Steve Reynolds

Number one: Ches Smith trio with Mat Maneri and Craig Taborn Then: Michael Moore's American Available Jelly Mat Maneri Trio with Ed Schuller and Randy Peterson Evan Parker duet with Sylvie Courvoisier Evan Parker quartet with John Escreet, John Hebert and Tyshawn Sorey William Parker Quartet with Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes and Hamid Drake Kris Davis Capricorn Climber All in NYC Many other fine shows but these were all spectacular

Let me post here that track 2 from Decoy with Joe McPhee is among the most powerful improv pieces I've heard over the past couple of years.

Me needs to see Foxes Fox with Evan Parker, Steve Beresford and John Edwards To my ears one of the great improvising ensembles in this music

Nice seeing you as well, Tony

RIP, Sir

Last time a few years ago in Philly with frode's big band. Besides that maybe 2006 or so at Vision Fest.

My dream is that Louis Moholo-Moholo writes or relays the stories of the history of this music as he has experienced it. My other dream is that I get to see him play one time

Pretty damn great. Hard to expain this band. Susie was the highlight in many ways. Lotte Anker nice new find for me. Kinda like John Butcher crossed with Steve Lacy on soprano and who the hell knows from what where or who on alto. Lotsa tension and controlled force and restraint.

Mephista for the first set then adding Lotte Anker on saxophone for the second set Mephista is Sylvie Courvoisier, Susie Ibarra and Ikue More Tonight at The Stone, NYC

Agree Me just wants new issues of great bands with great musicians. Recorded by people who record the music as it is played. Like Not Two records Top of the list would be Mat Maneri's Quintet with Oscar Noriega, Craig Taborn or Kris Davis, Ed Schuller and the great Randy Peterson. Remains the most exciting and invigorating live ensemble I've seen over the past 3 years.

The original Eno "pop" albums remain among the best recordings I've ever heard with my favorite being Taking Tiger Mountain (by strategy)

Specifically the 2009 date with William Parker's quartet augmented by Bradford, Spauding and Bang is the record of the year. James Spauding is beyond incredible, Billy Bang plays with heart and fire that maybe only someone facing death can and Hamid Drake is simply Hamid Drake. Within the opening O'Neal's Porch the band plays the whole history of this music within 13 minutes

I also miss the full band but I am hoping we get a release of the full band when they played during that time and hopefully Not Two will release the music as the music released on Mad Dogs is recorded with the highest sound quality of any jazz/improvisation recording I've ever heard.

Don't know what isn't great on Mad Dogs Both that and Wood Flute Songs start my 2013 best of

Whole bunch ordered for the Holiday including: King Crimson: Road to Red - big splurge here - but this has always been the band for me in many ways. I was into the band long before I discovered jazz. And I think this incarnation of Crimson is unmatched. I even like the fact they are almost a heavy metal band by the time they got to the States in 1974 Ken Vandermark's Resonance Ensemble: the box from 2009 and the new 2 CD set 3 other Not Two releases including Dragonfly with Weasel Walter and Paul Flaherty in the quartet Plus Spirits Rejoice from Louis Moholo which has been a long time coming Gerald Cleaver's Black Host - I've seen the band live and they are great - and I'm hoping the CD is somewhat representative

Some new tasty looking CDs on Not Two records Details when I place my order including: A new recording from the late Denis Charles with the great late Wilbur Morris with Thomas Borgmann on reeds Band was smoking based on the 2 discs I have. Charles' playing at the end of his life was majestic Same concert as the one on Silkheart, I believe - If it is, it's a good one

And unless he was mentioned earlier, the late, great Mike Osbourne

Thomas Chapin is still seriously undervalued despite his absolute brilliance on the alto saxophone

A couple of the times I saw him live, he was wonderous did you see his alto, piano, drums trio or a more conventional lineup? I saw his band with Matt Mitchell on piano, not sure the bassist and Ches Smith on drums. Good that night but..... Incredible with Lafayette Gilcrest's trio with Michael Formanek and Andrew Cyrille with Steve Swell making it a quintet. Stunning And close to that level was with Gerald Cleaver's Black Host with Brandon Seabrook on guitar, Pascal Niggenkemper on bass and the great Cooper-Moore on piano. First time was late 2010 or 2011 when the band was just formed and they blew the roof off.

Track 2 from Decoy plus the great Joe McPhee: Live at Cafe Oto How great are an John Edwards/Steve Noble on bass/drums?!?! Listen to this CD and this 30 minute improvisation and find out

A couple of the times I saw him live, he was wonderous

I saw Ban and Maneri with Evan Parker at the Parker residency at The Stone in NYC in September. Very fine trio performance. Great show. Next time we should say hello

Who is Ramon Lopez? Btw listening now again to disc 4 of Mad Dogs box with Parker Guy Lytton with Fernandez Mind bending Best Evan Parker tenor on record in quite some time - the ending to the first 24 minute section is beyond what should be possible. Even more than his standard casual brilliance.

More later but alls I can say right now is: The Great Ray Anderson astounded me with what he played tonight, especially during the second set and the unaccompanied solo he took during the second half of Ehrlich's "Stride" was jaw droppingly fucking genius level brilliance. Second tune of the second set was "Sugar Water" from one of the earlier wonderful Ehrlich recordings on Enja - Side by Side and as I haven't heard any of those recordings for a while and I forgot how brilliant much of that music is, I welled up a bit when he chose to play my all-time favorite composition of his. But I forgot how truly gorgeous the melody is and overall what a great composer he is. Both Brad Jones and Matt Wilson were better than I've ever heard either of them and the high points of the two sets were very high indeed. Ehrlich really got the alto blazing during the second set. I also forgot how virtuosic he is on his main horn. First set ended with a klezmer inspired theme into some high energy improv with Wilson playing all kinds of cymbals and the second set ended with Ray's "Alligatory Rhumba" which ended the night groovin like a mother with The great trombonist playing like he wanted to play all night despite the tiny crowd that stayed or came for the second set. Those who didn't go if didn't stay missed an amazing hour of music. I sometimes forget how great these guys are as well. I almost didn't go and I'm sure thrilled that I did

More later but alls I can say right now is: The Great Ray Anderson astounded me with what he played tonight, especially during the second set and the unaccompanied solo he took during the second half of Ehrlich's "Stride" was jaw droppingly fucking genius level brilliance. Second tune of the second set was "Sugar Water" from one of the earlier wonderful Ehrlich recordings on Enja - Side by Side and as I haven't heard any of those recordings for a while and I forgot how brilliant much of that music is, I welled up a bit when he chose to play my all-time favorite composition of his. But I forgot how truly gorgeous the melody is and overall what a great composer he is. Both Brad Jones and Matt Wilson were better than I've ever heard either of them and the high points of the two sets were very high indeed. Ehrlich really got the alto blazing during the second set. I also forgot how virtuosic he is on his main horn. First set ended with a klezmer inspired theme into some high energy improv with Wilson playing all kinds of cymbals and the second set ended with Ray's "Alligatory Rhumba" which ended the night groovin like a mother with The great trombonist playing like he wanted to play all night despite the tiny crowd that stayed or came for the second set. Those who didn't go if didn't stay missed an amazing hour of music. I sometimes forget how great these guys are as well. I almost didn't go and I'm sure thrilled that I did