09-04-2018, 10:15 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-04-2018, 03:49 PM by Drunk Monk.)
The show was rather intense. The Chapel is an intimate venue, only a few hundred at most, a converted church with a vaulted ceiling. John Zorn is hardcore NYC jazz sax player and composer and is celebrating his 60th with a big run of shows, two a night, which started Friday and ends Tuesday, different guests each night. Tonight's first show was him, Laurie on electric violin and Terry Riley on a steinway, a melodica, and I think an iPad. Half a dozen jazz pieces, 100% improv according to Laurie. She introduced one piece by saying as a birthday tribute, everyone should scream like Yoko Ono did right after 45 was elected, only she screamed for a full minute where we only had to scream for 10 seconds - and that launched into the next piece.
The second set was compositions by Zorn, played by his handpicked ensemble - piano, violin, standing bass, cello, drums, and vibraphone - alternating players depending on the piece. They called it 'chamber music' because even though it was jazz compositions, Zorn had written every note. It was exhausting music, incredibly talented musicians - virtuosos - playing so fast and complex I couldn't even keep up. One piece (for violin & cello) was written right after Zorn had a root canal and sounded as harsh as you might imagine, but inspired.
The show started at 6 and let out at 10 and I was home by midnight. Laurie got me a pass to the afterparty, but she left so I did too.
The second set was compositions by Zorn, played by his handpicked ensemble - piano, violin, standing bass, cello, drums, and vibraphone - alternating players depending on the piece. They called it 'chamber music' because even though it was jazz compositions, Zorn had written every note. It was exhausting music, incredibly talented musicians - virtuosos - playing so fast and complex I couldn't even keep up. One piece (for violin & cello) was written right after Zorn had a root canal and sounded as harsh as you might imagine, but inspired.
The show started at 6 and let out at 10 and I was home by midnight. Laurie got me a pass to the afterparty, but she left so I did too.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse