This week’s Jazz Stream: September 8th – September 13th features concerts not just from the United States, but also includes a concert from Japan. The performances range from large ensembles to trios and also a soloist. All are certain to please, but aren’t easily grouped into one style of jazz.
So let’s start exploring. Here is Jazz Stream: September 8th – September 13th:
Frank Lacy Septet – Smalls – September 8th – 4:45 PM EDT/1:45 PM PDT
I’ll be honest that I wasn’t familiar with Frank Lacy when I was reviewing options for this week’s column. But once I heard a few tracks and saw a couple videos, I knew this was music worth reaching a broader audience.
Lacy spent 30 years as a member of the Mingus Big Band. In addition to recording seven albums as a bandleader, he’s performed with such artists as Roy Hargrove, McCoy Tyner, Art Blakey and Jazzmeia Horn.
Joining Lacy for this performance will be Mike Lee – tenor sax; Brian Simontacchi – trombone; Christopher Hoffman – cello; James Robbins – bass; Brandon Lee Lewis – drums and Wen-Ting Wu also on drums.
Hiromi – Blue Note Japan – September 11th – 7:45 AM EDT/4:45 AM PDT
If you are looking at the start times for this concert and wonder why they are so early, it is because this a concert you can watch from Blue Note in Japan. But you don’t have just one opportunity to do so. There is a 24-hour window in which to watch Hiromi at the piano.
Hiromi is a musician for whom playing classical music and jazz appear to come easily. Due to her innate abilities to improvise she quickly rose to prominence in the jazz world.
Tickets for this concert are ¥3,300. That translates to approximately $31. The Blue Note website will help navigate your purchase of tickets from Japan.
Gerry Gibbs Quintet – Smalls – September 11th – 4:45 PM EDT/1:45 PM PDT
If the name Gerry Gibbs doesn’t sound familiar, trust me when I tell you his playing will. The son of vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, Gerry has spent a lot of time on the drums as both a leader and a sideman. To list all the artists with whom he has recorded and performed would take up multiple columns.
Gibbs is also a composer. His albums have consistently done well on the charts and he earned a Grammy nomination for his album, The Thrasher Dream Trio.
Amongst the guests on his first album, 1996’s Gerry Gibbs Sextet – The Thrasher, was sax player Ravi Coltrane who joins for this concert at Smalls. Also performing are Jeremy Pelt – trumpet; Andy Erin – piano and Ben Williams – bass.
Red Baraat – SFJazz – September 11th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
Any attempt to simply define Brooklyn-based band Red Baraat would be a fool’s game. They mix multiple genres of music – including jazz – to achieve a sound that is uniquely their own. Red Baraat is this week’s Fridays at Five concert from SFJazz. The performance that will be aired is from a 2016 concert.
For those new to this column, SFJazz makes their concerts available for streaming only at 5:00 PM PDT and only on Fridays. To access the concert you have to sign up for either a one-month subscription (for all of $5 which gives you a month of access) or for a one-year subscriptions (for $60 for a year).
John Scofield Trio with Steve Swallow & Bill Stewart – Blue Note New York – September 11th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
Three-time Grammy Award winning guitarist John Scofield plays a wide range of music: jazz, blues, rock, soul, country, bebop and fusion. He’s, as they say, versatile. Artists from Chet Baker to Charles Mingus to Miles Davis to Roy Haynes have relied on his nimble playing.
His most recent album, Swallow Tales, was released in June on ECM Records. The album is a tribute to his friend , bassist Steve Swallow. Joining Scofield and Swallow for this concert from Blue Note in New York will be Bill Stewart on drums.
Tickets are $15 and should be purchased in advance.
Bill Charlap Trio – Village Vanguard – September 11th – September 12th – 9:00 PM EDT/6:00 PDT
I’ve previously written about pianist Bill Charlap. You can go here to read the interview. He’s a sublime pianist and his trio work is, perhaps, his finest. Joining him for these two gigs are Peter Washington, bass; Kenny Washington, drums. This particular line-up has recorded 10 albums together including 2016’s Notes from New York and 2017’s Uptown Downtown.
These two concerts come from New York’s Village Vanguard. Tickets are $10.
Pasquale Grasso Quartet – Smalls – September 12th – 4:45 PM EDT/1:45 PDT
In late August I wrote about guitarist Pasquale Grasso who was performing solo and with his trio in a concert filmed at Birdland in New York. For this concert from Smalls, he’ll be performing with his quartet.
Joining Grasso will be Stefano Doglioni – clarinet; Ari Rolan – bass and Clifford Barbaro – drums.
If you saw that concert you know how good Grasso is. If you didn’t, here’s an opportunity to see and hear him perform for free.
That will do it for this week’s Jazz Stream: September 8th – September 13th. Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Photo: Hiromi (Courtesy of her website)