Branford Marsalis/Leigh barker

[bodgey]

Leigh - you should take credit for excellent music - you, Tom and Hugh groove your arses off and play great, intelligent, witty music. It's a real band playing real music! To be able to transcend the songbook like you guys do is just fuckin great. The shit is always exciting.

[dodgy]

Mar 18, 2010 15:03:49 GMT 10 alimcg said:

I wonder if you [Dodgy] and I have actually been going to the same concerts?! I thought Branford's band sucked - and I've seen them before and really enjoyed it.

... I basically thought that it was a load of old bollocks ... it was a one-dimensional performance that didn't really go anywhere.

Justin Faulkner didn't really stop playing all night... I'd heard everything he had to say in the first 2 minutes. As for his solo - what a big load of drum wank. To counter Roger here, he certainly did not play with "pace" or "sensitivity".

... there was clearly disagreement about where the groove was sitting at times.

New Tune #2 (or whatever it Branford called it), was absolute shite.

In belated response to alimcg (I've been busy working in the declining world of news media) I can only say that, though I am intimidated by comments from a "God" with obviously much more experience of Branford's band (and much more besides) than me, any of us can only react to a performance as we react on the night. That said, I agree entirely about Leigh's group and about Justin's solo. I am not a fan of that sort of drumming and commented on the way out that I'd much rather hear a solo from Niko Schauble or Dave Beck.

I have never heard the band with Watts. But I was impressed by the delicacy of Faulkner's playing -- the lightness of touch and the containment of his obvious energy -- in the Calderazzo piece Hope, which was such a contrast to the opener Jitney Man. So I do think that he has the capacity to hold back and show considerable expression, though perhaps his youth inclines him to want to rush around a lot much of the time.

I don't have the technical expertise or a perceptive enough ear to judge whether there was "disagreement about where the groove was sitting".

During performances I like to take photos, and with my antiquated camera I need to wait for the moments when musicians are momentarily still, so I do focus intently. And I do think Faulkner was not as one-dimensional as you suggest. There was frenetic activity, yes, but some thoughtfulness as well. He did stop and listen.

New Tune No.2 was not really a highlight, but it was not "shite" IMHO. It included a memorable bass solo, I recall. And in the Monk piece that followed there was lots of great interaction between Marsalis and Calderazzo.

I went to the Shorter concert tired and overworked (aren't we all?). I was disappointed that he played so many 30-second solos. I was in better nick for the Branford gig, and Leigh's group started so swingingly that I was, it's fair to say, upbeat about what was to come. And I enjoyed the fact that Branford talked the talk rather than just walking on, playing and leaving (as Shorter did).

So, we were at the same gig, but my reaction was less appraisal, perhaps, and more appreciative because I came to enjoy. Whatever, your "load of old bollocks" seems a tad less enjoyable than my relishing of, in particular, Hope and O Solitude. So possibly I came out ahead on the night.

And I thought that the sound was excellent from up the back ... for both bands.

[dodgy]

Thanks for that link, Mark. After hearing Shorter in Melbourne, I'm not sure it was the "lolly wrapper" phenomenon alone that was the source of John Clare's frustration. I think Shorter's solos were shorter than acceptable ... for many in the audience, though obviously not for whatever planet Wayne was on at the time. And that's up to him, after all.

[alimcg]

I wasn't having a dig at you dodgy - I was just noting that we had almost opposite reactions to Branford and Wayne!

I enjoyed Branford's relationship with the audience through his announcing - though sometimes that kind of thing can come across as a bit "frat boy" if they're not careful. But, he didn't cross that line in my view.

I don't mind Wayne not talking to the band either though. And, now that I think about it, it's probably better that way - I saw Wayne at Carnegie Hall for his 75th b'day concert in 2008 and he talked quite a bit, and I reckon I was one of about a dozen people who got his jokes!

And, as for sound, I'm glad Branford's band sounded ok up the back, cause the sound down the front was not cool. When Justin was playing with sticks, he was the only thing we could hear with real clarity.

On the topic of sound, anyone else go to Harry Connick's gig in Melbourne at The Plenary? New venue - very conference like, but the sound was pretty good and clean where we sat (balcony, back row).

[LesPoxy]

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[LesPoxy]

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