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Yesterday, at Trinity University in San Antonio, Randy Weston and His African Rhythms, with Billy Harper on tenor sax, T.K. Blue on alto sax and flute, Alex Blake on bass, Neil Clarke on percussion, and trombone (didn't catch his name). Randy Weston, it should be noted, who is now 89 years old, was amazingly vigorous, with no apparent diminution in his playing at all. The concert, at approximately an hour and three-quarters, consisted of African Sunrise, Hi Fly, Billy Harper's If One Could Only See (a solo tenor saxophone performance), The Beauty of It All (the trio of Randy Weston, Billy Harper and Alex Blake, an utterly gorgeous performance), Blue Moses (really long and fabulous), a brief Mystery of Love, and finally an encore. The small auditorium was completely full, and the audience wildly enthusiastic--it was a rare privilege to be present.

Sounds like a great, if short-lived and doomed from inception, place.

That's the one where Cannonball sits in on the last cut, correct? That's a hot jam! Yes, Cannonball, Nat and Dexter Gordan, with Hampton Hawes (electric piano), Bob Crenshaw and Kenny Clarke. Continuing with Gene Ammons, Big Bad Jug (Prestige/Fantasy).

That's too bad you can't make it; I'm actually going to fly, so with this weather we'll see how that works out. I'm actually distressed that I missed Woody Shaw in Oklahoma and didn't know it.

Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux (Prestige/Fantasy)

Eddie Harris, High Voltage (Atlantic), Roland Kirk, Volunteered Slavery (Atlantic), and Duke Ellington at Newport (Columbia six eyes mono).

Randy Weston's current concert schedule: Randy Weston African Rhythms Quartet & Billy Harper Musical Bridges Around the World at Ruth Taylor Recital Hall, Trinity University www.musicalbridges.org >> San Antonio, TX, USA June 11 2015 Randy Weston & Billy Harper at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center www.tribecapac.org >> New York, NY, USA June 20-21 2015 Randy Weston African Rhythms Trio at Harlem Jazz at Minton's www.music.mintonsharlem.com >> Harlem NY, NY, USA July 11 2015 Randy Weston & Billy Harper at North Sea Jazz - Madeira stage www.northseajazz.com >> Rotterdam, Netherlands October 17 2015 Randy Weston African Rhythms Trio at The Ritz Theatre www.ritzjacksonville.com >> www.facebook.com/pages/Flying-Saucer-Presents >> Jacksonville, FL, USA March 19 2016 Randy Weston African Rhythms at Zankel Hall - Carnegie Hall www.carnegiehall.org >> New York, NY, USA

Anyone besides me planning on going to see Randy Weston Sunday? I considered going to see Nicole Mitchell, then Randy Weston, but business travel the week before and the week after discouraged me, so I went with the long-time favorite (and the easier city to navigate).

I've never heard that record, but mention of it has crossed my path twice recently. Here, and in an email a friend sent me recently. He was playing a gig and to quote him: "the pianist played Hank Jones's introduction from the album note-for-note perfect. I couldn't believe my ears, partly because I didn't know anyone else who was a fan of the LP--for a minute I thought maybe Duke had done a similar intro that Hank had lifted, but no. Joe could see the expression on my face while he was playing it, and afterwards said something to the effect of "so you know that record, too?" The sort of inside joke that can make playing an awards dinner a tolerable experience." It was only the second time I've ever listened to the LP, so I would have missed the reference--I'm really not a fan of Al Hibbler's vocal style. Roland Kirk does sound good on the recording, of course.

Roland Kirk and Al Hibbler, A Meeting of the Times (Atlantic)

The Genius of Art Tatum No. 3 (Verve, trumpet label), Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges (Verve), and Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (Verve).

Good stuff! New speakers, so I'm on an LP listening binge! Good deal!!! What kind did you get? Rega RS3 loudspeakers. I'm pretty happy so far (goes well with Rega P3 turntable).

Good stuff! New speakers, so I'm on an LP listening binge!

Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at the Opera House (Verve), Jimmy Giuffre, Freefall (Columbia), and Don Patterson, Holiday Soul (Prestige).

Miles Davis, Sketches of Spain (Columbia two eyes mono), Johnny Lytle, Swinging at the Gate (Pacific Jazz), Miles Davis, Sorcerer (Columbia stereo two eyes), Charles Earland, Intensity (Prestige/Fantasy), and The Three Sounds, Black Orchid (Blue Note stereo NY USA).

Coleman Hawkins Quartet, Today and Now (Impulse), and Sonny Rollins on Impulse (Impulse).

Grant Green, Sunday Morning (Blue Note, NY USA), and Gene Ammons, Free Again (Prestige/Bellaphon).

I just saw Cassandra Wilson in New Orleans, and she has a really good band that includes Charlie Burnham on violin, Kevin Breit on guitars and Lonnie Plaxico on bass. One thing I enjoyed about her (in addition, of course, to her gorgeous voice and the wonderful songs) was the evident joy she took in the playing of her band.

May 23, 2015: Nicole Mitchell Indigo Trio, Meca, Houston May 24, 2015: Randy Weston and Company, Trinity University, San Antonio May 29, 2015: Cassandra Wilson, Miller Theater, Houston May 29, 2015: Shelley Carrol, Free Man, Deep Ellum June 4, 2015: Eric Gales, Guitar Sanctuary, McKinney June 5-6, 2015: Eric Gales, T Bone Walker Blues Festival, Longview June 6, 2015: Indradeep Ghosh, University of St. Thomas, Jones Hall, Houston June 7, 2015: Eric Gales, Hat Tricks, Lewisville June 11, 2015: Ginger Baker, One World Theater, Austin June 12, 2015: Marcus Miller, One World Theater, Austin June 12, 2015: Ginger Baker, Dosey Doe, Houston June 13, 2015: Marcus Miller, Granada Theater, Dallas June 13, 2015: Zac Harmon, Babb Bros., Dallas June 17, 2015: King Sunny Ade, Paramount Theater, Austin June 18, 2015: King Sunny Ade, Annette Straus Square, Dallas June 20, 2015: Bill Evans, Brookhaven Village, Norman, Oklahoma June 20, 2015: Chris Thomas King, The Auditorium, Eureka Springs, Arkansas July 2, 2015: Ignacio Berroa, Miller Theater, Houston July 17, 2015: Buddy Guy, Moody Theater, Austin July 31-August 2, 2015: Satchmo Summerfest, New Orleans September 6, 2015: Buddy Guy, Bedford Blues Festival September 10, 2015, Billy Childs, Austin September 17, 2015: Billy Hart Quartet, Fort Worth Public Library Fall, 2015: T.N. Krishnan (violin), Austin October 11, 2015: Zakir Hussain, Dave Holland, Amit Chatterjee, Shankar Mahadevan, Riverbend Centre, Austin October 18, 2015: Buena Vista Social Club, Dell Hall, Austin October 24, 2015: Arthur O'Farrill Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Cullen Theater, Houston October 27, 2015: Nels Cline and Julian Lage, Mighty Duck, Houston October 28, 2015: Nels Cline and Julian Lage, Cactus Cafe, Austin October 29, 2015: Nels Cline and Julian Lage, Kessler Theater, Dallas November 6, 2015: Azar Lawrence with Jeff Tain Watts, Cullen Theater, Houston December 5, 2015: Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio, Cullen Theater, Houston January 22, 2016: Dave Douglas, Uri Caine, Don Byron, Austin March 19, 2016: Guillermo Klein Y Los Guachos, Cullen Theater, Houston April 9, 2016: Terell Stafford, Austin April 16, 2016, SF Jazz Collective, Cullen Theater, Houston

I can answer, as I believe I have all of his leader recordings. His most guitar focused recording is the most recently released one--Travelin' Man, on JSP. It is quite good. Also, while you're at it, Son of A Bluesman (also a recent release) features an absolutely great guitar instrumental, Nana Jarnell.

No, but they are at Jazz Standard in New York this Thursday to Sunday, which I'm sure would be fun to hear. The Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell The Gil Evans Project directed by Ryan Truesdell In April 2011, jazz scholar and conductor Ryan Truesdell thrilled a packed Jazz Standard as he lead a star–studded big band through a breathtaking performance of music from composer/arranger Gil Evans’ 1961 album Out Of The Cool. In the spring of 2012, a century after Evans’ birth in Toronto, Ryan and the Gil Evans Project returned to our stage to celebrate their new ArtistShare CD Centennial, featuring previously unrecorded Evans compositions and arrangements. Voted Record Of The Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, this album won the GRAMMY Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement (for the track “How About You”) and also was nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album and Best Arrange­ment featuring a Vocalist (“Look To The Rainbow,” with Luciana Souza). The New York Times called Centennial “an extraordinary album,” while AllAboutJazz.com hailed “a US national treasure that de­serves a place in the Smithsonian Institute and every jazz record library.” For this return engagement, Ryan Truesdell and the Gil Evans Project release their new live record, Color Lines, which was recorded just a year ago on our stage – make your reservations now! Ryan Truesdell – Director Steve Wilson, Dave Pietro, Donny McCaslin, Tom Christensen, Alden Banta, Steve Kenyon – Reeds Adam Unsworth, David Peel – French Horn Augie Haas, Tony Kadleck, Scott Wendholt (5/14), Mike Rodriguez (5/15-17) – Trumpets Ryan Keberle, Tim Albright (5/14), Marshall Gilkes (5/15-17), George Flynn (bass trombone) – Trombones Marcus Rojas – Tuba Wendy Gilles – Vocals Lois Martin – Viola James Chirillo – Guitar Frank Kimbrough – Piano Jay Anderson – Bass Lewis Nash – Drums Mike Truesdell – Percussion

Sonny Stitt, Black Vibrations (Prestige), and Art Blakey, Andthenagin (Prestige).

Sonny Still seems almost appropriate. Oops. I can't see close up with my glasses on any more. Continuing to catch up on some late Prestiges. Hampton Hawes, Blues for Walls, and Dexter Gordon, The Jumpin' Blues.

Gene Ammons and Sonny Still, Together Again for the Last Time (Prestige), and Art Blakey, Buhaina (Prestige)

Sad story. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Fight-over-blues-legend-B-B-King-goes-to-court-6248937.php