At least three indicators can tell you when a band is operating on a high level: Each musician propels the time with equal commitment and groove; the notes from one instrument begin to blend into the next, as the ensemble becomes less a collection of players and more a single sonic ecosystem; and flickering smiles are exchanged on the bandstand during unexpected moments of glee.
The Fred Hersch Trio & special guest Miguel Zenón proved to be just such an ensemble Friday night at the Village Vanguard in New York. For those of you eager to see them, call ahead — the place was packed and only two nights of their run remain.
Vanguard Vibrations: Sharing the Air*
"You do know that sound is air, right?" remarked pianist-composer Vijay Iyer, thanking an exuberant audience for sharing the room, space, and air with his tremendous band on Thursday night. At New York's historic Village Vanguard, Iyer led his sextet in a tour-de-force performance that was at turns visceral, emotive, dramatic, nuanced, jarring, delicate, and exhilarating. While the music is complex, I find it corporeal rather than cerebral. This music is funky -- it's vibrant, groovy, and full of feeling, a full-body experience.