Steve Reynolds

In fact, some of it like disc1 (2009) and the bonus disc with the Don Cherry stuff (2008) might be a bit better than damn great. One of the discs is a bit rough - maybe one of the middle discs from 2010 - the band never get going like they are capable of and one wonders why they might have included it the last 2 shows from 12/27 & 12/28/11 are energy filled with lots of KV on baritone sax. and the main reason it is worth getting is it the best recording of Hamid Drake - soundwise, performance wise, really all around - diverse, energetic and simply a document of one of the truly transcendent drummers of this generation or really any generation. I am only listening to this in my car - with a decent enough sounding stereo - and it almost sounds like him live - and I remember last June live - and this recording brings the listener pretty close to the sound of Hamid live - and for those who have heard and seen him live in a good sounding club or hall - there is nothing in this world that compares.... Blue Winter, baby

fwiw - much of the 7 CD DKV box is pretty damn great

real good year - maybe as good as 2011..... Schweizer-Favre @ The Stone - spring Open Loose - @ Cornelia Street - spring Rainey-Halvorsen-Laubrock @ The Stone - spring Mat Maneri Quintet @ Cornelia Street - April In Order to Survive @ Vision Fest Dunmall-Shipp-Morris-Cleaver @ Vision Fest Han Bennink 70th Birthday concert @ Columbia University - spring Tony Malaby's Novela @ Corneila Street - summer Open Loose @ Cornelia Street last weekend (December 22nd) with Nahseet Waits in Rainey's seat Travis Laplante quartet with Mat Maneri, Michael Formanek & Randy Peterson @ I-beam - Brooklyn - December 2 best shows: Mat Maneri's Quintet with the great Kris Davis and typically beyond improvising from Mat & Randy In Order to Survive with seminal performances from Drake & Cooper-Moore other best individual performances: Rainey with Open Loose in the springtime Malaby last weekend - ended the first set with as extraordinary improvising on the tenor saxophone as this boy has (ever?!?!) witnessed

for me the best Ed Blackwell recordings are the later ones - number one being Joe Lovano's 'From the Soul' from 1992 also great is 'Sounds of Joy' with Lovano andf Anthony Cos from maybe 1990 of the older records, the fulcrum has to be the legendary Five Spot recordings from 1961 with that one in a million band.

clifford - was thinking about seeing that band @ Cornelia Street - I am hoping you are there this Saturday for Open Loose with Malaby, Helias and Rainey - last time was beyond great - especially the seond set when Rainey destroyed the fucking world. I be there sitting in one of the closer seats...

"Streetcar" is the single greatest thing I have heard this past year - about 7 minutes in the band CRANKS it up and the tension is finally released. the whole 3 CD box is filled with much great stuff and limited filler

Ok - back int he day on another board, there was MUCH KV bashing and some by me - I have never been a fan of the Vandermark 5 despite a pretty damn sincere effort some 8 to 10 years ago to really listen to the band - and the large Transatlantic band is up and down - but I sure would love to see them live - and a trio in NYC in the early 2000's with Paul Lovens and Paul Lytton was close to unlistenable DESPITE Paul Lovens being fucking brilliant. and his efforts through the grant to bring the Brotzmann Tentet to life is priceless - the 2 performances I witnessede of that ensemble in 2000 and 2002 @ Tonic in NYC *remain* the greatest live performances of music this boy has ever witnessed. HOWEVER...I always think that although KV is limited when he gets into it with guys like Mats with AALY despite the pure unadulterated brilliance of the AALY trio with KV - for the naysayers listen to 'Hidden in the Stomach" from 1996 or the transcendent "Live at the Glenn Miller Cafe" from couple of years later - try the opening track (written by Ken) when about 3 minutes in KV launches a riff with energy that is on the level of any free jazz tenorist - DESPITE the fact he is next to the beast of all beast on that same horn - Mats himself. and as far as DKV - I saw the band on 3/27/2001 and while Ken may not have at his best, the actual show was among the 4 or 5 greatest shows I have EVER attended - Drake and Kessler with KV's groove based playing (his strength for sure as miniature improvisations and complex detailed improvisations are certainly not) made for an energy level with Drake playing at his highest level as he always has with that trio made it a night to remember for me those many years later. and the band has 2 recordings - Live at Wels and Chicago (recorded 1998) and Trigonomtry (recorded on 3/24/01 & 3/31/01) that remain 2 of the great free jazz recording of the past 30 years. disc 2 of Wels - specically the last 2 long tracks are genius and thos riffs and melodies shoule be fucking canonized in a faitr and just musical world.

CT - is that Harmos Live recording out/available on Intakt??

maybe some of you want to read the Penguin guides to see where Cook and Morton are coming from

thanks for the response, JETman - I think it is something that has irritated me for quite some time but I am certainly not an angry person these days and I ofetn may come accross as insulting but that is probably to make a point as living in this area, there are many jaded music listeners and a few years back, I was on my way to being one of those taking for granted who is playing live these days wallowing in the past that was gone and that I missed. peace and blessings

It is kind of cool to be able to decide especially for those who live in the City or in Brooklyn if they want ot walk or take a subway in the spur of the moment to see some musician or band who/that is really wonderous really up close and personal. I like the comment about the mid possibly wandering in a listening room rather or as compared to seeing/hearing musicians from a close distance - I used to listen to MUCH more music at home back in the 90's through the early 00's and I often became more entranced through the continuing experience of listening to massive amounts of improvised music. Today - my life is different and maybe the visceral experince of seeing, hearing and feeling BassDrumBone, for example, from close up is something that has a larger effect on me than ever. Plus I think, for example with that trio, there was a blues that was played SO softly that even with today's recording qualities and the possibility to hear things on a recording that we have not been able to hear until the last X amount of years, there is nothing like hearing Ray Anderson live when he is generating those whispery tones not unlike hearing Joe McPhee on pocket trumpet live and in person. see funny thing is to me going down the street to see Ray Anderson in that trio (with Helias and Hemingway) is like seeing the great dead lions - and mayeb it does take some time to reflect - but DAMN - Special Detail was recorded 23 years ago - and is there any discussion of this record, let alone Demon Chaser??? I know there WAS much discussion about Ware's Go See The World - maybe because it was on Columbia - it seems that the jazz aficianado yes maybe done't want to be critical as they are too close - we all know that - why I don't collect friendships or autographs...go forbid Malaby has an off night on December 22nd - will I write it up - hell yeah and tell him what I thought, too...when I go to the next show... fwiw - looks like NOV 24th be cleared to see the Liebman Quintet - my wife's family knows I like this music stuff quite a bit - and then how does one explain the difference between Jim Black on the best stereo in one's listening room to hearing and feeling *that* drummer in an intimate space?? Kinda like rememebering when Cecil go real intense for about 8 to 10 minutes, I think, at Tonic those many years ago - and it what is was to try to convey what the room felt like that night...I can keep trying.... Always a Pleasure

You see! I know you see - I read what you write, certainly some fresh aie here and there - I am much alone sometimes (lonely new yorker?? I duuno - I live in Jersey...and am from Boston originally) Yes - I believe one day that a certain amount of *this* music as people like Ken Vandermark or Joe Morris has refereed to it will garner some more notice, but I think my point may be that it is available now and all it takes is a bit of time and patience from a few more listeners. I was around the net in those days of the David S Ware quartet and there *was* quite a bit of discussion as there was about Joe Maneri or Thomas Chapin and many others - there was more of an enthusiam to discuss the music and the scene was certainly more well attended than today - point is the deififcation of the dead lions saps the current vibrant music of it's strength - never have I see so much panting over anotyher fine Miles bootleg recording from the late 60's - I know we never heard it and the music is wonderful - but is it all that to hear 6 discs and never hear Avram Fefer or Steve Swell or Layfayette Gilchrist or the Tony Malaby's Novela, for jah's sake?!?! I dunno about anybody else but you ever hear that band LIVE? I did - twice - first time pretty damn good - had to hold onto my you know what to keep from getting blown through the roof!!! Is Kris Davis a genius (she arranges this stuff and plays the baddest ass silent piano since John Tilbury until it is like Schlippenbach might have entered the world even if she might not touch a key for 8 minutes ) well is she that good? yes pretty damn special pianist/composer/arranger.... YES - just like any of the other greats -s he just happens to live today.... ever want to see and HEAR that band?!?!? - you would think that even if they came to your town, many listeners be holed up listenin' to old re-issues or another version of Gingerbread Boy....not that there is anything wrong with that....

I don't think that is an insult - do we really all want to obsess on the minutia? and in doing so, miss out on the brilliant musicians who live today, play today and inspire those who are willing to live, breath and hear in the moment..... I would *love* to hear if Mr. Schaap has ANY clue about what goes on in music today...does anyone have any doubt what the answer is?? me I havn't heard him in years - is he still doing what he used ot do in the A.M. on KCR? does nyone know?

I had a real good response, but It was seemingly lost it in cyberland.. Let me try again...seems like the halcyon days back at jazz central station from 1997 or 1998 as far as my love of this music coming back from a few years ago when it was almost all gone... one of the *reasons* that there is only 25 to 100 people is that many/most of the listeners of jazz are stuck listening mostly to re-issues, box sets with more of the last drops from great bands of the past, instead of making a real effort to hear what/who is playing/happening now - and that has been the case for YEARS. and there are many who do listen for sure..... But this obsession by so many of the past makes one think that maybe now jazz is a historical genre as many who have moved on to other apsects of music insist that it is... And the ones who really love jazz do it to ourselves rather than show an interest in hearing Gianluigi Trovesi or Pino Minafra or Hamid Drake or even the *great* Misha who still (barely, i think) walks this earth.....but I may have seen his last show in the States last year... To back-track a bit on the 25 to 100 comment, I did see a couple of shows that celebrated the history of this music over the past couple of years and there was a few more than that for whatever that is worth - it was ICP in March of 2011 @ Le Poisson Rouge (the old Village Gate) and Han Bennink's 70th birthday concert earlier this year @ Columbia Univeristy and yet despite a nice write-up in a local NY paper on one or the other, I still don't think that many really recognize what especially the ICP band is and is/was capable of in the context of the history of this music This music *compares* favorably to the best Mingus bands, Duke, Miles, Monk and all the rest - and NO, I havn't seen any of them, but I sure have heard it all...for example, they played a few great Mengelberg originals (at both shows - even the second without Misha in attendence), and they played a few pre-war classics (Baltimore Oriole was played at both shows) and they played as expected, a Monk tune - and as I had hoped it was "Jackie-Ing" Like no other Monk tune performance this boy has ever witnessed - and I seen/heard a few good ones maybe most recnelty when Ellery Eskelin tore into what might have been Bye-A with Nasheet doing his thing... Misha isn't Monk, doesn't play like Monk, but as far as his genius, he is just a different kind of Monk - pure fucking brilliance the whole set despite as per especially lately, he doesn't play so many notes and it was rought watching him struggle to get to the piano bench with a cane... Wolter Wierbos is simply one of the greatest trombonists who ever lived and his playing that night was beyond fucking anything imagined before or after - and then Bennink swinging with Toby Delius on the tenor tearing up that Monk tune beyond. And who is Toby Delius? a great tenor saxophonist who plays in front of 25 to 100 quite a bit I imagine... point being as good a 60 minutes of music as exists - and no reason not to think/feel that as great as the greats were.... like Tony Malaby who is a great a saxophonist as is playing today....we got ears anyone gonna actually listen??? or maybe we could all be like Phil Schaap - let's find another scrap from 1947 and play it 12 times.... maybe this is the reaon we need to reach out, listen, discuss and as the few who actually are interested enough to post on boards like this that are in the decline, maybe some enthusiam for the current greats is a bit more warranted.... As I used to say 10 to 12 or even 15 years ago when the internet was new and fresh, Giants like that walk this earth and most just don't want to listen...it is easier to listen to what we *already* know is great....and the song remains the same, I suppose... Instead we think that music that is heard by more deserves more acclaim when this music called jazz or improvisation or free improvisation or modern avant garde jazz is music whose greatness... still... Coming Down The Mountain

interesting but it sure is incredible that as great as Miles is/was...how little traction what happens today gets on any of the jazz discussion boards compared to what is happening today or more recently...I love Miles, Monk, Mingus, et al but I think what is more interesting, for example, in this case is that Dave Liebman is playing in NYC @ Cornelia Street Cafe on November 24th listed as on soprano only with Same Newsome (soprano), Ellery Eskelin (tenor), Chris Tordini (bass) with the *great* Jim Black on drums...and due to holiday and family, I may miss it, but in any case, probably seats to be had within 10 feet for a band like that just by calling in the day before and showing up an hour early.... yet on any jazz board or discussion forum, shows like this that happen often in places like NYC, Baltimore, Chicago and elsewhere attract little enthusiam despite how great some of these bands are. As some here know, over the past 3 or 4 years, I have seen musical performances by diverse musicians that compare live or on record with any music of the past 50 years but the ongoing nostalgia and remembrances thinking about how Miles second electric "comeback" period (which to my ears is a total bore) will be thought of 10 or 20 years down the line.. and Tony Malaby or Darius Jones or Cooper-Moore or Paul Dunmall or Gerry Hemingway or Mat Maneri or Kris Davis play on sometimes in front of a couple of dozens of people. but we need to get fired up for the 8th re-issue of some great record of 30 or 40 years ago or another huge box set from the 1969 band - but god fucking forbid we even ask why the hemingway hatART CD's from the 90's are all outr of print despite the fact they are the equal of even that 1969 band - and yes I said it..... fact is 2 separate shows with Mat Maneri's Quintet over the past year were as good as anything I have seen in 20 years including things like the great Dave Holland Quintet back in the late 90's or Andrew Hill's sextet from the same time period with Marty Ehrlich, Scott Colley and Bill drummond - and those bands live were as good as well, you know...all or any tthat ever played this music. or as good as Cecil with Tony Oxley from 8 feet away... well not as great as the Broztmann Tentet +2 in 2002 @ Tonic with Hamid.... but then again, those two 45 minute sets remain the unheard or unseen except for those who were screaming that night witnessing the sort of power and the glory that normally only exists in pure fantasy....... standing on a whale fishng for minnows

David - I am very interested to hear your take on the Malaby trio with Parker and Ferber. As some might know, I see Malaby play often as he is one of the great tenor players in the game today - I just saw him with John Hebert's band on October 14th, and he was again stupendous depite the band sometimes not playing with type of energy and verve they were capable of. I doubt that the Taramindo Trio would have that problem if Ferber is as good as Malaby told me he is

took in the John Hebert Byzantine Monkey on Sunday afternoon which is: John Hebert :: bass Tony Malaby :: tenor & soprano saxophones Michael Attias :: alto & baritone saxophones Satoshi Takeishi :: drums glad my wife and I were also able to hear a bit of the "sit in" which wa smostly John and Tony talking about their time @ William Paterson and what it did for him. Especially interesting to hear Malaby talk about 'filling holes' in his playing by playing with the 'bebop' guys like Alexander, Potter, Redman during and after - specifically mentioning a Wed night Mingus big band gig in the 90's where he was in a tenor chair often next to Potter and Redman. Of course he can almost do what they do, but damn he knows and anyone else who really listens knows that as time went on and he expanded his horizons more and more, that maybe *nobody* can play and od what the *great* Tony Malaby can do... good 70 minute set with my only quaibbles being that hebert's approach is sometimes a bit too cool and sometimes a bit too cute - one nice tune I think called "The Climb" alternated short solos with Malaby on tenor and Attias on alto that took any chance of real climxes being reached - then a couple of the tune stowrds the middle were somewhat sleepy with Malaby on a restrained soprano with Attias only hinting at his true range/capabilities on both of his horns. then they played something called 'Chow Monkey', I think and then for 10 minutes or so gave a glimpse of what the band is capabale of - Malaby blew minds, hearts and introduced himslef to some in the crowd as one of the true masters - no reason they don't hit that level for at least 30 - 40 minutes of the show - too cool and smooth for confort that a band has only 1 tune(another was near it in intensity) where a band creates true visceral exciting music. Not many bands can be that great - so why only go for it on one tune out of 6 or 7?? reminded me of Hebert's take on Mingus that I saw last year with Berne, Bynum, Hersch and Ches Smith - nice but NOWHERE near what it could have been - he seemingly won't wade in deep enough to really let it rip.

a few random thoughts............. Trio 3 - Live in Willisau Dennis Gonzalez - Stefan Ellery Eskelin - One Great Day (with Andrea Parkins and Jim Black) Thelonious Monk - Monk's Music AMM - Live in Allentown Spontaneous Music Ensemble - A New Distance Mats Gustaffson - Mouth Eating Trees and Related Activities (with Barry Guy and Paul Lovens) Keith Rowe - A View from the Window Minutemen- Double Nickels on the Dime Charles Mingus - New Tijuana Moods Joe Henderson - Inner Urge Husker Du - New Day Rising Mal Waldron - Mal, Verve, Balck and Blue Peter Brotzmann - Die Like a Gog - first recording - the Ayler tribute Wayne Shorter - Adam's Apple Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin' Hank Mobley - Workout Evan Parker - At The Vortex with Barry Guy and Paul Lytton Gerry Hemingway Quintet - The Marmalade King Anthony Braxton - Dortmund Quartet 1976 Andrew Hill - Shades Billy Bang - Valve # 10 Giant Sand - Is All Over the Map Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted Gentle Giant - Live Playing the Fool Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (by strategy)

RIP, sir a great highlight/memory for me was seeing the great saxophonist at the Knitting Facrory over 10 years ago with Paul Smoker, Adam Lane (I think?!?!) and the great Barry Altschul on drums.

Is CAN in the hall of fame?? of course not how about Don Van Vliet? of course not what a fucking SHAM

I figure that the Fefer trio will be real good. I saw him a couple of years back with Michael Bisio with a quintet that featured Joe McPhee and it was quite a trat to be exposed to Fefer on tenor, alto and clarinet. When I saw this trio listed a few month's back with Eric Revis and Chad Taylor, I even knew I would take the 19th off and leave work a bit early on the 18th to make sure I made it. Plus I have never seen Jemeel Moondoc live for whatever circumstances....

The Stone NYC 10/18 looks like a great double bill - I be there with bells on.... 10/18 Thursday (DDT) 8 pm Jemeel Moondoc Jemeel Moondoc (alto, flute) Newman Taylor Baker (drums) Matt LaVelle (trumpet, bass clarinet) Hill Green (bass) FIFTEEN DOLLARS 10 pm Avram Fefer Trio Avram Fefer (alto, tenor) Eric Revis (bass) Chad Taylor (drums) TEN DOLLARS

@ William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ Shea Auditorium With: Musicians John Hebert :: bass Tony Malaby :: tenor & soprano saxophones Michael Attias :: alto & baritone saxophones Satoshi Takeishi :: drums 4:00 PM on Sunday. A treat as it is a 3 minute drive from my home.... Plus you see who is in the band - Michael Attias is wonderful but Tony Malaby rules my saxophone universe....let's hope he tears it up in front of some unsuspecting listeners as to where he stands in the pantheon...

Can - Waiting for the Streetcar - from 'The Lost Tapes' Malcolm Mooney irritatingly genius like

Bev - do you know who is in the John Law Trio? I havn't heard his name much over the past many years and he remains one of the my favorite pianists.