Childs-Brashear Make a Strong Impression

Trumpeter Oscar Brashear promised a “wide spectrum of music from various composers” at the beginning of his duo concert with pianist Billy Childs on Wednesday at the Jazz Bakery. The two men delivered just that in a nearly two-hour program that included tunes from Cole Porter and Thelonious Monk as well as Jerry Goldsmith’s theme to the movie “Chinatown,” Paul Simon’s “Sounds of Silence” and Childs’ classically influenced originals.

But the Childs-Brashear collaboration was noteworthy for much more than the variety of music it presented. The two made a strong impression with their individual abilities, their responsiveness to each other’s play and for taking even the most familiar tunes into uncharted territory.

Bass and drum support were never missed as Childs laid down a dense, often luxurious base from which the trumpeter could spring. Their treatment of “Just One of Those Things” was typical. Childs introduced the number with a florid, floating-tempo prelude before a sudden rhythm shift and Brashear’s swinging theme statement.

As Childs walked simply with his left hand, the trumpeter explored an upbeat mood in his instrument’s middle register. Childs’ accompaniment moved through swing, rag and driving rhythms as Brashear played with increasing complexity. Complement followed conflict as they reached the improvisation’s resolution.

Childs’ arrangements made for smart, fresh takes on even the most unlikely material. His refashioning of “Sounds of Silence” saw Brashear stating the theme directly over ominous, swirling piano, followed by a fast-paced passage from Bach’s “Toccatta & Fugue in D.” A deadly serious improvisational section came next, giving the trumpeter a chance to display his dark side. Childs’ composition “Aaron’s Song” was seasoned with impressionistic hints of Debussy and the playfulness of Monk.

The Miles Davis/Wayne Shorter tune “E.S.P.,” which Brashear and Childs presented with particular empathy, symbolized the evening’s spirit. They played as if they could read each other’s minds.