Not to be outdone by Celebrate Brooklyn's massive opening on Friday, Central Park Summerstage also opened this week, with a show Tuesday night by Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, along with a starry cast including several hundred local school children. I didn't make it to that performance (see here for the Times review), but I did make my way up to Rumsey Playfield yesterday for a show of avant-jazz. The bill was produced by the Undead Jazz Fest, which reappears at the end of the month, expanding this year to 50 venues across Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Unfortunately, I dallied too long at the Ryoji Ikdea installation and missed Jim Black's AlasNoAxis, but did manage to see all of trombonist Josh Roseman's King Froopy All-Stars: a 12-strong big band that featured many familiar faces from the downtown/Brooklyn set. Mixing everything from world beat to psychedelic funk, this was fusion with a deep, dancey groove exemplified by Roseman himself, who cavorted about the stage as if oblivious to his surroundings.
The highlight of the show was an extended, manic solo by alto Andrew D'Angelo, who sent the crowd (and Roseman) into hysterics, posessed by some kind of fierce trance. Almost impossible to believe that this man had a brain tumor three years ago, a fact no doubt lost on the 1000+ in attendance yesterday. Which, I'm sure, is exactly how Andrew would want it.
Oh, there was also a performance by a little outfit known as Medeski Martin and Wood, but I had to run durng the changeover. Very cool of them to show solidarity with the downtown set – hopefully, they got most of their show in before the rain.
More pics on Flickr.