WEB THOMPSON BAND AT THE NOMAD JAZZ BAR

Wilmington has long been known both for its vibrant jazz background and as the proud home of influential and iconic figures like the legendary Clifford Brown. For jazz musicians, the chance to play in a location with such a rich heritage should inspire reverence and excitement. After all, one way to complement the achievements of the greats is to perform with their level of passion. Among the many bands that stopped in the First State this past weekend looking to make an impression, was the avid Web Thompson Band, who played on Friday the 26th at Nomad Jazz Bar in Wilmington. Fresh and intellectually inclined, Thompson and company painted vivid pictures with creative percussive breaks and a flowing cascade of keyboards, that melded organically into the rapid and boppy changes that accounted for a good portion of their sound.

Fast, furious, and direct, the quartet rammed through a bright curtain of soft chord changes with fits of accents on guitar at every off-beat and the potent fervor of Thompson himself behind the drums. The raw playing style of the bandleader and the descending strokes coming from the keys were ornamented with loquacious guitar work as intrepid as any heard in Wilmington this side of Shawn Q. The bustling atonality, which defined the collective’s signature sound for most of the evening, often gave way to rich and sensual R&B grooves that harkened back to the more harmonic style of hard bop. The degree of poise with which this was executed, drew the listener into slowly submitting to Thompson’s musical will. Willing and able to incorporate traces of pop into their slower numbers, the quartet availed itself of its guitar player whose commitment to the pure and unadulterated expression of melody was intimate and uplifting.

Striking the perfect balance between wantonness and self-control, the group masterfully entwined raw passion with delicate chord progressions. The sound was experimental but sincere, a combination that won over an enthusiastic crowd. Finishing strongly and with humble gestures of appreciation, Web Thompson and his group admirably captured the same mystique that has so much characterized Wilmington’s favorite sons.