In London jazz circles, a week at Ronnie Scott’s for a new or newish band is like receiving the blessing of the establishment and in the case of Loose Tubes, the UK’s most disestablishmentarian big band, such an accolade is particularly noteworthy.
The Tubes revel in provocation and deviance as if it were written into their constitution. Almost any musical material is fair game and the result is a set that juxtaposes swing, funk, reggae, free playing and textural impressionism. Orchestral voicings are drawn from old and new sources, from Ellington through Gil Evans to Weather Report and beyond and delivered with loose-limbed ease.
Among the band’s 21 members are some of Britain’s most accomplished and contemporary minded players, including Mark Lockheart, David DeFries, John Parricelli, Tim Whitehead, Iain Ballamy and founder members Steve Berry and Django Bates. The scoring allows them ample opportunity to make individual impressions on the music and some of the band’s best climaxes occur during solos.
There are elements in a Loose Tubes performance of contrivance and self-conscious modishness (the spotlights might be bright at Ronnie’s, but sunglasses at 1am?). However, these are mere diversions from the real business, which is wholesale jazz making. If this is big bands coming back, they should stay.
