News and links roundup

I was just thinking about Pete Cosey after reading an article in an old Signal to Noise profile of him. I was marveling at his history and talent, and subsequently the fact that he never plays around town even though he still resides in Chicago. If you want to hear some early deep cuts from Mr. Cosey, seek out the Phil Cohran Artistic Heritage Ensemble discs recently reissued by Katalyst. Just as Mr. Cosey had crossed my mind,  I got a press release from Delmark stating that he'd be playing at the Green Mill for a CD/DVD recording session with Ari Brown:

Local unsung heroes of Chicago jazz and blues unite for a special Green Mill engagement for future Delmark DVD/CD!! JUNE 22, 23, 2007 ARI BROWN Quartet with very special guest, PETE COSEY (June 23rd only) Live at the Green Mill, Friday, June 22nd and Saturday, June 23rd (Cosey only on 23rd)

Some exciting news just confirmed, Delmark’s next recording for future DVD/CD will be the Ari Brown Quartet - Kirk Brown (piano), Yosef Ben Israel (Bass), and Avreeyal Ra (drums). with Pete Cosey on guitar at the Green Mill. Special guest Pete Cosey on “electric mud” guitar will be performing with Ari Brown on Saturday the 23rd only.

I hope nothing conflicts with my schedule so I can make it to the show.

Roscoe Mitchell's latest album with what he calls the Transatlantic Art Ensemble is reviewed.

Steve Smith does an excellent write up of the Bad Plus and their new album Prog.

The new issue of Jazz Times has a nice Anthony Braxton write up by David Adler that's worth reading. The new issue of Downbeat has profiles of 25 up and coming trumpet players. Names off the list that I'm familiar that caught my eye: Chicago's own Maurice Brown and Corey Wilkes, Mr. Taylor Ho Bynum representing for the cornet, and Jonathan Finlayson, who I haven't heard other than on record but shows a lot of promise.

If I was in New York, I would be here tonight:

MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS (Tonight) In addition to being a venerable pianist and composer, Mr. Abrams is one of the original architects of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. He performs tonight in a duo setting, with the guitarist Brandon Ross, and with a dynamic quartet featuring Aaron Stewart on tenor saxophone, Brad Jones on bass and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. At 8, Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, Manhattan, (212) 683-4988, aacm-newyork.com; $25. (Chinen)

But then again, my AACM bias is already very well documented. I love that Muhal Richard Abrams is still playing with and engaging up and coming young talent, and inviting them into his world of music.

We'll get a solo performance from Mr. Abrams in Chicago this summer which I anxiously anticipate.

Also, you might notice a re-shuffling of the links on the right (RSS readers, you'll have to click through to soundslope to take a peek) into two categories: read and listen. Pretty self explanatory. There are some new additions to the blogroll in the listen category worth exploring.

More later.