THE 21ST VICTO FEST & THE 9TH VISION FEST BLEW OUR MINDS FOR 2 CONTINUOUS WEEKS!!!

We apologize for the delay in getting our 2 newsletters onto the web. Many of you expected them on Friday and we got a TON of emails generally saying that many of you had their weekly rituals thrown for a loop! Thank you to all who expressed fears that something had happened. Rest assured, we're still here and ready to serve our unique constituency.

Like, Bruce barely got back on the drive from Victo Tuesday night at 8pm - and went straight to the opening festivities of the VISION FESTIVAL! Manny has been running a DMG table at the fest and saying Hello! to all our out-of-town friends who made it in. In general, the nights we would normally spend putting our e-rag together have instead been spent watching over-the-top performances from Sabir Mateen, Dave Burrell, Raphe Malik, THE Revolutionary Ensemble [!!!], William Parker, Marilyn Crispell, Fred Van Hove, Myra Melford, Matt Shipp.....!




AND NOW, THE GOODIES!!!


TWO MONSTER ALBUMS FROM THE MASTERS...


CECIL TAYLOR With MAT MANERI - Algonquin (Bridge 9146) The visionary piano virtuoso Cecil Taylor was commissioned by the Library of Congress to write a work for violin and piano in 1999. The result was Taylor's "Algonquin"-an intensely joyful dialogue between violinist Mat Maneri and Taylor. Taylor's score bridges the gap between jazz and classical music-between improvisation and notated music. As annotator Bill Shoemaker writes: "A Taylor score opens a moment of intense creativity, but only for that moment; afterwards, the score is merely part of the record, fodder for the files. What endures in Taylor's music defies notation, conventional or otherwise. It begs the question: Is a score that is little more than an outline, and designed only for a single use, as legitimate as one where all aspects of performance are specified, and has been repeatedly performed over for years, decades and even centuries? Given the exhilarating energy conveyed through this recording, the answer is surely yes."
CD for $15


DAVE BURRELL FULL BLOWN TRIO With ANDREW CYRILLE/WILLIAM PARKER - Expansion (High Two 01) Jazz master Dave Burrell's first group recording as a leader since the late '60s - an exquisite studio recording with bassist William Parker and drum master Cyrille. Bruce will wax eloquent next week, but you don't need to wait!
CD for $14



HEY HOPPY ..AND LASWELL FANS - WE BEEN WAITIN' FOR THIS SINCE XMAS - HOPPY JUST SHOWED UP WITH 'EM!

HOPPY KAMIYAMA & BILL LASWELL - A Navel City/No One Is There (Creage; Japan) Maverick Japanese producer and avant-garde sound creator Hoppy Kamiyama along with veteran downtown New York bassist/ producer Bill Laswell (the man is everywhere) get top billing here, but equal credit should go to drummer Kiyohiko Semba, whose explosive polyrhythms fuel much of the improvisation on this album. Sounding like it was recorded in one take during one of Laswell's recent Japan visits, A Navel City reflects the substantial skills of a trio of musicians grounded in free jazz/post-rock esthetics. Laswell lays down diaphanous bass lines that burble along underneath the bleeps, squelches and squeaks of Kamiyama's samplers and synthesizers, while Semba's drum lines threaten to steal the show. In sum, a surprisingly accessible expression of what is basically a challenging area of music.
[All 10 Thumbs Up!! My first impression of this was a topsy-turvy version of third stream/new jazz of the '60s as "toy jazz", but that's just one small part of this delicious record - Mannylunch]
Japan import CD for $24

ALSO...

BILL LASWELL vs SUBMERGED/FRACTURE + NEPTUNE - Doctored Intelligence [Version]/Normality Complex Pts. 1 and 2 [Split 10"] (Ohm Resistance/Off Shore 3; USA) The first installment of the Ohm Resistance / Offshore Recordings 10"series is out now and in full effect. The Ohm side, "Doctored Intelligence", is a brutal and original piece of work, a remix version from Laswell and Submerged's forthcoming CD album, 'Brutal Calling'. The Offshore side, "Normality Complex", from the 'Fracture & Neptune' album, is a dense and heady trip through territory familiar to fans of Paradox. For those who have wondered where the drums in drum n bass went, theyâre right here, and doing very well. This is a very tightly focused amen track full of brilliant drum programming and an unrelenting low end. There's no growling midrange here, just thick slabs of meaty subs that give the track some serious weight.
10" vinyl for $9




FOUR NEW DISCS FROM THE CONSISTENTLY WONDERFUL CLEAN FEED LABEL:


DENNIS GONZALEZ NY QUARTET - NY Midnight Suite (clean feed 020) Featuring our good friend Dennis Gonzalez on trumpet, Ellery Eskelin on tenor sax, Mark Helias on bass and Mike Thompson on drums. Dennis is an amazing trumpeter from Dallas who works immensely hard on each and every release and searches for kindred spirits/great musicians from around the world to work with. He organized this great quartet for last year's trumpet fest at Tonic curated by Dave Douglas and Roy Campbell. The set I attended was marvelous and this disc should also be a treasure. Longer review next week.
CD for $16

WHIT DICKEY QUARTET - Coalescence (clean feed 021) Featuring Roy Campbell, Jr. on trumpet, Rob Brown on alto sax & flute, Joe Morris on double bass and Whit Dickey on drums & compositions. Master free-jazz drummer Whit Dickey takes his time with each release and always has a concept in mind. His trio set with Matt Shipp and William Parker the other night at the Vision Fest had all of us levitating as he floated freely around the drums. No doubt this all-star downtown quartet will also have us all ascending upwards.
CD for $16

TRIPLEPLAY [VANDERMARK/McBRIDE/NEWTON] - Gambit (clean feed 019) Tripleplay is Ken Vandermark on reeds, Nate McBride on double bass and Curt Newton on drums. Second superb studio date from the consistently challenging Chicago-based musician/composer/multi-bandleader Ken Vandermark and his two of his old cohorts from Boston, where he used to live. As with all Vandermark releases, dedications include Joe Morris, Robert Frank, Robert Pete Williams and Emir Kusturica. Both Ken and Nate provide four pieces each and Ken can do no wrong by me. Longer review sometime soon.
CD for $16

STEVE LEHMAN/MARK DRESSER/PHEERON AKLAFF - Camouflage Trio (Clean Feed 022) Sunday sets here at DMG are always a great way to check out spirits known and unknown. Last Sunday's fine duo with saxist Steve Lehman and drummer Tyshawn Sorey showed two newer players to be a great force to be reckoned with. Steve is a young, tall fellow who plays alto & sopranino sax, has collaborated with Anthony Braxton and has two strong cds on CIMP with Roy Campbell, Kevin O'Neil and Kevin Norton. Steve toured Europe with his new trio that includes two other giants from the previous generation of avant/jazz's finest - contrabassist extraordinaire Marc Dresser and master-drummer Pheeroan AkLaff. Right from the gitgo, they're off and burning intensely. The lengthy "Structural Fire" has the trio sailing furiously and moving in waves. The bass and drums are forever shifting in cycles together - faster, slower, faster, slower - as the sax moves in nervous bursts of energy interlocking with the rhythm in constant motion. During the last third of this piece, the trio drifts into a more reflective, yet equally inventive section that eventually starts swinging hard when the tempo increase and shifts into high gear. Dresser's (most distinctive) elastic, buzzing bass is usually at the center of the cyclone with Pheeroan's feisty mallets and Steve's flurry of alto sax notes pouring out of his horn with powerful currents. "Complex C" has Steve turning his sopranino notes inside-out while the bass and drums match his fragmentary march perfectly, both slowing down and accelerating at the same time towards the end. "Huis Clos" sounds like my favorite period of Braxton from the mid-seventies with some intricate and constantly moving changes to deal with. On "Rison", Steve reminds me of the late, great Thomas Chapin, spewing out torrents of notes with that fine, pinched tone that we all grew to love, that adrenalin pumping force at the center and even that bass driven center that Mario Pavone did so well. "Motion" begins with a superb long mallet solo from Pheeraon, which sets the haunting vibe so well, Mark's eerie bowed bass and Steve's simmering sax slowly emerge like ghosts above a cemetery, slowly dancing on the graves in hushed reverence. The aptly titled "Interface" brings things to a strong close with an outstanding bass and drums only intro, before Steve begins some Braxton-like snippets on sopranino and then the trio work their way through more highly complex, quick-shifting changes and difficult navigations. Turns out that this is a live effort, but it is hard to tell since the sound is just perfect.
CD for $16




TWO NEW REISSUES ON CD FROM THE FOLKS AT OGUN [HAZEL MILLER]/CADILLAC [JOHN JACK]...


MIKE OSBORNE: TRIO & QUINTET With HARRY MILLER/LOUIS MOHOLO/MARC CHARIG - Border Crossing/Marcel's Muse (Ogun 15; UK) Possibly THE most awaited classic '70s Brit-Jazz reissue in years! Two of Brit alto monster Mike Osborne's super-rare Ogun LPs unabridged on 1 CD! 'Border Crossing', with his main - and legendary - rhythm section of the early '70s, bassist Harry Miller and drummer Louis Moholo, is a powerhouse spectacle. Recorded live at the Peanuts Club 9/28/74 'Marcel's Muse', a quintet recording from 5/31/77, is another tour-de-force and features Harry Miller, guitarist Jeff Green, trumpeter Marc Charig, and the late Peter Nykyruj on drums [to which this CD edition is dedicated] The digital remastering for CD was done by Martin Davidson, founder of the Emanem label.
CD for $17.00

JOE HARRIOTT QUINTET Featuring PHIL SEAMAN & PAT SMYTHE - Swings High (Cadillac 203; UK) Incredible Brit quintet date from July 20th 1967! Joe Harriott [the famous alto saxist from the original '60s lineup of the Joe Harriott/John Mayer Indo-Jazz Fusion group] with Pat Smythe piano, Stu Hamer trumpet, Phil Seaman drums and Coleridge Goode bass. Mastering for this CD edition was recently done by Trevor Manwaring, the man behind the Paratactile label, who passed away not long afterwards and to whom this CD edition is dedicated. This is much more straight ahead than those great studio dates from the early sixties.
CD for $17.00




TWO ALL NEW [NOT REISSUES] HAT TITLES...


RUSS LOSSING/ED SCHULLER/PAUL MOTIAN - As It Grows (Hat ology 605; Switzerland) Silence, it has been said, is more eloquent than speech. Russ Lossing's music, in this trio setting, grows out of silence-the space between thought and gesture-and explores its poetic ambiguities, elaborates upon its implied moods, energizes its hidden tensions. - Art Lange
CD for $17

MAX NAGL/OTTO LECHNER/BRADLEY JONES - Flamingos (Hat ology 609; Switzerland) When music is so perfume-soaked, marked with such imagery, haunted by history,and pierced through and through with trembling and chills, it lays bare its own humility. And in doing so, enchants us. This is none other than a reflection of our own humanity. A reflection that, at the hand of these gifted musicians, becomes a little more desperate,and at the same time, a little more beautiful too. - Alex Dutilh, chief editor of "Jazzman"
CD for $17




MORE NEW STUFF...


NELS CLINE / VINNY GOLIA - The Entire Time (Nine Winds 259) First duo effort from two LA's finest creative musicians with Nels Cline on various acoustic and electric guitars, effects & loops and Vinny Golia on bass clarinet, flutes, soprano & tenor saxes, stritch, xiao and dzi. Both of these cats lead a wide variety of band and projects and never cease to amaze us with their diversity, creativity and multi-instrumental virtuosity. Nels is currently on the road with and a new member of roots/rock band Wilco, which should make this fine band even better. No reason to apologize Nels bubby to any of your old friends/fans, as we know what to expect from our fave west coast guitar hero.
CD for $14

STEVE COLEMAN & THE FIVE ELEMENTS - Lucidarium (Label Bleu 6673) This is M-Base sax great, Steve Coleman's new sorta double band featuring Ravi Coltrane & Steve on saxes, Ralph Alessi & Jonathan Finlayson on trumpets, Mat Maneri on viola, Gregoire Maret on harmonica, Dana Leong on trombone, Craig Taborn on keyboards, Drew Gress & Anthony Tidd on basses and Dafnis Prieto & Ramon Garcia Perez on drums & percussion plus Theo Bleckman, Kyoko Kitamura, Jen Shyu, Judith Berkson, Kokayi & Lorin Benedict on voices. Another winner from the long line of great discs from Steve Coleman and those voices sounds mighty fine to me. Just heard the wonderful Ms. Kitamura with Reggie Workman last night at the Vision Fest and was blown away by her once again.
CD for $16

SPRING HEEL JACK - The Sweetness of the Water (Thirsty Ear 57146) Featuring Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, Evan Parker on soprano & tenor saxes, John Edwards on double bass, Mark Sanders on drums, John Coxon on electric guitar, organ, vibes & electronics and Ashley Wales on acoustic guitar, piano innards, electronics and samples. This is the fourth great avant-jazz effort from Spring Heel Jack, who have continued to utilize the best of the British and American avant-jazz players. Very special to hear two master musicians Leo Smith and Evan Parker collaborating for the first time, an historic event no doubt.
CD for $15

GEORGE SCHULLER - JigSaw (482 Music 1026) Featuring Tony Malaby on saxes, Dave Ballou on trumpets, Mark Feldman on violin, Matt Darriau on clarinets & tenor sax, Curtis Hasselbring on trombone & guitar, Howard Johnson on tuba & bass clarinet, Ed Schuller on bass and George Schuller on drums. Since leading the wonderful Orange Then Blue big band up in Boston, drummer/composer George Schuller has been running a number of great bands since moving to NY in the last decade. This George's second superb date this year (that Miles tribute on Playscape was the first) and again he has chosen a marvelous, all-star downtown cast. Strong playing and fine composing make this cd another special date.
CD for $14

CONFERENCE CALL - Spirals/The Berlin Concert (482 Music 1028) Featuring Gebhard Ullman on bass clarinet, tenor & soprano saxes, Michael Jefry Stevens on piano, Joe Fonda on bass and George Schuller on drums. This is the third great release from this excellent quartet who has used a different drummer on each of their previous cds. Gebhard is yet another marvelous German reeds hero who rarely gets his due, yet makes consistently inspired recordings for Leo, Soul Note and now 482 Music. Longer review soon.
CD for $14

4 WALLS - Which side are you on (Red Note 11) 4 Walls are Phil Minton on vocals, Veryan Weston on piano, Luc Ex on acoustic bass and Michael Vatcher on drums. Second splendid and wonderfully wacky release from 4 Walls, who have emerged from the ashes of The Roof - that featured the late great Tom Cora [take away the 'roof' and you've got 'four walls' left] - and were the absolute best group up at Victo a few years back. Dedicated to the late poet Paul Haines who also provided four special poems right before his untimely death, as well as well selected texts from Ho Chi Minh, Jacques Brel, Lou Glanfield and the title track is an American traditional song about union organizing down south. Strong stuff!
CD for $15

RENE LUSSIER - Grand Vent (La Tribu 7215) Featuring our favorite Canadian guitarist & composer Rene Lussier with Tom Walsh on trombone, Lori freedman on clarinets, Jean Rene on viola, Guillaume Dostaler on keyboards, Maxime Lepage on bass, Claude Lavergne on percussion and Francois Chauvette on drums. This is the second marvelous release from Rene's new band and label. 'Grand Vent' is thematically based on some refuse that Rene found after a rainstorm, each piece is inspired by a relic or two - Hawaiian music, sound effects, a coffee grinder, a program from a Montreal jazz festival, an old reel-to-reel tape recorder, etc. Another charming effort from Rene's delightfully skewered mind and inspired crew.
CD for $16

TRIO DEROME GUILBEAULT TANGUAY - 10 Compositions from Jean Derome (Ambiances Magnetiques 121) Featuring Jean Derome on saxes & flutes, Normand Guilbeault on contrabass and Pierre Tanguay on drums. Excellent jazz trio date from Jean Derome and his superb trio. Jean's last disc by this grand trio was a Monk tribute and a wonderful one at that. Derome is an incredible alto saxist, whose dozen plus releases on AM cover a fine wealth of genres from progressive to theatre and film work to occasionally hilarious moments of twisted humor. On this one, he has composed 10 great modern jazz pieces that show off his composing and playing talents. Sounds like he is playing tenor here, what a gorgeous tone! Quite the perfect trio!
CD for $14

THE WALTER THOMPSON ORCHESTRA - PEXO - A Soundpainting Symphony (Nine Winds 234) featuring Todd Reynolds on violin, Rolf Sturm on guitar & synth, Gil Selinger on cello, Rob Henke, Christopher Washburne & Sarah Weaver as the brass; Michael Attias, Jody Espina & Julie Ferrara on reeds; Steve Rust & Jim Whitney on basses and Andrea Pryor & Greg Stare on percussion, plus three actors. We haven't heard from saxist/composer Walter Thompson in quite a while, at least not since his two fine big bands cds from a decade ago, which included a number of downtown's best players like Thomas Chapin and Mark Feldman. I know that Walter has spent much time developing his complex hand signals in order to bring unusual challenges for his orchestra, much like Butch Morris has worked long and hard on similar techniques of conduction. A long review, if Nine Winds tightens us up.
CD for $14

AXEL DORNER & TONY BUCK - Durch und Durch (Tes 103) Featuring Axel Dorner on trumpet & computer and Tony Buck on drums & percussion. Microtonal trumpet specialist Axel Dorner seems to consistently place himself in challenging situations whether playing immensely well-crafted breath sounds with other minimalists on labels like Erstwhile or Potlatch and blowing high and mighty with The Electrics on Ayler records. Here Axel matches wits with the equally gifted and diverse Australian percussionist Tony Buck who plays with The Necks, has a solo percussion disc and was once in a post-punk band called Peril with Otomo & Kato Hideki.
CD for $15

ALVIN CURRAN + DOMENICO SCIAJNO - Our Ur (Rossbin 015) Sciajno, Domenico (Say "Shah-eeno") comes from an ancient Sicilian Jewish family closely related to the Kabbalists and mystics of the 13-14th centuries. When these mystics decreed electronic music unfit for Jews, the Sciajnos said "to hell with that" and converted to Christianity - enabling them to continue their work in live electronics. In a word, Domenico is carrying on a very ancient family tradition. He and I met by pure chance at an international conference of sound smugglers organized by the Palermo "cupola", held annually in a remote seaside hotel outside of the Hague in the Netherlands. At the time, he was a contrabassist whose job was to look out for the cops, when the others went into action - stealing sounds from ports, train stations, markets, landscapes, banks and even people. This is as close to the truth, as the avant-garde is to the Marx Brothers. Our real meeting at the Royale Konseravtorium of the Hague, where he was an excellent student, was the beginning of a long friendship and many fruitful collaborations, among them: A giant sound installation in the magnificent baroque park of Donaueschingen 1999; performances in" Brute Beat Brut Bruit" with the Alter Ego Ensemble and Frankie Hi NRG; as founding member of the Alvin Curran Filharmonia; a collaborative sound and video work SINKING PIANO of a floating and slowly sinking piano- for the Taktlos Festival 2002 and numerous sound designs for my radio works like UN ALTRO FERRAGOSTO, and WOLFINGS-- after a duo performance at the University in Florence (2001) we realized as improvisers that our musical sensibilities were in absolute alignment. Domenico is wild fennel, without which half the wonderful dishes in the Sicilian cuisine could not exist - totally unpredictable but never late, he approaches everything with a master's imagination, and outside of women, there seems to be no artistic or technical problem he cannot solve.. It was natural that we should make a CD of Duo Projects, and went about recording a few sets just one year ago in my studio near Genzano di Roma. The best of those sessions are included here as well as two other works- one based on my piano improvisations (here brilliantly processed by Dome) to sound like it was played on an ancient piano about 5 kilometers from the microphone. The other "Rue de la Gare" was a pure sound collaboration we made in an attempt to win a prize. We did not win, but like everyone else, felt that we should have. Most of the electronics is derived from my extensive sample archive and keyboard performance style - much passing through Max/MSP patches of Dome's and Ali Momemi's. Like my own story, un-necessary to tell here, the rest is fiction. - Alvin Curran.
CD for $17

BUTCHER / LONGBERG-HOLM / ZERANG - Tincture (musica genera 004/Poland) Featuring John Butcher on tenor & soprano saxes, Fred Longberg-Holm on cello and Michael Zerang on percussion. This gem came out last year, received some rave reviews and then disappeared from view. It is finally back and has been well worth the frustrating wait. An extremely well matched, recorded and inspired studio date from one of Britain's best sax specialists (JB) with two of Chicago's finest improvisers who often work with Ken Vandermark and Peter Brotzmann. Grab this quickly, before it disappears once again into the void.
CD for $17

CHRIS POTTER QUARTET - Lift: Live At The Village Vanguard (Sunnyside; USA) Chris Potter's new Live at the Village Vanguard album starts jarringly enough. There is a particular knotty, unaccompanied solo saxophone intro to drummer Bill Stewart's "7.5" played via tape delay by Potter on seemingly three saxophones. He is joined by a series of freaky tones on Kevin Hays' Fender Rhodes playing what sounds like the keys on a telephone keypad to truly disorienting effect. Soon enough, however, the ensemble kicks in to fill out the rhythm, Hays switches to piano, and Potter brings the tune's melodic body into focus, swinging half-in-half-out, tightrope walking around a series of scalar figures that translate it into a wonderfully energetic ride. And this is merely the statement of purpose for the entire gig. On the original material, Potter's now truly unique voice on the tenor may have been influenced in equal parts by Dewey Redman, John Coltrane, and even Sonny Rollins, but his manner of phrasing and his distinct tone make him an original on the horn. Potter is a harmonic whiz kid. On "What You Wish," he and the quartet -- which also includes the amazing Scott Colley on bass -- move through augmented phases and interludes, evolving a melody into a modal concern in the breaks, and turning it out multidimensionally. Hays piano solo moves from modal groove exploration to Latin vamps to Bill Evans-styled harmonic extrapolation. Potter enunciates the Latin tinge, and takes it all the way over into streamlined post-bop with beautiful choruses. But then, as if the entire gig was going to lift right off, Potter slows it down beautifully, once again using his delay to introduce a spacey yet moving rendition of "Stella by Starlight." For those offended by the use of a piece of electronic gear in a live setting, this artifact that is part of the saxophonist's arsenal will dispel some of those irritations because he uses it so naturally and unaffectedly. When the band reaches back into its own bag of tricks for the title track, the transformation is complete: Potter and his quartet are taking the gift of post-bop jazz and moving into new territories tonally, harmonically, and yes, thankfully, lyrically. This is forward-thinking music that is full of emotion, swing, and sophistication. It is readily accessible for anyone willing to encounter it either historically or on its own terms. Lift is a sharp, tough, and streetwise record of a fine gig played in a jazz temple with aplomb and sass. It points in new directions and offers a solid portrait of the artist as not only a strident voice, but as a visionary as well. -- Thom Jurek, AMG
CD for $15

BEN ALLISON & MEDECINE WHEEL - Buzz (Palmetto; USA) The 'buzz' on experimental-minded bassist Ben Allison is all good, as (among numerous accolades) he'd been cited by Downbeat Magazine as one of "25 rising jazz stars for the future" and was selected in various categories in its critics poll as a talent deserving wider recognition. His 2002 disc Peace Pipe challenged mainstream jazz limitations by blending in hip-hop and African rhythms, and Buzz keeps the invention hopping -- sometimes that means pleasing a listener's sense of cool rhythm, other times defying gravity and reason a bit too much. Allison, working with his band of three multiple horn players, keys, and drums, is full of surprises, sometimes in mid-song. For nearly three minutes, the opening cut, "Respiration," plods along a moody, laid-back, horn-spiced path that sometimes borders on atonal; then fortunately, Allison gets into a funky blues mood and Frank Kimbrough's playful piano melody takes over, with Allison's bouncy bass and Michael Sarin's drums kicking in way offbeat. The eclectic, rhythmically off-center, and brass-punched title track really takes the idea of experimentation to the limit; Allison wraps seed pods around the strings of his bass, while Kimbrough sticks pennies and paper clips between piano strings. "Mauritania" combines a more consistent rhythm scheme with rising horns wrapped around Ted Nash's fluttering flute. The disc will appeal more or less to avant-garde jazz fans, who probably won't object to a meandering take on "Across the Universe" that seems to take as much time as a real trip. -- Jonathan Widran, AMG
CD for $15




A NEW ENTRY DIRECT FROM THE ART ENSEMBLE THEMSELVES!!!


ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Salutes The Chicago Blues Tradition [2 CD-R set] (Katalyst 012; USA) Sold only on tour by the AEC until now - we got these copies directly from the AEC themselves! Recorded in performance in Geneva Switzerland, July 7th, 1993, this was a special one-time performance of an augmented AEC with guests Herb Walker, Frank Lacy, James Carter, Amina Claudine Myers, and Chicago Beau!
2 CD set for $22


...AND BACK IN STOCK [our first big shipment a few weeks ago didn't last 10 seconds!] DIRECTLY FROM THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO THEMSELVES [and, as promised by us previously, lower prices now vis-a-vis their output on the Italian IL MANIFESTO label]...


ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Urban Magic (Musica Jazz 1150; Italy) Chronologically the last [officially released] recording to feature the late Lester Bowie, this CD originally came with an issue of the Italian 'Musica Jazz' magazine, making it a super-hard rarity to obtain. We got these copies directly from the AEC themselves! Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors & Don Moye live at Laroche-sur-Yon, France, June 4th. 1997
CD for $16

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO With MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS - Kabalaba: Live At Montreux Jazz Festival (Katalyst 004; USA) Finally available on CD!!! One of several recordings issued by the Art Ensemble's own label and the only one to document the group as a whole, Kabalaba is a live, 1974 performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival by the same augmented band (with the addition of Muhal Richard Abrams) that recorded the superb Fanfare for the Warriors album for Atlantic. Kabalaba offers a typically great example of the Art Ensemble's live concerts from around that time. There are several percussion interludes and solo horn features interspersed among stronger thematic pieces such as Theme for Sco, which gets an energetic workout here. Roscoe Mitchell produces an especially acerbic solo alto piece, Improvization A2 [sic], all gnarls and bitter asides, followed by one of Lester Bowie's patently puckish, smear-filled outings. The concert ends with a free-for-all multi-horn blowout. -- Brian Olewnick, AMG
CD $15.00 STOCK

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Reunion: Live In Rome (Il manifesto 122; Italy) Recorded in Rome in January of 2003 and featuring Roscoe Mitchell & (the return of) Joseph Jarman on multi-reeds, Malachi Favors on contrabass, Don Moye on drums with special guest Baba Sissoko on 'ngoni & tama and everyone on assorted percussion. With unfortunate passing of the Art Ensemble's grand trumpet wizard, Lester Bowie, in 1999, with some fans feeling, hoping that this wouldn't be the demise of the amazing Art Ensemble. The AEOC soldiered on as a trio, adding Ari Brown for a few gigs. Joyously, original member & reeds hero, Joseph Jarman, returned last year and is now back in the group, playing on both of their fine studio discs from 2003 on ECM and Pi. 'Reunion' captures our heroes in relaxed and enchanting setting with superb sound. Baba Sissoko's kora-like 'ngoni fits perfectly on a few tunes weaving a lovely, gentle tapestry. The colorful cover artwork and 28 page enclosed booklet is filled with a long history and memories of their appearances in Italy, as well as numerous photos. An obvious labor of love from a fine newer label that also released a live CD from Roscoe Mitchell's Note Factory and 2 from Don Moye in the last couple of years. The only sad note here is the recent passing of Malachi Favors into the great beyond - this is effectively the last recording to feature him. NEW LOWER PRICE
CD for $15

FAMOUDOU DON MOYE SUN PERCUSSION SUMMIT & MORE With BABA SISSOKO - Bamako Chicago Express (Il Manifesto 097; Italy) Featuring Famoudou Don Moye - Drums, Bells, Chekere, Djembe Herb Walker - Guitar, MIDI Gloves Enoch Williamson - Conga, Kalimba, Djembe, Dun-dun, Dundumba, Cowbell, Soloist Sela Allen - Voices, Chekere, Dundumba N'Goni - Soloist, Tama BallakŽ Sissoko - Vocals, Soloist, Tama Babu Atiba - Vocals, Chekere, Djembe, Wood Flute Koko Brunson - Piano (Electric) Joe Thomas - Bass (Electric) Live in Longiano, March 2002 NEW LOWER PRICE
CD for $15

ROSCOE MITCHELL & THE NOTE FACTORY With WADADA LEO SMITH/MATTHEW SHIPP/CRAIG TABORN et al - The Bad Guys: Live In Fano "Jazz By The Sea" 2000 (Il Manifesto 096; Italy) A. Spencer BarefieldÊ-ÊGuitar Roscoe MitchellÊ-ÊSaxophone Wadada Leo SmithÊ-ÊTrumpet Matthew ShippÊ-ÊPiano Harrison BankheadÊ-ÊDrums Jaribu ShahidÊ-ÊBass Tani TabbalÊ-ÊDrums Craig TabornÊ-ÊPiano Gerald CleaverÊ-ÊDrums Recorded live in Fano "Jazz by the Sea" on July 8th. 2000 NEW LOWER PRICE
CD for $15

MALACHI FAVORS MAGHOSTUT - Natural & The Spiritual (Katalyst 003; USA) Produced and recorded live in the studio in April of 1977 by the master bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut. I own this gem on vinyl, but I hadn't heard it in a long while. With the recent passing of The Art Ensemble of Chicago's monster bassist, it feels wonderful to hear this once again. Unamplified solo acoustic bass sounds just right by me. Malachi seems to also be playing percussion, whistles, a balaphon, zither (?) and the odd horn or two - those "little instruments" that are a part of the AACM/Art Ensemble axis. This multi-instrument spirit seems to have rubbed off on another master bassist - William Parker. There are some ancient spirits and organic vibes flowing through this solo effort - truly beautiful sounds!
CD for $15





ESSENTIAL REISSUES and RESTOCKS FOR THE END OF MAY, 2004:



A NEW EDITION - NOW ON ReR - OF THIS CLASSIC VIRGIN LABEL R.I.O. ALBUM FROM THE '70S

SLAPP HAPPY With HENRY COW - Desperate Straights (ReR HCSH 1; UK) The third ['74] Slapp Happy album, 'Desperate Straights' was recorded by the union of Slapp Happy with Henry Cow (Fred Frith, Chris Cutler, Tim Hodgkinson, Lindsay Cooper) as was most of what became the Cow's 4th album, 'In Praise Of Learning' (if you count this as the 3rd). Essential marriage of the two originators of all RIO bands to follow!
CD for $14

THE EX + TOM CORA - Scrabbling at the Lock (Ex Records 051) The Ex's twelfth album form 1991 was done in collaboration with the late great cellist/allsorts improviser Tom Cora. After producing an extensive discography through the '80s which contains some of the best avant-rock and post-punk put to record in the decade, the staunch Dutch independent group is paralleled by Fugazi in maintaining a strident autonomy in both business and aesthetic approaches. During the '80s they produced some of the most hard-hitting political punk, but by the beginning of the '90s were starting to experiment in new tangents that incorporated the influence of folk and free improvisation. Teaming up with the extraordinary avant-garde cellist Tom Cora of Skeleton Crew and Roof for his baffling solo cello improvisations, this formation explored the delicate modalities of European folk. A beautiful, candid recording that marks an inspired new tangent for the Ex which sparked themes that would run through their recordings for the remainder of the decade -- where folk and free improvisation would collide elegantly with their soaring autodidactic avant-rock. -- Skip Jansen, AMG
CD for $16

THE EX + TOM CORA - And the Weathermen Shrug Their Shoulders (Ex Records 057) The second album of this winning collaboration between the legendary independent post-punk group and avant garde cellist Tom Cora sees the group continue to indulge their collective love for European folk themes and free improvisation. At moments, the stuttering, angular Gang of Four sound rises up, and the group carries a stilted groove through the extended pieces, when their trademark skittering guitars walk a line between artful control and willful chaos, recalling their explosive Crass-like '80s sound. While the delicate melodious folk patters, curious improvised sound-searching marked a new tangent the group followed into a total free-form improvisation inspired by the likes of avant-garde jazz associates Han Bennink and Misha Mengelberg. They never left their punk roots behind, however. The Ex is one of the genre's most interesting and inventive groups. -- Skip Jansen, AMG
CD for $16




THREE MORE ESSENTIAL DISCS FROM THOSE LEGENDARY BRITISH JAZZ GENTS:


TUBBY HAYES/RONNIE SCOTT - The Couriers of Jazz (Carlton/Fresh Sound 1620) Featuring Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott on tenor saxes, Terry Shannon on piano, Jef Clyne on bass and Bill Eyden on drums. Two of England's finest tenor sax titans join forces for a wonderful straight ahead jazz date from the November of 1958. Five originals plus "My Funny Valentine", Moses Allison's "In Salah", "Star Eyes" and "Day In, Day Out". Both saxists have superb, warm tones and this is great as any domestic jazz from that period.
CD for $14

TUBBY HAYES - Live in London (Harkit 8072) Previously unreleased live recordings from Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London from 1963 - 1965. Legendary British tenor sax giant Tubby Hayes was the first jazz star to emerge from Great Britain, in the fifties and sixties, winning many fans on both sides of the Atlantic. This grand disc features over an hour of inspired blowing from a number of England's finest jazz folks - Jimmy Deucher, Gordon Beck, Terry Shannon, Jeff Clyne, Johnny Butts and more. Commencing with an interview from Tubby, just check out his fierce blowing throughout this wonderful live gem.
CD for $16

THE RENDELL/CARR QUINTET - Live in London (Harkit 8045) Featuring Don Rendell on tenor sax & flute, Ian Carr on flugelhorn, Michael Garrick on piano, Dave Green on bass and Trevor Tomkins on drums. Live at The Highwayman in November of 1965 and previously unreleased. The Rendell/Carr Quintet were amongst the best of England's modern jazz ensembles, having made a half dozen or so fine recordings during the mid-to-late sixties, currently available on Spotlite. All five members of this all-star quintet have had long histories on the British jazz scene. Ian Carr went on to lead Nucleus, an incredible early fusion band that ran a parallel course and shared members with Soft Machine, as well as becoming a great author of essential books on the British jazz scene and on Miles Davis. All originals except for one traditional song and an exquisite version of Neil Ardley's haunting theme "Shades of Blue".
CD for $16



LAST COPIES OF THESE OUT-OF-PRINT OGUN TITLES...

THE BLUE NOTES - Legacy: Live in South Afrika 1964 (Ogun 007; UK) Featuring Chris McGregor, piano, leader; Dudu Pukwana, alto saxophone; Nick Moyake, tenor saxophone; Mongezi Feza, trumpet; Johnny Dyani, bass; Louis Moholo, drums. Recorded live in Durban, South Africa, 1964, prior to the departure of The Blue Notes to appear by invitation at the Juan-Les-Pins Jazz Festival (and except for Nick Moyake in '69, never returning!)
CD for $20

HARRY MILLER [Feat. KEITH TIPPETT/MIKE OSBORNE/LOUIS MOHOLO/RADU MALFATTI/WILLEM BREUKER/TREVOR WATTS/SEAN BERGIN/HAN BENNINK/MARC CHARIG/MALCOLM GRIFFITHS/JULIE TIPPETTS [DRISCOLL]/WOLTER WIERBOS] - The Collection 1941-1983 [3 CD Box Set] (Ogun HMCD 1/2/3; UK) This 3CD set, including 28-page booklet, was released on 30 November 1999 as a memorial to Harry Miller and to mark the 25th anniversary of Ogun Records. It includes all of four previously released Ogun LPs led by Harry Miller in addition to the entirety of his LP for the Vara Jazz label:
CD 1:
HARRY MILLER - Children at play Featuring Harry Miller, double bass, flute, percussion effects. Recorded in 1974 in Hastings. Robert Wyatt played this for me when I visited him in 12/75 & it still touches me. - BLG
HARRY MILLER'S ISIPINGO -Family Affair [tracks 6-9] Harry Miller's Isipingo: Harry Miller, bass; Marc Charig, trumpet; Mike Osborne, alto saxophone; Malcolm Griffiths, trombone; Keith Tippett, piano; Louis Moholo, drums. Recorded at Battersea Arts Centre, London on 6 January 1977.
CD 2:
RADU MALFATTI/HARRY MILLER - Bracknell breakdown [tracks 1,2] featureHarry Miller, double bass; Radu Malfatti, trombone. Recorded on 29 July 1977, at South Hill Park, Bracknell.
HARRY MILLER SEXTET - In conference [tracks 3-7] Harry Miller Sextet: Harry Miller, bass; Willem Breuker, soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet; Trevor Watts, alto and soprano saxophones; Julie Tippetts, voice; Keith Tippett, piano; Louis Moholo, drums. Recorded at Redan Recorders, London in January 1978.
CD 3:
HARRY MILLER QUINTET - Down South Featuring: Harry Miller, bass; Marc Charig, cornet, alphorn; Wolter Wierbos, trombone; Sean Bergin, tenor, alto and soprano saxophones; Han Bennink, drums. Recorded at Vara Studio 2, Holland on 3 March 1983.
3 CD box set for $40



FINALLY! THE POPOL VUH ALBUMS GET THE QUALITY MASTERING THEY DESERVE - HAER ARE THE FIRST TWO OUT...

POPOL VUH - Affenstunde (SPV; Germany) Affenstunde is the debut recording by composer and multi-instrumentalist Florian Fricke's Popol Vuh, named for the sacred Mayan text. It was issued on the Liberty label in Germany in 1970 and has been in print, off and on, in Europe, Japan, and even in the United States sporadically since that time. For those completely dislocated by Tangerine Dream's early experiments in sonic terror and dynamics, Affenstunde is somehow akin yet very different. Fricke's synthesizers are more interested in pulse and circularity, not utter dislocation and shock. The music here all seems of a piece, despite the different selection titles and the single percussion piece on the set, "Dream, Pt. 5" -- primitive hand drums run through the middle of the mix. Other than this selection, the entire album would have made a fantastic soundtrack for Andrei Tarkovsky's film Solaris. The sheer momentum of the title cut, which closes the album and integrates spacious electronic soundscapes, ever deepening tonalities, found taped choral vocals whispering in the background, and percussion is one of the most provocative pieces to come from the Krautrock generation. This is an auspicious debut, which holds up wonderfully in the 21st century. -- Thom Jurek, AMG
CD for $16

POPOL VUH - Aguirre (SPV; Germany) The title track is the ubiquitous soundtrack in Werner Herzog's classic film Aguirre, the Wrath of God, an excellent movie about a doomed party of conquistadors gradually swallowed up by an uncaring jungle. Fricke created here a transcendent masterpiece of ambience; seriously some of the finest mellotron work I have ever heard, and I try to be conscientious about using such exaggerations sparingly. The two alternate versions [the second a bonus track for the CD] of "Aguirre" presented here differ only in their choice of codas. The first features a pan pipe ending, I think taken from the movie. The second features a full band conclusion. "Morgengruss," written by Fichelscher, seems to me a re-recorded version of the piece which originally appeared on the album EinsjŠger & SiebenjŠger. Similarly, "Agnus Dei" is pretty much a lengthy slice of "Gutes Land," also from EinsjŠger & SiebenjŠger. It was not re-recorded but openly spliced wholesale, except with a brief, alternate oboe opening. I assume the oboe player was an uncredited Robert Eliscu, as he had played with the band around this time. "Vergegenwartigung" is another high point, a collection of several dreamy musical vignettes. The first is the strongest, recalling the same calming and alternating light-dark atmosphere on Pink Floyd's "A Pillow of Winds." Djong Yun's vocals will fully possess the listener here. Another top-notch Popol Vuh release, though if it's of concern, be warned that it's definitely on the mellower side of an already mellow band. - GROUND & SKY
CD for $16





OUR BIGGEST SELECTION OF FRENCH RCA VICTOR GOLD SERIES REISSUES INCLUDES THE FIRST TWO SUPER-CLASSIC LEON THOMAS RECORDS...!!!
[and some restocks]


LEON THOMAS With OLIVER NELSON - Leon Thomas In Berlin: Recorded Live At The Berlin Philharmonic Hall (RCA Victor; EEC) A phenomenal recording, one of 3 Leon titles really worth having [along with Spirits Known and Blues And Soulful Truth] . With Oliver Nelson alto sax; Leon Thomas on vocals, organ, flute; Lex Humphries on drums, Gunter Lenz on bass, Sonny Morgan on conga, and Arthur Sterling on piano. The CD adds a rare cut from a Flying Dutchman sampler LP that was recorded at the Fillmore East in NY 1970. "Leon Thomas in Berlin" is an excellent example of the work of this almost forgotten vocalist. Thomas was very much a maverick in terms of his singing style, his use of the yodel and other effects turned his voice very much into another frontline musical instrument in much the same manner as scat was used by earlier singers . The lasting impression given by this is of a highly Afro - American form of the idiom which was much in fashion in the late 60's and early 70's. In many ways it is a great pity that this vibrant music has fallen so far from grace to be replaced by the mainstream conservatism that is so omni-present in a great deal of the performances which define Jazz at the present time. One of the real treats on this disc is the playing of Oliver Nelson on alto saxophone. His solos are absolutely blistering and serve as a reminder of why he was so at ease with as avant- garde and forceful a player as Eric Dolphy on many of the sessions under his own name . His performances here can only be described as exuberant and obviously act as a spur to drive Thomas in his improvised sections. The balance of the material is impeccable - all of the tunes are written by Thomas with the exception of "Straight No Chaser". Ronnie Scott is the master of ceremonies and after his introduction it is right into a highly swinging version of the Monk tune with imaginative vocalise from Thomas and a beautiful angular solo from Nelson . "Echoes " must be one of the most memorable of Thomas' tunes and I never tire of hearing "The Creator Has A Master Plan" - the rendition here is particularly fine . The rhythm section on this concert is superb and there are some memorable solos from Arthur Sterling on piano . "Pharoah's Tune " has a long introduction from Thomas which is in the form of a poetic recitation which is almost an insight into the "Rap" style of the future. This is a real gem of a re-release and I feel sure that it will become a favourite of anyone who is prepared to give this highly charged original music a chance." Dick Stafford - AMG
CD for $17

LEON THOMAS - Spirits Known And Unknown: New Vocal Frontiers (RCA Victor; EEC) This CD edition has the original 9 cuts from the album plus 9 bonus cuts involving multiple takes of 4 songs not included on the originall LP! Leon Thomas' debut solo recording after his tenure with Pharoah Sanders is a fine one. Teaming with a cast of musicians that includes bassist Cecil McBee, flutist James Spaulding, Roy Haynes, Lonnie Liston Smith, Richard Davis, and Sanders (listed here as "Little Rock"), etc. Thomas' patented yodel is in fine shape here, displayed alongside his singular lyric style and scat singing trademark. The set begins with a shorter, more lyrical version of Thomas' signature tune "The Creator Has a Master Plan," with the lyric riding easy and smooth alongside the yodel, which bubbles up only in the refrains. It's a different story on his own "One," with Davis' piano leading the charge and Spaulding blowing through the center of the track, Thomas alternates scatting and his moaning, yodeling, howling, across the lyrics, through them under them and in spite of them. It's an intense ride and one that sets up the glorious "Echoes." This tune is Thomas at his most spiritual and uplifting, carrying the mysterious drift of his tune entwined with Spaulding's flute and a set of Pan pipes, fluttering in and out of the mix before his wail comes to the fore as a solo. The end of side one reaches into Thomas' past (he sang with everyone from Count Basie to Grant Green and Mary Lou Williams) for a highly original read of Horace Silver's classic "Song for My Father." Thomas imbues the tune with so much emotion, it's a wonder he can keep it under wraps. The second half is more free-form in nature with "Damn Nam," a near rant, but one possessed with melodic vision and harmonic invention with this band. There's also the deeply moving "Malcolm's Gone," a co-write between Thomas and Sanders that features the latter's gorgeous blowing, hard and true in the middle of the mix, and a wildly spiritual Eastern vibe coming through in the improvisation. It's the longest track on the record, and one of the most criminally ignored in Thomas' long career. The album closes with Bell and Houston's "Let the Rain Fall on Me." It's a shimmering straight jazz number with a beautiful piano solo by Smith. It sends out a visionary album out on a sweet, soulful note. Ultimately, this is among Thomas' finest moments on record, proving his versatility and accessibility to an audience who, for too long already, had associated him too closely with the avant-garde and free jazz. -- Thom Jurek , AMG
CD for $17

LEON THOMAS - Blues And The Soulful Truth (RCA Victor; EEC) The late Leon Thomas was a vocalist who has proven to be influential among jazz and blues saxophonists, guitarists, and pianists, who've admitted their debt to his innovation. However, though there are many jazz and blues vocalists who have benefited from his style as well, he is seldom acknowledged for his highly original -- and idiosyncratic -- contribution to them. One can only speculate as to why, though Thomas' full-throated style which employed everything from yodels and Joe Turner-ish growls and shouts may have been too wide for anyone to grasp in its entirety without overtly sounding as if they were aping him. At the time of this reissue (2001), the only other Leon Thomas titles available under his own leadership were a European best-of collection and the inferior live album (badly edited), Sunrise on Gold Mountain. Blues and the Soulful Truth is among the artist's most enduring performances, either as a leader or sideman. There is his trademark, otherworldly modal improvisation on Gabor Szabo's exotica classic "Gypsy Queen," the deep, greasy gutbucket, funky blues of "Let's Go Down to Lucy" and "L-O-V-E," and the traditional tune "C.C. Rider" -- though Thomas' arrangement is anything but -- among a lengthy, eight-song set. Perhaps the most revealing examples of his singularity is his ability to interpret a song like John Lee Hooker's "Boom, Boom" as funky, jazzed-out, angular R&B -- enabled mightily by the saxophone stylings of Pee Wee Ellis and the criminally under-appreciated pianism of Neal Creque and the wild violin of John Blair -- after coming out of a pop-oriented soul tune such as "Love Each Other," written with a groove prevalent among commercial jazz and R&B recordings of the time, both sounding sincere, authentic, and completely full of the singer's presence. Indeed, on the aforementioned "Gypsy Queen" or his own "Shape Your Mind to Die," Thomas inhabits his material fully, as if nobody ever had ever sung or heard these songs and would ever sing them again. Also, the production innovation and percussive touches many of these tunes have yet to be repeated (Pharoah Sanders, Thomas' previous employer who introduced the singer to the world, adopted some of the artist's percussive techniques permanently), like the firecrackers raining against Airto Moreira's drums and Larry Coryell's ethereal guitar riffs, or the use of a "prepared" vibraphone and coat hangers in "China Doll," as they slip against the singer's wail and moan, and the elegant stick and brushwork of Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. In sum, Blues and the Soulful Truth (Which does echo Oliver Nelson's Blues and the Abstract Truth in vision as well as title), is a tour through the depth and dimension of Thomas' mind-blowing abilities as a singer in a wide range of African American musical traditions, proving at the time, and now again, that he was far more than a free jazz singer. Indeed, the artist not only was a stylist of originality, but a composer, arranger, ethnomusicologist, and a singer of startling beauty and power -- no matter the song. This album is a singular achievement, even among the fine recordings in Thomas' own catalogue, and should be considered first by those curious enough to look into his work -- you won't be disappointed no matter what you find, but this one will take you places you never anticipated going. -- Thom Jurek , AMG
CD for $17

LEON THOMAS - Full Circle (RCA Victor; EEC) Another offering from the man who yodeled his way into listeners' hearts on Pharoah Sanders' "The Creator Has a Master Plan," this is sure to please fans in search of more. Let the pimped-out picture on the front cover serve as a warning, though. There are not a lot of jazz fireworks here. This is not a record where Thomas' unusual style is matched by equally creative musicians who push and prod him to ecstatic heights; rather, this is a fairly straight-ahead pop and soul offering. The best moments on the record are those that stick to that groove, like the cover of "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," a simple song whose frame allows Thomas to kick free of this earth and roar into the stratosphere. - Rob Ferrier, AMG Featuring: Leon Thomas (vcl, whistling, maracas), Neil Creque (p), Richard Davis (b), Joe Beck, Lloyd Davis (g), Jimmy Owens (tp), Pee Wee Ellis (ss), Joe Farrell (ts,fl), Bernard Purdie (d), Herbie Lovelle, Richard Landrum, Sonny Morgan (perc), Leo Kahn, Gene Orlof
CD for $17

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES - Cosmic Funk (RCA Victor; EEC) Featuring: Lonnie Liston Smith (p), Donald Smith (vcl,p,fl), George Barron (ss,fl,perc), Al Anderson (b), Lawrence Killian (cga,perc), Art Gore (d), Doug Hammond (perc), Andrew Cyrille (perc), Ron Bridgewater (perc) Perhaps inspired by Herbie Hancock's work with the Headhunters, Smith began to emphasize funkier textures on his albums, starting with Cosmic Funk. This LP saw the debut of the Cosmic Echoes: Donald Smith (vocals, piano, flute), Art Gore (drums), Al Anderson (bass), George Barron (sax), and Lawrence Killian (percussion and conga). The album's slant towards soul flavors would remain a constant through the end of the decade, even though they'd always do standards like "Footprints" and "Naima."
CD for $17

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES - Expansions (RCA Victor; EEC) Featuring: Lonnie Liston Smith (vcl,g,p), Donald Smith (fl,vcl), David Hubbard (ss), Cecil McBee (b), Leopoldo Fleming, Lawrence Killian, Michael Carvin (perc), Art Gore (d) "When Lonnie Liston Smith left the Miles Davis band in 1974 for a solo career, he was, like so many of his fellow alumni, embarking on a musical odyssey. For a committed fusioneer, he had no idea at the time that he was about to enter an abyss that it would take him the better part of two decades to return from. Looking back upon his catalog from the period, this is the only record that stands out - not only from his own work, but also from every sense of the word: It is fully a jazz album, and a completely funky soul-jazz disc as well. Of the seven compositions here, six are by Smith, and the lone cover is of the Horace Silver classic, "Peace." The lineup includes bassist Cecil McBee, soprano saxophonist David Hubbard, tenor saxophonist Donald Smith (who doubles on flute), drummer Art Gore, and percussionists Lawrence Killian, Michael Carvin, and Leopoldo. Smith plays both piano and electric keyboards and keeps his compositions on the jazzy side - breezy, open, and full of groove playing that occasionally falls over to the funk side of the fence. It's obvious, on this album at least, that Smith was not completely comfortable with Miles' reliance on hard rock in his own mix. Summery and loose in feel, airy and free with its in-the-cut beats and stellar piano fills, Expansions prefigures a number of the "smooth jazz" greats here, without the studio slickness and turgid lack of imagination. The disc opens with the title track, with one of two vocals on the LP by Donald Smith (the other is the Silver tune). It's typical "peace and love and we've got to work together" stuff from the mid-'70s, but it's rendered soulfully and deeply without artifice. "Desert Nights" takes a loose Detroit jazz piano groove and layers flute and percussion over the top, making it irresistibly sensual and silky. It's fleshed out to the bursting point with Smith's piano; he plays a lush solo for the bridge and fills it to the brim with luxuriant tones from the middle register. "Summer Days" and "Voodoo Woman" are where the electric keyboards make their first appearance, but only as instruments capable of carrying the groove to the melody quickly, unobtrusively, and with a slinky grace that is infectious. The mixed bag/light-handed approach suits Smith so well here that it's a wonder he tried to hammer home the funk and disco on later releases so relentlessly. The music on Expansions is timeless soul-jazz, perfect in every era. Of all the fusion records of this type released in the mid-'70s, Expansions provided smoother jazzers and electronica's sampling wizards with more material that Smith could ever have anticipated. The French CD reissue is a 24-bit remaster with pristine sound and balance." Thom Jurek - AMG
CD for $17

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES - Astral Travelling (RCA Victor; EEC) Featuring: Lonnie Liston Smith (p), George Barron (ss,ts), Joe Beck (g), Cecil McBee (b), David Lee Jr (d), Badal Roy (tabla), Sonny Morgan, James Mtume, Geeta Vashi (perc) "In more recent years Lonnie Liston Smith has probably become more widely known for his work on the Hammond organ. However, on this 1973 session he plays piano and electric piano exclusively. The music on this disc is derivative of the style to be found in John Coltrane's later recordings and also shows the influence of the work of Gato Barbieri and Pharoah Sanders from this period. This is hardly surprising as Smith had performed quite extensively with the latter two artists. The music here is heavily textured and there is a very strong feeling of ensemble - in a floating, almost free manner as opposed to the more orthodox small group style. This session draws on many different cultures - there is a pronounced Indian influence brought about by the presence of Badal Roy on tabla. The title track is a fascinating, "spacey" piece with melodic soprano playing from Barron and imaginative use of the electric piano by the leader. This is recorded in the early days of the electric piano but Smith was obviously very aware of the potential sonic variations available to the inquisitive player of the instrument. The percussionists create a wonderful background of exotic sounds - as they do on much of this record. " Let Us Go " is very much in the mode of one of Coltrane's later, more meditative compositions - which is a strong recommendation to my ears. Once again George Barron plays some highly attractive soprano saxophone - invoking the feeling of a spiritual. I had not heard of Barron before and could find no mention of him in any of the normal reference works, which is a great pity as he has a most individual voice on both of the instruments featured on this record. His playing is smoother and rather less ferocious than many of the saxophonists who were contemporary with him. It is fascinating to hear this type of music played with a more pensive approach. "Rejuvenation" is a brighter number with a jazz waltz feeling a la "My Favourite Things" and once again Barron is to the fore on soprano. "I Mani " gives us our first opportunity to hear him on tenor - his playing on this instrument is more forceful here and he conjures up the spirit to be found in the performances of Coltrane and Sanders. Even on this more free sounding piece there is still a strong element of structure and control. The remainder of the music on this disc is equally good and the alternate takes are well worthy of their inclusion. This is strongly recommended to followers of the more thoughtful, probing music from this era and would make an excellent introduction for anyone new to this style of Jazz."
CD for $17

LONNIE LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES - Reflections Of A Golden Dream (RCA Victor; EEC) "The musicians on this album tell the story of the 70's, an era characterised by innocent sentimental mysticism as well as the carnal pleasures of dance music." This is the way the liner notes introduce this re-issue and it is perhaps as apt a summation of the contents of this disc as could be stated so concisely. The material contained here is definitely more commercial than "Astral Travelling" and there is a real move towards more danceable tempos and rhythms. Once again there is a firm emphasis on the use of electronically generated sounds, many of which are commonplace now, but at the time of this recording they would have been very much at the cutting edge of contemporary ideas. They are referred to as "electronic colourations" and a synthesised string sound is one of the ones used most regularly and to the greatest effect. Lonnie Liston Smith's piano is the major solo voice on these selections and he achieves a very relaxed, melodic approach on most of the titles. The horns are used mainly in a backing capacity and on "Peace & Love" are featured as a soul type section a la James Brown. Smith is the lead singer on "Golden Dreams " and " Get Down Everybody", which is an early rendition of what became known as the "Disco" style. The tracks that feature Donald Smith as vocalist are all very good - he is a far more natural singer than the leader and has a more soulful style of delivery. He is actually Lonnie's younger brother and also plays flute on some of the tunes. ( The flutes provide a mesmeric background on the title track.) Featuring: Lonnie Liston Smith (vcl,p), Joe Shepley, Jon Faddis (tp), Donald Smith (fl,vcl), David Hubbard (s,fl), George Opalisky, Arthur Kaplan (s), Al Anderson (b), Wilby Fletcher (d), Leopoldo Fleming, Guilherme Franco (perc), Maeretha Stewart, Patti Austin (bckng vcls)
CD for $17

ORNETTE COLEMAN - Friends And Neighbors: Ornette Live At Prince Street (RCA Victor; EEC) This disc contains one of Ornette Coleman's lesser-known sessions. In addition to his own alto (and occasional trumpet and violin), Coleman is joined by Dewey Redman on tenor, bassist Charlie Haden, drummer Ed Blackwell. The most notable tracks are the two extended pieces, "Long Time No See" and "Tomorrow." The music is typically adventurous, melodic in its own way, yet still pretty futuristic!
CD for $17

THE HEADHUNTERS - Survival Of The Fittest (RCA Victor; EEC) In 1975, Herbie Hancock's group the Headhunters, which brought him immense success at the time, released their first solo album. Produced by Hancock, but without his participation, the lineup features the Thrust group of Mike Clark on drums, Paul Jackson on bass, Bill Summers on percussion, and Bennie Maupin on various reeds, plus new guitarist DeWayne "Blackbird" McKnight, who toured with Hancock and performed on the Man-Child and Flood albums. They added a few guests: three further percussionists (Zak Diouf, Baba Duru Oshun and Harvey Mason Sr. -- the latter was the first Headhunters drummer) and flutist Joyce Jackson. While the thought of a Hancock-less Headhunters might puzzle some listeners, the group did extremely well without him -- in fact, Survival of the Fittest may be the ultimate space-funk album. The interplay between all musicians is tighter than tight, especially in the rhythm section of Jackson-Clark-Summers, who can effortlessly make everything groove and move. The first track, "God Make Me Funky," marks Jackson's debut as a lead vocalist -- a role he unfortunately wouldn't reprise too often. While his singing is a bit off-key, his vocals owe much to the blues tradition and carry great urgency and authenticity. At the end of the song, his voice is quite reminiscent of Ray Charles. The track starts off as a funky R&B number (the beginning bears close resemblance to their earlier "Palm Grease"), with background vocals being provided by the Pointer Sisters; it then turns into a fast chase with an intense, frantic Bennie Maupin solo which borders on the atonal. "Mugic" starts off like the funk version of "Watermelon Man," and turns out to be a showcase for Bill Summers' various percussion instruments. "Here and Now" starts aimlessly, develops into a lopey groove, and gains speed as Maupin delivers another excellent solo, accompanied by ethereal guitar sounds. "Daffy's Dance" is in a similar vein, though it's rhythmically more consistent and has a rather funny melody. "Rima" is extremely spacy -- McKnight's guitar serves as a substitute for keyboards and produces lots of freaky sounds; Joyce Jackson's echoey alto flute provides a good counterpart for Maupin's bass clarinet; Summers adds atmospheric percussion, and the groove is very subdued. The last track, "If You've Got It, You'll Get It," returns to a funk/R&B mode, featuring a catchy bass riff and a singalong chant, though this time McKnight steps into the solo spotlight. Survival of the Fittest is consistently interesting and features lots of great performances by excellent musicians -- and it never forgets to groove. Only released on very expensive CD in Japan...until now!
CD for $17





MORE "7 FOR THE PRICE OF 6" SALE CD ITEMS...


BOOKER LITTLE - Booker Little [aka 2nd Album] (Time; EEC) Trumpeter Booker Little's second session as a leader (there would only be four) is a quartet outing (with either Wynton Kelly or Tommy Flanagan on piano, bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Roy Haynes) that puts the emphasis on relaxed tempoes. Little's immediately recognizable melancholy sound and lyrical style are heard in top form on "Who Can I Turn To" and five of his originals, some of which deserve to be revived. His jazz waltz "The Grand Valse" (inspired by Sonny Rollins' "Valse Hot") is a highpoint of this set which has been reissued by Bainbridge/Time on CD. -- Scott Yanow, AMG CD $14.00 7 for 6 SALE.


All the good [early] Brain Auger albums..

BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY - Definitely What!É (Disconforme 1904; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr, original UK cover art This was Auger's proper solo debut album. It's billed to Brian Auger & the Trinity, but Julie Driscoll, who sang with Brian Auger & the Trinity on the act's most popular and best late-'60s recordings, is not present. Auger dominates the record not just with his organ, but also as composer of most of the original material, and as the vocalist. Auger was a good organ player, but not up to the level of the best British rock electric keyboardists of the 1960s, like Alan Price, Rod Argent, Graham Bond, and Vincent Crane. He's also no more than adequate as a singer and songwriter, and the record is only adequate, sounding like a more progressive-minded Georgie Fame. Auger's principal influences are obvious in the songs he covers by Booker T. & the MG's, Wes Montgomery, and Mose Allison, although there's also an odd version of "A Day in the Life" that is bolstered by an orchestra's worth of horns and strings. He gets into a Roland Kirk vibe on the title track, which is the longest, most ambitious, and not necessarily best cut. The CD reissue on Disconforme has a bonus track, "What You Gonna Do?," of undisclosed origin; it's a standard Brian Auger soul-rock original, taken from a vinyl source by the sound of things, as surface noise can be heard.
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY - Befour (Disconforme 1908; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr, original UK cover art Brian Auger's contribution to music has been considerable, someone who has demonstrated a rare devotion and dedication and who has always been prepared to make sacrifices for what he believed was right. Today, and perhaps belatedly, he is finally acknowledged as one of the most considerable influences in the development of new musical forms, based upon the fusion of two elements, pop and jazz.
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS - A Better Land (Disconforme 1910; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr. Brian Auger Keyboards Vocals, Barry Dean Guitar, Bass, Robbie McIntosh Drums, Jim Mullen Guitar. The first in a series of classic releases by Auger's most famous group, [following the demise of The Trinity with Julie Driscoll] Whereas Brian Auger had taken the lion's share of composing responsibility on the deft, labyrinthine, jazz-rock debut album by the Oblivion Express, guitarist Jim Mullensteps up to the plate in a big way here, writing or co-writing seven of A Better Land's nine tracks, and arranging "Marai's Wedding," a traditional tune. Auger wrote just one, "Tomorrow City," and co-wrote two with Mullen. The feel and vibe of the record is almost a mirror image of its predecessor from earlier in 1971. Mullen composed on the guitar, therefore, the languid, sparer approach to harmony is everywhere apparent. But it's the songs themselves, with their lush use of acoustic guitars, country music melodies, and early rock tropes, such as on "Dawn of Another Day," the Band-inspired "Trouble," and the ethereal melody of "Women of the Seasons." There is also a pair of tracks here written with future AWB boss Alan Gorrie. The lilting jazz in the lead is countered with infectious pop hooks. On the Auger tunes, "Fill Your Head With Laughter," and "Tomorrow City," R&B is at their hearts. A Better Land is one of the more enduring pop records from the era, with its ultra-sophisticated compositioning and arrangement skills. It's as if the Oblivion Express wanted to reveal themselves as capable of anything, which, of course, they were. This is a fantastic place to start any Brian Auger collection. -- Thom Jurek, AMG
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS - Oblivion Express (Disconforme 1909; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr. Brian Auger Keyboards Vocals, Barry Dean Guitar, Bass, Robbie McIntosh Drums, Jim Mullen Guitar. The first in a series of classic releases by Auger's most famous group, [following the demise of The Trinity with Julie Driscoll] The first outing by Brian Auger's jazz-rock ensemble theOblivion Express, first issued in 1971, is one of the great masterpieces of jazz-rock fusion. Auger, having just disbanded his longtime band the Trinity in 1969, still had plenty of rock and roll in his system. His yearning for the open frontiers of electric jazz was certainly the driving force -- in the same way that it was for Miles Davis on A Tribute to Jack Johnson, and Lifetime was for Tony Williams -- but it was anchored in the visceral application of rock. With guitarist Jim Mullen, bassist Barry Dean, and drummerRobbie McIntosh, Auger charted into the unknown. This album fits like a glove, each tune moving ever forward into the next. From the opening knotty, rhythmic twists in "Dragon Song," to the subterranean counterpoint in "Total Eclipse," to the band's theme song that closes the album with its pumping bass and guitar interludes, and Auger's Lemmy Kilmister-like vocals, Oblivion Express is a classic in its genre. There is a rawness in passion and intent here that is balanced by wondrously imaginative arrangements for rock band instrumentation, and an aesthetic that is disciplined and visionary. -- Thom Jurek, AMG
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS - Closer To It (Disconforme 1913; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr. The strongest studio recording by the Oblivion Express, Closer to It! is Brian Auger's classic. Featuring his best-known composition, "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend," this album soars on the strength of Auger's multiple keyboard attack. Auger himself takes the lead vocal slot for the first time on this recording, and though he relies on multi-tracking to fill out his sound, his vocals fit the music better than former (and later to return) vocalist Alex Ligertwood's did. Side two features covers of the jazz classic "Compared to What" and Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues," both of which add new depth to the original compositions. Lennox Laington's congas give the music a Santana-type of feel, and the whole album percolates from beginning to end. This 2002 reissue adds alternate mixes of four tracks from the album: "Whenever You're Ready," "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend," "Inner City Blues," and "Voices of Other Times."
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS - Second Wind (Disconforme 1911; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr. The centerpiece of this wondrous album is the Eddie Harris, Auger, and Ligertwood composition, "Freedom Jazz Dance," covered by everyone from War to the Beastie Boys. Simply put, this track is the pure embodiment of "groove jazz." With its shimmering opening of elongated chords against a tight, rhythmic shuffle, it leaves room for solos, turnabout melodic improvisations, and a melody that is as serpentine as it is infectious. Second Wind is chunky grooves, wondrously complex instrumental interludes, and inspiring performances, all adding up to a solid, adventurous chapter in Oblivion Express' history. 1972 saw the first personnel change in the Oblivion Expresswhen Scot guitarist and vocalist Alex Ligertwood joined the quartet. Second Wind was the band's third outing overall, and the first with its new singer. In typical fashion, Brian Auger upped the creative ante once again. Whereas the previous two albums -- the self-titled debut, and A Better Land -- had showcased, respectively, the mirroring jazz and pop sides of the band, Second Wind combines them regally. With Auger being free to arrange and play, his composing skills went through the roof. In addition, Ligertwood added to the compositional depth of the band, as evidenced by his fine work, "Truth," which opens the album with its riff-oriented jazz undercoat and rockist sheen. Ligertwood is an excellent rock vocalist, with his reedy middle-range voice and strained falsetto, he wrings the passion from his lyrics. Auger, here on B3, particularly, and on piano to a lesser degree, is simply dazzling on every track. The funky, jazzy grooves on this set are indicative of the direction Auger would mine on all of his future recordings (a fine example of their early fruit is on the driven, deep funk and roll of "Somebody Help Us.") The centerpiece of the album is the Eddie Harris, Auger, and Ligertwoodcomposition, "Freedom Jazz Dance," covered by everyone from War to the Beastie Boys. Simply put, this track is the pure embodiment of "groove jazz." With its shimmering opening of elongated chords against a tight, rhythmic shuffle, it leaves room for solos, turnabout melodic improvisations, and a melody that is as serpentine as it is infectious. Second Wind is chunky grooves, wondrously complex instrumental interludes, and inspiring performances, all adding up to a solid, adventurous chapter in Oblivion Express' history. -- Thom Jurek, AMG
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

JULIE DRISCOLL [TIPPETTS], BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY - The Mod Years (Disconforme 1922; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr; original US cover. The twenty-one tracks on this compilation of odds and ends from the '60s don't show up on Auger's regular 1960s albums (both with and without Julie Driscoll). As the title infers, Auger's early recordings were in a more straight-ahead R&B-rock vein than the jazzier and experimental ones he branched into on his albums, although you can certainly hear a good deal of Jimmy Smith-style playing on these cuts. The disc starts off with half a dozen 1967-68 items that are most likely from non-LP singles credited to Driscoll, Auger, and the Trinity (the liner notes are resolutely unhelpful in this respect), with Julie Driscoll singing on all but one. These are probably the most interesting, progressive elements on the compilation, including covers of Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's on Fire" and "I Am a Lonesome Hobo," David Ackles' "Road to Cairo," and a strong moody original by bassist David Ambrose, "As She Knows" (on which Auger takes vocals). The next five tracks have the most mysterious origins of any of the music on the album, being cut sometime between June 1965 and April 1967, and sounding like good demo showcases for Auger's forceful soul-jazz organ (particularly on the covers of "Green Onions" and Jimmy McGriff's "Kiko"). When he sings as well, the results are less impressive. Wrapping matters up are the nine tracks recorded in the mid-1960s by the Steampacket (with Driscoll, Long John Baldry, and Rod Stewart sharing vocals). Competent, but not remarkable, blue-eyed British soul, the Steampacket material has been floating around on various reissue packages for decades. Devoted Augerites will thus most likely be interested in the other songs, which tie up some of the most pop-oriented outings of his career and are generally pretty fair, though not outstanding. -- Richie Unterberger, AMG
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.

JULIE DRISCOLL [TIPPETTS], BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY - Streetnoise (Disconforme 1905; Spain) 24 bit digital rmstr. The super classic double LP complete from '68 on one CD! Superb pop-jazz/rock classic featuring the sly, dreamy voice of Julie (pre-Tippett) and groovin' organ of Brian Auger with the Trinity - Clive Thacker and Dave Ambrose - doing incredible originals like Czechoslovakia and making-it-our-own covers like Take Me To The Water (Nina Simone), Light My Fire (Doors/Morrison), and Save The Country (Laura Nyro). At times Julie sounds like Grace Slick, and occasionally like Janis, but she leaves them below and behind! 16 cuts in all.
CD $15.00 7 for 6 SALE.




A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE THOUGHT WE'D NEVER CARRY THE FRENCH 'A.P.C.' LABEL AGAIN - EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE GOT SOME INCREDIBLE [LASWELL RELATED] STUFF - 'CAUSE THE LABEL IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH - IT TOOK MONTHS TO GET THIS PACKAGE - AND THE PRICES ARE HIGH... BUT WE GET EMAILS EVERY DAY FOR 'EM, SO HERE GOES...


HAVANA MOOD [V.A.] - Havana Mood/Rhum & Bass [2 CD set] (APC 013; France) The 1st disc is original classic Cuban rhythmic folk songs - a great collection in itself. The 2nd disc (which was released on vinyl by APC as Havana Mood: Rhum And Bass - we no longer have that!) is Bill Laswell's drum and bass/dub remixes of the material from disc 1 - and its outstanding! This is unrelated to - and far better than - the 'Imaginary Cuba' CD that was released on Wicklow. Highly recommended!
2 CD set for $30

F. ROBERT LLOYD With SONNY SHARROCK/BILL LASWELL/ANTON FIER - Think About Brooklyn (APC 001; France) The group here features Sonny Sharrock [a MUST for Sharrock completists!], Anton Fier, Bill Laswell and 2nd guitarist (and vocalist on a couple of cuts) Francois Robert Lloyd. Great playing from this hybrid of the Golden Palominos rhythm section and the late/great guitar god of Last Exit, among so much other work. Recommended!
CD for $18.00

ABSTRACT DEPRESSIONISM [V.A.] - Abstract Depressionism (APC 011; France) Bizarre, dark yet wonderful rhythmic/ambient/sound sculpture stuff from Material, DXT, Eraldo Bernocchi, Mick Harris Hiroshi Fujiwara, and Mami Chan, produced and assembled by Laswell. A MannyLunch "Four thumbs up!"
CD for $18

LILI BONICHE - Boniche Dub (APC 009; France) Laswell took the tapes of the 'Alger Alger' album he produced for Lili, and made an absolutely great dub program out of the wonderful playing of this French Algerian emigre band. Recommended!
CD for $18

LILI BONICHE - Alger Alger (APC 008; France) French Algerian guitarist/singer Boniche and his excellent band produced here in the studio by Bill Laswell. Great ethnic music with complementary production!
CD for $18

THINK ABOUT MUSTAPHA [V.A.] - Think About Mustapha (APC 002; France) Nine cuts titled "Mustapha" - all different compositions, however - including both a vocal and instrumental version by Jonathan Richman (!), and instrumentals from Pascal Comelade, Gregoire Garrigues, Rachid Taha, Solo, and of especial interest, a gorgeous 11 minute instrumental by guitar (and world string instruments) great and longtime Laswell collaborationist Nicky Skopelitis, produced by Nicky and the Laz. Also added onto the CD are 2 bonus beat cuts. A great program throughout!
CD for $18

A.P.C. TRACKS [V.A.] - Vol 1 (APC 003; France) The documentation was never very clear, but the players seem to be Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis, J B Mondino, Henry Hanell and Bernard Zerri, creating a collection of infectious instrumental dancefloor cuts, ultimately evading classification; produced by Laswell. Great stuff!
CD for $18

A.P.C. TRACKS [V.A.] - Vol 2 (APC 004; France) The players here are Laswell, Nicky Skopelitis, Brain, Mami Chan, DXT, Natsuko Kimura, and Jean-Pierre Sluys - creating a 2nd collection of infectious instrumental dance floor cuts, ultimately evading classification; produced by Laswell. Great stuff again!
CD for $18




FUSION WENT BAD QUICKLY, TURNING INTO CHOPS-LADEN WALLPAPER/NEW AGE EXCESS, BUT HERE ARE 'THE' RECOMMENDED GEMS YOU SHOULDN'T BE WITHOUT


TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME With JOHN McLAUGHLIN & LARRY YOUNG - Emergency (Verve; USA) Tony Williams' Emergency was one of the first and most influential albums [originally a 2 LP set found complete here on 1 CD] in late-'60s fusion, a record that shattered the boundaries between jazz and rock. Working with guitarist John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young, Williams pushed into new territory, creating dense, adventurous, unpredictable soundscapes. With Emergency, Tony Williams helped create the foundation of the style and sound of fusion - and I don't mean the pretty wallpaper/slick unison chops stuff, but the abrasive collision between the worlds of rock and jazz, predating even Miles's work, who freely admitted that this came first! One of the essential recordings of all time - and a key McLaughlin album alongside his first 3 solo albums and the first line-up ['71-'73] of Mahavishnu Orchestra!!! - MannyLunch
CD for $15

JOHN McLAUGHLIN - Extrapolation (Polydor; USA) The first solo album from John McLaughlin remains on the short list of all-time classic recordings. Certainly along with fellow short-list items by Tony Williams "Emergency" and Miles's "Bitches Brew" - both of which featured John as well - these three '69 recordings effectively started the movement of rock and jazz fusion, and should not remained unheard/unowned by any sentient music lover. John Surman turns in some of his strongest work ever on this, propelled by the amazing rhythm section of Brian Odges on bass and monster percussionist/composer/improvisor Tony Oxley. "Googleplex-thumbs up!!" -Mannylunch & Bruce Gallanter
CD for $12

TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME With JOHN McLAUGHLIN/LARRY YOUNG/JACK BRUCE - Turn It Over (Verve) The better of the two albums the Tony Williams Lifetime recorded in 1970, Turn It Over, is a far more focused and powerful album than the loose, experimental Ego which followed it, and one of the more intense pieces of early jazz-rock fusion around. In parts, it's like Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys with much better chops. It's more rock-oriented and darker-hued than their debut, 1969's Emergency!, and the temporary addition of ex-Cream member Jack Bruce on bass and vocals alongside stalwart guitarist John McLaughlin [with whom Bruce recorded the instrumental album 'Things We Like' jsut before this] makes this something of a milestone of British progressive jazz. The album's primary flaw is that unlike the expansive double album Emergency!, these ten songs are tightly constricted into pop-song forms -- only a swinging cover of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Once I Loved" breaks the five-minute mark, and then only barely -- which reins in these marvelous soloists too much. This is particularly frustrating since pieces like the two-part "To Whom It May Concern" feature some outstanding solos (especially from McLaughlin and organist Larry Young, the group's secret weapon) that are frustratingly, tantalizingly short. Expanded to a double album, Turn It Over would probably surpass Emergency! as a pioneering jazz-rock fusion release; as it is, it's an exciting but mildly maddening session. -- Stewart Mason, AMG
Now if only Universal would release Bill Laswell's re-produced expanded/unedited version - with several tracks that have never seen the light of day - which has been completed and in the can for over five years, but put on indefinite hold ever since Universal bought Polygram/Verve. I've heard it and it's a joy! Shame!!! - MannyLunch
CD for $15

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA [JOHN McLAUGHLIN et al] - The Inner Mounting Flame (Sony; USA) This is the album that made John McLaughlin a semi-household name, a furious, high-energy, yet rigorously conceived meeting of virtuosos that, for all intents and purposes, defined the fusion of jazz and rock a year after Miles Davis' Bitches Brew breakthrough. It also inadvertently led to the derogatory connotation of the word fusion, for it paved the way for an army of imitators, many of whose excesses and commercial panderings devalued the entire movement. Though much was made of the influence of jazz-influenced improvisation in the Mahavishnu band, it is the rock element that predominates, stemming directly from the electronic innovations of Jimi Hendrix. The improvisations, particularly McLaughlin's post-Hendrix machine-gun assaults on double-necked electric guitar and Jerry Goodman's flights on electric violin, owe more to the freakouts that had been circulating in progressive rock circles than to jazz, based as they often are on ostinatos on one chord. These still sound genuinely thrilling today on CD, as McLaughlin and Goodman battle Jan Hammer's keyboards, Rick Laird's bass, and especially Billy Cobham's hard-charging drums, whose jazz-trained technique pushed the envelope for all rock drummers. There is also time out for quieter, reflective numbers that are drenched in studied spirituality ("A Lotus on Irish Streams") or irony ("You Know You Know"); McLaughlin was to do better in that department with less-driven colleagues elsewhere in his career. Aimed with absolute precision at young rock fans, this record was wildly popular in its day, and it may have been the cause of more blown-out home amplifiers than any other record this side of Deep Purple...or King Crimson! -- Richard S. Ginell, AMG
CD for $12

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA [JOHN McLAUGHLIN et al] - Birds Of Fire (Sony; USA) Emboldened by the popularity of Inner Mounting Flame among rock audiences, the first Mahavishnu Orchestra set out to further define and refine its blistering jazz-rock direction in its second -- and, no thanks to internal feuding, last -- studio album. Although it has much of the screaming rock energy and sometimes exaggerated competitive frenzy of its predecessor, Birds of Fire is audibly more varied in texture, even more tightly organized, and thankfully more musical in content. A remarkable example of precisely choreographed, high-speed solo trading -- with John McLaughlin, Jerry Goodman, and Jan Hammer all of one mind, supported by Billy Cobham's machine-gun drumming and Rick Laird's dancing bass -- can be heard on the aptly named "One Word," and the title track is a defining moment of the group's nearly atonal fury. The band also takes time out for a brief bit of spaced-out electronic burbling and static called "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love." Yet the most enticing pieces of music on the record are the gorgeous, almost pastoral opening and closing sections to "Open Country Joy," a relaxed, jocular bit of communal jamming that they ought to have pursued further. This album actually became a major crossover hit, rising to number 15 on the pop album charts, and it remains the key item in the first edition Mahavishnu Orchestra's slim discography. -- Richard S. Ginell, AMG
"Umpteen Thumbs Up!" - Mannylunch
CD for $12

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA [JOHN McLAUGHLIN et al] - The Lost Trident Session (Sony; USA) Bootlegged in the past, two-track mixes of the missing album were discovered in the vaults in the late 1990s, paving the way for its official release in 1999. Recorded in London on June 25, 1973, these sessions for a planned third Mahavishnu Orchestra album were shelved when the band decided to put out the live Between Nothingness And Eternity instead. (Interestingly enough, this album finally came out officially BECAUSE Sony was looking for the BNAE master tape - to make a high quality CD length remaster with the entire Central Park '73 concert - when they tripped over this. So we're still waiting for a quality transfer of that phenomenal live show - which I was at [MannyLunch]! Meanwhile the intended expanded/remaster of BNAE has yet to be realized.) It's thus the last of the three studio albums done by the original Mahavishnu lineup (with Cobham on drums, Goodman on violin, Hammer on keyboards and Laird on bass). Although McLaughlin had been the only composer on the first two Mahavishnu albums, he only penned half of the six tracks here, with Goodman, Hammer and Laird pitching in a song each. It's fiery, if perhaps over-busy at times, fusion, McLaughlin reaching his most feverish pitches in the frenetic concluding passage of the ten-minute "Trilogy." The numbers written by other members than McLaughlin tend to be a little more subdued, and perhaps unsurprisingly less inclined toward burning guitar solos. -- Richie Unterberger, AMG
CD for $12

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA [JOHN McLAUGHLIN et al] - Between Nothingness And Eternity (Sony; USA) Instead of releasing their finished 3rd studio album [now out as the Trident Sessions] back in '73, John Mclauglin and the original first lineup of the Orchestra [Billy Cobham, Rick Laird, Jerryu Goodman, Jan Hammer] opted to put out the new material played live! I was at this show in New York's Central Park, and it still remains one of the most memorable electric concerts of my life! Now, if only Sony would get off its ass and put out the expanded remaster of it, which is what they were attempting to do when they tripped over the Trident Sessions master!
"All Thumbs Up!" - Mannylunch
CD for $12

STANLEY CLARKE With TONY WILLIAMS/BILL CONNORS/JAN HAMMER - Stanley Clarke (Sony; USA) Stanley Clarke considers this '74 recording his first true solo album, having disowned the previous 'Children Of Forever' in many interviews; unfortunately, it's usually overlooked in the fuss made by the slick-fusion crowd over his follow-up 'School Days'. This is an intelligent, yet groove laden and deep-composition album split into two halves: the first part performed with electric bass, the latter half with stand-up acoustic. Everyone shines - in a musical way, not a chops display - especially Tony Williams, for whom this is possibly the best work [albeit in a straight rock/fusion mode] he did after 1971, a greatness not seen [on record] again until the very end with Laswell's Arcana albums. Just listen to the almost two minute drum solo that opens "Power", worth the price of admission alone! - MannyLunch
CD for $10


OVERLOOKED - BUT FINALLY STOCKED BY US...

VIKTOR KRAUSS With BILL FRISELL - Far From Enough (Nonesuch 79819; USA) Composer/double bassist Viktor Krauss has spent a great deal of time lurking in the shadows as a much sought-after session player. With an audio resumŽ that boasts collaborations with Sam Bush, the Chieftains, Lyle Lovett, Dolly Parton, and Bill Frisell, Krauss is no novice. His debut for Nonesuch Records, Far from Enough, features a band culled from the very core of progressive country, bluegrass, and jazz. Sister Alison Krauss, string giant Jerry Douglas, drummer Steve Jordan, and guitar icon Frisell return the favor on 11 moody instrumentals and one choice cover. Self-described as "a soundtrack without the movie" -- which should really be its own genre by now -- Far from Enough bristles with late-night electricity and post-dawn melancholy, utilizing its author's abilities like a canvas painting itself. -James Christopher Monger AMG
CD for $16

TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME With ALLAN HOLDSWORTH - Believe it (Sony; EEC) Great Fusion recording from '75 with Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Tony Newton on bass, and Alan Pasqua on keyboards. First-ever CD issue of this comes only from Europe, unfortunately.
For the REALLY GREAT Tony Williams stuff see above in our little recommended fusion section...
CD for $22

YOU'VE GOT YOUR ORDERS - Volume 1 (Chrome Peeler Records 1) Strange compilation featuring Nels Cline, Mark Arm, Bliss Blood, Mike Watt & Thurston Moore, Johnette Napalitano, Weasel Walter, Neil Fallon, Erik Larson, Bluebird, Harry Seitz, House of Low Culture, Chris Crude, Godstomper, Badgadget, Twink and many others. All musicians involved were given a song title and asked to contribute a song based on that request. I am only familiar with a few of the 22 artists on this cd, but much of the music is often compelling in one-way or another. Check out the website for the full list of participants at www.chromepeeler.0catch.com
CD for $10

YOU'VE GOT YOUR ORDERS - Volume Two (Chrome Peeler Records 2) Another ridiculously cool comp of some 22 artists composing songs with titles provided by Jason Ziemniak. This participants this time include Elliott Sharp, Jim Coleman, Nikki Sudden, Steve Mackay (from the Stooges), Phil Puleo, Silver Apples, Amps for Christ, John Easdale, Jim Coleman and many more. Check out the website for the full list of participants at www.chromepeeler.0catch.com
CD for $10





TWO BACK-TO-BACK WEEKLONG FESTIVALS KEPT US REALLY BUSY, SO NO NYC GIGS LIST THIS TIME AROUND, BUT WE HAPPILY MENTION THIS...

ZORN IMPROV WEEK at TONIC!
8 PM and 10 PM shows every night from Tuesday 6/1 to Saturday 6/5!
Participants will include Erik Friedlander (cello), Ikue Mori (drum machine / power book), Mark Dresser (bass), Cyro Baptista (percussion), Sylvie Courvoisier (piano), Tim Barnes (drums / percussion), Okkyung Lee (cello), Pamelia Kurstin (theremin), Shanir Blumenkranz (bass), Anton Fier (drums / electronics) & William Winant (percussion). A week-long improvisation festival with various configurations of these world-class performers.