Mark Guiliana’s Beat Music @ Rockwood

Mark Guiliana's Beat Music @ Rockwood

It has been a while since I last heard Mark Guiliana’s Beat Music (formerly known as Mark Guiliana’s Thing). This time it was with Jason Lindner on keyboards, Stephen Wall on all kinds of innovative and traditional instruments and gadgets, and Chris Morrissey on bass. It was really packed in Rockwood (I hope everybody tipped well as there was no admission). I was really lucky to get a seat upstairs, high enough to notice the words of wisdom “Play less” written on Mark Guiliana’s snare drum I guess actually this straightforward approach is the big charm of this music: in this uncluttered and seemingly simple groove (not so many fancy time signatures) there is so much inner movement and textures that the space in it is actually the thing that becomes irresistibly addictive…

Musically, I think the project has evolved quite a bit since I last saw them: it’s more thought out although by no means lacking improvisation and spontaneity, still. As a proof to that, vocalist Jeff Taylor (in whose band Mark Guiliana and Stephen Wall play as well) got on stage for a few tunes for even more musical energy.

Mark Guiliana's Beat Music featuring Jeff Taylor

For my heart’s content, they even played the classic Heernt tune Locked in a Basement

The only that I feel a little restless about is that, as I’ve heard Mark Guiliana so many times in the past, I wonder if it’s just the grass having been greener or his drumming actually used to be a bit more graceful and subtle those days. Of course, the Rockwood sound doesn’t seem to support such qualities anyway: I would actually be really worried of my hearing if I’d frequent the place a bit more.

Related articles

• Now vs Now @ Rockwood Music Hall (ineskuusik.wordpress.com)
• Nir Felder Quartet @ 55Bar (ineskuusik.wordpress.com)
• Ralph A. Miriello: My Picks for the Best of Jazz 2011 (huffingtonpost.com)

Peter Bernstein, Larry Goldings and Bill Stewart @ Smalls

Lines outside Smalls jazz club

One of those shows that one should arrive early to: we got there about half an hour before the first set (@8PM), stood in line (really awesome line, of awesome people:D) for at least the half hour, and were able to buy tickets for the second set only… So we just had a drink in a nearby bar and came back half an our before the second set (@10PM –  at that point the whole thing was sold out, so I guess they had no general admission really)…

Peter Bernstein, Larry Goldings, Bill Stewart @ Smalls

The concert was great, as expected: they were celebrating the release of the live recording they did at Smalls almost exactly a year ago (January 6-8 2011).  They started with Just A Thought by Peter Bernstein, then bluesy Molto Molto with some Giant Steps influenced changes (by Larry Goldings). Then Django (John Lewis) that started with Bernstein on solo guitar. Extremely beautiful (Bernstein’s sound was just incredible) ballad All Too Soon (by Duke Ellington). Then a burning blues Breakthrough (by Hank Mobley) featuring Bill Stewart on drums…  They closed with a soulful version of Ahmad Jamal’s Night Mist Blues.

Now vs Now @ Rockwood Music Hall

Now vs Now @ Rockwood

Went to hear Now vs Now at Rockwood, Stage 2 (they have 2 stages these days, pretty awesome): Jason Lindner on keyboards, Mark Guiliana on drums and Panagiotis Andreou on bass.

Some of the tunes I had heard before (also have their first record, which is great) and some were new (they actually said they might record a live album at Rockwood on their next gig in January).

The concert was quite packed. I thought it got better and better towards the end but somehow I found it more difficult to be swept away this time. Maybe because the sound is just brutally loud at (this otherwise incredibly happening) Rockwood Music Hall. Must have earplugs.

Jõulud New Yorgis

St. Thomas Church, NYC

Mul juba teised jõulud New Yorgis Seekord üritasime natuke jõule tähistada ka.

Tundub, et siin tähistatakse eelkõige 25. detsembrit. 24. detsembril inimesed veel lõpetasid viimaseid ettevalmistusi: suurem osa poode oli kella 6ni õhtul lahti ja rahvast paksult täis.

Veel üks huvitav ameerikalik jõuluelamus: Macy’s kaubamaja oli alates 21. detsembrist kogu aeg 24 h ööpäevas lahti, käisime seal korra läbi 23. detsembri hilisõhtul – see nägi väja nagu sõjatsoon: hunnikus riided, meeletud allahindlused (juba). Rahval raha igatahes paistab olevat, sest poed on nii paksult rahvast täis, 24. õhtul enne sulgemist olid mõnes poes (Trader Joe’s veinipood) sabad isegi ukse taga, et poodi üldse sisse pääseda. Only in New York.

Rockefeller Center jõulupuu

Öömissa oli ka, aga sinna oleks pidanud pileti ostma

Pole küll senimaani just harjumuseks kujunenud (st esimest korda elus vist), aga 1. jõulupühal käisime siin kirikus: 53. tänava ja 5. avenüü nurgal St Thomase kirikus. Põhiliselt sai ajendiks see, et jumalateenistus pidi muusikaliselt ka suht märkmisväärne olema (poistekoorid). Päris põnev oli – tegemist on Episcopal kirikuga, kus tseremoonia on vist väheke keerulisem ja rangem kui luteri kirikus. Igatahes, terve pikk kavaleht igasugu laulude ja palvetega, juhenditega, kuna istuda, kuna seista jne. Preestri (või kuidas teda nimetada?) kõne oli kusjuures täitsa inspireeriv: selliste heade mõtetegi pärast tasuks tegelikult kirikus käia. Nad reklaamisid natuke oma webcaste ka, ehk siis jumalateenistusest saab kodus ka osa võtta.

Lõppkokkuvõttes lõi päris hea jõulumeeleolu.

Verivorst

Kella 3-ks läksime ühe Sami tuttava soomlanna poole (kes 40 aastat New Yorgis elanud): ta pakkus väga vinge jõululõuna, mis kestis pmst erinevate käikude aperatiivide ja digestiividega kuni 23-ni õhtul Isegi verivorst ja pohlamoos oli olemas!

Duane Eubanks Quintet @ Cornelia Street Café

Duane Eubanks Quintet @ Cornelia Street Café

Went to hear Duane Eubanks Quintet with Duane Eubanks on trumpet, Anthony Wonsey on piano (subbing for Orrin Evans I think), Dezron Douglas on bass, Abraham Burton on tenor sax and Eric McPherson on drums.

I liked the tunes they played (quite old school post bop, reminding a bit of Kenny Dorham) and the bass and drums were just mind blowing! It was the first time for me to hear Dezron Douglas: I liked his playing a lot, I think he really played as if he loves the whole concept of time and being in it…

Duane Eubanks had his son (or some kid) running around  the stage the whole time which was kind of cute in the beginning (and it’s great to have kids experiencing music like this, for sure) but after  a while I found it a little bit distracting, still…

Was worth going, anyhow. And Cornelia Street has nice wines

Nir Felder Quartet @ 55Bar

Nir Felder Quartet @ the 55 Bar

It is pretty great to be back in town Went to hear Nir Felder’s Quartet @ the 55 Bar: Nir Felder on guitar, Mark Guiliana on drums, James Genus on bass and Shai Maestro on keyboards.

As a listener I actually enjoyed most what Shai Maestro got out of the tunes: he had a lot of variety and playfulness in his phrasing, and a variety of musical tools to keep it moving. In the same time, I was a bit perplexed about about Nir’s approach. He sounds really original and takes the music into new territories (away from jazz I guess) but as a listener I feel I’m just not given enough cues to get involved and follow him. It’s difficult to hear any melodic or harmonic movement (mostly just a lot of chromaticism), or feeling of tension and release in the phrasing…I enjoyed the more spacious and beat oriented tunes a lot though (in the end of the first set): I think Nir really excels in the context of creating color and landscapes that give open space for Mark’s drumming. In that sense, Mark’s own Beat Music concept speaks even more clearly to me.

Nir definitely seems to have a following and many fans here as the place was quite packed.  They even have a tap these days (with Brooklyn lager and everything)! Haven’t been there for ages, so I ordered a bottled Yuengling at first and felt a bit out of date…

55Bar have really great things coming up in the next month, so I’ll try to go back soon.

Tagasi New Yorgis

Nüüd jälle üle pika aja siin Lahe! Elame Washington Heights piirkonnas, mis on suht karm võrreldes kõigi eelmistega, kus ma pikemalt peatunud olen… (kunagi oli vist ka New Yorgi mõrvastatistika no.1, aga nüüdseks enam mitte). Oleme siin (Samiga) nats üle kahe nädala ja siis kolime Brooklynisse…

Finnair

Ilm oli siin esialgu nats külmem isegi kui Helsingis, aga nüüd juba täitsa sama (vihmane). Kõik tundub siin olevat suht vanaviisi

Miskipärast sattusime kohe suht alguses Times Square’ile (üldiselt väga ei käi seal), aga tegelikult, täitsa meeleolukas koht…

Times Square

Times Square

Käisime Sami ühtesid sõpru kuulamas ühes hoteellibaaris: päris hea keikka Ma jõin Malbeci ja kuulasin New Yorgi stiilis Recorda-Me’d

Jazz @ Setai Hotel aka the Bar on the Fifth

Pärt ja Estonie Tonique Pariisis

Käisin (jupp aega tagasi juba) Pariisis kahel Estonie Tonique festivali raames toimunud Arvo Pärdi kontserdil ja kirjutasin neist Postimehele ka. Ei olnud alguses päris kindel, kas üldse ilmus miskit, kuna internetist ei leidnud midagi selle kohta, aga nüüd vaatasin, et honorar on ikka kontole laekunud…. Ei tea, kas mõni lehelugeja märkas ka ja kuidas oli?

Le Chœur philharmonique de chambre d’Estonie à l' Oratoire du Louvre

Igatahes, kontserdid olid väga head: esimene neist toimus Oratoire du Louvre kirikus (Eesti Filharmoonia kammerkoor + orel) ja teine kunstikeskuses Le CentQuatre. Peale viimast oli ka valitud külalistele ( ) veini ja suupistetega vastuvõtt (un pot). Igasugu tähtsat rahvast oli kohal (Manfred Eichner näiteks), kusjuures minu suureks piinlikkuseks ei tundnud ma suuremat osa neist ära (Paavo Järvit näiteks polnud kunagi varem niiviisi elusuuruses näinud… Oh, mind kultuurihuvilist) ja sattusin veits koomilistesse olukordadesse vestlust alustades… Aga õhtu tipphetkeks (muusika kõrval) oli see, kui Arvo Pärt täiesti ootamatult ise juurde tuli (tegelikult minu vestluskaaslasele tere ütlema) ja kätt surus. Mul oli nii eriline tunne…

Arvo Pärt @ Le Cent Quatre, Paris