RVANews

Megafaun featuring RVA

Aaron Williams — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:00:20 +0000

Somewhere between Bon Iver's newest record, their sold out show at The National and trombonist Reggie Pace joining the band, Richmond discovered and fell in love with Justin Vernon's music. While many in Richmond are familiar with Bon Iver, fewer are familiar with Megafaun. That is about to change.

Now based in Durham, North Carolina, the members of Megafaun hail from Wisconsin and used to be in Deyarmond Edison with Justin Vernon. Their new record hits stores September 20th but you can stream it now on rollingstone.com. With a rigorous international tour and a new record, the band will undoubtedly get more national attention in the coming months.

This is good news for guitarist Matt White who arranged all of the horn parts for the record. The record also features many of Richmond's finest jazz musicians including John Lilley (saxophone), Jason Scott (woodwinds), Bob Miller (trumpet), Marcus Tenney (trumpet), Reggie Pace (trombone), Bryan Hooten (trombone), Toby Whitaker (trombone)and Reggie Chapman (bass trombone).

You can catch Megafaun September 23rd in Washington D.C. at The Red Palace with Matt White.

Ho there, reader of RSS feeds! Do you ever want to support RVANews in a real and tangible way? Or at least pay a small penance for reading ad-free content? If so, support us on Patreon for a couple bucks a month!

Toby Whitaker Big Band at Balliceaux

Aaron Williams — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:00:18 +0000

Last week, we interviewed Toby Whitaker about his big band, his departure from Richmond and we dubbed him the newest judge for our DROP THE NEEDLE series. Wednesday night, his big band debuted to a packed house at Balliceaux.

After an incredible and rare set by Jason Scott's Small Town, 15 musicians crowded onto the undersized stage tucked in the back corner of the dark cement clad restaurant. Every seat was taken and an awkward mass of people clustered around the bar trying to distance themselves from the onslaught of twelve loud horns while still being engaged in the action.

Toby Whitaker stands next to the band as he directs and plays trombone.

While this was the live debut of TWBB, the first tune "#2" was featured on DROP THE NEEDLE in 2010. The tune began with large chords created by pyramids of horns grouped across sections. The composition utilized a nice balance between these pyramids and a simple melody interupted by loud horn hits.

The powerful horns eventually made way to Marlysse Simmons pounding away at her Nord keyboard. Drummer Pinson Chanselle Jr. and Cameron Ralston rounded out the rhythm section that pleasantly sounded like nothing I have ever heard before. Chanselle's style of big band drumming is unprecedented. His enthusiasm and willingness to distort the meter and form showed an amazing confidence in the other fourteen performers and their abilities to keep grooving.

Whitaker's writing for large ensemble is mature and it will be exciting to hear him grow during his graduate studies at Rutgers. His compositions feature modern harmony, interesting rhythm and a broad palette of textures.

"#1", another tune featured on DROP THE NEEDLE, started with a horn intro, but the music didn't truly take flight until the seductive bass melody entered. After the saxophones joined, the tempo picked up and Bob Miller delivered a solid trumpet solo. Whitaker took the final solo and his knowledge of the complex backgrounds paid off as the band's intensity built to the end.

Listen to #1:
[audio:http://media.rvanews.com/%231.mp3|titles=#1|artists=Toby Whitaker Big Band]

The fourth tune of the night, "Future Caveman" contained some of the best solo work of the concert. Toby Whitaker, JC Kuhl and Scott Frock all traded phrases over a rim click drum groove, each of them outdoing the next until they all played at once. Finally, drummer Pinson Chanselle Jr. and bassist Cameron Ralston improvised together. Comfortably the two of them, both members of Fight the Big Bull, engaged in a satisfying rhythmic discussion.

Listen to Future Caveman:
[audio:http://media.rvanews.com/FutureCaveman.mp3|titles=Future Caveman|artists=Toby Whitaker Big Band]

Saxophonist J.C. Kuhl trades bars with Scott Frock (Scott Frock) and Toby Whitaker (Trombone.)

The final tune of the night came too soon for many. "#3" started with a constant stream of quarter notes performed enthusiastically by the bobbing saxophones and clarinet of the front row. The bass added on before the brass entered full force and three different ideas combined to create a unique big band sound. Sticking in his upper register, Jason Scott fought to be heard during his clarinet solo. Simmons then took one last tranquil solo that set the stage for the intense last two minutes of the night.

Listen to Intro and #3:
[audio:http://media.rvanews.com/Introand3.mp3|titles=Intro and #3|artists=Toby Whitaker Big Band]

Stefan Demetriadis came prepared for the dark back room at Balliceaux.

Six tunes after the down beat, the house music came back on as the fans were left desiring more. The immediate buzz: "when will this happen again?" I heard countless people state the need for a permanent original big band in Richmond, something that has been lacking since the days of Devil's Workshop Big Band. There is no doubt Richmond contains the talented musicians and composers needed to have a big band. More importantly, Wednesday showed us there is a crowd willing to listen.

Jason Scott (alto saxophone/ clarinet)

Toby Whitaker Big Band:
Reeds: Jason Scott, JC Kuhl, John Lilley, David Hood
Bones: Toby Whitaker, Stefan Demetriadis, Pete Anderson, Reggie Chapman
Trumpets: Rob Quallich, Bob Miller, Scott Frock, Marcus Tenney
Rhythm: Marlysse Simmons, Cameron Ralston, Pinson Chanselle Jr.

All photos by the talented Lauren Serpa

Listening Back: UTV.Chamber and Scott Clark 4-tet

Dean Christesen — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:00:23 +0000

As part of our new weekly series, we chronicle the happenings at The Camel's free weekly jazz series on Tuesday nights. Be there if you can. But if you can't, stop by here every Saturday morning for a recap in sights and sounds.

Maybe it was the HopSlam, or maybe it was The Camel's free weekly jazz series catching on. Either way, both UTV.Chamber and Scott Clark 4-tet had great audiences to play for on Tuesday night. Perhaps even more than last week, jazz's genre boundaries were stretched and the two sets varied greatly.

UTV considers itself to be "avant pop," made up of seven post-modern minds. Trombonist Reggie Chapman is the anchor, the conductor, and most often the instigator, although everyone from drummer Devonne Harris to vocalist Chelsea Temple play that role. In the middle, tenor saxophonist Marcus Tenney, alto saxophonist David Hood, and flugelhornist Mary Lawrence Hicks weave in and out of the limelight, and the band's most recent addition in guitarist Paul Willson is capable of changing textures instantly.

Listen to UTV.Chamber's set:
[audio:http://media.rvanews.com/UTV%20@%20The%20Camel%20(01.11.10).mp3|titles=UTVChamber Live at the Camel Tuesday January 11 2011|artists=UTVChamber]

Scott Clark's quartet is a new favorite. Enlisting Fight the Big Bull players Jason Scott (saxophone), Bob Miller (trumpet), and Cameron Ralston (on bass, with whom Clark also plays in Glows in the Dark and Ilad), the drummer leads his band around adventurous compositions without limits. Ralston's playing anchors the band when it needs to and totally frees itself of strict rhythmic responsibility at other times, providing great counterpoint or conversing with drums in various tempos and meters. Bob Miller and Jason Scott are quite capable of starting a fire while it all churns alongside them.

Listen to Scott Clark 4-tet's set:
[audio:http://media.rvanews.com/Scott%20Clark%204tet%20@%20The%20Camel%20(01.11.10).mp3|titles=Scott Clark 4-tet Live at the Camel Tuesday January 11 2011|artists=Scott Clark 4-tet]

Listen back to other gigs in Richmond

Thanks to Lucas Fritz for the audio, Shaun Lilley for photos

District rendezvous

Aaron Williams — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:09:53 +0000

From the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center to Subterranean A (a basement apartment on R street in Washington D.C.), last Wednesday night was a night of opposites. In an event advertised as "North meets South", Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society from Brooklyn and Richmond’s Fight the Big Bull did just that.

The evening began at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage where free concerts happen 365 days a year. The place was standing room only when the 18-person big band took the stage. Armed with a fleet of instruments, the band embarked on a journey through four complex tunes that lasted a little more than an hour total. The highlight of the set was the tune "Phobos" that featured electric cajon with a heavy delay playing break beats that morphed into more of a heavy alternative rock groove with electric bass.

Argue's greatest talent is his ability to create so many textures with a big band. Many compositions they performed used baritone saxophone, bass clarinet and bass trombone to create a heavy bottom groove while trumpets, clarinets and flutes created a complex and often mutli-metered interplay on top. Seconds later, 13 horns were holding a unison note for two minutes as a flugelhorn solo used every chromatic note to build tension. Immediately after the set, the migration began as the second event at Subterranean A was in only 90 minutes.

Holding a concert in a basement apartment could seem underwhelming, especially after the grand Kennedy Center, but jazz needs more places like Subterranean A. The future generation of jazz listeners certainly feels more comfortable in this environment and it even seemed to put the bands in a state of comfort. Search and Restore founder Adam Schatz embodies this belief and booking shows in venues where younger listeners feel comfortable is one of the missions of his project.

This was night one of two. The second night on Thursday took place in Brooklyn with Fight the Big Bull, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra. Wednesday signified the first Search and Restore event in Washington D.C. while Thursday celebrated Search and Restore's successful $75,000 fundraiser for an online film project.

At Subterranean A, Fight the Big Bull performed first. Without notice, saxophonist John Lilley began playing solo as an intro to his regular feature “The Sacred Harp." Cameron Ralston joined in on bass. The horn section played cued horn lines as the saxophone built intensity. With a silent focus, the audience didn't miss a note. At the end the room erupted as Lilley took his seat and a large number of first time Fight the Big Bull listeners smiled, looked at their neighbors, and awaited eagerly for the rest of the set.

Bassist Cameron Ralston and trumpeter Bob Miller

The highlight of the entire night came on the tune “All is Gladness in the Kingdom." Ralston started the tune with a soulful solo that really proved that the Big Bull cares about one thing: playing with personality. Then Jason Scott brought the blues on tenor saxophone as the two played as a duo. The silent focused demeanor of the crowd broke as people began hooting and hollering. They masterfully built intensity until the entire band came in with the funky theme of the tune. As Fight the Big Bull busted into one of their signature dance beats, the audience began to dance.

An hour that seemed way too short ended and as the listeners relished in the experience they just had, no one had any doubt that Fight the Big Bull brought their “A game” on Wednesday and people were left wanting more.

Darcy James Argue and his 18-person band squeezed onto the stage and began playing their second set of the night. Whether they were inspired by the sounds of the South or the venue, the band had a more appealing rugged sound. This time they played tunes that featured more back-beats, fewer odd meters and even some people got the opportunity to dance. After almost 90 minutes of playing the band only repeated one tune from the earlier set.

Search and Restore founder and event producer Adam Schatz quiets the crowd before Secret Society begins

Fight the Big Bull and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society are undoubtedly two of the best big/bigger bands playing music right now. The Secret Society from the North is industrial and strives for perfection and innovation through complex meters, chords and they double on so many instruments whereas Fight the Big Bull is earthy and takes influences from past styles of music and adds personality. Argue conducts as the musicians aim for perfection in performance while Fight the Big Bull’s sound is built around nuance in performance and never playing things exactly the same way. Argue’s band pulls from a set of musicians so the lineups are almost never the same and you hear different voices whereas Fight the Big Bull rarely if ever subs. Leader and guitarist Matt White almost lets entire sets go by without saying anything to the crowd whereas Darcy James Argue spends three to five minute explaining the story behind each tune, which includes everything from inventor Bucky Fuller to the French secret society: Jacobin Club. To really add to all of this, The Secret Society finished with the tune “Transit”, a full embodiment of the urban north while Fight the Big Bull finished with a cover of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”.

The golden age of big band ended 60 years ago and in a time where budgets and busy schedules limit how much bands can tour, both Fight the Big Bull and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society are proving that it can still be done.

Revisiting and reliving Tristano

Dean Christesen — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Jason Scott can’t get away from the music of Lennie Tristano, and it’s a good thing. The gigs on which he performs the piano master’s compositions are just as much entertaining history lessons as they are a couple sets of interesting and not often heard jazz. In a way, Scott is keeping a part of jazz from the 40s and 50s alive, reminding us all that there was more going on in the bebop movement of the late 1940s than just Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.

In November of last year, the saxophonist took his transcriptions of Tristano -- whose band usually included influential saxophonists Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh -- to the stage, and on Monday night at The Camel, he did the same. Scott has a separate quintet that performs his originals, but finds it important to remember this material. "I keep going back to it," he said between sets, "because I feel like I get a lot out of it. If people take the time to listen to it and really check it out, they’re going to hear something that they haven’t heard before." While the complexities of bebop were impressive for the time and continue to be models for improvisation, this music has more of an awing effect as it often sounds just as modern as something you might hear being created today.

A perfect example of this, the band started with Tristano’s “WOW.” Rather than embodying the frenetic bounciness and perpetual forward momentum of bebop, there was more reserved elation, like an overjoyed person playing it cool.

This carried forward into “317 East 32nd Street” (a meeting place and jam session spot for Tristano, Marsh, and the others). A west coast relaxed vibe permeated, even as Tristano’s signature melodic style stated the theme. Scott Burton’s guitar chunked away a la Billy Bauer and bassist Cameron Ralston and drummer Russ Helm swung relaxedly.

Following a bright solo by Scott on “Smog Eyes” (or “Small Guys,” as the band leader joked), alto saxophonist Rick Rieger showed his excellent sense of contrast, prompting the audience to breathe easily. It was a send off of sorts for Rieger, who will be relocating soon to South Korea in the armed forces.

Each piece of the first set brought something different: Scott’s solo on “Lennie’s Pennies” showed great continuity while Helm added variety with hints of Tony Williams and not far removed from the bebop masters; Tchaikovsky’s “Opus 42” sounded like Christmas time, exuding more celebration and merriment than sadness despite the slow bluesy tempo; and Bach’s short “Fugue in D minor” between saxophones and guitar stood out as the oddball. It’s amazing, Scott pointed out, that these musicians occasionally played this kind of material -- particularly the Bach -- on 52nd Street in jazz’s heyday while bebop skills were being honed across the street and next door.

Tristano, Konitz, and Marsh, Scott explained, "were trying to do the same thing that Parker and Gillespie were trying to do, which was basically reinvent music at the time. This is like standard jazz music done with a twist. These guys were ahead of their time, and I feel like the music today is just as fresh as it’s ever been."

Model for a Monday

Dean Christesen — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:11:41 +0000

There's something special about jazz on Monday nights around here. The evening is often left blank on the calendars, reserved for people to stay home and lament the return of the working week. Not all of us are lamenters, though, and some people can really get behind a solid night of Monday music. In this case, solid it was last night at The Camel with three bands: two brand new quintets and a trio with a new name.

The evening began with Trio of Justice, the sousaphone-trombone-drums trio formerly known as R2Dtoo (named for its members Reggie Chapman, Reggie Pace, and Devonne Harris). Low brass and percussion -- perhaps the two instrument families capable of the loudest volumes and heaviest weights -- are their tools, and their only ones. Their sound is deep: aside from the snare drum's crack and the cymbals's pings and washes, very few tones from the band register as anything but bass or baritone. The upper registers that people are used to hearing in music are not as present, but the three seem to realize this and use their inventive abilities to accommodate for the missing frequencies. They are experts in natural-sounding grooves in the oddest of meter combinations (that are guided by melody, not contrived logic) and loose time feels that speed and slow to radical extremes.

Like most Richmond musicians, the men of the Jason Scott 5 are no strangers to playing together, but it's new to see them collaborating in a group like this one. Guitarist Scott Burton augments the small group of Fight the Big Bull members: tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Scott, trumpeter Bob Miller, bassist Cameron Ralston, and drummer Pinson Chanselle. Despite the personnel, a FTBB microcosm is the last thing that the Jason Scott 5 is.

With an affection for the music of Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, and Lee Konitz (his gig last week featured the music of all three), some of Jason's original compositions are melodically quick, complex, and thrilling. "Department of Ed." was glorious and constantly evolved to new sections, each one related to the last but still different. The Ornette Coleman-ish "E.M.T." began with a Blackwell/Haden drum and bass vamp before a staggering melody entered, diving in and out of three-part harmony. "Character 2052" told the tale of Jason's essay-writing frustrations and difficulties with the Richmond Department of Education in a klezmer-rock and, again, evolving style. "ANA" was simply beautiful.

Many of the tunes were composed by Jason for his graduate recital at NYU seven years ago. With a strong group giving the music life once again, this group would make a brilliant album. And hopefully they do, soon.

The lights dimmed for the Alan Parker 5, another new combination of familiar musicians. This time, the guitarist has added bassist Andrew Randazzo and tenor saxophonist Kevin Simpson along with his former AP Connect 4 members Billy Williams on drums and tenor saxophonist Marcus Tenney. Marcus is still a relatively new convert from the trumpet to tenor sax, but he more than just holds his own on the new instrument. His and Kevin's playing offset each other nicely: Marcus's tone is bright with Coltrane-like flurries and arpeggios, while Kevin has more of a weathered sound. Billy's drumming is similar to other contemporary and "urban" jazz drummers like Chris Dave and Jamire Williams: explosive, pulling from modern sources of rhythm, and heavily syncopated.

Alan's compositions are Jazz Now material, exciting and challenging, but extremely accessible thanks to fat beats and funky melodies.

Fight the Big Bull at Balliceaux: A new space, a new sound

Dean Christesen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:07:29 +0000

Many remember the old Bogart's Back Room: the legends and the locals who played there, the stories that have originated there. The space is only a memory now since being recently acquired by a new pair of restaurateurs and experiencing a total gutting and impressive renovation. Like its predecessor, Balliceaux has asserted itself as a small but in-demand venue for live music since beginning service in August. Chris Bopst, who books music for the restaurant, is a firm believer of only booking bands that can knock you off your feet with power, intensity, or just plain uniqueness. All of the above describes Fight the Big Bull.

Last night, coming off of their three year gig at the restaurant and bar Cous Cous, Fight the Big Bull began their new bi-weekly residency at Balliceaux. The difference from the old home turf to the new was striking, from the band's sound to their appearance.

Most everybody could agree that the band sounded incredible. They took over the room, in a good way. Unlike at Cous Cous, bar chatter didn't stand a chance intruding on the music, except maybe at the quietist of musical moments. There was great balance and clarity between the brass, reeds, and rhythm section. The saxophones had a large sonic presence during even the loudest, most brass-heavy sections. Everything seemed to fit right in place at the right volume, much like the band's performances to completely attentive audiences like at RVAJazzfest or Mingus Awareness Project. Even with conversations going on in all corners of the room, the music's balance wasn't jeopardized.

As always, Matt White's Fight the Big Bull seems to run itself. The antithesis of an arm-flailing conductor, White's left to other decisions like cuing new sections or focusing on his own guitar work while each section is democratic in cuing backgrounds based on the pacing and development of the solos. In last night's case, the mix of the brass behind one of Jason Scott's clarinet solos was perfect. And Scott, squealing and searching with bluesy expression, commanded the new room.

Trumpeter Bob Miller's electroacoustic noise and ambience -- created with sounds from the trumpet played into a microphone that's fed into an amp with effects -- creates staggeringly different moods each time a tune is played, but it's only one stitch in the fabric. While some horn backgrounds for solos are notated, others are made up on the spot to serve the music's needs, and the perceptive and creative rhythm section of bassist Cameron Ralston, drummer Pinson Chanselle, and White, dish out new ideas each time to keep their extended story evolving.

One highlight of the first set was the multi-dimensional title track to the band's upcoming album on Clean Feed, All is Gladness in the Kingdom. The second set saw a rare performance of an early favorite, "California is for Suckers." White's Papa Staples gospel tone on the guitar dripped with soul, appropriately seguing into another early favorite: a re-arrangement of the Staple Singers' version of "Uncloudy Day." In his solo, trombonist Reggie Pace played the role of lead singer Mavis, borrowing inflection and bringing the singer's voice to life. The evening closed with their powerful version of The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," with trombonist Bryan Hooten taking his signature lead on the song and an infectious sing-along on the final chorus.

Add Fight the Big Bull to the list of bands that are impressed with the way they sound in this space. White commented afterwards that he thought the room sounded great and that it's "nice to have some space" for the band, adding that not being situated directly above his amp makes all the difference for him. Hooten noticed that the rhythm section wasn't as overpowering in the new space, thanks to acoustic features like the cork ceiling and wood paneling. Both guys contributed to the general consensus that clarity and balance were the two key words for the band in the new space.

Fight the Big Bull plays at Balliceaux every other Wednesday. They'll be back November 18. Meanwhile, Glows in the Dark plays there tonight, 9:15, free, 203 N Lombardy St.

Weekend roundup: Wilson, Stein, free jazz

Dean Christesen — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:25:02 +0000

A lot went down this weekend in Richmond. I experienced about one music-related thing each day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and still missed out on a lot. Hopefully you had a chance to get out of the house and enjoy some music yourself. Maybe you checked out our Halloween Jazz Guide, or saw some spook secular events like Glenn Wilson or Terence Blanchard (of which we welcomed your comments and feedback).

I started my weekend at Glenn Wilson Quartet at The Camel. Photos are on their way, but here's a short video to enjoy if you missed the show:

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/7414407[/vimeo]

On Saturday afternoon, there was a small free jazz jam at Black Hand Coffee with two drummers -- Forrest Young and Emre Kartari -- and two tenor saxophonists -- John Lilley and Jason Scott. Bespectacled with 3D glasses (double vision, get it?), the quartet plus an array of drummers sitting in experimented with different forms and themes, like an avant garde medley of children's songs. Another short video:

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/7414487[/vimeo]

Bass clarinetist Jason Stein from Chicago blew away a small but intent crowd with a solo set at Ghost Print Gallery on Sunday evening. Trombonist Bryan Hooten opened with a great performance.

Afterwards, we headed over to Minimum Wage Studio for the Fight the Giant Bull (remember them?) session. The multi-percussionist and multi-bassist rhythm section was laying down hypnotic, driving vamps as the base for what should become a huge tapestry of psychedelic minimalism. A trio of singers recorded repetitious intervallic layers over the rhythm section and synthesizer, and Stein blew over one track, adding much variety and drama with nearly funk-inflected syncopations. Matt White described his vision for the Fight the Giant Bull record in August, and so far it seems right on track.