The Rick McLaughlin Trio
By Jeff Nestel-Patt
The 2022 West Stockbridge Historical Society Jazz series ended in style on Saturday, September 24, at the Old Town Hall, with a full house and another great concert that featured the Rick McLaughlin Trio. Bassist Rick McLaughlin, flanked by drummer Yoron Israel and guitarist Sheryl Bailey, treated the audience to a 75-minute set composed mostly of original songs by each of the musicians with a few jazz standards added to the set list. The group included a touching tribute to jazz saxophone legend, Pharoah Sanders, who passed away the day of the concert, with a rendition of his classic The Creator Has a Master Plan.
The composition of the trio was interesting in that it consisted of two instruments typically considered the rhythm section of a jazz ensemble: Rick’s bass and Yoron’s drums. Sheryl’s guitar was the only traditional solo instrument. Yet, in the hands of three accomplished and skilled musicians, the combination worked beautifully, as they combined to create a rich texture of sound that left nothing lacking in its depth and rhythmic complexity.
The evening began with a lively discussion by the musicians and the audience. The talk focused on the structure of the jazz form and the way that musicians communicate with each other while playing a song. Jazz can be a difficult style of music for audiences to understand since it includes improvisational elements woven into the arc of the song anchored by a series of chord changes and a time signature. The trio demonstrated these concepts and based on comments at the end of the evening, the audience appreciated the chance to engage with the musicians and gain a better understanding of this uniquely American musical genre.
Plans are already underway for the 2023 season. Stay tuned for information on the concert schedule early next year.
The composition of the trio was interesting in that it consisted of two instruments typically considered the rhythm section of a jazz ensemble: Rick’s bass and Yoron’s drums. Sheryl’s guitar was the only traditional solo instrument. Yet, in the hands of three accomplished and skilled musicians, the combination worked beautifully, as they combined to create a rich texture of sound that left nothing lacking in its depth and rhythmic complexity.
The evening began with a lively discussion by the musicians and the audience. The talk focused on the structure of the jazz form and the way that musicians communicate with each other while playing a song. Jazz can be a difficult style of music for audiences to understand since it includes improvisational elements woven into the arc of the song anchored by a series of chord changes and a time signature. The trio demonstrated these concepts and based on comments at the end of the evening, the audience appreciated the chance to engage with the musicians and gain a better understanding of this uniquely American musical genre.
Plans are already underway for the 2023 season. Stay tuned for information on the concert schedule early next year.
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Photos courtesy of the artists
This program was supported in part by a grant from the West Stockbridge Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.