The Jazz Half

Cincinnati's Jazz Showcase

Venue:  Northside Tavern

Group:  The Northside Jazz Ensemble
            Mike Darrah – Keys/Organ
            Aaron Jacobs – Bass
            Max Gise – Guitar
            Mark Wolfley – Drums

Conventional wisdom suggests that well-known, big-city venues feature the big Artists.  That same wisdom should consider the intense degree of magic and energy produced by some of the small community venues; as evidenced by the performance of the Northside Jazz Ensemble at the Northside Tavern. 

As one reads this they will wonder if the subject is the venue, or the Ensemble quartet of Mike Darrah, Aaron Jacobs, Max Gise, and Mark Wolfley.  The reason for this is the fact that the Northside Tavern is an icon in the historic community of Northside.  The place has an abundance of character, with an eclectic collection of memorabilia; from the mid-sized shelf creatively showcasing a shrine to Elvis, to a 70’s-style disco globe rotating overhead.  The entrance has a vintage “store-front” look, with broad, angled windows.  The aged interior brick walls and solid wood floor is genuine, classic, and distinct.  Upon entering the front door, the band is immediately on the left, and straight ahead is a clear view of the billiard room, outlined with contemporary-style lounge chairs and sofas.  In the Billiard room, on the right side, is a life-sized mural of a Texas Longhorn.  A doorway on the left side leads to an outdoor courtyard-style patio with chairs, and candle-lit tables. 

It was a good evening for live jazz.  The mild, clear evening allowed for listening enjoyment outdoors as well as inside.  At 10:00, The Ensemble opened with “All the Things You Are”, which sort of “medleyed” into Thelonius Monk’s “Well you needn’t”.  The atmosphere was light, and relaxed; and this was mostly due to the fun style of the Ensemble.  Between numbers, Mike, Aaron, Max, and Mark can be overheard deciding which song to play next, or how a particular run is played – all the while laughing and joking with each other and the audience of 12 people (One of the members even made a reference to a “Seinfeld” episode). 

The Ensemble performed such numbers as “You got it bad”, “Angelica”, “Stablemates”, and Stanton Moore’s “Blues for Ben”.  Their synchronous tempo was upbeat throughout each song.  There were several instances where Mike Darrah would execute a “trickle-down” pattern on the keys in a most effortless fashion; causing one to envision water cascading down a stone wall.  The group demonstrated their ability to slow things down with a very mellow, jazzed version of the Beatles’ “Something in the way She Moves”.  The nodding of the heads by Max Gise and Aaron Jacobs confirmed that the Ensemble had hit a zone.  Any audience in the midst of this moment is truly fortunate; as this zone produces a magic that is phenomenal, and practically indescribable.  The “zone” continued with the next number which, we feel, left the most significant impression.  The ensemble performed Chic Corea’s “Return to Forever” and took everyone in the Northside Tavern on a journey.  The beginning was soft and slow; then Mark Wolfley’s work on the cymbals produced a crescendo that opened the group into a hard-hitting, driving tempo.  The ensemble was truly in the pocket with this piece.  One could almost hear a story being told through the instruments.  At the end of the number, the crowd was left cheering, grateful for being a part of this phenomenon. 

“Return to Forever” had to have been exhausting for the ensemble, but they kept the pace going with “4 by 5”.  In this piece, Aaron Jacobs opened with a lively walking bass pattern.  Throughout the song when taking a close look at Aaron’s bass, his fingers moved in a blur that appeared almost surreal.  This continued through alternating solos between Aaron and Mark Wolfley on the drums. 

The Ensemble wrapped up around 12:30.  The rehearsal-type dialog between the musicians was fresh, humble, and relaxing to the audience.  Monday nights may not be the most popular time for going out to hear live music, but in order to find the energy like what was discovered at the Northside Tavern, one must occasionally stray from the routine (and conventional wisdom). 

atj