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The Peter And Will Anderson Trio At The Jazz Corner

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By Martin McFie
February 25, 2020
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Peter and Will Anderson Trio
The Jazz Corner
Hilton Head Island, SC.
February 21-22, 2020

Eight instruments on stage and only three musicians seemed like a challenge, particularly as the guitar was the only instrument played by

Adam Moezinia

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam Moezinia. The other instruments were all for twin brothers

Peter and Will Anderson

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter and Will Anderson at The Jazz Corner on Hilton Head Island. A

George Gershwin

composer / conductor
1898 - 1937

" data-original-title="" title="">George Gershwin medley led the way with "But Not For Me" followed by "Rhapsody in Blue" (see the video below with

Felix Lemerle

guitar
b.1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Felix Lemerle on guitar). The Twins changed instruments throughout synchronizing tightly together, while the Gibson guitar carried the rhythm at times picking a solo, as the reeds covered the groove. Each brother stepped aside and ceded the stage to the other when they were playing in turn; at times they played in unison, at times in harmony varying instruments and treatments while always finishing each piece with precision. There was no time lapse as the music passed between them, not a beat, not even half a breath. It was telepathic and seamless.

A 1933 Foxtrot followed, it must have been "MoonGlow" way up in the blue, it must have been Moonglow that led me straight to you, a

Benny Goodman

clarinet
1909 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Goodman favorite from a time before the clarinet fell from popular favor. They reached further back to 1918 for another Goodman clarinet classic "After You've Gone," rendered slowly and in unison.

Will took up the mellow flute for the wistful "These Foolish Things" remind me of you, both brothers were willing to blow rhythmic background during Moezinia's guitar solo. The Anderson trio admire original Appalachian music, which was paired with Blues and Hillbilly to form the Country genre. They commissioned a new piece of music written by Kyle Athayde and titled "Appalachian Mountain Song" where both clarinets set up continuous low notes as a background drone to the melody being picked country-style on the guitar. Switching roles, the clarinets took turns to make repetitive runs at the melody while the guitar kept rhythmic knee slapping hoe-down time. And on to Broadway to the Blackbird Revue for "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" an interwoven conversation spliced between two tenor saxophones building in intensity to a key change.

At the break Peter revealed a new album to be released May 15th with

Jimmy Cobb

drums
1929 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Cobb who he recalled was drummer on Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959) with

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane on alto and

Cannonball Adderley

saxophone
1928 - 1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Cannonball Adderley on tenor saxophone,

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans piano and

Paul Chambers

bass, acoustic
1935 - 1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Chambers bass, while

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis played his modal music. The Anderson twins made their recording over a year ago. Cobb is now ninety-two years old but Peter said he still drums well.

The trio opened the second set with "Blue Skies," nothing but blue skies, then asked the question, won't you come along with me, down the Mississippi, to "Bourbon Street Blues."

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington was the next for a medley visit with the tenor saxophone laying out the bass line for a fluted "Caravan" and on to "Mood Indigo" before "Just Squeeze Me." Then a discordant dual clarinet glissando led the trio into the early Harlem Jungle music tune "The Mooch." Back to Goodman for the title track from Seven, come eleven those craps game winners, with

Charlie Christian

guitar, electric
1916 - 1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Christian, guitar (Concord Jazz,1974) and south to Brazil to hear

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim's bossa nova "Chega de Saudade" also known as "No more Blues." Back to The South and the Savannah River, the "Moon River '' separating Georgia and the Carolinas, immortalized in Breakfast at Tiffany's by

Henry Mancini

composer / conductor
1924 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Mancini with lyrics by

Johnny Mercer

composer / conductor
1909 - 1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Mercer. The trio ended up in Oklahoma! with "The Surrey With A Fringe On Top .''

The Anderson Trio gave a well received something-for-everyone performance following the Ellington pattern of using multi-instrumentalists of quality, (the trio all trained at Julliard). The conversations were intuitive and as tight as we might expect from the special synergy between twin brothers, the guitar kept the rhythm and added excellent solos. It made a pleasant change to listen to standard melodies played intricately on a variety of instruments without drums. The guitar was enough rhythm and allowed the woodwind and reeds to shine through.

Photo credit: Martin McFie

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