So you survived one jazz marathon, and you’re reminded by the wet wristband still on your arm after showering that there’s at least one more marathon to go. The second night of the Winter Jazzfest Marathon is full of, perhaps, even more difficult decisions, which is to say it has scheduled so many intriguing and curiosity-sparking performances as to leave the planners among us with an insurmountable challenge. It could be that the best way to “do” the marathon is to find whatever we can “the flow” and, ultimately, go with it.
A new stage was added to the line-up for Saturday’s marathon, the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, to honor the life of New York poet Steve Dalachinsky. Steve’s death was felt throughout the jazz community, the free jazz and avant garde community especially, as he was not only a respected poet in the same genre and frequent collaborator with jazz musicians (Matthew Shipp, William Parker, and many more) throughout decades of downtown jazz history, he was also a fan. Anyone who has been to see improvised music in New York City has probably seen Steve’s face more than once, even gotten to know him, and it is very sad indeed that you can no longer count on catching a few words with him as he makes his way between sets throughout the city. So nothing could be a more fitting celebration of Steve Dalachinsky than back to back sets from some of New York’s best improvising musicians and poets. If you spent the entire night at Nuyorican you would experience a one-of-a-kind night full of uniquely talented artists expressing themselves in celebration of life and art. That said, it would also be fitting to jump around all over lower Manhattan to see as many different shows as possible. Either way, Steve knew the power or music and art, and his lived that every day.
Some tips from Night 1:
-Make the most of it, but don’t make it too much.
-Account for travel time, or stay in one place for longer.
-However you do it, you’re doing it right.
-Think of venues in clusters of West, NoHo (Central), and East. It is challenging to jump back and forth outside of areas, so be realistic.
- West: SOBs, Zinc, LPR, The Bitter End
- NoHo: Zurcher, Subculture, The Dance, Webster Hall
- East: The Mercury Lounge, Nuyorican, Nublu
MARATHON NIGHT 2, SATURDAY
6PM – Zinc Bar (West) Steve Lehman Trio with Matt Brewer, Damion Reid, plus Craig Taborn
OR, because that will be full
6:15PM – The Bitter End (West): Naïssam Jalal ‘Quest of the Invisible’ with Damien Varaillon, Leonardo Montana
TO
7PM – Nublu (East): Amirtha Kidambi & Lea Bertucci
OR
7PM – Nuyorican Poets Cafe (East): Marc Ribot, Fay Victor, Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Baba Israel
*BREAK FOR FOOD? Probably don’t waste your time though.
7:45PM – Le Poisson Rouge (West): Lakecia Benjamin Presents ‘Pursuance’: The Music of the Coltranes w/ Reggie Workman, Regina Carter +more
OR, if you need some meditation time
8:15PM – Nublu (East): Laraaji
OR
8:30PM – Zurcher Gallery (NoHo): Nduduzo Makhathini
OR (remember, SOB’s is very far)
8:45PM – SOBs (West): Revelator (Peter Apfelbaum, Will Bernard, Aaron Johnston) w/ Bill Laswell
TO/OR
9PM – Nuyorican Poets Cafe (East): Tom Surgal, Lin Culberston, Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, Samara Lubelski, Ernie Brooks, Charlie Waters
TO
9:45PM – Zurcher Gallery (NoHo): Alan Braufman’s Valley of Search with Cooper-Moore
OR
9:45PM – The Dance (NoHo): Susan Alcorn Quintet with Mary Halvorson, Michael Formanek, Mark Feldman, Ryan Sawyer
OR/THEN
10PM – Nuyorican Poets Cafe (East): Matthew Shipp
THEN
11PM – Nuyorican Poets Cafe (East): Shelley Hirsch, Sarah Bernstein, Luke Stewart, Ka Baird, Nicola Hein
OR
11PM – The Dance (NoHo): CUP feat. Nels Cline + Yuka C. Honda
OR
11PM – Zurcher Gallery (NoHo): Uri Caine’s “The Passion of Octavius Catto”
TO
11:45PM – Nuyorican Poets Cafe (East): Cooper-Moore, Jaimie Branch, James Brandon Lewis, Jean Carla Rodea, Matt Mottel, Kevin Shea, Jason Kao Hwang
TO
12:15PM – The Dance (NoHo): Anna Webber with Jeremy Viner, Jacob Garchik, Christopher Hoffman, Jacob Sacks, Chris Tordini, Ches Smith
THEN
12:30AM – Nuyorican Poets Cafe (East): Open w/ Kenny Wolleson & Gerald Cleaver, Daniel Carter + adhoc ensembles
OR
1AM – Mercury Lounge (East): ‘Heroes Are Gang Leaders’ featuring James Brandon Lewis
TO
1:15AM – Nublu (East): Jessica Jones Quartet with Tony Jones, Stomu Takeishi, Kenny Wollesen