Steve Reynolds

not a big fan of Mehldau and I'm an admirer of Evans but over the years, I have pursued other areas of listening interests inside and outside of jazz. HOWEVER, it must be a real bitch being a current performing jazz musician and always being compared the the grand masters of the past. I mean - look at the listening paterns of many - they don't even address the music released the past 30 years unless it is from an old dude or a revivalist label.... the classic case is the comparisons that all post-Coltrane tenor players have to deal with up to this day. then we get pianists being compared to Evans/Hancock/Tyner and even Sonny Clark or Red Garland, etc. with drummers it is Max/Elvin and maybe even Ed Blackwell and ON and ON and ON The idea that Evan is untouchable base don the exmaples of his music reminds me of Branford'as comments comparing Evan Parker's music to Coltrane - "it doesn't have the drive, it doesn't do this, etc." If we take ourselves and the mythology out of the equation, it might be possible to think or imagine that in some cases (or many?!?!) that some of the current musicians might be on the same level or beyond the grand masters of the past. So I understand Mehldau's gripe - who wouldn't be aggravated? I mean Fred Anderson on good night was on the level of the guys the same age as him who are considered legends - he just happened not to be known wider until he was in his late 60's or 70's. And Oscar Noriega or Tony Malaby or Michael Attias or Marty Ehrlich or Thomas Chapin (RIP) or Evan Parker or Toby Delius or Paul Dunmall or Rob Brown or Chris Potter or Darius Jones or Michael Moore from the next or next generation from the legends can all play with ANY of them - and on good nights or good days in the studio - the results are there for anyone with a BIT of an open mind to see, hear and feel. we can still and do embrace the well known legendary music created in the vast world of jazz, but when it is instituted and claimed and untouchable, a myth is born. even though Mal Waldron thoughout the last 25-30 years of his life made extraordinary music, that music was marginalized as he played with THAT band in 1961 (Dolphy, Little, Davis, Balckwell) and he was Billie's last pianist - that's the known history by the standard record keepers wheo themselves seemed to die in 1965.....well sometimes the body is buried many years later - Ben Franklin said that fwiw but that pales in reality to Transylvanian Dance - as *that* piano genius from maybe 1996 is truly untouchable and yet because it isn't of the golden era, it is hardly even known to exist, even though the man at the piano chair was, in fact, one of the legends who maybe just lived a little too long for the historiacl cogenecenti. blood and guts, baby

please don't take my comments about Anti-House to heart - I will try the recording and maybe I will get some enjoyment from it and will hear some subtleties I missed when seeing the band live. But PLEASE understand that after hearing Rainey-Halvorson-Laubrock at The Stone - and ADDING Kris Davis and a bassist, that I had very high expectations - expectations that I always try to keep under control. the reason for them is that the above trio was INCREDIBLE and Rainey was as great as I've ever seen him - and a few of the other times I've seen him, there were times/moments where he plays beyond any drummer alive - and at the Anti House show, it could have been anyone at the drum kit. THAT is disappointing. Another example if that I saw Open Loose with Nasheet in place of Rainey - and it was a let down - and Waits is great, but with that trio, Rainey takes the music to levels unknown to really any other sax-bass-drum trio in existance. So imagine being pissed off when Nasheet Waits is the fill-in?? so I am spoiled, not yet again jaded as I once was, but I still have a critical ear.

maybe you missed it from the Live Performances thread but the Tony Malaby Reading band covered 'Frankenstein' last Saturday night. Billy Drummond brought the music sheet and the band ripped into it with Billy playing the Tony Williams role with Billy's vibe. Alessi great in the trumpet role and Malaby channeled Jackie Mac on his tenor with a more avant-garde out sensibility never missing a beat with the start/stop nature of the composition. pretty damn brilliant to my ears.

As far as Ingrid, I love it when she roars. for me the most dissapointing set of Vision Fest was Anti-House That band never let loose. NEVER! astounding that they never let it rip with that band. MARY never cranked it up. Ingrid who when she wants to can approach the ferocity of Paul FUCKING Dunmall yet she was self-contained the whole hour playing nice soft melodic lines - nice melodies and all, but how 'bout some dynamics??? How about some JAZZ??? abd TOM RAINEY never did what he does better than anyone on the planet - crank the volume and blow the roof off the place. But the trio without Kris and the bassist is a whole different deal as they don't rely on overly intricate thematic material, they destroyed The Stone with everything I expected and MUCH MUCH MORE! Not taking advantage of Tom Rainey in that band in front of nice crowd was a damn shame. Maybe he likes just playing along sometimes when at his most fierce, he is one the top drummers now or ever. That is why I cannot imagine that Nasheet Waits is just going along for a little ride, but I could be wrong. Don't get me wrong, I think Kris' music is very interesting and I will buy the new CD at the show, but I just sometimes think that if it more often went from the mind to the heart and to the soul and more embraced the groove, the result might be a bit stronger.

relyles - well when she played with Mat Maneri's Quintet last April, she played the whole range - and there were more than a few very intense high energy passages. Not Cecil Taylor like, but closer than I ever imagined. and parts of the Novela band performances(which she arranges and plays in) is pretty damn explosive. yes - when I saw her band with Laubrock, Maneri, Gress and Rainey (I think the band on Capricorn Climber) there were only fleeting moments of external energy, but one has to think with Nasheet at the kit, there will be more outward fireworks than one might expect. In any event, she is a great pianist and I'm looking forward to hearing the band live from 5 - 7 feet from Mat's chair. Plus the band does have Mat Maneri in it.............

saw the word Uber in another thread (thanks King Ubu) but this is a real Uber band and not being facetious - I imagien there will be no pomp and circumstance and sertainly no grandstanding, but there well be some fucking magic and I *know* there will be some explosiveness as well. and I also know it might contain quite a bit of what many of us are loking for, the sound of surprise. (fwiw - Tony Malaby was hoping to be in the band as well but he heard to France a day or two before the show - as I asked him between sets last Saturday when he would be playing with Mat Maneri) Saturday, Mar 30 - 9:00PM & 10:30PM KRIS DAVIS Kris Davis, piano; Mat Maneri, viola; Drew Gress, bass; Nasheet Waits, drums

Shim had a couple of dates at The Jazz Gallery last year with some good bands. Another guy I need to see live. He is great as a very young man on a Hamiet Bluiett maple shade recording from the early 90's.

Maybe these guys are a few years older Tony Malaby for one Ellery Eskelin for two Not a huge Potter fan but he at least has dealt with post 1959 music Saw the name Jason Rigby from Larry. Will be checking him out live this year hopefully soon. From younger guys John Irabagon Also Ingrid Laubrock And for the only bop guys, take a listen before you well know....

like much of the Lacy discography but I've NEVER been able to aquire a taste for irene.... my personal favorite has always been Morning Joy on hatART with the bext Steve Potts known on record. Windows (soul note), Cliches (hat) (ithink that is name of the one with George Lewis with the band) and NYC Capers (hat) are all also terrific - none with too much if any singing.... We See (hat) is a fine recording of Monk tunes with a sextet.

A few more thoughts: As some know Tony might be my favorite or second favorite saxophonist alive(along with Evan Parker) but he might also be inconsistent, maddening and mystifying. But he has his own sound, can play anything in any context and never settles for anything other than risk taking adventure no matter what the context. There were moments last night when I KNEW I was listening to the greatest tenor player alive and there were also times I was thinking WTF is he doing?? And it seems to happen every time I see him. His extended improvisation during the Bechet slow blues was at times exasperating and then just as I thought that he again is going down some insane path of no return, he transformed his solo/improv into something teetering on genius. The guy is the greatest high wire performer in all of jazz with practiced technique honestly untouched by most any other tenor players on the scene today. Maybe he is not the pure bop/post bopper that Chis Potter or Jerry Bergonzi, but as far as the sound of surprise and the idea of never knowing where he's gonna go or what the hell is gonna happen, he is unmatched in jazz today. And last thing, Billy Drummond is a grand master and the in and out nature of the Malaby Reading Band showed him to be that master. A few people here might have died and gone to heaven hearing Frankenstein last night. Pure joy with not a sound of nostalgia in it. Alessi and Malaby during the heads and the stop time rhythm throughout with a great, great drum solo playing the melody before the classic theme ended the night

Well from Tony Malaby channeling Coleman Hawkins to Billy Drummond reinventing Tony Williams as himself, a pretty great 2 sets. Drew Gress is a groove monster and Ralph Alessi is precise yet at times exhuberent. The second set ended with a Sidney Bechet piece followed by Grachan Moncur's Frankenstein. Btw all tunes played were selected by Tony right before each set and played without rehearsal. Tunes included a Motian piece, a Chris Lightcap tune, a great Malaby original that was post bop groove based madness that ended the 65 minute first set on an extraordinary high note and Blessed by Mat Maneri. The composition/performance was at times almost silent with the whole place as quiet as any club could be. Mat himself was in the audience and might be a harbinger of things to come for this music. The best composition of the night, IMO, and inspired some of the most precise, yet heartfelt improvising from the dual horns.

I love Cleaver live as well especially in more open bands. I'm not a huge Berne fan either and i have also never heard of Anker. Thanks for the comments! Hopefully I'll have a few regarding tomorrow nights show

Saturday Night @ my favorite place - Cornelia Street Cafe: Saturday, Mar 16 - 9:00PM & 10:30PM TONY MALABY'S READING BAND Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Ralph Alessi, trumpet; Drew Gress, bass; Billy Drummond, drums

any comments, relyles?

I always think AMM's Live in Allentown is the best entry point - maybe as it was the entry point for me into what I consider another aspect of improvised music. I had to learn to not listen for the individual musicians and once I adapted, a whole new soundworld opened up for me yesterdaye ended up playing disc 1 of: Keith Rowe / Sachiko M / Toshimaru Nakamura / Otomo Yoshihide - erstlive 005 a few of us used to call this amazing 3 CD set 'the inaccessable document'

trying, trying me - I'm still crazy for drums - my number one factor outside the leader of a band to decide if I go see the band live... despite the fact that I listen to quite a bit of Keith Rowe et al, eai, etc. but I veer towards the loder more expressive end of that spectrum as the real quiet stuff almost gives me a headache or reminds me that my hearing at 52 isn't what it was at 32.

next step might be Keith Rowe, et al

I will mention some of the Joe Maneri discs: Blessing duo with his son Mat on violin and/or viola I think if you can deal with Barre Phillips on bass, Out Right Now on hatology is very fine - also with Mat as he is on most of Joe's recordings. I still say the best Joe Maneri discs have a drummer - but alas he is unlike anyone else I know - Randy Peterson but if you are bored with some of what you have been listening to - I think many of us have been there - I think taking a shot at what I have always called 'Maneri Music' might be a good idea. and the best of them might be 'Dahabenzapple', 'Coming Down the Mountain' and his last recording, the astounding 'Going to Church' - all have bass and drums for reeds, violin and drums - there is a great double live CD set on Leo - maybe that might work for you.

Well done. almost made me want to buy a turntable - nice well written article but the descriptions of Milford's drumming doesn't completely jibe with my experiences in listening to him live or on record - although I have only seen him live twice - one time was with William Parker and Peter Brotzmann and there was a helluva groove that night....

Ellery Eskelin's great trio with Andrea Parkins and Jim Black augmented with Joe Daley (tuba) and Erik Friedlander (cello): recoding is Ramifications on hatology - saw the band live - stupendous Tony Malaby Tuba Trio with the wonderful Dan Peck - I think the drummer on the recording may be John Hollenbeck fwiw - Peck is the tuba in the great Novela band - whihc does not have a bassist - last thing one thinks of when hearing the band live is "where is the bassist?"

HA! I love it when people walk out. Mark Ducret cleared out a couple rows at the Jazz Gallery a couple years back Frank Gratkowski blew out the row in from of me in the spring of 2001 with Michael Formanek and Gerry Hemingway at the old, old Roulette. They missed the greatest drumming performance they NEVER saw.

I agree with your definition but it clearly goes beyond Zorn - but maybe you used him as an example due to his last name. I also like other types of music - and I also have somewhere around 1200 or 1500 jazz recordings - maybe I used to have more - who knows the amount and I am no collector - thank jah for that - but I have similar problems trying to find a great rock record - and I am also not as thrilled with the more recent recordings I have sampled from the area of eai (electronic acoustic improvisation) where I thoroughly agree with you is it gets very difficult to find the *great* jazz records once I don't buy as many as I did 12 or 15 years ago, when I was really listening and buying much more than I do today. I would very much like the newer recordings I buy to count but over the past year I have found much more dissapointment in the quality of the music and even moreso often in the recording quality - with the latter issue being an embarrasment to the label/artist or whoever seemingly continues to fuck up what might be worthwhile sessions. I think part of it is that there are too many recordings, and that the great out/avant labels like hatART, FMP, emanem, or even okkadiskl are either old, defucnt or concentrating more on re-issues while clean feed has no filter on recording quality/music quality. plus the ECM recordings seem to increase the reverb with each passing year with the music having less a relationship to what it might actually sound like when they play it. nice to see artist like Brotzmann release some fine sounding music on some different labels, or hearing the fine DKV 7 CD box sound like the actual band. what I have found out is that if I pick the shows I want to see with some thought - usually looking for a band with a great drummer (and in NYC, that isn't very difficult) - then the result has been that over the past 3 year or so, I have seen dozens of very good show, and at least 10 to 12 different shows that I would consider *great*, *amazing* or *even historically great* so the music is there to be recorded and presented - I think that part of the equation has been an issue.

The Devil's Advocate question is why would anybody from after their generation want to play it either? Whatever the answer is, it ain't "comforting"! Or is it? I guess because they like it? Why do people still make blues records? They ain't gonna do it any better than Muddy, Howlin' Wolf, T-Bone, etc. Zappa and Beefheart loved the blues, but they knew it was pointless to make straight blues records. They had imagination and did something creative. As far as today's jazz scene is concerned, I can do without 98 percent of it. I'm just looking for a few unique voices to listen to. I don't care about all these cats that know all their jazz chords, but keep regurgitating what's already been done. Right now John Hollenbeck catches my ear. He has his own sound. As far as guitarists go, I haven't heard anybody in the past few years who sounds unique. I like Oz Noy. He has his own sound, but how many of these funk/jazz/soul trio albums is he going to do? He's got 4 out already. I'm not a guitar guy by any stretch but have you listened to Mary Halvorson or Brandon Seabrook? btw - 98% of what jazz scene? free improv, neo-bop, downtown NYC, remnants of Fire Music revisited, Chicago post AACM, etc.? what is the jazz scene today? 98% no good? Mat, Ed & Randy NO GOOD?!?! Ellery Eskelin? Gerry Hemingway - where does he fit in? how about Jenny Scheinman with Todd Sickafoose, Nels Cline and Jim Black - they no good? Trio 3 no good - they are over 70, are they part of the current jazz scene pretty broad brush - 98% Is Evan Parker jazz or is he dead???? At the Vortex, baby

Just compared a few. PLEASE look for the Don Mount videos. MUCH better quality. Also Look for Ivo Perelman trio with the wonderous Michael Bisio on bass. Ivo is a bit of a screamer on tenor but he melds that power with a great sense of melody. One can hear his roots in his crying improvisations. One of the great tenors of the past 20 years as is Dunmall

The vision fest clips are of better quality. Please try to check out the bands I mentioned. Performances were very strong