THE DMG 32nd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, December 26th:
6:30: PAUL R. HARDING - Poetry / DANIEL CARTER - Reeds & Trumpet / TAKUMA KANAIWA - Guitar / JONATHAN WILSON - Drums
7:30: YONI KRETZMER - Tenor Sax / SHANIR BLUMENKRANZ - Contrabass
Tuesday, January 9th:
6:30: s0nic 0penings: PATRICK BRENNAN - Alto sax & Compositions / HILLIARD GREENE - Contrabass / Jason Kao Hwang - Violin / Michael TA Thompson - DRUMS
7:30: KnCurrent: PATRICK BRENNAN - Alto sax / ON KA’A DAVIS - Guitar / JASON KAO HWANG - Electric Violin / COOPER-MORRE - Diddely Bow
8:30: STAN ZENKOV - Bass Clarinet / DANIEL CARTER - Reeds & Brass / ZACH SWANSON - Bass / DAVE MILLER - Drums
9:30: LORIN BENEDICT - Solo Vocal Set
Tuesday, January 16th:
6:30: DAFNA NAPHTALI - Electronics & Voice / GWEN LASTER - Violin / RAS MOSHE BURNETT - Sax
7:30: KENNY WARREN - Trumpet / NATHANIEL MORGAN - Sax / ARYEH KABRINSKI - Bass / CARLO COSTA - Percussion!
8:30: LAURIE AMAT / NOMADIC STRUCTURES!
DMG stands for Downtown Music Gallery and we are 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 (if you don’t do InstaGram, you can still view these 1 minute clips on the DMG homepage, (a recently added feature), so please check them out and come down to visit when you can. - BLG/DMG
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THIS WEEK’S XMAS TREASURES BEGIN WITH THIS ONE:
JOHN ZORN - Documentary & Cobra - 70th Anniversary Special Event T-Shirt - Black with lovely gold sparkle lettering. Experimental Japanese vocalist played at The Stone last week with Ikue Mori for her 70th birthday series and left us with 10 copies of the t-shirt. These t-shirts are first come, first served so you might not get the size you want. We are unsure if we will get any more in the future. I just heard back from Makigami and he says that he can get us more in the future. - Check out the picture here on the DMG homepage. BLG at DMG
Limited Edition John Zorn T-shirt - $25 [LTD Edition & we have just 10, all but 2 are XL, 1 M, 1 L]
ROBIN HOLCOMB - One Way or Another, Vol. 1 (Westerlies Records WST009; USA) Featuring Robin Holcomb on piano and voice, produced by Wayne Horvitz and photos by Nica Horvitz. I’ve been checking out pianist & composer Robin Holcomb and her husband Wayne Horvitz ever since hearing them at Studio Henry in the west village around 1980. Both Robin and Wayne were/are gifted keyboard players and composers and integral parts of the early Downtown Scene, collaborating with John Zorn, Dave Sewelson, William Parker, etc. What I’ve always dug about both of them is that every performance and recording would show a different side to their talents. I recall hearing Ms. Holcomb leading a band at the Kitchen in the late 1980’s, performing the music from her debut album as a leader called, ‘Larks, They Crazy’. The music was stunning and near the end of the concert, they played one song in which Ms. Holcomb sang. I had never heard her sing before and was unaware of her doing anything with vocals on it. I was floored by her lovely, fragile voice and nearly brought to tears. I spoke with Robin after the concert and told her how much I loved her singing and she seemed surprised that anyone would enjoy her voice. A couple of years later (in 1990), Ms. Holcomb’s debut album on Nonesuch was released and many of Downtown fan addicts and other serious listeners, ended up being completely knocked out by her self-titled debut. Ms. Holcomb write and sang on nearly every song and organized a band to perform those songs live. The band included Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz and Doug Weiselman. Ms. Holcomb went on the record four albums for Nonesuch, each one a gem. Since doing her records on Nonesuch, Ms. Holcomb has slowly released three more records, mostly instrumental, solos, chamber groups, mainly instrumental but with some occasional vocals by her.
In November of this year (2023), Wayne Horvitz performed 4 nights at The Stone, with different personnel on each night. On the last night, it was a duo with Wayne and Robin, the two switching off on piano, synth, electronics, harmonica and voice. Another glorious night of music! I had heard that Ms. Holcomb had a new record out and we just copies in this week. This disc is perhaps Ms. Holcomb’s most intimate portrait, playing just piano and singing. Ms. Holcomb has decided to redo a few of her older songs, as well as do some select covers by Randy Newman, Stephen Foster and Doc Pomus. The title song is first, One Way or Another”. It is stark, hypnotic, stunning, delicate, exquisite. I used to think that Robin’s voice was like a fragile, lost, little lamb. More than thirty after her Nonesuch debut, I hear even more ghosts within her voice. “Waltz” was first done on Ms. Holcomb’s first vocal album. It begins with “Mention the weather, when you describe the town” and it captures a fleeting spirit of something one can feel but not as easily describe. Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times Come Again No More,” seems to come from an ancient dream of sad times from our collective past. Will hard times come again, have they ever left? Doc Pomus’ “I’ve Got a Feeling” deals with the fleeting feeling that we feel when we are in love with someone. “Once I was a woman” is how “Once “ opens. The characters in Ms. Holcomb’s songs are like ghosts that you see out of the corner of your eye who disappear when you try to see them more clearly. We all have memories, some we know where they came from and some seem to just appear. “A Lazy Farmer Boy” was released as a 78 in 1931, quite a long time ago. This song does sound ancient, the piano part has a dixieland like sound, something that Fats Waller might cover. I hadn’t thought much about it until now, but Ms. Holcomb’s lyrics often give us images or feelings to consider. Fragments of stories are woven into our collective memories. Ms. Holcomb’s piano playing seems to evoke a certain American(a), Ivesian spirit, majestic at times and forlorn at other times. “Rockabye” was the title of Holcomb’s second Nonesuch album. It is done here and still captures some of Robin’s most heartfelt playing, singing and lyrics. Randy Newman’s song “Shining” actually sounds just like one of Mr. Holcomb’s own songs, with fleeting feelings amongst the collective memories that we all share. “Electrical Storm” is also from Holcomb’s first (vocal) album. Even without her skeletal band backing her, the song still stands out, a warm, tender, lullabye-like piece. What I find most interesting is the way the Robin Holcomb has tapped into an ancient spirit/sound which always sounds warm and familiar, bridging the gap between the old days and our current times, like sitting in front of a warm fireplace on a cold day. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
TERTON with LOUIE BELOGENIS / TREVOR DUNN / RYAN SAWYER - Outer, Inner, Secret (Tzadik 4044; USA) Remaining true to the alchemical beginner’s mind, Terton is a band that places exploration and improvisation first and foremost. Featuring saxophonist Louie Belogenis, bassist Trevor Dunn, and drummer Ryan Sawyer, the music pushes the envelope of free jazz and points in many directions at once. In Tibetan Buddhism, a terton uncovers and reveals esoteric spiritual teachings currently unknown and unpracticed. Like the teachings referred to, the music here are similar treasures—a music deeply buried within the human psyche waiting for an opportune time to appear. Louie, Trevor and Ryan mine this hidden terrain with great honesty, imagination, and craft.”
CD $14
MATTHEW SHIPP / STEVE SWELL - Space Cub Jazz (Rogue Art 0133; France) Featuring Steve Swell on trombone and Matt Shipp on piano. This session was recorded at Park West Studios in November of 2021. Although Matt Shipp announced his retirement from recording several times over the past decade or two, he continues to organize sessions with upwards of a half dozen discs a year. Mr. Shipp has done a number of duo discs over time, including more recent duos with Mark Helias, Ivo Perelman, Chad Fowler and Michael Bisio. Downtown trombonist, Steve Swell, records less frequently although he also keeps busy in a variety of settings, mostly trios and an occasional solo effort. Mr. Shipp and Mr. Swell have not recorded together very often although both played with Jemeel Moondoc for a disc released in 2014. Over the last few years, Steve Swell has been recording and playing live more frequently, pushing himself to keep coming up with different situations to work with.
This trombone and piano duo disc opens with a blast from the trombone. The balance is just right, as both musicians take their time and work tightly together. The duo play sparsely at first, taking their time, exchanging lines, calmly having a dialogue with notes woven carefully together. Mr. Shipp plays slowly at first playing a series of subtle majestic chords while Mr. Swell sails on top, the two shadowing each other, playing similar phrases, balancing the interaction carefully and robustly. On “Electric Tip”, Mr. Swell solos throughout while Mr. Shipp plays a series of chords which add harmonies and depth to each of Swell’s lines. Each of the dozen pieces are completely improvised except for one original by each member of the duo. Mr. Shipp’s “Space Warp” begins with quaint counterpoint, slowing down mysteriously and spaciously. Both musicians are well matched, exchanging ideas and/or lines, erupting at times and then slowing down into a more relaxed conversation. I like these two musicians play together, both have a wide variety of lines or ideas that they work their way through, often answering each other’s lines with tight connected twists and turns. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
JOSH SINTON - couloir & book of practitioners vol.2 - book W (FiP Recordings 06; USA) CD One is called ‘Couloir’ and it is all short improvisations. CD Two is called ‘Book W’ and the pieces (or exercises) were composed by the legendary soprano saxist Steve Lacy. Downtowner Josh Sinton plays baritone sax and bass clarinet and plays here at DMG several times a year, with different personnel and/or ideas for each set. Mr. Sinton was recently featured in an all reeds ensemble led by Patrick Brennan and played some of the best solos that night. CD One consists of 15 improvisation pieces all less than six minutes long. “Rift” features Sinton on baritone sax and Sinton concentrates on simple, odd riffs, one or two at a time, nothing too weird yet all are focused in one area. On “Scission”, Sinton plays mostly those muted, tongue slapping notes, creating an odd dialogue of percussive swirls. For “Scree”, Sinton concentrates of these soft, low-end swirls, slow circular lines which evolve and expand over time. Each piece is based on an unfolding pattern which Mr. Sinton varies as he plays. On “Talus”, Sinton plays those John Surman-like ferocious blusters, his sound more intense than ever, similar to a foghorn blast from not too far away. “Clough” sounds like a ballad that has been blown with strong, spinning lines and with that free/jazz squall. Mr. Sinton shows that there are a number of different ways to play his baritone sax, concentrating on a different sound, texture or pattern on each piece. The second disc here consists of pieces composed by Steve Lacy as exercises or for inspiration. Each piece is dedicated to a different artist: George Orwell, Peter Sellers, Lennie Tristano and Orson Welles. These pieces are longer than the first CD so Mr. Sinton gets a chance to explore his playing even further. A most impressive offering on all counts! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $16
JAIMIE BRANCH / ISAIAH COLLIER / GILLES CORONADO / TIM DAISY - Stembells (The Bridge Sessions TBS 17; France) Featuring Jaimie Branch on trumpet, synths & electronics, Isaiah Collier on soprano & tenor sax & percussion, Gilles Coronado on electric guitar and Tim Daisy on drums. This session was recorded at Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago in April of 2022. Ever since moving to Brooklyn from the Chicago scene, I’ve been a big fan and friend of Jaimie Branch. Her playing whether with Fly or Die, Anteloper or a number of different improv gigs, was consistently inspiring. Ms. Branch played here in a trio with bassist Thomas Helton and drummer Mike Evans on two occasions, both sets were phenomenal and are lodged in my memory. The Bridge Sessions label organizes gigs, tours and workshops for creative musicians from France and Chicago, often putting together unique combinations of US & French musicians. For this disc, Ms. Branch was matched up with Chicago saxist Isaiah Collier and drummer Tim Daisy plus French guitarist Gilles Coronado. Mr. Coronado has recorded with French clarinet master Louis Sclavis. Drummer Tim Daisy has worked the Vandermark Five, as well as running his own Relay Records label with many great discs released.
This disc was recorded after a Chicago and midwest tour in 2022. This music here is one long piece. I always liked the way Ms. Branch played electronics in her bands Fly or Die and Anteloper. The pice here starts off quietly and builds with subtle electronics creeping through at first. Things evolve into a dense storm with furious spinning soprano sax, trumpet. electronics, space-rockin’ guitar and drums. Things build to a grand conclusion and then calm down to more spacious, eerie section. Ms. Branch also uses some effects to make her horn ever more hypnotic and dreamy while Tim Daisy plays some mighty fine mallets on the drums. The overall sound midway is mesmerizing with distant trumpet, occasional voices with effects, sly wah wah guitar and ritualistic drumming. The drums provide an infectious, pounding groove while the guitar plays a fine, phat, funky riff. Ms. Branch takes an extraordinary solo in the last third of this piece, bathing her horn with liberal amounts of reverb while the rest of the quartet rise and fall in waves around her. Mr. Collier, another rising star of the current Chicago Creative Music Scene also takes a strong, spirited tenor solo while guitarist Coronado also adds some spacey effects. I found this entire disc to be great for transporting us to another world. Since this disc was recorded, Jaimie Branch has passed away, leaving the planet at the early age of 39. She is sorely missed by those who had a chance to witness her special magic Creative Spirit. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
COREY WILKES / QUENTIN BIARDEAU / JUSTIN DILLARD / ETIENNE ZIEMIAK - Cancel Rescue Mission (The Bridge Sessions TBS 18; France) Featuring Corey Wilkes on trumpet, electronics & percussion, Quentin Biardeau on tenor sax & synth, Justin Dillard on organ & vocals and Etienne Ziemniak on drums. Over the past decade, Chicago has produced a number of great trumpet players: taking Lester Bowie’s place in the Art Ensemble is/was Corey Wilkes, after that we’ve heard from Rob Mazurek, Josh Berman, Jaimie Branch and Ben Lamar Gay. The Bridge Sessions label brings together musicians from Chicago and France, doing concerts, doing tours and presenting workshops with different combinations of musicians. I recall the name of Chicago organist Justin Dillard from his work with Ernest Dawkins and Kahil El’Zabar. Saxist Quentin Biardeau and drummer Etienne Ziemniak have both worked with the Ceccaldi brothers previously.
This disc was recorded on tour in January of 2022 and it contains an entire nearly 50 minute set with no breaks. It begins with an infectious repeating beat with the trumpet and tenor sax sparring on top and the organ pulsating underneath, the drums swinging that funky groove. Saxist Quentin Biardeau sounds great playing those Trane-like lines on top of the groove. I swear I hear a guitar comping underneath but there is no guitar listed here. Hmmmmmmm?!? Corey Wilkes takes the next solo and boy, does he sound so fine, rambunctious, crafty and consistently inventive. It turns out that it is not a guitar but it is an ancient sounding analog synth with the organ pedals doing the quick basslines. Mr. Dillard does a fine, riveting spoken word section midway, which is one of the highlights of this disc. The somewhat funky groove slows down so we can hear what Dillard is saying. The overall sound is closer to the mid-to-late 1970’s, earthy, organic and never too slick. There is an impressive old school synth solo midway which is also a highlight and unlike any synth playing I’ve heard in a long while. I really enjoyed the entire set here as it worked throughout without any excessive showing off of chops and more from the heart jamming nicely over the great grooves provided. Both the trumpet and tenor sax are inspired and inventive consistently throughout the entire disc. Yet another fine gem from the fine folks at The Bridge Sessions label! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
GUILLERMO GREGORIO with CARRIE BIOLO / FRED LONBERG-HOLM // IVAN BARENBOIM / NICHOLAS JOZWIAK - Two Trios (ESP-Disk 5047; USA) My old friend, clarinetist & composer, Guillermo Gregorio continues to surprise us with every live set and recording that he is involved with. Mr. Gregorio was originally based in Buenos Aires and has lived in Vienna, L.A., Cologne and Chicago. He is currently living in NYC and plays here at DMG several times a year, with different personnel on each gig. This disc features two trios, recorded at different locations about two years apart. The first trio was at the Edgefest in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2018 and features Guillermo Gregorio on clarinet, Carrie Biolo on vibes and Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello. I know cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm quite well since he used to live in NY, moving to Chicago for many years and now resides in upstate New York. I don’t know Ms. Biolo very well although she has worked with Scott Fields. One of the things I like about Mr. Gregorio is that his live are partially free improv plus he likes to bring in his compositions as well. The Edgefest section contains 6 pieces, two of which are free improvs, the first and last pieces. The trio are strong improvisers, taking their times to weave their collective wares. Mr. Gregorio is a shrewd, thoughtful player, while Ms. Biolo creates several cloud-like sounds, get her vibes to resonate and expand. Gregorio’s “Tres” features a challenging written part for the vibes, the trio evolves into some fascinating chamber jazz, partially written and partially free. On “First Sketch for “Omaggio a Luigi Nono”, the trio creates some odd harmonies which take a bit to get used to. One of the things I like most about Mr. Gregorio is that he doesn’t quite sound like any other clarinet player, he moves from Jimmy Guiffre-like subtle chamber jazz into some more bent note quirkiness, often surprising the listener and challenging his bandmates simultaneously. “Cosa Rara” has a Braxton-like Ghost Trance repeating theme which doesn’t last very long. I like the way that Ms. Biolo’s shimmering vibes add a most ethereal, dream-like quality to the music here. Each piece here has a different vibe and/or strategy, hence we must adjust and listen closely. The improv sections are equally adventurous and filled with some unexpected twists and turns.
The second part of this disc is another trio with Gregorio on clarinet, Ivan Barenboim on contralto clarinet and Nicholas Jozwiak on cello. This set was recorded here at DMG in February of 2020, the month before the great pandemic kicked in. The contralto clarinet is a relatively rare instrument and Mr. Barennboim has played here on several occasions, originally with the Spirit Clarinet Orchestra. Nick Jozwiak has also played here on both cello and contrabass. This section has three free improvs and two (partially) written pieces. The recording is especially clear and warm, sounding more like it was recorded in a studio rather than our dusty basement space. “First Piece” is a thoughtful improv which sounds most enchanting. “Out of the Other Notes” is a sublime chamber work, the trio in fine form weaving carefully around one another. I like the writing here as the trio sounds as if they have one collective voice. “NPA” is another thoughtful written piece, quiet, quaint and well constructed. Both of the trio are pretty different in overall sound yet Guillermo Gregorio’s clarinet if the glue which brings them both together. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
HIKASHU - Cloud Management (Makigami Records MKE 019; Japan) Hikashu features Makigami Koichi on vocals, theremin, trumpet, shakuhachi & hichinki, Mita Freeman on guitar & hapi drum,Shimizu Kazuto on piano & synth, Sakaide Masami on bass and Sato Masaharu on drums & acoustic guitar. Legendary Japanese experimental vocalist, Makigami Koichi, was in town last week (mid December of 2013) and he played with Ikue Mori on several sets at The Stone. His band, Hikashu, has been around for 45 years nowand this disc is a celebration of their longevity. Although Hikashu started out as a sort of New Wave band in the late 1970’s, they now do their own version of progressive/improv, sort of. “Spring Haze Over the Rice Fields” is a ballad and it has a lovely, laid back sound and quaint melody with Makigami singing in his rather charming voice, which is followed by a heart warming sax solo. The title track, “Cloud Management” also has a charming melody and some tasty fretless bass. What’s different about this Hikashu CD is that it is mostly charming written songs and all of the songs have a nice, quirky delightful vibe. The quintet also take off at times and improvise in short bursts with occasional inventive solos from the guitar, keyboards and even odd bits like Makigami’s theremin. 45 years later and Hikashu remain a singular band with its own unique sound. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
RARE HIKASHU CD’S BACK IN STOCK AT SALE PRICES:
HIKASHU - Pataphysical Songs and Impro (Makigami Records 0017; Japan)Featuring Makigami Koichi on vocals, theremin, cornetkaukin ukelele & didgeridoo, Mita Freeman on guitar, Shimizu Kazuto on piano & synth, Sakaide Masami on bass and Sato Masaharu on drums plus guest Koketsu Masayo on alto sax. Hikashu have been around for some 40 years and have some 25 discs out. Although they started out as a Japanese new wave band of sorts, they have long absorbed & combined many styles/genres through their long strange journey. Madman vocalist & multi-instrumentalist, Makigami Koichi, seems to be the only original member by now, although in 1988 bassist, Sakaide Masami, joined and the personnel slowly solidified into was has become the solid quintet. Hikashu seems to have split up (or not recorded) for a decade between 1996 & 2007. Nowadays they seem to record every 2-4 years. Now that the quintet is solid or focused, they sound both inventive and spirited no matter what style they are drawing from. On the first track, the keyboardist/synth-player & guitarist plays what sounds like a cool horn section matching Makigami’s strong, wacky vocals. Hikashi still sound rather like a diverse, ever-inventive New Wavish pop band yet no two songs sound the same. Since I don’t speak Japanese I can’t tell you what they are singing about but I get the feeling that their tongues are forever stuck in their collective cheeks. Makigami himself adds his own charm with oft hilarious vocals as well as selective theremin, cornet, jawharp and shakuhachi. There are a number of short, well-selected improv sections which capture the charm of Downtown or Canterbury-like whimsy. Over a long period of time, the musicians of Hikashu have gotten better at what they do so they filled with surprising changes in direction and inventive solos appear throughout. The balance between the silly and more seriously inventive passages is just right throughout. I especially like when Makigami plays theremin and/or jawharp (koukin), inserting lots of odd solos when you least expect them. This disc is nearly 70 minutes so it took a while to fully absorb/admire. I remain a big fan no matter what, whether being astounded by their inventiveness or just laughing my tush off from time to time. A splendid time is guaranteed for all! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
HIKASHU with MAKIGAMI KOICHI / MITA FREEMAN / SHIMIZU KAZUTO / SAKIADE MASAMI / SATO MASAHARU - Eternal Echoes (Makigami 0018; Japan)
CD $16
HIKASHU - 21st Century Best - 40th Anniversary (Makigami 0013; Japan)
2 CD Set $22
HIKASHU - 45th Anniversary Hikashu T-shirts with Gold Lettering. Whenever I wear my old Hikashu t-shirt someone asks who it is and if they can get a copy. Makigami Koichi just left us with a half dozen new 45th anniversary t-shirts with gold lettering. If I can find my copy at home, I will post a picture of it on our homepage. First come, first served.
HIKASHU 45th Anniversary T-shirt with gold lettering $20 [M, L & XXL, we have just a half dozen so you might not get the size you want, let us know if that is a problem]
CHIRGILCHIN - Japan Tour 2022 - An Enchanting Mirage of Khodmei Voices (Eki Attar Records 1105; Japan) Chirgilchin is a Tuvan (from Mongolia) quartet that were produced and promoted by experimental Japanese vocalist Makigami Koichi. Mr. Koichi has been studying and working with Tuvan throat singers for more than a decade and we can hear the influence of this throat singing whenever we hear Koichi using his unique voice live and on record. This disc was recorded live in Tokyo in October of 2022. I’ve heard several Tuvan bands play, especially enjoying Huun Huur Tu at Town Hall sometime in the early 1990’s. Chirgilchin are pictured on and inside the CD in traditional costumes. They’ve recorded five records since 1996. Three of them also play traditional Tuvan acoustic instruments, like the igil, the doshpuluur, the chanzy and a Tuvan flute. All four musicians are vocalists with much different, distinctive voices. “In Tuvan [throat singing], the performer hums a fundamental pitch and—simultaneously—manipulates the overtones that belong to that fundamental pitch, creating a melody.” - Wiki. If you’ve never heard Tuvan throat singing, you should check it out as it doesn’t sound like any other vocal music that I’ve heard and I find it to be consistently mesmerizing. One of the vocalists is a woman and she has a particularly strong, riveting voice. I just finished listening to the great disc and I am most enchanted by it. We have a half dozen copies only so… - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
IVAN VUKOSAVLJEVIC // TINEKE STEENBRINK / LISE MORRISON / FRANCESCA AJOSSA / JAN HAGE - Slow Roads (elsewhere 027; USA) 'Slow Roads' is an album of eight pieces written by Hague-based Serbian composer Ivan Vukosavljević between 2019 and 2022, for solo 1/4 comma meantone organ. Although I hadn’t heard of the composer Ivan Vukosavljevic before now, he does have an earlier record out (March of 2023) with the new music group - Ensemble Klang. I haven’t really listened to much contemporary organ music except for Olivier Messiaen. What’s interesting is that each of the eight pieces were recorded on five different historic organs dating back to the early 16th to mid-17th centuries, located in medieval churches scattered throughout the countryside of the northern Netherlands. Four different organists were used for the eight pieces. “The Ladder” opens with several layers of drone-like tones, a central note resonates with other lines slowly added on top or underneath. I notice that each line or drone has an effect on us, the tempo of the pulsation and steady stream which seems to effect our inner balance. On “When You are Able to Become the Patterns of the Earth”, the drones slowly expand adding some phrases here and there. The volume and intensity increases slowly throughout and then calm down in the second part, building up again for the conclusion. “Ramum Olivae” has a soft repeating phrase which goes up and then back down. The line is eerie and shimmers like the flame of a candle. Although there are four different organs, the sound of each organ is similar. For “Porete”, one of the lines is sped up with the drone at the center. While the central drone gets more intense, there are two other swirling lines which shift upwards and downwards, causing a more rapturous overall effect. Each of these pieces seems to cause a different vibe, the central drone and the way the other lines unfold either higher up and lower down in the cosmic scale. Although the music sounds religious, it is more about the way certain notes or phrases effect out perceptions of time and space and sound. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
MIKKO INNANEN / CEDRIC PIROMALLI / STEFAN PASSBORG plus LORI FREEDMAN - Can You Hear It? (Clean Feed 649; Portugal)“An organ trio like no other, Finnish saxophonist Mikko Innanen, Danish drummer Stefan Pasborg and French Hammond hero Cédric Piromalli are back to twist traditions and confound conventions. Following on from their gloriously impish Clean Feed debut, 2021’s This Is It, comes the uber-fusion feast of Can You Hear It?, an album giving the eminent Blue Note histories of Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff and Larry Young an extra adrenaline hit, Piromalli souping up the keys for extracurricular soul-fusion kicks and spacing out like Sun Ra hammering the hyperdrive on an interstellar love mission. These three funky trailblazers sit at the top table of their respective scenes, boasting a combined rap sheet of revered co-conspirators that reads like a heavenly who’s-who, the names of those they have worked with including Andrew Cyrille, Han Bennink, William Parker, Wadada Leo Smith, Paul Lovens, Will Guthrie, Tim Berne and Tomasz Stańko. All that combined experience and knowledge is filtered through into the deft chicanery of Can You Hear It?, its nine contrasting cuts finding Innanen, Pasborg and Piromalli at the peak of their expressive powers, effortlessly shifting from muscular swing and riotous retro-futurist vamp to doleful sci-fi séance and poignant balladry in a heartbeat. During one of her two spoken-word cameos featured on the album, Canadian clarinetist and improviser Lori Freedman acts as the group’s surrogate voice piece, accompanied by Innanen’s passionately chirruping sopranino and Pasborg’s thudding percussive detonations. “Who are we? / Where do we come from? / What do we do? How do we do? / How do we do it?”, she asks in a natty flow of enquiry doubling as a statement of intangible intent, a suitably defiant anti-manifesto from one of the most intrepid, shape-shapeshifting triumvirates active in jazz today.”
CD $15
RESTOCKED: ALL WADADA LEO SMITH TITLES ON TUM:
WADADA LEO SMITH / JACK DeJOHNETTE / VIJAY IYER - A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday (TUM 60; Finland)
CD $18
WADADA LEO SMITH // MIN XIAO-FEN / DIAMOND VOICES / RED KORAL / BLUE TRUMPET QT: HUGH RAGIN / TED DANIEL / GRAHAM HAYNES / PHEEROAN AKLAFF / et al - Rosa Parks: Pure Love - An Oratorio of Seven Songs (TUM 057; Finland)
CD $18
WADADA LEO SMITH With HENRY KAISER / MICHAEL GREGORY JACKSON / BRANDO ROSS / LAMAR SMITH / BILL LASWELL / ADAM RUDOLPH / PHEEROAN AKLAFF / et al - Najwa (TUM 49; Finland)
CD $18
WADADA LEO SMITH & JOHN LINDBERG - Celestial Weather (TUM 046; Finland)
CD $18
WADADA LEO SMITH & TUMO With JUHANI AALTONEN / FREDRIK LJUNGKVIST / KALLE KALIMA / JOHN LINDBERG /STEFAN PASBORG / et al - Occupy The World (TUM 037; Finland)
2 CD Set $24
WADADA LEO SMITH With HENRY THREADGILL / JOHN LINDBERG / JACK DeJOHNETTE - The Great Lakes Suite (TUM 041; Finland)
2 CD Set $24
WADADA LEO SMITH & LOUIS MOHOLO-MOHOLO - Ancestors (TUM 029; Finland)
CD $18
WADADA LEO SMITH'S MBIRA With MIN XIAO-FEN / PHEEROAN AkLAFF - Dark Lady Of The Sonnets (TUM 023; Finland)
CD $18
WADADA LEO SMITH - Trumpet (TUM Box 002; Finland)
3 CD Set $54
WADADA LEO SMITH with MILFORD GRAVES / BILL LASWELL - Sacred Ceremonies (TUM Box 003; Finland)
3 CD Set $54
WADADA LEO SMITH’ S GREAT LAKE QUARTET with HENRY THREADGILL / JACK DeJOHNETTE / JONATHAN HAFFNER / JOHN LINDBERG - The Chicago Symphonies (TUM 1004; Finland)
4 CD Set $70
WADADA LEO SMITH with JACK DeJOHNETTE / PHEEROAN AKLAFF / ANDREW CYRILLE / HAN BENNINK -The Emerald Duets (TUM Box 006; Finland)
5 CD Set $95
WADADA LEO SMITH // REDKORAL QUARTET - String Quartets Nos. 1 - 12 (TUM Box 005; Finland)
7 CD Set $130
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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
******
Independence Promoters Alliance Presents
Thursday, December 28 at 7:30 pm
Marilyn Lerner (piano), Ken Filiano (bass & electronics), Lou Grassi (drums)
Presented at Michiko Studios (new location)
15 West 39th St, NYC between 5th & 6th Avenues
7th Floor, Studio 3. Elevator Equipped.
Ring button for Michiko Studios, will be buzzed in.
$25 suggested donation
*******
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - MARY HALVORSON - JAN 3–6
1/3 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Clone Decay -
Kalia Vandever (trombone) Weston Olencki (trombone, electronics) Mary Halvorson (guitar)
1/4 Thursday
8:30 pm - DUO - Immanuel Wilkins (sax) Mary Halvorson (guitar)
1/5 Friday
8:30 pm - DUO - Joe Morris (guitar) Mary Halvorson (guitar)
1/6 Saturday
8:30 pm - Sterno - Brett Deschenes (trumpet) Dan St. Clair (piano) Nat Baldwin (bass) Mary Halvorson (guitar) - Our first performance since 2002!
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
*******
gaucimusic presents:
Improvised Music @ the Main Drag
Wednesday January 10th, 2024
7:00pm Gian Perez - guitar
Tete Leguia - bass
Nick Neuburg - drums
8:00pm Michael Larocca - drums
Luke Rovinsky - guitar
Caleb Duval - bass
9:00pm Stephen Gauci - t. saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums
10:00pm Michael Eaton - saxophones
Max Kutner - guitar
Adam Minkoff - bass
Nick Anderson - drums
11:00pm Welf Dorr - alto saxophone
Sandy Ewen - guitar
Lim Yang - bass
Kevin Shea - drums
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gaucimusic presents:
Improvised Music @ the Main Drag
Wednesday January 17th, 2024
7:00pm Ryan Honaker - violin
Alex Syner - guitar
Finn Fine - guitar
Greg Albert - upright bass
8:00pm The Main Drag Conduction Orchestra
*Curated by Colin Hinton* *Conduction by Yuma Uesaka*
9:00pm Stephen Gauci - t. saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Colin Hinton - drums
10:00pm Titus Abbot - bass clarinet
Harris Eisenstadt - drums
Sean Conly - bass
11:00pm Jonathan Haffner - alto saxophone
Yvonne Rogers- keys
Kevin Eichenberger - bass
Matt Bent - Drums
--------------------------------------------
gaucimusic presents:
Improvised Music @ the Main Drag
Wednesday January 24th, 2024
7:00pm Willis Edmundson - drums
Andre Sacalxot - saxophone
Charlie Lincoln - bass
8:00pm Bonnie Kane - saxophone/flute/electronics
John Loggia - drums
Shayna Dulberger - bass
9:00pm Stephen Gauci - t. saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Colin Hinton - drums
10:00pm Santiago Leibson - keys
Noa Fort - voice
Kenny Warren - trumpet
Carlo Costa - drums
11:00pm Ryan Siegel ensemble
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gaucimusic presents:
Improvised Music @ the Main Drag
Wednesday January 31st, 2024
7:00pm Ken Kobayashi - drums
Jonathan Reisin - tenor/soprano saxophone
Jeff Miles - guitar
Charley Sabatino - bass
8:00pm Yoni Kretzmer & Juan Pablo Carletti's BIGGISH
9:00pm Stephen Gauci - t. saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums
10:00pm Anders Nilsson - guitar
Nick Lyons - alto saxophone
Ken Filiano - bass
11:00pm Takuma Kanaiwa - bass
Paul R. Harding - poetry
Daniel Carter - woodwinds
Jonathan Wilson - drums
**$15 GENERAL ADMISSION**
**$10 STUDENTS (w/ID)**
***PARTICIPATING MUSICIANS (PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE MAIN DRAG PERFORMERS) ATTEND FOR FREE***
(yes, the best things in life are indeed free).
@ The Main Drag
50 South 1st Street
Between Kent ave and Wythe Ave
(718) 388-6365
gaucimusic.com
*******
Article by GARY LUCAS:
This is an honest explanation/understanding of what is currently going on in Israel, please read and think about before you come to any quick conclusions.
“JEWS DO COUNT”
at CultureCatch.com
https://culturecatch.com/node/4237
******
NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnWxohqx4tY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj8-LKNXKuE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9PwsO5umk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFQ7nvA68pA
*******
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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ATTENTION TO ALL DMG CUSTOMERS: NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: downtownmusicgalleryofficial@gmail.com
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