Hip grooves with David Bentley … and all that jazz
New LP On The Record chronicles the music of the acclaimed jazz outfit, David Bentley Trio Plus One.
For more than a decade sound engineer Mark Smith quietly recorded acclaimed pianist and songwriter David Bentley’s live shows at the Brisbane Jazz Club. Unaware of being recorded, Bentley’s group settled into a relaxed groove often absent in formal recording situations.
Over time, Smith captured some of the band’s most memorable moments. Distilling this wealth of data would always be tricky, made even trickier thanks to the decision to release the album on vinyl (a format that limits playing time to 20 minutes per side).
Now, finally, it’s done – with the band’s forthcoming show at Brisbane Jazz Club on October 5 serving as a record release within the room where these eminently collectible tracks were recorded.
Titled On The Record, the album traces David Bentley Trio Plus One performances from 2013 to the recent past. Cover art references the soulful era of influential American label Blue Note Records, as does the music itself.
First and foremost, David Bentley is a jazz/blues pianist/composer whose lyrics have been informed, not just by his long experience as a musician, but also his parallel career as a Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist.
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Best known as the author of ’70s rock classic, In A Broken Dream (still smouldering as a remix by Harlem rapper Rocky A$AP), Bentley’s interests span a wide spectrum.
“I was 17 when I entered journalism,” he recalls. “I was three days out of high school and hoping to become a novelist. Journalism opened a window on life and I enjoyed the view. Music, on the other hand, offered challenge and immediacy. For a time, I followed both paths simultaneously. When the rock wave of the ’60s obliterated the jazz scene I played blues instead.
“I began writing songs in London and I’ve been doing that ever since. A song is – or should be – a very short novel with a storyline and ending with some kind of message. At the same time, I love the swing element of music, not to mention the raw excitement of pumping blues. So, what I do might be seen as an attempt to weave seemingly disparate strands – jazz and story telling – into a cohesive fabric.”
The current David Bentley Plus One line-up comprises Bentley (keyboards and vocals), Nathan Goldman (percussion), Andrew Shaw (acoustic bass) and Mark Spencer (tenor sax).
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It’s a swinging, spirited and multi-faceted line-up that focuses on Bentley’s original material but also injects fresh harmonic interest into classic blues and jazz standards, as well as delivering a unique take on classic New Orleans grooves.
The group performs frequently at Brisbane Jazz Club, a venue that has all the live jazz essentials: great sound, an in-tune grand piano, friendly waitstaff and responsive audience.
“We’ve been working at the club for so long, it feels like home,” Bentley says. “Sound engineer Mark Smith knows our music well and sets the stage in a way that makes everyone comfortable. That sense of being in the right place and at the right time informs the music.
“Playing jazz is akin to walking on a high wire. You’re interacting with your fellow musicians but you’re also on your own – thinking on your feet, negotiating harmonic complexities one moment, generating excitement the next.
“Anything can happen on a DB3 plus One gig – and one of those amazing moments is enshrined on the album when didgeridoo master William Barton joins us for a funky reading of Mose Alison’s ’50s classic, Young Man Blues (a song best remembered for The Who’s 1970 version on Live At Leeds).
“As for the name of the band … we were the David Bentley Trio until saxophonist Mark Spencer entered the picture. Mark guested with the trio so often that he became an integral part of the group. For brevity’s sake I renamed the group David Bentley Trio Plus One. People sometimes ask why don’t I call it the David Bentley Quartet – and I don’t have a sensible answer.”
On The Record LP launch, Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point, October 5, 3.30pm. On The Record is available at davidbentleymusic.com.au