Andy Summers London concert review from April 20, 1998

Review by Marisa Meisters

The Andy Summers trio (Jerry Watts - bass, Michael Barsimanto - drums, Andy Summers - guitar) performed a stunning double set at the Pizza Express jazz club in London. Small club settings seem to be the prefect venue for the group. They were in top form, despite having slept only a few hours after their show in Italy the night before. Andy looked a bit tired, but one would never guess it from hearing him (and the band) play! He always makes playing the guitar look so effortless and easy, not to mention that Jerry and Michael did a fantastic job and got to show off their talent several times throughout both sets, especially during the songs Blues for Snake and Monk Hangs Ten.

Andy enjoys playing each song a bit differently every time which makes his songs sound brand new, no matter how many times he has played them before. For instance, he added a lot of growling sound effects at the beginning of The Last Dance of Mr. X, and played it (as well as Strange Earth) much faster than the album version.

Throughout the show, Andy spoke to the audience, making a bunch of jokes along the way to make the audience feel like part of the show.

The trio played a good mix of music ranging from several songs off the new album, a few older Summers' compositions, and some jazz classics. Smooth, mellow songs were combined with fast, upbeat numbers leaving the audienced impressed each time.

For anyone who loves jazz, the Andy Summers trio is a real treat.