What live music are you going to see tonight?

[A Lark Ascending]

Only a couple of concerts yesterday, but pearlers both.

The Young Coppers - 3 grandchildren of Bob Copper singing the Copper family songbook. They go back into the 19thC and became a mainstay of the 50s/60s revival - and electric folk movement where I came in. Lovely moment at the end where one of the singer's two 6/7 year old daughters joined in, knowing all the words.

Followed by the Long Hill ramblers, also from the. Brighton area. American old timey stuff - Charlie Poole etc- superbly played, with a great singer who managed to sound idiomatic without lapsing into stage American.

Evening began with an astounding young banjo player from Stafford! Didn't care for his songs but the instrumentals were superb. Totally surreal moment sat in a hotel function room probably used to tea dances listening to a lengthy piece based on Indian music played on an American instrument by someone from the English Midlands.

Finally Scottish guitarist Tony McManus. I have a couple of his records, blunted a bit by a sprinkling of Celtic mist pixie dust. Here he was jaw droppingly wonderful. Mainly Scottish and Irish tunes. But a hilarious sequence where he played the opening to 'Stairway to Heaven' in half-a-dozen different styles, culminating in Steve Reich! Ended with a lengthy Bach piece that had the room spellbound.

[David]

Saw the Pat Metheny Unity Group for the second time last night at Wolf Trap,with Bruce Hornsby opening. The open air venue swallowed some of Carmassi's contributions and the intricacies of the stripped down Orchestrion's sound, but the group was fantastic. From the last time I had seen them (without Carmassi) they have grown tighter and evolved as a group. Ben Williams in particular appears to have gained confidence, and had several featured solos, where he demonstrated a surprising melodic vein. He took no solos the first time I saw the band.

Potter is even more a monster than I remember him, exhibiting mastery and confidence on the tenor, soprano, and baritone saxes. His "All the Things You Are" feature with Pat borders on miraculous. Antonio Sanchez continues to be the grounded center of the group and in my mind, the most perfect drummer for Pat's music he as ever had. I'm not sure I've heard a drummer with a more interesting palette for playing straight eighths, in particular.

It even got the wife's stamp of approval, who was interested throughout the entire three-hour set, which probably speaks to why Metheny is both popular and often denigrated by the jazz community at the same time. Regardless, another GREAT Metheny show. I'll continue to catch him whenever I can.

[A Lark Ascending]

Final bit of folk indulgence.

The Old Swan Band. One of a number of bands who revolutionised the folk dance scene in the 70s by digging around for English tunes as opposed to the Scottish/Irish that dominated at the time (check those Fairport/Steeleye albums and try and find an instrumental piece that is English - Fairport did do a Morris tune in the Full House line-up, to be fair). Great performance of what should really be danced to (though I'm like Phil Collins in that area).

The Furrow Collective - a sort of young folk supergroup, all members having separate careers and albums but coming together here for some superb arrangements of traditional song.

Then I had to go and see the Long Hill Ramblers again and buy their CD.

[BFrank]

I saw Renee a couple of times with the SFJAZZ Collective, and then once with her own group at the V.V.

Definitely a talent deserving wider recognition.

[A Lark Ascending]

Loose Tubes at Brecon Market Hall.

One of my all-time favourite bands - I never thought I'd get to see them live. As wonderful as I'd imagined - old favourites and pieces I'd not heard. Great, quirky arrangements; turn on a dime ensemble playing, fabulous solos, idiot dancing from Django Bates and droll banter from Ashley Slater. Above all, jazz as fun rather than an object for a post-doctoral thesis. The horns did the old leaving the stage and wandering around bit on the encore - only within the market hall. Just as well - the streets were full of drunken shepherds.

Part of their brief mini-revival series of concerts though Slater insisted it was their last gig ever (I'm sure he said that 25 years ago too!).

No Morris dancers on the streets of Brecon. Odd.

[A Lark Ascending]

Trish Clowes Quintet in Brecon Cathedral. Up and coming young sax player. Still finding her way but very promising.

Vinicius Cantuaria in the lovely theatre in Brecon (about the only thing in Brecon that can be termed lovely). Excellent low key set of famous bossa novas and some originals - just guitar and minimalist, gossamer piano. Just 50 odd people in the audience - and six of them were photographers for whom size clearly matters. Mid-Wales is clearly a long way from Rio.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

aug is pickin up already had toto/michael mcdonald on the 3rd (was awesome when MM announced: we'd like to welcome the newest member of our group, on tenor sax would you please welcome, Brandon Fields), Fourplay feat. bob james, Deep Purple (who sounded exactly like Deep Purple), tonight: Miami R&B legend BLOWFLY, aug. ends w/ Yes next week and then the Beach Boys finishes it off Aug 30.

[David]

Saw Nickel Creek last night at Wolf Trap for the third time. Wonderful!

[jlhoots]

Terri Hendrix / Lloyd Maines

[Chuck Nessa]

Not tonight but in the morning I drive to Chicago to catch Roscoe Mitchell and Mike Reed on Saturday and Muhal Richard Abrams on Sunday. Mucho thanks to Carla Nessa for providing a place to sleep.

Ignore the links - I copied the message from facebook.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Chuck Nessa

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Tonight at Scullers - Delfeayo Marsalis with his father Ellis on piano. I'm going more for Ellis than Delfeayo, whose trombone playing never bowled me over. I figure, it's been a long time since I've seen/heard him and I do want to see Ellis again so why not?

[7/4]

earlier today:

Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez and John Scofield

Montclair Jazz Festival 2014

August 16, 2014

[jlhoots]

Lila Downs

[BFrank]

Going to see Mission of Burma on Friday. After all these years, this will be the first time I've seen them. They don't tour much, and RARELY come to the West Coast. A band with a unique sound, for SURE!

[A Lark Ascending]

Lila Downs

Good?

Love her records.

[kh1958]

Lila Downs

Good?

Love her records.

I saw her live once; her voice is very powerful. I enjoyed.

[jlhoots]

Lila Downs

Good?

Love her records.

I saw her live once; her voice is very powerful. I enjoyed.

Tonight - so I'll let you know.

She was great the last 2 times we saw her.

[jlhoots]

Lila Downs

Good?

Love her records.

I saw her live once; her voice is very powerful. I enjoyed.

Tonight - so I'll let you know.

She was great the last 2 times we saw her.

Wonderful sold out show at the beautiful Lensic Theater in Santa Fe.

[A Lark Ascending]

Lila Downs

Good?

Love her records.

I saw her live once; her voice is very powerful. I enjoyed.

Tonight - so I'll let you know.

She was great the last 2 times we saw her.

Wonderful sold out show at the beautiful Lensic Theater in Santa Fe.

Merci. Her records give the impression of someone who would be a hoot live. Unlikely to appear outside London here except at a big festival.

[Hardbopjazz]

The Heath Brothers at the Vanguard, NYC.

[Chuck Nessa]

Kidd Jordan, Matthew Shipp, Alvin Fielder and guests at an "after fest session" at Constellation in Chicago.

[Leeway]

Sounds like a great show, Chuck.

[Sandman]

Saw Trio da Paz at Dizzy's in NYC with Harry Allen, Claudio Roditi and Maucha Adnet. They've had the last two weeks of summer at Dizzy's for the past several years (often with Joe Locke too) and are a joy to see.

[kh1958]

Saturday night, first a set from vocalist Thana Alexa at the 55 Bar. I had no expectations, but she was pretty good.

Next, to Smalls for the David Schnitter Quartet, and then the Kenny Rampton Octet (featuring Brian Charette on organ, Sherman Irby on alto sax, Donny McCaslin on tenor sax, and Bill Sims on guitar/vocals). Both groups were excellent. David Schnitter (now 66) sounds his best. The Kenny Rampton group was mostly organ soul jazz (Rampton played trumpet for Jimmy McGriff for ten years) with a divergence into blues (featuring Bill Sims).

Sunday, an afternoon set with Zach Brock at the Blue Note (the music was okay, but the service at the Blue Note was miserable and surly). In the early evening, a couple of sets by the Junior Mance Trio at Cafe Loup. The setting here was incredibly annoying; a constant stream of waiters to and fro in front of the band and a very loud crowd, almost none of whom seemed to be there for Junior Mance (now 85); still I very much enjoyed, among other songs, the group's versions of Idle Moments and Sunset and the Mockingbird. Next, to Why Not, for a guitar duo set by Bern Nix and Christian Amigo. It was great to see Bern Nix again.

Monday, back to Smalls. First, guitarist Rotem Sivan. First set was fine, but bored with second. Then, the Ari Hoenig Time Quintet (Tivon Pennicott on tenor sax, Shae Maestro on piano, Orlando LaFleming on bass, and Gilad Hekselman on guitar) followed. Their two sets were the highlight of my visit--amazing super-intense music, a true group with fabulous soloists in all cases, and challenging compositions. This group is a joy.

Edited September 3, 2014 by kh1958

[CraigP]

Nice, kh, you made the most of your time!