JAKOB BRO QUARTET at THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, nyc, JAN 29

• photography by ©Clara Pereira / text by Filipe Freitas

Last Wednesday, Danish guitarist Jakob Bro, an esteemed ECM artist, filled the legendary NYC venue The Village Vanguard with his beautiful sustained chords and appeasing textural examinations carried out in the company of regular partners, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Joey Baron. Rounding out the quartet was tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, an intermittent collaborator whose poised lines flawlessly conformed the trio’s strange magic.

They started off with the wondrous “Gefion”, whose premature soothing tides included elements of ambient folk jazz and unobtrusive electronics. Occasionally, the pacifying melodies were dismantled in favor of freewheeling avant-garde moves, most often triggered by Baron’s forceful chops. This was particularly perceptible at the time that Turner started to improvise.

“Copenhagen”, an homage to the city where Bro lives, was depicted with as much sentiment as leisure. A welcome sense of openness was felt at once, with Morgan departing for an early emphatic solo. We had the privilege to be seated very close to the stage, which allowed me to see how Bro operates his sustain pedal and effects unit with cleverness.

I sensed “Mild” like a humble prayer whose chord progression flew steadily at a 4/4 tempo. Baron added extra color to his hand drumming by brushing the snare and cymbals with taste. The piece was progressively inflated with tension and required a change of both dynamics and effects in its last section.

The last piece was recently written and shares the same title as Bro’s latest record, Bay of Rainbows. At first, it was like if Monk’s bluesy tones had found a heavenly space to dance and rest. Then, we had a poetic solo by Turner set against the ever-tranquil atmospheres of guitar and bass and some noisy bursts from Baron, who was not so vigorous later on, when Morgan stepped forward to discourse with folk charm.

Bro’s music is deeply fulfilling and this intimate first set was absolutely stunning.