DMG Newsletter for Friday, October 4th, 2019

“Cleaning Windows” by Van Morrison

Oh, the smell of the bakery from across the street
got in my nose
as we carried our ladders down the street
with the wrought-iron gate rows
i went home and listened to jimmie rodgers in my lunch-break
bought five woodbines at the shop on the corner
and went straight back to work.
Oh, sam was up on top
and i was on the bottom with the v
we went for lemonade and paris buns
at the shop and broke for tea
i collected from the lady
and i cleaned the fanlight inside-out
i was blowing saxophone on the weekend
in that down joint.
What's my line?
i'm happy cleaning windows
take my time
i'll see you when my love grows
baby don't let it slide
i'm a working man in my prime
cleaning windows (number a hundred and thirty-six)
I heard leadbelly and blind lemon
on the street where i was born
sonny terry, brownie mcghee,
muddy waters singin' "i'm a rolling stone"
i went home and read my christmas humphreys' book on zen
curiosity killed the cat
kerouac's "dharma bums" and "on the road"
What's my line?
i'm happy cleaning windows
take my time
i'll see you when my love grows
baby don't let it slide
i'm a working man in my prime
cleaning windows...

The above song, “Cleaning Windows” first appeared on a Van Morrison album called ‘Beautiful Vision’ from 1982. It is one of my favorite songs ever and it captures something special. I made a mix cassette in the early 1980’s that I used to listen to in my car over & over. The 90 minute cassette contained perhaps 30 roots rock songs that made me feel good due to the positive energy the generated. The music, the words, the feeling they got across. It also consisted of songs from Maria Muldaur (1st album), Tim Buckley, Richard Thompson, Lloyd Cole, Paul Butterfield’s Better Days, Dr. John, Little Feat, Roy Harper… That tape and the car (Subaru hatchback) that I played it in are long gone, but I still remember most of the songs in the sequence on that tape. I have been thinking about the way a song or album can transport us somewhere else, inspire us, make us smile, laugh, get angry or even cry. Sometimes the harsh reality of the daily grind is just too much so when I go home I play at least one album which will make me feel like a human being who is part of a larger family. I have been going out of my way to talk to my neighbors, strangers on the train or subway or streets, just to be friends. We need to reach out and realize that we are all connected and not alone. Say hello to someone you don’t know, flash them a smile, shake their hand or give them a hug. It will both of us feel better to be alive. Peace & Love from Brother Bruce

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

The Downtown Music Gallery 28th Anniversary Celebrations began on May 1st & Continues! Every In-store This Summer Helps Celebrate the Spirit of Creative Music Performed Live.

October 6th:
6pm: SAM OSPOVAT - Solo Drums
7pm: GUILLERMO GREGORIO & JEFF SHURDUT

Sunday, October 13th:
6pm: ROSS HAMMOND - Solo Resonator Guitar
7pm: RAF VERTESSEN / HANS TAMMEN / KEISUKE MATSUNO -
Drums / Buchla Synth / Guitar
8pm: MICHAEL VATCHER / SEAN CONLY

Sunday, October 27th:
6pm: DAVID GROLLMAN and KENNY MILLIONS!
7pm: SEAN ALI & SANDY EWEN!

DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a small gallery. Take the F train to East Broadway or the 6 train to  Canal or the B or D to Grand, or the M-15 bus to Madison & Catherine. Come on Down, the Sunday Music Series is Always Free & the Vibes are Always Cosy. You can check the weekly in-store sets through our Instagram feed

*****

DMG Recommended Gigs for this week:

A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION for the NEW SCHOOL:

This Sunday, October 6th at 3pm
The New School, 66 W 12th St
Admission Free!

JOHN ZORN - LAURIE ANDERSON DUO!

Followed by the 35th Anniversary Performance of

JOHN ZORN’S COBRA!

Featuring:
Wendy Eisenberg, Matt Hollenberg & Taylor Levine on guitars
Brian Marsella, Nick Shellenberger & Uri Caine on keyboards
Simon Haines & Brandon Lopez on basses
Sae Hashimoto on vibes & percussion
Kenny Wollesen, Kenny Grohowski & Brian Chase on drums & percussion
John Zorn - Prompter

‘Cobra’ is one of John Zorn’s 25 Game Pieces, which were composed of a 1/4 century. Cobra is the most popular Game Piece and has been performed around the world. John Zorn originated Game Pieces to inspire/push musicians to improvise together based on different sets of directions for each piece. I am most fortunate to have witnessed each new Game Piece from 1980 onwards. I have seen/heard Cobra dozens of times and look forward to each and every one. There is usually around 12-13 musicians sitting in a semi-circle with a prompter (director) in front. The prompter has a table filled with rows of cards which indicate different directions or strategies. One (or more) of the players signals the prompter who accepts or doesn’t. The prompter holds 1 couple of cards up in the air for the ensemble to see and then brings them down to the table. This is when the piece begins, this is when the fun starts. Listening to ‘Cobra’ on a recording is fine, but seeing it live is something else. The performance this Sunday is the 35 anniversary of this piece.
It is FREE, admission-wise and you do not have to sign up. Take Cousin Brucie’s advice, go there!

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

This Week’s Dynamite Discs Begin with This one:

PETER BROTZMANN / ALEX VON SCHLIPPENBACH / HAN BENNINK - Fifty Years After... Live at the Lila Eule 2018 (Trost 194; Austria) For the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary Machine Gun recordings at the Lila Eule in Bremen, Peter Brötzmann put together a trio with the Berlin pianist, composer Alexander von Schlippenbach and the percussionist Han Bennink, who already sat on the drums 50 years ago. They were so pleased with the music that they decided to release it and continue to play gigs as the trio. Machine Gun was originally recorded in May 1968 by an octet consisting of influential musicians of new jazz and improvised music. The LP was repressed on Cien Fuegos in 2018 (CF 020LP). Personnel: Peter Brötzmann - tenor saxophone, b-flat clarinet, tarogato; Alexander von Schlippenbach - piano; Han Bennink - drums.
CD $17


JOHN ZORN // MOLINARI QUARTET - Cat O'Nine Tails, The Dead Man, Memento Mori & Kol Nidre (ATMA Classique 2774; Earth) Recognized as a major influential figure in contemporary jazz and the avant-garde, the American composer John Zorn is characterized by his refusal of stereotypes and his radical musical experiments. His chamber music is the focus of the latest recording by the award-winning Molinari Quartet. “It is with great enthusiasm that we dive into the fantastic and fascinating world of John Zorn. His music is powerful, emotional, and colorful”, says Olga Ranzenhofer, first violin. The ensemble has selected four of Zorn’s chamber works for this recording: cat o’ nine tails, the dead man, memento mori and kol nidre.
For John Zorn’s 60th birthday monthlong celebration in September of 2013, six of his string quartets were played over two nights at Lincoln Center. I remember feeling so proud of Mr. Zorn’s achievements and recognition during both of those nights, especially since I watched him grow and evolve as a serious, eclectic and diverse composer, ever since hearing him in 1979. Listening to those six pieces was a revelation into his depth and vision. This disc contains four of those six pieces, each one unique and representing a different era of his growth. This is the first disc of a superb string quartet (Quartuor Molinari), performed Zorn’s music that Mr. Zorn didn’t oversee and release on Tzadik. It is extraordinary, nonetheless. It ends with “Kol Nidre”, one of Mr. Zorn’s most haunting works, one which will stir hearts for many years to come. Perfect. - BLG/DMG
CD $17

PATRICIA KOPATCHINSKAJA / CAMERATA BERN // JOHN ZORN / FRANK MARTIN / J.S. BACH / KARL AMADEUS HARTMANN / GU9LLAUME DE MACHAUT / et al - Time & Eternity (Alpha 545; France) Always in search of powerful musical experiences, the violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Camerata Bern – of which she has just taken over the artistic direction – here juxtapose Hartmann’s “Concerto funebre”, composed in 1939 to express his indignation at the Nazis’ terror, and the Polyptyque for violin and orchestra that Frank Martin wrote in 1973 for Yehudi Menuhin, a work inspired by six scenes from the Passion of Christ painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna around 1310. The Kyrie from Machaut’s Messe de Nostre Dame, composed half a century after the altarpiece and heard here in an arrangement for strings, is interspersed between the movements, along with Bach chorales, ‘as an invocation of eternal consolation’. A Polish folksinger interprets the Jewish song ‘Eliyahu hanavi’, which expresses the hope of salvation and which Hartmann quotes in his concerto. Six hundred years of music to ‘make the victims’ voices heard’, says Patricia Kopatchinskaja.
The album opens with “Kol Nidrei” by John Zorn (born 1953), in response to the eponymous prayer spoken by a representative of the Jewish community. This piece was played behind the long list of the 3,000 folks who were killed at the World Trade Center on September, 11th, a week after the tragedy took place. I remember thinking that someone knew that this piece would be perfect for that sad moment in time. It still tugs at my heart every time I hear this piece performed. A Catholic priest and an Orthodox priest also say a short prayer. This entire disc evokes a river of sadness and spirituality, from the ancient times (around 1,300) until today. Incredible. - BLG/DMG
CD $18


MICHAEL FORMANEK with TIM BERNE / MARY HALVORSON - Even Better (Intakt 335; Switzerland) “ With his impressive artistic biography, Michael Formanek is one of the outstanding personalities of contemporary jazz as a composer, a bassist in ensembles and a soloist. He belongs to the circle of leading bassists and composers that inclucedes Charles Mingus, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden and Barry Guy.
Mr. Formanek's musical world, his immense experience, his knowledge of jazz tradition and the avant-garde, his ability and his charismatic appearance have a highly stimulating effect on the musicians of his bands. Following the release of his CD with the Elusion Quartet (with Kris Davis, Tony Malaby, Ches Smith) the first album from his new trio follows: Michael Formanek Very Practical Trio with saxophonist Tim Berne and guitarist Mary Halvorson.
"Michael Formanek has made some of his keenest creative leaps in recent years, documented on a sequence of justly lauded albums," writes American journalist Bradley Bambarger. The new album surprises with song-like structures: "it indeed courses with an insinuating lyricism, along with a snaking metrical pulse and a surprising textural richness given just three players.”
CD $18

MARY HALVORSON & JOHN DIETERICH - A Tangle of Stars (New Amsterdam Records 125; USA) “Celebrated guitarists Mary Halvorson (Code Girl) and John Dieterich (Deerhoof) announce their debut collaborative album, a tangle of stars. The album is a collection of new instrumental songs spanning experimental jazz, pop, rock, noise, and improvisation, all of which were composed, arranged, and recorded over three days at Dieterich’s home studio in Albuquerque, NM. Guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson has been described as “a singular talent” (Lloyd Sachs, JazzTimes), ”NYC’s least-predictable improviser” (Howard Mandel, City Arts), “one of the most exciting and original guitarists in jazz—or otherwise” (Steve Dollar, Wall Street Journal), and “one of today’s most formidable bandleaders” (Francis Davis, Village Voice), and in recent Downbeat Critics Polls she has been celebrated as guitarist, rising star jazz artist, and rising star composer of the year. John Dieterich is best known for his work in the band Deerhoof, of which he has been a member since 1999. His virtuosity and interest in electronic music brought a fresh sound to the band. Dieterich has appeared on numerous albums, both with Deerhoof, the Gorge Trio, and numerous other artists.”
CD $14

TOMEKA REID QUARTET with MARY HALVORSON / JASON ROEBKE / TOMAS FUJIWARA - Old New (Cuneiform 465; USA) “The title track of Old New kicks off the album with an aggressive rhythm from bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara – aggressive both in its driving, rock-oriented approach as well as how it evolves to fit into a recording of modern, creative jazz. Group leader and cellist Tomeka Reid joins in with electric guitarist Mary Halvorson to share a theme that alternates between a jagged staccato motif, a short catchy tune, and loosely-structured improvisation. The pair trades off lead duties and soloing in a collaborative and ego-less fashion that sets the tone for the recording as a whole.
Improvisation, of course, is a strength of this group. Nonetheless, Reid’s writing keeps the efforts grounded and rarely approaching all-out free jazz.  She provides a few nods toward the tradition while heading off into uncharted waters. Indeed, the title of Old New is a descriptive fit for this strategy. Still, at a few points, Reid’s playing is clearly outside, with staggered melodies and extended techniques.  Aug. 6 is a great example that seamlessly morphs into one of the more interesting themes of the album. Edelin is another in which the structure is unconventional and varied with powerful soloing.
As an accompanist, Halvorson provides her signature pitch bending, speed picking, and unusual chording. Fujiwara is an exceptionally versatile and busy drummer, both muscular and subtle. Roebke is a monstrous and accomplished bass player who can do it all – for an example of this one need look no further than Ballad, on which he adapts his playing from straight rhythm to more adventurous undercurrents that match Reid’s and Halvorson’s explorations.
Ms. Reid has long been on the periphery of outside music, quietly contributing to the efforts of giants such as the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Anthony Braxton, and various AACM efforts, not to mention serving as a contributor on recordings from Nicole Mitchell, Taylor Ho Bynum, and Jaimie Branch. She has also co-led a number of groups. This is the second release of her self-named quartet. About four years ago she started appearing more on more on my radar, and has not let up since then. All of this suggests that Tomeka Reid is a talent on the rise.” - Mike at Avant Music News
CD $15

CHRIS SPEED TRIO with CHRIS TORDINI / DAVE KING - Can This Be Love (Intakt 336; Switzerland) ”Since arriving in New York in the early 1990s, Chris Speed has become one of the most vital improvising musicians on the scene through work that has always varied widely, moving from a jazz base out through various forms of folk, classical and rock music. 
 Over the last six years the reedist has been sorting through the varied strands of his circuitous, decades-long career, using his versatile trio with bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Dave King to transform numerous curiosity-led excursions past the porous boundaries of jazz into a meticulously focused sound that ties it all together with his foundational immersion in the tradition. In his various bands and collectives, he has explored plenty of rigorous hybrids situating his buoyant, increasingly aerated sound on tunes deftly adapting ideas from Eastern European folk, electronic dance music, and rock, but with this trio he's embraced the inspirations that set him on that twisting path without letting go of the knowledge he's gleaned along the way. The group has reached a new apotheosis of those ideas on Respect for Your Toughness.
 As with the trio's previous two albums, there's a standard sprinkled within indelible originals. Speed seems to have found a powerful sweet spot with his trio, achieving that preternatural ease where technique, study, and consciousness fall away and the spirit takes over.” from liner notes by Peter Margasak
CD $18

KRIS DAVIS with JD ALLEN / TONY MALABY / NELS CLINE / MARC RIBOT / CHES SMITH / VAL JEANTY / TREVOR DUNN / TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON - Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclatic Records; USA) With Diatom Ribbons she intensifies her collaborative impulse, undermining any barriers that might exist between divergent scenes and approaches. There’s every reason to expect that the relationships she’s formed here will only expand and extend.
CD $15

CHRIS LIGHTCAP with CRAIG TABORN / TONY MALABY / CHRIS CHEEK / JONATHAN GOLDBERGER / CURTIS HASSELBRING / GERALD CLEAVER / DAN RIESER — SuperBigMouth (Pyroclastic Records; USA) “Mr. Lightcap has a fondness for interlocking parts and a frame of reference that runs from West African music…to the Velvet Underground… these musicians all have endless history together, and their total cohesion, with its earthy elasticity, feels like the larger point.” - NY Times
CD $15

THE CLINAMEN with ELLIOTT SHARP / JOHN EDWARDS / MARK SANDERS - Swervitude (ZOar 052; USA) Featuring Elliott Sharp on 8-string guitar, Buchla synth, drum machine & Baschet percussion, John Edwards on bass and Mark Sanders on drums, percussion & vibes. The UK rhythm team of John Edwards and Mark Sanders have been working together for years and working with: Evan Parker, John Butcher, Paul Dunmall,Frode Gjertad and John Tilbury. This trio had a residency at the Venice Bienalle in August of 2017 at the French Pavillion, which was turned into a recording studio by the artist Xavier Veilhan. Super diverse Downtown composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist often chooses between various axes when performing in either solo or group formations. His custom-made Strandberg Boden 8-string guitar is one of his favorites and is well-chosen here, as well some Buchla synth, drum machine and Baschet percussion. When this disc begins, it is hard to tell exactly which instrument Mr. Sharp is playing since he often manipulates his playing through assorted devices. The rhythm section is in strong form playing those tribal rhythm while Mr. Sharp adds another layer selective sounds on top, often tastefully throbbing via use of a volume pedal or similar device. Mr. Edwards’ contrabass is featured on “Aeolis Mons” and is utilizing a (most likely) wooden peg, similar to the way Barry Guy or Mark Dresser often does. Mr. Edwards is also a master of manipulating the sound of his contrabass. Sharp also adds a calm yet intense layer of snarling guitar throughout this piece. On every piece, British master drummer, Mark Sanders, creates a hypnotic/compelling rhythmic undertow, giving both the bass on going pulse and Mr. Sharp a cushion to add his various lines, sonics and solos. The name of this trio is The Clinamen which makes perfect sense since each member is integral to the group sound. My favorite section, “Denny Venice”, Edwards takes an amazing long bass solo while both Sharp and Sanders play eerie percussion (Baschet sound sculptures?) around him. I love the way both Sharp and sanders weave in and out of the spirited bass solo in large waves. Mr. Sharp pulls off and incredible, mind-bending guitar solo near the end, which is just the right way to bring this great disc to a strong close. Yowsah! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

New from Hat Hut Ezz-Thetics!

ALBERT AYLER QUARTETS with NORMAN HOWARD / HENRY GRIMES / SUNNY MURRAY DON CHERRY / GARY PEACOCK / SUNNY MURRAY - Spirits to Ghosts (Hat Hut Ezz-Thetics 1101; Switzerland) Once the bane or boon of music collectors depending on where they found themselves regarding ownership of a given album, the signifier “out of print” no longer holds much weight or consequence. Thank the vast leveling access of the internet for that nullification of scarcity and the good, bad, and ugly that comes with it. But for those who still covet and delight in the tactile and ocular pleasures of a physical recorded object in the context of pioneering free jazz, Quartets 1964: Spirits to Ghosts Revisited will likely prove appealing both in terms of content and presentation. 
Saxophonist Albert Ayler was advancing another sea change in his music when he recorded the two studio dates included on the disc. Seven months separated the New York City sessions and across that temporal distance, Ayler solidified a working band that would become arguably his most iconic. The music was released under different titles in the ensuing years with Witches and Devils an alternate identifier for Spirits and Vibrations replacing Ghosts on occasion, but the evolutionary differences in organized sound still evident between them. 
Ayler assembled bands for both that allowed him to jettison earlier and awkward adherences to jazz standard conventions made to accommodate convention-minded sidemen and focus instead on his own compositions. Spirits explores longer improvisational forms over four pieces with drummer Sunny Murray and bassist Henry Grimes slotting ably and enthusiastically into Ayler’s raucous theme-to-freedom frameworks. Trumpeter Norman Howard and bassist Earle Henderson fare less well by comparison. The former often resorts to abrasive scalar trills while the latter resorts at times to leaden thrums but each recoups in avidity what he might lack in facility. 
Ghosts benefits from better sound and augments a core trio of Murray and bassist Gary Peacock who took part in Ayler’s seminal Spiritual Unity session that summer by adding trumpeter Don Cherry. The launching themes are still elemental and protean in feel and intensity, but the resulting polyphonic barrages don’t show their seams as easily. Murray and Peacock are often a blur of concerted motion with Ayler and Cherry injecting grain and texture into their galvanizing horn bursts that are by turns jarring and beautiful. 
Aside from the convenience of bundling the sessions in a single package and a typically astute accompanying essay from Ayler expert Art Lange the release has other aspects to recommend it. Full licensure by the Ayler Estate for the contents means the proper parties are being compensated. Engineer Peter Pfister, like Lange a mainstay for project producer Werner X. Uehlinger, cleans up the recordings considerably with a fresh remaster completed this past summer. Seventy-plus minutes of Ayler is an investment, but nearly fifty-five years later there’s still nothing exactly like it. - Derek Taylor, October 1st, 2019
CD $17

MARION BROWN With BENNIE MAUPIN / GRACHAN MONCUR III / DAVE BURRELL / REGGIE JOHNSON / BEAVER HARRIS - Capricorn Moon To Juba Lee (Hat Hut Ezz-Thetics 1102; Switzerland) Alto saxophonist and composer Marion Brown was coming into his own in the mid 1960's when these invigorating tracks were recorded. He played as a sideman in critical albums like John Coltrane's Ascension and Archie Shepp's Fire Music, and had recorded as a leader for Impulse! and ESP. Meeting a fellow traveler in trumpeter Alan Shorter, brother of Wayne, Brown made thinking man's free jazz, imbued with his interest in art, philosophy and architecture. The first two tracks, from November 1965 have Brown with Shorter on trumpet, Reggie Johnson and Ronnie Boykins on bass (first track only,) and Rashied Ali on drums. “Capricorn Moon” opens the album with excellent rhythm from the two basses and percussion which give the music extra drive, perfect for Brown, whose saxophone sounds tart, bright and alive. He mixes long tones and flurries of notes with the churning rhythm creating a supple improvised performance. The trumpet's soloing is strong and cogent over the hypnotic bass and drums, projecting a strong deep tone played with great control. The basses are featured in solo and duo adding some excellent bowing, leading to a storming drum solo and the return of the theme for full band that gradually fades out. Fast bass and drums urge on the horns during “Mephistopheles” with the band sounding a little more harsh, and Brown developing a more shrill tone at times. The rhythm team is pushing the tempo hard and the horns respond well, building a massive rolling improvised section. Shorter takes the lead, with more edge to his sound than the prior track, playing long stark sounds that come off as advanced hard bop rather than free, but works well nonetheless. An impressive bowed bass section for Johnson leads to a pummeling drum solo, and a brief restatement of the theme before a squalling end. The final two tracks, from November 1966, have a larger group of Brown with Shorter on trumpet, Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Bennie Maupin on tenor saxophone, Dave Burrell on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass and Beaver Harris on drums. “Juba Lee” has a pretty, song like introduction for the full band at a medium up tempo featuring thoughtful trumpet and and drums. Shorter's trumpet sounds sunny and bright, calling out for Brown's saxophone to join in on the fun. The group collaborates well, with nobody forcing the action, when the saxophones join up with the brass the music becomes much freer, engaging with the bass and drums allowing a bass solo to bounce everyone back to the theme. The final track is “Itidus” which is slower and slightly ominous, with the horn section developing extremely loud or powerful in their sound, long tones willowy and withering evoking stark emotions of sad longing. The brass keeps the low flame alight with subtle drums underneath, and the energy seems subdued as space opens up for piano with light bass and drums leading back to the heavy and imposing theme. This was an excellent disc, reminding up what a protean force Marion Brown was in the music. A quiet, thoughtful man, perhaps he never got the due of some of the other musicians of the period, but he left a significant legacy that starts with these recordings.” - Tom Niland
CD $17

MATTHEW SHIPP - Invisible Light, Live Sao Paulo (Hat Hut Ezz-Thetics 1015; Switzerland) This is a reissue of a rare live CD from a couple years back from a Brazilian label called Loja-Sesc and it is now out-of-print. Captured live at the 2016 Jazz at the Factory Festival in Sao Paulo, this addition to New York pianist Matthew Shipp's catalog finds the masterful player presenting his own compositions like "Symbol Systems", "Gamma Ray" or "Invisible" light alongside unique takes on "Angel Eyes", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Yesterdays" and "Summertime". This version as been remastered and the sound is even better.
CD $17

RUSS LOSSING TRIO with MASA KAMAGUCHI / BILLY MINTZ - Ways (Hat Hut Ezz-Thetics 1006; Switzerland) An essential part of the New York jazz scene since the mid-80s, pianist Russ Lossing's compositions employ concept and space in unique and personal ways, as heard in these 8 original works performed with his trio of long-time collaborators, double bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Billy Mintz, for an album of highly evolved and lyrically sophisticated music.
CD $17

MARCO VON ORELLI With TOMMY MEIER / LUCA SISARE / SHELDON SUTER - Lotus Crash (Hat Hut Ezz-Thetics 102; Switzerland) Featuring Marco von Orelli on trumpet, Tommy Meier on tenor sax & bass clarinet, Luca Sisera on double bass and Sheldon Suter on drums. Most of the compositions here written by Mr. Von Orelli or Mr. Meier, aside from one by NY bassist Adam Lane and Swiss saxist Co Streiff. This is Mr. Von Orelli’s third disc for the Hat (Ezzthetics) label, after quintet and sextet CD’s from around 2015, a duo disc with Udo Schindler and a group known as Big Bold Black Bone (along with the drummer here). Swiss reeds player, Tommy Meier, has a band with Irene Schweizer called Root Down as well as being a member of another Swiss sextet led by Co Streiff. Bassist Luca Sisera in on a half dozen releases on the Intakt and Leo labels, as well as a CD as a leader called, ‘Prospect’.
Right from the opening song “Lotus”, the quartet sounds like they are playing one of those South African/spiritual jazz grooves. Mr. Meier’s tenor sax has that wonderful, dark, probing Trane-like tone which will make you feel better instantly. He takes a short introductory solo before Mr. Von Orelli takes over on trumpet, slowly, assuredly floating on top like a butterfly with the blues. The rhythm team has that swell William Parker/Hamid Drake-like sound, hypnotic and most stirring. Mr. Von Orelli writes strong, memorable melodies which feel like some sort of spiritual medicine. One of Downtown’s best bassists is Adam Lane, who is also a multi-bandleader and impressive composer. Mr. Lane’s “Spin with the EARth” is a great choice and fits perfectly with this quartet’s repertoire. It is a sort of Mingus or Mario Pavone—like bass-led piece with a few unaccompanied solo sections. Bassist Luca Sisera is featured throughout this piece and is in strong, spirited and inventive form, holding the piece together. While he solos, the horns sail in to play some haunting harmonies with him and the drummer. I must admit that I am a sucker for one of those cerebral, repeating, ritualistic, trance-like lines, which hold on and don’t let go. “Maiduguri” has one of those slow, sly, throbbing grooves which reminds me of a Native American chant. It sounds somehow simple but it pulls you right in and won’t let go. “Wittgenstein” has one of those great Blue Note like themes except that there is no piano, just tenor sax & trumpet up front. Yoou will be humming along immediately and smiling as well. This entire disc makes me smile, like sort of salve meant to wash away our blues. If you are tired of all of the bad news going round’, then you best grab this disc and play it with your loved ones. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17


PATRICK BRENNAN / ABDUL MOIMEME - Terraphonia (Creative Sources 579; Portugal) Featuring Patrick Brennan on alto sax & cornet (briefly) and Abdul Moimeme on two electric guitars, played simultaneously. This disc was recorded at Namouche Studios in Lisbon, Portugal in April 8th of 2018. Downtown saxist & bandleader, Patrick Brennan, is originally from Detroit and eventually wound up in Morocco for a bit playing with Gnawa musicians. Mr. Brennan has worked a variety of Downtown musicians ever since: Hill Greene & David Pleasant (from the Charles Gayle Trio), Steve Swell & Lisle Ellis. Although Mr. Brennan is involved is several bands, he records infrequently. This appears to be his first disc in 4 years. I know very little about Lisbon-based guitarist Abdul Moimeme, who used to be a student of Mr. Brennan. As a longtime fan of prepared guitar (from Keith Rowe through Fred Frith), I am intrigued by anyone who experiments with their guitar(s). And since I know of Mr. Brennan to to be a gifted avant-jazz saxist, this should make an odd combination. Although I can recognize the sound of Mr. Brennan’s alto sax, it is difficult to tell what those other strange sounds are coming from. Mr. Moimeme seems to be rubbing the strings of his guitars with assorted objects, similar to the sound of rubbing the strings inside piano. Mr. Brennan takes his time to explore, bend notes carefully while Mr. Moimene also provides eerie, ghost-like, sheets of string manipulations. The results bristle with dark intensity, The sound of the guitar is more industrial although it doesn’t sound like industrial music per se. The overall sound is somewhat disorienting, yet still fascinating. Eventually, Brennan starts to dig in and erupt, whipping up a storm with more more intense whiplash lines. Mr. Moimene also expands his sounds with odd slow moving sounds. The combination of these two players takes a while to come together and work as a team or connected spirits. We just have to be patient with their unique sound. It is like entering a strange new world that is only partially familiar. There is a thin line between fascinating and disorienting here. Take some time to jump and hold onto to something before you drown. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

YONI KRETZMER 2 BASS QUARTET with REUBEN RADDING / SEAN CONLY / MIKE PRIDE - Mis-Take (OutNow 036; USA) Featuring Yoni Kretzmer on tenor sax, Reuben Radding & Sean Conly on contrabasses and Mike Pride on drums. Yoni mentioned that he used a baritone sax reed for his tenor on this recording to get a different sound. This session was recorded in July of 2013 and then shelved until now. His tone is even deeper than usual, still haunting and Trane-like. I dig the sound of both bassists together, one often bowing and the other plucking, creating a buzzing undertow, most hypnotic. Downtown drum great Mike Pride is also in fine form here, propulsive, powerful and at the center of the storm with those churning bassists along side. Things slow down for a more cerebral “Ways Away”, a sort of somber ballad that is most touching, the basses still humming together. The vibe here is one spiritual jazz at it best, the heart and soul throbbing at the center of the storm. Ommmmmm. Peace unto you. - BLG/DMG
CD $14

DANIEL SARID / YONI KRETZMER / MICHAEL EVANS - Bring (OutNow 040; USA) Featuring Daniel Sarid on piano, Yoni Kretzmer on tenor sax and Michael Evans on drums. A couple of times a year, Israeli-born, NY-based saxist Yoni Kretzmer leaves us 2 or 3 new CD’s from his own OutNow label. He just left us with three news, beginning of October or 2019. I know of Israeli pianist, Daniel saris, from a half dozen records he made with folks like Joelle Leandre, Israeli saxists Assis Tsahar & Ori Kaplan. Mr. Sarid once ran a label called Earsay, which released several discs by saxist Albert Beger and Yoni Kretzmer’s first CD. Mr. Sarid also co-runs an alternative/jazz club in Tel Aviv with former NY-based saxist Assif Tsahar. Mr. Kretzmer has run this, the OutNow label for nearly a decade, which features around a dozen of his own discs. Downtown drummer, Michael Evans, has been longtime part of the vast Downtown scene, having worked with Karen Mantler, LaDonna Smith, Anders Nilsson and the Holy Ghost Spermic Brotherhood. He recently played in a cosmic trio with Jack Wright & Evan Lipson, at DMG last month, one of best recent sets!
The trio begins by simmering, slowly, freely, skeletal at first, ascending in tempo and intensity as they evolve. By the second track, the trio erupt into a powerful Cecil Taylor Trio (with tenor rather than the alto sax of Jimmy Lyons)-like force and then calming down again to a more cerebral section. There is strong balance between the eruptive and the more restrained sections, making this a most organic spirited work. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

TYSHAWN SOREY / NADAV REMEZ / ANTONIN TRI HOANG - ELK3 (OutNow 038; USA) Featuring Tyshawn Sorey on drums & piano, Nadav Remez on guitar and Antonin Tri Haong on alto sax & bass clarinet.
CD $14

BRIAN GRODER TRIO With MICHAEL BISIO / JAY ROSEN - Luminous Arcs (Latham Records 93666; USA) Featuring Brian Grober on trumpet, flugelhorn & compositions, Michael Bisio on contrabass and Jay Rosen on drums. Ever since trumpeter Brian Groder came to visit DMG nearly a decade ago, leaving us with a disc called, ’Torque’, in which he was backed by the current Sam Rivers Trio, I know that he was special: a gifted musician and composer with his own sound and vision. Mr. Groder has released a half dozen discs since around 2008, all wonderful and worth seeking out if you are creative music junkie like yours truly. For the past five years, Mr. Groder has had an ongoing trio with ubiquitous bassist Michael Bisio (Matt Shipp, Joe McPhee & Steve Gauci) and master drummer Jay Rosen (founding member of the legendary Trio X).
This is the third disc from the Brian Groder Trio and it doesn’t get any better than this! The trio strip things down to a suspense-filled, stark intro. Haunting muted trumpet, ritualistic 1, 2, 1, 2 tom-tom throb, soft head-nodding grooviness… Mr. Bisio’s superb acoustic bass is central to “Spanglin’”, making each not count as the trumpet and sizzling cymbals do the same. The trio take off soaring tightly together, like a flight of birds in formation. The sound on this disc is especially superb, clean and warm. You can tell that this trio has been together for a while, since they work together so well, all are integral to the trio sound. The are several sections where the bowed bass and muted trumpet blend perfectly, it is hard to tell them apart, they are so close. One of the things I like most about this disc is that the trio uses space and subtly with the utmost grace. The sound is pure, acoustic and often haunting or sublime. The song titles here are based on old Scottish words hence, they have an organic sound as does the music. The music and vibe here is refreshing, no need to show off or work with any obvious cliches. This music comes directly from the heart and soul. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

ROAD WORKS with CHRISTOPH GALLIO / RAPHAEL LOHER / ERNST THOMA / DOMINIQUE GIROD / NICOLAS STOCKER - Glassware (Percasso 35; Switzerland) Featuring Christoph Gallio on soprano & alto saxes, Raphael Loher on piano & electronics, Ernst Thoma on electronics, Dominique Girod on double bass and Nicolas Stocker on drums & percussion. Swiss saxist & composer, Christoph Gallio is a founding member of the long-running band known as Day & Taxi, as well as running this, the Percasso label. Road Works is an ongoing project for Mr. Gallio along with a few constant members: Ernst Thoma and Dominique Girod. The music here was commissioned and composed to accompany the artwork of Caro Niederer. The music here varies between cleverly written sections and more spacious freer sections with the selective use of the (recorded?) chirping of birds. The free sections actually focused or perhaps directed. The written parts are often charming, rather exquisite chamber music and erupt is short bursts with odd, unexpected freer twists in between. This discs consists of five parts, named 1 - 5, each between 13 & 15 minutes long, hence more than 70 minutes in length. The occasional electronics are used sparsely and as just another instrumental color, never to push things too far out. It’s those sparse moments that makes this music rather magical, even tranquil at times. I played this entire disc at the store last Monday (9/30/19) and was amazed how long and how much thoughtful music is found here. Filled with dozens of interconnected short episodes, all well worth listening to at length or in short spurts. Kind of like a soundtrack to an arty movie with ever-changing scenery. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

ROBERT LANDFERMANN With NIELS KLEIN / HOLGER WERNER / DAVID SCHUTTE / TOBIAS HOFFMANN / DIETER MANDERSCHEID / et al - Tiefgang (Klaeng 002; Germany) Featuring Robert Landfermann & Dieter Manderscheid on basses, Niels Klein, Holger Werner & Sebastian Gille on reeds, Tobias Hoffmann on guitar, David Schutte on cello and Jonas Burgwinkel on drums. A couple of months ago, we got a quartet disc from Ingrid Laubrock which was led by bassist Robert Landfermann with Achim Kaufmann (piano), Tom Rainey and Ms. Laubrock. I wasn’t quite familiar with Mr. Landfermann, although he has recorded with Christian Lillinger, Luis Lopes and Achim Kaufmann. Mr. Landfermann also runs the Klaeng label, which has more than 3 dozen releases and he has a few releases out on the Pirouet label. Landfermann just sent us a dozen titles, two of which we will stock and review.
’Tiegang’ features nine musicians in different groupings. Although none of these musics are household names, most can be found in different groups for labels: Pirouet, Konnex, Leo and Hat labels. The first piece is called “Brach” and it for 2 acoustic basses, both bowed together in a mostly haunting, dream-like way. This is a strong, hypnotic opener. Although half of the pieces here list a vocalist named Tobias Christl, I can’t hear him at times most of the time. Perhao he is singing harmonies with the horns, hard to tell. “Kristall II” features a sextet and it has a quaint, rich, chamber-like sound/vibe with some superb soprano sax from Niels Klein and crafty drumming from Jonas Burgwinkel. On most of the tracks, the high reeds (clarinets & soprano sax) and cello drift together in somber hypnotic waves, putting us into a nice dream-like state. There is something most enchanting going on here, soft, lush, haunting… great music to drift away with. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

ROBERT LANDFERMANN / ELISABETH COUDOUX - Kehdata (Self-Produced; Germany) “Could we possibly review three albums in the same week by German cellist Elisabeth Coudoux? Yes, we can. On this album she is improvising with her fellow countryman Robert Landfermann on bass, recorded at the famous Loft in Cologne in 2015. Even if the label presents itself as a jazz label, the genre's specific characteristics seem to be absent here, except for the fact that the music is all improvised.
Their playing is very expressive, ranging from full-fledged drama over cautious sensitivity to total distress as on the long opening piece. At times the music and the timbral explorations are baffling, when you hear multiphonics on the arco bass with very pure cello sounds in contrast, at other times both play on two strings creating unsuspected volume and density. "Hagel", the second piece is absolutely amazing, evokating a hail storm in all its intensity and violent beauty that gradually subsides. I'm not sure how they do it, but they sound like more than two instruments. Then "Shelving" is simple and calm intimate pizzi, no drama, no intensity, in stark contrast with the very short "Kalt" that sounds like stretching your nerves and tendons, while "Kleben", with its deep and long bowed sounds is dark and foreboding.
Sounds merge and instruments disappear. Who does what and how? It doesn't matter. Just listen to what you hear. Forget rationalising it. Listen to the sheer beauty of it. Sometimes abstract, sometimes deeply emotional, always inventive, physically intense, and focused on creating new sounds together and unpredictable, new listening experiences.” - Stef from FreeJazzBlog.org
CD $15

ROBERT LANDFERMANN / INGRID LAUBROCK / ACHIM KAUFMANN / TOM RAINEY - Topaz (Klaeng #038; Germany) Featuring Ingrid Laubrock on tenor & soprano saxes, Achim Kaufmann on piano, Robert Landfermann on bass & production and Tom Rainey on drums. German bassist Robert Landfermann has recorded in a trio with Achim Kaufmann and Christian Lillinger, as well as with Portuguese guitarist Luis Lopes, mainly for the Clean Feed label. Besides a trio called, Grunen, German pianist Achim Kaufmann has worked with dozens of Europe’s finest: Michael Moore, Thomas Heberer, Frank Gratkowski and loads more. The Downtown couple of Ingrid Laubrock and Tom Rainey stay busy in numerous a duo, trios and diverse ensemble situations, collaborating with varied musicians from Anthony Braxton to Ab Baars & Ig Henneman to the amazing Tom Rainey Trio, who I saw last night at The Stone (8/6/19) and were astounding! This disc was recorded in Topaz Studios in Cologne, Germany in August of 2018. This seems to be a completely improvised affair and sounds focused with several lines being tightly interweaved. The closer I listen, the more connected layers I hear, all swirling yet still tightly wound. The music here is often episodic, certain themes emerge and then submerge. At times a duo (like piano & drums) will erupt into an intense quartet section and then calm down to a more cerebral segment. All four members get to stretch out at length and each one excels when they are in the spotlight. Some of the interaction is subtle so we must listen closely for the rewards are well worth the time. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14 (back in stock)

Progressive Section: Two from Magabitsu:

NYUK with KIDO NATSUKI / UCHIHASHI KAZUHISA / TATSUYA YOSHIDA / NASUNO MITSURU - NYUK (Magabitsu MGIS 03; Japan) An extension of the Korekyojinn band of Nasuno Mitsuru (electric bass), Tatsuya Yoshida (drums from Ruins), and Kido Natsuki (guitar from Rovo), by adding guitarist Kazuhisa Uchihashi (Altered States, Ground Zero, Innocent Records), for eight intense improvisations recorded at Shinjuku Pit Inn, Tokyo in 2013, a startling album of jaw-dropping polyrhythmic, avant rock interaction and intention; spectacular.
CD $15

RICHARD PINHAS / TATSUYA YOSHIDA - Ascension (Magabitsu MGC-056; Japan) The collaboration between Magaibutsu label leader, Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Korekyojinn, Koenji, The World Heritage) on drums, keyboards & voice and Heldon mastermind Richard Pinhas on guitar & effects, continues with this CD of live material from their 2014 Japanese tour, extending the 2015 "Live in Japan" album, including the 8-part "Ascension". Mind-blowing, brutal, way intense and pretty f*cking incredible!
CD $15

GHOST RHYTHMS - Live At Yoshiwara (Cuneiform 466; USA) “Mysterious and beguiling... gloriously expansive and darkly cinematic...a highly enjoyable and melodic album intricate chamber jazz arrangements for...medium sized ensemble...” – Bird Is The Worm
“Live at Yoshiwara is exactly what the title says : a live album, in a place called Yoshiwara. Except there are no venues called Yoshiwara. There is one infamous Yoshiwara district in Japan, which in turn lent its name to the depraved, ambiguous red-light district and club in Metropolis, the Fritz Lang's 1927 silent sci-fi movie. 
For a long time, Camille Petit and myself were very interested in the slight frontier between existent and non-existent features in human life; dreams, for one; memories; and ghosts. That was that main interest that brought to life our double album Madeleine, which creates another soundtrack for Hitchcock's Vertigo, and gives space for the ghost that the movie gives life to, Madeleine. Madeleine really influences the characters in the movie, though she is not a real ghost, but merely an invention from a con-man. 
This record, Live at Yoshiwara, is no exception. We chose to make it live, but place it in a non-existing venue; we created a space that exists only in name within a real space, and recorded the music there, in front of a small audience. Although the music really is live in front of that audience, the music we made, the way we interpreted it, and the way we edited it, was influenced by the strong atmosphere surrounding Metropolis' Yoshiwara, mixing imaginary locations and historic and future timelines at once. I remember being amazed by Pink Floyd's live at Pompei, since they played live for no audience; and being intrigued by Frank Zappa's concept of ‘Xenochrony’, which consists of mixing several pieces from different times into one song. You can say that this album pays homage to those two attempts at playing with the "live album" concept.”– Xavier Gélard
Personnel: Guillaume Aventurin – guitar, Alexis Collin – accordion, sound manipulation, Nadia Mejri-Chapelle – cello, Tom Namias – electric guitar, Camille Petit – piano, David Rousselet – tenor sax and Maxime Thiébaut – alto, soprano and baritone sax, Gregory Kosovski – bass, Morgan Lowenstein – percussion and Xavier Gélard – drums, sound manipulation.
CD $15

Back in stock & on sale:

LOTTE ANKER / FRED FRITH - Edge of the Light (Intakt 237; Switzerland)
CD Sale $15

LOTTE ANKER / CRAIG TABORN / GERALD CLEAVER - Floating Islands (ILK 162; Denmark)
CD Sale $13

LOTTKE ANKER / JAKOB RIIS - Squid Police (Konvoj Records 006; EEC)
CD $14

ROBERT LANDFERMANN / INGRID LAUBROCK / ACHIM KAUFMANN / TOM RAINEY - Topaz (Klaeng #038; Germany)
CD $14


JENNIFER KOH // TYSHAWN SOREY / VIJAY IYER / LISA BIELAWA / DU YUN / MISSY MAZZOLI / et al - Limitless (Cedille 191; Earth) Violinist Jennifer Koh’s Limitless, based on her groundbreaking recital project of the same name, bridges the modern divide between composer and instrumentalist, celebrates artistic collaboration, and revives the grand tradition of composers performing their own music. The album features world-premiere recordings of Koh-commissioned duets by a diverse roster of highly accomplished contemporary composers, which she performs with the composers themselves. Premieres include Quasim Naqvi’s The Banquet for violin and modular synthesizer, exploring a convergence between acoustic string and electronic sound worlds; Lisa Bielawa’s Sanctuary Songs for violin and voice, three settings of texts by American women poets of the 1920s; Du Yun’s give me back my fingerprints for violin and voice, representative of what The New York Times calls her “adventurously eclectic” style; and Tyshawn Sorey’s In Memoriam Muhal Richard Abrams, dedicated to Sorey’s beloved mentor, the avant-garde pianist, composer, and founding president of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Limitless also offers the first recording of Nina C. Young’s Sun Propeller for violin and electronics, inspired by traditional Tuvan throat-singing; Wang Lu’s Her Latitude for violin and electronics, with a quasi-improvised piano part and electronically processed sounds of Buddhist chants and old Korean pop songs; and jazz luminary Vijay Iyer’s The Diamond for violin and piano, inspired by an early Buddhist text. The album concludes with Missy Mazzoli’s A Thousand Tongues for violin, piano, and electronics, an intense response to a line in a Stephen Crane poem; and Vespers for violin and electronics, “deliciously disorienting” (National Public Radio) with a soaring solo violin.
2 CD Set $18

GLENN BRANCA - The Third Ascension (MVD Audio 07; USA) “’The Third Ascension’is the first release from avant-garde composer Glenn Branca since his death in 2018. The Glenn Branca Ensemble will commemorate the release with the first posthumous live NYC performance of his guitar music at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn on what would have been his 71st birthday on October 6th, 2019. This is a return to the 4-guitar, bass and drums format of his legendary 1981 release The Ascension as well as 2010's The Ascension: The Sequel. The recording is a live performance by The Glenn Branca Ensemble at NYC's The Kitchen in 2016. Emerging from the late 70's No Wave scene and moving into composition, Branca's 45 years of work as a composer included music for experimental rock bands, large ensemble instrumentals for electric guitars, symphonies for both electric instrumentation and acoustic orchestras, chamber ensembles, an opera, a ballet, choral works, and music for film, dance, theater, and installation art. Membership in his Ensemble jump started the careers of Sonic Youth, Swans and Helmet and his influence on the worlds of Rock, Contemporary Classical, Experimental, and New Music is incalculable.”
CD $15

5 New Neos titles - Oct, 2019

HARRISON BIRTWISTLE - Musica Viva 29 (Neos 11729; Germany) “Sir Harrison Birtwistle is doubtless one of the most important and influential British composers of the last decades. This CD brings together two works with a strong link to the tradition: "Responses" is a piano concerto that, in accordance with historical convention, focuses on the dialogue between the soloist and the orchestra. Birtwistle's second large-scale opera, "Gawain", deals with the legend of King Arthur. In the orchestral version, "Gawain's Journey", which was published the same year the opera premiered, the voice parts are allocated to various instruments. Instead of merely cobbling together selected passages into an orchestral suite, Birtwistle composed them into a standalone orchestral work of immense musical power.”
SA-CD $16

PHILIPPE MANOURY - Le Temps, Mode D'emploi (Neos 11802; Germany) “Philippe Manoury is one of the most important French composers working today and is a pioneer in combining music with live electronics. With Le Temps, Mode D'emploi (Time -- a User's Guide) he created an evening-length work about the phenomenon of time and various possibilities for sculpting and experiencing it. Two real pianos positioned in the middle of the hall are surrounded by four virtual pianos that sound from loudspeakers. This highly complex work is dedicated to the GrauSchumacher Piano Duo, who premiered it in 2014 in Witten, Germany in cooperation with the SWR Experimentalstudio and have worked again with them here to produce the studio recording for this CD.”
SA-CD $16

PETER RUZICKA - Musica Viva 33 (Neos 11933; Germany) This 33rd volume of the Musica Viva series on NEOS documents an extraordinary concert. The program comprises exclusively works by Peter Ruzicka, conducted by the composer himself, to commemorate his 70th birthday in July 2018. One of the CD's highlights is the world premiere of the fulminant trumpet concerto, "LOOP". One of the work's two soloists plays only piccolo trumpet while the other occasionally switches to flugelhorn. This way, the piece exploits the fullest conceivable extent of the instrument's range -- as well as the boundaries of what's technically possible. Other works presented here provide a multilayered insight into Ruzicka's orchestral works from 1984 to the present.
SA-CD $16

MICHAEL QUELL - Chamber Music Vol. 2 (Neos 11904; Germany) “With his second chamber music CD on NEOS, Michael Quell has once again provided a large variety of forms and instrumentations. In addition to the Freiburg-based Ensemble Aventure, this recording features four top-class guitarists who play microtonal guitars developed by Tolgahan Çoğulu. Other guests include soprano Christine Simolka and conductor Hermann Beyer. The works' titles betray the fact that Quell is intensely devoted not only to music, but to philosophy, theosophy, and the natural sciences.
Michael Quell was born in Fulda, Germany in 1960. He teaches at the Institute of Musicology at the Goethe University Frankfurt and is a guest lecturer at various universities. His works are performed regularly in Europe, the USA, Canada, South America, and Asia.”
CD $16


ANNEA LOCKWOOD - A Sound Map of the Danube (Lovely Music 2083; USA) 2008 release. An aural tracing of the Danube, interleaved with the memories and reflections of its people. 59 sites and 13 interviews, from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. Includes large fold-out map, with translations of the interviews. 167 minutes, recorded and mixed by Annea Lockwood.
3 CD Set $35

JOE MEEK - I Hear A New World/The Pioneers of Electronic Music (El Records Acme 349; UK) A presentation featuring Joe Meek's fantastical lunar stereophonic sound adventure, I Hear A New World; both the celebrated 1991 RPM restoration and the original unreleased 1960 concept album; placed in broader international context alongside seminal works by other pioneers of electronic music; from Daphne Oram to Edgard Varèse. Considered in this context, Meek's masterpiece seems less an oddball pop novelty than a daring and visionary electronic sound exploration. The legendary British pop producer came to prominence during the repressed monochrome days before the Beatles arrived to change everything; an era of fascination with all things Space Age and nuclear; a mood Meek encapsulated with his biggest hit, Telstar by the Tornados; a million selling chart-topper on both sides of the Atlantic and the first British pop single to reach Number One in America. Electronic gear and studio techniques were Meek's obsession. He would dismantle a piece of equipment and modify it in order to ramp up its capability and thought nothing of building his own compressors, equalisers and echo units. The trademark Meek sound combined an extra-terrestrial keyboard, brittle guitars awash with reverb and a spectral vocal all fiercely compressed. He constantly pushed at the frontiers of his studio's technical potential, using it as an instrument in its own right and often applying authentic musique concrète procedures in the perpetual search for new sounds. His knowledge of electronics was as advanced as anyone in Britain at the time. The establishment record labels were intimidated by Joe's inventive genius and moody eccentricity; embarrassed that he could outdo them by producing hit records from a glorified home studio above a leather goods shop on the Holloway Road.
3 CD Set $24

MICHAEL CHAPMAN - Americana 1 & 2 (Mooncrest 102; UK) “Chapman has long had a fascination, not just with American music, but the American South and West. So an album explicitly inspired by the country should come as no surprise. The joy is how much it highlights his fabulous guitar picking. "Sweet Little Friend From Georgia" and "Coming of the Roads" might seem relatively straightforward, but the more epic "Swamp" and "Gaddo's Lake" delve into decidedly complex territory; in fact, the impressionistic "Swamp" is probably the record's centerpiece. As an instrumental portrait of the southern states it's loving, very finely honed, and played in a way that reminds you that Chapman is one of the best, and most undervalued, guitarists around. Even if "Jumping Geordie" has its origins on the other side of the Atlantic, it still fits in. For longtime fans, "Indian Annie's Kitchen" brings back some memories of "Kodak Ghosts," and throughout small touchstones of blues, country, and jazz slip by. A comparison to Ry Cooder - most especially some of his soundtrack work -- might not be too amiss, except that Chapman is looking in from the outside, and is, possibly, a more gifted player.” - Chris Nickson, AllMusicGuide
2 CD set / 6 panel digipack featuring guitarist Michael Chapman's instrumental take on his journeys across America. The 2000 album "Americana" reflects the soft, swampy atmosphere of the deep South and "Americana 2" from 2002, the hard-edged light of the South West The CDs come with a poster style booklet comprising sleeve notes and photos.
2 CD Set $20

HOWARD McGHEE with CHARLIE PARKER / MILT JACKSON / FATS NAVARRO / J.J. JOHNSON / TEDDY EDWARDS / HORACE SILVER / CHARLES MINGUS / KENNY DREW / MAX ROACH / et al - Collection 1945-53 (Acrobat 7138; UK) “Howard McGhee was one of the leading trumpeters of the pioneering bebop era, and was named "Best Trumpeter" by Down Beat magazine in 1949. His first recordings were with the bands of Andy Kirk and Charlie Barnet during the early '40s during which time he took part in the experimental bebop sessions at Minton's Playhouse, and in 1945 he went to Los Angeles with Coleman Hawkins, recording with him and several other leaders there as well as taking part in Jazz At The Philharmonic concerts and tours. He recorded his first sessions leading his own bands during 1945 for the Modern and Aladdin labels. This great-value 93-track 4-CD set comprises a substantial proportion of his recordings as a leader or co-leader during a time when he worked prolifically with other leaders as well as with his own bands, from1945 through to a point in the 1950s where his output became much less consistent as his drug use started to affect his work. It includes recordings for the Modern, Aladdin, Melodisc, Dial, Mercury, Savoy, Vogue, Atlantic, Hi-Lo and Blue Note labels, and features performances with a host of important names, including Charlie Parker, Milt Jackson, James Moody, Flip Philips, Fats Navarro, J.J. Johnson, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Teddy Edwards, Charlie Mingus, Snooky Young, Billy Eckstine, Percy Heath, Kenny Drew, Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, underlining the high regard in which he was held by his peers. The collection provides a highly entertaining insight into the work of an artist who has perhaps not had the attention which his contribution to the genre merits.”
4 CD Set $24

FRANK WESS with ERNIE WILKINS / JEROME RICHARDSON / FRANK FOSTER / JOE NEWMAN / HANK JONES / KENNY BURRELL / BENNY POWELL / EDDIE JONES / KENNY CLARKE - The Savoy & Prestige Collection (Enlightenment 9169; EEC) A jazz saxophonist and flautist held in high regard by his contemporaries, his peers and his followers, Frank Wess remains revered for his exceptional musical skills and his compositional talent in equal measures. Remembered best for his work with Count Basie's band between the early 1950s and the early 1960s, Wess was also a consummate band leader in his own right, as was amply displayed on the many albums issued under his own name, most notably in the late 50s and early 60s. This 4CD boxset highlights some of Frank Wess's most notable work as bandleader and collaborator, demonstrating his ample skill at composition, saxophone, and as a pioneering jazz flautist. Featuring eight albums from his most acclaimed era, this CD collection serves as both a fine starting point for those new to the great man's music, and as a reminder of his huge musical prowess for everyone else.
4 CD Set $18

FRANK WESS - Surprise, Surprise (Chiaroscuro Records 350; USA) This double CD comprises organized tunes from Wess with his quartet as well as some loose jam sessions with guest soloists over a span of four days aboard the S/S Norway for the Floating Jazz Festival. Wess himself has never sounded better, on tenor sax and especially on flute. Master piano accompanist Richard Wyands lifts the music to a higher level, Lynn Seaton is rock-solid rhythmically and unique amongst melodically oriented bassists, and drummer Winard Harper gives it his all throughout, yielding world-class, swinging results. Beginning with a pair of of good swingers to warm up, "All or Nothing at All" and "A Beautiful Friendship" establish the leader in firm control. Fellow tenor saxophonist Frank Foster then steps up for the tour de force ballad "My Funny Valentine," running over 18 minutes. Then Wess and the trio take over for the remainder of the side: a Sam Jones-written quick bopper on flute, "One for Amos," with Seaton's grinding vocals á la Slam Stewart on Howlin' Wolf vitamins; the classic Cedar Walton piece "Firm Roots" and Wess' composition "Nada Mas," on which flute dances to a bossa beat. On the second disc it's time to stretch out and improvise at length. Wess and Foster work out on tenors for the romping, stomping "It Could Happen to You." Flip Phillips joins Wess on tenors for the flailing, hard-swinging "Cottontail," Phillips' tart-sweet sound contrasting the more ribald feeling of the leader. Then, with Wess on tenor for the title track finale - another original by Wess -- the quartet dishes out an easy swinger signifying the end of a show. His light blue tenor is chirping brightly, indicating he has plenty left for some other time.
2 CD Set $14

ELECTRIC BANANA - The Complete De Wolfe Sessions (Grapefruit Records CrsegBox 058; UK)
"Initially coming together during a Fontana-era lull in The Pretty Things' prodigious career, the band's now-legendary body of work for music library de Wolfe as The Electric Banana saw their alter-egos become parallel universe superstars, their work utilised by film and TV producers in everything from soft-porn skin-flicks, a Norman Wisdom vehicle and horror classic Dawn Of The Dead to small-screen ratings winners like Dr. Who, The Sweeney and Minder. In the Sixties, the Banana recordings mirrored British pop's gradual evolution into rock, courtesy of brass-led Swinging London ravers ('Walking Down The Street', 'Danger Signs'), primal garage punk ('Street Girl', 'Love Dance And Sing') and maximum psychedelia ('Eagle's Son', 'Alexander'). They switched gears again in the Seventies, confidently mixing swaggering bar-band hard rockers ('The Loser', 'Sweet Orphan Lady'), putative terrace-anthems ('Whiskey Song'), metal-based rock ('Maze Song', the Hendrix tribute 'James Marshall') and jangly, Byrds-inflected power pop ('Do My Stuff'). Taken from the original master-tapes, the 3-CD set The Complete De Wolfe Sessions represents a number of firsts: the first-ever legitimate CD issue of these recordings (authorized by both The Pretty Things and de Wolfe), the first time that the Banana's Sixties and Seventies work has been made available under one roof, and the first time that the karaoke-anticipating backing tracks have been made commercially available. Housed in a clamshell box that includes a lavish illustrated booklet, The Complete De Wolfe Sessions incorporates the original albums artwork, an extended essay on the band, quotes from pivotal members Phil May, Dick Taylor and Wally Waller, and some priceless photos of the classic 'Even More Electric Banana' line-up, taken from the summer-of-'68 Swinging Southport film What's Good For The Goose."
3 CD Box Set $30

ETANT DONNES - L’opposition Et Les Cases Conjuguees Sont Reconciliees (KlangGalerie 304; Austria) "Etant Donnes is a French duo named after Marcel Duchamp's last major work. The group consists of brothers Marc and Eric Hurtado, born in Morocco and working mainly as performance artists and musicians. Their sound can be described as a mix of field recordings, found sounds and sometimes whispered, sometimes violent vocals. They describe their sounds like this: 'Through Marc and Eric, it is the volume of each word that becomes an object-sculpture, together with the power of their bodies expressing their voices. Each event is a scream -- indeed even the glissando -- of the strength of the word that sometimes abruptly becomes a rock, a solid surface, not in the least fluvial, as is the narrative of a tale, novel or poetic epic. With both of them, there is no more trace of ancient prosodies, no more trace of the incomprehensible Sainte-Beuve who could claim: 'I have to collect a volume of prose'. The word, the voice, the volume take shape with each other, unveiling a theatre that theatre usually ignores, which has given it such things as a Samuel Beckett's Fin de Partie.' Over the years Etant Donnes have collaborated with people like Lydia Lunch, Michael Gira, Alan Vega and Genesis P-Orridge. L'Opposition Et Les Cases Conjuguées Sont Réconciliées was the band's second album, originally released in 1981 on French label Bain Total, run by die Form, on cassette only. For this CD re-issue we have added a long bonus track not on the original album."
CD $18

LINK WRAY - Rocks (Bear Family Recotds 17600; Germany) "We finally add Link Wray to our successful Rocks! series! On a total of 34 single tracks from the years 1958 to 1966 we deliver his greatest rockers from his recordings for Cadence, Cameo, Epic, Mala, Rumble and Swan in the best possible quality. Since we were able to license recordings from various record companies for this compilation, Rocks! differs significantly from the cheap scrap on the market. 36-page booklet, 34 tracks. The CD contains his rare vocal tracks 'Ain't That Lovin' You Baby' and 'Mary Ann'. As a bonus: songs released under the name of his brother Vernon Wray (aka Ray Vernon) with Link Wray on guitar! Detailed liner notes by blues and rock 'n' roll expert Bill Dahl from Chicago."
CD $20

LP Section:

ELIANE RADIGUE - Chry-Ptus (Important Records 467; USA) “Eliane Radigue's Chry-Ptus is her very first piece for the modular synthesizer. It was composed in 1971 using a Buchla 100 which had recently been installed at NYU by Morton Subotnick. This double-LP was mastered by Golden and pressed at RTI for maximum fidelity.
From the original press release: "Chry-Ptus (1971). Originally two tapes which were to be played simultaneously, with or without synchronisation, which does not affect the structure of the work, but creates changes in the game of sub-harmonics and overtones. Three variations on this piece were performed at the New York Cultural Center in 1971, with variations of amplitude and location modulation as well as synchronisation. Realized on the Buchla Synthesizer at the New York University. The booklet contains a text by painter Paul Jenkins, who also realised the watercolor on the front cover, written on occasion of Radigue's first concert in New York, April 6th, 1971. "It's with the Buchla that I constructed Chry-ptus, a piece made up of two tapes with an analogue duration, 22 or 23 minutes, which could be played either simultaneously or with a slight time difference, so as to establish slight variations every time the piece was played. I spent the first months eliminating everything I did not want; I even used a notebook in which I tried to determine a writing system resembling chemical formulae." - Eliane Radigue
2 LP Set $35

ROGER DOYLE - Thalia (Dead-Cert 013; UK) “Arguably one of the most important experimental records to emerge from 20th century Ireland, Thalia, as featured on the Nurse With Wound list, is coveted for its inventive, unpredictable, near-psychedelic brilliance, yet has remained scarce due to major label politics, meaning listeners had to fork out a ton for a second hand copy. Now readily available on its intended format, the keening, breezy logic and abstract theatric dramaturgy of Roger Doyle's work on Thalia has been reshuffled to highlight its apparent surreality and frolicking apparitions. Combining his studious research and prep work at Utrecht Institute of Sonology (then home to Roland Kayn, Leo Küpper, Jaap Vink) and the studios of Finnish Radio (Yleisradio) Helsinki with a finely honed improvisational intuition at his home studio in Malahide, Dublin, the record yields a poetic diffusion of electro-acoustic phantasms meshed with politicized and unsettling field recordings, alongside a mad, experimental solo piano piece. The three-part title track is the biggest attraction on Thalia. Acting as a sort of shamanic extension of Gaelic bardic traditions, Doyle guides the listener through labyrinthine dimensions, vacillating tape FX with stark synth pulses, fragments of "Danny Boy", and the unsettling sound of a woman wailing or even keening (a lament for the dead) in only the first minutes, the piece spirals over two sides between obtuse electronics and jump-cuts to melancholy strums, airborne melody, and rabid dissonance with the natural quality of Ireland's ever-shifting interplay of sun, rain, and clouds. The relatively brief "Baby Grand" follows as a sort of playful solo piano palate cleanser for the LP's purest electronic piece "Solar Eyes", which surely recalls the iridescent expanses of Roland Kayn or Jaap Vink's cybernetic music as much as Coil's pHILM #1 as ELpH (1994). Mastered and cut at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.
2 LP Set $27

********

Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for October of 2019:

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

BRIAN MARSELLA Residency - October 1st - 5th, 2019:

10/4 Friday
8:30 pm - Brian Marsella (piano) & Erik Friedlander (cello)

10/5 Saturday (RK)
8:30 pm - These are the Songs - Cyro Baptista (percussion) Brian Marsella (piano, keys)

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

THE STONE SERIES at happylucky no. 1
Friday, October 4, 2019
SARA SERPA with Ingrid Laubrock and Angelica Sanchez
Ingrid Laubrock - tenor & soprano saxes
Angelica Sanchez - piano
Sara Serpa - voice

Saturday, October 5, 2019
SARA SERPA with André Matos, Dove Manski and Jesse Simpson
André Matos - guitar
Dove Manski -piano
Jesse Simpson- drums
Sara Serpa - voice

HappyLucky No. 1 is located at
734 Nostrand Ave, near Sterling
easy access from the A/C/2/3/4 trains

***********

The DISSIDENT ARTS FESTIVAL is This Sat Oct 5, 7-11pm.

     SILENT NO MORE is Our theme
The Fight for Women’s Rights -
and serves as a benefit for the Dwelling Place of NY,
A transitional program for homeless women.

17 Frost Theatre & Gallery
17 Frost Street, Brooklyn NY 11211

www.17frost.com Admission: $20 donation / www.DissidentArts.com

The Dissident Arts Festival, founded 2006,
is the annual gathering of revolutionary creativity.
7pm – doors open
7:30-8 – Judy Gorman
8:10-8:40 – Flames of Discontent
8:40-8:45 – SPEAKER Sr Joanne Sambs, the Dwelling Place
8:45-8:50 – TBA performer from “Lady Power Project” fundraiser for Dwelling Place
8:55-9:05 – Trudy Silver
9:15 – 9:25 – Zigi Lowenberg, poet, w Russell Dale, guitar
9:35-10:05 – the Beyond Group
10:10-10:20 – the Rose Tang Trio
10:30-11 – Puma Perl & Friends

Avant Jazz Griots Performing:
THE BEYOND GROUP is Cheryl Pyle-C flute, alto flute, poetry; Michael Eaton-soprano sax; Larry Roland-bass, poetry, spoken word; Francois Grillot-bass; Reggie Sylvester-drums
Post-Punk Protest Duo is FLAMES OF DISCONTENT John Pietaro-poetry, spoken word, vocals, electric guitar; Laurie Towers-lead electric bass, backing vocals
Topical Singer/Songwriter/Activist: JUDY GORMAN vocals, guitar
“UpSurge!” Performance Poet
ZIGI LOWENBERG poetry, spoken word with Russell Dale-guitar - Rock n Roll Poet
PUMA PERL & FRIENDS Puma Perl-poetry, spoken word; Walter Steding-violin; Joff Wilson-electric guitar; Joe Sztabnik-electric bass; John Pietaro-drums
“Where’s the Outrage?” Pianist-Composer /Activist
TRUDY SILVER piano - Poet/Artivist/Tiananmen Massacre survivor
ROSE TANG poetry, spoken word, electric guitar; Wen-Ting Wu, drums; Ayumi Ishito, tenor saxophone
And guest speaker - SISTER JOANN SAMBS, the Dwelling Place NYC
-Produced and hosted by John Pietaro for New Masses Media NewMassesMedia@gmail.com (646) 599-0060

**********

Bushwick Improvised Music Series Continues:

This Monday, October 7th:

7pm Reggie Sylvester - drums
Ed Keller - guitar
Bryan McCune - trumpet/electronics
Joe Ravo - guitar

8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Sandy Ewen - guitar
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums

9pm Kevin Murray - drums
Kaelen Ghandhi - tenor saxophone
Dave Sewelson - baritone saxophone
William Parker - bass

9:45pm Tom Chess - oud
Zach Swanson - bass
Noel Brennan - drums

10:45pm Yuma Uesaka - saxophones
Raquel Klein - electronics
Joey Chang - keyboards
Nikki Pet - clarinet
Pablo O'Connell - oboe
Katherine Kyu Hyeon Lim - violin

11:30pm Gaya Feldheim Schorr - vocals
Adam O'Farrill - trumpet

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

**********

Upcoming Gig Information from CHUCK BETTIS!

October 20th
Pet Bottle Ningen (10th anniversary show!)
Nonoko Yoshida - sax
Dave Scanlon - guitar
Dave Miller - drums
Chuck Bettis - electronics throat
w/ Salt People, Tidal Channel, Ess

At Alphaville
140 Wilson Ave.
Ridgewood, NY 11237
L train to Halsey 

---

October 23rd at Nublu
151 Ave. C, NY, NY

Die Trommel Fatale
Brandon Seabrook - Guitar
Chuck Bettis - Voice/Electronics
Dave Treut - Drums
Sam Ospovat - Drums
Markia Hughes - Cello
Eivind Opsvik- Bass
John McCowen - Clarinet

----

KILL ALTERS MUTATIONS festival - 10/10 - 10/31
at Market Hotel

10/10 - KILL ALTERS MUTATIONS #1
VISUALS CURATED BY JESSE HLEBO
-Alex Epton modular set at doors and in between acts
-Sandy Smiles (artist performance by Frank Haines)
-Ikue Mori (Tzadik / Mego Records) / Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) / Hisham A. Bharoocha
-Bonnie Baxter QUARTET
-Orb Kill Alters / Bonnie Baxter / Jason Lindner (Now vs Now) / Chuck Bettis QUARTET
-Motion Graphics (Domino Records) / Greg Fox / Hisham A. Bharoocha TRIO
-Miho Hatori (Cibo Matto / New Optimism) / Victoria Shen / Bonnie Baxter TRIO
-Keith Fullerton Whitman (PAN / Editions Mego)

10/17 - KILL ALTERS MUTATIONS #2
VISUALS CURATED BY JESSE HLEBO
-Loka DJ set
-BKDG Audio (Okotopus formerly of Dälek)
-OrbKA / John Bemis (Murderpact) / GENG (King Vision Ultra) TRIO
-Jak Progresso
-NoLife
-Buttress
-Lust Sick Puppy
-Elucid
-Pictureplane
more tba

10/24 - KILL ALTERS MUTATIONS #3
VISUALS CURATED BY JESSE HLEBO
-Via App DJ set at doors and in between acts
-Bonnie Baxter / Hampton (Murderpact) DUO
-King Vision Ultra
-DRUM N' THROAT improvised performance feat: Bonnie Baxter, Matt (Machine Girl), Dreamcrusher, Danni (Deli Girls), GENG (King Vision Ultra), Chuck Bettis w/ drummers Hisham A. Bharoocha, Sean Kelly (Machine Girl) & Jon Bemis (Murderpact)
-Prolaps live set (Matt Machine Girl x Bonnie Baxter)
-Slauson Malone live set

10/31 - KILL ALTERS MUTATIONS #4
VISUALS CURATED BY JESSE HLEBO
-Nullbite DJ set doors and in between acts
-Channel 63
-Kill Alters
-Dreamcrusher
-Deli Girls
-Girl Pusher
-Machine Girl
DJs for post Halloween show rave
-Nurse
-Yung Mayne
-DjNjDrone

Kill Alters Mutations festival
at Market Hotel
1140 Myrtle Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221
J/M/Z to Myrtle (venue under the station)