DMG Newsletter for January 29th, 2021

A Half DOZEN TREASURES From NoBusiness RECORDS:

SAM RIVERS QUARTET with JOE DALEY / DAVE HOLLAND / THURMAN BARKER - Archive Project, Volume 4: Braids (NoBusiness Records NBCD 138; Lithuania) Featuring Sam Rivers on tenor & soprano saxes, flute & piano, Joe Daley on tuba & euphonium, Dave Holland on bass & cello and Thurman Barker on drums. NoBusiness Records continues their fine series of releases from the Sam Rivers Archive as this album features the great multi-instrumentalist playing tenor and soprano saxophone, piano and flute in the company of Joe Daley on tuba and euphonium, Dave Holland on bass and Thurman Baker on drums. Recorded in Hamburg, Germany 1979 the music has a very interesting sound with both Daley and Holland creating wonderful low end textures that play with and off of one another alongside the reeds, piano and drums to build unique and compelling conception. "An Evening in Hamburg, Part I" has the group stretching out for eighteen minutes of strong saxophone led improvisation, fast and free, with taut tuba, nimble bass and slashing percussion pushing the music along in a very exciting manner. "An Evening in Hamburg, Part II" is twice as long, beginning with the leader's unaccompanied piano that builds into a trio section with bass and drums that is stellar, capturing and holding one's attention, even more so when the tuba enters. Daley gets a short well played solo section, followed by a bass solo that has a long unaccompanied section with Holland kneading powerfully elastic tones from his instrument. Rivers moves to flute for the final section of the concert, with a wonderful section of flute and bowed bass or cello and low tuba developing a quite beautiful sound, followed by flute and tuba with chimes and little percussion instruments, developing an ever evolving sense of texture and progression. As the end of the performance nears, the pace is increased and there is a full band blowout with flute in the lead, all quite melodic, accessible and captivating. The performance is very strong, and the sound has been remastered well, but still shows its age with tape hiss and a bit of compression. Liner notes are limited to a poem by Fred Moten and a couple of photographs.” - Tim Niland
CD $16

Back in stock now:

SAM RIVERS TRIO with DAVE HOLLAND / BARRY ALTSCHUL - Archive Project, Volume 3: Ricochet (NoBusiness 128; Lithuania)
CD $16

SAM RIVERS QUINTET with JOE DALEY / DAVE HOLLAND / BARRY ALTSCHUL / CHARLIE PERSIP - Archive Project Volume 2: Zenith (NoBusiness 124; Lithuania)
CD $16

SAM RIVERS TRIO with CECIL McBEE / NORMAN CONNORS - Archive Project, Volume 1: Emanation (NoBusiness 118; Lithuania)
CD $16

DEREK BAILEY / MOTOTERU TAKAGI - Live at FarOut, Atsugi 1987 (NoBusiness Records 132; Lithuania) “Album bringing together guitarist Derek Bailey and saxophonist Mototeru Takagi , here on soprano sax and available on CD and LP. In 1987, Derek Bailey was at the top of his game. During various stays in Japan, he regularly meets a series of Japanese musicians who had participated in his LP " Duo & Trio Improvisation (Kitty Records April 1978): trumpeter Toshinori Kondo, percussionist Tsuchi Tsuchitori, double bassist Motoharu Yoshizawa, and saxophonists Kaoru Abe and Mototeru Takagi. He also met drummer Sabu Toyozumi, a close companion of this now decimated sibling of improvisers, the extraordinary trumpeter Toshinori Kondo having passed away last month. Among all these pioneers of Japanese free-music, Mototeru Takagi has not acquired the legendary status of Abe, Takyanagi, Toyozumi, Kondo, Sakata whose recordings flourish to the point that No Business publishes an uninterrupted series of albums in collaboration with the Chap-Chap labelby Takeo Suetomi, himself a legendary concert organizer. He saw fit to offer this distant memory of a concert in Atsugi, where Brötzmann and Bennink engraved their most sought-after album by collectors, by hitting hard! No matter who he plays with, Derek Bailey cultivates an extraordinary art to take creative advantage of a confrontation - dialogue by revealing even more the (unlimited) richness of his playing. If Mototeru Takagi is undoubtedly not a comparable soprano saxophonist to giants like Steve Lacy, Evan Parker or Lol Coxhill, he follows his path without blinking, extending his language boldly showing a strong will. His approach is oriented towards a form of detached lyricism, poetic, subtle by its alterations on the tones and extreme sound points. Duo I spans 28:11. The sauce gets even better in the second improvisation (Duo II 17:39) where Derek Bailey plays solo acoustically to begin with, sometimes evoking the sound of a Japanese koto zither. Obviously, this inspires Takagi who applies himself to dialogue with a beautiful logic. Duet III 8:09: the dialogue reaches fullness, the timbre of the sax acquires an intense glow, a serene warmth. He continues on his way and discovers a winding path while his companion is silent, facing a questioning silence streaked by trebles. We continue on the Duo IV. Derek Bailey has resumed his electric guitar and exploits the harmonics with the volume pedal. Takagi's playing evokes Lacy's polytonal ritornellas and cascades. The duo then beats at full speed with the dry staccatos to the stringing harmonics of the guitarist without the saxophonist escaping from his pensive, even reserved attitude. The guitar comes alive, the guitarist's swings in the distended intervals progressively evolve in impenetrable cadences and like a duck in front of a sunny pond, the sopranist cackles and noses to finally stretch saturated highs in response to the cleavers of manic clusters. While the concert therefore reaches a climax where everyone leaves their usual procedures in complete metamorphosis by stretching the sounds, we have the feeling that DB would certainly have selected this last part in an imaginary Company Made in Japan album.” - Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg - Orynx Improv and Sounds Blog
CD $16

SABU TOYOZUMI / MATS GUSTAFSSON - Hokusai (NoBusiness Records 143; Lithuania) Featuring Sabu Toyozumi on drums and Mats Gustafsson on baritone sax, flute & fluteophone. Recorded live in June of 2018 at Jazz Spot Candy in Chiba, Japan. Over the past 2-3 years, legendary Japanese drummer, Sabu Toyozumi has been on a roll with more than a dozen recordings popping up quickly. Aside from his recent releases with Rick Countryman and Simon Tan, Toyozumi has recorded a number of duos with Masahiko Satoh, Wadada Leo Smith and Paul Rutherford. For this outing, Mr. Toyozumi gets together with another younger master reeds player, Mats Gustafsson, formerly of The Thing. This disc consists of 3 duos and one solo from each musician. The first duo is called “Sunflower” and the sax and drums are both recorded close-mic’d and in (y)our face. Soon, the pedal is pushed down hard as the duo erupt intensely for a quick segment. The music sounds organic and the balance between the reflective and explosive sections is well-balanced. “Woman with a Cat” is quiet and spacious and features Mr. Gustafsson on flute, an instrument he plays on rare occasion. “Manga by Hokusai” is a solo by Mr. Gustafsson and he plays bari sax carefully bending notes into odd shapes, vocalizing through the sax a bit and taking his time with each sound. “Red View of Mount Fuji” features Sabu on solo drums and it is a modest yet intriguing tour-de-force, often quiet yet focused and enchanting. The last piece is an epic-length duo piece called, “For Ever-Advancing Artistry” and again the duo take their time to explore some more contemplative textures, stretching out notes or sounds cautiously. Gustafsson is a master of sonic manipulation with anything he plays whether acoustic or electric. He does make some truly extraordinary sounds on his bari sax here. This disc is one of the best duo efforts I’ve heard in recent times. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16

MASAYUKI JOJO TAKAYANAGI / NOBUYOSHI INO / MASABUMI PUU KIKUCHI - Live at Jazz Inn Lovely 1990 (NoBusiness Records 135; Lithuania) Featuring Masayuki Jojo Takayanagi on guitar, Nobuyoshi Ino on bass and Masabumi Puu Kikuchi on piano. This is a live recording from the Jazz Inn Lovely in Nagoya, Japan in October of 1990. Legendary Japanese jazz guitarist, Masayuki Takanayagi, had a long career (from late 1950’s until 1990), beginning with playing straight ahead jazz in the sixties, stretching into free/jazz in the seventies and eighties and later to Keith Rowe-like guitars on table in 1990. This set and disc is also from 1990, just a year before Taknayagi’s passing in 1991. The bassist here, Nobuyoshi Ino, was a member of Takanayagi’s New Direction Unit as well as working with Itaru Oki, Alex Von Schlippenbach and Aki Takase. Masabumi Kikuchi was one of the finest jazz pianists to emerge from Japan, working with Gil Evans, Miles Davis, Charlie Mariano and Paul Motian. Kikuchi eventually moved to New York and had a longtime trio called Tethered Moon with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian.
This disc consists of three trio tracks and two duo (guitar & bass) tracks. The first track, “Trio III”, drifts by slowly with sparse guitar and piano interwoven and solemn, sublime contrabass at the center. I like how the trio take their time, stretching out and giving much space, make each note or small group of notes count. On “Duo I”, Takayanagi and Ino speed up and exchange lines, often taking their time yet they always sound closely connected, completing each other’s lines both brittle and assured. There is a section where the trio takes things further out, freer and into outer space, sparse yet spooky. At one point, Takanayagi starts using a device to alter his guitar tone making it sound very different from his regular jazz guitar tone. The tempo increases as he and Mr. Ino trade ideas at a quicker pace, the results of which are quite extraordinary, free music at its best! The two long duos are something else entirely. Bassist Nobuyoshi Ino is equally important to this entire disc as his playing is often phenomenal, pushing Takayanagi even higher, bowing up a storm and matching wits with Jojo time and again. Although Masayuki Takanayagi had some 20 recordings released between 193 and 1990, just a few are still available at present. The Blank Forms label did release 2 of Takayanagi’s essential reissues from his New Direction Unit last year, ‘Axis / Another Revolvable Thing’ and ‘April Is The Cruelest Month’. Both are well worth checking out as examples of Japanese Free/Jazz at its most intense and unfettered. Grab these gems before they disappear once again. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16

FRANK GRATKOWSKI / ACHIM KAUFMANN / WILBERT DE JOODE / TONY BUCK - Flatbosc & Cautery (NoBusiness Records 133; Lithuania) Featuring Frank Gratkowski on alto sax, clarinets & flutes, Achim Kaufmann on piano, Wilbert de Joode on contrabass and Tony Buck on drums & percussion. This disc was recorded live at Loft Koln in May of 2018. Mr.’s Gratkowski, Kaufmann and De Joode, have had an ongoing trio which has (at least) three previous discs out going back more than a decade. They joined by Australian-born drummer Tony Buck, member of the Necks, currently living in Berlin and working with many European musicians: Zeitkratzer, Regenorchester XII and Massimo Pupillo. No doubt you recognize the great Ditch bassist, Wilbert De Joode, who keeps very busy playing with: 1000, Tobias Delius, Ig Hennenman and Ab Baars. We played this disc in the store the other day (1/26/21) and smiled while we were listening. We (those who work at DMG and our occasional guests) know when great improv is flowing just right. From the very first note I can hear the way things are slowly, assuredly unfolding. Similar in ways to the Necks, it is as if we have entered another free-flowing world in which things are in flux, spinning freely yet still very much connected. The intensity quickly builds into a storm like eruption, focused and over-the-top. Even when things calm down for “Roughly Parallel”, there is some organic glue holding things together. Mr. Gratkowski plays cautious clarinet (bass or alto?) while Mr. Kaufmann plays inside the piano, muting certain strings as he goes with some simmering harp-like waves churning at the center of a quiet storm. This quartet sounds like they have been playing together for as long while and the results are something special, something magical, something else. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16

RED TRIO & CELEBRATION BAND with JOHN BUTCHER / SEI MIGUEL / RODRIGO AMADO / LUIS VICENTE / MATTIAS STAHL / et al - Suite 10 Years Anniversary (NoBusiness 136-137; Lithuania) “The Portugues RED Trio is without a doubt one of the best piano trios in Europe. The trio of Rodrigo Pinheiro on piano, Hernani Faustino on bass and Gabriel Ferrandini on drums has received a lot of positive reviews over the years on our blog. 
For their first album on Clean Feed in 2010, I wrote "It is incredible what kind of emotional depth and sonic visions this trio creates, out of nowhere, out of nothing". It was no surprise that they were also open to add other musicians to join them at concerts, or the other way round, other musicians were interested in performing with them: John Butcher ("Empire"), Nate Wooley ("Stem"), Matthias Ståhl ("North And The Red Team"). Other albums are "Rebento" (2013), "Mineral" (2015), "Summer Skyshift" (2016). 
Now, four years later, we get this memorable album with the "celebration band", an ad hoc group of musicians, primarily also from Portugal but with the addition of some partners on the previous albums such as John Butcher and Matthias Ståhl. The other members are Sei Miguel and Luís Vicente on trumpet, Fala Mariam on trombone, Pedro Sousa and Rodrigo Amado on tenor saxophone, Nuno Torres on alto saxophone, Ernesto Rodrigues on viola, Ricardo Jacinto and Miguel Mira on cello, Carlos Santos on electronics, Miguel Abreu on voice and electric bass, and David Maranha on percussion. 
The performance was recorded to celebrate their tenth anniversary at the Teatro Maria Matos in February 2018. The theater itself commissioned the concert "Suite", a work in three acts, each written by one of the three founding members, and deliberately composed for the ensemble mentioned above. 
The first track, called "Corrente" is written by Rodrigo Pinheiro, as an half hour long magnificent piece for the ensemble, and it by itself can be considered a suite, with its varying subthemes and thematic shifts, ranging from slow fragile textures to intense and dense interaction, with all restraints dropping away near the end of the improvisation. The second track, "Mais Vale", is written by Ferrandini, and is for me a disappointment. It is less complex in texture, more pychedelic in its delivery, and the vocals are a complete letdown. I understand that this is a very subjective appreciation, but it creates a totally different musical universe than what we are used from the band. 
Luckily, the third track, "Ditirambo", composed by Faustinho, makes up for this. The piece is more than 42 minutes long and spectacularly good. Again, with this length, it cannot do any different than to bring a lot of variation. It starts slowly with the trio gradually creating their music out of little sonic ingredients, barely audible, which get more voice and volume for the first eight minutes: the trio as we know and admire them, creative, intense, mesmerizing. Then some of the other instruments join, adding different layers to the already dense sound, which comes to a silent stand-still, offering the stage to the horns, with Sei Miguel and Fala Mariam setting up a sad dialogue challenged by the electronics of Carlos Santos and then Butcher's sax. It evolves in unpredictable ways, navigating silence, then moving forcefully into full band power and volume, then to silence again, and leading us to a grand finale of bright and expansive music: a wonderful closure to celebrate the 10 years of the RED Trio.“ - Stef Gijssels, FreeJazzBlog.org
2 CD Set $18

GARY LUCAS with GODS and MONSTERS / ERNIE BROOKS / BILLY FICCA / JONATHAN KANE / JERRY HARRISON / JASON CANDLER / FRANK LONDON / JEAN CHAINE / JARED NICKERSON / MARTIN REV DAVID JOHANSEN / ROLO McGINTY / DINA EMERSON / ARY MARGARET O’HARA / FEIFEI YANG / NONA HENDRIX / NAJMA AKHYTAR / et al - The Essential Gary Lucas (Knitting Factory Records 018; USA) The collective personnel for this collection features Gary Lucas on guitars & vocals, Ernie Brooks & Jean Chaine on electric bass, Jerry Harrison on keyboards, Jason Candler on sax and Billy Ficca & Jonathan Kane on drums. For as long as I can remember (mid-sixties), I have been on a mission to find the perfect rock guitar solo. Starting around 1966, I became infatuated with lead guitar plays: Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Garcia, etc. I can still feel that adrenalin rush when once of those pickers plays that classic solo that tells a short story and leaves you breathless. I’ve checking out Downtown guitar great, Gary Lucas, since his days with Captain Beefheart (around 1980) and then emerging as part of the Downtown/Knitting Factory Scene in 1990. I recall his early solo sets at the Knit as well as when he put together the amazing Gods and Monsters band, a band which had some revolving personnel which included the late Jeff Buckley. New York has long been a stronghold for gifted electric guitarists: from John McLaughlin to Danny Kalb to Leslie West fast forwarding to the early Downtown Scene: Fred Frith, Eugene Chadbourne, Bill Frisell, Sonny Sharrock, Robert Quine, Elliott Sharp, Marc Ribot, Vernon Reid and Nels Cline. What makes all of these players great is that they are all unique and beyond the regular categories. Making great music as well as taking powerful guitar solos.
Gary Lucas never ceases to surprise me. Mr. Lucas has recorded around 30 discs since his early solo efforts around 1990. His playing is consistently strong but not so easy to pin down, to any one category. This splendid two CD set starts in 1986 and shows many different sides of Mr. Lucas’ vast palette. Disc One is called ‘Good and Monsters’ and it consists of several versions of Gods and Monsters, each one very different sound-wise and personnel-wise. “Fata Morgana” opens and shows off Mr. Lucas’ spirited acoustic guitar prowess with some sly slide lines thrown in for good measure. “Evangeline” sounds like a King Arthur-ish fairy tale with nifty laid-back vocals and layers of swirling guitars buzzing together. Although Mr. Lucas vocals have a limited range, he knows how to use them just right by becoming a different character on each song. Lucas also does a fine job of adding various layers of acoustic and electric guitars with selective use of effects, which change from song to song, both his voice and his guitar(s) use different shades and effects throughout. There a number of modest highlights here: the soul chorus on “Chime On”, the horn section on “Climb the Highest Mountain” and the quietly cosmic e-bow guitar solo on “Let’s Go Swimming”, a rare Arthur Russell cover. Considering that Disc One has some 17 tracks and 78 minutes long, there is quite a bit recommend here.
Disc 2 is called ’Solo, Rarities and Collaborations’ and it is again very long with some 19 songs. Mr. Lucas does a a number of select covers on this disc: Bob Dylan, Captain Beefheart, Chinese pop music, Dollar Brand and Leos Janacek. The two Chinese pop songs are done great care and are touching. The three Captain Beefheart covers are highlights for me. Mr. Lucas was both a manager & a bandmember of the Magic Band in the late seventies/early eighties. Beefheart’s song are idiosyncratic and often difficult to play but Mr. Lucas does a great job of bringing them back to live. Again this disc is very long, more than 70 minutes and I thought it was completely captivating throughout! Mucho bravo to Gary Lucas and his Cosmic Clan! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $18

* Since the pandemic started, GARY LUCAS has been doing half hour live-streams every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday EST, at least 120 so far! All of these are free and open top all. You can check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/gary.lucas.5836/

STICK MEN Featuring GARY HUSBAND / TONY LEVIN / PAT MASTELOTTO / MARKUS REUTER - Owari (MoonJune Records MJR 106; Earth) The credentials of the members of Stick Men are a jaw-dropping resume of epic musical proportions. The collective of bassist/Chapman Stick player and vocalist Tony Levin, drummer/percussionist Pat Mastelotto, guitarist Markus Reuter and guest keyboardist Gary Husband is a creative force to be reckoned with. Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Mister Mister, The Rembrandts, Jack Bruce, Paul Simon, John Lennon, John McLaughlin and Allan Holdsworth, among others, have all benefited from the contributions of key members in this ensemble.
This album was recorded live in Nagoya, Japan at the Blue Note Club on February 28th, 2020. At this time, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic was emerging throughout Asia, and the band soon realized their sold out tour was about to come to a grinding halt. But, as they say, the show must go on, and they fulfilled their last date on the abbreviated tour, with this stellar document before a modest crowd.
“Hajime (Peace)” opens the album with some taped spoken word by Deborah Carter Mastelotto reciting frequent King Crimson lyricist Pete Sinfield’s poem “Peace.” It’s kind of an overture or ambient piece featuring feedback guitars, odd sounds, and orchestral washes. “Hide the Trees” slowly builds into some wild intrepid guitar passages that blend with softer melodic lines and odd time signatures. Dense and complex soundscapes underpin heavily syncopated rhythms and Gary Husband’s keyboards.
A constant pedal figure by Tony Levin anchors the controlled chaos and interwoven melodies of “Cusp.” Various themes waft indiscriminately through the dense musical blend, with effective drum accents by Pat Mastelotto. The King Crimson classic “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II)” is an interesting transition, with its ever changing rhythm structures and key modulations. The song gradually builds in sonic power and emotion. There is a raw metallic energy that is offset by Husband’s jazzy dissonance on piano. The cleverly titled “Schattenhaft” maintains a strong funky groove. It’s kind of an improvisational free-for-all, with a real sense of urgency typified again by intriguing keyboard comps from Husband.
“Crack in the Sky” changes the mood slightly where Levin recites vocals with poetic élan. It’s a dreamy, cinematic track that also puts the spotlight on Markus Reuter’s virtuoso legato guitar lines. The title track “Owari” translates to “The End” in Japanese. And, in many ways, it signifies the state of being the band was in when faced with having to cancel the rest of their tour. It’s kind of a spacey, open-ended piece that musically bridges the gap between dreams and nightmares. “Prog Noir” in effect translates to “dark prog.” And that’s exactly what this is. It’s a lurking behemoth-like monster of a tune, with its ominous vibe and feel. Levin’s smooth lead vocals and odd phrasing give this an otherworldly quality.
“Swimming in T” offers more experimentation and a swirling collage of sound and vision. “Level 5” is reminiscent of the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s asymmetrical rhythms and rocky sound. It’s a real showcase for all the improvisational strengths of the band. The bonus track, appropriately titled, “The End of The Tour” is one huge soundscape that builds to a monumental crescendo. Husband steps out prominently on piano and synthesizer and rises above the ensemble’s well constructed tension.
For a live album, the engineering by Robert Frazza is amazing. It’s so quiet and clean as if it was recorded in a studio. You don’t hear any audience chatter or noise. I don’t know if that says something about the politeness of Japanese audiences or it’s more about the editing skills of Frazza, but it sounds phenomenal. Highly recommended!” - Eric Harabadian
CD $22 [Limited Edition CD in an Enclosed Hardcover Deluxe Booklet]

MARK WINGFIELD / JANE CHAPMAN / ADRIANO ADEWALE - Zoji (MoonJune Records MJR110; USA) The unification of electric guitar and harpsichord is certainly an event of scarce nature, so it's with open ears and curious mind that this recording is welcomed. Guitarist/composer Mark Wingfield deserves high creative credit for conceiving such an overdue and under explored combination; a nod to the distant and a lens toward the future. Along with Jane Chapman (harpsichord) and Adriano Adewale (percussion and vocal treatments), Mr. Wingfield's structurally open yet strongly architected compositions are infused with a breavy of rich, unpredictable sonic delights. With a steely and effected guitar tone, Mr. Wingfield counterparts the late John Abercrombie in harmonic exploration and cool, cerebral intrigue. His lines snake and coil like a spiral staircase, upward towards a destination yet opaque and at times undefined. The direct and glass-like sonority of Ms.Chapman's harpsichord functions as the perfect bridge, offering direction and wonderful suggestions along this journey. Her understanding of this music, infused by deft chordal gravitas and wild, unpredictable flights of fancy, coax and inspire Mr. Wingfield toward a spirited and otherworldly dialogue. Throughout the proceedings, Mr. Adewale incorporates bold and inspired tone color; clouds of earthly bedding evoked via cymbals, handrums, and vocal asides; haunting yet warmly articulated and deep. By track number 8, ' Wind Falls, Cliffs Rise', the sonic intrigue and interactive weight of the musicians combusts to a higher sphere, breaking open to a new, infinite land of possibilities. Yet another masterful and brilliant recording from MoonJune. Highly Recommended. - John J. Mori, DMG
CD $14

JAH WOBBLE - Nocturne in the City / Ambient Jazz Grooves (Jah Wobble Records 010; UK) Just arrived as well as another dozen Jah Wobble titles. All are limited and will son disappear. I will review this disc next week when I have some time.
2 CD Set $18 [Limited Edition of 100 copies / only, 9 left as of right now-1/29/21]

TWO from RELATIVE PITCH RECORDS:

GABBY FLUKE-MOGUL - Threshold (Relative Pitch 1110; USA) Gabby Fluke-Mogol is a New York-based violinist and this is her solo debut. Although I hadn’t heard of Ms. Fluke-Mogol until this promo arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago, Relative Pitch co-founder, Kevin Reilly, has a reputation for finding under-recognized musicians from around the world who are cutting edge players, whose music is often challenging to play and to listen to. Ever since hearing Jean-Luc Ponty play with Frank Zappa and Jerry Goodman with the Mahavishnu Orchestra (both in the early 1970’s), I have been a fan of great violin players. Although the violin is often viewed as a classical instrument, throughout the 20th century it has been adapted by a wealth of genres and cultures: swing jazz, country & bluegrass, all sorts of rock & fusion & ethnic musics. In the seventies, it was jazz/rock, progressive and bluegrass where many violin virtuosos turned up and since then there have been dozens of great violinists in a avriety of genres. Starting around 1980, a number of great violinists were starting to explore and expand what could be done on the violin: Polly Bradfield (who used a toothbrush & comb on her violin), Billy Bang, Jason Hwang, Eyvind Kang and Mark Feldman have all added to the exploration of what can be done with the violin from the 1980’s onwards.
Ms. Fluke-Mogul is the next or latest generation of gifted violin improvisers. Right from the first sound, Gabby is pushing limits, bending and twisting those notes and adding bits of odd vocal sounds to match the notes on her violin. Ms. Fluke-Mogul appears to be playing an acoustic violin and often playing two (or more) notes together, making for some surprising harmonies. At first, I found certain combinations of notes to be a bit jarring yet as time went on, the overall way that things unfold, makes more sense, getting used to the barbs and twists. Ms. Fluke-Mogul has obviously worked hard at developing ways of playing certain extended (technique) sounds, some of which are only familiar to those who search for the more extreme ways of experimental music/sounds. This is a strong debut and intense solo offering. Perfect for Relative Oitch. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

SIGNE EMMELUTH - Hi Hello I’m Signe / Action Painting En Vogue (Relative Pitch 1113; USA) Featuring Signe Emmeluth on solo alto sax, recorded live at Sonic Transmissions. Danish saxist, Signe Emmeluth, is only 27 and has already has a growing reputation amongst fellow musicians and deep listening fans. She is also a member of the quartet Konge with Mats Gustafsson, Ole Morton and Kresten Osgood, as well as working with Mette Rasmussen, John Edwards and Paal Nilssen-Love. An impressive resume someone relatively young plus she is in a handful of other bands with musicians that I haven’t heard as of yet but no doubt will in the future. I knew something good was coming my way when I got this promo a couple of weeks ago. Kevin Reilly of Relative Pitch knows how to find the right musicians from the cutting edge of sonic exploration.
I have quite a bit solo alto sax recordings over the many moons from Roscoe Mitchell, John Zorn, Ned Rothenberg, Tamio Shiraishi and Chris Pitsiokos. Everyone one of those players has their own sound and approach. Ms. Emmeluth also has a unique sound. She starts in the mid-range, her tone warm, thoughtful, careful and slowly building in intensity and with certain fractured notes criss-crossing. When she reaches for those high, bent notes a bit later, she sounds like early Zorn or current Pitsiokos. I like the way she concentrates on certain tonal areas, selecting a few bent notes but ending up in a more moderate, middle section of calmness. Rather than dazzle us with extreme multiphonics, Ms. Emmeluth cautiously works with one sonic area at a time, balancing occasional extremes with a more thoughtful central area. By midway through this 1 track, 35 minute discs, she is weaving some quick, slightly bent lines with out too many squeaks. As this disc unfolds, Signe takes a certain phrase and plays is over & over, extending certain notes slowly, her sax coming closer to the mic and then stepping back. This is a particularly strong solo effort that has its heart & soul on its sleeve. The balance between the extremes here is just right and it is a soft landing. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, BLG
CD $13

More from SLAM Records:

FREETIME with GEORGE HASLAM / STEVE HUBBACK / AIDA MUJACIC / JOZEF LASKA - Lamps, Clocks and Towers (Slam 334; UK) Freetime is George Haslam on taragato, Aida Mujacic on piano & voice, Jozef Laska on contrabass & bass guitar and Steve Hubback on percussion. This is a live recording from the Absinty Klub in Ostrava, in the Czech Republic. UK reeds player, George Haslam, keeps busy working with musicians from all over: South America, Italy, Portugal and Eastern Europe. For this quartet date, the only other musician here I know is percussionist & instrument-maker Steve Hubback, who has a dozen discs out on the FMR label. Since this recording takes place in the Czech Republic, I think that the other two musicians, Ms. Aida Mujacic & Jozef Laska, might be Czech. This is the second disc in a row in which Mr. Haslam plays exclusively taragato, a large clarinet-like instrument from Eastern Europe.
There are five songs on this disc and each one is titled with a folky/fairytale like theme. The opening piece, “Here We Go” has a sprawling, somber, spirit/free jazz flow or vibe. Ms. Mujacic is playing some sort of electric piano (Wurlitzer?) which has a most charming sound. The music has a quaint, older sound, somehow folk-themed yet free as well. Better known as a metal sculptor, drummer Steve Hubback plays mostly with mallets on his drum set and sounds superb, organic, ritualistic rhythms with a steam of simmering electric piano, acoustic bass and Haslam’s taragato snaking its way through dream-like flow. I realized by the time this disc ended that what I liked most about it was the overall dreamy vibe that flows throughout and the thoughtful low-key interaction between all four musicians. We are all dancing together gracefully and nobody ever steps on anyone else’s toes. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12

MORE GEMS from The Fine FOLKS at DISCUS RECORDS:

ORCHESTRA OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE - 03 (Discus 63CD;UK) Third volume in Discus head-honcho Martin Archer’s ongoing OotUA project is a sprawling, two-disc affair that feels like some long-lost 70s Krautrock epic. Even the brief of each disc—subtitled Alpha and Omega—reincarnates lumbering rhythmic beasts, expansive shoals of keyboard-bred fantasias, pockmarked geographies of synthesized noise erupting from great clouds of dry ice and rotating shafts of blacklight. We lift off in to deep space right from the first track, “Orionid”, which posits all sorts of interstellar cross-breeding thanks to a veritable brigade of zipping synthesizers, Pink Floyd-washed percussion, discretely-separated reeds, and enough mysterioso electronic gimcrackery to awaken anybody’s dormant chakra. Your intrepid pilots navigating the void are the aforementioned Mr. Archer, Chris Bywater, drummer Steve Dinsdale (on loan from legendary UK space-truckers Radio Massacre International), Frostlake, Walt Shaw, bassist Terry Todd, and a gaggle of other contributors waving their magic wands to utterly hypnotizing effect. Most of the above participants trade licks on a sundry assortment of ’tronic devices and decor, which makes for a heady brew of superfine sonic weave. And the group’s best-kept secret? A facility with tongue and groove, which anchors a track like “Graced With Secrets” with propulsive purpose, limning space with bass, air with horn, a fug of debunked funk. The Omega disc continues the collective’s upward climb into sensate aberration, particularly across the lengthy primordial drift of “Tangential Force”, Dinsdale and Shaw pattering their bells and whistles about like pesky sprites while the rest of the gang collude in a heavenly swarm of soaring mellotron, candy-coated synths, occult-flanged atmospheres, and enough preening violin to call forth the gods. It’s as if the more exploratory adventures of King Crimson engaged in unholy symmetry with the hirsute gestures of Yatha Sidra’s classic grog or the strange, multikulti rites of passage initiated by Saddar Bazaar. Starfull and tribal black, and wonderful in the extreme—ignore at your own peril. - Darren Bergstein, DMG
CD $14

ORCHESTRA OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE - 04 (Discus 70CD; UK) Volume four in Martin Archer’s absolutely splendid genre-splitting series bursts at the seams with more ideas, sounds, designs, choreography, and outreach than many artists achieve in a lifetime. Though paired down from the previous edition’s two-disc super-event, this seventy-eight minute opus is every bit as vibrant an anthology of sound and vision as you’re likely to come across. Liner notes state the group’s recordings as both improvised and composed—well, the cracks sure don’t show, the musicians producing a beautifully cohesive display that mirrors the hippie jams of contemporaries like Makoto Kawabata and his Acid Mothers Temple contingent in addition to Pink Floyd’s interstellar overdrive, Mahavishnu Orchestra’s blazing apostles, aspects of Hawkwind’s quark strangeness and charm, Music Improvisation Company’s freeform sweep, and the immaculate conceptions of primo 70s King Crimson. And the entire work is refracted through a polychromatic sonic prism that yields perpetual dividends. Archer and fellow members Steve Dinsdale, Jan Todd (aka experimental musician Frostlake), violinist Yvonna Magda, percussionist Walt Shaw, and bassist Terry Todd mix and match the acoustic fripperies of strings, choirs, and other untold ephemera into a delightfully strange brew guaranteed to send the psyche on a wild, wooly ride. The dueling harps and violins of “Star Gathering”, particularly as mellotron-esque flourishes kick in, could almost be The Moody Blues jamming in rambunctious abandon, at least until a cascading swoop of eagle’s-shriek electronics and aboriginal wave drums knock the whole thing off its axis. Further on, mimsy are the borogoves along “A Widening Road”'s glacial alpine trail, Archer’s reeds maneuvering through a ghostly trickle of hand drums and beefy snares while electronic poltergeists urge the rest of the collective heavenwards. What makes the Orchestra’s music so resilient is it’s ability to engulf the listener in the tiniest of details, but so much is always happening, both on the surface and at the microcosmic level, that only with repeated listening are its multitudinous gifts revealed. Extraordinary. - Darren Bergstein, DMG
CD $14

OVERTONE ENSEMBLE - 2 (Important Records 489; USA) “Tim Catlin formed the Overtone Ensemble in 2012 in order to perform works using his self-made "Vibrissa" instruments. The Vibrissa includes twelve vertically mounted aluminum rods that are longitudinally stroked with gloved hands to produce ethereal "singing" tones. The long sustaining nature of the rods sound and microtonal tunings allow players a sonic palette of complex textures and harmonic complexity. Expanding from the instrumentation on their first album, these new recordings utilize Vibrissa instruments, plus a range of extended techniques on old instruments including timpani, bowed piano, bowed glockenspiel, bowed guitar, as well as some new instruments, like doppler rods and whirled tubes. The majority of the recordings were done in the Old Chapel building in Melbourne, Australia. The chapel, formerly attached to the Old Melbourne Gaol boasts ten-meter-high ceilings which added an enveloping acoustic ambience. At times it felt as though the spectral presences of former inmates were hovering benevolently in the rafters watching on.”
CD $15

STEVE HILLAGE with MIQUETTE GIRAUDY / COLIN BASS / CLIVE BUNKER - Live At Rockpalast 1977 (Made in Germany 90052; Germany) "It was the year 1975 when Steve Hillage decided to turn his back on the sometimes slightly quirky but very successful psychedelic space rock formation Gong, to say goodbye to his teacher Daevid Allen (who also left the band) and to take care of his own career from then on. At the time of leaving, Steve Hillage had already begun recording his solo debut Fish Rising with several Gong members (Miquette Giraudy, Mike Howlett, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pierre Moerlen), the album was released by Virgin Records and was a huge commercial success. In 1976 the album L followed, one year later Motivation Radio. Also solo, Hillage walked on familiar paths, spacy, psychedelic rock, which gave the gifted and also experimental guitarist plenty of room to develop musically. On March 20th 1977, Hillage gave a concert as part of the L tour at the Otto Hahn School in Bensberg (near Bergisch Gladbach), Germany, which was recorded by WDR and broadcast on German television with a slight time delay. Steve Hillage was on the road with a band that he had put together especially for the tour. Apart from his partner Miquette Giraudy, none of the musicians involved had worked on the studio albums. Jethro Tull's Clive Bunker sits on the drums, Camel bassist Colin Bass (nomen est omen) completes the rhythm section on bass, Phil Hodge and Basil Brooks (Gong, Zorch) support Miquette Giraudy on the keyboard instruments. The live band breathes new life into the Hillage classics from Fish Rising and L with plenty of pressure and drive, growling basses, fulminant virtuoso percussion and sensational Minimoog solos. 'Not Fade Away (Glid Forever)' at the end of the setlist gives a musical outlook on the album 'Motivation Radio', which was not to be released until September 1977. There is no better way to perform and experience space rock à la Steve Hillage live."
2 CD Set $22

THE RONNIE SCOTT QUARTET with STAN TRACEY / RONNIE STEPHENSON / MARK MURPHY -
BBC Jazz Club 1964-1966 (1960’s Records 063; UK) “Everyone knows that the 1960s, the decade in which London swung as never before, were the golden era of Ronnie Scott's club, the tiny bolthole of a basement that had swiftly gone from a strictly parochial phenomenon to an international marker on the jazz map. What's less well-known, largely thanks to his own diffidence about recording, is that this was also the time in which Scott the player hit his peak. These previously unreleased sessions from 1964-66 find him helming his own quartet -- a band praised by critics of the time as a "powerful combo" creating "full-blooded, exciting" jazz -- in three distinct settings; live in Manchester (supporting jazz superstars the Dave Brubeck Quartet); in the studio; and accompanying a very special guest, the iconic American jazz vocalist Mark Murphy. Rarely has Scott been heard to better advantage, his playing throughout these sets bringing his legend back to vivid, hard-swinging and passionately communicative life.”
CD $15

LOOK OUT! - The San Diego Scene 1958-1973: Rock & Roll, Garage, Psych And Soul from America's Finest City (Relampago-Go 5873; USA) “Years in the making, finally the story of San Diego's early music scene can be told -- and heard! From Rockabilly, R&B, and instrumentals, to garage rock, psychedelia, and beyond. 33 tracks from this Southern California coastal border town, spanning those embryonic, heady, sun-kissed, and fab fueled times from 1958-1973. Never in the shadows of Los Angeles or San Francisco, the San Diego scene was doing its own thing. Painstakingly compiled by musician and local music historian Andy Rasmussen, who worked closely with many of the musicians and artists of the era to make this a definitive and truly one-of-a-kind listening experience. Includes early recordings by future members of Moby Grape, Canned Heat, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Includes 36 jam-packed pages of band bios, photos, extensive track-by-track liner notes by Mike Stax, and a foreword by Andy Rasmussen. Bonuses include radio spots, local ads, and live segments. Sourced from mega-rare 45 releases and a handful of previously unreleased recordings. Features Gene Lamarr & His Blue Flames, The Strangers, Ervin Groves, Billy Keen & The King's Men, The Ray-Nears, The Nomads, The Imperialites, Larry Green & The Rhythmaires, The Misfits, Sandi & The Accents, Joel Scott Hill & The Invaders, The Lyrics, The Orfuns, Steve & The Holidays, Ervin Rucker, The Inmates, The Survivors, The Cascades, The Outcasts, The Mod, The Sons, The Contrasts, Five # Grin, The Brain Police, Mixed Grill (Gnarly Beast), Anita May & Interstate 5, Jamul, Brat, and Glory. Edition of 1000.
CD $17

LINA TULLGREN - Visiting (Bada Bing 1017) - Lina Tullgren’s debut tape on Bada Bing provides a refreshingly coherent and patient take on the possibilities of solo string playing. In their other life as a songwriter, Tullgren has a knack for vividly elevating microscopic personal moments into ambitious yet restrained musical arrangements (2017’s “Won” and 2019’s “Free Cell” are highly recommended FFO The Dirty Three, Arto Lindsay, Smog and verdant melodicism at large). This intentionality translates directly into Lina’s first label-sanctioned experimental outing. A violinist from a young age, their history with both measured classical  control and the broad(er) timbral vocabulary of the fiddle are on display throughout these three pieces.  Planted firmly in the lineage of Polly Bradfield, Tony Conrad, and Henry Flynt, Tullgren displays a streak of aggressive bowing gestures without comprising the melodic arc of their statements, as well as a graduated sense of how to use processing. The use of delay, as well as the occasional freeze pedal, serves as a tasteful undercurrent, lending breadth and momentum to the gestures. "Gravel Foot" is the most clear Conrad homage, but that comparison is almost lazy. Tullgren has gone beyond the Eternal Music genre study and asserted a desire to insert a progressive and destructive upon the structure of this tradition. Standout “Put a Pin In It” , utilizes a pressurized color study of wiry bow pressure and amplification to push the instrument to implosion, and features some fantastically delivered layered beat frequency moments. “Centerline Rumble Strip” is the most exposed, allowing the emptiest space on the record to serve as a platform for some of its densest punctuations. The sound worlds here are undoubtedly material explorations in the classic sense, but sacrifice none of Lina’s inherent lyricism. I’m greatly looking forward to more work in this vein from them, as this is certainly a vocabulary worth continued expansion and repetition. - Frank Meadows for DMG 
Cassette $8

LP SECTION:

HARRY BERTOIA - Glowing Sounds (Sonambient 1036; USA) “Harry Bertoia's Glowing Sounds LP contains three versions of the same composition, each transferred at different tape speeds in accordance with the artist's instructions. This is the third LP to be released from Bertoia's extensive tape archive and it's the first, of many, to be released using instructions left behind by the artist himself. Bertoia wrote the concept for this Glowing Sounds LP on a note in 1975 and slipped it into the master tape case where it sat unread for 45 years. The idea was simple, transfer the original recording at its original speed and two slower speeds. Bertoia noticed that the results, however, were profound. Recorded on January 20, 1975 using two large gongs, Glowing Sounds is one of the most powerfully minimal recordings yet discovered in Bertoia's collection. The artist's note left with the tape indicated that it was recorded at a speed of 15 IPS (inches per second) but slowing it down to speeds of 7.5 IPS and 3.25 IPS were quite effective for enhanced playback. Side A features the original 15 IPS recording and the 50% slower 7.5 IPS recording. Side B features a 20-minute, ultra-slow version at 3.25 IPS. Long, deep drones and powerful overtones define the sound of this recording. Comparison of the three speeds provides a revealing magnification of Bertoia's gongs, overtones and the artist's inventive approach to performance, composition and recording.”
LP $26

TIBOR SZEMZO - Snapshot From The Island (Fodderbasis 064; Hungary) “Hungarian "minimalist" instrumentalist/composer Tibor Szemző is considered a genius by many, although his accomplishments as an artist are sometimes overshadowed by the likes of superstars, Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Snapshot From The Island was originally released by Leo Records in 1987 and now 33 years later the album gets the proper reissue on his own label. Snapshot From The Island is a wonderful excursion into ambient-electronic-acoustic dreamscapes which could also be considered an offshoot of what many call the "minimalist movement". The title track, "Snapshot From The Island" is a 24-minute tone poem featuring Szemző performing on computer drums and flutes of various pitch. Here, Szemző provides a soft rhythmic undercurrent to balance the somewhat ethereal and delightfully hypnotic motif as he also electronically emulates bird and animal sounds which magnifies the mood or imagery of a faraway "Island" paradise. Szemző is a true artist, a painter with a fertile imagination, as he invites the listener into his introspective world of thoughts and dreams. Szemző's lush, yet subtle flute work evokes a surreal landscape on "Water-Wonder". On this piece, Szemző pursues circular passages while also intelligently utilizing a dash of echo to enhance the aura of a magical or mystical place, which for all intents and purposes seems timeless or otherworldly. "Let's Go Out And Dance" is a dream-laden piece, featuring Szemző's "cosmic" flute performances atop a soft pulse and László Hortobágyi's synthesizer backwashes which conveys a sense of fulfillment or perhaps a scenario of -- peaceful celebration. Again, Szemző offers up more visions of paradise, which could very well have been a subtitle to this beautiful recording. The overall organic nature of Tibor Szemző's music makes it all seem so real or something that our imaginations can easily grasp. There are no hidden clues or underlying mysteries behind all of this as Szemző's artistry speaks for itself. A museum piece for the ears. Remastered by István Szelényi, 2020.”
LP $26

MICHAEL HURLEY - Blue Navigator (Feeding Tube Records 539; USA) "Pleased as punch are we to be reissuing Michael Hurley's long-lost 1984 album, Blue Navigator. Admittedly, Secret Seven and Mississippi collaborated on a dandy 8-track version a decade ago, but the record has mostly been available as an obscure import CD -- if at all -- for many a year. The reason for this is that the Rooster Records HQ burned down in 1987, taking master tapes, extra covers and whatever else there was with it. This was a general bummer, but especially so for us Hurley fans, since his final LP with Rounder was Snockgrass in 1980, and he didn't hook up with Fundamental to do Watertower until 1987. The disappearance of Blue Navigator from this earth left a sizable hole. Which we'd now like to think has been plugged. Recorded with a cast of Northern Vermont hepcats including guitarist Jon Weber (of Dan Hicks' original Hot Licks), head Rooster William Wright on guitar and mandolin, Nancy Beavan on vocals, Gordon Stone on pedal steel and various other goners, all playing some sweet rural swing displaying exactly how Hurley became the toast of the snowmobile club circuit during his days in the North Country. A mix of old favorites -- 'Werewolf,' 'Open Up (Eternal Lips)' -- new favorites -- 'Code of the Mountains,' 'Ghost Woman Blues' -- and even a re-write -- 'Blue Navigator' -- it's a great, very casual sounding session, revealing more layers the more you listen. The instrumentation varies a lot between tunes, but the music always flows with Snocky grace and assurance. For this reissue, Michael has written a set of illustrated liner notes that scoot around just the way his conversation does on a long car ride. Which makes me miss the open road as much as anything else today. Just close your eyes, sink back into the music on Blue Navigator and pretend you're drifting through the hills and valleys of the Green Mountain State on your way to a cold growler of beer. You'll soon feel like a million bucks. Promise!" --Byron Coley, 2020
LP $24

DEAD SEA APES - Night Lands (Feeding Tube Records/Cardinal Fuzz 528; USA) "Hot on the heels of last year's drone masterpiece, The Free Territory, comes this hot bowl of noodles from Manchester's most elegantly wasted quintet. And while there might be apt comparisons to be made to some of the best current psych purveyors, the central thrill provided by these sounds makes me think of naught but prime Bay Area ballroom scene acid spew. The guitar lines unspool like electrical cables filled with acid punch, and remain crackling in the air for moments longer than you imagine they can remain afloat. The keys have a bit of a German overtone, but it's the same sort of one that led to the flash of Popol Vuh's United Artist albums (which are themselves, at heart, paeans to the Bay.) The sound here is the sort of thing true believers recall as the highest moments of Man in live concert flight. Raging, raving guitars to soak your soul once and for all. Don't fear the downpour. Revel in it." - Byron Coley, 2020
LP $24

DEAD SEA APES & BLACK TEMPEST - The Sun Behind The Sun (Feeding Tube Records/Cardinal Fuzz 587; USA) Cardinal Fuzz and Feeding Tube Records present a long-awaited reissue of Dead Sea Apes & Black Tempest's The Sun Behind The Sun. This reissue is presented in a reflective Mirri Board reflective outer sleeve. Manchester's Dead Sea Apes and Godalming's Black Tempest engage in a mind meld of galactic proportions on this; both band's first outing on vinyl. Both entities weave together seamlessly as "Grey Alphabets" recalls Goblin's giallo soundtracks, whilst "Wilder Penfield" pulses with post-punk metal-loid Harmonia kraut vibes. Side two is given over to the 25 minute "Heliopause" -- a dubby astral meditation, where Oneida meet Tangerine Dream in an elongated komische drift. For fans of: Harmonia, Oneida, Goblin, Mogwai, Tangerine Dream.”
LP $24

ADAM STONE / DEAD SEA APES / BLACK TEMPEST - Dataland (Feeding Tube Records/Cardinal Fuzz 590; USA) “Dataland is a collaboration with Black Tempest and Adam Stone, achieved mainly through internet data transfer during the Covid lockdown of 2020. Insistent, evolving electronic sounds encounter a variety of guitars and percussion, from the clockwork kosmische of "Lost Hours" to the stumbling noise dub of "Shop Soiled", while Adam Stone's words meditate on life in the post-industrial west, our increasingly atomized and data-driven society and its logical conclusion in a corporatized dystopia. Dataland is a meditation upon the average existence of a "developed-world" human in the early 21st century. Whilst not struggling with the harsh physical demands of industrial labor as we did in the recent past, our plight continues to embody the melancholia and confusion of alienation. Under the bewildering complexity of rationalized social and economic systems, we may indeed have become unwitting prisoners within, what the sociologist Max Weber termed, "the iron cage of bureaucracy" -- tripping the minutes away in a daily pantomime of data-driven surrealism. This six-song collection is a fusion of electronica, monologue, "real drums", and guitar, and was recorded at various locations in sad old England over the last two years or so. An almost psychedelic sense of puzzlement, nausea, and fatigue accompanies being lost in the omnipresent number-generating machines and anti-human modelling systems that now run our world. This is the realization that defines the essence of the album -- that your life is now only as real as what is displayed on the screen of your constant technological companion.”
LP $24

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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!
 
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THIS IS FROM MY GOOD FRIEND JESSICA HALLOCK,

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 comes from SCOTT ROBINSON - multi-instrumentalist and head of ScienSonic Records. Scott’s recent quartet disc with Milford Graves, Marshall Allen & Roscoe Mitchell is one of the best discs of the year! Get your copy soon!

https://www.facebook.com/ScienSonic/videos/203498301480452

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJxpA9oULhI

https://www.facebook.com/ScienSonic/videos/702767920374668

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This one comes from WILL GLASS
who once played here at DMG in a trio with Kurt Gottschalk and Miguel Frasconi.

Lexiglass is a duo, myself on drums and Alexis Marcelo on keys. (Alexis is known in creative music for his work with Yusef Lateef, JD Parran, Malcolm Mooney, Mike Pride and Adam Rudolph). We have been around since 2014, often as a backing band for hip hop artists uptown, and sometimes as an improvising, instrumental hip hop band. We have released three tapes of mostly covers of artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Mobb Deep and Madlib. This EP is archival picks, including a memorable show at Resonance Cafe in Montreal--a rare moment for us with Alexis on a nice piano.

https://lexiglass.bandcamp.com/album/pad-ep

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This comes from CHRIS CUTLER (Henry Cow, Art Bears & REcommended Records)

Chris has a podcast called Probes and this is Episode #28.2

https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-282-auxiliaries

During the earlier part of the pandemic/lockdown when I started going back to work at DMG in June, I listened to all of the Probes podcast series and on the train coming and going to NYC. Each one is fascinating as Mr. Cutler Probes the many aspects Creative Music, unique instrumentation, the history of recordings and lots more. Please take some time and listen to these, they are most enlightening.

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THIS ONE COMES from PAUL DUNMALL, British Saxophone Colossus!!!

Dear All

I haven't done any gigs since March but I have a done a couple of recordings so if your interested there's a video of one below which goes on line 7.45pm November 26th it was organized by TDE promotions/Fizzle may you all stay well. - Paul

Here's the link: https://youtu.be/GjbY7tTeH7k

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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-43
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-42
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-41
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-40
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-39
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-38
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-37
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-36
https://ingrid-laubrock.bandcamp.com/track/stir-crazy-episode-35