doubleM Posted April 14, 2004 Report Share Posted April 14, 2004 I just had to share this. I'm freakin' stoked. I have these friends who bought these tickets, but decided not to go. I missed them in Portland last time through, so I'm giggling with glee today!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted April 14, 2004 Report Share Posted April 14, 2004 Wayne is still on the top of his game. Should be a great show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted April 14, 2004 Report Share Posted April 14, 2004 (edited) Enjoy! Please report back to us with a set-list if you can. I'm curious to see if he added any pieces to the repertoire since I saw him in Paris in January. Bertrand. Edited April 14, 2004 by bertrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted April 14, 2004 Report Share Posted April 14, 2004 7:30 p.m. I'll be there too. (But in the balcony.) Saw Brad Mehldau just last night at The Shedd. That place, if I do say so, has great acoustics. Even Mehldau made mention of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleM Posted April 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2004 Well, it ruled. I can't imagine that there's a tighter quartet on the planet today. The acoustics were indeed great. I couldn't make out many of the tunes, could you, Late? They did "Go"...but the others...? Brian Blade was just unbelievable. So inventive, strong, and ass-kickin'. I'll sleep well tonight. -_- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted April 15, 2004 Report Share Posted April 15, 2004 "Go" was the only tune I recognized as well. It was a fine concert. That rhythm section is alive. That was my first exposure to Brian Blade, and his playing was an absolute joy. Not only does he have open ears — the way he was listening to Perez (perhaps moreso than to Pattitucci), playing with, then in the next second against, Perez's own rhythmic figures — but he plays every inch of those drums. Not a muscular drummer, say like Elvin Jones, but a dynamic drummer, say like ... Tony Williams. This band — it's so hard not to imagine when you listen to them — evokes, if not actually invokes, the spirit of Davis's 60's quintet more authentically than any other group I've heard, in the studio or live. If I were to offer any criticism — and I would hesitate to call it an actual "criticism" — it's that I wanted more from Wayne's tenor playing. But, note, I'm coming from the severe disadvantage of only really knowing Wayne's work up until about 1972. (32 years more to go!) It seemed to me that his tenor playing often favored long tones and short bursts of notes rather than any developed lines — which, of course, is perfectly allright, but it did make me wonder about his capacity to sustain extended ideas. It's probably not a fair comparison, but when you hear Sonny Rollins these days (a player roughly in the same age bracket), you still hear an athleticism in his playing — meaning, he can still tackle, and is still willing to tackle, any sort of line that might jump into his head. I didn't get that impression with Wayne's tenor playing, almost as if lung power, or simply age, might be prohibitive. Now, on the smaller horn, I had an entirely different impression. To me, when Wayne picked up the soprano, the intensity of the music seemed to take one giant step forward. Pattitucci started bobbing his head, Perez would lay into the keys, and Blade would drop those amazing (and wonderfully loud) bombs. I love Wayne's sound on tenor — up to this day — but for me his soprano playing (based only on last night, of course, and the previous admission of how far along I know his work) contains his most focused energy. This is a band that really seems to like each other, even embracing at the show's end. Wayne Shorter, when you stop and think about it, truly is a living legend for this music, and I'm glad, and appreciatvie, I had the chance — only having to drive 12 blocks! — to see and hear him perform live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted April 15, 2004 Report Share Posted April 15, 2004 (edited) I was in the 2nd row center as I picked up tickets last September. I've always been the type who's just happy to be in the house, but being that close did make for an intense experience. WOW! Not much more to add other than it was a treat to see how the band members played off of each and how much they enjoy playing with each other. John Patitucci (who looks a wee bit like Christopher from The Sopranos) was straight ahead and he and Perez spent a lot of time looking over at each other with nods and smiles. Although Shorter is the legend, I couldn't keep my eyes off of the other players as they are such fantastic musicians. It was fun to watch Shorter start to play, lower the sax a little, lean slightly on the piano and look over at Perez and see a sly little smile form in reaction to where the music was going. This happened other times in reation to what Patitucci or Blade were playing too, but more often than not it seemed as if Perez's ideas were driving the show. I wouldn't trade this show for curtain #2 or 3 even if a time machine is behind one of them. They are a pretty amazing band, and I'll have to make a point of watching where the others end up in the future - hopefully years from now. While I enjoyed Mehldau (especially his take on "She's Leaving Home"), this was the brain-tingling clear-out-the-cobwebs blast that cured my aches & pains and put life back in my step. We are so lucky to be getting shows like this in Eugene! Edited April 15, 2004 by Quincy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted April 15, 2004 Report Share Posted April 15, 2004 We are so lucky to be getting shows like this in Eugene! I couldn't agree more. For such a relatively small city, what a delight. I can't wait to see (and hear) what next year's series brings. I have a ticket for Dave Douglas in May, and will probably have to pick up a ticket for Dave Liebman very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted April 16, 2004 Report Share Posted April 16, 2004 We are so lucky to be getting shows like this in Eugene! I couldn't agree more. For such a relatively small city, what a delight. I can't wait to see (and hear) what next year's series brings. I have a ticket for Dave Douglas in May, and will probably have to pick up a ticket for Dave Liebman very soon. Aye! I got tickets for Douglas back in September too. They have a deal where you get 15% off if you buy 6 tickets to 1 show or 1 ticket to 4 shows. So back in Sept. I picked out tickets for Moran, Zorn, Shorter & Douglas (along with buying tickets for other friends, but not 6 tickets to any one show.) I wish I could see Liebman too but I'm afraid it's just a little too close to when we're taking off for vacation. Now had I bought tickets to Liebman back in September I'd know when we were leaving, but since I didn't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainyDay Posted April 16, 2004 Report Share Posted April 16, 2004 Wayne Shorter is great but half the fun of seeing him is seeing him with Brian Blade who is just out of this world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 Actually, I'M GOING TO SEE WAYNE SHORTER TONIGHT!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I have a ticket for Dave Douglas in May ... ... which was last night! I've seen Douglas once before, but this show seemed an unusually inspired outing. The audience seemed strangely subdued, but this didn't seem to bother the band. One thing above all — Douglas's chops are getting better and better. For those that think he rides too heavily on his use of nuance and "feeling," watch out. Last night he exhibited all sorts of playing: some clearly articulated pyrotechnic 16th note runs, some Rex Stewart smearing, and that gorgeous sound. He also seemed to be in a damn good mood: "You know what I love about Eugene? That green Victorian house on the hillside. Have you been to it?" That struck me as hilarious. ... and all in a Wayne Shorter thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundsound Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I say Wayne Shorter and his band last night in Miami Beach. It was differenet than I thought it would be despite having the last 2 Verve CDs. Perhaps we're stuck in the Blue Note time zone of the 60's. In any event, it was a great experience. It was truly high art. It was true ensemble playing the whole time. There was a constant shifting of melodies, themes and rhythms. Brian Blade never got caught into a time keeping groove. His playing was extremely percussive. In essence there was no timekeeper. There were no (none) blues riffs. Different players would lay out for different periods of time. Pattatucci (whom I say before with Gonzalo Rubalcaba) in my opinion was often a driving force of creating shifting emphasis. He pushed the band more than the others. There was a point where Wayne was laying out and then attempting to get back in and the band kept going without giving him a point to make it a fourome. There was a lot of uniform body language between the players as if they were "one." Danilo played his abstractions very much like Herbie Hancock. I think the last tune for the only standard (Besame Mucho) But of course the band pushed the themes in that tune to abstracting extremes. On one of the encores, Wayne tapped a random rhythm on the wood of the piano and the rest of the band picked up on it and played around it. Wayne played the tenor 3/4 of the time. His playing wasn't as dynamic as when he was with Blue Note. But I chalk it up to stylistic differences. This was a quiet and soft yet not quiet and soft at the same time. The band played with extreme concentration. Pattatucci took off his shoes and jacket to get comfortable. No one in the band said a word the whole program, which was good. Conversation would have taken away from the mood created. Any one else there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 me! see my thread! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I have a ticket for Dave Douglas in May ... ... which was last night! I've seen Douglas once before, but this show seemed an unusually inspired outing. The audience seemed strangely subdued, but this didn't seem to bother the band. One thing above all — Douglas's chops are getting better and better. For those that think he rides too heavily on his use of nuance and "feeling," watch out. Last night he exhibited all sorts of playing: some clearly articulated pyrotechnic 16th note runs, some Rex Stewart smearing, and that gorgeous sound. He also seemed to be in a damn good mood: "You know what I love about Eugene? That green Victorian house on the hillside. Have you been to it?" That struck me as hilarious. ... and all in a Wayne Shorter thread! I just missed seeing him at the used bookstore he mentioned (Smith Family.) Drat! It would have been fun to walk up to him and say "Excuse me, are you Elvis Costello?" As with Shorter once again I delighted at the interplay between keyboards & drums. I knew about Uri Cane's talents but Clarence Penn was something else to watch. So many subtle tricks with the different sticks and his hands. He was also the best dressed member of the band. Eugene is known for being a very casual town, and it's really struck me at the show how many jazz musicians wear very comfortable clothes nowadays. (And I don't blame them one bit.) I don't think some of these fellas could have handled the suit & tie days. I think the crowd was even smaller than last year's "Freak In" show. A couple of friends of mine got free upgrades on their balcony seats and ended up in the 4th row. I hope the small turnout doesn't dissuade him from returning, though as he's been here (I think) 4 times in 3 years maybe he'll keep coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gslade Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 I am looking forward to the June 18th show at the Britt in Jacksonville. The lineup for this show is Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland and Brian Blade. This will be a first time seeing Shorter for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 gslade - that should be a great show! Be sure to let us know how it is. I saw Herbie Hancock with Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette a few weeks ago. Amazing. These cats are the true masters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 As with Shorter once again I delighted at the interplay between keyboards & drums. I knew about Uri Cane's talents but Clarence Penn was something else to watch. So many subtle tricks with the different sticks and his hands. Clarence Penn is one of the best up and coming drummers around. He's freakin' AMAZING! I saw the Dave Douglas Quintet just this past Feb. and he blew my mind, as did the rest of the band. Quincy, who was on saxophones at your show? When I saw Dave, it was Chris Potter but I hear he's been using different sax players as Chris is very busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Quincy, who was on saxophones at your show? Seamus Blake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martini Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 (edited) I am looking forward to the June 18th show at the Britt in Jacksonville. The lineup for this show is Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland and Brian Blade. I will be at the June 18th show at the Britt too. I'm looking foward to it. Can you tell me anything about the venue? I have GA tickets. Can you hear gigs pretty well from the grass (i.e., do they have speakers placed throughout the venue), or do you need to be closer? Thanks. Edited May 15, 2004 by martini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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