by Patrick Jarenwattananon

Happy birthday to the memory of Clifford Brown.

—The Jazz Internet In Pittsburgh: I recently received an e-mail from reader Greg Runco, a video producer and jazz fan in Pittsburgh, Penn. Runco, 24, wrote in to share a few episodes of a documentary-style WebTV series he's been creating and posting in weekly installments on YouTube. According to him, there's a jam session every Monday at the AVA Bar and Lounge in Pittsburgh — a cross-generational experience with some of the city's top musicians — and he's been filming the performances and talking to the artists. Jazz needs more of this. You can find all of it so far, plus deleted scenes and other extras, at Runco's YouTube channel. For now, here's the first part of the first episode, with tape of house band the Interval Trio performing (Herbie Hancock's "Tell Me A Bedtime Story," I believe):

—The Art Of The Saxophone Trio: It's been observed by several folks that recent times have seen a glut of really good saxophone trio recordings. You could say that about pianoless trios in general, but saxophone-bass-drums especially: Marcus Strickland, Fly, Donny McCaslin, JD Allen ... and that's just in the "sorta straight-ahead" purview. (Related: JD Allen, whose Shine! easily makes my top 10 of 2009, recorded live at the Village Vanguard.) To that end, Willard Jenkins asked a few questions of Allen, Strickland and Jaleel Shaw about the whys and wherefores of it all. Dig this bit from Allen:

When I'm playing in this configuration (saxophone/bass/drums), I feel more connected to Black American Music. The beat and the bass line seem to come into the forefront in a trio situation. I never felt it was a non-traditional route playing with just the bass and drums, I actually felt like I was linking up more to Urban American music. When I listen to James Brown or Mos Def, I am not listening for chord changes from a piano. I am listening to their delivery (the flow), the beat (drums) and the bass lines (bass).

Everyone also mentions that Sonny Rollins' pianoless trio work was a jumping-off point for them — as well they should.

—Is There Virtue In Virtuosity?: This is basically an extended PopMatters review of new records from the Chris Potter Underground and an all-star band featuring James Carter. But it's predicated around the idea that virtuosity can be a bad thing in jazz: it can make the music cold and rootless. Writer (and occasional NPR contributor) Will Layman takes Potter and Carter, two of today's most prominent saxophone virtuosos, to task for new album offerings. He ultimately concludes in the artists' favor — but he does raise an interesting question in the process: with jazz education cranking out more technically flawless players than ever, how is that affecting the sound of modern jazz?

—The Early And The Late "Lou" Armstrong: Here's a 1929 handbill advertising a performance by the Carroll Dickerson band, featuring the "World's Greatest Trumpet Player," a youthful, smiling "Lou Armstrong." (from Mule Walk & Jazz Talk) And here is Louis Armstrong in 1970 singing Pharoah Sanders' "The Creator Has A Master Plan." If you're wondering WTF, that's the same reaction Destination: OUT had when they posted it.