We still get many promos (CD’s, LP’s, cassettes, singles & downloads) and I try to listen to as many as is possible. Also due to reorganizing my/our collection of discs at home and at the store, I keep finding more obscure discs worth giving recognition to. I hope to spend some time listing & describing these on my own Facebook page when I can find the time. Live performances continue to inspire those who still find the time and opportunity to check them out. The weekly in-store performances here at DMG are often the highlights of my week, giving hundreds of musicians a chance to express themselves in a cosy, sympathetic environment. Please check out our InstaGram feed or just view them on our homepage. I try to put up one minute-long video every day.
I want to say thank you to all of our newsletter subscribers, customers and friends who have continued to support us throughout of 32 years of existence. I also want to thank the fine folks who work here at DMG, John J. Mori and James Paul Nadien, for their ongoing hard work and helping to keep DMG alive and well. Thanks to our friend, John Zorn, for keeping his performance place, The Stone, open and continuing to present challenging music and Creative Musicians. Special thanks to other promoters, clubs and performance places like: ArtsforArt, Roulette, the GauciMusic Series, I-Beam, etc. There are also a number of labels that I love and consistently support: Tzadik, Relative Pitch, Aum Fidelity, Pi Records, Clean Feed, Pyroclastics, Listen! Foundation, NoBusiness, Rogue Art, Greenleaf and many others.
One more thing, we are still searching for collections of used records and CD’s (mostly records). Our record bins and CD shelves need more items to fill so please, if you are selling your collection or know someone who is, please have them contact us here: 212-473-0043 or downtownmusicgalleryofficial@gmail.com. Thank you all, sincerely Bruce Lee Gallanter at Downtown Music Gallery
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“Waist Deep In the Big Muddy”
Written and sung by Pete Seeger
It was back in nineteen forty-two
I was a member of a good platoon
We were on maneuvers in Louisiana
One night by the light of the moon
The captain told us to ford a river
That's how it all begun
We were knee deep in the Big Muddy
The big fool said to push on
Well, the Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure
This is the best way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, go on, I forded this river
'Bout a mile above this place
It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging
We'll soon be on dry ground"
We were waist deep in the Big Muddy
The big fool said to push on
Well, the Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment
No man will be able to swim"
"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie"
The Captain said to him
"All we need is a little determination
Men, follow me, I'll lead on"
We were neck deep in the Big Muddy
The big fool said to push on
Well, all at once, the moon clouded over
We heard a gurgling cry
A few seconds later, the captain's helmet
Was all that floated by
The Sergeant said, "Turn around men
I'm in charge from now on"
And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
With the captain dead and gone
We stripped and dived and found his body
Stuck in the old quicksand
I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
Than the place he'd once before been
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
'Bout a half mile from where we'd gone
We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy
When the big fool said to push on
Well, I'm not going to point any moral
I'll leave that for yourself
Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking
You'd like to keep your health
But every time I read the papers
Them old feeling come on
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy
The big fool says to push on
Waist deep, neck deep
Soon even a tall man will be over his head,
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy
The big fool says to push on
The above song was written by Pete Seeger and sung on the Smothers Brothers TV show in 1969. The first time it was supposed to be performed on the show, it was censored due to being an alleged criticism of the Vietnam was that was raging at the time. Pete Seeger was a great folk singer and social activist and was black-listed due to his supposed activities with the Communist Party, although he served in WW2 and was still brought up before the ridiculous House of Un-American Activities during the McCarthy era. Unfairly blacklisted and banned from certain performance places, he finally appeared on the Smothers Brothers weekly TV show and did a medley of anti-war songs from different eras. The Smothers Brothers show was mostly music and comedy and were not afraid to poke fun at the political baloney that we all had to endure in the late 1960’s. Sadly the show was canceled and taken off the air due to right wing/fascist criticism. I recall some great musical moments on the show from Jefferson Airplane, The Who and The Doors. The recent passing of Tommy Smothers (age 86) brought to mind how much comedy shows in the late sixties (also like ‘Laugh-In’) were both funny and allowed us to laugh at ourselves and those in power who shaped our lives. Here’s the clip of Pete Seeger on that show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3ZXZqIF73M. “Only the dead have seen the end of War.” - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
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THE DMG 33rd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
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
Saturday January 13th, 2024: GauciMusic Series Continues:
6pm: ADAM CAINE / CHRISTIAN CALE - Two Guitars
7pm: STEPHEN GAUCI - Tenor Sax / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - Drums
8pm: GIAN PEREZ - Guitar / CAROLINE MORTON - Bass / MARC EDWARDS - Drums
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- Electronics & Voice / FEDERICO BALDUCCI - Guitar / JONATHAN FRANCO - Electronics
Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024:
6:30: SYLVAIN LEROUX - Fula Flute
7:30: TOADAL PACKAGE: COSMO GALLARO - Guitar / BRENNA REY - Bass / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - Drums
8:30: ANTONIN FAJT / KYLE MOTL / CARLO COSTA
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 CREATIVE MUSIC DISCS BEGIN WITH:
JULIUS EASTMAN // TALEA ENSEMBLE / HARLEM CHAMBER PLAYERS - Femenine (Kairos 15116Kai; EEC) Femenine stages Eastman's shaping and building of the black queer masculine form - caught not necessarily between two poles of gender, but with his work constantly driving his own self-making. He was an inventor and sculptor, reminiscent of Jean Tinguely and Harry Bertoia. Clanging, noisy, joyful, and playful in turn, the sound sculpture emerges from these primary elements, moulding and pressing, jiggering and jolleying, through a linear flow of sound and insistent chordal punctuations. The continuous hum of the prime motive as a bed of sound against the softness of the texture and the fierceness of the accented major triads takes flight into a dreamscape, making possible new ways of listening, knowing, and being. - Ellie M. Hisama & Isaac Jean-François
I’ve long been fascinated by the life and music of contemporary classical composer Julius Eastman. I caught a couple of his works performed at the Kitchen in the late seventies/early eighties with Mr. Eastman playing keyboards and singing. I’ve been collecting his music ever since although it has been pretty rare to get a chance to hear much of it performed live. Mr. Eastman composed 30 pieces between 1968 and 1989, passing away in May of 1990, after period of having drug problems and being homeless. It took until 2005 for New World Records to release a 3 CD set (called ‘Unjust Malaise’) for his music to become more widely available. Since then, there have been 19 other releases of his music on a variety of labels.
This is the third recording of “Feminine” (composed in 1974) to be released. There two ensembles involved in playing this long work, Talea Ensemble and the Harlem Chamber Players, both are quintets. Pianist Stephen Gosling is a member of Talea and I’ve heard him play the music of John Zorn on several occasions. “Femenine” begins with vibes, sleigh bells, flute and synth. There is a most enchanting slow moving series of waves being played over and over with haunting synth resonating at the edges. Each time the main phrase is repeated, another note and/or instrument is added, stretching the line bit by bit. For myself, this is minimalism at its best since it does change and expand over time. The piece keeps building surely and majestically. I can hear a chorus of voices singing on top giving her music a most magical, transcendent vibe. There several overlapping waves going on here, the shaking sleigh bells at the center give the music nervous quality. Although there is a central repeating phrase, center lines or instruments are doubles and expanded. About a third of the way in, the piano line expands adding another few notes which are matched by the flute, clarinet and strings. Over time the original pattern/line evolves and mutates. The same nervous tempo is at the center throughout with several layers of connected lines running through the entire work. At the 48 minute mark, Eastman adds splashes of brass to brighten up the vibe for a short bit. There is certain angelic yet restless quality to this piece which keeps fluttering with several circular waves moving in mesmerizing motions. Even at 72 minutes long, I was completely entranced throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $18
HANS LUDEMANN TransEuropeExpress ENSEMBLE with YVES ROBERT / SILKE EBERHARD / ALEXANDRA GRIMAL / et al - On the Edges 3 (BMC Records CD320; Hungary) On The Edges 3 has a focus on melodic elements that make the music more accessible. Among the tracks, we find several catchy hits, to be instantly whistled, some of which are reworkings from Lüdemann's previous compositions. This album was recorded in Rome, thanks to the German Rome Prize for composition that Lüdemann received in 2021. But it is not only the pervasive Mediterranean flavour that sets the mood: Rita Marcotulli and Lüdemann's collaboration is the result of a personal relationship that goes back many years, and this is reflected in their natural and intuitive interplay. Marcotulli is the "grand dame" of Italian jazz, at home in all its layers, from popular sounds to the most modern musical constructions. The other guest is Luciano Biondini, one of the most original, creative, and virtuosic European accordionists today. The album is also a joint cooperation between TEE and their guests, as the tracks include not only Lüdemann's tunes, but also compositions by Marcotulli, Biondini, Grimal and Terzic.
Hans Ludemann’s TransEuropeExpress Ensemble has been around for a while and this is their third release. TransEuropeExpress are an international unit with Hans Ludemann on piano & direction, Yves Robert on trombone, Silke Eberhard (from Switzerland) on alto sax & clarinet, Alexandra Grimal (France) on soprano & tenor sax, Regis Huby on violin & electronics plus Sebastien Boisseau on double bass, Dejan Terzic (Germany) on drums plus guests Rita Marcotulli (played with Dewey Redman) on piano and Luciano Biondini (for Rabih Abou-Khalil & Ernst Reijseger) on accordion. The personnel and guests change a bit from one TransEuropeExpress disc to another one. This disc was recorded during a hot summer in Rome. The piano and the accordion are what we hear first here before the rest of the instruments come in. Longtime creative trombonist Yves Robert takes the first solo here which is well supported by Mr. Biondini’s accordion. Mr. Ludemann’s ensemble writing here is particularly strong and well-placed. Swiss saxist, Silke Eberhard takes the first solo on “Movimenti” and plays an inspired one. Mr. Ludedmann has a gift for writing music which is crafty but not too far out. This disc rings true for the beginning to the end. A superb offering. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
PAUL r HARDING’S JUJU HORSE with JOE FORD / CHRIS CUBETA / RONNIE BARRAGE / HILLIARD GREENE - Unfounded Blues (Self-released; NYC; USA) Featuring Paul r Harding - vocals, words & artwork, Jo Ford on alto & soprano saxes, Chris Culeta - guitar & production, Hilliard Greene on bass and Ronnie Barrage on drums, conga, idiophones & voice. Earlier this week (12/26/23) we had a marvelous in-store performance by poet Paul r Harding with a Daniel Carter, Takuma Kanaiwa & Jonathan Wilson. Check out the short vid on our InstaGram feed or from our homepage. I reviewed another disc from Paul r Harding which came out on ESP last month. Mr. Harding left us with his previous effort, a self-produced gem with minimal distribution.
According to Mr. Harding, “America has only one spiritual entity - the Blues.” The blues was born out of slavery but has never really gotten the recognition it truly deserves. That’s why this disc is titled “Unfounded Blues”. Harding has put together a formidable quintet with Joe Ford on saxes, Chris Culeta on guitar, Hill Greene on bass, Ronnie Barrage on drums and Jhai Sinnatamby on programming. The title track is first, “Unfounded Blues” and it is a powerful description of the way the blues is an integral part of our collective, everyday life. Producer Chris Culeta provides some spirited electric guitar with effects and loops adding a most hypnotic vibe. Ronnie Burrage’s powerful drumming is at the center of “This is Where I Live”, Harding dishes out many fictitious examples which come from soul songs and music, showing us this is where he lives (in his mind). One the best things about this disc is that the group that Mr. Harding has organized for this session, rocks hard at times, churning out waves of stirring music. Harding repeats certain select lines which sound like a chorus in a song. “I Found my Baby” has background music which sounds like it was recorded in the early days of jazz with Harding’s words describing the music and dreamscape of Harlem perhaps a century ago. “They Tried to Kill Me Yesterday” is also the title track of Harding’s more recent disc on ESP. The words discuss the history of racism in America, something which has been on the minds of many of us Freedom Fighters in current modern day America. For his ESP CD, Mr. Harding had two musicians improvising to his thoughtful words. Here Harding uses his quintet as a solid unit playing together supporting his words with a variety of effective grooves. Mr. Harding consistently selects his words to point out the hypocrisy we all have to deal with as we listen to the daily news. Harding has a warm, normal and easy to digest voice, making it easier to take in without dealing in histrionics. Overall this disc is a gem that works well on several levels and hopefully it will be heard by those who know a great thing when they hear it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
PRURIENT - Noise For Halloween Night (Hospital Productions HOS 889CD; USA) Prurient's Noise For Halloween Night. Full-length soundtrack of doom electronics to the sacred memory of Halloween night. Now available on compact disc the tracks are intended as soundtrack for private or group gatherings during the Halloween season and autumnal nights. File under: environmental, soundtrack, holiday, thematic, spooky, true crime, horror, sound effects, fall, nostalgia, autumnal, Halloween, field recording, the sounds of October 31st
CD $16
BUDDY COLLETTE with PAUL HORN / BUD SHANK / WILLIAM E. GREEN / JEWELL GRANT / BARNEY KESSEL / HOWARD ROBERTS / DON FRIEDMAN / GENE WRIGHT / RED CALLENDER / SHELLY MANNE - The Classic Albums (Enlightenment 9227; EEC) Between 1955 and 1960 Buddy Collette released a number of superb albums on which he acted as leader, put out by a range of different labels (unlike many of his contemporaries, Collette was never associated with one specific record company), such as Contempo, Bel Canto, Speciality, ABC, and EmArcy. He also worked alongside a number of back-up players on these records, but rarely worked with the same bands regularly. It is from this fertile period for Buddy Collette that the eight original albums that make up this collection are drawn. Featuring such fine works as, Tanganyika, Man of Many Parts, Calm, Cool & Collette, Everybody's Buddy and Nice Day with Buddy Collette, this 4CD set provides a great starting place for new adherents to this great man's music and talents, as well as a delightful reminder for those already somewhat versed. Albums included are, ‘Man of Many Parts’, ‘Cool, Calm and Collette’, ’Nice Day with Buddy Collette’, ‘Jazz Loves Paris’, “Buddy Collette & His Swinging Shepherds’ and ‘At the Cinema’.”
4 CD Set $18
INEXPENSIVE ESSENTIAL JAZZ COLLECTIONS FROM THE LATE 50’s & EARLY 1960’s on ENLIGHTENMENT:
I recently realized that these jazz compilations on the Enlightenment label seem to be around for only a year or so and then they disappear for good. I just discovered that a half dozen of these titles have recently been deleted from our distributor’s inventory so if you want any of the below titles, please order them soon. - BLG
BOB BROOKMEYER with JIMMY RANEY / JIM HALL / THAD JONES / ERNIE ROYAL / CURTIS FULLER / FRANK REHAK / GENE QUILL / STAN GETZ / AL COHN / DANNY BANKS / BILL EVANS / HANK JONES / WYNTON KELLY / HERBIE HANCOCK / BILL CROW / PERCY HEATH / CONNIE KAY - The Classic Albums (Enlightenment 9225; EEC) This four CD set comprises eight original, re-mastered Bob Brookmeyer albums originally released between 1958 and 1964, this pivotal jazz-man's glory years as an esteemed musician. Featuring too a virtual who's who of Brookmeyer's contemporaries from the era, this collection serves ideally well as the perfect starting place for those new to the great man's music, and as the ultimate go-to set for those already familiar. The albums included here are: ’Street Swingers’, ‘The Ivory Hunters’, ‘Jazz Is a Kick’, ‘Portrait of An Artist’, ‘The Dual Role Of Bob Brookmeyer’, ‘ Trombone Jazz Samba / Bossa Nova’ and Bob Brookmeyer And Friends’. “With Perfect Clarity” pulsates even more intensely and it is a bit scary like music for a weird science fiction film.
4 CD Set $18
ORNETTE COLEMAN With DON CHERRY / CHARLIE HADEN / ED BLACKWELL / BILLY HIGGINS / WALTER NORRIS / SHELLY MANNE / RED MITCHELL / FREDDIE HUBBARD / ERIC DOLPHY / et al - Complete Albums Collection: 1958-1962 [4 CD Set] (Enlightenment 9104; EEC) Featuring over five hours of music, remastered to the highest standard possible, this collection serves as both an excellent starting point for those new to this musical genius, and as a welcome reminder of Coleman's most acclaimed and respected era, from a career that lasted the best part of 70 years, ended only by the man's passing in 2015 at the age of 85. Albums included here are: ‘Something Else!!!’, ‘The Shape of Jazz to Come’, ’Tomorrow is the Question’, ‘Change of the Century’, ‘This is Our Music’, ‘Ornette!’, ‘Onette on Tenor’ and ‘Free Jazz’.
4 CD Set CD $18
JOHN COLTRANE with ERIC DOLPHY / McCOY TYNER / TOMMY FLANAGAN / REGGIE WORKMAN / JIMMY GARRISON / ELVIN JONES - The Classic Albums (Enlightenment 9200; EEC) The classic albums include: ‘Blue Trane’, ‘Giant Steps’, Coltrane Jazz’, ‘My Favorite Things’, ‘Ole’’, ‘Africa Brass’, ‘Coltrane’ and ‘Ballads’.
4 CD Set CD $18
JOHN COLTRANE With MILT JACKSON / DUKE ELLINGTON / THELONIOUS MONK / RED GARLAND / PAUL QUINCHETTE / KENNY BURRELL / JOHNNY HARTMAN / et al - The Classic Collaborations 1957-1963 [4 CD Set] (Enlightenment 9137; EEC) Albums included are: ‘Mating Call’ wit Tadd Dameron, ‘Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane’, ‘Cattin’ with John Coltrane and Paul Quinichette’, ‘Bags & Trane’ with Milt Jackson, ‘John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’ and ‘Duke Ellington & John Coltrane’.
4 CD Set CD $18
GIGI GRYCE with SAHIB SARBIB / HORACE SILVER / HANK JONES / ART FARMER / RICHARD WILLIAMS / DONALD BYRD / THELONIOUS MONK / TOMMY FLANAGAN / CECIL PAYNE / OSCAR PETTIFORD / ART TAYLOR / ART BLAKEY - The Classic Albums 1955-1960 (Enlightenment 9176; EEC) Albums included are ‘Jazz lab’ (1957), ‘Gigi Gryce’ (1959), ‘Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet’ (1960), ‘The Rat Race Blues’ (1960).
4 CD Set $18
JIM HALL with BOB BROOKMEYER / JIMMY RANEY / BILL EVANS / BILL CROW / LEA SCHAEFER / CARL PERKINS / RED MITCHELL / ORNETTE COLEMAN / ERIC DOLPHY / SCOTT LaFARO / EDDIE COSTA - The Early Albums Collection (Enlightenment 9219; EEC) Albums included here are: ’The Street Swingers’ (1958), ‘A Girl and a Guitar’, ‘Undercurrent’, ‘Jazz Guitar’,’Jazz Abstractions’ (1961) and ’Two Jims and Zoot’.
4 CD Set CD $18
FREDDIE HUBBARD with TINA BROOKS / HANK MOBLEY / JIMMY HEATH / JAMES SPAULDING / WAYNE SHORTER / McCOY TYNER / HERBIE HANCOCK / JULIAN PRIESTER / CEDAR WALTON / SAM JONES / PAUL CHAMBERS / REGGIE WORKMAN / ART DAVIS / ELVIN JONES / PHILLY JOE JONES / CLIFFORD JARVIS / - The Essential Blue Note Collection (Enlightenment 9205; EEC) Albums included are ‘Open Sesame’ (1960), ‘Goin’ Up’ (1961), ‘Hub Cap’ (1961), ‘Ready for Freddie’ (1962), ‘Hub-Tones’ (1962), ‘Here to Stay’, ‘Breaking Point’ (1964) and ‘Mosaic’.
4 CD Set CD $18
CHARLES MINGUS With JACKIE McLEAN/JIMMY KNEPPER/MAL WALDRON/MAX ROACH/GEORGE BARROW/EDDIE BERT/HAMPTON HAWES/DANNY RICHMOND/ et al - Complete Albums Collection 1960-1963 [4 CD set] (Enlightenment 9095; EEC)
4 CD Set CD $18
CHARLES MINGUS with ERIC DOLPHY / BOOKER ERVIN / CHARLES McPHERSON / CLIFFORD JORDAN / JACK NIMITZ / JOHN HANDY / BUDDY COLLETTE / TED CURSON / LONNIE HILLYER / JIMMY KNEPPER / JAKI BYARD / PAUL BLEY / TOMMY FLANAGAN / DANNIE RICHMOND - The Rare Albums Collection (Enlightenment 9173; EEC) Albums included are ‘Mingus At Monterey - Volumes 1 & 2’ (1965), ‘Mingus at Antibes’ (1960), ‘Town Hall Concert, 1964, Vol. 1’ (1964), ‘Mingus Plays Piano’ (1964).
4 CD Set CD $18
THELONIOUS MONK With JOHN COLTRANE / JOHNNY GRIFFIN / THAD JONES / CHARLIE ROUSE / ART TAYLOR / ROY HAYNES / et al - Complete Albums Collection: 1957 - 1961 (Enlightenment 9049; EEC)
5 CD Set $20
SONNY ROLLINS with WYNTON KELLY / DONALD BYRD / WILBUR WARE / DONALD BAILEY / RAY BROWN / DOUG WATKINS / ELVIN JONES / PETE LaROCA / SHELLY MANNE / MAX ROACH / PHILLY JOE JONES - Complete Blue Note, Riverside & Contemporary Collection (Enlightenment 9101; EEC) Albums included are: ‘’Volume 1’, ‘Volume 2’, Way Out West’, ‘A Night at the Village Vanguard’ (1957), “Freedom Suite’ (1958), ’Newk’s Time’ (1959) and ’Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders’ (1959)
4 CD Set $18
WAYNE SHORTER with LEE MORGAN / MILES DAVIS / WYNTON KELLY / CEDAR WALTON McCOY TYNER / HERBIE HANCOCK / PAUL CHAMBERS / REGGIE WORKMAN / RON CARTER / JIMMY COBB / ART BLAKEY / ELVIN JONES / TONY WILLIAMS - Early Albums & Rare Grooves (Enlightenment 9166; EEC) Albums included are: ‘Introducing Wayne Shorter’ (1960), ‘Wayning Moments’ (1962), ‘Night Dreamer’ (1964), ‘Juju’ (1965) and Miles Davis’ and ‘E.S.P.’.
4 CD Set CD $18
RANDY WESTON with CECIL PAYNE / AHMED ABDUL-MALIK / SAM GILL / WILLIE JONES / ART BLAKEY / WILBERT HOGAN/ AL DREARES - The Complete Recorded Works Between 1955 & 1957 (Enlightenment 9076; EEC) Albums included are ‘Cole Porter In A Modern Mood’ (1954), ’ Get Happy With The Randy Weston Trio’ (1956), ’With These Hands…’ (1956), ‘The Modern Art Of Jazz By Randy Weston’ (1957), ’Trio & Solo’ (1957) and ‘Jazz a La Bohemia’ (1957).
4 CD Set CD $18
RANDY WESTON with SAHIB SHIHAB / GIGI GRYCE / BENNY GREEN / MELBA LISTIN / FRANK REHAK / SLIDE HAMPTON / JULIUS WATKINS / PECK MORRISON / GEORGE DIVIVIER / OLATUNJI / ELVIN JONES / - The Complete Recorded Works Between 1958 & 1960 (Enlightenment 9077; EEC) ALBUMS INCLUDED ARE: ‘Music From Destry Rides Again’ (1959), ’New Faces at Newport’and ‘Uhuru Afrika (1961).
3 CD Set CD $16
LP SECTION:
THOLLEM / TERRY RILEY / NELS CLINE - The Light is Real (Other Minds Records OM 330; USA) Featuring Terry Riley on voice, Thollem (McDonas) on voice & Wavestate and Nels Cline on electric guitars, effects & Megamouth. For many years Thollem (McDonas) was/is known for powerful and inventive piano playing with many solo efforts, duos with Stefano Scodanibbio, Brian Chase, Rob Mazurek & Arrington de Dionyso, as well as a number of strong trios: Estamos Trio, Nels Cline, Pauline Oliveros, William Parker & Michael Wimberley. Over the past decade Thollem has also been working with electric keyboards and synths. Most likely due to the fact that Thollem loves to travel and work with varied musicians from different scenes, he often brings his own keyboard or synth to gigs when a piano is not provided.
This record shows another side to Thollem’s work and collaborations. For this recording, noted composer & keyboardist Terry Riley sings with Thollem also using his voice and playing a Wavestate (Korg synthesizer) while Nels Cline plays electric guitar with effects. Thollem and Terry Riley’s parts were recorded remotely in Japan (Riley) and in New Mexico (Thollem) while Nels Cline & Thollem recorded their duo in upstate New York, where Nels had moved to during the pandemic. Thollem and Terry Riley decided to collaborate on line, each singing their parts through the magic of the internet. Nels added his parts later. Mr. Riley has sung on some of his own records from time to time, having studied with Indian classical singer Pandit Pran Nath. Right from the opening we hear several voices interweaving at times being manipulated with effects and with some synth sounds being peppered on top. None of the voices here are using words or lyrics, just odd vocal sounds. There are several layers of vocal and synth sounds all swirling around another, working together in a most mesmerizing way. It sounds like there are several ghosts singing together, blending their voices and becoming a fascinating organic force together. Occasionally I hear some regular keyboard sounds like electric piano which is subtly manipulated. Since Nels Cline uses a variety of effects on his guitar as well as singing through his guitar (with a Megamouth), it is hard to tell the difference between voices, synth and guitar(s) at times. Over the length of this LP, the music, voices and sound create another somewhat spooky yet magical world. Today (12/28/23) it is grey & dismal outside as I look out my kitchen window. The music on this LP is like a ray of sunshine emanating from the dark clouds above. Thanks to Thollem, Terry and Nels for their positive, inspiring sonic wizardry. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
LP $16 [LTD Edition with barcode card included]
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - The Other Side of the Mirror (Swerve SWV 412LP; Earth) “A collection of previously unreleased live recordings and acetate demos from in 1968-1970. Featuring recordings from The Matrix (San Francisco, 1969), The End of Cole Avenue (Dallas, 1969), The Boston Tea Party (Boston, 1969), Hilltop Festival (New Hampshire, 1969), La Cave (Cleveland, 1968), and Max's Rehearsal (New York, 1969). Includes "Sweet Jane," "Candy Says," "Cool It Down," and more. Edition of 500.
LP $26
VILLAGE OF SPACES - That's Understanding (Feeding Tube Records 751LP; USA) "Having listened to this disk 20 or so times over the past week, I have been struck time and again by the gently naif quality of Dan Beckman-Moon's songwriting. I keep thinking of Neil Young's earliest solo tunes, particularly 'Sugar Mountain,' as a sort of spiritual touchstone, although truthfully the music doesn't really sound anything like that. Still, the emotional core of the material has a similar sweetness and simplicity, while managing to steer clear of mawkishness with a nimble delicacy that parallel's Neil's early work. I have come to think of Valley of Spaces as a collaborative effort between Dan and his partner, Amy Moon, but this album often feels much more like Dan's solo effort. Amy definitely shows up in spots, but I miss the weird edge she brings to everything she does. I mean, there's a reason she was one of the first people Chris Corsano picked when he was putting together the original Ecstatic Yod crew back in the '90s -- her off-kilter perspective adds depth and subtle strangeness to her entire oeuvre. The same is often true of Dan as well (he was in Impractical Cockpit, after all), but That's Understanding has a purist hippie quality that owes karmic debts to the waves and hills of Santa Cruz, where Villages was based for the Plague Years (the years during which this music was written and recorded.) Most of Villages's avant proclivities are put on-hold this time. And whether or not that was the plan, this decision provides a folky balm for the last few lost years. Amy, Caleb Mulkerin (Big Blood), Don Godwin (Impractical Cockpit), and others -- especially violinist Kaethe Hostetter -- add to the gentle vibes that abound on this album. It's a set of music that bears up to many repeated spins. A very charming slice, for sure." --Byron Coley, 2023
LP $30
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ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE MUSICIANS OUT THERE, Around the world.
If you have a link for some music that you are working on and want to share it with the folks who read the DMG Newsletter, please send the link to DMG at DMG@Downtownmusicgallery.com
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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
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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
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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
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
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
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
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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
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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
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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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ATTENTION TO ALL DMG CUSTOMERS: NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: downtownmusicgalleryofficial@gmail.com
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