Category: Concert Reviews
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Indofunk’s Raga Jazz Jam
When a sitar weaves around a sax solo that’s handed off to a sliding trumpet, you’ve entered the realm of Indofunk. Named for his signature musical style, Indofunk plays the firebird trumpet, a 3-valved trumpet equipped with a trombone-like slide. He hosted an open Raga Jazz Jam at the Fifth Hammer Brewing Co’s Brewside Lounge… Read more
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Back to the Futurism: Kraftwerk @ King’s Theatre, Brooklyn, 3/13/25
Man-machine, computer-love, dance music played to a sold out theater of seated adults, a song called “Musique Non Stop” immediately before the concert stops… Kraftwerk juxtaposes unlikely concepts with infectious rhythm, mesmerizing colors and anachronistic techno-optimism. German quartet Kraftwerk pioneered electronic music starting in 1970. Their music has inspired nearly everyone making electronica or techno… Read more
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Fifth Hammer Brewing Serves Up Hoppy Jazz
It’s not every night that a rubber chicken squawks in the middle of a drum solo, but anything goes when jazz bubbles in a casual setting. Long Island City’s Fifth Hammer Brewing Co offers live music in the Brewside Lounge as eclectic as the beer selection. Wednesdays see brewery owner Chris Cuzme trade in his… Read more
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75 Dollar Bill & BASIC @ The Sultan Room, Brooklyn, 12/4/24
I found myself on a recent evening amongst a ragged assembly of bespectacled geeks in a place called The Sultan Room. The centerpiece was a sunken ovular dancefloor with a backdrop of angular light panels evoking the futuristic situation room of a 70s sci-fi. The Sultan Room is entered through a sidedoor of the Turk’s… Read more
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Beat Round 2: Kings Theatre, Brooklyn, 12/8/24
I had the privilege to see Beat a 2nd time last Sunday. I reviewed the first NYC show in a lengthy and detailed post, so I’ll limit these remarks to some brief observations, fun anecdotes and beautiful photos. As a micro-refresher: Beat is the music of progressive rock band King Crimson performed by Crimson alumni… Read more
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Joe Martin Quartet @ The Village Vanguard, NYC, 11/24/24
Joe Martin looked hip enough to be leading an indie rock band, but he’s a serious jazzman. The audience seemed animated enough it could’ve been a rock concert, but they were there for the jazz. As sax player Mark Turner quietly blew some warm up notes and looked down at his horn dissatisfied, Martin spoke… Read more
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The Vortex, Brooklyn, 11/15/24
The walking bass and trumpet rumbled from a nearby window as I waited to be buzzed in. Turning right down a corridor, I was greeted by a wave of sound, warm bodies and purple light. I had entered the Vortex, a night of jazz and libations shared over a loose network of friends. “I’m surprised… Read more
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Raven Chacon, Che Chen, C. Spencer Yeh @ The Stone, NYC, 11/9/2024
Noise is generally defined as unwanted sound. So why is there a genre called noise music? Who wants to hear the unwanted? Maybe noise isn’t unwanted but undefinable. A conventional song might express some viewpoint or emotion through verses and a chorus. Usually one melody–either a voice singing or rapping or an instrument soloing–soars over… Read more
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Emmanuel Michael @ The Jazz Gallery, NYC, 11/1/2024
The chance to easily see up-and-coming jazz musicians as well as the big names is a privilege of living in NYC. Jazz in my understanding has never been about a final state, so it seems like an important rite for a jazz lover to observe young musicians trying out new ideas. Emmanuel Michael’s performance at… Read more
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Beat @ The Beacon Theatre, NYC, 10/5/24
Intro I recently saw a Beat show, consisting of Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai and Danny Carey playing 80s King Crimson music. I’d been drooling to see this since it was announced earlier in the year, and I think pretty much everyone who attended was a hardcore fan as tickets sold out very quickly.… Read more