What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Chuck Nessa]

Had the good fortune to hear Paul McKee (Free For All) with the Des Moines Big Band last night. They played a number of Free's arrangements and he displayed his beautiful sound on the trombone. He writes some damn fine charts.

[Free For All]

Had the good fortune to hear Paul McKee (Free For All) with the Des Moines Big Band last night. They played a number of Free's arrangements and he displayed his beautiful sound on the trombone. He writes some damn fine charts.

Thanks for the kind words, Chuck. Great to see you and Ann again.

Well, I made it as far as Nashville today. You make it home yet?

[Chuck Nessa]

Got in at 7:30 tonight. The drive was uneventful but we were greeted by 10 inches of snow in the driveway and a 2 foot ridge from the snow plows. Had to park in the street and dig to get the car in the garage. How was your drive?

[Free For All]

So far just fine, dry roads and sunny skies. Should be home by suppertime tomorrow. Low temps in Tallahassee this weekend though!

[Chuck Nessa]

Your Subaru looked mighty frosty this morning.

[Free For All]

It was. But I finally got to use the heated seats (useless in FL). They are awesome! That Forester was great on the trip. Home now.

[Chuck Nessa]

We get to use the heated seats a bunch up here.

Glad you be home safe.

Guess you didn't need to clear the driveway.

[Free For All]

Guess you didn't need to clear the driveway.

Just had to chase the gators away.

[Chuck Nessa]

Linemen?

[Free For All]

Yeah, they're bailing from UF now that the coach is iffy. They were looking for Bowden to see if he wants the gig.

[BFrank]

Going to see Al Kooper at Yoshi's tonight. Should be pretty entertaining.

[WorldB3]

Roy Hargrove Quintet with special guest Pharoah Sanders last night at Yoshi's.

wow! The very reason why I need to go to more live Jazz shows. I have always like Roy but for some reason sometimes his releases don't hit me as they should, like Ear Food from 2008 for example. Very good record but seeing his Quintet live was so much better. Its shame that there are all these great young players out there who's names I won't always remember but Roy sure has a tight band.

The first four songs before Pharoah came out were very much in the Blue Note 62-65 mode. Up tempo modal, floating key signature mid tempo, ballad.. etc. He opened up with a Gary Burton tune and sadly I didn't catch the title but I ned to track it down, I loved the sound and the energy of the set. Phaoah came out for four tracks, one being a Coltrane number and another original by Roy which could have fit on Cresent. First time I have ever seen Pharoah and it was treat. The other great thing was this was the first time I have ever caught a first set show where the band came out for an encore, as encores cut into their time off between the first show ending at 9:30 and going on again at 10. Roy also hanged out at the front of the stage to talk to folks after he was done. I was very impressed, impressed enough to see him next week with RH factor as he is here for a two week residency.

[jlhoots]

Rosanne Cash

[Guest Bill Barton]

Tonight it's Freethiopiques, a group that plays what they call "kicking Ethiopian jazz/funk grooves." Reptet members John Ewing and Samantha Boshnack are part of the band; Jessica Lurie, Jim Knodle, Joe Doria and Andy Coe are the other musicians. It's a 10:00 p.m. start time at a place called Seamonster Lounge in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood. If you're in the Seattle area this promises to be a hot show. See you there?

POST CONCERT EDIT:

Whew, this was massive, just massive. Two trumpets: Sam Boshnack and Jim Knodle; Jessica Lurie on tenor sax and flute; Joe Doria on Hammond organ; Andy Coe on electric guitar; and John Ewing on drums. Amy Denio played alto sax in the first set and the horn section was cookin'! Izaak Mills of Reptet added some percussion throughout the night. Nelson Bell of Reptet was in the audience but didn't play. And it was great to see the beautiful and talented Beth Fleenor there too. Some deep, deep grooves and adventurous solos. A gorgeous tune by Dudu Pukwana (can't for the life of me remember the name) and a wild version of Ornette's "Blues Connotation" were among the highlights. This band kicks some serious butt.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Bill Barton

[Johnny E]

A gorgeous tune by Dudu Pukwana (can't for the life of me remember the name)...

Bill, that Dudu Pukwana tune is called Angel Nemali. Thanks for coming. It was a blast, was it not?

[Guest Bill Barton]

A gorgeous tune by Dudu Pukwana (can't for the life of me remember the name)...

Bill, that Dudu Pukwana tune is called Angel Nemali. Thanks for coming. It was a blast, was it not?

Thanks, John! Yup, was a blast all right.

"Without machines, who will feed us and clothe us and compose our smooth jazz?" - Hermes Conrad (Futurama)

Great quote, man!!!!!

Edited January 14, 2010 by Bill Barton

[Larry Kart]

Probably:

10:00PM at Elastic, 2830 N Milwaukee, 2nd Fl, 773.772.3616

Spacer : Jason Adasiewicz, Nate McBride, Mike Reed

Halo Defect : Dave Rempis, Nate McBride, Michael Zerang

Last night heard Rob Mazurek, with Adasiewicz, Josh Abrams, Matt Lux, and John Herndon.

[David Gitin]

A gorgeous tune by Dudu Pukwana (can't for the life of me remember the name)...

Bill, that Dudu Pukwana tune is called Angel Nemali. Thanks for coming. It was a blast, was it not?

I remember that tune from a Hugh Masekela London album around 1970 or so (which included Dud Pukwana).

This was a tune I used to pay quite a bit in my dj era,

[Chalupa]

Last night(Wednesday) - Vetiver w/ Meg Baird opening.

[Van Basten II]

We have an Australian band called The Necks who are going to be there sunday, anyone seen them, are they worth the going to work the next day with only half my usual hours of sleep ?

[Guest Bill Barton]

I just now returned from the first event in the Is That Jazz? series: Sunship and then the Sun Ra Tribute Band. Great show! And a full house. Who sez adventurous music can't pack 'em in? "We travel the spaceways, from planet to planet..."

Is That Jazz?

Edited January 23, 2010 by Bill Barton

[Guest Bill Barton]

The second night of the Is That Jazz? Festival was delightful too. William O. (Bill) Smith - the Bill Smith of Brubeck Octet fame in the late 1940s and Professor Emeritus at The University of Washington, not the Bill Smith from British Columbia who used to edit Coda - played a marvelous extended composition that was a set in itself with his trio. Subtle, swinging and adventurous... And young bassist Evan Flory-Barnes' Threat of Beauty was a fascinating contrast. Two vocalists, two trumpets, French horn, vibes, harp, drums, congas/percussion and double bass. Interesting textures and mesmerizing grooves.

Is That Jazz?

Evan Flory-Barnes

[jeffcrom]

The second night of the Is That Jazz? Festival was delightful too. William O. (Bill) Smith - the Bill Smith of Brubeck Octet fame in the late 1940s and Professor Emeritus at The University of Washington, not the Bill Smith from British Columbia who used to edit Coda - played a marvelous extended composition that was a set in itself with his trio. Subtle, swinging and adventurous... And young bassist Evan Flory-Barnes' Threat of Beauty was a fascinating contrast. Two vocalists, two trumpets, French horn, vibes, harp, drums, congas/percussion and double bass. Interesting textures and mesmerizing grooves.

Is That Jazz?

Evan Flory-Barnes

Always liked William Smith's work.

My wife and I have discussed retiring to Northwest Washington at some point, and I've got to say that your posts here are very encouraging to me. The music scene in Seattle seems so much more interesting than in here in Atlanta.

[Bright Moments]

last night cleveland orchestra - playing strauss's don juan, ades' concentric paths and brahms symphony #2. beethovan's Lenore as an encore.

all marvelous!

[Guest Bill Barton]

The second night of the Is That Jazz? Festival was delightful too. William O. (Bill) Smith - the Bill Smith of Brubeck Octet fame in the late 1940s and Professor Emeritus at The University of Washington, not the Bill Smith from British Columbia who used to edit Coda - played a marvelous extended composition that was a set in itself with his trio. Subtle, swinging and adventurous... And young bassist Evan Flory-Barnes' Threat of Beauty was a fascinating contrast. Two vocalists, two trumpets, French horn, vibes, harp, drums, congas/percussion and double bass. Interesting textures and mesmerizing grooves.

Is That Jazz?

Evan Flory-Barnes

Always liked William Smith's work.

My wife and I have discussed retiring to Northwest Washington at some point, and I've got to say that your posts here are very encouraging to me. The music scene in Seattle seems so much more interesting than in here in Atlanta.

He's a very, very nice guy too. Yes, the Seattle music scene is very active, particularly the "edgier" stuff. Good mainstream scene here too, though many of the musicians I talk with complain about the fact that there really are very few places to play. Probably not a city to make a lot of bread playing professionally, but no lack of great music ranging all over the stylistic map. Tula's still has live music seven nights a week plus a "matinee" on Sunday, pretty damned amazing in this day and age and taking the economic climate into consideration. For a city of it's relatively small size, Seattle has a TON of world-class players, some relatively well-known - like Smith, Stuart Dempster, Hadley Caliman, Julian Priester, Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz, Tom Varner, Amy Denio, Thomas Marriott, Cuong Vu, Reptet et al. - and many more who are regional "names." Hey, man, c'mon over! And please bring your Alec Wilder program along.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Bill Barton