Tower of Power vs. Maceo Parker February 17, 2009

Last Sunday, I went to see Tower of Power (before break) and Maceo Parker (after break). Both bands were incredible, but Maceo was my favourite. Nevertheless, both ToP and the Maceo band blew me away, if not only because these old timers still have so much energy!

Tower of Power is a great band, with a lot of history (41 years on tour!) and so much experience that they are actually merely putting up a show. I am pretty sure that their next concert will be exactly the same as the one I heard Sunday. Very rehearsed, very clean, very easy, very American (?).

by Hans Speekenbrink

When suddenly Maceo came on the stage to play along with “What is hip?”, you immediately could hear the difference: Maceo = jazz, ToP = pop. Maceo was actually not prepared to do a solo (his sax was not tuned, and he did not have a microphone), but he just played and blew us all away. The solos of ToPs tenor saxophone are high and impress the people, Maceo blew a couple of notes within range of a normal alto saxophone (please tenor players, if you want to play high, get yourself a soprano) and positioned them so well that I was an immediate fan.

So, after the break, Maceo and his band came on the stage. The energy of this man is so incredible! I think they only played 6 pieces, but kept on jamming through them that it was just a joy to see them play. And how they played! I digged the trumpet player and the bass player, they were amazing.

A final word on the location: great! A separate room for smokers, an old train station as the main hall, very cool architecture ideas and a splendid organization: Postbahnhof am Ostbahnhof.

Liten Visa Till Karin January 5, 2009

In the summer of 2008, my mate D. and I visited Europapark, in Germany, for two days. For the drive to Silverstar, I took along my freshly purchased CD “Time Being”, by Peter Erskine.

Both D. and I were astonished by the beauty of “Liten Visa till Karin” (not much to show to Karen, I think). I think we listened to that one song as much as 10 times. Over and over again, racing at topspeed over the highway.

Number 7 on the CD, “Bulgaria” is as beautiful as “Liten Visa till Karin”, but from a different atmosphere. Anyway, a lot of respect to John Tayler, who plays the piano on this CD. He is superb.

Time Being - Peter Erskine

Cartier-Bresson and Maceo Parker January 4, 2009

Yesterday, I felt the urge to buy a book and a CD. Dussmann is not so far away, so I hopped in the S-Bahn and got out at Friedrichsstrasse.The Maceo Parker CD and the little book with pictures of Cartier-Bresson were quickly chosen.

Cartier-Bresson is one of the most famous Magnum photographers. I think that it is a bit of a pitty that he only took black and white pictures. Nevertheless, his photos are very strong and very well composed. I especially enjoy how he sees lines and shows them in his pictures. Lines are always mentioned in “how to compose your photos” tutorials, and Cartier-Bresson really masters the art.

Cartier-Bresson's most famous

Maceo Parker is perhaps lesser known to the general public, but he is a hero in the saxophone/brass band/jazzy world, I think. My interest in him was awakened by S., a new German acquaintance. The CD is full of good-humoured shuffles and grooves, easy and very understandable. Sometimes, James Brown and Ray Charles can be heared!