by Brian Weidy
Despite feeling under the weather, I made the trek down to Sullivan Hall, one of my favorite venues in Manhattan, to see one of the best new bands around right now, Consider the Source. The band (Gabriel Marin on Doubleneck-Fretless Guitar, John Ferarra on Bass, and Justin Ahiyon on Percussion), plays a self-described "Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Fusion," blending influences ranging from Abercrombie to Zorn.
The first song began with an Israeli rhythm over an insatiable Middle Eastern funk groove laid down by the rhythm section. The band seamlessly segued into "Keep Your Pimp Hand Strong": the band's self-proclaimed motto and also one of the best songs off of their 2007 album, Esperanto. Next, the band came forward with a more soulful song, with delicate guitar work and a steady pulse coming from the rhythm section, as opposed to some of their more thunderous jams. While many of their previous tunes are incredible songs in their own right, many of them feel like launchpads for their intricate jams, whereas these newer songs make every note count, frequently taking their foot off the gas to allow them to delicately work within themselves.
The only cover of the night was John Zorn's "Abdiel" (originally recorded by the Bar Kokhba Sextet), in which Consider the Source took the Middle Eastern melodies created by Zorn and turned them into a full blown fusion opus. In "Vagiant (Sign Language)" off of their 2010 release, That's What's Up, he band unleashed a full-force assault on the senses, creating a perfect blend of Middle Eastern music with funk, jazz fusion, and everything in between.
Openers The Stomping Ground, formed just last month, were playing only their second show. Throughout the course of their hour long opening set, the band blended infectious Middle Eastern rhythms with progressive rock and even the occassional break-beat. This conglomeration of styles was displayed on their dubbed-out version of the classic song from Willy Wonka, "Pure Imagination". The future looks incredibly bright for this band from New Jersey.