Monday, January 28, 2008

Charlie Burnham + Gerald Cleaver 1/26/08

I started at the 8pm set at The Stone. I thought it was going to be a Charlie Burnham solo show, but it turned out to include Marika Hughes on cello, Marvin Sewell on guitar, and a bass player who’s name escapes me. It was excellent. Charlie was treating us like his friendly living room audience and was in very good spirits. This was the first time I saw a project he leads, and it was quite good. He sang quite a bit in addition to playing the violin. He has a deep soulful voice and I enjoyed the singing. There was a great Staple Singers blues tune, and a lot of originals as well as a sappy love song many people were familiar with. Actually, I would have sum his music up as romantic. He really likes love songs. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Oh, he also did his own arrangement of Waterfall.
http://www.lyricsdomain.com/10/jimi_hendrix/may_this_be_love_waterfall.html

It was bluesy and soulful and beautiful. The artists are all top notch. He said Sewell was a new addition, and I believe he must add a lot. He was great. There was no percussion, but they were tapping their feet at moments.

After that, I went over to Cornelia Street for Gerald Cleaver’s Violet Hour. That was excellent, lively jazz. It was really great, especially having 3 horns.

Duane Eubanks, trumpet & cornet; J.D. Allen, tenor saxophone; David Binney, alto saxophone; Ben Waltzer, piano; Chris Lightcap, bass; Gerald Cleaver, drums, compositions

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