All that Jazz

Having been out of commission for the past couple of weeks due to a wicked cold and no voice at all, I don't have much to report. Buenos Aires is a terrible city to be sick in, because while you're cooped up inside, you are well aware of the quality and quantity of activity occurring around you that you just can't take part in. While I'm all better now, I feel like I've missed out on a few weeks of life over here, and thus, am going back to some older material.

I have long wanted to write about this little jazz club in Buenos Aires called TheloniousClub after the jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. Nights out here have been some of my favourites in the city.

I'm not exactly sure what it is about the place - it's murky atmosphere lit by an infamous net chandelier; the bartenders and mozos (waiters), who seem to be having more fun than the clients; or the tasty drinks - but it's a spot well worth visitng. While I'm not a huge fan of margaritas, theirs come highly recommended. While my sister was out, we enjoyed their bellinis. But the best part about the club, of course, is the music.

I must admit, every time I've gone there, it has been to hear the same trio: Esteban Sehinkman 3, a trio that if you ever get the chance to hear, you should not hesitate. I discovered this trio because one of the members is the brother of my husband's best friend, and I am so lucky I did. Their performances are magic.

I could try to describe what their music is like, but like most jazz, you need to hear it and better yet, see it to really get it. I've always loved watching musicians communicate with each other while they're playing, and this trio is no exception. I guess part of it is the improvisation, which is always amazing to hear and watch unfold, but part of it is that it seems as though they have developed their own language of sorts.

The verb for enjoy in Spanish is disfrutar, and I'm not sure why, but it seems to hold more power than its English counterpart. Disfrutar seems to better express what the trio is doing while playing. While they never fail to provide an amazing performance, you get the sense that they would be having an equally fine time if they were just playing by themselves.

In any case, I have two of their CDs: their latest - El sapo argentino de boca ancha - and Búfalo. Both are great.

Like most nights in Buenos Aires, TheloniousClub seems to start and end late, and before you know it, the wee hours are calling you to another deep sleep, lulled by some great jazz melodies. But like I said, nights at this club have been some of my favourites.

And with that, I'll leave this post short and sweet. Now that I'm back in health, time to get out and face the music, so to speak.