What live music are you going to see tonight?

[jlhoots]

Gretchen Parlato

[jlhoots]

Tim Armacost Quartet (Benny Barth, Kenny Davis, Billy Hart)

[jeffcrom]

A full evening of music. There's a music festival going on in the park about a quarter mile from my house; today's headliner was the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. My wife and I walked over and heard about 45 minutes of their set before I had to go to my gig. They're as much a funk band (albeit with a tuba) as a brass band these days - the guitar and drum set keep it from really sounding like a New Orleans brass band. But funk is its own reward, as George Clinton said, and they were good.

Then the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra, in which I play sax and clarinet, opened for the psych/funk/jam band Noot d' Noot at the Star Bar in Atlanta. I like the energy of playing in a rock club, but the sound guys never know what to do with us except make us all really loud. The folks dug us, though.

I stayed for some of the Noot boys' show. Even though I play on their first album, it's not really my thing. But it was a fun evening.

[ep1str0phy]

tonight:

Zachary Watkins & Tiffany Lin

at The Chapel Performance Space

http://waywardmusic.blogspot.com/

Hey--I know (not that well) Zachary Watkins! He's a Mills guys.

Completely tangential, but I'm playing in Eddie Gale's group on a bill with Bobby Hutcherson on it next Tuesday. Considering "Destination Out!" was like my bible in college, and that I spent a good two months last year listening to nothing but "Out to Lunch," forgive me while I geek the f*** out.

[clifford_thornton]

Wowowwwowwwowwwwwww....just got home after the Art Ensemble show in Philly, with Roscoe Mitchell fronting on soprano and alto sax. I don't even know what to say about this incredible show. The band hit a groove from the first note from William Parker from an African bass of some sort, and swung like hell for an hour and a half. I did not know until tonight that Roscoe was a master of circular breathing; at one point, he played what must have been a 15 minute solo without an "air break." The audience was completely into the show, other than a few walkout stragglers (their loss); loved hearing someone shout for "Jackson in the House" at the encore. My AACM knowledge is regrettably not as comprehensive as it should be, so I can't report as to the specific songs played--but the concert just kicked some serious, groovin' ass. Many thanks to Chuck for getting this music out there.

Sounds like it was a great show! I didn't know Parker was part of the Art Ensemble now.

Can we start calling it the Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble again?

[david weiss]

Never posted in this thread before, but here I am in NYC and just round the corner at Smoke, there's The Cookers, with Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Azar Lawrence, George Cables, Cecil McBee & Billy Hart.

This isn't quite my stuff, but it'll be good music and really not to be passed up. Will report back.

MG

Phew! Billy Harper smokes - but he doesn't smoke never has, he told me.

I got put in a seat at the bar and, after a minute, someone addressed the guy sitting next to me as Mr Harper. So I said "Are you Billy Harper?" "Yes." @Sorry I didn't recognise you; I don't get out much." He thought that was funny.

Eddie Henderson seemed to be having trouble with his lip and also to be fighting a cold. Nevertheless, he made effective music - not flashy, but effective. Azar Lawrence impressed me, too. I've never heard him play before. Looks like I made a mistake not listening before.

Billy Hart drove the band like mad. He was heroic and Cecil McBee only slightly less so.

My only regret is that the band is slightly too big for everyone to get solos. But it does enable rather interesting voicings to be written - George Cables seems to be responsible mainly.

And I've made a HUGE mistake in not keeping up with Mr Harper after his recordings with Lee Morgan and Charles Earland. He was fire and had me jumping up and down on the stool, nearly falling off at one point. Oh, what an exciting player!

Damn good gig.

MG

Actually I wrote all the arrangements.

I think everyone gets to solo each sets. The horns and piano all get a bunch of solos each set and the bass and drums usually at least one.....

Never posted in this thread before, but here I am in NYC and just round the corner at Smoke, there's The Cookers, with Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Azar Lawrence, George Cables, Cecil McBee & Billy Hart.

This isn't quite my stuff, but it'll be good music and really not to be passed up. Will report back.

MG

Phew! Billy Harper smokes - but he doesn't smoke never has, he told me.

I got put in a seat at the bar and, after a minute, someone addressed the guy sitting next to me as Mr Harper. So I said "Are you Billy Harper?" "Yes." @Sorry I didn't recognise you; I don't get out much." He thought that was funny.

Eddie Henderson seemed to be having trouble with his lip and also to be fighting a cold. Nevertheless, he made effective music - not flashy, but effective. Azar Lawrence impressed me, too. I've never heard him play before. Looks like I made a mistake not listening before.

Billy Hart drove the band like mad. He was heroic and Cecil McBee only slightly less so.

My only regret is that the band is slightly too big for everyone to get solos. But it does enable rather interesting voicings to be written - George Cables seems to be responsible mainly.

And I've made a HUGE mistake in not keeping up with Mr Harper after his recordings with Lee Morgan and Charles Earland. He was fire and had me jumping up and down on the stool, nearly falling off at one point. Oh, what an exciting player!

Damn good gig.

MG

Azar Lawrence (who played with McCoy Tyner in the '70s) has recently re-emerged and released a couple of excellent albums--Prayer for My Ancestors (a really good one) and Speak the Word. A third release is imminent.

Billy Harper's most recent (fine) recording is Blueprints of Jazz.

Thanks Ken.

I had a quick word with Azar afterwards and apologised for having ignored him for forty years, although I was well aware of his Prestige recordings. He said to get onto his website, which I shall do, once I get home. I got the impression he's selling his own stuff. Good.

A further gloss on the gig - David Weiss didn't get through to me at all. We've discussed showbiz and jazz in a number of threads here. Weiss struck me as the most un-showbiz jazz musician I've ever come across.

I don't expect jazzmen to come on in short spangly skirts and kick their legs up But I do expect open body language that tells me they're glad to be there playing their music, which I feel shouldn't be hard for a jazzman 99% of the time. I also expect a bit of eye contact with the audience - not necessarily with me; Harper was standing sideways on to me; Cables was hidden behind the corner of the stage, except his hands, but they were eloquent anyway - even though it is probably hard to pick out individuals in a dark room when the stage is lit.

For the whole set, David Weiss held his trummpet close to his body, pointed at the floor, and looking at the floor. That kind of tight, locked into himself body language, not interested in whether he was getting through, put me right off. It didn't matter what he was playing, I wasn't listening.

MG

Azar actually records for a newish label called Furthermore Records. Besides a great upcoming CD from Azar, they also recorded Eddie Henderson; a quartet record with John Scofield that sounds great.

The guy running the label has great taste.

As for the other comments, I don't know what to say. It's interesting what people read into things.

We recorded a CD right after these gigs that will be out in the Fall in Europe and next year in the US. I think it came out great and one can listen to it (and hopefully enjoy it) without being distracted by one's lack of stage presence.

Edited April 21, 2010 by david weiss

[BillF]

Just got home from an afternoon gig at Wigan: Simon Spillett and the Swingshift Big Band playing the big band charts of Tubby Hayes. Great stuff!

[king ubu]

Actually I wrote all the arrangements.

I think everyone gets to solo each sets. The horns and piano all get a bunch of solos each set and the bass and drums usually at least one.....

Do you usually do?

I saw a DVD (off european TV) which I enjoyed a lot, recorded in Burghausen, Germany, on March 20, 2009.

Mighty fine concert, too bad I never had a chance to see The Cookers live! But at least I have that DVD!

(In case anyone wonders: Craig Handy was on alto then, not Azar Lawrence, and EJ Strickland on drums.)

A further gloss on the gig - David Weiss didn't get through to me at all. We've discussed showbiz and jazz in a number of threads here. Weiss struck me as the most un-showbiz jazz musician I've ever come across.

I don't expect jazzmen to come on in short spangly skirts and kick their legs up But I do expect open body language that tells me they're glad to be there playing their music, which I feel shouldn't be hard for a jazzman 99% of the time. I also expect a bit of eye contact with the audience - not necessarily with me; Harper was standing sideways on to me; Cables was hidden behind the corner of the stage, except his hands, but they were eloquent anyway - even though it is probably hard to pick out individuals in a dark room when the stage is lit.

For the whole set, David Weiss held his trummpet close to his body, pointed at the floor, and looking at the floor. That kind of tight, locked into himself body language, not interested in whether he was getting through, put me right off. It didn't matter what he was playing, I wasn't listening.

MG

[...]

As for the other comments, I don't know what to say. It's interesting what people read into things.

We recorded a CD right after these gigs that will be out in the Fall in Europe and next year in the US. I think it came out great and one can listen to it (and hopefully enjoy it) without being distracted by one's lack of stage presence.

Interesting discussion there!

On the DVD I mention above, that never even occurred to me. I guess there's plenty of variety as far as expectations to jazz musicians go... I can kind of take it all, from aping around nervously or a gentelmanly conferencier (Benny Golson, telling the same stories over and over again...) to the most introspective kind - as long as it seems to be natural and in line with the personality/character of the performing artist!

Never thought anything was weird about your behaviour on said DVD, David!

[Van Basten II]

Going to see Marcus Miller tonight featuring Christian Scott in a project called Tutu revisited. Just hope when I'll get out the city won't be burning

[Niko]

Mike Reed's People Places and Things Octet in Cologne... had to leave early, very nice concert... had been a bit sad that Ira SUllivan was no there (hope he is doing well...) but his replacement Ari Brown was the best soloist imho so... big surprise was an interview in the beginning with Arrt Hoyle, Julian Priester and Brown conducted by a guy named Larry Kart...

[king ubu]

Saw Gianluigi Trovesi's electric quintet last night (Gianluigi Trovesi as,alto-cl,e-flat cl, Massimo Greco tp, Roberto Cecchetto g, Marco Micheli b, Vittorio Marinoni dr)

Quite good, not a big relevation or anything, but very enjoyable!

Not hearly as "electric" as the band name made me expect, Cecchetto was always felt and present but never loud or overpowering, Greco was ok in the first set, then had a beer at the bar and took a second with him back on stage and was loose and godo in the second set. Trovesi was his usual self, full of ideas and melodies, and highly virtuosic when it was called for. I enjoyed the folksy stuff a lot, and as encores, they did two of their New Orleans staples (second encore was "High Society", first I recognised but can't tell what it was... also in the opening number of the second set Trovesi and Greco had a call and response thing going on with the lick of a corny Bert Kaempfert tune, I think... ha!)

[jeffcrom]

I'm about to head out the door. If I have the energy, I'm going to two Atlanta shows tonight:

Janiva Magness (w/ Jim Alfredson on organ) at Blind Willie's.

Then to Kavarna to hear a very interesting band whose name tells the story: Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel.

[jeffcrom]

What an interesting day....

The five horns of the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra played at the wedding of our guitar player this afternoon: traditional and original wedding music.

The Janiva Mangess band at Blind Willie's tonight was smokin' - great singer, great band, and Jim A. was fabulous.

Then I drove across town to Kavarna and walked in halfway through Richard Devine and Josh Kay's duo set of analogue synth improvisations. It was fascinating to hear/see musicians improvising by turning knobs and plugging in patch cords rather than by pressing keys. I really enjoyed it. Then Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel worked their magic for 45 minutes. They produce an amazing range of sounds. Col. Bruce Hampton was in the audience at Kavarna; that might mean something to some of you.

What a great day and night.

Edited May 2, 2010 by jeffcrom

[BillF]

Up to Whitefield this afternoon on the Metrolink to hear Simon Spillett again - this time with the Gerry Tomlinson Trio.

[BillF]

Up to Whitefield this afternoon on the Metrolink to hear Simon Spillett again - this time with the Gerry Tomlinson Trio.

Yes, it was a fine session. Had a great talk with Simon - about my memories of Tubby Hayes and Victor Feldman and his admiration for Eric Alexander and Grant Stewart.

[kh1958]

Bernard Allison at Pearl on Commerce. While not comparable to his father on guitar, he is pretty good and is a nice singer who plays mostly original material. The band was strong, featuring tenor saxophone as much as guitar, and the tenor player (didn't catch his name) played rather well. The drummer has chops way beyond what I expect in a blues band. Overall, quite enjoyable.

Edited May 2, 2010 by kh1958

[sidewinder]

Up to Whitefield this afternoon on the Metrolink to hear Simon Spillett again - this time with the Gerry Tomlinson Trio.

Yes, it was a fine session. Had a great talk with Simon

You didn't ask him when his Tubby Hayes bio was coming out by any chance?

[BillF]

Up to Whitefield this afternoon on the Metrolink to hear Simon Spillett again - this time with the Gerry Tomlinson Trio.

Yes, it was a fine session. Had a great talk with Simon

You didn't ask him when his Tubby Hayes bio was coming out by any chance?

With gigs this last week in Wigan, Marlow, Stoke-by-Nayland, Mumbles and Whitefield, my guess is no time soon! But I shall certainly be reading it when it does come out. He's incredibly knowledgeable about British jazz history. When I said I had been at Scott's for Victor Feldman's triumphant Xmas visit to Britain (couldn't remember the date), he immediately said "1960 - just after he joined Cannonball Adderley"!

Edited May 3, 2010 by BillF

[paul secor]

What an interesting day....

The five horns of the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra played at the wedding of our guitar player this afternoon: traditional and original wedding music.

The Janiva Mangess band at Blind Willie's tonight was smokin' - great singer, great band, and Jim A. was fabulous.

Then I drove across town to Kavarna and walked in halfway through Richard Devine and Josh Kay's duo set of analogue synth improvisations. It was fascinating to hear/see musicians improvising by turning knobs and plugging in patch cords rather than by pressing keys. I really enjoyed it. Then Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel worked their magic for 45 minutes. They produce an amazing range of sounds. Col. Bruce Hampton was in the audience at Kavarna; that might mean something to some of you.

What a great day and night.

Damn! Playing one gig and then catching two more - all in the same day. Lucky you're still a young fella.

[jeffcrom]

Damn! Playing one gig and then catching two more - all in the same day. Lucky you're still a young fella.

A blues harp player I used to play with would say, "We can sleep when we're dead."

[Van Basten II]

Saw Cindy Blackman playing an hommage to Tony Williams called Another Lifetime. A bit too rock for my liking, ended up with damaged earing and a headache, as the sound was on the too strong side of things.

[BillF]

Just got back from Southport, where I saw tenorman Frank Griffith with the Swing Shift Big Band. Hadn't heard of Griffith before, but he's an expatriate American who's recorded with Tom Harrell in the States and Jimmy Deuchar here. It was great to hear Bob Florence arrangements live!

[alankin]

"Klezmer Meets Swing" with CB Calloway and the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Regent Theatre, Arlington MA.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/arlington/news/x998202817/CB-Calloway-and-the-Klezmer-Conservatory-Band

http://www.wickedlocal.com/lexington/newsnow/x1394812335/Swing-The-unlikely-offspring-of-jazz-and-klezmer

[Van Basten II]

Saw another fine gig with the David Binney quartet, gave a lot of playing time to his fine sidemen, check out drummer Dan Weiss ! Man, does Binney loves long pieces , he played 7 pieces that lasted more than two hours.

Only negative was the sonorisation , little tip to those planning a trip to Montreal L'Astral is just not a great venue soundwise

For those interested, there were tapers and you can find it if you want to look for it.

Edited May 14, 2010 by Van Basten II

[Chuck Nessa]

Tonight Ann and I are headed to 504 E 75th St to hear Von Freeman and his New Apartment Lounge Quartet. We'll start driving home sometime after midnight.