From: BRIAN (bbaltin_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 2003-01-25 04:53:38
Hello all,
Chicago and London seem to be very quiet this week, but for anyone in
London, the immortal/sublime/lovely Jean Carn continues her three-night stay
@ the JC. Still haven't had the chance to see her, but look forward to it
soon.
In Los Angeles, two of the biggest names in female vocal jazz today
arrive at the same time: Dianne Reeves @ the OC Performing Arts Center, and
Cassandra Wilson @ the Knitting Factory. I've seen Dianne and she's
certainly very good but not essential. As for Cassandra, I love her work
with Courtney Pine years back, and her own early records, but I've lost
interest a bit, and Straight No Chaser's fairly direct slam of her
appearance at last year's North Sea Jazz Fest is enough to keep me from
parting with the entrance fee.
In happier L.A. news, the much-hyped Donnie lands at Temple Bar (after
opening for India.Arie)‹and opening for him is one of L.A.'s best (and most
elusive) acid jazz outfits, the Rebirth. Definitely worth a look/listen.
Also, on the dancefloor front, house god Tony Humphries plays the 4-year
anniversary shindig for Marques Wyatt's Deep (hope it keeps on for another
four!), the great (and now local) Harvey plays the Bud Brothers' Monday
Social, and Radio 1's Annie Nightingale plays on a Malibu beachfront at
sunset. Sounds lovely. And on the jazz tip, this week's two great
residencies continue through the weekend, Gonzalo and David @ Catalina, and
Jacky Terrason @ the Jazz Bakery.
New York is also in mighty good shape. Doing the first of two gigs in
the next few weeks is a young lady named Tessa Souter that I am mightily
anxious to check out when she gets back to L.A. I haven't heard her at all,
because she's unsigned, but I learned of her via raves in the L.A. Times and
the Village Voice. She's Afro-British-Caribbean, and apparently has sublime
taste in material, tackling several of the best jewels in the
soul-jazz/proto-acid jazz canon, including two classics closely associated
with Leon Thomas: "The Creator Has a Master Plan," and (Freddie Hubbard's)
"Little Sunflower." Her last set in L.A. Included not only these but the
seldom vocally-interpreted "Caravan" (the psychotropic Dionne Warwick
batucada was the first time I'd ever heard a vocal on it), Coltrane and
Billie material, and the perennial "Lazy Afternoon." Sounds like she's very
much of the Jon Lucien/Terry Callier/Mark Murphy aesthetic, and I absolutely
can not wait to hear her. So if you're in NYC, check her out. Also in
starting or continuing residencies are the legendary Pat Martino (continued
props for his participation in the Philadelphia Experiment‹and of course for
such 60s Riverside spiritual jazz classics as "Baiyina"), and Roy Hargrove.
Respectfully,
Brian Baltin
Aesthetic Rejuvenator
Liquidator Graphics
For much more please visit www.liquidatorgraphics.com. The new CD by Baltin:
"Bellissima Idyll (Chasing After the Sun)" is now available.
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/cdsbybaltin/bellissima_idyll.htm
*
London:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_london.htm
JEAN CARN, JAZZ CAFE 1/24-25
*
Los Angeles:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_losangeles.htm
GONZALO RUBALCABA + DAVID SANCHEZ, CATALINA BAR + GRILL 1/24-26
JACKY TERRASON, JAZZ BAKERY 1/24-26
CASSANDRA WILSON, KNITTING FACTORY 1/24-26
DIANNE REEVES, ORANGE COUNTY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 1/24-25
DONNIE + THE REBIRTH, TEMPLE BAR 1/25
TONY HUMPHRIES, DEEP @ 1650 1/26
ANNIE NIGHTINGALE, SOLEIL @ MOONSHADOWS RESTAURANT 1/26
HARVEY + GAVIN HARDKISS, MONDAY SOCIAL @ LAS PALMAS RESTAURANT 1/27
JAMES "BLOOD" ULMER, JAZZ BAKERY 1/28-2/2
*
New York:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_nyc.htm
DJINJI BROWN + SUN RA ARKESTRA, MAXWELL'S 1/24
PAT MARTINO, IRIDIUM 1/24-26
ROY HARGROVE, JAZZ STANDARD 1/24-26
KID 606, TONIC 1/25
J-LIVE, NORTH SIX 1/25
JUNGLE BROTHERS, CENTRO-FLY 1/25
TESSA SOUTER, SWEET RHYTHM 1/28
ERYKAH BADU, S.O.B.'S 1/29-30
*
Chicago:
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/culture/gigs_chicago.htm
ERYKAH BADU, HOUSE OF BLUES 1/25
TERRY CALLIER, GREEN MILL 1/27 (and every Monday)
*
http://www.liquidatorgraphics.com/