CraigP

Like Colinmce, I first heard him on Duets (Wesleyan) 2002 and now consider him, along with Mary Halvorson, to be the two finest current interpreters of Braxton's music. Any CD with the Diamond Curtain Wall trio of Braxton, Halvorson and Bynum, or Quartet with Bassoonist Katherine Young, is worthwhile. Of his own work I like Asphalt Flowers quite a bit; I was a little disappointed in Apparent Distance. Between him, Nate Wooley and Peter Evans, the future of the trumpet is bright.

I felt that way last time I saw the band, about 2 years ago. And I love Threadgill, but I didn't love the two prior Pi releases. Up Popped Two Lips was, for me, his most recent totally great album. That's my feeling as well. Gosh, how'd you get so smart?

I need to listen to this again. I thought it lacked focus and that too much of it meandered along without much direction. Still keeping an open mind though...

This was generally my reaction, although I've only listened to the first disc. I don't have the previous live albums, so I was surprised at how almost riff-based the performances are; they get in a groove and run with it like a rock or jam band would. It's kinda cool but I haven't been aching to listen to the second disc.

Would love to be there - enjoy.

That horse left the barn a long time ago I'm afraid.

Sorry, I'm working a lot of OT these days and had to miss. When are you playing next?

Is the Greg Waits band playing at Meridian again tomorrow night?

Nuscope Recordings Evan Parker - Tenor Saxophone Georg Graewe - Piano No one has conquered the demands of free improv like Evan Parker. And while at this stage of his career you pretty much know what to expect from him, his mastery of the idiom still makes it a pleasure to hear one of his performances. Dortmund Variations, recorded as part of a Graewe-curated Ruhr 2010 series, consists of three improvisations lasting from eleven to thirty-seven minutes. Parker sticks with tenor throughout, and he and Graewe engage in meaningful conversation that is characterized by subtle shifts in emphasis and tone rather than demonstrative displays of emotion. Think of a stream that’s polished the stones below as opposed to waves crashing over coral. (Wow, I’m going to have to work on my analogies!) Graewe’s notes unspool at a pretty consistent pace, and that’s my one quibble with the performance; a little more contrast from him would have benefited the whole. Still, it’s a dialogue that’s worth listening in on – and attention to the shades of meaning proves a rewarding experience.

Blame It On Rio.

Adam Ant!!!

Yes, that was me...much to my wife's chagrin. I'm going to request Ascension the next time I come, so get ready!

Mr. Waits and crew began their first of what hopefully will be an ongoing engagement at the Meridian Room last night. The band was tight and played a set featuring varied tempos and a couple of bossa-influenced tunes. There were at least a couple of songs that I should know the names of, but can't recall. Everyone acquitted themselves well in their solo spots; I could detect a Dexter Gordon influence with Mr. Sangrey, definitely a good thing, and Greg had a smooth, fluid attack on trombone. Mr. Hankins alternated between mainstream guitar and a Metheny-influenced approach. One boisterous crowd member was calling out to the band until his wife told him to shut up, at which point this reviewer did as he was told. As threatened beforehand, Freebird was requested and the band graciously complied; soon we were grooving to the sweet sounds of Southern jazz-rock.* *Some parts of this review may have been exaggerated/made up.

Just read an article this weekend that said Apple will have to eventually change iTunes to reflect the "access, not ownership" model.

That made me laugh.

Anthony Braxton and Wynton Marsalis, Duets (Lincoln Center Basement) 2006 (10 CD set)

Looks like he's on the highway - to hell!

In the mid-80's I went to what was advertised as Sun Ra with a 100-piece orchestra at some old Lower East Side ballroom. I can't vouch for the exact number of musicians, but there were a ton - Clifford Jarvis was on one set of drums. After the show, my female friend and I went into the balcony area to explore the space, and voila - there's Mr. Ra himself sitting in one of the open rooms. We chatted with him for awhile, and during the conversation one of his dancers came in and rubbed oil on his feet.

Nils Wogram Septet, Complete Soul NWog Records Nils Wogram - trombone Stephan Meinberg - trumpet Claudio Puntin - clarinet Frank Speer - alto sax Tilman Ehrhorn - tenor sax Steffen Schorn - bass clarinet, baritone sax John Schröder - drums An unusual lineup from Nils, 4 reeds, 2 brass plus drums. From the description on the site of his new self-owned label, I gather he wrote and arranged all the selections. As he puts it, "...the horns mix such that one attains these organ-like sounds. The chords function as a whole and do not simply result in six tones that somehow blend together." The compositions on Soul have a circular feel to them, like you're hearing a different facet each time a section comes back into view. Some reminded me of the way Mingus arranged for horns, with the prominent trombone and the languid bluesy feel. Other compositions had more of a Balkans influence to them. There are sections where the drums lay out that emphasize the wind ensemble, and other sections that have a lot of rhythmic drive. It's a record that I immediately played again after it finished, because I wanted to figure out what was going on. This is one of the strongest albums I've heard from Wogram, and it could be the start of a new chapter in his career, as I haven't heard arrangements this complex and engaging from him before. Nils Wogram & Simon Nabatov, Moods & Modes NWog Records Nils Wogram - trombone Simon Nabatov - piano No one brings out the best in Nils Wogram's playing like Simon Nabatov. This is at least the third duo album the two have recorded, and it's a little jem. Rather than being freely-improvised, Moods & Modes splits compositional duties between the two of them, with 4 selections from Wogram and 5 from Nabatov. It's a joy to hear two artists so closely in sync, whether playing themes in unison or engaging in spirited back- and- forth exchanges in the improvised sections.

We'll have a spirited debate about Honey Boo Boo.

I'm listening to his wax cylinders right now!

Congratulations! We love The Meridian Room; I used to live down in that area. I'll try to convince my wife to go out on a school night, and we'll request Freebird.

If I ever hear of a serial killer loose in Brooklyn...

Yes, Joe Chambers did some amazing work in the 60's.

How did I know it would be you who would find this story? Just sayin'