Spoon River to River Festival Rockefeller Park, Battery City July 11th It is July 11th, 2007. You are a well-loved Austin rock quartet and it?s the day after the release of your anticipated sixth album. The release is a career midpoint and a follow up to three celebrated albums. Up to this point, you have enjoyed that elusive balance of critical and commercial success with indie cool. But despite this envied track record and an appearance earlier that day for a taping on Late Night with David Letterman, the band Spoon may have been sitting together anxious. Two years after their biggest commercial hit, ?Gimme Fiction?, Spoon is waiting to start their summer tour in support of their new album ?Ga Ga Ga Ga?, and in doing so, upholding their authority in a genre flooded with new talent, but first they have to deal with a flooded stage. Yes, the prospects looked dim for Spoon?s first out door performance of the tour, as a monsoon grade down pour enveloped the exposed Hudson River stage at the River to River Festival in Rockefeller Park. But there was light opening over in Jersey, and the skies relaxed. As for the band, whatever disquiet lingering was quickly vanquished by the sight of the cheery and hale crowd of supporters congregated in ever growing numbers around the stage. And it was with expressed gratitude to those fans did lead singer Brit Daniel and the rest of Spoon take to the stage, an hour plus late. Act two for Spoon?s career was looking good. Spoon plays stripped down, yet sound rich music. Much of the fullness of the sound is sourced from the strong rhythmic connection between drummer Jim Eno and singer Brit Daniel, who also plays guitar. Mr. Daniel?s dry staccato guitar riffs and Mr. Eno?s heavy footed drumming lay down infectious dance grooves. This thick sound is often counter pointed by Mr. Daniel?s raw, but pop friendly voice that is refreshingly non-plaintive and likes to swaggers. Mr. Daniel definitely views himself as a rock star, and we are glad for it. He is physical and self-assured on stage, while embracing the live moment. At times he will summon feedback from his amp and crunch his delay and distortion boxes. Acts that risk self-indulgence, but on cue with the break in the song, he will reins himself back to the mic and belt out the next verse. Despite some muscular guitar moments, Spoon is not a guitar power group. The instrument is paired with an electric organ, played by Eric Harvey. On one of the opening songs of Wednesday night?s performance, ?My Mathematical Mind?, the piano takes the melodic lead, and allows Mr. Daniel to sing strongly, and undulate his voice with the pattern of the melody and rhythm. Although the song is a crowd favorite, his voice is more compelling on the album, ?Gimme Fiction?. Out in the elements that night, his range seemed compressed and some nuanced notes were strained and off kilter. The band introduced several songs from the new album, the first of which was their single?Don?t make me a Target?. An advisory anthem, the song sits back on a heavy martial beat, and has cautionary law and order imagery. The song is catchy, but not a big departure from the sound on previous albums. On the other hand, another new single, ?The Underdog? is a lush and expansive piece that incorporates a horn section. The horns swing and a portrait of doom is painted with sunny bright strokes. There is abandon to the song, that seems to say, grab the girl, the wine and dance till dawn, because tomorrow it will be all over. Brit and company also honored some of its now ubiquitous hits like ?I Turn My Camera On?, and brought the horns back for ?Don?t Let It Get You Down?. Spoon has long summer of festivals and outdoor gigs ahead of them and the rain will challenge some of these appearances. The band will sit listening to the rain from the comfort of their trailer, but they will know not to get too comfortable. It will be time to go to work, because there is a crowd and the second part of their career waiting for them out there in the wet. Photo Credit:www.downtownmusic.net Grammy Award winning trumpet player Steven Bernstein hits downtown this month with his bands Sex Mob and Millennial Territory Orchestra. This Thursday at Tonic Bernstein Plays with MTO at Tonic 8pm. On Saturday the 20th & Sunday the 21st, Sex Mob will play a special performance at the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center celebrating the Greatful Dead's legendary albums Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. Sex Mob will be joined by The Klezmatics, Dan Zanes, Jorma Kaukonen and others. Show begins at 8pm and seating is limited. Winter Garden Venue Info Photo Credit http://www.filmlinc.com/ This Thursday and Friday Cecil Taylor takes the stage at the Iridium. Accompanied by Henry Grimes on bass and Pheeroan akLaff on drums, this show is a wonderful opportunity to see the true maverick composer of jazz. Cecil Taylor's undying passion for exploration and musical purity is his legacy. Click Here for Venue Info Supporting its new album "House on Hill" (Nonesuch), the Brad Mehldau Trio return to the Village Vanguard this week. The cd is a collection of selected work written between 2000 and 2002. Pianist Brad Mehldau and his bass player Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy have embodied the renaissance of the piano trio by exploring challenging original material as well as arrangements of the alternative rock music. Click Here for Show Info On Monday, April 24, 2006 the Urban Jazz & Art Series will kick-off at Tribal Spears Art Gallery located at 2167 Frederick Douglas Blvd. (8th Ave.) between 116/117th Streets from 6:30 p.m. ? 10:30 p.m. The evening promises a fantastic cultural experience with a live jazz performance by The Alex Blake Quartet, bass transformer, capable of making his instrument sound like anything from a flamenco guitar to a set of four tuned hand drums, and his stellar quartet featuring London-born saxophonist Chris Hunter, pianist Ted Cruz and drummer Victor Jones. Throughout the evening a visual showcase of works from abstract artists; Claudia Hayde, David Shrobe and Dianne Smith will be on display and available for sale by silent auction. Tickets are priced at $25 and can be purchased on line at www@vgjazz.com or by calling (646) 234-0349. Photo Credit www.jazzaldia.com Beginning on Tuesday night, pianist Robert Glasper begins his five evening stand at the Village Vanguard, accompanied by bass player Vicente Arche and drummer Damion Reid. Known for his work with R&B group Bilal, and projects of his own, Glasper's group is part of the young guard of piano trios that is impacting the jazz scene today. Check it out! Click Here for Set and Venue Info This Friday night at The Five Spot in Fort Greene, C-Ups and his Afrobeat orchestra return to the stage. C-Ups brings together some of the most colorful and talented musicians to fill out his voice of the sound that 1970's Nigerian music super star Fela Kuti brought to the world. Get ready to dance! Click Here Set and Venue Info New Orleans is currenty in chaos and nearing total disaster. Please read the follow if you would like to help the jazz community aid the relief effort. WHAT: ?WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN:? is a weeklong relief effort beginning September 11, 2005. During this week, participating bars and clubs have agreed to donate portions of their sales to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund. Information for participating bars/clubs, events and schedules will be continually updated at AllAboutJazz.com. WHEN: September 11-18, 2005 WHERE: Throughout Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. WHO: The following bars/clubs/organizations have already committed to ?WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN:? The Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 212-582-2121 Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 212-581-3080 Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street, 212-358-7501 Zinc Bar, 90 West Houston Street, 212-477-8337 Session 73, 1359 First Avenue, 212-517-4445 The Cajun, 129 9th Avenue, 212-691-6174 Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, 212-989-9318 Detour, 349 East 13th Street, 212-533-6212 Louis 649, 649 East 9th Street, 917-517-9253 The Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, 23 Pulaski Street, Brooklyn, 917-535-9781 HOW: All donations will be collected on September 19 by The Rosen Group, and will be distributed directly to the New York City branch of the American Red Cross. Companies will receive invoices of their donations for tax purposes. A CALL TO PARTICIPATE - 212-255-8455 ext. 25 ?WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN? is a growing hurricane relief effort that is looking for additional New York City jazz and blues clubs to sign on. With so many different clubs, and so many different circumstances, we can?t impose one across-the-board donation policy. We simply ask that you get creative, utilize the spirit of jazz, and give as much as you can. For bars/clubs interested in joining this effort, please contact Mark Ballard at... mark@rosengrouppr.com 212-255-8455 ext. 25 646-391-0453 (cell) This next Saturday and Sunday, The Charlie Parker Festival struts into two venerable city parks. At 3pm on Saturday, Bobby Watson & Horizon, the Odeon Pope Saxophone Choir, pianist Hiromi and Soweto Kinch and Abram Wilson will be in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. Click Here for Saturday Festival Info Same time on Sunday in Tompkins Square Park, Geri Allen, Odean Pope, John Hicks featuring Fat Head Newman, and Cindy Blac hit the stage. Click Here for Sunday Festival Info Both days are rich celebrations of Charlie Parker's, music, life and stomping grounds. Join the tradition. Living in New York does mean a tolerance to humidity, but with that is an entitlement to free concerts in our parks that celebrate local talent. Such is the offering in the flavorful Fort Greene Music Fest in Fort Greene Park on Saturday afternoon. From 12pm to 7pm, an electic group of musicians will fill the park with sound and dancing. In classic Brooklyn style, the music will range from DJ Beat to Blues and Afro-beat. Go get you some! Click Here for Concert Info