One of the most uncompromising swinging groups in LA is that co-led by guitarist Graham Dechter and bassist Alex Frank, with drummer Kevin Kanner supplying the steady pulse. This night at Sam First Bar, the trio brought in one of the few pianists of this generation that swings and bops like he took the torch from Wynton Kelly, Vince Guaraldi or Red Garland, our city’s own Josh Nelson.
The teaming was like a hint of what it might have been like to sit in on Wes Montgomery’s classic album Live At The Half Note, as Dechter’s guitar style and sound has imbibed deeply from those waters, and the remaining rhythm team supply the track star pulse in support.
But this was not a night of simple imitation, but rather inspiration, as Kanner gave some impressive bass lines and lead in on Ray Brown’s “F.S.R” and loped like a gazelle around Brown’s arrangement of the sleek and simmering take of the bossa classic “Meditation”. Dechter himself was delicate in form as he and Nelson caressed the dainty read of “ I Can’t Get Started” and joyfully grooved around the suave “Sunday In New York”.
Kanner cracked the whip and popped the clutch as the team dug into a delightfully steam rolling version of “Broadway” that had Dechter using single note lines, strums, harmonics and octaves to create colors like a rococo painter, handing the baton to Nelson who bopped out rich chords and festive solo fingerings. The 80 minute set ended up with Kanner laying out a blues march on the relaxed “Be Deedle De Do” that had Kanner walking the line like Johnny Cash with Nelson adding chimes like a ringin’ a bell with Dechter crossing the line with some inspired slim pickings.
Rare is the band that keeps to the tradition of what makes jazz so enjoyable while still searching for new lands. This quartet, with three younger gents and one seasoned vet, show how the tightrope can be walked.
Upcoming shows at Sam First Bar include Brian Charette Trio 07/24, Jacques Lesure 07/26, Sara Gazarek 07/30 and Bill Cunliffe 08/01