Tonight: Tony Trishka curated a stellar bill of banjo players. From Bela Fleck to Steve Martin to my personal favorite, Nora Brown. Great balance of styles and everyone kind of killed it. Tony's band with Michael Daves and Brittany Haas was awesome. An embarrassment of riches. Really great night at Symphony Space.
And for some reason Fred Armisen showed up at the end? And two people behind us got into a shouting match that I think started over an armrest dispute? Fuck yes, NYC!
If you have a chance to go see LaMP, do not hesitate. One of the best instrumental jambands this side of Medeski, Martin, and Wood.
Tonight: completed a trifecta of Newport Folk regulars in one week. Brandi Carlile, then Langhorne Slim, and now Margo Price who absolutely crushed it at Webster Hall tonight. Her band is freakin great, with Sean "Weird Ears" Thompson on guitar. He is something special in 3 completely different bands.
And for those who say there are no protest songs these days, all three of those acts had a current of protest energy flowing through their sets, especially Margo tonight, nearly half her set felt charged with either "fuck em all up!" or "we've got this!" energy, not to mention not one but two Dylan covers.
There are few badasses as badass as Margo Price.
I don't usually care much about the Grammys, but every once in a while, one gives me some level of happiness and that's definitely how I'm feeling seeing Robert Randolph win his first Grammy. That one made me smile pretty good.
I often joke that I get too much credit for things I don't deserve it for and not enough credit for things I do, but they mostly balance out so it's OK. I think with Robert it's just right.
Taper's Choice once again tonight. I love so many things this band does, I feel like I want to write paragraphs every time I see them. Tonight I was really zeroed in on how there's no standard "leader" in the band, much to their credit, and how it manifests itself in so many ways. The jamming gets almost *beyond* democratic. There was an extended stretch of improv where the keys and guitar were basically soloing simultaneously. Not a back-and-forth, not one complementing the other, but two guys somehow locked in for like ten minutes of build where they were almost indistinguishable from each other. Never seen anything like that and it blew my mind. Lots of moments like that. Last night was sick, tonight was something else. Wowza and more at Brooklyn Bowl.
#nycfreaks #livemusic #brooklyn #williamsburg #brooklynbowl #jams
Tonight: Taper's Choice opens their tour and I was literally smiling from ear to ear the entire set. They just click for me on multiple layers like few others do. Lots of killer jams woven expertly into their proggy compositions. Zach had a Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe vintage tshirt on and Chris with not just a Grateful Dead tee but more specifically a *Mars Hotel* tee. I don't think you could sum up their sound any better than that unless Dave had a rainbow PH logo shirt on under his leather jacket. Sick progjams at Ardmore Music Hall. Looking forward to more back home tomorrow night.
If you're in NYC and want to see jazz played at the highest level, Scott Colley Quartet with Julian Lage, Chris Potter, and Tim Angulo at Dizzy's is a must see. Top of their game, all. And you can't beat that view!
Tonight: haven't seen anyone over the past 4 years as much as Marta Sanchez and I don't think I've loved anyone more over that period than I've loved Bill Frisell, but I do not believe I'd ever seen them together before tonight. Needless to say, it was sublime. Trio set at the Stone with Ingrid Laubrock. As with everything in that room could've gone a million ways, but was a total lighter-than-air bliss-out. Three musicians in constant, sweet-nothing conversation with each other. Everything I dreamed it could be and then some. Perfection!
#nycfreaks #livemusic #nyc #thestone #jazz #martasanchez #billfrisell
Hey, got offered a ticket to the Cap so I went and I'd do it again, goddammit!
JRAD JRAD'd JRAD'ingly...
Wednesday last week I caught the Ches Smith Quartet at the Stone, the opening night of a rare two week stint in the room. It was quite fucking awesome, but I was quite sure it would get even better along the way. Returned tonight for the final night as they prepare to go into the studio tomorrow and, friends, it was a mindblowing set. The band is Mary Halvorson and Liberty Ellman on guitars and Nick Dunston on bass + electronics joining Smith on drums + vibes + electronics. The interweaving two guitars was some serious mindmeld stuff and the interplay between those two and the rhythm section was next level. Set of the year so far!
neddyo