Despite, or perhaps because of, the enthusiasm of its tight-knit community, jazz often appears separated from popular music, relegated to its own venues and shows. The intense focus on technique and musicality, together with a perceived snobbery, may put off would-be jazz enjoyers, but don't be dismayed so easily: within these spaces, jazz is a wonderfully bright and free-flowing genre, and one that almost anyone could enjoy. No act could exemplify this better than the house band at Peggy’s Skylight— the home of live jazz here in Nottingham— who’s infectious love for the music, combined with an easy-going energy, made their latest performance a joy to watch. You may not know the tunes from the radio, but it’s high time you showed your local jazz outlet some love.

The house band’s greatest strength was undeniably their chemistry and confidence, taking to their usual stage as if they were strolling into their own living room (though in the case of Paul Deats, that isn’t so much of a stretch as the group’s pianist is one of the venue’s owners). The four-piece received a small spoken word introduction, but hardly needed one— from the moment they wolf-whistled at the mention of their own ‘intimate performance,’ it was clear that the group were having fun with this one, launching into a Benny Golson cover with very little fanfare. Throughout the set, the quartet were constantly shooting each other comical looks, playing off of each other with an enviable chemistry— bassist Simon Paterson, pianist Paul Deats and tenor saxophonist Eliot Richards would often hand solos over to one another with little more than a raised eyebrow, demonstrating the level of preparation and forethought put into their crop of covers. Whether they were rip-roaring through the, ironically, dizzying spectacle of Dizzy Gillespie’s ‘Birk’s Works’ or settling into the melancholic atmosphere of Duke Ellington’s ‘Star-Crossed Lovers,’ the band’s passion and dedication to jazz was obvious and ever-present.

And goodness, didn’t that dedication shine through in their performances. Though the members of the house band aren’t as decorated as some musicians we’ve seen at Peggy’s Skylight, the quartet were more than happy to show off their full suite of technical chops, even as Eliot Richards was sure to remind us of just how hard each track is to play. It hardly seemed to bother him, as Richards’ tenor saxophone playing varied between the mournful, vulnerable melodies of ‘Naima’ and the peppy trills of ‘When Will The Blues Leave,’ allowing him to demonstrate his remarkable breath work while remaining characterful and bright in every moment. 

Even in-between his show-stopping solos, the rest of the band were no-less delightful to watch. Deats’ piano playing was, for the most part, rather understated, taking a backseat in many moments as his dissonant yet satisfying accompaniments blended smoothly into each song: when he let himself loose on tracks like Hank Mobley’s ‘Uh Huh,’ however, his blisteringly fast scale runs and mastery of chord changes were a sight to behold, even as the grin never left his face. Paterson’s double-bass playing, similarly, fit each track extremely well, though he allowed himself more chances to shine, frequently exploring the entire neck to deliver some groovy walking bass lines: though he did look to be struggling with some of the most awkward lead lines, his performance was nonetheless infectious, only becoming more confident and whimsical with each track. Each track in the house band’s set followed a similar structure, allowing first the saxophone to shine before the piano and bass traded off lead lines: towards the end of each song though, it was always drummer Andrew Wood’s playing that sealed the deal. Transitioning seamlessly between playing with brushes, sticks and his own hands throughout the performance, Wood provided the perfect accompaniment to each song, pulling off a number of complex techniques (including muting the snare with his elbow and using the brush handles to play the cymbals) without sounding overbearing. His fills were similarly impressive yet tasteful, bringing each track to a satisfying close, and the entire band fit together seamlessly.

The four-piece were hardly pulling from the most modern inspirations at Peggy’s Skylight, instead indulging in a host of jazz classics. ‘Naima’ and ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’ mirrored each other perfectly towards the start and end of the performance, seeing the band venture into much more vulnerable territory as the tempos slowed and the mood grew more intimate and tender. Both were beautiful moments, though the grew never stayed too long, journeying onward to a host of upbeat and bouncy numbers that made the two-hour performance feel like no more than 30 minutes. Thelonious Monk’s ‘In Walked Bud,’ Benny Carter’s ‘When Lights Are Low’ and Benny Golson’s ‘Killer Joe’ were just some of the high-energy numbers that filled out the set, with each one varying from the last in terms of atmosphere and the technical showing on display. What was more surprising than this classic string of songs, however, were the brief pieces of standup comedy delivered by Richards between songs, who proved himself to be a dry but endearing emcee throughout the show— all the better for such a lighthearted and delightful performance.

Though we’ve seen more individually impressive jazz musicians, it’s hard to deny that the house band at Peggy’s Skylight was greater than the sum of its parts. The four-piece brought more than just technical proficiency and a fun crop of covers to the table: it was their chemistry and love of the genre that really sold the performance for us, making the soft piano chords, stunning saxophone solos and everything in-between a joy to behold. This quartet, and the entire atmosphere of the show, proved that jazz is meant to be fun, and deserves to receive as much love as it puts out.