​Discoveries:

​1. It's possible to translate Electronic Dance Music into jazz--the Eric Hirsh Quartet did it Friday night at Sharp Nine. Jazzed & danceable!

​2. Atticus Reynolds is not only a fine drummer but a hell of a composer. I heard his Latin suite as his junior recital, heard pieces of it both Saturday night & a few months ago, & now I've started listening to his ​Ventana​ CD. Incredible stuff for a person of his age. I'll find out how to buy it & let you all know.

​3. Pianist Ernest Turner should be recording his first CD sometime in the next two months, so we can look forward to his CD release early next year. And, Ernest is working with Dave Finucane on the Sharp Nine 10/10 Monk Birthday Party at Sharp Nine. All Monkistas should be aware of that...

This Week:​ I'm slightly hindered by some venues & performers still having to publish August schedules, but I suspect I'll be at Imbibe tonight to hear Danny Grewen & Robert Griffin play pleasant standards, &on Friday I ambitiously plan to catch Russell Favret's first set at Beyu & then slide over to catch 3/4 of young pianist Sean Mason's set at Sharp Nine. Many people I talk to say Mason plays very, very well. Oh yes, I'll also catch Jo Gore singing at the Station Saturday 2p, a good to spend a summer afternoon.

​Enjoy yourselves this week!

Discoveries:

​1. The Kate McGarry/Keith Ganz/Gary Versace CD fundraising campaign hit 50% the first week. ​What that means is those that haven't contributed should do so to get to 100%!​ Follow the Kate/Keith link on the home page for that...

​2. A weekend without live jazz isn't tragic. I needed a break before & then went to Brad Mainani playing  his own tunes at Chapel Hill's West End Wine Bar Sunday night.

This Week builds up to many, many choices Friday & Saturday:

Friday:​ I plan to first catch Mark Wells & Al Strong at Brasa 7p because I had such a good time with Stephen Riley & Mark a couple of weeks ago. Plus, Mark & Al are old buddies from Peter Lamb & the Wolves. I'd stay longer there but the Eric Hirsh Quartet is at Sharp Nine 8p. As much as I'd like you all to follow me blindly, you have many other good choices that night: Ariel Pocock at Ally 26, Jo Gore at the Empress Room, & Elmer Gibson at Irregardless.

Saturday:​ You can actually catch drummer Atticus Reynolds twice: his trio at the Station 2p & the CD release at Sharp Nine with his quartet 8p. Having heard this music in different forms a couple of times, I'm excited enough about this performance to ask you to follow me blindly!

​Discoveries:

​1. Kate McGarry & Keith Ganz have started a fundraising campaign to finish the recording they've already made with NY-based pianist Gary Versace. The link is here.​​​ This is important stuff!​ ​Kate's a nationally known singer with many, many recordings, but the music industry now makes it hard for all but superstars to put out their music routinely. So supporting Kate & Keith & Gary helps keeps music you like alive.

​2. As full this area is with good guitarists, I ran across another good one: James Gilmore, who led a trio at the Station Saturday afternoon. I'm adding him to my Home Page links.

​Ahead:

• ​Tuesday night on the Durham Hotel roof 6-9p, drummer Donovan Cheatham promises "something different" with pianist Andrew Berinson & alto player Colin Williams. I didn't ask him what that meant; I can live with the ambiguity.​
• Friday night: many choices, with Greensboro-based guitarist Greg Hyslop making a very rare local appearance at Sharp Nine 8p.
  
• Saturday night: more choices. That means I haven't decided where to go, but fine singer Jua is at the Shed 8p, &--for those that missed Keith Ganz with pianist Gabe Evans--the duo is at Brasa Saturday night 7p. They will be play some mellow music.