It just so happens that three of the coolest new little music bars in the city have opened up within walking distance of my apartment in the last few months (well, I think nothing of walking for an hour or more, but these joints are all under 30 minutes away - the nearest, barely 15 minutes).
I went to the nearest of these - the one that's really in my 'hood, my 'back yard' - last Friday, and caught probably the most interesting gig I've yet been to in this country (and I've been to a lot).
Words fail me. Well, very nearly. I am still playing the "Where in the world am I?" game, so I can't give too many details.
Two very fine acoustic guitar-players - virtuoso, in the best sense: not excessive intricacy, empty showing off; just being able, effortlessly, to nail anything they wanted to do with the instrument. Fine voices too, but very contrasting: one mostly ethereal falsetto, the other so deep and growly he was spitting out rocks. Most of the numbers were influenced by local traditional folk forms, but had more modern elements too. Many were antiphonal in form, with the two guys bantering away at each other (partly improvised?) in their contrasting vocal styles. And they were backed up by a bunch of traditional percussion players - weird sounds, but compelling rhythms!
It was absolutely electrifying. The only thing in Western music I can think of that is similarly joyously genre-splicing, so unashamedly sui generis, is Tom Waits - in his crazier moments..... I thought of 'Bone Machine' once or twice.
These guys should get a wider audience, and a recording contract. I am working on it!
2 comments:
thanks to your link, i re-read this, but now I know what and where this is ... so much more meaningful.
wow - I'll have to keep a look out for Xiao He on the enterntainment listings.
Xiao He - for him indeed it was at this wonderful gig - seems to be playing quite a bit these days (wife and young child to support) - but rarely gets much formal publicity. You've got to be hooked into the grapevine!
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