DMG Newsletter for September 8th, 2023

It was during a period when what we call “Free Jazz” was not very popular although there was still quite a bit free improv which involves musicians from across the age and genre spectrum. Every Monday, a handful of us like Irving & Stephanie Stone, Steve Dalachinsky & Yuko Otomo and myself would make our way to the Knit to have Charles Gayle whip up a colossal storm of Free Jazz Spirit Music, usually with a trio of revolving players. It felt like a baptism by fire and The Knit was our church or synagogue. We all became friendly with Mr. Gayle, who was a lovely, sincere person. Word is that he was homeless during and before this period and his first CD appeared on the Silkheart label and it was called, ‘Homeless’. Mr. Dalachinsky had befriended the head of Silkheart and turned him onto to Charles Gayle, the label releasing his first few CD’s. I’ve been a big Charles Gayle fan and friend ever since, always looking forward to each of his performances, he always gave his all. I don’t have time to go on about his passing but I will say that he will be missed. He was a unique Spirit/Force angel who has inspired many of us. Peace to you always, Charles Gayle. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG

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THE DMG 32nd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:

Tuesday, September 12th:
6:30: THOMAS HELTON - Solo ContraBass
7:30: FLIP CITY with DAVID AARON - Sax / NICK PANOUTSOS - Bass / DAVE GOULD - Drums
8:30: AIDAN O’CONNELL / JON ELBAZ / BRANDON TERZAKIS - ContraBass / Piano / Drums
9:30: STEVE BACZKOWSKI - Solo Sax

Rare Sunday Special Event, September 17th:
6:30: DR. EUGENE CHADBOURNE - Solo Set
7:30: DR. CHADBOURNE with MICHAEL FOSTER / STEVE SWELL / FRANK MEADOWS & others

Tuesday, September 19th: Two amazing guitar duos in one night!
6:30: KILLICK HINDS / SANDY EWEN - Appalachian Trance Metal Guitar / Guitar-on-Lap
7:30: SALLY GATES / MATT HOLLENBECK - Two Guitars
8:30: DEVIN GRAY - Solo Drums

Tuesday, September 26th:
6:30: DAVE MILLER
7:30: YOONA KIM - Ajaeng (Korean Bow/Zither) / HENRY LINDENNBAUM - Vibraphone
8:30: GUILLERMO GREGORIO / IVAN BARENBOIM / SARAH BERNSTEIN / KEN FILIANO / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - Clarinet / Contralto Clarinet / Violin / Bass / Drums
9:30: CHRIS COCHRANE / LORI GOLDSTON - Guitar / Cello

Downtown Music Gallery is located at 13 Monroe St, between Catherine & Market Sts. You can take the F train to East Broadway or the M15 bus to Madison & Catherine Sts. We are in a basement space below an art gallery & beauty salon. We are on the east side of Chinatown, not far from East Broadway & the end of the Bowery. Admission for all concerts is free and donations are always welcome. We have concerts here every Tuesday starting at 6:30 plus Steve Gauci curates his own series here on the 2nd or 1st Saturday of each month. You can check out the weekly schedule here: https://www.downtownmusicgallery.com/shows.php. I post 1 minute segments from these sets almost every day on our InstaGram feed, so please check them out and come down to visit when you can. - BLG/DMG

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THIS WEEKS ESSENTIAL DISCS BEGIN WITH:

JAMES BRANDON LEWIS with KIRK KNUFFKE / CHRIS HOFFMAN / WILLIAM PARKER / CHAD TAYLOR - For Mahalia, With Love (Tao Forms 13; USA) Featuring James Brandon Lewis on tenor sax, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, Chris Hoffman on cello, William Parker on contrabass and Chad Taylor on drums. “Love is connection. Love is gratitude. Love is passion. Love is audacity. These qualities define tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis’ second album with the glorious Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia, With Love. Whereas Lewis used his transformative talents to illuminate renaissance man George Washington Carver in a whole new way on Jesup Wagon, the groundbreaking 2021 masterpiece that swept most major jazz polls, the saxophonist does the same for the pioneering gospel-music force of nature Mahalia Jackson. But this time it’s personal, because Lewis lived her music growing up in Buffalo, N.Y., playing there in churches as a youth and being nurtured by his grandmother, who had received Mahalia’s singing like a bolt from above.
"James Brandon Lewis' second album with the glorious Red Lily Quintet: For Mahalia, With Love. This highly anticipated new album -- following on their Jesup Wagon -- reimagines songs made famous by the gospel icon who galvanized a nation with her voice. Whereas Lewis used his transformative talents to newly illuminate renaissance man George Washington Carver on Jesup Wagon, the saxophonist does the same here for gospel-music force of nature Mahalia Jackson. The album consists of nine gospel songs made famous by Jackson, plus another indelible tune written by Lewis. The challenge was to turn these songs into jazz, the 21st century variety. And that's where not only Lewis' sensibilities come in, but the band's as well. What James and the band (William Parker on bass, Chad Taylor on drums, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, and Chris Hoffman on cello) conjure with this music is miraculous. Lewis' gospel origins are evident and wholly operational within a scintillating blend of pre- and post-avant contexts, with the leader's love cry on tenor meshing at cloud level with Kirk Knuffke's plaints on cornet. Rooting the band while somehow defying gravity is the bass playing of William Parker, who with his unparalleled mastery of intonation delivers each bouncing note as a distinct flavor curated for the split-second moment. Chad Taylor, hailing from Chicago, seems to embrace everything swept up by that city during the great Northern Migration -- including Mahalia Jackson herself -- in the tidal surges of his drumming. On cello, Chris Hoffman summons bright earth tones to move beautifully through this wondrous blend. The entire thing rides on the inspired melodies by Lewis that refract and reassemble those of Mahalia's original numbers, enabling the soul, tears, joy and devotion she whipped up to be heard in a wholly new context. The double CD and LP editions also exclusively include the contemporaneous suite, 'These Are Soulful Days,' JBL's first composition for strings; performed with the Lutosławski Quartet."
2 CD Set $18 // 2 LP Set $32

CHRIS CUTLER with DAEVID ALLEN / CHRISTOPH ANDERS / LINDSAY COOPER / TOM CORA / JEAN DEROME / AMY DENIO / ALFRED HARTH / HUGH HOPPER / BILL GILONIS / GEORGE LEWIS / ZEENA PARKINS / ROBERT WYATT / FRED FRITH / et al - The 50th Anniversary Box - Compositions and Collaborations (ReR LC-02677; UK) Hearing the first Henry Cow album, ‘Leg End’ during my first year at college (circa 1973), was a life-changing experience for me. Henry Cow combined everything I loved about modern music into one five piece band: rock, progressive, free jazz, dadaist humor, modern classical, Canterbury whimsy post-Mothers of Invention wonder. Each member of the quintet became heroes to me and later we became friends. Chris Cutler was not just their drummer but also a crafty lyricist, profound philosopher/author and founder of Recommended Records, label & distribution. I’ve long collected everything that each and every member of Henry Cow has done and will continue to do so.
I listened to a copy of the first Henry Cow album in the store earlier this week and it still makes me smile, some 50 years later. Chris’ drumming on that album, as well as all six of the original HC albums is phenomenal and utterly distinctive. When I finally got a chance to see Chris Cutler & Fred Frith play a duo concert around 1981, I realized that even visually Mr. Cutler looks completely unique at his set. He looks to me like an acrobat who is balancing rhythms as he dances around the set. Cutler has also employed a variety of table-top electronics in his playing. Aside from Henry Cow, Cutler has played with the Art Bears, News from Babel, Cassiber, Pere Ubu, Aksak Maboul, Peter Blegvad…
This expansive, comprehensive box set consists of three previously released solo CD’s, a new 2 CD set of collaborations with many of the aforementioned names above, five discs of unreleased material from Cutler’s entire career, a DVD and two informative booklets essays and pictures from his long musical journey and an interviews with Mr. Cutler himself. 32 hours worth of challenging music to absorb, astonishing?!?! No doubt! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
10 CD / 1 DVD / Booklet Deluxe Box Set $85

CHRIS CUTLER with HENRY COW / SLAPP HAPPY / ART BEARS / THE WORK / AQSAK MABOUL / DUCK and COVER / NEWS FROM BABEL / CASSIBER / PERE UBU / BRAINVILLE / NORMA / THE SCIENCE GROUP / et al - It Makes Sense to Me - A Selection from the Public Records - 1972-2022 (ReR CC 4/5 ; UK) Drummer/composer/author/founder of Recommended Records, Chris Cutler, has a long career (50 years) and creating, distributing and discussing a wide variety of progressive music(s). This two CD set consists of some 20 or so projects that Mr. Cutler has been a part of, starting with Henry Cow. Listening to these discs, it seems hard to believe the Mr. Cutler has been in so many diverse, musical situations, each one challenging and quite different. If you choose not to purchase the above new box set (10 CD’s, 1 DVD & 2 booklets], then you should check out this impressive 2 CD set which is included in the box set. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $18 [this set is also included in the new 10 CD, 1 DVD box set]

TOM CORA / CHRIS CUTLER / FRED FRITH - Live in Tel Aviv and Aubervilliers (ReR Fred Records LC 02667; UK) Featuring Tom Cora on cello & sampling, Fred Frith on guitar & voice and Chris Cutler on drums & electronics. This disc consists of two duos and one trio: Chris Cutler & Fred Frith from 6/8/2005, Tom Cora & Fred Frith from3/16/1998 and the Cora/Cutler/Frith from 3/19/1998. I’ve caught both the Frith/Cutler duo (in the early 1980’s) and the Frith/Cora duo both before and after Skeleton Crew, but I never caught the trio with all three. The duo with Frith & Cutler was recorded at the Zappa Club in Tel Aviv in June of 2005 and it sounds similar to the duo set that I organized at The Stone in December of 2006 (released as a benefit CD on Tzadik), amazing! It is hard to believe that his is a mere duo since Frith is using some effects which make his guitar sound larger than life. Chris Cutler is also playing some sort of table top electronics and also is coaxing some sly, mysterious sounds from them. Hard to tell who is doing what. The trio set was recorded at Laboratoires d’Aubervillers in France in March of 1998. Tom Cora was an early Downtown musician and an extraordinary cellist who didn’t sound like anyone else. He was a perfect for Mr. Frith in Skeleton Crew, the great duo/trio who existed from the early 1980’s through the early 1990’s, making two great albums. Mr. Frith adds some odd vocal sounds here & there but doesn’t sing any words. The trio is superbly recorded and the music is filled with suspense and inventive improvising. The duo with Cora and Frith was recorded the day before the trio set at the same location. The two French dates were recorded just a month before Tom Cora’s unfortunate passing in March of 1998 from melanoma . This is a marvelous CD on all counts. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16 [Limited Edition CD which was included with the Fred Frith Story Box Sets]

HORACE TAPSCOTT / PAN AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA with JESSE SHARPS / SABIR MATEEN / JAMES ANDREWS / KAFI ROBERTS / EVERETT BROWN, JR. / KAMAU DAAOOD / et al - Live at the IUCC - February 25, 1979 (Nimbus West 7902; USA) The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (or P.A.P.A.) This is Volume 2 out of 11 in a series of limited edition, subscriber only discs of previously unreleased music from Horace Tapscott’s Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. This session was recorded at the Immanuel United Church of Christ in L.A. on November 25th or 1979. The personnel changed from gig to gig or to record dates. This date features Horace Tapscott on Steinway piano, Jesse Sharps, Sabir Mateen, James Andrews, Herbert Callies & Michael Session on saxes, Kafu Roberts on flute, David Bryant & Alan Hines on basses, Everett Brown, Jr. on drums and Kamau Daaood - poetry. Most of the songs here are long and sprawling.
“Macrame” was written by saxist Jesse Sharps and it has a spiritual sounding lilting groove. Jesse Sharps takes the first solo on soprano sax and it is somewhat Trane-like and most enchanting. Originally Philly based reeds player, Sabit Mateen, is up next for another inspired solo. Mateen would move to NY a few years later and become an imortant part of the NY Downtown Scene in the 1990’s. Tapscott’s “Dial “B” for Barbra” is next at it was also the name of one of Tapscott’s records for the Nimbus West label. This long work has a wonderful, modal, Spirit Jazz sound/vibe. The first solo is by Michael Session on alto sax and it is a strong one, filled with that Eric Dolphy-like spitfire exuberance and a bittersweet tone. Hr. Tapscott’s long piano solo here is truly a gem. Jesse Sharp’s “Mykowski’s First Fifth” is the third epic-length work in a row and it was inspired by visual artist Michael Clark. It begins as a laid back sort of gospelish ballad and it is filled lush harmonies for the reeds, flute and trumpet. Michael Sessions takes another swaggering (Dolpy-esque) sax solo which is followed by another great note-bending soprano solo by Mr. Sharps. Stanley Cowell’s “Departure” is the last not-too-long piece. This piece was the open song for Stanley Cowell’s ‘Blues for the Viet Cong’ album from 1969 and it is a strong choice some powerful McCoy-like piano from Tapscott and several swirling saxes wailing together. This disc ends appropriately with a short gospel song called “Lift Every Voice”. This is an outstanding effort on all counts. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $25 [Limited edition of 500, sold out through pre-orders]

HORACE TAPSCOTT / PAN AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA with LINDA HILL / ADELE SEBASTIAN / SABIR MATEEN / BILLIE HARRIS / LOUIS SPEARS / DAVID BRYANT / ROBERTO MIRANDA / et al - Live at the IUCC - June 24, 1979 (Nimbus West 7906; USA) "This 2-disc set documents a legendary concert at the Immanuel United Church of Christ -- June 24th, 1979. This is the sixth in a series of eleven recorded concerts from the Immanuel United Church of Christ! This month features the longest recorded version of the 'Village Dance,' also a lovely version of 'Many Nights Ago' featuring Linda Hill on vocals. The only previously released track is 'Noissesprahs', but taken direct from the master reel it has a new depth and sense of space."
2 CD Set $30 [Limited edition of 500, sold out through pre-orders]

EUGENE CHADBOURNE with HALF JAPANESE / TOSHINORI KONDO / LESLIE ROSS / VICTOR KRUMMENACHER / TROY SPENCER KIMBER / et al - The Horror, Part 17, Smell My Feet (Chadula; USA) Featuring Eugene Chadboune on guitar, banjo & vocals, Half Japanese (the band), Toshinori Kondo on trumpet, Leslie Ross on bassoon, Victor Krummenacher on bass, Troy Spencer Kimber on guitar and Yamu Kneeme on sax. During the pandemic, Dr. Chadbourne went through his vast archives, listening to dozens (hundreds?) of his live and studio dates and compiled a series of CD-R’s drawn from his archive. This disc is one of those compilations. “Birthmark” (with Half Jap) sounds like a long talking blues with Doc Chad discussing have a birthmark removed. Similar to what Mark Kramer did in Shockabilly (using tapes to sample vocals & other weird sounds), Chadbourne also throws in an assortment of odd sounds. “Beggermaster” is a strange song in which it sounds like someone is harmonizing with Doc Chad’s goofy yet cool voice, a chorus of crazed schoolkids perhaps and what sounds like a psych 12-string acoustic guitar with pick-ups. On “Kiowa Sioux Battle Songs”, it sounds like there is Native American ritualistic chant going on in the distance while Doc Chad adds a layer of sped up banjo(s). Much of this music sounds like an ongoing collage of founds sounds with banjo or guitar or Chad’s voice sailing in and out of the mix. There are also bits of interviews with Mr. Chadbourne as well including a short bit where he talks about some guitar students of the legendary Canadian jazz guitarist Sonny Greenwich walked out as soon as he started playing due to his unorthodox approach. Eugene Chadbourne does an interesting job of blending a variety of voices, guitars, banjos and weird sounds into an ongoing flow of strange events. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD-R $13

DOC CHADBOURNE CONTEMPORARY ROCK BAND with JAN FITSCHEN / SCHROEDER - Rocking in the Freiburg (Chadula; USA) Featuring Eugene Chadbourne on guitar & banjo, Jan Fitschen on baritone guitar and Schroder on drums. Doc Chadbourne still does quite a bit of touring in the US and in Europe and always seems to find kindred spirit musicians in different countries. In Germany, Doc Chad often uses the services of a drummer known as Schroeder, as well as a bassist/bari guitarist named Jan Fitschen. Hence, this is a fine rocking trio , similar somewhat to the legendary Shockabilly (Chad fronted trio from the 1980’s). Like Shockabilly and many of Doc Chad’s varied bands or solo offerings, these guys cover a number of classic rock, country and folk songs. They start with “Summertime Blues”, a hit in the late fifties by Eddie Cochran and then a hit again a decade later by Blue Cheer (1968). The perfect summertime complaint classic. Doc Chad has been covering more & more old country hits over the past couple of decades. “In Memory of a Memory” was written by Johnny Paycheck. Doc Chad’s version is actually laid back and rather poignant. The trio also cover Todd Rundgren’s “Bang the Drum”, a catchy pop song which seems surprising yet somehow the Chad trio makes it work. The trio also cover, “I Must Have Been Blind” by Tim Buckley from his ‘Blue Afternoon’ LP. Chad strips the song down to a skeletal level yet keeps the solemn mood at the center. Touching. Chad covers Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around”, a biblical song which seems to be about Jesus’ return. An interesting choice since it sounds like a protest (or wake up to notice) song to give us something to consider in the current Dark Ages. Doc Chad switches to banjo and covers “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”, written by Sandy Denny when she was a member of Fairport Convention. This is another poignant, touching song and Doc does a lovely job. “The Old Piano” is an original by Doc Chadbourne and one of his best songs and it sounds like a standard which could become a hit in an alternate universe. Eugene also covers a song called “Slow Burn” by Kacey Musgraves, a contemporary country singer/songwriter. I find it interesting that Doc Had knows so many songs, some of which are big or small pop or country hits. He does them in his own, singing them for audiences who’ve most likely never heard them before. I am amused to hear Chad cover Neil Young’s “Rocking in the Free World”, from Neil’s great ‘Freedom’ album. Although the chorus sounds anthemic, the verses have to do the current political bullsh*t that we are are going through. The trio also covers, “Nuclear War” by Sun Ra and “War Pigs” by Black Sab. Who else would put these songs next to each other but Doc Chadbourne himself. Although most of these songs are covers, this trio does a fine job of showing how each of these songs are part of our worldview. We are are still connected through the music we listen to so gig in… - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD-R $13

SIMON NABATOV with SEBASTIAN GILLE / SHANNON BARNETT / DAVID HELM / REZA ASKARI / MARIA PORTUGAL - extensions (Unbroken Sounds 05; USA) Featuring Sebastian Gille on tenor & soprano saxes, Shannon Barnett on trombone, Simon Nabatov on piano, David Helm & Reza Askari on basses and Maria Portugal on drums. Russian/American pianist, Simon Nabatov, is one of the most prolific and creative avant/jazz pianists that I’ve heard. Starting around 1988, Mr. Nabatov has more than 50 discs as a leader which are found on labels like Leo, Clean Feed & NoBusiness. He works with European and American musicians, playing in solos, duos, trios, quartets and more. Mr. Nabatov has been residing in Koln, Germany for a number of years and recording with musicians from that area. For this session, Nabatov has organized a fine sextet of musicians from Koln, none of whom’s names I recognize, although each one can be found on discs listed on Discogs. This disc was recorded live in Salon de Jazz in Cologne on October of 2022. The sextet starts off slowly and builds over time, the horns on top and the piano, 2 basses & drums swirling underneath. The overall vibe is calm and the band take their time to ascend, things getting more intense as they go. Mr. Nabatov is an powerful inventive pianist who always does a good job of pushing his band members higher. Both the soprano sax and trombone sound engaged and inspired, more simmering going on than very many eruptions. Drummer Maria Portugal sound great on mallets towards the end of “Extension 1”, keeping a pulse going as they all flow together, solemn ghosts dancing in slow motion. The sextet comes together even more on “Extension 2”, with some strong interaction going on throughout. Mr. Nabatov’s sprawling piano is the centering force here, balancing the rhythm team with the horns just right. The excitement factor keeps escalating throughout this piece, with the basses buzzing underneath. It often sounds like this group has been playing together for a long while since everything here flows organically from section to section. This is one the best and most focused improv discs I’ve heard recently. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER with FRANCOIS BESSAC / IGOR BOYER / ANTOINE CARPENTER / ISABELLE CIRLA / et al - Levar Lenga (Subtran 002; France) Featuring Pascal Niggenkemper on bass & compositions, Francois Bessac & Igor Boyer on electronics & objects, Isabelle Cirla on bass clarinet, Antoine Charpenter on bagpipes, Papillion - percussion & sculptures, Guy Raynaud - electronics, Jaumes Privat on text, voice & visuals, Jean-Jacques Triby on hurdy-gurdy, et al. This disc is one of the discs included in a recent six CD set (limited to 120) which compiles highlights from assorted projects that Mr. Niggenkemper has been working on from 2017 to 2022. The assembled group here has some 13 players: instrumentalists, vocalists & dancers. The main narrator is Jaumes Frivat who reads in French. The music is an odd combination of clarinets, percussion, electronics, hums, hissing sounds, drones, effluvia… The piece evolves into a wave of bass clarinet, bass, percussion and electronics which is most hypnotic. Just when you think when will it end, someone shouts out and it does end. The spoken word vocal continues until, things erupt into several waves, whipping up a storm of activity. The spoken words seem to be telling a story, which continues in spurts between different sections. Even without knowing what the words mean, the music here is consistently engaging, focused and all of the pieces of the puzzle seem to fit together just right. All six discs in the box set are available individually as well as in the limited edition box sets (just 120 copies, numbered). - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER / BEN LAMAR GAY / CORINNE SALLES - Have You Ever Wondered (Subran 005; France) Featuring Pascal Niggenkemper on contrabass & compositions, Ben Lamar Gay on trumpet, voice & electronics and Corinne Salles on carillon (a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells). This disc is one of the six found in Pascal Niggenkemper’s recent limited edition 6 CD set called, ‘bloc’. Chicago trumpeter, Ben Lamar Gay, played at the most recent Vision Fest (June of 2023) and has worked with Jaimie Branch, Nicole Mitchell and the Natural Information Society. I can’t say that I had heard of Corinne Salles before now or have ever heard of someone playing a carillon. This disc was recorded in Notre Dame in July of 2022.
Things begin with the repeated clanging of bells above a cushion of electronic drones. The second piece, “juches”, features another line of bell clanging with chanting vocals by Mr. Gay and electronic sounds humming underneath. The overall sound has a an ecstatic, near-religious vibe. The carillon (multiple bells) is at the center of most of these pieces, often played slowly with a ritualistic sound. I’ve caught trumpeter Ben Lamar Gay at the most recent Vision Fest (2023) with a fine Chicago group, plus he can be heard on two recent discs from the Bridge Sessions label. He seems to be the next great trumpet player out of Chicago. His vocals here are also charming, organic and fit perfectly with the music that this trio exudes. Song six, “sona”, reminds me of ‘Tubular Bells’ but with a fine, tasty trumpet solo added. There is a warm, organic vibe going on here which runs throughout this disc, a mysterious, enchanting quality like church bells in a fairy tale. The varied electronics are often subtle and add some mystic, sonic seasoning. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER With JOHN BUTCHER / GUNDA GOTTSCHALK / XU FENGXIA / DIDIER PETIT / SYLVAIN KASSAP / STEVE DALACHINSKY / UTE VOLKER / PHILIP ZOUBEK / TOMA GOUBAND / LIZ KOSACK - Sound Within Sound / Wuppertal Diary / Artist in Residence / 2017 (Fitschgetau 55326; France) "Adventurous double bassist Pascal Niggenkemper was artist in residence at Wuppertal in the fall of 2017, presenting concerts with a diverse set of masterful improvisers from Europe and the US, excerpts of which are meticulously programmed in this 2-CD collection, organized by artistic endeavor and intent, from the spacious/introspective to wildly lively encounters; highly recommended." It is great to hear the late Downtown poet Steve Dalachinsky, an old friend of mine whose poetry and presence at gigs here is sorely missed.
2 CD Set $24 [not found in the current box set called ‘bloc’]

LORI FREEDMAN / SCOTT THOMSON - Amber (Clean Feed 606CD; Portugal) Featuring Lori Freedman on B-flat & bass clarinets and Scott Thomson on trombone. Both Lori Freedman and Scott Thomson are gifted musicians who’ve worked with composed and improvised music, as well as leading bands or collaborations with creative musicians based around the Toronto and Montreal scenes. Ms. Freedman led her own band at this year’s FIMAV Fest (2023) while Mr. Thomson was a member of Guy Thouin & L’Ensemble Infini. Both of these musicians are always busy in a variety of different projects. Ms. Freedman had a recent residency in Berlin, her set at FIMAV featured a number of musicians from that scene. I recall a fine quartet CD that Mr. Thomson led for a disc from the Ambiances Magnitiques label earlier this year. Both Ms. Freedman & Mr. Thomson are members of the Ensemble SuperMusique, a large Quebec-based all-star orchestra. We just found out that Mr. Thomson will be the next director of the upcoming FIMAV fests, so a hardy congratulations to him.
This duo had an earlier CD released in 2007 on the Barnyard label. Things begin quietly with Mr. Thomson using a mute to give his trombone a near vocal sound while Ms. Freedman joins the conversation with some solemn yet playful bass clarinet. Both musicians are listening closely and combining similar note bending-sounds most carefully, working together as one force of nature. The playing here is often very animated as if we are watching two cartoon characters interact, dancing or moving around one another slowly and having a conversation between two old friends. By the third piece, the pace and interaction becomes more heated at times, more intense, the dialogue speeds up in places. What I really like about this duo is this: they do not sound they are reaching just for those extended technique sounds but rather they are creating an organic musical conversation which is more personal. There is a positive sounding warm glow surrounding the music here which makes me feel good. Positive vibe music for those who like to smile rather than be a sourpuss. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

CAMILA NEBBIA - una ofrenda a la ausencia (Relative Pitch Records SS023; USA) Featuring Camila Nebbia on tenor sax, spoken word and FX. Argentinian saxist, Camila Nebbia, is currently residing in Berlin and has played at the store a couple of times in the past few years. Although Ms. Nebbia has around 1o releases under her own name, most are download only with just a few CD’s & cassettes. This is a solo CD with Ms. Nebbia playing tenor sax, doing some spoken words and using effects. It was recorded in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December of 2022. Ms. Nebbia has a strong, forceful tone on tenor. At times she lays back, her tone warm and filled with a variety of fractured phrases. Ms. Nebbia does some plaintive spoken word on on “Sobre la funcion del olvido” in Spanish, adding eerie electronics and subtle sax to her voice. Ms. Nebbia’s tenor tone on “Irse” is Trane-like without too much note-bending, making it enchanting in its own solemn way. On each of the 16 pieces, Ms. Nebbia creates a different focused vibe, from tender moments to occasional erupts, the music seem more about the mood it is enhancing. Ms. Nebbia’s adds some sly, electronic echoes to her sax on “Rios que se cruzan”, which gives the piece a somewhat disorienting vibe. I am unsure of Ms. Nebbia’s age, her tone and playing sound like she is a mature, elder who has worked hard at her playing for a long time. She really belts it our on “Deshabitarse”, bending certain notes inside out. This is a well-balanced CD that blends a variety of approaches to the tenor sax, from tender to blustery moments, all well connected. Camila Nebbia’s time has come so please give her an ear and listen closely. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

FRED ANDERSON QUARTET with BILLY BRIMFIELD / LARRY HAYROD / HAMID DRAKE - The Milwaukee Tapes, Vol. 2 (CvsD 101CD; USA) “In the winter of 1980, Chicago tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson (1929-2010) brought his quartet to Milwaukee, where they were recorded live in concert. These tapes were first plumbed for The Milwaukee Tapes Vol. 1 on the Unheard Music Series in 2000. Anderson's group featured his long-time trumpeter Billy Brimfield (1938-2012) as well as his protege and percussionist Hamid Drake, then known as Hank, and bassist Larry Hayrod. Finally, after another couple of decades during which both Anderson and Brimfield have passed, Corbett vs. Dempsey is proud to present The Milwaukee Tapes Vol. 2, a full CD of previously unissued material from the same concert. Among the five tracks are four penned by Anderson, including his classic "3 On 2," as well as a rare composition by Brimfield, "He Who Walks Alone." The trumpeter is lithe and mercurial in this context, playing with his typical sense of mystery, while Anderson's huge tenor sound and unique approach to linear improvisation are in top form. Drake is, as always, the element that gets everything warmed up, his kit a veritable furnace, as propulsive as humanly possible. On The Milwaukee Tapes Vol. 2, the influence of Edward Blackwell on the 25-year-old drummer is clearly audible, with intricate polyrhythms and a full head of steam. Recently rediscovered, this second half of the Milwaukee session fills out the picture completely, offering a glimpse of one of the great figures of AACM Chicago in his prime, with a simpatico working band on a great night. The package includes beautiful portraits of Anderson and Brimfield, the contemporaneous color shot of the leader never before seen.”
CD $16

BAIKIDA CARROLL with OLIVER LAKE / NANA VASCONSELOS / MANUEL VILLAROEL / MATCHI-OUL - Orange Fish Tears (Souffle Continu 088CD; France) “In 1972, trumpeter Baikida Carroll and some of his colleagues from the Black Artists Group (more precisely saxophonist/flutist Oliver Lake, trombonist Joseph Bowie, drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw and trumpeter Floyd LeFlore) took the advice of their friends in the Art Ensemble Of Chicago and left their native Missouri to come and discover the bright lights of Paris for themselves. The following year they would even get the chance to record their only album which would rapidly attain mythical status and a collector's item: In Paris, Aries 1973. Therefore, it was not surprising that they crossed paths with Jef Gilson, who offered Baikida Carroll the chance to record his first album under his own name. Carroll logically asked Oliver Lake to join him. He also recruited Manuel Villaroel, a young Franco-Chilien pianist from the group Matchi-Oul, who had already released an album on Futura in 1971 and would release another on Palm in 1976. The group was completed with the addition of Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos, who had just released a well-received album on the Saravah label. The first side of the album is divided into two long tracks which send free jazz back to its long-lost African roots. The opener "Orange Fish Tears" indeed rolls out a jungle of percussion of all sorts and sizes -- the whole group is involved -- which weave and mix together reaching a point where all bearings are lost, lending a sense of wonder to the majestic entry of the brass and woodwinds, flying suddenly out from the undergrowth. "Forest Scorpion" (sic) is a real voodoo ceremony where a venomous percussive groove backs the fiery solos from keyboards and saxophone in a furious trance. The other side is more introspective. Deliberately using dissonance and repetition, "Rue Roger" -- the only composition by Oliver Lake -- in a long dialogue between trumpet and saxophone, could almost remind us of Terry Riley in his favorite ballpark. "Porte D'Orléans", the fourth and final track on the album, has the group back to their old tricks in a long hallucinatory jam which owes as much to the contemporary music of György Ligetias to the most angst-ridden Jerry Goldsmith soundtrack music. With these two sides, and in under 45m, Baikida Carroll and his musicians show just what they can do, from cerebral to charnel without ever simplifying things. RIYL: Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sonic Youth, Shabaka Hutchings, and Rob Mazurek.”
CD $15

RHYS CHATHAM & DAVID FENECH - Tomorrowstartstonight (Klanggalerie 435CD; Austria) "The first duet album by Rhys Chatham and David Fenech, two well-known musicians of the experimental scene. It is a long piece of music in a minimalist spirit, where the two guitarists meet and merge with Rhys' trumpets, flutes and vocals and David's small percussion. This record has an organic feel and natural development that makes it unique. Tomorrow starts tonight! Rhys Chatham is best known for his compositions for electric guitar orchestra. He began his musical career as a harpsichord tuner, studied flute with Sue Ann Kahn, studied shortly thereafter with electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick and later with La Monte Young (also as a member of his famous Theatre of Eternal Music ensemble). He also played with Tony Conrad in an early version of his band The Dream Syndicate. In 1971, while still a teenager, Chatham became the first musical director of the famous venue The Kitchen in New York. He has played and recorded with musicians as varied as Charlemagne Palestine, Sonic Youth, Arthur Russell, Jonathan Kane (Swans), George Lewis, Band of Susans, David Toop, and in his large guitar ensembles with members of Tortoise, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Hüsker Dü. David Fenech is a French musician living in Paris, guitarist, singer, improviser. He plays a wide variety of instruments and is an accomplished guitarist with his own technique. His main instrument may well be the microphone, his music being composed of whatever he records with it. His distinctive, slightly baroque style, on the bangs of rock, jazz and improvised music, has often been described as 'a kind of musique concrète punk.' He has performed and recorded with musicians as diverse as Felix Kubin, Tom Cora, Pierre Bastien, Jac Berrocal, Ghédalia Tazartès, and Nurse With Wound. The music on this CD was recorded live at two concerts, one in Paris and one in Vienna. It was mastered by James Plotkin."
CD $18


REISSUES, RESTOCKS & ARCHIVAL DISCS:

MATTHEW SHIPP TRIO with WILLIAM PARKER / WHIT DICKEY - Circular Temple (ESP-Disk 4082LP; USA) It has become clear that Matthew Shipp is the most interesting and important jazz pianist of his generation, the most continually evolving and pushing forward. Now that he's in his sixties and something of an elder statesman of the art form, he's overdue for a retrospective look at his catalog, and to help make that happen, ESP-Disk' will be reissuing some of his great early work that's gone out of print. The 1990 trio recording Circular Temple (originally self-released on Quinton, then reissued in 1994 by Henry Rollins on his Infinite Zero label) is now reissued in 2023. Circular Temple has marked many firsts for Matthew Shipp: his first CD release, first piano trio album, first of many times on record with Parker and Dickey, first album to be reissued, and on ESP-Disk's reissue of it, first CD-only album to finally appear on vinyl and first album to be released by three different labels. And, more trivially, the first Shipp album that current ESP head/reissue producer Steve Holtje acquired, back when the only choices were that and a 1988 LP-only duo by Shipp and saxophonist Rob Brown on the Cadence label.”
LP $18 / CD $12

MILES DAVIS with SONNY ROLLINS / JOHN COLTRANE / CANNONBALL ADDERLEY / BARNEY WILLEN / DAVEY SCHILDKRAUT / BILL EVANS / HORACE SILVER / WYNTON KELLY / RENE URTREGER / GIL EVANS / PERCY HEATH / PAUL CHAMBERS / KENNY CLARKE / “PHILLY” JOE JONES / JIMMY COBB - The Classic Albums Collection (Enlightenment 9223; EEC) Among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz, and indeed in 20th-century music, Miles Davis adopted a variety of musical directions in a five-decade career that kept him at the forefront of many major stylistic developments in the genre. This four CD set contains Miles Davis' nine most popular albums both critically and commercially, all originally recorded between 1953 and 1960; for most enthusiasts the period during which the great man's star shone brightest. Albums included here are: ‘Bags Groove’ (1957), ‘Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud’ (1958), ‘Milestones’ (1958), ‘Kind of Blue’ (1959), ’Sketches of Spain’ (1960), and Walkin’’ (1957).
4 CD Set $18

CLARENCE WHITE with ERIC WEISSBERG / MARSHALL BRICKMAN / GORDON TERRY / HERB PEDERSEN / GENE PARSONS / LEE SKLAR / GIB GILBEAU / DON & PHIL EVERLY / JERRY SCHEFF / et al - The Lost Masters - 1963-1973 (Liberation Hall 5018; Earth) A mix of fourteen rare acoustic and electric tracks from the late country-rock pioneer and legendary member of The Byrds and Kentucky Colonels. The set includes tracks recorded both at the beginning and at the peak of his career, showcasing his critically acclaimed flat-picking guitar style. Features guest players such as Eric Weissberg, the Byrds' Roger McGuinn, Gene Parsons, and Skip Battin, the Flying Burrito Brothers' Byron Berline, and a rare rehearsal performance with the Everly Brothers with Gram Parsons on rhythm guitar. White said of his guitar technique, "I always maintain that I'm an electric country guitarist working in rock, rather than a rock n' roll guitarist like, say, Clapton or Beck, who came up through blues." He may be best known as the second-longest member of The Byrds and leader of the Kentucky Colonels, but White also left his mark as a pioneer of country rock and his flat-picking guitar stylings; his ability to cross between acoustic and electric made him unique. His session work included recordings with Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker, Randy Newman, Rick Nelson, The Monkees, Arlo Guthrie and Jackson Browne, among others.”
I caught Clarence White playing lead guitar with the Byrds three times from 1969 to 1971. He was an amazing electric guitarist and was featured on the long version of “Eight Miles High”, whenever the Byrds played live during that era. This collection of 14 rarities (8 acoustic & 6 electric) is a must-have for all of your classic rock / country-rock and bluegrass freaks. - BLG at DMG
CD $15

FANG, FORREST - The Oort Cloud Meditations (Projekt 410CD; USA) “The Oort Cloud is a vast spherical hull of ice proposed to reside on the outer rim of our solar system. Nothing in this cloud has yet been seen, though it may contain icy objects including comets once close to the sun. This imagined place is the inspiration for ambient musician Forrest Fang's The Oort Cloud Meditations. While many of Fang's releases are a hybrid of electronic and acoustic instruments, his latest remains predominantly a free-floating, transparent and gently unfolding electronic space. Using synthesizers to a greater extent than on previous releases, Fang organically transforms their tones into undulating harmonic gestures through ambient treatments and processing. The five far-reaching movements proceed at a relaxed pace; drifting atmospheres ebb and expand gradually, encouraging the mind to wander untethered. 'I created this album over an intense three months,' says Fang. 'It started with a simple experiment that continued to evolve and spilled over into new pieces as the results grew more interesting and more sonically complex. I created electronic sounds that revolved around each other semi-randomly with room for harmonies to develop organically from these interactions. I used melodies sparingly, subtly introducing alternate tunings at times to reflect different moods.' The work's open-ended textures are at times reminiscent of Brian Eno's generative soundscapes but more dynamic in nature. Our visit to the Oort Cloud ranges from distant celestial skies to internal spaces. Clusters of thick harmonious tones form their own vibrating cloud; it momentarily hangs in the air before receding into silence."
CD $18

FRANCISCO MEIRINO & JEROME NOETINGER - Drainage, In Six Parts (Klanggalerie 443CD; Austria) "Francisco Meirino is a sound artist based in Switzerland. His music explores the tension between programmable material and the potential for its failure. His interest lies primarily in what is not supposed to be recorded: the end of life of electronic devices, electrostatic noise, magnetic fields and the unconventional use of music hardware and sound systems and how to exploit these sonic failures in radically different ways in his sound pieces. His music combines intricate textures, sonic precision, wide spatial panning and is fascinating by its physical intensity and detail precision. Born April 1966, in Marseille, Jérôme Noetinger discovered experimental music under the influence of the Déficit Des Années Antérieures in Caen. He is a composer/improviser/sound artist working with electroacoustic devices. Composing sometimes musique concrete in the studio, and performing improvised music using electroacoustic devices such as: the reel-to-reel tape recorder Revox A77 and magnetic tape, analogue synthesizers, mixing desks, speakers, microphones, various electronic household objects and home-made electronica. Performing both solo and in ensembles, and collaborating often, and touring extensively internationally. Jerome is also the director of Metamkine, a non-profit organization dedicated to the distribution of improvised and electroacoustic music, which operates with an on-line mail order catalogue. The music on this CD was recorded by the duo in 2019 in Switzerland."
CD $18

MICHAEL FISCHER & VALENTIN DUIT - Reflection And Passage (Klanggalerie 446CD; Austria) "Michael Fischer is an Austrian musician, composer and instant composition conductor. He works on the immanence of language within sounds, their sculptural and dramatic evidence, on the tenor saxophone, the violin, on cd-player setting and conducted instant compositions, in improvised and experimental music. Since 1999 he connects the electro-acoustic phenomenon feedback with acoustic instrumentation by creating and playing the feedback saxophone. He also collaborations with literary writers, dance productions, performance, installation and video. Fischer also launched the Vienna Improvisers Orchestra in 2004. Valentin Duit is the drummer of various ensembles, among them for example Dsilton, Robert Unterköfler Quintett, Coastline Paradox, Duit and Gadermaier, and Gnigler/Duit. In 2018 he released his first solo drum set record Mashevene. He has been performing as a duo with Michael Fischer for quite some time and two of their most recent concerts in Vienna were recorded for this, their debut duo CD. Its free jazz with an electronic and noisy touch. Unique!"
CD $18

LP SECTION:

CECIL TAYLOR - Silent Tongues (Org Music 2119LP; Planet Saturn) "Cecil Taylor's solo piano set at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1974 drew critical acclaim, earning five-star reviews from the Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide and AllMusic's Scott Yanow. The set features Taylor's five-movement work 'Silent Tongues,' along with two encores. After being out of print for nearly four decades, the classic live album has been remastered at Infrasonic Mastering and pressed on audiophile-grade vinyl at Pallas Group in Germany. Silent Tongues is a must-have for fans of Taylor and collectors of free jazz."
LP $26

SUN RA with JOHN GILMORE / DANNY DAVIS / MARSHALL ALLEN / RONNIE BOYKINS / PAT PATRICK / ROBERT NORTHERN / ROBERT CUMMINGS / DANNY RAY THOMPSON / JAMES JACSON / CLIFFORD JARVIS - Janus (Org Music 2091LP; Saturn the Planet) "Janus is a compilation of rare material from Sun Ra and his Arkestra, drawing from tapes recorded between 1963 and 1970, taken from both live and studio performances. The space-age jazz shaman conjures up a variety of styles and moods along the way. The album has been remastered, and pressed on audiophile-grade vinyl at Pallas in Germany."
“This compilation of rare material from the Sun Ra Arkestra draws from tapes recorded between 1963 and 1970, and the space-age jazz shaman conjures up a variety of styles and moods along the way. A balmy tropical vibe greets the ears with the opener ("Island in the Sun"), but it doesn't take long for Ra to set his controls for the stratosphere, and soon, distorted gongs, haunted house organ, and homemade instruments are exploring African mysticism on the title track. "Velvet" is a more traditional hard bop cut, but some gleefully manic saxophone and French horn work lends a cartoonish anarchy to the tune. Chaos is certainly the form for the finale, "Joy," as Ra directs his boys to get free, and the musicians coast through gale wind discord into a calm, disturbing breeze. It all winds down to a lonely drummer whose solo (and the album) meets an abrupt end mid-lick. Taken from both live and studio performances, the tracks may once have been intended as a complete album, but they haven't been available previously except scattered between a few rare Saturn sides.” - Fred Beldin, AllMusic.com
LP $26

ALBERT AYLER AND DON CHERRY with GARY PEACOCK / SUNNY MURRAY - Vibrations (Org Music 2096; Saturn) "Vibrations is the second album released by American free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler's quartet featuring Don Cherry, Gary Peacock, and Sonny Murray. The album was recorded in Copenhagen in September of 1964. Originally issued by the Freedom label, it also been released under an alternate title, Ghosts. Previously out of print for decades, the recordings were remastered for an audiophile-grade pressing on 180gram vinyl at Pallas in Germany."
LP $26

ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Tutankaman (Org Music 2120LP; Saturn) "Tutankhamun, the 1969 album by avant-garde jazz pioneers Art Ensemble of Chicago, features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, and Malachi Favors Maghostut. As the AllMusic review states, 'This landmark album is one of the most influential free jazz recordings in the '60s avant-garde canon.' Previously out of print for over three decades, Tutankhamun has been remastered for vinyl at Infrasonic Mastering and pressed on audiophile-grade vinyl at Pallas in Germany. As a bonus, the reissue features 'Tthinitthedalen' Part 1 and 2, closing out sides A and B, respectively."
LP $26

CONRAD SCHNITZLER - Rot (50th Anniversary Edition)(Bureau B BB 102LTD-LP; Germany) “There was a particular type of artist who could only have emerged in the legendary early 1970s. Few musicians fit the bill better than Conrad Schnitzler. Revolution, pop art and Fluxus created a climate which engendered unbridled artistic and social development. Radical utopias, excessive experimentation with drugs, and ruthless (in a positive way) transgression of aesthetic frontiers were characteristic of the period. The magic words were subculture, progress- positivity, and avantgardism. West Berlin, with its unique political status, was a crucible of turbulence. Founded in 1968, Zodiak was the ultimate point of convergence for subculture in West Berlin, with Conrad Schnitzler the driving force behind it. It was also here that Tangerine Dream and Kluster First met up to perform in public (the red album, Rot, was Schnitzler's first solo effort). As a member of Tangerine Dream, however, he had participated in the band's debut release Electronic Meditation some three years earlier (1970). He, Dieter Moebius, and Hans-Joachim Roedelius had also already founded Kluster, whose first album Klopfzeichen attracted a wealth of attention. On Rot, meanwhile, Schnitzler uncompromisingly pursued his very own vision of electronic music. As an acolyte of action and object artist Joseph Beuys, Schnitzler embraced the former's "extended definition of art," in which controlled randomness assumed an important role. Schnitzler actually extended the concept of music. Or to put it another way: he cared not one iota for existing rules of music, preferring to create his own or conceptualizing a certain degree of lawlessness. Improvisation grew in importance. The most exciting aspect of Schnitzler's music is not the fact that he only used synthetic sound and noise; the apparently chaotic movements of his microscopic particles of sound draw the listener into a paradoxical, yet also crystalline and vibrant artistic world. It doesn't get much more outlandish than this. Schnitzler's debut surpassed virtually every other pioneering artist of the day in terms of radicalness. Not content merely with making psychedelic soundtracks, he turned these on their head with his defiant artistic will. The rigor of his approach has never been matched. Schnitzler's inimitable cascades of sound and their transparency were, and remain, unique. Limited 50th Anniversary Edition: embossed, reverse board, hand numbered, limited edition red vinyl.”
LP $30

RAINFOREST SPIRITUAL ENSLAVEMENT - Ambient Black Magic (Hospital Productions 804LP; USA)
Official reissue of the modern cult classic -- this time on triple LP with side-F snake etching. Focusing on slow paced bass studies and synthetic dub textures, surrounded by collaged and looped field recording environments, Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement shrouds sound over image to target the sector of brain where fear supersedes rationality -- the imagination. Ambient Black Magic moves away from the extreme saturation of the early cassettes and the industrial environmentalism of Green Graves, and defines itself simply as contemporary fear/chill-out' dub. Includes digital download code. Exclusive USA purple vinyl.”
3 LP Set $55

MICHAEL HOENIG & MANUEL GOTTSCHING - Early Water (MG.Art 603LP; Germany) "In 1976 Michael Hoenig had a brief collaboration with Ash Ra Tempel's Manuel Göttsching in Berlin; A 48-minute recording of one of the sessions, which was released in 1995 under the title Early Water on Bernd Kistenmacher's Musique Intemporelle label. The album was deleted and unavailable for a long time. Now, finally, a re-issue of Early Water will be available again. Michael Hoenig still remembers: 'While I had been working on the Departure From The Northern Wasteland album, Manuel Göttsching had asked me if I would team up with him for some concerts in France, since his group had just gone through one of its hibernation periods. We rehearsed in my place for three or four weeks. One evening we got a call regarding some missing guarantee, which ultimately led to the decision to cancel the tour. Just for fun, we played one of the planned sets for a last time. Even though I do not recall pressing a record button, somebody recently dug up a Revox tape of that very set. After performing some digital sonic archaeology on it, it was just released under the very appropriate title Early Water.' And Manuel Göttsching adds: 'Unfortunately, some of the concert dates were not confirmed in time and we had to cancel the complete tour just on the day before we wanted to leave for France. On that evening, nevertheless, we recorded our last rehearsal 'just in case'. It turned out as a flowing harmonic piece, reflecting much of the optimistic air of 1976. Michael made his 'departure' to Los Angeles in the early 1980ies. When we met again in November 1994, I proposed to release this old track of ours. Michael took the original tape to Los Angeles, lovingly restored it and -- well, here is it again!'"
LP $32

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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

*****

WADADA LEO SMITH: “America Transformed”

Four Nights - September 8th - September 11th, 2023 from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm at Brooklyn College

Friday, September 8, 2023
1) String Quartet no. 13: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution (RedKoral with Karen Parks, soloist)
2) Mercy 1: Movement 1–7 (Kikuyu)
3) Chaco Canyon, The Ancient Pueblo Civilization: Pueblo Bonito, Pueblo Alto, Hugo Pavi, Tsin Kletzin (Kikuyu)
4) Muhammad Ali (RedKoral, Kikuyu, chamber orchestra, and Shalini Vijayan, soloist)

Saturday, September 9, 2023
5) String Quartet no. 14: The 14th Amendment to the Constitution (RedKoral)
6) MLK Jr. Birmingham Letter, a Lover’s Meditation (Kikuyu)
7) Monk, The Thelonious (Kikuyu)
8) Lake Biwa: A Full Moon Purewater Gold, for Solos Violin, Piano and River Flowing (Kikuyu with Mona Tian and Erika Dohi, soloists)
9) Miriam Makeba: A Magnificent Voice: The Empress of Peace (1932-2008) (Kikuyu)
10) That Sunday Morning – Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair (RedKoral and Kikuyu, with Sylvie Courvoisier, soloist)

Sunday, September 10, 2023
11) String Quartet no. 15: The 15th Amendment to the Constitution (RedKoral)
12) Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (Kikuyu)
13) Mercy 2: A Cantata (Kikuyu with Karen Parks, soloist)
14) Mrs. Till and Emmett Till; Again, Can You See the Light (RedKoral and Kikuyu, with Ashley Walters and Andrew McIntosh, soloists)

Monday, September 11, 2023
15) Ceremony and Remembrance of the Nine Eleven Victims (Kikuyu)
16) String Quartet no. 16: Flight Ninety-Three, In Pennsylvania’s Sky (RedKoral)
17) Earth…The Asian American Culture, Unity and Ceremonial Practices with Love in America (Kikuyu)
18) JFK in Dallas: Parkland: 11.22.1963 (Kikuyu)

The Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College is pleased to launch its Fall 2023 program with the work of world-renowned composer Wadada Leo Smith. Premiering over four days at Brooklyn College’s new acoustically exceptional Don Buchwald Theater, America Transformed features 18 compositions by Smith created between 1985–2023. The program will include an essay by Grammy-winning music writer, Thulani Davis.
America Transformed is a spiritual sequel to Smith’s much-lauded Ten Freedom Summers, which was named a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in music. Where that monumental piece encompassed a decade in America’s struggle for civil rights, America Transformed, written over 37 years, widens the lens even further, exploring the artists and activists who have fought to realize the Constitutional promise of freedom and equality for all in the United States. Smith says: “The collections are centered around those individuals, events, and ideas that forced the articles of the Constitution to be employed and enforced by Congress into protecting the interests of the American people.”

Brooklyn College - Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts, Don Buchwald Theater
For more info: https://www.brooklyn.edu/event/wadada-leo-smith-america-transformed/2023-09-08/

***********

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - MATANA ROBERTS - SEPT 13–16

duos/trios/quartet—a pre-celebration, for Matana Roberts Coin Coin Chapter V, featuring fantastic improv sets from some of the amazing sound explorers on the upcoming recording to be released Sept 29th ; https://cstrecords.com/products/cst170-matana-roberts-coin-coin-chapter-five-in-the-garden

9/13 Wednesday
8:30 pm: DUO: Matana Roberts (composer, horns, harmonicas, aux percussion, vocal, wordspeak) Cory Smythe (piano, vocal, tin whistle)

9/14 Thursday
8:30 pm: TRIO: Matana Roberts (composer, horns, harmonicas, aux percussion, vocal, wordspeak) Mazz Swift (violin, vocal, tin whistle) Stuart Bogie (bass clarinet, clarinet, tin whistle, vocal)

9/15 Friday
8:30 pm - TRIO: Matana Roberts (composer, horns, harmonicas, aux percussion, vocal, wordspeak) Ryan Sawyer (drums, aux percussion, vocal) & special guest

9/16 Saturday
8:30 pm: QUARTET: Matana Roberts (composer, horns, harmonicas, aux percussion, vocal, wordspeak) Mike Pride (drums, aux percussion, vocal) Darius Jones (alto sax, tin whistle, vocal) Kyp Malone (synths)

THE STONE RESIDENCIES / ANNA WEBBER / SEPT 20–23

9/20 Wednesday
8:30 pm: Septet: Clockwise: Anna Webber (tenor sax, flute, bass flute) Jeremy Viner (tenor sax, clarinet) Jacob Garchik (trombone) Christopher Hoffman (cello) Matt Mitchell (piano) Chris Tordini (bass) Ches Smith (drums)

9/21 Thursday
8:30 pm: Simple Trio: Anna Webber (tenor sax, flute) Matt Mitchell (piano) John Hollenbeck (drums)

9/22 Friday
8:30 pm: Quartet: Anna Webber (woodwinds) Doyeon Kim (gayageum) Luke Stewart (bass) Kate Gentile (drums)

9/23 Saturday
8:30 pm: Shimmer Wince: Anna Webber (tenor sax, flute, bass flute) Adam O'Farrill (trumpet) Mariel Roberts (cello) Elias Stemeseder (synthesizer) Lesley Mok (drums)

THE STONE is located in
The New School at the Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th Street - near 6th ave

LIVE MUSIC
wed-sat
music at 8:30pm

ADMISSION
$20 per set
unless otherwise noted
cash only payment

********

Rhythm in the Kitchen Festival 2023
Hell's Kitchen, NYC
@ Prime Produce
424 W 54th St, New York, NY (bet 9 & 10)

Friday Sept 8:
- 3pm William Hooker / Yaching Cheung / Ayumi Ishito
- 4pm Patrick Brennan
- 5pm Solastaltia
- 6pm dinner time
- 7pm John King (Duet)
- 8pm Barbiana Complex
- 9pm Sarah Bernstein Solo
- 10pm Sam Day Harmet's Soundpainting Orchestra

Saturday Sept 9:
- 3pm James Paul Nadien Toadal Package
- 4pm Sana Nagano Ensemble
- 5pm Laura Feathers Ensemble
- dinner time
- 7pm Phill Niblock
- 8pm Indeterminate Ensemble
- 9pm Chuck Bettis
- 10pm Third Eye Electric Band

Sunday Sept 10: MC BruceLee - MC
- 3pm Jason Hwang Trio
- 4pm Marc Edwards Slipstream Time
- 5pm Theo Woodward, David First, DJMagic Clowns, Mo Kubbara
- 6pm dinner time
- 7pm William Hooker Group
- 8pm Shelley Hirsch / Ka Baird
- 9pm On K'a Davis 3D Veve
-10pm Mohammed Kubbara Sextet

*******

FourOneOne / SHIFT

Sep 9, 2023
Bahauddin Dagar
Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew
520 Clinton Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Sep 16, 2023
Bahauddin Dagar
2220 Arts Archives
Presented by Black Editions
2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Shift is located at
411 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11249
contact@411kent.org
Web: https://www.411kent.org

******

JOHN ZORN @ 70 - Year Long Celebration:

Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 8:00 pm
ZORN@70 at ROULETTE PART FOUR: Four World Premieres:
featuring The Junction Trio, Jennifer Choi, Jorge Roeder,
Ches Smith, Peter Evans and Sam Jones

To purchase tickets:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/36368/performance/11309030?performanceId=11309030
Roulette is in Brooklyn & not far from the Brooklyn Academy of Music
It is located at 509 Atlantic Avenue (Entrance on the Corner of Third Avenue;
Accessible Entrance on Atlantic Ave), Brooklyn, NY 11217 - phone: 917-267-0363
Box Office, General Information: roulette@roulette.org - 917-267-0368

JOHN ZORN / JESSE HARRIS - Love Songs
Live at National Sawdust
September 16th & 17th 2023
6:30pm doors / 7:30 pm
JOHN ZORN - Composer / JESSE HARRIS - Lyricist
Featuring: PETRA HADEN - Vocals
BRIAN MARSELLA - Piano
JORGE RODER - Contrabass
CHES SMITH - Drums

Love Songs tells the story of a young woman, her friends, their relationships both past and ongoing, and struggles with identity and trauma. This world-premiere concert performance features the remarkable voice of Petra Haden, accompanied by Brian Marsella on piano, Jorge Roeder on bass, and Ches Smith on drums. Blending influences from Burt Bacharach, Stephen Sondheim, Kurt Weill, and the Tin Pan Alley/Brill Building tradition, this is a lyrical and dramatic tribute to contemporary song that will appeal to young and old alike.

National Sawdust
80 North 6th St
Brooklyn, NY 11249
646 - 779 - 8455
info@nationalsawdust.org

Just added:
JOHN ZORN @ 70 - 3 Concerts at Miller Theatre at Columbia University:

Composer Portraits: John Zorn’s Music for Strings
Thursday, September 21, 2023, 8PM
John Zorn: Sigil Magick: A Curious and Detailed Exposition of Sigils, Signs, and Hieroglyphs Peculiar to the Occult Orders, Hermetic Brotherhoods, and Dark Mystery Schools of the Late Middle Ages for string quintet (2020)
John Zorn: The Gas Heart a mini opera for 2 celli and 2 percussionists (2020)
John Zorn: Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will Be Able to Present Itself as a Science for string sextet (2020)

Composer Portraits: John Zorn at 70
Thursday, October 19, 2023, 8PM
New Masada / Simulacrum
New Masada Quartet: John Zorn / Julian Lage / Jorge Roeder / Kenny Wolleson
Simulacrum: John Medeski / Matt Hollenberg / Kenny Grohowski

Composer Portraits: John Zorn at 70
Thursday, November 16, 2023, 8PM
Barbara Hannigan - Piano John Zorn - Composer
John Zorn Star Catcher (2022)
John Zorn Split the Lark (2021)
John Zorn Liber Loagaeth (2021)
John Zorn Ab Eo, Quod (2021)
John Zorn Pandora’s Box (2013)

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Monday, Sept. 18 at 8:30pm

Guillermo Gregorio, clarinet
Paula Shocron, piano (& cello, maybe)
Sarah Bernstein, violin
Ivan Barenboim, bass-clarinet

Michiko Studios, at their new location
15 W 39th St, 7th floor, NY, NY

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John Cage's Japan at Japan Society
An Original Performance Series
Celebrating the Composer's Relationship with Japanese Culture

September 28 and September 29 at 7:30 pm
Paul Lazar's Cage Shuffle
Directed by Annie-B Parson

October 21 at 8:30 pm
John Cage's Ryoanji
with Tomomi Adachi, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE),
Hitomi Nakamura (hichiriki), and Maki Ota (voice)

November 16 at 7:30 pm
Tomomi Adachi's Noh-opera / Noh-tation: Decoding John Cage's Unrealized Project
with Gelsey Bell (voice), Wakako Matsuda (noh), and ICE

Thursday, December 7 at 7:30 pm
Cage Shock: An Homage to his First Japan Visit
with Tania Caroline Chen, Victoria Shen, Tomomi Adachi, and ICE

All Programs Commissioned and presented by Japan Society
Tickets On Sale to the General Public August 17 at JapanSociety.org
They called it the "Cage Shock." In 1962, the iconoclastic American composer John Cage toured Japan for a legendary series of concerts that served to draw attention to the rhymes between his works and the sounds of avant-garde and classical Japanese music. The tour cemented Cage as a pivotal figure in the East but the impact of that trip reverberated both directions. Cage had found truth and validation for his creative philosophy in Japan and returned to his experiences abroad as a wellspring of inspiration for the rest of his life.

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NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9PwsO5umk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQ7nvA68pA

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CHRIS CUTLER

Formerly of HENRY COW, THE ART BEARS, NEWS FOR BABEL & RECOMMENDED RECORDS (ReR) has been creating an ongoing series of podcasts called the Probes series. I am often fascinated at listening to each of these as Mr. Cutler does an incredible job of showing a deep history of Creative Music in the 20th century & beyond. I usually listen to these on the train to NYC that I take to get to work each day. The most recent Probes (#36) was released a few weeks ago, here is the links:
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-36
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-362-auxiliaries

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THIS ONE COME FROM VOCALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE KYOKO KITAMURA:

‘Introduction to Syntactical Ghost Trance Music’
All music and scores by Anthony Braxton
Film written, edited and narrated by Kyko Kitamura [Link below]

After not having traveled much since the pandemic, this summer, through a combination of work and play, I was in Japan and Canada, and just got back from giving a workshop in Atlanta, GA.
In between, I dusted off my rusty broadcast journalist chops and edited the mini-documentary Introduction to Syntactical Ghost Trance Music on Anthony Braxton and his Syntactical Ghost Trance Music (SGTM). It premiered earlier this month at the "ANTHONY BRAXTON: 50 YEARS OF CREATIVE MUSIC" international conference in Darmstadt, Germany, and is now available in its entirety for free viewing on Tri-Centric's Vimeo channel (https://vimeo.com/858217550/77592d946f?share=copy).
Most of the material has never been seen before by the public, including rare rehearsal, recording and interview footage. The astounding vocalists of the Tri-Centric Vocal Ensemble navigate the gorgeously complex material, pushing limits and exploring new territory. It's a story not only of the music, but a glimpse of a living composer and the artistic community. I cannot express enough my gratitude to everyone who was involved. 
Notes on the making of the video is on my website blog. The full audio recording, which I co-produced, is available at Tri-Centric's New Braxton House Records. Some SGTM scores are available at their Print Music store. - Best, Kyoko Kitamura

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ATTENTION TO ALL DMG CUSTOMERS: NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: downtownmusicgalleryofficial@gmail.com