What live music are you going to see tonight?

[erwbol]

Last concert I attended was the fabulous Steve Lehman Octet at the Bimhuis in November.

I'd love to see the Tom Rainey Trio with Laubrock and Halvorson play Amsterdam in 2017. Hotel Grief is an oustanding album.

[Steve Reynolds]

Been dreaming that I could write about what I heard last night.

not able

It would be total fanboy at this point a bit more than 12 hours from the end of the second set. 

[erwbol]

Your enthusiasm is what made me buy all three Tom Rainey Trio albums in 2016. 

[kh1958]

I noticed that according to the schedule on the Stone's website, the venue is closing in February of 2018.

JOHN ZORN IMPROV WEEK CELEBRATION TO RING THE BELL, CLOSE THE BOOK AND QUENCH THE CANDLE FOR THE STONE
FEBRUARY 20-25

 

[Steve Reynolds]

5 hours ago, kh1958 said:

I noticed that according to the schedule on the Stone's website, the venue is closing in February of 2018.

JOHN ZORN IMPROV WEEK CELEBRATION TO RING THE BELL, CLOSE THE BOOK AND QUENCH THE CANDLE FOR THE STONE
FEBRUARY 20-25

 

We spoke about this last night noting that 2017 has the schedule reduced to one 9:00 set per night 

none of the many much closer to me to the scene (and quite a few of the mainstays were at the Cornelia Street show last night) have any idea why Zorn is ending the run of The Stone 

[kh1958]

A guess would be that the lease is over at that time and the owner has other plans for the building.

[uli]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/arts/music/the-stone-john-zorn-closing.html

[Steve Reynolds]

4 hours ago, uli said:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/arts/music/the-stone-john-zorn-closing.html

Thanks, Uli

 

ps - happy new year

Edited January 1, 2017 by Steve Reynolds

[uli]

4 hours ago, Steve Reynolds said:

Thanks, Uli

 

ps - happy new year

It's good to read that they are looking for a new venue. But what;s up with the one sets only? not enough of an audience for the late set?

 

Happy new year to you too!

 

 

[Steve Reynolds]

16 hours ago, uli said:

It's good to read that they are looking for a new venue. But what;s up with the one sets only? not enough of an audience for the late set?

 

Happy new year to you too!

 

 

Lots of patrons leave after the first set these days. Some think it is the $20 cover per set. We are all irritated that they went to only 1 set. Most of us will go less. None of us know why for sure.

 

 

[A Lark Ascending]

Dave Manington's Riff-Raff (Lescar, Sheffield)

Dave Manington (bass), Brigitte Beraha (vocals), Tom Challenger (tenor sax), Rob Updegraff (guitar), Tim Giles (drums)  [Ivo Neame (keyboards) was meant to be present but was otherwise engaged). 

Bunch of musicians associated with London's 'Loop Collective' who you see shuffled amongst endless jazz groupings in the UK. One of those gigs where I found myself drifting at times only to be suddenly jolted into full attention by a particularly arresting passage. There was a great bass/drums/tenor section towards the end that entered Ornettish territory - really benefited from the other two voices dropping out (in the sense of allowing those three to be heard more clearly).

Start of a tour, instrumental balance a bit off (drums tended to overwhelm the other instruments), missing an expected player, Beraha a bit wayward in the pitching at times so I'm sure we didn't hear them at their best. But worth it for the really exciting bits. Especially impressed by Tim Giles (not just because he was the easiest to hear). 

£7 a ticket at the Lescar - cheaper than the cinema! 

[sidewinder]

Nothing imminent but I've got my bookings in to see Laura Jurd's 'Dinosaur' and Magnus Ostrom's group at the Turner Sims, Southampton. 

[BFrank]

Kamasi Washington at SFJAZZ tomorrow night. Saw him last year in a club situation. Nice to see all the excitement generated by this artist, especially the younger generations.

[A Lark Ascending]

14 hours ago, sidewinder said:

Nothing imminent but I've got my bookings in to see Laura Jurd's 'Dinosaur' and Magnus Ostrom's group at the Turner Sims, Southampton. 

Dinosaur are marvellous - their CD is good but is a bit on the short side, under-representing the live kick. Also seeing them later in the month in Nottingham. Laura's also in Sheffield with Jasper Høiby's band later in the year.

I don't think I have a week without a concert of some flavour until April! Live music is very much alive and well (and, as folky Chris Wood regularly says, being kept afloat by the pension funds!). 

[A Lark Ascending]

Wonderful weekend, sadly without Norma Waterson who was too ill to attend. Eliza Carthy did a brilliant job of leading proceedings in her stead. 

The Waterson family did their thing in two concerts - a wonderful ten piece of family members and friends singing some of the unaccompanied hits with great gusto; and the Gift Band covering the more standard/music hall/popular music side represented on Norma's solo albums. A couple of good films - an amazing one filmed in the mid-60s just as The Watersons had hit their peak as one of the biggest draws in the folk clubs, living out of an ordinary house in Hull. Only 50 years ago but, with the Hull docks still busy, a different world. A fascinating interview with Martin Carthy too, explaining how his tuning approach evolved from firstly adopting Davy Graham's DADGAD and then amending it because he wanted to play 'Lovely Joan' which appears in a Vaughan Williams piece and he couldn't quite finger using Graham's approach. I do hope someone is documenting Carthy's reminiscences - there's a brilliant book waiting there.  

Some of the best of the current crop of young folky groups - Stick in the Wheel, The Furrow Collective and Lynched. Third time I've seen the latter in five months and once again they triumphed. Other bands must despair when they see they have to share a bill with them.

And Peggy Seeger, who I've never seen before. A sprightly 81, still full of political passion and decidedly irreverent. No prizes for guessing who was on the receiving end of most of her withering comments. An amazing link back to the original folk revival (well, the 1950s one!) and another dark political time.

A perfect way to take the sting out of mid-winter.  

[king ubu]

Stunning concert by the Malcolm Braff Trio at Moods, Zurich, Saturday night - that is: Braff (p, fender rhodes), Reggie Washington (elb), Lukas König (d).

This was all as great as the 2006 life- and listening-chaning BraffOesterRohrer concert ... two other Braff concerts in between did not live up those totally exalted expectations, but this time, he did it again.

Next up, tomorrow night, is Nasheet Waits Equaliy Quartet (w/Darius Jones, Aruan Ortiz and Mark Helias), again at Moods, Zurich.

[Steve Reynolds]

11 hours ago, king ubu said:

Stunning concert by the Malcolm Braff Trio at Moods, Zurich, Saturday night - that is: Braff (p, fender rhodes), Reggie Washington (elb), Lukas König (d).

This was all as great as the 2006 life- and listening-chaning BraffOesterRohrer concert ... two other Braff concerts in between did not live up those totally exalted expectations, but this time, he did it again.

Next up, tomorrow night, is Nasheet Waits Equaliy Quartet (w/Darius Jones, Aruan Ortiz and Mark Helias), again at Moods, Zurich.

Saw a version of that Nasheet band and they were amazing. 

Just saw Lou Grassi, Thomas Heberer, Mark Whitecage & Joe Fonda 

 

wonderous 

 

[Steve Reynolds]

13 hours ago, Steve Reynolds said:

Saw a version of that Nasheet band and they were amazing. 

Just saw Lou Grassi, Thomas Heberer, Mark Whitecage & Joe Fonda 

 

wonderous 

 

Then Bryan Carrott trio with Hilliard Greene & Michael Wimberly

THEN Matt Lavelle plus another trumpeter I don't know with William Parker & Hamid Drake

 

like PC & Philly Joe or Carter & Williams to me

[kh1958]

This past Friday, I flew to New York to attend the Winter Jazzfest Marathon.

On Friday, I spent the evening at the New School's Auditorium on 12th Street and Sixth Avenue.

First, Amina Claudine Myers on piano and vocals, performing a program of her favorite spirituals. Her set was beautiful. As Steinway was a sponsor of the festival, both venues I attended featured great sounding Steinway grand pianos.

Next, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Not exactly to my tastes (I'm not a salsa fan), they appealed a bit more when they were more in the Latin jazz band vein.

Thirdly, my favorite young tenor saxophonist, leading a sextet (with trumpet, vibes, piano, bass and drums), Melissa Aldana sounded fantastic--I love her gorgeous tenor sound. The most notable other soloist of the group was Joel Ross on vibes. A terrific set.

Next on the program was David Murray, performing with Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Mingus Murray on guitar, Rahsaan Carter on bass, and (?) Carter on drums. Another terrific set--I was very happy to get to see Lafayette Gilchrist in person for the first time. And Mingus Murray (David Murray's son) proved to be a talented guitar player in the jazz/rock vein--taking the group in some unexpected directions.

That was it for the first evening for me. On Saturday it snowed all day, so I decided to stay in one place again, this time for the ECM showcase at the New School's Tishman Auditorium (Fifth Avenue and 13th Street).

First up, the Michael Formanek Quartet (Tim Berne, Craig Taborn, and Gerald Cleaver). I had not heard this group, but their performance was very strong and the compositions very appealing.

Next, Danish guitarist Jakob Bro in a trio with Thomas Morgan and Joey Baron. The first part of this set was rather intricate and delicate sounding (a visual of time lapse photography of plants growing/flowers blooming would have fit perfectly). I preferred the latter half of the set when the intensity and the volume were cranked up.

The next set was a duo of Cuban pianist David Virelles and Ravi Coltrane. This set was great, one of the best sets I heard at the festival. 

This was followed by a duo of Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan. I haven't really followed Frisell in many years, but found the set to be surprisingly enjoyable--mostly quiet and unadorned performances of standards. Except for the last piece (an original I assume), where Frisell employed the types of pedal effects I associate with him on a piece that was magnificent.

Finally, closing the evening was Nik Bartsch's Mobile. There was only piano, bass clarinet, and two percussionists, and the set was unamplified. Is this jazz? I'm not sure but I sure enjoyed their set.

That was it for the 2017 Winter Jazzfest for me. I missed lots of groups I wanted to hear (Mary Halvorson, Edmar Castaneda, Chico Freeman, AfroHorn, etc.). Definitely worth the trip. But I wasn't going home until Monday, so Sunday evening can be spent with the Billy Harper Quintet /Sextet at Smoke (including Franchesca Tanksley on piano, Freddie Hendrix on trumpet and Aaron Scott on drums). I had never seen Billy Harper in person as a leader before, only as a sideman, so it was a thrill to spend the evening with him and hear three sets of his music. Lots of highlights, but my favorite was the duet performance of Thoughts and Slow Actions by Mr. Harper and Franchesca Tanksley.

 

 

Edited January 10, 2017 by kh1958

[sonnyhill]

I also attended Winter Jazzfest last weekend:

On Friday, I started at the New School 5th Floor Theater with Tomeka Reid Quartet, which was really nice. I still play that album frequently.  

Before the Tomeka Reid set was over, I went downstairs to the New Glass Box Theater to catch Jonathan Finlayson's Sicilian Defense.  This was the best group that I saw during the festival.  I think the new album is great, but the live performance exceeded my expectations.  It is a cliche, but the group sounded like a well-oiled machine and the music was interesting. 

I then made the short walk to the New School Tishman Auditorium and caught the very end of Craig Harris's Breathe, which was an extremely large group.  I didn't see enough of it to comment; I went to the venue to get a seat for the Andrew Cyrille/Bill McHenry Duo.  I like both McHenry and Cyrille, but the two do not seem to gel in a duo format for me.  It was nice to hear both of them though.

I then went back to the New Glass Box Theater to see Mike Reed's Flesh & Bone.  This was also outstanding.  I am always hesitant when I see a vocalist or poet included in the personnel with respect to jazz ensembles.  However, the vocalist/poet Marvin Tate was excellent -- not preachy and high energy in the best way.  It was also good to see all of those Chicago musicians who I don't get to see so often.  I was really impressed by the bassist Jason Roebke -- he was really excellent with both Tomeka Reid and Mike Reed. 

I then went over to the New School 12th Street Auditorium to see William Parker.  I was early and caught the end of the David Murray set.  The William Parker set was very enjoyable, he performed the last tune on a small wind instrument.  I would describe it as acoustic drone music. 

On Saturday, I started at the New School 5th Floor Theater to see the Mary Halvorson Octet.  I had not heard her newest album so I didn't know what to expect.  The playing was nice enough, but I felt that the music sounded "congested" with all of those instruments playing the music as opposed to the quintet she employed previously.  Maybe it was the performance; I have to check out the recording to see if it works better on record.

I spent the remainder of the evening at the Glass Box Theater.  I saw Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones, Adam O'Farrill's Stranger Days, Ben Allison's Think Free, and the beginning of Ben Wendel's Season's Band.  Ben Allison premiered some new tunes that will be appearing on an upcoming album.  It was a good set.  The other performances were competent.  However, I have tried, but do not get Ben Wendel at all; I left at the conclusion of the first song of his set.

 

Edited January 10, 2017 by sonnyhill

[BFrank]

I have to get to this Fest one of these days!

[kh1958]

1 hour ago, BFrank said:

I have to get to this Fest one of these days!

It is a blast. Over the two night marathon, there were 135 performer choices available. And a two day pass was only $80.

[BFrank]

1 hour ago, kh1958 said:

It is a blast. Over the two night marathon, there were 135 performer choices available. And a two day pass was only $80.

Yep - sounds great! Like a small, jazz-oriented South by Southwest. I've been going to Austin for the past 10 years, but it's MUCH bigger and MUCH more expensive. Same concept, though - an enormous amount of performance options that are presented in small venues around the downtown area.

[king ubu]

On 9.1.2017 at 2:20 PM, king ubu said:

Next up, tomorrow night, is Nasheet Waits Equaliy Quartet (w/Darius Jones, Aruan Ortiz and Mark Helias), again at Moods, Zurich.

 

On 9.1.2017 at 0:31 AM, Steve Reynolds said:

Saw a version of that Nasheet band and they were amazing.

They were pretty amazing indeed! Or rather, Waits was amazing all the way through - what a great drummer, of the younger generation, he may be my very favourite! They started off set 1 with an Andrew Hill tune and then segued seamlessly into three more tunes (originals, I think), then Waits pulled a short stand-up act before the break. And yeah, break time it was pretty often, musically speaking. Lots of funk in there, and lots of build-ups and explosive stuff ... sat right up front and center, two meters from the bell of Darius Jones' mighty alto, Waits to the right, Ortiz to the left on a nice baby grand, and Helias (his bass sounding slippery and ugly and overamplified) in the back behind Jones (and standing behind Jones means you won't be seen much ... but from the second of third piece on, Jones moved to the side a bit when he wasn't playing).

The Intakt crew was there, to watch their latest hype Aruan Ortiz ... he was alright (though compared to the amplification of the bass and drums he was a bit low in the mix - why amplify drums in such small locations anyway, I will never quite understand ... job security for the sound man?) but I don't quite get the brouhaha, I'm afraid, his Intakt disc sounds a bit tame/restricted to my ears, but he wasn't really loosening up much more last night, except for one part where he was banging, which got boring after a while. Second set was not fully segued, after two tunes they put their instruments down for a moment, then played a ballad and one more tune, and in the end returned for an encore ... I guess the playing time amounted to around two hours, and all in all, I really enjoyed it. And watching Waits was amazing. I have heard him at least three times - with Vijay Iyer's trio, with Tarbaby + Oliver Lake, and in November with Wadada Leo Smith's Great Lakes quartet in Berlin. But only yesterday, it dawned on me how much of a Max Roach man he is ... of course he adds plenty of other ingredients, but he has that marching, vertical style, and he has that heavy, drum-based sound, making the snare, the bass drum and the two toms (one on the floor, one on top of the bass drum) his main instruments, using hi-hat and cymbals more to puncuate rather than to create a constant flow. He does get into a flow, but it's a charged one that can go in any direction at any time, that is never one of equal division of time, rather it's rolling and strutting, it stutters, it gets delayed minimally only to catch up and lead the pack again a mere second later. Mesmerizing to sit so close to a master at work for an entire night!

[Steve Reynolds]

16 hours ago, king ubu said:

 

They were pretty amazing indeed! Or rather, Waits was amazing all the way through - what a great drummer, of the younger generation, he may be my very favourite! They started off set 1 with an Andrew Hill tune and then segued seamlessly into three more tunes (originals, I think), then Waits pulled a short stand-up act before the break. And yeah, break time it was pretty often, musically speaking. Lots of funk in there, and lots of build-ups and explosive stuff ... sat right up front and center, two meters from the bell of Darius Jones' mighty alto, Waits to the right, Ortiz to the left on a nice baby grand, and Helias (his bass sounding slippery and ugly and overamplified) in the back behind Jones (and standing behind Jones means you won't be seen much ... but from the second of third piece on, Jones moved to the side a bit when he wasn't playing).

The Intakt crew was there, to watch their latest hype Aruan Ortiz ... he was alright (though compared to the amplification of the bass and drums he was a bit low in the mix - why amplify drums in such small locations anyway, I will never quite understand ... job security for the sound man?) but I don't quite get the brouhaha, I'm afraid, his Intakt disc sounds a bit tame/restricted to my ears, but he wasn't really loosening up much more last night, except for one part where he was banging, which got boring after a while. Second set was not fully segued, after two tunes they put their instruments down for a moment, then played a ballad and one more tune, and in the end returned for an encore ... I guess the playing time amounted to around two hours, and all in all, I really enjoyed it. And watching Waits was amazing. I have heard him at least three times - with Vijay Iyer's trio, with Tarbaby + Oliver Lake, and in November with Wadada Leo Smith's Great Lakes quartet in Berlin. But only yesterday, it dawned on me how much of a Max Roach man he is ... of course he adds plenty of other ingredients, but he has that marching, vertical style, and he has that heavy, drum-based sound, making the snare, the bass drum and the two toms (one on the floor, one on top of the bass drum) his main instruments, using hi-hat and cymbals more to puncuate rather than to create a constant flow. He does get into a flow, but it's a charged one that can go in any direction at any time, that is never one of equal division of time, rather it's rolling and strutting, it stutters, it gets delayed minimally only to catch up and lead the pack again a mere second later. Mesmerizing to sit so close to a master at work for an entire night!

Thanks for those comments. Exactly my experience with Nasheet. On a good night with a guy like Darius wailing it's a very exciting experience. For me I hear Elvin more than Max. They played 2-3 Andrew Hill tunes when I saw them. Missed them last time due to a conflict. I'm also not sure if Helias was on bass. Too bad they messed up his sound. Usually his sound is sublime. 

Love LOVE seeing great drummers - Monday night it was Lou Grassi, Michael Wimberly & Hamid Drake - from very good to great!!!