Is the economy affecting the touring schedules of national acts or is it just kind of quiet this time of year? There are a few live gems to take in over the next couple of weeks, but the state of scheduled performances is enough to make you nostalgic for this past summer’s mountain festivals, even if gas costs less than half as much now as it did then.
Where’s the love for Weather Report? Recent years have seen the enthusiastic rediscovery of smoking ’70s fusion overlords Return to Forever and guitarist John McLaughlin, but the pioneering, awe-inspiring atmospherics of the long-running Joe Zawinul/Wayne Shorter collaboration don’t seem to hold the same elite status as of late. Members of the CU faculty will seek to correct this grave injustice on Wednesday at the Broomfield Auditorium.
Expect to relive the hazy glories of albums like “I Sing the Body Electric” and “Mysterious Traveler,” and let us not forget the inevitable “Birdland” with John Gunther in saxophonist Shorter’s role, Jeff Jenkins channeling the late keyboard mastermind Zawinul, and perhaps most daunting of all, Mark Simon paying homage to fearsome bassist Jaco Pastorius. Good luck with that! We need more of this type of repertory project. Admission is free, 7 p.m. Info at 303-464-5835.
Trumpeter Brian Lynch is simply one of the most underrecognized authorities on his instrument. After nabbing a deserved Grammy for the 2006 meeting with Eddie Palmieri, “Simpatico,” and finding a comfortable place in a multitude of projects, he should be mentioned alongside contemporaries Wynton Marsalis and Dave Douglas. His clear, unforced solos take flight in the magisterial vein of Dizzy Gillespie, and that can’t be said of many living players.
I don’t know what stylistic approach Lynch will bring to the music at his Dazzle gig on Saturday, but there’s no doubt his performance will be rewarding. If you’re seeking virtuosity that plays to the heart as well as the head, Lynch is your best local early-December bet. Sets are at 7 and 9 p.m., tickets are $20, and you can get the details at .
The Wood Brothers can’t be classified as straight-ahead jazz, but the credentials are there, particularly from the bass of Chris Wood, best known as the anchor for long- running eclectics Medeski Martin and Wood. While that unit soldiers on with a new CD, “Radiolarians 1,” Chris and his sibling, guitarist Oliver, promote their latest Blue Note effort, “Loaded,” which straddles rock, folk and clever improvisation. The newest release hasn’t made the splash of the previous disc, “Ways Not to Lose,” but it’s even better, with a more confident sound and a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song “Angel” that captures its precious essence without shamelessly imitating the guitar god.
Their Dec. 12 date at Boulder’s Fox Theatre is close enough to the holidays to indicate that the Wood Brothers are back in their hometown to relax with the family, so the show should have a nice, laid- back feel. Tickets are $15. Get information at .
The Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra is slated for Jazz@Jack’s tomorrow . . . smooth saxman Warren Hill brings his holiday show to the Soiled Dove Underground on Friday . . . drummer Jeff Hamilton, who’s played with Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald, brings his trio to Dazzle Dec. 12-13.
