JEN SHYU's JADE TONGUE at 55 Bar (6/16/09)
and
THEO BLECKMANN + KNEEBODY at Joe's Pub (6/28/09)
JUNE 28, 2009 -- MANHATTAN: When discussing new music, few words induce cringing more than "jazz vocalist." It's hard enough to yank the nostalgia away from the word "jazz" long enough to convince someone that a band is worth seeing, and doing more than just reviving history, but when you throw the "vocalist" in the mix, the haunting image of a lounge singer will send those with even the strongest of stomachs running in horror.
I personally was convinced that the jazz vocals were a dead art. Beyond the cocktail hour, proof of vocal creativity in what is considered modern jazz had evaded me. Sure, there are many in the experimental realm, and even the mainstream weird zone such as Bjork and Mike Patton, who push the voice to new limits and potential, but in the jazz spectrum, those with the vocal power seemed to be using it for evil. That's why I was so floored by two performances within the same week; two amazing bands that center around the human voice.
The first of which was Jen Shyu's Jade Tongue group, featuring Dan Weiss on drums, Thomas Morgan on upright bass, Dave Binney on alto sax and Shane Endsley on trumpet. Shyu had a headset microphone to carry her voice, and also would move her way over to the Rhodes for moments in her set. Right up until the first notes, Shyu was all smiles, greeting the crowd of friends and fans individually, before launching into one of the most intense performances I've ever seen. A great deal of that intensity can be drawn from the voice, which refuses to give a listener the option of separating the performer and the instrument. There are no reeds, keys, or pedals. There is only what we can't see, Shyu's internal organs working together to conjure sounds, be it the melodies that swell and slide in and out of the ensemble tonality, or the more spoken word-style segments, which implied a narrative that Shyu surely intended but the listener cannot quite grasp. Some lyrical excerpts from the night are "Flogged me so severely that my flesh became lacerated" and "What were the causes of death?", the latter of which repeated over and over and over, with varying volume and energy. No matter how hard a horn is blown, or how fierce a drum is hit, it's hard to match the intensity and cut of the English language done right in this setting, and the strength of the band only magnified the effect.
All was not dark. The lyrics eventually reflected some hope, and often Shyu sang in different languages. Sometimes you have to wonder if she is singing an existing language at all, or just syllabic inventions, especially when she is doubling a horn melody. That ability to truly be a part of the band, and not just an element above it, is what makes Shyu such a strong force. It is not often you find a vocalist who can settle within a section, and blend with the horns, to be a part of the whole. Never stagnant, Shyu thrust her body about as she sang, dancing to Dan Weiss' deliberate battering, and often utilizing a large red scarf that she wrapped around herself. I'm uncertain how much of the set was improvised, but it was clear that every musical decision was guided by Shyu's leadership, physically and vocally, and her strong relationship with her fellow musicians reflected a respect and common goal.
One week later, I went to Joe's Pub to see a recent collaboration, Kneebody and Theo Bleckmann performing the works of Charles Ives. Where as Shyu's set seemed to be cloaked in mystery, this show laid it all out on the line. Kneebody have already made a name for themselves as a true collective of composers, friends, and instrumentalists, who have a master control over a band dynamic, complete with dexterity, and grooves that will knock you out of your seat and into the seat of the person sitting behind you. Theo Bleckmann is a German-born vocalist, known for his work with John Hollenbeck, Ben Monder, and Meredith Monk. Together, Bleckmann and Kneebody created an album comprised of Charles Ives' music that was written and handed out to friends while he was an insurance salesman. Theo and each member of Kneebody provided arrangements for the album. That was the plan and they stuck to it, recreating twelve of those pieces, and a new unrecorded Ives piece, live at Joe's. The group was positioned on stage in a sea of effects pedals and music stands, with each member focusing on doing justice to these arrangements. Bleckmann was the only one free of written music, standing at the front of the stage, with one hand in various delay and effects racks, and the other often operating a megaphone, voice changer, or toy radio. When he sang, despite the effects which came and went, it felt strangely pure, with Ives' lyrics soaring above the soundscapes set up by Kneebody, who delivered the heavily composed music with an ease and humor that allowed the audience to find comfort, even in such a conceptual setting. It speaks to the strength of this group that it was almost too easy to forget that there was a theme to this performance. The fact that it was great music overwrote everything else, and you don't have to over-think it.
Bleckmann's delivery of Ives' poignant lyrics and often abstract melodies were unlike anything I've ever heard, and the vocalist's personality shined as he toyed with distance from the microphone and displayed a unique control of his voice. The highlight was the unrecorded "Sideshow," a circus-infused weirdo march that culminated in a collectively improvised freak out, the Kneebody horns providing a psychedelic fanfare as Bleckmann rocked through various harmonizer settings and warped his vocal yelps and croons in a way that would drive one insane if subjected to it for too long. It was truly awesome.
These voices - Shyu's and Bleckmann's - struck me because they were instrumental to their respective ensembles. Both Shyu and Bleckmann required no restraint from the band, and their voices boast a personal story with every note; a total lack of synthesis. There was no loss, only gain. They added new set of tones, a new way to be affected. Solely as a listener and show-goer, I would love to see more.
-Adam Schatz
Click HERE! for an audio clip from Jen Shyu & Jade Tongue's performance
Click HERE! for an audio clip from Kneebody & Theo Bleckmann's performance
