JASON LINDNER: The MoogeyMan

There is a lot to say about Jason Lindner (JL). As Chick Corea said: he's a "musical universe".
Everytime I seem to forget what a great musician he is, he decides to refresh my memory with a better performance.
It's not only the fact that he plays with different formats that can start with a solo and grow to a big band, or the fact that he may perform with acoustic sounds (instruments) as well as sound effects and elecronic instruments, but even if he plays a simple melody or the most complex rhythm it will always sound natural.
JL is so daring that he merges everything with his playing. I'm sure that if you really pay attention to his music you'll be able to listen to life juncture or the most basic human emotions, or maybe, just have fun with the music; simple beautiful and cool music.
Even if you are familiar with JL's style, he'll always be able to surprise you with his warm sound.
I couldn't pick a favorite project in which he's involved but I love the live performances with Baba Israel who's encharged of dub poetics and beatbox on Now V.S. Now, a project with Panagiotis Andreou on bass, Mark Guiliana on drums and sometimes Avishai Cohen on trumpet and effects. (I really recommend the special with Now v.s Now they broadcasted on NPR) Now V.S. Now will release a recording next spring -I can't wait-

Anyway, I saw JL's Big band for the first time about a month ago @the new Zinc bar and I've been meaning to write this post for a while but just did it today.
Let's leave the music speak for itself. Here's a video of Jason Lindner's big band and if you like it I strongly suggest you go to his web page by clicking on the title of this post and also go to his myspace http://www.myspace.com/jasonlindner and listen to Monserrate, a beautiful song which I guess has something to do with Bogotá, Colombia.
Enjoy the video

SHAI MAESTRO

Israeli pianist Shai Maestro at the Blue Note while performing in Avishai Cohen's trio.
He was listening to Avishai's solo that later was joined by drummer Mark Guiliana

MORE LOVE WE GET,MORE LOVE YOU GET

"More love we get, more love you get" said bassist Avishai Cohen last night during his last performance at the NYC's Blue Note where he presented his most recent recording "Gently disturbed". The trio,with Shai Maestro on piano and Mark Guiliana on drums, played music so intimately that a spiritual vibe got into me, specially when they presented "Eleven Wives" where Mark, as usual, extended on an impressive solo, not only as a virtuoso but also as an explorer of the spiritual mood that the music lead to.
Bass intros. as well as Shai's introduction to the last tune they played ("Nunu"), explored extreme dinamics in the pianissimo range and brought to life the intimate sound of souls.


Here´s a picture of Shai while listening to Avishai's solo that was then joined by Mark...Shit...as usual I can't seem to upload it. I guess I'll have to hang it on my next entry

JAZZ: TODAY

The jazz world has lost many of its great figures in the past year, not only musicians but also producers and high executives that believed in jazz. Although it's been a great loss for all of us (the jazz lovers), there's a new brood that's making and playing real jazz with all it's tradition but with all it's new sounds,and by this I mean the inclusion of lots and lots of experimentation. It's not easy to find this visionaries but they exist and I had the pleasure to hear them on Monday night at the Blue Note (New York). It really made me happy to see that this club is opening it`s doors to musicians that are experimenting with new sounds such as the Jason Lindner's band.
The concert was full of energy, as the usual concerts of Mr. Lindner are, but the most stunning thing to hear was the incorporation of new technologies into jazz music, as well as rediscovering a new repertoire that in a certain way, although I'm sure it's not a conscious thing that Mr. Lindner did, they're including movie songs into their performances souch as the Kill Bill song they played last night. And that's exactly what the traditional jazzmen did at their time with the "Standards".
The band that Mr. Lindner brought together was a perfect blending. Avishai Cohen playing trumpet with his 1.000 effects, Panaiotis Andreou playing bass and singing beautiful mediterranean and middle Eastern tunes, and off course, Jason Lindner on the piano, Nord Electro, Moog and synths.
It was a great experience to hear them play and a great relief to know this musicians will continue to develop a music that's been loosing it's icons because their time on this world came to an end.
No wonder why Chick Corea called Mr. Lindner a "musical universe"
Thanks for your music and your energy Jason!