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Last Tuesday, Tom Harrell's Trip at the Village Vanguard. Last Wednesday, Doug Carn Quintet (with Stacy Dillard on saxophones, Duane Eubanks on trumpet and Lonnie Plaxico on bass) at the Zinc Bar. The crowd was sparse but the music was fantastic. Last Thursday, George Cables and John Webber duo at Mezzrow. A very nice new club with great sound and a friendly atmosphere. Friday night, Abdullah Ibrahim (solo piano) at Zankel Hall. A very quiet, lyrical and reflective solo concert, followed by the the very high energy and fairly loud (re-formed to celebrate Anita Evans' birthday) Gil Evans Orchestra at the Zinc Bar. An 11 piece band including Mike Clark on drums, Dave Taylor on trombone, Lou Soloff and Miles Evans on trumpet, Mark Egan on bass, Gil Goldstein on piano, Delmar Brown on keyboards, Minu Cinelu on percussion, and Oz Noy on guitar. For the opening of the second set Mark Egan was replaced by a bassist who looked (and played) alot like Jaco--later introduced as Felix Pastorius, the son of Jaco. Saturday afternoon, a free performance by Jason Moran of his Fats Waller Dance Party, in a street fair on 96th Street and Fifth Avenue. Saturday night, Ben Allison (with Brandon Seabrook and Steve Cardenas on guitar and Allison Miller on drums) at the Cornelia Street Cafe. That might have been the best two sets I heard this visit to NYC. Next, to Smalls for a set by John Ellis (group included Kevin Hays and Kendrick Scott), and finally by the Philip Harper Quintet. With long ago memories of seeing the Harper Brothers and the very late hour, I nearly left, but ultimately stuck around and was quite pleasantly surprised by Philip Harper and the high quality of his group.

Not a new release, but I was rather surprised at how much I enjoyed Houston Person/Bill Charlap, You Taught My Heart to Sing. Gorgeous lyrical tenor sax playing in a duo setting.

Paul Serrano, Blues Holiday (Riverside black label stereo), and Jim Robinson, Plays Spirituals and Blues (Riverside, blue label mono).

Doug Carn, Spirit of the New Land (Black Jazz)

Received the new one today (listening now) and it sounds just as good as the other two so far.

I do vividly recall seeing Freddie King live one time at Mother Blues in Dallas in 1974 or 1975, sitting in the front, and being blown away by his guitar sound and musical charisma.

Happy birthday!

Good recording by Rodney Green here: http://www.amazon.com/Rodney-Green-Live-at-Smalls/dp/B00H88AX9K

Yusef Lateef, Into Something (Prestige, purple label, warped), and Art Tatum, Piano Solos vol. 1 (Decca ten inch)

Tonight, listening to Jimmy Greene's second set.

The Three Sounds, Moods (Blue Note, W. 63rd).

Last night, at the Granada Theater, opening the evening was the Bnois King/Smokin' Joe Kubeck band, distinguished by Bnois King's fine singing voice and some pretty good original material. Then followed the first Dallas concert for the ever-touring Lucky Peterson in a year and a half. Recently, he had been forced to cancel a European tour for health reasons. This was his first post-illness public appearance. A hammond b3 organ rests on the stage. Backed by a quartet (guitar, organ/keyboards, bass and drums), the concert opened in overloud, frenetic fashion. A little patience, and the third song is Lucky playing solo B3. Awesome it is, followed by more organ in the original from his new CD (Son of a Bluesman), I'm Still Here. Over the course of the concert, one learns he is fortunate to still be here, and he sings this song with joy. Then, switching to guitar for a long instrumental interlude, he is at the top of his form--including a lengthy version of Nana Jarnell from his new CD that is astounding (jaw dropping time at the sounds emanating from his guitar). This was the peak; the fine concert continues until midnight. As usual, an eclectic experience (blues, funk, soul, jazz, gospel). I hope it's not so long until the next one.

I can't believe anyone would list those Mingus/Slugs recordings--their fidelity is so bad, they are competely unlistenable.

Smoky Babe is fabulous. I ordered the new release yesterday. The Arhoolie CD release is Louisiana Country Blues. His Prestige/Bluesville release, Hottest Brand Goin', is excellent. As far as I know, those two were all there was available until this new release.

I bailed out on both Frisell and Zorn years ago, but I kind of like the music you linked.

My understanding was that the Dial catalogue was not well preserved, unlike Savoy, for which most of the masters were (and are) still in existence when the complete Savoy Bird box set was released. The Dial catalogue was in disarray until Spotlight purchased the rights in the 1970s and issued the Bird Dial LP box set. These were transferred from the best available sources at the time, but I thought mostly from 78s, not masters. This I thought was why the Dial recordings generally do not sound as good, fidelitywise, as the Savoys. If this reissue is a significant improvement over the Spotlight version, I'll definitely buy it.

November 6, 2014: Tinariwen, Granada Theater, Dallas November 7, 2014: Tinariwen, The Studio @ Warehouse Live, Houston November 7, 2014: Lonnie Smith Trio, McCollough Theater, Austin November 7, 2014: New York Standards Quartet (David Berkman, Tim Armacost, Gene Jackson, Michael Janisch), Walton Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas November 8, 2014: Tutu Jones, Babb Bros., Dallas November 9, 2014: Tinariwen, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin November 15, 2014: Arnab Chakrabarty, St. Edwards University, Austin November 15, 2014: Kermit Ruffins, Highland Jazz and Blues Festival, Shreveport November 22, 2014: The Core Trio featuring Matthew Shipp, Ovations, Houston November 23, 2014: Matthew Shipp Presents Cube Flow, Houston Composers Salon December 3, 2014: Shelley Carrol, Sammons Center, Dallas December 7, 2014: Wynton Marsalis, Walton Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas December 10, 2014: Wynton Marsalis, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio December 11, 2014: Wynton Marsalis, Meyerson Symphony Hall, Dallas December 13, 2014: Dave Burrell, Christ Church Cathedral, Houston January 16, 2014: Mike Stern and Eric Johnson, Dosey Doe, Houston January 17, 2015: Vijay Iyer, Carver Center, San Antonio January 17, 2014: Mike Stern and Eric Johnson, Granada Theater, Dallas February 7, 2015: Jason Moran, The Rauschenberg Project, Cullen Theater, Houston February 22, 2015: Branford Marsalis, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio March 7, 2015: Kendrick Scott's Oracle, Cullen Theater, Houston March 20-21, 2015: Paquito D'Rivera, TCU Jazz Festival, Fort Worth March 21, 2015: Cyrus Chestnut, Walton Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas April 4, 2015: Rokia Traore, Carver Center, San Antonio April 11, 2015: Jeff Tain Watts, Bates Recital Hall, Austin April 11, 2015: Joe Locke, Walton Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas April 12, 2015: Lila Downs, Dell Hall, Austin April 18, 2015: Branford Marsalis, Cullen Theater, Houston April 22-26, 2015: Festival Internationale de Louisiane, Lafayette, Louisiana April 24-May 3, 2015: New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival May 15, 2015: Vijay Iyer, solo and with Brentano String Quartet, Tobin Center, Alvarez Studio, San Antonio May 24, 2015: Randy Weston and Company, Tobin Center, Riverwalk Plaza, San Antonio June 5-6, 2015: T Bone Walker Blues Festival, Longview

Taking it all in stride with a pretty awesome version of My Favorite Things (Live at Temple University).

They are certainly all worked up on the local news.

I drive by that hospital several times a week; it's about a mile from my house.

The iTunes store looks normal on my computer (I have upgraded).

In preparation for Friday's Lucky Peterson concert at the Granada Theater, the linked photo is with Jimmy Smith (who is smiling). https://www.facebook.com/LuckyPetersonMusic/photos/a.672977339416072.1073741828.121465157900629/730776896969449/?type=1&theater

Well, I prefer more melodic music as a general rule. This is based on my obsessive listening to jazz since 1974, exploring recordings from the beginning of jazz to the present, and attending hundreds of concerts over the last 40 years.

To my ears, Moran plays with guts, grit and power. Having a first listen to All Rise right now. As for Joe McPhee, I just saw him once. I was poised to enjoy the experience, as I bought a ticket and the fellow sitting next to me was raving about how great he was. Whether it was him having a bad night or me being unreceptive or his music not fitting with my tastes, I don't know. Anyway, for now I'll explore other current music.

Okay, if you insist. I think the worst concert by a name avant-garde player I've ever seen was by Joe McPhee. That was really a terrible experience; I truly hated his trumpet playing. Maybe it was a bad night, I don't know, but I have no interest in investigating further. Peter Brotzman I didn't like very much either. I will say that he is impressively loud. However, I'm not really anti-avant garde. So far this year I've seen Bobby Bradford and Bern Nix live. And I'll hopefully see Dave Burrell in a couple of months.