JUSTICE IS COMPASSION 2017 , DEC 15 - MARA ROSENBLOOM TRIO / DARIUS JONES TRIO

  • photography by © Clara Pereira / text by Filipe Freitas

Another rousing night of Justice is Compassion occurred on Friday, December 15th. The festival, organized by the non-profit, multi-cultural organization Arts For Art, showcases the New York FreeJazz movement while appealing to social justice. 

MARA ROSENBLOOM TRIO

Pianist Mara Rosenbloom proved she can be powerful and sensitive in equal measures. Feeding our spirits with moments of pure extemporaneous creativity, she performed for an hour in the good company of bassist Sean Conly and alto saxophonist Darius Jones.
The concert was officially initiated by the bandleader with a double stroke on the big cowbell-shaped gong exhibited in the room. Commanding the piano with a natural grace, she embarked on a musical journey filled with stunning rhythmic accentuations, intricate textures, and elegant sounds.
While Jones reserved most of his breath for the next round but still gave wings to his incredible phrasing and entrancing patterns, Conly resorted to a multitude of techniques, from tapping to sliding to bowing, and even plucking behind the bridge while vocalizing apropos wha-wha sounds.
Constantly balancing contemplation and tension, the trio explored in extended regions of the contemporary jazz domain, delivering avant-jazz expansivity, rich chamber music, and even moments of bluesiness marked by a more traditional walking bass.

DARIUS JONES TRIO

Darius Jones returned to the bandstand bringing with him an unorthodox, underground rhythm section composed of guitarist Charlie Looker and drummer Michael Vatcher. They opted to play a 50-minute non-stop shape-shifting suite whose segments keep unfolding with odd meters in a spectacular rhythmic disjuncture. Jones’ continual calls got prompt answers from his peers. Predominantly dissonant, Looker kept firing back with stiff harmonic blasts, sometimes functioning as a bassist and focusing on demanding grooves. In turn, Vatcher was pretty inventive and supportive, showing efficiency and spontaneity, whether employing drumsticks or brushes. 
Amidst maniacal rhythmic strains delivered with a hefty attitude and an amazing sense of tempo, the audience could also enjoy Jones’ well-anchored ostinatos and winding improvisation.