All Along the Watchtower
Written & Recorded by Bob Dylan for ‘John Wesley Harding’ (1968)
Made Famous by Jimi Hendrix for ‘Electric Ladyland’ (1969)
"There must be some kind of way out of here,"
Said the joker to the thief
"There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine
Plowmen dig my earth
None of them along the line
Know what any of it is worth."
"No reason to get excited,"
The thief, he kindly spoke.
"There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we've been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now
The hour's getting late."
All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants too
Outside in the cold distance
A wild cat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl
A few nights ago, I had a dream, something I rarely recall. I was in the dream which was set in a western, open field scene, underneath some trees and holding hands with my favorite cowgirl, Jen N. (hi bubbie!). We saw some men on horses riding in the distance and I could hear this song playing in the background. The song seem to tell a story which was being played out before us. It was a perfect day, the light breeze blowing and when the song ended, we hugged to capture a special shared feeling. Certain songs have a way of setting a scene or story in our minds or collective consciousness. This song has always done this for me and I have to stop & listen whenever I hear it and let myself be drawn in and taken away. Welcome to Spring and hopefully have some positive dreams! - BLG
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Another Groovy Weeks Worth of Treasures from:
Michael Bisio / Kirk Knuffke / Fred Lonberg-Holm: Dedicated to Mike Panico! Dave Liebman/Adam Rudolph/Hamid Drake! Michael Attias Solo! Five from Paal Nilssen Love: Boneshaker! Ken Vandermark! Frode Gjerstad! Akira Sakata! Five from FMR: Paul Dunmall Sextet!
Otomo Yoshihide Chilean Quintet! Szilard Mezei Trio! Michel Doneda & Matheiu Bec! Two from Eugene Chadbourne: E. Sharp/Jon Rose/Sun City Girls Son of Shockabilly! Two from Sunnyside: Joe Martin QT & Nick Sanders Trio! Blaise Siwula/Rocco John/G Mazzu/L Troja!
Plus Historic Discs from Cannonball Adderley! Bud Powell! Johnny Griffin! LP’s from Agitation Free! Horace Tapscott & Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra! Dr. Umezu! Herbie Hancock and more..!
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The DMG FREE Music Series Continues Every Sunday at 6pm and Features:
Sunday, April 7th:
6pm: CHET DOXAS - Solo Tenor Sax
7pm: FERAL CHILDREN: NOAH BECKER / NICK DUNSTON / LESLEY MOK -
Alto Sax & Clarinet / Bass / Drums & Percussion
 Sunday, April 14th:
6pm: DAVID GROLLMAN - Solo Snare
7pm: DREW WESELY / DAVE ZAKARIAN - Guitar and Alto Sax
8pm: VIV CORRINGHAM / MIA ZABELKA - Voice / Violin
Sunday, April 21st:
6pm: AARON NAMENWIRTH / DANIEL CARTER - Guitar / Horns
7pm: BENJAMIN SCOTT - Drums Reeds / K. HANK JOST - Bass Reeds
Sunday April 28th:
6pm: OMAR & EMILIO TAMEZ - Tribute to Paul Motian
7pm: BLAISE SIWULA / LUCIANO TROJA / GIANCARLO MAZZU
DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a small gallery. Take the F train to East Broadway or the 6 train to Canal or the B or D to Grand, or the M-15 bus to Madison & Catherine. Come on Down, the Sunday Music Series is Always Free & the Vibes are Always Cosy. You can check the weekly in-store sets through our Instagram feed
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This Weeks Sonic Delights Begin with This Important Disc:
MICHAEL BISIO / KIRK KNUFFKE / FRED LONBERG-HOLM - Requiem for a New York Slice (Iluso IRCD 17; Earth) Featuring Michael Bisio on contrabass, Kirk Knuffke on cornet and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello. "This recording is dedicated to Mike Panico (August 30,1965 - October 2, 2018), co-owner and producer at Relative Pitch Records, he was also a wonderful friend. I met Mike through his volunteer work a both the Vision Festival and The Stone. He was open, friendly and had a deep respect/love for this music. When he started RP he invited me to be on the label. From 2011 - 2018 Mike produced a half dozen recordings that I took part in either as leader or collaborator. As a producer Mike showed the same love and respect for the process that he did for all things ...people included.Â
As our friendship grew I learned Mike's enormous ability to love extended to pizza! Whether it was after a gig or an arranged daytime adventure the search for the best slice was often the central theme, man o' man Mike knew where to find that slice! His untimely departure is a great loss. This music, recorded three days after his death, is a tribute to his life.â€Â - Big Love, Michael Bisio
Michael Bisio and Kirk Knuffke have been working together for a while and have two great discs out on Relative Pitch of their duo and quartet. The music on both of those discs was partially written and both players sound great together. Adding former Chicago-based cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm was a great idea since he is a master improviser on both cello & electronics. He is also the wild card in situations like this since he often adds unexpected twists to whatever group he is playing with. This is a studio recording and it was recorded a few days after Mike Panico’s unfortunate passing. I found this music to be extreme intense, focused with each member carefully bending and twisting their notes around one another and together. It is difficult to tell the difference between the bent strings and cornet since certain sounds & textures are so similar. I recall the feeling of loss, confusion, frustration, deep sadness that Mike’s closest friends and family felt the week he passed. For me, this music reflects and captures those feelings extremely well. At times it calms down, giving us a chance to breathe and sigh. One of Downtown’s finest musicians is Kirk Knuffke, who opened Mike’s memorial at Roulette with a solo cornet piece. Knuffke knows how to caress a note, make it tender, fragile, lovely, haunting. His tone and his selective playing sound superb here while one or both strings create a sublime cushion underneath. There are a number of transcendent moments here, when all three players sound as if they are on the same wavelength, playing as one voice or stream. I am so glad that the sun is out today (4/3/19) since the winter has been so difficult and we need some rays of sunshine to soothe our souls. This music shows the magic power of great improv to inspire and heal those who need it. A perfect remedy. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
DAVE LIEBMAN / ADAM RUDOLPH / HAMID DRAKE - Chi (Rare Noise 102; UK) Featuring Dave Liebman on soprano & tenor saxes, piano & recorder, Adam Rudolph on hand drum set, piano, sintir, percussion & processing and Hamid Drake on drum set, frame drums, percussion & voice. This set was record live at The Stone in May of 2018. Diverse percussionist, multi-bandleader, former-professor and label head, Adam Rudolph, keeps busy balancing several projects simultaneously. Mr. Rudolph has done residencies at The Stone on a few occasions and I have attended many of these nights, each one special and different. This disc was recorded at one of those residencies and it did capture a special night. Mr. Rudolph and Hamid Drake have known each other since their high school days in Chicago and have collaborated ever since, their creative spirit continues to evolve. Last year, the Rare Noise label released another trio effort with Adam Rudolph, Dave Liebman and Tatsuya Nakatani, a unique combination. This trio makes even more sense since Rudolph and Mr. Drake’s friendship goes back so far. For this special occasion they are joined by master saxist, Dave Liebman. Mr. Liebman, who is currently a professor, has a long career which started with Elvin Jones and Miles Davis, in the early and mid seventies.
I was at this set and remember Mr. Rudolph using selective effects or samples to add a certain sly, mysterious overall sound. Rudolph also plays some ethereal piano with selective amounts of reverb added to the sax and flute. Although this set was recorded live, the sound is extremely warm and clean, studio-like. Master-drummer, Hamid Drake is in especially fine form here, propulsive backing for Mr. Liebman’s powerful tenor sax. Mr. Drake and Rudolph sound great together, their unique rhythmic storm sounds like one percussive voice combined. When Mr. Liebman switches to soprano sax, his main instrument nowadays, he sounds wonderful especially backed by the multi-layered percussion (conga & drum-set) of Mr. Rudolph and Mr. Drake. Both percussionists work their way through variety of grooves, slowing down, speeding up and often providing a pulse, whether heard or implied. There are long stretches of percussion only which have their own enchanting magic, Adam and Hamid, consistently creating scenes, stories with hypnotic vibes casting their spell. Mr. Liebman is a perfect choice since he is a team player and know when to sit in, solo or just add some of his own spice. Ever so tasty! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
MICHAEL ATTIAS - Echos le Nuit (Out of Your Head 003; USA) Featuring Michael Attias on alto sax & piano. New York is filled with dozens (hundreds?) of sax players who continue to evolve and thrive, no matter how much recognition they get or deserve. Every week, the pool or ocean of strong saxists & composers gets deeper. Michael Attias is one of those gifted players and composers who I’ve been following for a long while. With more than 40 discs as a leader or collaborator under his belt, Mr. Attias continues to make strides, delivering a diverse number of great discs and performances. Each of his half dozen discs as leader feature different personnel, except for his trio called Renku. This is Mr. Attias’ first solo disc and on it he plays both alto sax and piano, often simultaneously. Attias mentions in the liner notes that it took 12 years of preparation and one hour of recording in order to complete this session. Although it is mainly improvised, sections were inspired by other musicians or composers (Masabumi Kikuchi, Steve Lacy & Morton Feldman) or based upon some previously written passages from his career. What is interesting is the way the the strings of the piano resonate to certain notes on the sax. It is rare for a musician to play piano and sax simultaneously although I did catch maki Byard do that once at a solo concert in NYC. Mr. Attias seems to use the piano to mainly add a harmony to the notes he plays on the sax. Attias keeps things simple by playing small melodic fragments on the piano, adding sax notes here and there, as he adds shades or shadows to the proceedings. Attias seems to be taking his time and letting things unfold slowly, organically. There is lovely, calm, rather quaint going on here. You have to adjust to the minimal nature of things here, every note and silence has meaning or feeling which is palpable. A utterly sublime effort that is more than a little haunting. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10
* BLAISE SIWULA / ROCCO JOHN IACOVONE / GIANCARLO MAZZU / LUCIANO TROJA - Palermo Sketches (Alemdra Music 035; Italy) Featuring Blaise Siwula on clarinet & alto sax, Rocco John Iacovone soprano & alto saxes, Giancarlo Mazzu on electric guitar & drums and Luciano Troja on piano. Longtime Downtown improviser & sonic explorer, Blaise Siwula, consistently discovers musicians to collaborate with from around the world, even though the COMA series which he curated for many years has come to an end. This quartet features two Downtowners (Siwula & Iacovone) and two Italians (Mazzu & Troja) and was recorded in a studio in Palermo Italy. For the last few years, I’ve noticed the playing of Rocco John (Iacovone) from a handful of limited edition discs and performances here at DMG. I’ve also heard from both Italian players since they have a half dozen discs out on the Splasch and Slam labels. One of the things I like most about Mr. Siwula is his ability to play freely yet still embrace melodic fragments or melodies. The quartet often sound like they are playing some ancient standard which morphs in and out of familiarity or structure, ending up in odd, unexpected places. There are really lovely moments here, dreamy, restrained, floating, exquisite piano, both saxes fluttering together like two birds in flight. There is a section where the guitarist plays a solo by banging on the strings of his guitar with a chop stick or something similar while the rest of the group play soft, spacious melodic fragments around him. Eventually something odd happens, the quartet starts off playing what sounds like an ancient standard (on clarinet & piano up front) which slowly morphs into something else freer and weirder. At times Mr. Mazzu uses his voice to sing short, quaint jazzy snips with no words but with melancholy feelings buried inside. The thing I dig most about this disc is that we never know where it will end up, it keeps making unexpected twists and turns, dipping into the distant past and then sailing into a freer future. This quartet will be playing at DMG next month, should be very cool! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10
* BLAISE SIWULA / GIANCARLO MAZZU / LUCIANO TROJA will play here at DMG on April 28th at 7pm!
Last night, (4/3/19), I had the good fortune to hear the great trio BONESHAKER! Boneshaker features Mars Williams (from Ayler X-mas project & Chicago Tentet) on tenor & soprano saxes & toys, Kent Kessler (Vandermark 5) on contrabass and Paal Nilssen-Love (The Thing & PNL Large Unit) on drums. They were incredible and showed how well a trio could capture the diverse spirit of free or modern jazz in all of its glory! This trio is currently on tour so don’t miss them if they come to your town! Paal Nilssen-Love has long been one of the finest drummers that I’ve heard live and on record. We just got in 5 new CD’s each featuring Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. Each one is fantastic! So, we are going to have a sale, if you take 4 or 5 of these, you can have take $1 off of each one, making them $14 each. Until our current supply runs out.
FIVE FABULOUS NEW CD’s featuring MASTER DRUMMER & MULTI-BANDLEADER PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE:
BONESHAKER With MARS WILLIAMS / KENT KESSLER / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Fake Music (Soulwhat Records; USA)
CD $15
KEN VANDERMARK & PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Screen Off (PNL 041; Portugal) - blurb below
CD $15
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / FRODE GJERSTAD / ZENICOLA / DINUCCI / BICOLOR - New Brazilian Funk (PNL 042; Portugal)
CD $15
ARASHI with AKIRA SAKATA / JOHAN BERTHLING / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Jikan (PNL 045; Portugal)
CD $15
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / AKIRA SAKATA / TOSHIJI MIKAWA / KIKO DINUCCI / KOHEI GOMI - New Japanese Noise (PNL 043; Portugal)
CD $15
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE CD’s with Blurbs included:
BONESHAKER With MARS WILLIAMS / KENT KESSLER / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Fake Music (Soulwhat Records; USA) “This is a very exciting and much welcome blast of old school free jazz energy from a collective group featuring Mars Williams on saxes, Kent Kessler on bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. Each has deep experience on the outer fringes of the jazz scene and they make for a very cohesive and potent unit.
Boneshaker was established 8 years ago when the three met for a handful of concerts and recording sessions around the Chicago area in early January 2011. The three musicians knew each well through various bands like Hal Russel´s NRG ensemble, Peter Brötzmann´s Chicago tentet, Territory band and had since 2002 wanted to do something together.
“Fake Music†is the trio's 4th release. The self titled “Boneshaker†& “Thinking Out Loud†on the Austrian label Trost and “Unusual Words†on Soul What Records,have received brilliant reviews in international press such as The Wire, Downbeat and more.
Boneshaker’s music remains free improvised, but with clear roots to the American tradition of free jazz. Although all three members are influenced by European improvised music as defined by the English, Dutch and German players of the mid-sixties, the three share broad interests in music traditions from all over the world and appreciate when influences are let loose.â€
CD $15
KEN VANDERMARK & PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Screen Off (PNL 041; Portugal) The high impact duo of Paal Nilssen-Love (drums)and Ken Vandermark (reeds) has been working together at an accelerated rate since2002, and they have put out seven albums of exceptional and wide ranging improvised music since then. Though they have both worked in many critically acclaimed groups- from the Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet, Lean Left (with Terrie Hessels and Andy Moor of The Ex) to Double Tandem (with Dutch saxophonist, Ab Baars)- they have continued to return to their duo for more than a dozen years because it remains crucial to their creative output. Now the duo releases “Screen Off†on PNL Records. This is their tenth album, and this time the duo have decided to look backwards at the last ten years of their career, although in a very unusual way. In collaboration with producer Lasse Marhaug they have gone through the numerous clips of live performances that exist on YouTube, unofficial documentation recorded and uploaded by members of the audience without the duo’s involvement. None of these clips were full concerts, neither were they recorded on professional gear, often containing artifacts that compresses and distorts the audio. The idea was to embrace the limitations of the format and to make a collage out of the material, but using only the audio and not the video from the recordings. By drawing inspiration from experimental cinema – especially the Structural film movement of directors like Michael Snow, Hollis Frampton and Tony Conrad – Marhaug set a rule of only 60 seconds from each clip should be used, and since the duo does not play short pieces the cuts would often be disruptive, cutting the music off in the middle of movements. The cuts were then assembled together not in a chronological manner, but rather what made sense musically, often jumping back and forth years in the process. The results was that this stylization doesn’t distance the listener from the music, but rather creates a viable document of activity, much in the same manner a film would - just with the screen off.â€
CD $15
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / FRODE GJERSTAD / ZENICOLA / DINUCCI / BICOLOR - New Brazilian Funk (PNL 042; Portugal) “For the 2018 edition of the Roskilde festival in Denmark Paal Nilssen-Love was asked to put together two special projects. Nilssen-Love chose to put together two groups: one Japanese- and one Brazilian-based band. Nilssen-Love has for a long time been influenced and inspired by a wide range of Brazilian music, and has in the last ten years also made the connection by collaborating with Brazilian musicians and bringing his own projects to Brazil. For the Roskilde project (now to become a steady band) he put together a Norwegian/Brazilian combination that proved to be especially potent: Bass-player Felipe Zenicola is a new figure on the scene of improvised music and is mostly known for his work with Chinese Cookie Poets. Guitarist Kiko Dinucci has been active the last years as a leader and song writer of the group Metá Metá and has received noticeable recognition in Brazil and Europe. Then there’s percussionist Paulinho Bicolor, a rare figure in the Brazilian music scene, who adds a special ingredient to the stew: the CuÃca – which is actually a friction drum, but mastered by Bicolor in a completely idiosyncratic way. Paulinho is also a frequent guest with Nilssen-Love’s 15-piece band, Large Unit. Rounding off the line-up Nilssen-Love included what is his longest musicial parter: Norwegian saxophone player Frode Gjerstad, a legend of Norwegian free improvised music who asked Nilssen-Love to play with him at the age of 16, a collaboration that now has lasted 28 years. The pair usually works in duo and trio constellations, so it’s a rare treat to hear such a solid musical pair as the gravitational center of this project. The “New Brazilian Funk†title can almost be read as tongue-in-cheek as this really is not just free jazz on top of tropical grooves - this is the sound of five dedicated musicians coming together to make a completely new type of music. The Roskilde gig went down so well that not only is it being released on CD, it also became the birth of a regular group.â€
CD $15
ARASHI with AKIRA SAKATA / JOHAN BERTHLING / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Jikan (PNL 045; Portugal) “The trio of Scandinavian rhythm section Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) and Johan Berthling (double bass) hooking up with Japanese free jazz legend Akira Sakata (alto sax/clarinet) started in 2013 at the Molde Jazz Festival in Norway. The trio took their name from the legendary 1977 collaborative album by Yosuke Yamashita Trio and dance group Dairakudakan – an album that Sakata was a central part of, that even 40 years later stand solid as a radical and bold musical statement. And this piece of history gives us a clue to where the trio of Nilssen-Love, Berthling and Sakata is aiming for, not by looking back and rethreading what has been done before, but adopting its attitude of kicking the often stale sax/drums/bass-format forward with such force that it feels completely fresh. After its start in 2013 Arashi has been a steady group, doing numerous tours in Europe and Japan, and PNL Records is pleased to release the trio’s third album, “Jikanâ€, a live recording from the Pit Inn club in Tokyo in September 2017. “Jikan†captures the trio at full force – with Sakata doing almost as much vocals as playing the reeds.â€
CD $15
PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / AKIRA SAKATA / TOSHIJI MIKAWA / KIKO DINUCCI / KOHEI GOMI - New Japanese Noise (PNL 043; Portugal) “For the 2018 edition of the Roskilde festival in Denmark Paal Nilssen-Love was asked to put together two special projects. Nilssen-
Love chose to put together two groups: The first was a Brazil-based band. The second was a Japan-oriented band, bringing together three giants of Japanese free jazz and noise music for the first time: Saxophone player Akira Sakata is the biggest legend of them all — since the 60’s Sakata has left a permanent mark on Japanese music. With more than 200 recording credits to his name Sakata first made his mark with the Yosuke Yamashita Trio, and then over the years has gone on t numerous projects. Noise artist Kohei Gomi
is best known for his Pain Jerk project, which since its foundation in the early 1990s perfectly encapsulates the classic Japanese noise sound, but also exhibiting a clearly personal style that has evolved over the years.
Toshiji Mikawahas as the leader of his Incapacitants project since the early 80s shown an absolutely uncompromising dedicating the craft of pure noise music. Paralell to this he has been a member of the equally seminal Hijokaidan band. Very few artists in the field of noise music enjoys the kind of respect Mikawa does. To make a link to the other Roskilde project Nilssen-Love also added Brazilian guitarist Kiko Dinucci to the line-up, which of course shows the connection between the two bands, but also is a clear proofs of Nilssen-Love’s method of combining expressions and crossing musicial borders to kick the music forward. And with musicians from three continents it also shows that noise music is a global language. Play loud.â€
CD $15
Five Fabulous New Discs from FMR:
PAUL DUNMALL / MIKE FLETCHER / PERCY PURSGLOVE / RICHARD FOOTE / CHRIS MAPP / TYMEK JOZWIAK - One Became Many (FMR 527; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on tenor sax, Mike Fletcher on alto sax, Percy Pursglove on trumpet, Richard Foote on trombone, Chris Mapp on bass and Tymek Jozwiak on drums. UK sax titan, Paul Dunmall, has slowed down as far as new releases go. Aside from a handful of disc on the FMR label, there is the occasional discs on Slam and a recent Coltrane tribute with Alan Skidmore on the Confront label. Over the years, Mr. Dunmall has been involved with a small army of (mostly) UK musicians, young & old, known and not so well-known. All the members of this sextet have worked with Dunmall previously in different groups. The one name I recognize the most is Percy Pursglove who also works with Barry Guy and a trio with Ramon Lopez & Rafal Mazur.
Another recent development for Mr. Dunmall is that he has been concentrating on playing tenor only for the past few releases after switching between soprano, saxello, flute or bagpipes. This season was recorded at the Lamp Tavern in Birmingham, UK and consists of two long pieces. Rather than a free/jazz jam-fest, the sextet take their time and build from a modest start. Each section features a different subgroup, with a tenor, trombone and rhythm team up first. Usually as one person solos, another player will come in, interacting with the soloist and rhythm team and then take over as the main soloist. What I dig abut this disc is that it is a group effort with everyone listening intently and reacting and interacting as it unfolds. The balance and outcome are consistently solid and inspired throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
OTOMO YOSHIHIDE / RAMIRO MOLINA / LORENZO ROMAN / AMANDA IRARRAZABAL / NICOLAS RIOS - I Nm I Nente (FMR 523; UK) Featuring Otomo Yoshihide on electric guitar & turntables, Ramiro Molina & Lorenzo Roman on electric guitars, Amanda Irarrazabel on double bass & analog synth and Nicolas Rios on drums. Recorded in a studio in Santiago, Chile in November of 2017. After a few years with no new releases, Otomo returns with two new discs, released at the same time. Last week we listed Mr. Yoshihide with an Italian quartet of musicians I was not familiar with. This week, we have Otomo with a quintet of musicians from Chile. I rarely here about the creative music scene in Chile, although Frode Gjerstad also has a disc on FMR with Ramiro Molina from this same unit. What both of these recent Otomo discs do have in common is both groups feature more than one electric guitarist. Since there are two other guitarists on this session, Otomo starts off with turntables, each member playing focused fractured sounds together. What is interesting is that all of the members of the quintet sound like they have been creating music for many years, the results are consistently focused, spirited and engaging. Another strong date for the international sonic explorer, Otomo, with kindred spirits all. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
FRODE GJERSTAD / DAG MAGNUS NARVESEN - Live at Tou (FMR 524; UK) Featuring Frode Gjerstad on alto & tenor saxes, flute & B-flat clarinet and Dag Magnus Narvesen on drums & percussion. Norwegian saxist, Frode Gjerstad, certainly needs no introduction to those who reads the DMG newsletter regularly, especially considering he can be found on some nearly 100 releases, working with other giants: John Stevens & Johnny Dyani, William Parker, Paal Nilsseb-Love, Peter Brotzmann and Louis Moholo and many more. When I heard Norwegian drummer, Dag Magnus Narvesen’s name last year from a duo LP he did with Alex Von Schlippenbach, I didn’t recognize it yet. Since then, I’ve noticed his appearance on records from Gunhild Seim & Marilyn Crispell, saxist Mia Dyberg and his own octet called Damana. Mr. Gjerstad himself has done a large number of duo discs with a diverse cast of musicians: Borah Bergman, Fred Lonberg-Holm, John Stevens and Han Bennink.
This is a colossal duo, playing quietly at first and taking their time to increase the level of intensity. This disc is recorded live and has splendid sound, warm, clean, all acoustic. Mr. Narvesen bows his cymbal(s) on the second piece, the sound most minimal in the first section. Narvesen is an extraordinary drummer who often lays back for long stretches, playing with the utmost restraint at times. This brings out a more subtle side to Mr. Gjerstad’s playing. Once one calms down a bit, we hear quite a bit more going on, nuance and texture-wise. This disc is a nice break from some of the more extreme free/jazz that I usually review. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
SZILARD MEZEI TRIO with ERVIN MALINA / ISTVAN CSIK & GERGELY ITTZES - Stormy Silence (FMR 532; UK) Featuring Szilard Mezei on viola, Gergely Ittzes on piccolo, alto & bass flutes, Ervin Malina on double bass and Istvan Csik on drums. Serbian violist, Szilard Mezei, keeps quite busy and now has some 40 or so releases out on the FMR, Slam and Not Two labels. His projects run from solo, to duo to trios on up to large ensembles usually drawn from his own scene in Serbia. Mr. Mezei’s most recorded unit is his trio with Ervin Malina and Istvan Csik. For this disc Mezei’s trio is joined by Gergely Ittzes, who plays several flutes. All of the music here, save one piece, was written by Mr. Mezei. On the opening piece, “Silence After the Stormâ€, the flute & rhythm team play that early difficult Braxton-like theme while Mezei adds subtle yet frenzied counter lines underneath. The balance and interplay between the flute and viola is often astonishing, even when played at a soft volume. Percussionist Istvan Csik at times reminds me of Joey Baron when he uses his hands on the drums but plays here with ultra-subtle restraint, tapping out the quick rhythms organically. Mezei is an extraordinary composer who knows how to challenge the members of which-ever ensemble he is writing for and playing with. “An Average Sliding Window†opens with a hummable repeating theme which will make you smile once you hear it. It is both fun, somewhat funky and completely infectious! Besides the great groove/vibe at the center of this piece, each member of the quartet gets a chance to solo and shine at length. Considering that this disc is nearly 72 minutes long, we did get quite a bit of bang for our money. If you are not yet a fan of Szialrd mezei, you will be once you hear this gem! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
MICHEL DONEDA / MATHIEU BEC - A Peripheral Time (FMR 530: UK) Featuring Michael Doneda on soprano sax & radio and Mathieu Bec on snare drum & objects. French saxist, Michel Doneda, has long followed his own path, selectively working with other improvisers, whether known or little known. I’ve heard Mr. Doneda with a variety of musicians: Lol Coxhill, Le Quan Nihn, Ingar Zach and Fred Frith. I can’t say that I had heard of Mathieu Bec before this disc arrived. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a few percussionists who play snare drum only, Han Bennink and David Grollman, to name two. This disc was recorded in a chapel at St Sylvestre des Brousses. It does have a live sound and is well balanced. The room itself has its own sound, resonance. Mr. Doneda is a master of placing each sound in just the right place, audibly and visually (i.e.: wandering around the room). In the first section the sounds are more restrained and it is hard to tell how is doing what. Eventually, Mr. Doneda starts to starts to erupt, bend notes and play louder, rather extreme at times, but knowing when to lay back and deal with some more lower case subtleties. In some ways this duo is similar to the duo that Mr. Doneda had with Le Quan Ninh, who plays mostly one drum played horizontally on a stand. This is quite a long disc but I must admit that I was on the edge of my seat for the entire length as this duo know how to explore a wide variety of nuances and textures. Most engaging, you just need to take some time to listen to this in its entirety. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
Two More Selective Treasures from the Vast Chadula Archives:
EUGENE CHADBOURNE With ELLIOTT SHARP / JON ROSE / THE SUN CITY GIRLS / DAVE DOYLE / FRED LEE FRAY / “BART†DEREK BAILEY - Cat Jammers - Invitation to a Jam Session (Chadula; USA) This is a collection of rare sessions from Dr. Chadbourne in the late 1980’s in North Carolina, NYC and the midwest. This long wacky CD-R is taken from several long gone cassette releases. Included is/are duo with Elliott Sharp on lap steel live at the Knitting Factory, duos with Jon Rose on violin & 19 string cello from a midwest tour; Local (Greensboro) jam with David Doyle on French horn & Gilfred Lee Fray on piano plus local drummer “Bart†in duos. Derek Bailey & DR. Chad used to send each cassettes instead of letters of talking & playing so an excerpt of these are/is included here as well. I like the way Eugene cuts & pastes snippets of different sessions into a swirling, kaleidoscopic organic flow of somehow related sounds. Somewhere in between Zappa’s slicing & dicing on early Mothers records and John Fahey’s work with reel to reel tapes decks on ‘Requia’. Outside of recognizing sounds like guitar, banjo, lap steel or violin, there is also quite a bit of selective noise: feedback, manipulated tapes (sped up & slowed down), voices, found sounds, all kinds of weirdness are utilized. This CD is some 76 minutes and I found it pretty engaging throughout. - BLG
CD $13
EUGENE CHADBOURNE / DAVID LICHT / SHEP THE HEP - “Unreal Band†/ Son of Shockabilly (Chadula; USA) Featuring Eugene Chadbourne on Burn electric guitar & voice, Shep the Hep on home-made bass & equipment and David Licht on all percussion. This rarity is trio session from October of 1982 which includes two of the three members of Shockabilly: Dr. Chad & David Licht. Only Doc Chadbourne would mix psych/garage gems like “7 7 Isâ€, “Are You Experiencedâ€, “White Room†with country fodder like: “Dang Meâ€, “Tennessee Flattop Box “ & “Funny How Times Slips Awayâ€. Plus a few originals: “Psychedelic Basement†and a “Rake†solo. I feel fortunate to been around when Shockabilly formed in the early eighties and to have seen them live more than a dozen times during their tenure. As a huge fan of sixties psychedelia, I was ready for the return of psych and garage bands in the late seventies & early eighties. I tried to catch each and every one of these bands and did pretty well seeing them live and collecting their LP’s. Shockabilly were different from any of the other psych bands, they had a great sense of humor, master improvisers who loved to draw from many types of music: country, folk, blues, whatever tickled their and our fancies.
This disc features two thirds of Shockabilly with a different bassist named Shep the Hep, who plays uses only home-made bass equipment. This disc was recorded live and has great sound. Starting with a mind-blowing version of “7 & 7 Is†by Love, we are off and running and feeling great! There are just a few originals here which fit perfectly amongst the other sixties oriented garage/rock classics. Nothing can stop Dr. Chadbourne from singing in that ridiculous silly voice and so much shredding, country/bluegrass/rock furious guitar playing! I love the way Eugene sings here, using a rockabilly-like twang at times, fans of the Cramps with a twisted sense of humor should love this! This 23 song, 73 minute disc is consistently infectious thoughout. Thanks Doc Chadbourne for helping us to feel about after a long, cold, frustrating winter! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
Two New Ones from Sunnyside, In stock early Next week:
JOE MARTIN with MARK TURNER / KEVIN HAYS / NASHEET WAITS - Etoilee (Sunnyside 1540; USA) ‘Étoilée’ is named after Joe Martin’s daughter’s middle name, which is a signal that the music contained within is personally inspired. Reaching within his household for inspiration, Martin takes a rare turn as a leader but making it count like he did the last time. As a sideman bassist high in demand for everyone from Chris Potter to Donald Fagen, Martin’s credit list is long but his own discography is wafer-thin: the last time Martin put out a record under his own name, Barack Obama was just settling into the White House.
His last outing was start-studded but Étoilée is, too: joining Martin is Nasheet Waits on drums, Kevin Hays on keyboards and Mark Turner on saxophones, but with all songs composed by him and the sessions under his direction, this is one man’s artistic vision.
Martin’s presence is felt implicitly but unmistakably on “A World Beyond†just in the sophisticated way he forms a connection between Waits’ restless rhythms and Hays’ Fender Rhodes. That leaves Turner to lead the melody with much leeway. But midway through, the song shifts direction and Hays moves out front to take charge on this free-flowing chapter before Martin signals a return to the original pattern. It’s an example of not only intelligent composing on Martin’s part, put knowing how to leverage the considerable talent at his disposable. “Long Winter†is highly appealing for much the same reasons: a melody that unfolds in unexpected ways and everyone playing in such a way to make everyone else sound better. Here, Hays delivers a superb piano solo and Martin returns to the theme overdubbing himself as an arco bass quartet.
“Malida†runs at a lengthy ten minutes but makes every second meaningful. Turner soon takes flight on this waltzing affair and Hays on piano is straddling the line between comping and co-soloing and doing it rather nimbly; eventually Turner yields the whole floor to him. When Martin’s turn in the spotlight comes, it’s hard not to notice that he has a pianist’s mindset when soloing.
Waits’ loose-limbed snare work sets the tone for “Prospecting,†and turns up the heat in tandem with Turner. Waits is even more unrestrained on “Safe†and Martin’s muscular, rapid bass walking adds fuel to Turner’s sax asides. Martin’s slithering bass on top of Waits’ shuffling drums power the loose ‘n’ funky “5X3.â€
When Martin goes for a more intimate feeling, there’s that same level of intricacy and sensitivity found on the faster tunes. “Two Birds†is a sensitive and mysterious Shorter-esque ballad. Turner, this time on soprano sax, leads the delicate, poetic strain titled “Étoile.â€
CD $15
NICK SANDERS TRIO with HENRY FRASER / CONNOR BAKER - Playtime 2050 (Sunnyside 1537; USA) On Playtime 2050, the third release by his inventive trio, pianist/composer Nick Sanders looks to the future with a unique combination of imaginative complexity and dark humor. Due out March 15 via Sunnyside, the album presents the latest evolution of Sanders’ singular voice which blends influences from a wide swath of jazz history with concepts from contemporary classical music and the composer’s offbeat perspective.
Once again, Sanders is joined by bassist Henry Fraser and drummer Connor Baker. Where earlier outings supplemented Sanders’ distinctive compositions with aptly-chosen pieces by such heavily influential composers as Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman, Playtime 2050 consists entirely of originals, a diverse repertoire ranging from entirely through-composed pieces to free improvisations, solo piano meditations to raucous swing tunes, tender ballads to prepared piano explosions.
Representing a rich variety of moods, inspirations and approaches, Playtime 2050 feels like a culmination of the trio’s tenure together and of Sanders’ always expanding compositional palette. “I explored a lot of new territory on this album,†Sanders concludes. “This is my contribution to the idea of pushing the music forward, which I think is extremely crucial in keeping the music alive and culturally important.†- edited review, more online at Sunnyside.com
CD $15
A-SUN AMISSA - Ceremony In The Stillness (Gizeh Records GZH 085; UK) Ceremony In The Stillness is the new album from A-Sun Amissa on Gizeh Records and Consouling Sounds. For their fourth album, A-Sun Amissa plunge deeper than before. Guitars come to the fore, and heavy, distorted chords are present from the off, complemented by desolate ambient passages of sound. The claustrophobic atmospheres remain but combine with a new density and sonic experimentation to present a huge leap forward in structure and composition. Ceremony In The Stillness hints at themes from the previous three outings while pushing the project into new territories. The intricate nuances and lulling melodies from Desperate In Her Heavy Sleep (GZH 037CD, 2012) reappear while the billowing guitars of You Stood Up for Victory, We Stood Up for Less (GZH 044LP, 2013) are referenced throughout. In comparison to The Gatherer (2017), there is a firmer direction here as the album weaves through elements of doom, dark ambient, and post-rock, placing its unique mark firmly into the ears of the listener. A-Sun Amissa is the project of Gizeh founder Richard Knox (The Rustle of the Stars, Shield Patterns, and Glissando). Knox takes a central role here, but we see several collaborators contributing to the record. As album opener "The Black Path" unfurls, the cello of Jo Quail creeps through the thick wall of guitar to offer a moment of calm before the song comes to life with the introduction of drums from Archelon's TJ Fairfax. Alongside a dense and hypnotically repetitive riff, it's A-Sun Amissa's heaviest moment to date as the song collapses under its own weight to leave a crumbling and uneasy passage of cello and guitar drone. Intertwining guitars take center stage on the "With Wearied Eyes" as the atmosphere harks back to the band's earlier work. "The Skulk", meanwhile, evokes The Gatherer as David McLean's saxophone unravels around the ondes Martenot of Christine Ott. The record then takes a turn as "No Perception of Light"'s soporific opening gives way to a mesmerizing beat which develops into a wall of crunching guitars and electronics before "Remembrancer" closes with chiming guitars and bowed strings before evolving into a haunting orchestral outro that concludes the record. It's clear that Knox is comfortable being on the outside looking in, and in expanding A-Sun Amissa's sonic palette, it only adds to the intrigue of what comes next.†try:forcedexposure.com/m3u/GZH085CD_01_02.mp3/GZH085CD_01_02.m3u
CD $16
Historic & Archival Recordings / Reissues & Restock Goodies:
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET/BENNY CARTER SEXTET - Live In Cologne 1961 (Jazzline/PÖ N 77017; Germany) Cannonball Adderley Quintet/Benny Carter Sextet's Live In Cologne 1961 is an original master concert recording from the 16th of April, 1961, recorded at the Gürzenich Concert Hall and on the 27th of November 1961 at WDR's studio with recording engineer Hagen Galatis and musicians of the Kurt Edelhagen Orchestra. It was unreleased until being retrospectively released for the first time in 2015. Another release in WDR's The Cologne Broadcasts series, it was executively produced by Bernd Hoffmann, mastered for CD by Thomas Sehringer and for vinyl by John Cremer. Includes musician and composer credits, plus liner notes by journalist and radio host Karsten Mützelfeldt in English and German. Personnel: Cannonball Adderley Quintet: Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone; Nat Adderley - cornet; Sam Jones - bass; Louis Hayes - drums; Victor Feldman - piano/vibraphone. Benny Carter Sextet: Benny Carter - alto saxophone; Karl Drewo - tenor saxophone; Raymond Droz - trombone; Francis Coppieters - piano; Eric Peter - bass; Stuff Combe - drums. CD version in slipcase, includes eight-page booklet.
CD $15
BUD POWELL With COLEMAN HAWKINS / OSCAR PETTIFORD / KENNY CLARKE - 1960 Essen, Grugahalle (Jazzline/PÖ 77005; Germany) â€Bud Powell's 1960 Essen, Grugahalle is an original master concert recording recorded at the Essen Jazzfestival. It was unreleased until being retrospectively released for the first time in 2010. Another release in WDR's The Cologne Broadcasts series, it was executively produced by Manfred Niehaus and mastered by Thomas Sehringer; the vinyl was cut by Daniel Krieger. Includes musician and composer credits, plus liner notes by journalist and radio host Karsten Mützelfeldt in English and German. Personnel: Bud Powell - piano; Oscar Pettiford - bass; Kenny Clarke - drums; Coleman Hawkins - tenor saxophone. In slip case with four page booklet.â€
CD $15
JOHNNY GRIFFIN with JOHN COLTRANE / HANK MOBLEY / LEE MORGAN / WYNTON KELLY / SONNY CLARK / CURLY RUSSELL / PAUL CHAMBERS / ART BLAKEY / BEN RILEY / MAX ROACH - The Blue Note And Jazzland Collection (Enlightenment 9164; EEC) Among the premier tenor sax-men of his generation, Johnny Griffin rose to prominence when he joined Lionel Hampton's band a few days after finishing high school. By 1944 he had broken ranks with Hampton and formed a sextet with former Hampton colleague Joe Morris and local musicians. By 1951 Griffin was playing baritone saxophone in an R&B septet led by another former bandmate, Arnett Cobb. After two years in the Army, Griffin returned to his hometown of Chicago where he established a reputation as one of the city's premiere saxophonists. Legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk encouraged Orrin Keepnews of Riverside Records to sign the young tenor, but before he could act Blue Note Records snapped him up. This 4CD Box Set features all the releases - both as leader and co-leader - which Johnny Griffin recorded for Blue Note and, later, the Jazzland label; a body of work quite staggering in its quality and breadth and one that has rarely been equalled. Containing eight original albums, all re-mastered to provide the best possible quality, and featuring over five hours of quite superb music in all, this release works equally as a fine starting point for those new to this extraordinary musicians work and a sterling reminder of just how great such work remains for those already well versed.
4 CD Set $18
JOHNNY GRIFFIN With KENNY DREW / HAROLD MABERN / BARRY HARRIS / PEPPER ADAMS / DONALD BYRD / CLARK TERRY / BLUE MITCHELL / WYNTON KELLY / WILBUR WARE / PHILLY JOE JONES / ALBERT HEATH / et al - Riverside Collection 1958-1962 (Enlightenment 9109; EEC) Featuring eight fully-remastered albums, containing in total more than five hours of music, this set can serve as both a fitting introduction to this truly exceptional player, and a welcome reminder for jazz fans of what an inspiring and influential musician the man dubbed "the fastest tenor in the west" really was at this time.
4 CD Set $18
KARL HECTOR & THE MALCOUNS - Non Ex Orbis (Now-Again 5184; USA) "Kraut-jazz-rock produced by JJ Whitefield (Poets of Rhythm/Whitefield Brothers). The long-standing band's third album. Featuring Marja Burchard (Embryo). It's been over ten years since Karl Hector and the Malcouns' Sahara Swing saw release on Now-Again in 2008. The album swung with influences from across the African diaspora and set the stage for a cult, but influential following. Hermes designer Christophe Lemaire picked tracks from Karl Hector and The Malcouns as amongst his favorites in the Now-Again catalog, and included them on his Where Are You From anthology. Festival promoters intrigued by the possibility of resurrecting the careers of once forgotten African mavericks -- from Ghana's Ebo Taylor to the progenitors of Zambia's Zamrock scene -- brought Hector and crew across Europe playing festivals for ecstatic fans. Producer JJ Whitefield even founded an Afro-Rock band, Johnny!, with Taylor's son Henry. Unstraight Ahead, their sophomore release from 2014, found the band exploring territories even outside of the expansive scope of Sahara Swing: West African sounds of Ghana and Mali met the East African sounds of Mulatu Astatke's Ethiopian jazz, tied together with the groove heavy experimentalism of The Malcouns' 70s Krautrock godfathers: Can, of course, but also more obscure and equally adventurous groups like Agitation Free, Ibliss and Tomorrow's Gift. 'We look to Middle Eastern funk and psychedelic fusions, and to various ethnic records for sound and phrasing,' Whitefield stated at the time of Unstraight Ahead's release. 'We're trying to combine the global experimentalism of Krautrock with the backbeat of funk.' Non Ex Orbis, the band's third studio album, digs deeper into the Krautrock history embedded deep in the soil of their native Munich - three of the most influential bands of the 1970s experimental German rock scene sprung from there: Amon Düül, Popol Vuh and Embryo. Influenced by these musical heroes, Whitefield shapes a sound that takes the experimental approach of the classic Krautrock era and slides between beat-heavy drone and spacey, prog-rock suites. Marja Burchard, daughter of Embryo mastermind Christian Burchard, fronts the group on keyboard, vibraphone and other-worldly vocals. Al Markovic joins longstanding Malcoun Zdenko Curilija to round out the ensemble. Non Ex Orbis, read by Whitefield and the band as Out Of This World, symbolizes an innocent way of composing and improvising music, free from the influences of our contemporary environment, preserving a childlike way of hearing sounds in their unfiltered purity."
CD $15
LP Section:
AGITATION FREE - Fragments (Made in Germany MIG 1083; Germany) "When the band Agitation Free came together in 1967 as a result of the merging of two Berlin rock groups, one of the most interesting groups in a dawning independent German music scene was created. With their improvisations between rock, jazz and new music, Agitation Free -- soon relegated to the not so flattering category of 'Krautrock' - made musical forays into areas that few of their fellow German musicians had ever penetrated. At a time when most in Germany were still orienting themselves as closely as possible to Anglo-American musical formats, Agitation Free found a completely new and very original form of musical expression. Starting with their debut album Malesch and the album 2nd, Agitation Free delivered a fascinating sound, influenced not least by the manifold impressions from a Near East tour. The band moved toward a form of meta-music, a weaving of exotic-sounding compositions. The album has been justly regarded as a milestone in the genre, especially abroad. Looking back, it's evident that the Agitation Free was one of the most important bands of the experimental circle known as the 'Berlin School', and a career springboard for a whole slew of musicians. At the same time, this policy of changing personnel also meant risking that the band couldn't keep itself together over the long run. Agitation Free consciously took this risk in order to remain as close as possible to their own concept -- free from commercial pressure or concessions to the latest trends and modes. Collector's item! Limited (500) in colored (mint) vinyl."
LP $30 (Mint Colored Vinyl)
HORACE TAPSCOTT WITH THE PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA - Live At I.U.C.C. (OuterNational Sounds OTR 007; UK) Available on vinyl for the first time in 40 years, Outernational Sounds presents a crucial document from the Los Angeles jazz underground. Live At I.U.C.C. sees the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra at their most together, stretching out on home turf in 1979, with the legendary Horace Tapscott at the helm. Tapscott is one of the unsung giants of jazz; a gifted composer and arranger, a boldly original pianist, and above all a visionary bandleader, Tapscott's recorded footprint is small, but his legacy continues to vibrate through the Los Angeles music underground. From Freestyle Fellowship to Build An Ark, Kamasi Washington, and Dwight Trible, it all traces back to Tapscott. The pianist was an organizer, and instead of chasing a successful recording career, he wanted to build a community band that would act as 'a cultural safe house for the music.' 'I wanted to say, "This is your music. This is black music, and I want to present a panorama of the whole thing right here"' said Tapscott in the late 1990s. As a culturally radical, communal big band with a visionary approach to American Black music, Tapscott's Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra is second only to the other famous Arkestra, that of Sun Ra. Tapscott founded the group in 1961 as the Underground Musicians Association (UGMA). It changed its name to the Pan African Peoples Arkestra in 1971, and through the seventies the players lived, played, and worked together. Community work and political consciousness were at the heart of the project; for two decades they played in streets, parks, and coffee houses. From 1973 to 1981 their main rehearsal and concert space was the Immanuel United Church of Christ (I.U.C.C.); the Arkestra played every second Sunday, developing their sound and hipping new audiences to their vision. Live At I.U.C.C., recorded in early 1979, was the only live recording the band released. In full flow, and at the height of their powers, the group features original UGMA members Linda Hill, David Bryant, and Alan Hines, alongside a new generation including Jesse Sharps, Sabir Mateen, and Adele Sebastian. Showcasing spiritualized classics from the Arkestra's songbook, including the heavy modal groovers "Desert Fairy Princess" and "Macrame." Live At I.U.C.C. is a rare chance to hear one of the most important, foundational bands in the music. With Tapscott at the piano, this is the rarely-captured sound of the mothership in full flight! Limited, vinyl-only triple LP, 180g pressing by Pallas. Fully licensed from Nimbus West founder Tom Albach.
3 LP Set $32
HORACE TAPSCOTT CONDUCTING THE PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA - The Call (OuterNational OTR009; UK) “Available on vinyl for the first time in 40 years, OuterNational Sounds presents Horace Tapscott's burning, spiritualized 1978 set, The Call. One of the unsung giants of jazz music, the composer, bandleader, arranger, pianist and community activist Tapscott was the undisputed keystone of the grassroots Los Angeles jazz scene. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, his radical community arts and music formations the UGMA (Underground Musicians Association) and his protean big band, the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, were at the epicenter of music, culture, and politics in the Los Angeles area. Hundreds of musicians passed through these groups and played their part. Major figures such as Arthur Blythe, Azar Lawrence, Jimmy Woods, John Carter, Bobby Bradford, Sonny Criss, Ndugu Chancler, and dozens of others all paid dues or just got down with Tapscott, not to mention the core Arkestra regulars who have since become celebrated names; Nate Morgan, Jesse Sharps, Adele Sebastian, Dadisi Komolafe, and Gary Bias, to mention only a few. Tapscott and the Arkestra were down on the ground -- playing fundraisers in parks and streets, organizing teach-ins and workshops for young and old, mixing it with radical theater groups, firebrand poets, political radicals, Black separatists, community groups, and churches. As a result of this grassroots community focus and Tapscott's antipathy to the music industry, the Arkestra didn't record for nearly two decades. That only changed when long-time jazz fan Tom Albach started Nimbus Records. The label was initiated specifically in order to document Tapscott and his circle, and the first three records showcased Horace and the Arkestra. The Call was put together from two studio sessions in April 1978, one at Hollywood Sage and Sound, and one at United Western -- the latter session had the addition of a string section, who can be heard on the moody Cal Massey composition "Nakatini Suite" and Jesse Sharp's swinging modal trip, "Peyote Song No. III," with its swirling soprano solo. In keeping with the communal nature of the Arkestra, the other two compositions, "The Call" and "Quagmire Manor at Five A.M." are also by Arkestra members. But at the center of the music is the builder of the Ark, the visionary whose original call to action started a movement whose legacy continues to this day -- Horace Tapscott. Vinyl-only release, 180 gram pressing by Pallas, fully licensed from Nimbus West founder Tom Albach.
LP $22
DOCTOR UMEZU DIVA - Diva (Studio Mule 017; Germany) Studio Mule present a reissue of Doctor Umezu Diva's Diva, originally released in 1988. Doctor Umezu Diva is Japanese sax player Kazutoki Umezu's one-off project which he invited two female artists: legendary marimba player Midori Takada and vocalist, pianist, and half of Japanese new wave band Colored Music, Ichiko Hashimoto. This album was one of the best kept, secret jazz albums from Japan; it's really hard-to-find and very limited. Dubby from Ondas Tokyo -- who compiled Midnight In Tokyo Vol. 2 (STUDIOMUL 006CD/LP, 2018) on Studio Mule -- brought this record to Studio Mule's attention. This album is a unique mixture of modern classical sound and avant-garde jazz, which is kind of similar with Strata East or Nimbus.
LP $32
HERBIE HANCOCK - Mwandishi (ASH 302; USA) "After releasing their Warner Bros. debut, the Herbie Hancock Sextet underwent a major transformation in the early '70s. Over the course of a year, every member was replaced (except Herbie Hancock himself and bassist Buster Williams) and each adopted Swahili names. (Williams even led the group in occasional sessions of Buddhist chanting.) Hancock chose the moniker Mwandishi (meaning 'composer'), and the Sextet became unofficially known as the Mwandishi Band. The lineup's first album -- simply titled Mwandishi -- reflects Hancock's new aesthetic and spiritual directions. Stretching out from the R&B/jazz fusion of Fat Albert Rotunda, the pianist would draw inspiration from his time with Miles Davis (whose classic Bitches Brew came out in 1970) as well as through the creative relationship he had formed with producer David Rubinson (known for his work with Moby Grape and Santana). 'Ostinato (Suite for Angela),' dedicated to political activist Angela Davis, is an extended jam with stunning rhythmic complexity -- enhanced by studio effects, such as Echoplex delay. On the ballad 'You'll Know When You Get There,' Hancock's tight arrangements are saturated in reverb, which gives an ever-shifting dimensionality. Side-long closer 'Wandering Spirit Song,' written by trombonist Julian Priester (aka Pepo Mtoto), goes even further out: alternating between dynamic soloing and group improvisation, the Sextet fully manifests the radical potential of their collective identity/energy. Mwandishi remains a bold and expansive statement, even after nearly 50 years."
LP $26
HERBIE HANCOCK with BENNIE MAUPIN / EDDIE HENDERSON / JULIAN PRIESTER / BILLY HART /et al - Crossings (ASH 303; USA) "Crossings was the second release by the Herbie Hancock Sextet lineup known as the Mwandishi Band, following 1971's Mwandishi which stretched Hancock's already-adventurous writing and expanded the music through post-production. This approach would play an even larger role on Crossings, the pianist's final album for Warner Bros. For two of Crossings' three pieces ('Quasar' and 'Water Torture'), Hancock took basic instrumental tracks to Patrick Gleeson's Different Fur Studios, hoping to learn how to play the Moog synthesizer. Instead, Hancock let Gleeson contribute layers of sound to both pieces. On 'Quasar,' a ballad in 7/4 time, Gleeson extends the horn playing of Bennie Maupin, Julian Priester and Eddie Henderson through electronic accents, while on 'Water Torture,' he provides a ghostly counter melody on the Mellotron, a keyboard that utilizes samples from string instruments. These studio enhancements give Crossings an otherworldly dimension, making the album feel bigger and more fantastical, yet the Sextet's playing -- recorded without much in way of edits or overdubs -- keeps everything grounded. Indeed, Gleason's additions are often so natural that it is hard to pick out what's acoustic and what's synthesized. While the Mwandishi Band's tenure was unfortunately short-lived, the advances Herbie Hancock made with them still sound exciting today and would propel him into further inventive territory with future jazz-funk project The Headhunters."
LP $26
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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for February of 2019:
THE NEW STONE
Is Located at the New School’s Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th street - just east of 6th ave
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - PAOLA PRESTINI - APR 2–6
4/5 Friday
8:30 pm - WORKS FOR VIOLIN FEATURING REBECCA FISCHER (violin) Featuring House of Solitude, the identity concerto for violin and electronics, and For Becca, violin solo performed by Rebecca Fischer. Composer Spotlight: world premiere by Matthew Fuerst.
4/6 Saturday
8:30 pm - NELSON PATTON - Dave Nelson (trombone, electronics) Marlon Patton (drums, moog bass); A new work for trombone and electronics with trombonist Dave Nelson of the duo Nelson Patton. Composers Spotlight :Nelson Patton in new works composed for trombone, drum set and electronics by the duo.
ONE NIGHT ONLY! TUESDAY APRIL 9TH
AN EVENING WITH LAUNEDDAS MASTER LUIGI LAI
DISCUSSION AT 8PM-CONCERT AT 8:30! - Luigi Lai is an Italian musician from Sardinia and is the living heir of the school of Sarrabus players of the launeddas, a Sardinian woodwind instrument that dates back to 8th century. Consisting of three pipes the launeddas are played using circular breathing, with complex melismas over drones. A single song can last over an hour. The music of the launeddas is some of the most primal and ritualistic music in the European tradition and The Stone is proud to present Luigi Lai in this rare NY appearance!
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - JONATHAN FINLAYSON - APRIL 10-13
4/10 Wednesday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet) Mark Helias (bass) Tom Rainey
4/11 Thursday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet) Brian Settles (tenor sax) Chad Taylor
4/12 Friday
8:30 pm - QUINTET: Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet) Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax) David Bryant (piano) Nick Dunston (bass) Eric Mcpherson (drums)
4/13 Saturday
8:30 pm - Odyssey of Big Boy - Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet) Andre Solomon-Glover (vocals, recitation) Mat Maneri (viola) Cristopher Hoffman (cello) David Bryant (piano) Chris Tordini (bass) Craig Weinrib (drums)
THE (NEW) STONE is located in The New School’s Glass Box Theatre Â
All Sets at The New Stone start at 8:30pm Tickets: $20
There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone.Â
Only music. All ages are welcome. Cash Only at the door.Â
A serious listening environment.
The Stone is booked purely on a curatorial basis
******************
Bushwick Improvised Music Series Continues:
Monday April 8th
7pm Colin Avery Hinton – drums
Todd Neufeld – guitar
Shawn Lovato – bass
8pm Stephen Gauci – tenor saxophone
Sandy Ewen – guitar/electronics
Adam Lane – bass
9pm Judi Silvano – vocals
Bruce Arnold – guitar
9:45pm Jonathan Goldberger – guitar/electronics
Jonathon Haffner – alto saxophone
Dave Harrington – bass
Max Jaffe – drums
10:45pm Nick Demopoulos – smomid
Tinuade Oyelowo – vocals
Jeremy Carlstedt – drums
11:30pm TOC TrioÂ
Downstairs @ Bushwick Public HouseÂ
https://bushwickpublichouse.com
gaucimusic.com
1288 Myrtle Avenue , Bushwick
(Across the street from M train Central Ave stop
***********
Shapeshifter April, 2019:
Apr. 5
7p Vocal group ROSA (singing traditional female folk songs from Serbia)
8:15 p Marko Djordjevic & Sveti with Justin Salisbury - piano & Evan Marien - bass
9:30 p Balkan brass band SarmaÂ
Apr 11
7:15 Julian Jimenez Quartet present the music from his debut record “Farewell"
8:30pm - Pawel Ignatowicz and opener: CD Release Event. “Here and Nowâ€
Apr 12:
8pm: High Key People & Alicyn Yaffee Quartet
High Key People:
Sami Hopkins - Vocals
Anggie Obin - Flute
Julian Velasco - Vibraphone
Isaac Mattus - Percusion/Electronics
Lucy Clifford - Bass
Jessie Cox - Drums
Alicyn Yaffee Quartet:
Alicyn Yaffee - Vocals/Guitar
Benny Rietvield - Bass
Arco Sandoval - Piano
April 14:Â
8pm: Clovis High School Jazz Band under the direction of Les Nunes featuring Randy Brecker, jazz trumpeter - Les Nunes, director
Randy Brecker, featured guest artist
Eric Benitez - alto sax
Danielle Densmore - alto sax
Thomas Voelz - tenor saxÂ
Sean McDonough - tenor saxÂ
Nathaniel Brown - bari saxÂ
Stephen Gerloff - tromboneÂ
Joseph Sallee - tromboneÂ
Brandon Bliatout - tromboneÂ
Jeff Corgiat Cawelti - trombone
Robert Linares - trumpet
Nick Schoenherr - trumpet
David Corum - trumpet
Tyler Webb - trumpet
Johnya Saiho - trumpet
Shayne Baldwin - piano
Kylie Henkel - bass
Bryce Lowenthal - drums
Micah Brubaker - drums/percussion
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INGRID LAUBROCK Upcoming Performances:
The Stone Series at Happy Lucky #1:
Friday, April 5th: JOANNA MATTREY / NICK DUNSTON / ERICA DICKER / INGRID LAUBROCK
Sat, April 6th: MARC HANNAFORD / ERICA DICKER / DAN PECK / TOM RAINEY / INGRID LAUBROCK - Perform the Music ANTHONY BRAXTON
Happy Lucky No. 1: 734 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
646 623 0414 / hello@happyluckyno1.com
by subway: Take 2, 4, or 5 trains to Franklin ; Take 3 train to Nostrand Ave.
Take A or C to Nostrand Ave.
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Monday April 8
Loren Connors & Steve Dalachinsky
Anastasia Clarke
Naga-Ecstacy
MV Carbon
At Max Fish - Abasement in Manhattan
120 Orchard Street between Delancey & Rivington
Doors open 7:30
Performance at 8pm
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I-BEAM Presents:
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019 - 8:00 PM 11:00 PM
LESLEY MOK'S THE LIVING COLLECTION FLORIAN HERZOG'S SPLINTER
Lesley Mok's The Living Collection
David Leon - alto saxophone/flutes
Yuma Uesaka - tenor saxophone/clarinets
Kalun Leung - trombone
Sonya Belaya - piano
Florian Herzog - bass
Lesley Mok - drums, composition
Florian Herzog's SPLINTER
Anna Webber - saxophone/clarinet
Dierk Peters - vibraphone
Raf Vertessen - drums
Florian Herzog - bass, composition
SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2019
DOUBLE FEATURE : BASS SOLO QUARTET
8:00PM - Sean Conly - Solo Bass
8:45PM - Hooker / Conly / Rosenbloom / Gauci QUARTET
William Hooker - Drums
Sean Conly - Bass
Mara Rosenbloom - Piano
Stephen Gauci - Tenor Sax
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019
OMAR TAMEZ & MILO TAMEZ CROSSPATH
8:00PM - Omar Tamez & Milo Tamez : The Music of Paul Motian
Omar Tamez - Guitar
Milo Tamez - Drums
9:00PM - Tamez / Tamez / Rosenbloom : Crosspath
Omar Tamez - Guitar
Milo Tamez - Drums
Mara Rosenbloom - Piano
IBEAM in BROOKLYN, NYC
168 7TH STREET
BROOKLYN, NY, 11215
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ERIC’S HOUSE OF IMPROV PRESENTS
APRIL 16, 2019
MACK GOLDSBURY - SAXOPHONE
HERB ROBERTSON - TRUMPET
LOU GRASSI - DRUMS
ERIC UNSWORTH - BASS
April 20, 201
KEIR NEURINGER - SAXOPHONE
LOU GRASSI - DRUMS
SPECIAL GUEST FROM GERMANY
MICHIKO REHEARSAL STUDIOS
PERFORMANCES START AT 8 PM | ADMISSION $20
149 W. 46TH STREET, 3RD FLOOR
B, D, F, M TRAINS TO 47TH-50TH STREETS / N, Q, W TRAINS TO 49TH STREET
APRIL 23, 2019
REMPIS/LOPEZ/PACKARD
DAVE REMPIS - SAXOPHONE
BRANDON LOPEZ - BASS
RYAN PACKARD - DRUMS
244 REHEARSAL STUDIOS
PERFORMANCES START AT 8 PM | ADMISSION $20
244 W. 54TH STREET, 10TH FLOOR
C, E TRAINS TO 50TH STREET / N, Q, R, Q TRAINS TO 57TH STREET
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Wednesday, April 25th at 7pm:
THE WORLD OF CAPTAIN BEEFHEART Featuring:
GARY LUCAS / NONA HENDRYX / JESSE KRAKOW / JORDAN SHAPIRO / RICHARD DWORKIN
At The Cutting Room
44 East 32nd Street, NYC
212-691-1900 / thecuttingroom.com