Friday, January 5th, 2007
These guys ruled! The Torrisi family took me – it was called "A Celebration of John Coltrane." I was excited to get out, even though the title of the event didn’t exactly peak my interest. While I have enjoyed Coltrane as much as the next person, I don’t much go for the tributes and things like that, so my expectations were low. I was pretty happy just to be there with such excellent company. And knowing how much Nedelle’s parents, jazz buffs that they are, would enjoy hearing the concert, that was enough for me.
Ravi Coltrane’s quartet was first. They were fine. Afterwards I said to myself, "Well done." Ravi talked a little too much about his dad, referring to him as John Coltrane, which made me sad. It was so impersonal. He explained his music a lot too, which I also found unfortunate. I mean, he’s a good saxophone player!
But anyway, then was the intermission. Nedelle and I wandered through the lush lobby, using the Mondavi’s state of the art restrooms and even sampling a little of the 2006 cabernet (good!) whilst discussing what we had just seen. We both agreed these young jazz scholars were learned musicians, but what we were really hoping for was a rhythm that was a little more swinging and syncopated.
But up next was 81 year old drumming legend Roy Haynes – one of the last surviving musicians who can link us back up in person with the original bebop generation (even earlier?). I really had no idea what he’d been up to all this time, so I was going in without any expectations. I mean, I would have understood if he’d been all tired. I would have been sad if his drum set was all huge and all he did was keep time, but I still would have enjoyed it, just seeing someone his age, and with all of his experience, still making music. But he went so beyond that! I didn’t care how old he was or even who he was – that band’s music was amazing. His feel on the drums, his subtlety, his total lack of self-consciousness, everyone’s skill and empathy for each other – what a joy it was to be there with them!
Roy Haynes is a musical treasure. He belongs at the Mondavi Center because he’s aged like a fine wine. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and when we left I felt totally fulfilled and invigorated. Roy seemed so glad to be playing and he was so concentrated on listening to his fellow musicians. His tempos flowed organically from section to section and had lots of subtle little shifts. Their music was off the grid, it was alive. It must have been hard to stay together, but they made it seem so easy – truly a natural wonder.
The show started off with a lively little, almost Ornette-sounding piece, went through a bunch of standards, a ballad or two (Coltrane’s Naima) and peaked with a longer piece where Roy came out from the drum set and just beat-boxed on the mic and walked up to everyone in the band, accompanying them only on the sticks. Several times during the show he did what I least expected, which was to not even play at all. It was unusual to hear in a quartet of drums, piano, bass, and alto sax – the drums just dropped away and everyone left naked there for a while. And when he did that he literally jumped off of his kit! I really liked that and it looked so cool – he was like ‘I don’t even need these drums.’
I just want to say ‘Keep on going Roy!’ I am so glad Nedelle talked me into going. Thanks Nedelle!
drawing of Roy Haynes by Chris Cohen
