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The Jazz Mandolin Project at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY (3.15.02) was one of the most indescribable, unique experiences I've had in a long time. The entire show from beginning to end was pure pleasure and indulgence, reflected in the faces of the band as well as the crowd. Admittedly, the crowd was a strange mix; the age limit was 16+ so it tended toward the young side, but everybody seemed to be having such a great time that even my mom felt comfortable (I made her go with me).
The band came onstage about 10:45 and started to jam softly, playing off each other, testing each other, testing the crowd. Everyone must have passed because after about another three minutes of getting it together, a beautiful chaotic musical party broke loose. I'm not even sure how many songs JMP played in the first set (it had to have only been about three or four), but it lasted about an hour and half, and everybody in the place was moving the entire time, including Jamie Masefield, Danton Boller and Ari Hoenig. Energy was moving through the sweaty crowd, and you could almost see it move between the band as they cast each other quick glances, closed their eyes and JUMPED into whatever they felt should come next. This is the glory of improvisation, and the beauty of the Jazz Mandolin Project.
After the set break, the band came back for another sweaty, fast-paced round. Jamie introduced himself and the rest of the band and, of course, the crowd welcomed them again, cheering and moving and doing our part to encourage the music. Both sets and the encore had some great moments, for the ears, the eyes, the mind, and the soul. Ari Hoenig on the steel drum in the first set was definitely one of the highlights, showing off his versatility and the musical capabilities of his bandmates. The communication and improv between the band members peaked (I thought) during one long jam that turned into a bass solo that would have floored everyone at a much larger venue, and seemed to impress Jamie and Ari, as they both nearly stopped playing for a second, and Jamie looked up from the mandolin, cast a glance at Danton Boller, grinned and pointed at him, urging him on. Then, of course, there was the encore. A jazzy, jamgrassy piece that had the crowd dancing in circles. At the end of the night, I think the general feeling of the tired but ecstatic crowd was summed up by the one guy who yelled, "PLAY FIVE MORE!!" after about three hours of music. Surely, five more would have taken another couple of hours, maybe even until the sun came up, but what a great way to spend your morning.
Janis Lawrence
JamBase | Northeast
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