On and incredibly freezing night of 15 degrees, I stood outside the venue that housed a special tribute to one of my great teachers- THE LEGENDARY JIM HALL!! The cost of the ticket was a mere $20 bucks but I only decided to attend last Sunday. I had already attended 3 concerts / gigs of colleagues and I thought it would be pushing it a bit but thanks to my brilliant wife (who really knows best), I dressed warmly and headed out into a 17 degree evening to the East side just off the Bowery and Houston Street.
Jan. 15 2012 Sunday 8:00 PM | Honoring Jim Hall
Nels Cline, Vic Juris, Mary Halvorsen, Gilad Hekselman, Adam Rogers, Steve Cardenas, David Binney, Joel Harrison String Choir, Scott Colley and Chris Potter
I was a few minutes after the starting time and found out that the gig was sold out!!! You know that lost feeling of not being able to get into what you knew would be a great event. I could see a duo playing through the window and started crying inside. The doorman was a big guy- ANTONIO - who was a great representative of the venue in that he was meticulous with every prospective client checking ids, and politely informing each person that unless they have tickets or was on the guest, he could not allow them access.I would love to have Antonio as my man in front! He did an excellent job.I was not to be denied ( as Walt Frasier Says!). As I patiently waited for some glimmer of hope,One admission freed up and I was allowed in. I stood my space right to the right of the door in a corner next to a small table! The venue
was packed and I had to see the gigging greats over the shoulders of the folks in front of me! No sweat for me since I am a guitarist who doesn't have to check out that fingerboard. VIC JURIS was of interest to me in that I have known him for a couple of decades and recently worked with his excellent DVD - ALL THAT JAZZ!He has chops to burn and I love the way he navigates around the fingerboards usig intervals of the 5th and 4ths, plus how he plays on the "OUTSIDE"! When you get a chance to experience so many great players strutting their stuff, you realize who many ways you can approach the craft of improvising on our wonderful chosen instrument.
The evening was devoted to either original tunes of JIM HALL or tunes he enjoyed playing. DAVID SPELLMAN is my man as far as the producer of this magnificent event and he is great-having produced many Guitar Festivals here and abroad! I believe he is the best there is and once again,he produced a jewel! Unfortunately Jim could not appear due to health concerns. It was announced from the stage that he called in the afternoon and was sad to inform all that he wasn't up to it. Last year, Jim finally had back surgery for a problem that has been nagging him for years and is still in recovery mode. I called him yesterday-Monday to wish him a speedy and thorough recovery and I would hope that all his friends make sure that he knows how much he means to us as a member of our Guitar family and our Human family! If you see him, Make sure you give him the warmest hug you can muster and look into is eyes and tell him how much you love and respect him and his humanity!
This was an evening full of love and respect for one of the finest human beings and greatest musicians in MUSIC HISTORY! The fact that he can transport to heaven on 6 strings of a wooden box has shown us the way for several decades and I am happy that we celebrate this noble and special human being while he is ALIVE!! There was so much LOVE emanating in each and every performance tonight and I was honored to have been a part of this great moment in Musical History.
I must mention - because I promised - a couple of other fine employees of this fine venue: 1) My beautiful and gracious waitress excelled in quietly requesting orders and gently delivering it with virtuosic effectiveness! Lets hear it for ADDY!!!!!!I believe that was her name. 2) The aforementioned ANTONIO made sure that each and every person entering was fit for entrance and I loved the way he handled everyone with courtesy and respect! This evening was part of the NEW YORK GUITAR FESTIVAL which is being held at several venues around the City for the month of January!
THE VENUE WAS = Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street New York, NY 10002
(212) 477-4155
http://www.rockwoodmusichall.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment