Magic Malik

Magic Malik Orchestra was the name of the French band, whose concert I saw at the Knitting Factory. The lead performer in the band, Magic Malik was your absolute radical (even by French standards!). In a finger-showing gesture to convention, he had hair on his head only along where most people would have a parting - can you imagine - just a line of hair sticking up in an otherwise bald head..? His music seemed to defy convention further (it may have fallen in the ballpark of jazz, but had very little structure about it), but it was superb!

Malik primarily played the flute, but he also took jabs at the other instruments on stage. The saxophone added a great sound to the ensemble. The percussionists were superb - the drummer and this other, guest percussionist who seemed to almost be playing a speaker or a stool - still don’t know what instrument he was playing. The band would pick up a very simple tune, improvise over and over on it, build up to a frenzy, and then slow down again.

Hate to admit, but to throroughly enjoy certain kinds of music, its necessary to be somewhat intoxicated. Couple of glasses of wine down, the music seemed to do some very good things to me :) - during some of the slow, soothing pieces, just had to close my eyes to have visions of people/places/events from my past that the music brought with it..(trust me it was ONLY wine! :))

The band left back to France the same evening, don’t know if anyone reading this would ever get a chance to listen to them, but if you ever do, go for it! (*after* a couple of drinks mind you :))