Another Crazy Week of Phenomenal Discs from:

Larry Ochs & Orkestrova 2 CD Set, Mike Osborne Qts, 3 from Michael Moore's Ramboy, 4 from ECM: Marilyn Crispell & Jon Balke Solo pianos, Jacob Young & Bjornstad/Rypdal, 3 from Not Two: Cosmosamatics, Jeb Bishop Trio,

Joe Morris/Jim Hobbs/Luther Gray, 4 from Slam: Lol Coxhill, George Haslam & Paul Hession, Gunter Hampel 2 DVD Set, Byard Lancaster Unit, Mary Halvorson & Weasel Walter, The Flying Luttenbachers, Jason Spaceman & Sun City Girls

Jorrit Dijkstra's Tone Dialing, Dave Tronzo/ Giacomo Merega/Noah Kaplan, Vajra (w/ Haino & Kan Mikami), Steve Reich, Erik Satie, Margaret Leng Tan DVD, Kenneth Gaburo, Simon Wickham-Smith,

Daniel Lanois, Dub Syndicate, Adrian Sherwood, Robbie Basho, Jack Rose, Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre & even more historic discs!




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CRYPTOGRAMOPHONE 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!
Five Fabulous Nights at Jazz Standard in New York
Cryptonights - April 23rd - 27th

Jazz Standard is located at 116 E. 27th Street, New York. 212-576-2232

Friday April 25th
7:30 PM - Scott Amendola Band - Jenny Schein 9:30 & 11:30 PM - The Nels Cline Singers - Nels Cline - guitars, Devin Hoff - bs, Scott Amendola - drms, sounds

Saturday April 26th
7:30 PM - The Myra Melford /Ben Goldberg Quartet - Myra Melford - pno, Ben Goldberg - clar, Stomu Takeishi - bass, Scott Amendola - drums
9:30 & 11:30 PM - The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Bennie Maupin - woodwinds, Michal Tokaj - pno, Darek Oles - bs, Michael Stephans - drms, Munyungo Jackson - perc.

Sunday April 27th
7:30 & 9:30 PM - The Bennie Maupin Ensemble - Bennie Maupin - woodwinds, Michal Tokaj - pno, Darek Oles - bs, Michael Stephans - drms, Munyungo Jackson - perc.

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LARRY OCHS/ROVA SPECIAL SEXTET/ORKESTROVA - The Mirror World (For Stan Brakhage) [2 CD Set] (Metalanguage 2007; USA) Featuring the Rova Special Sextet and OrkestRova Orchestra performing two very different realizations of Larry Ochs' "The Mirror World" (for Stan Brakhage) The hand-painted films of legendary American film-maker Stan Brakhage have inspired these two extended landscapes in sound, composed by Larry Ochs in 2004/05. The collective personnel includes John Schott on guitar, Joan Jeanrenaud on cello, Lisle Ellis on bass, Ben Goldberg on clarinets, Steve Adams, Jon Raskin & Bruce Ackley on reeds, Darren Johnston on trumpet, William Winant, Gino Robair & Moe! Staiano on percussion with Larry Ochs conducting.
As a longtime fan and friend of Rova (Sax Quartet), I must admit that after some 25+ years, they still retain their unique serious magic and continue to challenge me/us with every release I/we've heard and every concert I/we've witnessed. I very well recall the first time I caught them live at Soundscape sitting in with Henry Kaiser in the early eighties as well as the last time I saw them at a gallery space somewhere midtown, perhaps last year. Both gigs, like all their concerts, were most memorable.
From where we sit, Larry Ochs seems to be the busiest member of the quartet, performing in NYC a couple of times a year. For this project in particular, it looks as if Mr. Ochs has worked even harder to make these two ensemble sessions even better. He certainly worked on the cover art and notes to be as fascinating as the music itself. Disc 1 or 'Realization1' is called "Hand" and it features a 17-piece ensemble with 3 members also cueing and Larry directing or doing traffic control. This is a sort of double ensemble with two cellos, two trombones, two trumpets, two electronics players and (mostly) two percussionists. The music was inspired by the experimental films of Stan Brakhage and does have a cinematic quality. Although it is an orchestra, the sounds are often sparse, suspense-filled and selectively spaced. Like Butch Morris or Walter Thompson, Mr. Ochs does a great job of molding the sound or sound-painting. Without a doubt, this is one of this year's finest recordings and packages. - BLG
2 CD Set for $26



An unheard treasure from Mike King's Reel Recordings label - As revealed in the liner notes of last week's amazing Ogun MO Trio reissue, this is the year to honor the life and work of the late Mike Osborne. The celebration continues...

MIKE OSBORNE QUARTETS - Force Of Nature (Reel Recordings 06; Canada) Osborne (1941-2007) was an alto saxophonist without a peer among his fellow countrymen, a musician of profound personality with a gift for jazz composition. Mike was first heard in the sixties as a soloist of incendiary character in the Mike Westbrook Concert Band, and his never less than passionate sound was ubiquitous through the heyday of British Jazz in the seventies. He recorded and performed extensively with the leading composers of the era; Chris McGregor, Michael Gibbs, and Barry Guy. With John Surman and Alan Skidmore, "Ozzie" as he was affectionately known by friends, formed the celebrated saxophone trio SOS, while also leading numerous bands under his own name. It's no secret that Mike Osborne suffered schizophrenia and in 1983 circumstances forced his retreat from London, robbing both Mike and his audience of further music making. In 2007 Reel Recordings, thanks to Andrey Henkin, approached Mike's guardian Terry Evans with recently uncovered Hi-Fidelity recordings of the Osborne Quartet in the early eighties, a hitherto undocumented period. Mike himself was delighted to hear the music back and blessed "Force of Nature" with deep admiration for his fellow musicians; trumpeter Dave Holdsworth, bassist Marcio Mattos, drummer Brian Abrahams. Together they blend the base ingredients of melody, harmony and rhythm toward boiling points beyond belief. To wit, the quartet's non-stop 42-minute performance before an appreciative audience in Koln, Germany. Included is a live-in-studio set with the muscular rhythm section of the Paul Bridge (1940-2001) and Tony Marsh. Together, these reel recordings provide proof positive that music from Mike Osborne truly is a Force of Nature.
CD $16



Three Great New Discs from Michael Moore's Ramboy Label:

MICHAEL MOORE With ERIK FRIEDLANDER/GUY KLUCEVSEK - Holocene (Ramboy 24; Netherlands) Featuring Michael Moore on alto sax & clarinets, Guy Klucevsek on accordion and Erik Friedlander on cello. The Holocene (or entirely new) epoch is the time period in which we are currently living, a period that Bob Dylan has called "the New Dark Ages." So say the enclosed liner notes to this disc. All thirteen song titles on this disc reflect this dark period, the post ice-age era that surrounds us, as things start to thaw. The music features a perfectly balanced trio of clarinets or alto sax, accordion and cello. Both Mr. Friedlander and Mr. Klucevsek were/are members of Dave Douglas' Charms of the Night Sky Trio. I wouldn't say that this music is necessarily dark, but it does fall between the cracks of categorization. On "Well On Our Way," time stops still as the accordion wheezes slowly, the stark clarinet hovers on the edge of the abyss and the cello is plucked and bowed gracefully yet minimally. Michael makes fragile, bird-like squeaks that speak directly without any obvious melodic content. On the very next song, the trio embraces a forlorn melody that is ever so quaint and rather romantic or perhaps old-fashioned. At times it is as if there are three ghosts that are creating a dialogue, with similar timbres. All three instruments seem to breathe together perfectly: the wood in the clarinet, cello and accordion, seems to give the trio a certain bond. The trio's combined sound ranges from elegant to solemn to poignant to eerie at times. This is a completely unique acoustic trio and one of this year's most luscious and tasty treasures. - BLG
CD $16

MICHAEL MOORE With AB BAARS/MICHAEL VATCHER - Fragile (Ramboy 25; Netherlands) Featuring Michael Moore on alto sax, clarinets & compositions w/ Harmen Fraanje (piano), Clemens van der Veen (bass), Michael Vatcher (drums/glass harp), and guest Ab Baars (clarinet). "Fragile" refers to the precariousness of human relationships and our eco-systems. All of these were written during a summer tour of 2007 and are about the caring folks who support the traveling musicians in a variety of ways. What struck me most about this disc is the often laid-back vibe and haunting melodies. I am not familiar with the pianist (Harmen Fraanje) or bassist (Clemens van der Veen) here, although I do know drum wiz Michael Vatcher from his superb work with Jewels & Binoculars, who played in our town this week (4/19/08) and were just incredible.
Starting with "Paint as You Like," we enter a lovely, elegant world that is poignant, with some delightfully restive clarinet by Mr. Moore. On two of these pieces, fellow ICP reeds wiz, Ab Baars, is added on clarinet. "Yahoo Day" features just Moore and Baars and is a delightfully quaint piece for two hushed reeds. The title piece, "Fragile" starts with Vatcher playing glass harp, which sounds as if he is rubbing glasses softly. I love the way that Mr. Vatcher insinuates the beat by playing just a minimum of taps of his cymbals. Moore plays some mighty fine bass clarinet on "Bagdad," which has a Monkish melody and elegant piano from Harmen. Every piece here is precious and filled with haunting melodies and is exquisitely played. At nearly 70-minutes long, it does take a bit of patience to appreciate this long dreamy journey. The riches are indeed great when you take the time to savor this entire treasure chest of enchanting songs. - BLG
CD $16

THE PERSONS [w/ MICHAEL MOORE / ERNST REIJSEGER / MICHAEL VATCHER] - Sweet Ears (Ramboy 23; Netherlands) Featuring Michael Moore - alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet & melodica, Ernst Reijseger - 'cello, Danny Petrow & Nick Kirgo - guitars, James "Sprocket" Royer - bass and Michael Vatcher - drums. This is the third disc from Michael Moore's electric ensemble called The Persons. The Person feature two electric guitarists, playing interlocking riffs and are much different from any other project that Mr. Moore has organized. We know Ernst Reijseger from his work with the ICP Orchestra (Moore is also a member) and Michael Vatcher from Jewels & Binoculars (Bob Dylan tribute trio with Moore & Lindsay Horner). The two guitarists and bass player, we only know from the previous discs by The Persons. Although "Vicky/Sweet Ears" starts with cello, clarinet and drums, we soon move into some intense free rock territory. Eventually both guitars get into some cool Talking Heads-like spastic rock/funk grooves. Mr. Moore even adds some funky chicken-like sax squawks here and there. I had to get up and dance during this tune and it sure felt great. "Sluggo" starts out as heavy and inventive rock instrumental and then evolves into a laid-back sax conclusion. "Humoroso" features some fine, bluesy slide guitar and sexy, late-night sax from Mr. Moore and an inspired plucked cello solo. What I find most interesting about this band/disc is the way Moore writes for the guitars, bass and cello. There are a number of engaging and intricate inter-locking riffs that make these pieces so fascinating. On "Ishi/Let 'em Ring," the guitars constant shift and evolve, playing around once another as the bass sails quickly underneath. It is quite progressive without any bombast. There are loads of surprises in store throughout this entire long (67-minute) disc. The Persons do not sound like anything else the Michael Moore does, yet remain consistently intriguing. - BLG
CD $16


New from ECM label:

MARILYN CRISPELL - Vignettes (ECM 2027; USA) Vignettes is Crispell's first solo piano album for ECM. As with her previous work for the label, she explores the lyrical, poetical, intimate side of her playing. The goal here, in performing fixed pieces or improvisations, is to play music from the heart and to rule out any habitual or stylized expression. The result is a remarkably pure musical journey, and one that traverses different territories, atmospheres, and scopes of feeling.
CD $17

KETIL BJORNSTAD/TERJE RYPDAL - Life In Leipzig (ECM 2052; USA) A live recording from the Leipzig Opera House is the debut documentation of the duo of Ketil Bjornstad and Terje Rypdal (active already since 1999). Material revisits pieces from Bjornstad's Water Stories and The Sea and from Rypdal's If Mountains Could Sing and Skywards, and adds a Grieg theme and new material. Cranked-amp electric guitar and acoustic piano is a rare, possibly unique, duo combination, but as Ketil notes in his tour diary liner notes, "I am not always the softest pianist, and especially not when I am working with Terje."
CD $17

JACOB YOUNG - Sideways (ECM 1997; Germany) Jacob Young guitars; Mathias Eick trumpet; Vidar Johansen bass clarinet, tenor saxophone; Mats Eilertsen double-bass; Jon Christensen drums; Second album by Norwegian/American guitarist Jacob Young features the working band first heard on Evening Falls, a group established to reflect the compatible styles and ideas of three generations of Norwegian jazz players, the age range of the band stretching from 28 (prizewinning trumpeter Matthias Eick) to 64 (veteran drumming genius Jon Christensen). For the group Young writes songs "with a lot of room for melodic interplay and improvisation". This time we also get to hear more of Young's highly attractive acoustic guitar playing, featured on six of the album's cuts.
CD $17

JON BALKE - Book Of Velocities (ECM 2010; USA) Norwegian pianist Jon Balke's first-ever solo disc is a remarkable 'book' of 19 short pieces, grouped into four chapters and an epilogue, of music composed and improvised, exploring a whole vocabulary of ideas, techniques, rhythms, textures and sound-colors. Resembling no other disc in the solo piano genre, this is another strikingly original release from the instigator of the Magnetic North Orchestra and Batagraf.
CD $17



New on the always-excellent Not Two label from Poland:

THE COSMOSAMATICS [w/ SONNY SIMMONS/MICHAEL MARCUS] - Free Within The Law (Not Two 792; Poland) This is the 8th disc by the great Cosmosamatics and this version of the band features Sonny Simmons on alto sax & English horn, Michael Marcus on tenor sax & Bb clarinet, Peter Herbert on contrabass and Art Lewis on drums. 'Free Within the Law' features seven pieces, written by either co-leader, Sonny Simmons or Michael Marcus. It was recorded both in the studio and live in Krakow, Poland in October of 2006. Each disc by the Cosmosamatics has featured a different rhythm section and each one has been great in similar/different ways. One of the things that makes this one special is the appearance of Peter Herbert, one of the under-recognized contrabassists who makes consistently superb solo, duo and bass ensemble discs. The first thing we hear on this disc is an eruption of bowed bass and powerful drums. When the two saxes come in, we enter free/jazz heaven with an explosion of wailing spirits. The next piece is Sonny's "Afro Funk" and it couldn't be more different. It does have a sly somewhat funky groove with a great blend of English horn (oboe-like) and clarinet. Both reed players take great, laid back solos together and apart. The vibe is a sort of middle-eastern one. "Janet's Moods" features some strong yet bent harmonies for the reeds and poignant solos for the alto sax and tenor sax with Peter strumming his bass sublimely behind them. You can tell that Sonny and Michael have been playing, touring and recording, for quite a while since there is a special magic that bonds their playing, a sympathetic vibration that blends the sound of both of their reeds into a perfect combination of inspired spirits. They often solo simultaneously, yet never get in each others way. Michael's "Morning Daffodil" has a lovely melody and is a most touching ballad-like song with a wonderful, Trane-like tenor solo by Michael. This great disc ends with another intense, fast and furious freer piece called "The Polish Rally," that brings this release to a masterful conclusion. It doesn't get much better than this! - BLG
CD $17

JEB BISHOP/HARRIS EISENSTADT/JASON ROEBKE - Tiebreaker (Not Two 789; Poland) Featuring Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jason Roebke on bass and Harris Eisenstadt on drums. This was recorded live at Re Club ib Krakow, Poland in October of 2006. Since leaving the Vandermark 5, trombone great Jeb Bishop has kept busy in a variety of settings: Globe Unity Orchestra, Flatlands Collective, Keefe Jackson and even more. Jeb has consistently knocked me out in any context I've heard, especially his playing with Globe Unity last year. This appears to be Jeb's third trio disc, although this trio includes our own local drum wiz, Harris Eisenstadt, another valuable musician who seems to get around. It is not just an improv date, but features some strong written material by all three players. "Round Two" has a great sort of funky groove with strong solos from Jeb and bassist, Jason Roebke, as well. "Jacket Weather" is part of a long suite (nearly 40 minutes) in which each member contributes a section. From some hard swinging to some most inventive drum and bass solos to different shifts and sections, often unexpected and always fascinating. Harris' "Mastertaker" is challenging piece that weaves its way through freer and more intricate parts, yet never seems to lose focus. Jeb's "Piggly Wiggly" brings this disc to a fine conclusion with another intense hard-swinging groove fest and a great trombone solo (by Mr. Bishop), pushed harder by the dynamic rhythm team of Jason Roebke on contrabass and Harris Eisenstadt on drums. An excellent trio offering! - BLG
CD $17

JIM HOBBS/JOE MORRIS/LUTHER GRAY - The Story Of Mankind (Not Two 793; Poland) Featuring Jim Hobbs on alto sax, Joe Morris on bass and Luther Gray on drums. This is a colossal improvised trio from Joe Morris that has been around for the past few years and continues to get better with each new release. For the first piece, Joe Morris sounds as if he is playing acoustic bass while the alto sax and drums swirl profusely around him, all three soaring together. Jim Hobbs leads the legendary Boston band, the Fully Celebrated Orchestra and is a monster saxist. Luther Gray has been playing with Mr. Morris for quite awhile and is also a most inventive drummer. Over the past half dozen years, Joe Morris has been switching to acoustic bass and sounds great no matter what he has in his hands. This trio means business and sails freely and fiercely in a whirlwind of activity. Joe bows up a storm at the start of "Lost in the Vastness of the Universe," which slows down to a sparse ballad-like piece. It reminds me "Song for Che" as Hobbs shows some of his Ornette influence and the trio moves into a more reflective, solemn vibe. "The Story of a Word" begins with odd drum groove with the drummer playing with his hands. It has a sort of twisted, mid-eastern funk groove and strong squealing and squawking sax. What I find most interesting about this disc is that it is not as "out" or "free" as what we may expect from Joe Morris and company. It does remain engaging, inventive and surprising in a number of other ways. Solid, Jackson! - BLG
CD $17

see below for restocks from Not Two



Four Fine New Discs from George Haslam's SLAM Label:

OXJAMS With LOL COXHILL/GEORGE HASLAM/RICHARD LEIGH HARRIS/STEVE KERSHAW - From Whichford HIll (Slam 323; UK) [Oxford Jazz Master Series] Featuring Lol Coxhill on soprano sax, George Haslam on bari sax & taragato, Richard Leigh Harris on piano and Steve Kershaw on double bass. Oxjams is the Oxford Jazz Masters Series, a government sponsored Sunday nights series that takes place at the historic Holywell Music Room in Oxford, UK. The main trio of Haslam, Harris and Kershaw has invited past masters like Evan Parker, Howard Riley and Paul Rutherford. Here they bring saxophone maverick and elder statesman of the soprano sax, Lol Coxhill, whose career stretches back more than fifty years, playing in extremely diverse situations from Alexis Korner, to Kevin Ayers to Steve Miller to The Damned to Derek Bailey's Company series. Lol has also played solo sets in nearly every sort of situation, outdoors, indoors and in between. Over the past few years, there has been a handful of excellent improv discs that has Lol has appeared on. Lol Coxhill continues to dazzle us still.
Lol and George Haslam begin this disc on soprano and taragato and sound splendid together, weaving their notes around one another superbly. Soon Richard's spacious piano and Steve's simmering bowed double bass enter and caress the two reeds with suspense. This recording has a warm, live sound and is nicely balanced. There is an amazing amount to sympathetic interlay between Lol and George, their reeds blend well in a variety of ways. Even when they use the opposite ends of the sax spectrum (baritone & soprano), they seem to weave their unique sounds into a joyous combination. "The Waltz of the Happy Buddhas" has a bluesy vibe with walking bass and adds something unexpected to the performance. Lol gets a long solo soprano piece that shows off his distinctive sound and playing and is just one of this disc's many delights. This is a splendid quartet that plays superbly together and explores the sonic terrain in consistently exciting ways from start to finish. Another winner from Slam! - BLG CD $16 HASLAM / PASTOR / KERSHAW / HESSION - Helios Suite (Slam 325; UK) Featuring George Haslam on bari sax & tarogato, Stefano Pastor on violin & percussion, Steve Kershaw on double bass and Paul Hession on drums.
CD $16

GIOVANNI SOLLIMA / ALESSANDRO GANDOLA - Astrolabioanima (Slam 516; UK) Giovanni Sollima on cello & voice and Alessandro Gandola on soprano sax. From the creative impulse of Giovanni Sollima and Alessandro Gandola comes Astrolabioanima, a completely new musical project, an original combination in which composition and improvisation occur simultaneously. The unusual instrumental combination of Violincello and Soprano Saxophone creates a broad crossover spanning from the two artists' backgrounds in Baroque music and jazz to include other musical genres such as rock, minimalism and folk music, with no self-imposed limits. The CD is the official creative documentation that led to the ASTROLABIOANIMA project. It contains the live recording of compositional improvisation, which turned out to be real compositions capable of thrills and surprise, thanks to the strength and freshness of a true creative gesture, documented in the immediacy of becoming.
CD $16

3BPM [MARTIN PICKETT / BEN TWYFORD / PAUL JEFFERIES] - First Hearing (Slam 274; UK) Featuring Martin Pickett on piano, Paul Jefferies on double bass and Ben Twyford on drums. This first CD from Oxfordshire based 3BPM captures the spirit of a classic acoustic Jazz trio. There is a real organic feel to the recording which takes the listener on a journey from the bluesy Van Morrison opener Cleaning Windows through exciting Latin cross rhythms of As Above to the delicious dream-like qualities of Ivor Lin's The Island. Pickett, Jefferies and Twyford have ample space in which to showcase their musical skills, the band works as a cohesive unit and the three original pieces by Pickett demonstrate a musical maturity that makes the whole album a melodic and rhythmic treat for a wide range of discerning listeners.
CD $16


GUNTER HAMPEL MUSIC + DANCE IMPROVISATION COMPANY - Communicative Encounters [2 DVD Set] (Birth 071214; Germany) Featuring Gunter Hampel - compositions, flute, vibes & bass clarinet, Johannes Schleiermacher on tenor sax, Bernd Oezsevim on drums plus Prince Alegs - dancing. Recorded in December of 2007. Gunter Hampel's Birth Records label will soon celebrate their 40th year on this planet as perhaps the first independent (avant) jazz label. Birth has more than a hundred releases of albums, CD's and now DVD's. Gunter Hampel put together this trio plus dancer some eight years ago, this being their fifth release. This DVD captures the extraordinary quartet on a big stage in Germany with multiple cameras used. Prince Alegs dancing is an integral part of the quartet as he spins and contorts himself, always finding a way to express himself as a part of the quartet. The three instrumentalists are well-matched and play the tight, yet free-flowing compositions of Gunter just right. The editing is also done well with seamless cross-fading and a variety of angles capturing the group from different perspectives. There are a number of solos, duos and trios that seem to organically unfold and blend into the next section. Both DVD's are some 45-minutes long and are consistently fascinating throughout. Gunter Hampel and his European Ensemble never cease to amaze who all who give him the time check out his endless treasure chest of audio and visual delights. - BLG
2 DVD Set for $16


J SPACEMAN/SUN CITY GIRLS - Mister Lonely: Music From A Film By Harmony Korine [sndtck] (Drag City 360; USA) "When Harmony Korine started the production for his film Mister Lonely back in 2006, he asked two of his favorite artists to send him music to accompany the images and scenes he was putting together. They were busy, so f*ck 'em, they get no ink here -- but both Jason Spaceman and Sun City Girls were actually his favorites anyway. Some of the sounds these two formidable musicals acts made comprise the all-new soundtrack album, Mister Lonely -- Music From A Film By Harmony Korine. Korine's previous films have found their truths in unblinking realities cross-cut with surreal images, exposing an emotional core that remains elusive after the movie is over -- ennui, delight, disgust, celebration... soft-core snuff porn? Mister Lonely subtly heightens all these effects with a narrative involving celebrity impersonators searching for a place where they just can be themselves and nuns who have discovered a new way to fly. The soundtrack for Mister Lonely is deceptively minimal -- a guitar or piano line that blinks past repetition and blushes into something grander; a motif reappearing under new auspices; link pieces that become spotlight moments, densely worked-out, stars in their own right. Classic soundtrack sounds are modern and nostalgic, which may make the progressive tilt of Mister Lonely 2008's #1 dark-horse chart-topper! Working independently and never collaborating (would you believe in studios right next door to each other? How about in same studio during different hours of the day?), Jason Spaceman and Sun City Girls employ an instrumental approach for the sounds here, with one or two chanted exceptions. Their music conspires in an exquisite corpse-like fashion -- without knowing what the other was doing, they've each brought half a body to the film, supplying the apparitional and austere sounds of a world in which everyone is something they're not, i.e. the people they dream of being."
CD $14
Also available on LP for $18


BYARD LANCASTER - Live at Macalester College (Porter 1500; USA) Free Jazz legend Byard Lancaster and Porter Records present some of the most dynamic and alive music you have ever heard! Featuring Byard Lancaster on saxes & trumpet, Sid Simmons on piano, Jerome Hunter or Paul Morrison or Calvin Hill on bass, JR Mitchell & Lester Lumley on percussion. "LIVE AT MACALESTER COLLEGE" has been transferred from the original master tapes with over 25 minutes of additional bonus material
CD $15



Three New Discs from Weasel Walter's UgExplode & Balance Point Acoustics, to be reviewed next week:

MARY HALVORSON/WEASEL WALTER - Opulence (ugExplode 26; USA) Featuring Mary Halvorson on guitar and Weasel Walter on drums. This was recorded live at The Stone during Mary's curation last February (2008) and presents two strong improvisers from vastly different backgrounds combining forces and coming up with successful and surprising results. CD $14

FLYING LUTTENBACHERS [WEASEL WALTER/MICHAEL COLLIGAN/KURT JOHNSON] - Trauma (ugExplode 13; USA)
CD $14

JACOB LINDSAY / AVA MENDOZA / DAMON SMITH / WEASEL WALTER - Jus (BalancePointAcoustics 13; USA)
CD $14


TONE DIALING [JORRIT DIJKSTRA/PAUL PALLESEN/STEVE HEATHER] - Rigop Me (Evil Rabbit 07; Netherlands) Featuring Jorrit Dijkstra on lyricon, analogue synth & loops, Paul Pallesen on guitar & analogue electronics and Steve Heather on drums, percussion & samples. Jorrit Dijkstra used to play alto sax and had a quartet disc with Guus Janssen (doing the music of Lee Konitz) and a duo disc with John Hollenbeck. Last year, Jorrit put together a project called Flatlands Collective, an all-star Chicago ensemble, with Jeb Bishop & Fred Lonberg-Holm. Jorrit has been moving more towards electronics using an analogue synth and a lyricon, an electronic wind instrument that was popular in the seventies. So for this disc, Jorrit has abandoned his alto sax altogether.
At first, I was worried that Jorrit's use of lyricon and analogue synth would be too much - perhaps this is that old jazz snob attitude that I have long since abandoned. This disc consists of six pieces, all live improvisations. The thing is they often do not sound improvised, they are very focused and song-like in the way they unfold. "Gumyt Me" has an eerie sound and subtle, suspense-filled groove. As the drummer plays a throbbing beat, the guitar and electronics drop selective sounds onto the sparse canvas. Quite mysterious and most effective. On "Fezex Me," the trio hums and buzzes with selective sonic layers of electronic crickets and other eerie electric insects. What I dig about this music is that there are no actual solos, it is creating images by altering textures and refining the sounds as they evolve. The trio sounds as if they are quietly rocking out on "Yoxia Me," that great pulse/groove and dreamy guitar are most effective. My head was nodding from side to side and I almost felt like dancing. Altogether this is a strange yet enchanting disc that doesn't quite sound like anything I've heard in a long while. - BLG
[limited time sale price]
CD $17


THE E.R.A. [SHAYNA DULBERGER/JONATHAN MORITZ/BRYAN SNOW/JOHN McLELLAN - Introducing The E.R.A. [ltd edition CD-R] (Empty Room; USA) Featuring Jonathan Moritz & Marcus Cummins on saxes, Ryan Snow on trombone, Chris Welcome on guitar & cello, Shayna Dulberger on acoustic bass and Juan Pablo Carletti & John McLellan on drums. I only recognize a couple of the names here like the young bassist Shayna Dulberger from her work with Ras Moshe and William Parker and John McLellan fom his work with Joe McPhee. I do recognize a few of the faces from being at the store as well. Considering that this ensemble consists of seven members with two saxes, two drums and trombone, guitar and bass, they do sound quite focused without everyone playing at the same time. Actually four of the members have contributed songs, so that this is not just a free-form fight. The first piece "Into Pieces" sounds as if it was conducted and is chamber-like. The layers of parts consist of different subgroups coming together with different harmonies glowing simultaneously. Each piece employs a different strategy of structure, although the pieces often unfold organically. "Septagon" sounds as if it is flows in slow motion. The under-recognized but great new bassist, Shayna Dulberger, sounds especially strong throughout this disc. Her piece, "Year of the Pig" swings, swirls and goes in and outside all in the space of six minutes. The thing I dig most about this disc is that everyone who contributed a piece, did something quite different. "Salome" features dreamy sax harmonies, elegant guitar and nice brushwork. A good deal of thought and preparation went into organizing this disc, hence there are a number of quiet and odd surprises in store. The E.R.A. is a most talented collective of individuals that shouldn't be ignored, since their time has certainly come. - BLG
CD $12


MAALLEM MOKHTAR GANIA - Gnawa Sufi Trance: Music Of Morocco [2 CD set] (Standard 101/02; Denmark) Maallem Mokhtar Gania is the brother of Maleem Mahmoud Ghania who worked with Pharoah Sanders and Bill Laswell on 'The Tance of Seven Colors' (Axiom). Both Maallem and Mahmoud are considered to by master musicians of the Gnawa dynasty in Morocco, their father was the late, great Boubker Gania. Maallem plays the gimbri and sings. He leads a nine-piece ensemble that includes the instrument qaraqab, as well as other singers and those who do handclaps. The pieces on this double disc are considered to Moroccan Trance Music and each piece is long (over 10 minutes). This is the real thing, true trance music that takes us along for the ride. The song titles are written in Arabic as well as English and the liner are most informative. Producer Torben Holleufer has done a most impressive job on this consistently strong double disc. He was just in town and will be working with Bill Laswell in the near future. We have just a handful of copies for now. -BLG
2 CD set for $20


GIACOMO MEREGA / DAVE TRONZO / NOAH KAPLAN - The Light And Other Things (Creative Nation 12; USA) Featuring David Tronzo on slide guitar & prepared guitar, Giacomo Merega on electric & prepared bass and Noah Kaplan on tenor & soprano sax. This trio met at New England Conservatory, where slide guitar wiz, Dave Tronzo, has been teaching. I wasn't familiar with Giacomo Merega or Noah Kaplan, before this disc, but I am glad to hear what they've come up with. What is great is to hear Tronzo's distinctive slide guitar sound and playing being utilized so well, since his recorded discs are so few and far between. I dig the way Giacomo comes up with this twisted bass lines, that fit so well with Tronzo's playing and sound. Giacomo sounds as if he playing a fretless bass and is pretty amazing himself. Their saxist, Noah, seems to float above and sail as the guitar and bass play interconnected passage together in most astonishing fashion. Giacomo does sound a bit like Tronzo's old pal and collaborator, Stomu Takeishi, no small feat. Each piece seems to involve a different direction or approach and all three players must find there way to make sense of where things lead. There are a number of surprising twists and turns and combinations of sounds. Like Keith Rowe, someone uses a radio to coax sounds through his axe. Consistently fascinating and occasionally edge-of-your-seat type of excitement. - BLG
CD $14


VAJRA [HAINO KEIJI/KAN MIKAMI/TOSHI ISHIZUKA] - Live (PSF 176; Japan) Guitar, vocals: Keiji Haino; guitar, vocals: Kan Mikami; percussion: Toshiaki Ishizuka. "First live album by the Japanese rock power trio to end all power trios -- Kan Mikami, Keiji Haino and Toshiaki Ishizuka!! This presents the group at a thrilling peak of their rock deconstruction-reconstruction praxis, one of those all too rare manifestations of the musical sublime. Mikami is in top blues testifying form, his voice a thing of cracked beauty and weathered power. Haino and Ishizuka infuse the songs with telepathic engagement -- constant layered motion, percussive blast-bombs and eruptions of black lava. Simply a ferocious record. Limited edition of 1000 in mini-LP style paper-sleeve." -- Alan Cummings.
CD $20

KAN MIKAMI - Juw (PSF 8027; Japan) "Latest in PSF's popular long-running series of solo releases by Kan Mikami. It's another coruscating slab of truly individualist Dada-folk-blues, obliquely twisted songcraft that refuses to pander to the banal realities of contemporary society. For those that choose to partake in its bounty, there's richness aplenty here -- the utter devastation and the unbearable ecstasy of the quotidian, transmitted just through six strings and the sandpaper rasp of Kan's vocal chords."
CD $20


MARGARET LENG TAN - Sorceress of the New Piano [DVD] (Mode 194; USA) Strumming the strings of a grand piano like a harp and performing Beethoven on toy piano are among the surprising scenes in Evans Chan's documentary, Sorceress of the New Piano (2004), which celebrates the trans-cultural career of Singapore-born, New York-based pianist Margaret Leng Tan, hailed by The New Yorker as "the diva of avant-garde pianism". "Featured performers and critics include Joan LaBarbara, Edward Rothstein (The New York Times), Mark Swed (Los Angeles Times), and Joshua Kosman (San Francisco Chronicle) share their thoughts on Tan's artistry and musical lineage.

With additional featured appearances by composers John Cage, George Crumb, Raphael Mostel, Toby Twining, Lois V Vierk, Somei Satoh and Ge Gan-ru. Incorporating vintage footage of Merce Cunningham's dance, Jasper Johns' art, and a Marcel Duchamp film; Sorceress also highlights Tan's latest transformation as the champion and pioneer of new repertoire for the toy piano.
DVD $22


CRISTINA VALDES - Piano (Liduvina; USA) Featuring solo piano compositions from Luciano Berio, Charles Ives, Henri Dutilleux, Theo Loevendie and Oliver Knussen. While volunteering at The Stone last Saturday (4/19/08), I was most impressed by a solo piano performance by Cristina Valdes. Ms. Valdes played compositions by Orlando Garcia, Olivier Messiaen, Giancinto Scelsi, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez and the NY premier of Kotoka Suzuki's "Hidden Voices." I was completely blown away by her selection of pieces and performance. I was able to get some copies of her fine solo CD to sell at our store.
Cristina begins with Charles Ives' "Hawthorne" and is already dazzling us with this early American modern classic. This piece shifts between dramatic, dense and uplifting waves, with some folksy melodies appearing in the second half. Henri Dutilleux is a French composer that I dig, but only have a few of his discs. His "Preludes pour Piano" is a more stark and mysterious piece that moves through delicate and then more barbed areas. Theo Loevendie's ""Strides" is dark, gripping and filled with suspense. I can hear a few different themes revolving at the same time. There is this one repeated high note that is a bit startling. Oliver Knussen's "Prayer Bell Sketch" is dedicated to another composer, Toru Takemitsu. It is a quiet, contemplative and often haunting piece. This disc concludes with Luciano Berio's gem "Sequenza IV" and it is an extraordinary work. Abstract and violent in part, yet well balanced with more calm and cautious moments. Overall, this is a strong and completely engaging program that is magnificently well played the one and only Cristina Valdes. - BLG
CD $12


STEVE REICH/AMADINDA PERCUSSION GROUP - Music For Mallet Instruments Voices And Organ (Hungaroton 31358; EEC) Includes the pieces "Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ" (1973), "Music for Pieces of Wood" (1973) & "Sextet" (1985). Performed by Amadinda Percussion Group
CD $17


ERIK SATIE - Socrate, 6 Nocturnes (Timpani 1141; EEC) 1993 recording featuring Billy Eidi (piano) & Jean Belliard (tenor). "Socrate"; "Six Nocturnes, Pour Piano"; "1er Menuet." Jean Belliard (tenor); Billy Eidi (piano).
CD $20


KENNETH GABURO - Lingua II: Maledetto/Antiphony VIII (Pogus 21047; USA) The work and thought of the American composer Kenneth Gaburo (1926-1993) exhibited many striking changes during his lifetime. In fact, while the world of commercial endeavor still insists that artists develop a recognizable personal "style," Gaburo's life-work can be seen as one of continual change and exploration, rather than one of codification and promotion. Some of these changes are beautifully illustrated by the two works on this CD, Maledetto, for seven speaking voices, from 1967-68, and Antiphony VIII (Revolution), for percussionist and electronic tape, from 1982-3. Both are intricate and powerful works, both take their inspiration from "non-musical" materials, and both require virtuosity of a most uncommon order. However, beyond that, the two works could not be more different
CD $12

SIMON WICKHAM-SMITH - Love & Lamentation (Pogus 21048; USA) For the composer, this was the most complex of all the "Multiple Tongues" works, because he wanted to use specific strings of words and the quality of writer Rachel Becker's voice somehow to comment on each another. "love & lamentation" started life as a setting for voice and electronics of part of the biblical Book of Lamentation, but it quickly became clear to that the literal setting of words was not going to convey the melancholic intimacy that needed to be expressed. As a teenager Wickham-Smith had heard Alain Gheerbrant's wonderful ethno-musicological recordings of a blind Turkish troubador and had fallen hopelessly in love with his voice and exquisite playing of the saz. About the same time, through his friend Richard Youngs, he had discovered also the ex tempore psalm singing of the Scottish Isle of Lewis. Fifteen years later, he decided that these two could be made somehow to work together to show the love and lamentation thaT he felt they both held in their deeper recesses, and which he wanted to present in this new piece. The result is a strange melee of feelings, repetitions and textures. From time to time we hear a somewhat bizarre percussion sample, which he had first worked on in 2000. Part 3 opens with an offcut from an unreleased (and now never-to-be-released) piece from 1999 called Deaf Piano. Veysel's voice starts the piece and revolves through Part 2 in a kind of hippy trance love-in fashion. The congregation from Lewis sing their melancholy in a sparser and maybe wilder way and die slowly away into the distance at the close.
CD $12


MICHAEL J SCHUMACHER - Five Sound Installations [DVD-ROM] (XI 133; USA) Five Sound Installations is a DVD-ROM (for MAC and PC) that contains 5 sound compositions generated in "real time" by a computer algorithm. The works are: "Room Piece Twenty-Four"; "Noema"; "Steiner Suite"; "Unintending"; "Scene." Mac: OS 10.3 or higher, 1 gig processor speed, 5 gig free disc space.
"NYC composer Michael Schumacher specializes in sound installations. It's not all he does, but he sure has realised a lot more than a few of them. I've experienced his sound enviroments around NYC at the Kitchen, MELA Foundation/Dream House, Experimental Intermedia and he's done even more at his own Studio V Beekman and Diapason. Previous CD realizations of the installations featured only the results of his computer programing/rule based composition, on this DVD is the same kind of program that runs the installations. This DVD must be installed on your computer to be heard, I used my Windows XP machine, although it can also be installed on a Mac. Included with the programming is a runtime version of Max/MSP. Once the program opens, a window pops open where I could set up my computers audio - the type of audio card/interface on my machine and two or more channels of sound. Once I selected one of the five compositions, I could control the volume through the software and I'm off to the races. Each work has a varied collection of samples...synthesizers, acoustic instruments, voices, city life, country life, conversations, auctions, water, mysterious unidentifiable sounds and so on that pop up and move around in the sound field. An unending collage of sound can now be experienced in the privacy of your own home." - David Beardsley.



DANIEL LANOIS//ADAM VOLICK & ADAM SAMUELS, dirs. - Here Is What Is [DVD] (Lanois.com; USA) "Here Is What Is" is a sonic journey that captures the art of making a record by one of the most distinctive and celebrated producers of our time. Directed by Adam Volick, Adam Samuels and Lanois, the film debuted at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival and offers viewers a rare chance to see Lanois at work behind a soundboard. The film opens up with a timeless piano performance by Garth Hudson (of the Band), one of Canada's finest pianists. Lanois then journeys from Toronto to Los Angeles to Shreveport, LA where he joins drummer Brian Blade's father at the Zion Baptist Church for a roaring rendition of "This May Be The Last Time". The film also journeys with Lanois to Morocco where he and mentor Brian Eno reminisce and record U2 in a stunning courtyard. - In stock next week
DVD $21

DANIEL LANOIS - Here Is What Is (Lanois.com; USA) This is not exactly the audio from the DVD documentary of the same name - it includes alternate versions of songs on that DVD, along with other materials.
CD $15


DUB SYNDICATE - Overdubbed (CCT3 16; USA) Featuring Adrian Sherwood, Bill Laswell, Style Scott, Errol Holt, Skip McDonald, Earl Smith, Bill Buchan, Nicky Skopelitis & many more. 'Overdubbed' is the nice price release for the stalwarts of Reggae & Dub. The collective of musicians & singers with the leadership of Style Scott and Adrian Sherwood is here presented in a 74 minutes Rob Smith megamix coming along with vocal contributions by Capleton, Luciano, Junior Reid, Big Youth, Cedric Myton, a.o.; - this is the ultimate chance to step in the house of Dub for a very consumer-friendly price! "Nothing rare, but it sounds great to me! " - BLG
CD $10

ADRIAN SHERWOOD - Becoming a Dub Cliche [2 CD Set] (Real World 136; USA) A special edition double album from the godfather of British dub, Adrian Sherwood. The wildly original and experimental producer explores Middle Eastern, Asian and heavy Jamaican sounds, with an A-list of vocal guests including the late, great Bim Sherman, reggae multi-instrumentalist Dennis Bovell, Little Roy, Lee 'LSK' Kenny, the Maffia's Mark Stewart and the legendary Lee 'Scratch' Perry.
2 CD Set for $18


ROBBIE BASHO - Bonn Ist Supreme (Bo Weavil 29; UK) "Another in the Wooden Weavil series, this time an unreleased live Robbie Basho recording from Germany in 1980. This program appears to have been recorded in one go. Robbie scatters his Americana numbers throughout, beginning with 'Redwood Ramble,' ending with 'California Raga.' This date finds Robbie in fine fettle, his playing sharpened by the intensity of touring, his mood seems ebullient, at times (as on 'Fandango') he comes off like John Lee Hooker's sun-kissed cousin, stomping furiously along to his playing. There is sweetness to his material, yes, but this is not, as Jack Rose put it, 'music for wineries.' There is the galloping muscularity of Basho's playing, coupled with the sheer hugeness of his sound; the fearless employment of dissonance as part of his musical make-up; a love for the unexpected chord change. Robbie was a voracious and uncompromising player. Basho's singing was as integral to who he was as his guitar playing, and when he opened his mouth, he filled the room with sound. Say what you like about his lyrics, no one can accuse Basho of dilettantism, of dabbling, or of trying something on merely for effect. Whatever bag he was in, he was in all the way. Liner notes from Glenn Jones & Stephen Basho-Junghans, and beautifully remastered by Glenn Jones."
CD $18

JACK ROSE - Dr. Ragtime And His Pals/Jack Rose [2 CD set] (Tequila Sunrise 5006/7; USA) Domestic version of Jack Rose's new full length, Dr. Ragtime And His Pals, coupled with a reissue of last year's self-titled CD/LP housed in a custom designed and fabricated off-set printed card cover with j-card style obi. Limited edition of 1000. "The Doctor, who hitherto has recorded only on his own, is joined here by Micah Blue Smaldone (who has been compared to both Tiny Tim and Kierkegaard), Glenn Jones (of Cul de Sac, last seen around these parts urging college students to contemplate the prospect of their own death on a balmy September evening), Michael Gangloff (late of Pelt and the Black Twig Pickers), Nathan Bowles (also of the Black Twig Pickers as well as the Spiral Joy Band) and the mysterious Harmonica Dan (from Pennsauken, New Jersey by way of ethereal caminos). This release is conjoined with a recording by Jack Rose, the Mike Morgan of the American minimalist neo-primitive sub-underground. This recording, entitled Jack Rose - previously available to the buying public only in severely limited forms - is here presented as a bonus to the consumer and perhaps as an act of folly for the producer." - Charles Fourier, Tequila Sunrise Records
2 CD set for $16


BEN REYNOLDS - Two Wings (Strange Attractors 54; USA) "Glasgow, Scotland guitarist Ben Reynolds has been a prominent player in and contributor to the United Kingdom's fertile underground psych/drone scene for many years. A current member of the long-running and highly influential Ashtray Navigations, Reynolds appears on numerous recordings in the tight-knit UK drone cabal, including those by the venerable Vibracathedral Orchestra and Sunroof, and his duo project Motor Ghost with Directing Hand's Alex Neilsen. Entirely improvised, Two Wings effortlessly weaves shimmering melodic lines together to form spontaneous compositions of dazzling depth and clarity. Incorporating a variety of pacing techniques with his fingerpicking style, Reynolds explores a linearity that harkens back to the American ragas of Robbie Basho, while exposing Middle Eastern influences much like the acoustic trickery of Sir Richard Bishop. The last tune on Two Wings is a written composition, utterly graceful yet striking in its similarities to the spontaneous compositions, underlying the lyrical quality in Reynold's music making. Two Wings is a remarkably unique, non-traditional take on the steel string tradition from a budding musical talent."
CD $14


MOTORPSYCHO - Little Lucid Moments (Rune Grammofon 2073; EEC) Motorpsycho was founded in 1989 in Trondheim, Norway's third biggest city, when mainstays Bent Saether (bass, vocals) and Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan (guitar, vocals) were joined by drummer Kjell Runar "Killer" Jenssen. The first album, Lobotomizer, was released in 1991 after which Killer quit and Hakon Gebhardt took over the drums for many years to come. Gebhardt left in 2005 before the recording of Black Hole/Blank Canvas where Bent and Snah did most of the drumming themselves. With Little Lucid Moments they have a new, permanent drummer. Kenneth Kapstad is also a member of Animal Apha and Monolitich and has played with Dadafon, Gate, Cucumber and Soundtank. Helge Sten, aka Deathprod, is back as a co-producer of Lucid Little Moments, and Kim Hiorthoy also returns to design the album sleeve. With 1993's Demon Box, Motorpsycho were already laying down the blueprint for much of the stoner psychedelia that would spawn a number of bands many years later. Since then, and several albums later, they have developed their personal style to sometimes include delicate use of brass, strings and other instrumentation, even flirting with pop structures and shorter songs, but never abandoning the original spirit of Motorpsycho and the long classic epics like "Demon Box," "The Wheel," "The Golden Core," "Un Chien D'Espace," "Vortex Surfer" and "Radiator Freak." With four long, energetic and evolving tracks ranging from 11 to 21 minutes, Little Lucid Moments is in every way what many hardcore fans will consider to be classic Motorpsycho in full flight. The album was recorded by Helge Sten and mixed by Jorgen Traeen (Jaga Jazzist, Sondre Lerche). Mastered by U.S. mastering guru, Bob Katz.
CD $17


TOSHIMARU NAKAMURA & ENGLISH [JOE FOSTER/BONNIE JONES] - One Day (Erstwhile 53; USA) "A collaboration from the world-renowned no-input mixing board jammer Toshimaru Nakamura and the group English; which subsists of Bonnie Jones (one of Baltimore's best kept secrets) and co-conspirator Joe Foster. English formed, ironically, in Korea during Bonnie's brief stay there; expanding upon and nourished by Korea's growing experimental scene. The meeting of these three electronic musicians occurred in Tokyo, Japan, which is fitting due to their tight-rope walking of subgenre-defying music, that is expected from that part of the world. What we get from such a combination are bristling enthusiastic micro-sounds that wanders into a territory which seems like a wonderful blend of onkyo musical movement while bathing in the waters of extreme noise from time to time. The sonic peaks and valleys create a beautiful landscape filled with mysterious gardens and fruits filled with blood and sweat. Unpredictable and very fresh! With some great artwork by Erin Womak. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!" - Chuck Bettis/DMG
CD $13.

PANSONIC - Kuvaputki (Cathode Ray Tube) [DVD] (Blast First DVD09; UK) Region 0 NTSC. "I remembering seeing Pan Sonic back in 99' in Washington, DC with some amazing visuals (for back then) utilizing sound waves projected onto a small class room size movie screen. The 'immediacy' and sheer bare bones aesthetics appealed to me and allowed this listener to be fully pulled into the world of Pan Sonic. Now post-itunes era, these visual accompaniments by Edward Quist stream close to what the major conglomerates have regurgitated, but more so to fuck with and less to assimilate, much akin to Ilpo & Mika's choice for a band name. Their music continues in the thematic direction of pushing the boundaries of pulses and noise; and as you go deeper into the DVD you get less generic visual manipulation, and more visual noise! Visually triggering a soft spot in my memory bank of when I used to listen to music in the dark while staring at a strobe light. There is even some footage of Pan Sonic live in New York 1/24/00, where you see (a grainy video of) Ilpo & Mika up close knob-twiddling, which is located in the extras section. Too bad they didn't include a live section of the gig I witnessed. Epileptics beware! For those yearning for creative electronic music that straddles the line between recognizably hypnotic and absurd abrasions. The dvd also has an option for surround sound (for those who have that luxury). RECOMMENDED!" -Chuck Bettis/DMG
DVD $16



Repressed - and at a lower price!

HARRIS EISENSTADT - The All Seeing Eye + Octets (Poobah 07; USA) "For his sixth recording as a leader, drummer/composer Harris Eisenstadt takes on two different-but-related tasks; re-imagining the classic Wayne Shorter recording The All Seeing Eye and interpreting two new Eisenstadt chamber octets. Eschewing saxophones, trombone and piano -- Eisenstadt mixes a balance of wood (clarinet and bass clarinet) and metal (vibraphone) to re-cast The All Seeing Eye and Eisenstadt's octets as both forward-looking modern composition/improvisation and roots music."
CD $13



Books back in stock:

HENRY GRIMES - Signs Along The Road: Poetry [Book] (Buddy's Knife; Germany) In the '50s and '60s, Henry Grimes played with the giants of jazz of that time: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Roy Haynes, McCoy Tyner, Don Cherry, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Roswell Rudd, Bill Dixon, Frank Wright, and many more. Then he suddenly disappeared from the music world without a trace... only to surface again thirty years later (in spite of the obits in various jazz magazines) with a musical presence more intense and imaginative than ever. His return to the limelight of the New York clubs was THE event in the jazz world. "All about Jazz"/New York nominated him "Musician of the Year" in 2003.
For two decades the master bassist had not touched an instrument. Instead he wrote. Henry Grimes' poems express his links with the world when his own world was marked by painful break-ups. His poems express his inner musical cosmos when he found it impossible to play the bass: the testimony of a musician without an instrument....But always a musician!
I've read through this book a few times and felt that Henry's poetry is truly wonderful. Word is that Henry has numerous notebooks of more poetry just waiting to be published.
BOOK $22

WILLIAM PARKER - Who Owns Music? [Book] (Buddy's Knife; Germany) William Parker is not only one of the most important composers and bassists in the creative music world, he also occupies an influential role as an integral figure in contemporary US avant-jazz, for example through his association with the annual New Yorker Vision Festival. This jazz festival is the successor of the Sound Unity Festival, which he initiated in 1984 together with Peter Kowald.
In the 1970s he led his own groups such as "Centering Music And Dance Ensemble", "The Aumie Orchestra", and was a member of groups lead by Cecil Taylor, Frank Lowe, and Don Cherry. In the 1980's he played with Bill Dixon, Peter Brotzmann, David S. Ware and Matthew Shipp. In 1993 he started his quartet called In Order To Survive and the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra in 1994 and more recently, "The William Parker Quartet", and quintet "Raining On The Moon" as well as other special projects including the inside songs of Curtis Mayfield "Music And The Shadow People" and many others.
"who owns music?" assembles William Parker's political thoughts, his musicological essays and his poems. He writes as musician, as teacher, as son, as father, but primarily as a human being, to whom it is important to contribute to shaping the world according to his spirit. The texts are both statements and dreams, just as many of his improvisations in their own right.
BOOK $24




and [finally!] restocks from Not Two...

3D [CHRISTOPHER DELL/CHRIS DAHLGREN/MAURICE DE MARTIN] - ...Actually It's Better Like This... (Not Two 756; EEC)
CD $17

BASEMENT RESEARCH [GEBHARD ULLMANN/TONY MALABY/DREW GRESS/PHIL HAYNES] - Basement Research Live In Munster (Not Two 773; EEC) Featuring Gebhard Ullmann on tenor & soprano saxes & bass clarinet, Tony Malaby on tenor sax, Drew Gress on bass and Phil Haynes on drums. One of the things that make this disc and quartet so special is the often warm and well-matched playing of both saxists. The other great quality is the consistently strong composing and spirited playing throughout. Well done. - BLG
CD $17

ANTHONY BRAXTON/CHRIS DAHLGREN - ABCD (Not Two 768; EEC) Featuring Anthony Braxton on sopranino, soprano, Eb, F-alto, baritone & bass saxes & Bb clarinet and Chris Dahlgren on double bass, preparations & electronics. Both Mr. Braxton and Mr. Dahlgren contribute 4 pieces each, although what we really get is four versions of Braxton's "No. 316" and four versions of Dahlgren's "Penumbra for Woodwind(s) & Bass(es)". This duo blurs the line between "new music" (or modern classical) and avant-jazz. For many of us, it no longer matters if it "swings", what does matter is if this music provides food for thought. - BLG
CD $17

DANIEL CARTER/SHANIR EZRA BLUMENKRANZ/KEVIN ZUBEK - Chinatown (Not Two 753; EEC) Featuring Daniel on tenor & soprano saxes, trumpet, flute & clarinet; Shanir on bass & oud and Kevin on drums & percussion. You just gotta love the unstoppable Daniel Carter for constant resourcefulness by playing more inspired and diverse musicians no matter what their background or genre is.This hour-long set is wonderfully inspired and free-flowing throughout.
CD $17

CONTEMPORARY QUARTET [MARCIN OLES/RUDI MAHALL/MIRCEA TIBERIAN/BARTLOMIEJ BRAT OLES] - Play the Music Of ... (Not Two 744; EEC)
CD $17

THE COSMOSAMATICS [SONNY SIMMONS/MICHAEL MARCUS/MASA KAMAGUCHI/JAY ROSEN] - Reeds & Birds (Not Two 757; EEC) This version of The great Cosmosamatics features Sonny Simmons on alto sax, English horn & vocals, Michael Marcus on tenor sax, saxello & b-flat clarinet and Clifford Barbaro on drums for all but the last track in which they use Jay Rosen on drums. This and every Cosmosamatics release has been a true treasure. - BLG
CD $17

THE COSMOSAMATICS [SONNY SIMMONS/MICHAEL MARCUS/MASA KAMAGUCHI/JAY ROSEN] - Zetrons (Not Two 764; EEC) Featuring Sonny Simmons on alto sax & English horn, Michael Marcus on tenor sax & B-flat clarinet, Masa Kamaguchi on acoustic bass and Jay Rosen on drums. This is the 7th disc from the fabulous Cosmosamatics in less than five years and again, they deliver the gold.
CD $17

DOMINIC DUVAL - Songs For Krakow (Not Two 778; EEC) Solo contrabass recorded live at Alchemia in Krakow, Poland in November of 2006. Touching, tasty and often quite intense. - BLG
CD $17

MARCO ENEIDI/PETER KOWALD/DAMON SMITH/SPIRIT - Ghetto Calypso (Not Two 769; EEC)
CD $17

JOE FONDA/MICHAEL JEFRY STEVENS GROUP With HARVEY SORGEN - Trio (Not Two 781; EEC) Featuring Michael Jefry Stevens on piano, Joe Fonda on contrabass and Harvey Sorgen on drums. This is the tenth disc from the great Fonda/Stevens Group, but it is the first one to feature them stripped down to a trio. The many years they have been together truly shows - they consistently flow together as one formidable force. - BLG
CD $17

SATOKO FUJII QUARTET With NATSUKI TAMURA/TATSUYA YOSHIDA/TAKEHARU HAYAKAWA - Zephyros (Not Two 752; EEC) Featuring Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Satoko Fujii on piano & compositions, Takeharu Hayakawa on electric bass and Tatsuya Yoshida (from RUINS!) on drums & voice. Once more Satoko Fujii's outstanding quartet delivers!
CD $17

SATOKO FUJII/NATSUKI TAMURA - In Krakow In November (Not Two 774; EEC) This is a superbly recorded studio date recorded in Poland in November of 2005 featuring Satoko Fujii on piano (3 compositions) and Natsuki Tamura (5 compositions) on trumpet. All of these tracks have been recorded before by various other ensembles by Fujii and Tamura. With just the two instruments on this disc, we hear more of the pure essense of the compositions, revealing an engaging playfulness and often serene introspection, mixed with some of the characteristic Fujii/Tamura intensity (North Wind). - Dan McClenaghan, AAJ
CD $17

THE GANELIN TRIO PRIORITY [VYACHESLAV 'SLAVA' GANELIN/PETRAS VYSNIAUSKAS/KLAUS KUGEL] - Live In Lugano 2006 (Not Two 783; EEC) Featuring Vyacheslav Ganelin on piano, synth & percussion, Petras Vysniauskas on soprano sax and Klaus Kugel on drums & percussion. There are animated, cartoon-like segments - and soft, lyrical sections and intense, majestic areas. Superbly recorded, perfectly balanced and extraordinary throughout. - BLG
CD $17

HASIDIC NEW WAVE [FRANK LONDON/GREG WALL] - Live In Cracow (Not Two 706; EEC) Recorded live 6/30/98 with the killer lineup of London, Wall, Dave Fiuczynski, Fima Ephron, and Aaron Alexander! Really hard to come by - grab it now!
CD $17

DARREN JOHNSTON/FRED FRITH/LARRY OCHS/DEVIN HOFF/CHES SMITH - Reasons For Moving (Not Two 779; EEC) Featuring Fred Frith on electric guitar, Darren Johnston on trumpet, Larry Ochs on tenor & sopranino saxes, Devin Hoff on bass and Ches Smith on drums. Although this is an improvised session, it has that wonderful magic glue that these serious and seasoned musicians are so successful at. These pieces fall somewhere between Massacre and Material, yet they are still unique in their own way. Great things, fellows! - BLG
CD $17

MICHAEL MARCUS With DANIEL LEVIN/FRANCOIS GRILLOT et al - The Magic Door (Not Two 777; EEC) Featuring Michael Marcus on B-flat clarinet, Francois Grillot on bass and Jay Rosen on drums plus Daniel Levin on cello, Rashaan Carter & Eric Revis on bass & Newman Taylor-Baker on drums.
CD $17

JOE McPHEE/MIKOTAJ TRZASKA/JAY ROSEN - Intimate Conversations (Not Two 790; EEC) The titles of the pieces are suggestions for further conversations rather than descriptions. The music is a journey of discovery for the musicians and we hope for the listener as well. Labels like "free jazz "and "avant garde" are boxes which limits ones ability to experience discovery on its own terms. "Free jazz" has become and oxymoron and the "avant garde" a throwback style. We hope that the listener will find this simply art in its own time. - Joe McPhee
CD $17

RAVISH MOMIN'S TRIO TARANA With JASON KAO HWANG/SHANIR EZRA BLUMENKRANZ - Five Nights (Not Two 770; EEC) This is the second superb disc from Trio Tarana and it features Ravish Momin on drums, percussion & compositions, Jason Kao Hwang on violin and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz on oud & bass. Perfect partners to blend the various strains and influences that make up their different backgrounds and it is astonishing how well all three players work together as one unique force. It doesn't get any better than this, so dig in. - BLG
CD $17

DAVID MURRAY With MARCIN OLES/BARTLOMIEJ BRAT OLES - Circles: Live In Cracow Era Jazzu (Not Two 749; EEC) This session was organized by the Oles brothers, Marcin & Brat, from Poland and one of the finest new rhythm teams in Europe, having recorded with Theo Jorgensmann, Rudi Mahall, Ken Vandermark, Erik Friedlander & Emmanuelle Somer. The Oles brothers wrote five of the seven tunes here, with one by Mr. Murray and one by Ornette Coleman. An incredible trio date! - BLG
CD $17

NU BAND [MARK WHITECAGE/ROY CAMPBELL Jr/JOE FONDA/LOU GRASSI] - The Dope And The Ghost: Live In Vienna (Not Two 788; EEC) This is the third fantastic disc by the Nu Band featuring the same cast: Roy Campbell, Jr. on trumpet, flugel, flute & vocals, Mark Whitecage on alto sax, clarinet & newspeak, Joe Fonda on contrabass and Lou Grassi on drums, with guest Marco Eneidi on alto sax for one track.
CD $17

MARCIN OLES/BARTLOMIEJ BRAT OLES/THEO JORGENSMAN - Miniatures (Not Two 748; EEC)
CD $17

MIKE PRIDE With TONY MALABY/WILLIAM PARKER/CHARLIE LOOKER - Scrambler (Not Two 766; EEC) SPECIAL PRICE [usually $17]! Mike Pride is the kind of musician that makes the current NYC improv underground so vital. He's always challenging himself with new situations and breaking down barriers between different scenes, intermingling avant-rock, avant-jazz, free improv, and miscellaneous wackiness in a countless stream of projects. This disc is a perfect example of his expansive community spirit, bringing together two great avant-jazzers from different circles of activity, not to mention a young guitarist known mostly for his work in the fabulously idiosyncratic post-hardcore art pop band Time of Orchids.
CD $14

HERB ROBERTSON TRIO With FRANK GRATKOWSKI/JULIAN PETIT + OLES BROS [MARCIN & BARTLOMIEJ BRAT] - Live At Alchemia (Not Two 785; EEC) Featuring Herb Robertson on trumpets, mutes & compositions, Frank Gratkowski on alto sax & clarinets, Julien Petit on tenor & bari saxes, Marcin Oles on double bass and Bartlomiej Brat Oles on drums. Here we can yet another gem from Herb Robertson, the Brothers Oles and their international crew. - BLG
CD $17

ROVA SAXOPHONE QUARTET - The Juke Box Suite (Not Two 786; EEC) The seven compositions on this recording where composed with an idealized Juke Box in mind, where any kind of music might show up from any culture or time and be combined for the next "Play". My music listening has been informed by the spirit and work of Alan Lomax, from blues to raga, ragtime to avant-garde, pygmy chants to Korean court music, following styles and esthetics as they rubbed up against each other in the mingling of culture that was made available by intrepid searchers of music. The "sides" aren't a direct borrowing but a weaving of the common threads that occur in all music's. (Jon Raskin)
CD $17

SIRONE's CONCORD [NORRIS JONES] - Concord (Not Two 751; EEC) Sirone double bass, Ben Abarbanel-Wolff sax, Ulli Bartel violin, Maurice De Martin drums
CD $17

HARVEY SORGEN/STEVE RUST/MICHAEL JEFRY STEVENS - Decade (Not Two 762; EEC) Featuring Harvey Sorgen on drums, Steve Rust on acoustic bass and Michael J. Stevens on piano. This is the third album led by Harvey with this trio, one of which was augmented by Herb Robertson and Mark Feldman [on Drimala]. A perfect and well-balanced 'piano trio' date in more ways than one.- BLG
CD $17

STEVE SWELL - Live At The Vision Festival (Not Two 780; EEC)
CD $17

STEVE SWELL'S SLAMMIN' THE INFINITE - Remember Now (Not Two 772; EEC) Featuring Steve Swell on trombone & compositions, Sabir Mateen on alto & tenor sax, clarinets & flute, John Blum on piano, Matthew Heyner on bass and Klaus Kugel on drums. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest bands to emerge from the downtown scene in many years. - BLG
CD $17

OLUYEMI THOMAS With KENN THOMAS/EUGENE WILSON IV/HOWARD BYRDSONG - Nigeria (Not Two 771; EEC) Featuring West Coast mystery man, Oluyemi Thomas on bass clarinet, musette & bells, Kenn Thomas on piano & el. piano, Eugene Wilson IV on electric bass and Howard Byrdsong on drums. This is a departure for our favorite Oakland-based reeds hero, Oluyemi, who most often records with his wife Ijeoma in Positive Knowledge. Oluyemi always finds kindred spirits whenever he goes, so here too he has put together a great like-minded quartet that can follow him anywhere as well as help navigate the rapids with inspired results. Free and focused and pretty phenomenal. - BLG
CD $17

OLUYEMI THOMAS/HENRY GRIMES - The Power Of Light (Not Two 787; EEC) Featuring Oluyemi Thomas on bass clarinet, soprano sax, Musette, flute, gong & percussion and Henry Grimes on double bass. Recorded live at the Modern Formations Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA on July 1st of 2006. Oluyemi has a way of reaching deep into himself and talking through his horn. He often sounds as if he is talking through his sax in his own unique language, speaking directly to those who choose to listen. This is a most impressive and free-flowing duo from two giants. - BLG
CD $17

VANDERMARK 5 [KEN VANDERMARK/DAVE REMPIS/FRED LONBERG-HOLM/KENT KESSLER/TIM DAISY] - Four Sides To The Story: Recorded At Alchemia Nov. 23, 2005 [2 LP box set] (Not Two 775; EEC) a LIMITED EDITION [1000 #d copies], DOUBLE-LP BOXSET with 16 PAGE 12x12 BOOK of COLOR PHOTOS & KEN VANDERMARK INTERVIEW...documenting the V5's 2005 gigs in Poland, on their "Color Of Memory" European Tour. FOUR SIDES rivals Not Two's superb ALCHEMIA 12-CD Boxset in quality, is even more limited in quantity, and features live material from both "Color" and the quintet's recently released "A Discontinuous Line". This HEFTY beast is an absolute MUST-HAVE- and it's the first such artifact from the current V5 lineup with Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello.
"When I look back and think about the ideas we were dealing with a year ago, and when I listen to the recording held in that club, I'm confronted with the failures that are there; which is probably why I'd rather be doing something else than writing these liner notes right now. But I'm also excited by what I hear, that the start of the music by the new quintet was so strong. From night to night it continues to be, which is why after ten years this ensemble is still looking for it's next gig- so that it can keep finding something different to say and hopefully pay some of the rent along the way." - Ken Vandermark.
[only available on vinyl - no CDs have been issued]
LP $55

KEN VANDERMARK With MARCIN OLES/BARTLOMIEJ BRAT OLES - Ideas (Not Two 765; EEC) We had prepared original compositions for the recording session, but we talked before going into the studio, and after Ken Vandermark's suggest we decided for the recording to be one of the free improvisation. We normally work in different musical fields and despite that, or maybe just because of that, every meeting like this brings about a new experience, even a kind of journey into the unknown... - Marcin [double bass] & Bartlomiej Brat Oles [drums]
CD $17

GREG WALL & FRANK LONDON BAND - Birth And Rebirth (Not Two 709; EEC) '99 studio jazz project [from the leaders of Hasidic New Wave] with Josh Roseman, Ethan Iverson, Kenny Davis, Yoron Israel, and Karen Goldfedder guest vocalist on 1 cut. Another hard-to-get EEC item!
CD $17

YURLY YAREMCHUK/MARK TOKAR/KLAUS KUGEL - Yatoku (Not Two 782; EEC) Featuring Yuriy Yaremchuk on tenor & soprano saxes & clarinet, Mark Tokar on acoustic bass and Klaus Kugel on drums. Superbly recorded and perfectly balanced, Yuriy's haunting tenor has an immense sound. An excellent offering all the way around. - BLG
CD $17


Historic & Archival Recordings, Restocks and Reissued Discs:

JOHN CALE - Hobosapiens [Hobo Sapiens] (EMI/Or; USA) Can't remember the last time John Cale had new release out in the US, but it must've been a while ago. The Welsh born Cale's long career stretches back to his mid-sixties work with the Velvet Underground and LaMonte Young simultaneously. He is both a gifted producer (for Nico & the Stooges), as well as a great songwriter with more than a dozen solo efforts throughout his long career. He has a done great deal of soundtrack work throughout the last decade released only from Belgium. 'HoboSapiens' is another of his quirky, smart rock efforts. Cale has consistently written catchy tunes with that primal rockin' groove, yet his rather poetic lyrics reveal a deep appreciation of modern and ancient art and philosophy. Who else would write songs about Magritte and Archimedes? What stands out here is Cale's inventive arrangements, evocative keyboards (mellotron?) and strings, all layered just right underneath his hypnotic, dreamy voice. Cale seems to favor some slowed down techno grooves here and there. A couple of the mainly instrumental songs here deal with catchy grooves and mesmerizing keyboard swirls. "Twilight Zone" mixes David Bowie and Peter Gabriel modern rock influences and includes a rather catchy chorus. "Letter from Abroad" is a disturbing, nightmarish piece which seems to deal with the current state of world affairs and horrors. John Cale always does a fine job of evoking the dark undercurrents of recent times, without being too specific, giving us a chance to consider these things for ourselves. - BLG CD $10.00 7 for 6 SALE. (Out of print, but we have it!)



RAVI SHANKAR/ALI AKBAR KHAN - More Flowers Of India (Cherry Red/El 141; UK) With recordings made at least a decade before psychedelia, More Flowers of India showcases the beautiful, dreamlike art of Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan and attests to the extraordinary influence of Indian classical music on western culture. By the early seventies, both men had been signed to the Beatles' Apple label and thanks to the revolution they spearheaded, the global musical landscape had altered irrevocably. The Beatles, The Doors, The Byrds and John Coltrane were amongst the many that came under the spell of these great masters
CD $17


AFRICAN SCREAM CONTEST [V.A.] - African Scream Contest - Raw and Psychedelic Afro Sounds From Benin & Togo '70s (Analog Africa 63; USA) Just like with the label's first two releases -- albums by Zimbabwean '70s bands the Green Arrows and Hallelujah Chicken Run Band -- the essence of Analog Africa is clear yet again: searching in dusty warehouses for forgotten music to keep it alive. All the tracks have been officially licensed, usually from the artists who Ben Redjeb also met with for detailed research. He conducted 16 interviews in various cities in Benin and Togo with artists, producers and sound engineers to reconstruct the history of the '70s music scene for the 44-page booklet that also includes many rare photographs directly received from the artists. Like most modern music in French-speaking West African countries, the music of Benin and Togo was influenced by a few main musical currents: Cuban, Congolese and local traditional music, as well as Chanson Francaise. Additionally, the geographical location of Benin and Togo -- sandwiched between Ghana and Nigeria -- exposed Beninese and Togolese musicians to Highlife music. The cultural and spiritual riches of traditional Beninese music had an immense impact on the sound of Benin's modern music. Benin is the birth place of Vodun (or, as it is known in the West, Voodoo), and some of the rhythms used during traditional rituals -- Sakpata, Sato, Agbadja, Tchenkoume and many others -- were fused to soul and Latin music as early as the mid-1960s and later to funk. That fusion is the essence of this compilation. There are countless stories to be discovered in the extremely well-researched booklet and the music is truly mind-blowing. So delve into the forgotten raw and psychedelic Afro sounds from '70s Benin and Togo and experience the African Scream Contest."
CD $15


JUAN GARCIA ESQUIVEL - Mexico Days (Cherry Red/El 139; UK) "The king of space-age pop, the genius of Mexican composer-arranger Juan Garcia Esquivel lay in his audacious instrumentation; his blending together of exotic sounds from other cultures and experimentation with the new tonal palettes that were becoming available in the mid-fifties period from which these, his earliest commercial recordings, derived. Esquivel has been proclaimed by Brian Wilson and by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, 'who'd have thought that out of a genre as debased as easy listening would come something so mind-curdlingly bizarre and beautiful.' This set comprises the first digital release of Esquivel's impossibly rare first album Las Tandas de Juan Garcia Esquivel from 1957 coupled with To Love Again; a collection of singles and 78s recorded in Mexico between 1954-57. International potential. Essential for followers of Esquivel and of students of lounge and space age pop."
CD $17

PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE - The Devon Tapes (Cherry Red 360; UK) Principal Edwards Magic Theatre is one of those hard-to-classify bands that made the late '60s a musical adventure playground for listeners. What was more, the live music scene and airwaves were broad-minded enough to give bands who dared to be different the chance of exposure. They enjoyed the attention of the late John Peel who broadcast them on his BBC shows and made them the first band to be signed to his Dandelion record label. The Devon Tapes was recorded in the summer of 1974 under the shorter name Principal Edwards. This is the first time these recordings have been made available to the public.
CD $17

PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE - The Asmoto Running Band (Cherry Red 307; UK) "The story so far: multi-media band Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, formed by a group of students at Exeter University, had signed to Radio 1 DJ John Peel's record label and released a first album, Soundtrack, in August 1969. Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason was brought in to produce a second album, released in January 1971. For his part, Mason is happy to recall those hazy days as best he could for this reissue. 'My memory of the recording was that I really enjoyed it. I must have done to some extent because I did two of them!' The eleventh LP release from John Peel's legendary Dandelion label lovingly repackaged here by Cherry Red Records."
CD $17

PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE - Soundtrack (Cherry Red 306; UK) "There are whispers of Cherry Red Records releasing a luxurious Dandelion 45's (singles) Box Set with the participation of Clive & Shurley Selwood and many of the legendary label's artists... Whilst John Peel fans and music collectors alike wait with anticipation to see if the rumours are true, Cherry Red releases two albums from the Dandelion catalogue to whet the appetite, both from the curiously spectacular, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre. The multi-media PEMT cut a compellingly original swathe through a late-1960s music scene seemingly inhabited by wall-to-wall blues bands. Their first ever gig was witnessed by benefactor and producer John Peel. The legendary DJ promptly signed them to his Dandelion label. 'I guess he liked what he heard,' says guitarist and chief songwriter Root Cartwright. A stand-alone single released before the first album, 'Ballad (Of The Big Girl Now And A Mere Boy)'/ 'Lament For The Earth,' is included in this package as a bonus track. Soundtrack hit the record racks in August 1969, the third Dandelion long-player to be released in short order following debut efforts from folksingers Bridget St. John and Beau."
CD $17

THOMAS LEER - Contradictions (Cherry Red 105; UK) Thomas Leer was one of the first to see the opportunities that new technology was creating at the end of the '70s. Along with Robert Rental he pioneered DIY recording and pressing, building a healthy cult following along the way. This 15 track compilation rounds up the best of his work including his first single 'Private Plane.' A welcome re-press for this definitive collection, long since out-of-press.
CD $17


ORSON WELLES//BERNARD HERMANN - Your Obedient Servant - Themes from Orson Welles Radio Plays: The Hitchhiker/Search For Henry Levre/Sredni Vashtar [sndtck s] (Cherry Red/El 140; UK) "Orson Welles is a titanic figure in popular culture. Before Kane, before Ambersons, The Lady From Shanghai and The Third Man; Before Touch of Evil, his astounding Othello, Chimes At Midnight and F for Fake, Welles created the sensational War of the Worlds broadcast that terrified a nation of American radio listeners. While Hollywood beckoned, Welles and his company, The Mercury Theatre continued to produce compelling radio drama that still sounds extraordinary. Make no mistake, if radio held sway over us like it did during its Golden Age, much of Welles' work in the medium would be as venerated as Kane or any of the other creative triumphs that were to follow. 'The Hitchhiker' and the chilling 'Search for Henri Le Fevre' were written by Lucille Fletcher (author of, in Welles opinion, the greatest ever radio drama, Sorry, Wrong Number). 'Sredni Vashtar' is the work of the inscrutable late nineteenth century English writer Saki. The music for all three performances was composed by long-time Welles (and Hitchcock) collaborator Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Magnificent Ambersons, North by Northwest, Psycho etc)."
CD $17


OMEGA - 10000 Lepes (Hungaroton 17400; EEC) 2003 reissue of the second album from Omega. "Classic album from this legendary Hungarian band. In order to understand and appreciate what a remarkable achievement this work was when it was recorded in 1968, it is perhaps necessary to briefly examine the constraints and restrictions faced by aspiring pop bands behind the veil of The Iron Curtain during the 1960s. Despite the fact that Hungary was one of the first breakaway satellite countries both socially and economically under Josef Kadar's New Economic Mechanism implemented in 1966, a censorship board known as The Song Committee had been established in order to syphon out any sensitive material which it deemed harmful to or which seeked to undermine the idealogical agenda of the state. This was a good thing and a bad thing for the bands. They could play their rock n'roll music, which in itself was considered to be symbolic of Western capitalistic endeavors, but the lyrical contents were not to cross any fine lines politically. One has to bear in mind that this was the time when The Beatles were singing about a revolution, Bob Dylan was speaking his mind through the rock medium and closer to home in Western Europe, bands like Amon Duul and Floh de Cologne were making political musical statements. Omega broke down barriers long before the Berlin Wall was broken down and for those who want a taste of what was going on behind The Iron Curtain rock-wise, in the 1960s, 10000 Lepes is an interesting and important audio document which reveals the early Omega East meets West rock formula. Vintage Eastern European prog which rocked against the odds that takes the listener into a forbidden place in a dangerous time. Highly recommended for serious students of the prog rock genre." - Ian Gledhill, Prog Archives
CD $17


PAPER BUBBLE [STRAWBS] - Scenery (Cherry Red/RPM 831; UK) A great lost Hollies/Kaleidoscope/World of Oz-style orchestrated pop-sike LP. Orchestrated by Phil Denys (Bee Gees, Eclection), engineered by Tom Allom, and played on by Dave Cousins/Tony Hooper/Richard Hudson/John Ford/Rick Wakeman (then soon to be The Strawbs key line up). A 1969 Deram LP produced by Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper, here receiving its first legitimate reissue in 2008 on RPM. All songs were written by Terry Brake and Brian Crane of The Paper Bubble and the pair provided the atmospheric harmony vocals that underpin the record."
CD $17


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