Pete Roth Trio

12th November 2024

Watermill Jazz, Dorking

Fifteen years or so after retiring from public performance, during which time he published an autobiography and achieved a PhD in Music, Bill Bruford is back.

This gig was one of a small number of low-key performances as one third of the Pete Roth Trio; Roth being a German-born jazz guitarist.  The third member of the triumvirate being bassist Mike Pratt, whom I do not think is related to former Pink Floyd touring musician Guy Pratt.

I really do not know enough about jazz to offer much in the way of intelligible musical critique here, but I can say I enjoyed the gig immensely and the time just flew by.   As well as being a stunning guitar virtuoso, Pete Roth was also a very funny guy, with his self-deprecating and witty between songs banter elevating the entertainment greatly.

I took a wee pic of the set list during the break, and was a touch surprised to see "New World Symphony" on the sheet.  I am quite familiar with this piece of music (even beyond the Hovis bit), but could recall none of it being played during the first set.  Either Dvorak's composition had been jazzed into unrecognizability, or it had been replaced by another piece.  I am sure Roth referred to one tune as an improv.  So maybe NWS had been dropped for a bit of free-form on-the-hoof playing by the boys.

 

Would I have driven down to Dorking from Caledonia to see the Pete Roth Trio had Bill Bruford not been performing?  Definitely not.  But would I go and see Pete Roth again without Bruford?  

I rather think I would.

Set list

Billie's Bounce
How Insensitive
If Summer Had it's Ghosts
Summertime
Improv
Trio of Five
                                              Interval
Donna Lee
Full Circle
Dancing With Grace
Fee Fi Fo Fum
Looking Forward to Looking Back
Mr P.C.

Encore
Yesterdays