DMG Newsletter for July 24th 2015

Meanwhile back at the Deep Space Nine Space Complex Another Large Treasure Chest of Wonderfully Weird Discs has Appeared from An unlikely Cast of Cosmic Composers from the Early 21st Century Earth:

John Zorn/Forro Zinho! Bret Higgins' Atlas Revolt! Peter Brotzmann/Fred Van Hove/Han Bennink 1971! Steve Lacy & Steve Potts 1979! New from ForTune: Charles Gayle Trio! Trevor Watts & Veryan Weston! Ed Cherry Special Trio!

Malerai/Uchihashi/Maya R! Marco Eneidi Screamin' 4! Yells at Eels! Susan Alcorn & LaDonna Smith! Brooklyn Primal: Bill McHenry/Jerome Harris/Nicole Kampgen/Ed Schuller/Pete Davenport! 2 from Mara Rosenbloom/Darius Jones Qt!

Plus Archival Discs from: Frank Zappa & the Mothers! Horace Silver & Woody Shaw! Weather Report 1980! Larry Coryell & 11th House! Waylon Jennings! Joe Ely! Dolly Parton! Karen Dalton! King Tubby! Bunny Lee! Scientist & Mad Professor! The Congos! King Jammy! Sun Ra Arkestra & Another Large LP Section!

***********

The DMG FREE Weekly In-Store Concert Series Continues With:

Sunday, July 26th:
6pm: FRANCOIS GRILLOT/TOMAS ULRICH/JEREMY CARLSTEDT!

Sunday, August 9th - Tuba Double-Header:
6pm: CARL LUDWIG HUBSCH - Solo Tuba!
7pm: BEN STAPP - Solo Tuba!

Sunday, August 16th Early Double-Header:
5pm: LEAP OF FAITH: PEK-clarinets, saxes, double reeds/GLYNIS LOMON-cello, aquasonic/STEVE NORTON-clarinets, saxes/YURI ZBITNOV-drums!
6pm: THOMAS HEBERER..!

*****

Two New Ones from Tzadik:

JOHN ZORN//FORRO ZINHO + SOFIA REI/JESSE HARRIS - Forro in the Dark Plays Zorn (Tzadik 8334; USA) There has never been a Zorn CD like this one! One of the most exciting bands to come out of the wild late night Nublu scene in the East VIllage, Forro in the Dark combines the driving dance rhythms of forro from Northeastern Brazil with rock, jazz, reggae, folk and country. Here they take on some of Zorn's most lyrical and grooving compositions to create a charming CD of Brazilian-tinged dance music. Endlessly listenable, this is a CD filled with catchy hooks, burning solos, driving rhythms and infectious Zorn melodies, new and old. Produced by Jesse Harris and featuring Brazilian legend Marcos Valle as a special guest. Personnel: Jorge Continentino: Pifanos, Flutes, Vocals, Tenor And Baritone Saxes , Vitor Gonzalves: Accordion, Rea Mochiach: Bass, Percussion, Fun Machine, Guilherme Monteiro: Electric Guitar and Mauro Refosco: Zabumba, Vibes, Synare, Percussion plus Jesse Harris & Sofia Rei: Vocals and Marcos Valle: Guest Vocals And Wurlitzer. - TZADIK ARCHIVAL SERIES
CD $17

BRET HIGGINS' ATLAS REVOLT - Bret Higgins' Atlas Revolt (Tzadik 7813; USA) A fabulous release by this Canadian instrumental band that blends latin, r&b, soul, film soundtracks, jazz and more into moody and infectious grooves. Bret Higgins is no stranger to Tzadik, performing on the 2014 release Zebrina and performing with Tzadik regulars like Frank London, David Buchbinder, Ben Goldberg and many others. A new take on The Meters and Booker T, this is small unit instrumental music that you will return to again and again. Personnel: Aleksandar Gajic: violin, Robbie Grunwald: electric & acoustic pianos, Bret Higgins: double bass, Tom Juhas: electric guitar and Joshua Van Tassel: drums & percussion. - TZADIK SPOTLIGHT SERIES
CD $14


Three Gems from Corbett Vs Dempsey:

PETER BROTZMANN/FRED VAN HOVE/HAN BENNINK - 1971 (CvD 020; USA) Featuring Peter Brotzmann on tenor sax, Fred Van Hove on piano and Han Bennink on drums & percussion. "Recorded at the height of their powers as the leading free jazz trio in Europe, 1971 includes some of the hottest and heaviest music ever made by Brotzmann, starting with an inflammatory, incandescent 26-minute live track recorded at the New Jazz Meeting auf Burg Altena. Only available on a nearly-impossible-to-find LP sampler issued at the time by the festival, this marks "Just for Altena"'s first appearance on CD. Two more tracks come from pristine studio recordings made shortly before the festival, and they show an entirely different side of the trio, with delicate and harmonically intricate work by the Belgian pianist van Hove and typically wide ranging and mondo offerings from Bennink, at the time when the Dutch percussionist was using a huge, ragtag setup with metallic flotsam and jetsam augmenting his traditional kit." - Corbett Vs. Dempsey
CD $15

STEVE LACY/STEVE POTTS + IRENE AEBI - Tips (CvD 018; USA/Hat Hut Reissue) "Soprano saxophonist Lacy wrote the suite of tunes for Tips to feature the aphorisms of painter Georges Braque, as sung by Irene Aebi. Together with his right-hand-man, alto saxophonist Potts, he and Aebi recorded these 14 anthemic tracks in Paris in 1979, and the young hat Hut label issued them on a now-rare LP. The music allowed Lacy to extend and deepen his longstanding interest in setting text to music, and at the same time it provided a perfect context for extrapolated duets with Potts, whose dedication to Lacy over twenty years of collaboration somewhat overshadowed his own creative output. This CD is the first release of Lacy's full hat Hut oeuvre, mastered from the original tapes, which CvsD acquired last year." - Corbett Vs. Dempsey
CD $14

TOM PREHN QUARTET - Axiom I + II (CvD 019; USA) Featuring Frits Krogh on tenor sax, Tom Prehn on piano, Poul Ehlers on bass and Finn Slumstrup on drums. Recorded in Copenhagen in 1963. "Arguably the rarest LP of European free jazz, Axiom was recorded in 1963 for the Danish label Sonet. Test pressings were released to the musicians, but they were not approved and the label never printed more than the two first copies. Prehn's music, which is exclusively known from a 1967 release that was reissued on the Unheard Music Series, is not only impossibly uncommon, it is also exceptionally wonderful, featuring an extended tenor saxophone solo by Frits Krogh that is clearly influenced by Sonny Rollins but has a unique character. The rhythm section is deep into non-metrical time, something unusual in a European context before 1965, and comparisons to Cecil Taylor are valid, though Prehn's playing has little in common with the American master, exploring chords and clusters rather than linear runs. The two tracks of the original LP, mastered from both extant copies of the test master, are augmented by a single track from 1966, never before released." - Corbett vs. Dempsey
CD $14


New from ForTune:

CHARLES GAYLE TRIO [With KSAWERY WOJCINSKI/KLAUS KUGEL] - Christ Everlasting (ForTune 0063; Poland) Featuring Charles Gayle on tenor sax & piano, Ksawery Wojcinski on double bass and Klaus Kugel on drums. After a strong series of great discs on Silkheart, Knitworks, FMP and Black Saint, there have been far fewer CDs released since the turn of the century by free/jazz sax giant Charles Gayle. Besides playing the Vision Festival just about every year, Mr. Gayle's gigs in NYC are also more scarce. So, a particularly strong disc like this one is a cause for rejoice. This set was recorded in April of 2014 at the Dragon Club in Poznan, Poland. The rhythm team features Ksawery Wojcinski on bass and Klaus Kugel on drums. I hadn't heard of Polish bassist Ksawery Wojcinski before this date although he does appear on several of the more recent discs on the ForTune label. Klaus Kugel is one of the finest European drummers, he can be found on some 2 dozen plus discs with Steve Swell, Ganelin Trio Priority, as well as with several great Polish players like Waclaw Zimpel. Instead of playing completely free, this trio covers four classics by Albert Ayler, Sonny Rollins, Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane. All of the original songs have a religious title, which makes sense since the music does have that strong free jazz/spiritual vibe. The trio does a fine job on Ayler's "Ghosts" theme, with Mr. Gayle bending his notes in a most exuberant fashion, not unlike Mr. Ayler's approach more than fifty years ago today. Both Mr. Wojcinski and Mr. Kugel also sound like perfect men for this intense and ever-spirited trio. The trio also do a fine job on "Oleo" (S. Rollins), "Well You Needn't" (Monk) and Trane's difficult "Giant Steps". This is the best disc from the great Charles Gayle in a long while! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

TREVOR WATTS & VERYAN WESTON - At Ad Libitum (ForTune 0057; Poland) Featuring Trevor Watts on alto & soprano saxes and Veryan Weston on piano. This was recorded live in Warsaw, Poland in October of 2013. I caught this extraordinary duo at the Guelph Jazz Festival in 2011 and was blown away by their set. They have done quite a bit of touring before and after that set. This is their fourth duo CD, the first one was from 2001. Both of these elder British men bring a wealth of experience into this duo. Starting the mid-1960's, Trevor Watts has led or collaborated with SME, Amalgam and the Moire Music Group. Veryan Weston was a member of Four Walls, as well as playing in duos with Lol Coxhill, Phil Minton and Eddie Prevost plus several solo discs as well. When I played this disc in the store earlier this week, I was completely knocked out as this duo has an incredibly tight connection and irrepressible spirit. Wow! Most impressive! Speeding up, slowing down, intense one minute, laid back the next, sparse and full-on but consistently breath-taking. Almost too much at times. There is a great deal going on here, a kaleidoscopic journey or novel that keeps going through a different scenes or stories. There are numerous moments were the two take things completely out yet remain connected on some magical level. This my friends is as good as it gets! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

ED CHERRY SPECIAL TRIO - Szosta Po Poludniu (ForTune 0064; Poland) Featuring Ed Cherry on electric guitar, Adam Kowalewski on double bass and Arek Skolik on drums. Considering that jazz guitarist Ed Cherry has worked with a number of well known leaders like Dizzy Gillespie, Big John Patton and Dr. Lonnie Smith, his records as a leader are few. A couple of months ago (April, 2015), I reviewed an amazing CD from Pheeroan AkLaff which featured Ed Cherry on guitar and we've sold more than fifty copies so far. This month (July, 2015) the ForTune label has released a rare trio effort from Mr. Cherry, backed by two fine Polish musicians, neither of whom I was previously familiar with. This disc was recorded live in Warsaw, Poland in November of 2014. The trio perform all cover songs from: Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Dave Brubeck, Mal Waldron and the Meters. Mr. Cherry is a gifted jazz guitarist who has played the occasional soul, funk, rock or blues sessions. Opening with Wayne Shorter's "Edda"(recorded by Lee Morgan), has that slinky Wes Montgomery/George Benson-like tone down, his playing and solo both superb. Horace Silver's "Peace" is a lovely ballad first recorded in 1965 and here gets a sublime rendition. Miles Davis' "Blue in Green" first appeared on "Kind of Blue"(1959) and here gets a great, subdued version with excellent brush work of Mr. Skolik and a long, story-like solo from Mr. Cherry. "In Your Own Sweet Way" is one Dave Brubeck's earliest songs and one of his must popular. Covered by Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery, this version is long and simmers like a slow cooking spicy soup with a fine bluesy, most tasty solo from Mr. Cherry. This disc ends with a great, funky classic, the Meters' "Look-A-Py Py" which has a sly, greasy groove and another, dynamite slinky guitar solo from the often underrated Ed Cherry. This disc makes me feel so good, you don't want it to end! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

MALERAI / KAZUHISA UCHIHASHI/MAYA R - Utsuroi (Fortune 0055; Poland) Featuring Michal Gorczynski on clarinet, tenor sax, keyboard, Kazuhisa Uchihashi on guitar & daxophone, Maya R on vocal, Dagna Sadkowska on violin and Mikolaj Palosz on cello. Since moving to Europe, Japanese guitar master, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, has been less prolific as far as new CDs go. Besdies working with many of the most creative players in Japan, Uchihashi has worked with many Downtown and Europeans: Hans Reichel, Shelley Hirsch, Ned Rothenberg and Fred Frith. What is different about this disc is this: almost all of material was written by the reeds player here Michal Gorczynski. I didn't recognize any of the names from this quintet except for Mr. Gorczynski, who has a duo CD with Uchihashi which I reviewed a few years back. This is a studio recording and as far as I can tell, Maya R is singing in what sounds like Japanese. Some of true song titles are named after Japanese foods or drinks. The music has a quaint, chamber-like quality with superb arrangements for the reeds, guitar and strings. There is not vocals on every track but the music is consistently charming. The music here reminds me of Slapp Happy or perhaps After Dinner (with Haco who has also worked with Uchihashi). There is a a nice, somber vibe going through much of this disc which would probably sound great on an overcast day. This is a completely unexpected delight. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

Back in Stock on ForTune:

ANTHONY BRAXTON QUARTET With TAYLOR HO BYNUM/JAMES FEI/ERICA DICKER - Quartet (Warsaw) 2012 (ForTune 2012: Poland) "Featuring Anthony Braxton on alto & tenor saxes & composition, Erica Dicker on violin, James Fei on alto sax and taylor Ho Bynum on cornet. For more than forty years, visionary composer Anthony Braxton has had several projects evolving simultaneously, all somehow interrelated. One of the more recent projects is called Diamond Curtain Wall which has had three core members (Braxton, Bynum & Mary Halvorson) plus an occasional guest. Another part of the Diamond Curtain Wall project is the addition of a Supercollider computer program which was developed by NASA and which adds unpredictable electronic sounds. Both Mr. Bynum (more recent) and Mr. Fei (less recent) have been collaborating with Braxton for more than a handful of sessions. I am not that familiar with Ms. Dicker, although she is a member of a quartet called Pretty Monsters with Katherine Young who has also worked with Mr. Braxton previously. Like many of the works that Mr. Braxton has been performing over the past few years, this piece ("Composition 363b+") is one long seventy minute performance. Hence, this piece unfolds and evolves slowly. It is a post "Ghost Trance" work so it is not dependent a singular pulse but it does draw from a series of drones. The computer program does appear in unexpected places sometimes as a drone, sometimes not and adds an eerie ambiance at times. The shifts in timbre or length of the lines seem carefully measured and inter-related on different levels. The sound production and balance is just right, perfect for a live performance. The ever-creative and dependable Taylor Ho Bynum concentrates on cornet here and not his usual brass artillery continues to makes strides and is one of Braxton's best collaborators. Since all four of these musicians are virtuostic, the exchange of ideas and interplay is/are consistently fascinating. This music does demand some patience yet it is greatly rewarded as a whole long work which is successful from the beginning until the ending seventy minutes later." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

WILLIAM PARKER QUARTET With ROB BROWN/LEWIS 'FLIP' BARNES/HAMID DRAKE - Live in Wroclove (ForTune 02; Poland) Claiming that somebody is a living legend is a paradox because it presents a concluded history, as it were. William Parker has helped create the history of free jazz and the language of the avant-garde. Therefore, he is a legend, but a legend focused on Today, on what he can still give to the world. His message is intertwined with fundamental values of Sufi philosophy: beauty, harmony, love, freedom, intuition, meditation and exploration. What William Parker brought to Wroclaw was the music of excellent interaction revealing the quartet's intuitive performance. In a friendly atmosphere at a rather small, timbered venue fully packed with almost 400 people, four concentrated musicians, each at the height of their abilities, created an uninterrupted stream of ecstatically flowing sounds. The duet of William Parker and Hamid Drake resembled a perpetual motion machine the essence of which was the pure, pulsing groove rhythmically strumming the invisible strings of primordial beauty. In between the two, Bob Brown and Lewis Barnes were weaving their ever tense narration reminiscent of the Ornette Coleman Quartet.
CD $17

MARY HALVORSON TRIO With JOHN HEBERT/CHES SMITH - Ghost Loop (ForTune 10; Poland) "No one can play the way she does, no one writes music like hers"; "One of the most original artists of today's jazz scene"; "A truly unique voice in the guitar world" exclaim the headlines of the jazz press and magazines focused on improvised music. Can she be labeled as a jazz guitarist, though? Do such categorizations hold any appeal for her at all? I don't think so. Nor do I believe it is worthwhile to try and classify her artistic achievements, as classifications are hardly valid in her case. Efforts of this kind are interrupted by Halvorson herself who haltingly remarks: "I don't enjoy jazz guitar in general." If anything, her music resembles indie rock; rock, we should say, was her first musical experience - the years she spent performing with such bands as Xiu Xiu and People, or her fascination with the art of JimI Hendrix. If we insist on working jazz into her musical activity, then jazz is found in her comprehensive view of a creative process in which both the improvised and the composed form a new picture; a picture being the fruit of perpetual searching, of constant experimenting, of incessant questioning. One of the key vehicles to this end is a trio Mary Halvorson set up several years ago with John Hebert on double-bass and Ches Smith on drums. This group may even be the best definition of what Mary Halvorson finds essential in music today. On the one hand, it provides the ground work for complex compositional and improvised structures; on the other hand, it is an ideally formed organism, allowing her imagination to roam down the most astounding paths, liberated from the ruts of style.
CD $17

WOJTCZAK NYCONNECTION [IREK WOJTCZAK/MICHAEL STEVENS/HERB ROBERTSON/JOE FONDA/HARVEY SORGEN] - Folk Five (ForTune 50; Poland) Featuring Irek Wojtczak on soprano & tenor saxes & bass clarinet, Herb Robertson on trumpet, Michael Stevens on piano, Joe Fonda on bass and Harvey Sorgen on drums. The ever-ambitious ForTune label now has some fifty plus releases and most features a wide variety of Polish modern jazz, contemporary classical, electronic and post-rock musicians. They recently us some twenty or so promos, which I am still working my way through. Many of them, whether I knew of the musicians previously, are consistently adventurous and inspired! For this fine disc,they introduce to reedsman/composer Irek Wojtczak, who is quite formidable as a player, composer and arranger. He collaborates with the great Fonda/Stevens Group who have been around for more than two decades. Most of the music here was inspired by Polish folk music, although it is hard to tell just from listening. Right from the opening which features a hot drum solo intro, the main theme is played with a robust, burning, hard swinging passion. Although the tenor solo by Wojtczak is powerful and intense, it is the trumpet and piano-led interaction that is astonishing: tight and swinging hard. Each song was influenced by a Polish folk melody, a number inspired by a composer named Tadeusz Kubiak. Many of these songs are taken at a slower pace, so that inner melody rings closer to the source. Outstanding bassist Joe Fonda, is often at the center of many of the pieces here, his playing is the heart of this fabulous band, all of the members integral to the magic. Master-trumpeter, Herb Robertson, who I haven't heard much from recently is in extremely fine form and not using electronics or extended techniques. He, Mr. Wojtczak and Mr. Stevens all take a handful of superb solos which are always an extension of whatever the song is at hand. Although this might be the first time this band played together, they sound as if they have been playing for many years, seamless and consistently successful. An early entry for disc of the year! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16 ($1 off of regular price)

** The Great Polish label ForTune has been pretty prolific over the past few years. They recently sent us some 2 dozen (!?!) promos of discs that we will be stocking in the near future. Here is the short list. Right now we have just 1 copy each of these but will get more in a few weeks. You can order them now or wait until I do some regular reviews.

MARCO ENEIDI STREAMIN' 4 - Panta Rei (ForTune 034; Poland) Featuring Marco Eneidi on alto sax, Marek Pospieszalski on tenor sax, Ksawery Wojcinski on double bass and Michal Trela on drums. Marco Eneidi was an active member of the Downtown music scene when he lived here in the 1980's and 90's. He has worked with William Parker, Bill Dixon, Peter Brotzmann, eventually moving to the Bay area and more recently to Europe. I haven't heard any recent recordings from Mr. Eneidi until this one in which he sounds as intense and spirited as ever. The rest of this quartet also sound great! - BLG
CD $17

YELLS AT EELS [DENNIS GONZALEZ/AARON GONZALEZ/STEFAN GONZALEZ] - In Quiet Waters (ForTune 046; Poland) Yells at Eels is Dennis Goznalez on cornet, trumpet, accordion & charango, Aaron Gonzalez on acoustic & electric bass and Stefan Gonzalez on drums, marimba and percussion. This is the sixth disc from our favorite Texas-based trio. Studio and live recordings from January and March of 2013. Excellent,as always. - BLG?DMG
CD $17

FUSK [RUDI MAHALL/PHILIPP GROPPER/ANDREAS LANG/KASPER TOM CHRISTIANSEN] - Sieben Acht Gute Nacht (ForTune 0048; Poland) Featuring Rudi Mahall on bass clarinet, Philipp Gropper on tenor sax, Andreas Lang on bass and Kasper Tom Christiansen on drums & compositions. We all know bass clarinetist Rudi Mahall from more than fifty discs with Alex Von Schlippenbach, Aki Takase, Soko Steidle and many others. Much less recognized are the other members of this quartet: Philipp Gropper (2 discs as Hyperactive Kid on Jazzwerkstatt), Andreas Lang (4 CDs with Gunter Hampel) and Kasper Tom (leader disc on Barefoot & collaboration with Marc Ducret).
CD $17

TOM TRIO [With TOMASZ DABROWSKI/NILS BO DAVIDSEN/ANDERS MOGENSEN] - Radical Moves (ForTune 032; Poland)
CD $17

WACLAW ZIMPEL TO TU ORCHESTRA - Nature Moves (ForTune 025; Poland)
CD $17

GRAZYNA AUGUSCIK ORCHESTAR - Inspired by Lutoslawski (ForTune 44; Poland)
CD $17

MAREK KADZIELA & KSAWERY WOJCINSKI - 10 Little Stories (ForTune 052; Poland)
CD $17

KSAWERY WOJJCINSKI - The Soul (ForTune 041; Poland)
CD $17

P.U.R. COLLECTIVE - Nichi Nichi Kore Ko Nichi (ForTune 056; Poland)
CD $17

NIKOLA KOLODZIEJCZYK ORCHESTRA - Chord Nation (ForTune 042; Poland)
CD $17

TUKASZ BOROWICKI TRIO - People, Cats & Obstacles (ForTune 026; Poland)
CD $17

ULTRAMARINE [PETRAS VYSNIAUSKAS/MARK TOKAR/KLAUS KUGEL/ULIANA HORBACHEVSKA] - Nebocry (ForTune 049; Poland)
CD $17


SUSAN ALCORN/LaDONNA SMITH - Ambient Visage (Transmuseq Records 15; USA) Featuring Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar and LaDonna Smith on violin & viola. This was actually released in 2007 but I didn't know about it until I was hanging out with early Downtown/Birmingham, Alabama-based improvisers LaDonna Smith & Davey Williams, at a great workshop/music festival in Jyderup, Denmark last month (June of 2015). Thanks to her recent tribute to Astor Piazzolla for the Relative Pitch label, Susan Alcorn has finally gotten some much deserved recognition for her efforts. Both Ms. Alcorn and LaDonna Smith are restless musicians who thrive at taking chances by playing improvised music with other like-minded players. After a long amount of time, I was fortunate to hear Ms. Smith playing with her old partner Davey Williams at the Ictus Festival at The Stone a few years ago, as well as playing several sets at the aforementioned Jyderup Fest in Denmark last month. This disc sounds like a studio session, the sound is consistently superb. Both the pedal steel guitar and violin or viola sound especially good together both bending notes in similar, careful ways. Dreamy, calm, melancholy, eerie, spacious, ghost-like, ultra-subtle at times" The duo take off on "Flight of the Damsel Fly" accelerating higher as the tempo increases. There is a piece called, "Soaring" which is an elegant, lullaby of sorts, like hearing taps at the end of the day before we doze off to sleep. "Ambient Visage" seems like a most appropriate title for this splendid gem.
CD $10

BROOKLYN PRIMAL [With BILL McHENRY/JEROME HARRIS/NICOLE KAMPGEN/ED SCHULLER/PETE DAVENPORT] - Presents Evidence (GM Recordings 3052; USA) Featuring Bill McHenry on tenor sax, Nicole Kampgen on alto sax & (minimal)vocals, Jerome Harris on guitar & effects, Ed Schuller on bass and Peter Davenport on drums. No doubt you recognize the names of Bill McHenry, Jerome Harris and Ed Schuller, each a leader with numerous recordings as well as being busy collaborators. The drummer, Pete Davenport, recently released a fine disc as a leader which I reviewed a few weeks back (early July, 2015). I had not heard of Ms. Kampgen before this disc appeared. Except for the cover of Monk's classic, "Evidence" and a song by Arto Tuncboyacian, all of the other songs were written by Mr. Schuller or Mr. Davenport. Starting with the Monk song, after the them is stated, the quintet break into a freer section, slowing down, speeding up as the theme winds its way through different sections. It is Mr Davenport's superb drumming that keeps the band tight, focused and buoyant. He and bassist Ed Schuller are phenomenal throughout and provide consistent direction and rhythmic finesse. Mr. Davenport's "Airborne" has that Pat Metheny-like effervescent groove/melody complete with some charming chorus background vocals yet none of the expected cheesiness. "Enough Said" is dedicated to Ornette Coleman and does have some of those complex, intersecting lines that informed much of Mr. Coleman's music. I love the infectious groove on Mr. Tuncboyacian's "Lower Part of the Mirror", which features a swell solo from Mr. McHenry on tenor and sly guitar from Mr. Harris. "Wrong Way Up" features some great, burnin' jazz/rock guitar from Jerome Harris as well as smoking tenor from Bill McHenry, something me don't hear from him often enough. The liner notes, Ed Schuller claims that one the reasons that this group got together is that all are close neighbors. No matter what the case is, this disc is a fine example of Brooklyn's finest. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14


Last week I caught an amazing trio set at I-Beam in Brooklyn featuring Mara Rosenbloom on piano, Guillermo Gregorio on clarinet and Ken Filiano on bass. I've caught Ms. Rosenbloom a few times over the past few months and am most impressed by her playing. She seemed to inspire Mr. Gregorio to play more inside than he usually plays. Both sets that night were magical and Ms. Rosenbloom just left us with two of her discs as a leader:

MARA ROSENBLOOM QUARTET [With DARIUS JONES/ISAAC JAFFE/NICK ANDERSON] - School of Fish (Self-released; USA) Featuring Mara Rosenbloom on piano & compositions, Darius Jones on alto sax, Isaac Jaffe on bass and Nick Anderson on drums. I don't recognize the names of either rhythm section folks here although I see that Mr. Anderson is on a CD from Nicolas Letman that I reviewed from the past few years. Alto saxist & composer Darius Jones consistently surprises us with each of his dozen discs as a leader or collaborator. His playing & composing is diverse, dynamic and demanding. "School of Fish" was self-produced by Ms. Rosenbloom and was released in 2009. She wrote and arranged all six songs as well. Commencing with "Arrival", a quiet, haunting song with an enchanting melody. Darius Jones' tasty, bittersweet tone is perfect for this quartet, his solo short yet succinct. Even more restrained is "Subtle Pressure", suspense-filled, elegant, emerging from a dream-like haze, Mr. Jones sax glides over the hushed rhythm team. Ms. Rosenbloom takes a lush, sweeping solo which moves from subtle to orchestral in a short amount of time, making every note count. The theme for "Passage" recalls "Maiden Voyage" in a certain way, balancing that hypnotic refrain with crafty flourishes and features a superb solo drum section. Mr. Anderson's drumming is consistently strong throughout and gets a couple of chances to stretch out and impress each time. Each of the six songs on this disc contains a most memorable central melody that made me want to sing or at least hum along. Ms. Rosenbloom often makes these pieces sound easy to play, yet there is quite a bit of creativity going on below the surface. The odd thing is that this disc came out six years ago and that I hadn't heard about Mara Rosenbloom until this year. The lesson is that it is never too late to give some credit where it is due. So check out this gem today! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

MARA ROSENBLOOM QUARTET [With DARIUS JONES/SEAN CONLY/NICK ANDERSON] - Songs from the Ground (Fresh Sound New Talent 418; Spain) Featuring Mara Rosenbloom on piano & compositions, Darius Jones on alto sax, Sean Conly on bass and Nick Anderson on drums. This Ms. Rosenbloom second quartet release from 2013, four years after her debut quartet disc. The members of the quartet are the same except for the bassist, who is now Sean Conly. Mr. Conly has become one of the most in-demand bassist in town since moving here and working with Michael Attias, Amanda Monico and Yoni Kretzmer. Ms. Rosenbloom also wrote, arranged and produced this disc. Beginning with a sublime solo piano intro called, "Relief", we are off. Like her previous disc, Ms. Rosenbloom excels at writing enchanting melodies that are both uplifting and engaging, especially with the great Darius Jones soaring on top. The quartet sounds even better here, each member integral to the unified group sound. Ms. Rosenbloom's songs often remind me of the songs that Herbie Hancock composed for his Blue Note records from the mid-sixties. For this disc, Ms. Rosenbloom's pieces are often longer and more involved. I dig the way Darius Jones stretches out each note on his solo from "Unison" while the rest of the quartet play an elastic tempo which organically shifts quicker, slower, quicker a tough balancing act but nicely handled by all four members. "Common Language" is a long, slow, bluesy piece that builds righteously throughout. The title track is an epic length work which again takes it s time to build into slow moving dream world with a long, expressive story-like solo from Darius Jones and an equally riveting solo from Ms. Rosenbloom as well. I really look forward to checking out this quartet live but in the meantime we can just savor their two superb discs. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12


UPSILON ACRUX - Sun Square Dialect (New Atlantis 019; USA) Featuring Paul Lai & Noah Guevara on guitars, Patrick Shiroishi on Fender Rhodes & sax, and Mark Kimbrall & Dylan Fujioka on drums. Upsilon Acrux have been around since 1999, hails from San Diego and has a revolving cast of different members. With more than a half dozen releases under their belt, two of which are on Cuneiform, their sound evolves on each release. Are they a prog band, math rock or something else entirely? "Pitch Mountain" has a quick, intense, shapeshifting sort of sound with interlocking parts for the guitars, keyboards and drums. Their exuberant, fast and furious, quick-changing music is consistently exciting and on the verge of exploding or falling apart. The music is constantly in flux, super-tight and rapidly changing section after section. I was exhausted after listening to the first piece. "Death Before Disharmonic" slows down a bit yet continues to shift parts/dynamics with less urgency. I wonder how much of this is written out or if the band has learned how to play these complex pieces (instantly) after fifteen years of playing together in their own odd way. When they do slow down a bit, some interesting yet twisted melodies appear, if only for a brief time. I caught this band once in their earlier days and was way impressed with their extreme, complex insanity. Glad to see or hear that they are still at it and still blowing minds year after year, disc after disc! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12


OMAR SOULEYMAN - Bahdeni Nami (Monkeytown 056; Germany) Perhaps Syria's most successful musical export, international singer Omar Souleyman returns with his second proper studio effort and most personal album to date, Bahdeni Nami. For the album Souleyman opened his doors to collaborations with a number of renowned electronic producers, all of whom were established fans eager to offer unique interpretations of his sound. Four Tet returns to produce a track, Gilles Peterson lends his considerable talents to one song, Modeselektor turn in the two fastest dance numbers of the set, and Legowelt offers a remix of the title-track. Additionally, a 7" planned for release in August 2015 will feature a thoroughly distinctive remix of one of the album's heartrending ballads by The Black Lips' Cole Alexander. Bahdeni Nami was recorded closer to home, in Istanbul, and appropriately the singer is joined by traditional accompaniment. Souleyman has reunited with his favorite poet, Ahmad Alsamer (who penned his pre-west hits "Kaset Hanzel," "Khattaba," and "Shift -al Mani"), heard throughout the album offering claps and wails of encouragement. The songs come alive with musical contributions and support from the virtuosic sax work of Khaled Youssef, another longtime collaborator from his hometown. Rizan Sa'id's keyboards improvise devotedly to every tune and turn of Souleyman's choice. The lyrics are familiar territory for the singer -- declarations of eternal love, consolation of one's aching heart, pleas to his lover to sleep in his arms forever -- realized as four fast dance numbers, an introduction mawal, and an elaborate araby style ballad. Omar Souleyman continues to tirelessly bring his wild dance party to all corners of the globe, everywhere from SXSW to the Nobel Peace Prize Concert to rock clubs in cities around the world. Originating from the Hasake region of Syria, Souleyman earned his reputation by singing and leading years of weddings, birthdays, christenings, corporate parties, and more, answering invitations from all peoples living in the region -- be they Muslims, Christians, Kurds, Iraqis, Syrians, Assyrians. Those parties yielded hundreds of cassette tapes at first offered as gifts and later distributed throughout the region and other Arab countries. Despite the world's insistence in associating him with his home country's unending war, Omar Souleyman gives back nothing but love.
CD $15


Historic & Archival Recordings:

FRANK ZAPPA - Bebop Tango Contest Live! (Keyhole 9054; UK) With the success of his Apostrophe and Roxy & Elsewhere albums, 1974 saw Frank Zappa at his commercial peak. Evidently feeling a surfeit of goodwill towards his fans, at the close of the year he prepared a personally mixed reel of live performances from the previous year for broadcast on WLIR-FM in Garden City, New York, on New Year's Eve. Not to be confused with a show he was playing the same night in Long Beach, California, this is a typically adventurous and humorous compilation, and is presented here with background notes and images.
CD $17


HORACE SILVER FEATURING WOODY SHAW - Live at the Half-Note [2 CD Set](Hi Hat 016; UK) Having played with and written for Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, and many others, by the late '50s saxophonist and pianist Horace Silver was pioneering hard bop, incorporating elements of gospel and R&B into his funky, rhythmic compositions. The superb sets captured here were taped at New York's Half Note club for FM radio broadcast, and include material from his influential 1965 Song for My Father LP, as well as boasting a searing guest appearance from the hugely gifted trumpeter Woody Shaw. The complete broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound, complete with background notes and images.
2 CD Set $24

WEATHER REPORT - 8.30 Live (Hi Hat 011; UK) With the addition of bass virtuoso Jaco Pastorius to their ranks in 1976, Weather Report cemented their standing as America's pre-eminent jazz-fusion band, playing sold-out international tours and generating impressive record sales. At the start of 1980 they recruited percussionist Bobby Thomas, Jr., and recorded this exhilarating live set for FM radio broadcast soon afterward at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The complete broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound with background notes and images.
CD $17

LARRY CORYELL & THE ELEVENTH HOUSE - Live at the Jazz Workshop (Hi Hat 014; UK) Amazingly, Larry Coryell's Eleventh House were somewhat overshadowed in their time by fusion counterparts such as Weather Report, Return to Forever, and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. However, the dynamics and interaction on display here feature not only beautifully intricate work, but ingenious melodic scales befitting musicians of the highest technical ability. While 1975's Level One never commercially achieved the classic status of its predecessor (Introducing the Eleventh House with Larry Coryell), it is an excellent follow-up piece that captures the band at their creative and technical peak, a peak that would spill onto the stage at Boston's Jazz Workshop where the band delivered a milestone performance in jazz-rock fusion that truly deserves wider recognition. This is the entire FM broadcast of the Eleventh House's performance at the Jazz Workshop, Boston, MA, on July 31, 1975. Professionally remastered; includes background liners and rare archival photographs.
CD $17


DOLLY PARTON - Live at the Bottom Line (Hotspur 1020; UK) In the late 1970s, Dolly Parton, having already established herself as a country superstar, was on the verge of crossing over to a bigger pop audience. This May 14, 1977, performance, broadcast as part of the Live at the Bottom Line radio series, was recorded on the final evening of a three-night engagement at New York's prestigious Bottom Line club that marked her first concerts in the Big Apple. In addition to the big hits "Coat of Many Colors," "I Will Always Love You," "Jolene," All I Can Do," "The Seeker," and "Love Is Like a Butterfly," the set also features songs from her 1977 album New Harvest... First Gathering, as well as a Parton composition ("Do I Ever Cross Your Mind") she wouldn't release for another five years. The complete broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound with background liners.
CD $17


WAYLON JENNINGS - Turn Back the Years - Live in Dallas 75 (Hotspur 1016; UK) In the mid-1970s, Waylon Jennings had just risen to country music superstardom as a figurehead of the outlaw movement. Originally broadcast in 1975 on KAFM/KLRD in Dallas, Texas, these performances from the city's Electric Ballroom include the hits "I'm a Ramblin' Man," "You Ask Me To," "Amanda," "Good Hearted Woman," "Clyde," "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," and "Bob Wills Is Still the King." Also featured is "Storms Never Last," which would become a duet hit for Jennings and his wife Jessi Colter, along with highlights from his 1975 album Dreaming My Dreams. The complete broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound with background liners.
CD $17


JOE ELY - Live in Austin Texas (Echo 2034; UK) Aside from Joe Ely's hugely influential hold on Joe Strummer of The Clash and his own fascinating road to notoriety, the man's music remains largely unacknowledged outside of his loyal fanbase. Such savage neglect can only be met with bewilderment considering his impact on punk and country music and his rebel spirit that keeps both genres alive and interesting. KGSR-FM's broadcast of Ely's intimate solo appearance for the Austin Chamber of Commerce Star Award on December 3, 1993, survives as testament to his grueling schedule and commitment to rock and roll as not only a music form, but a way of life. Ely's fiery spirituality is in abundance in his performance here and signifies his own statement that "Muscle is muscle. Put that with riffs and wisdom and you've got something." Professionally remastered original FM broadcast with background liners and rare archival photos.
CD $17


KAREN DALTON - It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best (Megaphone 010; UK) Major 2015 re-release of this absolutely essential all-time classic folk/blues album, originally released in 1969 and reissued by Megaphone in 2006. Includes booklet and stunning DVD with archival footage. Discovered by Fred Neil, produced by Nik Venet (the man who signed The Beach Boys and took The Beatles to America), and hugely influential on Tim Hardin, Karen Dalton is the lost girl of Greenwich Village, and this is her debut album. Bob Dylan, in his bestselling memoir Chronicles: Volume One (2004), writes, "My favorite singer in the place was Karen Dalton. She was a tall white blues singer and guitar player, funky, lanky and sultry... Karen had a voice like Billie Holiday's and played the guitar like Jimmy Reed and went all the way with it. I sang with her a couple of times."
CD/DVD $21


KAREN DALTON - Cotton Eyed Joe [2 CD Set] (Megaphone 015; UK) From 2007, this is a double album of previously unheard Karen Dalton live recordings from 1962. These recordings were an unexpected treat, following the hugely acclaimed 2006 reissues of Karen Dalton's studio albums It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best (1969) and In My Own Time (1971). Karen Dalton met Joe Loop in Boulder, Colorado, in 1962; Joe Loop made these recordings of Dalton singing and playing 12-string guitar and banjo at The Attic in Boulder in October 1962. Colorado was a hotbed of folk music; folk singers would stop off in Denver and Boulder en route to California and New York. The area's sparse population welcomed their company, at a time when young nonconformists were personae non gratae in most states. It was a cheap place to live, Boulder had a large university, and both Denver and Boulder had very active folk entrepreneurs. After missing her name in every music history book and encyclopedia for decades, it has since been noted that Karen Dalton was hugely influential on the founding father of folk rock, Fred Neil. Fred Neil only ever broke his reluctance to make public statements on one subject: his awe for and debt to Dalton. Karen Dalton's first LP was recorded in 1969 and it was hard to guess whether she was inspired by Neil or the reverse. His song, "Red Are the Flowers," for instance -- released on his 1964 debut album Tear Down the Walls (as "Red Flowers") in a duet with Vince Martin -- was more in line in terms of style and tempo with the day's hootenannys than with the LPs that Neil would eventually record in 1966 (Fred Neil) and 1967 (Sessions) under the benevolent laissez-faire production of Nik Venet. Karen Dalton's rendition of "Red Are the Flowers" showcase her playing Neil's song in the style that he would later evolve into, when unhinged, and foretells the lyricism that one Tim Buckley would self-admittedly lift from his all-time model, Neil. Another example is "It's Alright," a breath-taking cover of a Ray Charles tune. Another major singer-songwriter under Dalton's spell, Tim Hardin, made no secret of his passion for Ray Charles's music. Hardin is known to have turned from art to music because of his encounter with Dalton in New York, and he spent most of the '60s with her and Joe Loop around Boulder.
2 CD Set $15

KING TUBBY - King Tubby's Lost Treasures (Jamaican Recordings 001; UK) 2001 release. Lost Treasures is an essential selection of rare and previously-unreleased dubs from the legendary King Tubby. Taken directly from master tapes, these heavyweight versions of Bunny Lee-produced Aggrovators rhythms have only previously seen the light of day as sound system dub plates or rare Jamaican 7" B-sides in the mid-'70s and none have ever appeared on CD. Available on 12-track 180 gram virgin vinyl and 14-track CD with extensive sleeve notes, this is the first in a series that includes similar releases from Augustus Pablo, Lee Perry, Studio One, Channel One, Sly & Robbie, and the Wailers.
CD $15

BUNNY LEE - Creation of Dub (Jamaican Recordings 040; UK) King Tubby and producer Bunny "Striker" Lee are intertwined in the birth of dub music. Tubby's vast knowledge of electronics and Bunny's vast catalogue of rhythms would lay the foundations of what today is taken as a standard: the remix/version cuts to an existing vocal tune. Lee's propensity for hit making was unprecedented. In 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972 he was awarded the title of Jamaica's Top Producer. In 1971 he won Jamaica's first Gold Record for Eric Donaldson's "Cherry Oh Baby" which was the runaway winner in that year's Festival Song Competition. Alternative instrumental or vocal versions of popular songs had by now become a prevalent part of the musical scene. As a creator of musical trends Striker was second to none and, for the best part of a decade, the rest of the business hung on his every word and tried to copy his every move. Over the years Striker has been one of the few enduring constants in an ever changing cast of characters and, although he rarely records nowadays, he is still one of the most important people in the Jamaican music business. CD includes two bonus tracks.
CD $15

SCIENTIST MEETS THE CRAZY MAD PROFESSOR - At Channel One (Jamaican Recordings 041; UK) The mighty Scientist meets Jamaica's original Crazy Mad Professor in a dub showdown pitching their best musical shots against each other. The connection between these two great mixers/ producers is that they both learned the trade and also cut their musical teeth working with the master himself King Tubby. Scientist (b. Overton Brownie, 1960, Jamaica) and the Crazy Mad Professor (not to be confused with the London-based Mad Professor, Neil Frazer, Ariwa Sounds) initially both helped King Tubby (b. Osbourne Ruddock) wind his transformers for his main business of electrical repairs. They both moved over to engineering and mixing when the need arose due to the heavy demands on Tubby's time and studio became too great. Scientist and The Crazy Mad Professor built their careers on these formative years of training, as they say if you learn from the best, your knowledge can only hold you in good stead and it certainly has with both these talents. We have pitched both against each other on some great rhythms recorded at the legendary Channel 1 Studios and then mixed them at King Tubby's Studio, as was often the case when rhythms needed voicing/versioning for that classic dub cut.
CD $15

THE CONGOS - Dub Feast (Jamaican Recordings 046; UK) The Congos possess what all bands look for, that unique distinctive sound that draws the listener in. Alongside the great songs, lead singer Cedric Myton's singing, phasing and falsetto voice makes that just the case. The Congos were formed by Cedric Myton (b. 1947, St Catherine, Jamaica) around the mid-seventies when the Rasta message was central to the reggae sound coming out of Kingston, Jamaica. But he had started out in the Rocksteady era, when he formed the vocal group "Tartans," taking lead vocal duties alongside Devon Russell, Prince Lincoln Thompson and Lindbergh Lewis. They cut "Dance All Night" (1967) and "Coming On Strong" (1968). The line-up became The Royal Rasses and from this Cedric moved on to form the Congos on meeting Roydel Johnson, who had previously sang with Ras Michael and the Sons of Negas. Cedric's Rasta roots were firmly in place when he went to work with producer Lee Perry to cut the seminal album Heart Of The Congos at Perry's just built, Black Ark Studios in 1977. CD includes 3 bonus tracks.
CD $15

KING JAMMY - Dub Kings (King Jammy at King Tubby's)(Jamaican Recordings 047; UK) Two "Kings" for the price of one!, King Tubby the master of the dub cut, has had many proteges that trained and worked with him over the years, as his services became more and more in-demand. Producer Scientist, singer Pat Kelly, Prince Phillip Smart, etc., all served their time at King Tubby's studio at his home on 18 Drummile Avenue, Kingston, Jamaica. But the person who would take his production skills on to another level and had cut his musical teeth with Tubby was Prince Jammy, who would soon be renamed King Jammy. King Tubby's (b. Osbourne Ruddock, 1941, Kingston, Jamaica) fascination with all things electronic grew out of working and repairing radios and TV sets. This would eventually lead to working with amplifiers and the lucrative work of winding transistors, a job that was much in-demand in Jamaica and work that Tubby carried on with throughout his career. This knowledge of the way sound/music was made and transferred, Tubby would adapt into groundbreaking ideas, like removing various parts of the recordings: for example, the vocals and distorting elements of the sound like the bass line or drums and adding delays and echo to enhance and reshape the song. King Jammy (b. Lloyd James, 1947, Montego Bay, Jamaica), then named Prince Jammy, took up the vacant spot as engineer at King Tubby's request around 1975, after what turned out to be a 5-year hiatus in Canada. Jammy had worked with Tubby for many years previous to this and had built a great working relationship, but Jammy had taken a work opportunity that would see him actually staying in Canada for 5 years. It was Tubby's offer of full-time work and missing Jamaica and family that would lead to his return. This would enable Tubby to continue his electrical business, knowing full well that Jammy could be trusted to run the studio sessions smoothly. Jammy was always the first to arrive and the last to leave during the hundreds of sessions he oversaw at Tubby's studio, honing his skills, that again, with Tubby's blessing and guidance, would lead to building his own studio not a stone's throw from Tubby's in the Waterhouse district of Kingston. Here is a selection of tunes that were worked on at King Tubby's with King Jammy at the controls. Yes, two Kings at the top of their game.
CD $15


LP Section:

CLOCK DVA - Horology 2: The Future & Radiophonic Dvations [5 LP Box Set] (Vinyl on Demand 136; Germany) This five-LP box contains material that predates the contents of the 2012 Horology box set. Horology 2 is a companion collection of experimental recordings made in late 1977 and 1978 by Adi Newton before and during the formative period of development of Clock DVA. The first LP in the box includes recordings made by The Future, the trio of Newton, Martyn Ware, and Ian Craig Marsh, before the group developed into The Human League and Clock DVA. The Future pioneered an electronically synthesized sound that would later dominate the 1980s and synthpop. The remaining four LPs, titled Radiophonic Dvations, include previously unreleased experimental analog tape and synthesis works inspired by early acousmatics, radiophonics, psychotronics, the occult, and avant-garde electronics. These recordings are from the earliest period of Adi Newton's research and development, pioneering experimental work made at the outset of what became industrial and minimal electronic music in the late 1970s. Horology 2 includes a 40-page booklet that examines infrasound, psychoacoustics, psychotronics, and the development of tape music and radical experimental electronics, illustrated throughout with archival photos and artwork.
5 LP Set $110


SUN RA & HIS MYTH SCIENCE ARKESTRA - The Paris Tapes: Live at le Theatre du Chatelet 1971 (Art Yard Series 006; Netherlands) This was originally released in 2010. Previously unreleased live recordings from the legendary 1971 performance at Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France. The three stunning full-length tracks featured on this LP must have sounded incredible to the audience witnessing the Sun Ra Arkestra in full swing at such a time in France. No doubt this had a long-lasting effect on the city and its creative direction.
LP $16

SUN RA - Monorails and Satellites (Saturn 509; USA) 180 gram vinyl version. Tracklisting: Space Towers, Cogitation, Skylight, The Alter Destiny, Easy Street, Blue Differentials, Monorails and Satellites, The Galaxy Way. Recorded at Sun Studios, New York 1966 (a home recording).
LP $15

SUN RA - Strange Celestial Road (Celestial 3035; Planet Saturn) Exact repro reissue on 180 gram vinyl. "The music on the record gives a strong indication of the willingness to experiment, the desire to take changes. You will hear young voices new to the test alongside the experience magnificence of Sun Ra and John Gilmore, the unsung tenor giant who has earned the praises of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, and if that isn't peer group recognition of the highest sort, I don't know what is. There's plenty of safe records all around you. But if you're interested in being safe, 'safe' from cosmic tones for mental therapy, then what are you doing reading this? If you're reading this then you've already begun your journey anyway." Keith Spring, from the back cover. This is one my favorite Sun Ra album of the hundreds that I've heard. A studio session originally on Rounder and well-recorded with two long, epic-length songs. "In some far place, many lights years in space... I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you. When human eyes have never seen, we'll build a world of abstract dream and I'll wait for you..!" - so said Sun Ra - BLG/DMG
LP $15


WARNE MARSH With RONNIE BALL/PAUL CHAMBERS/PHILLY JOE JONES/ PAUL MOTIAN - Warne Marsh (Atlantic 1291; USA) Exact repro of this 1958 release. Saxophonist Warne Marsh plays with Paul Chambers (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums), Ronnie Ball (piano) and Paul Motian (drums).
LP $15


THE CELIBATE RIFLES - Sideroxylon (BANG! RECORDS 088; SPAIN) Originally released in 1983, this is Australian punk band The Celibate Rifles' first album, a work that immediately confirmed the band's place as one of Australia's most influential bands ever, with the high-energy sounds alongside Radio Birdman and The New Christs. With Kent Steedman on guitar and a rock-solid rhythm base, Damien Lovelock guided the band with his personal voice and vocals. Remastered to sound as it was originally intended, pressed on 150-gram vinyl, and presented in a gatefold sleeve with liner notes by Lovelock and Steedman.
LP $22


Now Reissued:

ROY CAMPBELL ENSEMBLE [With BILLY BANG/BRYAN CARROTT/HILLIARD GREENE/ZEN MATSUURA] - Akhenaten Suite (Aum Fidelity 045; USA) Roy Campbell: trumpet, composition / Billy Bang: violin / Bryan Carrott: vibraharp / Hilliard Greene: bass / Zen Matsuura: drums. Multi-trumpet master, Roy Campbell, premiered a new work called the Ahkenaten Suite and I must admit that it didn 't sound like anything else I've heard from Roy. Roy's new quintet featured Billy Bang on violin, Roy on trumpets, Bryan Carrott on vibes, Hill Greene on bass and Zen Matsuura on drums. The sound of the quintet was much like an early 70's Blue Note date, and always swinging infectiously. What made it different from other projects by Roy was how melodic and charming it was. One piece had a theme that reminded me of "Sketches of Spain" by Miles, while another song, composed by Billy Bang, had an Eastern vibe. There were a number of superb solos from Roy on trumpets, Billy Bang on violin and Bryan on vibes. The rhythm team of Bryan on vibes, Hill Greene on bass and Zen Matsuura on drums were excellent throughout the set. I recall Mr. Matsuura from loft jazz gigs in the 70's and wondered why we don't hear from him very much nowadays, since he's that good! This was one of the most enchanting sets of this fest and I know folks will be looking forward to a disc of this lovely, radiant music. - Bruce Lee Gallanter/DMG
CD $14




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