Miles Davis from Birth of Cool . . .

George Cables, the band leader and piano player, took the stage first and arranged his music. Then Lonnie Plaxico started working the bass. Vincent Lewis sat down at the drums, and Eric Alexander on sax, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, and Eddie Henderson on trumpet completed the band. It was Friday night at the Iridium. I went to hear the second set of their tribute to Miles Davis. They opened the set with "So What" from Miles Davis' 1959 album "Kind of Blue." The song opened with a contemplative bass solo, and Lonnie Plaxico was all still, cool, lone wolf up there filling the room with his pulse. Jeremy Pelt's trumpet came in elegant and bright. I love the vulnerable sound of Miles Davis, and on "'Round Midnight" Jeremy captured it. He was haunting. And Eric Alexander burned it up on "81" by Ron Carter with his incredible speed and penetrating sound. This week there is another tribute to Miles Davis at Smoke on Fri., Sat. and Sun. with George Coleman, Eddie Henderson, Harold Maburn, Dwayne Burno and Joe Farnsworth.

SMOKE

I've heard Joe Farnsworth play many, many times and have marveled at his virtuosity, but something special happened last night. He burrowed down deep and released himself. I could see it happening as he played, the effortless exhilaration when there is no separation between the artist and their medium. When musicians like Joe, who also bring phenomenal skill and discipline, connect there is nothing better. That five or seven minute drum solo (I lost track of the time) was epic in scope, power, variety, and expression.

Mike LeDonne was on the organ, Vincent Herring on sax, and Peter Bernstein on the guitar. The whole second set had a driving, bluesy feel which I love. I asked LeDonne about it after and he said that is often what the organ brings to the music. They opened the second set with a crazy fast version of "Backstabbers." It jumped off the stage, lyrical, rousing and shaking the place up. LeDonne's organ on "Someday We'll All Be Free" was aching and moaning with serious passion.

On the third set of the night the legendary George Coleman came up on stage and sat in with the guys. His presence changes the room. Giddiness and anticipation takes over on stage. He played "You've Changed" -- simple, elegant, perfect. It was a lucky night for me. Joe Farnsworth will be at Smoke this weekend playing with his brother John. I will be at Iridium Friday night.

Steve Davis Quintet at Smalls

Last night the Steve Davis quintet played two sets to an absolutely packed house at Smalls in the Village. I stood in the back talking to an Australian guy visiting New York on business. We kept laughing because no matter where we stood our feet seemed to be in the way of people trying to get in. The space is tight and personal. You walk down a steep flight of stairs, and come into one small room. It feels like a church, with chairs lined up in rows facing the stage, and people treat it that way in the best sense. Early in the set they played "Vibration Blues" by McCoy Tyner. Mike LeDonne opened the tune with a kind of mind blowing precise attack on the piano, then the rest of the band came in and kept it up all the way through, Tyler Mitchell on bass, Mike DiRubbo on sax, Steve Davis on trombone and Willie Jones III on drums. It was thrilling to watch these guys navigate the demands of the song and give it everything they had. Then Steve announced that they were going to slow it down and DiRubbo came in with his sweet, melancholy sax on "You've Changed." I love that song and DiRubbo, a very souful, interesting dude, did it up just right. I rode the melody all the way with him and never wanted it to end. Josh Bruneau, a young trumpet player, sat in later on the first set and he was so good the crowd gave it to him at the end of his first solo. His solo on "Spirit Waltz" in the second set was heart-wrenching in the way the trumpet can express a voice teetering on the edge of something painful, dangerous, exciting, but never giving in or letting up . . . no matter what the cost. This is the first time I heard Willie Jones III on drums and he had a rigorous, exacting, right on the edge of control style that I really liked.

I don't know Steve Davis well, but from the first time I met him I felt his genuine, open, welcoming spirit and that comes across in his playing. His trombone has an honest, effortless, warm tone. He reached out into the crowd and held us there note by note all evening as he told his story. They will be at Smalls again tonight, don't miss it.

Birks Works

Last night I went to Smalls Jazz Club downtown and heard Mike LeDonne on piano, John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums. They are all at the top of their game, but it was Webber who drew me in with his magic hands flying up and down that bass, particularly on Birks Works. Webber's sound was dense and pulsating, unpredictable and soothing.

Birks Works is on a forthcoming duet album that LeDonne and Webber recorded in Italy earlier this year.

New Stuff

My blog is changing . . . while I am searching for the right place to re-start a weekly jazz night, I am going out to hear the great musicians and their music that I have fallen in love with, and I will be writing about my experience here. I knew very little about jazz when I first started promoting over a year ago. My background is in the theater as a writer and performer. What I found in the musicians I met is a group of artists who are relentlessly dedicated to the live experience, the chance to play, the connection with their audience.

Last night I stopped by Smoke where Mike LeDonne was playing along with Peppe Merolla on drums, Dwayne Burno on bass, and Andrew Beals on sax. LeDonne killed it on 'Round Midnight. Andrew introduced Mike, the room got still, and there was just the piano. It was simple, clean, inviting, then a rupture full of heart and abandon happened that tore away any lingering walls. I turned to the guy next to me, a complete stranger, to see if he was feeling it too, and he looked back and just said, "Yeah." It's the live experience I crave -- hot, serious commitment to the expression of the truest part of our human experience. It burrows deep into you and at the same time sets you free to be right there, not thinking about the moment before or the next one to come.

Last Saturday I heard One For All play their last set of the night featuring my good friends, Eric Alexander on sax and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Eric brought his muscular, elegant sound to Michael Jackson's "She's Out of My Life." It was a stunner. I wait for Joe's drum solos every time I go to hear him play and he didn't disappoint. His controlled, brilliant havoc was riveting. I never know where he is going or what is going to happen next, but I'm on the edge of my seat taking the ride with him. http://www.smokejazz.com/ Wednesday night I will be at Smalls.

Summertime at Ibiza

On December 2nd the band played the hottest "Summertime" I've ever heard -- Eric Alexander on sax, Joe Farnsworth on drums, David Hazeltine on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Alex Diaz on congas. Tony Hewitt stopped by and sang a swinging, sultry "Have You Met Miss Jones." And Travis Shook and Steve Einerson both showed up and sat in on the piano. It was freezing outside that night, but the vibe inside the club was scorching. Here is Joe doing his thing on those drums:

A Night in Ibiza

The band took the stage last Thursday to a full house. A hush fell over the crowd as they waited for those first notes . . . it was a lovely moment of mutual anticipation and respect between the artists and the audience . . . that fertile quiet before the storm. Eric Alexander on sax, Joe Farnsworth on drums, David Hazeltine on piano, and Seth Lewis on bass opened with "Blues for Rosalene," composed by Eric and Joe for Frankie's (the owner of Ibiza) baby daughter who was born on a thursday night jazz night back in May. It is a beautiful, romantic tune. They played a smoking version of "Bye Bye Blackbird," and one of my favorites, "Soul Eyes" featuring Eric's dynamic, monster, sexy sound. Eric's opening notes of "Tenderly" were just that, a tender, almost mournful cry. When Joe opened up on those drums he held us in the palm of his hand. We don't know where he is taking us next but we hang on every pulse as he weaves a precise thread with the perfect combination of power and restraint. David Hazeltine is a poised craftsman at the piano bringing grace and serious swing to his improvisations. Will Caviness on trumpet, Jack Sorock on piano and David Ruffles on bass sat it on a hot rendition of "A Night in Tunisia." David Croce on bass sat in for the last tune of the night "Blues for Frankie." There was something in the air last Thursday that made it a particularly great night . . . that ephemeral, captivating feeling that live performance is all about. We are closed for Thanksgiving, but will be back on December 2nd with Joe and Eric once again leading the band. Happy Holiday to all of you.