Concert Vids

 

The Matador of 1st and 1st  -  starring Oliver Lake

 

Recorded in 1998, this live Seattle performance by Oliver Lake of his acclaimed, one-man theater piece is a fascinating blend of his poetry and virtuoso saxophone mastery. Thomas Ager produced and directed the project in collaboration with Oliver Lake and Earshot Jazz. In addition to Mr. Ager on video camera(s) were Richard Bell and Marie Hanak. The program was edited by Thomas Ager. The project had special import for Mr. Ager in that he heard Oliver Lake recite some of these poems and play some of the musical compositions in New York City when he lived there in the mid-1970s, both at Sam River's loft on Bond Street and at the Tin Palace in the Bowery. (Please visit my website for more of my videos, audio recordings and artwork: https://thomasager.com)

 

Recorded in 1998, this live Seattle performance by Oliver Lake of his acclaimed, one-man theater piece is a fascinating blend of his poetry and virtuoso saxophone mastery.   I produced and directed the video project in collaboration with Oliver Lake and Earshot Jazz. I shot principal footage and edited the program.   Additional camerawork was provided by Richard Bell and Marie Hanak.   The project had special import for me in that I had heard Oliver Lake recite some of these poems and play some of the musical compositions in New York City when I lived there in the mid-1970s, both at Sam River's loft on Bond Street and at the Tin Palace in the Bowery.  (Please follow Thomas Ager's video work on Vimeo and his musical recordings on SoundCloud.)

 

 

The World Saxophone Quartet - Part 1

 

This concert video was produced and directed by myself, Thomas Ager in 1994; I shot the principal footage and edited the program. Additional footage was shot by Richard Bell and Marie Hanak. The concert itself was produced by Earshot Jazz and took place in Seattle, 1994. It features the great World Saxophone Quartet (David Murray, Oliver Lake, Eric Person, Hamiet Bluiett) and two world class drummers from Senegal, Mor Thiam and Mar Gueye. This concert video is in two parts. At the time it was quickly edited to be shown in the cabaret space at New City Theater and I must say I regret all of the dated, gratuitous FX; they were merely meant to be eye-candy for a Cabaret audience which was constantly moving through or just catching a drink and a snack between acts at the theater. I wish now that I had gone back and re-edited the piece. Nonetheless, it is a remarkable concert, full of energy and fabulous music in front of a packed house that went crazy from the first moment. It also features some extraordinary, spontaneous moments with local dancers and musicians from Abdoulaye Diop's circle. The concert also meant a lot to me, personally, because I knew and had heard all of these musicians countless times when I lived in New York City in the 1970s. I provided all of the musicians (and Earshot) with a copy of the program and David Murray told me that he used it all the time as video background to parties he held in his apartment!

I produced and directed this concert video in 1994; I shot the principal footage and edited the program.  Additional footage was shot by Richard Bell and Marie Hanak.  The concert itself was produced by Earshot Jazz and took place in Seattle, 1994.  It features the great World Saxophone Quartet (David Murray, Oliver Lake, Eric Person, Hamiet Bluiett) and two world class drummers from Senegal, Mor Thiam and Mar Gueye.

This concert video is in two parts.   At the time it was quickly edited to be shown in the cabaret space at New City Theater and I must say I regret all of the dated, gratuitous FX; they were merely meant to be eye-candy for an ephemeral Cabaret audience which was constantly moving through or just catching a drink and a snack between acts at the theater.   I wish now that I had gone back and re-edited the piece.

Nonetheless, it is a remarkable concert, full of energy and fabulous music in front of a packed house that went crazy from the first moment.  It also features some extraordinary, spontaneous moments with local dancers and musicians from Abdoulaye Diop's circle.

The concert also meant a lot to me, personally, because I knew and had heard all of these musicians countless times when I lived in New York City in the 1970s.   I provided all of the musicians (and Earshot) with a copy of the program and David Murray told me that he used it all the time as video background to parties he held in his apartment!  (Please follow my video work on Vimeo and my musical recordings on SoundCloud.)

 

The World Saxophone Quartet - Part 2

 

This concert video was produced and directed by myself, Thomas Ager in 1994; I shot the principal footage and edited the program. Additional footage was shot by Richard Bell and Marie Hanak. The concert itself was produced by Earshot Jazz and took place in Seattle, 1994. It features the great World Saxophone Quartet (David Murray, Oliver Lake, Eric Person, Hamiet Bluiett) and two world class drummers from Senegal, Mor Thiam and Mar Gueye. This concert video is in two parts. At the time it was quickly edited to be shown in the cabaret space at New City Theater and I must say I regret all of the dated, gratuitous FX; they were merely meant to be eye-candy for a Cabaret audience which was constantly moving through or just catching a drink and a snack between acts at the theater. I wish now that I had gone back and re-edited the piece. Nonetheless, it is a remarkable concert, full of energy and fabulous music in front of a packed house that went crazy from the first moment. It also features some extraordinary, spontaneous moments with local dancers and musicians from Abdoulaye Diop's circle. The concert also meant a lot to me, personally, because I knew and had heard all of these musicians countless times when I lived in New York City in the 1970s. I provided all of the musicians (and Earshot) with a copy of the program and David Murray told me that he used it all the time as video background to parties he held in his apartment!

 

I produced and directed this concert video in 1994; I shot the principal footage and edited the program.  Additional footage was shot by Richard Bell and Marie Hanak.  The concert itself was produced by Earshot Jazz and took place in Seattle, 1994.  It features the great World Saxophone Quartet (David Murray, Oliver Lake, Eric Person, Hamiet Bluiett) and two world class drummers from Senegal, Mor Thiam and Mar Gueye.

This concert video is in two parts.   At the time it was quickly edited to be shown in the cabaret space at New City Theater and I must say I regret all of the dated, gratuitous FX; they were merely meant to be eye-candy for an ephemeral Cabaret audience which was constantly moving through or just catching a drink and a snack between acts at the theater.   I wish now that I had gone back and re-edited the piece.

Nonetheless, it is a remarkable concert, full of energy and fabulous music in front of a packed house that went crazy from the first moment.  It also features some extraordinary, spontaneous moments with local dancers and musicians from Abdoulaye Diop's circle.

The concert also meant a lot to me, personally, because I knew and had heard all of these musicians countless times when I lived in New York City in the 1970s.   I provided all of the musicians (and Earshot) with a copy of the program and David Murray told me that he used it all the time as video background to parties he held in his apartment!  (Please follow my video work on Vimeo and my musical recordings on SoundCloud.)