Herbie Hancock and Keyon Harrold at Central Park Summerstage
Jazz remains relevant to music lovers, and, people are certainly still interested in watching famous jazz musicians perform live.
Nothing invigorates people more than free live music, especially when it’s played outdoors against the backdrop of beautiful weather. Free outdoor concerts will no doubt attract dedicated fans, as well as curious listeners, less familiar with the artists. And for the most part, when it comes to free live music, people are generally inclined to take a chance, as they gather together among hundreds of strangers in parks and other outdoor spaces. Let’s just call this communal inclination of humankind’s wish and desire for music and live entertainment as purely uplifting. In New York City, there are always people who are interested in experiencing live music. For most New Yorkers, that is an expectation.
For nearly three years, we were shuttered and locked inside while the COVID pandemic wreaked havoc on our still and silent lives. This is even more reason why being outside and experiencing a live concert, feels so liberating and entertaining. Over and above that, when the performing artist is Herbie Hancock, well, let’s just say that you’ve pretty much won the lottery.
Herbie Hancock and his band kicked off the 2022 Central Park Summerstage season with an electrifying free concert at Rumsey Playfield — located just off 5th Avenue and the 69th Street entrance. Herbie Hancock and his seasoned band did not disappoint, as the performance was beyond entertaining and thoroughly uplifting for the hundreds of fans who packed in, and sat gleefully on the grass while soaking up sun, fun, and a whole lot of great music. Kudos also to Kenyon Harrold — the opening act — who started the show on a rather high note.
It would be an understatement to say that Central Park is known for its history of free outdoor concerts — especially jazz performances. For instance, in June 2016 Roy Haynes, Ron Carter and McCoy Tyner played a fantastic show (during steady, light rain) for the Summerstage season. Over the years other jazz greats including Dave Brubeck, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Dinah Washington, Jerry Mulligan, Kai Winding, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Jean-Luc Ponty, and many others, have graced the Summerstage at Rumsey Playfield
For this particular show, the crowd was a microcosm of New York City, itself. The exhilarated crowd was an amalgam of people with white hair and walkers, as well as preppy, college-aged youth. There were People of Color as well as those who presented as Caucasian. Men and women danced, swayed to the music, and cheered. A glowing firefly danced near me as I caught it on one finger of my right hand and held it there for several seconds. That was my first lightning bug of the year. I guess it’s fair to say that even winged insects appreciate a good free concert.
The one downside to the event was the very loooooong line one had to endure while waiting to enter. My daughter and I arrived at 5:40PM and had to queue up behind a few hundred earlier arrivals. Within minutes there were dozens of attendees behind us. Donors to the Summerstage were aloud inside way before we were. Yes. Money talks.
My daughter, three of her friends, and I were among the lucky ones who did get inside to enjoy the Hancock show. The young folks found spots where they could stand. Fortunately, I claimed a folding chair in the handicap accessible section to the right of the stage (I have a troublesome knee). It turned out that we were near each other. From where I sat, I got a birds-eye view of the road crew as they moved instruments and equipment to and from the stage.
Keyon Harrold and his band opened the show on a really high note.
Prior to this concert, I was unfamiliar with Keyon Harrold’s work. Now I’m a fan and checking them out on YouTube. The band played a swinging mix of jazz and funk-rock. His new song “Foreverland” was particularly sweet. He spoke about how he had taken a college class in Music Therapy and found it more meaningful (and tougher) than he’d expected. Harrold dedicated his final number to the victims killed in the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Meanwhile, between bands, DJ Pete Rock kept the crowd in a buoyant mood, mixing pop and dance songs from various decades. When Herbie Hancock and his band took the stage, the audience went wild. Hancock played a gorgeous grand piano, as well as electronic keyboards that evoked those nostalgic 1980s sounds that were so danceable. His set reflected generous segments of his multi-decades long career. His backing band included trumpeter, Terence Blanchard, James Genus, bassist, guitarist Lionel Loueke, and drummer, Justin Tyson,
As Hancock introduced members of the band, he lavished praise on each artist’s musicianship. He said of Loueke, “He makes a guitar sound like anything but a guitar!” Blanchard played classic parts, skillfully putting his own stamp on the mix. Genus and Tyson were top notch as well. And I certainly cannot ignore the amazing work that was done by the sound squad.
Among some of the memorable songs they played were “Footprints” by Wayne Shorter, which featured wonderful soloing. (Hancock and Shorter have played together often.) The classic “Cantaloupe Island” received a thunderous applause. The sound of “Chameleon” was crisp, and so much fun to listen and dance to.
At one point Hancock asked the crowd “Having fun yet?” I think he was having as much fun as we were, or more. Near the end of the concert he took a victory lap from stage right, left and center. The crowd roared for more.
One of the men sitting near me announced “This music brings people together!” and he was spot on. This Saturday night show was a fine mix of fun and culture, with music that spanned decades but still sounded relevant and exciting in 2022.
Hancock is not the only octogenarian who is on a music tour this summer.
Bassist Ron Carter is playing dates throughout the United States and Europe. George Clinton, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are all aged 80 or 81 and touring. Musical legends such as Hancock and these other musicians have lengthy catalogs from which they can play. They have hit numbers and “deep album cuts” that loyal fans relish hearing played live.
For some it might seem strange to see octogenarians on stage, covering their music from past decades. For me, it was pure joy. Is it a mere nostalgia show for adoring fans? Is it a last chance for fans to see their musical idols perform live?
Let me make one thing crystal clear: live concerts and musical tours are not just the domain of pop stars in their 20s and 30s. As Herbie Hancock and other elderly statesmen of music have shown, be it rock ‘n roll, funk, soul, or jazz, live music can be performed masterfully and entertainingly by musicians of any age.
Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock | ROUTES (routes-mag.com)
To see a bit of this show, check out this video of Come Running to Me:
Herbie Hancock – Come Running to Me @ Summerstage Central Park, NYC, Jun 11, 2022 – YouTube