Steve Reynolds

All understood. Hopeful that getting omicron creates some immunity versus delta. Most experts believe it will. I do believe there is more evidence than not that omicron on an individual basis is much less dangerous than previous strains. The obvious issue will be the massive amount of cases that will happen worldwide over the next few months. Big hope/dream is the long awaited turn towards herd immunity/endemic result.

And the VAST majority of those deaths will continue to be unvaccinated people. Or very old or immunocompromised. We will know within 7-10 days based on England’s situation of Omicron is indeed 75 to 90% less dangerous than delta which is what the most hopeful data indicates on what we know right now.

The 72 & 73 shows sound MUCH better. The November Austin TX show issued on Road Trips also sounds much better. Phil’s bass just doesn’t come through like it should on the 71 shows. Rest assured Phil Lesh sounds incredible on all 5 shows from 72 & 73. Tremendous performances and great sound via Bear (72) & Kidd (73).

Was just listening to this quartet yesterday. Love when Baker plays his synths/electronics. Maybe my favorite Rempis group along with the quartet with Wooley, Niggenkemper & Corsano. Two very different groups. Rempis plays only with the best. enjoy the show, Chuck

Flow Generations Quartet Oliver with Joe Fonda on bass Michael Jefry Stevens on piano Emil Gross on drums recorded live on 10/30/2015 in Germany having truly amazing musicians like Stevens & Fonda with a good young drummer elevate this one - plus a great recording. Tunes by Lake (2), Stevens (3) & Fonda (2) Not Two records

Trio 3 Live in Wiilsau is awesome from early in their time as a band - 1992 I believe. Later Trio 3 recordings can be hit or miss. Oliver has really one kind of mode of playing and he’s certainly not as fluent as Arthur Blythe nor as subtle as Henry Threadgill. But that one thing can be energetic and powerful when it works. A couple of the Trio 3 shows that I’ve seen were pretty damn good but usually Andrew was the driving force in concert with the somewhat simple understated playing by the great Reggie Workman. Helluva groove they can get to - plus some of the tunes are really good and often unique (especially the drummer’s compositions)

My wife and I received our Pfizer boosters in late September 6 months and 3 days after our 2nd shots.

Today I don’t listen to that much jazz from the mid 50’s to early 60’s (golden age for many) but when I do it’s often Hank Mobley. I love all of it - especially sessions like this one.

Last night Phil Lesh & Friends at Capital Theatre in Port Chester, NY 2 great sets - 2 hours & 45 minutes of music. Very emotional to be back seeing Phil live in person. He will be 82 on 3/15/2022. He’s playing very well and the group with him (10/29, 10/30 & tonight) is wonderful. Great singers and guitarists complimenting the legend. Especially his son Grahame and the 2 featured singers Nicki Blum & M. T. Taylor. Nicki singing lead on the encore “Brokedown Palace” was spectacular. Then again with the Hunter/Garcia songbook it’s hard to go wrong. As usual Phil played many of the great Dead classics that Jerry sang. Deal, Bird Song, Uncle John’s Band, Eyes of the World, Dupree’s Diamond Blues & Shakedown Street were all played last night.

Glad Larry mentioned Wierbos. Long time favorite with ICP and as a member of Available Jelly and Gerry Hemingway’s great European 90’s Quintet. I’m a big listener to many listed above but Jeb Bishop stands out. Small groups and as a member of the great Brotzmann Tentet. Ray Anderson is less visible the past 5-10 years but some of the live shows I’ve seen with him over the past 20 years were incredible. For current NYC based players Ben Gerstein is at the top of my list. Very unique player. I miss the shows badly to see guys like Swell, Gerstein & Ray.

Maybe correct - personally much more interested in long form group (small or large) improvisation. In other words, can the band create for an hour or even more at a time? If they incorporate some notated materials (like Tyshawn Sorey’s Pillars) that’s great as well.

Seconds on John Carter - listened to “Fields” the other day seems Iverson needs to prove he is “in the know”. To my ears and eyes he’s another guy stuck in the historical “narrative”. I know he’s not American but I give you Agusti Fernandez for long form composition and group collective improvisation. Ethan would be surprised to know he exists, I think - and he plays the same piano Iverson plays except far better.

He sure likes to talk a lot

Matt Mitchell & Kate Gentile: Snarkhorse 6 CD set with various wonderful musicians such as Ben Gerstein, Brandon Seabrook, Kim Cass & Mat Maneri I saw a version of this group in 2019 and they were incredible said to be all “1 bar” compositions / I’ve listened to the first 2 discs and if you like Mitchell’s previous group recordings you will love this stuff. Lots of grist on the mill.

I welcome the vaccine requirements. The masking not so much. I’m vaccinated plus a booster shot 3 weeks ago so I’m feeling secure and safe wherever I go.

Very glad you are experiencing live music. The rollout back to live here in NYC for this sort of music is very slow with too many restrictions, IMO. I miss this music madly.

Add Relative Pitch. Maybe almost as many woman as men! So many creative forces!!

Mujician: 10 10 10 - last recorded concert from 10/10/2010 Judson Trio with Joelle Leandre, Mat Maneri & Gerald Cleaver 2 CD set “Light and Dance” on Rogue Art. Disc 1 live & Disc 2 recorded in studio / in France January 2020 right before the pandemic changed the world. former sounds good but maybe a bit down from their peak in the mid to late 90’s latter is incredible - lots of mesmerizing subtle abstract improvising care of three of the greatest living improvisors

Rasmussen on the fairly recent Ken Vandermark 7 CD box Unexpected Alchemy on Not Two records

Tomeka Reid - maybe my favorite cellist along with Fred Lonberg-Holm Sara Schoenbeck - never heard bassoon played so great live Mette Rasmussen - blustering alto saxophone player Lotte Anker - extraordinary reed player - soprano & tenor Huge fan of Lady Joelle - as great a bassist as exists in this world long time fan of Mary Halvorson & Ingrid Laubrock - I’ve seen them live many many times and Mary is especially awesome live. Kate Gentile - wonderful drummer who plays with Matt Mitchell big thumbs up to the great duo recording with Tyshawn & Marilyn - nothing else remotely like it.

As great as Ab Baars & Michael Moore are on various reeds, Toby was usually the bigger impact player when seeing ICP live. He’s got the old school swing with avant-garde sensibilities ingrained in his vibrant improvising. Try Astro Notes from Joost Buis. On a couple of tracks Delius explodes out of the speakers. I’m a long time listener to all of these musicians listened to a quartet with Delius this AM - Hook, Line & Sinker with Axel Dorner, Antonio Borghini & Tristan Honsinger. Drummerless magic music on Relative Pitch records

The 2 Michael Formanek records were ignored back in the day - both are marvelous

ETA Sunday for me as well. I’ve streamed the 12/10/71 show and as always with late 71 Dead I’m underwhelmed. Fired up for the 10/17, 10/18 (!), 10/19/72 and most especially the 10/29 & 10/30/73 shows.

Combination of McPhee & Lonberg-Holm is magic

And I still have a dream of getting over there in a few years as besides and along with the NYC core (and the Chicago core) the London musicians are my favorites. in 2006 on his last visit that I know of to The States, Paul Rogers was playing a couple/three nights at The Stone with Paul Dunmall & Tony Levin (RIP) using a rented bass and he was thrilled to be there / “playing for peace and love” as he told me. So one if the greatest 4-5 bassists on the planet (and he has to know how great he is no matter how humble he might be) and we was happy at least in that moment in time. Fwiw he had the same attitude back in 2000 or so when I saw him at the Knitting Factory in front of about 25 people. With Dunmall & Kevin Norton. 2 sets, btw, that are still among the best 10-15 nights of music I’ve ever experienced.