The Mahavishnu Project live at NJ Proghouse 2 October

SATURDAY OCTOBER 2 ,2010: THE MAHAVISHNU PROJECT

DATE:Saturday October 2 , 2010
TIME: 7:30p

LOCATION: Rockn Joe
3570 Rte 27
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
directions: http://tinyurl.com/rocknjoe

COST:$20

ARTIST WEBSITE:
http://www.mahavishnuproject.com

   
Gregg Bendian drums
Glenn Alexander guitar
Neil Alexander keyboards
Peter Brendler bass

MAHAVISHNU PROJECT PLAYS THE MUSIC OF JEFF BECK
from Wired, Blow by Blow, There & Back and more.

PHOTO GALLERY: Prester John at NJ Proghouse 10 September 2010

As always, additional photographs may be found in my Photobucket account at the following address:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v478/prjt2501/prester_john_20100910/

CONCERT REVIEW: Prester John at the NJ Proghouse 10 September 2010

It took me better than a week to figure out who Shawn Persinger was (even though I knew I knew his name), and had someone not commented on the blog about the recent shows, I probably would not have figured it out till I got to Rockn’ Joe on Friday night, 10 September 2010.

Now that I’ve led off that way, let me explain.

Back in the mid-1990’s there was a band on Cuneiform Records called Boud Deun. The name rhymes with ‘rude European’ (but preferably, apparently, not ‘nude peon’), and they released two albums, plus a live set recorded at Orion Sound Studios, before going their separate ways in 1998. I had 2 studio albums (The Stolen Bicycle and Astronomy Made Easy), never had a chance to get the live album before it went out of print itself, and both studio albums went their separate ways from me quite some time ago, sadly (and with the debut out of print, unlikely that I’ll ever have them both again…at least in physical format…but more about that later). For me, they’re one of the great and sadly unknown American prog bands of their era.

Shawn Persinger was one of the members of Boud Deun. Thus endeth the history lesson. For now.

Anyway…

Friday night Shawn Persinger appeared at the NJ Proghouse with mandolinist David Miller in their duo Prester John. In this configuration, Persinger plays acoustic guitar, and by now I am guessing that you’re thinking ‘Acoustic guitar and mandolin? Gaah, this isn’t prog, this is…bluegrass!’ And if you’re thinking that, I want you do so something for me.

1. First, extend your right hand so it’s out in front of you. Got it?
2. OK, good. Now, take your left hand and extend it so it’s about 8 inches or so above your right.
3. Now, slap yourself.
4. Done? Now listen:

Prog is NOT about 15 minute long songs in 7/4. It is NOT about mellotrons and violins and flutes and racks of keyboards and triple neck guitars. It is NOT about costumes or lyrics about marmots coming out of the sky and then standing there. It’s about interesting music that does something different. That’s my definition of prog, and I’m sticking to it. And interesting music that does something different is everything Shawn Persinger and Prester John is about. You get odd tunings, loops a plenty, loads of angular playing, immense walls of sound and colour, dashes of humour and darkness, unison lines up the wazoo, and enough quirks to open up your own quirk gift shop. Now tell me that doesn’t sound like prog. Because it sure does to me. Who cares what it’s played on?

Ahem. Moving on.

I got to the venue early, hung out with Jim Robinson and Alan and Amy Benjamin for a bit, and watched Persinger and Miller set up. I got to hear their soundcheck, and it was honestly a fun little blast to sing along with them as they played a few standards. After the soundcheck I walked over, introduced myself to Shawn, and asked permission to a) shoot photos of the show, and b) to get a shot of the setlist in the event that I couldn’t stay for both sets (and because my memory is crap and I’d not remember everything played). He generously allowed both. You’ll see the set list below. Mostly, I think you can ignore it…there were enough deviations that I am sure it’s far from accurate. But it gives an idea of what they did.

The first set was a maelstrom, and I am sure I laughed more during it than I have during most any concert I have been to in a long time. Persinger and Miller have a great rapport on stage with each other, and genuinely seem to love the stuff they do and working with each other. Equally, Persinger does a great job getting the audience involved, whether it’s talking, joking, starting a story and then stopping it saying it’s too boring or not interesting enough…there’s an equal amount of smiles coming from the stage and the audience both. There were highlights I definitely recall from that first set…a stomping cover of Rush’s ‘Spirit of Radio’ was one, the three miniatures called ‘Silhouettes’ (with one each dedicated to Janet Feder, Mike Sary of French TV and Dave Kerman of Thinking Plague/Aranis/Present/too many other bands to name) was another. In fact, the last of the three was particularly humourous, as Persinger saying that it was not at all like Dave Kerman ‘because this one ritards’ (Lesson #2 for the non-musically trained…a ritard or ritardando is a gradual slowing of a piece as it progresses). Those three short pieces were complex, amazing to hear, and both Miller and Persinger had to play them off scores.

That first set also offered up the first Boud Deun tune of the night, a stunning version of ‘Saints.’ I didn’t expect any BD material to be played, to be honest (and further honesty…when I saw BD cover listed on the setlist, I started wracking my brain to figure out what Bob Drake album the songs were from), and the arrangement for guitar and mandolin was wonderfully done. The other huge highlight actually closed out the first set. Persinger sent Miller to the audience, telling us that if both of them where up there our heads would explode. I was sure it was hyperbole, but ‘Domesticated’ possibly lived up to that warning, building throughout the performance, with intense, occasionally almost screamed vocals, and extensive use of live looping to build huge sheets of sound, to the point where I was almost sure that we were moving into metal territory.

After that, Persinger and Miller needed a break. Hell, I think we needed a break. I stepped outside for 10 minutes or so while people mulled about catching their breaths.

The second set, as I look at it, offered a lot of deviation from what was written too, at least in terms of order if nothing else. We opened up with another Persinger solo track, the new ‘First Date,’ which he begged three teen-aged girls who had witnessed the first set from a corner near the back of the restaurant to stay for, but they walked out before his first note. His comment ‘Well, maybe they’re not fans of subtext’ as they walked out got a nice laugh. The song itself carried on in style somewhat from ‘Domesticated,’ albeit with a little less intensity and a little less emphasis on looping.

At this point things get a little fuzzy for me setlist wise. I know that Persinger and Miller did another great rendition of a Doud Deun piece (‘Making Circles’) featuring subtle use of looped rhythm guitar tracks and loads of lyrical and tasty solos from both musicians. There was a request from the audience for ‘In the Court of the Crimson King,’ which they took to mean the lead track from the album of the same name, which happened to be on the setlist for the night anyway. Now, if you think that ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ can’t possibly translate to acoustic guitar and mandolin, all I can say is this…there’s about 30 people who can state without reservation that you’re dead wrong. It was intense in a totally different way, and as for the main riff…you know, the one everyone knows…when Persinger hit those pinched notes leading into the vocal sections, you’d be hard pressed to believe they weren’t electric.

There was also an amazingly spacey instrumental called ‘Favored Color of Light’ that took their sound in unexpected directions. About the only thing it was missing was a violin to really classify as space rock…thrumming bass line loops, echoed and held single guitar notes and runs, and loads of ambience and space really set this piece apart. Definitely one of the highlights for me overall. Add in the wistful ‘Fireman’s Drive-Inn’ and a cool number called ‘Duet for Piano And Violin No. 1’ (please note…it’s a trio, and there’s no piano or violin, and two people play it), and top it off with an honest to goodness bluegrass traditional tune (whose name sadly escapes me and I’ll hope that someone chimes in to fill in that hole), and you have a night of music that covers more range and styles than most multi-band festivals can. And it’s just two guys, some pedals, an acoustic guitar and mandolin.

Shawn and David have a bunch of upcoming dates across the east coast and mid-Atlantic area in the coming months (I'll be posting dates and links later); I’d highly encourage you to check them out. Don’t be like the people who chickened out going to the show because there was no way an acoustic duo with mandolin could possibly be prog…because if you are, you’ll miss out on some of the most amazing playing you will ever get the chance to see, from two musicians who know their instruments inside and out and can bend them to their musical will at the slightest whim.






Oh! One last bit that I referenced above…according to Persinger, both Astronomy Made Easy and A General Observation will be available on iTunes this year (The Stolen Bicycle already is, but sadly Fiction and Several Days is not). So, if you never got a chance to pick up these essential American prog/fusion albums, here’s your chance!

Shawn Persinger is Prester John at the NJ Proghouse this Friday

With a unique blend of acoustic folk, jazz, pop, bluegrass, funk and the avant-garde, New Haven, CT duo PRESTER JOHN has a sound that is entirely their own. Formed in 2008 by underground guitar-hero Shawn Persinger, Prester John also showcases the musical talents of David Miller on mandolin and vocals.

Taylor Guitars’ Wood and Steel once wrote, “Persinger has defined his career by playing hard-to-define music.” One minute you’re hearing a pop/rock song the next you’re listening to music that could have been composed by Stravinsky or Frank Zappa. And certainly Prester John’s authenticity is difficult to match; their bluegrass repertoire sounds straight out of Appalachia (no doubt due to Persinger’s West Virginia roots) and their swing tunes recall the bygone days of The Hot Club of France.

The PRESTER JOHN sound has developed over several years of Shawn’s solo touring and performing (playing on 5 continents, in 34 countries and countless cities). With the addition of the extremely versatile David Miller the possibilities are endless.

“This duo has started with a backlog of Shawn’s songs but the future of our sound is wide open,” says Miller. “We both have an interest in different types of music and we also have the ability to play many styles. Whether it’s the simplicity of a two and four backbeat or the complexity of an atonal melody. Nothing is dismissed.” It is that eclectic taste and skill that makes PRESTER JOHN a force to be reckoned with.


DATE: Friday September 10, 2010
TIME: 7:30 pm

LOCATION: Rockn Joe
3570 Rte 27
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
directions: http://tinyurl.com/rocknjoe

COST:$10

ARTIST WEBSITE:
http://www.PersingerMusic.com
http://www.ReverbNation.com/PresterJohn

Piktor's Metamorphosis (jazz/fusion) at NJ Proghouse 16 October

Piktor's Metamorphosis began as a Jazz/Fusion/Prog concept group established in 2007 by bassist Brian Mooney along with remarkable keyboardist Marc Stasio. The idea was initially a tribute project to the great progressive Jazz/Symphonic Rock/Fusion music of David Sancious & Tone. The core trio was complete in 2008 when drummer Danny Pagan (Vernon Reid/Eddie Palmieri) joined Mooney and Stasio providing the dynamic propulsion this music demands. This amazingly creative music is challenging to cover - understandably a reason why many have not approached it.

In 2010 rather than maintaining a single tribute concept, the group has pushed its own envelope to include tributes to the music of Return to Forever, Chick Corea, Mahavishnu Orchestra, McCoy Tyner, Joe Farrell, Pat Metheny, Stanley Clarke, and many others. Originally a trio, the guitar was recently added to the ensemble (Monroe Quinn) thus opening up additional possibilities. The Jazz/Rock/Fusion era's experimental creativity and musical virtuosity has brought us all much enjoyment. Piktor's Metamorphosis now seeks to recreate some of the magic as well as make some of their own.

For the October 16th performance, tributes to the music of Return to Forever's: Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy & Romantic Warrior; David Sancious and Tone's: Forest of Feelings, Transformation, & True Stories; Chick Corea's: The Leprechaun; Mahavishnu Orchestra's Inner Worlds, and more…..


DATE:Saturday October 16, 2010
TIME: 7:30p

LOCATION: Rockn Joe
3570 Rte 27
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
directions: http://tinyurl.com/rocknjoe

COST:$10

ARTIST WEBSITE:
http://www.piktorsmetamorphosis.com

Marc Stasio - Keyboards
Monroe Quinn - Guitars
Danny Pagan - Drums/percussion
Brian Mooney - Double Bass & Electric basses

August 22, 2010: Virtuoso Stick Night - Steve Hahn and Rob Martino

DATE: SUNDAY AUGUST 22nd
TIME: 6:00p

LOCATION: Rockn Joe
3570 Rte 27
Kendall Park, NJ 08824
directions: http://tinyurl.com/rocknjoe

The NJ Proghouse is proud to present a very special evening of progressive music with two of the world's finest Chapman Stick players, Steve Hahn and Rob Martino. An alumnus of the NJ Proghouse (having performed an absolutely wonderful opening set for Advent in October of 2007), Steve Hahn is an extremely gifted player who specializes in music that straddles the boundaries between prog, jazz-rock fusion, and funk--and, as a point of trivia, has also covered more Gentle Giant music on record than any other Stick player to date. Having just released his first solo Stick album to rave reviews (including one from Stick-inventor Emmett Chapman himself), Rob Martino is also quickly becoming known as one of today's hottest players.

Please join us for dinner and a coffee (or two) and witness some of the most intensely beautiful progressive music to be performed on the Chapman Stick.

STEVE HAHN

Steve Hahn excels on four instruments: Chapman Stick, trumpet, bass, and guitar. Further, he is proficient in classical, jazz, rock, and fusion styles. Hahn has performed in such famous venues as Carnegie Hall, New York City; Royal Albert Hall, London, England; and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the White House, and Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C., among many others. In 1969 Hahn began performing in jazz-rock fusion groups as trumpet, guitar, and bass player. Among other bands, he performed with the East Coast band Whale, which played extensively along the Eastern seaboard, recorded original material, and backed up such well-known bands as Blood, Sweat, and Tears.

In 1989 Hahn took on a new challenge--mastering the relatively new instrument, The Chapman Stick. He studied Chapman Stick with the instrument's inventor, Emmett Chapman, and with other world-renowned Stick artists at the National Guitar Summer Workshop in 1991 and 1992.

In 1994 Hahn was one of just twelve musicians in the United States to receive a Jazz Fellowship-Individual Project Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which provided the opportunity for intensive private study on The Stick with world-renowned Stick/bass player Alphonso Johnson in 1995. This award was the first NEA grant ever given to a Chapman Stick player. Hahn received a grant from Tier III, Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, to present a concert of his music at Longmont High School (Colorado) in 1995. Hahn also received an Arts and Humanities Assembly of Boulder (AHAB)-Addison mini-grant that funded a concert of his original music in Boulder, Colorado, in 1997. In 1999 Hahn received another AHAB-Addison mini-grant to partially fund a concert of his original music at the Dickens Opera House in Longmont, Colorado, in 1999.

Hahn wrote and arranged compositions especially for The Chapman Stick and trumpet for his first CD project, Stickburst, released in 1994. In 1993 Hahn received a grant from the Neodata Endowment, administered by AHAB, for the project Native American Music Meets The Chapman Stick, which culminated in his second CD, released in 1998; the CD features music of five Native American tribes transcribed by Hahn for Chapman Stick and percussion. Hahn's third CD, sh, also released in 1998, contains original jazz Hahn composed for Chapman Stick, trumpet, and percussion. The CDs have been played on more than one hundred radio stations across the United States. Hahn has also contributed to the CD recordings Tappistry, Vol. 1, an international collection of work by Chapman Stick players, and Giant Tracks, a tribute to the music of Gentle Giant.

http://www.deepchocolate.com/

ROB MARTINO

Rob Martino performs original music and arrangements on the Chapman Stick, a unique stringed instrument that combines elements of guitar, bass, piano and percussion. Music listeners of widely different tastes have been attracted to different aspects of Rob's music--some find it pleasantly melodic and mellow, while others are also intrigued by the subtle complexities and artistry of the compositions.

Rob has drawn from progressive and art-rock influences such as Jethro Tull, Rush, Marillion, and Genesis (as well as folk, Celtic, and classical-music genres) to develop his particular playing style and musical approach. He also uses a custom "mirrored 4ths" tuning on the Stick to better realize some of his musical ideas, as opposed to the more standard "bass in inverted 5ths, melody in 4ths" tuning.

In addition to making a strong impression at live performances, Rob’s music has a popular online presence, gathering over a million views and thousands of subscribers worldwide on YouTube. In May 2010 he released his debut solo Stick album One Cloud.

Rob is currently based in Fredericksburg, Virginia (originally from the Boston area), and has had a lifelong interest in music and computers --he is a software engineer in the music technology industry (Wave Arts and Camel Audio), and also holds a master's degree in music from Northwestern University.

http://www.robmartino.com/
http://www.njproghouse.com

NJ Proghouse presents Riverside

From the NJ Proghouse press release:

We are very excited to present Riverside and Pinnacle to the Proghouse for a special night of music.

This event is to benefit The Fellowship For Metlar House. The Metlar House is a local museum here in New Jersey.

This is the only chance to see Riverside this year unless you already have tickets to the two festivals they are playing in September.

There are a limited number of seats available for this benefit event and demand is high so be sure to get your seats early by going to

http://www.njproghouse.com

There you will be able to order your seats and you can find all the other information for this very cool benefit event.