CONCERT REVIEW:

When musicians think of jazz, they might concentrate on its intricate, propulsive rhythms, or the improvisatory, virtuosic solos. Perhaps they prefer to consider the pure melodic freedom and complexity of the music.

The average person on the other hand, usually equates jazz with a mood, a feeling, a certain kind of cool.

On Tuesday evening in Glendale, on the ever so popular boulevard of Brand, a talented jazz trio by the name of Thelonious Dub gave the patrons at Jax Bar & Grill an interesting blend of mood and sound.

In a venue that caters to the artistic elements of jazz with pictures of instruments and portraits of famous jazz players aligning the walls and a quaint stage that is set up perfectly for a jazz trio like T-Dub, the music serves as a perfect background for the chardonnay and cabaret sippers that frequent Jax.

On the evening in question, those in attendance were treated to a plethora of jazz classics, with a touch of rock, and of course quite a few Thelonious Dub originals.

By adding a saxophone player to their set for the night, their already groove-like sound was that much more full and sultry as well.

Although the music served more as a background to the couples enjoying dinner and conversation, the people at the bar area were quite into the sound, feel and ambience created by T-Dub.

While some patrons acknowledged their appreciation verbally, others were content with nodding their heads to the beat or just a simple tapping of the toe.

Thelonious Dub definitely tapped into the essence of the evening.

The group’s sound is an intriguing blend of improvised jazz, dud reggae and jam band styles.

Cultivated by the group’s founder and guitarist, Joe Bartone, their sound is brought to life with three main elements, which include, Sean Rainey on drums, John Von Seggern on bass, and of course Bartone on guitar.

It is no surprise that that band’s name is derived from the great Thelonious Monk due to the fact its set includes some of his classic tunes but the name has a deeper meaning, in that Bartone plays the guitar in a similar fashion as Thelonious played the piano. There is a striking force behind the way they both play their instruments but they both often use silence and hesitation in an improvised format to offset the melody.

With an added touch of dub reggae in the mix, T-Dub has definitely tapped into an innovative sound that respectfully mimics their predecessors while it simultaneously breathes new life into music in general. But in the end, the music of Thelonious Dub is still jazz in its rawest form.

Once again, on a mild evening in Glendale on the ever so popular boulevard of Brand, the talented trio, Thelonious Dub gave the patrons at Jax Bar & Grill a familiar yet innovative sound, an intriguing musical experience that reflected the mood of the night, and most importantly, they gave them jazz.

 HASSAHN LIGGINS has reviewed artists from the soulful sounds of John Legend to the acoustic grooves of John Mayer for publications worldwide.