Gossip

[Ed Fuqua]

Hey, I just heard that Jane Monheit fired her bassist (Joe
Martin) and that the saxophonist (Joel Frahm) quit. Which may or may not be related.

I don't know if they been replaced, but Joe is doing a trio gig this week with the piano player from the group at Sofia's (46th between 7th and 8th) ....

[Mike Goodbar]

Juicy tidbit! I wonder if Monheit went all diva or something.

I just found out a couple of weeks ago that Joel Frahm is from my lil' town (Racine WI).

[Ed Fuqua]

Yeah, I don't know if it was Typical Singer Bulls**t (TSB) or if something was seriously up.

Mike Kanan seems to still be in the band (and she's married to the drummer, so I guess he won't be going anywhere), Mike and Joe still play together...I dunno.
Inquiring minds.

[Wil Davis]

Originally Posted by Mike Goodbar

…snip
my lil' town (Racine WI).

Amazing - I spent a couple of weeks in Racine back in the mid-1980s installing some computer equipment at J I Case (they seemed to own Racine - at least they did in the 1980s) - small world!

- Wil

[Mike Goodbar]

Yes, JI Case was boss around here until it hit hard times. Now it's SC Johnson (Johnson Wax). Hey, it's fun to have your entire community teetering at the whim of a major corporation!

Racine has managed to produce a couple of good players, including bassist Gerald Cannon, who has played with Roy Hargrove and is now playing with Elvin Jones.

[Ed Fuqua]

And who is one of the nicest cats. We met years ago at Bradley's, the first thing he did was invite me by a gig of his to sit in. I ran into him last year, after he got all famous and s**t, and he was still the same nice, real, genuine human being.

Hey at least Johnson has two Frank Lloyd Wright buildings!

[Mike Goodbar]

Yeah, Gerald is about 5 years older than me, and I would go hear him play a lot when I was wet behind the ears. He was always very generous about letting me sit in at the local clubs. In fact, he'd call me up at the end of the first set and actually leave the club until the end of the last set so that I wouldn't be nervous or distracted. That's how generous this man was.

Seriously, though, Gerald is a helluva player and deserves any good fortune that befalls him. Maybe he'll get the Monheit gig.

[Ed Fuqua]

UPDATE - Well, she's at the Oak Room this week and the band is

HUBBY - drums.
Mike Kanan - piano
Miles Okazaki -guitar
Orlando LeFleming - bass

O Town seems to be a Brit (when Googled), any a you blue painted fellers got any background...

[Mike Crumpton]

Orlando is indeed a Brit who I've heard on several occassions but my memory post pints in Wetherspoons ain't good, unlike his bass playing.

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by Mike Crumpton

but my memory post pints in Wetherspoons ain't good.

This, I am assuming, is in English?

[Mike Crumpton]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

This, I am assuming, is in English?

Yeah - subistitute 'after' for 'post' (as in 'post Bruce whatever could anyone talk about' but that's another thread) and you'll get the idea - Monhiet is appearing at the Brecon Jazz festival I'm going too. Her band isn't listed on the porgram. If this thread is alive an kickin' I'll let you know who's on bass but it's odds on tha tthe local boy will get it. OLP can be bass player dou jour with major Brits - that may not impress you much - it should - we have some goodies but they don't like travelling - like Warburton I guess!

Wetherspoons is like the Ginger Man but very cheap and as yo know - I do cheap.

[Largemouth Bass]

Back in October I was in NYC for a few weeks and am pretty sure Orlando was sitting in with Dave Binney at the 55. Sounded pretty damn good and I think someone said it was his first time reading Dave's charts. Was impressive. Great night, Dave, Jacob Sachs, Danny Weiss and Donny McCaslin. Can't wait to move bact to the east coast, one more month!

[Bruce Lindfield]

I've seen Orlando le Fleming quite a few times - I think he's best known here for being Julian Joseph's (pianist) bassist of choice. Joseph has had his own TV series and Le Fleming was featured on that.

He seems quite young - ( a lot younger than me!! )but gets all the best Jazz gigs - like when US stars visit.

I have seen him playing gigs on bass guitar as well as DB and he seems to be a habitual 'doubler' - I saw him playing a bright red BG a few years ago, but more recently I saw him playing a more sobre MM with great tone and some really funky playing!

Having said that, he seems completely at home on DB as well, playing 'heavyweight" straight ahead Jazz in a variety of ensembles in all Jazz styles.

I suppose it is most likely this versatility which is getting him all these gigs!!

[PhatBasstard]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

...Typical Singer Bulls**t...
...she's married to the drummer, so I guess he won't be going anywhere...

If you'd been in some of the "bands" I've been in over the years,
you could have never made that statement with a straight face.