Ben Monder with Chris Lightcap & Ted Poor @ Korzo Konceptions

Chris Lightcap, Ted Poor, Ben Monder @ Korzo

Well that was something ridiculous, just unbelievable! Ben Monder on guitar, Chris Lightcap – bass, Ted Poor- drums. My New York jazz experience would have been much less without it… They had this totally scary control over the instruments, dynamics, sound and rhythm, and this magical alchemical togetherness as a trio, I was totally tripping into another dimension listening to them. They did Long Ago And Far Away, I’ll Remember April, a Cream song, some Jimmy Webb tunes – but to me it all sounded like Ben Monder’s music. Yeah, amazing what worlds a “jazz guitar” trio can conjure up. Never realized how good Chris Lightcap and Ted Poor were before yesterday. Korzo on Tuesdays is just great! I’m glad I heard this one.

Mara Rosenbloom Quartet @ Korzo – the Konceptions series

Mara Rosenbloom Quartet @ Korzo

Darius Jones – Alto Saxophone, Maeve Royce – Bass, Nick Anderson – Drums, Mara Rosenbloom (piano, compositions). I loved the music! What a great band Mara is amazing – to see that kind of people is such an inspiration. She’s doing her thing and it’s so killing Beautiful sensitive original music… Sounded so real.

And Korzo restaurant (667 5th Avenue, Brooklyn) has become a lot cozier place to have live music since the last time I was there. Just a nice walk away from home.

Josh Roseman, Drew Gress and Mark Guiliana @ Korzo – the Konceptions Series

Drew Gress, Mark Guiliana, Josh Roseman @ Korzo

Konceptions – the jazz/experimental music series (curated by James Carney)  in Brooklyn has been resurrected – it’s now Tuesdays @ an Eastern European restaurant called Korzo in South Park Slope (5th Ave between 19-20th St). The place is actually just a couple of blocks from Royale that has a jam session on Tuesday nights. That neighborhood seems quite happening as far as music is concerned – but weird how dead it seems to be at late hours otherwise.

The first band in the series was Josh Roseman-Drew Gress-Mark Guiliana. I thought Mark Guiliana and Drew Gress were a really interesting match.