Music For Words, Perhaps @ The Stone 5/26/11

I was still tired from the other night, but I could at least stop at The Stone on my way home for an hour of music.  I couldn't remember what was scheduled, but I knew I was more interested in the 2nd set than the 1st.  Still, I knew I wouldn't make it to the 2nd set.  I walk in and pay my $10 and get handed a program.  I then see what I was trying to remember - a duo with 1/2 of the members being a vocalist.  Oh well, I'm here, I paid, and Theo Bleckmann might be a vocalist I like.  I was also intrigued by hyperpiano and I like what I've seen from Innova Records so far.

It was a winner!  The vocals worked.  It was music set to W.B. Yeats poetry as sung by Theo.  "Hyperpiano" means playing the piano in the traditional way in addition to playing it while using creative techniques with the strings.  I am very impressed with Denman's techniques.  I?e seen hyperpiano now in many variations and his techniques were quite different and innovative.

He simply played the piano in the traditional way for some pieces. He had a heavy steel cylinder he sometimes put on the strings that made very interesting sounds when he rolled it around.  He also left it on the strings to play the keys at some points.  He had a copper rectangular block, about an inch  deep, and a little longer than a cassette and a little wider than a deck of cards. It had a couple of holes that made the sound even more interesting.  There was one point where he had this copper block on the strings and he was playing the keys and it sounded like a drum role.  Another time he had the copper thing in a different spot on the strings and played different keys and completely different sounds emerged.  When he added the copper bell to the strings, wide hollow side down, it was some awesome sounds.

There were also times where he used the rectangular copper thing to slide on the strings, similar to slide guitar.  I loved that most of all.

It was fantastic!

Denman Maroney and Theo Bleckman Theo Bleckmann (voice) Denman Maroney (hyperpiano) Theo and Denman will perform Denman’s song cycle of poems by W.B. Yeats called “Music for Words, Perhaps” and recently released on eponymous Innova CD 717. The cycle includes settings of “The Song of the Happy Shepherd,” “The Second Coming,” “The Crazed Moon,” “The Song of Wandering Aengus,” “A Drinking Song,” “A Drunken Man’s Praise of Sobriety,” “The Cap and Bells,” “Three Songs to the One Burden,” “The Two Trees,” and “The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner.” http://www.denmanmaroney.com/

Renard Poche

I saw this from NolaFunk NYC, sharing a post from NPR.  I think he is awesome, very Jimi Hendrix-ish.  I saw him for the first time at Jazzfest years ago, I should say I noticed him then because I had definitely seen him with Dr. John and possibly other times before then.  this Jazzfest show was his own band, and then that night with Skerik and a bunch of other people at Howlin Wolf.  When announced someone asked who saw Renard's smokin hot set at the fest that day and I was the only one to "whoo".  It WAS at 11:30am after all.  Renard looked at me and said "now that's love".  Too bad for the rest of the people who missed out!

Here's the link to the NPR post.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/05/23/136578139/renard-poch-snoballs-and-sultry-funk

Wicked Knee @ Japan Benefit, Brooklyn Bowl 5/24/11

I get to see them every 2 weeks for a bit.  Lucky me!  I liked this set even more than 2 weeks prior.  It was the venue and my state.  Also, I was staying up late for it.  While the crowd thinned out, there was still about 40/50+ people there.  Each and every one was loving the music and really into it.  Marcus was even more brilliant and it was awesome.

They had a singer up for a couple.  They did one song and then an amazing "Manic Depression".  Amazing.  Medeski joined them for the last piece.

http://wickedknee.tumblr.com/
Wicked Knee
Billy Martin DRUMS
Steven Bernstein TRUMPET
Curtis Fowlkes TROMBONE
Marcus Rojas TUBA

http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/39971/

True People`s CEREMONY for TOHOKU Disaster

a benefit for relief efforts in Japan, proceeds will go to Think the Earth Project, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Steven Bernstein, Club d'Elf featuring Hassan Hakmoun and Brahim Fribgane, Wicked Knee, Marco Benevento, Marshall Allen

Sun Ra Arkestra @ Japan Benefit, Brooklyn Bowl 5/24/11

I did not expect to be completely blown away in each moment of this!!!  The set started at around 11:45 and the amazing Marshall Allan turned 87 at midnight.  I still can't believe it.  He plays like a very accomplished and vibrant 45 year old that was already a master of his craft at age 7.  Really!  That's a metaphor, I don't know the actual history of his progression as a reed player, but he was incredible.

The drums were killer!  I couldn't get enough of them.  The baritone and alto were fantastic. I loved the trumpet.  The flute was awesome.

It's a great venue for them.  They kicked butt!  I thought about going to Sullivan Hall for the early birthday show the next night, but how could it be as phenomenal as this?  I think they should start playing LPR instead.

This was hands down the highlight of a stellar evening of music.

I got the arkestra members from the website, but I don't think all of them were there, although there was a good amount of them.
 http://www.elrarecords.com/1-index.html
THE SUN RA ARKESTRA
Under the direction of Marshall Allen
MARSHALL ALLEN  alto saxophone - flute - EVI - joined Arkestra in 1958
CHARLES DAVIS  baritone saxophone - joined Arkestra in 1955
ART JENKINS  vocals - percussion - joined Arkestra in 1960
MICHAEL RAY  trumpet - vocals - joined Arkestra in 1978
JOHN ORE  bass - joined Arkestra in 1961
FRED ADAMS  trumpet - joined Arkestra in 1982
KNOEL SCOTT  alto saxophone - joined Arkestra in 1979
VINCENT CHANCEY  french horn - joined Arkestra in 1976
CECIL BROOKS  trumpet
DANNY THOMPSON  flute, baritone sax, alto sax, bassoon- joined Arkestra in 1967
REY SCOTT  baritone saxophone - joined Arkestra in 1988
DAVE DAVIS  trombone - joined Arkestra in 1997
LUQUMAN ALI  drums - joined Arkestra in 1964
ELSON NASCIMENTO  percussion - joined Arkestra in 1988
D. HOTEP  guitar - joined Arkestra in 2000
YAHYA ABDUL-MAJID  tenor saxophone - joined Arkestra in 1980
BILL DAVIS  bass - joined Arkestra in 1962
JUINI BOOTH  bass - joined Arkestra in 1967
FARID ABDUL-BARI BARRON  piano
WAYNE ANTHONY SMITH Jr.  drums

http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/39971/

True People`s CEREMONY for TOHOKU Disaster

a benefit for relief efforts in Japan, proceeds will go to Think the Earth Project, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Steven Bernstein, Club d'Elf featuring Hassan Hakmoun and Brahim Fribgane, Wicked Knee, Marco Benevento, Marshall Allen

Marco Benevento Trio @ Japan Benefit, Brooklyn Bowl 5/24/11

In spite of Dave Dreiwitz I wasn't looking forward to another Marco Trio show.  Still, I was there and what else was I gonna do?  Well, let me tell you, same songs as always, I think he pulled out his greatest hits for the 50 minute set, and I was completely blown away.  It was fantastic.  I had a silent groan in my head for "The Real Morning Party".  Yet, soon enough, I was ecstatic!  It was absolutely wonderful!  Different drummer, different venue, different night - whatever - it was completely different.  Each of these very familiar songs were completely fresh and new.

Wow!  3 stellar shows out of 3.  It can't possibly get better than this, can it?

http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/39971/

True People`s CEREMONY for TOHOKU Disaster

a benefit for relief efforts in Japan, proceeds will go to Think the Earth Project, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Steven Bernstein, Club d'Elf featuring Hassan Hakmoun and Brahim Fribgane, Wicked Knee, Marco Benevento, Marshall Allen

Club d'Elf @ Japan Benefit, Brooklyn Bowl 5/24/11

This was very similar to the CD release show at LPR.  I liked it this night even more - no tables so I could be closer and it felt better.  We had Steven Bernstein and John Medeski up there the entire time.  Micro played sintir, electric bass, electric thumb piano that sounds like a bass, and I think that's it.  Hassan Hakmoun came up toward the end.  He did a duo piece with Brahim and then he did a duo with Chikako Iwahori, the tap dancer.  I loved that even more this time around.

Everyone was so excellent.  I'm really liking Steven on trumpet.  Yes, he's awesome on slide trumpet as well.  Post jazzfest this year I'm loving him on trumpet even more.

Dean Johnston on drums was awesome.  I think he's from Boston and I never see him, so I wasn't familiar.  I want to make sure it's understood he was worthy of being up there.

Man, and it's only the 2nd band!

John Medeski (keyboards & melodica), Brahim Fribgane (oud, vocal, percussion), Mike Rivard (bass, sintir & bass kalimba) & Dean Johnston (drums) w/ guests w/ Hassan Hakmoun (sintir, vocals), Steven Bernstein (slide trumpet, trumpet)

http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/39971/

True People`s CEREMONY for TOHOKU Disaster

a benefit for relief efforts in Japan, proceeds will go to Think the Earth Project, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Steven Bernstein, Club d'Elf featuring Hassan Hakmoun and Brahim Fribgane, Wicked Knee, Marco Benevento, Marshall Allen

Mago @ Japan Benefit, Brooklyn Bowl 5/24/11

Finally!  I keep missing opportunities to see them, which are few and far between.  It's Medeski Martin duo an it is fantastic.  They are both so incredible!  It appeared to be all improvised, which makes sense since it's their forte.  I thinking they would have played a continuous piece, but the crowd cheered at some point, signaling a pause to end a piece before starting the 2nd.  For the 3rd and final piece, they invited Mike Rivard to join them on electric bass.  It was an incredible set about 40/45 min long.

http://www.myspace.com/martinmedeski
Billy Martin and John Medeski
Genre: Experimental / Hip Hop / Jazz
Location NYC, New York, US
Website http://www.amuletrecords.com
Record Label Amulet Records
Type of Label Indie

http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/39971/

True People`s CEREMONY for TOHOKU Disaster

a benefit for relief efforts in Japan, proceeds will go to Think the Earth Project, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Steven Bernstein, Club d'Elf featuring Hassan Hakmoun and Brahim Fribgane, Wicked Knee, Marco Benevento, Marshall Allen