Emmet’s place at UChicago’s front doorstep.
Decrypting the intricate grooves of this three-man powerhouse.
artwork by Nick Taves.
If Jazz is dead, Emmet Cohen is the lightning that hits the gravestone, reanimating the body. A rising star in the jazz world, Cohen has rapidly made a name for himself thanks to his virtuosic piano talent and charismatic personality. His trio (himself on piano, Kyle Poole on Drums, and Phillip Norris on upright bass) is internationally recognized and has performed in over 30 countries. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cohen launched “Live From Emmet’s Place,” a weekly live performance streamed directly from his apartment that featured his trio and new guests every week.
It was through these live streams that I first discovered Cohen. Enamored by his effortless grace on the piano—and by our shared curly hair—I was immediately hooked and determined to see him live. So, when I heard he was coming to play at UChicago’s very own Logan Center for the Performing Arts, I had to go see him.
It was incredible. Cohen has impeccably delicate touches, leading to glassy, serene melodies, while also having the strength to lay down the complex, heavy block chords jazz is known for. In the group’s rendition of Neal Hefti’s “Lil’ Darlin,” Cohen’s chords hang in the air like mist. For a moment I was transported to a cigar-filled smoke lounge in the 1950’s, film-noir-grain and everything.
His runs have the untamed energy of improvisation, but the finesse of carefully refined licks. I sat in shock as he continuously upped the ante, busting out increasingly subdivided and melodically bending lines. What left me in awe about these phrases was that—despite firing off so many notes—it never felt like Cohen was overplaying; he always left some room to breathe. For two hours I watched, mouth agape, trying to process the musical 12-course meal the band was sending my way.
Cohen also has a quirky sense of humor while playing. He is constantly experimenting with his tone. Throughout the concert, he would place his hands over the piano strings to mute the notes he was playing. One time, during the climax of a song, instead of playing the keys normally he strummed the strings on the piano. While on paper this may sound completely stupid, it's awesome to watch and quite entertaining. And most impressively of all, he manages to make these bizarre tones work perfectly in the music.
Of course, Cohen isn’t the only member who deserves praise: Poole is an undisputed wizard on the drums. Equally lauded, Poole is just as if not more remarkable than Cohen. He has a refined, almost melodic style of playing the drums. I love how he changes the groove of a song almost on a whim. It gives what could otherwise be a—no doubt impressive—repetitive standard a second wind, allowing his bandmates to approach the chord changes from another angle. It goes without saying, but, just like Cohen, his solos are phenomenal. He must have a metronome implanted in his brain because he always manages to resolve his ludicrously difficult syncopated licks perfectly on the downbeat.
Norris is in the unenviable position of grounding the other two, and he makes it look effortless. As the bass, he serves as the bridge between the groove the drummer lays down and the harmony the piano plays over. Norris adapts to any changes Cohen or Poole throw at him. When the song picks up, Norris doesn’t miss a beat, reliably strutting his way through the pieces. When it’s time to solo, Norris—almost unconsciously—glides between the registers of the upright bass, managing perfect intonation the whole time. I normally don’t care much for upright bass solos, but, when it’s Norris’ turn to play, I’m completely enthralled. He crafts elaborate melodies with catchy rhythms, playing the bass more like a lead guitar than the stalwart ambassador of the lower register. Norris also has the best-bowed bass tone I’ve ever heard.
Clearly, each member on their own is unfathomably skilled, but what really elevates the trio is how they interact with each other. Playing together throughout the years, they must have developed a psychic link. Cohen and Poole know to simultaneously hit off-beats without even a glance between them. Norris then seamlessly predicts whatever wacky off-key shenanigans Cohen will pull and play accordingly. Poole can somehow indicate to Norris when it’s time to lay off or play out just by staring at his back. All this points to a group with such phenomenal chemistry that they’ve developed a form of collective consciousness—completely mind-blowing to see in action. Like a 50-step Rube-Goldberg machine, all the disparate parts come together to form a breath-taking performance.
All-in-all, the trio’s performance was captivating. Now, whenever I watch clips of their gigs or “Live From Emmet’s Place,” I have a newfound appreciation for their musical expertise. If I close my eyes, I can envision them playing right in front of me. Even if the Logan performance hall isn’t where you would expect a jazz concert, the performers’ energy filled up the room, and no one left the show less than satisfied.
edited by Joyce Zhang.
artwork by Nick Taves, @n__taves on Instagram.
