DMG Newsletter for October 23th, 2015!

DMG Without Chuck B!
What the Future Holds, No One Can See!
Too Many Discs, So Little Time..!
We do I keep talking in a silly old rhyme?
Check out what's happening now & check it out today:

John Zorn//James Moore CD/DVD! Larry Ochs/Nate Wooley/Pascal Niggenkemper/Ken Filiano/Harris Eisenstadt! Peter Brotzmann/Steve Swell/Paal Nilssen-Love! Plus Another Not Two Sale! Mostly Other People Do the Killing! Kirk Knuffke/Stomu Takeishi/Kenny Wollesen/Bill Goodwin!

Trot a Mouse: Simon Jermyn/Ingrid Laubrock/Mat Maneri/Tom Rainey! Kasuhisa Uchihashi & Junji Hirose! Zs! Jeff Noble & Eric Rosensveig from FAT! Houtkamp/Nabatov/Blume! Osaka's finest: Bonanzas! Goat! Kyozin Yueni Dekai! FairPlay! Peno & YPY! Revenge of Blind Joe Death Tribute! Somma 1! Restocks from Vinny Golia and much more!



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SAY GOOD-BYE TO CHUCK B!

DMG is saying a fond farewell to our favorite employee CHUCK BETTIS, today (10/22/15) is his last day here. Over the years, Chuck has helped keep the HMS DMG afloat with his dependability, resourcefulness and positive yet realistic attitude. Any customers who have come to the store on weekdays, asked questions, sent us e-mail orders or gotten confirmations know that Mr. Bettis is consistently courteous & helpful in many ways. I don't think Chuck realized how much work and responsibilities were going to be involved in helping keep DMG alive, when he first started, but he has always gone out of his way to make my life in the store easier. Stocking & restocking, putting together sale lists, checking inventory, dealing with quirky & demanding customers, dealing with two bosses who rarely see things the same way, having to listen to "smooth jazz" (anything lyrical actually) all too often, cleaning and organizing, finding stock items put aside by you-know-who (me), working in a dusty basement, and on occasion having some fun and playing/hearing music that still inspires us. Plus having to hear the boss tell many of the same stories over and over... Mr. Bettis has also helped to select some of the music that we sell, keeps me informed on other musics and doing the occasional review which I and customers alike often enjoy reading . He will continue to help select some music for us and hopefully do more reviews in the future. Anyone who has come to visit us on a Friday, knows that this is our one busy day each week, dealing with mail-orders, walk-in customers & regulars. I always look forward to these days since we get to share in interesting music, weird jokes and good conversation. I didn't realize until recent years how much we/I depend on Chuck Bettis to help us continue to do what we love and need to do. Many, many thanks to Chuck B! DMG bestows the MVP award to out old comrade. GOOD LUCK & best wishes in your next endeavor, you will be missed much! - BLG

Starting tomorrow, DAVE MILLER, will do his best to take Chuck's place here at DMG, so we want to welcome him aboard. Dave is a great drummer who is a member of Pet Bottle Ningen and has worked with Satoko Fujii. Dave is a nice guy and we look forward to working with him and getting to know him better.

To all you DMG Newsletter subscribers, thanks for continuing support and bare with us through this transition. Confirmations might be a bit slower until we catch up. Please send your good wishes to Brother Chuck and welcome Dave Miller to the fold.

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

Sunday, October 25th:
6pm: THOMAS HELTON & WILLIAM PARKER - Contrabass Duo!

Sunday, November 1st:
6pm: BEN GOLDBERG / NELS CLINE / BILLY MINTZ!
7pm: PATRICK BRENNAN & JASON HWANG - Alto sax & violin!

Special Monday, November 2nd, DMG Welcomes:
6pm: MIA DYBERG - Danish Alto Saxist!

Sunday, November 8th:
6pm: KEN ALDCROFT/JASON ROBINSON - Guitar/Tenor Sax!
7pm: VIV CORRINGHAM & ANNA HOMLER - Experimental Vocal Duo!

Sunday, November 15th:
6pm: OMAR TAMEZ - Solo!
7pm: SAGI KAUFMAN/TAL YAHALOM TRIO!

Sunday, November 22nd:
6pm: BEN GOLDBERG / INGRID LAUBROCK / TOM RAINEY!
7pm: GUILLERMO GREGORIO & NICOLAS LETMAN-BURTINOVIC!

Sunday, November 29th
6pm: MATT LAVELLE & REGGIE SYLVESTER - Trumpet/Alto Clarinet & Drums!
7pm: DISSIPATED FACE 2015: STEVE X DREAM/KURT RALSKE/DANIEL CARTER/BILL MILKOWSKI!

Sunday, December 6th: 6pm: GORDON GRDINA!
7pm: BEN GOLDBERG Residency Night 3!

Sunday, December 13th:
6pm: TAMIO SHIRASHI - Solo Sax Legend!
7pm: CHRIS PITSIOKOS!

Sunday, December 20th:
6pm: BEN GOLDBERG / CHARLES BURNHAM / ELLERY ESKELIN / STEPHAN CRUMP!

Sunday, December 27:
DMG ANNUAL HOLIDAY/NEW YEARS CELEBRATION!


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Two Dynamite Discs from Tzadik to Kick Off Our Week:

JOHN ZORN//JAMES MOORE - Plays the Book of Heads [CD+DVD] (Tzadik 8337; USA) Composed 1976-8 and now studied by guitarists the world over, The Book of Heads is one of Zorn's most popular and oft-performed compositions. Utilizing an hermetic language of meticulously notated sounds inspired by contemporary classical extended techniques, the idiosyncratic guitar languages of free improvisation, cartoons, film noir, world music, philosophy and more, they receive a virtuosic reading by James Moore, founding member of the Dither guitar quartet. This special edition contains both a CD and a beautifully produced DVD of a film by Stephen Taylor showcasing the eclectic techniques involved in all its insane glory. An essential CD/DVD release that gives an in-depth view into some of the most gonzo music ever created for solo guitar. Vexing and endlessly entertaining, you have to see it to believe it!
CD+DVD $24

LARRY OCHS With NATE WOOLEY/PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER/KEN FILIANO/HARRIS EISENSTADT - The Fictive Five (Tzadik 4012; USA) Founding member of the Rova Sax Quartet, Larry Ochs has worked with many of the greatest musicians in Creative Music-Steve Lacy, Fred Frith, Wadada Leo Smith, Terry Riley, George Lewis, John Zorn, Derek Bailey and countless others. His newest ensemble is an update on the classic New York Contemporary Five and features Larry's Shepp-tinged tenor sax along with some of the best young players out of New York's Downtown scene. Ochs is particularly excited by both the ensemble sound and the music here, a set of pieces he considers to be among his strongest and most successful blendings of composition and improvisation. Fabulous and soulful, The Fictive Five is a tremendous achievement by this West Coast master of surprise!
CD $14


Explosive, Mind-Blowing, Fire-Music Disc of the Week:

PETER BROTZMANN / STEVE SWELL / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Krakow Nights (Not Two 937; Poland) Featuring Peter Brotzmann on tenor & alto saxes, clarinet & taragato, Steve Swell on trombone and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. This amazing, long (74+ minutes) set was recorded at the Alchemia Club in Krakow Poland in February of this year (2015). As many of us know, all three of these musicians are extraordinary improvisers who keep busy and dig deep to unleash those serious, powerful spirits. Wow! This disc is superbly recorded so that we feel the energy lifting off and taking us along, riding higher and higher. The central figure here is drum wizard, Paal Nilssen-Love, a ball of immense, creative energy, who keeps pushing the other members of the trio. Euro free/jazz sax legend Peter Brotzmann has picked a perfect sparring partner here with the equally intense trombone great Steve Swell. This music is often exhilarating to the point of exhaustion but this is not everything we find here. On "Full Spectrum Response", the trio begins with suspense and restraint, just those soft burning embers and then slowly builds up again to some more colossal free yet focused improv. This just might be the best free/jazz disc of the year since it is just-dropping and edge-of-your-seat exciting/crafty throughout. Absolutely mind blowing! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

* Quick Not Two Sale (One week) - If you purchase the new Brotzmann/Swell/Nilssen-Love Cd listed above, you can take off $1.00 per CD from the recent Not Two CDs listed below:

BARRY GUY/KEN VANDERMARK - Occasional Poems (Not Two 931; Poland) Featuring Ken Vandermark on tenor sax & clarinet and Barry Guy on contrabass. Outstanding, all the way around!
2 CD Set $26 (take $2.00 off when also purchasing Brotzmann/Swell/Nilssen-Love CD)

STEVE SWELL With PAUL FLAHERTY/KEN VANDERMARK/MAGNUS BROO/NED ROTHENBERG/DARIUS JONES/ et al - Kanreki: Reflection & Renewal (Not Two 929; Poland) Incredible collection of several bands/projects, each very different and all spirited!
2 CD Set $26 (take $2.00 off when also purchasing Brotzmann/Swell/Nilssen-Love CD)

RESONANCE ENSEMBLE [KEN VANDERMARK/DAVE REMPIS/STEVE SWELL /MAGNUS BROO/TIM DAISY/PER-AKE HOLMLANDER/MARK TOKAR/MIKOLAJ TRZASKA/MICHAEL ZERANG/WACLAW ZIMPEL] - Double Arc (Not Two 936; Poland) Commencing with some mysterious electronics, we are soon off into an Afro-beat like groove for a short bit. That infectious groove reappears in between other sections of unpredictable switches. Magnus Broo (from Atomic & Angles), takes the first explosive solo which will knock you topside! I dig that the electronics (by Christof Kurzmann) never take over, yet often add just the right amount sonic seasoning. There are a series of outstanding solos throughout this wonderful disc, Vandermark on bari sax- Vandermark does a great job of blending and connecting different lines/instruments into a seamless and consistently fascinating work. There is one section where all four saxes play together, criss-crossing their lines in a powerful inter-connected way, free and focused simultaneously. After a period of few single discs from Ken Vandermark, we got a handful of great box sets. The recent flurry of activity on Not Two (four of six new discs), as well as the upcoming art-book/2 CD set should keep us Vandermark fans happy for the rest of 2015! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17 (take $1.00 off when also purchasing Brotz/Swell/Nilssen-Love CD)

LARRY OCHS / DONALD ROBINSON DUO - The Throne (Not Two 918; Poland) Both men create such a fine interaction, full of dynamic power, captivating inventiveness and sophisticated rawness, with no unneccessary fantasies, no frills or fripperies or useless ornaments, just music stripped to its bare essence of lyricism and rhythm, like some ancient tribal dance, a tribute to music itself and some of their heroes - Glenn Spearman, Lester Bowie, Muddy Waters. This album may be part of my top-10 of sax-drums duos, together with Vandermark and Nilssen-Love, McPhee and Zerang, Eskelin and Hemingway, Gratkowski and Drake, Gjerstad and Bennink, Trovesi and Centazzo (taking into account that Coltrane and Ali are somewhere in another space). - FreeJazzStef
CD $17 (take $1.00 off when also purchasing Brotz/Swell/Nilssen-Love CD)


SZILARD MEZEI SEPTET - Polar (Not Two 933; Poland) Considering that Hungarian violist/bandleader/composer Szilard Mezei has more than twenty releases on several labels (Leo, Slam & Not Two), he should be more recognized since each disc that's heard, has been great. Mezei works in many situations from solos to large ensembles and has a handful of musicians that he has worked with time & again: Rankovic, Aksin & Csik. What I like most about Mr. Mezei is the way he bridges modern classical, avant Euro jazz and traditional melodies into his own blend. This disc was recorded live at Kanjita Jazz Festival in Serbia and the sound is superb. Mr. Mezei's writing and arranging keeps getting better, keeping the band on its toes as they play these effortlessly complex charts. The frontline has a most distinctive acoustic sound: viola, flute, sax or clarinet & trombone with constantly shifting undercurrents from the piano/bass/drums rhythm team. While Bogdan Rankovic takes a long, expressive yet understated solo on the title track, the rest of the ensemble play a series of difficult interconnected lines around him. Extraordinary! One of the things that makes this music unique is the way it is both challenging and subdued simultaneously. Mr. Mezei plays a great deal of soft pizzicato lines on his viola outlining the the score or currents the band follows. "White Castle" is one particular highlight and one of the best pieces I've heard this year: the central melody is most memorable, the solos by viola, trombone and bass are all incredible and it swings in a most progressive way. This dynamic disc is more than 70 minutes long and consistently excellent. How long can Szilard Mezei go on being under-recognized?!? Certainly not much longer if more demanding listeners would give him a chance. MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17 (take $1.00 off when also purchasing Brotz/Swell/Nilssen-Love CD)


MOSTLY OTHER PEOPLE DO THE KILLING [JON IRABAGON/RON STABINSKY/MOPPA ELLIOTT/KEVIN SHEA] - Mauch Chunk (Hot Cup 153; USA) Featuring Jon Irabagon alto sax, Ron Stabinsky on piano, Moppa Elliott on bass and Kevin Shea on drums. If ever a jazz group defied labeling, it is Mostly Other People Do the Killing (MOPDtK). With their self-titled debut (Hot Cup Records, 2004), the group had demonstrated a wildly engrossing pastiche encompassing influences as diverse as Ornette Coleman and traditional New Orleans swing. MOPDtK was founded by bassist Moppa Elliott and trumpeter Peter Evans who met in the late 90s as students of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. When the two relocated to New York, saxophonist Jon Irabagon and drummer Kevin Shea, an eleventh-hour replacement at their first quartet performance, joined to form the long-running quartet. Mauch Chunk represents the first recording in more than ten years, where the core group has modified their personnel. With the recent departure of Evans, the group interplay is altered, if not the methodology; still ranging from bop to free improvisation with the occasional reference to chamber jazz, and veering from structure to free form. Pianist Ron Stabinsky, now the fourth member of the quartet, is not new to MOPDtK, having performed with the group live in 2013 and expanded the group to a quintet for the very cool Blue (Hot Cup Records, 2014). Stabinsky's fit with MOPDtK would not be obvious from the note-for-note recreation of Miles Davis' ground-breaking Kind Of Blue (Columbia, 1959) as the album is completely atypical of MOPDtK's output. Mauch Chunk, however, makes it clear that Stabinsky's contribution is not only refreshing but also an anchoring element as the band matures. Stabinsky jumps right to the front, quickly joined by Irabagon on the Henry Threadgill dedicated "Mauch Chunk is Jim Thorpe" and the piano/saxophone combination imparts a far different accent compared to past dynamics of Irabagon and Evans. What has clearly not changed is the quartet's penchant for effectively mixing passages of engagement with those of cooperation and the addition of a chord instrument enhances both. "West Bolivar" is a bossa nova-themed dance on the third rail with Shea pushing Stabinsky and Irabagon in and out of harm's way. The off-kilter rhythmic structure of the Dave Holland inspired "Obelisk" features some explosive soloing from Irabagon matched by Stabinsky's inventive-if more structured-contribution. More consistently melodic is "Niagra," a subdued waltz for the late saxophonist Will Connell whose club of the same name was the first live venue for MOPDtK. Hard bop and blues dominate "Herminie" while "Townville" utilizes three distinct melodies linked by free improvisations. The Latin R&B flavor of "Mehoopany" features classy and soulful solos from Stabinsky and Irabagon; Shea interrupts the mood with a hectic snare performance before the piece returns to its central theme. The odd title is, like almost all of Elliott's compositions, taken from the name of a Pennsylvania town. Mauch Chunk itself is the state's former name for the town that-as explained by the extended title track-is now Jim Thorpe, PA. As the wider recognition of MOPDtK builds, it's appropriate to point out that Elliott has become a leading composer of complex scores with the kind of high-wire flexibility needed to maneuver between structure and improvisation. The new quartet, as with the Evans era group, can sound like a large ensemble or an intimate club act as they seamlessly move from lyrical expression to the sound of an exploding junkyard. After more than ten years, Mostly Other People Do the Killing sounds better than ever; reinvigorated, mischievous and perhaps more willing to take a deep breath in the midst of these multifaceted works. - Karl Ackermann, AAJ
CD $13


KIRK KNUFFKE With STOMU TAKEISHI/KENNY WOLLESEN/BILL GOODWIN - Lamplighter (Fresh SoundNT 475; Spain) "Although Knuffke topped Downbeat's 2015 Rising Star poll, this will almost certainly be the last time he'll be described as "new talent". Since arriving in New York over a decade ago the 35-year-old cornettist has recorded with such luminaries as Butch Morris, Mark Helias and Mary Halvorson, not to mention one of the city's most happening groups, Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom. With over a dozen pending releases and more than twice that number already under his belt, 2015 looks set to be his breakthrough year. At once rooted in tradition and subversively skewed, the somewhat unusual instrumentation of Lamplighter makes a striking and immediate first impression. Neither Wollesen nor Goodwin play with a full kit, their orchestra of small instruments bringing a tremendous unpredictability and richness to Knuffke's elastic grooves. Rise opens with a simple pulse from Wollesen's bass drum, quickly lurching into swing-time as Goodwin's snare and cymbals animate the leader's expressionistic half-valve glisses. Takeishi's rather boxy acoustic bass guitar takes some getting used to, but when the ears adjust his note placements are often little short of sublime (nowhere more so than on the splendidly languid title track). Blanks summons the dancing spirit of Knuffke's one-time mentor Ornette Coleman, whist Tomorrow And Later rides an almost martial beat redolent of Henry Threadgill's off-kilter funk. The sheer joy of Knuffke's solo on Odds is utterly infectious, but its dangerously turbulent undertow is a reminder of a broad musical catholicism. All in all this is a wonderfully individual set, and if you're searching for sounds of surprise you'll find them right here." - Fred Grand - Jazz Journal
CD $15


TROT A MOUSE [SIMON JERMYN/INGRID LAUBROCK/MAT MANERI/TOM RAINEY] - Pictorial Atlas Of Mammals (Skirl 031; USA) Featuring Simon Jermyn on bass guitar, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor & soprano saxes, Mat Maneri on viola and Tom Rainey on drums. These are being dropped off soon so I haven't heard this yet. Really looking forward to it as each of these folks are strong, spirited and creative musicians. Review next week. - BLG
CD $14 (In stock shortly)


KASUHISA UCHIHASHI/JUNJI HIROSE - SaxophoneDaxophone (Doubt 160; Japan) Featuring Kazuhisa Uchihashi on saxophone and Junji Hirose on tenor sax. Although Mr. Uchihashi is well-known for his guitar playing with Altered States, Fred Frith, Ned Rothenberg and Shelley Hirsch, Kazuhisa has been playing the saxophone for quite a long time as well. The saxophone was created by Hans Reichel, another great guitarist who Uchihashi has worked with. Mr. Hirose is also a relatively well-known saxist who has worked with an equally diverse cast: Ground Zero, Masahiko Togashi, P.O.N. and Hoppy Kamiyama. The music here is what some would refer to as challenging, but then that is the reason why many of you/us shop at DMG. The daxophone is a device in which pieces of wood are placed in a small vice with a pick-up attached. The wood is bowed, plucked and manipulated and has a strange, unique, twisted sound. Both the sax and dax have similar textural sounds and work extremely well together. Both of these instruments have somewhat vocal-like sounds so it sounds like a convincing conversation between two aliens. About midway through this disc, the duo turn down and exchange a number of less intense yet immensely captivating sounds, weaving those bent sounds around one another in a music magically weird way. At first, I wasn't so sure that this disc would work but the more I listen, I see how well these two musicians play together. This is one of those unexpected gems that make my week better. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16


Zs [SAM HILLMER/GREG FOX/PATRICK HIGGINS] - Xe (Northern Spy 062; USA) The current version of Zs consists of Sam Hillmer on sax & pedals, Patrick Higgins on guitar & electronics and Greg Fox on drums & electronics. The Zs have been around since 2000 with Sam Hillmer as the only constant member. I've caught them live on a couple of occasions and heard perhaps 3 or 4 of their dozen or so releases. Although they consistently impress and confound me, I have never been able to place them in any sort of category. They are beyond any sort of pigeonhole. The opening track, "The Future of Royalty" has an odd marching beat at the center which seems to be played on a drum machine or sampler of sorts. There are several layers of electronic sounds tightly woven together, each revolving around a connected pulse. Although there is a sax, guitar or drums involved, often it hard to tell who is doing what since many of the sounds are manipulated beyond easy recognition. According to the label blurb, there was no editing done after this was recorded making them even more fascinating. In some ways, I am reminded of the Residents or even the Master Musicians of Bukkake, both of when remain buried in mystery. Eventually they break into what sounds like a rather quirky rock song with magical drumming similar in to Chris Cutler during his Henry Cow days. Even the sustained guitar on "Weakling" has a Frith or Fripp-like tone which adds to the strange appeal of this unique band. All five of the songs here run into each other and evolve in an organic yet unpredictable way. The trio work their way through some different grooves, repeating certain patterns in a hypnotic way. This is one of those discs that will take some time to absorb since there is quite a bit of bizarre twists and turns. Along with the Will Mason Ensemble disc from last month, both are the best of post-rock weirdness in a class of of its own. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13


NOBLE/ROSENZVEIG - Duos (Cat Dog Mouse 003; USA) DUOS is a 10" EP of short, explosive improv pieces by FAT bassist Jeff Noble and guitarist Eric Rosenzveig. Recording took place in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, in 1990, around the period of FAT's stay in Prague after the group's most intense period of touring. Recorded straight to tape with no overdubs, the EP is pure improv but creates a world of sound outside of normal musical experiment. The instrumentation is unadorned, with no effects beyond overdrive pedals on both bass and guitar; both instruments are often struck with metal bars, glass slides, rubber balls, clothes pins, vibrators, hand cranks, etc. etc. FAT drummer Phil Giborski did engineering duty on these late-night sessions.
10" LP $12


LUC HOUTKAMP/SIMON NABATOV/MARTIN BLUME - Encounters (Leo 716; UK) Featuring Luc Houtkamp on tenor sax & straight alto sax, Simon Nabatov on piano and Martin Blume on drums. Dutch saxist Luc Houtkamp used to run the X-OR label has worked a variety of strong players: George Lewis, Ned Rothenberg, Joseph Bowie and Fred Van Hove. Russian pianist Simon Nabatov has been coming to town more often in recent years and played an amazing solo set at Spectrum a few months back. Mr. Nabatov has also worked with many fine musicians: Ray Anderson, Frank Gratkowski, Rudi Mahall and Mark Feldman. German summer, Martin Blume also seems to get around, working with: John Butcher, Phil Minton, Johnanes Bauer and many more. As a big fan of Euro free music myself, this is a mighty fine example. Intense, free yet focused, inspired and tightly wound. Mr. Nabatov sounds classically trained and draws from many streams, both modern and traditional. Since Nabatov is a powerful two-handed player, he keeps both musicians busy by interacting several lines with each hand. The trio calms down for some suspense-filled interaction about midway through this disc. At times, Mr. Houtkamp sounds like Evan Parker, bending and twisting his notes inside-out and playing those fractured sounds immensely well. This disc is a most organic affair and each piece shows off the strengths of all three players, Dense and explosive at times, sparse yet gripping as well. An excellent encounter. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17


HAGL [HEROES ARE GANGLEADERS] - The Avantage Gardeiams of the Gal Luxury (Flat Langston's Ark Eyes #1; USA) Hagl features Thomas Sayers Ellis & Margaret Morris: voices/poetry, James Brandon Lewis on tenor sax and Luke Stewart on electric bass plus guests Thurston Moore on guitar, Devin Waldman on drums, Ryan Frazier on trumpet and Lydia Lunch & Randall Horton on vocals. This disc was recorded at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poets at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. This disc was dropped off by Mr. Ellis a few weeks ago with his & our pal James Brandon Lewis in tow. I wasn't sure what to expect but Mr. Ellis is a friendly hipster with much charm. When this disc begins, there are two voices upfront, Mr. Ellis dishing up long verbal lines, thoughtful poetry which will take some time to absorb. Ms. Morris sings/chants her lines over and over in a enchanting sing/song voice. Bassist Luke Stewart keeps the beat/groove going while Mr. Brandon Lewis plays layers of lines running dialogue with Ellis' long rants. Thomas Ellis is an impressive poet and reminds at times of Philly's finest wordsmith Elliott Levin. Ellis has several different characters/voices and shifts between them effortlessly. Sometimes feisty and intense, sometimes more thoughtful but always making interesting observations. Young free/jazz sax great does a good job here of playing more restrained lines behind both voices, letting the bass provide most of the rhythmic groove. This is disc is very long (70+ minutes) but I found that Thomas Sayers Ellis' voice, words and performance make this a most compelling work since he makes us think about many of the injustices that he have to deal with every day around us and in the news. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12


Recently there was a bit of an Osaka musical invasion in the states...Bonanzas, Goat, and Kyozin Yueni Dekai recently where on tour here and I snatched up the last of their CDs before the returned home! Do not sleep on these, no idea if or when they will return! - Chuck

BONANZAS [HINO KOSHIRO/AKIHIKO ANDO/TESUSHI NISHIKAWA/YASUSHI YOSHIDA] With OSHIMA TERUYUKI - Bonanzas (Meatbox 21; Japan) Teetering on the edge of precision and chaos, Bonanzas bring forth a tight and exciting blend of hybrid music harboring the same high-energy as their Osaka avant rock predeccesors but coming at it from a different angle. This quartet led by Hino Koshiro (he is also a member of Boredoms floating guitar orchestra) on tightly calculated bass,Tetsushi Nishikawa is a powerhouse on the drums, Akihiko Ando sprinkles magic with his skittering electronics, and Yasushi Yoshida comes at you with jagged rhythmic vocals (which i'm still not sure are vocalese or actual Japanese..his approach is cross between Makigami Koichi & Eye). This unit let's you know that there is still fresh and viable music arriving from Japan. For you collector types, this one will be a nightmare since you must destroy the package in order to access the music...you must pull a tab to open the case that is hermetically sealed in which there is also an option to completly unravel the entire package - a perfect metaphor for what Bonanzas is all about in the first place...search and destroy! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! - Chuck Bettis
CD $15 [*only 3 in stock!]

GOAT [HINO KOSHIRO/AKIHIKO ANDO/TESUSHI NISHIKAWA/ATSUMI TAGAMI] - Rhythm & Sound (Unknownmix 35/Headz 202; Japan) Goat shares most of its members with Bonanzas but with minor line-up and instrument changes: Hino Koshiro moves on to guitar, Akihiko Ando switches to alto sax, Tetsushi Nishikawa remains on drums, Atsumi Tagami joins in on bass. Their simplistic title for their sophomore album mildly alludes to what you are in but gives no warning of the complex odd meters there suck you in! Imagine This Heat's "24-track loop" mashed together with Gyorgy Ligeti's "Poema Sinfonica Para 100 metronomes" as it is filtered through African polyrhythms. You will be confused and amused as the timing jumps around! These musical equations will definitely warrant your atttention for multiple listens! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! - Chuck Bettis
CD $15 [*only 3 in stock!]

POLYLIS [AKIHIKO ANDO/KEVIN MCHUGH/MITSUHISA SAKAGUCHI/YASUYUKI TAKAHAHSHI/440/DAIGO WAKASUGI] - Hills (Miminoko 010; Japan) A sextet comprised of Akihiko Akkun (aka Akihiko Ando) on alto sax, Kevin McHugh on keyboards, Mitsuhisa Sakaguchi on keyboards, Yasuyuki Takahashi on trombone, 440 on bass, Daigo Wakasugi on drums. The disc starts off blending Free Jazz with Tokyo Lounge then things goes deep into avant pop territory; sounding most often like a jazz band doing Radiohead tunes. Be forewarned vocal haters that after the second track there is a ton of vocals on the rest of this disc from here on out. Released in 2012. The vocalist definitely changes the vibe on this record. - Chuck Bettis
CD $15 [*only 2 in stock!]

KYOZIN YUENI DEKAI [YOSHIHITO MIZUUCHI/SHINJI WADA] - Kyozin Yueni Dekai (self release; Japan) [CD-R] Kyozin Yueni Dekai are bit of anomaly from Osaka. With a name that translates to "we are big because we are giants" you already know you are diving into some surreal territory. With a 8ft tall guitar player (he plays on stilts) Yoshihito Mizuuchi and average human size drummer Shinji Wada (also of DMBQ fame), together they create discordant and sometimes seemingly out of sync no-wave approach of raw detuned guitars, possibly gibberish vocals, and sporadic free-jazz drumming but they use these sounds to create something truly unique and compelling! You may scratch your head but you will never walk away. File under future primitive. HIGHLY RECOMMENED!!! - Chuck Bettis
CD-R $13 [*only 3 in stock!]

and back in stock from these Osaka madmen:

BONANZAS [HINO KOSHIRO/AKIHIKO ANDO/TESUSHI NISHIKAWA/YASUSHI YOSHIDA] With OSHIMA TERUYUKI - Live At Metro [CD ep] (Public Clothes; Japan) [CD-R] Not to be confused with the Belgium band from the 60's, this Tokyo unit gives us some hardcore no-wave madness from a band I unfortunately never heard of before until now. The human of many talents, Koshiro Hino plays bass in this unit, with multi-faceted Akihiko Ando on sax, Akkun plays drums, and vocals are by Yoshida Yasushi (from the band Suspiria). Here they are joined by Oshima Teruyuki, who plays guitar and electronics (who also happens to be in SIM, a band that records for the Doubt label). Bonanzas are captured here playing live at a club in Kyoto called Metro (which is a brilliant place that is actually located inside of a subway...can we have one of these in NY please!). The audio quality is not the greatest, but you get the physical intensity intended for such a release, so it's suitable. You would be forgiven if you thought this was a bootleg of some project of Tatsuya Yoshida and Zeni Geva in a UFO OR DIE cover band, for it's aggressive angular sonic territory, but a unique and persistent field of vision guides you through the disc captivating your every attention. The energy does not let up for the entire twenty two minutes. RECOMMENDED!!! - Chuck Bettis
CD $9

FAIRPLAY [HINO KOSHIRO/AKIHIKO ANDO] - Fairplay [CD ep] (private release ; Japan) [CD-R] Fairplay is an Osaka/Tokyo collaboration of Hino Koshiro and Akihiko Ando, whom both contribute their musical diverse talents to a group called Kanata as well as multiple wide-ranging musical adventures. Hino flys solo as YPY and Ando plays saxophone in Kuruucrew. Together they create complex electronic textural rhythms and noises that when experienced live will widen your eyes about what one can do with rudimentary electronics (those of you who were lucky enough to catch them at Zebulon recently will know what I'm talking about). For those who missed the live show, you have this disc of auditory funhouse mirrors. Twenty three minutes of high energy, spastic modulating music. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! - Chuck Bettis
CD $9

YPY [HINO KOSHIRO ] - Zurhyethm (YPY 001; Japan) [CD-R] YPY is the solo moniker for Hino Koshiro's electronic output. He is also a member of the Floating Guitar Borechrestra, Fair Play, Bonanzas, and Kanata. As the discs title alludes to, he creates his own poly-rhythmic African-influenced pulses which leans closer to free-jazz drumming aka very far away from any western 4/4 beat oriented music created with the same archaic sound devices. His music would flow nicely on a mix tape containing DJ PICA PICA PICA (Yamantaka Eye's DJ personae) and Yximalloo, but all the while standing strongly in his own unique spot. Thirty minutes of some slowly evolving intense electronic percussion, very hypnotic like a strobe light, yet with different time signatures! RECOMMENDED!!! - Chuck Bettis
CD $9

PENO - Nebula [CD-EP] (private release; Japan) Twenty eight minutes of self-described "ambient" folk music from Tokyo. So when you wanna mellow out from the other maximum energy releases that Akihiko Ando is on, press play, kick back, an enjoy a cool summer night's breeze. Each track contains different vocal contributions from different vocalist with the occasional instrumental tracks. Starting off with a extremely slow laid back track then ending the disc on weirder adventure into the land of folk (hey, we know the avant-garde is not all about angular abstractions). Takatsugu Mizutani (guitar, vocal, synth) Yuto Ashida (guitar, banjo, euphonioum, vocals) Jiro Fukushima (bass) Akihiko Ando (sax, synth, electronics) Yoshinari Kishida (drums, whistle) Yuki Jimbo (words on "Kaido") Takashi Kataoka (guitar on "Nishibi" and "Maru"). Fans of Jim O'Roure's folk experiments take notice. - Chuck Bettis
CD $9


Quick Sale Items - We just got in a half dozen copies of each so once they are gone, that's it. No back-orders on these.

REVENGE OF BLIND JOE DEATH With HENRY KAISER/ELLIOTT SHARP/NELS CLINE/PETER LANG/ et al - The John Fahey Tribute Album (Takoma 30048; USA) "John Fahey was, perhaps, among the greatest of contemporary acoustic guitar pickers. This album brings together a bevy of modern musicians, each of whom has either 1) played one of John's tunes in his/her own way, or 2) created and played a tune of their own in John's honor. There is not one single weak or 'filler' cut on this CD - the entire disk is a pleasure for any picking fan - and a special treat for those of us fortunate to have experienced John Fahey before his untimely death in his very early 6o's. This is one you will listen to over and over again!"- D. Reinstein. Performers include: Michael Gulezian, Alex Grassi, Peter Lang, Henry Kaiser, Stefan Grossman, Elliott Sharp & Nels Cline, Stefan Grossman and many more.
CD $12


THELONIOUS MONK With JOHN COLTRANE - At Carnegie Hall (Blue Note 17325; USA) Great, nearly 60 year old document in excellent sound of the barely recorded Thelonious Monk Quartet from the period when it featured John Coltrane, who was just beginning his musical rise to the top echelon of players here. Recommended for cognoscenti!
CD $10


WAYNE SHORTER With McCOY TYNER/REGGIE WORKMAN/ELVIN JONES - Speak No Evil (Blue Note 50555; USA) Recorded 12/24/64 w/ Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, Elvin Jones. Wayne Shorter's third masterpiece recorded for Blue Note in 1964 with bandmembers Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Elvin Jones. Wayne's writing and playing is, as always, incandescent and cutting-edge. "Speak No Evil," "Witch Hunt" and "Infant Eyes" have become jazz standards.
CD $10


SOMMA 1 [SACRED ORDER of MAGIC MUSIC & ART: ERALDO BERNOCCHI/BILL LASWELL & TIBETAN MONKS]- Hooked Light Rays (New Tone 8013; Italy) Bernocchi and Laswell organized this new recording of Tibetan monks traditonal chanting and playing of bells, horns and drums, and then proceeded to slip in around the edges with their post-production electronic treatments and (in Laswell's case, his) sub-sonic bass stylings. It actually sounds perfectly normal for the kinds of mesmerizing sounds one would expect of Tibetan Monk recordings - normal, that is, if someone also sneaked a dash of mind-altering substance into your last drink! This is a much sought-after, though rarely heard recording, originally released on the Low label in Italy (they also released the now out-of-print Laswell solo album 'Silent Recoil') and now resuscitated by New Tone. Don't expect this new edition (with an altered version of the original cover) to last long, so you know what to do.
CD Sale $10


back in stock:

VINNY GOLIA LARGE ENSEMBLE With ROB BLAKESLEE/JEFF GAUTHIER/JEFF KAISER/BRAD DUTZ/MICHAEL VLATKOVICH/SARA SCHOENBECK/ALEX CLINE/ et al - The Other Bridge: Oakland (Nine Winds 210+220; USA) LA.-based Golia presented this, his 25-piece Large Ensemble at the tenth annual Eddie Moore Memorial Jazz Festival at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA. The double CD contains nearly 2.5 powerful hours of Golia's highly evolved and involved progressive jazz.On the first CD, an implied march rhythm informs the Mahler-esque proportioned melodies of "No One Had Ever Waved to a Lifeless Object Before" for openers. The 17-minute "Thread for Fred" shows a most prevalent six-piece string section accenting scattered lines, led by violinist Jeff Gauthier's introspection over an ostinato 5/4 Afro-funk, or Kim Richmond's bopping and popping alto sax. Horns cry out on "The Evasion of Chaos, Pt. II," with solo marimba by Dave Johnson and scraped, raked arco bass from Ken Filiano leaping to a groove section for behind-the-scenes horns, and trumpeter John Fumo's bold solo. In this live performance, crowd noise and comments are many times more audible than the music. This is a minor distraction, but does not subtract any points from this set, which does take some time to listen to and fully digest. Golia's fans and avant-garde mavens should heartily drink of this extraordinary document with full zeal.. - Michael G Nastos
2 CD Set $20

VINNY GOLIA QUINTET With NELS CLINE/MICHAEL VLATKOVICH/JOEL HAMILTON/BILLY MINTZ - Razor (Nine Winds 169; USA) Vinny Golia was revisiting the quintet lineup during the period Razor was recorded, with old friends in puckish trombonist Michael Vlatkovich and electro-ambient-mutant gitarzan Nels Cline as his front-line foils here. It's not a throwback to his more jazz-based improvising of the '80s, but probably ranks as the most satisfying and listener-friendly small group album Golia released in the mid-'90s.
CD $15

VINNY GOLIA QUINTET With NELS CLINE/ROB BLAKESLEE/JOEL HAMILTON/ALEX CLINE - Nation Of Laws (Nine Winds 189; USA) California saxophonist Vinny Golia is highly regarded among musicians for his uncanny lyricism, his strident, warm, giving tone, and his vast composing and arranging skills, but he is seldom looked upon in fan polls or even considered by popular jazz critics. One has to wonder if this isn't Golia's own fault for not blowing his own horn hard enough, so to speak. Golia's many recordings all have a degree of excellence to them that is almost unsurpassable by any current standard. Nation of Laws is no exception. Using his own multi-reed approach to composition and improvisation and his knack for lyrical composition that gives way to fiery improvisation, Golia has enlisted guitar and drum brothers Nels and Alex Cline along with Joel Hamilton on bass and trumpeter Rob Blakeslee. Golia's tunes have within them a playfulness to cross genres and harmonic norms and shift gears suddenly. Nowhere is this more evident than on the piece "Not Very Pleasance," which is part bebop tune, part elegant dance tune, and part prog rocker! Blakeslee's solo is full of flatted fifths and 16ths drawn in by Cline's mind-bending string work. Then there's the joyously weird "Big Child on the Loose." (That sums up Golia's personality to a T.) Beginning as a blues-rocker with Cline soloing on his low strings, the tune kicks in as part carnival ride, part Wagnerian epic, and part knotty jazz jam (with Golia blowing his ass off on the bass saxophone), and moves through history, mystery, death, and resurrection over 14 minutes. If this album is what the "new" jazz sounds like folks, count me way in. - Thom Jurek
CD $15

VINNY GOLIA QUINTET With NELS CLINE/ROB BLAKESLEE/KEN FILIANO/BILLY MINTZ - Against the Grain (Nine Winds 159; USA)
CD $15

WADADA LEO SMITH/VINNY GOLIA/BERTRAM TURETZKY - Prataksis (Nine Winds 199; USA)
CD $15

VINNY GOLIA With KEN FILIANO/JONAS TAUBER - Feeding Frenzy: Music for (Nine Winds 229; USA) This Golia project features Vinny on numerous flutes and clarinets with Harry Scorzo & Ludwig Girdland on violins, Jonas Tauber on cello and Ken Filiano on bass. I once went to a fish hatchery when I was Boy Scout and got to see what a "feeding frenzy" actually is during feeding time. Although the inside photo of this CD has a picture of these frenzied fish, I'm unsure of what this has to do with the more serious music on this CD. Although Vinny has composed all the music for this work, he is not the only soloist and thus is of equal presence with the rest of the quartet. This music is much closer in sound to modern classical than to jazz, with Vinny doing a great job of weaving his inspired clarinet or flute solos within the ever-challenging music of the string quartet. I am unsure of what is more extraordinary here, the playing or the composing, since both are truly impressive and thought-provoking and seem inseparable from each other. This music requires time (actually nearly 78 minutes) and concentration, since there is so much going on. Sometimes the strings create (fractured) mirror images of Vinny's engaging flute or clarinet playing, sometimes the string play twisted harmonies with or against the solos. I found this entire project to be consistently fascinating, although it did take some work to really dig in and uncover all that is going on within the layers or web of activity. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

BREAKWAY [PAUL GIALLORENZO/MARC RIORDAN/BRIAN LABYCZ] - Hot Choice (Peira 07; USA) Featuring: Paul Giallorenzo - moog, piano; Marc Riordan - drums and Brian Labycz - modular synthesizer. Viewing Breakway as a kind of percussion trio brings to light how timbre places differently in their musical hierarchy. This is not to say pitch is relegated to the background though. It's a matter of maximizing both potentials for one's deisred end: orchestrating each aspect to its appropriate place. If you listen closely to this disc, you can hear several characters or voices working closely together in a most careful way. Each member of this trio has worked on different projects previously, all very different from this. Mr. Giallorenzo is a gifted pianist, bandleader and composer with a handful of great discs out on 482Music, Delmark & Leo labels. Mr. Riordan released his own disc last year as a pianist & bandleader. It was one of the unknown gems that I reviewed and sold a few but still have more to sell. Mr. Labycz runs this, the Peira label which is now defunkt and has a great trio disc out with Guillermo Gregorio & Jason Roebke. The sounds here are often fascinating and cautiously played, making every sound count. The textures and timbres of the piano, drums and electronics are often very similar in detail and execution. What I dig about this is that it is never too dense and the electronics never take over and make things to difficult to take in. The restraint goes along way to making this disc so persuasive. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $9 (LTD Edition of 100)




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