<< Front page Arts February 20, 2004

Roland’s guitar and vest entertain

On the night of Tuesday, Feb. 17, Tunisian guitarist Roland Dyens was wearing a striped vest. Why his spectacular striped vest? He was playing a guitar concert in Kulas Recital Hall called “A Visit to Jazz and Other Music.” Roland was intent on his music despite the fact that the hall was only half full. Many in the audience grew increasingly irritated as he tuned his instrument extremely thoroughly, both at the start of the concert and in between songs. Even during the pieces he sometimes made last minute adjustments in pitch.

As annoying as his obsession with intonation was, he was consistent, detail-oriented in his playing and it definitely paid off. The result was a well-constructed performance of well-chosen pieces that made the audience smile. Whether they were smiling because they were enjoying the music or because they found the cheesiness of some of the jazz tune endings amusing can be debated. But people were definitely enjoying themselves, whatever the reason, and that’s what counts!

Dyens included on the Tuesday night concert eight of a set of ten standard jazz tunes that he arranged himself. Although he seemed to have a soft spot for cheesy endings — he tacked on the French national anthem at the end of “I Love Paris” — some of the arrangements were downright clever. His contrapuntal presentations of “My Funny Valentine” and “All the Things You Are” were impressive.

Part of the reason the audience had such a good time at the concert was Dyens’ song selection and the order of the program. He began with an improvisation, something he apparently does on every concert he plays, and moved from the music of (first name?) Sor to Frederic Chopin to Dizzy Gillespie to himself with incredible finesse. By the end of the concert, he was using the guitar as a percussive instrument and playing it like an electric; the transition seemed surprisingly natural.

Getting back to his vest, Dyens is certainly a good performer.

Although the phrase “over the top” was apt in reference to his encore, the third movement of a suite he wrote himself, Dyens really did keep the audience entertained. Even when tuning, his concentration and focus were contagious. Dyens could effectively transport the audience anywhere he with his playing, be it beach, barbeque or Blue Note.


 
 
   

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