Steve Reynolds

Tell me where I can find the podcast. Ches is a brilliant dude. Great composer, thinker & one of the best drummers on the planet.

Plus it brought the best of the best out of Ches Smith. As great as he always is, what happened last Summer was peak Ches. Absolutely mind blowing intensity. Force of Nature. seeing Weird of Mouth again tomorrow night in Philly with Ches, Mette & Taborn:)

Never! I’m going out in style! For whatever reason my ears are still good at 64. plus I saw Ches Smith 4 times over a 10 day period recently. Once with Trey Spruance on electronics and it peaked at 108 decibels. I brought my little meter in with me that night. They had 2 extra amps on each side of The Stone. The quality of the sound is so great in the Glass Box Theatre (aka The Stone at The New School) 10/11 Cobra at Roulette. This can get very loud as well. Last year it sounded amazing from the front row as I was sitting right next to Zorn as he was conducting the large ensemble. Only live once. I’m blessed to be able to witness the many of the greatest improvising musicians on the planet usually over 10 times a month.

Amazing incredible 40 minute slab of genius. 5 feet from Tim & Peter.

Pulverize the Sound Peter Evans, Tim Dahl & Mike Pride

Yes he was here earlier this year. Yes Camilla is incredible. She was here last month. Seeing Mette again 2 more times next week again with Taborn & Ches. Then Glass Triangle with Zeena Parkins & Ryan Sawyer. First time seeing that trio.

I’m not a fan. I’ve seen him live 4-5 times. Best was in double duo with Ingrid, Chad Taylor & Tom Rainey. SO many other saxophonists on the scene who are better: Ingrid, Camilla Nebbia, Maria Valencia, Mette, Malaby, Attias, Berne, Catherine Sikora, Madison Greenstone, Rempis, Lao Dan, etc. all much more themselves yes - too many notes. He gives us “everything” every set. Plus he doesn’t have a unique approach. Very derivative.

Nice! Chad/Hilliard are a boss rhythm team. Hoping JBL gave the great guitarists some space.

Yes thanks very much RIP, sir the Blakey band with Benny a huge influence in me getting into jazz at a relatively late age. 31 years old or so. Love the late 50’s Golson recordings as well.

Yes it is vinyl only. I’m seeing them again in Philly in early October Mette also playing with Glass Triangle in the next few weeks with Zeena Parkins & Ryan Sawyer as she’s in town for about a month.

So many great shows lately but the best was Craig Taborn, Mette Rasmussen & Ches Smith this past Saturday night. 55 minutes cut into 4 pieces of improvised “free jazz” Mette is one of the greatest alto saxophonists I’ve ever seen Taborn with Tomeka Reid & Ches was also great albeit much different being compositionally based with electronics from both Craig & Ches with Ches’ effects being much more effective. Tomeka was marvelous although she could have been a bit louder. Same went for Taborn in the trio with Mette as the sound of his piano was adjusted too late in the set. Quibbles. Blessed to see both from 5 feet away at The Stone

Peter Brotzmann Tentet: Stone/Water Walk, Love Sleep the 2 sets from 3 Nights in Oslo these last 2 are fully improvised and are among the greatest recordings of this century Barry Guy New Orchestra: Inscape/Tableaux seconds on Fire Orchestra / my favorites are Enter & Exit seconds on Taylor Ho Bynum’s Enter the Plustet Ken Vandermark’s Resonance Ensemble: Head Above Water/Feet out of the Fire most of KV’s large bands have been great. Throroughly overlooked and undervalued Colin Webster / 2 new great 8 piece improvs CD’s many many more but not sure I’ve got the patience to dig thru my racks.

Last night explosive 70 minute set from Tim Berne with Greg Belisle-Chi, John Hebert & Tom Rainey. Rainey 10 days from a hip replacement destroyed atoms. Not a better drummer on the planet. I’m blessed to see him as often as I do. Probably 25 times the last 2 years at least. There is no one like him. Best brush player on the planet. They played a Hemphill piece they never played before and a new Berne piece that went to places I’ve never heard before. Closed with Clandestine B which in an alternate universe would make Tim Berne famous. previous 3 shows last week ok to very good Brandon Ross with Charlie Burnham & Warren Benbow B plus / Benbow lacking in energy & dynamics. Burnham was brilliant with a minor quibble using a bit too much reverb & processing but the dude remains a truly great improvisor. Kris Davis with Ingrid Laubrock & Tom Rainey B minus / compositions too restricting Brandon Ross with Stomu Takeishi & Qasim Naqvi B / all acoustic Stomu the highlight

There is a Cecil Taylor Unit video from Berlin 1975

McPhee was strong on May 5th and said he was looking forward to that appearance. He smiled when I told him how much I liked Decoy:) hope he is ok.

Last night: Matana Roberts: soprano saxophone & vocalizing Brandon Lopez: bass Tomas Fujiwara: drums stunning 30 minute improvisation followed by a 15 minute piece that might have been a smidge better. Brandon peaking even for him. 80-90% with a bow and only Joelle Leandre, Barry Guy & John Edwards are in this stratosphere.

Surprising. Yeah her playing is more “jazz” based that what I usually like but her demeanor & attitude has been great when I’ve seen her in any short interactions I’ve had with her. And she gets along great with her ex which says something.

CD available. Ordered. I’ve seen Angelica transform 2 shit pianos into concerto sound at two very hot Tony Malaby gigs earlier this year. Rainey helped, of course:)

To my door

Mine was! Oops this one I’ll buy from Michael in person on Monday

Last night 2 sets: Tony Malaby, Tim Berne, Brandon Lopez & Tom Rainey wowza 5-6 feet from Rainey’s bass drum yes retirement is awesome!! Got home at 12:30 on a Sunday night

Glad Marilyn is being honored.

RIP blessed to see Irene live from a few feet away circa 2009 at The Stone:) actually it was March 10, 2012 duo with Pierre Favre second set was my first time seeing Rainey, Halvorson & Laubrock

Last night in Philadelphia Sam Yulsman solo keyboards & eldctronics Michael Foster’s The Ghost plus Susan Alcorn Michael on tenor & soprano saxophones, John Moran on bass, Joey Sullivan on drums & the *great* Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar 45 minute continuous set of improvised genius. Best free improv set of the year. lately I can’t miss:)

Last night at Beautiful World Syndicate in Philadelphia Michael Foster, Webb Crawford & Joey Sullivan Sakina Abdou, Camila Nebbia & Chuck Roth as great as the tenor/soprano, guitar & drums trio was, the second set with Sakina on tenor & alto, Camila on tenor and the *great* Chuck Roth on guitar was incendiary and genius level improvising of the highest order. Camila Nebbia is a great tenor saxophonist. What a sound. two different kettles of fish but the drummerless trio hit me very hard last night. I’ve seen Chuck play a whole lot over the past 14 months. New levels playing the guitar unlike anyone I’ve ever heard.