Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Etc. Jazz & Other Concerts

[CraigP]

Hey, the concert's this Friday night! Yay!

Not sure where you are, but The Cookers concert in Denton is this thursday the 6th.

[kh1958]

Hey, the concert's this Friday night! Yay!

Not sure where you are, but The Cookers concert in Denton is this thursday the 6th.

Their concert in Houston is Friday.

[kh1958]

John Raymond-Tim Green Texas tour.

Texas Tour - February 15-20 w/Tim Green

Texas Tour - Feb 15-20 w/Tim Green


I'm incredibly excited to be embarking on a short tour of Texas from February 15-20! What's more, is I'm excited to bringing heralded alto saxophonist Tim Green(www.timgreenmusic.com) along with me.

We'll be doing a host of masterclasses and performances together, including shows at Cezanne (Houston), Scat Jazz Lounge (Dallas/Fort Worth) and Dan's SIiverleaf (Denton) and masterclasses at HSPVA (Houston), Carroll South Lake HS(Dallas), Texas Christian University (Fort Worth), Denton HS(Denton) and the University of North Texas. If you live in the area, we'd love to see you! Check out my website for more details...

Thanks for your support - hope all is well!

Johnn)

We'll also be doing several masterclasses at area schools including HSPVA in Houston,Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Carroll South Lake HS in Dallas and theUniversity of North Texas in Denton.

[kh1958]

February 6, 2014: Billy Harper and the Cookers, Winspear in Denton

February 7, 2014: The Cookers, Houston, Cullen Theater

February 18, 2014: John Raymond and Tim Green at Scat Jazz, Fort Worth, and February 19 at Dan's Silverleaf, Denton.

February 19, 2014: Kahil El Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with Hamiet Bluiett, Austin

February 19, 2014: Shelley Carrol at Scat Jazz, Fort Worth

February 21, 2014: Pat Metheny Unity Group at House of Blues, Dallas

February 21, 2014: Kahil El Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with Hamiet Bluiett, Meca, Houston

February 22, 2014: Charles Lloyd and Gerald Clayton duo at Trinity University in San Antonio

February 27, 2014: Tutu Jones at Keys Lounge, Fort Worth

March 19, 2014: Kalmon Balogh at Poor David's Pub, Dallas

March 23, 2014: Bobby Bradford, Austin

March 25, 2014: Bobby Bradford, Houston

April 4, 2014: Wayne Shorter, Cullen Theater, Houston

April 5, 2014: San Francisco Jazz Collective, Jo Long Theater, San Antonio

April 16, 2014: Eric Johnson and Mike Stern, Granada Theater, Dallas.

May 15, 2014: Nicholas Payton at Fort Worth Public Library,

May 17, 2014: Jason Moran's Fats Waller Dance Party, Jo Long Theater, San Antonio

June 20, 2014: Charlie Hunter, Jazz in June, Norman, Oklahoma

July 11-12, 2014: Lucky Peterson at Clarence Muse Theater, Dallas.

Edited February 8, 2014 by kh1958

[CraigP]

Some great concerts, and so many on "off" nights! (Sunday, during the week, etc) I'm looking at the Bradford concert in Austin...

[kh1958]

I've never seen Bobby Bradford, but the dates are not good for me for traveling 200 or more miles..

[JSngry]

Saw Bradford once, a while back, at the DMA with a local group (which included James Clay) opening for Billy Harper. The experience was dandy, but the repertoire was mostly familiar, so I'm contemplating Austin on a Sunday in hopes of hearing a more original-centric program, just to get the more fully-balanced Bobby Bradford experience, even if it is a decade or so in construction. There's work on Monday, but there's always work on Monday, and I don't handle Mondays well, no matter what, just on general principles, so might as well up the ante with some specific reason this time!

Also looking at the Lloyd duet gig in San Antonio...hey Brenda, wanna go to San Antonio for a weekend, get a room and all that? Yeah? Cool, here's the deal...I think that might work.

[kh1958]

Saw Bradford once, a while back, at the DMA with a local group (which included James Clay) opening for Billy Harper. The experience was dandy, but the repertoire was mostly familiar, so I'm contemplating Austin on a Sunday in hopes of hearing a more original-centric program, just to get the more fully-balanced Bobby Bradford experience, even if it is a decade or so in construction. There's work on Monday, but there's always work on Monday, and I don't handle Mondays well, no matter what, just on general principles, so might as well up the ante with some specific reason this time!

Also looking at the Lloyd duet gig in San Antonio...hey Brenda, wanna go to San Antonio for a weekend, get a room and all that? Yeah? Cool, here's the deal...I think that might work.

I have tickets to Wayne Shorter and Jason Moran. I'm still thinking about Charles Lloyd (the ticket acquisition mechanic is a bit odd), but its a long drive that I just made for Lonnie Smith.

[JSngry]

How was The Turbinator, btw? And how well-done was the presentation? Did the promoters seem to know what they were doing?

[kh1958]

How was The Turbinator, btw? And how well-done was the presentation? Did the promoters seem to know what they were doing?

Lonnie Smith was top notch, in outstanding form. The concert was a single set of about an hour and forty five minutes. It was the trio from The Healer, substituting Johnathan Blake on drums for Jamire Williams. Basically, it was a thrilling concert, well worth the trip. The Carver Center is a nice facility, though the surrounding environment was not looking so great. There were a couple of friendly policemen stopping traffic and watching over the parking lot. The auditorium holds about 600; it wasn't full, I would guess there were 300-400 people there. The sound was good. There was a nice reception with free food and drinks beforehand, and Lonnie Smith was meeting people and signing his CDs afterwards. It was first class all the way.

The woman who booked the concert spoke beforehand and said she goes to New York once a year to look for artists to bring to the Carver Center, and that she had seen Lonnie Smith at his home base there, Jazz Standard.

Edited February 5, 2014 by kh1958

[CraigP]

kh, do you know who's in Moran's band?

[kh1958]

The Carver brochure indicated he would be with Bandwagon, so I assume Taurus Mateen and Nasheet Waits.

kh, do you know who's in Moran's band?

[JSngry]

How was The Turbinator, btw? And how well-done was the presentation? Did the promoters seem to know what they were doing?

Lonnie Smith was top notch, in outstanding form. The concert was a single set of about an hour and forty five minutes. It was the trio from The Healer, substituting Johnathan Blake on drums for Jamire Williams. Basically, it was a thrilling concert, well worth the trip. The Carver Center is a nice facility, though the surrounding environment was not looking so great. There were a couple of friendly policemen stopping traffic and watching over the parking lot. The auditorium holds about 600; it wasn't full, I would guess there were 300-400 people there. The sound was good. There was a nice reception with free food and drinks beforehand, and Lonnie Smith was meeting people and signing his CDs afterwards. It was first class all the way.

The woman who booked the concert spoke beforehand and said she goes to New York once a year to look for artists to bring to the Carver Center, and that she had seen Lonnie Smith at his home base there, Jazz Standard.

As long as everybody involved is getting their financial expectations met, that sounds like a reasonably sustainable venture...just hope that that % of occupancy covers upfront expenses (especially venue rental, it's like, ok, I can screw the band just enough to get them out of town, but THESE mfs I gotta live in the same town with It's happened!)...how much were tickets?

[kh1958]

How was The Turbinator, btw? And how well-done was the presentation? Did the promoters seem to know what they were doing?

Lonnie Smith was top notch, in outstanding form. The concert was a single set of about an hour and forty five minutes. It was the trio from The Healer, substituting Johnathan Blake on drums for Jamire Williams. Basically, it was a thrilling concert, well worth the trip. The Carver Center is a nice facility, though the surrounding environment was not looking so great. There were a couple of friendly policemen stopping traffic and watching over the parking lot. The auditorium holds about 600; it wasn't full, I would guess there were 300-400 people there. The sound was good. There was a nice reception with free food and drinks beforehand, and Lonnie Smith was meeting people and signing his CDs afterwards. It was first class all the way.

The woman who booked the concert spoke beforehand and said she goes to New York once a year to look for artists to bring to the Carver Center, and that she had seen Lonnie Smith at his home base there, Jazz Standard.

As long as everybody involved is getting their financial expectations met, that sounds like a reasonably sustainable venture...just hope that that % of occupancy covers upfront expenses (especially venue rental, it's like, ok, I can screw the band just enough to get them out of town, but THESE mfs I gotta live in the same town with It's happened!)...how much were tickets?

$35 plus Ticketmaster fees. The Carver Center appears to be an arts institution with various sources of funding (government, business, individual), so I don't think it has to be completely financially viable on its own terms.

[kh1958]

Another Houston concert--

Brentano String Quartet with Vijay Iyer, piano

Pre-concert conversation with members of the quartet, Vijay Iyer

and Sarah Rothenberg at 7pm.

Saturday, February 15, 2014; 8:00 PM

Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Debussy String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10

Vijay Iyer Piano Quintet (world premiere/Da Camera co-commission)

Beethoven String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2

Edited February 6, 2014 by kh1958

[mjzee]

Another Houston concert--

Brentano String Quartet with Vijay Iyer, piano

Pre-concert conversation with members of the quartet, Vijay Iyer

and Sarah Rothenberg at 7pm.

Saturday, February 15, 2014; 8:00 PM

Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Debussy String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10

Vijay Iyer Piano Quintet (world premiere/Da Camera co-commission)

Beethoven String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2

This looks like classical, not jazz, unless I'm mistaken.

[JSngry]

May be, but I'd hit it, if not for already gonna be out of town on a gig on Valentine's Day.

Dallas, your game is getting mighty lite (like anybody who could do anything about it is gonna care, much less read this...).

[JSngry]

This snow is supposed to be lightening up....it's getting heavier instead...c'mon now, snow, we got a Billy Harper gig to get to tonight...Denton ain't but a 45 minute to an hour drive, so cooperate with us, ok?

[kh1958]

Snow and 18 degrees F for the day of the Cookers concert--that is bad timing.

[CraigP]

Snow and 18 degrees F for the day of the Cookers concert--that is bad timing.

I'm checking the UNT Facebook page to make sure it's still on. No word that it isn't as of yet.

[JSngry]

The snow has stopped, thankfully.

We got enough to see white in the yards, but December was a lot worse (and was ice, not snow). Looks like roads will be mostly drivable with caution (which in Texas....good luck on that one). The show is in Denton and sponsored by the school. Pretty sure it will not be cancelled.

I'm planning on heading out, see how the roads are, and plowing (no pun intended) ahead unless something ends up being totally bonked. For those coming from Dallas, I'm not so sure but that taking the Tollway all the way up to 121, or maybe even 287, and then coming over to 35 from there might not be better. 121 is expressway now, and 287 is well traveled four-lane. 35 going north is notoriously a jungle of WTF-ness during early evening hours, and throw in this weather...just a thought. One never knows until one gets there.

Funny thing, I have a charity ball gig in Houston tomorrow night. Maybe i can catch The Cookers while on break there....and then not go back.

[CraigP]

I'm not going - it was slick just getting home from work. There's plenty of fender - benders out there too.

[JSngry]

Bummer, man, sorry to hear that.

Things are looking better up here, thank goodness. Called the box office, and they said that Denton is fine right now. Channel 5 confirmed via live report. But Dallas proper, lots of reports of not-so-good, and now that the sun is going down, who knows? That black ice is treacherous.

I'm going to start going, that's all I can say for sure...

[kh1958]

It's not very good in my neighborhood, and I wondered how long it would take to get there if I tried (almost 40 miles, mostly on I-635 to I-35) --that drive to Denton can be pretty congested in the evening even in good weather. so I guess I'm not going. Be careful on that bridge over Lake Lewisville.

[JSngry]

Believe it or not, the most hazardous stretch I ran into was getting out of my neighborhood. After that, everything was clear as Saran Wrap. No patches, not nothing. I actually made Denton in less time than usual because traffic was so light. 121 to 35 like it was past everybody's bedtime. Did NOT see that one coming!

Anyway, The Cookers were inspiring (I had no idea that Cecil McBee was 79!). George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and the two real surprises for me - Billy Hart & Donald Harrison. Records do neither of them jsutice. And Jabali is said to have flown in from Japan that morning. Such power, again, records do not do him justice, at least not the way I've heard them. Billy Hart can flat out drive a band.

And of course, Billy Harper. Billy Harper is just one of my guys, period. Horn, composition, philosophy, everything, he leans into that sound, and yeah, that's where I go when I want to go to a better place.

Was able to talk to David Weiss for a quick chat afterwards too, nice guy, warm, friendly, and oh by the way, helluva player.

Go see The Cookers when/if the chance comes around, and go see Billy Harper even if you gotta walk.