Then late set back at Close Up. Kayvon Gordon in the midst of a live album recording run with a stellar band. Two of my favorite things to hear before a show "we're just gonna do all improv" and "we're gonna start and not stop until the end." Top notch ensemble playing with Elias Stemeseder on keys, Joel Ross on vibes, Dave Leon on reeds, Dean Torrey on bass.
Close Up is the place to be, easily the best place to see jazz in NYC in 2026.
And then, as luck would have it, Bill Frisell! Matinee set back at Appel with totally different band and feel. Petra Haden, Ambrose Akinmusire and Tim Angulo creating more magic, vocals and all... Including the most haunting cover of Where Have All the Flowers Gone? imaginable.
So lucky to be able to catch 3 of his birthday shows. All unique in their own way, three lineups, three side of Frisell as a bandleader. A tryptych of Frisellian magic. Grateful!
And in a surprise to absolutely no one, I saw Bill Frisell (again) tonight. Still celebrating 75 years, this evening with the stellar "In My Dreams" band with Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang, Hank Roberts, Tony Scherr, and Rudy Royston. I mean, they're all good, but this was positively majestic made even more so by the equally majestic venue, the Appel Room... Perhaps the best room in the city. Stunning interplay between the strings and guitar and the room. It's the beauty and chaos of the city itself. Phenomenal show.
Haven't been too good about posting about my livemusic'n, but caught two good ones last night. First, Hayden Pedigo with some solo guitar mastery in a church in Greenpoint. Richly textured playing and some A+ banter, just a cool dude all around. Then late set at Close Up with Yvonne Rogers who might be my new favorite pianist in town. She's doing some really interesting stuff, almost always playing newly written pieces that elevate beyond your standard piano fare. She's a young one to watch and as good as I've seen her with Carmen Quill and Tim Angulo last night.
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.
neddyo