Many Arms w/ Geoglyph 4/10/12 Cafe Nine

Duo opener Geoglyph is just drums and guitar/effects but create a lot of sound. Frenetic drumming on a simple kit reminded me of Ginger Baker and Chris Corsano. Guitar effects and loops also created a full sound worthy of two or three people. Effects dude had a suitcase of tricks like Gary Lucas. With a new release on John Zorn's Tzadik label, Many Arms was a power trio. Drums, guitar, and bass led the squall. This noise-improv world has few listeners, but these guys could play, made me think of Laswell's group with Ronald Shannon Jackson Last Exit.

De Profundis, Music for Low Instruments 3/28/12 Sprague Hall

Faculty and student arranged pieces for; sackbuts, bassoon, double bass, trombones, cellos, and tuba were the highlights from the low end. What a concept, and some eyebrow-raising arrangements from Mozart, Bach, and Penderecki. A sackbut is a mini trombone that sometimes needs an extender to reach the truly low notes. The double bass piece had the professor whispering at his bass while slapping and accosting with mallets.

The Joe Krown Trio 3/26/12 Cafe Nine

Who is Joe Krown? I don't know, but his trio consisted of Russell Batiste on drums, Walter Wolfman Washington on guitar, and Krown on organ. Krown must be NOLA royalty to get the other two out from their house band status at The Maple Leaf from the big easy. Funky trio with WWW occasionally singing, these guys had chops. Early show at the nine was well attended. Occasional Meters teases and soul classics were flowing.

Ron Carter Trio 3/23/12 Sprague Hall

The bio on Ron Carter bassist to the stars is that he is credited on over 2000 recordings. Carter on standup bass, Ruben Vega on piano, and Russell Malone on guitar, these veterans gave some standards to a packed Sprague Hall. Part of the Ellington series, there can be no better fit than Carter who effortlessly led My Funny Valentine, I Could Have Danced and others. Diana Krall guitarist Malone had amazing chops. Closeout tune was Golden Striker by the Modern Jazz Quartet, it was as if John Lewis wrote the tune for bass instead of Milt Jackson's vibes. Always good to see an icon in a beautiful setting.

Richard Buckner 2/22/12 BAR

Fractured folkie Buckner has been around a while. I unearthed a CD Since that was recorded in 1993 with some personnel from Tortoise and other Chicago scenesters. Buckner looked the part as well, stringy long hair with an artist (or homeless) look in his eye. His voice is monotone and dark. With just guitar and looping device, he plowed through cuts from his prolific yet under the radar career. I'm sure mining his back catalog would produce some gems.

Ha Ha Tonka w/ Ellison Jackson 2/8/12 BAR

Unpolished opener EJ almost forced an early departure. It wasn't that they were bad, they had some good ideas just needed some practice. The keyboard player would not have looked out of place in the high school pep band. Ha Ha Tonka was a different animal entirely. I see them billed on most of the major SE festivals. Kind of a Lynyrd Skynyrd meets power pop ethos. Two guitars, bass and drums with occasional sweet mandolin, this was a road-worthy band.

O'Death w/ Brown Bird and The Proud Flesh BAR 1/25/12

Another winner lineup for Manic Productions. Caught the last couple tunes of The Proud Flesh. RI's Brown Bird (See Cafe Nine review a few posts ago) kicks it again. With civil war era beard, Brown Bird has the two-person americana down slow dirges and uptempo hoots with excellent harmony vocals were great. Headliner O'Death from Brooklyn were high energy. Guitar, ukelele, trombone, bass, drums, and frenetic fiddle created a lot of sound for this packed house. O'Death frontman had the Abe Lincoln beard too! Glad to have these free shows back at Bar, always inspired listening.