subtitled the audience member from hell episode
back to the sound lounge at the seymour centre on friday night
i was quietly anticipating this one based on the writeup in the sima program
as has been usual lately went stage right and parked myself at one of many available tables
settled in a few minutes before start of set to be joined in an adjacent table by a lady
who seemed to be alone so i assumed maybe wife/girlfiend of one of the musicians
band started up and work themselves into the first number
a definite case of finding their way with each other
building to a number that all members of the group
indicated musically they were into it and settled
hadn't noticed that another lady had joined the first and was seated next to me
dale barlow stepped forward as spokesman and introduced the band and the song
apparantly named thomas after a place called thomastown
with wry humour dale explained he felt confident we had understood all that
and with a cheeky smile he asked the audience if anyone had been to thomastown
yes - she cried - me - you took me there - she yelled
her accent has me initially thinking maybe there is such a place in the u s of a
a startled look from dale and into a most unwanted dialogue we went
almost completely floored him but he gathered himself to present the next piece
an improvised piece to be titled friday the 13th in honour of the occassion
it was a refief to be back in the music
but my neighbour had other ideas and took up the challenge
she clapped, she pointed, she whooped, she shouted, she....encouraged
she whipped out the mobile phone and all but stuck it in dale's face
trying to get the best closeup of a photo to send to her friends
i'm praying that she doesn't ask her friend
to take one of her and dale while he is performing
the next tune is introduced as
something dark and mysterious from the undiscovered cosmos
the band took us all over the place with this one
i'm now thinking i'm way into this improvised music
and my neighbours too though in the literal sense
for their conversation was so loud it was competing with the musicians for space
it occurred to me that seeing the ladies were actually seated under the p.a.
they probably thought it was ok to shout at each other at a gig
except in this case they were the only ones doing that in the whole room
i loved what the band was doing but the end of the set couldn't come soon enough
i had to do it - i relocated to a more central table away from the maddening crowd
mr barlow introduced the first song of the second set with his bamboo flute in hand
and subtly suggested if anyone wanted to dance
there was a spot at the back of the room over there.....
but they didn't get it and chose not to take up the invitation
i swear dale barlow played his flute through the whole next tune
trying to stare down our enthusiastic friend as she wound up again
i bowed my head, closed my eyes, tried to concentrate on the music
but even halfway across the room i could hear their banter
it was too much for another braver audience member than i
why don't you please shut the *%$# up
very direct, very incisive, very effective, for about 3 minutes
anyway enough of that - more attention than she deserved
let me introduce the members of this rare band
stage left is eddie bronson leader and legend in local improvised music
russian immigrant originally from moscow
taking a moment to explain almost jokingly
we were experiencing a new style of music...
play anything, anyhow, anytime, anywhere, to anybody
to his left on double bass is mike majkowski
master of pulling inconceivable noises from a double bass
for example the flaying with both hands on the top of the strings
to extract a sound reminiscent of a greek bouzoukia
james waples on drums and percussions
looking very happy to be improvising without limitation
as a counter to his exquisite ensemble playing of 2 weeks prior
aaron flower on guitar also looking very comfortable
perched on a stool adding an impressive range of guitar noises to the mix
and dale barlow moving between baritone sax, tenor sax, traditional and bamboo flutes
they played with supreme confidence and improvised in unison
and were hugely satisfying and experience expanding
at the end of the last set dale genuinely thanked the audience
he said sometimes the audience is so part of the performance
it's like having a sixth member on stage he said
summoning all the wry wit he could muster
i don't think they got that either
more please...
