Category Archives: Concert And Event Reviews

Concert Review: The Mast – moving into a different realm than it was on their previous release “Wild Poppies.”

Venue: Glassland Gallery (NY)
Date: August 18, 2013

Review by Dawoud Kringle

My previous exposure to The Mast, the duo of Haleh Gafori Kilmer and Matt Kilmer a year or so past, was impressive. Their live performance and CD release was marvelous (you’ll find my review here: https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/2012/03/13/cd-review-the-mast-wild-poppies-how-did-profit-trump-well-being/). So, on a recent Sunday night, I trekked into an obscure area of Williamsburg to hear what they’re doing these days.

The act before The Mast was Nitemoves, a laptop player / DJ. He had a musical sensibility, and was an interesting performer. While some of his melodies seemed little different from the melodically unsophisticated synth bands of the 80s, he did create some interesting things and made creative use of his computer’s possibilities. His music was always changing and never became monotonous.

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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 →

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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Concert Review: TriBeCaStan – radically multicultural and poly-stylistic to the marrow…

Date: Friday, Augusr 2, 2013
Venue: the Rubin Museum (NY)

tribecastan-rooftop-press-photo-4000x3000-300dpi-rgb-1024x768Review by Dawoud Kringle

TriBeCaStan is John Kruth (mandolin, mandocello, banjo, sitar, flutes, harmonica, vocals); Jeff Green (yayli, tamboor, tarhu, morsing, dutar, flutes, rubab, aqua drum, halo); Matt Darriau (kaval, clarinet, alto sax, gaida); Kenny Margolis (accordion, harmonium); Ray Peterson (double bass); Boris Kinberg (percussion, timbales, gong); Rohin Khemani (tabla, percussion); John Turner (trumpet) and Chris Morrow (trombone). Continue reading →

Concert Review: Mohsen Namjoo (Iran)…This is the heart and soul of post-revolutionary Iran, which is trying to hold its Persian roots while at the same time surviving in a country not their own.

Venue:  Drom (NY)
Date: August 2, 2013

Review by Dawoud Kringel

On a beautiful summer night, Drom was packed, mostly with Iranians, who were there to hear their man: Mohsen Namjoo. After a brief announcement, Namjoo came to the stage, accompanied by Yahya Alkhansa (member of 127) on percussion. At this point, I must admit I’d never heard Namjoo before this night. Nothing could have prepared me for the performance I was to hear.

A purposefully struck chord cut through the air like the azan or adhan (Islamic call to prayer). A mournful rhythm with two chords was joined by the percussion. Suddenly, a frightening voice broke through. Like Tom Waits crawling through a desert, emerging from a torturous meditation, hallucinating djinns masquerading as Screaming Jay Hawkins reincarnated as a mad Sufi. Weird falsettos and rumbling basso popping out and ambushing the ears. All thus manifesting within a sparse rhythm in an improbable Persian time signature.

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