From NYTimes.com:
Uri Caine, Theo Bleckmann, Todd Sickafoose, Jenny Scheinman (Friday) This latest show in the weekly Spontaneous Constructions series, which aims to foster new collaborations, features Mr. Caine, a keyboardist of spectacularly diverse tastes; Mr. Bleckmann, a vocalist of ethereal disposition; Mr. Sickafoose, a bassist drawn equally to abstraction and groove; and Ms. Scheinman, a violinist who combines rustic affect with modern execution. At 12:30 a.m., Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village , (212) 475-8592, bluenote.net; $10 cover, with a $5 minimum. (Nate Chinen)
Ellery Eskelin Trio (Saturday) Ellery Eskelin is a tenor saxophonist drawn to rhythmic tumult and tonal friction, though he also has his soulful side; he appears with his version of an organ trio, featuring Gary Versace on organ and Nasheet Waits on drums. At 9 and 10:30 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, West Village , (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com; $15 cover, with a one-drink minimum. (Chinen)
Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuária (Saturday) These two guitarists share a reverence for secretive lyricism and modest but focused interplay, and on their new album, “Lágrimas Mexicanas” (E1), they strike a deeply companionable chord. Mr. Frisell is the wilier soloist of the two, but Mr. Cantuária, who’s originally from Brazil, knows how to cultivate intrigue, whether or not he’s singing (as he will be here). At 7 and 9:15 p.m. (doors at 6 and 8:45), Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, near Thompson Street, Greenwich Village , (212) 505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com; $30 in advance, $35 on the day of the show. (Chinen)
Drew Gress’s 7 Black Butterflies (Wednesday) As he does on an impressive recent album, “The Irrational Numbers” (Premonition), the bassist Drew Gress pursues a form of disciplined abstraction with 7 Black Butterflies, a texturally rich band featuring the alto saxophonist Tim Berne, the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, the pianist Craig Taborn and the drummer Tom Rainey. At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th Street, Manhattan , (212) 576-2232, jazzstandard.net; $20. (Chinen)
Tony Malaby’s Novela (Thursday) The tenor saxophonist Tony Malaby has spearheaded a number of provocative groups in recent years, but few with as many variables as this one, which includes Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Michael Attias on alto saxophone, Ben Gerstein on trombone, Kris Davis on piano and John Hollenbeck on drums. At 8:30 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, West Village , (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com; $10 cover, with a one-drink minimum. (Chinen)
Newspeak and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society (Thursday) Mr. Argue, a staunchly contemporary big band composer, presents the premiere of “The Sleep Room,” a song cycle composed specifically for Newspeak, an eight-piece chamber ensemble. Elsewhere on the program, leading his flagship band, Mr. Argue will conduct performances of new pieces by Vijay Iyer, Nicole Lizée and David T. Little. At 7:30 p.m., Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street, Manhattan , (212) 501-3330, kaufman-center.org/merkin-concert-hall; $25. (Chinen)
Positive Catastrophe (Saturday) This raucous 10-piece ensemble, jointly led by the cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and the percussionist Abraham Gomez-Delgado, upholds a distinctive blend of Afro-Cuban rhythm and freewheeling improvisation. The band is closing out a residency here, with a workshop at 3:30 p.m. and an open rehearsal at 5 (both free), followed by performances at 9 and 10:30. Jazz Gallery, 290 Hudson Street, at Spring Street, South Village , (212) 242-1063, jazzgallery.org; $20, $10 for members. (Chinen)
Loren Stillman and Bad Touch (Tuesday) Bad Touch — not to be confused with the Bad Plus — is a smart young band that strives toward a single metabolism, with contributions from the alto saxophonist Loren Stillman, the guitarist Nate Radley, the organist Gary Versace and the drummer Ted Poor. (For this one-nighter, Tom Rainey fills in for Mr. Poor.) At 8:30 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, West Village , (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com; $10 cover, with a one-drink minimum. (Chinen)
Dan Tepfer and Paul Motian (Friday) Mr. Tepfer is an intently modern pianist who’s also drawn to the deeper currents of melody. A couple of years ago he made a duets album with the alto saxophone eminence Lee Konitz; here he engages in duologue with Mr. Motian, a wizardly drummer from the same generation. At 9 and 10:30 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, West Village , (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com; $15 cover, $10 drink minimum. (Chinen)
Related articles
- Jazz Listings for Feb. 11-17 (nytimes.com)
- Jazz Listings for Feb. 4-10 (nytimes.com)
