Steve Reynolds

When it's 4:00 in the morning, we do anything for a hit You're not them anymore, Steve. This be true but I have an understanding that I could be there once again. I have empathy for those in the grips of active drug addiction

When it's 4:00 in the morning, we do anything for a hit

Another beautiful guy is Joe McPhee. My wife and I sat next to him for Han Bennink's 70th birthday concert @ Columbia University. He could not have been more gracious

I will meet and see him live for the first time tonight I have to add a special mention to both Fred Anderson and Edward "Kidd" Jordan I will never forget Mr. Anderson making sure I got a cab ride back to the hotel in a blizzard in 1999 from the Velvet Lounge.

The nicest musicians I've met include the following: Hamid Drake, Joe Maneri, Han Bennink, Michael Moore, Ellery Eskelin, Marty Ehrlich, Reggie Workman, Cooper-Moore, Randy Peterson and Evan Parker Of course I'm biased regarding Tony Malaby and Mat Maneri....

Nice show. 2 long involved pieces. 11 people attended - the avant garde is still a tough sell out here in the provinces. The musicians couldn't have been more gracious. Did Ingrid play both tenor and soprano? I sure wish more would be listening but as they say it is what it is I'm also wondering if Rainey at times ever ended up in one of his super off kilter grooves? I love it when he gets to that place. One of the reasons is that when it happens it happens organically without any roadmap Played both tenor & soprano. Rainey had a bag full of drum sticks that at one point he smacked from drum to drum. Also rather amazing cymbal work. I loved it. Even my wife said "that was pretty good". My wife has become a big fan of the jazz drummers I like. Her favorites are Hamid Drake and Nasheet Waits. Although when Nasheet filled in once for Tom Rainey with Open Loose, she was upset that she didn't hear what she liked from Rainey. She likes Rainey except that she thinks he's grumpy - which he may be when he's not with Ingrid!!! But what she really likes Rainey for is when he rocks out in those mysterious grooves. I think he is as fascinating a drummer as there is as he is totally unpredictable and the musical results on one night with the same partners/collaborators can differ mightily. Happy that tomorrow my wife will see Nasheet so usually that means she will be in a good mood!!!

Finalized. I be there tomorrow by 6:00 or so

Nice show. 2 long involved pieces. 11 people attended - the avant garde is still a tough sell out here in the provinces. The musicians couldn't have been more gracious. Did Ingrid play both tenor and soprano? I sure wish more would be listening but as they say it is what it is I'm also wondering if Rainey at times ever ended up in one of his super off kilter grooves? I love it when he gets to that place. One of the reasons is that when it happens it happens organically without any roadmap

I wish I could drive you Rita. Current plan is we go only on Saturday leaving to he there probably around 6:00. Finalizing plans tonight with wavering wife. It's 20 minutes from where I live, but previous afternoon plans are running into the late afternoon - I would love to hear the panel but the musicians playing after make it insane not to drop by for the music.

I want the Clifford Jordan set but of course it's not on sale

The In Order to Survive show from 2012 on the William Parker Wood Flute Songs box set

I saw Ivo over a decade ago and I remember Michael Wimberly ruined the set. No space or feel for what the tenorman was going for

Back in the day, I ate up a few Ivo records - some real good ones are Sad Life with WP & Rashied Ali, Seeds Vision and Counterpoint with Dominic Duval and I think Jay Rosen. The latter is exceptionally intense and has that buzz that Leeway is speaking of. Also great is Siero with a quartet that includes Thomas Ulrich on cello. Very very fine For me I need a drummer to push him and other voices that might be more intricate and nuanced to play off his pure sound approach. Tough job for a saxophonist to match Mat one on one but who knows.

I agree with this, Allen. I also realize than maybe even more musicians today find it impossible to make a living playing the more challenging end or side of improvised music than ever before. So if available the temptation to write jingles might be irresistible. My experience in following musicians with a wide range of source material or influence and a healthy interest in multiple current forms of music is that if they are dedicated to their art and there is a there there, their music becomes even more stronger their own. Evan Parker and Tony Malaby are examples of two musicians very close to my heart who personify this.

Not that familiar with Ribot but my experience who musicians who dabble in different idioms or variations of those musics renders the music they play as empty and vapid. Imagine if Monk dabbled in R&B on the side Or if Cecil Taylor wrote jingles in the 60's rather than dedicating himself to what he felt in his heart, soul and mind.

I can almost feel it, Ubu GIANTS walk this earth, indeed

Embrace the majesty, Ubu!!!!!

One day I'm seeing the music this thread is all about. I'm posting this so I do something to make what I'm saying a reality.

I would be a damn shame but it always seems like Gustafsson is from that Peter Kowald school of travel the world and play with all who interest him and play with those who are interested in him. One hopes there will be Tarfala again!

My hope is that simply Mats was booked somewhere else as he is a very busy guy. As we know he was in the States just last week.

As a kid I loved him - but what 17 year old didn't? I watched much of that video and a more recent one on PBS and he is OK but compared to Waits, Rainey, Drake, Cyrille, Bennink, Peterson, Hemingway just for starters......c'mon

Valve # 10 with Lowe, Sirone and Charles is a great one

Regarding Bang, sometimes the real deal appears just when I might think it just all be a bit of more of the same. His playing on the 2009 Vision Fest show with William Parker's extended ensemble might be the best stuff on the whole Wood Flute Songs box. Agree about Frank Lowe

I saw The Thing at The Stone maybe in 2008. Mats started on baritone and the addition of McPhee was a huge plus. AALY was @ Tonic and it that tour was the last time as far as I know that the great band played live. This was right as "I Wonder if I Was Screaming" was recorded/released. That is a great recording which I believe is very difficult to find (on Crazy Wisdom).

Thanks, Leeway I knew The Thing was in Queens on Friday night - I did not know about the Philly concert with that band. I love Nordeson on drums - he was on the awe inspiring AALY trio bit I'm not that familiar with his vibes playing. Another very established figure in the small form electro-acoustic improvisation scene is Dieb 13 who made a great record with Burkhardt Stangl about a decade ago called "Eh". I've always thought there could be a melding of these worlds and I guess Mats is one of the guys to do it. I imagine I would have loved the show. For me the band I really, really want to see Mats with is Tarfala with Guy and Strid. I've only seen him with Brotzmann's Tentet a couple if times, The Thing with Joe McPhee and once with the awesome aforementioned AALY trio with KV back in 2001 or so. All were very memorable performances.