Music / contemporary jazz
Review: Espen Eriksen Trio with Andy Sheppard
It’s a fair bet that very few of those thronging St George’s spanking new foyer and bar had ever seen (or even heard) Norwegian pianist Espen Eriksen before this night. But when your good friend brings along their new friends you can take it on trust that you’ll all get along, and Andy Sheppard’s catalogue of past collaborators is impressive. Nevertheless the almost palpable warmth that greeted the four musicians on stage was clearly a collective ‘welcome home’ to the now Portugal-based saxophonist.
Espen Eriksen (pic Evan Dawson)
Ever since the emergence of e.s.t. in the 90s the Scandinavian piano trio has had a certain distinction, enhanced by the likes of Christian Wallumrød and Tord Gustavsen (also coming to St George’s this month). The simple Christmas carol theme of the opening number Above The Horizon started in familiar territory, therefore, but it quickly became evident that pianist Espen was more aligned to US influences in the flourishes and harmonics he used to thicken the tune. Drummer Andreas Bye seemed to be feeling his way into the acoustics, his gently insistent grooves tightly timed with Lars Tormod Jenset’s melodic bass leaving Andy’s saxophone to inject some emotional energy into the piece.
(pic: Tony Benjamin)
Despite the warm welcome (or maybe because of it) the concert’s first half felt a bit awkward and mannered, with the simple melodies of tunes like Indian Summer and Naked Trees very much coming across as pop songs without words. That latter tune, which closed the set, did show some promise when Andy, having listened to the interchange between bass and piano with characteristically tilted head, then seized the melody and shook it about like a terrier to the evident pleasure of the audience.
is needed now More than ever
(pic: Tony Benjamin)
It was a definite sign of things to come and the second half flowed with a much more relaxed energy, kicking off with the TV theme catchiness of Suburban Folk Song which allowed Andreas Bye the chance of a drum solo, tidily constructed from evolving riffs. The track which followed – something about mountains? – was even a real ’Scandi noir’ mood piece, a neo-classical bass intro followed by a simple four-chord cycle, a sketchy duo of piano and sax underpinned by bowed bass and tom-tom thrums.
Lars Tormod Jenset (bass), Andy Sheppard (sax) and Andreas Bye (drums) (pic Evan Dawson)
By the ‘last’ number, entitled 1974, the metaphorical jackets were off and sleeves rolled up as the tune quickly deconstructed, Espen Eriksen’s Keith Jarretty piano flourishes traded with Andy’s more muscular tenor and drummer Andreas finally resorted to actual drum sticks to match the energetic sound. It was the best example of what this collaboration can do, with Andy’s capacity to make much of simple melodic material blended into the trio’s undeniable tightness and empathy. These were all excellent musicians, and Lars Tormod Jenset’s bass was exemplary both for the fulness of its tone and the consistent rightness of his playing, but there was rarely any sense of risk in the music, rather a kind of mutual respect that held them in safer zones.
Homecoming Andy Sheppard (pic Evan Dawson)
Fittingly, the obligatory encore was Home, a rather schmaltzy number given a simple run through each by Espen and Andy that left his Bristol fan-base feeling suitably blessed on their way, if ruefully wondering when they’d next have a chance to see him.
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