For getting a pulse of what’s new and exciting in the LA jazz scene, no place captures it better than Sam First Bar. Not only do they provide a fertile soil for younger artists to get together and share ideas, but they actually record the gigs and release a number of these as albums.
Case in point was Friday night, where local young chap Devin Daniels brought his alto sax out of his Inglewood house and played material from his brand new album, previously recorded at Sam First. Titled LesGo!, the album was featured by Daniels and the same gents that were captured on the vinyl, namely Julien Knowles/tp, Chris Fishman/p, Jermaine Paul/b and Benjamin Ring/dr.
What is most impressive about the latest generation of musicians, and Daniels in particular, is not just their technical acuity. What was most intriguing Friday night was the seamless mix of complex charts that seemed almost free and subconscious, with the front line horns on “Les Go!” and “Spiral” galloping like race horses weaving in and out of the lead. And just when you thought that Daniels’ bright horn solo was going into uncharted waters over Fishman’s dark chords, the band took a quick turn into a unison intricate climax. Where did that come from?
Knowles’ horn sighed with Paul on a wafting “Light Blue” before Daniels entered with a bluesy bop idea that gave reminiscence of vintage Jackie McLean as Fishman served up prismatic ivories. The horns were soft and fluffy as they introduced “Reckon” with a soft exchange of phrases and then slowly scattering the notes before Ring herded the cats with his sharp sticks.
The mix of freedom and form was highlighted on “Miss Parker of KC” where Daniels opened up with an incendiary solo backed by the torrid Ring, building up into a tornado before the rest of the team swirled in. Suddenly, the horns dropped out and Fishman led the trio into a groove that was sustained and built up torrential tension with each chorus, mixing bop, swing, stride and other worldliness before Daniels closed things out.
The respect to the past with sights to the future was well demonstrated by Daniels and his team. With gigs like this, the packed house was encouraged by the state of jazz to come, which has actually already arrived!
Upcoming shows at Sam First Bar include Paul Cornish 08/13, Clay Jenkins 08/16-17, Gerald Clayton 08/20 and John Beasley 08/23-24