RSS
Home
Michael Leonhart and the Avramina 7 at Joe's Pub
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Michael Leonhart and the Avramina 7 is a project so eclectic and cerebral that it must be experienced to be fully appreciated. Lovers of live New York music would have noticed one thing immediately last Wednesday night at Joe’s Pub: many of the key NYC bands were represented onstage.
All photos: Cecil Raff
First things first: don’t be fooled by the name Avramina 7. There are upwards of thirteen members at any given time. Those members served as delegates for some of the hardest working bands in New York City: singer Jamie Leonhart, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Budos Band, Antibalas, Thought, and Menahan Street Band. As the Avramina 7, they supply the man (and woman) power needed to help Michael Leonhart realize his vision of a musical circus.
Imagine having your coolest friends over to brain storm a great idea and come up with something fun and funky. That seems to be the premise of this band. It works well. There is no shortage of creativity- Leonhart, a multi-faceted musician, sculpts songs from images and shares them with the listener. Even while playing with loops and on-the-spot sound effects he never alienated his audience. He was even kind enough to offer World Series updates over “Disco Udaipur”. The stage looked liked a party- smart, artistic souls playing with not just instruments, but a toy piano and xylophone, Indian harmonium, swim noodles and flashing jewelry.
The set list consisted of songs from Leonhart albums, including the recent Seahorse and the Storyteller, Hotel Music and The Ballad of Minton Quigley. Each composition was musically strong and lyrically compelling. A few standouts included “Gold Fever”, “Madhouse Mumbai”, and “Ballad of MQ Part 2”.
It is always enjoyable when quirky, cool, soulful and accessible make friends and build something fresh.
From DJ Kevin “Sugar” Shand’s classic cuts before the set to the 45’s for sale afterward (Under 25 notice: 45’s are little records your grandparents keep in a crate in the basement), the night was an easy going visit to Leonhart’s colorful funhouse.
If you have the opportunity to catch the next show of their residency at Joe’s Pub, take it. You won’t be bored or disappointed.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
