Friday 13th – so much guitar!

Mike Moreno Group @ the Jazz Gallery

So many great choices for shows featuring killing guitar players – there was the Peter Lynch/Ray Appleton’s Wes Montgomery project @ Creole, John Abercrombie @ 86th St Barnes & Noble, Ben Monder trio @ Bar Next Door, Davy Mooney @ Bar Next Door, Mike Moreno Group @ the Jazz Gallery, Jim Hall @ Birdland, Dave Allen trio with Drew Gress, Tom Rainey, Eivind Opsvik @ Nublu… I ended up listening to Ben Monder’s 1st set @ Bar Next Door (had trouble finding a seat though, it was packed – and I was told unless I was Ben Monder’s wife or something I couldn’t be comped in there ) and Mike Moreno who had a really good band @ the Jazz Gallery – Taylor Eigsti on piano, Matt Clohesy on bass, Adam Cruz on drums, Peter Schlamb on vibraphone. The second set was just amazing!

Davy Mooney Quartet @ Solo Kitchen Bar

Davy Mooney with John Ellis, Matt Clohesy, Jochen Rueckert @ Solo Kitchen Bar

With John Ellis on tenor, Matt Clohesy – bass, Jochen Rueckert – drums, Davy Mooney – guitar. I heard most of the tunes @ 55 Bar a couple of weeks ago. But it’s always good to listen to John Ellis And I liked Matt Clohesy on bass a lot.

Solo Kitchen Bar on Sundays is just amazing – all the bands I’ve ever heard there have been really killin’. The only stupid thing about making the trip is the Q train which tends to run express on weekends, skipping the Cortelyou road stop. So that people end up @ Kings Highway and have to come back with the Manhattan-bound train.

Tim Collins Group @ Smalls

Tim Collins Group @ Smalls

Smalls was packed for Tim Collins Group last night – that really was an amazing concert! I’d vote Tim Collins the cutest jazz musician in New York (something about vibraphone playing)  and his composition, inventively called Tim’s New Tune the most fun and happening tune I’ve heard here so far ! Tim Collins on vibraphone, Danny Grissett on piano, Matt Clohesy on bass, Tommy Crane on drums – really versatile and tasteful band, I loved it!