Steve Reynolds

Almost bought Peckin' Time last night I think next Sunday I buy it along with the quintet disc from 1957 with I think Art Farmer and maybe Persip on drums

More later but two wonderful very unique sets (Kris is very unusual composer) with fine performances by all and yet all overshadowed but not overwhelmed (thankfully) by what may have been the best I have ever heard from Mat Maneri. Simply beyond what an improviser should be capable of doing. Beyond genius at this point. Astounding. His first solo during the first somewhat straight piece was lilting, gorgeous and simply elevated the rest of the band from there on out. The long oddly structured second composition built to a mammoth long extremely intense and loud plateau where what was going on with Mat and John Hebert is still a mystery. And yet it got better. Mat gets sounds and riffs out of his viola that do not exist beyond him in all of the musical world. My friend Maurice who sees a whole lot of music and has seen Mat many, many times agreed that it might be the best he has ever heard from him. Bruce, of course, just smiles and we just know that a few more oughtta know and really might want to listen. Is it easy listening? No as the second set was a bit slow fur the first 30 minutes which were two 15 minute takes on two very oblique compositions with the second one slower than slow while the first was almost Andrew Hill like with his last bassist and Davis with Rainey opening as a chunky piano trio for about half of the 15 minutes until Ingrid and Mat threatened madness. Last tune had no viola until the last 10 minutes when the whole idea of what is jazz and what grooves and what swings and who is the new Trane all came and went. Of course he is that but he plays the viola, sits on a chair and has no commercial appeal. Like his dad said to me back in the day, "it's gonna be big" speaking of his music, even though he was already 72 and never recorded anything other than totally abstract improvisations, usually with Mat, a bassist, and a drummer that to this day, hardly anyone wants to hire, so really I say it is big, it's huge, and its more than that. Kris Davis' band that played hardly a groove save for a few Rainey hyper kinetic volleys, played in front of a packed room with a nice line down the block. Hope for big ears remain Get Ready to Receive Yourself

One hour until Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, John Hebert, the great Mat Maneri and the immense Tom Rainey. Hope the people attending the Wayne Shorter gala a block away have a great night as well!!!

My copy of Ghostly Thoughts is scratched and skips so I miss hearing it No Try No Fail is in my top 10 or 15 free jazz/improvisation recordings ever Keep searching!!

Oh I actually think for my taste Drake, Hemingway, Peterson, Rainey, and Cyrille are among the greatest drummers alive or even ever but maybe we are splitting hairs. I actually believe Drake on a good night is greatest jazz drummer I've ever seen or heard but Hamid Drake is not entering that club anytime soon if Roscoe Mitchell isn't in it.

agreed - huge figures in this music

Despite my (and many others) many issues with William Parker (which fwiw are documented for a couple of more days on the other board), he deserves to be honored. His legacy will be immense and his impact on the music has been much more than most realize. and as wonderful drummers that both Billy Hart and Joe Chambers are, they cannot be honered before the *great* Andrew Cyrille As much as I respect Mr. Larry Kart, they are simply not in the same category of musician or impact on the jazz/music/improvisational scene in general as Andrew Cyrille. some of us might consider him the greatest living American drummer.

I like Drew Gress but Drew Gress?!?!

fwiw - is Paul Bley not in because he was born in Canada? only reason that he isn't listed, I would think. I mean Living musicians - musicians over 60 I would think makes sense Edward Kidd Jordan - born 1935 William Parker - born 1952 Marilyn Crispell - born 1947 Gerry Hemingway - born 1952 Milford Graves - born 1941 Andrew Cyrille - born 1939 Mark Dresser - born 1952 not surprised that both the *great* Fred Anderson (1929 - 2010) and the legendary Joe Maneri (1927 - 2009) were overlooked during their lifetimes

Saturday Night @ Cornelis Street Cafe: Saturday, Jun 29 - 9:00PM & 10:30PM KRIS DAVIS'S CAPRICORN CLIMBER Kris Davis, piano; Mat Maneri, viola; Ingrid Laubrock, saxophone; John Hébert, bass; Tom Rainey, drums

Ask them about Keith Rowe

Problem with it is I couldn't listen to it. Wearying to the maximum And on the right day I can listen to the 76 minute Parker, Guy, Lytton, Schlippenbach, Lovens 2 x 3 : 5 which is as intense or moreso yet Even when Evan goes on a 15 minute tear, it is very listenable. I found myself begging Irabagon to stop playing within 10 minutes. When I realized he was never going to stop, I knew he was making some sort of statement but the music as well as the messy sloppy recording almost made me throw the damn disc out my window. The ability to improvise at length on the saxophone is not for every saxophonist. To my ears it takes a lifetime to really be able to make it happen for 10 to 20 minute plus statements. My guys for that sort of thing are Evan Parker, Paul Dunmall and the late, great Fred Anderson All very different from each other yet all know how to build things and none of them would think it would be interesting to play 70 minutes straight full bird the whole time. Why anyone would is really beyond me

Is this still in print, Steve? Not sure, key it on amazon and find out

I think it makes sense to give them some time as well. In today's music, it takes longer for real talented musicians to find their way as so much has already gone on. I feel some of the same things as you do but I think they have great potential but Evans is a bit over 30 and Irabagon is only 35.

Best place to hear Peacock IMO is on "Not Two Not One" with Paul Bley and Paul Motian Recording sounds un-ECM like in that it sounds like the band must have sounded like live

I'm really trying to go see Rigby based on your comments above and a few weeks or months back, Larry It's just that I get to about 2 to 3 shows per month and I get stuck on my favorites.... Irabagon was real good with Helias and Altschul a month or so ago - and whatever showy technique and over the top hotness/shoing off that shows up on a couple of CD's I have (specifically the obnoxious Foxy)- didn't appear that night as I think platying live with Helias and Altschul, nothing he played from that standpoint was going to impress either of those two. Plus they just finished up 2 to 3 weeks on the road, and I think playing with those two must be helping the young talented saxophonist to reign it in a bit - he seems to be learning something about silence and pacing.

the guy that the neo boppers oughtta get a load of is Irabagon He can play anything their heroes play plus whatever else.

Maybe it's not just technique alone?

July 7th @ Cornelia Street Cafe: Mat Maneri with Craig Taborn and Ches Smith First time playing together for the trio Taborn was incredible in Mat's quintet a couple of years back

They would HATE "Scenes in the House of Music" No playing changes there as Evan Parker, Barry Guy and Paul Lytton just couldn't cut it playing straight ahead jazz so they formed a trio 30 something years ago that allowed them with their low technique or lack of being able to play changes skill to make headache causing or vomit inducing music under the legendary moniker of Parker-Guy-Lytton Of course Barry Guy is among the greatest bassists alive schooled in all forms music, having written many of the greatest large form Orchestra pieces in all of jazz over the past 40 years while Evan Parker is Evan Parker But many have no use for it, I understand - but the bullshit line is just that. Can I say much of what some like to constantly listen to is the always same old theme, solos, theme sleep and coma inducing tripe with musicians who haven't or won't incorporate anything outside of get ready for more of the same But the tired old adage about whether they can play changes, please That argument was over 10 to 15 years ago

I'm a big Eskelin fan but I think he's better when he plays uptempo or free or out than when he's playing ballads. Fwiw one ballad every other set is a-ok with me. More than that and I'm pining for groove and fire

Both!! But maybe not as GREAT as the Brotzmann Tentet when Drake was in the band - when the band played charts!! Then again Joe Maneri with Mat Maneri, Cecil McBee and Randy Peterson in NYC in 1998,,,,,, well u know me,,,,

I was at the October 29th, 1981 show at the Metro in Boston My recollection is that they played most of Discipline, Red and played Larks Tongues in Aspic pt II twice, the second time as an encore And No Pussyfooting played for quite some time before the show, which started later than advertised. At the time this was my favorite band in the world Fwiw I will buy the above 20 CD box as to my ears the 1973-74 band remains one of greatest bands this world has ever known

For me, I would rather hear him in a trio or quartet just as I prefer Evan Parker in a trio or quartet playing something nearer to jazz/free improvisation For improvisational music that is more abstract, I prefer to listen to Axel Doerner or Greg Kelley with some of the other musicians that specialize in smaller sounds in what is known by some as EAI or electro acoustic improvisation which for me is a much more subtle and less expressive form of improvisation. Once I became interested in that sort of thing over tem years ago it helped my ears and my mind into being more open to other aspects of listening and music. Of course it IS music, it just isn't for all listeners. My starting suggestion for the abstract in improvisation is always two discs first being AMM's Live in Allentown as it combines discernible instruments (drums and piano) with what Keith Rowe does. And it IS music. For what it is, it's actually some if the greatest music I've ever heard and this recording has Eddie Prevost in a mode during part of the 59 minute piece that comes from his jazz drumming background. And John Tilbury for what he does is one of the great pianists of his or really any other generation The other is called Schnee which really is one of the original old school EAI recordings from around 1998 which had me within a couple of spins after I stopped expecting to hear something that just wasn't there.

Highlights of Peter Evans week @ The Stone 9/14 Saturday 8 pm Peter Evans Octet PE (trumpets, compositions) Ron Stabinsky (piano, trumpet) Brandon Seabrook (guitar, banjo, electronics) Tom Blancarte (bass, euphonium) Dan Peck (tuba, amplified tuba, bass) Sam Pluta (live electronics, trombone) Jim Black (drums, electronics) Ian Antonio (percussion) One 2 hour set at 8pm. 9/15 Sunday 8 and 10 pm Rocket Science Evan Parker (saxes) Peter Evans (trumpets) Sam Pluta (live electronics) Craig Taborn (piano)