Sitting at my desk, around 10 hours after arriving home from Birmingham, I'm faced with the task of putting last night in to words. It will be a tough ask. Neil Cowley, Evan Jenkins, Rex Horan and Julian Ferraretto's inspired Mount Molehill Strings did things to me last night that very few live acts can manage these days, or in fact ever have. Rather than give a song by song rundown of the night's wonderful and epic proceedings, I want to focus on a few key aspects of the sheer brilliance of Neil Cowley Trio and their approach to the craft of live music.
Earlier in the year, I had the privilege and joy of reviewing the band's new album, The Face of Mount Molehill. Featuring new double bassist Rex Horan, a full on string section, and guitar-toting legend Leo Abrahams, the album was the fullest realisation yet of Cowley's widescreen vision and potential. So strong, in fact, was said album, that I was slightly nervous to see one of my favourite live bands again. How would the songs and sounds translate to the live stage? Would the playful beauty, sheer energy and sometimes visceral attack of the previous live trio be translated to the larger ensemble format? Would they play Clumsy Couple? (A personal favourite). I needn't have worried.
Right from the first strains of opener Lament (once the ever-present Lizard had been placed atop the piano, surveying his estate for the evening), the audience were swept along in a whirlwind journey of emotion. I've never known a band who can provoke such joy in their audience one minute, as with the wonderful closing of How Do We Catch Up, whilst in almost the next breath reducing them to eyes-closed reverie with a slice of melodic beauty like Skies Are Rare. These are songs about spiders who live at the bottom of the garden, men who look like greyhounds, or, more seriously, historical documents at the emotion at the sickness of a newborn daughter, and somehow, without the aid (or should that be hindrance) of lyrics, the desired emotional connection is made time and again.
Second, the musicianship. Oh the musicianship. Every track here had something special. All built on rock-solid foundations of melody, and the kind of chordal structure most writers can only dream of, Jenkins and Horan's flourishes of colour turn each piece in to an opportunity to marvel at the possibilities when a trio are as in sync with one another as these three. The playful glances, winks and smiles between the band members as each song grew and moved, requiring each member to up their game and improvise, within the structures of the original piece, were a joy to behold. These are masters of their instruments, serious musicians, cutting loose and having a little fun, whilst at every step paying homage and respect to their craft and heritage. As someone who writes songs and plays in bands, I am left awed by the free-flowing wonder of how this band connects with each other. The journey it seems they take together, and which they lead the audience on.
It's hard to pick out favourite moments, although the trio of Meyer, Fable and The Face of Mount Molehill which closed the main set, were special. Fable, especially, showcased the sheer depth and breadth of the rhythm section's' power as the ever-changing time signatures came and went with nary an upward glance, before descending into an almost Metalica-like, upright bass-led cacophony to close. Wonderful. Encoring with Clumsy Couple and She Eats Flies, two older tracks, which stood up wonderfully alongside the newer material, was a fine way to finish a wonderful evening. And as the last strains of She Eats Flies rang out, I was left to reflect that I would quite happily do it all again tomorrow, surely the best advert I can give to a band I would say are the best live band I've ever seen.
Find out more about this wonderful band here. Please do check out their new album, The Face of Mount Molehill. In fact, buy a copy of everything they've ever put out if you can. A truly wonderful band.
See the brilliant video for Fable here:
14 April, SOUTHAMPTON, Turner Sims
15 April, CORK, Triskel Christchurch
26 April, BRISTOL, St Georges
28 April, POLAND, Jazz Club Hipnoza
10 May, PARIS, New Morning
11 May, BRUSSELS, AB Club
12 May, AMSTERDAM, MC Theater
16 June, NORWAY, Midtsommer Jazz Fest
29 June, GLASGOW, Jazz Festival
01 July, MOSTLY JAZZ FEST, Birmingham
06 July, MONTREAL JAZZ FEST, Can
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