Category Archives: Concert And Event Reviews

Concert Review: Arcane Insignia…a unique trek through fantasy realms that are, at the same time, in sync with the world we live in.

Date: July 24th
Venue: Sullivan Hall (NY)
Review by Dawoud Kringle

After an oppressive heat wave in NYC broke, and enjoying the cool summer night breeze, I ventured downtown to Sullivan Hall to hear Arcane Insignia.

Arcane Insignia is in a category of their own. Describing themselves as acoustic prog rock band, they use complex lyrical themes, instrumental passages, and concept songs in a stripped down acoustic format. The band members are James Alexander on 7 string classical guitar, Jimmy Lopez on percussion, Antoinette Ady on 5 string violin, and Jennifer Catherine Shaw on cello.

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Concert Review: Holly Ann Cordero & Trunculently Audacious… This started as a swing, and went in some unexpected directions. But it still swung, no matter what.

Date: July 11, 2013
Venue: the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe

Review, photos and video by Dawoud Kringle

downloadBilled as “The Sound of Jazz to Come,” it was with great interest that I ventured to NYC’s Lower East Side to attend the CD release party on this leg of the “Sight of Sound Tour” for Truculently Audacious; the band/project led by bassist/composer/performer Holly Ann Cordero.

Cordero started playing piano when she was five, bass at age 14, and guitar at 15. Her interest in all aspects of music has propelled her on a most interesting and fruitful musical journey. She claims to have been most inspired by John Cage and his idea that Life itself is music; and tries to capture that idea in her compositions.

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Concert Review: Elio Villafranca (Cuba) – a brilliant mind exploring arcane and recondite ideas

eliosidebarphotoDate: July 14, 2013
Venue: Iridium (NY)

Review by Dawoud Kringle, photo by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

On a warm, humid summer Sunday night in NYC, Iridium hosted Cuban pianist/composer Elio Villafranca. He was joined by Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums), Gregg August (bass), and Terell Stafford (trumpet).

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Concert Review: Death ain’t dead!!! But who’s following them in their footsteps?

Date: July 1, 2013
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (NY)

Review by Dawoud Kringle

Hailing from Detroit, Death is one of those bands whose innovation and fearless trailblazing was lost or ignored by history. They were founded by the Hackney brothers (Bobby, bass and vocals, Dennis, drums, and David, guitar; who died of lung cancer in 2000, and was succeeded by Bobbie Duncan) in 1974, and after decades in the shadows, they return with new music, new life in their classics, and are the subject of a new documentary.

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A Personal Concert Review: SoSaLa…Sohrab…love to pursue his challenging sounds…

IMG_3465Date: June 28, 2013IMG_7969
Venue: Clemente Soto Velez Center (NY)
Text and photos by Mehran Farahbakhsh

Most musicians bring their sounds into music, that is what music making is about. Sounds to refine to the musicians imaginations, in case of this young man:). SoSaLa‘s Sohrab. Somewhat there is a different jazz in play, Sohrab takes the music and brings it to his sounds, by that I mean, he uses the established sounds of music and evolves it to outside boundaries of recognition, it is his rebellious nature, against the ideas of entertainment, or danceable, or may be your ordinary expectation of sounds, musical tunes are used nostalgically as he is taking you somewhere, an unknown edge of imagination, the high energy state of chaos.

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