Last Night @ Barbes

Two great sets last night at local music temple Barbes. The early set featured Ljova, stage name of the 28 year old Russian-American violist and composer Lev Zhurbin, playing with his incredibly talented "Vjola Contraband." Zhurbin has played with and arranged music for Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, the Kronos Quartet, and Osvaldo Golijov’s Andalucian Dogs, and his experiences have all influenced his own music, which floats between folk, gypsy, bluegrass and rock. Two members of his band, percussionist Mathias Kunzli and cellist Mike Block are also regulars in the Silk Road Ensemble, and they were joined by multi-instrumentalist Mike Savino on bass and vocals. Later in the set, Ljova’s fiancee, vocalist Inna Barmash, joined the band to sing a few numbers, including a Russian tune suggested by her future mother-in-law (who was in the audience.)

I stuck around to catch jazz band Ballin’ The Jack, featuring Matt Darriau on alto sax, Andrew Laster on bari sax, Frank London on trumpet, Curtis Hasselbring on trombone, Joe Fitzgerald on bass, George Schuller on drums, and Anthony Coleman on piano. Every last one of these guys is a total pro, especially London, who played a fierce and fiery trumpet, and Coleman, who is some kind of wizard on the keys. They played arrangements of Ellington and John Kirby, and it was incredible to hear that music in such a small space. (At one point, I thought the trombone slide was going to pop me in the nose.)

If you live in Park Slope – or even if you don’t – you owe it to yourself to make your way over to 6th Ave and 9th Street as soon as you possibly can. Just make sure you get there early – at least, if you want a seat.