tanglewood's jazz festival hits it's stride

august 29, 2003 performances reviewed by dave conlin read

The 2003 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, comprising 14 performances over two days and three nights, could well serve as the benchmark against which subsequent editions are measured. Judging by audience response alone, Michel Camilo's set Friday night in Ozawa Hall was the best of the weekend; the audience burst into a standing ovation, after the trio's first number!

Sunday night's closing bill of Hiromi, the Wynton Marsalis Septet, and Natalie Cole, drew a huge crowd to the Shed (and lawn), and as if they had audited the preceding performances, they all were brilliant, giving the audience plenty to clap about, which was a good thing to do on a chilly Berkshire night.

cool cat in squaresville

The only downer of the weekend came right after Camilo's set; Argentine saxophonist Gato Barbieri's set was plagued throughout by problems with the sound mix. The technical difficulties didn't produce squealing feedback or anything aurally offensive; as Barbieri himself tried to explain, in halting English, "Nobody is perfect" and, holding his hands up as if to indicate the size of a home stereo equalizer, "It's supposed to be equal. And it is not."

That was too bad, but no excuse for the shameful display of rudeness by about 4/5s of the audience who walked out of Ozawa Hall during his performance. This isn't a matter of "It's my right, I bought my ticket, I'm voting with my feet..." It was boorish behavior.

Despite all that, Barbieri kept his cool, which was on display from the outset when he emerged slow-striding from the wings looking like a cross between Miles Davis and Truman Capote. He remained engaged with the dwindling audience, even honoring a shouted request by playing a few minutes of "Ruby, Ruby" (from his 1977 album of the same name) before explaining that the song is not in the current group's repertoire.

Guitarist Jonathan "Juanito" Pascual got the Festival off to a lyrical start with his set of original Flamenco tunes. The Boston-based Pascual, who maintains a busy teaching schedule in addition to performing, performed at Tanglewood earlier in August in the world premier of Osvoldo Golijov's chamber opera, Ainadamar.

For reviews of the Saturday performaces with Marian McPartland, Norah Jones, Kenny Baron, and Cassandra Wilson, please click here.

For photos and reviews of the Sunday afternoon performaces with Donal Fox, Louisiana Red, Nicole Nelson, Duke Robillard, and Jay McShann, please click here. Sunday's finale, with Hiromi, Wynton Marsalis Septet, and Natalie Cole; click here.