REVIEW: AROOJ AFTAB @ PARADISE ROCK CLUB 9/19
Photo Credit: Tonje Thilesen
Review by Miguel Gonzales
My senses were overwhelmed. The wind was both still and moving, small gusts of cold wind causing the hairs on my arm to rise. Occasional droplets of rain gently land on my skin, while multiple dots form as the rain seeps through the pavement. Streaks of light emitted through the gray clouds Thursday evening, sitting above the buzzing traffic on Commonwealth Avenue. The night began to settle in.
White lights covered the sidewalk and front entrance of the black brick-and-mortar Paradise Rock Club – but inside was where the party was happening. Drinks were distributed around, and a storm of chatting fogged Paradise while the well-groomed, dressed-up attendees patiently waited for Arooj Aftab. Conversation ensued with audiences, young and old, ranging from their daily occurrences, reminiscing on how life is, and such.
“There’s plenty of old people in the crowd,” an old guy says behind me.
Miscellaneous people threw out buzzwords to describe what they make of the musician, composer, and singer: an iconic diva, punk, fierce, stunning. What you make of Arooj Aftab is up to you to decide, but all I know from her performance on September 19th is that Arooj Aftab is the truth.
Aftab and her backing band walk out around 9:15 p.m., the audience greeting them with a warm welcome, bright cheers, and extensive clapping. Aftab stuns with an all-black look in front of the blue lights, sporting a leather jacket with slightly large framed sunglasses. She brings out a bottle of red wine, pours a decent-sized portion into a wine cup, and drinks from it during intermissions or before beginning a song. Even if Aftab didn’t appear in all-black or sipped on wine on stage, her confident stature, along with the casual attitudes of her backing band, signified they belonged on the stage. The vibes were cool all around.
“Suroor” was the first track beginning Aftab’s set, the closer to her 2021 album “Vulture Prince.” The nods to minimalism are apparent throughout “Suroor,” but what I loved about Aftab’s band’s performance of the song is how playful and balanced each performer’s playing is. Aftab’s vocals soar, the rhythm section shutters, while the plucking of classical guitar and upright bass are cohesively elegant. Nobody is rushing, and nobody is playing out – it’s a perfect balance, and the quartet doesn’t give that momentum up for the entire set.
Solos from guitarist Camila Meza and bassist Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere were electrifying – weaving tastefully, catchy grooves that delicately blend into the buoyant, gorgeous minimalist arrangements. It’s clear Aftab is meticulous with who she chooses to play with when playing her carefully arranged, spacious brand of jazz live – and they do it justice.
The live renditions of “Whiskey” and “Na Gul,” in particular, were truly special. Meza’s guitar-playing equally flutters and takes itself back. Meanwhile, Bell le Pere’s subtle bass plucking naturally elevates the romantic beauty surrounding Meza’s parts, along with the percussion and Aftab’s singing. There is a natural amount of space where Arooj takes the spotlight, where her ghostly vocals float for themselves over the lavish instrumentals – so much so you can picture what the backing band’s instrumentals and Aftab’s singing are trying to evoke.
Bell le Pere’s playing becomes more apparent with the live renditions of “Raat Ki Rani,” “Bolo Na,” and “Last Night (Reprise),” where Bell le Pere’s hefty plucking are moments that elevate their respective sounds to be so dynamic. The exciting, life-affirming nature of “Raat Ki Rani,” the fast-paced, intimate “Last Night (Reprise),” and the menacing grunginess of “Bolo Na” were incredible to hear live.
“We’re just chosen to be here by will because we’re all a bunch of people who love to be in touch with our emotions, and that’s a great thing. It’s very emotionally mature, I have to say guys,” Aftab quips before going into another song.
She’s undeniably hilarious, yet can serenade an audience at the same time with beautiful compositions – such as ending off the show with a surprising but not-too-surprising encore with “Mohabbat,” enchanting the audience one more time before a final send-off with the quartet bowing down.
Don’t miss out on Arooj Aftab – if she’s playing in your city, I can guarantee you’re going to have a good time.
Opening for Arooj Aftab was Brooklyn-based trombonist and composer Kalia Vandever, who started her set around 8 p.m. She sits close to the front of the stage with a simple set-up – two microphones (one for her trombone, one for her vocals), a Focusrite audio interface, a pedalboard, and her Macbook Air.
Vandever channeled spacious beauty for her 40-minute set, just with her trombone and a resonant voice. Vandever’s extensive usage of loops shimmering reverb while playing trombone and harmonizing was dreamy and free, just wonderful. Vandever describes the things that inspired her to compose these songs – such as channeling the memories of her grandfather when creating “Recollections From Shore” and a road in Florida she was near during a residency for a new piece she created called “Hubbard Road.”
Vandever’s meditative sound and contemplative musings intersect with her music lingers over you after she finishes. It’s purposefully slow – putting you in a position to sit still, feel the drifting atmosphere, and simply transcend in thought.