sidewinder

If the packaging is like the zweitausendeins imitation shoe box then I'm ****ered !

Nucleus 'Snakehips Etc.' (Vertigo) Karl Jenkins & Soft Machine 'Music De Wolfe Sessions' (Turning Point)

Oh sh** !

Cedar Walton 'Eastern Rebellion 4' (Timeless)

Here's some thoughts on Saturday's performances. First up was Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet. Again, first time I had seen Delfeayo and I quite liked his straight-ahead, boppish style. Nice tenor work by Clarence Johnson. Couldn't stay long though as priority went to seeing Hank Jones with his working trio of George Mraz and Willie Jones III. Hank didn't put a foot wrong - playing in his usual impeccable and dignified style. This man should be representing the US internationally as a permanent State Department paid rep! Again, another great artist who defies the years. For the second half of this performance, promising Italian vocalist Roberta Gambarini was added to the trio. Hank over-ran a bit so was only able to catch about 20 minutes of McCoy Tyner All Star Septet. In the front line were Wallace Roney, Donald Harrison, Eric Alexander (sounded great) and Steve Turre, who was also featured on his custom conch shell selection on one number. Another capacity house for this one. Trio Beyond (DeJohnette/Scofield/Goldings) were the next act I saw - again to an absolute capacity audience. Thoughts on this superb performance posted in another thread but I've since listened to the ECM 2CD 'Sauvades' and this performance was even better. They have tightened up quite a bit since the 2004 London performance. The Blue Note CD chalet distracted me a bit at this point (just about every mid price CD plus rare grooves and a few good Conns at mid price on sale. Incredibly, I snagged most of the new Conn releases at 3 for 25 Euros ) so only got in for the latter part of Kenny Garrett Quintet. Another fine performance by Kenny - with pianist Benito Gonzales a standout. The last number was a vocal feature with lots of audience participation and it went on forever with the audience going wild at the front. A lovely way to end this second fine evening of jazz.

Isn't he 85 or thereabouts? In any event, he defies the years. At the end of the North Sea concert as he was packing his kit away a lady in the audience presented him with what looked like a brochure or magazine (must have had an article on him or something). He very graciously accepted it - a genuinely kind and humble man, I thought.

Same thing happened to me - stayed for the whole of the (highly enjoyable) Hank Jones and got caught up in the queue - just able to see the last 20 minutes of the McCoy but it was great. He sounded pretty good, especially on his solo feature - once again I was struck by just how great a drummer Eric Gravatt is. Heard McCoy quite recently too so again wasn't too put out at missing much of the concert.

37C in Southern England forecast for tomorrow. I'm at the Farnborough Air Show so I'll probably fry on the tarmac..

Saw John Heard at Ronnie Scotts a couple of times in the late 1970s/early 1980s as part of Louis Bellson's 'Big Band Explosion'. At least one of those concerts was recorded for Pablo I think. Fine player and strongly featured with this band.

Time to post a few thoughts. I've mentioned the 'Trio Beyond' concert in a separate thread but here are a few highlights. Starting with Friday: Awesome, virtuoso performance by James Carter with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw. First time I have seen Carter and was very impressed. Much of the material was a tribute to Don Byas, with lovely arrangements penned by Henk Meutgeert. A mighty fine job he did too (the band sounded quite like the CBBB at times). Nice vocal features for local singer Fay Claasen. Benny Golson was up next and he was featured in an amazing all-star group in a tribute to Clifford Brown with Roy Hargrove and Eddie Henderson on trumpets, Buster Williams on bass and Al Foster on drums ! As ever, Buster's big sound was a joy and Hargrove got solo honours (not the last time either, at this festival). The next concert was 'Influence' by Yusef Lateef and the Belmondo Bros.. Nearly missed it thanks to a human gridlock problem in the main corridor between stages but as I arrived Yusef was in the middle of one of his great modal flute solos. Absolutely awesome ! The performance featured an adventurous mid-size group with bassoon, cor anglais, flute, french horn etc. with the belmondos and Yusef doing most of the solos on recreations of many of the Lateef song book. Great young French Tynerish player on piano who was just right for the vampy, modal feel of the music. Yusef even got his tenor out for a long solo ( ) and to finish off he was featured on oud (I think) for an arrangement of what I assume was 'P-Bouk' (postscript - no, it was 'Brother John', of course). Absolutely flamin' incredible ! Then it was en-route to the main auditorium for 4 or 5 Grolsh's and a bit of head banging to Buddy Guy'. Again, a fantastic performance and the showmanship of this man and his group is first rate. Hearing permanently damaged I think as a result of the decibels... Then a brief interlude to check out Candi Staton and it was in for the last half hour or so of Regina Carter. Again, first time I have seen a performance by Ms Carter but it was nice stuff, with her C&W influence and very fine violin technique clear to hear. Unfortunately wasn't able to hear the Eddie Palmieri All-Stars, which clashed with this particular time slot. Great evening therefore - with pride of place to the Lateef. Sat and Sunday thoughts to follow...

Doesn't seem to be an active dime listing at the present time.

I didn't see any TV cameras in operation at this particular NorthSea concert, sadly. Interestingly, Jack DeJohnette got quite shirty at one stage with members of the audience who were filming the show (stated as 'forbidden by Trio Beyond') or using photo flash. Rightly so IMO - the flash photography was very distracting. The silver lining on this was that it made him hit the drums twice as hard.

Off the top of my head (and in case I forget): They opened with a magnificent version of 'The Moontrane' Then a composition by Larry Goldings (can't quite recall the title for the moment) Then 'Big Nick' (even better than the Lifetime original) Then 'I Fall In Love Too Easily' (tributes to Miles all round on this one - a fabulous performance) Then 'Spectrum' to finish off with (**** hot)... Not sure if I have missed a title ot two off or got the track order quite right. By some miracle I snagged a central seat on the third row - the house was packed to capacity !

Well, I've just got back from North Sea having seen this band live and can confirm it has to be one of the greatest gigs I've ever seen. These guys kicked ass - and the interplay between DeJohnette and Scofield was a joy to behold. Surpassed all expectations (which were already high).

This is sad news - my condolences.

This one obviously aimed at the 'ladettes' in our society.

Who needs the David Stone Martin covers when you can get a hairshirt binding !

His music certainly lives on and goes from strength to strength. Mosaic Select going on right now..

'Ted Curson Plays Fire Down Below' (Prestige Bergenfield DG mono)

Probably not far from the truth ! It would be handy for them to get to Glastonbury (I've got a small plot next to the composter that would do).

Yep, fraid so - been there, done it... I guess we have zweitausendeins.. I can't believe it!! I missed the Evans and Coltrane sets on 2001! It's time for me to buy a place in the US just to buy jazz..... How can they justify this??!! This is incredible! I'll go halves with you. (very small plot in North Dakota with P.O. box number perhaps?)

Sounds like they need to bring this guy out of mothballs to direct festivities..

Yep, fraid so - been there, done it... I guess we have zweitausendeins..

"Stop! Stop, will you?! Stop that! Stop it! Now, look! No one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle! Do you understand?! Even, and I want to make this absolutely clear, even if they do say 'Jehovah'."