The Write Stuff - Mina Agossi, QEH, 13 Nov 2005
Reviewer - Fiona Nehama Abrahami

The slight, exotically dressed figure alone in the center-stage spotlight exuded warmth and charisma. She bobbed and weaved, ducked and dived, and screwed up her face expressively as she sang her first number a cappella. Mina Agossi loves to perform, but she wants, nay demurely demands, something in return, and she gets it: her audience loves her.

Ms Agossi puts on a unique and entertaining show, but is she really as good as the hype?

For the second number she was joined on stage by Remy Chaudagne on bass and Ichiro Onoe, who played his first number with just the palms of his hands, on drums. Despite the minimalist line-up, the band delivers.

In interview, Mina has said she performs better live than in the studio, however, the live version of Hendrix's Third Stone From The Sun fell short of the performance on her CD Zaboum! - on stage, she played safe, barely venturing away from the written melody. There's no doubt she can sing and she's an excellent mimic, one moment imitating Hendrix's guitar, another sax or trumpet, even Satchmo's distinctive growl. Her fourth song, Laundromat, was a blues sung slightly behind the beat, suggestive of Billie Holiday's style.

The voice and bass combination is stark, and the subsequent lack of harmonic development suggests much of Mina's potential may yet be unexplored. At times the bassist thickened the harmonic texture by creating ostinatos with a sampler and playing over them, but that only served to whet the appetite for greater harmonic depth. And one is left feeling not quite satiated.

Mina Agossi loves to perform and she performs well, she clearly enjoys herself and the enjoyment is infectious. Despite this writer's reservation about the sound, few people will fail to be entertained at a Mina Agossi show. Go, see, enjoy! Fiona Nehama Abrahami

Have your say

Were you at this gig? What did you think? Let us know your thoughts.

My dream lineup would be mingus/bud powell/dizzy gillespie/charlie parker/max roach. it doesn't get any better than that!
Doug, Lancashire

Dream band - Miles Davis Mike Brecker Jack DeJohnette Jaco Pastorius Pat metheny Keith Jarrett
Slim Shady, wherever

Tubby Hayes ~ Tenor Sax Tubby Hayes ~ Flute Tubby Hayes ~ Soprano Sax Tubby Hayes ~ Vibes Tubby Hayes ~ Piano Tubby Hayes ~ Bass Tubby Hayes ~ Drums Tubby Hayes ~ Congas Tubby Hayes ~ Refreshments.
Ronnie Griffin

Right - how about Jazz at the Philharmonic on Acid? On the shopping list would be: The John Coltrane Quartet plus John Tchicai, Marion Brown, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Steve Lacy, Milford Graves, Henry Grimes, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille, Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, Peter Brotzmann, John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, Paul Dunmall, Don Cherry, Bill Dixon, Ken Vandermark, Barry Guy, Sonny Sharrock, Wadada Leo Smith, Rashied Ali, Sunny Murray and various percussionists from West Africa and Latin America. Opening the show would be North Walian superstars Corky's Cats.
Bruce

Why not have a balance of styles like some of the festivals in Europe ? How about this for a balanced line-up? 1. Jazz & Classical: Music by James Reece Europe / James P. Johmson / Will Marion Cook for orchestra in the first half. Second half. Herbie Hancock playing Wayne Shorter's Piano Concerto. (I believe this either exists or is in the throes of composition.) 2. Jazz piano night; Kenny Barron trio. Jason Moran (solo, playing the music of Jelly Roll Morton.) Paul Bley trio with Haen & Motian. 3. Big band night: Paris Swing Orchestra playing Fletcher Henderson / Don Redman / Spike Hughes / Benny Carter / Chick Webb, etc. George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. Mike Gibbs Orch featuring John Scofield. 4. Contemporary night. Wayne Shorter Qt with D. Perez. Dave Holland 5tet. 5. Avant Garde Night. William Parker's "Luc's Lantern " trio. Henry Threadgill's Very, Very Cicrus. 6. European Jazz night. Tomasz Stanko Qt. (playing Komeda's music.) Bobo Stenson trio UMO Jazz Orchestra + John Surman. 7. Singers. Dianne Reeves & Cassandra Wilson. 8. Funk night. MMW Fred Wesley Tania Maria 9. Legends of Blue Note: Kenny Burrell, McCoy Tyner, Fred "Hootin' & Tootin'" Jackson, and any others who are still alive. Pretty much perfect for all tastes.
Ian Thumwood

The Write Stuff - Mina Agossi, QEH, 13 Nov 2005Reviewer - Fiona Nehama Abrahami

Have your say

The Write Stuff - Mina Agossi, QEH, 13 Nov 2005
Reviewer - Fiona Nehama Abrahami