Jazz at SXSW

I guess i’m not that surprised that there is a fringe jazz showing at SXSW (Brahms and pulled pork sandwiches apparently don’t mix well), but I was surprised to see such a good line-up (without the lines around the block). A can’t miss for me was the first below-the-Dixie-line appearance of the LA quintet Kneebody. Their self titled first album, released on Dave Douglas’ imprint Greenleaf Records, is a total sleeper, and one of my favorite finds on eMusic. Its hardcore jazz funk played alternatively tight and free – a bit of Brecker Brothers mixed with the The Bad Plus. Easy to see how they caught Dave Douglas’ attention. The live show was just as tight and free wheeling – and they were handing out free copies of the next album which I was promised was just as crazy as the first.

Two phenom emerging artists from London’s Dune Records are playing tonite – sax Soweto Kinch and trumpeter Abram Wilson.