The Funky Groove of Trio Beso

Phish, Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, Funkadelic...these are all seriously classic, memorable jam bands. What did they all have in common? Well, their era, for one. And, their sound! They all sounded pretty similar. Which is not a bad thing in this case, because they were all known for their own unique take on a specific jam band sound.

That being said, when I first heard Trio Beso at their CD launch party a few weeks ago, it was safe to say that I was pretty blown away. What I heard, was a funky jam band groove, with some extra punch, setting them apart from that typical jam band sound. That punch could include anything from the unexpected soothing violin sounds, to the tap dancing performance, (only included when you get the chance to watch them play live, in which they take some time to jam out!) 

The band consists of three members, known as Benjamin Nitze, (piano, percussion, drums) Adriel Williams, (violin) and Adonis Tsilimparis, (vocal, guitar, bass). 

Trio Beso has a sound that captures a lot of emotions in one, because it really is and can be defined as feel good funk music. Technically, according to their website, they are classified as "lounge/pop/progressive" but I think that feel good funk music just about encapsulates that general idea. I'm listening to Nuestros Suenos right now, and I've gotta say that the enchanting tremolo sounds of the violin from the very beginning of the song have me hooked. After that, there's some keyboard that kind of gives a sexy sultry feel, paired with bass and some kind of... maraca instrument I guess. It's a sound reminiscent of a toned down Jamaican love song, but without the cheesiness. The violin re-enters, with soft and soothing sustained notes, and then the guitar enters with a twangy, (in a good way) 90s love song feel. A slow jam. That's all I can think of to describe it. There are no vocals. Just slow jam, mood music really. The perfect lead in to the following song, Wide Awake, which sounds exactly as the song title says: active, lively, and upbeat.

Also keep in mind that I saw the trio play at Nitze's apartment, which is funky and spacious to say the least. It really helped set the mood for this band's feel good sound, and it totally contributed to the audience's appreciation for the music. The apartment itself was just a slew of large rooms, which eventually led us to the spacious living room space that included a Grand Piano. I was impressed to say the least. (If that didn't impress party-goers, they could check out the bathroom near the kitchen, fully equipped with a sauna and a surprise kitty cat, which I discovered by mistake...)

The apartment decor was a combination of tribal, artistic, and general knowledge of the world. Worldliness, I guess...is the proper word for it. 

While the band played, the audience danced. And let me tell you, did these guys know how to make a crowd dance. There was so much energy between the audience and the band members, everyone was moving whether they wanted to or not. Behind me, a projector played a slideshow of The Burning Man festival in Nevada, which only further enhanced the artistic, creative mood of the entire "show". 

The night was further topped when Moon Hooch made a special appearance and rocked the audience silly with their fun music. I guess I'm just not over how awesome that night was. But the mood was set with Trio Beso, and let me tell you, they certainly left a lasting impression on me.

Their album is now out on iTunes, and if you want to learn more about them, you can find them on Facebook, Myspace, and access from their nifty little website! 

Cheers to all, and happy holidays : ) 

Blast from the Past: 1920s Big Bands

I always tell people whenever I go home to Connecticut that I have the most gifted and talented friends. Seriously. Especially, in New York City, as of recently, my friends have really been doing a great job with impressing me. A good half of my friends are musicians, studying music at school, and if they aren't studying it, they're playing on their own time. For me, this realization was confirmed after I saw my friend Franky Rousseau's, Big Band perform at a loft space in the McKibben Lofts.

Let me begin by saying that the lofts are a special place. Like any artistic space located within a city, they are riddled with graffiti, tall and looming with floor to ceiling windows, and somehow have the capability of emanating music to anyone's ears within a 2 block radius. The space is known for being inhabited by musicians, artists, and other creative minds of the like. You can tell when you walk in between the two almost identical buildings that face one another, by looking through the windows that the people who inhabit the space, are creative.

So it came as no surprise when I was invited to see Franky Rousseau's Big Band perform at our dear friend Pedro Barquinha's loft space. I must say that the cops driving by the street, slowly, kind of skeeved me out before I had even entered the building. But there was nothing to worry about, for as soon as I went through the door to Pedro's apartment, I found dozens of hipster New School familiar faces. As I made my way to a miraculous free spot on the couch next to a friend of mine from the jazz school, I no sooner found that the music was about to start.

In front of me, assembled about 20 musicians ranging from trumpets, to trombones, guitars, saxophones, and drums. I'm probably forgetting an instrument, and for that, I'm really sorry. But all I can say right now is that when Franky, (situated in front of the band, a few of people in front of me) started to conduct the band with an intro I just wasn't even expecting, I knew this music would be different from anything I'd ever heard. And it most certainly was! While it definitely had a 1920s feel to it, there was so much creativity and thought that went into the unique qualities of sound that the band produced, it was hard to not feel like I was in some swanky jazz club in the 1920s. Had there not been so many people, there may have been a dance party right off the bat, but everyone was squished together, and some people were even seated on the lofted areas of the room, above the entire crowd.

One song they played, (which unfortunately I know none of the names of the songs...) began with the sound of children and babies talking in some sort of classroom context. I thought it was kind of silly, but what came after had me blown away. Start off weird, and go out with a bang, should be every band's motto...because, just like a good lede in journalism, a good intro to a song has the audience hooked and wanting more. And everyone at this party wanted more. So much so that when the band finished playing their sets, the room not only exploded in monstrous applause, but I got the sense that everyone wanted to hear more. I don't think it was up to us, because I'm pretty sure Franky had the band play every song that they had practiced. 

This post is obviously a  little different than my other posts because, yes, it is about a friend, but mostly because I actually don't have any facebook, myspace, or website to refer you to. Franky's band is something he's put together outside his studies at the New School for Jazz. He actually plays the guitar, but lo and behold, he's got a knack for conducting. 

I will be uploading a couple videos I took later this weekend, but for now, enjoy some of the photos I was able to catch. The lighting was really interesting and kind of set a sultry, seductive feel to the apartment...

(my friend Sarah Safaie, on baritone saxophone)

Would You Like Paper or Plastic?

Three weeks ago, the last thing I would have ever thought of when hearing, Paper or Plastic, was music. Three weeks ago, I discovered a band by the name of Paper or Plastic, and surely enough, I began to hear the name with a different attitude. No longer did I think of grocery stores and bagging clerks. Instead, a Portland, Oregon-born indie pop rock band entered my mind. 

Paper or Plastic is the name David Pollock, Ian Christensen, Joey Harmon, Ian Millhollen, and Ari Chersky, have chosen to call themselves and man...it works. It just fits their personalities, and it fits their style of music. I interviewed them a couple weeks ago for an article I was writing about them for campusounds, but I'm not going to talk about that interview right now...instead, I'd like to talk about the show they put on at Cameo Gallery this weekend in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

The band consists of a guitarist, (Chersky) a vocalist/pianist, (Pollock) a bassist, (Millhollen) drummer, (Harmon) and a saxophonist/tambourine player, (Christensen). Quite the assortment, I know. I'd like to just say that the saxophone player is absolutely as awesome as you'd think. He gives the band a whole new flavor of sound that is just so unexpected and downright groovy at the same time. With David's clean and clear vocals, and Ari's articulate guitar skills, the saxophone serves as a really sweet surprise.

I'd been to the venue a couple times before this past Saturday to see other friends play, so I knew what the space was like. It's a great place for new bands to play at, because there's such a nice atmosphere upon entering, and then an even nicer atmosphere when you actually reach the stage, which is situated through a hallway at the back of the bar/restaurant. 

The performance itself was fantastic. The crowd was on the lighter side, but the guys put all their heart into the performance. David's vocals shone through the bands' explosion of sound on stage, but I think what really made it for me was Joey's power and drive. At any given moment, I'd look up and find Joey mouth wide, smiling, tearing apart the drums. And man, he knew exactly how to tear them up. His drive and force really grounded the band well, and never did I ever feel that anyone was lost at any point of the show. There was also a really pure feeling to their sound, like you could totally feel their excitement on stage. At one point towards the end of the show, David, while still playing the piano, slammed a hand down on one of Joey's cymbals. 

I talked to Ari after the show, and he told me something interesting. He mentioned that he was the newest addition to the band, and that this was the first time he felt like he actually knew what he was doing. But he also said that the best part about playing with the guys, is how he could say something to Joey during the performance, (recommendation, or to change something up) and he'd just nod and go ahead and do it. They all just listen to each other so well, both through physical musical language along with spoken language. 

Overall, they put on a pretty great show. I brought a friend who'd never heard them before, and she told me after that she really liked their sound, and energy.

I want to say more, but I want you to judge them for yourselves. 

Cheers.

Facebook.

Myspace. 

We Are Droid. (No, not the phone.)

How sad it is that every time I hear the word Droid now, I automatically associate it with the electronic telephonic device known as Motorola's DROID. The reality is, that the DROID I'm talking about is more commonly known as the band of Amir Ziv, (drums) Jordan McLean, (trumpet) Adam Holzman, (synthesizers) and Tim Lefebvre, (bass). I didn't really know how to describe their music, so I checked it out on their myspace. Unfortunately, it didn't offer me much help, because under, "sounds like:" it read, "This question has been known to make certain band members froth and the mouth and grow red with horns." After a bit more reading, I found that many credible sources would describe their music as essentially, "improvised music, mixing elements from breakbeat/electronica, to industrial rock and nu-form jazz." (According to their myspace.)

So why do these guys get a blog post all to themselves? Well, I had the opportunity to see them on Saturday night at a show they put on in Amir's apartment in the LES. The space is known to show-goers as the Lower East Side Estate, and it is nothing short of a groovy-candle lit, art-ridden loft space with endless rooms, (including a recording studio?!) and a large kitchen/living space where all the musical-magic takes place. The studio doorway offered as a makeshift $3 beer stand, and red light-bulbs paired with a plethora of scented candles lit the entire space.

As soon as the music began, the audience, (I'm going to say, maybe 35 people crammed into this space) fell silent. Slowly, I began to watch peoples heads bobbing with the music, swaying to the sound and following the fast-paced quick changing drum that Amir completely tore apart. (Not literally. You should hear some of the other words drummers use for playing the drums; "I want to get there early so I can talk to Amir before he eats drums," my friend Jake Amber.) Him and I, along with a couple other friends of ours, got to talk to Jordan before the show, and I discovered that he is the Assistant Musical Director for the Broadway show, Fela! To add, Adam Holzman, is known as the musical director of Miles Davis. The bassist, Tim, was not there tonight, but apparently he has made several musical appearances in big time movies and TV shows.

Uhh...oh man.

To put it simply, there was a distorted trumpet with synth playing over it, keyboards with psychedelic alien sounds, the fastest drumming you'll ever hear, and no vocals whatsoever. The sets were long, and the people were completely drawn in, because nobody said a word, except maybe to yell some sort of praise at any given point. Needless to say, it was an entirely unique experience, that I totally took in with enthusiasm. Between sets, the mood was not that of a concert, but moreso, of a bunch of music lovers together at some really hip party. And a good chunk of the audience were what I would consider to be, older hippies. It was certainly interesting.

My assessment of DROID? I loved them. I love them, I love D'n'B, I love how tall and strapping Jordan McLean was, (far left...) and I loved the new show experience I was able to have. The reality is that I will probably never experience anything like that, unless it's perhaps a basement show. And even that, is a basement. Not a spacious loft in the LES.

I swear this blog is about music, not attractive older musicians...

Anyways, I think you should check out DROID. You'll be in for a treat, I seriously believe it.
Myspace

Be well.

 

(Poorly planned on my part, sans-flash, but that's just a glimpse of the gigantic drum set that Amir uses...if I were to guess, I'd say there's at least 30 different components to it.

An Evening With Mainland Fever

Picture this. A home-y cozy rehearsal space in DUMBO, Brooklyn. The setting is sultry and mood-lit, where instruments and recording equipment mesh with Chinese lanterns that hang from the ceiling, oriental rugs that cover the floor, and Mexican blankets on comfy couches which line the outer edges of the large studio space. Mirrors, posters, tapestries create a cool vibe for the walls. In this sweet atmosphere, Mainland Fever tunes their guitars and drums and prepare themselves to rehearse for however long they need to in order to feel ready for their upcoming recording session.

Mainland Fever is: Jordan Topf, (20, guitar and lead vocals) Zachary Walter, (21, bass) Corey Mullee, (21, guitar) and Dylan Longstreet, (23, drums). I found myself at their rehearsal space after my friend Zachary invited me to sit in on the evening's rehearsal. And all I can say, is that it made for a really beautiful Wednesday evening. Why? Maybe it just felt like the whole vibe was really sweet when I entered the studio, a bunch of guys coming together to produce some excellent music, completely on their own time. Or maybe it was the fun tunes combined with the skilled lyrical work of Jordan. All I know is that something triggered my case of the Mainland Fever. (ha ha ha)

Their music to me, is essentially Indie Pop Rock, if we're going to be specific. But I for one, am not a huge believer in the simplification of a type of music by giving it a specific genre title. And neither are these guys. When I asked them what type of music they considered theirs to be, they took a while to respond. Not because they didn't know, but because no one could really agree. I heard indie pop, indie rock, dream indie pop, chillwave new "bedside" pop, (which I personally really liked...) and many other titles, which I can't remember. And I can understand why they wouldn't want to identify with one specific genre: it's very limiting to their music, especially when the band itself is still young in its' existence and constantly changing.

Having started in the mid-summer of 2010, Mainland Fever found themselves quickly gaining popularity without expecting to. "This was one of those things that I personally started doing for fun. It ended up turning into something much bigger, which is amazing," Zachary said. Essentially, isn't that what it's all about though? Doing what you absolutely love, and having it surprise you in the most unexpected way?

Mainland Fever has gained significant popularity as of late, playing shows with major indie bands like SHAPES. (They just played at Shea Stadium, the warehouse venue, not the baseball stadium with a bunch of different bands, including SHAPES.) When I looked online, I found a couple of photos of them playing a show where a band member of the Moldy Peaches was found dancing to their jams. (Win.)

It's hard to relay my experience with them. They're fun. They're groovy. They're handsome. And they all have tremendous amounts of talent, and it really warmed my heart to hear them talking the way they were about their music. I'm going to go ahead and call it right now: with the direction these guys are headed, I see huge things happening. And by god, do they have the mind-set. They just love what they're doing! So much. And I think that's the only ingredient, (aside from talent and networking, which they clearly have...) needed to climb the mountain that is success.

Myspace. Facebook. Last.FM do it UP!

Here's some photos I creepily took when they weren't looking...as it turns out, I think they knew the whole time. Aw.

How to "Shred Violin" Michael Shulman Style

What does a subway station and a light-up electric violin have in common? (It doesn't even look like a violin. What really comes to mind is...a weapon. It looks like a weapon. What?)

You're dying to know. Michael Shulman is your answer. The man is an insane musical genius on the electronic device that is his light-up violin. So much so, that I didn't really believe it was a violin when I heard the blissful music that he emitted coming up through the subway vents of Union Square. The truth is that my suite-mate warned me of this man and his, literally, glowing music. The moment I heard it on my way home from work one night last week, I decided to stray from my path home to venture down to the subway. What I encountered was something like this:




Certainly had me interested. And it wasn't like anything I'd heard down in the subways before. I wanted to talk to him, but I didn't really have a chance to...he seemed kind of busy and wrapped up in moving from piece to piece swiftly without much of a break in between. Which was fine, because I knew that as long as I had his name written down, I'd go home and google the shit out of him.

I guess what was particularly interesting about this subway performer, was his ability to embrace his inner-crazy, (wild mane of hair, unique sense of style) and produce a truly awesome sound from an instrument that looked so bizarre. I also took to liking him because I played classical violin for 10 years before I came to New York. I've always had a soft spot for the electric violin, because in some strange weird fantastical fantasy world that I live in, I envisioned myself taking my skills with the violin to the next level. Electric violin certainly would have been a groovy path to take, no? Maybe. I don't know. Just go with me here.

I did find some cool background on Michael Shulman, through some research which can be found on his website, (previously linked) along with several other cool and interesting facts about the Russian-born heavy-metal violin king.

Surprise, surprise! He's on Facebook. And he's totally friendable. So add him if you please, (my friend has confirmed that they are now "Facebook friends" so it's definitely possible.) Go to his website too, and if you never find yourself in Union Square, then youtube him. Because you can do that too! Cool!

*Special Edition Post* - Ratatat Live at Terminal 5

Okay. So Ratatat may or may not be a very well-known band, and they definitely did not play in a subway station and/or small hip cafe, but I did see them on Saturday night at Terminal 5. I feel obligated to write about the experience, mainly because they are such a stable music force in my life, having been a favorite band of mine since the age of 15 when I first discovered them. And if it is any conciliation, they have just really started to gain the attention they truly deserve, especially with the release of their newest highly acclaimed album, LP4. Since this blog is about music above all else, I feel like it's acceptable to make one exception to my theme of small time bands with big talent. These are big-time guys, with huge talent. Ratatat is made up of guitarist Mike Stroud, and bass player/ synthesizer, Evan Mast. (Here's an interview they had with Freewilliamsburg, which sums up everything they are.)

Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect when I went to their show last night.

My friend Sarah and I journeyed to Terminal 5, and we found ourselves waiting in a surprisingly short line at around 8:30. Apparently, Ratatat was supposed to go on at 9:30. As soon as we got in, we noticed the place was already pretty packed in. There weren't as many people as there would be later, because the opening band, Bobby Birdman was on. They were alright, certainly got the audience amped up. But by the time Ratatat was supposed to come out, people began to get rowdy. Only seemed natural, because they were taking forever to come out. I want to say they went on at around 9:45, and when they did, my friend Sarah and I were 5 people away from the front, jam-packed tight as EVER dead in the middle of the crowd. We thought we'd be okay, but I felt a push, a shove, and next thing I know, we're both being pushed against our will against hundreds of underage kids with rowdy attitudes.

The first song they played was Mirando, a song off their previous album, which was a fantastic hype-up song because everyone went absolutely ballistic. The crowd swayed all together as one, (I kid you not) but it was incredibly terrifying at the same time. We managed to make our way out, to the very front but on the side, so there was somehow room to dance and actually see these men at their musical work.

I think one of the factors that made this such an unbelievable performance, was the energy these men brought to the stage. Stroud, the guitarist, with his silky long hair constantly being thrown up and down by his head thrashing, made me excited just to see how into the music he was. Mast, on the same page as his accomplice, worked the bass and synthesizer simultaneously...but the best part of the entire performance, was when they would bring out single drums and mallets, at which point they went tribal on everyone's ass. There was pounding, there was sweat, and there were insane amounts of energy. Everyone reacted as they should: raw dancing and happiness.

Behind Ratatat, there were constant projections of the weirdest images you could possibly fathom. Mostly, similar to their music videos. When they played 'Drugs,' they had the music video playing behind them. They also had two tall glass panels standing at the left and right of the stage, on which projections of astronaut string players illuminated throughout the entire performance. There was definitely something to be said about the over-stimulation of every sense, that was this show. It wasn't a negative thing at all, I think it made the show all the more worthwhile and exciting. There were at least four different things occurring on-stage at any given point, whether it was a projection of owls and parakeets, or pink smoke mixed with shiny silver explosive confetti, (saved only for the encore) the unconventional visuals combined with the remarkable energy from the musicians themselves, contributed to quite a interesting experience for the senses.

I'd say that the crowd was definitely the most interesting I've seen in a while. The show wasn't quite a rave vibe, yet there were ravers present. It also wasn't a heavy metal/screamo/punk vibe either, even though I had friends tell me the next day they were nearly trampled to death by the mosh pit. There were a lot of underage kids, a lot of older people on drugs, and some provocative attempted fight-starters. But I think we all came to agree as soon as the music started that all we needed to do was dance. Nobody really cared what happened after the music started.

Rating wise, this show was an absolute 10 out of 10 without doubt. Great energy, fantastic atmosphere and talented performers. My voice was completely gone, (it remains to be found...) and my body was entirely sore the next day, but it was completely worth it.

The first video posted was recorded on my camera, but this was one of my favorite songs they played. I couldn't find live footage from this concert, but this is great quality from another show they played in Texas.