Herbie Hancock and Al Foster bands in Athens, Greece

[RiRiIII]

Dear friends

Just a quick note from not-a-so-famous jazz city.

Today is the big day for every jazz fan in Athens, since Herbie Hancock's quintet (or sextet, we shall see) will perform tonight in the frame of his large European tour (I suspect you might have heard his thrilling perfrormance from the closing day of this year's Berlin Jazz Festival). The tickets in Athens were sold in two days. The same happened two weeks ago with Chick Corea/Lohn McLaughlin's concert. And Wayne Shorter will be in town in March. Great days, I am telling you and this is not so often here.

Moreover Al Foster's Quartet perforrms in the Half Note Jazz Club (the one out of the two jazz clubs in a 5,5 million people capital...) for one week. So, yesterday I received a phone call from an "insider" that Herbie and his band will be at the Half Note so as to see Al Foster! I was 10 o'clock in the evening and preparing to go to bed... Suddenly I made the decision picked the car and drove to the club. Nobody (or very few apart from the owner and staff) were aware of this visit. Al Foster dtarted his set (what a magnificent drummer and musician he is). After the first tune, the door open and Herbie & Band entered very discreetly and sat. Some of the audince recognized him and went crazy. A lot of young students were there because it was Monday and the entrance with a drink is just 20 Euro. They could not believe it. Al Foster welcomed him as his former boss. And then Herbie greeted. He then sat on the piano and they performed a long Watermelon Man!! I have some clips from this performance. In case you are interested I could upload them for you.

Then the intermission came amd Herbie was bombarded with autograph requests and CD/LPs signing (it was proven that some people were well informed for hsi visit). He gladly signed. The then had some small talk with Al Foster and Band, photos were taken with all of them and then he left. His band stayed till the end approx at 1.30.

What a memorable night!

A photo of Herbie and myself is attached.

All the best

Alex

Athens

[sheldonm]

....looks like you had a great time!!!

[marcello]

Thanks for sharing your story.

In my hometown of Rochester, Cedar Walton has a three week gig in the middle of the Winter with his trio ( Sam Jones and Louis Hayes), and Herbie was in town with the Headhunters.

I saw the concert and then went a couple of blocks away to where Cedar was playing every night ( I was a regular and lived just up the street), and Herbie came in some of the band and sat in on piano on and off for two sets. Just a handful of people in the place, so they all had fun together.

Great night. Great memory.

Glad you have one too.

Edited November 25, 2008 by marcello