Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Favorite Records of 2020:
MARY HALVORSON’S CODE GIRL with ROBERT WYATT / AMIRA KIDAMBI / MARIA GRAND / ADAM O’FARRILL / MICHAEL FORMANEK / TOMAS FUJIWARA - Artlessly Falling (Firehouse 12 04-01-034; USA)
SUSAN ALCORN QUINTET with MARY HALVORSON / MARK FELDMAN / MICHAEL FORMANEK / RYAN SAWYER - Pedernal (Relative Pitch 1111; USA) CD
INGRID LAUBROCK with ZEENA PARKINS / CORY SMYTHE / SAM PLUTA / JOSH MODNEY / ROBERT LANFERMANN / EOS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA - Dreamt Twice, Twice Dreamt (Intakt 355; Switzerland) - 2 CD Set
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS QUARTET with ARUAN ORTIZ / BRAD JONES / CHAD TAYLOR - Molecular (Intakt 350; Switzerland)
KEITH TIPPETT with JULIE TIPPETTS / PAUL DUNMALL / CHRIS BISCOE / KEVIN FIGES / BEN WAGHORN and THE APOLLO SAXOPHONE QUARTET - The Monk Watches the Eagle - A BBC Recording (Discus 102; UK)
SOFT WORKS with ELTON DEAN / ALLAN HOLDSWORTH / HUGH HOPPER / JOHN MARSHALL - ‘Abracadabra In Osaka’ (MoonJune; USA) - 2 CD Set
RAOUL BJORKENHEIM with EMANUELE PARRINI / SILVIA BOLOGNESI / TIZIANO TONONI - Solar Winds (Long Song Records 154; Italy) CD
KAZE with NATSUKI TAMURA / CHRISTIAN PRUVOST / SATOKO FUJII / PETER ORINS & IKUE MORI - Sand Storm (Libra/Circum Disc 205; Japan/France)
MARS WILLIAMS with NYC GROUP: STEVE SWELL / NELS CLINE / FRED LONBERG-HOLM / HILLIARD GREENE / CHRIS CORSANO plus CHICAGO GROUP: JOSH BERMAN / JIM BAKER / KENT KESSLER / BRIAN SANDSTORM / STEVE HUNT / et al - An Ayler Xmas Vol. 4 - Chicago vs N.Y.C. (Astral Spirits 154; USA) Today (11/18/20) 2 CD Set
NATE WOOLEY with SAMARA LUBESKI / C. SPENCER YEH / SUSAN ALCORN / AVA MENDOZA / JULIEN DESPREZ / CHRIS CORSANO / BEN HALL / RYAN SAWYER / YOON SUN CHOI / et al - Seven Story Mountain VI (Pyroclastic Records 11; USA)
TISZIJI MUNOZ / DON PATE / RA KALAM BOB MOSES - Drop Dead (Anami Music 062; USA) - CD
ANTHONY PROG with MICHAEL FORMANEK / CHES SMITH - Pocket Poem (Cuneiform 468; USA) - CD
JOHN ZORN with CLAIRE CHASE / DAVID FULMER / CORY SMYTHE / MIRANDA CUCKSON / IKUE MORI / SIMON HANES / et al - Les Maudits (Tzadik 8373; USA) CD
THUMBSCREW with MARY HALVORSON / MICHAEL FORMANEK / TOMAS FUJIWARA - The Anthony Braxton Project (Cuneiform Rune 475; USA) CD
QUIN KIRCHNER with JASON STEIN / NICK MAZZARELLA / GREG WARD / NICK BROSTE / ROB CLEARFIELD / MATT ULERY / NATE LEPINE - The Shadows and The Light (Astral Spirits 135; USA) 2 CD set
TIM BERNE’S SNAKEOIL with OSCAR NOREIGA / MATT MITCHELL / CHES SMITH - The Deceptive 4 Live (Intakt 358; Switzerland) - 2 CD Set
CECIL TAYLOR / TONY OXLEY - “…being astral and all registers - power of two…†/ Live at the Ulrichsberg Festival, May 10th, 2002 (Discus 106; UK)
JOHN ZORN // JAY CAMPBELL / MICHAEL NICOLAS JORGE ROEDER / CHES SMITH - Azoth (Tzadik 8375; USA) CD
NELS CLINE SINGERS with SKERIK / BRIAN MARSELLA / TREVOR DUNN / SCOTT AMENDOLA / CYRO BAPTISTA - Share the Wealth (Blue Note B0044802; USA) CD
JAH WOBBLE & BILL LASWELL with INVADERS OF THE HEART / PETER APFELBAUM / HIDEO YAMAKI // et al - Realm of Spells (Jah Wobble 400711; UK) CD
ALAN BRAUFMAN with COOPER-MOORE / JAMES BRANDON LEWIS / KEN FILIANO / ANDREW DRURY - The Fire Still Burns (Valley of Search 004; USA) CD
JAIMIE BRANCH FLY or DIE with LESTER ST. LOUIS / JASON AJEMIAN / CHAD TAYLOR / et al - II: Bird Dogs of Paradise (International Anthem 027; USA) CD
ANNA WEBBER / ANGELA MORRIS BIG BAND with LISA PARROTT / ADAM O’FARRILL / KENNY WARREN / PATRICIA BRENNAN / DUSTIN CARLSON / MARC HANNAFORD / ADAM HOPKINS / JEFF DAVIS / et al - Both Are True (Greenleaf 1075; USA) - CD
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Up until the mid-1990’s, my Best Of Vocal lists could have as many as 100 records listed in one year!?! All sorts of vocal recordings: rock, folk, blues, country, jazz, old & new psych, reggae, lots of ethnic music as well as much experimental or avant vocalists. Although I still read Mojo, Uncut, Ugly Things and Shindig, I only get to hear a small amount of current singers or bands. It seems strange to me that the only two songs I heard in the past year of so that really got to me, I heard in my Senior’s exercise class at the Y: “Shake it Off†by Taylor Swift and “Happy†by Pharrell and neither are very new. I have been on a mission for the past six months to listen to every Grateful Dead concert, starting at the beginning (1965/1966) and listen to them in chronological order, perhaps 1 show per night or every other night. I am currently checking out June of 1969 and it has been fascinating to watch/listen to the Dead evolve, one show at a time since they never play any song the same way twice. I keep the Robert Hunter book of lyrics around as well since I am trying to understand the words to every song and figure out the American Mythology that he is working with. As you can see at the beginning of every newsletter where I chose the lyrics to one song that resonates with me, I am always searching for the meaning of life in poetry and lyrics. Hence, I keep going back to my old faves: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Capt. Beefheart, Roy Harper, Robert Wyatt, Peter Blegvad, John Kay, Tom Rapp, etc. In the past week I have been checking out Peggy Lee, Bob Wills, Mike Patto and the Staple Singers. Will wonders never cease!?! - BLG
BLG’s Favorite Vocal Releases of 2020:
MARY HALVORSON’S CODE GIRL with ROBERT WYATT / AMIRA KIDAMBI / MARIA GRAND / ADAM O’FARRILL / MICHAEL FORMANEK / TOMAS FUJIWARA - Artlessly Falling (Firehouse 12 04-01-034; USA)
JULIE TIPPETTS & MARTIN ARCHER with PETER FAIRCLOUGH / SETH BENNETT / GARY HOUGHTON / MICHAEL SOMERSET WARD / Et Al - Vestigium (Discus 48; UK) 2 CD Set
BOB DYLAN - Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia 19439780982; USA) 2 CD Set
NICK CAVE and The BAD SEEDS - Ghosteen (Nick Cave.Com/Awal Recordings LTD: UK) 2 CD Set
HEROES ARE GANG LEADERS with THOMAS SAYERS ELLIS / JAMES BRANDON LEWIS / LUKE STEWART / WARREN “TRAE†CRUDUP III / MELANIE DYER / DEVIN BRAHJA WALDMAN / et al WILLIAM PARKER / JAIMIE BRANCH / ANNE WALDMAN - Artificial Happiness Button (Ropeadope 81526; USA) - CD
MEREDITH MONK & VOCAL ENSEMBLE / BANG ON A CAN ALL-STARS - Memory Game (Cantaloupe 21153; USA)
PERE UBU with DAVID THOMAS / GARY SIPERKO / ROBERT WHEELER / MICHELE TEMPLE / STEVE MEHLMAN KEITH MOLINE / GAGARIN / DARRYL BOON - By Order of Mayor Pawlicki - Live in Jarocin (Cherry Red Records Bred 802; UK) - 2 CD Set
ROBERT ASHLEY with JOAN LA BARBARA / TOM HAMILTON / THOMAS BUCKNER / AMY X NEUBERG / JACQUELINE HUMBERT / et al - Foreign Experiences (Lovely Music 5003; USA) - CD
FAY VICTOR'S SOUNDNOISEFUNK with JOE MORRIS / SAM NEWSOME / REGGIE NICHOLSON - We've Had Enough! (ESP-Disk 5042; USA)
KRISTO RODZEVSKI with MARY HALVORSON / BILL LASWELL / IKUE MORI / TOMAS FUJIWARA - Hubris (MOD Reloaded 102; USA) CD
DARSHAN with BASYA SCHECHTER / SHANIR BLUMENKRANZ / JASON LINDNER / JESSICA LURIE / AARON JOHNSTON / MATHIAS KUNZLI / DANIEL FREEDMAN / et al - Raza (Chant Records 004; USA) - CD
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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Reissues & Historic Recordings for 2020:
KEITH TIPPETT - The Unlonely Raindancer (Discus 81; UK)
MILFORD GRAVES & DON PULLEN - The Complete Yale Concert, 1966 (CvsD; USA) - CD
ARTHUR DOYLE TRIO with CHARLES STEPHENS / RASHIED SINAN - Nature Boy (Homeboy Music; UK)
SAM RIVERS QUINTET with JOE DALEY / DAVE HOLLAND / BARRY ALTSCHUL / CHARLIE PERSIP - Zenith (NoBusiness 124; Lithuania) - CD
CHARLES MINGUS with ERIC DOLPHY / CLIFFORD JORDAN / JOHNNY COLES / JACK WALRATH / GEORGE ADAMS / DON PULLEN / JAKI BYARD / DANNIE RICHMOND - @ Bremen 1964 & 1975 (Sunnyside 1570; USA) - 4 CD Set
COMPANY with DEREK BAILEY / EVAN PARKER / HUGH DAVIES / JOELLE LEANDRE / PETER BROTZMANN / JD PARRAN / VINKO GLOBOKAR / ERNST REIJSEGER - 1983 (Honest Jon’s Records 215; UK) - 2 LP Set
HORACE TAPSCOTT and The PAN AFRIKAN’S PEOPLES ARKESTRA with ADELE SEBASTIAN / JESSE SHARPS / GARY BIAS / RED CALLENDER / LINDA HILL / et al - Ancestral Echoes: The Covina Sessions, 1976 (Dark Tree 13; France)
MUSICA ELETTRONICA VIVA with ALVIN CURRAN / FREDERIC RZEWSKI / RICHARD TEITELBAUM STEVE LACY / GARRETT LIST / KARL BERGER - United Patchwork (Alternative Fox 022; UK) - 2 LP Set
RASHIED ALI / FRANK LOWE - Duo Exchange (Survival Records 501; USA) - 2 LP Set
LONDON JAZZ COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA with BARRY GUY / EVAN PARKER / DEREK BAILEY / KENNY WHEELER / PAUL RUTHERFORD / HARRY BECKETT / MARK CHARIG / MIKE GIBBS / TREVOR WATTS / MIKE OSBORNE / HOWARD RILEY / JEFF CLYNE / TONY OXLEY / JOHN STEVENS / et al - That Time (Not Two MW 1001; Poland) CD
MASAYUKI TAKAYANAGI NEW DIRECTION UNIT - Axis / Another Revolvable Thing (Blank Forms 015-16; USA) 2 CD Set
KEITH TIPPETT with JULIE TIPPETTS / PAUL DUNMALL / HOWARD RILEY / KREUTZER STRING QUARTET - 1947 - 2020 (FMR 587; UK) - 4 CD Set
TONY OXLEY with BARRY GUY / PHILIPP WACHSMANN / IAN BRIGHTON / DAVID BOURNE - February Papers (Discus 99; UK) CD
SOHO SCENE 66-67 with STAN TRACEY QT / RONNIE SCOTT / JOHN SURMAN QT / NEIL ARDLEY / TONY COE/ DICK MORRISSEY QT / PRINCE LASHA / ERIC KLOSS / JOE HARRIOTT / et al - Jazz Goes Mod (1960’s Records 062; UK) - 4 CD set
MODERN JAZZ QUINTET KARLSRUHE with HERBERT JOOS / WILFRIED EICHHORN / HELMUTH ZIMMER / CLAUS BUHLER / RUDI THEILMANN - Complete Recordings (NoBusiness 129-131; Lithuania) 3 CD set
EVAN PARKER / MATS GUSTAFSSON / JOE McPHEE / PETER BROTZMANN / THE THING / KEN VANDERMARK / LEAN LEFT / YOSHIMI O / FREE FALL / SONIC YOUTH / CHICAGO TENTET / LASSE MARHAUG / et al - Actions for Free Jazz (Smalltown Superjazz 250; UK) LP
JIMMY GIUFFRE with JIM HALL / BUDDY COLLETTE / AL COHN / SHORTY ROGERS / ART FARMER / JOE WILDER / WENDELL MARSHALL / JIMMY ROWLES / RALPH PENA / STAN LEVEY / SHELLY MANNE / et al - The Atlantic and Verve Collection (Enlightenment 9191; EEC) - 4 CD set
ALBERT AYLER with CHARLES TYLER / DONALD AYLER / HENRY GRIMES / GARY PEACOCK / SUNNY MURRAY - Spirit Rejoice & Bells Revisited (Hat Ezz-Thetics 1109; Switzerland) CD
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Bruce Less Gallanter’s Essential Box sets of 2020:
NOT TWO… with PETER BROTZMANN / MATS GUSTAFSSON / BARRY GUY / MAYA HOMBERGER / JOELLE LEANDRE / AGUSTI FERNANDEZ / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / KEN VANDERMARK / STEVE SWELL / et al - Not Two But Twenty! Festival Wlen, Poland September 21-23, 2018 (Not Two MW 1000-2; Poland) - 5 CD Set
ANTHONY BRAXTON / EUGENE CHADBOURNE - “Duo (Improv) 2017†(New Braxton House; USA) - 8 CD set
THE METERS - Gettin’ Funkier All the Time - The Complete Josie/Reprise & Warner Recordings 1968-1977 (SoulMusic Records 9089006; USA) - 6 CD Set
THE HARRY SMITH B-SIDES - s/t (Dust-to-Digital 051; USA) 4 CD Set Book
JOE CASTRO with GORGE HANDY / PAUL BLEY SOLO & TRIO / RAY ELLIS / NEAL HEFTI ORCHESTRAS / BOB COOPER ENSEMBLE / PAUL CHAMBERS / PHILLY JOE JONES / LAWRENCE MARABLE / LEROY VINNEGAR / NAT & CANNONBALL ADDERLEY / TEDDY EDWARDS / BILLY HIGGINS / PAUL MOTIAN / et al - Passion Flower for Doris Duke (Sunnyside 1391; USA) 6 CD set
CHARLES CURTIS // ELIANE RADIGUE / TERRY JENNINGS / MORTON FELDMAN / ANTON WEBERN / OLIVIER MESSIAEN / et al - Performances and Recordings 1998-2018 (Saltern SLT 005; USA) - 3 CD Set
DAVID FIRST & THE WESTERN ENISPHERE - The Consummation of Right and Wrong (Important Records Imprec 490; USA) - 3 CD Set
ZNR with HECTOR ZAZOU / JOSEPH RACAILLE / PATRICK PORTELLA - The ZNR Archive Box (ReR ZNR Box 1; UK) 4 CD Box Set