dev

18
Oct

The week on disc (55)

In case you missed the last one… David Binney & Alan Ferber, In the Paint (Posi-Tone) SFJazz Collective, Live 2009: The Works of McCoy Tyner (SFJazz Records) Joe Morris, Colorfield (ESP-Disk’) Ben Monder & Bill McHenry, Bloom (Blue Music Group) Harris Eisenstadt, Canada Day (Clean Feed) Joey DeFrancesco, Snapshot (HighNote)

17
Oct

Held by the Taliban

David Rohde’s extended account of his hellish seven-month-plus captivity in Afghanistan and Taliban-held Pakistan is running this week in the NYT. Part one is here. It’s about as gripping a narrative as you can possibly imagine, and a testament to the man’s extraordinary bravery and sacrifice. Rohde took a risk in interviewing a Taliban commander because he felt duty-bound as

Read more

15
Oct

On Christian McBride

My feature on Christian McBride, in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.

15
Oct

On the Industrial Jazz Group

In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Industrial Jazz GroupFri., Oct. 16, 7:55pm. $5. With Agent Moosehead, Gina Ferrera. Green Line Café, 4426 Locust St. 215.222.0799 www.industrialjazzgroup.com Soon after Keith Jarrett famously cursed out photographers in Italy, Andrew Durkin orchestrated the whole tirade for the singers and players of his acoustic 16-piece Industrial Jazz Group. That’s Durkin’s specialty: arch, knowing humor delivered

Read more

14
Oct

On Mark Weinstein & Omar Sosa

My review of Mark Weinstein & Omar Sosa’s Tales from the Earth, in the current Time Out New York. Sosa’s Afreecanos Quartet plays the Highline Ballroom this Sunday.

9
Oct

Obama’s Nobel

What do I think? It doesn’t matter what I think. As a fairly militant supporter of President Obama, I’m biased. Has he racked up a term’s worth of accomplishments? No. Has he changed the tone of world diplomacy radically for the better? Yes. So I’m happy this news annoys rightists who’ve been painting Obama as Hitler-Stalin-Satan. I’m also happy it

Read more

9
Oct

Remembering Margot

Once again, my sister has put up a beautiful tribute page — this one in memory of our Margot. All October profits from nawtydog.com go to the ASPCA.

8
Oct

“Just a Guy Who Knows”

That’s the title of a documentary-in-progress about saxophonist Sonny Simmons. Trailer below. Dan Scofield and Mike Ercolini are seeking funding to expand it to feature-length from its current 21 minutes. I love the fact that Simmons doubles on English horn. His latest collaboration, with Norway’s Crimetime Orchestra, Atomic Symphony, is not to be missed. JUST A GUY WHO KNOWS trailer

Read more