So our March 2013 live programme at Floripa is just around the corner, and kicking things off for us on the 3rd will be the dynamic jazz threesome otherwise known as ‘Our Little Trio’. Led by drummer Roy Pfeffer and incorporating the talented duo of Bill Mudge on piano and Ben Bastin on double bass, the trio have been making waves at their weekly Friday night Troyganic session in Shoreditch ever since its initial launch early last year. With a repertoire that includes both original compositions and fresh takes on standards spanning the entire jazz cannon, this Sunday we are more than excited to welcome the group to the Floripa stage for the first time. Ahead of the gig, we caught up briefly with Roy to see if he could give us a quick lowdown on the origins of the band, what to expect on Sunday and give us a little more information on his own musical background. Here’s what he had to say for himself…
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Morning Roy, first off can you tell us a little about your background as a drummer? Which drummers inspired you to take up the sticks and when did you decide to concentrate on carving out a career for yourself?
At first it was it was rock drummers like Dave Krusen, Carter Beuford, Matt Cameron, Chad Smith but then I discovered James Brown and The Meters; Clyde and Zig just blew me away. By the time I finished secondary school I couldn’t think of anything more rewarding than a career in music. I went to study at the only jazz school in Israel. Soon after I fell in love with that floating Philly Joe (Jones) swing, it all grooved so hard but so effortlessly. Then there were the likes of Roy Haynes, Paul Motian and (Steve) Gadd of course. In 2001 I moved to London and that opened up so many new doors. The list today is very long as you can imagine!
How did the three of you initially come together to form Our Little Trio, and can you give us an idea of what we can expect this Sunday when you play live for us at Floripa?
A couple of years ago I was thinking of putting together a new trio just for us to play at first. Bill usually plays organ, we’ve done many gigs where his left hand acted as the bass player, while Ben is one of the most melodic double bass players I’ve ever met. I thought the combination would give us a lot of freedom. Our playing reflects who we are as people, such things as our humour and mutual respect. We’ve since played some great gigs, have a great weekly residency in Shoreditch and are about to release our first EP. Joining us for this one is our good friend Tom White on trombone, who I’ve known and worked with for years. He is such an explosive player that I think this gig will go from very atmospheric to heavy swing and back again.
How do you decide on the tunes you cover in your current repertoire? Does each person bring their own ideas to the table or do you work on it from more of a group perspective.
We always try to expand our repertoire. If it’s an original or a standard we instantly know if it’s ‘our’ tune or not. More often than not it would be something very open and expressive rather than dense or over indulgent.
There have been some pretty dynamic trios in the history of jazz. Who would be top of your list when it comes down to technique and lasting influence?
Because a trio is such a small band everyone has to share responsibility. There are a few trios in my view that move it around seamlessly and sound like one improvising unit. Bill Evans / Scott LaFaro / Paul Motian, Keith Jarrett / Gary Peacock / Jack DeJohnette and Roy Haynes / Danilo Perez / John Patitucci all do it beautifully.
Aside from the straight up jazz sound, you also dabble in a bit of New Orleans Funk as the bandleader of Roy’s Big Smoke Family. You’re obviously partial to the music of the late 60s / early 70s, can you leave us with a tune or two that you’d love to play out in a live setting but haven’t got to yet?
Yeah I think it’s a great period in music, so much stuff started then. But If I could I would have seven different bands dedicated to seven different periods and styles – I’ll leave that to people who book me for their band! I’d really love to properly do ‘Poinciana’ by Nat Simon and James Booker’s ‘Classified’ with The Big Smoke Family.
Ahmad Jamal Trio – Poinciana
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If you fancy a bit more trio action from Roy and the boys, they’ll be playing two live sets this Sunday at Floripa from 7.30pm. DJ support on the night comes from Jazz Meet residents Rob Coley and Sid Ford. Doors 5pm-12am. FREE ENTRY.