Science confirms what
hundreds of songs already knew.*
Had an intense time down in NY last week. The main purpose of the trip was playing the music of Meredith Monk with the Claudia Quintet plus Theo Bleckmann. In the concert, John and Theo's deep gratitude and respect for Meredith were so powerful that I found myself able to inhabit the music in a way which had been impossible in rehearsal. It's really hard music- not necessarily technically, but emotionally, mentally, vibrationally as the Braxtonians might say. Theo's performance was stunning- this music really lets him shine.
Then, on Friday I was working the merch table at the Andrew D'Angelo benefit at the Tea Lounge. Also very intense- and gratifying to see the place packed. Due to my fiscal duties, I didn't get to listen as closely as I would have liked. I did get to hear the Oscar Noriega/Chris Speed/Trevor Dunn/Jim Black quartet though- it was impossible _not_ to hear this band. Their urgency and, forgive the redundancy, intensity, reflected their actual day to day devotion to Andrew in a way that all the blogging and articles can't.
A special highlight: the alto saxophone playing of Oscar Noriega, all too rarely heard at length. I can't wait for his Skirl record to get finished. I'm tempted to kidnap it and finish it for him, in a Teo Macero-esque (RIP) fashion.
*
Lots of new stuff happening, and as usual, I'm not sure how much of it I will make public, or when, but here are a few future events that I _can_ talk about:
Wednesday, March 5Jorrit Dijkstra - alto saxophone, lyricon, electronics
Ted Reichman - accordion
Eric Rosenthal - percussion
7:30
Audible ThinkGallery X, 169 William Street, New Bedford, MA
My only ongoing improv project, this has turned into a real band. Three (sometimes more) strong voices, points of view, positions. Negotiations, occasional agreements, but no backing down.
Saturday, March 8
Jason Crigler Band/Goats in Trees
Jason Crigler - guitar, vox
Monica Crigler - guitar, vox
Ted Reichman - accordion, organ
Richard Gates - bass
Dave Mattacks (!) - drums
6 PM
Atwood's Tavern877 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA
I'm working on a bunch of stuff with the great Jason Crigler, some of which I will be telling you more about very soon. But in the meantime, I will be playing his songs with some truly spectacular musicians, including one of my all-time favorite drummers,
Dave Mattacks. You know, the guy who played with, let's see, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, Brian Eno, Richard & Linda Thompson, Sandy Denny, John Martyn and God only knows how many other hipster mix tape favorites. I'm really looking forward to this. As a bonus, Atwood's is a highly pleasant place to spend some time- fine food and drink and a non-annoying, non-collegiate clientele.
Monday, March 10
The Theater of Cruelty
Anthony Coleman's Contemporary Improvisation Ensemble
I'll be playing with a couple of things, including the Dijkstra/Reichman/Rosenthal trio, as well as conducting and generally making a nuisance of myself.
Jordan Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, MA
Claudia Quintet European TourMarch 15th Bergamo Jazz Festival, ITALY
March 16th Snow Jazz Gastein, AUSTRIA
March 18th A-Trane Berlin, GERMANY
March 19th Kaleidoskop K1, Copenhagen, DENMARK
Claudia Quintet Southwest US TourApril 3rd Dazzle Denver,CO
April 4th U of Colorado Boulder, CO
April 5th High Mayhem Studios Santa Fe,NM
April 7th U of TX@Arlington TEXAS
April 8th NTSU Denton,TEXAS
April 9th Austin, TEXAS
April 10th Phoenix, AZ
April 11th UCSD San Diego, CA
April 12th The Stone NYC
Labels: Andrew D'Angelo, Claudia Quintet