© Philharmonie Luxembourg / Alfonso Salgueiro
Accompanied by the stellar Frankfurt Radio Big Band, world class pianist Jason Moran served up a masterclass in how to be effortlessly cool.
Duke Ellington’s canon and influence are as wide and deep as that of any of the great classical composers, so it’s fitting that his life and work be celebrated in the grandest of rooms at the Philharmonie.
With a grand piano left of stage, various microphones front and centre, and 3 rows of woodwind, brass, string and percussion rising up from the stage it was obvious before the show began that this would be a dynamic and extensive performance.
Arriving solo, Jason Moran was met with energetic applause from a packed main hall. He talked eloquently of being in Luxembourg and about the night ahead before commencing with three pieces performed just by him. The deftness of his technique was a both joy and an adventure; unsurprisingly displaying the nuance and verve of Ellington but also the physicality and definition of Thelonious Monk. His literal chops and points on the keys revealing a technique no longer borrowed but owned.
His rendition of “Black and Tan Fantasy” was jaw dropping in its power, coaxing from the piano a sound the likes of which has probably never been heard in the Philharmonie. The thunderous and visceral cacophony roared as if instrument had been turned into beast. It was a genuinely unforgettable part of his performance and demonstrated his world class ability in a way that nobody in that venue could have anticipated. It was also at this point that his admiration for the instrument provided to him this evening began to surface; immediately commenting on how great a piano it was to play.
When the time came, the members of the Frankfurt Radio Big Band were invited onto the stage to much anticipation from an already encapsulated audience. Consisting of a front row of five saxophonists, a second row of drums, double bass and three trombonists (along with clarinet and an unmanned tuba primed and waiting to be introduced), and a back row of guitarist along with four trumpeters, their joy at playing this often challenging music was a delight. Their razor sharp renditions of often notoriously demanding compositions even had Moran in rapture.
It’s worth noting that with such a breadth of work it would be unlikely that even a Philharmonie full of Ellington aficionados could pick the same set list as that performed this evening but it was beautifully and skilfully chosen. Each musician was given their moment in the spotlight, sometimes in situ but, when they left their seats to perform solos (duets and trios), they performed front and centre. The trio of clarinet, muted trumpet and muted trombone which came forward for Mood Indigo was utterly hypnotic and delivered the classic composition with an infectious and playful confidence. It was like imbibing with three old fiends as they recalled good times. Those unable to come forward - guitarist, bassist and drummer - were equally enthralling. With the often subdued guitarist being given rolling encouragement from Moran when it was his time to let rip on his solo.
Moran’s shift from solo performer to band leader brought about a notable change in body language as he grooved and swayed to his band’s rhythm and drive; his often concrete concentration periodically melting away. It wasn’t the wildness of Cab Calloway but it gave insight into how much he was enjoying this band’s performance.
Yet this was a band without a certain type of voice, and that arrived in the form of Eva Buchmann. Be it confidently belting out classics such as “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”, or delicately performing more nuanced material such as “I Like the Sunrise”, she delivered with aplomb. Providing, a different kind of energy for both the band and Moran to bounce off, be it with full accompaniment or solo with Moran.
Even with two encores, band member introductions and numerous pauses for musical discourse, the time flew by. Moran himself stating that he could have picked a thousand songs to play tonight.
With that piano and that band in this hall…I kind of wish he had.
Don't forget to check out Today Radio's 'In Tune' show on RTL Play for a fabulous insight into the Philharmonie's love of everything from classic Jazz to avant-garde Classical...and much more.
