What live music are you going to see tonight?

[mjazzg]

Hope to make it to Roscoe Mitchell, John Edwards, Mark Sanders at Oto tomorrow evening. It will be the first time I've seen Mitchell live.

Heard them last night - astonishing! really incredible gig

Wasn't it? Just the most amazing experience. Nothing had prepared me for the intensity of Mitchell's playing. That drone-like solo he blew on the soprano in the second set was otherworldly. The hometown rhythm section were on top form too

[niels]

Spinifex Maximus @ Brebl Nijmegen last Night with Piotr Damasiewicz, Jeb Bishop, Josh Sinton, Onno Govaert, Jasper Stadhouders, Bart Maris, Tobias Klein, Edoardo Marraffa, Matthias Muche, Pascal Rousseau, Goncalo Almeida and Philipp Moser.

Well, that was a lot of fun! As I could expect, it was extremely energetic and powerful, sometimes like a tornado hit the room. The music went from all out big band stuff to sections that sounded like you were listening to metal to more regular free jazz. Also good to see quite some people showed up, and most seemed to enjoy it (although one person sat with his hands over his ears for the whole two and a half hours, hahaha)

[kh1958]

Last night, duo guitar with Nels Cline and Julian Lage at the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff.

[fasstrack]

Last night, duo guitar with Nels Cline and Julian Lage at the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff.

Julian Lage=MF.

[kh1958]

Last night, duo guitar with Nels Cline and Julian Lage at the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff.

Julian Lage=MF.

I had not heard their recent duo album, but it was a quite excellent concert. Very clear sound, and a quite nice venue (refurbished historic movie theater), with a nearly full house. 

[Leeway]

Ran up to NYC this past weekend to see Urs Leimgruber at I-Beam Brooklyn. I'm a huge fan of Leimgruber, he's in my select group of great saxophonists,  but have never had the chance to see him live. Wasn't going to miss this opportunity. The Friday night set was Urs and pianist Jacques Demierre. Bassist Barre Phillips couldn't make the date due to medical treatment (btw, Urs says the treatment was quite successful and the prognosis is good). Instead, Urs and Jacques played a couple of solo DVD performances of Barre projected on the background, and then improvised against Barre's virtual appearances. It was their way of invoking Barre's presence in the music. It worked and the music was deep. One thing that surprised me was how strong Demierre played; he quite rocked that piano on a multiple occasions. Urs' playing was intensely personal. 

On Saturday night, a larger group showed up. Shelly Hirsch (vocals), Paul Lytton (perc), and Nate Wooley (tp) joined Urs and Jacques and played a quite substantial and varied set. First was Hirsch, Lytton and Demierre in trio. Next was Urs and Nate in duo. Finally, the quintet played together. First time I'd seen Lyttton, who seems to be enjoying his time in NYC; his percussion is masterful. This might have been the smallest drum kit he's played on recently, but he had an arsenal of devices to keep him busy.  Also first time I'd seen Hirsch. She has a virtuoso voice and a keen dramatic sense. I know a lot of folks don't like vocals/vocalese, but Hirsch was really a spark plug for the trio and quintet, and injected visceral excitement into the performances. Demierre again showed surprising range on the piano.  And Urs, well, he was in even stronger form this evening. His playing is so physical and yet transcendent. Very glad I had the chance to hear him and talk to him before and after sets. Hope they come back this way soon with Barre.  

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

tmw, for the 1st time in seventeen yrs for me:::   Harold Mabern.  this yr in the tradition of big 50th anniversaries this yr and such, this is the 50th anniversary on some of his classic blue note dates: Dippin', The Gigolo, Night of the Cookers vol. 2...

[BillF]

Steve Waterman/Mike Hall quintet at Wilmslow last night.

[A Lark Ascending]

(photo from: http://www.londonjazznews.com/2015/10/interviewpreview-julian-arguelles-tetra.html)

Julian Arguelles' "Tetra"

Arguelles (tenor, soprano), Kit Downes (piano), Sam Lasserson (bass), James Maddren (drums)

Yet another of the Loose Tubers, Arguelles now fronts a wide range of bands in the UK. I've followed him since first seeing him in the late 90s in Cheltenham. Last night's concert was as good as any I've seen him do.

Very roughly, music that operates in a world approximating the Jarrett American Quartet, Wayne Shorter's recent quartet and John Surman's quartets. Structured with clear compositions but flexible and free-ranging. There's a pronounced 'Spanish' feel to the music in places reflecting Arguelles' background. Two of tonight's pieces had links with folk music from regions of Spain. The other thing he does which I like is a soprano effect that sounds like a Scottish bagpipe...I think he lived in Scotland for a time (might well still do). You hear the Surman influence there. 

Downes and Maddren seem to be in every other band I see - marvellous players. I've not come across Lasserson before but he was superb - featured in a number of places to great effect. 

They still have gigs to come in Brighton, The Vortex and Coventry. Worth seeing. 

Edited November 6, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[optatio]

Tonight I will be here

and listen to:

20:00 Tony Malaby TubaCello

Tony Malaby (sax), Christopher Hoffman (cello), Bob Stewart (tuba), John Hollenbeck (dr)

22:00 Iiro Rantala

Iiro Rantala (p)

24:00 Ray Anderson Organic Quartet

Ray Anderson (tb, voc), Gary Versace (org), Steve Salerno (g), Tommy Campbell (dr)

38. Göttinger Jazzfestival 2015

[kh1958]

Last night, I would have preferred to see Azar Lawrence, but that was 230 miles away, whereas the Bill Charlap Trio (Peter Washington and Kenny Washington) was but a short drive away at the University of Texas at Dallas. A bit soporific for me, some of the more obscure standards performed were somewhat appealing. The rhythm section is certainly smooth and elegant. Not regretful of attending but not really my cup of tea either. The audience besides myself was far more enthusiastic.

I do appreciate the Dean of the Arts College at UTD, who has maintained a program of jazz concerts each year for many years.

 

Edited November 7, 2015 by kh1958

[jeffcrom]

On 11/2/2015, 9:22:50, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

tmw, for the 1st time in seventeen yrs for me:::   Harold Mabern.  this yr in the tradition of big 50th anniversaries this yr and such, this is the 50th anniversary on some of his classic blue note dates: Dippin', The Gigolo, Night of the Cookers vol. 2...

I saw Mabern at the Fat Cat in Greenwich Village in June, and was mightily impressed.

[A Lark Ascending]

The Rheingans Sisters - in the upstairs room of an unreconstructed pub in Sheffield, my favourite type of venue. 

Gosh, these women are humbling. Mid-twenties-ish and they play fiddle in a scratchy, scrape-y, ancient way and speak Swedish and French! Daughters of a violin maker they appear to have grown up with music around them, playing together. 

A mixture of British, Old Time American, Scandinavian and, increasingly, French traditional music (the younger sister, Anna, is studying in south-west France and sourcing from the archives). The interaction between the two is hair-raising - you almost start believing in telepathy. Rhowan plays a bit of banjo and, on one song, an invention of her father's, a cross between a banjo and a sitar! She also has a lovely voice which she uses plainly without vocal mannerisms. 

I go to lots of folk type concerts and am endlessly impressed by the quality of the new generation of players and singers (the older too!); but these two have a repertoire which is so different from the norm and without having to indulge in strange crossovers (unless you count weaving a Swedish waltz into an English folk song a strange crossover). Currently an up and coming name  but I imagine before very long these two will be headliners at festivals, if the fact that they live in different countries and have independent musical careers doesn't get in the way.

I've been lucky to hear so much good live music this year...this was up there with the best. Looking forward to listening to the new record later on.   

Here they are last December in the same venue where I saw them last night playing a foot-stomping couple of French bourees: 

And a lovely version of Robin Williamson's 'October Song' with a lengthy prelude of tuning, story telling and giggling:

Love the mirror at the back. 

Edited November 8, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[kh1958]

Last night, a rare opportunity to hear Mali kora master Mamadou Diabate. The fact that it was in Austin wasn't going to deter me. First off, a quartet of Indian musicians, featuring Indradeep Ghosh on violin, Indrajit Banerjee on sitar, and Gourigankar on tabla, performed one song and were very impressive. Next, Mamadou Diabate took the stage for a solo performance segment. The concert organizer appeared to have planned on this segment being relatively short, but it was not to be. "I like to play," said Mamadou and there followed around ninety minutes of mind boggling kora virtuosity. An amazing and stunningly beautiful performance. Could anything follow that? Well, the next intended segment, some cross-cultural improvisation as the quartet of Indian musicians joined Mamadou on stage. The two songs performed were also things of beauty--the combination worked amazingly well. The concert was a rather dazzling musical experience, and it was well worth the drive to and from Austin.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

Youssou N'Dour- 14 piece band incl. 2 gtr, 2 keys, 4 drums, background vox, horn, even a dancer.  it was so fantastic

[BillF]

Greg Abate with the Brownfield/Byrne Quintet at Wilmslow this evening.

[sidewinder]

13 hours ago, BillF said:

Greg Abate with the Brownfield/Byrne Quintet at Wilmslow this evening.

Has he got a house in Manchester? 

[BillF]

1 hour ago, sidewinder said:

Has he got a house in Manchester? 

He is a regular guest at various fans' houses.

[erwbol]

John Scofield & Joe Lovano Quartet at the Bimhuis tonight, with Bill Stewart on drums and Ben Street on bass. 

The band was on fire for most of the two sets. Scofield, Lovano and Bill Stewart were great. As Lovano was announcing Mr. Puffy near the end of the second set, some guy a few seats next to me dropped an empty beer glass left of Scofield on the stage. Lovano joked they should name it Mr. Butterfingers instead. Scofield was agitated but made a joke about it. Then he launched into a blistering performance of Mr. Puffy, dedicated to his late son, and the band followed suit.

 

[jeffcrom]

Just got back from a fabulous concert at Spelman College in Atlanta, where my wife is a professor.

Dwight Andrews has been "Visiting Distinguished Scholar" at Spelman for a year, and tonight's concert was the culminating event of his residency. There was chamber music (including two movements of a beautiful string quartet), art songs, dance pieces, and a couple of Dwight's jazz pieces for double quartet - jazz quartet plus string quartet. His friend Geri Allen came down to play in the jazz quartet, along with a great local bass/drums team. It was really inspiring - I want to start writing art songs tomorrow. And it was fun to watch the violist watch and listen to the jazz quartet interact - she was entranced. I expect her to quit the string quartet tomorrow to start a new career playing jazz.

[Chuck Nessa]

Sounds interesting. Glad to hear Dwight is continuing down the music trail.

[jeffcrom]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Sounds interesting. Glad to hear Dwight is continuing down the music trail.

You may or may not know that he's a preacher here in Atlanta, as well as a theology professor at Emory University. He has remained involved in music, notably as composer/music director for many of August Wilson's plays.

[paul secor]

Interesting to hear of the continuity and changes that have happened in his life.

[mjazzg]

Didn't see Cassandra Wilson at the Royal Festival Hall last night. Enjoyed the support (Lionel Loueke) sat for an hour and an announce that "Ms Wilson is in her hotel room and will not be performing for you tonight. Her band are currently trying to persuade her to play for us". No further explanation given. Many very angry disappointed fans in the auditorium. I could understand their feeling but did wonder what they felt all the shouting and booing would achieve.

You win some.....

I hope she's OK.

edit to add: appears there was a performance after all if somewhat truncated and starting 45 minutes after the announcement (an hour and 25 minutes after scheduled start). A storm brewing with the promoter

https://www.facebook.com/Cassandra-Wilson-361569243871752/

Edited November 16, 2015 by mjazzg

[mr jazz]

Last night was Chucho Valdez and his tribute to Irakere. Words fail me. A brilliant performance and I don't use that word very often. If you get a chance to see this gig, don't miss it.