Reviews
DJANGOFEST
NORTHWEST 2001
October 5 - 7, 2001
By Ted Gottsegen
originally printed in Just Jazz Guitar, 2002
By mid September
the post-Samois blues had set in. Sure there were places to jam, get
together with friends and band mates and play some music, but there
is something special about a festival where musicians, fans, aficionados
and neophytes can get together and soak the music up in a live, spontaneous
environment. Whether it's the friendly competition of a jam session
where the goal is as much showing off one's chops as it is learning
new tunes with acquaintances or simply watching and listening to amateurs
and professionals alike playing their lives away. Whatever it is, the
energy is electric and on the weekend of October 5, 2001, the place
to be was Langley Washington, probably the last place in the world most
would expect to find a weekend of playing and learning Django's music.
Situated on quiet
Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound, Langley is a small, artsy community
that, while only 30 miles from downtown Seattle (the ferry ride makes
it seems like a world away), nonetheless shares that city's infectious
love of good, honest music. Pearl Django, hometown heroes who have been
the guiding force behind Seattle's burgeoning Manouche scene, were here
to give two shows in addition to violinist Michael Grey's swing violin
workshop. In addition, the Robin Nolan Trio from Amsterdam rounded out
the bill. Robin Nolan's progressive brand of Gypsy Swing has garnered
him respect from critics and peers, Gypsy and Gadjo (non Gypsy) alike.
His Gypsy Jazz method books (think James Abersold for Gypsy Jazz) have
been immensely popular and have brought the band around the world teaching
clinics on how to play this deceptively complex blend of European Gypsy
music and Jazz.
Anticipation was
high as I encountered Nick Lehr, the man responsible for the event,
passing somewhat nervously in the lobby of the auditorium. He said that
all of the concerts and one workshop were sold out and that he was excited
about the response the event had generated. This was definitely a good
sign, however one crucial question remained: How would this small island
community react to a Eurocentric brand of jazz which, despite a recent
resurgence of interest in America, is still essentially an underground
phenomena? The answer came at 8:05 in the form of uproarious applause
when Nolan and company finished their opening number, "Tchavolo
Swing". To say the response was "highly enthusiastic"
would be both an understatement and disservice. The response was intense
and a huge pleasure. It is fascinating listening to Nolan live because
his "off-the-cuff" liberal interpretation of the melody is
always highly individualistic and original. Having spent the majority
of their career busking on the streets, they have a penchant for using
tricks to capture an audience's attention through story telling and
crowd participation. Robin and brother Kevin even brought out the old
Gypsy trick of playing "Dark Eyes" on the same guitar, melody
on the top strings and rhythm on the bottom. Kevin Nolan is a hard swinging
rhythm man who lays it out at any tempo. His precision and force drives
the rhythm section. Bassist Paul Meader deserves special attention,
as he is perhaps the most enigmatic musician this writer has seen, in
this or any other style of music. In fact, calling him a bassist may
be somewhat inaccurate. He is more like a painter, his bass is his brush,
the notes are his pigments and the song his canvas. Utilizing a wide
range of effects including slaps, slurs or slides that offer a more
impressionistic way of playing than simply walking the lines. At times,
he seems almost as improvisatory as Robin. The required flowing line
is maintained, but it's the accents that separate him from the legions
of other bassists in this or any other style. He is certainly the most
creative bassist and out-of-the-box bassist and his style uplifts, augments
and tells just as much of a story as the lead guitarist's. He is Robin's
second half when it comes to music and the two of them together form
a fantastic team. One thing is for sure, the crowd was hooked from the
first note to the last.
The crowd was ready
for Pearl Django who is a familiar sight around the Puget Sound region.
For close to ten years this Quintet has been playing hard from Los Angeles
to Vancouver. In addition to being featured on the NPR program "All
Things Considered", they have received acclaim in many fine music
publications including Acoustic Guitar and Guitar Player. While lesser
musicians might feel intimidated by following an act like RNT, they
took the stage and launched on a set of hard swinging originals and
standards. Pearl Django has a strong fan base worldwide, but in the
Pacific Northwest their sophisticated brand of string jazz is considered
the benchmark by which all others are measured. The immediate thought
that comes to mind is the uniqueness and originality of each band as
PD launched into a mid-tempo "Minor Swing". Robin's devil-may-care
attitude is a fine counterpoint to Pearl Django's swank, uptown air
and music. Michael Grey's warm, inviting tone caresses the melody from
each tune while Neil Andersson's aggressive electric lead style proves
playing this music is defined by state of mind, not the location of
one's birth. Dudley Hill was in fine form slamming out his trademark,
funky big band style guitar. The tightest rhythm section award goes
to Shelley D. Park and Rick Leppanen. His sublime taste and subtle playing
combined with Park's precise rhythm guitar anchors this band, allowing
the soloists to play their lives away. Whether working through Gypsy
standards like "Swing 42" and "Nuages", jazz standards
like "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" or originals like "Saskia"
and "Bohème Auberge", this band has to, in many ways,
define Gypsy Jazz in America.
After the concerts,
everyone gathered at The Doghouse, a turn-of-the century bar & restaurant
that overlooks Puget Sound, which played host for the jams. With Robin
in the middle of a large circle, the jams kicked off with "Douce
Ambiance" with other favorites including "Tchavolo Swing",
"Dark Eyes", "Django's Tiger" and "I'll See
You in My Dreams" were all attacked with equal fervor. There were
several violinists, including Pearl Django's Michael Grey. It was truly
spectacular. As the evening wore on, the larger jam broke up and several
smaller groups began playing with one another. Unlike Samois, in which
there are plenty of guitars by Anastasio, Dupont and Favino, here the
majority belonged to Shelley D. Park. From one of her earliest guitars
to player and collector Doug McKenna's slick black guitar made to Favino
specs (Robin Nolan saw it, played it and had to get one for himself.
This is currently his #1 guitar). While it's obvious that her talents
have increased with each successive instrument made, all of her guitars
from past to present share the same high quality construction and finishing.
Their thin, modern neck profiles and their robust sound make each a
pleasure to play. These guitars are going to do nothing but increase
in value as her name and guitars get more exposure. A much larger crown
gathered on Saturday evening, many of who attended the Master Class
earlier that day. This gave some of those players a chance to get their
feet wet in the jams.
The most intriguing
aspect of Jazz Manouche was watching the reaction of this quiet Island
community in its response to the music. The crowd's enthusiasm was infectious
and it is questionable whether a mainstream Jazz act would have garnered
the same response. While sharing the same intellectual qualities required
for understanding and enjoying an instrumental, improvisational-based
music, it speaks a language more accessible to the casual listener,
which explains the attraction for musicians and fans alike who are flocking
to the music in droves. Both evenings felt more like a family affair
than music "festival". The generous and gracious hosts of
the many bed & breakfasts like The Country Cottage encouraged late
night jamming and even warned unsuspecting guests who booked last minute
reservations that they might hear live music at odd hours.
The weekend was
a resounding success and as a fan and musician, all are encouraged to
attend next year's event, which promises to be improved. In addition
to more bands, there are also plans for extended Master Classes for
both beginning and more advanced players. Allowances are also being
made for larger and more centralized venues for jamming. Thanks must
go to Nick Lehr for all of his hard work and effort in pulling this
thing off and to the Whidbey Island Center for the Performing Arts for
hosting the event. Thanks must also go to the Robin Nolan Trio for their
insistence on coming despite recent events which have made travel anything
but a safe bet, and of course to Pearl Django.
Ted
Gottsegen
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