A TRAIN - March 30th

I have listed ARTIST, SONG NAME, ALBUM NAME and RECORD LABEL and have provided links where possible.

DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN - GIRL TALK, LIFE, HIGH NOTE RECORDS

JUNIOR MANCE - THAT'S ALL, LIVE AT TEH TOP, ATLANTIC RECORDS

MULGREW MILLER, FROM DAY TO DAY, LIVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER VOL. 1, MAX JAZZ

ANDREW HILL, PUMPKIN, BLACK FIRE, BLUE NOTE RECORDS

ANDREW HILL, MALACHI, TIME LINES, BLUE NOTE RECORDS

ANDREW HILL, YELLOW VIOLET, DANCE WITH DEATH, BLUE NOTE RECORDS

HAROLD MABERN - TOO BUSY THINKING ABOUT MY BABY, WORKIN & WAILIN, PRESTIGE

HAROLD MABERN - STROZIER'S MODE, WORKIN & WAILIN, PRESTIGE

SHIRLEY HORN - NEVER LET ME GO, MAY THE MUSIC NEVER END, VERVE

DAVE DOUGLAS, POSES, THE INFINITE, RCA VICTOR

RABNETT 5, FLOATS, THE DAN'S PARTY, CELLAR LIVE

RABNETT 5, HOSTAGE RELEASE PARTY, THE DAN'S PARTY, CELLAR LIVE

ZOOT SIMS - DREAM DANCING, WARM TENOR, PABLO

ZOOT SIMS - OLD DEVIL MOON, WARM TENOR, PABLO

ZOOT SIMS - THE MAN I LOVE, AND THE GERSHWIN BROTHERS,PABLO

DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN - OLD FOLKS, LIFE, HIGH NOTE RECORDS

DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN - LIFE, LIFE, HIGH NOTE RECORDS

TILDEN WEBB - LADY J, CELLAR LIVE

PHINEAS NEWBORN JUNIOR - GROOVEYARD, THE NEWBORN TOUCH, CONTEMPORARY

PHINEAS NEWBORN JUNIOR - BLUE DANIEL, THE NEWBORN TOUCH, CONTEMPORARY

JOEY DEFRANCESCO, THE TACKLE, ORGANIC VIBES, CONCORD RECORDS

GRANT STEWART, IF EVER I WOULD LEAVE YOU, SHARP NINE RECORDS

CHASIN THE TRAIN - March 26th

I have listed ARTIST, SONG NAME, ALBUM NAME and RECORD LABEL and have provided links where possible.

NANCY KING - THERE'S A SMALL HOTEL, LIVE AT THE JAZZ STANDARD, MAXJAZZ

MULGREW MILLER, RELAXIN AT CAMARILLO, LIVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER VOL. 1, MAX JAZZ

RUSSELL MALONE, BLUE DANIEL, LIVE AT THE STANDARD VOL. 1, MAX JAZZ

FRANK LOCRASTO, UNTIL DUSK, WHEN YOU'RE THERE,MAX JAZZ

NANCY KING, LITTLE SUEDE SHOES/DAY BY DAY, LIVE AT THE JAZZ STANDARD, MAXJAZZ


MULGREW MILLER, IF I SHOULD LOSE YOU, LIVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER VOL. 1, MAX JAZZ

CHASIN THE TRAIN - March 18th

I have listed ARTIST, SONG NAME, ALBUM NAME and RECORD LABEL and have provided links where possible.

ELVIN JONES - BY GEORGE, LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, ENJA RECORDS

ELVIN JONES - LAURA, LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, ENJA RECORDS

JIMMY HEATH - FOR MINORS ONLY, PICTURES OF HEATH, XANADU

ANDRE WHITE - DANCING IN THE DARK, LUCK, CHANCE

JIMMY HEATH - CTA, PICTURES OF HEATH, XANADU

ELVIN JONES - MISTER JONES, LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, ENJA RECORDS

GIG, IM LOOKING FORWARD TO. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE

PICS FROM THE ARCHIVE

Our 1 year anniversary! Dave Robbins (drums), Darren Radtke (bass), Buddy Montgomery (vibes and piano), Chris Sigerson (piano) and me!

PICS FROM THE ARCHIVE

A couple of classics! Thats Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Mark Turner (tenor sax) sitting at The Cellar bar. The other one....well does it need any explantion? Whacker (drums) knawing on some Cellar ribs while Campbell Ryga (alto sax) eggs him on.

AN EXCITING EVENT

I just found out some fantastic news! A good friend of mine and wonderful pianist named Spike Wilner has just taken over operation of SMALL's JAZZ CLUB in New York City. This is such a great development I can't even begin to tell you. Spike is a great guy and has the perfect personality to take on such a venture. I can attest that its an uphill battle but Smalls has such a great history and Spike is well respected on the New York scene and these two things alone will make it a bit easier on Spike. I can't contain my excitement about this. Its absolutely fantastic! Congrats SPIKE!

CHASIN THE TRAIN - March 12th

I have listed ARTIST, SONG NAME, ALBUM NAME and RECORD LABEL and have provided links where possible.

TONY PACINI TRIO - FREEDIE THE FREELOADER, LIVE AT JIMMY MAK'S, SAPHU RECORDS

JIM BYRNES, DIDN'T IT RAIN, HOUSE OF REFUGE, BLACK HEN MUSIC

SEAMUS BLAKE, TRUST IN YOU, WAY OUT WILLY, CRISS CROSS JAZZ

MELVIN RHYNE, BONES, FRONT AND CENTER, CRISS CROSS JAZZ

MIKE DIRUBBO, SHE'S ALWAYS A WOMAN TO ME, NEW YORK ACCENT, CELLAR LIVE

CREATURES OF HABIT,UP AND DOWN, LIVE IN MONTREAL, INDEPENDENT

SONNY ROLLINS, FUNKY HOTEL BLUES, SONNY'S TIME, JAZZLAND

Bitter Sweet

Well it looks like the Canucks are not only a shoe in for the playoffs but that they might actually make some noise. As I am a huge hockey fan this is fantastic news but as a jazz club owner this is not so exciting! Im hoping that there are enough non-hockey fans out there that we can keep the club hopping as it has been the last 6 months or so. There isn't a better place to be if you're not a hockey fan. No TV's, no radio but if you really want to find out the score I will be happy to let you know. The Cellar is also a great place to be for Oiler, Hab and Maple Leafs fans to come during the playoffs seeing as all those teams are on the outside looking in. I can't figure out what makes me happier: the Canucks being in or the aforementioned teams being out! I guess Im getting the best of both worlds!

There is lots of exciting things happening in jazz land. The Jazz Festival is fast approaching and most of the gigs have been booked and soon the press release and announcements will come out. The Cellar has perhaps its best lineup ever highlighted by by the appearance of piano legend Harold Mabern. If you have been to the homepage in the last 12 hours you will see that we have announced our 7th Annviersary Celebration band JEFF FREAKING TAIN WATTS. Watts is perhaps one of the most propulsive drummers playing today. He is currently a member of Branford Marsalis' Quartat and has played with pretty much everybody. He made a big splash when he recorded Kenny Garrett's Songbook album. The band is tentatively booked as CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE on bass, DAVE KIKOSKI on piano and MARCUS STRICKLAND on tenor saxophone. The tour is to promote the quartets new CD called FOLK SONGS.

In the middle of our best year ever, The Cellar is hoping that this is the year we finally have a half decent summer. The club will be going down to 4 days a week (Thursday to Sunday) with our AND NOW MONDAYS, CLASSICAL TUESDAYS and ARTIST IN RESIDENCE WEDNESDAY's taking a hiatus for July and August. There is still a long way to go as far as booking but a few events that I have booked that I'm very excited about are THE WINARD HARPER SEXTET from NEW YORK CITY on August 17th and 18th. This is going to be one show that you do not want to miss. Winard is an amazing drummer and an equally amazing person. Mark these two days down in your calendar.

Although not confirmed we are hoping to schedule a CD release party for vocalist extraordinaire Jennifer Scott. The recording took place live at The Cellar in January and the results are amazing. Im listening to it as I type this. Bill Coon on guitar, Rene Worst on bass and Dave Robbins on drums. Its a really nice sounding record. Stay tuned for details on that.

Speaking of singers, another event you wont want to miss is vocalist JUDY WEXLER who will be at the club on July 6th and 7th with her pianist and a Vancouver rhythm section. Judy is a wonderful singer and these two nigths are going to be a lot of fun for sure!

Thats it for now!

ODDS and ENDS

There has been a lack of inspiration in posting lately for some reason. Nothing in particular I have just haven't had much to say. Things have been rolling along nicely here at The Cellar with good continuous crowds and as always great music.

In anticipation of my upcoming gig with the my quartet and trumpeter Chris Davis as a special guest, I have been listening to all of the records that Chet Baker did with George Coleman. WOW! I have four of them, I think there is one more. SMOKIN, GROOVIN, COMIN ON and urgh, I can't remember. I think these 4 albums go down as 4 of my favorite of all time. This stuff is really smoking. Its gonna be kind of hard to play that music after listening to Big George tear it up tune after tune after tune. March 23rd and 24th are the dates and its a tribute to that band if you will, more specifically the SMOKIN record hence the name of the gig: SMOKIN with THE CORY WEEDS QUINTET.

My good buddy Ian Hendrickson-Smith is coming back once again to celebrate the release of his CD "Blues In The Basement" which I helped him release. Its gonna be a fun band. Ross Taggart on piano, Myles Bigalow on percussion, Morgan Childs on drums, Sean Cronin on bass and Chris Davis on trumpet. The cd is fantastic and has gotten some really happening reviews. I know its Easter weekend and all but cmon down if you want to be seriously entertained. April 6th and 7th! Im also looking into making this the launch of our Internet broadcasts from the club but lots of stuff has to be in place for that to happen. Stay tuned to www.cellarjazz.com for developments.

I have finally started to listen to the 3rd night of the PJ Perry and Cam Ryga stuff that we recorded in November. Man is it smoking. I would really like to make this a release if we can. I'm going to make some selections and get it mixed so the guys in the band can really hear it and have it be sonically pleasing to. Listening to rough board mixes is tough and now matter how many times you tell musicians not to pay attention to rough mixes, they ultimately do and it discourages them which is somewhat understanding.

Bruno is on stage right now recording with Brad T and Andre L. The trio sounds good and Bruno has been his usual crazy self. Im in the booth as I type this and I have a $30,000 rack of Neve preamps beside me. I have no idea how they work but man do they sound killing! The piano sounds absolutely gorgeous!

Im hoping to take the interviewing up a notch or two in the next year. I have missed so many opportunities to sit down with all the cats that come through the club. I will be interviewing David 'Fathead' Newman, Joey Defrancesco, Charles Tolliver, Harold Mabern, Mike DiRubbo and others. They will all be for my shows on COOP but will try to make them available for Podcasts and download if possible.