Discoveries:

1. The best music I heard this week was Zach Gossett's Za Um quintet: They brought the freshest, newest-sounding music I've heard lately to Sharp Nine Friday night. E.g., they shifted from "Abide With Me" to open directly to an upbeat version of "Ain't Misbehavin'" that reminded me of Jason Moran, followed a couple of tunes later with the recently released Ben Wendel's "October". All through that guitarist Logan Butler & saxophonist Shaquim Muldrow traded electric solos. Worth hearing again, soon...

2. Jazz comes to Mebane at Hyperion: Yup, this bar has jazz now. Check out the link on our Home page.

3. There's hope in this world--Kate McGarry & Keith Ganz are coming back: It was a shock when they moved to Oakland, but Kate's at The Fruit Monday 11/4; Keith's quartet is at Sharp Nine 11/15, & they've booked a February duo gig at S9.

This Week: Though some venues haven't scheduled yet, still plenty of choices.

Sunday

• Lois Deloatch Gomes & Ernest Turner lead a Durham Central Park fundraiser at Durham's North Star Church of the Arts 4p.

Monday

• Shana Tucker sings, Brian Horton plays the famed Coltrane-Hartman recording tunes at the Fruit 7p. Probably at Do Not Miss.

Tuesday: Interesting choices...

•  A rare appearance by the Jazzbeau quartet at Carrboro's 2nd Wind 7:30p.
• The NCJRO does its monthly thing at Sharp Nine 8p.
• Marimjazzia has its second CD release party (with a reception) at UNC's Stone Center 8p. The reception attracts me.

Wednesday

• ​Jonathan Markow & vocalist Amy Hancock turn the Empress Room into an intimate cabaret 7:30p. I'll be there because they have me hypnotized.

Friday

• Jim Ketch brings UNC combos & big band to Sharp Nine 8p. 

Saturday

• ODDCO--the Pittsboro funky interior design/art gallery/bar--presents GBO-based drummer Geoff Clapp plus extravore guitarist Charlie Hunter & saxist Petr Cancura 7:30p. Check realoddstuff.com & you'll see why I can't resist unfamiliar musicians in a funky venue.
• Fan fave Charlotte-based pianist Lovell Bradford's trio takes over Sharp Nine 8p.

Monday

• Welcome back Kate McGarry to NC as she accompanies Christian Tamburr's vibes quartet at The Fruit 7p. I love Kate. Where else would I be?!

Discoveries: 

1. Last weekend prepped me for an incredible week: Last Friday I saw the charming vocalist Carol Sloane at the lovely Clayton Arts Center, followed by the Duck Jazz Fest Sunday, featuring (i) the mature vocals of high school junior Emma Gonzalez with the Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble & (ii) the fine pianist Benny Green. Then there was this week...

2. Ernest Turner & Stephen Riley (rhythm'd by Kobie Watkins & Kevin Beardsley) were as good as I expected: Another deserved standing ovation at Sharp Nine.

3. Christian Tamburr is even better on vibes than he is on piano: His quartet--with Ariel Pocock on piano, wunderkind bassist William "Mo Better" Ledbetter, & Kobie Watkins on drums--swung us into oblivion Saturday night at Sharp Nine, when they weren't playing lovely ballads. Having heard him on what he calls his other instrument--the piano, with which he earns most of his money--I was thrilled to hear him on vibes. Do catch him at the Fruit 11/4, accompanied by Kate McGarry.

4. Indy Week had a good article about The Fruit's jazz & Tuesdays at the Kingfisher cocktail lounge: Dan Ruccia did a great job of describing both vibe & the performers at each venue. I hope he does more re local jazz. 

This Week starts quickly for me, gives me a rest (if I choose), & ends nicely:

Sunday

• The Spirit of Local Jazz--Ed Furtick--hosts his 4th annual jazz jam for anyone interested in local jazz at Durham's Blue Note Grill (709 Washington St) 1-4p. I'll be there!
• Duke Performances presents the Bad Plus led by Orrin Evans at Baldwin Auditorium 8p.

Monday

• Saxophonist Shaquim Muldrow Quartet is the up-&-coming act at The Fruit 7:30p. I'll be there.

Tuesday-Thursday: Usual suspects, usual venues.
​Friday

• Angela Bingham sings the Great American Songbook, accompanied by the UNC jazz faculty, at Raleigh's White Memorial Presbyterian Church (1704 Oberlin Rd) 7:30p.
• Extravore saxophonist Ernie Watts joins John Brown & the Duke Jazz Ensemble at Baldwin 8p.
• Pianist Zach Gossett bring his compositions to Sharp Nine with his Za Um quintet 8p. Having heard his unique compositions before, I was told by Zach this will be "different". That's enough to get me there rather to either of the above.

Saturday

• Extravore bassist Iris Ornig makes her annual appearance (with trumpeter Lynn Grissett, pianist Jonathan Markow & the ubiquitous Kobie Watkins) at Sharp Nine 8p. Her music's been fascinating every other time so why not this time? I'll be there to find out!​

Next Sunday

• ​Lois Gomes sings "Songs of Hope & Peace" (accompanied by Ernest Turner) at Durham's North Star Church of the Arts (220 W Geer St) to benefit Durham Central Park 4p.

​Next Monday

• Shana Tucker & Brian Horton, with Christian Tamburr, Kobie Watkins & William Ledbetter, recreate the best jazz vocal recording of all-time--John Coltrane + Johnny Hartman--at The Fruit 7:30p. That may be impossible, but this is a group that can handle it. Do not miss. 

The Next Ten Days: A fair number of vocalists & one Do Not Miss​...

Saturday: If I wasn't in Duck I'd go to one of these...

• Vocalist Jennifer Lord & guitarist Rick Keena @ Imbibe 8p.
• Vocalist Amy Hancock joins the Mac McLaughlin Group @ Arcana 8p.

Tuesday

• Do Not Miss Pianist Ernest Turner's tribute to Monk, featuring the simpatico tenor player Stephen Riley @ Sharp Nine 7p.

Wednesday 

• Amy Hancock joins pianist Ed Paolantonio @ the Empress Room 7:30p.

Thursday

• Pianist Stephen Anderson & vocalist Lydia Salett Dudley explore "The Blues" at Chapel Hill's Flyleaf Bookstore 7:30p. Part of a UNC Humanities series.​

Friday--

• Vocalist Frankie Alexander caresses standards in what may be her Sharp Nine debut 8p.

Saturday

• Christian Tamburr finally gets to play the vibes with an all-star band @ Sharp Nine 8p.

Sunday

• The extravore Bad Plus trio @ Duke's Baldwin Auditorium 7p. I've not been a Bad Plus fan, but the addition of pianist Orrin Evans--part of Duke's fabulous Monk Fest in 2017--makes the difference.