Award-winning saxophonist Alex Clarke showed why she is a name to watch when her quartet opened Lichfield Jazz’s 2022 season.
With a group also comprising of pianist Tom Lindsay, bassist Dave Storer and drummer Jonathan Silk, the ensemble played jazz that ranged from music by Irving Berlin, Fats Waller, Cole Porter and Dizzy Gillespie.
The soloing was shared equally, with the contributions by all members being both technically and creatively inventive throughout.
With an equal share of upbeat material, ballads and pop arrangements, there was as much here to please hardened jazz fans and more casual listeners.
The set started with Irving Berlin’s How Deep is the Ocean?, but the set highlights included the slower ballad such as Alone Together, before acerbic and fast-paced readings of Soon and Bobby Timmons’s famous Moanin’ closed the set, with some exciting soloing and tight ensemble playing from all of the members.
The second set featured East of the Sun, a fun Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Fats Waller, and the slower ballads What Is This Thing Called Love? and My One and Only True Love.
Dizzy Gillespie’s upbeat, but technically challenging, Groovin’ High finished the evening and was another example of why this quartet are held in such high esteem.
