Rob Garcia Quartet Concert
On the evening of Saturday, November 3, 2019, at a small church hall in San Luis Obispo, the SLO County Jazz Federation (http://www.slojazz.org) presented the Rob Garcia Quartet.
Photo by Craig Updegrove
This was an evening of high-energy, modern jazz from a quartet of top-tier musicians. Selections included original works as well as surprising and unusual jazz arrangements of classical, American folk, and rock pieces. I found the whole scene to be extremely creative and was blown away by the musicianship.
Although the musicians were reading charts, the ensemble work was very tight. Some of the original compositions had angular melodies with nonintuitive intervals, but the tenor and piano doubling sounded like the result of hours and hours of rehearsal.
Matt Renzi (tenor sax) poured his entire being into his solos, which were very “outside.” That said, even though Renzi frequently abandoned conventional harmonic content, his work was filled with emotion, and it was very clear that he knew full well the terrain of both melody and ground. When he chose, he acknowledged the signposts, but no matter how far he flew into uncharted territory, he never lost his way. Truly amazing.
There’s more information about Matt Renzi at his website, mattrenzi.com.
David Ambrosio (bass) has worked with band leader Garcia for over twenty years, and he clearly felt relaxed and comfortable with the material. Ambrosio’s solo work was creative and, though very modern in its “feel” was also quite accessible. It was a lot of fun to see the nonverbal communication that went back and forth between Ambrosio and Garcia.
Visit David’s website, davidambrosio.com, for more information about his music .
Leonard Thompson (piano) moved seamlessly between established melodies and unexpected excursions. He frequently mixed musical styles within the same solo. Sort of like a musical blender. That said, his ensemble work remained precise.
For more information, see Leonard Thompson’s website: leonardthompson.com.
Rob Garcia (drums, band leader) called the tunes and handled the audience interaction. His playing felt incredibly relaxed, and, based on what I observed during his solos, I have no doubt that he knows the sound of every surface of every drum and stick combination. I especially enjoyed Garcia’s manipulation of tempo. Despite the difficulty of “real time twirling of the tempo knob” for an ensemble, Garcia’s ability to speed or slow a given piece appeared effortless.
Learn more about Rob Garcia, including information about his latest projects, at his website, robgarciamusic.com.
Set List
Set One:
1. First Glimpse into the Shadow (R. Garcia?)
2. Prelude # 24, Op28 (F. Chopin, jazz arr. by R. Garcia)
3. Silver Dagger (Trad. American Folksong — jazz arr. by R. Garcia)
4. Joe-Pye Weed (R. Garcia, inspired by an American Folksong)
5. Terror, Fear, and Media (N. Preminger, M. Kamaguchi, G. Versace)
Set Two:
1. Illumination (R. Garcia — from new album, TBR early 2020)
2. Nocturne, Op9, No.2 (F. Chopin)
3. Little Wing (J. Hendrix — jazz arr. by R. Garcia)
4. Whatever Gets You By (N. Preminger, M. Kamaguchi, G. Versace)
5. Thank You (R. Garcia)
About the SLO Jazz Federation::
The San Luis Obispo County Jazz Federation has been presenting concerts to the community since 1983. The Jazz Federation’s purpose is to support and encourage the performance and appreciation of jazz, both professionally and educationally. This is done by sponsoring live jazz performances and jam sessions, and by giving scholarships and grants to young, talented, central coast musicians who have a special interest in jazz.
Visit: http://www.slojazz.org for more information.