This Week at An die Musik LIVE

From Baltimore’s An die Musik LIVE:

Thursday, Oct 29 8 & 9:30 pm.
Musicians:
Jon Irabagon, sax
Mike Pride, drums
Information:
Unplugged, saxophonist Irabagon and drummer Pride bring that much ferocity to this concert.

Irabagon was the most recent winner of the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition (a prior winner was Joshua Redman), but might be best known for his work in the self-described “bebop cyborg terrorist band,” Mostly Other People Do The Killing. He also leads Outright!, Starship’s Journey (a 1980’s covers band), and a Sonny Rollins tribute trio. He is also a co-leader or sideman in 10 other ensembles.

Drummer Pride is likewise a busy colleague, leading bands with the likes of Mary Halvorson (MPThree), Bill McHenry (Whoopie Pie), Jamie Saft and Andrew D’Angelo, and a sideman in bands led by Tony Malaby, Sonny Simmons and Jack Wright, to name a few.

This duo bridges rock and blues by way of improvised jazz. Pride sticking with his stadium rock rhythm, making large gestures that echo off the scoreboards and t-shirt vendors. It’s riotous, somewhat farcical, and intoxicating. Irabagon is up to the challenge, filling in the drawn-out gaps left by Pride. Alternating between honk and wails that draw very little from free jazz. The grind is the blues, Pride altering time throughout, jumping into heavy metal drumming, then bebop, then funk, and rock. Irabagon glues the affair together with his repetition of themes.

Friday, Oct 30 8 pm.
Musicians:
Jay Clayton (voice)
Jerry Granelli (drums)
Information:
Jay Clayton (voice) and Jerry Granelli (drums) are two seasoned jazz-innovators who compose as they go and produce sparkling music of concise, classic proportions, enriched by a contemporary apprehension of Third World and classical innovations. Each musician here has a supreme command of timbre and an ability to get inside the sound of the other. Listening to them explore, expand and contract a musical idea, it’s easy to forget that you’re listening to just a singer and a drummer.