Category Archives: Reviews

Concert review: META a well-blended confection of jazz and African (both Subsaharan and Northern) musics and sensibilities

Date: June 27, 2012
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge
Review by Matt Cole

On Wednesday,  June 27; singer, songwriter, and percussionist META played before a sparse, but enthusiastic crowd at La Poisson Rouge, backed by Ari Hoenig on drums, Francois Moutin on bass, and Thomas Enhco on piano and violin. Meta’s music has been described as “world songs,” and tonight’s show would feature a well-blended confection of jazz and African (both Subsaharan and Northern) musics and sensibilities.

Meta opened the show playing a tambourine-like instrument (I wasn’t close enough to see exactly what) in an odd meter, and singing in a tenor voice. I heard bits of both sides of the Sahara in his vocals. Then the rest of the band came in, playing what basically sounded like good 1960s-modern jazz, but fitting quite nicely with Meta’s singing. Presently, Meta stepped back and ceded the sound scape to the instruments, each of whom had a chance to come to the fore before Meta came back in. Whether he was singing conventionally with the band, or more orthogonally, it all came together quite smoothly.

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CD Review: Finger Songwriter – Jeremy Siskind’s new CD!

Artist: Jeremy Siskind
Title: Finger – Songwriter
Label:  Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records
Genre: Jazz
Review by Dawoud Kringle

Not long ago, I attended Siskind’s performance at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall (see my review here.) Now, my experience of Siskind’ss music will take a tour of his music in the recorded medium. I speak of his newest release; Finger – Songwriter.

Pianist, composer, and educator Jeremy Siskind originally from Irvine, CA, now living in NYC earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Eastman and his Master’s in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia, and studies piano with  Sophia Rosoff and Fred Hersh. Siskind performs around the world as a leader and sideman. Since the 2010 release of Simple Songs, Siskind’s first CD on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, he placed 2nd in the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition, was a runner-up for the American Pianist Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship, performed at Carnegie Hall, has had his book, Jazz Etude Inspirations, published by Hal Leonard, and has become the musical director for Sandra Bernhard.

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CD review: House of Waters…an astonishing display of virtuosity and musical beauty.

Artist: House of Waters
Title: Revolution
Label: self released
Genre: world/ambient/jazz

Review by Dawoud Kringel

New York City is one of those places where innovative musicians are the norm, rather than the exception. They lurk in the shadows, or stand on the world stage and bring their gems to listeners. One winter night, I went to Pianos in New York City’s Lower East Side. A friend was playing there, and hosting a jam session. I brought my instrument to sit in. Upon arriving, one of the opening groups was in the midst of their set. The room was filled with an astonishing display of virtuosity and musical beauty. I was impressed!

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Concert review: Terje Rypdal – bringing Nordic, impressionistic, spacey sound colours to Manhattan.

Date: June 27, 2012
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (NY)
Review by Jeremy Siskind

From the moment that Terje Rypdal and his quartet stepped onto the stage of Le Poisson Rouge, all my sensory impressions grabbed me by the hand and hurried me to towards a faded word in the dusk light of a pitchy forest: dated. The hairstyles of the Norwegian band were combed with ‘80s cliché, the sound was jazz-rock that harkened to the age when musicians were enamored with “plugging in,” and the overall aesthetic was a tribute to the sort of virtuosity that has – in my vision – gone out of style with the rise of conservatory jazz programs.

Oddly, the band functioned in almost two completely separate units with solos by rock-based Rypdal and heavily-Miles-influenced Danish trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg pivoting around a very able rhythm section of organist Ståle Storløkken and Italian drummer Paolo Vinaccia.

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