Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra Perform their Newest CD Taking Jazz into a New Technological Trajectory

Maria Schneider and her Jazz Orchestra have garnered 7 Grammy Awards amongst a host of musical awards and accolades.  Schneider (b. MN 1960) is a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist.  Before forming her own jazz orchestra, Schneider composed for David Bowie and Sting.  She's won Grammys for  best classical jazz and instrumental compositions.  The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra has been honored for their big band recordings including the music of  Duke Ellington.  Concerts are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.  With classical symphonies, the programs are arailable beforehand.  With jazz orchestras, other than being apprised of a guest artist, the programming is surprising.  Last night at the Green Music Center at Santa Rosa Rosa College, Maria Schneider and her Jazz Orchestra performed a compilation of her most recent compositions being released on CD (and on sale at the "ark" pavilion). It was a derivation from her previous recordings of classical jazz into a genesis of a unique jazz genre.  Schneider's delight in performing live after the long lockdown was infectious and her demeanor effusive.  The first number was played without intro or acknowledgement afterwards.  It was an abrasive atonal sound relying heavily on winds.  The brass section consisted of 12 horns; trumpets, trombones and saxophones.  There was also a guitarist, pianist, bassist, drummer and an accordion instrumentalist.  None of the later were featured soloists.  Schneider enthusiastically prepared us for what was to come after the first dissonant composition.  She informed the audience we were going to hear from their new, double CD comprised of dichotomous pieces.  First, they would play pieces triggered by the intrusive and pervasive technological gadgets impinging on society.  The answering piece would offer a counter balance with serene, minimalistic music.  "Don't Be Evil" was unrelenting on the drums and piano while the brass instruments squawked with atonal and piercing clarity.  Its "counter" composition " was inspired by the beauty of the North Kyoto landscape.  This piece was quieter, calmer and held harmonic melodies.  So the evening went as Schneider brought us along for an intro into her most recent, creative explorations.  The music felt groundbreaking for me with complex and intentionally clashing combinations.  "Sputnik" was on the program from the "harder" to listen to tracks.  "Sputnik" earned Schneider a Grammy for instrumental composition (2020).  I was excited to experience Schneider's creative genius live as she broadened her repertoire and techniques.  Usually, artists carry audiences along culling from their tried and true.  Schneider didn't shy away from describing her new works "harder" listening. This was true.  It's also true the evening was one for the record books.

Oscar Nominated Short Live Films from US, UK, Switzerland, Poland and Denmark

The five, live Oscar Nominated Short Films are all serious subject matters.  The US' submission concerns mass incarceration, lack of human interaction and oppressive limitations.  "Please Hold" utilized a sense of wry wit and humorous frustration embedding the film's political message without droning on about it.  The picture was a pastiche of the technological intrusiveness of "Her" with a sinister messaging.  From the 5 films, "Please Hold"'s social commentary was delivered with originality and credibility.  "The Long Good Bye" from the UK was horrific in its gruesome depiction of persecution and executions of an Indian family living in England.  The killings were carried out by police in the light of day, with an onlooking neighborhood.  None of the neighbors intervened.   Who would blame them?  The inference was clear the police killings and abductions were sanctioned.  The award winning British actor/rapper. Riz Ahmed, stars in this film.  His rapping delivered posthumously is potent but preachy.  Poland's short film "The Dress" gets my Oscar vote.  This poignant picture is of a lonely women, Julia.  Julia works arduously as a hotel housekeeper.  She's a hard drinking, chain smoker with a penchant for the slot machines.  Julia is aware of the stares and hostile remarks she receives for her short stature.  Julia has the genetic-mutation known as dwarfism.  The beautifully shot film in an icy blue color palette with dark shadows enhance Julia's feeling of ostracism.  Her longtime co-worker is her one confidant.  Julia shares her deep melancholy and longing "to be a real woman" with her friend from work.  This short film delivers a huge emotional swing that punches hard in the gut as she is brutally, sexually abused.  Still, it's the quiet longing we sense in the last scene which lingers longer.  "The Dress" should win, but what will probably win is Switzerland's submittal, "Take and Run".  "Take and Run" deals with the serious plight of women forced into marriages without recourse.  The sect appears to be a small tight-knot order in Mongolia. The film broaches the limited running time of less than 40 minutes to qualify.  "Take and Run" will probably take home the gold but the impact of "The Dress" remains.  

St. Peter's Set's One for the Record Books being the 1st 15th Seed in the Sweet 16

March Madness makes the gloomy month shine.  The amazing college basketball games sets heads spinning.  It brings Cinderella stories to melt the coldest of hearts. This year's charming Cinderella team has gone where no other college team has gone before.  St. Peter's (Newark, NJ) is the first 15th seeded team in the NCAA tournament into the sweet 16.  Under the cool tutelage of head coach Shaheen Holloway, this small Jesuit University, undergraduate population of just over 2,100, performed at the highest level in the NCAA.  The St. Peter's Peacocks beat the Purdue Boilermakers to move to the elite eight.  This is great for the University, New Jersey and anyone who enjoys the fun and exuberance of seeing student's hard work, sportsmanship and skill reap earned rewards.  The whole team epitomizes teamwork and confidence without cockiness and finesse under stress.   The entire team and its head coach  deserve accolades.  I want noted coach Holloway is only in his 4th year at St. Peters.  In his 2nd year he was named the Rock of the year of the MAAC.  Special shout out to 6'8" freshman, Clarence Rupert and 6'2" junior Doug Edert.  Amongst a glowing team of tenacious players these two young men showed us all the right stuff.  Edert is benefitting from the new rules allowing college players to profit from licensing their image.  I endorse this course of rightful licensing.  I'm concerned though of the slippery slope this may portend in the end with college athletes and universities.  Nonetheless,  I'm not going to rain on this parade.  Games with the elite 8 begin play on Sunday.  Am I rooting for St. Peter's?  Unless you're from NC or an alum thereof, who isn't?  Meantime, tune in tomorrow to the tournament.  Next year I'm putting all the names from the brackets in a hat, pulling them out and betting accordingly.  I gotta do better than this year cause my betting can't get worse.

Roosevelt House Presents Journalist Anna-Catherine Brigida "Reporting between Borders" - Illegal and Immoral Immigrating of Minors

Monday evening, free-lance journalist Anna-Catherine Brigida, spoke regarding her reporting of migrants from Honduras to the US/Mexico border.  Sissel McCarthy, Dir. of Journalism for Hunter College moderated.  This seems to be a very prescient topic as 3 million Ukrainians are displaced from their war torn homes and fleeing to neighboring countries seeking safety.  The contrast between Ukrainian refugees fleeing their homes and families is crucial.  Migrants fleeing Honduras are seeking financial opportunities for themselves and their families.  Brigida has covered the migrant trails from Honduras into the US since 2015. The comparison between S. American migrants seeking refuge in the US and the millions of Ukrainians is the former is for financial security and the later is a necessity for survival.  Brigida reports have appeared in TIME, The WASHINGTON POST and Al Jazeera on the Honduras refugees.  Her stories depict dire situations of poverty and a quest for better financial opportunities.  Her reporting touched upon growing number of minors traveling unaccompanied.  This is where my focus shifted from the harrowing travails of migrants to the abhorrent encouragement families offer their teens for attempting  to venture on their own.  An article appeared in the BBC of March 2021, interviewing Marco Antulio, father to Anderson (age 16 at the time) who abetted his son to attempt what I view as an illegal and crossing.  Antulio stated "{I} understand that some might consider it irresponsible to let a minor travel alone but people {do} not know the pressures they were under to survive."  Anderson planned to return in five or six years, having sent money for the family to build a decent home.  Antulio went on to say, "as a father you have to look at which is the most viable option so they have a better life.  So they don't live the same as us."  More than 95,000 unaccompanied minors entered the US from S. America in 2021.  This is an egregious and perilous journey that must be stopped.  Financial support from the US should be sent to S. American countries rather than the exorbitant financial burdens placed on our federal government.  These children are often exploited, cannot easily gain employment and the vicious and oftentimes fatal consequences of permitting illegal minors from entering must not be tolerated.  A clear message signifying  unaccompanied minors will be deported should be instigated to stop these horrendous migrations.  This was not the direction of Brigida's journalist talk.  However, it's my strong assertions resources must be directed to help war refugees from Ukraine and the US must stop acting an open border, open bank for impoverished countries.   

TURNING RED Pixar's Newest Release is Really for Kids but Not Silly

Did I like Disney Pixar's newest full-length animated film "Turning Red?" Nope, but that's okay.  Usually, Pixar picks flicks that are universal.  I thought this charming coming of age film a pastiche of themes geared for pre-teens and their parents.  I applaud the likable 13 year old heroine, Meiline Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chang) and her girl squad of unflagging friendships.  I commend the conversation starter of menses for adolescents.  (But, menstral pads?  Really?  Are tampons somehow too much of a ceiling breaker?). Meiline's mother (voiced by Sandra Oh) is a tiger mom which can be construed as derogatory stereootyping of Asian parents. But, before we go woke, wake-up to the unflattering depiction of Asian women as designer, status aspiring consumers.  These constructive critiques aside, there is much for Pixar to take pride in this made for viewing by pre-adolescents in the presence of their parents.  The exuberance of youth and the importance of friendships over family is rightly placed front and center.  So too is the infatuation with popular bands and the first stirrings of attractions outside the bounds of friendship.  However, the movie can't take credit for being original in coping with one's strong emotions.  Disney did it with aplomb in "Inside Out".  Appropriating one's own material is not inappropriate but it's redux not new.  Neither are themes of bullying, popularity and peer pressures new memes.  Still, these potent and universal concerns are handled with intelligence and sensitivity.  The generation divides between youngster's and their parents, and their parents' parents, handled the inherent frustrations and capitulations with humor.  Much credit has to be given to the voice overs done by Chang and Oh alongside Pixar's expert animation.  I didn't care for the picture's cotton candy kaleidoscope color palette.  This was a nod to  a young demographic who still care for Care Bears and unicorns.  The choreography throughout deserves a shout out for its artistry and whimsy.  Even though I was not a big fan of the film "Turning Red" I urge parents of pre-teens to screen this one together for bonding time and for broaching conversations.  

The Real Irish Comedy Festival - You Don't Have to be Irish to Laugh but It Might Help

Last night at a packed out Raven Performing Arts Theater in Healdsburg, the tri-fecta area of Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Cloverdale were out in full force seeking solace from all the chaos.  The night of good cheer brought a much needed reprieve from the heinous invasion of Ukraine putting us all on the precipice of  WWIII.  Okay, lady (me) lighten up.  I needed an injection of humor as did some of the jokes the three Irish blokes brought to the stage.  The stage  was bathed in a neon green sheen with the bare minimum accruements; microphone and barstool.  The first jokester was Dave Nihill, "the 1st Irish person to win the SF Int'l Comedy Competition.'  First, stop labeling firsts for actual first accomplishments which goes for Biden's Supreme Court Justice nominee as the first black female that may sit on the bench.  Fodder for Melinda's Meltdown.  Blimey, the 3 comics (yada, yada, yada) did spin yarns with tropes of Irish drunkeness, feckless behaviors, pessimism and sexual abuse by Irish Priests.   Nihill the first lass served as emcee for the night.  He was better at hosting and did a little than boasting.  His claimed to be an author which I did fact check.  Yep, no blarney.  His self-help book, "Do You Talk Funny" ('16) is a guide to  public speaking.  Nihill gave a TED TALK on the subject which was also verbatim his comedy routine.  However, he did have some sagacious advise.  "Do not think of overcoming the fear of public speaking, rather learn how to manage it.  Tell yourself, you're excited."  Martin Angelo, the 2nd comic born in Dublin, drummed this into us.  The irony here is he's black.  His parents, grandparents and great parents all are from Ireland regardless of people finding this incredulous.  Angelo turned the tale on what is fair to say an all fair colored audience.  His monologue needed some tweaking but his likability was luckily charming.  The last comic of the night is expected to be the funniest.  Sean Finnerty was indeed riotously funny.  His best LOL material came from engaging with the audience.  The crowded theater was up for a good time.  They were downing their Guinness.  What might be viewed as heckling made for happy happenstance.  Sean was genuinely warm and witty.   His bantering provided the gut wrenching laughter that is the best medicine.  World peace would be wonderful but caps off to brave comics willing to bare their souls in order to life outs.  Thinking of public speaking for me "ooh, shivers me timbers!."*

*Inside joke - no joke, don't miss these Irish jesters.   

Classical Fortepiano Performed by Daniel Adam Maltz at the Raven Performing Arts Theater

Last evening at the Raven Theater in Healdsburg, CA, the sparse audience in attendance was rewarded by a virtuoso fortepiano performance by Daniel Adam Maltz; a magical waltz back into the 18th C; Classical Music Epoch.  The program selected by Maltz was all Mozart and Haydn.  This made for an arresting, musical performance with vast tonal variations and compositional dynamics.  The fortepiano originated after a century after the harpsichord which has limited nuance and a twangy vibrational sound. The fortepiano prior to the piano with more developed musical capabilities.  Is there a difference between fortepiano and pianoforte?  No. Both terms signify soft/quiet (piano) and loud/gusto (forte).   Older instruments are commonly referred to as fortepiano but their meanings are interchangeable.  Program notes aside, it's interesting to note Hayden and Mozart were extremely close friends who shared a special bond as only two, true geniuses can sans envy.  Both Haydn (b. 1732-1809) and Mozart (b. 1756-1791)  were born in Austria.  Haydn, known as the Father of the Symphony is also the father of string quartet composition and as a fond, father figure to the much younger Mozart. Their age discrepancy was insignificant but their admiration and respect for each other was extraordinary.  Mozart's own father was known for exhibiting his son's prestigious gifts in front of royalty and in reality pushed his son relentlessly. Haydn, bemoaning the untimely death of his musical peer, reportedly told his father posthumously there was no greater composer than Mozart.  Much is owed to both Haydn and Mozart's contributions to classical music.  Mozart composed and submitted several magnificent string quartet compositions with great deference.  The evening's program demonstrated the fortepiano's abilities for sudden dynamic changes and use of building crescendos with molto expresso mood shifts.  Much can  be lauded about the talented playing by Maltz.  Maltz at age 12 made his orchestral debut and Carnegie Hall debut at 22. Maltz maintains joint US/Israeli citizenships.  His primary musical focus is on Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.  Maltz was soft-spoken and unfazed, perhaps even delighted by the faux pas applause between movements.  I hope he will honor our local stage again and grace us with another evening of impassioned, classical music performed on fortepiano, pianoforte or piano.  I'm for any of the aforementioned.  

Rave Review for Dianne Reeves at the Weil Center

 

Friday evening Dianne Reeves and her jazz quartet brought their soothing contemporary jazz to the Weil Center at 

Santa Rosa State University.  Reeves (b. 1956, Detroit) is one of our most talented and highly awarded jazz artists.  

She's received 5 Grammy Awards spanning from 2001 - 2015; including Best Jazz Vocal and Best Jazz Album.  Reeves' rich contralto voice and unique interpretations created an uplifting and soothing experience.  Her onomatopoeic, emotive scat vocals have a hypnotic pull making nonsensical 

syllables reverberate with vibrancy.  The underlying musical accompaniment to Reeves' scat elevated the symbiotic 

artistry between instruments and vocals.  It's futile comparing Reeves to greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah 

Vaughan, but Reeves and her peers Cecile McLorin Salvant and Esperanza Spalding all deserve to be esteemed on the 

highest plateau.  Reeves said "I look back at Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan ... and I say, okay, they set a standard 

of excellence.  I listen to them not for what they are doing but to study where they are coming from because for me, jazz 

is life experience."  In addition to Reeves' scat numbers, I enjoyed her heartfelt rendition of "Smile" and her original 

composition "Nine" which captured the exuberance & earning of youth and the mounting wisdom and liberation that 

comes with age.  In her banter she shared her COVID comatose experiences and the empathy garnered from our 

shared isolation.  Her admiration and connection for her bandmates was profuse. Peter Martins on piano was sublime 

and guitarist Romero Lubambo (b. Brazil) with whom she shares a lifelong  collaboration and friendship was astounding 

along with the bass player and drummer.  Harry Belafonte is among the iconic artists Reeves has performed & recorded 

with.  "My friend Harry Belafonte is an activist and musician, an extraordinary man who has taught me the power of 

words and that music can be used to heal and educate people."  The evening of cool jazz was filled with alluring music, 

warmth and camaraderie.  

Fran Liebowitz Can Banter Wits with the Best

For those whose heads are in the clouds and eyes focused down on their phones, you are fodder for folly by the indefatigable, irrepressible and iconic liaison to all that makes NYC the greatest city in the world. When Fran Lebowitz speaks, pay attention.  A self-proclaimed informed opinionated observer, whose self-deprecating wit notwithstanding, will comment cunningly on whatever banter is up for discourse.  She may come off as brazen and the smartest person in the room, but that's only because she clearly is the smartest person in whatever room she's in.  Last night at the Luther Burbank Theater in Santa Rosa; an antithesis audience to the multitudes of New York City, City Slickers, Fran held court with rapid fire response to whatever querulous question (or comments) posed her way.  It's fair to say her sharp wit was never delivered with condescension or any hint of humiliation.  Rather, she happily shared her well thought out responses instantaneously with good humor.  The evening began with a short interview by a local yokel wise enough to allow Fran to orchestrate their discourse.  In short order the interviewer/interviewee turned the podium over to Ms. Lebowitz to take any and all questions from the audience sans microphones in the stands from those who raised their hands. Despite a preponderance of political questions and comments, Ms. Lebowitz was direct and succinct in all her responses.  She was quick to dispose of Trump as a joke whom she never thought would be elected. She's grateful to Biden but maintains he's too old to run for re-election.  Asked for her bucket list, Ms. Lebowitz said she doesn't have one.  It became a running joke throughout the evening.  When asked by a 17 year old for advice on becoming a writer, she replied, "I don't believe it can be taught.  Reading leads the way to becoming a writer."  The teenager replied she had read 3 books so far this year, Ms. Lebowitz congratulated her, "You've already read more than the entire Republican Party."  The Documentary "Pretend It's a City" has garnered Fran a larger, younger fan club who turned out to meet the new Netflix star who shuns all technology.  "I don't hate technology.  I just don't care about it."  To another young woman who asked her "What motto or quote do you live by?" Fran replied, "Have you been listening?"  Ms. Lebowitz said she was voted best wit in high school prior to being expelled.  "I'm no Oscar Wilde, but  there wasn't  much to contend with."  A repartee between Wilde and Lebowitz would be heavenly but it's not going to happen. However, if you happen to have a chance to hear her live, you'd be a dimwit to miss it!  Should you attend, your IQ will rise and your spirits soar.