What live music are you going to see tonight?

[jlhoots]

Flatlanders

How was the show? I'd love to see them again, after having seen Ely a few times solo since the last Flatlanders show here.

Very nice. Great stories & excellent music.

Ely told a story about driving across Texas many years ago & picking up a hitchiker who turned out to be Townes Van Zandt carrying a sackful of vinyl LPs.

[relyles]

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 - 7:30pm - $15
THE MAKAYA MCCRAVEN QUARTET
Community Music School of Springfield - 127 State Street - Springfield, MA
The ensemble includes Makaya McCraven, drums, Greg Ward, alto saxophone, Justin Thomas, vibraphone and Junius Paul, bass.

[Steve Reynolds]

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

[marcello]

My photo of Dr. Lonnie Smith and Johnathan Blake on Saturday night.

I'll explain later!

[kh1958]

Last Friday night, Mark Turner at the Village Vanguard, followed by the Mike DiRubbo Quintet at Smalls.

Last Saturday, at Shapeshifter Lab, first Russell Kirk, then Greg Osby 4 with Simona Premazzi on piano. Then to Smalls for another set by Mike Dirubbo, followed by the Stacy Dillard Brooklyn Circle.

Sunday afternoon, the Joe Alterman Trio, with James Cammack on bass, and guest Houston Person, at the Blue Note.

[relyles]

Tonight - Henry Threadgill ZOOID at the Jazz Gallery.

[relyles]

Last Friday night, Mark Turner at the Village Vanguard, followed by the Mike DiRubbo Quintet at Smalls.

I really wanted to get down to catch Turner, but was worn out from two road trips into the city the week before. How was it?

[kh1958]

Last Friday night, Mark Turner at the Village Vanguard, followed by the Mike DiRubbo Quintet at Smalls.

I really wanted to get down to catch Turner, but was worn out from two road trips into the city the week before. How was it?

I honestly did not care much for the music. I've enjoyed Mark Turner as a sideman, and certainly they were all good musicians (though the drummer in particular was not to my taste, too busy and noisy), and there were elements of solos I enjoyed, but overall, I didn't care for the compositions or the overall sound of the group. They offered to let us stay another set for just a one drink minimum, and I had no interest in taking up the offer. My next stop, MIke Dirubbo's group was much better, to my taste.

[CraigP]

Who was with Turner?

[relyles]

I think it was the quartet with Avishai Cohen, Joe Martin and Marcus Gilmore. I have actually heard the group before and enjoyed them. But then again I am a huge Turner fan and I understand that huis music is not to everyone's taste. Sicne DiRubbo is from CT, I have heard him a number of times playing in my area. Great alto and like many from this area, strongly influenced by Jackie McLean.

[BillF]

Since DiRubbo is from CT, I have heard him a number of times playing in my area.

I'm envious! Time he made a UK visit.

Well, at least I got Jim Rotondi to sign this one for me!

[kh1958]

I think it was the quartet with Avishai Cohen, Joe Martin and Marcus Gilmore. I have actually heard the group before and enjoyed them. But then again I am a huge Turner fan and I understand that huis music is not to everyone's taste. Sicne DiRubbo is from CT, I have heard him a number of times playing in my area. Great alto and like many from this area, strongly influenced by Jackie McLean.

Avishal Cohen and Joe Martin it was for sure; I'm drawing a blank on whether Marcus Gilmore was actually the drummer Friday night.

Mike DiRubbo's rhythm section was real nice--Brian Charette on piano, Dwayne Burno on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums.

[Justin V]

I caught Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern last night.

[BillF]

I caught Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern last night.

[relyles]

The Threadgill experience last night was Intense!

[jlhoots]

Patty Griffin

Edited June 28, 2013 by jlhoots

[Steve Reynolds]

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!!!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I caught Sonny Landreth at the Regattabar tonight for what might be my last live blues gig. I am sick of getting my ears blown out so I am just going to avoid them from here on out. The sound was atrocious. Landreth sang some vocals but I have no idea what he was singing. It was all a blob of sound blasting from the sound system... and this was only a trio!

[ejp626]

So I saw one ticketed show last weekend (Vijay Iyer) at the Vancouver International Jazz Fest and a few free things (most of Soweto Kinch's show and now the first set by The Unsupervised). Don't know too much about The Unsupervised, aside from the fact they are a 5-piece of mostly (entirely?) Canadian musicians. They seem to be clearly inspired by Atomic. I liked most of their set except the final song, which took fast, slow(quiet), fast to parodic extremes. I was a little bummed to see it on their independently produced CD, but decided to pick it up anyway. Had I been on my own, I probably would have stuck it out for a second set (added kind of at the last minute apparently). But my son was getting a bit weary of all the free jazz.

As far as Vijay's set, I found it a bit of a let-down. I've seen him in action 5 or so times (including twice with Rudresh Mahanthappa) and this was by far the least satisfying. I only really enjoyed a single piece they did -- MJ's Human Nature, oddly enough. I know he's trying to do some interesting things with time, but there were two songs where the bassist and the drummer kept intentionally screwing around with the beat and I just couldn't go along with that. There was another piece that was quite good but really dragged down by a loooong bass solo. And I just don't like the drummer -- Tyshawn Sorey. I know he's got all kinds of cred. (In fact I was pretty sure I had seen him two years ago at the Jazz Fest -- and indeed he was in a group with Ingrid Laubrock called Paradoxical Frog.) But I just don't like his approach -- in general he seems to call way more attention to himself than is necessary -- and his unconventional approach to time-keeping. And I doubt I'll ever go see a group again if I know he will be participating (not that drummers are usually listed on the marquis). I'm sure it's my loss, but I just didn't enjoy either time I saw him and he was the largest contributor to that both times.

[jazztrain]

Richard Thompson. Just back. Great show.

[PHILLYQ]

I went to see Savion Glover this afternoon. I post this in the music section because the musicality of the tappers was just amazing! The show is entitled STEPZ, and it's Glover, another guy and three women all tapping away. They tapped to some Coltrane, Stevie Wonder and a few other things. The program noted that the performance times vary greatly because the show is largely improvised. Glover and the other guy did a bit with the 'Mission Impossible' theme that I would have thought impossible if I didn't see it. An absolutely wonderful afternoon of tap.

I went with my wife, her sister, and my sister-in-law's 11 year old daughter, who likes dance. We waited around after the performance and Glover and the other dancers were quite gracious and signed autographs and posed for pictures. The 11 year old was a bit shy, so I grabbed her arm and brought her over to one of the female dancers(Ayodele Casel)and told Ms. Casel that the girl was shy. Ms. Casel gave her a big hug! It made the girl's day and was a wonderful moment.

[BFrank]

Richard Thompson. Just back. Great show.

With his trio or solo?

Either way, I'm sure he was great.

[Steve Reynolds]

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

[jazztrain]

Solo.

Richard Thompson. Just back. Great show.

With his trio or solo?

Either way, I'm sure he was great.

[marcello]

Last night: Torben Woodruff (w/ Gary Versace, Orlando Fleming and Jon Wikan)

Last Wednesday: Aaron Goldberg (w/ Reuben Rogers and Greg Hutchinson)

Last Monday: Geoffrey Keezer (solo Piano)