Music
“For the love of Kermit”
Bassist Kermit Driscoll has third-stage Lyme Disease and is struggling. There’s a benefit coming up to raise funds for his medical expenses: Monday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m., Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street, near Delancey Street, Lower East Side, 212-358-7501, tonicnyc.com; cover, $25. Slated to perform: Bill Frisell, John Zorn, John Patitucci, John Hollenbeck. Tax-deductible donations can also be made payable
T.O.P.
Pianist Jacky Terrasson, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Leon Parker, that is. I have no trouble declaring that this is one of the best jazz trios of the past 20 years. And they’re back — playing at Iridium in New York through this Sunday. They played the Jazz Standard last year, just after I returned from Iraq. I was in
On Alice Coltrane
Pianist/keyboardist/composer Alice Coltrane, widow of John Coltrane, died over the weekend. I attended her concert in Newark, NJ in October 2006, which was part of a short and much celebrated tour. My reaction was a bit less enthusiastic than that of Bill Milkowski (who sat next to me at the show). Ben Ratliff of the NY Times sounded a more
On Michael Brecker
Tenor sax giant Michael Brecker, who has just died at age 57 of a rare blood disease, was far and away one of the most important figures in my early development as a musician and a jazz listener. I spoke with him only once, on the phone, while doing research for a Downbeat piece on drummer Ralph Peterson in 2002.
Sad news
I just received a note that pianist Alice Coltrane and tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker have both passed away. I had the good fortune to hear both perform within the past year. More comments later.
Dewey Redman memorial
At St. Peter’s Church on 54th and Lexington (NYC) last night, there was a memorial concert for the late saxophonist Dewey Redman — an event I almost missed and am so glad I didn’t. Barely had I removed my coat before I was watching Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette play “The Bat,” a classic Metheny ballad. To hear
Six Picks: January 2007
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, January 2007: Omer Avital, The Ancient Art of Giving (Smalls) Brian Groder w. Sam Rivers Trio, Torque (Latham) Nicolas Masson, Yellow (A Little Orange) (Fresh Sound-New Talent) Albrecht Maurer & Norbert Rodenkirchen, Hidden Fresco (NEMU) Miles Okazaki, Mirror (self-released) Ximo Tebar & Fourlights, Eclipse (Omix/Sunnyside)
CDs reviewed
A couple of my recent CD reviews for Jazz Times are available online: So There by bassist Steve Swallow and the late poet Robert Creeley, with Steve Kuhn on piano; and History of the Micros, a reissue of all four albums by the Microscopic Septet. In December ’06 the Micros reunited to play Joe’s Pub. Alas, I was out of