Perfect evenings of entertainment can come in many forms. The Music Institute of Chicago’s jazz tribute to guitarist Les Paul easily qualifies as one of them. With Russell Malone on guitar, Eric Hochberg on bass, the drum talent of Samuel Jewell and Tom Vaitsas’s impressive piano versatility, the building blocks for a memorable performance were all in place by the time the audience settled into their seats Saturday night. Recruiting the vocal dynamism of Chicago’s Tammy McCann only added to the engagement’s promise.
Acting as the band’s lead and the evening’s host, Malone reminded the audience of the many genres of music Les Paul’s exceptional guitar virtuosity encompassed. Today, most of Paul’s fame derives from his design of a solid-body electric guitar. His musicianship was also noteworthy enough for Time magazine to name him one of top 10 electric guitarists of all time. Starting out in country, he went on to earn significant renown in the worlds of rock, R&B and jazz. Understanding his broad artistic proficiency helps us to more fully appreciate his contributions to music. With its focus on jazz, this tribute in MIC’s Nichols Concert Hall allowed us to listen to some of the songs that were representative of his repertoire.
Lush defined the timber of the performance’s mood during the quartet’s two hour-long sets. Reaching back as far as the 1920’s with a Les Paul favorite, Avalon, the band set a tone of relaxed sophistication. Always played with enviable skill and finely tuned perception, tempos swung fast, swirled in melancholy and sometimes arrived speckled with the blues.
In Moonglow, Malone’s bewitching guitar conjured soft Polynesian breezes and the freedom of sheer release. Comforting under any circumstance, the sounds were particularly soothing as frigid winds blew through Evanston’s downtown streets. Vaitsas’s piano phrasings melted gently into Malone’s guitar and provided the perfect vehicle for dreaming. From the fantasy escape of Moonglow, the band covered fresh ground with a frolicking rendition of That Old Feeling. They’d then downshift again with a delightfully unhurried and lovely interpretation of Over the Rainbow.
A night of musical ebb and flow, instrumentals dominated the evening to highlight the beauty and dexterity of the guitar. Playing masterfully throughout the performance, Malone emphasized how subtly his instrument can express complex emotions.
Throughout the show, McCann added vocals only intermittently but always to tremendous impact. Vivacious, warm and welcoming, Ms. McCann is a naturally endearing performer who possesses range, power and the ability to paint stunning colors with her voice. Vastly appealing as a jazz vocalist, there’s something about the way she dips into the deeper ranges that draws you completely into the universe of a song. Inward looking, brooding, with fleeting impulses that seemed to flirt with swing, Am I Blue showcased the full artistry of McCann’s interpretative abilities. Appreciative of what he was hearing as she closed the song, guitarist Malone couldn’t resist exclaiming, “That is some fine singing!” Later in the program, she proved equally capable of bringing the bounce in her take on Deed I Do.
As a celebration of his life in music, Tribute to Les Paul delivered charm by the barrel full and a timeless collection of songs that recalled his influence in jazz.
Tribute to Les Paul
March 12, 2022 – 7:30pm
Music Institute of Chicago
Nichols Concert Hall
1490 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
www.musicinstituteofchicago.org