Review: Neil Cowley Trio at The Polish Club

Apr 29 2008 By Peter Bacon

Appearances can be deceptive. There was a grand piano, a double bass and a modestly sized drum kit on the stage. The name of the promoter was Birmingham Jazz.

But the Neil Cowley Trio is a very good rock band. It does that thing made famous by Nirvana - having a quiet, gentle bit, then coming in with a pounding bit of grunge; incorporating some almost funky rhythms; and the repeated riff, built up into a massive climax, is the band's crowd-pleasing god. They are also suckers for tongue-in-cheek pomp, almost militaristic machine beats and jokey virtuosity.

If genetic experimentation keeps on its current path could we explain Cowley as the test-tube baby of Steve Martland and Jerry Lee Lewis? Or Liszt and Liberace?

Two substantial sets showed off mainly tunes from their new disc Loud... Louder... Stop! on the Cake label.

A jubilant full house made this the rousing inauguration of a new Birmingham Jazz venue. A great 70s ceiling, some truly ghastly art, the chance to learn a few new beer names and a stage interloper in dark glasses and backpack during the encore all added to the entertainment.

Those who came in search of such jazz qualities as the narrative line of improvisation, a certain suppleness and subtlety of rhythm, and the range of what can be expressed if thoroughly new and fresh creations also include an understanding of the multiplicity of influences that have fed into the jazz tradition over the last century will possibly have left disappointed.

Those who can imagine Queen reconstituted as an acoustic piano trio will have bought the T-shirt.