Anant Pradhan With Larry McDonald
Bar LunÀtico486 Halsey Street, New York 11233
Anant Pradhan and Larry McDonald lead a seven-piece band for two sets, with Pradhan on saxophones and McDonald on congas. Mike Sarason plays keys, alongside bassist Preet Patel, drummer Rich Terrana, guitarist Brett Tubin and percussionist Yoshi Takemasa. The group recalls the sound of 1960s and 1970s Jamaica, reviving the approach of innovators including Cedric Brooks and Roland Alphonso.
Pradhan carries that tradition alongside Jamaican percussionist McDonald, who calls him “the steward of our music going forward.” McDonald has more than half a century of recording and performing behind him, including work with Gil Scott-Heron, Taj Mahal and Lee “Scratch” Perry.
A basement club in Bedford-Stuyvesant, LunÀtico is a musician-owned space where live music starts at 9pm nightly, following dinner service. The stage is modest, with a single chair for the band, and the audience sits on wooden booths or the floor, close enough to feel the energy. The room is lit by dim bulbs, with walls lined with vintage posters and a few well-worn speakers. There's a bar with original cocktails, craft beer, and wine, and a dinner menu available from 6pm to 11pm. Shows are donation-based, with a $10 recommendation in cash. It's a place where people listen to music and talk afterward, in a familiar, unpolished setting.