Keefe Jackson's Fast Citizens

9.6.07 at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge, Hyde Park, MA

I was very excited to see Keefe Jackson's Fast Citizens last night; I'm a big fan of Chicago jazz and have been following the group and its members for some time now. The venue was an interesting choice, a very local haunt in a remote, tucked away part of Boston, but there was a decent turn-out and a casual, relaxed atmosphere.

Having loved the record, Ready Everyday, I was still surprised at how much pop the songs had live. They tried out a new piece, called "Easy," that sounded like equal parts Ornette Coleman and Raymond Scott, with bassist Anton Hatwich and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm plunking out a "Powerhouse"-esque rhythm before the horns kick into full gear.

Standouts of the evening were Lonberg-Holm's frenetic playing, Josh Berman's coronet, and Frank Rozaly's incredibly responsive drumming (though his more animated style gave me pause at first, especially in contrast to the rest of the group who were rather reserved). The electronic additives on "Ready Everyday" seemed a little forced, and I'm somebody who usually enjoys that kind of thing. I think I mostly wanted Lonberg-Holm (who was controlling the electronics) to show off a little more after his impressive solo in the second piece of the night. I hope they get to recording some of the new material from last night soon, before the members become engrossed in their numerous other projects.

Chicago Public Radio has an excellent interview and performance of the Fast Citizens playing some of the songs from Ready Everyday in their studios. Worth checking out.

Keefe Jackson's Fast Citizens:
MySpace Page
My Review @ PopMatters

Fred Lonberg Holm:
MySpace Page
My Review @ Stylus