Concert Review: NCPA Legends with The Legendary Trio

The longer I hear jazz, especially that played by American bands, the more I see this music not just as an art form but rather as a culture. This culture is deep rooted in a fine tradition of more than a hundred years.

The ‘legends’ of jazz have been the folks who have laid the foundation for the growth of this culture and the NCPA paid high tribute to these foundations of jazz by inviting an illustrious trio of jazz musicians from the U.S. to play in their annual “Legends” concert.

The piano, bass (acoustic, upright) and drums trio of Cyrus Chestnut, Buster Williams and Lenny White played an evening of traditional, mainstream jazz to a packed Tata Theatre on July 20, 2024. This is not a trio that normally plays together but each is a master of his craft and the trio represented the essence of jazz culture from its long tradition.

The opening piece, composed by the bassist Buster Williams was “Torpedo,” followed by a classical piece from Chopin, creatively interpreted on the piano, with apologies for the purists!

“Dedication” penned by the stellar percussionist Lenny White followed. It was a sensitive, introspective ballad given its due by the trio with lyrical piano playing from Cyrus Chestnut.

Miles Davis’ composition, “Nardis” made famous by pianist Bill Evans, was the next presentation with subtle treatment on the changes from each member of the band. It was played uptempo and Chestnut entertained the audience with a long solo.

The second set began with the popular standard “It Could Happen To You,” followed by a Cyrus Chestnut composition “Shanti” — he called it a surprise package, but no explanation was provided for the context of this number. 

It is indeed hard to go through a jazz concert without at least one of Duke Ellington’s compositions played. Just when it appeared that tonight might be an exception, the band launched into Duke’s famous “Sophisticated Lady” after a teasing introduction from the lines of “If A Picture”. To us, this offering was the highlight of the evening’s performance. To add a further dimension to this rendition, the opening lines of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” were played as the sophisticated lady bid us adieu.

The final presentation of the evening was the minor blues hardbop composition “Minority” written by the alto saxophonist Gigi Gryce.

While the trio of Cyrus Chestnut, Buster Williams and Lenny White are jazz musicians of high pedigree, they are not a trio that plays together as a band, and it was felt at times as if the three individuals did not combine as one band. 

However, several jazz legends were honored during this concert: the composers of the music played, the great artists with whom each of the trio has been associated and, of course, the trio of Cyrus Chestnut, Buster Williams and Lenny White. It would be nice to have them back.