Jazz trio premiere

Spontaneously inspired interplay

For the first time as a trio in Vienna: Kayvon Gordon, Sullivan Fortner and Tyrone Allen

(Bild: Jim Bourne)

The US jazz pianist Sullivan Fortner savored the favor of the moment in the Mozart Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus. This was his first appearance with his current trio.

Influenced by his hometown of New Orleans, the celebrated 38-year-old bandleader, composer and widely respected colleague leaves his musical creativity open in all directions: From gospel to classical - and of course jazz - and draws the culinary comparison with the famous southern stew gumbo. In any case, his creative and stylistic pantry is richly filled, from which he, together with Tyrone Allen on double bass and Kayvon Gordon on drums, draws with relish in spontaneously inspired interplay. With original compositions and standards from across jazz history, the current project "Southern Nights" is a passionately grooving survey.

Colorful soundscapes

Incredibly light-footed and dancing, with a lot of wit and virtuoso finesse, Fortner leads us through colorful soundscapes on the piano: There is the blues with a sustained subtlety, a fast-paced ragtime, the energetic roar of a stimulating trio, time for reflection and accentuation or a tender and loving ballad. A few tidbits from here, a few from there and then the drums and bass can push forward quite forcefully - until Sullivan Fortner throws in a coquettishly lively Latin music quote. Or looks it up in the Great American Songbook. Everything fits together. Always a little off the beaten track and unexpected hooks and plenty of room for freedom - for everyone's enjoyment.

Sullivan Fortner and his trio will be back in Vienna next fall: this time at Porgy&Bess. www.porgy.at

Verena Kienast