Favorite Live Jazz of 2016

[kh1958]

It was a rather good year for live jazz for me, mostly heard through travel. I picked the 20+  favorite jazz concerts I saw.

Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock--April 24, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

James Blood Ulmer (solo)--January 15, Winter Jazzfest

Heads of State (Gary Bartz, Larry Willis, David Williams, Al Foster)--May 1, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Mike Stern Quartet--October 17, 55 Bar, NYC

David Virelles Mboko--January 15, Winter Jazzfest

Don Byron Quartet, January 16, Winter Jazzfest

Lonnie Smith Evolution, July 30, Lensic, Santa Fe

Terence Blanchard E Collective, April 24, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

The Mashup (Grant Green, Jr., Ike Stubblefield, Terrence Higgins), May 1, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Christian Scott, April 22, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Elio Villafranca with Billy Harper and David Murray, October 15, Appel Room, NYC

Ibrahim Maalouf, January 16, Winter Jazzfest

Charles Lloyd New Quartet, July 29, Lensic, Santa Fe

Dave Burrell and Andrew Cyrille, May 7, Christ Church Cathedral, Houston

Joey DeFrancesco Trio, April 2, University of Texas at Dallas

Dejohnette Coltrane Garrison, April 23, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Ben Allison Easy Way Trio, October 19, Smoke

Herlin Riley with Godwin Louis and Bruce Harris, April 24, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Louis Ford and His New Orleans Flairs with Jamil Sharif, April 23, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Tom Harrell with Dave Douglas, October 16, Village Vanguard

Matana Roberts, January 14, 15, The Stone and Winter Jazzfest

Roy Hargrove, January 15, Winter Jazzfest

Geri Allen/Christian Sands/Russell Malone, April 22, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Shelley Carrol, April 12, St. Paul Methodist Church, Dallas

 

[BillF]

This year's favorites:

Feb 7: Steve and Matt Fishwick, Osian Roberts, Frank Basile, Jeb Patton at Southport.

Oct 8: Mike Hall's Boplicity Octet at The Upper Room, Cheadle

Nov 12: Harry Allen, David Newton, Dave Green at Malcolm Frazer's house, Cheadle

Nov 15: The Cookers at Band on the Wall, Manchester

[sidewinder]

July - Arun Ghosh, Tim Garland and Art Themen Quintet at Swanage

Nov - The Cookers, Turner-Sims

[kh1958]

Moving on to favorite non-jazz concert experiences this year:

The Garifuna Collective (Belize)--New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Garifuna music was my favorite world music discovery of the year.

Jeremy Jouve (Contemporary Classical)--University of Texas at Dallas. Solo guitar performance, mostly of compositions by French composer Mathias Duplessy. Led me to the terrific recording of these compositions, Cavalcade.

Abhisek Lihari (sarod) and Subrata Bhattacharya (tabla) (Indian Classical)--Allen Public Library. The quality of performer in this series amazes me, before a crowd that appears to be in the range of 100-125.

Tutu Jones (blues)--Balcony Club, The Goat, Bedford Blues Festival. Today's preeminent Texas Blues master plays sporadically in local dives and doesn't seem to tour at all. He is, however, the real deal.

Lucky Peterson (blues)--The Balcony Club. Lucky Peterson, in contrast, constantly tours the world and only rarely plays in his home town.

Bnois King (blues)--Bedford Blues Festival, Texas Musician's Museum. Wonderful singer and cool, spiky guitar player.

Toronzo Cannon (blues)--Denton Blues Festival. Contemporary Chicago blues.

Roy Gaines (blues)--T Bone Walker Blues Festival, Longview.

Eric Gales (blues/rock)--T Bone Walker Blues Festival, Longview.

Leni Stern (jazz/African)--55 Bar, NYC.

[king ubu]

Mighty impressive concert year for me ... I've compiled this list for a German forum (click), links are mostly leading to German reports (mostly also up here: http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch).

Highlights include the trip to Warsaw in March (four days of Brötzmann, about which I have reported here, back then), as well as my first time catching Wadada Leo Smith live (both in duo with Alexander Hawkins on church organ, and with his quartet), and more impressive Chicago firsts: Jack DeJohnette (w/Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison) and Muhal Richard Abrams. Also I had a great time at the festivals in Mulhouse (August) and Berlin (November) and enjoyed plenty of fine concerts here in Zurich.

The list has several classical concerts in high positions. Haitink w/Gerhaher doing Brahms was most impressive, my very first Bruckner (Haitink in No. 9) was terrific as well (I've since started exploring the symphonies, only got to No. 2 so far though, but that does include 0 and 00), and Nono's "Prometeo" was an incredible experience. Debussy came up on top, I guess in the longer run the Nono will be quite a bit more memorable, but for now, the glowing orchestra playing and the amazing music of Debussy's opera still are on top.

Decoy (Alexander Hawkins-org, John Edwards-b, Steve Noble-d) with Evan Parker – Novara, 30 January 2016

Peter Brötzmann in Warsaw with Toshinori Kondo (t) and Han Bennink (d) (not on picture Alexander von Schlippenbach-p) – 9 March 2016

* * * * *
Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande – Opernhaus Zürich (Alain Altinoglu) – 27.5. (Bericht)
Nono: Prometeo – Theater Luzern (Clemens Heil) – 15.10.
Peter Brötzmann/Jason Adasiewicz/John Edwards/Steve Noble/Hamid Drake – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 7.3.
Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Bernhard Haitink, Zürcher Sing-Akademie, Christian Gehaher, Camilla Tilling – Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem – Zürich, Tonhalle – 16.1. (Bericht)
Wadada Leo Smith & Alexander Hawkins – Jazzfest Berlin, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche – 6.11.
Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk – Opernhaus Zürich (Vasily Petrenko) – 27.12.
Barry Guy Blue Shroud Band – Zürich, Miller Studio – 19.9.
Peter Brötzmann/Toshinori Kondo/Alexander von Schlippenbach/Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 9.3.
Decoy & Evan Parker – Novara, Attico delle arti – 30.1. (Bericht)
Poing + Maja S. K. Ratkje – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5.
Roscoe Mitchell Trio with John Edwards & Mark Sanders – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 27.8.
Alexander von Schlippenbach & Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 10.3.
Peter Brötzmann/Mateusz Rybicki/Toshinori Kondo/Jason Adasiewicz/Alexander von Schlippenbach/John Edwards/Zbigniew Kozera/Steve Noble – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 10.3.

* * * *1/2
Ellery Eskelin/Christian Weber/Michael Griener – Unerhört, GZ Riesbach, Zürich – 23.11. (Bericht)
Verdi: Don Carlo – Zürich, Opernhaus (Fabio Luisi) – 7.12.
Jack DeJohnette/Ravi Coltrane/Matthew Garrison – Jazzfest Berlin – 5.11.
Tonhalle-Orchester, Bernard Haitink, András Schiff – Beethoven: Klavierkonzert Nr. 5 / Bruckner: Symphonie Nr. 9 – Zürich, Tonhalle – 8.12. (Bericht)
Kristian Bezuidenhout, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardiner (Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert) – Zürich, Tonhalle – 14.11. (Bericht)
Louis Moholo „5 Blokes“ – Ravenna Festival, Teatro Rasi – 21.6. (Bericht)
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner – Bach: Matthäuspassion – Luzern, KKL – 17.3. (Bericht)
Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet – Jazzfest Berlin – 3.11.
Booklet (Tobias Delius-Joe Williamson-Steve Heather) – Unerhört, WIM, Zürich – 24.11. (Bericht)
Sophie Agnel/Joke Lanz/Michael Vatcher – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 24.8.
Nicolas Masson „Parallels“ – Zürich – 21.5. (Bericht)
Peter Brötzmann & Heather Leigh – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 8.3.
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Thierry Fischer & Patricia Kopatchinskaja – Weinberg, Prokofiev, Beethoven – Zürich, Tonhalle – 9.5. (Bericht)
Jazz Against Apartheid: Celebrating the Music of Johnny Dyani – Basel, Bird’s Eye – 27.10. (Bericht)
Gyan Riley and Julian Lage play The Bagatelles Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9.
Elina Duni & Jean-Paul Brodbeck – Zürich – 10.6. (Bericht)
Zeitkratzer: Lou Reed „Metal Machine Music“ Parts 1-4 – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 26.8.
Anja Harteros, Tonhalle Orchester, Donald Runnicles (R. Strauss, Webern, Wagner) – Zürich, Tonhalle – 28.10. (Bericht)
Joachim Badenhorst – Météo, Mulhouse, Chapelle Saint-Jean – 26.8.
Julia Fischer/Igor Levit – Beethoven: Violinsonaten Nr. 9 & 10 – Zürich, Tonhalle, Kleiner Saal – 10.1. (Bericht)
Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart – Theater Rigiblick, Zürich – 15.6.
Eve Risser’s White Desert Orchestra – Jazzfest Berlin – 6.11.
Igor Levit – Hamburg, Laeiszhalle – 12.10.
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail – Opernhaus Zürich (Maxim Emelyanychev) – 21.12.
John Zorn’s Masada Quartet – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9.
Mat Maneri/Randy Peterson – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 4.9.
The Thing & Joe McPhee – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 24.8.
Bruce Springsteen – Zürich, Letzigrund – 31.7.
Ephrem Lüchinger – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 20.5.
Isabelle Faust/Jean-Guihen Queyras/Alexander Melnikov – Schumann, Schubert, Sciarrino: Piano Trios – Zürich, Tonhalle – 17.4. (Bericht)
Muhal Richard Abrams Quintet – Milano, Teatro Manzoni – 31.1. (Bericht)
Steve Lehman Octet – Jazzfest Berlin – 6.11.
Kris Davis Solo – Zürich, Villa Irniger, 17.5. (Bericht)
Alexander von Schlippenbach/John Edwards/Steve Noble – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 8.3.
John Edwards solo – Jazzfestival Willisau, Rathaus – 3.9.
Oum – Zürich, Moods – 1.4. (Bericht)
Toshinori Kondo/John Edwards/Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 8.3.
Peter Brötzmann/Toshinori Kondo/Heather Leigh/Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 10.3.

* * * *
Ken Vandermark & Nate Wooley – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5.
Christian Weber Solo – Wila – 3.7.
Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits plays Masada — The Book Beriah – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9.
Hamid Drake/William Parker/Pat Thomas – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 26.8.
Heiri Känzig (w/Thierry Lang & Chico Freeman) – Zürich, Moods – 4.12.
Der Verboten – Météo, Mulhouse, La Filature – 27.8.
Sonic Communion (Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Douglas Ewart, Joëlle Léandre, Bernard Santacruz, Michael Zerang) – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 27.8.
Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret – Jazzfest Berlin – 4.11.
Asmodeus plays The Bagatelles – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9.
Mats Gustafsson Nu Ensemble – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 25.8.
Globe Unity Orchestra – Jazzfest Berlin – 4.11.
David Murray & Aki Takase – Zürich, Moods – 29.4. (Bericht)
Áine O’Dwyer – Météo, Mulhouse, Église Sainte-Geneviève – 26.8.
Matthew Shipp Solo – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5.
University of London Chamber Choir – Mantova, Basilica S. Barbara – 28.6.
Lia Pale & Mathias Rüegg – Wien, Porgy & Bess – 27.7.
G. Ramanathan – Zürich, Museum Rietberg – 8.5. (Bericht)
Jason Adasiewicz/Heather Leigh/John Edwards/Steve Noble – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 9.3.
Clayton Thomas – Météo, Mulhouse, Chapelle Saint-Jean – 27.8.
Toshinori Kondo & Heather Leigh – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 7.3.
Verdi: Aïda – Arena di Verona (Julian Kovatchev) – 30.6. (Bericht)
Fazil Say – Mozart, Chopin, Say – Zürich, Tonhalle – 19.04. (Bericht)
Bertrand Denzler/Axel Dörner/Antonin Gerbal – Zürich, WIM – 13.5. (Bericht)
MinAfric Orchestra & Louis Moholo & Keith Tippett & Julie Tippetts – Ravenna Festival, Teatro Rasi – 20.6. (Bericht)
Jean-Paul Brodbeck Trio – Zürich, Moods – 29.4. (Bericht)
Zeena Parkins solo – Météo, Mulhouse, L’Entrepot – 24.8.
Agustí Fernández/Kjell Nordeson – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 25.8.
Tobias Meier „Im Wald“ – Jazzfestival Willisau, Rathaus – 4.9.
Mulatu Astatke – Zürich, Moods – 6.2. (Bericht)
Han Bennink & Jason Adasiewicz – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 7.3.

Roscoe Mitchell with John Edwards (b) and Mark Sanders (d) – Mulhouse – 27 August 2016

* * *1/2
Els Biesemans – Zürich, Grossmünster – 20.7.
Simulacrum – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9.
Tonhalle Orchester, Paavo Järvi, Steven Isserlis: Prokofiev, Kurtág, Schumann – Zürich, Tonhalle – 16.12.
Robert Glasper Experiment – Zürich, Moods – 7.4. (Bericht)
Julia Holter & Strings – Jazzfest Berlin – 6.11.
Silvan Jeger/Silvan Schmid, Jonas Labhart/Gabriela Friedli, Sandra Weiss/Christian Weber – Zürich, WIM – 23.12.
Hans-Peter Pfammatter & Big Band der Hochschule Luzern-Musik – Unerhört, GZ Riesbach, Zürich – 23.11. (Bericht)
Alice Borciani/Musiker des Tonhalle Orchester – L’état, c’est moi: Couperin, Montéclair, Lully – Tonhalle, Zürich – 12.6.
Native Instrument (Stine Janvin Motland, Felicity Mangan) – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 27.8.
Colin Vallon/Matthieu Michel/Flo Götte/Domi Charnson – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5.
Keith Tippett & Julie Tippetts – Ravenna Festival, Teatro Rasi – 20.6. (Bericht)
Clayton Thomas/Anthea Caddy – Météo, Mulhouse, L’Entrepot – 24.8.
Jacob Wick & Christian Weber – Zürich, WIM – 13.5. (Bericht)
Per-Ake Holmlander – Météo, Mulhouse, Bibliothèque Grand’Rue – 25.8.
dieb13 solo – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 25.8.

* * *
Joachim Kühn Trio „Beauty & Truth“ – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 4.9.
Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau Duo – Jazzfest Berlin – 4.11.
Tobias Meier „Im Wald“ – Zürich – 27.2.
Mette Henriette – Jazzfest Berlin – 3.11.
Green Dome (Zeena Parkins) – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 26.8.
Cleric plays Masada – The Book Beriah – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9.
Peter K. Frey (solo) – Unerhört, WIM, Zürich – 24.11. (Bericht)
Nik Bärtsch „Ronin“ & hr-Bigband – Jazzfest Berlin – 5.11.
Alexandre Babel solo – Météo, Mulhouse, Chapelle Saint-Jean – 25.8.

* *1/2
Mike Majkowski – Météo, Mulhouse, Église Sainte-Geneviève – 26.8.
Louis Minus XVI – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 24.8.
Julia Hülsmann Quartet & Anna-Lena Schnabel – Jazzfest Berlin – 3.11.
The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5.

* *
Angelika Niescier/Florian Weber Quintet – Jazzfest Berlin – 5.11.
Kris Davis/Christoph Irniger Duo – Zürich, Villa Irniger, 17.5. (Kurzbericht)

[kh1958]

Gosh, that was a busy concert year.

[king ubu]

Indeed it was! But consider Météo Mulhouse, Brötzmann in Warsaw, Berlin Jazzfest and a few others (Zorn in Willisau, Unerhört and Taktlos in Zurich) listed by set ... those were a couple of intense but enormously rewarding weeks, long weekends or just days. Not planning to keep up that pace, actually other than a few opera and classical tickets and trip to Milan in a few weeks (Roscoe Mitchell again, a visit to La Scala, and then Bobby Bradford in Novara) I have no plans for 2017 yet. Will wait for festival programmes to be published and then decide ...

[kh1958]

I really enjoy those types of concentrated musical experiences--I'm looking forward to the two day Marathon of the Winter Jazzfest in NYC (this coming Friday and Saturday nights), and as many days of the 7 day New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival as I can manage to attend (coming in April-May).

[Steve Reynolds]

I was thinking of a day of the Winter Jazz fest as a few of the bands I'd really like to hear but I'm sticking with my 2-4 shows per month or s

2016 another great year - maybe I'll mention the best of the year in another post but really all but 1-2 off kilter nights were tremendous.

[Leeway]

A lot of great music Ubu!  Amazing how Brotzman keeps topping lists. In fact many of the artists from the 60s and 70s continue to dominate the scene (Parker, Schlippenbach, Guy, et al). 

[Steve Reynolds]

Many wonderful shows - the best in some sort of order:

1) Fred Frith, Ikue Mori & Ches Smith 10:00 set on 12/6/16 

2) Ches Smith, Mat Maneri & Craig Taborn 10:00 electric set on 9/27/16 - first standard non-electric set might place within the below group but whatever - the great trio can't place everywhere / but alas maybe my favorite current group to see live except for maybe the next 2....

3) Ches Smith's These Arches - both incredible 8:00 & 10:00 sets on 10/1/16 - Tim Berne, Herb Robertson(!!!!!), Mary Halvorsen, Devin Hoff (on electric bass!!!!) & Andrea Perkins. This configuration far outshines the previous group.

4) Tom Rainey Trio with Ingrid Laubrock & Mary Halvorsen: both sets from 12/30/16

5) Louie Belegonis Quartet Twice Told Tales with Tony Malaby, Trevor Dunn & Ryan Sawyer both 8:00 & 10:00 sets on 6/24/16

6) Joe Morris Quartet with Mat Maneri, Chris Lightcap & Gerald Cleaver 10:00 set on 8/21/16 (first set excellent with the same band) - first set places right under this list - fine but not trancsendent

7) Louie Belegonis Flow Trio plus Joe McPhee - both 8:00 & 10:00 sets on 6/21/16 - awesome rhythm team of Joe Morris on bass and the wonderous Charles Downs on drums

8) Joe Morris Quintet with Petr Cancura, Jason Hwang, William Parker & Hamid Drake 8:00 set on 8/17/16

9) Joe Morris Quartet with Tony Malaby, William Parker & Hamid Drake 8:00 set on 8/20/16

10) Darius Jones Organ Quartet with Cooper-Moore on organ, Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone & Chad Taylor on drums

11) Ches Smith Trio with Mat Maneri & Craig Taborn / the April show at the Rubin

 

there were more good shows which I'll add if I think of them but these shows were all more than great

 

[mjazzg]

Nice list there, Steve. 

I missed more live music than I saw this year including very frustratingly Smith/Taborn/Maneri.

Consolation in the shape of tremendous gigs from 

The Chicago Underground Duo w. Alex Hawkins
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Les Diaboliques
Otomo Yoshihide and Evan Parker
Tomeka Reid/Mike Reed w. Alex Hawkins (again)
Nicole Mitchell solo and duo with Mark Sanders

[Leeway]

Couldn't get to as many shows as I'd have liked but the ones I did attend were satisfying:

Ches Smith Trio with Maneri and Taborn

Content Provider- with Andrew Drury, Ingrid Laubrock, Brandon Seabrook, and Brigden Krause

Ken Vaandermark Made to Break

Universal Indian with Joe McPhee

Matt Shipp Trio

Bill Cole Trio

Nate Wooley Icepick, with Corsano and IHF

Ken Vadermark Solo

Dave Rempis Trio Gunwale

Kahn El'Zabar Ritual Trio with David Murray and Harrison Bankhead

Larry Ochs, Nels Cline, Gerald Cleaver

Michael Formanek, Hank Roberts, Ches Smith