Sunday February 7, 2010
Saxophonist J.D. Allen is in the habit of playing continuous sets, with each song linking to the next. The transitions can be sly and subliminal, or jarringly abrupt. Joined by bassist Gregg August and drummer Tyshawn Sorey, who substituted for Rudy Royston for the duration of the Vanguard run, Allen treated a series of moods as if they were musical themes. Each slipped away only to reemerge later, fleshing out a framework that turned out to be a piece in itself...read more
Image © Frank Stewart
Thursday February 4, 2010
George Wein may be old and grandfatherly, but he's pretty hip. In a column at JazzTimes yesterday, February 3rd, 2010, the man who gave birth to the jazz festival as we know it reflected on reinstating a Summer jazz festival in New York City. Last year the tradition was halted due to financial woes.
Turns out, the 84-year-old impresario has his ear to the ground: "What about Brooklyn? I keep hearing that there is an exciting jazz scene over the bridge." Finally, someone of the white-haired jazz enthusiast contingency understands! I always suspected that those old guys yelping about the demise of jazz really just had no idea where to look for it.
After attending the 2010 NYC Winter JazzFest, Wein noted that he "hadn't seen such energy for a genre of music since the folk scene in Greenwich Village when Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Clancy Brothers and many other wonderful artists were emerging." The turnout for and buzz around Winter JazzFest must have clued Wein in on the fact that in order to maintain the jazz lifeline, young people can't be locked out by high ticket prices. Most of the venues during the 2010 CareFusion Jazz Festival, which will take place from the 17th to the 26th of June, will charge $15.00, and won't require a drink minimum.
Image © Brad Barket / Getty Images
Tuesday February 2, 2010
If you happen to believe that some classic jazz music would help augment your Valentine's Day spirit, then check out my Valentine's Day jazz lists. There's something for everyone, regardless of predicament:
Image © Getty Images
Sunday January 31, 2010
After hearing the Lee Konitz trio toy with standards last weekend at the Village Vanguard, and then saxophonist Pete Robbins' group siLENT Z obscure formal delineations at Tea Lounge with music from their new album siLENT Z - Live (to be released in May, 2010), I was in the mood for something safe, traditional, and conventional.
I say that with my tongue in my cheek of course. On Saturday, January 30th, I caught the 11:30 pm set of the Jeremy Pelt Quintet at the Jazz Standard. Just because trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and his limber bandmates don't throw out formal structure doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of blurring of lines. Featuring saxophonist J.D. Allen, bassist Dwayne Burno, pianist Danny Grissett, and drummer Gerald Cleaver, the group reminded me of Miles Davis' 1960s quintet, with its sweeping melodies and penetratingly introspective moods. Although structures remained intact, the musicians - especially Cleaver and Burno - did everything they could to continually reinvent them. Pelt's latest album Men of Honor, was released on Tuesday, January 26th.
Speaking of J.D. Allen, from February 2nd through 7th, he plays with his trio at the Village Vanguard. Joining him will be bassist Gregg August and drummer Tyshawn Sorey. Allen's trio, which has recently included drummer Rudy Royston, tends to fall under the "straight-ahead" umbrella. I'm excited to hear it with Sorey's wily effervescence.
Update: Review of J.D. Allen Trio at the Village Vanguard
Image © Jimmy Ryan
