The Brandon Allen Quartet at Matt and Phreds, Manchester
Allen (tnr), Quentin Collins (tpt and flugel), Ross Stanley (organ), Enzo Zirilli (dms)
This hard bop group with interesting instrumentation were presenting their album, What's It Gonna Be?, consisting of nicely voiced and arranged originals. I first heard the hornmen about seven years ago when they were part of Dylan Howe's quintet and Collins, in particular, has matured into a very impressive hard bop trumpeter. I'd also single out Zirilli for impressive musicianship. So, five stars for the music.
Conditions under which it was played were far from excellent, however. Matt and Phred's is essentially a pub with a performance area at one end, so it wasn't surprising that very few people seemed to be there for the music and that loud conversation continued throughout. Added to this, the box-like room was bad acoustically and the amplification distorting. When I arrived for the gig at 10p.m., the earlier evening's salsa class was still in session, so in truly surreal fashion I had to sidestep the dancers to take my seat as Zirilli set up his drums and Stanley plugged in his organ!
In the end I stayed for the first set only, leaving at 11:15. But I mustn't complain, as my total outlay for the evening was zero. Admission to the club was free and my Senior Citizen's pass got me there and back on buses that are frequent all night in the city that never sleeps!