Always a musical shape-shifter, John Surman celebrated his 65th birthday with a show of versatility, even taking to the piano for a well-worn ‘God Bless the Child’. He opened with a meditative piece of musical architecture, phrasing with unpretentious geniality against minimal electronic loops. With delay and harmoniser, he played what he described as a 'game of chasing my own tail'. Working hard to keep up with himself, he made theatrical physical gestures and drew playful sounds from his soprano saxophone akin to releasing air from a balloon. 

The appearance of Karin Krog, a Norwegian singer who has worked with Dexter Gordon and Jan Garbarek, brought a beguiling balance of poignancy and charm. A dialogue between Krog’s fluttering half-language and Surman’s resonant bass clarinet sighs hinted at the nonsense madrigals of Gyorgy Ligeti. Anguished at first, the duo resembled estranged lovers crying out for reconciliation. Gradually, they became entwined, evoking holiday memories with nostalgic empathy. The Norwegian folk material combined a delicate rhythmic canter with lyricism and gentle humour. 

Although wonderful, this offered no warning of the blistering intensity of the quartet performance that followed. John Abercrombie's emotive guitar lines purposefully contrasted with Jack De Johnette's swashbuckling vigour at the drums. Drew Gress’ unflinching double bass ostinatos centred the ensemble, enabling De Johnette to unleash long, tumbling phrases, scything through the driving grooves before rescuing them with total authority. His extended solo on 'Counter Measures' produced a manic, exhausting torrent of ideas.

The audacious group interaction on 'Hilltop Dancer' and 'Kickback' generated a visceral urgency far from Surman’s recent classical preoccupations. Even Billy Strayhorn's beautiful but familiar ballad 'Chelsea Bridge' simmered with risk and adventure. Surman sounded emboldened by the situation, pushing at the extremes of the baritone saxophone and combining his mature themes with the radical energy of youth. He’s certainly not ageing quietly.

Dan Paton