“Dawn” at Night

Nikolai Mishchenko (keys) and friends

Pianist and composer Nikolai Mishchenko held down the second set at legendary Boston jazz hideout Wally’s Cafe on the Saturday night of 15 October, 2022. He was joined by two – no, make that three – fellow musicians for a quartet that played light, bright improvisations, both originals and standards.

If you’ve never been to Wally’s, know that it is small. The shotgun-style bar includes a long counter with bar seats on one side, a series of tightly-wedged tables and chairs on the other, and a pipeline of patrons’ shimmying asses skirting between the two all night, as bands take turns performing on the postage stamp-sized stage in back. 

The cafe offers live music every night of the year, served up in three shows spanning from the early evening until one in the morning. There’s no beer on tap (bottles & cans only) and the mixed drinks don’t pack much punch. But the old-school jazz club atmosphere, not to mention no cover charge, more than makes up for it.

Don’t bother visiting the website to see who’s playing. It’s not posted. Each night is dedicated to a sub-genre – blues, funk, jazz or salsa – to give you at least a preliminary sense of what is on the agenda. Saturday is devoted to jazz.

Mishchenko’s keys sparkled while the rhythm section produced a pleasant, propulsive energy. Shout out to the show-stealing solos of the saxophonist, who guested in the second show after playing the first.

The pianist and composer announced the release of a new single “Dawn,” available at Bandcamp.

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