The “Sibilance” staff would like to take a rare serious second to extend our best wishes to the family of AL GARDNER, also known in the local Middle Eastern music community as ALAN SHAVARSH BARDEZBANIAN, whose ensemble was one of the first in the area to professionally perform classical and contemporary Middle Eastern music. Gardner died unexpectedly on November 9 and a memorial service, featuring performances by bands like ALHAN and OKBARI, was held December 3 at the Hyde School in Bath.
Gardner was an acclaimed martial arts instructor, but this space is mostly concerned with the great contribution he made to Maine’s world music community, playing often at the late Center for Cultural Exchange where we were fortunate enough to see him perform. In his youth, he founded the BATES COLLEGE BIG BAND and studied composition with ELLIOTT SCHWARTZ at cross-state rival Bowdoin College. In 1977, he began studying Turkish music with ESBER KOPRUCU and maintained the relationship until Koprucu’s death in 2003.
In 2002, Josh Rogers in this space reviewed his excellent From Kef to Classical, an exploration of songs from his Armenian background, along with pieces from Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and a few originals. It may still be available. A fitting tribute to Gardner’s memory would be to pick it up, give it a listen, and dance to a song or two. Also, a scholarship foundation in his name has been set up to help disadvantaged students pursue studies in martial arts or music. Donations can be sent to First Federal Savings & Loan, PO Box 488, Bath, ME 04530.
If you’re looking for Portland’s next piano-driven rock band, check out the KEVIN ROPER PROJECT, which plays the Dogfish Saturday night. He used to be in local jam band 26 NORTH, and released Brand New Town as a solo project in 2004. Now he’s working on a second disc with JACK MURRAY, once of Big Sound, now doing some recording and band managing.
LAURIE JONES drops her third full-length on Tuesday, a self-titled number recorded with JIM BEGLEY over at The Studio. According to a release, “Jones continues her alliance with WALTER HOWLAND on bass, NEIL SALISBURY on guitar and STEVE PEER on drums, [and] she has also invited a variety of guest artists to help create a rich palette of soul, rockabilly, Celtic and southern rock sounds.” So there you go. PETE HODGIN found “plenty of catchy, mid-tempo melodies and even a couple low-burn rockers” on her first album, After the Crash, writing in this space in 2001. Anybody seen Pete lately? Damn, that kid knew his pop music.
