The Musicology of Etienne Charles - Carnival: The Sound of a People at Jazz at Lincoln Center

New York, USA - Etienne Charles captivated audiences once more on at The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 9 and 10. Performing pieces from Carnival: The Sound of a People, Charles reminded audiences that the world of jazz looks to the entire Diaspora for inspiration.

The show was visual as well as auditory. Dancers in the roles of the Dame Lorraine, a La Diablesse - replete with her cow-foot, and a Jab Molassie demonstrated to the audience some of the imagery behind Caribbean lore. The first piece, titled Dame Lorraine and inspired by J’Ouvert, honored the world of stick-fighting with a percussion that punctuated the piece. Sometimes you forget what an amazing percussionist Charles is, but this piece was one of those amazing reminders of the versatility of the trumpet master.

Poetry permeated the show, with cultural elucidations for those in the audience for whom Carnival isn’t a part of the air they breathe in. When we see La Diablesse and hear the sounds of the Claxton Bay Tamboo Bamboo, we are transported to the silk cotton tree that Charles is telling us about.

One piece that acts as a tribute to the work of Sailor Mas man Narcenio “Senor” Gomez was dedicated to the late, great Harry Belafonte. This music, both smooth and melancholy, is the prelude to Etienne’s 'Theater of the Absurd’, a label which he rightly puts on the past several years. After yet another amazing solo on percussion, Etienne walks off to change from a dapper and colorful suit to a more dapper and colorful suit while we are treated to a drum solo that was downright virtuosic.

This is a great time to acknowledge the other musicians that took us to Carnival. Matt Brewer on the bass; Godwin Lewis on the saxophone, Axel Tosca Laugert on piano and Alex Wintz on the guitar along with our own André White and Kareem Thompson on pan rounded out the musicians.

They segued into a piece using a Baby Doll mas that is connected also to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. The slow piece was reminiscent of Gershwin’s “Summertime”, and eventually a Jab Molassie / Blue Devil came out and punctuated the songs with his whistle. Poets read about Chantwells and Lavway and we are mesmerized and charmed by this music.

Etienne rounded the show off with two final calypsos. Kitchener’s “Love in the Cemetery” called for audience participation. You talk about ‘Run’! Finally, we as the audience were granted 'permission to mash up de place’ as Charles played the late Merchant’s “A Caribbean Connection”. Come down and dance in the aisles, we were told, and dance we did. Shout outs go to the dancers as well. Abby Charles, Stefano Marcano and Tracey Sankar-Chaleau came out in costumes and worked their wiles on an amazed audience. It’s always amazing to see programming for us at JALC, and the show was spectacular; Charles never disappoints.

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