Fun weekend

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Originally uploaded by cweeds.

Otra Version took the Cellar stage this weekend and literally blew the roof off the place. Wow, the band sounded good. There was a fine young trumpter from Cuba who sat in and really augmented the sound of the band. Acutually he played all flugelhorn (one of my favorites). I believe his name was Miguel Valdez but I could be wrong. Everyone in this band is really happening We have them tentatively scheduled for a recording weekend in July. I beileve the 14th and 15th and Cellar Live is very very happy about that!

The pic accompanying this entry is a pic of Gilberto Moreaux taken by Steve Mynett. Steve is literally developing into one of the finer jazz photographers in this city. He is really taking some nice shots at the club.

On Sunday night 3 Storys High took the stage in front of another sell out crowd. I have to say in the 4 or 5 times that they have played there this time was far and above the best. The band displayed a lot more musical maturity including young saxophone phenom Eli Bennett who is going to be scaring a lot of people if he hasn't already. A good night was had by all and these guys are continually improving and sounding good.

I made the mistake of going to Carson Books and Records on Broadway yesterday. Myself and Jesse Cahill pretty much picked that store clean when they started their 40 per cent off sale several months back. I went in because I was curious to see if the owner had added anymore lp's to his stock, thinking of course that he wouldn't. Boy was I wrong. Here is what I picked up:

Charles Tolliver - Paper Man with Tolliver of course on trumpet, G. Bartz on alto, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Joe Chambers on drums. It was recorded in 1968. The playing is amazing and the recording quality is great but the sound sux. This record sounds like it could've been recorded in the 1980's when engineers thought that pinning the high end was cool. It doesn't take away from the great playing. Especially Chambers!

Sonny Stitt - Burnin' recorded in 1961 with Barry Harris on piano, William Austin on bass and Frank Gant on drums. A burning Stitt session that to my knowledge hasn't been re-released.

Horace Silver and The Jazz Messenger with Silver on piano, Dorham on trumpet, Hank Mobely on tenor sax, Doug Watkins on bass and Art Blakey on drums. This 1954 session finds all in fine form as they usually were on wax.

Lucky Thompson - Lucky Strikes. Thompson passed a way last year in relative obscurity which is a same. He as at the heart of the bebop movement but for some reason never garnered as much as attention as his contemporaries. Lucky Strikes is arguably one of his finest and most popular sides.

Stanley Turrentine - Jubilee Shout. Did Mr. T ever sound bad? Even when he went through his cheesy commercial stage he always had that great big gregarious tenor saxophone sound that he is known for. He is joined by a great cast of Blue Note guys: his bother Tommy on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Sonny Clark on piano, Butch Warren on bass and Al Harewood on drums.

and finally:

Art Blakey Jazz Messengers - Caravan with the classic sextet feat. Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano and Reggie Workman on bass. This version of the Messengers is of great interest to me as it is with Ugetsu who has played a lot of their material.

Some great listening over the last few days for sure.

For Sale

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Originally uploaded by cweeds.

Just in case anyone is looking for a truck, I'm selling mine. Its a 2003 Chevy Blazer LS, 62,000 kms, cd player, air conditiong. This truck has been fully maintained. Im looking to down size. Im pricing it to sell at $11,000 or someone can take over the payments. There is a little more than 2 years left on the payments. I think about 24 months or so. You can drop me a line if you're interested. My email is cory@cellarjazz.com. Check out a list of people that have been in this truck. Frank Wess, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles McPherson, Monty Alexander, Herlin Riley, Chris Potter, Kenny Garrett, Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Ed Thigpen, David Fathead Newman, Red Holloway, Kenny Barron, Ben Riley, Eddie Henderson

Got nothin

Sorry for the lack of posting. I haven't got much this time around except some odds n ends. I was away in Sicamous of all places for a bit of R&R that was alot of fun. Just kinda sat around with my girlfriend and did a whole lot of nothin which is nice sometimes. I did dive into a great book on the life and work of tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. I can't remember if I mentioned this in a previous posting or not. I read it from front to back in like 3 days which is a miracle for me. What a great book. I have always liked Wayne Shorter but he has never been in my top 5 list of favorite tenor players. That may change after reading this book. It was a wonderful insight into the man and his music. I was particularily interested in how he used his love of other arts such as film and paintings to influence his own musical artistic endeavours. I have since gone back and checked out Speak No Evil which is of course a classic record but am looking forward to listening to to all his other Blue Note sides as well as some of his later stuff.

The club has been pretty busy which is always nice. Laila Biali was packed and she sounded really nice. Phil Dwyer really tore it up. Brad Turner and his trio were here on Friday and was apparently killing. This weekend sees Otra Version return to The Cellar. This is really an amazing latin band and I'm looking forward to having them back here. 3 Storys High is sold out as usual on Sunday which is music to my ears!!!

I have been checking out some cool music lately. I purchased a wonderful Chet Baker Quintet record feat. George Coleman. Smokin is the name of it and it lives up to its name. The Gigi Gryce Orchtette is a wonderful record to and if you have been listening to my radio show lately you know I've kinda of been on a Gigi Gryce thing lately. Trumpeter Jim Rotondi just released a new record on Criss Cross feat. a wonderful young tenor player named Jimmy Greene. I love this guy. He is most known for his work with Tom Harrell in recent years. Jim is sounding great as he always does and Steve Nelson adds some nice colors on vibraphone. Thats the only chordal instrument on the record so its a cool sound.

Ugetsu - Live @ The Cellar arrived from the manufacturer last week and it looks and sounds great. Linton Garner - Quiet Nights will arrive in the next few weeks and TWO MUCH GUITAR with Olly and Bill Coon will be sent away in the next week or so, so we should have that back right before their cd release at the end of April. The label has just signed on with JAZZ PROMO SERVCIES to service the media in the US. Its an expensive proposition and I'm hoping it will kick start our US distribution with North Country.

Thats about it for now.

Folk / Roots ????

I don't quite now what you would call the music I'm listening to right now but I have to say I'm really enjoying it. Tony Chamberlist on drums, Rene Worst on bass, Miles Black on piano, Mark James Fortin on guitar and voice, Sam Masich on guitar and voice, Glenda Rae on voice. It sounds great. The writing is very cool and its something thats a little bit different than what we usually have here at the club and its a welcome change. The project is called COW - Aldous Orwell Project. I'm recording for them and its been kinda nice to just sit back here and chill and listen to the music. Very cool!!

Im heading out of town for a few days, going up to Sicamous of all places for little much deserved and much needed R & R. Should be fun, just some chilling and diving into the Biography of Wayne Shorter. Im looking forward to this book. I have to say I'm not the biggest Wayne fan...hold on to your seat...he is an incredible saxophonist and composer and I recognize his fabulous accomplishments and marvel at his ability to play the saxophone, he's just not my first choice to listen to. I used to say that about Stan Getz and then I read his book and it changed the way I listened to Stan's music and I quickly became a huge fan. I have the sense that this might happen when I read Wayne's book.

Man, I'm still trying to get Harold Mabern up here. Its tough. A) he's impossible to get a hold and b) when you do get a hold of him he doesn't want to committ. Stay tuned for more no that.

Big George

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Originally uploaded by cweeds.

This is none other than George Coleman. I was lucky enough to be at SMOKE in New York City for Ian Hendrickson Smith's birthday party. The club was about half full and in walked George. This guy has such an aura about him. Very tall, strong featured and he stares! He walked in in full length leather trench coat and proceeded to blow his ass off. It was awesome. Big C and Eric Alexander are going to be at the club in September. I can't wait.

I do actually relax

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Originally uploaded by cweeds.

For those of you who wonder if and when I relax. Well, I actually managed this summer. I got to relive some of my amazing childhood memories. My aunt and uncle who now live here used to live in Port Alberni where I would visit very summer to go fishing. My first time out I got a 30 lb Spring. I will never forget that! This year is the second time I went up in the last couple of years and as you can see my girlfriend Alana beat me considerably in the size department. Hers was 26 lbs and mine was 12 lbs. I got teased about that one for a long time. I gotta tell you that this fishing old school style, no big charter boat etc. We got up at five, canoed out to my uncle's little 10 foot speed boat and did it up. For a guy who can't sit still for more than 2 mintues fishing is not something that you'd think I would like but there is something so calming and beautiful about it. When that big one hits its an adreniline rush you can't believe.

Guess Who

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Originally uploaded by cweeds.

This is a pic of me and Randy Bachman behind The Cellar. I will never forget these two nights. I have never ever had a lineup this long at the club. It was the May long weekend and the weather was beautiful. I was slightly nervous as to what the turnout would be. Well, we had to add a show and it was an extremely successful show.