Saturday was a great night for music. I saw the Nu Band (Roy Campbell, Joe Fonda, Mark Whitecage, Lou Grassi) play. It was more composed, and slightly more sedate, than most free/modern creative jazz shows. However, they were still really good. I had never seen Whitecage nor Grassi before, but I was suitably impressed. Campbell was cool as always. However, one suite of his did not go the way he wanted. The band played a piece that he composed for a friend who had died, bassist Wilbur Morris. Campbell had problems with his mute; he kept trying to manipulate it, presumably because it wasn't on correctly. At one point he dropped the mute. He looked disappointed, but his solo and the suite were still good. The best part of the show was Fonda. There is nothing like watching this short man singing at his upright bass, sometimes climbing on top of it to get the notes he wants. He has one of the best visual performances in jazz.

During the show I was comparing Fonda's performance to my other favorite jazz bassist, William Parker. After the show, I started to wonder why all the great instrumentalists are no longer to be found in rock. In the eighties there were many great bass players who combined some proficiency with lyricism and imagination: Peter Hook, Mick Karn, and Mike Watt. I can't think of any one who plays to their level. There are bassists who stick to the basics of roots and pulse. There are proficient bassists who can solo for half the night. Neither of these carry songs; they are drown out in a sea of Creed-like guitars. They are frustrated guitar players themselves, be it rhythm or lead.

This show was taped and may appear later on CD. Check out this records company:

www.eremite.com

Quick thoughts on politics: the "creators" of the interim Iraqi administration should consider that most Iraqis supported the "Arabization" of the Kurds. Yes, we will still fight nationalism in the twenty-first century, both at broad and at home.

In France, the Raffarin reforms, which were long overdue, are causing some problems in the regions that have been neglected by their residents.