Two times MOBO winner, hyperkinetic drummer Moses Boyd brought his current, largest band from London to this well-attended Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival gig, where he gave the audience what they’d come for: impressively subtle drums technique particularly obvious during Boyd’s solos; and great jazz, jazz-funk and jazz-fusion from the whole quintet whether playing en masse, or in smaller groupings.

Front stage was Nathaniel Cross on trombone with Deji Ijishakin on tenor sax, Deschenel Gorden on keys and Artur Zaitz on guitar. All demonstrated their excellent technique, Zaitz and Ijishakin perhaps the most strikingly tonight, though one suspects that from one gig to another, they all have their shining moments. Tonight, this listener was left hoping Zaitz might in the future be given a little more space, as funking up proceedings seemed a particular strength.

Watching Boyd smiling his way through the quite intense and highly accomplished set, with narry a pech, one wonders what various projects this, still young, musician will be involved in in subsequent years.

A similar piece appeared in DooBeeDooBeeDoo – New York, on 18 August 2019:  https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/2019/08/17/concert-review-moses-boyd-exodus-uk/