Mark Deutsch/JD Parran + Club d'Elf 7/4/08

I usually like to go to Montreal jazzfest around this time, but I have a wedding to go to today, so I decided to skip it entirely. I only stayed here once for 4th of July in the past several years. I'm glad there were more music options than the last time 2 years ago. I saw the fireworks that year from my friend's roof, which was nice, but I get kind of bored with fireworks. It was nice to take it easy and it was nice that it seemed more people stayed in town this year. The music last night was really awesome and I saved a ton of money not going to Montreal.

I was very intrigued to find out what a bazantar is. I got the seat up front and was able to really look at it before the show. It was a big bass that was enhanced with more strings on the side and lots of those things you turn to tighten and loosen strings. Here's some specifics.

JD Parran's set up looked pretty interesting as well. It was a little different contrabass clarinet than I saw Lucien Dubuis playing last month at Drom. I think Parran said it was a contrabass clarinet in E-Flat. He also had a lot of interesting African flutes and mbiras and some percussion shaky things.

I was really intrigued by the bazantar at first. He could just play it like a bass for a bit and sometimes there was a drone. It took me a bit to figure out what that Indian sound reminded me of. I realized the bazantar was somewhat like a combination bass and sitar.

I also love any kind of bass clarinet and the whole thing was awesome. That hour went very very quickly because it was so good. I've got to try to get to The Stone as much as I can the next 2 weeks. There's a different curator for the 2nd half of the month, who's schedule looks pretty good. I'm just very interested in exploring this area a little more. So far, it looks like music based in some math principles and very into frequencies and music that intentionally affects humans in deep ways.

Mark Deutsch and JD Parran Duo
Mark Deutsch (bazantar, banjo) JD Parran (contrabass clarinet, bamboo flutes, mbiras)
Performing and composing together for almost a decade, this duo delivers unabashed and beautiful continuity of time and timbre.

I then needed to go home and have a cup of tea before Club d'Elf at Crash Mansion. The fireworks started while I was going home and they seemed pretty close. I could see some of them, and I heard a sax and a lot of people in Tompkins Square Park. I do have to admit I get bored with fireworks after a while. I wanted my cup of tea more. It was perfect.

There were only about 30 people or so at Crash Mansion. I got the last few songs of Paradigm. They were good, but way way too loud. It was also very cold in there. I stood as far away as I could to still see. My ears hurt a little from how loud it was. I think if it wasn't so loud, I would have been more into it and it would have had me dancing. But, I could only move my head a little. I was moving more in my chair at the avant-garde stuff at The Stone earlier. The guitar player was very good. The one thing about the loudness was that you couldn't hear the talkers. I only noticed them when the band stopped to introduce.

I was glad when Club d'Elf came on it was a reasonable volume. Out of the 30 or so people, there were about 10 talkers. It seemed like most of them friends of the band or from the previous band. It seems that's the way it is often. They could get kind of loud with the talking at times. Everyone was sitting around the perimeter at the tables except for me. I moved closer to the band and was able to drown out the talking as much as I could. They had me so into it and grooving that I could forget the talking a lot.

They are always excellent. Even though they tend to play a lot of the same material, it's always fresh and different every time I see them. This was a different combination that I've seen. They are on a mini-tour and it seemed like maybe it was the Boston guys playing this time. I'm just remembering now that they alluded to the possibility of Calvin Weston sitting in. He wasn't there, but they didn't need anything extra.

It's too bad more people don't know about this. They should get much more of a turnout. It's also too bad that in NYC people always want to sit. It's not a sit down kind of band. I'm told when they play at Lizard Lounge in Boston everybody's dancing. I know I can dance to everything, but this really is get-down music that a lot of people would dance to. I think the only reason they don't in NYC is because when there's seats, New Yorkers sit. Even when there aren't enough seats, they tend to sit on the floor. It's weird.

Anyway, it was definitely worthwhile to stay in town for last night.

w/ Paradigm (myspace.com/paradigmgroove). d'Elf: Mat Maneri (elec viola), Paul Schultheis (keyboards), Mike Rivard (bass & sintir) & Dean Johnston (drums)

Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh @ Roulette 7/3/08

This just looked like something I would like. I hadn't realized that I once saw her big, big orchestra at The Stone a few years ago. That was really awesome and the musicians took up more space than the audience. It was a hot day, and most of the audience was friends of one of the band members. Fujii played the piano a little bit in that show and she was great. It seems worthwhile to always have an eye out for her projects. I'll also have to look for her and the trumpet player if I ever get to Japan.

She started by standing at the piano and playing the strings in creative ways I've never seen before. It had such a big sound. I was reminded of Edmar Castenada and Anthony Coleman. It was way more than a cross between those 2,though. I think after that she sat and played the keys for the rest of the show.

This was an all-star lineup and everybody shined. The trumpet came from Japan and I see why she wanted to bring him and not get someone around here. I mean, we have a lot of great trumpet players, too, but this guy was really excellent.

She said that growing up in Japan, they didn't listen to much Japanese music. That seems to be changing, but in her school days, there was very little interest. She started getting interested recently. This project is formed around old Japanese folk music from 300 or 400 years ago. She knows some people have started exploring this, but they've used traditional Japanese instruments. She knew that didn't work and so she put together this ensemble. She tried to describe what effect this project had on her, which sounded immense. Unfortunately, she couldn't express it in English.

It had to be a lot more modern than the traditional. I mean just by having Andrea Parkins there with all of her pedals and wires, it's going to be more modern in an avant-garde kind of way. I also loved when she just played the squeeze part of the accordion, which made a wind-like sound. People do that with the trumpet sometimes, but it was better with the accordion.

The whole thing was stellar and I know I didn't want it to end.

Natsuki Tamura - trumpet
Curtis Hasselbring - trombone
Andrea Parkins - accordion
Satoko Fujii - piano, vocal
JULY 3rd, 8:30pm

Ches Smith's Congs for Brums + Catherine Sikora Trio 7/2/08

Yes, there were 2 more bands in my already awesome night. The next batch of RUCMA gigs are all during the week, which is going to make it more of a challenge. I had the 3rd off, so this was no problem.

I only saw Congs for Brums once before. Ches played the vibe that time as well. This time, he left them at home and just brought the kit and many various percussion thing. It was a 1/2 hour set, so he probably just played the drum songs from this cd. I've wanted to get it for a while, but haven't gotten around to it yet. It was excellent and I could probably see that many times.

I've seen Catherine Sikora before at Galapagos for the This is Our Music series in May. She was in Matt Lavelle's tenor tree and I remember she was great (all of them were). They couldn't get a working amp for the bass so this set was all acoustic. It was about 45 minutes or so and great. All 3 of them were great and blended together really nicely. A good way to cap off my phenomenal evening.

10:30PM - Ches Smith's Congs for Brums:
Ches Smith (drums, vibraphone)
11:15PM – Catherine Sikora Trio:
Catherine Sikora (saxophones)
Francois Grillot (bass)
Bob Hubbard (drums)

Uri Caine Trio @ Village Vanguard 7/2/08

I had stopped by Highline last weekend and got a ticket for the thing with Marc Ribot. It was before I realized the main guy is an Italian singer and it looks like very into "performing". I forgot to check, remembering how I didn't like Aukyton. When I first realized it I thought I could still stop by and check it out, but then I read the listing in The New Yorker and knew it was highly unlikely this show would be my thing. I didn't run into anyone I thought might want the ticket and decided to hit the Vanguard instead, so it went to waste.

I didn't think it would be hard to get into the Uri Caine show at 9pm based on past experiences. I was able to get the front row center awesome seat. I never get that seat, it just worked out. All I have to say is it is worthwhile to get there very early to get that seat. It is better than everywhere else in the place.

I was also thrilled to have Ben Perowsky there. I love him and knew it was unlikely it would be super-mellow like the last time I saw a Uri Caine Trio at the Vanguard. That night a few years ago was great, but I was too tired for that mellow a show.

This show was definitely lively, great jazz. Drew Gress on bass was great as well. There was an awesome drum solo toward the end. The music covered a lot of territory. It got funky at times, more jazzy at times, it was all great.

I think they played for a little over an hour. It was a very pleasant hour and I'm so glad I decided to bail on the Highline show.

URI CAINE TRIO
Drew Gress-b, Ben Perowsky-d

Edmar Castañeda Trio @ Jazz Standard 7/2/08

I had this show as a must see for this week. I mean, Castaneda in any form is great, add Jazz Standard, and a trio with drums and trombone and I will do what I can to not miss it.

I can't describe how thrilled I was just seeing the drum setup when I got there. I think there were 5 triangles, some different bells around, lots of chimes, the regular kit, and a hand drum or 2. During the show, the drummer kept pulling out more percussion stuff. It was great.

The trombone was phenomenal. I think that was a great choice. It looks like this is his regular trio and I love the combination he chose.

Edmar was great as usual. I am amazed at his playing and all the different sounds. I kept thinking about the inside of the piano and how similar it might be.

I particularly like this quote that I think was from a press article, that is in the Jazz Standard listing:
"He’s practically a one-man orchestra, the Hendrix—or at least the Charlie Hunter—of the harp, linking a train of complex and richly textured sound to a locomotive of hot pan-American rhythm"

I do wish we would see him in other people's bands as well. I tend to only see him listed with his own projects. I think he would fit in as a side man in many different guises. He would be great in a Herbie Hancock project, or Paul Motion or a thousand others.

Edmar Castaneda – Colombian harp
Marshall Gilkes – trombone
David Silliman – drums

This is Our Music Series: July

Nice, this great series is moving to Manhattan and is now part of the RUCMA events. It's at Clemente Soto Valez, but there shouldn't be the ventilation issues that we suffered through at Vision Fest. A lot of that was due to the large crowds. Brad said they aren't playing in that theatre, but right in the area where you walk in downstairs. It should be good.

RUCMA Presents "This is Our Music"
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 @ 8:00pm - RUCMA presents…"This Is Our Music" Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center / 107 Suffolk St. (bet. Rivington + Delancey), New York, NY
F to 2nd Ave or Delancey
Doors at 7:30PM, Show at 8PM, $10/$7 for students and seniors
July, 9 2008 at Knucklebean, James Carney and Mike Gamble @ Clemente Soto Velez
107 Suffolk Street between Delancey and Rivington, New York, New York
Cost : $10
8PM – James Carney Group: James Carney (electric piano, compositions), John
Hebert (bass), Ches Smith (drums)
www.Jamescarney.net
9PM – Knucklebean: Ben Syversen (trumpet), Kevin Moehringer (trombone), Matt Thomas (saxophones), Matt Silberman (saxophones), Brad Farberman (guitar), Adam Minkoff (bass), Nick Anderson (drums)
http://www.myspace.com/knucklebeanmusic
10PM – The Inbetweens: Mike Gamble (guitar), Noah Jarrett (bass), Conor
Elmes (drums)
http://www.myspace.com/michaelgamble

Rashu Aten: Sacred Healing Gongs @ The Stone 7/1/08

This was different. On my Italy trip last year, we were treated to some gongs outside on the last night. It was pretty cool. That night, Massimo had lots of gongs and singing bowls placed in an area and he moved around a lot holding them and playing them.

The other night at The Stone, Rashu had an instrument he created with 8 gongs in half and octave hanging together on 3 horizontal metal poles. He played about 4 or 5 songs with titles. It reminded me of some of the percussion drummers use, like cymbals and other metal. I liked how it sounded. The crowd was a little different from the usual Stone crowd. They were more the spiritual healing crowd than the music crowd. Rashu did tell us a lot about the healing power. He also told us how he got into gongs in the first place. He also told us a little about what he learned from his musician friends. One song was dedicated to Lester Bowie, who was a friend of his.

Rashu Aten: Sacred Healing Gongs, CD release from St. Louis
Rashu Aten (gongs)
Rashu plays 8 mounted, chinese gongs chosen for their sound relationships. His instrument “glows and shimmers with a hypnotic repeating wave, pure and cosmic vibrations emanate from the center” (DMG) as he lays serenity on this 2 week series.