By: Joe Lang
 |
|
Dean Magraw - Press photo from his website
|
On Sunday night, I braved the thick heat and humidity down to the Kitty Cat Club to check out Dean Magraw in another setting (see also my review of Friday and Saturday nights at the Artists’ Quarter), with fiddle player Wendy Ultan. Although I’d never heard Ultan before, I’d heard Dean play with a violinist, and his duets with accordionist John Williams consistently hit the spot.
The best thing I can say about the Sunday show was Dean’s tone was terrific. I don’t know if it was the club, or some black magic, but using the same set up, Dean’s tone sparkled with brightness and clarity, but never overpowered. Unfortunately the music just wasn’t happening. On a good night Magraw’s melodic prowess can stop time, even with just a single acoustic guitar unaccompanied. On Sunday, I really wished that’s what he had been doing.
The formula for the Magraw and Ultan set was simple: the two would spend a few minutes in what appeared to be some sort of a discussion that never really made much headway about where to take the next “jam,” Magraw would lay down some sort of groove which Ultan would solo over, and the two would noodle and switch between motifs, going nowhere until it fizzled. Magraw would lay down a groove and Ultan’s playing would meander, then Ultan would try to play a rhythm part or a motif that didn’t really make sense and Magraw would try to play over it. At one point on stage Ultan was trying to communicate something to Magraw, probably a musical idea, and it appeared as though Magraw was saying, “I don’t know what you are trying to tell me.”
Miles Davis once said “There is a vibe on stage and a vibe in the audience.” Well in this case, both vibes were flat. Midway through the second set, right before I took off, the few scattered audience members were applauding in a confused lackluster manner spurred on by me. As for onstage, well, Magraw’s normal triumphant fist pump after nailing a tune was replaced by a limp and lackluster devil sign and a glower that reminded me of Dana Carvey’s response to Wayne’s “Party on Garth!” in Wayne’s World, with a bitter, “…I guess.”
I’m still looking forward to Dean’s upcoming projects and shows, but for someone who knows what the guy is really capable of, the weekend ended on a bum note.
Location Info:
Kitty Cat Klub
Artist Info: Dean Magraw, Wendy Ultan
Share this story:
Article comments powered by Disqus