Jazz
The shadow of Weather Report looms over this groove session of consonant harmonies, the only documentation of a short-lived band that should have had the chance to burn more brightly.
The sound of both musicians is indelible: trumpeter Enrico Rava is warm and rounded; pianist Fred Hersch, often icy, is fetching and detailed.
The saxophonist has the slithery facility of a bebopper, but I also hear something of the forthright stance of Coltrane in his playing, despite the rhythmic complexity of his writing — and his distinctively varied use of his Puerto Rican background.
To my ears, these beautifully recorded improvisations — with their unique sequences of tones and subtle interactions — are never less than intriguing.
Guitarist Eddie Condon quotes a mobster on jazz: “…it’s got guts and it don’t make you slobber.”
To some degree, everything fit under the resilient umbrella that the late George Wein raised at the edge of Newport Harbor.
Such a beautiful evening of music — two relatively concise sets, one an hour long, another a little less — adding up to an integral whole.
“Music here is great, cutting edge. But to get an audience anywhere you need to get covered … Promoting is a struggle, dealing with the lack of media coverage.”
Albare Plays Jobim: A Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim is a traditional Brazilian offering, content to offer soothing Bossa Nova rhythms; Freedom is more unconventional, merging Brazilian beats with jazzier improvisations.
Arts Appreciation: Long Overdue — Homage to Julius Eastman, Fierce Black Queen Iconoclast
Scorned and consigned to oblivion in his day, Julius Eastman is finally being celebrated for his unabashed talent and the sheer audacity of his inimitable genius. Brava diva!
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