October 17 2011

Genius is a word used too often.  But the SF Jazz Festival the last two weeks has indeed presented genius.  By my definition, a genius changes the way we perceive a discipline.  Einstein, Picasso, Charlie Parker.  October 1 at the Paramount the young genius Esperanza Spaulding and her Chamber Music Society played. The next night Wayne Shorter and his quartet were at Herbst.  Then Ravi Shankar on October 7 at Davies.  Now 91, I've had the privilge of seeing Ravi for over 40 years.  With his daughter Anoushka a recent mom and not on this tour, I was afraid age might finally catch up with him.  It hasn't; he's still the finest musician in the world, of any genre.  And last night, McCoy Tyner, who I've also had the privilege of seeing since my teens, played Herbst with the fabulous Chris Potter on tenor.