Roy McCurdy/dr and Andy Langham/p, he treated the audience to a
swinging evening of crisp and articulate jazz that sounded as fresh as
this morning’s pine trees.

He came out of the gates running with a bright and bold treatment of
“It Could Happen To You” in which Barnhart mixed wondrous note runs
with sounds and effects that not only made music, but in the
vernacular, “told a story.” Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” had
the trio digging into a deeper and deeper groove each chorus, while
Langham’s piano horn flowed like a waterfall and Barnhart’s horn soared
and dove like a pelican in search of its prey. The clever-stepped
stride reading of “Our Love Is Here To Stay” featured Barnhart
rationing his subtle and suave notes like they tickets to a Laker’s
game, while during the free flight of the closing “Bye Bye Blackbird”
he drove the band with energetic ideas and sounds while never resorting
to clichés. The mercury level was way up this fall evening at Charlie
O’s.