Concert Review: Freddie Jones at Brooklyn Jazz Cafe

by Alan Cohen

There was a time in certain neighborhoods across the country when musicians would meet at a street corner and try to outplay each other. That's the world that trumpeter Freddie Jones grew up in. Freddie explains, "If you didnt win, you didn't have a girlfriend". That's some serious motivation to practice.

And if his performance this past Thursday at Brooklyn Jazz Café is any indication, the practice has paid off for Freddie. He and his band hit the stage with a smooth rendition of Mo' Better Blues that got the crowd warmed up. That's when the group let loose with funkier tunes from Freddie's CDs such as The World Is A Ghetto and Go Dissa Way. Though all the music throughout the night had structure, it also gave the musicians plenty of room to explore the entire range of their instruments. As a result, one could see and hear the musical conversations happening between these improvisers throughout the performance.

It was wonderful to be at a venue where jazz artists are allowed to play their music to its fullest. So if you find yourself in the mood for some jazz that'll keep you groovin', Freddie Jones' band is the group for you, and Brooklyn Jazz Café is the spot.