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NEWSLETTER - JUNE 3rd, 2016
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DMG Newsletter for JUNE 3rd, 2016
Vision Fest 21 Starts This Week: June 7th - June 12th!
While DMG at 25 is Still Trying Hard to Stay Alive
Still Informative and Still Not Jive
More busy bees buzzing 'round the hive
Time to Check Another Batch of Special Sounds from:
Harry Miller With Keith Tippett / Trevor Watts / Louis Moholo..! Two Great Quartets from ICP's Michael Moore! Jon Madof's Blivet: Brian Marsella/Shanir Blumenkranz! Tisziji Munoz & John Medeski Coltrane Sessions III! Roberta Piket's Marian McPartland Tribute! Yusel Lateef's 'Heart Vision'! Rhys Chatham!
Burning Ghosts! Plus Archival Discs from Klaus Schulze! Sun Ra Singles LP! Giorgio Gaslini OST! Alvin Lucier! Jean Dubuffet! Francisco Lopez! Bernard & Klaus Lang! Sir Richard Bishop! Guru Guru! Malatu of Ethiopia and Much More..!
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The DMG FREE Weekly In-Store Concert Series Continues With:
June 5th Another Amazing Double-Header:
6pm: TIDE-POOL FAUNA: KYOKO KITAMURA / INGRID LAUBROCK / KEN FILIANO!
7pm: CARATE URIO SEXTET: JOACHIM BADENHORST / SAM KULIK / KENNY WARREN / NICO ROIG / BRICE SONIANO / SEAN CARPIO!
June 12th: No In-Store during the Vision Fest
June 19th: Bruce's Birthday / Father's Day Celebration! Snacks & Spirits!
6pm: JOSH SINTON & GUILLERMO GREGORIO!
7pm: MIKE SOPKO & CHRIS PITSIOKOS!
Downtown Music Gallery 25th Anniversary Celebration at Roulette in Brooklyn:
Monday, June 20th, from 7pm til 11pm:
JON MADOF'S ZION 80!
BURNT SUGAR ARKESTRA!
BILL LASWELL's METHOD OF DEFIANCE With MIKE SOPKO!
$25 in advance / $30 day of show - tickets on sale now at: web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/10062990
Sunday, June 26th:
6pm: TERRENCE McMANUS / JOHN HEBERT!
7pm: THOMAS HEBERER & JASON STEIN!
Sunday, July 3rd:
6pm: LOUISE JENSEN/TAMIO/RICARDO TRIO & DUO With ERICA DICKER
7pm: MATT LAVELLE & NICOLE JOHANNTGEN
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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VISION FESTIVAL 21 Will Begin this week: Tues, JUNE 7 to Sun JUNE 12, 2016
Celebrating the legendary Henry Grimes for his Lifetime of Achievement
It will take place at the Judson Memorial Church - 55 Washington Square, NYC
Here is a short list of who's playing: Henry Grimes, Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake, Steve Swell, Joel Futterman, Marc Ribot, Jen Shyu, Mat Maneri, Sun Ra Arkestra with Marshall Allen, Connie Crothers, Cooper-Moore, Wadada Leo Smith, Dave Liebman, Harrison Bankhead, Dave Burrell, Jemeel Moondoc, William Hooker, Mike Reed and so many more plus Poets, Dancers and other Visual Artists!
This is a special annual event that takes place here in NYC, bringing together creative music fans from around the world. Please support Vision Festival 21!
The entire schedule is listed further down in the newsletter or can be checked out at: www.artsforart.org/vision-21.html
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Here's the New Discs to Check Out:
HARRY MILLER WITH KEITH TIPPETT / TREVOR WATTS / LOUIS MOHOLO / ALAN WAKEMAN / ALAN TOMLINSON / et al - Different Times, Different Places - Volume 2 (Ogun 045; UK) This is the second volume of rarities from legendary South Africa-to-London bassist Harry Miller that the Ogun label has released. This awesome collection features three slightly different groups, all with Harry Miller on bass, Louis Moholo (from the Blue Notes & Brotherhood of Breath) on drums and Trevor Watts (SME, Amalgam & Moire Music Group) on alto sax. Harry Miller wrote all of the songs on this disc so his infectious South African groove/vibe permeates all three sessions.
The first song also features ace UK guitarist Bernie Holland, who has worked with Bluesology, Hummingbird & Jody Grind and saxist Alan Wakeman who has worked for Graham Collier. Although Bernie Holland is often known for composing a song called "Diamond Dust" which was covered by Jeff Beck on 'Blow by Blow', Mr. Holland is also a gifted guitarist. "Orange Grove" kicks things off some crisp, highlife-like, rhythm guitar in the center of the quintet. Trevor Watts, who was running Amalgam at the time before forming the Moire Music Group, is featured throughout with a glorious, long solo, leading right into an enchanting solo form Mr. Holland's guitar. Three songs from August of 1978 are next and feature the ever-great Keith Tippet on piano and two saxists: Alan Wakeman on tenor and Trevor Watts on alto. Again that joyous Kwela groove/melody is central to these songs. I love the way "Miss Liz" starts off with a memorable melody/theme, the quintet soon evolves into freer terrain with some incredible piano waves erupting underneath and the two saxes cascading on top. Just incredible! "The Magician" starts off slow and steady, like a more straight jazz tune, however the long piano by Tippett goes through several sections: speeding up, slowing down and leading a variety of shifting currents. For "Door Key" both saxes (Wakeman on tenor & Watts on soprano), play the theme together and then move around one another in tight orbits with soft yet furious piano by Tippett simmering underneath. The Miller/Moholo rhythm team works their magic throughout this entire magnificent effort, matching the ever-shifting waves by Tippett as well as the interlocking saxes of Watts and Wakeman. For the last three songs, the lone saxist, Mr. Watts, is joined by two other horns: Dave Holdsworth on trumpet and Alan Tomlinson on trombone. Both have worked with the cream of UK's finest musicians/composers: Mike Westbrook and Steve Beresford. Again, once the opening themes are played the horns gets chance play together and stretch out with some long sprawling solos, together and apart. Although this is only a quintet, the group often sounds like a small big band as the parts swirl around one another in a most joyous and often intense way. It is indeed pretty rare when music blends infectious melodies with free elements, inspired solos and amazing interplay but this is indeed what we find here and throughout much of what we find within the Blue Notes, Brotherhood of Breath and throughout the Ogun catalogue! Is the best archival recording of the year?!? No doubt, yes! Special thanks to the late Mike King, who worked his tush off to give this disc its consistently wonderful sound! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $18
Two New Gems from ICP's Michael Moore:
MICHAEL MOORE FELIX QUARTET With WOLTER WIERBOS / WILBERT DE JOODE / MICHAEL VATCHER - Felix Quartet (Ramboy #33; Netherlands) The Felix Quartet features Michael Moore on alto sax, clarinet & compositions, Wolter Weirbos on trombone, Wilbert de Joode on bass and Michael Vatcher on drums & hammered dulcimer. This disc was recorded live at a place called Felix Meritis in Amsterdam in August of 2014. Mr. Moore organized a fine quartet for this session with two members of the ICP Orchestra (Mr. Wierbos & Moore himself) with Dutch bassist Wilbert de Joode and drum wiz Michael Vatcher, another American ex-pat like Moore, who has worked with Mr. Moore in several projects, especially the great Jewels & Binoculars trio. "Ramses" begins very quietly just a wisp of clarinet and muted trombone dancing, sublime, spacious and building from there. After many years of playing together with the ICP Orchestra, Moore & Wierbos exchange ideas with ease, like a fascinating conversation between old friends. I dig the hypnotic ghost-like harmonies that Moore has written for the muted trombone and alto sax on "A Drubbing" which are slightly disorienting yet somehow also transcend anything expected. "A Big Dog" kinda sounds like a blues, swerving in its own way with a wee bit of barking going on from the horns to add to its odd charm. Mr. Moore does a good job of composing quirky skeletal structures as signposts for the quartet with unexpected freer sections, which seem to occur organically. Mr. Vatcher uses his hammered dulcimer as occasional sonic spice adding a subtle mysterious magic to the proceedings, similar to the way a pianist would pluck notes inside the piano on rare occasion. Seemingly out of nowhere, the quartet break into a swell somber yet funky groove on "Cry", which feels so good as the song winds down to an enchanting ending. I get the feeling that this disc will take several spins in order to hear the structures, strategies or treasures beneath the surface. Michael Moore has always found ways to plant flowers in-between the cracks in structures or expectations. He has again come up with a winning hand which is a marvel yet somehow inexplicable. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
MICHAEL MOORE FRAGILE QUARTET With HARMEN FRAANJE / CLEMENS VAN DER FEEN / MICHAEL VATCHER - Live in Chicago (Ramboy #32; Netherlands) Featuring Michael Moore on alto sax, clarinet & compositions, Harmen Fraanje on piano, Clemens van der Feen on bass and Michael Vatcher on drums & hammered dulcimer. Earlier last month (May of 2016), the annual Doek Festival took place not just in Amsterdam, but also in Chicago and in Berlin. Musicians from all three cities/countries worked with one another to make this a most successful festival of music which continually crosses several borders. There has been an exchange of Amsterdam and Chicago-based musicians going on for some time now. Check out Mike Reed's 'Second Cities- Volume 1' CD to hear a righteous blend of international talents from the Netherlands and the Windy City. This disc was recorded at Constellation in Chicago in 2014.
You most likely know Amsterdam-based transplants Michael Moore and Michael Vatcher from various projects/bands like Jewels & Binoculars, Available Jelly and the Persons. You might also recognize pianist Harmen Fraanje form his work with Mats Eilertsen, Ernst Reijseger or Eric Vloemans. Mr. van der Feen played in the same Michael Moore Quartet on a couple of recordings from 2010 & 2011. On the opener, "Triptych", Mr. Vatcher's exquisite hammered dulcimer is used to add some soft, mysterious sounds to the stark, haunting blend. Mr. Moore's luscious,ultra-subtle clarinet works well with the skeletal double bass and elegant piano. Mr. Moore is in fine form here, his tone on alto sax a consistent joy from his Johnny Hodges-like elegance to hushed yet quirky sparks which erupt quietly without a good deal of fanfare and often surprise me with their unexpected twists. It sounds like this quartet has been playing together for a long while since they sound like such a well-integrated force. It seems obvious that the reason they are called the Fragile Quartet is that they play with extreme careful restrain in their own distinctive way. This is a marvel of quiet ingenuity which rarely increases the pulse of excitement factor yet remains unassuming treasure on its own terms. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
Quickly sold out & now back in stock:
ICP ORCHESTRA - Restless in Pieces (ICP 054; 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
BLIVET [JON MADOF / BRIAN MARSELLA / SHANIR BLUMENKRANZ / MATHIAS KUNZLI] - Blivet (EJT Records 0002; USA) Featuring Jon Madof on guitar & most songs, Brian Marsella on keyboards, Shanir Blumenkranz on bass and Mathias Kunzli on drums. One of the best bands to emerge from Tzadik Radical Jewish Culture series is Rashanim, a trio featuring Jon Madof, Shanir Blumenkranz (from Satlah & Abraxas) and Mathis Kunzli. Their three discs on Tzadik are all great, electric/Klez/rock at its best. Mr. Madof went on to organize Zion80, a larger unit which blends Klez melodies with Afro-beat grooves. Zion80 also includes the ubiquitous Shanir Blumenkranz on electric bass and newcomer Brian Marsella (from Cyro's Banquet of the Spirit) on mostly organ. If you haven't heard Zion80 live or on either of their two discs, I urge you to check them out ASAP. Live, they will make you great to alive as they embody that music for the body & mind interface which makes you want to leap out of your seat and get down! Which brings us to Blivet, a Zion80 offshoot quartet...
A customer of ours in Europe is the one who turned me onto Blivet and I am forever grateful. Right from the gitgo, this music makes me feel swell! Both the instrumentation and overall sound recall two great sixties/seventies bands: Booker T & the MGs and the Meters. That slamming groove is dynamite, completely infectious and in-your-face. I am not sure whether it is Madof's short but effective wah-wah solo or the sound of Marsella's greasy organ that makes this so groovy!?! Each of the eleven songs here are great and feel just right, like a party going on that you don't want to miss because it is the spirit/medicine that we need to feel alive. Rather than dip into the Klez song stream, the music is here is more rock/funk jam without any unnecessary cheese but the right amount of fat. Both Mr. Madof and Mr. Marsella take a handful of blistering solos that push things up a couple of notches. Even when the band lays back on a song like, "The Next Eddie", that sly, laid-back vibe is still just right. The hypnotic electric piano and eerie guitar sound swell, as does that short bass solo. I get the feeling that Blivet would do well on the jam/band circuit, if that circuit still exists today. On a song called, "Here Comes Blivet" there is an organ solo near the end that like it comes from an album by The Band, sixties Americana at its best. What I dig most about this disc is that it is more about the fun factor, creating a great groove or vibe that makes the day feel better, less stress, more party-time for the mind and loose limbs. In the last few years, we've seen keyboard wiz Brian Marsella just get better and better, always adding something special to whatever band he is playing in. Marsella's organ solo on "Friction" is just killing and both he and Madof dazzle us consistently without too much showing off or fusion excess. Blivet remain one of the undiscovered treasures of the current Downtown Scene, give them a chance to create some fires so they will burn down the house and set assumptions aflame. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
TISZIJI MUNOZ / LAM SOBO JOHN MEDESKI - When Coltrane Calls! Sessions 3: Living Immortality (Anami 065; USA) Featuring Tisziji Munoz on guitar, Lam Sobo John Medeski on piano, George Koller & Don Pate on basses and Ra Kalam Bob Moses & Sadhu Bhav Tony Falco on drums. This is the third in a series of tributes to John Coltrane, the longtime inspiration for guitar monster Tisziji Munoz. The first six of nine songs were written by Mr. Munoz with three Coltrane covers for the last third of this disc, all evoking the ghost/spiritual music which Coltrane mastered. I recently caught a trio featuring John Medeski on organ, Dave Fiucynski on guitar and Calvin Weston on drums playing the Bagatelles music of John Zorn at two gigs. The trio was amazing both times, especially the organ playing by Medseki who seems to have few peers. Over the last few years, Medeski has become a member of the ongoing Tisziji Munoz Ensemble, playing mainly piano with Munoz. Munoz and Medeski now have some ten discs together, each one special in its own way.
Mostly inspired but what Mr. Coltrane did on a couple of his seminal records ('Africa Brass' & 'Ole' ), Munoz uses the talents of two bassists and two drummers. The double rhythm team creates a cosmic cushion with layers of buzzing, simmering, a vast web of rhythms. Over many years, Munoz has become a fine composer whose music always comes from the heart and mind, the inner flames that burn inside us all. Medeski has become an integral part of this unit, playing a number superb, inspired solos, at times McCoy-like but at a more relaxed pace. It is a great thing to hear Medeski play these songs with such elegance and taste, embracing each melody rapturously. Besides his more intense freer music, Coltrane was a superb at playing ballads. A few of the songs that Munoz wrote here are sublime ballads which balance nicely with the more fire-music sections or solos here. Munoz himself is an extraordinary soloist, taking his time on each piece to reach for the stars as the tempo of the solos increase on each piece, faster and higher... For the three Coltrane covers, Munoz slims the band down to one rhythm section, but the (cosmic) effect is the same, consistently spiritually uplifting. The versions here of "Alabama", "Expression" and "Dearly Beloved" are most enchanting, starting with reverent grace before getting to that heart-fire, grand conclusion. For those who need to know, we haven't received the second part of the 'Coltrane Sessions' yet, just the first and third parts. Dig in for another buried treasure from the great Anami vaults. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12 (In stock shortly)
ROBERTA PIKET With STEVE WILSON / VIRGINIA MAYHEW / BILL MOBLEY / HARVIE S / BILLY MINTZ + KARRIN ALLYSON - One for Marian - Celebrating Marian McPartland (Thirteenth Note 009; USA) Featuring Roberta Piket on piano & arrangements, Steve Wilson on alto sax & flute, Virginia Mayhew on tenor sax & clarinet, Bill Mobley on trumpet & flugel, Harvie S on bass and Billy Mintz on drums with Karrin Allyson - guest vocalist. "Marian McPartland always felt regretful that her tunes weren't played more," Piket says. "She felt a little unrecognized in that regard. It's kind of mysterious why some tunes don't become standards. She wrote so many great tunes."
An uncommonly probing improviser in both free and straight-ahead settings, Piket has garnered considerable attention in recent years with a pair of enthralling solo piano recordings. But on One for Marian she returns to a larger ensemble format which she explored so memorably on 2011's Sides, Colors (Thirteenth Note). The album's cast couldn't be better equipped to interpret Piket's lush arrangements and McPartland's melodically charged compositions. Featuring Steve Wilson on alto sax and flute, Virginia Mayhew on tenor sax and clarinet, Bill Mobley on trumpet and flugelhorn, bassist Harvie S, drummer and percussionist Billy Mintz, and special guest vocalist Karrin Allyson on one track, One for Marian grew out of a concert that Piket put together for the 2014 Wall Street Jazz Festival.
"Peggy Stern invited me to close the festival, and she thought it made sense to have an ensemble bigger than a trio," Piket says. "I hit upon the idea of arranging some of Marian's tunes. I like the sextet format. You can get a lot of different colors and textures with three horns, but you don't lose the small group intimacy and interaction."
The album opens with "Ambiance," a haunting melody that Piket interpreted beautifully on her last album, the 2015 Thirteenth Note release Emanation (Solo: Volume 2). Full of thick, mysterious harmonies, her luscious arrangement foregrounds McPartland's fascination with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter's 1960s Blue Note recordings. "In the Days of Our Love," a McPartland tune so lovely that Peggy Lee felt inspired to write lyrics for it, features exquisite solos by Mobley and Mayhew, who croon the bittersweet melody with their horns. Karrin Allyson, one of the finest jazz singers on the scene, persuasively evokes the pause-between-breaths liminal realm of "Twilight World," McPartland's collaboration with Johnny Mercer, in a ravishing duet with Piket.
Piket recorded McPartland's loving portrait of Mary Lou Williams, "Threnody," on her debut album in a trio context, while this quartet version showcases Wilson's expressive flute work. "Time and Time Again" opens as a rumba duo, with Mayhew's tenor flowing over Mintz's conga playing. Taken at a sensuous tempo, the piece takes on striking textures as Mobley's muted trumpet blends with Mayhew and Wilson's saxophones and woodwinds.
Piket also offers two pieces of her own in honor of McPartland. The title track is a briskly swinging number with an intricate melodic line that features some particularly tasty drum work by Mintz, an immensely resourceful drummer who can groove with abandon. "Saying Goodbye", while not composed for Marian, is an elegiac caress of a farewell. Fittingly, Piket closes the album with an up-tempo blues. Her lively arrangement of McPartland's "Kaleidoscope", the theme song for NPR's Piano Jazz, leaves listeners wanting more, while summoning the salty spirit of jazz's grande dame.
One reason the album feels so fully realized and cohesive is the deep ties shared by the core group of players. Piket and S have played together extensively in Mayhew's band over the years, while S and Mintz have collaborated widely, including a trio led by piano master Alan Broadbent. And of course Piket and Mintz are one of jazz's power couples. She recruited Mobley and Wilson for the project, and they delivered as consummate professionals and stellar improvisers. "Bill is one of the unsung heroes of jazz trumpet, a very high level musician with a ton of craft," Piket says. "He's such a melodic soloist with a great warm sound. I've known Steve Wilson for many years, but hadn't been in touch for a long time. He was so sweet and enthusiastic. He's a stunning virtuosic soloist. I love his aggressive approach to the flute on "Threnody."" - Thirteenth Note
CD $12
YUSEF LATEEF With ADAM RUDOLPH / CHINYERE NENNA FREELON / MT. NEBO BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR / et al - Heart Vision (YAL Records 900; USA) Featuring Yusef lateef on tenor sax, bamboo sax, keyboards & compositions, Christopher Newland on guitar, Adam Rudolph on percussion & processing, Everett Haffner on DX7 synth plus vocalists: Chinyere Nenna Freelon, Tsidii Le Loka & Richard Ross and the Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Choir. I recall Bennie Maupin telling me at a music camp/worksop last June (2015) in Denmark, how much of an influence Yusef Lateef had on him when he started out in the late fifties. Both men were from Detroit. Although Mr. Lateef is well known as a jazz musician, he was one of the reeds players to work with assorted double reeds in the late fifties. Since then, Lateef's vision, playing and composing have evolved in many ways until his death in December of 2013 at 93. With more than seventy recordings as a leader, he has covered a wealth of genres/styles/influences. Although 'Heart Vision' was released in 1992 on Lateef's own label. this is the first time we have offered copies. Word is that it now out-of-print.
Mr. Lateef employs three vocalists here plus a Baptist church choir. I was a bit worried at first about the vocals but this disc turned to out to be excellent throughout. "Vision 2" is first and it features the assured spoken words of Ms. Freelon backed by Lateef's superb tenor sax and Rudolph's almost drum-machine-like nervous uptempo insistent flow. "Vision 3" features the rich, sumptuous voice of Richard Ross with of fine, laid-back jazz guitar of Christopher Newland. Lateef layers several tenor saxes on "Vision 7", each one immensely soulful and seasoned just right over a somber church organ quietly playing in the background. The music here is often reflective, never asserting itself to much. Ms. Le Loka, who worked with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, does some fine spoken word in (her?) native tongue and is answered in English. The heartbeat or pulse is often at the center of much of this endeavor with the magical conga-work by Mr. Rudolph acting as that pulse. The words often mention the word "heart" which is central to the theme which runs throughout. Yusef Lateef has done a fine job of painting his sonic canvas with warm, cosy, organic colors without ever screaming or calling too much attention to itself. A most modest yet still rewarding treasure that remains calm for its entire length. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
JOHANN GUNNARSSON - Genematrix Perimeter Stroke (Skipping High Records 1; EEC) Featuring Joel Palsson on tenor sax & contrabass clarinet, Johann Gunnarsson on bass, classical guitar & electronics, Hallvardur Asgeirsson on electric guitar & electronics and Ari Bragi Karasn on trumpet. This disc came in the mail but had little or no info about the band attached. All I can tell you is that this quartet comes from Iceland and the cover was created by Stephen Byram, the same fellow who has done many covers for Tim Berne. Outside of a couple of musicians like Hilmar Jensson and Skuli Sverrison, we rarely hear about the creative music scene in Iceland, so all of the names here are new to me. Doing my own research it turns out that Mr. Palsson has recorded for the Omi Jazz label and went to Berklee with the aforementioned Jensson and Sverrisson. As of 2012, Mr. Palsson had some five discs as a leader. Who knew?!?
The sound on this disc is superbly recorded and mixed. The hushed sounds of contrabass clarinet or tenor sax, ghostly, dream-like electric guitar, rustling trumpet and distant bass, all filled with suspense and space. With each piece, a bit more darkness or turbulence creeps slowly in. Underneath lies a layer of hums or drones from the bass or electronics, above the sublime trumpet and somber reeds embrace, swirling in slow motion together. The rarely used contrabass clarinet sounds like a deeper, darker version of a bass clarinet and is central to the way disc sounds: somewhat spooky at times. It takes some patience to appreciate this music it it often unfolds at its own laid-back pace. On "Take (Good Care)", the spacious floating ambiance, hypnotic, hazy echoed trumpet and distant growling contrabass clarinet give this piece an ominous, stark, Miles-like vibe. I found that it is the simmering, liquid mood that has the most effect here, sometimes slowly shifting into another plain. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
BURNING GHOSTS - Burning Ghosts (Orenda 030; USA) Burning Ghosts are an LA-based quartet featuring Daniel Rosenboom on trumpet, Jake Vossler on guitars, Richard Giddens on basses and Aaron McLendon on drums. From the eighties onwards, L.A. had a number of labels which documented the sprawling underground scene: Nine Winds, pf Mentum, Transparency and Cryptogramaphone. Only Nine Winds and pfMentum have continued, but at a slower pace. Trumpeter Daniel Rosenboom, who has worked with Vinny Golia and had a couple of discs out on Nine Winds, started the Orenda label to pick up the slack and document another strong evolving scene. We have received a dozen or so promos from Orenda and everything I've heard so far is pretty impressive, especially a great trio called Evil Genius.
The name Burning Ghosts refers to the inner flames of injustice and the outer flames which are still burning in the ghettos throughout America. The Burning Ghosts of L.A. erupted during the Watts riots in 1965 and have continued through the unfortunate beating of Rodney King in more recent times. The frontline of trumpet and electric guitar is an especially powerful blend. Commencing with "Anthem", Rosenboom plays some solemn trumpet over the intense, raging guitar-led trio erupting underneath. "Defiance" is aptly titled since it is powerful, tight and defiant. The interplay between the trumpet and guitar is incredible, spewing out fast & furious lines in tight orbits, the entire quartet as one intense force. What makes this quartet so unique is the way Rosenboom's trumpet draws from a more tradition sound while Mr. Vossler's guitar blends jazz, rock and noise elements in equal measure. On "Elegy" Rosenboom's muted trumpet is laid back and enchanting and well matched by Vossler's laid back, skeletal guitar, the mood is somber and contemplative, hence the song's title. "Dissent" starts out quietly and builds in intensity throughout with some inspired trumpet and guitar flurries, crisscrossing and erupting into a grand conclusion. On "Flashpoint", guitarist Vossler gets a chance to stretch out and take a long, spectacular solo, shredding at times before calming down. There is an ancient tug-of-war going on here between the triumphant tone & playing of the Rosenboom's great trumpet and the seething anger of the guitar led jazz/rock trio kicking up a storm underneath. Along with their cohorts in Evil Genius, Burning Ghosts show that they are one of the best bands to emerge from L.A. in years. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
RHYS CHATHAM - Pythagorean Dream (Foom 007; UK) Rhys Chatham returns with his first solo album since 2013, the enchanting Pythagorean Dream. Having studied under Terry Riley and La Monte Young (with whom he later went on to work), Chatham fused the overtone-drenched minimalism of John Cale and Tony Conrad with the relentless, elemental fury of the Ramones. It was an inspired amalgamation -- the textural intricacies of the avant-garde colliding with the visceral punch of electric guitar-slinging punk rock -- and with it Chatham created a new type of urban music. Raucous and ecstatic, this sound energized the New York Downtown scene throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, prefigured the no wave movement, and cast a huge influence over the subsequent work of Chatham's many proteges, including Glenn Branca and future members of Sonic Youth. Primarily focused on the electric guitar (but also featuring flute and a bit of trumpet) this recording is named after the Pythagorean guitar tuning it employs. The recording is a truly solo endeavor, composed, performed, produced, engineered, and mastered solely by Chatham. Chatham began to develop solos that he would play himself, choosing to incorporate the multi-second delay effect pioneered by Terry Riley with two Revox tape machines. Feeling that it tied in with his overall minimalist aesthetic and that the effect (which gives the impression that choirs and choirs of instruments are playing) was fitting as a succession to his 100-guitar idea, Chatham created and layered feedback loops of varying durations using Riley's method in order to create rich, overlapping layers that in practice transcend the limitations of their start and end points, blooming into free-flowing melodies in their own right. "Part One" of Pythagorean Dream opens with a brief trumpet intro, followed by a guitar piece that implements a finger-picking technique (Chatham has long been a fan of this style; John Fahey was one of his teenage musical heroes), before moving to an EBow section and concluding with the fast tremolo flat-picking technique used in the context of his 100-guitar pieces. "Part Two" is principally about Chatham's return to the flute, the instrument that sparked his love of contemporary music before he experienced an early Ramones show at CBGB and began focusing on the electric guitar. Pythagorean Dream features Chatham on C, alto, and bass flutes. The recording is brought to a close with a final guitar piece. The CD version include a bonus track recorded at the Whitechapel Gallery in London.
CD $15
LP $24
KLAUS SCHULZE - Irrlicht (Made in Germany 1482; Germany) "Re-release of 1972 Klaus Schulze album Irrlicht. Klaus Schulze: Irrlicht has more connections to Musique concrete than with today's electronics. I had not owned a synthesizer at the time. I had a damaged amplifier, a modified organ and a cassette recorder with a cheap microphone. I just went to a Colloquium Musica Orchestra rehearsal with it and recorded it. I just wanted to have the sound and played the tape backwards afterwards."
CD $18
KLAUS SCHULZE - Trancefer (Made in Germany 1422; Germany) "Re-release of the originally 1972 released Klaus Schulze album Trancefer. Always a soundwave in front of the rivalry, Schulze presents his album together with the percussionist Mike Shrieve (Santana), who performs real marvels on his two barrels, and the cellist Wolfgang Tiepold, who forms a pleasant contrast to Schulze's often hard and strictly synthesizer patterns with his warm touch. (Stereoplay, Germany, 1982)"
CD $18
LP Only Section:
SUN RA - The Saturn Singles Vol. 2: 1959-1962 (Jeanne Dielman 106; Italy) Herman Poole Blount, better known to the world as Sun Ra, lived more musical lives in his 79 years on this planet (and others) than seems possible. In the '30s he was the most rigorous bandleader in Birmingham, heading the Sonny Blount Orchestra and filling every waking moment with music or philosophical discussions; by the '40s he had moved to Chicago and performed with luminaries such as Wynonie Harris, Fletcher Henderson, and Coleman Hawkins. By the '50s he had changed his name to Sun Ra and began performing with longtime Arkestra bandmates John Gilmore and Marshall Allen. Sun Ra started his own label, El Saturn (or Saturn), to release his own recordings as well as those featuring the Arkestra backing local R&B and doo-wop groups. This second volume of the collected Sun Ra singles focuses on Yochanan (aka The Space Age Vocalist) -- a wild and wildly original street performer from Chicago whom Sun Ra befriended (or an alias of Sun Ra's) -- along with some other amazing Sun Ra sides (and tracks by Little Mack), spanning 1959-1962.
LP $22
GIORGIO GASLINI - La Notte (Doxy 131; Russian Fed) Michelangelo Antonioni's 1961 masterpiece La Notte is an atmospheric and enthralling movie starring the great Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau and Monica Vitti and is the second entry in his famous "alienation trilogy" the central film of a trilogy beginning with L'Avventura (1960) and ending with L'Eclisse (1962). Antonioni's composer-of-choice for the first and the third movies was Giovanni Fusco, however, since La Notte was shot in Milan, Antonioni's initial idea was to hire a native composer, Giorgio Gaslini considering that there was a big difference between the jazz music that was being produced in the South and in the North of Italy. Gaslini wrote his score while the film was being shot, making a cameo with his own orchestra in the party that serves as a background for the film. According to his recollections this ended up being the most bizarre and exciting experience of his career. The end result is fairly unique as well: a catalog of ambient jazz music that boasts an unprecedented psychological thrust.
LP $22
JEAN DUBUFFET - Experiences Musicales 1961 [2 LP Set](Jeanne Dielman 12; Italy) Recorded in Venice in 1961 by the French sculptor, painter, and iconoclast Jean Dubuffet, these recordings were originally released in a hyper-limited 10" box set that is all but impossible to acquire. An early progenitor of the avant-garde and musique concrete, Dubuffet's recordings nearly defy category and still sound innovative some 50+ years later. Essential and unequivocal recordings from the founder of the Art Brut movement.
2 LP set $30
ALVIN LUCIER - Dark Matter (God Records 030; Austria) Performed by Manuel Zurria, flutea and Erik Drescher, glissando flute. Manuel Zurria and Erik Drescher perform Alvin Lucier's compositions on Dark Matter. "I don't do anything special with the instruments. I don't use extended techniques. I use the pure sound of the instruments, with alterations in tuning to make audible [acoustic] beating." - Alvin Lucier. Manuel Zurria - flute; Erik Drescher - glissando flute.
LP $24
FRANCISCO LOPEZ - untitled#295 (God Records 022; Austria) Francisco Lopez is not only famous for his prolific sound creations, but also for different aspects of sound manipulations. Since his very beginnings, he explores different fields of sound and almost entire his work belongs to the series untitled. untitled#295 is a piece created specifically for two sides of vinyl. Besides Lopez's famous moving soundscapes, it's the pulse that makes this work driving. It's not a regular pulse, it's one with irregular accents. Slowly developing, it takes the listener insensibly into void and darkness being an extremely tempting work for claustrophobic experiences.
LP $24
BERNHARD LANG - Monadologie XII [LP+CD] (God Records 016; Austria) Bernhard Lang delivers his ultimate piece from the Monadologie series, Monadologie XII, for ensemble. Unlike TablesAreTurned, with Philip Jeck, Monadologie XII is nothing less than a blast: a three-part concerto for ensemble with occasional saxophone solos and terrific drum parts (watch your ears on the second side of the vinyl). Features an astonishing performance by Klangforum Wien, under the direction of genius Johannes Kalitzke. Together with Differenz/Wiederholung 2, Monadologie XII could definitely be Lang's most jazz-influenced piece to date and at the same time, one of the biggest quakes in contemporary music of today. Johannes Kalitzke - conducting; Klangforum Wien: Anders Nyqvist - trumpet; Olivier Vivares - clarinet; Gerald Preinfalk - saxophone; Christoph Walder - horn; Andreas Eberle - trombone; Uli Fussenegger - double bass; Krassimir Sterev - accordion; Bjorn Wilker - percussion; Adam Weisman - percussion; Florian Muller - piano.
LP + CD $24
KLAUS LANG - Organ Works Vol. 2 (God Records 026; USA) Klaus Lang presents the second instalment of organ works with Organ Works Vol. 2. The album features two monumental works that span over two vinyl sides. "ABD" is a contemporary vision of sacral chord progressions. "Melrose Abbey" is the composer's perverse art of mourning music. Ultimate drone. Absolute torment.
LP $24
SIR RICHARD BISHOP - Salvador Kali (Exiled 006; USA) "Exiled Records is very excited to present the first ever vinyl edition of Sir Richard Bishop's Salvador Kali. Originally released on cd by John Fahey's Revenant in 1998. This was released following a run of peak Sun City Girls activity (330,003 Crossdressers, Dante's Disneyland Inferno) and came as something of a shock; a stunningly beautiful instrumental album that was entirely accessible! Composed and recorded free of the burden of expectation, his debut album marked Bishop as a force operating on his own plane. A fairly significant departure from the freewheeling nature of the Sun City Girls, Salvador Kali is a concise album in which he explores the hallmarks of his style: North African influences, Spanish flamenco, Indian raga and a fiery take on Django Reinhardt's Rose Room. The epic 14 minute solo piano fantasia, Al-Darazi is saved for all of side C. There is an incredible cinematic feel to the album as it's vibe runs from pieces that could be in a Satyajit Ray film to a lost Antonioni sequence set on the Mediterranean in the 1970's. Ironic that it was released by John Fahey, as it is was one of the few solo guitar albums to be free of the long shadow cast by Fahey. My favorite Sir Richard Bishop album on vinyl, at last! Edition of 500 copies."
2 LP Set $28
ROBERT TURMAN & AARON DILLOWAY - Blizzard (Fabrica Records 037; USA) "Recorded in the midst of an actual extreme winter weather event, Blizzard conjures the early synthesizer experiments of Popol Vuh and Tangerine Dream combined with the gritty reel-to-reel tape manipulations long employed by both Aaron Dilloway (Hanson Records / ex-Wolf Eyes) and Robert Turman (founding member of the pioneering industrial outfit NON and a celebrated solo artist in his own right). As the story goes, Blizzard was recorded in January 2009 during an Ohio snowstorm which hit on the very day that Dilloway was preparing for a move to Michigan. Alone, his wife and child already settling into the new place, and stranded in a cold and empty house, he was welcomed into Turman's home. They decided to make the best of the occasion and hunkered down for a few days of late-night recording. Crawling synth drones and looped effects keep things bleak throughout. The wind gusts outside are strangely regular. Snow scratches at the windows more rhythmically than seems natural. Are those woodwinds or animal calls? Are the streetlights obscured by blown branches, or are they slowly strobing? Suddenly a normal house in a common Midwestern blizzard feels like a house stalked by a sentient storm, bearing down for a final freeze. Throw another log on the fire and make yourself comfortable for the last time. Blizzard was originally released on CD by Hanson Records in 2009. This first-time vinyl edition is limited to 500 copies."
2 LP Set $35
GURU GURU - UFO (Play Loud! 043; Germany) First authorized reissue of UFO, the 1970 debut LP by German krautrock band Guru Guru. Guru Guru was formed in 1968 as The Guru Guru Groove by Mani Neumeier (drums), Uli Trepte (bass), and Eddy Naegeli (guitar) (later replaced by American Jim Kennedy (guitar)). By the time of Guru Guru's debut in 1970, Ax Genrich had replaced Kennedy to solidify the classic Guru Guru line up. Guru Guru were related to the free jazz scene both through their work with Swiss pianist Irene Schweizer and through Neumeier, who had already won several jazz prizes before forming Guru Guru. The band was also influenced by psychedelic rock artists including Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, The Rolling Stones, and early Pink Floyd. Among the band's friends were Amon Duul, Can, and Xhol Caravan, with whom Guru Guru often jammed. This reissue is presented in a gatefold sleeve bearing the original artwork and the original Ohr catalog number, along with an insert with photographs. Limited edition of 500.
LP $25
ALBERT AYLER - The First Recordings Vol. 2 (Jeanne Dielman 110; Italy) Recorded in Stockholm on October 25, 1962, this session is one of Albert Ayler's earliest recordings, featuring a European backing group he assembled during his brief stay there, before returning to the States in 1963 and beginning his legendary run with ESP-Disk and Impulse. Though his genius is not yet fully formed, one can easily hear he's headed that direction, and this rare and long out of print recording is an essential piece of the history from one of America's most uniquely lyrical voices on the sax.
LP $22
MULATU OF ETHIOPIA - Mulatu of Ethiopia (Worthy 1020; USA) "Mulatu Astatqe (also sometimes spelled Mulatu Astatke, as he is on the liner notes to this release) might be most known to international audiences through his tracks on the excellent Ethiopiques CD anthology series of Ethiopian music. Long before those tracks were compiled for that series, however, he had an American release with this 1972 instrumental album, on which he's billed as 'Mulatu of Ethiopia.' Like much of the best of the circa-early-'70s contemporary Ethiopian music on Ethiopiques, it's a fine, at times captivating blend of late-'60s American soul and jazz with Ethiopian music, resulting in something not quite comparable to anything else." -- Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide.
LP $15
ELEKTRO HAFIZ - Elektro Hafiz (Pharaway Sounds 032; Spain) Pharaway Sounds are proud to present the first solo album by Elektro Hafiz, an incredible blend of Turkish psychedelia, funk and grooves. Elektro Hafiz is a musician, born and raised in Istanbul, who has since moved to Cologne, Germany. Already well known in Turkey, he can look back on 20 years as a professional musician. With his former band Fairuz Derin Bulut he created and released three albums, which represent a milestone in the Anatolian psychedelic rock music of the second generation in Turkey. Elektro Hafiz has shown and proven openness to various and sometimes contradicting music styles by mixing eastern instruments like the electric saz, darbuka and finger cymbals with different genres. He loves to play with contrasts and create new compositions from there. This open and experimental approach is still his trademark, as well as his charming provocative style that is complemented by a healthy dose of humor. His diverse compositions are heavily influenced by his Anatolian roots, which are reflected in his instrument of choice, the electric saz, in most of his pieces. A further ingenious characteristic of him is using the electric guitar as a rock instrument while at the same time applying the Anatolian harmony system, or scale. Elektro Hafiz, his first solo album, showcases a more open and progressive format to his main base influence - the Anatolian psychedelic music. On this album he played a lot of different instruments by himself and also invited artists from different countries such as Kenya, France, Turkey, Switzerland, Austria and Germany to contribute. There are nine songs on this album and except for one cover song, all lyrics and the music are written by Elektro Hafiz.
LP $27
BADEN POWELL - A Vontade (Jeanne Dielman 08; Italy) Baden Powell was one of the most prominent and celebrated guitarists in Brazil's history, combining bossa, samba, jazz, and more in his celebrated 40-year history. A Vontade (1963), one of his earliest recordings, is a beautiful piece of early-'60s bossa nova and samba. Featuring Powell's expertly accomplished acoustic guitar playing along with an all-star cast of backing musicians, this is an essential title for any fan of Brazilian music.
LP $22
LIMPE FUCHS - Gestrupp (Play Loud! 061; Germany) Limpe Fuchs is a legend in the experimental music scene. In the late '60s, this percussionist drummed on self-made instruments, together with her then-husband Paul Fuchs, in the Anima ensemble. During that time, Limpe and Paul Fuchs collaborated with the Austrian pianist Friedrich Gulda as well as jazz luminaries like Albert Mangelsdorff, and continually attracted the interest of their audiences in new constellations. Limpe Fuchs on Gestrupp, which was produced and recorded between 2012 and 2014 by Andi Schmid and Hans-Joachim Irmler at Faust Studio: "I am a composer and performer of acoustic and visual events. In the studio I am lacking the visual element. Therefore I like to work with multitracking. As a soloist I listen to my field recordings and integrate them into my new compositions. I do love radio plays and that is how I create a sort of audio theatre with the aid of my very special instruments and noises." Limpe Fuchs's solo performance with "variable wood and stone rows, ringing bronze in the pendulum strings, and a variety of skin and bronze drums" is a rare occasion to witness one of the early avant-gardists of the scene from the old Federal Republic of Germany. She attempts, while playing live, to develop her musical ideas from the "resonance of the location where the performance takes place" and to "make music in the flow of time, with simplicity and emotion." Her main concern is to sensitize the process of hearing: "Every tone is a sensation. Listening instead of shutting one's ears. Establishing silence."
LP $21
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