Ambient New Age mystic Laraaji stops in Middletown for an improv performance at this historic campus church. The altar has his setup of electric zither, dulcimer, piano, electronics, mbira, and several small bells. He is joined by his life partner Arji Oceananda who plays electronics and cloud bowls. The performance is put on by an outfit called Ambient Church who pair meditative musicians with trippy visuals in unusual venues. The performance starts with bells and cloud bowl, not unlike a yoga practice. Laraaji moves from zither to dulcimer to electronics weaving a tapestry of sound. Arji complements the sound with electronics and percussion of her own. The church became completely dark as the video appeared on the wall and ceiling behind the altar. Liquid visuals blobbed and oozed at lava lamp speed, which must be a thing for the synaptically challenged. Sun rays, repeating patterns, melting colorful swooshes were calming with the musical backdrop. Laraaji sang some wordless vocals then a full tune while playing some excellent piano. Born Edward Larry Gordon some 82 years ago, Laraaji spent many years busking in Washington Square Park. Legend has it that one park denizen was post-Roxy Music Brian Eno who took a shine to the Laraaji zitherin. Eno produced some early slabs and ran with the ambient concept for his own seminal Music For Films, Music For Airports among others. Laraaji is a sight, a light skinned black man who dresses exclusively in orange. Orange hat, orange shirt and pants, orange jewelry (last time I saw him and was able to view his feet, orange crocs). The card tables on the altar were also draped in orange fabric. This music gets a bad rap, syrupy improv background sounds that lack the bite in the jazz world. That is the point, music that subtly invades instead of melting one’s face. Excellent show of meditative music and visuals.
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