THE BLACKHAWK QUINTET HOMAGE TO SHELLEY MANNE
Bandleader Matt Skelton on drums all photography by Mike Harris
A night of "cool jazz" in tribute to one of the greats of the West Coast scene of the 1950s - Shelley Manne. An extraordinary and unique artist who has left an immense legacy of collaborations and recordings. This project celebrates his Quintet and their particular contribution to the Manne canon, inspired by a clutch of golden performances, captured live at the Blackhawk Jazz club in San Francisco between September 22-24,1959.
Mark Crookes on Tenor Sax
Tonight's band have been hand-picked for the way they connect with and are inspired by their corresponding original artists. They do though aim to express their own originality and collective inspiration with the Manne.
Every era has its hight point. A deep dive into Shelley Manne’s famous Californian club – The Manne Hole – at Cambridge Modern Jazz re-spun the unmatched vibe of 1950s West Coast USA. A sell-out audience said it all. Mostly young, tuned in and switched-on, a crowd of today’s jazz lovers who dig the accomplished canon of musical greats. And what could thrill them more than the genesis of Matt Skelton’s band devoted to re-creating their sound.
Jim Davidson on Trumpet
Matt Skelton reflects The Blackhawk Quintet with its brilliant musicians, but with no loss of originality. From the get-go the blissfully bright brass blew us away. A trumpet is a trumpet you’d think – Jim Davison had me from his first bars. His exuberant flair lifted a joyous precision into a heart-warming performance. Mark Crooks‘s saxophone featured some liquid golden moments of almost mesmeric musicality. I loved the way the players took centre stage in turn to exhibit their individual brilliance. None better than the pianist Leon Greening was dreamily accomplished as only truly brilliant keyboard maestros can claim. Polished, charming, he was sometimes satisfactorily back in the mid twentieth century – and at others in a timeless space of very modern delight.
Band leader Matt Skelton was like Shelly himself on drums. He recalled the popularity of the great drummer as he was hired for film after film by the likes of Henry Mancini and André Previn. Delightful anecdotes from Matt recalled the spirit of the age- he recounted that Lerner and Lowe - the super-star composers of My Fair Lady - favoured Shelly Manne as their drummer of choice – for every song. On their London visit to open their phenomenal success, they wandered into a motor dealer in Berkeley Square and chose a super luxury car each “I’ll get these,” said Lerner – “you bought lunch”!
Fun stories aside, Matt himself in this homage to Blackhawk Quintet, was sensational. His control and rhythm amazing, the sounds he produced were a surprise and delight. Was itraining on the pianist – no, just a shimmer effect from the drum section. Bassist Conor Chaplin brought depth and nuanced verve to the quintet. A guest player, his star piece ‘Pulling the Strings’ did that just that. We were intrigued – isn’t a bassist a backing sound? Turns out it can hold a soft lyrical melody.
Leon Greening on Piano
I liked the variety of the night’s jazz. From long attenuated riffs of pure Miles Davis inspiration or Sonny Rollins genius, the quintet slotted in On the Street where you Live a testimony to the times this brilliant quintet so cunningly brought to real life without any loss of their own individual originality.
You may have a divine hi-fi at home. And the music sounds super. But there is nothing , absolutely nothing, as Ratty might have said in Wind in the Willows, as listening to music live. With friends.
Conor Chaplin double Bassist
