On February 9 at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Ma., the stage was occupied by two top performers in the avant garde idiom of jazz-Matthew Shipp, on piano, and William Parker, on bass. Shipp met Parker 15 years ago and expressed a desire to play with him. Shipp's desire was fulfilled and they have played together numerous times in various group situations ever since. Despite the difference in their age, Shipp commands his instrument with finesse and sophistication that begins to match Parker's m

Last night’s performance of Jemeel Moondoc’s decade-long project, "Jus Grew" Orchestra, mesmerized the capacity audience in Bezanson Recital Hall at UMass Amherst . This orchestra works within the context of "free jazz", yet, upon listening, you can hear its roots. Its roots are imbedded in Moondoc’s deeply sincere assimilation of the best of jazz band music, specifically that of Ellington and Mingus, and more broadly of individual artists, like saxophonists Henderson, Ayler, and Jackie McLean.

On Friday evening, March 31, 2000 at the Rhinebeck Performing Arts Center was the US premiere performance of the J Band. The J Band is Joe McPhee on reeds, Joe Giardullo on reeds, and, from France, Jerome Bourdellon on flutes and reeds. Special guest performers were Dominic Duval on bass and from Italy, Luciano Pagliarini on alto saxophone. Jerome Bourdellon initiated the first set with a solo on bass flute. The muted tones he produced projected an altogether feathery character, which had int

Deep in the Hudson Valley, in a wisp of a town called Rosendale, the J Band (Joe McPhee, Joe Giardullo and Jerome Bourdellon all on reeds and Dominic Duval on bass) performed the music I have been anticipating for a long time. The instruments were picked for the space. The space was intimate. The sound was all-embracing. The images of the four playing I will remember for a lifetime. This gig took a less formal shape than the concert at Rhinebeck a week earlier. The group had been playing stea

Closing the 11th Annual Magic Triangle Jazz Concert Series at UMass Amherst was a performance by trumpeter, Baikida Carroll, and his quintet. The members are Erika Lindsay, tenor sax, Steve Colson, piano, Michael Formanek, bass and Pheeroan Ak Laff, drums. This concert distinguished itself by being based on Carroll’s composed music. Improvisation took place but did not lend itself to the forefront of the music making. The inspiration that the concert left behind was minimal. Exchanges between