Jazz
In City Arts: The Next Generation
I have an article in the jazz issue of City Arts, on the topic of maintaining careers in jazz and improvised music. My focus? Taylor Ho Bynum, Steve Lehman and Matana Roberts. Other worthy contributions in this issue from Ernest Barteldes, Kurt Gottschalk, Emilie Pons and section editor Howard Mandel.
Six Picks: May 2011
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in The New York City Jazz Record, May 2011: Ben Allison, Action-Refraction (Palmetto) Brian Carpenter’s Ghost Train Orchestra, Hothouse Stomp (Accurate) Joe Fiedler Trio, Sacred Chrome Orb (Yellow Sound) Peter Paulsen Quintet, Goes Without Saying… (SquarePegWorks) Ralph Peterson’s Unity Project, Outer Reaches (Onyx) Kenny Werner, Balloons (Half Note)
The 2011 JJA Jazz Awards
Winners to be revealed on June 11 at City Winery. Congrats to all the nominees!
String Kings: Guitars at the Met
My writeup of the “Guitar Heroes” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in the new issue of JazzTimes (May 2011). I’m happy to report that Anthony Wilson’s April 10 premiere — with Julian Lage, Steve Cardenas and Chico Pinheiro — was completely amazing. There’s a live album in the works.
The week on disc (90)
In case you missed the last one… Art Hirahara, Noble Path (Posi-Tone) Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, 40 Acres and a Burro (Zoho) Brandon Seabrook, Seabrook Power Plant II (Loyal Label) Shane Endsley and the Music Band, Then the Other (Low Electrical) Skuli Sverrisson, Sería II (Sería) Harriet Tubman, Ascension (Sunnyside)
Gilad Atzmon to play music, foment hate in New York
In my inbox is a notice from World Village-Harmonia Mundi: Saxophonist Gilad Atzmon “makes a rare appearance in New York City beginning May 5th and is available for interviews.” Oddly I see no gig schedule listed. In any case I won’t be interviewing Atzmon during his visit, because I’m too busy interviewing musicians who don’t claim that the Jews provoked
The week on disc (89)
In case you missed the last one… Tim Berne, Insomnia (Clean Feed) Soren Moller, Christian X Variations (Audial) Diego Urcola, Appreciation (CAM Jazz) Ohad Talmor, Newsreel (Auand) Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Faithful (ECM) Vinnie Sperrazza/Jacob Sacks/Masa Kamaguchi, Barcelona Holiday (Fresh Sound)
Martial Solal in Philly
In the new Philadelphia Weekly: Martial Solal Sat., Apr. 9, 8pm. $32-$38. Kimmel Center, 260 South Broad St. 215.731.3333 www.kimmelcenter.org There are only three pianists who’ve had the honor of playing solo for a week at the Village Vanguard: Fred Hersch, Cecil Taylor and 83-year-old Algerian-born Frenchman Martial Solal. With a firm attack, dazzling chops and whimsical but unfailingly logical