Author Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

CD review: House of Waters…an astonishing display of virtuosity and musical beauty.

Artist: House of Waters
Title: Revolution
Label: self released
Genre: world/ambient/jazz

Review by Dawoud Kringel

New York City is one of those places where innovative musicians are the norm, rather than the exception. They lurk in the shadows, or stand on the world stage and bring their gems to listeners. One winter night, I went to Pianos in New York City’s Lower East Side. A friend was playing there, and hosting a jam session. I brought my instrument to sit in. Upon arriving, one of the opening groups was in the midst of their set. The room was filled with an astonishing display of virtuosity and musical beauty. I was impressed!

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To all musicians: your instruments are allowed as airplane carry-ons!!!

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Yesterday I went to the New York city musicians’ union (AFM Local 802) to find out, whether I’m legally allowed to take my horn as a carry-on on the plane. They told me yes! In  Feb 14, 2012 President Obama signed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (H.R. 658). They even gave me a paper which I can show the airline officials in case they make problems.
It took Congress (House and Senate) 5 years and 23 short-term extensions to pass the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (H.R. 658)! The airline or the airport security can’t stop me from taking my horn into the cabin anymore. It’s now law that any instrument that can be safely stored in the overhead compartment or underneath the seat may be brought on board as carry-on luggage. So no reason to be afraid of any kind of hassle at the check-in or when going through security.

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Music listings – 7/2 through 7/8

1. Franz Hackl’s  IDO

Date: Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Time:  7pm
Venue: Drom (85 Avenue A, NY, NY 10009, 212- 777-1157)
Ticket: $20
Genre: new Tyrolean Folk music

Franz Hackl (on trumpet, flugelhorn) leads his own group: Franz Hackl’s IDO . A Quartet with Mino Cinelu on percussion, Matt Garrison on bass and Adam Holzman on keyboards. IDO means dialect for everybody and brings Tyrolean Folk tunes, the music he grew up with, to the world stage by developing his own international musical language by combining his tradition with Jazz, world grooves and electronics.

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Concert review: Terje Rypdal – bringing Nordic, impressionistic, spacey sound colours to Manhattan.

Date: June 27, 2012
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (NY)
Review by Jeremy Siskind

From the moment that Terje Rypdal and his quartet stepped onto the stage of Le Poisson Rouge, all my sensory impressions grabbed me by the hand and hurried me to towards a faded word in the dusk light of a pitchy forest: dated. The hairstyles of the Norwegian band were combed with ‘80s cliché, the sound was jazz-rock that harkened to the age when musicians were enamored with “plugging in,” and the overall aesthetic was a tribute to the sort of virtuosity that has – in my vision – gone out of style with the rise of conservatory jazz programs.

Oddly, the band functioned in almost two completely separate units with solos by rock-based Rypdal and heavily-Miles-influenced Danish trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg pivoting around a very able rhythm section of organist Ståle Storløkken and Italian drummer Paolo Vinaccia.

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