Also, check out these Project Logic gigs from March with MonoNeon, Jason Hann & DJ Williams at Knew Conscious in Denver: March 26, 2021 – Denver, CO @ Knew Conscious:
The New Orleans Jazz Festival is a 10 day marathon that fills the city with amazing musicians and music for 2 full weekends (and the daze between). I’ve found that there is a much more palpable energy on the first weekend, when you can feel the city coming alive and people aren’t yet worn down, hitting the wall, or already crashed and burned. Maybe you can’t separate the pros from the amateurs yet, but everyone is ready for magic to happen.
This year’s pleasure was hearing Johnny Vidacovich & John Medeski team up for 3 shows, on First Friday and then on Monday and Tuesday. Vidacovich’s playing on all 3 was fresh and invigorated, which you’re not guaranteed to get from him on second weekend gigs, whether he has his pre-show espresso or not.
These are once in a lifetime performances by musicians that are absolute masters of jazz, groove and intention in their playing. Much of it is improvisational, but at peak execution. It is extremely gratifying to capture these musical moments for posterity and help spread them far and wide, hopefully bringing attention and wider appreciation to this alluring city and it’s spectacular musical gumbo.
Medeski, Vidacovich & Wood with Skerik
Friday, April 27th, 2018
New Orleans, LA @ Maple Leaf
SET ONE: Hip Chops [Rahsaan Roland Kirk], Sham Time [Eddie Harris], Coffee [Vidacovich] > Improv > Improv > Improv (inc. Third Stone From The Sun [Jimi Hendrix] & A Love Supreme [John Coltrane]), Blues Improv Outro
Medeski, Vidacovich & Wood with Skerik
April 27th, 2018
New Orleans, LA @ Maple Leaf
SET TWO: Buster Rides Again [Bud Powell] (inc. Caravan [Duke Ellington]) > Wiggly’s Way [Medeski] > Improv > Improv
Medeski, Vidacovich & Wood
Monday, April 30th, 2018
New Orleans, LA @ d.b.a.
Set TWO: Chinoiserie [Duke Ellington], Bemsha Swing / Lively Up Yourself [Thelonious Monk / Bob Marley], Tootie Ma (Is A Big Fine Thing) [Danny Barker], You Haven’t Don’t Nothin’ [Stevie Wonder], Nostalgia In Times Square / Angel Race (I’ll Wait For You) [Charles Mingus / Sun Ra]
Unfortunately I didn’t arrive in time to capture video of the first set, as it was just too crowded. I did get in to see most of it though, and Picklemic has audio of both sets right here:
John Vidacovich, John Medeski & Will Bernard
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
New Orleans, LA @ Cafe Istanbul
Beatrice [Sam Rivers] > Y Todavia La Quiero [Joe Henderson], Mojet [Medeski], Improv > ?Improv? > Improv > Tubby [James Booker], Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise [Sigmund Romberg], Is It Nature’s Rock N’ Roll? [Vidacovich] > Coffee [Vidacovich] (coda)
Neon-Medeski
April 30, 2018 (actually 2am on 5/1/18)
New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
01. Improv }
02. Improv }
03. Improv }
04. A Change Is Gonna Come [Sam Cooke cover] (with Jermaine Holmes) }
05. Improv (with Maurice Brown) }
06. Bitches Brew [Miles Davis cover] (with Maurice Brown) }
07. Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples [Parliament cover] } Improv (with Deshawn “D’Vibes” Alexander, Borahm Lee & Marcus Machado) }
08. If You Get Lonely (with Charles “Redd” Middleton, Deshawn “D’Vibes” Alexander & Marcus Machado) }
09. Do That Stuff [Parliament cover] (with ??? on sax, Deshawn “D’Vibes” Alexander & Marcus Machado) }
10. She’s Always In My Hair [Prince cover] (with Jermaine Holmes & Marcus Machado)
11. Improv }
12. Improv }
13. Improv (with Maurice Brown) }
14. Dynamite [J Dilla / The Roots cover] } Improv } Theme From A Symphony [Ornette Coleman cover] coda (last half with Borahm Lee & Wil Blades swaps out with Medeski)
Neon-Medeski:
John Medeski – keyboards MonoNeon – bass Daru Jones – drums Skerik – saxophone Robert Walter – keyboards DJ Logic – turntables
Guests:
Maurice Brown – trumpet Deshawn “D’Vibes” Alexander – keyboards Borahm Lee – keyboards Marcus Machado – guitar Jermaine Holmes – vocals Charles “Redd” Middleton – vocals
??? – saxophone Wil Blades – organ
AUDIO: Schoeps CCM5’s } Tascam DR-70D (onstage center 4′ high in ORTF/Cardioid Mode) by Phil Harris / PH Balanced Recordings
VIDEO Recorded & Edited by Funk It Blog
