Here is some updated info, courtesy http://www.mikelindup.com :

 

LATEST NEWS June 23rd 2005

Dear all,
Am practising/learning new music for the "double-header" at Jazz Baltica in Salzau, Germany. On the 2nd July I will be playing as part of Trilok Gurtu's band, for which I am learning some tunes, as well as preparing for Dominic's show the next day, for which he'll be flying in with Sting after their Live 8 show. The musicians are all world class, so I need to get my Jazz chops together. Dom tells me that Jazz Baltica is a very relaxed vibe, like Montreaux Jazz in it's earlier days... I'm very much looking forward to playing with Trilok, as he is a very original composer as well as a brilliant percussionist (saw him with John McLaughlin at the end of the 80's), and to see what Trilok will bring to Dom's music the next day (plus the three of us play again on the 9th in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart.) The added treat of course is that Sting is due to appear near the end of our show on the 3rd July to do 3 songs (unfortunately, I found out that the tickets for that show all sold in one day).

I have an unusual gig on the 19th-in Wimbledon, at San Lorenzo restaurant, so if you fancy some nice Italian food to go with my music, give them a call to book a table (020 8946 8463).

I hear on the Da Lata front that something is due to happen in the far east at the end of September-I'll let you know if confirmed. Recording wise, Da Lata are beginning pre-production on their next CD, which I am involved in.

Sam, Angelo and I are enjoying the heatwave, just about, though by the time you read this it will probably be a distant memory...

(written by Mike Lindup on his website)

Remember when I told y'all about the Jaco tribute show that was happening as part of the JVC Jazz Festival here in NYC at The Beacon Theater?  Well, the show was last Wednesday, and I went.  Nine great bassists, plus a reunited Steps Ahead to open the show.  Here is a review. 

 

WARNING: this might be kinda long, so if you aren't a real basshead, scroll ahead...

 

I got a comp ticket from Christian McBride and that section was near the green room, so before the show it was very exciting, as a lot of the bassists were just milling about.  Victor Wooten was walking back and forth, Gerald Veasley [who is GORGEOUS] came out to say hi to his people, and a few of us were hanging out with Christian.  A couple of them sat in the audience for the Steps Ahead set, which was cool.

 

Steps Ahead was comprised of Mike Manieri on vibes, Richard Bona on bass, Mike Stern on guitar, Steve Smith on drums and Bill Evans on sax.  Michael Brecker was supposed to be in the group and go on the tour [this was the opening show of a five week tour] but he was recently diagnosed with a serious blood disorder.  Mike Manieri read a statement from Michael's wife and he got choked up while reading it, so this must have just happened.  They said they will continue the tour with Bill on it and hope that Michael can join them later.  The group sounded great - the two highlights were Pools [a song I love - I can't believe it is 25 years old!] and Mike Manieri playing a gorgeous version of Lush Life with four mallets on vibes.

 

Then there was a 1/2 hour break and that's when the fun really began.  Will Lee was the emcee and he is a pretty energetic guy, so he kept things moving.  First up was Jeff Berlin playing Donna Lee.  The version was interesting because the producer [Gil Goldstein] hired a string group called FLUX Quartet [the first initials of the members] and they added a cool element to many of the songs.  Kenwood Dennard joined him on drums.  The next song was Come On, Come Over with Hiram Bullock on guitar and Will Lee, singing the Sam & Dave parts.  Don Alias came out on percussion for that one.

 

Gerald Veasley came out and did a great job, except I can't remember what he played!  BTW - NOBODY PLAYED TEEN TOWN.  I was in shock.  Anyway, after Gerald came Felix Pastorius.  Felix and Julius are Jaco's twin sons, who I think were very young when Jaco died so they might only be 20 or 21 years old.  Felix is a very good bassist in the Jaco mold, but I was disappointed that they gave him the best two songs, and let him play for so long.  People came to hear the others, not Felix.  Be that as it may, he played Havona and Opus Pocus, with his twin coming out on the second song to play drums.  Randy Brecker played trumpet on both songs and Othello Molineaux and Leroy Williams did their steel drum thang.

 

Matthew Garrison did a never released song called Thoughts on Florida that was good in concept but the arrangement was muddled - it would have sounded better without the strings.  Oteil Burbidge, known as playing with the Allman Brothers, was phenomenal.  he did a solo on a song called Three Views of a Secret.  He reminded me very much of when I used to go see Stanley Jordan play in the late 80s - pure solo virtuousity.  I think he was playing a six string.

 

Next up were the two bassists who make up Bass Extremes - Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey, playing fretted and fretless.  This was one of the highlights of the show, as they did a very funky version of Portrait of Tracy.  Victor was killin' it, doing a little thumping and plucking and Steve kept it moving.  I was upset that they only played one song, especially since Felix got so much time and his two songs were much too long [too much solo time].  Last but not least was Christian playing with Randy Brecker on another unreleased song called Dania.

 

With all those artists in the show it became a free for all afterward. A lot of other artists who were friends with folks performing were there, as I ran smack into Gato Barbieri whose wife struck up a convo with me, saying she wants Gato to hire Felix to go on the road with him.  So, if it happens, you heard it here first!  Mike Stern came out and sat two seats away from me for the last few songs, and when the lights came up at the end people started converging on him and others.  It was pretty cool because it was orderly and people were respectful, and it was clear most of the people there were REALLY into the music and knew it well, so the artists didn't really hear too many inane comments. 

 

There are a few things they could have done better [no Marcus Miller(??), no Teen Town [!!], there was no spotlight in the front, there were no tech people to help on stage] as Christian told me of a few kinks behind the scenes, but it was simply great to have all those bassists on one bill.  My biggest complaint of all is that the show ended abruptly after the last song so there was no photo op to get them all in one picture!  That bummed me out....

 

In spite of that, I'm definitely glad I was there - a great tribute to Jaco's legacy...

 

Lolita