Macklemore (of hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) teams with trumpeter Owuor Arunga for an impromptu jazz session - the "Thrift Shop" MC holding down the keys in the midst of what turns out to be a somber moment. Arunga - a member of Macklemore's band - delivers a solo dense with an emotional gravity that bleeds through the mute on his horn for a performance that hearkens back to Miles Davis' "Blue In Green" with striking tonality. The duet is a pensive performance punctuated by what turns out to be the beginnings of the hysteria following the bombings at the Boston Marathon. A bit of frantic conversation can be heard in the background at the end of the recording. When you consider their performance in that context, it is as much a dirge for an unfortunate occasion as it is a pleasant surprise from the two musicians. In this moment they essentially offer their hearts to the city as lives unravel around them. For that reason alone, a casual shed becomes a pivotal moment. Peace to the city of Boston.
>>>Check the performance at The Revivalist.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will be coming your way again this summer at The Roots Picnic and the Budweiser Made In America Festival.
