Michael Weiss

Iridium's Press Release: One of the founding architects of hard bop in the 1950s, composer, pianist and bandleader Horace Silver has left a huge imprint on modern jazz. His compositions combine the ultimate in jazz sophistication with a common-man touch, blending tightly knit structures with hummable melodies, funky blues, soulful shouts and free-wheeling improvisation. Dozens of his songs have become jazz standards, including “Song For My Father,” “Nica’s Dream” and others. Pianist and composer Michael Weiss is an ideal musician to pay tribute to Silver, one of his earliest and longest lasting influences. Silver’s “Blowing the Blues Away” was the first jazz LP Weiss ever bought at age 15, and he cut his teeth in New York in the 1980s working with former Silver sidemen Junior Cook, Art Farmer, Clifford Jordan, Joe Henderson, Bill Hardman and Lou Donaldson. Weiss was a prizewinner in the 1989 Thelonious Monk Institute's Solo Piano Competition, with Silver as one of the judges. For this tribute, Weiss will focus on many of Silver's lesser known gems such as “Ecaroh,” “Moonrays,” “Shirl” and “Nutville.” Joining Weiss is a perfect combination of Horace Silver alumni: Randy Brecker and Tom Harrell each held the trumpet chair in Silver's quintet from 1968 to 1977. Bassist John Webber and drummer Willie Jones III were Silver's last working rhythm section. Eric Alexander, a hard-bop infected player joined Silver at his last New York appearance in 2004. Weiss, best known as longtime sideman with Johnny Griffin, works with Frank Wess, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and others. In addition to leading his own groups, most notably at the Village Vanguard, Weiss has produced concerts celebrating the music of Bud Powell, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk.

Head Case is one of the best things on at the moment. And it's no reflection on 'In Treatment' to say that it's a great antidote too. Also digging Party Down and Breaking Bad. Just discovered Breaking Bad and went through the first season in three days. What a great show. Surprised this is the only mention it got here. As fresh as The Wire and Damages.

FINGER POPPIN': A TRIBUTE TO HORACE SILVER MAY 21 - 24 IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 Broadway at 51st Street New York, NY 212-582-2121 Michael Weiss, piano and musical director Tom Harrell, trumpet Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone John Webber, bass Willie Jones III, drums plus Randy Brecker on May 24

Not available to play outside the UK. Merde..

http://www.whitepages.com/reverse-lookup

If there's anything that resembles "Pathways to Unknown Worlds" I'm there! Anyone have a track listing?

Tune in to WKCR this Sunday, March 15 for a five hour retrospective of Junior Cook. Sid Gribetz will be spinning sides and I'll be joining him 5:00-6:00p with some private live tapes of various gigs from the 1980s.

My aunt was art director for Greenwillow Books so I had a chance to meet several authors like Arnold and Anita Lobel, Donald Crews, Ann Jonas and Peter Sis.

The lead singer on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vTEt0jRDcI BE SURE TO LISTEN THROUGH TO THE END. The harmony will blow your mind. I've been planning on starting a separate thread about this -

Tribeca. I think the Vanguard week is with organ.

I'll be playing a concert in April with Lou and Phil together. Will report back afterwards.

A disparate assembly

I would guess it's the Village Vanguard gig of Wayne, Herbie, Gary Peacock and Tony Williams playing Eye of the Hurricane Just in Time Oriental Folk Song Virgo Fran Dance

And none too shabby! Are there other recordings of Alice Coltrane ripping on tempos like this?

Thanks Jim. How did you know? The #1 destination for all my visits to Medicine Hat, AB!

Thanks Chris. Who is that guy? And what is his connection to the Brooklyn Bridge? Intriguing!

Anybody here live near Boulder, CO (March 18) or Davis, CA (March 20)? I'm happy to comp tickets for these Vanguard Jazz Orchestra concerts. And of course anytime I'm playing with them at the Vanguard.

Fathead, Freddie and Griff got quick RIP honorable mentions. But at least they got a mention. Griff's photo looked like from the late 40s circa Joe Morris band on Atlantic.

Thanks CT. While I do like to cook with whomever I play, I've never had a band titled as such. Would love to perform in Austin. Thank you. But I don't recall selling you any CDs last year. Maybe you bought them from one of the Cookers. Thanks to all for the wellwishes, mistaken identity aside.

Episode #10 aired last week and will be rebroadcast February 10, 12:00am and February 28 at 2:00pm. Herbie had a trio with Christian McBride, who played lot-o-shit and very tasty, and Kareem Riggins.

Thanks everybody for the congrats. I think this is the first Grammy for the band since 1975 (Live in Munich). I don't expect to receive a statue, but who knows. On another topic, I also felt terrible for Stevie Wonder playing the end of the show while they rolled credits over him. As tacky as that is for the Grammy brass, it's also Stevie's choice to accept or not. I guess it was worth it to him. Hopefully it's a little reality check against all that sad shit they had on there.

Thanks for the luck. We won! - Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

RIP. I played with David several times when I lived in Indiana, not as much as Pookie Johnson though. Sweet guy. They all are.

August Blume's 45 minute interview with Coltrane 6/15/58 is available here: http://www.slought.org/content/11161/

I heard the Berg piano sonata in a Newark Airport terminal a few years ago. Really puts you in the mood to fly!