A new amazing experience with the Jazzkaar festival has started, a new dawn over the land of musical fairy tales and universes has come. It is time to make space for new musical addictions and to have some pleasant encounters with old loves. This year the opening was smoothly made by the wonderful vibes of a magic trinity: Chernett Moffett’s NettWork featuring Stanley Jordan & Jonathan Barber, from the USA.
They took us slowly and gently. The rhythms were mellow, but uplifting. One by one the instruments would unfreeze our everyday ears and brains and transport us to a state of bliss. By the end of the concert we would inside their sound with all our hearts. Most of the songs had no lyrics, but when they did, no complicated phrases were used or needed. Pure and simple messages, such as “Love to us, love to the people…we all need love” were the main ideas. Those were the universal messages these guys, through the amazing handling of their instruments, tried to show us and make us feel.
It all felt like a story a wise man would tell us, in order that we learn and discover. Every song was a continuity to an event in which he would let us participate. Listening to the rhythms, we were all following the storyline of an adventure. And the adventure was right here with us, through love. In between the narration, the storytellers themselves would present their perspectives. The solos started with the mind-blowing guitar experience of Stanley Jordan. He had such an amazing charisma of the body that it would have been unnatural if his instrument didn’t follow. Twisting and turning those sounds throughout the entire concert hall. Each of the artists had a tale of their own. Next was the drum player, Jonathan Barber. He was full of serenity, maturity. The gentleness was kind of opposite to what one would expect from the drums. Last, and rising above it all, was the magic bass guitar player Chernett Moffett. Our guests didn’t just enchant us with a soul-stealing sound, but also gave us reason to welcome bliss and love towards everything in our hearts.
The band managed to get us all up by the end of the show and demonstrating to them what we had learned from these wise life teachings. We got up with the emotion of a child at play – enthusiastic and wishing for more. We gave them back our big smiles and the good mood they put us in. I was thrilled and satisfied, as though I had eaten a good and healthy meal. Everyone was clapping and singing along, we were playing their game. And we couldn’t be more psyched about it.
It was a journey through many countries, through many styles and patterns. The playlist was an eclectic mix of classical, blues, samba, pop, post-bop. From one sunny, emotional memory to another, full of content and intimacy. The time went by unnoticed and we landed back in reality as seamlessly as we left it. A respectful beginning of a memorable festival and mind-blowing meetings.
The festival opening: Chernett Moffett’s NettWork featuring Stanley Jordan and Jonathan Barber (USA)
22nd April at Vaba Lava
Chernett Moffett – bass guitar
Stanley Jordan – electric guitar
Jonathan Barber – drums
Check out the photos from the concert here