Morrismania.

In February, Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris is celebrating twenty years of Conduction(r), his method of conducted improvisation: using hand gestures to shape, but not dictate, the sound of a jazz orchestra. The fete, called Black February 2005, features Morris performing with a wide range of ensembles every freakin' day of the month. S/FJ put it best: holy crap. Hard to have an excuse when the performer makes himself available for twenty-eight straight days. Prof. LeDrew recommends local NYC jazz fans try to catch at least one of the eight Sunday performances (two each Sunday) of the 27-piece New York Skyscaper orchestra. This group will blow mightily at the family-friendly times of 5pm and 6pm, at the Bowery Poetry Club (Bowery & Bleecker), for the reasonable sum of $10. That's less than $0.40 an instrument.