TOWNER AND FRESU

Off to a gig last night... Ralph Towner and Paolo Fresu, at the Queens Hall.
If I had to describe it in one word? "Excellent".
Towner on acoustic guitar and Fresu on flugelhorn and [mainly muted] trumpet.

A couple of Christmases ago I got the ECM recording they did as a gift and fell in love with it straight away ("Chiaroscuro"). Relaxed, laid back, ambient music of the first order. I'd maybe stop short of calling it pure "jazz" as such, as Towner plays guitar in the classical tradition. The album is almost all originals (Miles Davis "Blue in Green" being the one cover), but last nights gig had an extra couple of jazz influenced covers thrown in ("I Fall In Love Too Easily" was one of the highlights for me).
The time just flew in listening to this pair, and the audience were captivated. Both just sat on chairs on a near empty stage. There was no fancy lighting and very little in the way of amplification, but you could have heard a pin drop.
When musicians like these come to your area .... you go. You can't expect to see them regularly and just take the opportunity to see them while you can, so I'm glad I did but hope I get a chance again.