Myra Melford

Beanbenders-Berkeley, CA

August 10,1998

By Dave Kaufman

I just saw an excellent solo piano performance by Myra Melford. She played two 40 minute sets that featured mostly her own compositions. She also performed songs by Dave Douglas (Bardot)-a semi-frequent collaborator, and Henry Threadgill (Noisy Flowers)-a mentor of hers. Melford is a rather dimunitive figure--standing no more than 5 feet or so and that somehow adds to her considerable appeal. Her style is thoroughly modernist (it's kinda hard to pinpoint influences on her), yet much of her playing has a meditative/impressionistic quality to it. Her music comes across as more accessible and more inside in a solo context (not all that surprising) than it does in group settings. Melford invests herself in the composition and only on occassion features her rather prodigious skills. There are no wasted notes or effects and not all that much in the way of improvisation (as far as I can tell). Although her playing has a somewhat avant sensibility, she will interject a bit of stride or some boogie woogie licks at a point you wouldn't expect and to great effect. The encore was a flat out blues (a recognizable tune, but I couldn't come up with the name) and was just terrific. Melford is doing some kind of residency/fellowship in Northern California (Gerassi Institute?) that essentially pays her to work on compositions.

The show took place at Beanbenders, which is housed ina charmless generic exhibition room. However, Dan Plonsey books incredible acts in creative improvised music and avant jazz (e.g., Clusone Trio, Gerry Hemingway, Roscoe Mitchell). Admission is usally very cheap (5 or 10 bucks) and it's about a 20 minute walk from my home (5 minute drive). Earlier in the week, I had the opportunity to see Ben Goldberg's Brainchild, a 10 piece spontaneous improvisation orchestra. On this night the band included a cellist (Mathew Brubeck, who also doubled on piano), a violinist, a guitar player (John Shott), a bass player, two drummers, a typani/percussionist and Steve Adams of Rova fame on Baritone sax and other horns. Dan Plonsey, on tenor, sat in on the second set. Each set also featured a vocalist--one who would act out a telephone conversation (very convincing and very funny) and the other who did a wordless vocals kinda thing (ethereal and rather pretty). Goldberg is a noted clarinetist, but didnot play n this night. He conducted the orchestra, wandering around to each musician, whispering instructions in their ears (at least, I assume they were instructions :-) ). The music covered quiet a range from soft melodic playing to cacophonic wailing (the musicians would switch between the two in a split second). The musicianship and the interplay was at a very high level. I really enjoyed the show as did the other 20 or so patrons in attendance. Beanbenders is losing it's lease at the end of November and sadly will have to move. However, Plonse has booked some great acts before that including Amy Denio and Mathew Shipp/William Parker.