sex mob

The other night I saw Sex Mob at The Stone.

It was only three-quarters of Sex Mob: Steven Bernstein on slide trumpet, Tony Scherr on bass, Briggan Krauss on alto sax--though he did have a baritone sax leaning coyly in its stand for the second show, which we missed, instead partaking of a mediocre dinner at a Frenchish bistro with a Polish name. Alas.

The amazing Kenny Wollesen was too busy his myriad other projects to come and drum, apparently, subbed for by a gentleman whose name I never caught (earplugs). Bernstein introduced him at the start, saying that he'd never played with the band before; nor heard them before. Brave soul.

This was my third time seeing Sex Mob. The first time, nearly a year ago at Tonic, not long before it closed, I was apparently lucky enough to see the whole band, though not again since. (Both Tonic and The Stone are/were John Zorn's clubs. The Stone is a performance space on a corner of Avenue C with no amenities other than a toilet, which you'd better use before the show because you will not be able to get through the musicians to use it later.) That night, Bernstein, quite the showman with his clownish conducting and patter, was in good form. The band was just back from failing to win a Grammy award and he had lots of stories about that experience, the depressing parties that the losers attend while the winners celebrate at their party, etc. This time, our party was split on whether his conducting was overbearing and his schtick boring, or whether it was entirely appropriate. (I was in the latter camp, though I admit the jokes are often inside and aimed at folks he knows in the audience.)

Conducting is needed for the somewhat improvisational nature of the music, jazz threaded with unlikely pop covers turned inside out. And needed all the more for the guests that seem to turn up. In addition to the substitute drummer, Lenny Pickett was on hand to play the soprano sax and the sarrusophone.

Tell me when you last saw one of those babies played! Contrabass sarrusophone, no less. We were sufficiently impressed by it that I think we'll go back to see him solo at The Stone tomorrow night.

The music was good fun, really joyful and impressive musicianship. The core band is like an organism that swells and moves together, playing off each other with a spirit that suggests it is the first time doing it, while the seamlessness of their dances together proves the contrary. (here's a sample.) Other folks in my party have recordings, which they say more than match the intensity of the live sets, dispelling my fear that a recording would be disappointing and lack the energy of performance. Every show is different (so far), so it is always fresh and exciting to the audience.