TN: Cooling Down

[jrufusj]

COOLING DOWN - TAC (10/1/2005)

Last night was the Katrina benefit at the Tokyo American Club. Cathryn (and a lot of other people) had worked very hard to pull this together in just a few weeks, so it was nice to see this come off so well. Cathryn did a great job with her introductory talk, then a series of jazz musicians took the stage while we all had dinner. All of the musicians had volunteered their time for the benefit.

After several vocalists eased us into dinner, Mikio-san and his New Orleans Jazz Hounds took the stage for a bit of dixieland. Cathryn and I headed to the dance floor and were pleased to see a good-sized crowd begin to follow. It's always a good sign when people are willing to move their asses.

Mikio gave way to Natsuko-san and her group, Soul Food Cafe. These guys rock (and swing and groove and even drive a little boogie). They built their way through a few standards to a great call and response finale. There was no lack of hollaback girls (and boys) on the floor. Natsuko is a wickedly good jazz pianist. I'm always amazed by that New Orleans signature that makes the piano both a rythm instrument and a melody lead at the same time. Natsuko has mastered that in spades.

We spoke to Mikio and he agreed to help us get a little second line started when the Hounds joined the Cafe for the finale. There was something immensely satisfying to following a tiny little Japanese man and his umbrella around a ballroom with a bunch of Japanese jazz musicians. Cathryn is right. New Orleans has insinuated itself into the nooks and crannies of too many souls in too many places for the city ever to die!

Energized as we were, there was no way we were heading home yet. Diane Witherspoon was one of the vocalists who was kind enough to come to Tokyo and give us her time and her voice, so our friends Bryan and Amy joined Diane and Cathryn and me for a little nightcap. The wine with dinner had been Beringer discount label chard and cab that didn't merit notes, so this was time to have something of at least a little interest.

• 2001 Plantagenet Shiraz - Australia, Western Australia, Mt. Barker
  Rich, deep, and royal purple-red. The nose has a thick core of superripe red and sweet black berry fruit. Behind it, there's a hint of campfire -- wood and smoke -- but just the slightest whiff. This is very, very primary. On the palate, the entry is sweet, masking some pretty slippery tannins that just barely take hold of the insides of my cheeks. Man, this is really velvety as it fills up the mid-palate, then finishes with intense crushed raspberries. Label says 14.5% alcohol, but it never tastes or smells hot. This is very, very ripe juice and I can't imagine it with food, but it really is the best of its kind -- big and rich without ever getting heavy. Good price and nice depth and concentration to drink after dinner in place of dessert or port.
  
• 2002 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
  Just a tad lighter in color than the Plantagenet. Bottle also says it is lower in alcohol (at 14%). That's not what the nose tells me, though. Nose is a mix of heat and intense spice that seems shrill and unfocused. Yes, there's a lot of fruit here as well, but I can't even concentrate on it. On the palate, not as hot but still a little unfocused. Tannins are upfront and forceful, alcohol shows in finish. Maybe this will settle down with time, but I just perceive all these odd pieces sticking out at angles -- wood, alcohol, spice, tannin. Again, it's hard to concentrate and find the fruit (which is in the dark red, cherry and berry range). Not worth the trouble to me.
  

Diane Witherspoon is a natural soprano, but generally performs as an alto because she likes the warmth and velvety sexiness of the range. It's always amazing when a soprano steps down to alto or a tenor steps down to baritone if they've really got the range and strength to pull it off. That Plantagenet has just enough soprano to keep up the tension while it wraps you up in a smooth velvety alto after-dinner blanket. The Priorat goes the other way. It ain't pretty when an alto tries to sing high and fails.

What a great night. Thanks to Diane and Mikio and Natsuko and all the other performers, as well as to the organizers and volunteers and attendees and everyone else who has given themselves and shown the soul that is New Orleans.

Posted from CellarTracker

Edited October 2, 2005 by jrufusj (log)