sonnyhill

I also attended Winter Jazzfest last weekend: On Friday, I started at the New School 5th Floor Theater with Tomeka Reid Quartet, which was really nice. I still play that album frequently. Before the Tomeka Reid set was over, I went downstairs to the New Glass Box Theater to catch Jonathan Finlayson's Sicilian Defense. This was the best group that I saw during the festival. I think the new album is great, but the live performance exceeded my expectations. It is a cliche, but the group sounded like a well-oiled machine and the music was interesting. I then made the short walk to the New School Tishman Auditorium and caught the very end of Craig Harris's Breathe, which was an extremely large group. I didn't see enough of it to comment; I went to the venue to get a seat for the Andrew Cyrille/Bill McHenry Duo. I like both McHenry and Cyrille, but the two do not seem to gel in a duo format for me. It was nice to hear both of them though. I then went back to the New Glass Box Theater to see Mike Reed's Flesh & Bone. This was also outstanding. I am always hesitant when I see a vocalist or poet included in the personnel with respect to jazz ensembles. However, the vocalist/poet Marvin Tate was excellent -- not preachy and high energy in the best way. It was also good to see all of those Chicago musicians who I don't get to see so often. I was really impressed by the bassist Jason Roebke -- he was really excellent with both Tomeka Reid and Mike Reed. I then went over to the New School 12th Street Auditorium to see William Parker. I was early and caught the end of the David Murray set. The William Parker set was very enjoyable, he performed the last tune on a small wind instrument. I would describe it as acoustic drone music. On Saturday, I started at the New School 5th Floor Theater to see the Mary Halvorson Octet. I had not heard her newest album so I didn't know what to expect. The playing was nice enough, but I felt that the music sounded "congested" with all of those instruments playing the music as opposed to the quintet she employed previously. Maybe it was the performance; I have to check out the recording to see if it works better on record. I spent the remainder of the evening at the Glass Box Theater. I saw Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones, Adam O'Farrill's Stranger Days, Ben Allison's Think Free, and the beginning of Ben Wendel's Season's Band. Ben Allison premiered some new tunes that will be appearing on an upcoming album. It was a good set. The other performances were competent. However, I have tried, but do not get Ben Wendel at all; I left at the conclusion of the first song of his set.

Thanks for mentioning this. I listened to it based on your post. The album is called Song for Chico and it is excellent. It's available on Bandcamp. This year, I liked: Stephan Crump -- Rhombal Wadada Leo Smith -- America's National Parks Tyshawn Sorey -- The Inner Spectrum Of Variables Esperanza Spalding -- Emily's D+ Evolution

By "top," I am listing the the records that I am sure that I have listened to the most. Most of the listening occurred when I was first getting acquainted with the music. I listed to Rollins borderline obsessively for a while; I also listened to Miles's "Second Great Quintet" in the same fashion. Miles Davis - Milestones John Coltrane - Crescent Sonny Rollins - A Night at the Village Vanguard (this could be any one of the Rollins led sessions from '55 to first retirement, except Blue Note Vols. 1 & 2) Miles Davis - Sorcerer (this could be any one of the pre-electric studio albums of the "Second Great Quintet": E.S.P., Miles Smiles, Nefertiti, but I always liked the incongruity of the Bob Dorough vocals on "Nothing Like You") ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I listened to the four above a great deal more than the other recordings in my collection. But for the purpose of getting to five, I will go with: Charles Mingus - Mingus at Antibes Mine is a pretty standard list - Miles (x2), Coltrane, Rollins, and Mingus. Limiting the choices to post-2000 like Xybert did in part of his post would probably result in more interesting lists.

Newk's Time.

Rudy Van Gelder will live forever through some of the greatest, most influential, music that has ever been made.

Elaborations on Columbia is also a nice record.

I do not agree with most of the points that OP made, but I find the title problematic also. If referring to Bud Powell as a genius, I would prefer that it be done without qualification. The term "black" used as an adjective in the context that the OP objected to speaks to me as a limitation that I do not like applied to black people of unique gifts like Bud or those in any area of endeavor. It is used that way by black academics often, and I find it insulting. My view is that there is no special kind of genius called "black genius." Of course, given the history of the United States, the fact that Bud was a black man, the legacy of slavery and its aftermath, the discrimination against black people that he experienced and witnessed throughout his life, and the struggle of black people to be treated humanely would have to be addressed in detail in any worthwhile examination of Bud Powell's life and music.

I liked Lathe of Heaven with Turner and Cohen. McHenry has a great tone on tenor; it will be interesting to hear him with Waits and Revis in Cohen's band.

The Jamal is listening pleasure.

I am in the NYC area and listening to WKCR through an old radio. I am surprised how much better the station sounds over the air as opposed to streaming. It sounds vastly superior. I've been listening to the Bley and Boulez broadcasts this past week. It is amazing how much great music these two gentlemen produced.

Etoile (Track 2) from Tomeka Reid's latest.

I ordered this recently also. Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho is one of my favorite Hawkins performances.

Matthew Shipp Trio - To Duke Matthew Shipp Chamber Ensemble - The Gospel According to Matthew and Michael Matthew Shipp Trio - The Conduct of Jazz Zooid - In for a Penny, In for a Pound Sonny Rollins Quartet with Don Cherry - Village Gate 1962 David S. Ware - Birth of a Being

I just got back from the Threadgill Double Up performance at Roulette in Brooklyn. Pi Recordings had his newest release Two pianos tonight; three pianos tomorrow.

I just got back from the Threadgill Double Up performance at Roulette in Brooklyn. Pi Recordings had his newest release Old Locks and Irregular Verbs for sale.

Thanks.

I am looking to read a high quality mystery novel. I am not interested in series or genre fiction -- any recommendations? The last book I finished was Pamuk's My Name is Red.