David Bentley Trio with Shenzo & Danielle

The Metro Arts Restrung Festival 2021 featured seasoned and emerging talent from Brisbane's classical and electronic music scenes, blended in a vibrant three days of theatre performances, pop-up gigs, free rehearsals and visual arts. The David Bentley Trio, well known on Brisbane's jazz circuit, these days features the Brisbane-born but internationally renowned Bentley on keys, with fellow Brisbane luminaries Andrew Shaw on double bass and Nathan Goldman on drums. Goldman is a brilliant drummer, keeping time no matter what the style, and Shaw's bass was on groove throughout. This is a formidable combo, made only more interesting by the addition of special guests, Bentley's daughter Danielle on cello and Shenzo Gregorio on the violin.

The group performed an hour-long programme, a combination of Bentley originals (such as 'Pleasure Zone') New Orleans and be bop jazz classics ('Sweet Georgia Brown', 'A Night in Tunisia') and American Songbook Standards ('Until the Real Thing Comes Along', in tribute to Bentley's father who played tenor sax back in the day). It was toe-tapping, sweet and melodic music played to perfection. But, as a surprise highlight, for the final number the band was joined on stage by special guest, William Barton, didgeridoo virtuoso extraordinaire. This was a superb combo of funky jazz and rhythmic didge (properly mic-ed up and readily heard, unlike the recent NRL Grand Final opener) What a treat! I definitely recommend catching this combination of artists at future events.

David Bentley has an interesting history – having spent time in London in the late 1960s with his band Python Lee Jackson, not to mention a career in Sydney and Brisbane spanning several decades as a musician and writer. I think it would be interesting to include some commentary and history to the performance to add some context to the mix of tunes. Mr Bentley has confessed on his website to performing at his own 70th birthday bash, so I'm not giving any secrets away, and yet his voice is ageless, smooth and strong, making the rhythmic off-mic scatting unnecessary – he should just continue to sing in his full voice as it is a superb instrument, iconic when matched to his work on the keyboard. A treat to see in action.

Beth Keehn

Images: Metro Arts