Including Joe Farnsworth, our fearless leader, and I do mean fearless with those sticks, finding whatever he could in the room to keep a rhythm on -- besides his drums. Joe was tight, yet unexpected as always. He is all precision and skill mixed with complete spontaneity and audaciousness. The guys opened the first set with a song dedicated to Frankie's, the owner's, new baby girl. Then Eric Alexander played a solo during a song called "Stan's Shuffle" that was full of soul and built and built in intensity until it felt like he had reached the height of his power and then he took it a little bit further ... it was thrilling to be in the room. Quiet, steady John Webber stands in the back playing that bass and then comes out with these solos that are fast and hard-hitting. David Hazeltine was dazzling on the piano. Renaud Penant, an old friend of Joe's, stopped by and sat in on the drums on "But Not For Me." And Tony Hewitt sang a beautiful rendition of "Invitation." It was such a good vibe nobody wanted to go home, so they kept playing late into the night. Joe and his guest artists will be back again next week, June 10th. Stay tuned. (Photos of Eric on the sax, Joe on the drums, John Webber on bass, and Tony Hewitt singing.)
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