The Jazzcat

Yes, having fun with words is

a wonderful way to play and have fun but tonight at Cafe Metropol on the serious note, Quartteto

Fantastico is no joke. Talk about being locked in, which does not mean that you

can’t get out. In fact there is much freedom that comes with being locked in,

on point, dialed into a space; the intimacy that exists between your body and

the source of free flowing, creative, spontaneous light in the form of sound.

 

Deep on every level but when

you talk about humble human beings, Chris Woods, Paul Cartwright, Miguel Atwood

Ferguson and Peter Jacobson all respect life, sound and the cycle of

transference between the music and the audience and the music and so on. Badu

mentioned the Cipher in respects to 360 degrees of knowledge and wisdom and

it’s true. The constant giving and receiving of love through sound and

appreciation makes the encounter and experience in complete human oneness.

I think a bow upon string

makes the sweetest sound in the world. These four fine gentlemen are young

masters at emoting and the effects make you surrender to the peace within

yourself where there is only breath. Quartteto Fantastico starts out as just a

small breeze and grow into a huge musical proportions; creation not re-creation,

thought not memorization, original not covered, organic and direct from the

source.

The applause after the first

piece was the equivalent of a standing ovation. That’s love! Everyone is

looking forward to the blessings that lay ahead with the blending of tradition,

improvisation and the creative stylings of bliss on strings and beyond. From

the heavens to the tip of a needle we are beamed from place to place within

through the collective cerebral power of four.

The music is the sound track

of our own personal triumphs, defeats, and prosperity laced with blessings of

love. You have no choice but to revert back to all of the times and memories in

our lives, string them together and picture intangible visual imagery is our

own person movie of life. We realize that we are the

music; it exists for us and because of us, and for that we are grateful.

 

These musicians are plugged

into the power of love and you can tell by the way they compose that they

really care about their fellow humans. The peaks and perils of life and love

emanating from the core of the music and the soul are suites on sweets. There

was no rain in the beginning but in the end there was Earth, Wind and Fire!

 

Milo followed shortly for the

second set with Miguel Atwood-Ferguson being the common denominator but

certainly not the lowest. During their rehearsal earlier in the evening, I

heard this voice of distinctive power and in the simplicity of complexity, the

lyric and quality of tone made me realize that I may not make the other gig across

town tonight.

Staying put was certainly the

best move or I would have missed out on the vocal with different perspectives

and generous approaches to loveliness. Lola is at the helm and is the forefront

of new landscapes embodied in rich stories, dark colors and hues that cast

light on the outlines of sculptured vocal living art. Her presents captures the

senses of sight, sound and motion and with her bare feet she is grounded to the

canvas of sound captivating possibilities. She is a musician that uses voice as

an instrument on the top and in the mix.

Her body movements and

delivery under dim light are a visual synthesis cast with images of Marvin Gaye

covers and Mapplethorpe black and whites. At the edge of lyric and reality,

“where diving bells cause butterflies”, she describes love, fear and the

motivation to dive in. Let fate have its will or dance in the safe havens of

never knowing.

Introspection into oneself and ones feelings allows us such

comfort in the true questions that define us as people. Broadcasting truth

through sound can help humans heal with the music that lives in and around the

space between us. This at the brink kind of passion is where music and art

should always toil, delicately spinning on the pinnacle which in the end, represents

life!

 

LeRoy Downs