What I especially liked were the many kind words of support from those enjoy reading the DMG Newsletter every week just to find out what is happening in Creative Music as well as my song lyric intros which seem to touch a number folks who still actually listen to and think about the lyrics that I feature. We are still accepting donations of money, LP’s and CD’s. If you or someone you know wants to sell off their LP or CD collection, please let us know. Thanks again to our dear friends and supporters around the world. I can certainly feel the Love and Respect that you are sending to us. - Peace and Love Always, Bruce Lee Gallanter and the rest of the DMG Crew
**********
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING CD WHICH WE LISTED LAST WEEK HAS BEEN DELAYED by a few weeks:
PAT SMYTHE QUARTET with ALAN HOLDSWORTH / DARYL RUNSWICK / JOHN MARSHALL - New Dawn: Live 1973 (British Progressive Jazz 023STC; UK) CD $16
Right now we have 15 pre-sold and 20 on order. We will increase the order if need be so that everyone who wants one will get one. Hopefully.
****************
THE DMG 33rd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, March 5th:
6:30: PERMEATIONS GUMVINDBOLOO with patrick brennan / PAUL AUSTERLITZ / HARUNA FUKAZAWA / NICK GIANNI / THOMAS HEBERER / BEN STAPP / DAVE MILLER / MICHAEL TA THOMPSON / WILLIAM HOOKER / LLOYD HABER/ JP NADIEN
7:30: NATHAN CHAMBERLAIN - Guitar / NEEL GHOSH - Tenor Sax / PAULINE ROBERTS - Drums
8:30: LOS PRIMOS with GIAN PEREZ / MANUEL JOE PEREZ III
Tuesday, March 12th:
6:30: AYUMI ISHITO - Alto Sax / DYLAN DELGIUDICE - Guitar
7:30: DAVE MILLER - Drums / DEVIN WALDMAN - Alto Sax / RAS MOSHE - Tenor Sax / LUKE STEWART - Bass
8:30: STEVE HIRSH / SALLY GATES / DANIEL CARTER
Tuesday, March 19th: WOMEN IN FREE JAZZ:
Starting at 6:30: A Special Concert for Women's History Month March 2024 - Featuring:
6:30: Cheryl Pyle - flute-percussion / Mary Cherney - flute / Sarah Bernstein - violin / Andrea Wolper - voice / Rose Tang - guitar / Brenna Rey - bass
7:30: Ayumi Ishito - tenor sax / Catherine Sikora - tenor sax / Nora Stanley - tenor sax / Nicole Davis - trumpet / Dafna Naphtali - voice/synth, Jeong Lim Yang - bass / Yuko Togami - percussion
8:30: Musique Libre Femmes Big Band Ensemble-a free jazz improvisation to end the concert with: Cheryl Pyle, Mary Cherney, Sarah Bernstein, Andrea Wolper, Catherine Sikora, Ayumi Ishito, Nora Stanley, Nicole Davis, Rose Tang, Brenna Rey, Jeong Lim Yang & Yuko Togami,
DMG stands for Downtown Music Gallery and we are located at 13 Monroe St, between Catherine & Market Sts. You can take the F train to East Broadway or the M15 bus to Madison & Catherine Sts. We are in a basement space below an art gallery & beauty salon. We are on the east side of Chinatown, not far from East Broadway & the end of the Bowery. Admission for all concerts is free and donations are always welcome. We have concerts here every Tuesday starting at 6:30 plus Steve Gauci curates his own series here on the 2nd or 1st Saturday of each month. You can check out the weekly schedule here: https://www.downtownmusicgallery.com/shows.php. I post 1 minute segments from these sets almost every day on our InstaGram feed (if you don’t do InstaGram, you can still view these 1 minute clips on the DMG homepage, (a recently added feature), so please check them out and come down to visit when you can. - BLG/DMG
***********
THIS WEEK’S SONIC GEMS BEGIN WITH SOFT MACHINE GUITAR GREAT:
JOHN ETHERIDGE with PETE WHITTAKER / GEORGE DOUBLE - Blue Spirits Live (DYAD Records 033; UK) Featuring John Etheridge on electric guitars, Pete Whittaker on organ and George Double on drums. Gifted jazz/rock guitarist, John Etheridge has been a member of Soft Machine on two occasions, taking the place of Alan Holdsworth twice, the first time in 1976 (after the ‘Bundles’ band) and again in the early aughts when the band was called Soft Machine Legacy (SML). Soft Machine Legacy made five great albums between 2005 and 2013 and eventually changed their name back to just Soft Machine. At this point (2024), Mr. Etheridge is the only original member of Soft Machine to play in SM Legacy, now known as The Softs. I’ve caught the current version of Soft Machine live at the Iridium in midtown NYC twice and were knocked out by bother performances and it was Mr. Etheridge’s guitar playing that stood out on both dates. It turns out that Mr. Etheridge’s own band, the Blue Spirits have been around for 20 years although this is their first record to be released. At first I didn’t recognize the names of the other two members of the Blue Spirits bit it turn out that both are well-recorded. Organist Pete Whittaker can be found on more than two dozen discs, once was a member of the Wonder Stuff as well as Theo Travis (currently in the Softs), John Williams and Mick Moody. Drummer George Double was once a member of Crazy P(enis). Considering that John Etheridge has been a variety of progressive bands like the Softs, Darryl Way’s Wolf and the Zappatistas, it turns out that he is a most impressive jazz guitarist, diverse and consistently inventive.
Although Mr. Etheridge wrote two pieces here, there are a number of well selected covers by Sonny Rollins, Mal Waldron, Charles Mingus, John Scofield, Stevie Wonder and Hank Williams. The disc was recorded live since this is where Mr. Etheridge feels most comfortable playing. The opening song is an original one by Mr. Etheridge called “Distant Voice” and it is lovely, bluesy, laid-back ballad with exquisite organ and tasty guitar. Etheridge uses small amount of reverb which gives his guitar a warm, dreamy sound, his solo here, dreamy and righteous when it starts and then launching into more nimble yet assertive fleet-fingered fusion solo done just right. When Etheridge speeds up he goes into that Alan Holdsworth/Olly Halsall-like territory. The trio cover Sonny Rollin’s “First Moves”, a kind of funky, greasy song from the mid-seventies. Etheridge and the drummer take off together for a powerful, tight duo section which features another jaw-dropping solo from Etheridge. Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes” has some simmering organ at the center and exceedingly tasty guitar, slow and sly with a warm, majestic Hammond organ solo as well. The trio also cover “Wabash III” by John Scofield, another great jazz/rock guitarist from NY that I’ve long dug. This song actually reminds me of an old Horace Silver song called “Sister Sadie” and it does have that some funky hard bop/soul jazz vibe. “Cos We’ve Ended as Lover” was covered superbly by Jeff Beck for his ‘Blow by Blow’ album. This trio do an equally splendid job, heartfelt, warm and most enchanting, with yet another incredible guitar which is both restrained yet reaching for the heights simultaneously. “Cold, Cold Heart” was written and sung by Hank Williams in 1951. It is a lovely, sort of tear-jerker in which Mr. Etheridge shows his tasty county/rock/jazz licks just right. Mr. Etheridge other original is called “Broken Hill” and it is a simmering, laid-back This disc ends with an enchanting of Charles Mingus’ most popular song “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”. John Etheridge could’ve made an over-the-top chops driven fusion record but he didn’t. Here he shows his other side and still plays superbly throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
PNY QUINTET with STEVE SWELL / ROB BROWN / MICHEL EDELIN / PETER GIRON / JOHN BETCH - Over The Wall (Rogue Art 0134; France) Featuring Steve Swell on trombone, Rob Brown on alto sax, Michel Edelin on flutes, Peter Giron on contrabass and John Betsch on drums. Recorded at Studio Sextan in Malakoff, France in February of 2022. Thanks to the Rogue Art and Bridge Sessions labels, a large number of Creative Musicians from France, Chicago and New York, have gotten the opportunity to record, tour and teach workshops together both in France and here if the US. The PNY Quintet (Paris-NY?) is a great example of this sort of successful collaboration. The frontline here features two of Downtown best Free/Jazz elders: Rob Brown and Steve Swell (both have worked together and with William Parker) plus flute master Michel Edelin. Mr. Edelin has a half dozen discs on Rogue Art, all of which have knocked me out including a rare tribute to Henry Cow (Rogue 0089). French bassist Peter Giron is someone that I haven’t heard much from aside for being in the rhythm team with John Betsch for an earlier disc led by Mr. Edelin. American-born drummer, John Betsch, used to work with Marion Brown, Max Roach and Jeanne Lee, before he moved to France and played with Steve Lacy in several projects.
Steve Swell, Rob Brown and Michel Edelin each composed pieces for this quintet. There are four quintet improvs as well. “Dances with Questions” was written by Mr. Swell and kicks this disc open with a furious, hard swinging, freer sort of soaring flight. All three frontline players, each take short yet explosive solos and then play the theme tightly together as one focused unit. Rob Brown’s “Hop, Skip and Jump” has an infectious theme that had me smiling and whistling along. There are strong spirited solos from the flute, trombone and alto sax here, each one a marvel until itself. “Dawn” is the first of four group improvs and although it is free, there is quite a bit of interesting interaction and unexpected combinations of the members. Swell’s “Chance Upon” has the alto sax & trombone play one part while the flute & rhythm team play another part, soon coming together for a thematic chamber ensemble section and feisty solos for Brown’s bittersweet alto with Swell’s trombone & Edelin’s flute duetting nicely in the 2nd half. I love the theme or melody for Brown’s “Nexus”, it swaggers instead of swings and features another extraordinary flute solo, ending with some intense ensemble interaction. “Fauns and Wizards” is another improv/freer piece which is like a short, intense interlude before the quintet break into Mr. Edelin’s “New Orleans”. I love the tight ensemble passages although there a few solos that really stand out, especially Mr. Brown’s riveting, pinched note alto solo. “Over the Wall” again, stretches things further out with some intense freer improv, with all members in separate but somehow connected orbits. Edelin’s “Round Trip” sounds more like one the freer pieces yet the are revolving combinations of all three frontliners which keep shifting throughout. My favorite piece is called “For Frank Lowe”, the influential free/jazz tenor sax giant who passed away 2003. This piece has an older, feisty, freer feel with passionate playing by all the members with everyone playing together in a swirling, connected way. Much of the Free Jazz from the sixties and seventies had a rich, deep, spiritual quality which is at the cneter of all of the pieces here. This disc sounds like the sonic medicine that we all need so get some for yourself. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
KAZE with NATSUKI TAMURA / CHRISTIAN PRUVOST / SATOKO FUJII / PETER ORINS - Unwritten (Libra 207; Japan) Kaze features Natsuki Tamura and Christian Pruvost on trumpets, Satoko Fujii on piano and Peter Orins on drums. Aside from her occasional, ongoing but not well recorded duo with her partner Natsuki, the Kaze quartet is Ms. Fujii’s most beloved ensemble. This is the seventh disc from Kaze, a half Japanese, half French quartet that has been around since 2010. I’ve caught this quartet live several times and each time they’ve blown me away. Although both Frenchmen here are in a half dozen different projects, their various recordings (mostly on the Circum-Disc label) have little distribution here and go mostly unnoticed serious listeners over here. I’ve been fortunate myself since I’ve been able to get copies of their CD’s and LP’s directly from the two French band members.
This disc was recorded live in at La Malterie in Lille, France, where both Mr. Pruvost and Mr. Orins have been living as part of a diverse Creative Music scene. This is quite long (62 minutes) and includes three pieces. This disc begins quietly with sparse playing, occasional sprinkles on piano & drums and radiator-like hissing from the trumpets. This piece, “Thirteen Years”, is nearly 37 minutes long and builds slowly, often being full of suspense. It is superbly recorded and balanced just right. Both trumpeters are gifted yet diverse improvisers with their own sound/approach. Ms. Fujii’s thunderous piano keeps erupting in waves after wave for an entire section. Things calm down a bit for a section of cerebral playing with haunting trumpets playing righteous harmonies on top of of Ms. Fujii’s rumbling, modal piano. I love the way the intensity keeps building throughout with a number of moments of cosmic eruptions by each member of the quartet. For at least a decade Ms Fujii has been exploring sounds by muting strings and playing inside the piano. You can hear her muting notes on the high end of the piano here which gives the piano a strange, oddly percussive sound. Although all of the music here is fully or mostly improvised, this quartet often sounds like everything they do is connected and the flow is quite organic. Towards the end of the first long piece, there is a most haunting trumpet(s) solo/duo that sounds most apocalyptic, as if the quartet is playing for the end of the world as we know it. The interplay, especially both trumpets is beyond belief. “We Waited” is around half the length of the opening piece and it includes some strange vocal sounds added in the background at the beginning with more mysterious, free from yet focused playing throughout the length of this piece. Each of the dozen discs by Kaze has blown me away so far and this one is also a true sonic treasure. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
THE FULLY CELEBRATED ORCHESTRA with JIM HOBBS / TAYLOR HO BYNUM / IAN AYERS / TIM SHANKO / LUTHER GRAY - Sob Story (Relative Pitch RPR1172; USA) Featuring Jim Hobbs on alto sax & compositions, Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, Ian Ayers on guitar, Timo Shanko on bass and Luther Gray on drums. Legendary Boston-based saxist, Jim Hobbs, has been running the Fully Celebrated Orchestra (FCO) since 1996 when their first album was released. The FCO has mostly been a trio with Timo Shanko on bass and Django Carranza on drums. Mr. Carranzo place was taken over by Luther Gray for this album. You should recognize the name of Luther Gray since he has worked with Joe Morris on several albums. By the time their third album was released in 2001, future Braxton collaborator Taylor Ho Bynum was added on cornet to the band. Mr. Bynum has been with them on and off since he’d moved to NY, led several of his bands and worked for the TriCentric Foundation. Mr. Bynum is back up in New England and teaching at college and has rejoined the band. Guitarist Ian Ayers is now a member of the FCO and I don’t recall hearing his name before now.
The opening is called, “Pale Horse” and it has a slow marching beat and an eerie, ritualistic theme. “Total Clown Show” has a more playful groove with some fractured guitar playing and a fabulous, furiously paced cornet solo. “Grove Merchant” should be called “Groove Merchant” since it does have a great, infectious groove at the center, sort of funky and good way to get us all to smile and perhaps dance along. “Tough Guy” has another odd, slamming groove with a great short bent-note guitar solo. “Sob Story” is a sad, rather poignant sort of blues with Mr. Hobbs playing his alto in a most Johnny Hodges like way. I love the way that this quintet plays freely yet with the utmost restraint on “The Spider Gates”, eventually ending up for a few written lines, which are tight yet twisted. “Certificate of Bagua” starts with just the bass and is mostly stripped down with a festive chorus of sax & cornet up front. Guitarist Ian Ayers gets to stretch out on “Language of the Birds”, taking a great, feisty solo, as also does Jim Hobbs who also has a distinctive tone/sound on alto sax. “Why Not Now” has coy, charming theme with both horns playing some lush harmonies and warm, near tender solos. If I didn’t know that this was the Fully Celebrated Orchestra, I might not have a clue as to who this was or is. The FCO used to a freer, most explosive trio or quartet. This is not what they are here yet I still find this disc to engaging in other ways. A rather unexpected delight. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
FOUR NEW DISCS FROM THE FINE FOLKS AT CLEAN FEED:
FRANCOIS HOULE GENERA SEXTET with MARCO VON ORELLI / SAMUEL BLASER / BENOIT DELBECQ / MICHAEL BATES / HARRIS EISENSTADT - In Memorium (Clean Feed 624; Portugal) Featuring Francois Houle on clarinet, Marco von Orelli on cornet & trumpet, Samuel Blaser on trombone, Benoit Delbecq on piano, Michael Bates on contrabass and Harris Eisenstadt on drums. This disc is dedicated to the late Ken Pickering, the founding artistic director of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Although I’ve been to the Victo/FIMAV fest in Quebec every year since 1987 and have been to the Guelph Jazz Fest perhaps a dozen times, I’ve never been the well-regarded Vancouver Jazz Fest. I have met and hung out with Mr. Pickering on several occasions and had the utmost admiration for the way he ran that the Vancouver Fest for so many years. Mr. Pickering held that position for 32 years until his untimely passing in 2018. If you check out the years schedule, you will be amazed at who played there.
I am a longtime clarinet freak and Francois Houle has long been of my favorite clarinetists. I’ve caught him live perhaps a dozen times and savor each of his many releases. The Genera Sextet is an international crew and it was Ken Pickering who helped organize it with Mr. Houle, their first disc was released in 2012 for the Songlines label. The personnel is similar to the earlier disc with Marco von Orelli replacing Taylor Ho Bynum. Mr. von Orelli has a duo disc with Mr. Houle which was released in 2022. Although it isn’t listed on the disc, it sounds like Mr. Houle has written and/or directed the sextet here. The opening piece is called “Stand By” and it is warm, prayer-like intro. “Requiem for K.P.” is a haunting, restrained piece, skeletal at first with just the bass throb and simmer cymbals in the first section before the group breaks into a moderate paced blues. The great Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser takes the first solo and sounds wonderful and is followed by Mr. von Orelli on trumpet, Mr. Delbecq on piano and an extraordinary solo from Mr. Houle on his trusty clarinet. Besides a large number of inspired solos throughout this disc, it is often the (written) ensemble passages that truly stand out here. “Ekphrasis” means describing visual art with words. It is also the name of the next piece and I am completely enchanted by it. Mr. Delbecq plays a simple, subtle repeating pattern on piano while the horns their own majestic phrases on top, quite superb. On “This Tune…”, the rhythm team is featured with some extraordinary drumming from Harris Eisenstadt and several layers of floating horns moving above. Benoit Delbecq is a master of playing inside the piano and muting certain strings. He has worked with Mr. Houle for many years in different situations. Delbecq kicks off “Scarlett” by playing a repeating muted piano line over and over while the rest of the sextet adds layers of lines around him. This disc is also beautifully produced, the sound is warm and consistently enchanting. Could this be the CD of the year? Quite possibly indeed! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
OLD MOUNTAIN / TONY MALABY with PEDRO BRANCO / JOAO SOUZA / JOAO HASSELBERG / HERNANI FAUSTINO - Another State of Rhythm (Clean Feed 658CD; Portugal) Abiding friends and serial collaborators Pedro Branco and João Sousa scale an enchanting set of melodic, nostalgia-fueled summits on Another State of Rhythm, their third long-player issued under the Old Mountain sobriquet. This time the infectious duo invited two bass players, Hernani Faustino and João Hasselberg and legendary Tony Malaby on tenor saxophone. The result is an absorbing collection, coolly scaling alluring heights, captivating senses and stealing hearts with its sensitivity, constituting an apogee of poise and restraint in its graceful, subtle, risk-taking play.
CD $15
SCHEEN JAZZORCHESTER and CORTEX with THOMAS JOHANSSON / OLE HOYER / KRISTOFFER ALBERTS / et al - "Frameworks (Clean Feed 655 CD; Portugal) High-flying Norwegian trumpeter and composer Thomas Johansson, much-lauded for his spellbinding work with, among others, Friends & Neighbors and Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra, brings together two of his other formidable ensembles – premier third-stream troupe Scheen Jazzorkester and avant-garde party-starters, Cortex – for a scintillating showcase of big-band bravura. Recorded live in the winter of 2022 at Norway’s old Hamar Teater hall, the five dynamic cuts on Frameworks have their origins in a commission from the Jazzorkester, keen to follow-up on the successes of their previous Johansson-helmed long-player, As We See It (Clean Feed, 2019).”
CD $15
FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS with ANDRE ROLIGHETEN / THOMAS JOHANSSON / OSCAR GRONBERG / JON RUNE STROM / TOLLEF OSTVANG - Circles (Clean Feed 662; PortScandinavian powerhouse Friends & Neighbors make an auspicious return with Circles, their sixth full-length release, brimming – as you might expect from an outfit borrowing its moniker from a lesser-known Ornette Coleman classic – with dexterous, hard-edged improvisations, unapologetically taking influence from the fearless New Thing movement of the 1960s and early 70s. But Friends & Neighbors’ bold mandate has always extended beyond the realms of mere homage. Releases such as No Beat Policy (Øra Fonogram, 2011), What’s Wrong? (Clean Feed, 2016) and The Earth Is # (Clean Feed, 2021) testify to the band’s remarkable propensity for reshaping the seismic innovations of Archie Shepp, John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, to instigate incendiary and decidedly contemporary admixtures bristling with vital energy and invention, brokering a robust accordance between reverence and insurgency.
CD $15
CIRCULASIONE TOTALE ORCHESTRA with FRODE GJERSTAD / et al - Coming From (CircTot 01-2023; Norway) Featuring Frode Gjerstad on B-flat clarinet & alto sax, Erlend Strand Rolfsen on trumpet, Kristian Enkerud Lian on guitar & banjo, Laurits Husa on tubs & bass trombone and Michael Lee on drums. Norwegian saxist & clarinetist, Frode Gjerstad, is a well-respected elder of Avant-Jazz, whose long career stretches back to his work with John Stevens, Johnny Dyani and Bobby Bradford. Mr. Gjerstad has dozens of recordings throughout his long music journey, working in a variety of different projects. The Circulasione Total Orchestra has been around since 1993 and they have nine discs out. Their personnel has changed over time and has included John Stevens, Eiven One Pedersen, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Lasse Marhaug & Louis Moholo. I don’r recognize the names of the other players here. This disc was record in Norway in June of 2022 and it is dedicated to West Coast trumpeter Bobby Bradford, an early collaborator of Gjerstad’s.
From the looks of the musicians in the booklet, all but Frode are pretty young. The quintet first got together during the pandemic, rehearsing whenever they could, weekly at times. Although they played freely, the rehearsals helped them to build a group sound or approach. Although this music is basically freely improvised, I/we can hear that there is quite a bit of teamwork going on here. Solemn muted trumpet, fractured guitar, somber tuba or bass trombone, subtle percussion and Frode’s nimble, crafty clarinet or alto sax all combine forces in different combinations. Quite a bit of this music is quiet or subdued and well-focused. There seems to quite a bit of careful playing going on here, close listening, reacting and building into something more solid. This disc is well-recorded, warm, carefully balanced and nuanced like great chamber music. On “From” the guitar strums the same chord over and over while the horns circle each other in connected orbits. Erlend S Rolfsen plays an eerie muted trumpet solo here with some low notes drones from the bass trombone or tuba. There is a calm center which runs through most of this disc making it easier to enjoy and not as demanding as some freer music can get. A hypnotic spell is cast over all who listen so join in… - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
TOMEKA REID / ISIDORA EDWARDS / ELISABETH COUDOUX - Reid/Edwards/Coudoux (Relative Pitch RPR; USA) Featuring Tomeka Reid, Isidora Edwards and Elisabeth Coudoux on cellos. I have long loved the sound of a well-played cello and can remember hearing “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles on AM radio in August of 1966. It was the first song I can remember that which featured cellos and I was completely enchanted by it. I’ve checked out many cellists over the years and especially like Abdul Wadud, Tom Cora, Erik Friedlander and Tomeka Reid. This disc features three cellists, something which is relatively rare. I do recall a John Zorn piece for three cellos which was performed by Mr. Friedlander, Fred Sherry and Michael Nicolas. I know of cellist Elisabeth Coudoux from her work with Zeitkratzer, Jan Klare in 2000 and with Steve Swell. It turns out that Isidora Edwards is from Chile but I hadn’t heard of her this disc arrived. This disc was recorded live at “Sommer-Achter”in Weisbaden, Germany in August of 2021. “Could You Imagine” opens and the sound of the three cellos is intense, bristling and filled with wonderful odd sounds. The cellist keep shifting between bowed, plucked and other more extended cello sounds. If, like myself, you’ve seen and heard any cellists who have experimented with the the way they play the cello, then you that there are many ways to alter notes or sounds on the cello through a variety of techniques and effects. After seeing/hearing Abdul Wadud in the 70’s, Tom Cora in the 80’s and Erik Friedlander in the aughts, I do recognize some of these sounds yet I remain fascinated by the combinations of sounds here. There is quite a bit of warm sounds here as well as a depth to the sounds. What makes this work so well is this: each of these cellist has worked hard an extending the range of possibilities on the way the play their cellos, hence they do amazing job of combining their talents to come up with a wealth of combinations and altered sounds. It is a balancing act in which the cellos are like an ocean of shifting currents and waves which wash over them and us. If you like the sound of a great cellist, than you should love the sounds/music created here. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
TOM WEEKS / GERALD CLEAVER / SAFA SHOKRAI / JOSE FERNANDO SOLARES - “The Catbird Seat” (Wolfsblood 12; USA) Featuring Tom Weeks on alto sax & compositions, Jose Fernando Solares on tenor sax, Safa Shokrai on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. A few weeks before the Great Pandemic closed down DMG and the rest of the world, west coast based alto saxist Tom Weeks played at DMG. Mr. Weeks has played here several times since and has wowed us on every set. Mr. Weeks has moved here since then and recently left us with a new CD. I hadn’t heard two of the members of this quartet, Safa Shokrai & Jose Fernando Solares, before now but we all should know of Gerald Cleaver, one of the best and most in-demand drummers to become an integral part of the Downtown Scene. Turns out the both Mr. Shokrai and Mr. Solares are west coast based and have played with some Bay Area musicians like Rent Romus. The opening song is called “Jerusalem” and it was written by Hubert Parry and covered by such diverse musicians as Paul Robeson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer?!? This song is a lovely, laid-back and haunting, sort of gospel song with some lovely harmonies both both saxes. “Nailed” has a bebop-like theme and an infectious, gleeful vibe. Mr. Weeks takes the first solo and goes for the jugular with both saxes spinning intensely around one another. When Mr. Weeks came to visit us earlier this week, he said that he was a big fan of the late Downtown sax giant Thomas Chapin. I can hear this influence in both Mr. Weeks’ writing as well as playing which does have the Chapin-like exuberance. Sitting in a Catbird Seat” is cool singing song with with both saxes playing the theme together and both taking strong feisty solos with the drummer kicking up a great solo near the end of the piece. “Andrea” is actually a fine, bluesy ballad with both saxes playing with the utmost of restraint. The final song, “Kazuto Sato”, has a great, sly theme which is played with verve and passion by both saxes. The last time that Tom Weeks played here at DMG, he was playing in a quartet with James McKain on tenor sax. That set was mostly fire-spitting Free/Jazz. This is not what we find here, though. Mr. Weeks shows off his talent for writing strong, spirited jazz songs which are filled with craft and creative spirits, nothing very free here, yet powerful nonetheless.
- Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15 / LP $25
MAX NAGLE ENSEMBLE with CLEMENS SALESNY / PHIL YAEGER / CLEMENS WENGER / PAMELIA STICKNEY / JOANNA LEWIS / ANNE-HARVEY NAGL / MARTIN EBERLE / HERBERT PIRKER / et al - Live at Porgy & Bess - Vol. 5 (Rude Noises 36; Austria) Featuring Max Nagl on soprano, alto & tenor saxes & compositions, Clemens Salesny on alto & tenor saxes & clarinet, Joanna Lewis & Anne-Harvey-Nagl on violins, Pamelia (Kurstin) Stickney on theremin, Martin Eberle on trumpet, Phil Yaeger on trombone, Clemens Wenger o keyboard, Gregor Aufmesser on bass and Herbert Pirker on drums. My old pal, Austrian saxist, multi-instrumentalist & composer, Max Nagl, continues to send us several new discs every year, from solo discs to his larger groups. Since this is the fifth volume of Nagl’s ensemble playing at Porgy & Bess in Vienna, we can see that most of these musicians have been working with Mr. Nagl for a long period of time. A few of these folks have worked with other groups like Studio Dan, Martin Philadelphy and Haleoscene. You might recognize the name of theremin player Pamelia Stickney, who recorded two discs for Tzadik when she lived here and was known as Pamelia Kurstin.
“Gangster” opens this disc and it sound like a soundtrack to film noir of sorts. Nagl uses the strings and horns as a cushion for his cinematic sounds with strong solos from his trumpeter, a violinist and the theremin. Nagl has the drummer playing galloping groove on “Fingerhut”, with layers in intersecting horns on top. “Auzinger” sounds like a sounds like soundtrack from a circus scene in an European film, fun and festive. It often sounds like Mr. Nagl is trying to get an older, ancient jazz or soundtrack sound that is so rarely heard nowadays. Many older ingredients like somber electric piano, haunting horns, subtle marching beats, a theremin which sounds like a weeping violin or voice… all used most tastefully evoking times long past. Nagl even recorded one song on his phone which also gives it a sound from a distance or the past. His ensemble writing is often lovely, warm and crafty something you might not expect from someone who delve into more avant-garde areas at times. Most charming in several way and never too far out. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10
MARS WILLIAMS & HAMID DRAKE - I Know You Are But What Am I? (Mars Archive #1)(CvsD 105CD; USA) At the tail end of 1996, saxophonist Mars Williams and drummer Hamid Drake took the tall corner stage at Chicago's Empty Bottle for two sets of duets. The rock club had just started a weekly Jazz & Improvised Music Series, curated by Ken Vandemark and John Corbett, which would run for nearly a decade. This rare pairing brought together two pivotal figures in the city's creative music scene, both of whom had extensive experience in diverse areas of music, from the free jazz focus of this intimate encounter to Mars's stints in rock with the Waitresses and the Psychedelic Furs and Hamid's work in Mandingo Griot Society, playing in reggae house bands, and lending rhythms to hits by Herbie Hancock. As eclectic as these inputs were, in the deep souls of Williams and Drake they added to the players' burgeoning inventive resources, rather than urging the players to pastichery. In the venerable dialogical lineage of saxophone and drum kit, these two contemporary ninjas indeed invented their own approach, very different, for instance, from other such duo settings for Drake, like those with Fred Anderson, Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, or Ken Vandermark. Here, the fiery reed-work of Williams lends the concert a special urgency and punch, Drake's funk trap imbued with G-force, his cymbals ringing with nuance, his toms speaking like a whole West African drum choir. Williams responds to this positive energy with one of his most commanding performances, starting with his composition "The Worm" (written for Dennis Rodman of the Bulls), and continuing through a series of phenomenal improvisations. Released by CvsD as part of a series of archival Mars Williams CDs, hand selected by Williams shortly before his untimely death in 2023, I Know You Are But What Am I? goes on the record proclaiming the lasting power of Mars Williams, especially in the company of a master like Hamid Drake.
CD $16
PETER BROTZMANN & PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Chicken Shit Bingo (Trost 246CD; UK) Peter Brötzmann collaborated with many artists in his career, regularly adding new compatriots into the fold, and Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love became one of his staunchest allies after the percussionist joined the Chicago Tentet in 2004. They worked in various contexts, including this inexhaustible, hard-hitting duo. Most of the albums they've issued have captured live performances, but in 2015 they made this stunning studio recording. As Nilssen-Love says in the liner notes, "Peter had acquired a contra-alto clarinet and was very enthusiastic about the sound of this instrument. I had also bought several Korean gongs which I hadn't used yet." They met up for a two-day session in Antwerp that August, and from the outset it feels different from much of their work.
CD $18 / LP $25
BARRE PHILLIPS and TEPPO HAUTA-AHO - To Face The Bass (ASC Records 178; UK) The recording was made of the concert Beyond the Bars by Barre & Teppo in the wooden church inside the Kerava Juvenile Prison in Finland June the 10th, 1998. It starts with a poetic introduction by the governor of the prison and Jazz fan - Markku Salo. A unique performance and audience make this essential listening to fans of the bass and of radical improvised music.
CD $15
MERZBOW - Cafe OTO (Cold Spring Records CSR 331CD; UK) A documentation of prolific Japanese noise master Merzbow's double show at London's Cafe OTO in October 2016. Rhythm-driven and rammed with highly sculpted frequencies, Akita's sound is entirely remorseless. Furious squalls and delicate sine-warps post this one on the more psychedelic end of Akita's output. Truly relentless, it is still hard to believe he created "Untitled Knife I" on a casual Saturday afternoon. Be careful with that volume. Double CD in a matt-finish gatefold ecopak with photography by Masami Akita.
2 CD Set $22
SONOLOGYST - Shortwave Spectrum (Cold Spring Records 332CD; UK) The new Sonologyst "sonic documentary" delves into the secretive realm of shortwave transmissions; a chronicle of clandestine shortwave transmissions culled from a span of nearly four decades (1982-2021). These mysterious transmissions -- repetitive voices, signals, sound pulses, short pieces of music -- were collated and edited to compose the tracks of the main album. Immersed in an isolating fog of dark ambient, deep drone music and cinematic sound art, it provides an auditory exploration of the ongoing Cold War. Originating from covert radio stations engaged in military and espionage endeavors, the tracks unveil a hidden sonic landscape of strategic communication. The second disc, in its extensive presentation, provides a deeper immersion into these enigmatic broadcasts. Each recording remains unaltered, accompanied only by a ghostly drone. It offers an unfiltered glimpse into the world of clandestine communication, where words are transmitted beneath the radar and in the shadowy confines of the electromagnetic spectrum. Double CD in a matt-finish gatefold ecopak with graphic design by Abby Helasdottir.
2 CD Set $22
OLDIES BUT GOODIES / ARCHIVAL RECORDINGS:
SNAKEFINGER with THE RESIDENTS / STEVEN BROWN / DON JACKOVICH / PHIL CULP - Chewing Hides the Sound (Klanggalerie GG 220-2; Germany) Snakefinger surely needs not much of an introduction. Born Philip Charles Lithman in London, he moved to San Francisco in 1971. His roots lie in the British blues scene, but he soon became friends with The Residents who also gave him the name Snakefinger based on a photograph of Lithman performing, in which his finger looks like a snake about to attack his violin. In 1972 Lithman returned to England and formed the pub rock band Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers. After the lack of success of the second album, he returned to the states and work on his first solo album began. "Chewing Hides The Sound" came out in 1979 on Ralph Records. It includes classics such as his Kraftwerk cover "The Model", "What Wilbur?" and "Picnic In The Jungle". The songs on the album were co-written with The Residents. The music showcased Lithman's distinctive slide guitar playing and often surreal imagery. At the same time, a string of singles was released. All tracks that were exclusive to these releases are added as bonus tracks here. Very recently, a so far unknown remix of the whole album was discovered in the Residents' archive. It was made in 1987 in preparation for the Snakey Wake by The Residents and has never been published in any form. Klanggalerie are now proud to present you this lost gem for the first time ever on this double CD.
I caught Snakefinger playing with the Residents the first two times that I heard them live in the mid-1980’s. He was the only one not wearing an eyeball mask and played some great yet weird lead guitar in perhaps one of the best avant/rock bands ever. I have always loved The Residents as there were no other band quite like them and they did a great job of poking fun at the many worlds on rock music rituals, concepts and concerts. Their first record was released in 1974 and they exist today, 50 years later. Although Snakefinger started out as Philip Lithman, playing blues & pub rock with a band called Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, when he joined The Residents, his playing and songwriting got much weirder and more distinctive. I loved this record, Snakefinger’s debut album when it came out in 1979 and it still sounds great today! Avant-rock at its best. The second disc here is a remixed version from 1987 that were recently discovered. The original songs are charming yet odd but the remix twists them a bit further outside of the way I remember them to be. “Kill the Great Raven” was a cool, reggae/dub song, which is made more dubby here. Something I didn’t realize at the time is that Snakefinger was also an accomplished blues/rock guitarist as well. He had a record called, ‘Snakefinger's History Of The Blues Live In Europe’ which was released in 1984, which I didn’t hear or even noticed until many years later. Snakefinger always had a distinctive sound on guitar which I am glad to hear again now. I caught him live several times with his own band in the 80’s and early 1990’s. At that point, he was also playing some great psych lap steel guitar. From what I remember, due to a heart condition, his doctor told him not to tour anymore. He didn’t listen his doctor and died on tour in July of 1987 in Linz, Austria of a heart attack. A toast to the great Snakefinger! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $22
DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET with PAUL DESMOND / BILL SMITH / BOB BATES / JOE BENJAMIN / GENE WRIGHT / JOE MORELLO / JOE DODGE - The Classic 1950’s Albums (Enlightenment 9229; EEC) This superb 4-CD collection brings together eight original albums that Dave and the quartet released during the 1950s, the era generally considered to be the great man's golden years. Serving as both a wonderful starting point for those new to Brubeck's music, and as a divine reminder of his finest work for the rest of us, this set remains a must-have collection for just about anyone who has been blessed with ears and a love of music; Albums included: ‘Jazz at the College of the Pacific’(1954), ‘Jazz Goes to College’ (1954), ‘Brubeck Time’ (1957), ‘Jazz Impressions of Eurasia” (1958), ’Time Out’ (1959), ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1959), ‘Brubeck A La Mode’ (1960) and ‘Featuring Jimmy Rushing’ (1960),
4 CD Set $18
BACK IN STOCK:
KENNY WHEELER with MIKE OSBORNE / EVAN PARKER / TONY ROBERTS / IAN HAMER / JOHN TAYLOR / RON MATHEWSON / TONY OXLEY / et al - Live 71’: The Kenny Wheeler Big Band & Friends (British Progressive Jazz 018STC; UK) This consists of songs from a rare live concert by the Kenny Wheeler Orchestra. The personnel includes Mike Osborne, Tony Roberts & Evan Parker (guest) on saxes, Ian Hamer, Greg Bowen, Dave Hancock, Chris Pyne & Kenny Wheeler on trumpets, David Horler, Bobby Lamb, Keith Christie & Pete Harvey on trombones, Alfie Reece on tuba, John Taylor on electric piano, Ron Mathewson on double bass, Tony Oxley on drums and Norma Winstone on voice (1 track). Canadian-born, British based trumpeter, Kenny Wheeler, was the unsung hero of trumpeters far and wide. He was soft spoken, self depreciating and self-critical. Thanks to British big band leader, John Dankworth, who Mr. Wheeler worked under, his first record came in 1969 (when Kenny was 39), was an orchestra record, a tribute to the story of Don Quixote, called ‘Windmill Tilter’. The orchestra included such greats as John McLaughlin & Dave Holland, yet it went unnoticed and was nearly impossible to find until it was finally reissued on CD in 2020 and on LP in 2021. I’ve been a longtime fan of Mr. Wheeler’s although a couple of his ECM records left me a bit cold. Mr. Wheeler has some 40 plus discs as a leader plus he loved to work with other link-minded players so he appears on dozens of more obscure albums. I don’t think the Kenny Wheeler Orchestra, the band that recorded ‘Windmill Tilter’ in 1969 and the band here which was recorded live in London in May of 1971, played very many concerts. Hence rarities like this one are well worth exploring. Things open with “Mikei”, an austere yet warm, swinging song, sort of like a spy movie soundtrack. This fine band includes a half dozen bigger names like Mike Osborne, John Taylor, Tony Roberts, Ian Hamer, Tony Oxley & Evan Parker. Mr. Wheeler’s slow-burning trumpet graces this piece with a fine, feisty solo followed by some soulful electric piano by John Taylor. I’ve always loved strong, complex, erupting big band music, which is what we find here at times. The second piece is called “Song for Someone” and it is also the title of a Wheeler album from 1973 (on Incus). This piece features some fine wordless singing from Norma Winstone, a longtime collaborator with Mr. Wheeler plus she was a member of the Azimuth trio with Wheeler as well. “Some Days Are Better” is the longest piece here and it is something else. The piece swings bouyantly and features some fine solos from Tony Roberts on tenor sax, Mr. Wheeler on trumpet, expressive trombone (from David Horler?) and Mike Osborne on fire-breathing alto sax kicked higher by the explosive drumming by Tony Oxley. The last piece is called “CD EP” which is what this disc is at around 30 minutes (total). The last piece features guests Chris Pyne on trombone and Evan Parker on tenor sax with both taking riveting solos, the energy erupting like a volcano right up to the grand conclusion. A truly great historic find and a missing link between the different jazz worlds. - Bruce Lee Gallanter,DMG
CD $16
JOHN MAYER’S INDO JAZZ FUSIONS with LARRY ADLER / STAN SULZMANN / CLEM ALFORD / JEFF CLYNE / JOHN MARSHALL / et al - John Mayer’s Indo Jazz Fusion with Larry Adler (British Progressive Jazz 0045STC; UK) ndo Jazz Fusion features John Mayer on violin & piano, Larry Adler on harmonica, Stan Sulzmann on alto sax & flute, Jim Moyes on guitar, Clem Alford on sitar, Jeff Clyne on bass, Keshav Sathe on tabla and John Marshall on drums. Indo Jazz Fusion was a British cross-cultural band that was founded by alto saxist Joe Harriott and violinist John Mayer. Indo Jazz Fusion with Mr. Harriott and Mr. Mayer recorded three albums between 1966 & 1968. All three are seminal records which blend modern jazz with Indian ethnic & classical music streams. After Harriott left, Mayer continued to run the Indo-Jazz Fusion ensemble, which made five more recordings for the Nimbus and FMR labels. The band reformed in the 1990’s with John Mayer still in charge although the personnel had changed. You should recognize the names of most of the musicians in this ensemble since each one has an impressive resume, working with important British jazz composers and doing many other pop, folk & rock sessions. Three of these players, Alford, Moyes & Sathe were members of a fine UK folk/psych band called Magic Carpet while the late drummer John Marshall went on to work with Nucleus and Soft Machine. This disc was recorded live in the studio in July of 1970 in London and was unreleased until now. What I found most interesting is the contribution of American harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler, who it turns out moved to England in the fifties due the McCarthy era BS that was going on in the US during this period. The first piece is called “Raga Malika” and it begins with a most impressive piano solo intro played by Mr. Mayer who obviously has some virtuosic chops. After a short tabla section, the group soon breaks out into their own version of a raga. British sax great, Stan Sulzmann (who worked with Ginger baker, Graham Collier & Kenny Wheeler), plays his first spirited sax solo. Throughout the piece Clem Alford adds some sly sitar, playing underneath and soloing at times as well. One thing that stands out here is the interplay between the tabla and the drums. “Serenade” is a lovely ballad with some tender, tasty harmonica, violin and flute playing on top. Larry Adler’s harmonica is featured on all but one piece and I must admit that his playing is superb, bending his notes tastefully to great effect, sounding at times like an accordion or a melodica. Gershwin’s classic “Summertime” seemed like an odd choice yet the sound of the harmonica, violin, sitar and flute is unique and often sublime. “Sarabande” has a more classical sound with some lovely, haunting harmonica on top. “Raga Megha” closes this disc and it is a raga of sorts with some ghostly harmonica above and a cerebral blend of guitar, sitar, tabla, bass and drums providing a rhythm cushion or groove. If I were producing this session, I would’ve asked the octet to play a long version of their raga-like pieces with solos for everyone involved. Either way, this is a fine disc which is in between categories and consistently engaging. - Bruce Lee Gallanter
CD $16
LP SECTION:
MASAYUKI 'JOJO' TAKAYANAGI & NEW DIRECTION FOR THE ARTS - Free Form Suite (Endless Happiness 72005LP; Russian Mob) Masayuki "Jojo" Takayanagi (1932 - 1991) was a Japanese jazz/free improvisational musician. He was active in the Japanese jazz scene from the late 1950s. He was one of the earliest noise guitar improvisers, and the first (with Keith Rowe) to use the table-top guitar.
LP $30
NEIL ARDLEY / IAN CARR / DON RENDELL - Greek Variations (Endless Happiness 70003LP; Russia) Recorded in '69, Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises is irresistible on two counts. First, for its daringly conceived and brilliantly performed music, inspired by Greek folk songs and instrumental textures and deep enough to reveal all its treasures only after many repeated listenings. Second, for being recorded at the moment when the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet, a major force in British straight-ahead jazz since '62, had broken up and Carr's equally influential jazz-rock band Nucleus was rising from the ashes.
LP $30
MIKE COOPER & PIERRE BASTIEN - Aquapelagos Vol.2: Indico (Keroxen 026LP; UK) Presenting the second thematic volume on the Aquapelagos series -- a collection of split LPs where selected artists offer their own take into water surrounded cultures and communities. After the initial release of the anthology compilation Aquapelago in 2022 and the split LP Atlantico by Lagoss & Banha da Cobra, Keroxen introduces a unique collaboration in the series in the shape of no other than two improvising giants, Mike Cooper and Pierre Bastien. This second volume blows the lid wide open with a sound journey inspired by the equally majestic and mysterious Indian Ocean, a wide space of open ocean bounded by Africa, to the west, Asia to the north and north-west and Australia, to the south west.
LP $28
LOVE CHILD with ALAN LICHT / REBECCA ODES - Never Meant To Be : 1988-1993 (12XU 136LP; USA) "At the very dawn of the '90s, Love Child's debut 7" made a splash on the burgeoning scene of shambolic bands and lo-fi recordings. Back then, they were mentioned in the same breath as Pavement, Sebadoh, or Beat Happening. But Love Child's two great albums and sparkling singles have become the stuff of record collectors, unavailable vis streaming and out of print, until now. Never Meant to Be: 1988-1993 pulls from these releases and some unreleased radio sessions, unearthing a trove of lost gems by a band that could be the best of all of the '90s buried treasures. Culled from their smashing debut 7", their two full-length albums, another great single, and some unreleased radio sets (including a Peel session), Never Meant To Be has catchy hooks, gritty noise, sneakily-deft playing, brainy but blunt lyrics, and lots of other awesome stuff. Love Child were part of lo-fi's beginnings, but also had the NYC pedigree to absorb predecessors like the Velvet Underground, the Voidoids and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. Will Baum started Love Child while a student at Vassar College, bringing on classmates Rebecca Odes and Alan Licht. All three members were happy to trade roles and instruments from song to song, but they also had some specific chops. Licht was a bit of a guitar prodigy, having taught himself how to tap like Eddie Van Halen, but versed enough in punk to know simplicity could be just as powerful. Odes' bellowing bass was equally prominent, and her vocals could veer quickly from sweet to snarling, like Kim Deal or Georgia Hubley with a jagged edge."
2 LP Set $40
PIERO UMILIANI - To-Day's Sound (Blind Faith Records 001LP; Italy) The sound of today. A very strong statement. Yet, fifty years later, it remains undisputed. To-Day's Sound is Piero Umiliani's manifesto, his will to demonstrate to the world that he always has his finger on the pulsating vein of the world, ready to embrace the heartbeat of the future. In the summer of 1973, Piero Umiliani, in his futuristic recording studio in Rome, much like Miles Davis for his Bitches Brew, gathered an extraordinary collective of musicians, both old and new guard to measure themselves against some of his compositions. Besides strongly emphasizing the backbeat, what stands out the most is the timbre provided by his "electronic instruments," as he liked to call them. Minimoog, Arp 2600, Fender Rhodes, EMS VCS3, Clavinet, Lowrey organ, Space Echo, self-built envelope filters -- machines impossible to see all together in an Italian recording studio at the time and made available to the musicians. The line-up is stellar; under the name Sound Workshoppers, the Wrecking Crew all Amatriciana is hidden, an impossible mix where Marc 4, Gres, and Perigeo are blended, along with a brass section of veterans and pioneers of Italian jazz, all members of the RAI Symphonic Rhythm Orchestra. Comparing the recordings from the original scores, one can also understand the space left by Piero Umiliani for his musicians. They are free to move, to contribute solutions, to enrich the maestro's music. The perfectly preserved original masters, once transferred at the maximum possible sampling frequency, allowed for the recovery of many lost frequencies, restoring brilliance and the remarkable low end expertly captured in recording by engineer Claudio Budassi. To-Day's Sound was extremely difficult to control and fully render with the mastering technology of that time. Pressing of 500 copies worldwide. Includes poster.
2 LP Set $46
********
ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE MUSICIANS OUT THERE, Around the world.
If you have a link for some music that you are working on and want to share it with the folks who read the DMG Newsletter, please send the link to DMG at DMG@Downtownmusicgallery.com
*******
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / SIMON HANES / FEB 28–MAR 2
2/28 Wednesday
8:30 pm - QUARTET - Simon Hanes (guitar) Anna Abondolo (bass) Ches Smith (drums) Jon Starks (drums)
2/29 Thursday
8:30 pm - NEW EXOTICA - Frank London (horns) Simon Hanes (baritone guitar) Kenny Wollesen (electric vibes) Billy Martin (drums, percussion) Ikue Mori (electronics)
3/1 Friday
8:30 pm - QUARTET - Anthony Coleman (piano) Billy Martin (drums) gabby fluke-mogul (violin) Simon Hanes (bass)
3/2 Saturday
8:30 pm QUARTET - G Calvin Weston (drums) Anthony Coleman (piano) Peter Evans (trumpet) Simon Hanes (bass)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / BRIAN MARSELLA March 6th-9th:
3/6 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Marsella/Hashimoto - Brian Marsella (piano) Sae Hashimoto (vibraphone)
3/7 Thursday
8:30 pm - Trio - Brian Marsella (piano, synths) Peter Evans (trumpet) Nasheet Waits (drums)
3/8 Friday
8:30 pm - Marsella, Medeski, Martin and Baptista - Brian Marsella (piano, Rhodes, keys) John Medeski (organ, keys) Billy Martin (drums, percussion) Cyro Baptista (percussion)
3/9 Saturday
8:30 pm - Solo - Brian Marsella (piano, celeste)
THE STONE is located in
The New School at the Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th Street - near 6th ave
LIVE MUSIC
wed-sat
music at 8:30pm
ADMISSION
$20 per set
unless otherwise noted
cash only payment
**********
Friday, March 1st at 8:00 pm
THE ZURCHER GALLERY PRESENTS:
The Wavefield Ensemble
Premieres UNFEELING
(She sketches out her dreams on his skin)
by Amadeus Regucera in a program co-curated by the composer
Program:
Amadeus Regucera: Pendant (2017)
Tonia Ko: Tilt (2021)
Wolfgang Rihm: Verzeichnung - Studie for viola, cello and double bass (1986)
Dennis Sullivan: Noise Level/Tone Level (2023)
José Manuel Serrano: Ecos oníricos de la Basílica de San Marcos (2021)
Kaija Saariaho: Nocturne (1994)
Amadeus Regucera: UNFEELING (She sketches out her dreams on his skin) (2023-24 / world premiere)
Monday, March 18th at 7:00 pm
Experimental Intermedia Presents:
Kaffe Matthews & Sarah Bernstein
Admission is $20.
Tickets can be purchased at the door. CASH ONLY.
All proceeds go to the artists.
At Zürcher Gallery
33 Bleecker st, New York, NY 10012
******
Monday, March 4 at Sisters in Brooklyn:
ISAIAH COLLIER & THE CHOSEN FEW!
7pm doors. Full dinner menu available.
Seating is first-come, first-served. Music starts at 8pm.
Sisters is located at
900 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY 11238
Isaiah Collier is a Chicago/Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, curator and educator. His style draws from master saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Roscoe Mitchell, and Wayne Shorter. Cosmic Transitions – his most recent album with The Chosen Few – received 5 stars from Downbeat magazine. He is a former fellow of the Dave Brubeck Institute, and one of the last musicians to work with the late Rudy Van Gelder.
Plus special guest SHARA LUNON - solo
******
Saturday, March 9th
UPTOWN RECORD FAIR
12 - 5 pm - Free admission
LP’s, CD’s, Tapes & DJ’s
At Recirculation
876 Riverside Drive
Uptown Westside, NY, NY, 10032
********
Article by GARY LUCAS:
This is an honest explanation/understanding of what is currently going on in Israel, please read and think about before you come to any quick conclusions.
“JEWS DO COUNT”
at CultureCatch.com
https://culturecatch.com/node/4237
******
NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnWxohqx4tY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj8-LKNXKuE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9PwsO5umk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQ7nvA68pA
*******
CHRIS CUTLER
Formerly of HENRY COW, THE ART BEARS, NEWS FOR BABEL & RECOMMENDED RECORDS (ReR) has been creating an ongoing series of podcasts called the Probes series. I am often fascinated at listening to each of these as Mr. Cutler does an incredible job of showing a deep history of Creative Music in the 20th century & beyond. I usually listen to these on the train to NYC that I take to get to work each day. The most recent Probes (#36) was released a few weeks ago, here is the links:
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-37
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-36
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-362-auxiliaries
***********
ATTENTION TO ALL DMG CUSTOMERS: NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: downtownmusicgalleryofficial@gmail.com
******************