JAZZ REVIEW - SNJO: Pop! Rock! Soul! @ Edinburgh Queen's Hall • reviewsphere

Pop! Rock! Soul! concert warmed last Friday’s evening at The Edinburgh Queen’s Hall with Joe Locke, Kenny Washington and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, reimagining and reviving the American/British song-book of legends such as Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Stevie Nicks, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Steely Dan. All this with a jazz slant and vibraphone as point of departure to a solid accent throughout the entire gig.

Sam Cooke’s Nelson Mandela dedicated classic A Change is Gonna Come launched the set. It felt as if the combo on stage were still tuning into each other. It didn’t take too long however, before the audience were taken on a cosy journey deeper into the well-rehearsed interpretations.

The San Francisco’s Kenny Washington. What a voice! Soulful, huge and fragrant range, but most importantly, one of these jazz voices that pleasantly tuck your mind right in. Loads of passion there.

Kudos go to SNJO’s drummer Alyn Cosker, whose heartbeat elevating punch served just as fine as a malfunction-proof driver to any reliable program. Helena Kay’s alto sax solo in John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s Got to Get You into My Life reddened the cheeks of a few joyful grins. Karma band’s Kevin Glasgow on six-string electric bass clinched the vibe when needed. Would the overall flow be better off with the use of acoustic bass instead? Possibly. Yeah, we liked it good tho!

Stevie Wonder’s Overjoyed was led elegantly and diligently by Peter Johnstone’s piano, and then, again, for the love of bebop and swing, Kenny Washington’s voice…

Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s frontman Tommy Smith kept it all well in check throughout the performance, wearing just the right jacket and approach for the show. As he would usually do.

California born, New York based vibraphonist and a long-lasting friend of the Scottish jazz troupe leader / sax virtuoso Tommy Smith- Joe Locke stands behind the making of this long overdue (covid-19 delayed) collaborative project and its predominant space for songs against slavery and oppression.

Joe Locke is a conceptualist in his trade, a lab of interactions, vibraphone and human in a consolidating musical conversation. A peaceful and sensitive existence, very visible in his performance. So much needed in today’s world in which ‘a lotus might still be finding it difficult to grow in the deepest mud.’