I wonder if anyone at jazz bassist Ron
Carter's Foursight Quartet concert on
Friday evening at the Paradise Jazz Series believes it was the best concert in
the series history. The quartet, pianist Renee Rosnes, saxophonist Jimmy Greene,
and drummer Payton Crossley put on a concert for the ages. They are the
smoothest outfit I've seen. Their way of swinging is different. It has a
certain dignity you do not get from other jazz bands. Before they started
swinging, they walked out dressed in black tuxedos, locked arms and bowed. Carter
sat on a stool next to the piano. The quartet played for an hour without coming
up for air. Carter didn't call the first four songs. I had to go to his Facebook
page for the setlist. They opened with "Bohemia After Dark" and slid
into "Nefertiti" and "One Finger Snap." After they ended
"Little Waltz," they finally came up for air, and Carter addressed
the house. It was a joyful homecoming for Carter, and he was happy to play for
a packed house at Orchestra Hall, his first time hitting there as a band leader.
The quartet didn't pause between songs like they were performing a suite. The
wondrous thing about this concert was that each moment could rank as the
concert's high point, with Rosnes and Carter trading and Greene blowing
brilliantly. Greene is a sax player with a lean, pleasing, everyday tone, like
the late Harold Land. With so many highlights, my favorite was
Crossley's solo, where he only hit the cymbals, which was like watching a hotshot
artist painting on stage. Rosnes' playing stood out the most. She's an elegant
piano player who plays like her fingers are made of diamonds. Carter shook up
the house with a well-crafted bass solo. As a bass player, he waltzes with the
bass instead of walking with it. His playing draws you in after playing notes. So,
it's worth asking if the Foursight's set was the best in Paradise Jazz Series'
history.
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| Payton Crossley, Renee Rosnes, Ron Carter & Jimmy Greene |
