24 May 2012

BEIRUT: This month Lebanese jazz fans have the unique opportunity to enjoy an evening of music with virtuoso American pianist Anthony Wonsey, who is giving a series of performances at Ras Beirut’s intimate Blue Note Café, in honor of the establishment’s 25th anniversary.

“I love this country,” says Wonsey, who remains calm and upbeat despite recent clashes in Tripoli and Beirut, which provoked several audience members to cancel their reservations for Tuesday’s performance.

“I live in Brooklyn,” Wonsey jokes, there “10 people get killed every night.”

The Blue Note sessions mark the pianist’s second round of performances in Lebanon. His well-received concert at last year’s Baalbek Festival saw him perform alongside famous jazz drummer Louis Hayes.

He recently completed a series of gigs in Europe, including a show at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club with American jazz vocalist Carmen Lundy.

Wonsey’s run at the Blue Note will see him collaborate with several local jazz players in a series of semi-improvised performances comprised of two principal ensembles.

In Tuesday night’s performance Wonsey played alongside bassist Carlos Abou-Chabké and saxman Nidal Abou Samra. At the last-minute drummer Dany Shukry joined the trio and the quartet gave a stellar show, despite the fact that it was their first time together on stage.

“We had a rehearsal yesterday,” a relaxed Wonsey remarked a few minutes before the gig. “We’re going to do some standards as well as four of my own pieces. I pick songs which are not too complicated to learn real fast. I have some pieces where you just add water and milk ... I don’t know exactly who’s playing so I choose pieces that we can just have fun with.”

Wonsey’s playlist is a mix of classics played in counterpoint with his own funky compositions. He treated Tuesday’s audience to a little of everything, beginning with one of his better-known numbers “The Thang” – slang for “The Thing” as he helpfully explained.

He promised “a funky little number” and that’s what was delivered, kicking off with a driving bass line that had feet tapping and heads nodding, even before it was picked up and magnified by the sultry tones of Abou Samra’s tenor saxophone.

Wonsey’s crisp approach and perfectly controlled delivery alternated dynamic chords and a pleasantly meandering melody. The pianist’s hands are capable of split-second precision, in stark contrast to his relaxed demeanor – back slightly curved, head bent forwards as though about to headbutt the keyboard.

The quartet moved on to deliver a diverse range of old favorites, including pieces by Miles Davis, Earl Diamond and Fats Waller. They also gave a rendition of a blues number by Shirley Scott with evident enjoyment – a chance for Abou Samra to deliver a deliciously dirty saxophone solo, bending notes like it was going out of style.

Wonsey played to the Blue Note’s renowned intimacy, interjecting jokes and anecdotes between songs.

“Hey Jimmy,” another of his compositions, was preceded by the story of how Wonsey met his one-time teacher – jazz pianist Jimmy Weaver – when he drove Wonsey home in a cab one night.

“I usually don’t let strangers in my house because there’s a lot of serial killers in America,” Wonsey joked, “but I thought, ‘I think I can take him.’”

The two became friends and Weaver encouraged Wonsey to move to New York, and after signing his first record contract, he penned the playful song in his mentor’s honor.

Though he’s come a long way on the international circuit since his early days in New York, the American pianist remains ambitious.

“I want to get an MA,” he declared. “I’ve been thinking maybe in classical piano. I’m starting to take lessons now. I didn’t grow up learning classical and I want to experience that side. It’s like a new love. I still have my old wife, jazz, but classical is kind of like a new girlfriend,” he added.

Wonsey says his mother was a classical pianist and that he’s learned two classical pieces, which he practices religiously. He claims that he’s not yet able to get Chopin’s Etude No.1 up to speed. Anyone who has seen his fingers flashing over the keys with preternatural speed might dismiss this as modesty.

Wonsey is the first international jazz performer to grace the Blue Note for several years. These relaxed gigs with the cream of Lebanon’s jazz aristocracy are not to be missed.

Anthony Wonsey will be performing at Hamra’s Blue Note Café Tuesday through Saturday nights until May 31. For more information visit www.bluenotecafe.com or call 01-743-857.

Copyright The Daily Star 2012.