Angelique Kidjo

I've always said that next to New York, the Bay Area has the most diverse and deep live music programming.  Cal Performances often rivals SF Jazz for improvised and world music performers.  The other week Angelique Kidjo came to Zellerbach.  I've seen her many times, and she is always inspirational.  Born in Benin, and forced into exile, like her mentor Miriam Makeba, she is a symbol of freedom and emancipation.  Influenced deeply by Benin culture, and pop, rock, Latin, and jazz, she is a cross cultural icon who overtly calls her audience to liberation, enlightenment, and unity.  I've often described her as an African Female James Brown, but that doesn't really do her justice.  With just Dominic James on guitar, Magatte Sow on percussion, the Brazilian Itaiguara Brandao on bass, and New Yorker Daniel Freedman on drums, she creates a huge, beautiful world music orchestra that is impossible not to dance to.  And dance the audience does, including the ritual packing of the stage for the last few numbers.  And as commanding a stage presence as she is, it is her voice that has made her world famous.  She has a huge range, and can sail over a band like Santana's guitar (with whom she has recorded and performed).  She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and has founded the Batonga Foundation to provide African girls with secondary and higher education.  To see her in performance is to become, if only for an evening, a true citizen of the world.   

Marcus Miller at SF Jazz

I've been very busy lately, and haven't been posting about a lot of great music.  In mid October the great Marcus Miller played SF Jazz at Herbst Theater.  Playing songs from his latest recording, Renaissance, with the same band members: Alex Han on sax, Lee Hogan on trumpet, Adam Agati on guitar, Kris Bowers on keys, and Louis Kato on drums.  Marcus will always, and rightly, be best known for his work with Miles: Tutu, Amandla, and Siesta.  Probably the most recorded bass player of his generation, ala Ron Carter, another Miles alum, Marcus has also put out 16 recordings as a leader.  Milliseconds define a great bass player, and Marcus is amazing.  Han and Hogan, while young men, know the whole history of the music, and can slide from funk to bebop in a heartbeat.
Only Marcus can transition from the lovely ballad  "S'Wonderful" on bass clarinet to straight ahead, to slamming funk, in one seamless meditation on Afro American music.  (As Christian Scott says, "You can describe me as jazz, just don't define me."  More on that important point, next time.

Bob Dylan and Mark Knopfler at Berkeley

Bob Dylan and Mark Knopfler played the Greek Theater in Berkeley last Friday, and, as with every Dylan concert I've seen (and I've seen many) it was both memorable and revelatory.  Knopfler was perhaps the most worthy opening act for Bob since Paul Simon in 1999.  (On that tour they took turns opening, and covered one of each other's songs.  I somehow knew Dylan would cover Sounds of Sillence).  Knopfler is a guitarist's guitar player, and was marvelous.  Clear, precise, and courageously simple, he frails like a banjo player with angelic clear tone.  I was struck by the depth of Celtic music he has mastered, and the whole lexicon of Americana from blues to folk to spiritual to jazz to Tinpan Alley.  Rock is often majestic, (Henddrix, The Who, Led Zep, Crazy Horse) but Knopfler may be alone in producing chamber music.

Dylan, as always, is brilliant, exasperating, and galvanizing all at once.  While playing nothing from his excellent new recording, Tempest, there were many allusions to water and floods. I've never heard him play so many of the hits, and so recognizably.  Charlie Sexton, who normally plays fiery lead guitar, was relegated to background riffs, and Stu Kimball, who I usually think of as a fine second guitar, took the leads.  Bob's piano is primitive at best.  But this night he jabbed chords out of tempo, and often skipped or added beats ala the early country blues men.  A nod to the bassist Tony Garnier would be all the cue the band would receive if a 12 bar was about to be extended, or shortened.  His voice on Tempest appears to be in final decline, but live it was clear and strong, and the best I've heard him in the last 10 years.  The Grammy sits atop the keyboard, the stage persona moves slyly between river boat gambler, replete with hat, and finger snapping, harp playing  lounge daddy, channeling Leonard Cohen through Bobby Darin.  The great repository of American music, from Celt roots through Appalachia, work songs, spirituals, blues, jazz, rock and roll.  It's all there.  Now.    

Amazing Weekend of Music

The last weekend in September was an amazing series of concerts by SF Jazz.  Friday the 28th was the Brecker Brothers reunion (sadly of course without Michael).  Randy, his wife Ada Rovatti on tenor, George Whitty on keys, Neil Jason on bass, Dave Weckl on drums, AND Mike Stern on guitar.  Weckl and Mike soared up to heaven!  Fond memories of listening to the Brecker Brothers and many others at their club Seventh Avenue South in the late seventies and early eighties.

The next night was Miles Smiles with Wallace Roney, Bill Evans, Joey DeFrancesco, Omar Hakim, Victor Bailey fortuitously filling in for Daryl Jones, AND Robben Ford!  I always knew that the great electric period of Miles (and Ornette) would one day be recognized and celebrated.  And with the ascent of Christian Scott, incorporated into a new generation of improvisors.  As with the night before, the interplay between drums and guitar was amazing.  Omar was the premier drummer in the world in the early 80's, and he's just as spectacular.  And Robben, well , he's my favorite guitar player.  At the end of one solo he quoted Some Enchanted Evening. They say Miles cried when he left.  I had the privilege of seeing them quite a few times for the short time Robben was in the band.

And Sunday night was Sonny Rollins at Davies Hall.  A collosus, indeed.  In his eighties, white haired and his huge frame starting to hunch over, he is every bit as powerful and inventive as he was 40 years ago. My dear friend Baron Shul has said that Sonny's universal appeal is that he either plays standards (Once in a While) or blues, or calypso.  And about 80% of his soloing is inside, but about 20% is outside - 12 tone- so he always sounds fresh, and adventurous.  With:
Clifton Anderson trombone
Saul Rubin guitar
Bob Cranshaw bass
Kobie Watkins drums
Sammy Figueroa percussion

Amazing!

Esperanza Spaulding at The Paramount Oakland

A few weeks ago Esperanza Spaulding played with her big band Radio Music Society, a follow up to her hit album Chamber Music Society.  Esperanza is brilliant, and this is her most ambitious project yet.  A true big band, which incorporates everything from funk, to Ellington, to samba, to Tin Pan Alley and Rock and Roll.  The musician credits give a good hint at how diverse and yet cohesive the ensemble is:
 Esperanza Spalding double bass,
electric bass, lead vocals
Jeff Galindo Musical Director,
trombone
Tia Fuller alto saxophone
Daniel Blake tenor and
soprano saxophones
Aaron Burnett tenor saxophone
Igmar Thomas trumpet
Leala Cyr trumpet, backing vocals
Corey King trombone
Jef Lee Johnson electric guitar,
backing vocals
Leo Genovese piano,
Fender Rhodes, keyboards
Lyndon Rochelle drums, backing vocals
Chris Turner backing vocals

As I'm fond of saying, she plays bass like Ron Carter, and sings like Betty Carter.  And leads an orchestra like Ellington or Sun Ra!

Dead Can Dance

I haven't posted for a while, as we have been recording the new Emily Palen release Creation and my new release Cult of Beauty.  But I have been out to see some great music, and there is more coming up this fall.  In August Dead Can Dance played the Greek Theater.  It was their first tour in 7 years, backing their first studio recording in 15 years.  I first saw them in the '80s, and in many ways they are timeless.  Lisa Gerrard has one of the most fantastic voices in all of music.  A huge range, often dipping into eastern quarter tones, and singing in everything from old English to invented languages, she casts an hypnotic spell.  The fans lean toward Goth, which has always amused me, as Lisa is usually in a white gown more reminiscent of Amee Semple McPherson.  And now the fans are mature Goth.  (With quite a few very attractive mums with their teenage daughters, for some reason. Bonding?).  Ms. Gerrard is a great beauty, and her voice has remained pristine.  She did a wonderful solo tour a few years ago.  DCD have always been two bands for me; one when Lisa sings, and a less fortunate one when Brendan Perry sings.  He hasn't aged well, and has always sounded to me like Neil Diamond imitating Jim Morrison.  It should be hard to sound pompous when paraphrasing Humpty Dumpty, as he does in Children of the Sun, but he manages.  Still, to be in the presence of Ms. Gerrard's incredible voice, and gentle, enigmatic demeanor, one would endure far more.    

Mozart

Mozart's The Magic Flute is one of the most complete works of art I know.  Often underestimated, it has everything from comedy, to drama, to the profound nature of good and evil, light and dark.  SF Opera's recent production, with sets and costumes by Jun Kaneko, affirm that Mozart is always fresh and modern.  And Albina Shagimuratova's Queen of the Night was electric.  In a week of senseless world wide violence, works that affirm beauty and truth are essential.

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Live Aid Anniversary

On this day – 1985 Live Aid (via http://what-music.com)

On the 13th July 1985 the Live Aid concerts were staged, simultaneously, in Wembley Stadium, London and John F Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia. The event, organised by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof, was watched by an estimated global audience of 1.9 Billion people. It was staged to raise money and awareness…

Pat Martino at Yoshi's SF

The legendary Pat Martino played Yoshi's SF last Saturday as an organ trio with Pat Bianchi on organ and Carmen Intorre on drums.  Bianchi and Intorre play with a musicality and fire that belies
their youth.  I've had the privilege of seeing Pat Martino for many, many years, and I don't think I've ever heard him in better form.  He started out playing in organ trios with Brother Jack McDuff,  (with whom I've also had the prvilege of playing) and has returned to this format occasionally in the last few years.  He started the set with the Charlie Christian tune Seven Come Eleven.  It's hard to imagine the influence Charlie had on bebop; he was the Jimi Hendrix of his day.  From stating the melody onward Pat dove deep into postbop upper extensions and polyrythmic lines.  In fact the entire set was an exercise in making jazz standards that are forty to seventy years old vibrant, modern and even edgey.  The set included Full House, by Wes Montgomery, All Blues by Miles, and Footprints by Wayne Shorter.  All are tunes I still love to play.

June 16, 2012 Jean Paul Gaultier Show

I've been working on a new recording the last few weeks, and haven't had a chance to post for a while.  The Gaultier show at The De Young Museum is a must see:  http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/exhibitions/fashion-world-jean-paul-gaultier-sidewalk-catwalk
Like many musicians I'm influenced and inspired by many art forms.  Gaultier is simply a genius.  He re-defines fashion, eroticism, gender, and culture.  Co-incidentally MTV was playing Madonna's Truth or Dare documentary this morning.  I hadn't seen it in years.  Many of the costumes from that tour and the Blonde Ambition tour are at the De Young show.  I've always admired Madonna's message for young women:  Your body belongs to you, not your parents, not your church, not the state.  Bravo (and Brava) Gaultier and Madonna!   

April 28 2012

Paco de Lucia played the Paramount Theater last night as part of SF Jazz.  I have a pretty strict definition of genius:  an artist who changes the way practitioners think of the medium.  Picasso, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix.  You can work through them, but you ignore them at your peril.  Miles said "I changed the music five or six times", and indeed he did.  Birth of the Cool, Walking, Kind of Blue, ESP, Silent Way, Bitches Brew, changed the way we thought, and felt, about music.  Paco, from his astounding work with Camaron, to Entre Dos Aguas, to Siroco, Zyryab, and Luzia, continually changes the way flamencos view their art form.  Originally criticized by "purists", his command of traditional material and technique is without equal.  His genius is in continually evolving and renewing the art form.  He is one of a handful of the most accomplished musicians on earth; Ravi Shankar comes to mind. This concert featured the great vocalist Duquende, and the spectacular young dancer Farru.  Paco was greeted with a standing ovation.  As is his custom, the opening piece was solo, a beautiful rondena.  The encore segued from Guardian Angels by John McLaughlin (which they used to play together) into Entre Dos Aguas.  In between were two hours of seamless magic.  Bravo Paco! 

April 25 20012

The New Charles Lloyd Quartet featuring Maria Farantouri played Herbst Sunday as part of SF Jazz.  This was a true meeting of world music.  Maria was the voice of Mikis Theodorakis' compositions, and a symbol of the resistance to the Greek military junta.  Charles Lloyd is one of my biggest musical influences.  To this day my love of major and minor 9ths and 13ths stems from his great quartet with Jack DeJohnette, Cecil McBee and Keith Jarrett. (For a while, Gabor Szabo was in the band!)  His New Quartet of the last several years includes Jason Moran, Eric Harland, and Reuben Rogers.  Along with Wayne Shorter's Quartet, I believe it is among the most important music being made.  Charles has known Maria for many years, and has studied Greek music.  All ethnic music has modes, and pentatonic scales, with micro tones (from Indian classical, to the blues).  Charles and Maria blended, seemingly effortlessly, while Eric Harland wove an infinite pattern of rhythms that would have confounded lesser talents.  True Genius!

April 21 2012

SF Jazz Spring Season is in full bloom, so you will be reading a lot about the music I'm seeing.  A disc jockey on our own local KPOO said recently that we shouldn't call it African American Classical music, or jazz, anymore, because it really has become a world music.  The great young flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo played SF Jazz for the second time last month.  Like Paco De Lucia before him, Vicente incorporates jazz harmonies, while keeping the traditional rhythms and palos of flamenco. ("One must respect the compas!")  Anouska Shankar performed with flamenco musicians Thursday night, to demonstrate the influence of the Rajasthani Gypsy diaspora (there were two major treks across Europe from India, in roughly 750AD and 1400AD) on flamenco.  It was a pity that Anoushka didn't have a guitarist worthy of her at the gig. Pepe Hebechuela plays on her new record.  Perhaps an Anouska and Vicente gig someday!

April 7 2012

Many thanks to all of you who made Emily Palen's cd release party such a success.  Two weeks ago Cal Performances presented Zakir Hussain & Masters of Percussion.  Zakir is one of the world's greatest musicians.  A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest caliber, his fame extends beyond India as one of the founders of the world music movement.  From co-founding Shakti with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar, to recordings with Mickey Hart and Bill Laswell, he is always broadening our musical landscapes while re-invigorating his native traditions.  The performance featured Antonia Minnecola, an American dancer who is recognized as a leading exponent of the North Indian dance style Kathak.  Just as jazz and flamenco now have first rate artists from around the world, Zakir has spread the beauty of North Indian classical music far and wide.

March 1, 2012

Last Friday the dave Holland Overtone Quartet played the palace of Fine Arts Theatre as part of SF Jazz Spring Season.  It is a marvelous example of mature and young musicians inspiring each other.  Holland roomed with John McLaughlin in London, and introduced Tony Williams to John via a tape.  Dave played on Bitches Brew with Miles, and is on the Miles dvd at The Isle of Wight concert.  He has been at the forefront of new music all his professional life.  His 1972 recording, Conference of the Birds, with Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton, and Barry Altschul, set new directions for acoustic explorations.  Last year he recorded Hands, with Pepe Habechuela, among the most soulful of flamenco guitarists.  Joining Dave for this concert were Chris Potter, one of the leading tenor players of his generation, Jason Moran, and the brilliant Eric Harland.  They each compose for the quartet, and while Dave is the leader and senior artist, it is a truly a collaborative effort. 

February 1 2012

The new Sony release "Miles Davis Quintet - Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Volume 1" is a must have.  The second great Miles quintet, with Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter is documented live on two cds and one extraordinary dvd.  The set list is virtually identical each performance, with radically different interpretations of each tune.  Miles would lead into each tune before the end of the last, creating seamless concertos.  Herbie has described what they did as controlled freedom; they would play within the form of the tune, and then go outside.  A look, or a motif, would signal when it was time to return to the form.  Weather Report would later incorporate this technique, as does The Kai Eckhardt Band, with whom I'm recording my latest cd.