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Geri Allen, The Nurturer (Blue Note)

This past weekend, for the first time I attended Satchmo Summerfest in New Orleans. The festival is two days long at the National Jazz Museum (the Old Mint). There are thirteen concerts and five lectures each day, occurring on two indoor and two outdoor tented stages. On Saturday, my festival day began with a presentation by Catherine Russell (jazz singer and daughter of Luis Russell) and Paul Kahn regarding the history of the Luis Russell composed Back O'Town Blues, which became a staple in the Louis Armstrong repertoire. After that, there was a concert by the Victor Campbell Duo in the second floor galleries. Victor Campbell is a Cuban jazz pianist now living in New Orleans. To my knowledge he has not recorded as a leader yet; but he is surely one of the more amazing pianists I've ever heard. A dazzling virtuoso who performed a mixture of traditional Cuban piano music and jazz standards--the succession of Over the Rainbow, Summertime and Besame Mucho was just unreal. I had the unusual vantage point of sitting directly behind him this performance. It was an ecstatic experience. Next, back to the lecture stage for Chris Thomas King's presentation on the 1923 King Oliver Creole Jazz Band sessions. Ricky Ricardi was there and played one of the selections from the new Archeophone release. I wasn't going to get it but now I'm not sure, as the selection he played sounded really clear. After that, to an outdoor stage for Yusa and Mahmoud Chouki. Yusa is an excellent Cuban singer and guitarist. This was my fifth time to see Morrocan guitarist and oud player Mahmoud, and each of the prior four times has been exceptional. So was this. A stellar concert. This was a little different as Yusa is more Cuban music than jazz, whereas "Mood" blends his Moroccan roots with jazz. The partnership was highly successful. That was it at the fest for the day. In the evening, I heard Catherine Russell sing her interesting repertoire at Snug Harbor. On day 2 of the Festival, I didn't hear any lectures, just three concerts. First, Steve Lands and Kosmic Krew. While this band seems like it is decidedy modern, on this day its repertoire was Satchmo oriented. Steve Lands is an excellent trumpet player, and his band included the fabulous bassist Amina Scott and the another terrific New Orleans pianist, Oscar Rossignoli (who was also in the Yusa/Mahmoud Chouki band) Next, a band led by the understated guitarist Detroit Brooks, featuring an older band of sextet size, including Jamil Sharif on trumpet and Kyle Roussell on piano. Charmaine Neville also sang several songs, doing her Louis Armstrong imitation.. Next, the Shannon Powell All Stars began the set as a drummer less quartet, with Steve Lands returning on trumpet, the ebullient trombonist from the Preservation Hall band whose name escapes me, Peter Harris on bass, and Kyle Rousell on piano. After one number, it is announced that Shannon Powell is ill and Herlin Riley is his stand in. There follows an unusual combination of modern jazz and traditional New Orleans jazz that, with Herlin Riley on the drum kit, swings so hard it hurts. I should note that Kyle Rousell is yet another outstanding New Orleans jazz pianist. Closing out the day at Snug Harbor again, this tine to see trumpeter Ashlin Parker's Quartet perform. Amina Scottt reappears on bass. She is really good. The other two group members are new to me. This was a lengthy (over ninety minute) and highly enjoyable set. That is all. I would definitely consider returning in a future year.

August 17, 2024: Tutu Jones, The Goat, Dallas Shelley Carrol, Kitchen Cafe, Dallas August 24, 2024: Bobby Rush, Arlington Music Hall Youngjoo Song Quartet with John Ellis, Lowdown, Tulsa August 25, 2024: Vid. Rajeswari Pariti (Veena), Lewisville Grand Theater Dr. L. Subramaniam, Windmills, The Colony August 26, 2024: Eric Gales, Antone's, Austin Benny Green (solo), JazzTX, San Antonio August 27, 2024: Eric Gales, Heights Theater, Houston Benny Green (solo), Parker Jazz Club, Austin August 28, 2024: Eric Gales, Kessler Theater, Dallas August 31, 2024: Bnois King Band, Larry Lampkin, Blues on Main, Ennis September 1, 2024: Cassandra Wilson, Stanley Jordan, Riverfront Jazz Festival, Dallas Convention Center September 6, 2024: Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, Lowdown, Tulsa September 7, 2024: Nolatet with Johnny Vidakovich, Lowdown, Tulsa September 9, 2024: John Hebert, Jazz at the Joint, Little Rock September 14, 2024: Abhishek Borkar (Sarod) and Yashwant Vaishnav (Tabla), Allen (?) September 20, 2024: Aba Diop Trio, Cullen Theater, Houston September 21, 2024: Mandolin Rajesh (mandolin) and Rajhesh Vaidya (veena), Frisco September 22, 2024: William Parker's Mayan Space Station, Rosette, Austin September 25, 2024: Orrin Evans with Tarbaby, Draylen Mason Music Studios, Austin September 26, 2024: Orrin Evans with Tarbaby, Deluxe Theater, Houston September 28, 2024: Abhishek Borkar (Sarod), Yashwant Vaishnav (tabla), Cullen Hall, Unverisy of Saint Thomas, Houston October 2, 2024: Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Paramount Theater, Austin October 3, 2024: Etran de L'Air, White Oak Music Hall, Houston Corey Harris and Cedric Watson, Lowdown, Tulsa October 4, 2024: Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Cullen Theater, Houston Bombino, Lowdown, Tulsa Buena Vista Social Orchestra, House of Blues, Houston Selwyn Birchwood, Charles Bender Performing Arts Center, Houston Etran de L'Air, Ruins, Dallas October 5, 2024: Bombino, White Water Tavern, Little Rock Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Sam's Burger Joint, San Antonio Etran de L'Air, Far Out Longe, Austin October 6, 2024: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Antone's, Austin Etran De L'Air, The Pony, Marfa October 10, 2024: Bruce Forman, Jazz at the Joint, Little Rock October 11, 2024: Branford Marsalis, Bates Recital Hall, Austin October 13, 2024: Branford Marsalis, University of Texas at Dallas October 11-13, 2024: Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials, Nikki Hill, Chris Thomas King, Kenny Neal, Little Freddie King, Crescent City Blues Festival, New Orleans October 16, 2024: Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Charles McCombs Empire Theater, San Antonio October 17, 2024: Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Majestic Theater, Dallas October 19, 2024: Manas Kumar (violin), S. Akash (flute), Amit Kavthekar (tabla), Allen (?) October 22, 2024: Joel Frahm Trio, JazzTX, San Antonio October 24, 2024: Ebo Taylor, Radio/East, Austin November 5, 2024: Andy Summers, Moody Performance Hall, Dallas November 14, 2024: Rex Gregory, Jazz at the Joint, Little Rock November 16, 2024: Matthew Whitaker, Eisemann Center, Richardson December 6, 2024: Shemekia Copeland, Sam's Burger Joint, San Antonio Terri Lynne Carrington's New Standards, Cullen Theater, Houston December 7, 2024: Shemekia Copeland, Kessler Theater, Dallas Dedember 8, 2024: Shemekia Copeland, Houston Blues Society December 16, 2024: Gregory Porter, Winspear Opera House, Dallas January 24, 2025: Bill Frisell Trio, Brauntex Theater, New Braunfels January 25, 2025: Lakecia Benjamin, Cullen Theater, Houston February 14, 2025: Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Zika Hall, Houston February 22, 2025: Emmet Cohen Trio, University of Texas at Dallas March 1, 2025: Vijay Iyer Trio, Cullen Theater, Houston March 15, 2025: Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival March 18, 2025: Anoushka Shankar, Eisemann Center, Richardson March 19, 2025: Anoushka Shankar, Wortham Center, Houston March 27-30, 2025: Big Ears Festival, Knoxville, Tennessee March 28, 2025: Jason Moran's Duke Ellington Project, Cullen Theater, Houston April 11, 2025: Brad Mehldau Trio with Christian McBride, Cullen Theater, Houston April 12, 2025: Hiromi's SonicWonder, University of Texas at Dallas April 24-27, May 1-4, 2025: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival June 6, 2025: Jackie Venson, Jo Long Theater, San Antonio

Johnny Smith, The Last Night at Shaner's

David Murray Quartet, Francesca (Intakt)

You realize this is going to inexorably lead to someone posting the naked Herbie Mann cover?

Arnett Cobb, Funky Butt (Progressive)

The Genius of Ravi Shankar (Columbia) Erroll Garner, Magic Keys (Philips)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Live in 1967 (Forty Below)

I saw Edmar Castaneda there at Jazz Standard one time; a really terrific concert.

Thanks. I ordered the CD.

Three Faces of Earl Hines (Jazzology)

Steve Turre, Sanyas (Smoke Sessions)

She is not retired. She's playing in Dallas on September 1.

Collector's Records was the one I liked.

It is excellent.

On first two listens, I quite liked it. The Three Sounds, Groovin' Hard (Resonance)

Some information here: Also, Clark Terry has some big band recordings on Vanguard.

That was such a vile store. The owner gave me the creeps. And everything there reeked of cigarettes.

Epistrophy Arts presents Tarbaby at Draylen Mason Music Studios at KMFA Wed, September 25, 2024 08:00 PM - 11:00 PMCDT 41 Navasota St, Austin, TX 78702, USA A collective trio of 20+ years “with an impeccable pedigree,” Tarbaby is “a freewheeling unit that has embodied the equilateral triangle concept of the piano trio since they convened in 2001. Featuring Grammy nominated pianist Orrin Evans, a “poised artist with . . . ideas at his command” (New York Times); Grammy winning bassist Eric Revis (a longtime Branford Marsalis collaborator); and drummer Nasheet Waits (son of jazz legend Freddie Waits and a key member of Jason Moran’s Bandwagon), the trio “stretches the jazz fabric without ripping it apart and absorbs everything from Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus to John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, sending it all back in torrents of molten musicianship” (Jazz Times). Tarbaby has released several recordings including The End Of Fear (2010) and Dance of the Evil Toys (2022) featuring guest avant-garde elder statesman, saxophonist Oliver Lake. Cleanfeed Records writes, “Dance of the Evil Toys finds a rare balance between brute force and mathematical rhythmic signatures...one of the most exciting jazz bands around offer us, again, a magnificent opus.” The trio also released a second recording in 2022 featuring guest saxophonists Branford Marsalis, J.D. Allen and Bill McHenry on Evans’ Imani Records label, which he founded in 2001 and relaunched in 2018. Tarbaby is touring in support their new release 'You Think This America' on Giant Step Arts. 09/26/2024 Tarbaby SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 8:00 PM SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 10:00 PM THE DELUXE THEATER Nameless Sound presents ... Tarbaby Orrin Evans - piano Eric Revis - double bass Nasheet Waits - drums The three members of Tarbaby – pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Nasheet Waits – share a long history together, dating back to well before the formation of the trio. They share core beliefs about acknowledging the over-arching tradition of the music while being true to one’s own story; they’re an ensemble of serious intentions and riotous humor, fervid spirit and fierce intellect, passion and purpose. All of that melds and collides in their provocative and risk-welcoming sound. The New York Times has hailed the trio as, “a strong postbop collective with plenty of moves at its command: advanced rhythmic calculus, sly harmonic implication, [and] cohesive elasticity.” Lucid Culture described Tarbaby as, “Intense, enigmatic, often very funny… Darkly melodic, fearlessly spontaneous and bristling with combustible energy.” 2024 will see two bold new releases from the eclectic power trio. For the first time in a career marked by collaborations, You Think This Is America marks the first time that Tarbaby has recorded an entire album strictly in piano trio format. Recorded live at New York’s Hunter College for photographer/engineer Jimmy Katz’s Giant Step Arts imprint, the confrontational date mixes originals with wide-ranging covers by Ornette Coleman, David Murray, Andrew Hill, Sunny Murray, and The Stylistics. A yet-to-be-titled studio release will follow later in the year with a number of special guests: Philadelphia spoken word artist Ursula Rucker, the powerhouse tenor saxophonist JD Allen, the exploratory, tightrope-walking saxophonist Bill McHenry, and the pseudonymous “Prometheus Jenkins” (a few notes will suffice to identify the sax master behind the alias). “The story has its roots in Africa and then traveled across the ocean – just like we did.” – Nasheet Waits, drums “I don’t want to hug the tar baby.” – Tony Snow, White House Press Secretary 2006-07 Nearly two decades later, the controversy that greeted the late Tony Snow’s use of the term “tar baby” remains indicative of the uncomfortable discourse around race in the country – a point that, ironically, is well illustrated by the very metaphor that he unwisely chose. Co-opted as a racial slur, the term “tar baby” has its roots in a folk tale that depicts the wily Br’er Rabbit becoming increasingly mired in a tar dummy the more he struggles with it – a vivid depiction of the sticky discussions involving race in 21st century America. Tarbaby fully intended every one of those associations to arise, in all of their uneasiness, combativeness and contradictions, when they decided to adopt the name for their collective trio. “We knew the name would be controversial and misconstrued, but that it would ultimately encourage some discourse. That intent took precedence over any notions of ‘commercial’ success,” says Revis. The scare quotes that Revis places around the word “commercial” reflects the fact that such value judgments can be elusive, but it’s undeniable that all three bandmates have achieved considerable recognition and acclaim. Evans has released more than 25 albums without the support of a major label, becoming the model of a fiercely independent artist while making a habit of rattling the jazz world’s confining cages. That determination has paid off in such accolades as a pair of Grammy nominations for his raucous Captain Black Big Band. His ever-expanding “Village” of collaborators has recently included the likes of Nicholas Payton, Kevin Eubanks, Immanuel Wilkins and Kurt Rosenwinkel, among others. In addition to manning the bass chair in Branford Marsalis’ revered quartet since 1997 (scoring a Grammy in the process), Revis has also recorded eight brilliant and wildly diverse albums as a leader, teaming him with visionary artists like Jason Moran, Ken Vandermark, Kris Davis and Andrew Cyrille, and appeared on the soundtracks to the Netflix features Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Rustin. Waits, whose mentors include such pioneers as Max Roach and his esteemed father, percussionist Freddie Waits, has propelled such era-defining ensembles as Jason Moran’s Bandwagon, Andrew Hill’s bands and the Fred Hersch Trio. More recently he’s been an integral part of bands led by two renowned bassists: Christian McBride’s adventurous New Jawn and Dave Holland’s New Quartet with Kris Davis and Jaleel Shaw. Tarbaby’s self-titled 2008 debut on Imani was recorded as a quintet with saxophonists JD Allen and Stacy Dillard and vocalist TC III. Their 2010 follow-up, The End of Fear (Posi-Tone), invited trumpeter Nicholas Payton and iconic saxophonist Oliver Lake into the fold. The latter has remained a frequent collaborator, returning alongside trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire for 2013’s Ballad of Sam Langford (Hipnotic), for Fanon (Rogue Art) in 2014 with guitarist Marc Ducret, and for 2022’s Dance of the Evil Toys (Clean Feed) with trumpeter Josh Lawrence. On stage, creative partners have also included poet Sonia Sanchez and saxophone legend David Murray, while inspiration has come from sources as far flung as Don Cherry, Fats Waller and Bad Brains. “We’re just three cats that believe there are certain truths to this music that should be held sacred.” – Orrin Evans, piano Tarbaby didn’t set out to become a band. It arose from a conversation, one that in many ways had been going on for decades and continues to this day. That dialogue centers on the respect, or lack thereof, with which “jazz” (in these discussions, that word is often voiced tenuously if at all) is regarded by those who claim to uphold its traditions. The music’s origins are a key factor, especially as they are so intimately tied to uncomfortable facts that many, even those who reap its benefits, would prefer to ignore. “There are aspects of American history that are intertwined with the music that we play that most people don’t want to touch,” Waits asserts. “That’s the function the Tar Baby plays in that story: initially Br’er Rabbit doesn’t want to touch the Tar Baby, and when he finally does he can’t shake it off.” This concert is funded in part by the City of Houston Through Houston Arts Alliance. Admission - Pay What You Can

Nduduzo Makhathini, Unomkhubulwane (Blue Note)

Bunk Johnson, Bunk Plays the Blues and Spirituals in New Orleans (American music ten inch) Howard Rumsey's Light House All Stars, volume 3 (Contemporary ten inch) James P. Johnson, Jazz Band Ball (Blue Note ten inch)

I do know what you mean, from the not retired perspective. It sounds like an event I would enjoy.

The great kora player, Toumani Diabate, has died. https://www.africanews.com/2024/07/20/malis-king-of-kora-toumani-diabate-dies-at-58/

Helen Gillet, Tephra Sound, Horizon