DMG Newsletter for April 29th, 2016

DMG Turns 25! 
We're Still Here and We're Still Not Jive! 
So Check us Out and Come on Down! 
We still Got Records, CDs, DVDs and Books! 
So visit us please and have a good look! 

And Check Out This Week's Menu of Discs: 

Mike Sopko/Bill Laswell/Thomas Pridgen! Yoni Kretzmer Five: Steve Swell/Thomas Heberer/Max Johnson/Chad Taylor! Phillip Wilson & Olu Dara! Jimmy Lyon/Karen Borca Quintet Rare Reissue! Thurston Moore/Frank Rosaly! Joe McPhee 7"! Zeena Parkins/Nate Wooley/Vera Westera/Bojan Vuletic! 

More from Wandelweiser Edition: John Cage/Michael Pisaro/Jurg Frey! Three from John Tilbury! Jack Dupon! Plus Historic Discs from Frank Zappa! Janis Joplin! Otis Rush & Buddy Guy! The Ramones! Sly & Robbie! Weather Report! Klaus Schulze! Nurse with Wound! Turkish Experimental Music & Much More! 

DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY Turns TWENTY-FIVE! 

Wow! A quartet of a century and still going strong! When we opened in May of 1991, I didn't realize how long we would be around, providing folks with challenging sounds, year after year. We've seen the Downtown scene evolve and grow into a worldwide phenomenon, while hundreds of record, book and magazine stores have closed. Why us?!? Creative music is still an inspiration to those who take the time to listen. Information/opinion overload has left us exhausted and at times cynical. The spirit within the music remains hopeful so keep listening... 

This Sunday, May 1st is are actual 25th birthday so we will indeed celebrate with two sets of music, wine and snacks. Please join us and spread the word, a great time is guaranteed to all who show up. It is true that the last few years have been difficult, but we will survive thanks to a team effort: you and us together. Anyone who would like to make a contribution for our survival, it would be greatly appreciated. Our homepage has several options to do this. If you order from us regularly, we still appreciate your business. Record collectors: We have priced and put out more than a hundred record albums in the past month or so, in the bins as well as on Discogs. I have also repriced many CDs and LPs to move. Please come visit, I know you fill find some buried treasure..! 

We have collected some dozen albums & CDs which are signed by different Downtown/Avant artists and are still seeking more. We hope to offer 25 of these items, one for each year of our existence, to those customers who are autograph collectors and who can afford them, sometime soon so stay tuned. Thank you all for your continuing support. Live long and prosper!- Bruce Lee Gallanter, Dave Miller & Chris P at DMG 

********** 


The DMG FREE Weekly In-Store Concert Series Continues With: 

Sunday, May 1st - 25th Anniversary Party for DMG- Early Start! 
5pm: YONI KRETZMER ALL-STAR QUINTET [STEVE SWELL/THOMAS HEBERER/MAX JOHNSON/CHAD TAYLOR] - CD Release Celebration! 
6pm: Wine, Juice & Snacks Served! 
7pm: Downtown All-Star Improv Set: GUILLERMO GREGORIO / JAIMIE BRANCH / MARTY EHRLICH & KEN FILIANO! 

Sunday, May 8th: 
6pm: BRANDON LOPEZ & GREGORIO GUILLERMO - Acoustic Bass & Clarinet 

Sunday, May 15th: 
6pm: T.J. BORDEN - Solo Cello 
7pm: BRIAN GRODER / MICHAEL BISIO / JAY ROSEN - CD Release Set 

Sunday, May 22nd: Bruce up at Victo Fest/Chris Pitsiokos will be your host 

Sunday, May 29th: 
6pm: FESTER: SEAN ALI & DAVID GROLLMAN 

DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a former Buddhist temple & beauty salon. Take the F train to East Broadway or the 6 train to Canal or the B or D to Grand, or the M-15 bus to Madison & Catherine. Come on Down, the Music Always Free & the Vibes are Quite Cosy! 

******* MATTHEW SHIPP 
In a Rare Solo Piano Performance 
Wed, May 4, 2016 
Doors: 6:30 pm / Show: 7:30 pm 
At The Cutting Room, 44 East 32nd St., New York, NY 


***** 

Starting This Week's Treasures with a Couple of True Jewels: 

MIKE SOPKO/BILL LASWELL/THOMAS PRIDGEN - Sopko/Laswell/Pridgen (Self-Released; USA) Featuring Mike Sopko on guitar, Bill Laswell on bass and Thomas Pridgen on drums plus Martin Dosh on keyboards, Michael Lewis (from Happy Apple) & Joshua Smith on saxes and Hamir Atwal on percussion. I read a review of this disc in Jazzwise (UK jazz magazine) recently and decided I needed to get copies to check out and sell. In just a few days, these discs appeared, so here we are. I wasn't quite familiar with Bay-area guitarist Mike Sopko before this although I was somewhat familiar with drummer Thomas Pridgen who played with Mars Volta, a popular prog band from El Paso, Texas, now defunkt. It turns out that Mike Sopko has worked with Mike Watt, Jamie Saft and Tyshawn Sorey. Mr. Sopko and Mr. Pridgen have a duo called Big Band that does play on occasion and decided to invite one of their heroes, bassist Bill Laswell, to this studio session. 
The music here was improvised/created in the studio and then Sopko and a handful of his colleagues added a few other parts. The results are astonishing: tight, powerful, wailing with incredibly assured interplay between all three men. All three are in top form and integral to the group sound. In some ways this disc is similar to Blixt, that incredible trio with Raoul Bjorkenheim, Laswell & Morgan Agren. Mr. Laswell plays an uptempo dub/funk line on "Detroit", while Sopko and Pridgen get into and ride the groove. Mr. Sopko adds several sly guitar parts, while Laswell's bass buzzes underneath. The production here is clean and warm and perfectly balanced. Laswell's dreamy, hypnotic bass is featured on "Daybreak" while Sopko also creates layers of watery, cascading shimmers. Each member of the trio gets a chance to steer a couple of pieces, by kicking them off and providing the central riff/direction. On a piece called "Acres", Mr. Laswell's quick spiraling wah-wah bass and Mr. Pridgen's laid-back drums provide a cosmic cushion for several alien (Frippish) guitars. Even better is "Airplane Mode", where Laswell's furious bass is at the center of explosive trio with Michael Lewis's sax also spinning along. Mr. Sopko plays acoustic guitar on occasion, adding bits of subtle spice a the right moments. Martin Dosh's electric keyboards are also used as selective sonic seasoning at just the right moments. On a song called "Praxis", Sopko plays some astounding high-speed Buckethead-like lines, which makes sense since the band Praxis featured Buckethead and Mr. Laswell. Mike Sopko's daredevil, diverse guitar playing are featured throughout this disc, yet always working sympathetically with equally ultra-creative rhythm team and their guests. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 
CD $14 

YONI KRETZMER FIVE * [With STEVE SWELL/THOMAS HEBERER/MAX JOHNSON/CHAD TAYLOR] - Yoni Kretzmer Five (OutNow 21; USA) Featuring Yoni Kretzmer on tenor sax & compositions, Steve Swell on trombone, Thomas Heberer on trumpets, Max Johnson on bass and Chad Taylor on drums. I've caught this band twice in the past year or so and was knocked out both times. Israeli-born saxist, Yoni Kretzmer, has recorded some half dozen different projects, each one very different in sound. I caught Kretzmer's two bass quartet earlier this week (4/25/16) and they were pretty great, free and inspired. The quintet on this disc is something else: due to Kretzmer's strong writing and all-star bandmate selection. One of the things I like most about this band is that while one of the frontline players (tenor, trumpet or trombone) solos, the other two horns play great, well-written lines underneath. You can't get much better than Kretzmer's towering tenor sax, Steve Swell's burning trombone (currently on tour with Peter Brotzmann & Paal Nilssen-Love) and Thomas Heberer's selection of brass: trumpet, cornet and quarter-tone. When I caught this quintet last month, William Parker subbed for Max Johnson, with drummer Chad Taylor kicking up a storm, fanning the rhythmic flames and showing us how important his role is this band. It doesn't get any better than this! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 
CD $14 

* The Yoni Kretzmer Five will here at DMG this Sunday, May 1st for 25th Anniversary at 5pm! The new CD will be in stock on Sunday and you don't want to miss this event! 

PHILLIP WILSON With OLU DARA - Esoteric (CvD 027; USA) In November 1977 and May 1978, months before drummer Phillip Wilson recorded his great LP Duet with trumpeter Lester Bowie for the Improvising Artists label, Wilson hit the studio for Esoteric, a recording of solos and duets with cornetist Olu Dara. Wilson (1941-1992) was one of the key percussionists in creative music, the Art Ensemble of Chicago's early trapsman, one third of the fusion band Full Moon, and an all around fount of invention and sensitivity. In addition to his work in the jazz and improvised music realms, he was a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and did session work for Stax Records in the '70s. The little known LP Esoteric, which was issued on Hat Hut Records as their twelfth release, finds Wilson in an extremely intimate mode, sometimes exploring the sonority of his kit, sometimes extrapolating on a beat, and on several tracks working with his comrade Olu Dara, one of the great figures of the loft era and a wonderfully polymath musician. Together they conjure more than an avant-garde drum and bugle corps, Wilson's decisive touch and Dara's exploratory voice stretching all the way out on three dedications to Mr. Bowie. A rare taste of what the masterful Wilson does in the driver's seat, Esoteric has been remastered from the original tapes and features Klaus Baumgartner's original cover design on this, its first ever reissue, nearly forty years since it was waxed. 
CD $15 

JIMMY LYONS With KAREN BORCA/MUNEER BERNARD FENNELL/HAYES BURNETT/ROGER BLANK - Push Pull (CvD 022; USA) Long known as Cecil Taylor's most reliable and loyal colleague, alto saxophonist Jimmy Lyons has a select discography as a leader, and among its best entries is Push Pull, originally issued by Hat Hut as a massive 3-LP set. Recorded during a single marathon performance at the Collective for Living Cinema in New York in 1978, Push Pull features five extended pieces, all by Lyons, with his working quintet that included his wife Karen Borca on bassoon, Hayes Burnett on bass, Munner Bernard Fennell on cello, and Roger Blank on drums. Jolting, quicksilver free jazz with terse themes and brilliant interplay, the music is quintessential Lyons - searching, pliant, and sincere. Remastered from the original tapes, this first reissue of Push Pull compiles the original tracks - two of which were split to accommodate the 20-minute limit of LP - into their original full length, fitting the whole program onto two CDs, lovingly repackaged featuring the original Klaus Baumartner cover. 
CD $16 

THURSTON MOORE/FRANK ROSALY - Marshmallow Moon Decorum (CvD 028; USA) Guitar hero Thurston Moore and improvising drummer Frank Rosaly met for a first encounter in 2012 at the Neon Marshmallow Festival, at the Burlington in Rosaly's hometown, Chicago. The results were monumental. The slow build of Moore's gigantosaur sound and Rosaly's clamorousness and gradually escalating propulsion made for an idea match over the course of an electrifying 35-minute piece, the thunderous conclusion of which left no ear unburned. Marshmallow Moon Decorum presents the full concert in all its glory, gorgeously rendered in a multi-track recording that captures both the grit and grace of their mutual ascent. The cover sports a painting by Amy Feldman, perfect visual foil for the boys and their noise. 
CD $13 

JOE McPHEE - Cosmic Love (CvD 001; USA) Joe McPhee on 7 inches of pure loving vinyl! Features two versions of the 1970 classic "Cosmic Love." McPhee rocking the cosmic wavelength on space organ and tenor sax. 
7" Single $7 

Back in stock: 

JOE McPHEE - Alone Together (CvsD 021; USA) In his upstate NY secret laboratory, home-based in Poughkeepsie, Joe McPhee diligently documented his activities throughout the '70s, with the help of Craig Johnson, the producer who started CjR as an outlet for McPhee's music. Among the unreleased tapes waxed in that span, Alone Together is unique and especially beautiful. Like Sound on Sound (released by Corbett vs. Dempsey in 2010), these recordings make use of multitrack recording, overdubbing McPhee upon McPhee, however where those earlier recordings had an experimental tendency, the Alone Together tracks were more compositional in nature, allowing the multi-instrumentalist to build and sculpt each piece, creating complete wind ensembles one track at a time. In 1974 and then again in a longer session in 1979, McPhee recorded in concise solo, duo, and trio contexts, and in more extensive brass and reed quartets - all McPhee, all the time. Going head-to-head with the best of the saxophone foursomes of the era, McPhee is a one-man-WSQ, his probing investigations and lyrical statements as incisive and insightful as those of his best-known recordings. McPhee's own enthusiasm for these never-before-heard recordings betrays their significance in his large and ever-mounting discography. Corbett vs. Dempsey is honored, after so long, to finally make them available. 
CD $14 

WADADA LEO SMITH - Red Chrysanthemums / Solos !977 (CvsD 025; USA) On the occasion of improviser and composer Wadada Leo Smith's exhibition Ankhrasmation: The Language Scores, 1967-2015 at Chicago's Renaissance Society, Corbett vs. Dempsey is pleased to present Red Chrysanthemums, a previously unreleased live recording of solo performances by Smith, documented in Los Angeles in December, 1977. Three adventurous, spacious tracks feature Smith's unique and innovative trumpet, as well as percussion, tuned percussion, and flute, all captured as Smith was in the process of confirming his place in the pantheon of AACM greats. A candid snapshot of one of the most vital musicians to extend the jazz tradition, testing his craft and artistry with a bright, pure toned sensibility and deeply soulful melodic imagination. 
CD $12 

BRIAN CALVIN/DEVIN JOHNSTON + JIM O'ROURKE - Some Hours (CvsD 026; USA) Featuring Brian Calvin on guitar & vocals, Devin Johnston on guitar, piano & vocals, Jim O'Rourke on bass, vocals & production and Rich Germer on drums. It has taken me more than a month to get to this promo but I am glad I finally did. I hadn't heard of the Brian Calvin, Devin Johnston or their band USA, who recorded for Drag City in in the late nineties. I am a longtime fan of Jim O'Rourke, both as a producer and diverse music-maker. The music here is similar to those charming, laid-back pop gems that Jim O'Rourke recorded for Drag City during the same period. The plaintive singing and somber vibe gives this a mostly organic vibe. The music is stripped down to the bare essentials kinda like Young Marble Giants. This disc has only five songs and is relatively short. It is also most enchanting in its own child-like way. - BLG/DMG 
CD $12 

ZEENA PARKINS/NATE WOOLEY/VERA WESTERA/BOJAN VULETIC - Fugitive Beautee (Ignoring Gravity Music 15-14; EEC) Bojan Vuletic composed these works based on lines from Baudelaire's "Les fleurs du mal", a remarkable set of songs sung by Vera Westera over the excellent musicianship of Zeena Parkins on harp, Nate Wooley on trumpet and Bojan Vuletic handling the odd instrument. 
CD $13 (In stock next week) 

New from Edition Wandelweiser/John Cage/John Tilbury... In stock next week 

JOHN CAGE//EDWIN ALEXANDER BUCHOLZ/JOANNA BECKER - Early Music (Edition Wandelweiser 0711; Austria) Early compositions from John Cage performed on accordion by Edwin Alexander Buchholz and violin by Joanna Becker, presenting "Dream" (1948); "In a Landscape" (1948); "Six Melodies" (1950); and "Souvenir" (1983). 
CD $13 

MICHAEL PISARO - Hearing Metal 1 (Edition Wandelweiser 0902; Austria) Greg Stuart realizes Michael Pisaro's first and haunting "Hearing Metal" on tam-tam, a large piece of metal which is mic-ed and recorded to create a vast and rich sound when played by bow or hand, here in 3 compositions layering the instrument in combination with sine tones. 
CD $13 

JURG FREY - 24 Worter (Edition Wandelweiser 1407; Austria) Composer Jurg Frey's "Landscape with Words" presents 27 compositions, 24 of which are based on individual words in orchestration with piano and violin, understated and minimal yet sumptuously lyrical and evocative, using space and tension to illustrate each segment. 
CD $13 

MARKUS SCMICKLER/JOHN TILBURY - Timekeepers (A-Musik 38; EEC) The second release between legendary AMM pianist John Tilbury and MIMEO member Marcus Schmickler on computer, in a gradual and subtle work that pairs electronic environments to Tilbury's chord progressions, yielding spacious intervals with delicate and mysterious sound. 
CD $16 

JOHN TILBURY/ZYGMUNT KRAUZE - Grand Tour (Bolt 1033; EEC) Polish conceptual composer Zygmunt Krauze meets pianist John Tilbury, who studied in Warsaw in the 1960s, and returned in 2015 for a residency; this delicate and beautiful work was recorded at the Concert Studio of Polish Radio in Warsaw with 4 pianos and a percussionist. 
CD $16 

DEREK BAILEY / JOHN TILBURY - Playing with a Dead Person [LP only release] (Bolt 03; Poland) "Derek and I always wanted to do a duo recording together and we never quite managed that. Within the later years that we were trying to set something and his health was failing, we would get close to it and he would phone up and say "I'm just not up to it, I can't do it", and of course he died and I always regretted it - that we never did that. [...] So when you contacted me about the duos, I thought there is nothing more original than playing with a dead person [...] which is curious because Derek is very much alive, especially when we hear his voice and I feel he's sort of sitting here, in the studio, and he's waiting for me and I'm waiting for him and we're not quite sure what's gonna happen"- John Tilbury on BBC talking about the session. 22+ minutes long 
LP $20 

JACK DUPON - Empty Full Circulation (Nova Records BAM 072; France) Featuring Gregory Pozzoli & Philippe Prebet on guitars & vocals, Arnaud M'Doihoma on bass & vocals and Thomas Larsen on drums & vocals plus guest Paul Sears (from the Muffins) on drums for one song. Every year at FIMAV (the New Music Festival in Victoriaville, Quebec in May), there is at least one or two sets by an unknown band, that turns out to be a revelation. Last year's treasure was a French progressive band called Jack Dupon. The quartet has been around since 2004 and has a half dozen discs out, but I hadn't heard of (or noticed) them before their set. I was blown away by their set, especially since they quite sound like anyone else and have a twisted sense of humor. I purchased each of their previous discs and dig them all, especially the one from last year, 'Tete de Chien'. We just got their new in and again, I am amazed by their quirky, creative and fathomless spirit. What makes this disc different from the rest is that their lyrics are sung and printed in English (!?!). All four members of the quartet sing and have distinctive, different voices, hence they seem to be playing different characters, as well as singing their own enchanting harmonies. Knowing what they are singing about, only adds to their strange charm. "Jeremy is bionic, electric and plastic" is how the first songs ends. I can hear elements of XTC and/or Talking Heads amongst the many different skins that these men work their way through. Each of the five songs go through a wide variety of changes in direction, every time you think you have them figured out, they shift into into something unexpected. Although this disc is on the shorter side (about 35 minutes), it is consistently captivating. As soon as it ended, I had to play it again since their are layers of surprises buried and it will take some time to appreciate the many levels of craft going on simultaneously. There is one long instrumental piece where the quartet takes off through different sections: a rave-up, dreamy clanging guitars and some fairy-tale like reverie. It is certainly rare to hear a prog band having so much fun and that spirit is most infectious. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 
CD $17 

AIMEE NORWICH With IAN COOK/JIM DEVITO - Wild (Self-produced; USA) Featuring Aimee Norwich on piccolo, hybrid & regular basses & FX pedals, Jim Devito on keyboard and Ian Cook on drums & percussion. This is the second disc by Ms. Norwich that I've reviewed and again she keeps us guessing as to where to place this disc, stylistically speaking. Ms. Norwich uses several layers of basses, all buzzing together on the quietly hypnotic opener, "Jardin". "Feetprints" features some sly, odd slide bass and is somehow based on Wayne Shorter's "Footprints". Midway, an rather odd drum machine line kicks in and several layers of interlocking bass parts appear. A fuzz-bass coda unexpectedly drops in at the end of the piece. Miles Davis' "Nardis" gets an unusual rendition here, with several layers of bass parts, each one with a much different sound: fretless, fuzzed and drenched in selective echoes. As the layers of basses expand, so does the drums and bells shimmer together until everyone erupts and fades out. Although Ms. Norwich uses minimal instrumentation, every part seems to be integral to the overall quirky and mesmerizing sound. This disc is more of an EP, clocking in at under 25 minutes. Strangely enough it is a fully satisfying effort and again in-between any regular established categories or expectations. Time to play it again. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 
CD $10 

FRANK ZAPPA - Trouble Every Day: Legendary Broadcasts (Laser Media 645; Germany) "Filmed in the 70s. Frank Zappa is one of the most interesting artists in the last 50 years. Famous for his groundbreaking work both with The Mothers of Invention and later in his career as a composer of incredible breadth and imagination working in the genres of rock and classical composition. This DVD contains rare interviews, stories and live clips." Region 0 format. 
DVD $15 

JANIS JOPLIN - Janis: Little Girl Blue (Filmrise 8304; USA) Musician Cat Power narrates this documentary on Janis Joplin's evolution into a star from letters that Joplin wrote over the years to her friends, family, and collaborators. 
DVD $18 

OTIS RUSH & BUDDY GUY - Live In Chicago '88 (Klondike 5058; UK) Otis Rush and Buddy Guy live at the fifth annual Chicago Blues Festival on June 10th, 1988. Given the Windy City's rich blues legacy, it may be surprising to learn that this was only the fifth occasion on which the hugely influential genre was celebrated on one of its true home turfs. As it was, Chicago's 1988 Blues Festival played host to a dazzling showcase of past and present icons. Like Buddy Guy, the wider neglect of Otis Rush's work would eventually give way to a renaissance and built on that, an entire revival by the mid-1980s. Two pathfinders, as unique and important in their own ways as Waters, Wolf and Walter, would finally receive the critical acclaim they so richly deserved. Professionally re-mastered original WBEZ-FM broadcast with background liners and rare archival photos. 
CD $16 

THE RAMONES - Eaten Alive (Smokin' 939; Germany) "But 1976 and 1977, the years of punk in the US and UK, was the group's finest era. And it was towards the end of this era that the show represented on this CD was performed. A live broadcast on FM radio, this recording features perfect sound quality and includes live versions of cuts from the groups first 4 records, all released between 1976 & 1978 - along with a couple of choice covers, with which all fine Ramones gigs were graced."
CD $15 

SLY & ROBBIE - Dub Sessions 1978-1985 (Jamaican Recordings 062; UK) Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are simply known all around the world as Sly and Robbie. They were the musical drum and bass backbone of Reggae since the early 1970's. They have played on more records than any other set of musicians and to such a high standard that few could reach. The third part of the jigsaw is the mighty Bunny 'Striker' Lee who brought these legends together. These rare dubs are taken from the original master tapes. You may have heard the tunes before, but never these versions. So sit back and enjoy reggae musical history in the making. Respect Jah Floyd. 
CD $14 
LP $16 

WEATHER REPORT - Rockpalast, Offenbach 1978 (Made in Germany 80090; Germany) "By September of 1978 Weather Report's headlining status afforded them the opportunity to play a very long set amounting to two hours in length. Given the previous year's success with the poll winning Heavy Weather album one might have expected them to concentrate on this more or less exclusively, but instead, fans were treated to material from right across the bands career and solo spots by everybody. 'Black Market' opens this concert and straight away it's apparent that the energy level is high and the relaxed pace of the studio version has been superseded by a slightly faster tempo. An explosive tenor and drum duet by Shorter and Erskine also forms part of this and must have surely put an end to the feeling in some quarters at the time that the saxophonist was no longer at his best. Also on board were flamboyant electric bassist Jaco Pastorius, a genuine innovator, and newly arrived drummer Peter Erskine a master technician brought into the group to add more of a jazz feel. Joe Zawinul was keen to stress that Weather Reports music was their music, a product of the group's identity, and not simply jazz-rock akin to that of many bands of the time. Although he was known for his strong opinions it's clear that no other group mixed improvisation, formal structures and electronics quite like them. One night in Germany is clear proof of this."
2 CD/DVD $20 

PANHANDLE With CHRIS SPEDDING - Panhandle (Prog Temple 8052) Altough producer Rodger Bain is principally known for his influential collaborations with Black Sabbath and other hard rock acts, in 1971 he oversaw this obscure one-off studio project. Featuring (among others) the legendary guitarist Chris Spedding, bassist Herbie Flowers, singer P. P. Arnold, and even Dudley Moore on keyboards, it's a superb set of tough-edged rock and pop standards, and is reissued here for the first time since its 1972 release. 
CD $16 

KLAUS SCHULZE'S U.S.O. - Privee (Made in Germany 1412; Germany) "Klaus Schulze's U.S.O.Privee originally was released 2000 as part of the strictly limited and long exhausted (wooden) boxset Contemporary Works U.S.O. are Razoof Lear aka Uwe Lehr, Klaus Schulze and Olli Finken aka O'Finken: not a permanent group, but a loose studio session turn, comprising of two members of the Cologne DJ/musician-collective 'Solar Moon System' (SMS) and Klaus Schulze. A circle of friends, allowing a look through the keyhole for the listener - to a spontaneous and inspirational performing electronic theater of improvisation, in which some grinding synthesizer pads, pounding guitars and e-drum-patterns produce maximum dramatic effect. Less is more. Tension is created in the syntheses of ambient, dub, trance and hip hop, through the art of simplicity. Space is created between the notes, the instruments and the musicians in which even the smallest details develop into something hypnotic and fascinating which draws you on and leaves an inner labyrinthine complexity which stays in your head long after the notes have stopped. Bonus track in a stylish digipack."
CD $19 

NURSE WITH WOUND - Chromanatron (Rotorelief 011; France) Chromanatron consists of Nurse With Wound's collages of no less than five albums by the mythical German band Sand from the late '60s and '70s. These five experimental psychedelic krautrock albums include their first oddity, Golem (ROTOR 006CD/LP/BLU-LP/PIC-LP, 1974), which has long been a great source of inspiration for Nurse With Wound. A hallucination on the music of Sand by Andrew Liles and Steven Stapleton, with Ian Hinton-Smith, guitar; Rick Tomlinson, French horn; and Matt Waldron, atmospheric grooves. Recorded at The Bear Den, West Yorkshire. Engineered by Andrew Liles. Cover art and insert art by Babs Santini. CD in six-panel digipak. 
CD $16 

AN ANTHOLOGY OF TURKISH Experimental Music 1961-2014 (Sub Rosa 390; Belgium) This anthology features works by Turkish artists ranging from the electronic music of the 1960s to all forms of experimental music of the 2010s. This is Sub Rosa's second release exploring experimental music by zone or sphere of influence. The constellation built between 2000 and 2012 with Sub Rosa's seven-part Anthology Of Noise & Electronic Music continues to expand through the Early Electronic collection (consisting mostly of tracks composed between the '50s and the '80s) and these "area anthologies," this one released following An Anthology of Chinese Experimental Music 1992-2008 (SR 265CD). This collection covers a much wider time-frame than its predecessor; this is because, in Turkey, two exceptional composers emerged very early on to show the way to future generations that then followed in a piecemeal fashion. Indeed, Bulent Arel and Ilhan Mimaroglu did not have immediate followers. The explosion happened later, through the "serious music" of conservatories and universities (Cenk Ergun, Koray Tahiroglu, Mehmet Can Ozer) and the electronic/noise music avant-garde (Nilufer Ormanli, Utku Tavil) - the great wave of the 2000s and 2010s. The beauty of this collection lies in its multifaceted nature; it features purely formal music, hijacked electronica, remnants of Turkish harmonies, and pieces that are more conceptual or even political (vaguely or strongly) in design. Batur Sonmez and Erdem Helvacioglu have managed to capture this diversity and energy. And it so happens that this profusion of music, related to an urgency to live and think freely, is blooming within an increasingly stifling space. Call it the spectacular beauty of an explosion. Most of the material included here has not been released before. Includes works by Bulent Arel, Ilhan Mimaroglu, Erdem Helvacioglu, Batuhan Bozkurt, Alper Maral, Batur Sonmez, Cenk Ergun, Korhan Erel, Sair Sinan Kestelli, Koray Tahiroglu, Mehmet Can Ozer, Nilufer Ormanli, Utku Tavil, Asaf Zeki Yuksel, SIFIR (Zafer Aracagok), Cem Guney, Tuna Pase, 2/5BZ, Cevdet Erek, Reverie Falls On All, and Burcin Elmas, as well as CD-only works by Tolga Tuzun, Baaar Under, Osman Kaytazoglu, Volkan Ergen, Mete Sezgin, Mors, D2GG, and Meczup. 
2 CD Set $18 

SAND - His First Steps (Rotorrelief 005; USA) Previously unreleased album by German trio Sand, recorded in 1972. His First Steps is a forerunner of Golem (ROTOR 006CD/LP/BLU-LP/PIC-LP), the legendary 1974 album from the cosmic and psychedelic genius that is Sand. After the split of P.O.T., the early Sand submerged as a threesome in the basement of Claudiusstrasse and built up an alchemical assembling shop, where they resurrected the archetypical Golem. Sand considered themselves as an exile community in a fascinating area - full of distinctly bizarre energy. Cover painting by Babs Santini, 2009. 
CD $16 

SAND - Sylph Ballet (Rotorelief 008; France) Previously unreleased album from the '70s by German trio Sand. Still in the mythical landscapes, Sand not only created Golem (ROTOR 006CD/LP/BLU-LP/PIC-LP, 1974), who was a being of the earth. Something else pulsated with a different energy of oscillation. The invisible beings of the air performed their dances. The Golem was large, mighty and of compact matter. He needed an external spirit to be navigated. Sylph creatures moved with the clouds and the wind -- from gentle breezes to violent storms, always sensitive to the chimes of the motions. The sylphs are the children of the moonlight as well as the elves with broken wings. The Sylph Ballet is riding upon ethereal horses and its airy spirit comes true in dawn levitation. There is something magical and inexplicable in creation, and Sand absolutely manifest these mysterious phenomena. Storytellers, musicians, shamans, geniuses -- Sand were known, at the end of the '60s, as P.O.T. (Part of Time). Then Sand - Ludwig Papenberg, his brother Ulrich Papenberg, and Johannes Vester -- developed a more avant-gardist, proto-industrial, visionary, experimental approach, becoming a truly unique entity in the history of music. Not dependent on a classic krautrock style, Sand is nevertheless part of this movement of German cosmic/psychedelic bands, in addition to being the originators of proto-industrial musics. Johannes Vester: lyrics, vocals, guitar, VCS3, harmonium, collateral piano, natural brooklet. Ludwig Papenberg: guitar, drums, collateral piano, VCS3, bubbling brook. Ulrich Papenberg: bass, generator. Guest: Jorg Welz: grand piano. Mastered by Herve de Keroullas. Layout by Frederic Tacer. Cover painting by Babs Santini, 2009. CD in six-panel digipak. 
CD $16 

SAND - North Atlantic Raven (Rotorelief 009; USA) Previously unreleased album by German trio Sand, composed and recorded in 1973, '75, and '76. The once-croaking raven now flies silently over the ocean, higher and higher. Where are you rolling, sun-ball, and why don't you fall? The sandy Golem crumbled into dust. His brave struggle against the mighty forces of darkness soon dissolved in voiceless space. There is something magical and inexplicable in creation, and Sand absolutely manifest these mysterious phenomena. Storytellers, musicians, shamans, geniuses -- Sand were known, at the end of the '60s, as P.O.T. (Part of Time). Then Sand -- Ludwig Papenberg, his brother Ulrich Papenberg, and Johannes Vester -- developed a more avant-gardist, proto-industrial, visionary, experimental approach, becoming a truly unique entity in the history of music. Not dependent on a classic krautrock style, Sand is nevertheless part of this movement of German cosmic/psychedelic bands, in addition to being the originators of proto-industrial musics. Johannes Vester: vocals, guitar, VCS3. Ludwig Papenberg: congas, VCS3, drum box, guitar, organ. Ulrich Papenberg: bass. Guests on "High Tension": Klaus Pankau, electric guitar; Micky Westphal, bass; Dietmar Burmeister, drums. Cover painting by Babs Santini. CD in six-panel digipak. 
CD $16 

BERNIE SCHWARTZ - The Wheel (Zeitgeist 9107; UK) By the time he released this solo album in 1970, Bernie Schwartz was a veteran of the Hollywood music scene, having collaborated with The Everly Brothers on some unsuccessful singles, written songs for The East Side Kids and The Yellow Payges, and played with psych-pop band The Comfortable Chair. Co-produced with Wesley Watt and Bill Lincoln of Euphoria, The Wheel effortlessly spans wild psychedelic rock and gentle ballads. Expertly written, played, and sung, it's a lost classic, reissued here for the first time. 
CD $17 

BACK IN STOCK: 

FRED FRITH/JEAN-PIERRE DROUET - Improvisations (Transes/Buda Musique 012; France) Outstanding improv duo of Frith on prepared guitars, violin & voice with Jean-Pierre on assorted percussion. They met through scenographer Claudine Brahem. These are two obvious masters of European style free improv. Ultra selective noise, small sounds and large explosions. A meeting of chance elements that erupt and combine forces, always adhering to an inner logic. Identifiable sounds, alien sounds, disembodied voices, odd string manipulation and percussive sonorities. An impressive avant excursion. 
CD $17 

Overstock Sale: 

ANTHONY BRAXTON With TAYLOY HO BYNUM/MARY HALVORSON/JESSICA PAVONE/JAY ROZEN/CARL TESTA/AARON SIEGEL - 3 Compositions [EEMHM] 2011 [3 CD Set](Firehouse12 01-02-020; USA) In the lengthy liner notes for this demanding three disc set, Mr. Braxton explains the way the Echo Echo Mirror House Music [EEMHM] works. There are several layers of interconnected material involved here and it takes time to absorb all of the information that is going on at the same time. Mr. Braxton calls this music/system, the culmination of fifty years of music making/composing. The music here combines elements of his past works (via iPods) with his current (as of 2011) seven-piece ensemble, the results of which project a version of the future. Although this music is very demanding for the "listener experiencer" (as Braxton calls us), Mr. Braxton says that we should take time to get used to the information (overload) flow. I am currently listening to "Composition No. 372" (disc 1) for the third time in a row. Although it is often dense, it is becoming easier to hear all of the many layers each time I dive in. If you concentrate on one or two instruments, like the soloist, it becomes easier to navigate the rapids. I do recognize certain older Braxton pieces from the mid-seventies to Ghost Trance Music of the last Braxton wave, which rise and fall though out this set. Mr. Braxton is the main soloist in the first section and is in strong, spirited form. Several of his more recent (last decade or so) collaborators are also integral to complex interaction and strong soloists erupting in different places. At times, it sounds as if there are different forces battling for attention, yet there is an underlying system or logic going on which holds this together. Like surfing on a tidal wave and trying not to drown. It is completely exhilarating! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 
3 CD Set $33 (On sale until we run out, 5 left) 

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Trillium J [4 CD + Blu-Ray Set + Thick Booklet] (Firehouse12 NBH 906; USA) "Trillium J (The Unconfessionables) is Braxton's latest opera, presented in four acts and four CDs (the included Blue-Ray disc of a concert performance at Roulette in Brooklyn). Braxton is hardly a conventional storyteller, and in fact he outlines 14 manners of breaking the time continuum in the lengthy liner notes here. But one thing that might often be missed in his dense operas, rife with social commentary and cosmic consciousness, is that they are often quite funny." - Kurt Gottschalk, Downbeat 
For the past few weeks, I've listened to one act of "Trillium J" each evening before hitting the sack. Considering that I've listened to so little opera outside of Alban Berg's two major works, I have been completely entranced by Mr. Braxton's current opera release. There is so much going on here: 12 singers, several different ensembles, solo instrumentalists, dancers, guards, choir, computer music, etc. It will take a while to fully absorb. Each act involves a different story and setting, both history-based and fictional. Each of the twelve main vocalists are unique and flesh-out a different character in each of the for acts. Now that Mr. Braxton is retired from teaching at Wesleyan, he can concentrate on finishing more version of his Trillium opus, one for each letter of the alphabet. This is just third and each one has so many layers of ideas to consider. A toast to Mr. Anthony Braxton for all of the great work he has left us and future generations to enjoy. Bravo, bravo, bravo!!! - BLG/DMG 
4 CD + Blu-Ray Set $100 (On sale until we run out, 4 left now) 

SWQ [SANDRA WEISS/JONATHAN MORITZ/KENNY WARREN/SEAN ALI/CARLO COSTA] - Ramble (Leo 738; UK) The SWQ feature Sandra Weiss on alto sax & bassoon, Jonathan Moritz on soprano & tenor saxes, Kenny Warren on trumpet, Sean Ali on double bass and Carlo Costa on drums. I didn't recognize the name of the leader here but I do know the other members of this quintet from different sessions: Mr. Moritz (with Nate Wooley & Trio Caveat), Warren (Ben Stapp & Nashaz), Ali (PascalAli & Natura Morta) and Costa (Shayna Dulberger & a bandleader himself). This disc is mainly improvised since all of the members share the writing credits. Sometimes improvised sessions don't sound necessarily improvised. This often depends on the direction of the leader and the chosen collaborators. "Water in Tubes" opens with a spacious, suspense-filled aura. Selective lower-case sounds carefully dispersed. The piece remains mysterious as the odd sounds grow more dense. Most of the playing is experimental, odd sounds or extended techniques and often it is hard to tell who is who. Many of the sounds are closely mic'd, the recording warm and well-balanced. It takes some time to be used to the way things evolve here: slowly and carefully. Impressive nonetheless. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG 
CD $10 

Heavy Duty LP Only Section for Vinyl Lovers World-Wide: 

ROOT HOG OR DIE - 100 Songs, 100 Years - An Alan Lomax Centennial Tribute (Mississippi Records 060; USA) "In celebration of Alan Lomax's 100th birthday, Mississippi Records is proud to present a 6 LP box set featuring 100 of his finest field recordings. Previously unreleased tracks by Bob Dylan, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Southern Drum and Fife Corps, Bill Broonzy, Rosa Lee Hill, Dennis McGee, Jean Ritchie, Shirley Collins, Bukka White, Vera Ward Hall, The Georgia Sea Island Singers, Son House and many more. 55 unreleased tracks in all on this set! Also features hard to find tracks by Skip James. Fred McDowell, Almeda Riddle, Duke of Iron, Jeannie Robertson, Bessie Jones, Texas Gladden, and many more. This set was lovingly compiled by Nathan Salsburg from the Alan Lomax archive's deep well of material. Only top notch recordings. Limited to 1,000 copies worldwide. Set features : 6 LP's in their own record sleeves highlighting beautiful photography from the Lomax Archive; Remastered audio by Timothy Stollenwerk; A 28 page booklet with many photos, an essay by Alan Lomax, a chronology of all of Lomax's field recording trips, and liner notes by Nathan Salsburg; A heavy duty standard 'candy box' style outer box."
6 LP Box Set $100 

JOHN COLTRANE - Dusseldorf March 28th 1960 (Doxy 2061; Russian Federation) This 1960 set recorded live in Dusseldorf captures the evolution of John Coltrane's journey from sideman to bandleader. Coltrane was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight when Miles Davis was unable play that day. It's basically a performance of the Miles Davis Quintet without Davis. The lineup includes Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. This European tour was billed as "Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic Presents Jazz Winners of 1960." Two of the other "Jazz Winners" were Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson, both of whom join Coltrane and the band near the end of the Dusseldorf set. 
LP $21 

MILES DAVIS & JOHN COLTRANE - Copenhagen March 24th 1960 (Doxy 29=062; Russian Fed. 2062; Russian Federation) An astounding performance by the Miles Davis Quintet, including John Coltrane, recorded live in Copenhagen. This is one of the few 1960 recordings by the legendary formation in its only European tour, before Coltrane's departure to form his own band; one can hear the master musician just on the cusp of breaking forward to his more progressive-leaning phase, while still completely rooted in tradition. A must-have! 
LP $21 

ALBERT AYLER - My Name Is Albert Ayler (Jeanne Dielman 101; UK) Originally released in 1964, My Name Is Albert Ayler is the debut album by legendary free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler. Recorded in Copenhagen with a Scandinavian rhythm section, this album sets the stage for the sheer brilliance that was to come. Although the backing band plays fairly straight-ahead bop and feels out of place at times, it doesn't detract from the program as a whole, as Ayler's singular sound shines through. This is especially true on the absolutely stunning version of "Summertime." An essential piece of the unique Albert Ayler puzzle, documenting one of the most important jazz musicians of the 20th century. 
LP $21 

SUN RA - The Saturn Singles Vol. 1: 1954-1958 (Jeanne Dielman 103; Italy) Herman Poole Blount, better known to the world as Sun Ra, lived more musical lives in his 79 years on this planet (and others) than seems possible. In the '30s he was the most rigorous bandleader in Birmingham, heading the Sonny Blount Orchestra and filling every waking moment with music or philosophical discussions; by the '40s he had moved to Chicago and performed with luminaries such as Wynonie Harris, Fletcher Henderson, and Coleman Hawkins. By the '50s he had changed his name to Sun Ra and began performing with longtime Arkestra bandmates John Gilmore and Marshall Allen. Sun Ra started his own label, El Saturn (or Saturn), to release his own recordings as well as those featuring the Arkestra backing local R&B and doo-wop groups. Though the genres showcased here are more pop than the world has come to expect from Sun Ra, the vibe and feel is purely cosmic, producing some of the wildest, strangest R&B ever created this side of the sun. Essential early Sun Ra performances and productions, 1954-1958. 
LP $21 

OREN AMBARCHI/STEFANO PILIA/MASSIMO PUPILLO - Aithein (Karl Records 023; Germany) Oren Ambarchi, Stefano Pilia, and Massimo Pupillo (Zu) team up for an instrumental trip bridging post-rock, drone, and improvisation. Limited 180-gram LP in silk-screened sleeve with artwork by Sara D'Uva. Includes download code. Since the late '90s Oren Ambarchi has been exploring new ground as composer and multi-instrumentalist (mainly focusing on guitar), fusing a wide range of influences and inspiration from improvisation, contemporary music, modern electronics, and rock, and has been building an impressive catalog of solo and collaborative albums with such acclaimed artists as Keiji Haino, John Zorn, Otomo Yoshihide, Jim O'Rourke, Phill Niblock, Evan Parker, and Sunn O))). Bassist Massimo Pupillo has gained high reputation as founding member of Italian jazz-core trio Zu and in different projects and collaborations with F.M. Einheit, Mats Gustafsson, Lasse Marhaug, and both Brotzmanns (Peter and Caspar). Last but not least there's Stefano Pilia on guitar, member of the Belfi/Grubbs/Pilia trio and collaborator of Mike Watt (in Il Sogno del Marinaio), Rokia Traoro, David Tibet, John Parish, and Giuseppe Ielasi. On Aithein, recorded live in Bologna in April 2015, the three embark on a captivating trip that starts quietly with reductive sounds only to raise volume and intensity on its way toward a cathartic peak. Oren Ambarchi: guitar, drums; Stefano Pilia: guitar; Massimo Pupillo: bass. 
LP $21 

JOAN LA BARBARA - Voice Is The Original Instrument (Arc Light Editions 005; UK) 'Voice Is The Original Instrument' was the first record released by Joan La Barbara in 1976 on Wizard Records. This is the first time the original LP, with artwork, has been made available again. It has since become iconic as one of the initial examples of extended vocal techniques in experimental music. The human voice is the only instrument on the recordings. The works on Voice is the Original Instrument were some of Joan's earliest compositions, researching the possibilities of the voice, in two rigorous etudes, "Circular Song" and "Voice Piece: One-Note Internal Resonance Investigation", and the more free-form "Vocal Extensions", which uses live electronic processing. "My reason for producing the LP was to get my music out to the world beyond NYC and the major cities in which I was playing concerts," she says. "At that time, Carla Bley and Michael Mantler had started JCOA/New Music Distribution Service which handled small independent labels, so there were quite a few artists in the NYC area who were producing their own albums and distributing them through that service." Just out of college and living in a Soho loft in New York, Joan began playing shows in New York with jazz and rock musicians, and with those in the new music scene. "I did commercials, which, strangely enough, led me to Steve Reich," she says. "A composer I was working with, Michael Sahl hired me to do some radio commercials and suggested me to Reich who was looking for singers who could imitate instruments, which was something I had been working on for some time and was part of my exploration of the voice. I worked with Reich on the development of "Drumming", imitating the marimba."
LP $29 

TONY CONRAD WITH FAUST - Outside The Dream Syndicate (Superior Viaduct 048; USA) "Violinist, composer and filmmaker Tony Conrad started his career in New York in the early 1960s. As a member of the Theater of Eternal Music (a.k.a. the Dream Syndicate) alongside John Cale, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela and Angus MacLise, he participated in now-legendary and often legendarily loud drone performances with many pieces having no beginning and no end. During a fateful trip to Germany in 1972, Conrad met with avant-rock visionaries Faust and made the very first record to bear his name. Outside The Dream Syndicate, originally released in Europe only in 1973, is a stunning debut. Two side-long tracks -- 'The Side Of Man And Womankind' and 'The Side Of The Machine' -- show just how far Conrad had moved beyond his minimalist peers. Werner Diermaier's repetitive drum beat and Jean-Herve Peron's stripped-down bassline conjure a tense, ascetic groove, while Conrad's seamless violin, initially so controlled, reveals a surprising adaptability. The music shifts almost on a subliminal level, pushing and pulling to the drone's internal pulse. It is hard to imagine Conrad's trajectory from downtown Manhattan to a farmhouse in the German countryside that ultimately resulted in Outside The Dream Syndicate, yet no other record captures -- so completely and instantly -- the intersection of avant-garde and rock forms. Outside The Dream Syndicate remains ahead of and bracingly outside of its time. This first-time vinyl reissue and long out-of-print CD release have been carefully been carefully mastered from the original master tapes and include liner notes by musician Jim O'Rourke and author Branden W. Joseph."
LP $25 

LYDIA LUNCH & MARC HURTADO - My Lover the Killer (Munster 361; Spain) Limited edition of 1200. My Lover the Killer is the first full-length duo collaboration between Lydia Lunch and Marc Hurtado (Etant Donnes), who first worked together on the 1999 album Re-Up by Etant Donnes. My Lover the Killer features Terry Edwards (Gallon Drunk), Ian White (Gallon Drunk), Mark Cunningham, We Are Birds of Paradise, and David Lackner. Lydia Lunch on the album's origins: "What began as a loose musical concept in the summer of 2012 became a prophecy written in blood by November of the same year. My Lover the Killer is a late night noir confessional. Sinister, sexy and mysterious, the music slithers, erupts and caresses the seductive vocals as they relay twisted tales rife with innuendo, promises and threats. The text is based on the murder/suicide of an ex-lover whom I had recently contacted for the first time in over a decade. Caught in the early fall hurricane which leveled the East Coast of America while enroute to Los Angeles, I had sent an invitation proposing that we meet for drinks. Two days later, during a alcohol fueled fight with his girlfriend about whether or not he should come to see me, he shot and killed her, called the police, turned the gun on himself, and died the next day on his 55th birthday. A tragic event, which My Lover The Killer attempts to make sense of. Each song is a rumination on the frightening effects of a mad love spun out of control and the haunting remnants of a lover who still stalks from beyond the grave." Shape-shifting nomad Lydia Lunch, a musician, writer, photographer, and performer, burst onto the New York music scene in 1977 with her seminal no wave group Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. She has since worked with a wide variety of collaborators, including Karen Finley; Hubert Selby, Jr.; Nick Cave; and Virginie Despentes. Marc Hurtado is a musician, performer, poet, painter, and filmmaker who cofounded the French duo Etant Donnes with his brother Eric in 1977. Apart from this duo and his solo project Sol Ixent, he has collaborated with many cult figures including Alan Vega, Genesis P-Orridge, Michael Gira (Swans), Gabi Delgado (DAF), Z'EV, Philippe Grandrieux, and Vomir. 
2 LP Set $28 

MASAHIKO SATO & WOLFGANG DAUNER - Pianology (Victory 9030; Italy) Masahiko Satoh's fourth album is a duet with German pianist and composer Wolfgang Dauner. Dauner is one of the very early European avant-garde jazz pianists, and he recorded the first free jazz album in Germany back in 1964. Dauner played with Eberhard Weber and Jean-Luc Ponty, and in the late '60s, he experimented with choral music. Being a passionate innovator and experimenter, in 1970 he discovered electronic devices and started using them in his music. He experimented with ring-modulated Hohner clavinets and pianos and recorded several albums for ECM. During his Japanese tour in spring 1971, he met one of the most advanced Japanese pianists of that time, Masahiko Satoh. The five compositions on this album were recorded in Tokyo in March 1971, but were not released until that autumn. It's interesting that a few months later, Masahiko Satoh will record and release his best-known, and in some sense, legendary album, Amalgamation (ASH 3040CD) -- an eclectic mix of musical genres and sounds that was probably influenced by his earlier collaboration with Dauner. Pianology, released soon after Amalgamation, wasn't as strong in comparison, and stayed in its shade for decades. Pianology is a collection of freeform classical and jazz piano duo improvs, spiced with ring modulator sounds. Includes printed inner sleeve. 
LP $24 

PETER CUSACK - After Being In Holland For Two Years (Blume 003; Italy) Peter Cusack's debut long-player from 1977 is a peek into one of the most varied and experimental musical scrapbooks one is likely to hear. Infused with natural sounds and a healthy dose of musical abstraction, this record defies categorization. A solo album of guitar and environmental sounds; a montage filled with montages where references to and resonances of varied, often disparate sound-worlds spill in every direction. The music manages to be both blatant and covert at the same time; it's clearly, acutely disjointed and polyvocal yet strangely out of focus in regard to intent. But that's the thing about montages: by having nothing lead causally, conventionally to the next, a radical, imaginary simultaneity occurs; one continues to experience the presence of each previous section (even though they're no longer audible) even as a new one abruptly presents itself -- all this without the actual physical interference that happens with visual collage. After Being In Holland For Two Years is presented here for the first time since its initial pressing as a green LP in a Nagaoka anti-static record sleeve contained within a full-color sleeve with obi strip and fold-up tri-panel inner sleeve. This edition includes extensive new liner notes by Toronto-based composer-performer Martin Arnold -- writing that complements the utterly singular notes Cusack provided for the initial release, which are reproduced here as well. Peter Cusack is an improvising guitarist, field recording artist, and occasional whistler. He founded Bead Records in 1974 to release the only LP by A Touch Of The Sun, his short-lived duo with clarinetist Simon Mayo, but the label went on to become a collectively run initiative that produced more than 30 albums of improvised music. The following year he was among those who founded both the journal Musics and the London Musicians Collective, both of which were important focal points for London's nascent improvising community. Cusack was a member of the eclectic freeform group Alterations with Steve Beresford, Terry Day, and David Toop, as well as their irreverent seaside covers spin-off The Promenaders. He formed significant musical relationships with instrument builder Max Eastley, multi-wind instrumentalist Clive Bell, vocalist Vivienne Corringham, and sampling trombone player and composer Nicholas Collins. 
LP $22 

ALESSANDRA NOVAGA - Movimenti Lunari (Blume 004; Italy) Alessandra Novaga delivers a stunning LP, a compelling investigation of her resonantly spacious guitar playing that dismantles the instrument's unique properties through relentlessness. Movimenti Lunari speaks of the relentlessness of natural forces. Something that seems to have no development, but instead advances inexorably. A form developing out of a memory progressively coming into focus; never still, constantly pulsating and vibrating with new elements. Beyond any rational, analytic thought, a sound that belongs to remembrance. Sandro Mussida's "In Memoria" questions this relationship between movement and stillness in the form of a piece of music. The piece is a meditation on memory, technology, and sound; the repeating theme recalls bells chiming over and over, drawn out into lines as long as the horizon. Francesco Gagliardi's "Untitled, January" speaks of a sound evoked by an image. A photograph. A foggy landscape seen from a train. Accompanied by a single instruction: "A drone, or drones. Any duration." Simultaneously timely and timeless, Movimenti Lunari has the feel of artistic invention, a canvas of delicacy melding into intense streams of sound. Includes obi strip. 
LP $22