Don't Bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don't Bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Rooooooooll another one
Just like the other one
That one's burned just 'bout to the end
So come on and be a real friend
Don't Bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don't Bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don't Bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
Don't Bogart that joint, my friend
Pass it over to me
I recall hearing this song on FM radio in 1968 and in the ‘Easy Rider’ film in 1969. It sounds like an old country song with its weeping pedal steel, yet the words are about smoking a marijuana cigarette (commonly known as a joint). I found the song to be a hoot and we all giggled & sang along whenever it was on. Smoking marijuana or herb was a common thing amongst hippies or heads at this time and I started smoking myself on Labor Day in 1969. The title or chorus, “Don’t Bogart That Joint”, refers to the movie actor Humphrey Bogart because of the way he smoked cigarettes. Bogarting meant holding onto a joint for too long and not passing it to whomever you you were smoking with. Smoking herb became a ritual for many music fans and is said to enhance their music listening experience. Unfortunately for many, marijuana was illegal so that many folks ended up busted and did time in jail. I smoked for many years myself but finally quit at the end of 1998. Two close friends of mine, Thomas Chapin and Tom Cora, both passed away earlier that year of different types of cancer and I was devastated by their loss. Both were around the same age as I was plus getting high too often was having a bad effect of me. I decided to quit for both physical and mental health problems and wanted to live a happier life with any crutches. I had to relearn how to listen to and enjoy music with being high so much and realized how powerful and inspiring Creative Music was. I quit completely for 10 years and felt better about myself. I eventually started again when I became friends with Mike Panico, who was working at RCA & BMG in their archive department and then helped out at DMG doing mail-order for us on weekends. We became good friends and I started getting back into the Grateful Dead and attending concerts by Furthur (Dead offshoot band), their music was psychedelic and definitely enhanced by our herb smoking. I finally learned how to balance things, enjoy life only get high on occasion. So remember friends, don’t bogart that joint, pass it over to me or someone else who still enjoys that righteous feeling. - MCBruceLee
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THE DMG 33rd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, February 6th, 2024:
6:30: STAN ZENKOV - Bass Clarinet / AYUMI ISHITO - Tenor Sax / KEENEN RUFFIN - Guitar / YUKO TOGAMI - Drums
7:30: RICHARD ROSENTHAL - Guitar / THOMAS HEBERER - Trumpet / DMITRY ISHENKO - Bass / COLIN HINTON - Drums
8:30: STRING CONSENSUS: patrick brennan - sax-comps / CHARLES BURNHAM / gabby fluke mogul / STEPHANIE GRIFFIN / JASON KAO HWANG / DAVID SOLDIER - All Strings
Tuesday, February 13th, 2024:
6:30: JASON WEISS - Reading from his new book, “Listenings”
7:00: ANDY HAAS - Reeds & Effects / DON FIORINO - Guitar
8:00: PATRICK GOLDEN Drums / STEPHEN GAUCI - Tenor Sax / MATT HOLLENBERG - El Guitar / LIN YANG - Bass
Tuesday, February 20th: An Evening Organized by MARC EDWARDS:
6:30: ZOH AMBA / CAROLINE MORTON / MARC EDWARDS
7:30: Su$HI: GIAN PEREZ / CAROLINE MORTON / ANTHONY GENOVESE
8:30: SELENDIS SEBASTIAN / ALEXANDER JOHNSON / AJ MEDEIROS DUO
Tuesday, February 27th:
6:30: JOSH SINTON - Reeds / MAZZ SWIFT - Violin - Two Solos & a Duo
8:00: JONATHAN REISEN - Solo Tenor Sax
8:30: DANIEL GALOW - Alto Sax-Electronics / SYL WINCH - Trombone
9:30: JUDY DUNAWAY - Solo Balloon(s)
DMG stands for Downtown Music Gallery and we are located at 13 Monroe St, between Catherine & Market Sts. You can take the F train to East Broadway or the M15 bus to Madison & Catherine Sts. We are in a basement space below an art gallery & beauty salon. We are on the east side of Chinatown, not far from East Broadway & the end of the Bowery. Admission for all concerts is free and donations are always welcome. We have concerts here every Tuesday starting at 6:30 plus Steve Gauci curates his own series here on the 2nd or 1st Saturday of each month. You can check out the weekly schedule here: https://www.downtownmusicgallery.com/shows.php. I post 1 minute segments from these sets almost every day on our InstaGram feed (if you don’t do InstaGram, you can still view these 1 minute clips on the DMG homepage, (a recently added feature), so please check them out and come down to visit when you can. - BLG/DMG
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THIS WEEK’S SENSATIONAL NEW RELEASES BEGIN WITH THIS ONE:
SIMON HANES with BILLY MARTIN / SELENDIS SEBASTIAN ALEXANDER JOHNSON / KEVIN NEWTON / JESSE DANIEL / EUGENE HEASLY / JON STARKS - Tsons Of Tsunami (Tzadik 4045; USA) Born in California and now based in Brooklyn, Simon Hanes is a composer/performer/arranger and one of the major figures in the newest generation of the NY Downtown music scene. Mastermind of the large pop ensemble Tredici Bacci, a frequent collaborator of J.G. Thirlwell, and a member of the band Trigger (performing Zorn’s Bagatelles) Simon’s wild energy is always a highpoint of any live performance. Here he leads a cutting-edge quintet of young mavericks in a program of surf-based original compositions. Drawing on his California background, and his love of exotica and film music, he has created a beautiful soundtrack for today’s most forward thinking musical explorers—a "chill-wave surf band" of vibraphone, French horn, baritone guitar, bass and drums.
CD $14
ELLIOTT SHARP - Arbor (zOaR ZCD150; USA) Featuring Elliott Sharp on solo acoustic guitar. This from E#: “A collection of arboreal pieces for acoustic guitar, wood transformed into a resonator with the help of metal oscillators and digital manipulation: that is, actions performed by digits, fingers on hands. Thematic improvisations around and in the trees. Performed on a Dell Arte Anouman acoustic guitar.” Guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/composer/bandleader/producer/label-head, Elliott Sharp, never ceases to surprise me with each of his many releases. Although his vast catalogue of releases stretches back some 45 years, solo guitar releases are relatively rare. As far as I can tell, Mr. Sharp’s last solo (acoustic) guitar offering, ‘Momentary Anomaly’, was released in 2013, more than a decade ago.
This solo acoustic guitar offering is something else entirely. On the back cover there is a picture of Mr. Sharp using two small metal tube-like devices on his guitar. Mr. Sharp is heard strumming and/or rubbing the strings while muting certain notes. He also adds a series of harmonic tings by tapping on the strings. Sharp uses an ebow (a device which forces a signal to hum through the strings), a device most used by electric guitarists. There is a drone note at the center of “Phloem” with a series of scrapes adding some punctuation. “Branches” starts off more sparsely with a series of muted chords and careful tapped out harmonics adding an eerie, hypnotic vibe. There is quite a bit of suspense going on here, something we don’t hear so often from E#, whose music can often be quite dense. On “Overstory”, the way Sharp is bending the strings creates a disorienting effect, as if we are on a raft in the ocean with the waves slowly rocking the boat back and forth. For “Xylem”, Sharp seems to be rubbing the ebow over different strings, the drone(s) notes expanding and contracting, again knocking us a bit off balance. The stretched notes are buzzing at different speeds so the effect slowly changes as we listen. “Pollen” is also sparse and shifts between lovely melodic fragments with cautiously stretched out bits. Finally on “Root”, Mr. Sharp softly stretches out certain sounds by rubbing or vibrating the strings in most solemn way. The overall vibe is somewhat prayer-like and it is good way to bring this marvelous CD to a calm close. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
AVA MENDOZA / DAVE SEWELSON - Of It But Not Is It (Mahakala 069; USA) Featuring Ava Menoza on electric guitar & voice and Dave Sewelson on bari sax & voice. According to the liner notes, bari saxist Dave Sewelson thought that this session would be another completely improvised free one. It turned out that William Parker was invited to the session and provided lyrics to two pieces with the duo providing the music and arrangements. Ms. Mendoza is also a member of William Parker’s Mayan Space Station trio. I caught Ava Mendoza earlier this week (1/29/24) playing solo at the ArtsForArts/Future is Pissed Festival and she was great drawing on influences from the blues, Jimi Hendrix, jazz and noise bands or musicians. Dave Sewelson is one of the original Downtowners starting in the early 1980’s and working with the Microscopic Septet, as well as several projects with William Parker.
Both Ms. Mendoza and Mr. Sewelson each contributed their own songs, as well as a couple of duo improvs and two pieces with words by William Parker. “Mangrove Sea” was composed by Ms. Mendoza and it is it is filled with angular lines played in unison for the guitar and sax, as well as some strong counterpoint between both players. Mendoza has a dreamy, laid back sound here with Sewelson simmering underneath on sax. “Turnip Wine” is an old school blues romp with some righteous singing by Sewelson. The duo plays the blues as if they were expressing what many of are feeling about the current fate of of Mother Earth. “Don’t Buy The Lie” is a feisty improv duo and both the guitar and bari sax are pushing each other higher, spinning out frenetic licks which make a strong connected force. “Do Nothing Man” is a hilarious song about a man who does nothing with his life. Both Dave and Ava sing q&a lines back and forth in a most silly way. It does crack me up to hear this. “Dava’s Dune” is somber, laid back duo with a dreamy vibe, quite nice. “Is It But Not Of It” is the title track and it is a darker, haunting work with Mendoza creating a dark undertow underneath Sewelson’s slow-burning bari sax. Mendoza and Sewelson play well together as they use similar tones and are able to match each other’s flights of fancy. Mr. Sewelson’s “Scaribari” has a nifty swashbuckling theme when it begins and then gets freer as it goes, the guitar and sax trading lines nicely. The last piece, “Where Are You?” is a somber almost lullaby, simmering slowly throughout. This disc is not what anyone would would expect from this duo yet there is something charming about it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
CHAD FOWLER / SANA NAGANO / MELANIE DYER / SHANYSE STRICKLAND / KEN FILIANO / ANDERS GRIFFEN - Birdsong (Mahakala 068; USA) Featuring Chad Fowler on stritch & bass flute, Shanyse Strickland on French horn, flute & vocal, Sana Nagano on violin, Melanie Dyer on viola, Ken Filiano on bass and Anders Griffen on drums. A couple of times a year, Mahakala founder and reeds wiz, Chad Fowler, comes to town and a gathers together a new group of creative to work with. For this disc, Mr. Fowler organized a new sextet which features local greats like string players Sana Nagano (she works with Adam Rudolph, Peach & Tomato & her own band, the Smashing Humans) and Melanie Dyer (We Free Strings & Heroes Are Gang Leaders). Mr. Fowler also chose in demand bassist Ken Filiano, who has worked with Jason Hwang, Dom Minasi & Vinny Golia. Drummer Anders Griffen has worked with Mr. Fowler on a couple of previous discs. The new name here is Shanyse Strickland, who plays french horn & flute and who Mr. Fowler was recently raving about.
The title of this disc is birdsong, which Mr. Fowler refers to the way both birds and improvisers react to the way their sonic environments change over time and the way the birds and musicians adapt to these changes. Mr. Fowler and Mr. Griffen both wrote several songs here as well as there being a few collective improvs. Fowler’s “Traditional Funeral Dance” has a somewhat funky New Orleans sort of groove with a rambunctious stritch (straight alto sax) solo by the composer with both strings interwoven around the sax. It turns out that drummer Anders Griffen is also a fine composer, adding 4 songs to this disc. His piece, “Out of Town”, is a haunting, laid back, bluesy dirge with some righteous sax and french horn playing sublime solos each. Mr. Filiano kicks off “Turnoutbreak” with some powerful contrabass churning underneath and layers of horns, strings & Ms. Strickland’s haunting voice all swirling freely on top. For Mr. Griffen’s “Good and Tomorrow”, Griffen has written some spacious, eerie harmonies for the strings, sax and french horn, which makes for some captivating ensemble playing. Fowler’s hilariously titled, “Theme for Someone I Probably Wouldn’t Like” has the horns and strings moving around one another in mysterious ways with the drumming shifting tempos throughout. “Crossing the River” is another collective improv piece and it begins with two flutes, playing quietly together with some skeletal bass at the center. Although this piece is “free”, it seems to have a rather cerebral theme which evolves over time and is partially buried underneath. Griffen’s “N-Beam” has a touching yet slightly bent theme which is played by the string and includes some inspired yet laid back solos from the french horn and viola. One the main things i like most about this disc is that even when the sextet is playing freely, everyone seems to listening and having a conversation with the other members of the band. The final piece is called “Good and Tomorrow” and was again written by Anders Griffen. It has the reeds and strings playing their bent harmonies together in a most dream-like way. The overall effect is most hypnotic and does a fine job of transporting us somewhere else where our collective reality has been altered. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
JON IRABAGON’S OUTRIGHT! with RAY ANDERSON / MATT MITCHELL / CHRIS LIGHTCAP / DAN WEISS - Recharge the Blade (Irabbagast Records 020; USA) Featuring Jon Irabagon on soprano sax, Ray Anderson on trombone, Matt Mitchell on piano, Fender Rhodes & Moog synth, Chris Lightcap on acoustic & electric basses and Dan Weiss on drums plus guests: Ben Monder on guitar & Chris Cash on multiple instruments. Jon Irabagon started his Outright! project in 2008 when he recorded his first album as a leader. Outright! is a trilogy where each part features a different sax from Irabagon arsenal of reeds. This disc features Mr. Irabagon on soprano sax (the most unforgiving of saxes according to the liner notes) and it is the last part of the trilogy.
For this session, Mr. Irabagon has put together a fine quintet which employs jazz elder/trombone great Ray Anderson, Downtown/progressive keyboard wizard Matt Mitchell plus a strong Downtown rhythm team of Chris Lightcap on basses and Dan Weiss on drums. The illustrated cover, inside characters and title of this disc, ‘Recharge the Blade’, look more like a heavy metal release than a jazz disc.There are two suites n the this disc, the title suite and “War Trilogy”. “Kilgrave Part 1” begins with a fine piano intro and soon breaks into a hard swinging stomper with the soprano and trombone playing tightly and exuberantly together up front. Both Irabagon on soprano and Anderson on trombone takes spirited solos here with another fine drum solo in the last part of the song. Mr. Mitchell plays some sly, old school electric piano on “Blood Eagle”. The quintet erupt on “Keelhauling” with the soprano sax and trombone soloing at the same time and with Matt Mitchell switching back and forth between interacting with both instruments. Irabagon has a great Trane-like tone for his soprano on “Nightshade”, his harmony with Anderson’s trombone and skeletal to majestic piano are some special to behold (behear?). For “Kilgrave Part 2”, Mr. Anderson trombone leads the band while Irabagon’s soprano solo fiercely on top. The title tracks sounds like a high speed bebopper with the tempo at a furious rate. The soprano sax, trombone and piano all take astonishing solos here so watch out! “Tres Bechet” is a ballad with an incredible old school (Sidney Bechet inspired) soprano solo with rich harmonies from the trombone as well. In many ways, this disc is a tour-de-force for Mr. Irabagon. He has already showed his prowess on alto and tenor sax, with the Monk Award a while back which is no easy feat. This disc shows that Mr. Irabagon is a major contender on the soprano sax as well. The second suite, ‘War Trilogy’ shows a darker side to Irabagon’s music. “Quantum Call” is an eerie piece with the great Ben Monder adding his atmospheric guitar to the proceedings. Mr. Lightcap switches to electric bass since this piece has a more rock/metal edge with Monder’s sly metal-toned guitar and the soprano swirling around one another. This disc is yet another treasure from the great multi-sax playing wizard, Jon Irbagaon! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
JON IRABAGON with MATT MITCHELL / MILES OKAZAKI / ADAM O’FARRILL / MATT MITCHELL / CHRIS LIGHTCAP / DAN WEISS - Rising Son (Irabbagast Records 021; USA) Featuring Jon Irabagon on tenor sax & songs, Matt Mitchell on piano & Fender Rhodes, Chris Lightcap on electric & acoustic basses and Dan Weiss on drums plus guests Miles Okazaki on guitar and Adam O’Farrill on trumpet (2 songs each). During the Pandemic former Downtowner and member of Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Jon Irabagon, moved back to Chicago where he used to live before moving to to NYC. Since 2020 Mr. Irabagon has released four discs on his own Irabbagast label, all of which we just got in (1/26/24) when Irabagon came to visit us last week. Two are group sessions and two are solo sessions.
For this disc Mr. Irabagon has organized a strong quartet with two guests sitting in tow songs each. You should know all about each of these musicians, since each one is a leader/composer and all are busy collaborators. All of the music here was composed by Mr. Irabagon after being inspired by a summer vacation and roadtrip through South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. On “Sundance” Mr. Irabagon wrote a song which combines bebop and M-Base-like licks which spin furiously with both Mr. Mitchell on piano and Mr. Irabagon on sax playing those challenging lines tightly together and arou8nd one another. Aside from being a fine composer, multi-bandleader and collaborator, Matt Mitchell is an extraordinary pianist. His solo on the first piece is amazing, two fisted and intense. This piece ends with a slower, near-r&b sort of conclusion. On “Alliance” Irabagon strips thing down to just cymbals, snare and bass with modest piano entering. Things build into a more restrained M-Base like theme, the piano and sax playing those challenging lines in unison. “Hoodootoo” opens with a particular strong unaccompanied tenor sax solo, with the piano and Miles Ozaki’s guitar soon joining him, all three playing tightly together was the song evolves. Mr. Ozaki’s plays a more rock-oriented (love that distortion) guitar solo with Mr. Mitchell playing tightly around him with Mr. Okazaki erupting near the end. Mr. Irabagon plays Dizzy Gillespie’s “Bebop” at a furious tempo, pushing himself and Mr. Mitchell higher as they go. No small feat to do this so effortlessly. On “Mammoth”, Adam O’Farrill sits on trumpet and sounds great taking a superb, feisty yet laid back solo. As the song progresses, the sax and trumpet start to spar with each other, playing their lines in tight circular figures. Miles Okazaki is featured again on “Rising Sun”, a fine slow-burning groover with the tenor sax, piano and guitar playing tight spinning lines together. There is a jubilant, infectious vibe which runs throughout this mighty fine disc. Check it out bubbies (Yiddish term of endearment), it will make you smile. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
GREAT NEW DISCS FROM NOT TWO:
STEVE SWELL with CARLOS ZINGARO / MIKOLAJ TRZASKA / GEBHARD ULLMANN / PER AKE HOLMLANDER / ELISABETH HARNIK / JON RUNE STROM / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / et al - Dances with Questions (Not Two MW 1034-2; Poland) Featuring Steve Swell on trombone, Gebhard Ullmann on bass clarinet, Mikolaj Trzaska on alto & bari saxes, Signe Emmeluth on alto sax, Hanne De Backer on bari sax, Niklas Brand on trumpet, Per Ake Holmlander on tuba, Carlos Zingaro on violin, Elisabeth Coudoux on cello, Elisabeth Harnik on piano, Jon Rune Strom on bass and Paal Nilsson-Love on drums. CD’s 1 & 2 were recorded at the 17th Krakow Jazz Autumn Fest in Poland in October of 2019 while the third CD features a large ensemble recorded a bit later on October 9th of 2019.
NYC- based trombonist Steve Swell remains one of the busiest of all Downtown brass players, whether playing in town or playing in Chicago or in Europe with a number of great creative musicians from different scenes. There some dozen musicians on this three CD set and they are from different scenes in Europe. I recognize most but not all of their names from different collaborations: an elder like Mr. Ullmann, has co-led bands with Mr. Swell for many years. Mr. Strom and Mr. Nilssen-Love were the rhythm team for Frode Gjerstad with whom Mr. Swell also worked with.
CD1 and CD2 both feature eleven quartets with differing personnel. Although some/most of these combination of players probably hadn’t worked together previously, i is hard to tell since each group sounds focused or united in the way they play together. Elisabeth Harnik has recorded duos with Andrea Centazzo, Joelle Leandre, Frank Krakowski and Mr. Swell. She plays sparsely throughout the first piece with restrained bass clarinet & trombone all connecting and with bowed bass holding down the center. Each piece is relatively long so that player gets a chance to stretch out and work at length in different combinations. After listening to all of CD1, which is more than 70 minutes, I realized how much I enjoy each of the quartets. There are/were moments when the quartets exploded as well as quieter sections which I had to listen to closely. CD2 ends with all twelve musicians playing together and it is great conclusion.
CD3 is again all twelve musicians playing compositions by Steve Swell, the title of which is also the title of the entire disc: “Dances with Questions”. Although this long work (71 plus minutes) starts out freely, it soon moves into another section where the are thoughtfully written parts. Mr. Swell has written some fascinating music in which he has arranged for certain sub-sections to play different parts. Although certain sections sound free they often break into other more focused or partially written. There are many great moments of sections here where different musicians or combos stand out. I am most impressed with this entire triple CD set which clocks on at around 3 & 1/2 hours in length. An extraordinary effort from all the participants and a great achievement by Downtown trombonist supreme Steve Swell! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
3 CD Set $30
GUSH with MATS GUSTAFSSON / STEN SANDELL / RAYMOND STRID plus SOFIA JERNBERG / PHILIPP WACHSMANN / CHRISTINE ABDELNOUR / SVEN-AKE JOHNASSON / et al - Gush 30 Krakow 2028 (Not Two MW 1020-2; Poland) Gush features Mats Gustafsson on soprano, tenor, baritone & slide saxes & flute, Sten Sandell on piano and Raymond Strid on drums. The guests include Sofia Jernberg & Sven-Ake Johansson on voices, Anders Nyqvist on trumpets, Philipp Wachsmann on violin, Christine Abdelnour & Jorgen Adolfsson on alto saxes and Peter Soderberg on lute & guitar. I must admit that I was & still am a big fan of The Thing (Mats Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten & Paal Nilsson-Love, 2001-2016), the great Norwegian trio who played their own version of out/jazz, primal rock & punk influences. I’ve followed whatever each member has done since and none of these three ever let me down. Ten years before The Thing got together, Mats Gustafsson was a member of another great trio called Gush with Sten Sandell on piano and Raymond Strid on drums.
Gush have been around since 1990 (35 years) and have released nine discs. All three members have varied careers of their own and can be heard with many other musicians. I’ve collected and enjoyed each of their previous records, although their last one was nearly ten years ago in 2015. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Gush recorded a three day festival at two locations: at Alchemia and at Manga, with two or three different guests each night. I know of most the guests here from previous connections: Ms. Jernberg (with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra), Mr. Wachsmann (British collaborator with Evan Parker, Barry Guy & many others) and Ms. Abdelnour (duos with Chris Corsano & Hans Koch).
CD #1 features Gush plus Anders Nyqvist (trumpet) and Sofia Jernberg (voice). This disc is cleanly recorded. Since Gush have been playing together for so long, they have acquired a group sound, which is careful yet robust. The playing is often quiet yet focused with intense bursts of energy. Even when playing softly, Mr. Sandell can speed up until he enters Keith Tippett land of furious, fast lines. Mr. Gustafsson usually focuses on one reed at a times and is impressive & diverse on each one. Ms. Jernberg joins the trio for the second piece, singing softly with Gustafsson’s restrained soprano. Trumpeter Anders Nyqvist joins them on the third track, the members of the now quartet taking their time to work together as one united force with Ms. Jernberg’s voice adding occasional punctuation. The guests for CD #2 are Philipp Wachsmann on violin (1 track) and Christine Abdelnour on alto sax (3 tracks) and one track with both. Things begin softly with Gustasson on flute, Strid on mallets, Sandell on muted piano and minimal violin sounds. Things heat up with Gustafsson spinning out quick lines on his soprano, the intense rusting of the players building in intensity as they go. There is a subtle drone going on in the second piece with each member playing most sparsely, Sandell tapping cautiously inside the piano. he playing is not as restrained as lower case improv although the careful way things unfold is just as succinct. The improvising here is most organic sounding, with each musician choosing their notes or sounds most carefully. CD #3 features Peter Soderberg on guitar & lute, Jorgen Adolfsson on alto sax and Sven-Ake Johansson on voice. Mr. Soderberg sits in the second track, adding acoustic guitar and lute to the trio. I don’t know Swedish guitarist Peter Soderberg very well but it seems as if he has a a career playing the contemporary classical music of John Cage, Morton Feldman and Terry Riley. He fits well, often playing subtly, tapping out sparse fragments on his guitar. Sven-Ake Johannson is a legendary free/jazz drummer (with a wacky sense of humor) who writes poetry and is known to sing on occasion. On this disc Mr. Johansson does quirky spoken word in Swedish and English. Since I don’t know what Johansson is saying, I can still appreciate the way he speaks, quite expressively at that. After listening to all three discs here, I am most impressed with the entirety of this set. This is thoughtful improv captured at its best. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
3 CD Set $30
INGEBRIGT HAKER-FLATEN with METTE RASMUSSEN / EIVIND NORDSET LONNING / ATLE NYMO / ODDRUN LILJA JONSDOTTIR / OSCAR GRONBERG / VESLEMAY NARVESEN / OLAF OLSEN - (Exit) Knarr (Odin 9579; Norway) Featuring Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (IHF) on acoustic & electric basses & compositions, Mette Rasmussen on alto sax, Atle Nymo on B-flat & bass clarinets & tenor sax, Eivind Nordset Lonning on trumpet, Oddrun Lilja Jonsdottir on guitar, Oscar Gronberg on grand piano & keyboards and Veslemay Narvesen & Olaf Olsen on drums & percussion. During the Pandemic former bassist for The Thing & The Scorch Trio, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten moved back to Norway after living in Texas for the past decade. Mr. Haker Flaten organized a new Scandinavian octet which includes some wonderful Up & coming musicians like Mette Rasmussen (she’s done duos with Chris Corsano & Tashi Dorji), Atle Nymo (from Chrome Hill & Motif) and Oscar Gronberg (from Friends & Neighbors). Over the past few years Mr. Haker Flaten has been recording with Chicago musicians like Rob Mazurek, Dave Rempis & Nick Mazzarella as well as with Krokofant (from Norway).
The liner notes inside this disc describe a long journey that Mr. Haker Flaten has been through, moving to Texas, getting married and divorced, starting a music fest, organizing his own band and eventually finding his way back to Norway. Each of the six pieces was inspired by a city that was an important part of Haker Flaten’s long journey. The title of this work, “(Exit) Knarr” refers to the construction of the ships that the Vikings crossed the seas with. Everyone in the band here does handclaps which are at the rhythmic center of these pieces. “Miles Ave” is dedicated to Austin, Texas where Haker Flaten lived for the longest period of time is his life. A sly, uptempo groove is established by the clapping of hands. There is an infectious gleeful feeling going here, the bass pulsating at the center with all of the horns joining in the festive spirit. Eivind Nordset Lonning’s trumpet is sailing on top like a bird soaring on the wind. “Brinken” is for Trondheim, where a Haker Flaten took a jazz course at Trondheim University and met his early musician cohorts Havard Wiik & Paal Nilsen-Love. Brinken is the name of the home where IHF now resides. Guitarist Oddrun Lilja Jonsdottir is featured here and sounds great playing those bluesy licks tightly with the trumpet and reeds. Atle Nymo plays a superb clarinet solo here, using a bit of reverb to give his clarinet a more magical sound. “Hakkaran” is the town where Haker Flaten grew up and where he returned after leaving Texas. The song it is dedicated to has a lush, heartwarming, melodic theme, more tasty guitar, a fine bass & piano duo and finally an extraordinary piano solo in the last section. “A La Lala Love You” (dedicated to Chicago, where IHF lived before moving to Texas), is a hard swinging, jubilant song with a fine burning tenor sax solo and tight ensemble playing by the entire octet. Haker Flaten’s powerful bass is at the center of “Chaos Pad” (dedicated to Mexico City). All the horns are playing these intense chattering parts together with some Ms. Rasmussion’s alto sax screaming on top. The last piece is called “Museumplein” and it is dedicated to Amsterdam. This piece has an majestic theme reminding me of the sunlight breaking through the clouds on a dark day. I love the way the multiple horns soar together like an ocean of positive waves washing over all who are listening. Most triumphant! I felt completely touched by this music as it provided some hope for us sensitive beings. This disc is a treasure chest of positive vibes. Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
MARTA WARELIS / INGEBRIGT HAKER-FLATEN - Sun Lit Starlings (Weird Cry Records 086; USA) Featuring Marta Warelis on piano and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on contrabass. Review next week.
CD $16
ROB MAZUREK EXPLODING STARORCHESTRA / SMALL UNIT with TOMEKA REID / ANGELICA SANCHEZ / INGEBRIGT HAKER FLATEN / CHAD TAYLER / et al - Spectral Fiction (CvsD 104CD; USA) For the first time, a compact version of Rob Mazurek's magisterial Exploding Star Orchestra -- Exploding Star Orchestra/Small Unit -- commits its music to CD. Recorded live at Corbett vs. Dempsey's Chicago gallery space in March, 2023, the six-piece band featured Mazurek on trumpet, Tomeka Reid on cello, Damon Locks on voice and electronics, Angélica Sánchez on Wurlitzer, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums. Spectral Fiction consists of two tracks, the deeply exploratory "Equations of Love in Prismatic Waves of Color," clocking in at nearly 40-minutes, and the super-groovalistic 14-minutes of "Driftless" (a Mazurek-penned melody named after the Sam Gilliam exhibition in which the music took place and by which it was inspired). The musicians were already warmed up -- really hot at this point -- by a concert the night before, playing music from their great International Anthem LP Lightning Dreamers in the Sky Theater at Chicago's Adler Planetarium. With Locks's incantatory samples and momentum-staked poetry and Reid's incisive pizzicato and arco cello intonations, the band moves through a spectacular range of diverse colors and emotional zones, locking into rolling grooves and opening out onto fields of energy and sound. Often open and investigatory, it's a different side of Mazurek's vision from the eight previous Orchestra releases dating back to 2007, a lighter, more aerodynamic incarnation of the cosmic-conscious ensemble.
CD $16
I-I with UCHIHASHI KAZUHISA / MITSUHISA SAKAGUCHI / TATSUHISA YAMAMOTO - I-I (Modern Obscure Music MOM 047CD; Spain) Modern Obscure Music introduces to the world to the innovative sounds of the Japanese improvisational music trio I-I. Composed of three exceptionally talented musicians, Kazuhisa Uchihashi (guitar, daxophone, pedals), Mitsuhisa Sakaguchi (synthesizers, pedals) and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto (percussion). This dynamic ensemble has embarked on a remarkable musical journey with their homonymous debut album. With this raw and unfiltered approach to music, I-I promises a unique listening experience. The album's overall sound and style can be described as completely improvised, devoid of any predetermined theme or content. Instead, the musicians rely on their deep understanding of each other's musicality to create spontaneous and captivating harmonies. This organic approach results in a tension-filled sound that challenges traditional norms. In their own words, the musicians stated that there are no particular themes or messages they seek to convey through the songs. Their creative process is one of pure exploration, allowing their musical intuition to guide them. I-I is the trio's debut album, marking the beginning of their musical journey as a collective. Despite the complexities of spontaneous creation, the trio revealed that they faced no significant challenges during the album's production, making the creative process smooth and seamless. The trio hopes that listeners will fully immerse themselves in I-I by sitting down in front of their audio systems and playing it as loudly as possible. Their goal is to provide a unique and unforgettable musical experience that transcends traditional boundaries.
CD $18
LP SECTION:
ARTO LINDSAY - 7 Types of Ambiguity - A Parade (No Salad Records 006LP; Switzerland) Arto Lindsay's 7 Types of Ambiguity - A Parade is a stereo mix of an original sound installation that was installed at ECAL/University of Arts and Design, Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2022 as part of a research project led by Thibault Walter and Stéphane Kropf called Phantom Power. The idea was simple, and yet the process and level of collaborative work implied was enormous: how to recreate a carnival parade -of the kind Arto had witnessed in the streets of Bahia in Brazil numerous times- inside a white cube and using only sound. How to replicate the complex intrications of those stories, heard or fantasized, the smaller blocs of musicians crossing the path of blasting sound systems mounted on trucks, those religious rhythms mingling with popular traditions, class and race struggle at street level « prime example of the proximity of sexuality and religion, of tradition and novelty and a place for true social innovation -- and the effect it all has on the bystanders that are completely part, or even become the subjects of the whole. Arto went to Salvador de Bahia with a narrative of a parade in his mind, and recorded excerpts in a terreiro, a temple of Afro-Brazilian religion, with four musicians, three of which he had previously worked with. Those mixed tracks were crafted into a sound sculpture directly in the room in Lausanne on a 27 channels immersive installation, adding layers of meaning within the room itself, hallucinations, weather patterns or places, like when the parade stops during a rain shower or gets so close to the ocean as to lose the sound of the percussions in waves. This composition was later remixed, the spiral of speakers on the floor of the room engraved on a vinyl, and the position of the listener defined for the experience of this record.
LP $30
BRUNO SPOERRI - Musiques Legeres (1976-1982)(We Release jazz 012LTD-LP; Switzerland) We Release Jazz announces the fourth Bruno Spoerri release in the WRWTFWW discography, this time focusing on the Swiss legend's unheard jazz catalogue. The pristine six-track album Musiques Légères (1976-1982) is available as a limited edition half speed mastered biovinyl LP housed in a heavy 350gsm sleeve with superb design by Nicolas Eigenheer and the classic WRJ obi. Swiss jazz and electronic music pioneer Bruno Spoerri unveils a treasure trove of never-before released songs in this rare archival collection recorded between 1976 and 1982 that includes collaborations with the fabled Radio Suisse Romande-backed music ensemble GIR (Groupe Instrumental Romand) which featured the crème de la crème of Helvetic forward thinking musicians with an international reputation. The super team of instrumentalists/composers represented Swiss national radio in endeavors that spanned a vast array of music genres such a jazz, pop, experimental music, or what they referred to as 'musiques légères' (light music), their very own brand of jazz and funk infused easy listening. One notable member of GIR was drummer extraordinaire Stuff Combe that We Release Jazz collectors will know from his Stuff Combe 5 Percussion LP. Musique Légères (1976-1982) offers a marvelous blend of easy listening jazz, joyful synth improvisations, and soulful funk ballads, a testament to Bruno Spoerri's multifaceted talents and ability to approach various genres while keeping his very personal and very magical touch. Among the hidden gems on the carefully curated collection is the immensely catchy "Prince Karl," an undeniable hit that truly deserves to be heard. This is the fourth Bruno Spoerri release from WRWTFWW, following the synth heavy and galactic Voice of Taurus (WRWTFWW 014LP, 2017) and The Sound of the UFOs (WRWTFWW 015LP, 2017), and the compilation of unreleased experimental tracks Rare & Unreleased 1971-1998 (WRWTFWW 033LP, 2018). Musiques Légères (1976-1982) is pressed on biovinyl, a sustainable alternative to traditional vinyl. Biovinyl replaces petroleum in S-PVC by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste gases, resulting in 100% CO savings in bio-based S-PVC production. Furthermore, it is 100% recyclable and reusable, embracing the circular economy ideology.
LP $38
ROBERT CAHEN - La nef des fous (Recollection GRM 029LP; France) In the 1970s, Robert Cahen turned to the burgeoning field of video art, where he became a pioneering artist. He was originally trained in musique concrète, his creative background, and joined the Groupe de Recherches Musicales in 1972. The pieces on this record were composed in the GRM studios between 1971 and 1974. They testify to a lively inspiration and imagination combined with a precocious formal mastery that already carries the seeds of later developments, which the artist cleverly and inventively deployed in the field of visual arts.
LP $28
HORACIO VAGGIONE - Schall/Rechant (Recollection GRM 030LP; France) A discreet but essential figure in the field of musical creation, Horacio Vaggione has been crafting an ambitious, precise and highly significant body of work for over the last fifty years, coupled with a demanding research activity. This disc offers four purely electroacoustic pieces which illustrate, each in their own way, this singular and fascinating grammar developed by Horacio Vaggione, a complex but fertile grammar which establishes a very special relationship between structure and texture, between matter and formula, to create a fascinating musical space, made up of polyphonies and metamorphoses.
LP $28
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ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE MUSICIANS OUT THERE, Around the world.
If you have a link for some music that you are working on and want to share it with the folks who read the DMG Newsletter, please send the link to DMG at DMG@Downtownmusicgallery.com
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THE STONE RESIDENCIES - BRANDON LOPEZ - JAN 31–FEB 3
1/31 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Groupchat - James McKain (sax) TJ Borden (cello) Joey Sullivan (drums) Brandon Lopez (bass)
2/1 Thursday
8:30 pm - Bilongo - Marina Kifferstein (violin) Camille Dietrich (cello) Cecilia Lopez (synth) Brandon Lopez (bass) and a percussionist
2/2 Friday
8:30 pm - New Trio - Chuck Roth (guitar) Buz Donald (drums) Brandon Lopez (bass)
2/3 Saturday
8:30 pm - DUO or TRIO - Fred Moten (spoken word) Brandon Lopez (bass) and possibly Craig Taborn (piano)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / REBEKAH HELLER / FEB 7–10
2/7 Wednesday
8:30 pm - CROSSFADES QUARTET - Isabel Lepanto Gleicher (flutes) Shara Lunon (vocals, electronics) Clara Warnaar (percussion, electronics) Rebekah Heller (bassoon, vocals)
2/8 Thursday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Rebekah Heller (bassoon) Jessie Cox (drums) Joy Guidry (bassoon)
2/9 Friday
8:30 pm - DUO - Fay Victor (voice) Rebekah Heller (bassoon)
2/10 Saturday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Wendy Eisenberg (guitar) Brian Chase (drums) Rebekah Heller (bassoon)
THE STONE is located in
The New School at the Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th Street - near 6th ave
LIVE MUSIC
wed-sat
music at 8:30pm
ADMISSION
$20 per set
unless otherwise noted
cash only payment
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gaucimusic presents:
Improvised Music @ the Main Drag
@ The Main Drag
50 South 1st Street
Between Kent ave and Wythe Ave
(718) 388-6365
gaucimusic.com
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January 29 thru February 4, 2024
THE OUT MUSIC FESTIVAL
At THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY, NYC
Arts for Art proudly presents the OUT MUSIC FESTIVAL - The Future is Pissed! The world is divided against itself. The earth is in jeopardy. These diverse artists are doing their best with too little support. Their voices have been marginalized. As people of conscience and as creative people, we come together to support each other as we live, create, and work for a world with peace, compassion, justice, and the arts.
As an added attraction, the festival's first night will feature a selection of fiery historic Out Music recordings, presented in partnership with Crossing Tones, an organization which rescues and shares recordings from the music's past. The opening night will feature never heard recordings that underscore the deep roots of music.
Here’s the link: https://www.artsforart.org/out-festival.html
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William Hooker - “ Music and Poetry"
At The Bowery Poetry Club, NYC
Wednesday, 7 February 2024 at 8:00 PM
featuring
Bob Holman,John Pietaro, David Soldier, Yuko Otomo, Kevin Ramsey, Patrick Brennan,
Jair Rohm Wells, Dave Sewelson, Paul Geluso, Ras Moshe and Laura Feathers
Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery, Village, NYC
bowerypoetry.com
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TERTON CD Release Concert
Sunday, February 11th at 7pm
Featuring:
LOUIE BELOGENIS - Tenor & Soprano Saxes
TREVOR DUNN - Bass
RYAN SAWYER - Drums
At Zurcher Gallery
33 Bleecker St, just east of Lafayette
Take the F train to Broadway & Lafayette or
The 6 train to Bleecker St.
NY, NY, 10012
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MOPPA ELLIOTT TOUR DATES
Tues, Feb. 20 – Rhizome, 6950 Maple St. NW, Washington, DC
7 p.m. Tickets $25.
Mostly Other People Do The Killing (MOPDtK) celebrates the release of Disasters Vol. 2 on Hot Cup Records. The album is a follow-up to their acclaimed 2021 release, Disasters Vol. 1.
https://www.rhizomedc.org/new-events/2024/2/20/mostly-other-people-do-the-killing-sarah-marie-hughes-and-derrick-michaels
Wed, Feb. 21 – Fire Museum, Philadelphia, PA
7:30 p.m. Tickets $10-$20 sliding scale.
Fire Museum Presents MOPDtK and Advancing on a Wild Pitch celebrating their new albums Disasters Vol. 2 and Jonesville. Performance takes place at Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement, 1542 East Montgomery Avenue
Thur, Feb. 22 –– The Cutting Room, 44 East 32nd Street, NYC
7 p.m. Tickets: $20
Hot Cup Records presents an Album Release Evening featuring three bands.
Mostly Other People Do the Killing celebrating "Disasters Vol. 1"
Advancing on a Wild Pitch celebrating "Disasters Vol. 2"
Acceleration Due to Gravity celebrating "Jonesville: Music by and for Sam Jones" https://wl.seetickets.us/event/mostly-other-people-do-the-killing/582194?afflky=TheCuttingRoom
Fri, Feb. 23 – The Bop Shop, 1460 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY
8 p.m. Tickets: $20 MOPDtK
https://bopshop.com/events/mostly-other-people-do-the-killing-1
Sat, Feb. 24 – Jazz at the Coop, The Cooperage, 1030 Main St., Honesdale, PA
7 p.m. Tickets: $15 MOPDtK and Advancing on a Wild Pitch.
https://allevents.in/honesdale/jazz-night-at-the-coop/200025940871819
Bands & Personnel
MOPDtK: Moppa Elliott, bass; Ron Stabinsky, keyboards; Kevin Shea, drums.
Advancing on a Wild Pitch: Sam Kulik, trombone; Charles Evans, bari sax; Danny Fox, piano; Moppa Elliott, bass; Christian Coleman, drums.
Acceleration Due to Gravity: Bobby Spellman, trumpet; Dave Taylor, trombone; Matt Nelson, alto saxophone; Stacy Dillard, tenor saxophone; Kyle Saulnier, baritone saxophone; Ava Mendoza, guitar; George Burton, piano; Moppa Elliott, bass; Mike Pride, drums.
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Article by GARY LUCAS:
This is an honest explanation/understanding of what is currently going on in Israel, please read and think about before you come to any quick conclusions.
“JEWS DO COUNT”
at CultureCatch.com
https://culturecatch.com/node/4237
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NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnWxohqx4tY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj8-LKNXKuE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9PwsO5umk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQ7nvA68pA
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CHRIS CUTLER
Formerly of HENRY COW, THE ART BEARS, NEWS FOR BABEL & RECOMMENDED RECORDS (ReR) has been creating an ongoing series of podcasts called the Probes series. I am often fascinated at listening to each of these as Mr. Cutler does an incredible job of showing a deep history of Creative Music in the 20th century & beyond. I usually listen to these on the train to NYC that I take to get to work each day. The most recent Probes (#36) was released a few weeks ago, here is the links:
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-37
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-36
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-362-auxiliaries
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ATTENTION TO ALL DMG CUSTOMERS: NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: downtownmusicgalleryofficial@gmail.com
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