In an unexpected solo concert at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Ma., Brad Melhdau exhibited his incredible talents. It is fortunate that he always puts this venue on his tours, for to behold this ever developing artistry is an extremely satisfying occupation. Melhdau’s performance characteristics are immediately identifiable. He plays from a special folding stool.Each of his arms move together into positions that are between being completely outstretched to being bent well into themselves at

On Saturday night, August 11, there was a concert at the Flywheel Arts Center in Easthampton, MA that made perfect sense as an entire unit of performances. The performance coordinator, whom I believe is Matt Weston, combined successfully disparate elements in his choices for performers: the first set I understood in a classical context; the second set was totally different from the former, i.e. improvised rock (hey!); and the last set calmed and coagulated the sense of all the music in the form

Saturday night, in Rosendale, NY, that wisp of a town near the Hudson, three members of Joe McPhee's Bluette, Joe Giardullo, Michael Bisio, and Joe, himself, continued no doubt in the same musical vein as they had been while at the Guelph Jazz Festival just a day before. It does not take much on the part of the listener except the willingness to listen in order to hear the breadth , sincerity, commitment and beauty in the music that these three musicians played. Described as an