Kendrick Scott Oracle @ Jazz Standard 7/27/10

They has special guest Chris Potter on stage the whole time. It's already a great band, Chris just makes it even better. I've seen all of them before. I really missed Derek Hodge, I feel like I haven't seen him in ages.

It started off with Chris on bass clarinet and Derek on electric bass. I forgot Chris plays bass clarinet! He plays it like he plays the tenor. It's great. We also got a phenomenal bass solo that was very melodic. The guitar solo was brilliant. The whole thing was awesome.

The 2nd song started off with a kickass funky drum solo. It got jazzier as the others came in, but kept that kickass groovy jazz thing in the drums.

I think it was after that that Derek switched to the acoustic upright for the duration. I think after the first song Chris was on tenor for the duration.

Aaron Parks certainly deserves a shoutout. He mainly played piano, but I saw him switch to an electric for the last tune.

This is a great straight ahead trio with a little edge. I'm sure it's still great and a little cheaper without Chris. I think they played Joe's Pub recently. I was holding out for this show, but I would like to see that sometime.

Tuesday July 27
KENDRICK SCOTT ORACLE featuring CHRIS POTTER

• Chris Potter - tenor saxophone
  Aaron Parks - piano
  Lage Lund - guitar
  Derrick Hodge - bass
  Kendrick Scott - drums

Kendrick Scott is not only (to quote the NY Times) “a jazz drummer conversant in an ultra–modern sense of propulsion” but also a composer, bandleader, and music entrepreneur of significance on the current scene. The Houston, TX native has been a mainstay of the Terence Blanchard band for the past six years; he contributed tunes and orchestrations to the trumpeter’s Grammy–nominated Flow (Blue Note, 2005) and the Grammy–winning A Tale of God’s Will (Blue Note, 2007). Not yet 30 years old, Kendrick has gigged and/or recorded with a host of boldface names ranging from Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter to Patti Austin and the Crusaders. In 2007, Kendrick Scott launched the World Culture Music label as a vehicle for the dissemination of his own music (including his 2009 CD Reverence) as well as that of other likeminded performers. "A true artist of the highest order. He is exactly what the music world needs: someone with the vision and courage to press forward and expand the world of music.” (Terence Blanchard)

Nerve @ Nublu 7/21/10

I really wanted to catch some of this. I couldn't figure out what time it would start. That's how I found myself in the area at 10pm to catch The Stone show. I did catch a little of the Nerve soundcheck before heading over there. All I heard was the very intense drumming. Someone observing the drum soundcheck requested "Hot For Teacher". Jojo started playing it. It was great and he is a great drummer. There's a lot of talent and a lot of intensity. I liked it and the drumming in the actual show a lot. There was also something different that I can't quite pinpoint. I don't want to imply it was less or more, just different than what Alex Van Halen's drumming on that song feels like. I definitely could feel Jojo, just a different feeling.

I found a good description of the type of music online:
Jojo Mayer initiated NERVE in spring ‘98 as an experimental platform for a handful of New York musicians interested in the current stream of electronic music styles in DJ culture such as “drum n` bass”, nu skool breaks, nu-jazz, abstrakt funk, electro break beats etc., while also trying to detect and explore the most recent developments in “intelligent” electronic dance music.

I saw Takuya Nakamura earlier this week and I was very curious. When I looked him up I saw he was playing at Nublu. Nublu's site says this is not to be missed. Hence, I was compelled to check it out.

They came on at 11:30. It is definitely the type of band that shouldn't come on too early. It's very intense. I enjoyed the 20 min I saw. It also grew on me and got into my veins as it progressed. I wanted to stay, I just have a lot going on and needed to be alert the next day. Here's a good article about the band. It says "BEWARE: NERVE might change your life...". I could see that. I feel altered. There's something about it. I also was reminded of Uri Caine's Bedrock. It's different, but reminiscent.

I need to see the whole show sometime.

Zozimos @ The Stone 7/21/10

I had an hour an what better way to spend it than at The Stone. I was very happy with my choice when I saw taper Scott and the instrument setup. Also, I couldn't remember ever seeing the violin, guitar, drummer, tuba, sax, or trumpet player before. This was bound to be another winner. It was.

They play as an orchestra at Tea Lounge often. Somewhere along the way, they decided to do a Hansel and Gretel operetta. Ben Has been gradually putting it together and adding to it for the Tea Lounge shows. It sounds like quite a feat and there will eventually be footage on youtube. For this show at The Stone, he picked his favorite 6 pieces and rearranged them for this chamber ensemble. Each piece featured a different artist. I loved the concept!

The music is great. The musicians are great. I'm interested to see the whole shebang with the orchestra. It was an awesome set and a wonderful use of that hour of my time.

Ben Stapp & the Zozimos
Justin Wood (saxes, flute) Kenny Warren (trumpet) Danny Fischer (drums) Curtis Stewart (violin) Isaac Darche (guitar) Ben Stapp (tuba, narrator)
A collective Chamber Group performing selections from Mr. Stapp's jazz-folk operetta Hansel and Gretel (Instrumental Version) Incorporating rhythmic drones, faux 4-D tonality, folk melodies, break-beats and more. A night of aural story telling/sound painting.

Eric Deutch @ Banjo Jim's 7/20/10

For the summer Banjo Jim's is having Eric Deutch's Summer Shakedown starting at around 10pm-ish. He plays with at least 1 of the bands, maybe both. He played in both last night.

The first was a quartet with Brandon Seabrook on banjo and guitar, Marc Dallo on drums, Whynot Jansveld on electric bass and Eric on organ. It was fun. It got funky, it got a little experimental, there was a great rock song at the end. They had me dancing for a lot of it. There were definitely some aha moments. I attribute most of those to Brandon. He really blew me away.

I had to stay for Sunny Ozell when I realized Tony Mason is on drums, Scott Metzger on guitar and Sunny is singing. I saw her sit in once with The Duo and have often wondered why she doesn't sing in a band. I recall when Galactic wanted a singer pondering why they didn't ask her.

This band also included Eric Deutch on organ/piano and Whynot Jansveld from the previous band on bass.

I couldn't stay for the whole thing, I hadn't intended to stay at all. This had more of a country/gospel flair. It was good and I enjoyed it. My favorite song was the Marva Wright cover. I also enjoyed some mini guitar solos. It was good and fun and worth sticking around for.

Radio I-Ching @ Otto's 7/20/10

I got the last 45 min or so, including encore. Cooper-Moore played with them as a special guest. He fit right in. It was fun to see him rock out. I saw him play his jaw harp, banjo and diddley-bo. Andy played his soprano sax, electronics and didgeridoo. Dee hauled in his own drum kit and sounded phenomenal. Don played electric bass, electric mandolin and something that looked like it could be some kind of African mandolin. He had a guitar and maybe something else, but I missed those.

A lot of people would love this band. They rock out with an experimental edge. It's intense.

Tuesday July 20 @ Ottos Shrunken Head
Radio I-Ching

Andy Haas - curved soprano sax and reeds (Martha and the Muffins, Hanuman Sextet, John Zorn)

Don Fiorino - guitar, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, glissentar, bass (Attention Screen, Hanuman Sextet)

Dee Pop - drums and percussion (Bush Tetras, Freedomland, Gun Club)

& very special guest star
COOPER MOORE - horizontal hoe-handle harp, mouth-bow, three string fretless banjo, bass diddley-bow, bamboo flutes (William Parker's In Order to Survive, Digital Primitives, Little Huey Orchestra, Triptych Myth)

Otto's Shrunken Head
538 East 14th Street, NYC, 212-228-2240

Harlem-Kingston Express @ Dizzy's 7/20/10

Jamaican music at Dizzy's with 3 drummers, one of which is Obed Calvaire - I'm there! Believe it or not, it exceeded my expectations. It was Jamaican infused jazz. They even did a couple of familiar tunes there way. There was some reggae, some island sounds, jazz and lots of drums.

They had 2 great bassists, electric and upright. I love that. The guitarist from Israel is phenomenal. There was another rhythm guitar. The piano was incredible. He also played the melodica, some of the best I've hear. Yes, it was quite a band.

There was one call-and-response part between the guitar and the melodica. Plenty of great drum solos to keep me happy. I was dancing the whole time in my usual spot between the sound guy and the kitchen. It was awesome!

The set was over 45 min. I had the feeling they would have done an encore if the manager hadn't come on to do his usual spiel about what's coming up. Maybe not, but it seemed like it to me. It was a great show regardless!

The listing:
Monty Alexander: Harlem-Kingston Express
w/Bobby Thomas, Obed Calvaire, Hassan Shakur, Karl Wright & Hoova Simpson

Tue-Sun, Jul 20-25

Travel to the island of Jamaica with native son Monty Alexander as he performs a magical blend of rich rhythms, traditional songs of Jamaica, and the classic sounds of contemporary jazz. Monty Alexander, piano; Bobby Thomas, hand drums; Obed Calvaire, drums; Hassan Shakur, bass; Karl Wright, Jamaican drums; Hoova Simpson, Jamaican bass

View a video of Monty Alexander performing live from Jazz at Lincoln Center here.

Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet @ Small's 7/17/10

I wanted more and this was a good opportunity to finally see Stacy Dillard's late night jam at Small's. It was previously late night on Thurs, which I just couldn't make it to.

I got there at 12:22, and was charged $20. I was told it's a bit hot and the AC wasn't working. For the slow song, I stood in the hallway, at the bottom of the stairs. At 12:35 I heard the door guy tell people it was $10. Oh well, there isn't much difference between $10 and $20, given the high prices I've been spending at the higher end clubs this week.

They played until almost 1am, and I enjoyed it a lot. I've only seen him at Bar Next Door before. It was a lot of fun and I was dancing the whole time.

10:30 to 1:00 AM - The Jonathan Kreisberg Group
Jonathan Kreisberg - Guitar , Will Vinson - Alto Sax , Johannes Weidenmuller - Bass , Eric Doob - Drums