Anat thrills!
by clarinetguy on 12/17/12Folly Theater - Kansas CityFrom the first tune, Artie Shaw's "Nightmare," to the last, an encore performance of Pixinginha's "Um x Zero," Anat Cohen's playing was crisp, allusive, inventive, and enthralling. She was well supported by her band. Pianist Jason Lindner was surprisingly inventive, using a percussive style and sometimes muting the strings with his hand or an implement of some kind. Bassist Joe Martin, a Kansas City native, played great notes and solid time and soloed too seldom but always with interesting lines. Drummer Daniel Freedman contributed several memorable solos (and I normally don't remember drum solos) and kicked the ensemble along splendidly. Cohen's clarinet playing was a revelation. I had heard her several years ago in a very informal setting, and her sound and technique have matured considerably. A gorgeous evening.