Steve Reynolds

Many of them are gratis. Most of his gigs are from suggested donation type gigs. Record shops, outdoors, small rooms, etc. James doing what it takes to build up his skills. He’s gaining traction. Just like I tell Brandon Lopez, “Brandon you are the hardest working bassist on the planet”. Now that dude plays gigs. Often 2 in one day. Plus now all over the world. Plus now he’s become to my ears the baddest motherfucker on the double bass in NYC. With great respect to heavy dudes like John Hebert, Trevor Dunn & Michael Formanek. Especially Hebert who is totally bad ass incredible. James Paul Nadian has that sort of potential on the drums but long way to go to touch the super high echelon of guys like Tom Rainey, Nasheet Waits, Tyshawn Sorey, Gerald Cleaver and the criminally undervalued Randy Peterson. Better live. Not thrilled they didn’t do full improv on the record plus too bad Brandon Lopez isn’t on the recording. While I’m at it, please listen to Matanzas

Yes but some of them have not had their recordings released yet. Michael Foster’s The Ghost is on some lists. Some of these musicians will be more well known as the next few years go by. Specifically Chuck Roth 26 year old genius guitarist, James Paul Nadian - a 23 year old drummer who estimates he played 130 shows in 2023, Webb Crawford 20 something guitarist. also gabby fluke-mogul & Nava Dunkelman. Both are incredible and starting to become better known.

I’ll work on a new list of newish recordings. The younger musicians in NYC/Brooklyn are fire James Paul Nadian Chuck Roth James McKain Joey Sullivan (from Philly) Michael Foster Brandon Lopez (not new any longer) Charmaine Lee Caleb Duvall T.J. Borden Madison Greenstone Webb Crawford and more Tomeka is peaking. Not fading out. Fwiw Darius better than ever live. Saw him in a duo a few weeks ago with Nick Fraser from 5 feet away. As great an alto saxophonist as is playing today.

Per Mark Wastell June 15, 1938 December 26, 2023 The legendary iconic drummer/composer/inventor/improvisor is gone saw him once in duo with Cecil at Tonic on Norfolk Street RIP, sir

Are you interested in my thinking? I’m getting an odd vibe here, Jim Mat Maneri writes some great sparse sketches which allow for great improvisation. Maybe that could be called “undercomposed”. With his dad in the great quartet it was all free music with no pre-written music I’m still quite a bit more interested in freely improvised music so that might be where my somewhat negative reaction to compositional approaches that hinder creative group/collective improvisation.

Too much structure in my view is “overcomposed” and “academic”. Holds the improvisers back. See Threadgill’s Zooid for a good example of great balance. The musicians in that band thrive within his brilliant writing.

For her most exciting playing it’s always been a duo, trio or quartet. Like Thumbscrew(trio), Tom Rainey trio or Tomeka’s quartet. The larger groups seem overcomposed and a bit academic or even sterile to my ears. Plus I’m spoiled as I get to see her live often in smaller groups.

I prefer Mary is smaller groups with more improvisation & less structured mannered music. She’s great live when she gets more out.

Drummer was Sofia Borges with Signe, James & Brandon add the 2 large ensemble sets from Ikue Mori from last night included Ches Smith, Sylvie, Satako Fujii, Erik Friedlander, Charmaine Lee, David Watson, Zeena Parkins and more. Composed pieces with incredibly exciting grooves & improvised madness. Brilliant genius level stuff. Top 5 show of 2023.

I wish I kept track. More than 65 this year. Probably close to a hundred sets or more. Best concert attending year for me ever. It’s been incredibly satisfying. The music in the areas that I love is better than ever. Golden Age. I never take for granted what was lost to the pandemic. Nothing like live music played by the greatest improvisers on the planet. I’m very fortunate to be at maybe the epicenter of the whole thing with great respect to London, Berlin & Chicago. Throw in Portugal, Warsaw and various other places around the world. But the downtown NYC and Brooklyn scenes are smoking hot and vibrant. The amount of amazing young musicians and the young people attending is very invigorating.

Adding Pavement in October from the rail Yo La Tengo from last week from 3 rows standing from the stage then last night Ikue Mori, Craig Taborn, Lotte Anker & Ches Smith saw Lotte 4 nights in 5 days. As great an improvising alto & soprano saxophonist as I’ve seen in quite some time. also forgot about John Zorn’s Cobra from early Fall. Top 5 show of the year.

So glad you are seeing this. Especially with the *great* Joe McPhee right in the middle of the lineup!! Tomorrow night Mary Halvorson & Sylvie Courvoisier @ Jazz Gallery. Front table:)

Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom they just posted as I’m about 10th in line / opening band is the Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen!!!

Hopefully you see them. I saw them at The Stone about 6-7 feet from Mary:)

Too many to count for sure top sets: Crispell, Dresser & Hemingway / hard to say but probably the best most amazing show I’ve seen in quite some time. BassDrumBone with Anderson, Helias & Hemingway Zoh Amba, gabby fluke-mogul, Steve Gunn & Ryan Sawyer Chuck Roth solo electric guitar three times plus a duo with Chloe Sobek. Plus duo with James McKain. Chuck Roth is the best young improvising young guitarist on the planet as far as I’ve heard. Watch out!!!! Larry Ochs, Nels Cline & Gerald Cleaver all sets with Joelle Leandre at Vision Fest / especially the larger group that ended the night. With Ingrid Laubrock, Steve Swell, Mat Maneri, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Joe Morris etc. Mat Maneri Quartet 4 concerts/ the best was second set at Jazz Gallery with Lucian Ban, Brandon Lopez & Randy Peterson Michael Foster, Brandon Lopez & Joey Sullivan Michael Foster, Brandon Lopez & Greg Kelley Signe Emmuleth, James McKain, Brandon Lopez & a drummer I forgot her name Tim Berne’s Sun of Goldfinger twice Tim Berne, David Torn, Trevor Dunn & Tom Rainey about 8-10 other Berne sets were also very good to excellent Gerald Cleaver’s Black Host Jones Jones: Larry Ochs, Mark Dresser & Vladimir Tarasov Thumbscrew with Mary Halvorson, Michael Formanek & Tomas Fujiwara Brandon Lopez, Gerald Cleaver & Fred Moten Fred Frith & Zeena Parkins Michael Attias, Kenneth Jiminez & Randy Peterson Hery Paz, Joe Morris & Tom Rainey Marta Warelis solo piano Chris Cochrane band Zoh Amba, Forbes Graham, Luke Stewart & gabby fluke-mogul Fred Frith, Nava Dunkelman, Carla Kihlstedt & Theresa Wong Ches Smith quartet with Mary Halvorson, Mat Maneri & Craig Taborn Tomeka Reid quartet with Mary Halvorson, Jason Roebke & Tomas Fujiwara

One of most amazing things I’ve read in a long time. Chuck - you are very blessed to have had a friend like Mars:) I’m sure you miss him madly

I also saw the Ayler X-Mas project 12/4/17 at The Stone. Right in front about 5 feet from Mars. Incredible set. Will never forget it. SO joyful and beautiful. With Tomeka Reid, Nels Cline, Chris Corsano etc.

gut punch was just listening to him play yesterday on some amazing recording of a great Chicago ensemble First saw him with the legendary Brotzmann Tentet in 2000 at Tonic will never forget KV, Mars, Mats & Peter. Now THAT was a reed section !! deep condolences to you, Chuck RIP, Sir

Trevor Watts with Jamie Harris Jazz Gallery in NYC

Even better than last week’s Sun of Goldfinger show. Like last week, fully improvised. The opening 44 minute piece had Rainey fully peaking. I’ve seen him dozens of times over the years and yet he still shocks me. Stunning with only grooves that he plays. Sounds like no other drummer. Best brush player on the planet. Dunn is understated to some extent and simply brilliant. Torn is like no one else and Berne was on fire. Second 16 minute piece slightly less great but it would have been an impossibility to match the first improvisation.

Tim Berne with David Torn, Trevor Dunn (on electric bass) & Tom Rainey gonna be insane

Same here. Fell asleep and woke up to late to take the drive.

Same 2 for me:)

Sun of Goldfinger Tim Berne, David Torn & Ches Smith starts in about 30 minutes 3 feet from David Torn:)

Extraordinary 50 minute set of freely improvised music. Second to last piece they morphed into a post bop like groove. Magical. Helias has to have the most gorgeous bass sound. Last 4 months I’ve seen Brandon Lopez, John Hebert, Luke Stewart, Mark Dresser, Caroline Morton, Eivand Opsik & Michael Formanek. Some of them multiple times (Lopez 6-7 times I think). I’m truly blessed to be able to witness these masters of the double bass so often. Missed a quartet with Luke Stewart tonight as I’m a bit under the weather. With Maria Valencia, Stewart, Nate Wooley & Ryan Sawyer. I’ve never seen Valencia who is a young saxophonist/clarnetist.