Happy New Year!

I’m about to play in a new configuration with Eva Klesse and Phil Donkin in Germany. I heard Eva at a clinic last year and thought she was really swinging. To my delight she said that seeing Tootie Heath with Ben Street and me at the Vanguard was an important moment in her development. I haven’t met Phil yet but I’m sure these three nights are going to be at a high level.

January 3 Loft (Cologne)
Jan. 4 naTo (Leipzig)
Jan. 5 Jazz Club Tonne (Dresden)

January 7 I’m back working in NYC,  playing the Blue Note in Francisco Mela’s group with Hery Paz and John Hébert. On January 10 it’s the late night set at Smalls with Aaron Seeber and Simón Willson.

The Billy Hart Quartet with Dayna Stephens, Ben Street and me is part of the ECM stage at Winter Jazzfest on January 12. (Mark Turner will resume tenor duties with the BHQ starting the 29th of January at the Village Vanguard.)

January 19 I’m with Andreas Toftemark’s group at the Red Room in the East Village. January 25 I’m duo piano with Lewis Porter in Lexington, MA.

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Last year, the first “freelance” year after 17 years with the Bad Plus, was surprisingly busy. The big projects included MMDG Pepperland, Concerto for Scale, Ethan Iverson in London, Bud Powell in the 21st Century, and the ECM release Temporary Kings with Mark Turner. I also realized long term dreams of playing with Miranda Cuckson and Al Foster. Thanks to all who tuned in.

2018 gigs in review:

JANUARY

11 panel on jazz and race with Wynton Marsalis at JALC
12 panel (moderator only) with Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Harold Mabern at JALC
14 Pat Zimmerli “Clockworks” w. Chris Tordini and John Hollenbeck at APAP
19-20 w. Houston Person and Chris Smith at Mezzrow
30 w. Thomas Morgan and Gerald Cleaver at Korzo

FEBRUARY

8-11 Billy Hart 4tet (BHQ) w. Ben Street and Mark Turner at Jazz Standard
17-18 Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) Pepperland Seattle
21 MMDG Pepperland Portland
22 solo Portland jazz fest
24 MMDG Pepperland Toronto
28 BHQ San Antonio

MARCH

1 BHQ Outpost Albuquerque
2 BHQ Santa Fe
9-10 w. Joe Sanders and Jorge Rossy at Duc du Lombards, Paris
12-15 w. Joe Sanders and Jorge Rossy in Italy
28 Sophia Rosoff memorial concert

APRIL

6 “Concerto to Scale” with American Composers Orchestra at Zankel Hall
14 “Clockworks” w Pat Zimmerli at Merkin Hall
17 w. Billy Harper, Buster Williams, Billy Hart at Jazz Standard

APRIL 20 – MAY 5 tour with Martin Speake 4tet w. Fred Thomas and James Madden

MAY

10 MMDG Pepperland Santa Barbara
12 MMDG Pepperland La Jolla
17 w. Josephine Bode and Dodó Kis at Moers Festival

MAY 29 — JUNE 3 BHQ with Chris Potter at Village Vanguard

JUNE

15-16 w. Ron Carter at Mezzrow
21-22 MMDG Pepperland New Haven
24 w. Miranda Cuckson Spectrum
26 w. Dayna Stephens, Thomas Morgan, Eric McPherson at Korzo
28 – 30 MMDG Pepperland Dartmouth

JULY

2 Lorraine Gordon Memorial

4-25 BHQ featuring Josh Redman European tour
Getxo Jazz Festival
Noches del Botanico (Madrid)
Casa da Musica (Porto)
Funchal Jazz Festival
North Sea Jazz Festival
Umbria Jazz
Nice Jazz Festival
Montalcino Jazz & Wine Festival
Souillac en Jazz
New Morning (Paris)
Festival Jazz La Spezia
Langnau Jazz Nights
Dinant Jazz

SEPTEMBER

7-8 w. Dayna Stephens, Thomas Morgan, Eric McPherson at Jazz Gallery

13-20 duo w. Mark Turner
Baltimore
Chicago
Minneapolis
New York
Cambridge

27-30 MMDG Pepperland Berkley

OCTOBER

5 w. Miranda Cuckson Spectrum

10-18 duo w. Mark Turner
Denver
Santa Cruz
LA
Portland
New Orleans

23-31 duo w. Mark Turner
Paris
Milan
Florence
Ferrara
Rome
Madrid
Barcelona
Rikevorsel

NOVEMBER

10-11 Dance Heginbotham “Easy Win” Boston

16-18 “Ethan Iverson in London” Raising Hell with Henry Purcell, Ethan and the British Composers, Ethan’s Last Rent Party

23-25 BHQ w. Dayna Stephens In Mexico
Mazatlan
Mexico City
Cuernavaca

DECEMBER

7 w. Christian McBride and Al Foster at Zinc Bar
18 w. Dayna Stephens, Ben Street, and Eric McPherson at Korzo
29-31 “Bud Powell in the 21st Century” w. Ingrid Jensen, Dayna Stephens, Ben Street, Lewis Nash, and the Umbria Jazz Orchestra in Orvieto