A performance filled with energy and passion, from beginning to end.
Scott Stroman’s direction of Porgy and Bess, from Miles Davis’ and Gil Evans’ jazz adaptation of the famous opera, is nothing short of spectacular. Starting with a bang, the concert ends in an explosion of textures, full of the vital energy of Ingrid Jensen, queen of the trumpet.
As you sit down in the beautifully wooden Guildhall Concert Hall, the expectant seats of the soon-to-arrive Guildhall students look majestic. The room is filled with a crowd of mainly white and grey heads, although a large proportion of young people are also there, come to excitedly support their friends in the band.
The first half of the night features various pieces related to Miles Davis, celebrating the centenary of his birth. Multiple students get to exhibit their admirable skills, coming up to the front of the stage to play solos. Their aptitude and courage are beautifully received by the audience, eager to applaud and cheer on each musician at the end of their star moment. The enthusiasm does not go unnoticed by the students, who exchange smiles and laughs, truly enjoying the night.
Scott Stroman is a truly delightful director, showing every vibrant emotion through his body, his hands plucking the air as if pulling the puppet strings of each musician, all perfectly in sync. His introduction to each piece of the first half was much welcomed, since they were not directly about Porgy and Bess.
The joyous atmosphere of the first half was in interesting contrast with the second, in which we welcomed onto the scene the majestic Ingrid Jensen, master of the trumpet. She made a fabulous appearance, wearing an ostentatious Frida Kahlo coat. The appearance of such a renowned musician brought an air of seriousness to the evening, in which you could feel the audience fully immersed in the music and focused on the star. This time, the pieces were fully uninterrupted, one performance of Porgy and Bess flowing after another.
Jensen’s performance was outstanding. Who knew that a trumpet could make all of these incredible sounds? Using various tools on her trumpet’s mouthpiece, she was constantly changing its texture and tone, making each piece played truly unique. She really felt each note, bending her body, squatting and moving around as the music compelled her to, all the while never missing a beat.
Throughout the concert, the atmosphere was constantly changing: sometimes fast, loud, dynamic moments, swiftly followed by a quiet rhythm, the only sound audible being the constant murmur of the drums. The changes in dynamic were accompanied by changes in lighting, whether blue for slower, more melancholic tunes, or orange and pink for more vivid moments, giving the wooden decor a chocolatey feel.
This concert is the product of not only talent, effort and dedication, but also of joy and love for jazz, and this was fully reflected in each musician’s performance that night.
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