Baynes and Fuentes are Mark Baynes and Miguel Fuentes, virtuoso Jazz musicians, eclectic over multiple genres, and they cook and groove mightily.
They are a trio, joined by Tim Hopkins on saxophone tonight.
They ask for a name, from the stage. Elvis’s backing band in the Seventies in Vegas was TCB (Takin’ Care of Business). How about BFH (Bloody Fuckin’ Hot)?
Mark Baynes is originally from England and has a doctorate in music. Primarily a Jazz musician, his PhD thesis was an analysis of consonance and dissonance as it applies to primarily western music.
Which is great for someone like me, who knows nothing about how you make and write music but respond to gut and heart feeling. The way he plays the keyboards is complex and readily morphing, and it becomes seductive and hypnotic. Reminds me of the virtuoso Indian musicians who regularly appear at WOMAD.
OK, I did learn trumpet formally at high school, but did not have the discipline to continue.
He has played with Jazz alumni in England. In this country, he has been associated with studio and live music with the likes of Che-Fu, King Kapisi, Don McGlashan, Troy Kingi and the philharmonic orchestra.
Miguel Fuentes is a drums and percussion expert. Born in New York City and raised in Puerto Rico. Born to play music, he has said.
Studied at the Manhattan School of Music and Yale University. Played with many of the greats. George Benson, Isaac Hayes, Patti Labelle, and Nathan Haines in New Zealand.
Familiar with all forms of Latin percussion, and he is playing the congas tonight.
Baynes opened for Blind Boy Paxton, at the Hollywood Theatre in February 2020. The covid take-down was but a whisper.
I saw both Baynes and Fuentes in Mireya Ramos’s band when she performed in February 2021 at the Tuning Fork.
She had gotten stranded from her WOMAD 2020 ensemble Flor De Toloache after viral lockdown was imposed.
Wildly eclectic with heavy Latino, mariachi and R’n’B presence, even some Hip-Hop.
I have seen both artists lending their presence to top-shelf musicians, so anticipation was high.
Completing the BFH trio is Tim Hopkins on saxophone and cowbell.
Hopkins was born in Auckland but has been claimed by the Australians, where he was raised.
He has won major Jazz accolades there. He has played with the cream of Jazzbos in both countries. In the Rock world that has meant working with Midnight Oil and Ed Kuepper (Saints, Laughing Clowns).
Tonight has a typical Ponsonby Boomer audience, in a venue the closest I’ve experienced in Auckland to a cool Jazz venue on a similar scale to London, Paris or New York.
First song is a workout on the chords of Besame Mucho. The piano is smooth, and the congas play a soft rhythm. Sax conjures a sultry nocturnal atmosphere. Sounds like Fifties Sinatra Songs for Swinging Lovers.
What follows is a brace of Latino grooves.
Percussive piano leads off to the congas which double and triple up on the beat. They keys turn into a vibraphone. Jump riffs from the percussionist.
Following song has some Louisiana Cajun swing, as an accordion is heard. Congas slip and slide. The saxophone counters this with a faster riff. When you add New Orleans off-beat to French Arcadia waltz and two-step, you produce Zydeco.
That leads into a song simply called a Cha Cha Cha. The keyboards pick it up and race off with complex melody lines, which the saxophone echoes.
Next is a Mambo called Maria Cervantes. Deceptively slow intro and the keyboards launch it into orbit. Beautiful Latin swing rhythm which echoes classic Drifters era when they were produced by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Swing me all the way down there!
It may be Ritchie Valens too. The saxophone slows it all down on the extended vamp.
Changing it up completely is their take on Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon. Low bass tones must be coming from the keyboards. Congas are playing a completely brand new bag. Cool fast-moving style with some mobile funk as the congas come to the fore and the sax plays riffs like a rhythm guitar.
Following this is a tune which sounds like a soundtrack for a Tim Burton movie. Vibraphone tones make it cool with a slight manic edge, and the band end up expansive.
It is very hard to get a restrained jazz audience to dance, since they all tend to groove in their heads. Unless they are familiar with Jack Kerouac’s On The Road.
But a few women do for final number Alonzo. The band have been slowly raising the temperature, which shakes a few frogs into realising they are cooking!
Vibraphones again with a bass sound which must be coming from the keyboard’s left hand. Dance becomes irresistible as the polyrhythmic congas play with tabla hands.
Mark Baynes, Miguel Fuentes and Tim Hopkins could well be back as Bloody Fuckin’ Hot.
Rev. Orange Peel