Heads up jazz and adventurous music lovers! Chickie Wah Wah is the place to be on Friday night for a show by a relatively new quartet playing a style of music that is very engaging for listeners. Nolatet features Mike Dillon on vibes, James Singleton on bass, Johnny Vidacovich on drums, and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey’s Brian Haas on piano.
Three of the four players should be very familiar to local listeners. The fourth, Haas, is becoming more and more of a local fixture due to his many appearances around town. All four members of the band are as exciting to watch as they are to listen to, so the intimate confines of the fine listening establishment on Canal Street will be a great place to see them play.
The group released their debut recording, Dogs, earlier this year and has toured around the country more than they have played locally. So, this should be a chance to hear how the sound has developed since their last local show.
Mike Dillon explained the origins of the band, “Nolatet is the result of a Jazz Fest gig where the music and improv made us howl like dogs in the wild. Playing with Johnny V. and James is still one of the best experiences for a musician who loves conversations on the bandstand. Throw in my nearly 20 years of playing with Brian and the musical gods from on high deemed it to be good and bountiful.”
Dogs features all original material influenced by the diverse lives and perceptions of these four jazz greats. While traditional jazz is the backbone and starting point for the Nolatet’s musical language, each member’s individuality allows innovation to be a constant throughout the album. It was recorded in one day, all first or second takes with no overdubs. Sketches for compositions were in place, but ultimately this is improvised music made in the moment.
Since recording the album, they have played a few local shows, done a couple of tours comprising about 30 shows, and are about to embark on another. So just imagine how the imaginations and abilities of these musicians have allowed the music to change and breathe. I, for one, am really looking forward to the show.
