I'm
not normally a Jazz fan, but seeing as Manchester Jazz Festival 2015
is in full swing (pun?) and seeing as a friend suggested it, I dived
into local jazz hub Matt & Phred's
to see Gypsies of Bohemia on Thursday night. I know this is a cliché, but I didn't expect to
enjoy it- I just wanted to see what jazz was about.
I
queued for 50 minutes to get in, but it was surprisingly comfortable
once we'd made it in: a calm atmosphere with mint fragrance and
20-something hipsters with out-of-control facial hair filling the
floor. On the stage: a singer, a pianist, a bassist and a drummer
entertained the crowd with surprising skill. They weren't some bunch
of old schoolmates fresh out of a dad's garage. Each member knew
their instruments well- the singer included- and had obviously spent
years perfecting their craft. As I entered, I didn't recognise the
song that was playing until the melody started to emerge- a cover of something from my
youth, or maybe my 20s. It was fast, and manically-played, and it
took a moment from it to dawn on me I was listening to Britney
Spears' Toxic done on a bass, guitars and a piano.
The
group quickly rolled back the clock, and treated us to a medley of
nineties and naughties hits done in a jazz-stylee, blended seamlessly
aside from a few breaks for water and- presumably- so the pianist
could rest his lightning-speed fingers. Jesus Christ. I've never seen
anything like it.
The
singer- not looking a long way off Jesus Christ with his beard and
robe- displayed surprising range, going from a brilliant rendition of
Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's Boom! Shake the Room through to
nailing Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights. Even the Prodigy's No Good
Start The Dance appeared, mixed into other songs in part, with the
musicians transitioning between tracks in perfect harmony.
I'd
been meaning to try Matt and Phreds for about a decade, when I was
getting ready to finish uni and making plans for what I could do once
I got a steady wage. Hmm. Well, I got there eventually, and I loved
it. Each track came with a penny-drop moment when you realise what
you're listening to, which in itself was funny and unexpected. I'd
never been to a jazz club before but I suppose the dim lighting and
woodwork suits the music and relaxed mood.
Absurdly
enjoyable. Keep your eyes peeled for the Gypsies of Bohemia. I went
to the gig- which I think might actually be my first gig- with
someone I met through Meetup, through the After Works Drinks group.
There was going to be a few of us but, hey, it was a weeknight. This
shows that, for making new friends and seeing more of the city,
Meetup is working.
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