All Newsletters | Subscribe Here

DMG Newsletter for July 6th, 2018

“Love is but a song we sing
Fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
And you may not know why…

If you hear the song I sing
You will understand, listen
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command

Come on, people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now”

The above song was an FM hit for the Youngbloods,
Released during the Summer of Love (1967), a little over a half century ago,
It was Written by Dino Valente (of Quicksilver Messenger Service) under the name Chet Powers
Today it still rings true for those of us who still have hope for better days

********
Hot and Muggy, Humid and Yucky!
The Weather is a Drag this Week,
With the Temperature approaching 100!
Try and Find Some Way to Cool Off and Listen to the Special Sounds of these Sonic Pioneers:

Two Gems from Dr. Eugene Chadbourne: Boston Quintet & Euro Unit Tribute to Thelonious Monk! Jesse Dulman & Blaise Siwula! Samara Lubelski & Bill Nace! Yukari / Thomas Morgan / Satoshi Takeishi! Aranda / Nastesjo / Andorra! Peter Brotzmann’s ‘Machine Gun’ on LP! Derek Bailey’s ‘Aida’ expanded on LP! Carla Bley Band Rarity from 1978! blues Box 10 CD set! Prince Buster! Son House! Howlin’ Wolf! John Lee Hooker! Plus a Big Sale from the Great Moonjune Progressive Label and NimbusWest / Horace Tapscott CD Sale - part 2!

****************

Upcoming Sets at Downtown Music Gallery - FREE, every Sunday at 6pm

THE DMG 28TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES OF SONIC CELEBRATIONS Continue with:

Sunday, July 8th:
6pm: GUILLERMO GREGORIO / NICK JOZWIAK / NICOLAS LETMAN-BURTINOVIC / TODD CAPP
7pm: SARAH BERNSTEIN - Solo violin Performing the Violin Music of ORNETTE COLEMAN

Sunday, July 15th:
6pm: WELF DORR / ON KA’A DAVIS / JOE HERTENSTEIN - Alto Sax / Guitar / Drums
7pm: SCOTT FIELDS - Solo Guitar with Special Guest ELLIOTT SHARP - Guitars

Sunday, July 22nd:
6pm: GUSTAVO OBLIGADO / BRANDON SEABROOK / ANDREW DRURY - Alto Sax / Guitar / Drums
7pm: DREW WESLELY / HERY PAZ / RAF VERTESSEN - Guitar / Tenor Sax / Drums

Sunday, July 29th:
6pm: NATE SCHEIBLE and SARAH HUGHES - Drums and Alto Sax
7pm: STEVE SWELL and MARK SEGGER - Trombone and Drums

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

*************

Friday, JULY 6, 2018 - Free Admission

ZORN AT THE FRICK MUSEUM, NYC * - 6pm - 9:30pm

Anteroom
AMBIENT WORK - ORGAN CD on loop

6:10 - Garden Court
GNOSTIC DUO (15’)
kenny wollesen vibes
carol emanuel harp

6:30 - Library
PASSAGEN (10’)
chris otto violin

7pm - West Gallery (Turner)
CELLO BAGATELLES (15’)
michael nicolas cello
erik friedlander cello

7:30 - Music Room
CLASSIC GUIDE TO STRATEGY (10’)
john zorn alto saxophone

8pm - Grand Staircase (opposite the Vermeer)
ZEITGEHOFT (8’)
chris otto violin
michael nicolas cello

8:30 - Living Hall (Bellini)
NOVE CANTICI PER FRANCESCO D’ASSISI world premiere (20’)
julian lage guitar
gyan riley guitar

The * Frick Museum is located at 1 East 70th St. (bet 5th Ave & Madison)
212-288-0700 / www.frick.org

**************

Today’s Treasures Starts Off with These:

EUGENE CHADBOURNE With JEB BISHOP / JORRIT DYKSTRA / NATE McBRIDE / CURT NEWTON - Lets Get Weird but Comfortable (Chadula; USA) Live Boston-based quintet session featuring Eugene Chadbourne on guitar & voice, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jorrit Dykstra on sax, Nate McBride on bass and Curt Newton on drums. Over the past decade, Doc Chadbourne has been touring in the US and Europe, playing solo as well as with select musicians from different cities and countries. Earlier this year, Doc Chad, came to NYC, played solo at DMG and then did a handful of gigs with a rock/psych/improv band from Brooklyn. For this disc, Dr. Chadbourne went up to Boston and worked with a solid quintet which included two former Chicago-based musicians: Mr. Bishop and Mr. Dykstra (originally from the Netherlands) plus two veteran Boston players: Nate McBride and Curt Newton (both of whom used to work at length with Joe Morris).
Starting off with a Thelonious Monk’s “Ask Me Now”, a glorious, slow, simmering version with some sly jazzy, charming vocals by the good doctor. I love the way this quintet seems to have one food in the past and one in the present or future: they the songs melody/structure easily while swerving in and out of the freer zones, always ending up together. Does it seem odd that Doc Chad would cover Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces”? Not really, since the entire band swings subtly underneath, with the Doc’s voice adding a bit of poignancy. There are a number of lower key free sections which sound particularly enchanting since they are done softly, most cerebrally. Who else would do a surf song named after a butterfly called, “Californian Dogface”?!? No one but Dr. Chadbourne! Another tasty bit of laid back grooviality is their take on Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Times Slips Away”, done with exquisite dream-like grace. The quintet do a splendid version of Duke Ellington’s “Cottontail”, which was written for Ben Webster, with Chad adding his own goofy lyrics. The quintet also do an infectious version of “Monk’s Dream”, with swell solos from the trombone, guitar and bass. The quintet do a splendid version of Duke Ellington’s “Cottontail”, which was written for Ben Webster, with Chad adding his own goofy lyrics. This disc is some 78 minutes long which might seem too long but I did feel that Doc Chad’s quintet did a fine job of playing everything with a dreamy, somewhat intoxicating verve. Perfect for a lazy day inside when it is too hot outside to venture very far. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13


EUGENE CHADBOURNE With EKEHARD ROSSLI / SCHROEDER JEB BISHOP / JORRIT DYKSTRA / CURT NEWTON / NATE McBRIDE - Monks Dream with Words (Chadula; USA) This is an all Thelonious Monk program with two different bands, one from Boston and the other recorded at three sessions in the Degenfeld Hippie Farmhouse Studio with Germans (Ekehard Rossli on soprano sax & Schroeder on drums plus another quartet: Roberto Fabrizio on guitar, Flavio & Giacomo Zanuttini on trumpet & tuba and Marco Bianchini on drums. The Boston-based band features Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jorrit Dykstra on reeds & electronics, Nate McBride on bass and Curt Newton on drums. The Boston quintet also has a recent disc of their own with Dr. Chadbourne called, ‘Let’s Get Weird but Comfortable’. Dr. Chadbourne plays guitar, sings and wrote lyrics for all the Monk songs that these bands perform. Doc Chad mentions that a variety of vintage instruments were used at the Degenfeld Studio.
Most Monk fans know how hard it is to place his songs correctly, adding his own lyrics makes it even more difficult a challenge. Starting with a relaxed, dreamy version of “Ruby My Dear”, Doc Chad sounds both hilarious and charming, his voice ridiculously cool, in a class of his own. Deranged? Yes, but it does make me feel good. Chadbourne plays acoustic guitar on “Monk’s Mood”, his lyric mentioning the titles of several of Monk’s classic songs. I love the way that Jorrit Dykstra takes one those great Dolphy-esque inside/outside solos on “Hornin’ In”. The next part of this disc is the German/Italian band with another guitarist, 3 horns and drums. There is some truly odd sounding guitars on “Think of One”. Is that an ancient synth? Doc Chad sounds like he is playing an acoustic 12-string on “Nutty”, his lyrics referring to peanut-butter and LSD, certainly a combination that Monk might never have thought of… Doc Chad uses a background chorus of wacky voices on “I Mean You”, reminding me a bit of early Mothers dada-esque sense of humor. I don’t think I have ever heard a version of “Little Rootie Tootie” quite like this one. That 12-string guitar and soprano sax sound especially great together on “Monk’s Dream”. Saxist Ekkehard Rossli, sounds like an older jazz dude, his tone gorgeous at times. Chadbourne does a couple of songs twice, like “Nutty”, by both bands. This give this disc a sort-of thematic thread. There is a marked looseness to this material which I find charming but other folks may not hear it in there. This is certainly of the best Chadula discs that I’ve heard in a while, capturing Monk’s unique quirky spirit and expanding upon it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13


PEGGY LEE With BRAD TURNER / JOHN PATON / JON BENTLEY / COLE SCHMIDT ROBIN HOLCOMB - Echo Painting (Songlines 1626; Canada) The band features Peggy Lee (cello), Brad Turner (trumpet & flugelhorn), Jon Bentley (soprano & tenor sax), John Paton (tenor sax), Roderick Murray (trombone), Meredith Bates (violin), Cole Schmidt (electric & acoustic guitar), Bradshaw Pack (pedal steel), James Meger (electric & acoustic bass) and Dylan van der Schyff (drums & percussion) plus Robin Holcomb guest vocalist on one track.
Ever since my old friend, the Hoff’s brother moved to Vancouver in the late sixties to avoid the draft, I have had a vision of of Vancouver being a magical place. The few times I met Terry (Hoff’s brother) in the seventies, he told me how much he loved living in that town and never moved back. Since the early days of the Victo Festival, I have met and made friends with a number of Vancouver musicians like Paul Plimley, Jesse Zubot, Gordon Grdina & Francois Houle, as well as some serious listeners/promoters: Cevie, Ken P & Peter M. Hence I continue to seek out discs from the Vancouver scene on labels: Songlines, Drip Audio and Spool.
One of my favorite Vancouver musicians is cellist, Peggy Lee. Although Ms. Lee has worked with Downtowners like Wayne Horvitz, Dave Douglas and Aram Bajakian (the best set at Victo this year was by his band Dalava w/ Ms. Lee). What I dig most about Peggy Lee is that she is an inspired/restless bandleader, composer and collaborator. Each of her half dozen plus discs are wonderful and completely different in direction. For this disc, Ms. Lee organized a new 10-piece band, after getting a commission from the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in 2016. She chose a number of Vancouver’s leading lights, some well known and others not so but all worthy of her choice. The instrumentation here is an odd mix: 2 reeds, 2 brass, 2 strings, guitar & pedal steel, bass & drums. “Incantation” is a righteous, warm introduction which includes a smokin’ tenor sax (John Paton) and drums (Dylan van der Schyff) duo, emerging from those majestic tentet swirls. “Out on a Limb” employs one of those great, hypnotic repeating line grooves with a superb trumpet solo from Brad Turner. Each of the dozen pieces here sound like they were written for a soundtrack, evoking a variety of scenes from different films. There is way too much great music/writing here to describe each piece. Each time I put this disc a different songs emerges as a favorite. Each member of the tentet gets a chance to stretch out and/or solo on different tracks. This disc is over an hour long and consistently intriguing throughout. The final piece is the one & only cover, “Unfaithful Servant” by the Band (originally from Canada), sung by my old friend Robin Holcomb. The version is sad yet haunting and a perfect way to bring this magnificent disc to a grand close. Peggy Lee’s ‘Echo Painting’ is my current favorite disc of the month. Get your copy today! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15


JESSE DULMAN / BLAISE SIWULA - Dark Alleys (No Frills NFM 016; USA) Featuring Blaise Siwula on alto, soprano & tenor saxes, alto & bass clarinets and Jesse Dulman on tuba. Tuba player Jesse Dulman quit playing music for a number of years due the difficulties of surviving as a working creative musician in NYC. Last year, bassist/composer/community activist, William Parker, persuaded Mr. Dulman to pick up his tuba and come back to the Downtown Scene. Since then, Mr. Dulman organized his own quartet, played here at DMG a couple of times and have a wonderful LP out from one of those DMG sets. One of the oldest members of the longtime Downtown network is reeds wiz, Blaise Siwula, organizer of the weekly C.O.M.A. improv series at ABC-RIO for a couple of decades. Mr. Dulman and Mr. Siwula have been playing together for some twenty years now and this disc is a recent studio recording. The opening track, “Watcha Got for Country” features haunting bass (alto?) clarinet and a tuba drone. The balance between these two musicians is just right with Dulman’s deep bass resonance along with Siwula’s careful sax or clarinet interweaving on the higher tonal side. The sub-title for this disc is “12 Stories” by… and it does sound like each piece is story-like. While Mr. Dulman creates an thoughtful mood on his tuba, Mr. Siwula adds playful, swirling lines, colors and shades on top. At times, Dulman creates, deep, whale-like tones, like a cushion of molasses while Siwula dances gracefully on top. Siwula sounds as if he is playing an old fashioned standard on tenor sax on “Grace’s Garden”, an ancient melody at the center which is enhanced by Siwula’s warm, dreamy tone. There is something warm,and occasionally going lovely going on here. Like a rich conversation between tow old friends. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10


SAMARA LUBELSKI / BILL NACE - Samara Lubelski / Bill Nace (Relative Pitch 1072; USA) Featuring Samara Lubelski on violin and Bill Nace on guitar. Boston-area based guitarist, Bill Nace, has been around for a while, working with musicians like: Thurston Moore, Greg Kelley, Paul Flaherty and Okkyung Lee, most recently in a band with Kim Gordon called Body/Head. Violinist Samara Lubelski travels in similar cycles and has played with Tower Recordings, Chelsea Light Moving (with Thurston Moore) and a longtime duo with Marcia Bassett. At first it is difficult to tell what instruments are being played here. Guitar and violin?? Hmmm. Could be. The shimmering sounds like a string being bowed with an eerie drone hovering underneath. Is this space music? The sound of an electric string being bowed with a layer of drones hovering recalls when either early Pink Floyd or perhaps a Krautrock band plead their own version of space-rock. We are kept off balance while those long tones are carefully manipulated, resonating, pulsating and quietly disorienting. On many of the more recent CD’s on the Erstwhile label, there is no instrumentation listed on the outside of the CD. This is to keep the listeners guessing since it is often not the specific instrumentation that is utilized, just how the sounds are manipulated and selectively used. This is also the case here since it is often to tell what is being played here without any sort of a scorecard. The results are still impressive and do keep the serious listener on his or her toes… - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14


IRENE ARANDA / JOHANNES NASTESJO / NURIA ANDORRA - Inner Core (Relative Pitch 1071; USA) Featuring Irene Aranda on piano, Johannes Nastesjo on double bass and Nuria Andorra on percussion. A number of musicians who started out on the Relative Pitch label are/were relatively little-known until the label put a spotlight on them. This trio hails from Barcelona, Spain, the only member I’ve heard of before now is bassist Johannes Nastesjo, who can be found on a duo disc with Agusti Fernandez (Konvoj label). The (jazz) piano trio format has been around the better part of a century with hundreds of piano trio recordings and has evolved a great deal since it s inception. Since the dawn of the millennia, we’ve seen the piano trio evolve even more with groups like the Necks and pianists like Sylvie Courvoisier and Kris Davis, turning formulas and expectations inside out.
Right from the gitgo, this trio erupts with explosive freedom. The sound of this trio is visceral, on the verge of flying apart. The rumbling piano expands and contracts while the drummer centers on cymbals & gongs and the bassist creates ominous waves with the bow. The cymbals, gongs or metals also sound as if they are being bowed, and are also creating an eerie subterranean web. This trio deals more with textures and timbral sonics, carefully manipulating everything they touch or play. Much of the time it is impossible to tell exactly what instruments are being used. Many of the sounds are industrial in nature as if we were walking through a busy factory of metal being processed. The overall effect feels like a dense force pushing and pulling on us fragile humans, squeezing strange sounds out of ordinary instruments. The next time I play this in the store, someone will be blown away and not know what hit them. This is some heavy sonic medicine. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14


YUKARI With THOMAS MORGAN / SATOSHI TAKEISHI - Synchronic (QFTF 025; Earth) Featuring Yukari on flute, alto & bass flutes, Thomas Morgan on contrabass and Satoshi Takeishi on drums & percussion. The last time we heard from Japanese flutist, Yukari, was in 2011, when she played at DMG and left us with a couple of her fine CD’s. In the past Yukari has worked with Ben Monder, Carlo Costa and Greg Osby. She has been living in Brooklyn for the past 13 years and considers this disc to be a snapshot of Brooklyn. Yukari here works with a formidable Downtown rhythm team, the ubiquitous Thomas Morgan (for Bill Frisell, David Binney, Scott DuBois & Paul Motian) and restless drummer, Satoshi Takeishi (Michael Attias, Erik Friedlander & Patrick Zimmerli). I just caught Satoshi Takeishi last night with Gordon Grdina at Cornelia St., reminding me once again of what an important part he is of the Downtown Scene.
This first thing I noticed about this disc is how well it is recorded, a perfectly balanced well-recorded trio. On the opening track, “Les Oiseaux”, the trio is swinging hard, effortlessly with a joyous, uplifting vibe. On the title track, Yukari, sails along with the strong, skeletal rhythm section. The is a robust, dynamic and powerful trio and they work strongly together. From what I can half of these songs were written by Ms. Yukari, the rest improvised by the trio. For many years, I thought that Nicole Mitchell’s trio with Harrison Bankhead & Hamid Drake were the best flute trio anywhere. This trio can certainly give them a run for their money. Thomas Morgan’s powerful bass is often at the center of many of the pieces, spinning a web, casting a spell, never playing too many or two few notes to keep this trio perfectly balanced. There are a few pieces where we can here what sounds like fragments of written parts. There are some pieces which stand out, like “363”, where Yukari overdubs a couple of complex flute lines near the end. No matter how free certain pieces appear to be, there is something magical that keeps this trio consistently focused, playing as one force of nature. In the past year, DMG has had performances by master flutists: Robert Dick and Jim Denley, as well as an especially great set from Nicole Mitchell (w/ Joelle Leandre & Melanie Dyer) at the Vision Fest. Once we get to hear a set from Yukari, we will have seen & heard the best flutists of the current creative scene. Lucky us! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15


CARLA BLEY BAND with GARY WINDO / ALAN BRAUFMAN / MIKE MANTLER / JOHN CLARK / GEORGE LEWIS / BOB STEWART / BLUE GENE TYRANNY / PATTY PRICE / PHILLIP WILSON - Armadillo World Headquarters Austin Texas March 27 1978 (Hi Hat 3112; UK) As a founder and leading light of the Jazz Composers' Orchestra, as well as being a superb keyboardist, Carla Bley was at the cutting-edge of American jazz in the 1970s. Originally broadcast on WBUR 90.9 FM, this remarkable performance is a vital document of her band on its first North American tour and features renowned players such as Mike Mantler and Gary Windo. The entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, together with background notes and images. Personnel: Carla Bley - piano, organ; Mike Mantler - trumpet; Gary Windo - tenor sax; Alan Braufman - alto sax; John Clark - French horn; George Lewis - trombone; Bob Stewart - tuba; Blue Gene Tyranny - keyboards; Patty Price - bass; Phillip Wilson - drums.
CD $17

ETRAN DE L'AIR - No. 1 (Sahel 045; USA) “Based in the Northeast of Niger, Etran De L'Aïr is one of the longest running bands in Agadez. Unknown outside of their hometown, Etran is one of the hardest working bands on the wedding circuit, playing on ramshackle equipment in true DIY aesthetic. The name Etran De L'Aïr translates to "the Stars of the Aïr," the mountainous region of Northern Niger. They are based in the town of Agadez, an urban center renowned for the electric guitar and the Western named "desert blues." In the Sahara, this electric guitar genre is intertwined with social function. It's a lucrative commerce, and gigging bands make their living in weddings, baptisms, and political events. Etran De L'Aïr is one of Agadez's longest playing groups on the circuit. Yet they are also a band that has remained on the fringes, stars of the Agadez working class. Etran De L'Aïr play a style that captures the contemporary sound of Agadez, incorporating vastly different musics into their repertoire. While Tuareg guitar follows a predictable format, Etran breaks convention and throws a third guitar into the mix. The two lead guitars solo on top of one another, in constant dialogue, with a crashing response from the drum. There is a bubbly underwater warble that emerges from reverb and crackly amps. It's electric party music, surf rock, from a place that is all beach. They differentiate themselves from the other wedding bands: "... Our music is based around traditional Takamba... and we listen to a lot of Malian music. Not Tinariwen, but musicians like Ali Farka Touré and Oumou Sangaré." Etran De L'Aïr is not just a musical group, but a family collective. The group was formed in 1995. Agadez was much smaller then, few homes were electrified, and guitars were rare. As new technology found its way to Agadez, they band adapted, amplifying the acoustic guitar with a transducer microphone, acquiring electric guitars, and finding a drum set. As the family grew, so did the band, integrating the younger siblings into the musical group. This is Etran's debut record. They claim to have written over 40 songs, but none of them have been released until now. This session was recorded live in the outskirts of Agadez. The impromptu performance drew the entire neighborhood out of their houses -- eliciting the audible clapping, shouting, and ululation.”
CD $15


BLUES With B.B. KING/BUDDY GUY & JUNIOR WELLS/LIGHTNIN; HOPKINS/HOWLIN’ WOLF/ et al - A Celebration Through Ten Masterpieces (Doxy 031-40; Russia) A massive ten-CD box set spanning from the deep of the Mississippi Delta, through various country blues traditions such as Piedmont, Louisiana, and Texas up to the core of the Chicago sound. An extensive exploration of the rise of the blues and its influence on the today's global music and culture. The transformation of the blues idiom following the path traced by a selection of cornerstone recordings. From Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, and Leadbelly's seminal voices, through the classic sound of Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King till the electric revolution of Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells.
Features: B.B. King - Blues In My Heart (1963); Blind Boy Fuller - Greatest Hits 1935-1938 (2017); Buddy Guy/Junior Wells - Chicago Blues Festival (2000); Howlin' Wolf - Big City Blues (1962); Leadbelly - Take This Hammer (1965); Lightnin' Hopkins - Lightnin' Strikes (1966); Little Walter - Best Of Little Walter (1957); Muddy Waters - At Newport (1960); Robert Johnson - King Of The Delta Blues (1961); Willie Dixon & Memphis Slim - Willie's Blues (1960).
10 CD Set $30


PRINCE BUSTER - I Feel The Spirit (Copacetic 004; Italy) “Copacetic present a reissue of Prince Buster's I Feel The Spirit, originally released in 1963. Cecil Bustamente Campbell, better known around the world as Prince Buster, was one of the most important figures in the development of ska -- and, ultimately, reggae -- music. Not just an innovator, he's also one of the more distinct and distinguished voices in the history of Jamaican popular music. I Feel The Spirit is his very first long player -- and was a hit both at home in Kingston, and in the West Indian clubs of London, where it would help to inspire the late '70s/early '80s two-tone movement. This album is one of the most important documents of early Jamaican ska, and features backing from ska luminaries as Drumbago, Lester Sterling, and Rico Rodriguez.”
CD $14

LP Section:

THE PETER BROTZMANN OCTET - Machine Gun (Cien Fuegos 020; Austria) Cien Fuegos present a reissue of the Peter Brötzmann Octet's Machine Gun, originally released in 1968. One of the most important albums of European free jazz, finally in the Cien Fuegos series. Recorded May 1968 at "Lila Eule", Bremen. Personnel: Peter Brötzmann - baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone; Peter Kowald - acoustic bass; Buschi Niebergall - acoustic bass; Sven-Ake Johansson - drums; Han Bennink - drums; Fred Van Hove - piano; Evan Parker - tenor saxophone; Willem Breuker - tenor saxophone.
LP $30

THE PETER BROTZMANN OCTET - Machine Gun - Alternate Takes (Cien Fuegos 021; Austria) Alternate versions, never before released on vinyl from Peter Brötzmann Octet's Machine Gun (1968). Personnel: Peter Brötzmann - baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone; Peter Kowald - acoustic bass; Buschi Niebergall - acoustic bass; Sven-Ake Johansson - drums; Han Bennink - drums; Fred Van Hove - piano; Evan Parker - tenor saxophone; Willem Breuker - tenor saxophone.
LP $30


DEREK BAILEY - Aida (Honest Jon’s 205; UK) Continuing their ongoing series of reissues of music by Derek Bailey, Honest Jon's Records present a first vinyl reissue of Aida, originally released on the guitarist's own Incus label in 1980. Expanded for this release, the present version of this masterwork adds two hitherto unreleased gems recorded solo for Charles Fox's Radio 3 program Jazz in Britain, in the same few months of 1980 as the stunning original performances. The phrase "in the moment" is often bandied about with reference to free improvisation, and indeed there's no better way to describe Derek Bailey's playing. The acoustic guitar is notoriously lacking in natural reverberation -- notes barely hang in the air for a couple of seconds before they disappear -- which explains the almost non-stop flow of new material in these stellar performances. Bailey knew from one split-second to the next exactly where to find the same pitch on different strings, either as a stopped tone or a ringing harmonic, and there's never a note out of place. "He who kisses the joy as it flies," in the words of William Blake, "lives in eternity's sunrise" -- and this music is forever in the moment, constantly active but never gabby, kissing the joy. One of the special pleasures of the BBC set is the guitarist's own laconic commentary, a deliciously deadpan description of what he's doing while he's doing it. "I like to think of it -- as a kind of music" -- and the interaction between words and music is a particular delight. "You may have noticed a certain lack of variety," he quips, while unleashing a furiously complex volley. Is it a coincidence that the final seconds recall the famous cycling fifths of the coda to Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight"? Surely not; Bailey, like Monk, was a note man par excellence; they're both still alive and well in eternity's sunrise.
2 LP set $32


STEFANO PILIA & MASSIMO PUPILLO - Kenosis (Grandangolo GRA 004; Italy) The result of a long period of study and retirement in a house in the Bologna countryside in the first three months of 2018, Kenosis renews the meeting between Stefano Pilia and Massimo Pupillo (already together on several tours of ZU and in the Zu93 project, together with David Tibet). A Greek word of Gnostic derivation (literally meaning "emptying"), Kenosis is the result of a process of composition that saw the two musicians move away from their usual writing methods and from the conventional use of their instruments, to push themselves towards a sound, only apparently electronic, at the limit between the organic and inorganic world. Everything you hear in Kenosis was played, simply using a bass and an electric guitar processed analogically, often improvising in very long sessions, the starting point for the actual composition. The drawings of the Red Book of Jung, open every day on a different page and left in front of the mixer, have marked the writing of the album which shows, among other things, the shared passion for the harmonic method of Arvo Part and the research underground of certain Italian artists, in particular Roberto Musci. In the DNA of these pieces, inspiring elements such as the Diamond Sutra, the meditation lessons of Joseph Goldstein, the bell towers, the sounds of birds in the fields surrounded the studio. "This is music that is simply passed through us."
LP $24


ANTONIN ARTAUD - Pur En Finir Avec Le Jugement De Dieu (Fantome Phonographique OME 1006; Italy) Fantôme Phonographique present a reissue of Pur En Finir Avec Le Jugement De Dieu by Antonin Artaud. Antonin Artaud was a French poet, dramatist, and director and one of the most important figures in 20th century European theater, and especially the avant-garde. His piece "Pour En Finir Avec Le Jugement De Dieu" was recorded in 1947 to be aired on French radio. But the project was shelved not only for its scatological, anti-American, anti-religious content, but also for its avant-garde sound, with screams, cries, grunts, glossolalia, and general cacophony, all of which the radio thought would be too shocking for the listeners of post-WWII France. Now regarded as one of his most brilliant works, the piece is finally available again on vinyl courtesy of Fantôme Phonographique. Features the voice actors Maria Casarès, Roger Blin, and Paule Thévenin. Edition of 500 (hand-numbered).
LP $25


ALEISTER CROWLEY - Original Wax Recordings (Fantome Phonographique OME 1007; Italy) Fantôme Phonographique present a reissue of the only known recordings from the infamous occultist, mystic, magician, poet, novelist, sexual deviant, and all-around misfit, Aleister Crowley. Recorded onto wax cylinder in the early 1910s, and later transferred to 78 RPM discs. The tracks include Crowley's recitation of the first two Enochian Keys, original poetry, incantations, and songs. An absolutely essential piece of occult history. This collection was originally compiled and released on LP in 1986.
LP $25


TOM DISSEVELT & KID BALTAN AS THE ELECTROSONIKS - Electronic Music (Fantome Phonographique OME 1004; Italy) Fantôme Phonographique present a reissue of The Electrosoniks's Electronic Music, an LP by Tom Dissevelt and Dick Raaymakers's (aka Kid Baltan) originally released in 1962. Tom Dissevelt and Dick Raaymakers were both Dutch composers and electronic music pioneers. Both musicians began their studies at Royal Conservatory of The Hague on trombone and piano respectively, and later discovered the music of Karlheinz Stockhausen and Anton Webern. In the mid-50s Raaymakers began working at the Philips NatLab (the Dutch research division of the Philips company). Dissevelt was recruited by the NatLab soon after, and this is where they met, working on Philips stereo equipment and electronics, and eventually composing electronic music and musique concrète pieces together. Their first recordings in 1959 together, The Fascinating World Of Electronic Music, set the tone of experimental synthesizer space odysseys that would be perfected with their 1962 LP, Electronic Music, released as The Electrosoniks. Cited by David Bowie as one of his favorite albums of all-time, Electronic Music is a forward-thinking collection of bubbling synths and space-age atmospherics that is well ahead of its time. Since Dissevelt and Kid Baltan were employed by a research lab to compose and record electronic music, one might assume that the music would be soulless and restrained, but the reality is quite the opposite this is joyous and haunting and soulful music created by two under-celebrated Dutch pioneers who are finally getting the credit they deserve. Essential pioneering electronic music brought back to life by Fantôme Phonographique. Edition of 500 (hand-numbered).
LP $25


TERRY FOX - Audioworks (Song Cycle Records CY 983; UK) Song Cycle Records present a reissue of Terry Fox's Audio Works, originally released in 1983. Terry Fox (1943, Seattle-2008, Cologne) was one of the leading pioneers of American body art and conceptual art. He became famous in the '70s with performances and installations, which took their point of origin in the transformative processes of materials, and in which he used his own body as a medium for exploring often extreme psychological and physical experiences. With his lifelong exploration of sound and space, Terry Fox was also one of the pioneers of contemporary sound art. Terry Fox belongs to those artists of the '60s and '70s who radically rejected traditional art forms and sought new forms of artistic expressions. In numerous installations, performances, and street events he directed attention to everyday phenomena and aspects of social existence. He researched unknown or little regarded aspects of energy in substances and materials, most especially sound and vibration. Since the '80s Terry Fox composed objects, language, acoustic, and process-oriented events into multilayered images in space and time. In his later years, quiet sounds at the limit of audibility became more and more prominent. This collection of Terry Fox's AudioWorks was published in 1983, during the time he lived in Florence, by Maurizio Nannucci in the Recorthings series of audio cassettes on the Exit & Exempla label. Recorthings is a record label linked to the activities of Zona non-profit art space (1974/1985) and to the broadcasting program Zonaradio (1981/1983).
LP $35



DANIEL BACALOV - 1984/5: Il Ladro Di Anime/Diario Segreto Contraffatto (Soave 017-18; Italy) Soave present a joint reissue of two of Daniel Bacalov's albums: Il Ladro Di Anime (1984) and Diario Segreto Contraffatto (1985). Daniel Bacalov, composer of music for theater, cinema, and dance, studied classical guitar and percussion. He composed the music of numerous theatrical performances represented in many international theater festivals. His first two publications on LP were Il Ladro Di Anime, presented at the Venice Biennial of 1984 and Diario Segreto Contrattato. Soave offer these two fundamental documents of the period, reprinting them for the first time in a limited edition on double LP. The compositions are mainly structured on ethnic percussions played in a masterly manner, accompanied by acoustic guitars and synths of the time, in particular the DX7 and PPG Wave. The dictated rhythm unites the show as a universal and indeterminate single body. In those years the theater in Italy broke from its usual codes, mixing "high" and "low" culture, introducing a new language and new reflections, redefining the theatrical event and the need to investigate all the territories of creativity; in this panorama the sounds and the music assumed a central importance that today remain the most concrete testimony of that extremely creative experimental period.
2 LP Set $40


HOWLIN' WOLF - Rarities From the Singles As & Bs 1951-62 (Doxy 2103; Russia) The legendary Howlin' Wolf recorded dozens of stellar Chicago blues singles for RPM and Chess Records between 1951 and 1962. In this stunning compilation is a selection of incredible rarities from the first decade of his career. Edition of 500 (numbered).
LP $21

SON HOUSE - This Little Light Of Mine (Wax Love WLV 82072; Italy) Son House is one of the most legendary Southern blues men in history. Just before the Great Depression he recorded some sessions for Paramount that sold very little and when the Depression hit, his recording career was halted. It wasn't until the Library of Congress and Fisk University recorded him at Klack's Store, Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, in August 1941 and again in July of 1942 at Robinsonville, Mississippi. Those recordings have come to define his career and are a hallmark of the blues genre. Wax Love present a glorious retrospective compilation of those recordings, with some of his most well-known tunes like "Shetland Pony Blues", "Low Down Dirty Dog Blues", and "Walking Blues". Classic.
LP $17


JOHN LEE HOOKER - House Of The Blues (Wax Love WLV 82096; Italy) Wax Love present a reissue of John Lee Hooker's House Of The Blues, originally released in 1959. House Of The Blues collects John Lee Hooker's early 1950s shellac singles for the legendary Chicago blues label Chess Records. Born sometime in the 1910s or early 1920s in rural Mississippi, Hooker moved to Detroit in 1943 to work at the Ford Motor Company and soon began frequenting the city's blues clubs. Hooker recorded for many labels throughout the 1950s but it was with Chess that he cut his most memorable and famous sides. This album is the beginning of that fruitful relationship and features simply Hooker's beautiful blues vocals, raw guitar playing, and foot stomping to keep the beat. There's no more raw and real blues than right here on this here LP.
LP $17


IKE & TINA TURNER - The Soul Of Ike & Tina (Wax Love WLV 82098; Italy) Wax Love present a reissue of Ike and Tina Turner's The Soul Of Ike & Tina, originally released on Sue in 1961. The debut LP from one of the most dynamic duos in the history of recorded music. Featuring their classic singles, "A Fool In Love" and "I Idolize You", this is one of the best R&B records of the early '60s. After joining his group as a backup singer in 1957, it soon became clear that Tina Turner's (then Ann Bullock, or Little Ann) talent and charisma were better suited for the spotlight, and by 1960 the group had changed names to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. An essential record for any fans of Tina Turner or early '60s R&B -- truly a barn burner!
LP $17


MOONJUNE CD Sale:

Since 2001, the MoonJune label has been releasing dozens of discs of Canterbury/Progressive CDs and is the label is still going strong today. Original Soft Machine members: Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, John Etheridge, Roy Babbington and John Marshall, can all be found on several of these releases. Soft Machine Legacy (now called just Soft Machine), are still recording and playing live and will be touring the US in October and performing at the Iridium (NYC) on October 12-14th of this year! It is their first US tour since 1974!!! Get your tickets now! I dig most of what MoonJune releases, especially all of the sale CD’s listed below. First we will list all of the sale items, followed by some reviews further below:


ARTI MESTIERI [BEPPE CROVELLA/FURIO CHIRICO/ROBERTO CASSETTA/LUCA BALDASSSARI/MARCO ROAGNA/ALFREDO PONISSI/IANO NICOLO/LAUTARO ACOSTA] - First Live In Japan (Moonjune 012; USA)
CD $10

BARRY CLEVELAND With ROBERT POWELL/MICHAEL MANRING/AMY X NEUBERG et al - Hologramatron (Moonjune 033; USA)
CD $10

ELTON DEAN & THE WRONG OBJECT [MICHEL DELVILLE/FRED DELPLANCQ/JEAN-PAUL ESTIEVENART/DAMIEN POLARD/LAURENT DELCHAMBRE] - The Unbelievable Truth: Live In Paris October 2005 (Moonjune 009; USA)
CD $10

ELTON DEAN/MARK HEWINS - Bar Torque (Moonjune 001; USA) out-of-print, last few copies
CD $12

DELTA SAXOPHONE QUARTET [GRAEME BLEVINS/PETER WHYMAN/TIM HOLMES/CHRIS CALDWELL] With HUGH HOPPER - Dedicated To You..But You Weren't Listening: The Music Of Soft Machine (Moonjune 017; USA)
CD $10

DFA [D.F.A. aka DUTY FREE AREA: SILVIO MINELLA/LUCA BALDASSARI/ALBERTO DE GRANDIS/ALBERTO BONOMI] - Work in Progress: Live at NearFest 2000 (Moonjune 003; USA)
CD $10

DOUBT [ALEX MAGUIRE/MICHEL DELVILLE/TONY BIANCO] RICHARD SINCLAIR - Never Pet A Burning Dog (Moonjune 032; USA)
CD $10

HUGH HOPPER With SIMON PICARD/STEVE FRANKLIN/CHARLES HAYWARD - Numero D'Vol (Moonjune 014; USA)
CD $10

HUMI [HUGH HOPPER/YUMI HARA CAWKWELL] - Dune (Moonjune 019; USA)
CD $10

IRON KIM STYLE [DENNIS REA/BILL JONES/JAY JASKOT/THADDEUS BROPHY/RYAN BERG] - Iron Kim Style (Moonjune 031; USA)
CD $10

ALEX MAGUIRE SEXTET With MICHEL DELVILLE/ROBIN VERHEYEN/JEAN-PAUL ESTIEVART/DAMIEN POLARD/LAURENT DELCHAMBRE - Brewed In Belgium (Moonjune 023; USA)
CD $10

MAHOGANY FROG [GRAHAM EPP/JESSE WARKENTIN/SCOTT ELLENBERGER/J P PERRON] - DO5 (Moonjune 020; USA)
CD $10

PHIL MILLER'S IN CAHOOTS With DOUG BOYLE/DIDIER MALHERBE/ANNIE WHITEHEAD/RICHARD SINCLAIR/BARBARA GASKIN/DAVE STEWART - Conspiracy Theories (Moonjune 013; USA)
CD $10

MORAINE [DENNIS REA/RUTH DAVIDSON/ALICIA ALLEN/KEVIN MILLARD/JAY JASKOT] - Manifest Density (Moonjune 028; USA)
CD $10

BORIS SAVOLDELLI & ELLIOTT SHARP - Protoplasmic (Moonjune 025; USA)
CD $10

SIMAKDIALOG [SIMAK DIALOG: RIZA ARSHAD/TOHPATI ARIO HUTOMO/ADHITHYA PRATAMA/ENDANG RAMDAN/EMY TATA] - Patahan (Moonjune 015; USA)
CD $12

SIMAKDIALOG [SIMAK DIALOG: RIZA ARSHAD/TOHPATI ARIO HUTOMO/ADHITHYA PRATAMA/ENDANG RAMDAN/ERLAN SUWARDANA] - Demi Massa (Moonjune 024; USA)
CD $12

SLIVOVITZ [DOMENICO ANGARANO/MARCELLO GIANNINI/PIETRO SANTANGELO/RICARDO VILLARI/DEREK DI PERRI et al] - Hubris (Moonjune 026; USA)
CD $10

SOFT MACHINE LEGACY [HUGH HOPPER/JOHN ETHERIDGE/JOHN MARSHALL/THEO TRAVIS: SOFT WORKS] - Steam (Moonjune 016; USA)
CD $10

SOFT MACHINE LEGACY [HUGH HOPPER/ELTON DEAN/JOHN ETHERIDGE/JOHN MARSHALL: SOFT WORKS] - Legacy Live: In Zaandam, Holland May 10 2005 (Moonjune 006; USA)
CD $12

SOFT MACHINE LEGACY [JOHN ETHERIDGE/ROY BABBINGTON/JOHN MARSHALL/THEO TRAVIS: SOFT WORKS] - Burden of Proof (Moonjune 052; USA)
CD $10

THE WRONG OBJECT [MICHEL DELVILLE/FRED DELPLANCQ/JEAN-PAUL ESTIEVENART/DAMIEN POLARD/LAURENT DELCHAMBRE] - Stories From The Shed (Moonjune 018; USA)
CD $10

10 MoonJune CD’s with reviews:

ARTI MESTIERI [BEPPE CROVELLA/FURIO CHIRICO/ROBERTO CASSETTA/LUCA BALDASSSARI/MARCO ROAGNA/ALFREDO PONISSI/IANO NICOLO/LAUTARO ACOSTA] - First Live In Japan (Moonjune 012; USA)Recorded live at Club Citta Kawasaki, Tokyo on June 12, 2005 during the Japan tour. Outstanding 7-piece progressive jazz-rock band from Italy. All the power delivered by the spectacular insane drumming of Furio Chirico (often compared to Billy Cobham) and magnificent analog keyboards of maestro Beppe Crovella (Mellotron, Hammond, Mini Moog, Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano), counter-pointed by the beautiful violin passages, killer sax lines, wonderful guitar work, robust bass and challenging vocals. Captured live in Kawasaki/Tokyo, during the Japan tour in June of 2005, this 76 minutes album includes most of the material from their two legendary cult albums Tilt (1974) and Giro Di Valzer Per Domani (1975) with few newer compositions. In the vein and league of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever, Mothers Of Invention, mid '70s Soft Machine, King Crimson and Gong.
CD $10

BARRY CLEVELAND With ROBERT POWELL/MICHAEL MANRING/AMY X NEUBERG et al - Hologramatron (Moonjune 033; USA) Barry Cleveland electric & acoustic guitar, electric & acoustic 12-string guitar, Moog Guitar, GuitarViol, sampled percussion, sampled Mellotron, voice (8), bass (8); Robert Powell pedal-steel guitar (1-5, 7, 9, 11-13), lap-steel guitar (4); Michael Manring bass (1-9, 11-13); Celso Alberti drums, percussion (1-4, 6-9, 11-13); Amy X Neuburg vocals (1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 13). With Harry Manx vocals (4); Deborah Holland vocals (4); Artist General voice (5); Erdem Helvacioglu acoustic-electric guitar, electronics (3, 13); Rick Walker chain-link drums, teapot (5), congas (4), dumbec (7); Gino Robair dumbec, kendang (6); Forrest Fang mixing, processing, violin (11); Evan Schiller mixing, processing (13 Cleveland is all about sound - from his guitar playing to his compositions to his production - and it's the deeply layered, highly nuanced, cutting-edge sonics that unify his wildly diverse material. Cleveland's earlier work was more ambient and impressionistic (Mythos, released on Larry Fast's Audion label, received rave reviews in Option, Jazziz, and Stereo Review) and his last recording explored instrumental world fusion (Volcano garnered accolades in All About Jazz, Abstract Logix, Innerviews, and Progression) - but Hologramatron pushes multiple musical envelopes simultaneously. In addition to playing acoustic and electric 6- and 12-string guitars on Hologramatron, Cleveland utilized a prototype of the revolutionary Moog Guitar and both acoustic and electric GuitarViols - hybrid bowed instruments tuned like a guitar - along with myriad effects processors and alternative playing devices such as a Chinese erhu bow, Masley Bowhammers, and the Ebow.
CD $10

DFA [D.F.A. aka DUTY FREE AREA - Work in Progress: Live at NearFest 2000 (Moonjune 003; USA)t has been over thirty years since the dawn of progressive music in 1968 & 1969 with important and influential records released from the Mothers of Invention ('Uncle Meat' & 'Hot Rats'), Soft Machine - 'Volume One' and King Crimson's 'Court...' paved the way for things to come. Over the past decade, there have been both magazines and books and now festivals dedicated to the worldwide abundance of prog(ressive) bands past and present. One such fest has taken place in Pennsylvania (!?!) over the last few years in June and is called NEARfest. This year's version sold out over a thousand seats in a couple of hours, so interest is obviously high. What amazes me is that there is an endless supply of prog bands from all over the world and if one is patient you will find one (some?) to tickle your fancy. Which brings us to DFA from Italy - nope, never heard of them either although they did have their first cd out in 1997. Their American debut was at the NEARfest in June of 2000 and this cd is the recorded proof of that great set. DFA are a quartet of el. guitar, keyboards, el. bass and drums and like Deus Ex Machina, they seem to strive for that seventies prog/fusion sound - tight with the lead guitar and synth playing their lines together. The synth also has that echoplex-thing like adding lines, with occasional sequencer punctuation. "Caleidoscopio" is a fine laid back tune with lovely vocals and elegant guitar and synth accompaniment - like some of the better prog it has a few different sections, which tell an interesting ongoing instrumental story - solos are short and to the point and are mainly a part of the moving scenery as it evolves. "Trip on Metro" is about a crazy train trip and the piece shifts between moderate paced sections and quirky more rocking sections with well played lead guitar and synth soloing or just spinning their lines together. The longest piece is "La Via" which begins in a somber dream-like state with more quaint vocals and builds into a more adventurous region with the guitar and organ telling their stories together. I dig that DFA can still play quietly while continuing their evolving stories in certain sections. It is also nice to hear a singer whose voice doesn't make one cringe like other (Italian?) prog bands. "Pantera" rocks harder as the excitement factor increases with a crafty almost hard rocking guitar solo and cool Nice-like organ (and then fine synth) groovin'. The last piece is "Ragno" and it has that classic prog sound of spunky, tight, ever-changing, majestic, sly, quiet parts, sinister section and numerous sections of guitar & synth soloing around and with each other. Bravo! - BLG
CD $10

DOUBT [ALEX MAGUIRE/MICHEL DELVILLE/TONY BIANCO] RICHARD SINCLAIR - Never Pet A Burning Dog (Moonjune 032 ,USA) With moods and registers ranging from heavy-rock riffs to cosmic grooves and on to more lyrical and pastoral flavors, douBt's debut release, Never Pet a Burning Dog, sound like nothing less than the missing link between Sun Ra, John Zorn's Masada, vintage Terje Rypdal, Sonic Youth and Ennio Morricone. The record also features guest contributions from Canterbury legend Richard Sinclair on vocals and bass. A new power electric jazz trio featuring Alex Maguire (Hatfield and the North, Elton Dean, Michael Moore), Michel Delville (The Wrong Object, Comicoperando, TZGIV) and Tony Bianco (Dave Liebman, Paul Dunmall, Alex von Schlippenbach), douBt combines the energy of rock, the spirit of free-jazz and the lyricism of post-Canterbury Nu-Jazz. Critics have praised Alex Maguire's encyclopedic breadth of references (John Kelman, All About Jazz) and his capacity to be "at home in any style from rock to jazz to jazz-rock to free improvisation"(Steve Feigenbaum, Wayside Music). They have also hailed Michel Delville's "artful compositions , quirky guitar work and super-flanged atmospherics" (Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player Magazine) and acclaimed Tony Bianco's "improbable stamina and inventive phrasing" as well as his "supercharged and yet crisp metrical variations" (Julian Cowley, The Wire). The results of their combined efforts amounts to a intriguing and monumental album, full of unexpected twists and turns and yet driven by a common force that draws as readily from Tony Williams (the comparison with the original line-up of the Lifetime is inevitable) as from British and American post-punk prog-jazz aesthetics ("Cosmic Surgery", "Beppe's Shelter"), a concept also reflected in Bianco's freebeat, a way of playing through many different time signatures that releases an interplay of energies accomplished in one pulse (one thinks of the aptly named "Sea" or the strangely ethereal sonic landscapes of "Aeon"). The sheer body of sound produced by the trio is amazing in its intensity and magnitude. As for the state of collaboration, cooperation and complicity between the members of the group, it packs a shock, especially if one knows that this CD consists exclusively of first takes recorded live in the studio. As for the vocals provided by Richard Sinclair, they confer to this disc a refreshingly paradoxical quality which bridges the gap between free improvisation and experimental songwriting, complexity and directness, as exemplified by the psychedelic bossa-nova "Passing Cloud" and the opening "Corale di San Luca", which unexpectedly leads into the polyrhythmic orgy of "Laughter" before the trio takes us into an unusual revisitation of Terje Rypdal's "Over Birkerot". Despite its being rooted in the traditions that have inspired the respective careers of Bianco, Delville and Maguire, Never Pet a Burning Dog is one of the most forward looking electric jazz albums released in a long time and sounds like nothing before. It is an ambitious yet eminently accessible release as this experimental power trio never loses sight of grooves and catchy melodies. "OK, plenty of record company blather above. BUT, this IS thee unexpected progressive treasure of the month! Holy sh*t! The first thing is that this disc opens with the charming voice of Richard Sinclair (Caravan & Hatfield) sounding amazingly like Robert Wyatt. Then for the rest of the disc, we find this band to be the best prog/jazz/rock power trio that I've heard in many years. Alex Maguire (Hatfield Reunion & Michael Moore Band) on super inventive keyboards, Michel Delville (where did the f**k did he come from?!?) on mind-blowing guitar and Tony Bianco (Paul Dunmall collaborator) on drums are consistently astonishing!!! Prog heads & fusion doctors - this is this month's holy grail" - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $10

IRON KIM STYLE [DENNIS REA/BILL JONES/JAY JASKOT/THADDEUS BROPHY/RYAN BERG] - Iron Kim Style (Moonjune 031; USA) This Seattle-based ensemble features Dennis Rea (6-string) & Thaddaeus Brophy on (12-string) guitars, Bill Jones on trumpet, Ryan Berg on bass and Jay Jaskot on drums. I had not heard of this band or any of these musicians before except for Rea, who was in Land with Jeff Greinke and Leslie Dalaba, but the MoonJune label does a fine job of coming into contact with strong progressive musicians from around the world. Although this entire disc is improvised, it often doesn't sound that way. The quintet kicks things open with tight, intense jamming. The fuzz-bass fronted rhythm team is powerful with buzzing guitars and soaring electric trumpet. Guest bass clarinetist, Izaak Mills, sits in on two tracks and does a fine job of adding strong counterpoint. The great guitar, bass & drums rhythm section is often at the center and providing powerful support and focus so that the other guitar and trumpet can play intensely and creatively on top. This is jazz/rock at its finest without any of that fusion excess. On "Don Quixotic", the quintet lays back and we hear some superb, bluesy trumpet and sinister guitar and fuzz bass. "Adrift" is an appropriately titled piece with simmering muted trumpet, somber bass clarinet and reflective jazz guitar. This is a consistently inspired and a most inventive date from yet another solid prog/jazz/rock unit. MoonJune does it again! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $10

ALEX MAGUIRE SEXTET With MICHEL DELVILLE/ROBIN VERHEYEN/ et al - Brewed In Belgium (Moonjune 023; USA) Featuring Alex Maguire on piano, synth & most compositions, Robin Verheyen on soprano & tenor sax, and four members of The Wrong Object band: Michel Delville on guitar, Jean-Paul Estivienart on trumpet & flugel, Damien Polard on bass guitar and Laurent Delchambre on drums. Alex Maguire is one of the better and more diverse keyboardists to emerge from the British scene in many years and has played with the likes of Elton Dean, Michael Moore, Hatfield & the North (recent reunion) and Wishful Thinking with Alipio Neto from Clean Feed. Commencing with "Psychic Warrior," which as a lovely solo piano intro. Alex's "John's Fragment" is a righteous, melodic jazz/rock song with strong playing from all members of the sextet. Trumpeter, Jean-Pail's Saturn" is a great "Saturn" is a long epic piece with a slow swirling groove and fines solos from all. Guitarist Michel Deville's "Theresa's Dress" simmers nicely with dreamy solos from Jean-Paul on flugel and Michel on spacy guitar. Alex plays some amazing piano on his own piece, "Pumpkin Soup" which also features supern soprano sax from Robin. Finally, Elton Dean's "Seven for Lee" is a perfect closer with rich horn harmonies and inspired solos from the soprano sax & flugelhorn. This is a consistently strong effort of modern day jazz/rock and one of the best under-recognized gems of the year. - BLG
CD $10

MAHOGANY FROG [GRAHAM EPP/JESSE WARKENTIN/SCOTT ELLENBERGER/J P PERRON] - DO5 (Moonjune 020; USA) Mahogany Frog's "Do 5" is the fifth full-length release from this Winnipeg-based outfit. Over the past decade the group has been saturating their own brand of psychedelic jazz-rock, an instrumental brew that is hard-hitting, challenging, experimental and noisy, but catchy as hell. "Do 5", the most cohesive Mahogany Frog album to date, and it seems that the four members of MF are on a crusade to change the way people listen to music. Melodic, harmonized leads slice through lush walls of thick, warbling, tube-driven vintage organs and analog synths. Snarling, feedback-ridden guitars riff hard in unison with a punchy, fuzzy bass. Amplified glitch-esque electronic beats melt into sporadic, frantic drumming. The themes progress quickly, and the instruments change roles often. Teaming up with Winnipeg recording wizard/producer Mike Petkau, the recording process in itself was a bit of an experiment. Recorded over seven months during the winter of 2006/2007 at MCM Studios, the band gave themselves the liberty to take their time and try some new things. Petkau, who's methods were somewhat familiar to the band (he had engineered the Frog's previous two releases "On Blue" and "Vs Mabus") was open to trying unorthodox mic setups and amplification techniques, using the unique room (which is typically used for acoustic/choral recordings) to it's potential. Everything was amplified full-tilt through a collection of vintage tube amplifiers, from the synths and guitars to electronic beats and acoustic percussion. The result is a heavy, explosive album that sounds like combusting vacuum tubes and tearing speakers, a hot, dirty trip through countless musical ideas. It is a record that fully captures all the elements involved getting pushed to their limit, from the personnel to the equipment... and the listener hearing it. "Colorful music from a Canadian quartet from Winnipeg that fuse elements of noise and brutal prog with a big helping of Canterbury-style jazz rock. Recommended if you like Stereolab, Tortoise, Soft Machine. This unique Winnipeg four-piece masterfully combines colourful melodic washes and structure with lyrical polyrythms, all with kamakazi determination. Carefully conceived compositions decoded with keyboards, guitars, horns, samples, effects and percussion." Steve Feigenbaum, Cuneiform
CD $10

MORAINE [DENNIS REA/RUTH DAVIDSON/ALICIA ALLEN/KEVIN MILLARD/JAY JASKOT] - Manifest Density (Moonjune 028; USA) Featuring Dennis Rea - electric guitar; Ruth Davidson - cello; Alicia Allen - violin; Kevin Millard - bass guitar & baliset and Jay Jaskot - drums. Recorded in Seattle, WA, in August of 2008. Moraine are/is a unique sort-of progressive band from Seattle that don't quite sound like anyone else. I dig the way the two strings saw away tightly while the guitarist solos intricately in between. The song titles are often pretty amusing like "Save the Yuppie Breeding Grounds" or "Nacho Sunset". The melodies have a middle eastern tinge, yet are constantly shifting into other areas. Whenever the guitarist solos, the strings play complex inter-connected lines along with him. I like that there is an organic feeling to this music with uplifting melodies and thoughtful solos which never sound like anyone is showing off. Even more than the inspired solos it is the exotic melodies and crafty arrangements that makes this band special. Considering that this is an American band, they often don't sound that way. Many of the melodies sound like they could come from Eastern Europe. Moraine remind me of some of the fine bands who record for Cuneiform: quirky, creative & filled with surprising twists and turns, well worth checking out no matter what you are into. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $10

SIMAK DIALOG: RIZA ARSHAD/TOHPATI ARIO HUTOMO/ADHITHYA PRATAMA/ENDANG RAMDAN/EMY TATA - Patahan (Moonjune 015; USA) Feature: RIZA ARSHAD: Fender Rhodes electric piano, synth; TOHPATI ARIO HUTOMO: electric, synth & acoustic guitars; ADHITHYA PRATAMA: electric fretless bass; ENDANG RAMDAN: kendang, toys; EMY TATA MAKASSAR: kendang, ceng-ceng, kethuk, vocals, poetry reading Compelling Indonesian electro-acoustic progressive jazz-fusion with a distinctive cultural bent. For its first international release Jakarta-based simakDialog delivers Patahan, a live recording that suggests how Pat Metheny might sound were he from the Far East rather than the United States. A combination of electric and acoustic instruments, the 14 year-old group is innovatively propelled by two percussionists rather than a conventional drummer, but the result is no less powerful. Keyboardist/composer Riza Arshad, guitarist Tohpati and bassist Adhhitya join vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki and percussionists Endang Ramdam and Emy Tata for five lengthy, episodic and finely detailed compositions that create a unique nexus of jazz and less-traveled ethnicity. Expansive solos, rich harmonies, telling interplay and propulsive rhythms make Patahan a genre-busting album that demands to be heard.
CD $10

SIMAKDIALOG [SIMAK DIALOG: RIZA ARSHAD/TOHPATI ARIO HUTOMO/ADHITHYA PRATAMA/ENDANG RAMDAN/ERLAN SUWARDANA] - Demi Massa (Moonjune 024; USA) This is the fifth album from Indonesian progressive jazz ensemble simakDialog. Led by keyboardist and composer Riza Arshad, the band also features guitarist Tohpati and bassist Adhitya Pratama, working alongside the twinned percussion thrust of Endang Ramdan and Erlan Suwardana. This latter pair are specialists in traditional Sundanese kendang drumming. Arshad's compositional approach opens up from a jazz-rock palette, but his Fender Rhodes electric piano is clearly influenced by the crisp ring and shimmer of the Indonesian gamelan's array of gongs, metallophones and double-headed drums. We can immediately hear the similarities between the keyboard's percussive crackle and the sharp detonations of tunefully struck metal. The percussionists soon enter, clattering out their heavily organic patterns with roundly slapped skins, shaker bells and handclaps. Arshad frequently pushes his solos (or are they ongoing themes?) up to continually higher levels, urging repeated climaxes as each piece steadily amasses intensity. Tohpati is also attracted to resonant trebly zones, journeying from acoustic delicacy to a subtly distorted friction. The guitarist's presence has a significance beyond his role on this album, as Tohpati is one of the Indonesian music scene's most successful (and ubiquitous) players. Another element is tipped in later, with the percussionists chanting along to emphasise their dense structures. Arshad might recline in a hazy contemplation, but it doesn't take him long to develop an insistent pulse, invariably reaching a frenzied state. There's a clear recalling of the classic moves made by Chick Corea and Terje Rypdal in the 1970s, but this is laced with authentic gamelan elements utilised as part of this jazz-rock vocabulary. The result sounds both natural and fully integrated. This a particular realm that couldn't be reached either by Western progressives or a traditional gamelan ensemble. The simakDialog involves a unique combination of both spheres, without making the commercially tempting mistake of cultural dilution.
CD $12

THE WRONG OBJECT [MICHEL DELVILLE/FRED DELPLANCQ/JEAN-PAUL ESTIEVENART/DAMIEN POLARD/LAURENT DELCHAMBRE] - Stories From The Shed (Moonjune 018; USA) Belgian heavy avant-prog-jazz-rock combo The Wrong Object - led by volcanic Michel Delville, whose guitarismo is strongly influenced by Fripp/Rypdal/Holdsworth and especially Frank Zappa, returns with a brand new studio release of their trademark instrumentation and sonic landscapes. Laden with a full load of heavy guitar riffs, extravagant jazz themes and electronic sounds, this CD marks a return to the rockier and densely overdriven stance that characterized the band's earlier productions. The sheer sonic texture of this album is driven by a combination of tight progrock sequences alternating with more open, freely improvised material. This explosive package consists of a solid, plusing rhythm section capable of performing with versatility in any situation, aggressive guitar riffs and solos, unusual guitar-synth soundscapes, and fuzz bass guitar laced with a fiery horn duet. With influences ranging from Zappa's whimsical complexities to Squarepusher's glitchy electronics, from Soft Machine and Electric Miles to Stravinsky and Bela Bartok, Stories from the Shed will surprise prog rock fans and modern jazz afficionados alike with its genre-defying compositions, eclectic jam improvisations and intricate arrangements. Ecclectic band for fans of Frank Zappa, Soft Machine, Primus, John Zorn, Aka Moon, Ian Carr's Nucleus and jazz-oriented jam-band scene. "This is the second splendid disc that this Belgium band has done for the MoonJune label. The first was a most successful collaboration with the late Elton Dean, one of last year's most overlooked gems. The personnel features Michel Delville on guitar, electronics & most compositions, Fred Delplancq on tenor sax, Jean-Paul Estievenart on trumpet & flugel, Damien Polard on bass guitar and Laurent Delchambre on drums & percussion. The music is a slamming type of tight jazz/rock fusion with some klez-like melodies at the center. The quintet was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, yet they remain tight and spirited throughout. Each member of the quintet contributes a song or two and each piece provides a different for this spirited ensemble. "Sheepwrecked" features a rather hypnotic repeating riff with some stunning, laid-back harmonies for both horns and atmospheric guitar. Many of these pieces feature the electric guitar and electric bass playing layers of floating, mesmerizing sounds as the intro and conclusion. Their fine bassist, Damien Polard, gets some chances to stretch out on fuzz-bass and does a great job at this. Mr. Deville, who wrote many of these pieces, does a marvelous job of composing challenging pieces that truly keep the quintet on their toes as they work their way through his ever-changing obstacle course of difficult situations. What I also dig about this disc is that there are some shorter moody pieces amongst the more intense and challenging ones. This CD is yet another fine example of MoonJune's seemingly endless treasure chest of jewels." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10


NimbusWest (Part 2) CD Sale / Only & All HORACE TAPSCOTT CD’s Still Available:

HORACE TAPSCOTT - Vol. 8: The Tapscott Sessions (NimbusWest 2258; USA)
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT - Vol. 9: The Tapscott Sessions Volume (NimbusWest 2369; USA)
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT - Vol. 10: The Tapscott Sessions (NimbusWest 2370; USA)
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT - Vol. 11: The Tapscott Sessions (NimbusWest 2581; USA)This is the newest of master pianist, composer and multi-bandleader - Horace Tapscott's ten volumes of solo piano offerings. The first seven sessions are album-only releases, while Volumes 8 - 11.
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT TRIO With FRED HOPKINS/BEN RILEY - Dissent or Descent (NimbusWest 509; USA)“This 1984 trio date offers a rare early chance to hear the Los Angeles-based pianist playing with New York City peers. Dissent or Descent offers food for thought on where Tapscott falls in the jazz style spectrum by teaming him with Ben Riley, a drummer linked to Thelonious Monk, and AACM-associated bassist Fred Hopkins. "As a Child" opens with nice melodic touches -- the piano may be mixed a little low but it's not a crucial drawback since Tapscott is forceful enough and the rhythm section sensitive enough to overcome it. The prominent role Tapscott's left hand plays in his melodic conception makes Randy Weston comparisons come to life both here and on "Sandy and Niles." "To the Great House" is a high spot, insistently pushing and jabbing, with Hopkins switching from anchor to doubling the melody to playing countermelodies during the theme. Tapscott doesn't strew notes around, his solo is built off melodic impulses over gorgeous chordal ripples, unfolding organically with sensitive cymbal support from Riley, who reserves drums for his solos. Clifford Jordan's "Spell Bound" finds Tapscott romping around the buoyant tempo and Hopkins at his best ranging through the middle. "Ballad for Samuel" pays homage to Tapscott's mentor Samuel L. Browne, the famous music teacher at Los Angeles' Jefferson High in the '30s and '40s. Two extra solo pieces boast a much crisper piano sound and a more expansive Tapscott. "Ruby, My Dear" starts gorgeously with rolling chords smoothing out the Monk quirks before Tapscott elaborates to show why he may rank as one of the most intrinsically fascinating solo pianists ever. The original "Chico's Back in Town" is another prime example because you never know where he's going -- the music unfolds as it happens (exactly as it should), with a fragmented start leading to pounding flourishes, forceful pedal work and a racehorse finale. Actually, Tapscott's playing with the trio is fairly muted, with more emphasis put on his formidable melodic gifts than any virtuoso turns. Dissent or Descent may not be the best music any of these musicians created but it's a good example of solid, tasteful professionalism.” - Zen Archer
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT With ROBERTO MIRANDA/WOODY 'SONSHIP' THEUS - Live at Lobero Vol. I: Expanded Edition (NimbusWest 2370; USA) Featuring Horace Tapscott on piano & all compositions, Roberto Miranda on bass and Sonship on drums. This is a reissue of a now out-of-print album from live trio date by the legendary LA-based pianist, composer and multi-bandleader, Horace Tapscott. It begins with an awesome nearly half-hour piece called "Inception", which was not on the original album. This piece is a marvelous, ritualistic work that starts with a long introduction of thumb-piano and percussion, most mysterious and full of free spirits wandering. When Horace finally comes in on piano, the trio kicks into a colossal McCoy-like force. Horace's massive piano solo is followed by a long, great bowed bass sole and finally a most impressive drum solo to bring this incredible opening piece to a grand close. "Sketches of Drunken Mary" features some sparkling piano revolving around a most lyrical bass part that is absolutely touching. The piece ends with a long, monstrous drum solo has to be heard to be believed. I recall hearing/seeing the mighty Sonship with John McLaughlin's One Truth band live at Central Park way back in 1979 and being knocked out by his drumming. "Raisha's New Hip Dance" is a lovely piece that starts with some amazingly powerful and somewhat dark solo piano, with some strong two handed playing going in different directions and then winding down to somber conclusion, then building back up once again. The final piece is called "Dark Tree", which is also the title track from a sadly out-of-print double disc on Hatology. It is a great work that features a colossal, McCoy-like repeating line that is most hypnotic. The trio explodes in waves together, an immensely propulsive circular current at the center of the storm. Roberto Miranda takes an astonishing, fleet-fingered contrabass solo and then Sonship again provides a cosmic gong, cymbals and drum solo. This entire disc is over 70-minutes long and is a momentous offering from start to finish. It doesn't get any better than this. - BLG
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT & PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA - The Call (NimbusWest 246; USA)2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Union of God's Musicians and Artists Ascension in Los Angeles by the late pianist and composer, Horace Tapscott. Like Chicago's AACM, the Watts-based collective was created to promote local musicians; but UGMAA's mandate also included dancers, actors and visual artists. Through UGMAA, Tapscott also taught music to hundreds of young musicians outside of a commercial context. Many of these musicians matriculated into Tapscott's Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, which he also initiated in '61. Even though Tapscott could have easily followed the lead of friends like Don Cherry and Eric Dolphy, and built a high-profile career for himself through touring or moving to New York, Tapscott remained in Los Angeles and worked with the Arkestra and UGMAA's education program. His efforts gained little recognition until the 1965 Watts riots, when he put the Arkestra onto flatbed trucks and, like a fire brigade, played throughout the community to help extinguish the violence. Subsequently, UGMAA received enough state and Federal funding to present regular Arkestra concerts at churches and schools, and stabilize its education program. Concurrently, Tapscott's own stock as a pianist, composer and arranger rose, resulting in two important late-'60s recording dates. The first was Sonny Criss' Sonny's Dream (Birth Of The New Cool), recorded for Prestige in '68, which featured Tapscott's compositions and arrangements (Tommy Flanagan, however, was the tentet's pianist). The second was his 1969 debut as a leader, The Giant Is Awakened, a two-bass quintet date for Flying Dutchman which also introduced alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe. These recordings revealed Tapscott to be a distinctive pianist, whose affection for waltzes leavened the angularity in his playing that is always linked to Monk. The albums also proved that Tapscott's compositional style was not as strident as the avant-garde label affixed to him suggests. Despite the merits of these albums, the Arkestra went unrecorded until 1978. Enter Tom Albach, a hard core jazz fan disgusted with what the major labels were serving up. A professional gambler, Albach approached Tapscott about releasing his music on a label Albach would create specifically for this purpose. Tapscott agreed, and the Nimbus label was soon inaugurated with the Arkestra's The Call
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT SEXTET With SABIR MATEEN/REGGIE BOWEN/GARY BIAS/ROBERTO MIRANDA/EVERETT BROWN Jr - Dial "B" for Barbra (NimbusWest 1147; USA)Featuring Horace Tapscott on piano, Reggie Bullen on trumpet, Gary Bias on alto & soprano saxes, Sabir Mateen on tenor sax, Roberto Miranda on acoustic bass and Everett Brown, Jr. on drums & percussion. This reissue was recorded in Los Angeles in 1983. As each of Horace Tapscott's dozen vinyl releases go out of print, Nimbus slowly reissues them on CD. Horace Tapscott was a legendary bandleader, pianist, composer and organizer of a Society for the Preservation of Black Music or UGMAA. Tapscott's great records on Nimbus include ten volumes of solo piano, a couple of trio discs, his sextet and a couple of big band discs. 'Dial 'B' for Barbra' consists of three long pieces. Starting with "Lately's Solo", which swings hard from the very first note, the sextet plays Tapscott's charts with power and authority. Gary Bias takes the first smokin' solo on alto sax with Sabir on tenor and Reggie on trumpet soon joining him for impressive solos underneath. The great Everett Brown takes a fine unaccompanied drum solo with Horace's powerful McCoy-like piano soon to follow. This piece sounds a great deal a Miles Davis piece from the early sixties. The title track is a fine buoyant song with sparkling piano that moves in unexpected directions as Horace solos. Reggie Bullen takes a fine muted trumpet solo on this piece. Linda Hill wrote an epic piece here called "Dem' Folks", which repeats a certain twisted line yet has rich layers of horn harmonies. This piece reminds me of one of those dynamic McCoy-like pieces from the seventies that we hold so dear. The sextet often sounds more like a small big band and all three horn players take excellent solos. The rhythm team of Roberto Miranda and Everett Brown are also consistently powerful and creative throughout, with Tapscott's piano keeping things focused a and helping everyone else to navigate the strong currents. This nearly 20-minute work is a true tour-de-force and is a colossal and provocative journey. - BLG
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT & PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA - Live at I.U.C.C. (NimbusWest 357; USA) Check out a long review here: www.pointofdeparture.org/PoD5TheCircle.html
2 CD Set $24

HORACE TAPSCOTT & PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA - Flight 17 (Remastered) (NimbusWest 135; USA) Newly remixed and remastered for 2012 - finally all the mudiness of the previous CD is out, and the stellar performances are sharp! "Horace Tapscott's classic large ensemble album from 1978! The collective personnel includes Mr. Tapscott on piano & conduction, Jesse Sharps, James Andrews & Herb Callies on reeds, Red Callender on tuba, plus two trombones, two basses, cello and two drummers. Horace Tapscott was the West Coast equivalent of Sun Ra. He was a great pianist & composer, multi-bandleader, community activist and philosopher. 'Flight 17' was a studio session first released in 1978 but the sound was never balanced right. Nimbus West founder & producer, Tom Albach, got back the master tapes and cleaned them up considerably. For fans of the Sun Ra Arkestra and/or any other adventurous big band ensembles, this is an essential reissue. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT GARY BIAS / REGGIE BULLEN / ROBERTO MIRANDA / DAVID BRYANT / GEORGE GOLDSMITH - Vol. 1: Lighthouse '79 (NimbusWest 4035; USA) Never before released in any form! Part 1 of this amazing recording from pianist Horace Tapscott with Roberto Miranda and David Bryant basses, George Goldsmith drums; and student horns Gary Bias alto and Reggie Bullen trumpet [whose freshman solos have been edited out for this CD]. Recorded live at Rudy Onderwyzer's Lighthouse in 1979. "Horace Tapscott was an amazing pianist, composer, arranger, multi-bandleader and inspiration to many. The Nimbus West label continues to unearth unreleased gems from Tapscott's various bands. On the opening track, "Acirfa", both bassists and drummer playing powerfully underneath Tapscott's extraordinary two handed piano playing, numerous layers of lines converging. Both bassists and the drummer each take strong solos as well. The group sounds almost as if they are speeding at some superhuman level until the second bassist takes his fine arco solo. Mr. Tapscott plucks the strings inside the piano at the beginning of "Dem, Folks", adding some mystery to the sound. The theme and arrangement by Linda Hill, who worked with Tapscott, is thoughtfully written, engaging and well played with by the horns. Again, Horace's piano solo is astonishing, often weaving two or more lines at once. Eventually turning into a marvelous, majestic mostly unaccompanied piano solo, before the lovely muted horns return. Whomever the bowed bassist is (Miranda perhaps?) his solo here and elsewhere is another jewel in Tapscott's crown. The sextet do a poignant version of the standard, "I Remember Clifford" with some tasty trumpet, but it does feel a bit out of place with the high energy of the rest of this disc. Linda Hill provides another fine tune called, "Leland's Song", which has some memorable themes and go through some difficult alternating sections. Again, Tapscott's piano is a marvel of inventiveness as he weaves his way through different sections. Once again, we can thank the fine folks at Nimbus West for digging up another unheard gem from Horace Tapscott's treasure chest." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

HORACE TAPSCOTT With GARY BIAS / REGGIE BULLEN / ROBERTO MIRANDA / DAVID BRYANT / GEORGE GOLDSMITH - Vol. 2: Lighthouse '79 (NimbusWest 4046; USA) Never before released in any form! Part 2 of the amazing recording from pianist Horace Tapscott with Roberto Miranda and David Bryant basses, George Goldsmith drums and Tapscott's students Gary Bias alto sax & Reggie Bullen trumpet. The group plays one Tapscott original and a few standards. "Acirfa" opens this disc with some incredible, high flying piano and a burnin' bass solo. Tapscott's own "Niger's Theme" is a unique repeating melody which is solemn and haunting with some fine bowed bass featured. The old standard "Stella by Starlight" gets a fine, long reading with inspired solos from Gary Bias on alto sax, Tapscott on piano and one of the bassists. Billy Strayhorn's classic "Lush Life" also gets a heart warming rendition with some superb piano from Tapscott. This disc ends with a song called "Inspiration of Silence", another fine piece with great a Monk-like melody. Horace Tapscott was an incredible pianist, bandleader and composer. Both of these 'Lighthouse '79' discs show ample proof of his of his wonderful pianistic skills. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

*************

Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for July of 2018:

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - EYAL MAOZ - JULY 5–7

7/6 Friday
8:30 pm
Hypercolor - Lukas Ligeti (drums) James Ilgenfritz (bass) Eyal Maoz (guitar)

7/7 Saturday
8:30 pm - Wild Type - Chris Stromquist (drums) Alvaro Benavides (bass) Eyal Maoz (guitar)

THE STONE RESIDENCIES / GYAN RILEY / JULY 10–14

7/10 Tuesday
8:30 pm - ELIXIR - Toby Driver (bass, synth) Ches Smith (drums) Timba Harris (violin) Gyan Riley (electric guitar)

7/11 Wednesday
8:30 pm - PLUCK - Wu Fei (guzheng, voice) Gyan Riley (guitar)

7/12 Thursday
8:30 pm - SOLO - Gyan Riley (guitar)

7/13 Friday
8:30 pm - PROBOSCI - Timba Harris (violin) Gyan Riley (guitar)
CD release show for our 2nd album NETHERMEAD!

7/14 Saturday
8:30 pm - Iva Bittová (voice, violin), Gyan Riley (guitar) with special guest Tony Fajt (piano, electronics)

THE (NEW) STONE is located in The New School’s Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th street - near 6th ave
All Sets at The New Stone start at 8:30pm Tickets: $20
There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone.
Only music. All ages are welcome.
Cash Only at the door. There is no phone.
There is no food or beverage served or allowed
just a serious listening environment.
The Stone is booked purely on a curatorial basis

*********

The CORNELIA STREET CAFE - 212-989-9319
29 Cornelia St in the heart of the West Greenwich Village, NYC

Friday - Jul 06
6:00PM NICK BRUST QUINTET FEATURING KATYA - Katya Dreyer-Oren, vocals; Nick Brust, sax; Alex Clough, piano; Myles Sloniker, bass; Jay Sawyer, drums
8:35PM JASON YEAGER, RANDAL DESPOMMIER QUARTET -Randal Despommier , alto sax; Jason Yeager, piano; Danny Weller, bass; Jay Sawyer, drums

Saturday Jul 07
6:00PM ARCOIRIS SANDOVAL FIRST VOYAGE: CD RELEASE - ArcoIris Sandoval, piano; Marty Kenney, bass; Allan Mednard, drums
8:35PM YOTAM SILBERSTEIN QUARTET - Yotam Silberstein, guitar; Glenn Zaleski, piano; Noam Wiesenberg, bass; Daniel Dor, drums

Sunday Jul 08
6:00PM NEW AIRES TANGO - Malena Dayen, vocals; David Rosenmeyer, piano
9:30PM ISRAELI JAZZ SPOTLIGHT: ROY BEN YOSEF TRIO - Roy Ben Yosef, drums, comp.; Tal Mashiach, bass; Payton Pleninger, tenor sax; Agona Shporta, vocals

Mon, July 9th:
6:00PM - JOE PINO ORGAN TRIO - Joe Pino, trumpet/flugelhorn; Ryan Slatko, organ; Jeff Krol, drums
8:30PM NO SURRENDER - Paul Bogaev, vocals, piano

Tuesday - Jul 10
8:00PM EVAN FRANCIS SEXTET - Marianne Solivan, voice; Matt Nelson, tenor sax; Mitch Marcus, tenor sax; Evan Francis, alto sax, flute; Josh Bailey, drums; Kurt Kotheimer, bass
9:30PM JUAN CAMILO SANCHEZ, CD RELEASE - Juan Camilo Sanchez, drums; Nathan Bellott, alto sax; Dan Pappalardo, bass; Marcio Garcia, piano

Wednesday Jul 11
6:00PM ZAPPA:: ANA CHOIRED TASTE, LED BY LEE TOMBOULIAN - Lauren Lee, Marty Elkins; Susan Tobocman; Mary Foster Conklin; Sarah James, John McMahon; Nicole Zaray Meter; John DiPinto; Jonathan Matthews, Roni GBZ; Ratzo Harris, bass; Colin Hinton, drums; Dylan Pramuk, special guest
8:00PM NICK SANDERS TRIO - Nick Sanders, piano; Henry Fraser, bass; Connor Baker, drums
9:30PM KEVIN SUN: THE RIGORS OF LOVE - Kevin Sun, tenor sax; Adam O'Farrill, trumpet; Dana Saul, piano; Walter Stinson, bass; Dayeon Seok, drums

Thursday Jul 12
6:00PM SEAN CLAPIS’S BAD IDEA - Sean Clapis, guitar; Alex Tremblay, bass; Alon Benjamini, drums
8:00PM ROOM TALES - Aubrey Johnson, voice; Charlotte Greve, voice, sax; Marta Sanchez, piano; Matt Aronoff, bass & Jason Burger, drums
9:30PM PETER BRENDLER QUARTET - Billy Drewes, alto, soprano sax; Zach Lapidus, piano; Peter Brendler, bass; Mark Ferber, drums

Friday Jul 13
6:00PM JULES BRAVE & MIKE BARETZ - Jules Brave, piano, bass vocals; Mike Baretz, piano, guitar, vocals ; Tim Holt, percussion, vocals, Noreen Abdon,
8:35PM JACOB SACKS & FRIENDS - Jacob Sacks, piano; Chet Doxas, tenor sax; Jacob Garchik, trombone; Dave Ambrosio, bass; Vinnie Sperrazza , drums
Jacob Sacks & Friends image

Saturday Jul 14
8:35PM JEFF DAVIS, TONE COLLECTOR - Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Eivind Opsvik, bass; Jeff Davis, drums, comp.

Sunday Jul 15
8:01PM NEW BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVES: FLAVIO SILVA & BREAK FREE - CD RELEASE PARTY - Flavio Silva, guitar; Vitor Gonçalves, piano; Alex Apolo Ayala, bass; Curtis Nowosad, drums

**********

I-Beam Presents:

Friday, July 6th at 8:30:
Agustí Férnandez, Joe Morris, Charmaine Lee, Zach Rowden

Saturday, July 7th at 8:30
Agustí Férnandez, Joe Morris, Nate Wooley, Ben Hall, Ben Stapp

Friday, July 20th 8:30 PM
Luca Soul Trio
Elias Stemeseder – piano
Billy Mintz – drums
Luca Soul – bass & compositions

I-Beam is located at 168 7th Street in Brooklyn, NY 11215 - Directions: SUBWAY: Take the F or R trains to 4th Ave & 9th Street. Walk down 4th ave to 7th street. Make a left on 7th and walk past 3rd ave. We are located on the ground floor, the grey doors to the right of the stairs of #168.


*************

The Bushwick Improvised Music Series
Continues on July 9th @ Bushwick Public House!

Monday July 9th
7pm Mike Alfieri - drums
Zach Swanson - bass
Andrew Links - piano
8pm Stephen Gauci & Friends
9pm Kenny Warren - trumpet
Adam Hopkins - bass
Jeff Davis - drums
9:45pm Ben Cohen - tenor saxophone
Daniel Carter - woodwinds
Eli Wallace - piano
Dan Kurfirst - drums
10:45pm Colin Hinton - drums
Angela Morris - tenor saxophone
Eli Wallace - piano
Lissane Tremblay - violin
11:30pm Stan Zenkoff - tenor sax/bs. clarinet
John Thayer -drums

Downstairs @ Bushwick Public House
1288 Myrtle Avenue , Bushwick
(Across the street from M train Central Ave stop)
//bushwickpublichouse.com/
gaucimusic.com

******

TUESDAY, July 10 at 8 pm

TROMBONE INSURGENCY:
JOE MCPHEE
DICK GRIFFIN
STEVE SWELL

At Zurcher Gallery - 33 Bleecker St (just east of Lafayette)
Phone: 212-777-0790 / www.galeriezurcher.com

***********

Sunday, July 17 at
Scholes Street Studio 8 & 10 PM

THE DOUBLE TRIO
Jeff Pearring & Nick Lyons, alto sax
Ken Filiano & Francois Grillot, bass
Billy Mintz & Todd Capp, drums

Scholes Street Studio is at 375 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn.11206 718-964-8763;
L to Lorimer Street, G to Broadway, j,Z,M to Lorimer Street