Zebulon Projects Opening Concert 2006: Larry Karush Jazz Quartet

In the old days before Blogs and the Internet, journalists wrote reviews. These people were full of themselves and seemed to feel that we should all think they and their opinions were infallible. I don't know about you, but I rarely felt the same way they did about the movie, book, or play about which they were on their momentary collective high horse.

Now, anybody can write anything anytime about any-other-body. Some would call that as dangerous as putting a shotgun in the hands of …well, fill in the blank with the name of whomever you think of as irresponsible. The rest of us would say that it's about time we get to express ourselves.

The good news about my writing a review of a live jazz concert is that I like jazz, I sing jazz, and I listen to jazz on a regular basis. That in itself should be of comfort to you. At least I know a little bit about what jazz sounds like and does to the listener.

Last night I went to the Boston Court Performing Arts Complex in Pasadena, California for the first show of the season from Producer Mimi Champlin. Ms. Champlin is the driving force behind the Zebulon Projects, along with Boston Court Founder and Executive Producer Z. Clark Branson.

Zebulon Projects, Inc. presents world-class musicians in the Boston Court's intimate state-of-the-art performance space, and this was my first experience there.

First, the "nuts and bolts" of the Larry Karush Jazz Quartet:

Larry Karush - improvising pianist/composer
"…with roots in Jazz, 20th century western music, African-based percussion, and the music of North India. From Carnegie Hall to the Purple Onion, he has performed Jazz with John Abercrombie, Jane Ira Bloom, Eddie Gomez, Jay Clayton, Bennie Wallace and Oregon, World Music with Kanai Dutta, Francisco Aguabella, Geetha Ramanathan and Glen Velez, and New Music with Steve Reich.

His compositions and performances have been recorded on the ECM, Vanguard, Inner City, AudioQuest, Music of the World and NAXOS labels. He has received grants for his creative work from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the NEA/Arts International, Meet the Composer, the California Arts Council, and is the recent recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition.

He has performed solo piano concerts of original music (and with his piano/bass/three world percussion ensemble, The Combination) throughout the United States in addition to festival appearances in Canada, Europe, and South Africa. "
http://www.larrykarush.com/

Chris Colangelo - Bass
"..one of the genuine masters on his instrument. The first thing you notice is his deeply resonant tone across the instrument's sonic register."
http://www.chriscolangelo.com/

Joey De Leon, Jr. - Percussion
One of the most sought after percussionists in Los Angeles today, Joey recently returned from touring Europe, Japan, and Russia with the Al McKay All Stars World Tour.
http://www.joeydeleonjr.com/

Kendall Kay - drums/percussion
This native South African has played with most of the major South African artists, has a degree in Jazz studies and has been living and working in Los Angeles, CA since 1987.

The Marjorie Branson Performance Space @Boston Court was designed and built to perfection. It is a small space, seating 65 in comfortable intimacy. The Larry Karush Jazz Quartet fit like a jewel in a royal setting.

What used to be called Fusion, this music is uniquely Karush. Each member of the group is a consummate artist. The two percussionists used standard drums, congo drums, jugs (with and without African beads), woodblocks, bells, and many percussive instruments I didn't even recognize. It was enough to make me want to become a drummer, to explore that richness of rhythm. The bass player drew me in and stunned me. Add to this the fact that Karush mixes his meter and isn't afraid to try ANYTHING, and you have a wonderful, exciting listening experience.

Although I enjoyed the entire program, I have to admit that my favorite moment was "Cry Me a River." Starting with solo brushes, adding lush melody explored to perfection on the Bass and finishing with the entire group, this moved me in unexpected ways. Quiet perfection.

Don't miss a single performance of the Zebulon Projects. Let the sounds wash over and vibrate through you, leaving you breathless and satisfied, having experienced music heard at its best.