There is so much to share and update, but for now will start by working backwards, from last night!
A wonderful musician and new friend that I met in January at Golden Fest through Leo Genovese, had a very fun and cool concert/jam/hang at the Alwan Foundation last night. I haven't been that far downtown since 2005 on a short sight-seeing visit with my dad.
Somehow I still managed to continue my very strange streak of NOT getting lost in NY for the duration of my stay, a status that lasted all the way until last night.
I saw a big happy rat and walked through Exchange Alley to Exchange Place, and saw some folks do some very serious working out (they all had very serious expressions, if not a little pain on their faces)...I ought to make that commitment to working out rather than thinking nature or nada...
I found Beaver Street mostly following my nose (normally I find out that I tend to want to go the opposite direction of what I need but in NY for some reason my sense of direction is stronger than ever) and getting confirmation from a cop. I oddly knew what to do even though seemed a very deserted and quiet area. I mentioned to the door man that I was playing and fortunately he let me go in as a wait and see (I didn't realize it was an official concert or would have brought money for cover)...
Funny being in NY and looking into the audience and seeing such a different ocean of hair color than in Texas--there were dark haired folks from Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, and even Brazil. (Heehee, and me!) Apostolos Sideris was the man of the hour, soon to be following love to Turkey. Was so happy he told me about the event. Joining him were some wonderful musicians. Manu Koch, a soulful pianist (the lower register was "prepared" piano and just a thumping percussive sound), Tareq Abboushi was on the buzuq and vocalizing, and George Mel on percussion.
I met some really cool gals in line to the loo, then stood in line to talk with our favorite bass player and got to hear the humorous discussion of which guests on which pieces. I was invited to sit in on a song that George did, a jazzy ballad dedicated to his mom. Very nice interplay with major and minor, I kinda read the chart at first than just wanted to play by ear--such a treat to play with such fine musicians. There were a couple awesome trumpet players-Amir Elsaffar, who I later found out is a skilled Iraqi Maqam-based improviser and kanun player as well--and Kenny Warren, another great talent who, as I realized later, I saw at Barbes on Tuesday night with the dynamic and rockin' Slavic Soul Balkan brass band.
I will later post a pic of my joining with the festivities on violin, but for now will share the Angelic-light pic, with the fabulous Apostolos Sideris and Manu Koch, both tremendous angels of music. Was so happy to share the evening in a setting that very much confirmed the reason for my presence in NY, with the beautiful music community here.
