Trying to keep track of British saxophonist Tim Garland is exhausting work. With his band The Lammas, he was responsible for a unique and popular fusion of jazz and Celtic music. When he joined Chick Corea's Origin he began to make his presence felt internationally.
A new job as reeds man in Bill Bruford's Earthworks is next on the list, but he has also found time to record with two high-profile American virtuosi. Pianist Geoff Keezer earned his apprenticeship in Art Blakey's band, while vibraphonist Joe Locke plays with bass legend Ron Carter. In Manchester, Garland, Keezer and Locke proved to be a formidable unit, melding a high level of emotional intensity with spectacular displays of instrumental skill.
They began with a haunting version of the Beatles' Blackbird. Garland caressed the melody line lovingly while Keezer created some spine-tingling acoustic reverb by holding down the piano's sustain pedal. By the time he reached the end of his opening solo, Garland had already plumbed an astonishing array of emotions - but a different kind of intensity was about to be unleashed by Locke. With two mallets in each hand he waded in to the first of many high-speed assaults on his vibraphone, with all the dazzling physicality of a circus act. It's impossible to listen to a vibraphone without thinking about fairy lights, but Locke managed to elevate the instrument beyond its superficial prettiness, evoking a world of genuine magic and mystery.
The three musicians all showed a great love for using as many notes as possible. The total absence of any kind of "less is more" approach eventually became tiring, especially as the ensemble sections often proved just as convoluted as the solos. Some of Locke's more ostentatious displays of technique could perhaps have done with a more chordal, laid-back piano accompaniment, yet Keezer persistently favoured chopping arpeggios and darting scales. Fortunately, the emotional scope and structural ingenuity of Garland's compositions ensured that there was always substance behind the showing off.
· At Wakefield Jazz Club tonight. Box office: 01924 782339.
