The Afrobeat rang out strong and rhythmic. The musicians on stage—the Super Yamba Quintet—moved in perfect unison, an inspiration to my own deep groove. There was a vibe in the room, the second set (as happens) even more wild and entrancing than the first. And I worried about nothing. Stress was a million miles from my mind and body. I moved. I smiled. I hooted and hollered at moments of particular intensity. Joy.
The vibe was joy, and my whole being was tuned to it, much as I’d led others to tune in to the relaxing vibe I’d attempted to set with my Sacred Bloom sound bath earlier in the night. Nights like this stand out among the many where I sit in rooms and hear great music. I looked over and saw a man against the wall vibing in exactly the same way I was, appreciating the music with his whole soul. He was African, Nigerian it turns out, where Afrobeat originated with musicians such as Fela Kuti, and the beats were ones he was well familiar with. His father was a musician, and he played too. And, clearly, enjoyed so much the music of others, on nights like this one, at Bar LunAtico. Listen up to a couple of minutes. Maybe you can imagine a whole evening of this:)
Super Yamba Quintet: Sean Smith, trumpet/keys; Walter Fancourt, sax; Eric Burns, guitar; Prince Amu, bass; Joseph Yount, drums.
At the end of this week, I’ll be hitting the road, driving cross country til the beginning of April. I will keep you updated on my travels, trying to learn more about the music culture of America in cities all across the country. What music rituals do we have? How do American communities gather around music? How might I find locations where I can feel true musical harmony?
I don’t have a specific plan except to meet up with my son in Los Angeles toward the end of the month and drive with him to visit my mother in Chicago. But Listen. Up. Follow me on this adventure…Open to suggestions and comments so email me at stephsthompson@gmail.com, or message me on IG @listenupnyc4arts.
XX
Steph
ListenUp NYC Calendar: March 4-10
monday, march 4
Beyondo Band
Lowlands Bar
8:30 PM -10:30 PM
Trumpet master/vocalist/composer Eric Biondo does it again, gathering a super talented crew for his Monday gig at Lowlands, now a mainstay jazz spot on the scene. Go.
tuesday, march 5
Tabla recital by Mir Naqibul Islam, with Shreyas Ravi & Elliot Cole
Columbia University Sacred Music Series at St. Paul’s Chapel
7 PM - 8 PM
Elliot Cole is an amazing composer and musician who I’ve known as an incredible teacher with the wonderful Musicambia organization that brings music into prisons. He played at my home for the Musicambia holiday party back in December along with a number of his students formerly incarcerated at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility, who I have seen him play with on a number of occasions. He is always a delight. Was excited to hear about this gig where Elliot will keyboard with Tabla player Mir Naqibul Islam and Shreyas Ravi on harmonium.
wednesday, march 6
Michelle Lordi Group
Bar Bayeux
8 PM & 9:30 PM
Jazz vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Michelle Lordi has been called “flawless,” “mesmerizing” and a “White Hot Creation.” Playing with some spectacular musicians—Orrin Evans on piano, Nasheet Waits on drums, Eric Revis and Matthew Parrish on bass, Caleb Wheeler Curtis on sax.
thursday, march 7
Marked for Death
Nublu
7 PM
Super combo night at the always-fun Nublu, with one of my new favorite bands, Marked for Death, the wild, fun super-expressive psychedelic jazz stylings of Super Yamba bandmates Walter Fancourt on sax, Eric Burns on electric guitar, drummer Daniel Yount and Seth Barden on bass, all of whom except Seth I had the joy of seeing this past week (see above.) Playing with baritone sax player Jonah Parzen-Johnson, whose style the New Yorker compares to someone dancing alone — “forlorn but with a goofy swagger.” Ha. Sounds cool. Gonna be killer…
friday, march 8
Maha Shivaratri All Night Musical Celebration
Ananda Ashram
8 PM - 6:30 AM
17th Annual All-Night Shivaratri concert organized by Deepak Kumar, co-director of the East-West School of Music at Ananda Ashram. Maha Shivratri is one of the major festivals of Hindus, dedicated to Lord Shiva, a principal deity in Hinduism, the Supreme Lord or “Auspicious One,” who creates, protects and transforms the universe. This beautiful ceremony will feature Deepak along with 12 guest artists offering classical and devotional music and dance.
saturday, march 9
Red Baraat with Samir Langus
Brooklyn Bowl
8 PM (Doors at 6 PM)
Red Baraat is the brainchild of musician Sunny Jain, who merges his cultural North Indian Bhangra dhol drum playing with hip hop, jazz and raw punk. Moroccan gnawa musician Samir LangUs and friends opens. This is a wow night:)
Also Saturday, March 9, if you’re upstate…
TRIO-E
Tubby’s Kingston
7 PM - 11 PM
First up for drummer/composer Bobby Previte’s extended residency at low-key cool Tubby’s in Kingston is a funky electro/acoustic trio Matt Bauder on flute and sax, and David Lizmi on bass and electronics. Going to be brilliant, amazing. Have seen Matt Bauder play with the Hudson Nomads, so great, and I know David from way back when he played often with Innova Gnawa, the Moroccan gnawa band I followed closely for years. Go if you’re upstate, or travel up if you can:))
sunday, march 10
Kenny Warren’s Sweet World//
Anna Webber Matt Mitchell duo
Owl Music Parlor
7:30 PM (7:00 PM Doors)
Trumpeter/composer Kenny Warren has been a member of the brass band Slavic Soul Party (which plays every Tuesday night at Barbes near me in Park Slope) since 2008. Such began the expansion of Kenny’s musical ouevre to include Roma music and Arabic maqam. This trio features cellist Christopher Hoffman and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell called Sweet World,
Anna Webber & Matt Mitchell combines the lyrical flute and tenor sax of Webber with the piano compositions of Mitchell. These two have played together 10 years but never as a duo. The premier of this collaborative music is sure to be spectacular. Sounds like a fabulous night in this cozy room.
Another beautiful week! Hope to make it out to a bunch of these shows, fingers crossed! And hope to see you there, and vibe with you:) If not this week, I’ll be back to groove with you in April.