The new year is just a few weeks old, but the early signs are promising for the Metropole room in the Fairmont Hotel.
Though the club in past seasons has presented a hodgepodge of acts, lately the Metropole has brought some much-needed focus to its lineup. In the past few weeks alone, several top-drawer Chicago jazz artists have played the Metropole, among them singer Spider Saloff and pianist-bandleader Jim Trompeter.
This week, the Metropole again is featuring an artist worthy of this plush and intimate room. By booking Chicago jazz pianist Marshall Vente and his trio, the club’s management clearly is emphasizing exceptional local artists who deserve a downtown showcase.
And though one hesitates to leap to any firm conclusions at this early date, the Fairmont’s jazz-oriented policy appears to be paying off: Tuesday night’s crowd was by far the largest this listener has seen in the Metropole on a non-weekend. Chicagoans, it seems, are beginning to discover the place.
Those who make their way to the club this week will hear a sleek jazz trio headed by an especially creative pianist. Joined by bassist Scott Mason and drummer Isidro Perez, Vente produces a smart, sophisticated music utterly befitting the room.
For all the warmth and tonal depth of his solos, however, Vente turns in some of his strongest work when his sideman are going full tilt.
Listen closely to the pianist whenever Mason or Perez have the spotlight, and you’ll hear some particularly attractive pianism.
Vente, in other words, sounds most inspired when he’s jostling for listeners’ attention. By accenting offbeats, underscoring countermelodies and occasionally sabotaging already established meters, Vente brings a palpable dramatic tension to the proceedings. Put in other terms, he’s so confident of the work of his sidemen that he feels free to upend it.
That was particularly the case when Vente’s guest vocalist, Colleen Timler, took to the stage. Timler is a straightforward, unpretentious jazz singer who’s not particularly interested in making unusual artistic choices.
So while Timler unspooled a series of jazz standards, Vente offered virtually a mini-recital of his own. The pianist’s big and complex chords, catchy melodic hooks and all-over-the-keys virtuosity made his singer’s work that much more appealing.
At this point in her career, Timler is a solid and promising vocalist, though her concept of pitch and her scat singing need some work. Yet at her best, as in an audaciously slow version of “The Nearness of You,” Timler can be a persuasive interpreter–particularly when Vente is working the keyboard.
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The Marshall Vente Trio plays through Saturday in the Metropole of the Fairmont Hotel, 200 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago. Phone 312-565-8000.
