MetalJazz.com

This record makes a physical impression. Forget that Phillip Golub is a microtonal keyboardist, and just notice how the dense harmonies of "Loyalty Oath" wring your esophagus, and how the killer rhythm-shifts and wild horn-stings of "Cries of the Initiated" make your head nod both up & down and side-to-side. Your ears seize onto the rigging as "Partisan Ship" plunges through its nervous fugue and builds to a screaming blur. "Mutiny Meeting" called to order, you wonder what some slimeball slipped into your drink as you careen out of the bar and walk way too confidently down the street with shooting stars firing behind your eyeballs.

Golub's red-hot band traverse his microtonal territory regardless of whether their instruments are nominally set up for it, with trumpeter Amir ElSaffar having already laid decades of groundwork in adding Arabic tonalities to his compositions, and flutist-saxist Anna Webber previously well versed in the notes between the notes. Multiwindman Yuma Uesaka was a natural, having logged time with both Golub and Webber. And the way these rhythms keep careening around, Golub needed some kind of sparky sprite genius on drums, and Jon Starks qualified.

The whole thing is set up like a suite, with deft synthy interludes, from a cage fight to a ping-zap, so you might want to get the CD to avoid those little dropouts between tracks -- it really flows. Limited edition!

Originally from L.A. and now residing in NYC, Golub is not unknown. Vijay Iyer wrote notes for him; he's worked with Esperanza Spalding and Wayne Shorter; he's studied with the smartest. His previous recordings have garnered wide praise for their originality and their meditational ingenuity. This time, with controlled catharsis and depth, he has just plain kicked ass.


Listen/buy here.

Two totally different improvisational trios, anchored by a focused new-music trio. Seeing/hearing stars.

Dunno how we've avoided taking in the Matt Crane experience, given that his discography includes names such as Dan Clucas, Joe Morris and Jeff Schwartz, but this beardo showed himself one whale of a free drummer, stirring up a subtle pot of intermediation with sticks and mallets between Joe Baiza's guitar and Mike Watt's electric bass (above). Baiza ranged the quiet zone, tingling out single notes and thoughtful dark runs, while Watt listened with one ear to the kick drum, one ear to the guitar, selecting burblesome double-stops to keep the motion in gear. Baiza fished in his bag and landed a slide, with which he scraped a spine shiver that felt all too familiar.

Vicki Ray said preshow that she wanted to call her veteran trio with violinist Jeff Gauthier and bassist Joel Hamilton Gray Matter (below top), and the pianist's pun works. We hope we possess sufficient brains to enjoy their music if not fully grasp its ingenuity, and some of the experience in our brains coincides with the other gray stuff that grows from the skull. The addition of Ray's crisp piano made the accelerations and unisons of Gauthier's "Palindrones" (recorded with his duo, the Smudges) take on a tinge of bebop, putting it in a class with some of Eric Dolphy's late neoclassical work; Gauthier's fluttering electronic effects added zest. "Fist," a jagged Brian Walsh composition, incorporated widely spanned hands on the piano, bowed bass, handclaps and vocalizations. "Anteaters," by composer and trombonist Joey Sellers, turned Ray around to exhale the friendly sounds of her tube-blown melodica as Gauthier and Hamilton bowed up a quirky party. The trio closed with Gauthier's "All Tangoed Up," whirling the dance from hot intensity to slow romance, with a pile of harmonic variations from Ray. Top musicianship -- and, says Gauthier, much of what we heard was improvised, staff tablets serving as platforms. This is what some people do with their retirement.

The bass-drums-sax trio of Miller Wrenn, Clint Dodson & Garrett Wingfield (below) closed with an ever-building set, all three using everything available to them, which was a lot. Wren treated the bass like a bass, but also interpolated pings above the bridge and bowed overtones. Dodson applied a nice liquid touch to the cymbals, and maintained subliminal rhythm for maximum flexibility. Wingfield began with a vocalic tone on alto arpeggios, expanding into overblowing techniques we haven't heard before, and that's saying something. The trio hit a peak when Wingfield switched to moaning, screaming baritone and his mates got into some serious bronc-riding.

It was like switching channels. Except no pharmaceutical ads, and no garbage programming.








PHOTOS BY FUZZY BAROQUE
except Gray Matter by
VERNON ROSARIO

At last, we got to absorb, like a demonic possession inside our very flesh, the Finnish psychedelic metal of Oranssi Pazuzu, and it was better than all six "Exorcist" movies combined. The terminology is a pale approximation: These five disreputable lurkers blasted forth an industrial tangle of rather clean-toned guitars and clanging keyboards, soaked in multiple layers of cavernous reverb and supported by a maximum volume of bowel-evacuating bass. The most metal part of the sound roared from the throat of hulking vocalist-guitarist Jun-His. The least metal part tumbled from the drums of Korjak, who began with a rhythm Bo Diddley would have recognized and wandered through the Arab and African worlds in search of a unifying factor that might be called tribal.

Keyboards and guitars started separately and crashed/meshed together in stormy waves as lightning effects flashed across the stage; Jun-His clung howling to the helm; and guitarist Ikon jackknifed around as if trying to seize a handhold on a pitching, seawashed deck. One selection melted into another, each with a different feel and tempo. Textures shredded our ears with combined simple lines; volume beat our bodies into receptive masses.

Though seemingly prepared, the sold-out crowd at first stood stunned. This was zombie nodding music, not headbanging music, and the audience was a mix of young and old, tall and short, white and Latino, more women than usual for heavy stuff. No agreement among the T-shirts. Between sets, one guy was reading an actual paperback book, using his phone for a flashlight.

When encore time arrived, though, we demanded it. Oranssi Pazuzu responded with a 20-minute storm that made the previous 70 minutes look like a squall. We will remember.

Wayfarer, an anthemic Denver throat-metal quartet, opened with a passionate set of midtempo Western-themed rock. Good to have 'em.


Read MetalJazz's review of Oranssi Pazuzu's 2020 "Mestarin Kynsi" here.


PHOTO BY BUD LICHT

Black Nile's release party for "Indigo Garden" showcased the relaxed side of L.A. jazz. Wide smiles.

Gengis Don & the Empire opened with a variety set. Enthroned upon his drum stool, big New York Don kicked back and ruled via the unusual funky counterpoint between his bad self and bold-toned electric bassist David McKinzie, with Joshua Bryant laying down a wide variety of lush keyboards and Joseph Miller blowing his head off on ever-engaging alto. After a Coltrane-like invocational introduction, Don kept the circus changing, rapping a bit himself then turning the microphone over to a lilting soul singer and to knit-capped rapper Don Smith, who participated in the band's reimagining of Joe Henderson's classic "Black Narcissus." "Cancer" (the astrological sign) proved the unlikely title for a romantic ballad, with sax and bass interlocutions and a whispering drum groove settling nicely into the mood. Special guest trumpeter Alonzo Demetrius spun a spirited solo above the sweaty riddims of "Everybody Wins." The Emperor encouraged us to say "Yeah-yeah!" whenever we liked something, and he got plenty.

Black Nile was a love fest. Bassist Lawrence Shaw mentioned the wayback relationship he and woodwind brother Aaron Shaw have enjoyed with drummer Alex Smith and pianist Luca Mendoza, and the two brothers often exchanged appreciative glances as they dug each other's trips. Although Black Nile began with the riffy "Exposure," the most obvious hit from their new recording, the group's biggest strength lies in improvisation, which poured out of them like, y'know, a river. Bass and drums felt not so much like a rhythm section as like a nimble sailboat at one with (wood)winds and piano. Aaron's lines on tenor, flute and even Electronic Wind Instrument carried substantial melodic, emotional and sensual freight, with technique to back up the heart. For sheer inspirational dazzle, it would be hard to match Mendoza and his light, even touch on the electric piano -- possibly influenced by his studies with Alan Pasqua, but his own wild flair busted forth from behind his calm demeanor. Black Nile slipped through a number of atmospheres, some dense with electronic fog, some plaintive, some foot-motivating, but all inviting. Audience members were heard to comment that they should be soaking up this jazz stuff more often.

* * *


Read MetalJazz's review of Black Nile's "Indigo Garden" here.

PHOTOS BY BUD LICHT

Select chronological listings.


* Birds of a Feather Jazz Lounge is a 50-seat venue inside Au Lac Vietnamese vegan restaurant downtown. Don't be deterred by the "private party" language; you can buy tickets here. Fri. May 1: pianist Michael Ragonese Trio featuring drummer Anthony Fung and bassist Luca Alemanno. Sat. May 2: the finest from the Tradition, trumpeter Nolan Shaheed Quintet. Sat. May 23: pianist Adam Hersh Trio featuring bassist Marlon Martinez and drummer Mark Ferber.
* Fri. May 1, 8pm: Pianist Hiromi's Sonic Wonder, part of the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival, plays the Orpheum downtown; tickets here.
* The World Stage in Leimert Park has Friday 8:30pm PT (and sometimes other days) in-person presentations with occasional simultaneous live streams of righteous jazz; keep up with the schedule here. Donations encouraged here. Fri. May 1: vocalist-songwriter Sheree Brown. Sat. May 2: ambient improvisational soul from Calycosa featuring Tommaso Cappellato, Quran Shaheed, Aankha Neal. Fri. May 8: saxist Salim Washington. Fri. May 15: trumpeter Josef Leimberg. Sat. May 16: vocalist Liz Whitted Dawson. Sun. May 17, 1-5pm: L.A. Jazz Society Vibe Summit. Sat. May 23, 11am-7pm: Sacred Music & Healing Festival featuring Eric Reed, Jimetta Rose Voices of Creation, Carlos Nino & Friends, Kamau Da'aood, Shine Muasi, Nyabinghi Brotherhood, Dwight Trible and more. Mon. May 25: drummer Micah Heard. Fri. May 29: saxist Azar Lawrence. Fri. June 5: saxist Louis Van Taylor. Fri. June 12: JMD's Whispering Giants Featuring Aceyalone. Fri. June 19: pianist Marc Cary. Fri. June 26: keyboardist Brandon Coleman. Sun. July 28, Aug. 23 & Sept. 27, 3pm: Jamael Dean. Sun. Oct. 25, Nov. 22, Dec. 27, 3pm: Devin Daniels.
* Inglewood's midsize YouTube Theater brings variety programming. Fri. May 1: four decades of German power metal from Helloween. Calendar here.
* Fri. & Sat. May 1 & 2: Guitar original Joe Baiza (Saccharine Trust, Mecolodiacs, more) could use a boost with his medical bills. Pitch in for the benefit on Friday featuring Wrinkling Brothers, Jumpstarted Plowhards, Lawndale, The Alley Cats (going waaay back to the '70s for the last one); and on Saturday featuring The Mourners, Garretson & Gorodetsky, The Swords of Fatima, Carnage Asada. Good friends to have. At San Pedro's The Sardine; website here.
* Sun. May 3, 7pm: The Open Gate Concert Series of avant improvisers presents interdisciplinary artist M.A. Tiesenga, followed by the redoubtable cornet-electronics-drums trio of Dan Clucas, Christian Molenaar & Nathan Hubbard. At Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church, 301 N. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena 91103; $10 or more; keep up here.
* Sun. May 3, 1pm on: "Sunday on the Promenade," part of the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival, features amazing bass twister Billy Mohler's ensemble and many more. RSVP here; it's free so I dunno why you need to do that, but that's what it says.
* The Mint (Pico & Crescent Heights) usually has Sunday jazz shows with a rotating early slot and a later jam session led by drummer Kevin Kanner. Check listings here.
* The High Low, a bar (with pool table and good Tex-Mex food) in Atwater, has well-selected local jazz every Monday night at 8pm (and sometimes other nights) in its intimate sealed-off lounge. Mon. May 4: the trio of fine trumpeter and composer Julien Knowles with bassist Karl McComas-Reichl and drummer Christian Euman. Mon. May 11: the tenor-alto-bass & drums quartet of Jason Hayashi, Steve Lehman, Logan Kane & Mark Ferber. Mon. May 18: the drums, winds, winds & bass quartet of Daniel Rossi, Nicole McCabe, Andre Sacalxot & Logan Kane. Mon. May 25: the revived (and historic) Vinny Golia Sextet featuring alto man Gavin Templeton, trumpeter Dan Rosenboom, guitarist Alex Noice, bassist Miller Wrenn & drummer Andrew Lessman. Calendar here.
* Disney Hall downtown presents some jazz and events of note beyond classical. Mon. May 4: the second generation of guitar fusion from the always respected Pat Metheny. Tues. Dec. 8: Kamasi Washington. Wed. Jan. 7: Kodo. Fri. Feb. 19: "Miles Davis 100: Cool and Beyond." Fri. March 26: Herbie Hancock. Tickets here.
* Frogtown's adventurous avant/modern/world club Zebulon offers surprises from the present and past. Mon. May 4: hi-def screening of the restored "Magma: Live Hippodrome du Pantin 1977," documenting the early French prog band's performance. Mon. May 25: Dave Harrington, Jay Bellerose & Billy Mohler. Full calendar here.
* The Blue Note in Hollywood has jazz and not-jazz. We're listing mostly the jazz. Mon. & Tues. May 4 & 5: Jazz, funk, poetry; you never know what bassist-singer Meshell Ndegeocello will throw at you. Tues. May 26: trumpeter Theo Croker presents a tribute to Miles. Thurs.-Sun. June 4-7: Arturo Sandoval. Mon. June 15: Mark de Clive-Lowe. Sat. & Sun. July 18 & 19: Brian Blade. Full schedule and details here.
* The LAX-area bar Sam First offers 7:30pm and 9pm jazz shows, in person and sometimes STREAMING. Tues. May 5: "Revis Presents Mingus" featuring bassist Eric Revis, saxist Teodross Avery, trumpeter Dan Rosenboom, pianist Joshua White & drummer Clarence Penn; good idea, Mingus' compositions don't get played enough, and this is one superhot band. Most other Tuesdays are Happenings hosted by top local artists. Thurs. May 7: esteemed trombonist Alan Ferber Nonet features Mark Ferber, Anthony Wilson, Julien Knowles, Daniel Rotem and more. Wed. May 20: Isaiah Harwood and the Treekeeper with Nicole McCabe, Julien Knowles, Logan Kane & Christian Euman. Fri. May 22: Joe LaBarbera Quartet. Fri. & Sat. May 29 & 30: Miguel Zenon. Look here for full schedule and options.
* The Baked Potato in Universal City presents fusion (etc.) concerts at 8 & 10pm nightly. Thurs. May 7: well articulated postbop alto man Danny Janklow. Fri. May 8: Hammond organist Ronnie Foster Trio. Fri.-Sun. May 22-24: John Daversa Big Band. Fri. May 29: Luis Conte. Thurs. June 4: Danny Janklow. Fri. & Sat. June 5 & 6: Jeff Lorber Fusion. Full schedule here.
* JustJazzTV is a resource for live jazz.
* Fri. May 8, 7pm: "Tribute to John Coltrane" features whirlwind saxist Isaiah Collier plus Lakecia Benjamin, and Tenor Madness featuring Hubert Laws, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Eric Reed, Aaron Shaw, Emilio Modeste & Stanley Clarke. Part of the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival at Santa Monica's Broad Stage; tickets here.
* Catalina's Jazz Club in Hollywood hosts mostly mainstream jazz and singers, but there are exceptions. Fri. & Sat. May 8 & 9: Jimmy Webb. Fri. & Sat. May 29 & 30: Billy Childs Trio. Full calendar here.
* The two-Mondays-a-month Vernacular New-Music Series presents the best Cali abstractionists at Sun Space in Sunland. Mon. May 11, 8pm: the sax-guitar duo of Garrett Wingfield & Mills Chaiken, followed by the percussion-sax duo of Mike Meanstreatz & M.A. Tiesenga. Details here.
* Highland Park's Lodge Room occasionally books jazz, metal, heft and influential obscurities. Tues. May 12: psychedelic metal from Finnland's Oranssi Pazuzu. Fri. June 12: all-female Norwegian black metal from Witch Club Satan. Full schedule here.
* Downtown's Belasco Theater stages some rock, metal, etc. Tues. May 12: Cryptopsy, Necrot. Calendar & tix here.
* The Moroccan Lounge downtown books some jazz, world and metal. Tues. May 12: Nixil, Drouth. Fri. May 15: Innumerable Forms. Thurs. July 18: Anvil. Website here.
* Vibrato, a luxurious restaurant high up in Bel Air, books mostly mainstream jazz singers. Tues. May 12: Session Syndicate. Sun. May 24: Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua & Scott Colley Trio. Schedule here.
* Healing Force of the Universe Records in Pasadena has live folk/jazz/experimental music 8-10:30pm. Thurs. May 14: The Unwrinkled Ear presents Menotme featuring Gerrit Hatcher, Jakob Heinemann, Julian Kirshner and Vinny Golia. Sun. May 17, 6pm: Jeff Parker ETA IVtet Film Screening & Listening Party. Full calendar here.
* The Greek Theater in Griffith Park has outdoor shows in season. Thurs. May 14: Puscifer. Calendar here.
* The Whisky on Sunset Strip books metal etc. Fri. May 15: Gene Loves Jezebel. Sat. June 13: King's X. Thurs. June 18: original L.A. muerte grinders Demolition. Fri. Aug. 7: Angel farewell tour. Fri. Aug. 28: Slaughter. Fri. Oct. 2: Hammerfall. Calendar here.
* Sat. May 16: Longtime piano & trumpet collaborators Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith perform music from their 2025 duo recording "Defiant Life." At Westwood's The Nimoy; tickets here.
* The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills hosts mostly classical but tosses in tastes of le jazz and other flavors. Sat. May 16: Bang on a Can All-Stars play Ruichi Sakamoto. Calendar here.
* Knucklehead in Hollywood has metal DJs and live music. Sat. May 16: Icon of Phobos, Patibulo, Bazaliel, Sacrificial Altar. Sun. May 24: Seregost, Apoxupon, Majick Creature, Existencia. Fri. May 29: hooded Cleveland speedsters Midnight (sold out). Thurs. June 11: Gozu, Restless Spirit. Thurs. July 23: Weaponized, Sentinel Hill, Asphyx, Institutionalized, Headhunter. Sign in here.
* The Jazz Bakery sponsors shows at mostly Westside venues. Sun. May 17, 1-5pm: Vibe Summit at the World Stage. Tickets here.
* The Hollywood Palladium rocked and will rock. Thurs. May 21: Behemoth. Fri. May 22: Dethklok. Thurs. June 25: Killswitch Engage, Machine Head. Calendar here.
* Echo Park's EchoPlex hosts a smattering of heavitude. Thurs. May 21: Gatecreeper. Website here.
* 2220 Arts + Archives (Beverly Blvd. near Alvarado) hosts a variety of cultural presentations including film, jazz & electronic. Sat. May 23: Joan La Barbara and Shelley Burgon. Tues. May 26: Miles Davis "Big Fun" Live Electric Birthday Celebration commemorates the then-reviled and now-influential 1976 fusion double LP with a fine cast of jammers including Deron Johnson MD (keys), Tatiana Tate (trumpet), Dave Harrington (guitar), Salar Nader (tabla), Kaveh Rastegar (bass), Don Brown (drums), Max Jaffe (drums), Kahlil Cummings (percussion), Sasha Masakowski (electronics) & more special guests. Tues. June 2: Eleni Mandell. Listings here.
* Midtown's The Wiltern hosts eclectic acts within its classic Art Deco halls. Fri. May 29: Sepultura. Sat. May 30: Thy Art Is Murder. Thurs. July 2: Jinjer. Sat. July 11: Wolfmother. Fri. Sept. 11: WASP. Sun. Nov. 1: Marilyn Manson. Full lineup here.
* First Street Pool and Billiard Parlor downtown racks some metal. Fri. May 29: Antichrist Siege Machine. Thurs. June 7: Ex-Voto. Instagram here. Tickets here.
* LACMA on Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle Mile offers FREE outdoor jazz concerts every Friday at 6pm from May 1 through October. Fri. June 5: Paul Cornish Trio. Fri. June 12: Ralph Moore Quartet. Fri. June 19: Marvin "Smitty" Smith Septet. Full calendar here.
* The Fonda Theater in Hollywood has occasional metal & world. Sat. June 6: Between the Buried and Me, Imperial Triumphant, Fallujah. Calendar here.
* The Hollywood Bowl is the Hollywood Bowl. Sat. & Sun. June 14 & 15: Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival features some jazz including Robert Glasper and Chief Adjuah. June 21: Reggae Night featuring Ziggy Marley & Burning Spear. Wed. Aug. 5: ZZ Top, Cheap Trick. Wed. Aug. 19: Herbie Hancock celebrates Miles Davis. Wed. Sept. 9: Buddy Guy. Fri. Sept. 11: Blind Boys of Alabama. Calendar here.
* 1720 (east of downtown, south of the 10 freeway) books metal etc. Sat. & Sun. June 21 & 22: Mortician. Thurs. July 23: Dead to Fall. Sun. July 26: Six Feet Under, Kataklysm. Sat. Aug. 1: extreme metal from Japan's Sigh. Full calendar here.
* You say The Regent downtown has fragments o' metal? Sat. June 27: Monolord. Sat. July 11: Corrosion of Conformity. Thurs. Oct. 29: John Scofield. Calendar here.
* The Canyon in Agoura Hills books its share of metal, fusion and original good stuff. Sat. July 18: Poncho Sanchez. Fri. Sept. 25: Orianthi. Calendar here.
* The Forum in Inglewood stages larger touring events. Sat. July 18: Evanescence. Calendar here.
* The Orpheum downtown rocks and jazzes at times. Fri. Aug. 28: Brad Mehldau plays Elliott Smith. Tickets here.
* Sat. Sept. 5: Guns n' Roses tag the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for naming rights; tickets here.
* Alva's Showroom in San Pedro brings in some intriguing music from the edges in addition to tributes and stuff. Fri. & Sat. Sept. 11 & 12: Mike Keneally & Beer for Dolphins. Schedule here.
* Sat. Sept. 19: Motley Crue cruecify the Long Beach Amphitheater; tickets here.
* Sat. Sept. 26: Iron Maiden clench BMO Stadium downtown; tickets here.
* Boston Court in Pasadena is a nice performance space. Thurs. Nov. 12: John Escreet. Thurs. Nov. 19: Munyungo Jackson. Full music lineup here.
* REDCAT (beneath downtown's Disney Hall) presents some experimental music and jazz along with its culturally edgy programming. Calendar here.
* Keep up with L.A. Jazz Society events, including its Young Musician Showcases, here.
* Solarc Brewing in Glassell Park often hosts improvised music. Instagram here.
* Piano Spheres always has topflight outward programming from the classically trained world at venues around town. Calendar here.
* Sound Dhaba in Little Tokyo finds fresh angles to look at music. Check in here.
* The Jazz Salon presents top singers on Sundays at downtown's Los Angeles Athletic Club. Check in here.
* The Broad Stage in Santa Monica books some jazz. See May 8. Calendar/tickets here.
* The Sun Rose, a bar in West Hollywood, intermittently hosts jazz. Tickets here.
* Cafe Triste, a Chinatown wine bar, hosts jazz on Mondays sometimes. Instagram page here.
* El Rey Theater on Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle Mile books yer occasional metal show. Calendar here.
* The Saban Theater in Beverly Hills occasionally melts faces or hosts an outside master. Calendar here.
* Downtown's Bellwether rocks a fair amount. Calendar here.
* The Novo near Staples Center downtown hosts some metal. Full listings here.
* Teragram Ballroom downtown mixes in bits o' metal. Calendar here.
* Downtown's Peacock Theater occasionally books heavy music. Lineup here.

Motoshi Kosako started as a guitarist and pianist, then took up harp as his primary instrument, but the NoCal musician saw no reason to change the repertoire. This night's trio of virtuosos showcased a lot of music you never expected from a harp.

Some seemed a natural fit, though. Dedicated to one of Kosako's guitar heroes, Ralph Towner, "Troubadour's Shadow" was a leaping, Renaissance-inflected reflection balanced by the singing bass of Michael Manring (Alex Skolnick, Wadada Leo Smith) and the tingling percussion of Christopher Garcia (Flower Songs Music). And the harp proved adaptable to a flamenco number, with Kosako's aggressive strums and firmly plucked arpeggios counterpointed by Manring's bullfighting bass; Garcia had even stand-mounted a castanet, which he tickled with a stick.

On a tear-it-up composition Garcia wrote for his first tabla teacher, the harp took on the difficult sitar riff and improvisations, including notes within the Indian scale, while Manring played the role of sliding drone, but in a lower key than Indian music provides, and Garcia flayed his variety of drums and percussion instruments to vary the dynamics -- this one busted the walls. Earlier, Kosaka had demonstrated how a harp can play the blues, even to the point of bending strings. The trio encored with Charlie Parker's foundational bebop number "Billie's Bounce," which they had never played before; Garcia pulled off an eerie bomb-dropping impression of Max Roach sans the appropriate kit, and Manring ripped a nasty solo, even if Kosaka's bop lines on harp hardly made us forget Bird.

Novelty maybe, but art too. And fun.


PHOTO BY BUD LICHT