Under this banner proudly unfurled in the new premises of the Orange Tree opposite Richmond station, the South-West London musicians’ collective got off to a great start. The pace was full to bursting for five saxophonists (Chris Biscoe, Jimmy Hastings, Pete Hurt, Tim Whitehead and Vasilis Xenopoulos) and a punchy but subtle rhythm section of Kate Williams, Pat Bettison and Gary Willcox. I dropped in briefly, and enjoyed -for example -seeing Tim Whitehead doing the throat-cut sign to the rhythm section to cue in Pete Hurt and himself for a chorus of finely matched contrapuntal unaccompanied sparring on Have You Met Miss Jones…..Jimmy Hastings (my companions’ uncontested favourite of the five) and Chris Biscoe being gentle yet adventurous with Sam Rivers’ Beatrice , and Xenopoulos storming with total conviction through Caravan. <
Next up next week is Tim Whitehead with Julian Siegel on two tenors, plus Oli Hayhurst on bass and Gene Calderazzo on drums. I would recommend getting there early. WayOutWest tonight in Richmond definitely found and connected with the audience which sometimes eluded them in Kingston.
Categories: miscellaneous
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