Pianist Benny Green made a triumphant return to St. Louis last week after an absence of more than three years.
It is safe to say that the years have been good to him, as his set on Saturday night was tough to top. Green’s stay at Jazz at the Bistro was especially exciting, as this was St. Louis’ first look at Benny Green as a solo pianist.
A demure man of 38 who doesn’t look a day past 25, Green was nattily attired in all black for Saturday’s set. While his presence is hardly commanding, his humility and politeness make you like his music all the more.
In talking with Green before the show, he remarked on the nature of touring as a solo act. “I’ve been touring mostly with my trio for the past 12 years, so this is kind of a new venture,” said Green. “I enjoy both, but performing solo removes the safety net of a backing band.”
Instead of chemistry between band mates, Green relies on the crowd for support and approval. “The solo show is about me and the audience, about feeding off of the people rather than the band,” he said.
Luckily for Green, Saturday’s crowd was in a gracious, if somewhat sedate, mood. Hearty applause greeted him as he took the stage, beginning the set with “Here’s That Rainy Day.” Green used the first number to warm up to the piano, keeping his head turned to the right with intense focus. Green winced as his hands ran up and down the keyboard with spider-like staccato figures, as if he was pulling off some beautiful Band-Aid.
For Charlie Parker’s classic “Yardbird Suite,” Green remained faithful to the bop elements of the tune, so faithful that the rhythm section was not missed, as the heavy thud of his left hand filled in the gaps. Those seated in view of the keyboard couldn’t help but be amazed by Green’s piano calisthenics, though he noted that “one has to pace oneself” with the fast tunes.
Later in the set, Green performed the lovely “Just You, Just Me,” one of the standards featured on the new album Green’s Blues. During our interview Green talked of the challenge of reworking such established songs. “I want to embrace the essence of the song, with no agenda to prove my innovation,” Green said.
His performance Saturday did more than his humble description suggests; the songs retained their intrinsic beauty while providing a platform for Green to display immense talent.
The set ended with the Hart/Rodgers number “I Could Write a Book,” which garnered enough applause to warrant a brief encore. Being the personable performer, Green attended to the long line of autograph-seeking jazzbos before preparing for his next set.
After St. Louis, Green is headed to Salt Lake City for a few dates before meeting up with guitarist Russell Malone. Malone, along with bassist Christian McBride, accompanied Green on his Blue Note album These Are Soulful Days, and the two are hoping to record an album soon.
Whatever Benny Green does, let’s hope he keeps St. Louis in mind when charting out his next itinerary. Though he has been on the scene for nearly 20 years, his stay at Jazz At The Bistro suggested that his brightest moments may arrive in the near future.
