By K.D. Norris
60-second Review
The Kenny Barron Quintet at St. Cecilia Music Center, Thursday, Nov. 1.
What can you say about Kenny Barron — jazz piano master with decades of Grammy awards to prove it — that hasn’t already been said?
Well, two things, maybe. First, he is fully comfortable in old-school and new-school jazz, and, second, he’s enough of a confident teacher to play second fiddle (piano accompaniment) to young protégés. Both attributes were on display as the St. Cecilia Music Center continued its excellent 2018-19 jazz series Thursday with the Kenny Barron Quintet on the Royce Auditorium stage.
Proof of the first observation was evident from the first note of the first of the 8-tune (you can’t really call jazz jams “songs”), 90-minute plus set — which happened to be the old-school 1941 standard “I hear a Rhapsody” — to the group’s only encore, a funky new-school number written by Barron called “I’m Just Saying.”
The second observation was evident early and often with the front men of Barron’s stellar quintet being young trumpeter/flugelhornist Mike Rodriguez and saxophonist Dayna Stephens, both of which soloed almost as often and, occasionally, as memorably as Barron himself. Rodriguez’ flugelhorn work was particularly impressive.
Not to take anything away from ensemble and solo skills of bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake — Blake, in fact, may have been the most fun to watch performer the entire evening — but clearly both Rodriguez and Stephens are young jazz figures to keep an ear out for.
As it should be, though, the night was Barron’s. From his ferocious play on the title tract from his newest recording, 2018’s Concentric Circles Blue Note release, as well as an ode to his Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood, “DPW” (Ditmas Park West), also from Concentric Circles, to his delicate solo-on-stage blurring of four ballads by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Barron was in control of the keyboard and the audience.
Barron has earned 11 Grammy awards, beginning in 1992 for Best Jazz Album with “People Time”, his duet with the legendary Stan Getz, and most recently in 2017 for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
And if the music from Concentric Circles are any indication, there will be another nomination in his near future.
May I have more, please?
My wife is always looking for new jazz, so I have an idea after hearing and being knocked out by at least four of the tunes off of Barron and his quintet’s Concentric Circles — maybe five, there is a little confusion on my part if one of the Latin jazz-influenced tunes played at St. Cecilia was actually “Aquele frevo axe” (a Brazilian dance by Caetano Veloso/Cezar Medes); but I think it was.
Guess what’s coming for Christmas?
And speaking of gifts for the new year … After the Kenny Barron Quintet, the remaining Jazz Series concerts are Joey DeFrancesco on Feb. 7, 2019, and Benny Green Trio & Veronica Swift on March 7, 2019. Tickets for jazz series concerts range from $35-$45.
St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids. For tickets or more information call 616-459-2224 or visit www.scmc-online.org.
