Who Did You See?
Dexter Gordon in the ’70s. When he played the Vanguard, I would go every night.
This will be fun (for me, at least). It’s a new thing: Who Did I See? And the flip side: Who Did I Not See? I’m 68, born in 1953. I got into jazz at age 17 in 1970. I’ve told that story: Song for My Father. I was born too late to have seen Bird or Fats or Clifford or Pres or Billie or Art Tatum. I grew up in New York and have spent most of my life in New York. When I was a kid, my dad used to drag us to afternoon jazz shows in Manhattan. There was an organization called Jazz Interactions and they used to do Sunday concerts at the Village Gate and other venues. I remember going to the Five Spot on St. Marks as a kid. So I have two lists of Who Did I See. One is Who Did I See before I had any appreciation for who I was seeing. The second list is Who Did I See after I got into jazz and was making my own decisions and spending my own money. BTW, this is jazz only. I did see Cream and I did not see Hendrix, but that’s another list and another web site. These lists are not complete. I don’t remember every drummer or bass player or pianist. I don’t remember everyone I saw. It’s just a list of highlights off the top of my head. The nice thing about Jazz Collector is I can add to, subtract from or amend in my own time and at my own discretion. Here goes:
Who Did I See before I knew who I was seeing: First memory is George Shearing at a concert hall when I was maybe 7 or 8. I remember this because I couldn’t conceive of someone playing piano without looking at the keys. After that, courtesy of my dad: Kenny Burrell; Jimmy Owens and Kenny Barron; Joe Newman; Elvin Jones, Joe Farrell, Frank Foster, George Coleman, Jimmy Garrison; Horace Silver, Junior Cook, Blue Mitchell, Howard McGhee.
Who Did I See on purpose: Sonny Rollins, more than 50 times (at least); Dexter Gordon, at least 20 times; Roland Kirk, at least 20 times; Bill Evans, at least a dozen times; Monk; Charles Rouse; Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Al Foster, Joe Morello, Roy Haynes; Al Cohn; Dizzy, Frank Foster, Joe Newman, Howard McGhee, Count Basie, Sonny Payne, Clark Terry, Lockjaw Davis; Ella, Sarah, Carmen McRae with Zoot Sims; Ray Charles; Sonny Stitt, Lou Donaldson, Jackie McLean, Gary Bartz, Phil Woods; Walter Davis Jr., Harold Mabern, Billy Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron; Cliff Jordan; Horace Silver; Joe Henderson; Stan Getz; Gerry Mulligan; Max Roach, Art Blakey; George Coleman; Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Teddy Wilson, Wynton Kelly; Herbie Hancock; Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller; Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul; Chick Corea, Horace Silver; Charles Mingus; Booker Ervin; Tal Farlow, Jim Hall; Oscar Peterson; Earl Hines; Thad Jones; Mel Lewis; Milt Jackson, MJQ, James Moody; Charles McPherson; Jaki Byard.
Who Did I Not See (but could have and should have): Miles; Cannonball; Trane; Art Pepper; Duke Ellington; Louis Armstrong; Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan; Chet Baker; Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond; Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Raney; Ornette; Hawk; Johnny Griffin; Randy Weston; Red Garland; Johnny Hodges; Ben Webster; Lee Konitz; JJ Johnson.
Al that is quite a list and one i;m am sure you will never forget, but i;m sure that with all those blue note names, you had to have seen Alfred Lion, and Francis Wolff at some point, not that they were musicians, but we all know what they bought to jazz music
That is an impressive life list… I have seen none of the artists you have—I’m 46 and have spent most of my life in NE Wisconsin. There haven’t been many opportunities. But I have seen Chet Baker and Jimmy Raney, so I got to feel a little special.
I’m from Spain and I’m 61 years old. Here I have been able to see Sonny Rollins 3 times, Hank Jones with Kenny Burrell and Ray Brown. Benny Golson several times. McCoy Tyner. Bobby Hutcherson with Cedar Walton. Curtis Fuller and some more
I have seen Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Barney Wilen…Woody Shaw…when i was young….and many contemporary jazzmen…
Who I saw: I saw Duke Ellington tear it up at Newport in 1956 – my first solo overnight trip. I also was amazed by the Chico Hamilton Quintet who warmed up the audience just before Duke came on. I also saw Charlie Mingus and Eric Dolphy in NY. Also got to finally see Slam Stewart at a jazz festival in France in the late 1960s.
Who I did not see: To my eternal regret, I did not go see Monk and Coltrane when they were playing together in NYC. In sad fact, I never saw either of them live, despite being a huge fan.
Of the real giants active during my lifetime, the only one I missed seeing is Charles Mingus.
I feel privileged to have seen and heard: Lee Konitz, Stan Getz, Trane, Rollins, Lee Morgan, Miles, Duke, Mulligan, Monk, Art Farmer, Wayne Shorter, Zoot, to name just a few.
Those’re some lists. Being just 33 and only seriously into jazz for the past five years or so, mine is hilariously short in comparison. I’ve seen Dr Lonie Smith and McCoy Tyner, and I think that’s it – might’ve been a few more I wasn’t aware of the two or three times my dad took me to North Sea Jazz when I was younger, I’d have to ask him.
I am glad that I had the opportunity to see Sonny Rollins twice, in London and Düsseldorf. Lou Donaldson in New York and Ron Carter in Essen. Short list but precious memories. Three real giants .
My Rollins story is kind of unfortunate (keep in mind I’m 44): he was playing with his group at the University of Texas at Austin, where I was in grad school. My girlfriend at the time and I had tickets, good seats too. As grad student life sometimes goes, we were super busy with school and projects, and one night I was wracking my brain at what plan I had and could not remember — naturally, a day or two later I realize we were supposed to go see Sonny. Damn!
I’ve been lucky to have seen many, many greats over the years, especially in the jazz avant-garde, and interviewed a ton of musicians. That one, though — oof!
I have seen Pharoah Sanders and Billy Harper. Those are two memorable ones. Both fantastic.
I saw Dupree Bolton looking bad playing his trumpet in a doorway in North Beach San Francisco. Please remember our precious Jazz musicians when you decide to donate …
Art: Great article on Dupree Bolton in Granta 69, Sping 2000. I’m 81, tone deaf now. Memorable nights: AEC (Taos), Ornette (NOLA), Mingus ( with Dolphy and Curson, Five Spot, NYC), Trane VV, NYC—with and without Dolphy) Many more. Art, if you can’t find the Granta I’ll send you mine.
Love this topic Al ! …Given that my pre-COVID live music attendance has averaged +100 shows a year (Including annual Jazz / pop music festivals) for the last few decades, it would actually be easier to list off those artists that I never had the opportunity to see perform live. Given the opportunity to venture back in time, my list would most certainly include the likes of: Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Mel Torme, Louis, Ella, Miles, Trane, Bird, Monk and Bill Evans. Thankfully, I managed to jump aboard the jazz train at an early age, and was able to catch / meet / photograph the many of the other usual suspects in the Jazz pantheon before they retired or passed away. As for the rest, our treasured first original pressings will have to fill that void.
…Along with nights at the Vanguard.
Not quite as young as Cellery, but almost and a similar predicament – I didn’t get into jazz or have the ability to see performances until after 2000. My list includes Max Roach, Bobby Hutcherson, Lou Donaldson, Jackie McLean, Roy Hargrove, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Roy Haynes, Archie Shepp, Freddie Cole, Benny Golson, Anthony Braxton, & Pat Martino
Mostly in London: Sonny Rollins, Jimmy McGriff, Nat Adderley, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Clifford Jarvis (who played with my all-time hero, Grant Green) — and the amazing Elvin Jones (in Boston)
And I saw Elvin in London. The first time I ever went there, I arrived at my hotel in Piccaddily Circus around 11 p.m. This was probably the mid-’80s. I asked the concierge where Ronnie Scott’s was and he told me it was just a short walk. I dropped the stuff off in my room and headed over there, not even knowing who would be playing. To my pleasant surprise it was Elvin. He had Sonny Fortune on reeds and I’m thinking Richard Davis on bass, but I’m not 100% sure about Davis.
Just have to add that my grandpa installed the sound system in Ronnie Scott’s (and in many other London clubs during the 60s)…
I feel so fortunate—have seen Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Pat Metheny, Jack DeJohnette, Joe Henderson, John McLaughlin, MJQ, Chick Corea, Herbie Mann, Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, Sun Ra, Ramsey Lewis, John Scofield, Esbjorn Svensson Trio, The Mingus Big Band, Larry Coryell, Kenny Burrell, Dave Brubeck, Anat Cohen, Kurt Elling, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Fareed Haque, Tony Bennett, Kenny Garrett, Christian Mc Bride, Stefon Harris, Patricia Barber, Ken Nordine & WordJazz, Bill Dixon, Flora Purim, Peter Brotzmann and others…
Would have loved to have seen and heard Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and Miles
Still keeping a bucket list of masters to see and hear before they leave us forever…
I have had the great good fortune to see well over one hundred jazz performances. Maybe over two hundred. As I am the same age as Al I have had the opportunity to catch many of the same musicians he mentions above. I too regret never having seen Coltrane and I didn’t see Mingus in his prime.
I spent a number of years producing, promoting, stage-managing or simply acting as MC for some of my favorite performers and often sharing a meal with them into the early hours. In that capacity I have seen Sheila Jordan, Betty Carter, Mose Allison, Art Blakey, Sun Ra, Jeanne Lee, Marion Brown, Archie Shepp, Ran Blake, Don Pullen-George Adams Quartet, Dave McKenna, Steve Turre, Billy Bang, Leroy Jenkins, Oliver Lake, Cecil Taylor, Tommy Flanagan, Cecil McBee, Amina Claudine Myers, Howard Johnson, Randy Weston, James Carter, McCoy Tyner, David Murray, Clifford Jordan, Jackie Byard, Geri Allen, and AIR. That is off the top of my head. I have lovely memories of many of these great musicians. Only one passed out just before a performance and was nowhere to be found and only one asked me to take them to a [strip club] seconds after receiving a cash payment. I have long tried to forget the terrible behavior of a couple of others I have not listed here.
I’m just a little bit older than you Al and I started going to shows in NYC in the early sixties during the “October Revolution” where all the “New Thing” musicians played because there was no liquor served at these concerts. Of the list of people you saw, I missed Jackie McLean and Booker Ervin to my great regret. Of the people you missed, I’m happy to say I saw them all except J J Johnson, Chet Baker (didn’t care) and Hank Mobley who was supposed to play at a benefit concert but was too sick and never showed. I saw Trane twice, once with Eric Dolphy at Lincoln Center New Year’s Eve 1963. Since Dolphy hadn’t played with Coltrane for a couple of years it was a great surprise. Cecil Taylor was on the bill and introduced a new tenor player from Cleveland named Alber Ayler. Art Blakey closed the show with Hubbard, Fuller, Shorter and Walton. It’s been almost 60 years and it’s still one of the highlights of my Jazz listening life.
Oh,man. This topic never fails to fill me with both joy (over the musical memories) and regret(for missed opportunities). Pieces of Time: Bill Evans Trio w/ Gomez,Marty Morell(many Vanguard nites),AIR (Axis in Soho),Sam Rivers/Dave Holland(Studio Rivbea),Steve Lacy(solo,Knitting Factory),Sonny Sharrock(KF),George Adams/Don Pullen w/ Cameron Brown,Dannie Richmond(VV),Joe Lee Wilson(Ladies Fort)Gil Evans Band(Sweet Basil)Thad and Mel(VV) w/ Dee Dee Bridgewater,Eddie Jefferson(Tin Palace),Miles (Avery Fischer Hall),Monk,Weather Report,Cannonball (Carnegie Hall),Eddie Palmieri w/ Ismael Quintana,Bobby Rodriguez (C.O.C.P. club,Brooklyn). Enough. So many more-Wes Montgomery on Johnny Carson,Lee Morgan on “SOUL”-does that count? It did to me. And yet..Coltrane had been dead for three years before I even knew his name. The bitter weather one weekend in NYC kept me home,I’d see Lee(in person,finally)the next time he was in town. There would be no next time. A heavy rain made a Monday night trip to The Village Gate a”no-go”. A rare appearance by Tete Montoliu(solo)was missed.
So,yes-joy and regrets. Not so much regret that it will keep me home this weekend-Bill Charlap Trio w/ Kenny Washington (VV). I’ll also curl up with a copy of HOT HOUSE and a calendar, circling my options for the month,of which there will be many. So many opportunities, for so much joy.
P.S.-Lest I forget: Eubie Blake at Greenwich Village Music School,also Harold Vick at the same location. How about Sonny Fortune with Buddy Rich Band at “Buddys Place”? I missed a benefit for Kenny Dorham that was held at The East the summer before he passed. I can place the time because I didn’t own a car(yet) and thought the “hell” of taking the GG to Brooklyn “too much”for a Queens kid to handle. My loss. Finally(for real),I did make it into Brooklyn one summers night to the Coronet Club. The announcer on WKCR mentioned that it was a ” rare appearance for saxophonist Hank Mobley”,who had been off the scene for a number of years. I don’t remember the musicians who made up the 4tet-George Cables or Harold Mabern? I only knew HM from “Someday My Prince…”,my only Miles lp at the time. Man,was THAT a long time ago! I’m so glad I went.
Al,please give us some info on how/where you saw Booker Irvin. He was,for me,”the one that got away”.
A great subject for discussion. I’ve seen Kenny Burrell, Gary Burton, Herbie Mann, Tony Williams, Cannonball Adderly, Larry Coryell, Maynard Ferguson and Les McCann & Eddie Harris. And local Chicago artists Judy Roberts & Larry Novak. Rock artists I’ve seen are the Stones and Bubble Puppy. I regret not seeing Tjader, Coltrane, Miles, Bill Evans, Elmo Hope, Wes Montgomery and Captain Beefheart. ART…. loved the your remembrance of Dupree Bolton. And GRANDWAZIR… Where did you see Ken Nordine and Word Jazz? Didn’t know they ever appeared anywhere?
Art Blakey Jazz Messengers, Kenny Burrell at Keystone Corner, Sun Ra, Sonny Rollins, Joshua Redman, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Elvin Jones with Jimmy Garrison, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis 3 times, Cecil Taylor, Art Pepper in Nice, Jim Hall, Thad Jones & Mel Lewis at the Village Vanguard, Sunny Murray, Jimmy Giuffre, Max Roach, Charles Mingus In Milano and at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Actually I travelled alongside Mingus (and his bass). Ornette Coleman, Joe Pass, Jean Luc Ponty, Herbie Hancock, Teddy Edwards in Paris, Lee Konitz and many more. Did not see Coltrane I met for the first time a year after his death.
For some reason, I enjoyed rock concerts over jazz concerts. But, I did manage to see: Charles Mingus, Return to Forever, McCoy Tyner, Cecil Taylor and Leroy Vinnegar among others. I did see Harry Connick Jr. play at a small bar in Portland with a trio after one of his shows here in Portland. He showed some fine licks at the piano, which impressed me. Nice variation of the slide style.
Having lived in Chicago, NYC, Philly and Paris there were frequent opportunities to hear the music live. Rollins, Shepp, Ornette, Sonny Simmons, Cecil Taylor, Sunny Murray, John Tchicai, Rudd, Hutcherson, McLean, Moncur, Cyrille, Arkestra (M Allen), Workman, Lake, Basie Orchestra (Foster), Brubeck, Joe Henderson, Dave Burrell, Andrew Hill, Steve Lacy, Elvin Jones, Johnny Griffin, Ted Curson, Benny Golson, Charles Gayle, are a few I remember right now.
Big misses are Don Cherry and Tony Williams who both passed just as I was getting into the music.
Most memorable were performances at Studio des Islettes in Paris (18th). A little raised stage with a couple couches and chairs and a few francs entrance. Used to catch Sonny Simmons and Sunny Murray there quite often.
Anybody else have a concert that sticks out in their memory?
The 70s and 80s were good decades for jazz in the UK with the Arts Council sponsoring tours by many US artists such as Braxton,Cecil Taylor,Art Ensemble,Sun Ra and many more too numerous to mention here!
Highlights? Cecil Taylor trio with Andrew Cyrille and Sam Rivers. With the stage bathed in red light I swear they levitated such was the intensity of the music! Sun Ra’s first UK performance in 1970.Ornette Coleman’s performance with his rock’n’roll band ( drummer John Stevens apt description) at the Bracknell Jazz Festival. Trevor Watts Moire Music at the same festival. The first time I saw the Art Ensemble at the Round House in Camden.Warne Marsh in London. Miles Davis’ electric band in 69 at the Royal Festival Hall.
The Bracknell Jazz Festival ran for 10 years from the mid 70s,a three day event with many great headliners,Ornette,David Murray,Leroy Jenkins,Max Roach among them.
I have also been able to enjoy most of the UK and European free players on many occasions, Evan Parker,Derek Bailey,Trevor Watts,John Stevens,Tony Oxley,Barry Guy,Peter Brotzmann etc.
I am envious of you PD being able to see Sonny Simmons in the flesh,one of my all time favourite alto players.
Misses? Albert Ayler at the London school of Economics.The BBC filmed this concert but it was considered too outrageous to broadcast and the tape was wiped for re-use! What sacrilege!
Jimi Hendrix in Newbury 10 miles from where I lived but I didn’t hear about it until after the event as with the Ayler concert.
Great times and fabulous music!
Max Roach was another one I missed, though it was due to his health that a concert at the University of Kansas had to be cancelled. He didn’t play much publicly from there on out, I don’t think.
Never saw Elvin or Dewey Redman, though I would have very much liked to!
Didn’t see Bill Dixon perform live though I spent time at his house and saw him give Rob Mazurek a lesson.
Among those I’ve seen: Jackie McLean (with Moncur, Hutcherson, René McLean a.o.), Hutcherson on his own, McCoy, Gary Bartz, Pharoah, Cecil, Ornette, Leroy Jenkins (incl. with the reunited Revolutionary Ensemble), David Murray, Sunny Murray, Dave Burrell (lots), Evan Parker, Brötzmann (both many times), ICP Orchestra with Misha Mengelberg (many times), Barre Phillips (solo and in groups), Derek Bailey, Barry Guy, Schlippenbach Trio (both with Lovens and Lytton), Oxley, Sonny Simmons, Roswell Rudd, John Tchicai, Milford Graves (a bunch), Andrew Cyrille (in groups and solo), Charles Gayle, David S. Ware (duo with Rashied Ali included), Jemeel Moondoc, Muhal Richard Abrams, Braxton (many times), all of the AEC except Lester, Wadada Leo Smith (many times), Oliver Lake + Baikida Carroll, François Tusques, Michel Portal, Steve Lacy, Dave Liebman, Arthur Doyle, Noah Howard, Bobby Few, Billy Bang, Frank Lowe…
there are many I’m sure I’m not thinking of at the moment as well. Not to mention pretty much everybody from slightly or much younger generations who are currently active, especially on the East Coast.
Clifford’s post reminded me of another highlight. Milford Graves only UK appearance in a cellar off Leicester Square London promoted by Anthony Wood the founder of The Wire magazine. A fantastic solo set where he played the whole room,floor,chairs,doors everything as well as his drum set of course. A polyrythmic masterpiece which I remember clearly to this day thanks to Clfford’s memory jog!
I didn’t get into jazz until the early to mid-90s so all my concerts before that were indie and punk rock(Nirvana at a tiny club with Dale Crover on drums stands out).
And when I got into jazz I missed early opportunities to see the greats because I was strictly into free jazz and (foolishly) turned up my nose at seeing Elvin Jones or Max Roach or Johnny Griffin thinking it would just be a pale rehash of lost glory days. What a fool I was.
I did manage to see Han Bennink, Dave Douglas, Charles Gayle, Art Ensemble of Chicago with Lester Bowie, Evan Parker, Barry Guy, Alex Von Sclippenbach, Paul Lovens, Paul Lytton, Louis Sclavis, Tomasz Stanko, Terje Rypdal, Barre Philllips, Sam Rivers, Misha Mengelberg, ICP orchestra, Eddie Prevost, Louis Moholo, Dedication Orchestra, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Lol Coxhill, Nik Bartsch, Mathias Eick, Peter Brotzmann, Globe Unity Orchestra, Ornette Coleman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Susie Ibarra, Bobo Stenson, Jon Christensen, Joe McPhee, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, Marilyn Crispell, Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd, JJ Avenel, Italian Instabile Orchestra, Mike Cooper, Gunter Christmann, Hamid Drake, and many more I can’t think of offhand anymore.
I should add that I have a much older friend who saw all the greats in their prime…Miles, Ornette, Mingus, Monk, Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, Kenny Drew, Art Blakey, Eric Dolphy, Wes Montgomery, Rollins, Elmo Hope, Art Peppee, etc etc you name it. So I love hearing his stories about these shows so I can at least imagine…
I always forget that McPhee was born in ’39! He seems so much younger than that to me. I have lost count how many times I’ve seen him and it’s always been fantastic.
Forgot to add Shepp above — every time I’ve caught him play it’s been wonderful. I should really keep better track…
Haven’t seen Dizzy but I have blown his bent trumpet a few times. Dizz actually help a friend bent his trumpet in northern sweden. He still have it
In 1994 I saw Stanley Turrentine and Eddie Harris play with the Cedar Walton trio at a free concert in Washington Sq. After a couple of solid hard bop takes Eddie did his vocal/scat/out bit to heat up the college. Then Stanley stepped up and played Eddie’s solo note for note. It was a out-of-the-pocket performance unlike anything I had heard from Turrentine just so cool. I looked around and all the older jazz fans were looking at each other and grinning ear-to-ear. Even Eddie standing off to the side had a look of both joy and respect.
Anthony Wood,founder of The Wire magazine and promoter of many important Jazz performances in London in the 70s and 80s including the Actual Music Festivals died in a motorcycle accident on 15 Sept. aged 73.
RIP Anthony.
Hello everybody
here’s my list
Miles (two times),Dizzy,Chet Baker,Lee Konitz,James Moody,Archie Shepp,Sonny Rollins,Gerry Mulligan.Elvin Jones,Stan Getz,Wynton Marsalis,Tal Farlow,Don Pullen,Steve Lacy,Jaki Byard,Woody Shaw,Lou Donaldson,Charles Lloyd,Sam Rivers, Freddie Hubbard,Joanne Brackeen,Lew Tabackin,Michel Portal,George Coleman,Andrew Hill,Max Roach,Joachim Kuhn, Mal Waldron,Bobby Few,Brandford Marsalis, Joe Henderson,McCoy Tyner,Phil Woods,Sphere, Cedar Walton,Yusef Lateef,Wayne Shorter,Herbie Hancock,Greg Osby,Leo Smith,Enrico Rava,Albert Mangelsdorff,Carla Bley,Paul Bley, Oliver Lake, Marylin Crispell
Horace Tapscott, Chick Corea,Roscoe Mitchell,George Lewis,Anthony Braxton,Randy Weston,Billy Harper, Muhal Richard Abrams,Enrico Pieranunzi,Don Cherry,Chico Freeman,Buddy Tate,Al Grey,
Red Norvo,Steve Grossman,Ralph Alessi,Franco D’Andrea,Giorgio Gaslini, Tony Scott,Gianni Basso
and many many others.Mostly I have seen concerts in Italy ,vary venues in the 80s-90s
I forgot Gato Barbieri, Kenny Wheeler, Roberto Ottaviano,Toamsz Stanko,Keith Jarrett,John Surman,Paolo Fresu,Jack De Johnette,Gary Peacock ,John Abercrombie,Bob Sheppard,Tom Harrell,
Geri Allen,Dollar Brand…..
I have a long long list from 50 years of listening with 30 years of producing concerts (and living in NYC in the 80s). Most unusual was a Miles Davis midnight show in a short-lived NYC club, the Savoy. July 1981, a few weeks after Avery Fisher comeback show. I was seated at a table next to Charlie Watts and Mick Jagger. Charlie smiled beatifically every time he heard something he especially enjoyed. Mick was just behind me and kept shouting “yeah!…yeah!” when things got cooking. So I had Miles in one ear and Jagger in the other. Sort of like Miles Davis with a special guest on vocals. Not the dissonance I’m used to in jazz. My biggest regret is not seeing Hank Mobley when I had the chance.
I was interested to see that almost nobody mentioned Dizzy Gillespie among the greats they´ve seen or missed seeing. That seems to reflect his diminished standing in the jazz world.
Sonny Rollins, David Murray, Billy Harper w/ Eddie Henderson, Kenny Burrell, Muhal Richard Abrams, Pharoah Sanders, Charlie Mariano, Oliver Lake w/ Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille, Christian McBride, Chris Potter, Steve Turre w/ Frank Lacy, Roy Hargrove w/ Frank Lacy, Lou Donaldson, Don Pullen, Herbie Mann, Gregory Porter, Don Byron, Eight Bold Souls, Joe Wilder, Sun Ra Arkestra w/ Marshal Allen, Randy Weston w/ Talib Kibwe. There must be others I’ve forgotten.
I’m too young to be there for a lot of my Heroes but at least I’ve heard and seen Dizzy Gillespie in a big band setting. Quincy Jones also in a BB setting conducting. I also had the pleasure to attend a Benny Golson concert in a jazz club and meet Benny personally after the show. Very gracious man!
wow Al, this is quite a list you have, good for you! and quite a post.. because everybody can relate to this…
i will just recall some unfortunate experiences, as neil Young said often.. “i hope this doesn’t bring you down”..
i’m from 1970, i live inAmsterdam, the netherlands.
i could have seen so many greats but i was in too james brown, led zeppelin , leonard cohen etc etc… started listening to jazz around 1995… almost everyday i bike a long the Prins Hendrik hotel in amsterdam, where chet Baker fell out of the window and died the 12th of may 1988, .. i could have seen him play,… but i was listening to Hip Hop, disco and funk… i drink a beer with friends at the weekend where Ben Webster used to play in the seventies, he got a stroke after a concert in amsterdam in 1973, and died in september that year… Could have seen Miles in the 80’s inAmsterdam or Paris, … never did.. so the first concert of one of the great was about 7 years ago… Sonny Rollins in the concertgebouw Amsterdam.
It was not ok. Bob Cranshaw ( who i like as the blue note lee morgan type of 60’s funk) was playing electric base, sound was off, and Rollins was not inspired.
Had tickets for Chick Corea in amsterdam for 2020… Corona came… it was prostponded to 2021… but he died… I love the records i have.
I started in 1965 to go to jazz koncerts in Copenhagen, my first was a memorable whole night concert with Duke Ellington playing Black Brown and Beige, then Followd by all later concerts, especially one where Ben Webster sat in, Montmatre in those years had one month engagagemnets, with Ben Webster, Stuff Smith, and Dexter Gordon whole summers, backed by Kenny Drew Trio. They came ther all, the whole list you presented more or less, Then there were those who dissappointed, Ornette Coleman trying to play violin and trumpet, Albert Ayler playing march music. But in those days you could go any time and here Dexter, Ben Webster, etc Lockjaw Davis and Johny Griffin battling, later with Harry Sweets Edison, Another memorable concert was with Charlie Mingus extended band with Dexter in the reed group,well my generation was blessed, but even now there are all the younger generations of local profiles, just as good. To be able to listen to live music is number one, second my vinyl collection
Btw saw Miles several times first with the Hancock rythm section then Chick Corea, who I followed on my occasions theough his various itenrations, just as Keith Jarret, both solo and with trio, but the highpoint was Miles around 1971 giving his Bitches Brew show with two pianists Jarrett playing organ and Corea I believe, playing electric piano
I started going to real jazz concerts in 1961 (I was 14).
My first was Coltrane with Dolphy, Tyner, Workman and Elvin Jones. They were the warm-up group for Dizzy with Leo Wright, Lalo Schifrin, Bob Cranshaw and Mel Lewis.
Followed by Ray Charles, Erroll Garner, Ellington (twice) with Cootie, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Hodges, Hamilton, Procope, Gonsalves, Carney and Sam Woodyard.
Ben Webster, Ella, Coleman Hawkins & Roy Eldridge with Tommy Flanagan.
Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson, Basie band (can’t remember who was in it).
Louis Armstrong.
Miles, once with Shorter, Hancock, Carter and Williams and once with Shorter, Corea, Holland and DeJohnette
Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Albert Ayler (the infamous BBC LSE show), Archie Shepp with Rudd, Moncur and Beaver Harris. Ornette with Izenson and Moffett. John Handy Group.
Freddie Hubbard with James Spaulding & Louis Hayes..
Mingus with Bluett, Adams, Pullen and Danny Richmond. Cannonball Adderley with Nat and George Duke
Johnny Griffin, Woody Shaw, Jaki Byard, Nathan Davis, Charlie Haden group.
Also lots of rock and blues people
Started in 1986 at the Capital Jazz Parade at the Royal Festival Hall in London, where I saw two shows, Herbie Hancock, and McCoy Tyner with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson guesting.
In the following few years at the same festival and venue I saw Chick Corea, Michael Brecker, Mike Stern, John McLaughlin, BB King, and in 1989 Miles Davis, two shows on the same evening, a highlight of my gigging life.
In 1987 I saw Corea/Burton in Glasgow and Jan Garbarek (superb) in Stirling.
Around the same time, back in London, late ‘80s, I saw Pat Metheny, Don Cherry’s Nu, Charles Lloyd, Wayne Shorter, Lester Bowie (worst attended gig I’ve ever been to), and Al Di Meola.
Into the ‘90s, Ornette with the LSO doing Skies of America (with Evan Parker solo supporting, tedious), Frank Sinatra, John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett (prima donna).
This century, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Carla Bley, Billy Cobham.
I feel very fortunate that living in London I had the good fortune to see all of those.
Big regrets, people I could have seen but didn’t, Art Blakey and Sonny Rollins.