by Mike Engle
With most twin-billings, one band is often either significantly worse than the other or simply unmemorable, resulting in an unbalanced show. However, last Thursday's edition of the Checkout: Live series at the 92YTribeca offered a near-perfect blend between the two acts on the bill. To my ears, it felt like both bands featured all-star talent, but more importantly, their music was a collaborative effort, with a defined "group sound."
Now vs. Now features Jason Lindner on keyboards, Panagiotis Andreou manning the electric bass with occasional vocals, and Mark Guiliana at the drumset. I couldn't help but imagine how compatible Now vs. Now might be with banjoist Béla Fleck, as Andreou's vocals reminded me of Flecktone friend and tabla player Sandip Burman, while simultaneously ripping through several Victor Wooten-esque solo lines. Lindner, for his part, mainly performed on his electric "Wurly" and "MoFo," though he reserved one selection for 92Y's Steinway grand.
Offsetting Now vs. Now's electronic palette was Third World Love, a first-rate Israeli quartet with Avishai Cohen on trumpet, Yonathan Avishai on piano, Omer Avital on (upright) bass, and Daniel Freedman on drums. Third World Love's set had an overwhelmingly positive vibe to it, judging by the players' wide smiles throughout. This group was, arguably, even more selfless than the preceding one, with Cohen, Avishai, and Avital all contributing original compositions. Given their shared heritage – and the fact that Cohern announced that it was Israeli Independence Day – one could almost hear a hint of klezmer in their affinity for minor-key melodies.
As with past Checkout Live's, the show was broadcast live, part of a collaborative effort between NPR Music and WBGO Jazz (88.3 FM in NYC). Before each set, host and emcee Josh Jackson implored the audience to "make a lot of noise." On this night, at least, the prodding was unnecessary.
More pics at the photo page.