Though I've become utterly allergic to the guitar since November and have mainly been listening to a combination of Talk Sport and Acid Rock (sadly minus the acid - can't do psychadelics with my hernia), I did manage to get out last night to see the formidable Russell Malone Quartet, and even got to press some flesh when they were unintentionally trapped into shaking hands with every single member of the audience as they walked to their dressing room while we filed out exits. What to say, except that it was an amazing show: the tune selection was an choice combination of up-tempo, Benson-like funk, standards, pop and theme tunes glazed with what he called an "afro-sheen" (Gunsmoke, "Unchained Melody" and the Carpenter's "We've Only Just Begun"). Though controversially, the highlight of the evening was probably the mad skillz and over-developed forearms of drummer Jonathan Blake, there many beautiful moments of chord-melody (cascades of Lenny Breau harmonics), including a nice "Home on the Range," and a standard that I wish I could remember the name of as I want to learn it (was it "If You Only Knew"? I can't find a title like that anywhere). Russell was playing a '76 two pup L5, and the only minor blot came when he forgot where he was and announced how glad he was to be in a totally different town. Life on the road, man...
(How Deep is Your Love - not part of last night's set, but you get the picture).
