The flight of an albatross

Last week Bille and me went again to another jazz concert from “Jazz en Outono” series. The American saxophonist came to Ferrol featuring the veteran Tony Heimer on piano, the young Héctor Rojo on bass, and the virtuous drummer Nithankar Khalsa.

They performed a good concert. Maybe it was a little irregular concert, Stocker seemed be passing flu. But even with his few breathing difficulties, he surprised us playing tenor and soprano sax both at the same time.

He showed us too what wonderful sound he can extract playing his soprano sax onto the pianos chords. For a moment we thought there was an electric sound in the scenario, but it was the wonder combination

I took some photos. I have no photo of all the quartet, we were in the center of the first stand (but it’s a good place to enjoy ).

On friday Bille and me went to Jon Mayer Trio concert in Ferrol. Bille was tired and he had to get up at seven o’clock. So he didn’t wanted to go too much. “If you don’t go to the concert, you’ll regret the rest of your life”

We arrived at Caixa Galicia Foundation hq in Ferrol at 20:15, and a hostess advised us: “maybe you won’t find two chairs together”. But we found the seats in the first line, three meters near of Roy McCurdy, the drummer of Julian “Cannonball” Adderley between 1965 and 1975.

We quickly got into the rithm. The concert alternated ballads with lively bebop themes, we heard some Jon’s compositions but Kenny Barron, Benny Golson and more too. We were near enough to prove what we could guess by the music: the very harmonious relationship between the musicians were in their faces. Jon Mayer was the leader, but a humbly leader: the main solos were by the young bassist Darryl Hall and the drummer Roy McCurdy, who proved why he has been sideman with the greatest.

The concert finished. The audience remained clapping until Jon alone backed from the backstage to perform one lonely encore. Then he missed again in the backstage, and the lights got on.

Bille and me went to buy the CD’s in the hall. I bought “My Romance” (Reservoir Music, 2005), Jon Mayer on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Dick Berck in drums. Then Bille suggested me to have guts and go to ask for sign our CD’s. I hesitated, I never did it never after a concert, but I followed him.

A hostess said us the musicians were still in the stage. We went into again, and we saw Roy McCurdy and Darryl Hall. I was nervous, so my English crashed a moment. Bille asked Darryl to sign the CD’s, he came kindly, he joked with us saying “I’m Jon Mayer”, then he signed. We thanked him “for the music”. Then he begun to shout at the door of backstage “Jon Mayer, are you here? Jon Mayer, please, come to the stage!”. We were amazed

Roy McCurdy ended to fetch his stuff, and when passed near us, we asked him to sign the CD’s. He kindly too signed our covers, then he sitted up in the stands. Meanwhile Darryl was frolicking on the stage. He proved he could play the drums and piano too Sometimes he went to the door and shouted for Jon Mayer He asked us “What’s the name of this city” “Ferrol”, Bille answered proudly. “Are you from this city?” “Yes, I am, and he lives near” answered again pointing me. “Are you musicians” “No, we aren’t… and we are too old to learn” “No! You are never too old to learn!”, Darryl exclaimed.

After ten-fifteen minutes waiting, Jon Mayer appeared in the door of the stage, Darryl shouted “Ladies and Gentlemen! Jon Mayer!!!”, then he bowed. Jon didn’t realized we were waiting for him, so he began to go up the stands when bille intercepted him and asked for the sign. He smiled, he signed and shaked our hands I shaked the hand who shaked John Coltrane’s hand in the “I talk with the trees” session We shaked the hands with Darryl Hall too, then we run out.

One unforgettable night of our lives didn’t finished in the street: Bille and me went to celebrate having dinner. Talb0t, who had missed the concert because practices in the Faculty joined us to the herbs liqueur and guiness. And we decided we’ll repeat on wednesday with Paul Stocker quartet.

This month begins the fith edition of “Jazz en Outono” (Jazz in fall) series in Ferrol. These concerts are organised by the Caixa Galicia foundation, and these year we’ll have two very interestings concerts: the next nov., 17th the Jon Mayer trio, and the nov., 22th, Paul Stocker quartet (Andaluciajazz, es)).

Jon Mayer is a veteran bebop pianist that even played with Coltrane; Jon Mayer is a Californian sax with a strong career in Europa since 70’s, at the moment he lives in Granada (Spain).
Via Cope radio and La Voz de Galicia(es).

I seldom buy a non pure acoustic album. But this one has on the head two great musicians: on bass Charlie Haden, and on sax Michael Brecker.
The quartet is completed with two members of a new jazzmen generation: pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade.

If you heard another albums of these four musicians then you’ll expect sensitivity and virtuosity, then you won’t get wrong. The first twenty seconds are enough to get the pulse to this album: spaciousness feeling, warmness, introspection, travel along a non ending road (as the life is).

Most of songs have an experimental style. Of course, it isn’t a new thing a fussion classic music-jazz music. But here there isn’t fussion. In the first song, “American Dreams”, Charlie Haden seems to dialogue with the strings orchestra in the skyline; same happens with the fourth track “It might be you” when is Michael the speaker. In “No lonely nights” or “Nightfall” all the quartet seems to ignore the strings orchestra’s entreaty in the distance.

Of course, in an album entitled “American Dreams” could not fail “America the Beautiful”. Maybe you’ve heared this song lots of times in USA movies or sports, but you’ll get the goose pimples with any touch of the bass by Charlie in this version.