Teatro Nescafé de Las Artes (Santiago de Chile - October 2016)
Manu Katché: Intimate and Sophisticated Jazz
The full musical wisdom of the French percussionist
by Héctor Aravena Appelt (RockAxis - Chile)
With his new album Unstatic in hand, the renowned French percussionist Manu Katché returned to our country after 25 years since his visit as Peter Gabriel’s drummer during the iconic 1990 Amnesty International concert. Although Katché has played with some of the most illustrious jazz and rock artists (Sting, Jeff Beck, Richard Wright, Herbie Hancock, just to name a few), he has also developed an impressive discography of his own, which began in 1992 with the album It’s About Time. Since then, Katché’s work has expanded as part of the catalog of the distinguished ECM label, with albums such as Neighbourhood, Playground, and Third Round, among others.
With these credentials, the French musician returned to our country for a second time, specifically to showcase his work as a composer and leader of his own band, which includes bassist Ellen Andrea Wang, keyboardist Jim Watson, and brass players Luca Aquino on trumpet and Tore Brunborg on sax. The concert was characterized by its intimate, sophisticated, and sensual jazz, always with virtuosity in service of emotion—whether it was nostalgia, exaltation, or candor expressed in the different pieces performed.
Katché’s drumming technique is unique, flawlessly executed with both brushes and drumsticks. His control over the intensities on the snare, the details on the cymbals, his masterful interplay with the toms, and his skill with the bass drum were a spectacle in themselves. Meanwhile, the band, tightly synchronized at all times, stood out with Wang’s precise bass playing, which also allowed her moments to showcase her sober and effective style. Watson, playing both electric keyboard and acoustic piano, contributed to a perfect symbiosis, enhancing the final result with the noble sound of the keys. The jazz warmth of Katché’s quintet was crowned by the emotive and passionate contributions of Aquino on trumpet and Brunborg on sax, who added exactly the right dose of melodic feeling.
After the third piece, Katché stepped to the front of the stage and began chatting casually with the audience. It was the moment to recall his previous visit to Chile, pointing out that, without a doubt, some of the people present hadn’t even been born when he was last in the country. Showing his joy at playing in Chile again, this time performing his own music, he began to tell a story about meeting a musician many years ago. The musician in question was the renowned Argentine guitarist German Herlein, who joined the quintet to perform two pieces on spanish guitar, demonstrating all his dedication and mastery of the six strings.
The show maintained its quality and intensity for nearly two hours of uninterrupted music, during which, of course, Katché’s drum solo at the end of the concert stood out, along with his musical interaction with the audience. In general, it was a display of very personal and intimate jazz, full of emotion and passion. Beyond the technical display, which is merely a tool, it was a live performance that reflected the French percussionist’s unique way of understanding life through music.
