Binker Golding (tenor saxophone), Philip Achille (harmonica), Artie Zaitz (guitar), Sarah Tandy (piano), Dan Casimir (double bass), Jamie Murray (drums)

Ronnie Scott’s, London, 19 April 2024

by John Earls. Photo credits (c) John Earls

The last time I saw Binker Golding at Ronnie Scott’s (June 2021) he and his quintet were performing new material in advance of what was to become the wonderful (and superbly titled) album Dream Like a Dogwood Wild Boy, a collection of tunes traversing across jazz, Americana, country and blues.

Last Friday’s (second house) concert at Ronnie Scott’s was also a showcase for new material, albeit interspersed with a couple of numbers from Dogwood. The new material, played here by a superb sextet, develops the trajectory of Dogwood in innovative and pleasing ways.

Not least is the addition of harmonica player Philip Achille who I’ve previously described as someone “taking his instrument to places you didn’t know it could go”. He did it again here throughout the evening including opening the set with soft, inquisitive and inviting tones. I don’t know if Achille features on the new album (he doesn’t play on Dogwood) but I sincerely hope so.

Of the line-up performing tonight, Sarah Tandy (piano and organ) and recent Arts Foundation Futures Award winner Daniel Casimir (double bass) did play on Dogwood. Artie Zaitz (guitar) and Jamie Murray (drums) completed the sextet. All were excellent, Tandy combining her lyrical piano playing with the organ (sometimes at the same time), Casimir solid and expressive on bass, Zaitz giving an effective guitar edge and Murray particularly impressive with his delicate stick and finger taps (although he can thump too). The Dogwood tracks played were a smoky Love Me Like a Woman and an absolutely captivating version of My Two Dads which saw Golding and Achille engage in a touching call and response of the opening refrain, featuring stunning solos from Casimir, Golding and Tandy. 

The new material is a promising progression and evolution of Golding’s outstanding composing, playing and bandleading qualities. Great tunes with moments of grace and beauty, the last number of the set being a case in point. You don’t always have to finish with an up-tempo banger. Tune titles included I Know I Can Change (whose origin comes from a misconstrued lyric) and Where the Heart Meets the Sky (which might also end up being the title of the new album).

Vocalist Maxine Scott joined Golding (playing piano) and Achille (harmonica) to sing Bob Dylan’s I Shall Be Released for an encore, but it was the sextet’s performance and the prospect of the forthcoming album that truly captured the night.

John Earls is Director of Research at Unite the Union and tweets / updates his ‘X’ content at @john_earls

Published post no.2,155 – Sunday 21 April 2024