I normally can’t get my ass off the chair to go to a concert if I don’t know it a few days beforehand. Yesterday night though I had to act spontaneous as Marc Ribot was in town with his Spiritual Unity project playing Albert Ayler pieces. It was an intense show with little interaction between the band and the audience, Ribot was typical with his brown leather jacket sitting sideways to the stage and immersed in music. There was Henry Grimes an original member of Albert Ayler’s quintet who’s been MIA through whole decades, was also there taking care of the upright bass as well as the violin in one song. The 4 piece catapulted through improv/free jazz back to a familiar melody for at most 30 seconds then back to improv again, we were surprised and happy to see around 150 people sticking through till the end and even buying CDs afterwards, so there is an improv audience in Istanbul after all!

Medeski, Martin, Wood & Ribot covering Jimi Hendrix’ classic Crosstown Traffic via HolgerregloH

Anyways, by the laws of synchronicity I was listening to Marc Ribot a lot this last 2 weeks without having any idea that I would see him live here. So I’ve selected one song for you from a few of his more accessible projects, from Ceramic Dog, Shrek, Los Cubanos Postizos, Asmodeus from the second Masada songbook, his debut 1990 album Rootless Cosmopolitans and from the Serge Gainsbourg tribute album respectively. Just covering the tip of the iceberg here really, there’s much much more by this iconic guitarist that you should check out.

“Like Thelonius, Ribot knows just how and when to play the right wrong notes. - Signal to Noise

Jaguey!

Marc Ribot’s solo performance Guadalajara, Mexico 19-VIII-06 via AlexOtaola
PS : Many thanks to HolgerregloH for his exquisite archive on youtube

Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog - Midost
Marc Ribot’s Shrek - Yo! I killed your God
Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos - El Divorcio
Marc Ribot - Kalmiya
Marc Ribot - The wind cries Mary
Marc Ribot - Black Trombone