Side-orders

Here is some of the other stuff I listen to/watch, or have listened to/watched, and love – in no particular order:

Jazz GIGs

Wayne Shorter Quartet, Harrogate Festival, August 2007: Surely the most sophisticated, most sharply concentrated, most obliquely magnificent band in the world. The second coming of Mr Gone. And for once, the finest performance matched by the finest sound.

Loose Tubes, Ronnie Scott’s, London, sometime in 1987: This was the first time I had seen them live, I was on the front row and so it was also the first time I felt – physically  - the impact of air when a full big band blows. Joyous!

Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate, Jazz Cafe, London, 21 March 2007: We didn’t know it was the final tour of the great man, and this was certainly no case of going quietly into that dark night. Awesome – now thankfully up for reliving via Joe Zawinul 75th, a live double CD from the same tour, released now on the BirdJam label.

It’s not jazz but… CDs

Steely Dan: Gaucho (MCA) Keith Jarrett made them pay him for stealing the title track, but it’s still a perfectly Dan-shaped thing, and Babylon Sisters, the Third World Man et al just make it the sharpest party.

Charlie Haden Family & Friends: Rambling Boy (Emarcy) The great double bass player gets back to his country/gospel roots with his wife and children plus celeb guests. Jerry Douglas plays dobro is all you really need to know.

Gillian Welch: Time (The Revelator) (Acony) One of the finest singer/songwriters in America, and, in David Rawlings, one of the best guitar soloists and harmony singers around. Their best album.