Photos by Ron Lyon
Translucent Ham Sandwish
It wasn’t necessarily a night of frights at the Evan Stone and the Translucent Ham Sandwich Band’s Halloween show, but it was a night of eerie moods, dramatic beats, and improvised music embedded with political statements. The show took place at Steamers Jazz Club and Café in Downtown Fullerton, Oct. 26.
Though there was not a large crowd in attendance, the more intimate setting contributed to the relaxed mood, making it feel like a jazzy, cool, yet at times bizarre, jam session.
The evening began with a performance by accompanying magician, Danny More, whose eloquent manner gave way to a funny, quirky performance. His magic tricks, ranging from the tried and true magic rope trick to a lesser known trick that involved putting a deck of cards inside his mouth for that extra magic touch. Overall, More’s constant audience involvement, as well as his witty banter, kept the audience engaged and wanting, as he put it, “More.”
The Translucent Ham Sandwich band began their set donned in costumes, including a pig hat, a white Ye Olde judge’s wig, and even a yellow peep.
After a brief introduction by More, during which he gave a reminder of the improv nature of the Jazz ensemble, the band began their performance with chimes, incorporating both computerized sounds and instrumentals into a fusion of noise.
The improvised music was in a way that it is simply put, organized chaos. The combination of sounds was somewhat hectic during the introduction and the consequent transitions, yet these sorts of chaotic antics managed to work, and they kept the audience entranced.
In fact, it is the band’s commitment to “free,” unplanned, unrehearsed music that allows the Translucent Ham Sandwich band to be not just a single genre, but instead cover a wide array of genres and art styles. With mainly an alternative Jazz, it is not hard to connect musically with something the band manages to create on the spot. Smooth jazzy grooves, however, are a predominant part of many of the songs, yet at times it is the rock riffs that stand out and most appeal to the listener.
Translucent Ham Sandwish
If it is not the music that the audience connects to, the various acts focusing on visual art are sure to make an impact. The Translucent Ham Sandwich Band in this show was accompanied by the magician, a juggler in stilettos, and belly dancers. Dancing and weaving through the tables during a break, one belly dancer engaged the audience and became quite the crowd pleaser as she danced along to the drums being played by one of the band members.
The improvised quality of the music is almost untraceable, something that is quite commendable, especially when in addition to improvising instrumentals, the band improvises song lyrics. In a particular song, the band made reference to the recent Occupy movements—Evan Stone sang the line “Occupy my mind” and also bellowed in tune to the music to occupy a whole plethora of other things, including LA.
The entire performance was quite engaging and it is surprising to see that a band that does not rehearse seems to be so in sync. Through all the hectic noise surfaced an enjoyable performance that was both stimulating to the eyes and ears of the audience. The band’s eclectic delivery and their focus on creating spontaneous sound are what make attending their show such a unique, fulfilling experience.
The Translucent Ham Sandwich Band covers so many levels of entertainment, the audience is bound to enjoy at least one. Whether that is the magic tricks, the eclectic sounds, the sultry belly dancer, or the juggler in stilettos—there is something for everyone.
