Big Buzzard & the Organ Grinders: a review
I'm very pleased that I went to hear last night because it's good to find a band who genuinely enjoy their music. To be clear, like many bands these days they are (mostly) not full time musicians, but hold down day jobs so you won't be seeing them topping any charts soon. But I think it is unusual for a band like this to actually hold centre stage, since the money normally comes from functions where they are stuck in the corner (you can't really dance to jazz, certainly not what we heard last night). It's a pity, because this lot are incredibly good musicians.
The leader Andy, on sax, sported a very jazz 'tache + goatie (what can I say... it was very dramatic); at school I heard too many people massacre the sax that it was really good to be so close to someone who really could play it, and play it well. If only he could have turned his microphone down. The pianist and guitarist seemed to be the jokers of the group ... too much talent I think! The keyboard was largely set to Hammond Organ which, without trying to be cruel, was so much a better use for it than the Hammond Organ recitals held locally once per month (you can hear them from outside). Curiously, the guitar seemed to be set to mimic a vibrophone, an instrument which I can't see as being particularly jazzy but somehow seems to creep in all over the place. Luckily he was so good that I ended up not caring. As for the drummer - there were some quite wild bits of drumming... and he took one hand away to wipe his face. I sooo underrated the talent of drummers when I was a teenager - how can you do so much while barely moving? The bass and trumpeter rounded it up, but I am afraid I can't think of anything particularly funny or noticeable to say about them.
Three tracks particularly stood out. The first they only looked at a few hours previously, a Duke Ellington number called Purple Gazelle. Another I can't remember the name for but every time the phrase 'but Love' came up the keyboard player changed sounds, stood up and drove himself into the keyboard. The third was Gotta Go to Work, written by Maff Potts the keyboardist, based on his experiences of First Great Western (trains for those outside the UK). It shared it's theme with Fitness to Practice's London Underground, although a lot cleaner in content. I wondered how much we would have to pay FGW to play it over their intercom (or instead of their usual musak).
I realise that this isn't a particularly insightful review. But I did enjoy it and I wish these guys well.
The leader Andy, on sax, sported a very jazz 'tache + goatie (what can I say... it was very dramatic); at school I heard too many people massacre the sax that it was really good to be so close to someone who really could play it, and play it well. If only he could have turned his microphone down. The pianist and guitarist seemed to be the jokers of the group ... too much talent I think! The keyboard was largely set to Hammond Organ which, without trying to be cruel, was so much a better use for it than the Hammond Organ recitals held locally once per month (you can hear them from outside). Curiously, the guitar seemed to be set to mimic a vibrophone, an instrument which I can't see as being particularly jazzy but somehow seems to creep in all over the place. Luckily he was so good that I ended up not caring. As for the drummer - there were some quite wild bits of drumming... and he took one hand away to wipe his face. I sooo underrated the talent of drummers when I was a teenager - how can you do so much while barely moving? The bass and trumpeter rounded it up, but I am afraid I can't think of anything particularly funny or noticeable to say about them.
Three tracks particularly stood out. The first they only looked at a few hours previously, a Duke Ellington number called Purple Gazelle. Another I can't remember the name for but every time the phrase 'but Love' came up the keyboard player changed sounds, stood up and drove himself into the keyboard. The third was Gotta Go to Work, written by Maff Potts the keyboardist, based on his experiences of First Great Western (trains for those outside the UK). It shared it's theme with Fitness to Practice's London Underground, although a lot cleaner in content. I wondered how much we would have to pay FGW to play it over their intercom (or instead of their usual musak).
I realise that this isn't a particularly insightful review. But I did enjoy it and I wish these guys well.