To say that Kyle Eastwood’s recognition is well deserved seems to be a pearl of banality these days. For a long time now his great jazz talent has overshadowed the fact that he is also the son of the filmmaker and actor Clint Eastwood. The Kyle Eastwood Band appeared for three nights at Ronnie Scott’s to promote their fifth album Songs from the Chateau, and once again he proved to be a solid fixture on a contemporary scene.

Their newly released CD was recorded for Candid Records in France in September 2010. It is full of varied genres – a mix of soul, funk and Latin jazz – yet the common ground for all the tunes are a prevailing joy and dynamism. Some of the melodies were played live in London for the very first time, and among them was the enthusiastically welcomed ‘Soul Captain’. Another new track ‘Café Calypso’– lively and powerful in its essence – received some unusually prolonged applause.

The house was full of the real jazz enthusiasts, as the audience was carefully following each and every note played during the two-hour act. Particularly appealing seemed to be ‘Cosmo’ from the old album Paris Blue, probably because Kyle’s playing on the five-string electric bass was masterful. The extra song the band was asked to play at the end was oldies, but goldies ‘Big Noise’ (from Winnetka) also from Paris Blue.

Eastwood’s band featured Graeme Blevins (saxes), award-winning Andrew McCormack (piano and keyboards), Martyn Kaine (drums) and Graeme Flowers (trumpet). One could easily sense a mutual admiration among the artists, who shared the stage time in London equally among one another. Kyle obviously led the group, yet he did not overtake/forefront the others. The 42-year old artist gave the world-class performance, and although he seemed to be rather aware of that, he never lost his innate modesty and charm.

– Katarzyna Dudarska