By Todd Matthews

Pacific Northwest jazz saxophonist Kareem Kandi spent much of 2002 gigging regularly at the Hopvine Pub in Seattle, and The Spar and Red Kelly's in Tacoma. While the young saxophonist spent his nights in smoky bars and music clubs, he spent his days at Cornish College of the Arts, where he received a scholarship to study music. That college career came to fruition last month, when Kandi performed an inspired and exhilarating set of arranged standards and original compositions as part of his senior recital.

Those individuals in attendance received a rare treat – a musical showcase that promised a rich and exciting career forthcoming. Kerry Hall on the Cornish campus was a nice setting for Kandi, and a welcome reprieve from, say, a cramped corner at the Hopvine Pub, where Kandi's trio typically performs amidst a din of clinking glasses and noisy conversation.

Kareem Kandi and Will Blair performing live at Seattle's Hopvine Pub
+ + photo courtesy Jason West / Jazz Steps + +

Kandi's quartet was well-presented, and moved quickly through a 10-song set. Bassist Evan Florybarnes was a formidable presence, and beamed on the original composition "Loved Ones" (his notes ran through the song like a heartbeat, pulsing and hypnotic right up to the final refrain). Ty Bailie on piano fleshed out the group; though Bailie and Kandi had a couple timing missteps, the pianist's performance worked positively to fill out the band, and add a dimension to Kandi's typical trio arrangement (bass, drums, and saxophone) of which I had never seen. Drummer Jacques Willis was exciting as always, at this point a regular fixture in Kandi's various member-rotating trios; the young musician is fun to watch (if he isn't staring at the sky, he's looking to other band members, often smiling or chuckling in a comical manner; similarly, though decked out in a black suit, Willis couldn't leave the Converse high-tops at home). Willis is also fun to hear, as evidenced by his explosive solo on Kandi's original composition "Chiaroscuro" – a tune that was one of the show's standouts.

Indeed, the original compositions were the touchstones of this performance. Songs such as "Past Time" (a punchy arrangement that worked well to kick off the evening), "Main Inspiration" (a thoughtful tune that was melodic and haunting), "Mad Dog" (a song that worked mostly as a vehicle for musician solos), and the aforementioned "Chiaroscuro" (a tune that started out with an almost avant-garde emphasis of Florybarnes's bass tones, and ended with all musicians nearly crashing together for a nice finish) were well-written and performed with precision and deft. And Kandi's arrangements of standards worked to display some of the young musician's influences and interests: Jimmy Van Heusen's "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" (an arrangement wherein lengthy saxophone noodling kicked things off), Kurt Weill's "What Good Would The Moon Be?" and Dexter Gordon's "The Panther" provided audience members a glimpse at Kandi's musical inspirations.

I'm looking forward to following Kandi's jazz career. If his Kerry Hall performance was any indication, this young saxophonist will be having a major impact on the Pacific Northwest jazz scene.

This article originally appeared in All About Jazz

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