Rodrigo Almonte & Tomer Cohen 28/07/2023
First thing’s first: An apology.
I do apologize to all three readers of this blog that I am quite late in putting it out into the world. You see, I took a week off. And I did this because I am a scoundrel, a layabout and the kind of maniac who agrees when his significant other suggests that a week off together would be nice.
And on that note, during said week I got engaged! So, nobody can be mad at me because I was doing important life stuff. I’m quite chuffed, I must say. (Richard speak for delighted)
Anyway, let me cast your mind back a couple of weeks to Friday July 28th. The morning was spent installing some very fancy new lighting bars on stage. As always, when Cormac suggests doing something fresh, exciting and innovative, the artful dodger in me sometimes bemoans the fact that we might have to do a lick of work more than strictly necessary. But then we did it and it turned out to be great (as always with Cormac’s ideas) and I’ll now happily take all the credit for it if anyone asks.
Just to keep up with tradition, we diverted our attention to coffee for a while, discussing the ups and downs of life. Topics of conversation included: Chaucer, the history of the Pre-Byzantine Era Church, the future of high-risk investment banking and the best way to get scratches out of our Range Rovers. Okay, maybe we just talked about Alan Partridge and Viz Magazine’s excellent fake ad for Blitzkrieg Beer. (Look it up. It had Cormac in convulsions for about 20 minutes).
After a few hours at home, it was back to the club for soundcheck. Not long after I arrived, two guitar toting travellers turned up at the top floor of the Hack Club, hoping they were in the right place. It must be said that Rodrigo Almonte and Tomer Cohen must be some of the nicest guys in Jazz. Or maybe just in general. Either way, they were a joy to meet and talk to, and due to the nature of their act being two guitars, it made the sound engineer in me very happy. Just two faders to play with all night. It’s enough to make you giddy. Plus, with their symmetrical layout on stage and their big guitar amps, it was a dazzling debut for the new lighting bars. Those amps got lit up like a couple of bad guys in a Charles Bronson movie.
When it was time for the gig proper, the duo made their way on stage to a respectable crowd of 70 who were very curious to see what two guitarists could bring to Scott’s Jazz Club. And I must say, so was I. We very rarely have groups of less than three. It takes a lot of guts to go up on a stage with so little to hide behind. The gig began and all was hush. Rodrigo and Tomer started with their unique blend of delicate yet unpredictable guitar work. At times it was free flowing and experimental, at other times they were locked in unison with each other, filling the room with chords that rang sweet and true. It was an intense listen that required complete silence to fully appreciate, and it put one in mind of something akin to a classical recital. The promotor in me was equal parts delighted by the music, which was completely new for Scott’s Jazz Club, but it was also worried about how the crowd were taking it! I did a quick recce up to the front and looked at the faces in the crowd. Every single one was transfixed. I looked on to the stage and felt the passion and power coming from every note. It was a wall of sound, coming at me in stereo. Concentration was written all over Rodrigo and Tomer’s faces as they strained for chords that required absurdly stretched hands. They both took turns at solos and rhythm, each displaying their technical prowess. Even more impressive were their original compositions. The Tomer penned “The View” and Rodrigo’s “Nico” being personal highlights of the gig for me. As the dust settled, (It’s a metaphor. We don’t have a dust problem, I promise) it was clear that they had won over the hard to impress crowd at Scott’s. The hardcore regulars were most suitably impressed of all, quite in disbelief that we’d managed to bag a pair of musicians so unique and different to everything that’s been before in the club. I’m aware that sounds very braggy and annoying, but that’s what someone told me, so I’m going to run with it.
Until Next week
Richard Brown
Chief of Starburst consumption at Scott’s Jazz Club
