James Weidman @ Jazz Standard 11/17/09

I chose this for Marty Ehrlich and Brad Jones, but now I know James is great and all of his sidemen were phenomenal. The vibes were awesome. Anything with vibes and trombone is bound to be great. It started with a piano trio. Then they invited Jay up. After that, I think they had Jay take a break and invited the 2 horns up. They did also play some tunes as a sextet. It doesn't say it, but Marty had the bass clarinet also. I don't remember seeing him with it. It was awesome! This was a great set and very worthwhile.

JAMES WEIDMAN'S THREE WORLDS ENSEMBLE

• Ray Anderson – trombone
  Marty Ehrlich – alto sax, clarinet
  Jay Hoggard – vibes
  James Weidman – piano
  Brad Jones – bass
  Francisco Mela – drums

Three Worlds is James Weidman’s fourth album as a leader, and its original compositions, striking arrangements, and spirited execution combine to demonstrate his mastery of the art of jazz. Tonight at Jazz Standard, an all-star septet will enable James to deploy the various lineups featured on Three Worlds, from the trio arrangement of the timeless African-American spiritual “Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho” to exuberant ensemble performances like “Razz 2.0.” James Weidman has been a valued sideman and accompanist in many settings over the past 20 years, from Abbey Lincoln and Steve Coleman to Kevin Mahogany and Joe Lovano. Three Worlds is an important marker of his growing significance as a bandleader and composer