Music, music and more music...
The 'interplay' of Maria Schneider, and other inspirational artistic collaborations!
I have progressive sax great Donny McCaslin to thank for this week’s amazing musical inspiration. I caught a post on Donny’s Instagram a couple weeks back about a rehearsal for composer Maria Schneider’s one-night gig at Birdland on the 15th, and immediately grabbed tickets. I wasn’t sorry. The 18-piece orchestra (which includes McCaslin, whom I met after the show last year) was a breathtaking wow!
Meeting Maria afterward, she spoke with some other composers of the concept of “interplay,” and it seemed to describe what she creates perfectly.
There is beautiful interplay between the horns, percussion and rhythm sections, between the audience and the orchestra, between Maria Schneider’s music and the natural world that inspires it.
“Sputnik” was transcendent, literally:)) Maria and her phenomenal orchestra of greats returns to Birdland March 12-16, and all I can say is: buy tix now…birdlandjazz.com
I also caught Donny’s gig at Joe’s Pub on the 18th featuring work from his boundary-pushing “I Want More” album. What expressive joy! Both through his instrument and his wide smiles at his bandmates—Jason Lindner on keys, Jonathan Maron on bass and Nate Wood on drums—Donny is intensely exuberant.
His jazz/alt-rock compositions, like Schneider’s except with a more psychedelic techno flavor, offer up deep reflection on current events, making for a highly stirring evening. The vibrations on stage were heightened by the deep rumblings of the subway underneath. His hearty hug afterward was right in line with the true connection he clearly made with the audience.
Inspiration for my own Sacred Bloom sound baths this week came from collaborations with Reiki Colleen Smith, at my Park Slope home, and with artists Agathe and Anthony Snow at their beautiful Mattituck Mushroom Farm on Long Island. Lovely to share energy with all who joined! Check out www.sacredbloomtribe.com/events for upcoming sound baths.
ListenUpNYC Calendar - Jan. 22-Jan. 28
monday, Jan. 22
Loren Stillman (sax), Eric Biondo (trumpet), Rob Jost (bass, french horn) and D. Treut (drums)
Lowlands Bar
Sets at 8 PM & 9:30 PM
This grouping of great experimental jazz composers/multi-instrumentalists is sure to be a fun night at Lowlands, which has become a low-key mainstay of the Brooklyn jazz scene.
tuesday, Jan. 23
Brooklyn Drum Collective Open Jam
Our Wicked Lady, Brooklyn
5 PM-8 PM
https://link.dice.fm/jdfHNoOyxGb
Free open jam event! Sign up and play! I love to tell people about these opportunities to put your own musical skills out there, get practice and just have fun! No shame in trying…Organized & Promoted by Carlo Minchillo / Brooklyn Drum Collective. Sponsored by Threes Brewing. Never been to Our Wicked Lady, but looks cool?!
wednesday, Jan. 24
UPSTATE:
Hudson Nomads
The Pines, Mt Tremper, NY
7 PM
Nikhil Yerawadekar might hail from Queens, but the music he pulls from for his new Hudson Nomads project is a varying array of historic African tunes such as many from Fela Kuti, that he arranges in modern jazz style to a great end. SO loved my evening with them in Kingston months back.
Nikhil, longtime bassist for Afrobeat band Antibalas, plays guitar alongside my friend Ben Zwerin on bass, (who has toured with everyone from Angelique Kidjo to Lizz Wright). They are joined by Aaron Johnston from Brazilian Girls on drums, and Matt Bauder (Arcade Fire, Iron and Wine) on sax. If in the area, or if you feel like headed upstate, this is a must see.
AND, in NYC:
The Wilson Live Experience
Bar LunAtico
Sets at 9:00 PM & 10:15 PM
Bar LunaAtico hosts “visionary” Israeli bassist/composer Omer Avital, whose Wilson Live Experience community venue suffered damage from September's flash flood and has since been bringing his ensemble of top-notch musicians influenced by Middle Eastern and North African music to other spots.
“Always a thrill to have Omer & Company on stage - you definitely don't want to miss it,” LunAtico says.
Omer Avital on Bass; Buchara Jazz on Trumpet; Eden Ladin on Piano;
Itai Morchi on Drums; and Asaf Yuria on Sax.
thursday, jan. 25
In NYC:
Ralph Alessi Quartet
Smalls
Sets at 7:30 PM & 9 PM
Catch Ralph when he’s in town! A virtuoso trumpeter and composer and founder of the School for Improvisational Music, Ralph Alessi splits his time between Brooklyn and Bern, Switzerland, where he teaches. I remember one night at Halyard’s listening to him play a tune he wrote about the news and current events, and it actually seemed to speak in plain direct “language” to how things felt in the world, as if the ups and downs of his blows were direct translations to the cacophony of modern times. He’s great. Playing with David Virelles on piano, Sean Conly on bass, and Timothy Angulo on drums. You should go.
If Upstate NY:
Join me on Thursday evening for a Full Wolf Moon Sound Bath…
friday, jan. 26
Craig Taborn ‘Intercept Methods’
Jazz Gallery
Fri., Jan. 26 & Sat., Jan. 27
Sets at 7.30 PM & 9.30pm
Minneapolis-born pianist and composer Craig Taborn is extremely highly regarded for his creative improvisations on piano and in electronic music, an inspiration to many young musicians who want to emulate his skill for evolving with great imagination. I’ve somehow managed not to know him, but that clearly needs to change! This project of Taborn’s features Anais Maviel on voice percussion, Tim Angulo on drums and Chris Lightcap on bass. (Chris is someone I’ve seen and gotten to know on a number of occasions, including seeing him sub in the orchestra for Hadestown!!) Should be a fabulous show.
ALSO, if you want to head to NJ Friday…
We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Prudential Hall
8 PM
Musical director Nasheet Waits spearheads this homage to drummer and civil rights activist Max Roach with vocalist Cassandra Wilson, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, poets Sonia Sanchez and Saul Williams, pianist Nduduzo Makhathini and bassist Eric Revis. Sounds spectacular!
saturday, jan. 27
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Birdland
Sets at 8:30 PM + 10:30 PM
Seeing jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater on the calendar at Birdland, I gave a listen and was immediately entranced. Her soulful, vibrant singing lent the distinct impression that seeing this Grammy- and Tony-winning performer live would be a delight. Looking forward.
sunday, jan. 28
Soul-Filled Sunday
Brownstone Jazz
Sets at 4:00 PM & 6:00 PM
https://brownstonejazz.business.site/posts/7096557087404238446?hl=en
I’ve long heard tell of these intimate acoustic living room concerts in a restored 19th Century Victorian Brownstone in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood’s Landmarked Historical Community. This Sunday features the Bow-Tie Trio with M.C. Eric Lemons on standup bass, Terry Burrus on piano and Craig Haymes on drums. Sounds super cool. Space limited!!
PHEW! So. Much. Cool. Stuff! Every week, after the calendar is put together and posted, I hear of more great events! Check out my instagram @listenupnyc4arts for daily updates. Hope to see you out on the town!