A Great Week of New Releases!

Zorn a Capella Masada! Matt Shipp Solo! Feldman/Courvoisier! Unreleased NY Art Qt '65! Univers Zero! Anker/Taborn/Cleaver! Jacob Anderskov w/ Chris Speed! Johannes Lauer Large! David Durrah!

Lovedale w/ Cuong Vu! Chicago Underground Duo! Good for Cows! Jean Derome & Joane Hetu! Klaxon Guele! Antoine Berthiaume! Lori Freedman! Peter Whitehead! Bill Fay! Peter Walker! Jack Rose! ..Rare stock found!




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


Downtown Music Gallery FREE In-Store Performance Schedule Continues with:


Sunday, January 24th at 6pm: RAS MOSHE / KYOKO KITAMURA/ REUT REGEV / ANDERS NILSSEN! Master reeds wiz Ras brings his new to DMG!


Sunday, January 31st at 6pm:
JESSE ELDER & LOGAN RICHARDSON!
Excellent Piano & Alto Sax Duo & CD Release Celebration!


Valentine's Day - Sunday, February 14th at 6pm:
PETER WHITEHEAD - Instrument Maker & Songwriter CD Release Celebration!
Playing Love Songs from Alien Worlds!


Sunday, March 21st at 6pm:
CYLINDER Trio (from San Francisco):
Aram Shelton - alto saxophone and clarinet
Darren Johnston - trumpet
Lisa Mezzacappa - acoustic bass


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


Hey! Lots of GREAT MUSIC PERFORMANCES are happening this year [as they have in years past] at the..

ABRONS ART CENTER

466 Grand Street [at *Pitt St] in Manhattan's Lower East Side

Once you finally visit this beautiful theatre, you'll realize how easy it is to get to - and what amazing performances are presented, like this upcoming..



MASADA 'BOOK OF ANGELS' MARATHON!
February 17th & 18th

2 nights. 10 bands. 19 musicians. 1 inspiring book of music!

Written in a flash of creativity during three months at the end of 2004, the 316 compositions in John Zorn's Book of Angels contain some of his most lyrical and inspiring music. Performed by a wide variety of ensembles over the past 5 years the music has generated 13 CDs to date, with 4 more scheduled for release in 2010. This special Marathon concert brings together 10 different groups in two evenings-five bands per night. Don't miss this special downtown event presented at the historical Henry Street Settlement at the Abrons Art Center!

$30 in advance
$35 at the door

SEATING IS LIMITED SO BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!
(Separate admission each night)

at https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/710455



Featuring: Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, Greg Cohen, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, Kenny Wollesen, Jamie Saft, Erik Friedlander, Mark Feldman, Ben Goldberg, Shanir Blumenkranz, Sylvie Courvoisier, Tim Keiper, Brian Marsells, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Basya Schecter, Malika Zarra, Sofia Rei Koutsovitis, John Zorn


DAY 1 February 17th (Wednesday) at 8pm

Banquet Of The Spirits
Ben Goldberg Quartet
Mark Feldman/Sylvie Courvoisier
Mycale
Masada Sextet


tickets for Day 1 https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7904665


DAY 2 February 18th (Thursday) at 8pm

Uri Caine solo
Masada String Trio
Jamie Saft Trio
Erik Friedlander solo
Masada Quartet

tickets for Day 2 https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7904675


"This two-day event is NOT to be missed!" - Bruce Lee Gallanter and Manny 'Lunch' Maris


(*Pitt St is what Ave C becomes when it crosses Houston St going south - so if you know how to get to The Stone on Ave C, it's just a straight 5 blocks south of there!)


for upcoming events at Abrons Art Center, go to

https://www.henrystreet.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AAC_PERF_upcoming


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




First Tzadik releases of 2010!

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: BASYA SCHECTER et al - Mycale: 'Book Of Angels' Vol 13 (Tzadik 7378; USA) Get ready for a whole new approach to Masada music! Expressive and passionate, Basya Schecter, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Malika Zarra and Sofia Rei Koutsovitis are four of the most creative vocalists around. Each the leader of a dynamic band of their own, they come together here in an intimate a cappella setting to interpret eleven songs from Zorn's remarkable Book of Angels. With lyrics in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, French and Arabic drawn from Rumi, Fernando Pessoa, The Hebrew Bible and more, the Masada vocal project is perhaps the most hauntingly beautiful installments in the entire Angels series. Dynamic and evocative New Jewish Music from four powerful women vocalists! TZADIK ARCHIVAL SERIES
CD $14

MARK FELDMAN/SYLVIE COURVOISIER - Oblivia (Tzadik 7633; USA) Mark Feldman and Sylvie Courvoisier are two of the most spectacular composer-performers working today. Virtuosos on their respective instruments and sensitive, telepathic improvisers, their quest for perfection results in breathtaking new music that seamlessly blends classical composition with the exciting edge of improvisation. Working closely as a duo since the mid-1990s, their interplay is now at a creative peak in this, their latest and most beautiful recording. Featuring original material by the both of them, Oblivia redefines the format of violin-piano recitals. The future of classical music is here! TZADIK KEY SERIES
CD $14

YUKA HONDA - Heart Chamber Phantoms (Tzadik 7722; USA) The versatile composer/performer who has worked with Cibo Matto, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Mike Watt and many others, creates a third CD for the Tzadik Oracles series highlighting her fascinating new instrumental approach. Mixing funky beats, hip samples and instruments both acoustic and electric, Yuka's dramatic sense of sound and color creates a hypnotic groove for young moderns. Endlessly listenable, her first CD in over five years is also her very best! TZADIK ORACLES SERIES
CD $14

NOAH CRESHEVSKY - The Twilight of the Gods (Tzadik 8069; USA) Active in electronic composition since 1971, Creshevsky delights in presenting extreme and unpredictable juxtapositions in which the integration of electronic and acoustic sources and processes creates virtual "superperformers" by using the sounds of traditional instruments pushed past human capacities. Creshevsky uses the term Hyperrealism to describe his electroacoustic language constructed from found sounds, handled in ways that are exaggerated or intense. The second Tzadik CD by this modern magus of electronica presents a fabulous and diverse program sampling voice, orchestra, electronics, pop music and more. TZADIK COMPOSER SERIES
CD $14


..and, First Six Releases from Cuneiform for 2010!

NEW YORK ART QUARTET [ROSWELL RUDD/JOHN TCHICAI/FINN VON EYBEN/LOUIS MOHOLO] - Old Stuff: October 1965 (Cuneiform 300; USA) NEVER BEFROE RELEASED! This is truly a remarkable archival find! Formed in the summer of 1964, although the New York Art Quartet existed for barely a year and a half, great interest remains in their work. They consisted of co-leaders John Tchicai (alto sax), who participated in John Coltrane's ground-breaking Ascension album and Roswell Rudd (trombone), considered to be the first free-jazz trombonist, along with bassist Don Moore and drummer Milford Graves. The band participated in the legendary 'October Revolution in Jazz', which journalist Bill Shoemaker called, "Arguably the most seminal jazz concert series ever held...it was a comprehensive four-day survey of jazz's cutting edge.... It marked the beginning of the Golden Era of do-it-yourself jazz culture in the U.S." The New York Art Quartet recorded their self-titled first album for ESP and Tchicai went back to his homeland of Denmark to scout out work for the group. Only Rudd was able to join him, so the pair enlisted Copenhagen bassist Finn von Eyben and South African drummer Louis Moholo, who had very recently left South Africa with the Blue Notes; this is his earliest recording after leaving South Africa, and the first recording of him playing free music. This lineup of the New York Art Quartet performed two concerts in Copenhagen in October, 1965, which is where these recordings were made.
Released on the 45th anniversary of the October Revolution, the period in which this band was forged, this historic issue features all previously unheard and unreleased recordings of brilliant and fiery musical interplay that have tremendously great, high quality, period live sound; much better than any of their original albums! In the 8 page booklet are never-before seen photos and a short, informative essay by writer Jason Weiss, who produced this album.
"The band sharing the bill with Sonic Youth at the Seaport Atrium in lower Manhattan tonight -- the headliners, actually -- will be the New York Art Quartet, a reconvened avant-garde jazz chamber ensemble.... This is no act of charity by Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth's founder and guitarist, and an ardent devotee of 60's free jazz. The show might be one of the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival's hottest tickets even without Sonic Youth as the opening act, such is the anticipation about the reunion of...the New York Art Quartet.... With the passage of enough time, virtually anything can become a source of nostalgia, apparently including even another era's racial frictions and cutting-edge music. But a double bill of Sonic Youth and the New York Art Quartet has even greater contemporary relevance. It demonstrates the long-term influence of 60's free jazz on extreme forms of rock-and-roll, beginning with punk and no-wave in the late 70's, if not a decade earlier with the Stooges and the MC5 -- a curious phenomenon, given free improvisation's supposedly negligible impact on mainstream jazz.... Collective improvisation was a cherished ideal in early free jazz, but aside from greater parity between horn soloists and their rhythm sections, this was often just talk. For the New York Art Quartet, collective improvisation was a raison d'etre, the band's musical starting point." - Francis Davis/The New York Times
CD $15

UNIVERS ZERO [DANIEL DENIS/MICHEL BERCKMANS/KURT BUDE et al] - Clivages (Cuneiform 295; USA) Founding members of the original "Rock In Opposition" [R.I.O.] movement and the inventors of "chamber rock", Univers Zero have continued to change and grow and develop over their entire career, while still keeping a ensemble sound and spirit that is easily recognizable. Clivages is their first studio album in over five years, but much more importantly, it is their first studio release in over 20 years - since 1986's Heatwave - to feature the energy and sound of a working, rehearsing, live ensemble performing in the studio! And it shows! It features the current line-up of the group who have been playing concerts and working together for quite some time now: Michel Berkmans (bassoon, English horn, oboe), Kurt Bude (clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax), Pierre Chevalier (keyboards), Daniel Denis (drums, sampler), Dimitri Evers (bass), Martin Lauwers (violin) with guest Andy Kirk (guitar and percussion).
Univers Zero are rightly famous for finding the perfect balance between classical and rock influences and drawing on musicians from both worlds. In terms of this, Clivages is possibly their best-balanced release, featuring a couple of small chamber works for the trio of strings, reeds and double reeds of the group. The rock side has not been ignored in any way, however and in addition to compositional contributions from band members Denis, Bude and Berckmans, Clivages features Andy Kirk's 12' piece "Warrior", which harkens back to the sound of the band circa Heatwave! A tremdously strong work from a band who have a very full catalog of essential discs!
CD $15

ALGERNON [DAVE MILLER/TOBY SUMMERFIELD/KATIE WIEGMAN et al] - Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform 297; USA) Algernon are one of Chicago's fastest rising young bands. They have a great post-rock/avant-progressive/modern progressive, instrumental sound. They feature a unique line-up of dual guitars, vibes, bass and drums. The band is led by guitarist and composer Dave Miller. The other members of Algernon are second guitarist Toby Summerfield (who also was a member of Larval for many years), vibes player Katie Wiegman, bassist Tom Perona, and drummer Cory Healey. Miller formed Agernon as a way to combine a large number of influences of various types of music he liked in a unique way, without any one of them being the dominant sound. These influences include experimental rock (60s psychedelic rock, Jimi Hendrix, 13th Floor Elevators), kraut-rock (Harmonia, Can and Neu!), post-rock (Tortoise, Isotope 217, Chicago Underground, Godspeed!, Talk Talk) the late 70s art-punk and no-wave scene (Sonic Youth, Glenn Branca) and avant-garde jazz.
A very important point about Algernon's music is despite Dave having a strong jazz background, Algernon is not a improvising band. The music that Dave writes for the group is basically wholly scored; there is a very small amount of improvisation and what improvisation there is, is more about atmosphere(s) than about solos. Ghost Surveillance is Algernon's third album and is their first to reach a wider audience. Their music brings a lot of influences together in surprising and entertaining ways. A quick listen to the download sample below will show you why we have such great enthusiasm for this band, as they manage to be quite accessible while pushing stylistic boundaries and exploring new paths.
CD $15

RADIO MASSACRE INTERNATIONAL - Time & Motion [2 CD set] (Cuneiform 298/299; USA) Radio Massacre International is a British trio of Steve Dinsdale (keyboards, electronics, drums), Duncan Goddard (keyboards, electronics, bass) and Gary Houghton (guitar, synthesizers). These three musicians have worked together in various configurations since they were 16 year old students in the 70s and formed R.M.I. in 1993. After nearly 20 years together as R.M.I. and over 30 albums and hundreds of concerts, you might think that there might be no surprises left, but like their undulating, flowing music, the musicians are always finding new twists and turns to incorporate into their sound. At its root, Time and Motion very much has their "Berlin-school electronic music" sound intact, with music that gradually develops in the manner of the classic pioneers of this sound; the synthesizers and clouds of guitars take us all on a journey into the cosmos! But here they've added guest Martin Archer on reeds and electronics on about 40% of the album and he is fully integrated into the ensemble, adding a very unique solo and ensemble contribution to the spacey electronic music presented - a sound that I don't think has ever been used in this way in electronic trance/space music. This is two full CDs (at a single CD price) which features over 2 1/2 hours of great music! The 2 CDs are structured as the equivalent of four lps, to cater to listeners who appreciate the older playing times of a 35'-40' album or to any listener who might find 80' of music at a time a bit overwhelming. So, this album is programmed to have four different 'entry points', each being a self-standing tranche of music that lasts aproximately 40'.
"...RMI's Steve Dinsdale, Duncan Goddard, and Gary Houghton know how to coax all sorts of nuances from their machines, and they function as a live, interactive trio, with each member responding to the others' riffs and musical motifs. It doesn't hurt any, either, that Houghton has very impressive guitar chops, so when he eases into the mix with some blistering Stratocaster bursts, he rather convincingly updates (and improves upon) Edgar Froese's generic and rather predictable guitar flights on the seminal Tangerine Dream recordings. In a word, Radio Massacre International nail the vintage electronic music sound, but the band is simply more "nimble" than the first generation models, which greatly enhances the listening pleasure of the suitably attuned listener...if you're a musical novice unacquainted with RMI's sources, this music will serve as a stellar introduction to the form." - All Music Guide
2 CD set for $17

BROWN VS BROWN [VIJAM NYBACKA/DIRK BRUINSMA/GERRI JAGER/JEROEN KIMMAN] - Odds And Unevens (Cuneiform 293; USA) Brown vs Brown are a intense and stunningly tight and complex 'rehearsal-intensive' avant-garde rock band from Amsterdam, Holland. Brown vs Brown was formed in 2004 by Dirk Bruinsma (saxes, vocals), Viljam Nybacka (bass), Gerri Jager (drums) and Jeroen Kimman (guitar, banjo). The band's electrifying chemistry quickly made itself apparent: A love/hate relationship with jazz, a quirky alt/punk-rock mindset and the genuine need to create a new music that is coherent and personal, became their common ground in the hard-working years that followed. After 5 years of joint creative exploits and playing hundreds of concerts throughout Europe, Brown vs Brown has developed a musical universe that categorically denies stylistic description. Seemingly contrasting elements clash and recombine: meticulous composition vs. improvisation, complexity vs. raw energy, and breakneck stumble rhythms vs. irresistible swing. Brown vs Brown takes great pride in its reputation as a powerhouse live act, and feels as confident playing the consecrated ground of jazz-temples as well as the beer-soaked floors of ill-lit alt-rock clubs, leaving all of these audiences flabbergasted. Odds and Unevens is the group's second album and was recorded by Bob Drake and captures all of the nuances and explosive group sound of the group. Dirk Bruinsma is known to long-time Cuneiform followers as a co-founder and co-leader of Blast, who recorded several brilliant albums for us. While Blast has moved more into a 'improvised-music' direction, Brown vs Brown builds upon the the heavily composed, angular, intricate tough-edged and aggressive, avant-progressive sound of Blast's earlier works, but with their own distinctive, flinty sound.
CD $15

PHIL MILLER'S IN CAHOOTS With ELTON DEAN/JIM DVORAK/PETER LEMER/FRED BAKER/MARK FLETCHER - All That (Cuneiform 181; USA) 2009 RE-EDITION! Essential studio date from this superb Canterbury all-star sextet led by the mighty Phil Miller (jazz/rock guitar great & composer for Hatfield & National Health), with Elton Dean on alto & c melody sax & saxello, Jim Dvorak on trumpet, Pete Lemer on keyboards, Fred Baker on electric bass and Mark Fletcher on drums. In Cahoots celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and played their first ever US gig at the Progman Cometh Festival in Seattle. Considering that many critics claim that the term/music of fusion (jazz/rock) is dead, bands like In Cahoots and Soft Works (both include Elton Dean) prove that this is certainly not the case, both releasing incredible fusion discs this year. With the recent addition of Mark Fletcher on drums and the ever-incredible Fred Baker on el. bass, In Cahoots have perhaps the finest, hottest and most astonishing rhythm teams imaginable. Finally getting a chance to see /hear Fred Baker play live in Seattle last year, I was completely blown away by his playing - no current el. bassist plays such intricate lines and locks in so tightly as Fred does. This fantastic rhythm team constantly plays with power and resourcefulness, pushing each soloist (reeds, trumpet, keyboard & guitar) to play at their best! Miller, Lemer and Baker all compose the pieces on this release and provide the band with challenging, constantly changing music to also keep everyone on their toes throughout. Outstanding electric jazz/rock at its finest! - BLG
"The British have a long history of putting the conventions of jazz-rock fusion to better use than their American counterparts do, and guitarist/composer Phil Miller is a case in point. Leading a sextet he calls In Cahoots, Miller offers a solid set of muscular, no-nonsense modern jazz that delivers plenty of intellectual interest without ever descending into navel-gazing solo wankery and without ever sacrificing its powerful groove. True, much of this stuff is most definitely music for musicians -- check out the long, complex "Black Cat," for example (taking note of Pete Lemer's sparkling keyboard work and Fred Baker's huge fretless bass tone), or the rhythmically and melodically sideways "Sleight of Hand." But toward the end of the program Miller and company suddenly become much more friendly and accessible, with the absolutely lovely and surprisingly straight-ahead Latin jazz of "Upside" (composed by Baker) and a gorgeous ballad by Miller entitled "Out There." Great stuff." - All Music Guide
CD 15


MATTHEW SHIPP - 4D (Thirsty Ear 57192; USA) This is a solo acoustic piano performance featuring 16 songs, with ten originals plus six covers. Over the last few years, master-pianist Matt Shipp has moved away from his experiments with electronics and returned to his first love, the acoustic piano. His last few discs have been either with his trio ('Harmonic Vortex' & 'Piano Vortex') or solo ('Un Piano'). Recently Mr. Shipp has been doing doing more interviews and is on the current cover of Signal to Noise magazine, putting him more in the spotlight and worthy of the recognition. What I like about this disc is that Matt sounds more calm and completely focused. What makes this disc different is that Matt performs six covers, from jazz standards (like "Autumn Leaves" & "Prelude to a Kiss") to traditional songs ("Greensleaves" & "Frere Jacques"). The first half of the songs that Matt plays are all originals and all strong, well thought out works that to fit together like a suite. Matt is often balancing opposing forces, the dark with the light, the free with the fixed, as he shifts through different currents. "Equilibrium" is one one the most elegant pieces I've heard from Matt in a while, rather baroque sounding. On each song, Matt adds another layer, thus certain themes start to evolve like characters in a play. A few of these pieces are more somber or reflective than what we usually hear from Matt, yet Matt adds bits of spice to the mystery at hand. For the second half of this disc, Matt shifts the focus and does mostly covers in his own unique way. I dig the way Matt takes Cole Porter's "What is This Thing Called Love?" and adds rolling waves of notes underneath, the melody slowing emerging from the powerful waves. "Frere Jacques" is a children's song and it might seem like an odd choice for this disc, but Matt does add some turbulence to this otherwise playful song. Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss" is a lovely song which Matt plays with haunting elegance. The balance between the heart & mind, thought & practice is just right throughout this superb disc since all of the elements flow together and work towards a righteous conclusion. An intense version "Greensleeves" seems like an appropriate culmination for this wonderful offering. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $15


LOTTE ANKER/CRAIG TABORN/GERALD CLEAVER - Floating Islands (Ilk 162; EEC) Featuring Lotte Anker on soprano, alto & tenor saxes, Craig Taborn on piano and Gerald Cleaver on drums. This is the third release from the fabulous Anker/Taborn/Cleaver trio and again they have delivered a fine (live) set. 'Floating Islands' was recorded at the Copenhagen Jazz festival in July of 2008. The trio sound more one collective force coming together and stretching out at the same time. Starting with a slow, somber and floating vibe, with Cleaver playing soft, ritualistic mallets. Ms. Anker takes a long, flowing story-like soprano solo, bringing us along with her on a journey while both the piano and drums weave superbly around her. This entire piece is nearly 48 minutes long and amazing throughout. The final piece, "Even Today I am Still Arriving" also features Lotte on soprano sax and it is an exquisite, spacious and sublime conclusion to another wonderful disc from this truly great trio. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $17

also available..

LOTTE ANKER/CRAIG TABORN/GERALD CLEAVER - Live At The Loft (Ilk 148; EEC) This disc is comprised of two long and one shorter piece. My guess is these pieces are all improvised and evolve organically. "Magic Carpet" starts with the suspenseful sounds of sax sputters, soft plucked notes from inside the piano and hushed percussion. The recording is quite superb and perfectly balanced. The three musicians have obviously developed a strong rapport. This piece is somewhat melodic yet most haunting with just the right amount of space between the sounds. Craig occasionally sounds as if he is playing a toy box with child-like melodies floating on top. Each member of the trio is integral to the way they evolve, building and intersecting slowly. Gerald Cleaver is one of the most resourceful, creative and imaginative drummers around. He begins "Real Solid" with some strong yet subtle mallet work. He provides the skeletal structure while Lotte and Craig weave slowly around him, an incredible tapestry of sounds and spaces. Gerald's playing is most melodic and thoughtful, balancing the soft with the slightly more intense sounds just right. Each member of this wonderful trio determines the direction and combination of textures until it is impossible to tell who in charge. Perhaps no one is in charge, yet the outcome is a well integrated trio that works as one sonic force, one world on wonders. - BLG
CD $17


JACOB ANDERSKOV With CHRIS SPEED/MICHAEL FORMANEK/GERALD CLEAVER - Agnostic Revelations (Ilk 163; EEC) This new album by Jacob Anderskov launches a new international quartet with a superb downtown all-star line-up. After more than 10 projects spanning from solo piano over miscellaneous duos, trios & quintets and three albums with his infamous Anderskov Accident, he has turned to the "classic" quartet format. Yet, this quartet album is everything but conservative. It is Anderskov at his best - visionary, spiritual, and surrounded by some of the leading musicians on the planet within the lingo spoken here.
The quartet here features Chris Speed on tenor sax & clarinet, Jacob Anderskov on piano & compositions, Michael Formanek on acoustic bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. The first piece, "Warren Street Setup" is a short, spacious group improv and the only piece not composed by Anderskov. The suspense and subtly here are quite breathtaking. "Be Flat & Stay Flat" is also laid back and dreamy, with eerie bowed bass in the distance and skeletal piano playing those sparse melodic fragments, the cymbals softly sizzling. Gerald Cleaver's sublime mallet-work is featured on "Pintxos for Varese" with the suspense and spaciousness slowly building throughout the piece. This music is quietly intense, vibrant and often filled with drama. The pieces seem to drift into a fog-filled world of ultra-subtle shifts. It sounds as if Jacob has chosen just the right musicians to bring life and creativity to this thoughtful music. I felt as if I were relaxing in someone else's dream, lazily waiting for time to softly unfold... - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $17

LOVEDALE [JESPER LOVDAL/JACOB ANDERSKOV/JONAS WESTERGAARD/ANDERS MOGENSEN] + CUONG VU/CHRIS SPEED - Coziness Kills (Ilk 161; EEC) Coziness Kills is the third album with Lovedale following the Danish Music Award-winning album, Grill Music (jazzalbum of the year 2007). The music is moving toward less form and more melody. Less conventions and more subtlety. Less genre and more universal music. Less Coziness.
The Cd proves a long musical cooperation Lovedale has had with Cuong Vu, since their first meeting on Grill Music.
Chris Speed is probably the most personal clarinet and saxophone player in jazz today, giving the instruments a new lyrical sound.
CD $17


CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO [ROB MAZUREK/CHAD TAYLOR] - Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey 228; USA) "Boca Negra is the 5th release of the critically acclaimed Chicago Underground Duo and 10th release by the Chicago Underground Collective. As with the previous four Duo records, it contains both composed and improvised music. The recording contains powerful grooves along with ambient sound structures, folk song simplicity and polyrhythmic bursts of energy with lyrical melodic vignettes. It also combines high energy music with slow moving ballads. Boca Negra was recorded in Sao Paulo, Brazil at Rocha Studios making it the first record not created in Chicago. It is also the first record that contains a 'cover', that being Ornette Coleman's 'Broken Shadows'. This record has been three years in the making and took so long to make due partly to both Chad and Rob's frantic touring schedules (Rob is the leader of the Exploding Star Orchestra, Sao Paulo Underground, Mandarin Movie, and more while Chad performs with Iron and Wine, Marc Ribot, and so forth). The title Boca Negra means 'Black Mouth', a term coined in the Tenerife Canary Islands evoking the idea of an endless intake of information and also harks to the mouth of the volcano Tiede. The cover photo of the record was taken at the Dead Sea. Keeping those two things in mind, one of the goals of the record was to present the listener with the familiar in unfamiliar ways. 'Broken Shadows' for instance, has Chad playing the drums and vibraphone simultaneously. He plays just the A section or verse while Rob plays the bridge section or chorus of the tune. The form is repeated over and over but some times the bridge is elongated, sometimes it is shortened and sometimes it is skipped all together, evoking the idea of 'Broken Shadows'. There are improvisations that sound like composed songs in which Chad's mbira and Rob's cornet are played through various filters often times sounding like different instruments all together and composed songs that sound like improvisations of folk songs. 'Confliction' was probably the most difficult song to record. The bass line flows with ease but the time signature varies between 17/8 and 4/4. As with previous records the goal was not to show virtuoso technique, but rather to present the listener with an emotional experience that transcends the idea of genre or label."
CD $14


LAUER LARGE [JOHANNES LAUER/PETER EVANS/GERHARD SCHLOSS/TYSHAWN SOREY/COLLIN VALLON et al] - Konstanz Suite (Jazzwerkstatt 87; Germany) Lauer Large is a 16-piece ensemble led by trombonist Johannes Lauer and featuring Peter Evans & Tyshawn Sorey (from the Downtown scene), as well as Christian Weidner (works with Gunter Hampel), Colin Vallon (CD on Hatology) and Henning Sieverts (CD on Pirouet). I caught the young Johannes Lauer at The Stone during the month that Tyshawn Sorey curated and was very impressed with his playing. Turns out that Mr. Lauer is also a fine composer and bandleader.
Although I know of less than half of these musicians previously, I was most impressed nonetheless, as Jazzwerkstatt continues to support an emerging German underground of strong musicians, both known & little-known. "Klumpatsch" begins with an inspired duo of tenor sax (Weidner) and acoustic bass (Sierverts), while the rest of the horns slowing enter, sizzling and simmering. Two trumpeters (Peter Evans & Matthias Schriefl) kick off "Karies/Baktus" with some strong interplay and intense soloing, before the rest of the large ensemble enters tightly playing those crazy charts with Tyshawn's dynamic drums kicking up a storm. I dig Lauer's writing for the horns since he blends the harmonies superbly around whoever is soloing with just the right balance. Pianist Colin Vallon play a feisty solo on "Tekno" interacting intensely with Tyshawn while the rest of the horns swirl around them. It often sounds as if Johannes is directing since the interaction and charts are so tight. This is yet another winner from the ever-growing catalogue of gems from the fine folks at Jazzwerkstatt. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $19


GOOD FOR COWS [DEVIN HOFF/CHES SMITH] - Audumla (Web Of Mimicry 37; USA) "Good for Cows' fourth full-length, Audumla, finds the formerly acoustic, instrumental 'crust jazz' bass and drums duo starting afresh. The constraints of flying with an upright bass, increasing volumes, and a steady listening diet of black metal and harsh noise music have lead Ches Smith (Xiu Xiu, Secret Chiefs 3, Traditionalists, Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog) and Devin Hoff (Nels Cline Singers, Xiu Xiu) to reinvent their sound with electric bass, large drums, and electronics. The pair's extensive background in improved music and sonic experimentation serves the songs well, resulting in a compact record with no filler. The Ornette Coleman influence remains, but is now filtered through a lens of early Mayhem, Prurient, Abruptum, and Darkthrone. Nine noisy instrumental jams, from dirgey to blasting -- but all heavy."
CD $16


BIRD SHOW BAND [BEN VIDA/JOSH ABRAMS/JOHN HERNDON/DAN BITNEY/JIM BAKER] - Bird Show Band (Amish 41; USA) "Bird Show Band documents Bird Show's new collaborative spirit and stands as the culmination of Ben Vida's Chicago-based work, featuring a who's who of the city's improvisational luminaries, including Josh Abrams, Jim Baker, Dan Bitney and John Herndon. The improvisatory feel of the Bird Show Band sessions function as Vida's paean to the Windy City. Rather than another Bird Show release that involves guest accompaniment on select tracks, Vida conceived of these recordings as a foray into session playing, tracking the entire album over just two days. While Herndon and Bitney's percussion invokes German psych, progressive rock, and jazz idioms, Vida's synth-based experiments, here accompanied by Jim Baker's ARP 2600, provide the first indication of his recent musical preoccupations, an interest that relies heavily on the Moog and his own fluid, lyrical melodic lines. If you have had the luck of catching Bird Show or Ben Vida perform live over the last few years, you have witnessed the centrality he now gives to the Moog and one-touch patchwork, experimental forays that point to Europe and the mid-century avant-garde, especially the Cologne-based innovations of Stockhausen and his many students during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Regardless of this description, Bird Show Band is more than a mere intellectual exercise and the sessions balance brain with musical brawn in ways that Vida has yet to achieve on his previous outings."
CD $14


QPSM UNIT [RADU OLAHU BEN JUDAH/RAS TSCHAKA TONGE With DAVID DURRAH/SABIR MATEEN/ALEX HARDING et al] - Great Symbolisms (Quadraphonic 1108; USA) There are fourteen musicians this time around with four singers, four horns and four percussionists involved. "Great Symbolisms" opens and we are off to a strong start with a swell, dreamy laid back groove. David Durrah wrote all of the songs here and plays splendid acoustic piano on each song. Durrah and his rhythm team set up strong, hypnotic grooves giving the horns a chance to play short, spirited solos. Trombonist Clark Gayton, bari saxist Alex Harding and pianist David Durrah all take great solos on the first song and continue throughout this disc. The groove/vibe here recalls those intoxicating South African melodies that stay with us for as long as we live. Like Mr. Durrah's other new quintet disc on Quadraphonic label, he has written some most infectious melodies and cosmic grooves. I couldn't stop snapping my fingers and that my friends is certainly a good sign. This is yet another buried treasure well worth checking out. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

DAVID DURRAH With CALVIN KEYS/ALEX FOSTER/DON PATE/BUDDY WILLIAMS - Angelic Streams (Quadraphonic 1107; USA) Featuring David Durrah on Fender Rhodes & other keyboards, Calvin Keys on guitar, Alex Foster on tenor & soprano sax, Don Pate on bass and Buddy Williams on drums. The QPSM label is a local label that specializes in a unique brand of funky jazz/rock from the seventies (Shamek Farrah & Oracy) and from current bands (QPSM Unit). I hadn't heard of David Durrah before these two new Quad discs, but I do recall guitarist Calvin Keys from those swell funky/jazz records he made in the sixties & seventies. Alex Foster has worked with Jaco Pastorius & Michael Wolff while Don Pate has worked with Tisziji Munoz for many years.
I haven't listened to much (good) funky jazz in a long while so it was a treat to hear this disc. The title track is first and that groove/vibe is just right with an infectious repeating line churning over and over. Although both Alex on soprano sax and Calvin on guitar take spirited solos, it is that memorable line that stays with us throughout this entire disc. Mr. Durrah has a gift for writing songs with uplifting, cheerful melodies. David is also plays some swell electric piano, his interplay with guitar & sax, as well as with the bass & drums is consistently spirited and tight. All of the songs had me feeling good, wanting to dance around and whistle the melodies. Calvin Keys' smokin' guitar solo on "Hole in the Pocket" is well worth the price of admission but then Mr. Durrah ups the ante with another stellar solo of his own. This music is found in the netherworld somewhere between 70's fusion and somewhat smoother jazz, yet it is still creative and charming on its own terms. Not a speck of cheese anywhere. This sounds like a long lost treasure from the mid-seventies that went unnoticed when it first came out and is now being discovered on a Russian label of questionable repute. Where did I hide those platform shoes and bell bottom jeans?!? You know I was just jivin' you! Wink. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14



New from Ambiances Magnetiques!

KLAXON GUEULE [MICHAEL F COTE/BERNARD FALAISE/ALEXANDRE ST-ONGE] + JEAN DEROME/PHILIPPE LAUZIER/GORDON ALLEN - Infininiment (AM 194; Canada) "This trio formed in September 1995, and it hasn't given up since. Bavards, a debut double album in '97, Muets, its follow-up in '99, and Grain in 2002 form a first triptych produced by Ambiances Magnetiques. In 2004, Chicken, an album of songs (but not really) is released by & records. After a five-year hiatus, the trio returns to Ambiances Magnetiques to release their fifth album, Infiniment, which also signals a new acoustic focus. As was the case on Grain and Bavards, KG has augmented its core trio (drums, guitar, double-bass) with a wind trio (Jean Derome, Philippe Lauzier, and Gordon Allen). After standing the test of time, the close-knitted musical relationship between Cote, Falaise, and St-Onge is transcending genres and schools. Their separate music backgrounds encompass a wide spectrum of esthetics and a commanding level of versatility."- Ambiances Magnetiques
CD $15

NOUS PERCONS LES OREILLES [JEAN DEROME/JOANE HETU] - Shaman (AM 200; Canada) "Two saxophones, two voices; two gargoyles, two satyrs; two forces of nature that agitate, whistle, squeak, scrape, blow, and bite, transforming music into a secular incantation and a banquet of sound.
They practice in secrecy, like healers or mediums. Their music is lively, moving, almost "tactile." The keywords describing Nous percons les oreilles are: animal, extra-sensory perception, focus, instinct, intimacy, openness, play, presence, rawness, resonance, risk, sincerity, tearing. This is a rather peculiar duo, down to its very instrumentation. There is a certain symmetry at its core: two alto saxophones improvising together, but the sax players also sing, one relaying the other to a point where, sometimes, there is no way of knowing who plays what. A hall of mirrors, symbiotic work. A duality blending into one, just as two ears sending different and complementary signals to the same brain.
Following Nous percons les oreilles and La vie, c'est simple, their third album is entitled Shaman because, without claiming that ancestral art, they firmly believe that their work is closer to the world of healing, supernatural communication, and ancestral memory than the world of "entertainment" - the infantilizing disgrace art is turning into."
CD $15

LORI FREEDMAN - Bridge (AM/cQB 0909; Canada) Among many things the function of a bridge is to connect otherwise separate parts, creating a larger, more inclusive whole. The form of a bridge, its structure and design, is beautifully essential. This Bridge is no exception: whether the music is written or improvised what is important to consider is the renaissance of the musician who, as in the past, is both an interpretive and a creative artist, a performer who makes music by way of integrating, "bridging" both worlds to form a larger more unified one. Here Freedman makes the necessary connection between the composer and the listener by her delivery as interpreter, improvisor and as composer herself."
CD $15

ANTOINE BERTHIAUME - Small Tease (AM 196; Canada) "Mainly associated with jazz and creative music, Antoine Berthiaume delivers, with Small Tease, a surprising body of pieces standing on the fence of instrumental folk. Berthiaume is no newcomer to this genre, since Rodeoscopique dabbed in it too. This time, though, he tackles it intimately: out of eleven tracks, five feature him solo, playing either the guitar, the banjo, or the dobro. The other six tracks for various ensembles are closed invitations to hear him with drummer Stefan Schneider, Remi-Jean Leblanc on double-bass, Rick Haworth on pedal steel, and a string trio with Jennifer Thiessen, Ameline Chauvette Groulx and Erika Donald. Released on Ambiances Magnetiques, Small Tease is a candid parenthesis, eleven melodic miniatures to listen to hands moving and strings being caressed."
CD $15

CORDAME [JEAN FELIX MAILOUX/JULIE ODILE/MARIE NEIGE LAVIGNE] - Migration (AM/Malasartes 10; Canada) Cordame features Marie Neige Lavigne on violin, Julie Odile on cello and Jean Felix Mailloux on contrabass & compositions plus guests Remi Giguere on guitars and percussion by Ziya Tabassian and Pierre Tanguay. "Migration" is an odyssey through a world imagined by Jean Felix Mailloux. By researching on ancient, Persian, Indian and Armenian music and modal and improvised music, Jean Felix was able to absorb it to create this universe somewhere in between tradition and modernity, improvisation and written music.
"I must agree with that description. I found this music to be a superb blend of exotic and modern influences. Encompassing a jazz trio (electric guitar/acoustic bass/drums) and a string trio, the shifting/blending between the two trios is seamless. Percussionist Ziya Tabassian plays strong hand percussion that supports and uplifts the spirits. I wasn't familiar with guitarist Remi Giguere before this disc but I am most impressed with playing here, reminding me of the way Brad Shepik plays those Middle/Eastern Euro melodies in Pachora or the Tiny Bell trio. If I didn't know any better, I would think that this disc would be found on the Radical Jewish Culture series of Tzadik. Every one of the thirteen songs here has a winning memorable melody as well as consistently crafty playing and smart arrangements." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $15

PIERRE-YVES MARTEL/KIYA TABASSIAN/ZIYA TABASSIAN - Masafat (AM 195; Canada) Geographic improvisations from this trio of string and percussion players, with each track named by location and distance between Montreal and Chelsea, Ontario.eographic improvisations from this trio of string and percussion players, with each track named by location and distance between Montreal and Chelsea, Ontario.
CD $15

NOZEN [PIERRE TANGUAY/BERNARD FALAISE/JEAN FELIX MAILLOUX] - Live au Upstairs (AM/Malasartes 11; Canada) "Nozen is at the crossroads of contemporary jazz, musique actuelle and the musical traditions of Jewish Eastern Europe, and this meeting of contrasting styles gives birth to a music at once spontaneous and deep. Tanguay, Falaise and Mailloux, three of the most active musicians on the jazz and musique actuelle scene in Quebec, joined the composer and multi-saxophonist from Argentina Damian Nisenson, and together they offer us their first CD, recorded live, an invitation to travel between two worlds: the melodies inspired of a vanished past, enveloped in a very contemporary sound."
CD $15



New from Peter Whitehead!

PETER WHITEHEAD - Adamantine (Music For Susan Marshall & Company) (self released; USA) [Limited Ed/CD-R] Peter Whitehead is a British-born, former Bay Area based musician, songwriter and instrument-maker. He is currently living in NYC and continues to create his own unique world of sounds and songs. 'Adamantine' was originally written and performed for Susan Marshall's Dance Company for a gig at Montclair State University in NJ in March of 2009. For that piece and for this disc, the two musicians featured consist of Elton Bradman on percussion and Peter Whitehead on everything else (guitars & assorted homemade instruments). Peter's previous discs showed two sides to his distinctive music: incredible folk/psych singer/songwriter tunes of highest degree and strange yet compelling instrumental music created on Peter's own unique mountain of home-made instruments. This disc seems to blend both worlds without any of Peter's charming singing or lyrics.
The first sound we hear is some sort of odd thumb-piano like instrument playing a repeating, hypnotic phrase with a high hat accompaniment. For "Florescent Flash" Peter plays a swirling post-surf, psych electric guitar line strumming up a storm with throbbing percussion underneath and mesmerizing us at the same time. I dig the dreamy Philip Glass-like Farfisa line that permeates the air like good incense on "After Fluorescents". Even though Peter plays a normal electric guitar on much of this, he is able to create some magical psych melodies that are completely enchanting. Each piece evokes a feeling or vibe, perfect for thoughtful contemplation or a transcendent journey on a flying carpet. I have to admit that I am a sucker for these swell sixties-like sounds - I have visions of hippie babes dancing freely to these enticing sounds and feeling the warmth of hope at the center the swirl. Peter Whitehead will play a free solo set here at DMG on Valentine's Day (2/14) next month at 6pm. Why not come on down and set yourself free?!? - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

also available

PETER WHITEHEAD - Three Bags Full: Music For Dance & Film [sndtck s] (Strange Attractor 04; USA) Bizarre and fascinating scores performed by legendary but under-recognized San Francisco based instrument maker for unusual invented instruments - Peter Whitehead. Soundtracks and scores for Dance and Film. This collection features a number of instrumental pieces composed and played by Peter, all selections from his numerous dance and film scores, created for San Francisco Bay Area choreographers and film-makers over a period of roughly four years. The music is lyrical as well as rhythmic. Rich in texture and atmosphere as well as melody. Features a number of the artists original self-made instruments.
CD $14

PETER WHITEHEAD - Giselle (Out Of Round 009; USA) Giselle was created as a score for choreographer Brechin Flournoy's modern adaptation of the classical ballet "Giselle." The story is based on an obscure Eastern European folk tale. The sixty minute score was composed and played by Peter Whitehead using a variety of instruments which he either bought during his travels or constructed himself. He also used a number of 'found' instruments and toys. The result is a richly textured weave with a variety of timbres, all of which blend together into a musical narrative which follows the story of Giselle, a young peasant girl who dies of a broken heart and passes to the underworld.
CD $14

PETER WHITEHEAD - Now This! (Out Of Round 003; USA) As I work on my best of pop/vocal list for 2001, I realize that this has to be the worst year for pop/rock cds ever!?! I must rejoice since this wonderful cd from British born, [relocated to] Bay Area based singer/songwriter/instrument maker Peter Whitehead - just might be my favorite vocal gem of the year. I just can't stop playing it! That most enchanting voice, shimmering folk/psych acoustic home-made instrumentation and 60's mesmerizing production make this an unknown treasure waiting to grabbed by you (old hippies at heart). Fans of the Incredible String Band, Pearls before Swine and Tim Buckley would no doubt love this! I recently heard a compilation from the Out of Round label and was blown away by just about everything on this incredible label!
Introspection, humor, rich soundscapes, memorable melodies, inventive arrangements, well crafted lyrics and original instruments, from a British-born singer /composer/ instrument builder. Featuring spike fiddles, lyres, mandolins, cellos, junk percussion, tapes, toys, banjos, canjos, panjos and other original inventions.
CD $14

PETER WHITEHEAD - Under The Gun (Out Of Round 017; USA) I find it sad how much ink is spilled on the "freak folk" movement in various magazines around the planet. I happen to enjoy the likes of Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom and Vashti Bunyon, but I find that there is no comparison to true wizards like Robert Wyatt, (early) Kevin Ayers, Roy Harper and Tom Rapp. A few years back, a friend of mine named Tim Sternberg, left me with a copy of a disc by Peter Whitehead called, "Now This". Peter is an instrument-maker and singer/songwriter based in San Francisco. "Now This" (on Out of Round Records) completely blew my mind on many levels. His songs were enchanting, the music, the words, his vocals and the sounds of the instruments he has invented all are better than any of the other hyped "freak folk" that I read endlessly about. Besides this disc, Peter also has a handful of other instrumental collaborations that are equally intriguing. The good news, Peter has not one but two new CD's out and both are again phenomenal.
"Under the Gun" features Peter Whitehead on vocals, guitars, fiddles, cellos, lutes, cittern, canjo, reeds, drone-wheel, percussion and (that's not a) toy piano. Commencing with "Nine Days", Peter's haunting voice, hypnotic guitar and cellos, bathe us in somber, contemplative fall colors. The title track features some stunning acoustic 12-string guitar, a chorus that chants "monkey see, monkey do" and a majestic melody to die for. Peter borrows phrases from old fairy tales and strips them down to their bare essentials, giving us something to contemplate without filling in the blanks. Most of these songs don't feature the invented instruments that Peter uses, so he concentrates on more enigmatic song structures and slightly twisted lyrics. I dig the way he places a couple of layers of spoken word vocals on "Hand the Dark Day Down" and how he opens one song with "There digging up your mother again". In some ways, this disc sounds timeless, like it could've been made at any point from the mid-sixties onwards. I love the way he gives his acoustic guitar (or an autoharp?) a harpsichord-like sound and the way the cellos provide some angelic warmth. What is wonderful about this is that us folks here at DMG can look forward to months of contemplation digging into the layers of magic that this disc will provide. We can't wait to hear that new instrumental disc as well. - BLG
CD $14


DOUGLAS R EWART With LEO SMITH/TATSU AOKI/HAMID DRAKE - Velvet Fire (Aarawak 006; USA) This is another stellar line-up from Chicago reeds wizard Doug Ewart. It features Doug Ewart (+ poetry & percussion), Mwata Bowden, Edward Wilkerson & LeRoy Wallace McMillan on reeds, Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Tatsu Aoki on bass, Darius Savage on bass, Dushun Mosley, Vincent Davis & Hamid Drake on drums plus Mankwe Ndosi, Duriel Harris & Dee Alexander on vocals/poetry. Douglas Ewart is a multi-reeds wiz, flutemaker & longtime member of the AACM. His set at the Vision Fest last year (2009) was indeed special as it showed the diversity of his music and vision. Mr. Ewart records infrequently for his own Aarawak label, so that when he does, you know he has worked hard to come up with something deep and original. Douglas has dedicated to another elder AACM member, Baba Fred Anderson, a mentor & constant supporter. Most of this fine disc was recorded at Mr. Anderson's club: the Velvet Lounge. The title track is first, long and spirited. The band is burning with saxes (Ed Wilkerson soaring) up front and a smokin' rhythm team fanning the flames. Bassist Tatsu Aoki and all three drummers sound just incredible as they lock in and explore the groove together. One of the things I dig about Mr. Ewart is the way he uses poetry and spoken words to make us think. Both poets (Manke Ndosi & Duriel Harris) & singer (Dee Alexander) all sound compelling while they speak and sing insightful & truthful words. There is a duo vocal piece for two funky voices without words that is just too cool to describe. "Mars Blues" is a great funky blues with great singing from Ms. Alexander and lots of inspired sax solos. There is a spoken word piece about "George Bush" that is pretty hilarious with the plants of the world complaining the Mr. Bush is giving a bad name. What I dig most about this is the way Douglas uses each sax as a different character or part of a collective & unified sound. Other pluses include some great guitar from Jeff Parker on "737" and the consistently spirited playing by all members of Ewart's Inventions. Nearly 72 minutes long and awe-inspiring from the beginning to the righteous conclusion. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $15


SHANE PERLOWIN - The Vacancy In Every Verse (Open Letter 01; USA) Featuring Shane Perlowin on guitar with Joseph Burkett on bass and Ryan Oslance on drums. Shane Perlowin plays lead guitar with the amazing Ahleuchatistas, guitar-led power trio from North Carolina with five great discs on the Cuneiform & Tzadik labels. Shane plays most of the sounds on this disc with a rhythm team on just four of the ten songs. It says that there are no overdubs here which sounds surprising since Shane likes to add layers of guitar parts. Shane's impressive guitar playing seems to include the speed of Mick Barr, with the textures of Henry Kaiser or the bent notes of Fred Frith. On the solo pieces Shane piles up a few different lines or layers of fractured notes. He employs an impressive mass of strange sounds on the title track, yet adds some peaceful moments to balance things out. This is a most impressive solo offering from another great guitarist worth checking out. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $10.


Back in stock..

MICHAEL BLAKE TARTARE With SOREN KJAERGAARD/JONAS WESTERGAARD/KRESTEN OSGOOD + TEDDY KUMPEL - Blake Tartare (Tartare 01; USA) Featuring Michael on tenor & soprano saxes, bass clarinet & kalimba; Soren Kjaergaard on piano & Fender Rhodes el. piano; Jonas Westergaard on bass, Kresten Osgood on drums and special guest Teddy Kumpel on guitar. Local sax great Michael Blake never sits still, as he seems to run some half dozen different bands, each one distinctly different in style. A founding member of the much loved and now defunct Slowpoke (w/ Tronzo) and the great Herbie Nichols Project. Michael's new quartet features a fine new Scandinavian rhythm team. Michael wrote all but two songs here with covers of Sun Ra's "Languidity" and Mingus classic "Meditations". "Flipper" opens things with some coy soprano sax and delicate electric piano. Soon Michael's simmering and haunting toned tenor floats in on "Lemmy Caution", the vibe is eerie and exquisitely laid back at the same time. The main vibe here is dark and spooky, yet still somber. In the middle of "A Messy Business", the bands kicks into an unexpectedly cool, funky groove that makes me wanna get up and get down! Nice long and festive soprano sax and guitar solos add some special spice to this tasty treat. "Cuban Sandwich" rocks out a bit and reminds me of something that Slowpoke might've done. "Feast" is an infectious bluesy jazz/rock/funk gem that sounds as if it was recorded in the late sixties, perfect for a party and featuring some righteously sly slide guitar. Sun Ra's "Languidity" a dreamy, slow motion gem with a golden melody that lingers in your mind even after the song has faded away. Mingus' "Meditations" is adventurous piece that is filled with nervous energy, it is constantly changing and Michael pulls off a thrilling long and story-like tenor solo. On the last two tunes, it is back to slower dreamscape delights some elegant sax and nice relaxed vibes. - BLG
CD $14

MICHAEL BLAKE TARTARE With SOREN KJAERGAARD/JONAS WESTERGAARD/KRESTEN OSGOOD + STEVEN BERNSTEIN/JANE SCARPANTONI et al - More Like Us (Stunt 6012; EEC) More Like Us is Michael Blake's follow-up to his first self-titled private release [later reissued in Europe on Stunt] as leader of the group Blake Tartare. Showing an adventurous spirit and a refusal to be pigeonholed into any one style, the multi-instrumentalist (tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, bass clarinet and ghost flute) utilizes a basic group including keyboardist Soren Kjaergaard, bassist Jonas Westergaard and drummer Kresten Osgood, with a number of guests added. Vocalist Marie Lorette Friis and cellist Jane Scarpantoni are added to the haunting "Hush" a dark waltz with a few twists. The loopy "Happy Old Boy," written by John Lurie, features Steven Bernstein (another Lounge Lizards alum), while Blake's soprano sax dances around the intense, brisk setting of Coleman Hawkins' "Maria," with the leader switching gears at mid-point by moving to bass clarinet. Perhaps the most infectious original of the date is "Africa Used to Be Home," with Blake simulating a native singer, at first on clarinet then tenor sax, propelled by his rhythm section. - Ken Dryden, AMG
CD $17



KEVIN BARKER - You & Me (Gnomomsong 14; USA) "You & Me is Kevin Barker's debut album, released by Gnomonsong. Though it's his first solo release under his own name, Barker's no newcomer to the scene -- he's spent the last few years recording, touring, and collaborating with Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Vashti Bunyan, Vetiver, Antony and the Johnsons, and Espers, to name just a few. Essentially acting as everyone's favorite sideman, Barker has influenced and helped create a sound with which this generation is happily familiar. During his college days, Barker became interested in the finger-style guitar playing of John Fahey and Bert Jansch and began to record under the name Currituck County. This solo project (sometime a duo with Vetiver / Espers drummer Otto Hauser) recorded albums for Teenbeat Records, Troubleman Unlimited, and the UK's Track and Field Organisation. Now Barker has assembled an unbelievable group of musicians for You & Me. Produced by Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Lilys, Gary Louris, Devendra Banhart), the album features Pat Sansone (Wilco), Joanna Newsom, Jonathan Wilson (Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis), Eric Johnson (Shins, Fruit Bats), and Otto Hauser (Vetiver, Espers). Full of sunny, rural country rock, You & Me recalls the rustic grooves of The Band and The Grateful Dead, the heady melancholy of Roy Harper, and the golden harmonies of CSNY.
CD $15


BILL FAY - Still Some Light / Piano Guitar Bass & Drums [2 CD set] (Coptic Cat 08; UK) "Singer/songwriter Bill Fay released two brilliant but poor-selling albums between 1967 and 1971 before disappearing from the public eye. He spent much of the following decade writing, rehearsing, and occasionally performing -- all with no contract or record company support. In recent years, reissues of his now-sought-after original albums along with a pair of releases containing previously unreleased material have renewed interest in the English artist. Coptic Cat is pleased to announce the release of Fay's long-awaited next collection of old and new music. Still Some Light consists of 43 songs on two CDs with a total playing time of over two hours. It comes in a full-color six-panel digipak with a 24-page booklet of extensive notes, archival photos, and handwritten lyrics to all the tracks. The cover was painted by the musician's brother John Fay. The first CD, titled Piano, Guitar, Bass & Drums, features live and studio recordings from 1971 and 1972. The second, Still Some Light, is a home-recorded studio album from 2009."
CD $18


JACK ROSE & THE BLACK TWIG PICKERS - Jack Rose & The Black Twig Pickers (VHF 116; USA) "This raw and rocking collaboration between Jack Rose and The Black Twigs features some of the most swinging, hard-hitting string music waxed in many a decade. Rose's solo playing has always had a tough edge, with his prodigious technique often employed to drop right-hand bombs. His use of a thumbpick originates from years of duets with Twig Mike Gangloff, struggling to make his guitar heard over Gangloff's crashing banjo. The front line of Rose and Gangloff's strings are joined by Isak Howell's no-nonsense guitar and harmonica and Nate Bowles' variety of expert percussion. The four lock together with a sure-footedness honed by frequent touring and a singularity of intent to rock. Gangloff takes the vocals, howling out standards like 'Little Sadie' firmly in the old-time tradition -- without reserve. A few of the tracks here are updates of Rose & Family classics, with the group turning the stately 'Kensington Blues' upbeat and issuing an assured take on 'Bright Sunny South,' first recorded by Pelt (with Rose and Gangloff) back in 2001 on their gonzo classic double-disc Ayahuasca.
CD $15


PETER WALKER - Spanish Guitar (Birdman 116; USA) "In 1966, Peter Walker's Rainy Day Raga translated the sound of Eastern ragas into the consciousness of America's LSD generation. The record is still considered a classic of its genre, cited as a primary influence on the new psych/ folk sounds of today's generation. Like the great blues guitar pickers before him, Walker disappeared from public and recorded life for decades, yet continued to practice and study all along. Spanish Guitar is the culmination of this past era, finding Walker continuing where he left off with Rainy Day Raga, tracing his beloved Indian sound to Spain, where the gypsies redefined Spanish music and created what is now known as flamenco. This record is to flamenco what Rainy Day Raga was to raga -- an inspired sound that views all of Walker's studies with his Western lens, so unique and beautifully played that it seems like an entirely new genre. This is a sound unlike anything elsewhere -- a transcendental sound, one that until now only belonged to the heavens." Recorded live in California, 2006.
CD $16



Last copies FOUND of these out-of-print gems!

AMSTERDAM STRING TRIO [ERNST REIJSEGER/MAURICE HORSTHUIS/ERNST GLERUM] - Wild West: Live At Santa Barbara (Nimbus 506; EEC) The lesser known of two releases [the other is on Winter & Winter] by this phenomenal string trio, who also are to be found as part of the larger ICP Orchestra recordings
CD $15

DAVE TRONZO/REEVES GABRELS - Night in Amnesia (Upstart; USA) Long out-of-print - a few copies found! An avant-roots electric acoustic collaboration between David Bowie's main guitar man in the '90s Gabrels and 'downtown' mainstay slide guitarist Dave Tronzo under the collective name Tronzo/Gabrels!
CD $12.00 7 for 6 SALE.

REZ ABBASI With BOB MINTZER/BILLY DREWES/KENNY WERNER/MARC COPLAND/SCOTT COLLEY/MARC JOHNSON/PETER ERSKINE/BEN PEROWSKY et al - Third Ear (Ozone 08; USA) OUT-OF-PRINT - LAST COPIES! Third Ear was recorded in 1991 and 1992 and released on the Ozone label in 1995. Despite its slightly dated content, the disc demonstrates that nearly a decade ago, Abbasi was already a player and composer to be reckoned with. He also knew all the right people - saxophonists Billy Drewes and Bob Mintzer; pianists Russ Lossing, Kenny Werner, and Marc Copland; bassists Scott Colley and Marc Johnson; drummers Ben Perowsky and Peter Erskine, and percussionists Jamey Haddad and Satoshi Takeishi.
CD $8.00 7 for 6 SALE.

BYRON ALLEN TRIO - Byron Allen Trio (ESP/Calibre; EEC) Debut album recorded in 1964. Four tracks, including "Decision For The Cole-Man" (Ornette Coleman suggested that ESP make the recording). With Allen on alto sax, Maceo Gilchrist on bass, and Ted Robinson on percussion." Bernard Stollman: "Like all ESP sessions, before and since, the artist laid down his compositions, dictated their editing sequence and left. The time required rarely exceeded two hours from start to finish."
CD $12.00 7 for 6 SALE.



FURTHER IMPORTANT Items - Now ON SALE!

21st CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND [IAN McDONALD/MEL COLLINS/PETER GILES/IAN WALLACE/JAKKO JAKSZYK] - Live In Italy: Official Bootleg Vol 3 (SB 03; UK) Captured live in Italy in March of 2003, this documents the band's new era with drummer and former King Crimson member Ian Wallace replacing original Crimson drummer Michael Giles. As well as five Crimson tracks, a live rendition of the McDonald/Sinfield tune Let there be light, McDonald and Giles's Birdman, there is an additional bonus track - a new Schizoid piece, Catley's Ashes, currently being performed live, but included here in its studio recorded demo form and featuring all the band.
CD $13.00 7 for 6 SALE.

21st CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND [IAN McDONALD/MEL COLLINS/PETER GILES/MICHAEL GILES/JAKKO JAKSZYK] - Live In Japan: Official Bootleg Vol 2 [DVD] (SB 02; UK) [NTSC Region 0] Recorded live at Shinjuku Kouseinenkin Hall, Tokyo on 6 November 2002. This DVD features the Schizoid Band performing 14 songs from the first four King Crimson albums plus songs from their individual solo albums. The band features Mel Collins, Jakko M Jakszyk, Michael Giles, Peter Giles and Ian McDonald. This was the very last show with Michael Giles, who left and weas replaced by later Crimso drummer Ian Wallace Extra features include: individual band member interviews, the recording of the Official Bootleg Vol 1; debut performance at Canterbury Fayre festival, footage from Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. "I thought it would a nice - though marginal - addition to my Crimso collection. WRONG! This is Great & Essential - ALL THUMBS HEAVENWARDS! - MannyLunch
DVD $16.00 7 for 6 SALE.

JAKKO M JAKSZYK With DAVE STEWART/ROBERT FRIPP/HUGH HOPPER/DANNY THOMPSON/MEL COLLINS et al - The Bruised Romantic Glee Club [2 CD set] (IcenI 2007; Germany) The Bruised Romantic Glee Club is a stunning and beautifully packaged 2CD set containing one disc of powerfully haunting original songs and another comprising unlikely cover versions of material by Soft Machine, King Crimson and Henry Cow. Featuring sophisticated production values and inspired guest performances from a stellar cast that includes Robert Fripp, Mel Collins, Danny Thompson, Gavin Harrison, Dave Stewart, Hugh Hopper and many others, this is Jakko Jakszyk's most accomplished and heartfelt release to date.
2 CD set for $16.00 7 for 6 SALE.

NATIONAL HEALTH [DAVE STEWART/ALAN GOWEN/PHIL MILLER/NEIL MURRAY/JOHN GREAVES/PIP PYLE/AMANDA PARSON et al] - Dreams Wide Awake: National Health/Of Queues & Cures [2 CD set] (Atom; EEC) OK bargain hunters and the Canterbury curious - this is for you. This is the two National Health albums that the band somehow managed to record during their (too short) lifetime; music that directly challenged the popular and critical tastes of their time (1975-1980). This out of print compilation sounds great - as good as "Complete" ever did and has all the music and even has liner notes and complete recording credits; all you have to do if you want to hear the albums as they originally appeared on the original CDs is program your player to play the songs in the following order: National Health (1st album): Tenemos Roads/Brujo/Borogroves (part 2)/Borogroves (part 1)/Elephants. Of Queues and Cures: The Bryden 2-Step (part 1)/The Collapso/Squarer for Maud/Binoculars/Phlakaton/The Bryden 2-Step (part 2). You can pay $40.00 or more for these albums in their current form on Esoteric if you like - we carry them that way too - but for those of you who have somehow managed to resist the charm of this great band, now you can see what all the fuss and accolades are about.
2 CD set for $12.00 7 for 6 SALE.

PETER BLEGVAD - Choices Under Pressure: An Acoustic Retrospective (Resurgence 143 VPT; UK) Peter Blegvad sings relaxed versions of songs he wrote on several of his '90s solo albums and also from the self-titled Slapp Happy album on virgin (plus two new songs)while playing guitar and clarinet; backed by John Greaves on el bass, Danny Thompson double bs, and guitarist/arranger/producer Jakko Jakszyk also filling in on keyboards, percussion and flute. Not to be missed!
CD $12.00 7 for 6 SALE.

DAEVID ALLEN [GONG] - Dividedalienplaybax80 [Divided Alien Playbax 80] (Spalax; France) The disturbed Daevid Allen in a strong electronic trip. Surprising from the Gong's master, but definitely furious. One of Daevid's better 1980's album was designed with a rich skien of background tapes - primarily from his recordings with NY GONG/Laswell's Materail - over which he played live guitar. I saw the tour he did based around the concept and it was pretty great. This has some really good guitarwork from him (while he's never been a flashy player like Hillage, I've always admired his guitarwork on Camembert) and some cool ideas in the backgrounds. - Steve Feigenbaum, Cuneiform
CD $12.00 7 for 6 SALE.

SUN RA & His SOLAR-MYTH ARKESTRA - Strange Worlds [aka Vols 1+2: The Solar-Myth Approach] [2 CD Set] (Atom; USA) This package includes all of the music originally released on two separate albums as The Solar Myth Approach, Vol. 1 and The Solar Myth Approach, Vol. 2.
CD $12.00 7 for 6 SALE.


..and we managed to get a few more of these [you should own all seven - for only $36 (you get the 7th FREE!) - MannyLunch]

ELTON DEAN With ROSWELL RUDD/KEITH TIPPETT/PAUL DUNMALL/PAUL ROGERS/TONY LEVIN - Bladik (Cuneiform 92; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] English jazz saxophone legend Elton has been in the public eye for over 30 years, & has played in numerous acclaimed groups over the years, including the Keith Tippett Group, Soft Machine and many others. When Roswell Rudd made a rare trip to Europe, Elton put this album together, a studio session featuring themselves plus free-jazz torchbearers Mujician. ''(This) bracing, dynamic session is notable for the cohesiveness of the group...a definite pleasure...''-Cadence.
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.

PAUL DUNMALL MOKSHA BAND With KEITH TIPPETT/PHILIP GIBBS/SIMON PICARD/PAUL RUTHERFORD/PAUL ROGERS/TONY LEVIN/MARK SANDERS - I Wish You Peace (Cuneiform 203; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] An extraordinary work from our fave British sax hero and his dynamic 15 piece all-star orchestra. The stellar line-up features Paul Dunmall, Simon Picard & Howard Cottle on saxes; Paul Rutherford, Hilary Jeffrey & Chris Bridges on trombones; Gethin Liddington & David Priseman on trumpets; John Adams & Philip Gibbs on guitars; Keith Tippett on piano, Paul Rogers on bass and Tony Levin & Mark Sanders on drums, with conducting by Brian Irvine. This is/was a celebration of Dunmalls 50th birthday and the term Moksha is Hindu meaning the supreme final liberation of the soul. This immensely well-recorded studio effort is filled with power, passion and intensity and is without a doubt one of the year's best efforts from a grand large ensemble. Like the best 'energy jazz', I Wish You Peace is an intensely visceral yet spiritual work. The music goes from intensely hot and focused jazz to rowdy 'blowing' from the large ensemble. "
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.

PAUL DUNMALL OCTET [KEITH TIPPETT/PAUL ROGERS/TONY LEVIN/SIMON PICARD/ANNIE WHITEHEAD/CHRIS BRIDGES/GETHIN LIDDINGTON] - Bebop Starburst (Cuneiform 112; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] Saxophonist Dunmall of Mujician appears here fronting his octet, a mixture of well known & up-and-coming players, including Keith Tippett-piano, Simon Picard-tenor sax, Annie Whitehead & Chris Bridges-trombone, Gethin Liddington-trumpet, Paul Rogers-bass & Tony Levin-drums. But the group is not just ''Mujician + four more'', as Paul is firmly in control here, mixing his compositions with the more free-oriented blowing of the ensemble, moving through a five part program that goes through many moods. Sympathetically produced by Evan Parker ..There are two 20 minute pieces which show the ferocious side of this unit, blasting with intensity not unlike Keith Tippett's "Dedicated to You..." Dunmall's writing is a challenge to all members and solos continually blow minds. Nice to see/hear a domestic release from this superb cast" - BLG
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.

PAUL DUNMALL OCTET [KEITH TIPPETT/PAUL ROGERS/TONY LEVIN/SIMON PICARD/ANNIE WHITEHEAD/CHRIS BRIDGES/GETHIN LIDDINGTON] - Great Divide (Cuneiform 142; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] Born 1953 in Welling, England, Paul Dunmall is one of Britain's best-known jazz musicians. Classically trained on clarinet, Dunmall began his professional music career in 1969. Dunmall is perhaps most widely known for his work since 1988 as a member of Mujician, a highly acclaimed British improvising collective that has released four albums on Cuneiform. Since 1997, Dunmall has led his own Octet. The Paul Dunmall Octet includes Keith Tippett-piano, Simon Picard-tenor sax, Annie Whitehead & Chris Bridges-trombone, Gethin Liddington-trumpet, Paul Rogers-bass & Tony Levin-drums. In The Great Divide, the band's third release, the Paul Dunmall Octet progresses through a six-part program that explores a multitude of moods and styles within the medium of modern improvised jazz. On the final track, an additional 8 players join the Octet on their musical journey.
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.

MUJICIAN [KEITH TIPPETT/PAUL DUNMALL/TONY LEVIN/PAUL ROGERS] - Birdman (Cuneiform 82; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] Recording again after a two-year interval, and again in front of a small live audience, Mujician offers more of its unique style of wide-ranging collective improvisation. This CD consists of three long, diffuse pieces, with one just under 30 minutes and another just over that length. On the somewhat austere and abstract title piece, Paul Dunmall displays a very tart, biting tenor, and the playing of other members is hard-edged and tightly controlled. Dunmall signals the shifting dynamic of the second piece by opening on the Chinese shenai, a nasal-sounding reed instrument, while Paul Rogers, Tony Levin and Keith Tippett all skitter percussively behind him. Tippett then takes over on a tinny prepared piano before Dunmall returns on alto sax, playing fluttery, flight-of-the-bumblebee lines mixed with occasional squawks. An early highlight of this piece is an exchange between Dunmall and drummer Levin, trading fours in a way that is both free and highly disciplined. Rogers has a long turn on bass, and then the dialogue continues in a rather thoughtful and restrained manner until the end of the piece. The final selection, "The Hands Are Just Shadows," opens with some ecstatic, Pharoah Sanders-style wailing from Dunmall, but which, typically for Mujician, doesn't escalate and sustain the energy according to free-jazz convention, but rather backs off for some gentle exchanges before another squalling flourish by Dunmall and then a quiet, lyrical finish by Tippett. With Mujician, the rule of thumb is to expect the unexpected. Their music is affirmative but never trite and it seems to embrace virtually all musical and emotional possibilities. ~ William Tilland, AMG
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.

MUJICIAN [KEITH TIPPETT/PAUL DUNMALL/TONY LEVIN/PAUL ROGERS] - Colours Fulfilled (Cuneiform 102; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] "Mujician's fourth CD represents their first studio date without a live audience. Perhaps as a result of the studio environment, the dynamics range is perhaps a little more moderate on this release, without quite as many of the dramatic shifts in intensity which characterized previous efforts like Birdman and Poem About the Hero. For the most part, this is a high-energy date, with group members going full tilt on large portions of the four tracks and drummer Tony Levin getting a chance to really strut his stuff as he lays down a constant polyrhythmic barrage worthy of Elvin Jones at his most volatile. Reed player Paul Dunmall introduces a new (old) instrument on several tracks -- bagpipes. He doesn't really solo on them, but he uses them to create a highly effective blanket of instrumental color and texture. Elsewhere, Dunmall is consistently and typically impassioned on soprano and tenor saxes and occasional clarinet. He's a musician who can wail convincingly without abandoning his intellect. "Part 3" revisits the energy music of the late Coltrane quartet, and yet maintains the unique Mujician personality, with a sensibility that is somewhat more playful, and less reverent, than Coltrane's. Keyboard artist Keith Tippett plays piano strings on "Part 4" behind Dunmall's bagpipes, suggesting a skewed world music orientation which perhaps represents new possibilities for Mujician. As usual, group members are almost prescient in their knowledge of each other's moves, and even though very little on this date is scripted, there is always an impression of common purpose. Simply put, this is spontaneous, interactive jazz at its best." ~ William Tilland, AMG
"Fourth magnificent release by this cosmic British improv quartet, yet this is their first studio effort. Pure organic flow from quiet to immense dense free jazz blasting. Perfectly chosen players: Keith Tippett's amazing acoustic piano excursions with woodblock used inside; Paul Dunmall's excellent tenor, soprano, clarinet & even bagpipe usage; monster acoustic bassist-Paul Rogers and the superb selective drumming of Tony Levin (not the Crimso bassist). Each piece unfolds slowly and takes us on a long journey through the history of British free jazz at its finest. Beautiful!" - BLG ...in the fine tradition of the Art Ensemble, Roland Kirk, or Mingus at his most out; solid intuitive, organic improvisation with all concerned leanding their ears. A-Montreal Mirror. A major statement by a very fine band-The Wire.
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.

MUJICIAN [KEITH TIPPETT/PAUL DUNMALL/TONY LEVIN/PAUL ROGERS] - Poem About The Hero (Cuneiform 62; USA) [these sale copies have a drillhole over the bar code] Mujician are an extraordinary UK improvising/free jazz quartet, featuring Keith Tippett-piano, Paul Dunmall-reeds, Paul Rogers-bass, & Tony Levin-drums.
"Mujician's first release was a long journey; their second release is a poem in five verses. Although all four musicians are active in other groups and as solo artists, at this point they had been playing together for roughly six years and they display the group sensitivity which is essential for a quality improvisational combo. Recorded in front of a small live audience, this performance is perhaps more abstract and free than the first effort, and has somewhat less in the way of overt Coltrane-isms. Although there are only a few extended solos taken, each musician has opportunities to show what he can do, as all five tracks provide a shifting kaleidoscope of duets and trios, as well as the frequent collective engagement of all four participants. Paul Dunmall, who plays only tenor and soprano saxes on this CD, is the emotional core of the group. He is a marvelously fluent and flexible player, but everything he plays also seems to have strong personal conviction. Pianist Keith Tippett, with his classical training, is the group intellectual, and is not adverse to outside techniques such as plucking or strumming the piano strings. Whenever the group direction seems to be headed toward the conventional, Tippett is usually the one who inserts the strange, unexpected chords or rhythmic bursts, as if to remind everyone (including other group members) that Mujician will not settle for the easy solutions. And while Tony Levin on drums and Paul Rogers on bass are by definition the "rhythm section," they are also much more than that. Rogers has a huge tone and superb intonation, and does far more than just establish a pulse. Likewise with Levin, who qualifies not only as a powerhouse, polyrhythmic drummer, but as a percussionist and "colorist." All verses on this recording are highly entertaining, but the last and longest, "Fifth Verse," at over 30 minutes, shows off the quartet at its most daring. Building on nothing more than some curious high-end ivory tinkling by Tippett, it gradually acquires the momentum of a runaway freight train by the time Dunmall wades in on tenor, and then abruptly slows to ballad romanticism, with Dunmall gorgeously lyrical for a while, and Tippett joining in for some very moody, impressionistic playing. One of the real pleasures of Mujician's collective improvisations, for the listener, is the opportunity for active participation in the experience, attempting to guess where a particular line of musical inquiry will lead, and continually being surprised (along with the members of the quartet, I suspect) that it has ended up where it has." ~ William Tilland, AMG
CD $6.00 7 for 6 SALE.


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


IF YOU'RE ALREADY SUBSCRIBED TO OUR NEWSLETTER, BUT SOMEHOW YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING THEM IN YOUR INBOX..

Many of your incoming emails are being blocked and you don't know it! Many emails like our newsletter are frequently blocked by aggressive spam filters being used by nearly all email services.

To help avoid this problem and get our newsletter:

Hotmail Users: Place the domain " downtownmusicgallery.com " on your Safe List, so that you can receive our emails. The safe list can be accessed via the "Options" link next to the main menu tabs. Also place the email address dmg@downtownmusicgallery.com in your address book.

AOL: Place the domain " downtownmusicgallery.com " in your Address Book. Also add the email address dmg@downtownmusicgallery.com to your address book.

Yahoo! Mail: If one of our e-newsletters is filtered to your 'bulk' folder, open the message and click on the "this is not Spam" link next to the "From" field. The same goes for any other e-mail you receive that doesn't belong there. Add the address dmg@downtownmusicgallery.com to your address book.

Other email services [Earthlink, GMail et al]: Place the domain " downtownmusicgallery.com " on your email filter's whitelist. You may need to search your email help menu for details on how to do this. Depending on software/version, they may call it a "whitelist," a "good list" or similar name. Adding the address dmg@downtownmusicgallery.com to your address book will help too.