March 25, 2022
“Tasting Notes: Dinner with Picasso”
Pullman Yards, Decatur, GA – USA
Adelaide Federici & Alice Hong, violins; Josiah Coe, viola; Joyce Yang, cello
BIZET: Entr’Acte (Carmen, Act IV)
SARASTE: Romanza Andalusa
FALLA: SpanishbDance No. 1 (from La Vita Breve)
SATIE: Gymnopédie No. 1
MILHAUD: Quartet No.1, Op. 5, mvt. 4 “Vif Tres Rhytmeé”
POUNLENC: Three Melodies
STRAVINSKY: 3 Piece for String Quartet, mvt. 1 “Dance”
JOPLIN: Stoptime Rag
MONTERO: Les Amareaux Du Havre
ALBÉNIZ: Asturias
GUGLIEMI/PIAF: La Vie en rose
Miles DAVIS: Blue in Green
PIAZZOLLA: Libertango
David BOWIE: Heroes
THE CLASH: Spanish Bombs
Executive chef: Chris Hughes
Cocktail crafter: Marian Chism
Mark Gresham | 28 MAR 2022
Friday night’s multi-layered event at Pullman Yards, Tasting Notes: Dinner with Picasso, teamed a performance by Edgewood String Quartet (violinists Adelaide Federici and Alice Hong, violist Josiah Coe, and cellist Joyce Yang) with a Spanish-influenced four-course dinner by Chef Chris Hughes and cocktails crafted by Marian Chism in honor of the on-location opening of Imagine Picasso, The Immersive Exhibition.
You could say that a four-course dinner is a culinary equivalent to the form of a typical classical symphony or four-movement sonata. Although the Edgewood Quartet played a collection of short musical morsels rather than a single major work with four movements, the musical sets of the concert took up the concept, paralleling each of the four courses of the dinner, each playing upon a singular theme relative to Picasso. These were “Songs of His Childhood and Home” (music of Bizet, Saraste, and De Falla); “The Music of his Friends” (Satie, Milhaud, Poulenc, Stravinsky); “The Songs of Nightlife” (Joplin, Montero, Albéniz, Guglielmi/Piaf); and “Melodies About His legacy” (Miles Davis, Piazzolla, David Bowie, the Clash).
The evening’s menu shows clearly how that was to play out strategically:
The Tasting Notes menu of music and four-course dinner, courtesy of Chef Chris Hughes.
Part of the premise, at least for Edgewood String Quartet, is putting classical music together with crossover arrangements (many here arranged by violinist Hong) in a context that will reach a broader audience than is typically drawn to a classical concert hall, although it is hardly a new idea.
For example, Atlantans may remember the 2008 advent of Fringe (created by two couples, José and Nikolle Reyes and Fia and Dana Durrett). Fringe’s approach was to establish an inviting atmosphere: lanterns in trees, an outdoor courtyard bar, a DJ spinning remixed classical music, a gallery of local art, and an alternative loft-like performance space. In short, Fringe provided the listener with a comfortable environment for “the iPod generation” to hang out.
In the last two decades, that has been a trend with ensembles, especially those performing contemporary classical music, but again, hardly original to this century.
Those of us old enough may remember the New York Philharmonic’s informal Rug Concerts of the mid-1970s, a summertime series created by their innovative music director of that era, Pierre Boulez. Boulez had the orchestra-level seats in the concert hall removed and replaced with rugs and pillow cushions — a concept rooted in the post-Woodstock rock formats of the day.
In the case of Tasting Notes, the setting was like that of an outdoor cafe, with tables for two or more (with a total capacity of 75 dinner patrons) clustered around a stage in one corner. But there were also some taller cocktails tables with barstools father back for some additional audience who were not dining — including this reviewer.
Credit for much of the program’s successful logistical flow belongs to Chef Chris Hughes and the waitstaff. The act of food service for a plated dinner, especially one with four courses, is time-critical. Those who have worked as waitstaff at plated dinners for corporate events know this from the inside out. (And what artists, musicians, and actors have not at some point in their lives?) It is an observable feat to be respected. Unlike a formal concert, the timeline of the musical presentation must work around that of the food service for the music to align with the menu in realtime.
That the musicians can easily do, but better scripting for threading the sets, as well as the short numbers within them, would make it better, not off-the-cuff music appreciation blurb. Much can be learned in this regard from cabaret experienced singers. (Atlanta’s inimitable Libby Whittemore comes to mind.) That will help keep the flow of the show lively and energized. And if you’re going to ditch the classical concert hall atmosphere, ditch its mannerisms like formal bowing between numbers. Save if for the end of the set, or the end of the program.
Of particular note is that Chef Hughes (with whom I spoke one-on-one briefly after the event) was highly concerned and conscious of not disturbing the audience’s experience of the music when placing plates of food on the tables or removing them. Kudos to Hughes and Chism’s teams for their efforts in this regard.
The event’s outdoor setting posed challenges to the musicians from four factors: the early spring evening chill, some gusty winds, sub-par amplification, and insufficient stage lighting. There was enough light for them to see their music but not for the audience to adequately see them.
The weather was beautifully clear and dry. But excessive cold (or heat) can harm instruments and intonation. The combination of this factor with amplification that was, although plenty loud enough, not representative of a string quartet’s sound made the performance quality somewhat tricky to assess — although we know the abilities of some of these performers from other concerts. This is the first time we have heard the Edgewood Quartet together as a single band, and the chemistry between players is everything. (There will, of course, surely be other opportunities in the future.) Note that this is not a problem of amplifying string quartets, per se, by any means, only in this particular instance.
Amplified or electric string quartets have been around for decades; it is just a matter of applying the audio art well. Too often, that can get shortchanged even with the best of musicians. (Witness some outdoor performances by members of Atlanta Symphony in chamber concerts at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.)
Here, as with stage lighting, better amplification (balance and audio spectrum) can significantly enhance the experience for the audience, especially within this kind of multi-layered event where all of the senses are engaged: aural, visual, olfactory, and gustatory. These audio and visual elements can rise to match the culinary and drink craft elements, given some care and attention, which will make this new Tasting Notes series an even richer experience in its subsequent iterations.
This inaugural Tasting Notes was a first-time experiment for all involved: musicians, chef, drink-crafter, and presenter. What they will learn from this will surely inform what they do with the next iteration in the series. That will be something to which food and music lovers can look forward.
The plan at Pullman Yards is for Chef Hughes will open not one but two restaurants there, plus an additional food service provider. Whether these restaurants will include corner performance stages as part of their architecture remains to be seen. (Think Kavarna coffee house in Oakhurst or Eddie’s Attic in downtown Decatur as possible models for inclusion of small in-restaurant stages. Also, think of the latter as a model of proven excellence in live audio amplification of songwriters to acoustic bands to string quartets.)
What Pullman Yards has in hand (perhaps even more than Edgewood quartet) is a model that can be used to present a dining and music experience that goes well beyond classical and crossover chamber music to cabaret, operatic aria, and more.
But they would need to be for a targeted audience, those who can afford the pricy ticket, not the average pedestrian. That is okay because the number of dining patrons would have to be limited, ensuring the quality of both dinner and service. As for expanding the audience, gallery seating for non-diners. (Again, a model for the latter is Eddie’s Attic.)
It is a format that shows promise for Pullman Yards as a presenter if appropriately handled. And it is truly encouraging to me for this series to arise in Decatur, on Atlanta’s east side, rather than Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, or West Side. Looking forward to how it will evolve. ■
External links
- Edgewood String Quartet: edgewoodstringquar.wixsite.com/website
- Pullman Yards: pullmanyards.com
Mark Gresham is publisher and principal writer of EarRelevant. he began writing as a music journalist over 30 years ago, but has been a composer of music much longer than that. He was the winner of an ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award for music journalism in 2003.
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