DMG Newsletter for January, Friday the 13th, 2017
It is Friday the 13th
So what could go Wrong?!?
If I could predict, then I’d Sing You a Song
Instead here’s a list of this week’s Important New Discs:
Tania Chen/Henry Kaiser/Wadada Leo Smith/William Winant! Sylvie Courvoisier & Mary Halvorson! Hamid Drake & Sylvain Kassap! New from Erstwhile: Keith Rowe 4 CD Set! Michael Pisaro / Reiner Van Houdt! Graham Lambkin 2 CD Set! Taku Unami/Devin DiSant!
Pauline Oliveros & Connie Crothers (R.I.P.)! From Hat Now: Two from Morton Feldman and Katherina Rosenberger! William Hellerman/Robert Dick! Merzbow & Balazs Pandi! Daniel Erdmann Velvet Revolution! Eivind Kang & Eli Keszler LPs!
Plus Historic Discs from ESP: Sun Ra Arkestra 2 & 3 CD Sets! Cannonball Adderley! John Kirby Sextet! Moebius! Ahmad Jamal! Art Farmer! Dave Van Ronk! On vinyl: Archie Shepp & Bill Dixon! Lydia Lunch! Sonic Youth! Adrian Sherwood and the African Guitar Safari Comp!
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The FREE DMG Weekly New Music In-Store Series Continues on Sundays with:
Sunday, January 15th:
6pm: SAM NEWSOME Solo Soprano Sax
7pm: MIKKO INNANEN - Solo Alto Sax
Sunday, January 22nd:
6pm: ALEC HARPER TRIO With BRANDON LOPEZ / FLIN VAN HEMMEN
7pm: KNUCKLEBALL: DANIEL LEVINE / MARC HANNAFORD / DEVIN GRAY - CD Release set!
Sunday, January 29th:
6pm: HAG: BRAD HENKEL / SEAN ALI / DAVID GROLLMAN - Trumpet / Contrabass / Snare
7pm: MAKOTO KAWASIMA - Solo Alto Sax
8pm: BLAISE SIWULA / ERIC PLAKS - Saxes & keyboard
Sunday, February 5th:
6pm: GUILLERMO GREGORIO & ART BAILEY - Plus Fluxus Tapes
7pm: VORTKIP: NICO LETMAN-BURTINOVIC/ELIJAH SHIFFER/BRITT CIAMPA
Sunday, February 12th:
7pm: MICHAEL LYTLE / NICK DIDKOVSKY / MATT OSTROWSKI -
Bass Clarinet / Guitar / Synthesizer!
Sunday, February 19th:
6pm: NICK FRASER and INGRID LAUBROCK - Drums & Sax
7pm: MOOSEBUMPS: KARL NYBERG and ANTON JONSSON - Sax and Drums!
DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a former Buddhist temple & beauty salon. 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 Cosy
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TANIA CHEN / HENRY KAISER / WADADA LEO SMITH / WILLIAM WINANT - Ocean of Storms (Fractal Music o64; USA) Featuring Tania Chen on piano, Henry Kaiser on guitars, Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet and William Winant on percussion.“OCEAN OF STORMS is an exciting album of improvised music by four of the most celebrated titans of contemporary sonic innovation. The five pieces on the album take their titles from geographic features of Earth’s Moon. Incorporating elements of modern composition, the music is both otherworldly and grounded in the American roots musics of jazz and blues.
The recording grew out of the long-time musical collaboration of Henry Kaiser and Wadada Leo Smith. The two first met forty years ago when Wadada wrote a guitar duet for Kaiser and Eugene Chadbourne which appeared on Kaiser’s first solo album, Ice Death. Over a twenty year period, the pair made five albums together, most notably their very popular Yo Miles! project that celebrated and explored the mid-70’s electric music of Miles Davis, as well as other collaborative albums with Thomas Mapfumo, Bill Laswell, and others.
Last year they decided that it was time to work again and enlisted their old pal William Winant, the master American New Music percussionist, and Tania Chen, the astounding British pianist.
A day at legendary Fantasy Studios in Berkeley resulted in this work, one that runs the gamut from whisper-quiet acoustic music at the beginning to a terrifying maelstrom of electric intensity on the final track. Ocean of Storms is a state-of-the-art recording and performance of 21st century improvisation. Elegance, humor, mystery, awe, and surprise intertwine in a cosmic musical braid created by four master musicians.” - HK
CD $10
* SYLVIE COURVOISIER / MARY HALVORSON - Crop Circles (Relative Pitch 1045; USA) Featuring Sylvie Courvoisier on piano & compositions and Mary Halvorson on guitar & compositions. It has been a great time for a number of women in the creative music scene here in New York over the past decade or so and has continued to grow. The cast keeps growing larger and richer in vision: Ikue Mori, Susie Ibarra, Sylvie Courvoisier, Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Shayna Dulberger and Mary Halvorson. Swiss-born pianist Sylvie Courvoisier has been here for a long while and has worked at length with Mark Feldman, is a member of Mephista and has been collaborating with John Zorn, Evan Parker, Lotte Anker and Herb Robertson. This has been a banner year for guitarist Mary Halvorson, whose most recent CD ‘Away with You’, has been selected as record of the year on several best-of lists. Ms. Halvorson also leads several bands and has done great work with Anthony Braxton, Tom Rainey Trio, Ingrid Laubrock and many others. The Relative Pitch label, which recently released their 50th disc, has also done a fine job of documenting the most challenging and adventurous musicians from the Downtown Scene and around the world, both well-known and lesser known.
This is the first recording by this particular duo who have done many improv sessions at The Stone as well as participating in John Zorn’s Bagatelles series or marathons. Instead of an all improvised affair like most discs on Relative Pitch, both Halvorson and Courvoisier have each contributed pieces to this disc. Although John Cage invented prepared piano in the late 1930’s, there has been a number of current pianists working inside the piano in more recent years. Ms. Courvoisier seems to be at the cutting edge of the dozen or two pianists currently exploring this method. A number of the sounds she makes like using masking tape and muting the strings seems to define her sound. Commencing with Sylvie’s “La Cigale”, both women are altering the strings in their own distinctive way, certain notes intersecting melodically and percussively, several streams flowing around one another in a most intricate way. On Sylvie’s piece, “Aftershock”, things start out calmly, with slow, somewhat ominous waves building. While Sylvie spins dark chords on the bottom end of the piano, she plays a series of quick shifting lines at the high end with Halvorson playing shrewd dancing notes in the center. Both women seem to speed up and slow down together throughout “Eclats for Ornette”, fragmented notes shadowing each other in a most marvelous way. What I find most interesting about this duo is that the way each woman bends or mutes certain strings, they seem to come up with similar sound, making their explorations often tight and well-connected. There are some ten pieces here and each one is extraordinary in one way or another. I played several of these pieces three or four times in arrow since there was so much intricate interplay and complex ideas involved, it will take a while to absorb the many wonders of what makes this disc so special. Two amazing women at their best! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
* Sylvie Couvoisier & Mary Halvorson will play a CD release set at The Stone on Thursday, January 26th at 9pm - during Ms. Courvoisier’s six-day residency (1/24 - 29th, 2017)
HAMID DRAKE / SYLVAIN KASSAP - Heads or Tails [2 CD Set] (Rogue Art 072; France) Featuring: Hamid Drake on drums & frame drum and Sylvain Kassap on Eb, Bb, bass and contrabass clarinets & chalumeau (18th century wind instrument, a pre-clarinet). For the past couple of decades it was Louis Sclavis that garnered the most recognition for his work as the premier French clarinet master. Sylvain Kassap seems to be the next in line for recognition as another great French clarinetist. Mr. Kassap has some the discs out on several French and other labels, collocating with Gunter Baby Sommer, Nicole Mitchell and a Double Trio of Clarinettes. At a more recent Vision Festival, Kasspa was part of the East-West Collective with Larry Ochs, Miya Masaoka, Xu Fengxia and Didier Petit.
This two CD set is broken into one disc of a live recording and one disc of a studio recording. The live set is well recorded and opens with an inspired long (24+ minute) piece. The interaction is magical, organic, flowing, rich, thoughtful, well-paced, from calm to explosive… Mr. Kassap plays contrabass clarinet, which has a most distinctive dry yet expressive sound. It is rare to hear anyone solo at length on this misunderstood reed instrument, but Kassap is incredible on all five clarinets he uses. The chalumeau is a medieval wind instrument which evolved into becoming a clarinet. Each time that Mr. Kassap switches to another clarinet, the sound of the duo changes. Percussion master, Hamid Drake, is a perfect partner, moving elegantly between swinging on the drums and providing suspense and splendor on the frame drum. Even while taking an unaccompanied drum solo, Hamid sounds wonderful, telling tales and setting the scene with rhythmic ingenuity. The studio disc is especially well-recorded, the pieces often shorter and more succinct. At around 1 hour & 45 minutes, this disc is a lot to take in, in one sitting, yet I remained on the edge of my seat, beaming throughout the duration. Outstanding, once again! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $25
Back in Stock After a Month:
ANTHONY BRAXTON - MIYA MASAOKA - Duo (DCWM) 2013 (Rogue Art 071; France) Featuring Anthony Braxton on sopranino, soprano & alto saxes & electronics and Miya Masaoka on 21 string koto. Besides being an incredibly prolific composer & multi-bandleader, Anthony Braxton is also a master saxist who has consistently found other gifted musicians to work with and challenge. Mr. Braxton thrives in the improv situation having recorded or performed with Milford Graves & William Parker, as well as in some great duos with Joe Morris, Gerry Hemingway and Fred Frith. We have been fortunate to have Miya Masaoka living in New York over the past few years, being able to hear her with a number of great projects: Ingrid Laubrock Serpentines, the East-West Collective (with Larry Ochs & Xu Fengxia) and several Fred Frith projects.
Whenever Mr. Braxton works with another strong improviser, they seem to work systematically, exploring different instruments or sonic areas, one or two at at time. This appears to be the case here as well. Mr. Braxton plays electronics as well as his three trusty reeds, something he has been doing in his Diamond Curtain Wall trio. In that trio, Braxton programs a computer to add electronic sounds, slowly, selectively appearing and disappearing at unexpected intervals. It sounds like that here as well with eerie, often subtle drones floating in the air. There is a fascinating blend between quick plucked, bowed and struck strings of Ms. Masaoka’s large koto and Braxton’s three saxes, snaking their way in several spirals and spinning out lines of notes, bending and stretching their tones and textures in unexpected ways. Part of Mr. Braxton’s arsenal of techniques or genres is his warm tone on alto sax, which always adds some enchanting spice the proceedings. I like when he draws from this area, a most refreshing cool school tone that will tough your heart if you let it. Ms. Masaoka is all in fine form, drawing from her wealth of approaches to the koto. There is a long more restrained section that I really dig, since one has to calm down to appreciate its more subtle explorations. There are some occasional sounds which are hard to identify like a dark whale voice midway through the first disc. Perhaps it is just Miya rubbing the surface of her koto? Although Ms. Masaoka and Mr. Braxton sound like they are coming from much different sonic areas, they do work well together, exchanging ideas and combining forces in so many wonderful ways. This is yet another treasure from Mr. Braxton’s ongoing palette of superb duos. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $25
Four Big New Ones from the Mighty Folks at Erstwhile:
“This just might be the best disc we’ve ever released and it is perhaps Keith Rowe’s greatest treasure!” so said Jon Abbey, founder of the Erstwhile label and longtime friend of DMG. He was referring to the new 4 CD set from Keith Rowe, iconic guitar-on-table sonic maverick and godfather of the Erstwhile empire. As a longtime fan of Keith Rowe and the rest of Erstwhile collective, I was most intrigued and couldn’t wait to hear this disc. Mr. Abbey will be here to visit tomorrow (1/13/17), dropping off four new discs from his extraordinary and impossible to pigeonhole label. I hope to write my own reviews for all four for next week’s newsletter, although I must admit that I often amazed and perplexed by everything he releases. He has always had a vision making each Erstwhile release worth investigating and it often takes time to fully absorb its wealth of mysteries. - BLG
KEITH ROWE - The Room Extended [4 CD Set] (Erstwhile ErstSolo 004; USA) "I first noticed the tremor in Keith's right hand on a visit to his home in Vallet in the summer of 2014. Presumably it had existed for some time although while I was in Paris (from February 2013) we saw Keith several times a year and I hadn't picked up anything before. When I returned to Vallet in November for two concerts in honor of Christian Wolff's 80th birthday, Wolff at one point asked him directly about the shaking and Keith replied that they were having examinations but it might well be Parkinson's which, in fact, it turned out to be. 'The Room Extended' was begun in 2013 and completed in 2016. Death had always been on his mind, often talked about very matter-of-factly, but, as clearly indicated by the cover image of his brain (a pre-Parkinson's diagnosis scan for a possible tumor), one assumes a permeation of this concern over most of the course of the construction of the present work. As in 2007's 'The Room' (ErstSolo 001), this was put together at home, composed if you will, though the multitude of components themselves are largely improvised. One of the first things that hits you is the immense depth of much of the work; there always seems to be at least four or five layers of sound occurring, enough that on each subsequent listen (I've been through its four-plus hours five times so far), you pick up not only sounds you've not heard/noticed before but, more rewardingly, new relationships between them, both simultaneous ones and ones spanning the course of the piece. For a while, Rowe has been interested in revisiting sound areas he's investigated over the years, seeing if there might be aspects he'd previously missed or investigating new ways of deploying them and at several moments here, listeners familiar with his history may well recognize some signature sounds. There are plenty of new, even startling ones as well, such as the artificial sounding bird call that's looped for an almost unconscionable length at one point. More tellingly, the habit he first (as far as I know) used in his solo performance in Tokyo in 2008, that of the intentional inclusion of extracts from Western classical music, is a thread that winds through the entirety of 'The Room Extended'. In at least one sense, it's simply an honest evocation of his room, the main room of his home in Vallet, in which any visitor will hear over his stereo, not the latest release from the contemporary improvising world, but rather Wagner, Haydn, Brahms, Purcell, Mondonville and others. This is, in a circumscribed sense, his room. So certain themes that have preoccupied him in recent years--Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde' or the death scene from Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas', for instance--make their presence known quite strongly. It's an odd mix, I think, for those of us who know his work, on his own, with AMM or in collaboration with countless others. There's a difference between a random radio grab and an explicit implanting of material, one that I've struggled with but am coming around to. For Rowe, in addition to simply having a great appreciation for their beauty and probity, it's an overt acknowledgement of the tradition from which he arises.Of course, Rowe's notion of The Room encompasses much more that the Western classical tradition and here one gradually encounters more from the East, including what seems to be Indian and Egyptian musics via the radio (the latter sounding like Mohamed Abdel Wahab, though that's a guess). But more than id'ing this or that source, the power in 'The Room Extended' derives from the way these and the far more prevalent electronic and guitar sounds (there are surprisingly many very recognizable instances of the latter) are filtered, layered and paced over its 246 minutes, the fact that, to these ears, intense interest is consistently maintained. Apart from 'The Room', Rowe's historic involvement with anything remotely compositional has been very limited, essentially confined to graphic scores (Cardew, Wolff, Brown, his own work like 'Pollock'), so you wonder how things might have evolved differently had he been working more often in this milieu, where things are carefully considered over a long period of time. Once when we visited, he played us a portion of music that he was considering using for 'The Room Extended', a thick sandwich of string sections from six or seven sources, layered atop one another. Sounded amazing and I think you hear a snatch of it (or something like it) at a couple of points, including toward the end of the present work. But more, the overall feeling I get from the piece is one man, sitting at his work space in his small loft in the converted cellier in Vallet, letting all the sounds, remembered and ongoing, filter in, mixing with his knowledge of what's occurring in the world (one is tempted to read an uncritical demographic observation in the increasing presence of Islamic music as the piece develops) and, always, with the acknowledgement of the certainty of death. His upcoming recording with Michael Pisaro deals with the Venerable Bede's analogy of life: a sparrow flying into a mead hall where a raucous feast is taking place and quickly flying out a window on the opposite side. Here, amidst a whirlpool of sound, from radios, news commentaries, orchestras, guitars and electronics, at the very last, an alarmed voice speaking in Spanish is abruptly cut off. Then nothing." - Brian Olewnick, Just Outside
4 CD Set $36
MICHAEL PISARO / REINER VAN HOUDT - The Earth and the Sky [3 CD Set] (Erstwhile ErstClass 001-3; USA)
3 CD Set $30
GRAHAM LAMBKIN - Community [2 CD Set] (Erstwhile ErstSolo 005; USA)
2 CD Set $22
TAKU UNAMI / DEVIN DiSANT (Erstwhile ErstLive 013; USA)
CD $14
PAULINE OLIVEROS & CONNIE CROTHERS - Live At The Stone (Important 450; USA) Live At The Stone was intended to be Pauline Oliveros's tribute to the life and work of pianist Connie Crothers who passed away on August 13, 2016. Sadly, Pauline Oliveros passed away on November 25, 2016. This CD, Pauline's memorial for Connie, is now a memorial for both women. Pauline's original dedication: "This recording resulted from my one and only performance with Connie Crothers at her invitation during her amazing residency at The Stone in August 2014. I was honored to play with Connie and did not realize that this would be a memorial recording. We have lost an extraordinarily original musician too soon on August 13, 2016. Here is her statement about her week-long residency: 'I will be performing in every set with these great musicians - from Tuesday, August 19 through Sunday, the 24th. I am very happy about this, especially since every set will be very different from the other sets. Not only are the musicians different, the way they approach improvisation is different. A friend, noting this, said, 'You like a challenge.' I responded, 'Yes, I thrive from a challenge. That is where the fun is.' That's also where the surprises are, and the joy.' I certainly was challenged by the energy and power of Connie's performance during our set. Like Connie, I thrive with challenges. The concert felt remarkable and very satisfying for me. I am grateful that Connie had the foresight to arrange for this excellent recording. She was looking forward to this release. May this recording be a tribute to Connie Crothers. Her spirit will always be present in the wonderful community of musicians in New York and around the world and most certainly in my heart.
CD $15
New from Hat [Now] Art, in stock early next week:
MORTON FELDMAN//JOSJE FOSIE TER HAAR/JOHN SNIJDERS - For John Cage (Hat [Now] 160; Switzerland) Morton Feldman was a friend, flatmate and student of John Cage's innovative approaches to composition; he wrote this 3 part work for violin and piano in 1982 as a 70th birthday present for Cage, here performed by violinist Josje Fosie Ter Haar and pianist John Snijders.
CD $16
MORTON FELDMAN//ROHAN DE SARAM/MARIANNE SCHROEDER - Patterns In A Chromatic Field [2 CD Set](Hat Now] 204; Switzerland) Feldman's idiosyncratic large composition is also one of his more active, influenced by John Cage, and using a score that defines organizational procedures in chordal and chromatic patterns, as realized in this '93 recording by Rohan de Saram (cello) and Marianne Schroeder (piano).
"Morton Feldman was one of the most enigmatic composers of the 20th century. That is to say, he was extremely intelligent and enormously opinionated, pulled no punches when it came to passing judgement on historical figures or his peers, and loved to talk about his work, so that there is a remarkable collection of his writings and many scattered interviews to give us insight into his music. And yet the information he offered, frequently anecdotal, was often philosophic or metaphoric in nature, so that it ultimately revealed few specifics about his compositional methods and aesthetic choices. For example, as forthcoming as he was about his obsessive relationship with painting, primarily although not exclusively the work of the Abstract Expressionist painters of the late 1940s, '50s, and '60s who were his close friends, we find that for all his talk of the congruities between artistic and musical qualities of scale, surface, or space, among others, much of his music - especially the later, longer scores of which "Patterns In A Chromatic Field is a prime example - remains mysteriously idiosyncratic and marvelously cryptic."- Art Lange
2 CD Set for $17
KATHERINA ROSENBERGER - SHIFT (Hat [Now] 199; Switzerland) First recordings of composer Katharnia Rosenberger's SHIFT and other dynamic and exciting works incorporating spatialization, by an electroacoustic orchestra including “Rage Thrombones” captured in 2016 at the University of California, in San Diego, California.
"There is much to admire in Katharina Rosenberger's music. She brings, always, a fresh or newly refreshed palette of instrumental sound. She creates structures that attract admiration for their improbable tensile strength - how does a piece like Modules here - hold together? But this is not what makes the music special. Rosenberger does not invite us to sit and admire, and then, like the old composer (who is a real person, even though he remains anonymous) leave the room unmoved. Instead, she invites us in. She involves the listener." - Brian Morton
CD $16
Last copies found:
GUILLERMO GREGORIO With FRED LONBERG-HOLM/JEFF PARKER/JEB BISHOP/KYLE BRUCKMANN/FRANCOIS HOULE/ et al - Faktura (Hat Now 146; Switzerland) Featuring Guillermo Gregorio with Jeb Bishop, Fred Lohnberg-Holm, Jeff Parker, Carrie Biolo, Kyle Bruckmann, Michael Cameron et al. "Faktura is consciously to select material and use it expediently without halting the movement of the construction or limiting its tectonic." - Alexei Gan, 1922 "Guillermo Gregorio might be considered a musical renaissance man. He has deep-rooted mainstream jazz and bop influences, and has experimented with electronics while also studying classical music. In a roundabout way, the title of this release refers to textures, the Russian avant-garde movement, art objects, and artistically inspired philosophies. And while this record label generally focuses on contemporary classical frameworks, Gregorio employs noteworthy modern jazz musicians such as guitarist Jeff Parker, clarinetist Francois Houle, and others. The overall tone and structural design of this outing is quite compelling, as Gregorio conducts his strings, horns, and rhythm section while also performing on clarinet. Certain pieces feature soft vibes intermingling with Parker's ringing harmonics and percussionist Carrie Biolo's abstract permutations, as the band utilizes space as a vehicle for realignment. Gregorio imports minimalist notions into his repertoire amid the musicians' contrapuntal statements and complexly fabricated micro-motifs, whereas cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and oboist Kyle Bruckmann render memorably melodic unison choruses on the piece titled "Part One." Either way, no two passages are alike, which is a characteristic that provides an ephemeral nature to this project when viewed as a whole.” - Glenn Astarita
CD $16
WILLIAM HELLERMAN//ROBERT DICK - Three Weeks in Cincinnati in December (New World Records 80789; USA) Can you imagine a piece that combines the athleticism of an uphill marathon run on a continuously steepening course with an ethereal, otherworldly sound that takes you out of body? The athleticism in this piece is a non-stop circular breathing run for close to an hour! And what is being circular breathed? A highly evolved, gorgeous multiphonic world shimmering though a continuous breath tremolo! This incredible duality between the physical and ethereal makes for a musical and emotional experience unlike any other. Before I coalesced my identity as a composer-performer, there was a period in the 1970s when I asked a number of composers to write works for me. Of the solo flute pieces from that time, Three Weeks in Cincinnati in December is by far the most unique and indeed the very best. —Robert Dick
“Three Weeks in Cincinnati in December is the last of four compositions I wrote in the late 70s for solo instruments. They all feature a focus on a specific instrumental technique that was both unusual and difficult. Three Weeks… was exceptional in that it featured three such techniques taking place simultaneously: circular breathing for close to one hour, a continuous diaphragm tremolo, and a succession of beautiful yet very challenging multiphonics. The piece was conceived of and written in close collaboration with the extraordinary flute virtuoso, Robert Dick. Without his involvement I would never have dared to write such a piece and without him it never could have been performed. The intent of all the pieces in the group of four was to explore the special tension attained through the intense physical and mental focus demanded of the performer. This results in sounds I feel have a very complex, not entirely predictable, beauty.” — Bill Hellermann
CD $15
MERZBOW & BALAZS PANDI - Live At FAC251 (Cold Spring 233; UK) The king of Japanese noise, Merzbow, joined on stage by Hungarian drummer extraordinaire, Balázs Pándi (known for his work with The Sun Ra Arkestra, Bill Laswell, Justin Broadrick, Bong-Ra, Venetian Snares and more). The special event on September 29th, 2016 took place under the roof of the legendary FAC251 building, the original home of Factory Records' headquarters and where many of Manchester's musical elite set foot. The show features an exemplary performance of Masami Akita's trademark Japanoise, but the addition of Balázs Pándi's improv drumming gives the whole evening an almost musical, jazz feel. This 44-minute, live release comes in a gatefold digisleeve; Edition of 500.
CD $15
DANIEL ERDMANN’S VELVET REVOLUTION With THEO CECCALDI / JIM HART - A Short Moment Of Zero (BMC 239; EEC) What comes to light here is something that goes to make up the driving force of jazz: the yearning to communicate. Daniel Erdmann, active as a member and co-leader of many bands, had the sound of this trio in his ear, and looked for and finally found the musicians who would allow the inner sound to become a reality. Here is a band that totally bears his stamp, that of the tenor saxophonist and composer. At the same time, in the ensemble playing there is lots of leeway for the participants. Music of this kind is about freedom, about the freedom to improvise in relation to the composition, freedom of feeling, thinking, and desire.
What initially makes you sit up and take notice and draws you in, is the gesture, the closeness to speech, the narrative and rhapsodical manner. Daniel Erdmann's pieces are compact, sometimes even complex, and within their forms the participants can roam freely. Daniel Erdmann is a self-confessed melodist. And this is often much harder than hiding yourself behind a material exegesis, because the ideas and the statements have to be strong. In this skein of voices with violin, viola and vibraphone, he weaves together a trio that makes it possible for the parts to share rhythmic or harmonic aspects, to cross over or develop one another.
French violinist Théo Ceccaldi contributes something from the grand French string tradition, as well as jazz references and something very contemporary: he can wallow in melody, but also provide abstract, percussive action. The luminous sound of Jim Hart's vibraphone reinforces the chamber music like magic of the trio. Jim Hart brings with him that rhythmic competence that here enables him to dispense with drums, brilliantly.
Daniel Erdmann's Velvet Revolution is free from intent, the desire to illustrate, although it does contain a number of allusions. The music draws from the confrontation with reality and bubbles from the imagination. It has something poetic and something anecdotal; something picturesque and something abstract.
CD $15
BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE - Geisterfaust (Pias 39223292; Germany) Pias present a reissue of the 2005 album from Germany's doom jazz cult band Bohren & Der Club Of Gore, Geisterfaust. Geisterfaust, featuring the slowest band on earth in an even more reduced and slow motion style, is back in full glory, with 58 minutes of playtime over five astonishing tracks. "Geisterfaust" might be translated as "the fist of a ghost" and the individual tracks are "trigger finger", "ring finger", "middle finger", "thumb" and "little finger". The group, who are much loved by musicians like Mike Patton (of Faith No More and who releases their albums on the Ipecac label) or Stephen O'Malley (SunnO), deliver outstanding music. For fans of SunnO, OM, Max Richter, Fennesz and David Lynch/Angelo Badalamenti. This is instrumental music of the highest caliber.
CD $16
CLIFF STAPLETON & FRIENDS PRESENT - The Tumbling Of Creatures: Music For The Hurdy-Gurdy (Woodbird 001; UK) The Tumbling Of Creatures features twelve pieces of music written and performed by hurdy-gurdy virtuoso Cliff Stapleton, recorded between 1984 and 2014 with various bands and theater companies. Stapleton's compositions, and his interplay with other artists, reveal his remarkable creative life with this ancient instrument, the hurdy-gurdy: from the powerful folk-dance of Blowzabella to the cosmic invocations of Coil and Cyclobe. These vibrant recordings showcase the immense wealth of texture and melodic variation which Stapleton brings to his collaborations across different idioms. Also very much in evidence is his talent for catchy and enthralling melodies: spiraling and circling to the omnipresent drone of the instrument, his tunes draw the listener mind and body into an enchanted world of rapture and elation. Also features: Angles, The Drones, Primæval, The Duellists, Bron Bradshaw, Sylvia Hallett and Clive Bell.
CD $18
BABA SISSOKO & NICODEMO FEAT. LILIES ON MARS - DjeliBit (XXXV 3501602; Italy) Trans-ethnicity and world beat, contaminated by sour electronics that manipulate the African tradition of Baba Sissoko and translates it into a mixture of spurious sounds shaken by tribal techno rhythms. DjeliBit, named after the two musical units that make it up, is the latest work of the Malian griot multi-instrumentalist in collaboration with Nicodemo, a record producer active for many years in the area of musical research, and Lilies On Mars, a female duo who operate somewhere between alt techno and shoegaze. Along with the ethnic branch of Baba Sissoko (Djeli) and the collaborators unit of modernity (Bit), there are also the revolutionary declamations of the Bronx poet Jack Hirschman ("Djallo Djallo") and the soul trumpet of Gabriele Stotuti ("Djuku Malola" and "Wori Ko"). In nine tracks, that are pulsing and vocally melodic, DjeliBit launches spores of metropolitan sounds on the eclectic virtuosity of Sissoko's Afro-beat, in an artistic union exalted by the arrangements of Nicodemo and the intangibility of modular synths and vocalization of Lilies On Mars.
CD $18
SUN RA SALE! Two Sun Ra ESP Classic Multi-Discs Sets Newly Reissued. If you order either of these two great reissues, take $2 off of each! Offer just 1 week & ends January 20, 2017
SUN RA - The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra - Volumes 1, 2 & 3 [3 CD Set] (ESP-Disk 4062; USA) Newly reprised. Together for the first time, ESP-Disk' is proud to present all three volumes of The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra in a gorgeous fold out digipack. Originally released as two volumes in 1966, and with a third volume uncovered in 2005, the landmark sessions recorded by Richard Alderson on April 20th and November 16, 1965, have been hailed as a ?...masterpiece of free jazz.? To further delve into the Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra and his Orkestra, each enhanced disc in the set contains archival photos, critical writings and historical videos including the 18 minute documentary Sun Ra Spaceways. Digitally remastered from the original tapes.
3 CD Set $30
SUN RA - College Tour Vol. 1: The Complete Nothing Is… [2 CD Set] (ESP-Disk 4060; USA) Newly repressed. In 1966 Bernard Stollman sent Sun Ra and his Arkestra, along with audio engineer David B. Jones on a tour of five New York Colleges. When they returned, just 39 minutes of music was chosen to be released as the original ESP 1045 "Nothing Is...". 44 years later, after extensive research, producer and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson has pieced together the missing parts of the infamous New York College Tour. Recorded on May 18th 1966 at St. Lawrence University in Potsdam, NY, this illuminating document represents the full 70 minute first set, of which ESP 1045 "Nothing Is..." was taken, including an introduction by ESP alum Burton Greene. In addition, producer Michael D. Anderson has uncovered a partial second set from the same evening and some rare rehearsal footage recorded during a sound check before the concert. With over 90 minutes of additional material, this two disc set allows a close up look at the band's repertoire and sound over an entire evening, including the rarely performed ?State Street? and alternate versions of ?Theme Of The Stargazers? and ?The Second Stop Is Jupiter.? Remasted from the original tapes and presented in superb quality, College Tour Volume One is a vivid snapshot of the mid-sixties Ra and his intergalactic band.
2 CD Set $20
TUBBY HAYES With MIKE PYNE / RON MATHEWSON / SPIKE WELLS - Invitation: Live At The Top Alex 1973 (Acrobat 4391; UK) The United Kingdom, March 1973: Pink Floyd release 'Dark Side of The Moon': the provisional IRA detonate bombs at Whitehall and The Old Bailey; and saxophonist Tubby Hayes and his quartet perform one of their final engagements outside of London, taking to the stage of the Top Alex, Southend-on-Sea, as part of the pub's regular jazz presentations. To Hayes and his band, who'd been together as a unit for over three years, it was hardly a gig to raise eyebrows; a typical, jazz club blow in a suburban pub backroom, the very thing that the saxophonist had begun his career doing twenty-three years earlier. But now, Hayes was no longer a star ascendant, or operating like the jazz dynamo he'd been in his mid-1960s heyday. He was, quite literally, running out of time. Three months after the Top Alex appearance, he was dead, aged just 38, finally halted by the heart problems that had plagued his final years. While the press obituaries rightly accorded Hayes his deserved position as one of Britain's greatest ever jazz talents, they also noted the cruel irony that he and his band hadn't entered a recording studio since 1969. Indeed, how the Tubby Hayes Quartet - a group which one obituarist compared to the identical line-up led by John Coltrane - sounded in its final years became something of a mystery. The discovery of privately recorded tapes of the Top Alex performance, issued for the first time on this Acrobat release, provides not only a valedictory souvenir of the quartet in its final phase, but also a lesson in its leader's still deepening musical maturity; close to the end, Hayes draws on everything he'd learned, experienced and pioneered to date, as well as revealing clues as to where his music might have headed next. Packaged with rare photographs and memorabilia from the night itself, featuring reminiscences by band member Spike Wells, and others who witnessed the gig, and including an in-depth booklet note by Hayes' biographer, saxophonist Simon Spillett, this album is a final, melancholy reminder of a truly gigantic musical legend. The sound is good but not great and the performance does make up for that.
CD $15
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY with NAT ADDERLEY / CHARLES LLOYD / JOE ZAWINUL / eta al - Portraits In Jazz - Live At The Half Note (Hi Hat 3054; UK) Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley, live from the Half Note, New York City, on February 5th, 1965. Having earned renown with Miles Davis (including contributions to the landmark Kind Of Blue in 1959), by 1965 Julian "Cannonball" Adderley was well established as one of America's leading jazz saxophonists and composers. Originally broadcast on WABC-FM's "Portraits In Jazz", this superb set also features his brother (and long-term collaborator) Nat on cornet, future fusion supremo Joe Zawinul on piano, and the brilliant Charles Lloyd on tenor sax. The entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, together with background notes and images.
CD $17
THE JOHN KIRBY SEXTET With CHARLES SHAVERS/RUSSELL PROCOPE/BUSTER BAILEY/ et al - “Biggest Little Band in the Land” (Classic Jazz CJ 20; USA) “At the time, it was a phenomenon unlike any other in jazz. A unit which was so together that other musicians would come to marvel at the collective precision of it all – the subtlety of dynamics, the stunning ensemble virtuosity, the way the soloist was so integral a part of the continually floating, soaring, driving, whizzing whole. This was cool jazz before anyone had thought of the term, before Miles Davis and those Capitol recordings. This was tightly linear interplay before the Gerry Mulligan Quartet. This was a prototype of how disciplined jazz could be before the Modern Jazz Quartet. This was John Kirby.” – Nat Hentoff (one of my favorite jazz journalists who just passed away last week - BLG)
This disc one one of the promos that showed up last week from one of favorite distributors. I had heard of but never heard any music from bassist & bandleader John Kirby, so I was intrigued by what I had heard about this ensemble. All of the 24 songs were recorded between 1941 and 1943, just before bebop ushered in a new era of modern jazz.
CD $15
MOEBIUS - Musik Fur Metropolis (Bureau B; Germany) Dieter Moebius (1944-2015) was one of the most important protagonists of avant-garde electronic music in Germany. He was a founding member of Kluster/Cluster (with Conrad Schnitzer and Hans-Joachim Roedelius) and Harmonia (with Michael Rother and Hans-Joachim Roedelius) and worked with several artists such as Brian Eno, Conny Plank, Mayo Thompson, Hellmut Hattler, Asmus Tietchens, Mani Neumeier, Arno Steffen, Jürgen Engler, Jean Hervé Peron, Zappi Diermaier, and Chris Karrer. In 2012, Dieter Moebius was invited to perform music to Fritz Lang's legendary silent film Metropolis (1927). For this purpose, he produced pre-arranged tracks and samples to be treated with effects and combined during live improvisation according to the dramaturgical setting of the film. His impressive work reveals its full power and depth in combination with the images from the film. It was his plan to create an album-length version of this music for release. Unfortunately, Dieter Moebius passed away on July 20, 2015 and was not able to complete the project. With the help and support of Dieter Moebius's widow Irene and two longtime musical partners, Tim Story and Jon Leidecker, the Berlin musician Jonas Förster finished the remaining work and completed the production.
CD $17
More Essential Inexpensive Box Sets from Enlightenment:
AHMAD JAMAL - Complete Collection: Part 1: 1951-1959 (Enlightment 9023; EEC) American jazz pianist and composer Ahmed Jamal was born in July 1930. He began playing at the age of three, at seven he started lessons and at 14 he was playing professionally. At this point he was already recognized as a "coming great" by no less a talent than Art Tatum. Jamal began touring with George Hudson's Orchestra after graduating from High School in 1948 before moving to Chicago in 1950. He made his first records as 78 RPM discs in 1951 for the Okeh label with The Three Strings (later called the Ahmad Jamal Trio) alongside guitarist Ray Crawford and a succession of bassists. The Three Strings arranged an extended engagement at Chicago's Blue Note, but leapt to fame after performing at the Embers in New York where John Hammond saw the band play and signed them to Okeh. Jamal subsequently recorded for Parrot(1953-55) and Epic(1955) using the piano-guitar-bass lineup. The trio's sound changed significantly when Crawford was replaced with drummer Vernel Fournier in 1957, and the trio released the live album But Not for Me which stayed on the ten best-selling charts for 108 weeks and included Jamal's well known song "Poinciana". This four disc compilation brings together all the music Ahmad Jamal released during his first seven years as a recording artist, covering the period 1951 - 1958. Including the sides he made for Okeh, his one album for Parrott, his earliest albums for Epic and several records made for Chess offshoot Argo. Trained in both traditional jazz and European classical style, Ahmad Jamal has been praised as one of the greatest jazz innovators. Following bebop greats like Parker and Gillespie, Jamal entered the world of jazz at a time when speed and virtuosic improvisation were central to the success of jazz musicians as artists. Jamal, however, took steps in the direction of a new movement, later coined "cool jazz". He emphasized space and time in his musical compositions and interpretations instead of focusing on the blinding speed of bebop.
4 CD Set $18
AHMAD JAMAL - Complete Collection: Part 2 - 1959-1962 (Enlightenment 9024; EEC) Ahmad Jamal was able to tour North Africa at the start of 1959 following the success of his Live at the Pershing: But Not For Me album, a trip he had wanted to make since converting to Islam in his early 20s. Born of Baptist parents, he was only introduced to Islam while touring Detroit in the 1950s. On returning to the USA his wealth also allowed him to purchase a restaurant and club called The Alhambra in Chicago. The club however lasted for a little more than a year. Much of Jamal's output between the years of 1959 and 1962 were recorded live at a variety of clubs and venues in Chicago and other US cities. One of his stand-out records from this period was the marvelous collection titled 'Ahmed Jamal's Alhambra', released in 1961 and containing performances recorded at his own club that same year, shortly before it closed. The album went on to be one of the trios most successful records. The follow up, another live set this time recorded in San Francisco, 'Ahmad Jamal at The Blackhawk', was equally well received and included his version of Irving Berlin's The Best Thing For You which became a live favorite thereafter. In 1962 The Three Strings disbanded and Jamal moved to New York City where, at the age of 32, he took a three year hiatus. He resumed touring in 1964 when he began playing with bassist Jamil Nasser with whom he performed and recorded until 1972. Now in his eighties, Ahmad Jamal has continued to play numerous tours and release numerous recordings. His most recently released album is Saturday Morning from 2012. This collection contains all of this jazz legend's recorded output as released between 1959 and 1962, featuring both live and studio recordings it is the perfect accompaniment to this label's earlier release 'The Complete Collection 1951 - 1958'. Together these compilations provide the most complete set of recordings by Ahmad Jamal yet to emerge, containing as they do every track released during the first decade of this true master's career.
4 CD Set $18
ART FARMER With GIGI GRYCE/JACKIE McLEAN/CHARLIE ROUSE/HORACE SILVER/CWEDAR WALTON/BARRY HARRIS/PERCY HEATH/KENNY CLARKE/ART TAYLOR/ et al - Complete Albums Collection: 1955-1957 (Enlightenment 9088; EEC) This collection contains the first eight albums, remastered and in their entirety, of Art Farmer's career as bandleader. Featuring five hours of sublime music and a host of guest appearances by some of the biggest names in jazz, this set makes the ideal introduction to one of the most brilliant players ever to pick up the trumpet.
4 CD Set $18
ART FARMER With BENNY GOLSON/TOMMY FLANAGAN/CURTIS FULLER/McCOY TYNER/BILL EVANS/ALBERT HEATH/DAVE BAILEY - Complete Albums Collection: 1958-1961 (Enlightenment 9089; EEC) 8 complete albums from 1958 to 1961 document one of the most exciting periods in Art Farmer's career showcasing his exceptional musicianship and skill as bandleader. Boasting a plethora of appearances from other big names from the late 50s and early 60s jazz community, the result is a captivating listen as the abilities of this master jazz trumpeter develop across the contents of this selection.
4 CD Set $18
ART FARMER With JOHN LEWIS/HAROLD MABERN/JIM HALL/TOM McINTOSH/GRACHAN MONCUR III/HERBY LEWIS/STEVE SWALLOW/TOMMY WILLIAMS/ALBERT HEATH/WALTER PERKINS - Complete Albums Collection: 1961-1963 (Enlightenment 9090; EEC) Containing eight complete albums, this set captures Farmer performing some of his most expressive music, both as band leader and as part of the now legendary Jazztet. In completion, this set presents the perfect introduction to Art Farmer's work with the flugelhorn, a catalogue which to this day sets the standard for this instrument's inclusion in jazz.
4 CD Set $18
GRATEFUL DEAD - San Francisco 1976 - The Orpheum Theatre Broadcast [3 CD Set](Left Field Media 538; EEC) This starts out very good and gets better as it goes. It is a radio broadcast so the sound is very good. What is interesting is the way the Dead organically weave their way from fragments to full versions of songs, never knowing where things will lead. The last disc is where cosmic magic takes place as they sail through short versions of “The Other One” into “St. Stephen” into “Not Fade Way” back into “St. Stephen” and into a spacey version of “The Wheel” and back into “The Other One”. Ending with a sublime version of “Stella Blue”. This must’ve been a Saturday night since they brings the night to a close with rousing versions of “Sugar Magnolia” and “Johnny B. Goode”.
3 CD Set $20
DAVE VAN RONK - Live... Bryn Mawr 1978 (Echoes 2078; UK) Dave Van Ronk, live at the Main Point, Bryn Mawr on February 17th, 1978. A man once described as "a tall, garrulous, hairy man of three-fifths Irish descent... he resembled an unmade bed strewn with books, record jackets, pipes, empty whiskey bottles, lines from obscure poets, finger picks and broken guitar strings." Also known as the "Mayor of Greenwich Village", but always known as one of America's leading legends whose life reaches far beyond the "garrulous" and "hairy" frame that housed the talent. Philadelphia had always offered the warmth of a familiar sanctuary for folk artists ever since Mrs. Campbell opened its doors amidst a 1964 blizzard. Dave Van Ronk, in particular, was no stranger to its walls that had kept so many players shielded from a temperamental climate. Van Ronk's habitual return in 1978 presented another intimate chapter between listener and song, an exchange between with the author. Presented here is the entire, original WIOQ 102.1 FM broadcast, professionally re-mastered, with expansive liners, interviews and rare archival images.
CD $17
LP Only Section:
EIVIND KANG/TASHI DORJI - Mother Of All Saints (Puppet On A String)(Unrock 008; Germany) The second twin in Unrock's sub-series of actively anti-western music is an ultra-heavyweight. In the worlds of contemporary global avant-art, composition and improvisation, it reaches new heights. Eyvind Kang (from "Ghost Ghat Tresspass/Sussmeier" Sun City Girls 330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond The Rig Veda among many other collaborations) employs a rarely-heard viola technique. Some may call it plucking art. The viola is played not with a bow, but plucked with the fingers of the right hand, resulting in a completely distinct sound. Eyvind Kang is a master and has reinvented this special technique. Two solo viola tracks (one a cover of an Albert Ayler piece) with melodies of outstanding beauty and fragility develop into perfection. Two additional tracks also feature Indonesian cello player Krusnedi Sukarwanto from Surakarta, and Ghanaian percussionist Yah Amponsah, performing koncrong style. Tashi Dorji, an exceptional guitar playing soul from Bhutan, came through the lower Rhine area and stopped for a recording at Ivory Tower. A soulful afternoon and evening resulted in a relaxed, playful recording showing the skills and talents of Tashi in full. Like its sister release, Sam Shalabi/Alan Bishop & Sam Shalabi's Mother Of All Sinners (UNROCK 007LP, 2016), Mother Of All Saints will be released as a one-time limited run pressing on 140 gram vinyl. Comes in an extra heavy deluxe cover with a solid printed inlay.
LP $26
ELI KESZLER - Last Signs Of Speed [2x12”](Empty Editions 001; China) Empty Editions present Eli Keszler's Last Signs Of Speed as their inaugural release. This release has represented a labor of love for both Eli and the label. Last Signs is Eli's first solo release since 2012's Catching Net (PAN 032CD) and explores a very different side of his unique acoustic universe. One in which the macro-cosmic percussive collisions of his earlier work give way to a gradual unfolding of dub-influenced rhythmic constellations. Eli has described Last Signs as his response to playing in club environments over the last few years; an attempt to negotiate a delicate balance between the materiality of his acoustic instrument and the hyper-mediated sonic ecosystem of the club sound system. Coming off like an inspired synthesis between Scientist and Xenakis, Last Signs Of Speed is a truly unique work by an artist at the height of his power.
2 LP Set $30
THE ARCHIE SHEPP & BILL DIXON QUARTET - The Archie Shepp-Bill Dixon Quartet (Jeanne Dielman 117; Belgium) Jeanne Dielman present a reissue of The Archie Shepp & Bill Dixon Quartet, originally released in 1962. The debut as a leader for both Archie Shepp and Bill Dixon, two formidable members of the free jazz and avant-garde elite. Rounding out the quartet are bassists Reggie Workman and Don Moore, and drummers Paul Cohen and Howard McRae, each on various tracks. While the album undoubtedly swings, this piano-less quartet definitely prefigures the trailblazing free jazz work the two leaders would be involved in for the remainder of the decade, and beyond. An essential piece of early free jazz.
LP $22
LYDIA LUNCH - Honeymoon In Red (Bang! Records 109; Spain) Bang! Records present a reissue of Lydia Lunch's masterpiece, Honeymoon In Red, originally recorded in 1982 and released in 1987. Lydia Lunch, the worldwide recognized artist from New York, recorded this album with The Birthday Party as well as other friends and mixed it at legendary B.C. Studio in Brooklyn. This album features: Lydia Lunch on vocals, Rowland S. Howard (The Birthday Party, These Immortal Souls) on vocals, guitar, Nick Cave (The Birthday Party, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds) on vocals, Tracy Pew (The Birthday Party) on bass, Mick Harvey on drums, Genevieve McGuckin (These Immortal Souls) on piano, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) on guitar, Barry Adamson (Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Magazine) on double bass. This LP has been remastered for higher sound quality and comes in a deluxe gatefold sleeve. Includes a cover of Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra's "Some Velvet Morning", which was not included in the original release.
LP $21
SONIC YOUTH - Daydream Nation (Goofin’ 017; USA) "Daydream Nation was Sonic Youth's sixth full-length, their first double-LP, and their last for an indie label before signing with Geffen. Widely considered to be their watershed moment, the album catapulted them into the mainstream and proved that indie bands could enjoy wide commercial success without compromising their artistic vision. More recently, Daydream Nation has been recognized as a classic of its time: Pitchfork ranked it #1 on their '100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s'; Spin listed it at #13 on their '125 Best Albums of 1985-2010'; Rolling Stone put it at #45 on their '100 Best Albums of the Eighties' list and #328 on their '500 Greatest Albums of All Time.' It was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry in 2006. 2007 saw the release of an expanded four-disc vinyl box set, but now the album is back in its original form after years of being out of print and highly sought after. As a special 21st century bonus, the vinyl now includes a digital download card -- radical adults rejoice!"
2 LP Set $26
RINF + ADRIAN SHERWOOD - Der Westen Ist Am Ende: The Complete Sessions (Spittle Records 072; Italy) In the summer of 1986, Adrian Sherwood (On-U Sound) went to Florence, Italy for a different kind of vacation: to make a record with noise-funk band Rinf. The sweaty sessions stretched for weeks, resuming in London - to whip these loose tracks into shape. The record label Lacerba released the final mixes on two 12" EPs, Bang Bang (1987) and Rubber On Rider (1988), that have long been out of print. For the first time, Der Westen Ist Am Ende compiles the fully remastered complete sessions in a new package that cheekily references the testosterone-driven porn-obsessed lyrics. Comes in a beautiful three-color silkscreen and custom die-cut jacket.
LP $30
CALABAR-ITU ROAD - Groovy Sounds From South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982)(Comb & Razor 1004; USA) Repressed, originally released for RSD 2016. "Housed in a hand silk-screened jacket from Antidesigns. When most people think about Nigerian music, the first thing that comes to mind is Lagos -- the country's main commercial center, the glittering mega-city that spawned Yoruba-speaking music luminaries such as Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Sir Shina Peters and Wizkid. But Nigeria is a country of rich diversity, especially in its music: From the Igbo high-life and rock bands of east-central region, to the deep Edo roots rhythms from the mid-west, to the keening, ornamented Fulani melodies of the north. But one region whose music has remained largely under-explored is the south eastern land of the Efik and Ibibio ethnic groups in Cross River and Akwa Ibom State -- the region colloquially referred to as 'Calabar.' A cradle of culture, this region was one of the earliest outposts of Nigerian popular music. Its primordial rhythms traveled across the Atlantic during the slave trade to provide the part of the foundation for Afro-Cuban grooves that would go on to influence the development of jazz, rock & roll, R&B and funk. With the new Calabar-Itu Road compilation, Comb & Razor Sound presents 15 heavy tracks recorded in the decade between 1972 and 1982, spotlighting rare music from 'Calabar' superstars such as Etubom Rex Williams, Cross River Nationale, Charles 'Effi' Duke, The Doves and Mary Afi Usuah. The package features a magazine-style booklet containing a wealth of information about the milieu with rare photographs and illustrations. The Calabar-Itu Road is the major artery linking modern-day Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. And Calabar-Itu Road: Groovy Sounds From South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982) will link the region's music to the rest of the world!"
2 LP Set $30
GUITAR SAFARI - Electric Explosion In Africa (University of Vice 014; Spain) Obscure gems extracted from 45s and 78s released in the '50s and early '60s. Welcome to a wild trip around Africa during its electric guitar explosion in the '50s and '60s, a period when foreign styles like Cuban mambo or American twist were absorbed and recorded with tons of guitars full of reverb and vibrato. Twangy jungle travels through calypso and jerk from Sierra Leone; Congolese rhumba, mambo, and cha-cha-cha; surf from Madagascar; Nigerian twist and rock & roll; merengue from Cameroon... Includes tracks by Bantous Mujos, Les Safari, King Kennytone, Ambiance Jazz, Catchito & Chacha Po, Orchestre Rock-a-Mambo, E.K's, Olivera & Freitas, Vedette Jazz, Freddy Ranarison, Ry-Co Jazz, and Geraldo Pino.
LP $21
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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for January of 2017
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - JIM BLACK - JAN 10-15
1/13 Friday
9 pm - EYEBONE - Nels Cline (guitar) Elias Stemeseder (keyboards) Jim Black (drums)
1/14 Saturday
9 pm - Jim Black Trio - Elias Stemeseder (piano) Thomas Morgan (bass) Jim Black (drums)
1/15 Sunday
9 pm - Mystery Night - Jim Black (drums) and many special guests
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - JAMES MOORE - JAN 17-22
1/17 Tuesday
9 pm - Desolation Pops - Kathleen Supové (piano) James Ilgenfritz (contrabass) The Rhythm Method: Marina Kifferstein (violin) Leah Asher (violin) Anne Lanzilotti (viola) Meaghan Burke (cello) The newest installment of Moore's cycle of music for piano and strings.
1/18 Wednesday
9 pm - James Moore & Ayano Kataoka - James Moore (guitar) Ayano Kataoka (percussion) A duo set featuring Lou Harrison’s works for guitar & percussion and George Crumb’s Mundus Canis.
1/19 Thursday
9 pm - John Cage: The Ten Thousand Things - Jim Fletcher (speaker) Andie Springer (violin) James Moore (prepared piano); Moore & Springer are joined by actor Jim Fletcher for a staged rendering of Cage’s modular works written from 1954-1960.
FRIDAY JANUARY 20
Inaugural Sound Clash For the 2 Americas—An Ontological Subharmonic Convergence - ONE SET ONLY AT 1030 PM! - A rare visit by this legendary Tokyo percussionist in concert with his long-time cohort Bill Laswell and three virtuoso guitarists. DON'T MISS THIS!
1/20 Friday
9 pm - Forever House - Meaghan Burke (cello, voice) James Ilgenfritz (bass) James Moore (guitar) Peter Wise (drums) and special guests
10:30 pm - Inaugural Sound Clash For the 2 Americas—An Ontological Subharmonic Convergence - Bill Laswell (bass) Yamaki Hideo (drums)
Raoul Björkenheim (guitar) Mike Sopko (guitar) Dominic James (guitar)
1/21 Saturday
9 pm - Chamber Music by Virginia Seay - Mila Henry (piano, conductor) Mellissa Hughes (voice) Margaret Lancaster (flute) Karisa Antonio (oboe) Eileen Mack (clarinet) Eleonore Oppenheim (contrabass) Peter Wise (percussion) The Rhythm Method: Marina Kifferstein (violin) Leah Asher (violin) Anne Lanzilotti (viola) Meaghan Burke (cello); Moore presents a program of music by his grandmother Virginia Seay, an accomplished twelve-tone composer of the 1940s and protégé of Ernst Krenek. Many of these scores will be performed for the first time in over 60 years.
1/22 Sunday
9 pm - James Moore (guitar) & Marc Ribot (guitar) - Moore and Ribot join forces for explosive new interpretations of John Zorn's game pieces Dominoes and Tennis
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
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29 Cornelia St in the heart of the West Greenwich Village, NYC
Friday Jan 13
6:00PM THE MONTHLY: 10TH ANNUAL BUKOWSKI MEMORIAL - Kat Georges, Peter Carlaftes, hosts Neeli Cherkovski; Mike Daisey; Richard Vetere; Puma Perl; Michael Puzzo; Stephen Adly Guirgis
9:00PM & 10:30PM GUITAR FEST: BEN MONDER TRIO - Ben Monder, guitar; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Tom Rainey, drums
Saturday Jan 14
9:00PM & 10:30PM GUITAR FEST: REZ ABBASI TRIO - Rez Abbasi, guitar; Marko Churnchetz, keyboards; Kenny Grohowski, drums
Sun Jan 15th:
6:00PM KENJI HABA AND MOLLY ARONSON - Kenji Haba, guitar; Molly Aronson, cello
8:00PM VOXFEST: EMILY BRADEN - Emily Braden, voice; Misha Piatigorsky, piano; Noah Jackson, bass; Charles Goold, drums
9:00PM & 10:30PM VOXFEST: EMMA KATE - Emma Kate, voice; Michael Thomas, keys; Chris Glaskell, bass
Monday Jan 16
6:00PM ANNA FRAJLICH: UPROOTING, EXILE, ANCHORING IN MY NEW YORK POEMS
Dr. Ronald Meyer; Deborah Latz, special guests Anna Frajlich: Uprooting, Exile, Anchoring in my New York Poems image
8:00PM VOXFEST: RIZUMIK - Rizumik, voice, beatbox
9:30PM VOXFEST: XSPIRITMENTAL MAROONS INDIGENOUS BLACK - spiritchild, voice, shamanic storytelling, production; Nejma Shea, voice, shamanic storytelling
VoxFest: xspiritmental maroons indigenous black image
Tuesday Jan 17
8:00PM VOXFEST: SUSAN PEREIRA AND SABOR BRASIL - Susan Pereira, voice, percussion, piano; Noah Bless, trombone; Deanna Witkowski, piano; Eduardo Belo, bass; Vanderlei Pereira, drums
9:30PM VOXFEST: ALON & JOCA - CD RELEASE CONCERT - Alon Yavnai, piano, vocals, compositions; Joca Perpignan, percussion, vocals, compositions
Wed Jan 18:
8:00PM ISRAELI JAZZ FEST: ARNAN RAZ QUINTET - Arnan Raz, tenor sax; Eyal Hai, alto sax; Daniel Meron, piano; Will Slater, bass; Dani Danor, drums
10:00PM ISRAELI JAZZ FEST: DANA HERZ - voice; Shachar Elnatan, guitar; Haggai Cohen Milo, bass; Jonathan Pinson, drums
Thursday Jan 19
8:00PM ISRAELI JAZZ FEST: NADAV REMEZ QUINTET - Nadav Remez, guitar; Haggai Cohen Milo, bass; Colin Stranahan, drums
9:30PM ISRAELI JAZZ FEST: ODED TZUR QUARTET - Oded Tzur, tenor sax; Petros Klampanis, bass; tba, piano; tba, drums
Friday Jan 20
9:00PM ISRAELI JAZZ FEST: JONATHAN GREENSTEIN QUARTET - Jonathan Greenstein, sax; Caili O’Doherty, piano; Shinichiro Sakaino, bass; Jonathan Pinson,
10:30PM ISRAELI JAZZ FEST: TAMMY SCHEFFER QUINTET - Tammy Scheffer, voice; Eyal Hai, alto sax; Dan Pratt, tenor sax; Chris Ziemba, piano; Ronen Itzik, drums
Saturday Jan 21
9:00PM & 10:30PM DJANGO AT CORNELIA FEST: TIM CLEMENT DJANGO EXPERIENCE - Tim Clement, guitar; Ryan Weisheit, clarinet; Julian Smith, bass; Dani Danor, drums
Sunday Jan 22
8:35PM DJANGO AT CORNELIA FEST: TRIO FAB - Koran Agan, guitar; Eduardo Belo, bass; Raj Jayaveera, drums
*****
I-Beam Presents:
Wednesday, January 18th 8:30 PM
Ammann / Davis Quartet + Igor Lumpert’s Invisible Cities
8pm - Ammann / Davis Quartet
Caroline Davis – alto saxophone
Sebastien Ammann – piano
Adam Coté – bass
Vinnie Sperrazza – drums
9pm - Igor Lumpert’s Invisible Cities
Igor Lumpert – saxophone, composition
Samuel Blaser – trombone
Masa Kamaguchi – bass
Vinnie Sperrazza – drums
Friday, January 20th 8:30 PM
Geoff Kraly- solo bass/electronics
Vinnie Sperrazza- solo drums
Saturday, January 21st 8:30 PM
Billy Mintz Two Bass Band
Ron Horton – Trumpet
Dave Scott – Trumpet
John O’Gallager – Saxophones
Adam Kolker – Saxophones
Brian Drye – Trombone
Curtis Fowlkes – Trombone
Masa Kamaguchi – Bass
Cameron Brown – Bass
Billy Mintz – Drums / Compositions
Sunday, January 22nd 8:30 PM
Sean Moran’s – Sun Tiger
Sean Moran – Guitar
Hank Roberts – Cello
Vinnie Sperrazza – Drums
Saturday, January 28th 8:00 PM
Jagged Spheres + Marc Hannaford Trio
Jagged Spheres:
Anna Webber (sx)
Elias Stemeseder (pn)
Devin Gray (dr)
Marc Hannaford Trio:
Marc Hannaford (pn)
Simon Jermyn (bs)
Satoshi Takeishi (dr)
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.
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This from Cellist LEILA BORDREUIL:
January 14th
@ All Ears Festival, Oslo
January 16th
--solo @ Mayhem, Copenhagen
January 18th @ Cafe Oto, London
--Leila Bordreuil Solo
--Thomas Ankersmit
January 20th @ Occii, Amsterdam
--solo cello - Leila Bordreuil
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EVOLVING MUSIC SERIES - January 2 - 22, 2017
Justice is Compassion / Not a Police State
REFUSE TO ACCEPT A FASCIST AMERICA
The Clemente, Abrazo Interno Gallery
107 Suffolk St. New York, NY 10002 (near Delancey St.)
Admission: $10 per set / $7 poetry reading / $25 per night
Friday January 13 - MLK weekend
7pm: Andrea Wolper's Cento Project - Andrea Wolper - voice / Mazz Swift - violin / Adam Caine - guitar
8pm: Yuko Otomo - poet
8:30: William Hooker Trio With Louie Belogenis - tenor sax / Dave Ross - guitar
9:30: The Ghost - Michael Foster - reeds / Zach Rowden - bass / Derek Baron - drums
Saturday January 14 - MLK weekend
6:30: Patricia Spears Jones - poet
7pm: Yoshiko Chuma - dance / Miriam Parker - dance / Jason Kao Hwang
8pm: Swift / McGinnis - Mazz Swift - violin / Mike McGinnis - reeds
9pm: Ken Filiano Trio - Ken Filiano - bass / Michael Attias - alto sax / TA Thompson
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Shapeshifter January 2017:
Jan 13
7pm Luca Rosenfeld Trio feat. Bob Meyer on drums, Steven Frieder on saxophone, and Luca Rosenfeld on bass.
Jan 15
3:30 pm - RISE UP and SING - A family music singalong for peace, unity & justice; Proceeds benefitting the ACLU and SPLC Featuring: A festive crew of family music artists. Including Elena Moon Park, Sonia De Los Santos, Colin Brooks, John Foti, Yoshi Waki, Nils d'Aulaire (Future Folk), Martin Vejerano (La Cumbiamba eNeYé), Domenica Fossati (Underground System) members of the LADAMA project, and more special guests
7pm: Zack Foley Quartet - Zack Foley, vocals; Jesse Elder, piano; Chris Tordini, electric bass; Devin Gray, drums
Jan 16
New Forum - Improvisation Circle - 6 PM:
1 Magdalena Abrego-Guitar
2 Kalia Vandever-Trombone
3 Dion Kerr-Bass
4 Mike DeiCont-Bass
5 Yuma Useka-Tenor Sax
6 Lee Meadvin-Guitar
7 Noah Halpern-Trumpet
8 Micah Thomas-Piano
9 Eric Stillwell-Trombone
10 Aimee Nieman-Violin
8pm: Ingrid Laubrock - Just Below the Sonic Level of Sense Making
9pm: Contemporary Prospects - Wind up Elephant: Carrie Frey and Robert Fleitz presenting new music for toy instruments and objects
Jan 18 -
8:15p Allan Andre Solo piano
Shapeshifter is located at
18 Whitwell Place in Brooklyn, NY
R train to Union stop
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Sound It Out series @ Greenwich House –
Concerts, January-February 2017
Saturday, January 14, 8:00 p.m. – Hip quartet!
Jerome Sabbagh Quartet w/ Ben Monder - Jerome Sabbagh, tenor saxophone; Ben Monder, electric guitar; Doug Weiss, double-bass; Rudy Royston, drums
Saturday, January 21, 8:00 p.m. – Master drummer! The Billy Hart Academy
Billy Hart, drums; Alex Cummings, saxophone; Jackson Laskey, piano; Dan Pappalardo, double-bass
Friday, January 27, 8:00 p.m. – Frank Kimbrough/Masa Kamaguchi & Kirk Knuffke
Frank Kimbrough, piano; Masa Kamaguchi, double-bass; Kirk Knuffke, cornet
Saturday, February 4, 7:30 p.m. – Vivid double-bill!
Taka Kigawa + Sebastien Ammann’s Color Wheel Taka Kigawa, piano
Sebastein Ammann, piano; Michaël Attias, alto saxophone; Noah Garabedian, double-bass; Nathan Ellman-Bell, drums
Saturday, February 11, 8:00 p.m. – Rocking guitarist!
Nick Millevoi’s Desertion Trio
Nick Millevoi, guitar; Johnny DeBlase, bass; Kevin Shea, drums
Saturday, February 18, 8:00 p.m. – Special ECM duo show!
Francois Courturier, piano & Anja Lechner, cello
Greenwich House Music School:
46 Barrow Street, just west of 7th Avenue South at Bleecker St.
In New York City’s West Village
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Friday, January 27th 2017
New Music For the New Year at
Featuring: Ras Moshe Burnett + The New Language Collaborative + Edith Lettner
7pm - Ras Moshe Burnett - Tenor Sax, Alto Sax & Flutes
+ The New Language Collaborative with
Glynis Lomon - Cello (from Leap of Faith)
Syd Smart - Drums
Eric Zinman - Acoustic and Electric Piano
8pm - Music Now! + The New Language Collaborative+ Edith Lettner
Ras Moshe Burnett-Reeds
Larry Roland-Bass
Matt Lavelle-Trumpet & Bass Clarinet
John Pietaro-Vibes
Stephanie Griffin-Viola
+ Edith Lettner-Alto Sax
$15 for both sets. Refreshments available.
The Brooklyn Firehouse Space - 246 Frost St. Brooklyn, NY.
(The L train to Graham Ave, walk down Graham Ave in the direction of the BQE, turn right on Frost St. The Firehouse is on Frost and Woodpoint Rd.)