Steve Reynolds

He played last year @ William Paterson College with Andrew Cyrille, Angelica Sanchez and a wonderful violinist who's name I have forgotten as I saw the quartet the previous year at a festival in Montclair State University also in NJ. Richard was frail and sat as he played but his playing was exquisite and 90% with the bow.

A bunch of the young musicians on Barry Guy's incredible Tensegrity 4 CD box set which are small formation improvisations by the members of his Blue Shroud band. The three reed players that stand out are Per Texas Johansson, Julius Gabriel & Torben Snekkestad. listening to this set has given me new respect for Peter Evans who I have had issues with due to what I've perceived as a lack of self-control and lack of a filter/editing of his awesome technique. I think his partenership here with the great pianist Agusti Fernandez helps him reign himself in a bit. another newer name to be is the great Portuguese drummer, Gabriel Ferrandini who I've been listening to with Rodrigo Amado's Motion Trio and the piano, bass & drums trio known as The Red Trio. New kind of altered groove from this guy and his energy level is off the charts. saw a wonderful pianist who was new to me last month, Leo Genevese, who I will see again in April. Of the local NYC stalwarts I've become fans of the following have been most impressive to me recently: Ches Smith, Tyshawn Sorey & Randy Peterson on drums John Hebert, Pascal Niggenkemper & Trevor Dunn on bass - too bad not many appearances by Pascal. To my ears he is as exciting a bassist exists in this music right now. Try Larry Ochs The Fictive Five & Dave Rempis' From Wolves to Whales to hear why. Rempis also belongs on some sort of list for me as I'm all in with his playing. Will see him live in August when he visits NYC. He is always elevating every session/recording he's on - especially the various Ken Vandermark large ensembles. Lucien Ban on piano was so magnificent on March 10th it's difficult to explain Nate Wooley on trumpet

I've been trying to decide if and how to write about what I experienced on Saturday night at Cornelia Street and I've come up almost empty. I will say that Mat Maneri is insane and out of his mind and yet he is in thoroughly and completely a genius level improvisor. I will also say I'm more in awe of Randy Peterson than I've ever been. Therefor I'm even more confused about his place in the world of music as far as being almost completely unknown and therefore unheard and under appreciated.

There are portions of 6 shows on Road Trips volume 1, number 1 ranging from 10/25/79 through 11/10/79

Those are both great. Reason they are available is probably because they are best of from fall runs of 77 & 79 and many Dead collectors only want full shows. To me since I'll never get more that a couple other late 79 boxes - I have Dick's Picks 5 and I would love the other RT from December, the 79 set is priceless to me. Not a huge fan of post early 78 Dead but that set is stunning. Like a show on Steroids!!! No fluff or filler.

Mat Maneri Quartet with: Mat Maneri: viola Lucien Ban: piano John Hebert: bass Randy Peterson: drums 9:00 & 10:30 @ Cornelia Street Cafe NYC Been maybe 2 years since I've see the *great* Randy Peterson. Fired up.

It really is incredible how great this is

We all knew it was coming. A transformative figure. Genius. Of all of them, Misha had as much of an impact on me personally as any of them outside of possibly Papa Joe, Fred & Evan. thankfully I was at Le Poisson Rouge a few years back for his last or second to last U.S. Show with his beloved Instant Composer's Pool. The 70 minute set was magnificent - the best I have ever heard them. Misha was frail and drifting but those few notes he played - and the little solo on Jackie-Ing. Like no one else. He believed no one played Monk as well as his guys did and of course he was correct. All condolences to his family, the New Dutch Swing community, the members of ICP and maybe most of all to his long-time cohort and fellow inventor/creatavistic genius crazy man, Han RIP to a beautiful man - one of the true masters of an completely outside the box universe of music.

Francisco Mela Crash Trio + 1 @ Cornelia Street tonight 9:00 & 10:30 Mela on drums with Leo Genovese on piano, Santi Debriano on bass & Tony Malaby on tenor as the plus one:) never seen any of them save for my guy Malaby sounds/seems like it should be a burning band

2 things/questions: 1) does the CD include the band with Han Bennink on drums? 2) is there really no video of the great tenor to be found anywhere?

RIP to one of the defining instrumental voices of my musical foundation. as is well known and documented far and wide, Wetton was a force and important member of one of the greatest musical ensembles of all time, the seminal 1972-74 King Crimson.

Lotsa great Paul Bley recordings bebopbebopbebop & the Ornette one are both great trio records

Enjoy - sounds like an amazing band and I'm not familiar with Mazz or Silvia

RIP to one of the truly great ones discovering Can in the early 90's was an incredible experience the 68-73 recordings remain essential to my life today which is very unusual for a "rock" band not named The Grateful Dead or possibly 72-74 King Crimson or Captain Beefheart.

Oh how I wish to at least get there for 4/16, 4/18, 4/20 & 4/21 my bucket list includes seeing Louis Moholo-Moholo, John Edwards, once more Barry Guy (I've only seen the great man once) and of course one more time for Paul Lovens & Alexander von Schlippenbach (I've only seen them one time each) and then of course I've never experienced the original one and only Schlippenbach Trio with Lovens - I was blessed to sees Evan Parker with Alex & Paul Lytton in 2003 in NYC. and to stay for what really could be the last Schlippenbach Trio gig as I am very surprised to see Paul Lovens listed as it was my understanding due to health issues that he wouldn't be driven to, let alone flying to any gigs in the future.

Thanks for those comments. Exactly my experience with Nasheet. On a good night with a guy like Darius wailing it's a very exciting experience. For me I hear Elvin more than Max. They played 2-3 Andrew Hill tunes when I saw them. Missed them last time due to a conflict. I'm also not sure if Helias was on bass. Too bad they messed up his sound. Usually his sound is sublime. Love LOVE seeing great drummers - Monday night it was Lou Grassi, Michael Wimberly & Hamid Drake - from very good to great!!!

Then Bryan Carrott trio with Hilliard Greene & Michael Wimberly THEN Matt Lavelle plus another trumpeter I don't know with William Parker & Hamid Drake like PC & Philly Joe or Carter & Williams to me

Saw a version of that Nasheet band and they were amazing. Just saw Lou Grassi, Thomas Heberer, Mark Whitecage & Joe Fonda wonderous

Fwiw Live in Willisau is an all-time great recording. Fierce yet relaxed and the live sound is first rate. I've had it since I found it in Crazy Rhythms in Montclair, NJ back in 1997-1998. I saw the group live at Shea Auditorium @ William Paterson College in Wayne, NJ. They were superb as they have been every time I've seen them. The last time was with Vijay Iyer a couple of years back @ Birdland. Fine show which could have done without the piano. all these years later I live right down the street in Wayne!!

Many wonderful shows - the best in some sort of order: 1) Fred Frith, Ikue Mori & Ches Smith 10:00 set on 12/6/16 2) Ches Smith, Mat Maneri & Craig Taborn 10:00 electric set on 9/27/16 - first standard non-electric set might place within the below group but whatever - the great trio can't place everywhere / but alas maybe my favorite current group to see live except for maybe the next 2.... 3) Ches Smith's These Arches - both incredible 8:00 & 10:00 sets on 10/1/16 - Tim Berne, Herb Robertson(!!!!!), Mary Halvorsen, Devin Hoff (on electric bass!!!!) & Andrea Perkins. This configuration far outshines the previous group. 4) Tom Rainey Trio with Ingrid Laubrock & Mary Halvorsen: both sets from 12/30/16 5) Louie Belegonis Quartet Twice Told Tales with Tony Malaby, Trevor Dunn & Ryan Sawyer both 8:00 & 10:00 sets on 6/24/16 6) Joe Morris Quartet with Mat Maneri, Chris Lightcap & Gerald Cleaver 10:00 set on 8/21/16 (first set excellent with the same band) - first set places right under this list - fine but not trancsendent 7) Louie Belegonis Flow Trio plus Joe McPhee - both 8:00 & 10:00 sets on 6/21/16 - awesome rhythm team of Joe Morris on bass and the wonderous Charles Downs on drums 8) Joe Morris Quintet with Petr Cancura, Jason Hwang, William Parker & Hamid Drake 8:00 set on 8/17/16 9) Joe Morris Quartet with Tony Malaby, William Parker & Hamid Drake 8:00 set on 8/20/16 10) Darius Jones Organ Quartet with Cooper-Moore on organ, Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone & Chad Taylor on drums 11) Ches Smith Trio with Mat Maneri & Craig Taborn / the April show at the Rubin there were more good shows which I'll add if I think of them but these shows were all more than great

I was thinking of a day of the Winter Jazz fest as a few of the bands I'd really like to hear but I'm sticking with my 2-4 shows per month or s 2016 another great year - maybe I'll mention the best of the year in another post but really all but 1-2 off kilter nights were tremendous.

Lots of patrons leave after the first set these days. Some think it is the $20 cover per set. We are all irritated that they went to only 1 set. Most of us will go less. None of us know why for sure.

Thanks, Uli ps - happy new year

We spoke about this last night noting that 2017 has the schedule reduced to one 9:00 set per night none of the many much closer to me to the scene (and quite a few of the mainstays were at the Cornelia Street show last night) have any idea why Zorn is ending the run of The Stone

Been dreaming that I could write about what I heard last night. not able It would be total fanboy at this point a bit more than 12 hours from the end of the second set.