New Year’s Jazz Concerts

Tomorrow is Christmas, but everyone knows that the hipster’s holy holiday is New Year’s Eve. Bottoms up, ya’ll. The only problem with this most festive of evenings is that there are always too many parties to choose from. I decided to help you out a bit this year by listing some of the talent playing at a few of the top jazz clubs in the country this Dec. 31. It’s not a full list of every jazz happening that’ll be going on, I just cherry-picked some of the best. But just in case you haven’t decided how to ring in the new year, here are a few leads on a few guaranteed good times in various major U.S. cities (pretty much New York). Check the Web sites listed below for ticket info and show times:

In New York City:

Iridium (www.iridiumjazzclub.com) has the McCoy Tyner Trio with special guests Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Lovano.

Jazz Standard (www.jazzstandard.net) has Cyrus Chestnut (pictured) and Friends, featuring Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson and Marcus Printup.

Village Vanguard (www.villagevanguard.net) has Chucho Valdes with John Benitez, Dafnis Prieto and Ray Mantilla.

Tonic (www.tonicnyc.com) has a John Zorn doing a number of New Year’s sets with folks like Mike Patton, Ikue Mori and Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos

Blue Note (www.bluenote.net) has the Herbie Hancock Quartet and the Curtis Stigers Quartet, the 7 and 10 p.m. shows are sold out, but tickets are still available for the 1 a.m. show.

In Los Angeles:

Jazz Bakery (www.jazzbakery.org) has Ernie Andrews

Catalina Jazz Club (www.catalinajazzclub.com) has Steve Tyrell

In Seattle:

Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley (www.jazzalley.com) has Ernestine Anderson

In Washington D.C.:

Blues Alley (www.bluesalley.com) has the Ahmad Jamal Trio and the Keter Betts Group.

Originally Published December 24, 2003