This was trumpet player Christian Scott’s second appearance in London this year, after his gig at Ronnie Scott’s back in May. On this occasion, he brought the talented young flautist, Elena Pinderhughes, who made such a strong impression on his last album, Stretch Music (2015). 

The remainder of the band was unchanged and consisted of Lawrence Fields on piano, Kris Funn on bass, Logan Richardson on alto saxophone and Corey Fonville on drums.

The band’s lengthy set primarily consisted of tunes from Stretch Music, which saw Scott blended diverse musical influences – from electronic Miles, to hip-hop, to New Orleans jazz to alternative rock – into an amazing musical stew. Fonville’s drums were central to the success of this blend, incorporating hip-hop pads into his traditional drum kit, which gave the band a tremendous power and presence.

The band’s front-line was also very strong. Logan Richardson is one of the finest young alto players around, and seems to be developing a distinctive sound of his own, whilst Pinderhughes plays with a depth and maturity way beyond her years, and has a strong stage presence. She will be releasing her debut album next year, which will also feature her on vocals, which will be one to look out for.

Christian Scott himself has developed into a considerable bandleader, and allowed plenty of space for his talented band; indeed, there were occasions when it would have been good to hear more of his soloing. But this is a minor complaint; his solos were a joy, as always, often building to a fiery crescendo, Scott hunched over his horn.

Highlights of the set included a thundering version of West Of The West and The Last Chieftain, which was dedicated to his grandfather, who did much to unite many of the local tribes around New Orleans. Scott also showcased two new tunes from three themed albums that will be launched in 2017, to celebrate the centenary of recorded jazz.

Support came from Norwich’s Mammal Hands, who impressed the crowd with a well-chosen set, mostly drawn from their superb second album, Floa. The music worked well on the bigger stage, and saxophonist Jordan Smart particularly impressed with some fine solos. It would have been nice to see some more interaction with the crowd, but the band was only allocated a thirty-minute set. By contrast, Scott spent a full fifteen minutes introducing his band – which was perhaps a little more than required! 

Overall, this was a superb night of music, and demonstrated clearly that the future of jazz is in good hands!