What was your last concert you went to ?

Last night Mrs Lontano and I went to see Gurrumul at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank.

We first bought his album about 18 months ago when living in Oz and it was one of the soundtracks to our final months living there. So we do have a little emotional attachment to the music and the show brought back many happy memories.

Last night after a very good performance from support act, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, Gurrumul took centre stage with his band. It was a short set, but it was brilliant. The guy is blind, but sings like an angel. The music and his voice were stunning. The audience were captivated for the one hour set. Enthusiastic applauds throughout. Gurrumul left the stage to a full standing ovation and rapturous applauds and cheers. There were quite a few tears in the house. Fabulous.

Ukelele Orchestra of GB at King's Lynn Corn Exchange this evening. Very skilled. Very entertaining.

On Saturday we were here:



Second night of the Proms and two concerts!

First Haydn's Creation:



A full house. A powerfull audio visual experience with 160 choir voices and something like 100 musicians in the orchestra plus solo singers. Actually the sort of concert the Albert Hall can do well.

Second Stan Tracy's Genesis jazz suite in its first ( and probably last judging by poor attendance) performance at the Proms



Where are all the Jazz fans? Excellent ensemble band and solo playing. Not so good from an audio point of view though. Drum beats and fast saxaphone solos reverberating around this large space and seeming out of time because of it and because there were not many bodies to asorb the sound.

Still enjoyable showing why Stan T is known as the Godfather of British modern jazz.

regards
Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
Last night Mrs Lontano and I went to see Gurrumul at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank.

We first bought his album about 18 months ago when living in Oz and it was one of the soundtracks to our final months living there. So we do have a little emotional attachment to the music and the show brought back many happy memories.

Last night after a very good performance from support act, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, Gurrumul took centre stage with his band. It was a short set, but it was brilliant. The guy is blind, but sings like an angel. The music and his voice were stunning. The audience were captivated for the one hour set. Enthusiastic applauds throughout. Gurrumul left the stage to a full standing ovation and rapturous applauds and cheers. There were quite a few tears in the house. Fabulous.

5 star review of the gig in The Telegraph. It was such a privilege to see this.

'World music' is such a catch all phrase, it can act like a suffocating blanket thrown over the most varied sonic terrain on the planet, damping down the uniqueness of indigenous music. But every now and then a singular voice manages to float up and really make itself heard around the world, usually because it blends esoteric style with rich tone, virtuoso control and something a little bit more, a quality of intrinsic humanity that stirs recognition no matter what the listeners’ cultural background.
Geoffrey Gurrumal Yunupingu has such a voice. A blind 39-year-old Aboriginal from the tiny Australian island of Elcho who sings in the obscure Yolngu language, Gurrumal (as he is known) has had one of the breakout world albums of the year, and it is down to a voice that resonates emotion. In Western parlance you would say Gurrumal has soul.

He cuts a strange figure as he is led out onto the stage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall by his producer and musical director Michael Hohnen, a wry, white Australian double bass player. Blind since birth, Gurrumal moves with the jerkiness of a marrionette and stares out into the audience with a kind of uncompromising selfness, no dark glasses, no showmanship, no pretension.
He sits on a stool, plays simple plucked guitar (left handed and upside down), and sings his own uncomplicated compositions, songs rich with a spirit of yearning and consolation. The sound he makes is extraordinary.

Notes seem to rise up from somewhere deep inside, spread out in an echo chamber of his throat, mouth and nose and fill the room with his lonely, proud, defiant character. He is simply mesmerizing.

A classical player who discovered Gurrumal while researching Aboriginal music, Hohnen has created an elegant setting for his star, with harmonic counterpoint in the melodies of a string quartet, Hohnen’s virtuoso bass and a second acoustic. Hohnen does the talking, contextualising songs with humour, with Gurrumal (a shy man, who declines to give interviews because self-promotion is antithetical to his culture) occasionally interjecting to whisper instructions in his friend’s ear. Apart from a hint of reggae and one fast paced traditional song (the Queen Elizabeth audience politely declining to join in with the guttural cries of a ’crocodile spirit’), it is sedate and elegaic, music you can drift away with. But there is such a tender, emotional core to Gurrumul’s voice, it never lets you drift too far.

A slide backdrop translates lyrics, revealing minimalistic, poetic songs coloured with the imagery of his native island: animals, ancestors, place names, a constant calling to home. Guinea fowl feature prominently. But it is not necessary to invest in literal translation to connect with the spirit of longing and belonging. In his one English language song, Gurrumul sings “I was born blind, I don’t know why, God loves me so.” Suffering and blessing, its all in there, music imbued with the universal spirit of the greatest folk and gospel. It feels like a privilege being allowed to listen in.

Just back from the Southbank. Second superb show this week there. Tonight it was the Keith Jarrett Trio with Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock.

This is the super group of the jazz world and they did not disappoint. A set of wonderful standards with some just amazing playing. Jarrett is so much fun to watch with his constant standing up, dancing and all sorts of other funny positions he takes whilst playing stunning piano. Four encores.

Hopefully it won't be to long until they play here again.

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
Hopefully it won't be to long until they play here again.

Glad you enjoyed it - as if you wouldn't!
Are there any other UK shows planned?

quote:

Originally posted by markah:

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:
Hopefully it won't be to long until they play here again.

Glad you enjoyed it - as if you wouldn't!
Are there any other UK shows planned?

No that was it. He rarely plays here - the last trio show here being in 2003, and his solo show earlier this year was the first here in 18 years on these shores. I feel very lucky to have seen both of them. Tonight was also my third time of seeing the trio. My first trio show was in Paris in 99 and became the album Whisper Not. I do hope tonight's show gets released eventually as well.

The trio have been playing other dates in South of France, Italy and Switzerland and Spain - they often do. This year there are only 6 trio shows planned.

Next year I need to make sure I attend one of his annual visits to the jazz festival in Juans Les Pins.

PS - The London solo show I saw earlier this year gets released on ECM CD later this year - Keith Jarrett - Testament

Jackson Browne at the Albert Hall 21st May this year, what an artist, what a night, what a man, probably the best concert I have ever been to, I love Jackon Browne!!!

Cheers

Jez

PS Green Day were awesome in concert as well

quote:

Originally posted by Frank F:
Last night - Springsteen in Seville.

They were in the Stadio Olympico - big, shitty acoustic but a fantastic experience. This was a big advance on the Glastonbury gig with original songs and some covers - the final song infact was Twist and Shout in the Beatles version but straying into La Bamba now and again.

They played for three hours solid with no break at all, even between songs execept for 30 seconds when they changed drummers (a father and son act) and did the 30 minute encore. Seville certainly rocked and the atmosphere was - well something to witness,

FF

Frank, Sounds like a great show and going to see Bruce in Spain would be something I would like to do very much. You can see from the Live in Barcelona DVD just what an atmosphere his shows create in Spain.

Max Weinberg, the drummer in the band, also leads his own band , The Max Weinberg 7. They are the house band on the US TV programme The Conan O'Brien Show, one of the major US chat show programmes. At the beginning of this tour Bruce announced that Max's son would play drums on the some of the Springsteen dates so that Max could appear in his TV programme duties. I think he comes out on some dates just to get a bit of practice on some tunes for when his Dad is away.

At the show I saw in Glasgow, Bruce had his three children come on stage at various points of the show. It is becoming a real family affair.

Here is the setlist from the Seville show.

Sevilla tiene un color especial [Nils solo accordion intro]
Badlands
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Hungry Heart
Outlaw Pete
Out in the Street
Working on a Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
Youngstown
Raise Your Hand (instrumental)
Quarter to Three
The E Street Shuffle
Loose Ends
Darlington County
She's the One
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
I'm on Fire
American Skin (41 Shots)
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born to Run
* * *
Glory Days (w/ Jay Weinberg)
Seven Nights to Rock (w/ Jay Weinberg)
American Land (w/ Jay Weinberg)
Bobby Jean (w/ Jay Weinberg)
Dancing in the Dark (w/ Jay Weinberg)
Twist and Shout (w/ Jay Weinberg)

Saturday night. Keith Jarrett Trio. In a word, fabulous. Also saw the solo concert last year. Of the two, the solo gig had the edge for me as a live performance. Can't wait for the CD to be released later this year.

Best, Ponty

Sydney Opera House:

Battleship Potemkin
Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 cinematic masterpiece with a newly arranged score featuring symphonies by Shostakovich.

"Eisenstein and Shostakovich were two of the greatest Russian artists of the 20th century but they never had a chance to collaborate. Battleship Potemkin is the posthumous synthesis of their work. It’s a revolutionary film set in a revolutionary time. In 1925, with his astonishing new montage technique, Eisenstein changed the art of film-making forever. It might be propaganda – it quotes Lenin, its sailor hero has an uncanny resemblance to Stalin – but the emotive power of this influential masterpiece is undiminished.

When this silent film was revived in the 1970s, Soviet musicologists made a soundtrack from Shostakovich’s Fourth, Fifth, Tenth and Eleventh symphonies. Now conductor Frank Strobel has created a brand new arrangement of Shostakovich’s music. At its heart is the formidable Symphony No.11 (The Year 1905), which Shostakovich wrote after an intense study of Eisenstein’s movie and which touches on the same historical events."

quote:

Originally posted by Ponty:
Saturday night. Keith Jarrett Trio. In a word, fabulous. Also saw the solo concert last year. Of the two, the solo gig had the edge for me as a live performance. Can't wait for the CD to be released later this year.

Best, Ponty

Ponty - I was at both gigs. I probably preferred the trio one and just thought it was fantastic as Jarrett contorted his body as he played and then started doing little dances as well at the same time. Will live in the memory for quite a while. Good to have another Jarrett fan round here.

Cheers

Allen Toussaint and Jeff Beck at the Montreux Jazz Festival last week. Both shows were great.

Saw Coldplay here in the US the night before I got on the plane for Switzerland, not that incredible but my daughter had a great time.

Ponty - I was at both gigs. I probably preferred the trio one and just thought it was fantastic as Jarrett contorted his body as he played and then started doing little dances as well at the same time. Will live in the memory for quite a while. Good to have another Jarrett fan round here.

Cheers[/QUOTE]

Hi Lontano.

Surely Jarrett fans cannot be too few and far between on here?!

For me the Trio was first class and as you say, that gig will be a lasting memory. I think I just find the solo performances more gripping, as I guess they are the ultimate expression of the man himself.

As the guy said from the balcony last year 'Keith, you are a Genius' Was it you Lontano??!!

Cheers, Ponty

Tristan und Isolde at Glyndebourne last night. Going to take me week to get my breath back. Simply stunning.

Nitin Sawhney at Falmouth

Such an accomplished classical guitarist and pianist. Talented band. Tabla player awesome.

If you get the chance see this band.

The Hamsters at The Stables, Wavendon (and not Milton Keynes - thanks for pointing that one out Slim

A nice little venue - first time we've been there. Perhaps a bit too staid for a Hamsters gig.

Great gig though and as always a lot of fun. Over the years I've seen them, Slim's command of Hendrix's subtleties just get better and better - and he makes the ZZ Top stuff look ridiculously easy.

Cheers
Scott

Friday 28th August, Coolham Village Hall. Gordon Giltrap, as most enjoyable couple of hours, this guy is a great entertainer as well as being a superb guitarist. He has a wealth of stories as well as a wealth of numbers. My guitarist friend was not quite so taken , with his "assisted" tunes, ie using his effects pedals and "tapeloop" to conjure up, May or Hendrix on a six string baby guitar.

Dee Dee Bridgewater - Eindhoven Muziekcentrum

Excellent. Not a bum note all evening. Plenty of soloing from the quintet backing her. Ms Bridgewater also a great entertainer, her wealth of experience in shows on Broadway communicates with and gets the audience involved.

Thursday 10/9/09 Hammersmith Apollo.
Toris Amos supported by One Eskimo.
One Eskimo, 4 piece not bad , singer seemed nervous looked down, overall good sound, audience and us seemed to like them.

Tori Amos a powerful performance, great(sometimes too much) audience appreciation.
I don't know her work well enough to translate her words from the less than stellar sound system. It seemed to get better as the set wore on.
Two support musicians a drummer and a bass/guitar /keyboard player were very good. Overall effect was a good performance, the slight down being the vocal sound( and the bloody continuous audience movement back and forth).
The guy we went with was going again on Friday so I'll see what he made of that later.

8/10

Robin Trower last night (9/27). Still has the chops.

Tuesday 6/10/09 Crawley Hawth, Hamsters and Wishbone Ash. A great 1 hour set by the Hamsters.
An amazing almost 2 hour set by WA. I don't think I've heard such an in synch band before, a couple of nervous tracks , but they went back to their earlier stuff and rocked out.
Twin lead guitar and sometimes with lead bass as well.

Only did 1 number encore before hey were ordered off.Met the band after which is unusual for a band of this stature.
I'm beginning to think this is quite a fine venue.

Magic,and as they say music is a medicine, I even forgot I was ill for a while.

Nerina Pallot at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen.
This was the first show of her tour and apart from a few technical hitches she sounded absolutely devine. This girl has a wonderful range and writes great lyrics. I would strongly recommend her live performances. Go see her if she's in your area. The new stuff, on first listen could be good, 'When did I become such a Bitch' and 'My last Tango' (great piano)particularly standing out.
Of her last two albums I was particularly taken with Damascus and Sophia although in truth there was not a bad number all night.
The addition of a bass player and drummer added weight to a number of the songs, however for me Nerina solo at the piano or guitar were bliss.
She described herself as the imaginary love child of Elton John and Kiki Dee and did a medly of Elton's work towards the end. I see her more as the amalgum of Tori Amos and Kate Bush.
Yeh, I rate this girl that high.

Nine Below Zero - Boom Boom Club Sutton last night. 30 year anniversary concert and new CD release “It’s never too late!” As lively and tight as ever, Rhythm & Blues at its best.
New CD well worth a listen too as well, some cracking new tunes.

Don

Kate Walsh at the Cluny 2. Very intimate gig. Kate on top form, good backing band consisting of cello and electric piano. Dissolved into giggles on a number of occasions, obviously enjoying herself on her old stomping ground in Newcastle. Support by Mick Flannery also very good.

Diccus too ill to attend so took my Dad as well as my Mum and my Wife. Get well soon sunshine.

Picture of me and the lovely Kate.

Nic