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Steve Reynolds

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Everything posted by Steve Reynolds

  1. Tonight Tim with Matt Mitchell (electric keys), Brandon Seabrook & Tim Angelo second set exploded when bass drum pedal broke. Mat & Randy were going to play a free duo piece / instead as the staff went to get a back up pedal, Mat says “one minute bass solo, Brandon!” Lopez destroyed the world in a minute. Drum/viola followed with the great men reaching levels unknown to this world. Final composed piece surpassed everything with Lucian on another level mixing inside piano & the keyboard unlike anyone I’ve seen. Wowza. it goes without saying that Randy Peterson is the greatest drummer I know. Can play more with one cymbal than most drummers can play with a whole kit. Stunning every fucking time. No groove like Randy’s. Deepest swing on the planet at tempos often slower than the thickest goo ever produced. Slow, slower and slowest. Adding Brandon Lopez to this trio has manifested in the most unique oblique group I know of. Mat strongest performance I’ve seen from him in a few years and there is no musician I see play live as often as Mat.
  2. Second set I just got home from among the greatest sets of music I’ve ever seen. speechless
  3. Berne plays at Lowlands in Brooklyn most Thursdays. This week with Matt Mitchell, Brandon Seabrook & Tim Angelo. I plan on being there. 3-4 feet away. I’ve seen Tim about 10 times this year at this tiny bar. He walks there from his home. He often brings high profile players like Michael Formanek (last week) and Chris Potter (the week before). Great to hear Potter solely on bass clarinet tearing it up. Oscar Noriega is often with him as well. Amazing clarinet player. I’ve seen David Torn there twice with him as well. Plus Ches Smith who is as incredible as Rainey is in a far different way. No CD’s yet with Belisle-Chi but there is download with Tim, Gregg & Rainey on Bandcamp with many of the songs they play live. I have not listened. Wooley’s Columbia Icefield has 2 releases. With Mary Halvorson, Susan Alcorn & Ryan Sawyer. They are both great. Mutual Aid Music 2 releases / single CD and 3 CD box. Very demanding music. tonight Mat Maneri’s Quartet with Lucian Ban, Brandon Lopez and the *great* Randy Peterson for 2 sets at Jazz Gallery in Manhattan. Saturday night Fred Frith with Zeena Parkins. Next Wednesday Fred with Nava Dunkelman and 2 other woman string players I’m unfamiliar with. Golden time for live music in New York. I’ve been going to 10-12 shows a month this past year. Glorious.
  4. Just a thought If “Coming Down the Mountain” or “Dahabenzapple” came out today, it would still be as current as anything today. Both are now 30 years old. Still the greatest jazz recordings I know of. Seeing Mat Maneri again next week with Lucian Ban, Brandon Lopez and the *great* Randy Peterson
  5. Tim Berne with Gregg Belisle-Chi, Michael Formanek & Jeff Davis Belisle-Chi is turning into a huge favorite. His growth this year playing most Thursdays with Tim has been great to experience as I’ve probably seen him on 8 or 9 of the gigs this year. Michael Formanek should be perfect for this music.
  6. Amazing. I’ve listened to it 4-5 times over the last month.
  7. Nate Wooley Mutual Aid Music with Matt Moran, gabby fluke-mogul and more at Roulette in Brooklyn
  8. Tim’s band last night played a stunning 90 minute set. Potter on bass clarinet & Noriega on b-flat clarinet were both great. Berne has never played better than when I’ve seen him previously than he did last night. For years I didn’t see him often as his music has often frustrated me. I’ve seen him probably 8 to 10 times this year on his regular Thursday night gig. I’ve turned the corner. A number of brand new compositions mixed in with tunes he’s been playing this whole year. Segues, collective improv and burning hot solos from the horns & Belisle-Chi on guitar. Last night’s set would have made a great old school double LP live album.
  9. Of course I understand that but I was never once hypnotized. Some dynamics would only add to that effect. But as I am wont to say to my friends, “they never made a statue for a critic!“ Two friends of mine are going to see them tonight in Philadelphia. I’m very curious to hear their reaction.
  10. Last night Ben Vida with Yarn/Wire Natural Information Society both MUCH less impressive than I expected BV with Yarn/Wire almost all composed with vocals (with some fine harmonies) but 80% of the 50 minute set was singing NIS is just too static rhythmically (I knew this going in) but I hoped they would generate some real energy live and it never happened. Ari Brown, Jason Stein, Darius Jones & Josh Berman were all great but alas without any peaking by the static boring drummer, nothing truly exciting happened during the over long 85 minute set. Great venue (Pioneer Works) with a great sound system but please play the fucking drum kit!!! Drive the horn players, PLEASE!!!!! Impressive from some perspective I suppose but something like Tim Berne tonight with Greg Belisle-Chi, Oscar Noriega, Chis Potter, Eivand Opsik & Jeff Davis will be infinitely more invigorating to these ears.
  11. Last night solo set from Brandon Lopez on double bass / first half of the 40 to 42 minute set sans bow, the second half exclusivity with it. OMG. trio set with Michael Attias on alto saxophone, Kenneth Jimenez on double bass & Randy Peterson on drums. Drum kit was ride cymbal, splash cymbal, snare, small tom, larger tom & bass drum. He could play the cymbals alone and carry a group. Attias was wonderful, young bassist was in a bad spot following Lopez but he held his own. 40-41 minute improvisation followed by a sublime 12-13 minute coda to the set. Randy Peterson remains the most unique and for my $$$, the best jazz drummer on the planet. I’ve been listening to him live and on record now for 25 years and every time I see him I’m stunned. No one plays remotely like him and I just wish more people would take some time to listen to this musical genius of the drum kit. Get Ready to Receive Yourself
  12. Plus Michael Foster with Brandon Lopez & Joey Sullivan on 9/24. This trio is absolute fire!!!
  13. Saw them last fall from far away in the Balcony of the 3,000 seat Kings theatre in Brooklyn. It was good. Last night on the rail. Spectacular. I was 20 feet from Stephen Malkmus. Back holding up / I’ve had bad back problems since June. Trying to go for the last of the 4 nights tomorrow night. Seeing Zoh Amba with Steve Gunn, Shahzad Ismaily & Jim White on Sunday 9/17. Saw the group in July. They were great. Also playing is a duo of Lee Renaldo & Booker Stardum. Trying to squeeze in Mat Maneri’s Quartet with Lucian Ban, Brandon Lopez & Randy Peterson on Saturday 9/16. Natural Information Society on 9/20 with guests Darius Jones & Ari Brown. Last saw Ari Brown on January 7, 1999 at The Velvet Lounge / the day Fred Hopkins died. Oteil & Friends at Capital Theatre on Saturday 9/23
  14. Set two / has to heard to be believed. But it’s not an easy listen. Gayle isn’t easy music. Ending of the first long 33 minute section with Charles screaming while on piano is an all-time moment. The audience is stunned. What Edwards plays earlier in the piece is beyond impossible and stunningly brilliant. Then it almost turns boppish for a bit. The second closing piece starts as a free ballad with Gayle’s piano growing on me. Edwards again is mesmerizing. From bow to fingers (and he’s recorded so well here). No one plays the bass like this. Peaking madly at 7-8 minutes in. Beautiful. Almost a waltz as they near the end. Then it’s not. Charles speaks. “It is YOU who makes this music” “Without YOU this couldn’t happen” ”YOU pushed me to the edge” RIP to a very special soul
  15. Seasons Changing might be the last Gayle album / certainly a great moment in time / for sure a major event that in different musical environment might be now be receiving plaudits. But as always with *this* music, it’s ignored and simply not even commented upon. It never was. 2 CD set recorded live on November 15, 2017 at Cafe Oto with the *great* John Edwards and the equally incredible Mark Sanders. Both are among the greatest ever on their respective instruments. disc one has Gayle starting on alto saxophone / three performances although playing as a 43 minute set. 22 minutes on alto, then a blistering 12 minute piece with Gayle playing alto with a faculty that belies his age. His playing is often coarse and even difficult. Then Charles on piano with Edwards on the bow. Still hard to have a commentary on his piano explorations. But it sure gets gorgeous a few minutes in which is a surprise. An elegy to something. The bass/drum tandem drives the music fiercely as this duo is wont to do in the right circumstances. Fantastic yet raw recording as well. comments on set two later as I’m revisiting it now.
  16. Tim Berne with Greg Belisle-Chi, Matt Pavolka & Jeff Davis
  17. RIP, sir fortunate to see him in Montclair NJ a few years back. Hindered physically but still brilliant.
  18. He was always hard to listen to for me which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. was able to see him live with Rashid Bakr (now Charles Downs) & I think William Parker IIRC. Was maybe 2000 or 2001.
  19. Fwiw Mantanzas is one of the greatest recordings/performances of the past 20 years. The peak and groove at the end makes most music quake on its wake. Lopez trio with the beast Steve Baczkowski and the *great* Gerald Cleaver. Awe inspiring.
  20. Pillars is epic from many perspectives.
  21. I told Tyshawn after a show earlier this year I’d love to hear Pillars live. He smiled.
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