The 16th Avenue Quartet Jazz show - Lanai City, HI - May 15, 2010
This talented quartet performed a 90-minute program for a capacity seated crowd tallied at 150 between the Great Hall and the Dining Room.
The Quartet’s adaptation of their lecture/demonstration to suit a performance venue like the Lodge at Koele was subtle and well-executed, without sacrificing the core element of tracing a rhythmic theme and its evolution across the globe. Bailey Matsuda’s delivery of the speaking portions was warm, fun and invited the audience to really listen for the rhythmic shifts in the songs that followed each short talking point. Just as with the Endo Taiko troupe, the quartet were the epitomy of professionalism, easy and great to work with, and clearly felt comfortable and relaxed in the Lodge venue. Band members commented afterwards that this was a really pleasureable and special venue, due to the room’s warm ambience, the comfortable overstuffed chairs and the excellent acoustics, and how even though people were eating and drinking, it did not have the atmosphere of a bar. They quickly developed a rapport with and won over the audience with their performance that ranged from fun, clever and tasteful to sharp, brilliant and soulful. The show included an early intimate portion where the entire band weaved their way through the crowd, playing a piece that utilized only percussion and a native instrument, and they had the audience in the palms of their hands just like that. The selection of tunes was far-ranging, all gradually increasing in the lesson and evolution of the show’s educational theme, and the audience responded to all the music, whether it was an African or Cuban piece, a well-known standard like Miles Davis’ “Freddie the Freeloader” or a lovely arrangement of “Iko Iko”. A well-received standout was an original composition by Bobby Nishida. |
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