Another Weeks’ Worth of Challenging Sounds from The Following Folks:
Two from John Zorn: Sacred Visions & AutoYno’s Flauros! The Keith Tippett Octet! Blazing Flame: Steve Day/Keith & Julie Tippett(s)! Steve Swell Quintet! Two with Vinny Golia: Rich Halley 5 & Duo with Ken Filiano! Michael Marcus/Theo Jorgensmann/Krzysztof Quintet! Uwe Oberg & Silke Eberhard! Two More from Blaise Siwula!
Astor Piazzolla on Neos! Bernie Worrell Duo! Killick Hines & Henry Kaiser! Plus Archival Discs from King Crimson! Gil Evans & Jaco Pastorius! Milton Marsh & David S Ware! Brother Ah! Clark Terry 4 CD Set! Azymuth! It’s Beautiful Day! Koko Taylor! Revolutionaries! Robbie Basho Tribute - Volume 2! Penny Rimbaud! Steve Roden Box Set! And a Cosmosmatics/Sonny Simmons/Michael Marcus Out-of-Print CD Sale!
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The DMG FREE Weekly In-Store Concert Series Continues With:
Sunday, July 24th: 6pm: ROCCO JOHN IACOVONE/RICH ROSENTHAL/FRANCOIS GRILLOT/TOM CABRERA 7pm: JEFF LEDERER & BROOKLYN BLOWHARDS With KIRK KNUFFKE & ART BAILEY
Sunday, July 31st: 6pm: ALAN BJORKLAND / KIM CASS / SAM OSPOVAT - Trumpet/Bass/Drums
Sunday, August 7th - Rare Triple Bill: 6pm: NICOLAS LETMAN-BURTINOVIC & KYOKO KITAMORA! 7pm: SPLIT CYCLE: Samuel Blais - sax, Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic - bass, Akira Ishiguro -guitar & Chris Carrroll - drums! 8pm: X. Y. / SEAN ALI / J. D. - Voice & Electronics / Contrabass / Laptop!
Rare Monday, August 8th: 6pm: SUSAN ALCORN & TOTO ALVAREZ!
Sunday, August 14th: 6pm: PROJECTION: ZERO: BLAISE SIWULA & CARSTEN RADTKE
Sunday, August 21st: 6pm: BILLY MINTZ QUARTET: TONY MALABY / ROBERTA PIKET / HILLIARD GREENE / BILLY MINTZ
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 Music Always Free & the Vibes are Quite Cosy!
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Two Outstanding New John Zorn Classics from Tzadik!
* JOHN ZORN//JACK QUARTET - Sacred Visions (Tzadik 8345; USA) Sacred Visions presents two Zorn masterpieces touching upon the mediaeval world. The Holy Visions is a Mystery Play in eleven strophes concerning the life, work and philosophy of 12th century composer, healer and visionary mystic Hildegard von Bingen, and is one of Zorn’s most beloved and acclaimed works for voice. Here is it coupled with Zorn’s latest string quartet The Remedy of Fortune, six tableaux depicting the changing fortunes of romantic love, which was inspired by the work of 12th century troubadour Guillaume de Machaut and receives a precise and passionate reading by the brilliant JACK quartet. Two brilliant modern compositions drawing on mediaeval spirituality, both sacred and secular! “I caught ‘Sacred Visions’ for a five women vocalists a few years back at the Guggenheim Museum and was blown away by that performance. It is without a doubt, one of John Zorn’s greatest compositions and it doesn’t quite sound like anything else is his vast catalogue of works. Zorn fans, new and old, have been asking when it will be released on CD for the past few years. Here it is and it has been well worth the wait. A great deal of work has also gone into the cover and booklet, both are extraordinary! If you don’t know where to start with Mr. Zorn or if you think you have him figured out as a composer, start here, you are in for a wonderful surprise.” - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $16
AUTOYNO//JOHN ZORN - Flauros: The Book Of Angels - Volume 29 (Tzadik 8346; USA) Flauros is a rocking, driving, unstoppable reading of Masada music by the leader of France’s most brutal and hard-edged ensemble Autoryno. Here they touch upon psychedelia, surf, metal, thrash, reggae, hard rock and more in this highly energetic installment of the Book of Angels. Exhilarating instrumental music at its cathartic best by this acclaimed and infamous ensemble based in Paris. One of the last CDs in the Book of Angels series is also one of its most powerful! CD $14
* Laurie Anderson/Bill Laswell/John Zorn will be playing at Lincoln Center Outdoors on Saturday, July 30th as part of a day long Lou Reed Celebration! Other musicians/artists involved include: Hal Willner, Julian Schnabel and Tai Chi Master Ren Guangyi. The concert/celebration will take place at Damrosch Park and is free! For details, check out:
https://www.lincolncenter.org/show/the-bells-a-daylong-celebration-of-lou-reed?gclid=CjwKEAjw5cG8BRDQj_CNh9nwxTUSJAAHdX3fN2E2ntDrRg1JlfV-GxUMRDrLYZUJqXFOcLCAzr8TBBoC7TXw_wcB
KEITH TIPPETT OCTET With JULIE TIPPETTS / PETER FAIRCLOUGH / et al - The Nine Dances of Patrick O’Gonogon (Discus 56; UK) Featuring: Keith Tippett - piano & composer, Fulvio Sigurta - trumpet & flugelhorn, Sam Mayne - alto & soprano sax, flute, James Gardiner-Bateman - alto sax, Kieran McLeod & Rob Harvey - trombones, Tom McCredie on bass and Peter Fairclough - drums plus Julie Tippetts - voice on one track. “Keith Tippett's inspired take on the jazz tradition shaped the second half, with the searing alto saxes of James Gardner-Bateman and Sam Mayne, and the lithe and clean-toned sound of superb trumpeter Fulvio Sigurta often rising over softly exhaled, Duke Ellington-like harmonies. Squally, fast-weaving jazz melodies like The Dance of the Return of the Swallows turned to folk dances, supple trombone duets and uptempo sprints in which Tippett's prodding and cajoling of his soloists from the piano was simply breathtaking."- John Fordham/Guardian "Pianist / composer Tippett needs little introduction to those with an ear to the ground in the world of creative music. Appearing initially on the London jazz scene in the 1960's, Keith quickly forged a reputation as a formidable player, bandleader and composer. His large scale work Septober Energy for the 50 piece ensemble Centipede remains a benchmark recording in the history of this music. Subsequently his work as a founding member of ensembles as diverse as Mujician, Ovary Lodge, leading The Ark Orchestra, the Septet and the Tapestry Orchestra, his duo work with Julie Tippetts plus appearances as an improvising piano soloist have consolidated his position as a major figure in both improvised and composed music. In 2016 he remains as active as ever on the international stage. The Nine Dances Of Patrick O'Gonogon was commissioned by Richard Wiltshire and was recorded by the Keith Tippett Octet at Real World Studio in the UK. This new suite is inspired by themes from Irish folk music and was written for his new octet." CD $17
BLAZING FLAME [STEVE DAY/JULIE TIPPETTS/KEITH TIPPETT] - Murmuration (Leo 756) Featuring: Steve Day - voice & percussion, Julie Tippetts - voice, Keith Tippett - piano, Aaron Standon - alto sax, Peter Evans - 5-string electric violin, Julian Dale - double bass & cello and Anton Henley - drums. Steve Day is a well-regarded author who has written books on Ornette Coleman, as well as liner notes. He also does spoken word performances and this is his fifth CD for the Leo label.This is the second disc from his current group Blazing Flame which includes UK legends Julie and Keith Tippett. Although Mr. Tippett records infrequently and almost never as a sideman. After nearly disappearing from the UK scene, Ms. Tippetts has been collaborating saxist Martin Archer for the past decade. Mr. Day has been utilizing the talents of a number of frequent collaborators: Anton Henley & Bill Bartlett. The voices of Mr. Day and Ms. Tippetts sound odd yet work together well as Day’s observations move from topic to topic. The music is occasionally stark, eerie and unsettling with the voices kept to a minimum yet used effectively. Mr. Day mentions the horror of Edgehill, a battle in England during the 1600’s in which no one side was victorious, a lesson that perhaps certain battles are not worthy lives lost. On “Portrait of Dora Maar”, which refers to a famous painting by Pablo Picasso, each of the two voices view/describe the artwork from different angles. Mr. Day gives us a chance to consider the long history of mankind, religion & ritual on “Stone Circle”, is it a guessing game? Why do folks put so much faith into our collective past? A great deal of food for thought to consider. CD $16
STEVE SWELL QUINTET With JEMEEL MOONDOC / DAVE BURRELL / WILLIAM PARKER / GERALD CLEAVER - Soul Travelers [LTD Ed / LP Only] (Rogue Art 067; France) Featuring Steve Swell on trombone & compositions, Jemeel Moondoc on alto sax, Dave Burrell on piano, William Parker on contrabass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. Downtown trombone great, Steve Swell, remains on a roll with a half dozen swell discs in the past year or so. Mr. Swell’s set with his Kende Dreams quintet at this year’s Vision Fest (June of 2016) was one of the festivals’ highlights. I haven’t heard this disc yet but looking at the personnel, how could it not be great?!? Limited to a a few hundred copies so why wait? - BLG LP $21
2 New Discs Featuring West Coast Multi-Reed Specialist, Professor & Labelhead - Vinny Golia!
RICH HALLEY 5 [With VINNY GOLIA / MICHAEL VLATKOVICH / CLYDE REED / CARSON HALLEY] - The Outlier (Pine Eagle 009; USA) Featuring Rich Halley on tenor sax, Vinny Golia on bari sax & bass clarinet, Michael Vlatkovich on trombone, Clyde Reed on bass and Carson Halley on drums. Oregon-based saxist Rich Halley has had a quartet together for many years, once his son Carson became their drummer. Aside from longtime collaborator, Michael Vlatkovich, Mr. Halley adds guests like Bobby Bradford from time to time and here adds his old labelmate (founder of Nine Winds) Vinny Golia. Like many of the discs I reviewed from Rich Halley, we never know which direction the group will head. All but three songs were written by Mr. Halley, the rest are group improvs. The first piece almost sounds like a gutbucket blues/funky ditty with a smoking tenor solo from Halley himself. “Urban Crunch” also has a rather bluesy swagger and reminds me of the earthy side of those Archie Shepp records from the mid-sixties which included the great playing trombone by Roswell Rudd. When Mr. Golia enters on bass clarinet, he solos in a most joyous Eric Dolphy-like way. Golia takes an impressive bari sax solo on “Green Needles”, burning it up while the rhythm team builds up and calms down underneath most organically. “Du Fu’s Stew” simmers nicely with sublime harmonies for the two saxes and trombone evokes those laid back night spirits. On the three freer tracks, the quintet take their time to to explore some more cerebral, eerie sounds which balance with the written pieces just right. The quintet swings furiously on “Long Blue Road” with smoking’ solos from Halley on tenor, Golia on bass clarinet and Carson on drums. Carson sounds like a master of the mallets on “Rising from the Plains”, Mr Vlatkovich’s swell trombone solo is punctuated by some righteous tenor & bari sax inserts that sound great. Instead of pushing things too far out, Mr. Halley’s writing is diverse and utilizes the strengths of his fine quintet differently on each piece. In a blindfold test, I might’ve guessed that this was a long lost early Archie Shepp session with Eric Dolphy sitting in. Overall, pretty strong and spirited throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $12
VINNY GOLIA / KEN FILIANO - Elongation (Nine Winds 098; USA) Featuring Vinny Golia on saxello, sopranino & tenor saxes, bass clarinet, kaval & Turkish ney and Ken Filiano on contrabass & electronics. Mr. Golia and Mr. Filiano have been collaborating for many years and have recorded some thirty plus discs together. Besides some 18+ discs with Golia as a leader, they have also recorded with Rob Blakeslee, Richard Grossman and in the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra. This disc just showed up (7/20/16), so I will review it for next week’s newsletter. - BLG CD $15
MICHAEL MARCUS / THEO JORGENSMANN / KRZYSZTOF DYS / et al - Elements of Candor (ForTune 056; Poland) Featuring Krzysztof Dys on piano, Michael Marcus on B-flat & A clarinets, Theo Jorgensmann on B-flat clarinet, Andrzej Swies on bass and Krzysztof Szmanda on drums. Downtown multi-reeds wiz, Michael Marcus, keeps busy in a variety of projects and is well known for his work with Sonny Simmons in the Cosmosmatics and duo with Ted Daniel. The Cosmosamatics toured Europe several times and for this disc, Mr. Marcus works with a mostly Polish quintet. The other frontline player here is German clarinetist, Theo Jorgensmann, who has worked with John Fischer, Franz Koglmann and Albrecht Maurer. The other members of the quintet are Polish and have worked with Waclaw Zimpel for the ForTune label. All members of the group wrote music for this disc as well having a handful of collective improvisations. “Sunsets Falling in the Mirrors” was written by Mr. Marcus and both clarinetists sound great together, playing rich and thoughtful harmonies, with some inspired solos from both clarinets. The group improv are equally focused and spirited, with some marvelous interplay between both clarinets, the piano and the rest of the rhythm team. “Short Sellers’ Squeeze” has a rather Monkish bent melody that made me smile with another fabulous twisted clarinet solo. “Lightfalls” is a group improv with some incredible fast yet calm piano/bass/drums and clarinet (by Mr. Marcus) interaction - wow! There are a few duos here which are equally strong, especially a clarinets duo called, “Vianden’s Viand” and a piano & bass duo. Jorgensmann wrote a piece called, “Clarinet Madness” which is a charming chamber-like work for both clarinets and piano to play together. All in all, this is an excellent quintet date, it is nearly impossible to tell which pieces are written and which are improvised as all are superb. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $15
UWE OBERG / SILKE EBERHARD - Turns (Leo 749) Featuring Uwe Oberg on piano and Silke Eberhard on alto sax & clarinet. After a couple of splendid solo discs on Hatology & Leo, a duo with Evan Parker and a trio called Lacy Pool, Uwe Oberg is back with a new duo with German saxist Silke Eberhard. Ms. Eberhard has recorded several duos with pianists Dave Burrell, Ulrich Gumpert and Aki Takase. My two favorite discs are the tributes to Eric Dolphy (‘Potsa Lotsa’ on JazzWerkStatt) and Ornette Coleman (with Takase on Intakt). We had the good fortune to have Ms. Eberhard play an improv set here last year so I know she is a gifted saxist and composer as well. This disc features some originals by Mr. Oberg and Ms. Eberhard as well as some well-selected covers by Carla Bley (3), Annette Peacock (2) and Jimmy Giuffre (2). Kicking off with Ms. Eberhard’s “Ping Pong Pogo”, a quirky, surprisingly difficult yet fun filled ditty. I haven’t heard a version of Carla Bley’s “King Korn” since Paul Bley covered it some fifty years ago. It is another challenging yet buoyant piece in which the piano and alto sax exchange roles with lines crisscrossing magically. Mr. Oberg slips in bits of stride piano in the second half, an unexpected delight. This CD was inspired by the late Paul Bley who passed away earlier this year. Mr. Bley was married to Carla Bley in the sixties and involved with Annette Peacock, both composers whose music he covered at length. Mr. Bley also played with in the Jimmy Giuffre Trio in the early sixties, recording several seminal albums with them. Hence, all of the pieces on this disc are somehow related. Jimmy Giuffre’s “Emphasis” was recorded by his trio in 1961 and is superbly covered here. Mr. Oberg’s “Enzym & Eros” is one of this disc many highlights: elegant with odd twists and turns, rather dreamlike at times, we never know where it will land. Another early Carla Bley song, “Syndrome” is coupled with an original by Mr. Oberg. “Syndrome” is unsettling as the piano and alto sax seem to weave around one another in a most off-kilter way. Carla Bley’s “Batterie” has always been a favorite of mine and is well-captured here with some great sputtering sax and daredevil piano. Although there are some five composers involved in this disc, all of the pieces fit together immensely well. Another one of this week’s best, under-recognized gems! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $16
Two More from Blaise Siwula:
BLAISE SIWULA / ERIC PLAKS - Time In (No Frills 0010; USA) Featuring Blaise Siwula on alto, tenor & soprano saxes and Eric Plaks on piano. It turns out that the restless improviser Blaise Siwula had worked with pianist Eric Plaks in jazz/funk band in New York in the late 1990’s, but hadn’t worked together since until they go together for this studio date in August of 2015. I hadn’t heard of Mr. Plaks before this recording popped up. This disc begins with “Einstein’s Train (Passing)” with Mr. Siwula on blustery tenor sax and Mr. Plaks erupting on some intense free piano, cascading up and down the keyboard. Mr. Plaks sounds somewhat like Joel Futterman, one of great under-recognized masters of free piano. This is a wonderful, spirited duo that match wits just right. No matter how far either go, both follow each other tightly throughout. Both musicians seem to be coming from a more jazz-like tradition of sorts, working their way through occasional melodies without dealing with any extended techniques or other weird non-musical sounds. The results remind me a soundtrack for an old silent film which keeps speeding up and slowing down, with scenes from a race occasionally popping up. I had this disc on at the store last Sunday before the first set and Daniel Carter says, “Who is that great pianist?” Not too bad considering that no one in attendance had heard of Mr. Plaks before this. On a couple of tracks, Blaise slows the pace down to a sly blues, playing in an old school tone that completely took me by surprise. Where did that come from. Each of the five discs that Mr. Siwula left us with last week were completely different and consistently spirited. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $10
BLAISE SIWULA / LUCIANO TROJA / JOHN MURCHISON - Beneath the Ritual (No Frills 0009; USA) Featuring Blaise Siwula on saxes & clarinet, Luciano Troja on piano and John Murchison on bass. I hadn’t heard of the Mr. Troja or Mr. Murchison before this disc arrived but I did some research so here it is. Italian pianist Luciano Troja can be heard on several discs on the Slam and Splasch labels and has a disc covering the compositions of Earl Zindars, an obscure jazz composer who was revered by Bill Evans. Bassist John Murchison is Brooklyn-based and has studied the music of North Africa & the Middle East, also playing gimbri. This disc starts of slow, sparse and dream-like. The tempo and intensity increases with each piece, slowly building as it evolves. Eventually, things kick into gear midway with some spirited interaction. Mr. Troja sounds classically trained as he plays those eerie and often exquisite swirls. The bass is often at the center here, speeding up, slowing down and spinning out layers of lines as the other two play with a bit more restraint. I got to admit that this is a wonderful free-wheeling trio which works together as one creative force superbly. How Blaise Siwula remains so creative, diverse and engaging with so much different musicians from around the world seems hard to fathom but each of these new five discs are amazing in their own ways. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $10
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA / HORACIO FERRER - María de Buenos Aires (Neos 10807-8; Germany) For the first time Astor Piazzolla's "Tango Operita" (1968) is being presented as a surround re-cording, which gives you an astonishingly better sound and transparency of music and voices. All written information is given in German, Spanish, English, and French language. The fantastic ensemble Musiques Nouvelles was founded in 1962 by the composers & conductors Pierre Bartholomée and Henri Pousseur: Musiques Nouvelles is the world eldest ensemble concentrating on avant-garde music. It's present composer & conductor is Jean-Paul Dessy. This Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid SACD can be played on any compact disc player. Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles: David Núñez - violin and musical direction; Delphine Gardin - singer; Gustavo Beytelmann - speaker; Roberto Cordova - singer; Jean-Paul Dessy - artistic direction. 2 CD+DVD $30
YORK HOLLER - String Quartets (and more) (Neos 11518; Germany) 2010 Grawemeyer Award winner York Höller is here presenting his String Quartets (and more), played by the famous Minguet Quartett (Cologne), and Markus Bellheim (piano-professor and Vice President at Munich Musikhochschule). Among the composers of the middle generation in Europe, Höller is one of the most original and unconventional - an artist who has never let himself be appropriated by schools and aesthetic dogmas. Already early on he critically explored serial music and aleatoric and stochastic models of composition, took up impulses from the philosophical and scientific approaches to information and Gestalt theory, and developed from them his concept of "Gestalt composition", which also owes important aspects of inspiration to the Indian raga and the Arabian maqam techniques, and above all to medieval isorhythms. The Minguet Quartet, founded in 1988, is today one of the most internationally sought-after string quartets and gives guest performances in all the great concert halls of the world. They were awarded the coveted ECHO Klassik in 2010 for the complete SACD recording of Peter Ruzicka's string quartets (NEOS 10822-3CD). Markus Bellheim has been attracting attention as one of the most interesting and versatile pianists of his generation, at the latest since winning the International Messiaen Competition 2000 in Paris. His extensive concert activities have led him through all of Europe, to Asia and America. CD $16
STEVE RODEN/IN BE TWEEN NOISE - Every Color Moving (1988-2003)((6 CD Box Set))(Sonoris 012; France) Every Color Moving consists of six discs, covering seven hours of the first fifteen years of Steve Roden's musical activities. The first four discs contain unreleased works and impossible to find small editions. The last two discs offer a selection of tracks made for compilations during the same period. From the surprising early experiments to the development of his often imitated but never equalled "lowercase" aesthetic, these are some of Roden's earliest works, documenting numerous rare and unreleased recordings. The discs are accompanied with a 32 page booklet with an essay and extended track notes, written by the artist. Steve Roden (1964) is a visual and sound artist born in Los Angeles. Roden's work includes painting, drawing, sculpture, film/video, sound installation, and performance. Roden's earliest musical experience was as the singer of the Los Angeles punk band Seditionaries from 1978 to 1982, performing locally with some famous bands from this scene. Roden's early works moved from loud to quiet in the midst of an emotional crisis at age 18, fueling a shift in his work, with the discovery of Eno's Obscure label. In the early -1990s Roden discovered the Broken Music catalog (an encyclopedic survey of records related to visual artists), offering a context for an artistic practice rooted in both visual and sound art. In 1990, Roden released his first recording on a self-released cassette titled the secret of happiness under the artist name In Be Tween Noise. Since then, Roden has released 45 solo recordings on various labels, alongside numerous collaborations and compilations. By the late 1990s, Roden began to use his own name as the artist of his solo recordings. Most of Roden's sound works tend towards using a singular source - such as objects, architectural spaces, field recordings, or texts. These things become abstracted through humble electronic processes to create new audio spaces, or "possible landscapes". In 2000, he used the term "lowercase" to describe a music that "bears a certain sense of quiet and humility". Over the years, he has created a rich and diverse body of work that is uniquely his own, mixing conceptual rigor, experimentation and musicality. 6 CD Box Set $50
BERNIE WORRELL - Retrospectives (Purple Woo 7322; USA) All instrumental album in which P.Funkedelic keyboard wizard, Bernie Worrell revisits a half dozen P. Funk classics: Groove Allegiance, If You Got Funk You Got Style, Aquaboogie, Flashlight and Sir Nose D’VoidofFunk. “After leaving P-funk, Bernie has continued to work as a sideman with artists like Bill Laswell, Buckethead, various Talking Heads, Govt Mule, Les Claypool and others in the jam band scene. Worrell occasionally records as a leader, but he still does not grab a lot of attention, maybe its because his albums as a leader are not as strong as his contributions as a sideman. His latest release, “Retrospectives”, may be a good example of this. The premise behind “Retrospectives” sounds very promising at first, basically this is an album on which Bernie re-visits some of his favorite P-funk tracks and records instrumental versions of those tracks. To any long time Worrell and P-funk fan this is an exciting idea, but unfortunately the album does not come through as strongly as you wish it could. Some tracks are okay, but others are good but not great. Probably the biggest problem with this album is that it sounds like Worrell covered everything by himself. The drum tracks are not strong, nor is the production. An over reliance on ‘silly’ synthesizer sounds from the exotica era also becomes tedious and overbearing after a while. Many of these songs could use a little breathing room from all the persistent synthesizers. Overall this album sounds like a fun hobby home project, not the keyboard powerhouse it could have been. Despite the problems, there are some good tracks on here, “You Hit the Nail on the Head” is played reggae style with a melodica lead, and perennial favorite, “Flashlight”, is cloaked in string synth arrangements that Beethoven would be proud of. Possibly the two strongest tracks come at the end with “Balance” featuring a stronger drum sound and less synth clutter and “The Moment”, a punchy Prince style synth-rocker with the best production on the whole album. There are enough good moments on “Retrospectives” to make it worthwhile to Bernie Worrell fans, but you have to wonder what this would have sounded like if more time had been taken.” - Jazz Music Archives CD $16
Three Plus One More - Four Challenging Discs from Henry Kaiser & His Cohorts:
KILLICK HINES & HENRY KAISER - Xenosynchronicity (Fractal Music; USA) Four years. Four years since their last duo album. Henry Kaiser and Killick Hinds have each been quite prolific with their individual musical output during this interval. Filled with tons of inspiration to share, the stars aligned for them to work together again; they agreed they should not make "Nikola Tesla High School 2." (Though they both love "1.") So the Etch-A-Sketch was shaken blank, and a process developed to transport them through uncharted multiverses, somewhere out beyond The Deep Unreal. Powered by kombucha and homemade mulitas, they played prismatic textures and moods, reflecting unabashed (ir)reverence for the styles and stylings of the greats, and for the guitar itself, simply strings tensioned across a board, but so, so much more. A musical topic particularly under investigation here was trying NOT to fall into the same grooves and tempos that most guitarists (be the mundane or experimental players) gravitate towards. Seeking the rhythmic independence heard in the musics of Xenakis, Ligeti, and Nancarrow, the two guitarists managed to navigate entirely separate rivers of rhythm - as independent of each other as two voices in one of Nancarrow’s irrational ratio piano studies. Audiophile recording by Sandor Nagyszalanczy. Certainly this will be the oddest and most surprising guitar duet that you will hear this year. - Henry Kaiser CD $10 (In stock early next week)
HENRY KAISER / KOBE DUPREE / JACK THOMPSON / ALEXEI PLIOUSININE - Talk to Me About Invisible People (Fractal Music; USA) Personnel: Henry Kaiser - guitar, fretless bass, Kobe Dupree - synth, turntable, Jack Thompson - fretted bass, turntable and Alexei Pliousnine - lap steel guitar. This is one of the stranger sessions that West Coast guitar great, Henry Kaiser, has been involved with in recent memory. For this disc Mr. Kaiser teems up with Russian lap steel guitarist Alexei Pliousnine, Richard Thompson’s son Jack Thompson, who Henry has known since he was born on fretted bass & turntable and Jack’s friend Kobe Dupree on synth & turntable. I wasn’t sure what to expect since I hadn’t heard of 3 of the 4 members of this odd quartet but with Henry Kaiser, I know something special will take place. This disc is superbly recorded with careful bits of spacious, floating sounds: guitar with effects, electronics and turntable effluvia in a cautious tapestry. Hard to tell who is doing what but the results are consistently fascinating. The first piece is some 54 minutes long and takes time to unfold. This music is more like a calm science fiction soundtrack, allowing us the dream and imagine where these sounds will take us. Occasionally mesmerizing, often sublime and quite transcendent. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $10 (first batch nearly sold out, more coming soon)
Reissues, Restocks and Historic Recordings:
Two Tzadik Reissues:
TONY OXLEY With DEREK BAILEY - The Advocate (Tzadik 7618b; USA) One of the most important musical partnerships in English Free Improvisation was the duo of Tony Oxley and Derek Bailey. Their long standing friendship began as early as 1963 with the group Joseph Holbrooke (including composer/bassist Gavin Bryars) and lasted over forty years. These recordings were created in the studio in 1975 and catch them at their peak. Also included is Oxley’s touching tribute to Bailey, a dynamic new piece for electronics and percussion recorded live at the recent Bailey tribute concert at the London Barbicon, 2006. Exciting and vibrant improvisations—never before released—by two pioneers of the genre. TZADIK KEY SERIES CD $14
DANNY COHEN - MIKE BONER - HORSE COCK KIDS - Self Indulgent Music (Tzadik 7403b; USA) No matter how healthy you get, you still end up sick." - Mike Boner. Tzadik is proud to introduce you to three exciting new artists. This special CD release is a passport to their unique worlds of sound. Danny Cohen and Mike Boner both hail from California, Horse Cock Kids are based in Cologne but they all share an intense passion for their own self-indulgent fantasies. Songs about sex, degeneracy, puberty, loss of identity, truth, love and boredom from three of the most howlingly original songwriters you have ever heard. This is what Tzadik's Lunatic Fringe series is all about - it doesn't get any realer than this. LUNATIC FRINGE SERIES CD $14
Another King Crimson Club Reissue:
KING CRIMSON [ROBERT FRIPP/MEL COLLINS/BOZ BURRELL/IAN WALLACE] - Live in Denver March 13, 1972 (DGM 677570; UK) "The thirty-fifth volume from the King Crimson Collector’s Club contains a soundboard recording from the March 13, 1972 show in Denver. The liner notes claim this show was chosen last year before the deaths of both Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace, but it serves as a tremendous document of their contributions to King Crimson and a photograph featuring them together on stage is nice tribute. This is the first of two shows they played at the Sound Track in Denver which follows their appearance at the KFL Summit Studio for a radio broadcast which has been released many times and officially on Live At Summit Studio. Neither of the two Sound Track shows has ever circulated in any form before making this a true revelation. Live In Denver contains a very good stereo recording from the mixing desk which was probably recorded for potential use for their first official live album Earthbound, which ultimately used fragments from Delaware, Florida and Peoria, Illinois. It seems to contain the entire show. There is a cut between “The Letters” and “Groon” and the latter song has its introduction and beginning cut out. The balance favors the music with the audience pushed very far in the back making it difficult to judge the crowd’s reaction to what is happening on stage. There is the tiniest amount of hiss present on the tape as well. For this performance the most common set opener on this tour, “Pictures Of A City,” is dropped in favor of “Formentera Lady,” introduced by Boz as “a song from the new album.” This segues seamlessly with “The Sailor’s Tale.” Fripp introduces “Cirkus” as “a song from the Lizard album, which I don’t think many people in America heard of…. This is a goodie that didn’t work.” This is one of two songs (“The Lady Of The Dancing Water” is the other) that were ever performed on their most inaccessible work. “Cirkus” is performed as it was since the beginning of the first tour the previous autumn. The demented track is followed by one of the loosest versions of “Ladies Of The Road” available on tape. Both Fripp and Burrell introduce the song and the singer punctuates the lyrics with hysterical fits of laughter. Author Sid Smith points out in the liner notes how this shows how much the band relaxed after the tension before the tour leading to Fripp’s decision to dissolve the band after this trek. The following “The Letters” is a surprise. This song was included in the early set lists but was dropped before their second US tour. It appears here and as a much longer version in the encore for the March 19th Santa Monica tape that Siréne released recently on Emerald Fire. This version is six and a half minutes long and doesn’t include the long saxophone improvisation by Mel Collins. After a cut the tape picks up with a seventeen-minute version of “Groon.” The long jamming includes Boz singing scat before a long, synthesized drum solo by Wallace. “21st Century Schizoid Man” is the set closer. Boz again sings the song with distorted vocals, probably trying to achieve a rough edge in his crystal clear voice. The gentle “Cadence And Cascade” is the encore. This version lasts for four and a half minutes and features a beautiful flute melody by Collins. The tape cuts out right at the very end as the audience are cheering and whistling. It is doubtful they played another encore since this was the usual final number played by King Crimson on the tour." - Collectors Music Reviews CD $15
Four Super Rare Cosmic/Spiritual Jazz Reissues from the Mid-Seventies in Stock Early Next Week:
MILTON MARSH With DAVID S WARE / CEDRIC LAWSON / DON PATE / GREG BANDY - Monism (Manufactured Recordings 036; USA) "In 1975, Milton Marsh released his first album Monism for the Strata-East label. Marsh, a composer, arranger, saxophonist and flautist, recorded the album in New York City from 1973-1974. The musicians on Monism represent some of the finest living in NYC at the time: pianist Cedric Lawson, bassist Don Pate along with two rising stars at the time, David Ware on saxophone and Greg Bandy on percussion. Ironically, all of these artists would go on to record several volumes of music in their careers except for Marsh, who recorded only one additional album, 1985's Continuum, after a decade long absence. Marsh composed and arranged all of the album's six compositions, each of which featured between nine and 17 players. This sizable headcount explains the album's ability to soar from quiet, minimal moments to robust, dissonant explosions, depending upon the track. 'Vonda's Tune', the album's opener, begins with a brief solitary and somber horn solo, which later opens up to the more 'avant' sounds of 'Community Music'. The title track is where Marsh's compositions reach their most unpredictable and exciting moments, however. 'Monism' closes out the A side with a free jazz jamboree, complete with a spoken word delivery of a Sufi poem from Marsh himself. The album's B-side is relegated to more traditional structures, and features some of the most driving piano, drum and saxophone playing fans of the genre could hope to hear; at once loose and decidedly collaborative in its delivery. Perhaps prompted by Marsh's ten-year disappearance from the recording world, this long out of print recording has become a collector's edition for those familiar with it. Original copies have been known to sell for more than $100 among collectors. Manufactured Recordings is proud to present this reissued volume again on vinyl for the first time in 40 years, and on CD for the first time ever." CD $15 (In stock soon)
BROTHER AH With MAX ROACH & M'BOOM / et al - Sound Awareness (Manufactured Recordings 037; USA) "The renowned French horn player known as Brother Ah (aka Robert Northern) is one of the most prolific and respected musicians in the history of jazz music, with a recorded output spanning more than 30 years. Born in 1934 and raised in the south Bronx, Brother Ah was playing jazz trumpet as early as fifteen years of age. Following a classical French horn education at Austria's Vienna State Academy, he emerged in the late '50s and established himself as a skilled and consistent session musician, playing with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, and numerous Broadway theater orchestras. Brother Ah recorded well into the '60s with some of the most illustrious names in the genre, including Donald Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Gil Evans and, perhaps most influentially, Sun Ra. In 1969, Ah formed his own group, the Musical Sound Awareness Ensemble, and released several works under his own name from 1974 onward. In the late '60s, his interest in non-western music developed, and his '70s recordings, incorporated elements of Eastern and 'Third World' music, fusing them with jazz structures. His first solo recording, Sound Awareness was released on the Strata East label in 1972. By this time, Ah had recorded extensively with the Sun Ra Arkestra and his solo work continued the boundary-pushing approaches he explored with that ensemble. Consisting of two side-length tracks, 'Beyond Yourself (The Midnight Confession)', and 'Love Piece', the album features notable appearances by percussionist Max Roach and the M'Boom Re:percussion Ensemble, as well as a 90-piece vocal choir. The 22-minute 'Beyond Yourself' is billed as 'a sound journey' in seven parts, outlining a man's struggle to either give up drugs or become a monk." CD $15 (In stock soon)
BROTHER AH - Move Ever Onward (Manufactured Recordings 038; USA) "In 1975, Ah released his second LP, Move Ever Onward on his own label, Divine Records. A more straightforward affair, the record infused Indian, Japanese and African folk music elements into more traditional jazz structures than Ah's debut LP. Of its eight tracks, four include vocals by the artists Dara, Aiisha, Kwesi Gilbert Northern and Ayida Tengemana. The instrumental tracks provide more colorful moments, such as the cacophonous percussion on 'Boundless Rhythm' and the hypnotic kora and koto notes on 'Enthusiasm' and 'Celestial Strings'." CD $15 (In stock soon)
BROTHER AH & THE SOUNDS OF AWARENESS - Key To Nowhere (Manufactured Recordings 039; USA) "Key To Nowhere, Brother Ah's third LP, also released on Divine in 1983, features him on flute, horn, harmonica, nayamka, and shell horn, leading an octet of musicians, including lush and driving harp, as played by Jeff Majors, and vocals on 'Motherless Child', 'Key To Nowhere' and 'Nature's Blues' from Natasha Hasan Yousef. Ah's harmonica flourishes on 'The Void' are a standout moment not only on the album, but in his catalog. Despite these fascinating infusions, Key To Nowhere is perhaps Ah's most cohesive '70s recording." CD $15 (In stock soon)
GIL EVANS & JACO PASTORIUS - Live Under The Sky Tokyo '84 (Hi Hat 3047; UK) Gil Evans & Jaco Pastorius live from Yomiuri Land Open Theater East, Tokyo, Japan on July 28th 1984. Best-known for their respective contributions to the music of Miles Davis and Weather Report, Gil Evans and Jaco Pastorius are true giants of 20th Century jazz and fusion. This rare collaboration, performed at Yomiuri Land Open Theater East, Tokyo, Japan on July 28th 1984, finds them both at the peak of their powers, driving each other on to new heights. Sadly, they would both be dead within four years, but it stands as a remarkable testament to their genius. Originally broadcast on NHK BS Channel 1. Digitally remastered for greatly enhanced sound quality. Presented here with background notes and images. 2 CD Set $24
CLARK TERRY With THELONIUS MONK/JOHNNY GRIFFIN/JOHNNY HODGES/BILLY STRAYHORN/WYNTON KELLY/PAUL CHAMBERS/SAM JONES/PHILLY JOE JONES/ - Complete Albums Collection; 1954-1960 (Enlightenment 9080; EEC) Born to Clark Sr. and Mary Terry on 14th December 1920 in St. Louis, MO, Clark Terry Jr. attended Vashon High School and began playing the valve trombone at an early age. In fact, Terry had already turned professional by the early 1940s, playing the local jazz clubs. Having served as a bandsman at the Great Lakes Naval Training Centre between 1942 and 1945, Clark quickly returned to his first passion and began to establish his prominence on the local scene. He started by joining the groups of Charlie Barnett in 1947, Count Basie between 1948 and 1951, and Duke Ellington between 1951 and 1959, where he earned himself a good reputation through his stylistic flexibility, technical skill and famed sense of humour. It was towards the middle of the decade that Terry began recording his first album as co-leader. Although initially brought in to contribute to Dinah Washington's Dinah Jams, the same session also produced Jam Session, which was led by the triumvirate of Clark Terry with fellow players Clifford Brown and Maynard Ferguson. Despite his eight-year dedication to Ellington's band, Clark Terry still managed to release a considerable number of his own records as bandleader throughout the decade. These would include such classics as Serenade to a Bus Seat, In Orbit - which featured the sublime piano playing of Thelonious Monk - and Top And Bottom Brass, when the Clark Terry Quintet were joined by jazz tuba player Don Butterfield. Terry informally nurtured the talents of a young Miles Davis and Quincy Jones during this time, and would be repaid when the latter invited him to join the touring production of Free And Easy in 1959, for which Jones was musical director. Terry would truly break internationally at the turn of the decade when, in 1960, he was employed by the National Broadcasting Company. He would be the first African American staff musician to be employed by NBC, and to appear on any major U.S. network when he joined The Tonight Show Band in 1962. 4 CD Set $18
AZYMUTH - Outubro (Far Out 190; UK) "Following on from their seminal Light As A Feather LP, Outubro (October) was originally released in 1980 and began Azymuth's run of prolific output for Milestone Records throughout the decade. Typifying the consummate craftsmanship of the three members' performances - each with such distinct personality and together so perfectly balanced - their perfectionist attitude to sound is maintained across the production on the album, beautifully colouring the expressionist fusion of samba rhythm, jazz progression, funk attitude and psychedelic electronics. This Far Out Recordings release is mixed and mastered from the original tapes and will be released on 180g vinyl and CD." CD $17
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY - Live In The Studio San Francisco '71 (Rox Vox 2006; UK) It's A Beautiful Day, live from the Pacific High Recording Studios, in San Francisco on March 20th, 1971. Formed in mid-1967, and led by David La Flamme's virtuoso violin playing, It's A Beautiful Day were an integral part of the San Francisco music scene in the late '60s and early '70s. Originally broadcast on KSAN-FM 95.5, this superb studio set from the Pacific High Recording Studios, offers a selection of classics from their first two albums, their self-titled It's A Beautiful Day (1969) and Marrying Maiden (1969). Includes their signature piece "White Bird". Presented here with background notes and images. CD $17
KOKO TAYLOR - Live At The Chicago Blues Festival 94 (Echoes 2067; UK) Echoes very proudly presents the entire WBEZ-FM broadcast of Koko Taylor, "Queen of the Blues", live from the 11th annual Chicago Blues Festival on Sunday June 5th, 1994. Before her roar was silenced in 2009, the "Queen of the Blues" reigned over the annual Chicago Blues Festival weekend. In 1994, she had just released a new album Force of Nature (1993) and was honored by the mayor of Chicago as well as being awarded with the W.C. Handy Contemporary Blues "Female Artist of the Year". Koko Taylor was also about to open her own club in Chicago but she put time aside to headline the last night of this Blues Festival. As with all of her performances, it's a jubilant and powerful Taylor that stands at the mic spreading an education and joy to others. Professionally re-mastered original FM broadcast. Includes background liners with interviews and rare archival photos. CD $17
REVOLUTIONARIES - Dub Out Her Blouse & Skirt V.1 (Bond Export 031; USA) "Long needed reissue of producer Donovan Germain's first dub LP from 1979. Rhythms laid at Channel 1 with the Revolutionaries, and mixed at Joe Gibbs' studio by Errol T and Errol Brown. Featuring killer dubs to some of Germain's best productions of the time, including tracks by roots harmony legends Cultural Roots. This LP was originally released thru Brooklyn's legendary Keith's record shop, and a couple of the song titles give a nod to the shop's crew. The brilliant cover art shows you a couple well on their way to what the title suggests." CD $15
GLADSTONE ANDERSON/ROOTS RADICS - Sings Songs For Today & Tomorrow/Radical Dub Session (Deeper Kowledge 189;UK)Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson is a true legend in Jamaican music, a prominent figure in all three key decades of its history, from the 1960s thru the 1980s. Gladdy was versatile, being a piano/keyboard player, singer and arranger. In the 60s and 70s, he cut classic albums as a solo artist and band leader for Federal (with Lynn Taitt and the Jets) and Harry Mudie, and was a session musician on countless sides for others. For a time, he also comprised half of a vocal duo along with Stranger Cole. This duo have the distinction of being the first artists released on the Channel 1 label, with 'Don't Give Up the Fight' being released in 1973. Moving into the '80s, Gladdy joined the Roots Radics Band as piano player and arranger, and from Channel 1 studios, played on countless tracks with the Radics, the dominant band of the decade. During that time he also self-produced much material. Most of this material has been sorely overlooked, being released across a variety of short-lived labels or thru his long standing partnership with the Overheat label in Japan, who's releases are difficult to get elsewhere. One such set of tunes is being reissued here, the fantastic Sings Songs For Today and Tomorrow LP, along with it's almost-companion dub set Radical Dub Session. Originally released in the early 80s on the Jahmani and Solid Groove labels respectively, these didn't make much of a mark during their time. They are however, some of the toughest Radics material we've ever heard, and the finest of Gladdy's vocal work in the 80s, one of our most favorite of eras. The vocal album stands alongside others like Steve Knight's Orphan Child album as one of the greatest unheralded albums of its decade, originally lost among the flood of 80s album releases. In beginning this project, we learned that our friends at Only Roots in France shared a similar passion for these albums, and we recognized the perfect opportunity for our first collaboration. As two labels with the same goals, cooperation not competition is the way ahead in keeping this music alive, so here it is! We hope you enjoy this fantastic set of albums as much as we do." 2 CD Set $22
“BASKET FULL OF DRAGONS” With STEFFEN BASHO JUNGHANS/GLENN JONES/HENRY KAISER/ et al - A Tribute to Robbie Basho Vol II (Obsolete Recordings; USA) Robbie Basho's guitar playing was first brought to light in 1965, when John Fahey released Basho's debut The Seal of the Blue Lotus (1965) on his own Takoma Records. Basho was armed with a unique and powerful singing voice, his 6 & 12 string guitar and a collection of special guitar tunings that he created (even originating the "Esoteric Doctrine of Color and Mood'' - a chart denoting a color and mood for each of his special tunings). After three decades of recordings and touring and a prodigious output, Basho went largely unnoticed. In 1986, his voice was forever silenced by a tragic accident. Basho's music displays an intense passion for different cultures from around the world - heavily influenced by the Japanese (his self-chosen last name inspired by the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho), Persian, Classical Indian, and a culture much closer to home: Native Americans. Basket Full of Dragons is a collection of both original compositions and new interpretations of Basho's songs, and is the second volume to pay tribute to Basho, following We Are All One, In The Sun (IMPREC 295CD, 2010). Both volumes are curated and produced by musician Buck Curran and feature an international lineup of artists. As with the first tribute, this volume includes a contribution by German guitarist Steffen Basho Junghans. Junghans maintains the Robbie Basho online archives, a vital resource for all things Basho. California-based guitarist Richard Osborn (a former student of Robbie Basho) contributes a gorgeous original composition. Rich has dedicated his life to exploring and composing raga based guitar music and evokes the pure spirit of his teacher. Glenn Jones is featured, a leading proponent in the world today of the American primitive tradition. Basket Full of Dragons also features: guitarist Chuck Johnson, Buck Curran joined by Italian singer Adele H, Syrian oud player Tammam Saeed and percussionist April Centrone, Italian guitarist Paolo Laboule Novellino, a duet by Henry Kaiser and Michael Gulezian, Israeli composer Yair Yona, Twelve Hides with Ben Tweddell, Mike Tamburo, the collaboration of Mariano Rodriguez, Karina Vismara and Jonah Schwartz and singer Eva Sheppard joined by her father Jesse Sheppard on 12-string guitar. The past volume, We Are All One, received great press: Acoustic Guitar Magazine placed it amongst its "Best Albums of 2010", Pitchfork gave it a rating of 7.8, Guitar Player Magazine named it an "Editors Top Pick" and Mojo Magazine rewarded it four stars. CD $13
RAGNAROK - Ragnarok (Silence 3613; Sweden) Originally released in 1976. Ragnarök's melodic, harmonic and calm instrumental music made a great background for red wine and late night conversations on the high schools all around Sweden in 1976. Also, the critics were delighted and described the music as fresh and sparkling as a spring creek. CD $15
HEDNINGARNA - Kaksi! (Silence 4717; Sweden) 1992 release. With an electrified goat stomach, home-built and electrified ancient instruments Hedningarna took the world by storm with their version of Nordic folk music. Heavy and hypnotic with the two Finnish female voices on top. Kaksi! is considered a mile pole in the history of Swedish folk music. CD $15
HEDNINGARNA - Tra (Silence 4721; Sweden) 1994 release. Trä, the second album from Hedningarna, develops their sound. It was their break through outside Scandinavia. Trä was nominated for two Swedish Grammy awards. CD $15
HEDNINGARNA - Hippjokk (Silence 4737; Sweden) 1997 release. Hedningarna present Hippjokk. When the female singers had other things to do the original male members of the group made this mostly instrumental record except for some vocals by Finnish Wimme Saari. Heavy and very dancy. CD $15
WOODEN HORSE - Wooden Horse II (Prog Temple 8056; UK) Presenting Wooden Horse's Wooden Horse II (1973). Originally formed in Sydney, Australia, this folk-rock quintet completed their line-up upon moving to London in 1970, and are best-known for featuring vocalist Susan Traynor, better-known as Noosha Fox. Released in June 1973, their second and final album is more electric and diverse than their mellow self-titled debut. Wooden Horse II sold well into four figures in its original vinyl form. It makes its long overdue return to CD here. Includes background notes and images. CD $17
ZIOR - Every Inch A Man (Prog Temple 8057; UK) Prog Temple present Every Inch A Man (1973) by Zior. Zior are revered as one of the best British underground hard rock bands of the early '70s. This is their second and final album, which only appeared in Germany in 1973. It is a significant rarity today. A gritty collection of organ and guitar-fueled rockers, it's sure to appeal to fan of other early '70s British acts such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Leaf Hound. Includes background notes and images. CD $17
PENNY RIMBAUD'S L'ACADEMIE DES VANITES - Yes Sir, The Truth Of Revolution (Cold Springs CRS 223; UK) Penny Rimbaud presents a reworking of Crass's album, Yes, Sir, I Will (1982), titled Yes Sir, The Truth Of Revolution. Crass' album, Yes, Sir, I Will, was possibly the most angry and hard hitting attack on the political/military/industrial complex ever consigned to vinyl. Written by Penny Rimbaud in 1982 at the height of the Falklands conflict, it seethes with righteous indignation over what he saw as a pointless but vicious exercise in vote catching by a government whose popularity was severely on the wane. So powerful was this critique that it led to threats of prosecution by that very same government, threats which were typically used by Crass to further their attacks on it and its tyrannical leader, Margaret Thatcher. Over thirty years later, in 2014, Rimbaud was asked to participate in the Rebellion Festival, a yearly punk gathering held in Blackpool, UK. Rimbaud and the festival organizers agreed that as an appropriate response they should open the event with a performance of Yes, Sir, I Will. Rimbaud began to question the relevance of some of the content of Yes, Sir. It seemed to him that much of it was pertinent only to the time in which it was written, a time when a genuine social uprising had appeared to be a very real possibility. But times change and there was, he felt, an element of aggression within the work which veiled its essential message of love and peace. With this in mind, and inspired by John Lennon's "All You Need is Love," he set about rewriting Yes, Sir from what he describes as a more Taoist viewpoint. He was largely able to satisfy his wish to change Yes, Sir into an expression of compassion, that being the hugely demanding realm of love in its unconditional form. For the Rebellion performance of the now retitled Yes, Sir, the Truth of Revolution, Rimbaud was joined by Crass' lead vocalist Eve Libertine plus a group of leading musicians from the London jazz scene. Named L'Académie Des Vanités, the band consisted of: Eve Libertine - vocals; Penny Rimbaud - vocals; Louise Elliott - sax; Kate Shortt - cello; Jennifer Maidman - guitar; Phil Robson - guitar; Thad Kelly - bass; Gene Calderazzo - drums. Equally, through its progressive and colorful imagery, the vibrant packaging designed by Gee Vaucher shows a refusal to harp back to the illusory golden past of punk dreams and conceits. CD $17
BRON AREA - The Trees and the Villages (Glass Redux 003; UK) Bron Area started life as a duo in March 1979, emerging from a community of musicians in Nuneaton, England. Martin Packwood and Steven Parker had been involved in a number of projects before meeting Peter Becker, who supported and encouraged them in the early stages of Bron Area. With the reorganization of Reluctant Stereotypes, which resulted in the departure of Martyn Bates and Chris Dunne (who would drum on all later Bron Area records), Bates arrived at a Bron Area gig to be introduced to Becker, and thus Eyeless in Gaza came into being. Ambivalent Scale Recordings was later established and saw the release of Bron Area's One Year cassette album (1980) and Fragile Sentences 7" EP (1981) as well as Eyeless in Gaza's Kodak Ghosts Run Amok 7" EP (1980) and Kevin Harrison's On Earth 2 cassette (later released in remixed form as a Cherry Red album). As Eyeless in Gaza moved on to greater glory via their deal with Cherry Red, the momentum of Nuneaton's music scene diminished, Bron Area subdued their efforts somewhat until David Barker of Glass Records, having heard two songs from the Alternative Sounds zine's Facet I compilation tape (1981), asked them to appear on his compilation LP The Wonderful World Of Glass Volume One at the end of 1981. So impressed was Barker that he signed Bron Area to Glass at the beginning of 1982. The band's first vinyl release on the label was a 12" EP titled Different Phrases, which was released in March 1982 (and later released as a 7" on the Posh Boy label in the USA). Bron Area spent the best part of 1982 in the recording studio, and released their debut LP, The Trees and the Villages, in 1983. For this first-ever reissue, The Trees and the Villages has been remastered here by original producer John A. Rivers. CD $15
DUSTIN E PRESENTS - Cornflake Zoo: Episode Two (Particles 4060; UK) Particles present Dustin E's...Cornflake Zoo: Episode Two, the second release in the new Cornflake Zoo series. There is no better joy known to man than harking back to an era where an abundance of melodic hocus pocus resides. This is the glorious pursuit of something more appealing than the mere meaning of life where rules are broken, but standards are observed. Grab yourself a bellyful of Sweden, Poland, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, the USA and Finland in twenty tracks of the most disgraceful, undignified juvenile absurdity to reach the auditory senses. Two tracks have been deleted for your own health and safety so tread with caution! Particles presents a captivating collection replete with original, archival imagery, a loving touch of restoration, no lack of no-use and a simple (minded) narrative, what more could you ask? Features: The Outsiders, The Raves, Niebiesko Czarni, Evolution, Omega Red Star, Ola And The Janglers, Jess And James, The Boots, Tony Hendrik Five, The Tonics, Cool Stove, Blues Section, Annaabee Nox, Zdroj Jana, Vinnie Basile, Proud Flesh, Test, Les Baroques and Lobos. CD $17
MIXED UP MINDS PART ELEVEN - Obscure Rock & Pop from the British Isles 1970-1974 (Particles 4063; UK) Mixed Up Minds investigates the overlooked underbelly of British rock and pop from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Part Eleven of the intrepid series captures a further glimpse of the verbal rumblings from British suburbia with twenty melodic musings from a variety of unsung wonders whose place in the British pop phenomena is now safely secure. Featuring: Peter E Bennet, Robert Holman, Twice As Nice, Macon Jug, Titanic, Black Jacks, Peter E Bennet & The Cooperation Choir, Rastafari, Shillingford Mill, Trane, Performance, St. Cecilia, Dave Berry, Rich Tea, Good News, Sweetcorn, Jessup and Wolfe. Includes 20-page full color booklet with comprehensive liner notes and rare color photographs. CD $17
Four Long Out-of-Print Boxholder CDs, Now on Sale for $10
THE COSMOSAMATICS [SONNY SIMMONS/MICHAEL MARCUS/CURTIS LUNDY/JAY ROSEN] - self-titled (Boxholder 022; USA) The Cosmosamatics are a most appropriately titled all-star avant jazz quartet who came together for this first effort and feature sixties free-jazz legend - Sonny Simmons on alto sax & English horn, local reeds giant Michael Marcus on straight tenor & alto saxes, the ubiquitous contra-bass hero - William Parker and the ever-inventive drummer Jay Rosen (who plays for Joe McPhee & Ivo Perelman). Their special guests include James Carter on bass sax, Karen Borca on bassoon & Samir Chatterjee on tabla. Both saxists are leaders and have over a half dozen releases each - bass great, composer and multi-band leader William Parker has even more titles under his own name. Sonny & Michael have played together on a few occasions, but the rhythm section had never previously worked together- but it certainly doesn't sound like that. On Marcus' "Quasar"- Michael's tenor and Sonny's alto swirl their strong, dark and deep-toned saxes together in a mass of magic colors, cosmic harmonies for both horns! William's dense bass and Jay's ever-dancing drums also push both saxes into a spiritual space of volcanic eruptions. The rhythm team solos together at first in a seamless bond and both play strong solos. Sonny's "Mingus Mangus" also has rich sax harmonies (with the addition of James Carter) which reminds me of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "The Inflated Tear". James Carter, who often has a habit of showing-off, plays ferocious bass sax here, not an easy sax to blast on, but he sounds fabulous! On Sonny's "Beyond the Inner East" he plays his great double reed English horn backed by some tabla, and even begins a hip-hop segment before the tune fades out. The final piece is "New Line Groove" and all hell breaks loose as Jay explodes on his drums and all three saxes erupt once more in an cosmic mass of phenomenal proportions - whoa, watch out as the heavens part and we are transported to cosmic worlds of tomorrow! This is an immensely powerful offering which will heal the sick and provide a much needed salve for this troubled world in which we live! - BLG CD $10
THE COSMOSAMATICS [SONNY SIMMONS/MICHAEL MARCUS/CURTIS LUNDY/JAY ROSEN - Cosmosamatics II (Boxholder 030; USA) You'd think a musical quartet running around calling themselves the Cosmosamatics would be something whimsical—fun, but a throwaway of sorts; but the sounds on Cosmosamatics II are brooding, deep free jazz in the mode of Eric Dolphy or Marty Ehrlich. Serious stuff that doesn't take itself too seriously. Two reed men are out front—Sonny Simmons on mostly the alto, and some English horn; and Michael Marcus playing tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet and flute. Playing free, interacting, wailing conversations of the reed. What sets this one apart is the solid, almost metronomic rhythm of bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Jay Rosen. On the opener, "Fusionanatomy", they set up a solid, steady heartbeat, the bass and bass drum settling into the lub-dub while Rosen works a fibrillation on the cymbals and snare, anchoring the blowing, setting the stage for freedom for the reedmen. Cosmosamatics II is definitely not mainstream stuff, but it's about as close to it as Boxholder Records gets. Over the past couple of years the company has put out a series of some of the most adventurous and compelling free jazz (mostly live stuff) sets on disc. This one is a studio recording, but is no less loose and free for the lack of a live setting. It was certainly recorded "live" in the studio, with a great deal of fire. Sonny Simmons has a dark, hard tone on the alto, and Michael Marcus plays a beautifully unfettered bass clarinet on the eleven and a half minute "Echos of Dolphy". - Dan McClenagahn, AAJ CD $10
THE COSMOSAMATICS [SONNY SIMMONS / MICHAEL MARCUS / JAY ROSEN] - Cosmosamatics Three (Boxholder 041; USA) Featuring Sonny Simmons on alto sax & English horn, Michael Marcus on baritone sax & saxello and Jay Rosen on drums & percussion. This is actually the fourth Cosmosamatics disc counting their live date on Bleu Regard from last year. 'Three' is half studio and half live and yes, there is no bassist. This allows their wonderful drummer to concentrate on a few different functions and he really does a great job. When I caught the quartet version at a recent Visions Club date, it was Jay that impressed me the most with his riveting drumming. Both Sonny and Michael split up the writing with a fine cover of Monk's "'Round Midnight'. A number of these tunes feature the English horn (an oboe-like double reed) and saxello (rare sax in between the soprano & alto in range) playing those hypnotic middle-eastern harmonies. Jay swings his tush off on "Tonal Magnitudes", which provides Sonny's alto and Michael's saxello ample time to play some spirited solos. Jay plays a different groove on each piece, creating the entire rhythm team support beneath both reeds giants. This is not a heavy duty blow-fest, but rather a calmer, more relaxed vibe, with strong playing, but little or no screaming. Both Sonny and Michael have strong and passionate tones on both reeds and both play with imagination and slow burning energy for this entire modern jazz treasure. Dedicated to NASA's Mars Mission satellite to bring hope for a better future. Amen. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG CD $15
DUOLOGY [MICHAEL MARCUS/TED DANIEL] - Duology (Boxholder 052; USA) Featuring multi-reeds wizard Michael Marcus on b-flat clarinet and Ted Daniel on trumpet, flugel, bugle and cornet. Michael Marcus and Ted Daniel have been collaborating for over 20 years, going back to Michael's first two discs on Soul Note and Enja. A clarinet and trumpet duo might seem like an unusual idea, but not in the hands of these two giants. Michael wrote about half of the thirteen tracks with three by Ted and four collective pieces. After opening with a quirky theme, both players solo simultaneously and spin notes around one another intensely. Although there is no rhythm section on this disc, it doesn't hold these guys back from creating focused structures with rhythmic parts and angular harmonies. I like the way Ted's muted horn sounds on "Dark Sun" as both create unique harmonies together. Many of these are well written with inspired solos in the center and each provides a different challenge as far as the structure. There is one trumpet solo and one clarinet solo and both are splendid, showing a variety of different sounds and approaches to their distinctive talents. This disc seems to be coming from the AACM side approach of playing extended sounds in unusual combinations, only referring to jazz in distant ways. A marvelous duo that is taking a chance and succeeding at the same time. - BLG CD $10
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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for July of 2016:
THE STONE is located at the NW corner of Avenue C & East 2nd Sts. THE STONE RESIDENCIES - SOFIA REI - JULY 19–24
7/22 Friday 8 pm - Hidden Tales/Coplas escondidas - Jorge Roeder (bass) Sofía Rei (vocals); A new collection of unknown songs from every corner of the American continent, North and South. 10 pm - Pianos for Cuchi/Pianos para el Cuchi - Leo Genovese (piano, keys) Sofía Rei (vocals) A tribute to Cuchi Leguizamón, a revolutionary musician in Argentine folk music.
7/23 Saturday 8 pm - Five Cynical Poems & Other Selections - Tupac Mantilla (body percussion, drums) Sofía Rei (vocals, loops, efx, charango) 10 pm - The Sextet & Special Guests - Sofía Rei (vocals, loops, charango) Eric Kurimski (acoustic guitar) JC Maillard (electric guitar) Jorge Roeder (bass) Franco Pinna (drums, percussion) Tupac Mantilla (percussion) Ryan Keberle (trombone)
7/24 Sunday 8 pm - Cursed Heavens/Maldigo del Alto Cielo - Leo Genovese (piano) Dan Blake (soprano sax) Sofia Rei (vocals, loops, efx, charango, caja vidalera) Roxana Amed (vocals) Songs of Violeta Parra 10 pm - Portable Songs - Jason Lindner (piano, keys) Abe Seiferth (modular synthesis) Sofía Rei
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - JESSICA PAVONE - JULY 26–31
7/26 Tuesday 8 pm - Jobs - Max Jaffe (voice, drums) Rob Lundberg (voice, bass) Dave Scanlon (voice, guitar) Jessica Pavone (bass, viola) Jeff Gretz (percussion) New works and quintet arrangements of pieces from “killer BOB sings.” - $10 10 pm - Till by Turning play “Quotidian,” a suite in four movements 2005–7 Erica Dicker (violin) Amy Cimini (viola) Henna Chou (cello) Katherine Young (bassoon) Emily Manzo (piano) - FIFTEEN DOLLARS
7/27 Wednesday 8 pm - The Pavones - Pavone (violin, viola, bass guitar, tunes) Michael Attias (alto sax) Matt Bauder (tenor sax) Ben Holmes (trumpet) Brandon Seabrook (guitar) Harris Eisenstadt (drums); Weirdo instrumental soul tunes - FIFTEEN DOLLARS 10 pm - Army of Strangers - Jessica Pavone (violin, viola, tunes) Brandon Seabrook (guitar) Jonti Siman (bass guitar) Harris Eisenstadt (drums); Plays the “Cast of Characters” album 2009-10. - FIFTEEN DOLLARS
7/28 Thursday 8 pm - “When No One Around You Is There” (2013) - EXPERIMENTS IN OPERA presents: Experimental choral works featuring members of Ghostlight Chorus and “When No One Around You is There” 2013. An evening of choral works curated by Jessica Pavone featuring a reprise of her “When No One Around You Is There," Jason Cady‘s choral opera “Nostalgia Kills” and Matthew Welch's "Reanimator Requiem" (from (2013’s Chorus of All Souls). Also new works by Aaron Siegel and Sasha Zamler-Carhart. Ghostlight Chorus will sing under the direction of conductor David Bloom. - $20 10 pm - Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone 2016 Mary Halvorson (guitar) Jessica Pavone (bass guitar) - FIFTEEN DOLLARS
7/29 Friday 8 pm - Solo Pavone 2012–16 CD release of Silent Spills on Relative Pitch Records - Jessica Pavone (viola); Pavone’s recent works for solo viola and voice stem from years of concentrated long tone practice and an interest in repetition, song form, and sympathetic vibration. She combines her long tone rituals with delay, understated melodies and sparse lyrical content while continuously experimenting with new forms. $15 10 pm - Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone 2002-2012 - Mary Halvorson (guitar) Jessica Pavone (viola) - FIFTEEN DOLLARS
7/30 Saturday 8 pm - SONGS OF SYNASTRY AND SOLITUDE 2008-9 - Julianne Carney (violin) Jeanann Dara (viola) Eric Allen (cello) Andrew Roitstein (double bass) “Songs of Synastry and Solitude” is a collection of songs for string quartet influenced by an interest in the simple beauty of folk songs, the ghosts of all things lost and Leonard Cohen’s encouragement to live outside this world. FIFTEEN DOLLARS 10 pm - Hope Dawson is Missing 2010–11 - Julianne Carney (violin) Jeanann Dara (viola) Hamilton Berry (cello) Andrew Roitstein (double bass) Emily Manzo (voice) Ava Mendoza (guitar) Tomas Fujiwara (drums); A song cycle that meditates on Plutonian themes of destruction and rebuilding, migration, falsities, and undeniable truths. - FIFTEEN DOLLARS
7/31 Sunday 8 pm - AMNON FREIDLIN, EVAN LIPSON and JESSICA PAVONE - Amnon Freidlin (guitar) Evan Lipson (double bass) Jessica Pavone (viola) Amnon Freidlin, Evan Lipson and Jessica Pavone of Normal Love throw down! TEN DOLLARS 10 pm - FOLIE A DEUX play “Middle C is My Favorite Note on the Viola” 2016 Nora Krohn, Nick Revel (violas) Premiere of a new viola duet by Pavone! $15
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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The CORNELIA STREET CAFE - 212-989-9319 29 Cornelia St in the heart of the West Greenwich Village, NYC
Friday Jul 22 9:00PM & 10:30PM STEPHAN CRUMP/KRIS DAVIS/ERIC MCPHERSON - Stephan Crump, bass; Kris Davis, piano; Eric McPherson, drums Saturday Jul 23 9:00PM & 10:30PM STEPHAN CRUMP/KRIS DAVIS/ERIC MCPHERSON Stephan Crump, bass; Kris Davis, piano; Eric McPherson, drums Sunday Jul 24 8:30PM CHET DOXAS TRIO - Chet Doxas, tenor sax; Jacob Sacks, piano; Vinnie Sperrazza, 10:00PM CHARLOTTE GREVE QUARTET - Charlotte Greve, alto sax, comp.; Manuel Schmiedel, piano; Chris Tordini, bass; Craig Weibrib, drums
Mon July 25: 8:30PM HANNAH REIMANN'S WOMAN OF HEART & MIND: THE MUSIC OF JONI MITCHELL (1968-1974) - Hannah Reimann, vocals, piano; Michele Temple, guitar Hannah Reimann's Woman of Heart & Mind: The Music of Joni Mitchell
Tuesday Jul 26 8:00PM LOGAN STROSAHL QUARTET - Logan Strosahl, sax; Lim Yang, bass; Allan Mednard, drums 9:30PM SPIN CYCLE - Tom Christensen, sax; Pete McCann, guitar; Dean Johnson, bass; Scott Neumann, drums
Wednesday July 27 8:01PM ANOUMAN - Peter Sparacino, saxes; Koran Agan, guitar; Josh Kaye, guitar; Eduardo Belo, bass
Thursday Jul 28 6:00PM ANDREW SCHILLER QUARTET - Andrew Schiller, bass, compositions; Alec Harper, tenor sax; Hery Paz, tenor sax; 8:01PM FABIAN ALMAZAN & CAMILA MEZA - Fabian Almazan, piano; Camila Meza, voice, guitar
Friday Jul 29 9:00PM & 10:30PM HUSH POINT - Jeremy Udden, alto sax; John McNeil, trumpet; Aryeh Kobrinsky, bass; Anthony Pinciotti, drums
Saturday Jul 30 9:00PM & 10:30PM SHEILA JORDAN & CAMERON BROWN - Sheila Jordan, vocals; Cameron Brown, bass
Sunday Jul 31 6:00PM SARAH BERNSTEIN QUARTET - Sarah Bernstein, violin; Jacob Sacks, piano; Stuart Popejoy, electric bass; Tomas Fujiwara, drums 8:35PM JULIE BENKO - Julie Benko, voice; Andy Warren, trumpet; Kenny Pexton, clarinet, saxophone; Jason Yeager, piano; Walter Harris, trombone; Danny Weller, bass; Jay Sawyer, drums
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I-Beam Presents - July 2016 Schedule:
Friday, July 29th 8:30 PM Eva Novoa Ditmas Quartet Live Recording! Michael Attias – Alto Saxophone Eva Novoa – Piano Max Johnson – Bass Jeff Davis – Drums
Friday, August 12th 8:30 PM Nick Fraser Trio feat. Tony Malaby and Kris Davis Nick Fraser: drums, compositions Tony Malaby: tenor and soprano saxophones Chris Hoffman: cello Eivind Opsvik: bass
Thursday, August 25th 8:30 PM Billy Mintz Quintet John Gross – tenor saxophone Tony Malaby – tenor saxophone Roberta Piket – piano Hilliard Greene – bass Billy Mintz – drums
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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Shapeshifter July Schedule:
July 22 7pm: Jeremy Warren & The Rudiment Jeremy Warren-Drums Dermel Warren-Vocals Gil Defay-Trumpet Joel Desroches-Piano Jake Leckie-Bass
July 23 "NOT TWO" 7pm - showing of the film "Not Two" 7:45 - The Citizens play a music set "Not Two" is a short (34 minute) film by Mark Lesseraux. The Citizens are a 4 piece art-rock band from Brooklyn
July 24 ShapeShifter+ PresentsL Digital + Acoustic Sessions Part IV Free/Open Workshop Featuring: Ableton Certified Trainer Dan Freeman (CØm1x), Ableton Certified Trainer Adriano Clemente and Matthew Wang. Live Performances: Johnny Butler, Dan Freeman (CØm1x) and Adriano Clemente Workshop: 6:30p-8p; / Live Performances: 8:30 – 11:30 - Cover charge: Free
Jul 25 - 7pm: Lindsey Wilson & The Reckoning
July 29 - Chris Misch 7:00 - 7:45 Many Braveries 8:00 - 8:45 Chris Misch-Bloxdorf Ensemble feat. Sara McDonald 9:00 - Broca’s Area
Jul 30 Rick Parker and Li Daiguo "Free World Music" Release Party 8p, 9p - Rick Parker: Trombone, Effects, Synths; Li Daiguo: Pipa, Cello, Voice
July 31 7p Rattus Rattus. Alden Slack - Alto Sax Evan Dibbs - guitar/vox Christian Yost - guitar Justin Geyer - Keys Andrei Kvapik- bass Marco Spodek - Drums 8:15pm The Shapeshifters Kevin Quinn - guitar Eric Quinn - trombone Grady Tesch - vibes Jason smith - bass John Luther drums
Shapeshifter is located at 18 Whitwell Place in Brooklyn, NY R train to Union stop
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The Owl Parlor: Presents:
FRI July 22 Tanya Kalmanovitch, Anthony Coleman & Ted Reichman Trio / The By and Bys 7:30 Doors $10.00 Suggested Donation THU July 28 Ted Reichman Trio // Birthing Hips Thursday, July 28 7:30 Doors $10.00 Suggested Donation
FRI July 29 Sue Garner // Sue Garner and Ted Reichman Duo Friday, July 29 7:30 Doors $10.00 Suggested Donation
The Owl Parlor is located at: 497 Rogers Ave. (@ Midwood St.) in Brooklyn, NY 11225 (718) 774-0042
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JOHN ZORN’s BAGATELLES AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
15 virtuoso ensembles perform compositions from John Zorn’s book of BAGATELLES Tuesday August 9th - Sunday, August 14th, 2016
TUE AUG 9 8:30PM - URI CAINE DUOS WITH JOHN MEDESKI & JON IRABAGON 10:30 - ASMODEUS - MARC RIBOT - TREVOR DUNN - TYSHAWN SOREY JOHN ZORN - CONDUCTOR
WED AUG 10 8:30PM - CRAIG TABORN SOLO 10:30PM - JON IRABAGON - MATT MITCHELL - DREW GRESS - TOM RAINEY
THU AUG 11 8:30PM - BRIAN MARSELLA TRIO with TREVOR DUNN - KENNY WOLLESEN 10:30PM - THUAUG 11 - GYAN RILEY & JULIAN LAGE
FRI AUG 12 7PM - MATT MITCHELL TRIO with KIM CASS - DAN WEISS 8:30PM - MARK FELDMAN DUOS with SYLVIE COURVOISIER & CHRIS OTTO 10:30PM - PETER EVANS - JON IRABAGON - JOHN HÉBERT - TYSHAWN SOREY
SAT AUG 13 7PM - ERIK FRIEDLANDER-MICHAEL NICOLAS DUO 8:30PM - JIM BLACK TRIO with ELIAS STEMESEDER - CHRIS TORDINI 10:30PM - JIM BLACK GUITAR QUARTET: KEISUKE MATSUNO - JONATHAN GOLDBERGER - SIMON JERMYN
SUN AUG 14 3pm: MATINEE - CHRIS SPEED TRIO with CHRIS TORDINI - DAVE KING 8:30PM KRIS DAVIS - MARY HALVORSON - DREW GRESS - TYSHAWN SOREY 10:30PM - MARY HALVORSON QUARTET - MILES OKAZAKI - DREW GRESS - TOMAS FUJIWARA