Live Shots: The Destiny Muhammad Jazz Trio at Red Poppy Art House

11.21.11 - 3:11 pm | Ariel Soto-Suver |

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Destiny Muhammad Jazz Trio at Red Poppy Art House. Photo by Ariel Soto-Suver.

Destiny introduced herself to the audience as “your friendly harp player from the 'hood.” Word. This ain't your grandmama's tea parlor harp music. This is jazz harp – maybe the only jazz harp in the world – with all the syncopation and improvising you would expect to hear at any classic jazz joint.

Destiny and her trio worked together to create familiar rhythmic curiosities like “Bye Bye Blackbird,” but then also went above and beyond by taking a classic nineteenth-century Celtic jig and making it jazz-tastic. Super inventive. It's fun to see people do what they truly love, and as a musician, Destiny has definitely found her path in life.

Fun Jazz Harp Video:

Comments

Jazz harp

Very fun and enjoyable performance, but certainly not the only jazz harp in the world. To name a few others, Carrol McLaughlin, Lori Andrews, and Park Stickney. Glad to see the harp as a lead instrument getting some press!

Posted by Guest on Dec. 02, 2011 @ 12:15 pm

Destiny Muhammad Jazz Trio

Every once in a while, we get a rare opportunity to catch an artist just on that brink of moving from the struggling point of the gig-to-gig life to getting the attention they truly deserve on the larger stage. Destiny Muhammad is such an artist. She has clearly paid her dues. I've been following Destiny for years now. She shows consistent growth in her musical skills. It is these things combined with her sheer talent and sparkling personality that make her appealing and almost magical to see as a stand alone act in any jazz venue. In the world of all-too-many female jazz singers, Destiny Muhammad offers up a true BANDLEADER presence and fresh delivery in her jazz covers and original material that sets her apart - makes her truly unique - at a time when we can really use the inspiration. 'Bye Bye Blackbird' indeed can become, "Hello Ms. Jazz Harp with-a-Groove-of-Her-Own!" My husband and I decided that this was the best small house concert we'd been to all year, and I can't WAIT to see her again in December. Your photos captured all the musicians really well!

Posted by Guest on Nov. 23, 2011 @ 8:17 pm

Destiny Muhammad

Thank you so much for covering this concert. I saw a postcard in the BART station just a couple days before and was blown away by the image of her on the harp and was drawn to go, but then got sick and missed it. I went to her site and saw that she's going to be at Yoshi's in December so I'm planning on that now! Your pictures are great.

Posted by Guest on Nov. 22, 2011 @ 11:27 pm

Harpo

Harpo Marx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4Jc_2WQWFk

I don't think he did any jazz in the movies but he did in Chico's band when they toured.

Posted by Guest on Nov. 21, 2011 @ 7:03 pm

Maybe the only jazz harp in

Maybe the only jazz harp in the world? No. There have been great jazz harpists, like Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, and more recent ones like Edmar Castaneda.

Posted by Guest on Nov. 21, 2011 @ 6:02 pm