Comments on: Who Did You See?

By: JohnS

JohnS — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 08:46:09 +0000

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.

By: Steve Gray

Steve Gray — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 16:26:48 +0000

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

By: Kristian Kristiansen

Kristian Kristiansen — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 18:53:52 +0000

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

By: Kristian Kristiansen

Kristian Kristiansen — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 18:49:10 +0000

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

By: maarten kools

maarten kools — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 19:54:18 +0000

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.

By: Anders Wallinder

Anders Wallinder — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 08:39:42 +0000

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!

By: sqfrost

sqfrost — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 01:58:44 +0000

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.

By: Staffan Lindström

Staffan Lindström — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 19:40:09 +0000

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.

By: Bruce Eaton

Bruce Eaton — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 13:28:11 +0000

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.

By: Giovanni Zanoni

Giovanni Zanoni — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 08:02:55 +0000

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…..