Johnny Vidacovich, Oteil, & Krasno
Live at The Maple Leaf • April 23, 2015
By John Mikeska
The first musical night of the weekend began with an inspiring meal at Jacques-Imo’s Cafe. After eating our fill of char-grilled oysters, alligator cheesecake, and a particularly delicious crawfish étouffée, my gracious hosts and I walked the convenient walk to The Maple Leaf, only a couple doors down from the Cafe.
When New Orleans legend Johnny Vidacovich has a gig at The Leaf, it generally features a revolving cast of musicians in an open jam setting that features wide-open exploratory jazz. Tonights lineup featured Eric Krasno on guitar and Oteil Burbridge on bass. After a drink order and a few deep breathes the band takes the stage in a no frills, casual manner that speaks volumes to the intimate qualities of this venue.
Everything about the place is authentic. Perspective wins the day as the humbling realization of how fortunate you are to be there descends upon you. The tar on the floor is merely a reminder of times gone by and literally and figuratively connects you to the structure of the building. The chipped paint and elaborate trim of the room stand in with obvious symbolism that speaks directly to the heart of the authentic New Orleans spirit.
Unofficially, Johnny V is de facto bandleader in a purely democratic artform the requires no leader in any technical sense; but every ship needs a captain. That being said, a captain that constantly walks the line between maniacal and sensational is perhaps the best in the business i.e. the sleaziest sleaze of the seven seas.
On guitar for this outfit, Eric Krasno a seasoned veteran and locally described “all-star” of Jazzfest, is right at home bobbin’ and weavin’ through the tonal tapestry of the rhythm section. Kraz’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing, ever-evolving conglomerate of groove is an essential part of the mix. He picks up on the subtleties of Johnny V’s rhythmic incantations (which are constantly in-flux) and fills the gaps with atonal rhythmic statements that receive the message and then transmit on a new frequency.
On this particular maiden voyage to outer space, a Beatles cover emerged from the rubble of Oteil’s low-end palpitations in the form of “Get Back”. The so-called “cover” is more readily described as an interpretation that featured a deconstructed melody between purposeful groove-pockets courtesy of Oteil and Johnny V. When these guys decide to push the limits, its as if they purposefully but effortlessly navigate the cosmic landscape while bending the fabric of space and time as every fortunate soul in attendance careened down the rabbit hole of other-worldly explorations.
This ain’t your average jazz band in any sense that pertains to the word as it stands today. More like what the word came to represent in its more formative years; musicians expressing themselves freely in a context that inspires challenging interpretations of the same notes that everyone has access to. The goal in this setting is the “goal-less” goal. That which is achieved in the moment… Which is essentially why we’re all here in the first place; to achieve a “goal-less” goal that contributes to a superfluous amount of inspired moments, that inevitably add up to a unique experience that pays for itself every time you remember that evening at The Maple Leaf when Otel Burbidge, Johnny Vidacovic, and Eric Krasno reminded you that space and time are merely constructs of the mind… Not bound by the limits of the physical world but only the ability to access the limitless potential of the imaginative forces and creative intellect that abound in New Orleans during the weeks of Jazzfest.