SBD Matrix: SBD > XLR + Neumann AK40/LC3/KM100 (on stage, centered, ORTF @ 30″ high) > Sound Devices MixPre-6 [24/48] > WAV > Cool Edit Pro (dither to 16bit) > Vegas Pro 14.0 (mix) > CD Wave Editor (tracking) > FLAC
Audio recording by K.C. Cadwallader
Mix & tracking by Funk It
Photos by Shackaholic
Set One:
01. Introduction
02. Inside Straight [Cannonball Adderley / Dirty Dozen Brass Band cover]
03. Man About Town >
04. Invincible Bubble
05. Adele
06. Medeski banter / band intros
07. The Golden Lady [Sun Ra cover]
08. Medeski banter
09. Dead Dog In The Street [Dirty Dozen Brass Band cover]
Set Two:
01. Intro
02. Tuna In A Can
03. Baby Goats
04. Winin’ Boy Blues [Jelly Roll Morton cover] >
05. Piri Piri
06. Psychedelic Rhino >
07. Wiggly’s Way [Medeski Martin & Wood cover]
08. Medeski banter / band intros
09. Who Took The Happiness Out? [Dirty Dozen Brass Band cover]
John Medeski – organ & keyboards Will Bernard – guitar Kirk Joseph – sousaphone Terence Higgins – drums
01. Door of the Cosmos
02. Sunology / The Lion of the Heavens
03. Astro Black
04. On Jupiter, The Skies Are Always Blue
05. Improvisational Blues Jam
06. Love In Outer Space
07. Stranger In Paradise
08. Stars Fell On Alabama
09. Angels and Demons at Play
10. Dorothy’s Dance
11. Rocket Number Nine
12. Fate In A Pleasant Mood / I’ll Wait For You (Strange Worlds in My Mind)
13. Hit That Jive Jack
Two possible 2019 linups I found listed on the internet:
Marshall Allen – alto sax, EVI, flute, vocals, Musical Director
Tara Middleton – vocals, violin
Knoel Scott – alto sax
James Stewart – tenor sax
Mike Watson – bass clarinet
Danny Ray Thompson – baritone sax
Cecil Brooks – trumpet
Ryan Frazier – trumpet
Emmett McDonald – trombone
Vincent Chancey – french horn
Tyler Mitchell – bass
Ron Burton – piano
Dave Hotep – electric guitar
Wayne Anthony Smith, Jr. – drums
Elson Nascimento – surdo, percussion
Lamont Smith – congas & percussion
Teddy Thomas – percussion
Marshall Allen – alto saxophone, flute, EVI – joined in 1958
Michael Ray – trumpet, vocals – joined in 1978
Fred Adams – trumpet – joined in 1982
Knoel Scott – alto saxophone – joined in 1979
Vincent Chancey – french horn – joined in 1976
Cecil Brooks – trumpet
Danny Ray Thompson – flute, baritone sax, alto sax, bassoon – joined in 1967
Abshalom Ben Shlomo – alto sax, clarinet – joined in 1970
Rey Scott – baritone saxophone – joined in 1988
Dave Davis – trombone – joined in 1997
Elson Nascimento – percussion – joined in 1988
Craig Holiday Haynes – drums – joined in 1980
D. Hotep – guitar – joined in 2000
Yahya Abdul-Majid – tenor saxophone – joined in 1980
Kash Killion – cello – joined in 1989
Bill Davis – bass – joined in 1962
Tyler Mitchell – bass – joined in 1985
Juini Booth – bass – joined in 1967
Farid Abdul-Bari Barron – piano
James Stewart – tenor – joined in 2011
Craig Harris – trombone
Wayne Anthony Smith Jr. – drums
Tara Middleton – voice, percussion, violin
Atakatune (Stanley Morgan) – conga, timbal – joined in 1972
George Burton – piano – joined in 2015
Here’s a great video of the Arkestra at Ottobar on September 15, 2017, shot by Thomas Kessler:
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)
