Review: Jim Blomfield and Friends, Bristol Beacon Foyer

Back in the early 90s publican and promoter Ian Storrer was bringing top class jazz to the unlikely micro-stage of Bedminster’s Albert Inn and Jim Blomfield was one of the latest crop of excellent musicians moving into Bristol. A graduate of the famed Dartington College music school, Jim’s technical brilliance and powerful classically-informed jazz playing caught Ian’s ear and soon made Jim an immediate star of the local scene. Happily he has stayed here ever since, contributing a string of projects as sideman and band leader spanning contemporary jazz, prog-influenced electronica and, increasingly, Latin and Latin-jazz fields with equal skill and insight. To recognise and celebrate this three decade career promoter Ian invited Jim to use the Beacon stage in whatever way he felt inspired and this ‘and Friends’ gig was the result.

Jim Blomfield and Friends (pic: Tony Benjamin)

It was a quintet that took the stage and the presence of two percussionists – Lisa Cherian and Jon Clark – was a clear indication that we’d be hearing much from the Latin side of Jim’s repertoire. The pair have regularly played in salsa outfit K’Chevere with Jim and bass player Sol Ahmed, while flutes and saxes player Kevin Figes is himself a seasoned Latin player. And indeed the flavour was there from the outset, whether subtly implied beneath the bebop exchanges of N Trance (inspired by the doors of Eastville Tesco) or fully explored in the cool cha-cha of Soapbox. Also immediately apparent was the almost telepathic empathy between long-term collaborators Jim and Kevin as they played with melodic and harmonic ideas in the freer sections of tunes like Baggot’s Groove, a jazz-funk number with Latin leanings. Starting with tight unison playing on keyboards and alto sax the number took off with a solo full of surprises from Kevin constantly balanced with Jim’s exploratory harmonics and anticipatory phrasing.

Guest trumpeter Michel Padron (pic: Tony Benjamin)

The first set closed with Michel Padron joining them for the Cuban classic La Comparsa, initially adding percussion on the guiro before adding a tight and forceful trumpet solo to Jim’s expansive and immaculate piano reading. With a fine conga solo from Lisa the tune was as authentic a slice of Cubana as you could hope to find this side of Havana. Michel returned at the end of the second set adding his spicy Cuban trumpet flourishes to Jim’s brisk salsa number The Joy of Less, a perfect blend of Latin stylings and hard bop jazz with another fine alto outing from Kevin as well as a punchy bass solo from Sol. They finished the evening with a descarga jam number with all six musicians piling in at full strength, including a sizzling sax/trumpet face-off.

Jim Blomfield getting Warpy with his Nord (pic: Tony Benjamin)

It wasn’t only a Latin gig, however, and Jim’s fondness for Warp label electronica was showcased in Bits and Pieces, wonky synth lines matched by pulsing bass monotones, low register baritone sax and snappy drum&bass snare drums and hi-hat. A downbeat arrangement of the torchy classic Secret Love was held together by lugubrious piano just the right side of schmaltzy while a similar deconstruction of The Beatles’ Tomorrow Never Knows floated in and out of Indian modes. Jim’s newly composed number Clarity bookended vigorously Tippetty free playing – including hands and pieces of paper into the back of the piano and overblown flute stabbings – with intricate flute and piano unison. And though Jim was, as ever, painstakingly straight faced both while delivering his drily witty introductions and as he played there was a great sense of fun about the whole thing.

Jim Blomfield (pic: Tony Benjamin)

All in all, and with a little help from his friends, we had been treated to a sparkling display of the breadth and depth of Jim Blomfield’s considerable talents that have continued to grow over thirty-something years thanks to his restless motivation to try new things and extend himself. Back in the 90s you would hardly have suspected a fearsome salsero was lurking in that intense young jazz musician but it is now clear that Jim Blomfield is one of the UK’s foremost Latin-jazz pianists. Hopefully he’ll get around to recording that side of his playing soon so that he might get the recognition he well deserves.