Then he said
How can I speak when I'm dry and my throat is burning?
So bring me aid and I'll answer your doubts
Friend in need, I'd like your help
Please take me home, I'll stay with you
Then he said fair Pantagruel
My name is Panurge and I have come from Hell
Look at my friend, look around my friend
Look at my friend, look all around you
Look at my friend, take all round you
Look at my friend, look all around you
Hey, Friend
Look at my friend
So brotherhood was made as their bond
Carried him home and provide for his needs and his shelter
This day was done as no other the like
Faithfully their vow was made
And from that day they were as one
Then he said fair Pantagruel
My name is Panurge and I have come from Hell
One of my favorite all-time progressive bands is Gentle Giant. I've bought each of their records as they were released starting in 1970. The band featured three brothers: Derek, Ray and Philip Shulman, as well as Gary Green, Kerry Minnear and John Weathers. I recall that the Shulman brothers were previously in a psych/soul band called Simon Dupree and the Big Sound and that John "Pugwash" Weathers played in Eyes of Blue (the great Welsh early progish band). According to legend (or Discogs), Gentle Giant was influenced by the works of Francois Rabelias. What I liked about them was that they seemed to be influenced by modern classical chamber music and not the jazz/rock influenced that were more popular at that time. I still love the first five studio albums which still sound great and timeless today. I did get a chance to check out Gentle Giant live in Central Park around 1975 and was knocked out by that performance. I was impressed that each band member had to learn other instruments not just their main ones, hence there was/were a string quartet section, a recorder quartet section and several layered, well-harmonized vocal sections. I still dug later studio efforts like 'The Power and the Glory', 'Free Hand' and 'Interview' but by the time they released 'The Missing Piece', I no longer liked what they had to offer. My two fave records remain 'Octopus' and 'In a Glass House'. Check them out if you can. They capture that early to mid-seventies progressive era that was integral to my/our musical search during that period, before fusion turned stale and bands like Genesis and Yes became more commercial. A grand toast to Gentle Giant! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
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THE DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY 35th ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE CONCERT SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, February 24th:
6:30: COLIN HINTON - Drums / ERICA DICKER - Violin / SHAWN LOVATO - Bass
7:30: VIV CORRINGHAM - Vocals / MARCUS CUMMINS - Soprano Sax
8:30: JIM CLOUSE - Tenor-Soprano Saxes / MATT HOLLENBERG - Guitar / ADAM LANE - Bass / PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums
Tuesday, March 3rd:
6:30: ADAM LANE ELECTRIC BAND: NICK LYONS - Alto Sax / ADAM CAINE - El Guitar / ADAM LANE - El Bass / VIJAY ANDERSON - Drums
7:30: KRIS GRUDA - Guitar / EMILY HAY - Flutes - Voice - Electronics
8:30: RICH ROSENTHAL - Guitar / NICK GIANNI - Tenor Sax / KEVIN TKACZ - Bass / MICHAEL PAOLI - Drums
Tuesday, March 10th:
6:30: JOHN HAGEN - Tenor Sax / KEN FILIANO - Bass / ANDREW DRURY - Drums
7:30: AARON RUBINSTEIN - Guitar / KENNETH JIMENEZ - Contrabass / KEVIN MURRAY - Drums
8:30: YONI KRETZMER - Tenor Sax / PETER BITENC - Contrabass / VINNIE SPERRAZZA - Drums
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TWO NEW TZADIK CD’S JUST RELEASED:
JOHN ZORN // BRIAN MARSELLA TRIO with TREVOR DUNN / KENNY WOLLESEN - The Bagatelles Vol. 6 (Tzadik TZA CD 5222; USA) From March to May 2015, John Zorn composed 300 new tunes that were eventually collected into a book of music he called The Bagatelles. This sixth volume features a pianist who has quickly become a central figure in Zorn’s pantheon of musical virtuosos—Brian Marsella. His trio is one of the most talked about ensembles in the Downtown scene and these fabulous performances are filled with fiery solos, a soulful lyricism and telepathic interplay. A highlight of the Bagatelles Marathons, they perform a dramatic program of driving swingers, tender ballads, free jazz explorations and exotic mood pieces.
CD $18
VADIM NESELOVAKYI - Perseverantia (Tzadik TZA CD 4060; USA) Vadim is one of the most accomplished pianists of his generation, a musician of astonishing range and passion. His newest work tells a story of compassion, empathy, willpower, resistance, sincerity, falsehood, freedom, and the arduous path to it. As a Ukrainian, he is deeply connected to the current events, however the music is not only about the devastating war, it speaks to us all, reflecting on timeless human challenges and the best aspects of our nature. Placing exhilarating piano improvisations in the context of gorgeous compositions for classical string trio, “Perseverantia” is Vadim’s greatest work to date.
CD $14
CECIL TAYLOR NEW UNIT with TONY OXLEY / HARI SJOSTRUM / JACKSON KRALL / OKKYUNG LEE - Cecil Taylor New Unit (The Last Bandstand)(Listen! Foundation / Fundacja Sluchaj! 16/2025; Poland) Reviving Cecil Taylor's legendary Unit concept, this searing New Unit performance with Cecil Taylor (piano & voice), Tony Oxley (his own drum samples & electronics), Harri Sjostrom (soprano & sopranino saxes), Jackson Krall (drums) and Okkyung Lee (cello), documents the final concert of Taylor's life in a nearly eighty-minute fusion of music and spoken word, recorded live on April 23, 2016, at the Whitney Museum in New York City. I was at this set at the Whitney Museum and remember enjoying it immensely. It was located in a large gallery space with photos, artwork, album covers, poetry and other visual items by or influenced by the late, great avant piano genius, Cecil Taylor. - Supposed to arrive on Friday, February 20th. Fingers crossed.
CD $17
TORE ELGAROY / HENRY KAISER - The Sound of the Stars (New Noise CD17; Earth) Featuring Henry Kaiser and Tore Elgaroy on guitars, basses and "drums". I've been friends with former Bay Area-based guitar god Henry Kaiser for around 45 years and have watched him play dozens of concerts as well as release dozens (hundreds?) of recordings, all of which I am proud to collect and listen to at length. Besides that, Henry is an old school Dead fan (like myself) and has a better understanding of how & why the Dead are/were one of the most important & influential of all American rock bands who began in the mid-sixties. I don't know much about Norwegian guitarist Tore Elgaroy, who has a solo effort out on the Rune Grammofon label from 2001. For many years, Henry Kaiser has been searching for other Creative Guitarists from around the world, to play with, be they well known or little known. Check out this short list of guitar duos: Fred Frith, Derek Bailey, Elliott Sharp, Eugene Chadbourne, Killick Hines, Ian Brighton, Max Kutner, Anthony Pirog, Ivar Grydeland and others.
Starting with "Enter Black Hole", the guitar duo take off with a 4/4 pounding drum beat and both guitars wailing on top. Mr. Elgaroy has a gnarly tone somewhere between Eric Clapton (during his Cream years) and Jimi Hendrix with an ample amount of distortion. Each piece has a different rockin' drum groove, since the "drums" are listed with quotes, perhaps the drums are sampled but they do sound real. On most of these songs, one guitar will dig into a throbbing riff while the other guitar takes a solo. On "The Star Beast", it sounds like a great prog drummer (like Morgen Agren, perhaps) is drumming, even speeding up as the bands' tempo increases to a dizzying level. In the early days of sixties rock, bands like the Yardbirds would refer to this sort of music as a "rave-up". Mr. Kaiser kicks off "Space Train Crossing" with some twisted solo electric guitar played through a variety of effects. On each piece, the groove and tempo change providing a different riff on which to jam with. For "Time for the Stars". The duo slows down as Kaiser adds a sequencer type of riff at the center as the drums lock into the groove. On some level I am reminded of the Ventures, another instrumental rock quartet who played mainly popular covers during their sixties reign. Even the CD cover reminds me of one of those Venture covers with two astronauts playing electric guitars as they dance or float in space. Mr. Kaiser keeps things interesting by throwing in odd detours and interludes in between the rockin' riffs and hoedowns. It sounds like most of these pieces were built from the rhythm team upwards. Kaiser and Elgaroy both take a series of strange yet powerful note-twisting solos giving us lead guitar freaks something to smile about. One of the things that I like most about this is that it has the spirit of fun going on at the center. A few of the guitar solos may be a bit over-the-top for some of our more light-hearted listeners but this is still intense music for intense times! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12 [In stock early next week]
JOEL HARRISON & THE ALTERNATIVE GUITAR SUMMIT with BILL FRISELL / WENDY EISENBERG / DAVID GILMORE / GILAD HEKSELMAN / BEN MONDER / WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL / ANTHONY PIROG / DAVID TRONZO / et al - Don’t Forget Your Guitar (AGS Recordings 012; USA) Guitarist, composer, multi-bandleader and founder of Alt Guitar Summit (an annual camp & concert), Joel Harrison, has been promoting creatives guitarists for many years. I've heard rave reviews for his annual guitar camp/workshop/festival that takes place upstate every summer. Mr. Harrison has also organized a series of concerts at LPR and Roulette, getting dozens of varied guitarists, known & little known, to play in different combinations. Harrison also runs the AGS Records label which features a number of these guitarists playing in duos & trios.
This is Harrison's 2nd compilation of 18 different guitarists playing in duos. I know about half of the guitarists presented here. The duos play a few covers (Kurt Weill, Carla Bley & the Beatles), play one of their songs or just improvise together. The one thing that I noticed most is that each duo, each guitarist has their own distinct sound. The first piece is by Emmanuel Michael and Tim Watson, two musicians that I hadn't heard of before. This piece has both guitarists playing quietly and using some subtle effects like reverb, similar to what Bill Frisell often does. Lovely. The second piece features Wolfgang Muthspiel and Gilard Hekselman, both guitarists I know rather well. This piece is also restrained with some subtle reverb-like effects. This piece is by Kurt Weill and it is called "Liebeslied". While one guitar plays those elegant jazz chords, the other adds spacious counterpoint. "East Tennessee Blues" was written by Charlie Bowman who recorded in the 1920's, a century ago at this point. This piece is played by Grant Gordy and Ben Garnett, and it sounds like a bluegrass/jazz hybrid. "Waiting for the Raptor" is an intense improv created by Wendy Eisenberg and Anthony Piroq. Both Downtowner Eisenberg and DC-based guitarist Anthony Pirog, are pretty diverse stylistically. Hence, the sounds here are also odd, hypnotic, effects-laden and constantly shifting in sound, most enchanting. "Libreville" was performed by David Gilmore and Cecil Alexander. I've known of and long dug Mr. Gilmore since he was a member of a great Downtown fusion band called Lost Tribe. Gilmore wrote this piece and it is a challenging one with quick moving jazz chords and a fleet, furiously paced single note solo on top. Bill Frisell and Emmanuel Michael play the Beatles's lovely song "In My Life". This version is rather sublime, lovely and somewhat haunting. "The Ship Set Sail' was composed by Joel Harrison and covered by Cindy Cashdollar and Mr. Harrison. Harrison is a gifted composer as well as a fine guitarist and bandleader. This piece is exquisite, restrained and has a haunting melody that flickers like a candle in a dark room. If you don't know about Ms. Cashdollar, you should check her out as she is a mighty fine steel guitarist who has worked with Bob Dylan, John Herald and Asleep at the Wheel. Ben Monder and Dave Tronzo both have distinctive sounds with Monder using a variety of effects and Tronzo playing slide in his own way. Together they add layers of mysterious guitar sounds which have a somewhat psychedelic, swirling sound. Carla Bley's "Lawns" comes from an album called 'Sextet' (from 1987) and it is performed by Grant Gordy and Ben Garnett, the same duo that opened this disc. Carla Bley, who passed away in October of 2023, is a quirky, unique and gifted composer. This piece sounds carefree yet somehow has an eerie vibe. Although there are 18 guitarists featured here, there is a consistency to the overall dynamic and often subtle in great ways. Guitar freaks, this one's for you. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
ERIC MINGUS / ELLIOTT SHARP - Wrench in the Works (zOaR ZCD 197; USA) Featuring eric Mingus on vocals and words and Elliott Sharp on electric guitar, baritone guitar, bass, synths & drum programming. Vocalist/bassist Eric Mingus (son of Charles) and guitarist, reeds player, composer, producer and author Elliott Sharp, have been working together in Sharp's band Terraplane since around 2000. They've recorded around 10 discs so far and this is their first duo offering. Mr. Sharp creates and provides all of the music here. It opens with "Smash & Grab" with has several dark, swampy layers of eerie guitar(s) and effects. Eric Mingus bellows "You Gone", which sounds like an old blues standard with several layers of guitars with effects pulsating with a drum machine sample throbbing down below. As many of you know, we are currently living in some treacherous, dangerous times with our Democracy being taken apart and undermined piece by piece, hence many of us are angry, frustrated and sad by the turn of recent events. Each of these 14 pieces seems to deal with fragments, words and phrases that come from the blues and the news. Mr. Sharp adds layers of often mutated guitars, bass and synth which paint a dark picture of the world we see around us each day. Eric Mingus has a powerful voice which Sharp layers as if there were several characters talking to and/or explaining what it is we are all worried about. In a book written by bluesman & songwriter, Willie Dixon, he claims that The Blues is universal, timeless and genderless and I believe this is true myself. This disc sounds both ancient and modern at the same time, plus it expresses something that most of humans are feeling each day as we go through life worrying about what will happen next. Are Trump and Putin actually Satan's puppets? Is World War III around the corner? Only time will tell. This disc is rather disturbing but then again so is/are our lives at this point in time. Pretty scary at times. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
ANDY HAAS - In Praise of Insomnia (Resonant Music 022; USA) Featuring Andy Haas on sax, circular breath and Nano Pulsar (an Electro-Harmonix effects device). I've known Downtown saxist, Andy Haas, for some four decades and have watched him evolve in different ways over the long haul. Mr. Haas has been a member of a series of quirky Downtown bands like Radio I-Ching, Hanuman Sextet and the Spermic Holy Ghost Brotherhood, as well as creating a number of solo, duos and trio recordings. This is Mr. Haas' sixth solo effort and it was recorded on the Winter Solstice in December of 2025. The opening piece is called, "No Longer Myself" and it sounds like a duo of repeating sax fragments with similar sounding pulsating electronics. For "Long Night of Omens", both the sax stretched out notes and electronics play together as one slowly throbbing mass/flow. "The Cold Inside Us" also features two shifting drones, one from the sax and one for vibrating electronics. On practically each piece, Mr. Haas takes a phrase on sax or electronics and repeats it, stretching it out, bending the notes or sounds carefully. "Spare Shadows" is mostly solo alto sax and Haas again carefully bends each note in different ways. The sound reminds me of John Zorn's early solo explorations, similar in the way both saxists really concentrate as they stretch out their notes/sounds. On most of these pieces, both the sax and electronics are being manipulated in similar ways and it is hard to tell them apart at times. All of the pieces here are under four minutes, most are closer to two minutes. This keeps things more compact so that nothing goes on for very long, keeping us on our toes rather than blurring things that go on for too long. On "This Dark Land", Haas processes his sax, stretching his notes out both acoustically and electronically simultaneously. One thing that I noticed as I listened to this disc is that the way Haas bends & twists certain sounds, gives us listeners a somewhat disorienting feeling as if our (listening) reality is being messed with. The last piece is the title piece, "In Praise of Insomnia", which sounds like an odd sentiment. The older I get, the more I have problems staying asleep throughout an entire night. I often have to get up several times to urinate or can't quite fall asleep as easily as I used to. Hence, I find no joy in insomnia. Perhaps, Mr. Haas has something else in mind. During this piece, Haas concentrates on singular notes which he stretches out one at a time. It sounds like there is another line buried within what we hear on top. Ghost notes of some sort. I noticed something last night during an in-store concert at DMG. A young woman named Norah Stanley was playing her alto sax with Chuck Roth on guitar. At one point, Ms. Stanley played a series of long tones, bending them slightly. There seems to be an effect in which the note bending plays with our perception of things. I find that Andy Haas and other saxists who deal in extended techniques, have worked hard at finding the notes or sounds that seem to tap into an area which affects the way we hear with inexplicable results. Is it magic? Is it real? Can music affect our perception(s) of life? Hmmmmmmmm. Food for thought. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10
LISA MEZZACAPPA 5(ish) with AARON BENNETT / KYLE BRUCKMANN / JORDAN GLENN / BRETT CARSON / MARK PASCUCCI-CLIFFORD FRED FRITH - othrwrldly (Queen Bee Records 12; USA) Featuring Aaron Bennett on tenor sax, Kyle Bruckmann on oboes & synth, Brett Carson on piano, Mark Pascucci-Clifford on vibes, Lisa Mezzacappa on contrabass & compositions and Jordan Glenn on drums plus special guest Fred Frith on guitar for two tracks. Over the past couple of years, Bay Area-based bassist & composer, Lisa Mezzacappa, has released around ten discs on her own Queen Bee label, each that I've reviewed, I've dug immensely. Aside from Bristle and Duo B, each release on Queen Bee features different personnel and different bandleaders. For this release, Ms. Mezzacappa has organized a fine sextet with Bay Area veterans like Kyle Bruckmann, Aaron Bennett and Jordan Glenn (from the Fred Frith Trio). I wasn't familiar with Brett Carson or Mark Pascucci-Clifford before now although & just found out that Mr. Carson has recorded with Zeena Parkins, another former Bay Area resident who taught at Mills College along with Fred Frith.
"Life is Running Out" opens and reminds me of Anthony Braxton's Ghost Trance music, in which a group of musicians play the same phrase over and over, changing it slightly as they evolve. Although a certain is repeated, the tempo is quicker than most of Braxton's GTM series plus Ms. Mezzacappa also adds another repeating pattern which locks into the rhythm flow of the main line. Eventually there are a few fine solos for the vibes and tenor sax, both great. Things begin quietly on "Biome III: Sandswept", with just half the sextet playing the skeletal theme, spacious and subdued. There is a certain eeriness going on here thanks to the soft synth or bowed vibes simmering together. Although this piece unfolds slowly, things pick up when saxist Aaron Bennett steps up and takes a long, feisty tenor solo which erupts in the second half and continues to the very last note of the piece. "biome II: in the loaming" consists of layers of textural sounds: rubbed or bowed strings, droning notes from the vibes and what might be synth.Although it sounds partially improvised, it also has some written or directed parts as well. "boime II: brackish" begins with some eerie oboe backed by skeletal harmonies from the bowed bass and/or vibes. While the vibes take a long solo, Mezzacappa's bass starts to play an infectious groove for the midsection. "Cloudburst" sounds like an old synth sequencer repeating its pattern for a short bit which sounds like an interlude before we get to "biome II: alluvial", which starts out as free blown outburst before it calms back down to a more restrained section. "bloom" sounds more like a thoughtfully composed chamber jazz/classical hybrid which I find to be most enchanting. The written parts for the oboe, sax and vibes are striking in their originality. It ends with a spectacular free from the last section. The final piece, "the dream, the reality" is something else and the real highlight here. The writing here is quite complex and reminds me of Braxtonian progressive at its best as it evolved through different tight sections. Saxist Aaron Bennett takes a great, burning tenor solo here as the sextet erupts together. As with most of the ensemble efforts that Lisa Mezzacappa's great Queen Bee label releases, this is one the true treasures of this year (2026)! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
GARY BURTON with PHIL WOODS / JIM HALL / LARRY CORYELL / STEVE SWALLOW / CHUCK ISRAELS / GENE CHERICO / JOE MORELLO / CHRIS SWANSON / LARRY BUNKER / ED SHAUGHNESSY / et al - The Road to Fusion (Enlightenment 9252; EEC) This 4CD set compiles eight of the finest albums recorded by vibraphonist and jazz fusion pioneer Gary Burton. Made during the 1960s for the RCA label, these albums document Burton's progression towards the emergence of the fusion genre and are certain to be an essential collection for dedicated collectors and those curious about the work of this visionary musician. Albums included are 'New Vibes Man in Town' (1962), 'Who is Gary Burton?' (1963), 'In Jazz' (1963), 'Something's Coming' (1964), 'The Groovy Sound of Music' (1965), 'The Time Machine' (1966) and 'Duster' (1967).
Sometime around 1974, I caught the Gary Burton Quintet playing a concert at my college, then known as Glassboro State. The quintet featured Pat Metheny & Mick Goodrick on guitars, Mr. Burton on vibes, Steve Swallow on electric bass and Bob Moses on drums. The quintet played two sets and everyone in attendance was completely blown away. I knew of Gary Burton from a few previous recordings but it was the first time I had heard of Mr. Metheny and Mr. Goodrick, both of whom were students at NEC, when Burton taught for many years. Each member of the band was great at their playing and this was before Pat Metheny became a big electric jazz star. At the end of the concert, Mr. Burton invited anyone in attendance to come to the stage to speak with any of the musicians who were there. I ended up talking with Bob Moses and Pat Metheny, both of whom were gracious, warm and easy to talk to. I am still friendly with Bob Moses today, more than a half century later. I've been a longtime Gary Burton fan ever since and have collected as many of his albums as I could find. At that point, Mr. Burton was recording for the ECM label. In the mid-to-late 1970's the ECM and Arista-Freedom labels were the two labels that myself and my friends dug the most. Every record on both of those labels were/was essential listening for progressive jazz fans. Each of the half dozen Gary Burton albums on ECM remain favorites of mine. Eventually I worked my way backwards and checked out many of the dozen or previous releases from Gary Burton, most of them on the RCA label. Many of them were out-of-print and hard to find and most were not ever released on CD. After acquiring a few of Burton's ECM albums, I bought copies of 'A Genuine Tong Funeral' and 'Throb", both of which knocked me out and featured arrangements by Carla Bley and Michael Gibbs, both great composers. Over time I found a few of those earlier Burton releases like 'Time Machine', 'Duster' and 'Country Roads'. Before there were terms like jazz/rock and fusion, Mr. Burton was already leaning in that direction by using guitarists like Larry Coryell, Jerry Hahn and violinist Richard Greene, each of whom came from varied backgrounds and didn't just play jazz but added other non-jazz elements to their playing. The title of this collection is called 'The Road to Fusion' since "fusion' became the popular term for jazz/rock during this era. The odd thing is that by 1975, me and most of my friends had grown tired of how fusion had evolved into more commercial, predictable and chops-based and eventually into smooth jazz. I never felt that Gary Burton and his bands gave into the commercial side of jazz. Finally getting to hear the first three Gary Burton albums is something I do look forward to. So should you. This is a must for jazz/rock fans worldwide. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
4 CD Set $18
GRUPO UM - Nineteen Seventy Seven (Far Out Recordings Faro 254; UK) Brazilian avant-jazz vanguardists Grupo Um celebrate their 50th anniversary, sharing a second previously lost 1970s album from the vaults. Nineteen Seventy Seven (titled after the year it was recorded) is another rip-roaring instrumental fusion treasure from the band which spawned from within Hermeto Pascoal's famed mid-1970s São Paulo collective. Like their debut album Starting Point, Grupo Um's Nineteen Seventy Seven was recorded when Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most repressive. Just like Hermeto Pascoal's Viajando Com O Som (1977) and Grupo Um's previous album Starting Point (1975), both of which remained unreleased until the 21st century, Zé Eduardo asserts that the 1977 album was flatly "without any chance to be released at that time." Recorded at Rogério Duprat's Vice-Versa Studios in São Paulo, the group were under both time and space restraints. Expanding from a trio to a quintet, original Grupo Um members Lelo Nazario (keys), Zé Eduardo Nazario (drums), and Zeca Assumpção (bass) were joined by saxophonist Roberto Sion and percussionist Carlinhos Gonçalves. Carlinhos, Zé and Zeca had already played together in the group Mandala, while brothers Lelo and Zé had just finished a stint backing Hermeto Pascoal during his years in São Paulo. Lelo was deeply immersed in modular synthesizer experimentation during this period, working extensively with the ARP2600 and EMS Synthi AKS. These electroacoustic explorations formed the sonic foundation for "Mobile/Stabile," one of his first compositions to merge modular synthesis with Brazilian music, a fusion that would ripple throughout the Brazilian jazz scene. The piece premiered at the first São Paulo International Jazz Festival in 1978, performed by Grupo Um with guest trumpeter Márcio Montarroyos. The version on Nineteen Seventy Seven is the first recording of the composition. Nineteen Seventy Seven combines Afro-Brazilian rhythm, modular synthesis and a plethora of whistles, percussion and effects pedals. Grupo Um's daring music represents a manifesto of resistance during the dictatorship years, but it's one which remains just as relevant today.
CD $14
LP SECTION:
CHARLES TYLER ENSEMBLE with ARTHUR BLYTHE / EARL CROSS / RONNIE BOYKINS / STEVE REID - Voyage From Jericho (Frederiksberg Records FRB 024; USA) 50th anniversary reissue! Step into the wild heart of New York's underground avant-garde jazz scene with Voyage from Jericho. Recorded in 1974, released in 1975, this landmark session finds the Charles Tyler Ensemble pushing boundaries with fearless improvisation, deep spiritual yearning, and a raw emotional fire. Joined by top-tier collaborators -- including Arthur Blythe, Earl Cross, Ronnie Boykins, and Steve Reid -- Tyler shapes a sound that fuses avant-garde intensity with soulful depth, creating a powerful celebration of freedom and expression. This is music that demands attention and rewards deep listening. Whether you're a devoted explorer of the avant-garde or a curious listener seeking something beyond the mainstream, Voyage from Jericho offers a journey both challenging and transcendent. In short: if you're ready to move past comfort zones and into the outer reaches of jazz, Voyage from Jericho is a voyage worth taking. Includes 28-page booklet.
"This first-ever vinyl reissue of saxophonist/composer Charles Tyler's Voyage from Jericho album brings his life and work into much greater detail with an exhaustive liner essay by historian Cisco Bradley, unpublished photos and a new remaster from the original tapes. Essential!" - Clifford Allen
LP $40
BLOSSOM TOES - Live on Radio & TV (1960's Records Randb 178LP; UK) Over twelve tracks selected from BBC radio and European TV broadcasts, this LP charts the development of Blossom Toes from 1967 psyche to something darker and more powerful. This mix of idiosyncratic originals and re-interpreted cover versions includes songs not included on either of their studio albums. Comes with extensive sleeve notes that include full recording details.
LP $30
POGUES - Pissed and Pinned: Live at McGonagle's, Dublin, Ireland, 1st March 1985 - FM Broadcast (Dear Boss Jack 091LP; Italy) Captured at a pivotal moment in their rise, this raw and raucous set from McGonagle's in Dublin showcases The Pogues at their fiery best. Still riding the early wave of their unique fusion of punk energy and traditional Irish folk, the band delivers a spirited performance packed with grit, passion, and swagger. Shane MacGowan's slurred poetry and the band's frenetic playing capture the chaotic charm that would soon make them legends, a snapshot of The Pogues before fame polished the edges, when every note felt like a celebration and a rebellion all at once.
LP $24
EXTREME NOISE TERROR - Burladingen '88 (Radiation Reissues RRS 276LP; Italy) Raw, abrasive, and uncompromising, this live at JUZ Burladingen in 1988 shows Extreme Noise Terror in full destructive power. With Micky Harris of Napalm Death on drums, the band tear through their set with ferocity, dual vocals snarling over grinding riffs and relentless rhythm. More than a live album, this is a snapshot of a band that reshaped the boundaries of hardcore punk and grind, carving their reputation on stage, city by city, leaving chaos and inspiration in their make. A brutal piece of underground history brought back to life. Includes poster insert reproducing the original concert flyer and a bumper sticker! Also available on color vinyl (RRS 276Y-LP).
LP $24
HYUNHYE SEO - Continuation (Ubi Ku 002LP; Italy) A cascading piano improvisation by Xiu Xiu's Hyunhye Seo, recorded live during a Nam June Paik exhibition in Turin. On Side B, Japanese avant-garde pioneer Phew reinterprets Seo's performance into a new electronic landscape. Music as surrender, dialogue between performer, space and the present moment. 200 copies. Comes with Obi. Hyunhye Seo, a core member of Xiu Xiu, in her solo work navigates the precarious edges where composition dissolves into pure gesture. Through ecstatic piano improvisations, restless percussive attacks and an expansive use of acoustic space, she constructs layered sonic environments that move across the boundaries of noise, avant-garde jazz, ambient and contemporary classical music. Her performances reveal an unfiltered process of listening and creation -- a practice in which thinking becomes the enemy, and surrender the only viable strategy. "Continuation" captures one such surrender. Recorded live at MAO -- Museo d'Arte Orientale in Turin during the exhibition Rabbit Inhabits the Moon -- The Art of Nam June Paik in the Mirror of Time, this cascading piano improvisation unfolds as a dialogue between performer, space and the particular acoustics of a museum built to house contemplative objects. Jamie Stewart processes the sound in real time; Giuseppe Ielasi shapes the final mix. What emerges is a work of charged immediacy -- restless gestures giving way to passages of unexpected tenderness, noise and silence trading places in continuous exchange. The title is precise: this is music that refuses conclusion, that exists in a state of perpetual becoming. On Side B, "Continuous Extension" offers an unprecedented response. Phew -- the pioneering figure of Japanese avant-garde music since the late 1970s -- was invited by curators Chiara Lee and Freddie Murphy to reinterpret Seo's performance. Working with synthesizer and subtle processing, Phew distills the resonances of "Continuation" into a new electronic landscape -- waves of abstraction that echo like reflections in sound, tracing the harmonic tensions of Seo's playing into territories she herself did not visit. The accompanying booklet includes an essay by Bruno Lo Turco exploring the deep connections between improvisation and Buddhist thought, and a written reflection by Seo on her own practice of surrender and listening. - release date: 3/6/2026
LP $40
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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 BLGallanter@gmail.com
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THE STONE RESIDENCIES / SYLVIE COURVOISIER / FEB 18-21
2/18 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Sylvie Courvoisier TRIO
Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Drew Gress (bass) Kenny Wollesen (drums)
2/19 Thursday
8:30 pm - Sylvie Courvoisier QUARTET with Miles Okazaki (guitar) Thomas Morgan (bass) Dan Weiss (drums)
2/20 Friday
8:30 pm - DUO - Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Ellery Eskelin (tenor sax)
2/21 Saturday
8:30 pm - ShortCuts featuring Ikue Mori - Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Ned Rothenberg (reeds) Nasheet Waits (drums) Ikue Mori (electronics)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / JON IRABAGON / FEB 25-28
2/25 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Quartet - Jon Irabagon (saxophones) Miles Okazaki (guitar) Mary Halvorson (guitar) Tomas Fujiwara (drums)
2/26 Thursday
8:30 pm - Duo - Jon Irabagon (saxophones) Peter Evans (trumpet)
2/27 Friday
8:30 pm - Quartet - Jon Irabagon (saxophones) Brian Marsella (piano) Luke Stewart (bass) Nasheet Waits (drums)
2/28 Saturday
8:30 pm - Quintet - Jon Irabagon (saxophones) Tim Berne (saxophones) Matt Mitchell (piano) Chris Lightcap (bass) Dan Weiss (drums)
THE STONE is located in
The New School at the Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th Street - near 6th ave
For more info: https://thestonenyc.com/calendar.php?month=1
LIVE MUSIC
wed-sat - music at 8:30pm
ADMISSION - $20 per set
unless otherwise noted
cash only payment
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BILLY PRESTON: THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT on
Will premiere on Friday, February 20th.
At the Film Forum
The film details the life of the undersung musical prodigy, exploring how Preston’s genius contributions to funk, gospel, and rock impacted the musicians he collaborated with (in addition Ray Charles, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and Aretha Franklin, he was dubbed the “fifth Beatle” for his frequent work with the band) while also documenting Preston’s lifelong struggle as a closeted gay man with roots in a religious community that stridently condemned homosexuality. Through electrifying concert footage and moving interviews with Billy Porter, Ringo Starr, Merry Clayton, and Preston’s longtime friend Eric Clapton, BILLY PRESTON shows the highs and lows of what was – and should’ve been – for this under-appreciated maestro.
For a discounted ticket, see the instructions below:
To redeem the code online:
Go to https://my.filmforum.org/events/billy-preston
Scroll to your desired screening(s) and click PURCHASE
At the top right corner of the screen, click PROMO CODE
Enter DMG, then click submit (Note: code must be applied before tickets are added to your cart)
Select 1 or 2 General $17.00 tickets
Click Purchase – continue to check out
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NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
New one as of 1/19/2026:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyjcwHu5_1E
The above new Henry Kaiser show features Henry & friends using a variety of guitars, tremelo bars & effects and it is around 2 hours long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KGp0VH4yQo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWn5MRUOTAc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ste9pdLiz_0
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From 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 (#37) was released earlier this year, here are the links:
This is a new one as of 1/19/2026:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simian-podcasts/id1754730297
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-37
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-36