After a glut of gigs in October, well, compared to the previous couple of months, I've not been out, at least to gigs, for 8 weeks. Must be a record. Cried off a visit to the Windmill a few weeks ago due to rain and cold and wimping out. Tonight's is only a last minute attempt to see Simon before he heads north for Yuletide and where better to meet than the Windmill with cheap entry and entertainment. Turns out the main act is the saxophonist for black midi so should be a good one. We bump into each other outside locking up bikes and it seems very quiet in there. After getting a drink Maya Caskie comes on but she's really quiet and to be honest hard to hear her stood at the back of an admittedly impressive crowd. So we eschew the music and sit at the back chatting feeling half way between the old regulars on their usual seats and the trendy youngsters filling the place up. Similar I'm afraid to say for the next act Sarah Meth who to be fair to us we do try to listen to. The bits I heard were mindful of a whimsical Tracey Thorn but again hard to hear. Not sure if they've turned the volume down as a Thursday night or if my hearing really is getting a lot worse. Having caught up on everything that is important including the pros and cons of buffalo hunting we make an effort to properly watch Kaidi who has a full band supporting him. I wasn't blown away as a little bit low key for me and very low fi jazz. So although I was concerned that black midi were leading me into jazz I think not. Kaidi mixes vocal and sax. The vocals are usually over the low fi stuff and it sounded a bit like he was mumbling but that may have been the sound or my hearing. Simon says the term is sotto voce which I think is Italian for mumbling. When on the sax things generally brightened up and the beat lifted into the sort of swing jazz sound I do appreciate veering towards a funky vibe. OK call it jazz funk which I did like back in the day. Simon's opinion is that parts are reminiscent of Roni Size's Reprazent or Portishead. I can see where he's coming from. All in all a mixed bag for me though the crowd loved it. At least I learnt that I like a jazz vibe mixed in with rock funk or psychedelia and still don't dig straight modern jazz, man. Maybe I'm out of touch and too square to be a hep cat. I didn't even bring my knitting pattern which apparently is something to do whilst listening to jazz. At least out east. Just ask Simon. Good to catch up mate...
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| We didn't get a photo of Sarah Meth so here's The Marine Girls at Tooting Lido back in... well you can tell the era by the style. Coincidentally I wore my creepers to the gig tonight. |
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| Kaidi sotto voce |
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| Kaidi saxxing |
