Larry Ochs -
Donald Robinson Duo 9 pm
Darren Johnston - Vijay Anderson Duo 10 PM
One of the primal configurations in jazz in the past half-century is that of the saxophonist/brass player and drummer duo. Think of John Coltrane + Rashied Ali, of Anthony Braxton + Max Roach, of Wadada Leo Smith+ Billy Higgins, of Evan Parker + Paul Lytton. Just 4 of the great duos focused on direct communication between the musicians, culminating in a sound world greater than the sum of its parts.
June 29 at Duende, you get to hear 2 such duos. At 10 PM Johnston + Anderson, who are collaborators in each others' bands, perform as a Duo for the first time. There's a certain energy to such first-time meetings that can lead to incredible sonic revelations. We have the new band follow the now mature duo of Ochs and Robinson in order to further up the ante; expect Sparks to fly.
Ochs + Robinson have been performing as a Duo now since mid-2011, so about 3 years. But it was really in 2013 that four tours focused the music; continuing rehearsals in 2014 seem to have lifted the music to another level. This concert in preparation for a performance at a festival in Europe in July.
Ochs + Johnston have a new CD out together (entitled "Spectral" - with a third horn player from Chicago: Dave Rempis.) If the energy is there we look forward to a Quartet encore at the end of this show.
Cost: $15/$10