Discoveries:

1. Sometimes a pianist can make an out of tune piano work: Facing an all-Monk tribute, Charlotte-based pianist Lovell Bradford made the Hayti lobby piano sound better than it deserved Saturday night. In fact, he & his trio--bassist Kevin Beardsley & drummer Kassem Williams--made us forget the piano in the flood tide of Monk. Well done!

2. Practice makes perfect: A few weeks ago my "Guide To Local Jazz" class sat in one Professor Lenora Helm's vocal jazz class at NCCU, during which the Vocal Jazz Ensemble worked on the challenge of Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo". I heard the final product Friday night at Central's sparsely attended end of semester concert & the tune's odd rhythm & lovely lyrics were sung fantastically well.

​This Week: Yup, a relatively quiet holiday week, but a week to catch up on Usual Suspects. What else to do is there to do on a holiday weekend?

Monday

• It's always good to hear Griffanzo & Grewen at Imbibe 7p.

Tuesday

• Quartet Jazzbeau makes a rare appearance at 2nd Wind 7:30p. I'll be there.
• The NCJRO fills Sharp Nine with its big band sounds 8p. I could catch the second set.
• Brian Horton plays his weekly gig at Kingfisher 9p. Or I could wander to Durham for this.

Wednesday

• ​Jonathan Markow plays at the Empress Room, aided by vocalist Amy Hancock 7:30p. I'll be there, which makes it easy to slip downstairs for....
• The Mac McLaughlin Group is "New Music To Us" at C Grace 8ish. Been waiting for an opportunity to catch Mac.

Friday

• Andrew Berinson's duo plays Sullivan's bar 5:30p.
• Zach Gossett plays piano, Malik Denny sings, at Irregardless 6:30p.
• La Fiesta Latin Band at  Grace 9p.
• Trumpeter Lynn Grissett's trio at Arcana 9p.

Saturday

• Guitarist Devin Frazier's duo at Sullivan's 5:30p
  
• Zen Poets at Irregardless 6:30p.
  
• Mark Wells leads 3 Wolves (of Peter Lamb & The...) at Brasa Steakhouse 7p.
  
• Al Strong's Quartet--including visiting Triangle jazz alum Ryan Hanseler--at C Grace. I have to see what Ryan's brought from living in New Orleans!
  

Discoveries:

1. Keith Ganz's playing Friday night at Sharp Nine was the best I've heard--& his band kept up with him!: Some nights you know from the first number that it's gonna be special; this was one. Keith's & pianist Ariel Pocock's playing was distinctive, with bassist Paul Creel & drummer Kobie Watkins both keeping things moving & adding equally distinctive solos that fit the vibe.

​2. You can have two special nights in a row: I know NCCU student is an enthusiastic musician who can't stop moving while he listens to others playing, but his quartet started as specially & swinging Saturday night at Sharp Nine as Friday night had. As Dexter put it, they decided to play standards that deserved quality play, & they delivered, with Dexter giving space to the whole band & varying the trad soloing/duoing/trading patterns. Plus, ECU grad student pianist Graeme Slonaker was a inventive, imaginative surprise. I need to hear more of him.

3. It was a Passing Fancy: Went to 2nd Wind to hear Yeaux Katz but found it's playing every other week, but was entertained by this clarinet-banjo-piano trio that played delightful old Tin Pan Alley jazz. As refreshing as a bubbly drink.

4. The Durham Hotel has shifted its Thursday jazz jam to every 2nd Thursday for the winter.

This Week features the traditionally barely publicized NCCU end of semester jazz combos & a vocal jazz & big band concert with a guest artist. Details below.

Monday

• Vocalist Autumn Rainey at Local Jazz Club @ The Fruit 7:30p. I'll be there.
• NCCU features student jazz combos at B.N. Duke Auditorium.

Wednesday

• Alison Weiner hosts her second Choochooanoo jazz/spoken word gig at The Station 7p. I'll be there.

Thursday

• Yeaux Katz back at 2nd Wind 8p.

Friday: First I go to NCCU's vocal jazz ensemble, then Sharp Nine...

• NCCU end of semester vocal jazz & big band concert at B.N. Duke 8p.
  
• Greensboro-based drummer joins bassist Steve Haines, guitarist Gabe Dansereau, & saxophonist Dave Finucane at Sharp Nine 8p. ​I need to hear Dave play.
  

Discoveries:

1. Kate McGarry & Keith Ganz still have Carolina on their minds: Kate & the Christian Tamburr Quartet put on a great show at Local Jazz @ The Fruit Monday night, & Keith brings his quartet--Ariel Pocock piano, Paul Creel bass, Kobie Watkins drums--to Sharp Nine this Friday night.

2. There are actually seven choices Thursday night: Yup, that many. See details below.

3. Revival 1869 in Clayton seems to have info on Facebook: Their website hasn't been complete for two months, but their Facebook gives you last minutish info. I've changed that link.

This Week

Today/Sunday: 

• The Triangle Youth Jazz groups--Band, Orchestra, Ensemble--play for family friends, & anyone else interested in good jazz at the Cary Arts Center 4p. I'm in the last group of fans.

Monday:

• Pianist Ariel Pocock brings her trio to this week's Local Jazz Club @ The Fruit 7:30p. I'll be there.

Thursday: What hath God wrought!

• ​NCCU's all-day Vocal Jazz Summit ends with its concert at B.N. Duke Auditorium 7p.
• UNC's Charanga Latin Orchestra takes over the Durham Hotel jazz jam 7p.
• Bassist Rick Bugel's quartet plays at Watts & Ward 7p.
• The Mint Julep Jazz Band propels swing dancing at Duke's Rubinstein Center 7:30p. The music & dancing are spectacular.
• Yeaux Katz continues its Thursday gig at Carrboro's 2nd Wind 8p. I'll be there because I haven't seen them in months.
• Guitarist Kevin Clark & bassist Chris Sharp pair at Arcana 9p.
• Griffanzo & Danny Grewen shift to C Grace 9p.

Friday:

• Vocalist Dupresha Townsend at Irregardless 6:30p. Worth getting a seat close to the stage in a noisy restaurant.
• Keith Ganz brings electric tunes to Sharp Nine 8p. I'll be there.

Saturday:

• NCCU young lions, led by jazz-possessed saxist Dexter Moses, at Sharp Nine 8p. I'll be there.

Next Monday:

• Vocalist Autumn Rainey at the Local Jazz Club @ The Fruit 7:30p. I'll be there.