Date: January 12, 2014
Venue: Webster Hall (NY)
Review by Dawoud Kringle
I arrived early at the globalFEST 2014, held at NYC’s Webster Hall. Things were already livening up. People were pouring in and milling about in anticipation of a great musical event.
Artist: Richard Bennet
Title: Raga & Blues
Label: Mystica Music (India)
Genre: Raga blues?
Review by Dawoud Kringle
The CD begins with a tambura and sparse notes on piano that introduce an alap in Raga Malkauns. This gradually opens up into a rolling swarm of notes somewhat reminiscent of Michael Harrison’s piano work. Above this thick tapestry, melodies would appear and disappear. Occasional suggestions of a teehai would rise.
Artist: Amy Denio
Title: Prodigal Light
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: nu singer-song writer
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
“Amame” opens Amy Denio’s latest CD release Prodigal Light. An electric guitar figure lays down a foundation for Denio and the others to fill the air with lush vocal harmonies. The song has a very “old world folkish” feel that lures the listener into its peaceful and contemplative world. Flutes and a rubbery bass part work their way into the hypnotic song. It ends without warning.
Date: December 5, 2013
Venue: Silvana (NY)
Silvana, a new venue in Harlem owned by the same people who own The Shrine is becoming the new scene for fine music in Harlem. One can hear some marvelous music every night. One such night happened when Mem Nahadr and her band performed.
Mem Nahadr – (also known as M. Nahadr, “Madwoman” and simply “M”. The name NAHADR meaning “Divine LIght’) – is an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, performance artist film composer, author, independent filmmaker and multidisciplinary video/sonic visionary. Some of her work includes the performance of Butterfly (by Yoko Kanno and Chris Mosdell) for the soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop , a musical compilation entitled: Eclectic Is M, her Off-Broadway performance art piece Madwoman: A Contemporary Opera, and her new Modern Opera entitled: Femme Fractale: An Opera of Reflection.
Venue: Drom (NY)
Date: December 28, 2013
Review by Dawoud Kringle
On an unseasonably warm winter night, in the subterranean comfort of Drom, the Underground Horns (describing themselves as “a 6-piece brass band playing afro funk bhangra new Orleans Latin grooves and beyond”) came out swinging with a heavy fisted, heavy grooving rendering of Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” The arrangement was so unlike the original that one may have been taken aback, had it not been so skilfully executed and utterly enjoyable to listen to.
