Glen just oozes joy and love for life and what he is doing. Without being too preachy or pretentious. Such a great night of music.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Glen, Lisa, and the Night They Brought The Beacon Down
Glen Hansard put on a hell of a show last evening at The Beacon. The evening started off in a lovely fashion with Lisa Hannigan opening (wondering if this was a later addition, maybe on the LA stop, as she was never mentioned when tickets went on sale). Then Glen came out to play for just about two hours and twenty minutes, blowing through the curfew. A great mix of songs from his most recent "solo" album, songs from Once, great choices from The Frames (including "Fitzcaraldo"), and then choice covers. "Astral Weeks," for one, and then two The Band songs -- "The Night They Drove Ol Dixie Down" a cappella from the front of the stage, started by Lisa, and a rousing "Don't Do It." Which was made even sweeter with the horn section that was comprised of Steve Bernstein, Erik Lawrence, and Curtis Fowlkes (Steve and Erik played with Levon at his Midnight Rambles). The band also featured Brendan McDonough, who I guess worked with Levon? He ended with the Bruce Springsteen song Drive All Night, that featured some great sax solos from Lawrence. Not wanting to stop, the gathered the band to the front of the stage to do Passing Through (traditional?). He then led the band off the stage, through the Beacon crowd, into the lobby. And then out onto Broadway and around the corner to the stage door.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Googa Grub
Quick thoughts: It was one of the most perfect days weather-wise to be outside, listening to free music with my family. And got some good food and drink with only a slight hassle. I, for one, am happy we went and I hope they do it again and work out the kinks.
From there, we made our way to the Hamageddon area to find some shade and wait for my sister. We parked ourselves behind the giant pig sculpture, where they were actually roasting a pig on a spit. I made my first food choice and got the Pulled Pork sandwich from Dinosaur, with two sides. Everything was tasty, and the line at that time moved pretty fast. We had brought in a blanket as well as two big water bottles so we were pretty set there. (I will say I am really happy we lugged both -- the blanket gave us a home base as we moved around and the free water was needed.) While sitting there, I noticed Russ Bennett of Bonnaroo "visuals" fame. You could see some of the touches around the fest; hopefully he will help organization in the future.
My sister and her bf found us easily, and we finished listening to the Unknown Mortal Orchestra on the "second" stage. Not too bad, actually. From there, we packed up and made our way through the wine tent, getting some rose. (I actually thought the wine was more reasonable by the glass than the beer, although the tastings were less; more on that later.) We did a bit of another lap, noticing much longer lines and quite a bit more people. We eventually ended up finding more shade between the beer and merch tents. That is where we stayed for the remainder. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band were a bit quiet from where we sat, but nice to listen to from our spot.
For the next five hours, we would take turns walking around, waiting in lines, and getting food and drink. Actually made a few laps at various times throughout the day. Yes, the lines were discouraging. But we actually ended up with good food for relatively short waits. My sister had the Jean-Georges sandwich that has been mentioned, and it was really tasty. (No real line.) My wife was able to find some tasty food from the Marketplace, including some tasty stuff from Russ & Daughters. And I had a decadent grilled cheese with bologna and foie gras from M. Wells (I was able to get into that line and finish before my wife got her Num Pang pulled pork and grilled corn). That grilled cheese was something else (but needed a little acid to cut all the fat). And I actually liked the dirt pie dessert (Katzie Guy-Hamilton, of Top Chef fame, was making them). Quite rich.
So, the beer. Yes, it was expensive. But I found that doing the tasting pours actually worked out well. Most of the 'tenders would go heavy on those pours, and then if you had a few extra tickets you could actually double the amount. Again, more than you would normally pay, but it allowed me to try four or five of the IPAs. (My favorite was the Thornbridge Hall Brewery Jaipur IPA, from England.) There were four of us, and we were able to get out full of wine, beer, and cider for $70.
Near the end of the night, I did see a lot of Sold Out signs, which was unfortunate of course. But what I ate was good.
Music wise, I really enjoyed Holy Ghost! Much more than I thought I would . . . Great music to have in the background and move a bit to. Dancey, a bit like Chromeo or MGMT? And of course The Roots were entertaining. Always nice to hear them.
I tried very hard not to have expectations. I knew there would be lines, and things would crazy and hectic (come on, it was a free event in New York). If there was a place I really wanted to try, I would have been upset by the wait. But since I didn't care, except to not necessarily eat something I could have often (like, Calexico or currently Roberta's with the Mad Sq Eats going on), the food I ended up with worked out. There were trash cans relatively near each of our blanket spots, as well as just outside the beer tent, so I didn't find that to be an issue.
What I would suggest, from a planning standpoint, is to not have drink booths adjacent to the stage on each side. Those *long* lines really seemed to disrupt the crowd quite a bit. Those booths should definitely be moved to the back. And then if they could arrange the stand-up tables to help facilitate the lining up of people, that could help too. Other than that, I guess they could limit the number of attendees, or charge a small admission price (with a free drink or something) to maybe put a limit on the interested parties? A larger space might be better, but I did appreciate being able to walk and hit every space (the bathrooms near the Hamageddon stage were clean with no lines, for example).
I'd go again next year.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Medeski, Martin, & Guests Galore (05.10.12, Brooklyn)
A great night of music last night at the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn with Medeski, Martin, & Wood + Guests. With so many guests and a relative lack of flow, it could have been a bit rough. But there were highlights in each of the three sets. I was expecting a larger crowd, to be honest, but it ended up being just the right amount of people in that venue (compared to it being too packed). I moved from the floor to the balcony for the final set of music.
Set One:
Medeski, Marin, & Wood straight up (bit more chaotic improv > funky jazz, New Orleans shuffle, funky goodness; actually quite accessible)
Set Two:
Anthony Coleman, Martin, & Wood (it took a little bit to settle in, but the ending jam ended up pretty interesting; more sparse than Medeski)
Medeski, Martin, & Oren Bloedow (they played a song I recognized; pretty straight forward)
Medeski, Calvin Weston, & Wood (maybe my least favorite collaboration; just didn't gel, and his playing was heavy and without touch imo)
Marco Benevento, Martin, & Wood (this was as good as you can imagine; just, wow . . . Marco's smile was huge at the end)
Medeski, Marin, & Bob Stewart (who would have thought that tuba would work so well, but this was really good -- and the longest jam of the night; I guess Marcus Rojas was supposed to be there, but wasn't able to attend, so they asked Bob Stewart -- who has played with countless musicians, it seems; the first time he met them was on stage?)
Medeski, Adam Deitch, & Wood (other than the Marco portion, this had to be my favorite collaboration; they all just threw down, as Adam got quite funky; Chris was eating it up, turning his head from Medeski to Deitch and back again, dancing in the middle of the stage)
Set Three:
Medeski, Martin, & Wood with guests
So Percussion (decent jam, ending with some, well, drumming)
Vernon Reid (I would love to hear this again; some parts were quite out there, and then on others Vernon sounded like John McLaughlin)
+ DJ Logic
Charlie Burnham (Burnham replaced Reid and DJ Logic stayed on stage; this may have been my favorite part of the night, to be honest; just loved the sound of his violin with the band, and his playing worked well with Logic's subtle scratching; Medeski used the Wurlitzer a lot, which again blended well with the strings; it seemed as though this was improv violin > improv Wurlizter > improv > Dracula -- at least I think it was Dracula)
Chuck Campbell (this was pretty good, with hints of The Word due to the pedal steel)
+ Miho Hatori (the closing song was with Miho singing in Japanese; something about this worked, lol; it sounded like a pop song, but then with pedal steel and MMW; unique but good; I just realized she was the singer for Cibo Matto!)
Monday, March 19, 2012
Thile, Adams, and Stern (03.18.12)
Last night's event at Galapagos in DUMBO was rather amazing. I have seen Chris Thile with the Punch Brothers, with Edgar Meyer at Carnegie Hall, with Brad Mehldau. Last night, he was solo, improvising. Well, not exactly. A string quartet from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra played five of John Adams "Dances" pieces. And in between each piece, Thile improvised four selections, riffing off of Adams' work and taking it any direction that he saw fit. The premise was to address American vernacular music -- how Adams interpreted the "genre" paired with the mandolin, a main instrument in the American art of "bluegrass."
The juxtaposition of the syncopated "dances" and their subtle changes with the solo Mandolin was quite successful. While the quartet played, I watched Thile bobbing his head, smiling at playful sections, and fingering his instrument's neck, putting to memory how he would respond. And then to be able to see him play in such an intimate setting, unaccompanied -- there were a few moments when he was strumming and with each up pick he laid out this simple melody. So wonderful . . .
The second half of the evening was the (full?) Orpheus Chamber Orchestra playing Copeland's Appalachian Spring. As beautiful as you could imagine. It was impressive how just a few instruments could produce such a full and moving sound. (And throughout the performance, I realized how fitting the name of the composition is -- the music painted a vibrant image of spring in the mountains.)
All of this in the enchanting space of the Galapagos Art Center, with the water flowing underneath the floor, little bubbling off to my left. Red lights cast upward on the poured concrete walls.
(And to top it off, I bumped into Howard Stern on my way to the bathroom. Seeing him there made me smile.)
The juxtaposition of the syncopated "dances" and their subtle changes with the solo Mandolin was quite successful. While the quartet played, I watched Thile bobbing his head, smiling at playful sections, and fingering his instrument's neck, putting to memory how he would respond. And then to be able to see him play in such an intimate setting, unaccompanied -- there were a few moments when he was strumming and with each up pick he laid out this simple melody. So wonderful . . .
The second half of the evening was the (full?) Orpheus Chamber Orchestra playing Copeland's Appalachian Spring. As beautiful as you could imagine. It was impressive how just a few instruments could produce such a full and moving sound. (And throughout the performance, I realized how fitting the name of the composition is -- the music painted a vibrant image of spring in the mountains.)
All of this in the enchanting space of the Galapagos Art Center, with the water flowing underneath the floor, little bubbling off to my left. Red lights cast upward on the poured concrete walls.
(And to top it off, I bumped into Howard Stern on my way to the bathroom. Seeing him there made me smile.)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Historic US Men's Soccer Win
Quick thoughts.
The US beat Italy for the first time ever. In Italy. And I believe just the fifth goal against Italy ever? Yes, I know it was a friendly. But it is still a win, against a team gunning up for the Euro Champinships this year. The defense looked strong, which hasn't been happening too consistently. The mid stood tall (Bradley is a beast, changing defense into offense). And it was without Landon.
Dempsey is sure having one hell of a year . . . A bit giddy, I will admit.
The US beat Italy for the first time ever. In Italy. And I believe just the fifth goal against Italy ever? Yes, I know it was a friendly. But it is still a win, against a team gunning up for the Euro Champinships this year. The defense looked strong, which hasn't been happening too consistently. The mid stood tall (Bradley is a beast, changing defense into offense). And it was without Landon.
Dempsey is sure having one hell of a year . . . A bit giddy, I will admit.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Two Nights of Times Square Umphrey's, Including a Birthday Show
01.20
Jazz Odyssey > Booth Love > Rocker Part 2, Conduit > "Jimmy Stewart" > Conduit, Tribute to the Spinal Shaft > Passing > Utopian Fir
40's Theme, Der Bluten Kat > drums^ > All Night Long^ > Der Bluten Kat, The Linear > "Jimmy Stewart" > The Linear > Ringo
Divisions
The London Souls opened
^ with Jake on percussion
- JO was a bit heavy
- Booth Love had a great jam, very Floyd-ish at the end
- Heavy/bluesy jam in Rocker, with lots of hand signals from Jake
- Conduit had two or three sections to it, ending on a bit of a hip-hoppy vibe
- Happy Birthday to some guy before the Tribute ;)
- Really enjoyed the Tribute jam out of the breakdown, which had Joel on Rhodes and Jake repeating this riff; the band dropped out at some point to have Jake repeat on his own, before relaunching into a more dancey version of the same riff
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160561075031511041
- Passing dissolved into Fir
- 40's Theme seemed a bit more patient than usual
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160576419339051008 (Waful at the end of 40's)
- Der Bluten Kat was introduced as one of their earliest songs
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160577810690347009 ("50 lighters!")
- Drums was really good, actually; not too long > All Night Long (could hear that coming pre-drums)
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160580089929678849
- Second jam in DBK was one of my favorites of the night. Started a bit as a dancey Run Like Hell and then transitioned into this great Middle Eastern jam. Jake continued with the theme on slide and the drummers really drove the jam hard.
- The Linear was huge, at least I felt that way last night. Just great. Big and focused and heavy.
- Ringo was good, but nothing like the one from last year's Brooklyn Bowl.
- Divisions was cut from the second set and played as the encore. Strong version.
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160594552149917699 ("All my thoughts divided.")
____
01.21
Jazz Odyssey > Domino Theory > "Jimmy Stewart"* > Domino Theory, Intentions Clear > Voyager$ > White Man's Moccasins > Forks, August, Second Song > Puppet String
Miami Virtue > "Jimmy Stewart" > Glory, #Bridgeless > "Jimmy Stewart"* -> The Floor, Pay the Snucka, Hollywood Nights > Bridgeless
At Last$$, JaJunk
The London Souls opened
* with lyrics
$ first time played, Daft Punk
# with Bob tease
$$ first time played, Etta James, in tribute to her recent passing; with Jen Hartswick on vocals
- Jam out of Domino Theory was a bit of a 180 from the heavier focus of the song, taking more of a Yacht Rock vibe. Really enjoyable. The vocal stew that came out of the Jam had a bit of a different feel from the Yacht sound. Fans claim it was a repeat?
- Intentions Clear dissolved slowly with guitars and texture from Joel as the drums had a shuffling beat . . . before Daft Punk's Voyager emerged and took the room to another level. So much fun. And Waful was so on point with his lights.
- Still without a pause, White Man's Moccs appeared. And then out of White Man's, Forks emerged. As I have made known, I am a big fan of this new song. I love it's vibe and I think it fills a bit of a gap in UM's catalog (this linear song with a specific feel and atmosphere).
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160921791290802176
- August had a little of pony goofing off before the known bass intro. This version of August featured a great rocking Stew. A rock riff, with the band breaking down a bit, Ryan picking up the riff on the bass, and then back into the jam.
- After band intros, UM covered TV on the Radio's Second Song for the second time. I wish the crowd was more into it, as I like this cover. Particularly the falsetto singing.
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160925707709583360 (Waful painting the ceiling)
- Cut as the encore from the night before, Puppet String was an energetic closer
- Dominio opening the first, why not Miami for the second; really entertaining jam that featured some syncopation between Jake and BB, that turned "proggy and chunky" into a dance beat
- Maybe 20 minutes of Domino faded into a beautiful Glory -- so beautiful that after it was done, Ryan took to the mic and admitted to tears in his eyes, thanking Jake for the solo and song and the crowd for allowing UM to do what they do
- The Bridgeless > Stew > Floor section was really entertaining; the jam out of Bridgeless featured Jake scratching away on his strings and Joel laying on the Hammond, building to this thick funky jam; which then lead to the second lyrical Stewart from Brendan, that had a bit of a rap feel (and allowed for Kris to also jump in vocally); and then the segue into The Floor was incredibly smooth
- Pay the Snucka had a few moments of improv, small ones
- Hollywood Nights was great and rocking, almost felt like double-time (Bright Lights was cut before Nights); Jake was loving the vocal duties
- And of course the return to Bridgeless ended the show on a high note
- I always love when Jen Hartswick sits in with Umphrey's, and this was no different; a beautiful tribute to the recently passed Etta James
- JaJunk was a fun closer, with a small dancey jam; Jake was using his mic stands as a bow for his guitar and was playing with those sounds (he needs a real bow, I think)
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160955451847098368 (Jake using his stand)
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160958040630239232 (band thanking the crowd)
All in all, two wonderful shows from Umphrey's for the sold out crowd. They are firing on all cylinders right now, honestly. Showing patience where needed, communicating. Jams feel effortless. And just about any song can get blown wide open, which keeps things fresh and exciting. I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday and Umphrey's birthday. Couldn't have asked for anything more . . .
Jazz Odyssey > Booth Love > Rocker Part 2, Conduit > "Jimmy Stewart" > Conduit, Tribute to the Spinal Shaft > Passing > Utopian Fir
40's Theme, Der Bluten Kat > drums^ > All Night Long^ > Der Bluten Kat, The Linear > "Jimmy Stewart" > The Linear > Ringo
Divisions
The London Souls opened
^ with Jake on percussion
- JO was a bit heavy
- Booth Love had a great jam, very Floyd-ish at the end
- Heavy/bluesy jam in Rocker, with lots of hand signals from Jake
- Conduit had two or three sections to it, ending on a bit of a hip-hoppy vibe
- Happy Birthday to some guy before the Tribute ;)
- Really enjoyed the Tribute jam out of the breakdown, which had Joel on Rhodes and Jake repeating this riff; the band dropped out at some point to have Jake repeat on his own, before relaunching into a more dancey version of the same riff
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160561075031511041
- Passing dissolved into Fir
- 40's Theme seemed a bit more patient than usual
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160576419339051008 (Waful at the end of 40's)
- Der Bluten Kat was introduced as one of their earliest songs
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160577810690347009 ("50 lighters!")
- Drums was really good, actually; not too long > All Night Long (could hear that coming pre-drums)
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160580089929678849
- Second jam in DBK was one of my favorites of the night. Started a bit as a dancey Run Like Hell and then transitioned into this great Middle Eastern jam. Jake continued with the theme on slide and the drummers really drove the jam hard.
- The Linear was huge, at least I felt that way last night. Just great. Big and focused and heavy.
- Ringo was good, but nothing like the one from last year's Brooklyn Bowl.
- Divisions was cut from the second set and played as the encore. Strong version.
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160594552149917699 ("All my thoughts divided.")
____
01.21
Jazz Odyssey > Domino Theory > "Jimmy Stewart"* > Domino Theory, Intentions Clear > Voyager$ > White Man's Moccasins > Forks, August, Second Song > Puppet String
Miami Virtue > "Jimmy Stewart" > Glory, #Bridgeless > "Jimmy Stewart"* -> The Floor, Pay the Snucka, Hollywood Nights > Bridgeless
At Last$$, JaJunk
The London Souls opened
* with lyrics
$ first time played, Daft Punk
# with Bob tease
$$ first time played, Etta James, in tribute to her recent passing; with Jen Hartswick on vocals
- Jam out of Domino Theory was a bit of a 180 from the heavier focus of the song, taking more of a Yacht Rock vibe. Really enjoyable. The vocal stew that came out of the Jam had a bit of a different feel from the Yacht sound. Fans claim it was a repeat?
- Intentions Clear dissolved slowly with guitars and texture from Joel as the drums had a shuffling beat . . . before Daft Punk's Voyager emerged and took the room to another level. So much fun. And Waful was so on point with his lights.
- Still without a pause, White Man's Moccs appeared. And then out of White Man's, Forks emerged. As I have made known, I am a big fan of this new song. I love it's vibe and I think it fills a bit of a gap in UM's catalog (this linear song with a specific feel and atmosphere).
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160921791290802176
- August had a little of pony goofing off before the known bass intro. This version of August featured a great rocking Stew. A rock riff, with the band breaking down a bit, Ryan picking up the riff on the bass, and then back into the jam.
- After band intros, UM covered TV on the Radio's Second Song for the second time. I wish the crowd was more into it, as I like this cover. Particularly the falsetto singing.
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160925707709583360 (Waful painting the ceiling)
- Cut as the encore from the night before, Puppet String was an energetic closer
- Dominio opening the first, why not Miami for the second; really entertaining jam that featured some syncopation between Jake and BB, that turned "proggy and chunky" into a dance beat
- Maybe 20 minutes of Domino faded into a beautiful Glory -- so beautiful that after it was done, Ryan took to the mic and admitted to tears in his eyes, thanking Jake for the solo and song and the crowd for allowing UM to do what they do
- The Bridgeless > Stew > Floor section was really entertaining; the jam out of Bridgeless featured Jake scratching away on his strings and Joel laying on the Hammond, building to this thick funky jam; which then lead to the second lyrical Stewart from Brendan, that had a bit of a rap feel (and allowed for Kris to also jump in vocally); and then the segue into The Floor was incredibly smooth
- Pay the Snucka had a few moments of improv, small ones
- Hollywood Nights was great and rocking, almost felt like double-time (Bright Lights was cut before Nights); Jake was loving the vocal duties
- And of course the return to Bridgeless ended the show on a high note
- I always love when Jen Hartswick sits in with Umphrey's, and this was no different; a beautiful tribute to the recently passed Etta James
- JaJunk was a fun closer, with a small dancey jam; Jake was using his mic stands as a bow for his guitar and was playing with those sounds (he needs a real bow, I think)
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160955451847098368 (Jake using his stand)
- Photo: https://twitter.com/#!/Jwelsh8/status/160958040630239232 (band thanking the crowd)
All in all, two wonderful shows from Umphrey's for the sold out crowd. They are firing on all cylinders right now, honestly. Showing patience where needed, communicating. Jams feel effortless. And just about any song can get blown wide open, which keeps things fresh and exciting. I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday and Umphrey's birthday. Couldn't have asked for anything more . . .
2012 Winter Jazz Fest, Friday Night (01.06.12)
I was not able to attend Jazz Fest last year, but I thoroughly enjoyed the event two years ago. So I was excited to go this year, even if it was only Friday.
Tickets (wristbands) were being distributed across the street from Le Poisson Rouge, and I headed to Kenny's Castways to start the evening off with a few songs from Ben Allison, backed by Jenny Scheinman on violin and Steve Cardenas on guitar. I really like Ben's playing, and, well, I love just about everything Jenny does. So it was a good way to start . . . After two tracks (Fred and Roll Credits), I headed across the street for some solo Medeski.
When I got there, it was certainly avant garde, solo piano. High paced for the most part. But then he started playing this didgeridoo-like think while playing the piano. He could control the pitch by sliding his hand along the length of the instrument. He then stood up, and started playing while he paced the stage, including moments where he lifted his foot to close off the end of the instrument. That section actually had more melody and structure than his previous piano work. Really quite interesting.
The ending, though, featured some more out there piano work that finally slowed down . . . to the point that he was playing the strings of the piano (there must be a term for this). The then took to what I think was a harmonium and placed that on the strings and started to get it going. Then, he took out his melodica. So he had the harmonium droning, the melodica, and the low end of the piano. Really something to see and hear.
(Before settling in for Medeski, I did grab a pint of Spontaneous Combustion, Six Point's brew for the Jazz Fest. Smokey, slightly sweet. An interesting beer. Happy I tried it . . . )
As soon as John was done, I worked my way closer with my sister and settled in for the next few hours. Up next was the Nels Cline Singers, featuring Nels, Y. Honda on keyboards, Trevor Dunn on bass (whom I have seen with Zorn's dreamers), and Scott Amendola. What I know of the Singers, I was prepared for some more avant garde playing. But to be honest, there was enough . . . structure? that it held my attention. My favorites were the more mellow B86/Inkblot Nebula, the nod to Sonic Youth Thurston County, and whatever the last song was that seemed to channel Bitches Brew and Eddie Hazel. Honda was a bit tough to hear, but Trevor and Scott were such an amazing rhythm section.
Up next was my second dose of Jenny Scheinman with her band Mischief & Mayhem. Cline and Dunn stayed put, and Jim Black was on drums. I moved even closer, leaning against the stage under Nels' guitar. Their set was really quite wonderful. As I have already mentioned, I am a fan of Jenny's music, regardless of the other musicians. I was able to see her with Frisell just a few weeks ago at the Vanguard, and was blown away. This time around, she was in a more of a leader. Although, I must say that it seemed like Nels took more of a leading role this time around compared to the few other times I had seen them together. Which isn't a bad thing -- he seemed to push Jenny a bit and she more than stepped up, being a bit more demonstrative in her playing. (The setlist was something along the lines of: Junius Elektra, A Ride with Polly Jean, Blues for the Double V, July 4th in 3/4 > Ali Farka Touche, ???, The Mite). I really enjoyed the middle eastern sounding Ali Farka Touche, which will be on their upcoming album to be released in March. And The Mite almost seemed like a carry over from Nels Cline Singers -- just that heavy and disjointed.
Up til that point the music was more than worth it. So the rest was just extra. Steve Bernstein's MTO was next to play the music of Sly & the Family Stone. It was similar to the set that I saw last year (with the Darcy James Argue double bill). It was fun, but a bit loose and not as impressive as the other sets. I did like having Medeski sit in as a guest right in front of me. (The band also included Dean Bowman on vocals and Peter Apfelbaum on sax, among others.)
As I was leaving, my friend Richard suggested I head back to Kenny's Castaways to see some of Rudresh Mahanthappa. Part of going to a festival is deciding between music you know that you will enjoy, and new artists. Thankfully, I had a push to check out something new. And I am so happy I did. Rudresh plays alto sax in this great, energetic fashion, with some blistering runs. Backed by a guitar, bass, and drums, the music hinted to his Indian heritage. (In doing some research today, I have found out that he has released music with Vijay Iyer. I would love to see that collaboration.) It was after midnight, and Kenny's was packed for Rudresh -- gotta love music fans in New York. After about three or four songs perched on the stairs, I headed over to The Bitter End for just a bit of Burnt Sugar, a "collective" that I hadn't seen for about four or five years.
Tiring out and hungry, I finished the night with a Minetta Tavern burger.
Tickets (wristbands) were being distributed across the street from Le Poisson Rouge, and I headed to Kenny's Castways to start the evening off with a few songs from Ben Allison, backed by Jenny Scheinman on violin and Steve Cardenas on guitar. I really like Ben's playing, and, well, I love just about everything Jenny does. So it was a good way to start . . . After two tracks (Fred and Roll Credits), I headed across the street for some solo Medeski.
When I got there, it was certainly avant garde, solo piano. High paced for the most part. But then he started playing this didgeridoo-like think while playing the piano. He could control the pitch by sliding his hand along the length of the instrument. He then stood up, and started playing while he paced the stage, including moments where he lifted his foot to close off the end of the instrument. That section actually had more melody and structure than his previous piano work. Really quite interesting.
The ending, though, featured some more out there piano work that finally slowed down . . . to the point that he was playing the strings of the piano (there must be a term for this). The then took to what I think was a harmonium and placed that on the strings and started to get it going. Then, he took out his melodica. So he had the harmonium droning, the melodica, and the low end of the piano. Really something to see and hear.
(Before settling in for Medeski, I did grab a pint of Spontaneous Combustion, Six Point's brew for the Jazz Fest. Smokey, slightly sweet. An interesting beer. Happy I tried it . . . )
As soon as John was done, I worked my way closer with my sister and settled in for the next few hours. Up next was the Nels Cline Singers, featuring Nels, Y. Honda on keyboards, Trevor Dunn on bass (whom I have seen with Zorn's dreamers), and Scott Amendola. What I know of the Singers, I was prepared for some more avant garde playing. But to be honest, there was enough . . . structure? that it held my attention. My favorites were the more mellow B86/Inkblot Nebula, the nod to Sonic Youth Thurston County, and whatever the last song was that seemed to channel Bitches Brew and Eddie Hazel. Honda was a bit tough to hear, but Trevor and Scott were such an amazing rhythm section.
Up next was my second dose of Jenny Scheinman with her band Mischief & Mayhem. Cline and Dunn stayed put, and Jim Black was on drums. I moved even closer, leaning against the stage under Nels' guitar. Their set was really quite wonderful. As I have already mentioned, I am a fan of Jenny's music, regardless of the other musicians. I was able to see her with Frisell just a few weeks ago at the Vanguard, and was blown away. This time around, she was in a more of a leader. Although, I must say that it seemed like Nels took more of a leading role this time around compared to the few other times I had seen them together. Which isn't a bad thing -- he seemed to push Jenny a bit and she more than stepped up, being a bit more demonstrative in her playing. (The setlist was something along the lines of: Junius Elektra, A Ride with Polly Jean, Blues for the Double V, July 4th in 3/4 > Ali Farka Touche, ???, The Mite). I really enjoyed the middle eastern sounding Ali Farka Touche, which will be on their upcoming album to be released in March. And The Mite almost seemed like a carry over from Nels Cline Singers -- just that heavy and disjointed.
Up til that point the music was more than worth it. So the rest was just extra. Steve Bernstein's MTO was next to play the music of Sly & the Family Stone. It was similar to the set that I saw last year (with the Darcy James Argue double bill). It was fun, but a bit loose and not as impressive as the other sets. I did like having Medeski sit in as a guest right in front of me. (The band also included Dean Bowman on vocals and Peter Apfelbaum on sax, among others.)
As I was leaving, my friend Richard suggested I head back to Kenny's Castaways to see some of Rudresh Mahanthappa. Part of going to a festival is deciding between music you know that you will enjoy, and new artists. Thankfully, I had a push to check out something new. And I am so happy I did. Rudresh plays alto sax in this great, energetic fashion, with some blistering runs. Backed by a guitar, bass, and drums, the music hinted to his Indian heritage. (In doing some research today, I have found out that he has released music with Vijay Iyer. I would love to see that collaboration.) It was after midnight, and Kenny's was packed for Rudresh -- gotta love music fans in New York. After about three or four songs perched on the stairs, I headed over to The Bitter End for just a bit of Burnt Sugar, a "collective" that I hadn't seen for about four or five years.
Tiring out and hungry, I finished the night with a Minetta Tavern burger.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Noam and Friends, 12.15.11
Progressive bluegrass. Nu-grass. Country. Americana. All of the above? No matter the labels, there is something about "that" music that I can not get enough of, especially in a live setting. It isn't a type of music I listen to every day, or even every week, but when I do it never hesitates to put a smile on my face. And in a live setting, the smile is often accompanied with my jaw on the floor.
I tend to define this family of music in a pretty broad spectrum, and it has been with me for quite some time. David Grisman's music does it for me, ever since those first few times seeing him over 15 years ago. The time I got to see Bela, Edgar Meyer, and Mike Marshall in Columbus -- the show moved me so much that one of the featured songs became our wedding song. Playing Strength In Numbers only CD on repeat, over and over. Bela and Edgar bringing the rain at the first Bonnaroo. Two of my favorite shows from this year, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch, could even be thrown in there. And then those wonderful collaborations between Yo-Yo Ma and these musicians, most recently the Goat Rodeo Sessions with Edgar, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan. And speaking of Thile, this love of mine has grown to include the Punch Brothers and what sounds to my ears to be "baroque bluegrass."
This past year, the Brothers' banjoist Noam Pikelny released his second solo record, Beat the Devil & Carry a Rail. And it has lived up to all expectations -- from great guests to wonderful originals and new takes on traditional songs. When I saw that he was playing some intimate shows at the Rockwood Music Hall, I didn't want to get shut out. So I got a pair for last night's early set, which started at eight. We walked in about 8:10 and the band was wrapping up the opening track off of the album, "Jim Thompson's Horse." Now, this was my first time to Rockwood, and it is quite the small space. I should say that there seem to be two venues, or rooms, at Rockwood. (It is a bit odd, as it seems to be in the first floor of a more contemporary building, although the interior is made to look a bit old. Thank god it wasn't made into a bank or another drug store.) By the time we arrived, the venue was simply packed, and we never made it past the small set of stairs that led to the "floor."
Along with Noam, the band consisted of two of his Punch Brothers bandmates, Gabe Witcher on fiddle and vocals along with Chris Eldridge on guitar (and one vocal). Jesse Cobb was on mandolin and "genre" stalwart Mark Schatz was on bass. And guesting on vocals as well as some guitar was the lovely singer Aoife O'Donovan (who I was recently turned on to through the above-mentioned Goat Rodeo Sessions; it was a treat to hear her in person, especially on her original songs). All of the musicians were rather incredible. I am not familiar with Jesse Cobb, but I would like to be as his mandolin playing was top-notch. Gabe stood out quite a bit to my ears -- such effortless fiddle playing (and a good singer as well). The band moved through songs off of the album as well as a few well-placed standards (Buck Owens, for one). They even got Chris Eldridge to sing a song of his father's, the banjo player for the bluegrass band Seldom Scene. (Chris also shown playing Jerry Douglas's parts from "Boathouse on the Lullwater.") One of the highlights of the night was the Irish-sounding Milford's Reel, as the band handed off solo from one to the other.
Throughout the night, Noam was affable and funny, mixing great little commentary between the songs. And the humor only grew with the first encore, when he invited out Steve Martin for the duet "Cluck Old Hen." Now, I knew Steve was on the album, but it never occurred to me that he would show up. But there he was, cracking jokes ("Congratulations on selling out Madison Square, I mean, Rockwood Hall." "The show really was great. Now it is only going to get worse."), before launching into a tight and well played song. Such a great treat! After the song, Steve left the stage and the rest of the band came up and closed gathered around
one mic.
All in all, a wonderful night. We left smiling, as it was just what we needed that Thursday night. And we also wanted to figure out what might be next in that intimate space for us . . . It certainly won't be the last time we go to Rockwood. I am quite excited for the next time I see Noam -- maybe it will be with the Punch Brothers. Maybe it will be with Goat Rodeo after Aoife invites him on stage as he asked last night. No matter where or when, I know it will be music to fill me with joy.
I tend to define this family of music in a pretty broad spectrum, and it has been with me for quite some time. David Grisman's music does it for me, ever since those first few times seeing him over 15 years ago. The time I got to see Bela, Edgar Meyer, and Mike Marshall in Columbus -- the show moved me so much that one of the featured songs became our wedding song. Playing Strength In Numbers only CD on repeat, over and over. Bela and Edgar bringing the rain at the first Bonnaroo. Two of my favorite shows from this year, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch, could even be thrown in there. And then those wonderful collaborations between Yo-Yo Ma and these musicians, most recently the Goat Rodeo Sessions with Edgar, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan. And speaking of Thile, this love of mine has grown to include the Punch Brothers and what sounds to my ears to be "baroque bluegrass."
This past year, the Brothers' banjoist Noam Pikelny released his second solo record, Beat the Devil & Carry a Rail. And it has lived up to all expectations -- from great guests to wonderful originals and new takes on traditional songs. When I saw that he was playing some intimate shows at the Rockwood Music Hall, I didn't want to get shut out. So I got a pair for last night's early set, which started at eight. We walked in about 8:10 and the band was wrapping up the opening track off of the album, "Jim Thompson's Horse." Now, this was my first time to Rockwood, and it is quite the small space. I should say that there seem to be two venues, or rooms, at Rockwood. (It is a bit odd, as it seems to be in the first floor of a more contemporary building, although the interior is made to look a bit old. Thank god it wasn't made into a bank or another drug store.) By the time we arrived, the venue was simply packed, and we never made it past the small set of stairs that led to the "floor."
Along with Noam, the band consisted of two of his Punch Brothers bandmates, Gabe Witcher on fiddle and vocals along with Chris Eldridge on guitar (and one vocal). Jesse Cobb was on mandolin and "genre" stalwart Mark Schatz was on bass. And guesting on vocals as well as some guitar was the lovely singer Aoife O'Donovan (who I was recently turned on to through the above-mentioned Goat Rodeo Sessions; it was a treat to hear her in person, especially on her original songs). All of the musicians were rather incredible. I am not familiar with Jesse Cobb, but I would like to be as his mandolin playing was top-notch. Gabe stood out quite a bit to my ears -- such effortless fiddle playing (and a good singer as well). The band moved through songs off of the album as well as a few well-placed standards (Buck Owens, for one). They even got Chris Eldridge to sing a song of his father's, the banjo player for the bluegrass band Seldom Scene. (Chris also shown playing Jerry Douglas's parts from "Boathouse on the Lullwater.") One of the highlights of the night was the Irish-sounding Milford's Reel, as the band handed off solo from one to the other.
Throughout the night, Noam was affable and funny, mixing great little commentary between the songs. And the humor only grew with the first encore, when he invited out Steve Martin for the duet "Cluck Old Hen." Now, I knew Steve was on the album, but it never occurred to me that he would show up. But there he was, cracking jokes ("Congratulations on selling out Madison Square, I mean, Rockwood Hall." "The show really was great. Now it is only going to get worse."), before launching into a tight and well played song. Such a great treat! After the song, Steve left the stage and the rest of the band came up and closed gathered around
one mic.
All in all, a wonderful night. We left smiling, as it was just what we needed that Thursday night. And we also wanted to figure out what might be next in that intimate space for us . . . It certainly won't be the last time we go to Rockwood. I am quite excited for the next time I see Noam -- maybe it will be with the Punch Brothers. Maybe it will be with Goat Rodeo after Aoife invites him on stage as he asked last night. No matter where or when, I know it will be music to fill me with joy.
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