1.DAVE DOUGLAS/CHARMS OF THE NIGHT SKY-A Thousand Evenings (RCA 63698) This is the much anticipated second Charms of the Night Sky release, the first was on Winter & Winter and it was the favorite of the many wonderful dozen plus cds by Masada's trumpet star - Dave Douglas. The Charms unit features Dave as composer, producer and player, Guy Klucevsek on accordion, Mark Feldman on violin and Greg Cohen on contrabass (the last two both from the Masada String Trio). Dave has also won a triple crown host of awards from Downbeat this year and this is also his second major label release for RCA. Hence, this is the year of Dave Douglas and righteously so! "A Thousand Evenings" is yet another triumph for our man of the year! While the first 'Charms' cd was incredibly luscious, warm, melodious and haunting, this one pushes the quartet to even quirkier and more adventurous journeys. The title track is exquisite, touching, graceful with Dave's trumpet floating on top bathed in lush subtle echo. Guy's squeezebox and Mark's violin hover beneath, weaving a soft cushion of eastern European melodic support while Greg punctuates the bottom on bass. The trumpet, violin and accordion swirl in quick waves on "The Branches (Parts 1 & 2), and then Mark dazzles us with an impossible violin solo that reaches for the heavens! "Words for a Loss" features Greg's bass which moves like a ghost wandering through the ruins of an ancient temple while "Variety" has Guy erupting like a possessed sorcerer. The "Five Part Weather Invention" is quite an adventure, opening with contemporary classical sparks and then back to more melancholy, shimmering drones and slow, sad, somber elegance and eventually to quick, spinning webs of activity and daredevil solos from Dave and Mark! "Goldfinger" from that James Bond flick is an interesting choice of covers, but is done with taste so that the memorable melody shines through. "On Our Way Home" also spins by at a fast pace, keeping the quartet on their toes and us on the edge of our seats with more high flying solos from Mark and Dave. The final piece is "Memories of a Pure Spring" and it is another haunting, somber refrain with sad and enchanting solos from the trumpet and violin once more. This completely charming ensemble will premier this material at Tonic on November 10th & 11th, in the meantime you can warm those cold winter evenings with this wonderful gem for $15.

2.GARY LUCAS-Street of Lost Brothers (Tzadik 7145) Music is the healing force of the universe - so says Albert Ayler and guitar god Gary Lucas embodies this spirit by making music which is powerful, hilarious, frightening and filled with pride, joy and anger! Gary quotes T.S. Eliot in the liner notes who calls "any large number of free-thinking Jews undesirable" and Guy says "Tough shit, Eliot"! Right on! This is mostly a solo effort, although 3 tracks feature bands Gary has worked with - Gods & Monsters on two and an Eastern European combo on the other. Fellow Jewish visionary John Zorn joins Gary on the opening traditional tune is "Yigdal" and it is a hoot! It also features the amazing and wacky vocal team of Kenny Hurwitz and Larry Fine who are ridiculously funny. Both Gary & John Zorn explode on guitar & sax to make this a joyous delight and release. Gary consistently does a great job of dazzling us with his intricate and multi-leveled guitar playing, often on three different guitars. "The Opener of the Way" has him whipping out quick spiraling lines on his acoustic guitar, while "That's My Life" features Gary's trusty steel guitar in a bluesy endeavor and great weary voice of the struggle that life provides most of us with. Kenny & Larry also sing the uproarious 50's tune "Mahzel Means Good Luck" which is another sly and silly choice. On "It's Like a Wheel" Gary sounds as if he playing two guitars at once with four hands on his acoustic, in the second half the guitar is transformed into mutant, psychedelic slide and wah wah version of "Amazing Grace". Gary goes for the jugular on his spectacular cover of "European Son" by the Velvet Underground which is just too much! Another interesting choice of covers is "I Kill You for Nothing" from a Marx Brothers medley, which is a charming old-time jazz tune played on steel guitar. A staple of Gary's solo sets for the past few years is Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries", another odd choice since Wagner was an anti-semite, yet it works well as Gary's selective echo throb and insane psych geetar solo. Gary does "Let My People Go" on steel once more and it is a haunting, blues-drenched version in which he lets each note hang like a noose dangling in the air - most effective. "Level the Playing Field" has that Kottke/Fahey type of acoustic guitar flash of too many notes to fathom easily - marvelous! The epic piece "Sh'ma" is a cosmic duo for Gary and childhood pal Walter Horn on synth and it is a long, dizzying journey of melting sounds, impressionistic swirls, glowing embers, slow motion shadows and frenetic keyboard. The final track is "The Tel Aviv Ghetto Fight's Song" for Gary's O-Bay-Gone Band - an international unit live in Taiwan which features a rather goofy harmonica solo, obligatory wacky guitar solo and student riot as well. A grand kibbitzer with a great deal of chutzpah - Gary Lucas does it again! $14.

3.HARRIET TUBMAN-[Treasure Hunt for the] Prototype (Avant 078) HarrietTubman are Brandon Ross on guitar, Melvin Gibbs on el.bass and J.T. Lewis on drums. This is their second cd and it is much better than their first, which seemed a bit unfinished and didn't capture their awesome power like this one. This is recorded live mostly at the Knit, with one track live from Finland and one track from the North Sea fest in the Netherlands. This one really kicks incredible ass! Both Brandon and JT are/were in Henry Threadgill's Make A Move band, which is where Brandon really came into his own as an outstanding electric guitarist. Make A Move at times reminded many of Mahavishnu Orchestra in their heyday and in some ways this is the starting point for Harriet Tubman who play their own version of intelligent fusion at its best! HT are incredibly tight, slowly building from quiet sections into explosive twists and turns. Melvin is also pretty amazing, using numerous devices to alter his bass into a variety of characters - sometimes ultra-thick and throbbing, sometimes wah wah and fuzz are used to add depth and he even takes turn playing lead on bass! Brandon has that magic down of often looping a line to let it repeat hypnotically while he solos on top. HT have a distinctive way of building to a dense frenzy and then just stopping on a dime, but the flow continues on a more subdued level. On "My New Puppy" Brandon just embellishes lines of gentle waves in layers which are softly mesmerizing. JT Lewis constantly keeps the groove going, punching and pushing things into hyperdrive, while Melvin locks down the groove and Brandon burns the voodoo down - the demons are cut loose and erupt! JT often reminds me of the hard charging fire of Al Foster on those mid 70's Miles records, where he helps levitate the band into the skies. On "Adapted" the trio constantly push each other ever higher, building their forces together in a snug grip. The trio do a swell job of creating an effective mood music on "Frozen Fire" where sounds fade in like clouds drifting across the horizon. Brandon unleashes the beast on "Wild Seed" and takes a crazed wah-wah solo that makes my brain hurt. On the last cut "Where We Stand" Brandon just lets the swirls unfurl and drift while Melvin takes the mind-blasting solo which builds to a powerful conclusion! Certainly the best fusion cd we've heard in many years! $18.

4.MILFORD GRAVES-Stories (Tzadik 7062) Legendary jazz drummer of unparalleled power and creativity, head professor of healing percussion & philosophy and major force behind the thirty year reunion of the still amazing New York Art Quartet - Milford Graves returns once again with his second solo offering for the Tzadik label. Since his first solo percussion cd on Tzadik, Milford has come out of concert retirement to do a handful of concerts - including three duo sets with John Zorn, a duo with Misha Mengelberg and an insane quartet with Kidd Jordan, Charles Gayle and William Parker. It is truly a wonderful thing to see and hear him perform live! 'Stories' is another riveting knock-out in which Milford plays his extended kit with loads of extra drums and percussion instruments, as well as his distinctive and expansive vocals. Balaphon (African xylophone) and vocals bewitch and amuse us nicely on the opening piece "Optical Inversions" - Milford has a child-like innocence of wonder in his voice which is infectious and makes me wanna giggle. He often recalls an African villager or a wailing rabbi with his intoxicating vocal excursions. His playing has often has layers of swirling patterns, which constantly build and shift and caress the spirits with uplifting power. He has collected percussion from around the world, and blends cultures into one big cauldron of spicy stew. There is something quite cosmic, engaging, compelling and beautiful about the way in all fits together and uplifts our spirits simultaneously. Some of these are gentle, but still magical in a more subtle way. On the 32 minute epic - "Evolving Pathways" - Milford takes us on a long and varied journey through his history of percussion with a slowly evolving and building of the inner and outer spirits, telling snippets of stories, observations, with certain vocals often used as another percussion instrument. Take a trip with Milford Graves on this fabulous release. $14.

5.JIM BLACK-AlasNoAxis (W&W 061) This is drummer extraordinaire Jim Black's debut release as a leader, after almost a decade here in NYC playing with Bloodcount, Ned Rothenberg's Double Band, the Tiny Bell Trio and Pachora. He is joined by his constant cohorts Chris Speed on reeds and Skuli Sverrisson on el. bass, as well as Hilmar Jensson on el. guitar - whose impossible-to-find cd Jim & Chris played on a few years back. What is so great about this release is how it reveals how many different genres, styles and explorations Jim has been influenced by! With fifteen tracks and 72 minutes - 'AlasNoAxis' really does take us to many different and unexpected places. I keep forgetting what cd I have slipped into my player?!? "Mm" begins our journey with dark, mysterious el. guitar and tenor sax density and a throbbing rhythm team which quickly opens up to slow moving sax and an atmospheric guitar hovering, but then Chris let it blurt and bleed while Hilmar creates Terje-like swirls. "Optical" is hushed and elegant and has a warm and endearing melody at first, starting slowly but soon picking up speed and even rocking out with passionate flames - certainly a unique piece. "Maybe" drifts by with wistful tenor and somber guitar in an extremely laid back way, ever so melancholy and minimal. Hilmar uses that Terje-like guitar electronic howl once again on "Garden Frequency" while Jim chugs along with train-like rhythm. Many of these pieces deal with different textures to create certain moods - often the sax and guitar play haunting and mysterious sounds together while Jim punctuates the proceedings with nimble percussion creating suspense. I dig how the guitar and percussion just rumble like leaves on a calm spring day on "Icon" while Chris plays this quaint melody on tenor - touching and tasty. A few of these pieces come from that fine Pachora world of sunny eastern European melodies that are so endearing, yet on "Boombye" Jim likes to surprise us by taking unexpected twists and turns and revving the tune into a sort-of odd rocker which ends with a crazed guitar and drums eruption. Jim has done a fine job of utilizing each member of his quartet in unique ways to make music which transcends style and creates moving worlds of sounds. Excellent. $14.

6.CHRIS SPEED-Emit (Songlines 1532) This is Chris' third release for Songlines and his second cd this year, the first was his new 'Iffy' trio on KFW. 'Emit' features his stellar Yeah No quartet with Cuong Vu on trumpet, Skuli Sverrisson on el. bass and Jim Black on drums. Chris plays tenor sax and clarinet and keeps very busy juggling commitments with Bloodcount, Same River Twice, Dave Douglas units past & present and currently with Pachora. His playing and composing continue to evolve, expand and just get better with each release. Both Chris and Jim write these nifty tunes with skewed, fragmented structures. "Constance and Georgia" begins with a normal tenor and trumpet head, yet the rhythm team starts to veer off and twists things into strange areas - Skuli and Jim have been playing together for a while and it sounds like they can anticipate each other's moves. "Suggestible" is like a Pachora tune, but a bit more off kilter - both Cuong and Chris on clarinet play quick, inspired and burning solos, the rhythm team soars through this quick piece with ease. Things slow down to a lumbering, broken pace on "Berance", sounding like the entire quartet are about to fall over, but somehow remain tight and eventually erupt near the end. The horns drift like ghosts on "Waltzing" which is filled with suspense and silence. "Kosmia" starts with a sunny, eastern euro melody and lovely clarinet and trumpet solos to follow. Both horns play their slow bopping lines together almost throughout "Tangents" while the rhythm team burns on top spinning dense webs. "Tralala" is gentle, sort-of chamber jazz and "Kompa" has that refreshing, memorable melody line and infectious eastern groove - where's the belly-dancer?!? The closer "Transporter" also has a wonderful, warm head and quaint, hushed solos from Chris' tenor and Cuong's trumpet. Chris Speed's Yeah No will have their cd release party at Tonic on November 17th and their wonderful new cd is available now for $15.

7.OLIVER LAKE QUINTET-Talkin' Stick (Passin' Thru 41213) Featuring Geri Allen on piano, Jay Hoggard on vibes, Belden Bullock on acoustic bass, Cecil Brooks III on drums and Oliver Lake on alto sax and most compositions. This is yet another of Oliver's fine units, which includes his Steel Drum Quartet who also have a new cd out. This quintet is quite a solid one with the superb support of both Geri's piano and Jay Hoggard's vibes both adding layers of colors and ideas behind Oliver's spicy and bitersweet tone. In many ways this reminds me of the better Blue Note dates from the sixties with them fine blues-tinged, slightly funky themes and the consistently vibrant piano and vibes interplay with Oliver's passionate alto sax. Surprisingly enough, I heard one of these tunes on WBGO late at night, a rarity on that way too mainstream jazz station. I believe it was the opening and title tune, which does have a joyous melody and burning Dolphy-esque solo by Mr. Lake, in a duo with the great drummer and leader in his own right - Cecil Brooks III. One of the two covers is Julius Hemphill's "Hard Blues" - a great choice and a favorite of many Julius fans - an amazingly funky/bluesy head that is unforgettable with a grand, freer mid-section - both Oliver's solo on soprano sax and Geri's piano solo are classic, heart-felt delights. "Reminds Me" is a ballad with Oliver's tone swaggering, twisting and turning those notes inside out- ever so emotive, Geri also plays a gorgeous harp-like solo. The slower tempo/mood continues with "Masaai Moves" where both the vibes and piano are in constant motion underneath the alto sax sparks flying from Oliver - Jay, Geri and Cecil also take outstanding solos which levitate the spirits. The other cover is "Only If You Live There" by pianist Curtis Clark who I remember from the loft jazz days in NYC and how now lives in Amsterdam - the tune also has one of those swell Blue Note-like melodies guaranteed to make one smile. I dig the way "Shifts" moves through a variety of different sections, sometimes dense and quick, sometimes slow and quiet, sometimes rambunctious - Geri really takes off on this gem. "Song for Jay" also has an infectious melody and groove that just stays with you - a sort-of sunny island vibe. The closer is "Philly Blues" and like Oliver states it is a happy blues - with sparkling solos from Geri, Belden, Jay and an especially uplifting one from Oliver Lake! 'Talkin' Stick' is talking strong to you and me both, so check it out! $14.

8.ROB SCHWIMMER-URI CAINE-MARK FELDMAN-Theremin Noir (November Music 2005) A few months back I caught this duo called Polygraph Lounge at CB's Gallery and they were by far the funniest, most ridiculous combo I have heard/seen since the Mothers at the Fillmore! The duo consisted of Mark Stewart (Fred Frith Guitar Qt., Bang-on-a-Can All-Stars) on guitar, daxophone & toys and Rob Schwimmer on keyboards, theremin and daxophone. I've become friends with both Mark and Rob over the years and it turns out that Rob once played in an ensemble with Annette Peacock. 'Theremin Noir' is Rob's debut as a leader of this downtown all-star trio and although he is a keyboard wiz, he leaves the piano work to W&W superstar Uri Caine and the colossal violin work from Masada String Trio ace - Mark Feldman. Rob is featured here mostly on that exotic electronic instrument - the theremin - which is played by moving one's hands in the air above it - an oddity which has been around for some fifty years and has been utilized in contemporary classical music, science fiction soundtracks, in sixties psych bands like Lothar & the Hand People and even the Beach Boys used it as well as did seventies no wave units like Pere Ubu! On this release Rob also plays accordion, waterphone, toys and daxophone - in which blocks of wood are bowed and muted - another more modern oddity which was purchased by Mark and Rob from its inventor - Hans Reichel. The theremin often has a distinctive and ominous sound which is why it used in so many early science fiction flicks, the trio even cover four themes from Bernard Hermann soundtracks on this endeavor. On the aptly titled "Twilight Landscape" both the theremin and the violin hover in soft dark clouds, softly murmuring and gently eerie. Rob composed "Waltz for Clara" (Rockmore - the theremin virtuoso) and it is a sad and beautiful piece with touching accordion and Mark's amazing violin flash /spirit. On most of the trio composed pieces, both the piano and violin get their chance to fly, spin and soar. Uri's "Fireflies in Tainan" shows how incredible Mark's violin can be even in ultra-quiet sections - fluttering notes like insects buzzing. Uri plays with his finest romantic tendencies on Herrman's "Marnie" and Rob also plays quite an endearing theremin solo, while the violin also reaches for the heavens once more. The trio also cover three themes from Hitchcock & Hermann's 'Vertigo' soundtrack, which are quite unnerving - on "Carlotta's Portrait" the darkness gets pretty dense while the piano probes them heavy vibes and the violin and theremin rumble in sinister corners. There times when these cats really go for it - pounding the keys, the violin erupting like a volcano and the theremin wailing as well like on "The Nightmare" so watch out! "Scene D'Amour" is exquisitely sad with the trio really doing justice to the elegant theme- there will not be a dry hanky in sight and both Uri and Mark also add their impressive jazz chops to the proceedings. There are a few short pieces where the theremin and violin create sinister other worldly sounds that are most effective like on "The Fly". "Real Joe" is the only written by Mark Feldman and it covers many sections of an ongoing and evolving story - the violin and piano constantly shift, changing roles while the theremin only comes in at times to add a bit of mystery and finally explodes near the end. Outstanding! Quite a marvelous release and spectacular cover in the Winter & Winter tradition with an embossed theremin! $16.

9.ANTHONY BRAXTON & BRANDON EVANS-Composition No. 249 (Parallactic 27) With Anthony's own Braxton House label currently in limbo, anything new from our favorite visionary/composer/reeds specialist is always a treat. Mr. Braxton's first CIMP releases will be out sometime soon as well. Brandon Evans is a former Braxton student and longtime collaborator in many of Anthony's ensembles. He is a good friend, a wonderful multi-reeds player and runs the ever-growing Parallactic label with a handful of great releases. Both Anthony and Brandon play some eight different reeds apiece on this demanding almost hour long work composed by Mr. Braxton. This sounds to me like one of Braxton's Ghost Trance series in which the players begin by playing a line together and then repeat that line over and over, but with slight variations each time. The overall structure becomes more apparent over a long period of time as the intricate patterns are altered and slowly evolve into different shapes. One of the things I like about this composition is that it remains rather calm with no screaming sax interludes. The other thing that works well is that one sax, clarinet or flute will play the repeating line or structure while the other player solos in and around the focused center - both players change roles from time to time, but the inner spirit/structure always remains balanced so that there is something to follow if you give this a chance and listen closely. This work has no indexes for individual sections, it is one continuous piece, so patience is required and is rewarded. The harmonies and changing textures between both reeds is also marvelous to behold - baritone or bass saxes blend with soprano sax and clarinets, extreme ranges are explored and often delicate sections follow tart and twisted ones. Although it is often hard to tell who is doing what, Braxton does have a rather distinct way of bending notes and doing flurries on the different reeds. Both players here are masters of their craft and add a great deal of their own sound to the unified duo experience. I find this work often much less difficult or gnarly than some of the more harsh or overly dense pieces of Braxton's. Still, there are other challenges much more subtle to deal with. Mr. Braxton dedicates this work to his collaborator Brandon Evans for his own vision and hard work. This alone says enough, this work is quite rich. $14.

10.HUGH HOPPER & LISA S. KLOSSNER-cryptids (Blueprint 337) While Daevid Allen and the other members of Gong seem to release things almost monthly, the other former Soft Machine members like Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean and especially Robert Wyatt take their time and work longer on each project. Fuzz bass god Hugh Hopper seems to enjoy collaborations, his last few works were with Americans - Kramer and (Caveman) Hughscore and last year's Brainville with Daevid Allen, Pip Pyle and Kramer. This is Hugh's second cd with the mysterious vocalist Lisa Klossner - a new name to many of us. It is a complete collaboration since Hugh wrote all the music and did all the arrangements and Lisa wrote and sang all but one of these fine tunes. For those that don't know their Canterbury (home of Soft Machine) history Hugh helped invent his formidable and magical fuzz-bass sound way back in 1968 with Softs fuzz-organist Mike Ratledge - both inspired by tour-mate and friend Jimi Hendrix. Hugh is often identified with that sound and actually quit playing the fuzz bass for a number of years until more recently. Lucky for us, that amazing sound is back and featured on about half of these tracks. The half dozen guests include Pip Pyle on drums, Gary Smith on stereo guitar and Elton Dean on alto sax on only one track. What is interesting is that Hugh can still get that cosmic fuzz-tone with the use of a sampler at times. "As I Turn" is quite dismal and a bit disturbing - could it be about us - "A land of free speech, with no place for the weak" hmm. I do dig Lisa's strong voice, it is a powerful presence throughout. Lisa seems plagued by demons and Hugh does a great job of cutting the demons loose on their mutant horns and backwards samples on "Visitors". 'Still" is lovely and reminds me of one of Hugh's oldest tunes "Memories" - sad, soft and bluesy with tasty trombone and beautiful vocals. When Hugh's fuzz-bass finally kicks in on "Up for Air" - it is an immense sound, with swirling samples surrounding Lisa's strong voice. What Hugh does best throughout this cd is consistently surround Lisa's voice with wonderful, weird, fuzzy sounds. The trombone is the one warm sound that caresses her voice on three of these tunes, adding a different type of enchanting aura when the fuzz gets too thick. On the second half of this release it is Gary Smith's stereo el. guitar (from Mass & Powerfield) that adds strange support to the brew. Gary does have his own sound and is most often heard in more experimental settings, but one can still hear elements of Fripp and Frith in his sound. Lisa often writes disturbing, claustrophobic lyrics which fit well with the dark moments flowing through this work. The thick and imposing fuzz bass on "Of Course" is massive and throbbing and is meant to blow us all away - which it certainly does. A completely cosmic journey is in store for those wise enough to listen closely. $14. 11.TONY MALABY-sabino (Arabesque 153) Featuring Tony on tenor sax, Marc Ducret on el. guitar, Michael Formanek on double bass and Tom Rainey on drums. Over the past year, I have been checking out tenor sax thunder Tony Malaby in great double sax ensembles with Tim Berne and Marty Ehrlich and have been continually knocked out by his strong blowing. "sabino" is Tony's debut release as a leader and it features three musicians who have often worked with Tim Berne. All the pieces were composed by Tony or his wife pianist Angelica Sanchez, they also have an ensemble together. Angelica's "Ajo Comino" opens the cd and has a sumptuous head while Marc's guitar solo flies with slow burn intensity and Tony's tenor also soars with quiet fire. The title piece a soft, misty ballad-type of work where everyone plays in elegant slow motion drifting in calm waves. "Remolino/Hamza" opens with a quick burst of the tenor on fire before it slows down to dreamland once more, but builds in intensity throughout its long journey. Drummer Tom Rainey is a master of propulsion and suspense, here he locks in and pushes the quartet higher and higher as Tony erupts and ignites his sax spirit! Tom also works his earthy magic with his hands on drums on "Gate's Pass" which is freer and slowly swirls with Marc's impressionistic guitar flurries. Tony has an interesting way composing tunes that begin in somber moods and eventually escalate into more intense and free-flowing fire and yet end in soft colors once again like on "Mia" and on "Third Mystery" they things out even further. The last tune is Angelica's "Love Dogs" and Tony's tone is especially warm and graceful while Marc also lets those notes glow like distant embers. Altogether a stunning debut. $14.

12.[MARK HELIAS TRIO]-Gentle Ben (nota 2.96) This is Mark's Italian trio with Daniele D'Agaro on clarinet & tenor sax, U.T. Gandhi on drums and Mark on contrabass. Although I am unfamiliar with either of the two Italian musicians on this most impressive trio date, it turns out that the clarinetist Daniele has a trio cd on Nimbus with Tristan Honsinger, as well as a quintet cd co-led with Benny Bailey also on nota. Both Mark and Daniele split the tunes evenly as composers, with two standards, two tunes by Sean Bergin and a traditional Portuguese song. Daniele's "Fried Eggs" opens and flies from the first note, the clarinet fronted trio burning profusely, super tight and pushing - both the clarinet and bass taking great solos. I recognize Mark's superb tune "Gentle Ben" from an earlier cd of his and it has a sly melody line that is hard to forget - Daniele's tenor sax has that old-time bluesy swagger that reminds me of Bennie Wallace - a pure delight. The tenor trio digs in deep and really pushes hard on "Chip Chip Chippie" - I am consistently impressed by the duo sections when the bass and drums follow each other through tight hair-pin turns and match wits perfectly. Mark's bowed bass, the droning clarinet and minimal percussion creates mystery and suspense on "The End of the Middle". The bass and drums only are featured on "Bill Jones" and once more do a fine job of creating a spooky vibe with just provocative sounds. The traditional Portuguese piece is called "Va Im Tembora, O Papao" and it is an elegant feature for the warm wooden-toned clarinet. Sean Bergin's "Plastic Bag" also has a memorable finger-snapping melody that makes me wanna get up and dance around. The thing that impresses me the most about this trio is how well-balanced it is - each member contributes the same amount of energy, ideas, playing and support - so it all works. Even the two standards "It's the Talk of the Town" and Monk's "Four in One" are played with immense care and humor. The difficult Monk tune is played on clarinet and as thorny as it is, it swings just right. Time to search out those other cds by these wonderful players. This CD is only a mere $12.

13.MARK WHITECAGE QUARTET-Fragments of a Dream (Acoustics 411) Featuring Mark on alto & soprano saxes & clarinet, Sabir Mateen on alto & tenor saxes, clarinets & flute, Dominic Duval on bass & electronics and Jay Rosen on drums. This is yet another live one from one of favorite local sax heroes and his trusty quartet - live in Philly from July of this year - with only two long and winding works. Opening with Dominic's cosmic arco bass and electronics, the reeds begin to hover and swirl like dancing spirits, percussion fragments buzz and sizzle - sounds like clarinet and soprano sax creating alien worlds - slowing the quartet begins building in tempo and intensity - the rhythm team starts pumping as the clarinet(s) also escalate and ascend to the heavens. Eventually things slow down and get more spacious - Mark's electronically treated alto adds a mysterious glow to the haze of reed textures, both never overdoes it. The plot and density both thicken as time moves forward, the story moves in waves or currents. Both Mark and Sabir play together as one force united, often covering similar terrain - the rhythm section also take their time to maneuver through waters shallow and deep. There is a very natural flow of events taking place here, it all works at its own pace. Three quarters of the way into the first journey, the quartet go through an insanely quick section that show Mark's bop roots as he soars at top speed on alto sax - too much! Both horns soon wail together in complete communion without the rhythm team, reaching for the stars and beyond. This is free-jazz blow-out at it best, so jump in and be swept away! The second piece starts with Sabir's tenor and Dom's bass - both spirited, lyrical and slowly burning up the horizon as Mark's alto and Jay's drums also begin to enter the ever-growing event. Each of the members brings their own history and experiences into this music, so we hear a variety of ideas exchanged and thrown around, combined and consumed. Both saxes tell different stories that work well together as one presents his sound and the other joins in to orchestrate or move the flow in another direction. This massive quartet are back in Philly this week and Mark is also at the Pink Pony this Thursday (10/26) and are well worth experiencing. They tour Europe on occasion and are in Lisbon sometime soon as well. If you live somewhere else, you can purchase this fabulous offering for $13.

14.DENMAN MARONEY/HANS TAMMAN-Billabong (Potlatch 100) Both of these characters are now local explorers who have been working long and hard on their unique brand on sonic manipulation. Denman Maroney plays hyperpiano which means he works mostly inside the piano with metal bowls or other objects. He can be heard working with Mark Dresser, as well as on his own solo piano cd. Hans Tamman plays endangered guitar, which mean he also manipulates his electric guitar with a variety of objects. He also has a fine solo guitar cd released and has played DMG on more than one occasion. He recently married and has moved to NY full time, lucky us. What both of these players have in common is that they each manipulate their instruments with physical force, rather than delay or other electronic devices. What's interesting is that their individual sound and approach are much different (acoustic vs. electric for example), yet there is a connection, a bond of often bizarre sounds which work well since they way they alter their sound is strangely similar. On the first track "Stud" - there is a playfulness with short bursts of bent sounds, minimal enough for breathing space and time to fathom each twisted combination of notes. On "Bog" they both work with little kernels of manipulated sounds - distant drones, humming strings, well-chosen and similar in bent textures. There are moments when it is hard to tell who is doing what, like on "Scratch" where the fractured string manipulation sounds similar. Towards the end of "Jag" the tempo picks up, as does the excitement level, but this is only momentary, most of these pieces are more slow-moving and calm. The final piece is "Stretch" and it is an apt title since they do stretch out somewhat and inevitably go off the deep end and into thicker rambling. Mostly somber, adventurous music for the discerning listener. $14. 15.PETER BROTZMANN-KEIJI HAINO-SHOJI HANO-Shadows (DIW 938) Powerful improv insanity from Peter Brotzmann on taragato clarinet & tenor sax, Keiji Haino electric guitar and that distinctive voice and Shoji Hano on dums & bamboo horn. The DIW label, a Japanese major jazz label, has been doing mostly reissues from their back catalogue since Koch started distributing them a few years back. Except for Masada, they have only put out a few new items. This live encounter with three guiding lights of extreme improv was recorded in June of this year and captures this immense and disturbing trio at the height of their explosive energy force. In recent years, Peter Brotzmann has changed from being an all-out blaster to a much more diverse player with his comrades in Chicago. Haino Keiji, often known as an extremist and impossibly loud player, also continues to challenge himself in a variety of settings. But not here! This trio is one of brain-melting, sand-blasting, over-the-top and hurricane force brutality!! They really go for it - screaming sax, demented noise guitar & painful vocal screaming and throttling drums - certainly not easy listening. They often match each other's primal scream, so it does work and fit together. The thing is that these cats are very tight and do listen, respond, react and attack on a magical telepathic connection. There is a tribal quality to this music, as if some ancient myth or service is being acted out or that some demonic force is being unleashed on the brave/foolish listener. The first piece is a 25 minute excursion into the heart of the beast, which rarely lets up and really shows the force that this trio can whip up. The shorter pieces which follow, finally quiet down quite a bit and take their time to build to a frenzy once again. The drummer often sets the pace while the taragato/sax and guitar test the current and eventually jump in, navigating the rapids. Much more focused than any of us would have imagined and pretty fucking amazing! A most worthy import for $18. 

16.THURSTON MOORE/WALLY SHOUP/TOSHI MAKIHARA-Hurricane Floyd (Sublingual 007) Alto saxist Wally Shoup is a new name for me - turns out he once lived in Birmingham and played with Davey Williams & LaDonna Smith, before moving to Seattle in 1985 - where he leads Project W and organizes the Seattle Improvising Music Festival. Japanese born percussionist Toshi Makihara currently lives in Philly and has played with Zorn, William Parker & Peter Brotzmann, but I recall his crazed drumming with Dr. Chadbourne at the old Knit. This is an intense live set from Cambridge from last year, the same night Hurricane Floyd also hit New England - so that heavy energy was both outside and inside that Old Cambridge Baptist Church. Extremely well recorded, this captures three fine improvisers from different backgrounds combining their sounds in a solid communion of the spirits. The balance is just right so that each musician never overwhelms the other two. This cd consists of two long trio cuts, a short solo acoustic guitar segment from Thurston and an encore. The first trio piece explodes from the beginning - these cats are obviously listening closely and reacting quickly, since the trio is super-tight and as one force. Thurston appears to very inspired by his colleagues and rarely lets up on the noise/skronk/improv el. guitar sonics - there are many moments of total abandon and storm-like power! There is also a nice balance of dynamics - moments when things quiet down somewhat before they explode once again. More often the trio heads for that summit where they all climax together , bringing everyone who is listening with to the top of the mountain and into the skies. Thurston has been doing these occasional acoustic sets in recent years and so he has been developing his thing rather nicely - his solo piece here is mostly calm with quick strumming raga-like drones that seem influenced by his old hero - Sandy Bull. This segment as well as the restrained encore adds a nice touch to the rest of the wall-of-noise levitation that make up most of the lengthy trio pieces. $14.

17.EVAN PARKER/KEITH ROWE-Dark Rags (Potlatch 200) Both of these fine gents of the British improv network have been refining their distinctive approach/vision since the mid-sixties. Both were in important, ground-breaking ensembles at that point - Evan was in Company and Keith was and still is in AMM. Evan has consistently explored the realms of extended techniques for tenor and soprano saxes and records with a long list of players and ensembles world-wide. Keith was/is one of the originators of the guitar-on-table approach and outside of a dozen recordings with AMM, records very infrequently. Both Evan and Keith do share a passion for the use of electronics over the past decade. This is their first ever duo set recorded live at Pannonica in Nantes, France on New Year's Eve and Day from '99-2000. 'Dark Rags' consists of two long 30 plus minute pieces. You can tell that both of these musicians have been developing their sound for decades by the way that they choose each note so selectively - actively seeking similar sonic territory so that each segment is inter-connected on numerous levels. They begin in thoughtful slow motion and build their fragments in longer clusters as they weave their wares. Keith is master of the cosmic drone as he bows his electric strings while Evan layers his spurts of tenor sax seasoning on top. Eventually the stew gets thicker as Keith samples a radio transmission and Evan's sax fragments get denser. The first piece is quite somber yet alien sounding overall. The second piece seems to pick up from where the first piece left off and builds somewhat quicker, the fragments assembled more densely. Even more-so, both players match wits and sounds in an even more focused way - Evan creates spiraling cascades of notes while Keith's dark bowed metal mass grows more ominous. When they finally quiet down, it is as if a light has shone through a dark cloud. An ever-haunting wealth of riches can be found in these 'Dark Rags'. $14. 

18.SCHLIPPENBACH QUARTET-Hunting the Snake (Atavistic 213) Featuring Alexander Von Sclippenbach on piano, Evan Parker on soprano & tenor saxes, Peter Kowald on double bass and Paul Lovens on drums. This is a long lost session recorded for Radio Bremen in September of 1975 and featuring an all-star quartet of Europe's finest avant-jazz giants. Whoa, this is thee shit! From extremely explosive European free-jazz soaring off into the void to moments of sublime, inter-active, spurts of free-flowing busy activity. This release contains four long tracks in which all four players soar through a variety of combinations - solos, duos, trios and the quartet, endlessly inventing spontaneous sounds. Alex is never less than engaging and often works inside the piano - tapping, rubbing, scraping different objects and as well as using his fists and arms to whip that piano (and us) into submission. Evan's saxes squeal, squall, squawk and occasionally scream their own sonic spice into the proceedings. Peter's contrabass is forever being altered by his bow, pluckings and things shoved between the strings. I've seen percussionist extraordinaire Paul Lovens with both Cecil Taylor and Eugene Chadbourne and he also has his own way of playing that ramshackle drum kit, bowing cymbals and exploding in a most focused way on small objects and cymbals in a magic fashion. For many of us, this is as great as it gets for this type of Euro free-improv - so what are you waiting for!?! $13.

19.MARK WHITECAGE TRIO-Fractured Again/Live on Tour in Tours Vol. 2 (Acoustics 412) With Mark on alto sax, clarinet & electronics, Dom Duval on acoustic bass & electronics and Jay Rosen on drums. This is Mark Whitecage's fifth release in the past few months and the second with his trio on tour in France from one year ago. The good news is that since this flurry of releases have come out - they have been selling loads and are consistently great. This one is Mark's trusty trio who have been together for awhile and seem to get better with each endeavor. Things begin with Mark looping a line on his clarinet which repeats quietly and hypnotically, as the trio slowly take off with Dominic also repeating the line on bass, building in somber waves. On "Halfwit" Mark's alto is altered by electronics, adding an alien, altered haze to its sound, the rhythm team begins to erupt from the bottom on up as Mark's treated sax gurgles like a ghost set free - Dominic's thick bowed bass pushes the trio into a startling segment as Mark's alto begins to soar. This is an all-powerful trio that really mean business and are in complete control of their eye and ear opening force! I dig when they break into a standard in the middle of a long piece as a natural flow of events and swing their tushes off, showing that it is not all freedom that they excel in. A funny moment is in the beginning of "Can-Do Kind of Guy" where someone loops their voice in an odd sort of way as Mark once more plays and loops his treated clarinet - the combination of loops and notes softly ascending higher and building with richer textures as Mark's alto begins burning once more - the trio sailing into hyper-drive. This cd concludes with a somber version of Monk's "'Round Midnight" which once shows that these cats know their history. Another splendid outing from the inimitable Mark Whitecage Trio! $13. All of the above by musical adventurer and scholar Bruce Lee Gallanter

20.LOU HARRISON - Rhymes With Silver (New Albion NA 110) Lou Harrison studied with Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg. He was also a close friend of John Cage and is also known as an early champion of Charles Ives music. Harrisons unique music is a fusion of many influences, a bit of the early western European classical tradition with Asian and Pacific Rim classical and folk music. Of the twelve movements of Rhymes With Silver, three are cello solos by Joan Jeanrenaud, a cello and percussion duet with William Winant, a cello, piano, vibraphone trio with Julie Steinberg, a piano and percussion duo and six ensemble pieces that include David Abel, violin and Benjamin Simon, viola. Compared to many of his contemporaries, Harrisons music is very accessible with beautiful lyrical melodies and earthy rhythms. There are other aspects of his music on this cd, like the loopy Fox Trot and the mournful Threnody. If you haven't heard Lou Harrison's music, this is a great place to start, if you are familiar with Harrison, Rhymes With Silver is a welcome addition to the collection. $14

21.MORTON FELDMAN AND STEPHAN WOLPE - For Stephan Wolpe, Choral Music of Morton Feldman and Stephan Wolpe (New World Records 80550-2) Morton Feldman was a major 20th century composer and recently there has been a plethora of releases. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, his quiet music slowly unfolds with shimmering textures, pausing here and there for silence. This collection brings together three works, Christian Wolf in Cambridge (1963) for unaccompanied chorus and Chorus and Instruments II (1967) for chorus, chimes and tuba are two mid-period pieces while For Stephan Wolpe (1986) chorus and two vibraphones is a later work. The wordless vocals add to the unearthliness of Feldman's music. Also on this cd are six short pieces by Feldman's composition teacher Stephan Wolpe. He studied for several years with Wolpe, starting right after he got out of high school. A former student of Anton Webern, Wolpe taught at Black Mountain College 1952-1956 along with John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Lou Harrison and David Tudor. Although he spent half of his life in America, Wolpe's choral music in this collection sounds more European and traditional. Music of an earlier generation perhaps? $14

The above reviews were graciously submitted to our lowly publication by microtonal music guru and DMG webmaster David Beardsley. 

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