rpklich

I was lucky enough to hear her twice: in a solo set at the Hungry Brain in Chicago, and once in a duet seting with Max Roach at the New Orleans Jazzfest. A great musician.

The Orlando Sentinel website posted that Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera passed away on Saturday. He was one of the most prolific bassists in salsa and Latin Jazz. He had an extensive resume recording with everybody from Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Larry Harlow, Mongo etc. Odds are good if you have a few Latin Jazz records in your collection, Eddie Gua Gua is on one. He was with the best Latin Jazz band I ever heard live, Batacumbele.

WNUR is an alternative to WDCB. Their jazz programming is on weekday mornings. Like WHPK and unlike WDCB their disc jockeys are not paid, A very small handful are actual [Northwestern] students. I particularly like the show on Mondays- "Writer's Block", a show that has a large variety of jazz.

I like the Huey Piano Smith LP.

Was this the same guy who recorded with the Latin band Ocho in the 70s?

Awakening was a really good live band. It's too bad that for whatever reasons they were ignored by the jazz public.

One obvious thing is the animus he likely harbors toward the Programming Committee Chair Neil Tesser. Tesser sniffed Reich out early. I recall Neil stating on the radio (can't remember if was BEZ or his AM stint) that "He must be the world's greatest jazz critic because he works for the Worlds Greatest Newspaper."

I heard him dozens of times thru the years. He certainly made living in Chicago a lot easier to take.

I heard him live many times. He was for a while one of the house pianists Joe Segal used at the Jazz Showcase. I also liked his playing with the quartet he had with vibist Emmanuel Cranshaw. Larry Kart's right, he was a great guy.

I loved his work on Poncho Sanchez's first record on the Discovery label. Gary Foster was on that LP too.

Curtis Hasselbring is really good and you should check him out.

When I heard him in Evanston w/ Mingus, the sax player was Paul Jeffrey.

I heard him live once. He was playing with Charles Mingus. It was at a club in Evanston, Amazing Grace. Mingus stopped the band after a Norris solo and loudly commented "now that's how you play piano". Indeed.

I heard Mingus live a few times. His smaller bands had charts. There weren't too many "head" arrangements. The music is difficult. Thats why its not heard alot, with the exception of a few tunes.

I like some of the stuff Chris Washburne has been doing. His CD, "Land of Nod" has some nice stuff on it. Very jazz oriented CD, but he doesn't abandon clave. He's been a journeyman salsero and has written a book on that experience. He teaches at Columbia. He also has a weekly gig with his band in NYC. I agree with you about Anga Diaz (what a loss).

As a Chicagoan, Fred Anderson's loss was huge.

Thanks for pointing this article out. I was aware of his work with Palmieri and Dreams, but not alot of his other stuff. Wasn't he also in the rock group Ambergris along with Larry Harlow?

The first time I heard Ronnie Cuber was when he was with Eddie Palmieri. There are lots of really good baritone players still around. Some living ones: Jim Hartog, Dave Sewelson, Clare Daly, Carlo Actis Dato, Howard Johnson, Alex Harding, Glenn Wilson, Roger Rosenberg.....

Jimmy Ellis is a very good Chicago sax player. I don't know if he's got any recordings out. He's been around for a long time.

I recall the JRM selling it in the mid 80's. I believe it was self-produced and a live recording(I have a foggy memory). Eldee's quartet also had Ari Brown in it. They used to play regularly at the Backroom on Rush St. I can't recall the drummer. Kenny Mann was another good tenor player out of Chicago. Became a lawyer and moved to Calif. Did a record with Britt Woodman in the late 70s early 80s. Heard him when was backing Joe Williams and at some jam sessions.

Duke Payne was a very good tenor player, played bagpipes too. He did a record with Eldee Young. Joe Farrell was from Chicago. Nobody has mentioned Joe Daley.

Manny Oquendo, co-founder and leader of Libre one of the most influencial salsa bands.

He's come through Chicago and I got to hear him a couple of times this past summer. Once with a trio that consisted of two bass players and him. The other time with a an octet with among others Aram Shelton and Josh Berman. Berman was the one who told me about him in the first place and Josh is right: he's a good player.

I forgot to ask anyone when I was as the Hideout on Sat., but why was Reed's band in uniforms?

I got an email form Umbrella: "Due to an unexpected injury this past weekend, trumpeter Bobby Bradford is undergoing a minor surgery that will prohibit him from participating in the 2009 Umbrella Music Festival. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to have him appear in Chicago in the near future. Despite this setback, festival organizers are happy to announce that one of improvised music's greatest innovators will step into the slot. Saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell will perform Friday, November 6th at the Elastic Arts Foundation in an improvised quartet featuring Dave Rempis on saxophones, Junius Paul on bass, and Frank Rosaly on drums. For the Saturday, November 7th performance at The Hideout, Mitchell will be featured with Mike Reed's Loose Assembly. This set will debut new sextet material featuring the band's special guest. You can find all other lineup, schedule, and venue information at www.umbrellamusic.org. We look forward to seeing you all this weekend!!" .