Last week Hot Buttered Rum made another appearance in the cold and snowy northern Arizona town of Flagstaff. The show at the Orpheum Theater however, was anything but cold.
Last Wednesday night The North Mississippi Allstars played like they had nothing to prove but a whole lot to say. In fact, this non-stop two-hour set suggested the trio is entering the prime of their collective career right now in the wake of their January studio release of Hernando.
Though the rawness of their performances sometimes came off as garage-rock, such a thing can be expected from such a young band. In contrast, their slow, quiet songs, though emotional and undoubtedly therapeutic, were rather dull and tended to drag. It is a sign of a band of enormous potential as rockers but with a penchant for clichéd, overly sentimental balladry.
At the tail end of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, up and coming acoustic singer/songwriter Brett Dennen made an appearance at the festival’s Music Café. The audience was almost completely silent as the baby-faced musician delivered an engaging performance packed with intellectual, yet still catchy lyrics and beautifully smooth melodies.
Roots rockers from upstate Vermont must have felt quite at home landing a gig in a Flagstaff, Arizona brewery in late January: laid back town, snowy mountains, pony tails and appreciative music fans. After all it was just a little over three years ago Grace Potter and the Nocturnals were regulars at cozy dining/drinking holes like Halvorsons and Nectars in their hometown of Burlington.
Good humored, self-effacing and articulate in his music and personal demeanor, Jason Moran is one of the most challenging artists of contemporary jazz. The presentation of the concept piece co-authored with Alicia Hall Moran, “Milestone,” on January 19th at the Flynn Mainstage wasn’t exactly a high-tech multimedia production but it was provocative nonetheless, underpinned by musicianship equally passionate and complex.
The Floydian Slips are no mere cover band, and the cannon that they focus on is quite deep to say the least. This Oregon based eight piece ensemble recreates a Pink Floyd experience with tremendous accuracy and intensity.
Medeski, Martin and Wood might seem one of the last viable prospects to share one of Levon Helm’s Rambles at his studio/barn in Woodstock. But it’s the joy of playing, far more than chosen musical style, the former Band drummer shares with these three contemporary jazz wizards.
The real stars of the early show this New Year’ weekend were the same as 2006 but at an even higher level. Bassist Victor Wooten and drummer Dave Weckl simply astound with the fluidity imagination and detail in their playing.
Pretty much everyone that ever played with Jimmy Vivino came out to help celebrate his birthday, as well as promoter Bill Graham’s birthday. Everyone who was on the rumored lineup turned up, plus even more legendary musicians. This was one of the many nights that I’m so happy to live in New York City.
