Quartet Trio rocks Jazz Xchange

Staff Writer | Thursday October 10, 2013 21:20

Before a relatively small intimate crowd, the band launched into its opening set with the jazz blues anthem, All Blues, a tune made popular by American trumpeter, Miles Davis.

From the first lick, it looked set to be a jazz purist's gig.  Interpreting technically-demanding compositions from Charlie 'Bird' Parker to John Coltrane, the trio showed fluency with the jazz language - walking bass lines, constantly changing tonal centres and highly syncopated swinging rhythms.

What was strikingly different about the band was its challenging jazz repertoire.

Usually, local jazz bands shy away from the intricate chops-heavy compositions of Parker and Coltrane.

It is easy to see why.

Although a new act on the live music circuit, the membership of Quartet Trio reads like who is who of the local jazz bandstand.

On the five string bass was Gaborone-born Mosco Modise, who works as the commanding officer and bandmaster of all Botswana Defence Force (BDF) bands.

A highly literate musician, he co-founded the once popular Jazz Impromptu, which also featured the late veteran journalist and pianist, Rampholo Molefhe, and the late saxophonist and music lecturer, Tsilo Baitsile. 

On the guitar, the band had Sebene Morolong.

His professional music career started in 1981 with the BDF band from which he retired in 2005.

He too is co-founder of Jazz Impromptu.

He has shared the stage with acts such as The Jazz Messengers, The Commodores, Shalamar, Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa and Miriam Makeba.

Multi-instrumentalist, Leroy Nyoni tastefully handled the drum set.

The young man is an in-demand session drummer with credits ranging from cover band, The Metrophones, the church worship band circuit to Broadway musical productions.