Author: DougR
Date: 2013-04-04 14:36
I just had the good fortune to catch Paquito D'Rivera in performance with students at Juilliard, where he'd been doing a 3-day artist residence. He performed with two different student ensembles, played some blazing clarinet and alto (maybe 70% clarinet and 30% alto), and led the students with a combination of authority, generosity and such a big twinkle in the eye that even if he'd been half the musician he is, the concert would have been terrific fun. The students were pretty much gig-ready in the NY market as far as I could tell, nice command of the instruments and well developed personalities, and while there was a little discomfort and lumpiness in the rhythm sections at times with the Latin rhythms (which included danzon, choro, samba, etc.), the playing was excellent throughout. Paquito, of course, is a virtuoso, with lots of showboat licks and impressive altissimo on both horns, as well as a long history in jazz (which informed his introductions to the evening and to the tunes), but the focus was on the students and the ensembles, with plenty of solo space for everyone, and Paquito navigated the groups through their sets with enthusiasm, spontaneity, and joy.
After this evening, I'd say if you have a chance to catch Paquito in concert, don't let the moment slip by.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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