Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet at Kerrytown Concert House
Bassist Dave Sharp brought his Worlds Quartet into Kerrytown Concert House on April 12. I have heard the group several times over the years and their energy and rhythmic propulsion (what we used to call swing) still impresses me. The group makes the most of its limited instrumentation by featuring various guest artists — this time Elden Kelly, an accomplished electric guitarist. The repertoire is a whirlwind through Eastern Europe and Asia and one of their upcoming concerts will focus on East Indian music. Some members of the groups have also written material to dig into.
A shining star in the quartet is violinist Henrik Karapatyan, whose soulful playing caught my attention when I first heard the group at various Ann Arbor locations. This night he was ably complemented by Igor Houwat on oud. Kelly’s guitar seemed to form an electric axis across the room with Sharp’s steady electric bass. The quartet has developed a cohesive group sound despite the displays of individual brilliance. Fittingly Mike List’s percussion is subtle and non-intrusive.