Jazz Stories

The Nate Smith Quartet made our journey to downtown Baltimore on a rainy Friday night worthwhile, with a great set featuring the Christian McBride (bass), Marquis Hill (trumpet), and Geoffrey Keezer (piano and rhodes). The overall vibe of the set was mostly straightahead jazz, and just a little of Smith’s forays into pop and hip hop shining through. Each band member contributed adventuresome solos to most songs, for example, some unusual piano solos by Keezer. As a bass player, I was particularly glad that McBride had space to stretch out and show what he can do. Marquis Hill covered a wide range of moods to perfection. ...

For a special pre-Thanksgiving treat, Audrey and I enjoyed Billy Joel’s 96th concert in his series at the Garden. His voice was as good as ever, and the band was tight. Billy Joel puts on a good show, with plenty of greatest hits, but also some unexpected covers. He pranced like Mick Jagger to the the Stone’s “Start me up” and crooned “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” among others. Of course, the crowd sang every word of “The Piano Man” – the last song. But then he came back for three rocking encores. ...

We had a wonderful time among the Capulet and Montague families at the Kennedy Center. After the hopeful first half, Audrey wisely noted “This isn’t going to end well.” The closing scene was the best part of the opera, even if the lovers will only be together in the afterlife. The Kennedy Center is a great place to see an opera. Details Location: Kennedy Center, Washington DC Date: November 18, 2023 Attending: Jeremy, Audrey, Eddie, Beth

The perfect Friday ending to a busy week? Bossa nova with Bebel Gilberto at Menlo Park’s Guild Theater. She was accompanied only by an acoustic guitar and drums/percussion, which allowed every nuance of her voice to shine. Bebel has perfect phrasing and played a wide range of her songs and Bossa Nova classics. One highlight was her interpretation of Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. Details Location: Guild Theater Date: September 15, 2023 Attending: Vic, Jeremy

As the lights dimmed, members of Shakti entered the stage to a thunderous standing ovation. The minimal stage set (a low riser, draped in black, and spread with a few Indian carpets) gave few clues to the amazingly complex music soon to follow. As the musicians took their cross-legged seats, a subtle droning sound filled the room. The musicians tuned their instruments casually and settled into their places, like friends relaxing at home. ...