Nasheet Waits or Ches Smith?

[Steve Reynolds]

Do I go see Nasheet Waits with Darius Jones, David Virelles and Mark Helias this Friday?

Or Ben Goldberg with Craig Taborn and Ches Smith for the first set on Saturday night with the second set adding Ellery Eskelin and another tenor man? Plus Taborn is playing Wurlitzer for the second set.

I'm torn

[7/4]

Ben Goldberg with Craig Taborn and Ches Smith.

[colinmce]

Hm, I might be inclined to agree, though I like Goldberg rather than love him. The Waits group might throw off more sparks.

[relyles]

If it really was just a question of Smith or Waits, I would take Nasheet every time. However, the rest of the personnel makes it very difficult. The only way to settle this is to do both.

Where is that Waits group playing. I may take a ride down. I am already booked Saturday.

[Steve Reynolds]

Waits is at Cornelia Street Cafe

[relyles]

Yeah. I saw that afterward. Both nights are actually pretty tempting to me. I love Taborn and have been looking for another opportunity to hear Eskelin live. I know none of this helps you with your tough choice.

[AllenLowe]

Ben Goldberg is just not that good a player; mystifed what people see in him; however, Eskelin is wonderful. And I like Ches Smith.

[marcello]

Nasheet Waits is a real sound innovator. A rare artist.

I'd go just to hear him, in any group.

[Steve Reynolds]

Decision made!! Tomorrow night I be going to see the Nasheet Waits band @ Cornelia Street Cafe.

Deciding factor is it's been too long since I've seen Darius Jones live and he is capable of amazing me. And Mark Helias is one of the best and most versatile bassists.

Looking forward to surviving the crazy last day of the month at the job and then the insane ride to NYC for the two sets

[relyles]

Enjoy!

[Leeway]

I think that's the right decision. I saw Eskelin last week, and he was, frankly, disappointing.

[Steve Reynolds]

First in line!! 15 degrees!! Hope the 2 hour trek was worth it!!!

[Steve Reynolds]

First set well worth the drive

Darius Jones rules the world. Dude plays the alto saxophone like no one else

[Steve Reynolds]

Second set even better. First tune an Andrew Hill composition as was the first tune in the first set. Second piece a 30 plus minute piece of something I never heard before that I want to try to write about later.

They ended with Sam Rivers' Unity without any solos and it was as hot and tight as jazz can be. White fucking hot.

Nasheet is a master of dynamics and the multi or poly groove. Indebted to Elvin but of the next generation. Brilliant, nuanced and power to spare.

And the spirit exuded by the band was apparent. And Mark Helias is simply a virtuoso with the bow and merely munificent without it. And the pianist (with his boss Henry Threadgill in the house) meshed beautifully with the band, quite emphatically by the second set.

And as I mentioned earlier, Darius Jones is a force of nature. Among aspects of his playing, his tone is as deep and from the soul as any alto saxophonist I've ever seen live.

Standing on a Whale Fishing for Minnows

Edited March 1, 2014 by Steve Reynolds