Steve Reynolds

Last night Ben Vida with Yarn/Wire Natural Information Society both MUCH less impressive than I expected BV with Yarn/Wire almost all composed with vocals (with some fine harmonies) but 80% of the 50 minute set was singing NIS is just too static rhythmically (I knew this going in) but I hoped they would generate some real energy live and it never happened. Ari Brown, Jason Stein, Darius Jones & Josh Berman were all great but alas without any peaking by the static boring drummer, nothing truly exciting happened during the over long 85 minute set. Great venue (Pioneer Works) with a great sound system but please play the fucking drum kit!!! Drive the horn players, PLEASE!!!!! Impressive from some perspective I suppose but something like Tim Berne tonight with Greg Belisle-Chi, Oscar Noriega, Chis Potter, Eivand Opsik & Jeff Davis will be infinitely more invigorating to these ears.

Last night solo set from Brandon Lopez on double bass / first half of the 40 to 42 minute set sans bow, the second half exclusivity with it. OMG. trio set with Michael Attias on alto saxophone, Kenneth Jimenez on double bass & Randy Peterson on drums. Drum kit was ride cymbal, splash cymbal, snare, small tom, larger tom & bass drum. He could play the cymbals alone and carry a group. Attias was wonderful, young bassist was in a bad spot following Lopez but he held his own. 40-41 minute improvisation followed by a sublime 12-13 minute coda to the set. Randy Peterson remains the most unique and for my $$$, the best jazz drummer on the planet. I’ve been listening to him live and on record now for 25 years and every time I see him I’m stunned. No one plays remotely like him and I just wish more people would take some time to listen to this musical genius of the drum kit. Get Ready to Receive Yourself

Plus Michael Foster with Brandon Lopez & Joey Sullivan on 9/24. This trio is absolute fire!!!

Saw them last fall from far away in the Balcony of the 3,000 seat Kings theatre in Brooklyn. It was good. Last night on the rail. Spectacular. I was 20 feet from Stephen Malkmus. Back holding up / I’ve had bad back problems since June. Trying to go for the last of the 4 nights tomorrow night. Seeing Zoh Amba with Steve Gunn, Shahzad Ismaily & Jim White on Sunday 9/17. Saw the group in July. They were great. Also playing is a duo of Lee Renaldo & Booker Stardum. Trying to squeeze in Mat Maneri’s Quartet with Lucian Ban, Brandon Lopez & Randy Peterson on Saturday 9/16. Natural Information Society on 9/20 with guests Darius Jones & Ari Brown. Last saw Ari Brown on January 7, 1999 at The Velvet Lounge / the day Fred Hopkins died. Oteil & Friends at Capital Theatre on Saturday 9/23

Pavement @ Brooklyn Steel

Set two / has to heard to be believed. But it’s not an easy listen. Gayle isn’t easy music. Ending of the first long 33 minute section with Charles screaming while on piano is an all-time moment. The audience is stunned. What Edwards plays earlier in the piece is beyond impossible and stunningly brilliant. Then it almost turns boppish for a bit. The second closing piece starts as a free ballad with Gayle’s piano growing on me. Edwards again is mesmerizing. From bow to fingers (and he’s recorded so well here). No one plays the bass like this. Peaking madly at 7-8 minutes in. Beautiful. Almost a waltz as they near the end. Then it’s not. Charles speaks. “It is YOU who makes this music” “Without YOU this couldn’t happen” ”YOU pushed me to the edge” RIP to a very special soul

Seasons Changing might be the last Gayle album / certainly a great moment in time / for sure a major event that in different musical environment might be now be receiving plaudits. But as always with *this* music, it’s ignored and simply not even commented upon. It never was. 2 CD set recorded live on November 15, 2017 at Cafe Oto with the *great* John Edwards and the equally incredible Mark Sanders. Both are among the greatest ever on their respective instruments. disc one has Gayle starting on alto saxophone / three performances although playing as a 43 minute set. 22 minutes on alto, then a blistering 12 minute piece with Gayle playing alto with a faculty that belies his age. His playing is often coarse and even difficult. Then Charles on piano with Edwards on the bow. Still hard to have a commentary on his piano explorations. But it sure gets gorgeous a few minutes in which is a surprise. An elegy to something. The bass/drum tandem drives the music fiercely as this duo is wont to do in the right circumstances. Fantastic yet raw recording as well. comments on set two later as I’m revisiting it now.

Still can’t see them:)

Tim Berne with Greg Belisle-Chi, Matt Pavolka & Jeff Davis

RIP, sir fortunate to see him in Montclair NJ a few years back. Hindered physically but still brilliant.

He was always hard to listen to for me which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. was able to see him live with Rashid Bakr (now Charles Downs) & I think William Parker IIRC. Was maybe 2000 or 2001.

RIP, sir

Fwiw Mantanzas is one of the greatest recordings/performances of the past 20 years. The peak and groove at the end makes most music quake on its wake. Lopez trio with the beast Steve Baczkowski and the *great* Gerald Cleaver. Awe inspiring.

Can’t see the pictures

Pillars is epic from many perspectives.

I told Tyshawn after a show earlier this year I’d love to hear Pillars live. He smiled.

577 records New Playfield as with all volumes get repeated listens CollapseUnCollapse with Mark Sanders, Chris Mapp & Andrew Woodhead Fathom with John Butcher, Pat Thomas, Dominic Lash & Steve Noble Secret Handshake with Danger volume 2 Towards the Flame with Robert Mitchell, Neil Charles & Mark Sanders / incredible All the new Matchless recordings will be played often. Prevost full power at 80. Duo with Rowe (AMM) from July 2022 at Cafe Oto is priceless. The previous 3 CD box with Rowe, Tilbury & Prevost is extraordinary. Then again I’m an AMM fanatic and a true believer in all things Keith Rowe. most of the newish erstwhile recordings will be played often. Big fan of Vanessa Rossetto. Can’t listen enough as well as Graham Lambkin. aerophonic Harvesters with Rempis’ double drummer quartet Earscratcher with Lonberg-Holm, Harnik & Daisy Scylla with Ra, Baker & Abrams

Let’s try - post pandemic recordings and especially live shows the best I’ve ever experienced over the last 12 months. The McPhee/Knuffke recording on Fundacja is the best free jazz record I’ve heard in a few years. Long which usually is tough but I find myself playing it often. Jay Rosen is stunning on this recording as is Michael Bisio. Impossible to put words to how great this session was & is. 78 minute / like a classic double LP. Plus one MUST hear Buffalos. MUST. quartet with Ivo Perelman & Ray Anderson - 2 CD set surprised me with it’s freshness. Again older school free jazz but I cannot get enough also Fundacja Matanzas on Relative Pitch with Steve Baczkowski, Brandon Lopez & Gerald Cleaver - astounding Red Planet / quartet on Relative Pitch 2 saxes & 2 drummers Marco Colonna & Edoardo Marraffa on saxophones. As good an interplay as I saw Saturday night with James McKain on tenor & Signe Emmeluth on alto with Brandon Lopez & Sofia Borges. Maybe THAT set will show up on CD as it was professionally recorded. Fwiw NOBODY here in New York is playing bass on the level of Brandon Lopez. Committed. Likht - duo with gabby fluke-mogul & Nava Dunkelman / again on Relative Pitch / can’t get enough of this Crying in space / Mette with Flaherty in a quartet with Corsano / burning - again relative pitch more later from other labels!! wait until we hear the Chuck Roth recordings!!!!

Last night Tim Berne with Greg Belisle-Chi, Tom Rainey & Aurora Nealand Aurora on accordion & clarinet on one song extraordinary set. Best of the Berne Thursday night shows I’ve seen this year. (The Sun of Goldfinger night with David Torn & Ches Smith excluded as that is another level shit / that night was like fucking Can peaking). first 42-43 minutes 3-4 Berne compositions segued / stunning power & imagination. As great as Rainey usually is, last night he was beyond that. And the accordion / my jah is she incredible. Belisle-Chi is a great guitarist who is so attuned to Berne’s music. Such a pleasure to see these Berne shows once or twice a month this year. Plus Berne is playing at a peak level these days. I’ve never heard these pieces before. Last 12 minute composition/performance pure genius on many levels.

Lucian Ban Tuba Project with Alex Harding on baritone saxophone Mat Maneri on viola Bob Stewart on tuba Brandon Lewis on drums incredible SO glad you got to experience Joe McPhee live. My guess is tenor & pocket trumpet?

Last night: Tim Berne with Greg Belisle-Chi, Ralph Alessi & the *great* Tom Rainey wowza

Mat Maneri Quartet with Lucian Ban, Brandon Lopez & the *great* Randy Peterson first time since pre-pandemic seeing the amazing drummer

I liked Murray back in the day but mostly I agree with Allen. One mode with no grit.

The Tomeka Reid quartet set was stunning. I had the “Mary” seat 7 feet from her without the music stand blocking my view. Not meaning to compare but as great as Mary was (and is), Tomeka’s improvisational and melodic gifts are from another planet. From small form crunchy improv to melodic soloing I’m not sure she can be matched. Stunning performance. Plus I’m usually not easily impressed with current compositions by most / but Tomeka’s newest (premiered last night - and they are recording today in the studio) are even better than the compositions premiered this past spring. Or what’s on the 2 recordings. 3 extended pieces totaling ~53 - 54 minutes or so.