Nigel Kennedy (vln), Piotr Wylezol (pno/org), Adam Kowalewski (bs), Krzysztof 'Boom Boom' Dziedzic (dms), Tomasz Grzegorski (ten/sop/bs clt). + 2 Violins & 1 cello.
-----
Anna Maria Jopek (vcl), Marek Naplorkowski (gtr), Robert Kubiszyn (bs/gtr) Piotr Nazaruk (cither, flutes, reeds, fisharmonium, backing vcls).
If they asked me I could write a book but it would almost be as long as the concert which may still be ongoing.
I've never been to a gig quite like this - there were times when I thought that this was the best gig I'd ever been to and there were times when I thought it wasn't.
The truth is it went on too long.
Anna Maria Jopek set the ball rolling. She looked sexy and svelte in a figure hugging gown as she screamed and whispered alluringly through what I presume was the Great Polish Songbook.
It was a cross genré performance made possible by her amazing vocal range. It didn't matter that we didn't know what she was singing about - think Italian Opera or Vocalese - the voice was her instrument. A good set with some impressive guitar work by Marek.
During the interval I renewed acquaintance with Ron Simpson, the editor of Jazz Rag, drank a glass of rosé, and chatted on jazz things in general until the bell tolled. We drank deep and hurried back to our seats.
We needn't have.
A team of back stage technicians were at work on the drum kit amplification beavering away like BP technicians in the Gulf of Mexico.
The slow hand-claps began from the Polish sector - it may have been stage managed as suddenly everything was Jake.
Well not quite. Nigel introduced the band by name. No John Smiths here. Read the names at the top and you can imagine how long that took!
Still, eventually we got going and DID WE GET FUCKIN' GOING! Apologies for the F word but Nigel K seems to like it so when in Gateshead...
This was simply amazing.
Apart from NK, Tomasz blew great tenor and soprano and the piano had moments too. One helluva band, one crazy violin player - what a sound he gets. At times, almost like a viola so sonorous the tone, whilst at others it could have been Clapton!
It was worth the wait, I was on Cloud 9+. Nashville meets Killarney meets Jean-Luc Ponty meets Menuhin on Miaow. It was 32. I wanted to stay there forever midst this frenetic, frenzied fiddling but, after awhile, it became forever and a day and the magic faded, the riffs became repetitive, the thrill wasn't gone but it was going.
The security men evicting a drunk - or maybe he was a political protester, or a descendent of Vivaldi - from the front row provided a welcome distraction and, after a set that had lasted an hour and a half up until this point, my Metro train home beckoned.
I confessed to the girl at the door it had been a tad too long. she agreed then said that there were still another 35 minutes to go.
I don't want to come over too negative as this concert will stay with me for the rest of my life and I really did enjoy it.
But...
Lance.
PS: Visit Elsie's NK site (see Comments) at http://www.nigelkennedyonline.com/
4 comments :
Don't know how to contact you so I'm posting this here ! Will you give me permission to reprint this blog on my Nigel Kennedy website ? All due acknowledgements made and a link to your blog. Maybe you could email me ?
Thanks for the blog, in any case.
Cheers ! Elsie (elstock@eastlink.ca)
Thanks Elsie, feel free to use it as you will.
Nice to hear from you.
I was sat in the middle of the second row and thoroughly enjoyed the concert. However, like you said, it was excessively long. Thiswas unfortunate; the last few numbers were the best of the second half, which you probably missed if you left early.
I feel you maybe have undersold the bands, as the rhythm sections of both groups were seriously tight, and kept it all together with a skilful and musical ease. Also a special moment (for me) that you failed to mention was the number that Anna Maria Jopek wrote, when she and the rest of the band came and sat down at the edge of the stage, was very intimate (though the glass tumbler percussion was at times amusing).
Also just so you know the violin sounded so sonorous because it was a 5-string electric, which means it had the range of violin and viola.
Sorry for these small quibbles, I enjoyed reading your review and agree with all of what you've said, and was interested to find out the opinions of others who went.
Meo
I hold my hand up for the sin(s) of omission. I agree the edge of the stage number was lovely and the rhythm sections were tight. But, the lifeboat couldn't cope with everybody so some had to go overboard. However, thank you so much for adding your views on what was a very memorable night.
Post a Comment