Melissa's Kitties: July 2019

Hi everyone,

Springtime invitations led me to some unusual events, including concerts by Anoushka Shankar, Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton, Jon Batiste & Stay Human, and Ozmosys as well as an event I never before considered attending, Awesome Con. While the Kitties have been too busy to sit still for a portrait lately, here's a rundown of how I spent the first half of 2019.

Anoushka Shankar, Sixth and I Synagogue (March 23)
I think I first heard of Anoushka Shankar when her sister Norah Jones became popular and reporters noted the interesting family connection. Or maybe it was when Anoushka asked Sting to sing on one of her albums. I remember seeing her shows advertised in the Washington Post's Weekend section before, performing at Lisner Auditorium, Sixth and I Synagogue, or somewhere else. I thought about going each time, but this time I finally did.

Photo credit: Mark Caicedo

Unlike Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar followed in her dad's footsteps, playing the sitar with traditional, Western, and international influences. This show at Sixth and I Synagogue was welcoming and relaxed. The musicians wore vibrant silk shirts and many were barefoot. They sat cross-legged on oriental rugs playing their instruments, some of which I'd never seen before. Whether more traditional or Western, each piece – including tracks from her recent compilation album Reflections and first ever soundtrack work for the restored 1928 silent film Shiraz – led to resounding applause. Sixth and I's fantastic acoustics captured every note of the band's articulate music, and it washed over us in waves that crested and fell. What I loved most about it was the opportunity to watch the musicians play their unique instruments and experience the resulting fullness of the music. This immersive experience captures and takes you to India, and keeps you hoping that you can stay awhile.

"Traces of You" by Anoushka Shankar (2013)

Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton with the National Philharmonic, Strathmore (April 6)
Everything seems to flow joyfully for Lisa Fischer. Her voice does whatever it wants, and every sound is the right one. For this performance, she appeared barefoot and beautiful in gold and emerald green. She uses two microphones, a standing one and a hand-held one, and which one depends on what the phrase requires. The accompanying musicians of Grand Baton equal Lisa Fischer's talent and expertise, and when you add the National Philharmonic (led by cool Asian conductor Josephine Lee) inside an acoustically perfect venue like Strathmore, you're in for a special treat.

Photo credit: Steve Roby

Most people know Lisa Fischer from her work as a backup singer for the Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Sting, and other superstars. In addition to originals like "How Can I Ease the Pain", her concerts include covers of these artists' popular songs, which Grand Baton leader and multi-instrumentalist Jean-Christophe (J.C.) Maillard has rearranged into barely recognizable concoctions. What's classic and familiar sounds new and unexplored. This concert's covers included "I Can't Get No Satisfaction", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Gimmie Shelter", and "White Horses" by the Rolling Stones (the last of which made me cry); Led Zepplin's "Rock and Roll" and "Immigrant Song"; Sting's "Fragile" and "Message in a Bottle"; and a bluesy version of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love". But this isn't a cover band. I can't describe them well. It's something you have to hear (and see) for yourself, so get your ticket now to see Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton when they'll be back at Blues Alley in November.

Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton at the 2016 BRIC Jazzfest, Brooklyn, New York

Awesome Con 2019, Walter E. Washington Convention Center (April 27)
This isn't music related and may not fit in here, but it was a springtime adventure. I didn't know Awesome Con existed until a couple years ago, when I saw people walking around D.C. in superhero and anime costumes and noticed signs in random restaurant windows welcoming the convention to town. Taking place this year at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from April 26 to 28, I joined a friend on one of the three days of festivities. The main attraction for me was a Q&A session with stars of The Princess Bride – Cary Elwes, Chris Sarandon, and Wallace Shawn – but I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience.

I did not dress up in costume, though I saw a few good ones. Awesome Con turned out to be more educational than I expected. While there are star attractions and opportunities for photos and autographs with them, the bulk of this convention is panel discussions about writing, comic book creation, science, space, and other topics. Also, the convention's exhibit hall is a shopper's dream. You could spend an entire day shopping for anything and everything related to your passion for comics, art, anime, games, and other entertainment. While I only attended a couple of discussions (one about writing with purpose and one about graphic novel story creation), they were both informative and provided lots of tips and resources for budding writers and artists.

As for my day's main event, The Princess Bride Q&A, Wallace Shawn didn't show up! I'm not sure what happened, but he apparently had his own Q&A scheduled for the following day. It's okay. I was quite happy with "Westley" and "Prince Humperdink", who reminisced about their careers and the 1987 classic film, even though I had heard most of the stories before or read them in Cary Elwes's memoir As You Wish. (You can read my review of that book here.) I did learn that Chris Sarandon is now working on a memoir of his own.

Like me, many of the adults wanted to learn random trivia about one of their all-time favorite movies – a movie we've memorized backwards and forwards. But it was when Cary Elwes invited a little kid who was dressed as "The Man in Black" on stage to ask his question (about the technicalities of movie's sword fights and stunts) that I happily thought, this movie is going to last forever! (You can watch much of the Q&A here.) Thanks, Awesome Con, that was fun!

Awesome Con 2019

Jon Batiste & Stay Human, The Anthem (June 15)
I remember when Jon Batiste & Stay Human performed on The Colbert Report. (Comedy Central removed this performance from the internet, but you can still watch Stephen in character interviewing Jon on that episode here.) At the end of the show, Jon led his New Orleans jazz band, audience members, and whoever else happened to be there outside and along the streets of New York. It didn't surprise me when Stephen named him band leader for The Late Late Show a few years later.

This year, Jon Batiste & Stay Human participated in D.C. annual citywide jazz festival, and I finally got to see the band perform in person at The Anthem, a relatively new venue in Southwest D.C. The Anthem typically offers general admission on its main floor and stadium seating on the upper levels. The open, airy space offers great sound. Outdoors, the renovated Wharf area makes me feel as if I am on vacation with its tourists, trendy shops and restaurants, and pretty water views.

Photo credit: Ari Strauss

This concert was as fantastic as I imagined: Jon wore a purple suit over a neon yellow shirt, a burgundy fez hat, Mardi Gras beads, and white sneakers. His and the band's energy matched his colorful outfit. Billed as a New Orleans Party, Jon kicked off the show by playing his melodica and dancing around (just as he does on The Late Show). However, this set list offered plenty of variety beyond Jon Batiste's hometown. He played several songs from his recent album Hollywood Africans, including "Don't Stop," which began after he played a bit of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata." He also played a version of "The Star Spangled Banner" on the piano that made me think of Jimi Hendrix's version on the guitar. He and the band played new music too, currently being recorded and soon to be release later this year.

Throughout the show, each band member had moments in the spotlight, demonstrating skilled musicianship and showmanship. And, at the end, with instruments in hand, they played The Late Show theme song while parading through the general admission crowd and upstairs to the second-floor seated area where Dad and I were. We all followed as they led, back downstairs, outside, and around the block until they disappeared through a nondescript door in the back of the building and the music faded into the distance. That's how you end a New Orleans Party.

"Don't Stop" by Jon Batiste (2018)

Ozmosys, Blues Alley (June 27)
Ozmosys is a new jazz fusion band. Leader and drummer extraordinaire Omar Hakim attracted me to this show. I've always remembered him from Sting's 1985 documentary Bring on the Night, when he had his way with the drums on Sting's romantic ballad, "I Burn for You". If you watched only Omar during that performance, you might call the police with suspicions of domestic violence.

Photo credit: Louis Myrle

Omar has lost none of that power as part of Ozmosys. At this performance at Blues Alley, he still beat his drums with unparalleled force. After one of their pieces, he joked, "Let's do a ballad; I'm tired." His fellow bandmates, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, keyboardist Rachel Z., and bassist Linley Marthe matched his energy with equal enthusiasm and skill. This concert offered a variety of tunes, including fresh material to be released on Osmosys's impending debut album as well as older songs from the band members' individual catalogues. I didn't know any of the songs, but I appreciated their thoughtful and innovative use of computers and iPads paired with old-school instruments and worldly influences. Each band member earned a spotlight to showcase their unique talents and, together, I think Osmosys built to last.

Apparently, Osmosys is too new to have videos, but I found one similar performance from 2018 with three Osmosys members and J.C. Maillard from Grand Baton! All the cool people know each other.