Venue: 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
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.
Artist: Jeff Platz, Fabio Delvo, John McLellan & Kit Demos
Title: Differential Equations
Label: Skycap Records
Genre: improv/jazz/electronics
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Date: Friday, Augusr 2, 2013
Venue: the Rubin Museum (NY)
Review 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
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.
