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by Giovanni Russonello and Adam Schatz
Editor-in-chief and Search & Restore director
This past weekend, we heard music from a smattering of District-area bands at the D.C. Jazz Loft. One of those acts featured trombonist and effects pedal master Joseph Bowie, who’s actually not a local at all; Bowie lives in Europe, but he was in town to perform a free-jazz duet with D.C. drum star Nasar Abadey. The performance took many a sharp left turn, but held its foot down hard on the gas throughout. Sometimes, mixing local and global perspectives can yield an especially zesty brew.
That’s exactly what’s on tap for Saturday, March 31, when CapitalBop teams up for the first time with Search & Restore, an organization that promotes the jazz scene in New York City and presents shows targeted at young listeners. D.C.’s steel pan trailblazer Victor Provost will be flaunting his talent, and New York saxophone fiend Andrew N. D’Angelo will show off his fiery big band. Come on out to the Dunes to listen, drink and be merry. (Students can at least do two out of the three – and they get a discounted price on tickets.)
Below you’ll find our preview of the two thrilling acts:
Andrew N. D’Angelo’s DNA Big Band
Andrew D'Angelo. Courtesy Dave Kaufman/allaboutjazz
Andrew N. D’Angelo’s DNA Big Band is a true dynamic explosion. Taking some compositions written for his trio and others penned specifically for this mammoth group, the ensemble stretches, combines, collapses and blasts melodies and improvisation in ways you’ve never heard a big band do it before. The music sounds truly present, but is clearly evolved from even the earliest days of jazz big bands. The personnel includes a range of players within New York City’s creative music community, so get ready to see a lot of folks you didn’t think you’d see playing together, play together.
Victor Provost Quartet
Victor Provost. Carlyle V. Smith/CapitalBop
Reared in the Virgin Islands, Victor Provost has the jazz steel pan niche pretty well cornered around these parts. If he did have competitors, though, they’d hardly stand a chance against his powerful but lithe technique and glimmering lyricism. Provost released a thrilling CD last year, Her Favorite Shade of Yellow, which earned the No. 3 spot on CapitalBop’s top albums of 2011. But the real way to experience him is in person – when Provost takes the stage with his quartet, get ready for a dizzying coruscation of melody and rhythm, all tied up together and gushing out the bowl of his steel pan.
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