I just came across this "jazz compatibility" test on NPR. To say that most avid jazz listeners are pretentious is completely unnecessary, but come on...Eric Dolphy? Really? Miles Davis is probably the most basic/concrete example to use for this kind of thing.
But on to more timely affairs: Tonight's Jazz at Five concert (just off Capitol Square) will feature the Madison Mellophonium Jazz Orchestra at 6:30 p.m. The MMJO is dedicated to the great Stan Kenton and his love of mellophoniums. (The group I play in, The UW Jazz Orchestra, dedicated the fall semester of last year to Johnny Richards/Stan Kenton's Cuban Fire Suite. The complete live album recording can be found here.)
What's special about tonight's concert is that the group will be led by Joel Kaye, who played baritone sax with the Kenton band. And my saxophone professor, Les Thimmig, will be playing lead alto. EDIT: For some reason I didn't realize he would be playing, but my jazz director, Jim Doherty, was also featured on trumpet. He told me the sax section is particularly heavy--normally, Kenton preferred using one alto, two tenors and two bari players (as opposed to the typical two altos, two tenors and one bari), but tonight there will be one alto, one tenor, two bari and one BASS sax.
I am extremely excited for tonight's performance. They're also playing tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. in Baraboo's Town Square and again here on Sunday at First United Methodist Church for the service and a following concert at 9:30 a.m.
One last thing: if any jazz musicians are reading this, every Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. there's a jazz jam at Zander's (118 State Street). If Humanities is open after Jazz at Five I'm going to grab my alto and hopefully play there tonight. Come one come all!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Summertime and the [east side] living is easy
It's been quite a repose since my last post--the last few months have been filled with various fine and not-so-fine things, including outdoor Shakespeare in Spring Green, Concerts on the Square, Jazz at Five, Madison nightlife, Monday night movies at the Terrace (all fine things), introductory biology, rental disputes and Craigslist scouting (not-so-fine things).
But here a few things worth sharing from the last week or so:
• On Wednesday, my wonderful friend Sarah and her friend Rob, visiting from the UK, came into town. Together we went to Henry Vilas Zoo, a quintessential Madison landmark. Curiously enough, nearly all the animals were stricken with pure lethargy. The most extreme case of this was the penguins, who all seemed frozen in time as they steadfastly stood with their wings slightly out with absolutely no movement. Freeze tag? The giraffes weren't sparring, the tiger was pacing and the prairie dogs weren't kicking around dirt at the same energetic level as usual. Even the mean old goat at the petting zoo was not particularly aggressive. All victims of high humidity. But the rainforest building was open (the first time I'd been there), so gawking at piranhas and various jungle birds was a good time.
• After listening to the first group at Jazz at Five, a jazz concert near Capitol Square (side note: last week's performance by Madisalsa was absolutely incredible), we headed to dinner at Flavor of India. The chicken pansanda was amazing, but be sure to order nan with it if you ever go.
• Last night Ryan and I saw Piranha 3D. Although the opening scene is tragic--it involves one of my celebrity crushes (who clearly needed a bigger boat) and his untimely demise--the movie is one of substantial camp and entertaining gore. Ryan and I thought it would have been really fun to have been an extra for the film, and I wished that each extra would have been credited by how they died. SPOILER ALERT: "Hair stuck in boat motor girl" was my favorite. And Christopher Lloyd and his "Back to the Future" neurotics stole the show.
• This morning I got together with two dear friends and fellow saxophonists, Alyssa and Kristen. We had our farewell brunch (Alyssa got her first job!) at Sophia's, a very cute restaurant on East Johnson St. It has very limited hours (weekends 8 A.M.-2 P.M.), but if you have those hours free, it's worth a visit.
About a week ago I moved to Madison's east side (well, near east side) and while I'm still exploring the area, I am definitely falling for the quirks of this part of town. In The Company of Thieves has quickly become my new favorite coffee shop. Slightly closer to downtown is Come Back In, a restaurant I will probably frequent Monday nights--$2 margaritas and $.50 tacos.
I hope to make it downtown now for Wisconsin Capitol Pride.
Hopefully my next post will be less list-y and not two months from now!
Stay classy.
But here a few things worth sharing from the last week or so:
• On Wednesday, my wonderful friend Sarah and her friend Rob, visiting from the UK, came into town. Together we went to Henry Vilas Zoo, a quintessential Madison landmark. Curiously enough, nearly all the animals were stricken with pure lethargy. The most extreme case of this was the penguins, who all seemed frozen in time as they steadfastly stood with their wings slightly out with absolutely no movement. Freeze tag? The giraffes weren't sparring, the tiger was pacing and the prairie dogs weren't kicking around dirt at the same energetic level as usual. Even the mean old goat at the petting zoo was not particularly aggressive. All victims of high humidity. But the rainforest building was open (the first time I'd been there), so gawking at piranhas and various jungle birds was a good time.
• After listening to the first group at Jazz at Five, a jazz concert near Capitol Square (side note: last week's performance by Madisalsa was absolutely incredible), we headed to dinner at Flavor of India. The chicken pansanda was amazing, but be sure to order nan with it if you ever go.
• Last night Ryan and I saw Piranha 3D. Although the opening scene is tragic--it involves one of my celebrity crushes (who clearly needed a bigger boat) and his untimely demise--the movie is one of substantial camp and entertaining gore. Ryan and I thought it would have been really fun to have been an extra for the film, and I wished that each extra would have been credited by how they died. SPOILER ALERT: "Hair stuck in boat motor girl" was my favorite. And Christopher Lloyd and his "Back to the Future" neurotics stole the show.
• This morning I got together with two dear friends and fellow saxophonists, Alyssa and Kristen. We had our farewell brunch (Alyssa got her first job!) at Sophia's, a very cute restaurant on East Johnson St. It has very limited hours (weekends 8 A.M.-2 P.M.), but if you have those hours free, it's worth a visit.
About a week ago I moved to Madison's east side (well, near east side) and while I'm still exploring the area, I am definitely falling for the quirks of this part of town. In The Company of Thieves has quickly become my new favorite coffee shop. Slightly closer to downtown is Come Back In, a restaurant I will probably frequent Monday nights--$2 margaritas and $.50 tacos.
I hope to make it downtown now for Wisconsin Capitol Pride.
Hopefully my next post will be less list-y and not two months from now!
Stay classy.
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