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On Hamiet Bluiett & Kahil El’Zabar
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Hamiet Bluiett & Kahil El’ZabarFri., Nov. 20, 8pm. $12. Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St. 215.545.4302 www.arsnovaworkshop.org When he gets going, baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett could probably take down a house with his gutsy, barrel-chested sound. A cofounder of the World Saxophone Quartet and the St. Louis-based Black Artists Guild, he’s played a major
Seriously?
Wow, talk about coasting. In his NYT online column, Stanley Fish has tackled weighty topics like censorship and Islam (and often gotten it miserably wrong). Now he’s cranking out stuff that’d be perfect for an Andy Rooney segment. Or a few extra verses of Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic.”
Philadelphia haps, cont’d.
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Jim SnideroFri., Nov. 13, 8 & 10pm. $15. Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St. 215.568.3131 www.chrisjazzcafe.com Alto saxophonist Jim Snidero is part of an elite straightahead jazz contingent in New York — stone beboppers and consummate pros who have never bowed to prevailing fashion and never will. A lithe and forceful soloist and a prized
Quote of the day
From Jeffrey Goldberg: “If only Nidal Hasan, the alleged Ft. Hood killer, had been gay, the Army would have spent quite a bit of time hunting him down.”
The week on disc (57)
In case you missed the last one… Keyon Harrold, Introducing Keyon Harrold (Criss Cross) Dan Tepfer, Twelve Free Improvisations in Twelve Keys (ind.) Chad Taylor, Circle Down (482 Music) Fra Fra Sound, Dya So (Pramisi Records) Davy Mooney, Astoriano (LateSet) Sharel Cassity, Relentless (Jazz Legacy)
The decade (shudder)
At this point people are thinking not only about their jazz picks of the year, but their picks of the decade, 2000-2009. That’s running through my mind as I listen to Mika Pohjola’s gorgeous new solo piano recording Great Tunes By My Friends, which highlights the music of Guillermo Klein, Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Cheek, Fernando Huergo, Reid Anderson
Vijay Iyer PS
Just wanted to correct the record after my preview in last week’s Time Out New York and note that Vijay Iyer’s drummer last week was Justin Brown, who’s been subbing for Marcus Gilmore on a regular basis and doing a great job. A player as rhythmically advanced as Iyer can’t hire just any drummer and expect it to work. Then
Music Creative
Philadelphia’s Doug Hirlinger has come up with something new and novel: A new online monthly music series featuring a different collective of composers and musicians every month and new compositions written or arranged for the occasion. The compositions will be rehearsed and recorded in a single session and posted on musiccreative.org. I’ll be drawing from a large pool of talented