Elena Pinderhughes perhaps had one of the tougher assignments at this year’s FIJM. The Pub Molson stage, nestled between the festival’s two largest outdoor stages, isn’t the easiest place to hold an audience, and for a flautist especially it’s hardly the ideal setting to debut your band. Still, none of it seemed to faze Pinderhughes. At only 31, she already carries herself with the confidence of a seasoned bandleader, and her technique was sharp as ever, cutting through the humid and noisy air.
The set leaned heavily on material from her forthcoming album, including several numbers that have yet to be titled. They offered plenty of room for lyrical improvisation and served just fine as vehicles for Pinderhughes’ dazzling solos, but as compositions they rarely left a lasting impression. Much of the music settled into the same blend of contemporary soul and modern jazz. My favourite moment came during a duet with her brother, Samora Pinderhughes on the piano. Unencumbered by the drums and bass, the musicians could really fly. Moments like these hinted at an emotional depth that the rest of the set only occasionally reached. Certainly some more memorable melodies, or simply stronger shifts in mood would have given the performance greater definition.
Still, it speaks to Pinderhughes’ gifts as a performer that the evening never lost its charm. Her playing remained luminous even in less forgiving conditions, and her generosity on stage gave the music a warmth that the compositions alone didn’t always provide.
