In perhaps the most initmate setting for a concert, Rollins Chapel, the duo of Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff dazzled a full house with two hours of classic jazz last night.
In a time when playing standards and ballads is considered "regressive" by some critics, Mitchell (piano) and Ruff (bass, French horn), along with Professor of Music Fred Haas (alto, tenor saxophone) put on a clinic on improvisation, technique and musical expression using tunes that have been played thousands of times by equally as many musicians. But somehow, every number they performed seemed to be its definitive version, the only way that particular song should be played.
The duo, called "the oldest continuous group in jazz without personnel changes" has been together officially for 39 years. The experience shows through brilliantly in their sound, which is always tight and rhythmically in step. With the strong percussive element of a drum set absent, Mitchell and Ruff have delicately developed distinct musical voices on their respective instruments. The result is that the bassist is not relegated to the role of the timekeeper but acts in unison with the primary harmonic and melodic voice, the piano, to create a unique rhythmic and harmonic effect.
Ruff was extremely strong in support and the deep, "wooden" sound of his bass articulated each note in each register. His solid command of the tunes in their repertoire gave him a strong base to voice his imaginative improvisations. "It Ain't Necessarily So" (Gershwin) was a perfect example of his clarity of sound. Ruff is as well-versed with the French Horn as he is with the bass.
One of the most memorable moments of the concert came during Harold Arlen's ballad "Ill Wind", when Ruff played into the interior of the piano, which created a faint, haunting echo of the melody throughout the chapel.
Mitchell was as spectacular on the piano, stomping through block chords in blues numbers like "St Louis Blues" and "Summertime" and demonstrating stunning sensitivity on tunes like "My Old Flame" and "Lush Life." He has a driving right hand that gives him the ability to voice almost any melody in any octave and a strong left hand with which he runs through the chords.
During "Autumn," an original composition by Haas, Mitchell played pearl-like strands of arpeggios punctuated by Haas' long fragments of the melody. Mitchell showed a great deal of versatility -- at times he played with the quiet candor of Bill Evans and when the number demanded, he immediately switched to a blues style reminiscent of Earl Hines. All in all, he displayed a surefootedness on the keyboard that is rarely seen in jazz today -- its no wonder he had fans like Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.
Haas was a guest performer with the duo last night on three tunes, two of which were his original compositions. Haas is a complete musician in every sense who is thoroughly well-versed with both the piano and the saxophones. His compositions also showed tremendous breadth of imagination -- as one was a thoughtful ballad based on "Autumn Leaves" and the other was a be-bop type number based on "I Got Rhythm." His voice on the saxophone remains unique and his musical ideas continue to be original and innovative.
In a tribute to roots of modern day jazz, the Mitchell-Ruff Duo reminded one of the musicianship and creativity which can be found in standard tunes. But more importantly, to play them without cliches, with a swinging rhythmic attitude, with the utmost honesty and the sincerest emotion -- that is playing good jazz .... and that is what the Mitchell-Ruff duo is all about.
