Terri's Music Blog

Bernie Worrell @ LPR 1/7/12

2012-01-13T19:40:00.000-05:00

This was good and funky. A percussionist right up front, 2 drummers, 2 guitars plus Gary Lucas special guesting, bass, alto and tenor saxophones, and of course Bernie. It was awesome and I may not get the chance to see this again.

Bernie Worrell Orchestra
Kyle Cadena, guitar / Andrew Kimball, guitar / Scott Hogan, bass / Glen Fittin, percussion / Shlomi Cohen, alto sax / Ofer Assaf, tenor sax / Justin Mullens, trumpet / Karl Latham, drums / Evan Taylor, drums

Bernie Worrell: How many artists can say they were in on the ground floor of an honest-to-Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame supergroup, all while inventing a completely original and uncanny sound and, in the ensuing years, building a legendary reputation as one of the most versatile hired guns in the music business? True funkateers know the history. From the fat Minimoog bass lines of “Flash Light” and “One Nation Under A Groove” to the percussive piano runs of “Chocolate City” and “Give Up the Funk,” Bernie Worrell is synonymous with the legacy of Parliament-Funkadelic; in fact, he’s one of the originators of the psychedelic funk sound, having written and co-produced the lion’s share of the music going back to Funkadelic’s formative years, with an eclectic ear for everything from Chopin to the Chi-Lites.

These days the terms “living legend” or “funk icon” really don’t come close to doing him justice. “Funk iconoclast” is probably more apt, considering the breadth of Worrell’s contributions to seminal albums outside the P-Funk canon—including Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense and Public Image Ltd’s Album, to name two of the more monolithic examples. Keith Richards, Yoko Ono, Bootsy Collins, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Mos Def, Sly & Robbie, Deee-Lite, Bill Laswell and many more have recruited him in the studio and on tour—all for his versatility, vision and feverish creativity whenever he gets his hands on a keyboard.

June, 2011 saw the release of "Bernie Worrell: Standards" -- Bernie's take on jazz standards -- precipitating the decision by Worrell and co-producer, Evan Taylor to "take the show on the road". The Bernie Worrell Orchestra performs with a nine piece band consisting of two guitarists, two drummers, bass, percussion and a three piece horn section that performs songs from this album but also songs from Bernie's vast repertoire. The enthusiastic response from fellow musicians means you just don't know who will show up to join the BWO on stage!!!!

Mostly Other People Do the Killing @ Kenny's Castaways 1/7/12

2012-01-13T19:38:00.000-05:00

I tried to go and was in there for a few minutes. It was really crowded and hard to see. It sounded brass bandy and I didn't need to stick it out with the Fabian Almazan strings playing around the corner. I'm writing about this even though I didn't see it because Richard was camped out at this venue all night and said Other People Do the Killing was the best of the night. Given all the phenomenal music, I need to make a point to see them.

Mostly Other People Do The Killing

Peter Evans, trumpet / Jon Irabagon, saxophone / Moppa Elliott, bass / Kevin Shea, drums

We're Mostly Other People Do the Killing. We're named Peter and Jon and Moppa and Kevin. We all went to music school for a while. We play jazz. We like to play all the jazz all the time all at once as fast as possible. Moppa writes the tunes. Except for the ones written by other people. They're funny. Jazz is funny. We'll have a new album out soon. Come see us play music. You'll like it.

Fabian Almazan & Strings @ Sullivan Hall 1/7/12

2012-01-13T19:37:00.000-05:00

I was so happy when I made my way up front and saw Jenny Scheinman and Linda Oh up there. I was happy listening while making my way up there. 5 strings, piano (which has strings though technically a percussion) and drums. Jazz strings if you will. Stellar jazz strings.

Fabian Almazan & Strings

Fabian Almazan, piano / Linda Oh, bass / Henry Cole, drums / Jenny Scheinman: Violin. I / Megan Gould, violin. II / Karen Waltuch, viola / Noah Hoffeld, cello

Pianist and composer Fabian Almazan, a native of Cuba now residing in New York City, found his musical roots as a child in his homeland of Havana where he first became involved in the classical piano tradition. When his parents could not afford to pay for private piano lessons, having fled Cuba in political exile to Miami, FL, pianist Conchita Betancourt was gracious enough to impart free lessons for over three years. Thanks to Mrs. Betancourt's exceeding generosity, Fabian was able to audition for the New World School of the Arts High School in Miami, FL where he studied from 1998 to 2002.

In 2002 Fabian was selected for the piano chair in the National 2002 Grammy High School Jazz Combo. The following year, Almazan won the piano chair for the newly up and running Brubeck Institute fellowship program based in northern California where he studied with Mark Levine and performed with Dave Brubeck and Christian McBride. In 2003, Fabian moved to New York City to study with Kenny Barron at the Manhattan School of Music. During the completion of his bachelor's degree, Almazan immersed himself in the realm of orchestral composition studying instrumentation and orchestration with Mr. Giampaolo Bracali. Under Mr. Bracali's tutelage, Almazan composed several pieces for orchestra and chamber ensembles. In the spring of 2009 Fabian Almazan received a master's degree from Manhattan School of Music, selected as a recipient of the Michael W. Greene Scholarship, studying privately with Jason Moran.

Fabian Almazan received the Cintas Foundation 2010/11 Brandon Fradd Award in Music Composition. The award has been granted to many Cuban artists who have gone on to play an influential role in the development of Cuban cultural heritage. Almazan was also selected as one of six composers to participate in the Sundance Composers’ Lab 2011 where he studied with such acclaimed film composers as Harry Gregson-Williams, Alan Silvestri, George S. Clinton, Christopher Young, Ed Shearmur and Peter Golub. Personalities, Fabian’s debut album, has was released October 2011 and it featured Linda Oh, Henry Cole, Meg Okura, Megan Gould, Karen Waltuch and Noah Hoffeld. The release was featured on Itunes during its first week receiving worldwide attention. For the past four years Fabian has been the pianist for the Terence Blanchard Group and has toured North and South America, Asia and Europe extensively. Almazan has had the opportunity to share the stage with such artists as Gretchen Parlato, Paquito D'Rivera, Christian Scott, Chris Dingman, David Sanchez, Stefon Harris, Kendrick Scott and Ambrose Akinmusire among others.

Lakecia Benjamin and Soul Squad @ Sullivan Hall 1/7/12

2012-01-13T19:35:00.000-05:00

Whoa! Intense greatness! The only one up there I already knew was Maurice Brown. He was accompanied by his equals. I must admit, the word "soul" in the band name made me leery I wasn't going to to like it due to the genre. Oh no, this kicked some serious butt. The trumpets and sax were intense, high level amazingness. The only thing that resembled what I think of as "Soul music" was the rhodes and the sound coming from it. I enjoyed that due to the intensity of the music in general.

I can't help but wonder if it was extra good because of the festival. I hope not - I hope that was the norm for this band.

Lakecia Benjamin and Soul Squad

Lakecia Benjamin, saxophone, vocals, effects / Chris Rob, keys & vocals / Louis Cato, bass / Joe Blaxx, drums / Jamiel Corneilo, guitar / Maurice Brown, trumpet / Melanie Charles, vocals

Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, born and raised in New York City is a multi-faceted artist on the scene. International Globe Hopper Lakecia Has Played in Europe, Asia, South America, Russia and many other festivals throughout the world. Exploring the musical styles of Jazz, R &B, and. Ms. Benjamin has performed with artists Clark Terry, Rashid Ali, Joanne Brackeen, Vanessa Rubin and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. As well as performing with contemporary recording artists JT Taylor and Kool and the Gang, Stevie Wonder, and Alicia Keys. Not only Is Lakecia Noted for her work with some of the world’s greatest Musician’s you can find her As the saxophonist with Comedian Craig Robinson who is featured on “The Office” and the Hit movie “Pineapple Express”. Giving back to the community Lakecia also performs workshops as well as concerts at public schools, Festivals, and community events with organizations Jazz At Lincoln center and Arts Connection.

MTO Plays Sly @ LPR 1/6/12

2012-01-13T19:32:00.000-05:00

This is always so great, it's hard to choose anything else when this is going on. They opened with Stand, which I always love. I recall I happened to be listening to WWOZ on-line last Fall when they happened to be interviewing Steven Bernstein. They talked to him for a bit and then said they were going to play "Stand". Steven warned the DJ it was the most "out" piece on the CD. It was awesome and I can't believe I forgot to pick one up.

Anyway, I stayed for a few and then went home to rest up. It was awesome.

Steven Bernstein's MTO plays Sly

Steven Bernstein, trumpet / Peter Apfelbaum, tenor saxophone / Doug Wieselman, clarinet / Allan Won, baritone saxophone / Clark Gayton, trombone / Charlie Burnham, violin / Matt Munisteri, guitar / Ben Allison, bass / Ben Perowsky, drums + special guests John Medeski, organ / Sandra St. Victor, vocals / Dean Bowman, vocals

New York City’s favorite "little big band" Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra cracks open wide the monumental songbook of Sly & The Family Stone on its third album, MTO Plays SLY. On this freewheeling and jubilant 13-track tribute, MTO is propelled by a dynamic cast of special guests, including Antony Hegarty, Bernie Worrell, Bill Laswell, Dean Bowman, Martha Wainwright, Sandra St. Victor, Shilpa Ray and Vernon Reid, treating Sly & The Family Stone with the same (ir)reverence it would Duke Ellington or Count Basie. By illuminating the melodic and harmonic sophistication of the iconoclast’s body of work, MTO re-imagine Sly Stone through the filter of their own "downtown NYC" aesthetic, while still upholding the Day-Glo soul and psychedelic funk that is the backbone for classics like "M'Lady," "Everyday People" and "Family Affair." Both the CD and LP versions of the release include extensive liner notes by Steven Bernstein and music historian Greg Tate along with never before seen photos from the recording sessions.

Marco Benevento Solo @ Sullivan Hall 1/6/11

2012-01-13T19:30:00.000-05:00

I gave myself an hour to go to Winter Jazzfest after the Wealth Workshop. I like to use this and Undead Jazzfest in the summer to learn about and see new bands. This night I ended up at my old favorites that I can't get enough of. I was sorry to miss Marco's last solo show at 92YTribeca, so I'm glad I got a taste this night. What I saw was all of that deep feeling, emotive piano I like. He certainly couldn't pull out all the equipment he had at that incredible show he did during his Tonic run in 2006. Still, this was great.

Pound

2012-01-13T19:26:00.000-05:00

It's a new fitness class at Crunch. It's a Pilates-based workout with a mat and weighted drum sticks. I love drums, so I was intrigued. It's a lot of fun and a full body workout. We drum the floor and hit the 2 sticks over our heads a lot. It's choreographed. They do one Nirvana song, which makes me happy. The rest of the music is OK. It's a lot of fun and a really good workout.

http://www.poundrockoutworkout.com/

Having It All

2012-01-13T19:24:00.000-05:00

I was busy this weekend at Ariel & Shya Kane's "Money, Success, and Happiness: Wealth as a Lifestyle" weekend workshop. Their January workshop is usually the same weekend as Winter Jazzfest. The past few years I've skipped the phenomenal festival in favor of sleep. This year, I realize that wealth includes being able to have the workshop AND the festival. I took Fri afternoon off and got in a nap. I first went to an amazing new class at Crunch called "Pound". More on that in the next post.

I was able to get to see some of 2 shows on Friday night and a bunch of great stuff on Sat. I also have the list and I will look out for each and every one of the bands I missed as well as the ones I saw.

http://www.transformationmadeeasy.com/en/schedule.shtml#EastCoast

http://winterjazzfest.com/2012nycwinterjazzfest/2012schedule.html

Skerik/Medeski/Deitch @ LPR 1/5/12

2012-01-13T19:18:00.000-05:00

Yes, there was still one more phenomenal band in this one ticket lineup. I bought the combo ticket for this show plus 2 days of Winter Jazzfest. I can't remember how much, but it was a pretty good deal.

Before leaving my home for the night I checked Facebook and saw this amazing video. I was super psyched. I heard they are recording soon, so hopefully that means more chances to see them.

They were great and there were definitely moments. It was tough to play that late and follow that intense Red Baraat show. It would have been a whole other thing if they were before Red Baraat, after The Young Philadelphians. It was great, but hard to overcome the tiredness. Skerik had a couple of keyboards as well as the tenor. It's going to be fun to see this band evolve.

Red Baraat @ LPR 1/5/12

2012-01-13T19:11:00.000-05:00

Finally! I have been wanting to see them for a while. They definitely lived up to the reputation! It was hipster meets Afrobeat meets Indian meets hiphop. The intensity! The phenomenal musicians! Tomas Fujiwara is on the drumkit. I see him a lot with Mary Halvorson. I didn't know any of the others but they are all worth looking for in other guises.

Every moment was stellar. They sometimes try to get people to do a specific dance or call and response sing-along, but if the crowd doesn't do it, it's not a big deal. The crowd was into the call and response sing-along. Usually those aren't that great for me, but this particular song caused my jaw to drop for most of it. There was something extra special about what they were playing.

Everything was so good. At times it was hard to take attention away from the sousaphone. The trombone was killer. They have a trumpet and a bass trumpet. The 3 horns were up front on one side of Sunny Jain and the baritone and soprano saxophones were on the other side.

Sunny Jain is the leader and kicks butt on the dhol drum. Tomas is on the drum kit and there's another standing percussionist with some drums.

I hope it stays fresh for me and doesn't get old. This is an awesome band and I need to make a point to stay up to see them more often. They are definitely a late night band.

The band (from the website):
Sunny Jain - dhol / MC
Rohin Khemani - percussion
Tomas Fujiwara - drumset
Mike Bomwell - soprano sax
Alex Hamlin - baritone sax
Sonny Singh - trumpet / vocals
MiWi La Lupa - bass trumpet / vocals
Ernest Stuart - trombone
John Altieri - sousaphone / rap

The listing:

Red Baraat

In just over two short years, the pioneering Brooklyn dhol 'n' brass party juggernaut RED BARAAT have made a name for themselves as one of the best live bands playing anywhere in the world. Led by dhol drummer Sunny Jain, the nine piece (comprised of dhol ((double-sided barrel shaped North Indian drum slung over one shoulder)) drumset, percussion, a sousaphone, and 5 horns) melds the infectious North Indian rhythm Bhangra with a host of sounds, namely funk, go-go, latin, and jazz. Simply put, Sunny Jain and Red Baraat have created and defined a sound entirely their own.

It’s a sound so powerful it has left the band in its own utterly unique and enviable class. These days you are as likely to find Red Baraat throwing down at an overheated and unannounced warehouse party in their Brooklyn neighborhood as you are at Lincoln Center. Or the Montreal Jazz Festival. Or the Barbican. It’s a band unquestionably on the ascent playing some of the most prestigious festivals and theatres worldwide, and keeping their chops razor sharp in basements and sweaty sold out clubs across New York City. Leading an audience as diverse and joyful as the band itself, Red Baraat has subsumed a plateful of global influence, fused it, and is now exporting it Brooklyn-style to the world.

The group's most recent release, BOOTLEG BHANGRA, is the band’s incredibly powerful live show captured at Brooklyn’s Southpaw on the band’s second anniversary. With songs pulled primarily from their debut album, CHAAL BABY, the group was mindful of the challenge to capture a rapturous live sound on record. Well, it happened on this night, and the resulting document places you squarely in that small Brooklyn club jammed from front to back with hip shaking beauties - hands raised to a ceiling dripping with condensation. The band is currently at work on their 2nd studio date, SHRUGGY JI, which should see release in early 2012.

Most recently, the title track, Chaal Baby, is being used as the background music for the promo ads for the hit FX TV show, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. After the group’s performance at the 2011 globalFEST, Red Baraat was a top pick favorite and featured on PRI’s The World, NPR’s All Songs Considered, New York Times, The Village Voice and Mother Jones magazine. The group's debut CD, CHAAL BABY (Sinj Records) was voted by several music critics as a top world and jazz release of 2010. Since their inception in October 2008, Red Baraat has delivered blistering performances at globalFEST, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sunfest, Festival De Louisiane, Quebec City Summer Festival, Chicago World Music Festival, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Madison World Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival (Finland), Molde Jazz Festival (Norway) and Chicago Folks & Roots Festival, among many others. Red Baraat appeared on John Schaefer's Soundcheck WNYC-FM 93.9, an NPR affiliate, in which they were picked as a top live radio performance of 2009. They also recorded the credit roll theme song for the movie, The Yes Men Fix the World and performed for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (NYC) for Ports 1961 runway models. Red Baraat has been featured in National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Relix and Songlines, among many others.

The Young Philadelphians w/ Strings @ LPR 1/5/12

2012-01-13T19:04:00.000-05:00

It was 1.5 hours of sheer joy. They were unbelievably good. I don't think I've seen them before. They played a few with the regular band: Ribot, Weston, Nix, Coleman, and Jamaladeen Tacuma. Apparently, the 3 Philadelphians, Weston, Nix, and Tacoma all used to play with Ornette Coleman.

Then they brought out the string section. I had a thought it was going to get mellower. Instead, it got more intense and funkier. They did a lot of old familiar covers. It was awesome! It was sometimes hard to hear the strings, but sometimes they added something.

The listing:

Marc Ribot's Young Philadelphians

where deco meets disco meets decon

Jamaladeen Tacuma, G. Calvin Weston, Bern Nix, Anthony Coleman, Marc Ribot: 5 professional, harmolodic noise improvisers with an uncommon love of Philly soul and hard groove. Forever young, forever Philadelphian, forever fixated on the moment before dance went digital. Stuck in the groove like a scratch in your favorite record. Ladies and Gentlemen…the hardest working men in punk/funk/soul/noise: The Young Philadelphians!!!

The Young Philadelphians pays tribute to twin legacies: The mind-blowing harmolodic punk-funk of Ornette Coleman's first Prime Time band and the sweet, optimistic pulse of 1970s Philly Soul. Ribot enlists bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma and drummer G. Calvin Weston, both Prime Time alumni and Philadelphia natives, adding guitarist Bern Nix also of Prime Time and keyboardist Anthony Coleman to do the job. And the name? "Ever see that movie with Paul Newman?" Ribot asks. "It's about these rich young lawyers from Philly. We had a good laugh about that. You should hear our version of 'Fly Robin Fly.'"

Jessica Lurie Ensemble @ LPR 1/5/12

2012-01-13T18:58:00.000-05:00

I didn't make in time to see this but I saw pictures and heard it was great. I wanted to post that Jessica had Chris Lightcap on bass, Eric Deutch on keys and Will Bernard on guitar. I also heard she did a lot of singing.

The listing:

Jessica Lurie Ensemble

Jessica Lurie Ensemble:
Jessica Lurie - sax/flute/voice,
Will Bernard - guitar,
Erik Deutsch - piano,
Chris Lightcap -bass,
Allison Miller - drums

NYC-based instrumentalist Jessica Lurie performs on saxophones, flute and voice. Moving to the east coast from Seattle, and touring around the globe, she is well known for her creative mixing of funk, jazz, balkan and klezmer music with an avant-garde approach. "Her ensemble shifts among funk, jazz, folk and ethnic melodies reminiscent of klezmer-jazz and Balkan-jazz hybrids by artists like Steve Bernstein (and) the winding, angular grooves of Tim Berne." (JAZZIZ) Jessica is a founding member and lead composer for the Tiptons Saxophone Quartet, Living Daylights trio and La Buya.

Jessica has performed and recorded with artists such as Bill Frisell, The Indigo Girls, Mark Ribot, Karl Denson, Frank London, Vinicio Caposella, Skerik, Nels Cline, Kenny Wolleson, Bernie Worrell and Ivan Neville, and created twelve multi-media works for live music, painting and video with visual artist Danijel Zezelj. The JLE has been featured at festival worldwide such as: Vienna Klezmore Festival, SXSW, Zagreb Animateka, Pisa Instabile, Motovun Film Festival, Babel Arts, Earwing No Jazz, JVC Jazz Festival, CMJ, Bumbershoot International Music Festival, Earshot Jazz, and Jazzmiele and jazz documentary Icons Among Us.

She will be having a NYC pre-release show with the Jessica Lurie Ensemble celebrating her 5th release as a leader with her new CD MEGAPHONE HEART at 92Y Tribeca on Feb. 18, 2012. The 10 song recording is co-produced by bassist Todd Sickafoose, and features Brandon Seabrook on guitar and banjo, Erik Deutsch on all things piano-like, Allison Miller on drums, and Todd also on acoustic bass, with special guest cellist Marika Hughes. www.jessicalurie.com

Gov't Mule @ The Beacon 12/31/11

2012-01-01T19:54:00.000-05:00

It was a great show. I must admit I enjoyed the night before a little more. I don't know the Joe Cocker album, but I just looked it up now. I know I wasn't crazy about Nigel Hall being up there. The horns had their moments, but I wish Warren would find some others, they are somewhat weak in my opinion. There's got to be better options in this city. Matt came off the kit at one point to sing. The 3rd set was very short. The Beacon has become full of tight rules and isn't that great anymore. They were giving people a hard time if they were in a different seat from their ticket stub - even if they were in the same row as their stub. It seemed very overboard and unnecessary.

Set 1
Railroad Boy >
Mule
Thorazine Shuffle
Brighter Days >
Like Flies
Lay Your Burden Down
About To Rage
Slackjaw Jezebel
King's Highway >
St. Stephen Jam >
Eternity's Breath >
Trane with Norwegian Wood Tease

Set 2 Mad Mules & Englishmen with The Assets (Machan Taylor, Mini Carlsson & Alicia Shakur) & Chronic Horns (Buford O'Sullivan, Pam Fleming & Jenny Hill)
Intro >
Honky Tonk Women
Sticks & Stones
Cry Me A River
Bird On A Wire
New Years Countdown
Feelin' Alright
Intro >
Superstar
Let's Go Get Stoned
Blue Medley: I'll Drown in My Own Tears/When Something Is Wrong with My Baby/I've Been Loving You Too Long
Girl From The North Country
Give Peace A Chance
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Space Captain
The Letter
Delta Lady

Set 3
Sco-Mule with Oz Noy
I Believe To My Soul with Nigel Hall
Soulshine with Nigel Hall, Alicia Shakur & Ron Johnson, without Jorgen Carlsson

Encore
I Shall Be Released with The Assets, Nigel Hall, Ron Johnson & Oz Noy

7 Walkers @ Sullivan Hall 12/30/11

2012-01-01T19:40:00.000-05:00

It was a fun late show with awesome music. It was crowded, but once I got up front it wasn't so bad. Kirk Joseph is now on sousaphone instead of George Porter on bass. They sounded great! They played until around 3:30am.

Here's the setlist:
http://www.deadheadland.com/2011/12/7-walkers-setlist-december-3th-2011-sullivan-hall-nyc-early-and-late-show/

Gov't Mule @ The Beacon 12/30/11

2012-01-01T19:31:00.000-05:00

It was an awesome show. There was lots of soul and the music was outstanding.

Set 1
Muleidelic Jam >
Maggot Brain >
Gameface >
Fool's Moon
Little Toy Brain
Lively Up Yourself
Brand New Angel
Kind Of Bird

Set 2
Alice Jam >
One Of These Days >
Fearless
Since I've Been Loving You with Paul Ill, without Jorgen Carlsson
Blind Man In The Dark
32/20 Blues with Hook Herrera, Jimmy Vivino & Nigel Hall
Working Class Hero with Hook Herrera & Jimmy Vivino
Smokestack Lightning > with Hook Herrera, Jimmy Vivino & David Hidalgo
John The Revelator with Hook Herrera, Jimmy Vivino & David Hidalgo

Encore
Politician > with Jimmy Vivino & David Hidalgo
Dear Mr. Fantasy > with Jimmy Vivino & David Hidalgo
For What It's Worth Reprise with Jimmy Vivino & David Hidalgo

Update to Planet of the Abts @ Brooklyn Bowl 12/6/11

2012-01-01T19:25:00.000-05:00

Follow up to this post:
http://terrismusicblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/planet-of-abts-brooklyn-bowl-12611.html

So, I left a little too early. I saw my friend recently who told me Warren showed up for the last 3 songs. I had to leave when I did, but I should have known. It didn't even cross my mind.

Hidden Track has a video:

http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/video-planet-of-the-abts-w-warren-haynes-hook-herrera/

Marco Benevento Trio @ Highline 12/29/11

2012-01-01T19:17:00.000-05:00

I love having them on the Highline stage. It's also such a good late night show. Reed Mathis was on bass and Andy Borger on drums. Andy brought something different to the trio. I loved seeing it on the heels of The Bad Plus the night before. Both trios remind me of each other even though they are quite different. They started a little before 1am and played for about 2 hours or so. It was a Phish after-show and they did some Phish tunes. I only know because Marco announced it - I'm not familiar with their music.

The Bad Plus @ The Village Vanguard 12/28/11

2012-01-01T19:05:00.000-05:00

This is always a winner. They did some old familiar pieces and some new music from an album they will be recording next month. It's always a pleasure to watch and listen to each of them. It was interesting that Reid did the talking this time, introducing the band and announcing the song titles and composer. Ethan always did it every time I've seen them in the past. I love how they play something fun while introducing the band members. That was a little different and still fun with Reid doing the talking.

Mary Halvorson's Reverse Blue @ Cornelia St 12/20/11

2012-01-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

It was there first live gig. A chance to get in front of an audience before recording. It was 2 short sets of awesomeness. I loved how much Chris played clarinet. I loved Mary and Tomas duoing together. Bass solos were great.

Mary Halvorson, guitar;
Chris Speed, saxophone, clarinet;
Eivind Opsvik, bass;
Tomas Fujiwara, drum

Paul Shapiro's Biscuits & Blues @ City Winery 12/18/11

2011-12-30T13:56:00.001-05:00

I finally made it to Klezmer Brunch at City Winery. It's a $10 music charge and the entrees are around $9-$14 each. It was a lot of fun.

We had an extra special treat in that Arturo O'Farrill was playing piano. Paul is a fantastic sax player and I enjoyed the drums and bass a lot. Paul sang some and there was also a female and male vocalist out at times. All songs had vocals, which isn't my preference but wasn't bad. The phenomenal piano and reeds still came through.

http://www.paulshapiromusic.com/paulshapiromusic.com/Ribs_and_Brisket.html

I think it was the same personnel as when they played New Years at Cornelia Street back in 2005/2006. That's the only place I could find a lineup, but I'm pretty sure it's the same:

Paul Shapiro, saxophone & clarinet;
Babi Floyd, vocals;
Cilla Owens, vocals;
Arturo O'Farrill, piano;
Tony Lewis, drums;
Booker King, bass

New Orleans Suspects @ Brooklyn Bowl 12/17/11

2011-12-30T13:36:00.000-05:00

A very much needed addition to the NOLA scene. I admit it: I was never into the Radiators and if this is the type of new bands we're going to get then YIPPEE! I loved everyone up there, but my MVP slot goes to Kevin Harris of the Dirty Dozen on sax. He blew me away with every note.

I heard the opening band was great. I just couldn't get out early enough to see it, but maybe there will be another opportunity. It was their first gig in 9 years.

The listing:

The New Orleans Suspects

Links

It’s been said that the musicians of New Orleans are all members of one gigantic band that breaks up into smaller groups on a nightly basis. If this were really the case, The New Orleans Suspects would be in a class all their own. The group is comprised of musicians with experience and versatility that rival any other band that the city has ever produced.

“Mean” Willie Green has been the drummer for the Neville Brothers band since the 1980s. His unique attack has defined funk drumming for a quarter of a century. Yet, he is not a one-dimensional player. His taste in music spans the gamut of modern rock styles and he is as comfortable driving the beat as he is holding down the groove.

Reggie Scanlan’s career has been defined by his thirty-three years playing bass in the Radiators, the longest running rock act in the history of New Orleans. But his resume is far deeper. As a young musician he played with blues musicians on the west coast chitlin circuit before returning to his hometown to back up legends like James Booker and Professor Longhair.

Jake Eckert is the sterling-toned lead guitarist in the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Before joining the quintessential New Orleans funk/brass band, he honed his chops as part of the thriving southern rock scene in Atlanta, cutting his teeth with the likes of Derek Trucks and Col. Bruce Hampton. While living in Los Angeles, he played in the band New Soul Underground along with jazz great Larry Carlton. He has had a chance to perform with Warren Haynes, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, & Dave Matthews to name a few.

CR Gruver is a classically trained pianist who was bitten by the bug known as New Orleans music after stints touring with nationally known bands such as Outformation and the Atlanta-based singer/songwriter Angie Aparo. Since moving to New Orleans he has immersed himself into the scene and has become a well-regarded sideman adept at James Booker-style piano machinations and the swelling B-3 stylings of Art Neville. Besides playing with many of the city’s local luminaries he also leads his own local band, Funkifry’d.

Kevin Harris is a founding member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. His tenor saxophone work has graced recordings across the gamut from pop stars Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews and the Black Crowes to zydeco legend Buckwheat Zydeco, jazz songstress Norah Jones, and Modest Mouse, Widespread Panic and many more.

Together these five musicians create music that is firmly rooted in the modern New Orleans sound with compelling originals and tasteful covers. The rhythm section of Scanlan and Green are as comfortable together as red beans and rice. Gruver tickles the ivories or soars into the stratosphere on the organ. Harris provides stellar saxophone fills and solos with great aplomb. Eckert’s rhythm guitar work neatly complements his razor sharp solos. Though the band can clearly jam, with Eckert and Gruver trading off on lead vocals they are no simple jam band.

Joe Gallant & Illuminati

The much-loved 18-piece orchestra that raised the bar on the jamband scene with Joe's large-scale "Blues for Allah Project" and "Terrapin" arrangements, makes its first appearance in 9 years!
"It was a nice long break while I did other stuff, but the vibe and time is right to reboot Illuminati and create great new music" said Gallant recently.
With a new live Illuminati CD forthcoming on Unseen Rain Records, expect this night to be a smorgasbord of lush, bones-shakin' Dead favorites and Joe's groove-heavy originals.

Peter Apfelbaum's NY Hieroglyphics @ Jazz Gallery 12/16/11

2011-12-28T13:40:00.000-05:00

Always great. Great compositions, great music, great solos. Steven Bernstein blew me away. Charlie Burnham is always a treat. Dave Phelps and Viva were there. Two phenomenal trombones. The drums and bass were off the hook. The reeds were stellar. It's always a treat to see Peter and his various instruments. There was also some vocals from Abdoulaye Diabate for a couple. I love them.

Peter Apfelbaum's NY Hieroglyphics
Friday, December 16th, 2011 | 9:00 & 10:30 p.m.
Peter Apfelbaum - tenor saxophone/piano
Steven Bernstein - trumpet
Josh Roseman - trombone
Natalie Cressman - trombone
Jessica Jones - tenor saxophone
Tony Jones - tenor saxophone
Charlie Burnham - violin
David Phelps - guitar
Viva DeConcini - guitar
Patrice Blanchard - bass
Justin Brown - drums

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Peter Apfelbaum formed the Hieroglyphics Ensemble in 1977, during his senior year in high school. The unorthodox big band, which featured the likes of Steven Bernstein and Joshua Redman, met with astonishing success: they opened for the Grateful Dead and performed a number of times with the great Don Cherry as a guest soloist. Cherry was impressed enough to recruit Apfelbaum and other Hieroglyphics members for his "Multikulti" band.

Apfelbaum relocated to Brooklyn from the West Coast in 1998 and developed a strong presence here. But it wasn't until 2003 that he formed the New York Hieroglyphics - his classic ensemble, reborn. The group made a smash two-night debut here at the Jazz Gallery in 2003 and went on to become a fixture on the scene, releasing the acclaimed It Is Written in 2005. Peter has returned to the Gallery since then, not only to lead the Hieroglyphics but also to play in ensembles led by Josh Roseman and Dafnis Prieto.

Join Peter and the band as they weave their distinctive web of Afro-jazz rhythm, labyrinthine line

Driscoll, Frisell, Davis, Hollenback @ Cornelia St 12/15/11

2011-12-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

I always love a new combination of people I already love. It was an allstar lineup with an allstar set. When I made the res, I wanted to do both sets. But the guy I talked to on the phone told me that it wasn't true and there was only one set. It turns out he was incorrect, but it was for the best as the first set was awesome and I got some sleep. It was really awesome music. They have a CD, but I'm more interested in live. They said the 2nd set would be different music.

They each composed phenomenal pieces for the ensemble. Bill Frisell is so awesome. This almost made up for the fact that I didn't make it to the Vanguard last week for Frisell, Blade, Scheinman. Almost.

I also got lost in each of the others at various times. It was all top-notch.

KERMIT DRISCOLL QT. FEATURING:BILL FRISELL
Kris Davis, piano; Bill Frisell, guitar; Kermit Driscoll, bass; John Hollenbeck, drums
Kermit Driscoll Qt. Featuring:Bill Frisell image
Kermit Driscoll is a veteran bass player who has recorded and performed with many noted musicians including Chet Baker, Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, Bang-on-a-Can All Stars, Mel Torme, Kenny Werner and John Zorn. Earlier this year, at age 55, Driscoll released his debut album as a leader, Reveille, a program of kaleidoscopic funk, experimental abstractions, and fetching intricacies. The album features an all-star lineup, including Driscoll’s longtime collaborators Bill Frisell (guitar) and Vinnie Coliaiuta (drums), and rising star pianist Kris Davis. Reveille’s star-studded quartet united for only a day, but it performs like a group that’s worked together for ages. Driscoll appears at Cornelia Street with two out of three of the personnel from Reveille, marking the group’s first live appearance as an ensemble.

http://www.kermitdriscoll.com

A Love Electric @ Littlefield 12/13/11

2011-12-27T20:58:00.000-05:00

Oh yeah! It was great. Soulful, lively, electric, great musicians. I was drawn to it because Steven Bernstein was playing and it was something different. It was the same trombone and drummer from the last band. The bass player got there just after the start of the first song. They were phenomenal from beginning to end. I was so happy to have Dred Scott on piano. I need to see his trio now that they play earlier than midnight.

Todd Clouser's A Love Electric ft. Steven Bernstein
Minneapolis-by-way-of-Baja, Mexico-based guitarist Todd Clouser and his collective, A Love Electric, is an intuitive blend of "energy driven jazz-rock." On Clouser's debut album, released earlier this year by tastemaker label Ropeadope, Todd and his band weave and wind their way through eleven original compositions and two covers (Harry Nilsson's "One" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah") that draw upon the inspiration of Curtis Mayfield ‘70s funk, guitar/organ jams that call to mind Pat Martino and Trudy Pitts at their finest plus more terse guitar-driven numbers that reflect an assortment of influences ranging from Sonny Sharrock to The White Stripes and all points in between. Legendary "Downtown" New York City trumpeter, Steven Bernstein (Levon Helm, Lou Reed, Sexmob) is also featured prominently throughout the recording. Clouser's non-stop roadwork has led to a great deal of career momentum with a burgeoning fan-base and raves from the international music press from Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain across to New York City and down to Mexico.

9 Volt @ Littlefield 12/13/11

2011-12-27T20:52:00.000-05:00

This was a great band. Trombone with lots of pedals, great drummer, sax, and Eyal Maoz on guitar. It was awesome. They were reading music, but it also felt like there was improvisation around it. I enjoyed it a lot.

9 Volt with Jon Irabagon
Rick Parker - Trombone + Effects
Eyal Maoz - Guitar + Effects
Yonadav Halevy - Drums
Jon Irabagon - Saxophones

9 Volt is began as an unlikely collaboration between 2 accomplished band leaders: trombonist and New York City native, Rick Parker and Israeli guitarist Eyal Maoz. Combined, these two musician have released 9 CD’s as leaders on such well renowned record labels as Tzadik, Fresh Sound New Talent, Piadrum and Ayler Records. Their own bands have performed at major venues including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Williamsburg Jazz Festival, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Somers Point Jazz Festival, Aguascalientes Mexico Jazz Festival, the Stone, 55 Bar and Blues Alley to name just a few. In addition, the two are in demand sidemen having performed along side the likes of John Zorn, Tim Berne, John Medeski and Frank Lacy.

9 Volt derives it’s unique sound from Parker’s use of electronics with the trombone combined with Maoz’s unique approach to guitar and effects. Their unique sounds are incorporated into the compositions making a music that is a synthesis of electronic experimental, rock, jazz and neoclassical minimalism. The band is held together by Israeli born drummer Yonadav Halevy who is highly regarded in both funk/hip hop as well as jazz circles.

Since 2009, 9 Volt has honed it’s sound performing at NYC venues and concert series and recently recorded it’s debut CD with avant garde alto saxophone stalwart Tim Bern appearing on several compositions.

Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy @ Jazz Standard 12/11/11

2011-12-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

I love this band and I love seeing them close to the same timeframe as Wicked Knee. Just because they are both fabulous alternative brass bands with phenomenal drummers. The similarities end there, which adds to the fun of seeing both within a week of each other. At this point, I can't remember much about the show except that I loved it.

DAVE DOUGLAS & BRASS ECSTASY
Dave Douglas – trumpet
Vincent Chancey – French horn
Luis Bonilla – trombone
Marcus Rojas – tuba
Rudy Royston – drums

Born out of the Festival of New Trumpet Music in 2005, Brass Ecstasy nods to the ever–evolving spirit of brass music through soul–inflected compositions. The group’s debut recording, Spirit Moves, was released 6/16/2009 on Greenleaf Music. Rare Metals is the digital follow-up to the live recording United Front: Brass Ecstasy at Newport, and includes a new arrangement of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life.” “The five–piece ensemble handles each tune with soulful aplomb.” (Nate Chinen, The New York Times)

Dave Douglas Orange Afternoon Quintet @ Jazz Standard 12/10/11

2011-12-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

It was a stellar amazing set of music. I got there a little late, at about 7:45. They played til around 8:50. It was phenomenal. Ravi and Dave together are brilliantly amazing. The rhythm section with Vijay, Linda, and EJ was off the hook. I'm very glad I made it a priority.

ORANGE AFTERNOONS QUINTET
Dave Douglas – trumpet
Ravi Coltrane – tenor saxophone
Vijay Iyer – piano
Linda Oh – bass
E.J. Strickland – drums

This modern–day jazz “super–group” is certain to draw crowds for tonight’s very special digital release engagement for Orange Afternoons. Ravi Coltrane and Vijay Iyer likely need no introduction. Both these celebrated instrumentalists have appeared on our stage with their own bands on multiple occasions. Bassist Linda Oh is a relative newcomer to the New York scene. The acclaimed pianist of the group Vijay Iyer says of Oh “a young bass powerhouse from down-under...I love how she just blew into town and took over.”

Planet of the Abts @ Brooklyn Bowl 12/6/11

2011-12-19T17:37:00.001-05:00

They started out with just Matt and Jorgen, doing something quite experimental and a little out there. I wondered if it was going to be an experimental jam ensemble, which I would love. This wasn't the case but it was still great. The guitar eventually joined in and it was a jammy instrumental to start. Then they had many songs that jammed, but also had vocals. They each sang some. The singing wasn't terrible and didn't ruin it, but I didn't need it, either.

I had a lot of fun and would see them again. I had to leave after an hour because I had to get up early 2 days in a row, but I was glad I went. It was surprising that it was a low turnout - I expected more people. Still a lot of fun.

Matt Abts: Drums, percussion, lead and background vocals
Jorgen Carlsson: Bass, guitar, percussion, tambourine, background vocals
TBone: Guitar, keyboards, percussion, lead and background vocals

Update to this post here:
http://terrismusicblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/planet-of-abts-brooklyn-bowl-12611.html

Wicked Knee @ LPR 12/1/11

2011-12-19T17:31:00.000-05:00

I was very tired, but I got at least a 1/2 hour before I just had to go home. I was pretty tired the next day at work. I do remember being able to stay out til 2 every now and then on a weeknight and not be too tired at work the next day. Those days are over. I was still productive, just tired.

Anyway, what I got was awesome. Medeski sat in sometime. They opened with a killer Crosstown Traffic and I was very happy I stayed.

Wicked Knee
Billy Martin (drums)
Curtis Fowlkes (trombone)
Marcus Rojas (tuba)
Steven Bernstein (trumpet)

Excerpt from the listing
Martin came up with Wicked Knee’s unusual configuration because, he explains, “I have always wanted to work with brass and drums but never had the time or the nerve to make it happen. I knew I had it when I asked Steven to help me get a few players together for Life on Drums (Martin’s educational, anti-instructional DVD out on Vongole Films). I wanted to have some brass with a previously recorded drumbeat. That ended up in the film as ‘Muffaletta,’ a very short last performance. After finishing that project I realized this was my new band. I have listened to a lot of field recordings from all over the African continent and there are very powerful groups that use horns or wind and drums. That’s what got me excited initially.”

...

The band name, Wicked Knee, was inspired, says Martin, “from a record compilation my wife’s friend had called Shake Your Wicked Knees. I borrowed that compilation, which is a collection of piano rags, blues and stomps, and I loved the vibe and the title. I like that it is born out of an Afro- American expression but has a slight surreal meaning. I like titles that can have multiple interpretations and keep that mysterious thing going.”

Mago @ LPR 12/1/11

2011-12-17T18:34:00.000-05:00

I love them! It was stellar. I love that they put this together and it was a good move to have them right before Wicked Knee. I mean, I tend to go to anything either of them are in so this was a must go.

Mago (John Medeski / Billy Martin)

John Medeski (keys) and Billy Martin (drums) of Medeski Martin and Wood.

Caveman @ Le Poisson Rouge 12/1/11

2011-12-17T01:39:00.002-05:00

It was the first of 3 bands for the show. It was a bonus that it was free for members. The listing implied it was Cyro's band, but it was actually Brian's. Cyro was a special guest. It was awesome. I've seen Brian play with the guitar and bass at the Stone before... At least I think it was those 2 he played with. The music was great. Trippy, different, and enjoyable.

From the listing:

Caveman with Cyro Baptista

Caveman::
The stage is dark. Softly, sounds begin to emerge from the abyss. A metallic clatter, a dull thud, a whisper…the unrecognizable vibrations reflect the blackness that surrounds them. As if in imitation of music’s first days, the reverberations build faster and more intense, until at last, a pulse emerges. The evolution quickens as more layers enter, following the now driving beat. A warped organ, clanky guitar tones, a clicky drum pattern…the texture grows louder and more complex with each successive instrument, audibly straining to reach higher, to free itself from the darkness. Then, suddenly, sound and light erupt from the stage, blasting the audience with a raucous groove, rife with raw, primal energy.

Caveman doesn’t relent as the show continues. Even as organist Brian Marsella, bassist John Buck, guitarist John Lee, and drummer Tim Keiper reveal their jaw-dropping virtuosity through rowdy, up-tempo grooves, they never lose touch with the primitive simplicity at the center of their music. Though collectively these musicians have worked with Keller Williams, Cyro Baptista, Matisyahu, Marshall Allen, Pharoah’s Daughter, The Disco Biscuits, The Transmitters, and Vieux Farka Touré, it’s as if they look more to the fabled Neanderthal banging on rocks to inspire their music.

This devotion to the elemental has earned Caveman a maniacal following all over the United States. After two albums and four years of cris-crossing the country, this band has become a force to be reckoned with on the national festival and club circuit. Currently, Caveman is working on a new studio album and will be touring in its support later in 2011. Check them out this summer and get a taste of the primal!

Brian Marsella, organ
John Buck, bass
John Lee, guitar
Tim Keiper, drums
Cyro Baptista, percussion

Little Words @ Zebulon 11/27/11

2011-12-15T23:12:00.000-05:00

The Rattlemouth guy mentioned this looked good when they telling us about the Zeb lineup the night before. It prompted me to check them out on-line before I went and it did look good.

I could only stay for about 1/2 hour or so, but I really enjoyed it. It was experimental jazz musicians re-interpreting Bartok music in an experimental jazz trippy kind of way. It was great. Since they are from Brooklyn I will hopefully get another opportunity to see the full show at some point.

It looks like the EP is available on-line:

http://littleworlds.bandcamp.com/

Little Worlds is dedicated to innovative reinterpretations of the Mikrokosmos collection. Written by 20th century Hungarian composer Bela Bartok, Mikrokosmos, or Little Worlds, was originally intended as a progressive study of piano technique. Since their completion in 1939, the study and performance of these 153 etudes has become standard in the classical music community. Offering insight into Bartok’s innovative use of rhythm, harmony and musicality, the pieces are often cited as the master composer’s most important musical testament. These brief melodies are inflected with new meaning by guitarist, Ryan Mackstaller, trombonist Rick Parker and drummer Tim Kuhl. The trio draws from their dynamic musical experiences in the rock, jazz, avant garde and improvised music scenes of Brooklyn, NY in their dynamic performance of these classical etudes. Book One is the ensemble's debut EP

released 14 June 2011 Rick Parker - Trombone + Effects Ryan Mackstaller - Guitar + Effects Tim Kuhl - Drums + Cymbals

Rattlemouth @ Zebulon 11/27/11

2011-12-15T23:05:00.000-05:00

Since it's unlikely I'll get to see them again any time soon, I might as well get out to Zebulon to see them one more time. It's a great band and it was very fun to be able to dance. Most people sat of course, but it was very danceable.

I loved the sax solos. I really like the CDs, but live is even better.

Rattlemouth @ The Stone 11/26/11

2011-12-15T23:03:00.000-05:00

This was much more my type of music. World influenced danceable experimental jazz. The leader started off by telling us we couldn't dance. If he hadn't explicitly said it, I would have gotten up and gone over to the side to dance. I'm sure no laws would be broken since it's forbidden for 3 or more people to be moving in a synchronized fashion in an establishment without a cabaret license, but 1 or 2 is OK. I also put The Stone down as highly unlikely it would ever be an issue if everyone danced.

It was still a lot of fun and completely enjoyable from my front row seat. I bought 2 CDs, and I like them. At the end of the show they mentioned they were playing at Zebulon the next night and we could dance there. I put it on the list of potentials ...

Rattlemouth Roger Carroll, Danny Finney (saxes) Robbie Kinter (drums) Marc S. Langelier (bass) George M. Lowe (guitar) Rattlemouth emerged from the ashes of Richmond’s legendary Orthotonics in 1989. Their sound has gradually morphed from their art-punk/art-rock roots towards a Ethio-Jazz powerhouse. They blaze through spirited instrumental updates of classic tunes from around the world (Mali, Ethiopia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Cuba, Jamaica, Lebanon, etc.), plus similarly flavored originals.

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic @ The Stone 11/26/11

2011-12-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

The music was good and I could get into it. There were a couple of pieces I particularly enjoyed. My favorite was the one composed by the keyboard player. Many of the pieces were composed had some pre-programmed music from the laptop as one of the instruments. There was no drummer, but often drumbeats were coming from the laptop. The pre-programmed part didn't thrill me and wore me out after a while. I would have preferred a drumkit and skipping that. However the band has been around for a long time, experimenting how they like, so it must work for some. I did enjoy it and didn't feel like I wasted $10, I just don't need to see them again.

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic Erik Lindgren (piano) Rick Scott (keyboards) Ken Field (reeds) Michael Bierylo (guitar, computer) In existence for over 30 years, Boston’s acclaimed Birdsongs of the Mesozoic play a unique mix of rock, punk, classical, minimalism, and free-form music, with occasional forays into even more unexpected directions. They have remained fresh and always changing, while retaining their distinctive style.

David Murray @ Skirball 11/17/11

2011-11-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

It was all the buzz the night before at the Ascension show. I hadn't really contemplated going to this because I was worried it would be smooth and boring. I'm glad some people set me straight in time! It was phenomenal. A second night in a row with a great horn section, 2 drummers (one drumkit and one congas), a phenomenal bassist, no vocals, and awesome music. I loved it. It was 90 minutes of sheer joy.

The listing:
Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. From the moment he first visited New York in 1975 as a student Murray has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak releasing over 150 albums under his own name. His new album, with a North American release date in October 2011, and live project are akin to a heartfelt love letter to one of the great figures in popular music and a phenomenally gifted jazz musician, Nat King Cole.

More than 50 years after their original release, we hear the fruit of one of Murray's most improbable and effective projects: an interpretation of two albums Cole Español and More Cole en Español recorded by Nat King Cole in Spanish and Portuguese. The undertaking features melodies from Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires in the company of a Cuban ensemble giving the original repertoire a lush sonic canvas full of shimmering, sensual hues.

Antonio ZAMORA - Tenor Sax
Yosvany TERRY - Alto Sax
Denis Yuri HERNANDEZ - Trumpet
Shareef CLAYTON - Trumpet
Terry GREENE II - Trombone
Eddy Mauricio HERRERA TAMAYO - Piano
Edgar PANTOJA ALEMAN - Drums
Yunior Terry CABRERA - Bass
Yusnier SANCHEZ BUSTAMENTE - Percussions
and David MURRAY - Tenor Sax & artistical direction
Curated by Isabel Soffer/Live Sounds.

Ascension @ Jazz Standard 11/16/11

2011-11-27T15:25:00.000-05:00

In the jazz world, John Coltrane is held in the highest esteem. Most of us love all of it. He contributed mightily to music. I have many albums, but I don't have all of them. It looks like "Ascension" is a must have, and I don't have it yet. I did find 10 min here and there on youtube to hold me over.

On stage were 2 magnificent drummers and Ben Allison on bass. We were told by the producer that there were 2 bassists on the album but you only need one when you have Ben. I see from the original personnel on the album that there was only one drummer: the mighty Elvin Jones. It was awesome watching him and Matt Wilson play off of each other at times. Billy Drummond made things even more interesting. Rounding out the rhythm section was a piano, although I only noticed it when the horns left the stage and one or two other times.

What a horn section! Jeremy Pelt was especially exciting on trumpet. I also loved Vincent Herring on alto. They were all magnificent.

The listing:
JOHN COLTRANE’S ASCENSION Featuring…
Donny McCaslin – tenor saxophone
Sabir Mateen – alto saxophone
Vincent Herring – alto saxophone
Jeremy Pelt – trumpet
Josh Roseman – trombone
James Weidman – piano
Ben Allison – bass
Billy Drummond – drums
Matt Wilson – drums

In a reprise of Jazz Standard’s hugely successful Impulse! Records 50th Anniversary celebration earlier this year, an all–star nonet will assume the weighty mantle of reinterpreting Ascension, “the single recording that placed John Coltrane firmly into the avant–garde,” wrote Sam Samuelson at AllMusic.com. The original band (including Archie Shepp, Marion Brown, Freddie Hubbard, and McCoy Tyner) played Trane’s 40–minute epic in a manner “both relentless and soulful simultaneously…With a patient ear and an appreciation for the finer things in life, the reward is a greater understanding of the personal path that the artist was on at that particular time in his development.” Every member of this group is a leader in his own right, and together they’re sure to make this evening one of the highlights of the jazz year.

Some info about the album:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_%28John_Coltrane_album%29
http://rappamelo.com/2010/12/john-coltrane-ascension/
Personnel:
John Coltrane (tenor saxophone);
John Tchicai (alto saxophone),
Marion Brown (alto saxophone);
Freddie Hubbard (tenor saxophone, trumpet);
Pharoah Sanders (tenor saxophone),
Archie Shepp (tenor saxophone);
Dewey Johnson (trumpet);
McCoy Tyner (piano);
Elvin Jones (drums).

Ideal Bread @ The Stone 11/15/11

2011-11-27T11:10:00.000-05:00

It was even better that I didn't know who Steve Lacy was. They did Josh's arrangements of Steve's music from the period when Steve was in Paris. Reading his Wikipedia bio, it could have been anywhere between 1970 and 2002, but I think it was a few years closer to 1970. Check out the AAJ bio, it's full of information. I feel like I may have seen him before, but his death pre-dates my blog so it's doubtful I'll ever know for sure.

It was great music performed by great musicians. I loved it. The next set was going to be more of Steve Lacey's music, but with the addition of Roswell Rudd. I was too tired to stay, but I'm sure it was awesome.

Ideal Bread
Josh Sinton (baritone sax) Kirk Knuffke (cornet) Richard Giddens (bass) Tomas Fujiwara (drums)
Ideal Bread is dedicated to presenting the compositions of Steve Lacy. This quartet of expert improvisers is made up of four strong players, all considered notable up 'n' comers to watch on the modern jazz scene. Steve Lacy is considered one of the 3 greatest soprano saxophonists of all time and is a modern jazz legend, but his many compositions have not found the kind of favor in the repertoire as they deserve. Ideal Bread exist to change that and they approach Lacy's rarely covered compositions with wit and swing.

Paradoxical Frog @ Cornelia St 11/10/11

2011-11-27T10:57:00.000-05:00

I saw part of this Trio's set last summer at Undead Jazzfest. It was nice to get a whole set now. There was a 2nd set, but I couldn't stay. It was great. I was mesmerized by Tyshawn.

When I saw them at Sullivan Hall last summer, I mainly got the "up" parts. Getting a whole set this time, I enjoyed the "mellow" parts and saw how much depth they have. It's a great Trio with great music.

The listing:

Ingrid Laubrock, tenor sax;
Kris Davis, piano;
Tyshawn Sorey, drums

Paradoxical Frog is a group that sees Drummer Tyshawn Sorey, pianist Kris Davis and reedist Ingrid Laubrock, all extremely thoughtful and engaging composer-improvisers, join forces.All three musicians contribute their own unmistakable compositions to the group's sound which are woven together by improvisations using a wide range of dynamics, density and expression. The music is spontaneous yet deliberate, thought provoking yet trance- inducing.

[…] a wowingly sensitive encounter with mostly-free but sometimes creatively structured music of the moment, and one of the most memorable sets of the festival.-- Joseph Woodard , Jazz Times (about a performance at the 2010 Moers Jazz Festival)
Cover $10 http://www.ingridlaubrock.com , http://www.myspace.com/ingridlaubrock

Henry Butler & Jambalaya @ Jazz Standard 11/6/11

2011-11-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

Henry is great in all forms. He has a killer guitar player in this band. The bass had me really grooving at the end. I mean, it was a huge challenge to stay in my seat the whole show.

Henry played the keyboard a lot and the piano some. It was mainly funk with some Blues thrown in for good measure. A recipe for awesomeness!

Henry Butler – piano, vocals
Ron Jenkins – bass
Jeff Golub – guitar
Adrian Harpham – drums

Lily Sparks @ Local 269 11/5/11

2011-11-15T19:14:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed this rock band a lot. I was dancing and into it the whole time. It was beyond me how no one else was dancing. I will say everyone is into it. Niamh has an amazing voice. They did one cover, Grace Potter's "Paris". It rocked!

http://www.reverbnation.com/lilysparks

Niamh ("Neev") -Vocals,
KG* -Guitar & Vocals,
Margaret La Bombard -Bass,
Nick Rage -Guitar,
Mick Fumento-Drums

House of Waters @ Bedford L Stop 10/26/11

2011-11-15T19:07:00.000-05:00

As much as I enjoyed NMAS, this hammer dulcimer/drum duo blew me away. It was the only time I was thrilled to have a good 15-20 min until the L Train would arrive. I was dancing and loving it.

http://www.reverbnation.com/houseofwaters

North Mississippi Allstars @ Brooklyn Bowl 10/26/11

2011-11-15T19:03:00.000-05:00

It was my last hurrah before going down to FL for a long weekend. And I'm very happy to have NMAS fit the bill. I stayed long enough to feel good and leave happy. I never noticed all of Luther's interesting guitars and other strings (maybe just a mandolin). He sounded great on all of them. I was digging Cody a lot more than I have in the past. Chris Chew is a very important part of the band. It was a lot of fun.

Wycliffe Gordon @ Dizzy's 10/25/11

2011-11-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

I was surprised when I saw Wycliffe come out with a trumpet - I could have sworn he was a trombone player. Oh duh, it's a Louis Armstrong tribute, of course the leader would be a trumpet player. It turns out my memory hadn't failed me, he just plays lots of instruments. That night he played trumpet, trombone, sousaphone, and at one point, his hands as a wind instrument.

When Wycliffe switched from trumpet to trombone he invited Jumaane Smith out to play trumpet. Jumaane stayed out for the duration. He's quite powerful. I wonder if he is from NOLA. Of course, Emily Asher was also playing trombone all night, so we were never missing it. I did like having 2 trombones up there when we had it.

There was also a female vocalist in the middle of the set. I didn't realize Louis did some music with Ella Fitzgerald. The vocalist was good and it was also good how they brought her up for a portion of the set and then she left the stage again. Wycliffe also did a good job with the Louis vocals.

Anat was also having fun doing some of the backup vocals. She was phenomenal on clarinet, soprano and alto saxes. I wanted to make sure to her to one of her sets.

It was a super awesome set and I'm really missing New Orleans.

Wycliffe Gordon Quintet & Friends
Hello Pops! The Music of Louis Armstrong
Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, trumpet, vocals, tuba; Anat Cohen, clarinet, tenor saxophone (Oct 25-27); Adrian Cunningham, clarinet, tenor saxophone (Oct 28-30); Aaron Diehl, piano; Corcoran Holt, bass; Marion Felder, drums; Nancy Harms, vocals; Jumaane Smith, trumpet; Emily Asher, trombone

Social Jazz Trio @ Cubana Social 10/21/11

2011-11-03T19:46:00.000-04:00

I had a little energy left, so I figured I'd see what was was happening on 6th St. I ended up at my new old stand-by, Cubana Social. It was mainly a trumpet trio with a female vocalist coming up for a couple and a sax sitting in for one. The trio wasn't bad. There were some trumpet moments. It was mellow straight ahead. Since I love their drinks, it was a good thing to do before calling it a night. I was also able to draft 3 blog posts including this one while listening.

----------------------------------------

The Social Jazz Trio Every Friday night from 8pm-10:30pm.

Dylan Shamat (Upright Bass)
Bassist and composer based in New York, Shamat moved to New York City in 2005 where he completed his Bachelors degree at Manhattan School of Music. Dylan has experience playing a variety of styles in countless venues across the Midwest and east coast. Some of his teachers have included James Clute, David Grossman, Jay Anderson and Larry Ridley....

Wayne Tucker (Trumpet)
Trumpeter, composer, and arranger who has performed at the Syracuse Jazz Fest, Jazz in the Square, Ravinia Festival, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Birdland, The Iridium, SOB's Avery Fisher Hall, and the Kennedy Center. He has studied under many great trumpeters including George Coble, Jon Faddis, Scott Wendholt, and Jim Rotondi. He has played with many well known jazz and pop artists including Elvis Costello, Bob Mintzer, Delfayo Marsalis. He can be seen performing around the New York metropolitan area with many of today's current and rising jazz stars.

Kevin McDonald (Drums)
Manhattan-based drummer has performed with Robin Eubanks, Paquito D’Rivera, Ted Rosenthal, Michael Davis, & Lee Konitz, in illustrious venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Le Poisson Rouge, the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, and has been featured on 88.5 FM WFDD’s Triad Art’s Up-Close. McDonald teaches Masterclasses throughout the East Coast. and has studied internationally, including a tenure at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
He's pursuing a Master's Degree in Jazz Arts from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studies with John Riley, and performs as drummer for the MSM Jazz Philharmonic.

Honey Ear Trio @ Rubin Museum 10/21/11

2011-11-03T19:43:00.000-04:00

If a band I like is playing there on a Harlem in the Himalayas Friday night, I do my best to go. I love how it's acoustic and it's a good time slot - it's hard for me to get out on a Friday due to needing sleep. I also love how they compose 1 or more pieces around works of art from the museum. We got 1.5 hours of great music consisting of songs from their CD and 2 world premiere pieces which were outstanding. Erik referred to them as commissioned pieces, which in effect, they were. The first one was composed by Rene and had Allison break out an interesting looking glockenspiel she put on top of her snare drum. She also put percussion bells on he ankles for the piece. The other piece was an excellent one by Erik. All the music was excellent - it's a great CD.

I tried to go to Zebulon for the Marc Ribot Trio after that, but it was sold out. They were charging a $10 cover, which made sense, and it was packed. I should have known - he has a big draw.

----------------------------------------------
Honey Ear Trio is the newest incarnation of Brooklyn-based and longtime musical cohorts Erik Lawrence, Rene Hart, and Allison Miller. Together these three passionate musicians approach their music with a sense of playfulness and elasticity.

Ingrid Jensen @ Jazz Standard 10/20/11

2011-11-03T19:38:00.000-04:00

Is it weird that I never heard of Kenny Wheeler before? He's being honored at this year's Festival of the New Trumpet (FONT). Somewhere toward the end of the set, he came up to sit in and he's a phenomenal player. They also played his compositions the entire set. Apparently, he composes every single day.

The orchestra was impressive, Ingrid Jensen and Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet. There may have been one more trumpet, I was on the side so I couldn't see as well. The trombone was great. Ingrid said he plays the trombone like the trumpet, which is why she has him.

Jennifer Wharton was on bass trombone at first. At the time, I forgot she was listed as playing tuba. It was sitting on a stand next to her. However, in my trumpet-focused state, I actually thought it was some kind of enormous, super contra-bass trumpet. I was trying to figure it out. I never saw a tuba standing up like that. When she picked it up to play it, at first I thought it was a euphonium, then I remembered the listing and realized it was indeed a tuba. The tuba is a bronze color while the euphonium is silver. She was great on both the tuba and the trombone.

I was very impressed with the bass player. The basses are really doing it for me lately. The drummer was listed as Matt Wilson but ended up being Ingrid's husband, Jon Wikan. He was good, I liked when he played the cochon.

Dave Douglas came out to play with Ingrid, Kenny Wheeler, and a London trumpet. Everyone else left the stage except the rhythm section, including piano. I enjoyed the piano a lot during the whole set. After that piece, Dave and the London guy left, Kenny stayed, and the rest of the orchestra came back up. They proceeded to do two more before ending just before 11.

-----------------------------------------
Under the direction of founder Dave Douglas, FONT salutes trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler with four gala nights of music. Born 1930 in Toronto, Wheeler has written over one hundred compositions and is a skilled arranger for small groups and larger ensembles. He has released some 30 albums as a leader since Windmill Tilter in 1968, many for the prestigious ECM label; and also has recorded with Paul Gonsalves, Dave Holland, and Joni Mitchell, among others.

The Festival marks a rare New York appearance by this legendary musician. “Although I have played in New York a few times over the years, every time I come back I still feel the same excitement I felt that first time I visited all those years ago,” says Kenny Wheeler. “For me, New York is the place to play.”
The Festival of New Trumpet Music is a nonprofit founded in 2003 by trumpeters Dave Douglas and Roy Campbell, Jr. FONT will present its “Award of Recognition” to Kenny Wheeler during the week’s run at Jazz Standard; previous recipients include Wadada Leo Smith and Bobby Bradford.

INGRID JENSEN + BRASS featuring KENNY WHEELER

Ingrid Jensen, Kenny Wheeler, Jonathan Finlayson, Tony Kadleck – trumpets
Shelagh Abate – French horn
Elliot Mason – trombone
Jennifer Wharton – tuba
Kevin Hays – piano
Matt Clohesy – bass
Matt Wilson – drums
Featuring: Kenny Wheeler – trumpet

Building a bridge of brass that spans the generations is the quintet led by Ingrid Jensen (a principal soloist with the Maria Schneider Orchestra) with special guest Kenny Wheeler. “Ingrid plays trumpet and flugelhorn with all the brilliance and fire of a true virtuoso, following the spirit of the muse as she creates… Warm, sensitive, exciting, and totally honest!” (Marian McPartland)

JFJO @ Jazz Standard 10/18/11

2011-11-03T19:29:00.000-04:00

It was even better than I expected. I mean, I knew I would love the special guest horn section: Steven Bernstein on trumpet and slide trumpet, Mark Southerland on tenor sax and 2 interesting horns of his own invention, and Peter Apfelbaum on bass sax, alto sax, and some interesting little horns. What I didn't expect was that I would enjoy the whole thing. Brian Haas played piano instead of organ and that made a huge difference for me. I really loved the bass player. I loved his solos and he had me really grooving at times. The guitar played on the lap, which always adds a soulful element was pretty good. I can't remember much about the drums, which means he didn't take away from my experience.

The music was awesome and the horns were magnificent. I can't believe I forgot to pick up the CD. I don't see how it could possibly hold a candle to that live performance, but I suspect it's pretty good and worth having.

ACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY PLAYS "THE RACE RIOT SUITE" With Special Guests PETER APFELBAUM, STEVEN BERNSTEIN, MARK SOUTHERLAND

Brian Haas – piano
Josh Raymer – drums
Chris Combs – lap steel guitar
Jeff Harshbarger – bass
Peter Apfelbaum – tenor & baritone saxophone
Mark Southerland – tenor saxophone
Steven Bernstein – trumpet

In 1921, Tulsa, Oklahoma was home to Greenwood – perhaps the most powerful and affluent African–American community in the country before the rise of Harlem. (Greenwood’s commercial center was known as “The Black Wall Street.”) On May 31, in one of the most destructive racial conflicts in the nation’s history, white mobs invaded the district. 35 city blocks were destroyed by fire, and there were at least 40 fatalities. Some 6,000 Greenwood residents were arrested; over 800 were admitted to local hospitals, and an estimated 10,000 were left homeless. Composed by Chris Combs and recorded in Tulsa, The Race Riot Suite – the new album by the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey for Kinnara Records/Royal Potato Family – is a boldly expressive long–form musical work that tells the story of the evolution and destruction of an American cultural epicenter in one of the least understood atrocities of the Jim Crow era. Joining the JFJO for this special two-night run is the horn section of Peter Apfelbaum, Mark Southerland and Steven Bernstein.

Josh Abrams Trio @ CSV 10/17/11

2011-11-03T19:25:00.000-04:00

Josh was the only one I didn't know. However, it only makes sense for Ingrid to surround herself with greatness. It was indeed great. I spent a lot of time watching Gerald Cleaver. He had me going when he was getting his drumkit ready. I seemed to the only one who heard the rhythm when he used the key to tighten it up.

The set was fabulous and well worth dragging my jetlagged self out. I took the red-eye back from L.A. the day before.

Evolving Series begins Monday October 10

@ Clemente Soto Velez

2^nd floor Theater - Clemente Soto Velez Educational and Cultural Center

107 Suffolk Street (between Delancey and Rivington)

tickets: $11 per set / $16 for 2 sets / $22 all night

Students/Seniors : $8 per set / $12 for 2 / $18 all night

October 17
Creative Sounds of Dissension

7:30 pm Ras Moshe Unit

Ras Moshe - tenor sax & flute

Anders Nilsson - guitar

Larry Roland - bass

8:45 Joshua Abrams Trio

Joshua Abrams - bass

Ingrid Laubrock - sax

Gerald Cleaver - drums

10 pm Michael Bisio Duo

Michael Bisio - bass

Tomas Ulrich - cello

Ras Moshe Trio @ CSV 10/17/11

2011-11-03T19:23:00.000-04:00

I just caught the end of this set, but it was great. I always enjoy Ras' projects. I don't know if I've seen the bassist before. He's got one of the more interesting ones, upright without so much body. He sounded good, too.

Evolving Series begins Monday October 10

@ Clemente Soto Velez

2^nd floor Theater - Clemente Soto Velez Educational and Cultural Center

107 Suffolk Street (between Delancey and Rivington)

tickets: $11 per set / $16 for 2 sets / $22 all night

Students/Seniors : $8 per set / $12 for 2 / $18 all night

October 17
Creative Sounds of Dissension

7:30 pm Ras Moshe Unit

Ras Moshe - tenor sax & flute

Anders Nilsson - guitar

Larry Roland - bass

8:45 Joshua Abrams Trio

Joshua Abrams - bass

Ingrid Laubrock - sax

Gerald Cleaver - drums

10 pm Michael Bisio Duo

Michael Bisio - bass

Tomas Ulrich - cello

The Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia Music Video

2011-10-20T20:58:00.000-04:00

My friends directed and designed this awesome video. It's excellent a lot of fun. Check it out!

MTO Plays Sly @ 92YTribeca 10/14/11

2011-10-20T20:47:00.001-04:00

I'm sorry to say I wasn't there because I was out of town. At least we can listen to it after the fact:

http://www.wbgo.org/thecheckout/mto-plays-sly-live-at-92y-tribeca/#.Tpw9Ep7_eR0.facebook

MTO Plays SLY: Live at 92Y Tribeca

October 17, 2011 by Josh Jackson

Steven Bernstein and the Millennial Territory Orchestra perform music from the new recording, MTO Plays SLY (Royal Potato Family). Recorded October 14, 2011 at 92Y Tribeca.
Set List:
Stand
Sly Notions 2
M’Lady
Family Affair
You Can Make It If You Try
Bernie Interlude
Everyday People
Sing a Simple Song
Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa
Sly Notions
Que Sera Sera
Skin I’m In
Time
Life
I Want To Take You Higher
Personnel:
Steven Bernstein – trumpet and slide trumpet
Curtis Fowlkes – trombone
Charlie Burnham – violin
Doug Weiselman – clarinet and saxophone
Peter Apfelbaum – tenor saxophone
Erik Lawrence – baritone and soprano saxophones
Matt Munisteri – guitar and banjo
Ben Allison – bass
Ben Perowsky – drums
Bernie Worrell – Hammond organ
Eric Mingus – vocal
Sandra St. Victor – vocal
Producer and host: Josh Jackson
Mix: David Tallacksen
Assistant: Michael Downes

Halvorson/Walter @ The Stone 10/9/11

2011-10-20T20:41:00.000-04:00

I thought Peter Evans was listed but wasn't there. That's OK, it was still a great set. The listing must have been updated, since he's not there now. I get the listing at the beginning of the month and don't check for updates.

There was no music stand in front of Mary, so I could watch her more easily. The only thing was, Weasel Walter was so interesting I found myself watching him a lot. It was an awesome 45 minute set of fabulous music.

Weasel Walter, Mary Halvorson Weasel Walter(drums) Mary Halvorson(guitar)

Pee Wee, Fred, and Maceo @ Town Hall 10/6/11

2011-10-09T18:48:00.000-04:00

I went up to the box office a few days prior and bought a ticket for U126. That's the last row on the floor in the aisle, right by the soundboard. My Town Hall dancing spot is right by the soundboard and I certainly wasn't going to trust that people would be standing and dancing the whole time, even though it was a funk show. I can report that at least they were dancing some of the time. I was the only one to purchase a seat towrd the back, but by the end of the evening some of the others who wanted to dance more filled in some of the space in the back. I'm intrigued by the womewhat low turnout as it was a very special event.

I finally got to see Maceo Parker. I just didn't want to pay the high ticket prices or I couldn't make it or whatever. He's great. He even did "Georgia" with Ray Charles glasses on and it was phenomenal. I've seen Fred before with Bonerama and he's still got it. It was my first Pee Wee Ellis experience. It was his 70th birthday celebration and he's still got it, too!

The rest of the band was also awesome. Larry Goldings is great. The guitar was excellent. I always love a chance to see Christian McBride.

They started with a jazz tune. Then they went into the funk. They played for 2 hours straight through. They played all the funk songs we know so well and did them all brilliantly. I loved what they did with some of the songs. They didn't try to imitate James Brown, but kept in the spirit and did his parts their own way. They even changed some of the timing, I think that might be rubato on some of the songs.

It was a wonderful night and if you missed it, your loss.

PEE WEE, FRED & MACEO: A FUNKY GOOD TIME concert (October 6) In Celebration of Pee Wee Ellis' 70th Birthday.
Pee Wee Ellis – tenor saxophone, vocals
Fred Wesley – trombone, vocals
Maceo Parker – alto saxophone, vocals
with their all-star band:
Larry Goldings, keys
Christian McBride, bass
Bill Stewart, drums
Rodney Jones, guitar

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/04/pee_wee_ellis_the_man_who_inve.html

http://www.youtube.com/artist/Pee_Wee_Ellis

Zongo Junction @ LPR 10/5/11

2011-10-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

I got there for the last couple songs of the 1st band, Super Human Happiness. I can't really comment on them yet, just that it's a large ensemble and they play Happy music.

Zongo Junction is a great Afrobeat band from Brooklyn. I was psyched to see Adam Schatz is in it as I finally got to see him. He's great, really great. He blew me away at various times. I'm going to have to make more of an effort to see his other projects.

I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the music. It was awesome. I especially loved the intense drum solo toward the end.

The band has Adam on tenor, an alto, and of course a baritone. No afrobeat is complete without a baritone sax! The rest of the horn section consists of a trumpet and trombone. Then there's a keyboard, 2 guitars and a bass. There's a drumkit, a conga player, and a standing percussionist.

I bought the CD for $10 and it is awesome. I love it.

They had a female vocalist come up for 1 or 2 and a male vocalist come up for 1 or 2. I enjoyed them and it seemed to be at the appropriate time.

I loved how they stretched it a bit in some of the songs. It wasn't typical afrobeat and had a new element in many instances.

I wanted to stay for Toubab Krewe, but I had to pace the week.

http://www.zongojunction.net/
Charlie Ferguson, Drums
Jordan Hyde, Guitar
Pavel Kogan-Liakhov, Guitar
Aaron Shafer-Haiss, Congas
Noah Garabedian, Bass
Eli Sundelson, Keys
Adam Schatz, Tenor Sax
Jonah Parzen-Johnson, Baritone Sax
Joe Hartnett. Alto Sax
Kevin Moehringer, Trombone
Aaron Rockers, Trumpet

Lafayette Gilchrist @ The Stone 10/2/11

2011-10-07T23:11:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to see Lafayette again for a long time. I may not have ever seen him. If I did, I can't remember when. I just know I've had a desire to see him for a very long time. Given how fabulous the music was, I can understand that desire. It was great. 3 amazingly fantastic improvisers improvising. I felt like a sardine in my spot in the front row between 2 big men. That was a blessing for me because it got me up and over to the side where I could dance.

I wanted to stay for the next set, but I needed to get home.

Lafayette Gilchrist
Lafayette Gilchrist (piano) Michael Formanek (double bass) Andrew Cyrille (drums)

Bellydance @ Drom 10/1/11

2011-10-07T23:08:00.000-04:00

It wasn't quite the level of previous performances. There was less acting out a theme. The dancers were very talented and interesting anyway. I could do without the magic acts and the vocal ensembles. Still, it was an enjoyable 1.5 hours overall.

The listing:
The "Bad Girls" of Venus Uprising are back!

Since 2007 the Venus Uprising bellydance salon has taken pride in showcasing the finest contemporary bellydance artists that New York City has to offer. Whether classical or tribal, folkloric or experimental, all styles of bellydance can turn up in one of our twice-yearly concerts. Guest artists are encouraged to unleash their creativity and design dance pieces that go beyond the typical commercial restraints. Individual diversity and dazzling costumes further enhance the appeal of our presentations, especially for those audience members new to bellydance.

Venus Uprising is pleased to present our next festive cabaret of contemporary bellydance and beyond (yes - a few surprises are in store!) on Saturday, October 1st. In addition to our entertainers, makeup artist Jade Elhaddad will be available all evening to provide our guests with her custom "Ruby Lips" and promoter Andy Troy is back as our gracious host. Performing artists include: Altagracia, Autumn Ward, Ayshe, Elisheva, Irina Aukelenko, Jaklina, Kelli Ann, Kenya, Neon with Angelys and Jenna Rey, Sarah Skinner, Tanna Valentine and special guests Peter Juris and The Sirens.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra @ SOBs 9/30/11

2011-10-04T22:55:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed about an hour of the first set. It was great to get down to a Latin Big Band. 3 drummers, 3 vocalists, 2 trombones, 2 trumpets, contrabass, guitar, etc. Oh, and the awesome baritone sax/flute guy. I may not be remembering accurately. SOBs is such a cool place. You can dance anywhere, anyhow. It can get rather crowded, though.

http://spanishharlemorchestra.net/

Marcus Strickland @ LPR 9/29/11

2011-10-04T22:49:00.000-04:00

It was free for members and a great choice for my evening. I got there at about 8ish and the DJ was still on. The band started soon after. It was awesome. I was the only one dancing, but I enjoyed it a lot. The special guests were Jaleel Shaw and the DJ. There may have been one more, but my memory is already faded. I just remember having a good time and staying for the whole set.

Marcus Strickland (saxophones/compositions),
David Bryant (piano),
Ben Williams (bass) +
E.J. Strickland (drums)

Marcus Strickland

By BY JIM MACNIE
It's all about potency with saxophonist Strickland, whose combination of gravitas and groove often proffers a Joe Lewis punch. The new Triumph of the Heavy finds him adding alto to his arsenal, (he's built his rep on tenor and soprano) and that extra horn will give tonight’s program even more breadth. Although the album’s two discs also document his terrifically agile trio, it'll be a frierce piano foursome that rocks tonight's gig.

http://lepoissonrouge.com/events/view/2623
Marcus Strickland’s seventh recording Triumph of the Heavy, Vol. 1 & 2 (available on Strick Muzik, September 27, 2011) is a definitive statement from the critically-acclaimed and world renowned saxophonist. This ambitious two-CD set takes the listener on a journey from the studio to the stage alongside a highly-developed Marcus Strickland; one who is very sure of what he’s doing on the saxophones (soprano, alto and tenor), and very comfortable taking risks.

On Volume 1 (laid down at Systems Two in Brooklyn, NY) Strickland records on the alto saxophone (his new P. Mauriat alto) for the first time (on tracks 4, 6, 7, 9, 10), and recorded the band while the music, a whole new set of originals, was still new to the musicians. This half of the recording is the documentation of the birth of his new quartet, featuring David Bryant, who fully embraced Strickland’s percussive writing and approach for the piano in a quartet setting, the third Strickland “brother,” Ben Williams on bass, and twin brother E.J. Strickland on drums. “In a way I added more excitement to the studio process by recording while the music was fresh, while it was close to the beginning of its development and interpretation,” explained Strickland.

In contrast to Volume 1, on Volume 2 the trio displays the incredible results of extended touring together as they stretch and reinvent their repertoire, spurred on by an enthusiastic crowd at Firehouse 12 in New Haven, CT. The musical conversations and interactions are on an extraordinary level, only possible with time and trust. Strickland explains further, “The biggest development is trust: we trust each other more on this record than on Idiosyncrasies (StrickMuzik, 2009) because that was towards the beginning of the trio. And when trust is at such a height, it allows many spontaneous things to happen. It’s very exciting. Playing with E.J. and Ben gets a performance out of me that’s like no other with anybody else. While playing the track ‘Surreal’, for example, I remember we were very in tune with the groove. It was swinging extremely hard and I did some things on the horn that I didn’t know I could do before the session. And that’s what it’s all about. That feeling is like no other!”

The title, Triumph of the Heavy, grew out of an experience Strickland had with his girlfriend. The saxophonist explains, “once upon a time, some months after I started seeing my girlfriend Dawn, we were in the car listening to my iPod. We’d never listened to her music in the car, so I said to her ‘hey, why don’t you put on your iPod?’ So she does. And her immediate reaction after hearing her music was, ‘You know what? This sounds kind of light compared to the music you listen to.’ And that really stuck with me because often times many things have been extracted from commercial music so it can appeal to the masses. Quite often in the music industry, there’s an entity (a producer, manager or A & R guy) trying to get artists to adulterate their sound so it’s more ‘accessible. After that day in the car I wanted to associate the title of my next recording with weight, because I wanted to express that music with substance, a strong sound and which takes risks can triumph, it can move people. It can, in fact, appeal to a greater audience. But, as demonstrated through my girlfriend’s experience, only if we give it a chance through exposure. So that’s what I call it: Triumph of the Heavy.”

On Triumph of the Heavy Volume 1 & 2, a double CD release, we are hearing one of the most in demand and respected saxophonists/composers on the scene today, playing and composing near the pinnacle of his artistry – “near” because, as this music clearly and strongly indicates, Marcus Strickland is a musician intent on continuously evolving and expanding, technically and creatively.

Music of Budd Powell @ iridium 9/28/11

2011-10-02T23:16:00.000-04:00

I would think with Joey Baron and the rest in the lineup this would have been a tough ticket. While there was a good crowd, it was easy to get a discounted ticket on Goldstar the night before.

The set was phenomenal. I don't know how this ensemble came together, but it was quite amazing. Joey Baron was as good as always. everyone was awesome solo and together. The pieces they chose were perfect.

I was familiar and a fan of each player except for Tim Hagans before this show. Now, I see Tim is right up there with the rest. This was a fantastic lineup.

Music of Bud Powell featuring Ethan Iverson, Tim Hagans, Greg Osby, Joey Baron, Lonnie Plaxico

http://www.budpowelljazz.com/

Pop's Ball @ Hiro Ballroom 9/22/11

2011-10-02T23:07:00.000-04:00

It was a lot of fun and a great band. I had my wits about me, unlike my last visit to Hiro Ballroom. There were also less people so I could see that there are 2 bars on the floor as well as some seating off to the left hand side. Somehow I missed all of that at Voice of the Wetlands. I was asked if I thought that show or Pop's Ball was a better lineup. I would say VOW was my choice, although both lineups are killer.

Maurice Brown was especially doing it for me. He added a lot. I also loved having DJ Logic up there. I flashed back to an earlier version of me years ago when I hated having him on stage with a band. I just didn't appreciate him or any electronic type music. It was when I started enjoying MMW that I changed my tune. ... Come to think of it, I didn't like them back then, either.

I'm a little late in writing this, so I forget most of it already. I just remember I enjoyed it.

I think the special guests missing in the lineup below were Eric Bolivar on drums, Maurice Brown on trumpet, and Big Sam on trombone. I can't remember who the bass player was, but I think it was Anders usual.

CEG & NOLAFUNK.COM PRESENTS POPS BALL!
FEATURING ANDERS OSBORNE & BAND WITH DAVE MALONE (OF THE RADIATORS), JOHN "PAPA" GROS (OF PAPA GROWS FUNK) & DJ LOGIC. PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS
http://hiroballroom.com/

New Orleans’ Anders Osborne is among the most original and visionary roots rock guitarists, vocalists, and songwriters performing today. AMERICAN PATCHWORK, is a moving collection of soul-baring rock, blues and ballads. Often compared to Townes Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison, Osborne is an exceptional and singular talent. Live, Osborne is a force to behold. His ability to ignite an audience with his passionate, dynamic live show is legendary.

The Bad Plus @ City Winery 9/20/11

2011-10-02T23:01:00.000-04:00

It was such a nice treat to see them at City Winery. I could dance and there was room back at my favorite seat, good old #185. I felt like they were playing their Greatest Hits, and I soon realized everything they do could be considered a greatest hit. They even did a couple of new ones and they are just as phenomenal as the old ones. What is equally impressive is they all compose different songs. They really are a unit when they are working together. I'm so glad they found each other.

It was all excellent. It started at about 9:15 and I unfortunately had to leave at about 10:20 to take care of the cat and I had another early workday coming up. Had I known about the opening band, I could have stopped at home first and probably would have sacrificed some sleep to see it to the end. It was great show!

The Hot Sardines @ City Winery 9/20/11

2011-10-02T22:56:00.000-04:00

I didn't check the listing and I had no idea there was an opening band. I hustled to get down there in case TBP came on right at 8.

They were good. At first, it was a great piano, bass, and trumpet 1930s jazz trio. Then they brought out the female singer for the rest. She was great, I was just enjoying the instruments and didn't need a vocalist. There were plenty of moments when she wasn't singing, and she was great when she was. The musicians are very talented. The trumpet is very powerful, the piano moving, the bass was great. It was fun.

http://hotsardines.com/
The Hot Sardines sound – wartime Paris via New Orleans, or the other way around – is steeped in hot jazz, salty stride piano, and the kind of music Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Fats Waller used to make: Straight-up, foot-stomping jazz. (Literally – the band includes a tap dancer whose feet count as two members of the rhythm section). They manage to invoke the sounds of a near-century ago and stay resolutely in step with the current age.

Dee Pop @ Local 269 9/18/11

2011-09-22T21:38:00.000-04:00

It was early and it sounded good as I walked by after the Talk at The Living Theatre ended. Another great rock band with Dee. There was an upright bass this time, along with Don Fiorino on strings, Austen Ivan Julian on guitar, and Dee. Daniel Carter is always a treat. I stuck around for an hour, maybe less and enjoyed it thoroughly.

From Dee's Listing:

Dee Pop's Private World will perform at Local 269.

The group is led by drummer Dee Pop. Dee Pop's broad approach to music has led him to an impressive range of musical associations. During his thirty-plus year career, he has played/and or recorded with Bush Tetras, Jeffrey Lee Pierce and the Gun Club, Richard LLoyd, Jayne/Wayne County, Lenny Kaye, Radio I-Ching, Marc Ribot, William Parker, Roy Campbell, The Shams (Sue Garner & Amy Rigby), James Chance, Michael Karoli of Can, Deerfrance, The Washington Squares, John Spencer, Eddie Gale, The Clash, Andy Shernoff, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Wayne Kramer, Odetta, Bobby Radcliff, John Sinclair, Nona Hendryx, Band of Outsiders, Gary Lucas, Hanuman Sextet, Freedomland, Matt Verteray, Freddie Pompeii, Slits, Darlene Love, Patti Palladin, Billy Bang, Borah Bergman, The Waldos, Jahn Xavier and Felice Rosser.

Don Fiorino is perhaps one of the most underrated string musicians in the NYC area. Whether on the guitar, the banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, sitar or bouzouki, Don can twist just about any traditional genre into new worlds unto themselves.

Volumes have been written about the great sax, trumpet, clarinet and flautist Daniel Carter. Most important to me was that Daniel was the first musician to physically allow me to meld seemingly contrary styles of music and derive whole new languages that really keep up with the speed of today's advancements in communication.

Chris Jones can hang ten while still honoring the rules of bop.

Youngest member guitarist Austen Ivan Julian brings hope that importance of history and the need to invent and move forward are both equally essential.

Admission is free. Dancing/body movement would be an honor.

www.FACEBOOK/DEEPOP

Marc Ribot, Ammiel Alcalay and Jessica Lurie @ The Living Theatre 9/18/11

2011-09-22T21:32:00.000-04:00

This looked like a special rare event with 2 artists I tend to see every chance I get. I'm not Jewish, but I don't think it mattered. The evening was really about art, it just happened to be presented by a Jewish paper. It was phenomenal.

It started with a Jessica Lurie mini solo set. The first piece was called "Patience" and was played on alto sax. The next piece was for flute. Then came 2 awesome baritone pieces. There was one in particular that really rocked. She sounded like she had some effects, but she didn't. The last piece was from 1939. She said they tuned up differently back then.

She also used that interesting thing that looks like a cup that she holds up to her mouth and does vocals with. We learned later it is a toy megaphone that they don't make anymore. It has some fun built in sounds that can be used in conjunction with the voice.

Next she invited Ribot up to join her. He brought out his acoustic and didn't use a mic or amp. They did 3 or 4 awesome pieces, ending with a great Blues piece. Jessica started with the baritone and then moved to the alto.

Next was a Ribot acoustic mini set. First Albert Ayler's "Holy, Holy, Holy". Then he did a standard. During the Q&A, he said when he does standards he's really doing an exegesis on the melody. Something like that.

After that was some poetry and prose readings. While I'm not really interested in the content, war and all that, I loved how rhythmic it was. He's got a great voice for reading. During the Q&A Jessica asked him about it. He said the rhythm just comes from the text. It's impossible not to read it that way. I also gathered the rhythm somehow emerged during the creative process.

After this, there was a short intermission - I guess about 15 min or so. Then came a collaborative piece with all 3 of them. It looks like they composed or at least sketched something because Marc and Jessica both had sheet music in front of them and it looked like they were reading. Ammiel was reading from one of his books. At least one line of text mentioned Albert Ayler. It came out during the Q&A that Ammiel wrote a book that Ribot read. Ribot asked him after reading it if it was about (inspired by?) Albert Ayler. It was. Apparently Ribot is the only one the poet knew of who actually got it.

After the collaboration was a "Talk". I wanted to bolt before the talk, I expected it to be about war or other subjects that bring me down. Luckily, it was awkward to slip out so I surrendered. I was rewarded with a phenomenal Q&A about music, creative process, etc. There was nothing depressing about that talk, only fascination.

http://www.forward.com/articles/141920/

The Jewish Daily Forward presents the third installment in a new series of innovative arts programming. “Jewish Art for the New Millennium” showcases cutting-edge Jewish artists and thinkers who represent their identity in the most original, innovative ways.

Legendary avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot, multi-instrumentalist Jessica Lurie and writer and poet Ammiel Alcalay team up for an evening of intellectually provocative words and music as each performs separately and then join forces for a collaborative session and conversation with the audience.

Marc Ribot’s recording credits include a stellar list of performers — Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Laurie Anderson, Medeski Martin & Wood, Allen Ginsberg, Norah Jones, The Black Keys, Jakob Dylan and many others. Ribot regularly works with composer John Zorn and has released a number of albums on Zorn’s “Radical Jewish Music” label, Tzadik. He also frequently collaborates with producer T Bone Burnett, most notably on Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s Grammy Award-winning “Raising Sand.” Click here for more info.

Ammiel Alcalay is a poet, writer, critic, translator as well as a professor at the CUNY Graduate Center. He is widely known for exploring the junctions between poetry and politics, especially those pertaining to the Middle East, as well as having a distinctly unique, radical approach to writing that melds together various genres into a single discourse. A world-renowned scholar of Middle-Eastern and Sephardic literatures, Alcalay’s collection of poetry and photography, “Neither Wit Nor Gold” was published by Ugly Duckling Press earlier this year. He also directs “Lost & Found,” the CUNY Poetics Document Initiative, which features correspondence, journals, critical prose and transcripts of talks by influential American poets. Alcalay’s work has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, Time magazine, The New Republic, Village Voice, Jerusalem Post, Parnassus, and many other publications. Click here for more info.

Jessica Lurie is a virtuoso saxophonist, accordionist and vocalist, as well as a composer, widely known for her “flair suggestive of a Balkan John Coltrane or klezmerized Sonny Rollins” (JamBase). She’s worked with a diverse base of performers including Bill Frisell and The Indigo Girls, Mark Ribot and Sleater Kinney, among many others. In 2000, she started her own label, Zipa! Music. In 2006, Jessica was awarded a Sundance Music Institute Fellowship for film composition. Click here for more info.

About the Forward:
The Forward is a legendary name in American journalism and a revered institution in American Jewish life. Launched as a Yiddish-language daily newspaper on April 22, 1897, the Forward entered the din of New York’s immigrant press as a defender of trade unionism and moderate, democratic socialism. The Jewish Daily Forward quickly rose above the crowd, however; under the leadership of its founding editor, the crustily independent Abraham Cahan, the Forward came to be known as the voice of the Jewish immigrant and the conscience of the ghetto. It fought for social justice, helped generations of immigrants to enter American life, broke some of the most significant news stories of the century, and was among the nation’s most eloquent defenders of democracy and Jewish rights.
The Forward family of newspapers continues to carry on the founding vision of Abraham Cahan, serving together as the voice of the American Jew and the conscience of the community.

BuzzUniverse @ Canal Room 9/16/11

2011-09-22T21:24:00.000-04:00

I'm often too tired on Fridays to do anything and this one was no exception. However, I happened to be walking by Canal Room around 8:15/8:30ish when I heard the funk oozing out of the walls. I quickly remembered Buzz was there and it was too early and too close to play the too tired card.

It was a good thing because it was a lot of fun. It was a CD release party and Stephanie the flute player sat in. She used to be in the band and I presume she's on the CD. It's nice they have a violin and tenor/baritone as permanent members.

The first set was a lot of new material that's not on the new album. The 2nd set was mainly songs from the new album. I couldn't stay for the whole thing because it's important that I give my cat his heart medicine in a certain timeframe. I enjoyed what I got, though.

http://www.buzzuniverse.com/site2010/news.php
To celebrate the September 20 release of Living Breathing Magic, our third studio album, we will be headlining The Canal Room, 285 Broadway in New York City on September 16. As a special offer, anyone attending the show will be able to purchase a copy of Living Breathing Magic in advance of the scheduled release date. As a further special offer, anyone purchasing tickets in advance, can obtain a copy of the new album for only $5.

http://www.buzzuniverse.com/site2010/band.php
Alex Garay: Guitar/Vocals
Dave Migliore: Drums/Vocals
Greg McLoughlin: Bass/Vocals
Brian Ciufo: Saxophones/Vocals/Hand Percussion
Meredith Rachel Bogacz: Violin
Rosie Lazroe: Vocals

Marc Ribot Really The Blues @ Iridium 9/15/11

2011-09-21T21:35:00.000-04:00

It was great, just like the last time. I was glad to see Marc and Cooper-Moore together again. The very first time I saw Cooper-Moore was in a trio with Ribot and Chad Taylor on drums. I hope that trio resurfaces again some day.

Brad Jones was awesome on bass. I loved the drummer.

They did Blues, Jazz, and Funk. The set was 75 minutes and then they came out for an awesome funky encore because we asked for it. It was a phenomenal show.

Secret Chiefs 3 @ LPR 9/13/11

2011-09-21T21:29:00.000-04:00

This band rocks! There were 2 bands on before them and I missed them both. They've had Kayo Dot open for them before and I would like to see them some time. I walked in just after 10 and it seemed like they just started.

The music was phenomenal. Ches Smith was on drums as was another guy. 2 drummers is twice as nice! There was also a female percussionist, she may have just had tablas, I'm not sure. She was the only one without a hooded cloak and may have been a special guest. There was also a keyboard player toward the front of the stage facing the band. Of course the guitar/trumpet/violin player was there. There were 7 in all.

I loved the show. There was a good crowd but it wasn't too crowded. I had to leave at a little after 11 due to work constraints but it was well worth coming out for.

Here's a recording of the show:
http://www.archive.org/details/SC32011-09-13

Trey Spruance - Saz, Guitar, etc.
Timb Harris - Violin, Guitar, Trumpet, etc.
Adam Stacey - Keys
Ches Smith! - Drums
Danny Heifetz! - Drums
Toby Driver - Bass
(unknown) - Drum Pad, Hand Drums

And here's some pictures:
http://www.verbicidemagazine.com/2011/09/19/photo-gallery-secret-chiefs-3-at-le-poisson-rouge-new-york-91311/

You can find some vids from the show on youtube.

TTB @ The Beacon 9/10/11

2011-09-21T21:20:00.000-04:00

There was no mention of an opener except on the Beacon Marquee. It was Scrapomatic and they did a short one, lasting about 1/2 hour. I was very worried that people were all sitting and a lady behind me yelled at me to sit down so she could see. I always get way too upset about that. Fortunately, a lot of people stood for TTB. Better yet, I was in the section where people tended to stand a lot if the most of the floor was sitting. Good deal!

I had heard after I got there TTB would hit at 8:45 and the show would be over at 11. Basically, they don't have that much material for a big 2 set night. I remember thinking why don't they pull out some covers or do some more soloing or something. Looks like they already had that figured out because that's what they did in the set they played straight through. It was a great show.

I got the new CD for only $10 while I was there. It's great! They played all of the songs on it. They also had a drums portion which I loved. Then Oteil come out with the drums and do his bass/voice thing. I remember when he did that every night one year for The ABB Beacon run. The trombone player is a good dancer and a good jazz singer, so he filled in with a jazz vocal tune. It was a great, long set.

I admit I still miss the Derek Trucks Band more than I can say. I just had to express that. It would be nice if this band evolves into something spectacular, but time will tell.

From the listing:
As husband-wife couples go in the world of music, it is a challenge to find a duo as well-fitted and naturally prolific as that of singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks. After building successful solo careers, the two have been guests on each other's albums, toured together, and have each received individual Grammy nominations in the category of "Best Contemporary Blues Album" for their 2009 albums, Tedeschi for Back To The River and Trucks for Already Free (which he won). Now they have joined forces, writing and recording with their new 11 piece band, the Tedeschi Trucks Band. The group just released, Revelator, an album Rolling Stone describes as a "meaty masterpiece" that echoes so many great traditions- Delta blues and Memphis soul, Sixties rock and Seventies funk- blended with an entirely original, modern sensibility.

Recognized for their outstanding live performances, the Tedeschi Trucks Band also includes singers Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers, bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist/flutist Kofi Burbridge, drummers J. J. Johnson and Tyler Greenwell, plus trumpeter Maurice Brown, tenor saxophonist Kebbi Williams, and trombonist Saunders Sermons. The first generation of this new lineup made appearances at some of the most prestigious festivals of last year including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Fest, Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, and Japan's Fuji Rock Fest.

Wadado Leo Smith @ LPR 9/6/11

2011-09-18T22:45:00.000-04:00

This was excellent. I love seeing Wadado and don't get to that often. It started a little after 9. It was so cold inside, like a refrigerator. I couldn't take it after 1/2 hour and I had to leave a little early. It was still awesome. Susie Ibarra is another one I don't see so much anymore. Where's she been?

The bass player was unbelievably good. I loved how much solo time he got. I need to look out for him more.

CROSSCURRENT 3
Third edition of Crosscurrent's international contemporary jazz festival
w/ Wayne Horvitz New Quartet (World Premiere) and Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quartet
Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quartet
Trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser has been active in creative contemporary music for over forty years. His systemic music language Ankhrasmation is significant in his development as an artist and educator.

Born in Leland, Mississippi, Smith's early musical life began in the high school concert and marching bands. At the age of thirteen, he became involved with the Delta Blues and Improvisation music traditions. He received his formal musical education with his stepfather Alex Wallace, the U.S. Military band program (1963), Sherwood School of Music (1967-69), and Wesleyan University (1975-76). Mr. Smith has studied a variety of music cultures: African, Japanese, Indonesian, European and American.

He has taught at the University of New Haven (1975-'76), the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY (1975-'78), and Bard College (1987-'93). He is currently a faculty member at The Herb Alpert School of Music at California Institute of the Arts. He is the director of the African-American Improvisational Music program, and is a member of ASCAP, Chamber Music America, and the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.

Mr. Smith's awards and commissions include: Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2009-2010), Other Minds residency and "Taif", a string quartet commission (2008), Fellow of the Jurassic Foundation (2008), FONT(Festival of New Trumpet) Award of Recognition (2008), Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Award (2005), Islamic World Arts Initiative of Arts International (2004), Fellow of the Civitela Foundation (2003), Fellow at the Atlantic Center for the Arts (2001), "Third Culture Copenhagen" in Denmark-presented a paper on Ankhrasmation (1996), Meet the Composer/Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Commissioning Program (1996), Asian Cultural Council Grantee to Japan (June-August 1993), Meet the Composer/Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Commissioning Program (1990), New York Foundation on the Arts Fellowship in Music (1990), Numerous Meet the Composer Grants (since 1977), and National Endowment for the Arts Music Grants (1972, 1974, 1981).

Mr. Smith's music philosophy Notes (8 Pieces) Source a New. World Music: Creative Music has been published by Kiom Press (1973), translated and published in Japan by Zen-On Music Company Ltd. (1976). In 1981 Notes was translated into Italian and published by Nistri-Litschi Editori.

He was invited to a conference of artists, scientists and philosophers "Third Culture Copenhagen" in Denmark 1996, and presented a paper on his Ankhrasmation music theory and notational system for creative musicians. His interview was recorded for Denmark T.V., broadcasted September 1996.

Some of the artists Mr. Smith has performed with are : Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Roscoe Mitchell, Lester Bowie, Richard Teitelbaum, Joseph Jarman, George Lewis, Cecil Taylor, Andrew Cyrill, Oliver Lake, Anthony Davis, Carla Bley, David Murray, Don Cherry, Jeanne Lee, Milton Campbell, Henry Brant, Richard Davis, Tadao Sawai, Ed Blackwell, Sabu Toyozumi, Peter Kowald, Kazuko Shiraishi, Han Bennink, Misja Mengelberg, Marion Brown, Kazutoki Umezu, Kosei Yamamoto, Charlie Haden, Kang Tae Hwan, Kim Dae Hwan, Tom Buckner, Malachi Favors Magoustous and Jack Dejohnette among many others.

Wayne Horvitz New Quartet @ LPR 9/9/11

2011-09-18T22:40:00.000-04:00

The Crosscurrents Festival is put on by some music lovers who fund it all independently. 3 nights, 2 great bands a night, $20 a night. I was particularly interested in this night.

This was a brand new project. They ended up getting only 1 rehearsal in before this first gig. If you are familiar with these 4 great musicians, you would already know that it was stellar. I loved the music and how varied the pieces are. Ches Smith was the one Wayne just started playing with and it's a good thing they got together. Of course, anyone who can get Ches in their projects should feel privileged.

I also loved seeing them on a big stage. It's funny how I always felt privileged in those "living room seats" at the tiny venues and now I feel as privileged to see those same artists in a larger venue.

The set started at 8:15 and went for about an hour.

CROSSCURRENT 3
Third edition of Crosscurrent's international contemporary jazz festival
w/ Wayne Horvitz New Quartet (World Premiere) and Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quartet

Wayne Horvitz New Quartet (World Premiere)

Wayne Horvitz piano, keyboards & composition
Briggan Krauss alto sax
Tony Malaby tenor sax
Ches Smith

Wayne Horvitz is a composer, pianist, and electronic musician (b. New York City, 1955). He’s been one of the leading figures in NYC downtown music scene, excelling in crossbreeding genres with his unique and surprising attitude. Even though his notoriety is mainly due to his membership in John Zorn’s Naked City, Horvitz must be valued for his remarkable activity as composer. Since the beginnings of his career it was clearly shown that his primary interest was organizing and creating sound and musical structure, even for large ensembles. He stubbornly pursued a highly individual path, thinking about music in compositional terms but also as a profound and accomplished listener, introducing elements from disparate fields with deep consciousness of every matter. His extremely recognizable style lasts in every single work he produced, allowing him the stature of a major contemporary composer. Ranging from early works in typical downtown scene fashion with William Parker, John Zorn, Lawrence “Butch” Morris, Elliott Sharp, Bobby Previte, Bill Frisell, Jon Rose (to name the most famous ones only) to the vibrant experience of the New York Composers’ Orchestra, his unclassifiable avant rockish bands The President & Pigpen, the groove bar band Zony Mash, electronics meets free Ponga, chamber oriented 4 + 1 Ensemble & Gravitas Quartet, the magnificent acoustic quartet Sweeter Than The Day, not forgetting his classical works, Joe Hill’s oratorio, The Heartsong of Charging Elk and his music for films, theatre and dance, Horvitz sound palette offers a unique and highly individual journey through the delights of modern music. We’re very proud and excited to offer his New Quartet’s world premiere as the opener of the festival.

Jeff Coffin's Mu'tet @ Iridium 9/7/11

2011-09-18T22:32:00.000-04:00

Yay! I finally made it to their gig! It hadn't worked out any of the previous opportunities. It's great grooving Acid Jazz. DJ Logic sat in for the 2nd half of the set.

I hadn't seen Jeff in a while and he is awesome. He plays all the standard saxophones, sometimes 2 at a time. He plays fast, quick, short notes similar to Karl Denson only more powerful. I thought of Cochemea - where's he been?

I enjoyed the guitar and trumpet. The bass was great. I loved the drums.

It was a good time once I got passed the few loud talkers. There's no quiet policy at that place.

Jeff Coffin & The Mu’tet featuring Felix Pastorius
The Mu’tet is led by 3x Grammy winning saxophonist & composer Jeff Coffin. On tour with Dave Matthews Band since July, 2008 and with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones since 1997, Coffin strives to expand himself, his band mates and listeners with music flavored by his wide musical interests. Drawing from African, New Orleans, Indian, funk, jazz, folk, Gypsy, rock, fusion, Brazilian and other styles of music, Coffin sends shockwaves down people’s spines with his fierce soloing and inspiring compositions. A passionate and curious player, Coffin is known to use guitar effects on his sax as well as sometimes playing two, count ‘em…two, saxes at the same time!

On drums is the legendary Jeff “Apt. Q-258” Sipe. Jeff & Jeff have been playing together for many years and Sipe recorded on the Mu’tet cd BLOOM as well as the ‘DUET’ project with Coffin (Compass Records). He is renowned for his mind bending drumming with the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Trey Anastasio, Susan Tedeschi, Greg Osby, Phil Lesh, Project Z, Jonas Hellborg & Shawn Lane, Leftover Salmon, Alex Machacek, The Jimmy Herring Project, and many, many others. When Jeff Sipe unleashes his whirlwind of rhythms and grooves they have to be seen and, especially, heard to be believed.

When not touring with legendary guitarist, Derek Trucks, Kofi Burbridge is on keyboards and flute – bringing his not-so-secret Weapons of Mass deFunkstruction to the Mu’tet. You better watch your back. Kofi is one of the most gifted improvisers and composers on the music scene…PERIOD! Kofi is featured on the latest Mu’tet release MUTOPIA and recently recorded with the legendary HERBIE HANCOCK!

Felix Pastorius, son of bass great Jaco Pastorius, roots the Mu’tet on electric bass. He has been playing with the group since 2002 and is featured on MUTOPIA. Felix has also been touring recently with legendary jazz drummer Cindy Blackman while living and playing in NYC. At 6’ 6” tall, Felix is a gifted composer and a monster bassist with the chops and sensitivity of someone twice his height.

Bill “the Spaceman” Fanning rounds out the horns on trumpet. Bill has performed with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, the Mu’tet, Glenn Frye (of the Eagles), George Garzone, Jon Faddis, Maria Schneider and George Russell. In 2005, Coffin produced Bill’s debut CD, “Parakletos”. A brilliant improvisor and musician, Bill is stretching the boundries of the trumpet by using guitar pedals while still rooting his technique, concept, and sound in the masters.

Mike Seal is a “Young Lion” of the guitar world. He sets people back in their seats with his burning lines, stunning ideas and a remarkable tone that defies his 25 years on the planet. You might hear a little John Scofield, Jimi Hendrix, Derek Trucks, Tony Rice, Stevie Ray Vaughn, or Lionel Loueke, but you’re always hearing Mike Seal. Listen up, he’s the real deal.

A new Mu’tet recording is in the works!

Scott Colley Trio @ Jazz Standard 9/6/11

2011-09-18T22:29:00.000-04:00

Awesome power trio! Scott is on my list to see anything he is in when it works out. He attracts similar great people to play with. I love that Chris is in his trio and he is also usually Chris' bassist. Antonio Sanchez was a great choice of drummer.

I loved Scott's compositions. Most were upbeat and one was quite funky. It was an awesome set.

Chris Potter – tenor saxophone
Scott Colley – bass
Antonio Sanchez – drums

He’s been the first–call bassist of choice for such jazz legends as Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, and Michael Brecker. His remarkably empathetic skills, strong melodic sense and improvisational abilities have bolstered groups led by colleagues Chris Potter, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, David Binney, and Kenny Werner. But it is as a composer and bandleader in his own right that Scott Colley has flourished in recent years, as evidenced by a string of recordings from his 1996 debut Portable Universe (Freelance) through his CAM Jazz CDs Architect of the Silent Moment (2007) and Empire (2010). Tonight, Scott rejoins saxophonist Chris Potter (featured on Colley’s 2001 album Magic Line) and recruits ace drummer Antonio Sanchez for two sets of probing melodic improvisation.

Mike Pride/Kirk Knuffke @ Local 269 9/4/11

2011-09-18T02:59:00.000-04:00

Another awesome creative duo. I loved it. I was too tired to stay for thw whole set, but it was awesome. It looks like there is an album coming, so there will probably be more opportunities.

KIRK KNUFFKE/MIKE PRIDE DUO
Kirk Knuffke (cornet)
Mike Pride (drums)
***Album out on NotTwo Records next year!***

Guitarbitrations @ Local 269 9/4/11

2011-09-18T02:56:00.000-04:00

A 7 guitar septet was just too intriguing to pass up. Brad Farberman is the leader and conductor. He was excited about his plan which he was being secretive about. The musicians and the audience didn't know what style of conduction he would be using with the improvisers.

I like his concept. He had what looked like the Sunday NY Times in front of him. On the front and back of many of the sections he taped 8.5 x 11 white sheets of paper with quotes about guitar playing from the NY times over the years. One side was so the musicians could see, the other side was so the audience could see. I like that instead of the games where the rules of play are only known by the artists. The quotes themselves were a lot of fun.

Brad would hold up a quote and point to one or more to prompt them to improvise on the quote. Often, different players would be playing around different quotes. Even when some were playing on the same quote, it was completely and totally different. It was awesome to see all the different guitars and styles each of them had. It sounded good and I loved the concept.

GUITARBITRATIONS
Cristian Amigo (guitar)
Adam Caine (guitar)
Marco Cappelli (guitar)
Brad Farberman (guitar)
James Keepnews (guitar)
Amanda Monaco (guitar)
Tor Snyder (guitar)

***Guitarbitrations will perform Farberman's "Guitar Like." "Guitar Like" is a new piece for all-guitar ensemble in which participants interpret similes that include the phrase “guitar like.” September 4’s performance will draw its prompts from The New York Times; participants will play works by Ben Ratliff, Jon Pareles, Neil Strauss, Peter Watrous, and others. This is also the debut of the Guitarbitrations ensemble.***

Metzger/Russo/Deutch/Hess @ Cameo Gallery 9/3/11

2011-09-15T18:58:00.000-04:00

Brand new awesome band! Yay! They have a bunch of working names which I can't remember. They started a little before 10:15 and played a 75 min set with no encore. It looked like another band was next and there was one before them. Each band is a separate and distinct show.

They started off with a Meters song, which is a nice start. They played a lot of covers and a few originals. I think the originals were all written by Joe and they are all great.

They do some funk, some rock, some reggae covers. All instrumental and all good.

I love that Joe and Andy are in the same band. I also love seeing Joe around in a genre I enjoy. Good stuff and I'm looking forward to more!

So, looks like they chose the name Rumble Dogs and here is a video from the show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-riLa1JaWi0&feature=related

Los Watcheros @ Cubana Social 9/3/11

2011-09-15T18:52:00.000-04:00

I couldn't tell when the Cameo show was going to actually happen, so I got there close to the 8:30 listed time just in case. Then I found out it would be more like 10ish. Considering the abundance of music in Williamsburg, it wasn't hard to find something else to keep me occupied. I wandered down to Cubana Social for the good drinks and some Latin jazz.

I enjoyed the quartet. Congas on the stage always makes me happy. Trombone and sax were the horns. There was also an upright bass. The set was a little short, probably about 40 minutes, but perfect to get me back to Cameo at 10.

Saturday 9.3 Los Watcheros Afro-Latin Brass Ensemble

Afro-Latin Brass ensemble plays Pan-American Grooves with an emphasis on Cuban and New Orleans rhythms. The group was formed by Trombonist John Speck, seeking to integrate his diverse musical palette honed from touring and recording with artists such as: Jorge Ben Jor, Ricky Martin, Bacilos, Paige McConnell and The Spam Allstars. Expect to hear a Kaleidoscope of Mambo, Funk, Reggae and Cumbia woven together with the magic of Brass.

Featuring: Onel Mulet-Sax/Flute, Jordan Henry-Tuba, Justin Padro-Percussion, John Speck-Trombone/compositions

7 Walkers @ City Winery 9/2/11

2011-09-14T20:44:00.002-04:00

At first I had no desire to see them. I figured it was another tired old Dead cover band. Then, as I looked at the listing, I realized with George and Papa Mali and the NOLA influence, it has a lot of potential. Yay for me - it was awesome. They did some Dead songs, the Meters "Just Kissed My Baby", and some originals. I loved it. You could dance if you wanted to. Many people were sitting. At some point I moved up closer and it sounded even better. It was one long set. I'm not quite sure how long, but long enough for me.

This is what a Dead derivative should look like! They took it beyond the Dead, yet gave us some nostalgia tunes as well.

I ran into Curtis in my hood a day or 2 later, and he mentioned that Bill went up to Hill Country afterwards and sat in with Honey Island Swamp Band. I found something about that on their facebook page.

Honey Island Swamp Band
Chris Mulé & Bill Kreutzmann - NYC - 9-2-11

Wall Photos

http://www.7walkers.com/band.html
Bill Kreutzmann can barely contain his enthusiasm for
7 Walkers, the former Grateful Dead drummer’s new band with guitarist / vocalist Papa Mali, legendary New Orleans bassist George Porter Jr., and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard.

Jon Hebert @ Cornelia St 9/1/11

2011-09-13T23:27:00.000-04:00

They never start at 8:30, but I wanted to get there just in case. The last band at The Garage was on set break anyway. It was nice that we were allowed in at 8:30 and they were sound-checking. First we heard a lot of Jen's vocals with everyone else in the background and then we heard a lot of piano. It was very nice and they started the set at a little after 8:45.

I enjoyed it a lot. They were all awesome and I think Jon Hebert is a phenomenal bass player. The only problem was the talkers. There were a couple of people that were brought by their daughter and had no interest in the music. There weren't that many people there and any talking or whispering was too much.

Still, it was a great 75 minute set. They were going into the studio the next day and trying out the material on us.

Thursday, Sep 01 - 8:30PM
JOHN HÉBERT’S RAMBLING CONFESSIONS
John Hébert, bass; Jen Shyu, vocals; Andy Milne, piano; Billy Drummond, drums

Matt Garrison Projection @ The Garage 9/1/11

2011-09-13T21:01:00.000-04:00

I needed to kill some time in between the gym class that ended at 7:30 in the West Village and the 8:30 show at Cornelia St. I was wandering around thinking about food, and slowly realizing I was in Greenwich Village and there's lots of jazz around here. I ended up at The Garage for a salad and a good quartet.

I enjoyed it. Sax and piano and I really liked the bass. I don't remember the drums, but that just means the drums weren't bad and didn't blow me away enough to notice him. It might have been the compositions, who knows. It was soprano and also sax, heavy on the soprano while I was there. It was a good "bonus show".

Stephane Wrembel @ Pilsener Haus & Biergarten, Hoboken 8/31/11

2011-09-08T22:55:00.000-04:00

My first Hoboken music! I have tried to get to Maxwell's ... it just hasn't worked out yet. I now see it's not so far, L to 6th then 3 stops on the PATH. Of course, this new Beergarten is about 1/2 hour walk after that, but it was a nice night and I love to walk. A friend emailed that day to let me know about this no cover show, so I figured why not.

It's a great place to hang out, eat, and drink. That's the draw, so almost no one is interested in the band. About 7 of us were up front enjoying the music. It was great and it wasn't that hard to drown out the loud murmur of talking in the background. It reminded me of Doma only massively bigger.

It turns out the gig pays well. The music is sponsored by one of the beer companies, so that's how it works.

I was very happy with it. The music was excellent!

From Facebook:

Pilsener Haus & Biergarten
We're pleased to announce our first live music: world-renowned gypsy musician Stephane Wrembel! Check out his web site & videos. He's worked with artists as diverse as Patti Smith and David Grisman. A fantastic guitarist in the tradition of Django Reinhart. Wednesday, August 31st, 8:30pm to midnight. Come join us!

Stephane Wrembel

www.stephanewrembel.com

This song is a theme running through Woody Allen's new movie, "Midnight in Paris". He was looking for a typical French Parisian song that would fit the atmosphere and soul of Paris, and this is what I composed. Click here to purchase the FULL song on CDBABY. Enjoy!

Trombones @ University of the Streets 8/30/11

2011-09-08T22:44:00.000-04:00

I've been busy at work and didn't get a chance to see what was going on until I got home close to 8pm. When I saw a trombone quartet and who was playing I knew this was where I wanted to be.

Alan Ferber was listed, but Curtis Hasselbring was there instead. He makes me just as happy, so no biggie. I don't think I've ever seen Chris Stover before. He was the leader and composer.

Most of the pieces were compositions. it was pretty good. Often one of them would have the melody and the rest would be "backup" or "rhythm" or something like that. Chris Washburn sometimes played the bass trombone, sometimes the regular trombone.

My favorite was the completely free improvised "lagniappe" piece they did for us right before the last arrangement on their "set list". I use the word "lagniappe", but Chris said they were going to give us "something extra" before the last one. He then started it off using a beer can in the bell of his horn to make interesting crackly and horn sounds.

Good stuff!

CHRIS STOVER
Chris Stover - trombone, compositions, Alan Ferber - trombone, Steve Swell - trombone, Chris Washburne - trombone. $10.
08/30/2011
8:00 pm

Ismaily, Smith, Maneiri @ The Stone 8/26/11

2011-09-08T22:39:00.000-04:00

Awesome new trio. They had some music stands out but no music. The stands were there in case they wanted to use them as instruments. It was all improvised. They were each very interesting and melded together well. Shahzad had electric bass, guitar, a couple of big bell-shaped bells, and a tambourine. Matt had his electric viola, which he occasionally used as a percussion instrument. He also sometimes played the floor with the bow as a stick. Ches Smith had some bells and he added his nice snare drum to The Stone's kit. He has some cool thing cords or wires taped to the bottom that he occasionally played - think guitar strings right next to each other with no space.

It was a great set.

Shahzad Ismaily Trio Shahzad Ismaily (bass) Mat Maneri (viola) Ches Smith (drums)

MMW @ Whitney Museum 8/26/11

2011-09-04T10:59:00.000-04:00

I just couldn't get to the other shows, so I'm especially glad I made it to this, the last of 4 Medeski, Martin, and Wood Fridays at the Whitney.

It was crowded, but not ridiculous. It's annoying how many people talk, sometimes loudly, during the music. It's especially so during the more out there parts and less so during the funky parts. It was enough people that attempts to try to shut them up would be futile. I eventually made it close enough to the band that I could ignore the talkers for the most part.

It was so awesome. We had special guests Cyro Baptista on percussion and DJ Logic on turntables. I love DJ Logic in this setting. I didn't realize I miss Cyro - I hadn't seen him in a few months. He's so awesome.

This show was super high quality amazing.

Here's a video and another.

Setlist:
Medeski Martin & Wood
w/special guests DJ Logic and Cyro Baptista
The Whitney Museum
New York, NY
8/26/2011

1. intro

Duets:
2. Billy Martin & DJ Logic
3. John Medeski & DJ Logic
4. Chris Wood & DJ Logic
5. Cyro Baptista & DJ Logic

MMW w/DJ Logic & Cyro Baptista
6. Sugar Craft ->
7. improv? ->
8. more improv ->
9. Cyro's fun with Ford hubcaps ->
10. Church Of Logic
11. ?
12. ?
13. Back & Forth
14. banter - Patagonia donation
15. No Ke Ano Ahi Ahi
16. Partido Alto
17. band intros
18. Bubblehouse
19. thanks

Shows I missed:
Billy Martin, Chris Wood, Charles Burnham, DJ Mr. Rourke
Whitney Museum
New York, NY
8/19/2011
1. intro by Chris Wood
2. improv #1 *#
3. improv #2 *#
4. improv #3 *+#
5. improv #4 +#
6. improv #5 +#
7. improv #6 +*%
8. improv #7 +*%#
9. improv #8 +*%
10. improv #9 +*%#
11. drum solo
12. DJ solo
13. improv #10 +#%*
14. improv #11 %+#*
15. improv #12 %+#*
16. thanks

* = w/Chris Wood - electric bass, acoustic stand-up bass, Hoeffner bass
+ = w/Billy Martin - drums, percussion
# = w/DJ Mr. Rourke - turntables
% = w/Charles Burnham - violin, harmonica, electric mando-guitar

Show opens with Chris playing some KILLER distorted-electric Hoeffner bass

Whitney Live: Billy Martin’s Wicked Knee / Val-Inc duets with Martin and Wicked Knee brass
Friday, August 12, 2011 7 PM
Lower Gallery and Sculpture Court

In celebration of their 20th anniversary, legendary band Medeski Martin & Wood will be in residence at the Whitney Museum of American Art on Friday nights in August as part of the Whitney Live performance series. Joined by guest artists each night, the performances will encompass older works and newer projects including several MMW side projects and a re-mounting of the acclaimed Turntable Sessions.

Val-Inc:
Haitian electronic music composer/percussionist/turntablist, Val-Inc evokes the musical esoteric realms of the creative subconscious and self defined as “Afro-Electronica.” She incorporates her African Haitian musical traditions into the present and beyond, combining acoustics with electronics and the archaic with the post-modern.

Wicked Knee:
Featuring Billy Martin (drums), Steven Bernstein (trumpet), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone) and Marcus Rojas (tuba), the new supergroup Wicked Knee features RagTimeFunk Joints with avant-garde interludes.

Free with Museum admission, which is pay-what-you-wish on Fridays from 6–9pm; there are no special tickets or reservations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrY1tqnhOwU

http://bit.ly/nDYQqi

Medeski Martin And Wood
Whitney Museum
New York, NY
8/5/2011
With Bachir Attar (Master Musician Of Jajouka) on ancient horn
1. Improv
2. Improv
3. Improv
4. Improv

With John Scofield on guitar:
5. intro
6. Tuttie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing
7. Hanuman
8. ?Improv? >
9. drum solo >
10. unknown new song >
11. guitar breakdown (inc. I Will tease [The Beatles cover]) >
12. A Go Go
13. Little Walter Rides Again
14. encore break
15. Amazing Grace
16. crowd/thanks

Voice of the Wetlands @ Hiro Ballroom 8/25/11

2011-09-04T10:37:00.000-04:00

I was at a work summer outing earlier where I drank too much. In spite of my nap, I wasn't feeling great. I couldn't stay for too long but what I saw was awesome. I have the CD and it's good. This was way better. It was awesome. These days, everything Anders touches is gold. I loved having Johnny Vidacovoich in NYC. We really have to get Astral Project up here. I would love to see them at Jazz Standard.

Waylon Thibodeaux was amazing. They were all great. I hope I get another chance some day.

Hiro Ballroom is awesome. Upstairs is a lounge with the bar and cushy tables and seats. You can see the band from up there if you are by the rail. You can hear fine from up there. There are 2 staircases going down to the floor where you can see the band. I like it.

VOICE OF THE WETLANDS ALL-STARS HEAD TO THE EAST COAST THIS SUMMER. TAB BENOIT, CYRIL NEVILLE, ANDERS OSBORNE, JOHNNY VIDACOVICH, BIG CHIEF MONK BOUDREAUX, JOHNNY SANSONE AND WAYLON THIBODEAUX TAKE THEIR MUSIC AND MESSAGE FROM MAINE TO VIRGINIA.

Stooges Brass Band @ Brooklyn Bowl 8/24/11

2011-09-03T14:59:00.000-04:00

I was itching for NOLA music and this fit the bill. I had a note to self ever since jazz fest to see them at a night show. It was the perfect night and the perfect venue for it.

They are a lot of fun. The leader is the trombone player. He was out front with 2 trumpet players. The 4th horn is the very important sousaphone. The drummer on the kit is pretty good - I liked the "drum blasts" that would pop in often.

There's also a keyboard and a guy on some kind of electric drum.

A couple of them like antics, which is probably how they chose the name. They never let the antics sacrifice the music.

They came down from the stage to teach us an easy dance and another time to let individuals strut their stuff by showing off their dance moves.

It was a lot of fun and just what I needed.

http://www.stoogesmusicgroup.com/

Banjo Jim's Closed

2011-09-03T14:53:00.002-04:00

Bummer.

http://www.banjojims.com/gigs.htm

Edmar Castenada @ Jazz Standard 8/23/11

2011-08-27T17:38:00.000-04:00

I never get sick of this trio. The trombone blew me away. I loved all of them. Some of the old songs, some new songs. It was awesome. The drum/percussion setup is awesome. He's great. Andrea came out and sang for the last 3 songs.

EDMAR CASTANEDA TRIO plus special guest ANDREA TIERRA
Edmar Castaneda – Colombian Harp
Andrea Tierra – vocals
Marshall Gilkes – trombone
David Silliman – drums, percussion

“A jazz harpist of imposing talent” (The New York Times), Edmar Castaneda transforms the unique and beautiful sound of the Colombian harp with his commanding technique and ingenious improvisations. Edmar has performed and recorded with Paquito D'Rivera, John Scofield, Trio De Paz, Lila Downs, and Chico O'Farrill’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. Paquito D’Rivera calls Edmar Castaneda “an enormous talent” and “one of the most original musicians living in the Big Apple” – don’t miss his trio, with special guest vocalist Andrea Tierra, as they record live at Jazz Standard for future CD release!

Bienestan @ Jazz Standard 8/21/11

2011-08-27T17:36:00.000-04:00

The project is named after a fictitious country. It's co-led by Aaron Goldberg on piano and Guillermo Klein on keyboard and they assembled an awesome ensemble with Matt Penman on bass, Eric Harland on drums, and Miguel Zenon on sax. The listing says Reuban Rogers on bass, but I guess he couldn't make it. Matt did just fine.

The music was awesome. I found myself especially caught by the piano and the bass. The sax was awesome, also. They were all great and the music flowed nicely. Guillermo wrote most of the songs and a couple had his vocals as well as keyboard.

AARON GOLDBERG & GUILLERMO KLEIN: BIENESTAN
Miguel Zenon – alto saxophone
Guillermo Klein – piano, vocals
Aaron Goldberg – keyboards
Reuben Rogers – bass
Eric Harland – drums

In June 2011, a remarkable recording entitled Bienestan (Sunnyside Records) brought together two gifted pianist/composers, Aaron Goldberg and Guillermo Klein, with the former as featured soloist on songs written and/or arranged by the latter. (The two have been friends for two decades, dating back to their student days in Boston.) On Bienestan, The New York Times’ Nate Chinen heard “saxophonists Miguel Zenón and Chris Cheek exchanging meticulous phrases and vibrant solos” while “the full ensemble, with Matt Penman on bass and Eric Harland on drums, often shifts gears during a song, according to a sleek calculus of rhythmic modulation favored by Mr. Klein…The music is complex but never cold.”

Jenny Scheinman @ Village Vanguard 8/16/11

2011-08-27T17:31:00.000-04:00

This is one hellofa band! I loved it at the Vanguard. The music is phenomenal. She said each set will be different. We could stay for the 2nd set for an additional 1 drink minimum, but I knew I couldn't do it.

They made another change to the paying system. You now pay your server. That means it takes a lot less time to seat everyone and my old strategies no longer work. It's a good thing overall, you just need to get there earlier to get a good seat.

They had advance copies of the new CD available. They will be available to the general public in early 2012. It's awesome. Everything they played was awesome as well. I loved it!

Mischief & Mayhem at The Village Vanguard, NYC
Jenny Scheinman, Nels Cline, Jim Black, Todd Sickafoose
Tuesday, August 16 – Sunday, August 21, 2011
Advance limited edition M&M cd available to Vanguard attendees only – come pick one up!

Baudolino’s Dilemma @ Local 269 8/14/11

2011-08-22T07:57:00.001-04:00

This was awesome. I had Sun night things to do at home, but the 15-20 min I got was great. I loved those wild short frenetic trumpet blasts. Unfortunately, I don't know who was playing trumpet. There was a TBD sax in the listing..

Brad Farberman's
SUNDAY NIGHT SOUND PARTY IISunday, August 14
@ the Local 269
269 East Houston Street
F train to 2nd Avenue
$10 *for the night*

7PM
The Hands Down
Jessica Lurie (reeds, leader)
Ben Syversen (trumpet)
Brian Drye (trombone)
Michael Bates (bass)
Sean Dixon (drums)
jessicalurie.com

8PM
Baudolino’s Dilemma
TBA (alto sax)
Warren Smith (vibes)
Ken Filiano (bass, leader)
Michael T.A. Thompson (drums)
http://www.myspace.com/kenfiliano

9PM
Brad Farberman’s Stringful Souls feat. Steve Dalachinsky
Jason Kao Hwang (violin)
Sarah Bernstein (violin)
Brad Farberman (guitar)
Marco Cappelli (guitar)
Ken Filiano (bass)
Dominic Lash (bass)
James Ilgenfritz (bass)
Steve Dalachinsky (words)
***We'll be premiering a piece I've assembled for Steve! "Thoughtful Ruminations" collects YouTube comments in response to free-jazz videos. Don't miss this!***
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/BradFarbermanSextet

10PM
Pet Bottle Ningen
Nonoko Yoshida (alto sax)
Dave Scanlon (guitar)
Dave Miller (drums)
http://www.reverbnation.com/petbottleningen

Hands Down @ Local 269 8/14/11

2011-08-22T07:56:00.000-04:00

Sun nights are going to be jazz nights at Local 269. Brad Farberman is curating once a month. Dee Pop is curating I think once a month. I'm not sure about the rest.

Hands Down is Jessica Lurie's new project and it is fantastic. I only got about 20 min or so, but I loved it.

Brad Farberman's
SUNDAY NIGHT SOUND PARTY II
Sunday, August 14
@ the Local 269
269 East Houston Street
F train to 2nd Avenue
$10 *for the night*

7PM
The Hands Down
Jessica Lurie (reeds, leader)
Ben Syversen (trumpet)
Brian Drye (trombone)
Michael Bates (bass)
Sean Dixon (drums)
jessicalurie.com

8PM
Baudolino’s Dilemma
TBA (alto sax)
Warren Smith (vibes)
Ken Filiano (bass, leader)
Michael T.A. Thompson (drums)
http://www.myspace.com/kenfiliano

9PM
Brad Farberman’s Stringful Souls feat. Steve Dalachinsky
Jason Kao Hwang (violin)
Sarah Bernstein (violin)
Brad Farberman (guitar)
Marco Cappelli (guitar)
Ken Filiano (bass)
Dominic Lash (bass)
James Ilgenfritz (bass)
Steve Dalachinsky (words)
***We'll be premiering a piece I've assembled for Steve! "Thoughtful Ruminations" collects YouTube comments in response to free-jazz videos. Don't miss this!***
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/BradFarbermanSextet

10PM
Pet Bottle Ningen
Nonoko Yoshida (alto sax)
Dave Scanlon (guitar)
Dave Miller (drums)
http://www.reverbnation.com/petbottleningen

Bustle In Your Hedgerow @ Brooklyn Bowl 8/12/11

2011-08-16T23:04:00.000-04:00

This may very well be the best show I've seen all year. I walked in at 9:30 and they were already on. I remember thinking I haven't been to truly great music this level ever. Of course that's not true, but it really was better than you could possibly imagine. It's the right venue for this. They've also gotten so much better over the years.

They are all magnificent, but Joe Russo is the most magnificent of all. I'm happy for him and his career, but I selfishly want more of him playing with magnificent musicians at small venues here in NYC. I also really miss The Duo. I miss them almost as much as I miss Tonic.

It was 2 sets of amazing excellent Led Zeppelin music played better than Led Zeppelin themselves in the studio. Questlove came out at the end so we had 2 great drummers. It was so awesome!

Bustle In Your Hedgerow
Featuring Joe Russo, Marco Benevento, Dave Driewitz and Scott Metzger

http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/questlove-sits-in-with-bustle-bk-bowl/

Nicholas Payton @ Iridium 8/6/11

2011-08-16T23:00:00.000-04:00

I really wanted to get to this. I didn't really look into it too carefully, I just wanted to see Nicholas. I was disappointed - too smooth. The people there who knew what they were getting themselves into were loving it. Nick was playing the Rhodes a lot and the trumpet a little. I mostly didn't care for the style of the keyboard. It just wasn't my kind of sound. The music was heavy on the contrabass and light on the drums which definitely isn't my preference. The drums and bass were excellent, which was a saving grace.

There were moments - some killer trumpet riffs, great bass solos, and some good drum moments. It was definitely more in the smooth jazz side - which is one of the few sides of jazz I'm not into. Actually, I would categorize it as "Smooth Soul Jazz". Double whammy. Oh well, it's so rare for me to get a show with talented artists that I don't enjoy. Live and learn.

Nicholas Payton’s XXX band featuring Billy Drummond & Robert Hurst
Sexy music for grown ups

Dr. Lonnie Smith Nonet @ Jazz Standard 8/3/11

2011-08-16T22:54:00.000-04:00

I just had to go. It was phenomenal. John Ellis and Logan Richardson were there. I loved the trumpet. I think the trombone was the musical director. Dr. Lonnie Smith was so entertaining. He has 2 drum pads on each side of the keyboard that has an African drum sound. There was also a special guest percussionist that sat in from time to time. He was in the audience when he wasn't playing, so I suspect he was a one night, perhaps one set, special guest.

I loved the experimentalish piece. I think it was called Beehive. I also loved the funk piece. Actually, all of it was great. We even got a little encore because we wanted more.

John Ellis – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Kyle Wilson – tenor saxophone
Logan Richardson – alto saxophone
Max Seigel – tuba, trombone
Corey King – trombone
Dr. Lonnie Smith – Hammond B-3 organ
Jonathan Kreisberg – guitar
Jamire Williams – drums

When Dr. Lonnie Smith led a blazing big band for some special New Year’s Eve appearances at Jazz Standard, Ben Ratliff of the New York Times said it “sounded superfine. What I heard operated on two settings: nasty funk and wine-dark ballads. That was enough…song after song, he dug a valley in the music and spread out…” Now the Doctor is IN with a brand–new nonet (or “little big band”) featuring top–shelf soloists like saxophonists John Ellis and Logan Richardson alongside Lonnie’s stalwart accompanists Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar) and Jamire Williams (drums).

Robert Hurst Quartet @ Jazz Standard 8/2/11

2011-08-16T20:21:00.002-04:00

I went "by accident". I have a feeling I would have ended up there anyway. I had my nights mixed up and I thought it was Dr. Lonnie Smith, but that wasn't until later that week. The funny thing was I didn't realize I was in the "wrong" place until they announced the band. I thought it was funny yet knew it was likely to be great because everything at that place it great. Then I saw Jeff "Tain" Watts come on stage and I remembered this show was on my list, too! I didn't know the other 3, including the leader, but I gotta have some Tain every now and then.

As you can imagine, the music was phenomenal. The "other 3" were awesome, especially Rafael Statin on sax. I loved the piano and bass, too. Tain was as awesome as ever.

Rafael Statin – saxophone
Lawrence Fields – piano
Robert Hurst – bass
Jeff “Tain” Watts – drums

In 2011, bassist/composer Robert Hurst’s protean accomplishments as in–demand sideman, film composer, and university educator led to the release of not one but two outstanding – and very different – new recordings on his own BeBob label. Bob Ya Head is an intriguing foray into world music and electronica, featuring Darryl “Munyungo” Jackson, Marcus Belgrave, and Karriem Riggins; UnreHurst Vol. 2 is an all–acoustic trio peformance recorded live in New York City in 2007, with pianist Robert Glasper and Chris “Daddy” Dave. For this much–anticipated Jazz Standard double–header, Hurst returns to the classic quartet format to play four sets of steaming straight–ahead jazz powered by the dynamic drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, and two rising stars in saxophonist Rafael Statin, from Hurst’s hometown of Detroit, and pianist Lawrence Fields.

Chuck Brown @ Prospect Park 7/30/11

2011-08-14T08:33:00.000-04:00

I may not have seen Chuck since Tramps closed. It was good. I was dancing and into it. I wasn't clear on the timing before I went. I got there around 7:40 and left a little after 8:30 and they were on the whole time. I would like to have stayed for some of Dr. John but I needed a real bathroom and didn't want to wait in a long line. I like Dr. John, it just wasn't worth "the tragedy of the commons", the economics theory that says when it's free it tends to be more crowded. Although, Dr. John tends to pull a big crowd. Prospect Park IS really nice. I just wasn't in the mood for all the talkers and the crowd. I definitely enjoyed Chuck Brown, although I don't think I would go out of my way to see them again

It's only a matter of time before I get to Red Baraat.

http://www.bricartsmedia.org/events/dr-john-the-lower-911-with-chuck-brown-and-red-baraat

Affectionately known as the Godfather of Go Go, Chuck Brown’s notorious combination of Latin beats, African call and response chants, and American Jazz led to a unique sound coming out of Washington D.C in the 1970s; “I got sick and tired of watching people sitting around,” Brown says, “Disco was too fast—people didn’t want to get all sweaty, and they just sat down. So we cut the beat in half.” Brown called this new sound Go Go, “because it never stops.” Brown’s albums have topped the charts, and his mid-80’s album Go Go Swing was released to international acclaim.

Led by Dholi Sunny Jain, Red Baraat is the first and only Dhol ‘n’ Brass band in North America, melding North Indian rhythm Bhangra with brass funk. The NYC-based big band improvises a powerful live sound, comprised of dhol (a double-sided, barrel-shaped North Indian drum slung over one shoulder), drumset, percussion, sousaphone and five horns. Mixing originals and Bollywood favorites, Red Baraat has performed internationally from the Montreal Jazz Festival to Lincoln Center and the group’s debut album Chaal Baby was realeased on Sinj Records in 2010.

MTO w/ Henry Butler @ WFC 7/30/11

2011-08-13T20:22:00.000-04:00

A couple of songs and then Henry Butler came out and stayed for the duration. This was his first time playing with them and I hope there's many more to come. Steven was talking about them playing together at Carnegie Hall.

It just clicked that Dean Bowman is the gospel singer from the Undead Jazzfest Park Slope Night. I love it when things come together. There was also a female vocalist that came out twice.

The entire show was phenomenal. I think they came on a little after 5:30 and played until 6:45, which was 15 minutes past the end time. I love this band more than I can say. I'm looking forward to the new CD - music of Sly & the Family Stone.

Millennial Territory Orchestra
Erik Lawrence baritone/soprano
Doug Weiselman clarinet
Charlie Burnham violin
Curtis Fowlkes trombone
Michael Blake tenor sax
Ben Allison bass
Ben Perowsky drums
Steven Bernstein slide trumpet, conduction, composition

ABB @ Beacon 7/27/11

2011-08-13T08:28:00.000-04:00

I didn't have a ticket. I think when I tried to get one right after they went on sale there were none on the floor. I figured I'd wait. Then I completely forgot about it until I got an email the day of. I went on line and there was a ticket in the center in Row Y. For whatever reason I wasn't sure I wanted to go and I had a feeling I could do better outside the Beacon. At around 7 I was in Tribeca thinking about my options for the evening. I felt a huge pull to get on the 2/3 at Canal and get my butt up there. I bought a full price ticket out front from a guy with an extra, Row X center. I guess that counts as better than Y.

Thank God I went because it was spectacular! I still can't get over it. It started a little slow but picked up real quick into a very special show. The first 1.5 hour set could have been the whole show and we would have left elated. It was mainly ABB with Danny Louis popping in and then Ron Holloway Natalie Cole came out and tore it up. I was thinking Natalie was somewhat similar to Aretha and then she did The Weight. Toward the end she forgot the words and Warren stepped in to help.

After a 30 min intermission we got an even more amazing 1.5 hour set. It started with David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Derek Trucks. Then we had a little duo thing. Then a trio with Warren.

Next it was one of those special one night bands I could have never possibly dreamed up myself. Crosby, Nash, Haynes, Trucks, Lewis, 2 drummers (Butch and Jamoe), and Phil Lesh! Wow! Phil had come out the song before to do a Crosby song. We got treated to a mini Dead set of Sugaree, Shakedown Street, and Franklin's Tower. It killed. Greg came out at some point, but he doesn't really count. Although, we wouldn't have this show at all if he wasn't public about his illness and wanting to do something for others. So, kudos to Greg!

Then it went back to ABB. Natalie came out one more time to do a sick Whipping Post.

We got Barry Gibbons on the 2nd encore.

A show of a lifetime!

Here's some other reviews with more details and accuracy. There's some videos in there as well:

http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/allman-brothers-band-welcome-cole-lesh-crosby-nash-and-more-beacon-benefit/

http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/28/allman-brothers-beacon-hep-c/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Spinner+%28Spinner.com%29

1. Don't Want You No More
2. It's Not My Cross To Bear
3. I Walk On Gilded Splinters
4. One Way Out
5. Into The Mystic
6. Statesboro Blues
7. Blind Willie McTell
8. Black Hearted Woman
with James van der Bogert, drums
9. Change Is Gonna Come
with Natalie Cole, vocals; Danny Louis, keys; Ron Holloway, sax
10. The Weight
with Natalie Cole, vocals; Danny Louis, keys; Ron Holloway, sax
11. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
with Bill Evans, sax

Set II
12. Teach Your Children
with David Crosby & Graham Nash, guitar & vocals, Derek, guitar
13. Guenevere Green
with David Crosby, guitar & vocals, Graham Nash, vocals
14. Find The Cost Of Freedom
with Crosby, Nash Haynes a capella
15. Cowboy Movie
with David Crosby; Graham Nash; Phil Lesh, bass; Danny Louis, keys; James van der Bogert , drums
16. Almost Cut My Hair
with David Crosby; Graham Nash; Phil Lesh, bass; Danny Louis, keys; James van der Bogert , drums
17. Shake Down Street
with Phil Lesh, bass & vocals; Danny Louis, keys; James van der Bogert , drums
18. Sugaree
with Phil Lesh, bass & vocals; Danny Louis, keys; James van der Bogert , drums
19. Franklin's Tower
with Phil Lesh, bass & vocals; Danny Louis, keys; Bill Evans, sax; James van der Bogert , drums; Oteil, vocals
20. Whipping Post
with Natalie Cole, vocals
Encore
21. Midnight Rider
with David Crosby, Graham Nash, vocals; Devon Allman, guitar & vocals
22. Will the Circle Be Unbroken
with Natalie Cole, vocals; Billy Gibbons, guitar, Crosby & Nash, vocals; Danny Louis, piano

Rob Duguy @ Jazz Standard 7/26/11

2011-08-10T22:04:00.000-04:00

I got the last spot for the first set. I'm always surprised at full it is on a Tues night. I recognized a lot of live music lovers in the audience.

The music was excellent and highly worthy of the venue. You can say that about every single band they book there. Rob and Yvonne both work there, so it was extra special to see them up there. I mean, you go somewhere on average a few times a month and you are bound to make friends with people who work there. Especially THAT place. It has an aura that supports people being very nice and happy. I mean, they get to see excellent music and likely get a staff meal every shift. That's where I would be working if I was still in the restaurant business.

Anyway, this ensemble was fantastic. Rob was great on bass. I didn't realize he does some percussion as well. The 2 tenors were fantastic. I could really get into the piano. The drummer was awesome. Yvonne has a great jazz voice. There was also an unlisted special guest Alex Cowings, the tap dancer. He added to the show, it was fun to see him jam with the drummer. Rob called him back up later during an African Suite to jam with Rob on hand-drum AND Nadav Snir–Zelniker on drums.

He was having so much fun they went a little long. It was about 1.5 hours and it looked like another sold out set coming up.

ROB DUGUAY’S SONGEVITY featuring ABRAHAM BURTON, NOAH PREMINGER & YVONNE SIMONE
Abraham Burton – tenor saxophone
Noah Preminger – tenor saxophone
Yvonne Simone – vocals
Justin Kauflin – piano
Rob Duguay – bass
Nadav Snir–Zelniker – drums

Countless Jazz Standard patrons have been greeted nightly by our skilled and friendly maitre’d, Rob Duguay – but do they know that Rob is also an in–demand bassist, inventive composer, and first–rate bandleader? Tonight, Jazz Standard is proud to present Rob Duguay’s Songevity in its first appearance on our stage. Beginning in his student days at the University of Vermont, Rob has played with Clark Terry, Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo O’Farrill, among others. Rob later spent significant periods of musical development in Paris and pre–Katrina New Orleans before arriving in the NYC area in 2007. He’s gigged extensively with both his Low Key Trio and the Rob Duguay Quartet, but Songevity is his most expansive and unique experiment to date – don’t miss it!