Pianist Jason Moran created a bona fide dance party at CSUN, even preparing a dance pit for the audience join in on the celebration of Fats Waller’s music Tuesday night.
Opening with his trio of the snappy Charles Haynes/dr and bouncing Tarus Meteen/b Moran strode out in more ways than one on the festive “Honeysuckle Rose.” After that, he put on a paper mache mask of Waller, “to get inside his head” he joked, and for the rest of the evening played the role of the swingmeister. Added vocals by the earth toned Lisa Harris and growling trumpet by Leron Thomas teamed up with Haynes hip hop drumming to modernize pieces such as “Ain’t Misbehavin’” while the dance floor got packed with couples on the festive “Yacht Club Story.”
Thomas’ rich baritone created a cozy moody for “Two Sleepy People” before Moran solo read of “Fat Lip” went from swing time to Cecil Taylor time and back, segueing into Ornette Coleman’s free jazz classic “Lonely Woman” that mixed pre-recorded voice with Harris’ howls along with mix of outside to inside keyboards.
Haynes got the groove back on a jaunty “This Joint is Jumpin” which once again filled the floor after being emptied by the previous solar explorations. Moran and Harris then took the usual R&B hit “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” and created a dreamy atmosphere, added by the rhythm sections dirge of a trudge. The party ended with a juju-styled read of “Jitterbug Walt/I Found A New Baby” before kindred spirit Robert Glasper crashed the party to add his mix of hip hop and modern jazz to vocal version of “Honeysuckle Rose” that closed down the party before the police arrived.
Moran mixed his celebration of the gifted composer and pianist with a direction that connects with modern sensibilities, not an easy task in this day of musical over-categorization and sterilization.
Other upcoming shows at the Valley Performing Arts Center include Turtle Island Quartet Apr 05, Cyrus Chestnut Apr 06 and John Pizzarelli Apr 09
www.valleyperformingartscenter.com