Satchmo At The Waldorf Long Wharf Theater 10/16/12

Satchmo is a play about the end of Louis Armstrong's life and reflections of race, respect, and the early jazz industry. Masterfully acted by John Douglas Thompson, the actor switches personas with lighting changes. The two central characters are Armstrong and his manager Joe Glaser. In an age of segregation, Glaser a Chicago jew with mob ties manages the career of Armstrong and handles while profiting from stardom. Spurned by the beboppers, Armstrong was regarded as an Uncle Tom. Armstrong wants to set the record straight that he paved the way for the artists of the 60s. The interplay ( by the same actor!) of Armstrong and Glaser was powerful. Glaser commanded the rights and riches to Armstrong's catalog and appeared to be blackmailed into handing them over to mob affiliates. Armstrong like so many artists of the time was stripped of the rights to his music. This powerful play is an excellent depiction of race and the early days of jazz.

Jamie Saft Trio Firehouse 12 9/28/12

Billed as the "New Zion Trio", this incarnation with pianist leader Saft was just that. Roots-dub-jazz is the best way to describe this sound. Echo, delay, reverb attached to the repetitive drum and bass laid the back drop for Saft's soundscapes. Saft moving from Steinway to organ to casio played a variety of layers on the dub anchor. Plug Saft into Pandora and you'll get dub, jazz, jewish folk, and metal. With that kind of affiliation the world, and definitely Firehouse 12, is his oyster. Closed out the set with a jazz classic I couldn't place woven with the kitsch reggae of "Pass the Duchy".