New York
Bob Bowen
Bassist Bob Bowen, a wonderful player I never had the good fortune to meet personally, was killed on his bike in a traffic accident. He leaves behind a family with two young kids. I’m a dad too, so yes, the photo above made me weep. I’m teaching on the night of his memorial (Monday, September 27, 5:30 p.m.), but the
The Best Jazz of 2010 (So Far)!
That’s the theme of our Jazz Journalists Association panel discussion this coming Wednesday, September 15, 6-8 p.m. at the New School Performance Space in Manhattan. Panelists include me, Kurt Gottschalk, Sheila Anderson and moderator/co-panelist Howard Mandel. Full details here! [Update: An after-the-fact report from the panel. We’re holding a second round on October 14th! Details to come.]
Remembering the fallen
The New York City Firefighters Memorial, one of the most peaceful locations in the city, two blocks from my apartment. I sat there often to reflect in the days after 9/11. Hard to believe it’s been nine years since I emerged from the N/R station at 8th Street at about 9:20 a.m., to see a huge cloud of dark smoke high in
“America has disgraced itself”
I agree with this strongly worded assessment of the Cordoba controversy by Peter Beinart. Key point: Once upon a time, the “war on terror” was supposed to bring American values to Saudi Arabia. Now Newt Gingrich says we shouldn’t build a mosque in Lower Manhattan until the Saudis build churches and synagogues in Mecca—which is to say, we’re bringing Saudi
In support of Cordoba House
I’m proud that the president of my country, and the mayor of my city, have spoken out forcefully against the bigoted campaign to block the construction of a Muslim community center on Park Place in lower Manhattan. This is a phony issue ginned up by the right, in fact part of a wider outburst of xenophobia that actually has little
New York @ Night: July 2010
In the July 2010 issue of All About Jazz-New York: — When Dave Douglas and Keystone played (Le) Poisson Rouge in the prime 8:20 p.m. slot of the Undead Jazzfest (June 12), DJ Olive was not there to provide his sonic trickery, which has done much to define the group since its 2005 inception. But Adam Benjamin’s heavily tweaked Fender
Six Picks: July 2010
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, July 2010: Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Harvesting Semblances of Infinity (Pi) Alan Ferber, Chamber Songs: Music for Nonet and Strings (Sunnyside) Eric Hofbauer, American Fear! (Creative Nation) Ideal Bread, Transmit: Volume 2 of The Music of Steve Lacy (Cuneiform) Alex Machacek, 24 Tales (Abstract Logix) David Weiss &
Undead
Another NYC mega jazz fest to pair with Winter Jazz Fest. This one in June. Details here.