What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Aggie87]

I just discovered that Bobby Shew is in town for this weekend's Texas Jazz Festival. Would have preferred to have seen him instead of the Big Giant Rat last night. Unfortunately I have kid commitments this weekend already, or I'd check him out.

The TX Jazz Festival is not a big money event (despite it's name, which would seem to suggest a prominent fest), and often showcases local/regional music more than anything.

[BFrank]

SF Jazz Fest

Dee Dee Bridgewater, vocal

Baba Sissoko, tamani and ngoni

Fatoumata Kouyaté, vocals

Kabiné Kouyaté, vocals

Lansiné Kouyaté, balafon

Mamani Kéita, vocals

Moussa Sissokho, djembe and congas

Cherif Soumano, kora

Adama Diarra, djembe

Edsel Gomez, piano

Ira Coleman, bass

Minino Garay, percussion

I saw that Dee Dee Bridgewater group last weekend in Kansas City. It was great, a very memorable night of music.

What a GREAT show. Made even more special in that she brought her mother and sister to see the show and introduced them.

Her voice constantly astounds me. You have to see her live to get the full effect - it isn't captured in recordings as well.

[ejp626]

Last night was at the Green Mill to catch Rudresh Mananthappa and Vijay Iyer. Rudresh was leading this time, and they mostly played from Codebook. Really great of course. Of the young (younger than me) musicians, these are probably my favorite two. I went up and talked very briefly to them and got them both to sign the Raw Material artwork. I did ask Vijay how it went in Ann Arbor the night before, and he said it was great. I mentioned that some board members had made it, and he was vaguely aware of the Board, so that was cool.

I missed about ten minutes of the first set but I did manage to join a couple at a table, so I didn't stand all night, which was key. I stayed through the first two sets and left before the third. I kind of wish I had stayed midway through the third, since the Ween concert down the street let out at the same time, and the train home was jam packed. Anyway, the music was pretty much what we expect from the pair -- somewhat angular playing from Vijay, long lyrical, somewhat repetitive lines from Rudresh, followed by sheets of sound. The bass player (Francois Moutin) was good, and took a number of solos, kind of risky in a place like the Green Mill but you could actually hear him.

Probably the next time I go to the Green Mill, it will be smoke free, which will be good for me, but it will be a big break with tradition. I will say that there weren't clouds of cigarette smoke there as usual, so maybe even there people have started to cut back.

[sal]

Last night was at the Green Mill to catch Rudresh Mananthappa and Vijay Iyer. Rudresh was leading this time, and they mostly played from Codebook. Really great of course. Of the young (younger than me) musicians, these are probably my favorite two. I went up and talked very briefly to them and got them both to sign the Raw Material artwork. I did ask Vijay how it went in Ann Arbor the night before, and he said it was great. I mentioned that some board members had made it, and he was vaguely aware of the Board, so that was cool.

I missed about ten minutes of the first set but I did manage to join a couple at a table, so I didn't stand all night, which was key. I stayed through the first two sets and left before the third. I kind of wish I had stayed midway through the third, since the Ween concert down the street let out at the same time, and the train home was jam packed. Anyway, the music was pretty much what we expect from the pair -- somewhat angular playing from Vijay, long lyrical, somewhat repetitive lines from Rudresh, followed by sheets of sound. The bass player (Francois Moutin) was good, and took a number of solos, kind of risky in a place like the Green Mill but you could actually hear him.

Probably the next time I go to the Green Mill, it will be smoke free, which will be good for me, but it will be a big break with tradition. I will say that there weren't clouds of cigarette smoke there as usual, so maybe even there people have started to cut back.

Thanks for the report, Eric. I always seem to have something going on whenever these guys come into town. Really hope to see them sometime soon....they are two of the most exciting guys around.

[sheldonm]

...photographing Stanley Jordan tonight...then Douglass Ewart/Mwata Bowden at the Velvet on Friday night.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Dafnis Prieto Absolute Quintet at The Triple Door in Seattle tomorrow night. I'm really looking forward to it. He's an amazing drummer and a fine writer. That Absolute Quintet CD from last year was a real winner.

[EKE BBB]

Next Friday:

Anthony Braxton “Diamond Curtain Wall Trio”: Braxton (saxes, bass clarinet, electronics); Taylor Ho Bynum (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn) & Mary Halvorson (electric guitar). At the CMU San Juan Evangelista (XXVI Festival de Jazz), Madrid.

A few other organissimo members are also going to attend this concert... even coming from the Perfidious Albion.

......

Has anybody heard this ensemble recently?

[Guest Bill Barton]

Dafnis Prieto Absolute Quintet Monday turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. He was good, not great. Chops, chops, chops... The guy's an amazing drummer but I didn't hear any stories in the music or get much of an emotional connection. If you're ever in Seattle check out The Triple Door though, it's a wonderful venue: nice acoustics, superb sightlines no matter where you sit and good atmosphere.

Wally Shoup/Gust Burns/Reuben Radding/Greg Campbell and The Gust Burns Trio (featuring drummer Campbell and bassist Jeff Johnson) last night was a whole other story. Free improv at a very rarefied level. Top notch.

Tomorrow night it's off to see/hear the Anat Cohen Quartet and the Dawn Clement Trio.

[kh1958]

Last night I saw the Mingus Dynasty at the Iridium. They were in excellent form--led by Craig Handy, the sextet also included Orrin Evans on piano, Boris Koslow on the Mingus bass, and Kenny Rampton on trumpet. Highlights included Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Diane, Noddin' Your Head Blues, Thrice Upon a Theme (I never thought I would see a performance of this obscure Mingus composition), and Cumbia and Jazz Fusion.

[kh1958]

Bill Charlap Trio at the Village Vanguard--Not my cup of tea, I was pretty bored.

Then, David Schnitter Quartet at Smalls--A definite improvement, with Mark Soskin on piano.

[Robert J]

I'm not around here as often...

But, earlier this month I saw Pere Ubu in Toronto. They were on a limited 5 city tour and were absolutely amazing. One of the best concerts I've been to - in any genre.

If anyone would like details I can post them later.

[jlhoots]

Luciana Souza

[Guest Bill Barton]

It's off to see the Dawn Clement Trio and the Anat Cohen Quartet tonight at Cornish College of the Arts as part of the Earshot Jazz Festival.

Edited October 25, 2007 by Bill Barton

[ejp626]

I was at this concert in Chicago:

Principal Conductor Bernard Haitink and acclaimed pianist Emanuel Ax join forces in Brahms' magnificent Second Piano Concerto, a great showpiece for soloist and orchestra alike. CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage's newest work, written especially for the Orchestra, will be premiered.

I was in the 4th row center, which is actually a bit too close but the view of the stage was great. They opened with an early Mozart symphony, which was ok but not particularly stirring. I give them props for programming a brand new work, the Turnage piece, but I didn't really care for it. I guess expecting lyrical is out of the question for a contemporary composer, but it wasn't particularly melodic. It did have a lot of rythmic and percussive aspects to it, but it still felt pretty gimmicky. The violins plucked their instruments for about 3/4 of the piece. Frankly it seemed kind of a waste of the CSO. It would have been just as good by the Kronos Quartet and a couple of woodwinds and a percussionist.

But Brahm's 2nd Piano Concerto was terrific. I was right in front of Ax and watched him at work. But as I said, it was a bit too close. I couldn't really see the first cello (who also has a major part) and thus it didn't register that deeply with me. Ax does vocalize just a bit in certain sections, but nothing on the scale of Gould or Jarrett. The interplay of Ax and Haitink was good, esp. at the start of the 3rd movement when Ax tore through the opening bars and forced the CSO to keep up. A very impressive performance that made the whole concert. They have started releasing live recordings of the CSO, and if this pops up, I would probably go ahead and buy it.

[kh1958]

Last night, at the Iridium--David Weiss, A Tribute to Wayne Shorter, with special guest Wallace Roney.

Nice to hear Wayne Shorter compositions played by a large group. They are there again tonight, with James Spaulding as the special guest.

[Van Basten II]

Saw last night, one of the best hidden gems from California, the singer/writer Eleni Mandell, the spiritual daughter of Tom Waits and Ricky Lee Jones. She is less erratic those two, though.

If the world was fair she'd sell as much records than Norah Jones

[sidewinder]

Last night, at my local club - Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble.

Playing music from his (excellent) new Enja album.

[Stefan Wood]

Odean Pope trio at Twins Jazz in Washington DC. This is my fourth time seeing him, in trio and in the Saxophone Choir group. He was inspired last night, partly in memory of the passing away of Max Roach and Randy Brecker, but also because of his rhythm section - Craig McIyver and Christian McBride's father (his name escapes me), who is a FANTASTIC musician.

[Patrick]

Friday Night: Martha Graham Dance Company at George Mason University. Was reminded that Copeland composed "Appalachian Spring" for Graham and titled it "Ballet for Martha". Saturday Night: Greg Osby Five at Kennedy Center. Adam Birnbaum, p, Christopher Tordini, b, Reggie Quinerly, dr, and Sara Serpa (mostly wordless) vocals. First official gig for this ensemble--mix of Ornette, Monk, and original tunes. Sunday night: double bill of Jason Moran (presenting a multi-media Monk-inspired piece), and the Bad Plus (not trying to be ironic) at George Washington University.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Tonight: Wayne and Bill Horvitz duo followed by Bill Horvitz Trio

Tomorrow night: Willem Breuker Kollektief's Faust

[Van Basten II]

He was inspired last night, partly in memory of the passing away of Max Roach and Randy Brecker, but also because of his rhythm section - Craig McIyver and Christian McBride's father (his name escapes me), who is a FANTASTIC musician.

When did Randy Brecker die

[Aggie87]

Last night, at my local club - Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble.

Playing music from his (excellent) new Enja album.

Was our old board buddy Che in attendance? I seem to recall him talking quite a bit about Atzmon a while back.

[kh1958]

Stanley Jordan at the Iridium.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Just got back from The Triple Door in Seattle where I saw the Willem Breuker Kollektief's Faust. It was a very unusual show, quite an interesting concept (original music for F.W. Murnau's 1926 silent film of Faust). There was no improvisation at all, everything was composed and synchronized incredibly precisely with the images. A long, long set with no break. This presentation is well worth seeing if you have a chance.

[sidewinder]

Last night, at my local club - Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble.

Playing music from his (excellent) new Enja album.

Was our old board buddy Che in attendance? I seem to recall him talking quite a bit about Atzmon a while back.

Didn't recall seeing anyone in the audience with beard, cigar and combat fatigues . Nice show and Gilad was on good form - one of the best players on the scene over here, for sure.