The Tokyo Concert Experience

The jazz trio of piano, bass and drums is considered by some as the primal and cornerstone of jazz ensembles. The piano, acting as the lead voice, fills up the spaces anchored by a rhythm section that also contributes with solos at times. The three musicians ought to form an almost telepathic synergy that translates into an everflowing cascade of ideas and, in the ideal settings, a parallel to the human experience with emotions ranging from melancholy to euphoria. It might sound corny, but it’s basically the closest representation in music of the balance between heart and mind. In the last ten years or so, the name of Vijay Iyer has been added to the historical pantheon that includes people like Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, and Brad Mehldau. Besides teaching in Harvard, Iyer has accumulated a significant number of awards. He has been named Artist of the Year multiple times in publications such as DownBeat and Jazz Times. He’s also one of the few jazz artists recipi...

I read in an article not so long ago that this year’s gas emissions stemming from the production and incineration of plastics will be the equivalent of 189 coal power plants working at full steam. It is estimated that in around ten years the number will quadruple. That alarming fact doesn’t even bring to account the devastating impact of plastic pollution in oceans. We all have seen pictures and images of marine life struggling with the debris underwater, struggling to survive in their environment. These eloquent and heartbreaking images brought the political-conceptual Matmos’ set to a close this evening. Before the main act took the stage several bands preceded them. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it from the beginning. I ended up missing Max Eilbacher & Duncan Moor, Klonns and Jeff Carey. Got there on time for Cemetery , who bathe the place with ethereal sounds leaning towards noise without being harsh. His half an hour flew smoothly, the visuals projected behind him comple...

Almost twenty years ago I saw Bob Dylan in concert for the first time and he was the opening act. Well, not exactly, after all he played a full set with an encore, but he did play first. It was a double bill with Phil Lesh from The Grateful Dead and I remember the people still coming inside and finding their seats at the outdoor venue as Dylan’s band walked onstage in broad daylight. The surprised reactions were palpable. I had a very similar experience at this show. After an Australian tour co-headlining with Kataklysm, Hypocrisy missed the first two dates of the Japan tour, one in Osaka and one in Nagoya, for unknown reasons. They were supposed to rejoin them at the first of two programmed Tokyo shows. In the back of my mind I was still nervous about the possibility of another cancellation. It was my first time at the Shibuya venue Cyclone. It’s in the basement of a building next to a convenience store. The walls going down the stairs are covered in scribbles, as the club’s ar...

The story of how Harold in Italy came to be is as fascinating as the piece itself. Upon acquiring a Stradivarius viola and due to the lack of suitable (read “virtuosic”) solo material, Niccolò Paganini commissioned Hector Berlioz the writing of what it was supposed to be a showcase of his talent on the newly attained instrument. But Berlioz had a different idea. Instead he conceived a symphony like composition writing every single part, not leaving room for pyrotechnical improvisation. The solo instrument and the orchestra were in equal terms and yet the viola unique timbre and personality shined. This was not enough for Paganini, who decided not to commit to its premiere after reading parts of the score. Years later he witnessed a performance and acknowledged the composer on stage, kissing his hand in reverence. The title comes from the composer’s visits to the region of Abruzzo during his close to two years séjour in Italy. Traveling is this year’s main theme of the annua...