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)