Sorry to be a little late, but there aren't as many choices as last week. However, it's the time of month that players & venues update their October schedule, so further updates are likely.

The most exciting performance for me this week is the Al Strong Quintet at Sharp Nine Friday night at 7p since I helped set it up as a field trip for my Guide To Local Jazz class. Al & his group will preview his upcoming CD, which many of us have been waiting for.

The extravore jazz event of the next seven days is the duo of banjoist Bela Fleck & pianist Chick Corea at the Carolina Theatre Sunday night. I've heard cuts from their new double CD found it much, much better than expected. I'd had a bad experience of Fleck & a jazz pianist 2-3 years ago, but the simplicity of this duo is striking & worth a flyer.

Please do check Locavore Jazz links to venues & players too. There's plenty to go around....

I'm sitting here listening to John Brown & four musicians from his new Carolina Big Band talking about their concert at Duke's Baldwin Auditorium, & I'm feeling encouraged--again--about locavore jazz, which now includes South Carolina for the purposed of this blog. John's done a great job of assembling musicians so the concert should be great.

And, last night I sat listening to the Eric Przedpelski Quartet on the Porch of the Center for the Study of the American South. Eric's a junior at UNC, drummer Atticus Reynolds is also, pianist David Klingman is an undergrad, & bassist Phillip Norris is a high school senior. They gave a solid performance for their CD release "Wild Goose Chase", including of tunes by Przpedpelski & Reynolds that sounded like jazz standards. These kids are alright!

Monday night I heard a few Duke student Jazz Ensemble members talk about how they found their way to jazz. It's still possible for young musicians to latch onto jazz amidst the universe of music they could listen to or play. And, it's happening all over this area...

I'll start with Extravore Jazz: swing musician Pokey Lafarge warbles his way along the Cat's Cradle Stage in Carrboro Tuesday night (check their website); & singer Gregory Porter returns to Duke Thursday night. If you didn't hear him last fall at Duke, go for it. I'm waiting for a new CD & some new tunes before I see him again.

In the jazz desert of Chapel Hil there are two oases this week, both propelled by UNC students: saxist Eric Przedpelski leads a quartet on the friendly porch of the Center for the Study of the American South (CSAS) next to the UNC President's house on E. Franklin Street at 5:30p; soon after that UNC student musicians lead a jam session at The Strowd (159 1/2 E Franklin) at 6:30 or 7p. I suspect some or all of the CSAS players will migrate to the Strowd, which is above the famous, perpetual Sutton's Drugstore.

...Yes, I called Chapel Hill a "desert". But, Ernest Turner's website says he's playing at the Franklin Hotel, which stopped hiring pianists for their bar a couple or more of years ago. I'll stop there tonight to see whether Ernest has a bar gig or a private gig there...

Too many choices this weekend (reprise).

Friday: Extravore flute player Jamie Baum at Sharp Nine at 8; John Brown's Carolina Big Band at Duke's Baldwin Auditorium at 8; Doug Largent at Honeysuckle Tea House; Tin Tuxedo at C Grace at 9; & Peter Lamb & the Wolves at Cuban Revolution at 9:30. While I revel in Rhiannon Gidden's voice elsewhere at Duke, have fun choosing.

Saturday: Scott Sawyer playing solo, duo, & trio at Sharp Nine 8p, aided in choosing which by bassist Jason Foureman & drummer Dan Davis; the Al Strong Quartet at C Grace 9p; & alto saxist John Palowitch with a trio at Irregardless. More choices!

Sunday is easier (though check your listings): extravore singer Jo Lawry & husband saxist Will Vinson help create a "Duopalooza" with locavorish singer Kate McGarry & husband guitarist Keith Ganz at Sharp Nine 7p. Should be fun.