Van Basten II Posted September 18, 2009 Report Posted September 18, 2009 Saw the Bad Plus tonight. Don't know what to think about them. On one hand, I think they're brilliant - on the other hand, it seems like one big "alt jazz" gimmick. Anyone have any thoughts? I think , they are a borderline guilty pleasure. Saw Yaron Herman trio last night. Rather inventive pianist, although at times it felt a little too much like Yaron Herman and his musicians more than Yaron Herman trio. Would have prefer to hear more of interaction with one and another inserad of having the rhythm section simply laying down the road work for the main solist. Quote
medjuck Posted September 18, 2009 Report Posted September 18, 2009 Visiting my Mom in Fredericton New Brunswick and discovered a Jazz & Blues festival in progress. Los Lobos (whom I love) are already sold out but last night I attended an intimate concert with Phil Nimmons and David Braid. Now 86 Nimmons only ever performs with pianist Braid (who is 34). They play completely free-- no obvious structures-- but they tend to be rather lyrical, though not always (at times they sound a bit like Jimmy Giuffree (sp?) with Paul Bley.) Very nice and Nimmons really seems to enjoy it. Claims his taste as broadened in his old age. Quote
tranemonk Posted September 20, 2009 Report Posted September 20, 2009 Ahmad Jamal last night in Cambridge MA..... Excellent set... even though I'm sick as a dog.... Quote
medjuck Posted September 20, 2009 Report Posted September 20, 2009 Visiting my Mom in Fredericton New Brunswick and discovered a Jazz & Blues festival in progress. Los Lobos (whom I love) are already sold out but last night I attended an intimate concert with Phil Nimmons and David Braid. Now 86 Nimmons only ever performs with pianist Braid (who is 34). They play completely free-- no obvious structures-- but they tend to be rather lyrical, though not always (at times they sound a bit like Jimmy Giuffree (sp?) with Paul Bley.) Very nice and Nimmons really seems to enjoy it. Claims his taste as broadened in his old age. Since my 101 year old mom goes to bed early and I hadn't much to do (most of my old friends were out of town or have died recently) I went to two more concerts Eric Bibb and Los Lobos for whom I was able to get a ticket. Since I'd seen U2 in Toronto on Wednesday night it meant I saw 4 concerts in 4 nights. A record for me. Quote
Chalupa Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 (edited) Last night I saw SUNN O))) at the First Unitarian Church. Even though I was wearing ear plugs my ears are still ringing this afternoon. You can't even begin to imagine how LOUD it was. EDIT: Just found some photos online of last night's show. That's me standing up in the back of the church in picture #19 http://www.phrequency.com/blog/SUNN_O_an_a...ck_sabbath.html Edited September 22, 2009 by J.H. Deeley Quote
Chalupa Posted September 25, 2009 Report Posted September 25, 2009 Headed out the door to see Khan Jamal open for the Gunter Hampel European Trio. Quote
Peter Johnson Posted September 25, 2009 Report Posted September 25, 2009 Headed out the door to see Khan Jamal open for the Gunter Hampel European Trio. How was that? I wanted to go, but work kept me away. Are you going to Oliver Lake on Sunday @ International House? Quote
Elissa Posted September 25, 2009 Report Posted September 25, 2009 Caught my usual Thursday night gig last night - Lezlie Harrison at Sweet Rhythm. I love her voice so much - have I mentioned that? Really can sing. The degree to which she's grown over the last few years of hitting there weekly never fails to astonish me. Also love her Hammond C3 player, Greg Lewis. It was a little sad though, in that they're closing the club - for good this time. Anyone ever catch Bu there? Quote
Larry Kart Posted September 25, 2009 Report Posted September 25, 2009 Last night heard Hypercolor with Lukas Ligeti, drums (yes, Gyorgy's son); James Ilgenfritz, bass; and Eyal Maoz, guitar. Ligeti seemed quite heavy-handed to me, the bassist and guitarist were better, but basically it was an updated "power" trio with arty/shaggy trimmings, not my cup of tea. Three tunes was enough. Quote
Elissa Posted September 26, 2009 Report Posted September 26, 2009 Caught my usual Thursday night gig last night - Lezlie Harrison at Sweet Rhythm. I love her voice so much - have I mentioned that? Really can sing. The degree to which she's grown over the last few years of hitting there weekly never fails to astonish me. Also love her Hammond C3 player, Greg Lewis. It was a little sad though, in that they're closing the club - for good this time. Anyone ever catch Bu there? Of course from when it opened as a jazz club - it'd been a health food restaurant - in the mid-70s til about 2001 it was Sweet Basil... Quote
kh1958 Posted September 26, 2009 Report Posted September 26, 2009 Caught my usual Thursday night gig last night - Lezlie Harrison at Sweet Rhythm. I love her voice so much - have I mentioned that? Really can sing. The degree to which she's grown over the last few years of hitting there weekly never fails to astonish me. Also love her Hammond C3 player, Greg Lewis. It was a little sad though, in that they're closing the club - for good this time. Anyone ever catch Bu there? That is terrible news and a big loss. I didn't see Blakey there but I've seen many fine artists at Sweet Basil/Rhythm--McCoy Tyner, Gil Evans Orchestra (posthumous), Art Farmer, Mal Waldron, Bobby Watson, Andrew Hill, Benny Golson, Benny Waters, Sam Rivers, Vijay Iyer, Malachi Thomspon, Jane Ira Bloom. Quote
marcello Posted September 26, 2009 Report Posted September 26, 2009 I gave Eldar a listen last night. He's playing his own compositions now so I thought it was time to give him another chance. The jury is still out, although there is a lot to admire about his skill. The boy has to learn how to breathe, though! Quote
Guest Bill Barton Posted September 27, 2009 Report Posted September 27, 2009 I just now returned from the early set at Egan's Ballard Jam House. The Tony Grasso Saxophone ? Quartet ! was superb. Lots of breathing Quote
AndrewHill Posted September 29, 2009 Report Posted September 29, 2009 Just got back from seeing KISS tonight. Glad I caught them with the makeup and costumes, but the show was way better than the music. Quote
Chalupa Posted September 29, 2009 Report Posted September 29, 2009 Going to see two shows tonight. Early show - Faust and later tonight the Butthole Surfers. Quote
Van Basten II Posted September 29, 2009 Report Posted September 29, 2009 Evan Parker and Ned Rothenberg tomorrow night. Quote
Peter Johnson Posted September 29, 2009 Report Posted September 29, 2009 Philadelphia Orchestra, playing Berlioz' Resurrexit and Te Deum, and Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (the "Organ Symphony"), the latter being my most cherished and favorite orchestral work. I can't wait! Quote
king ubu Posted October 2, 2009 Report Posted October 2, 2009 Taylor / Oxley - Strasbourg finally! been looking forward to this for months now! Quote
sidewinder Posted October 2, 2009 Report Posted October 2, 2009 (edited) 'Empirical' at Ray's Jazz, London (hopefully) Edit:- Good stuff. They were previewing their new Eric Dolphy 'Out To Lunch' tribute - 'Out 'n' In'. Edited October 3, 2009 by sidewinder Quote
relyles Posted October 2, 2009 Report Posted October 2, 2009 Either Mauger (Rudresh Mahanthappa/Mark Dresser/Gerry Hemingway) or Cedar Walton Trio w/ Javon Jackson. I am having a hard time deciding which to attend. Can't do both because they are in two different towns about thirty minutes from each other. Quote
Steve Reynolds Posted October 3, 2009 Report Posted October 3, 2009 you need to see Mauger if you have never seen Hemingway & Dresser I am seeing the 2 of them with Evan Parker tomorrow.... Quote
Guest Bill Barton Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 I just returned from the Julius Watkins Jazz French Horn Festival at Cornish College of the Arts. 14 horns playing an adaptation of the Gil Evans arrangement of Weill's "My Ship": Miles was a horn, the flutes were horns, gorgeous! Great compositions by hornists Adam Unsworth, Tom Varner and John Clark too. Smokin' arrangements of Trane's "Mr. P.C." and "India" (the latter with rhythm section and 14 horns.) John Clark's solo on "Body and Soul" was DEEP. Fine, fine solos from others as well: Varner, Vincent Chancey, et al. This was two sets worth of wonderful, creative, swinging music. Six stars on the five-star scale. Quote
Steve Reynolds Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 only a few words - well maybe a few more than that - only stayed for the first set - although my wife wanted to try to sneak the second set in for free..... with: David Murray - tenor sax Marty Ehrlich - alto sax & clarinet Mark Dresser - bass Andrew Cyrille - drums 3 long versions of Comin' On a tune with the word "pain" in it Crooked Blues I have all of the above except Bradford but it has been a long while for Murray and even for Ehrlich it might be 7 or 8 years Bradford is a beautiful player in the mold of Don Cherry with some of Joe McPhee's stylings as well - understated and very tasteful The tunes are what I expected - theme - solo - theme with interjections by the horns - not formulaic if you are coming from the world of straight ahead - I am so much less jaded than I have been in the past - so I was not dissapointed in the tried and true approach but the news is for those who *still* don't know about some of these guys - especially Dresser & Ehrlich - methinks they might wanna better get to know Mark Dresser is a ruler - never touched the bow except during a short intro during the second tune - but lordy lordy I *almost* forgot what this man is - Cyrille and Murray were and are Cyrille and Murray - wonderful musicians in their element here - but this is Dresser driving the band - making it go through subtlety and extreme power where this sort of music does not always go - the 2 duet sections with Bradford & Ehrlich (at the start of his clarinet solo during Crooked Blues) were what the best jazz is all about... and Ehrlich's clarinet solo was the easy single highlight of the whole set - he is better than he ever was - and he was always just about as good of a musician as walks this earth...and the guys across from me might have been surprised that this dude played the blues beyond - and the guy across from I think reacted to some of Dresser's SICK fucking playing with a few visceral grunts of what might be considered awe - unless i was wrong because I didn't say a word to him. Gary Giddens was on my left and I said a couple of words but thankfully resisted to let him know that I knew he would ignore Evan Parker's visit over these 2 weeks...anyone remember the quite obnoxious me (right of course - but self-righteous and opinionated as I am - a bit disgusted that this bright learned critic of this great music barely knew the man existed or what he is... but the guy who sat down with a friend opposite my wife and I - I couldn't believe it at first - I looked over to Cherches and he was smiling ear to ear... and guess who was eating dinner 2 feet from me?? and I didn't say a word to him - the one and only Stanley Crouch methinks he denies Mark Dresser is the greatest bassist he might have ever heard but methinks he knows it is the great man plus a handful of other - dead or alive - that could fit that moniker... Dresser played it all - all through the set and I think he is just warmin' up... Mark Dresser rules and tomorrow we step it up even a little more as he joins his real element - with his long time partner Gerry Hemingway and the great man on tenor and alto... they might be all over 50 - but jazz lives - place was packed and I think they all loved it - all musicians who play from their heart and soul out - and another reward for me in more ways than I can express here for getting my life back almost 5 years ago... fwiw - John Carter's vibe could be felt in the room...and I thought of him when Marty picked up the clarinet - and yet Ehrlich plays nothing like the late great master, too me it was the closest thing I would ever come to hearing and feeling his spirit.... Shadows on the Wall, baby Quote
Van Basten II Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Evan Parker and Ned Rothenberg tomorrow night. Both guys were held at the customs and for a while it look they wouldn't make it. Gig started quite late, so i only could attend the first set. For the little i heard, enjoyed the fusion and blending of the music of both men. Wish i heard more. Quote
relyles Posted October 5, 2009 Report Posted October 5, 2009 you need to see Mauger if you have never seen Hemingway & Dresser I am seeing the 2 of them with Evan Parker tomorrow.... I did ultimately decide to go see Mauger. Caught both sets of intense music making. only a few words - well maybe a few more than that - only stayed for the first set - although my wife wanted to try to sneak the second set in for free..... with: David Murray - tenor sax Marty Ehrlich - alto sax & clarinet Mark Dresser - bass Andrew Cyrille - drums 3 long versions of Comin' On a tune with the word "pain" in it Crooked Blues I have all of the above except Bradford but it has been a long while for Murray and even for Ehrlich it might be 7 or 8 years Bradford is a beautiful player in the mold of Don Cherry with some of Joe McPhee's stylings as well - understated and very tasteful The tunes are what I expected - theme - solo - theme with interjections by the horns - not formulaic if you are coming from the world of straight ahead - I am so much less jaded than I have been in the past - so I was not dissapointed in the tried and true approach but the news is for those who *still* don't know about some of these guys - especially Dresser & Ehrlich - methinks they might wanna better get to know Mark Dresser is a ruler - never touched the bow except during a short intro during the second tune - but lordy lordy I *almost* forgot what this man is - Cyrille and Murray were and are Cyrille and Murray - wonderful musicians in their element here - but this is Dresser driving the band - making it go through subtlety and extreme power where this sort of music does not always go - the 2 duet sections with Bradford & Ehrlich (at the start of his clarinet solo during Crooked Blues) were what the best jazz is all about... and Ehrlich's clarinet solo was the easy single highlight of the whole set - he is better than he ever was - and he was always just about as good of a musician as walks this earth...and the guys across from me might have been surprised that this dude played the blues beyond - and the guy across from I think reacted to some of Dresser's SICK fucking playing with a few visceral grunts of what might be considered awe - unless i was wrong because I didn't say a word to him. Gary Giddens was on my left and I said a couple of words but thankfully resisted to let him know that I knew he would ignore Evan Parker's visit over these 2 weeks...anyone remember the quite obnoxious me (right of course - but self-righteous and opinionated as I am - a bit disgusted that this bright learned critic of this great music barely knew the man existed or what he is... but the guy who sat down with a friend opposite my wife and I - I couldn't believe it at first - I looked over to Cherches and he was smiling ear to ear... and guess who was eating dinner 2 feet from me?? and I didn't say a word to him - the one and only Stanley Crouch methinks he denies Mark Dresser is the greatest bassist he might have ever heard but methinks he knows it is the great man plus a handful of other - dead or alive - that could fit that moniker... Dresser played it all - all through the set and I think he is just warmin' up... Mark Dresser rules and tomorrow we step it up even a little more as he joins his real element - with his long time partner Gerry Hemingway and the great man on tenor and alto... they might be all over 50 - but jazz lives - place was packed and I think they all loved it - all musicians who play from their heart and soul out - and another reward for me in more ways than I can express here for getting my life back almost 5 years ago... fwiw - John Carter's vibe could be felt in the room...and I thought of him when Marty picked up the clarinet - and yet Ehrlich plays nothing like the late great master, too me it was the closest thing I would ever come to hearing and feeling his spirit.... Shadows on the Wall, baby I heard the second set Saturday night and my response was similar to Steve's, except the second set was only fifty minutes. I left feeling somewhat unfulfilled because the music that I did hear was wonderful. Quote
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