What a week. On Wednesday, I saw Christian McBride, renowned bass player. On Friday, it was The Tiger Lillies, an amazing trio. On Saturday, it was ultra-premier bassist Stanley Clarke. So two of the three greatest bassists ever. I'll never see Jaco Pastorius in person, so I did as well as I could.
I saw Christian McBride as part of the U of M October jazz "Festival Miami" series. All concerts are at the U of M campus, at the Gusman Concert Hall. (Not the Gusman Hall on Flagler.) I don't remember the ticket price exactly, but I think it was $35, for a very good seat. No, I'm not kidding. $35 to see and hear one of the world's great bassists, and from a good seat. He was killer good. The series is every year (this was year number 30) from October 1 to November 1. Lots of great concerts. This is the third year I've gone to these. There has been no bad concert, except the Ana Popovic show, which was too loud. The music was great, though.
I heard about the Tiger Lillies from an e-mail I got from the Miami Light Project. I only knew of them, the MLP, because they put on a Reggie Watts show last season. It was a really great show, by the way. So now MLP sends me e-mails, like about the Tiger Lillies. These guys, in one configuration or another, have been around since the late 1980s. They're British, and they're unique. Wikipedia or someone describes them as Brechtian cabaret. Close enough. Weird, captivating, expert, creative. And $25. I could have paid $50 for "VIP" status, but I didn't need two alcoholic drinks, and the theater is so small that there is no real advantage to sitting a little closer. What a show! And there's more coming this season. If you go, you'll love the venue. It's small, and it's funky. It's at the edge of Wynwood at 404 NW 26th Street. There are LOADS of murals on the neighborhood buildings, and a new one is all black and white stripes in varying directions. Very cool. Parking is easy, and free after 6 PM.
Saturday night, I thought I died and went to heaven. The great, great Stanley Clarke. It doesn't get better than this, since Jaco is gone. Clarke didn't play his electric bass, but what a master of the upright. I would probably give an edge to Clarke over McBride, but it's not worth splitting hairs. Clarke was the big ticket of the week: $45. For very good seats, but not "up close and personal." The secret is SMDCAC. South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center. It's a long way from here, off US1 south at Allapatta, way down at 211th Street and 109th Avenue. I think technically it's Cutler Bay. But as they like to remind you, the parking is free, so that's a savings of $15. And $45 is a relatively high price for them. Even the reception you get is worth money. SMDCAC has a distinct inferiority complex. They fall all over themselves being deferential, wanting to make sure you're happy, accommodating you. You think it's personal, and they simply like you VERY much. The shows are first rate. Every one of them has been. There are two auditoria: a large one (800-900 seats) and a small "cabaret-style" one, with tables in the middle and a rim of bleacher seats around the outside. Very intimate, though. I bumped into John Holland and Elena Olson there one night. We saw some combo from the San Francisco area, Django Reinhardt-style. Ticket prices are always lower than they should be. It's their way of feeling inferior, and your way of having it made worthwhile to you to go that far. FYI, 27 miles from my house to their parking lot. Check 'em out. smdcac.org. You will NOT be sorry. And if you eat at Ernesto's Taco Shop, on US1 and very close to SMDCAC, you REALLY won't be sorry. Really good Mexican food, cheap. SMDCAC puts on a very wide array of kinds of shows. This weekend, it's the Miami (Surfside) based Siempre Flamenco, whom I've seen several times, and later in the month, there's a very promising tango show. See you there?
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