What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Justin V]

On Saturday, I saw Maria Schneider with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, which opened up with a few tunes led by their director, Byron Stripling. The orchestra performed some old and new Schneider compositions. It was evident throughout the night how much respect and admiration the members of the orchestra had for Schneider. In a talk afterward, Stripling spoke of how inspired the band was by her music and how high her standards are as a leader. Other than Stripling, trumpeter Dwight Adams, who often appears with different groups at the Detroit Jazz Fest, saxophonist Pete Mills, who was Schneider's classmate at Eastman, flugelhornist Jim Powell, a veteran of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band, and the effervescent saxophonist Hal Melia were some of the featured soloists. Melia, who has to be one of the happiest guys to grace a bandstand, had a particularly lovely ballad feature that drew Schneider's praise and a long round of applause.

Although Maria Schneider's music has been described as hard to play, and this must certainly true for an orchestra that was working with limited rehearsal time, it has a graceful, flowing quality that belies its complexity. Schneider confirmed that she had a dance and figure-skating background as a child, which comes across in the fluidity of her music and the way she conducts an orchestra. In between songs and during the talk afterward, she was charming, erudite and clear in explaining her approach to music. I almost didn't make the concert due to a family emergency, but I'm glad that I did. I came away with an even greater appreciation for Schneider as a composer and person, and I was very impressed with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, which rose to the occasion and did Schneider's music justice.

---------------

Earlier tonight, I saw Steve Coleman and the Five Elements at a free show in Oberlin. I'd never seen any of the band in person, and I only found out about the show on Saturday or Sunday. It was at a student-run bar that was packed with an enthusiastic crowd. I listened to the group's Alternate Dimension Series, Vol. 1 earlier today; I was surprised to find that all of the group members other than guitarist Miles Okazaki were on that 2002 recording.

Given the length of time that the group has worked together, it should come as no surprise how tight they are as a unit. They were locked in to some tricky, shifting grooves throughout the night. Although the grooves were relentless, there was still a flexibility and a looseness built into the band's execution that prevented the music from stagnating or seeming heavy-handed.

Coleman and trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson often played cowbell when they weren't playing their primary instruments, and the entire band chanted at one point behind a drum solo by Sean Rickman, who also beat-boxed at one point. In a shrewd form of marketing, Rickman wore a t-shirt bearing the url of his lesson site, which will surely be getting some hits from those in attendance. Coleman probably had a greater share of the solo space than any other individual member, but Finlayson and Ozazaki weren't far behind in what is a pretty democratic group sound-wise. Rickman was integral to the group's emphasis on rhythm, and he was a tireless force of nature behind the kit. I don't believe that bassist Anthony Tidd was featured as a soloist, but his assertive, rock-solid playing served as a bridge between Rickman's restless drums and the front-line work of the horns and guitar. The overall sound of the group was focused and trance-like.

Although Coleman jokingly apologized at the beginning of the set for killing the nightclub vibe when he had the lighting adjusted to make the sheet music legible, the audience responded to what was accessible--and engagingly idiosyncratic--music. The set included three or four very short pieces as an encore (and Coleman's nod to Cinco de Mayo as he played 'The Mexican Hat Dance' while a student plugged Coleman's upcoming workshop). I ended picking up both Synovial Joints and Functional Arrhythmias after the set, and I'm looking forward to hearing both albums and more of Coleman's other recordings.

As a side note, it was cool spotting the ever-dapper Gary Bartz, who is an Oberlin professor, in the audience after the show. I also saw him last year at a Ron Carter show. I like seeing a musician of Bartz's stature out supporting other musicians.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Justin V

[jlhoots]

Snakeoil tonight.

ICP Orchestra next week.

[colinmce]

[Steve Reynolds]

Just arrived in Brooklyn. Traffic insane. Just said hello to Han Bennink & Mary Oliver.

Life is beautiful

[Steve Reynolds]

Front row center.

Fired up

[Steve Reynolds]

A couple of us said after the second set, "they can play whatever they want to play"

Sleep on that line just a little bit......

All Misha compositions all night interspersed with magic.

Save for the encore - Caravan

Ernst Glerum was tonight's MC/director

Prayers for the great man - word is he can't talk any longer so he whistles. His spirit was in the room tonight (last night as it is 5 past midnight). Yes they may be ditties (I very much like the visual) but some of them are a bit more - a little bit of genius at play. 2 or 3 minute slices of a afternoon carnival.

And that horn section with Marcus Rojas. And when he stands up. And when he shakes the foundation. Forget the horn section. The fucking brass?!?!?

Is Heberer human?

More later

Peace and Blessings

Edited May 8, 2015 by Steve Reynolds

[mjazzg]

On Saturday, I saw Maria Schneider with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, which opened up with a few tunes led by their director, Byron Stripling. The orchestra performed some old and new Schneider compositions. It was evident throughout the night how much respect and admiration the members of the orchestra had for Schneider. In a talk afterward, Stripling spoke of how inspired the band was by her music and how high her standards are as a leader. Other than Stripling, trumpeter Dwight Adams, who often appears with different groups at the Detroit Jazz Fest, saxophonist Pete Mills, who was Schneider's classmate at Eastman, flugelhornist Jim Powell, a veteran of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band, and the effervescent saxophonist Hal Melia were some of the featured soloists. Melia, who has to be one of the happiest guys to grace a bandstand, had a particularly lovely ballad feature that drew Schneider's praise and a long round of applause.

Although Maria Schneider's music has been described as hard to play, and this must certainly true for an orchestra that was working with limited rehearsal time, it has a graceful, flowing quality that belies its complexity. Schneider confirmed that she had a dance and figure-skating background as a child, which comes across in the fluidity of her music and the way she conducts an orchestra. In between songs and during the talk afterward, she was charming, erudite and clear in explaining her approach to music. I almost didn't make the concert due to a family emergency, but I'm glad that I did. I came away with an even greater appreciation for Schneider as a composer and person, and I was very impressed with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, which rose to the occasion and did Schneider's music justice.

---------------

Earlier tonight, I saw Steve Coleman and the Five Elements at a free show in Oberlin. I'd never seen any of the band in person, and I only found out about the show on Saturday or Sunday. It was at a student-run bar that was packed with an enthusiastic crowd. I listened to the group's Alternate Dimension Series, Vol. 1 earlier today; I was surprised to find that all of the group members other than guitarist Miles Okazaki were on that 2002 recording.

Given the length of time that the group has worked together, it should come as no surprise how tight they are as a unit. They were locked in to some tricky, shifting grooves throughout the night. Although the grooves were relentless, there was still a flexibility and a looseness built into the band's execution that prevented the music from stagnating or seeming heavy-handed.

Coleman and trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson often played cowbell when they weren't playing their primary instruments, and the entire band chanted at one point behind a drum solo by Sean Rickman, who also beat-boxed at one point. In a shrewd form of marketing, Rickman wore a t-shirt bearing the url of his lesson site, which will surely be getting some hits from those in attendance. Coleman probably had a greater share of the solo space than any other individual member, but Finlayson and Ozazaki weren't far behind in what is a pretty democratic group sound-wise. Rickman was integral to the group's emphasis on rhythm, and he was a tireless force of nature behind the kit. I don't believe that bassist Anthony Tidd was featured as a soloist, but his assertive, rock-solid playing served as a bridge between Rickman's restless drums and the front-line work of the horns and guitar. The overall sound of the group was focused and trance-like.

Although Coleman jokingly apologized at the beginning of the set for killing the nightclub vibe when he had the lighting adjusted to make the sheet music legible, the audience responded to what was accessible--and engagingly idiosyncratic--music. The set included three or four very short pieces as an encore (and Coleman's nod to Cinco de Mayo as he played 'The Mexican Hat Dance' while a student plugged Coleman's upcoming workshop). I ended picking up both Synovial Joints and Functional Arrhythmias after the set, and I'm looking forward to hearing both albums and more of Coleman's other recordings.

As a side note, it was cool spotting the ever-dapper Gary Bartz, who is an Oberlin professor, in the audience after the show. I also saw him last year at a Ron Carter show. I like seeing a musician of Bartz's stature out supporting other musicians.

Thanks forposting that Coleman review. Sounds a great show indeed, glad you enjoyed it so much. Coleman doesn't make it to UK often but each time he has he's been tremendous

[Leeway]

Thursday past at the Kennedy Center:

National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor: Mahler's Symphony No. 5 / Leonidas Kavakos, violin, plays Sibelius's Violin Concerto

Gotta change it up every once in a while

[Chuck Nessa]

Snakeoil tonight.

[Larry Kart]

THE ANAGRAM SERIES PRESENTS MERIDIAN TRIO AND MATT ULERY'S LOOM

MONDAY, MAY 11
9 PM • $10

AT ELASTIC ARTS FOUNDATION
3429 W DIVERSEY AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR

SET 1: MERIDIAN TRIO
Nick Mazzarella – alto and C melody saxophones
Matt Ulery – bass
Jeremy Cunningham – drums

SET 2: MATT ULERY'S LOOM
Geof Bradfield – tenor saxophone and bass clarinet
Russ Johnson – trumpet
Rob Clearfield – piano
Matt Ulery – bass and compositions
Jon Deitemyer – drums

Pre-gig expectations:

Nick on C melody is a trip -- he's just taken it up after Tim Daisy gave him a battered horn from the '20s that Nick then refurbished (he works in a reed instruments shop) -- and on alto he just keeps getting better/stronger. Looking forward to hearing Russ Johnson again. It's been a while. Ulery's Loom should be a good setting for him and vice versa.

[jeffcrom]

SET 1: MERIDIAN TRIO

Nick Mazzarella – alto and C melody saxophones

Matt Ulery – bass

Jeremy Cunningham – drums

Nick on C melody is a trip -- he's just taken it up after Tim Daisy gave him a battered horn from the '20s that Nick then refurbished (he works in a reed instruments shop) -- and on alto he just keeps getting better/stronger.

I haven't heard him on C melody, but was very impressed with his alto playing at a recent gig in Atlanta and on the CDs I've heard - beautiful sound and lots of imagination. Nice guy, too.

[Chuck Nessa]

Joshua Abrams' Natural Information Society at Hallwalls in Buffalo on the 19th. Two nights later at the same venue I will hear Dave Rempis, Darren Johnson and Larry Ochs.

Saxophonist/presenter Steve Baczkowski has a great series going.

Baczkowski

Dave Rempis (saxophones)
Darren Johnston (trumpet)
Larry Ochs (saxophones) - See more at: http://www.hallwalls.org/music/#sthash.2vPOiB8f.dpuf

[jlhoots]

Joshua Abrams' Natural Information Society at Hallwalls in Buffalo on the 19th. Two nights later at the same venue I will hear Dave Rempis, Darren Johnson and Larry Ochs.

Saxophonist/presenter Steve Baczkowski has a great series going.

Baczkowski

Dave Rempis (saxophones)

Darren Johnston (trumpet)

Larry Ochs (saxophones) - See more at: http://www.hallwalls.org/music/#sthash.2vPOiB8f.dpuf

I like the Rempis / Johnson / Ochs Aerophonic CD!!

Edited May 11, 2015 by jlhoots

[HutchFan]

My wife and I are heading up to NYC on Thursday for a long weekend.

On Saturday night, we're planning to go see the Dave Liebman / Bobby Avey duo @ the Concert Space at Beethoven Piano.

I'm sure we'll catch some other shows too. Maybe Guillermo Klein at the Vanguard. Maybe Odean Pope at the Blue Note. Maybe Tim Hagans at Kitano. Not sure yet.

[Larry Kart]

SET 1: MERIDIAN TRIO

Nick Mazzarella – alto and C melody saxophones

Matt Ulery – bass

Jeremy Cunningham – drums

Nick on C melody is a trip -- he's just taken it up after Tim Daisy gave him a battered horn from the '20s that Nick then refurbished (he works in a reed instruments shop) -- and on alto he just keeps getting better/stronger.

I haven't heard him on C melody, but was very impressed with his alto playing at a recent gig in Atlanta and on the CDs I've heard - beautiful sound and lots of imagination. Nice guy, too.

Very nice guy. But then a whole lot of guys on the Chicago scene are. In fact, can't think of one who isn't.

[issho]

My wife and I are heading up to NYC on Thursday for a long weekend.

On Saturday night, we're planning to go see the Dave Liebman / Bobby Avey duo @ the Concert Space at Beethoven Piano.

I'm sure we'll catch some other shows too. Maybe Guillermo Klein at the Vanguard. Maybe Odean Pope at the Blue Note. Maybe Tim Hagans at Kitano. Not sure yet.

Also, consider Ron Carter & Ethan Iverson duo at Mezzrow Thursday through Saturday. I come up on Saturday to see Wayne Shorter at Lincoln Center, so I might miss it myself unless the Wayne Shorter show ends early enough for me to catch the late set at Mezzrow.

[HutchFan]

My wife and I are heading up to NYC on Thursday for a long weekend.

On Saturday night, we're planning to go see the Dave Liebman / Bobby Avey duo @ the Concert Space at Beethoven Piano.

I'm sure we'll catch some other shows too. Maybe Guillermo Klein at the Vanguard. Maybe Odean Pope at the Blue Note. Maybe Tim Hagans at Kitano. Not sure yet.

Also, consider Ron Carter & Ethan Iverson duo at Mezzrow Thursday through Saturday. I come up on Saturday to see Wayne Shorter at Lincoln Center, so I might miss it myself unless the Wayne Shorter show ends early enough for me to catch the late set at Mezzrow.

Carter & Iverson are definitely another possibility.

Edited May 12, 2015 by HutchFan

[Justin V]

On Saturday, I saw the ICP Orchestra in Buffalo. One segment of the concert pretty much summed up the ICP live experience. It started out as a chamber-ish piece with trumpeter Thomas Heberer, bassist Ernst Glerum and violinist Mary Oliver. Heberer wandered around the audience and eventually sat down several rows back, playing all the while. While Heberer played among the audience, Wolter Wierbos let out a rip on his trombone and fell to the ground, and was soon followed by reedist Tobias Delius and cellist Tristan Honsinger. Han Bennink then asked, 'Now what?' The downed members were then exhorted to get up by the barking commands of Bennink and Glerum. Thus revived, Honsinger called out a series of random numbers before returning to his seat. The piece then morphed into a calypso-like swing tune using the whole orchestra, with pianist Guus Janssen reaching inside the piano to coax a guitar-like sound from it. The segment ended with Honsinger's vocals on his 'Restless in Pieces', which included absurdist lyrics about being part of a human-chicken pie.

For me, the concert was a bittersweet experience, because the joy of seeing the orchestra was tempered by the knowledge that this would be the last time that I'd get to see them. The orchestra is such an iconic group of strongly individual musicians, the likes of which we won't see again. I can only hope that they play some reunion shows down the road and that the various members will continue to work together in other contexts. I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to see them with Misha Mengelberg, without a pianist and with Janssen, whose playing is deserving of a wider audience (the same could be said of the other orchestra members). I'll definitely continue to check out the orchestra's recordings and those of its members.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Justin V

[Larry Kart]

THE ANAGRAM SERIES PRESENTS MERIDIAN TRIO AND MATT ULERY'S LOOM

MONDAY, MAY 11

9 PM • $10

AT ELASTIC ARTS FOUNDATION

3429 W DIVERSEY AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR

SET 1: MERIDIAN TRIO

Nick Mazzarella – alto and C melody saxophones

Matt Ulery – bass

Jeremy Cunningham – drums

SET 2: MATT ULERY'S LOOM

Geof Bradfield – tenor saxophone and bass clarinet

Russ Johnson – trumpet

Rob Clearfield – piano

Matt Ulery – bass and compositions

Jon Deitemyer – drums

Pre-gig expectations:

Nick on C melody is a trip -- he's just taken it up after Tim Daisy gave him a battered horn from the '20s that Nick then refurbished (he works in a reed instruments shop) -- and on alto he just keeps getting better/stronger. Looking forward to hearing Russ Johnson again. It's been a while. Ulery's Loom should be a good setting for him and vice versa.

Nice night, very nice. Was most struck by how Russ Johnson sounded with Ulery's Loom -- big buttery sound, great range, gorgeous lyrical playing, all melody; he's in the top flight of trumpet players IMO. Bradfield (mostly on bass clarinet, where he gets a lovely woodsy sound and moves around with remarkable agility -- in my experience a woodsy sound on the instrument precludes top-level facility) ) and Clearfield played their asses off too, as did the whole band. Ulery's pieces are a bit modal folksy at times for my taste but in fact they turn out to enough grit, and they're darn nice to play on.

Nick was in good form, but I'd heard him a few weeks before in better form and can't think of anything to add to what I said then.

[Hot Ptah]

ICP Orchestra members in spontaneous small group settings at Elastic in Chicago. Superb work from everyone. Han Bennik sure hasn't slowed down. Guus Janssen, taking Misha's place at the piano, was excellent. Each of the two sets ended with a group performance, the second set's was "Black and Tan Fantasy." Bought a lot of CDs of the various band members and one of ICP itself because when will I ever see those discs again?

I saw the ICP Orchestra in Des Moines, Iowa on May 11. They were consistently superb. I think that they may be one of the best overall "real groups" out there today. By that I mean stable personnel touring and playing together regularly.

[charlesp]

I will be seeing the ICP Orchestra tonight (May 14) in Austin.

Short drive from San Antonio.

[jlhoots]

ICP Orchestra Fri. night.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

k im steamin mad i just got an email as 1230 am last nite "jazz events around" and at this little jazzclub way out yonder in the country an hr away or somethin, its all: thus: (2 days prior)- vancouver alto sax guy cory weeds w/ special guest HAROLD MABERN / no cover. i havent seen him in 20 yrs, i am so angry

[Head Man]

Off to see Kurt Elling with The Scottish Jazz Orchestra directed by Tommy Smith tomorrow night at The Sage, Gateshead.

I know there are mixed feelings about Kurt Elling here but I love his singing...very much looking forward to this.

[ejp626]

Haven't entirely decided but will probably be seeing Don Byron on Friday, though it isn't really a jazz setting.

It looks like one of those Stravinsky pieces written for Benny Goodman, if you recall those and others on the same lines. http://performance.rcmusic.ca/event/21C/illusions

Still, it looks like an interesting concert and tickets aren't outrageously expensive. It would be a no-brainer if I wasn't supposed to be at home packing...