The last time I attended two concerts at two venues in two different towns on the same evening had me watching DJ Logic as the bar closed. Broca's Area is a Hartford based groove band that seems to be the house band at Arch St. The highlight is their female singer who has seemed to have gained some sass since my last viewing. A Jill Scott cover and some decent originals were a good warmup for Logic.
DJ Logic comes correct with two "turntables and a laptop". He seamlessly weaves beats and loops from song fragments. Like most in his trade, Logic is a master of ebb and crescendo that keeps the crowd bumping. One continuous song that was decidedly un-shazamable had pieces of Hendrix's Fire, some Blood Sweat and Tears intro as well as other slightly recognizable snippets. One young hipster highfived me and remarked how cool it was that an oldster like me was enjoying the set. I nodded in agreement, but could have lectured him on the fact that I have seen Logic many times before, probably when this kid was in diapers. No matter, live music is in the ear of the beholder.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Muhal Richard Abrams Quintet 2/24/17 Crowell Hall Wesleyan CFA Middletown
Dr Muhal Richard Abrams has been involved in the jazz scene for over 60 years. A
legendary pianist, Abrams is co-founder of the Chicago based AACM ( Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). The AACM is responsible for connecting jazz to youth in communities around the country, by providing access ,safe concert spaces, and mentoring of the next generation of creative musicians. The quintet was Abrams on piano, Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Bryan Carrott on vibes, Reggie Nicholson on drums, and John Hebert on bass. The set started with Abrams using mallets on the piano strings, he looked like someone's grandpa checking a distributor cap. He slid back into a solo before yielding to Finlayson then Carrott then Hebert. I have witnessed many icons at this venue: Charles Lloyd, Henry Threadgill, Don Byron, and Anthony Braxton among others. Abrams and the AACM were at the forefront of the free jazz world and it was obvious by his command of piano. I have seen Carrott with the Lounge Lizards and with Dave Holland and the full vibes sound was on full display with the beautiful acoustics of this venue. Hebert is a staple at Firehouse 12 and his bowed and plucked solo sounded like a chainsaw being thrown down a flight of stairs (which I know he'll take as a compliment). The set was two long pieces that focused on solos and improv from each member. Abrams is an icon, and in his 80s, it was a treat to see him share his vision to a crowd of about 300. Sitting in front of me was a crew of students, probably musicians, whose jazz knowledge and reverence that I eavesdropped on, was astounding. It was comforting to hear that a new generation of appreciators is out there and listening.
legendary pianist, Abrams is co-founder of the Chicago based AACM ( Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). The AACM is responsible for connecting jazz to youth in communities around the country, by providing access ,safe concert spaces, and mentoring of the next generation of creative musicians. The quintet was Abrams on piano, Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Bryan Carrott on vibes, Reggie Nicholson on drums, and John Hebert on bass. The set started with Abrams using mallets on the piano strings, he looked like someone's grandpa checking a distributor cap. He slid back into a solo before yielding to Finlayson then Carrott then Hebert. I have witnessed many icons at this venue: Charles Lloyd, Henry Threadgill, Don Byron, and Anthony Braxton among others. Abrams and the AACM were at the forefront of the free jazz world and it was obvious by his command of piano. I have seen Carrott with the Lounge Lizards and with Dave Holland and the full vibes sound was on full display with the beautiful acoustics of this venue. Hebert is a staple at Firehouse 12 and his bowed and plucked solo sounded like a chainsaw being thrown down a flight of stairs (which I know he'll take as a compliment). The set was two long pieces that focused on solos and improv from each member. Abrams is an icon, and in his 80s, it was a treat to see him share his vision to a crowd of about 300. Sitting in front of me was a crew of students, probably musicians, whose jazz knowledge and reverence that I eavesdropped on, was astounding. It was comforting to hear that a new generation of appreciators is out there and listening.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
The Dig w/ Communist Daughter 2/22/17 Bar
Communist Daughter were a hipster outfit from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Lead guitar/ vocals, bass, drums, keys/ multi-instrumentalist, and a female vocalist made up the quintet. Indie pop with nice guy-girl harmony vocals. The multi-instrumentalist had a xylophone that was poorly mic'd so that it appeared like air-xylophone. Chatted with the bassist who said the next gig was The Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Headliner The Dig was a synth pop quartet that reminded me of a cross between Deer Tick and Hot Chip (maybe Deer Chip and Hot Tick). The front man singer even had the same psychotic gleam in his eye like the Deer Tick singer. Pop songs started slow and ebbed and swelled with dueling falsetto vocals. This band is better appreciated live.
Headliner The Dig was a synth pop quartet that reminded me of a cross between Deer Tick and Hot Chip (maybe Deer Chip and Hot Tick). The front man singer even had the same psychotic gleam in his eye like the Deer Tick singer. Pop songs started slow and ebbed and swelled with dueling falsetto vocals. This band is better appreciated live.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
G-nome Project w/ Mushroom Cloud 2/8/17 Bar
Local group Mushroom Cloud is often the pick to open shows for the jammy techno crowd. A trio of guitar, bass, and drums played instrumental funk jams kind of like Eric Krasno's Lettuce or The New Mastersounds. The guitar player had a handle on the tight blaxploitation groove, and the stand in bass player was impressive. Thankfully, they didn't close with an acapella Free Bird.
G-nome Project is billed as a livetronica outfit from Tel Aviv. Funky guitar, nerdy but active bass, high energy propulsive drums, and keys comprised the quartet. It was too much for me to ask for a politically charged, sample based international throwdown. Instead, we viewed a capable house band of rave culture. Good, diverse crowd of dancers and a couple of painters throwing some trippy images to canvas while the music was bumping. Like many international groups, they had a good grasp of dub used to extend some jams. Without vocals, and no inter-song banter, this quartet could have come from Burlington VT, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
G-nome Project is billed as a livetronica outfit from Tel Aviv. Funky guitar, nerdy but active bass, high energy propulsive drums, and keys comprised the quartet. It was too much for me to ask for a politically charged, sample based international throwdown. Instead, we viewed a capable house band of rave culture. Good, diverse crowd of dancers and a couple of painters throwing some trippy images to canvas while the music was bumping. Like many international groups, they had a good grasp of dub used to extend some jams. Without vocals, and no inter-song banter, this quartet could have come from Burlington VT, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Marco Benevento w/ Superhuman Happiness 2/7/17 Spaceland Ballroom
Saw the last few tunes of SHH, a regional groove outfit who announced it was their last show. Sad, but I'm sure that these trio of multi -instrumentalists will appear in other forms. Female singer and two guys on keys/synths and some brass.
Marco Benevento has been playing jam keyboards since the early aughts. His early partner as The Duo, was drummer Joe Russo. MB's group on this evening was a trio, with a young female bass player and a drummer. Jazz, jammy meanderings with MB employing loops and effects to shade the songs. Marco sang on most tunes, comfortable in a voice that was not always used. The young lady played hella bass, muscular riffs that lent a prog bent to the affair. Hard-working drummer played fast and loud on most songs. MB wearing orange neon shades, and a crumpled tophat, looked like the m.c. at electric forest. Good long set of mainly original tunes were well received. A decent LedZep tease, cover of a tune by The Knife, and an amazing bass intro to Jump Into the Fire by Harry Nilsson.
Marco Benevento has been playing jam keyboards since the early aughts. His early partner as The Duo, was drummer Joe Russo. MB's group on this evening was a trio, with a young female bass player and a drummer. Jazz, jammy meanderings with MB employing loops and effects to shade the songs. Marco sang on most tunes, comfortable in a voice that was not always used. The young lady played hella bass, muscular riffs that lent a prog bent to the affair. Hard-working drummer played fast and loud on most songs. MB wearing orange neon shades, and a crumpled tophat, looked like the m.c. at electric forest. Good long set of mainly original tunes were well received. A decent LedZep tease, cover of a tune by The Knife, and an amazing bass intro to Jump Into the Fire by Harry Nilsson.
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