September

A chance to sit back and enjoy the “reunion era” Colosseum live on stage at the 2003 Viersen Jazz Festival performing tracks from then-new album Tomorrow’s Blues. Recorded during founder member Dick Heckstall-Smith’s  nal illness, world renowned saxophonist Barbara Thompson (Jubiaba, Paraphernalia) steps in. The result is a powerful performance from Barbara, Clem Clempson (guitar), Dave Greenslade (keyboards), Mark Clarke (bass), Chris Farlowe (vocals) and bandleader Jon Hiseman (drums). Alongside newer material including ‘I Could Tell You Tales’, the ensemble return to their Prog roots with a captivating rendition of ‘The Valentyne Suite’ and an epic ‘Lost Angeles’ (the latter  rst released on their 1970 album The Grass Is Greener). ‘In The Heat Of The Night’ gives full rein to Farlowe’s mastery of the blues as Colosseum reinterpret Ray Charles’ original with some note-bending licks from Clem and Barbara’s sultry sax underpinning the closing number. Interspersed with interview footage with Jon Hiseman in which he explores the band’s musical complexity and continuing popularity in light of their decision to reform in 1994, this beautifully packaged CD/DVD presentation is a must for all Colosseum fans. As Hiseman explains: “You have to feed this creature. If you don’t feed it, it dies. Also, you can’t make it do, what it doesn’t want to do.”

So the setting for the Epic Fest was outdoors on the massive grounds of Sharkeys B&G with a huge festival stage built with accompanying live sound system. It was a surreal setting. An old cabin cruiser boat sat near the stage with a gaping hole in the bow. Next to it were hundreds of empty childrens school chairs, just set out in the field in all forms of random positions. Quite strange. I have some photos somewhere. Epic Fest is mostly a Prog Festival, with some great bands, one whose name I can’t recall, were playing Zappa music, and they sounded great. Leonardo presented the debut of the PAKT t-shirt on this gig. It was good to be here.

Keith Jarrett, Live at Dramaten theatre, Stockholm, Sweden, September 19, 1972.