June Tour

I have finalized tour info for the Jeff Albert Quartet June 2009 US Tour.

Jun 13, 2009 – Springfield, IL (US) @ Charles and Limey’s Lounge – Jeff Albert Trio featuring Dave Cappello and Tommy Sciple w/ End Times Trio

Jun 14, 2009 – Chicago, IL (US) @ The Hungry Brain – Jeff Albert Quartet w/ The Engines & ad hoc improv mixes

Jun 15, 2009 – Chicago, IL (US) @ The Skylark – Jeff Albert Quartet

Jun 17, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY (US) @ Douglass St Music Collective – Jeff Albert Quartet w/ Kobrinksy-Sinton Duo

Jun 18, 2009 – Philadelphia, PA (US) @ Chris’s Jazz Cafe – Jeff Albert Quartet

Jun 19, 2009 – Middletown, CT (US) @ Fishbone Cafe – Jeff Albert Quartet

June 20, 2009 – Richmond, VA (US) @ The Camel – Jeff Albert Quartet w/No BS Brass

Full details here.

I’d like to thank the musicians in these cities that helped set up some of these dates, and who will be sharing some of the concerts: Frank Trompeter, Josh Berman, Frank Rosaly, Josh Sinton, Jacob Garchik, Joe Fonda, Dan Godston, Brian Jones, and Reggie Pace. It is amazing what the internet and a community of interested musicians can do.

New Amsterdam Records

I just bought the new Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society CD that is burning up the interwebs. I haven’t had it long enough to really comment on the music, although what I have heard so far is pretty slammin’.

I am writing this post to comment on the purchase process. I went to the New Amsterdam website and ordered the physical CD. I have been buying downloads lately, but I guess I thought this would be a good candidate for full resolution hi-fi treatment. So I ordered the CD somewhat disappointed that I would have to wait a couple of days to hear the music, BUT WAIT! The rockin’ New Amsterdam store gives you the downloads as well when you order the physical CD. I know there are other places that do this, and I love them too. I think this is part of the future. I’ll report on the music at some point.

Icons Among Us

The name of this documentary film series, Icons Among Us, has been popping up on my radar, but I just recently took the time to investigate it. The subtitle is Jazz in the Present Tense, and it seems to be an interesting look at the current state of some of the music that comes from the lineage of jazz. Some of the available press samples have people like Nicholas Payton and Russell Gunn talking about the difficulties of the concept of genre, which is right in line with some of my own thinking of late. I need to figure out if I get the Documentary Channel…

For more info (airtimes, etc) go to http://www.iconsamongus.com.

If you are offended by the language sometimes used by musicians (and sailors, and soldiers, and salesman, and bankers, and golfers, and…) don’t watch the following clip. It is not real bad in terms of foul language, but it is honest. BTW Russell Gunn and I were roommates on a cruise ship in 1993, and he was just as outspoken and strong in his ideas then, before anyone knew who he was.

Recording session, Day 2

Day 2 of the Hamid Drake & Bindu III sessions was equally cool, fun, and rewarding. It is so nice to get to spend all day with really cool people, who also happen to be fabulous musicians.

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Studio munchies are important. Hamid made a Trader Joe’s run before we went to the studio. The salsa and the cherry tomatoes were particularly good.

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Hamid and Jeff Parker getting ready for the first take of the day.

Hamid is one of those guys who you have to be careful what you say around him. I commented that an organ bubble and skank would sound good one one particular track, and by then end of the day the organ was plugged in and I was tracking an organ overdub. A real case of watch what you wish for, but it was fun, and playing organ in a reggae band has been a long time dream of mine.

I am back in New Orleans, but the rest of the band is in Chicago today mixing it. I’m sorry that I am missing the mix session, but another feeling that ranks with making good music with great friends, is the feeling of your daughter who you haven’t seen in a couple of days screaming, “Daddy!!!” and running into your arms.

We ended up putting some really good music together in these two days. I can’t wait for you all to hear it. Look for it sometime early next year probably.

Brief airline rant

WTF with the charge for the first checked bag? Just raise the ticket price by $15 or $25. On this morning’s flight, it seemed to me that significantly over half of the passengers had some sort of wheeled suitcase as a carry on. It’s a freakin’ suitcase…CHECK IT. But, you can’t really blame the passengers because the airlines penalize you for being considerate of cabin space and checking your smallish suitcase. It just seems so stupid.

Recording day 1

I’m in Chicago working on Hamid Drake’s next Bindu recording for Rogue Art. It is a reggae improv vibe, and we had a blast on the first day in the studio. We are recording at Soma Electronic Music Studio in Chicago. John McEntire is the owner/engineer. It is a very cool hang, he has great mics, and tons of cool old school electronic music gear.

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The cool AEA ribbon mic I am using.

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Jeb Bishop in the “trombone corner” standing in front of some of the vintage keyboard gear that we aren’t using.

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Hamid is playing tablas on one piece.

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Napoleon Maddox (beat boxer/rapper/singer), Josh Abrams and Hamid working out an arrangement.

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Traveling light…sans trombone stand.

More soon.

Fun with store samples

Lucky 7’s: Pluto Junkyard: Squidco

This might look like a shameless mention of the fact that the new Lucky 7s CD is now available at Squidco (and that could be an accurate assessment), but it is also a heads up for a little John Cage style fun. The Squidco store has embedded players with mp3 samples from each disc. There is a separate player for each sample, so you can play them all simultaneously. Have fun, start them at different times. Open tabs, and mix and match bands. Enjoy!

The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time

Amazon.com MP3 Downloads: The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time

Ok, this should probably be titled “The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums you can download from Amazon,” but still, I’m a sucker for lists. I usually go in looking for what I will scream about, but this one hit me with a pleasant surprise. Kind of Blue is not #1, but it is in the top 5 and rightfully so. They have Ornette rockin the #1 spot. I’m not sure that The Shape of Jazz to Come is even my favorite Ornette record, much less my favorite jazz record, but it is a seminal recording, so I’m cool with it. There’s plenty of other stuff to argue about further down the list, but I’ll leave that alone and bask in the glow of Ornette getting props.

Social internet TMI

I am fascinated by some of things people will write on Twitter or Facebook. I think sometimes we forget that these are more public places than we realize. The dilemma is: when we see people being hypocrites, are we obliged to call them out? Publicly or privately?

Case in point: a recent Facebook status update was “vindictive people suck.” This was posted by someone who has given people grades in an apparently vindictive manner. (I would say obviously vindictive, but I’ll leave the benefit of the doubt.) To call this person out would seem equally vindictive, so I guess just quietly enjoying the irony would be the best course of action. The middle road between the full on call out and the quiet contemplation must be the vague blog post.

I think I may be reading too much Gowder, although I imagine Paul would just rock the call out and be done with it.