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DMG Newsletter for Friday, January 4th, 2019

HAPPY NEW (Y) EARS!

It's January 1st, 2019 and the Sun is Out Today!

After a Difficult Year due to Our Fake Prez & His Regime

We need to Celebrate with Something Positive and Create something Hopeful!

A Toast to All of Us Survivors,

We are all part of the Same Family: HumanKind!

We Need to Rejoice, Dance, Listen and be Set FREE!

When any of us have a day off today so I propose

We Spend some time thinking about and helping out Each Other

Reach out to Y)Our Family, Friends and Neighbors!

Anyone with Hope still in their Hearts is Part of the Resistance!

Get Up, Get Down and Dance and Join the Human Race!

Remember:

Laughter is Our Medicine! 

Laughter is Our Medicine! 

Who Loves you… Me, Bruce Lee from DMG!

Check out these Videos below for Inspiration:

Pharrell Williams - “Happy” (Official Music Video) love those dancers!

Weird Al Yankovic - “White and Nerdy” (Official Music Video) Silly but Apt for Old School White Dudes!

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Upcoming Sets at Downtown Music Gallery - FREE, every Sunday at 6pm

 Sunday, January 6th:
6pm: JORGE NUNO / ARON NAMENWIRTH / REGGIE SYLVESTER - Two Guitars & Drums
7pm: WILL GREENE - Guitar / JESSE HEASLY - Electric Bass / RAF VERTESSEN - Drum

 Sunday, January 13th:
6pm: DISSIPATED FACE 2019: STEPHEN POPKIN / KURT RALSKE / DANIEL CARTER / 
WILL DAHL / BILL MILKOWSKI - In memory or our guitarist Michael Lublin who passed in 2018
7pm: DAVID MEIER / JONATHAN MORITZ / TODD NEUFELD - Drums / Sax / Guitar 

 Sunday, January 20th:
6pm: MATANA ROBERTS and DARIUS JONES - Alto Sax Duets - First Time Duet!
7pm: RaaDie: LORENZ RABB - Trumpet Electronics / CHRISTOF DIENZ - Zither Electronics

 Sunday, January 27th:
6pm: MATTEO LIBERATORE / JON IRABAGON / TOM RAINEY - Guitar / Saxes / Drums
7pm: EMILY DENISON / ANDREW FURLONG - Trumpet / Bass

DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a small gallery. 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 Sunday Music Series is Always Free & the Vibes are Always Cosy. You can check the weekly in-store sets through our Instagram feed

ANNOUNCEMENT to All Drummers who have played here at DMG, in the Past and In the Future!:

We are soon going to be losing our Gretch drum kit which will go back to the rehearsal studio from where it came. We still have two drum kits left but both are not very good. Plus our hi-hat stand recently broke!?! To any drummers, if you can donate any parts, drums, cymbals, hardware, etc., please do so and let us know. Former Dutch drummer Michael Vatcher is currently living uptown and helps out here on Mondays. He will be helping us take better care of what we have as far as the drums and gear. Thanks for your time and any help. - BLG

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Today's Goodies Begin with This CD:

STEPHAN THELEN With DAVID TORN / MARKUS REUTER / HENRY KAISER / BARRY CLEVELAND / et al - Fractal Guitar; USA) Collective personnel: David Torn, Henry Kaiser, Barry Cleveland, Jon Durrent on guitars & loops; Markus Reuter & Matt Tate on touch guitars, Stephen Thelen on fractal & tritone guitars and Manuel Pasquinelli & Benno Kaiser on drums. Strong, brooding, Crimson-like throb. Each of the several, layers guitars is used (and treated) for a certain focused vibe, sound or texture. Several of those guitars use that Fripp-like sustain and some with that dark crunch. It has that proggish, stomping drum line at the center… Our man Henry Kaiser pulls off a colossal, mind bending guitar solo on the epic length “Road Movie”. This is just one of several inspired solos, usually at least 1 per song. Mr. Thelen does a fine job of layering the assorted guitars in an orchestral way, interlocked patterns with certain notes or riffs accentuating one another. On the longest piece, “Urban Nightscape”, the great David Torn adds his own swirling Frippish lines and inspired solos throughout, bringing the sound of this disc closer to Crimson-land. Both drummers on this disc, Manuel Pasquinelli and Benno Kaiser, are perfect for the job here which is a good thing since I hadn’t heard of either of them before now. It turns out the Mr. Pasquinelli is a member of Sonar (along with Mr. Thelen), a Cuneiform band whose most recent disc features David Torn as their guest. The opening track is called, “Briefing for a Descent into Hell”, which is also the title of a novel written by Doris Lessing. It was the first book by Ms. Lessing that I read when I was at college and remains a personnel favorite. If you have never read it, you really should. Got to find my copy now. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14 (In stock early next week)


ZEENA PARKINS - Captiva (Good Child Music 0015; USA) A solo effort featuring Zeena Parkins on acoustic harp & objects with live processing. Early Downtown harpist and composer, Zeena Parkins, has been teaching at Mills College in recent years, playing the occasional gig in the Bay area, NYC and Europe on occasion and selectively releasing discs of different projects. After a few years without any new recordings, Ms. Parkins released two discs in 2017: MZM, a trio with Myra Melford & Miya Masaoka and a disc for three harps & electronics. Ms. Parkins has long been a strong team player co-founding several ensembles: Skeleton Crew, Carbon, No Safety and more recently Phantom Orchard. In all of these projects as well as the occasional improv dates that she does, Ms. Parkins is usually playing her hand-made electric harp. She rarely gets a chance to play her acoustic harp live, hence on this disc we get to hear her concentrate on his acoustic harp, which is her original instrument.
Jennifer Monson is a dancer & choreographer. Her and Ms. Parkins did a five week residency on Captiva Island, researching sounds, movement and photography. This disc is a result of the work that both of these women/artists have done together. The first thing I noticed about this disc is how well it is recorded. The sound of Mr. Parkins’ harp is extraordinary, larger than life, as if the heavens were parting with the many angels all moving is majestic waves around one another. thunderous sounds, a dark tapestry of connected fragments, fleeting spirits like ghosts emerging from the ocean of life… On “Captiva II”, Zeena rubs the strings with an object creating a disorienting, mesmerizing sound. When she adds selective electronics, the sound becomes even more suspense-filled. Even when the sound opens up into ore spacious terrain, there is still a feeling hypnotic, ghost-like figures floating around the room. On the final piece, Ms. Parkins creates layers connected themes or fragments which together make a fascinating sonic soundscape. I’ve checked a number of great harp players throughout the years but this discs shows how far (out) that these explorations can go. An impressive tour-de-force all the way around! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10


JAKOB BUCHANAN With CHRIS SPEED / SIMON TOLDAM - A Language of My Own (Skirl 042; USA) Featuring Jakob Buchanan on flugelhorn, Chris Speed on tenor sax & clarinet and Simon Toldam on piano. This disc was recorded in Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway in September of 2016. Danish flugelhorn player, Jakob Buchanan, has a couple of self-produced discs out and has worked with Jakob Bro, Marilyn Mazur and Jonas Westergaard. Danish pianist, Simon Toldam, is a member of the current Han Bennink Trio, as well as appearing on a recent disc with Peter Bruun. Former Downtown reeds wiz, Chris Speed, moved to L.A. a few years back (for the weather), after paying a couple of decades worth of dues with seminal ensembles like Bloodcount, Pachora and several bands led by Uri Caine.
Mr. Buchanan originally wrote an orchestral piece called ”On Rosenhill”, from which the sketches of the material for this trio was drawn from. Starting with “To the End of U”, the music here is pretty laid back, calm and rather somber. The flugelhorn and tenor sax are well matched here, softly playing sublime, dream-like harmonies. The music here is rather subdued and often haunting, lush, most enchanting. It takes some patience to listen to this entire disc, the music in consistently thoughtful and well-composed. Once you adjust to the somber pace, the lush harmonies become more apparent. Ever so sublime. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14


MAX NAGL ENSEMBLE - Live at Porgy & Bess Vol. 3 (Rude Noises 027; Austria) Featuring Max Nagl & Clemens Salesny on saxes, Martin Eberle on trumpet, Phil Yaeger on trombone, Joanna Lewis & Anne Harvey-Nagl on violins, Clemens Wenger on keyboard, Pamelia Stickney on theremin, Manu Mayr on bass and Herbert Pirker on drums. A couple of times per year, Austrian saxist Max Nagl sends us a new disc review and sell. This is the third live disc featuring Mr. Nagl’s moderate sized (9 or 10 piece) ensemble, each one recorded at the Porgy & Bess club in Vienna, Austria. Most of these musicians are Austrian but very well known anywhere other than their homeland. The only other musicians who have used their talents are Martin Philadelphy and Nico Letman-Butinovic.
Mr. Nagl has several ensembles and can be found on nearly 60 discs (most on his own Rude Noises label, a few on Hatology). He seems to save his best writing and arranging for this medium sized ensemble. “Drama” has soft marching drums in the background, strange sampled (?) talking vocals floating and eerie sliding strings and cerebral swirling horns up front. Mr. Nagl keeps the flame on low much of the time, the ensemble playing somber, elegant melodies with some occasional short solos on top from the horns. Crazed theremin player, Pamelia (Kurstin) Stickney who recently did a residency at The Stone, plays a soft haunting solo on a song under her own first name. Nagl seems draw from the long history of jazz so that we never know where the ensemble will end up next. “Schweissfilm” alternates between a film noir vibe with a spirited drum solo segment. I often get the feeling that Mr. Nagl is writing for a film since he does a feel job of evoking different themes or vibes. Sometimes the entire unit will play a couple of themes at the same time, with one riding on top or muting into one another. The keyboardist uses occasional vocal samples to bridge certain thematic elements, a device that Skeleton Crew used so well in the 1980’s. There is a piece called “Kapuze” that recalls one of those Saturday Night Live bluest themes which seems to come of out nowhere yet fits within the program nonetheless. Trombonist Phil Yaeger gets a chance to stretch out and does a marvelous job with some old school muted playing. Overall, this sounds as if we are watching an old film or play with strong, evocative support going on throughout. Max Nagl never fails to release a great disc no matter which musicians he chooses. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12


JOHN SWANA / TIM MOTZER / DOUG HIRLINGER - Channels (1K 042; USA) Featuring John Swana on trumpet, valve trombone, EVI & electronics, Tim Motzer on acoustic & electric guitars, electronics & bass and Doug Hirlinger on drums with guest Anthony Tidd on bass (from Steve Coleman’s 5 Elements) on bass. Every year, Philly guitarist Tim Motzer, leaves us with a few CD’s from his own 1K label. He just left us with a trio and a duo disc. Mr. Motzer has worked with an eclectic cast of musicians: Pat Mostelotto, Marcus Reuter, Jeremy Carlstedt and Jaki Liebzeit. Philly trumpeter, John Swana, has remained below the radar although he has worked with John Scofield and Bobby Zankel. I don’t know much about the drummer here, Doug Hirlinger, although he has worked with Mr. Motzer on several early efforts. On the opener, “Lost”, Mr. Swana’s trumpet multiplied with some echo devices, the guitar and drums swirling underneath. “Drift” has a kind of “In a Silent Way” like, ethereal, floating, spacious vibe. Much of this is stripped down and skeletal at times. There is a guitar or bass throbbing at the centre at times with trumpet or EVI (electronic valve instrument) drifting or sailing on top while the drummer uses minimal or invisible grooves buried underneath. Mr. Swana switches to valve trombone on “Caravan”, blowing up a storm in the distance. What I find about this disc is that it is not a jazz date with solos or written themes. Each of the three instruments is carefully drifting in space, the textures and sonic placement is superbly balances. The softly treated acoustic guitar(s) on “Channel”, sounds like a harp at times, with notes plucked quickly, notes reverberating magically. The results here are more about evoking suspense-filled moods or scenes with clouds or birds drifting or sailing on the winds of nature. You got me floatin’! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13


TIM MOTZER / FIDES KRUCKER - Vanishing (1K 043; USA) Featuring Fides Krucker on vocals, Tim Motzer on acoustic/electric guitar, bow & electronics and Jeremy Carlstedt on percussion (two tracks). Canadian vocalist, Fides Krucker, has been experimenting on contemporary vocalizations for some 35 years. She has performed the music of Luciano Berio, Claude Vivier and Arnold Schoenberg, as well as working a large cast of improvisers from around the world. Philly-based guitarist, Tim Motzer, has also worked with a large variety of gifted musicians: Pat Mostelotto, Marcus Reuter and Jaki Liebzeit. Ms. Krucker’s voice soars like a bird gliding on a strong gust of wind for the opening piece, “Scintilla”. Her voice is tastefully caressed by Mr. Motzer’s lush, warm, soothing acoustic guitar with subtle electronics floating at the edges. Motzer bows his guitar at the beginning of “Vanishing”, sounding more like a cello than anything else. Ms. Fides sings the word “Ahhhhhhh” or “eeeeeee”, slowly letting her voice sail and swerve while Mr. Motzer adds subtle flourishes with his electro-acoustic guitar. The overall vibe is mostly hypnotic, soothing at times and often quite enchanting. As this piece unfolds, Ms. Krucker, starts to stretch her voice, bending certain notes carefully. As she stretches her voice, she evokes a variety of characters or feelings: from breathtaking to a bit scary. On “Ruins”, Ms. Krucker sounds as if she is singing in Latin perhaps. As Ms. Frucker starts to erupt and emote more, her voice bending and twisting and going into further into the outer regions, Motzer also adds a variety of eerie, shrewd sounds to also push things further out. Mr. Motzer does a fine job of cautiously manipulating Ms. Krucker’s voice(s) and his guitar(s), the two spirits sailing around one another in dream-like currents. This duo work together very well and seem to shadow each other and sail together effortlessly into the horizon and beyond. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

FLAVIO ZANUTTINI OPACIPAPA With PIERO BITTOLO BON / MARCO D’ORLANDO - Born Baby Born (Clean Feed 506; Portugal) Featuring Flavio Zanuttini on trumpet & compositions, Piero Bittolo Bon on alto sax and Marco D’Orlando on drums. After doing some research and reading there liner notes (by Dr. Chad), It turns out that trumpeter Flavio Zanuttini has recorded with Eugene Chadbourne (on a recent Monk tribute disc) and with drummer Francesco Cusa (another recent disc for Clean Feed). I hadn’t heard of the drummer here, Marco D’Orlando, but I do know the saxist, Piero Bittolo Bon, who can be found on some 20 CD’s from numerous Italian jazz labels: El Gallo Rojo, Rudi Records, Longsong & Auand. This disc was recorded live at Casa della Musica in January of 2018, exactly a year ago this month. Doc Chad mentions that there is no bassist here and that one isn’t really needed and that is the feeling I got throughout this entire disc. Each of the eight pieces deals with different structural challenges. On, “Agitation is not Excitation”, the alto sax & trumpet, switch between playing this tight lines together and then exchanging other lines in rapid fire intensity. In many ways this is a perfect trio, well-balanced with all three members integral to the tight group sound. There is nothing free or too far out here, instead we get songs which show playfulness, tight interaction and well-written parts. The winning formula is usually when one horn plays a repeating line with the drummer while the other horn solos on top, the trio building to a gran conclusion. Another winner from the vast Clean Feed stable. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

FRANCESCO CUSA & THE ASSASSINS meets DUCCIO BERTINI - Black Poker (Clean Feed 504; Portugal) Personnel: Francesco Cusa - drums, The Assassins: Giulio Stermieri - Hammond, piano, Flavio Zanuttini -trumpet, electronics and Giovanni Benvenuti - tenor sax plus the Florence Art Quartet (a string quartet) and guest Duccio Bertini - keyboards. The ever in-demand Italian drummer, Francesco Cusa, turns up on more than two dozen discs from several recent labels: Auand, Improvvisatore Involontari, Amirani and now Clean Feed. Mr. Cusa is also a member of the Marco Cappelli’s Italian Surf Academy. The only other musician here that I was previously familiar with is trumpeter Flavio Zanuttini, who has worked with Eugene Chadbourne and who has a recent trio disc out also on Clean Feed.
Mr. Cusa wrote all but two songs here and a great job of integrating his quartet and the string quartet into a solid singular ensemble sound. The music is often stripped down to skeletal means, never busy or overdone. Each piece seems to evoke a different vibe, feeling or scene, as if we were watching a movie in which someone’s life unfolds slowly. Instead of a stream of solos, there is a good deal of interweaving of themes and parts. Often both horn will swirl around one another on top while the keyboard (usually organ) and string quartet play the written material underneath. There is also quite a bit of unexpected twists and turns when the Assassins play a tight, complex well-written segment. There is nothing free of superfluous going on here, all of the music is integral to the ongoing tapestry/flow. Another incredible yet modest gem from the fine folks at Clean Feed. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15


ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO [ROSCOE MITCHELL/JOSEPH JARMAN/LESTER BOWIE/MALACHI FAVORS/DON MOYE] / ROSCOE MITCHELL & NOTE FACTORY/LESTER BOWIE BRASS FANTASY/JACK DeJOHNETTE’s NEW DIRECTIONS MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS / EVAN PARKER / JOHN ABERCROMBIE / et al - And Associated Ensembles (ECM 2630; Germany) This is a 21-CD limited and numbered edition issued as the standard-bearers of Great Black Music prepare to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Both the Art Ensemble of Chicago and ECM Records were founded in 1969, and there have been many shared experiences. As Roscoe Mitchell says, “It has been amazing to have taken this journey together.” With their first ECM album, the widely-acclaimed Nice Guys, the Art Ensemble’s revolutionary and poly-stylistic “ancient to the future” mix of musics - from the deeply spiritual to the fiercely experimental - was illuminated in new detail in Manfred Eicher’s panoramic production, and the stage set for many adventures to follow. These included the albums Full Force, Urban Bushmen, and The Third Decade with the classic AEC quintet line up of Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Lester Bowie, Malachi Favors Maghostut and Famoudou Don Moye. All of Bowie’s and Mitchell’s subsequent ECM recordings are also gathered together here. Charismatic trumpeter Lester Bowie is heard here with his Brass Fantasy group, with Wadada Leo Smith and with Jack DeJohnette. Multi-reed master and primary AEC conceptualist Roscoe Mitchell appears with his Note Factory band, with the Transatlantic Art Ensemble co-founded with Evan Parker, and with an historic trios project recorded at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Along the way, numerous distinguished creative musicians including: Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer, Matthew Shipp, Tyshawn Sorey, Fontella Bass, Charlie Haden, Kenny Wheeler, Corey Wilkes, Gerald Cleaver, Phillip Wilson, George Lewis, William Parker, John Abercrombie, Eddie Gomez, and many others, in ECM recordings made between 1978 and 2015. This beautifully-designed box set incorporates a 300-page book reprising all original album covers, liner notes and poetry (by Joseph Jarman), as well as quotes from Art Ensemble members and the press, new texts by Craig Taborn, Vijay Iyer and George Lewis, a preface by Manfred Eicher, and an introduction by Steve Lake. Plus: many photographs (some previously unpublished), archival documents, and more.
21 CD Deluxe Box Set $110 (These marvelous box-sets are limited & numbered, we have 2 left as of 1/3/18]

Back in Stock, released earlier last year, but out of stock for several months:

EUGENE CHADBOURNE With EKEHARD ROSSLI / ROBERTO FABRIZIO / FLAVIO ZANUTTINI / SCHROEDER & JEB BISHOP / JORRIT DYKSTRA / NATE McBRIDE / CURT NEWTON - Monks Dream with Words (Chadula; USA) This is an all Thelonious Monk program with two different bands, one from Boston and the other recorded at three sessions in the Degenfeld Hippie Farmhouse Studio with Germans (Ekehard Rossli on soprano sax & Schroeder on drums plus another quartet: Roberto Fabrizio on guitar, Flavio & Giacomo Zanuttini on trumpet & tuba and Marco Bianchini on drums. The Boston-based band features Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jorrit Dykstra on reeds & electronics, Nate McBride on bass and Curt Newton on drums. The Boston quintet also has a recent disc of their own with Dr. Chadbourne called, ‘Let’s Get Weird but Comfortable’. Dr. Chadbourne plays guitar, sings and wrote lyrics for all the Monk songs that these bands perform. Doc Chad mentions that a variety of vintage instruments were used at the Degenfeld Studio. Most Monk fans know how hard it is to place his songs correctly, adding his own lyrics makes it even more difficult a challenge. Starting with a relaxed, dreamy version of “Ruby My Dear”, Doc Chad sounds both hilarious and charming, his voice ridiculously cool, in a class of his own. Deranged? Yes, but it does make me feel good. Chadbourne plays acoustic guitar on “Monk’s Mood”, his lyric mentioning the titles of several of Monk’s classic songs. I love the way that Jorrit Dykstra takes one those great Dolphy-esque inside/outside solos on “Hornin’ In”. The next part of this disc is the German/Italian band with another guitarist, 3 horns and drums. There is some truly odd sounding guitars on “Think of One”. Is that an ancient synth? Doc Chad sounds like he is playing an acoustic 12-string on “Nutty”, his lyrics referring to peanut-butter and LSD, certainly a combination that Monk might never have thought of… Doc Chad uses a background chorus of wacky voices on “I Mean You”, reminding me a bit of early Mothers dada-esque sense of humor. I don’t think I have ever heard a version of “Little Rootie Tootie” quite like this one. That 12-string guitar and soprano sax sound especially great together on “Monk’s Dream”. Saxist Ekkehard Rossli, sounds like an older jazz dude, his tone gorgeous at times. Chadbourne does a couple of songs twice, like “Nutty”, by both bands. This give this disc a sort-of thematic thread. There is a marked looseness to this material which I find charming but other folks may not hear it in there. This is certainly of the best Chadula discs that I’ve heard in a while, capturing Monk’s unique quirky spirit and expanding upon it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

EUGENE CHADBOURNE With JEB BISHOP / JORRIT DYKSTRA / CURT NEWTON / NATE McBRIDE - Lets Get Weird but Comfortable (Chadula; USA)Live Boston-based quintet session featuring Eugene Chadbourne on guitar & voice, Jeb Bishop on trombone, Jorrit Dykstra on sax, Nate McBride on bass and Curt Newton on drums. Over the past decade, Doc Chadbourne has been touring in the US and Europe, playing solo as well as with select musicians from different cities and countries. Earlier this year, Doc Chad, came to NYC, played solo at DMG and then did a handful of gigs with a rock/psych/improv band from Brooklyn. For this disc, Dr. Chadbourne went up to Boston and worked with a solid quintet which included two former Chicago-based musicians: Mr. Bishop and Mr. Dykstra (originally from the Netherlands) plus two veteran Boston players: Nate McBride and Curt Newton (both of whom used to work at length with Joe Morris). Starting off with a Thelonious Monk’s “Ask Me Now”, a glorious, slow, simmering version with some sly jazzy, charming vocals by the good doctor. I love the way this quintet seems to have one food in the past and one in the present or future: they the songs melody/structure easily while swerving in and out of the freer zones, always ending up together. Does it seem odd that Doc Chad would cover Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces”? Not really, since the entire band swings subtly underneath, with the Doc’s voice adding a bit of poignancy. There are a number of lower key free sections which sound particularly enchanting since they are done softly, most cerebrally. Who else would do a surf song named after a butterfly called, “Californian Dogface”?!? No one but Dr. Chadbourne! Another tasty bit of laid back grooviality is their take on Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Times Slips Away”, done with exquisite dream-like grace. The quintet do a splendid version of Duke Ellington’s “Cottontail”, which was written for Ben Webster, with Chad adding his own goofy lyrics. The quintet also do an infectious version of “Monk’s Dream”, with swell solos from the trombone, guitar and bass. The quintet do a splendid version of Duke Ellington’s “Cottontail”, which was written for Ben Webster, with Chad adding his own goofy lyrics. This disc is some 78 minutes long which might seem too long but I did feel that Doc Chad’s quintet did a fine job of playing everything with a dreamy, somewhat intoxicating verve. Perfect for a lazy day inside when it is too hot outside to venture very far. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

2000 STATUES [EUGENE CHADBOURNE With JOHN ZORN/TOSHINORI KONDO/FRED FRITH/TOM CORA/WAYNE HORVITZ/DAVEY WILLIAMS/BOB OSTERTAG/POLLY BRADFIELD/LESLI DALABA/ANDREA CENTAZZO et al] - 2000 Statues And The English Channel [1978 1981 recordings mix] (Chadula 1978; USA)
CD-R $14

Two Rare & Limited Edition LP-Only Releases featuring the Amazing Guitarist Duck Baker!

DUCK BAKER // HERBIE NICHOLS - Spinning Song: Duck Baker Plays the Music of Herbie Nichols (Triple Point TPR 277; USA) To commemorate Herbie Nichols’ 2019 centennial, Triple Point is proud to announce the first-ever vinyl issue of Duck Baker’s 90s classic, ‘Spinning Song.’ Available exclusively on high-quality, translucent-red vinyl and limited to this one pressing, ‘Spinning Song’ contains solo acoustic guitar renditions of nine Nichols compositions, meticulously remastered from the original tapes. The set includes all of the original liner notes along with a new Duck Baker essay and two previously unseen photos.
One of several records devoted to the music of Herbie Nichols that appeared independently in the mid-1990s, Duck Baker’s ‘Spinning Song’ has been regarded as a milestone by guitarists ever since. Baker had made his reputation over the previous two decades as a master fingerstyle guitarist working mostly in folk, ragtime, and swing, but this was his first real entry into the world of jazz guitar, and his background gave him a unique approach to Herbie Nichols. The jazz press gave ‘Spinning Song’a warm reception, and Acoustic Guitar magazine proclaimed it "one of the best guitar records ever recorded — by anybody." “Nowadays a lot of people are giving Nichols’ music the attention it deserves, but only Duck Baker’s playing makes me feel Herbie in the room.” — the late Roswell Rudd
LP $28 [Translucent-red vinyl strictly limited to this one time pressing]


DUCK BAKER // THELONIOUS MONK - Duck Baker Plays Monk (Triple Point TPR 271; USA) "New studio project recorded in 2010 and 2015. This is a vinyl-only release strictly limited to this one pressing. Insert contains new essays by Duck and the late Roswell Rudd. On this new LP, Duck Baker delves deeply into the thinking of one of our most challenging composers and renders guitar interpretations that are true to the original intent. That Baker's experience playing blues, gospel, ragtime, and swing serve him well on this project goes without saying. 
 In a way, ‘Duck Baker Plays Monk’ is a companion piece to Spinning Song, Baker’s CD of Herbie Nichols tunes. But there's an important difference: He had never arranged any of Nichols' music before Spinning Song, but had been working with Monk's tunes for most of his musical life when he made this record. Baker reminds us through his playing that the idiosyncrasies of Monk’s composing are further dimensions of the Americana continuum (and source musics) that has been his turf for years. Now, the world can hear Duck’s takes on these nine Monk compositions—framed by Rudd’s essay, which may be his last published musical analysis."
LP Only Release $28

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The John Zorn ‘Book of Angels’ CD Sale: (slightly altered from last weeks listing due unavailability of certain CDs)

The second book of Masada Songs is called the ‘Book of Angels’. There are 32 Volumes of John Zorn’s ‘Book of Angels’ series. The final volume was released last year and it is by the Mary Halvorson Quartet, entitled ‘Paimon’. It is my favorite of the vast series and the best selling CD here at DMG for the past year. To help celebrate yet another year of great discs from John Zorn and his Tzadik label, we are having a ‘Book of Angels’ sale! The usual sale price for this series is $14 per disc.
There is one Book of Angels CD which is JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ - Aguares: The Book Of Angels Volume 23 (Tzadik 8322; USA) and this is volume which is in between pressings and currently not available. There are also only a few copies left of the following which will be repressed in the near future: MASADA STRING TRIO - Azazel: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 2 (Tzadik 7351). We have 31 or 30 of the entire run at present! 

Here’s the deal for the sale:

Take 5-9 CD’s and take off $1, so it is $13 per CD

Take 10-20 CD’s and take off $2, so it is $12 per CD

Take the 21 to 31 CD’s and pay $11 per CD.

Here is the entire list of Available ‘Book of Angels’ titles:

JOHN ZORN // MARY HALVORSON QUARTET With MILES OKAZAKI / DREW GRESS / TOMAS FUJIWARA - Paimon: The Book Of Angels Volume 32 (Tzadik 8356; USA)

JOHN ZORN // BRIAN MARSELLA / TREVOR DUNN / KENNY WOLLESON - Buer: The Book Of Angels Volume 31 (Tzadik 8353; USA)

JOHN ZORN // GARTH KNOX and THE SALTARELLO TRIO With AGNES VESTERMAN/SYLVAIN LEMETRE/JULIA ROBERT - Leonard: The Book of Angels Volume 30 (Tzadik 8350)

JOHN ZORN // AUTOYNO - Flauros: The Book Of Angels - Volume 29 (Tzadik 836; USA)

JOHN ZORN // NOVA EXPRESS QUINTET [JOHN MEDESKI / KENNY WOLLESEN / TREVOR DUNN / JOEY BARON CYRO BAPTISTA] - Andras - The Book of Angels Volume 28 (Tzadik 8343; USA)

JOHN ZORN // CRAIG TABORN / CHRISTIAN McBRIDE / TYSHAWN SOREY - Flaga: 'Book of Angels' Volume 27 (Tzadik 8341; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: SPIKE ORCHESTRA - Cerberus: 'Book of Angels' Volume 26 (Tzadik 8338; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: MYCALE [BASYA SCHECTER/AYELET ROSE GOTTLIEB/MALIKA ZARRA/SOFIA REI] - Gomory: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 25 (Tzadik 8332; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: KLEZMERSON [JUAN FRANCISCO FRIDMAN 'CUBAS' et al] - Amon 'Book Of Angels' Volume 24 (Tzadik 8328; USA)

JOHN ZORN // ZION 80 w/ JON MADOF - Adrameleh: The Book Of Angels Volume 22 (Tzadik 8319; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: EYVIND KANG With SHAHZAD ISMAILY / HANS TEUBER / TAINA KAR - Alastor: 'Book of Angels' Volume 21 (Tzadik 8316; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: PAT METHENY With ANTONIO SANCHEZ - Tap: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 20 (Tzadik 8307; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: SHANIR EZRA BLUMENKRANZ With EYAL MAOZ / ARAM BAJAKIAN /KENNY GROHOWSKI - Abraxas: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 19 (Tzadik 8302; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: DAVID KRAKAUER - Pruflas: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 18 (Tzadik 7396)

JOHN ZORN // BANQUET OF THE SPIRITS [CYRO BAPTISTA / BRIAN MARSELLA / SHANIR EZRA BLUMENKRANZ / TIM KEIPER] - Caym: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 17 (Tzadik 7388; USA)

JOHN ZORN // MASADA STRING TRIO [MARK FELDMAN / ERIK FRIEDLANDER / GREG COHEN] - Haborym: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 16 (Tzadik 7384; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: BEN GOLDBERG QUARTET With JAMIE SAFT / GREG COHEN / KENNNY WOLLESEN - Baal: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 15 (Tzadik 7381; USA)

JOHN ZORN // THE DREAMERS [MARC RIBOT/JAMIE SAFT/KENNY WOLLESEN/TREVOR DUNN/JOEY BARON/CYRO BAPTISTA] - Ipos: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 14 (Tzadik 7380; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: BASYA SCHECTER/AYELET ROSE GOTTLIEB/MALIKA ZARRA/SOFIA REI - Mycale: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 13 (Tzadik 7378; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: MASADA QUINTET [JOE LOVANO/DAVE DOUGLAS/URI CAINE/GREG COHEN/JOEY BARON] - Stolas: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 12 (Tzadik 7375; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: JOHN MEDESKI, BILLY MARTIN, CHRIS WOOD - Zaebos: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 11 (Tzadik 7368; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: BAR KOKHBA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE with MARC RIBOT / MARK FELDMAN / ERIK FRIEDLANDER / JAMIE SAFT / TREVOR DUNN / JOEY BARON - Lucifer: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 10 (Tzadik 7367; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: SECRET CHIEFS 3 [TREY SPRUANCE et al] - Xaphan: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 9 (Tzadik 7364; USA) - LTD copies available

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: ERIK FRIEDLANDER - Volac: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 8 (Tzadik 7363; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: MARC RIBOT / G. CALVIN WESTON / TREVOR DUNN - Asmodeus: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 7 (Tzadik 7362; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: URI CAINE - Moloch: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 6 (Tzadik 7360; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: CRACOW KLEZMER BAND [JAROSLAW BESTER/OLEG DYYAK/JAROSLAW TYRALA/WOJCIECH FRONT/JORGOS SKOLIAS]  - Balan: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 5 (Tzadik 7358: USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: KOBY ISRAELITE - Orobas: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 4 (Tzadik 7356; USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: MARK FELDMAN & SYLVIE COURVOISIER - Malphas: 'Book Of Angels' Volume 3 (Tzadik 7354; USA)

JOHN ZORN / MASADA STRING TRIO with MARK FELDMAN / ERIK FRIEDLANDER / GREG COHEN - Azazel: Book of Angels - Volume 2 (Tzadik 7351: USA)

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: JAMIE SAFT TRIO With GREG COHEN / BEN PEROWSKY - Astaroth: 'Book of Angels' Volume 1 (Tzadik 7348; USA) - LTD copies available at present

This one is currently in between pressings & not available:

JOHN ZORN MASADA BOOK TWO: ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ - Aguares: The Book Of Angels Volume 23 (Tzadik 8322; USA) - CNA

You can read blurbs or reviews of these releases on both the DMG or the Tzadik websites 

**************

Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for December of 2018:

THE NEW STONE
Is Located at the New School’s Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th street - just east of 6th ave

January 2019 at the Stone 

THE STONE RESIDENCIES
HERBIE NICHOLS 100th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Curated by Fay Victor - JAN 2–5

1/4 Friday
8:30 pm - SOLO RECITATIONS for HERBIE NICHOLS - Vijay Iyer (piano) Anthony Coleman (piano) Aruan Ortiz (piano) and special guests

1/5 Saturday
8:30 pm - Roswell Rudd's Trombone Tribe plays Herbie Nichols - Deborah Weisz (trombones) Josh Roseman (trombones) Art Baron (trombones) Steve Swell (trombones) Bob Stewart (tuba) Steven Bernstein (conductor, trumpet)

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - CRAIG TABORN - JAN 8–-12

1/8 Tuesday
8:30 pm - Craig Taborn - Solo Piano

1/9 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Tomeka Reid (cello) Ches Smith (drums) & Craig Taborn (piano)

1/10 Thursday
8:30 pm - Dave King (drums) and Craig Taborn (piano)

1/11 Friday
8:30 pm - Dan Weiss (drums) Thomas Morgan (bass) Craig Taborn (piano)

1/12 Saturday
8:30 pm - Farmers by Nature - William Parker (bass) Gerald Cleaver (drums) Craig Taborn (piano)

THE (NEW) STONE is located in The New School’s Glass Box Theatre  
All Sets at The New Stone start at 8:30pm Tickets: $20
There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone. 
Only music. All ages are welcome. Cash Only at the door. 
A serious listening environment.
The Stone is booked purely on a curatorial basis

*********
Spectrum is at
70 Flushing Ave, Garage A,
Brooklyn, NY 11205

Friday 4 January
7 PM - Spectral Fridays, curated by Gabriel Zucker, Episode 14
Gabriel Zucker, piano
Snark Horse
Brandon Seabrook - banjo
Matt Mitchell - piano and compositions
Kate Gentile - drums and compositions
Anna Webber, saxophone

Saturday 5 January
9 AM - 7 PM
John Franek installation / extended performance
8:30 PM - ASKO/Schoenberg Ensemble from The Netherlands: Music by Huang Ruo, Morton Feldman, Helmut Lachenmann, Tristan Keuris and John Cage

Sunday 6 January
4 PM - Cindy Giron and Gleb Kanasevich
7 PM - Quartet 121 plays Balch, Carter, and more

Wednesday 9 January
8:30 PM - Knox Trio: Flute, cello, and piano
Knox Trio is: Joshua A. Weinberg, flutes/harp/composition
Bri Tagliaferro, cello
Daniel Schreiner, piano/visual art

Thursday 10 January
7 – 10 Pm - Red Shoe Company (Detroit) - Interactive concert
Joan Tower - Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #5
Steve Reich - Violin Phase
Maurice Ravel - Trois Chanson
Thea Musgrave - Voices from the Ancient World
Augusta Read Thomas - Double Helix
Anna Clyne - Lavender Rain
Mashup arrangement - Bachbird
Eve Beglarian - Landscaping for Privacy
Julia Wolfe - With a Blue Dress On

Friday 11 January
7 PM - Ashley Walters, ‘cello [Detailed biography at the end of this mailing]
Los Angeles-based cello virtuoso Ashley Walters returns to Spectrum to present works exploring microtonality, just intonation, improvisation, and scordatura. She will perform Berio’s iconic Sequenza XIV, Plainsound-Litany by Wolfgang von Schweinitz, and Another Secular Calvinist Creed by Andrew McIntosh, all of which were released on her recent solo album, Sweet Anxiety. She will also perform Solo from String Quartet No. 5 by Wadada Leo Smith and the East Coast premiere of Nähte by Trevor Bača.

Saturday 12 January
7 PM - Dan McCarthy \\ Patricia Brennan \\ Sasha Berliner (Bluehaus Night)
Dan McCarthy Quartet
Patricia Brennan Group
Sasha Berliner Group

Sunday 13 January
4 PM - String Noise Sounds: Pauline Kim Harris and Conrad Harris
7 PM - Peter Watrous Jazz Night
Bigger, Louder, Faster
Chet Doxas - saxophones
Jacob Sacks - piano
David Ambrosio - bass
Vinnie Sperrazza - drums
Peter Watrous - guitar
Playing music from the ECM catalog, including pieces by Collin Walcott, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Motian and Keith Jarrett.
Adam Kolker/Russ Lossing Quartet: Whispers and Secrets Release Show
Adam Kolker - saxophone
Russ Lossing - piano
John Hebert - bass
Billy Mintz - drums

******************
Bushwick Improvised Music Series

Monday January 7th
7pm Warren Galea - guitar
Hattie Simon - vocals
Gabriel Seymour - bass
Henry Mermer - drums
 
8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums

9pm Dina Macabee - violin
Aaron Edgecomb - drums
Buddy Greene - saxophone
Simon Hanes - bass

9:45pm David Leon - alto saxophone
Davy Lazar - trumpet
Weston Olencki - trombone
Nick Dunston - bass

10:45pm Jonathan Millberger - tenor saxophone
Aaron Rubinstein - guitar
Michael Larocca - drums

11:30pm  Jorge Nuno - guitar
Amber Evans - soprano
Caitlin Cawley - percussion
Martin Movagh - trumpet
Sam Zagnit - bass
Saman Samadi - piano

Downstairs @ Bushwick Public House 
https://bushwickpublichouse.com/
gaucimusic.com
1288 Myrtle Avenue , Bushwick
(Across the street from M train Central Ave stop)

*********

William Hooker in 2019

“360 Degrees of Straight Liftoff” w/ 
Bob Holman, William Parker, Raymond Nat Turner, William Hooker.
Bowery Poetry Club -  308 Bowery, NYC.,
Sunday, January 13, 2019   3 PM  $10 Admission.
Info and tickets – 347-898-7223.

William Hooker event
Live Music / Silent Film - * Solo drums -
“Symbol of the Unconquered” – Oscar Michaeux (1920) a Silent film….

*“QuartetMOON” – w/ Jon Irabagon, Mara Rosenbloom, Adam Lane, William Hooker – 
New music in the free jazz tradition…..
Shapeshifter Lab – 18 Whitwell Place , Brooklyn , NY.  -  
Wednesday Jan 23rd, 2019   7 pm.  General admission $8-$15.00