Joey Calderazzo communicates through music; he is not one to explain what he is doing. The American pianist makes his entrance on this Saturday night in LantarenVenster, takes a seat behind the keys, flips through his papers and, half turned away from the audience, scrolls on his phone, as if he has yet to pick a suitable opening number. As his accompanists look on, he launches into ‘Just One Of Those Things’ with a lyricism that immediately moves the audience. Bassist Orlando le Fleming and drummer David Hawkins join him in a higher gear, after which the trio gives a demonstration of breathtaking powerplay.
Calderazzo was discovered in the late 1980s by saxophonist Michael Brecker (1949 – 2007), who died far too early. The latter gave the young pianist the chance to play on memorable albums like ‘Tales From The Hudson’ (1996) and ‘Two Blocks From The Edge’ (1998). Calderazzo’s first album as a leader ‘In The Door’ (1990), was followed by eleven more, of which ‘Live From The Cotton Club, Tokyo, Volume I’ (2017) was the latest. Fans of his music have been waiting eight years for a Japanese follow-up.
With Branford Marsalis, he formed Buckshot LeFonque, a hip formation that combined jazz with soul, R&B and hip-hop. The Frank McComb-sung tune ‘Another Day’ even climbed the charts. Since 1998, Calderazzo has played in Branford Marsalis’ regular quartet. With this group he recorded the legendary album ‘Coltrane’s A Love Supreme in Amsterdam’ at the old Bimhuis. These days, the 60-year-old pianist divides his time between the Branford Marsalis Quartet and his own trio.
In Rotterdam, it turns out to be an evening of extremes. As if to underline this statement, the trio deploys the simple but catchy Latin intro of ‘Cianna’, a piece by the band leader. Bassist Orlando le Fleming, who played cricket as a professional in the 1990s, pulls apologetic grimaces because of the simple bass pattern. Calderazzo moves his upper body towards the audience in the three-quarters-filled hall. and clownishly shouts: ‘Jazz!’
The trio plays ‘All God’s Children Got Ryhthm’ at a killer pace. In 2017 the pianist wasn’t able to play anymore because he had lost feeling in two fingers of his right hand. He was found to be suffering from cubital tunnel syndrome, a condition that occurs when the nerves in your arm become pinched. After surgery and a period of rest, the hand recovered. This evening, his fingers fly freely across the keys from left to right and back again.
Calderazzo starts ‘Ana Maria’ on his own, highlighting the beauty of this Wayne Shorter composition. The rhythm section follows with controlled composure, giving relief to Calderazzo’s piano solo. The trio builds this piece expertly. Hawkins switches from brushes to sticks and even gets applause for it. The bass grooves sound deeper and more emphatic. Hawkins taps hard and contagiously on the edges of the snare drum, en passant using the microphone stand into the rhythm. After the calm has returned and Calderazzo plays the theme again, the trio doesn’t strike a final chord, but works towards an even fiercer, second climax. Calderazzo theatrically throws off his glasses, after which the flame really catches and the temperature rises to great heights.
The warm-blooded ballad ‘Free’ is the musical confirmation that sounds of hope still ring out from the US.
Seen 29 March 8:30 PM LantarenVenster, Otto Reuchlinweg 996, Rotterdam
Line-up: Joey Calderazzo – piano, Orlando le Fleming – bass & David Hawkins – drums
Pictures: Olga Beumer
