Music
The week on disc (54)
In case you missed the last one… Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge, The Comet’s Tail: Performing the Compositions of Michael Brecker (MAMA Records) Joris Teepe Big Band, We Take No Prisoners (Challenge) Digital Primitives, Hum Crackle & Pop (Hopscotch) Steve Davis, Eloquence (Jazz Legacy) Dafnis Prieto, Si O Si Quartet: Live at Jazz Standard NYC (Dafnison) Keith Jarrett, Testament
Philadelphia haps, cont’d.
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: EllipsisWed., Oct. 7, 9pm. $5. With Oud Blues. Tritone, 1508 South St. 215.545.0475 www.tritonebar.com Drummer Justin Leigh and pianist John Stenger head up Ellipsis, and their continuing residency at Tritone has entailed full-album renditions of Björk, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley and others (first Wednesday every month, free downloadable sets at ellipsismakesmusic.com). But Ellipsis
Jazz vs. JALC?
This is old news by blogosphere standards, but my friend Larry Blumenfeld took heat recently for doing what advocates of progressive jazz aren’t supposed to do: write a positive piece about Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Patrick J. commented briefly on some of the ensuing flap, and I just gotta say: It’s hilarious to see Chris Rich rip
Six Picks: October 2009
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, October 2009: Brad Dutz Quartet, Whimsical Excursion Boats (ind.) Gordon Grdina’s East Van Strings, The Breathing of Statues (Songlines) John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Eternal Interlude (Sunnyside) Joe Martin, Not By Chance (Anzic) Linda Oh Trio, Entry (ind.) Tyshawn Sorey, Koan (482 Music)
Philadelphia haps, cont’d.
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Dave Liebman GroupFri., Oct. 2, 8-11:30pm. $15. Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St. 215.568.3131 www.chrisjazzcafe.com Dave Liebman grew up hearing John Coltrane in the flesh. Now in his 60s, the Poconos-based Brooklynite is a saxophone guru himself, having earned his stripes in the early ’70s with Elvin Jones and Miles Davis, appearing on Miles’ twisted
On the Fat Cat Big Band
My feature on guitarist-composer Jade Synstelien and the Fat Cat Big Band, in the October 2009 issue of Jazz Times.
Sonny Rollins front-page spread
I was finally able to scan my Sonny Rollins Inquirer feature from the other day, a nice front-page spread [pdf] in the Tuesday Magazine section. I’m not sure if Sonny has elsewhere discussed the possibility of a trio studio session with Christian McBride and Roy Haynes, so I won’t claim it’s a scoop, but let’s hope he goes that way.
On Oliver Lake
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Oliver Lake Organ QuartetSun., Sep. 27, 8pm. $12. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6546 www.arsnovaworkshop.org If you think of the jazz avant-garde as insular, a world apart, consider alto saxophonist Oliver Lake, whose work with Björk, Mos Def, Meshell Ndegeocello and others has set an all-embracing example (particularly for his sons, drummer Gene and turntablist