Eric Alexander/Harold Mabern in Chicago

[ejp626]

I haven't been able to make much live jazz recently, but I am hoping to make it to see this group at the Jazz Showcase, mostly to see Harold Mabern. I have most of his recordings on DIW, as well as the Prestige two-fers Wailin and A Few Miles from Memphis.

Feb3 - Feb. 6

ERIC ALEXANDER / HAROLD MABERN QUARTET WITH DENNIS CARROL (B) GEORGE FLUDAS (D)

Mostly likely I would make the Thursday show or the Sunday matinee. Let me know if interested.

[sheldonm]

I'll be at the Sunday (early) show; I think Sal will be there also!

Mark

[ejp626]

Ok, well I will try to make that one. Sal and I have missed each other a few times, even though on at least one occasion we've both been at the same show.

[BFrank]

Don't forget Harold on Lee Morgan's "The Giggolo" and "Live at the Lighthouse"!

[ejp626]

I'll be at the Sunday (early) show; I think Sal will be there also!

Mark

Are you going to make it to the Sunday matinee? It looks like I can go, since the wife will be busy watching the Superbowl. By the way, the Aoki project at Hothouse has now moved to the 9th and now there is a cover charge. I'm still leaning towards going, but it isn't quite as great a deal.

[sal]

Eric, I won't be making it to the Sunday matinee. My music classes started last week and I got the time slot of 4:30-6 booked for the next 6 weeks. I'm going to head to the showcase either tonight or tomorrow night .

[sheldonm]

I'll be at the Sunday (early) show; I think Sal will be there also!

Mark

Are you going to make it to the Sunday matinee? It looks like I can go, since the wife will be busy watching the Superbowl. By the way, the Aoki project at Hothouse has now moved to the 9th and now there is a cover charge. I'm still leaning towards going, but it isn't quite as great a deal.

I'll be at the matinee for sure!!! Headin' to see the bastards at Dusty Groove and then the Jazz Record Mart before the show!

Sal, thanks for the call; we'll catch up soon!

Mark

[ejp626]

Ok, I'll try to PM in the morning with a description of what I am wearing. I think two friends of mine can also make it, so that would be a lot of fun.

[Brad]

I saw them when they were here in Madison, NJ and it was great. Harold worked non stop and he was just incredible. Nothing against Eric Alexander but I thought Harold stole the show.

[sheldonm]

Ok, I'll try to PM in the morning with a description of what I am wearing. I think two friends of mine can also make it, so that would be a lot of fun.

I'll be with Jim Neumann of Beehive Records, not that you know what he looks like. I'll be leaving my house around 9:00 or so Sunday morning, which is 8:00 your time. Please lay out your clothes tonight and send me a pm as you may not be awake when I leave!!!!

[sal]

Well, I caught their last two sets yesterday evening, and I was very impressed. They played some some great versions of "Milestones", "Giant Steps", "Alone Together", "Dis Here", and "My Romance". I was blown away by Harold Mabern! I had never seen him before. What an original, inventive stylist and soloist....he was a joy to watch. Eric Alexander played well as he always does, yet I feel that he wasn't 100% last night. I saw him a couple years back with One For All and I remember him playing much better during that show. They played with local rhythm section, Dennis Carol and George Flaudas. While George is a solid drummer, Dennis Carol really stole the show on a number of occasions with his intense solos. It made for a great evening of high quality mainstream jazz. For the 10:30 set, there must have only been 10 people in the place, yet they still gave it their all.

sheldonm and ejp626, did you guys make the matinee?

Edited February 7, 2005 by sal

[sheldonm]

Well, I caught their last two sets yesterday evening, and I was very impressed.  They played some some great versions of "Milestones", "Giant Steps", "Alone Together", "Dis Here", and "My Romance".  I was blown away by Harold Mabern!  I had never seen him before.  What an original, inventive stylist and soloist....he was a joy to watch.  Eric Alexander played well as he always does, yet I feel that he wasn't 100% last night.  I saw him a couple years back with One For All and I remember him playing much better during that show.  They played with local rhythm section, Dennis Carol and George Flaudas.  While George is a solid drummer, Dennis Carol really stole the show on a number of occasions with his intense solos.  It made for a great evening of high quality mainstream jazz.  For the 10:30 set, there must have only been 10 people in the place, yet they still gave it their all.

sheldonm and ejp626, did you guys make the matinee?

...actually we did make the show. I also though Mabern was great. I sat a few feet to the right of his piano and he hits that thing so hard, it shakes the piano!!! I thought Alexander was very good as well, as was Dennis Carroll. I'm not sure if any of you have heard of Dennis, but he is a great bass player; spends most of his time in the Ron Perillo Trio. Although I like Fludas, I think he was a little "heavy handed" at times but I was sitting right in front of him.

I brought photographs for Mabern (with George Coleman), Alexander with his all-star band and Fludas (w/Ray Brown); they seemed to like them. Although I gave Eric a nice black and white photograph, he wanted the color print I was keeping; he asked if he can use it on his web site. He tossed the cover to his new cd at me and said "look at this picture, it's not even in focus ". It's the image of him with the bell of the horn in focus and him out of focus. I laughed and told he that was intentional and that's what we photographers call "artistic freedom" B-) ; he laughed!

I did talk to ejp626 for a few minutes although we didn't sit together as we each had others with us and arrived at different times. Maybe we'll get a chance at another show to sit together and talk jazz! Excellent show overall; glad I didn't miss it!

Next on the list for me is Von Freeman and then Pat Martino!

Mark

Edited February 7, 2005 by sheldonm

[sal]

I did talk to ejp626 for a few minutes although we didn't sit together as we each had others with us and arrived at different times. Maybe we'll get a chance at another show to sit together and talk jazz!

Most definitely. We should meet up for a late lunch before one of the upcoming matinees.

[Soul Stream]

For the 10:30 set, there must have only been 10 people in the place, yet they still gave it their all.

Always amazes me when guys of this caliber play to so few people at times. We ARE a spoiled few.

[sal]

Always amazes me when guys of this caliber play to so few people at times. We ARE a spoiled few.

This is true. Although its somewhat sad that so few people, especially in a place like Chicago, don't take advantage of what they have in their own backyards, in a way it is kind of nice. It makes you feel like you're getting your own private jazz show!

[Dan Gould]

I'll second the kudos for Harold Mabern. Few years back, we caught the George Coleman Octet at Smoke, and with heavyweights including the leader, Rotondi and Gary Smulyan, old Harold also stole that show. We weren't quite as close to the piano but we could still tell he was pounding the hell out of it!

[robviti]

Always amazes me when guys of this caliber play to so few people at times.  We ARE a spoiled few.

imo, you're only spoiled if you don't appreciate what's been given to you. we're very thankful, so i prefer to think of people like us as the fortunate few.

[Jim Alfredson]

I saw Harold Mabern play solo in Ann Arbor. It was amazing. His hands are HUGE! He played beautifully!

[sheldonm]

For the 10:30 set, there must have only been 10 people in the place, yet they still gave it their all.

Always amazes me when guys of this caliber play to so few people at times. We ARE a spoiled few.

The Sunday show was actually heavily attended, which was good to see!

[sheldonm]

I saw Harold Mabern play solo in Ann Arbor. It was amazing. His hands are HUGE! He played beautifully!

I shook his hand; it's like shaking hands with a freakin' bear!

[ejp626]

A very good show. The band is quite loud, although I was only a couple of rows behind Mark. Mabern really does pound on that piano. I suspect it will need a tune-up after this weekend. Mabern did steal the show, as several people indicated he would. He's really the only reason I went. I thought Alexander was pretty good. I wasn't terribly impressed with the drummer or bass player (maybe because the bass player at the Golson show was so much better).

[sheldonm]

...that would be Larry Gray!

[ejp626]

Yes, Larry Gray was incredible. I didn't mean to run down Mabern's rhythm section, but I wasn't blown away by them the way I was by Gray. Still, it was a fairly full room for a matinee, and people seemed to really enjoy the music.

[Roundsound]

I saw Harold Mabern with George Coleman, Weber (1stname escapes me) and Joe Farnworth at the Iridium a couple of years ago. I purposely sat right next to the keyboard. Harold Mabern has this ability to build up an intensity that allows you to feel as if you or the music is soaring. Of course George Coleman was very good and the rest of the rhythm section is of course top notch. I also saw ERic Alexander in Miami a few months ago with Kenny Drew Jr and a local rhythm section. Very difficult runs were easy for him. I can't imagine him to be anything but on all the time.