Ask the average punter in HMV what jazz is and they’ll describe squalling saxophones, pulsating trumpets, and the white heat of constant improvisation in a smoky bar. The Edinburgh Jazz Bar definitely had the atmosphere sewn up. Located on the lip of Chambers Street, a flight of stairs leads to a dim bar. All it needs is a smooth-talking bartender and we would be placed firmly in Rat Pack territory. However, the Louis Durra Trio ignores other stereotypes, featuring a piano, a double bass and drums - no brass or woodwind leading from the front here. Durra casts away traditional assumptions of jazz, saying ‘I think it’s weird that we have this music which is all about discovery and exploration, and we only have a narrow interpretation of it’. His first piece, ‘6’s and 9’s’ with its opening piano refrain channelled modern electronica and gelled well with bassist Bryan Shields and drummer Doug Hoff when they elegantly developed the tune.
Durra’s normal band partners live in Los Angeles, where he usually performs, but you couldn’t tell by the slick interaction of the trio. Always driven by Hoff’s precise timing, the pieces moved with a confidence that was never brash or overstated. On ‘9/11’ soft piano ripples brush over smooth bass plucking. Many of the songs do not follow the jazz tradition of extensive improvisation but work within a framework taken from existing songs, notably those of Sophie Bancroft and KT Turnstall. While this might sound trite, it lent a unique and refreshing structure to the songs. Durra overextended himself by playing Tears For Fears’ ‘Mad World’ in a manner that sounded more like a cover than a new interpretation of the material. Furthermore, sometimes songs felt a little too constrained by their well-developed structures and needed more freedom to play with. The largest applause of the day came after a pounding drum solo from Hoff and I felt they could have let loose a bit more.
This is not only a show for jazz fans, but for people who are interested in seeing what seem like tired musical elements subverted before their eyes. While Durra’s innovative adaptations do not always hit their high expectations, there are enough ideas and musical talent from the trio to make their performance slip by far too quickly.
