Sitting down at East Village Italian-Mediterranean restaurant Pangea to watch The Jazz Bastards perform, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This sextet of jazz musicians bills itself as clowns of the vaudevillian variety. Would there be more clowning than music and my ears under threat of assault? The cabaret room in the back of the restaurant looked promising enough. It had the standard cramped tables, the $20 minimum, the single flickering candle on each table. Another thought entered my mind: Would this just be a standard jazz performance with only the mere smattering of gags? Would there be enough clowning to satisfy my circus-loving proclivities?
I needn’t have worried–the ratio of music to clown was perfect. This cheeky ensemble plays a delightful mixture of jazz standards and original compositions, all while yukking it up as their comedic alter egos. Performed with a dry, quirky wit, the humor can be subtle…until it’s not and they go all out for broad laughs. Led by the fedora-clad, cigarette-wielding Aldo Perez aka Mr. Nobody on guitar and vocals, The Jazz Bastards stealthily interject their funny bits before, during, and after each song, all without missing a beat (unless intentional, of course).
Glen Heroy aka Mr. Christmas lends his smooth vocals (and spoons) to such classics as “Fly Me to the Moon.” He and vocalist-clarinetist-tap dancer Jenny Lee Mitchell aka Muffy Styler duet on “That Old Black Magic” and they really ham it up as a feuding couple, each trying to elbow the other out of the way. Muffy’s old school New York, platinum blond, boozy floozy act is really fun and bursts out in random moments throughout the show. To top it all off, her scat singing game is on point.
Matt Kanelos aka Wang Catalano is on keytar and vocals (most notably in “How High the Moon”). Donning huge boxy sunglasses and a killer deadpan, Wang occasionally invokes a robotic voice from the keys to hilariously comment on whatever happens to be going on. Indeed, some truly strange sounds come out of that keytar, including electronic scatting, featured during the group’s awesome rendition of Miles Davis’ “Four.”
Nick Parker as Buddy Poor is a drummer who wears a neck brace and arm sling. That sight gag on its own is pretty great, but his drumming turns out to be equally so. Rounding out the ensemble is Richard Philbin as Riccardo Hurtz on bass clarinet. Wearing cool shades, Buddy is the only one who doesn’t speak or sing at all during the act.
If you don’t like jazz, you might actually like The Jazz Bastards for their theatrics. If you’re more in the mood for a straight jazz show, this might also appeal to you as they play some really solid music that’s good just on its own. So if you’re not into comedy (what’s wrong with you?!), just close your eyes and ignore everything but the music.
The Jazz Bastards have a monthly residency at Pangea, playing the last Friday of every month through June 26, 2020.