Johnny Vidacovich & John Medeski – 2018 – Three Nights of Jazz in New Orleans

John Medeski, Johnny Vidacovich, Chris Wood, Skerik, Maple Leaf

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.

– RandyB (October 13, 2018)

I also have to shout out the great audio tapers that really make these videos stand out with excellent and professional audio recordings. Jason “Picklemic” Loomis and Phil Harris (aka PH Balanced Recordings)!

====================================================================

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

====================================================================

Jphnny Vidacovich, John Medeski, Chris Wood at dba New Orleans

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)

Johnny Vidacovich, John Medeski, Will Bernard at Cafe Istanbul, New Orleans

AUDIO: Schoeps CCM5’s } Tascam DR-70D (onstage center 4′ high in ORTF/Cardioid Mode) by Phil Harris (aka PH Balanced Recordings)

VIDEO: Frequinox closing down NOLA Jazz Fest @ d.b.a. early Monday morning 5/3/15

Frequinox at d.b.a. - Jazz Fest 2015

Frequinox 5/3/15 New Orleans, LA @ d.b.a. – Set Two:

Frequinox
May 3, 2015
New Orleans, LA @ d.b.a.

AUDIO DOWNLOAD: FLAC TORRENT or LIVE MUSIC ARCHIVE

Recorded, Mixed, & Mastered by Phil Harris – PH Balanced Recordings
Schoeps CCM5’s + Royer SF12 > Tascam 70D
-mics onstage center
-Schoeps positioned horizontally (ORTF/Cardioid) at 3′
-Royer positioned vertically (Blumlein) at 4′
-mixed & processed with L3 + Cubase 7

Set One – 1:45am:
01. ???
02. ???
03. Twitchie Feet [The Soul Machine cover]
04. Penske [Will Bernard]
05. ???
06. Cabbage Alley [The Meters cover]
07. Happy Birthday Robert Walter

Set Two – 3:20am:
08. Born In New Orleans (Donald Harrison Jr rap)
09. 2% Body Fat [Robert Walter]
10. Chicken Lickin’ (with Adam Kelly) [Funk Inc. cover]
11. Bootleggin’
12. Hung Up [Salt cover]
13. Meditation [Sam & The Soul Machine cover] (inc. Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver & Taxman teases)
14. Boom Boom
Encore:
15. Rocky Mountain Way [Joe Walsh cover]

Frequinox:
Stanton Moore
– drums
Rob Mercurio – bass
Robert Walter – organ
Will Bernard – guitar
Donald Harrison Jr. – saxophone, rap

Guests:
Adam Kelly
(Stanton Moore‘s In-Town Drum Tech for 14 Years) – drums

======================================================================

Here are a few videos of Frequinox from Jazz Fest 2014:

Frequinox with Eric Bloom & Scott Flynn 5/4/14 New Orleans, LA @ d.b.a.:

Frequinox 5/2/14 New Orleans, LA @ Mardi Gras World – Fiya Fest
Hunk (Robert Walter), Sprung Monkey (Stanton Moore), Penske (Will Bernard), Adelita (Robert Walter), Kickin’ Up Dust (Robert Walter), Chicken Lickin’ (Funk, Inc.)