Author Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

CD Review: A puzzling and intriguing challenge from an Egyptian cab driver in New Orleans inspires an impulse purchase of an alluring album in a used CD store. The album inspires a search for a difficult to find instrument, which in turn takes a jazz player to a radically different approach…Nashaz

Prunka_slantArtist: Nashaz
Title: Nashaz
Label: Ziryab Records
Genre:  hard driving grooves in 10/8 and 7/8 combine with moments of contemplative beauty that sound at once Arabic, and yet distinctly American
Release date: September 17, 2013
CD release concert: at Drom (NY), September 17, 2013

Review by Dawoud Kringle

In the realm of Persian / Arabic maqam, people like Rabih Abou-Khalil and Simon Shaheen kicked open a door that once open, will never close. I speak, of course, of the introduction of elements of jazz into maqam. Nashaz has taken up the gauntlet on this and run with it.

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Concert Review: The Cambodian Space Project (Cambodia) takes us on a trip to the past, the now, and the future, and that is nothing short of 4th dimensional magic

IMG_1622Venue: Drom (NY)
Date: August 9. 2013

Review and photo by Ancelmo James

The other night I went down to the east village to check out The Cambodian Space Project (CSP), a band whose sound is so incredibly nostalgic and reminiscent of surfy, British 60’s rock one might think they traveled through time from the past, or that they record soundtracks for Quentin Tarantino on the side. Either way, CSP music takes you back. Continue reading →

Music Listings – 8/19 through 8/25/2013

1. “Diablo Love” w.  Tomás Doncker Band

Date: Monday, August 19, 2013
Time: 8pm
Venue: Central Park/Mainstage (69th St. & 5th Ave, map)
Ticket: free, but $3 donation
Genre: musical

Diablo Love is a fantastical love story featuring live music that re-imagines songs made famous by American Blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, Howlin’ Wolf along with original compositions by Tomás Doncker. This production provides audiences with a masterful live soundtrack of Blues/Soul music and sets the stage for a dynamic performance.

What would you do for love? In the pits of Hell, Baliel, a lost soul, must prove his worth or else spend the rest of eternity in the lake of fire. In order to spare his own horrific demise, Baliel goes out in search of a willing person to swap spots with him, and as a result comes upon Emma, a fledgling Harlem Gospel singer from a troubled background with big dreams of fame. As Emma works through the trials and tribulations of erecting a career with her group, Baliel appears with big promises and a plan for fame and fortune. The two embark on a joint quest to achieve both of their missions, and what once began as a task for Baliel to find his replacement quickly takes a complicated turn as he must decide between unconditional love and Diablo Love. Continue reading →

The NYC Musicians Union – LOCAL 802, AFM – Endorses Candidate BILL DE BLASIO For NYC Mayor.

J4JAText by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Three days ago my union endorsed Bill de Blasio to be the next Mayor of New York City. Honestly I don’t know whether he’s the right guy to be on the J4JA bandwagon. I don’t know what he has promised the union…us. But in case he forgets the J4JA campaign, I promise you that I and my musician friends and colleagues – who believe and are active in this campaign – will remind Mr. Blasio of all the promises he did to our Local 802 President Tino Gagliardi. Today I registered to vote. This will be the first time for me voting!! I have no idea who I’ll vote for…de Blasio? Hmm…will do my research. Try to meet him and ask him how he would clean up the NY jazz music club scene. I’m old enough not to believe what politicians promise in their election campaign. President Obama is a good example for this. What Mr. Obama promised during his election campaign and what he has achieved as the president by now are two worlds.

Anyway I can’t endorse Bill de Blasio at this time because I still don’t know what he really stands for (but please watch the video below in which he announces his candidacy). In the next weeks I’ll try to find out why my union endorsed him. I’ll try to find out why the leader of the campaign Bob Cranshaw what he thinks of this man. Are we really endorsing a politician who wants to fight for the J4JA campaign? Or is his intention only to use our votes and money to win the election?

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Concert Review: The Quartet with No Name – Daniel Carter/On Davis/Dmitry Ishenko & Dalius Naujo making a name @ Nublu

photo (3)Date: August 15, 2013
Venue: Nublu (NY)
Review and photo by Dawoud Kringle

On a late cool August night, Daniel Carter on trumpet, sax, On Davis on guitar, violin, and electronics, Dmitry Ishenko on bass, and Dalius Naujo on drums began the time honored musician’s ritual. Electronic rumbling with indistinct loops and long tones on a muted trumpet tore away the curtain and opened the way for sparse notes from the guitar, drums, and bass. A groove vaguely reminiscent of Miles from the Bitches Brew phase began the guitar played Rhodes-like chords that made one wonder where the keyboardist was.

The drums and bass continued to explore ever changing grooves, the guitar commented on everything that was going on, while the trumpet went where it saw fit; flowing through the dense tapestry like incense smoke.

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