What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Larry Kart]

Just back from a concert by Gebhard Ullman, Steve Swell, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Michael Zerang. Wonderful. Thanks to Lazaro for bringing the band to the neighborhood.

Plan to catch them at Elastic tonight.

Very fine. A well-honed group by now -- Lonberg-Holm and Zerang contributed tellingly. The relationship between Swell and Ullman is something else -- very together at times but when they pull apart, so to speak, it's like they're still connected by elastic bands (no play on the name of the venue intended); one can almost see where these stretching lines of force are, and their existence becomes part of the dialogue.
 

P.S. It may seem like I’m describing in the “elastic bands” business something that’s fairly common among groups with two alert horn players, but the sense that something like this was going on here was notably vivid, I thought.

 

Picked up up a couple of CDs, Ullman’s Mingus tribute and another Ullman with Swell, a bassist, and B. Altschul. Was tempted to buy one of just about everything, but my wallet was on pause control.

 

Ullman is an agile, clever player — at once free and not that free (he has his patterns, which are again seemingly clever, perhaps a bit clockwork-like), but those  patterns are then handled (at least when he interacts with Swell) in a relatively free and alert to the context manner. All that strikes me as coming from a rather European sensibility — perhaps, because it’s on my mind after sampling some early '50s Hipp recordings, like a distant offshoot of Hans Koller.

Edited September 22, 2015 by Larry Kart

[A Lark Ascending]

Georgia Mancio and Alan Broadbent with Oli Hayhurst and Dave Ohm in Nottingham

Very nice 'mainstream' vocal concert without a standard in sight. Mainly Broadbent compositions with lyrics by Mancio with a few that were written the other way round. A short tour leading to a recording very soon. 

[Leeway]

Evan Parker - Ned Rothenberg Duo - Union Arts, Washington, DC

Saw Parker-Rothenberg duo last night. Evan played soprano and tenor (of course). Ned played alto sax, clarinet, shakuhachi, and bass clarinet in varying combinations with Evan. Some fireworks, but the performance struck me as geared towards rapport and musical expressiveness.  A treat. 

[Leeway]

The Thing - Bohemian Caverns, Washington DC

Passion, energy, commitment, fun, and a total kick-ass performance. Two very hot sets. 

[mjazzg]

The Thing - Bohemian Caverns, Washington DC

Passion, energy, commitment, fun, and a total kick-ass performance. Two very hot sets. 

Sounds like The Thing. Glad you enjoyed them. Overdue a visit to London

[Chuck Nessa]

Not tonight, but Sunday - We continue to be in awe of Roscoe Mitchell following his "extravaganza" at the MCA in Chicago. He and his amazing musicians presented lot of music to digest in one day. His band(s) included Hugh Ragin, Tyshawn Sorey, Craig Taborn, Kikanju Baku, James Fei, William Winant, Jaribu Shahid and Tani Tabbal. Steve Lake was there recording it for ECM. We can hope for a fitting document.

[colinmce]

Not tonight, but Sunday - We continue to be in awe of Roscoe Mitchell following his "extravaganza" at the MCA in Chicago. He and his amazing musicians presented lot of music to digest in one day. His band(s) included Hugh Ragin, Tyshawn Sorey, Craig Taborn, Kikanju Baku, James Fei, William Winant, Jaribu Shahid and Tani Tabbal. Steve Lake was there recording it for ECM. We can hope for a fitting document.

Awesome

[A Lark Ascending]

Engine Room Favourites

At Seven Arts, Leeds

(not my picture - from a previous performance)

Martin Archer - sopranino, alto & baritone saxophones; Mick Beck - tenor saxophone, bassoon; Laura Cole - piano; Corey Mwamba - vibraphone; Graham Clark - violin; Seth Bennett - bass; Peter Fairclough - percussion; Johnny Hunter - percussion; Walt Shaw - percussion; Steve Dinsdale - percussion

Archer, Mwamba and Fairclough were known to me and I have a feeling Graham Clark is the chap who used to play with String Driven Thing and, for a time, Van Der Graff Generator in the 70s; the rest, as far as I know, are local musicians. [Edit: wrong - the violinist was Graham Smith!]

One set of large ensemble, structured but freeish jazz in the 'Ogun' tradition. A second set of more indeterminate structure - Archer described it as consisting of three distinct layers, one layer consisting of a five part composition that could be played in any order though the musicians playing that layer had to agree before. Can't say I could pick this out but it made a fine noise. 

Great closing version of Julius Hemphill's 'The Hard Blues'. 

Peter Fairclough (who I know from his work with Keith Tippett) was a clown throughout, swapping drumsticks, bothering the other percussionists and generally not playing the po-faced 'serious' musician. Archer has a very odd onstage presence...and looks like a smaller Eric Morcambe!

10 musicians on stage. 10 people in the audience! How do have the spirit to keep on? 

I'll go and see Archer's curious projects again - he operates from Sheffield which is rather nearer than Leeds (especially when they close a stretch of the M1 at 11.00 pm for roadworks and you have to negotiate darkest Wakefield trying to remember if your diversion is the yellow square or the yellow triangle). 

Edited October 2, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[StarThrower]

Larry Coryell is playing at a bar literally 1200 feet from my house Sunday night.

I might as well pop in and enjoy the performance close up.

[kh1958]

This evening, at the Allen Public Library, sarod master Pandit Debojyoti Bose  with Abhijit Banerjee on tabla.

[BFrank]

Larry Coryell is playing at a bar literally 1200 feet from my house Sunday night.

I might as well pop in and enjoy the performance close up.

Sounds WAY too convenient to pass up!

[Van Basten II]

Patty Griffin tonight

[BillF]

Richard Wetherall Trio at Malcolm Fraser's house this afternoon.

[Van Basten II]

Patty Griffin tonight

Show got cancelled health reasons , hope she gets well soon.

[Clunky]

 

Marshall Allen with Magic Science Quartet , Edinburgh Film House 6th October. Performing sound track to silent film Oedipus by Ka. Henry Grimes (bass) Avreeayl Ra (drum,percussion, various small wind instruments) Ka (piano , shaman drum). Photo taken in available light from the screen.

 

curtain call below. 

 

Edited October 7, 2015 by Clunky

[niels]

Tonight Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven at Brebl Nijmegen. They just released quite an intersting album on Clean Feed so looking forward to this one. And than tommorrow also Brebl with Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba (with Rainey and Tim Berne amongst others)

[Larry Kart]

Tonight at Elastic Arts in Chicago:

• THURSDAY OCTOBER 8 | 9:00 PM

  Ballrogg & Branch/Jackson/Kessler/Hunt 

  $10 

  A double bill featuring a first time grouping of Chicago regulars, and the Scandinavian powerhouse trio Ballrogg. 
   

9 PM : BALLROGG

Klaus Ellerhusen Holm – reeds
David Stäckenas – guitar
Roger Arntzen – bass

 

10 PM : BRANCH/JACKSON/KESSLER/HUNT

Jaimie Branch – trumpet
Keefe Jackson – reeds
Kent Kessler – bass
Steve Hunt – drums

TAGS: 

Improvised, Improvised Music Series, Jazz, Music

 

3429 W Diversey #208 
Chicago, IL 60647

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Larry Kart]

Tonight at Elastic Arts in Chicago:

• THURSDAY OCTOBER 8 | 9:00 PM

  Ballrogg & Branch/Jackson/Kessler/Hunt 

  $10 

  A double bill featuring a first time grouping of Chicago regulars, and the Scandinavian powerhouse trio Ballrogg. 
   

9 PM : BALLROGG

Klaus Ellerhusen Holm – reeds
David Stäckenas – guitar
Roger Arntzen – bass

 

10 PM : BRANCH/JACKSON/KESSLER/HUNT

Jaimie Branch – trumpet
Keefe Jackson – reeds
Kent Kessler – bass
Steve Hunt – drums

 

 

 

 

Excellent set from 

Jaimie Branch – trumpet
Keefe Jackson – reeds
Kent Kessler – bass
Steve Hunt – drums

It should not be forgotten (and/or it should be shouted from the hills) that Steve Hunt is one terrific drummer. The way he got inside what Branch and Jackson were playing/thinking was hard to believe. Kessler was in fine form, too.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Larry Kart

[jlhoots]

Warren Vache Qt.

[niels]

Tonight Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven at Brebl Nijmegen. They just released quite an intersting album on Clean Feed so looking forward to this one. And than tommorrow also Brebl with Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba (with Rainey and Tim Berne amongst others)

had two fun nights! I especcially liked the Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven trio. I never heard Tobias Klein before, but I was quite impressed, esspecially his playing on the bass clarinet and barriton clarinet was very beautifull.

Yesterdays concert of Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba, was enjoyable because of Tom Rainey for me. He had some really strong and impressive moments on the drumkit. Ingrid's sound I also really liked, but I would like to hear her go all out much more. I constantly had the feeling she was holding back, maybe to give the other players more room. Problem for me was though, I didn't really find the other players THAT interesting. On the whole, the concept/line up of a drummer, an alto and a tenor saxophone, a trombone and a tuba didn't really do it for me. To my feeling this band lacked some coherent vission, and I think I would much rather see Laubrock and Rainey play as a duo or in a trio format.

[sidewinder]

Laubrock, Rainey and Liam Noble worked well as a group when I saw them at Birmingham Conservatoire some years ago.

[Steve Reynolds]

Tonight Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven at Brebl Nijmegen. They just released quite an intersting album on Clean Feed so looking forward to this one. And than tommorrow also Brebl with Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba (with Rainey and Tim Berne amongst others)

had two fun nights! I especcially liked the Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven trio. I never heard Tobias Klein before, but I was quite impressed, esspecially his playing on the bass clarinet and barriton clarinet was very beautifull.

Yesterdays concert of Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba, was enjoyable because of Tom Rainey for me. He had some really strong and impressive moments on the drumkit. Ingrid's sound I also really liked, but I would like to hear her go all out much more. I constantly had the feeling she was holding back, maybe to give the other players more room. Problem for me was though, I didn't really find the other players THAT interesting. On the whole, the concept/line up of a drummer, an alto and a tenor saxophone, a trombone and a tuba didn't really do it for me. To my feeling this band lacked some coherent vission, and I think I would much rather see Laubrock and Rainey play as a duo or in a trio format.

Tonight Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven at Brebl Nijmegen. They just released quite an intersting album on Clean Feed so looking forward to this one. And than tommorrow also Brebl with Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba (with Rainey and Tim Berne amongst others)

had two fun nights! I especcially liked the Almeida/Klein/van Duijnhoven trio. I never heard Tobias Klein before, but I was quite impressed, esspecially his playing on the bass clarinet and barriton clarinet was very beautifull.

Yesterdays concert of Ingrid Laubrocks Ubatuba, was enjoyable because of Tom Rainey for me. He had some really strong and impressive moments on the drumkit. Ingrid's sound I also really liked, but I would like to hear her go all out much more. I constantly had the feeling she was holding back, maybe to give the other players more room. Problem for me was though, I didn't really find the other players THAT interesting. On the whole, the concept/line up of a drummer, an alto and a tenor saxophone, a trombone and a tuba didn't really do it for me. To my feeling this band lacked some coherent vission, and I think I would much rather see Laubrock and Rainey play as a duo or in a trio format.

Laubrock, Rainey and Liam Noble worked well as a group when I saw them at Birmingham Conservatoire some years ago.

for sure the trio for me is Rainey-Halvorsen-Laubrock 

Tonight at Elastic Arts in Chicago:

• THURSDAY OCTOBER 8 | 9:00 PM

  Ballrogg & Branch/Jackson/Kessler/Hunt 

  $10 

  A double bill featuring a first time grouping of Chicago regulars, and the Scandinavian powerhouse trio Ballrogg. 
   

9 PM : BALLROGG

Klaus Ellerhusen Holm – reeds
David Stäckenas – guitar
Roger Arntzen – bass

 

10 PM : BRANCH/JACKSON/KESSLER/HUNT

Jaimie Branch – trumpet
Keefe Jackson – reeds
Kent Kessler – bass
Steve Hunt – drums

 

 

 

 

Excellent set from 

Jaimie Branch – trumpet
Keefe Jackson – reeds
Kent Kessler – bass
Steve Hunt – drums

It should not be forgotten (and/or it should be shouted from the hills) that Steve Hunt is one terrific drummer. The way he got inside what Branch and Jackson were playing/thinking was hard to believe. Kessler was in fine form, too.

f

Crazy quotes - see above - Rainey-Laubrock-Halvorsen is the group where they all let loose. No restraints which is Ingrid's weakness. No contraining detailed compositions which limit the improvising and power. 

They usually play 12/30 @ Cornelia Street which is a very hard date for me and my wife to make - but this year I'm promising myself to make it.

 

[medjuck]

Neil Young tonight.  I expect the longest solos since the last time I saw Coltrane. 

[A Lark Ascending]

Three concerts at:

Lovely, small festival - loads to hear from everybody-join-in free events round the village to ticket events in small venues. Incredibly enthusiastic audiences in everything I saw.

Django a la Creole - Evan Christopher (New Orleans (via California)): clarinet; Don Vappie (New Orleans): guitar; Dave Kelbie (UK): guitar; Sébastien Girardot (France (via Australia)): double bass. One of the best concerts I've been to all year (up there with Mara! in August). I knew what to expect from Evan Christopher but was quite unprepared for the guitar and banjo of Don Vappie (who I believe is new to the group) - absolutely thrilling. Great bass as well. Normally in a concert audience enthusiasm rises and hits a peak around 2/3rds of the way through the first set. This band had the audience hopping after the second song. Christopher did an interesting pre-concert talk about New Orleans, Django and his own experiences learning music. Very engaging personality.

Arun Ghosh Indo-Jazz Sextet - A South Asian Suite - Arun Ghosh: clarinet; Chris Williams: alto saxophone; Liran Donin: double bass; John Ellis: piano; Nilesh Gulhane: tabla; Dave Walsh: drums. Another electrifying performance from, a very different clarinet player. Bolton lad from an Asian background. Very much in the style pioneered by John Mayer - ranging from the hard driving to more reflective moments. Ghosh is a wonderful front man, really engaging with the audience between songs. After telling us which parts of South Asia each section were from over the concert he admitted that he'd never been to any of them but he did like the hills of the Lake District and Pennines! After playing the full suite he launched into a solo version of 'You've Got a Friend' which had all the baby boomers singing a-long. That's his chance of a commission from the 'Art' crowd blown. 

Lauren Kinsella Ensemble -  Lauren Kinsella (voice), Tom Challenger (sax), Dan Nicholls (keys and electronics), Conor Chaplin (bass) and Simon Roth (drums). One of the most impressive of the younger vocalists I've heard of late. Came across her singing on Laura Jurd's last album and the Blue-Eyed Hawk record done with Jurd. New compositions that have an impressionistic song basis but quickly fly off into more free-style vocal gymnastics - think Norma Winstone in the late-60s/70s (although her voice is not like Norma's). A voice of enormous range that never betrays any dodgy intonation, despite veering all over the place harmonically. I think this was a new commission and was clearly in the process of coming together - not as fully realised as the first two concerts but impressive nonetheless.  

Edited October 11, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[BillF]

Three concerts at:

Lovely, small festival - loads to hear from everybody-join-in free events round the village to ticket events in small venues. Incredibly enthusiastic audiences in everything I saw.

Django a la Creole - Evan Christopher (New Orleans): clarinet; Don Vappie (New Orleans): guitar; Dave Kelbie (UK): guitar; Sébastien Girardot (France): double bass. One of the best concerts I've been to all year (up there with Mara! in August). I knew what to expect from Evan Christopher but was quite unprepared for the guitar and banjo of Don Vappie (who I believe is new to the group) - absolutely thrilling. Great bass as well. Normally in a concert audience enthusiasm rises and hits a peak around 2/3rds of the way through the first set. This band had the audience hopping after the second song. Christopher did an interesting pre-concert talk about New Orleans, Django and his own experiences learning music. Very engaging personality.

Arun Ghosh Indo-Jazz Sextet - A South Asian Suite - Arun Ghosh: clarinet; Chris Williams: alto saxophone; Liran Donin: double bass; John Ellis: piano; Nilesh Gulhane: tabla; Dave Walsh: drums. Another electrifying performance from, a very different clarinet player. Bolton lad from an Asian background. Very much in the style pioneered by John Mayer - ranging from the hard driving to more reflective moments. Ghosh is a wonderful front man, really engaging with the audience between songs. After telling us which parts of South Asia each section were from over the concert he admitted that he'd never been to any of them but he did like the hills of the Lake District and Pennines! After playing the full suite he launched into a solo version of 'You've Got a Friend' which had all the baby boomers singing a-long. That's his chance of a commission from the 'Art' crowd blown. 

Lauren Kinsella Ensemble -  Lauren Kinsella (voice), Tom Challenger (sax), Dan Nicholls (keys and electronics), Conor Chaplin (bass) and Simon Roth (drums). One of the most impressive of the younger vocalists I've heard of late. Came across her singing on Laura Jurd's last album and the Blue-Eyed Hawk record done with Jurd. New compositions that have an impressionistic song basis but quickly fly off into more free-style vocal gymnastics - think Norma Winstone in the late-60s/70s (although her voice is not like Norma's). A voice of enormous range that never betrays any dodgy intonation, despite veering all over the place harmonically. I think this was a new commission and was clearly in the process of coming together - not as fully realised as the first two concerts but impressive nonetheless.  

Marsden has almost gone by without me noticing this year. Did go up there a couple of years ago and saw Ben Crosland with Steve Waterman. I see Crosland was back there a couple of days ago, but I'm due to see him at Wigan Jazz Club on the 25th anyway.

This afternoon it's up to Whitefield on the Metro to see tenorman Liam Byrne who definitely has the right idea and is a personal friend into the bargain. 

Three concerts at:

Lovely, small festival - loads to hear from everybody-join-in free events round the village to ticket events in small venues. Incredibly enthusiastic audiences in everything I saw.

Django a la Creole - Evan Christopher (New Orleans): clarinet; Don Vappie (New Orleans): guitar; Dave Kelbie (UK): guitar; Sébastien Girardot (France): double bass. One of the best concerts I've been to all year (up there with Mara! in August). I knew what to expect from Evan Christopher but was quite unprepared for the guitar and banjo of Don Vappie (who I believe is new to the group) - absolutely thrilling. Great bass as well. Normally in a concert audience enthusiasm rises and hits a peak around 2/3rds of the way through the first set. This band had the audience hopping after the second song. Christopher did an interesting pre-concert talk about New Orleans, Django and his own experiences learning music. Very engaging personality.

Arun Ghosh Indo-Jazz Sextet - A South Asian Suite - Arun Ghosh: clarinet; Chris Williams: alto saxophone; Liran Donin: double bass; John Ellis: piano; Nilesh Gulhane: tabla; Dave Walsh: drums. Another electrifying performance from, a very different clarinet player. Bolton lad from an Asian background. Very much in the style pioneered by John Mayer - ranging from the hard driving to more reflective moments. Ghosh is a wonderful front man, really engaging with the audience between songs. After telling us which parts of South Asia each section were from over the concert he admitted that he'd never been to any of them but he did like the hills of the Lake District and Pennines! After playing the full suite he launched into a solo version of 'You've Got a Friend' which had all the baby boomers singing a-long. That's his chance of a commission from the 'Art' crowd blown. 

Lauren Kinsella Ensemble -  Lauren Kinsella (voice), Tom Challenger (sax), Dan Nicholls (keys and electronics), Conor Chaplin (bass) and Simon Roth (drums). One of the most impressive of the younger vocalists I've heard of late. Came across her singing on Laura Jurd's last album and the Blue-Eyed Hawk record done with Jurd. New compositions that have an impressionistic song basis but quickly fly off into more free-style vocal gymnastics - think Norma Winstone in the late-60s/70s (although her voice is not like Norma's). A voice of enormous range that never betrays any dodgy intonation, despite veering all over the place harmonically. I think this was a new commission and was clearly in the process of coming together - not as fully realised as the first two concerts but impressive nonetheless.  

Marsden has almost gone by without me noticing this year. Did go up there a couple of years ago and saw Ben Crosland with Steve Waterman. I see Crosland was back there a couple of days ago, but I'm due to see him at Wigan Jazz Club on the 25th anyway.

This afternoon it's up to Whitefield on the Metro to see tenorman Liam Byrne who definitely has the right idea and is a personal friend into the bargain.