By Andrew Poretz***Multi-instrumentalist Adrian Galante made a spectacular Birdland Theater debut with an exhilarating set of instrumental jazz. The young Perth, Australia native is an extraordinary musician who appears to be equally gifted as a clarinetist as he is a pianist.
The young, handsome Galante is a soft-spoken, knowledgeable performer who knows his craft, with a disarmingly humble, grateful way about him that is quite appealing. Galante was 
supported by three of the finest musicians in the business: pianist Alan Broadbent, bassist Jay Leonhart, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra star drummer Obed Calvaire. Broadbent not only has a book’s worth of A-list credits (some of which Galante reeled off), but was one of his instructors at NYU a decade ago.
The set began with “I Wish I Knew” (Harry Warren). Though not a singer, Galante approaches a tune on the clarinet as if he were singing the lyrics, which enables him to wordlessly plumb deep emotional depths. (When speaking to him about this after the set, he confirmed that he does indeed think the lyrics in his head while playing.) Galante performed “Yesterday I Heard the Rain” (Armando Manzanero) in tribute to Tony Bennett’s iconic recording. The arrangement’s brilliant opening set up a rainy mood, with Calvaire’s drumming evoking rolling clouds. Galante’s tone is beautiful, his timing excellent.
Galante took over at the piano to play “Love Scene” (Duke Ellington) (which, Bennett had performed with Ellington on “The Ed Sullivan Show”). with Ellington). Later in the piece, he demonstrated a unique ability to play a “call and response between his left and right hand, as if they belonged to two different pianists. A surprising piece, written by Elvis Costello, “The Birds Will Still Be Singing,” from The Juliette Letters, was one 
of the highlights of the set. The tune was performed in duet, with Broadbent back at the piano, and Galante describing it as “one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard in my life.” It was stunning, and he played it with tremendous passion.
“Someone to Light Up My Life” (Antonio Carlos Jobim) revealed additional surprises, including a juxtaposition of different rhythms, a madrigal-like duet of Galante and Leonhart, and even “trading fours” with Calvaire, who later took a sensational drum solo. For the penultimate number, Galante, on piano, more or less recreated Michel Legrand’s concert closer of “I Will Wait for You” (the theme from the 1964 film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg). In this tour de force of showmanship and skill, Galante and the trio played the theme in various musical styles, such as classical, swing, jazz and others. This warranted a standing ovation.
Galante could easily have stopped there. He chose instead to calm the energy with his clarinet, with a dreamy arrangement of “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” (Richard Rodgers). He included a rubato verse (rhythmic changes) to set up the mood. He demonstrated superb breath control, with long, legato lines (smooth note-to-note transitions). Galante’s exquisite lyrical playing created an emotionally satisfying close to one of the best sets this reviewer has heard in years.
Photos by Kevin Alvey
