How Was The Show - The James Buckley Trio at Kitty Cat Klub

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The James Buckley Trio at Kitty Cat Klub on 10/6/07

James Buckley of the James Buckley Trio - Photo by David de Young

Could there have been a better way to end an almost unbearably hot October day in this event-filled city of ours? After seeing Dead City at the Redeye Theater, and after popping in for a bit at the Zombie Pub Crawl as it wrapped up at the Nomad Word Pub, I still had time to make my way to the Kitty Cat Klub to see one of the Twin Cities world-class jazz ensembles, The James Buckley Trio. It was the perfect way to wind it all down.

When I arrived just before midnight, a modest but lively crowd was already enjoying a scene that was mellow in the way only cool jazz can be. The audience was both relaxed and engaged and made me miss - for the first time in a while - the days Minneapolis clubs were filled with smoke.

Early in their set, Buckley and company performed “C.Z. Horse”, a song off their new album Stiches, a seven-song disc self-produced by Buckley and recorded at a house in St. Louis Park in November of 2006. I immediately resigned myself to just take in the flavor of each song without worrying for the purposes of this review what was being played. And that, I think, was the best decision. I found my mind wandering onto thoughts of how good jazz so cleverly and effortlessly hides melody and rhythm and leaves you with just raw tone and mood. I was reminded that the same things that make jazz inaccessible to some people are the exact same things that make it a joy to listen to for others. As the band said during a recent appearance on MPR’s Local Show with Dave Campbell, sometimes it’s important to stop trying to understand the music you’re listening to and just enjoy it for what it is.

The James Buckley Trio is a band that brings long smiles, not just little ones that fade quickly away. They know how to put a smile on your face and keep it there as the solos pass from Buckley on bass to Bryan Nichols on piano to J.T. Bates on drums like a warm cup of cocoa or favorite liqueur on a chilly night.

The James Buckley Trio

Drummer J.T. Bates is incredible to watch. He appears simultaneously spontaneous and like knows exactly what he’s going to do next but wants to fool you, drumming with his full body and all ends of his sticks, sometimes playing for a few minutes at a time, looking down and behind him, as if he saw something on the floor. Brian Nichols on Roland piano occasionally appears as if he had just hit the accelerator in a fancy sports coupe and is being pushed back by invisible g-forces. Or he rubbernecks to the hidden beat - always gloriously there between the notes - or moves his arms in chicken-walk fashion as he plays.

At the center of the stage, Buckley, the songwriter and band leader, stoically holds it all together. Smiling from time to time, but mostly serious, wearing keys on the outside of his jeans, and on Saturday night a blue-green t-shirt bearing the image of a goose in flight, Buckley bridges the gap between hipster cool and traditional jazz. Buckley, who was a co-leader of Poor Line Condition, can also be seen playing as a member of Mystery Palace, Fat Kid Wednesdays and Robert Skoro (the list is seemingly endless).

I know you’ve heard good things about this group, and it’s time you saw them for yourself. You can pick up a copy of Stitches at your local independent record store or Tuesday, October 9^th at the Kitty Cat Klub where they’ll be playing with the Paul Daugherty Trio, or Saturday, October 13^th at the Uptown Bar where Buckley will be performing with Mystery Palace.