2019/10/31 John Zorn: New Masada Quartet ft. Julian Lage, Jorge Roeder, & Kenny Wolleson @ Village Vanguard (early set)
I must be living in some parallel universe than the one I used to inhabit, one where my mind is completely open to new ideas from trusted friends, and I sell a ticket to Dead and Company at MSG (still never seen ‘em) to catch an early jazz set on Halloween. Couldn’t be any happier with my decision.
So I knew to get there early to get a good seat, having only been once before to the Vanguard for The Bad Plus and being seated in the back by the bar (thanks for that one, too, Neddy – I saw that band sight unseen based on your review with less than a ten-hour turnaround). Got there 7:15ish to a line about 20 deep and chatted up Gabe – good to meet ya! – while I waited. Since I was alone, there was still some prime real estate for the taking. I explained to Anton, the maitre’ D (is that the right term?), exactly what I was hoping to see (Julian’s hands fly around his guitar) and after a little conversation, he seated me on the first couch seat stage left. As I was sitting and trying to find Neddy’s review to see if I had the sweet spot, Anton came back and moved me to the other side, first couch spot stage right. “You’ll be happier here, enjoy the show!” Wolleson was hidden from my view as I sat on the long diagonal of a kite across from Julian, with Jorge’s bass and John’s sax about two feet to my left and right, respectively. I believe this, my friends, to be exactly the spot that Neddy described (though I did text Hollander to confirm I got it right!). Dressed for Halloween as a biker in spandex, I was somehow the only person in the room in costume, dab smack in the middle of not just the Village but the Halloween parade route – how is that even possible and what must the band have been thinking?!? I shudder to think about it.
Having never heard a note of Zorn’s Masada, I was completely certain that I was about to partake upon a musical journey the likes of which I had never experienced, that my mind was about to be pried apart and played with by world class musicians, taken apart and put back together if you will, better for having done so. It was such a weird dichotomy of feeling to, on the one hand, have the highest expectations and, on the other, have entirely no clue what to expect. On the spur of the moment, I decided to use a voice memo to record the set and am now the proud owner of what is likely the most perfect 50-minute voice memo in Apple’s history. I’ll find a way to share it. I listened back on my way home at 2:30 in the morning after Goose and it was every bit as special as I remembered. The sound, recorded from what Hollander described as Ben Tanen’s favorite seat in the house, is Utopian.
Music aside, which was sublime, I was in awe of the musicians’ expressions and their interplay. Lage seems to generate notes directly from his soul, utilizing every cell in his body, his eyes and lids flitting and fluttering as if he’s been possessed by some sort of musical Higher Power with Tourrette’s. Seeing Zorn in Roeder’s face, egging him on, challenging him, the Grandpa that Neddy mentioned come the best coach you’ve ever had, I felt like Roeder was reaching new heights by the second as Zorn continued to urge, “You’ve been practicing, Jorge.” And Zorn was on the receiving end, too, mostly from Lage, with the widest-ass grin I’ve seen in some time, gawking, almost marveling at Zorn, both awaiting his direction and in awe of his talent, “Yeah, John, yeah!”
Another point I really enjoyed, watching Zorn rack his brain for the next piece, asking for suggestions, then trying to flip furiously through his stack of sheet music looking for the right one as Lage followed suit, usually finding it first, before Zorn gave up and changed the call based on what he could find. Looking back on Neddy’s setlist, we saw some of the same compositions… Kedusha, Tannaim, Beeroth … and others that I didn’t jot down. Interestingly, Roeder did not appear to use sheet music. The three J’s blew my mind, and though I loved Wolleson’s contributions as well, he was nestled behind Jorge and I couldn’t see him at all, so he wasn’t prominent in my mind, though on the playback he really impressed as well.
The intimacy that I experienced as a direct result of my seat affected my night immeasurably so I made $ure to thank Anton appropriately on my out. He was like, “You’re Jewish, right? I wanted you to have a special night.” Don’t know why he chose me and I am the most unsuspecting Jew you’ve ever seen, especially dressed in spandex, but am nonetheless very thankful. I am still in awe of last night’s performance, one that will not only stand the test of time, but forever remain a standout as one of the best 50 minute sets I’ve ever seen.
