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What band would you like to see live?


Steve Reynolds

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to me most of them are large ensembles that rarely, if ever, come to the States - mostly dude to financial or logistical reasons

Italian Instabile Orchestra - appeared in Chicago a few years ago - that has been it

Globe Unity Orchestra - never appeared in the States to my knowledge - and have only had a few appearances of any kind over the last 10 years - latest version was only about 10-11 strong with Schlippenbach, Brotzmann, Parker, Lytton, Rutherford, etc.

Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra - Alexander von Schlippenbach's other big band (he is the founder and driving force behind the Globe Unity Orchestra). For those who havn't heard them, they have at least 3 recordings - the fist being the self-titled one on ECM which features Kenny Wheeler's long Ana and two fantastic Misha Mengelberg pieces. Some might be surprised that Benny Bailey sits in one of the trumpet chairs while Ed Thigpen swings the big band mightly. "Morlocks" on FMP is a grittier more "out" recording which still jas many swinging elements and fantastic charts throughpout. The last recording that I know of is Live in Japan 1996 on DIW - which combines disparate elements (and some fine local (Japanese) musicians augmenting the core members of the band. Amazing ot hear Paul Lovens in this context as on some tunes (like Jackhammer) one would swear it couldn't possibly be Lovens at the kit (if you know anything about Paul Lovens' playing - you would know what I mean

and lastly - a chance to hear Barry Guy's "New Orchestra" might be the highlight of highlights being that the great long standing London Jazz Composers' Orchestra appears to be defunct after an incredible 25 year run which includes, IMO, the greatest recorded large ensemble music since Duke Ellington. Ode,Harmos, Theoria, Double Trouble and Double Trouble II are all lnadmark recordings - the more recent ones (all but the early 70's Ode-which is whole different more untamed animal than the late 80's and 90's recordings) include pianist like Howard Riley, Irene Sweitzer and Marilyn Crispell with a reed section that includes Evan Parker, Paul Dunmall & Trevor Watts.

to see this band or the smaller 10 piece New Orchestra LIVE would be an incrediable experience - (check the recording Inscape/Tableaux - my record of the year from a couple of years back) but it includes Parker, Mats Gustafsson, Johannes bauer, Herb Robertson, Marilyn Crispell and both Raymond Strid and Paul Lytton in drums.

at least I've gotten to see the *great* Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet twice - ironically their full power and grace has never been captured on record = live in the small confines of NYC's Tonic was an incredible experience indeed - and for me I was lucky enough to see them twice (in 2000 & 2002)

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Well, one of my dreams will be coming true this month -- I'm going to see Bob Dylan! After a lifetime of listening to his music, and loving every bit of it, I made the jump and going to see him at UC Irvine. Kind of scared too. You know that feeling that someone's music has meant so much to you, and you go and see him live, they're terrible, and you never look at them the same. Hope that doesn't happen here, but he's supposed to be in great form right now, so we'll see. On the jazz side, it's not even close: Cecil Taylor. I have come to have such a high regard for his music that I would love to see him live, but he never seems to make it out to SoCal. Hopefully Anthony Braxton or Peter Brotzmann will cruise by one day.

Edited by Matthew
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along with Duke Ellington's band (especially the 1960's version with most of the great players mature in style - yet still with all the skills of their youth), the large ensemble I most would have love to have seen (including the current ones I mentioned above) was without a doubt Chris MacGregor's Brotherhood of Breath

with the *great* Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Dudu Pukwana on alto, Louis Moholo on drumsd and the rest of the crew - the South Africans (the blue notes) had a vibe of their own that still hasn't been matched

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Cecil Taylor. I have come to have such a high regard for his music that I would love to see him live, but he never seems to make it out to SoCal.

Amazingly, the one time I've seen Cecil (doing solo piano recital and poetry) was in that very locale !

He's in the UK later this year with Bill Dixon and Tony Oxley and that's one that can't be missed.

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I'd like to catch Houston Person sometime, as I've become quite a fan of his recent High Note recordings.

If he still plays, I'd kill for a chance to see Jay McShann.

Dan, I saw Houston for the first time a couple of years ago with Grady Tate, sounded real good. He's coming back to Phoenix in April with Junior Mance and Clark Terry.

Edited by catesta
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Until very recently my immediate reaction would have been to say Sam Rivers but he's touring the UK over the next few months with two concerts in my vicinity. Hopefully I'll be at both !  :excited:

Is he? Can you link me to any information?

There's a listing in this month's Jazzwise David. I'll post the dates on the board sometime during the weekend. It's with a 'UK RivBea' big band, comprising UK guys such as Tony Kofi and Ian Ballamy, sort of like the UK Andrew Hill Big Band of a couple of years ago. Off the top of my head there are dates scheduled in London, Southampton and Bath for sure.. :)

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JOHN COLTRANE quartet, quintet, with MILES or MONK or what ever.

Perhaps in another life.

ALBERT AYLER that I could have seen at Saint-Paul de Vence (Fondation Maeght) but didn't just because THE MAN WAS UNKNOWN TO ME AT THAT TIME (young and foolish - I mean me.)

The difficult thing to swallow here is that I was visiting the Fondation around the time (end of July 1970) the man gave his two concerts there.

And, even If I've seen few times MINGUS in the seventies (with DON PULLEN & GEORGE ADAMS and without), I'd really liked to have seen him in the early sixties (AT ANTIBES, by exemple) or, even better, in 1964 when he plays in Paris or London some of the concerts we get back now on CD.

And also MONK, let say, between 1954 and 1959.

Edited by P.L.M
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Whatever band Henry Threadgill's got together now.

I saw the "world premere" (I think) of the original Sextet at the Chicago Underground Festival in 1981, but that was a looooooooooooong time ago.

I'd like to see Von Freeman too.

And Steve Coleman's band.

I'd like to see lots of people, actually.

Maybe I should move. We don't get to see shit here anymore except ourselves, and we already know that.

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Until very recently my immediate reaction would have been to say Sam Rivers but he's touring the UK over the next few months with two concerts in my vicinity. Hopefully I'll be at both !   :excited:

Is he? Can you link me to any information?

There's a listing in this month's Jazzwise David. I'll post the dates on the board sometime during the weekend. It's with a 'UK RivBea' big band, comprising UK guys such as Tony Kofi and Ian Ballamy, sort of like the UK Andrew Hill Big Band of a couple of years ago. Off the top of my head there are dates scheduled in London, Southampton and Bath for sure.. :)

Maybe there can be a meeting of the UK branch of the Organissimo members at the Southampton date ??

(I know of 2 board members with front row centre tickets ^_^ )

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Until very recently my immediate reaction would have been to say Sam Rivers but he's touring the UK over the next few months with two concerts in my vicinity. Hopefully I'll be at both !   :excited:

Is he? Can you link me to any information?

There's a listing in this month's Jazzwise David. I'll post the dates on the board sometime during the weekend. It's with a 'UK RivBea' big band, comprising UK guys such as Tony Kofi and Ian Ballamy, sort of like the UK Andrew Hill Big Band of a couple of years ago. Off the top of my head there are dates scheduled in London, Southampton and Bath for sure.. :)

Maybe there can be a meeting of the UK branch of the Organissimo members at the Southampton date ??

(I know of 2 board members with front row centre tickets ^_^ )

Dead jealous ! B-)

I'll almost certainly go for the Bath gig on the Wednesday at the Michael Tippett Centre and will possibly also treck down to Southampton on the Friday also. This one needs a repeat viewing !

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