I totally agree with you, Hannah. I’m a little cautious when it comes to piano because I always think it’ll be like slow classical music. So, to prep for this performance I checked out both artists on YouTube first and can definitely say I was pleasantly surprised at how original and spicy their songs are.

This was great! Friday’s performance was one of the most lively I’ve seen so far. Both Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez had tons of energy which flowed into the crowd while they played. I enjoyed Rodriguez’s performance the most; I’ve never seen any pianist, jazz or not, play and move so much at once. Though the sound slightly drowned out the singers during the second, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching this beautiful mix of traditional and modern latin jazz music.

Madeleine, I also felt there was a significant disconnect between the music and movements. Some of the company’s musical selections seemed to be a little “too-French.” Or, on the other hand, maybe it was conscious, like you said and Kafig was just going for a more unique performance experience?

“How did they do that?!” This was all I could think of after seeing Compagnie Kafig’s amazing performance Friday evening. From the music to the various dance styles, I was in awe at every minute. I almost couldn’t believe that the dancers were able to queue each other up using taps and breaths to signal to other dancers. The dancers had clearly mastered their routine but it was interesting to see how each dancer’s queues fit right in with the music, too. I also loved watching the different stories play out, especially during the first half (Correria). One partner scene seemed to represent the pair of dancers having a struggle which closely mimicked traditional capoeira-style play-fighting. The only aspect of Compagnie Kafig that I didn’t necessarily enjoy the most was the music. Despite this being a hip-hop/capoeira performance, there was a huge lack of hip-hop-style music and quite a few songs lacked consistent drum-beats. I think drums-beats are essential to emphasizing hip-hop dance, so in the musical category, Compagnie Kafig is a little too French for my taste. It did, however, open my eyes to appreciating their unique dance-style done to non-traditional music. Either way, this has been my favorite UMS performance by far, great selection, UMS staff!

Initially, knowing that Kronos is considered classical music, I wasn’t expecting their modern “renegade” style of performance as well as their choice of songs. However, the first song, Oh Mother, the Handsome Man Tortures Me was one of my favorites from the night. This was a bold opening song for the performance in that the quartet started abruptly with quick upbeat sounds and strong Indian influence. I found myself happily tapping and moving to every beat of this song.

My second favorite selections of the night were the songs influenced by J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI administration. Sing Sing presented the contradicting point-of-views regarding the FBI at the time of Hoover’s office. On one hand, Hoover’s voice could be heard saying “The FBI is your friend, only a telephone call away” meanwhile Hoover’s administration was known betraying the trust of the public with its slew of secret initiatives. Kronos conveyed this theme with sharp, loud music and many conflicting sounds at some parts. These themes were also felt during the recitation of the Star-Spangled Banner while intense, suspenseful music played over the repetitive chanting of “fear, fear”.

David T. Little’s composition threw me for a loop and I did not enjoy the complexity of this piece. Besides that, I had a great time experiencing Kronos and would certainly recommend them for anyone who has doubts about classical music. Their modern twist on music combined with classical instruments will lead any audience to an interesting and ear-pleasing experience.