Ingmar Bergman, R.I.P.

One of my all-time favorite film directors. A lengthy tribute to the man can be found at the New Times' web site.

Molde Jazz, 2007

Ok, this is going to be fast and furious, but let me just give you a few thoughts on the festival so far.

I had originally not planned on going this year, for various reasons. Hence I had not studied the program thoroughly and I regret that now. I arrived on Wednesday evening, and by then I had missed Dave Holland, Vijay Iyer, and Alexander von Schlippenbach's Monk's Casino. Bummer. Add to those a joint project between Nils Petter Molvær and Bill Laswell, Sonore (a Brötzmann, Vandermark, Gustafson blowing session), plus the Rashied Ali Quintet, and Chick Corea and Gary Burton (not interrested), and you have a pretty decent program. I have previously stated that I thought Kongsberg was about to surpass Molde Jazz as Norway's best jazz festival, but Ornette Coleman and some promising youngsters apart, as a whole Kongsberg loses this year.

I'm baffeled, though, how Dave Holland's bio keeps reading "played with Miles Davies on so-and-so". Valuable as that info is - particularly to gain the attention of novices I guess - Holland has by now built his own impressive catalogue. His fluid bass style is pretty unique, and his records continue to recieve critical acclaim, though I still hold the great Conference of the Birds as my personal favorite.

Went to see a double bill last night: Elvis Costello and Allan Toussaint opened up for Steely Dan. more on that later, hopefully.

Tonight, Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet. Can't afford the Wayne Shorter ticket.

Ornette Coleman at Kongsberg Jazz June 6th, 2007

Man, that was a good gig. You wouldn't believe Mr. Coleman had collapsed on-stage just a few weeks beforehand, because on this evening he was on top form, even joking to the adience in between a few of the numbers and once asking if somebody wanted to come onstage and sing a song! His band was great too, three bassists plus Denardo Coleman behind the drums. No site of Greg Cohen from the previos tour, but his shoes were more than filled by Charnett Moffett who boomed up and down the neck of his bass and throwing in some wha-wha effects as well. The set list was filled with both material from Sound Grammar as well as some of his greatest hits, and when he finnished off with "Lonely Woman", my evening was complete. I've seen him three times now, this gig was the best of them.

I should have written more about this, but I leave for a lenghty trip tomorrow and I have to pack. If I can get ahold of a laptop, I may blog from Molde International Jazz Festival, which starts in a weeks' time.

Oh, Rats!

Now, THIS I wanna see: