Two excellent but radically different bands and a rare solo performance by a notable pianist make up the 2007 Athenaeum Jazz at The Neurosciences Institute spring concert series.
The Dave Holland Quintet (DHQ) launches the series this Wednesday with its distinctive sound and collaborative creativity. On April 18, Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts makes its San Diego debut, although the leader appeared here in another group last year. And the much-heralded pianist Brad Mehldau will complete the Neurosciences series on May 2.
Dan Atkinson, the Athenaeum’s jazz program coordinator, explained the themes and variations in this exciting lineup.
“I always try to present a range of jazz styles within the context of each series,” Atkinson said last week. “In this case, I would say that Matt Wilson’s group is most tied to the jazz tradition and jazz standards, while Brad Mehldau dips in and out of the tradition, bringing a very original approach to bear upon it, and of course, bringing some original and unusual repertoire into the mix, too.
“Dave Holland’s band is on the other end of the spectrum and plays almost wholly original music that is so utterly characteristic of his band members that I can scarcely imagine it being played by any other group.”
Bassist Holland and saxophonist Chris Potter, trombonist Robin Eubanks and vibes/marimba player Steve Nelson have played together for a decade in this format. They also are members of Holland’s big band. Joining in their remarkable musical rapport is drummer Nate Smith, who has been with Holland for two years and played on DHQ’s 2006 album, “Critical Mass.” The quintet’s unusual instrumentation and the fact that all contribute compositions are two of its biggest assets.
“The group has the same quality as a great string quartet, where the players have evolved an artistic identity as a group and an almost telepathic connection with one another musically,” Atkinson said. “That seamlessness is one of the qualities that make their performances so thrilling, because it allows them to push the boundaries of their music to the brink and then bring it back home again to a melodic or rhythmic center, all with a wonderful sense of effortlessness.”
In April, mainstream jazz will be well represented by Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts. Fans who attended Wilson’s January 2006 Athenaeum concert with Mark Dresser and Myra Melford will easily recall his drumming.
“It was simply astounding,” Atkinson said. “Wilson’s Arts & Crafts quartet has been one of his principal projects as a bandleader, and involves three other superb players. Their music is accessible and irresistible.”
The other band members are Terrell Stafford on trumpet, Dennis Irwin on bass and clarinet and Gary Versace on piano, Hammond B3 organ and accordion. Atkinson described them as “superb A-list players on the NYC scene.” But the quartet’s vitality and energy springs from its exuberant leader.
“Exuberance is the perfect word for Matt’s style of performance,” Atkinson said. “He gets a lot of joy out of interacting with his musical partners, and he seems to revel in throwing them these humorous musical curveballs now and again.”
If any artist could follow two such stellar acts ” solo, no less ” it would be pianist Brad Mehldau. A New York Times critic said that when Mehldau “plays solo piano he packs a song with harmonic complexity through churning rhythm” and that “he smuggles endless small improvised elements into the dense, hammering rhythmic weave.”
Mehldau has said that the Neurosciences Institute, where he has played twice with his trio, is one of their favorite halls in the world. It’s likely many Athenaeum fans would say he’s one of their favorite musicians to play there. In fact, when Atkinson heard the pianist would be appearing with guitar phenomenon Pat Metheny in Escondido at the end of March, he asked a number of audience members if they still wanted to hear Mehldau play a solo concert. The responses were overwhelmingly positive, as was the opinion of Atkinson himself.
“I count among those jazz listeners who consider Brad to be perhaps the most significant jazz artist of his generation,” Atkinson said. “His music is continually rich and fascinating.”
The Athenaeum Jazz at The Neurosciences Institute series, with Wednesday night concerts beginning at 8 p.m., starts this Wednesday, March 28, with the Dave Holland Quintet. Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts will perform on April 18 and Brad Mehldau on May 2.
The Neurosciences Institute is at 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive. Tickets for the series of three are from $66 to $81; individual concerts from $24 to $29. For tickets and information, call (858) 454-5872.