Jazz From The Valley: Hudson Performs At Ardmore Music Hall

Words by: Claire Sitarz

Hudson :: 10.11.17 :: Ardmore Music Hall :: Ardmore, PA

The first time I saw John Scofield play guitar, it changed the way I thought about live music. The intensity and adroit genius of his music was something that stayed with me long after the show had ended. For Hudson Scofield teamed up with three equally impressive jazz greats — drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Larry Grenadier, and keyboardist John Medeski — to create an album dedicated to and inspired by the Hudson River Valley where all four musicians live.

The band played an eight song set at the Ardmore Music Hall, covering songs like Jimi Hendrix’s “Castles Made of Sand,” intermixed with original content from their album. In the style of fellow Hudson River Valley alum Levon Helm, any vocals were provided by DeJohnette from behind the drum kit. Each member of Hudson was offered time to showcase their musical prowess, with DeJohnette opening “El Swing” and Medeski and Grenadier volleying solos throughout “Wait Until Tomorrow.”

Though Hudson covered two Bob Dylan songs back to back, the music could not have been more disparate. The first, “Lay Lady Lay” was an upbeat, pseudo-reggae take on the classic, whereas the band deconstructed, then rebuilt “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” providing an abstract take on the song that seemed relevant for our current political climate. Hudson closed their sold-out show with an 11-minute encore covering Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock.”