This was my first sighting of Led Bib in a live context since my initial encounter with the band at London’s Vortex three years ago. Having thoroughly enjoyed the band’s albums “Arboretum”, “Sizewell Tea” and their most recent release “Sensible Shoes” I was particularly keen to see them in action once again.

At one point I feared that I was fated not to make it. A series of traffic problems-torrential rain, flooded roads, accidents, roadworks- made for a traumatic journey but we made it to the gig with minutes to spare. I later discovered that the band had suffered an equally arduous journey travelling down from the previous night’s show in Manchester.

The group are currently on the road promoting their excellent new album “Sensible Shoes” (reviewed elsewhere on this site) and tonight’s gig also formed part of the fledgling Cardiff Jazz Festival. Dempsey’s was comfortably full and it was noticeable that there were several more younger fans in attendance than is usual for the average “jazz” gig. Indeed the publicity shots for “Sensible Shoes” almost seem to take the mick out of the older jazz fan with this youthful band dressed up as old geezers in tweed jackets. Oddly the shots reminded me of the cover of Jethro Tull’s “This Was”. If I was feeling cruel I could say that Tull don’t actually need to ACT like old men any more. Still, I digress.

Led Bib fit rather awkwardly into the pigeon hole marked “jazz”. They play at almost rock volume levels and certainly utilise the energy, intensity and sometimes the rhythms of rock but they have a jazz soul. At the heart of what they do is a sense of musical adventure and a commitment to improvisation born of a love for Ornette Coleman and John Zorn among others. This is a young band, their leader Mark Holub is 28, so it comes as no surprise that rock music is also a reference point. Holub cites both metal and punk as formative influences plus rock elders the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead. The band name makes an obvious nod to Zeppelin but derives from the garment worn for protection from X-Rays by dentists, radiographers and workers in the nuclear industry (as referenced on “Sizewell Tea”). 

The first thing newcomers notice about Led Bib is the unusual instrumental line up. Joining Holub on drums are dual alto saxophonists Chris Williams and Pete Grogan with Liran Donin on acoustic and electric basses and Toby McLaren on keyboards. Next comes the volume and the sheer intensity of the band’s playing. At first it can sound like a musical train wreck but soon snatches of melody emerge allied to killer riffs and grooves. The listener soon detects that behind the sonic bluster there’s a high degree of musical sophistication going on. This is clever, interesting music that repays careful and repeated listening but in a live context it is also urgent, vital, attention grabbing. Led Bib are thus drawing on the best elements of jazz and rock, the intelligence of the first, the visceral power of the latter and making it work for the adventurous listener. Dyed in the wool jazzers or straight 4/4 rockers will probably never get it but there are a significant number of people in between who most definitely do. 

Although nominally promoting the new album “Sensible Shoes” the material played tonight was fairly evenly spread across all three studio albums ( a bargain limited edition live album also retails at gigs). Chiefly composed by Holub Led Bib’s tunes shift constantly, full of rapid dynamic shifts. It’s edgy, fractious music rarely staying at a fixed point for long and with each tune ending up somewhere completely different to where it started out. There is no orthodox jazz soloing as such although each player comes into focus at times in this kaleidoscopic swirl of music.

Many reviewers have spoken of Led Bib’s sense of humour and the band’s sense of fun comes across fully in a live context. The degree of improvisation is relatively high and an impish sense of fun comes across as the players duck and dive and take musical risks. There are delightful cameos when two musicians spar with each other, Grogan and McLaren on “Flat Pack Fantasy”, Donin and McLaren on the group’s arrangement of Erik Satie’s “Gnossienne No. 1”. The alto saxophonists operate alone or in tandem but at other times duel ecstatically with each other. In the more reflective moments they recall Polar Bear’s twin tenor front line but on the whole Led Bib’s approach is significantly different.

Holub’s volcanic, polyrhythmic drumming drives the band but there is subtlety as well as power in his approach. Seen live it becomes apparent just what a monster bass player Donin is laying down some awesome grooves and riffs, sometimes chording on the electric in the style of Get The Blessing’s Jim Barr or soloing in liquid Jaco Pastorius mode on the Chris Williams’ composition “Zone 4”. Then there’s the judicious use of electronics, his fuzz bass playing is something even the great Hugh Hopper would be proud of.  He’s no less impressive on the double bass whether it be producing a mighty groove,  dramatically strumming flamenco style or bowing darkly as on “Gnossiene”.

McLaren switches between keyboards utilising electric piano, synthesiser and other electric gizmos plus Dempsey’s resident grand. He’s a bold colourist and also an enterprising soloist with demented Rhodes featuring on “Squirrel Carnage” and “Manifesto For The Future” with synthesiser taking over for “Flat Pack Fantasy”. The acoustic was used relatively sparingly, often being drowned out in the sonic maelstrom. 

The nature of Led Bib’s music, constantly unfolding and always in a state of flux doesn’t really lend itself to a straight tune by tune, solo by solo review but for the record the set list consisted of “Yes Again” and “Squirrel Carnage” from “Sensible Shoes” followed by three tunes from “Sizewell Tea” in the form of “Forest Fire”, Manifesto For The Future” and “Forest Fire”. After the break came “Call Centre Labyrinth” and “Flat Pack Fantasy” from “Shoes”, “Shower” from “Sizewell” and Satie’s “Gnossienne” from the début “Arboretum”. Williams’ “Zone 4” from “Shoes” completed the programme, played with considerably more aggression than the album version and a receptive Cardiff crowd called them back for an encore of “Arboretum’s” “Flashing Indicator”.
It had been a blistering evening of music with the bonus of the offer of a piece of chocolate cake at half time to celebrate the birthday of one of the club stalwarts. The only downside was a recalcitrant PA hum that seemed linked to McLaren’s keyboard set up and Donin’s electric bass. Most of the time it was drowned out by the volume of the band but it did prove irksome in the quieter sections. 

Speaking to the group afterwards they felt the gig had been enjoyable and successful. Substituting “Zone 4” for their cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” in the set list may have spoken of their growing confidence. Certainly the number of CD sales was hugely gratifying right across the board ,the Satie piece in particular generating an interest in the début “Arboretum”. 
The group are still touring the “Sensible Shoes” album and have a prestige date when they play in the foyer of the Royal festival Hall prior to Ornette Coleman’s appearance at the Meltdown Festival on Friday 19th June. Led Bib perform from 17.30 to 19.00 See http://www.ledbib.com for more details.
I’m pleased to say that we had a more relaxing journey home and that in Cardiff it was only Led Bib that were brewing up a storm.

For details of future events at Dempsey’s see http://www.jazzatdempseys.org.uk and www.myspace.com/dempseysjazz

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