Megabytes

The music is still playing in my ears, snapping from my fingers, and stirring my heart. Tonight, I heard the inimitable tenor saxophonist, Sophie Faught, at Jimmy Mak’s, a show that was just one of the many superb offerings of the Portland Jazz Festival.
The backup band was comprised of Mark Diflorio on drums, Tim Gilson, bass, and PSU Jazz Studies professor, Darryl Grant on piano.

As happens when top-notch jazz musicians perform together, each member of this foursome inspired and excited the others. And what you don’t get on a recording, what you can only get at a live performance, is *seeing* the musicians communicate with their body language; supplementing their tonal and rhythmic conversation with a glance or a nod, a smile and a shout!

They opened the set with a rousing, “Look out! Hot music ahead!” styling of Monk’s Straight No Chaser. Then the first of many of Sophie’s own compositions, Never Close Enough; a beautiful 3/4 ballad. Other tunes by Sophie: Hint of Mint, I Hear My Dream, written for her sax teacher, Harry Miedema, Der Rhumba, and a jazz rock tune “written when I was angry” Little Emperor’s Syndrome.

I spoke with Sophie after the first set and learned that she has not recorded her music yet. I look forward to anything this prodigious woman produces.