Pinski Zoo is a seriously left-field jazz/funk outfit lead by saxophonist Jan Kopinski. In a career spanning more than 20 years they have won prestigious awards, supported some of the biggest names in jazz, and demonstrated an admirably restless creative spirit. Kopinski's range of influences stretches from free jazz to film soundtracks and the music of eastern Europe, and he mashes them up with gleeful abandon.
In Leeds the performance begins with some eerie sound effects from Steve Iliffe's keyboard and sampler. Drummer Steve Harris sets up a crisp funk rhythm, Kopinski's saxophone makes brisk work of the opening theme and the twin basses of Karl Bingham and Stefan Kopinski mesh snugly together. This first piece is the most successful - infectiously funky, and intriguingly textured. But from here onwards, the gig is something of a bumpy ride.
Pinski Zoo's compositions can be a tad impenetrable. Sculptured around queasy harmonic shifts, they bristle with bizarre electronic ambiences and saxophone solos that last an aeon. They revel in their own ingenuity without really engaging the emotions. The musicians look rather pleased with themselves, but the cumulative effect of all their cleverness is, well, a bit of a racket.
A good proportion of this set is wilful cacophony - Kopinski screws up his face with pleasure each time Iliffe's keyboard barrages reach a peak of sickening intensity. However, there is a genuine problem with the two bass guitars. Funk bass-lines playing in counterpoint is an interesting idea, and one which may well work in a recording studio, with a bit of judicious stereo panning. But in a live environment the two instruments get under each other's feet, muddying the sound.
Funk needs space and clarity - two things there is precious little of in this latest version of Pinski Zoo. Still, Kopinski's demeanour is that of an impish experimenter who fully understands that risk-taking and innovation will not always produce the most harmonious of results. God only knows what he'll think of next.
· At the Phoenix Arts Centre, Leicester (0116-225 4854), on Saturday.
