What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Hardbopjazz]

The great Benny Golson tonight at the Jazz Standard.

[jeffcrom]

I don't know how many folks here are familiar with the Atlanta avant-rocker Col. Bruce Hampton, of the Hampton Grease Band, the Late Bronze Age, and the Aquarium Rescue Unit (maybe his greatest band). I just heard two long sets with his new band, the Madrid Express, and it was pretty amazing. It reminded me of what someone said about the Kansas City jam sessions of the 1930s: "The material is immaterial." Every tune, whether a Hampton original or a James Brown/Meters/Bobby Bland/Skip James cover, was a vehicle to lead the band into some strange and wonderful improvisatory areas.

Edited December 19, 2013 by jeffcrom

[jlhoots]

Mary Halvorson Quintet

[Steve Reynolds]

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

Edited December 19, 2013 by Steve Reynolds

[Steve Reynolds]

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.

[Leeway]

Saw Steve at the Mephista+Lotte Anker show, then caught Lotte with Gerald Cleaver and Craig Taborn at IBeam, Brooklyn, the next night, then back to The Stone on Saturday for Lotte with Fred Frith and Ikue Mori (1st set), then with Jim Black aded to that trio for the 2nd set. Some great music making all around. First saw Lotte in Baltimore several years ago, also with Sylvie Courvoisier and Ikue Mori (Alien Huddle). If you want to check out Lotte's playing, try "Floating Islands" or the new Clean Feed disc. Nice seeing you there Steve.

[jeffcrom]

Last night I made my wife happy by taking her to the Atlanta Ballet's presentation of The Nutcracker at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. The orchestra was excellent, but the only reason I'm mentioning this is that, before the performance and during the intermission, Christmas carols were played on Mighty Mo, the Fox's huge theater organ. Hearing the thunderous sound, all I could think was, "Wow - this is the organ which Sun Ra played on his recording "Hiroshima." "Hiroshima" is impressive even on my crappy Saturn pressing, but I would have loved to been in the room when he played that.

[Steve Reynolds]

Nice seeing you as well, Tony

[Steve Reynolds]

Tonight @ Cornelia Street Cafe:

Open Loose with Mark Helias, Tony Malaby and Tom Rainey

[Steve Reynolds]

Impossible to explain how varied, nuanced and brilliant Open Loose is.

I've tried before but I won't try this time.

I will say that they were more relaxed and that the interplay is telepathic and that Tony Malaby for me remains among the 2 or 3 most exciting tenor saxophonists I've ever seen live. Every time I see him he astounds me with his range and his completely unique approach and sound.

The guys defines the "sound of surprise" for me. He played a passage during one of last compositions ("Chavez") on the beyond altissimo register(s) that was something even beyond what thought was possible for him. In addition he NEVER plays for the crowd or effect. He makes/demands that the audience hear the music as the band's music and not him as a soloist.

His brilliance in some ways is so insidious that if one isn't really listening one might miss the depth of his improvisational imagination and thorough mastery of the saxophone.

Ok I tried to explain part of what makes this trio so special

[sidewinder]

Mark Lockheart (saxes) and John Paricelli (guitar) at the local jazz club.

[A Lark Ascending]

Mark Lockheart (saxes) and John Paricelli (guitar) at the local jazz club.

Sounds good. Excellent players both.

[sidewinder]

Mark Lockheart (saxes) and John Paricelli (guitar) at the local jazz club.

Sounds good. Excellent players both.

Fabulous gig, very enjoyable - and Paricelli gets better every time I see him. It was their quartet with Dudley Philips on bass and Dave Smith on drums (I think - subbing for Martin France).

[A Lark Ascending]

Mark Lockheart (saxes) and John Paricelli (guitar) at the local jazz club.

Sounds good. Excellent players both.

Fabulous gig, very enjoyable - and Paricelli gets better every time I see him. It was their quartet with Dudley Philips on bass and Dave Smith on drums (I think - subbing for Martin France).

Dave Smith is very good - I saw him with a Brit band supporting Eddie Henderson some years back. Very exciting.

[sidewinder]

Yes, very impressive - all over the drum kit and particularly good when adding a bit of extra fire behind Lockheart and Paricelli when stretching out during their solos. It reminded me a bit of Pat Metheny's 'Unity' Band but it was better.

Edited January 19, 2014 by sidewinder

[Justin V]

I saw Han Bennink with Mary Oliver tonight, which was the first time they've played Cleveland. I've seen the ICP Orchestra twice (without Misha the most recent time), but I'd never heard Oliver at length given the number of other musicians involved. She was impressive on violin and viola, using the bow like a slide at one point. Han was his usual joyous self, playing the floor and other assorted objects and swinging like crazy. He even sang a Misha Mengelberg song about hares! The concert was billed as the ICP Duo, which was fitting; considering the number of Mengelberg compositions and the irrepressible nature of the performance, it felt like an ICP show.

He did a little Q&A and talked about the first time he saw Ayler. Apparently, Sunny Murray used Han's set (rented for 35 guilders) for The Hilversum Session and played with knitting needles! It was a fun night; my wife, who found the full ICP Orchestra to be chaotic, liked it. If I were a braver man, I would've joined the throng of people chatting it up with Han and Mary afterward, but I'll settle for a memorable, intimate hour of music.

[jeffcrom]

I saw Han Bennink with Mary Oliver tonight....

Really enjoyed reading this account. Hope I have the opportunity to see Mr. Bennink again.

[Steve Reynolds]

For whatever reason my wife LOVED the full ICP and Han Bennink especially.

I will surely see Han and whoever he plays with whenever he makes his way to NYC. He is always a joy to see and hear.

[colinmce]

I think my largely jazz-averse wife would love ICP. In fact, her old office mate was none other than Sean Bergin's daughter!

[medjuck]

Trombone Shorty. He's not short, plays trumpet as well as trombone and doesn't play much jazz but he's the real deal. Most fun I've had at a concert in years.

[BillF]

Alan Barnes and John Hallam at Whitefield this afternoon.

[kh1958]

Friday night, the Lonnie Smith Trio at the Carver Center in San Antonio. That was an awesome concert.

[sidewinder]

Friday night, the Lonnie Smith Trio at the Carver Center in San Antonio. That was an awesome concert.

Sounds great !

[BillF]

Robert Fowler's Mulligan Concert Jazz Band at Southport today. Great session!

http://www.jazzjournal.co.uk/news-extra/620/review-robert-fowler-plays-gerry-mulligan

[jeffcrom]

James Houlik, probably the finest classical tenor saxophonist in the world, playing Russell Peck's concerto "The Upward Stream," with Ludwig Symphony Orchestra, an Atlanta ensemble which performs one concert per quartet, as far as I can tell.