It’s not often that you get to witness the creator of a style of music, but the packed house at Sam First got the opportunity to hear Boston-based tenor saxist and educator George Garzone, the initiator of the “Triadic Chromatic” style of improvising. I doubt if anyone in the audience was there for an intellectual education of the matter, as Garzone’s playing with the team of LA all stars lead by drummer Peter Erskine was an enjoyably swinging affair, whether you flatted a fifth or drank one.
Erskine’s trio of Alan Pasqua/p and Darek Oles/b dug deep rivulets of hard bop as Garzone opened with a lyrical “It Could Happen To You.” Garzone’s tone is sleek and sandied, carrying a hint of Coltrane-esqe adventureness but always remembering the melody, with Erskine keeping things interesting by changing strides during the solos. Garzone then went bel canto on a rubato aria “To Michael Brecker” that was a deep and meditative tribute, with Pasqua supplying rhapsodic streams and Erskine in an Elvin Jones mode with his mallets creating a meditative mood on both tom toms and high hat, creating ebbs and flows like a gentle wave.
Erskine gave a frisky drum intro to the adventurous yet lyrical read of “Have You Met Miss Jones” with Garzone joyfully riding the trio’s whitewaters like a longboarder,climaxing with bouncy and buoyant parlays back and forth between each artist. Garzone then gave ha read to “Sky Shines On an August Sunday” with a palpable texture to his tone teamed with sighing harmonics, hovering over Pasqua’s rich and romantic impressions that mixed sound with space as Oles and Erskine supplied subtle settings of the pace.
Erskine snapped everyone to attention as he lead into the muscular and melodic “The Honeymoon” with Garzone searing through the trio’s bluesy and playful pulse. A nimble duet between Oles and Erskine’s high hat evolved into a wonderfully volcanic feeding frenzy as Pasqua joined into the fest and finally Garzone with a volcanic closing that was a celebration of a show that was thankfully recorded for posterity. Garzone and company adroitly mixed modern with tradition with an extra spice of inquisitiveness, sounding as fresh as the air outside after the rains.
This was my first visit to the fairly new Sam First. The place is cozy and intimate, seating 60-70 with incredible sound. There’s not a bad seat; you’re right there up front with the band, and the audience is respectful of the music. Validated parking at Joe’s gives a discount; give this place a try. We need it!
Upcoming shows at Sam First include Miro Sprague 01/24, Gilad Hekselman 01/26, Justin Kauflin 01/27, Frank Potenza 01/31 and Simon Moullier 02/01