What live music are you going to see tonight?

[ejp626]

McCoy Tyner Septet at CSO. I think it should be a good show.

It was an awesome show. I wonder if anyone else made it. I have to admit, I wasn't that crazy about his solo show about 3 years back, but this was a septet with Eric Alexander, Wallace Roney, Donald Harrison, Steve Turre, Eric Gravatt, and Charnett Moffett. The concert was loosely based around Tyner's Impulse compilation. They played quasi-standards, including several Coltrane pieces. I am almost certain they played Giant Steps and Impressions (though maybe it was Cousin Mary) and probably one other Coltrane piece that I can't name right now. And one of Tyner's originals called Blues on the Corner ?, as well as an uptempo piece from one of Tyner's live albums. I'm almost sure it was Enlightenment, but I can't check right now. It has a great repeating bass line though. For the most part, Tyner was pounding the keys (and had to have the piano retuned during intermission) but trying a few new things. It was sort of slanting the melody, playing a bit more angular and changing the tempo a bit, playing against the drummer and moving the melody ahead or behind the beat. Anyway, I definitely enjoyed it, and I imagine there will be a formal review, so I can find out exactly what was played later.

He was looking pretty good overall. I saw Dave Brubeck the week before and he didn't look nearly as good, even compared with two years ago. He put on a good but not great show. Most of the time, I was thinking of the movie Going in Style, as three of the four in the quartet look like they might drop off at any time.

[marcello]

Jonathan Kreisberg Trio

Great!

[sheldonm]

Last night: Healdsburg Jazz Festival

The Cookers - Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, Craig Handy, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.

This show was awesome. The band was "on", the audience was "on" - a great time had by all.

Healdsburg is a sleepy, little Northern California town in Sonoma's wine country about 90 minutes from San Francisco. So, I never thought I would be saying this, but this audience was 100 times more engaged in the music than the comatose crowd at the Joe Lovano/Hank Jones show I saw a couple of weeks ago at Dizzy's Lincoln Center, NYC. Amazing.

You could tell from the beginning of the set with Billy Hart's drums punctuating the music that we were in for great show. They didn't disappoint. The group played tunes by Billy Harper (2), George Cables, Cecil McBee and Freddie Hubbard. Their encore was a recognizable bop tune which I couldn't place (probably a Hubbard or Lee Morgan piece). The thing that became immediately apparent was that even though the horn players were the attraction (and well-worth it!), the rhythm section (Cables, McBee, Hart) was world-class all by itself. I would pay $$ to see that trio alone.

So....thanks to the David Weiss for putting this supergroup together. It doesn't get much better.

Somehow I've managed to miss seeing Hart over all these years and didn't know what I've been missing. He really opened my eyes and was certainly key in this format. Constantly pushing and prodding the soloists, he was tireless and one of the most creative drummers I've ever seen. If he brings his quartet out West, I'll definitely have to check them out.

..we'll be seeing a slightly different version of this band in Chicago...including Jeremy Pelt and Jimmy Spaulding....cannot wait!!!

m~

[HolyStitt]

Richard Thompson & band at the Fitzgerald Theater

[marcello]

Fred Hersch Trio

w/ John Herbert and Nasheet Waits.

Very high music content!

[ghost of miles]

My wife & I are going to see Kurt Elling at the Jazz Factory in Louisville tomorrow (Friday).

[david weiss]

Last night: Healdsburg Jazz Festival

The Cookers - Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, Craig Handy, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.

Their encore was a recognizable bop tune which I couldn't place (probably a Hubbard or Lee Morgan piece).

Thanks for the kind words, glad you had fun.

The encore was a George Cables tune actually "Think On Me"

[david weiss]

Last night: Healdsburg Jazz Festival

The Cookers - Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, Craig Handy, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.

..we'll be seeing a slightly different version of this band in Chicago...including Jeremy Pelt and Jimmy Spaulding....cannot wait!!!

m~

Actually for Chicago it will be Eddie Henderson not Jeremy Pelt. I don't know how this mix-up happened. It will also be James Spaulding, Billy Harper, George Cables, Cecil McBee and Gene Jackson

[sidewinder]

Last night: Healdsburg Jazz Festival

The Cookers - Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, Craig Handy, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.

..we'll be seeing a slightly different version of this band in Chicago...including Jeremy Pelt and Jimmy Spaulding....cannot wait!!!

Any plans to bring this band to Europe, David?

Edited June 16, 2007 by sidewinder

[rpklich]

Tonight since I can walk to the gig and it's free, Plena Libre from Puerto Rico. They're playing in Humboldt Park in Chicago. The also have a great one of Puerto Rico's best soneros with them-Wichy Camacho. Its part of the Puerto Rican Parade festival. As their name says they play Plenas, an indigenous Puerto Rican form as opposed to "salsa" which is Cuban based. This is the 5th or 6th time I've heard them and they're really good.

[david weiss]

Last night: Healdsburg Jazz Festival

The Cookers - Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, Craig Handy, David Weiss, George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.

..we'll be seeing a slightly different version of this band in Chicago...including Jeremy Pelt and Jimmy Spaulding....cannot wait!!!

Any plans to bring this band to Europe, David?

I'd love to bring the band to Europe but easier said then done these days for a variety of reasons but hopefully we can put something together for next year.

[J Larsen]

I was going to see Television in Central Park this afternoon, but the rain deterred me.

[sidewinder]

I'd love to bring the band to Europe but easier said then done these days for a variety of reasons but hopefully we can put something together for next year.

Would be perfect for the Cheltenham Festival, in this country.

Edited June 17, 2007 by sidewinder

[Hot Ptah]

I saw some of the Rhythm and Ribs festival at 18th and Vine in Kansas City this weekend. Did any other Kansas City members of this board go to it? I saw the Pat Metheny Trio with Christian McBride and Antonio Sanchez, James Cotton with Bob Margolin, Bobby Blue Bland, and Javon Jackson with Dr. Lonnie Smith and Les McCann.

I missed the George Benson/Al Jarreau co-led show. I had to spend some time with my family over the weekend.

Any reactions from anyone else who saw any of these sets?

[J Larsen]

Vision Festival Night One:

Host Lewis Barnes

7:00 Opening Invocation

Patricia Nicholson / William Parker / Hamid Drake

7:30

William Parker – “Double Sunrise Over Neptune” – World Premiere

Lewis Barnes trumpet / Rob Brown alto saxophone / Sabir Mateen reeds

Dave Sewelson baritonesax / Bill Cole double reeds / Joe Morris guitar, banjo

Jason Kao Hwang violin / Mazz Swift violin / Jessica Pavone viola

Shiau-Shu Yu cello / Brahim Frigbane oud / William Parker bass

Shayna Dulberger bass / Hamid Drake drums / Gerald Cleaver drums

Sangeeta Banerjee - vocal

8:30 Fieldwork

Steve Lehman saxophones, compositions / Vijay Iyer piano, compositions

Tyshawn Sorey drums, compositions

9:30 The Keyboard Project: Cooper-Moore Project with Marlies Yearby

Darius Jones alto saxophone / Cooper-Moore keyboards

Nioka Workman cello / Chad Taylor drums / Marlies Yearby dance

Willie Applewhite - trombone

10:30 Spiritual Unity featuring Marc Ribot (with special guest Henry Grimes)

Roy Campbell trumpet / Marc Ribot guitar

Henry Grimes bass / Chad Taylor drums

[Aggie87]

Please let us know your impressions after the performances, Jan. I'd love to see the Spiritual Unity group!

[J Larsen]

Please let us know your impressions after the performances, Jan. I'd love to see the Spiritual Unity group!

I've seen them three or four times before, but not in several months. Honestly, it is my favorite Ribot project. It really captures the spirit of the music, while retaining the individual voices of the group's members.

That album on Pi left me very cold though... the shows are where it is at.

I'm really excited about the William Parker set!

[J Larsen]

I have to run off to a meeting, so I don't have time to do a review of last night's show, but suffice to say that overall it was very good with a few bumps in the road. The new William Parker composition "Sunrise Over Jupiter" is definitely something to check out if/when it is recorded. Spiritual Unity were about as on as I've ever seen them, and on reflection were really the highlight of the night. The Cooper-Moore set was overall pretty cool, but there were some painful moments. The other band was booorrrr-ing.

Tonight it's back for night 2:

Wednesday June 20 – Bill Dixon Lifetime Recognition

Poet/Host Barry Wallenstein

7:00 Barry Wallenstein and Friends

Barry Wallenstein vocals, poetry / Daniel Carter reeds, trumpet / special guests TBA

7:30 Bill Dixon with the Sound Vision Orchestra – World Premiere

Bill Dixon trumpet, compositions

Graham Haynes trumpet / Stephen Haynes trumpet / Taylor Ho Bynum cornet

Dick Griffin trombone / Steve Swell trombone / Joe Daley tuba

Andrew Raffo Dewar soprano saxophone / Michel Cote reeds / J.D. Parran reeds

Will Connell, Jr. reeds / John Hagen reeds / Karen Borca bassoon /

Glynis Lomon cello / Andrew Lafkas double bass

Warren Smith vibraphone, percussion / Jackson Krall percussion

9:30 Co-Pilots: Henry Grimes with Marilyn Crispell and Rashied Ali

Henry Grimes bass / Marilyn Crispell piano / Rashied Ali drums

10:30 Survival Unit III

Joe McPhee reeds, flügelhorn / Fred Lonberg-Holm cello

Michael Zerang drums

[J Larsen]

This was a good show. Bill Dixon's performance was the clear highlight - he conducted and played trumpet in a 90 (or so) minute piece that drew heavily from 20th century avant-garde classical (I heard strong nods to Feldman and Varese, so one more knowledgable would clearly have heard a lot more), with occasional improv solos thrown in. It was a very powerful performance.

The Co-Pilots set was interesting; at it's best moments it was very poignant and gripping, at its worst it was a bit meandering (and there was one very painful stretch where the piano was *way* to high in the mix so that it sounded very unnatural). Overall it was very good.

McPhee was McPhee, which is a good thing.

[J Larsen]

Tonight I'm taking a break from Vision Fest to check out the Keith Jarrett Trio at Carnegie Hall.

[B. Clugston]

Tomorrow I'm seeing......Sonny Rollins!

[J Larsen]

Jarrett was fine. Inoffesensive, very capably played music, a little boring and too safe for my taste. It wasn't bad, though, and the lady liked it which was sort of the point. But man, what a bunch of arrogant jerks!

"Every time this band gets together, it is an historic occassion for me, and it should be an historic occassion for you, too." - Keith Jarrett before starting the second set.

In a very angry tone of voice: "I wish you would turn off that red light in the back. It is very disrespectful. Now respect our wishes!" - Jack DeJohnette. I'm not certain, but all I think he was talking about an exit sign that was in his line of sight.

"The really stupid people in the audience are still taking pictures. Here is your big chance to not take pictures, because after this song you get to go home, and you will have a prize in the mail. It won't be a camera." - Keith Jarrett, before the last song.

Also, the audience was WAY to in to them. They were fine, but goddamn it wasn't the resurrection of Bud Powell or anything.

So tonight it is back to the more down-to-earth vision fest:

Friday June 22

Poet/Host David Budbill

5:30 Panel Discussion Part I – Art in America: A Grassroots Struggle

7:00 50 Violins for Leroy Jenkins

Memorial tribute led by Billy Bang, coordinated by Jason Kao Hwang

7:30 Matthew Shipp Solo Piano

8:30 Roy Campbell’s Ahkenaten Suite – World Premiere

Roy Campbell trumpet / Billy Bang violin / Bryan Carrott vibraharp

Hilliard Greene bass / Zen Matsuura drums

9:30 Dance/Music/Art Installation “A State of Mind” by Patricia Nicholson

Dance: Miriam Parker, Julia Wilkins, Gus Solomons, jr

Music: Lewis Barnes, Rob Brown, William Parker, Hamid Drake

Artists: Amir Bey, Jo Wood Brown, Katie Martin, Kazuko Miyamoto,

Phyllis Bulkin-Lehrer, Lili White

10:15 Fred Anderson Trio

Fred Anderson tenor saxophone / Harrison Bankhead bass

Hamid Drake drums

11:15 Spindrift for Leroy Jenkins

Myra Melford piano, melodica / Mark Taylor French horn

Brandon Ross guitars / Shuni Tsou di-zi

Really looking forward to the 7:30 and 8:30 sets. Now off to work so I can actually get be there by 7:30!

[Alexander Hawkins]

There are so many stories like this about Jarrett it's difficult even to think about giving him the benefit of the doubt. What an idiot he is. I'll tell Mr Jarrett what's disrespectful - his bullshit neo-con piano ramblings.

Rant over

p.s. would love to know how the Leroy Jenkins tribute sounds!

[J Larsen]

It should be good. Jason Kao Hwang has been very impressive when I have seen him perform.

[Alexander Hawkins]

I love his recent 'Edge' CD with Taylor Ho Bynum, Ken Filiano and Andrew Drury!