Danilo Peréz’s Global Messengers
I’ve always been a huge fan of Wayne Shorter’s quartet with Danilo Peréz, John Pattituci and Brian Blade. And I enjoy each of the artists individually. So I leaped at a chance go hear the pianist, Danilo Peréz lead his own group.
The setting could not be more beautiful. The 6th and I Synagogue is a historic building in downtown Washington DC, and its a Sephardic-style building. Rather than a long vault ending in an alter, the building is basically square, with a dome above four huge arches. The dome is pained a lovely sky blue. And the colors throughout the space are warm and inviting. I had been looking for an opportunity to show Audrey the space and it was a special bonus that Sarah was visiting us.
The group included Danilo on piano with cello, violin, lute and percusssion. As with his playing in Wayne Shorter’s quarter, the music emphasized flowing group improvisation rather than a traditional jazz “melody-solo-solo-solo-melody” structure. The instruments fit together beautifully and every instrumentalist was brilliant.
They started with their recent album, Crisálida. We learned that Charles Fishman, a VIP of DC jazz was in the house for his birthday and Danilo reached into his catalog to play a request he had not played in 30 years. The Panama cultural attaché was in the house (Danilo hails from Panama) and so he also played a familiar song, and many in the audience joined in the call-and-response singing. It was a joyous concert.
Set List
| Title | Composer |
|---|---|
| Suite La Muralla: Rise From Love | Danilo Pérez |
| Suite La Muralla; Monopatia | Danilo Pérez |
| Expedition | Danilo Pérez |
| Adrift | Danilo Pérez |
| A Musafir Blues | Danilo Pérez |
| Seresta | Paquito D’Rivera |
| Suite La Muralla; Muroparia | Danilo Pérez |
Details
| Location: | 6th and I Synagogue, Washington DC |
| Date: | April 30, 2022 |
| Attending: | Jeremy, Sarah, Audrey |