Red Priest red hot!

Red Priest gave an amazing performance tonight for Houston Early Music, complete with their trademark rearrangements of famous Vivaldi concerti and Halloween-inspired shenanigans. These four players, led by recorder virtuoso Piers Adams, have been compared to the Rolling Stones (among other groups), and now I see why. They play with an enthusiasm that goes well beyond the familiar swaying and ducking of even the most physical of early music practitioners. It's a fascinating combination of both spot-on playing with the imagination -- and sheer nerve -- of the best jazzers or rock musicians. Utterly fascinating, though some of the music -- particularly the Corelli "Folia" at the end -- came completely apart in their hands, though no one there (myself included) seemed to mind!