DMG Newsletter for February 18th, 2022

This is a man's, man's, man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl

Man thinks about a little bit of baby girls and of baby boys
Man make them happy
'Cause man make them toys
And after man make everything
Everything he can
You know that man makes money
To buy from other man

This is a man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Not one little thing
Without a woman or a girl

He's lost in the wilderness
He's lost in bitterness

Is it really a Man’s World?!?! It would seem that Man has a great deal of problems to answer for which have made our world less livable, less civil, less fair. I had heard James Brown’s version early on and hadn’t really thought about the words very much. When the Dead started to do it live around 1970 with Pigpen singing lead and the rest of the band doing the back-up chorus, it started to sink in, the deeper meaning of this song. Although Man is to blame for many of the wrongs of society (greed, lies, incivility), I believe that women also can take some of that blame. Recent events have shown that politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kyrsten Synema & even Sarah Palin, are equally evil (cunning, loud-mouthed liars & opportunists all). I do believe that Men and Women do need someone to love. During the first half of the pandemic I was involved with a woman named Edel, who seemed smart & good-natured at first but turned out to be an evil Right Wing opportunist propaganda-believing zombie. Very sad for yours truly. Over time, I’ve adjusted to being alone at home and still having a good life, still feeling fulfilled with the many things that interest me & inspire me. However, the thing I like the most is sharing time with other folks, friends, family and DMG customers, listening to music, dancing, singing along and discussing the way music continues to inspire those who take the time to listen more closely. Remember what JB says: : “Get up off of that thing and get yourself together”, put on you dancing shoes (or sneakers) and dance the night away. - MC BruceLee, DMG

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Tuesday, February 22nd at:
6:30 - NICK FRASER / MAT MANERI / BRANDON LOPEZ - Drums / Viola / Contrabass
7:30 - SEAN ALI - Solo Mandolin

Tuesday, March 1st, 2022:
6:30: MUSIQUE LIBRE FEMMES w/ CHERYL PYLE! Celebrating Women’s History Month! Featuring: Cheryl Pyle - c flute /alto flute / Haruna Fukazawa-c flute/alto flute / Judi Silvano -voice / Claire de Brunner-bassoon / Jamie Baum- alto flute / Yuko Togami-drums/percussion

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This Week’s Wonderful Discs Begin with A Downtown All-Star Sextet:

TOMAS FUJIWARA'S TRIPLE DOUBLE with MARY HALVORSON / BRANDON SEABROOK / RALPH ALESSI / TAYLOR HO BYNUM / GERALD CLEAVER - March (Firehouse12 04-010035; USA) This just arrived as we are about to send out the newsletter so I will have to wait to review this disc next week. This sextet rules and I have caught them live twice, both times they were amazing! - BLG/DMG
CD $14

ZOH AMBA with MICAH THOMAS / THOMAS MORGAN / JOEY BARON - O, Sun (Tzadik 4038; USA) Hailing from Tennessee and now residing in New York, Zoh Amba is a 21 year-old tenor saxophonist who performs with a deep sense of spirituality and emotional power. Growing up in the mountains she practiced and played in the forest before continuing her studies in San Francisco and Boston. For her first CD she has chosen a fabulous quartet featuring her close friend, rising NYC star Micah Thomas on piano, and the formidable rhythm section of Thomas Morgan and Joey Baron. Hypnotic phrases, beautiful folk-like melodies and a soulful tone takes this powerful and moving music toward the feeling tones of a sacred ritual.”
CD $14 [In stock early next week]

The JOHN ZORN title ('Garden of Forking Paths') that was supposed to be out this Friday, has been delayed until next month. No need to pre-order until it is listed in a future newsletter.

TONY MALABY / ANGELICA SANCHEZ / TOM RAINEY - Huapango (Rogue Art 0118; France) Featuring Tony Malaby on tenor & soprano saxes, Angelica Sanchez on piano & Wurlitzer electric piano and Tom Rainey on drums. A ways back in 2004 & 2005, saxist Tony Malaby and pianist Angelica Sanchez released two live trio discs with Tom Rainey on drums. The trio had a residency at Barbes in Brooklyn and had decided to document it with their two live discs. Since that time, the trio has played less while Ms. Sanchez started working in duos (with Wadada Leo Smith, Marilyn Crispell & Omar Tamez) as well as with her own ensembles. Mr. Malaby also led a number of his own projects, moved to South America (to teach & work with musicians from there) and is more recently teaching up in Boston. Elder drum wizard, Tom Rainey, has also kept busy with a number of his own projects: a duo with his partner Ingrid Laubrock, a trio with Laubrock & Mary Halvorson and much more.
The original Malaby / Sanchez / Rainey Trio decided to reunite to do this studio effort recorded during the pandemic in Brooklyn in July of 2021. All ten of the pieces here were improvised in the studio, hence they sound “free”, yet if you listen for a while there is a constant connection going on, an interweaving of several threads. I can hear a theme or fragment of a line which erupts and then is expanded upon, all three musicians playing in waves or currents with and around one another. Thing calm down for “Multi-Dimensional Lullabye”, where Ms. Sanchez plays eerie electric piano, one solemn chord at a time. Ms. Sanchez plays an ethereal Sun Ra-like el. piano solo here with Mr. Malaby adding his soft spinning lines on soprano with Mr. Rainey playing his supportive brushwork. One of the highlights of this disc is Mr. Rainey’s drum work which is propulsive, supportive, swirling and organic simultaneously. Rainey if the perfect part of the triangular force which keeps this trio so tight and connected on various levels. We can often tell that these three musicians have worked together for a long while, as they weave several lines, sometimes shadowing each others movements in perfect tandem. On the title track, “Huapango”, Mr. Malaby’s soprano really takes off and heads for the heavens, the el. piano & drums soaring along with him into another dimension. The results are extraordinary, I felt as though we were all levitating together. There is quite a bit of spiritual/magic going on throughout this entire disc. Taste their medicine and you will no doubt feel better than ever. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16

BRANDON LOPEZ / INGRID LAUBROCK / TOM RAINEY - No Es La Playa (Intakt CD 376; Switzerland)
Dreamlike experiences. Sparks fly and a musical interaction works without arrangement or plan. An organic musical process develops out of intuition alone. The same magic happens every time. When Brandon Lopez, a New Yorker with Puerto Rican roots, joined the duo of saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom Rainey, this wasn’t simply about adding a plus one to the Laubrock – Rainey duo. Thanks to the young bassist (born 1988), already collaborating with musicians from Dave Liebman via Zeena Parkins to John Zorn, a new dynamic has formed involving all three. In this triangular constellation a different balance is achieved and an altered play of energies. They are clearly on the same wavelength, with a similar sense and understanding of overarching form, inner structure, timing, feeling, energy, density, transparency and volume.
"Right from the first note the chemistry between them was right. The interplay between the three worked so effortlessly and naturally it bordered on telepathy. The three want to keep up the momentum and capture the magic moment," writes Christoph Wagner in the liner notes. - NeverNoToGravedigger
CD $18

DANIEL CARTER / STEPHEN GAUCI - Pandemic Duets (GauciMusic 04437; USA) Featuring Daniel Carter on reeds & trumpet and Steve Gauci on tenor sax & flute. Aside from releasing dozens of ‘Pandemic Duo’ & assorted trio discs on his own GauciMusic label, Mr. Gauci runs a couple of different series at the Bushwick Public House & at Scholes Studios, both ion Brroklyn, as well as curating a monthly series here at DMG of 2 duos & trio on Saturday nights. Every few months, Mr. Gauci drops off another handful of discs (7-9 titles) from the duo or trio series. He dropped off his next batch of gems and this is the first one I’ve heard so far. Daniel Carter has long been one of Downtown’s busiest players, often playing several concerts every week as well as recording on a wide variety of sessions but never as a leader due to his own choice. One of things that I’ve noticed about Mr. Carter is that his playing his mellowed a bit, not the fire-breathing free-jazz titan of yesteryear. I think this is a good thing since it forces/inspires others who play free music to lay back a bit, listen more and take time to connect with whomever he is playing with.
This duo session was recorded at Scholes Studio in August or 2020. Anyone who has heard/saw Daniel Carter play live knows that he switches between a half dozen horns: soprano, alto & tenor saxes, flute, clarinet & trumpet. Carter starts off on flute with Mr. Gauci weaving his way on tenor, the two playing well together, in similar laid back way, taking their time at first. The pieces or segments are relatively short with Mr. Carter switching to a different horn on each piece. Mr. Carter plays haunting trumpet on the second piece with Mr. Gauci’s tenor also slowly bending each note carefully. Mr. Gauci is a master of the golden warm tenor tone but this is one part of what he does. Both men sound somber, relatively lyrical on the second piece. Both musicians play flute on the third piece, quietly weaving their flutes together in a solemn, thoughtful way. Both musicians play restrained bent note (tenor?) sax on the third piece, carefully bending each note they play. I like that both players lay back, listen and respond with such restraint. Mr. Carter switches to clarinet later on, both musicians slowing down ever more, their tones thoughtful and similar. This entire disc is around 33 minutes long, which seems just right. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

STEPHEN GAUCI / ELI WALLACE / KEVIN SHEA - LIVE @ The Bushwick Series! (GauciMusic 04447; USA) Featuring Steve Gauci on tenor sax, Eli Wallace on keyboard & synth and Kevin Shea on drums. This set was recorded live at the Bushwick Public House on January 28 of 2019. Saxist & promoter, Steve Gauci continues to unleash a myriad of discs from two different series, the ‘Pandemic Duo’ and the ‘Live Trio’ series. Generally leaving us with 7-9 new releases every few months. His ongoing series has been happening at the Bushwick Public House has been occurring every Monday night for the past 3-4 years with around 5 bands a night. I was pleased to see the line-up on this session since I’ve become a big fan and friend of keyboard wiz Eli Wallace of the past few years. Mr. Wallace worked for DMG a while back and I’e heard him play live on several occasions, each time he has knocked me out. Out-jazz piano fan-addicts should check out his solo & duo discs, both on the Echatology label. Also Mr. Gauci and Mr. Shea have been working together in several groupings over the past few years and have obviously developed a bond in their playing.
Mr. Wallace is playing an electric keyboard, sounding like an electric piano played through different devices. Right from the opening eruption, the trio is on fire, burning intensely, pushing the pedal to the metal. While I recognize the tone and playing of Mr. Gauci and Mr. Shea, it is Mr. Wallace that is the wild card here. Wallace is often altering the sound of his electric piano with devices and/or playing synth weirdness. Hence, his playing pushes things into unpredictable waters. There is something special going on here, as all three members of this trio play with organic power and finesse, weaving their way through hills and valleys, tightly navigating the rapids as the sail through the treacherous currents. It makes me smile to think that these sort of sets occur every Monday night from 7 to past midnight with musicians we know & love and many musicians we don’t know as if yet. Three cheers for Steve Gauci and his comrades, another winner in a long line of cosmic gems. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

MOSTLY OTHER PEOPLE DO THE KILLING with RON STABINSKY / MOPPA ELLIOTT / KEVIN SHEA - Present Disasters Vol. 1 (Hot Cup; USA) Featuring Ron Stabinsky on piano & electronics, Moppa Elliott on contrabass and Kevin Shea on drums & electronics. Mostly Other People Do the Killing entered the Downtown Scene when they played at Dee Pop’s Sunday Nite CB’s Gallery/ Dungeon and released their first disc in 2004 (moving here in 2002). The original quartet featured Jon Irabagon on alto & tenor saxes, Peter Evans on trumpet, Moppa Elliott on bass and Kevin Shea on drums. I recall those first few gigs and was blown away by the youthful energy & exuberance, inside/outside playing and odd sense of humor. Eventually both Peter Evans and Jon Irabagon became stars/leaders on their own with Ron Stabinsky joining on piano. MOPDTK have released 13 albums by now, with some guests sitting in on their last disc, ‘Loafer’s Hollow’ (from 2017).
MOPDTK are now a trio featuring Rob Stabinky on piano (currently working with the Meat Puppets), Moppa Elliott (solo bass & leader discs in recent years) and Kevin Shea (1/2 of Talibam! & ongoing drummer for several duos & trios with Steve Gauci). MOPDTK have a longstanding tradition of naming their songs after names of towns in Pennsylvania, they continue to that here with “Three Mile Island” and “Wilkes-Barre”. “Three Mile Island” is first and the trio start with eerie electronics buzzing through the mix, Moppa’s propulsive contrabass at the center and Shea’s ever-shifting drums matching the electronics. The piano part is skeletal, just showing a general direction or boundary for the rest of the trio. On “Exeter”, the piano plays some laid-back funky jazz with the electronics & drums adding their own shades, the bas as always at the center and being the most normal part of this unique piano trio. Mr. Shea’s restless, sputtering drums nearly overwhelm things yet he knows when to completely lay out and let the piano & bass play those inside bluesy episodes. It is hard to tell at times who is kidding who?!? Kinda like Count Basie playing with a tight yet spastic, impossible to predict rhythm team, speeding up, slowing down, exploding, on-the-verge-of falling apart or maybe not?!? Kevin Shea is still the secret weapon here: free, flowing, swinging hard and rarely stopping for commercial or rest/pause… Some of the melodies parts for the piano remind me of those groovy soul/jazz albums that came out in the mid-to-late 1960’s (like the Ramsey Lewis Trio). “Centralia” kinda reminds me of some early Rolling Stones, great groove and ace Nicky Hopkins-like piano. A mambo or perhaps a goofy song played senior exercise classes (I wish). The electronics here are spacey and miminal, old school, never taking over the rest of the goofy piano trio. The alternate version of “Wilkes-Barre” goes between great & cheesy synth, free and soulful piano trio alternations, sporadic spastic tailspinning drumming. Too much of a great thing or not enough..?!? - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
LP & DL only $16

DAY & TAXI with CHRISTOPH GALLIO / SILVAN JEGER / GERRY HEMINGWAY - Run, The Darkness Will Come (Percaso 39; Switzerland) Featuring Christoph Gallio on soprano, alto & C-melody saxes, Silvan Jeger on double bass, voice & shrutibox and Gerry Hemingway on drums & percussion. Day & Taxi are a Swiss (mostly) trio which have been around for some 30 years and run by saxist/composer Christoph Gallio, the only constant member. This is their 11th disc and I always look forward to anything that Mr. Gallio is involved with. The current version of Day & Taxi includes Silvan Jeger, who has worked with Frantz Loriot & has a quintet CD out on Hatology and master-drummer Gerry Hemingway, American born & now Swiss-based, longtime collaborator with Anthony Braxton, BassDrumBone & many others.
Mr. Gallio dedicates a number of these pieces to several musicians/composers/directors that he admires: Kip Hanrahan, Jack Bruce, Jean-Luc Godard & Walter Zimmerman. The title song is up first and it has an infectious swagger, with Mr. Gallio’s C-melody sax featured and sounding more like a tenor, kinda Ellery Eskelin-like with one foot in the past and one foot in the present. The rest of the trio play with a strong, bluesy groove. On seven of the 19 pieces, bassist/vocalist Silvan Jeger recites select poetry in Swiss (German?) or English which includes a few short bits by the late NY poet Steve Dalachinsky. These pieces work as thoughtful interludes between the longer pieces. Mr. Gallio switches to soprano sax on “R.F.” and for the next few pieces. The choice and use of the soprano makes sense since the pieces seem to work best with whatever sax Gallio chooses, making 3-5 pieces in a row sound rather suite-like (connected somehow). It is interesting to hear a short poem by my old pal Steve Dalachinsky spoken in another person’s voice, yet it still works. Each of the dozen or so pieces works to create a scene or vibe or song which always tugs at our emotions with feelings and related grooves. The songs which are dedicated to the various artists seem to evoke a certain sentiment the was triggered by a song, film or feeling that the artist inspired in Mr. Gallio. The overall feeling of this disc is like a film unfolding with different themes being evoked by each song or segment. This is a great disc on a variety of levels, but mostly it seems as if we are being told a story or series of stories so time to listen closely is important. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

We just got a box of CD’s from the Belgium-based El Negocito Records label with 9 different titles. I really admire this label which has minimal distribution in the US. We got between 3 and 10 copies of these titles and some will obviously sell out quicker than others. I am in the midst of contacting the label to get more copies of the ones that will sell out but it might take a while to do this. It is frustrating for both us when we can’t provide certain titles on a timely basis but this is fact of life for all labels that specialize in Creative Music.

JOACHIM BADENHORST / SANEM KALFA / GEORGE DUMITRIU - Black Sea Songs (El Negocito Records eNR102; EEC) Featuring Joachim Badenhorst on clarinet & electronics, Sanem Kalfa on vocals & electronics and George Dumitriu on acoustic & electric guitars & effects. It has been a few years since we’ve heard anything new from Dutch reeds player, Joachim Badenhorst, although he did send out an email in January about a new release from his Carate Urio Orchestra, but we haven’t heard back since I wrote to him. Recently drummer Raf Vertessen left us with a box of (9) CD’s from the El Negocito Records label, which is based in Belgium. I am working my way through the batch now but only recognize a few of the dozen or so artists involved.
This trio is similar in instrumentation to another trio the Mr. Badenhorst worked with a few years back called Equilibrium, which also featured a vocalist, a guitarist and Mr. Badenhorst on reeds. Although I hadn’t heard of Sanem Kalfa or George Dumitriu, it turns out that Ms. Kalfa has worked with Kaja Draksler & has a solo effort out while Mr. Dumitriu has worked with the Dutch couple Ig Henneman & Ab Baars as well as also with Kaja Draksler. All songs on this disc are traditional excpet for one by Ms. Sanem and one by another female composer called Elena Chirica-Tesa. This disc was recorded in a studio in Istanbul, Turkey (where Ms. Kalfa hails) and mixed in Amsterdam, Netherlands (where the trio lives I believe). Although I am not so certain but most of these songs are traditional Turkish ones. Right from the first piece, “Babamin Atmalari”, Ms. Kalfa’s voice is most enchanting as is/are the delightful melodies she sings. Ms. Kalfa is backed by subtle clarinet, plucked strings and hushed yet eerie electronics or effects. When Ms. Kalfa stops singing midway, the rest of the trio take off into some etherial space. Each of the traditional songs feature Ms. Kalfa’s enchanting (sensuous, solemn, sublime) voice at the center with often subtle yet quirky & inventive playing from her two collaborators. “Nani Nani Oy” reminds me of those wonderful Klez/middle eastern sounding songs which were popular in the Downtown Scene circa mid-nineties (like the Tiny Bell Trio or Pachora). One of the main highlights here is the way Ms. Kalfa’s voice is captured and at times, slightly manipulated with some subtle effects. Mr. Kalfa’s voice is warm, sad at times and especially mesmerizing. This entire discs is a pure delight, one of the most enchanting discs I’ve heard in a long while. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

AKIRA SAKATA / GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO / GIOTOS DAMIANIDIS / CHRISTOS YERMENOGLOU - Horyu-Ji (El Negocito Records 091; Belgium) Featuring Akira Sakata on alto sax, clarinet & vocals, Giovanni Di Domenico on piano, Giotos Damiandis on guitar and Christos Yermenoglou on drums & percussion. I am a longtime fan of Japanese saxist (& marine microbiologist) Akira Sakata, who has collaborated with many other giants: Pete Cosey, Bill Laswell, Peter Brotzmann, Andrea Centazzo & Jim O’Rourke. The only other member of this quartet that I know of previously is pianist Giovanni Di Domenico, who has recorded with Mr. Sakata on (at least) 2 previous discs. The only other member of this quartet to be found in the DMG database is Christos Yermenoglou who is a member of the Greek ensemble Musica Lonatana, who have a CD out on the Leo label.
This disc was recorded May of 2018 at the Duende Jazz Club in Thessaloniki, Greece. From the opening salvo, the quartet is playing freely, intense, focused, powerful with all four members fully engaged. Mr. Sakata has a unique, stunning, somewhat brittle tone on his sax, reaching deeper & deeper as the quartet erupt intensely together. When Sakata eventually finishes hi solo, the piano & guitar take off for some strong, spirited interplay, both exchanging furious lines with the drummer navigating from the center of the storm. Guitarist Damiandis takes the next solo and shows that he is also a force to be reckoned with as his solo is striking, jazz/rock frenzied lines with select sustain for his own distinctive tone. The quartet calm down midway for a more restrained section which features Sakata’s more controlled note-bending sax and Di Domenico’s superb near-majestic piano. I was thinking that: is there something in this music which would have us think that there is some Greek music influence, but decided that this not really the case. “Free Music” has its own unique language which goes beyond words, lyrics and obvious references. Still, this is Free Music at its best. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

I don’t have the time to review either of the two titles by CHARLES GAYLE listed below since we just got three copies of each in stock. I am sure that his fans do have an idea of what he can do. It might take a while to get more of these…

CHARLES GAYLE / MANOLO CABRAS / GIOVANNI BARCELLA - Live in Belgium (El Negociti Records 062; Belgium) Featuring Charles Gayle on tenor sax & piano, Manolo Cabras on double bass and Giovanni Barcella on drums. Released in 2017.
CD $16

CHARLES GAYLE / MANOLO CABRAS / GIOVANNI BARCELLA - The Alto Sessions (El Negociti Records 092; Belgium) Featuring Charles Gayle on alto sax & piano, Manolo Cabras on double bass and Giovanni Barcella on drums. Released in 2019.
CD $19


FRANCISCO MORA CATLETT - Mora! I & II (Far Out Recordings 222CD; UK) “Far Out Recordings present Mora! and Mora! II. Mexican-American percussionist and former member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Francisco Mora Catlett originally recorded and released his debut solo LP as a private press in 1987, but the sequel he recorded over the course of the next few years was shelved for decades to follow. A pan-American melting pot of hypnotic Afro-Cuban rhythms, frenetic batucadas, and fiery sambas, Mora! I & II are holy grails of Latin jazz, masterminded by an unsung hero of the genre. Mora grew up in Mexico City where he began working as a session musician for Capitol Records in 1968, before moving to study at Berklee Music College in Boston, MA in 1970. He very briefly returned to Mexico City with the best intentions of cultivating an avant-garde movement in the city, but when the Sun Ra Arkestra came to perform, Mora ended up leaving with the band to tour. Settling in Detroit, Francisco set to work on his self-titled debut, gathering an ensemble of musicians including keyboardist Kenny Cox, founder of the legendary Strata Records, bassist Rodney Whitaker (Roy Hargrove Quintet) and percussionists Jerome Le Duff, Alberto Nacif, and Emile Borde. The album openly embraces and unites the broad spectrum of improvisation, rhythm, and jazz that has thrived throughout the American continents for centuries. In Mora's own words the album intended to "manifest the African heritage presence in the American continent." Epitomizing this outlook, album opener "Afra Jum" deploys a melody based on Haitian, African, and Native American motifs, which is expanded upon by the soulful excellence of the Detroit veterans Cox and Whitaker, amidst a backdrop of Afro-Cuban inspired percussion. The sequel Mora! II was recorded shortly after with an expanded line-up that included trumpet legend Marcus Belgrave, famed for his work with Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, and others. Continuing the concept of the first album, the follow up moves deeper into South America with the samba jazz dance belter "Amazona", led by the rich vocals of Francisco's wife Teresa Mora. The "Afra Jum" concept is further explored, with the original motifs beefed up by the additional horns, and interspersions of Sun Ra inspired rumbling free improvisations. This follow up album remained shelved until 2005, when Mora put it out as a now obscure CD titled River Drum.”
CD $16

ARCANE DEVICE Mechanismos (Pulsewidth PW016; USA) Where David Lee Myers gets his energy/inspiration from, whether operating as either Myers or his alter ego Arcane Device, is anyone’s guess, but he seems to have both in abundance; his output, vis-a-vis pandemic isolation, has been prodigious to say the least. But what is even more remarkable is the insanely high level of quality control that has cropped up on record after record, and bless his heart ‘cuz the lot of us surely can’t get enough. Mechanismos brings back some of the surly industrialistic scrunge of primo AD days, when his feedback machines regurgitated spastic rhythms and a farrago of oil-slick, rainbow electronics. The opener “In A Brown Study”, colorative suggestions aside, suggest a reincarnated Germanic Cluster-schtup, it’s drunken, analog squelch and disoriented patterning enigmatically suggestive of both that dynamic duo and the kind of electronic chunk-a-funk favored by the late lamented (and fellow downtown New York experimentalist) Keeler. Things get even more awry as the disc tumbles further down the rabbit hole: tracks like “Double Lobe”, with its equally dizzying structure, the peripatetic factory-floored swing of “The Name Must Change”, and the apocalyptic gurgles underpinning closer “Subversive Tongues” demonstrate Myers’s uncanny skill at performative autopsy, his ability to essentially become one with his machines a striking example of near-perfect cyborgism that makes vibrant flesh out of artificial intelligence. Truth be told, nothing fake to see here, kids—just sheer puckish miasma - Darren Bergstein, DMG
CD $12

DAVID LEE MYERS Intervals/Interludes (Pulsewidth PW015; USA) The cottage industry that is David Lee Myers proceeds apace with this resolutely stunning, completely immersive new long-player, ditching the prickly beatstorms of his sobriquet Arcane Device for eight treatises of coarse-corrected, deep-space ambient infinities. The opening “Chamber” could either be anechoic or reverberant; the twang of isolationist tones shift collectively under what feels like immense weight, the pull of a dozen black holes sucking the light out of entire galaxies. But despite Myers’s ongoing fascination with minimalism, it’s obvious he’s a rank experimentalist at heart, interfacing neck-deep into the innards of his hardware. “Mirrors” tracks across a chorus of electronic voice phenomena that is positively alien and creepy—perhaps the echoes of long-lost civilizations crying out across millennia? Nevertheless, the piece’s wildly pinging glottal meteorites inadvertently channel the tangerine dreams of Xenakis as much as the Buchla broth of Morton Subotnick and Charles Cohen. “Bowing” stretches both time and space, Myers’s elongated notes bending dimensional constructs so that both sounds and vision are blurred beyond recognition, the listener cast adrift in an shapeless void with nothing but his own inner sanctum for company. “Metals”, all refractive synthetic prisms, detuned wind chimes, and billowing analog witchery, looks to establish some definable sign post on the space traveler’s trip but its decidedly psychedelic air skillfully wrecks the equilibrium. And on the successive “Ghosting” (a more apt title for which could not have been nicked), ectoplasmic synths mimic a hauntological mating of sprites caught in the simulated, spiritual flux of worlds between worlds. Tension pushes and pulls across these eight Lovecraftian aural fictions, (e)motions that only adds to the excited frisson Myers’ so effortlessly concocts. - Darren Bergstein, DMG
CD $12

ARCHIVAL & HISTORIC RECORDINGS, RESTOCKS & REISSUES:

AUDIENCE - Audience (Esoteric Recordings 2492; UK) "Remastered and expanded edition of the classic 1969 self-titled debut album by the legendary progressive rock group Audience. Along with Genesis and Van Der Graaf Generator, Audience were one of the key bands on the roster of the Famous Charisma Label in the early 1970s." If I remember correctly, Audience were a great British Art Rock band, although I wouldn’t call them completely progressive. Their leader/singer Howie Werth reminded me a bit of David Bowie and I recall enjoying each of their 4 or so releases as well as Mr. Werth’s solo album(s). - BLG/DMG
CD $18

BLOSSOM TOES - We Are Ever So Clean (Esoteric Recordings 3285; UK) "Sadly overlooked at the time of its release, We Are Ever So Clean is now regarded as one of the greatest psychedelic rock albums ever made. This expanded Esoteric Recordings edition has been newly remastered and features 27 additional bonus tracks drawn from a live performance in Stockholm in August 1967, rare singles, demos and BBC sessions. The set fully restores the original album artwork and features a booklet with an essay featuring exclusive interviews with Brian Godding and Jim Cregan."
3 CD Set $35

DUNCAN BROWNE - Give Me Take You (Grapefruit Records 001CD: UK) "Widely acknowledged as a genuine UK baroque pop/psychedelic folk classic, Give Me Take You was a heavily sought-after Immediate Records album on the collectors' circuit, with original copies selling for several hundred pounds. It has also attracted significant critical acclaim, being described by one monthly music magazine as 'an English Astral Weeks', and regularly compared to such masterpieces as The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, The Zombies' Odessey & Oracle and Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left. Featuring full liner notes and rare photos/memorabilia, this definitive CD reissue adds 11 bonus tracks to the original stereo album, including mono single mixes, an aborted demo by Duncan Browne's short-lived summer-of-67 flower power outfit Lorel and, perhaps most intriguingly of all, some fascinating pre-album rehearsal performances that are now being made available for the first time."
CD $18

IAN A. ANDERSON - Please Re-adjust Your Time: The Early Blues & Psych-Folk Years 1967-72 (Cherry Red 025CD; UK) "First-ever box set documenting all of Ian A. Anderson's seminal early albums -- including lots of rare material. Curated and supported by the artist, Please Re-adjust Your Time captures an exciting time in British roots music. From gutsy acoustic blues to ground-breaking acid folk, the music sounds as vital today as it did half a century ago."
4 CD Set $36

DMG HIPSTER VINYL (IS BACK!) SECTION:

KEVIN AYERS with LOL COXHILL / MIKE OLDFIELD / DAVID BEDFORD / et al - BBC Sessions 1970-1972 (No Kidding 202203LP; Italy) “Of the several Kevin Ayers BBC collections that have been assembled, this is the most interesting, focusing as it does on the most interesting phase of his solo career. Taken from four sessions (three of them from 1970), it has a good cross section of some of the better songs from his early career, including "Lady Rachel", " Whatevershebringswesing", and a revamp of his Soft Machine numbers "We Did It Again" and "Why Are We Sleeping?". About half of this is pretty uncommon material: the verging-on-tipsy "Derby Day" and "You Say You Like My Hat" don't seem to have shown up on any studio releases (though the latter appears on a recording of a 1972 show, Banana Follies), "Gemini Child" only showed up as an outtake on the Odd Ditties collection, and "Butterfly Dance" was a 1970 single. Furthermore, there's a cover of "Falling in Love Again", the pop standard whose languor lends itself well to Ayers' low, crooning voice, and "Queen Thing", which is nothing more than a brief satire of "Wild Thing". You get to hear a few different lineups of musicians as well, with the Whole World (including Mike Oldfield) backing him on two of the 1970 sessions and the Soft Machine plus David Beford and Lol Coxhill playing on the earliest 1970 session. By contrast, the 1972 session has a nice skeletal feel, for the most part drumless, with low-key reverbed guitar and harmonica.”
LP $30

PETER GREEN'S FLEETWOOD MAC - Live at the BBC London, 1970 (No Kidding 202202LP; Italy)
Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac consisting of Peter Green (guitar/vocals), Danny Kirwan (guitar/vocals), Jeremy Spencer (guitar/vocals), John McVie (bass), and Mick Fleetwood (drums) performing live at the BBC in London, England in January of 1970. The eight-song set is highlighted by the band's takes on Green's "Rattlesnake Shake" and the Jerry Lee Lewis hit "Great Balls of Fire".
LP $30

WITCH - Lazy Bones!! (Now-Again 5105; USA) "Our comprehensive overview of Zambia's premier garage, psych, prog, funk, afro-rock ensemble Witch... The band's third album, Lazy Bones!!, is the band's masterpiece -- a dark, brooding psychedelic opus that makes equal use of wah-wah and fuzz guitars, that relies as heavily on the stomping feel of hard rock as it does the syncopation of funk."
LP $22

MICK FLOWER - CHRIS CORSANO DUO - The Halcyon (VHF 155LP; USA) "The Flower-Corsano Duo, the world's best and only drums / Japan banjo duo return to VHF for their first album since 2009's monumental The Four Aims. Mick Flower (Vibracathedral Orchestra) and Chris Corsano (frequently seen with Bill Orcutt, Joe McPhee, and other luminaries) work an area that's not really jazz, not really anything -- a stream of endlessly mutating free sound, a unique mind-merge between Corsano's nimble drums and percussion and Flower's amplified Japan banjo (also known as a Shahi Baaja, a type of electric Indian zither with both fretted / keyed and drone strings). Flower cuts a highly original line, playing neither "leads" nor making drone-music. Less amplified here than on the more 'heavy' The Four Aims, the strings ring out with distinct clarity in short snippets of melody and a canvas of pleasing electric sound. Corsano's bag is to charm out a flow of thoughtful percussion engagement, rolling around on his kit, continually varying his attack and approach in conversational free-jazz style. The Halcyon is a precious addition to a tiny discography, a fortunate event even in today's world of small press overabundance."
LP $22

SINN SISAMOUTH - Groove Club Vol. 4: Sinn Sisamouth (Lion Productions 180LP; Earth) "Discovering the wealth of Cambodian recordings was like falling into a parallel universe, complete with its own Elvises, Patsys and Jimis. You can recognize some of the anonymous outstanding instrumentalists as they appear on record after record and marvel at their uncanny blend of Western and Far East, a pure synergy Western musicians have never accomplished. Of course, looming over every recording is the tragic end of the music and the musicians themselves under the axe of the Khmer Rouge, a cloak of darkness hovering over some of the most joyous, festive music ever made. In a world of instant global communication and mass pop culture, Cambodian rock remains one of the few undiscovered secrets of music. Not content with killing the musicians, the government further ordered the destruction of their records, implicitly understanding the power of pop music to create community. It is a testament to the power of Sinn Sisamouth's music that it has survived all that has been done to vanquish it." --Joel Selvin, author/journalist. The first official reissue of these recordings since their initial release as singles. Comes with an 8-page full color booklet with info and photos supplied by Sinn Sisamouth's surviving family.”
LP $25

JAZZ IN SOUTH AFRICA with MONGEZI FEGA / DOLLAR BRAND / CHRIS MacGREGOR / KIPPIE MOEKETSI / DUDU PUKWANA / et al - Township Jazz from the Golden Age (Honey Pie Records 042LP; Earth) “South Africa is in fact the only country in the whole African continent that has developed a strong jazz tradition. Initially influenced by the great American stylists, (Ellington, Gillespie...) South Africa gradually developed its own soulful style based on a distinctive taste for melody and a deep sense of groove. Masterfully selected from the so-called "Golden Age" of the genre, (late '50s/ early '60s), this compilation represents the best introduction to the work of a large and varied body of musicians and composers who inevitably developed their music as part of the historical Anti-Apartheid struggle, and as means of self-expression in the dark times of exile. Kippie Moeketsi, Hugh Masekela (in The Jazz Epistles), Dollar Brand, Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana (in Chris McGregor & The Castle Lager Big Band), Mongesi Feza (in Chris McGregor & The Castle Lager Big Band), Barney Rabachan, Nick Moyake (in Chris McGregor & The Castle Lager Big Band), and of course the queen Miriam Makeba are just some of the main voices represented here. A bunch of true warriors. Also features John Mehegan, Dollar Brand Trio, and Gideon Nxumalo.”
LP $24

ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - Selections From Golden Boy (Honey Pie Records 044; Italy) “Originally released on Colpix Records in 1963, this striking release consists of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers performing selected music from the Broadway musical Golden Boy. Arranged by three master musicians, Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller and Cedar Walton, the music is performed by an amazing all-star line-up featuring Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Julius Watkins (French horn), Bill Barber (tuba), James Spaulding (alto sax), Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Charles Davis (baritone sax), Cedar Walton (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), and of course Blakey "the Boss" on drums.
LP $24

HIGH QUALITY BLUE NOTE REISSUE VINYL:

KENNY DORHAM with HERBIE HANCOCK / BUTCH WARREN / TONY WILLIAMS - Una Mas (Blue Note 4127; USA)
LP $18

HERBIE HANCOCK with JEROME RICHARDSON / JOE HENDERSON / GARNETT BROWN / ALBERT HEARTH / JOHNNY COLES / et al - The Prisoner (Blue Note 84321; USA)
LP $18

JOE HENDERSON with KENNY DORHAM / McCOY TYNER / BUTCH WARREN / PETE LaROCCA - Page One (Blue Note 4140; USA)
LP $18

BOBBY HUTCHERSON with SAM RIVERS / ANDREW HILL / RICHARD DAVIS / JOE CHAMBERS - Dialogue (Blue Note 4198; USA)
LP $18

BOBBY HUTCHERSON with HAROLD LAND / STANLEY COWELL / REGGIE JOHNSON / JOE CHAMBERS - Spiral (Blue Note 996; USA)
LP $18

JACKIE McLEAN with CHARLES TOLLIVER / CECIL McBEE / BILLY HIGGINS - Action (Blue Note 4218; USA)
LP $18

JACKIE McLEAN - A Fickle Sonance (Blue Note 4089; USA)
LP $18

JACKIE McLEAN with WALTER BISHOP / PAUL CHAMBERS / ART TAYLOR - Capuchin Swing (Blue Note 4038; USA)
LP $18

HANK MOBLEY with JOHN HICKS / BOB CRANSHAW / BILLY HIGGIN - Hi Voltage (Blue Note 4273; USA)
LP $18

HANK MOBLEY with WYNTON KELLY / PAUL CHAMBERS / ART BLAKEY - Roll Call (Blue Note 4058; USA)
CD $18

LEE MORGAN with BOBBY TIMMONS / PAUL CHAMBERS / ART BLAKEY - Lee-Way (Blue Note 4034; USA)
CD $18

LEE MORGAN with GEORGE BENSON / JOHN HICKS / REGGIE WORKMAN / BILLY HIGGINS - Taru (Blue Note 1031; USA)
CD $18

LEE MORGAN with JACKIE McLEAN / CEDAR WALTON / VICTOR SPROLES / BILLY HIGGINGS - The Sixth Sense (Blue Note 84335; USA)
CD $18

PETE LaROCA with JOE HENDERSON / STEVE KUHN / STEVE SWALLOW - Basra (Blue Note 4205; USA)
CD $18

SONNY ROLLINS with WYNTON KELLY / DOUG WATKINS / “PHILLY” JOE JONES - Newk’s Time (Blue Note 4001; USA)
LP $18
 
WAYNE SHORTER with JAMES SPAULDING / McCOY TYNER / RON CARTER / TONY WILLIAMS - The Soothsayer (Blue Note 988; USA)
LP $18

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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.

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ELLIOTT SHARP AGGREGAT TRIO at The Jazz Gallery
w/ E# - saxes & bass clarinet Brandon Lopez - bass, Don McKenzie - drums

Friday Feb 25th
Sets:  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.

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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

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Guitarist and DMG-pal HENRY KAISER has a monthly Video Solo Series on Cuneiform’s Youtube page:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBncHowndMo
1990 video from WETLANDS in here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfs5OuBfNxs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yeOIVqGLKY

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

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This clip just arrived in my email from British Sax Colossus PAUL DUNMALL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CpvCjR8tvs (YouTube)

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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, NY 
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)