Good evening! I'm Kenn Sava, the Denizen of NighthawkNYC.com. Welcome to my site. Here I am as you'll find me most times- out somewhere in NYC, listening to Music and looking at Art. Here, I’m standing in front of the REAL Nighthawks, Edward Hopper's Timeless Masterpiece from 1942, at the "old" Whitney Museum during the Hopper Drawing Show in 2013.

Standing there. I felt like I was standing next to my soul. It's me. Well, that figure, sitting with his back to us is. As much as any work of Art I've ever seen is...

"That shape is my shade
There where I used to stand."*

What? I explain here. I named this site NighthawkNYC in homage to Hopper’s immortal Painting, and that figure that no one ever talks about. Anyway...Art and Music are my twin passions, and have been for a very long time. I started NighthawkNYC to share what I've discovered along the way- as Steely Dan put it so well ..."Sensations that stagger the mind."*

But? I'm not going to stop there, so hold on to your stool, and let's see what the night brings. And, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on anything you'll wake up tomorrow and wish you hadn't.

*-from "Deacon Blues" by Steely Dan's Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, published by Universal Music Publishing Group

Kamasi Washington- Live In Central Park

This site is Free & Ad-Free! If you find this piece worthwhile, please donate via PayPal to support it & independent Art writing. You can also support it by buying Art & books! Details at the end. Thank you.

Written & Photographed by Kenn Sava

This is a Post Script to my recent Post on Kamasi Washington’s “The Epic.”

I stood for 2 and a half hours before the show Saturday, June 18, to get a good spot to hear Kamasi’s Central Park debut (his third NYC appearance as far as I can tell) at Summerstage in Rumsey Playfield along with a packed house of a few thousand I’d guess. It was well worth it. He, and “The Next Step,” lived up to every bit of what I’ve heard on “The Epic,” and on various live performances that are circulating online.

They were positively incendiary.

Here are a few photos I shot of what will be a long remembered concert.

The personnel consisted of-
Kamasi- Tenor Sax
Ryan Porter- Trombone
Brandon Coleman- Keyboards
Miles Mosley- Bass
Tony Austin & Ronald Bruner, Jr- Drums
Patrice Quinn- Vocals
Special Guests-
Rickey Washington (Kamasi’s Dad!)- Flute & Soprano Sax
Ingmar Thomas- Trumpet

If you want to get the full effect, check this out-

One of the most striking things about this concert, beyond how so very very good every single Musician in The Next Step is, is that a good number of people in the crowd actually DANCED!

Yes…Danced!

Jazz was DANCE MUSIC, that was also great to listen to, early on, right up until Bebop came along in the 1940’s and was too fast to dance to. It’s a great sign that in addition to being excellent musically, this music is DANCEABLE! Don’t miss them next time, which I hope is very soon.

PS- My post about the opening act, Jacob Collier, is coming soon.

NighthawkNYC.com has been entirely self-funded & ad-free for over 8 years, during which 300 full-length pieces have been published! If you’ve found it worthwhile, PLEASE donate to allow me to continue below. Thank you, Kenn.

You can also support it by buying Art, Art & Photography books, and Music from my collection! Art & Books may be found here. Music here and here.

Written & photographed by Kenn Sava for nighthawknyc.com unless otherwise credited. To send comments, thoughts, feedback or propositions click here. Click the white box on the upper right for the archives or to search them. Subscribe to be notified of new Posts below. Your information will be used for no other purpose.

error: Content is protected !!