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Sufi-Inspired Jazz Quartet Captivates Crowd with Eclectic Fusion
14 Nov
Summary
- British free-jazz pianist Pat Thomas leads quartet in powerful fusion of Sufi inspiration, rhythmic intensity, and improvisation
- Quartet's music dedicated to legacy of late bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, pioneer of global music
- Crowd danced ecstatically during the group's performance in Glasgow in April 2022
On April 2022, the British free-jazz pianist Pat Thomas and his quartet أحمد [Ahmed] delivered a captivating performance at Glasgow's Glue Factory. The group's music was a powerful fusion of Sufi inspiration, rhythmic intensity, and improvisational fire, dedicated to the legacy of the late bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, a pioneer of global music from the 1950s to 1970s.
Despite Thomas's eyes being shut during the improvisation, the ecstatic crowd danced the night away around him. The quartet's collective heat blended abstract improv and groove music from diverse influences, including Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, dub, jungle, electronics, and the 1990s free-improv of Derek Bailey, Lol Coxhill, and drummer Steve Noble.
Saxophonist Seymour Wright's playing drew from the vocabularies of Evan Parker and the avant-swing insights of AMM drummer and teacher Eddie Prévost. Bassist Joel Grip and drummer Antonin Gerbal provided the infectious, volatile energies that powered the group's performance. The four-track set, inspired by the Sufi concept of "sama'a" or meditative listening, showcased the quartet's ability to seamlessly transition between pulsating grooves, furious improvisations, and delightfully dissonant folk-dance inspired passages.
