What live music are you going to see tonight?

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

tmw, for the 1st time in seventeen yrs for me:::   Harold Mabern.  this yr in the tradition of big 50th anniversaries this yr and such, this is the 50th anniversary on some of his classic blue note dates: Dippin', The Gigolo, Night of the Cookers vol. 2...

[BillF]

Steve Waterman/Mike Hall quintet at Wilmslow last night.

[A Lark Ascending]

(photo from: http://www.londonjazznews.com/2015/10/interviewpreview-julian-arguelles-tetra.html)

Julian Arguelles' "Tetra"

Arguelles (tenor, soprano), Kit Downes (piano), Sam Lasserson (bass), James Maddren (drums)

Yet another of the Loose Tubers, Arguelles now fronts a wide range of bands in the UK. I've followed him since first seeing him in the late 90s in Cheltenham. Last night's concert was as good as any I've seen him do.

Very roughly, music that operates in a world approximating the Jarrett American Quartet, Wayne Shorter's recent quartet and John Surman's quartets. Structured with clear compositions but flexible and free-ranging. There's a pronounced 'Spanish' feel to the music in places reflecting Arguelles' background. Two of tonight's pieces had links with folk music from regions of Spain. The other thing he does which I like is a soprano effect that sounds like a Scottish bagpipe...I think he lived in Scotland for a time (might well still do). You hear the Surman influence there. 

Downes and Maddren seem to be in every other band I see - marvellous players. I've not come across Lasserson before but he was superb - featured in a number of places to great effect. 

They still have gigs to come in Brighton, The Vortex and Coventry. Worth seeing. 

Edited November 6, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[optatio]

Tonight I will be here

and listen to:

20:00 Tony Malaby TubaCello

Tony Malaby (sax), Christopher Hoffman (cello), Bob Stewart (tuba), John Hollenbeck (dr)

22:00 Iiro Rantala

Iiro Rantala (p)

24:00 Ray Anderson Organic Quartet

Ray Anderson (tb, voc), Gary Versace (org), Steve Salerno (g), Tommy Campbell (dr)

38. Göttinger Jazzfestival 2015

[kh1958]

Last night, I would have preferred to see Azar Lawrence, but that was 230 miles away, whereas the Bill Charlap Trio (Peter Washington and Kenny Washington) was but a short drive away at the University of Texas at Dallas. A bit soporific for me, some of the more obscure standards performed were somewhat appealing. The rhythm section is certainly smooth and elegant. Not regretful of attending but not really my cup of tea either. The audience besides myself was far more enthusiastic.

I do appreciate the Dean of the Arts College at UTD, who has maintained a program of jazz concerts each year for many years.

 

Edited November 7, 2015 by kh1958

[jeffcrom]

On 11/2/2015, 9:22:50, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

tmw, for the 1st time in seventeen yrs for me:::   Harold Mabern.  this yr in the tradition of big 50th anniversaries this yr and such, this is the 50th anniversary on some of his classic blue note dates: Dippin', The Gigolo, Night of the Cookers vol. 2...

I saw Mabern at the Fat Cat in Greenwich Village in June, and was mightily impressed.

[A Lark Ascending]

The Rheingans Sisters - in the upstairs room of an unreconstructed pub in Sheffield, my favourite type of venue. 

Gosh, these women are humbling. Mid-twenties-ish and they play fiddle in a scratchy, scrape-y, ancient way and speak Swedish and French! Daughters of a violin maker they appear to have grown up with music around them, playing together. 

A mixture of British, Old Time American, Scandinavian and, increasingly, French traditional music (the younger sister, Anna, is studying in south-west France and sourcing from the archives). The interaction between the two is hair-raising - you almost start believing in telepathy. Rhowan plays a bit of banjo and, on one song, an invention of her father's, a cross between a banjo and a sitar! She also has a lovely voice which she uses plainly without vocal mannerisms. 

I go to lots of folk type concerts and am endlessly impressed by the quality of the new generation of players and singers (the older too!); but these two have a repertoire which is so different from the norm and without having to indulge in strange crossovers (unless you count weaving a Swedish waltz into an English folk song a strange crossover). Currently an up and coming name  but I imagine before very long these two will be headliners at festivals, if the fact that they live in different countries and have independent musical careers doesn't get in the way.

I've been lucky to hear so much good live music this year...this was up there with the best. Looking forward to listening to the new record later on.   

Here they are last December in the same venue where I saw them last night playing a foot-stomping couple of French bourees: 

And a lovely version of Robin Williamson's 'October Song' with a lengthy prelude of tuning, story telling and giggling:

Love the mirror at the back. 

Edited November 8, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[kh1958]

Last night, a rare opportunity to hear Mali kora master Mamadou Diabate. The fact that it was in Austin wasn't going to deter me. First off, a quartet of Indian musicians, featuring Indradeep Ghosh on violin, Indrajit Banerjee on sitar, and Gourigankar on tabla, performed one song and were very impressive. Next, Mamadou Diabate took the stage for a solo performance segment. The concert organizer appeared to have planned on this segment being relatively short, but it was not to be. "I like to play," said Mamadou and there followed around ninety minutes of mind boggling kora virtuosity. An amazing and stunningly beautiful performance. Could anything follow that? Well, the next intended segment, some cross-cultural improvisation as the quartet of Indian musicians joined Mamadou on stage. The two songs performed were also things of beauty--the combination worked amazingly well. The concert was a rather dazzling musical experience, and it was well worth the drive to and from Austin.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

Youssou N'Dour- 14 piece band incl. 2 gtr, 2 keys, 4 drums, background vox, horn, even a dancer.  it was so fantastic

[BillF]

Greg Abate with the Brownfield/Byrne Quintet at Wilmslow this evening.

[sidewinder]

13 hours ago, BillF said:

Greg Abate with the Brownfield/Byrne Quintet at Wilmslow this evening.

Has he got a house in Manchester? 

[BillF]

1 hour ago, sidewinder said:

Has he got a house in Manchester? 

He is a regular guest at various fans' houses.

[erwbol]

John Scofield & Joe Lovano Quartet at the Bimhuis tonight, with Bill Stewart on drums and Ben Street on bass. 

The band was on fire for most of the two sets. Scofield, Lovano and Bill Stewart were great. As Lovano was announcing Mr. Puffy near the end of the second set, some guy a few seats next to me dropped an empty beer glass left of Scofield on the stage. Lovano joked they should name it Mr. Butterfingers instead. Scofield was agitated but made a joke about it. Then he launched into a blistering performance of Mr. Puffy, dedicated to his late son, and the band followed suit.

 

[jeffcrom]

Just got back from a fabulous concert at Spelman College in Atlanta, where my wife is a professor.

Dwight Andrews has been "Visiting Distinguished Scholar" at Spelman for a year, and tonight's concert was the culminating event of his residency. There was chamber music (including two movements of a beautiful string quartet), art songs, dance pieces, and a couple of Dwight's jazz pieces for double quartet - jazz quartet plus string quartet. His friend Geri Allen came down to play in the jazz quartet, along with a great local bass/drums team. It was really inspiring - I want to start writing art songs tomorrow. And it was fun to watch the violist watch and listen to the jazz quartet interact - she was entranced. I expect her to quit the string quartet tomorrow to start a new career playing jazz.

[Chuck Nessa]

Sounds interesting. Glad to hear Dwight is continuing down the music trail.

[jeffcrom]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Sounds interesting. Glad to hear Dwight is continuing down the music trail.

You may or may not know that he's a preacher here in Atlanta, as well as a theology professor at Emory University. He has remained involved in music, notably as composer/music director for many of August Wilson's plays.

[paul secor]

Interesting to hear of the continuity and changes that have happened in his life.

[mjazzg]

Didn't see Cassandra Wilson at the Royal Festival Hall last night. Enjoyed the support (Lionel Loueke) sat for an hour and an announce that "Ms Wilson is in her hotel room and will not be performing for you tonight. Her band are currently trying to persuade her to play for us". No further explanation given. Many very angry disappointed fans in the auditorium. I could understand their feeling but did wonder what they felt all the shouting and booing would achieve.

You win some.....

I hope she's OK.

edit to add: appears there was a performance after all if somewhat truncated and starting 45 minutes after the announcement (an hour and 25 minutes after scheduled start). A storm brewing with the promoter

https://www.facebook.com/Cassandra-Wilson-361569243871752/

Edited November 16, 2015 by mjazzg

[mr jazz]

Last night was Chucho Valdez and his tribute to Irakere. Words fail me. A brilliant performance and I don't use that word very often. If you get a chance to see this gig, don't miss it. 

[Uncle Skid]

Last night was Organissimo's 15th anniversary celebration at Randissimo's weekly jam session in Grand Rapids.

LOTS of people there, great music, great energy!!!  

 

[Cali]

Chucho is a marvel in concert. I've seen him 3 times and he was always amazing, with amazing bands.

[A Lark Ascending]

Just back from a few days in London taking in some concerts at the London Jazz Festival

Maria Schneider Orchestra/Liam Noble at Cadogan Hall (deep in the heart of Toffland at Sloane Square, temporarily transformed into Lapland)

Lovely 30 minute solo piano set from Liam Noble including a couple of pieces not usually associated with jazz (Wouldn't it be Loverly and The Way We Were) as well as one that is (Body and Soul). Wish I'd gone to his Sheffield gig a few weeks back; 30 mins was too short. 

I've been following Schneider for about 15 years after hearing an interview on the radio one night driving back from London. Absolutely beautiful performance - those lush, almost Ravel/Debussyesque orchestrations that just seem to roll off the orchestra. Some marvellous soloing throughout - I was particularly taken by a Frank Kimbrough solo in 'The Thompson Fields' that had me thinking Ives!; and a storming pair of solos from Scott Robinson and Donny McCaslin. One of encores had Robinson playing flugelhorn which seemed to even take Schneider by surprise.

Proper review here:   http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/nov/18/maria-schneider-orchestra-review-cadogan-hall-london-jazz-festival

Nice to chat to Mark (mjazzg) as ever (thanks for the gallery tip...well worth the visit) 

**************************

Kenny Wheeler - An Evocation (again at Cadogan)

This was very special. A host of musicians associated with Kenny Wheeler in various permutations, all paying tribute (an overused term but here used sincerely) to the man. With 20-30 minute segments it was never going to be a concert where anyone would have the time to really dig in but there were some remarkable performances.

Opened with the band that made one of KW's last recordings, 'Song's for Quintet' - Stan Sulzmann, Martin France, Chris Laurence, John Parricelli and Gwilym Simcock. augmented on one track by Henry Lowther. Took a bit of time to warm up but the third song, 'Od Time', was afire.

Then Ralph Towner, first solo and then two songs with Norma Winstone. Beautiful.

Foxes Fox  (Evan Parker, Steve Beresford, John Edwards, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Percy Pursglove) marked another side of KW's musical personality with an explosive 20 minute free improvisation. A band I definitely need to see in a full concert though I suspect their performances are rare. 

Before the first and second sets an 8 piece trumpet chorale led by Nick Smart played short arrangements of KW pieces from the gallery above the stage. Wonderful idea.

Part two began with Dave Holland and Norma Winstone, a particularly fine version of 'By Myself', a song that concludes my favourite KW recording, 'Music for Large and Small Ensembles'. The heart from then on was provided by a band of Nikki Iles (one of the UK's best kept secrets), Holland, Martin France, Mark Lockheart augmented or reduced as various stages. Two songs from the 'Mirrors' album with the London Vocal Project made me realise how I'd not given that record the attention it's due. Never realised these were pieces KW wrote for smaller forces and then filed them away. Brought to life by Pete Churchill. Also a beautiful trio performance by Holland, Iles and France of piece of Holland's called 'Waltz for Wheeler'.  

The home straight saw Lowther, Smart, Winstone, Parricelli and Sulzmann rejoin the core for two really exciting pieces - one of those wonderful pieces with ever shifting chords from 'Music for Large and Small Ensembles' and a thrilling 'Foxy Trot' ( a great tune). 

Two really poignant moments. One where Norma was almost overcome in introducing a song played with Kenny and John Taylor and referring to the additional loss there; and then Dave Holland ended the concert by playing a solo three minute recording of Kenny in his prime. I doubt if there was a dry eye in the house. Certainly solved the problem of the encore rituals - you couldn't follow that.

I expect there will be a Guardian review at some point - I'll link it if it appears.      

Edit: No Guardian review but one with pictures from London Jazz News here: http://www.londonjazznews.com/2015/11/review-kenny-wheeler-evocation-at.html

 

Edited November 21, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[jlhoots]

Eilen Jewell last night, Richard Thompson tonight, George Cables tomorrow night.

[erwbol]

The Bad Plus at the Bimhuis tonight.

Excellent musicians and with a sense of humour. Reid Anderson showed off his singing voice.

Edited November 22, 2015 by erwbol

[mjazzg]

Julia Hulsmann Quartet w.Theo Bleckmann tonight