What live music are you going to see tonight?

[relyles]

Mark Turner Quartet @ Regattabar, Cambridge, MA

I was there last night. Some "CD Release Party", huh? You would think that announcing a show as a "CD Release Party" you might want to have the CD available for sale? Nope. No CDs for sale at all.

Start 20 minutes late? No problem. Leave after an hour and 10 minutes ignoring the crowd (hint: your fans) asking for an encore? No problem. Hang around to sign your new CD at your "CD Release Party"? Huh? What do you mean, "hang around"? We high-tailied it outta there and disappeared. We don't do no stinkin' autographs.

All that is true, but the music they did perform was superb IMO. I picked up the CD a couple weeks ago and like it alot. I have heard Mark Turner live many times over the years and he has never been a real "people person". He is far from outgoing. I spoke to him once or twice and and get the sense that he just wants to play his music and nothing else. Nothing mean spirited or necessarily rude. He just seems a bit uncomfortable engaging with strangers. One of my favorite musicians nonetheless.

[Steve Reynolds]

Mark Turner Quartet @ Regattabar, Cambridge, MA

I was there last night. Some "CD Release Party", huh? You would think that announcing a show as a "CD Release Party" you might want to have the CD available for sale? Nope. No CDs for sale at all.

Start 20 minutes late? No problem. Leave after an hour and 10 minutes ignoring the crowd (hint: your fans) asking for an encore? No problem. Hang around to sign your new CD at your "CD Release Party"? Huh? What do you mean, "hang around"? We high-tailied it outta there and disappeared. We don't do no stinkin' autographs.

I have a problem when the audience is all set and ready and the band is way too slow in starting. One night Tony Malaby had his "Reading Band" with Billy Drummond on drums and they were very late for the first set and much too slow getting back to the stage for the second set. The music was still very good but I was irritated, my wife was very irritated and there was no reason for any of it. They were at the back of the room messing around rather than getting to the business that we were all there for.

My wife noted that with Tamarindo with William Parker and Nasheet Waits that Tony was much more serious, on time and focused. She thinks it's because of William Parker and his serious vibe and I tend to agree.

This past Tuesday Evan Parker started at 8:05 and 10:07 and gave us 70 minutes for each set. Room was packed and ready to go and he obliged in a very professional manner. Very nice was to start the sets eliminating the given "start 15-20 minutes late" standard that seems to exists. I know in the past it was worse but starting promptly for me leads to a better atmosphere and better reception/interaction with the audience.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

All that is true, but the music they did perform was superb IMO. I picked up the CD a couple weeks ago and like it alot. I have heard Mark Turner live many times over the years and he has never been a real "people person". He is far from outgoing. I spoke to him once or twice and and get the sense that he just wants to play his music and nothing else. Nothing mean spirited or necessarily rude. He just seems a bit uncomfortable engaging with strangers. One of my favorite musicians nonetheless.

But he is billing this as a "CD Release Tour" and the Regattabar advertised it as a "CD Release Show": As such, attendees should expect the artist to have that CD available for purchase or at least offer to personalize this new CD for fans that have already bought it. Like you, I have seen him many times, including a few times as a leader. I have never tried getting him to sign anything before so I don't know his personality quirks but when you are there specifically to push your new CD, you should at least make yourself available to the people who came because of that new CD.

I mean, maybe he doesn't have access to any stock of this new CD? Well, tell us that. But if people like you already have it, why not personalize it or at least accept our thanks in person? What's the big deal (for him)? He can say, "no autographs". Several artists have said that lately. But to basically run off the stage and down the hall into a closed room? That's actually a bit rude for a Jazz artist. I expect that with rock bands but not Jazz guys.

And why do you think the band ignored the audience's encore request? What Mark Turner personality trait caused that?

BTW, I thought Avishai stole the show. His solos were fun and inventive. I was really digging him.

[relyles]

Not really disagreeing with you. I drove two hours from CT to attend and was hoping for at least an equal amount of music. I am just saying the quirks did not bother me as much as they understandably did you.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I have a problem when the audience is all set and ready and the band is way too slow in starting. One night Tony Malaby had his "Reading Band" with Billy Drummond on drums and they were very late for the first set and much too slow getting back to the stage for the second set. The music was still very good but I was irritated, my wife was very irritated and there was no reason for any of it. They were at the back of the room messing around rather than getting to the business that we were all there for.

My wife noted that with Tamarindo with William Parker and Nasheet Waits that Tony was much more serious, on time and focused. She thinks it's because of William Parker and his serious vibe and I tend to agree.

This past Tuesday Evan Parker started at 8:05 and 10:07 and gave us 70 minutes for each set. Room was packed and ready to go and he obliged in a very professional manner. Very nice was to start the sets eliminating the given "start 15-20 minutes late" standard that seems to exists. I know in the past it was worse but starting promptly for me leads to a better atmosphere and better reception/interaction with the audience.

Some nights, delays don't bother me much but last night's delay effectively doubled my ride home. It turns out that the Mass DOT guys decided to pave route 93 North last night and they started closing lanes about a half hour before I got there. I had to detour into the side roads. Ugh.

No matter, I wasn't as bummed out by this delay as I was by Turner's seeming lack of interest in interacting with the people who paid $35 to see him.

[relyles]

I fear my man crush on Turner is starting to make me sound like an apologist, but I would not call it a lack of interest. Instead it is a discomfort bordering on social awkwardness. Indeed another musician who did a tour with Turner a few years back told me that Turner is extremely shy. It does not excuse it by any means, but perhaps it adds some explanation? For what it is worth, I was seated next to a bunch of music students and did see them talking to Turner after the show.

I only paid $25.

In any event, this was my first visit to Regattabar and I generally have a favorable first impression of the venue. Will go back another time when something else of interest is on the calendar. Kevin perhaps next time we can make plans to connect.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Go next Thursday. Kenny Werner is bringing in a killer band with Miguel Zenon on alto and David Sanchez on tenor.

Heck, next Tuesday (Eric Harland with Julian Lage and Walter Smith III) is looking good too but heading into town on a Tuesday & a Thursday in the same week is a bit much when the alarm goes off at 5:00 AM.

[relyles]

Next week is tentatively booked for me. I am taking Wednesday - Thursday off from work for my birthday. If everything works out planning trips into NYC to possibly catch Gary Bartz/Sharel Cassity @ Dizzy's, Steve Coleman @ The Stone and Eric Revis Quartet with Darius Jones and Bill McHenry at the Jazz Gallery.

[uli]

I enjoyed two very nice sets by survival unit III (Joe McPhee, Fred Lonberg-Holm Michael Zerang) tonite.

Sad that his was the last of the Immediate Sounds Series on wednesdays at the hiedeout. will miss it.

go Mitch!

Edited September 18, 2014 by uli

[relyles]

Tonight:

Evan Parker | Joe Morris | Nate Wooley at Firehouse 12 in New Haven

[BFrank]

Saw the Brian Blade Fellowship last night. Interesting group - obviously been together a long time (16 years). Very long pieces with several transitions throughout each one and the musicianship was at a very high level. Definitely worth seeing.

Next week: the Cookers

[alankin]

I saw Jon Madof's group Zion80 at the World Cafe last night. The 10-piece ensemble has two CDs on Tzadik. My wife had a nice time as she's performed in the past with most of the horn section: Frank London, Jessica Lurie. Matt Darriau, Greg Wall & Zach Mayer. Bassist Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz was very good, drummer Yuval Lion had good chops and keyboardist Brian Marsella was pretty wild.

[Leeway]

HIGH ZERO FESTIVAL 2014: The Festival of Experimental Improvised Music, Baltimore, MD.

Spent a pleasant afternoon and evening in Baltimore yesterday (Friday 19th). Checked out the gyros in Baltimore's Greek Village neighborhood, then headed over to the Studio Project venue for the 2014 edition of High Zero Festival. There is always a great vibe at this festival, almost like a big party. The emcee, M.C. Schmidt, is a wild and crazy and funny guy. The musicians and fans demonstrate a real community feeling. The 150 seat theater looked sold out.

The way the festival typically works: improvising and/or experimental musicians are invited individually. Each night of the festival (usually runs 4 nights), one musician opens with a solo. The other musicians are then placed in ensembles chosen by the organizers. IOW, nobody brings their own groups. The idea of course is to experiment.

Friday night, Okkyung Lee gave a strong solo on cello to open the evening, Group 1 was Jack Wright (sax), Dafne Vicente-Sandoval (bassoon), Paul Neidhart (perc, friction), M.C. Schmidt (store bought electronics), Charles Dube (electronics). This turned into a mostly lower-case affair, strongly atmospheric.

Group 2: John Kilduff (multitasking live art), Vicki Bennett ((found footage sample collage), Bob Wagner (perc, friction). This was definitely one of the strangest performances I've seen (at least where people keep their clothes on). Kilduff's performance last night consisted of making popcorn, painting a painting, making a popcorn egg omelet, answering questions from the audience, keeping up a rapid patter of comments and jokes, all while running on a treadmill in paint-bespattered suit and tie (and who says improvisors don't have a dress code!). You had to be there. It was actually pure Dada, and very funny. The painting was auctioned off to the audience for $150.

Group 3: LaDonna Smith (violin), Paul Neidhart (perc, friction), Harry Walker (electric bass), Michael Fischer (sax). This was one of the sets I had a lot of interest in. LaDonna Smith is well-known in experimental music circles, and this was my first opportunity to see and hear her. She and the ensemble did not disappoint, turning in a strong, intense performance.

Group 4: Charlotte Hug (viola, voice), JD Zazie (turntables, CDJ mixer, found sounds), Jenny Grafs (electronics, guitar), Stewart Mostofsky (electronics), Vicki Bennett (found footage sample collage). I had heard a lot about Charlotte Hug, she appears on several Emanem CDs, so again I was quite interested in her performance. She has a striking, wraithe-like appearance. She plays the viola with a sort of strap on the top of the viola, and bow under the instrument. I thought her individual performance was interesting, although I was disappointed she did not employ her voice more. While good, the set did not come up to the power of LaDonna Smith's set. Hug ended up playing against the found sounds, and while some of that was amusing, it did not allow her to generate much intensity. I would like to see her in perhaps a solo setting.She has played with Fred Lonberg-Holm, and that would be interesting,

If you've gotten this far, I'd like to offer some comments made by John Berndt in the Festival booklet. Berndt is one of the generators of the Festival, a major figure on the Baltimore experimental scene (which is very active), and an excellent saxophonist too. Berndt stated that "there is a way that the avante-garde...acts as a huge and unpaid R&D lab for mainstream culture .....The real question is what broader influences unusual thinking can have on the conscious mode of life.....From one perspective, if you want to have anything like a free mind, you have to have some appetite for an impressionistic vista of possibility where freedom can play and materialize.....this experimental activity is really about exposing and discovering that field of possibility with attenuated prejudgment [JB's italics] and a great deal of vitality, sensuality, and science.......Building activities into life which reboot the sense of possibility and redraw the lines of meaning in a core way rather swims up stream against heavy pressures of practicality, socialization, work, and ultimately mortality. Rather than being a reason to give up, that of course seems to be a source of ever-greater urgency.

[BFrank]

Looks like I'm going to get to see the Mingus Big Band at Ronnie Scott's in London next month. Haven't seen these guys in a while and am pretty excited to see them over there!

[BillF]

Going to see Alan Barnes at Whitefield this afternoon.

[Aggie87]

Caught the Mike Flanigin Trio with Jimmie Vaughan last night in Austin. They laid down some tasty greaze and blues. As an added bonus blues legend Lazy Lester hopped up on stage and sat in for a bit.

Highlights of the show for me were Sugar Coated Love w/Lester, Thunderbird, and a sublime version of St. James Infirmary.

Mike, Jimmie, and Frosty:

Lester sitting in:

With board-member Mike:

With Jimmie:

[BFrank]

Picked up a ticket for King Crimson at the Warfield on Oct 3. Been on the fence about this for a while, but I think I'll regret it if I DON'T go.

[Aggie87]

From all of the reviews & comments I've seen, it should be well worth your time, Buzzzz!!!

[BFrank]

From all of the reviews & comments I've seen, it should be well worth your time, Buzzzz!!!

I think so, too, AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!

[david weiss]

Picked up a ticket for King Crimson at the Warfield on Oct 3. Been on the fence about this for a while, but I think I'll regret it if I DON'T go.

I saw them in New York tonight and it was really a great show.

I'm old enough to have seen the band with Belew, Levin and Bruford live (when in college) and I really liked it but to me, this was on a whole other level.....perhaps because they played a lot of the material from the original band(s) and that is my favorite material and they really played the shit out of most of it. Starless was incredible and it was a thrill to hear it live. Some of the other hits came off great but it was the newer tunes that really showcased the band the best (except for Starless). The three drum thing worked well for the most part (except for Red, which was still great to hear but the drum thing really didn't work well here).

I wasn't familiar with most of the band except for Tony Levin and Mel Collins but they were really strong.

So, if you are a fan of the band, it is certainly worth checking out. They really bring it and sound great.

To stay on my high school guitar hero kick, after the show I walked over to Iridium and heard Alan Holdsworth. He was great too actually and about halfway through the set, most of the King Crimson band and crew (sans Fripp) walked in to check out the show. I had a free seat next to me so I offered it to Mel Collins. Nice guy.....

[BFrank]

Picked up a ticket for King Crimson at the Warfield on Oct 3. Been on the fence about this for a while, but I think I'll regret it if I DON'T go.

I saw them in New York tonight and it was really a great show.

I'm old enough to have seen the band with Belew, Levin and Bruford live (when in college) and I really liked it but to me, this was on a whole other level.....perhaps because they played a lot of the material from the original band(s) and that is my favorite material and they really played the shit out of most of it. Starless was incredible and it was a thrill to hear it live. Some of the other hits came off great but it was the newer tunes that really showcased the band the best (except for Starless). The three drum thing worked well for the most part (except for Red, which was still great to hear but the drum thing really didn't work well here).

I wasn't familiar with most of the band except for Tony Levin and Mel Collins but they were really strong.

So, if you are a fan of the band, it is certainly worth checking out. They really bring it and sound great.

To stay on my high school guitar hero kick, after the show I walked over to Iridium and heard Alan Holdsworth. He was great too actually and about halfway through the set, most of the King Crimson band and crew (sans Fripp) walked in to check out the show. I had a free seat next to me so I offered it to Mel Collins. Nice guy.....

Great review and Iridium story, David.

I'm looking forward to the Cookers on Friday, too!

[Larry Kart]

MARK TURNER QUARTET
Mark Turner - tenor sax
Avishai Cohen - trumpet
Joe Martin - bass
Justin Brown - drums

Constellation Chicago 9/23

I liked Turner some early on, but this music seemed to me to be very dried up melodically and oddly traction-less harmonically and rhythmically. I say "oddly traction-less" because with a fairly active drummer and pieces that do have some harmonic patterning, albeit of a rather bland abstract sort, one has to work at it to make so little apparent contact with the pulse or the "changes," such as they are. Not that the playing was at all "free" either, more like a series of etudes that had been purged of zest or detectable (by me) purpose, though they were not easy to execute.

[jcam_44]

Angel City Jazz Festival is going on this week. Caught Bobby Bradford, Steve Adams and Vinny Golia last night at the Blue Whale. This weekend should be stellar, Wadada, Braxton, Taylor Ho Bynum amongst others playing. Unfortunately I have to leave town for a wedding so I can't catch them.

[kh1958]

Last night, Eldar Djangirov Trio at the Campus Theater in Denton.

[mjazzg]

Brotzmann/Tippett/Noble @ Cafe Oto