Patricia Barber |
It's tough enough that there are several rescheduled events that were pushed into the new year by Hurricane Sandy and other factors ("Brando Noir" at NEC January 29, Sheila Jordan with Steve Kuhn at the Regattabar February 2, Fred Hersch Trio at Scullers February 28), but how to squeeze everything else into a list of 10? Mark your calendars.
1. Matthew Shipp & Michael Bisio :: One of the most fearless players on the New York scene, pianist Shipp joins bassist Michael Bisio in the best living-room-sized venue in town. :: January 19 :: Outpost 186, 186 ½ Hampshire St, Cambridge :: 8 pm :: $10 :: Outpost186.com
2. Patricia Barber:: The charismatic Chicago singer- songwriter-pianist plays the Regattabar with her wonderful band following the release of her typically smart and literate Smash (Concord, January 22). :: January 30 :: Regattabar, Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge :: 7:30 pm :: $25 :: 617.395.7757 or regattabarjazz.com
Christian McBride |
3. Monterey Jazz Festival:: This third North American all-star trip in the name of the venerable Northern California fest is hard to turn away from: singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist Benny Green, bassist Christan McBride, and drummer Lewis Nash. :: January 31 :: Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass Ave, Boston :: 8 pm :: $40-$58 :: 617.492.6661 or celebrityseries.org
4. Branford Marsalis Quartet :: Wynton's big brother comes to Boston for the first time since the release earlier this year of Four MFs Playin' Tunes (Marsalis Music). Those MFs will join him: pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Justin Faulkner. :: February 8-10 :: Scullers, DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel, 400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston :: 8 pm + 10 pm :: $40 :: 617.562.4111 or scullersjazz.com
5. Terri Lyne Carrington :: The Berklee prof drummer releases Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue (Concord; February 5), an anniversary tribute to the 1963 Ellington-Mingus-Roach collaboration Money Jungle that's also a statement on current fiscal affairs. Keyboardist Gerald Clayton and Berklee students join her for the show. :: February 14 :: Berklee Performance Center :: 8:15 pm :: $12-$20 :: 617.747.2261 or berkleebpc.com
6. The Bad Plus :: The piano trio who first gained notoriety for mixing Black Sabbath and Neil Young into their sets of jazz standards and thorny originals now take on Stravinsky in the Boston premiere of On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, accompanied by a video mix from lighting designer Cristina Guadalupe and film director Noah Hutton. :: February 15 :: Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Boston :: 7 pm + 9:30 pm :: $35 :: 617.876.4275 or worldmusic.org
