Frank Griffith reviewed one of the last gigs of Nigel Price’s mammoth 43-date 2023 tour, which finished on 8 December.
Top British guitarist Nigel Price and his trio unleashed a burning two sets at District, a new venue in the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool. The large, high ceilinged space was bathed in technicolour and streaked with haze, an ambience that served what the trio had on tap: a mix of Wes Montgomery tunes, popular jazz standards and a clutch of uptempo originals by the leader.
The driving and unrelenting rhythmic power of the organ trio is like no other: high on pedals, picks and sticks, each member has an equal helping of rhythmic influence. While a horn player or vocalist can play rhythmically, they can’t match the sheer percussive might of the organ trio format.
The first set opened with Wet And Dry, a contrafact tune of Nigel’s based on Come Rain Or Come Shine. Price’s solo bore a nod to Wes with his apposite and colourful chords over a relaxed, loping tempo.
A tune by Price dedicated to organist Shirley Scott, Hey Shirley is a jauntily medium modal waltz, and it brought organist Ross Stanley to the fore with his stunning solo exploring the upper reaches of the harmonies. His winding circular bass lines, unfettered by his right hand melodicisms, were impressive to say the least.
Napoli-born Italian drummer, Laura Klain, looked poised and cool while providing a steady and driving pulse. She was also featured in solo spots trading eights and fours with the others on Falling In Love With Love and Price’s Booze Blues, interchanges which never broke stride with the underlying groove.
This is a wonderfully tight-knit band, and if you like swinging, clean-toned guitar with nods to Wes, Benson and Kenny Burrell, the Nigel Price Trio is for you. Plaudits must also go to Geni Lamb and the good offices of Parrjazz, a Liverpool organisation that promoted this event so well.
Frank Griffith is a Liverpool based saxophonist, arranger and educator. His monthly radio show, The Jazz Cavern, can be heard on Liverpool Community Radio (www.l-c-r.co.uk) on Tuesdays at 3-5PM.