Robert Hurst Quartet @ Jazz Standard 8/2/11

I went "by accident". I have a feeling I would have ended up there anyway. I had my nights mixed up and I thought it was Dr. Lonnie Smith, but that wasn't until later that week. The funny thing was I didn't realize I was in the "wrong" place until they announced the band. I thought it was funny yet knew it was likely to be great because everything at that place it great. Then I saw Jeff "Tain" Watts come on stage and I remembered this show was on my list, too! I didn't know the other 3, including the leader, but I gotta have some Tain every now and then.

As you can imagine, the music was phenomenal. The "other 3" were awesome, especially Rafael Statin on sax. I loved the piano and bass, too. Tain was as awesome as ever.

Rafael Statin – saxophone
Lawrence Fields – piano
Robert Hurst – bass
Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums

In 2011, bassist/composer Robert Hurst’s protean accomplishments as in–demand sideman, film composer, and university educator led to the release of not one but two outstanding – and very different – new recordings on his own BeBob label. Bob Ya Head is an intriguing foray into world music and electronica, featuring Darryl “Munyungo” Jackson, Marcus Belgrave, and Karriem Riggins; UnreHurst Vol. 2 is an all–acoustic trio peformance recorded live in New York City in 2007, with pianist Robert Glasper and Chris “Daddy” Dave. For this much–anticipated Jazz Standard double–header, Hurst returns to the classic quartet format to play four sets of steaming straight–ahead jazz powered by the dynamic drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, and two rising stars in saxophonist Rafael Statin, from Hurst’s hometown of Detroit, and pianist Lawrence Fields.