Larry Carlton Live at the Blue Note

My attorney has never been able to agree with the concept, often espoused by former drug users, that you can get a lot higher without drugs than you can with them. And frankly neither have I. Or should I say, had. Ever since this trip started I’ve been eschewing my daily smoke just because a break is good every now and then and besides the Americans have a totally unsophisticated approach to the possession of the odd leaf of happyweed. So imagine my surprise when one evening (the 30th of March to be precise) I find myself enjoying a drugless high. Larry was on that night and yes, he was in the mood for jazz. The band started with a nice version of Freddie Freeloader and then settled into a set of Larry’s tunes. Larry played about six different guitars that night, alternating between ripping electric solos and more laid back acoustic pieces. The band was tight as a drum. Larry’s son played bass and held a nice groove all evening. The drumming was top class, as were all the musicians really. Pure smooth-as-silk jazz at the Blue Note in NY. Life couldn’t get better. And this is why one should write the reviews immediately after the show and not wait a week.