Modern jazz in modern times

"Excuse me-what kind of music was that? "
" You tell me" i answer.
"it sounds like some new kinda jazz to me-but i dont know about ALL music"
"neither do I" i answer.

Modern Jazz in modern times.
its 5 am.
i just got back from playing a concert in jerusalem.
Playing in jerusalem means i drop off my motorcycle at the local rent-a-van, head back to telaviv, pick up the band, and then drive to jerusalem, play the concert, go eat, drop off the band in telaviv only to return the car at 4:30am.....loooooooonnnnggg night.
by the time we get to jerusalem and we are just about to fall asleep, after sitting in the car for 3 hrs, and we actually did consider disappearing from the jazz club for the favor of a great local pizza place, followed by a movie.
we been working hard this past month traveling all across israel, and rehearsing on days off. we all wanted a night off.
but, we are here, we might as well play. we been working too hard at it to not see what tonight might bring.

there were maybe 30 people in the audience - most of them regulars who come see the band every couple weeks.
we know some of them by name, some of them have our phone no's or emails and inquire about next week's show, CD's etc.
we know they all paid a ticket, yet we get ripped off by the new clubowner (we perform there every week when in israel) and we get payed a sum too low to print....i will reveal we lost money after gas and food expenses. and we didnt eat all posh...

so we all agree that maybe we should just cancel our weekly shows there for Oct. and nov. and just rehearse in telaviv, or play one of our Telaviv venues instead ( "even for free!" ,suggested by a band member who prefers to remain anonymous. he plays drums.)

and i agree. its way too much work, for very little money. we might as well.
now ill take the risk of being the helpless romantic ill never admit i am, and say tonight was one of the most exciting concerts I been part of in some time.
from the first note the music danced, roared, cried, touched, and really kicked ass.
nights like these are rare, and most musicians will tell you-the really good nights really do feel like a million dollars. and i will attest to the same mantra:)

What are the odds? that in a country where people fear the next war, stressed about next month's rent, embarrassed about our president, and feel lost waiting for the next political and social change-what are the odds that 3 people will band together and work towards a unique and personal group statement?
young men leaving their girlfriends behind, their financial worries behind, their egos behind and travel a too long a way in all hours of the night just for the chance of being part of something special. of something that might matter to someone. anyone.

We play real loud, so you'd know that jazz kicks ass.
We play super slow, so you'd feel that time stands still.
We play as fast as fast gets, and sounds flash right before your eyes and ears.
We give it all we got. so you'd know we are as serious as cancer-this music is our statement about who we are, as young men in a society that doesn't care for expression, for individuality, for courage, for music.
We would prefer to just chill out, take the night off, get some food.
But we are already here, we might as well play.
Modern Jazz in modern times.

Musics and musings

This week's diet consists of new and old discoveries:

1. Ornette Coleman - Sound Grammar
For an album covered this much by global press it went pretty much un-noticed in NYC. This is an amazing album. Its a time in history where the major statements are made by the veterns of this artform-and with that please check out the amazing last 2 keith jarrett solo releases.

2. Ralph Towner - Solstice
Its been a habit of mine to seek out old, out-of-print ECM albums no one kinda talks about, and this one is a real find. Garbarek, Garbarek, Garbarek.
and it makes me wanna get me a 12 string guitar and disappear with it to some exotic island and dream myself away.

3. Branford Marsalis - The Beautyful ones are not yet born
I been listening to this trio for 8 years now, but only got this one lately, even though i knew the toons from the live album of the same period the studio album is unreal.

Please keep in mind there's a new album just released by Adam Rogers.
We just played with Adam at Smalls couple months back, and it was one of the highlights of our tenure there. The chemistry was special, the audience was right wong with it-it was a night to remember
Luckily it was recorded. one day...
Adam is the sweetest person. A real thinker and a heartfelf lyricist, and I have a real obsession for his last 3 albums. He also happens to be nothing short of an amazing bandleader and compser. And everyone knows his guitar playing is on the superhuman realm. go get the album.

Benny lackner trio , with DBT honorary member Derek Neivergelt on bass-is having thier new CD release bash tomorrow. do not miss. i hear the new album is their best yet, and that says ALOT.

Banding,bending and bonding (the trio)

Hi everyone,

For the festive debut of my blogaroo I shall open with the million dollar question we been answering most frequently this past month-

"where's the band?!"

Truth is that after performing 150-250 concerts annually during the last 4-5 years we have been a band, and after an insane winter of performing all over and recording new material I needed a break. Its me. blame it on my youth...

We played a tour of israel a month ago to packed houses-which was amazing to me-i figured bet. my mom and Nadav's mom we'd have 20 people...

Now ill be spending the next couple of month performing as sideman, Nadav will do the same, Francois is recording a new album with his brother, and come June we'll hit Europe for June and July. Then a long tour of Israel and Greece in Aug. and a long US tour in Sept., during which we'll finish the new album with my mentor, the amazing producer Robert Sadin.



In the next month we'll re-do the entire website, and start blogging away both here and on the band's website.

Please keep in mind that any opinion expressed here is not more than an opinion-feel free to agree, disagree, write back, send flowers (red works best) etc.

See you at the gig



Dekel and the Band