Jazz for aficionados

@wharfy Great show. The acoustics at Smoke are very good that is why so many artists record live shows there.

Herring and Alexander have been playing together over 3 decades and play off of each other really well.

Herring mentioned the 2 "battle albums" - the 2005 Eric Alexander release "The Battle", and the 2011 Vincent Herring release "Friendly Fire". Both were recorded live at Smoke.

The rhythm section of Mike Ledonne on piano, John Webber on bass with Lewis Nash on the drums really know how to swing. I had seen Webber and Nash multiple times but never Ledonne.

Mike Ledonne and I had a 15 minute conversation after the set and it was a great experience. Ledonne graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Jaki Byard in 1978 and has been playing professionally nearly 50 years. 

Mike LeDonne’s Groover Quartet has been the featured Tuesday night band at Smoke for the past 14 years. On any given week you can hear some of the greatest players today like saxophonists Eric Alexander and Vincent Herring, guitarists Peter Bernstein, Paul Bollenback and Ed Cherry, and drummers Joe Farnsworth and Carl Allen.

The late Jimmy Cobb, known for playing drums on Miles Davis’ KOB, really liked when John Webber was available to play bass with him live and in the studio. Webber is deserving of Cobb’s preference. I saw Jimmy Cobb many times and Webber was the bassist on nearly all of these occasions.

Lewis Nash, whom I have also had the privilege of seeing multiple times, is a terrific and highly sought after drummer.

@pjw81563 

You lucky dog!   

I caught Herring and Nash in a quartet with Cedar Walton and a bassist whose name escapes me (this was about 15 years ago) at Yoshi’s and my attention was repeatedly drawn back to Nash. Great drummer!  Sadly, Yoshi's stopped regularly offering Jazz. At this point, Bay Area traffic is so insane that we only venture over there occasionally, to see family. 

@pjw81563 -Thanks for the report. Really sounds like a tremendous show. Even though I'm 30+ minutes outside NYC, I've yet to see a show at Smoke. Herring, Gary Bartz and Bobby Watson recorded a fabulous Bird tribute at Smoke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sv--I-JFMY

I've seen Vincent Herring a number of times, as part of Richard Barratta's various ensembles. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tvuglBhHrg

I've seen Mike LeDonne with his Heavy Hitters. He's/they are terrific. LeDonne regularly performs at the Jazz Forum, in Tarrytown, NY. That's a terrific place, with lots of top flight performers.

https://jazzforumarts.org/

@wharfy 

I assume you live near Tarrytown or thereabouts. Nice neighborhoods up there.

I live out in Suffolk County L.I.

I have that Bird At 100 disc and its a good one. Herring, Bartz and Watson are all great musicians. I have not seen Bobby Watson yet but plan on it.

Lou Donaldson introduced me to Gary Bartz at the Village Vanguard after Lou preformed. Great conversation. I had quite a few conversations with "Sweet Papa" Lou before he passed on.

First time hearing Richard Baratta. He can definitely swing on the kit. Thanks for sharing.

A great Eric Alexander disc with a great band. "The Link" is one of my favorite tunes.

https://youtu.be/m4ghvBnndOE?si=0kENRYRCKCu1AsQh

Have you listened to saxophonist James Carter? he plays alto, baritone, tenor and soprano and is a master of the saxophone. He is like the "Jimi Hendrix of the sax"

Carter:

https://www.youtube.com/live/4SeWeICqs04?si=qSN7iKjFDTlrlQhq

Gregory Goodloe