DMG Newsletter for August 21st, 2020: Happy Birthday MILFORD GRAVES!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MILFORD GRAVES!!!

Today is Master-Drummer and Healer, Milford Graves’ birthday so let’s celebrate and send him some love! Since the early eighties I have had the opportunity to see & hear the incredible Milford Graves play live more than a dozen times, each performance was one amazing! Checking out Mr. Graves collaborating with Cecil Taylor, Derek Bailey, John Zorn, Evan Parker and his own ensembles is always inspiring. He is an immensely positive spirit/force! Today, we finally got in copies of his rare duo disc with Don Pullen (on Corbett VS Dempsey), which has been in transit for three weeks. Hooray! All previous orders will ship shortly. Can’t wait to hear it myself. Milford is currently going through some difficult health issues, here is a link to a NY Times article that you can read for yourself:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/nyregion/milford-graves-drummer.html

There is also a Milford Graves documentary that is well worth checking out called, ‘Full Mantis’. Check it out if you can, it is fascinating!

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"Dolphin Smile"

Out at sea for a year
Floating free from all fear
Every day blowin' spray
In a dolphin's smile

Wind-taut line split the sky
Curlin' crest rollin' by
Floating free aimlessly
In a dolphin's smile

Rainbow's end everywhere
Full of life, free as air
Childhood's dream, have you ever seen
A dolphin's smile?

By the Byrds from 'Notorious Byrd Brothers', released January, 1968

The above song, “Dolphin Smile” comes from my favorite album by the Byrds, ‘Notorious Byrd Brothers’. For me, that record is a masterpiece blending of psych/pop/country-rock & futuristic sounds like the Moog synth on “Space Odyssey”. The Byrds are one of my favorite all-time bands, number two after the Mothers of Invention in the US. All ten of their studio efforts are great, especially the first five. My good friend, Jen N, has been sending me pictures of dolphins and whales that she sees off the coast of Maine. She claims that the dolphins are communicating with her and discussing the fate of mankind. They are worried about us. There is something wonderful about the words to this song that stirs positive feelings in me and perhaps you. Give that song a listen and check out the entire album if you can.  

   Since the pandemic crisis had forced most of us indoors for several months, we’ve had more time to think and consider our unfortunate situation. For myself, it has been a great thing to reorganize my vast collection of albums, CD’s, cassettes, music magazines and books. Finding many doubles & triples (oye!) and actually listening to many discs that I own for the first time. I also spend too much looking at the news (Raw Story, Daily Kos & MSNBC) and worrying about our future. I am a sensitive human being who is trying to make sense of the precarious situation that we are all in so I do react (too quickly sometimes) and occasionally add some political remarks to the top of the newsletter. Most of the response I get is genuinely positive but there are always a few folks who like to complain about my observations & opinions. I decided not to apologize to anyone I’ve offended, since I am who I am and have always tried to be honest with my views and support the art/music that inspires all who read this newsletter. If you don’t wish to read my views on our often dire situation, please just scroll down to where the music reviews begin.

   One other piece of advice, I have been working hard at not looking at my phone & computer so often, turning it off for hours at a time. Time to do more reading of actual books, novels, poetry & philosophy, watching the sunset, talking to and getting to know my neighbors better, doing some exercise (like dancing in my kitchen) and some yoga. All of these things help me to deal with the anxiety that pervades. My good pal MC BruceLee is organizing his local chapter of the International Anti-Fascist League, it is open to all: mothers & fathers, sisters & brothers, grandparents and children, people of all colors & religious persuasions (or lack there of), all immigrants, all musicians, artists, poets, philosophers, anyone who cares about our and their futures… DMG will be closed on November 3rd so that our employees can all vote and be poll workers. We will not be intimidated by the haters out there. You know who still loves you all… we do!  

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THIS WEEK’S COSMIC PLATTERS START WITH THIS INCREDIBLE KEITH TIPPETT BOX-SET:

KEITH TIPPETT with JULIE TIPPETTS / PAUL DUNMALL / HOWARD RILEY / KREUTZER STRING QUARTET - 1947 - 2020 (FMR 587; UK) Featuring Keith Tippett on piano, Julie Tippetts on voice, thumb-piano & percussion, Paul Dunmall on reeds, Howard Riley on piano and the Kreutzer String Quartet. When British pianist Keith Tippett passed away on June 14th of this year due to the Covid crisis, we lost one of the greatest pianists of the 20th & 21st centuries. Ever since hearing Mr. Tippett on King Crimson’s “Catfood” from ‘In the Wake of Poseidon” in 1970 and on his own seminal opus, ‘Dedicated to You but You Weren’t Listening’ (also 1970), I knew that Mr. Tippett was a monster musician, in a class of his own. There are many of us who think that Keith Tippett was the best at what he does and collect every single discs that graces his name. I am honored to have seen & heard him live on several occasions: London in 1975, NYC (at the Old Knit) in the early nineties, the Victoriaville Festival on three occasions (solo, Mujician Qt & Tapestry Orchestra) and at Cafe Oto in London in more recent times. This newly released 4 CD set features four of Mr. Tippetts CD’s from the FMR label, all wonderful: two discs of the Dartington Trio (with Keith & Julie Tippetts & Paul Dunmall), a colossal piano duo with Howard Riley and an immensely rare meeting with the Kreutzer String Quartet. All four CD’s are either out of print or down to the last few copies. You can check out some reviews of the individual titles here:  https://downtownmusicgallery.com/search.php?id=2015_07_03_13_41_02 or here: https://downtownmusicgallery.com/search.php?id=2014_10_28_14_53_27 - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG  
4 CD Set $33

PAUL DUNMALL / LIAM NOBLE / JOHN EDWARDS / MARK SANDERS - The Feeling Principle (FMR 569; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on tenor & alto saxes, Liam Noble on piano, John Edwards on contrabass and Mark Sanders on drums. After the demise of the Mujician quartet (due to the passing of drummer Tony Levin in 2011), British sax colossus, Paul Dunmall, has not had a regular quartet, mostly playing with a large cast of British & European musicians, elders & younguns, as well as a few American musicians like Hamid Drake and Matthew Shipp. For this date, Mr. Dunmall has organized a fine British quartet with musicians he has played with on many occasions. This appears to be the third disc with the same personnel. This is a studio date and it was recorded in September of 2019. The features three long pieces and Mr. Dunmall starts off on his customary tenor sax, the quartet slow-burning from the opening and building from there. Pianist Liam Noble is in stellar form here, tossing off waves of cascades, connecting powerfully with all members of the quartet. He can match wits with Mr. Dunmall no matter how intense he gets, even calming down for a few more tranquil moments. Check Mr. Noble’s playing on several discs by Ingrid Laubrock, he just keeps getting better. John Edwards and Mark Sanders have been working together for more than a decade on dozens of sessions, with masters like Evan Parker, Veryan Weston and John Butcher. They always sound great together since they listen closely and respond appropriately. This entire disc has a most organic, spirit-jazz sound, Trane-like in the way it reaches deep inside to help us transcend whatever we are feeling at the time and rise above. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG  
CD $14

SABU TOYOZUMI / SIMON TAN / YONG YANDSEN / RICK COUNYTRYMAN - ReAbstraction (FMR 584; UK) Featuring Sabu Toyozumi on drums & erhu, Simon Tan on acoustic bass, Yong Yandsen on tenor sax and Rick Countryman on alto sax. This quartet date was recorded live in the Philippines in early March of this year (2020). Over the past year or so we’ve seen a half dozen discs featuring legendary Japanese drummer Sabu Toyozumi, a master musician who has collaborated with Wadada Leo Smith, Paul Rutherford, Misha Mengelberg and Kenny Millions. Until last year, Mr. Toyozumi’s recordings were few & far between but now he has found a handful of musicians who continue pushing things too hard and everything seems to flow most organically like a canoe navigating the rapids just right. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG       
CD $14

RAYMOND MacDONALD & GOGS MACLEAN - Sass (FMR 585; UK) Featuring Raymond MacDonald on alto sax and Gogs Maclean on double bass. Several years ago, a Scottish duo played here at DMG: Raymond MacDonald on alto sax and George Burt on guitar. I had become aware of them from a handful of CD’s on the FMR label, both in small groups and as members of the Glasgow Improvising Orchestra (GIO). I appreciated that their guests in the small groups and in the GIO included Lol Coxhill, Keith Tippett, Barry Guy and Evan Parker. And when that duo with MacDonald & Burt played the store, I realized that since those two had been playing together for so long, they had developed their own voice, a distinctive way of improvising together. A short time later after they played here, Mr. MacDonald sent us a box of 30 or so discs, of mostly musicians from Scotland, all of which I’ve listened to and enjoy. Hence, I look forward to anything that shows up from Mr. MacDonald and the Scottish Creative Music Scene.
   Although I do know the playing of Mr. MacDonald quite well, I hadn’t heard of bassist Gogs Maclean before now. I love the way this disc is recorded, both instruments are recorded up close, warm, well-balanced, superb in every detail. “The Walls Have Ears…”, is sublime, calm yet haunting. It turns out that Mr. Maclean is a strong, spirited bassist and this is a truly breathtaking duo. “Voices Beneath my Street”, sounds like a ballad, with a compelling section of MacDonald stretching out one long note by circular breathing for the entire piece, while Maclean strums his bass quietly alongside. Mr. MacDonald’s long circular sax solo can place him amongst a handful of other masters like Evan Parker, John Zorn and Ned Rothenberg. On “Crepescular”, Mr. Maclean’s bowed bass reminds me of whales singing in the distance while MacDonald plays some truly poignant, heart-warming, tearful alto sax. Most enchanting! What I love about this disc is that it is not very avant-garde at times, not afraid to embrace a softer inner soul/spirit. For “The Land Between Love and Fascination”, Mr. MacDonald launches into a long, twisted, circular solo that is closer to Zornland in part, yet still calms down to a more soulful final section. This just might be the best improvised duo discs I’ve heard in a long while, I felt a whole lot better when it ended. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG          
CD $14

STEFAN KEUNE / DOMINIC LASH / STEVE NOBLE - And Now (FMR 583; UK) Featuring Stefan Keune on tenor sax, Dominic Lash on double bass and Steve Noble on drums & percussion. German saxist, Stefan Keune, seems to keep a low profile with just a handful of records, recording with John Russell and Paul Lovens. British bassist, Dominic Lash, keeps much more busy and can be found on some 40 discs over the past decade: Convergence Quartet, John Butcher and with some Wandelweiser composers. Even more well-recorded is UK percussionist Steve Noble, one of the best drummers to emerge from British improv scene. Noble has worked with many giants like Derek Bailey, Paul Dunmall and Peter Brotzmann.
   This disc was recorded live at Cafe Oto in London in January of this year (2020). This formidable trio is blasting right from the opening salvo, soaring high and burning the voodoo down. Ever propulsive drummer, Steve Noble, drives hard and pushes the energy higher and higher. Mr. Keune sounds similar to Peter Brotzmann as he wails, twisting those notes inside-out. Midway, there is a superfine unaccompanied drum solo, which starts quietly and slowly builds in intensity, with the bass and sax eventually joining in, slowly building back up to another frenzy. Not sure how much this trio ever played together but their sound is focused, free and bristling with intensity no matter how loud or soft they go. If you dig some brain-frying free-jazz at its most brutal and explosive, this disc is for you! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG      
CD $14

THE BELLOWING EARWIGS with JEAN-MICHEL VAN SCHOUWBURG / ADAM BOHMAN / DANIEL THOMPSON / ADRIAN NORTHOVER - The Perpendicular Giraffe Department (FMR 581; UK) Featuring Adam Bohman - amplified objects, Daniel Thompson - acoustic guitar, Adrian Northover - sax, mbira & melodica and Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg - voice. This is certainly an odd combination of musicians from varied backgrounds, all of whom I know from assorted discs featuring most UK improvisers. Vocalist Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg, we recognize from his work with Paul Dunmall, Sabu Toyozumi and John Russell. Adam Bohman is a longtime member of the London underground scene, often playing an odd selection of objects & prepared violin with his brother Jonathan, Hugh Davies and his own project, Morphogenesis. Acoustic guitarist, Daniel Thompson, was a member of a trio (w/ Benedict Taylor & Tom Jackson), whose CD arrived in the mail unexpectedly and who I remember thinking were extraordinary and little known. Mr. Thompson also works with Alex Ward and is a member of the Runcible Quintet, who also include saxist Adrian Northover. I’ve come to appreciate Mr. Northover, over the past few years with more than a dozen discs out on the FMR, Leo and Emanem labels.
   This is some truly weird sh*t! I do recognize certain sounds like the voice, acoustic guitar and sax but there are other odd sounds which are harder to determine. Mr. Van Schouwburg reminds me of a deeper voiced Phil Minton who takes him time without getting too animated. There is quite a bit of spirited, quick acoustic guitar and soprano sax interplay and a good deal strong, focused improv. What I like about this is that it is carefully, slowly paced without too many extremes. Although the quartet are constantly exploring, they rarely erupt into any frenzied interaction. The improvisations often come off as organic, natural and thoughtful with occasional bursts of quirky interplay. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG                    
CD $14

NEW FROM TZADIK THIS MONTH:

JOHN ZORN // JESSE HARRIS with JULIAN LAGE / JORGE ROEDER / KENNY WOLLESEN - Songs For Petra (Tzadik 8374; USA) “Singer Petra Haden excels in this beautiful and unique program of songs penned by the songwriting team of John Zorn and Jesse Harris. Friends for many years, they began working together on The Song Project in 2012, and 8 years later this CD presents the full fruits of their collaboration: 13 Zorn compositions with original lyrics by Jesse Harris. Including the most beautiful melodies from a wide variety of Zorn CDs (and one original that has never appeared on cd before), the melodies are catchy, the lyrics heartfelt, the grooves deep and the solos profound and exhilarating. Backed by the amazing Julian Lage, Jorge Roeder and Kenny Wollesen and produced by Jesse Harris, this is a CD that you will listen to again and again.”
CD $16

WHAT HAPPENS IN A YEAR with JOSH SINTON / TODD NEUFELD / GIACOMO MEREGA - ceremonie / musique (FiP Recordings 01; USA) What Happens in a Year features Josh Sinton on baritone sax & bass clarinet, Todd Neufeld on guitar and Giacomo Merega on electric bass. I’ve had my eye and ear on reeds player Josh Sinton for several years now, always working on a new project, exploring different sonic terrain with each project. Over the past decade we’ve heard Mr. Sinton collaborate with many fellow musicians: Nate Wooley, Jason Ajemian, Chad Taylor, Adam Hopkins and Yoni Kretzmer. Mr. Sinton seems to favor trio projects and this is his third one in the last few years. This trio is pretty different from the other one as it features guitarist Todd Neufeld (for Tyshawn Sorey, Jon Irabagon & Sean Moran) and electric bassist, Giacomo Merega (recently heard with Noah Kaplan, Kip Hanrahan & Michael Attias). Mr. Sinton makes the most of his skeletal trio’s instrumentation, adding suspense by paring down things to haunting close-mic’d bari sax, thick, probing electric bass and ghost-like guitar fragments on the opener, “La Politique des Auteurs”. You must listen very closely on “Algernon”, which almost sounds like very little is happening until we bear down, calm down and listen to the space between the sounds, which are all part of one canvas or frame. It takes some time to adjust to this since things move so slowly at times, although if we step back a bit, we can hear the way certain phrases are part of a larger structure. Mr. Sinton has a strong, careful, slightly bent tone on his bass clarinet, from small fractures to more animated, somewhat more heated exchanges. At times Sinton will begin a phrase and slowly twist it until it turns into a similar sounding guitar fragment, while Mr. Merega plays layers of lines underneath creating his own rhythm section by himself. The balance between the more serious and more playful moments is well paced here. A serious listen will unleash several underlying layers of subdued connections. Take your time with this. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG    
CD $13

JOBS with DAVE SCANLON / MAX JAFFE / JESSICA PAVONE / ROB LUNDBERG - "Endless Birthdays" (Ramp Local RL50; USA) Dave Scanlon, Max Jaffe, Jessica Pavone and Rob Lundberg (all prolific and diverse artists on their own) recorded their latest JOBS record “Endless Birthdays” over email between September 2019-January 2020 but its character coincides eerily well with its moment of release, deep into 2020. This crew has always excelled at deep and precise rhythmic coordination, but here access an engaging depth of hi-fi abstraction through Jaffe’s full embrace of sensory percussion, which allows the nuance of manual drumming to trigger the infinite palette of digital audio. Scanlon and Lundberg are also credited with embracing a wide range of tools, indicating synthesizers and synthesis at large. Pavone plays the timbrally driest sonic role, and repeated listens reveal the degree to which she is the foundation of the sound. Scanlon’s guitar work can be stoically measured or unhinged and frantic, as well as highly affected and terraced within the unpredictable texture. Their haptic construction and overdubbing is a fluent embrace of the file-sharing group composing method and it is neither clear or important to the listener how to contact-trace the dialoguing process. The result is an immersively produced and shifting sound environment that evokes palettes as diverse as late Scott Walker, ("The Drift", "The Tilt" etc.), Robert Ashley, Jon Hassell, Zs and mid-2010s art-electronic music (ADR, Oneohtrix Point Never etc.) Scanlon's vivid lyrics are shaped effectively by the range of their delivery, sometimes delivered with dry sarcasm and biting indictment, and elsewhere as a blooming pop song, notably on standout "Opulent Fields". Each member contributes vocals, often to group arrangements executed with a chilling and washed out unison, blurring the edges between voices. All sounds, vocal and otherwise, embody a feeling of HD ultra-realness, blending together in a colorful organism that is hard to harness in real-time interactive performance, and might only be possible through a remote recording project. There is a dis-ease present, but it is more akin to buffering than a true miscommunication, and that struggle is harnessed as the foundation of a truly next level sound. As we move further into the post-pandemic era, "Endless Birthdays" represents a benchmark of how to transcend space to create great art as a unit, with mechanical precision and messy, palpable life. - Frank Meadows for DMG
CD $13

HEDVIG MOLLESTAD - Ekhidna (Rune Grammofon 2215; Norway) “In May 2018 Hedvig Mollestad received an invitation from Vossajazz -- the much-loved annual festival established in 1973 -- to write the commission work for 2019. This came at the right time, she had been thinking about writing for a bigger group than the trio, and this would be a good opportunity. To make it suitable for album release the full festival version was edited, sharpened and recorded from scratch in Amper Tone studio in Oslo. And this stunning album is the result. In addition to Hedvig on guitar, the line-up includes powerhouse drummer Torstein Lofthus (Elephant9) and percussionist Ole Mofjell, the youngest member, but with solid experience from the European improvisation scene. Keyboard duties are handled by Marte Eberson, probably most known from her five years with Highasakite, and Erlend Slettevoll (The Core and supergroup Grand General). Hedvig first met trumpeter Susana Santos Silva in Mats Gustafsson's NU-ensemble. This three-women, three-men lineup defies the general notion of progressive jazz as being a typically male activity. Maybe this is why it's so multifaceted, rich on textures and is melodically strong? Being the riffmeister Hedvig truly is, she has of course found room for some really strong ones, as well as some subtle and powerful soloing.”
CD $16

STEVE CARDENAS with JON COWHERD / BEN ALLISON / BRIAN BLADE - Blue Has a Range (Sunnyside 1588: USA) Featuring Steve Cardenas on guitar, Jon Cowherd on piano, Ben Allison on bass and Brian Blade on drums. “There is a rooted and natural expressiveness in the music of guitarist Steve Cardenas. He has developed a spacious yet personal style that reflects his influences but has also broadened them into a palette of many hues. Cardenas’s new recording, Blue Has a Range, presents a new view of his breadth as a player, composer and collaborator, remaining attached to the essence of jazz, while alluding to blues in all its tones. // Cardenas’s ability has provided him opportunities to play in situations of many varieties. Beginning in his hometown of Kansas City and settling in New York City, Cardenas’s path has been full of remarkable associations. Notably as a longstanding member of groups led by legendary jazz artists such as bassists Charlie Haden, Steve Swallow and John Patitucci, as well as drummers Paul Motian, Joey Baron and Adam Nussbaum. // It was only natural that Cardenas would pick friend and longtime collaborator, Ben Allison, to play bass, co-produce and mix the recording. When Cardenas was confirming Cowherd’s availability in July 2019 to record, Cowherd informed Cardenas that he would just be concluding a run at the Blue Note with drummer Brian Blade’s Life Cycles band. Blade was free after the Blue Note run, and so the band was set. Soon after, with these musicians in mind, new compositions began to flow from Cardenas.”
CD $15

GLENN ZALESKI with ADAM O’FARRILL / LUCAS PINO / DESMOND WHITE / ALLAN MEDNARD - The Question (Sunnyside 1591; USA) Featuring Glenn Zaleski on piano, Adam O’Farrill on trumpet, Lucas Pino on tenor sax, Desmond White on bass and Allan Mednard on drums. Summer walks in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park led Zaleski and his wife to the sanctuary of The Vale of Cashmere, a small, secluded pond densely populated with flowering trees. This became a favorite spot for Zaleski to meditate. It also became the spot where he began to compose and catalog music for an upcoming August performance, where he intended to revisit his favorite ensemble format, the quintet. // Zaleski’s choice of instrumentalists was easy and inspired. He knew that he wanted to feature the incredible sound of tenor saxophone and trumpet as leading voices. Saxophonist Lucas Pino is one of the pianist’s oldest friends and collaborators, so there was no question about his involvement. Trumpeter Adam O’Farrill is a more recent acquaintance but one that Zaleski wanted to revisit after first playing with O’Farrill seven years ago. The rhythm section includes two musicians that Zaleski has long admired and performed with. Bassist Desmond White has been a regular collaborator with the pianist since college and drummer Allan Mednard has been a favorite time-keeper on many stages.”
CD $15

GUIDED BY VOICES - Mirrored Aztec (GUIDED BY VOICES INC. 100; USA) "When we last heard from Guided By Voices, they had released an astonishing four albums in just over 12 months. Each has a distinctive creative identity: Zeppelin Over China was a meat-and-potatoes double album, Warp And Woof was a return to the band's low-fidelity roots and under-two-minute earworms, Sweating The Plague was a slice of moody stadium rock, and Surrender Your Poppy Field was an unpredictable grab-bag of all of the above. After venturing through the tangled brambles of Plague and Poppy Field, here is a sunny summer reprieve, a relentless barrage of hooks -- Mirrored Aztec is the latest stop on this runaway train. Like its immediate predecessors, Mirrored Aztec is both its own entity and unmistakably GBV. It's also their most immediately welcoming and inviting offering in years -- there's nothing a fan of The Who, Big Star, or Wire, wouldn't love. For the GBV uninitiated, the clean, confident hooks of highlights 'Bunco Men,' 'Haircut Sphinx,' 'A Whale Is Top Notch,' 'Party Rages On' and the strummy 'To Keep An Area' will resonate immediately. It also contains some unprecedented GBV moments, too, like 'Math Rock,' an apparent tribute to the titular subgenre featuring classroom instruments and a children's choir, 'Please Don't Be Honest,' a dreamy reversal of the band's 2016 song and album Please Be Honest, and 'Thank You Jane,' perhaps the most open-hearted, guileless power-pop song from Pollard's pen in ages. If Pollard's discography -- 107 albums and counting -- seems intimidating, do not fear! With a brand-new, high-quality, all-the-waythere album every several months, it's abundantly clear that no band's fanbase has more fun."
CD $17

THREE QUEENS IN MOURNING / BONNIE PRINCE BILLY - Hello Sorrow - Hello Joy (Textile Records 029; France) “Three Queens in Mourning first gathered in summit to sing celebration of the publication of Will Oldham's book of collected lyrics, Songs of Love and Horror (2018). Alasdair Roberts (Appendix Out), Jill O' Sullivan (Jill Lorean), and Alex Neilson (Trembling Bells, Alex Rex) each arrived provisioned with a small armful of selections nearest and dearest from Bonnie Prince Oldham's far-reaching catalog. Three Queens in Mourning's takes on these tunes follow naturally from the fit between Will's words and their three distinctive voices. Alasdair Roberts' sweet, guileless delivery of "Christmas Time in the Mountains" amplifies the lacerating quality of the lyric "we need an enemy / I'm saving all my rage for you"; even if at the outset of the song we're told that "time is the enemy," the abiding sentiment -- the red-hot word that organizes my memory of the song -- is rage. Ali and Jill's trading of verses on "New Partner" puts a different spin on what had previously registered as an especially mercurial first-person narrative voice, one that swoops between tenderness ("lay back, rest your head on my thighs") and ecstatic self-absorption (breaking it to the ex to whom the song is addressed that "I've got a new partner riding with me"). Add Alex's voice, not only for his madcap "Lost Blues," but as part of the choir on "Ohio River Boat Song" (a song with origins in the traditional "Loch Tay Boat Song"), and these three Scottish accents singing about the muddy Ohio, Smoketown, Oldham County, and Floyds Knobs, there's not much else this Kentuckian like Oldham -- these are all deeply familiar landmarks -- can say. Type through tears. On this back-to-back record, the Bonnie "Prince" Billy LP is a collection of three cover versions from Ali, Jill, and Alex directory and one original track. Three Queens in Mourning/Bonnie "Prince" Billy is a collaboration between Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy), Alasdair Roberts (Appendix Out), Jill O Sullivan (Jill Lorean), and Alex Neilson (Trembling Bells, Alex Rex). Sleeve notes by David Grubbs.  
CD $17

VLADISLAV DELAY / SLY DUNBAR / ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE - 500-Push-Up (Sub Rosa 499; Belgium) “From Mille Plateaux to Leaf, Staubgold, and Raster-Noton, ~scape, among others, or on his own label Ripatti, the Finnish artist Sasu Ripatti, aka Vladislav Delay, has been exploring various iterations of the "dub culture vs. electronica", since 1997. His sonic crafts and unique signature sound have been sought after by an eclectic range of bands and artists, ranging from Massive Attack, Hauschka, Black Dice, Autopoieses, Animal Collective, or AGF. Vladislav Delay met Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (the most prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo) thanks to a series of jam sessions. Trumpet player Nils-Petter Molvaer had been asked by the Jamaicans to join them and he invited Delay alongside guitar player Eivind Aarset to tag along, which eventually turned into the Nordub project. The result of these jam sessions turned into an album, mixed and mostly produced by Vladislav Delay, released on the label Okeh. It was also followed by an extensive series of live dates. This one-shot reunion was the beginning of another story: a trio composed by Delay, Dunbar, and Shakespeare. In January 2019, Vladislav Delay went to Kingston and spent some days at The Anchor studios, to record drums and bass with S&R, some voice takes and a series of atmospheric field recordings. Back to Finland, Delay started to experiment with this precious material, mixing, and overdubbing, in the comfort and quiet of his studio, based on the island of Hailuoto, Baltic Sea, Northern Finland, giving another feeling to the Jamaican trip. This became a tribute to the "dub spirit", but in a very personal way, far beyond any influence or "the obvious". 500-Push-Up is two worlds collapsing, merging, also showing some intriguing approach of the Jamaican groove, used as a filigree, like the echo or the ghost of reggae, converging and conversing with a post-industrial and experimental approach. To file beside experiments -- for instance -- such as Lee Perry's Scientist Rids The World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires (1981) or the On U-Sound productions. Somewhere between the old-school electronica culture, the soundscaping, the experimental paths of Lee Perry and Adrian Sherwood, ghostly clubbing anthems, minimalism, pop, jazz, without being influenced, Vladislav Delay is building a drifting and coherent sound enigma. Personnel: Vladislav Delay - electronics, sampling, percussion; Sly Dunbar - drums; Robbie Shakespeare - bass. CD version includes two additional tracks.
CD $16

JORIS DE LAET - Experimental & Parametric Music 1976-2017 (Sun Rosa 469; Belgium) “Through Experimental & Parametric Music 1976-2017, more than 40 years of composer Joris De Laet's work is unveiled. The collection discovers for the first time the great coherence of this work: from "Signalisations" (1976) to "Mnemosyne Pour Une Acousmaman" (2017). The compositions are annotated and explained in detail by the composer, as well as a kind of wild autobiography. Released in Sub Rosa's Early Electronic series.
   Joris De Laet was born in 1947. Belgian by birth, self-taught by definition, parametric music and art video composer by choice. Founder of the S.E.M. (Studio voor Experimentele Muziek) in Antwerp, 1973. Internships at the IPEM (Instituut voor Psychoakoestiek en Elektronische Muziek) in Ghent, 1972-1975, under Karel Goeyvaerts, Lucien Goethals, and Dr. Herman Sabbe. De Laet is the founder of the SEMensemble, a group of musicians-composers specialized in performing experimental music and live electronics. From 1975 until 1990, he gave concerts with this ensemble throughout Europe (Germany, France, The Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Croatia, etc.) and in Canada (Montreal, Kingston, Toronto). Inspired by the deep control on electronic sonics, De Laet has been defining his work since 1979 as "Parametric Music", music where composition is based on transformation flows of one or several parameters, selected by the composer, that form, through their converging (or diverging) processes the main characteristics of the regulated sonics of the composition. Double-CD version comes in a digipack; includes 20-page booklet.
2 CD Set $18

THE TRANSCENDENCE ORCHESTRA - Feeling The Spirit (Editions Mego 282; Austria) “Not approved by the FDA "Like La Monte Young and The Incredible String Band stuck in an elevator." In the process of relocating to Den Bosch's Willem Twee Studios, The Transcendence Orchestra let love slip deftly out of its gate and reverberate around the walls of the studio's main hall, a high ceilinged former synagogue in the city's old town. Working intensively to capture its echoes, they coaxed it to appear in pipes and strings, directed it through resonant circuits and shepherded it round the room with beaters, horns, and rattles. Having returned home with the recordings, a purpose began to emerge. Through a process of extensive reconfiguration and testing it became clear that the love contained within could transform perception. Under the right circumstances, and accompanied by appropriate technology, it could serve as a map for navigating beginnings and endings. Like some distant mesmerizing chant or a psychedelic folk song, it could connect us and reassure us that we can pass through the boundaries and survive. Perhaps not intact but at least whole. Here is that map, love soaked diligently into its lines, ready to guide those at a loss or reassure those willing to explore.
   Written and produced by Anthony Child and Daniel Bean. Mastered by Stephan Mathieu at Schwebung Mastering, January 2020. Cut by Andreas Kauffelt at Schnitstelle, Berlin, February 2020. Cover art: Vidya Gastaldon L'ange de l'apocalypse (d'après Danby), 2012 Acrylic and oil on canvas; Courtesy the artist and art: Concept, Paris, from the collection of Musée de L'abbaye Sainte-Croix.”
CD $17

FLAMIN' GROOVIES - Jumpin' in the Night (Liberation Hall; 5037; USA) "The third and last of the Flamin' Groovies late-'70s albums for Sire, Jumpin' in the Night storms out of the gate with the title song, a top-shelf rocker that brings the muscle of the Flamingo-era lineup of the Groovies to the more style-conscious British Invasion sonics of Cyril Jordan's version. Though Jumpin' in the Night never rocks that hard or that well again, it does sound decidedly tighter and tougher than 1978's Flamin' Groovies Now, and guitarist Mike Wilhelm, a new addition to the Now lineup, is much better integrated into their wall of guitars, with the Groovies sounding more solid than they did a year before. But while Jumpin' in the Night finds the Flamin' Groovies sounding better than ever, the material unfortunately lets them down. It's no wonder why the Flamin' Groovies loved the Byrds -- both were American bands who fell in love with the sounds of British rock and crafted their own variation on the style -- but three Byrds covers on this album is about two too many (especially given how clunky David Wright's drumming sounds on '5D'), and though having the Groovies tackle 'Absolutely Sweet Marie' and 'Please Please Me' sounds good on paper, the audible results are a bit underwhelming. (On the other hand, their cover of 'Werewolves of London' is better than anyone had a right to expect.) The production and engineering by Roger Bechirian is crisp and flattering to the guitars, but lacks the resonance of Dave Edmunds' more layered approach on Shake Some Action and Now. A great band, the Flamin' Groovies often seemed to have a hard time reconciling their best qualities with the record-making process, and Jumpin' in the Night is probably the best example of this dilemma, though it has more than enough worthwhile moments to compensate."
CD $15

BACK IN STOCK:

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) Featuring Peter Brotzmann, Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark & Mikolaj Trzaska on reeds, Per-Ake Holmlander on tuba, Steve Swell on trombone, Agusti Fernandez on piano, Maya Homburger on strings, Joelle Leandre, Barry Guy and Rafal Mazur on basses and Paal Nilssen-Love & Zlatko Kaucic on drums & percussion.
5 CD Box Set in Wooden Box / LTD Edition $65

BARRY GUY BLUE SHROUD BAND with PERCY PURSGLOVE / JURG WICKIHALDER / et al - Odes and Meditations for Cecil Taylor (Not Two MW 980; Poland) The new Barry Guy 5 CD set of The Blue Shroud Band in Small Formations is the most exciting release of the new year called “Intensegrity” (previous 4 CD box was called “Tensegrity” from 2014, I think. The new box is also described as “Odes & Meditations for Cecil Taylor”. the DKV box is recorded live from November 2017 at concerts in France, Poland & Czech Republic and then in late December 2017 at a show @ Sugar Maple in Milwaukee and then 2 homecoming shows @ Elastic Arts in Chicago. I’m so fired up about this one as I’ve been waiting to hear the trio with a foil for Vandermark and I think McPhee is playing at as creative a level as anyone on the planet these days. Looks like we have a few different new members of the Barry Guy band including Percy Pursglove (no Peter Evans this time) & Jurg Wickihalder. Another exciting aspect is that we get the full band on disc 5 with what is called the “Ode & Meditations to Cecil Taylor”. This could be a composed Guy piece. Discs 1 through 4 recorded live @ Alchemia in Kraków, Poland (11/27-29, 2016) and Disc 5 recorded 11/30/2016 @ Radio Kraków. - Steve Reynolds
5 CD Set $60

LP SELECTION:

KONSTRUKT & OTOMO YOSHIHIDE - Eastern Saga: Live at TUSK (KarlRecords 079; Germany) “Turkish free jazzers Konstrukt continue their series of exciting collaborations with Otomo Yoshihide, highly repudiated multi-instrumentalist and composer in the experimental world. #4 in the continuing series of Konstrukt collaborations on Karlrecords is a live document of the concert by the Turkish freeform group with the Japanese experimental musician Otomo Yoshihide from the TUSK Festival 2018. Konstrukt, the Istanbul based free jazz/freeform group founded and led by Umut Çağlar and Korhan Futaci, are known for their openness to and interest in collaborations -- and regularly meet up and perform with new partners that range from Joe McPhee, William Parker, Akira Sakata, Marshall Allen, Evan Parker, Thurston Moore, Alexander Hawkins, or Ken Vandermark. This latest release sees the quintet join forces with Otomo Yoshihide who entered the scene in the 1990s with his group Ground Zero and his since worked in all fields of adventurous music, from EAI to improv to turntablism, modern composition, jazz and soundtrack, documented on labels like Tzadik or Erstwhile and featuring collaborators such as Jim O'Rourke, John Zorn, Merzbow, Bill Laswell, and endless more... Eastern Saga: Live at TUSK shows the multi-instrumentalist on his two key instruments guitar and turntables, while Konstrukt feature two drummers besides Korhan Futaci's saxophone/flute, Umut Çağlar on guitar, synth, double reeds, flutes, and double bass player Apostolos Sideris. A furious gig, and a furious album! Personnel: Korhan Futacı - alto saxophone, flute, loops; Umut Çağlar - guitar, synth, double reeds, flutes; Apostolos Sideris - double bass; Erdem Göymen - drums; Ediz Hafızoğlu - drums; Otomo Yoshihide - guitar, turntables. 180 gram vinyl; includes download code.
LP $21

JOSEPH ALLRED - Michael (Feeding Tube Records 532; USA) "Michael is the third LP we have done with Boston-based musician, Joseph Allred. The first, O Meadowlark (FTR 451LP, 2019) was a suite for guitar and banjo. For its follow-up, Traveler (FTR 491LP), Joseph added splendid vocals to the mix. With Michael, Mr. Allred gives an airing to his fine harmonium playing, alongside string majesty and vocals. Maybe on the next one he'll teach us how to fly. Michael is an album with a dreamy narrative core. Its loose tale deals with the idea of the Archangel Michael appearing during a spirit ritual, performed by the character Faulkner (something like Allred's alter-ego) in hopes of remembering the contours of heaven. But this concept only emerged after the music was recorded. Allred compares the process of divining narrative content from musical improvisation to 'throwing an inkblot on paper.' I can dig it. All of the instruments as acoustic -- harmonium, autoharp, singing bowls, dulcimer, bowed guitar -- and the overtones and interplay on surfaces here is unbelievably rich. And even though they're connected, the individual tunes flow from different head spaces. 'Ascent Return' is long-tone meditation, conceived for harmonium, singing bowls & autoharp soon after Allred performed a Tony Conrad piece as part of the big MIT Conrad exhibit. 'Every Thing in the Dim Night' (a random quote from Whitman's Blades of Grass) lies midway between that and a string improvisation with Indian tonalities. 'O Death' follows the original Lloyd Chandler lyrics (originally entitled, 'A Conversation with Death'), before evolving into swells of drone and strum. And so on. Each piece is different, but expanding the boundaries of the drone-based universe was created for this album. Joseph Allred's music is an always evolving, constantly astounding wonderment. His live shows are quite otherworldly, but we're sure you'll find his records equally transportational." --Byron Coley, 2020
LP $24

STEVE JANSEN - The Extinct Suite / Corridor (SJ Productions 001; UK) “Material gathered from two of Steve Jansen's solo releases The Extinct Suite and Corridor. The Extinct Suite is the third solo album release from Steve Jansen. A reinterpretation of the more ambient and orchestral elements of Tender Extinction (Jansen's second solo album). Not a remix by any means, some familiar passages are woven together with additional pieces to create a suite of instrumentals lasting over 55 minutes as one single track split over Sides A and B of this double-LP album. Corridor is a slowly evolving instrumental piece designed for playback in a gallery space with uncontrolled acoustics and no sound insulation. Avoiding percussive and complicated bass content this audio is designed to float in a live space at low level volume allowing sonic variations to subtly stimulate the ambience. Original installation at the Cape Breton University Art Gallery, Canada to accompany a photo exhibition titled "Through A Quiet Window" by Steve Jansen May 11 to July 6, 2018. Split over Sides C and D of this double-LP. Personnel: Steve Jansen - piano, synths, guitar, drums, sampled instruments, string arrangements, sound design. Additional contributors - Melentini Toila - trumpet; Seigen Tokuzawa - cello; Thomas Feiner - background vocals; Stelios Romaliadis - flute; Giorgos Varoutas - guitar treatments; Charlie Storm - additional sound recording on Corridor. All Music composed, performed, produced, and mixed by Steve Jansen. Artwork by Anna Malina Zemlianski. Design by Carl Glover for Aleph Studio. 180 gram vinyl; edition of 500.”
2 LP Set $36

KASSEL JAEGER - Swamp / Things (Shelter Press 119; France) “Over the last decade, Kassel Jaeger, the moniker of the Paris-based composer, writer/theorist, producer, and director of the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM), François Bonnet, has meticulously sculpted a body of multidisciplinary work that rests at the forefront contemporary electronic and electroacoustic practice. Jaeger's work across numerous fields, be it in text, action, or sound presents a crucial bridge between the optimistic, philosophical origins of electronic and electroacoustic music, the present and where they have yet to delve. With his first solo LP with Shelter Press, Swamps / Things, Kassel Jaeger wades into this foggy, conceptual realm. From memory and metaphor -- sliding fluidly through the imagistic and emotive -- emerges an immersive, cavernous world that rethinks electroacoustic music on organic terms. Swamps / Things was conceived as an opera without distinct characters or text. It draws Kassel Jaeger into his own history, experiences, and the unlikely double of the swamp, a landscape that has held literal and metaphorical sway over him since childhood. Merging eight works as a total environment, abstaining from distinct shape or discrete articulation, across the album's breadth, sound becomes a shifting mirror for the bubbling, ordered chaos of organic life. Resting at the junction of concept, emotion, and phenomena, Swamps / Things encounters an artist of remarkable craft, delving toward the unknown, deploying organized sonority as object and environment, as much as action, movement, passage, and arc. Seemingly possessed by an entropy entirely its own, the temporal gives way to the poetics of space, while the density of an endlessly evolving climate, laden with cacophonous happenings, renders itself still. Flickering images of the natural world -- memory and the imagined reformed as sound - present an operatic double for human action and thought. From deep, fog like banks of minimalist long tone, to industrial clamors left as tracks in the mud, or the collisions of shifting pulses, overtones, and textures -- captured from across the murky, drone laden waters between the acoustic and synthetic realms -- moody, howling cries and tense meditations merge in ambient sheets, capturing a fleeting image of where decomposition gives way to new growth. Swamp / Things features contributions from Jim O'Rourke and Lucy Railton. Jaeger has previously collaborated with Stephen O'Malley, Stephan Mathieu, Akira Rabelais, Oren Ambarchi, James Rushford, and others. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi, cut at Dubplates & Mastering. Printed artwork by Cameron Jamie on inner and outer reverse-board jackets.”
2 LP Set $30

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ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE MUSICIANS OUT THERE, Around the world.

If you have a link, for some music that you are working on and want to share it with the folks who read the DMG Newsletter, please send the link to DMG at DMG@Downtownmusicgallery.com. Many of us are going stir crazy staying at home so if you want to inspire us and help us get through these difficult times, please show us what you got. I listed some these last week but have also a few more.

MORE THINGS TO DO WHILE YOU ARE WAITING AROUND FOR THE WORLD TO END OR GET BETTER:

STILL STIR CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!

This is the section where I usually recommend upcoming concerts in the NYC area. As far as I can tell there are no upcoming shows anywhere around here, except perhaps on-line. All places I usually frequent are now closed for the foreseeable future. And everyone is worried about the near future, their health and their sanity for their friends and family. I am trying to come up with something inspirational to put out there but I am also very worried about myself, the store, all of the creative musicians that we need and support, as well as everyone else who has lost their jobs.  

 I have been at home at my old apartment in New Jersey, cleaning, reorganizing my collection, finding lots of doubles, listening to dozens of records, CD’s,cassettes and DVD’s. And working on my ongoing series of discographies and assorted music lists.

   Over the past month a number of musicians have been putting up some music on-line for anyone to check out. I know that many of us are going a bit stir crazy so it is time to do some soul searching and serious listening. Here is a list of some music links to check out:

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THIS IS FROM MY GOOD FRIEND JESSICA HALLOCK,

who runs the New York Noise website and helps to promote creative music from hundreds of different musicians! At the beginning of April, Jessica convinced me not to go to the store and stay at home & work from there/here. Thanks to Jessica, Frank Meadows and Charmaine Lee, I have taken their advice seriously and I remain safe and alive (at home) while the store continues to do mail-order. Thanks Jessica, I do appreciate your tough love, this is what it takes sometimes to get the elder folks to break with their usual routine or habits and think more clearly about life.

This is from Jessica Hallock, please do check it out, there is so much to explore here and I know some of you are bored and need some inspiration/distraction:

Livestreams are obviously no replacement for live shows, but they're all the community we have right now––so experimental music calendar NYC-Noise.com now provides links to livestreams (with artist / curator donation info); a roundup of local musicians' releases; COVID-19-related resources, including links to grants, petitions, & a local venue donation list; & an Instagram account (@NYC_Noise) promoting artists and releases. Please let me know about your livestreams &/or new records at www.nyc-noise.com/submit.

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THIS IS FROM GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:

I have been recording video performances weekly and they get posted on Thursdays on the Cuneiform Records Youtube page.

Earlier this week, my good pal, Henry Kaiser called and was excited about finding these two long lost concerts which features longtime Grateful Dead guitar, singer & songwriter, BOB WEIR plus other members of The Dead. Like Henry, I am also a longtime Grateful Dead fan, not really a Dead Head since I think I have more discriminating, ever expansive taste in diverse Creative Music. These videos were just put up earlier today so I haven’t checked them out as of yet. I can wait to sip some saki later today and be swept away…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf54D0YdLtA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN9Dc4qA-6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVF63Md51-A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VNQwGWWrc8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyijtFN02xw

once in a while they are historical old thangs from my video archive and I will be doing more collaborations with other improvisors. I plan to keep this up until there are live gigs again so there will likely be a lot more of these best,  Henry

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This is from West Coast Bassist & Composer LISA MEZZACAPPA:

I'm writing to invite you to check out a project I've been cooking up (and talking about!) for a few years now, that's finally beginning to see the light of day. It's a podcast, and an opera - and the first episode is released this week. The amazing and hilarious Beth Lisick wrote the libretto, and we collaborated on the story. It's set in chatrooms in the early 1980s. We plan to release eight season episodes next year.

Also it's free! You don't need to set up any accounts or give anyone your credit card # or remember any passwords or accept cookies to listen. (If you do listen and you like, I'd ask that you please SUBSCRIBE to the podcast wherever you listen to it, give it some stars, or review it, so I can prove to potential sponsors that we have an audience. It would mean a lot!)

You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Deezer, the smart phone app Pocket Casts, and all the other podcast phone apps.

libretto, episode credits, bios, donate: www.theelectroniclover.com

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ARTS FOR ARTS Presents:

FREEJAZZ WORKS IN A TIME OF CRISIS

https://www.artsforart.org/onlinesalon.html

Upcoming On_Line Salons

Thursday August 20
Matthew Shipp - piano
Bobby Kapp - drums
William Parker - bass

Thursday August 27
WeFreeStrings
Melanie Dyer - viola
Gwen Laster - violin
Charles Burnham - violin
Ken Filiano - bass

Because of You
We surpassed our $50,000 Goal
Your Donation Made the Difference
What an amazing community! Your continuing support in the face of all of the challenges that are facing us is really impressive. Together, we raised over $60,000, including over $30,000 in small donations.

We continue to post weekly Artist Diaries (https://www.artsforart.org/artistdiaries.html) and special archival footage on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtsforArt?sub_confirmation=1&utm_source=Audience&utm_campaign=987d803b9c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_08_18_04_51&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3be2db18a2-987d803b9c-85161517. So there will be plenty of amazing music and art to see and inspire.

On September 7th and September 12th, Arts for Art will present Live Outdoor Events at La Plaza in The Clemente. They will be carefully presented, socially distanced, inspiring FreeJazz performances. Look forward to more information coming soon.

Wishing You Strength and Justice with Compassion.

Patricia Nicholson Parker
Founder, Arts for Art

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The Steve Circuit by Yuko Otomo & Matt Mottel:

Anthology Film Archives with Andrew Lampert

https://issueprojectroom.org/event/steve-circuit-yuko-otomo-matt-mottel-anthology-film-archives-andrew-lampert

This Summer, 2020, ISSUE and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council present The Steve Circuit, an episodic series of videos and digital artwork dedicated to the late beloved poet Steve Dalachinsky developed by his wife, painter and poet Yuko Otomo, and interdisciplinary artist Matt Mottel. Born in Brooklyn in 1946, Dalachinsky was an unforgettable fixture within particular strains of experimental music, poetry, and art—and at cultural happenings and gatherings of all kinds in Lower Manhattan and beyond. Dalachinsky was an important figure to many. He passed away September 16th, 2019.

Steve’s art was created in tandem with the public life he lived. The places he inhabited—arts venues, community gardens, the New York Public Library neighborhood branch, his Spring Street sidewalk store—were all part of his daily routine. He was influenced by the culture he witnessed. He created his art both in public and at home. Late at night, in his apartment, after returning from film screenings, art openings, and multiple concerts, he returned to his collage artwork and to type up the poems he had written by hand during the day out in the world.

Over the course of six events throughout the Summer, 2020, these historical sites will be revealed in a weekly online presentation. Each week, videos made by Otomo & Mottel will be streamed pairing Dalachinsky text, recordings, and artwork, with additional artistic collaborators who were part of the Dalachinsky orbit. The online cultural map and presentation will provide a “virtual polaroid snapshot” of Downtown New York’s cultural history.

In addition to Otomo and Mottel, the series will feature contributions from Vito Ricci & Lise Vachon, Andrew Lampert, Jean Carla Rodea & Gerald Cleaver, Tom Surgal & Lin Culbertson, William Parker & Matthew Shipp, Lee Ranaldo & Leah Singer, and Loren Connors & Suzanne Langille.

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From INGRID LAUBROCK & TOM RAINEY:

Every Week for the entirety of this pandemic/lockdown INGRID LAUBROCK & TOM RAINEY have been posting a new duo offering. I have listened to every one of these as they were sent out and am much impressed by the way this duo continues to evolve and work their way through many ideas. You can check out each one here:

https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-22
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-21
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-20
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-19
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-18
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-17
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-16
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-15
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-14
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-13
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-12-anthony-braxton
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-11

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THOMAS SAYERS ELLIS is the leader of the great Poetry/Music/Confrontation Band HEROES ARE GANG LEADERS a/k/a HAGL.

HAGL has a website that you should check out at:  www.heroesaregangleaders.com
for the latest intersection of music-minded words and word-minded music and while you are there also check out The Lokotown Reverb where classic overlooked Oral Literature, Studio Recordings and Live Performances are given a fresh look!

GIANTHOLOGY is a forum for writing not whining, aesthetics not agenda, ideas not issues, vision not victimhood, GIANTHOLOGY is edited by the members of Heroes Are Gang Leaders.
Send 2 to 4 unpublished works to HeroesAreGangLeaders@gmail.com.  

Thomas Sayers Ellis

Fri, Aug 7, 7:28 PM (6 days ago)

to Alberto, Lisa, Steve, press, Steven, william, Bruce, geoffrey, Piotr, Philip, fastspeakingmusic, Alexandra, Randall, Bonita, Bob, Zev, Guy, siddhartha, Tim, Bill, Ben, Justin, justin, Matteo, Matthew, Cait, XAVIER, CA, Connor, Hamid, Nick, Tristan, Gio, Alexandre, Pierre, Jennifer, Jeffrey, Michael, quincy, Marc, Marcello, Michael, Ron, George, Cisco, Nick, Mike, Donald, Dieter
Italian Poet Nazim Comunale has three poems on GIANTHOLOGY! Translations by Fulvio Giglio.

https://heroesaregangleaders.com/2020/08/07/gianthology-nazim-camunale/

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ROULETTE AT HOME:

Roulette TV: Nick Dunston

In early 2019, Roulette TV sat down with bassist and composer Nick Dunston ahead of the first concert of his year-long Van Lier Fellowship. In addition to the interview, this episode features live performance footage of Dunston's quintet Atlantic Extraction and the world premiere of The Floor is Lava! written for five double basses. Dunston also premiered La Operación—a multi-movement composition written for soprano voice, two alto saxophones, two double basses, and two percussionists—as part of his fellowship in the same year. Check out:
https://vimeo.com/342125717?utm_source=Roulette Master List&utm_campaign=34384bb216-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_15_09_07_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c36db137d7-34384bb216-302668229

Playlist: Excerpts from the Black Avant-Garde - Tracks by Tomeka Reid, Reggie Workman, Diedre Murray, Anthony Davis, Amiri Baraka, Henry Threadgill, William Parker, Matana Roberts from the Roulette concert archive. - https://soundcloud.com/roulette_intermedium/sets/blackavantgarde?utm_source=Roulette Master List&utm_campaign=34384bb216-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_15_09_07_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c36db137d7-34384bb216-302668229

Ridgewood Radio
The weekly stream on WFMU features concert recordings by Roscoe Mitchell & Francesco Filidei, John Oswald/Miguel Frasconi/Marvin Green, and Wadada Leo Smith’s Nyabinghi Arkeztra from 1991 at Roulette. Tune in: 1. https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/93933?utm_source=Roulette Master List&utm_campaign=34384bb216-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_15_09_07_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c36db137d7-34384bb216-302668229
2. https://roulette.org/event/wadada-selasie-leo-smith-2/?utm_source=Roulette Master List&utm_campaign=34384bb216-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_15_09_07_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c36db137d7-34384bb216-302668229

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My good friend & guitar master GARY LUCAS is playing half hour sets at his apartment in the West village every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday at 3pm EST on Facebook. Different songs on each episode. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/gary.lucas.5836