Downtown NYC Scene Live Jazz/Improv

[Steve Reynolds]

This might be hard to explain and I am certainly not the best listener/poster to try to explain these thoughts. I always hope that some of the more regular attendees of many of the musicians that I see most often would comment here or elsewhere about the music being performed these days that might fall under the broad parameters that might be known as downtown NYC/avant-garde yet jazz based music.

What I AM hearing is that the overall vibe of much of this music has certainly moved towards a more abstract vibrational quality while at the same time it is often still very compositionally orientated. I sure wish I was able to see even more of the musicians that I am less familiar with like Sylvie Courvoisier, Zeena Parkins, and others.

The last three shows I have seen (Kris Davis Quintet, Maneri-Taborn-Smith and then last Saturday - Tony Malaby's quartet with Ben Monder, Eivind Opsvik and Ches Smith)

2 of the 3 shows were based on compositions (Kris' and then Tony's) but the improvisations that came out of these structures to my ears have become increasingly adventurous and spontaneous.

Both bassists on those bands were extraoridnary with the bow - Hebert with Davis more traditional - and then Saturday Opsvik was a revelation to me. Compared to a show with the same band (with Nasheet in the drummer's chair), the music developed into drones and interplay with guitar and long intense and controlled tones on the bass that were very new to my ears.

I know some of these musicians spent quite some time with Paul Motian - and they even did a Motian tune Saturday (by far the most traditional playing of the night by all), so maybe his open-minded spirit has been moved to these fine young musicians.

the common bond IS the imput of the 30 somethings - Ches Smith, Kris Davis - and I think the ongoing unknown influence of what I refer to as 'Maneri Music' which, of course, is being carried on and developed by the *great* Mat Maneri - who I have to say - among all these musicians - really helps the bands he is in the take the music towards these new horizons.

and the middle show which was July 7th with the trio of Ches Smith, Mat Maneri and Craig Taborn - has resonated with me for the 2 weeks since I experienced it - and without a doubt was one of those musical experiences that will not and cannot be replicated. I think the open-minded approach of these guys allowed them to play some music that night that did indeed invent new music - I have been thinking of it as doom metal free jazz improvisation - my wife who one would think wouldn't like the more 'out' music - said it was among the best musical performances she's seen with me - ranking with Hamid Drake with In Order to Survive and ICP with Han Bennink - which is quite a statement - being the music of the trio contained new recognible groove, melody or anyhting other than spontaneous creation or combustion

as she said, it was a rock band and Mat, Craig and Ches were rock stars, save for the glory - only the power and the brilliance.

thoughts welcome