Graz tubes

A joyful reunion as a major musical event

Bruce Barth played in Graz(Bild: Antonio Porcar)

The tubes hosted a jazz event on Wednesday. US pianist Bruce Barth made a guest appearance with his trio - Graz residents Danny Ziemann on bass and Chris Smith on drums - at the small, fine Graz jazz club at Grieskai 74a and caused quite a stir.

When the two tubes bosses Sigi Feigl and Luis Bonilla get really excited, you know that something extraordinary is about to happen. In this particular case, the event goes by the name of Bruce Barth, a pianist and also an old friend of both Bonilla and the musicians on stage, drummer Chris Smith and bassist Danny Ziemann.

US-Styrian joy of playing
A connection you can hear: The Californian-born New Yorker presents his opener "Better Days" with the two US-Grazies with a liberated joy of playing. Setting the tone mischievously and charmingly, Barth glides through a metropolitan sound hustle and bustle, unfolding a strange magic in the process: it almost seems as if the 65-year-old's soft, bluesy-warm piano sound is glowing from within.

The whole trio then takes off with "Courage". Smith reaches new heights on the drums, while the group unleashes tremendous energy when playing together. Things calm down with the classic "Isfahan" and a silky, shimmering bass solo. In the McCoy Tyner ballad "You Taught My Heart To Sing", Barth then puts all mischief to rest and sings an endless melody on the keys: the short minutes stretch out with warm fullness and protective care. A joyful reunion becomes an event.