Symphony Center Presents: Jazz brings the greatest icons and innovators in jazz to Chicago for a series of concerts each season. These concerts promise to offer “virtuosity, variety & versatility.” On a night like last Friday, what really stood out was the “variety” of the music performed.
Up first was Mike Reed’s Flesh & Bone. Reed is a very prominent figure when it comes to music in Chicago. In fact, the Chicago Tribune named him a Chicagoan of the year in 2010 for his contributions to Chicago’s art scene. The performance for the night, entitled Flesh & Bone, stemmed from a terrifying experience the band had while touring in Europe a few years back. Their travels accidentally put them in the middle of a race riot in the Czech Republic. While the members of the group were unscathed, the ordeal had an impact on the band.
With three screens in the background projecting images of a bustling city, the band played bebop jazz that was experimental in nature. The group included four horns, bass and Reed’s drums with Marvin Tate’s explosive vocals. Tate’s vocals were a cross between a spoken-word poet, a singer and a preacher. The entirety of the performance was Earth-shaking, in a good way. A way that made you think and stirred up emotions. Emotions that could never come close to what the band experienced in the Czech Republic, but somewhere close.
The second act on Friday was Amir ElSaffar Rivers of Sound: Not Two. Here is where the “variety” comes into play: about the only thing these two performances had in common was their leaders are both from Chicago. Rivers of Sound was a much bigger ensemble; 17 instrumentalist in total, each of them bringing a global view of music to the stage. The group mixed traditional jazz with music from the Middle East. The instruments used might not be the most recognizable to American jazz fans: like the Oud, the Nay, the Buzuq and the Mrudangum. Again, variety was the theme of the night!
This mixture of jazz and Iraqi Maqam music might not seem like it would work, but the innovative approach to harmony and melody, as well as the unique instrumentation, produced a pleasant combination that was hard not to like. The band would veer from jazz to centuries-old maqam music so smoothly that if you didn’t pay attention you wouldn’t notice.
Two members of the group stood out: Rajna Swaminathan on the Mrudangam and Jason Adasiewicz on the vibraphone. Swaminathan sat on the floor with the Mrudangam, an Indian drum, between her legs and pounded both sides of the instrument with flair. Her flourishes made the audience want to get up and dance. Adasiewicz’s energy behind the vibraphone was hard to miss. His solos stood out not just for his technical skill, which was masterful, but when he started going it was as if he had more than two arms to play the vibraphone. Truly impressive.
The maqam music was a real treat to hear, and ElSaffar is a master at his trait. He would switch from playing the trumpet to the Santur, while also adding vocals and conducting the group. As a former member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the audience understood playing on the Symphony Center stage was important to him. His emotions came through in his performance.
Having two acts as different as these on the same stage on the same night is what makes the Symphony Center Presents: Jazz series so unique. Exploring different genres of music, and often blends within those genres, is such a gift that the Symphony Center provides.
For more information on the Symphony Center Presents: Jazz series click here.
Photos provided by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
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