Having played a sold-out gig at the pizza-chain-cum-jazz-club a few years ago, saxophonist and bandleader Tom Smith returned to Soho’s Pizza Express Live this Sunday (5 October), alongside his big band collaborators, for a lunchtime gig of original compositions. Smith has released an album since his last appearance at Pizza Express, with material from 2025’s A Year In The Life making up much of the afternoon’s set.
A stellar horn lineup ensured the roof stayed raised throughout most of the gig – with big, rich harmonies and blistering solos from the likes of Alex Garnett on tenor sax, Alistair Martin on trumpet and Smith himself on alto. Tracks such as Speedboat in Trouble, Plesiosaur (named after the prehistoric sea beast and written for Garnett) were enjoyably energetic, as was Swansea Uproar: a bombastically fun piece that closes the album.
It’s not all horns. Jamie McCredie (almost obscured from view on the stage) got his big moment on Breathe, a slower rocky ballad steered with whining electric guitar solos, while the “daydreaming piece” Somewhere Far From Here spotlit Will Barry on piano.
Trailers, a 30-minute long suite, spanned most of the second half and formed the soundtrack to a series of hypothetical films – traversing big action romps, smokey noirs and discordant horrors. As a two-time BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year finalist, Smith’s ability as a composer was never in doubt, but this made doubly clear that the saxophonist has a knack for writing enjoyable, and genuinely interesting music.
The band closed on the soulful, Gospel-like The Light That Shines, featuring Mark Nightingale on trombone. If it feels like I’ve spent most of this review name-dropping, it’s because there were simply that many standout performances – as well as others I haven’t mentioned. “Great writing – terrific playing” is how David Shiers described the album A Year in the Life (link to review below), and I’m happy to reiterate that assessment here.
