High Fi - Jazz Lounge - Feat. Bobby Singh & Na Moja
The intimate venue of The Sideshow in West End played host to High Fi, a Jazz Lounge like setting featuring four talented musicians: Bobby Singh beating away on the tabla, Matt Ottignon’s breathtaking display of the sax and clarinet, Benjamin Walsh adding in the drums and percussion and Shenzo Gregorio dazzling us with the beauty of the viola, guitar, and custom stringed instruments.
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the night. It had a laid-back vibe, a coolness about it that added to the various styles of music that was playing throughout the set. It was the kind of show where you can switch off and unwind, being swept away by the gorgeous, lush sounds coming from the stage and getting lost in the musical journey that each instrument was taking us on.
The four performers have excellent chemistry together and each musician able to show authority over their chosen instrument, and it’s reflected with the confidence they perform with, as each performer demonstrated their experience and skill while playing with a passionate freedom that made the night lively and never predictable as it flowed at a nice pace and never dragged.
In between each piece, Benjamin would provide some background on the different pieces and some of the instruments. Some of the standout pieces included a dub performance featuring a delay on some of the instruments, a sax heavy piece from Matt using techniques that he learnt from his travels around the world and the closing piece that Bobby wrote inspired by the birth of his child.
I have a love for the saxophone and Matt’s skill with the sax had me in awe. He had a certain charisma to him that was quite alluring, and it gelled well with the amazing sounds he was able to produce. There’s a sexiness and mysteriousness to the saxophone and Matt was able to harness all of that with great intensity and beauty. Each performer though had their individual moments where they shinned: there was some great back and forth moments with Bobby showing his impressive talents on the tabla and Benjamin on drums, and at some points where it felt like a duel between the percussive instruments yet still being in harmony. The incorporation of electronic elements such as Benjamin using his voice to trigger basslines and various custom-built instruments gave the night a unique feel too.
Shenzo Gregorio is masterful with his ability to play various instruments. Whether it was the guitar, viola or one of the custom-built bowed instruments made by Benjamin Walsh, when the focus was on him playing, we were captivated by the sonics coming from his musical tools. These are performers that have a deep love and respect for their art which is obvious with the music being original pieces and played with such great precision. They were all able to command respect that made you listen when they performed.
Overall, it was an incredibly fun night that had me engaged throughout while also allowing me to sit back and take a break. I’d recommend it to anyone that is opened minded about music and is willing to listen to various genres, but it’s highly recommended to fans of jazz, world, and instrumental based music. It’s original, passionate, and creative, with everyone being highly experienced. It’s a show to get to if it does return and a great opportunity to see four world renown musical artists playing in a great venue at The Sideshow.
