​These Weeks/Discoveries:
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1. No, Christmas isn't always a quiet music time:​ Just check Raleigh's Neptunes Parlour 12/17, Raleigh's Pour House 12/18, Humbie Pie 12/19 (Peter Lamb &​ Sidecar Social Club!), Vinos Finos 12/20, Hillsborough's Hot Tin Roof 12/21, Raleigh's Sola 12/22, the Empress Room 12/27, or Irregardless 12/29.
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2. Localvocalist Frankie Alexander has retired:​ That will probably mean more music for her & us (e.g., Irregardless 1/17/19.

​3. ​While watching extravore vocalist Ann Hampton Calloway Friday at Sharp Nine...​ I saw localvocalist Angela Bingham really enjoying AHC's performance. I see Calloway in her: vocal skills, a feel for both lyrics & music history, & a nice playfulness. Ergo, I look forward to Angela's next performance.

4. ​Greensboro's O'Henry Hotel works for jazz:​ They've increasing their jazz steadily over the last year or so from every Thursday night to semi-regular Friday or Saturday night gigs, using mostly Greensboro-based talent plus a smattering of our locavore players. The audience is polite (though needs to learn when to clap) & the sound is good.

Discovery:​ How quiet it can be during a heavy snowfall. For a while this morning the only sound I could hear was the fridge humming. Other than that there was nothing. Unusual. Then I turned on Tom Cole's Sunday morning show on DC's WPFW. Now the only sound in my kitchen is solo acoustic guitar. Beautiful...
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This Week...​more or less builds up to a too-many-choices Friday night, sorta like Joey Calderazzo vs Rene Marie last night, though either choice was right. Any choice is nearly always right.

Mon-Thurs: Time for the Usual Suspects except...

• Durham's Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Jazz Vespers (led by NCCU's Robert Trowers) 7p.
• ​No Durham Hotel jazz jam this week, but....

Friday:​

• ​Al Strong leads a Latin Jazz Night at the Durham Hotel 7p.
• ​The NCCU faculty does Christmas at Beyu 7 & 9p.
• ​Fine extravore vocalist Ann Hampton Calloway at Sharp Nine 9p.​

This Week: ​An extravore jazz week because of the Duke Performances vocal fest Mon-Sun & Joey Calderazzo at the Arts Center, but with plenty of local jazz (all of which you can catch via Home page venue links). Here are some highlights:

Monday:​ For those not going to Nnenna Freelon at Duke, an alternative is pianist Robert Griffin (aka Griffanzo) & trombonist Danny Grewen at Imbibe in Chapel Hill. They've been performing together for almost two years now & have the jazz songbook & Griffanzo's smart-ass jazz down pat. I also been told an interesting young singer has been joining them 7p.

Tuesday:​ If I wasn't going to see the best singer in the world, Cecile Salvant, at Duke with marvelous pianist Sullivan Fortner, I'd check out local saxophonist (& wine merchant) Noel Sher, accompanied by fine guitarist Scott Sawyer at Sharp Nine 8p.

Thursday:​ Those interested in Catherine Russell will be happy, but consider Al Strong's Durham Hotel jazz jam 7p. Don't worry about the evening cold; they keep the roof top plenty warm.

Friday:​ If I wasn't seeing Jazzmeia Horn, the best young jazz singer around, at Duke, I'd finally catch up with Marimjazzia, led by Juan Alamo, at Sharp Nine 8p.

Saturday:​ If I wasn't going to see excellent occasionally locavore pianist Joey Calderazzo (with UNCG bassist Steve Haines & the Mighty Engine, drummer Kobie Watkins) at the Carrboro Arts Center 8p, I'd definitely see singer Rene Marie at Duke 8p. If not Rene Marie, I'd see singer Autumn Rainey at Irregardless 9p.

Sunday:​ Locavore/extravore singer Kate McGarry & guitarist husband Keith Ganz are joined by pianist Gary Versace at Duke Perfs 8p, to cap the vocal fest.

​What an incredible vocal week! And Ann Hampton Calloway has two shows at Sharp Nine 12/14...