Friday, June 25th, 2004 ... 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ... KZSU, 90.1 FM

Just got back from a week-long trip to Chicago. Only had one night to myself, but made the most of it by catching Ernest Dawkins at the Velvet Lounge. Great stuff -- both Ernest and the club, which is owned by 72-year-old saxophonist Fred Anderson. It's got pictures of jazz folks all over the walls, including a huge autographed pic from the late Steve Lacy, saying, "This place is a shrine!"

Format:
ARTIST -- "TRACK TITLE" -- ALBUM TITLE (LABEL, YEAR)

*! Vocokesh -- "Vibe #4" [excerpt] -- The Tenth Corner (Strange Attractors Audio, 2004)

* NOMA/Tom Walsh -- "Art and Arthur" -- Diversion (Ambiances Magnetiques, 2004)

Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble -- "Stranger" -- Jo'burg Jump (Delmark, 2000)

Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble -- "Maghostut" -- SOuth Side Street Songs (Silkheart, 1993)

Fred Anderson Quartet -- "Look Out!" -- Volume Two (Asian Improv, 2000)

* Dave Rempis Quartet -- "Out of Season, Part I" -- Out of Season (482 Music, 2004)

* Charnett Moffett -- "Go Placidly" -- For the Love of Peace (Piadrum, 2004)

* Craig Taborn -- "Mystero" -- Junk Magic (Thirsty Ear, 2004)

* Cooper-Moore and Assif Tsahar -- "Lament for Trees" [longer version] -- America (Hopscotch, 2003)

* Assif Tsahar and Tatsuya Nakatani -- "West 4th" -- Come Sunday (Hopscotch, 2003)

* Elliott Sharp -- "The Skeptic" -- The Velocity of Hue (Emanem, 2003)

*! Dave Gleason's Wasted Days -- "Pullin' Up the Tracks" -- Midnight, California (Well Worn, 2004)

* Detroit Jr. -- "Staggerlee" -- V/A: 8 Hands on 88 Keys (The Sirens, 2002)

Blues boogie-woogie piano great. The CD is a recently recorded project with four masters, playing a few tracks apiece: Barrelhouse Chuck, Detroit Junior, Erwin Helfer, and Pinetop Perkins.

Kind of Ben's "hit single" lately; the liner notes say it's the most requested song at their live gigs. Has a soft, descending theme that's hummable (Allison says he's intended to put lyrics to it) and reminiscent of '60s pop jazz. Catchy enough that I've found it sticking in my head the past couple weeks. I thought I was remembering some Burt Bacharach kind of tune, but no -- it was this track. Weird experience.

* Steuart Liebig and The Mentones -- "Burnt Umber" -- Locustland (pfMentum, 2004)

* Rara Avis -- "Hive" -- Rara Avis (Generate, 2004)

* Kalaparush and The Light -- "Here Comes the Light" -- Morning Song (Delmark, 2004)

* Burton Greene -- "Sylosophy" -- Live at Grasland (Drimala, 2004)

* George Schuller -- "Tip Jar" -- JigSaw (482 Music, 2004)

* ROVA :: Orchestrova -- "Chuck" by Steve Adams -- An Alligator in Your Wallet (East Works Entertainment, 2004)

* Charles Lloyd and Billy Higgins -- "Forever Dance" -- Which Way Is East (ECM, 2004)

* Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble -- "Proof That the Evidence Was Missing Intro"/"Proof That the Evidence Was Missing" -- Mother's Blue Velvet Shoes (DAWK Music, 1998)

Great stuff release by Ernest on his own label. It's tempting to relate the title to 2004 politics, but it was actually recorded in 1997.

* = Item in KZSU rotation
! = Pop anomaly
? = Item not in KZSU library

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-- Bay Area free/improv music calendar: http://www.bayimproviser.com.