Yesterday morning I heard Ransom perform the Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op. 13,
originally written for violin by Gabriel Fauré. His accompanist was Kevin T.
Chance, and though I of course cannot be objective, I thought they both played
beautifully. It’s a piece I was not familiar with, so one that was full of
lyrical surprises.
I then spent a couple hours riding my bike around this
wonderfully flat city before heading to Bourbon Street to catch a three-piece
electric blues/rock band at the Funky Pirate. Not sure of their name, but they
put out a good vibe and I listened for about an hour; the highlight of their
set was an audience favorite: The Weight,
written by Robbie Robertson of – and for – the Band.
I then joined Ransom and three friends for a fantastic Cajun
meal at Cochon. Three perfectly fried and delicately sauced chicken livers
followed by the most fork-tender, intensely flavored pork I’ve ever tasted.
Ransom had the only grits I have ever called excellent and everything else I
sampled on the table was first class.
The four of them, all being classical musicians, headed back
to the convention for another concert while I returned to Frenchman Street.
After checking out a couple places I ended up back where I was the night before, at
Café Negril, for some absolutely mind-blowing electric blues. El DeOrazio &
Friends are three guitarists and a drummer making music so loud it would drive
Ransom out of Louisiana, but that kept me grinning and bobbing. Each song
lasted maybe ten minutes, most of which was an amazing jam that seemed totally
improvised while also sounding tightly rehearsed. They were incredibly good;
the music was blistering.
This trip is reminding me that I like all kinds of music.
From Bach to Berlioz, McCartney to Hendrix, Dylan to Debussy – if excellent
musicians perform it then it is likely excellent music, whatever the genre.
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