Stoned but not Heedoosh'd
Word from: Jake
Last Thursday night I finally made it to The Stone, a new hang out opened by John Zorn. (Zorn is one of the biggest names on the American avant-garde music scene. He also owns Tzadik Records, what he calls the "experimental music of the Radical Jewish Culture")
The Stone turned out to be a very discreet East Village hole in the wall of a place, with signs of the previous owner (Chinese fast-food take out) still visible. Hardly a stage. Bunch of folding chairs. No bar. As it says on the website "all the expenses are paid by the music itself - no drinks or merchandise." There, Shlomo, it's all about the concept, right?Mark Dresser was playing a solo gig. On the upright bass. It was extremely avant-garde. Futuristic and disturbing. I was traumatized for the first 20 minutes with discourses a-la "nothing is too big words... if this can be transcribed into notes, why not all of my crises and internal god-grindings etc" but then I got more into it and had a few moments of transcendence.
At the same time, Heedosh and Blue Fringe were playing at Lion's Den in the West Village. I passed by to say hello to a friend. Didn't go in.
3 Comments:
At 6:32 PM, David said…
Is there any significance to the use of the word radical? Because I looked at the Tzaddik Records site, and there some experimental things, but I wouldn't call them radical artistically. There is a mish-mosh of material, some seems to be at the bordenline between experimental and gimmicky, the only common theme that runs through is that it tends to be artists fusing stuff, rather than operationing out of their personal folk tradition.
At 12:15 PM, Jake said…
I think this more of a question for Mordy - he's more familiar with the scene. But I'd say, doesn't radical mean "clearly departing from the norm"? So, this music, being high-quality, certainly departs from the Jewish blue-fringed norm. And ya know, there's always a thin line between avant-garde and gimmick.
At 3:08 PM, David said…
Point taken-but I think radical is more appropriate when referring to rebelling from an organic Jewish community (and it's material) not putting a pastiche of some Jewish elements together. It's a minor quibble of mine.
My assumption is that the talent of Zorn's crew seperates them-if they are adept in their fields, musical experience is a good substitute for personal identification with a community.
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