A peaceful and prosperous Thanksgiving to all you adventurous listeners out there from your friends here at Downtown Music Gallery. November has been an incredible month for gigs here in NYC. After a month of historic gigs for Loren Mazzacane in October, Tonic continued to be thee place for new sounds-- with Haino Keiji-Zorn-Ikue Mori & two astonishing sets from Fushitsusha, four nights with the legendary Dutch pianist Misha Mengelberg - including the first ever NY gig for the ICP Orchestra, the fabulous duo of Irene Schweizer & Susie Ibarra wowed all who attended and another swell night from the Satoko Fuji Orchestra & Joe Maneri Quartet. 

Other outstanding gigs I saw this month included The Richard Thompson Band in Princeton and Phil Lesh & friends with Bob Dylan & his band at the former Byrne Arena also in Jersey. The Knit unfortunately had John Lurie cancel some 12 night of the Lounge Lizards for some reason no one could explain, but they did host an interesting French music fest with the return progressive guitar great Richard Pinhas and two mind-blowing sets from progressive legends - MAGMA! The godfather of European improvised/avant guitar - Derek Bailey - returns for four nights this upcoming week - the first three at Roulette (26th-28th) with Zorn-Mori-Staley on the 26th, the return of Derek's duo with Susie Ibarra on the 27th, a trio with Jamaaladeen Tacuma & Calvin Weston on the 28th and also another duo with Min Xioa-Fen on pipa at Tonic on Tuesday Nov. 30th. Definitely not to be missed! Just one more month left of this year/decade/century so give thanks for all this inspiring music!!

1.JOHN ZORN'S MASADA-Live in Middelheim 1999 (Tzadik 7326) Zorn was right, this is thee one! An entire 78 plus minute set on a single disc, perfectly recorded in Belgium earlier this year. Although this was Masada's first gig in six months, it sounds like one of those spectacular second sets a couple of days into one of their three night stands. Masada explode from the very first note, each of their four members playing as one unified modern jazz quartet, a perfect balance of all elements, telepathic exchanges between each member. Unlike the spirited but poorly recorded 'Live in Taipei', this disc was recorded for Belgian radio and jeez - what a recording!! Greg Cohen's contrabass is right up front for a change, holding down the bottom, but often pushing the others up towards the heavens with immense propulsion! Joey Baron's distinctive drumming is often the highlight of most live Masada sets and here he is in top form, both providing the ultra-tight hair-pin turns of those quirky Masada tunes and kicking fire behind each of Dave Douglas' and Zorn's incredible solos! Both Greg's & Joey's occasional solos are also breathtaking as well. There are of course those magic moments (like on 'Hath-Arob') when the sax & trumpet sound as if they are trying to outdo each other, throwing tongue-slapping, multiphonic screams & squeals into one explosive bout after another, leaving the listeners on the edge of their seats! All four Masada members get their chance to shine on various pieces - the lyrical beauty of each glowing gracefully on some of those quieter pieces, like Greg Cohen's touching & tasteful bass feature on "Kedushah". Mr. Zorn outdoes himself on alto sax throughout, playing each solo as if his life depended on it! There are a few of those short blasts of extreme intensity like "Karet" which leaves us all gasping for breath, perhaps the next hurricane that hits should be named after Masada! Another wonderful thing about this superb release is the song selection - Zorn has chosen a number of the most memorable tunes from the vast Masada songbook to keep both the band & audience challenged throughout. Could this be the avant-jazz cd of the year?!? You had better believe it! Masada gives birth to yet another victorious offering this New Years Eve at Tonic. An incredible live recording single cd release for $14.

 

 

**We just received fifty MASADA t-shirts made for their recent sets in Japan. These designer t-shirts are maroon, only large in size with a small golden picture & the word Masada. While they last, cost is $16.

2.DEATH AMBIENT [KATO HIDEKI-IKUE MORI-FRED FRITH]-Synaesthesia (Tzadik 7226) I often use the term "cosmic" to describe music that has that other worldly, difficult-to-explain type of quality. I see/hear a cosmic thread that runs through 60's psychedelic sounds & free-jazz, 70's progressive bands, certain spirited world music and that end-of-the-century mixture of genres from downtowners world-wide. The first Death Ambient cd on Tzadik from a couple of years back was a captivating world of dark-ambient sounds and this new one is equally enchanting, engaging and cosmic! Original Ground Zero el. bass giant from almost a decade ago - Kato Hideki continually blows minds on el. bass (Eyvind Kang's Dying Ground, solo bass cds/gigs, Soultronix). Ikue also consistently wows all who listen to her mastery of drum machines & samplers - two recent gigs come to mind - that brutal ongoing trio with Zorn & Mike Patton and earlier this month (11/5) with Haino Keiji, Zev & Zorn at Tonic! Fred Frith is a friend and inspiration to many of us downtowners - a guitar manipulator & sound explorer supreme, he has recently moved to California with his family from Germany for a three year teaching stint at Mills College. Hopefully we will get a chance to hear him live in NYC more often since his departure from downtown in the early 90's. This trio has yet to play live in NY, so let's hope the future will change that. As for this - Our journey begins with the precious underwater pink & lavender sea creature snapshot on the cd cover as the music opens with equally delicate, mildly alien yet beautiful textures and quiet suspense. All three of these musicians/magicians are masters of manipulating strange sounds from their respective arsenal of bass, guitar & samplers. As far as identifying who is doing which sound, it helps to have seen all three live on too many occasions to fathom. On "Bone Collector", the combination of Fred's lovely acoustic guitar with a mysterious Makigami jaw-harp sample, has a refreshing, reflective quality, sometimes events unfold at a snail's pace, giving these worlds of sound some space to ponder. About half of these pieces are quite minimal yet engaging and balance the denser soundscapes so well. Things of course, get much weirder as time is stretched out with a variety of twisted sounds. There are a few pieces in which some pre-planned structure is apparent, like the title track which seems the most focused, detailed and Frith-like in overall sound. Once again Death Ambient present us with a fantastic journey through well crafted worlds of (alien) sound. $14.

 

3.GERRY HEMINGWAY-chamber works (Tzadik 7052) Local hero - Gerry Hemingway has been performing percussion and electronics, as well as composing seriously for over 25 years. We know of his (decade long) work for the outstanding Anthony Braxton Qt., plus collaborations with Anthony Davis, Leo Smith & Derek Bailey. He also performs in a variety of situations - solos, duos, trios (BassDrumBone) and has led numerous bands of his own. He has received four commissions for chamber & electronics works, but this is his first release of chamber works only. This cd consists of five pieces - two for string quartet, one for string quartet plus Gerry on sampler, plus a quintet & sextet piece. Familiar personnel include Sara Parkins, Marty Ehrlich, Mark Dresser, Cuong Vu & David Taylor. The two string quartet pieces are called "Contigualis" (parts 1 & 2). Most of part 1 consists of delicate, minimal solo string sections, stark and lyrical, it is not until the last three minutes that the solos turn into a more playful quartet section. The second part is much shorter and somewhat more dense, yet it is still rather haunting. "Aurora" is for a sextet of violin, cello, contrabass, piano, bass trombone & percussion and it is a superb work for a modern chamber ensemble - softer sections build to a focused frenzy, with occasional Zappa-like twists & turns. "Circus" is an appropriately titled piece for a quintet of violin, cello, trumpet (Cuong Vu), piano and the clarinets of Marty Ehrlich. "Circus" is circus-like with its layers of overlapping vignettes and it has a light-hearted vibe that would certainly invoke a smile for the children in all of us. "The Visiting Tank" is for string quartet plus Gerry on sampler and investigates the theme of a child playing with an abandoned tank during wartime. It starts off eerie and restrained, while the samples are slowly assembled into a story that unfolds as the strings also build into mysterious conclusion. Most impressive and not too aggressive. $14. 

 

4.MOTOR HUMMING-Musical Aluminum (Tzadik 7225) Motor Humming are a new Japanese post-punk instrumental power trio featuring Hioki Shimpei on guitar, Morimura Hiroshi on bass & Yamanaka Atsushi on drums. No, I am not familiar with any of those names either, but once again Zorn has discovered yet another unknown Japanese gem! Tight, fast changing, explosive & frenzied and well written tunes that are often short, yet cover a wide range of genres/styles. Elements of punk, funk, fusion, psych and noise erupt within many of these engaging little nuggets. It does sound as if Naked City, the Boredoms & Ruins have inspired a whole new generation of bands, and these dudes are right out of this explosive, fun bag. I have always been a sucker for this Ruins-like stop-on-a-dime type of hyper-tight structure and Motor Humming pull it off again & again. What I hear the most of here is Massacre-like brutal force, static rhythms, mind-frying el. guitar & el. bass havoc, but it ends up more Minutemen-ish - super tight, super quick, spurts of jazz/punk brilliance! Pretty fucking amazing, but once these three go beyond their influences, we are really in store for some mind-blowing, over the top, between the cracks of categories... Sixteen tracks in sixty minutes, this could wear one down a bit, but it worth the trip. $14.

 

5.SUSIE IBARRA TRIO-Radiance (Hopscotch 2) This past year has been one of great changes for our local goddess of percussion - Susie Ibarra. Due to some hard to explain set of circumstances, both Susie & her hubby - saxist Assif Tsahar are no longer involved in any of William Parker's projects. Sad but true, the couple continue to move forward into inventive projects of their own, as well as together in their duo. They launched their own label - Hopscotch earlier this year with a wonderful duo cd. Both Susie & Assif have just released two more fine cds of their own units, with releases by Cooper-Moore & Chris Jonas planned for the near future. The couple's future sure seems bright with two blessed cds like these. As Susie's reputation as one of our finest percussionists grows, she finds herself challenged in a variety of other duo situations - with John Zorn, Irene Schweizer (Nov. 17th) & Derek Bailey (cd out soon!) Susie's superb trio has been together for over a year - continually evolving and consist of violinist Charles Burham (Blood Ulmer's Odyssey & Robert Musso's Transonic) and pianist Cooper-Moore (William Parker's In Order to Survive & Little Huey CM Orchestra). One of the special things about this trio is that Cooper-Moore has invented a variety of home-made instruments and plays two of these magic axes on this delightful release - the diddley-bo and the (horizontal) harp. Although Susie has played with the explosive David S. Ware Qt. for the past few years, her own trio shows a much more diverse & relaxed side to her playing and composing. 'Radiance' was recorded live at Roulette in July of this year and is certainly one of the most beautiful gems to come from the downtown community. The "radiance" suite is an elegant and enchanting opening three-part piece - the combination of harp, violin & percussion has a pure and radiant vibe, the groove sounds like a traditional African one. Susie composed all but one of these pieces and each one explores a different dynamic range, the one cover being a charming version of Jimi Hendrix's "Up from the Skies," complete with wah-wah violin, a device that Hendrix once mastered. The trio really shine on the softer, suspense-filled tunes like "Half Moon". Cooper-Moore is an amazing free-jazz pianist and gets a chance to unleash his powerful prowess on "jagged threads." This perfect release ends with two alternate takes, which are actually much different versions of earlier pieces, like a gospelish reworking of "dreams." Without a doubt, from the lovely music to the fine cover art, this is one of this year's best. $14.

 

6.ASSIF TSAHAR'S BRASS REEDS ENSEMBLE-The Hollow World (Hopscotch 3) With Cuong Vu and Herb Robertson on trumpets, Vincent Chancey on french horn, Joe Daley on tuba, Chris Jonas, Rob Brown & Assif on saxes and Susie Ibarra on drums. Like Susie's cd reviewed above, Assif's is also a live recording from Roulette (in March of '99) and it seems as if Assif's playing & composing has also matured nicely. All but one of Assif's five compositions are long & involved and both Steve Dalachinsky's poetry and Assif's liner notes also capture the special spirit of this fine work. "Tapestry of Dreams" collects solemn spirits slowly with Susie's lush mallet work underneath the embers of hovering horns weaving their threads together into a dense tapestry. Assif has written some moody & meandering melodies to give us all something to dwell upon. The relatively short piece - "The Edge of Infinity" has swirling horns soloing in duos together, bringing the density up a notch or two. The gospelish offering - "Rainbow on my Table" has a wonderful drunken theme that reminds me of one of those Mingus-like prayer meeting type of works. The title tune also unfolds ever so slowly and contains some great solos answering the other horns, with some fireworks from Herb Robertson (now living in Berlin) and Assif. The final piece - "The Luminous Tree" begins slowly as all the horns flow together in somber streams and builds into a cosmic nest. $14. 

 

7.DAVID FIUCZYNSKI-JazzPunk (Fuzelicious Morsels) I recall Dave Fiuczynski first playing at the old Knit in a version of Zorn's "New Traditions in East Asian Bar Bands" many moons back, after serving time in Boston's music school hell. He has consistently blown away fans with his ever-inspired, oft burnin' jazz/rock/fusion electric guitar style & solos for Santi Debriano, Bernie Worrell, his old band - Screaming Headless Torsos, Hasidic New Wave (3 great cds) in recent years and he currently leads a trio called Kif. 'JazzPunk' is his first solo release and it is an incredible offering for discerning fusion fans. The "Fuze" - as he is most appropriately called, utilizes three different rhythm teams on this release - Fima Ephron, Tim Lefebure & Santi Debriano on basses and Gene Lake, Zach Danzinger & Billy Hart on drums, plus Rufus Cappadocia (Paradox Trio) on cello. All but one of these ten tunes are covers, an odd bunch which include Duke Ellington, George Russell, Jimi Hendrix, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Ronald S. Jackson, Chopin and even John Phillip Sousa - all different inspirations for the Fuze. Dave adds some much needed edge & angst to the title tune from Pat Metheny's first solo release "Bright Size Life." What sets the Fuze apart is the distinctive way he slurs notes, sliding his fingers around the neck, but not using a regular slide. Hendrix's early instrumental "Third Stone from the Sun" (a fave of Jaco Pastorius) has a variety of sections that range from its jazzy intro to a heavy jamming mid-section. Both the Chopin & the Sousa pieces get somewhat twisted treatments, by updating what was once a corny theme with some inpired soloing. Dave also takes Ellington & Strayhorn's little known "Starcrossed Lovers" and gives it a laid back and bluesy rendition. Both George Russell's "African Game Fragment" and Dave's lone original sound are like excerpts from an electric Miles jam circa mid 70's, complete with funky wah-wah grooving. Fusion heads will especially dig both the Ronald Shannon Jackson & Chick Corea covers, where the Fuze gets to unleash some amazing heavy high falootin' solos. The cool psychedelic cover art also adds to the desirability of this electric guitar lover's delight! $14.

 

8.TEST-Test (Ecstatic Peace #84) If timing is everything, then it looks as if TEST's time has finally come! Although Test - NY's premier free-jazz quartet has been at it for many years - often found blowing minds at local subway station platforms, they have had no recordings until this year. They now have three cds out, plus a couple of limited edition lps. Test consist of three veterans of the local free/jazz scene - Sabir Mateen on saxes, clarinet & flute, Daniel Carter on saxes, trumpet & flute (from Other Dimensions) and Tom Bruno on drums, plus relative newcomer Matt Heyner on acoustic bass (duo w/ Loren Mazzacane). This long delayed & much anticipated studio release was actually recorded in 1996 for Thurston Moore's label. Each Test gig and recording are often long & winding excursions through all improv heaven - often highly focused due to the years of playing they have done together. This release has just three quite long pieces that slowly unfold and flow through their organic sections. Opening with playful fluttering flutes, the saxes soon come in building in tension & structure, weaving in & around the expanding rhythm team sounds. The energy level & communication continues to build through hills & valleys, coming together and taking all who listen closely on a cosmic journey of the spirits. The entire 27 minute "First Peace..." never explodes, but does provide an underlying connection on a more subtle level. "Dis-Astor Place" is named after the local subway stop (near our store) where Test can often be found entertaining/assaulting the riders. This piece begins with vocal screams and goes up into the ozone from there, a well crafted free/jazz bout that never goes too far into overdrive, but does come close. This music captures that fresh quality that many ESP records once shared over 30 years ago. "A Journey into the Love..." once again begins quietly with marching rhythms and travels through more waves of textures, tensions and assorted combinations. Over the past year TEST have been playing more gigs than ever and thanks to their friends in Sonic Youth, have been playing for new audiences. They are certainly worthy of this new recognition, they have obviously worked long & hard at perfecting that free/jazz spirit. Invest in TEST for $13.

 

9.TEST-Live/Test (Eremite 021) The TEST blitz continues with three cd releases this year - two this month alone, although it wasn't really planned like that. TEST are our local free/jazz heroes known for assaulting subway platform victims at Astor Pl. and even midtown. This cd was recorded on tour in November of '98, two years after the cd reviewed above and Test continue their journey through a variety of terrain over two long excursions. The almost hour-long "baltimore 2" shows Test to be at their most concentrated and connected - taking their time to construct their temple of the improv religion. That freedom vibration, the release from that which holds us down, continues to churn into a frenzied crescendo. Higher and higher - until the heavens part and a ray of sunshine beams on down. The ghosts of free/jazz (Trane/Ayler/Pharoah) are smiling as our spirits are set free. Are you ready to be transported by Test's magic carpet ride?!? Fly trans-love airways - it will get you there... eventually. $14.

 

10.HENRY KAISER - PAUL PLIMLEY-DANIELLE DEGRUTTOLA-Passwords (spool 3) Both Henry and Paul are palsomine and amazing improvisers on their respective axes - guitars and piano. Henry's dilemma in recent years is that he has a slew of projects - both in-the-can and planned -that have no label eager to put them out - including a double guitar unit with Raoul Bjorkenheim. So Henry's new releases are too infrequent and hence we wait for the occasional gem to get released. Paul Plimley is an outstanding modern pianist from Vancouver, who I have had the good fortune to check out live numerous times with his duo of Lisle Ellis or trio with Scott Amendola. Each of Paul's half dozen or so recordings are amazing expeditions of avant piano mastery. Danielle is a fine cellist who once recorded another trio cd with Henry & Maya Masaoka on kotos that is nearly impossible to find. Henry plays both acoustic & bass guitar, as well as an electric guitar or two on this all (?) improv based release. As free or improvised as things get, Henry often plays with a restrained touch and melodic center, allowing Paul to go further out. Although Henry is not really a jazz player, both he & Paul are great improvisers who have invented their own language to connect their elusive and creative spirits. Danielle's expressive cello can be found on two thirds of this cd, The guitar and piano often exchange roles, pulling the drama in different directions, yet always ending up together. There is an understated beauty to this entire affair, like a flower opening ever so slowly towards the sun. There are also moments when either Henry and/or Paul drop these small firecrackers of fractured notes to balance the extreme nature of the reflective side. Sometimes minimal, yet still a feast for our ears! $14.

 

11.NOAH HOWARD-Patterns/Message to South Africa (Eremite 019) This is a true classic of avant/jazz, an incredibly rare recording of an American free/jazz alto sax hero - Noah Howard - combining spirits with the guiding lights of both European (Dutch) avant/jazz and London based South African expatriate gods. Noah Howard HH had two classic lps of free/jazz insanity on ESP from the mid-sixties, before migrating to Europe in the early seventies, where he still lives & performs. The two long pieces on this cd are from two sessions with different personnel from the early & late seventies. "Patterns" features the likes of ICP all-stars Misha Mengelberg & Han Bennink (at Tonic recently) plus Jaap Schoonhoven on guitar, Earl Freeman on bass and Steve Boston on congas and recorded by Dutch radio in October of '71. Unknown Dutch electric guitarist Jaap scrambles brains with his frenzied, hyper-strumming opening salvo while the percussionists also vibrate and levitate. Misha Mengelberg - whose four day stint at Tonic last week was a blessing to all who attended, finally cuts loose about midway with his out there piano eruptions. Noah screams, honks, howls & hoots, but eventually lays back, exposing a warmer tone than would imagine. Han's drums & percussion often push the energy to its limits, things sound like they are on the verge of completely exploding, but finally wind down and then erupt once more. An astonishing event filled journey that is just too much! "Message to South Africa" is the other astounding piece found here - recorded in Paris from 1979 and featuring legendary & former South African musicians - Chris McGregor on piano & Johnny Dyani on contrabass, both members of the Blue Notes & the Brotherhood of Breath. Add the wonderful ESP saxist (Zusaan) Kali Fasteau on sheng and Noel McGee on drums to complete this unique & historic quintet. What is so magical about this music and certain South African music, is this soulful, groove-infested vibe the warms the heart and soul together. Kali's vocals and Noah's alto sax weave beautiful lines together, just as Johnny's bass, Chris's piano & Noel's drums also caress our ears with dark & soulful beauty. Communal ecstasy flows and gives hope of a new world. Sounds like Julie Tippetts sitting in the Art Ensemble in the mid 70's. Transcendence for only $14.!

 

12.CAMPER VAN CHADBOURNE-The Revenge of (KFW 253) Perhaps a decade ago Dr. Chadbourne teamed up with most of Camper Van Beethoven for a few tours and records. These were a particularly inspired & oft amazing collaboration due to Eugene pushing CVB further out and CVB helping Eugene focus his more psychedelic rockin' side. Earlier this year, Eugene reunited with two former members of CVB - Jonathan Segal on violin & mandolin and Victor Krummenacher on bass & baritone guitar, for three nights at the Knit's Old Office. This cd contains 15 crazy CVC classics from two of those memorable nights. Dr. Chad provides tons of yucks with his twisted sense of humor, ridiculous yet barbed lyrics and candid observations of our hypocritical & greedy society. There is a goofy charm to the proceedings, like Eugene's trio coming to you living room to play for you & a few friends (which is exactly what he is going to do in NYC sometime soon). Sometimes Eugene's voice might sound a bit ragged, but often makes good points to ponder lyrically - how much protest music do we get to hear nowadays?!? Dr. Chadbourne often reminds me of the schoolteacher one wished they had encountered. Victor gets a chance to sing a couple of sad tunes with endearing low voice & tremeloe twang guitar. He does a nice job on my fave Fred Neil tune - "Dolphins". There are a couple of tunes where I cringe at the corny-ness, perhaps I'm just too hip?!? Eubie Blake's "Memories of You" (once covered by Robert Wyatt) gets a quaint reading with a sort of goofy Satchmo section. Overall, this is the furthest inside & most melodic Chadbourne release I can remember - perhaps a good place for a new Eugene fan to begin?!? $13.

 

13.JEMEEL MOONDOC & WILLIAM PARKER-new world pygmies (Eremite 020) Although this fantastic alto sax and contrabass duo has been playing on occasion since the mid 70's, they haven't recorded together since '86, their paths cross rarely in recent times. Both have been leaders of numerous ensembles, both big & small. While Jemeel's music career has had its ups & downs, with too few recordings until the past few year's upsurge in interest, gig & cds (on Eremite). William Parker continues to astound us all with his multi-dimensional contrabass playing and bandleading for In Order to Survive and (the constant fountain of new material for each gig of) the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra, not forgetting his contribution to Other Dimensions in Music & the David S. Ware Qt. This cd captures the intensity of a live set from the 1998 Fire in the Valley Festival in Amherst, Mass. There is just the right balance in this dynamic duo - with Jemeel's soaring, bitter-sweet, Dolphy-esque alto sax tone and William's ever-vibrating, ever-inventive bass maneuvering - both holding each other onto that invisible thread. After a while, the pace quickens a bit and they sail together at full steam, but eventually ease back and slow down and radiate warmth with a soft-hearted bass solo. Both of these giants are master storytellers on their special instruments of choice. Jemeel sounds mature, wizened, thoughtful, taking his time to get to that next level. When William starts to bow that buzzin' bass, the spirits really start jumping. This is not a free/jazz blowout - themes & directions are explored in serious ways. Jemeel does wonders with his tone on William's haunting "Theme for Pelikan" These cats sound as if they have been playing together for quite a long time, no matter how little or often they actually do play together. A perfect duo. $14. 

 

14."Knitting on the Roof" compilation (KFW 260) With The Residents, Negativland, Magnetic Fields, Dr. Eugene Chadbourne, David S. Ware, Elliott Sharp, Uri Caine, the Paradox Trio, Hasidic New Wave, Naftule's Dream, New Orleans Klezmer All Stars & Come. Sometimes the Knit does something so ridiculous that it is beyond belief, but other times the Knit will take an absurd idea and turn it into a success story. No one could imagine that this ridiculous idea could work - a tribute to that 60's Jewish/Broadway classic 'Fiddler on the Roof' with a cast of characters both torturing & embracing these songs I recall digging as a kid. One of the first jazz records I remember owning as a teenager was Cannonball Adderley's tribute to this same piece of cosmic schmaltz. You gotta snicker at the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars silly rewriting of the words to "Tradition". The Residents alter "Matchmaker" to sound like its being sung by female munchkins. Magnetic Fields' Stephen Merritt does a Vincent Price-like spooky version of "If I Were Rich Man". Uri Caine & Loren Sklamberg do a touching, powerful piano & vocal duo rendition of the "Sabbath Prayer". Naftule's Dream & Hasidic New Wave both do intense, spirited, progressive tributes of their own. Dr. Chadbourne's helium-voiced "Miracle of Miracles" is too hilarious to believe. Negativland of course decontruct, manipulate and goof on "Tevye's Dream" in their own distinctive way - another jewel in the cracked crown of compilations, perhaps? Come bravely torture "Do You Love Me?" in all its existential glory as a sad but true radio play. David S. Ware does a turn-around by playing a lovely, warm solo tenor sax rendition of "Far From the Home I Love" and Elliott Sharp envisions of a post-surf guitar-scape from the future in the "Chava Ballet Sequence" - rather Morricone-like. Come, Ware & Sharp all show a darker side to this usually uplifting musical - this helps to balance things a bit. The Paradox Trio close out this mostly great compilation with suspenseful, snake-charming take of "Anatevka". Who would of thought? $14. 

 

15.PHIL MANZANERA-ROBERT WYATT-Vozero (Expression 12) Many of us prog-heads were big Roxy Music fans, especially their early recordings when Eno was in the band. Phil Manzanera was their blazing & distinctive lead guitarist, who had an equally fine solo career during that same period of time. Phil recently launched his own label and has reissued his first three essential solo/group efforts - Quiet Sun's 'Mainstream', '801 Live' and his first solo effort - 'Diamond Head' with unreleased tracks. Phil made two more fine solo releases - 'Listen Now' & 'Primitive Guitars', but since then has made a half dozen weak, new-agey solo efforts, including a new one called 'The Wasted Lands' - another big yawn. Robert Wyatt, who sang lead vocals on one track from 'Diamond Head', has been friends with Manzanera & Eno ever since. Wyatt's brilliant 'Shleep' release from last year was recorded at Phil's studio with the essential help of Manzanera & Eno. Phil claims that 'Vozero' is his return to that which inspired his first solo effort 'Diamond Head' some 25 years ago and sure enough, it is almost as good as that early gem! Robert Wyatt - my fave vocalist of all time (ultimate Canterbury icon) is on 8 of the 11 tracks, sometimes singing lead or back-up vocals, sometimes playing trumpet or percussion. What is most surprising is that Phil sings lead on many of these tracks for the first time in his career, does a good job & sounds somewhat like Robert himself, it's hard to tell the difference. Also, the use of drum machines, often a hindrance to much creative or progressive music, doesn't hold back some throbbing grooves and searing/soaring sustain guitar from Phil. In the notes, Phil mentions his Colombian roots & years in Cuba and hence, many of these tunes have uplifting Latin grooves/rhythms and often great catchy choruses sometimes sung in Spanish & translated into English the booklet. I must admit I actually got up and danced around to some of these tunes, certainly a different way to appreciate a modern Canterbury disc. Phil's long solo on "Mystic Moon" tells a hypnotic & emotive story that lingers in the mind. Robert's trumpets are looped in mesmerizing clouds on half of these pieces, similar to the way Mongezi Feza's trumpet was echoed or multiplied on Wyatt's 'Rockbottom' classic. On "Vida" - a delightful Spanish acoustic guitar blends beautifully with echoed trumpet, synths and voices into a fine stew. My only complaint would be replacing a few of the drum machine parts with a real drummer, but this is a minor one indeed. On "Mundo Con Paz" and "La Vida Moderna" an African ensemble is featured and back Phil & Robert in a winning combination of cultures. 'Vozero' means a spokesman and is a mostly wonderful companion release to Robert Wyatt's 'Shleep' - it was probably recorded at about the same period of time. Until DNA distribution decides to pick this up, it remains a UK import for $17.

 

16.ICP ORCHESTRA-Jubilee Varia (Hatology 528) For fans of European avant-jazz, Tonic has been home to some of the gods from across the ocean in recent months. From the hilarious antics of Willem Breuker's Kollektief from Holland, to the amazing piano & drums duo of Irene Schweizer (Switzerland) & Susie Ibarra to four nights with the distinguished Dutch pianist Misha Mengelberg, commencing with the first ever NY concert (& short tour) with the stellar ICP Orchestra from Amsterdam. No longer local jazz journalist, author of 'New Dutch Swing' & good pal - Kevin Whitehead, also attended these gigs and wrote the informative notes to this amazing & wacky release. Both Misha & the ICP Orchestra have been at it for quite a long time, but are unfortunately under-recorded. Things are looking up with two trio cds from Misha (organized by Zorn & Kazunori) in recent years & Misha's second Hatology (2 cd set) just released as well and backed by many of Chicago's finest players. So, this new release from the ICP Orchestra is a welcome wonder. Kevin mentions the messy sound that makes up the Instant Composers Pool, there is a rollicking, free-wheeling vibe/spirit that both holds things together, even though they appear to be falling apart. Sources of inspiration include Misha's love of Thelonius Monk & Herbie Nichols, as well as great, heart-warming and twisted versions of Ellington chestnuts. This cd was recorded live two years ago and features a number of outstanding jazz players/soloists - Michael Moore & Ab Baars on reeds, Thomas Heberer on trumpet, Wolter Wierbos on trombone, Tristan Honsinger & Ernst Reijseger on cellos, Ernst Glum on bass and especially the subtle humor of Misha's piano & the over-the-top humor of Han Bennink's drums! Ernst Reijseger has since left and wasn't in attendance for the recent tour, but did perform at Merkin Hall a week later with an all-star quintet co-led by Earl Howard. This magical release features two suites - the title suite which was instantly composed/improvised by the orchestra itself and the 'Jealousy Suite' written by Misha. 

 

The "Jubilee Varia" suite is really just a duo & two trios, but this a deceptive description since these sub-groups work so well together. Misha & Han have been playing together for some 35 years and although they seem of opposite temperament (minimalist/maximalist), there is a natural balance/flow that they share, nicely illustrated in the first part of this suite. The string trio of the second part pushes things further out into regions of Euro free-jazz and modern classical sounds. The horn quartet starts the third part and combines modern/out stretches with some corny sections in their own quirky & quaint way. Misha's "Jealousy" suite seems to come from a variety of places - Renaissance chamber music sections with a somber march into avant/free-jazz sections and explosive hard swinging bits - an amazing solo from Weirbos' trombone erupts and then winds down to a quieter section and then back to that Euro/free-jazz insanity - quite rich in contrasts, textures and nutty surprises in direction. This cd concludes with Misha's "Rollo 1" (Rollo being my nickname at college) which has a goofy Latin theme, silly background vocals and it seems on the verge of falling apart at times but results in further out excursions. Quite a wonderful mess. The recent ICP gig at Tonic was a complete blast - to actually see and hear their distinctive approach-magic up close was a joy to behold! Take home 'Jubilee Varia' for $17.!

 

17.PETER EPSTEIN QUARTET-The Invisible (MA Recordings 050) Featuring Jamie Saft on farfisa, piano & accordion, Chris Dahlgren on acoustic bass, Jim Black on drums & Peter on alto, tenor & soprano saxes. Jamie Saft we know from a bunch of Zorn-related projects - Saft/Vu (Avant) & (recently) Zorn's 'Taboo & Exile'. Jim Black is in too many units to mention here but Bloodcount & Pachora are perhaps the most visible. Chris Dahlgren also keeps quite busy & is on a few CIMP cds of recent memory. Peter Epstein is the leader & the one name I don't know as well, but I did review a trio cd with Dave Tronzo & Jay Granelli in the past few months. "Good Fever" has a wide open spacious feel, slowly gliding in waves, suspense filled landscapes like the mid-sixties Miles Quintet - playing around the groove. Much of the music on this cd is more about mood, spacious and open, softly flowing - that late night, smoky room, laid back vibe. The title piece is short and aptly titled as "The Invisible", since not much goes on but sinister vibes rumble invisibly underneath. Saxist Epstein is a master of slow burn - quietly smoking, unfurling layers of leaves, building to a restrained fury. This release is similar to a recently reviewed cd by the ambient/jazz unit from down under - The Necks, with their 'In a Silent Way" like sound. Both the cover art and the sound production (warmer ECM-land) are done with incredible care on this fine release (as well as all MA cds I've seen/heard). Minimal yet evocative and maybe a bit spooky. $15.

 

18.BRIGGAN KRAUSS-Descending to End (KFW 251) Intense alto saxist - Briggan Krauss - seems a restless spirit & sound-explorer. He never fails to burn bright in any of the numerous situations he places himself - Babkas, Pigpen, Sex Mob, his trios with Wayne Horvitz & Andrea Parkins and earlier this year delighting Leo Smith in his (Zorn organized) Creative Music Orchestra. And now this - a solo alto sax manipulation exploration!?! Actually, what we hear is mostly weird but well-sculpted electronic sounds somehow triggered by the sax squawking. At points I am reminded of Pierre Henry splicing tapes of noise/sounds with altered acoustic guitar rumblings. Alien textures & unusual sounds, droning, humming, twisting shapes, even occasional screams of tortured (sax?) sounds. This is quite an unexpected surprise & departure from our local sax hero. Difficult music for the difficult world in which we try to survive. This is a brave (and maybe a bit ridiculous move) for both Briggan to capture and the Knit's label to release this strange specimen. Even the odd computer manipulated cover art seems to fit just right. Are you brave enough to submerge in this vat of well crafted sound/noise?!? Find out for $13. 

 

19.BETH CUSTER-in the broken fields where I lie (BC 2) Last month the charming Beth Custer stopped in our store to introduce herself - after playing a couple of duo gigs with Gina Leishman from the Kamakazi Ground Crew. All who attended these gigs raved, but I missed out. I knew of Beth's work with the Club Foot Orchestra & Trance Mission - both from the Bay area, but knew nothing of her great solo work. Beth plays various clarinets, keyboards & sings. Some of the more recognized guests include Ben Goldberg, Ralph Carney, Elliot Humberto Kavee & Myles Boisen (Splatter Trio), with differing personnel on most tracks. Beth's world sounds like a distant circus softly unraveling, curious & playful & quaint. Sounds as if Van Dyke Parks is her grand uncle - with his glorious grace & charm. Beth gets Ralph Carney, Ben Goldberg & herself to combine their clarinets in an enchanting embrace. This could be the soundtrack to a cool children's movie - making everyone feel just right. Both the delightful tune & vocal by Marit Brook-Kothlow remind me of one of my favorite songwriters - Robin Holcomb (at Roulette soon). Many of these 32 tunes are very short & sweet & refreshing in their pure vibe. Beth's warm and dreamy clarinet & keyboard/sampler playing are often what stands at the center of many of these pieces. A pure delight of whimsical magic for $14. 

 

20.MICK ROSSI-they have a word for everything (KFW 256) Featuring Dave Douglas, Andy Laster, Kermit Driscoll & Charles Descarfino (on drums). Considering how many gigs happen at once & altogether in the Knit, it is no wonder how often they discover new talent in their mist for their own in-house record label. Also considering how many cds they release, their batting average remains pretty high. Case in point - who is this fine pianist & composer - Mick Rossi & why haven't we heard from him before? We have heard much from three members of this quintet before - Dave, Andy & Kermit, of course, but who is this drummer - Charles Descarfino? Mick's pieces are an odd lot - they move through different styles, genres & episodes. Both Dave's trumpet & Andy's saxes seem eager to slither through these tunes with ease & abandon, weaving well with an inspired rhythm section. Mick composes demanding works for these players to rise up to and enrich with strong solos. Mick's own playing moves from sparse & elegant to a few rare Cecil Taylor-like clusters. Mick also spins some strong gospelish sections with strong & memorable heads/themes to savor. This is a relatively strong jazz release that shouldn't get ignored and hopefully will get heard on jazz radio. $13.

 

21.PHILIP TOMASIC-Figure/Solo Guitar (Sachimay 9347) I met Boston area based experimental guitarist Philip Tomasic through friends of his in Boston. He sent me his weird & unique trio cd with pianist Dan DeChellis and I invited him to play at Dr. Chadbourne's guitar fest this past August at Tonic and at DMG this past month. One thing that Philip does that is unlike anyone else is his use of two guitars placed on a stand and altered to fit snuggly together - played with a long round wooden stick with many pics glued on, so as to play many strings at the same time. Like Daevid Allen, Phil also has a small thin metal rod attached to another guitar by a string, that he can use to manipulate the strings in odd ways, rubbing the strings in an infinite variety of ways. His sound is often like that of a music box gone haywire, free of normal melodies, alien string sounds abound. He often uses a great deal of space or silence to give his alien transmissions time for us to absorb & ponder, taking his time to let the notes flow often slowly & unrushed, bending that long lean note into occasional fragments. At certain moments I am reminded of the explorations of Frith and Kaiser, but then that twisted music box sound appears and things get weirder, yet always remain focused. For those that dig the further reaches of guitar experimentation, this is a must. $10. 

 

22.KEN VANDERMARK'S JOE HARRIOTT PROJECT-Straight Lines (Atavistic 115) Ken recently received the prestigious McArthur grant ($$$) - a nice guy, a fine sax & clarinetist & ever-probing composer, he is one of the guiding lights of the current & truly happening Chicago scene and is certainly well deserving. He also seems to have more bands & projects than I can count. Most notable is his splendid quintet with three cds also Atavistic and his contributions to Peter Brotzmann's recent (incredible) Chicago Octet/Tentet 3 cd set on Okka Disc. Another smart move is for Ken's Quartet to cover the music of legendary/little known British alto sax giant - Joe Harriott. Harriott was an incredible modern-jazz alto saxist, whose distinctive sound & frantic playing is sort of in between two other giants - Ornette Coleman & Eric Dolphy, but whose compositions and brilliant/fresh playing of his quintet were all his own. Word is that Harriott developed his own sound/thing without hearing these other giants we compare him to. Thanks to journalist John Corbett and author John Wickes for helping us to recognize these wonderful musicians. Joe's first two amazing lps 'Abstract' and 'Free Form' (circa '60-'62!) have been reissued this year - hallelujah! The fresh ideas and passionate playing of these little recognized British jazz musicians is quite astonishing! Also reissued this year is an interesting Joe Harriott Double Quintet with Indians project from around 1967, called 'Indo-Jazz Fusion'. The instrumentation for Joe Harriott's fire-breathing quintet is alto sax-trumpet-piano-bass & drums, piano being the one instrument that Ornette dispensed with pretty much forever from this period on. Ken's Quartet consists of Jeb Bishop on trombone (no guitar), Kent Kessler on bass, Tim Mulvenna on drums and Ken on tenor (not alto) sax, clarinet & bass clarinet. The Quartet cover those spirited pieces from the first two Joe Harriott gems, but they have been done with different axes and an altered approach, no less interesting for them or us. That buoyant Island (Joe grew up in Jamaica) sort of free flowing groove is still alive in Ken's Qt, capturing that part of Joe's magic spirit! Almost forty years later, Ken's unit suspends time even further on "Shadows" - with ultra-dry clarinet & cymbal scraping bliss. Nice to hear these relatively young cats swinging so nicely on the title track. On "Tonal" & "Formation" - the Qt. play these difficult heads/themes with conviction, Jeb Bishop's exuberant trombone fattens up their sound much differently than Shake Keane's peppery spark. The bluesy vibe of "Pictures" is given a stark yet strong reading - very much on the edge. At best, Ken's quartet does burn like Joe's quintet, when the piece calls for that intensity. Ken's fine bass clarinet also gets a chance to spin some great Dolphy-like solos. If you don't own at least one of these early Joe Harriott reissues, do yourself a favor...and then you can purchase this wonderful tribute. All three aforementioned cds for $14. each 

And...three reviews by db:

HARRY PARTCH -Enclosure 6: Delusion of the Fury - (Innova) Against all odds, composer and instrument builder Harry Partch managed to record a few albums of his microtonal music. Cited by various musicians including John Zorn as an influence, Partch was a contemporary of American Mavericks John Cage, Lou Harrison and Conlon Nancarrow yet sounded like none of them. His highest quality recordings were on Columbia and some of us have been waiting for years for this to get reissued on CD. 

 
Listen to the dulcet tones of the Kithara (a type of harp), Harmonic Canons (zithers), Chromelodeons (re-tuned reed organ), Quadrangularis Reversum (microtonal xylophone), Marimba Eroica, Bass Marimba, Cloud-Chamber bowls (microtonal glass bells), various percussion like the Gourd Tree, Cone Gongs, Spoils of War, Zymo-Xyl, Mazda Marimba (light bulbs!), Cry-Chord, Boodongs and other exotic instruments. If you're unfamiliar with Partchs music, this is an excellent place to start. $14. each 
 

DAN SENN-The Catacombs of Yucatan - (Periplum P 0030) Another musician seduced by carpentry, Dan Senn builds his own electro-acoustic instruments. From instruments like the Too Flutter, Shmoos Harp, Fayfer Harp, Pendulyres, Penduling, Alto & Bass Shmoos, we hear a wide variety of exotic sounds ranging from free-improv percussive plucks and scratches to electronic sustained tones. On "The Catacombs of Yucatan" we hear folks reminiscing about a remote limestone cave in Minnesota that was developed as a site for a dance hall while harp-like strings pluck in the background. Otherworldly and strange. $14. each 

 

MARTIN BARTLETT- Burning Water - (Periplum P 0020) Yet another instrument builder: "He built his own equipment. Very admirable" - David Tudor, from the liner notes. The late Martin Bartlett worked with early home computers like the KIM-1 and the Atari computer interfaced with synthesizers. Three of the four pieces here are pieces for soloist and computer controlled synthesizer. Performers include Peter Hannan (soprano recorder), George Lewis (trombone), Frances-Marie Uitti (cello). On the fourth cut, the composer cuts loose with a wild solo piece. $14. each 

David Beardsley
Juxtaposition Ezine & 49/32 Radio
http://www.virtulink.com/immp/jux/j_index.htm

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