Live Recommendations for Wednesday, February 8, 2006

For this week's New York Night Train show list - go here

A couple of listings have Psychic Ills' record release tonight at Union Pool. Social Registry has confirmed that it's complete misinformation - no show kids.

Little Annie & Paul Wallfisch - Dixon's Place. Little Annie is one of the more compelling voices in music today – or twenty-five years ago. Starting out as a teen-screamer downtown in the late 1970s with Little Annie and the Asexuals, she hopped over the big drink and wound up singing with Wolfgang Press, Crass, Paul Oakenfold, Current 93, Nurse with Wound, Coil, and made some really cool dubby solo records with the ON-U Sounds. For the last few years she’s been doing an unparalleled cabaret style singer/pianist act that is, at the same time, organic, sad, and funny. Her voice is in top form and her stories are the stuff of great novels. Her upcoming LP The Coalmine Canary was recently co-produced by Antony of Antony and The Johnsons and Joe Buedenholzer of Backworld. Tonight she will be accompanied by another underground superstar, Paul Wallfisch – who’s worked with everyone from Congo Norvell to Firewater to Love and Rockets to Stiv Bators to his own band Botanica. Highly recommended.

Cecil Taylor plus 2:3 AHA with Albey Bagochian and Jackson Krall – Blue Note $25: For the second night in a row, one of the most important composers and improvisers of the 20th century, and one of the last great surviving bandleaders of his era, Cecil Taylor has consistently rebelled against currents in jazz and reached far beyond the rest of the pack. More punk rock than any of you, he’s still a challenging listen forty years later and, as he’s been playing with larger ensembles of late, this is a great opportunity to check out this uncompromising artist with a small band in an intimate (albeit expensive) atmosphere. PS: Not the Scandinavian "Take on Me" AHA.

Tremolo of Joy: Kato Hideki, Briggan Krauss, Marco Cappelli & Jay Dee Daugherty - Tonic 10PM $10: Tremolo of Joy is the project of Japanese bassist/composer Kato Hideki (who’s not only known for his solo work but projects with the likes of Yamatsuka Eye, Yoshida Tatsuya, John Zorn, Mark Ribot) and another bandleader and prolific sideman, saxophonist Briggan Krauss (who’s primary projects have included Sex Mob and Wayne Horvitz's Pig Pen). The group also includes classically trained guitar improviser Marco Cappelli and the legendary downtown drummer Jay Dee Daugherty of Patti Smith and Mumps fame.

Sam Bardfeld Quintet - Tonic 8PM $10. Jazz violinist/composer Sam Bardfeld, of Jazz Passengers and the Roy Nathanson Quintet, has collaborated with everyone from the Boss to John Cale to John Zorn. Tonight his quintet celebrates the release of their new CD Periodic Trespasses.

Dave Soldier’s The Spinozas - Dave Soldier, Na'Ti, Maurice Chedid, Rebecca Cherry, Paul Frazier, Alby Roblejo, Tom Hamilton – The Stone 8PM $10: The Spinozas are an accomplished international collective led by flamenco guitarist Dave Soldier. They explore the music of medieval Andalusia – the birthplace of the troubadour and Meistersinger traditions – or, in a sense, the cradle of modern western pop and art song in general. While the music is original, the ensemble borrows lyrics from medieval Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, and Romance poetry.

Smadar Levi - Smadar Levi, Uri Sharlin, Harel Shachal, Seido Salifosky, Hagar, Megan Weeder – The Stone 10PM $10: Moroccan/Spanish Israeli vocalist Smadar Levi leads this accomplished group that fuses of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music.

New York Guitar Festival - The Music of Elizabeth Cotton: Taj Mahal, Mike Seeger, Jolie Holland, Carla Kihistedt and Mark Orton Merkin Hall, NYU $35: This segment of the New York Guitar Festival is dedicated to one of the most influential finger-pickers of the folk revival, Elizabeth Cotton. The headliner is another towering figure in the history of the American folk music, Taj Mahal - who often toured and performed with Cotton. Mike Seeger, whose family both employed and discovered Cotton, was an important fixture in the revival as well. Jolie Holland is of the new generation of folk players and Carla Kihistedt and Mark Orten, the odd men out in this case, are of the folk-informed chamber jazz group, Tin Hat Trio

Annie Hayden, Andy Creighton, The Great Lakes, In Interview - Magnetic Field: Magnetic Field brings you a pure-pop lover’s dream night. Merge Records’ Annie Hayden is the former singer/songwriter/guitarist for Spent and plays well crafted pop songs – as does opener Andy Creighton and as do locals Great Lakes. I’m not the biggest pop-head, but if I was, I’d definitely be here.

Burnside Project, Metal Hearts, Slowlands - Knitting Factory Main Space $8/$10: This bill features pop bands that fuse indie rock with electronics.

Go to NYNT's Live Archive here.