SAXOPHONIST (and leading eye surgeon) Dan Reinstein will celebrate a wonderful milestone next month when he and his hugely gifted quartet of musicians rock up at the marvellous 606 Club in London’s Chelsea to play live. They will be celebrating 20 years of appearances at one of London’s longest standing and best live music venues, playing some of the most loved jazz standards from the 1950s through to the 1990s.
Judging by their performance on Wednesday (November 9) at the 606 Club, the band are in fine fettle – and remain much loved. Despite disrupted train services and an impending tube strike, the club was packed to the rafters with members and non-members alike, anxious to enjoy their music – and of course indulge themselves in the club’s culinary delights and rather good selection of wines.
Although Professor Reinstein and his saxophones dominate (he occasionally switches to a tender soprano sax), this is far from a one man show. All the musicians are given their many moments to shine – and glow they do.
The excellent trumpet of Shanti Paul Jayasinha is very much to the fore, occasionally switched for a cornet or his ‘slumpet’. Jayasinha’s playing is both thrilling and pulsating.
The drumming of Winston Clifford is exhilarating – and when needed rather delicate as he masterfully – and gently – strokes his drums with the lightest of brushes. Both Tim Lapthorn and Steve Rose excel on piano and double bass respectively. All in all, a band without a weak link. All comfortable with each other. Very much a jazz collective.
With improvisation to the fore, it’s sometimes difficult to tell when one standard finishes and another starts, but that’s the beauty of the evening. It’s a night for jazz connoisseurs to immerse themselves in the music being played – and jazz trip. It’s what the 606 Club is best at hosting.
There’s something for all lovers of jazz in Reinstein’s set – whether it’s a bit of Miles Davis (Freddie Freeloader, Body & Soul, Autumn Leaves), Art Blakey (Moanin’), Herbie Hancock (Water Melon Man) or Freddie Hubbard (Little Sunflower). The finale is a rousing Happy Birthday.
If November’s rather splendid performance is anything to go by, the 20th anniversary show on Tuesday December 13 should be quite a party. Book your seats early because it will be a sell-out – and rightly so. As sure as night follows day. Live music at its best. Support live music. We need it in these difficult times – like never before.