Hiatus Watching & Listening (Pt 2)

The Music Mountain "Twilight Concerts" series presents Ryan Keberle & Catharsis on Saturday August 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the historic Gordon Hall.  The quintet - Keberle (trombone, melodica, keyboards), Jorge Roeder (acoustic and electric bass), Eric Doob (drums), Camila Meza (guitar, vocals) and special guest Scott Robinson (saxophones, trumpet, filling in for regular member trumpeter Michael Rodriguez) - has been touring a lot this summer in support of its new "protest" album, "Find the Common, Shine a Light."  The program features several Keberle originals, several "group" compositions, and inspired renditions of songs by Bob Dylan, Jorge Drexler, Paul McCartney, and Vito Aiuto & The Welcome Wagon.

The album addresses issues that arisen since the beginning of the 2016 Presidential Election cycle and in the wake of the Donald Trump Presidency.  The album covers shows protest placards with statements about immigration, human rights, respect, and more.  The band does not beat one over the head - they want you to think, respond, and make sure your voice is heard.  No sitting back and letting other people speak for you.

For ticket information, go to musicmountain.org/category/concerts/ or call 860-824-7126 or 860-824-7626.

Here's the group's take on Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'":



Take a listen to Vito Aiuto's song:



Here's a track from the new Bill Cunliffe record "BACHanalia" that I will review when the hiatus is through.  It's a smashing arrangement of a tune by Oscar Levant (that's a character from the past) and features a wonderful flugelhorn solo from Terell Stafford:




And, while in a bit of ballad mood, here is the duo of Jason Anick (electric mandolin) and Jason Yeager (piano) with the rhythm section of Greg Loughman (bass) and Mike Connors (drums) performing a George Harrison tune. They've got a fine new album on Inner Circle Music titled "United."





How about a "modern" brass quartet. The Westerlies, born in Seattle, WA, and now based in New York City, make such fascinating music.  The foursome includes Riley Mulherkar and Zubin Hensler on trumpet, and Andy Clausen and Willem de Koch on trombone. Here's a piece from each of the ensemble's two Songlines recordings. The first album was dedicated to the music of Wayne Horvitz:



The following track is a Duke Ellington tune from the ensemble's self-titled second album: