Sam Braysher Quartet feat. Sara Dowling
(Pizza Express Live. That’s Him: The Music of Kurt Weill album launch. 1 July 2024. Review by Richard Lee)
As recently previewed by Kai Hoffmann on this site (link below), Sam Braysher introduced his new album That’s Him: The Music of Kurt Weill with the final song from the CD, a confidently swung version of This Is New. His effortlessly assured alto and the quartet’s ultra solid comping set the tone for the evening and if that was reassuring rather than challenging, what was “new” was the selection on the lesser-known songs of Kurt Weill. Sam’s introductory comments suggested he was aware that the audience might comprise both hardcore Weill-ians and total newbies, but after a bit of background, let the distinctive tunes do the hard work. Choosing the little-played Liebeslied from Threepenny Opera next was a canny move, opening with a plangent bass solo by Dario di Lecce, whose full and plush tone was matched by Sam’s favouring the lower register pretty much throughout the evening. Quite aware that “great tone” might sometimes be damning with faint praise, but it’s a hugely attractive element in his playing.
The silence that followed Sam’s enquiry if anyone knew Weill’s Street Scene confirmed this was pretty much a fresh-to Kurt audience but the charm seemed to work when he presented us with a terrific version of Moonfaced and Starry Eyed, a bluesy hoofer from the tenement opera that should really be more present in standards pads.
The band were joined by Sara Dowling for the inevitable Speak Low, taken at a thrillingly risky slow pace, but through Sara’s control and a winningly theatrical delivery (something that really came into its own later in the evening) the risk was rewarded. The song doesn’t appear on the album but Sam’s own contrafact Ships Adrift does, a giant-stepping instrumental with a neat unison melody by sax and Matyas Gayer’s nimble piano and topped and tailed by crisp, energised solos from the ever-dependable Steve Brown. The album’s title track That’s Him – and very much its centrepiece – followed, Sara’s arresting swoops and Sam’s almost tenor-like tone complementing each other rather beautifully. The set completed with the sweet Alan Jay Lerner co-composition, Here I’ll Stay, and the interval heralded with an amusing Gershwin ditty Walk The Dog.
The only track that didn’t appear from the album was the dolefully Brechtian Marterl from The Berlin Requiem, which followed the Threepenny Opera and preceded Weill’s escape to the US. Personally, I love that track but I can see why it didn’t fit the generally upbeat vibe of the evening. Much more in keeping was the perky Parkeresque adaptation of Bilbao Song, more a Bilbaobop with Sam’s fluid playing and a hint of Little Suede Shoes encouraged by Steve’s latin accents from the kit. Two more familiar Weill songs followed, showcasing Sara’s commanding delivery: My Ship and the heavenly Lost In The Stars, neither on the album but hopefully, recordings are laid down somewhere. Along with The Right Guy For Me, from the little-known Fritz Lang romance You and Me, these formed a trio of perfect Weill-as-songbook numbers, the latter on the album and deserving much more attention from singers everywhere.
So the album’s launched and it’s a pristine, highly enjoyable take on Kurt. But there’s electricity in the band’s live playing which I heartily recommend: do take the opportunity to see them live if you can.
Personnel:
Sam Braysher alto
Sara Dowling vocals
Matyas Gayer piano
Steve Brown drums
Dario Di Lecce bass
LINKS: Kai Hoffman’s feature on That’s Him: The Music of Kurt Weill
Live Dates (Full List)
26 August – Jazz Festival Chichester
27 August East Side Jazz, Leytonstone
30 August Ladbroke Hall, Notting Hill
Album on Bandcamp
