#jazzreview

[jasmineway]

Joel Roubouchon, Las Vegas // 9-1-2023

Well, it is a special occasion.

After a turn of major life events, I recently had the opportunity to experience a fine dining opportunity I had only imagined in the back-pages, which was a chance to experience the arguably best restaurant in Las Vegas and generally flagship location of the titular Chef of the Century in the US. While the Michelin Guide has not covered Las Vegas since 2009 or so, this restaurant had earned 3 while it had, thus, I still grant it the weight of its earned title. With that being said, here is my express take on a dining experience.

Arrival:

I should preface that I did not have the smoothest arrival, as our day had been complicated by flight delays, monsoon storms, airport and road flooding and construction traffic that cut out much of our relaxation and prep time and even cut our pre-dinner show. It is one thing to prepare for a lifetime experience at a relaxed pace; another entirely to have to change in the ladies room to shed your rain-soaked sneakers.

JR LV used to be known to send out a gold-plated stretch limousine to retrieve its guests not staying at the MGM grand; as noted above, my arrival was by foot, given my friend and I were already heavily delayed via a 1.5h+ length Uber ride from just down the strip due to the aforementioned complications. The restaurant's face is gorgeous -- towering rounded windows reminiscent of both Beverly Hills and Harry Potter -- however it is smack dab in the edge of a casino floor, next to the Ka theatre. While we were offered a slot up from our late night reservation last minute, we declined (30m notice was not enough time to get there), however were seated promptly upon arrival 10 minutes prior to our new reservation time.

We were initially seated in a secluded Green Room filled with fake hedges, and daytime outdoor lighting; as someone who had dressed in rich jewel tones to match the famous amethyst dining room, I was grateful that the staff quickly reseated us to join the warmth of the main event. I think the satellite space is perfect for couples or business partners seeking privacy, but personally, the harsh lighting and intense quiet would have significantly compromised the ambiance.

Service:

Overall, spectacular. Aside from the somewhat curt hostess (who remained gracious yet seemed mildly frustrated that we declined the earlier seating yet still arrived ten minutes early, and even more so that our welcoming butler expressed our desire to be moved...) every single person we interacted with did such a stellar job at convincing you that you personally made their evening delightful that for a moment you'd start believing it. Every single staff member treated us with courtesy and grace. No subtle disappointment at our non-drinking; nothing but warm smiles when asking for translations; polite, prompt, and attentive service; an earnest commitment to making all guests feel special. These are the things abstractly promised by fine dining but rarely delivered with the ease given here; a warmth I have not felt at such a caliber since TFL. My needs were rarely unnoticed, nor did I feel studied. My friend may have requested slightly more attention to their water glass.

Ambiance:

Once in the main dining room, perfect. I felt like a doll that had found herself inside a magic jewelry box; rich, lush violets everywhere; warm, maintained velvets; glittering golds and chandeliers without feeling overbearing (note: given my background, my personal barometer of 'exactly enough chandelier' may be more lenient than most). I am rarely one for modern art as a first choice and yet every piece was moving. The main walls hosted one piece with a figure atop concrete; another, bold, gigantic, canvas painted textured black with streaks of gold breaking through the void. Truly, it embodied the dining experience itself, shining through an otherwise dark and pouring day. The best way I can describe it (with humor, as a SoCal native with limited exposure to any such square footage) is 'all the pomp of the formal living room, with all the comfort of the family room.'

Presentation:

As you'll come to see, JR would not earn recognition for abstract plates, which should be recognized. They have classic, bespoke dishes and silverware (and I mean truly silverware) that compliment the meal but allow the food itself to shine. The food appears like food (for the most part) and the artistry is more through flavor and texture than evocative shape, though some dishes would shine just through sheer difficulty of plating alone (let alone the spectacular taste!). There's some dry ice, but overall, you're getting real food, on real plates, with real cutlery, and there are no mind games.

Course 0: Bread Service

We got the Degustation menu, which is the largest tasting menu JR currently offers. Originally they capped at 16, but our dinner featured 11 listed courses and 2 additional carts-courses (Bread Service and Tea) not endorsed but offered. The Mignardise (dessert) cart was listed. I would come to learn that JR loves Carts.

Our first cart was bread service, aka. the moment I transcended earth and entered a heaven in which all varieties from Basil to Saffron to Rosemary Garlic to Puff Pastry and Croissant were wheeled by for our selection. These were served alongside a separate Butter Cart in which what looked like an actual frosted cake of butter (flown in from France daily) sat next to the tastiest olive oil (flown in from Spain, less than daily) before being dolloped generously onto some serving dishes. I selected many, and took many half-eaten bites (only spared due to the 11 dishes) home as a midnight snack. I neglected to catch the butter, but got a photo of only the top of 3 racks of bread.

Course 1: Le Caviar Imperial

"Ossetra caviar served atop of lobster in a crustacean gelée dotted with cauliflower purée"

This is the only spoiler I had before dinner (as it was seeing a video of Executive Chef Christophe de Lille plating this that convinced me to experience JR in the first place) which is a travesty as I did not know of the existence of the JR chocolate souffle (guess I will have to return). It lived up to the hype. The visual presentation was stunning. The caviar, delicious. The gelee took me back to private parties in Russian restaurants with my high school bestie's family, yet this meat Jell-o was the first I've actually enjoyed. The lobster base slightly overpowered the caviar, though, which I feel was a missed opportunity to split them into two bites - with caviar so delicious and flavorful on its own, it felt like the seafood equivalent of serving wagyu with a thick peppercorn rub -- both of these go well together, but why drown a star ingredient? 9/10.

Course 2: La Tomate

"Tomato candies invigorated with gazpacho and lemon virgin olive oil"

I am a picky eater. I do not generally gravitate towards raw tomato. I generally find competing explosions of vegetable flavours overwhelming. And yet, I took delight in this vegetable course. Every single structure, filling and garnish was made of tomato. On the left, a clean slice, candied unto itself and glazed as if a creme brulee of pure flora welcomed the steak knife and fork. On the right, bonbons made of hallowed tomato filled with more tomato and gazpacho and topped with a crisp made of, you guessed it, tomato sat atop tomato puree adored with tomato accompaniments and tomato plant blossoms. And yet, I was not seeing red. Biting into the bonbons felt like mega-sized popping boba jellies; my brain was confused at the textures and flavors but impressed at the execution. 7/10 mainly due to my flavor prejudices.

Course 3: Le Poireaux

Grilled leeks, shaved foie gras, curls of Parmesan and wasabi whipped cream

This dish is 'a salad,' though I guess salad in the most metaphysical way in that there were greens but the star of the show really was the fois gras. You may be familiar with my conflicting feelings on the delicacy, but I can say one thing I was not in doubt of was the masterful execution in what was the greatest fois gras of my life. This course was to goose liver what wagyu is to regular steak. I have no notes. The serving was just right; the flavors, all in harmony. 10/10.

Course 4: La Langoustine

Seared a la plancha, zucchini, turmeric emulsion

Our server described this fish(?) as a hybrid between a prawn and a lobster, but what it was was delicious. I'm not sure the meat was the tastiest thing I've ever had, but the turmeric foam, carved nutty topping (was this zuchinni? it tasted like a nut?), and texture profile made it excellent and delightful if not slightly over-served. This was the first course in which I felt like my utensil options might have been slightly sub-optimal for the dish served, but still, overall delightful. 8/10.

Course 5: Le Homard

Poached Maine lobster, sugar snap peas, creamy polenta, spicy shellfish and ginger jus

Ah, the actual lobster. Also served impressively in yet another foam. I want to recognize the chefs for taking what has become a meme of the fine dining world and actually creating emulsions and foams that push the boundaries of what a soup or au jus could be. The sugar peas were delightful; the ginger notes, excellent. The lobster itself was ever the slightest bit chewy for me, but I am not a fan of lobster on its best day. 6/10 by fine dining standards only in an otherwise great meal.

Course 6: "Le Saumon*"

I am not sure we actually got this dish, as our server mentioned something about the dashi flakes typically served with it as containing an allergen and the words "sea bass" came out with our supposed replacement. My souvenier menu will still cite salmon, so, alas. This dish was delicious, inoffensive, and unmemorable. 8/10.

Course 7: La Canette

Spit-roasted duck with five spices and sour cherries

Ah, the duck. How do I count the ways...? I have had many birds, from chicken to geese to pheasant and quail; and generally find myself least excited to see a duck menu outside of Thai cuisine. That being said, I moseyed right into one of the tastiest single tasting courses of my life. The meat was excellent. It was duck, but it wasn't Duck, as its gamey companions of finer meals past had led me to anticipate. It was duck of the highest order, both Red Meat and Bird in one fell... flutter? The dark cherry compote and bites delivered a surprising yet immediately ah-ha pairing the likes of which I haven't experienced since throwing some pomegranate onto pumpkin pancakes during grad school. This duck joins Providence's wagyu bite as a just-as-surprising pinnacle of tasting menu execution, a true 10/10.

(side note, they did, in fact, give me the right utensils for this one)

Course 8: Le Joue de Boeuf Wagyu

Braised beef cheeks with red miso and eggplant caviar

Listen, I know that they sourced genuine likely Japanese high grade Wagyu beef. I know they painstakingly cooked the beef cheeks to perfection. I admired the root vegetables that seemingly crowned the dish. However, be it a combination of exhaustion from some other slightly excessively generous preceding portions, or my own recollection of certain enemies from The Last of Us, I could not get behind the beef mousse that was served to me for this one.

I just couldn't do it. The texture was that of a cafeteria mashed potato, which is distinctive, as it was served with the actual famous Joel Roubouchon Mashed Potato, a dish that had the consistency of the fluffiest cream-of-wheat and is notably 50:50 potato and butter. I'm not sure if if it was just too much, or it felt like foraging a wooden fungi, or even the bleeding appearance, but I had to leave half behind in anticipation of dessert, and I have no regrets.

I think it suffered from the same thing as the caviar earlier, in which a sublime ingredient was lost in a sea of equally impressive and yet somehow lesser-than-its-parts competing flavor profiles.

Course 9: La Fraise

Harry’s Berries sorbet with basil granita

There is nothing quite like welcoming the fall season with the last bastion of summer confusingly yet amusingly plated atop a bed of dry ice, giving your summertime ice cream finale the conflicted evocation of a Halloween cauldron. This dessert was fine. I was overall impressed with the delightful flavor and texture, and was tickled to see the 'grass' underneath was shaved ice, seemingly also made of both strawberry and basil. I LOVED the candied (possibly freeze-dried?) berry bits underneath. The flowing smoke was a cute touch. I love double-walled glass bowls. But were the textures all they could be? This dish could be improved with a crumble, or a pillowy textured something underneath. 7/10 because the simple yet nearly flawless sorbet had its texture challenged by a less than pleasant bed of ice.

Course 10: Le Papillon

Smooth hazelnut milk chocolate crémeux and praliné ice cream

My friend was obsessed with this one, and I was ambivalent. The cremeux was tasty, yet homogenous; the hazelnut flavor rich, fresh, yet lost in once-again what I felt (in the desserts) was a lack of commitment to texture. The candy lace was made with such perfection it almost felt fake, stamped, and less like the painstaking golden-pearl-dust monstrosity my inner baking enthusiast knows it to be. This was a perfectly serviceable and pretty dessert. But it reminded me too much of neon beta aquariums, and I felt it would have been dramatically enhanced with the offering of tea or coffee before its delivery (this would follow, and I certainly could have asked). 6/10 but I want to give it bonus points for the gorgeously sculpted bonsai tree branch in the edible biosphere. For creativity and visual, much higher.

I will note my own bias for both these desserts that I am usually a fan of the hot / cold contrast, thus love my hot crumbles a la mode and my sorbets with a side of biscuit or cake. Maybe these bites were just too pure for my tasting in that moment (also a side effect of aforementioned slightly too generous portions from the 'savory' categories).

Course 11: Tea, Surprise Birthday 'Cake,' and Chariot de Mignardises

At some point after Papillion we were offered our choice of tea (from a listing of Black, Green, and notably White) via verbal description and soon came delivered a perfect delicate tea steeped exactly right that was almost a Silver Needle in profile but nearly certainly a steeped Jasmine (+/- actual tea). I will say I noticed an herb cart up front that others cited as the source of teas usually snipped and steeped at tableside, and we seemed to be moving through our dinner at a faster pace than most other diners. We don't drink, and while we likely could have asked for longer pauses between courses, I did feel ever so slightly rushed in that tastings were not given room to breathe... as quickly as a plate would be retrieved, another soon replaced it, arriving via silver platter, staged nearby and served meticulously in unison with a team of suited waiters.

Not to say anyone actively rushed us... but, I envied slightly the laid back gossip of the tables surrounding us--our plates came so quick we barely had a chance to speak and enjoy (though we of course, very much, enjoyed!). Just upon leaving and realizing we'd breezed through a meal most describe as taking 3-4 hours in just two and a half, we felt it.

We had a quick kitchen tour in which I gushed over Chef de Lille himself and the pastry team before saying goodbye to one of our many spectacular hosts of the night, Andrew (the expert charge on 'make us feel like he's actually delighted to have us'). After which, upon returning to our table, one of the gigantic silver platters came by bearing a gorgeous gigantic chocolate sculpture next to which was a sparkly decoration and a small and beautifully decorated birthday cake. The cake, they told us, was for me; the sculpture, for show. What we were served was a perfectly tiny bite of said cake (we laughed, yes, The Cake in its entirely would be absurd) made of guava, passionfruit, and the unique choice to replace buttercream with perfectly baked hard crusted meringues.

Finally, the famous Dessert Cart. I did not know of this much before friends told me of social media reels boasting its offerings. We made strategic selections as to not seem too greedy but later would see the diners around us held no such reservations and appropriately piled their platter to their hearts content given that every petit four, eclair, bonbon and cake was made fresh daily and thus, would have gone to waste otherwise. This was one of the most visually striking and undeniably tasty aspects of the meal and I am still sad I did not have the courage to call back and request an addition perusal for the ample room my dessert stomach had managed to conjure. 9/10 only because this stage too felt ever the tiniest bit truncated.

Conclusion:

Joel Roubouchon is an old school, yet not in any way outdated, tenement to classical French fine dining. Each dish is executed with love and care for both the ingredients, the guest, and the art of cooking itself--no envelope-pushing of molecular gastronomy was missed in a mealtime so generously adorned with delicious, perfectly flavored cooking. I would assume today, the reviewers at Michelin may dare to suggest 2* only perhaps due to the current trend in favor of US restaurants posing more difficult questions to its diners, with a greater emphasis on geometry than classic, simple foods made extraordinary, but from me, it's a 3-star, with perfection from nearly every front except for perhaps our pacing. I don't doubt a return visit would shine even brighter, as I now know of the existence of a souffle, and of my own preference for a longer pause between bites. The hospitality, kindness and warmth went a long way to elevate an already spectacular selection of foods. Until next time.

[vinyljunkiesco]

Class. Check out that inner sleeve design. Love those old printed inner sleeves. I don't ever use them as actual record sleeves, but I do keep them all. Pretty sure I'm not alone.

LISTEN https://open.spotify.com/album/3Ca0Ii0PZdaj1196FwkVMU?si=gyLtV8IWRPekYFMR70Wspw

[thebwshow]

My lastest record review for londonjazznews londonjazznews.com/2020/01/23/led…… #jazz #jazzreview #musicreviewblog https://www.instagram.com/p/B7xoYZsnheC/?igshid=1o6yvbfxh0swt

[melaniebong]

„From the first and title track, you hear Melaine’s Gypsy roots on fire!...“ Pia Sonne-Schmidt for JazzInEurope . Out on CD and 180g RED Vinyl! . Read more at: https://jazzineurope.mfmmedia.nl/2019/09/melaine-bong-cd-review-gypsy-fire/ . #jazzineurope #jazzvinyl #jazzfunkvinyl #jazz #jazzmusic #jazzsinger #fusionjazz #newsreview #jazzreview #luloreinhardt #jazzguitar #jazzvocals #vocalmusic #latinjazz #jazzband #jazzvinylcollector #vinyle #vinyladdict #singersongwriter #gypsysinger (hier: Frankfurt, Germany) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4kx3lQgFsk/?igshid=erwew49ejed9

[thenonsemblejazznotjazz]

"... McCaslin played with so much pure power, that it felt like our faces were being ripped off by the sheer force. At one point, Linder took a solo that built up of so many layers from his keys you felt like an alien mothership might have landed right there in the Village." - M.DeathWish :: The above is an excerpt from the excellent Donny McCaslin review, written hot on the heels of their show at The Village Vanguard in NYC! :: M.DeathWish [M = Monsieur] Is The New York and South American emissary for our fam here @TheNonsemble - You will definitely HEAR HERE a great deal more from and about M.DeathWish both online and off. :: Oh. There is a great deal more here than first on the eye & ear. :: As a matter of fact and function... Check out :: Donny McCaslin - Tenor Sax  :: @DonnyMcCaslinMusic Jason Linder - Keys :: @FlyMySpcShp Mark Guiliana - Drums :: @MarkGuiliana Tim Lefebvre - Electric Bass :: @TimLefev #NYJazz #MDeathWish #HEARHERE #LiveJazz #JazzReview #TheNonsembleNY #TheVillageVanguard (at Village Vanguard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtT3SHLgCt_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1l28hh9n1vkrm

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

Baptiste Herbin,Dreams and Connections

The young Frenchman has been on the radar of jazz fans for several years as a truly talented alto player. This album shows why—his fluency and aggressive bite are fiercely lyrical. 

His technical proficiency is almost too much of a good thing as he uses all the possible effects reaching the verge of showiness on the title track. The overall effect remains one of impressive mastery and athletic enthusiasm. It is reinforced by the immaculately muscular and refined nature of the rhythmic support he receives. Darryl Hall is both sturdy and sophisticated, bringing substance and high-powered agility to the deeply complex and colourful lines of Eduardo Farias while Ali Jackson establishes a clean sonic presence that manages to be both restless and well-defined. The music is assertive but not excessive, varied but focused. And while it never shies from modernistic bravado, it retains enough melodic content to keep the listener constantly interested.

Jean Szlamowicz (Spirit of Jazz & Down Beat)

Tracks. For Julian ; Dreams and connections ; Mia Sorella ; For JC ; Confusao geral ; Idriss ; The sphere ; Mister X ; Poor Butterfly ; Um a zero

Personnel. Baptiste Herbin (as, ss), Eduardo Farias (p), Darryl Hall (b), Ali Jackson (dm)

Recorded October 2017

Space Time Records

[catsynth-express]

Mulatu Astatke w/ Meklit at The UC Theatre

We at CatSynth have long admired the music of Ethiopia from the 1960s and 1970s, with its blending of traditional rhythms and scales with funk, soul, and jazz. And there are few names as synonymous with Ethiopian jazz, or “Ethio-jazz” as Mulatu Astatke. Astatke developed his Ethio-jazz sound while studying in the U.K. and the United States, playing alongside with jazz and Latin artists, including many from Cuba, Venezuela and elsewhere. He combined the melodies and harmonies of Ethiopia with rhythms and instrumentations from his Western training and collaborations, along with his own unique complex system of poly-rhythms. There is also a strong element of funk is some of his work. The bulk of his groundbreaking recordings were made in the late 1960s and early 1970s during the “golden age” of Ethiopian music. After the fall of the Ethiopian Empire and the coup that brought a brutal new regime to power, the thriving music scene in Addis Ababa faded and these recordings fell into obscurity. But they were later prized by record collectors and eventually found a wider audience through reissues and inclusion in the French Éthiopiques series of records in the 1990s. Indeed, that was how he first came to my attention. Since then, Astatke and his music have had a renaissance, with frequent collaborations with musicians around the world, such as his 2008 recording with London based jazz/funk band The Heliocentrics and others. When we learned that he was coming to the U.C. Theater in Berkeley this summer, we know we had to be there.

The evening began with a set by Meklit, an Ethiopian-American musician, songwriter, and bandleader based in San Francisco.

Like Astatke, Meklit combined jazz and Ethiopian influences in her soulful and energetic performance. Indeed, she was open about the influence of “Dr. Mulatu” on her own music and waxed poetic on being able to open for him in the concert. Meklit’s voice and movement were backed by a band that featured both a drum set and frame drum tupan, along with horns and bass. The result was continuous energy and rhythm that flowed from one composition to another, even when the tempo was slower. The group performed compositions from Meklit’s latest album The People Move and the Music Moves To as well as her earlier compositions and some more traditional tunes.

And then it was time for the maestro himself to take the stage.

Mulatu began on his signature instrument, the vibraphone, with fast runs in his unique tonality that were picked up by the horn players. But he also played electric piano and drums during the set. The rhythms were intricate and often poly-rhythmic or contrapuntal, with lilting triple time and odd times that propelled the music forward. The harmonies had a dark color but still delivered with energy and exuberance. This was music to dance to, and many members of the audience did (including Meklit who was dancing in the aisle not far from our seat). There was a mixture of newer compositions (I thought I heard at least one familiar tune from his work with the Heliocentrics) as well as classic 1970s compositions. The band was solid and deft at Astatke’s complex rhythms and fit with his more recent work that includes musicians from host countries.

We did espy Jason Lindner on keyboards, including synthesizers and electric piano. We had previously seen him with Donny McCaslin a couple of months ago. He brought a similar sense of harmony and tight playing across instruments to this performance. He had a command of the complex rhythms and also provided the lush electric-piano sounds that I quite enjoyed in Astatke’s classic recordings.

It was a wonderful and unique night of music, and the audience at the sold-out concert showed their appreciation for it. And having now seen Mulatu Astatke perform live, I will be hearing his recordings in a new light.

Mulatu Astatke w/ Meklit at The UC Theatre was originally published on CatSynth

[gentlemanthiefofficial]

This early 80′sPost-Bop album, features Italian Jazz Pianist, Roberto Magris. 

With it’s sweeping, dramatic character - This album has remained in high and heavy rotation since I re-discovered it with the ARISION label’s re-release in the mid-oughts.

Track 01.) The opener, “Sguardo”, sets the tone (the pace moves about a bit) with an almost Spanish Dance Jazz track, with Mr. Magris’ musical fingers taking the best of perfect steps. Almost a Tango with his incredible Bassist, Franco Testa.

Track 02.) “Caccia Grossa” - Allows the listener to imagine the scene as our lead character is just winding down his long battle with the bull... and follow him as he leaves the bullfighting ring to join his date at the nearby drinking hole.

Track 03.) The album’s title track, “Comunicazione Sonora” is a Drum Break... In the most true sense of the term. Drum-smith, Franco Polisseni puts sticks to skins for two and a half minutes, giving the illusion of a live set, where they give the Drummer some... while the server comes around to offer up another round. 

04.) “Pierrot” comes in soft and pretty, with what may have been the workings of an entirely different song. Roberto Magris, intro here - intricate and delicate - is as pretty as a love story... running into a song that may very well have been written and played for the Italian over-dubbing of a Charlie Brown Special. 

Of course, I mean all of that as a sincere and heartfelt compliment.

05.) “Colori D'Autunno" brings in exactly the type of dark, moody, melodic music I love most in all the world. This Solo Piano piece  allows you to picture yourself sharing a hot bath with your Love... while reading a good book to one another between laughs and sips. I really is just that good.

 06.) “Messaggio”, the final track closes out this far-too-short bit of Jazz genius. The bounce, rhythm, cadence and soul of this tune will remind some of the kind of Bop many of our time-honored Jazz Legend Giants gifted us during the Mid-Century True Bop era...  A crashing drum smash lands, just before the closing piano refrain, to let us know we’re on the way out.

Then Again. Why not go in for another spin. After all, this one is so nice, you may as well - twice. Besides, the turn table is all the way out in the music den, you’re still soaking wet and you promised you’d read to the end of this chapter.

[repwinpril9y0a1]

Using Dichroic Materials for Art Photo Shoots

I came across dichroic film years ago while researching materials for an art lighting business, Lightlink Lighting. The color changing properties of this material was so inspiring I ended up creating new lighting designs based on it.

Dichroic — from the Greek meaning “two-colored” — film comes in at least two versions: a heavyweight clear vinyl that reflects and filters light in the blue/green/magenta/indigo range and a lighter weight version that reflects/filters light in the magenta-gold range, as seen below.

Magenta/Gold film folded on itself intensifies its depth of color Blue/Maganta film. It lights up blue/indigo while it reflects magenta.

Being both a mirror and a filter, dichroic film can be used to bounce multi-colored light, as well as re-filtering it against itself. So unique and complex effects can be achieved by layering it against itself and other optical and lenticular materials like lenses, mirrors, prisms, lasers, fiber optics, perforated metals/wire cloth, diffraction gratings etc.

Aside from the lighting, one of the first photographic enhancements came as an accident in the form multi-colored gels, which add unexpected tonal range and drama to materials like the wood in guitars, as seen below (Magenta/gold film in the sunlit window was used in both compositions):

The number of uses in photography is only limited to your imagination. Here it’s used in various versions of the art lighting, which led to the photography in the first place:

Dichroic Temple – 2016 ADEX Platinum award | EnLIGHTenment Mag – photo: Chris Cooper Dichroic Temple – 2016 ADEX Platinum award | EnLIGHTenment Mag – photo: Chris Cooper Dichroic Twig [cross-section] – 2016 ADEX Platinum award – photo: Chris Cooper F1 Suspension – 2016 ADEX Platinum award | EnLIGHTenment – photo: Charles Schirmer Prism Series – 2017 ADEX award nominee – photo: Mike Brannon

So, those are just a few examples of how the film reacts with passive sunlight, LED, Fiber-optic and incandescent light behind it. What else can you do with it? Next it’s used in the form of a gold-coated glass diffraction grating to split the light across the water in the bowl.

You can actually see the film (purple + olive gold strands) filtering the sunlight as it hits the oil and water in the bowl above.

Here the colors are at their most intense due to a reflector below the bowl Gold diffraction grating as used above. 2.5 x 1.5. These are optics factory seconds. Magenta Mat – Magenta | gold dichroic film in sunlight

Above is just a large sheet of the magenta/gold film in the window tinting late afternoon sunlight as it hits a bamboo mat, giving it a bit of a Zen-like feel.

Here intense magenta tinted sunlight light washes over a bronze temple drum.

Below is a projected abstract created with reflected sunlight from hitting two layers of different dichroic film types at the same time. It’s not a double exposure. You can easily create an entire series of these type images with minimal materials and space.

Alien Life – Both forms of dichroic film at once giving a pseudo 3D effect Psychedelia III – Blue | Indigo dichroic film

The last image is my favorite model playing around, being mysterious with a strip of the film during a glam shoot last Fall.

Dichroic film and diffraction gratings are just two optically enhancing materials you can use in a myriad of ways on all types of shoots. They enhance the subject, alter the mood, color or implied texture, or they can be the subject itself.

One way to explore this world is to just start collecting as many types of these materials as possible and when inspiration strikes and the light is right take one or a few of them and try whatever idea comes to mind.

About the author: Mike Brannon is a well-published, award-winning guitarist/lighting artist/writer/ photographer, and apparently likes slashes, nature and anything to do with guitar or light. You can find his photo work here, lighting design work here, music here and here, and writing at EnLIGHTenment, AllAboutJazz.com, Vintage Guitar and Jazzreview

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2kOzclD

[eleanordubinsky]

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A lovely review of my new album by Ruth Fisher of @Jazzfmuk on her radio program Full Circle. You can feel her positive vibes in her voice - contagious enthusiasm! Who can spot the “irregularity” in the story? Listen to the music of Soft Spot Of My Heart via the link in my bio and on @itunes @spotify @youtube @cdbabymusic +💥📀📲📡💻🤸🏽‍♀️🍾🥂🎶 #softspotofmyheart #newalbum #review #jazzreview #ruthfisher #jazzfm #turnitaround #eleanordubinsky #fullcircle #eleanordubinskynewmusic #newrecord #radio #jazzradio #joespub #jazz #albumrelease #music #singersingwriter #worldmusic #genreschmenre #jazzfmuk @rps.pr

[sashasbloc]

"[Sasha's Bloc] features an impressive roster of singers and players that have worked with everyone from Earth, Wind & Fire to Bob Dylan to Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder!" Thanks to ‪#‎AllWhatsRock‬ for the impressive review.

[vinyljunkiesco]

VJQC Score : 96% THELONIOUS MONK - LIVE IN PARIS 1961

Get It On Vinyl --- http://bit.ly/2Z8pheU Ltd. 500 Numbered Copies Affordable audiophile jazz, first time on vinyl! This 1961 performance sounds GREAT, guaranteed to satisfy any Monk afficionado. The concert was sourced directly from analog tape, the vinyl itself is high grade, audiophile quality. We can’t recommend this title enough, both for the hardcore jazzbo or those looking to start their jazz stacks. Backed by the dynamic lineup of Monk's Dream and Criss-Cross, the inimitable Monk plays some of his most famous originals for a frenzied crowd at the Paris Olympia. 

 Avec l’énergique quatuor de Monk's Dream et Criss-Cross, l'inimitable Monk joue quelques-unes de ses plus célèbres compositions devant une foule en délire à l'Olympia de Paris.

LISTEN/BUY

[thebwshow]

My lastest record review for @londonjazznews https://londonjazznews.com/2019/11/20/jon-gordon-answer/ #jazz #jazzreview #musicreviewblog https://www.instagram.com/p/B6xXUhgHg0r/?igshid=1a13jyz6o9ody

[jodysandhaus-blog-blog]

WINTER MOON is a fresh, harmonically beautiful collection of jazz vocals. Jody Sandhaus has a beautiful, gentle voice that lends itself excellently to these songs, a voice that lingers lovingly over each lyric with great sensitivity. This CD is a winner for those who like fine jazz vocals. A perfect jazz cd for listening pleasure!

Lee Prosser, jazzreview.com