Music
On Billy Hart
This review appears in the May 2011 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — Billy Hart, Sixty-Eight (SteepleChase) Brian Landrus Quartet, Traverse (BlueLand) Mads Vinding Trio, Open Minds (Storyville) By David R. Adler At 70, Billy Hart is an icon of modern jazz drumming, and his work is far from done. Fueled by a restless creativity, he’s taken
New York @ Night: May 2011
From the May 2011 issue of The New York City Jazz Record: — Pianist Dan Tepfer has absorbed untold wisdom through his many duo engagements with alto great Lee Konitz, but at Cornelia Street Café (April 9th) it was time for the young Tepfer to face another giant, bassist Gary Peacock. (Konitz was on hand to hear it.) “I’ll Remember April”
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)
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)