BillF Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) This title is taken from Sidewinder's eloquent account in the "What are you listening to right now?" thread (posts #56121 & 56128) of seeing the ailing Bill Evans during his final visit to Ronnie Scott's Club in 1980. What's your contribution under this heading? Here's mine: Again at Ronnie Scott's, this time in 1969, I saw the Horace Silver Quintet. I sat right up at the front, almost in the band! On trumpet was Randy Brecker, his brother Mike on tenor, Billy Cobham on drums and (IIRC) the bassist was John Williams. The band was smokin' from start to finish and the rapport between Horace and Billy Cobham was something to behold! A wonderful evening! Edited February 25, 2008 by BillF Quote
Niko Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 my best concert to date was in the mid-nineties Nicolas Simion Quartet (featuring Paul Shigihara on guitar, Martin Gjakonovski on bass and Ramesh Shotam on percussion) at a "wild card" concert in Cologne's Stadtgarten (there was no ticket fee but you didn't find out the evening's bands until the entered the stage...) very nice surprise Quote
AllenLowe Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Muddy Waters, Newport 1968; Mike Bloomfield, Fillmore East, 1969/70; Grateful Dead, Central Park 1967; Paul Butterfield, Central Park, 1970; Barry Harris, New Haven, ca. 1978; Dave Schildkraut, New Haven, ca. 1979 - Quote
MartyJazz Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Sonny Rollins Quartet, Village Vanguard, March 1972. Sonny's first appearance in New York after the second of his self-imposed 2 year hiatuses. Cooking from start to finish, a 20 minute version of "Three Little Words" that got people out of their seats at the tightly packed Vanguard. Totally unforgettable! Quote
Dan Gould Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Ray Brown Trio with Gene Harris and Jeff Hamilton, summer 1989 at the Blue Note in NYC. Gene brought the house down several times and what had been great affection became complete and undying love. Still the GHF. Quote
jazzypaul Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 John Scofield Quartet in 1996 at the Jazz Showcase Dave Douglas Quintet in 2004 on Valentine's Day at the Green Mill and while it doesn't make the list for strictly musical reasons... Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Black Crowes at Eagles Auditorium in Milwaukee in 1995 on my birthday. Got the Black Crowes stoned, and then they dedicated a song to me. Quote
Free For All Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Thad & Mel Big Band; Grinnell, Iowa (!) late 70s Joe Henderson/Al Foster/Ron Carter; Village Vanguard, mid-80s Henry Threadgill & Very Very Circus; Chicago Jazz Fest, mid-90s Clayton/Hamilton Big Band; Greeley, CO April 2007 Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Got the Black Crowes stoned... They needed help with that? Quote
paul secor Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Cecil Tayor Quartet - early 1966. Changed the way that I heard/felt music. I'm thankful that I haven't gotten over it yet. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Ray Charles, Hammersmith Odeon, 1961. John Lee Hooker at The Marquee (or the 100 Club) 1962. Jerry Lee Lewis, Boulogne Casino, then on board a cross-Channel ferry returning to Southend, 1963. Vera Zorina; the British premiere of Debussy's "Chansons de Bilitis", Palace Pier, Brighton, 1967. (There was also a very amusing Shostokovitz Nonet, also, I think, receiving its British premiere, at the gig, too.) Hank Crawford, David Newman & Calvin Newborn - Ronnie's, August 1982. Houston Person & Etta Jones - Blue Note, NY, May 1990 McCoy Tyner - St David's Hall, Cardiff, 1990 (I think). Jimmy Smith, some place in Bristol, mid-late 1990s. Cheikh Ndiguel Lo, Centre Culturelle Francaise, St Louis, Senegal, November 1997. Youssou Ndour - in front of Governor's residence, St Louis, November 1997. Alioune Mbaye Nder & Le Setsima Groupe, Jandeer nightclub, Dakar, Senegal, November 1997. Sekouba Bambino, Oumou Dioubate & Kandia Kouyate - Barbican Centre, London, 1999. Lonnie Smith & Ronnie Cuber - Brecon Jazz Festival, 2000. Ouza - Sunrise nightclub, Dakar, February 2001. MG Quote
sidewinder Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Again at Ronnie Scott's, this time in 1969, I saw the Horace Silver Quintet. I sat right up at the front, almost in the band! On trumpet was Randy Brecker, his brother Mike on tenor, Billy Cobham on drums and (IIRC) the bassist was John Williams. The band was smokin' from start to finish and the rapport between Horace and Billy Cobham was something to behold! A wonderful evening! It's posts like this that make me wish I was 10+ years older ! Sadly I never did get to see Horace at Ronnies - somehow I always seemed to miss that one, although he used to do annual residencies in the 70s I think. Another great player I saw for the first time at Ronnies and have subsequently caught quite a few times since is George Coleman. First time I saw him (in fact my very first visit to Scotts) he had Hilton Ruiz, Herbie Lewis and Billy Higgins in his group. A lovely evening that was. A year or two later I caught his Octet there with Frank Strozier, Harold Mabern (I think) and Danny Moore. As for Billy H - he seemed to be at Scotts semi-permanently, with various groups by Coleman and Cedar Walton around that time. A great spirit ! Gil Evans British Orchestra was another memorable one I saw there - never thought I'd ever see that. Quote
sidewinder Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) Can't forget either 3 gigs by Miles in the 80s/90s. Hammersmith Odeon in 1982, Royal Festival Hall in 1985 and Massey Hall Toronto 1990. The last was particularly good (front row seat ). Edited February 25, 2008 by sidewinder Quote
jazzypaul Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Got the Black Crowes stoned... They needed help with that? We were standing in line for hours, and I saw one of their roadies walk by. I told him that if he got us backstage that we'd smoke him up (doesn't hurt to try, right?). He made me show him my stash, and then he took us back stage. We met the band, pulled out the pipe and we all had a taste. I asked them to play "My Morning Song" (I had seen them 12 times at that point and had never seen them play it), and they said they'd think about it. They autographed a poster for me, and then we got escorted out onto the floor. Three songs into the set, Chris starts yelling at the crowd about crowd surfing, and then says, "Oh yeah, this one's for Paul and Noah" (the guy that was with me) and then launched into the jammiest version of that song that I'd ever heard. Then, when we went nuts, the girls standing next to us got all excited that the black crowes dedicated a song to us, and we ended up hooking up with them later in the night. Not a bad way at all to turn 20, I have to say. Quote
sidewinder Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 the girls standing next to us got all excited that the black crowes dedicated a song to us, and we ended up hooking up with them later in the night. Not a bad way at all to turn 20, I have to say. Geez ! Some people have all the luck.. Quote
Aggie87 Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Got the Black Crowes stoned... They needed help with that? Quote
GA Russell Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) The first that comes to mind was a Herbie Mann gig at the Cellar Door in early 1969. In the band were Steve Marcus, Roy Ayers, Sonny Sharock, Miroslav Vitous and Bruno Carr! edit for grammar Edited February 25, 2008 by GA Russell Quote
Hot Ptah Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 James Newton and Anthony Davis live in duet performance, Ann Arbor, winter of 1979. It was truly beautiful. A member of the audience said as he left after the first set that the music was so gorgeous that it hurt. I knew what he meant. Dee Dee Bridgewater and her ensemble of Mali musicians, Gem Theater, Kansas City, October, 2007. Consistently surprising and amazing music. Claude "Fiddler" Williams in a small tent at the Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival, 1999. Every solo was a gem. McCoy Tyner, The Earle, Ann Arbor, December, 1978. An intense, high energy trip. George Adams blew the roof off of the club in his solo on "Fly With The Wind." Betty Carter, Jazz Showcase, Chicago, 4th of July weekend, 1980. She sang with an intensity and emotion that I have never heard anyone match. Sun Ra and Arkestra, Ann Arbor Jazz Festival, September, 1978. From Sun Ra's spectacular entrance through a trap door while strumming on a large metal sculpture, through bluesy stride piano solos, tight swing era big band ensemble work, and generous dollops of indescribable weirdness, this was a Ra concert to remember. Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin together, Ann Arbor Jazz Festival, September, 1978. Backed by Dexter's trio (George Cables, Rufus Reid, Eddie Gladden), they tore it up on two extended songs. Very exciting. Pandemonium resulted. The crowd of 2000 screamed, roared, stomped and whooped for several minutes afterwards. Dexter finally came out and over the deafening din, slowly intoned, "thanks..............thanks....LOADS, folks." Richard Davis at Union South, Madison, Wisconsin, fall of 1981. This was a small on-campus performance, in a student union theater. Richard played with passion, intensity, chops, digging deep and going several levels beyond a good performance--it was astonishing, and easily the best bass playing I have ever heard live. James Carter, the Drum Room, Kansas City, April, 1996. Carter was absolutely on fire this evening. He dedicated his performance to Claude "Fiddler" Williams, who was sitting in the front row. He unleashed an endless torrent of brilliant tenor sax soloing. His talent seemed to know no bounds. What happened--this promise was not fulfilled. Old and New Dreams, Ann Arbor, winter of 1979. To see this group in a small room was amazing. Don Cherry was at his most lyrical, and Ed Blackwell played drums in a most unique way, which I will never forget. Also: Great performances by Air, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Jaki Byard (solo piano), Cecil Taylor Unit (with Jimmy Lyons), Jay McShann, Sonny Rollins, Elvin Jones, Randy Weston/Richard Davis/Don Moye, David Murray with Andrew Cyrille, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Count Basie with Joe Williams in 1978, and some more I will remember in a few minutes. Quote
paul secor Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Got the Black Crowes stoned... They needed help with that? Their lead guitarist was electrocuted on stage. Quote
Johnny E Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - September 1, 1996 - Mercer Arena Seattle WA It turned out to be their final US show ever - I guess they did a few more shows in Japan after this. They played for 3+ hour with no break, they were sounding tight as a motherfucker and it was incredible! Quote
Dan Gould Posted February 25, 2008 Report Posted February 25, 2008 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - September 1, 1996 - Mercer Arena Seattle WA It turned out to be their final US show ever - I guess they did a few more shows in Japan after this. They played for 3+ hour with no break, they were sounding tight as a motherfucker and it was incredible! I saw a commercial for some concert in south Florida. Can't even remember who the headliner is but Elvis Costello and The Attractions are opening. Quote
Guest Bill Barton Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 (edited) OMG, where to start? Don Cherry, the world premiere of Relativity Suite at Dartmouth College circa 1971 Charles Mingus with Dannie Richmond, Don Pullen, George Adams and Jack Walrath at In Concert in Montreal circa 1974 Rahsaan Roland Kirk, once at VT Jazz Festival and once at Flynn Theatre in Burlington, VT Art Ensemble of Chicago at Dartmouth College David Murray and Randy Weston, "The Healers" duo at the Montreal Jazz Festival (1980s?) Ornette Coleman Prime Time 1981 at Dartmouth College Sun Ra Arkestra twice, once at Dartmouth and once in Burlington, VT Milford Graves & Anrew Cyrille "Dialogue of the Drums" at Bennington College Muhal Richard Abrams solo in Montreal David Murray Quartet with Ed Blackwell in Montreal Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra with childrens choir, Dreamkeeper Suite, in Burlington, VT Cecil Taylor solo at FIMAV (the concert released on the Victo Complicite set) Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio with Billy Bang and Hamiet Bluiett in Seattle (2006 Earshot Festival) Willem Breuker Kollektief at Jazz Alley in Seattle ICP Orchestra at The Seattle Asian Art Museum Satoko Fujii & Natsuki Tamura duo at Chapel Performance Space in Seattle John Butcher/Torsten Muller/Dylan van der Schyff at Chapel Performance Space Lucky Dube at Vermont Reggae Festival and Plattsburgh NY Reggae Festival Angelique Kidjo at Jazz Alley in Seattle Hassan Hakmoun at FolkLife (or was it Bumbershoot? I'm not sure...) Edited February 26, 2008 by Bill Barton Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 Got the Black Crowes stoned... They needed help with that? Their lead guitarist was electrocuted on stage. On purpose? I could understand that. Quote
sidewinder Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 Sun Ra Arkestra twice, once at Dartmouth and once in Burlington, VT Same here. First time particularly memorable, in Toronto. It seemed to go on for an eternity - but was brilliant. Middle bit had Ra on solo piano playing Fletchers Henderson. There were also quite a few Disney numbers with vocals, which caused a lot of audience mirth. The whole orchestra put 300% in. The second occasion was about 6 months later in Boston - not quite so good. Quote
medjuck Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 Sun Ra Arkestra twice, once at Dartmouth and once in Burlington, VT Same here. First time particularly memorable, in Toronto. It seemed to go on for an eternity - but was brilliant. Middle bit had Ra on solo piano playing Fletchers Henderson. There were also quite a few Disney numbers with vocals, which caused a lot of audience mirth. The whole orchestra put 300% in. The second occasion was about 6 months later in Boston - not quite so good. At what venue did you see them in Toronto? I saw them at The Horseshoe Tavern once. Quote
WD45 Posted February 26, 2008 Report Posted February 26, 2008 Tinariwen at the Cedar Cultural Center on their first US tour. I was right against the stage. Closest I have ever been to a trance-like state. Amazing. Peter Brotzmann / Nasheet Waits at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Front row, three feet from the machine gun himself. That was intense. Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.