Henry Butler @ Joe's Pub 7/21/13

This was an awesome solo show.  We sat right behind him at the front of the stage and could see all of his moves.  He really went around the repotoire.  He started with some spiritual and then went to Jelly Roll and then WC Handy and lots of other phenomenal stuff.  Every single thing he did was stellar.  It was so much fun.

The M & Ms: Medeski, Mali, Mercurio, Moore @ LPR 5/23/13

I had high expectations for this show.  A new amalgamation of people I love, and I loved who was in it.  I did end up having a great time and it was a good show.  However, it was also quite lacking in what it could have been.   It's all about the expectation.  It was free for me because I'm a member.  I didn't even have to wait in the long line to get in. 

It was listed as doors at 10, show at 10:30, but ended up having delays getting people in. I was in early, and at some point there as a 13 yo kid on stage impromptu opening for us.  I was a little bored and conserved my energy by sitting over in one of those big cushy chairs by the photo-booth bathroom area with some friends.

I enjoyed the band when they came on.  Anything Medeski touches is worthwhile.  He was doing it for me as always.  The music in general was nice and worth coming out.  Then, toward the end of the 2nd set, the 13 yo kid came out and it got great.  It brought intense Stanton out,  and it really went somewhere.  I wanted that kid to stay the rest of the show and give us something to reminisce about.  The kid was much better then.  I think part of it was Papa Mali was lacking.  I've seen that guy in so many guises and he's unbelievably talented and oozes with soul. But, that night and when I recently saw him in NOLA, things were lacking.  I presume he's just having a little dip and I send him good vibes for the return of that mojo that I know still exists in him.  I will say people were calling that kid the next Derek Trucks.  I would say he was quite good at that sit in, but Derek Trucks is a whole other thing.  We were just really happy to get that show.

After that, they were finishing up the 1st set.  The music was still good, I just realized it was time for me to go home, happy to have attended.



Equifunk & Nolafunk Present
The M & Ms:
Medeski, Mali, Mercurio, Moore

M&Ms melt in your mind, not in your hands.

John Medeski  (Medeski Martin & Wood)
Papa Mali  (7 Walkers)
Rob Mercurio   (Galactic)
Stanton Moore

Stephane Wrembel @ Barbes 5/19/13

Sephane Wrembel is awesome.  He plays in the style of Django Reinhardt.  He's very talented.  His band evolves over time.  It's always good.  I liked his intense drummer last night. 

He plays at Barbes almost every Sun night, 2 sets.  It's only $10 and a wonderful tiny space.  It's very easy to get to on the F Train.  I highly recommend you see him anywhere he plays.

It looks like these Barbes gigs aren't on his website.  You can find them on Barbes' website.  Actually, you can go to any set at Barbes and see anything and get a great World music show.

Leni Stern @ Barbes 5/19/13

It was an awesome African trio.  I always like seeing Leni Stern's band.  She is originally from Munich, Germany and she's based in NYC.  She plays with a wonderful bass player, , and drummer.  I think they are both from Mali, but I'm not 100% sure.  Leni sings in English and their African language.  She also plays this cool dome-shaped Moroccan instrument.  She has a little bit of percussion as well.  It was a very nice 1 hour set.

http://www.lenistern.com/home/leni/bio/bio.html

http://www.lenistern.com/home/index.html

Video:

03|13|2013 - The Blues Comes Home to Africa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUuJwXV8Ondd52FgxbEDg4bQ&feature=player_embedded&v=A7T5Cc6gdbQ#!
Mamadou Kone, bass
Haruna Samake, drums

Secret Chiefs3 @ Union Hall 5/18/13

I went out for the brief white robe set.  It was phenomenal.  I love the space, too.  It reminds me a lot of when I saw them in Paris.  The performance space is in a back room.  There's a nice outside area to hang before the space.  There's also a large inside space before before the outside space.  It's an awesome venue.  This Brooklyn space wasn't hot but, it was going to get much more crowded for the next set.  The next set would also be more intense and my kind of thing.  It just wasn't going to happen for me last night.

There are still more gigs for them coming up soon.  I probably won't be able to make The Stone, but I've seen them there before and they should be amazing.  I would line up early if you want to get in.  It only fits about 50 people.

http://www.webofmimicry.com/label.php?band=sc3

ate	venue	location	details
May 17, 2013	Mercury Lounge	New York NY
May 18, 2013	Union Pool	Brooklyn NY
May 19, 2013	Union Pool	Brooklyn NY
May 21, 2013	Schubas Tavern	Chicago IL
May 22, 2013	Beat Kitchen	Chicago IL
May 24, 2013	The Drake	Toronto ON
May 25, 2013	The Drake	Toronto ON
May 28, 2013	The Stone NYC	New York NY	8 and 10pm shows
May 29, 2013	The Stone NYC	New York NY	8 and 10pm shows
May 30, 2013	The Stone NYC	New York NY	8 and 10pm shows
May 31, 2013	The Stone NYC	New York NY	8 and 10pm shows
Jun 01, 2013	The Stone NYC	New York NY	8 and 10pm shows
Jun 02, 2013	The Stone NYC	New York NY	8 and 10pm shows

 

Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom @ 92YTribeca 5/9/13

The band is completely different and still stellar.  I got a CD for that I'm looking forward to listening to as well.

Here's the show on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/event/music/180354037/boom-tic-boom-live-from-92y-tribeca
Boom Tic Boom: Live From 92Y Tribeca
May 9, 2013A go-to choice for jazz heavies and arena-level singer-songwriters alike, drummer Allison Miller made time to cultivate her own working band in the past few years. Fresh off the band's second studio album, and a tour to support it, she leads her singular quartet in a New York homecoming.

Look at the amazing lineup:

• Allison Miller, drums
• Kirk Knuffke, cornet
• Myra Melford, piano
• Todd Sickafoose, bass
• Rachel Friedman, voice (one song)

http://www.wnyc.org/npr_articles/2013/may/09/sexmob-boom-tic-boom-live-from-92y-tribeca/

SexMob @ 92YTribeca 5/9/13

I love this band!  They were phenomenal!  I'm looking to hearing the new album.  I purchased it, but I don't have a way to listen to it right now.  Well, I have an older computer and Google Drive, so I could listen to it on my new MacBook Air, I just haven't gone there yet.  It looks like I see an external disk drive in my near future.

http://www.stevenbernstein.net/sm-news
Sexmob celebrates the release of “Cinema, Circus and Spaghetti: Sexmob plays the music of Nino Rota” on May 8 at 92Y Tribeca.

This is the link to the actual show, check it out:
http://www.npr.org/event/music/182462927/sexmob-live-from-92y-tribeca

Sexmob: Live From 92Y Tribeca
May 9, 2013The quartet specializes in a distinct strain of deconstructionist improvised music: jazz that aims at fun by bouncing off the walls. Led by slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein, the band parties to the themes of spaghetti western film composer Nino Rota.