Winter Jazzfest 2016

[bluenoter]

First, the fest's website: http://www.winterjazzfest.com/

 I tried and failed to display the following schedule as a quote of a post by kh1958 on 10 December (2015) in the thread Winter Jazzfest 2015. (I did some negligible editing to fix a couple of typos.)

 

The schedule for Winterjazzfest 2016 has been announced.

I.                   MARATHON - FRIDAY Jan 15 2016 SCHEDULE

The New School Tishman Auditorium - 63 Fifth Avenue (ECM Records Stage)

6:00pm David Torn solo

7:00pm Mark Turner Quartet

8:00pm Craig Taborn solo

9:00pm Avishai Cohen Quartet

10:00pm Ches Smith / Craig Taborn / Mat Maneri

11:20pm Vijay Iyer Trio

12:40am  David Virelles Mboko

 

The New School Auditorium on 12th Street - 66 W. 12th Street

6:20pm Roberta Gambarini

7:40pm Roy Hargrove

9:00pm James "Blood" Ulmer

10:20pm Christian McBride

11:40pm Forro in The Dark plays John Zorn

1:00am Nublu Orchestra "We play for you, Butch Morris"

 

The New School Jazz Building Glass Box Theater - 55 West 13th Street

6:40pm James Carney Sextet

8:00pm James Francies’ Kinetic

9:20pm Naytronix

10:40pm Dave King Trucking Company

12:00am Oscar Noriega Quartet

 

New School Jazz Building 5th Floor Theater - 55 West 13th Street

7:00pm Chris Morrissey's Standard Candle (w/ Mike Lewis)

8:20pm Chris Speed Trio

9:40pm Charenee Wade Group: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson

11:00pm Marc Cary's Indigenous People

12:20am Sharel Cassity & Elektra

 

Le Poisson Rouge - 158 Bleecker Street

6:20pm Joey Arias: Basic Black

7:40pm Sexmob @ 20

9:00pm Red Baraat

 

Judson Memorial Church - 55 Washington Square South 

6:40pm Quarktet Burnt plays Ornette, Sunny, and Wayne

8:00pm Dayna Stephens: 3wi featuring Sam Yahel

9:20pm Dr. Lonnie Smith’s Evolution

10:40pm Sarah Neufeld & Colin Stetson

12:00am TBA

 

Subculture - 45 Bleecker St 

6:00pm Matana Roberts solo

7:00pm Tierney Sutton

8:20pm Yellowjackets

9:40pm Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet

11:00pm Keyon Harrold (Revive Music Presents)

12:20am Jeff Lederer's Brooklyn Blowhard

 

The Greene Space at WNYC & WQXR - 44 Charlton Street

7:00pm Alicia Hall Moran with Brandon Ross

8:20pm Dither

9:40pm Chargaux

11:00pm The Ex

 

The Bitter End - 147 Bleecker Street (Revive Music Stage)

7:00pm Makaya McCraven

8:20pm Terrace Martin

9:40pm Slingbaum's Ravel Reimagined

11:00pm Sarah Vaughan & Clifford Brown Reimagined

12:20am KING

1:40am Mark de Clive Lowe's CHURCH

DJ Raydar Ellis spins all night

 

Greenwich House School - 46 Barrow Street (NY Hot Jazz Festival Stage)      

6:20pm Tom McDermott

7:20pm Bumper Jacksons

8:40pm Evan Christopher's Clarinet Road featuring Hilary Gardner

10:00pm Jon-Erik Kellso & The EarRegulars

11:20pm  Mike Davis' New Wonders

 

The Django at Roxy Hotel - 2 6th Ave 

6:20pm TBA

7:40pm Nicole Henry   

9:00pm TBA  

10:20pm Marika Hughes

11:40pm Eli Degibri

 

Zinc Bar -  82 West 3rd Street

6:20pm Cyro Baptista Banquet of Spirits

7:40pm James Brandon Lewis

9:00pm Yosvany Terry Quintet

10:20pm Rene Marie

11:40pm Gregorio Uribe Big Band

1:00am Pedrito Martinez

 

II.                   MARATHON - SATURDAY Jan 16 2016 SCHEDULE

The New School Tishman Auditorium - 63 Fifth Avenue (ECM Records Stage)

6:00pm Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus

7:20pm Theo Bleckmann Elegy

8:40pm Chris Potter Quartet

10:00pm Tim Berne's Sideshow

11:20pm Ralph Alessi Quartet

12:40am Ethan Iverson / Mark Turner

 

The New School Auditorium on 12th Street - 66 W. 12th Street

6:20pm Don Byron Quartet

7:40pm Ibrahim Maalouf

9:00pm Butler, Bernstein and The Hot 9

10:20pm OGJB Quartet w/ Oliver Lake, Graham Haynes, Joe Fonda, Barry Altschul

11:40pm Monty Alexander and The Harlem Kingston Express

 

The New School Jazz Building Glass Box Theater - 55 West 13th Street

6:40pm TBA

8:00pm Sofia Rei

9:20pm Dave King Vector Families

10:40pm Rez Abbasi's Junction

12:00am Brandon Seabrook Power Plant

 

New School Jazz Building 5th Floor Theater - 55 West 13th Street

7:00pm Reid Anderson with Andrew D'Angelo & Bill McHenry

8:20pm Jim Black Trio

9:40pm Will Calhoun Celebrating Elvin Jones 

11:00pm Shai Maestro Trio

12:20am Ohad Talmor Large Ensemble

 

Le Poisson Rouge - 158 Bleecker Street

6:20pm Jose James

7:40pm Takuya Kuroda

9:00pm GoGo Penguin

 

Judson Memorial Church - 55 Washington Square South 

6:40pm Gregoire Maret and The Inner Voices with guest Jean Baylor

8:00pm No BS! Brass Band 

9:20pm   Kris Bowers 

10:40pm  Cory Henry... The Revival

12:00am Sun Ra Arkestra directed by Marshall Allen

 

Subculture - 45 Bleecker St 

7:00pm TBA

8:20pm Frank Catalano

9:40pm Amir ElSaffar's Two Rivers

11:00pm Holler and Bam with Toshi Reagon & Allison Miller

12:20am Julian Lage Trio

 

The Greene Space at WNYC & WQXR - 44 Charlton Street

7:00pm Kaki King

8:20pm Cyrus Chestnut's African Reflections

9:40pm Fabian Almazan w/ Rhizome

11:00pm Dawn of Midi

 

The Bitter End - 147 Bleecker Street (Revive Music Stage)

7:00pm Freelance

8:20pm Maurice Brown

9:40pm Lakecia Benjamin

11:00pm Al Strong

12:20am Ben Williams & Sound Effect

1:40am Theo Croker

DJ Mark de Clive Lowe spins all night

 

Greenwich House School - 46 Barrow Street (NY Hot Jazz Festival Stage)      

6:20pm Christian Sands

7:20pm Michael Mwenso & Brianna Thomas Louis & Ella tribute

8:40pm Rhythm Future Quartet

10:00pm Tatiana Eva-Marie & The Avalon Jazz Band  

11:20pm Gordon Au's Grand St Stompers with Tamar Korn and Molly Ryan 

 

The Django at Roxy Hotel - 2 6th Ave (French Quarter Showcase) 

7:00pm Emile Parisien Quartet    

8:20pm Véronique Hermann Sambin    

9:40pm Thiefs  

11:00pm Samy Daussat "Serge Tribute"    

12:20am Sylvain Rifflet 

 

Zinc Bar - 82 West 3rd Street

7:40pm Meklit

9:00pm Tongues in Trees

10:20pm Jay Rodriguez Evolutions

11:40pm Chris Washburne's Acid Mambo Project

1:00am Late Night Jam Session

Edited December 31, 2015 by bluenoter

[bluenoter]

Source:  this post by bluenoter (me)  (Sat Dec 19, 2015) at jazztalk.net

 

During Winter Jazzfest 2016:

D

Here's the personnel breakdown:

Edited December 30, 2015 by bluenoter

[kh1958]

Thanks. I'm planning to attend and quite looking forward to the event.

[issho]

I can't make it, but wish I could. This is what I would check out. It would be hard to deviate from any of the ECM shows on the 16th.

1/15
6:00pm Matana Roberts solo
7:00pm Alicia Hall Moran with Brandon Ross
8:00pm Craig Taborn solo 
9:00pm Avishai Cohen Quartet 
10:00pm Ches Smith / Craig Taborn / Mat Maneri 
10:40pm Dave King Trucking Company 
12:00am Oscar Noriega Quartet 
12:40am David Virelles Mboko 

1/16
6:00pm Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus
7:20pm Theo Bleckmann Elegy 
8:40pm Chris Potter Quartet 
10:00pm Tim Berne's Sideshow 
11:20pm Ralph Alessi Quartet 
12:40am Ethan Iverson / Mark Turner 

[bluenoter]

(I didn't gray out the links in the image above, but they're not clickable; it's just a screenshot.)

 

https://twitter.com/NYCWJF/status/684801718924738564

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/kamasi-washington-jazzfest-broken-ankle/

Edited January 8, 2016 by bluenoter

[kh1958]

Fortunately, I was able to make a short trip to New York  and attend this festival. The weather was not bad at all this year. 

Arriving one day early, I was able to attend two sets led by Matana Roberts at The Stone, as she was playing with two different groups there every night this week. The first set was a trio, with Nate Wooley on trumpet and Evan Rapport on alto. The second set featured piano (Shoko Nagai), trumpet (Forbes Graham), clarinet (Stuart Bogie) and guitar (Hannah Marcus). The second set was the far superior set. Matana Roberts sounded great both sets, of course.

This year, both the processes and facilities at Winter Jazzfest were improved. Check-in was easy, and had to be done only once. The two larger auditoriums at the New School added as venues--on 12th Street and the Tishman, were quite comfortable.

Starting off on Friday with Matana Roberts, solo, at Subculture. Her sound in a solo context is fabulous (see her solo CD release from 2015). The set was too short (30 minutes or so) is my only complaint.

Next, to the New School 12th Street Auditorium. Roberta Gambarini is in mid-set (with George Cables and Victor Lewis in her group). Her style is not to my tastes.

Next, Roy Hargrove, who I have not seen in a number of years. George Cables sticks around to man the piano. Roy still sounds good, performing a fine mainstream set. Gorgeous tone on flugelhorn. Fiery at the end of the set. Quite nice.

Next up, James Blood Ulmer on solo guitar/vocals. (seated in front of me, Roberta Gambarini watched Roy Hargrove's set--would she stick around for James Blood Ulmer? No.) Perhaps the best set of the entire festival that I witnessed, this was the blues meets Ornette Coleman on guitar and vocals. If anything, his guitar playing sounds even better now. A great set.

Switching to the Tishman Auditorium (ECM land--I did see Manfred Eicher in the distance)--first up is Ches Smith/Mat Maneri,/Craig Taborn. This was interesting, rather un-ECMish music--meandering at times but with intense episodes. However, it simply was too loud in spots, at least in this sound system.

Next up, Vijay Iyer Trio.

Finally, closing out the evening, David Virelles Mboko. Here we have ECM meets Afro Cuban rhythms. This was the best set of the three ECM sets I heard the first evening. The drummers were incredible--Eric McPherson on drums, Ramon Diaz on congas, and a guest percussionist from Cuba. 

Saturday night, back to the auditorium on 12th Street. Starting off with the Don Byron Quartet, with Aruan Ortiz on piano and Cameron Brown on bass. A terrific set.

Next, Ibrahim Maalouf, with Mark Turner on tenor sax. I was not familiar with this French/Arabian quarter-tone trumpeter, but he performed truly beautiful music fusing Arabic melodies with jazz. Also one of the best sets I heard at the festival. Linda Oh on bass was fabulous.

Continuing the diverse musical juxtapositions at the 12th Street New School Auditorium, Henry Butler and Stephen Bernstein's Hot Nine performed next. This was a fun, high energy set--a kind of New Orleans jazz mini-big band, with stride/boogie boogie piano. Very joyous and uplifting music.

Following this was a quartet with Oliver Lake, Joe Fonda, Graham Haynes, and Barry Altschul. Now that's what I like about this festival; I was able to hear four such interesting groups, all radically different, sitting in one place.

Finally, back to the Tishman Auditorium, for the Ralph Alessi Quartet. Now this sounded like ECM music--refined and complex lyrical trumpet playing.

This ended my evening--a very fine festival of music, I hope to go again next year.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by kh1958

[bluenoter]

@kh1958

Ah, the joys of vicarious attendance—thanks.

Glad you could make it.

[relyles]

I made trips down Friday and Saturday. I opted to stay at one venue each night.

Friday I did the ECM stage at Tishman Auditorium. David Torn, bored me to tears, but I knew going in he was not really my thing. Really enjoyed the sets by Mark Turner, Craig Taborn and Vijay Iyer. The Avishai Cohen group was a bit too stereotypical ECMish for me (not qualitative judgment - just used as a descriptor that I think most can associate), but I found things to enjoy - in particular Nasheet Waits who I have always appreciated since hearing him with Andrew Hill. The Ches Smith - Craig Taborn - Mat Maneri set was pretty much what I have come to expect from that group. Not necessarily something I would go out of my way to hear, but I appreciated what they were trying to do.

Saturday night I parked myself at the New School Auditorium on 12th Street. I arrived a little late for the Don Byron set, but that and OGJB were the highlights for me that night. Henry Butler, Steven Bernstein and the Hot 9. played a high energy set of New Orleans inspired music. I agree with kh1958's comments about Maalouf who I have heard on recordings before, but my interest in his group was primarily Mark Turner. Because I rode (or actually chauffeured) three other people from CT, I had to sit through the Monty Alexander set, which to be honest was painful. By the time it started at 12:00 am I was tired and thinking about the 2 hour drive home, and the music just did not move me much.

In any event, overall I enjoyed my two marathon nights of music. I hope to catch up on all the sleep I lost in the next week.

[kh1958]

New York Times Review of  the Winter Jazzfest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/18/arts/music/hot-sets-and-warm-chilly-nights-at-nyc-winter-jazzfest-marathon.html?_r=0

[bluenoter]

3 hours ago, kh1958 said:

New York Times Review of  the Winter Jazzfest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/18/arts/music/hot-sets-and-warm-chilly-nights-at-nyc-winter-jazzfest-marathon.html?_r=0

That one is by Ben Ratliff. And here's one by Nate Chinen, who writes about five acts he'd never seen in person before:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/18/arts/music/at-nyc-winter-jazzfest-marathon-new-faces-make-their-mark-at-grooving-places.html

Edited January 18, 2016 by bluenoter

[Guy Berger]

On 1/18/2016 at 11:08 AM, relyles said:

I made trips down Friday and Saturday. I opted to stay at one venue each night.

Friday I did the ECM stage at Tishman Auditorium. David Torn, bored me to tears, but I knew going in he was not really my thing. Really enjoyed the sets by Mark Turner, Craig Taborn and Vijay Iyer. The Avishai Cohen group was a bit too stereotypical ECMish for me (not qualitative judgment - just used as a descriptor that I think most can associate), but I found things to enjoy - in particular Nasheet Waits who I have always appreciated since hearing him with Andrew Hill. The Ches Smith - Craig Taborn - Mat Maneri set was pretty much what I have come to expect from that group. Not necessarily something I would go out of my way to hear, but I appreciated what they were trying to do.

Can you talk a little further about Cohen's group?  More ECMish than the Billy Hart and Mark Turner groups which have also recorded for ECM?  They have a new album coming out which I was excited about, but your review makes me think I should cool my enthusiasm.

[relyles]

To be fair maybe "ECMish" was not the best description. The title of the upcoming release is "into The Silence". I think that is an apt description of the music as well. It was dominated by slower tempos and an overall "moodier" feel. Jason Lindner and Nasheet Waits both had moments that generated a bit more excitement, but for the most part it was a mellow affair. Interestingly, the audience response seemed a bit subdued as well - especially in comparison to the audience response to the other sets that night. 

Also, I think the instrumentation on the recording is slightly different in that it includes a second horn (Bill McHenry) and the pianist and bassist are different.

[bluenoter]

With 24 photos (and now the correct spelling of "Jazzfest" in the headline).

http://jazztimes.com/articles/171543-nyc-winter-jazz-fest-2016-comprehensive-coverage