Live @ MICHIKO’s…this venue could be a real go-to spot for authentic, expert playing!!!

Date: July, 2011
Venue: MICHIKO STUDIOS

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Reviewed by Jim Hoey

There are a lot of new venues in NYC, and a lot of old ones closing down these days, but most of these are in the Village and Brooklyn. One standout is the new studio space/concert room at Michiko Studios, a rehearsal studio connected with Roberto’s Winds, a horn shop located in the heart of Times Square, at 149 West 46th Street.

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To kick off the studios new Live@Michiko’s concert series, the Tehran-Dakar Brothers came out on July 9th and showcased their signature blend of songwriting and improvisation, with a heavy dose of the latter. The line up this time was: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (sax and vocal), Alejandro Castellano (guitar), Michael Wimberly (djembe & drums), John Austria (piano) and Lucas Jeanrichard (vibraphone).

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The most intense part of this night was the combination of incredibly high-level playing mixed with one of the most intimate settings you could ever hope for. This is a state-of-the-art studio room, sound treated, and ready to go, with a capacity of 50 (but any more than 20 would seem packed). So, once you step in, and situate yourself, maybe crack open a beer that you brought with you, you’re instantly involved with the music making process before you, and sucked into the vortex, so to speak.

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It’s intense, up-close and intimate, and as more visiting musicians and locals start to play here, much like Zorn’s The Stone in the Village, this venue could be a real go-to spot for authentic, expert playing.