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Concert Review: The Lee Konitz Trio At The Iron Horse

February 5, 2003  Northampton, MA 
Personnel: Lee Konitz-alto saxophone, Dennis Irwin-bass, Matt Wilson-drums

There is a funny little vignette in Jack Kerouac’s 1951 novel Visions of Cody, wherein the Kerouac protagonist Duluoz has a chance encounter with Lee Konitz on the streets of New York. Konitz, accompanied by bassist Arnold Fishkin, is seen going into Manny’s Music on a reed buying expedition, a mundane experience in the life of any reed player. Kerouac’s character, in a flash of spiritual intoxication treats the sighting as if it had major cosmic implications, and treats the reader to a play-by-play narration in his "bop prosody" style. Kerouac is seeking Nirvana; Konitz is shopping for reeds.

Kerouac’s youthful hero worship aside, Lee Konitz, holds an esteemed place in the history of jazz music. From his tenure in the Claude Thornhill Orchestra, to his involvement in the historic Birth of the Cool sessions with Miles Davis and Gerry Mulligan in the late forties, to his participation in the experiments of the Lennie Tristano school in the fifties, Konitz has always been a cutting-edge player. Though his activities beyond the fifties have been lower in profile, a look at his career reveals a restless and searching artist never content to rely on a formula. Much of his output over the years has been in duo and trio configurations where he has been able to continue his creative quest with abandon. Konitz at 75, possesses a perfect tone, clear and seasoned and tenor-like in timbre. His playing is a model of limitless artistic variation. His on-stage demeanor is that of a man at peace with himself and his muse.

The trio played an entirely acoustic show at the Iron Horse; not a mic or amp was in evidence. The effect was that the people came to the music with respectful and rapt attention. Dennis Irwin is a strong and lyrical bassist with a tendency to stay close to the melody. He has no problem cutting through without an amp. Matt Wilson is a drummer of prodigious abilities, with an infectious playfulness and wide dynamic range. Visually, he captivates, compelling the listener to anticipate what might be coming next.

The band played innovative versions of a standards repertoire, without ever lapsing into rehashed bebop. Konitz’ concept is one that treats the old chestnuts respectfully, but with a freshness that belies his roots in bop. He is still wringing new ideas out of a body of tunes that he has been playing forever. It was moving to see this master player who has been creating vital music for over fifty years.

- Richard Mayer 

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