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NEWSLETTER - March 25th, 2016
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DMG Newsletter for March 25h, 2016
Spring Has Sprung & The Winter is Gone for Good (We hope)
Feelin' the Spirit and Hearin' the Special Sounds of These Fine Folks:
Peter Brotzmann Rare Solo! King Crimson - Live in Toronto 2015! ICP Orchestra! The Ex + Guests - Live at Bimbuis - 25 Years! Henry Kaiser Solo Acoustic! Three Anthony Braxton Box Set Pre-Orders on Sale! Elliott Sharp//JACK Quartet/Jenny Lin! New Moondog CD! Ken Aldcroft & William Parker!
Jessica Jones/Tony Jones Quartet! Steve Kuhn/Steve Swallow/Joey Baron! Marc Mommas/Vic Juris Qt! Terrence McManus & John Hebert! Plus Historic Discs from Augustus Pablo! William S. Burroughs! Captain Beefheart & Magic Band! Johnny Cash! Hank Williams! The Everly Brothers! Buddy Holly & More..!
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The DMG FREE Weekly In-Store Concert Series Continues With:
Sunday, March 27th:
6pm: HENRY P. MELBOURNE - Solo Tenor Sax
7pm: TIERRA MESTIZA: OMAR ANTONIO TAMEZ & ANGELICA SANCHEZ - Guitar & Keyboard
Sunday, April 3rd - Rare Triple Header:
6pm: FRANCOIS GRILLOT & CECILE BROCHE - Contrabass & Violin
7pm: PHILLIP GREENLIEF - Solo Sax
8pm: MICO & TAMIO SHIRAISHI
Sunday, April 10th - Another Rare Triple Header:
6pm: CHERYL PYLE BEYOND DUO With BERN NIX!
7pm: KADAWA: TAL YAHALOM - Guitar/ALMOG SHARVIT - Bass/BEN SILASHI - Drums
8pm: GORDON GRDINA - Guitar & Oudist from Vancouver returns
Sunday, April 17th:
6pm: SARA SCHOENBECK / SANDRA WEISS / ANDREW DRURY- Two Bassoons & Percussion
7pm: ALLISON LAZUR - Solo Tuba & Fixed Media
Sunday, April 24th:
6pm: ROB PRICE / ELLERY ESKELIN / TREVOR DUNN
7pm: PATRICK BRENNAN / SEAN CONLY / BRIAN GRODER
DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a former Buddhist temple & beauty salon. Take the F train to East Broadway or the 6 train to Canal or the B or D to Grand, or the M-15 bus to Madison & Catherine. Come on Down, the Music Always Free & the Vibes are Quite Cosy!
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KING CRIMSON [ROBERT FRIPP/JAKKO JAKSZYK/MEL COLLINS/TONY LEVIN/BILL RIEFLIN/GAVIN HARRISON/PAT MASTELOTTO] - Live in Toronto - November 20th, 2015 [2 CD Set](DGM 675013; UK) DGM & Inner Knot are proud to present the first full concert release by the current lineup of King Crimson. This Official Collectors' Bootleg captures King Crimson on a single night in the middle of the band's Canadian tour in November 2015. With the exception of one small edit following an announcement before the band take the stage, the running time of this concert is exactly as it was heard in the hall by those fortunate enough to have been there. Even by the high standards set by King Crimson's current lineup, this concert was agreed by all involved to have that extra special ingredient, making it the perfect choice when seeking an official release to counter the poorly recorded bootlegs that have begun to circulate.
Featuring the recorded debut of new material such as "Meltdown" & 'Radical Action", the three drummer percussion pieces "Hell Hounds of Krim" and "Banshee Legs Bell Hassle" and a variety of King Crimson classics. Includes material from "In The Court Of The Crimson King" performed and recorded live for the first time in decades, a return to the live set of 'Easy Money' for the first time since 1974 and more recent powerhouse pieces such as "Level Five" and "VROOOM"; all material that the seven piece King Crimson has made very much its own in an absurdly short time of touring.
2 CD Set $18
PETER BROTZMANN - Munster Bern (Cubus Records 371; Switzerland) One indisputable fact, there cannot be enough Peter Broetzmann solo recordings in this world. Okay, for those that might disagree, there are a few choice solo Broetzmann sessions that are a must. Count Munster Bern in that category. The saxophonist, a leader of the 1960s European free jazz movement and a Fluxus artist had released several solo studio sessions fifteen and twenty years ago. It has only been recently that he has allowed live dates to filter out. Prior to this date, there were the live recordings Solo + Trio Rome (Les Disques Victo, 2012), Solo At Dobialab (dobialabel, 2012), and Lost And Found (FMP, 2009).
This session from the 2013 Zoom In Festival for improvised music in Switzerland lists the great man playing "reeds." A close listen reveals his volcanic tenor saxophone, lithe alto saxophone, and the taragato. The six pieces here, nearly 68 minutes of music, showcase his free technique, but also each piece seems to find references to a blues sensibility.
The disc opens with "Bushels And Bundles," and his taragato invocation, maybe even call to prayer. Broetzmann exhausts his lungs with the now familiar burly sound, and the piece, which begins as a figurative drawing, blurs and melds into a Willem de Kooning abstract portrait of a woman. In great form, the saxophonist utilizes the performance space (I'm guessing a church) to reverberate notes off the structure on "Crack In The Sidewalks," blowing notes, only to listen to them echo back in an almost call-and-response mode. Again, the bluesy middle passage of this nearly 19 minute piece is strongly heartfelt.
"Move And Separate" begins quietly enough that it could be mistaken for a Jan Garbarek ECM piece, but, of course, Broetzmann changes gears into his overblowing and multi-phonic techniques. The exhaustion of his effort here and with his tenor saxophone on "Chaos Of Human Affairs" is palpable. The encore, "The Very Heart Of Things," opens with a reference to Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," a quite appropriate resolution to this exercise in freedom and the blues." - Mark Corotto, AllAboutJazz
CD $18
ICP ORCHESTRA [With HAN BENNINK/TRISTAN HONSINGER/MICHAEL MOORE/GUUS JANSSEN/ et al] - Restless in Pieces (ICP 054; The Netherlands) Featuring Ab Baars, Michael Moore & Tobias Delius on saxes & clarinets, Thomas Heberer on trumpet, Wolter Weirbos on trombone, Guus Janssen on piano, Tristan Honsinger on cello & vocals, Mary Oliver on violin, Ernst Glerum on bass and Han Bennink on drums. This is the second disc by the ICP Orchestra since the departure of founding father Misha Mengelberg due to health issues. Considering that the Instant Composers Pool (with Mengelberg & Bennink) has been around for a half century, Mr. Mengelberg's spirit and influence remains imbedded within. ICP continues to perform Mr. Mengelberg's songs (five here) as well as continuing to cover songs by Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, both of whom are major influences for Misha. Other band-members like Michael Moore, Tristan Honsinger, Thomas Heberer and Guus Janssen have also contributed songs. The title piece opens this disc and it made me smile instantly. Honsinger sings this both silly and charming song is his own quirky way, a perfect introduction to a band that mixes the its humorous and serious sides just right. It always feels good to hear the gleeful groove of Herbie Nichols' "Blue Chopsticks". It is liking stepping back to the distant past, with legendary Han Bennink's drums swinging at the center. This wonderful mid-sized band often breaks into sub-groups to capture different sides. Misha's "Kwijt" is played just by the three strings and it is a haunting work, closer to the netherworld of modern chamber music. Each of Mr. Mengelberg's songs are unique and combine a variety of styles or ideas. Who would think that a medley of songs by early 20th century classical composer Charles Ives would be featured here but again, ICP remain impossible to pin down. Parts of that medley erupt from free-jazz to a goofy cartoon-like galloping melody with some quaint, somber vocals by Tristan. Mr. Mengelberg's song "Rollo 1 & 2" have been performed many times by ICP and here we find versions of both parts. Latin jazz or Mexican traditional music or something in between?!? The melody sounds very familiar and is quite charming. Thomas Heberer's "One Thing All at Once" is one of the highlights here as it is again in between categories, are we traveling backwards with those see-sawing stings? Hard to tell where we will end up? Pianist & composer Guus Janssen is a most appropriate replacement for Mr. Mengelberg, a longtime friend and collaborator with Misha. Mr. Janssen's "Jojo Jive" embodies the ICP sound and features some fine piano from Mr. Janssen as well. This disc ends with quite a surprise, a ditty called "Anatole", also by Mengelberg, which is driven by cheesy organ and goofy vocals. It is both delightful and ridiculous, but a perfect way to end this wonderful smorgasbord of enchanting quirkiness! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $18
THE EX With HAN BENNINK/AB BAARS/MATS GUSTAFSSON/KEN VANDERMARK/PETER EVANS/JOHN BUTCHER et al - At Bimhuis (1991-2015) [2-CD Set](Ex Records 143/144; Netherlands) Although The Ex have been around since 1979, they have consistently evolved more than any other "punk" band, which has kept them fresh, creative and beyond regular categories. This spectacular two disc set covers some 25 years (1991-2015) of their live history at the Bimhuis, a longtime club in Amsterdam where they've performed many times throughout their long and winding career. The Ex are longtime collaborators with the ICP Orchestra, an even longer collective of Netherlands natives & American expats founded by Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink in the mid-1960's! Besides members of the ICP Orchestra, The Ex have invited musicians from around the world: Getachew Mekuria (from Ethiopia), the late Tom Cora & Ken Vandermark (USA), Mats Gustafsson and John Butcher (UK), into their fold. This lengthy double disc set has more than fifty guests, way too many to name here. The original instrumentation of The Ex is/was: lead vocals, 1 or 2 guitars, el. (& later acoustic) bass and drums. Hence, their formula or central sound remains intact while their guests often add or change what we might expect. There is something often infectious in their sound that we love: that pounding rock groove which is always on the verge of spinning apart. This is only one part of their sound as things often mutate into other areas as well. There are way too many highlights throughout the more than two hours of powerful music here, but I will mention a few: the wailing, brain-blasting trombone of Wolter Weirbos, all sorts of inspired improv that never lasts too long before it turns into something else. The second disc features the 20 piece Ex Orkest with many great musicians added, Ethiopian saxist Getachew Mekuria, who adds his own flavor and the rambunctious Brass Unbound, horn section with a revolving cast of greats: Gustafsson, Vandermark, Xavier Charles, Peter Evans and Joost Buis. The enclosed booklet has a wealth of informative liner notes (from Kevin Whitehead & John Corbett), lots of live pictures and copies of many posters from the different Bimhuis concerts. What more could you want? - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $20
HENRY KAISER - Nazca Lines - Solo Acoustic Guitar (HK ; USA) This album consists of 22 freely improvised solos on 18 different acoustic guitars. In the past 5 years, Henry Kaiser released seven solo discs that consist of long (70-80 minute) electric guitar solos. In this latest release, he explores the short solo guitar format, with solos wherein the mind of the listener can hold the beginning, middle, and end of the musical stories in one mentation. In the tradition of Derek Bailey's 1975 classic album IMPROVISATION on the Italian CRAMPS label, these solos are short virtuoso expressions of extended guitar language and technique. More significantly, they are expositions of many new approaches to musical narrative. Akin to short story format, as opposed to novels, the improvisations are concise, otherworldly, and surprisingly electric-sounding for being played on acoustic guitars. Imagine Henry Kaiser, Derek Bailey, Robert Peter Williams, Morton Feldman, Robbie Basho, Joseph Spence, Toru Takemitsu, Karlheinz Stockhausen, D'Gary, Teta, and Masayuki Takayanagi sitting around a campfire for a crazy acoustic guitar jamboree, that is then transfigured through a sonic-kaleidoscope, inter-dimensional, space warp, and you can begin to guess what this recording sounds like.
CD $10
PRE-ORDERS FOR THREE GREAT [ANTHONY] BRAXTON HOUSE/FIREHOUSE-12 BOX SETS Taken Now:
Next Friday, April 1st we will see the release of THREE New Braxton House Box Sets!!! We are taking pre-orders now so you save some money! Take any or all of the new box sets and save $10 on each one of the 7 CD Set or take $3.00 off of the 3 CD Set. Don't be an April Fool, pre-order yours today. This offer is good until the end of March 31st.
ANTHONY BRAXTON - 3 Compositions [EEMHM] 2011 [3 CD Set](Firehouse12 01-02-020; USA) Featuring Anthony Braxton on sopranino, soprano & alto saxes, Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, flugelhorn & trumphone, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Jessica Pavone on viola & violin, Jay Rozen on tuba, Carl Testa on bass & bass clarinet and Aaron Siegel on percussion & vibes, plus everyone on iPods. In the lengthy liner notes for this demanding three disc set, Mr. Braxton explains the way the Echo Echo Mirror House Music [EEMHM] works. There are several layers of interconnected material involved here and it takes time to absorb all of the information that is going on at the same time. Mr. Braxton calls this music/system, the culmination of fifty years of music making/composing. The music here combines elements of his past works (via iPods) with his current (as of 2011) seven-piece ensemble, the results of which project a version of the future. Although this music is very demanding for the "listener experiencer" (as Braxton calls us), Mr. Braxton says that we should take time to get used to the information (overload) flow. I am currently listening to "Composition No. 372" (disc 1) for the third time in a row. Although it is often dense, it is becoming easier to hear all of the many layers each time I dive in. If you concentrate on one or two instruments, like the soloist, it becomes easier to navigate the rapids. I do recognize certain older Braxton pieces from the mid-seventies to Ghost Trance Music of the last Braxton wave, which rise and fall though out this set. Mr. Braxton is the main soloist in the first section and is in strong, spirited form. Several of his more recent (last decade or so) collaborators are also integral to complex interaction and strong soloists erupting in different places. At times, it sounds as if there are different forces battling for attention, yet there is an underlying system or logic going on which holds this together. Like surfing on a tidal wave and trying not to drown. It is completely exhilarating! Time for my second focus on Disc 2, can't wait to go surfing once more. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
3 CD Set $36 ($33 on sale until March 31st, 2016)
ANTHONY BRAXTON - Quintet [Tristano] 2014 [7 CD Set] (Firehouse12 NBH 905; USA) "Despite his reputation for being an dyed-in-the-wool avant-gardist, Braxton has carried the torch for earlier generations of jazz musicians throughout his career. Quintet (Tristano) 2014 continues his traditionalism with seven discs (recorded in studio in three days) of loving interpretation of the great pianist Lennie Tristano (1919-'78), a pioneer who broke from the constraints of bop into freer playing.
The saxophone duties here are given over to Jackson Moore and Andre Vida, while Braxton positions himself at the piano. The band is the same as the one that recorded Quintet (Tristano) 1997, but with Eivind Opsvik replacing Chris Lightcap on bass. One of the most remarkable recordings of Braxton on the piano-and there aren't many-is Piano Quartet, Yoshi's 1994 (released by Music & Arts in 1996). Over the course of that four-disc set, saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Arthur Fuller played pieces by Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, George Gershwin, Eric Dolphy, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn and others, with Braxton at the piano.
It was the first time many had heard him on the piano, and it was a shock. He played the tunes with a deep knowledge and a surprising bit of muscle. His touch seems to have softened in the ensuing two decades (good news for the detractors of the '94 album), although there is the occasional smack-down, as in a wonderful take on "Jazz Of Two Cities." - Kurt Gottschalk, Downbeat
7 CD Set $110 ($100 on sale until March 31st, 2016)
ANTHONY BRAXTON - Trillium J [4 CD + Blu-Ray Set + Thick Booklet](Firehouse12 NBH 906; USA) "Trillium J (The Unconfessionables) is Braxton's latest opera, presented in four acts and four CDs (the included Blue-Ray disc of a concert performance at Roulette in Brooklyn was not available at press time). Braxton is hardly a conventional storyteller, and in fact he outlines 14 manners of breaking the time continuum in the lengthy liner notes here. But one thing that might often be missed in his dense operas, rife with social commentary and cosmic consciousness, is that they are often quite funny. Trillium J wears its charm on its sleeve, with each of the acts rooted firmly in a different variety of genre fiction. Using Southern gothic, children's fable, murder mystery and courtroom drama settings, Braxton crafts scenes about group dynamics and the conventions of social interaction. In the process, he provides some exceptional scores that should firmly place him alongside Robert Ashley (1930-2014) and Philip Glass as adventurous proponents of the operatic form.
While his librettos tend to be written in a sung-speech common to much contemporary opera, there are some striking passages of multiple-voice arrangements. And while the music is through-composed and played by the 37-piece Tri-Centric Orchestra, there are sections that deliver the jazz energy that always seems to underpin his music. The whole work, in fact, is dedicated to Sun Ra." - Kurt Gottschalk, Downbeat
4 CD + Blu-Ray Set $110 ($100 on sale until March 31st, 2016)
Back in stock, last dozen copies of this recent and hard-to get treasure:
ANTHONY BRAXTON QUARTET With TAYLOR HO BYNUM/INGRID LAUBROCK/MARY HALVORSON - Au Vivo Jazz Na Fabri Ca [2 CD Set](Selo Sesc 0066/15; Brazil) Featuring Anthony Braxton on alto, soprano & sopranino saxes & electronics, Taylor Ho Bynum on cornet, flugelhorn & bass trumpet, Ingrid Laubrock on soprano & tenor saxes and Mary Halvorson on guitar. This is a live recording from August of 2014 from Sesc Pompeia in Brazil. Is this an expanded version of Braxton's Diamond Curtain Wall Trio (with Bynum & Halvorson)? Perhaps, since Mr. Braxton has had guests sit in with this trio a certain performances and DCW does also include (pre-programed) electronics. The guest for this concert is saxist Ingrid Laubrock who has been working with Mr. Braxton for the past few years. Ms. Laubrock and Ms. Halvorson have often collaborated on several projects along with Mr. Bynum in a band called Living By Lanterns (a Sun Ra inspired project).
This music is just incredible! One of the most focused, multi-layered, complex and riveting of anything I've heard in recent memory. The electronics float in and out and add a certain eerie magic to the proceedings. At times, Ms. Halvorson's subdued yet expressive electric guitar is indistinguishable from the subtle electronics. There seems to different conversations going on simultaneously, duos into trios in the quartet. The balance between the charted parts/sections and the freer bits is seamlessly executed. Portions of this long set are sparse with much attention to detail and intricate interaction rising and falling below the waves or currents. The entire atmosphere has a wonderful dream-like vibe with the scenery and characters fading into one another. Eventually Ms. Halvorson starts to alter the tone of her guitar adding odd twists and effects, pushing the intensity and interaction into a higher region. Quite extraordinary throughout each hour-plus piece, nothing less than phenomenal! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $18
Price Reduction of the first Braxton House Trillium Box Set:
ANTHONY BRAXTON With HERB ROBERTSON/MICHAEL ATTIAS/CHRIS SPEED/STEVE SWELL/TOM VARNER/PERRY ROBINSON/NED ROTHENBERG/MARK WHITECAGE/BRANDON EVANS/TED REICHMAN/JOE FONDA et al - Trillium R: Shala Fears For The Poor - Composition No 162 (Opera in Four Acts) [4 CD set & Libretto](Braxton House 008; USA) Check out the DMG database for a review/description
4 CD Set + Libretto $40
ELLIOTT SHARP//JACK QUARTET/JENNY LIN/ORCHESTRA CARBON/JANACEK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA - The Boreal (Starkland 222; USA) " 'The Boreal' (2009) was composed for and premiered by the widely acclaimed JACK string quartet. JACK's John Pickford Richards writes, "Elliott Sharp is one of the most naturally experimental composers today, and his works for strings continue to push the boundaries of what these old instruments can do." For this innovative work, Sharp created exotic alternate bows, substituting a ball-chain and metal springs for the traditional horsehairs.
Reviewing a performance in Seen and Heard International, George Grella remarked that these invented bows produce "sounds that I have truly never heard, via any means or in any situation. Much of it sounds like a scream traversing a wind tunnel, the aural sense of great energy and color shimmering in space." Grella concluded this "always interesting and powerful" composition is "a great piece, a notable signpost in the road of experimental music that parallels the standard classical tradition."
Commissioned and premiered by pianist Jenny Lin, Oligosono (2005) uses extended techniques that include manipulations made directly on the piano strings, permutative reordering of short loops, and fingerings that enhance the generation of harmonic overtones. Lin notes this "virtuosic tour-de-force" takes "listeners through a thrilling and provocative sonic world."
Conductor David Bloom writes that Proof of Erdos (2006) "is a gripping juggernaut that builds white-hot walls of sound, overtaking listeners before leading them to even denser ones, like the next landing of an M.C. Escher staircase." An homage to the late great mathematician Pal Erdos, the work reflects that mathematics have long played an important role in Sharp's formal constructions, especially fractal geometry, chaos theory, Fibonacci numbers, and bio-genetic concepts. Uitti comments, "the contrasts are violent and extreme, the use of register pushing the instruments to their limits, overloaded intricate textures extended in time end up feeling like stasis - the eye of the hurricane - luminous and yet complex." Regarding the performance by the distinguished musicians in the composer's ensemble, Bloom notes "the incomparable string players of Orchestra Carbon dig deep into their instruments to conjure unexpected and alluring sounds."
The CD ends with On Corlear's Hook (2007), which was inspired by the diverse activities near Sharp's apartment on Manhattan's Lower East Side, known as Corlear's Hook. The area is rich in sights and sounds: bridges to Brooklyn, loading docks, the Navy yard, ferry landings, river traffic, birds, helicopters, planes headed for LaGuardia and JFK. Uitti writes the "idiosyncratic, powerful, and above all, highly intelligent" work employs "Sharp's signature use of independent cells progressing at different speeds - lining up briefly and splitting off again,- to create "dramatic instrumental contrasts" that "keep listeners on the edge of their seats." The work is performed by the Janacek Philharmonic, conducted by Peter Rundel.
Uitti concludes, "Elliott's forms are uncompromising, often juxtaposing highly contrasting musical textures, ranges, and structures, while riveting the listener in a myriad of ever-changing motivic cells. I found myself immersed in this complexity to such a minute degree as to lose a sense of conventional time." - Starkland
CD $13
MOONDOG [LOUIS T. HARDIN] - Round the World of Sound (New World Records 80774; USA) To reduce the music of Louis Thomas Hardin (1916-1999) to the legendary figure of Moondog would be to pass over the real work of the composer. The melodic invention, the prodigious rhythms, and the mixture of genres, as original as they are obvious, all come together form a music that merits consideration strictly as music. To interpret Moondog's Madrigals, we wanted to develop aspects of the original recording of 1970, but also to produce a "live" version, one that would express the vitality and energy of ensemble music, and in order to enrich the instrumentation we chose a different combination of instruments for each piece. Round the World of Sound is an album of songs, and the singers were employed in many ways: alone or in duets, polyphonic (sometimes a capella) or in chorus, and sometimes the musicians added their own voices to those of Vincent Bouchot and Nathalie Duong. When we were invited to play this music in a festival that contained many types of music, the organizer asked to try to define the genre, and we answered, "Well, let's just call it pop chamber music." Didier Aschour, music director, Dedalus
"This twenty-five piece selection is entitled Madrigal Book 1, and is a nod to the system Johann Sebastian Bach used for his Well-Tempered Clavier. Here, Moondog passes through all the major and minor tonalities, following the cycle of fourths. Thus, the opening Bells Are Ringing is in C major, followed by Voices of Spring in A minor, What's the Most Exciting Thing in F major and so on until the return to C major with Sparrows. The recording spans twenty years of composing and bohemian life in the very heart of Manhattan, on its streets and under its porches. It features pieces from the early 1950s (All Is Loneliness, Be a Hobo) as well as later canons written in June 1968. All are autobiographical, or at least reflect the state of mind of their author. As such, they are either melancholic or cheerful, and can evoke the everyday life (Coffee Beans) or a longing for recognition (Maybe), at all times vibrant with his good turns of phrase and his distinctive philosophy."
CD $15
JESSICA JONES QUARTET With TONY JONES/STOMU TAKEISHI/KENNY WOLLESEN - Moxie (New Artists 1062; USA) Featuring Jessica Jones on tenor sax & most compositions, Tony Jones on tenor sax, Stomu Takeishi on acoustic bass guitar and Kenny Wollesen on drums. The Jessica Jones Quartet has been around for some twenty years and is always fronted by the two tenor team of Jessica & Tony Jones, a couple formerly based in the Bay Area but living here for even longer than quartet has existed. Another former Bay Area-based musician is their drummer Kenny Wollesen, ever-busy, in-demand and longtime collaborator for John Zorn. Several different bassists have been involved throughout the years, but currently we find the great Stomu Takeishi, well-known for his work with Henry Threadgill, Myra Melford, Dave Tronzo and many others. This appears to be the fourth disc by the Jessica Jones Quartet, each previous one has had a slightly different cast with some guests like Connie Crothers or Joseph Jarman added. Besides his longterm musical partnership with his wife Jessica, Tony Jones has recorded with Don Cherry and Peter Apfelbaum.
Two tenor led jazz quartet were pretty popular in the fifties and sixties, especially for cutting contest competitions or jamming over funky grooves. On the other extreme were the two tenor blasting interaction of John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. This quartet is neither, but is superb nonetheless. The title tune is first and has a lovely, calm sound with some fine, warm-toned tenors up front. One of Duke Ellington's most lyrical songs is "In a Sentimental Mood." The quartet play this ballad in an exquisite, dream-like way, it is one the most lovely and haunting works I've heard in a long while. "Haitian Cotillion" is one this discs many highlights, as both saxes play separate yet tight parts well-woven together, the song shifts through different sections yet sounds quite effortless due to restrained undertow but powerful surface. Tony Jones' "Soft Target" has a hypnotic tenor-led repeating line in the center with the other tenor sailing on top with simmering assurance. What makes this disc special is the rich harmonic sound of there way both tenors play together, in perfect simpatico. This is one of the most refreshing discs to come down the pike in a long while since there is no screaming going on whatsoever. It remains immensely crafty throughout without ever hitting the boiling point. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
KEN ALDCROFT / WILLIAM PARKER - Live at the Tranzac Vol. 1 (Trio Records 023; Canada) Featuring Ken Aldcroft on guitar and William Parker on double bass, shakuhachi and doson n'goni. Toronto-based guitarist, Ken Aldcroft, has played here at DMG in solo and duos more than a handful of times through the years. This is his second duo disc with Downtown's great bassist William Parker and again this is an incredible duo! This disc was recorded live at the Tranzac Club in Toronto in September of 2013. The recording and balance between these two players is well-captured and warm. There is a great deal of quick interaction going on here, like an intense conversation or perhaps a high-speed ping-pong match or a race between equally well-matched contestants. Since these tow have played together on numerous occasions, there seems to be a bond going on, keeping their interaction tight and always shifting together through tempo changes and a breath-taking swirl of dense connected ideas. As this set-long piece evolves, the dialogue gets more knotty and shrewd but always remains like a trip through the rapids. Things slow down a bit when Mr. Parker switches to bowed bass, the sound more mysterious. Stranger still is when Mr. Parker moves to a double-reed musette-like instrument while Aldcroft weaves a tight tapestry underneath. There is a section midway when Parker picks up his doson n'goni, a harp-like instrument once played by Don Cherry. This section is most magical and trance-inducing and feels like we have wandered into an African village with a ritualistic ceremony going on with Mr. Parker chanting softly in the background. This is only the first set, can't wait for the next one! Ken Aldcroft will be back at DMG in July of 2016. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
TERRENCE McMANUS / JOHN HEBERT - Saints and Sinners (Rowhouse Music 01; USA) Featuring Terrence McManus on guitar and John Hebert on contrabass. You should recognize the name of Terrence McManus from his ongoing wotk with Gerry Hemingway, Dave Ballou and Devin Gray. No doubt you know John Hebert, since he is one of the busiest bassists in the Downtown scene: Michael Attias, Lucian Ban, Mary Halvorson, Ingrid Laubrock, etc.
This is a superbly recorded studio date which sounds mostly improvised and consistently inspired. Mr. McManus does some odd yet sly string tapping on "Downriver" while Mr. Hebert spins fast-paced notes along with him. I the balance of electric and acoustic sounds as well as the thoughtful interaction between both players. No matter how far out McManus goes, Hebert follows him interjecting equally quick and oft jagged lines. "Psycho Rockabilly" might seem like a strange title yet it makes sense since there is bits of psychobilly thrown in. Mr. Hebert is one of the most in-demand acoustic bassists here in NYC and sounds great here with Mr. McManus' crafty guitar. Both players balance their ideas tightly around one another, throwing off quick lines back and forth and together creating a stimulating dialogue. Even when they lay back, there is a strong bond between the two of these musicians, combining forces and finishing each other's lines. Truly, a marvelous duo! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
Last Dozen Copies of This LTD Edition KEITH TIPPETT Solo Masterwork Back in Stock:
KEITH TIPPETT - Mujician Solo IV - Live in Piacenza (Dark Companion Records 001; Italy) Featuring Keith Tippett on an old Steinway Grand piano in Piacenza, Italy is January of 2012. I recall being astonished by the piano solo on "Catfood" by King Crimson from 'In the Wake of Poseidon' in 1970. There was no other pianist quite like Mr. Tippett. I bought a used copy of the album 'Dedicated to You but You Weren't Listening' while I was living in London near the end of 1975, the second LP by the Keith Tippett Group and again, I was completely blown away! I had the fortunate to hear Mr. Tippett live a few times with Elton Dean while studying in London. Being a Keith Tippett fan-addict, I have searched for every album/disc he has done over the many years. Sadly, Tippett has only played the US once, the old Knitting Factory in the early nineties. solo & duo with Andy Sheppard. Thanks to the Victo Festival, I have had a chance to hear Tippett on three occasions on Quebec (solo, Mujician quartet & Tapestry Big Band), all amazing. I also caught Mr. Tippett solo for two sets last year at Cafe Oto, both of which were incredible.
Keith Tippett's solo piano concerts and recordings are relatively rare and something special always occurs when listening or witnessing these events. There are some half dozen solo piano recordings but only the Victo CD remains in print. This makes 'Mujician Solo IV' even more rare and special. While listening to this disc, I was completely spellbound. Mr. Tippett does minimal yet effective work by carefully rubbing the strings inside the piano as he cautiously plays the keyboard. The subtle, eerie rubbing of strings gives the performance an other-worldly vibe. There is an enclosed picture of Mr. Tippett is playing a large and lovely Steinway Grand piano, the entire recording captured superbly. The balance and blend of the the sounds made inside the piano and on the keyboard are extraordinary. Keith Tippett continues to reign as a magical, master pianist. I know that many folks love to tout the solo piano recordings of the other Keith, but for me, this solo piano offering is the one by which the yardstick of greatness should be measured. Still astonishing some 45 years later! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $18 [LTD Edition of 999/numbered]
Two New Ones from the Fine Folks at Sunnyside Records:
STEVE KUHN With STEVE SWALLOW/JOEY BARON - At This Time... (Sunnyside 1436; USA) On his new recording, At This Time, pianist Steve Kuhn found himself just in the right time and place to record a trio record that feels timeless and truly inspired. The ensemble, which features legendary bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Joey Baron, was happy to find itself in an extended engagement at Birdland Jazz Club in New York in September 2015 and found time to get into the recording studio before heading to Europe on tour.
CD $15
MARC MOMMAS With VIC JURIS/NIKOLAJ HESS/THOMAS MORGAN - Ballads & Standards (Sunnyside 4024; USA) Saxophonist Marc Mommaas and pianist Nikolaj Hess have been collaborating for some time, cementing a bond that is very apparent in their music. On their new release Ballads & Standards, the pair do an extraordinary job breathing new life into seven well-known standards with the aid of guitarist Vic Juris and bassist Thomas Morgan.
CD $15
Historic & Archival Recordings, Reissues:
AUGUSTUS PABLO - This Is Augustus Pablo (Get On Down 56040; USA) "Augustus Pablo (given name Horace Swaby) was born just outside of Kingston. 'I am a Kingstonian,' he told the NME in 1986, 'but my heart is for the hills.' This mystical connection to 'the hills' is at the heart of Pablo's unique and immediately identifiable sound. By the late '60s, Swaby and his brother Dougie had founded a small sound system they called Rockers. The brothers spent a lot of time in record shops, including Aquarius, where owner Herman Chin-Loy heard Swaby experimenting on his melodica and was struck by the inspiration to record. The resulting tune was credited to Augustus Pablo, a name that Chin-Loy invented, as the story goes, to give an air of mystery to the release. Pablo recorded two more singles soon after with 'Java' becoming a major hit and being voted Instrumental Song Of The Year by Jamaica's Swing Magazine. This success led to the Randy's label moving to create a full-length album from Pablo. Recording in the Randy's studio upstairs from the record shop 'we weren't watching the clock...we had the studio,' Clive Chin recalled. The band included a cast of the greatest reggae musicians of all time: future Wailer Tyrone Downie on keyboards, Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, 'Fully' Fullwood and Lloyd Parks on the bass, Carlton Barrett, 'Santa' Davis and Lloyd 'Tin Leg' Adams were on drums and Earl 'Chinna' Smith played guitar. In addition to these future Hall of Famers, the mixing board was helmed by Errol Thompson. Thompson and Chin would together pioneer a tough, new reggae sound that, Chin referred to as 'Rockers' after the Swaby brothers' Rockers Hi-Fi sound system. For this issue three songs contemporary to the first release of This Is... have been added: the original single version of Pablo's hit, 'Java,' and two cuts issued as B-sides to successful Clive Chin-produced records. 'Guiding Red' and 'Marabi.' Augustus Pablo sadly passed away in 1999. 'He was 46,' his obituary stated, 'and lived in the hills outside Kingston,' where his heart belonged. His music has endured and continues to inspire. This Is Augustus Pablo is considered among the greatest collections of Jamaican instrumental music and is an essential part of reggae history."
CD $15
IMPACT ALL-STARS - Java Java Java Java (Get On Down 56041; USA) "'Dub as we know it begins here. Prior to 1973, there existed in Jamaica instrumental takes of songs -- B-sides that were labeled 'versions' -- and vocal-less acetates produced as one-offs for sound systems to give their mic men something to toast over. But there was nothing that fit the radical mixing board athleticism and psychedelic soundscapes that are the trademarks of dub music. By the end of that year, however, the story had radically changed. Lee Perry's Rhythm Shower and Upsetters 14 Dub, aka Blackboard Jungle, Herman Chin-Loy's Aquarius Dub and Prince Buster's The Message Dubwise had all appeared on the scene, each to varying degrees exemplifying dub's radical take-off on the instrumental concept. However, it may have been Java Java Java Java, that broke the first ground. 'To my knowledge,' producer Clive Chin confirms, 'and I'm telling this from a true fact, at the time it came out there was no other album like it.' Although the debate will probably continue for as long as scholars of Jamaican music exist, there is no doubt that Java Java Java Java is one of the foundations of dub music.' --Andrew Mason from the extensive liner notes. Java Java Java Java features key members of the Randy's house band aka The Impact All-Stars. Featured here are Earl 'Chinna' Smith, Fully Fullwood, Augustus Pablo, Winston Wright, Tommy McCook, and more with the production helmed by Clive Chin with Errol Thompson behind the board."
CD $15
WHITE LIGHT - White Light (Shadoks Music 174; Germany) White Light was a progressive rock group originally from New Orleans, then later from Austin, Texas, USA, where the group once recorded with Sonobeat Records (Mariani, Wildfire). White Light (not to be confused with the Glaswegian Christian rock band of the same name) was composed of Mike Hobren (electric and acoustic guitars, vocals, lyrics), Rob Haeuser (bass, synthesizers, audio engineering), and Rusty Haeuser (drums, percussion, flute). On White Light's self-titled album, recorded in 1976 and reissued here with three bonus demos from 1975, fans of progressive rock will be treated to a real romp of experimental music that utilizes a host of instrumentation and special effects. Mike Hobren employs a diverse range of styles and techniques on the guitar, including the use of a cello bow on the introduction to the track "Stargazer." Rob Haeuser's bass grounds the music perfectly, and his synthesizer work is, at times, haunting. Rusty Haeuser provides well-rounded percussion to inject a powerful rhythm line into the music. White Light was heavily influenced by progressive groups like Yes, Pink Floyd, and Weather Report, to name a few, but brought their own unique twist. Highly recommended for lovers of progressive rock with roots in the mid-'70s. Produced, recorded, and engineered by Sonobeat Recording Company cofounder Bill Josey Sr. (1921-1976) at Blue Hole Sounds studio, Liberty Hill, Texas, USA, February 1976.
CD $16
Long Lost LP Section:
LOST TRAIN BLUES - John & Alan Lomax and the Early Folk Music Collections at the Library of Congress (Jalopy Records 001; USA) "Lost Train Blues features 22 selections from the vast holdings of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, 13 of them have never been issued before. The record includes work songs, ballads, blues, political and union songs, guitar, banjo and fiddle music and Native American vocal music. These recordings were made between 1933 and 1950 and represent the birth of the folk music collections at the Library of Congress, now the largest repository of folk and enthographic holdings in the world. The record demonstrates the groundbreaking work of Alan Lomax and his father John Lomax, but also places them with the context of other important early field workers. The deluxe record includes liner notes by Alan Lomax archive curator Nathan Salsburg, as well as a 14 page booklet with photographs and original research about each song, artist and folklorist. The cover features an original lithograph by artist Jeff Tocci. Each selection has been retransferred from original discs and tapes at the Library of Congress and has been carefully remastered by sound engineer Don Fierro making for the best possible audio fidelity."
LP $18
WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS - Call Me Burroughs (Superior Viaduct 094; USA) "Originally released in 1965 by The English Bookshop in Paris and later by ESP-Disk' in New York, Call Me Burroughs marks not only the recorded debut of William Burroughs, but also for many the first encounter with his inimitable voice. While Burroughs has had pervasive influence on counterculture in the past 50 years -- from the Beats to punk rock and even hip hop -- no other figure today is so widely considered the epitome of cool. Call Me Burroughs features the author reading from Naked Lunch and Nova Express, two of his best-known works that utilize the cut-up method developed by Burroughs and artist Brion Gysin. An eerie, deadpan drawl guides the listener through sci-fi innerscapes, narcotic nightmares, reports from the edge of the apocalypse. Phantasmagoric passages echo real experiences roaming the streets of Mexico, the West Village, Tangiers. Bradley the Buyer and other shadowy agents haunt our ears as Burroughs turns the page and pauses purposefully. 'Anything put out up till now is like pulling a figure out of the air -- Enemy installations shattered -- Personnel decimated -- Board Books taken -- Electric waves of resistance sweeping through mind screens of the earth -- The message of Total Resistance on short wave of the world.' This first-time vinyl reissue is recommended for fans of Hunter S. Thompson, Patti Smith and Throbbing Gristle."
LP $25
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND - Trout Mask Replica [180 Gram](Warner Brothers 2027; USA) 180 gram vinyl, manufactured by Rhino. The third Beefheart album (following Safe as Milk and Strictly Personal) to be released, first issued in 1969. Gatefold sleeve, classic Cal Schenkel artwork. "Trout Mask Replica is Captain Beefheart's masterpiece, a fascinating, stunningly imaginative work that still sounds like little else in the rock & roll canon. Given total creative control by producer and friend Frank Zappa, Beefheart and his Magic Band rehearsed the material for this 28-song double album for over a year, wedding minimalistic R&B, blues, and garage rock to free jazz and avant-garde experimentalism. Atonal, sometimes singsong melodies; jagged, intricately constructed dual-guitar parts; stuttering, complicated rhythmic interaction -- all of these elements float out seemingly at random, often without completely interlocking, while Beefheart groans his surrealist poetry in a throaty Howlin' Wolf growl." - All Music Guide.
2 LP Set $48
JOHNNY CASH - Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous (Rumble Records 2011114; USA) The second album by Johnny Cash, originally released in 1958. These are indeed the songs that made him famous. Twelve classic cuts from the Sun Records, Memphis-era of his career, just before he moved over to Columbia, where he'd stay until his death in 2003.
LP $21
HANK WILLIAMS - Ramblin' Man (Rumble Records 2011123; USA) Originally released posthumously in 1955 (two years after Hank Williams's death in 1953), Ramblin' Man is a wicked collection of some of the finest recordings by Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys, full of powerful, overwhelming weepers. It's hard to imagine a more recognizable voice in all of country music. Another absolute classic of mid-century American country music on Rumble.
LP $21
THE EVERLY BROTHERS - The Everly Brothers (Rumble Records 2011120; USA) Possibly the most iconic LP of their entire career, The Everly Brothers' 1958 self-titled album feature all-time quintessential jams like "Wake Up Little Susie," "Bye Bye Love," and "I Wonder If I Care as Much." Shockingly, as the legend goes, "Bye Bye Love" was rejected by more than 30 singers and groups before the Everlys agreed to record it, and the rest is history.
LP $21
BUDDY HOLLY - Buddy Holly (Rumble Records 2011121; USA) This 1958 LP is Buddy Holly's debut solo album and his second LP overall. Though billed as a solo record, it features the same backing group as his first LP, The Crickets, one of the most legendary rock and roll combos of all time. It was only one year after the LP's February 1958 release that Buddy Holly died in that infamous plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. That info still takes a while to set in -- one of the most famous and enduring icons of rock spent only a few years on the public's radar before passing. This self-titled LP may be his finest recorded moment on wax.
LP $21
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