John Medeksi Archive
Club d’Elf – Live at Club Helsinki – Face Pelt
Club d’Elf – Live at Club Helsinki [TrackList follows] – Face Pelt 5003 (2-CDs) 62:47, 63:52 [1/10/17] ****: A jazz, Middle Eastern, jam band exhibition. (John Medeski – Hammond B3 organ, electric piano, clavinet, mellotron, melodica; Duke Levine – guitar; Mister Rourke – DJ; Mike Rivard – sintir, bass kalimba, bass; Brahim Fribgane – oud, voice, percussion; Dean Johnston – drums; Thomas Workman – flute, (CD 2, tracks 1 and 2)) There is an extensive range of material from Club d’Elf on the group’s double-disc live album, Live at Club Helsinki. Formed in 1998, Club d’Elf utilizes many musical styles, including jazz, Moroccan Gnawa, hip hop, psychedelia, electronica, avant-garde and dub. The ever-evolving assemblage is led by bassist Mike Rivard and drummer Dean Johnston, with musical associates flowing in and out for live gigs and recording dates. Guitars, Fender Rhodes, turntables, laptops, horns, Indian percussion and other types of instruments have been employed. This outing—taped in mid-November 2012 at the Hudson, NY club where Club d’Elf have done shows since 2001—comprises Rivard on sintir (a three-stringed, skin-covered bass plucked like a lute), kalimba and bass; Johnston on drums; special guest John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin and Wood) on several keyboards; […]