What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Hardbopjazz]

Jimmy Greene Beautiful Life. Celebration of his daughter's Ana's life. Very powerful two sets of music.

[Steve Reynolds]

Tony Malaby with John Hebert & Billy Mintz

9:00 set time

[Steve Reynolds]

Above @ Cornelia Street Cafe

First piece a warm up

Second piece on soprano - very fine playing with the energy level increasing

Then we get the trio starting to crank it up a bit with a piece that was penned by Mintz. Then one of the two or three ballads, or balladic pieces if you will, of the night - great tone on tenor and great brushwork but these pieces only go so far with me.

Then we get "We See" which is the first time I hear Malaby play Monk

Close to what ICP does with "Jackie-Ing" or "Criss Cross"

Pretty fucking incredible to my ears.

And Billy Mintz by now is elevating

Then a Lionel Hampton ballad and they close the first 70 minute set with some awe inspiring groove piece that had the whole trio playing at the next level.

Second set starts with an subtle piece with some terrifyingly agile playing by Malaby.

Then comes another Mintz piece that we find out is called "Cannonball"

Oh my

Lordy Lordy

The *great* Billy Mintz takes about 7 or 8 minutes to build this groove - by 12 or 15 minutes it has exploded into one of those pieces that is beyond genius.

Malaby by now is playing out of his mind.

Then the last ballad. I guess we/they needed a break

Second soprano piece follows - this time skronky, oblique with some terrific Hebert bow work. My wife didn't like this so much - for me, right down my alley - fine insect inspired piece

Last piece ends up with another Mintz groove with Tony playing the best tenor I've ever heard him play. Full range of the horn - full concentration and focus - elbows flapping left and sometimes right - the man right now is playing as if possessed. He has it all going on. He is playing better than ever. As many of you know I've seen him often over the past number of years - but these last two shows.....wow

Time for some serious music listeners to take note and come see the man live if you are interested in hearing a truly great tenor player.

And also it is great to see Mr. Billy Mintz in an open yet structured (all compositions ) like this. He develops magical grooves and the sound he gets from the bass drum and toms is simply magnificent. Understated yet very powerful last night.

If this sounds like fanboy shit - too bad - a few of you maybe oughtta check him out live rather than keeping him on ignore - so those near NYC come by on 12/26 or 12/27 and see Open Loose (at the same great little venue) for the Mark Helias led trio with another version of Tony Malaby on tenor with the *great* Tom Rainey at the kit.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Steve Reynolds

[Leeway]

Thanks Steve.

Two things jump out.

Even at that misfire with the New Quintet, Tony's playing is as tight and intense as I've seen it in, lo, these many years. He seems very very focused.

Drummers make all the difference.I'd rather have a "straight" group with an "out" drummer than the other way around. I've seen out players trying to play with a straight drummer, and the results are quite deflating. The drummer is like the pilot on a boat: sets the course.

Glad it worked out.

[alankin]

Last night:

Venue:

Philadelphia Art Alliance251 S. 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA

Saturday, December 13, 2014 - 8:00pm

Todd Sickafoose’s Tiny Resistors

Jenny Scheinman, violin

Ben Goldberg, clarinet

Kirk Knuffke, cornet

Erik Deutch, piano

Rob Reich, accordion

Adam Levy, guitar

Todd Sickafoose, bass

Allison Miller, drums

Ars Nova Workshop is pleased to present the Philadelphia premiere of Todd Sickafoose’s original composition BEAR PROOF.

[kh1958]

Last night, Dave Burrell playing solo piano at a church in Houston for two and a half hours straight. That was pretty great.

[bogdan101]

Friday night I saw Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood play at Massey Hall. Very nice show, I was most impressed by Martin and Wood; Medeski was a bit quiet, his piano being a bit low in the mix didn't help either.

[BFrank]

Last night:

Ravi Coltrane saxophones

Nicholas Payton trumpet

Adam Rogers guitar

Matt Garrison (Jimmy's son) electric bass

Marcus Gilmore (Roy Haynes' grandson) drums

Nice 2-hour set with some interesting Impulse selections from "Coltrane," "Crescent," and of course most of "A Love Supreme". VERY impressed with Marcus Gilmore, who I haven't seen or heard before. Drumming obviously runs in the family.

[Chuck Nessa]

Tonight Witches and Devils (Mars Williams, Josh Berman, Brian Sandstrom, Steve Hunt, Kent Kessler, Fred Lonberg-

Holm and James Baker) at Hungry Brain. Ayler and Christmas songs - can't beat that.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Chuck Nessa

[colinmce]

Sounds like a blast!

[Chuck Nessa]

Jeb Bishop was a surprise guest. The house was full of other musicians.

[Larry Kart]

The Hungry Brain show was a blast. Packed house, joyous music -- at once balls out and lucid. Great to see Chuck, Ann, and their daughter Carla for the first time in a while.

[Chuck Nessa]

I wanted to mention the Hungry Brain has run into some licensing issues and will close soon. Because of this there was a sort of melancholy mood from the musicians and audience. John Litweiler, Larry Kart and Bill Meyer were there too. I mentioned other musicians in the club - Jason Adasiewicz, Tomeka Reid, Josh Abrams, Mike Reed, James Falzone, Keefe Jackson and....

Maybe John or Larry will remember the ones I missed.

[JSngry]

What kind of licensing issues..legit(ish) or trumped up gentrification/leasemonger terrorism?

[Chuck Nessa]

No idea.

[Larry Kart]

I wanted to mention the Hungry Brain has run into some licensing issues and will close soon. Because of this there was a sort of melancholy mood from the musicians and audience. John Litweiler, Larry Kart and Bill Meyer were there too. I mentioned other musicians in the club - Jason Adasiewicz, Tomeka Reid, Josh Abrams, Mike Reed, James Falzone, Keefe Jackson and....

Maybe John or Larry will remember the ones I missed.

Bassist Anton Hatwich and, at the second set, trumpeter Russ Johnson, probably many more.

[colinmce]

Sounds like my kind of party. I really, really miss Chicago.

[jcam_44]

Caught Steve Coleman and the Five Elements last night at the Blue Whale. Excellent show! 2+ hours of Steve and Jonathan Finlayson trading jabs was a treat

[Justin V]

Lee Konitz Quartet, Columbus

The most recent concert I attended was Lee Konitz's quartet, with pianist Dan Tepfer, bassist Jeremy Stratton and drummer George Schuller. The set list was bookended by duo versions with Tepfer of 'Body and Soul' and 'Round Midnight', with the entire quartet playing on 'Subconscious-Lee', 'Play, Fiddle, Play', 'Stella by Starlight' and (what I think was) 'Without a Song'. Dan Tepfer continues to impress me as one of the brightest young pianists on the scene, with his fractured lyricism, remarkably independent hands and distinctive touch. Talking with him afterward, he said that he tried to honor Konitz, and he did exactly that with his adventurous soloing and sensitive comping. I couldn't help but think of the parallel between his partnership with Konitz and Konitz's partnership with Tristano; Tepfer is flourishing under Konitz's mentorship as Lee once did under Tristano and is an excellent musician in his own right. Stratton and Schuller were understated, sympathetic and quick on their feet in the way they helped to shape the group's aesthetic and responded to shifting dynamics.

Lee, as always, continues to amaze. On 'Stella by Starlight' and 'Without a Song', there were passages that could easily be turned into songs of their own, calling to mind a liner-note comment I once read regarding the improviser's improving upon a melody. In an unexpected turn of events, Lee also improvised vocally on most of the songs. Although there is a certain intimacy inherent in Lee's style, his vocals added added a stark vulnerability that was very moving. Lee also provided some witty and self-effacing stage banter; when he introduced 'Subconscious-Lee' as a song that he had written 60 years ago and the crowd didn't respond, he quipped that he hoped that the song was more popular in its next 60 years.

Having seen Konitz several times (with and without Tepfer, Stratton and Schuller) over the past few years, I can't say enough about the level he is playing at and how having had the privilege of seeing him has affected me.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Justin V

[LWayne]

Was this at the Wexner Center in Columbus?

LWayne

[Justin V]

Yes, it was.

[LWayne]

Wanted to make it there. Had an accident over vacation and wasn't able to make the trip. Good to read a review.

LWayne

[Steve Reynolds]

Open Loose @ Cornelia Street Cafe

Mark Helias w/Tony Malaby & Tom Rainey

[Steve Reynolds]

Tomorrow night:

Jon Irabagon with Mary Halvorsen & Nasheet Waits

Jon must have just finished up tonight with Mark Helias & Barry Altschul

[Leeway]

Tomorrow night:

Jon Irabagon with Mary Halvorsen & Nasheet Waits

Jon must have just finished up tonight with Mark Helias & Barry Altschul

Ask Jon about "Blue" . (Vis-a-vis the Motian awkward conversation thread).

Musicians I like like Jon but so far I'm not feeling that feeling myself. Best I've seen him has been in Halvorson's Septet. The rest has ranged from disastrous to ho-hum. Which is not to say I'm not willing to be pleasantly surprised someday.