“Once in a Lifetimeâ€
By Talking Heads from their album,
‘Remain in Light’, released in 1980
And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
And you may ask yourself, "How do I work this?"
And you may ask yourself, "Where is that large automobile?"
And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful house"
And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife"
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Water dissolving and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Under the water, carry the water
Remove the water from the bottom of the ocean
Water dissolving and water removing
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, into the silent water
Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Leting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
You may ask yourself, "What is that beautiful house?"
You may ask yourself, "Where does that highway go to?"
And you may ask yourself, "Am I right, am I wrong?"
And you may say to yourself, "My God, what have I done?"
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, into the silent water
Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, look where my hand was
Time isn't holding up, time isn't after us
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was (I couldn't get no rest)
Same as it ever was, hey let's all twist our thumbs
Here comes the twister
Letting the days go by (same as it ever was, same as it ever was)
Letting the days go by (same as it ever was, same as it ever was)
Once in a lifetime, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
I graduated Glassboro State College in June of 1976 (journalism major) and moved back home to my family in Linden, NJ. By the time I graduated, I had become a jazz and progressive/Canterbury snob, having given up on most popular rock, disco, lame fusion and former prog bands like Yes & Genesis. The only rock & funk bands I still dug were the Dead, Little Feat, Funkadelic & Prince. I tried to get a job writing for the Village Voice and other music mags that I still read (no luck) and ended up doing a few interview/articles for Trouser Press (Dave Stewart & Fred Frith). I worked for my father selling machinery tools and ended up working in real estate for a few years doing apartment rentals. Mostly, I worked in several record stores (Record Hunter & Vinylmania) and also for JEM Import Distributors during their last year. I discovered the fanzine underground and wrote for Jersey Beat mag for around a decade, throughout the eighties (thanks to Jim Testa, editor). Thanks to checking out Neil Young playing “Like a Hurricane†on TV and have some friends that I worked with (at the Record Hunter), I was turned onto Television, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Patti Smith, The Clash & Talking Heads. I became a big fan of this music, as well as dozens (hundreds) of other New Wave, No Wave & Punk bands, from this era onwards.
I heard the first Talking Heads album (‘Talking Heads ’77’), within a year of its release and became a big fan quickly. I caught them live as often as was possible and bought each record as it was released. Their first four albums (1977-1980) are still favorites of mine and watching them evolve on record & live was a great thing. I dug that they started out somewhat stripped down (instrumentally), quirky rock music of sorts and completely changed/evolved on each album. Plus, the incredible & well-respected Brian Eno produced/collaborated with the band for three records in a row, the culmination was ‘Remain in Light’, a masterpiece of rock/funk/prog/etc with unique lyrics/observations from their main man, David Byrne. The repeating line, “Same As It Ever Was†became a mantra of sorts for those of us who felt like we were locked in a loop of repeating timelines. I still play this record more than forty years later and it still sounds fresh to me, not dated in the least. A tip of the hat to Talking Heads, Brian Eno and Creative Popular & Unpopular Music Everywhere, which can still inspire us when we feel we need some Inspiration. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
******************
THE DMG 31st ANNIVERSARY Ongoing FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Saturday, February 12th: The GAUCI-MUSIC Series Continues:
6:30pm: CD release concert for “KENNETH JIMENEZ / STEPHEN GAUCI, Pandemic Duets"
Kenneth Jimenez - bass / Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
7:15pm: CD release concert for “RAF VERTESSEN / STEPHEN GAUCI, Pandemic Duets"
Raf Vertessen - drums / Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
8pm: GAUCI / JIMENEZ / VERTESSEN Trio
Tuesday, February 15th, 2022
6:30: JOE McPHEE / HENRY FRASER / RAF VERTESSEN! Reeds or Brass / Double Bass / Drums!
********
Remembering JOSEPH LOUIS DIORIO
1936-2022
Joe Diorio, world renowned Jazz guitarist, educator, and ambassador for the power of creative improvisation left this world on February 2nd at the age of 85. Born in Waterbury Ct. in 1936, Mr. Diorio traversed the nexus of bebop, post - Coltrane harmonic advancements and free improvisation from ground zero, along the way crafting a stunningly original, dense, yet beautifully lyrical voice on the electric hollow body jazz guitar. Whilst living in Chicago in the early 1960's, Mr. Diorio came up under the tutelage of the legendary "Buster Brothers" Bobby and Eddie and worked with master saxophonists Sonny Stitt, Von Freeman and Eddie Harris among others. This work is documented on two landmark/classic Chicago bebop records, Sonny Stitt's "Move on Over" and Eddie Harris "Exodus to Jazz". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOhITLdpr1Q. It was also around this time that Joe helped inspire the late Mario Pavone to pursue music, recognizing a potential not yet manifested. In the early 1970's, Mr. Diorio migrated to Miami, Florida continuing a long and fruitful relationship with legendary multi instrumentalist Ira Sullivan. Their gigs around the coast were legendary; bebop, latin, cuban, modal and free improvisation styles shaped into a new and unprecedented whole, thoroughly unique to the cultural intersection and landscape of South Florida. This ensemble included a young Jaco Pastorious, who would acknowledge Joe as a huge inspiration and mentor during his formative years.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_1Rf092ai4 The group was also a gateway for a hotbed of burgeoning, impressionable talent surrounding the University of Miami in the early 70's including Pat Metheny and Mark Egan later of the PMG.
Joe and Ira's wonderful collaboration is documented on two amazing albums for Galaxy records, "Peace" and " Multimedia". It was around this time that Mr. Diorio created his first recordings as a leader for the now infamous SPITBALL records.His improvising as documented on these recordings reveals a "quantum leap" in conceptual breath, virtuosic technique, harmonic understanding, and extended inside/outside improvisation incubated out of the traditional jazz guitar lineage, almost without precedence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gbVJAtZ8a8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io7GHQ3wKdI
A large component of his personalized harmonic vocabulary involved intervallic shapes on the guitar that moved horizontally involving intervals of the 4th and 5th as well as wide intervals and string skipping, to offer a simple analysis. This sound was predominately utilized most often and naturally by piano players and saxophonists but required a breathtaking and new technique to execute smoothly on the guitar, which Joe created and documented in his landmark book "Intervallic Designs''. Upon moving to Southern California in the early 1980's Mr. Diorio was one of the first teachers at the newly ordained "Guitar Institute of Technology" in Los Angeles. created by Howard Roberts. Here, Mr. Diorio helped nurture thousands of aspiring musicians from around the world for decades including Jennifer Batten, Scott Henderson and Frank Gambale to name but a famous few. In the 1990's Mr. Diorio teamed up with the Italian label RAM and issued one of the greatest guitar recordings of all time, "Rare Birds" with the equally influential Mick Goodrick..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYnrW2nqOOM
Sometime after suffering a stroke in 2005, Mr. Diorio returned to reside in his hometown of Waterbury Ct. until his passing. It should be strongly noted that all though he was not able to use his hand's strength to their greatest ability, Mr. Diorio held weekly private guitar classes and gatherings for many of the most talented guitarists in the state...for years. I feel fortunate that I was able to attend a few while living here in New York City and know he was a mentor and friend to many already amazing players. He also was restlessly creative, constantly painting and sketching in his freetime; some pieces bookend his later cd releases. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/album/joe-diorio/we-will-meet-again. The role of educator, player, and creator is often a tricky terrain to navigate while being a creative artist. Mr. Diorio navigated these disparate yet interchangeable waters with equal and inspiring aplomb. For along with being an incredibly original and gifted improviser and theoretician, he was an equally incredible and selfless human being in a seemingly inhumane world. May his spirit and contributions to humanity and the arts continually manifest and flow eternal.
Thank You Joe Diorio!
John Mori for DMG
The above remembrance was written by John Mori, manager of our Discogs on-line store and jazz guitar freak like myself and many of you out there. We recently lucked out and bought a large (2,400 ) USED CD collection of mostly more mainstream jazz, much of which features guitar players. We have started and will be listing some 300 Blue Note CD’s first and searching for other rarities amongst the deluge. John & I will be spending some time checking out many of the more obscure/under-recognized guitarists in the batch: Billy Bean, Mundell Lowe, Lenny Breau, Barry Galbraith, Billy Bauer, Jim Raney, Mick Goodrick, Ed Bickert, Dale Bruning, Jerry Hahn and of course, Joe Diorio. It will take quite a while to put most of this collection so those of you searching for certain titles please check our Discogs store. - BLG at DMG
************************
This Week’s New Disc Emporium Begins with this Amazing Duo:
SATOKO FUJII & JOE FONDA - Thread of Light (Listen! Foundation FSR; Poland) Featuring Satoko Fujii on piano and Joe Fonda on contrabass, cello & flute. This is the fourth discs from this wonderful ongoing duo, which has also done a couple of trio discs as well with Natsuki Tamura & Gianni Mimmo. Due to pandemic shutdowns and travel bans, Ms. Fujii’s piano parts were recorded in her home in Kobe, Japan and then sent to Mr. Fonda, whose parts were added in NYC. This model has become an essential way of doing collaborations during this extended pandemic period. Had I not known that both musicians had recorded separately, it is hard to tell the difference since both sound like they are on the same wavelength, creating their sounds as one sympathetic spirit/force. The music sounds like an ongoing dialogue between two old, dear friends. On “Fallen Leaves Danceâ€, both musicians increase the tempo to a streamlined soar, rising higher as they go forward. Ms. Fujii generally plays repeating bassline with her left hand while adding waves of notes with her right hand. Mr. Fonda stays in the center like a complete rhythm team playing a pulse which slowly expands and contracts as it goes. When things slow down for “Reflectionâ€, the spacious suspense sets in, each note carefully plucked or played with Fujii occasionally rubbing the strings inside the piano with some object(s). I like the way time and expectation is/are stretched out here, making each note count, bring each sound to life. Mr. Fonda’s bass is featured on “My Song†and just the larger-than-life sound is extremely well-captured as he lets certain notes rumble, buzz and expand. Mr. Fonda plays flute on “Wind Soundâ€, creating a spooky ambience while Ms. Fujii coaxes eerie drones (an ebow?) from inside the piano. Mr. Fonda has been playing more flute over the last few years, his playing getting better as it evolves. Things become more stark on “Haruâ€, the spaciousness having a most hypnotic vibe surrounding it. The final piece, Between Blue Sky and Cold Water†is the highlight as it captures everything about the way this duo evokes a magical flowing spirit. Another real treasure from Satoko “Non Stop†Fujii and Joe “Golden Fingers†Fonda. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
GORDON GRDINA - Pendulum (ABG Records 1; Canada) Featuring Gordon Grdina on classical guitar, oud & compositions. Over the past few weeks, I’ve reviewed 5 CD’s from Vancouver-based plectrumist, Gordon Grdina, all released over the past year and each one great in different ways. Mr. Grdina thrives when playing with different collaborators and approached each session with different plans depending on the personnel. As far as I can tell, this is Mr. Grdina’s second solo effort. Considering that Mr. Grdina has worked in jazz, rock, ethnic & modern classical ensemble as well, he can draw from a wealth of influences & inspirations. Starting out with “Koen Doriâ€, which is stark and sounds closer to chamber music, Mr. Grdina plays a series of expressive chords and single note excursions, balancing nicely between the two approaches. This is an all acoustic disc, hence their is no manipulation or effects utilized. Grdina plays with the care & subtly of an acoustic harp player, spinning out notes with grace and elegance. On “Contraâ€, Grdina increases the tempo until he is spinning a seductive web, astonishing in its breadth. As he spins his lines, he plucks certain notes or chords as punctuation to the flow going on. Unlike most of Mr. Grdina’s collaborations with other musicians, for this solo effort he shows off his instrumental prowess, adding flourishes to the quick spinning chords he plays. Even when the pace slows down to a more reflective section, he shows the same type of grace within the complex lines he tosses off there and again. Midway through “The Chaseâ€, Grdina starts hitting those single notes more forcefully, driving the inner spirit more intensely, reminding us of the energy within a modern classic work (‘Rites of Spring’, let’s say), which inspires the dancers in ballet to jumper higher and dance in a more frenzied manner. For those of you who love acoustic (jazz) guitar or great oud playing, this solo effort is a tour-de-force, another gem in a long line of treasures from Gordon Grdina. - Bruce Lee Gallanter
CD $15
SONGS OF TALES with GORDON GRDINA / JESSE ZUBOT / JEAN MARTIN / PETR CANCURA - Life is a Gong Show (Roots2Boot 2002; Canada) Featuring Gordon Grdina on oud, guitars & bass, Petr Cancura on saxes & keyboards, Jesse Zubot on violin, bass, synths & congas and Jean Martin on drums, vibes & electronics. Vancouver-based guitarist & oudist, Gordon Grdina recently sent us 6 new discs, each with different personnel and all recorded over the last few years. The only that surprised me about releasing six discs at once is that each one was great and quite different from the others. Songs of Tales is a mostly collaborative quartet in which each member contributes compositions and/or some direction in the overall sound. Serious listeners should recognize the other members of the quartet from different sessions. Vancouver-based violinist Jesse Zubot (brother to Josh, another recent Grdina collaborator) runs the in-limbo Drip Audio label, has many discs as a leader & sideman and is part of Tanya Tagaq’s band along with Jean Martin. Toronto-based drummer, Jean Martin also runs the Barnyard label and has worked with The Element Choir and LaConnor. Saxist Petr Cancura has recorded with Joe Morris on previous sessions and is a member of the Ghost Train Orchestra.
Most of the tracks on this disc were written by Mr. Grdina or Mr. Cancura with one Charles Mingus cover. Mr. Grdina’s “Traure†opens this disc with some suspense-filled electric guitar and violin before the tenor sax joins for that most-memorable theme. Mr. Zubot takes the first of several inspired solos which is followed by an equally sprawling solo from Mr. Cancura. “Burning Bright†has a great sort-of 70’s jazz/rock sound which I love, with all the members of the quartet playing their tight lines together. Mr. Cancura’s “Awake†has an enchanting melody which reminds me more of a sixties sort-of ballad with a passion-filled tenor solo by Cancura. “Cinema†has another memorable melody which is rather Beatles-like, giving an old school charm. At first I wasn’t sure that Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’†was a good choice but the version here is more fun & funky that you might think. What I like most about this disc is how much of it is totally filled with that effervescent rock/jazz/pop spirit that we so rarely hear in most creative music, be it prog, jazz or rock. I get the feeling that this disc would be great for a party, it feels so good to listen and perhaps dance around at times. Completely charming! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
TWO GREAT NEW DISCS FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE SKIRL LABEL:
LUKAS AKINTAYA with JEREMY VINER / KEISUKE MATSUNO / BILLY DREWES / ELIAS STEMESEDER / SIMON JERMYN - Hues (Skirl Records; USA) Featuring Lukas Akintaya on drums, percussion, keyboards & compositions, Jeremy Viner on tenor sax, Billy Drewes on soprano sax (2 pieces), Keisuke Matsuno on guitar, Elias Stemeseder on synth & electronics and Simon Jermyn on el. bass. Although the Skirl label only releases disc on rare occasion, I am always pleased to hear some new from the usual suspects like Chris Speed, Jim Black or Oscar Noreiga as well as musicians that I wasn’t previously familiar. I can’t say that I had heard of drummer/composer Lukas Akinaya before now although he has been around a bit and has recorded with the HOLON Trio and Rothko String Quartet. I do know all of the other musicians here from different live dates or records: Jeremy Viner (from Battle Trance & Hollenbeck Large Units), Keisuke Matsuno (Sana Nagano’s Smashing Humans), Billy Drewes (Paul Motian & Bill Frisell), Elias Stemeseder (Jim Black Trio & Anna Webber) and Simon Jermyn (Trot a Mouse & Joachim Badenhorst).
“Far From†opens and it has a calm, laid-back, dreamy vibe, rockin’ slowly and with hushed restraint. “Terrace Place†seems more like creating a somber mood with shimmering electric guitar & synth droning underneath plus inspired solos from the guitar and soprano sax as the tempo picks up and the group starts to soar together. Most of the music here seems to dealing with creating a thoughtful, moody with just occasional solos floating down the river of life. Eventually the group reach boiling point on “Patience, Growthâ€, with both the guitar and saxes adding more edge to their playing. Since the music here is more about mood than soloing, it will take some time just let it sink in. Rainy day, dream away. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14 or LP $16
ERIK FRATZKE’S FAKE ACCENT with NATHAN HANSON / COOPER DOTEN / CORY HEALEY - Four Serious Allegations (Skirl Records 052; USA) Featuring Erik Fratzke on guitar, keyboards, electronics & compositions, Nathan Hanson on tenor sax & clarinet, Cooper Doten on bass and Cory Healey on drums, percussion, guitar & bass. Erik Fratzke was a member of Happy Apple and the Dave King Trucking Company, DK was/is the drummer of Bad Plus. I recall that saxist Nathan Hanson was once a member of the Fantastic Merlins whose drummer was Federico Ughi. I hadn’t heard of the bassist here before now, although the drummer, Cory Healey, is a member of the Chicago prog band Algernon, who once had a disc out on the Cuneiform label. There are four long pieces here, starting with the title piece, “Fake Accentâ€. The sax and guitar parts sound written while the bass & drums are more subtly added for occasion punctuation. The frontline (tenor sax & guitar) play a serious of moody, sparse themes with some occasional eerie drones woven through. “Health House†has a somewhat prog-like written theme, with the guitar & sax both spinning their intense line together and around one another with some impressive, propulsive support from the rhythm team. “Health House†starts with a difficult written them which keeps changing as the piece evolves, each section a different challenge as far as changes in direction and complex interplay. I like the way the drummer sounds as if he is playing a drum machine or sampler at times rather than just his drum set, speeding up, slowing down, like a wind-up toy at times. The quartet occasionally lock into an powerful groove while the sax and/or guitar wail in top, the intensity nearing boiling point. Mr. Fratzke switches between electric guitar and keyboards (sounds like rumbling electric piano), creating ominous moods rather than soloing. Some songs take a long while to unfold, creating a dark, turbulent mood before the sax or guitar takes over with some inspired solos. This disc getter better with each listen so we must spend some time to appreciate all that is here, whether buried or not. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
NICK ROBINSON - Lost Garden (Discus DISCUS126CD; UK) One man, a guitar, some looping devices, and various sundry effects. Oh, if life were indeed that simple. But erstwhile guitarist Robinson prefers to shake things up considerably, and such a seemingly basic instrumental set-up belies a fiendishly clever mind at work. Solo guitar recordings surely aren’t endangered species, but it’s always depended on who is in fact wielding the implement, and held in Robinson’s calloused appendages, one can rest assured they’re in good hands indeed. Influences are legion across the breadth of this recording, but suffice to say the guitarist suspends the listener’s disbelief across a literally breathless variety of moods and (mal)content. It’s hardly surprising that labelhead Martin Archer has decided to offer this dazzling work under his Discus Improg sub-imprint, Robinson obliterating all genres to the four corners like ashes in the brittle air, texturalizing and retexturalizing until anything remotely categorizable is rendered moot. We get glimpses: the opening eight minutes of “Hushful Point†alternately sting like some of Andy Summers’s more coruscating leylines, the coarse granular aesthetics of Elliott Sharp, the strangely spacey broadstrokes of David Torn, and, in the piece’s closing minute, Buckethead’s farflung out-reach. That multi-headed approach goes right out the window on the following “Cautious Tragicâ€, where Robinson waxes some nostalgic patterning of piquant beauty, backwards-masked and wondrously poised, his fingers interlocking in a minor/major-key dichotomy that positively electrifies the surrounding air like a gathering thunderstorm. Then a track such as “Trip-O-Phonix†reminds us how integral he is to proto-avant-prog trio Das Rad; across electronically-smeared arpeggios, pixie-like abnormalities, and a gaggle of weird motifs that dart across the loudspeaker fabric, it’s obvious that to this man, the guitar is merely the channel through which his muse dances and gyrates, spinning out a widening sonic choreography of ever-surprising proportions. Epic, to be sure. - Darren Bergstein, DMG
CD $14
SHIRLEY SMART & ROBERT MITCHELL - Zeitgeist2 (Discus Music 116; UK) Featuring Shirley Smart on cello and Robert Mitchell on piano & voice (2 pieces). I don’t know much about either members of this duo although it turns out that Shirley Smart had an earlier duo disc out on FMR while Robert Mitchell has worked with Matana Roberts and has a leader disc out on the Edition Records label. After reading through the liner notes, Ic ould tell that this is/was a serious offering The pieces ere composed by either Mr. Smith or Ms. Smart plus “Klavierstuck in A†by CPE Bach and “For Catherine†by Howard Skempton. There are two poems by Mr. Mitchell included in the liner notes, both of which show him to be a wonderfully thoughtful, articulate and probing poet of the highest order.
Both musicians here are well-versed in both modern & older classical strains as well as improvised or freer music. “Opals†is a strong opening piece, warm, sublime, haunting, lovely with elegant playing from both musicians. Mr. Mitchell does a great job of reciting both of his poems with, his rich, elegant British accent adding some wise polish to each piece with Ms. Smart’s superb cello supporting his voice quite nicely. I can hear a bond between these musicians as they weave their lines together, complimenting each other with harmonious and/or haunting shades. Midway through this disc, the duo perform CPE Bach’s “Klavierstuck in A†(one Bach children, composed in the 1700’s), an ancient work and then move to Howard Skempton’s “For Catherineâ€, by a contemporary British composer. The Skempton piece is stark, melodic and delightfully haunting with some enchanting cello by Ms. Smart. One of the thing I most admire about this disc is how modest it is, it is mot about showing off chops or complex composing, it is more about thoughtful music which creates its own story with slowly ever-changing scenery. This is is not like anything we’ve heard on the Discus label before now. It is still a gem and somewhat easier to absorb and appreciate. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
JOHN DIKEMAN / PAT THOMAS / JOHN EDWARDS / STEVE NOBLE - Volume 1 (577 Records 5862-1; USA) “The first of two planned volumes from the quartet of John Dikeman on tenor saxophone, Pat Thomas on piano, John Edwards on bass and Steve Noble on drums, bringing the American saxophonist working throughout Europe together with this nearly telepathic collaborative grouping of UK frequent collaborators, captured in concert at Cafe OTO in 2019 for two absorbing improvisations.â€
CD $14
HYPERSURFACE with DREW WESLEY / LESTER ST. LOUIS / CARLO COSTA - Hypersurface (Self-Release; USA) There is a particularly refreshing and highly specific undercurrent for my generation of Downtown instrumentalists that I find deeply compelling and worthy of attention and encouragement. Although this has been articulated at length elsewhere, it bears emphasizing that the foundational template for group improvisation, for many, has been shifted throughly away from anything resembling jazz bandstand mentality and into a mode that oscillates its resemblances between the post-Cage / Darmstadt continuum of New Music, and the DIY noise scene of the American underground. It has something to do with alumni of New England Conservatory during the tenure of Joe Morris, as well as I think popular/critical reappraisals of composers like Julius Eastman, Eliane Radique, and Tony Conrad. In broad terms, the value systems of these composers and educators offer a new hybridized structure of values and priorities, presenting poetics and theory as critically interwoven parts of rigorous instrumental practice.
Hypersurface, the trio of three excellent young luminaries Drew Wesley (guitar), Lester St. Louis (cello), and Carlo Costa (percussion), immediately struck me as a fresh articulation in this lineage. The pieces on this disc emerged from home recordings dating back to the end of 2018, and despite the doubtless frigid temperature outside, there is something almost sweaty in the level of straining physicality here. Each player employs preparations and extended timbralities with refined pressure and patient insistence. The liner notes from this tastefully simple self-release read “..our bodies are made of vibrations/resonant telepathic communion/language without concepts/we experience sound inside ourselves.†It is within this spirit of meditation on the nature of boundaries and communication that the improvisation practice is reaching a deeper level of spiritual and aesthetic utility, while also producing a welcoming and investigative experience that invites many deep listens. - Frank Meadows for DMG
CD $13
JUDITH WEGMANN / MARLIES DEBACKER / LUKAS BINER / NICOLAS WOLF - Things In Between (Hat ezz-thetics 1039; Switzerland) “Featuring two pianists--Judith Wegmann and Marlies Debacker--and two percussionists - Lukas Briner and Nicolas Wolf (a duo who play concerts in the dark under the name of Night Shadow Noise)--in collective improvisations of two pianists or as a quartet of duel pianists and drummers, for seven exciting and sophisticated recordings of instant composition.â€
CD $17
ELI NEUMAN-HAMMOND - Carnival's Quarrel With Lent (Edition Wandelweiser Records 2111; Austria) “Two renditions of two sound works from Massachusetts composer currently based in NYC, Eli Neuman-Hammond, both pieces using slide whistles in scores for multiple performers, captured in the open air in Ridgewood, NY, Washington Square Park, and in Marblehead, MA, each performance a minimal configuration that varies the fingerings or breathwork of the performers.â€
CD $14
TOBY ROUNDELL - Meditations On The Great O Antiphons (Edition Wandelweiser Records EWR 2107; Austria) “A collaboration with German soprano vocalist Irene Kurka from London-born composer currently working in China, Toby Charles Roundell, seven works for unaccompanied solo voice, who have worked for several years exploring psalms, antiphons and books from the minor prophets, in seven contemplative works of spiritual, resonant vocal progressions.â€
CD MP3 $14
HANNES LINGENS - Music For Strings (Edition Wandelweiser Records EWR 2101; Austria) “Four compositions for strings from German composer Hannes Lingens, including the three-part "Triptych" work performed by the Ensemble CoÔ, a septet directed by bassist Félicie Bazelair that emphasizes bowed strings; and two solo works performed by Bazelair: "Methods and Materials" & "Solo for String Instruments" employing advanced approaches to the double bass.â€
CD $14
FREDERIC RZEWSKI - Speaking Rzewski: Performed by Stephane Ginsburgh (Sub Rosa 523CD; Belgium) Released in Sub Rosa's Unclassical series. "This album is the result of years of work and friendship with the composer. It started with 'De Profundis', a piece which has had a deep impact on me as a musician and a person, and ended with it. Frederic attended many of my performances of the piece, the last one during our last public concert together in early 2020 in Brussels. In the meantime, he wrote 'Dear Diary' (2014) and 'America: A Poem' (2020) for me which were both premiered at Ars Musica festival. I am very happy to present these pieces to you on this new and special album coming out on Sub Rosa." --Stephane Ginsburgh
Frederic Rzewski (1938-2021): Frederic Rzewski was born in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1938. He initially studied piano with Charles Mackey in Springfield and went on to study composition with Walter Piston (orchestration) and Randall Thompson at Harvard University and with Roger Sessions and Milton Babbitt at Princeton University, where he also took courses in philosophy and Greek. A Fulbright-Scholarship enabled him to study with Luigi Dallapiccola in Florence in 1960-61. His musical collaboration with Dallapiccola marked the beginning of his career as a pianist for contemporary piano music. His friendship with Christian Wolff and David Behrman and his acquaintance with John Cage and David Tudor influenced his development, both as a composer and as a pianist. During the 1960s, Rzewski taught and took part in the first performances of Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Klavierstück X" (1962) and "Plus Minus" (1964). From 1977 to 2003, he was a professor for composition at the Conservatoire Royal in Liège, Belgium. He also taught at various other universities, among them Yale University, the California Institute of the Arts and the Berlin University of the Arts. Rzewski founded the live electronics ensemble Musica Elettronica Viva with Alvin Curran and Richard Teitelbaum in Rome in 1966. After his return to New York in the early 1970s, his politically outspoken compositions probably made it difficult for him to obtain a long-term teaching position in the US. Frederic Rzewski lived and worked in Brussels. He left us on June 24, 2021 in his Italian home in Montiano.
Stephane Ginsburgh (1969): A tireless surveyor of the repertoire but also explorer of new combinations including voice, percussion, performance or electronics, Stephane Ginsburgh performs as a soloist in many international festivals such as Ars Musica (Brussels), Quincena Musical (San Sebastian), ZKM Imatronic (Karksruhe), Agora (Paris), Bach Academie Brugge, Ultima Oslo, Darmstadt Internationale Ferienkurse, Gaida (Vilnius), Warsaw Autumn, Klara Festival (Brussels), Festival Forum (Moscow), and Musica Strasbourg. He has collaborated with many contemporary composers such as Frederic Rzewski, James Tenney, Philippe Boesmans, Jean-Luc Fafchamps, Stefan Prins or Matthew Shlomowitz as well as with choreographers such as Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker (Rosas) and visual artists such as Peter Downsbrough and Kurt Ralske.â€
CD $17
MICHAEL WINTER - Counterfeiting in Colonial Connecticut / a lot of tiles (trivial scan)(XI Records 148; Belgium) “XI Records announce the release of a double-CD set of Michael Winter's music organized by guitarist Elliot Simpson. Each CD features a single composition, demonstrating different sides of Winter's work.
The first, "Counterfeiting in Colonial Connecticut", is a socially-engaged piece written for Simpson and in honor of George Floyd. The second, a lot of tiles (trivial scan), derives music from a set of mathematical tilings (often referred to as tessellations). The album art features reprints of altered and counterfeit colonial Connecticut bills as well as custom-made, hand-stamped prints of the tilings. "Counterfeiting in Colonial Connecticut" interleaves guitar passages with readings of excerpts from the book of the same title written by Kenneth Scott and published by the American Numismatic Society in 1957. Readings from the Scott Compendium are complemented with readings of texts written by Winter reflecting events that occurred during the composition of the piece; particularly the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man brutally murdered by police while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill. Simpson is accompanied by Gemma Tripiana Muñoz on piccolo and the texts are read by Simpson, Winter, and animator Mandy Toderian.
"a lot of tiles (trivial scan)" is based on a set of rectangle substitution tilings explored by Chaim Goodman-Strauss in his seminal paper "Lots of aperiodic sets of tiles". A rectangle substitution tiling is generated by dissecting a rectangle into four smaller rectangles, which are then dissected into eight even smaller rectangles, and so on. The parenthetical in the title, "trivial scan", refers to the method of sonification. Sonic parameters of the music are determined by scanning and reading the tilings. The piece is quite open. As Simpson explains about Winter's music in the notes: "Although his music covers a wide range of forms, formats, and concerns, there seems to always be a careful consideration of the adaptability of his works... They can expand and contract to accommodate diverse instrumentations, durations, spaces, and situations... There is an understanding that the myriad of possibilities defined by the scores will never be exhausted; new constellations of materials, performers, and contexts will always exist." In the recording of "a lot of tiles (trivial scan)", this variability is explored through different combinations of electronic, synthesized, and acoustic sounds featuring Simpson and saxophonist Omar López, the dedicatee of the work.â€
CD $15
MERZBOW - Noisembryo/Noise Matrix (Hospital Productions 594CD; USA) â€Noisembryo definitively presented here with bonus disc titled Noise Matrix including unreleased material from the same sessions as Noisembryo and counterpart Hole and selected recording from the time period. The bonus disc alone makes this essential for any Merzbow fanatic as well as new listeners. When people ask where to start with Merzbow, this is the answer. The holy grail, not only of Merzbow's obsessive discography, but of the entire '90s noise movement. You've heard the stories surrounding the infamy of this release, but beyond that stands the depth and wild energy over two decades later that Noisembryo encapsulates. Velocity loops, roving automotive bass, and cacophonic drum machine gel together with the surprising inclusion of a sound rarely heard within Merzbow's many years... Masami Akita's own voice. Akita's surrealism of the past stands prominently relevant to this day. The original Noisembryo on disc one; disc two, Noise Matrix, includes: Track 1 - taken from original DAT tape which including Noisembryo recording on 1994; Track 2-5 - taken from original DAT tape which including Noise Matrix (in Hole) on 1994; Track 6 - a track recorded on 1995 for releasing Eskimo compilation; Track 7 - taken from original cassette tape which recorded on 1994 and remixed on 2019. Remastered in 2020 at Munemihouse, Tokyo. Deluxe foil stamped gatefold tip-on CD wallet cover with mini poster; includes art images from unseen classic paintings and collages of Masami from the original Noisembryo session; includes digital download code.’
2 CD Set $17
BACK IN STOCK:
OTOMO YOSHIHIDE - RIGHT Guitar Solo 2015 (Doubt 162; Japan) For this disc, Otomo Yoshihide once again played the 1963 Gibson ES-175, which owned by the late and legendary avant-jazz guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi, who was also a teacher to Mr. Yoshihide. Otomo's Guitar Solo "LEFT" was released last summer but "RIGHT" is completely different from "LEFT". The 123 short fragments from this guitar are run through a computer programmed at random so no one knows how the sounds are being played. Originally these pieces were played through a sixteen channel system for an installation and have been modified for the two channel/stereo mix. The recording itself is clean, warm and well-captured. Otomo at times sounds plays in that Derek Bailey-like fractured style and also expanding on that. I dig those subtle sustained-note sounds which give this a more ethereal, dreamy detour. Although there were some sixteen channels employed, the sound here is rarely dense, the music here is more spacious and well-balanced. At times, we do hear a couple of guitars playing together which were randomly placed but still sound as if there were two musicians interacting. Considering that there were some 123 different sounds to draw from, Mr. Yoshihide always finds a way to make each sound count, evoking different moods, themes or scenes. The guitar is semi-acoustic and Otomo plays with some soothing, enchanting restraint making for some really magical sections. This music/disc is consistently compelling. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16 [‘LEFT Guitar Solo’ is now out of print]
HISTORIC & ARCHIVAL RECORDINGS:
COLOSSEUM - Those Who Are About To Die Salute You: Remastered & Expanded Edition (Esoteric Eclec 2598; UK) “Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the re-press of a re-mastered & expanded edition of the classic debut album by Colosseum "Those Who Are About to Die Salute You". Colosseum came together in 1968, the brainchild of virtuoso drummer Jon Hiseman and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith (who had played together in the Graham Bond Organisation & John Mayall's Bluesbreakers). Teaming with bass guitarist Tony Reeves and keyboard player Dave Greenslade, the line-up of the band was completed with the recruitment of guitarist and vocalist James Litherland. Recorded in the winter of 1968, "Those Who Are About to Die Salute You" was a stunning debut album and was one of the first successful attempts to fuse jazz, blues and rock. Featuring such classic tracks as 'Walking in the Park', 'Beware the Ides of March', 'Those About to Die' and 'The Road She Walked Before', "Those Who Are About to Die Salute You" reached number 15 on the UK album chart and remains a seminal album in the development of what would be known as Progressive Rock. This Esoteric Recordings release is remastered and includes three bonus tracks recorded at Pye studios in London in November 1968. The release fully restores the original album artwork and features an illustrated booklet with new essay.â€
CD $17
EDGAR FROESE - Dalinetopia (Esoteric/Reactive 1040; UK) Esoteric Reactive is delighted to announce the first ever full commercial release of the 2004 recording by Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese, "Dalinetopia". In 1967, the young Edgar Froese met the unique and eccentric artist Salvador Dali. Visiting the painter twice and performing together with Tangerine Dream a few times in his villa in Port Lligat, Spain, Edgar was one of the few musicians who knew the man face to face. Nearly four decades after these meetings, Froese decided to transform his experiences with Salvador Dali into sound, forming his own tribute to Dali. The album was originally made available as a mail order only item, but now finally makes its appearance as a wider release on Esoteric Reactive for the first time. "Dalinetopia" is a profound listening experience and a fine tribute from one much missed artist to another.â€
CD $17
JOE MEEK - I Hear A New World/The Pioneers of Electronic Music (EL; Cherry Red Acme 349 Box) A presentation featuring Joe Meek's fantastical lunar stereophonic sound adventure, I Hear A New World; both the celebrated 1991 RPM restoration and the original unreleased 1960 concept album; placed in broader international context alongside seminal works by other pioneers of electronic music; from Daphne Oram to Edgard Varèse. Considered in this context, Meek's masterpiece seems less an oddball pop novelty than a daring and visionary electronic sound exploration. The legendary British pop producer came to prominence during the repressed monochrome days before the Beatles arrived to change everything; an era of fascination with all things Space Age and nuclear; a mood Meek encapsulated with his biggest hit, Telstar by the Tornados; a million selling chart-topper on both sides of the Atlantic and the first British pop single to reach Number One in America. Electronic gear and studio techniques were Meek's obsession. He would dismantle a piece of equipment and modify it in order to ramp up its capability and thought nothing of building his own compressors, equalizers and echo units. The trademark Meek sound combined an extra-terrestrial keyboard, brittle guitars awash with reverb and a spectral vocal all fiercely compressed. He constantly pushed at the frontiers of his studio's technical potential, using it as an instrument in its own right and often applying authentic musique concrète procedures in the perpetual search for new sounds. His knowledge of electronics was as advanced as anyone in Britain at the time. The establishment record labels were intimidated by Joe's inventive genius and moody eccentricity; embarrassed that he could outdo them by producing hit records from a glorified home studio above a leather goods shop on the Holloway Road.â€
3 CD Set $24
SPENCER DAVIS GROUP - Taking Out Time: Complete Recordings 1967-1969 (RPM BX 533; UK) Disc One features their 1967 singles recorded with Winwood replacements Phil Sawyer and Eddie Hardin, including the pop sike classics 'Time Seller' and 'Mr Second Class'. Also their recordings used in the film soundtrack "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush". The second half of Disc One comprises their 1968 single and album recorded with Sawyer's replacement Ray Fenwick, who brought with him the excellent 'After Tea' (co-written with Dutch Tee Set pop master Hans Van Eijck). Album With Their New Face On is a mix of jazzy R&B and pop psychedelia. The standout R&B track is 'Don't Want You No More', which was later covered by The Allman Brothers. Disc Two boasts their rare, Germany-only single, and the US only LP Funky recorded in 1969 by Fenwick and Davis plus Nigel Olsson and Dee Murray (just before they joined Elton John). Also included is the theme to the TV show Magpie, originally recorded in 1968, and the groovy, heavy psych single 'Short Change'. RPM is pleased to finally be able to serve up previously unreleased BBC Sessions, recorded through 1968 around the promotion of With Their New Face On. These are coupled on Disc Three with live tracks and other rarities for which tapes have been archived, plus interesting alternative versions discovered down the years.â€
3 CD Set $36
BIRTH CONTROL - Operation (Ohr 560152; Germany) “Ohr present a reissue of Birth Control's Operation, originally released in 1971. Re-release of the second album of the Berlin outfit on the original Ohr label. Produced by the famous photographer Didi Zill in 1971 at Hansa Studios.
"Birth Control's second album, Operation, stands as one of the band's finest recordings, getting the vote as the second-best album of 1971 by one of Germany's leading music magazines. Operation has Birth Control employing a nine-piece string section as well as a smaller brass entourage in order to produce a larger sound, and while their progressive air is just beginning to flourish, a rather large difference in musical strength and instrumental craft is noted right away. Not fully abstract or left-of-center just yet, the powerful crunch of Bruno Frenzel's guitar surely leads the way, dominating the rhythms of every track while complimenting the aeronautics of the keyboard passages..." - Mike DeGagne, AllMusic
CD $17
LP SECTION:
FRANCISCO MORA CATLETT - Electric Worlds (Planet E Communications 65405LP; USA) “Planet E Communications releases Electric Worlds double-LP by Francisco Mora-Catlett, marking Francisco's first electronic album in celebration of 30 years of Planet E. Francisco Mora-Catlett's career spans decades, genres and astral realms, perpetually defined by the quest for survival and being free. The Mexican-American percussionist, composer, and producer makes his solo debut on Carl Craig's renowned Planet E Communications with his first electronic music album, Electric Worlds. Whether pushing the limits of free jazz with the Sun Ra Arkestra in the '70s, studying at Berklee College of Music and touring with Max Roach in the '80s, or playing in Carl Craig's The Innerzone Orchestra in the '90s, Francisco's passion has always been for the capacity that the music created by black and brown people has to free the human spirit.â€
2 LP Set $30
*************
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.
Live Performance at The Zürcher Gallery, NYC
Saturday, February 5th at 8:00 PM
Â
Robert Dick & Dan Blake
Â
Celebrating the release of their CD
Laugh and Lie Down
At Zürcher Gallery, NY
33 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012
********
E#3 Â = Elliott Sharp Trio w/ Dave Hofstra - bass, Don McKenzie - drums
Featuring instrumental renditions of tunes by Howlin' Wolf, Wes Montgomery, Bob Dylan, Freddie King, Thelonious Monk, Robert Johnson, William Penn & Spooner Oldham, Roy Acuff, Sonny Rollins, Herb Remington, Charles Mingus, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Earl HookerÂ
Thursday Feb 17th - Doors: 8:30Â
STAGE 3 / Set time: 9 - 10pmÂ
21 and up / Ticket price: $20Â
Ticket Link:Â https://seetickets.us/ElliotSharp3Feb1722
ELLIOTT SHARP AGGREGAT TRIO at The Jazz Gallery
w/ E# - saxes & bass clarinet Brandon Lopez - bass, Don McKenzie - drums
Friday Feb 25th
Sets: Â 7:30, 9:30
Jazz Gallery
1160 Broadway (at 27th st), 5th fl
New York NY 10001 / info@jazzgallery.org
https://www.jazzgallery.org/calendar/elliott-sharp-feb25
With his improvising trio Aggregat, E# on saxophones and bass clarinet reveals a deep familiarity with jazz history and practice but also dives headlong into a futuristic approach, shredding tradition while acknowledging it. Aggregat's rhythm section of Brandon Lopez on bass and Don McKenzie on drums is powerful and supple. The music that E# has composed for this formation is his most explicitly jazzy set to date with sounds ranging from solid swing to skittering high-velocity textures.
****************
This one is from CHRIS CUTLER, original member of Henry Cow, Art Bears, News from Babel, respected author and founder of Recommended Records. This is Chris’ wonderful podcast and I urge you all to give it a listen…
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-312-auxiliaries
****************
Guitarist and DMG-pal HENRY KAISER has a monthly Video Solo Series on Cuneiform’s Youtube page:
1990 video from WETLANDS in here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfs5OuBfNxs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yeOIVqGLKY
https://www.youtube.com/c/CuneiformRecords/videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGc9OI16hcE
***********
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 & improvisations on each episode. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/gary.lucas.5836/
https://garylucas.com/www/streams/streams.shtml
**********
This clip just arrived in my email from British Sax Colossus PAUL DUNMALL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CpvCjR8tvs (YouTube)
*************
THE GAUCI-MUSIC SERIES CONTINUES WITH:
Monday March 7th
7pm Vinnie Sperrazza- drums
Caleb Curtis- alto sax
Noah Garabedian- bass
8pm Dafna Naphtali - vocals/synth
Ras Moshe - saxophones/flute - TBD
9pm Bushwick Series House Band
w/ Stephen Gauci - tenor sax
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums
10pm Santiago Leibson - keyboard
Michael Attias - alto saxophone
Tom Rainey - drums
11pm Patrick Golden - drums
Dave Sewelson - bari saxophone
Aron Namenwirth - guitar
https://www.facebook.com/events/971231257137469
gaucimusic presents:
Live at the Downtown Music Gallery
Saturday March 12th, 2022
6:30pm CD Release Performance for "Pandemic Duets, Eli Wallace/Stephen Gauci"
Eli Wallace - synth / Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
7:15pm CD Release Performance for "Pandemic Duets, Kevin Shea/Stephen Gauci"
Kevin Shea - drums / Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
8pm CD Release Performance for "Stephen Gauci/Eli Wallace/Kevin Shea, Live at the Bushwick Series"
Stephen Gauci - tenor sax / Eli Wallace - synth / Kevin Shea - drums
At the Downtown Music Gallery
13 Monroe St, New York, NYÂ
212-474-0043
Free concert!
gaucimusic presents:
Live at Scholes Street Studio
Saturday March 19th, 8pm & 9:15pm sets
Live recording/Live audience!
featuring:
Noa Fort - vocals
Sam Newsome - soprano saxophone
Sean Conly - bass
$15 at the door, cash/venmo
https://www.facebook.com/events/1324484507977108
@Scholes Street Studio - 718-964-8763
375 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY (near Lorimer J/M, Montrose L)