“What’s in the Mailbag, Maude?”

Welp, I have my wonderful work cut out for me this week – new music to listen to! Pianist Kirk Lightsey’s Live at Small Jazz Club is due out on November 4. He’s another 85-year-old who should have a documentary made about his musical life. The release is part of Cellar Music Group’s SmallsLIVE Living Masters Series; if guitarist Bill Frisell isn’t contributing his skills of stirring Americana, Rock, and Blues with Jazz to the works of artists like vocalist Petra Haden and saxophonist Charles Lloyd, he’s releasing his own stuff. His Blue Note release Four comes out on November 11; three artists that I’m not familiar with are singer Sirintip (carbon, Ropeadope, October 14), guitarist Brian Baggett (Groovin’ and Swingin’ at Green Lady Lounge, Jazz Daddy, November 4) and the Atlanta, Georgia-based drummer Jonathan Mills (No Mentions, No Worries, self-released, October 21). I look forward to listening to releases from well-known players and the who-are-yous in Jazz and improvised music. My only restriction on who and what gets played on my shows is time.

I’ve already begun receiving those “For your consideration” Grammy emails. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing some of the nominees – saxophonist Javon Jackson, poet, educator and activist Nikki Giovanni, guitarist Dave Stryker and producer Jeff Levenson. They’re as close as I’ll ever get to attending the Grammys. Btw, if anyone has an extra ticket to next year’s event, I’m free…very free…I’ll put more thought into programming these artists and their work with mention of their Grammy noms in the months ahead.

Tune in to Thursday’s Situation Fluxus for my interviews with pianist Ted Kooshian, who’ll be doing double-duty at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY this Saturday night and NEC student Zion Dyson on her aspirations as a vocalist, lyricist, and educator (thanks for your help with the hook-up, Dominique!) Keep up with my rants and revelations here and here and on my photo page Snap!

Dye-No-Mite!