STEVEN BERNSTEIN'S SEXMOB FEAT. JOHN MEDESKI at THE JAZZ STANDARD, nyc, MAR 9

• photography by ©Clara Pereira / text by Filipe Freitas

Witty trumpeter Steven Bernstein invited master organist John Medeski to join his Sexmob band for an extremely entertaining performance at the Jazz Standard, one of the most respected jazz venues in New York. This was not the first time the organist played with the quartet since he recorded Din of Inequity (1998), Sexmob Does Bond (2001), and Sexmob Meets Medeski (2009) with them. 

Intrepid alto saxophonist Briggan Krauss built a strong frontline with the trumpeter, while bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen, the trusted rhythm section at the base of Bill Frisell's groups, ensure persistently groovy foundations. Boasting his habitual humor, both musically and verbally (he is a natural, funny storyteller), Bernstein conquered the audience with uplifting bounces, elated melodies, and a few stunts and spins delivered with style and panache. The music perfectly showcased his fun arranging style and versatility in approaching different genres.

Well rooted in the American music, the band carried out reggae-ish rhythms, blues with collective outcries, playfully funky moves, serene folk statements that suddenly gain an effusive bebop elasticity, and swinging flows with variable intensities.
A very special moment arrived with a rarely performed version of “Battle at Piz Gloria”, a theme from James Bond’s On Her Majesty's Secret Service, featuring a short drum intro and Medeski’s tortuous and sweeping maneuvers.