JASON MORAN & THE BANDWAGON
Village Vanguard178 7th Avenue South, New York 10014
Jason Moran & The Bandwagon play the late set at the Village Vanguard. The bill names Moran's long-running piano trio, whose established lineup is Moran on piano with Tarus Mateen on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums, though no date-specific personnel or guest has been announced. Moran's Bandcamp describes the group's Thanksgiving-week Vanguard appearances as a tradition, placing this Sunday night in a recurring chapter of the band's relationship with the room.
Moran, a pianist and composer from Houston, Texas, leads a trio known for taking apart standards and building new work from his mixed-media ideas. The Whitney hears a sound “as much dedicated to the past as to, more importantly, its conceptual futures”; the New York Times calls the Bandwagon a “fierce longstanding group.” All About Jazz notes its departure from the typical piano-trio model, while The New Yorker calls the music “explosive” and “interactive to its core.” Beyond the trio, Moran has worked with Greg Osby, Charles Lloyd, Sam Rivers, Bill Frisell and Dave Holland, and has collaborated with visual artists including Joan Jonas and Kara Walker.
A narrow basement staircase leads to a triangular room with a red curtain and a stage at the point, where musicians play for a small audience of 123. Tables open like spokes from the stage, and the walls hold portraits of jazz legends. The acoustics are excellent, and the only sound before the music begins is the hum of the room. No food is served, only drinks at a bar. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., with seating beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. respectively. The atmosphere is focused entirely on the music, with silence requested before the concert begins.