Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes played (le) Poisson Rouge

The duo of Sam Gendel and Sam Wilkes played a few shows together on each coast after releasing their latest joint album earlier in the year.

Saxophonist Sam Gendel bassist Sam Wilkes have been making music together for quite some time, but the opportunity to see them play together as a duo is still a rather rare occasion so catching them on their last of only three show together this week and their lone east coast appearance was a treat for a Sunday night. Taking seated positions on (le) Poisson Rouge's already low stage did mean that sight lines for this show were tough and many people in the back, including myself, certainly had a hard time seeing the action on stage, but luckily the two were able to let their music transcend the viewing predicaments and allow for the tunes to take centerstage. Letting looped percussion and other beats play underneath them, Gendel and Wilkes followed the grooves laid out before them and made sure to take the songs in new, exploratory directions that allowed each of them the opportunity to carve out paths of melodies in their own dynamic flow. At times ambient progressions steered the vibes as dissonant chimes and bells added to the textured layers of sound that the two would weave their own notes around, each one taking their own route while never losing track of where the other was, making harmonies come together at unexpected times as their journeys traversed similar grounds. Their cover of the Beach Boys' timeless hit "Caroline No" was delicate and sweet, the mood instantly blooming with majestic sensations of glowing harmonies and prosperous melodies that not only honored the original, but added to its sonic relevance as well. Things got funky as well when more emphatic beats popped up towards the end of their set as synthetic handclaps and electric snares gave weight to the otherwise airy set. As the lurching beat moved onward, the dup responded with their most direct approach to a groove yet as they locked together with a sheer focus that had the entire room bouncing along and bobbing in tight, rhythmic fashion. Together, the two Sams put forth strong, winding compositions that morph in shape and size each time they leave the stage, each one letting the music guide one another at an undetermined pace that comes together in the moment. It's a shared experience between the two that stretches out to the crowd and allows other to be in on the creation as well.