The Time: Sunday, January 30, 2011, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Place: The Porch Club, Riverton, NJ
Mark Kramer, piano
The Tri-State Jazz Society began a new piano series on Sunday, and pianist Mark Kramer was invited to inaugurate the series.
Kramer's presentation was one of dramatics and education. In addition to performing the works of the influential Jazz pianists, Mr. Kramer "acted" in character, summarizing their lives and works. Louis Gottschalk, Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson and Fats Waller were presented in this fashion. Treating the evolution of Jazz chronologically, Kramer pointed out the techniques that were developed over time; the influence of African rhythms and polyrhythms in the works of Gottschalk and Joplin; the Spanish clave (or "tinge") in Morton's work and the loosening of time in Johnson's and Waller's playing. Mr. Kramer even got the audience to participate in a rhythmic exercise, combining rhythm patterns based on the human heartbeat and breathing.
With all this history, demonstration and activity, one thing suffered - the music. Kramer, a pianist comfortable with modern players Eddie Gomez, the Brecker Brothers and Stanley Clarke, was entering new terrain with this concert. In most of his pianistic interpretations, Kramer's modern skills clashed with the works of the masters. Some modern players (post bop) were included and some (pre-Bop) players from the past were overlooked. Kramer acknowledged Thelonious Monk with developing space in his solos - did not Count Basie, by economizing his piano playing, allowed the sounds of Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones to filter in so the rhythm section worked as a whole unit? Would that be defined as using space?
One pleasant surprise - new faces. The audience at this concert were mostly first-time attendees, and generally enjoyed Kramer's presentation. Let's hope this is a trend!
Our next piano concert will return to the Porch Club. On February 27, pianist Joe Holt will perform "Stride Piano - A Continuing Legacy of Spontaneous Joy." at 2:00 p.m.
-Jim McGann
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Very off-base review, whomever you are! The music was the best part. He brought all the music to life. I have ragtime on my CD player and Waller etc. and play piano a bit. The concert was one of the best we'd heard in many years, and this is one of the most brilliant players we heard in a long time. (I've heard many.) We and just about all were on our feet.
ReplyDeleteWe are not inclined to return, given your words. You've lost a supporter.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, welcome to the TSJS Blog, and thank you for your comments.
First of all, let me introduce myself. I'm Jim McGann, and I am the editor of The Strutter, the TSJS newsletter (if you were at the concert, you probably picked up a copy). I also edit this blog and organize the TSJS photo gallery. While I am relatively new at editing, I have written reviews, articles for the Strutter for roughly eight years (and listened to Jazz for much longer...35 years).
Reviews in art, film, music, etc. are a matter of one's opinion. That being said, don't let my commentary deter you from hearing the good music that TSJS offers. If you happened to check out our schedule at http://tristatejazz.org/schedule.html, you will find more great artists will be performing in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Jim McGann,
editor,TSJS Strutter
Au contraire! Dr. Kramer gave a magnificent presentation that appealed to this first time TSJ-goer.
ReplyDeleteDr. Kramer's presentation was scholarly, informative, thought provoking, and all-too-short (considering the scope of the topic that he chose for his audience). Dr. Kramer's presentation was also given with grace and humility - qualities often lacking in today's modern Jazz musicians and music critics! In fact, I learned much from Dr. Kramer that I did not know about the evolution and devolution of modern Jazz.
Dr. Kramer (who, by the way, has post-graduate degrees in neuroscience, pharmacology, and medicine) delivered his musical lecture in a lively, intimate, and scholarly fashion that clearly engaged his audience. This is a rare quality, and a departure from what usually turns out to be a stultifying Jazz piano concert by others.
Finally, Dr. Kramer's piano performance lacked nothing, and brought his grateful audience to its feet with applause. This was particularly evident at the conclusion of Dr. Kramer's performance, when his piano playing skills took even the great Bill Evans' work to a new level of virtuosity.
The only sour notes in the otherwise excellent performance (save those of the critic's review) were the 20-minute folding chairs that the audience was consigned to, and the tasteless wine that the audience was subjected to. Thank God we had Mark Kramer to rescue us!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI did not go to the concert but I am a board member. There has not been a time where when when we go to The Porch club that the audience doesn't help out by moving the chairs back & forth between the carts that hold them. This was the FIRST of 11 piano concerts so you will have to forgive us for what happened.
ReplyDeleteThough we run concerts all the time, The Porch Club has been an infrequent venue. But now most of the piano concerts are there and we will be able to help to get things set up as best ahead of time. As for the wine, I can't talk on because I was not there and do not partake of alcohol.
Please do not quit because of our first time jitters and a review that you didn't like. We are a Dixieland jazz organization and that is our first and foremost style of music. Mr Wagner may have played upon the newer jazz too much on the non-Dixieland, ragtime, stride that we are used to.
Please give us another chance with the upcoming concerts. Joe Holt & especially Jeff Barnhart will be outstanding concerts even if you have never seen them. I saw Joe when I was younger and the last time I saw Jeff Barnhart, I was FLOORED.
You will have to forgive yourself if you quite now on the first piano concert. We will try harder to produce a better situation as we open the building with no assist from the owners of the building. Thank you very much.
Fred Weber
VP & Publicity Director TSJS