#The Jazz Gallery

[theloniousbach]

GETTING BACK TO THE JAZZ GALLERY

RALPH ALESSI with Matt Mitchell, John Hebert, and Ches Smith, 31 JANUARY 2025, 9:30 pm set

CAROLINE DAVIS with Dave Smith, Kenny Warren, Julian Shore, Chris Tordini, and Jimmy Macbride, 1 FEBRUARY 2025, 9:30 pm set

Each club has its own feel—where in town it is, food or just drinks, and booking policy. The Smalls/Mezzrow’s 7 days a week, jam sessions, eclectic Village vibe is different than Smoke Uptown with dinner for more uniformly established players. Even down to streaming capabilities, Smalls/Mezzrow’s is from the tapers’ section and Smoke is a soundboard. There are charms to each.

And there are charms at The Jazz Gallery in Midtown. Gallery is I think the key word. It’s on the whole arty music, composed, programmatic, bumping up against/going over to New Music territory. Now, they have a big fundraiser (and no stream—sad face) with Kenny Barron/Ron Carter/Jeff Tain Watts, but on the whole that’s too straight ahead for TJG. For a year and a half or so during Lockdown, I had a TJG membership that got me a steep discount for their streams. I let that lapse as I could get to in person events and other things sorted out. Recently they offered a Jazz Streamer membership which offers at least some shows free (ZOH AMBA earlier this week was), though these two were 75% off for a flat fee. I have already saved half of the value of the flat fee on just these three shows, though it’s not the money. I have more time and want to stretch my ears.

RALPH ALESSI with John Hebert plays Smalls about monthly and I’ve seen him there; equally, CAROLINE DAVIS will play a few times a year. I have caught them a Smalls and appreciated them for, well, stretching my ears with interesting, edgy compositions and conceptions.

It is usually Hebert’s presence who prompts me to give RALPH ALESSI his periodic chance. Hebert’s a spiky but fascinating bassist and Alessi himself has a pleasing tone and approach to the trumpet. His tunes are just fine, but, and of course this is purely a matter of taste, not as good as Monk, Ellington, Shorter, Cole Porter, Vernon Duke, etc. I like standards as reference points that can illuminate one’s own tunes and the structure of tunes too are guide posts without which, as here, players can seem to be terse in their statements and tangential to the tune and their bandmates. The presence of Matt Mitchell on this gig, given his role in some significant recent recordings was another attraction. He is touted as innovative and even leading a trio I might get that sense. But, paradoxically, there is a kind of stylish Innovation with a capital I that is generic. With at least a few exposures, I can appreciate what Alessi is on about and actually really like Hebert’s subversiveness. It was a worthwhile gig and with better production values than at Smalls. I bet I’d watch Alessi sometime in the next few months and no reason it shouldn’t be this one.

I’ve heard CAROLINE DAVIS perform music from her project of responding instrumentally to her grandmother’s poetry and I’ve heard her alto playing enough times in relation to tunes to have a sense of her aesthetic. Marquis Hill was the advertised trumpeter and I’d have been interested to see him again, but Kenny Warren was perfectly capable. Davis gave the two of them interesting voicings, including intertwining Ornette/Cherry lines, and each, more than Alessi with Mitchell, had chances to stretch out. Julian Shore didn’t relax into things as much so he remains a cipher on piano. Chris Tordini, like Mitchell, has shown up in interesting places and he got into good mischief. I see Jimmy Macbride rather frequently so I knew what to listen for and could smile whereas Ches Smith with Alessi was extremely capable without making an impression behind the kit. He did play vibes sometimes which was both interesting and gave the Alessi gig a bit of the New Music/chamber music feel. Davis most decidedly didn’t have that particular feel as her opener and closer featured spoken word (rap/hip hop?) artist Dave Smith who was both rhythmically effective and unintelligible to an old Jewish guy who doesn’t hear lyrics very well anyway. I’m not opposed to incorporating that part of the culture into the synthesis, being well aware of how soul/funk/rock came in from my generation, but be patient with me.

I get the GALLERY part of the Jazz Gallery. That is a part of my listening, but I usually want more unqualified JAZZ.

[ihatebrainstorm]

Jazz picked out Prowl's clothing for the company gala =^. .^=

(She normally never attends, but promised to come with Jazz just this once):

[Prowl wears a glass eye whenever she's in public to cover up the fact that she's lost one. She only bothers to take out her prosthetic and wear an eye patch around people who know her secret identity. Even then tho, only a handful of super-villains and the police know that the Batman is missing an eye.]

[beesarekindaswag]

Jazz says fuck the Joker

“To conclude, your honour, the defendant shows clear understanding of their crimes and the consequences of them as well as, no remorse coupled with a severe lack of empathy. Overall, I would conclude that the complex nature of the crimes committed along with behaviors displays suggest that the defendant is not psychotic and thus, capable of standing trial and facing the verdict.”

The red head delivered her analysis with devastating confidence, the glint in her eyes unwavering - a woman who knows she’s right and by god, you will know it too.

When was the last time anyone actually attempted to legally charge the Joker with his crimes? Honestly, most had forgotten it was even a possibility. The grandiose schemes and fights with the bats had elevated him beyond a mere criminal, more than a man and yet, that’s all he was - a man. A man who had been forcibly dragged back to reality by a determined Jasmine Fenton - budding psychologist and one of the newest idols for young Gothamites (the other being her brother who had been videod absolutely bodying the Joker on the street just a week prior - Joker was still nursing his wounds)

The deliberation of the court was unsurprisingly short - Miss Fenton had been clear with the facts and people were more than happy to utilize and opportunity to FINALLY punish the Joker. Joker’s lawyers couldn’t do much to stop the inevitable after all that the clown had done.

“The defendant is hereby found… guilty of all accused crimes & as such, sentenced to execution by the state.”

Gotham was free.

———

Based off of the idea that the Joker is only escaping proper legal punishment by being declared not guilty by reason of insanity. Jazz would not stand for that.

[8um8le]

Lmao super old artwork that I never posted :-ooo, might draw make this an au cuz its a pretty cute idea 👍

[books-not-people]

AU where when Danny first got in the portal for the picture jazz being the protective older sister she is and knowing her parents "lab safety" she goes in with Danny and when he trips her immediate thought was to save him from falling in the danger trap she considered the portal and they both become halfas que the canon ghost shenanigans but add protect younger siblings obsessed jazz being a absolute nightmare standing behind Danny the hole time just daring someone to go after team phantom and any time they do they immediately regret as they have angered the older sibling and mercy is not an option.

When pariah dark happens they team up to own him no suit required and jazz and Danny become sibling rulers of the realms.

Somehow their parents find out and go mad scientist on them jazz is 18 in this so says fuck you takes Danny and as the nature secretly petty as shit just calls CPS and takes Danny and sues her parents for child support.

They + Sam & Tucker (because they can convince Tucker's parents it will be good for his future tech career and Sam just tells her parents she's going to stay with her dads side of the family(the drakes)) go to Gotham because no GIW unlike Amity and is ecto rich I also imagine that both are on their way to becoming Ancients of space (Danny) and as odd as it seems older siblings(jazz) they are confused at first until it's explained that the belief of the love and protections that older siblings are some of the most protective and also mischievous towards their younger siblings has built up to for an ancient and jazz just happened to become that ancient.

Que jazz helping college students in the Gotham U library study when they miss their older siblings help like when they where growing up and just being a protection spirit but to siblings in particular. This becomes super annoying when the bats and the birds start setting off her instincts after joker escapes and she can only relax after beating the shit out of him with the anti-creep stick in front of red hood who promptly falls in love with her much to the annoyance of Danny who was already secretly dating tim and meeting at the local coffee shop and ordering their coffee

Feel free to add your own ideas and if anyone writes it please send me a link or title I would love to support your story💖

[sergeypalche]

Sergey Palche

Untitled, 2024

11 ¹³/₁₆ x 16 ¹⁷/₃₂ inches (30 x 42 cm)

Oil on paper.

[the-zenith-calls]

“How is Carpenter?”

“She pushed me off a train.”

Hayward and Paige as Will and Hannibal

[bundlesofchaos]

Jasmine surrounded by her namesake.

Fun fact! The jasmine flower is associated with love and devotion.

[theloniousbach]

SUN ENSEMBLE (ZOH AMBA with Lex Korten, Kanoa Mendenhall, and Miguel Marcel Russell), THE JAZZ GALLERY, 29 JANUARY 2025, 9:30 pm

I now have a season pass for streams from THE JAZZ GALLERY. During lockdown, I had a membership that allowed for steep discounts when this venue, like others, were primarily streaming. Their production values are way better than Smalls/Mezzrow’s, much as I rely on them for their sheer volume and that archive, but not up to Smoke. TJG’s shows are edgier, like this one, whereas Smoke is for more established players but it’s not the Village Vanguard. Smalls/Mezzrow’s appeals for the sheer range that comes with having all those shows with a mix of up and comers and reliable veterans. They all have their charms but now I once again have TJG for this set.

I saw ZOH AMBA with Micah Thomas at Mezzrow’s and that too was a bracing set. So I was rather prepared for the 40 minute suite of shifting but frequently chaotic seeming improvisation. I’d play some of her recordings in the car and was reminded of the energy and challenge. What seeing it all unfold was not only to get the interactions but also to sense the structure. I heard snippets of tunes—patriotic songs, folk songs, spirituals—that launched the explorations. Lots and lots of improvisation of course, but she imposed a relentless logic and she and the band were programmatic, that is, that the overall sound, not individual playing as in solos, and that effect is what mattered. As such, it was as much New Music as jazz. Certainly blues, standards, and the Great American Songbook weren’t offered in neat exposition. Yet there were Ivesian bits of Americana twisted and retold.

Amba is very young and from rural Tennessee. I’m sure there’s a lineage but her vision comes from someplace other than the usual jazz repertoire. Her playing can have a delicacy and, above all, a vulnerability even when it leads to bleats, growls, and overtones with the band churning alongside her. It was often challenging, but I wanted to see what happened next.

I however did not expect her to get an acoustic guitar and do three tunes over the last 15 minutes. They had singer-songwriter structure but a wobbly vulnerable voice. The last one with an insistent refrain, “Mama, mama, give me a call/It’s nice to hear your voice after all,” was offhandedly introduced as for her “mother, who’s a drug addict.”

Well, then.

The last few minutes, felt longer, were band introductions and a rambling exposition of what all this means to her which couldn’t have covered the half of it. As I play the first 40 minutes back in my head, the songs and the remarks to the audience will only begin to make sense of the chaos, vulnerability, and fragments of familiarity. She gave us something to grapple with and this gig will stick with me in surprising ways.

[ihatebrainstorm]

More Rogues Gallery AU designs and doodles weehee o)-(

Doodle stuff + further context stuff below:

Freeze Nautica doodles ^^ (yea,, sorry Skids and Nautica.......)

Riddler Brainstorm and Deadshot Percy roommates lore lmao ^^

They build weapons and upgrade stuff together frequently- Deadshot Percy is a lot more focused on efficiency and getting the job done as fast as possible, so she really doesn't get Brainstorm's motives or reasoning behind her incredibly elaborate traps. Also Percy is frequently out on days long contract missions so she usually comes home to, (and has to sit through) BS's evil pajama plot rants a lot.. they seem to get more elaborate over time?

Batman Prowl and Catwoman Jazz doodles ^^

[mr-e-gallery]

Edmond Simpson Art 2024 vol 9

[apatheticshots]

[silverslipstream]

fuck off porn bots. no I don't want single MILFs in my area. how about some pathetic sopping wet men? an absolutely wrung-out little guy? you got any of those in my area? or am I doomed to bear this insignia alone forever?

[baby-prophet]

we did so much painting today and jesus christ that purple is rough on the first coat 😬

[sergeypalche]

Sergey Palche

Untitled 2024

Acrylic on canvas.

[fuchinobe]

(2003, Flower Records, FLRS-031)