Mannes Guitar Seminar-Opening Night Concert-2013 day # 1

The 13th New York Guitar Seminar at MANNES " Be a Player" kicked off this year's Festivities at the AMERICAS SOCIETY/ 68th street and Park Avenue and is was a sold out crowd!! The theme tonight was "GUITAR MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS" and featured Zaira Meneses ( Mexico ), Carlos Barbosa-Lima
( Brazil ) and a mesmerizing trio of Francisco Roldan,Guitar ( Colombia ),Carlo Valte, Oud ( Philippines) and Rex Benincasa, percussion ( USA ) .Zaira Meneses ( who is the wife of legendary Eliot Fisk ) started off  the evening by playing 3 pieces in the style of Weiss by Mexican composer Manuel M.Ponce. Attired  in a beautiful aqua blue gown she seemed to be just a little cautious in the 3 movements but exhibited an interesting interpretational  slant to the movements.I know this from the early days of my introduction to Maestro Segovia's recording. Zaira's insight was an interesting change of phrasing. Her instrument was a Cedar topped guitar which pretty well gave her what she wanted. I had to laugh a little inside as she pulled us into a false sense of quiet and tameness with the Prelude and Balleto then "unleashed the hounds for the Giga. There was an unbridled ferociousness that a couple of times almost got away from her but she reined it in. Her second choice was the devilish 3 movement Sonata of Cuban Virtuoso guitarist/composer LEO BROUWER! Zaira's interpretation of these 3 movements was "Out of this World" and was the finest performance I have heard bar none! It ranks up there with Julian Bream's recording. Pin point accuracy in note articulation was the order of the day! I really,really,really enjoyed her flawless execution and musicality! I am excited even now as I write up this post.Being in the front row center, I watched her dissect  the fingerboard with the accuracy of a surgeon! It was a glowing performance that made the audience wild. I have heard Zaira several times over the last several years and her performance of Brouwer's Sonata "rocked my world ". It had a bite that reminded me of the ferocious attack of her husband Eliot Fisk! WHEW!! She informed us that her choice of the Sonata was due to the fact that her mother is Cuban. She offered one encore- A Spanish/Mexican song that spoke of the strength of womanhood which opened with an accompaniment of harmonics. I bring up the execution of harmonics because she played the best balanced harmonics during her execution of the Brouwer Sonata. Too many guitarists throw away poorly balanced harmonics carelessly. Even some of the best artists have done this so this shows a very sensitive touch on her part and I heavily applaud this portion of her technical arsenal. By the way the song was gently sung in an innocent  voice whisked with the air of a floating cloud.She earlier made a comment about her being a woman and how women Guitarists were too often perceived as "Delicate" performers, Zaira showed us that she has it "ALL"- suave and gentle delicacy and a brute force volcano when the music calls for it!

Next up on the concert stage was one of the truly awe inspiring legendary Guitar Monsters of all times- ANTONIO CARLOS BARBOSA-LIMA! I have known Carlos since I believe 1968 when he gave his New York Debut presented by the Brazilian Embassy. I remember it as though it was yesterday because that debut had several repercussions for a great guitarist JOHN VARNER. John had just given his New York debut concert at Carnegie Recital Hall and got a glowing review in The New York Times. John was going to play several pieces that Carlos was playing so they -whoever the powers that be at this time heavily leaned on John to change his program so the Carlos debut would shine and John had to play some pieces that were not ready for concert platform consumption. I felt terrible for John. Carlos, of course was a Guitar Monster since he was a kid and over these several decades I have been able to hang out with him at various festivals and events and he continues to play as though he has the "MIDAS TOUCH"! His arrangements for guitar are supreme gems of outrageous ingenuity. He has so many intricate lines going on mixed with harmonics out of nowhere! Our front row just "ATE IT UP"!!! Since I have known and studied with the finest Classical and Jazz Guitarists in history, I can easily say that it is a true privilege and plum pleasing pleasure to watch Carlos spin that magic that only he can spin on our great instrument. For my money the two greatest arrangers in our Classical Guitar field is Carlos and my dear friend and colleague ROLAND DYENS. Carlos has such total command of what the instrument is capable of that he has you dropping your jaw in amazement at the ease in which he produces "Finger tongue twisters in front of you'!!!! We just look at each other, laugh in a "DID YOU SEE THAT" face and clammer for more. His selections tonight were gleamed from several gems of Latin American culture all of which are on his past few cds. Works were from Mexico,Spain and Brazil and his excellent Prenkert Guitar served him perfectly. As I mentioned earlier, watching Carlos work is and added joy as his great palette of tone produced with his right hand produces the perfectly articulated notes in balance,volume and tone that keep several lines in perfect balance.He also produces great effects of Brazilian instruments mixing Harmonics and Pizzacatos ( as in Aquarelles do Brazil ) This reminds me of the other "effects man from Brazil - LUIZ BONFA whom as a child Carlos studied with.I myself took a couple of lessons with Bonfa when he stopped by Mannys Music Store on 48h street. I suggest you jump on You Tube to experience the flawless playing of both Carlos and Luiz!

Rounding out this great night of opening concert treats was an absolutely stunning and unusual trioof Guitar,Oud and Percussion with Francisco Roldan/Guitar, Carlo Valte/ Oud and Rex Benincasa/Percussion, They weaved a wand of gently flowing mixtures of different rhythms by Lebonese composer Marcel Khalife ( Danse 1,5 & 3 ) and a composer from the Dominican Republic ( who was in the house and received an appreciative round of applause ) Rafael Landestoy ( born in 1925 !!). All three of the dances by Khalife floated on air and this trio was extremely tightly knit. The Oud player, Carlo Valte informed us that the music was for percussion and 2 Ouds so he had to arrange it for Guitar and as far as I was concerned it was perfectly realized in the fingering choices made. Let me also tell you that throughout these 3 dances by Khalife, the trios pin point accuracy was totally amazing! The tone quality on the guitar played by Francisco was perfectly realized to math the weight of the notes of the Oud played by Carlo. Of course the Oud does not have the volume of Guitar and uses a plectrum over a set of double strings but what an enjoyable cornucopia of sound and that blunt attack of the pick adds great bite to the rhythm and melodic line. I remember Francisco Roldan from over 20 years ago when we both performed on a concert series sponsored by the American Institute of the Guitar. It is here somewhere in this terrible looking front room of mine. Francisco was as perfect as can be producing extremely beautiful and solid tone all evening and I was amazed at how perfectly these great musicians were " pin point perfect ". The Dances popped with excitement and I am so happy my wife forced my wimpy butt out because she knows how deeply I am devoted to this instrument and know that even when I feel like crap, the Guitar switches me into YEAH YEAH MODE! Thanks Honey.

This year I attend the seminar just as an auditor since I did not know what kind of shape I would be in. I have suspended my "Music Under New York" gigs as this is my 17th year of non stop performing in public events and I really deserve to give myself a rest. I am eagerly looking forward to the next 5 days of forums as my days of performing may be only 30 years to go or so! Here I am at 63 performing like a young 18 year old. I have been checking out recordings of concerts I did in and around the City and I took things at warp speed sometimes and still have the same chops ( even better ). This seminar will fill in the blanks I have in efficient job management in the current computer age of marketing so that is why I am here for the next 5 days. The concerts will be cream and sugar for my management coffee. I will attend only a few masterclasses since I have grown up on masterclasses my whole life and really don't NEED anymore at this point. I may not be able to produce as much blog for the next 5 days as I did today but I will trickle down some observations as time and energy permits. Remember that at the end of each day there will be a concert to attend which means I will be getting home some time around 11pm at the earliest each night and will be getting up for some early performances so I can only do so much. It is 4:03 am and I better get my butt in for a little sleep. Gotta register at 10:30 this morning so adios partners!!! Sorry if I missed a few words in this post as my eyes are about to pop out of their sockets about now. Catch you next post!.