Steve Reynolds

Last night in brooklyn Brandon Seabrook solo tenor banjo Chuck Bettis on electronics duo with Nava Dunkelman on percussion then a short trio

Last night at Lowlands Son of Goldfinger Tim Berne, David Torn & Ches Smith 50 minute piece with 11 minute short piece to close all improvised as is the group’s way incredible as always. First show of the group in over a year. Playing again next Tuesday. Ches Smith is a force of nature. Best playing I’ve heard from David Torn. Peaking at 72, apparently:)

Recency bias but Webb Crawford last night played as great on guitar as anyone I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen Webb many times over the past 2 years but last night Webb was driving that trio madly. 23, 12 & 13 minute improvisations. Wowza tonight Webb & Chuck duo trio with Michael Foster, Leila Boudreuil & Corsano Leila is an incredible cellist. This trio should be great. Early 6:00 gig in Brooklyn.

I’d give my right pinky finger to see Brandon, Steve & Gerald Cleaver again. Saw them in December 2019. Maybe one day Cleaver will come back to NYC. Brandon & Steve are off to Europe today for 2 gigs. One in Antwerp tomorrow and the second in Amsterdam on Saturday.

Last night in Brooklyn Steve Baczkowski, Brandon Lopez & Chuck Roth Baczkowski is among the greatest saxophonists on the planet. the opening unaccompanied solo to start the short second set was one of the greatest things I’ve ever heard. Brandon was beyond even his very high standards. Most intense playing I’ve heard from him a while. And besides John Edwards, no bassist brings it like Brandon Lopez. Too bad I don’t see Edwards live. I’m very grateful I see Lopez play at least 10-15 times a year. Probably more than that. He’s playing shit that no one else even knows exists. Chuck Roth was a bit differential but it’s understandable. First time playing with Steve. Chuck was typically brilliant again playing stuff I’ve never heard him play before. Like Brandon but to a lesser extent, I’m gifted to be able to see the *great* Chuck Roth play often probably at least once a month for the last 2 plus years. No one has ever played the guitar like Chuck Roth. tonight at The Stone Trevor Dunn, Webb Crawford & Chris Corsano

Last night at Close Up Nate Wooley, Sylvie Courvoisier & Chis Corsano 46 & 42 minute sets. Stunning.

Ordered

Seeing Ghost with Joe McPhee again on 10/1 in Philly Ghost is Michael Foster, John Moran & Joey Sullivan last year they were spectacular at Tubby’s in Kingston, NY. McPhee played the foil to Michael. Deep respect for the great young saxophonist/musical inventor. Foster is the best of his generation as far as NYC saxophonists go. I’ve seen the trio with Michael, Webb & Joey at least 5 times over the last 18 months. Seeing Webb with Trevor Dunn & Chris Corsano on 8/27 at The Stone. Webb is one of the best improvisers on guitar I’ve heard. Along with Chuck Roth & Luciana Bass, the best young improvisors I’ve heard on the guitar. Fwiw the trio recordings with Sandy Ewen, Damon Smith & Weasel Walter are all spectacular. Sandy Ewen is a genius. Plus she’s great to watch music with. Big ears.

Add Dog Star / a few years old but stunning. Goncalo Almeida & others. Opening 26 minute piece is genius. Vasco Trilla & Yedo Gibson are the real deal. Against Proper Objects / Michael Foster, Webb Crawford & Joey Sullivan Lifeline: Pat Thomas, Dominic Lash & Tony Orrell Tectonic Plates: John Butcher, Alan Niblock & Mark Sanders Hammer, Roll & Leaf: Sakina Abdou, Marta Warelis & Toma Gouband Do NOT miss the Sven Ake discs. These are all-timers. RIP.

Rachel Musson is a great tenor saxophonist. Her recordings on matchless with Eddie Prevost are great. Under the Sun is incredible with the *great* N.O. Moore on guitar.

Last week Tony Malaby, Jakob Sacks, John Hebert & Tom Rainey. An hour of continuous music with composed themes & stunning improvisations Tamarindo which is Malaby, Brandon Lopez & Nasheet Waits. Hour freely improvised followed by a 15 minute coda/encore. Very demanding yet rewarding midnight set. seeing these two wildly different extraordinary drummers back to back was a treat. Seeing & hearing the *great* Tony Malaby never gets old. Must be close to a hundred times now over the past 15-17 years. Grand master on tenor & soprano saxophones. Nobody sounds anything like him. Jack Wright on alto & soprano saxophones with Evan Lipson on double bass & Mike Pride on drums. The next night they added Brandon Seabrook on banjo. That 35 minute set top 3-4 sets of the year. Jack Wright at 82 destroying atoms. One of the greatest improvisers on the planet Jonathan Moritz on tenor saxophone with Shayna Dulberger on double bass & Mike Reid on drums. Great set of 3 tunes. Moritz is great. Duo with Daniel Carter & Ayumi Ashito. Wondrous soft improvisations with Carter as always switching from the large array of horns. Flute to trumpet to clarinet to soprano, tenor & alto saxophones.

So sorry I missed it! Fell asleep & ended up at late sets in NYC

Last night Trevor Dunn’s Proofreaders playing the music of Ornette Coleman Trevor on contrabass Darius Jones on alto saxophone Nate Wooley on trumpet Ryan Sawyer on drums tight 50 minute set. Darius & Nate are peaking as always. Stunning working of music that I used to listen to often years ago. Lots of fun. Ryan is a great drummer, fwiw. last Friday Michael Foster, Webb Crawford & Joey Sullivan Michael on tenor & soprano saxes, Webb on guitar & tenor banjo & Joey on drums Maybe the 7th time I’ve seen the trio / best set so far. Intense 30 minute piece/set Webb is incredible. Michael remains to my ears, the best saxophonist in NYC. Endless ideas and intensely quiet or threateningly loud. What a sound. Especially on soprano. Stunning first shows in a few weeks. Went to over 25 in April & May.

I’ll be there on 7/19

The 72-74 band with Fripp, Weston, Cross & Bruford was the best live amplified rock band ever save for The Grateful Dead (68 thru 78). Only rock band that could improvise within & without structures near the level of The Dead.

His most recent recordings are incredible end of life magic Rotations + with Franz Hautzinger & Ignaz Shick / recorded in 2023 Stumps a quintet which includes Joel Grip & Axel Doerner / recorded in 2022 both released in January of this year Two of the most creative & wonderful recordings I’ve newly heard over the past few years RIP to a grand master

Bush Fire Foxes Fox etc RIP to the greatest drummer of the past 40-50 years that I never saw live sounded nothing like any other drummer. Some people here might know I have a thing for drummers of the very wide idiom called free music. peace and blessings

Last Thursday at Solar Myth in Philly Gerry Hemingway, Reggie Workman & Miya Masaoka astounding 75-80 minute set Reggie turns 88 in 2 weeks. Channelled the ancients. Hemingway was brilliant as always. Their use of alternate instruments (especially Workman with bells, tubes & soft breaths) was organic & deeply psychedelic. This is what avant-garde is. 28-30 minute piece followed by a 38-40 minute improvisation. Shortish 6-7 minute encore left some if us stunned. Munificent. deeply moving & life affirming on Friday a great set: Michael Foster with Strings with Nava Dunkelman being even better than the last 2 shows I saw with her. Rocio Sanchez on cello & Jessica Pavone on viola are two new additions to the group & the young virtuoso on cello destroyed atoms. They employ shards from Ellington, Strayhorn & McPhee with freely improvised sections to great effect. Concise 42 minute continuous set.

Saw Tyshawn Sorey, Rudolph & Liebman in 2023. Liebman’s playing was very weak. He was and is very very frail.

Last Thursday night one of the best sets I’ve ever seen. at The Stone at The New School in the Glass Box Theatre: Kochi Makigami on wood flute, vocalizing, cornet & theremin Sana Nagana on violin Ned Rothenberg on alto sax, clarinet & wood flute Tim Dahl on electric bass Ches Smith on drums explosive, dynamic 52-53 minutes. 4 pieces each unique yet connected in some odd way. wowza on a million levels. Fully improvised yet seemed like a suite. the following night was very good with Myk Friedman, Erik Frieadlander & Nava Dunkelman joining Kochi. But after Thursday it paled in comparison. Tim Dahl & Ches Smith are an unstoppable force. And the violinist was a radical voice & Kochi didn’t over do his mind blowing vocal technique which he tended to do last night. as many times as I’ve seen Ches, he continues to astound me. And I’ve probably seen him in various groups about 40-50 times over the years. In some ways like John Henry Bonham. Meant as the highest compliment. It’s also great to be 10 feet from his bass drum. After Phil Lesh, Tim Dahl is the best electric bassist I’ve ever heard. Live in a small room, it’s life changing every time. He’s insane.

Last night at Close Up in NYC two very strong sets from Ingrid Laubrock, Brandon Lopez & Tom Rainey

Same here. Glad they are playing well.

Second set last night with Billy Martin might have been even better. Fred brought out the fire the last 20 minutes. Billy matched his force & energy. Wowza. Fred Frith is a genius on multiple levels. Peaking at 75.

On another level tonight. Nava rules the world. A PLUS set. Incredible. peace and blessings

Last night: Fred Frith with Tom Malmendier on drums astounding 47-48 improvisation tonight: Frith with Nava Dunkelman