--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: After Brandon's subdued presentation, the emcee (there were several throughout the day, all DJ's from WFUV)
On the off chance that there are a few NPR junkies out there who are fans of "Selected Shorts", one of the emcees throughout the day was the host of "Selected Shorts", and Symphony Space artistic director Isaiah Sheffer. I just love that man's voice. Nice reviewing Bob! Jenny announced that there would be a short break while they set up for The Mingus Big Band. It > didn't take long, and > soon everything was in place. Sue Mingus served as > emcee for the 5-song > extended set, telling lots of stories about Charles > & Joni, and even dishing > some dirt on Joni & Don Alias. The 14-piece band > swung as they supported the > following vocalists: > > Andy Bey - A Chair In The Sky: Andy's > chocolate-velvet voice was a perfect > choice for this song. Of course, as with all of > these, The Mingus Big Band > has played them many times, so there was a strong > professionalism present. > > Dana Hanchard - Sweet Sucker Dance: Dana came back > after her lovely turn on > 'Lindsay' and did a super job. The band played > flawlessly behind her, and > each song included some nice solos by saxophonists, > trumpets, and behind the > rhythm section was a 19-year old who played 'big > band' style drume to > perfection! Bonus points to Heather who recognized > Randy Brecker in the band. > > Julien Fleischer - Edith And The Kingpin: The only > non-Mingus selection, they > had the arrangement from their work with Elvis > Costello, and for his third > appearance Julien was 3-for-3. Reminded me of seeing > Jason Marsalis' set at > Pazfest. > > Melba Joyce - The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines, > Goodbye Pork Pie Hat: As she > did previously with Harlem in Havana, Melba capably > sang these two with ease, > grace & style, never missing a beat in terms of > melody and rhythm. Singing > jazz couldn't be as easy as she makes it appear. The > band really bumped it up > a notch for Mingus' signature tune 'Goodbye Pork Pie > Hat'. When they > completed, an instantaneous standing ovation > resulted. From a purely musical > perspective, this was by far the most amazing > performance of the day. A > polished gem in every sense. > > I would not have wanted to be the act following > that, and luckily for > everyone I wasn't! That unenviable chore fell on: > > Jenifer Jackson - That Song About The Midway, The > Gallery: And she wasn't > overwhelmed by it in the least. Her performance, > accompanied by percussion > and guitar, was as pretty as the songs she chose. > > Don Byron & Music For Six Musicians + 1 - The > Priest, Dreamland: Does the > title sound pretentious? This was one of the most > pretentious performances > I've ever seen, and the sad thing is that the > players here were really > talented. If not for "Lord" Byron lording over them, > literally shouting at > them onstage, while they were playing, walking > around the stage, playing way > too many solos on his clarinet, and allowing the > excess that ruined these > performances. I mean, each song was 15 minutes long! > While all the musicians > were very capable, they just had no restraint. At > least the performance > featured a knockout Brazilian vocalist whose denim > skirt appeared to be > painted on, and she did lots of dancing onstage, so > I had a nice visual while > waiting for Byron to end, which Thank God he finally > did. > > Martha Wainwright - Roses Blue, Big Yellow Taxi: > This was a real > juxtaposition, because the young daughter of Loudon > Wainwright & Kate > McGarrigle was as UN-pretentious as they come. She > was not that familiar with > Joni and had just started to play her songs. You > certainly wouldn't have > known as she was very good playing & singing Roses > Blue (not one of Joni's > easiest melodies) and BYT, which she slowed down a > lot because she said she > was not familiar with it (!!) She was great, but I > would have like to have > seen a performer that WAS familiar with Joni, like > maybe Bryan Thomas! > > Marc Anthony Thompson - Don't Interrupt The Sorrow, > Hissing Of Summer Lawns: > Marc's set was also very quiet...Oren Bloedow backed > him on acoustic guitar, > and his voice was a good match for these songs. When > a baby in the audience > started to pitch a hissy fit, instead of singing > "wash and balance me", he > sang "wash that baby, please" which got a good > reaction from the audience. > When he sang "a good slave loves the good book", he > repeated it a couple of > times and then added 'a rebel loves applause". An > interesting, provocative, > and satisfying set. > > OK, so now we've sat through practically 12 hours of > Joni covers...one act to > go, and it was another winner. > > Ute Lemper - Black Crow, Last Chance Lost, Love: Ute > was backed by acoustic > guitar, bass and percussion. She made some extreme > facial contortions when > dhe sang but she sounded great. Black Crow started > off very slowly, then she > kicked it in and the Crow was flyin! Last Chance > Lost was beautifully done, > Ute's vocal perhaps even more emotive than Joni's > own on TI. I couldn't help > but watch the guitarist try to negotiate what looked > like some incredibly > difficult chord changes. She closed out with a > fairly straightforward and > very pretty "Love" and when they announced that they > were going to close with > Joni's clip of her singing "Chelsea Morning", we > JMDLer's who have seen it > again & again headed out into the New York night for > some food, drink and the > chance to share our thoughts about the > once-in-a-lifetime concert we'd > experienced. > > Again, my thanks to all of you who helped me share > this incredible day, it's > not one that I'll be forgetting anytime soon! > > In closing...if you have a chance to hand with > JMDLer's, or catch a 12-hour > Joni tribute...do it. > > Peace, > Bob > > NP: Broooce, "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" 12/9/02 Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com
