*I recently read an article that cited, among other things, the abandonment of the lyric as a contributing factor to the demise of jazz in the American mainstream. The author used Take the A Train as an example, reasoning that without the lyrics, what was an anthem celebrating the African-American renaissance in Harlem was reduced to machine-like improvisations over a cliched theme. While this idea has some merit in the context of the many lyrical masterpieces found in the Great American Songbook, I couldnt help but find it ironic when applied to the modern-day stylings of my jazz quartet, GRAVY! While Mingus and company were perverting the lush masterpieces of the likes of Harold Arlen and George Gershwin, Adam Lawrence Bronstein, Campbell Ryan, Chris Morello Herr, and I find ourselves equally at home deconstructing the loquacious yet vapid overtures of Nelly, Beyonce, and Air Supply, to name but a few. You might find these tunes more enjoyable when you hear their undeniable melodies stripped of the frequent pager references and love song cliches that make you cringe when you remember how hard you rocked to them at middle school dances. Find out for yourself tonight at Vera Pizzeria from 10-Midnight as GRAVY covers everything! *Paid Post **This status is an experiment in Native Advertising and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Brad Robbins. ***Did I mention there is never a cover and always delicious cocktails?
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 19:19:17 +0000
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