My first wife questioned the way I like jazz. I like the idea of it, and I'm even willing to listen to my least favorite forms, which is free, avant garde jazz. I find merit even in my least favorite form of jazz. This set is eclectic like Hall.
Imagine when jazz was so revolutionary that people were afraid of it. See this video on Twitter of Django.
Russell Hall Septet set is on Smalls YouTube. Septet is seven and there's even a trombone.
I love the women in the little black dress crossing the set. Everyone is bundled up for the cold, and she's practically streaking in that little black dress. She might be a waitress with how much she's walking around. Yea, she's a waitress. I love the old guy who's somehow connected to the group, who shakes everyone's hands and yells a lot in the background, at the appropriate moments.
Russell Hall is the bassist. "Russell Hall (b), Ben Seacrist (t), Mike Troy (as), Bruno Tzinas (tr), Leo Larrett (g), Esteban Castro (p), Matt Lee (d). Live at Smalls Jazz Club - 1/16/24"
Love a sextet with a bone in it (Ben Seacrist). I hear shades of Trane in the sax solos by Mike Troy. Guitar guy Leo Larrett cross legs on a bar stool. The pianist Esteban Castro doesn't move when he's playing sometimes, I thought the video was frozen. He's amazing.
Russell Hall's latest album is Black Caesar (2023) (spotify).
Hall article in No Treble for background, great article. He mentions The Feeling of Romance (2019) (Spotify).
A vocalist sings on last night's set, "you go to my head," the Billie Holiday song. The video is off, which is most noticeable with the vocalist. I don't know if that's a technical glitch on my computer or the stream. She sings "I love all of you." Not sure where that's from.
Georgia Heers is the vocalist. Here's a video that really features her on YouTube singing "Laugh, Clown, Laugh". Spotify created a playlist. Here's a longer set. Here's another. Here's another that is in a Christian context. Insta.
They take a break. Hall plays the bass with one hand while he takes a sip. They bring up Georgia Heers again in the second set. Russell Hall sings along with "Embraceable You". Then it becomes a jam session and other people come up and play with the people who aren't replaced, which are drums, bass, trumpet and piano.
Go online to Smalls and get tickets, last time I was there you had to order online to get in, you couldn't do it at the door, and catch a set at smalls, this is an amazing sextet.
This club has graduated past it's early humble years, and really taken off, and all the the sets are amazing. Last time I went on a Monday, they were all sold out. On a Monday. I'm pretty sure seeing anyone there were instantly put you into the realm of jazz knowers. All the up and coming stars play there, and veteran talents.
I don't know whether I'm more concentrated these days, or what, but I find the music on this video transcendental. Ari Hoenig gave me a look when I told him that, but man, this stuff is really exciting to me.
There's no google entry for the word zebtet, but Saturday 10:30 is one Saul Rubin's Zebtet. The prefix zeb means maybe portion of the lord, gift from God.
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