The venue is The Mahogany Room, the new jazz venue in Cape Town, and the band, The Dennis Luxion/Michael Raynor Quartet from Chicago. The performance is one of the best the club has hosted since opening.
The quartet has been on a month-long tour of Africa, facilitated by the US State Consulate. Like the mini-exercise suddenly sprung on those in the audience at the gig, their aim has been to conduct workshops and master’s classes with communities throughout Africa.
The band was assembled for this tour a year ago, though the members were familiar with each other and have played together before. As a quartet, they play original hard-swinging jazz and they’re influenced hugely by Chicago-based tenor saxophonist Von Freeman’s style of improvisation.
Pianist Dennis Luxion has worked with the likes of Chet Baker and Bill Frisell; drummer Michael Raynor has earned Grammy nominations for work on recordings for Blue Note, bassist Jeff Pedraz is a jazz teacher trained at Orrtliebs Jazzhaus in Philadephia and saxophonist Greg Ward has recently recorded with Lupe Fiasco.
The New Age
