Fred Anderson Trio
The Velvet Lounge
Chicago, Illinois
February 16 and 17, 2001
www.velvetlounge.net

Sometimes it is as much fun to see musicians just beginning to find their voice as it is to see masters.

Proof positive of this came with the trios that saxophonist Fred Anderson lead at the Velvet Lounge -a club on Chicago's south side which is owned and operated by Anderson- on February 16 and 17. Anderson is, for those who don't know, no novice at the age 73 and neither was the bassist that he used both nights, Tatsu Aoki. However, originally, these two were supposed to be joined by two more heavyweights of the Chicago improv scene, drummer Hamid Drake and guitarist Jeff Parker. For reasons that are not clear, such a quartet -which was heard on last year's Asian Improv release Live at the Velvet Lounge Volume Two- was not to be and instead audiences were treated with a trio featuring Anderson, Aoki, and a different drummer each night.

Vincent Davis was behind the kit on the 16th and showed himself able to handle both funky sections and slower, moodier segments. He used a variety of drums and cymbals and even based one impressive solo on toms and cymbals. I wondered at one point if the drums were correctly tuned but that was a fleeting sense as Davis seemed to know what he was doing.

For better or worse, the group hit its creative zenith in the first set which featured excellent communication and ranged all over the emotional gamut. The second set had the group stopping and starting with frequency in an attempt to get the music to come together. There was some fine playing but nothing extraordinary.

Colby Watkins was the drummer on night two. Watkins has been playing at the Sunday jam sessions at the Velvet Lounge for roughly two years according to Anderson who also describes him as an "upcoming young drummer." That sign of approval could mean a lot given that Anderson has served as a mentor for some of the finest performers around today and Watkins certainly has plenty of chops. His playing during the first set was wildly energetic and notable because Watkins was able to maintain a breakneck pace for around 60 minutes. That said, it was playing was often too much for the music. At one point Watkins soloed and seemed to be doing nothing different than what he had been doing a couple minutes before when Anderson and Aoki were also playing. This overplaying might have been distracting since Anderson and Aoki, being the great improvisers that they are, adjusted their playing to fit with Watkins. The result was that the music in the first set was closer to hard bop than anything else. Now there is nothing wrong with this in theory -and, as Harvey Pekar has recently pointed out, Anderson is one free jazz saxophonist who had the ability to play bop- but it seemed odd given the more "out there" sounds that Anderson and Aoki usually gravitate towards when in the company of the other.

In what is perhaps a related matter, a photographer was there taking pics of Watkins and the drummer appeared to be mugging for the camera at every stop. By the second set, the cameraman was gone and Watkins facial expressions, while still quite animated, became less distracting while he began to pay more attention to the intricacies of sound. His understanding of cymbals and the different sounds that can be produced with a variety of striking instruments shows a great deal of practice and care for music. If he can learn how to pull back consistently, Watkins might soon emerge as one of the most interesting drummers in jazz.

The highlight of the second night -actually the highlight of both nights- was a haunting arco solo from Aoki during the second set. Using noticeable but not distracting amplification, Aoki had Anderson, Watkins, and the audience spell bound for several beyond beautiful minutes. The only thing that came close on either night was a solo from saxophonist David Winslett who took to the stage for the final two performances on the second night and, like Watkins, is a regular at the club's Sunday jam sessions. The solo in question quoted heavily from "Giant Steps" and was so full of beautiful, shrieking energy that David S. Ware immediately springs to mind. Winslett got the spotlight again on the final piece where he was joined by Anderson but couldn't do even nearly as much with it on this occasion. His playing was solid was paled in comparison to Anderson, even as the legend appeared to be doing his best to play second saxophone. Like Watkins, Winslett has plenty of talent and if he continues to hone his craft will soon become a well-known figure in circles that appreciate this music.

Despite my less than qualified praise in this review, there wasn't really much to complain about. The music was enjoyable on both nights and given the prices -$7 a head on the 16th, $8 on the 17th- it was quite a bargain. If you are ever in Chicago, a night at the Velvet Lounge is definitely an experience that jazz fans should partake in.

Micah Holmquist