By SHAWN HAMMOND
shawn@newsroom.byu.edu
Jazz is dangerous. Yeah, you read right. Serious jazz cats live on the edge and thrive on chaotic uncertainty -- well, at least when they're onstage they do. Does homogenized lil' Utah Valley have any serious jazz cats? You bet. I witnessed one Tuesday night, the weekly jazz night at Wrapsody, 117 N. University Ave. in Provo.
The Joshua Payne Orchestra is an eight-piece band led by eclectic guitarist Joshua Payne that consists of trumpeter David Tolton, alto saxist Thomas Abbott, clarinetist Jesse Bunting, drummer Mitchell Lee, tenor saxist Brian Neil, trombonist Matt West and bassist Douglas Wright.
Let me emphasize this: These guys aren't some blasted 'smooth jazz' band. (Smooth jazz is about as invigorating as a valium-and-warm-milk cocktail.) Nope, this is the real stuff. Improvisation galore.
First off, let me say that the guys in the JPO have scads of talent and serious fire in their souls. Really, the passion these guys exude when they trade impromptu solos is something you'd expect from musicians far beyond their years.
Band leader Joshua Payne is the catalyst for the orchestra's electrifying interplay. Hunched over his aged hollowbody electric guitar, boney shoulders poking angular lines in his cheap black suit and head bobbing in a fanatical frenzy, Payne reminds me of a half-possessed preacher at a tent revival. When his cohorts are really cookin', his zealous hoots of approval ring through the din like the requisite 'amens' and 'hallelujahs' of a rabble-rousing reverend.
Payne's orchestra started out the night with a rambunctious 15-minute (at least) solo-fest entitled 'Sunny Room for Two.' As with most tunes that night, 'Sunny Room for Two' allowed the eight band members to brandish their formidable chops for a couple of minutes each.
The second number of the night, 'Satin Doll,' is a Payne-penned tribute to jazz great Duke Ellington that lays back into a mellow, swingin' groove -- a nice change of pace after the breakneck opener.
'Go Granny Go,' the band's third tune, was a bit of a disappointment, despite the humorous implications of its title. The song starts off with Payne spewing a flurry of sloppy, bass-register phrases that, for all their implied intensity, come off sounding self-indulgent and a little drawn-out.
In fact, it was during this song that one of Payne's apparent stylistic trademarks really began wearing on me.
While Payne clearly has a gift for jazz guitar, his tendency to resort to frenetic, jackhammer-like ostinato strums (basically strumming various chords as fast as he can), especially during his solos, is something that needs to be administered with more restraint. It sounds cool here and there, but, like a potent spice, it can get old with too much sprinkling.
Likewise, as odd as it sounds, his propensity for fretting as high as he can on his guitar neck and just going nuts during his solos reminds me more of an 80's hair band guitarist showing off than a tasty jazz cat.
Thankfully, when Payne steers away from these overdone tactics he's brilliant. In fact, for his age (late teens to early twenties, I'm guessing) I daresay he's something of a prodigy. He can clearly groove, write great originals and lead a superb band.
While I'm praising specific members of the band, let me single-out saxists Neil and Abbott. While the whole band is great, these guys tear it up. And, it's not just their speed or note selection -- it's the feeling, the soul that they imbue their solos with. Simply amazing.
I have a couple of suggestions for the JPO. I don't mention these to be rude, either. Rather, I submit them because I think they could help the band appeal to a wider audience. If you want your band to survive, you've got to cull a following.
Joshua, your stage presence can use some work. I know you're the band leader, but spending half the show with your back to the crowd is a little too much. You need to try to relate a little better to the crowd -- y'know, work 'em. Your dry sense of humor and sparse communication with the crowd doesn't draw them in enough.
In addition, I know you're really trying to 'feel it' and express yourself during your solos, but, man, sometimes your facial expressions are downright scary. They remind me of a bleached-out Ray Charles having a bad acid trip. As a fellow guitarist, I don't think toning that down a little will affect the sincerity of your solos a bit.
I know real jazz will never become mainstream, but following this advice may help you win over the all-too-common attention-challenged and allow them to jive to your killer talents.
Shawn Hammond is an experienced guitarist and regular contributor to Guitar Player magazine.