When it was announced that the Charged Particles trio of pianist Murray Low, bassist Aaron Germain and drummer Jon Krosnick with the addition of saxophonist Tod Dickow were going to be appearing in London at the East Side Jazz Club in Leytonstone to perform the music of saxophone titan Michael Brecker, you knew this was going to be a high-quality celebration of the career of an epochal voice of modern saxophone.
The concert comprised two sets that saw the quartet perform material from Brecker’s long career. It included music from Two Blocks From The Edge, Tales From The Hudson and Now You See…Now You Don’t and his final Pilgrimage recording as well as a track from the self-titled Steps Ahead album that featured a striking electric bass solo from Germain.
The musicianship and playing, as you would expect from players of this stature, was exceptional, with Dickow doing a wonderful job in capturing the spirit of Brecker’s playing. At times, if you closed your eyes, it almost sounded as this were Brecker in the flesh.
All in all, this was a wonderful retrospective on the career of one of the most influential of modern saxophone players, one still dearly missed by the jazz community. This was one of the standout concerts of 2023, the first, sold-out night of a two-week UK tour. Don’t forget to catch them when you can: you won’t be disappointed.
Charged Particles: Leytonstone East Side Jazz Club, 21 March 2023, reviewed by Christopher Walters
