Reviews :Ford/Tipping/Wise Trio - Sandwiches, 23rd May

Wednesday Night Live has become a venerable institution at Sandwiches, serving up quality jazz along with dinner every week. Dinner show gigs like this can often descend into background muzak, but Sandwiches always pulls a knowledgeable crowd of jazz fiends and fellow musos (including Nathan Haines this week) who know a great bass solo when they hear one, and their enthusiasm fires up the rest of the audience who might just have come for some pizza or cocktails, but stay for the music. This trio's music strikes a fine balance between being mellow enough to nod along to over your meal, and lively enough to demand your attention when it counts.

Charmaine Ford is well-known as one of the country's most exciting young pianists and composers, with an energetic, muscular style. Nick Tipping is an experienced bassist, composer and teacher, whose solos lend a supple quality to their sound. Richie Wise is a jazz drummer who's been known to flirt with the funk (he plays with Harbour City Electric every Thursday), and with this trio he keeps the focus on driving rhythms. Together they mix standards with originals, hard bop with latin, melodic passages with intense bursts of rhythmic energy. The mixing wasn't quite right at first, with Charmaine's gutsy riffs in the lower registers getting muddy and overwhelming the bass, but the sound came together soon afterwards and allowed the band to really get into its swing. You can hear a couple of their tracks on their MySpace page.

It's the fact that Sandwiches can offer great jazz, food and drink here in the lounge, along with a proper nightclub experience next door, that justifies its place as New Zealand's top club. I personally prefer the lounge (I'm getting too old for 2am starts to gigs and DJ sets), and with Cabaret no longer around, it's one of Wellington's best mid-week live music experiences. The show starts at 8ish, but get there early (or book a table) if you want a seat.

- Tom

(see the full album) 

Posted Saturday, May 26, 2007 12:29 PM

Tagged as: review, music, Sandwiches, Nick Tipping, Charmaine Ford, Richard Wise, jazz

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