Out There

Damon Smith's biggest show of the month pairs him this Friday at Venue 9 in a duo and trio with 30-year veteran Wadada Leo Smith. With a mere 1 1/2 years' experience on the upright he admits, "I'm definitely a little bit nervous about it, but ... every gig is a learning experience." If nothing else, the younger Smith's courage and ambition should see him through. After all, he booked the gig. And now's the time for fireworks (or bombs).

Showdown
Beanbender's
2295 Shattuck, Berkeley, 510/528-8440

Sunday, Sept. 29: Henry Kuntz solo sax; Mills College Contemporary Performance Ensemble

Cyclone
1842 Illinois, 621-3453
Saturday, Sept. 28: Scott Rosenberg's The Free Standing Orchestra

Hotel Utah
500 Fourth St., 421-8308
Tuesday, Oct. 1: "Dark Circle Lounge"

Radio Valencia Cafe
1199 Valencia, 826-1199
Saturday, Sept. 28: Dana Reason, India Cooke, Matt Ingalls, Peter Valsamis

Venue 9
252 Ninth St., 626-2169
Wednesday, Sept. 25: Phillip Greenlief/Trevor Dunn "CD release party"

Friday, Sept. 27: "solo, duo, trio" w/ Wadada Leo Smith, Damon Smith, Dr. Anthony Brown

Saturday, Sept. 28: Marco Eneidi & the American Jungle Orchestra w/ Wadada Leo Smith

Recent Releases

Scott Rosenberg, are (super J)
Phillip Greenlief/Trevor Dunn (Evander Music)
Phillip Greenlief/Adam Levy/Dan Seamans, Indiana Ticket (Evander)
Phillip Greenlief/Scott Amendola Duo, collect my thoughts (9Winds)
Elliot Kavee/Francis Wong, Duets I (Asian Improv)
Graham Connah's Sour Note Six, My God Has Fleas (Rastascan)
Oluyemi Thomas/Gino Robair, Unity in Multiplicity (Rastascan)
Positive Knowledge (Oluyemi & Ijeoma Thomas), Invocation #9 (Music & Arts)
Bob Ostertag's Verbatim (Rastascan)
Splatter Trio, Hi-Fi Junk Note (Rastascan)
Rova Saxophone Quartet, Morphological Echoes (Rastascan)
Sheldon Brown Group, Shifting Currents (Nepenthe)
Rent Romus' Lords of Outland, You'll Never Be the Same (Gert Rude)