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I've always been a huge Jimi fan and have bought most of the major releases, collections and re-releases and many of the minor ones too. But I'm on the fence about this one. It's obviously one of his iconic albums, but I just don't think I need another collection of studio outtakes, false starts, and alternate versions. I would think that anything worthwhile or unusual from the vault has been released already. Look forward to hearing your reviews when it's released.

I only attended one night (Friday) of this festival, but it was very enjoyable. And if it continues, very promising for the future. It took place in the Roscoe Village neighborhood north of downtown Chicago. Pretty accessible by public transportation, too. You can see the lineup in the link above. Much smaller at this stage than Big Ears: evening shows only, small venues, very walkable between venues, and MUCH cheaper (a single night pass was about $100). The crowds were pretty enthusiastic, too. At the Beat Kitchen (a small rock club):  1) Chicago Underground Duo w/Rob Mazurek, Chad Taylor. A high powered set with Taylor's relentless tribal beats supporting various outbursts on trumpet, electronics and wordless vocals by Mazurek. 2) Jeff Parker Expansion Trio w/Ben Lumsdaine (drums) and Jeremiah Chiu (electronics). Another high energy set with some explosive excursions among the trio, but Parker was definitely in charge of this show. I've never seen him as a leader before - very impressive. At Constellation (a larger performance space a few blocks away): 3) Mary Halvorson: Amaryllis Sextet (Patricia Brennan, Nick Dunston, Tomas Fujiwara, Adam O'Farrill, Jacob Garchik, trombone). A typical Halvorson show - interesting and well rehearsed compositions, with professional performances by everyone involved. I've seen this group at least once, and Mary countless times. She somehow seems to be everywhere, all the time. I've seen her more than any other musician in the past several years - either with her own groups or in other collaborations. So, something to keep an eye out for next year. Always a pleasure to hang out in Chicago, anyway.

I have been a longtime Kennedy Center subscriber, primarily for jazz and dance. Lots of tremendous shows there over the years. My last jazz performance there for me this season was Jason Moran & Friends in late April. Those friends were Wadada Leo Smith, Sylvie Courvoisier, Mary Halvorson, Nicole Mitchell, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Reggie Workman. Over the years, the jazz program was notorious for being the last to announce its schedule. Two months ago, I exchanged emails with Kevin gently asking if/when a subscription series might be announced. He suggested (...not too strongly) that something might get announced late August/early September. So prior to this most recent news, I would occasionally check the website. What “jazz” is currently scheduled? There are a few free performances on the Millenium Stage. For ticketed events, the Pan American Symphony Orchestra will present Tango of the Americas in October and one week later, the Glenn Miller Orchestra performs. Seriously. Check out their current suits. As of this writing, that is the jazz program at Kennedy Center.