Sunday, May 17, 2009

Tunes...

I enjoyed an excellent evening of entertainment last night.  I like my entertainment live.  I headed out to the SoulFood bookstore -http://soulfoodbooks.com/OldRoot/- and caught Cascade Jazz Trio - Brian, Court and John doing their thing for several hours.  If they would've kept up for another couple hours, I wouldn't have minded.   I'd heard their Mantra CD.  I have my favorite cuts.  I kinda knew what I was walking into, but noooooo.  Live is better - way better.  You know how when you meet someone in person they are even better looking than their picture?  This was one of those.  These three, plus Sura Charlier on horns, was hot.

I'm sorry I didn't take a photo...pictures are always worth a thousand words (so get ready).  I'm also sorry I'm too lazy to figure out how to download a tune onto the sidebar here for you.  But, it wouldn't have been what I heard last night (although close is good too).  If you are looking for Lounge Lizard Jazz you've come to the wrong place.  Connections were made.  Songs were sung without words. Is synergy a good word here?  Cliche, nonetheless, I'll go with that.

Brian's drumming was surprising.  It had a pallette cleansing freshness to it.  His ability to "speak up" was fascinating especially when his drums and hats whispered.  I found him original and charming.  What a great voice and he didn't say a word.  I thought Court was going to climb up onto his bass more than once as he pulled tones and thoughts from her.  Whether his feet were on the ground figuratively or not, I heard a relationship that spoke volumes worth listening to.  Sura had a beautiful collection of horns to choose from that she played beautifully.  Amazing talent, in control and bending with it.  I had the occassion to say hi to Sura between sets and she said regarding playing with the Trio - they're the ready canvas, she only needs to bring her colors.  All the group was color.  John on piano, and flute occassionally, had color to spare.  Some tunes pulled me right in.

Two tunes I feel the need to mention (I'd love a tape from last night) "Icarus" (author unknown because I'm a dolt when it comes to music) and Court's original "The Promise"; encore pieces each.

Here's my shameless plug - The Cascade Jazz Trio is playing next in Kent at the Kona Kai (no website, but some great "yelps").  I'm told it'll be "very different".  Singer Susanna Fuller will be joining them.    http://www.cascadejazz.com.  All I can say is you'll know where I'll be in a couple weeks.  And I won't be so suprised.

You know, every day is a good day.  I would do yesterday AND today over again.  I would do this whole weekend over again, it's been that good.

3 comments:

  1. Please don't use the word "synergy". "Synergize" is stitched on the backs of our company shirts and I am positive that not a single employee knows what it means.
    :-)

    Aside from that, you write a hell of a good critique, S. Supposedly we have similar events here, but I never pay attention to the ads, yanno?

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  2. Here, Doug...just so we can both be smarty-pants...

    "syn·er·gy (sĭn'ər-jē)
    n. pl. syn·er·gies
    The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects."

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  3. Well, that lets my company out of synergy. There is no longer two partners, only a single owner, but he is a force to be reckoned with.

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