I have been absent for very long. I will try to play catch up with reviews of the shows I have seen this summer. Also stay posted for news of shows I'm playing this month. First up is a trio hit with Noah Baum on violin and Theo Lebeaux on drums taking place at Thomas Sweet ice cream shop in Princeton (the site of my first gig ever) on Sunday the 15th of August at 3:00. Should be exciting.
Ahmad was pretty much at the top of the list of the old masters who I had yet to hear in concert. I caught him at a late set at the Blue Note in June with James Cammack on bass, Herlin Riley on drums and Manolo Badrena on percussion. Beyond how impressive Ahmad's playing is for his age, he's become a much more aggressive player, an incredible contrast to his Pershing Lounge- era playing, where he was a perfect model of the philosophy "less is more." No matter which era of his playing you prefer, he still sounds excellent and his sound is still recognizable. The beautiful tone, delicate but incredibly solid swing feel and perfect precision and execution are all still there. Music is an amazing thing, that so many players are able to keep in such great condition into there elder years (Try hearing Cecil Taylor or Roy Haynes in concert some time.)
The rest of the group was deeply engrossed in the music. Seeing Ahmad live really helped me to appreciate his group concept. His bands are truly not about democracy in the same way that most jazz groups are. HIs band is an extension of his own playing, and he uses it to fill out his personal musical vision. Witnessing the dedication, focus and pure joy that all three sidemen put into this performance assured me of the merit of this group concept. Herlin Riley basically played simple time for the entire concert, but it was the baddest shit just because of how deep his pocket is. Jame's Cammack also grooved hard throughout. His solos showed a lot of technique and finesse. I'm still not entirely convinced about the place of an auxiliary percussionist in a straight-ahead jazz combo. I do not mean to diminish Badrena as a musician. At many times he added something great to the band, and he had a few very interesting solos. But for all that there were also times when his contributions seemed out of place and unnecessary.
Towards the end of the set the quartet played two classics from the Pershing Lounge album- But Not for Me, on which Ahmad repeated his exact solo from the recording (I sang along quietly from my seat) and the popular arrangement of Poinciana. It was a fun moment for all of the fans and die hard musicians who have been through that record so many times. Good to hear that the man hasn't slowed down at all.
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