Author Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Concert Review: TomChess Bandit Hat… a band of virtuosos whose music must be experienced!

Date: October 18, 2013
Venue: Spectrum (NY)

Review and videos by Dawoud Kringle

Friday afternoons are an unusual time of the day to hold a concert. CMJ was holding a big shindig at Arlen’s Grocery and you get your occasional concert in the park. But it’s still not conventional: at least not for music venues. However, Spectrum (a music/art/science venue on Manhattan’s lower east side that combines a fearless urge to present the best of New York’s underground elite in a comfortable home-like setting) had other ideas. One Friday I ventured to attend the performance of Tom Chess‘ ensemble Bandit Hat (Tom Chess; oud/ney, Jimmy Mngwandi; bass, and Daniel Kurfirst; drums/percussion).

The music started with some free, atonal smokiness from the bass, which was shattered by a scintillating punch in the sternum from the oud, and directed the formless sounds toward its own tonality. The percussion eased in, and it all coalesced into a Moroccan sounding 6/8 groove. From there, the audience was swept up in a modern magic carpet ride.

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Music Listings – 10/28 through 11/3/2013

1. Oran Etkin

Date: Monday, October 28, 2013
Time: 8:30pm
Venue: The Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia St., NY, NY 10014)
Ticket: $10
Genre: jazz

Oran Etkin has been described as a “great clarinetist, excellent improviser” by NY Times critic Ben Ratliff and a “composer of eminent individuality” by his mentor and former teacher, Yusef Lateef. His music appeared on a recent benefit CD that won a GRAMMY Award last year. Etkin’s upcoming album features his trio with Ben Allison and Nasheet Waits plus guests Lionel Loueke and Curtis Fowlkes and is due to be released in April 2014. For this new project, Etkin draws inspiration from his recent touring, which has taken him from from Israel to Indonesia, Louisiana to Liege, Tel Aviv to Tokyo, Shanghai to Berlin. Often Etkin collaborated with local musicians in each region, learning some of their musical traditions and folk songs and sharing his own music. On his new CD, Etkin interweaves traditional melodies he learned in these countries together with his compositions, taking the listener on a journey with many flavors but one continuous storyline throughout. This evening at Cornelia Street will offer a rare preview of the material from Etkin’s upcoming album and features his long-time collaborators Lionel Loueke, Tyshawn Sorey and other guests!

2. Rebel Tumbao

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NY Musician Feature: Michael Wimberly (P.2) – 2 book releases, 1 video interview and 2 workshop videos!

cajon-pack1Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Michael Wimberly set off for New York in 1982, quickly carving out a niche for himself as an eclectic percussionist. It was there he performed in duets, quartets and larger ensembles sculpting his unique musical voice.  For example, with Steve Coleman’s Five Elements (including David Gilmore, Marvin Smitty’ Smith and Ravi Coltrane) he collaborated on many projects, live and in the studio, in which radical conceptual pieces were refined for performance.

In addition to being a drummer, pianist and percussionist, Michael Wimberly is also a composer and sound designer who has written for prestigious New York dance companies (Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Urban Bush Women and Joffrey Ballet), Theaters and Independent Film Makers.  Although his percussive repertoire is replete with traditional rhythms, Michael is known for playing cutting-edge music involving spontaneous improvisation and composed works with International Symphony Orchestras.

Michael holds a Masters Degree from The Manhattan School of Music and is currently a professor at Bennington College in Vermont and a faculty member at The Collective (formerly Drummers Collective). He is the founder of “Power of Drum”, a percussive arts and education event held annually in NYC, which has now expanded to Portugal and Spain.

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DooBeeDoo Endorses The Next Rally of The “Justice For Jazz Artists” Campaign This Afternoon!

 

J4JAShow your support for the Justice for Jazz Artists campaign by coming out for a peaceful demonstration, followed by a rally and march in the street outside one of the major jazz clubs. This rally will feature live music. Your support is needed!

What: Justice for Jazz Artists campaign demonstration with LIVE MUSIC! 

When: today, Friday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.

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