Matt Wilson - HUMIDITY

Mike Schwartz · March-24th-2003, 10:41 PM

Had posted how much I like this one back at the old JC wanted to bring it here.

Makes any short list for me for the early part of the year as a favorite for sure!The fact that he formed his working group in '96 can really be heard as the group winds it's way between passages they play together and the space they get to solo.This band is really on the same page in every turn they take.

I had commented on the other thread that how can you not like a recording with the opening track [which is a helluva tune BTW] entitled "Thankyou Billy Higgins?"

Matt's kind enough to be joining me as featured guest this coming Sunday 9AM Pacific 90.5FM KSJS, San Jose.

From what I've been told, and what I can gather from his website www.mattwilsonjazz.com he's quite the personality on top of his great drum talents, and a terrific sense of humor too.

I get the feeling that many that congregate here will like this CD a great deal. To me it doesn't in any way divide the *camps* the way the likes and dislikes have been expressed over time on the JC boards.

james harrigan · March-31st-2003, 11:39 AM

I'm with Mike - this is an exemplary recording. one thing I really like is the way Matt's drums sound, very clear and natural. Humidity is a great showcase for Matt's melodic, precise, creative, powerful but non-bombastic playing, and the rest of the band is very solid.

Captain Hate · April-6th-2003, 11:58 AM

Matt plays tonight at the Beachland Ballroom; hopefully he brought some disks to sell. I'll report on the performance.

Tom Storer · May-20th-2003, 04:49 AM

Just got this CD. I agree with Mike and James - creative, energetic, beautifully crafted music. When it swings, it swings hard, when they go into the stratosphere they have plenty of fuel in their rockets. Tight and loose! Highly recommended.

Captain Hate, how was the concert??

bobetterblues · May-21st-2003, 04:50 AM

Cleveland has jazz clubs? The last I heard the Jazz Spot had closed down, and the other old spots were gone as well.

Captain Hate · May-21st-2003, 05:29 PM

Tom, I had reported on the concert right after it happened and got plenty of responses to it (including you and jazzfiend, if I remember correctly, among others) and I think it was one of the ones that went into cyber-hell when they restored the archives. Ya win some, ya lose some. [edit] It was there all along; I sent it back up. If you look on the bottom, you'll see the default is the last 30 days, which must have elapsed.

bo, the Beachland Ballroom has been open for, I think, for about 4 years. Its in Collinwood just north of the Shoreway off of East 152. They have some pretty good shows there sporadically. The only other place is the Bop Stop, now in its third (that I know of) incarnation. I should stop down there sometime soon; I've heard that on Monday night that Dan Wall and Howie Smith, among others, play. Wilberts, that used to be a great place to see blues. zydeco, and people like Wayne Hancock, has reopened on Huron downtown. The only other blues place that I know of is Fat Fish Blue. Every now and then there's jazz at a restaurant or gallery down in Tremont, but those are extremely rare.