Brad Farberman's Expected Draw @ Bowery Poetry Club 1/29/09

This was the right time and the right place. I got there a little after 8:30 and they were already on. They played til about 9:30. It was good and funky. It wasn’t generic at all, which is how I like it. Jason Kao Hwang definitely added a lot. His electric violin was very interesting and looked like an anchor. I’m not sure if I’ve seen it before or not. They were all great and it was a nice enjoyable hour.

Brad Farberman's Expected Draw
Chris DiMeglio, trumpet
Kevin Moehringer, trombone
Jason Kao Hwang, electric violin
Brad Farberman, guitar + compositions
Jared Pauley, keyboards + bass lines
Josh Giunta, drums

Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet @ Jazz Standard 1/27/09

That was an awesome set. I was really wanting some great jazz and they delivered. They were all phenomenal. Matt Brewer on bass caught my attention at many different moments. He was the only one I was unfamiliar with. I need to add Marcus Gilmore to my list of must see as much as possible. I already had him on an “A” list, but I just want to watch for more opportunities.

This was stellar.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet
Yosvany Terry – saxophones
Michael Rodriguez – trumpet
Gonzalo Rubalcaba – piano
Matt Brewer – bass
Marcus Gilmore – drums (January 27, 28 and 30)
Justin Brown – drums (January 29 and 31)

Decisions Decisions 2/6

It's another one of those I want to clone myself nights, Fri 2/6. I already have the ticket to the Zorn stuff, but I don't know how I can pass up this new show. I think I'm going to try to do both and miss some of the Zorn.

http://www.henrystreet.org/site/PageNavigator/AAC_PERF_weekly
A JOHN ZORN WEEKEND

John Zorn: Masada Sextet Friday, February 6 8 pm
John Zorn returns to the Abrons with the US premiere of his hot new Masada ensemble. The classic quartet of Zorn, Dave Douglas, Greg Cohen, and Joey Baron are augmented by the spectacular pianist Uri Caine and percussionist extraordinaire Cyro Baptista. The evening features two sets of Masada material old and new by this dynamic super band.
Tickets: $25
BUY TICKETS

John Zorn: The Dreamers/O’oSaturday, February 7 8 pm
Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, John Zorn.
Two sets of music presenting The Dreamers and the World Premiere of The Dreamers Volume 2 (O’o) in one exciting concert! Named for an extinct Hawaiian bird whose delightful song will never be sung again, O’o is the exotic and charming follow up to The Dreamers, one of Zorn’s most appealing projects. Featuring the same dynamic band of masters from Zorn’s inner circle, O’o presents more lyrical and adventurous instrumentals exploring World Music, Surf, Exotica, Minimalism, Film Soundtracks and more.
Tickets: $25
BUY TICKETS

See both Zorn concerts for $40
BUY TICKET PACKAGE


http://www.rmanyc.org
RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART
and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem
present
harlem in the himalayas

HELEN SUNG / RON CARTER DUO
Friday, February 6
7:00 p.m.

$18 advance/ $20 day of (includes a post-concert tour of the galleries)
RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART
150 WEST 17 STREET, NEW YORK CITY 1 www.rmanyc.org 212.620.5000 x344

Featuring the premiere of a specially commissioned suite composed by Helen Sung inspired by the female deities of the Himalayan pantheon. Helen Sung has been called “one of the brightest emerging stars in jazz today.” Breaking stereotypes as an Asian-American female jazz pianist and composer, Helen’s work in classical, jazz, and popular music gives her a compelling, unique voice. A graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, she has gone on to work with such masters as Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, and Wayne Shorter; and with luminaries including Steve Turre, T.S. Monk, and Regina Carter. She is also a busy bandleader; her project NuGenerations was selected as a 2009 Rhythm Road ensemble and will tour as American musical ambassadors. Helen’s experience at the Monk Institute inspires her to remain involved with music education through workshops and performing with arts organizations benefiting young people.

Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific, and influential bassists in jazz. With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, he has recorded with many of music's greats. From 1963 to 1968, he was a member of the Miles Davis Quintet and was named Outstanding Bassist of the Decade by the Detroit News, Jazz Bassist of the Year by Downbeat magazine, and Most Valuable Player by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. In 1993 Ron Carter earned a Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Group, the Miles Davis Tribute Band and another Grammy in 1998 for Call 'Sheet Blues', an instrumental composition from the film 'Round Midnight. Carter shares his expertise in the series of books he authored, among which are Building Jazz Bass Lines and The Music of Ron Carter; the latter contains 130 of his published and recorded compositions. He was Artistic Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Studies while it was located in Boston and, after 18 years on the faculty of the Music Department of The City College of New York, he is now Distinguished Professor Emeritus although, as a performer, he remains as active as ever.

Bellydance & Live Music @ The Grizzly Pear 1/25/09

I'm back from another amazing adventure in Costa Rica with Ariel and Shya Kane. I highly recommend checking them out on a Monday Night in NYC. The next one is 2/9. Everything keeps getting better and better for me with no effort, just by showing up and listening to what people have to say from their point of view. Just doing that pulls you into the moment and your life transforms. It's very practical and down-to-Earth and easy.

I went to see my friend Val bellydance again at The Grizzly Pear on McDougal. Scott played the oud all night, instead of his interesting homemade guitar. There was also a violin and 2 doubeks. It was awesome as always. I love that type of music. It was heavily influenced from Turkish music. I found out from a friend that many musicians go to Istanbul to study and I immediately added the city to my mental list of places to go on my quest to see the world through music.

Nicole Mitchell’s Sonic Projections II @ The Stone 1/3/09

That was nice. Chad Taylor is listed, but he wasn't there. I can't remember the drummer's name, but he was awesome. We got 2 great drum solos. Nicole and the tenor are from Chicago. I loved the instrumentation. Nicole played the flute and piccolo and was really great with both. Mary was her usual greatness and I enjoyed the tenor, who I'd never seen before. The music was all new and written for this show. I'm so impressed they could play so well reading unfamiliar music. that always amazes me. There was a paper going around before the show asking for positive thoughts for the New Year that they would incorporate into the music. I loved the piece they played, which was pretty intense, and she would slowly read the words in between awesome playing.

Nicole Mitchell’s Sonic Projections II
Nicole Mitchell (flute) David Boykin (tenor sax) Mary Halvorsen (guitar) Chad Taylor (drums)

The Duo & Surprise Me Mr. Davis @ BBs NYE 2009

I asked someone handing out flyers for this at Bustle who was headlining and he said The Duo was. I was surprised when I got to BBs at about 2:15 that The Duo was on. Still, it was great and I was glad to be there. Then, The Slip came out and joined them and they played in that 5 member formation for quite a while. It was different combinations all night. The Duo kept sitting in with Surprise Me Mr. Davis and there wasn't any break.

I always want shows to be like that. I've been thinking up all kinds of ways for that to happen with different bands. It was nice to see it work so well.

I had fun and stayed til about 4. I'm sure I missed some good stuff, I was just satisfied and decided I was done.

Gov't Mule @ Hammerstein 12/31/08

I got there at 11:30 and they were into their 2nd set. I accidentally gave them my 12/31 ticket the night before and it scanned. The same ticket worked again last night.

It wasn't sold out. There were enough people to feel like a show and there was enough room to be comfortable. It was good. It was a great show. They did a lot of Nirvana tunes. There was a lot of audience singing along with the Mule tunes for the 3rd set. I enjoyed it and was happy I decided I wanted to be out after all. It was also a very nice crowd of people.

The setlist is already up on mule.net:

12.31.2008 Hammerstein Ballroom New York, NY

Set 1
Wandering Child
Slackjaw Jezebel
Thelonius Beck
Temporary Saint
Birth Of The Mule
About To Rage
Brighter Days
Thorazine Shuffle

Set 2 with Pete Thorn
Rooster
Say Hello To Heaven*
Black*
Nothingman
Indifference
Fell On Black Days*
Black Hole Sun*
All Apologies
Where Did You Sleep Auld Lang Syne Jam
New Years Countdown
About A Girl
Lithium*
Hunger Strike

Set 3
War Pigs trio without Danny Louis
Afro-Blue
Bad Little Doggie
Brand New Angel
Straight To Hell with Kevn Kinney and Pete Thorn
Rockin' In The Free World with Kevn Kinney and Pete Thorn

Encore
Can't You See with Kevn Kinney and Pete Thorn

*1st Time Played