Wanna see [pictures of] Dead People? watch a Rambo movie. But..

Wanna hear music not dreamt of in your philosophy?
Then check out these AMAZING discs from:


Bill Dixon: Victo 2010! Bill Frisell 858 Qt with Hank Roberts/Eyvind Kang/Jenny Scheinman! William Hooker/Thomas Chapin! Kermit Driscoll with Frisell/Davis/Colaiuta! Louis Belogenis/Sunny Murray/Michael Bisio! Lavelle/Moshe/Grillot! Fiedler/Hebert/Sarin! Shawn Perlowin Doom Ribbons!

Matthew Shipp/Sabir Mateen: SaMa Live! Connie Crothers Qt! Henri Posseur! Jono El Grande! Warren Smith/Craig Harris! Rafael Toral! Anne La Berge! Group Doueh! Hans-Joachim Roedelius! Bruce Gilbert!..



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DMG 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!

Sunday, May 29th from 9pm til 1am at Bowery Poetry Club!
Featuring: Louis Belogenis, Shanir Blumenkranz, Michael Wimberley, Weasel Walter, Peter Evans, Sam Pluta, Burnt Sugar & Special Guests!

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The DMG Free Weekly In-Store Performance Series Continues With:


Sunday, May 8th - Two Sets Featuring:
6pm - TEUN VERBRUGGEN - Solo Drums & Electronics from Belgium!
7pm - ANDY HAAS / WILL McEVOY / DAVID GOULD - Amazing Sax/Bass/Drums Trio!


Sunday, May 15th Double-Header:
6pm: STEVE SWELL - Trombone / JAMES ILGENFRITZ - Bass / JAY ROSEN - Tuba!
7pm: PINKBROWN - Featuring: XANDER NAYLOR - Guitar / JOHAN ANDERSSON - Saxes & MAX JAFFE - Drums!


Sunday, May 22nd - No In-Store - Check Out the Victoriaville Fest in Quebec!


Sunday, June 5th Double-Header:
6pm: BEN STAPP & Friends! & 7pm: JESSE DULMAN - Solo Tuba!


Sunday, June 12th - Check out the Vision Fest - No In-Store!


Sunday, June 19th - 6pm - MATANA ROBERTS - Rare Solo Set!
Come Celebrate the Birthday of MC BruceLee & Father's Day!


Saturday, July 2nd at 6pm: Rare Saturday Duo Set Featuring:
DANIEL LEVIN on cello & TORBJORN ZETTERBERG on bass!


Sunday, July 10th Double-Header -
6pm: Crepuscular Activity - YUKARI- Flutes & CARLO COSTA - Drums!
7pm: KYOKO KITAMURA & JEN BAKER - Voice & Trombone!

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Starts with a BLAST from the late..

BILL DIXON With TAYLOR HO BYNUM/GRAHAM HAYNES/STEPHEN HAYNES/ROB MAZUREK et al - Envoi: Live At Victo 2010 (Victo 120; USA) Bill Dixon - trumpet, electronics, compositions, directing: Taylor Ho Bynum - cornet, flugelhorn, bass & piccolo trumpets, Graham Haynes - cornet, flugelhorn & electronics, Stephen Haynes - trumpet, cornet & flugelhorn, Rob Mazurek - cornet & electronics, Glynis Lomon - cello, Michel Cote - contrabass clarinet & bass clarinet, Ken Filiano - double bass & electronics and Warren Smith - vibes, marimba, gongs & drums.
Bill Dixon was one of the most creative, influential and distinguished of musicians, composers, bandleaders and teachers to emerge from the sixties progressive jazz scene. After a handful of important records in the late sixties, Mr. Dixon continued to compose and began teaching from the seventies onwards but recorded rarely. For the past decade Mr. Dixon had garnered more recognition, playing at the Vision Festival on several occasions and releasing a handful of important discs. Dixon's triple disc set on Firehouse 12 from a few years back was the culmination of many years work with a worthy all-star ensemble. So, when Bill Dixon slowly walked on stage at last years' Victoriaville Festival (in May of 2010), we waited with heavy expectation especially since word was that Mr. Dixon was in bad health. In fact, Mr. Dixon did sadly pass away within a month of when this concert was recorded. Mr. Dixon's amazing all-star ensemble had the same members as on the triple disc set and he had a written another great work for them and us. Besides Mr. Dixon, whose solo was pre-recorded, the piece "Envoi" Section I & II featured four other great brassmen, each on cornet &/or bugle: Stephen Haynes, Taylor Ho Bynum, Rob Mazurek & Graham Haynes. Each one unique and a leader on their own. Each cornetist got a chance to solo while the rest of the ensemble played intricate parts underneath. The rest of the ensemble featured Glynis Loman on cello, Michel Cote on contrabass clarinet, Ken Filiano on contrabass and Warren Smith on vibes, percussion & drums. This piece was composed and directed by Mr. Dixon and it is quite extraordinary. The piece unfolds slowly with orchestral harmonies for the brass, eerie contrabass clarinet, simmering cello & acoustic bass and selective percussion. "Envoi" is Bill Dixon's final masterwork and a most fitting conclusion to lifelong career of various musical heights.
CD $15


BILL FRISELL 858 QUARTET With HANK ROBERTS/EYVIND KANG/JENNY SCHEINMAN - Sign Of Life: Music For 858 Quartet (Savoy 17818; USA) After a five-year hiatus, Bill Frisell's 858 Quartet recorded their second offering. Their elliptical debut, Richter 858, was produced by poet David Breskin (who also helmed the sessions for Nels Cline's Dirty Baby), and accompanied an exhibition by German artist Gerhard Richter. The music on Sign of Life: Music for 858 Quartet was loosely composed by Frisell, and took shape in group rehearsals. 858's other members include violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, and cellist Hank Roberts. Recorded at Fantasy Studios in San Francisco and produced by Lee Townsend, the 17 selections on this set feel very organic. The album opens with Americana-tinged themes in the two-part "It's a Long Story" that nod to country, folk, and even Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" in its melody. "Old Times" hints at bluegrass, blues, and ragtime, but because of the complex interplay between the four players, reaches far past them into a music that is 858's own. "Friend of Mine" is another two-part tune; that said, where a pastoral theme is suggested in part one, a more mischievous one responds in the second some eight tracks later. Elsewhere, improvised classical motifs, jazz modes, and folk and other roots musics shimmer through these compositions, sometimes simultaneously and often spontaneously. The haunted yet restrained "Painter," which clocks in at under two minutes, is a modal sketch immediately followed by an equally brief, slightly dissonant pointillistic exercise in counterpoint called "Teacher." "All the People, All the Time" returns to more accessible and resonant territory but, as gentle as it is, it's full of quiet surprises and unexpected twists. For all of its space and economical phrasing, "Village" is downright cartoon spooky, and "Suitcase in My Hand," which jaunts along in a striding, near reel, is transformed by Scheinman playing country-style fiddle, though the rhythmic signature never changes. "Sixty Four," with its pulsing time and repetitive, slightly shifting harmonic line, feels -- but not quite sounds -- like something Philip Glass might have written if he had a sense of humor, and is the only place on the record where Frisell lets somewhat ragged sonic edges into his playing. Sign of Life is a curious, quirky, and deceptively low-key affair that is musically labyrinthine and ambitious; it's full of gorgeous spaces, textures, utterly instinctive interplay, and unexpected delight. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
CD $15

also available..

BILL FRISELL 858 QUARTET With HANK ROBERTS/EYVIND KANG/JENNY SCHEINMAN - Richter 858 (Songlines 1551; Canada) The music was inspired by the breathtaking and distinctive artwork of Gerhardt Richter, which graces the cover and is included in the enclosed booklet.
There's a density to the music, a layered quality, and performance strategies that all clearly relate to Richter's art. But Frisell's RICHTER 858 also stands on its own as an evocative suite that straddles jazz and contemporary new music, moving between musical abstraction and something more melodic and "representational," from extremes of dissonance, energy and noise to darkly serene meditations. Inspired by the whole process, Frisell has since written much more for the band, which premiered this music January 11/03 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which has also recorded as the string section of his Nonesuch project Unspeakable
CD $17


KERMIT DRISCOLL REVEILLE With BILL FRISELL/KRIS DAVIS/VINNIE COLAIUTA - Reveille (Nineteen-Eight 1015; USA) Bassist Kermit Driscoll is best known for his work in the 1990s behind such downtown luminaries as Bill Frisell (1987-96) and John Zorn (1988-94). He was also co-founder of the Knitting Factory collective New and Used, featuring trumpeter Dave Douglas, which waxed several records in the nineties.
But the bassist, who studied under Jaco Pastorius, has also performed with a wide swath of musicians from jazz greats Chet Baker and Toots Thielmans and pop stars Ben E. King and The Pointer Sisters to classical ensembles such as The New York Philharmonic and the American Composers Orchestra. He's also a veteran of more than two dozen Broadway plays and spends much time in academia as well.
On the 'better late than never' debut under his own name, Reveille (19/8 Records), Kermit Driscoll immerses himself in the utterly unique company of fellow Berklee College of Music grad, former boss and his acknowledged influence Bill Frisell on guitar, pianist Kris Davis (who, like Driscoll, often performs in drummer John Hollenbeck's Large Ensemble) and the ubiquitous drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell and many GRP dates).
It's a surprisingly cohesive unit that waxes and wanes on eight Driscoll originals, the questionably traditional Chicken Reel and a remarkably electric (in all senses of the word) take on Miles Davis and Joe Zawinul's heady Great Expectations, credited here only to Zawinul and known from the 1969 recording heard on Miles Davis' 1974 album Big Fun.
Driscoll's compositions, such as they are, function more as sketches for improvisation than memorable melodies. The inspiration is often taken up most remarkably - and most predictably - by the guitarist, who sounds spectacular throughout, notably on the swampy blues swagger of Boomstatz, the straight blues of For Hearts, the lyrical Farm Life, the near melodic Martin Sklar (presumably named for the head of Walt Disney Imagineering) and the title track.
Reveille, the set's closer, offers what is perhaps the group's most effective interchange and surely some of Frisell's loveliest playing. There is a nice sense throughout much of this 2009 recording of the creative improvisation that only happened in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
It's a willingness to embrace the wild freedoms of what rock promised in the context of the exploratory improvisation jazz offered: no sound is out of bounds and no note can be misplaced. There's also an understanding of a world outside of jazz and the cliche quotes of standard tunes and, thankfully, a sphere of listening that goes well beyond pop radio. ..Pianist Kris Davis's dynamic lyricism strikes a fanciful meeting between what Steve Kuhn and Paul Bley were reaching for many years ago in their attempts to merge their thing with rock (peppered with Marilyn Crispell's free-thinking romanticism thrown in for good measure) and is heard to prominently good effect on the marvelous Hekete and Martin Sklar only. One senses that pianist probably dominates the live performances of these tunes more than she does here. Reveille ..[is].. certainly is cause to take note of Kermit Driscoll, who seems to have more to say on his first disc than its late appearance might suggest. More, Kermit, more! - Douglas Payne
CD $15


WILLIAM HOOKER With THOMAS CHAPIN - Crossing Points [Ltd Ed of 300] (NoBusiness CD 28; EEC) Featuring Thomas Chapin on alto sax and William Hooker on drums. This double album or single CD captures the night with Thomas Chapin and William Hooker in all of their glory. Three long pieces clocking in at 71+ minutes. "Addiction to Sound" begins inauspiciously with William on tambourine and Thomas blowing into his reed from underneath so that it sounds more like brass instrument. This is a playful introduction that takes a while to move into a more intense section when William switches to his drum set. Both men are listening and building on each other's notes and grooves. William punctuates certain lines with his voice (shouting) while Thomas spins notes over and over, varying them with William's percussive shifts. William is a master of the mallets and sounds wonderful pounding out his enticing beats on the drums and cymbals. It is a joyous sound of two warriors dancing together around the flames of life. The exchange goes back and forth, building higher & higher, the two spirits ascending into the stratosphere. There is an obvious deep connection between these two spirit forces. Thomas centers in on these fractured lines, repeating them and then twisting them into different shapes. Williams shadows these lines perfectly, burning and blurring the lines between the two men. When William finally slow down it turns into a sort of Native-American ritualistic rhythm bringing in an introspective section which doesn't last very long but feels just right before they launch into another flurry of activity. The development of themes and pace of each section seems pre-planned at times although I am sure this wasn't the case. It is just the magic of master improvisers that makes this music cosmic and ultimately transcendent.
The sad news is that Thomas Chapin passed away just a few years later in 1998 at the early age of forty, sadly succumbing to leukemia. His music career was still ascending and he was in the midst of achieving international recognition. The good news that this disc captures both Thomas Chapin and William Hooker at their height. This is only one aspect of what Thomas Chapin did best. His early nickname was "Rage" and you can hear why on this disc. As his music diversified and expanded, this became an unnecessary tag. Thomas, you touched many of us when you were with us on this plain. It is now time to for this record to reach out and touch even more of those willing to listen... - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery - excerpt from the liner notes
CD $16

SAMA [MATTHEW SHIPP/SABIR MATEEN] - Sama Live In Moscow (United/SoLyd 408; Russia) Amazing follow-up to their 'studio' album on Not Two label! Review next week - if any are left!
CD $16


LOUIS BELOGENIS TRIO With SUNNY MURRAY/MICHAEL BISIO - Tiresias (Porter 4057; USA) Featuring Louie Belogenis on tenor sax, Michael Bisio on contrabass and Sunny Murray on drums. This is an immensely dynamic and spiritual trio that sound as if they were meant to play together. Longtime legend Sunny Murray is considered to be the godfather of "free-jazz" drums having worked with Albert Ayler and Cecil Taylor in the mid-sixties and then forming his own series of bands afterwards, often known as the Untouchable Factor. Two decades later, tenor sax great Louis Belogenis organized a group called Prima Materia with the amazing drummer Rashied Ali to play the music of John Coltrane & Albert Ayler. Sunny Murray, who has been living in France for many years selected Louie to play live and record with for a disc called 'Perles Noires Vol I' for the Eremite label a few years back. So Mr. Belogenis returned the favor and asked Sunny Murray to record a trio date in a great studio in NYC and the results are just incredible.
'Tiresias' was was a blind prophet of Thebes in Greek mythology, famous for his clairvoyance. In a way, naming this disc after after Tiresias does make sense since this trio harks back to the birth of free jazz as well as into the present and future with this spirit music that is rather elusive to pin down. Choosing Michael Bisio for the bass chair is/was also a great idea since he is one of the most creative and trustworthy bassists around. The trio starts with a dreamy, slow-burning fury that builds through waves. Eerie bowed bass, simmering drums & cymbals and Ayler-esque note-bending and crying through the sax are at the center of this somber storm. All but one of the pieces was spontaneously composed with just one cover of John Coltrane's "Alabama". During the lengthy title piece Bisio plays a waltz-like groove while the sax and drums swirl around one another with an elegant grace. Sunny's unaccompanied drums solo ascends from a humble rumble stretching into a sleepy solo from Louie slowly reaching for a calm conclusion. Trane's classic "Alabama" is a lovely, delicate and tastefully captured with Bisio's touching bowed bass in perfect tandem with Louie's peaceful tenor. "Seven Lives" is an upliftng conclusion of strong slow-burning intensity. Occasionally sublime, consistently superb and ultimately filled with those warm, fleeting free spirits. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

ECO D'ALBERI [EDOARDO MARRAFFA/ALBERTO BRAIDA/ANTONIO BORGHINI/FABRIZIO SPERA] - Eco D'Alberi (Porter 4054; USA) With Edoardo Marraffa on tenor & sopranino sax, Alberto Braida on piano, Antonio Borghini on double bass and Fabrizio Spera on drums. This gem of Italian free/jazz came in the mail and I listened to it a few times before checking out the personnel. Pianist Alberto Braida has a half dozen discs on different labels like Clean Feed, Red Toucan, Nuscope & Nubop, having worked with Peter Kowald, John Butcher & Lisle Ellis. Drummer Fabrizio Spera has also recorded with John Butcher, Mike Cooper & Wolfgang Fuchs. Spera is currently a member of 7K Oaks, an international quartet who will be playing at Victo this year (2011). Bassist Borghini can be found in two different ensembles, Chant & Domino Quartet, both of whom have discs on the Auand label.
It turns out that this quartet played at the Vision Fest in 2008, which is where the first two long tracks were recorded. Although this music is improvised, it has a strong balanced undertow and flow. "Tutto Cielo" starts with a cautious, understated vibe. The interplay between the tenor & piano and the bass & drums is tight and spirited. Although Mr. Marraffa squeaks and squeals on his tenor, he is never very far from what the pianist is playing. Things calm down when Marraffa switches to sopranino sax, twisting his notes inside out quietly at first. This quartet specializes in that edge-of-your-seat sort of excitement wondering what will come next. This is particularly fine quartet who are listening closely and responding with powerful results. Nice to hear some master improvisers from Italy playing such a great set at the Vision Fest. The last two pieces come from two other festivals in Pisa, Italy and in Zurich, Switzerland. The quartet play equally well whenever they go so this entire disc is great, intense and creative throughout. Bravo! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

WARREN SMITH With CRAIG S HARRIS/NOEL SCOTT/VINCENT CHAUNCEY et al - Dragon Dave Meets Prince Black Knight From The Darkside Of The Moon (Porter 1513; USA) The personnel includes Kalaparusha, George Barrow & Noel Scott (future Sun Ra member) on reeds, Jack Jeffers & Craig Harris on trombones, Vincent Chancy on French horn, Bross Townsend & Coleridge T. Perkinson on Fender Rhodes & other keyboards and Warren Smith on marimba, timpani, music & arrangements. The notes call this a children's story with adult language & a fantasy on the futility of the arms race but my first impression is that this sounds like a soundtrack to a blacksploitation film from the seventies. Ritualistic percussion, laid back electric piano, gospelish trombone and layers of odd spoken word voices is what we first hear. Parts are laid back and groove oriented like the "So bad!" refrain on "Dragon's Warning". It is hard to tell who is saying what on some of the more chaotic moments yet you still get the vibe. Parts of this actually sounds somewhat silly yet no doubt that the fear of nuclear war was used to manipulate public opinion. You wonder who the joke was on? In some ways, this sounds like a long lost Sun Ra session. This is in fact a reissue from a rare cassette release from 1988. Only 31 minutes long, but just long enough... - Bruce Lee Galanter, Downton Music Gallery
CD $14


CONNIE CROTHERS QUARTET + MARK WEBER - Live At The Stone NYC (New Artists 1046; USA) Featuring Connie Crothers on piano, Richard Tabnik on alto sax, Ken Filiano on bass and Roger Mancuso on drums plus Mark Weber performing his poems. Last year (2010) Connie Crothers left me with more than a dozen of her discs on this, her own cooperative label. I have been listening to each one closely and have realized that Ms. Crothers is one of the most creative and resourceful pianists to emerge from NYC, a tough town filled with many fine jazz pianists. The quartet on this disc includes two longtime collaborators (Mr. Tabnik & Mr. Mancuso) as well as an old friend of Connie's (poet mark Weber) and a more recent friend (Ken Filiano). Arrangements for the music to work with the poems was done on the previous day by Connie with help from the rest of the band. Mr. Weber's calm voice often reminds me of the great Ken Nordine of the 'Word-Jazz' fame or perhaps david Budbill who MC's at the Vision Fest. Weber's observations and descriptions are consistently provocative although he rarely uses too many words to overwhelm the music. The musicians often create a mood before Weber joins them, sometimes sparse yet thoughtfully constructed. The tradition of poetry and jazz goes back to the fifties and in some ways that what this reminds me of at times. Although the quartet does get to stretch out in between the words, I do miss those moments of free bliss that I know Connie and her cohorts are capable of. On "Breathing Down the Spine" Mr. Weber does some chanting while the groups casts a mesmerizing spell which is filled with suspense. Considering that this is a live recording, the sound and balance is clean and warm. The quartet sounds especially great on Connie's cool/school, complex classic "Ontology" which closes out this wonderful disc. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $13


MATT LAVELLE QUARTET With RAS MOSHE/FRANCOIS GRILLOT/BOB HUBBARD - Good-Bye New York, Hello World (Music Now 01; USA) Featuring Matt Lavelle on cornet, alto & bass clarinets, Ras Moshe on alto & tenor sax, Francois Grillot on acoustic bass and Bob Hubbard on drums. Debut disc on Matt Lavelle & Ras Moshe's new label. "All originals introducing the new cornet and alto clarinet, this is a continued evolution of my process. It's in, it's out, it's Jazz in 2011. Stories told with feeling and an original sound." - Matt Lavelle.
CD $10


JOE FIEDLER TRIO With JOHN HEBERT/MICHAEL SARIN - Sacred Chrome Orb (Yellowsound 566653; USA) Featuring Joe Fiedler on trombone & compositions, John Hebert on bass and Michael Sarin on drums. This is the third trio disc that we've gotten from Joe Fiedler and the second one with the same personnel. I remember digging both of his previous discs on the Clean Feed label and this one is even better. This is a particularly top notch rhythm team with both musicians much in demand. John Hebert has discs out as a leader and has worked with Michael Attias, Gebhard Ullmann & Ingrid Laubrock. Michael Sarin was the longtime drummer for the Thomas Chapin Trio as well as working with Dave Douglas, Erik Friedlander and Myra Melford.
Trombone trios are still relatively rare, making this one even more special. Starting with "Occult" Mr. Fiedler hums through his trombone to create chords giving his trombone a unique sound. The entire trio is a tight, focused and creative force. I dig the way Mr. Fiedler's solo reaches out to hit us with a powerful grasp. Fiedler also gets this bittersweet tone when he bends notes which add a selective pungent spice to his consistently distinctive tone. This being just a trio, a good deal of their special sound depends on bassist John Hebert who is in fine form throughout connecting the bass and rhythm parts with the trombone and drums with ease. All-star downtown drummer Michael Sarin also plays superbly, approaching each piece with well-crafted support. Often switching between sticks and brushes, keeping on top of the groove and structure. His short solo on the title song keeps the flow of the moving throughout. It seems obvious that Mr. Fiedler has spent a great deal of time working on each of these ten songs as each one is memorable in a different way. A marvelous disc that just keeps getting better each time I listen to it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14


SONNY SIMMONS/DELPHINE LATIL - Symphony Of The Peacocks (Improvising Beings 04; EEC) This rare session features Sonny Simmons on cor anglais (English horn) & alto sax and Delphine Letil on acoustic harp. I had not heard of French harpist Delphine Letil before this disc but I hope we hear more from her in the future. Commencing with "Beauty from Long Ago", we hear some exquisite looped layers of cor anglais (a double reed similar to a bassoon) and angelic harp. The sound is quite lovely with Sonny soon switching to alto sax, again with a layer of loops adding some hypnotic ambiance. The epic-length "Emeralds and Sapphires Rejoice" is a lush, dreamy world for elegant harp and that austere double reed. The piece builds slowly while the two musicians exchange ideas and blend together. Although most of this is improvised it sounds like music from an earlier era. Usually one instrument will begin one theme and then the two build & interact together from there. Sonny's "the Blues of What It Is" has a sad, touching bluesy melody and vibe. The duo take things further out on "Blue Maze" which sounds great. It is pretty rare to hear a harp & alto sax or double reed playing duets but this is what we have here. Another rare gem from the mysterious Sonny Simmons and his well chosen collaborator. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $17


SUN RA - The Soul Vibrations Of Man (Saturn 777; USA) 180 gram exact repro, originally released in 1976. Two flutes, cosmic ambience. "What is your soul number? Is your number up or down?"
LP $15


DOOM RIBBONS [SHANE PERLOWIN/JAMES OWEN] - The Violence, The Violence (Open Letter 03; USA) Doom Ribbons features Shane Perlowin on guitars and James Owen on drums, percussion & samples plus guest musicians on violin, accordion, tenor sax, trumpet & acoustic bass. Although Mr. Perlowin fronts the amazing Ahleuchatistas, a full throttle power trio/duo with who combine the best of elements of progressive & math-rock tendencies, Shane's solo offering are quite different. The first thing we hear is strange samples of birds and/or feedback, before the acoustic guitar enters. Shane plays a series of repeating figures on his acoustic guitar while layers of odd samples (chanting voices, etc.) float on top. On each piece Shane alters the sound of his guitar, adding unexpected twists, turns and structures. "Prayer for Collapsing Economies" sounds like whirling dervishes spinning in circles. Is the that a bowed guitar or just a violin through a filter? Shane carefully layers various mostly acoustic guitars on "Big Other" with certain notes shimmering in a subtle psychedelic haze. Shane & James create a different mood or vibe on each piece and use their guests to good effect. I dig the wheezing accordion & sax on "Horvat Jerusalem", the layered harmonies pile up higher as the piece evolves. Shane plays some Frippish sustained guitar at the center of the the final piece, "Die Alone" while another calm guitar strums and soothing voices float on top. Quite hypnotic and a great way to bring this gem to a fine close. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $12


JOCHEN RUECKERT With MARK TURNER/BRAD SHEPIK/MATT PENMAN - Somewhere Meeting Nobody (Pirouet 3055; Germany) Mark Tuner on tenor sax, Brad Shepik on guitar, Mat Penman on bass and Jochen Ruekert on drums & compositions. A current of powerful, sensitively interacting colors holds the listener hostage from the first measure on, as the sounds of four remarkable individuals from the current New York jazz scene are blended together to create an excitingly vital group sound. The music on this CD grabs your attention with its shimmering beauty and tongue-in-cheek intelligence. This is music from a band with a low-keyed leader - a drummer who has everything firmly in hand - thrilling new jazz for the listener who loves expressive music that is both powerful and subtle.
CD $16


Three recent releases with Patrick Breiner!

PREMOTICON [PATRICK BREINER/WILL McEVOY] - Premoticon [CD Ep] (Sulde; USA) Featuring Patrick Breiner on tenor sax and Will McEvoy on acoustic bass. This duo played here at DMG a few weeks back as a celebration of their new label Sulde. Although I wasn't familiar with their young saxist, the bassist Will McEvoy has played here before with TomChess. Although this is a studio recording, it sounds more like it was recorded in a cavernous room. The tenor sax and acoustic bass share similar tonalities, especially when they are bending notes together. Patrick's full toned tenor is bathed in the large room resonance with Will's bowed bass matching the sax closely. Patrick has that intense Charles Gayle-like attack and abandon, concentrating on certain notes and then twisting them inside-out. Will plays spirited bowed bass midway through "I Thought it was a Stack of...", providing a cosmic drone while the sax dances on top like a flame flickering. "Please Don't Ever..." has Patrick making scary animalistic vocal sounds which work well with his biting tenor tirade. The last piece features drifting bowed bass and hushed tenor. The long somber conclusion sounds like a good way to bring this righteous disc to a close. Even at only 24 & a half minutes, this seems like just the right length. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $12

SONS OF DAUGHTERS [PATRICK BREINER/AARON DARRELL/DEVIN DROBKA] - midwestnorthsoutheast [ltd #d ed of 100] (Sulde; USA) Featuring Patrick Breiner on tenor sax & voice, Aaron Darrell on bass and Devin Drobka on drums. This full length disc was recorded live in Madison, wisconsin in December of 2010. This young trio played here at DMG a few weeks ago (4/24/11) and were mighty impressive. Each member contributes a song or two with two covers by Monk and Lennie Tristano. The original songs are rather quirky and move in unexpected ways. The drummer's piece, "Vera", speeds up, slows down and then starts again with an unaccompanied sax section followed by a fine bass and drums duo. The bassist's song, "Flap Flap Soar" starts with wistful vocal harmonies before the tenor comes in a plays an out solo to a more melodic theme. Patrick plays some swaggering tenor on his own song, "Dreaming East", yet the tune starts & stops a few times, catching us off balance figuring out what will happen next. "Is It in You?" simmers in a laid back bluesy way with a dreamy melodic that sounds vaguely familiar. It is rare to hear almost anyone covering songs by Lennie Tristano nowadays but this trio do a fine job with "317 East 32nd St." This piece has that controlled bebop vibe that Tristano and his collaborators specialized in. The trio strip the piece down to its parts with a strong bass solo midway which is followed by a tasty solo sax section. Monk's "Misterioso" slowed down and sped up in a unique way before the trio mutate into a different song which moves carefully in slow motion and then builds into soft yet burning conclusion. Sons of Daughters have found their own way of defining and making their trio into a distinctive force. I look forward to whatever they come up with next. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $10

VARTAN MAMIGONIAN [PATRICK BREINER] - Vartan Mamigonian (Sulde; USA) Featuring Patrick Breiner on solo tenor sax & voice. Although solo sax records are not that rare nowadays, they are rare for someone still so young. Mr. Breiner played here at DMG recently in a duo called Premoticon and in a trio called Sons of Daughters. This studio date was recorded in January of 2008 and Patrick does use some of the room resonance/echo. All of the pieces are originals except for one cover of Monk's "Crepescule for Nellie". Patrick takes his time and concentrates on one approach at a time, slowly developing into something else. His tone is warm and well-controlled just bending certain notes selectively. He likes to repeat and then alter phrases methodically. On "The Dicks" he stretches each note out slowly, sounding like a growl and used most effectively. On a few pieces, Patrick goes for that Evan Parker-like cascade of notes without overdoing it and varying the textures just enough. What is interesting is that Mr. Breiner plays very differently on each of the three discs reviewed today. On this disc he does no screaming or squealing yet everything he does remains intriguing. He takes a folky melody on a few of these pieces and then develops it by repeating certain phrases, a few notes at a time. The overall effect is charming and never indulgent. It is rare that I would recommend a solo sax disc to anyone but seasoned listeners, but this disc is special. It is adventurous without having to beat on its own chest too hard. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Mystic Gallery
CD $10


JONO EL GRANDE [JON ANDREAS HATUN] - Phantom Stimulance (Rune Grammofon 2106; EEC) This is the third full-length release by Jon Andreas Hatun aka Jono El Grande, a self-taught composer, musician, conductor and prankster who remains an outsider on the far margin of the Norwegian experimental music scene. He released his debut mini-album Utopian Dances in 1999, a collection of absurdist instrumentals recorded at home using not much more than a workstation synth. 2003 saw the release of Fevergreens (RCD 2031CD), an album that drew upon classic progressive rock, film music, easy listening and a variety of pop idioms and featured a 9-piece orchestra. 2009's Neo Dada (RCD 2084CD/RLP 3084LP) was a masterstroke; brimming with creative ideas, odd turns, weird combinations of sounds and instruments, complex time signatures and a healthy dose of pure musical joy, all mysteriously sugared with melodic hooks that would stick to your brain like any annoying pop tune. As far as musical form and content goes, this can be said to continue with Phantom Stimulance. It's put together to celebrate Jono's 15 years as a composer and performer and 10 years as a band leader, but it's not a mere compilation. Recorded in Athletic Studio, home to great analog recordings by Supersilent, Motorpsycho, Scorch Trio and countless others, it's a collection of new versions of stage favorites and previously-unreleased songs as well as a brand-new song. Jono lists movements like Rock In Opposition and the Canterbury Scene and artists and composers like Frank Zappa, Stravinsky, Magma, Henry Cow and Gentle Giant as inspirational sources but has established his own signature with his latest releases and stage shows. Instrumentations and arrangements have become more adventurous, he has picked up the electric guitar again and successfully added a rougher edge to the ensemble sound.
CD $17

PHAEDRA [INGVILD LANGGARD] - The Sea (Rune Grammofon 2107; EEC) This is the truly excellent debut album from Phaedra, a new voice on the Norwegian music scene. Rune Grammofon has not been so taken by a debutante since the appearance of Susanna And Her Magical Orchestra back in 2004. Phaedra is Ingvild Langgard, singer, songwriter and painter. Educated at Oslo National Academy Of The Arts in 2006, she has also worked with film, photography, field recordings, installations and vocal-based performance, and her works have been shown in several Norwegian cities as well as in New York (Norwegian Art Now). Co-produced by Madrugada's Frode Jacobsen, The Sea is the kind of classic, timeless music that doesn't come often these days, a mix of folk and psychedelia with a dash of blues and soul; sacred death hymns and shimmering atmospheres hand-in-hand with enchanting melodies and crystalline vocals all shrouded in a dark veil of mystery. Maybe the sort of record Joe Boyd would have produced some forty years ago. The Sea is the first album in a trilogy that constitutes a lyrical and musical cycle, fragments of homegrown mythology, physical and spiritual metamorphosis, death, the other side and losing your soul.
CD $17


ALVARIUS B. - Baroque Primitiva [CD + Book] (Abduction 046; USA) "A much-needed CD issue of an LP, released this last February in microquantities. The dastardly minds behind this project, a first spurt from the reactivated Poon Village label, have collaborated on the new package as well. And it is a deluxe eye-swim through various forms of feminine beauty, its 32-page booklet displaying images that look as though they were found in a smoky catacomb carved into the hills of Charlestown. By my count, Baroque Primitiva is the sixth album by Alvarius B. and is, like its predecessors, a deep dive through mysterious waters. The 11 tracks here were recorded at various sessions over the course of several years and range from 'Humor Police' (a track imagining what Syd Barrett might have sounded like had he been a devotee of Rembetika) to a trippily Beatles-damaged version of 'You Only Live Twice' (the sole surviving shard of the aborted Alvarius B. Plays The Bond Songbook project). Baroque Primitiva is the first long-format telegram from Alvarius B. since he lost his mothership (the Sun City Girls, with whom he employed his slave name, Alan Bishop) and it also feels like his most consistently non-acerbic -- perhaps even most beauty-oriented -- work. The songs often have a meditative pace, filled with gorgeous lo-fi blends of vocals, guitar, bass and keys. Eyvind Kang guests on several tracks, but the bulk of the material was broadcast direct from the naked soul of Alvarius B., which turns out to be a warmer, sweeter place than you might imagine. And while this CD will be available for a tad longer than the 30 seconds the LP lasted, a set as thoroughly gorgeous as this will not linger. Take a deep breath of its magic and go for it. Why deny yourself such bountiful pleasures?" - Byron Coley
CD + Book for $17


ANNE LA BERGE - Speak (New World 80717; USA) Featuring: Anne La Berge, voice, flute and electronics (all tracks); Misha Myers, Josh Geffin, Amy Walker, Patrick Ozzard-Low, voices; Cor Fuhler, piano; Stephie Buttrich, vocals
Anne La Berge (b. 1955) is a pioneer who defies easy categorization. She is a flutist, composer and improviser, often simultaneously; she is also, as this disc demonstrates, a computer musician and a sui generis poet and story-teller. Her performances bring together a ferocious and far-reaching virtuosity, a penchant for improvising delicately spun microtonal textures and melodies, and her wholly unique array of powerfully percussive flute effects, all combined with electronic processing. Many of her compositions involve her own participation, though she has produced works intended solely for other performers, usually involving guided improvisation and text. The concept uniting these five pieces, despite their diversity, is that all involve "stories" of one kind or another. The textual material is placed in different "locations" in the pieces, sometimes as foreground and sometimes as middle- or background, so that it forms only one element in the compositions, and is integrated with the instrumental and electronic sounds in the overall musical texture. These pieces are not compositions in the usual sense of the term, and none has anything like a conventional score: she describes the first four as "guided improvisations," while the final track was originally part of a joint lecture/performance devised with her scientist father. In all these and other ways, La Berge is a precursor of some of the important things contemporary composition has now come to mean.
CD $15


HENRI POUSSEUR - Parabolique d'Enfer (Sub Rosa 318; Belgium) This recording will be Sub Rosa's first posthumous recording of Henri Pousseur. It is the sixth release (out of eight) in their catalog devoted to this composer's experimental and electronic works. It also marks the end of the trilogy of the Parabolic works (following the 1972 unreleased recordings and the 2001 collective performance). This time around, we have a piece built through another major Pousseur work: Lecon d'Enfer (composed in 1990-1991 around Arthur Rimbaud). This previously-unreleased version was realized by Henri Pousseur in Cologne in 1992. This release was important to Henri Pousseur, as it concludes, in a sense, the Paraboles trilogy, after 1972's 8 Etudes Paraboliques (released as a 4CD box set comprised of all the etudes to be used as the basis for all current and future mixes) and 4 Parabolic Mixes (2001), on which four composers -- Robert Hampson, Philip Jeck, Markus Popp, and Pousseur himself -- tackled those source tapes. This suite of works was gradually pushing composition further into the territory of destruction and abstraction. This final installment, a mix made from the 1972 etudes, as it should be, integrates a major external element (something already planned in the initial design), another work by Pousseur, "Lecons d'Enfer," a complex piece of musical theater dedicated to the memory of Arthur Rimbaud and composed in 1991 for the centennial of the poet's death. This work, over 100 minutes long, was written for two actors, three singers, seven musicians (clarinet, alto saxophone, tuba, harp, piano, and two percussions), tapes (including traditional Ethiopian music and field recordings from that area), and electroacoustic devices. With this version, Henri Pousseur shows how the deep impression left by a work in constant mutation can take different guises. The Rimbaud pictured in this flux is neither the promising teenager, nor the striking genius, nor even the desperate man struggling in vain in an empty landscape; it is an appeased hybrid breathing the ebullient air of the final times.
CD $16


RAFAEL TORAL - Space Elements Vol III (Staubgold 12; Germany) This is the third volume of Rafael Toral's Space Program Space Elements series. In this series, each volume features guests and is focused on a compositional function. The Space Program is a long-term project launched in 2004 for performing music with a post-free jazz mind-set but using strange sounds from electronic instruments. Playing physically, the body is involved in making decisions. The Space Program is about articulating silence and sound, structuring musical flow on experimental instruments with a simple and clear sonic identity. "All these instruments are different but have a few things in common. The first is that they don't have a conventional interface, which means that for all of them I have to find out what they do and develop technique to play them," says Toral. "The second is that none of them respond accurately to performing action. So there's always a live tension between an accurate decision and its somewhat unpredictable outcome. I meant to play music technically free from any school and teachings, but beyond that, I also wanted the music somehow to escape my own self, playing instruments with a sort of life of their own, never allowing complete control and making any repetition virtually impossible." Dan Warburton's write-up in The Wire about Space fits Space Elements Vol. III perfectly: "The melodic logic that drives certain instruments within 'Space' also recalls birdsong, with dense, convoluted runs of twittering melody ending in single piping notes, as spontaneous as Messiaen's birdsong transcriptions were painstaking and meticulous." Toral's music is a jazz-inspired reevaluation of live electronics: "Despite working in a sound world that is cosmetically closer to R2D2's vocabulary than Louis Armstrong's or John Coltrane's, Toral has claimed a kinship to jazz because it models instant music-making within a disciplined framework." --Dusted Magazine; "Toral is looking for nothing less than a totally fresh language to work in" --The Wire. Mastered by James Plotkin. Featuring contributing musicians such as Afonso SimXes (drums), Riccardo Dillon Wanke (Rhodes piano), CXsar Burago (maracas, tamborim, shakers, cowbell, claves, kokiriko), Tatsuya Nakatani (percussion), Victor Gama (acrux), Marco Franco (drums), Toshio Kajiwara (lap steel guitar) and Toral (electrode oscillator, modified MS-2 pocket amplifier feedback, glove-controlled computer bass sinewaves, filtered feedback circuit, modified MT-10 portable amplifier, modulated noise, modulated synthesizer and tamtam).
CD $17

THE MAGIC I.D. [MARGARETH KAMMERER/CHRISTOF KURZMANN/KAI FAGASCHINSKI/MICHAEL THIEKE] - I'm So Awake/Sleepless I Feel (Staubgold DIG 10; Germany) This is the second release from The Magic I.D. -- a Berlin-based quartet exploring the juncture of song forms with abstract music. The band, consisting of Margareth Kammerer (vocals & guitars), Christof Kurzmann (vocals, g3 & lloopp), Kai Fagaschinski and Michael Thieke (both clarinet), formed in the summer of 2005 after previously being connected via smaller groupings and projects. The musicians expand song forms through the prism of experimental sensibilities and mesh the two remarkably fluidly. I'm So Awake/Sleepless I Feel consists of 10 intricately-constructed gems, each with its own individual shape, painstakingly sequenced to form a record that becomes more than the sum of its parts. The combination of twin clarinets, guitar, subtle electronics and voices seems deceptively simple, but it makes a heady cocktail. The combined effect creates a unique soundscape; after hearing two seconds of this music, it could be mistaken for nothing else
CD $17


GROUP DOUEH - Zayna Jumma (Sublime Freq 066; USA) Group Doueh's latest record is here and the plot continues to thicken! From the gorgeously cracked yet all-embracing opening drum roll of "Zayna Jumma" (the title track), it's evident this band is hell-bent on redefining the sound of its influences and in turn, shape the future sound of its surroundings. It's musical alchemy in its purest, most remarkable form, pushing at the boundaries of geographical divergence while simultaneously speaking to the shared resonances between Western rock rhythms and the pulse of the Saharan trance tradition. Since its inception, Group Doueh's ability to craft pop hooks from a foundation of saharoui roots music has been a manifestation of sheer song craft and innovation. The tracks on Zayna Jumma are a deeper excavation of the group's forged terrain: a collision of contemporary Afro-Saharan grooves balanced with the searing modalities of Doueh's desert origins, finally nuanced by the transcendental pop/rock/desert blues elements honed from gestating in the fringes of the Sahara desert. For the latest installment of this Dakhla family's musical dynasty, Doueh recruits his next eldest sons El Waar (synth) and Hamdan (drum kit), and wife Halima is augmented by three female back-up singers. The band keeps evolving and this album reveals its newest phase -- that of a formidable ROCK unit. The songs on this record were recorded in 2010 -- a busy year for Doueh, maintaining its day job as the go-to group of the Saharan wedding industry while still managing recording sessions and a tour with Tony Allen (Fela Kuti's long-time drummer). On the heels of this momentum, Zanya Jumma is released to coincide with the group's 2011 spring/summer tour of the UK, Europe and a first-ever U.S. tour. This band continues to redefine the musical landscape and keep listeners amazed and transfixed. It's the perfect ecstatic music for the impending apocalypse, a rogue sound rooted in the past and yet boldly harnessing the aural possibilities of the landscape ahead... go ahead and jump aboard. Recorded on location in Dakhla, West Sahara in 2010 by Hisham Mayet.
CD $15



BRUCE C GILBERT - This Way (Editions Mego 102; Austria) This Way, originally released in 1984 on Mute, was UK guitarist Bruce Gilbert's first solo album, realized in that brief period between Dome winding down operations and Wire reforming for the first time. A stunning study of controlled ambience and subtle minimalism which is still regarded as an all-time favorite at Editions Mego. The bulk of the album is taken up by the mighty "Do You Me? I Did / Swamp" pieces which were commissioned for a piece of the same name by choreographer Michael Clark. A grey tonal poem of amazing, bleak beauty building up to the ecstatic crescendo of the third movement. Elsewhere, short notes on the possibilities of abstract electronic noise are included in the form of "Here Visit" and "U, Mu, U," which still hold their sense of urgency a quarter of a century after being initially recorded. This is also the first time the complete album is available domestically on CD. Previous CD issues were the This Way To The Shivering Man on Mute (with "U, Mu, U" missing), and the Japan-only 3CD box with This Way, Shivering Man and Insiding previously-released by Alfa Recordings. This 25th anniversary reissue is remastered by Russell Haswell and contains a rework by Dave Coppenhall on Angela Conway's original artwork.
CD $17

BRUCE C GILBERT - The Shivering Man (Editions Mego 108; Austria) The Shivering Man, originally released in 1986 on Mute, was Bruce Gilbert's second solo album. Following on from his 1984 masterpiece This Way (EMEGO 102CD), it further explores Gilbert's investigations into the grey border where abstract noise and rhythm co-exist with obscure melodies and song structures. The sound is further expanded with guest vocal appearances by Angela Conway and fellow Wire traveller Graham Lewis. This is also the first time the complete album is available domestically on CD. Previous CD issues were This Way To The Shivering Man on Mute and the Japan-only 3CD box with This Way, Shivering Man and Insiding previously released by Alfa Recordings. This 25th anniversary reissue is remastered by Russell Haswell and contains a rework by Dave Coppenhall of Angela Conway's original artwork. As a bonus, there is an Angela Conway video featuring Michael Clark, originally broadcast in 1987 on Channel 4.
CD $17


HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS - Momenti Felici (Bureau B 68; Germany) Includes three PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED bonus tracks [CD edition only]. Bureau B reissues Momenti Felici by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1987 on the Virgin/Venture label. Since the early '80s, Roedelius had more or less dispensed with electronics, focusing increasingly on the grand piano. He also collaborated with various combinations of musicians to create a new kind of music, vastly different from Cluster and Harmonia aesthetics. For Roedelius, it was not only a period of reorientation in musical terms, but also geographically: Austria was now his home. "Tu Felix Austria" (trans. "Oh, Happy Austria"), a time-honored Austrian campaign slogan, became his very own motto in no time at all. The pleasure he derived from playing the piano and meeting musicians on the same wavelength did the rest: an enthusiastic Roedelius allowed new impressions and discoveries to flow virtually unfiltered into his music. Momenti Felici is one of the finest examples hereof. With characteristically exuberant inventiveness, Roedelius tickles the ivories lightheartedly, or, entering into a more pensive mood, seems to caress the keys. With saxophonist Alexander Czjzek dueting on some of the pieces, Roedelius shuffles a pack of disciplined compositions and carefree improvisations. With the passage of time, many of his companions from earlier days have come to realize that a beautiful melody and a rich piano chord can be just as pleasing to the ear as pure tones and rhythm machines. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
CD $17

HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS - The Diary Of The Unforgotten (Selbstportrait VI) (Bureau B 52; Germany) The Diary Of The Unforgotten is a collection of recordings from the years 1972 to 1978 and was first released in 1990 (with different artwork). Between the years of 1972 and 1978, Hans-Joachium Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, later joined by Michael Rother, lived out on a country estate in the idyllic, diminutive settlement of Forst in the Weser Uplands. It was here that the Harmonia albums, legendary recordings with Brian Eno and various splendid Cluster albums were created. Both the house itself and the surrounding landscape held a magical fascination for Roedelius. The time he spent here was intense in every sense of the word. He translated his feelings and impressions into music, giving rise to the "self-portrait" series. His sixth self-portrait bears the title The Diary Of The Unforgotten and offers a compelling aural record of the Roedelius psyche of the period. For Roedelius, Selbstportrait VI, in particular the 24 minutes of the "Hommage A Forst" centerpiece, were like messages in a bottle, cast into the water in 1990 and now ready to be discovered on the different shores of 2010. Every track on the album is a distant echo from the Forst era. Printed inner sleeve with an appraisal by Asmus Tietchens.
CD $17

HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS - Wenn Der Sudwind Weht (Selbstportrait IV) (Bureau B 41; Germany) Wenn Der Sudwind Weht ("When The South Wind Is Blowing") is the seventh solo album by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released on Sky Records in 1981 (also known under the title Selbstportrait IV). "Where on earth does Roedelius find such a beautiful array of notes?" wonders Asmus Tietchens in his sleeve notes for this reissue. Not an unreasonable question. Roedelius, a pioneer of ambient music, Krautrock and, arguably, synthesizer pop, member of such seminal bands as Cluster and Harmonia, revels in alien worlds on this record. This is "Music to be listened to quietly," as Roedelius advised on the LP cover. Indeed, listening at low volume enhances the sense of otherworldliness quite considerably. And yet, this album can hardly be termed "spacy" nor psychedelic in the slightest. Electronic excesses are absent, aural exotica off-limits, bizarre cacophonies non-existent. The individual tracks are compact, lined up in quick succession, like a string of pearls. Without a trace of exhibitionism, he externalizes himself through his music with an honesty that could move one to tears. As a member of Cluster and Harmonia, such radicalism was never open to him. Sudwind is an undisputed highlight in the Roedelius canon. CD housed in a digipak with liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
CD $17

HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS - Selbstportrait II ..Plus! (Bureau B 64; Germany) 5 UNRELEASED bonus cuts! This is the fourth solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1980 on Sky Records. With Selbstportrait, Roedelius gave unequivocal confirmation that he no longer was treading the hitherto common paths of electronic music. Selbstportrait - Vol. II corroborated the findings: for Roedelius, electronics would no longer be a means of creating abstract, noise-like music in the future, nor of generating utopian, mechanical rhythmic structures. His own utopia was quite a different place, more in keeping with his own personality and view of the world. Hence both self-portraits, in particular Selbstportrait - Vol. II, are programmatic. Uniquely among musicians of the German electronic scene at the time, Roedelius succeeded in blending European and extra-European musical styles quite intuitively, developing his own language of music, neither epigonic nor weighed down by stereotype, as often occurred in the emerging world music genre of the period. Transcending styles, hypes and modernisms, Selbstportrait - Vol. II is electronically-sourced music, yet sounds anything but technical, dismantling the misconception that electronic music has to sound cold and distant. Selbstportrait - Vol. II has never been released completely before. Includes 5 tracks never released on CD! Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
CD $17

HANS-JOACHIM ROEDELIUS - Selbstportrait [I] (Bureau B 63; Germany) This is the third solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1979 on Sky Records. Alongside his ongoing work with Cluster and Harmonia, Roedelius amassed an almost incalculable number of musical notations during his time in the idyllic Weser Uplands. Fleeting sketches, spontaneous improvisations, implied miniatures, rough compositions -- Roedelius recorded virtually every idea he came up with outside the studio sessions on his Revox A77 reel to reel; with the basic intention of capturing his moments of inspiration, he simply let the tape run as he played around on the Farfisa organ. Sound quality was not his prime concern, as he was not as yet entertaining any notion of releasing the results. As Roedelius recalls, costly tape spools were at a premium, so he recorded over older tapes in mono, at a less than ideal speed. Substandard, technically speaking (or listening), but as a self portrait, nothing short of a masterpiece. It would be inappropriate to measure this album by the hi-fidelity yardstick; see it as something closer to an intimate confession, an unguarded communique from one person to another. Bordering on naivety and free of conceit, Roedelius introduces us to his world through these chiffonesque etudes. There may be little variation in the Farfisa sound, but this is soon forgotten when Roedelius invites us to listen, to enter the experience. No expensive technology, no producer, no collaborators. This is unfiltered personality, the real Roedelius. Musically, Selbstportrait is characterized by a combination of landler, minimalism and harmonic simplicity. The Weser Uplands, where Roedelius recorded his music, are certainly no Arcadia and the village of Forst is anything but Atlantis, but perhaps it could become the Graceland of German electronic music. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
CD $17


THE FREE POP ELECTRONIC CONCEPT - A New Exciting Experience (Vampi Soul 89; EEC) First-time ever legit reissue of this lost gem from the late '60s Euro psychedelic underground. Belgium-based Portuguese soul brothers Tony & Waldo Lam (better known as Jess & James) join forces with American jazzman Scott Bradford and Belgian mad scientist & electronics grand daddy Arsene Souffriau for a crazy trip into groovy free-rock and soul and electronics. This stands among the best, in the tradition of Pierre Henry's Jerks Electroniques Pour La Messe Du Temps Present, Cecil Leuter's Pop Electronique or JP Massiera's Maledictus Sound. For some it may even be close to the craziness of Jimmy Haskell's Count Down or The Love Machine's Electronic Music To Blow Your Mind. Heavy riffing, screaming fuzz, mind-frying chirping electronics, tribal drumming mayhem, crazy studio effects, groovy go-go keyboard action, stomping beats all over. Insane stuff far ahead of its time. A must-have for psych fiends, Krautrock aficionados, beat diggers, library lunatics and all-around acid heads. A legendary record which is still riding high in many want lists. Grab it now or cry for ages
CD $17

MARANATA - Maranata (Vampi Soul 56; EEC) Beware... this album is a true revelation! The only album recorded by this Uruguayan band, they were formed by Roberto Giordano, bass player of Totem , with the intention of making some extra money by playing contemporary hits or classics at weddings, private parties and TV shows. The record was recorded specifically to be sold at those events. Musically, there are echoes of Cal Tjader, Deodato, Henri Mancini, Billy Cobham... but with a Candombe Beat: utterly rhythmic and contagious! This is one of the most fabulous and rarest "rare grooves" ever released. The original copy of this album does not even appear on any website and we fear that, were a well preserved copy to surface, its price in euros could have 3 zeroes on it.
CD $12

QUINTEPLUS - Quinteplus (VampiSoul 94; EEC) Founded after the "New Jazz Collective" movement in Argentina in the late '60s, Quinteplus was a space for reflection and rehearsal to determine the paths that jazz should take. An experiment with folk genres in a jazz key, and the exploration of African rhythms, as a bridge between both musical worlds. This set contains the only studio album they ever released (in 1972) and a great bonus: a complete live recording of a gig from the same year, unreleased until now. The record is a sophisticated exhibition of the musical cocktail that characterized the band -- tunes composed by its members, fluent jazz language, experimentation with folk rhythms, funky touches by the amplified upright bass and electric piano, compact sound and great solos by the group's brass players. The music sounds fresh, attractive, unprejudiced and dexterously played. A work ahead of their time. Includes a complete band bio and liner notes.
CD $12



Back in Stock on the 'done-right mastering and packaging' Sunbeam label!

ANDWELLAS DREAM - Love And Poetry (Sunbeam 5063; UK) Sunbeam is delighted to announce the definitive reissue of this quintessential British psychedelic classic. Recorded by the youthful trio Andwellas Dream in the summer of 1969, it's packed with strong songs and powerful acid guitar, as well as contemporary production flourishes and a guest appearance from cult jazzman Bob Downes. Produced with the full involvement of the band's leader David Lewis (who also contributes detailed sleevenotes), the album is presented here with all their non-album 45s, alternate mixes, as well as other bonus tracks and a full booklet featuring rare photographs, making it the most comprehensive edition of this legendary album ever assembled.
CD $17

CLARK-HUTCHINSON [ANDY CLARK/MICK HUTCHINSON] - A=MH2: Expanded Edition [2 CD set] (Sunbeam 5048; UK) This deluxe 2CD release of UK acid-blues masters Clark-Hutchinson also includes their rarely-heard unreleased 1969 debut, comprising the most comprehensive edition of their work ever assembled.
As virtuoso musicians and members of Sam Gopal's Dream, Clark-Hutchinson (Andy Clark and Mick Hutchinson) were well-known to regulars at legendary London clubs such as UFO and Middle Earth when they decided to branch out as a duo. Recorded in two intense overnight sessions in May 1969, A=MH2 is a scorching blend of jazz, raga, blues and psychedelia that has long been established as one of the key recordings to have emerged from the UK psychedelic underground. It's presented here as a 2CD set, together with their March 1969 recording debut, an unreleased collection of acid blues that features some equally stunning musicianship. The package comes complete with detailed notes and previously-unpublished photos, making it the most comprehensive edition of this groundbreaking music ever assembled.
2 CD set for $24

GARY FARR - Take Something With You [2 CD Set] (Sunbeam 5051; UK) This double CD set marks the long-overdue first reissue of Gary Farr's classic 1969 solo debut, Take Something With You -- one of the best and rarest singer-songwriter albums to emerge from the UK underground. Having torn up innumerable R&B clubs with the T-Bones, by the late 1960s, Farr had gone in a more pastoral, progressive direction. A superb set of reflective, acid-tinged ballads, the album finds his soulful voice ably backed by his 12-string guitar and supporting musicians including members of Mighty Baby and Blossom Toes, as well as Meic Stevens. It's presented here together with a plethora of non-LP 45s and previously-unheard demos, as well as a booklet featuring rare photographs, historical liner notes and personal memoirs from Meic Stevens and Farr's long-term partner, Carinthia West.
2 CD set for $24

LILY FISZMAN & MARIA NEUMANN - Lily & Maria (Sunbeam 5050; UK) New York teenagers Lily Fiszman and Maria Neumann met in 1965 and developed a highly original and distinctive musical style over the following two years, before releasing their sole album in 1968. A compelling combination of stark folk, upbeat pop and acid rock, it's one of the most intense, intimate and beautiful recordings of its era, and has long been established as a cult classic. It makes its long-overdue reissue debut here, complete with rare photos, memorabilia and interviews with both artists (telling their story for the first time), making it an essential purchase for all fans of 1960s acid folk and pop.
CD $17

GERRY F FITZ-GERALD [FITZGERALD] With JUDY DYBLE/GEOFF LEIGH/RIK KENTON - Mouseproof (Sunbeam 5016; UK) One of the most unconventional albums ever recorded, this avant-garde psychedelic suite contains elements of folk, jazz, rock and electronics, but has a sound and atmosphere all of its own. Recorded in 1970, but barely released (despite the enthusiastic support of John Peel), original copies now sell for astronomical sums. Guest performers include Judy Dyble (Fairport Convention), Rik Kenton (Roxy Music) and Geoff Leigh (Henry Cow, Hatfield & the North & Radar Favourites). This is its long-awaited debut on CD, and comes complete with comprehensive liner notes and rare photographs.
"Gerry Fitzgerald is an incredible guitarist & unique sonic songsmith. He was in the first Henry Cow offshoot band, Radar Favourites with Geoff Leigh, had a duo album with Lol Coxhill and can be found on Fred Frith's 'Guitar Solos - Volume 2'. 'Mouseproof' is his Gerry's one and only long lost solo effort and it is one of the rarest of all gems. I found a copy of it at Bleecker Bob's in the late 70's for $15 and almost fainted when I discovered it. I later told Fred, who just about fainted!" - BLG
CD $17

THE FREE SPIRITS [LARRY CORYELL/JIM PEPPER/CHIP BAKER/CHRIS HILLS/BOB MOSES] - Out Of Sight And Sound (Sunbeam 5018; UK) "The Free Spirits were a legendary psych/rock/jazz quintet from NY that featured future jazz and fusion greats like Larry Coryell on lead guitar [his first recording], Chip Baker on rhythm guitar & vocals, Jim Pepper on tenor sax, Chris Hills on bass and Bob Moses on drums. They formed in 1966, from varied backgrounds and opened for - and knocked out! - bands like the Doors, Jimi Hendrix and the Velvet Underground. The songs they wrote started out as 'normal' rock tunes, yet they would jam and turn those songs inside-out when they performed live - it turned to be an immensely crafty and quirky psych/rock/jazz gem with various unique influences flowing through. Had their producer [Bob Thiele] taken them more seriously and let them open up more in the studio and go beyond the 3 & 1/2 minute boundary, this might have been the masterpiece The Free Spirits had in them. Either way, this is a long lost gem that shouldn't be ignored, although it is not really the early pre-fusion disc that we thought it was. - BLG
CD $17

FRESH MAGGOTS - Fresh Maggots: Expanded Edition (Sunbeam 5002; UK) New repackaged 2006 edition, with 7 new bonus tracks. "Long established as a cult classic and collector's grail, Mick Burgoyne and Leigh Dolphin's sole album is presented here with their full co-operation. Recorded in 1971 when they were just nineteen and fresh to the studio, Fresh Maggots is one of the best distillations of folk and psychedelia ever recorded. Varying in tone from heavy rock ('Frustration') to protest ('Everybody's Gone To War'), social commentary ('Dole Song') and pastoral ('Rosemary Hill'), it's a highly unusual and powerful record that enjoyed extravagant acclaim on release but sold poorly and has never been officially issued since. Original pressings are notoriously badly pressed, so this reissue is sure to be rapturously welcomed by all lovers of acid folk."
CD $17

CAROLYN HESTER COALITION - The Carolyn Hester Coalition (Sunbeam 5066; UK) Though she's best-known for her prominent role in the folk boom that swept America in the early 1960s (appearing on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1964), as well as her involvement with Bob Dylan, Carolyn Hester also recorded two superb albums of fuzzy, sweet-voiced, psychedelic folk-rock in 1969, along with her band, The Coalition. Despite her early associations with traditional folk in the vein of Joan Baez, Hester forged her own pathways, turning down a slot with Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, collaborating with Bill Lee and Bruce Langhorne, and eventually trying her hand at forming her own folk-tinged psych band. Sunbeam is delighted to announce the first of two long-awaited, authorized reissues, produced with Carolyn's full participation. Complete with a booklet detailing the band's history and also including rare photographs, this reissue is sure to appeal to all fans of high-class U.S. psychedelia.
CD $17

CAROLYN HESTER COALITION - Magazine (Sunbeam 5067; UK) Sunbeam's reissue of The Carolyn Hester Coalition's second album, originally released in 1970 on the Macromedia label. Magazine is slightly more moody and not as sunshiney as the first record, but it is still fairly light, approachable West Coast-ish psych/folk/pop. There are some covers on this record, mixed with originals that hold up next to any other record of its ilk from the era. Hester's crystalline, sweet voice is backed by some hauntingly deep and melodic fuzz, proving that Hester wasn't just any Texas songbird. Sunbeam is delighted to announce this long-awaited authorized reissue, produced with Carolyn's full participation. Includes a booklet detailing the band's history, featuring rare photographs -- sure to appeal to all fans of U.S. femme folk-rock.
CD $17

THE HUMAN BEAST - Volume One (Sunbeam 5044; UK) The music of this young Edinburgh trio was described in 1969 as "electro-flagellation," a phrase that aptly describes their vicious, Eastern-inflected guitar lines, pounding bass and frenetic percussion. Taped in a single twelve-hour stint in London that December and released in 1970 on Decca, their sole album stands as one of the most distinctive and unsettling pieces of rock music ever recorded. Issued here with their full participation, their story - an enigma for decades - is finally told for the first time in an accompanying 16-page booklet, packed with previously-unseen photographs, making it an essential purchase for all fans of heavy psychedelic rock and roll
CD $17

WIZZ JONES - The Legendary Me (Sunbeam 5015; UK) An undisputed giant of modern folk and one of the finest acoustic guitarists Britain has ever produced, Wizz Jones has influenced musicians from Eric Clapton, John Renbourn and Ralph McTell to Billy Connolly, Bert Jansch and even Rod Stewart. Following the rapturous reception given to Sunbeam's issue of his 1975 Lazy Farmer project last year, we are delighted to announce the long overdue reissue of this classic 1970 set. A mixture of standards and originals, many by his old friend Alan Tunbridge but all arranged in his inimitable style. If you've ever wished John Renbourn was twice as good or thought Bert Jansch was too uptight, then this is your cup of meat. Remastered the way you've come to expect from Sunbeam -- at Abbey Road from the original tapes -- this perfect product includes three killer bonus tracks (including a Leonard Cohen cover that doesn't suck and the master's take on Jansch's "Needle of Death"), liner notes, and cool vintage photos."
CD $17

WIZZ JONES - When I Leave Berlin (Sunbeam 5037; UK) An undisputed giant of modern folk and one of the finest acoustic guitarists Britain has ever produced, Wizz Jones has influenced musicians from Eric Clapton, John Renbourn and Ralph McTell to Billy Connolly, Bert Jansch and even Rod Stewart. This classic 1973 set finds him playing a mixture of standards and modern classics, accompanied by the legendary Bert Jansch and Lazy Farmer -- all arranged in his inimitable style. This release is now available on CD for the first time ever, and the package comes complete with detailed liner notes, photographs and six rare bonus tracks, making it an essential purchase for lovers of folk music.
CD $17

PAUL KOSSOFF With BLACK CAT BONES - Paul's Blues [2 CD Set] (Sunbeam 5058; UK) This double CD contains the earliest known recordings of the UK's Paul Kossoff (Free), whose tragic death at 25 in 1976 robbed the rock world of one of its finest-ever blues guitarists. Taped at rehearsals with Black Cat Bones in London in 1967, the raw, lo-fi tracks find the teenaged Kossoff already a master of his instrument. Accompanied by musicians including Derek and Stuart Brookes (later to form the legendary Leaf Hound), and featuring a guest appearance from Paul Rodgers (later to form Free with Kossoff), the recordings are of considerable historical importance. They are released here for the very first time, along with a booklet featuring rare photographs, full liner notes and an introduction from the band's drummer, Frank Perry, making the album an essential purchase for all serious rock fans.
2 CD set for $24

ORIENTAL SUNSHINE - Dedicated To the Bird We Love (Sunbeam 5013; UK) A sitar-kissed cruise through the gentler side of psychedelia, this flawless gem combines beautiful melodies, thoughtful lyrics and immaculate instrumentation to hypnotic effect. Originally released only in Norway, where it sold in minute numbers in 1970, this is its first official reissue and comes complete with a 12-page, full-color booklet incorporating rare photographs and detailed liner notes by the band's leaders, Nina Johansen and Rune Walle. Soaring female vocals, gently lifting psych, light as a feather. 1970 was ground zero for the genesis of underground folk and this album stands up with the absolute best of that year (which included legendary albums from Mellow Candle, Trees, Linda Perhacs, Emtidi, Forever, Siloah, Agincourt, Incredible String Band, Vashti Bunyan and many more)
CD $17

CLIVE PALMER - Banjoland (Sunbeam 5004; UK) Clive Palmer is a founding member of The Incredible String Band, a virtuoso banjo player and distinguished folk musician who recorded several classic albums with his own group C.O.B. (Clive's Original Band), and The Famous Jug Band. At long last, British folk's "great lost album" is finally available, with the full collaboration of producer Peter Eden (Donovan, Bill Fay, Mick Softley). Recorded in 1967 and featuring contributions from guitar maestro Wizz Jones and legendary jazzman Mike Gibbs, Banjoland features a typically eclectic selection from Palmer's vast repertoire and is sure to thrill folk fans all over the world.
CD $17

TERRY SMITH With KENNY WHEELER/GORDON BECK et al - Fall Out (Sunbeam 5008; UK) Best known as lead guitarist with jazz-rock legends IF, Terry Smith is one of the great unsung British guitarists. Named Best Jazz Guitarist in 1968's Melody Maker poll, he made this ultra-rare solo debut the same year. Produced by his friend Scott Walker, it's a masterful mixture of standards and originals, featuring top jazz musicians such as Kenny Wheeler, Harry South, Gordon Beck and Ray Warleigh. And now, with vinyl copies selling for hundreds of pounds, it's finally available on CD for the first time, complete with rare photographs and comprehensive liner notes.
CD $17

CHRIS THOMPSON - Chris Thompson [2 CD set] (Sunbeam 5078; UK) Originally issued as the fabled Village Thing label folded in 1973, this has been described as one of the best acid folk albums of the 1970s. Recorded in numerous locations by itinerant New Zealand guitar wizard Chris Thompson (who travelled to the UK as part of Julie Felix's band), it features guest appearances from Clem Alford and Keshav Sathe (of Magic Carpet renown), and casts a hypnotic spell. It's presented here in its fullest-ever version, with alternative takes, a second disc culled from all stages of his career, rare photos and detailed notes from the man himself.
2 CD set for $20

JAKI WHITREN - Raw But Tender (Sunbeam 5025; UK) Possessor of one of the finest voices of her generation, Southampton, UK-based Jaki Whitren was just nineteen when she recorded her first release, Raw But Tender -- a soulful collection of banjo-plucked, country-tinged folk-rock, in 1973. Featuring members of Matthews Southern Comfort and Fotheringay, as well as guitar legend Albert Lee, it has never previously been available on CD and comes complete with detailed notes by Jaki herself, making it an essential purchase for fans of classic singer-songwriting.
CD $17


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