What live music are you going to see tonight?

[Aggie87]

Wowowwwowwwowwwwwww....just got home after the Art Ensemble show in Philly, with Roscoe Mitchell fronting on soprano and alto sax. I don't even know what to say about this incredible show. The band hit a groove from the first note from William Parker from an African bass of some sort, and swung like hell for an hour and a half. I did not know until tonight that Roscoe was a master of circular breathing; at one point, he played what must have been a 15 minute solo without an "air break." The audience was completely into the show, other than a few walkout stragglers (their loss); loved hearing someone shout for "Jackson in the House" at the encore. My AACM knowledge is regrettably not as comprehensive as it should be, so I can't report as to the specific songs played--but the concert just kicked some serious, groovin' ass. Many thanks to Chuck for getting this music out there.

Sounds like it was a great show! I didn't know Parker was part of the Art Ensemble now.

[paul secor]

Looking forward to seeing and hearing Prof. Corey - one of my all time favorites.

Last saw him nearly 30 years ago now as part of a double bill at Ronnie Scotts with Cedar Walton (the same venue where he tried out Miles' sunglasses ). Amazing that he's still actively performing - would be interested to hear how it goes.

I'll post a report. Prof. Corey is 95, so I'm hoping for the best.

Wow - I figured he was well into his 60s when I saw him. Even though he was wearing baseball sneakers with his tux !

The show was great - went with a friend & we both said we couldn't remember laughing so much. Professor Irwin Corey is well up there - his body has slowed down, but his mind is still all there. He can still rattle off those long series of non-sequitors, double talk, mixed in with pseudo-academic and pseudo-technical phrases. We were sitting next to a couple who drove Prof. Corey to the concert. The fellow said that when Prof. Corey walked out his door he said, "Man, I'm so old I went to the blood bank the other day and they'd cancelled my blood type."

I caught up with him during intermission and he signed an LP from the 1970s that I brought to the concert. I don't usually do that but I figured this was an exception to be made.

He still wears an old dirty tux with tails. I wonder if it's the same one all these years - looks like it could be.

Dick Gregory was wonderful. He did a mix of socio-political commentary - much like what he did in the 60's/70's when I remember seeing him last, but obviously updated - with some regular comedy schtick thrown in. Gregory is 78 and he was the youngest performer on the bill.

I wondered what to expect from Jerry Stiller. He did a series of reminiscences about his life and career that were funny and entertaining. His wife, Anne Meara, joined him on stage in the middle of his show. At one point she said, "I know I'm loud." Stiller replied, "Yeah, it's your second language."

Glad my friend Doug talked me into going.

[Van Basten II]

Tonight - Fugimundi Trio - Eric Vloeimans/Anton Goudsmit/Harmen Fraanje

They're in town tonight, how was the gig ?

[Chalupa]

Wowowwwowwwowwwwwww....just got home after the Art Ensemble show in Philly, with Roscoe Mitchell fronting on soprano and alto sax. I don't even know what to say about this incredible show. The band hit a groove from the first note from William Parker from an African bass of some sort, and swung like hell for an hour and a half. I did not know until tonight that Roscoe was a master of circular breathing; at one point, he played what must have been a 15 minute solo without an "air break." The audience was completely into the show, other than a few walkout stragglers (their loss); loved hearing someone shout for "Jackson in the House" at the encore. My AACM knowledge is regrettably not as comprehensive as it should be, so I can't report as to the specific songs played--but the concert just kicked some serious, groovin' ass. Many thanks to Chuck for getting this music out there.

Sounds like it was a great show! I didn't know Parker was part of the Art Ensemble now.

I think it was his first show. Chuck, can you confirm?

[Guest Bill Barton]

I'm looking forward to Butch Morris at Cornish College tomorrow night.

Conduction No. 189, S & P

This was a quite remarkable evening of music, very different than anything I'd ever heard (or seen) before.

[sidewinder]

He still wears an old dirty tux with tails. I wonder if it's the same one all these years - looks like it could be.

Yeah, I'll bet that was the one from 30 years ago, looked well used even then. Topped off with levis, sneakers and a boot-lace tie. I was sat right at the front and got inadvertently dragged into the 'audience participation' so remember that gig very well. Not a place to sit with the Prof !

Still remember Ronnie Scott sat stage-left chuickling away to the Prof's act. Also that Corey asked if anyone in the audience had any requests and some wit said 'When's Cedar Walton coming back on?'

Great to hear that he's still going strong.

Edited March 8, 2010 by sidewinder

[Van Basten II]

Tonight - Fugimundi Trio - Eric Vloeimans/Anton Goudsmit/Harmen Fraanje

They're in town tonight, how was the gig ?

Will answer myself, they were very enjoyable, a bit silly at times, especially the trumpet with his pants and shoes. Nice melodies and fine playing.

[king ubu]

So who else will be there tomorrow night to catch Abdullah Ibrahim in Basel?

Amazing concert, wow! Deeply impressed!

They played two hours and twenty minutes with no break, Ibrahim starting solo for ten minutes or so, then a trio piece, and then the horns joined in. Wonderful, wonderful music! At first it started like a celebration thing, but as they went on it got livelier, and that dude on baritone sax was terrific!

The line-up was:

Abdullah Ibrahim - piano

Belden Bullock - bass

George Gray - drums

Cleave Guyton - alto sax & flute (and musical director)

Keith Loftis - tenor sax

Jason Marshall - baritone sax

Andrae Murchinson - trombone

All four horns were marvellous, Guyton doing creamy lead playing in the big tradition (they did one very Ellingtonian piece and he almost sounded like Hodges...), Loftis was terrific, robust sound, Coltrane plus more rough edges, more volume, and plenty of ideas, Marshall as mentioned blew the roof a few times, and Murchinson was mighty fine, too - very vocal sound, soft and warm, building solos like a conversation.

Ibrahim obviously enjoyed it a lot, often just leaning back and listening to his band and smiling. He also has an obvious connection to Bullock, who often sought eye contact while playing.

Bullock/Grey turned into a fine, fine rhythm section over the years, and I think w/horns they're even better as in trio (where they played second or rather fifth fiddle to the master, when I saw them several years ago). Ibrahim too was pretty good, thanks to the horns carrying most of the melodic and "groovy" lines, he was pretty free to just add some colours and do some here and there, which was pretty cool. But he was very mellow mostly, and I'd have enjoyed one more trio piece where he'd dig into the groove a bit more... Anyway, great, great concert!

Edited March 13, 2010 by king ubu

[kh1958]

Guitar Shorty--Pearl on Commerce.

[Van Basten II]

Saw drummer Matt Wilson featured in a Joel Miller led quartet with reliable and solid Fraser Hollins and John Roney.

We had a thread about jazz performers who offered a some showmanship on stage,you can add Matt Wilson to the list of guys who enjoyed themselves on stage.

[jlhoots]

Bobby Shew Quartet

[kh1958]

Eddie "Devil Boy" Turner Trio, at Pearl on Commerce. A fantastic performance.

[sheldonm]

Us Five with Lovano/Esperanza Spalding on Friday.....Pat Martino Organ Trio on Sunday and I'm sure something in between.

m~

[Van Basten II]

Saw a quite enjoyable piano duo involving François Bourassa and Jean-Michel Pilc, it was recorded by the CBC and should be aired during the summer, so for those keeping score you might find it in some form on the web at some point.

[Van Basten II]

Attended last a fine doubleheader of music in two different venues for starters a Quartet led by sax player André Leroux involving pianist François Bourassa and bassist Fraser Hollins with guest Ari Hoenig and they played strong and hard !

Ended the night with alto Samuel Blais leading a trio with fine drummer Robbie Kuster and Larry Grenadier.For a band that has not played a lot together they looked quite tight. I knew mostly Grenadier as a sideman with Mehldau it was very interesting to see and har him in another context.

Considering that prior to the Leroux there was a band of young musicians playing for a competition, it's almost 4 hours of libve music I heard last night, life can be good sometimes

Edited March 21, 2010 by Van Basten II

[kh1958]

Saw a quite enjoyable piano duo involving François Bourassa and Jean-Michel Pilc, it was recorded by the CBC and should be aired during the summer, so for those keeping score you might find it in some form on the web at some point.

I stumbled upon Jean Michel Pilc at Smalls a couple of years back--a nice pianist. New Dreams and Live at the Iridium are quite good.

Edited March 21, 2010 by kh1958

[Van Basten II]

Pilc is also part of a fine quartet led by Lew Soloff, would love to this formation in action. He's quite versatile he did a great job backing Elizabeth Kontamonou a few years ago.

[ejp626]

I saw the Greg Osby 5 at the Green Mill last night. I have to say that the smoking ban has really improved the experience there. There was something about the layout of that place that you would come home just reeking of cigarettes, even if you were not smoking. But they may have gone too far in the other direction of trying to make this a temple of jazz.

This was advertised as a quiet show, where the bouncer did come around and hush people during the first set. Standards had slipped a bit by the second set, but Osby was playing a little louder, so it still wasn't a problem. But without the crowd's encouragement, the music felt a little spacey and etherial -- you couldn't really dig in. Applause was light and polite. It wasn't really until the middle of the second set that I recognized anything* -- they played East St. Louis Toodle-O -- that there was much energy from the crowd. Granted I was all the way in the back, but this seemed a lot more like a Keith Jarrett concert than a typical show at the Green Mill. I'm certainly glad I went, but it just seemed strange.

* If pressed I would say the first set was mostly drawn from 9 Levels -- the tracks without vocals. I do have 9 Levels but I have not internalized it. Anyway, Osby did not say one word to the crowd (certainly no songs were introduced). It was the Green Mill manager that introduced him and the other band members. I think I remember previous Osby shows with a bit more interaction. Anyway, it just sort of added to the somewhat negative feelings of preciousness I was getting. I'd really hate to see Osby go further in this direction.

Edited March 27, 2010 by ejp626

[kh1958]

That's odd--Greg Osby talked quite a bit the last time I saw his band, about the time when Nine Levels was released.

[Van Basten II]

Saw Osby last summer, was quite talkative, maybe he was in a bad day ?

[ejp626]

That's odd--Greg Osby talked quite a bit the last time I saw his band, about the time when Nine Levels was released.

That's what I seem to remember, which is why I found it a little off-putting. I mean you can go too far the other way (Lou Donaldson), and I don't begrudge him wanting to focus on the music, but I think a bit of interaction would have warmed up the crowd. Still a good show.

[WorldB3]

Ralph Towner and Paolo Fresu at the SF Jazz Festival.

My expectations maybe were low, I like the new album Chiaroscuro quite a bit, its a lovely record but I wouldn't put it in my list of favorite Towner releases. The location wasn't one one of my favorite places to see a show and they were only going to do one set and there was no 12 string on stage (only a classical and baritone guitar) and Towner is now 70 years old, I was thinking I may have waited to long for my first chance to see Towner.

That said two minutes I knew I was in the presence of greatness. I left saying saying that was the best live guitar performance I have ever seen. My friend said it was one the three best shows he has ever seen by Towner and he has seen him over 20 times. Paolo Fresu was also great and their swing together was something, the record doesn't quite captured the energy they have together. For those of you in Europe if you get a chance to see them this year I highly recommend it.

After the b.s with Jarrett last week it was nice to see someone as humble and talented as Towner.

Edited March 29, 2010 by WorldB3

[kh1958]

Gilbert Gil at the Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie--A wonderful acoustic concert, with Gil on guitar and vocals, his son on second guitar, plus a cellist. A couple of solo songs, a few duets with cello, mostly trio in a two hour concert. Very relaxed and beautiful. Just me and every Brazilian in Dallas-Fort Worth.

[Elissa]

Orrin Evans bday party last night at the Zinc simply killing. Nasheet Waits on drums, but a revolving trio with horns galore sitting in. Perfectly swinging. The reason I love NYC

[Guest Bill Barton]

I recently returned from hearing Wayne Horvitz, Briggan Krauss and Lê Quan Ninh at the Chapel Performance Space. Beautiful! An ear-opener and a head-clearer for sure.

Eyeshot Jazz - Daniel Sheehan

Edited April 2, 2010 by Bill Barton