Category Archives: Concert And Event Reviews

Concert Review: Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe… in the presence of a strong, larger-than-life personality.

Date: March 16, 2013
Venue: BAM Cafe (Brooklyn)

Review, video and photos by Dawoud Kringle

There was high energy in the packed venue. Tension rose as the musicians drifted toward the stage, making last minute preparations. Then, after the MC spoke to the crowd introducing Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe a blues pulse drew the audience into its hypnotic undertow. The band moved toward their places, and held up the rock solid pulse the bass drum invoked.

Shelley profileThen Shelley Nichole took the stage. When Shelley takes the stage, there is nothing subtle about it. You know you’re in the presence of a strong, larger-than-life personality. Her powerful voice and indomitable presence are impossible to ignore. Working the crowd like a Baptist preacher, she deftly combines the old time streetwise vibe of a blues singer with the flamboyance of the classic R&B soul funk singers such as LaBelle, Grace Jones, etc.

Continue reading →

Concert Review: Elikeh passed the field test for producing dance energy and getting a crowd going…

Date: February 22, 2013
Venue: Drom (NY)

Review by Matt Cole

On 22 February, Washington D.C.- based multinational band Elikeh played at DROM in Alphabet City. The show was a make-up for an earlier date cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. As I had enjoyed their new CD, Between 2 Worlds, I was looking forward to hearing their live performance.

Massama Dogo (photo courtesy of Massama Dogo)

Massama Dogo (photo courtesy of Massama Dogo)

Continue reading →

Concert review: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi mixing Iranian influences with the passionate tone of a well seasoned club musician.

Date: March 6th, 2013
Location: house concert in Bloomington, Illinois
Review by Phil

Experiencing Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (leader of NY’s SoSaLa) perform at a small-yet-packed house show was a unique night.  Not only was the audience of roughly 30 people (half of them children) different from the usual house shows, but Sohrab’s ability to combine commentary on each song and then blast into high volume horn blowing created an intimate and entertaining evening. I was moved by his personal accounts and melodic songs that mixed Iranian influences with the passionate tone of a well seasoned club musician.

Continue reading →

Concert Review: The Dissident Arts Orchestra Plays “Battleship Potemkin”

598380_10151721267919115_1729770145_nDate: Saturday, February 16, 2013
Venue: 17 Frost Theatre of the Arts

Review by Matt Cole

On Saturday, 16 February, THE DISSIDENT ARTS ORCHESTRA, provided an improvised score to a newly restored version of Sergei Eisenstein’s seminal film Battleship Potemkin at the 17 Frost Theatre of the Arts in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Led and conducted by THE RED MICRPHONE‘s vibraphonist/percussionist John Pietaro , the Orchestra included on this night Nora McCarthy on vocals, Cheryl Pyle on flute, Quincy Saul on clarinet, Rocco John Iacovone on soprano and alto saxes, Patrick Brennan on alto, Ras Moshe on soprano, tenor and flute; SoSaLa‘s Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (making his debut with the DAO) on tenor sax and vocals, Alon Nechustan on accordion, Javier Hernandez-Miyares on electric guitar, Laurie Towers on electric bass, Nicolas Let-man-Burtinovic on double bass, and Hollis Headrick on drums and percussion.

Continue reading →

Concert Review: THE RED MICROPHONE performing protest jazz music

Date: February 5, 2013
Venue: Shapeshifter (NY)

Text by Dawoud Kringle

On a cold winter night in Brooklyn,THE RED MICROPHONE brought its special brand of new revolutionary jazz & poetry to Shapeshifter Lab. Red Microphone consisted of John Pietaro (vibraphone, percussion), Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic (bass), Rocco John Iacovone (saxophones), and New York mainstay and master musician Ras Moshe (saxophones, flute, percussion). For the first set, Italian poet Erika Dagnino joined the group.

The vibes started with mysterious chords, saxophones answered. A conversation began between instruments. Poetry insinuated itself into
the music, its hardened sophistication daring you to listen. Instruments made comments, affirmations, and suggestions. At one point, the bass took center of music, then Ras took over, and his dialogue was joined by soprano sax. Suddenly, the poetry morphed from Italian into English, delivered in dramatic smoldering passion, underscored by Erika’s thick Italian accent.

Continue reading →