1.JOHN ZORN-Archery (Tzadik 7316) Featuring David Moss, Eugene Chadbourne, Bill Laswell, Robert Dick, George Lewis, Wayne Horvitz, Anthony Coleman, Mark Kramer, Polly Bradfield, Bill Horvitz, Tom Cora and John Zorn! This was Mr. Zorn's largest, most serious and perhaps most successful game piece (circa 1981). This incredible triple cd also includes an entire's cds' worth of a previously unreleased rehearsal and extensive liner notes and compositional sketches. An outstanding achievement!! 3 cd set for $36.

2.SATLAH-Exodus (Tzadik 7149) Second fabulous Tzadik Radical Jewish Culture Series release for this passionate, powerful and spiritually uplifting post-klez avant-jazz sax led trio beautifully recorded live at Tonic in the NY's Lower East Side! $14.

3.FRED FRITH-LOUIS SCLAVIS-J.P. DROUET-I dream of you jumping (Victo 072) A superb live set - perfectly recorded and one of the highlights from last year's Victoriaville New Music Festival. Fred plays (prepared) guitars, Louis is one of Europe's finest clarinetists and JP is an amazing percussionist who works both in modern classical and world music!! $14.

4.BILL FRISELL-Blues Dream (Nonesuch 76915) Featuring Billy Drewes, Ron Miles, Curtis Fowlkes, Greg Liesz and Kenny Wollesen. Supposedly superb like last year's excellent solo cd, but we won't know until Nonesuch actually sends us a promo. $15.

5.SHIN TERAI-unison (Ion 820152) Co-produced by BILL LASWELL and featuring Buckethead, Bernie Worrell, Nicky Skopelitis, Bob Musso and Bill on phat el. bass!! Finally this long sought-after Japanese only rare release is reissued here! Shin Terai is a multi-talented sampler wiz and this is one of Bill's best works in recent memory!! $12.

6.WILLIAM PARKER QUARTET-O'Neal's Porch (Centering Music 1003) Featuring Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes, Hamid Drake and William Parker! Diverse outside and inside jazz at it's finest from four local (Hamid is from Chicago) giants!! $12.

7.MYRA MELFORD & MARTY EHRLICH-Yet Can Spring (Arabesque 154) While Myra studies harmonium with the masters in India, this wonderful duo effort will soothe our souls until she returns! $14.

8.CHRISTIAN MARCLAY-IKUE MORI-ELLIOTT SHARP-Acoustiphobia Volume One (Sublingual 009/010) Mind-blowing NY trio caught live in Boston last year on the first disc and more challenging works from the students of The School of The Museum of Fine Arts on the second disc. A two cd set in a lovely six-panel cardboard wallet case for only $15.

9.ANTHONY BRAXTON & SCOTT ROSENBERG-Compositions and Improvisations 2000 (Barely Audible 222) Braxton is back and becoming prolific once more. This is a demanding duo of too many reed instruments to mention here!! $15.

10.TISZIJI MUNOZ-Breaking the Wheel of Life and Death! (Anami 019) Featuring Marilyn Crispell, Don Pate, Rashied Ali and Tisziji on brain-melting guitar!! Amazing and spiritual Trane-like intensity and certain to devastate all who listen. $12.

11.CHARLES GAYLE TRIO-Precious Soul (FMP 113) With Gerald Benson on bass, Gerald Cleaver on drums and Mr. Gayle on tenor sax! Another eruption! $17.

12.NICK DIDKOVSKY & GUIGOU CHENEVIER-Body Parts (Vand' Oeuvre 20) Bizarre and diverse songs and explorations from Dr. Nerve's lead guitar hero and Etron Fou's fabulous drummer. To be reviewed in the next newsletter. $12.

13.ORI KAPLAN TRIO PLUS STEVE SWELL-Delirium (CIMP 223) Local alto sax hero Ori and trombone great Steve Swell blow strong and set the spirits free on Ori's second swell release for CIMP. They cover the difficult Carla Bley tune "Ictus". $14.

14.CHRIS JONAS' THE SUN SPITS CHERRIES-The Vermilion (Hopscotch 8) Featuring Myra Melford, Joe Fiedler, Chris Wasburne and Andrew Barker. Second demanding release from this great local soprano sax player and composer of note! $14.

15.BAIKIDA CARROLL-Marionettes on a High Wire (Omnitone 12101) Featuring Erica Lindsay on tenor sax, Adegoke Steve Colson on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, Pheeroan AkLaff on drums and Baikida on trumpet. 70's trumpet hero Baikida Carroll is back with a vengeance - blowing up a storm on trumpet and composing this engaging music both subtle, swinging and intense! An excellent encounter! $14.

16.TONY SCHERR-Come Around (self produced) Bassist & guitarist for Bill Frisell and Slowpoke steps out for a laid-back singer-songwriter effort. Guests include Frisell, Steve Bernstein, Michael Blake, Briggan Krauss, Jenny Scheinman, Jane Scarpantoni! $10.

17.HERB ROBERTSON & PHIL HAYNES-Ritual (CIMP 222) Extraordinary trumpets and drums duo from two local giants. Word is that Herb is moving back from Berlin to blow us all away once again! Hooray! $14.

18.DOMINIC DUVAL-CONNIE BAUER-NILS WOGRAM-Serious Fun Plus One (CIMP 221) Improvised music at its best with our own local contrabass master plus two European wizards of extended trombone explorations! Connie Bauer is a member of the fabulous Doppelmoppel and can be heard on many releases from Intakt and FMP! $14.

19.DAVID LEE MYERS-Ourobouros (Pulsewidth 01) Mr. Myers invented his own feedback machine and recorded some half dozen releases under the name Arcane Device in the late 80's. He took his device apart and retired from music in the 90's and has recently put a new feedback looping device together. This self-produced cd is the fruit of his new labors and it is an immensely engaging display of not-so subtle solo electronics! $10.

20.SAM RIVERS NEW TRIO-Firestorm (Rivbea 50102) Some 35 years after sax legend Sam Rivers played for Miles, he continues blow free-jazz sax (flute & piano) in is own firestorming way. Since moving to Florida to teach, he has put together this dynamic trio with Doug Matthews on basses & bass clarinet and Anthony Cole on drums, piano and tenor sax. This is a powerful live date from NYC of recent vintage!! $13.

NEW RELEASES FROM OUR FAVORITE EUROPEAN MUSICIANS:

21.BARRY GUY ALL-STAR ORCHESTRA-Inscape Tableaux (Intakt 066) Featuring Evan Parker, Marilyn Crispell, Mats Gustafsson, Hans Koch, Herb Robertson, Raymond Strid, Johannes Bauer, Per Ake Holmlandes and Paul Lytton!! Now that the LJCO are no longer, this spectacular crew will continue in their cosmic spirit! Contrabassist supreme Barry Guy will be playing at Tonic next Tuesday February 20th in a trio with Marilyn Crispell and Gerry Hemingway and in a duo with his wife Maya Homberger - don't miss it! $15.

22.EVAN PARKER-Evan Parker With Strings (Emanem 4302) Featuring John Russell, Hugh Davies, Peter Cusak, Phil Durrant, John Edwards, Marcio Mattos, Kaffe Matthews and Mark Wastell!! Colossal collaboration with UK master sax specialist and his British string associates. Three cd set for $35.

23.KEITH TIPPETT & DARYL RUNSWICK-Set of Five (ASC 37) Daryl is yet another fine British jazz piano pioneer who has played with Ray Russell and Graham Collier in the 70's. Keith Tippett is a favorite of us here at DMG and this is his third incredible piano duo effort along with Stan Tracey & Howard Riley. $17.

24.PETER BROTZMANN-Right as Rain (FMP 112 Solo saxophone explorations from this giant of German avant-jazz, who makes his second home in Chicago!! $17.

25.PETER BROTZMANN TRIO-Live at Nefertiti (Ayler Disc 4) Peter is backed by an amazing Scandinavian rhythm team with Peeter Uuskyla (a Peter Kowald collaborator) on drums. Deep! $15.

26.PAUL DUNMALL QUARTET-EastWestNorthSouth (FMR 72) This one features John Adams & Phillip Gibbs on guitars, Mark Sanders on drums and Paul Dunmall on tenor & soprano saxes & bagpipes. Four long live inventive swirling free improvisations for two Joe Morris-like guitarists, (Keith Tippett's) Mujician sax god and everyone's drummer of choice in the UK (especially Jah Wobble). $17.

27.JOHN BUTCHER-Fixations (Emanem 4045) Cerebral and engaging solo soprano and tenor sax explorations from one of the UK's best! $17.

28.JON ROSE-MATTHIAS BAUER-ALEKS KOLKOWSKY-The Cryonics (Emanem 4047) Jon Rose is the king extended string manipulations and here collaborates with two other fine string explorers! $17.

29.EDDIE PREVOST-Silver Pyramid (Matchless 40) Historic recording from the Music Now Festival in London 1969 featuring AMM's Keith Rowe, Cornelius Cardew, Lou Gare and Eddie Prevost!! This will be in a week or two. $15.

30.PHIL MILLER/IN CAHOOTS-Out of the Blue (Crescent Disc) Featuring Elton Dean, Peter Lemer & Jim Dvorak. Hatfield/National Health electric jazz/rock guitar god Phil Miller finally releases a new one from the best Canterbury post-fusion unit!! $17.

NEW CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL & ELECTRONIC RELEASES:

31.GIANCINTO SCELSI-The Orchestral Works One (Mode 95) Spine-tingling sonic revelations from one of the 20th century's finest composers. Featuring "Hymnos" for antiphonally divided large orchestra. "Hurqualia" which is quite shocking - violent, impulsive and fast. "Konx-Om-Pax" for a massive orchestra and chorus and it is Scelsi's crowning work and "Canti del Capricorno" which is a collection of twenty songs interspersed among the larger works for solo voices and minimal instruments involving improvisation. A completely fascinating collection! $14.

32.MORTON FELDMAN/S.E.M. ENSEMBLE -For Philip Guston (Dog w/ a Bone 02) This is a definitive performance of Feldman's five hour minimalist masterpiece - sparse yet still overwhelming and triumphant! A four cd set for $45.

33.MARCEL DUCHAMP-The Entire Musical Work (Dog with a Bone 01) Performed by the S.E.M. Ensemble with Ben Neill and composed by master dadaist Marcel Duchamp. Featuring "Erratum Musical" for three voices plus two versions for player piano and chamber ensemble and the conceptual piece "Sculture Musicale" performed by John Cage. The liner notes include reproductions of Duchamp's scores, rare photographs of his home-made instruments and a mesostic/poem by John Cage. $16.

34.HENRY FLYNT-You Are My Everlovin'/Celextial Power (Recorded 01) Mr. Flynt was one of the Fluxus composers and is still an associate of LaMonte Young. This bizarre double cd features two 45 minute sets of live improvised 'avant-garde hillbilly and blues music' with Henry on heavily treated violin, multi-tracked volume pedal guitars drenched in reverb and an un-credited tambura player. Fans of Arnold Dreyblatt and Tony Conrad should savor this as well. Two cd set for $18.

35.WALTER MARCHETTI-Per La Sete dell'orecchio (Cramps 033) Historic reissue of 1984 album featuring works for marimba, maracas, magnetic tape, environmental recordings and cavernous water sounds, plus bonus track "Song of John Cage". $14.

36.IANNIS XENAKIS-Pleiades (Harmonia Mundi 1905185) Xenakis created his own universe of architecturally challenging sounds and music and passed away just a few weeks ago. He will be missed. Many of us downtowners had the good fortune to hear a weeks' worth of concerts of his music and also his engaging commentary when he visited us a few years back. 'Pleiades' is his richly defined and demanding percussion music here performed Les Percussions de Strasbourg - it is grand! An inexpensive reissue at $10.

37.LUIGI NONO-La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura (Kairos 1210) Demanding music for wandering solo violin, sound projections and eight pre-recorded tapes. $15.

38.PAULINE OLIVEROS & REYNOLS-In the Arms of Reynols (Cream Gardens 04) Beautiful and haunting drone music played by Pauline on her trusty accordion and reconstructed by Reynols with bewildering and luminous results! $14.

39.MAYA BEISER/STEVEN SCHICK-Caught by the Sky with Wire (OO Discs 67) Bang-On-A-Can All-Star cellist and percussionist duo perform five special works commissioned and composed especially for them by Nick Didkovsky , George Lewis, Jack Body, Chinary Ung and Franghis Ali-Zade. $14.

40.HENRI CHOPIN-Le Corpsbis & Co. (Nepless 1001) A most impressive collection of concrete poetry experiments which feature electronic explorations of the voice, vocal textures and throat vibrations altered by tapes and electronics. A very limited number of copies left, so please buy this now and avoid future embarrassment. $14.

41.ABSOLUTE ENSEMBLE-Absolution (Enja 9394) An electro-acoustic new music ensemble that has covered a wide range of composers like the Beatles, Charles Mingus, Jimi Hendrix, Igor Stravinsky and Stockhausen. Here they feature the talents of Denman Maroney, Dave Taylor and Daniel Schnyder and cover Hendrix's "Purple Haze"! $15.

42.ELLEN BAND-90% Post Consumer Sound (Experimental Intermedia 124) Deeply inspired by the infinitely complex textures, rhythms and colors of ordinary life and redesigned to reflect the imagistic, mnemonic and psycho-acoustic properties of sound?!? Say what? The previous description was not written by yours truly (BLG). $14.

43.ALFRED SCHNITTKE-'Quasi una Sonata' Music for Violin & Piano (Bridge 9104) Deconstructed post-modernist gems including "Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 for Violin & Piano", "Prelude in Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich" for violin & tape plus "A Paganini" for solo violin. Intensely haunting performances. $14.

JAPANESE, PROGRESSIVE, WORLD, POP, FUNK & UN-DEFINED NEW RELEASES:

44.THE BOREDOMS-VisionCreationNewSound (Birdman 028) Brain-blasting psychedelic over-the-top jamming insanity and by far the best cd of this week!! Finally, the domestic version of that overpriced import is here to bathe in! Completely cosmic and only $13.!!

45.RUINS-Pallaschtom (Sonore 09) 12th fantastic release from our favorite Japanese post-punk-prog power duo (and Magma fan club head)!! Sixteen new tunes plus a ridiculous classical music medley which features 26 famous themes in 1'15"!!! $14.

46.OTOMO/MOTTOMO-Unlimited XIII (Trost 076) Compilation from an Austrian new music festival curated by Otomo and featuring Keith Rowe, Hoahio, Taku Sugimoto, Radian, Martin Tetreault, Kaffe Matthews, Diane Labrosse, Neumann, Novo Tono and Otomo's New Jazz Quintet! $17.

47.DUN-Eros (Soleil Atreides 03) Very highly recommended French progressive-jazz-rock instrumental ensemble from the late 70's/early 80's. I hear elements of early Zappa, Henry Cow, Magma and even some Canterbury-like sounds! Excellent, yet unknown! $18.

48.ILITCH...Periodikmindtrouble (Fractal 012) First album and various unreleased tracks from this legendary yet little known French guitar explorer named Thierry Muller. Compared to Fripp & Eno, Conrad Schnitzler, Cluster, Terry Riley, Lard Free and Heldon! Two cd set for $18.

49.AMY DENIO & FRANCISCO LOPEZ-Belle Confusion OO (Absolute 002) Amy is an immensely gifted vocalist/bassist/saxist who has played in the Tonedogs, Curlew, the Billy Tipton Memorial Sax Qt., EC Nudes, the Science Group (w/Frith & Cutler) and most recently The Danubians. She also has a bunch of great solo cds. Here, her voice is processed by Mr. Lopez and manipulated with layers of out-of-this-world harmonic results. $14.

50.STEFFEN BASHO-JUNGHANS-Inside (Strange Attracters 002) Another outstanding work-out for this new solo acoustic guitar wizard from a new European hero named after the legendary Robbie Basho! $13.

51.P. FUNK GUITAR ARMY-Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (RVS 42005) Featuring the late legend Eddie Hazel, Michael Hampton and loads of those heavy, wailing P. Funk guitar demons - doing what they do best!! $14.

52.JOHNNY DOWD-Temporary Shelter (Koch 8205) More frightening and twisted rock from this sort-of Tom Waits/Nick Cave sicko and he is back to haunt us once more. Mojo mag calls him "a cross between a prophet and a serial killer"!?! $14.

53.VARTTINA-Ilmatar (Northside 6054) A most dramatic leap forward for the best Nordic world-music band - with adventurous vocal harmonies and dynamic instrumental performances as well! Another treasure from the wonderful Varttina clan. $14.

REISSUES AND RARITIES FOR FEBRUARY 2001 TO PONDER:

54.SUN RA ARKESTRA-Strange Strings (Thoth 502/El Saturn reissue) The rarest of rare!! This is a very limited lp only reissue of Sun Ra's Astro Infinity Arkestra complete with genuine/cheesy xerox cover and will sell for hundreds of dollars on e-bay in a short time! We only have 5 copies of this rare treasure and it is not on cd!!! This extremely limited lp sells for $20.

55.KEITH TIPPETT-Blue Print (LaCooka Ratcha 146) Featuring Julie Tippetts, Keith Bailey, Roy Babbington, Frank Perry and Mr. Tippett's massive piano playing! This is surely incredible British avant-jazz at its best! This amazingly cosmic unit slimmed down to a trio and soon became Ovary Lodge. $14.

56.KEITH & JULIE TIPPETT-Couple in Spirit (EG) Superb! An immensely beautiful duo excursion from our favorite avant-jazz vocalist Julie (Driscoll) Tippett singing into the piano as Keith plays, strums and bangs the piano innards. Long out of print, we just found two sealed copies on cd for $25. each

57.CURVED AIR-Second Album (Collector's Choice 159) Excellent early British progressive quintet featuring the lovely vocals of Sonja Kristina, violin of Darryl Way and keyboards of Francis Monkman! $13.

58.CURVED AIR-Phantasmagoria (Collector's Choice 160) Their third release (from 1972) and perhaps their best! I saw them at the Fillmore East in 1971 and they were amazing! Wonderful tunes, engaging playing and elegant vocals! $13.

59.PREMERIATA FORNERIA MARCONI [PFM]-Storia di un Minuto (BMG/Italy) Grand re-issue of the first release from this fabulous Italian progressive ensemble who have since reformed play at thee prog fest in L.A. last year! A great sounding gold cd import at a midline price of $13.

60.NON-CREDO-Reluctant Hosts (No Man's Land 8814) Rare progressive duo who once wowed us at Victo's best effort is finally reissued for (y)our listening pleasure. $16.

61.MAD RIVER-Mad River/Paradise Bar & Grill (Collector's Choice 172) Mad River were on the darker side of the bay area psychedelia/folk/rock era. The quavering voice of vocalist/songwriter Lawrence Hammond irked some, but I find it enticing. This cd contains both of their brain-melting albums and clocks in at 76 plus minutes! $14.

62.CECIL TAYLOR-Air Above Mountains (Enja 3005) Splendid, powerful and historic solo piano performance from August of 1976 and long out-of-print! Limited edition and budget priced at $12.

63.CHARLES MINGUS-Mingus in Europe (Enja 3077) Legendary and outstanding performance from April of 1964 featuring Eric Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Jaki Byard, Dannie Richmond and Charles Mingus - bass/composer/visionary! $12.

64.HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS-Love Sick Blues (ASV 5371) This features some 25 country classics from 1947-1950! $12.

65.BUCK OWENS-Young Buck: The Complete Pre-Capitol Recordings (Audium 8124) This features 21 tracks of Buck Owen's earliest recordings from 1955 with extensive liner notes and rare photos. $14.

66.JIMMY MARTIN & HIS SUNNY MOUNTAIN BOYS-The King of Bluegrass (Audium 8123) Great collection featuring the swell voice of Jimmy Martin which earned him the title of "The King of Bluegrass"! $14.