The EarRegulars and The Ear Inn (the latter at 326 Spring Street, Soho, New York — pictured above in October 2012) offer us sweet rewards. The Inn will soon celebrate its two hundredth anniversary; the EarRegulars are younger but no less beloved. On Sunday nights at The Ear, a small, gloriously congenial group of musicians gathers to remind us how fine being alive — with ears — can be. The EarRegulars are led by trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso, and on March 20, 2016, Jon was joined by his brilliant colleague, Matt Munisteri, guitar; Scott Robinson, tenor saxophone (with the delicious sounds of the mellophone added on later); Pat O’Leary, string bass.
The EarRegulars can tussle in swingtime with the very best, but that Sunday the mood was more gently ruminative: rather than abducting us by force, they wooed and persuaded. “Hey, do you have a free evening? Come along with us for sweet swinging music. You’ll love it.” As we do.
OUR MONDAY DATE:
BLUE TURNING GRAY OVER YOU:
TEA FOR TWO:
A note about Jon-Erik’s horn, which not only sounds beautiful but has a beautiful personal connection, as he explains: “That horn was my first, and was my dad’s. A Martin Handcraft Imperial. About 1934, my dad bought it new as a kid with money earned working in his father’s gas station/garage in Detroit. I messed it up in high school marching band, and it sat in a closet in my mom’s house all these years. I recently had it fixed up, to honor my dad’s memory and have it as a memento, and lo and behold, it plays great now!”
It certainly does. I think we are privileged to share the planet with these musicians, who so generously give of themselves . . . and not on Sunday nights only. We live in a Golden Age, if we are only wise enough to recognize it.
More to come.
May your happiness increase!
