An Evening to Remember
A large and enthusiastic crowd filled the Fremont Hills Country Club in Los Altos Hills on the night of Saturday, October 2nd, for an intimate soirée of art and culture.
The show began with a jazz poem about Teddy Wilson, followed by jazz piano master Larry Vuckovich with a spot-on rendition of “After You’ve Gone.” Kay Kostopoulos, wearing a lacy violet dress with long gloves, read poems about Billie Holiday, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Bud Powell, and Jazz in Paris. Her lovely vocals on “Don’t Explain,” “You Are Too Beautiful,” “My Funny Valentine” and “L’Histoire d’un Amour” touched the audience. Larry followed each poem with a personal anecdote about the musicians, providing a living connection to these great jazz players of the past. He played the piano in the style of each master, from modal to bop to Latin. Akira Tana, playing on drums, was enjoying himself as much as the audience. Mike Hallsey on bass and Sanna Craig on bongos completed the quintet. Deborah Crooks and Kwame Copeland gave a preview of their upcoming performance on November 7th.
The display of Nilou Farzaneh’s paintings transformed the clubhouse. Calm and grounded, the paintings were a contrast to the excitement of the night. Placed on each table, the sensual sculptures of Fabienne Bismuth added to the intimate mood and caught the attention of many. The movement in Pierrick Gaumé’s colorful reflections radiated like waves of music.
What was the purpose of this event? It showed a cross section of different art forms within a convivial social setting. From old times in Europe, art was displayed in people’s houses which allowed a relaxed environment in which guests could hear music and see visual arts. Nowadays, with the advent of galleries, the social enjoyment is gone. Museums offer a different phenomenon. It is rare to be able to go out with friends for dinner and at the same time get exposed to art. Lush Finesse aspired to bring that old era into modern times, using even the latest technology.
The goal of Chez Mana is to connect the abstract forms of communication to everyday life, which is defined by small communities linked through common interests. What are the abstract forms? There is timing, movement and rhythm not only in music but also in other art forms. The relationship between music, painting and other forms of art has been studied since antiquity. Musical keys, shades of color, textures and rhythms all share common elements. It took a century before visual artists were able to free themselves from naturalistic reproductions and seek those abstractions.
Art can have a powerful effect on its viewers and in turn the response of the audience stimulates the senses of the artists. The setting of Lush Finesse created a perfect opportunity for this interaction. The result was an unforgettable experience shared by friends and enthusiasts around their dinner tables, while they chatted, danced, and drank.
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