Discoveries:
1. Pianist Stephen Anderson's intensity: I've heard plenty of him before, but Friday night was Essence of Stephen Anderson, vigorous, electric, intense.
2. Jazz At the Mary Lou is back: JAML starts again at 9:30p Wednesday night at Duke's Mary Lou Williams Center, the longest running Durham jam session. Take a nap to stay up late to hear local musicians.

These Two Weeks: In addition to recommendations below, I recommend checking the always busy Sharp Nine, C Grace, Irregardless, & the Empress Room if you need a quick fix (plus Usual Suspects).

​​Tuesday 1/22: Thrio at Sharp Nine, drummer Donovan Cheatam, pianist Andrew Berinson, bassist Paul Creel,7p.
Thursdays 1/24 & 1/31: Al Strong's Durham Hotel jazz jam 7p.
Friday 2/1: Duke Performances presents extravore trumpeter Ron Miles with a superstar quintet (e.g., Jason Moran & Bill Frisell) at Baldwin Auditorium 8p.
Saturday 2/2: Extravore saxist Joel Frahm joins stellar locavore musicians at Sharp Nine 7 & 9p.

• ​DISCOVERIES: I'm having trouble with bolding, underlining & italicizing. Apologies...

1. Eric Hirsh Trio at Arcana: Hadn't heard Eric in a while, nor been at Arcana. Eric played with fierceness of someone who hadn't played in a while & intro'd a few new tunes. He's moving on from his accumulated CD tunes towards fatherhood, less playing for a while, & then maybe a monthly gig.

​2. Vimala's Curryblossom Café has Thursday jazz: A new venue for me. For now, while weather forbids outside music, guitarist Rick Keena holds down the gig. The playing space looks like a recording studio decorated with kitchen equipment, but the music is fine while eating down-home South Indian food.

3. Sharp Nine is back & has expanded its teaching rooms: It was packed for the Jason Foureman Quartet Friday, had sold many tickets for Saturday's La Fiesta gig, & now has more than doubled its teaching space. Jazz fans know where they can listen to consistently good music & where they can learn to play.

​4. Hip contemporary drummer Makaya McCraven at Raleigh's Neptunes Parlour tonight: In this venue's Resonancy series, drummer demo their composition & creation skills, starting with innovative drummer Makaya McCraven.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS WILL BE BUT I PLAN TO GO.

THIS WEEK:

Sunday:
​--Pianist Noah Sager Trio at West End Wine Bar 4p.
​--Vibraphonist Steve Hobbs at Durham's Goorsha Ethiopian Restaurant 6p.
​--Extravore drummer Makaya McCraven at Raleigh's Neptunes Parlour 8:30.
​
Thursday:
​--Al Strong leads the Durham Hotel Jazz Jam 7p. I SHOULD BE THERE.

Friday:
​--Stephen Anderson quartet at Sharp Nine 8p. I'LL BE THERE.
--Check Usual Suspect venues for more...

Saturday:
​--Fine alto player Aaron Hill pairs with bassist Billie Feather at Irregardless 6p. I PLAN TO STOP IN BEFORE I GO TO...
​--Guitarist James Gilmore at Sharp Nine 8p.

​Saturday/Sunday: The Carrboro Django Reinhardt Festival at Carrboro's Cat's Cradle. Google that title for more info.

 Discoveries:

1. W​atts & Ward is a  good place to hear jazz:​​ I caught the whole set of Donovan Cheatham's quartet Thursday night. In addition to the music being a treat, I found the venue interesting. It's a large, sprawling basement bar complex at the corner of South Blount & East Hargett, opposite Moore Square. So customers can hang in the music bar, in the quieter front bar, or in various nooks in the complex. The vibe is as good as the sound.

​2. ​Sharp Nine schedules Tuesday night gigs 7p:​​ They start this week with Griffin Ross.

​3. Pianist Ariel Pocock has moved to NYC but will commute to NC:​ I know that sounds hard, but rumor has become fact. Good luck to her catching on in NYC & keeping in touch with NC. I've already seen her name on Greensboro's O'Henry Hotel gigs in February & March.

This Week:​ In addition to the Usual Suspects...

Tuesday:​ Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble alum Griffin Ross returns from William Paterson College's jazz program with his tenor sax & a quartet to Sharp Nine 7p.

​​Wednesday: The Yeaux ​Katz's drummer unavailable this month, Ellis Dyson joins two fellow Shamblers providing interim music 7p.

Thursday:​ Eric Hirsh Quartet at Durham's Arcana 8p. His encore will be impending fatherhood. I'll be there, possible stopping at the Durham Hotel jazz jam first.

Friday: The Jason Foureman Quartet includes Brian Horton for his first small band gig since returning to NCCU 8p. ​I'll be there.