WORDS: Sanjiv Ahluwalia

Jason Rebello Quartet, Ronnie Scott’s,  Saturday 7th August 2010

Jason Rebello returned to Ronnie Scott’s after a ten year absence with a blistering performance. His quartet, including the much in-demand bassist Pino Palladino (D’Angelo, Erykah Badu etc),  showed how much we have missed his talents with this rare headline performance.

Rebello is now best known for being the pianist in Sting’s band (taking over from the late Kenny Kirkland, who incidentally ranks as the best live pianist I have ever seen) but enjoyed a successful career as an artist in his own right. Though his recorded albums were good, with his last acoustic jazz set Next Time Round probably his best, it was always on stage that Rebello really came alive.

And the same was true at Saturday’s sold out gig, which covered jazz, funk and fusion, echoing Rebello’s influence by the likes of the Headhunters, Wayne Shorter (who also produced Rebello’s first album) and McCoy Tyner. Rebello played on these influences with covers of Weather Report’s ‘Elegant People’ and Herbie Hancock’s ‘Actual Proof’. The Herbie influence was apparent from the beginning with the opening track ‘Wrong Question’, mirroring the Headhunters tight set up, escalated by the tough drumming of Jeremy Stacey on drums

As mentioned before bassist Pallidino comes highly rated, and his self-penned track ‘Zooma’, a killer, disjointed funk number, was the highlight of the night. Other band members guitarist Paul Stacey and his brother Jeremey on drums, were equally able assistants to Rebello’s skills on piano and keyboards.

If I had one criticism it is that the fusion sound at time was a little slick, true also of Rebello’s earlier albums, but if you are a fan of the likes of Weather Report and Stanley Clarke than this would be a good thing (as much of the crowd appreciated).

This was a very enjoyable gig and made me want to see Rebello headline more frequently especially playing more acoustic jazz. Rebelllo was the first artist I ever interviewed for my cheaply produced fanzine, and even though he was at the height of his success and managed by one Simon Fuller, he was a humble and engaging interviewee. This was evident at Saturday’s performance which won him the crowd’s support at an earlier stage. But what was even more apparent during my interview seventeen years ago, he’s a man of immense talent. And Ronnie Scott’s saw much evidence of this.

Sanjiv Ahluwalia