Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Freaks and Geeks: Series Review















My Dearest Readers,

Welcome to my first TV series review! I don't plan to do these nearly as often as music related articles, but figured I'd give it a shot today.

For the past few months I've been watching the show Freaks and Geeks (yes I know, it came out ten years ago). I'd heard for a while it was good, so I finally caved and watched. The show ebbs and flows, but by the end of the first season, I was hooked. Of course, the show only aired for one season, so that sucks.

Freaks and Geeks is a high school drama/comedy, done from the perspective of teenagers on the outside of the popular crowd. The main character is Lindsay Weir, a brainiac who begins hanging out with a "bad" crowd (the "freaks" of the high school) after her grandmothers' death. Her brother Sam is a freshman, and for a number of reasons (a few easy ones being that he's about 4 feet tall, weighs 80 pounds, and loves sci-fi) is considered a "geek". The show centers around how the Weir's and their friends fit into the high school dynamic as members of two vastly different alternative crowds (although Lindsay's membership is by choice while Sam's geekhood is unwilling and based on the reality of his social situation). The supporting characters are highly significant and played very well. In many episodes, one or more story arc will revolve around a character besides Lindsay or Sam, and each supporting character spends some time as the focus of an episode.

The first two thirds of the season are largely episodic. Rarely does a plot line carry over from the previous episode beyond the general themes of the show. While nearly all of the episodes are enjoyable, the lack of continuity limits character development and depth. However, towards the end of the season past plot lines are brought back into the picture, and new ones are created and developed. The show really takes off at this point, and I inevitably began feeling empathy, humor, joy, sadness... the whole range of emotions that only the best artistic mediums can bring out of a person.

A major part of what makes Freaks and Geeks so likeable is its relatablity. Nearly everybody in the United States experiences high school and is acutely aware of all of its' groups and cliques. The show finds a way to portray typical high school issues without appearing cliche. Overbearing parents, to have/not have sex, academics vs. peer pressure, the social currency gained by partaking in illegal activities and much more are portrayed in both funny and moving ways. Unlike many TV dramas, the issues are presented in "real life" terms, where difficult decisions are made in an arena of ambiguity beyond right or wrong. The show does a fantastic job creating situations that accurately portray the plethora of pressures all teenagers are burdened with.

Overall, I would say Freaks and Geeks is a very good show with moments of greatness. It really comes into its own towards the end of the season, and it's a shame the show didn't get a longer run. If like me you're also ten years behind in your high school TV viewing, check it out. You won't regret it, and you'll probably even enjoy it.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Jazz Sax Player Nick Myers Interview


Hello Friends,

A few weeks ago I went to 169 Bar in the Lower East Side for a friend's birthday. I was pleasantly surprised to have live jazz hit my ears as soon as I walked in. The music was fun and upbeat, with lots of instrumental jazz covers of classic rock and soul tunes. This was not a bar full of jazz listeners (more drunk hipsters), but the bars' inebriated inhabitants danced throughout the entirety of the set. This horn driven group entranced the crowd with intoxicating solos and irresistible rhythms. While in my drunken state I couldn't give the show a proper review, I did manage to get the contact information of the band leader and saxophone player, Nick Myers. I interviewed him this Monday, and he had some interesting things to say. Here is the transcript of our discussion:

(D: Me, N: Nick)

D: My first question: Is Nickhead your primary group.

N: Yes.

D: What's the background of the group?

N: Well the name "Nickhead" is an umbrella that I use for a number of groups. The group was first created in Italy as a quartet, where I recorded my original compositions. Then when I came to NY, when I was here working, I decided I wanted to expand on the repertoire of the group and the name. So I started doing this weekly gig that you heard at 169 bar. I still advertise under the name Nickhead, but I guess it's a little bit different from the original group.

D: Are you originally from Italy?

N: No, no, no. I'm from Washington state. But I lived there for a little bit, and I recorded an album over there. I go back once or twice a year to perform.

D: Oh, awesome. Tell me a bit about your personal history in music.

N: Well, I started playing piano when I was five years old. Then I switched to saxophone in middle school; my grandpa played piano as well, but he played all by ear. He kinda taught me a lot of old standard material, a lot of old songs. So I picked up the saxophone and started playing with him, and a little bit later I started my own group. I think when I started a group in my hometown and started playing gigs around town, I realized I really enjoyed playing music and wanted to play music for a living.

D: Cool. When I saw you perform at 169 Bar, the music was upbeat, fun, horn driven jazz. I thought it was accessible to everybody, not just jazz lovers. Listening to some of your recordings, it sounds like you also play quite a bit of straight ahead jazz music. Tell me a bit about the different styles you play and what you prefer.

N: I actually enjoy both. I don't enjoy playing strictly one type, I like having a diversity of styles in music. I want to create an environment... I feel like a lot of times when you do a straight ahead jazz gig in New York people don't particularly enjoy the atmosphere. So I wanted to create a vibe where people would feel like they could come out, and didn't feel the music was overly intellectual. I wanted to make the music appear to be very accessible to everyone, but still be able to expand and improvise on the forms. Some of the songs we do we change them every week, it's still very improvised and very jazz based. Sometimes we even make up forms... actually all the times we make up forms; we don't ever play any of those songs the same way twice. It's just a different way to do the same things we enjoy doing. It's definitely more accessible.

D: I agree. I saw on your website that you just came off a tour in Italy and you said earlier that you've recorded with guys in Italy. How did you end up with this Italian connection, and what's it like when you tour over there?

N: Well, I actually did this thing through my college, NYU. I did a study abroad thing, and I hooked up with all these musicians in Italy. I got a record out over there, which allowed me to tour. They really enjoy jazz in Italy, I feel like it's a very different scene. The music is more well attended generally. Not just jazz, they really have an appreciation for all types of music. Not to say here people don't have the same appreciation, you just have to draw it out of them.

D: Interesting. When and why did you move to New York?

N: Well I moved to New York for college, but I just said yes to the first New York college that accepted me. I didn't really care which college I went to, I just wanted to come to New York. That's where jazz and music that I liked was started, and I wanted to go there and see why it was started there.

D: Are you a full time musician?

N: I am. I teach and I play gigs. I also have a little thing that I do where I make videos for other jazz musicians, like promotional videos and that sort of thing. That makes a little extra income but for the most part I am a full time musician.

D: What are some bands you enjoy listening to?

N: Hmmm... Well since I've been doing this gig at 169 Bar, I've been checking out a lot of James Brown. I've always liked James Brown, but I never sat down and transcribed it, and I've been transcribing it. Not so that I can play exactly what James Brown played, just because I want to understand what he played and use that as vehicle for a different sound, different compilation. I always liked... well obviously there's a few inescapable influences on the saxophone that I like; John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Joe Henderson, all those guys. I studied a lot of saxophone players and a lot of trumpet players too... like Chet Baker. I enjoy listening to it as well as studying it. I also listen to some modern music... I don't really like much modern rap, but I like a lot of early 90's rap music like Wu Tang, Tribe Called Quest. I really like that stuff.

D: Lastly, is there anything else you want people to know about yourself and Nickhead?

N: Well, I want them to know that if they come out to 169 Bar on a Saturday they can boogie down and have a good time. That's what we're trying to do is bring an environment where people can check out live music, and not feel like it's being shoved down their throat.


There you have it. Nickhead is currently playing a Saturday residency at 169 Bar. If this sounds good to you, go check them out!