Peter Schlamb is a vibraphonist based in Kansas City. He used to live in St. Louis, and whenever he is in town, a percussionist friend and I try to schedule a lesson with him so that he can school us in techniques of jazz improvisation. He is extremely talented as you can hear in this recording of one of his original compositions.
Maurice Andre is to classical trumpet what Babe Ruth is to baseball. It's amazing how relaxed he looks as he navigates one of the most treacherous pieces in the repertoire.
I had the pleasure recently of seeing a performance by Chris Potter, the saxophone player in this quintet. He's not only dynamic, but very creative. You can find this terrific composition also on a more recent recording ("Pathways") by Dave Holland, using an octet. That recording features a blistering solo by alto saxophonist Antonio Hart.
Brownout, "I Won't Lie." It's a lot of people, and a lot of musical influences, all squeezed onto a tiny little stage. (Pity the trombone player.) I like bands with lots of percussion and a really tight horn section. Brownout overachieves in both categories.
