Tommaso Starace Organ Trio

“Live at The Beaver Inn”

(Dodicilune Records DISCH1 Ed619)

Tommaso Starace – alto saxophone, Martin Jenkins – Hammond organ, Pip Harbon – drums

Tommaso Starace is an Italian born saxophonist and composer who has been based in London for many years. An excellent musician and an all round nice guy Starace is a charismatic live performer who has become a much loved figure on the UK jazz scene.

Specialising on alto and soprano saxophones he has been a regular presence on the Jazzmann web pages for many years and live shows by various editions of his quartet in Lichfield, Shrewsbury and Abergavenny have been reviewed elsewhere on these web pages, the latter a themed show paying tribute to one of Starace’s saxophone heroes, the late, great Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley.

Prior to this current release Starace had released ten albums as a leader and several of these have been reviewed elsewhere on this site, including “Blood & Champagne” (2010), “Simply Marvellous!” (2013 and “Italian Short Stories -plays the photos of Gianni Berengo Gardin”  (2014). These are all quartet recordings, with “Simply Marvellous!” representing a tribute to another of Starace’s musical heroes, the late, great French pianist and composer Michel Petrucciani. Meanwhile both “Blood & Champagne” and “Italian Short Stories” offer evidence of Starace’s considerable abilities as a composer.

The 2016 duo album “From a Distant Past”, recorded with the Italian pianist Michele Di Toro, also emphasised Starace’s capabilities as both player and writer. Also in 2016 Starace and Di Toro gave a superb duo performance at The Hive in Shrewsbury, which is also documented elsewhere on this site.

In 2018 Starace recorded the album “Narrow Escape” with his Harmony Less Quartet featuring Dave O’ Higgins on tenor sax plus the all Italian rhythm section of Davide Liberti (bass) and Ruben Bellavia (drums).

That same year he also recorded “Eleuthera All That Jazz” which was documented in the Bahamas, where Starace has served as the artistic director of the Eleuthera Jazz Festival. This good natured recording features an Italian / Bahamian quintet and is reviewed alongside “Narrow Escape” as part of a Jazzmann Feature.

2021’s “The Power of Three” featured Starace in an unusual saxophone trio line up featuring Jim Watson on piano and Laurence Cottle on electric bass. The focus is largely on jazz standards rather than original material and this album is also reviewed elsewhere on this site. Meanwhile guest contributor Marc Edwards reviewed a live performance by this trio at the Progress Theatre in Reading in 2022.

Starace has also appeared on these web pages as a member of a sextet led by the Irish pianist and composer John Donegan. He appears on Donegan’s 2020 album release “A Kite for Kate”.

Starace’s latest album release is “Live at The Beaver Inn”, a concert recording documented on 13th October 2025 at The Beaver Inn at Appledore, near Bideford in north Devon.

Situated on the Torridge estuary The Beaver Inn is a celebrated live music venue with a long running (twenty years) and thriving jazz programme and is an important location on the UK jazz touring circuit. I’ve never been fortunate enough to visit the venue in person but judging by the photo on Starace’s album cover it looks pretty idyllic.

The date was recorded as part of a short tour of Devon and Cornwall that Starace undertook in the company of organist Martin Jenkins and drummer Pip Harbon, two stalwarts of the South West jazz scene. Starace has worked with this trio for around three years and first met Harbon at St. Ives Jazz Club, where the latter is the house drummer. Starace writes warmly about both of his colleagues in this project as part of his album liner notes.

Jazz events at The Beaver Inn are presented by North Devon Jazz Club and the performance was recorded by NDC organiser Peter Hames, who also contributes his own liner note to the album packaging. Mixed and mastered by Anthony Galatis the album appears on the Italian record label Dodicilune.

It was not Starace’s intention to release a live album from the tour, but the stars aligned in such a way that it became almost inevitable, as Starace explains;
“This recording came about accidentally as Peter Hames, the concert organiser, wanted to keep a record of the evening. The event at the Beaver Inn was packed with a lively audience that gave us the right energy and positive vibe to deliver a performance full of adrenaline and musical adventure. I didn’t realise until I listened to the recording how special it felt, at least to me, so I decided to ‘stop it in time’ and make it into a CD. I do hope that, through this recording, the listener will be able to relive a similar experience and to appreciate the exuberance of our playing, the interchange of ideas and, above all, the sheer joy of a really memorable evening that marked the end of a successful week of touring.”

Given that this is an occasional collaboration rather than a regular working group the focus is on standards rather than original composition with all the selections coming from the wider jazz canon.

Following Peter Hames’ introduction the trio kick off with their version of Thelonious Monk’s “We See”, with Starace leading the way on alto and delivering the first solo. The ‘meat and potatoes’ setting of an organ trio imbues his playing with a greater earthiness than usual. Starace speaks fondly of Jenkins’ “hard, swinging playing and sensitive comping” and this piece offers plentiful examples of both. Jenkins is the next featured soloist, really making the Hammond roar. Meanwhile the energetic Harbon weighs in with a series of effervescent drum breaks as he trades phrases with his colleagues.

“Groovy Samba”, a composition by Sergio Mendes, adds Brazilian rhythms and flavours to the mix as Jenkins delivers the first solo. I’ll admit to not having heard of him before but he’s one hell of a Hammond soloist. He then combines with Harbon’s energetic drumming to propel Starace to fresh heights as the leader unleashes an ecstatic alto solo. Harbon enjoys an extended solo feature, keeping the energy levels at boiling point prior to a reprise of the main theme.

There’s no slackening of the pace with a fast moving rendition of Cedar Walton’s “Firm Roots”. The tricky but catchy bebop influenced theme provides the launch pad for the opening solo from Starace which sees him playing with great fire and fluency. Jenkins’ Hammond solo finds him displaying similar qualities, it’s good to hear the Hammond being played with such zest. At the kit Harbon continues to stoke the fires, and delivers a truly explosive drum feature towards the close. “I have always admired the gusto he puts into his drumming and the sound he gets out of his kit” says Starace. There goes your proof.

The trio stretch out at considerable length on Benny Golson’s “Stablemates”. This time its Jenkins’ turn to go first with an extended, subtly probing solo that gains the approval of the leader. Starace follows on alto with a similarly lengthy and typically fluent solo before Harbon is again unleashed at the kit, delivering another dynamic offering prior to the closing section, which sees the leader asserting control once more.

Things finally cool down a little with the trio’s rendition of Errol Garner’s “Misty” as Starace delivers a slow burning alto solo followed by Jenkins’ subtly probing Hammond meditations. Starace then takes over once more, bringing out the full beauty of Garner’s melody before delivering a stunning solo sax cadenza towards the close. Harbon is comparatively chilled, largely deploying brushes throughout.

Written by trumpeter Blue Mitchell “Fungii Mama” is a Latin-esque tune that has become something of a modern jazz standard. It’s ideally suited to the organ trio format and Starace and friends deliver it with great elan. Jenkins takes the first solo on Hammond, followed by Starace on alto, initially accompanied just by Harbon’s drums as Jenkins temporarily drops out. Harbon clearly relishes tackling the Latin rhythms and also enjoys a brief solo drum feature.

The album concludes with “Voyage”, written by pianist Kenny Barron. The infectious ‘hook’ provides the basis for the ebullient soloing of Starace and Jenkins as Harbon’s crisp drumming drives the ship along. There’s another stunning passage when the Hammond drops out leaving sax and drums in charge of the bridge.

Starace has spoken of the “magic moments” that the trio have experienced musically during their three years together as a band. There are certainly plenty of those in evidence here and it’s easy to see why Starace was so keen to make this music available on disc.

The excellence displayed by Starace is almost a given but Jenkins and Harbon represent exciting new musical discoveries. The organist is superb throughout and delivers some inspired solos. His playing compares well to better known, London based exponents of the Hammond such as Ross Stanley, Pete Whittaker and Jim Watson. Alongside these three Jenkins wouldn’t sound out of place. I also loved Harbon’s energy and drive. He provides great support for Starace and Jenkins and relishes his own solo opportunities.

Let’s hope that this trio continues to perform together and that it can expand beyond the South West to play in other parts of the country – and I don’t just mean London.

“Live at The Beaver Inn” is available here;
https://www.dodicilunestore.com/musica/dodicilune/tommaso-starace-organ-trio-live-at-the-beaver-inn/

 

 

 

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