Improv and Fast Hands Took Center Stage

SEELEY LAKE – The Valinor Quartet brought a cultural music explosion to the Seeley-Swan High School auditorium Sunday, Feb. 25 as part of the 2 Valleys Stage 2017-2018 Concert Series. The acoustic quartet intertwined their diverse cultural backgrounds hailing from Russia, Spain, Chicago and Czech Republic into a unique hybrid of jazz, classical, blue grass and popular songs. They had the nearly 50 in attendance clapping, chanting and taping their toes.

To set the tone of the concert, bass player Greg Feingold said that much of the music they play is improvised. "Clap loudly and clap often if you hear something you like."

Applause was liberally given as the talent of the three string musicians and leading jazz accordionist wowed the audience.

Members of the group took turns introducing the songs and styles before playing. Their repertoire was diverse bringing in tango, jazz, Brazilian and blue grass. Only a few in attendance had heard gypsy jazz, a unique blend of European gypsy music and American Jazz.

"It is a very fitting style of music for this combination of instruments," said guitarist Slava Tolstoy who played a gypsy guitar. It has a noticeably smaller sound hole offering a unique sound.

Jakub Trasak's musical abilities were not limited to the violin. He described his talent as "I play things with strings, I hit stuff [percussionist] and I sing. By the time I'm 90 years old I will be much better at the winds but I'm not there yet."

He shared his vocal talents and impressed with his fiddling and composition. After spending four years in Ohio, Trasak studied the blue grass fiddle tradition. He wrote "Train Wreck" which he called "a self fulfilling prophecy. If we do this right it is going to go wrong. If we succeed this is going to fail."

The audience chanted the words "train wreck" four times setting the tempo for the song. If the quartet succeeded in playing it that fast, it started over only faster "until we fall a part."

On the third run, accusations flew from the group about Trasak "practicing." He took that as a challenge and went for the fourth round.

With a flurry of notes, so fast that if one was missed no one knew, they still started and ended together. Regardless of whether the song was a success or failure, the performance was met with uproarious applause.

Following the performance, attendees attended a dinner with the artists at Citizens Alliance Bank. The quartet gave informances for local schools on Monday.

The final 2VS concert is March 25 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. The time is currently scheduled for 3 p.m. but may change. John Roberts y pan blanco will be performing Cuban music.