[Verse 2]
Now I'm here I may as well put my
Other hand in yours while we decide
How far to go and if we have
Time to do it now and if it's
Half as good for you as it is for
Me then you won't mind if we lie
Down for a while
Just for a while
'Til all the thing I want
Is need
'Til all the thing I are
I'm you
Nah nah
[Verse 3]
I wanted you
More than ever
Now we're on the floor
And you want more
And I feel almost sure that 'cause
Now we've agreed
That we've got what we need
Then all the thing in us needs is wanting
I realized when I saw you last
We'd be together now and then
From time to time
Just here and there, now I
Know how it feels
From my hair to my heels
To have you on the horns of my dilemma
Oh, wait a minute
Over, up, over, up, down...
Down, over, up, over, up...
[Verse 4]
Living can be lovely here in New York State
Ah, but I wish that I were home
And I wish I were home again
Back home again, home again
Back home again, home again
There are places and people that I'm so glad to have seen
Ah, but I miss the trees
And I wish that I were home again
Back home again, home again
Back home again
The sun shines here all summer
It's nice 'cause you can get quite brown
Ah, but I miss the rain- ticky, tacky, ticky
And I wish that I were home again
Home again, home again, home again
Home again, home again, home again
Living is easy here in New York State, state
Ah, but I wish that I were home again
Back in West Dulwich again
[Verse 5]
Just before we go on to the next part of our song
Let's all make sure we've got the time
Music-making still performs the normal functions:
Background noise for people scheming, seducing, revolting, or teaching
But that's alright by me, don't think that I'm complaining
After all, it's only leisure time, isn't it?
[Verse 6]
Now I love your eyes
See how the time flies
She's learning to hate
But it's just too late for me
It was the same with her love
It just wasn't enough for me
But before this feeling dies
Remember how distance can tell lies
[Verse 7]
You can almost see her eyes
Is it me she despises, or you?
You're awfully nice to me
And I'm sure you can see what her game is
She sees you in her place
Just as if it's a race
And you're winning, and you're winning
She just can't understand that for me
Everything is just beginning
Until I get more homesick
So before this feeling dies
Remember how distance tells us lies
[Outro]
Singing a song in the morning
Singing a song at night
Don't even know what I'm singing about
But it makes me feel alright
You say you like my hat
You say you like my shirt
But you never say you like me
Or anything nice like that
What about me?
What about me?
In 1968, I was in 9th grade at Junior High School in Linden, NJ. A friend of a friend came up to me and asked if I dug the Mothers of Invention. I said that they were my favorite band and he asked if I had heard of Soft Machine. I hadn’t. He said that I would probably dig them and he was quite right. I soon went out and bought Soft Machine - Volume 1 and after a few listens, I was completely blown away. Soft Machine became my second favorite band and remain that way more than a half century later. The thing I liked best about Soft Machine is that on every record their personnel, their music and whatever genre you hung on them changed into something else, often unexpected and usually brilliant! Robert was their original drummer and one of their lead singers. He was amazing at both and also wrote songs, wrote fascinating yet immensely quirky lyrics, loved to experiment and evolved completely just as the band did from album to album and gig to gig. “Moon in June†first appeared on Soft Machine’s ’Third’, a double album with one side long piece per record. What started out as a strange, jazz influenced psych/pop band, had morphed into an experimental/jazz/rock band who always sounded original and were in constant flux. Like many of Robert Wyatt’s songs, the lyrics are partially autobiographical as well as painting a picture of someone whose life keeps changing. Although this song was popular amongst Softs fans and it was as weird or experimental as the rest of the album, it was the last time that Mr. Wyatt would sing for the band. Wyatt left in 1971, frustrated with the direction the band was taking, recorded a strange solo album called ‘End of a Ear’ and then organized his own band Matching Mole (French for Soft Machine). Mr. Wyatt plays amazing drums of Soft Machine ‘Four’ and this one is my personal favorite. Soft Machine fan-addicts like Ras Moshe, many of my old friends and myself, look forward to each and every Soft Machine release, whether its an unreleased historic recording or even current version of the band. Soft Machine has long found a home on the beloved Cuneiform label, who’ve released around a dozen live recordings from the Soft’s long musical journey (1968-1974 & 2001-now).
If you look further below, you will see that Cuneiform has just released an important, 4 CD set (an LP box as well) historic recording from 1971 with Wyatt still in the band. I’ve only heard half of these recordings so you know what I am just about to check out tonight. To all Canterbury fanatics, you know who loves you the best, your friends here at DMG! - Bruce Lee Gallanter
******
THE DMG 33rd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, June 11th:
6:30: RICHARD ROSENTHAL - Guitar / JOE FIEDLER - Trombone / KEN FILIANO - Bass / COLIN HINTON - Drums
7:30: ANDY HAAS / DAVID GROLLMAN / MICHAEL FOSTER / JAMES PAUL NADIEN
8:30: EDEN QUARTET with DAN KURFIRST / ERIC PLAKS / EVAN CRANE / NICK LYONS
9:30: FUGITIVE: HARRISON CLARK - MC / JONATHAN PAIK - Keyboard / SHOGO ELLEFSON - Bass / MARK VALDES - Drums
Rare Monday Event, June 17th:
6:30: PMA - Drums / HERY PAZ - Tenor Sax / ALIYA ULTAN - Cello
7:30: KYLE MOTL - Contrabass / ANQI LIU - Electronics
8:30: PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums / JIM CLOUSE - Tenor & Soprano Sax / MATT HOLLENBERG - Guitar
Tuesday, June 18th - No in-store during the Vision Fest.
Tuesday, June 25th: DMG ELECTRONIC MUSIC MINI-FESTIVAL!
6:30: IPEK EGINLI - Electronics & Voice / JASON NAZARY - Drums & Electronics
7:30: DAFNA NAPHTALI / CHUCK BETTIS - Electronics and Vocals
8:30: JEREMIAH CYMERMAN - Clarinet & Electronics / ZACHARY PAUL - Violin
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. The GauciMusic Series has been canceled here for the Summer. 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
******
THIS WEEK’S SONIC TREASURES BEGIN WITH THIS ONE:
SOFT MACHINE with MIKE RATLEDGE / ELTON DEAN / HUGH HOPPER / ROBERT WYATT - Høvikodden 1971 (Cuneiform 530-533; USA) Featuring Mike Ratledge: Hohner pianet, Lowrey Holiday Deluxe organ, Fender Rhode, Elton Dean: alto sax, saxello, Hohner pianet, Hugh Hopper: bass and Robert Wyatt: drums, vocals. While the two sets from the second night (February 28, 1971) have been released before, this is the first time that the entire two-night stand has been released. So half of this set is previously completely unreleased.
This is a excellent, stereo recording of the band performing in a relatively small hall; the volume balance between the instruments is not perfect, but there is no other recording by Soft Machine that I know of that sounds as much like the band are performing right in front of you! Additionally, we were able to improve in a modest way the not-perfect balance between the instruments on this edition. The result is, in the words of the late Michael King, who released the Sunday concert on his Reel Recordings label in 2009, “demonstrably the finest recording of the classic Soft Machine quartet ever committed to tape.â€
Soft Machine’s two concerts at the Henie-Onstad Art Center near Oslo, Norway, in late February 1971 were special in several respects. The circumstances, of course, were unusual...in a museum space, as part of an art exhibition by the Boyle Family, and Mark Boyle’s films were projected during the performances. It was part of the last European tour that featured the ‘classic quartet’ line-up before they went to the USA and split apart. But more significantly, both shows were recorded, and superbly at that, providing a rare glimpse into how, at this stage in the band’s existence, the music could change significantly from one night to the next, even when the setting didn’t.
4 CD Box Set $54
SUN RA with JOHN GILMORE / MARSHALL ALLEN / JUNE TYSON / et al - Live in Roma 1980 (Holidays Records Hol 136CD; Italy) Born Herman Poole Blount in Alabama during 1914, Sun Ra first emerged on the Chicago jazz scene during the late 1940s. One of the great avant-garde composers of his generation -- leading the way on piano, organ, and (eventually) synthesizer -- beginning in the mid-1950s and lasting until his death in 1993, led the Arkestra, a band through which a near countless number of important artists passed and collaborated with, and many remained for the duration of their careers, notably Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, and June Tyson. Known for their wild costumes and theatrics, Ra's eccentric image and claims that he was from Saturn was deeply political, imagining an alternate social order, history, and future for African Americans that rests as a pioneering force in the Afro-Futurist movement. Recorded live at Teatro Giulio Cesare on March 28, 1980, comprising an astounding 27 compositions, including the highly celebrated "Astro Black," "Mr. Mystery," "Romance of Two Planets," "Space Is the Place," "We Travel the Spaceways," and "Calling Planet Earth." High among the greatest live gigs by the Arkestra captured on tape, carefully mastered by Matt Bordin at Outside Inside Studio, Live in Rome 1980 is a near perfect snapshot of the band's versatility and range, including many of their most notably and famous songs, as well as striking renditions of the Horace Henderson penned Benny Goodman number "Big John's Special," Fletcher Henderson's "Yeah Man!," and "Limehouse Blues," displaying Ra's willingness to address and rework the entire, diverse history of jazz in a single go. Heard in its totality, perhaps what makes Live in Rome 1980 most striking is the way in which the concert plays out. Roughly the first half encounters the band locked in some of the most out-there, free jazz fire that can be imagined, weaving a startling sense of interplay and furious energy into a brilliant tapestry of writhing sonority, the likes of which were only really achieved by this band. The second half, with only moments of exception that return to the furious energy of the first, is a very different affair, easy toward the vocal standards, led by June Tyson's vocals and the joyous collective chanting of the band, for which they have become so widely celebrated, threading the sounds of off-kilter big band swing with heavy grooves and imagines of outer space.
2 CD Set $30
NICK DIDKOVSKY - Profane Riddles (Punos Music; USA) Featuring Nick Didkovsky on electric guitar. Although most folks know about Nick Didkovsky from his consistently engaging guitar playing in numerous bands (Dr. Nerve, Fred Frith Guitar Qt & Vomit Fist), Nick has also worked hard at being a thoughtful composer and gifted improviser. For Mr. Didkovsky’s new record, Nick started off with one layer of improvised guitar parts and then added layers of other guitar(s) on top. When he was done recording & mixing, he decided to add three older tracks which have never been released but are in a similar vein. For the cover and inside booklet, Nick asked the visual artist Y.I.H.H. to contribute graphics. After listening to this disc< I can see & hear how these graphics work well with the music.
Things begin with “Rebirthâ€, a lovely, solemn, heartfelt intro. “Wherever I Am I Be†is even more stark and filled with suspense. With every strum, Nick let those chords hum or resonate in the air. Didkovsky shows here that he has another more mellow (quieter) side which we rarely hear in his different projects or bands. On “My Morning Star…†Didkovsky starts strumming more furiously as the tension and background feedback grows. This piece is short but leads into another more restrained elegant harp-like strumming. “Pre-Crystallization…†has an eerie trippy sound, with Nick playing the same dream-like chords over and over, slowly increasing the tempo as the piece evolves. Had I not known who this was, I might not have guessed since this is nothing like we’ve ever heard from Mr. Didkovsky before. The sky is overcast today (6/5/24) and there is a cool breeze blowing. It fits this music perfectly. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
JEREMIAH CYMERMAN with TOBY DRIVER / CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN / ZACHARY PAUL / MIKE PRIDE - Body of Light (5049 Records; NYC, USA) Featuring Jeremiah Cymerman on clarinet, synths, sequencer, percussion & bass, Chris Hoffman on cello, Toby Driver on guitar, Zachary Paul on violin and Mike Pride on drums. Downtown clarinet hero, Jeremiah Cymerman, has long followed his own path whether playing solo, with or without electronics and with assorted collaborators from varied backgrounds. This CD is mostly a solo effort where Mr. Cymerman played most of the instruments and had his guests just play on one or two pieces. On the opening piece, “Of The Body Subtleâ€, Cymerman starts off with what sounds like a klez-like riff on the clarinet and then adds subtle layers of electronics around the riff. “Tongue of Fire†also begins with an ancient sounding fragment of a melody. Again Jeremiah adds a soft cushion of reverberations, the clarinet soloing in a most haunting fashion on top. Toby Driver has played guitar in metalish bands like Kayo Dot as well as with Cymerman in Bloodmist. Mr. Driver adds his mysterious strumming to “Pure Realm†here, sounding like an ominous organ at times with a bit of skeletal percussion floating inside. This piece sounds like we are floating or drifting in space like a cloud. The vibe is most hypnotic and dreamy. The final piece is called, “Body of Light†and once again, the pace is very slow with a solemn haunting clarinet solo with a layer of violin(s) and eerie guitar atmospherics. I love the sound of the guitar here: dark, metallic and quite hypnotic, similar to the sound of those dark ambient records in the late 90’s or early aughts. This piece and most of this disc seems to deal more with the overall mood which feels like a mist which is moving over us slowly and assuredly. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
MATTHEW SHIPP - The Data (Rogue Art 0136; France) A unique Matthew Shipp solo recording on a unique piano he wanted to record on for a long time, the Merkin Hall Steinway Grand Piano. Although Matt Shipp often claims that he is retiring from putting out new recordings, several labels continue to release new discs of his with upwards of a dozen per year as far as a leader or collaborator. The majority of these releases are trios, duos and occasional quartets. Solo piano efforts are a bit more rare with around 15 over Shipp’s 3 & 1/2 decade career. Each solo effort, generally 2 or 3 years apart, shows how Mr. Shipp’s playing has evolved over time. I haven’t heard this 2 CD set yet, as it came in ahead of the street date and was delivered when I wasn’t at the store. I will review it for next week’s newsletter. - BLG
2 CD Set $26
THE LAST THREE DISCS FROM HORACE TAPSCOTT’S Limited Edition Live at I.U.C.C. Series:
PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA with HORACE TAPSCOTT / SABIR MATEEN / BILLIE HARRIS / ADELE SEBASTIAN / RED CALLENDAR / DAVID BRYANT / DAOUDE WOODS / EVERETT BROWN JR. / et al - Live at I.U.C.C. 3/25/79 - VOL. 3 (Nimbus West; USA) Featuring Horace Tapscott on piano & direction, Billie Harris, Sabir Mateen & James Andrews on tenor saxes, Johnny Williams on bari sax, Adele Sebastian & Kafi Roberts on flutes, Herbert Callies on alto clarinet, Red Callendar on tuba, Lester Robertson on trombone, Alan Hines & David Bryant on basses, Daoude Woods on congas and Everett Brown Jr. on drums. Legendary avant-jazz pianist/composer/multi-bandleader and community organizer, Horace Tapscott, got a year-long, once a month residency for his Pan-Afrikan People’s Arkestra at the Immanuel United Church of Christ. Tom Albach, Mr. Tapscott’s partner in running the Nimbus-West label, was the producer and recording engineer on each of the several dozen releases from Mr. Tapscott and his various projects, as well as for numerous members of Tapscott’s bands’ solo or group offerings. Since Mr. Albach’s passing in 2020, the label is still run by his wife and Matt. Everything that NimbusWest releases are in limited numbers and most are sold only through a subscription series. We were lucky to get just a dozen copies of each of the current series and when we sell out, that’s it.
Vol. 3 starts off with Sabir Mateen’s “Village Danceâ€. Mr. Mateen is a wonderful reeds wizard who moved to New York and was an integral part of the Downtown Avant Jazz Scene in the 1990’s and afterwards. He is currently living in Italy. This version of the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra has 14 members, half of which are strong reed players. This piece is stripped down to mostly piano, bass and drums with congas as well. The repeating groove is most hypnotic and slowly the other horns come in, the sound is splendid and the vibe has a Spirit Jazz sound. Mr. Tapscott’s superb McCoy Tyner like churning piano makes this even better. Jesse Sharp’s “Mykowski’s First Fifth†is next and I love the way the bari sax & flutes as well as the other reeds & horns are arranged. Again Mr. Tapscott takes an inspired piano solo. Tapscott’s own “Dee Bee’s Dance†had an infectious theme which is played well by the flutes and bari saxes, more sprawling piano, a strong bowed bass solo and more intense, well-arranged horn parts. The Arkestra do play covers on occasion and here do a fine version of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life†with and incredible two-handed piano intro by Mr. Tapscott and with some majestic arrangements for the Arkestra. The final piece has composed by Jesse Sharps and is called “Desert Fairy Princessâ€, which is also the title of an album on NimbusWest by Adele Sebastian, one of the flutists on this record. Ms. Sebastian takes a fine flute solo on this delightful song. The great McCoy Tyner-like arrangements make this piece a highlight. Each of the recent Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra CD that I’ve heard are suberb and well worth collecting. There have been seven so far plus a limited edition 3-LP set which is supposed to be reprinted sometime soon. Please don’t hesitate to get all parts of this series as they will not be available for very long. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $18 [Limited Edition of 333]
PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA with HORACE TAPSCOTT / SABIR MATEEN / BILLIE HARRIS / ADELE SEBASTIAN / DAVID BRYANT / DAOUDE WOODS / EVERETT BROWN JR. / et al - Live at I.U.C.C. 4/29/79 - VOL. 4 (Nimbus West; USA) These discs have just arrived so I hope to review them for next week’s newsletter, if there are any left by then. - BLG
CD $18 [Limited Edition of 333]
PAN-AFRIKAN PEOPLES ARKESTRA with HORACE TAPSCOTT / LINDA HILL / SABIR MATEEN / BILLIE HARRIS / ADELE SEBASTIAN / DAVID BRYANT / ROBERTO MIRANDA / DAOUDE WOODS / et al - Live at I.U.C.C. 9/30/79 - VOL. 7 (Nimbus West; USA) These discs have just arrived so I hope to review them for next week’s newsletter, if there are any left by then. - BLG
CD $18 [Limited Edition of 333]
NEW CD’S from OUR FRIENDS AT ERSTWHILE and ELSEWHERE:(two elsewhere reviews for next wek)
CHOI JOONYONG / DEVIN DiSANTO - Strange Skills (erstwhile records 099; USA) This disc was recorded live at Third Hand in Seoul, Korea in October of 2023. Choi Joonyong co-founded the Astronoise duo and runs a label called Balloon & Needle. This is Joonyong’s second disc on erstwhile. Devin DeSanto is based in NY and is a sound artist who is concerned with the sound of the spaces that he creates within. Since this is an erstwhile CD, there is no listing of instrumentation although there is a picture of a rectangular wooden box which seems to have a small harp like what is found inside of a piano. The music here was recorded live and certainly has that live, in-the-room sound. This is Mr. Disanto’s third disc for the ertswhile label. Joonyong and Disanto do have an early duo mini-CD which was released a decade ago in 2014.
Like many discs on erstwhile, the sounds unfold here organically yet there is some intent or direction going on. Close-mic’d surfaces, sustained silence or space, soft banging on a metal box, wind samples, static, electronic glitches… The sounds expand over time with a layer of electronic noises and/or soft feedback being used or programmed. During “Movement, Vibration, Toneâ€, the sounds start to get more dense and more intense until it just stops. “Wrapping a Piano in Foil and Vibrating the Case†is most likely exactly what id going on here since this is what it sounds like plus there is a picture of a piano wrapped in foil on the back cover. What I notice here is this, although we often do not know how certain sounds are being made, they continue to have an effect on us. The sound of some machine (like a vacuum cleaner with some feedback added) makes me feel uncomfortable. As with most discs on erstwhile, patience is required to appreciate the texture and timbre of each sound and to let things unfold without too much concern for how long things need to evolve over time. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
MARK DEUTSCH / JD PARRAN - California Street Sessions (Infrequent Seams 49; USA) Featuring Mark Deutsch on bazantar and JD Parran on contralto clarinet (contrabass in E-flat). Last Saturday (6/1/24), I caught elder reeds specialist JD Parran playing in two sets at the Eric Dolphy Memorial concert at the New School. Mr. Parran played bass clarinet in Don Byron’s Bass Clarinet Quartet and he played contralto clarinet in a trio with Darius Jones & Nicole Mitchell. Mr. Parran is a multi-instrumentalist, reeds wizard who plays on a wide variety of sessions. Mark Deutsch is a classically trained bassist and sitar player who invented an instrument known as the bazantar, a five string acoustic bass with 29 sympathetic strings and 4 drone strings. Mr. Parran and Mr. Deutsch made an earlier duo disc almost 20 years ago in 2005. Since these two have been playing together for two decades, their sound is often similar in tones and textures. The contralto clarinet sounds a bit like a bass clarinet but in a slighter higher range. The bazantar sounds like a contrabass with extra notes added. Mr. Parran plays what sounds like a lovely ballad on “Flock of Jujuâ€, his tone warm and most enchanting. At times Deutsch will speed up the pace on his bass-like instrument while Parran will slow down, slowly coming together until the bass and contralto sax are playing tightly together. There is a superb, ever-engaging ongoing dialogue going on here. On “Counting Coupâ€m Deutsch is bowing those sympathetic strings, the sound is similar to a hurdy—gurdy, an ancient instrument with its own history and sound. Mr. Parran takes a long, story-telling solo on “Times Square Jesusâ€, his tone is warm and enticing and his story/solo quite fascinating. Both players expand as they utilize their unique tones and approach making things even more magical or transcendent. Both Mark Deutsch and JD Parran sound like their chosen right collaborator for each other's sound. A marvelous CD in so many ways. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
MATTHEW GOODHEART and The BROKEN GHOST CONSORT with GEORG WISSEL / GEORGE CREMASCHI - Five Apparitions (Infrequent Seams IS-1060; USA) Featuring Matthew Goodheart on piano & transducer actuated metal percussion, Georg Wissel on clarinet and George Cremaschi on bass. Bay Area-based pianist Matthew Goodheart has been recorded since the early 1990’s and has around a dozen releases with Wadada Leo Smith, Marco Eneidi, Glenn Spearman and Gianni Gebbia. For this disc Goodheart is joined by German clarinetist Georg Wissel and former bay area-based, now in Prague bassist George Cremaschi. I know of Mr. Cremaschi from his work with Vinny Golia, Greg Goodman and Biggi Vinkeloe. This disc was recorded in Koln and Wuppertal, both in Germany. According to the liner notes, gongs, cymbals & other percussion instruments are actuated by small transducers attached to their surfaces with signals being generated by a computer. Each of the 5 pieces are called “Apparitions†with a number attached, 1 through 5. “Appartion #1†opens and is the longest piece here. The sounds are quiet, ethereal and mysterious. I recognize the clarinet although the percussion is enhanced by the quirky electronics. The percussion/electronic sounds are well-recorded and carefully utilized and are the main sounds on much of this disc. The way they resonate is quite haunting with a series of drone-like lines which are slowly being stretched out over time and space. Some of these mysterious sounds remind me of Steve Hubbacks’ unique hand-made sound sculptures. On “Apparition 3†the contrabass and clarinet are featured along with Goodheart’s piano. Although somewhat skeletal, each sound fits will like sparse yet focused chamber jazz with a certain eeriness going on as well. The overall sound here is rather mystical with subtle yet effective resonance or echoes added to most of the sounds which add some depth to everything. This disc is consistently mesmerizing and will take you somewhere else altogether. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
ADA RAVE - In Search of a Real World (Relative Pitch Records RPR 5017; USA) Featuring Ada Rave on tenor sax & preparations, soprano & sopranino saxes, recorded at Splendor in Amsterdam in November of 2022. Ada Rave is an Argentinian saxist who is currently living in Amsterdam. I know of Ms. Rave from the records she’s done with Paula Shocron, Onno Govaert and Kaja Draksler. This disc is part of Relative Pitch solo (sax) series which will hit its 30th release soon. Starting with “In Search a Real Worldâ€, Ms. Rave is using some sort of metal mute on her sax adding a rather chilling buzzing sound to her playing. Ms. Rave often works with a certain sound or extended technique, playing a sound and then stretching it out with different acoustic effects. Ms. Rave is methodical in the way she works with certain sonic areas, one at a time. There seems to be a certain way of bending and stretching out sounds which has become a part of the solo sax evolving set of explorations. On “choike purrunâ€, Rave plays two saxes at once, a soprano and a sopranino sax. The sound of two saxes played at the same time is something that Rahsaan Roland Kirk was famous for doing first many years ago. The sound here is similar to when Rahsaan plays two saxes on “The Inflated Tearâ€. Each of the seven pieces here explores somewhat different textures and sounds. With so many solo sax efforts being released nowadays, it is becoming a common challenge to work with and have these sounds evolve over time. A good thing for us solo sax lovers. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
PHILL NIBLOCK - Boston/Tenor/Index (Alga Marghen NMN 175CD; Italy) Boston/Tenor/Index presents for the first time some of the earliest works by the American composer Phil Niblock, including the three never before released "Index" (1969), "Tenor" and "Boston III" (both from 1972), thus making it possible to discover Niblock's starting point as a composer. Until now, it's been impossible to encounter Niblock's compositions from earlier than the '80s, a reality thankfully rectified by the long overdue publication of this Boston/Tenor/Index, now on CD from Alga Marghen. "Tenor" (1972) represents the first evolution of Niblock's musical thought towards the aesthetics of microtones, overtones, and drones which the composer would develop in following decades. The piece was recorded by the photographer Martin Bough on tenor saxophone and gradually dubbed back and forth by the composer in his New York studio. The audio materials activated in "Tenor" through technologically de- and re-composed sounding textures, became a vehicle for those sound anomalies that would determine Niblock's audio poetics. Performing gestures are deconstructed though disseminating and editing processes by the imperceptible gestures of the composer. With its smooth flowing structure, "Boston III" (1972) stands at the very beginning of this illusion. It was recorded at the Intermedia Sound studio in Boston with Rhys Chatham (flute, voice), Martin Bough (tenor saxophone), and Gregory Reeve (viola, voice); the composer himself also contributed with his voice. "Index" (1969) is an improvised sound performance by the composer himself. The listener is lucky to listen to the movements of the artist's fingers hitting a guitar string and the soundboard in breathtaking tempo. The piece itself represents early minimalism in its virgin state, untouched by distancing technology. Guitar (both its body and strings), fingers and fingering fuse in a vehement action around which barely listenable sounds and resonances vibrate. This CD also includes "Boston I" (1972), or the first chapter of the "Boston" series. This 25-minute bonus track is less massive than "Boston III," but this version is much richer in dynamics and presents a more recognizable voice of each instrument. The music changes according to the loudness of playback. The interaction of the upper harmonics changes especially, with much richer overtone patterns being produced at louder levels. Edition of 300 copies in digipak sleeve, including an eight-page booklet with photos and liner notes.
CD $18
ANGELO PETRONELLA - Habitat (Private Petronell 001CD; EEC) Italian composer Angelo Petronella reemerges after nearly a decade and a half of silence with Habitat, a stunning five-CD career spanning box set of works composed between 1981 and 2022. Comprising 27 tracks at the borders of radical musique concrète and electro-acoustic invention, guided by deft and subtle hand over the decades into total, immersive sound environments. Petronella has worked at a quiet and steady pace, until now he's only released two full-lengths, 2006's Sintesi da un Diario and 2010's Rimandi e Scoperte, both issued by Die Schachtel to great critical acclaim. Now, after nearly a decade-and-a-half, Habitat offers an unprecedented immersion in Petronella's singular universe of electroacoustic practice. Petronella states of Habitat: "The tracks in this collection represent a synthesis of a significant part of the environment in which I have lived -- sound environment, made up mostly of temporality, but also spatiality. I was inspired by both concrete and studio generated electronic sounds. I made targeted recordings of concrete material and intervened with numerous modifications, both on this and electronic material. The result was a quantity of sounds (which I prefer to call sound microforms) that I combined in stereophonic space." As Keith Fullerton Whitman previously stated about Petronella's work, there are direct connections between the composer's work and the 1970s INA-GRM-grm sound world, especially the "the big three, François Bayle's mutating upper-register textures, Luc Ferrari's distant field-events, and Bernard Parmegiani's metallic drones,," but every step of the way Petronella manages to infuse his work with the depth of those reference points, while creating something singular. An absolute must that can't be missed by any fan of the many incredible realms of experimental electronic unfolding today. Essential for any fan of the outer limits of the electronic and electroacoustic realm. Includes a fantastic booklet.
5 CD Set $56
WALTER MAIOLI - Caverne Sonore (Black Sweat Records 069CD; Italy) The explorer Walter Maioli makes his most amazing adventure, the journey to the center of the Earth. Retracing the exploits of the Platonic demiurge, he identifies in the cave the deepest meaning of myth. Primordial sounds, not shadows, are at the center of this magical path straddling geology and Paleolithic polyphony. The recordings between 1985 and 2002 capture the sonic imperceptibility of the great subterranean womb, investigate the secret dialogue between the trickling of pond waters and the faint percussive reverberation of stalactites and stalagmites. Rocky sediments are played as tubular organs, glockenspiels, xylophones or stone marimbas. Crystalline timbral variations and subtle microtonal passages recall the chimes of Tibetan gongs and bells, of the scales of Java and Bali. Amidst muffled pauses and silences, trills and rings, echoes and tremolos, hisses and pops of vibration, Maioli builds his most imaginative niche of sound, a magnetic and telluric chant that is pure symphony and archetypal synesthesia. Co-produced with Holidays Records.
CD $19
IBRAHIM HESNAWI - The Father Of Libyan Reggae (Habibi Funk 024CD; Germany) "Habibi Funk is digging deep to present the songs of Ibrahim Hesnawi, otherwise known as 'The Father of Libyan Reggae.' Kingston meets Tripoli in this incendiary collection of Arabized roots, dub, dancehall and more. Featured on Habibi Funk's last compilation with his track 'Tendme,' Hesnawi crafts restless funk with evident buttressing from a reggae foundation. Highlighted across the LP is how Hesnawi essentially pioneered such an effortless synthesis between traditional Libyan music and Jamaican reggae stylings, plus the endlessly disparate funk, jazz, and disco accents which firmly situate Hesnawi in a league of his own."
CD $17
BOOKS:
STEVE CANNON - Groove, Bang and Jive Around (Blank Forms 9781953691194; USA) "Steve Cannon's cult classic novel returns to print. Despite decades of notoriety as one of the 'filthiest books in the world,' Steve Cannon's first and only piece of longform fiction, Groove, Bang and Jive Around, has hardly been read since first being published in 1969. In the words of American poet Ishmael Reed, Cannon's debut work inspired a generation by breaking with staid literary modernism. Its publication 'signaled a resurfacing of the irreverent, underground trickster tradition of Black orature.' This erotic farce follows Annette, a teenage runaway, from the outhouse of a New Orleans juke joint to the psychedelic paradise of Oo-bla-dee -- an idyllic country possibly founded by Dizzy Gillespie -- by way of bacchanalian voodoo ritual. As Ophelia Press, its original publisher, wrote, Groove, Bang and Jive Around is an absolute necessity 'for everyone who wants to know where and how the action takes place in sex and soul.' Steve Cannon (1935-2019) moved to New York City in 1962 and joined the Umbra Workshop. He worked with and was a mentor to many artists and writers. In 1990 he founded the magazine and gallery A Gathering of the Tribes in New York City's East Village."
BOOK $15
LP Section:
JOHN CAGE / AARON DILLOWAY - Rozart Mix (Hanson Records HNROZART 021LP; USA) "So excited and honored to finally release the vinyl document of my realization of John Cage's Rozart Mix. Back in the extremely strange year of 2020, I was approached by Wave Farm and John Cage Trust to stage a performance of this seldomly performed piece that Cage wrote for Alvin Lucier. The piece is comprised of 88 tape loops (one for each key of a piano), spliced together with multiple non-musical sounds played back on 12 reel to reel machines. In January of 2021 I spent a wonderful and intense week researching Rozart Mix at John Cage Trust at Bard College. It was the first place I had visited during the pandemic. On October 23, 2021, with the assistance of Rose Actor-Engel, Twig Harper, C. Lavender, Quintron, Robert Turman, and John Wiese, I presented a six-hour performance of Rozart Mix at the John Cage Trust. Six hours of 12 individually amplified reel to reel tape machines, placed around multiple floors of a house, playing 88 tape loops spliced together by 5 to 175 splices, created an overwhelming and joyous environment of cacophonous sound. The performance culminated with John Wiese touching a frog for the first time as the final sound croaked through the speakers. The frog contact was just one of many magical moments that occurred during the preparation and presentation of the piece. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed performing it. Special thanks to Galen Joseph-Hunter of Wave Farm and Laura Kuhn & Emy Martin of John Cage Trust for trusting me with this material." - Aaron Dilloway, May 2024
LP $26
SIR RICHARD BISHOP - Saginaw Racket (Unrock 026LP; Germany) Saginaw Racket, the new double album by Sir Richard Bishop, features the first new recordings from the former Sun City Girls guitarist in over five years. It is a singular work for electric guitar in four parts with each part being a full side. Each of the four parts were recorded in one take and they are presented in the order they were originally recorded. But this is also a circular work with no fixed beginning or end. One can start the record with any of the four sides, with the remaining sides then played in order. Known for his interpretations of Spanish, North African, Middle and Far Eastern guitar and string compositions, Richard Bishop never remains long in any one musical territory. There are no Eastern or exotic touches here. It is more reminiscent of early '70s underground rock (unrock). The entire work is improvised, with recurring motifs and melodies. It is similar in approach to Neil Young's Dead Man Soundtrack, but Saginaw Racket is louder, more energetic and more complex, while retaining its cinematic quality. The tone of the guitar is the voice of the record. It is noisy at times but it is not "noise." It definitely is a racket, though, and it unleashes all the pent-up energy of the last few years, during much of which, SRB never even picked up a guitar. So in a sense Richard Bishop is returning to his roots in the form of a spontaneous soundtrack to old Saginaw where he grew up and first learned to play the guitar -- a Saginaw that certainly doesn't exist anymore. Saginaw Racket is limited to 400 copies pressed on 140g black vinyl.
2 LP Set $40
MERZBOW - Oersted (Urashima UMA 183LP; Italy) Merzbow's impact transcends the confines of traditional music, embodying an ethos of constant innovation and fearless exploration into uncharted realms of sound. Navigating through the annals of Merzbow's extensive career reveals an artist who, for over 40 years, has remained dedicated to reshaping understanding of music and pushing the boundaries of sonic expression. Now, Urashima unveils the highly anticipated vinyl reissue of Merzbow's groundbreaking album Oersted. This album, originally released on CD in 1996, marked a significant milestone in the experimental noise music scene, showcasing the unparalleled sonic explorations of the legendary Masami Akita, known as Merzbow. Oersted is a sonic journey through realms of noise, texture, and intensity that have solidified Merzbow's status as a pioneer in the realm of noise music. The album features a collection of meticulously crafted tracks that push the boundaries of sound manipulation and composition, creating an immersive experience for listeners daring enough to delve into its sonic landscapes. The vinyl reissue, masterfully remastered for the first time by the esteemed James Plotkin, renowned for his unparalleled expertise, breathes fresh life and depth into the album's already rich and intricate sonic landscape, unveiling new detail within its reverberant dense tapestry and complex noise palette. Features four untitled tracks originally on CD, each occupying an entire side of the vinyl, except for the track on side D, which shares the side with two bonus tracks. These tracks epitomize a profound and multifaceted sonic odyssey, harnessing various tapes and the raw power of analog instruments and tools such as EMS Synthia, metallic electronics, various filters, and processed audio mixer. The original artwork for the 1996 CD digipack, curated by Masami Akita, stands out for its minimalism and visual impact. The vinyl reissue faithfully replicates the graphics with a gatefold cover, enhancing the visual impact of the original artwork. The blending of pink and green colors creates a striking visual effect, highlighting the beauty of simplicity in Akita's graphic design. This limited vinyl reissue, expertly remastered by the wizard of mastering, James Plotkin, with 299 copies available on black vinyl, is a must-have for collectors, audiophiles, and fans of avant-garde music alike. Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing world of Merzbow's Oersted and experience the raw power and beauty of noise in its purest form.
2 LP Set $45
THE CHITINOUS ENSEMBLE with IAN CARR / PETE ROBINSON / BRIAN SMITH / JOHN MARSHALL / et al - Chitinous (Cosmic Jazz Cosmja 001LP; Italy) This was cellist/arranger/composer Paul Buckmaster's first and only date as a leader, it was released in 1971. It is more like an orchestra featuring nearly fifty musicians. The more well-known players include Ian Carr, Brian Smith & John Marshall (all from Nucleus), Peter Robinson (Quatermass & Suntreader), Brian Odgers (McLaughlin's 'Extrapolation' to Sweet Thursday) and Chris Lawrence. "Chitinous" was composed and arranged by Mr. Buckmaster, who also worked with David Bowie, Elton John and the Rolling Stones around that same time. Buckmaster was a friend and inspiration for Miles Davis and did some of arrangements for Miles' classic 'On the Corner' sessions. "Chitinous" refers to the substance which forms the horny skin or texture of beetles and crustaceans. The music blends jazz, rock and modern classical ideas into a fascinating work. The writing is for a large string section is particularly strong, as various instruments swirl mysteriously together with some fine soprano sax (Smith), electric piano (Robinson), flugelhorn (Carr), assorted percussion and drums. The suite-like piece has a sly, sumptuous vibe running through it. It sounds like an early version of Neil Ardley's 'Kaleidoscope of Rainbows", which was performed by an extended version of Nucleus that included Buckmaster as a guest. The piece is relatively short (about 35 minutes), but it holds interest throughout. It is unfortunate that Mr. Buckmaster didn't get another chance to record another work like this. He did score some films though, like the British version of 'Macbeth' which was performed by the Third Ear Band, as well as a more obscure film called 'Friends' (directed by Lewis Gilbert). This fine offering pretty much disappeared soon after it was released, but there’s still no reason to ignore this gem so many years later. - Bruce Lee Gallanter at DMG
LP $25
STUDIO DI MUSICA ELETTRONICA DI TORINO - Musica Elettronica/Computer Music 1966-1972 (Die Schactel 045LP; Italy) The Italian early electronic music scene has been at the core of Die Schachtel's activity since their very beginnings in the early 2000s. The Milanese label now returns with a new chapter in their celebrated Silver Series, a long-due first-time reissue of Musica Elettronica/Computer Music 1966-1972 by SMET (Studio di Musica Elettronica di Torino). Augmented with three previously unreleased bonus tracks, this is early '70s Italian electronic avant-garde music at its best. The SMET was born in Turin in 1964, from an idea by Enore Zaffiri. In the beginning the Studio worked with rudimentary equipment, aiming to disseminate knowledge of this avant-garde musical sector through conferences and auditions and, at the same time, developing its own sound experiences. The year of this (nowadays super rare) vinyl's publication was a turning point in the evolution of electronic music in Italy. 1972 saw the publication of Introduction to Electronic Music by Armando Gentilucci, the first volume written by an Italian, in Italian, to examine technological advancements, by the renowned publishing house Feltrinelli. During this period, Pietro Grossi, Enore Zaffiri, and Teresa Rampazzi had the opportunity to develop their most significant compositional experiences. They engaged in a variety of activities, and this vinyl release marked a turning point in the evolution of electronic music in Italy, such as exchanging works, collaborating with each other, participating in itinerant exhibitions, traveling, writing, and organizing broadcasts. Zaffiri and SMET's shared ideology is clearly summed up on Musica Elettronica/Computer Music 1966-1972: electronic music, with its meticulous control over sound and form, is the only way to break free from the constraints of traditional compositional methods and instrumental mastery. It is an experimental endeavor that can only be achieved through a spirit of exploration and collaboration. Originally issued in 1972, and featuring the unmistakable sound of the iconic EMS VCS3 synthesizer along with tones generated on an IBM 360 computer, Musica Elettronica/Computer Music was privately pressed in a handful of copies at the Fonit Cetra studios. Carefully remastered, this collection now features three previously unreleased extra tracks. Pressed on black vinyl in an edition of 210 copies, the album comes packaged in a deluxe cover with handmade silver foil printed on 450g paper, and also includes a 30x30cm double-sided insert with detailed notes and a SMET/Enore Zaffiri exhaustive chronology.
LP $34
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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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THE STONE RESIDENCIES / BEN GOLDBERG / JUNE 5-8
6/5 Wednesday
8:30 pm - QUARTET - Nels Cline (electric guitar) Trevor Dunn (bass) Tom Rainey (drums) Ben Goldberg (clarinet)
6/6 Thursday
8:30 pm - BEN GOLDBERG'S GLAMOROUS ESCAPADES - John Ellis (tenor saxophone) Steve Cardenas (electric guitar) Will Bernard (electric guitar) Ben Allison (bass) Allan Mednard (drums) Ben Goldberg (clarinet)
6/7 Friday
8:30 pm - INVISIBLE GUY WITH VISIBLE GUEST - Kenny Wollesen (electric vibraphone) Michael Coleman (synthesizer) Hamir Atwal (drums) Ben Goldberg (clarinet)
6/8 Saturday
8:30 pm - QUARTET - Angelica Sanchez (piano) Carmen Quill (bass) Ches Smith (drums) Ben Goldberg (clarinet)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / THOMAS MORGAN / JUNE 12-15
6/12 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Bass-Drums Duo - Thomas Morgan (bass) Johnathan Blake (drums)
6/13 Thursday
8:30 pm - Bass Duo - Thomas Morgan (bass) Larry Grenadier (bass)
6/14 Friday
8:30 pm - Piano-Bass Duo - Thomas Morgan (bass) Jacob Sacks (piano)
6/15 Saturday
8:30 pm - Trio - Thomas Morgan (bass) Craig Taborn (piano) Immanuel Wilkins (sax)
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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IBEAM in BROOKLYN Presents:
Friday, June 7, 2024 - 7:30 PM 10:00 PM
Yoon Sun Choi - voice/piano - SOLO
Allison Philips - trumpet - SOLO
Charlotte Jacobs - voice - SOLO
Eugenia Choe - piano - SOLO
Saturday, June 8 also at 8pm
8pm: GALAXY TRIO with HILL GREENE - Bass / ROSI HERTLEIN - Violin & Vocals / JAMES KEEPNEWS - 6 & 12 String Acoustic Guitars
10:30: ILL LOGIC FLEXTET: DANIEL CARTER - Reeds & Trumpet / AYUMI ISHITO - Sax & Effects / ALEXIS MARCELLO - Piano / ZACH SWANSON - Bass / MICHAEL WIMBERLEY - Drums
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 - 8PM / 10PM
8pm - GPS
Guillermo Gregorio - clarinet
Jeff Pearring - alto sax
Charley Sabatino - bass
9pm: Paul Giallorenzo Trio
Paul Giallorenzo - piano
Ingebrigt HÃ¥ker Flaten - bass
Mikel Patrick Avery - drums
Thursday, June 20, 2024 - 8:00 PM 10:30 PM
8pm - Adam Lane Quartet
Ray Anderson, Trombone
Kirk Knuffke, cornet
Adam Lane, bass
Billy Mintz, drums
9pm: Anthony Coleman Trio - 9 pm
Anthony Coleman, Piano
Adam Lane, bass
Patrick Golden, drums
I-Beam is located at 168 7th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11215
info@ibeambrooklyn.com
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Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones
June 5, 7pm doors 8pm music
@ Sisters (900 Fulton St, Brooklyn)Â
Amirtha Kidambi - vocalist, composer, keyboard
Matt Nelson - saxophone
Alfredo Colon - saxophone
Lester St. Louis - bass
Jason Nazary - drums
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ZURCHER GALLERY Concerts:

Wednesday, June 26th at 8:00 pm
Â
Mari Okubo - East West Harmolodic Opera Groove
With
Alexis Marcelo — keyboard, synthesizer 
Richie Harrison - drums
Kenny Wessel — electric guitar
Al MacDowell— electric bass
Performing songs (music and lyrics) were written especially for Mari by ORNETTE COLEMANÂ

Admission is $20. 
Tickets can be purchased at the door. CASH ONLY.
All proceeds go to the artists.

Saturday, June 29th at 8:00 pm
Terry Jenoure Trio with Terry Jenoure, Joe Fonda, Reggie Nicholson
Andrew Drury Tentet: Jason Kao Hwang (violin), Stephanie Griffin (viola), Christopher Hoffman (cello), Thomas Heberet (corner), Frank Lacy (trombone), Briggan Krauss (alto sax), JD Parran (bass flute), Alexis Marcelo (keyboard), Ken Filiano (bass), Andrew Drury (drums)
Â
Admission is $20. 
Tickets can be purchased at the door. CASH ONLY.
All proceeds go to the artists.
At Zürcher Gallery
33 Bleecker st,
New York, NY 10012
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NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuKk7GFtGls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZHZMLAsL9g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnWxohqx4tY
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IF YOU ARE A CANTERBURY/ROCK IN OPPOSITION FAN OF Bands like SOFT MACHINE, HENRY COW, MAGMA, etc…
Then you should check out the writing & interviewing by Rick Rees, who has a mailing list/website dedicated to Giorgio Gomelsky. Every month, Mr. Rees (who call himself a non-writer, no so says I), sends out an interview with different musicians that Mr. Gomelsky was involved with throughout his long music career. This month’s installment featuring a long interview with Chris Cutler and Maggie Thomas, who did album cover artwork for Virgin Records. The interview with Chris Cutler is long, fascinating and exhausting! Being a Henry Cow, Soft Machine & other Canterbury bands/musicians fanatic myself, I learned quite from these interviews! You can subscribe here: rickrees@substack.com
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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 (#37) was released earlier this year, here are the links:
https://rwm.macba.cat/en/research/probes-37
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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