Having occupied the drum stools for such luminaries as Roy Wood, Ruby Turner, Mica Paris and the Climax Blues Band, the drummer Roy Adams is obviously a force to be reckoned with.
He proved this when he and his talented five-piece band played as part of this year’s Lichfield Arts Jazz and Blues Festival.
With saxophonist Chris Aldridge, keyboard player Tony Ellis, guitarist Steve Cooper and Colin Peters on bass, they played a high energy set that was full of interesting sonic textures, musical invention and some dextrous ensemble and solo playing.
The music was provided by such writers as Miles Davies, Pee Wee Ellis, Chick Corea, Billy Cobham and Mike Manieri, with a set list that provided moments of jazz fusion wildness, stately ballads and radical re-workings of established pieces in the jazz and rock cannons.
Miles Davies So What found the famed bass refrain gifted to the saxophone and gave the bass part a funky syncopation along with the guitars and keyboards.
Revelation, by The Yellow Jackets, was a workout in shifting time signatures, while the jazz fusion favourite The Chicken by Pee Wee Ellie was an upbeat challenge for all of the players.
A slower soulful balled by the vibraphone player Mike Manieri allowed for a moment of reverie and some thoughtful chordal moments on the piano before Chick Corea’s Spain was also given something of a makeover – and a crowd pleasing version of Prince’s Kiss was well received.
The closing number, Stratus by Billy Cobham, was very well played and gave ample soloing opportunities to all of the players.