Tenor sax Battle between James Carter and Joshua Redman

Nice video (from Carnegie Hall I believe) of the two backed by a big band ripping through Straight No Chaser, and Now's the Time. This has been posted to you tube several times, but this one benefits from some rather heated comments. I prefer James Carter a bit more (he sounds a bit more gutbucket and bluesy), but Redman is no slouch and both are major players.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FrVFihi_sI&feature=related#

Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane & Carnegie Hall

Just a heads-up about the latest video podcast by Bret Primark that can be found at Sonny Rollins website, www.sonnyrollins.com. Like Sonny can be downloaded to play on your video ipod or similar device. Sonny talks about his relationship with John Coltrane along with observations from fellow saxophonists Paul Jeffrey and Percy Heath. Mixing audio clips, video clips and photographic images, their mutual admiration of each other is recounted and their times together remembered. Unfortunately the two only recorded one number, Tenor Madness, together.

Coltrane's Carnegie Hall Concert with Thelonious Monk was well-received. That concert also marked Sonny Rollins first appearance at that legendary venue which he will celebrate September 18 with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Christian McBride playing the same songs Sonny performed back then in 1957. There will also be a set by his regular band and the material will be issued on CD along with Sonny's performance from 1957. Pretty neat way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the great concert event.

Sonny's website has information on this show and how to order tickets, purchase merchandise as well as a link to the video podcast. Its well worth a visit.