November and more, as I wait for the score
They're telling me forgiveness is the key to every door
A slow winter day, a night like forever
Sink like a stone, float like a feather
Whoo!
Lilac rain, unbroken chain, song of the sawhet owl
Out on the mountain, it'll drive you insane, listening to the winds howl
Unbroken chain of sorrow and pearls, unbroken chain of shy and sea
Unbroken chain of the western wind, unbroken chain of you and me
On October 25th of this year, we lost Phil Lesh, longtime bassist & songwriter for the Grateful Dead. Phil joined the pre-Dead band, the Warlocks towards the end of 1965. He caught them playing live and befriended Jerry Garcia, their lead guitarist & vocalist, talking with Jerry at length about modern music. Jerry asked Phil to join the band on bass, but Phil says that he played mainly trumpet and was studying composition (with Luciano Berio) at Mills College. Jerry knew that Phil was a kindred spirit in his understanding of Music so he persuaded Phil to pick up the bass and gave him some basic lessons. Phil kept on practicing and the Dead kept on playing, jamming, evolving and doing their fair share of taking acid, their fame or notoriety growing throughout their 30 year reign (1965-1995). Phil Lesh turned out to be one of the best and distinctive bassists in all of rock music. Unlike Jerry Garcia or Bob Weir, Phil composed only a handful of songs for the Dead. Each one is special: “New Potato Caboose”, “Box of Rain”, “Unbroken Chain” and a few others. As many of you know, I have been on a Grateful Dead journey since the early days of the pandemic, listening to about an hour or so of live Dead in chronological order, 345 gigs so far and I am currently on March 31st of 1973. I’ve come to understand what the Dead’s long ever-evolving musical/lyrical journey is all about. I noticed that starting at the beginning of 1973, that two major influences took over some of the band’s music: soul/funk (check out “They Love each Other” from Feb or March of 1973) and progressive/jazz/rock (check out “Here Comes Sunshine”, “Eyes of the World” and “Weather Report Suite” for the adventurous instrumental passages). Both on el bass and Bill Kreutzman on drums were the heart & soul of the Dead, they created the cosmic pulse/flow with Jerry’s leads, Weir’s rhythm guitar and Keith Godchaux’s piano. The above song is from the Dead’s 1974 gem, ‘From the Mars Hotel’. Check out this song, it is unlike any other Dead song and is more progressive in sound and includes some spaced out synth. The words seem to be about the loss of (Christian?) faith. I especially like this line: “Listening for the secret, searching for the sound”, since any & all Dead fans (or serious music listeners) are often searching for the sound(s) of transcendence. As I listen to the Dead’s music every night, I hear the way this band has evolved, blending elements of bluegrass, country, blues, rock, jazz, psych, prog, electronics & lots of experimentation into their unique sound which is always in flux. Phil Lesh was an integral part of the Grateful Dead. His presence will be missed but you can still check out 30 years of Live Dead gigs at Archive.org or Phil & Friends (his later solo band) gigs at Relisten.com. A great psychedelic toast to PHIL LESH, we do love you Phil! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
This just arrived from Henry Kaiser, it is a tribute to Phil Lesh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcvoYygehqE
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THE DMG 33rd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, December 17th:
6:30: s0nic 0penings: patrick brennan - alto sax / JASON KAO HWANG - Violin / HILLIARD GREENE - Contrabass / MICHAEL TA THOMPSON - Drums
7:30: SHOGO YAMAGISHI - Bass / CAYLIE DAVIS - Trumpet / CHRIS FERRARI - Woodwinds / J.J. MAZZA - Drums
8:30: CHAD FOWLER - Reeds / JIM CLOUSE - Tenor & Soprano Saxes / KEVIN RAY - Bass / PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums
Saturday, December 21st: The Final GauciMusic Series Night of 2024 Featuring:
6:30: JEFF DAVIS - drums / JONATHAN GOLDBERGER - Guitar / YUMA UESAKA - Tenor Sax
7:30: STEPHEN GAUCI - Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Flute / SEAN CONLY - Contrabass / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - Drums
8:30: YONI KRETZMER - Tenor Sax / MAX JOHNSON - ContraBass / JEFF DAVIS - Drums
Monday, December 23rd: Final DMG In-Store for 2024 - Special X-Mas & New Year’s Show!
6:30: DAVE MILLER - Drums / RAS MOSHE - Tenor Sax & Flute / STEVE SWELL - Trombone / DMITRY ISHENKO - Bass
7:30: GUILLERMO GREGORIO - Clarinet / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - DRUMS
8:30: PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums / IVO PERELMAN - Tenor Sax / JIM CLOUSE - Tenor & Soprano Saxes / LIM YANG - Contrabass
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THE ONGOING BIG SALE OF DANISH LABELS: ILK MUSIC, STUNT & BAREFOOT RELEASES:
DMG was recently given a large amount of CD’s & LP’s from three great Danish labels: Ilk, Stunt & Barefoot. It will take us a while to go through, list, review, add to our database and our Discogs store. There is quite a bit of great music here from a variety of Danish and other Scandinavian artists. Ever since ace Danish drummer, Kresten Osgood, invited me to do a lecture at the Jyderup Workshop Festival/Camp north of Copenhagen in 2015, I’ve become a big fan of many of the Danish Creative Musicians whom I met, heard play and talked with at length. We will list all of the items on these three great labels over the next few months, a few per week. I will also send a list out to all creative music journalists & serious music listeners, requesting than someone who reads our newsletter can write a review for us as I am overwhelmed with this responsibility. The first two additions are listed below:
THE UNIVERSAL QUARTET with YUSEF LATEEF / KASPER TRANBERG / ADAM RUDOLPH / KRESTEN OSGOOD - Light (ILK CD203; Denmark) Featuring Yusef Lateef on flutes, tenor sax, oboe, shenai, piano & voice, Kasper Tranberg on trumpets, cornet & flugelhorn, Adam Rudolph on congas, sintir, thumb piano, flutes, vibes, gongs, keyboard & percussion and Kresten Osgood on drums, percussion & keyboard. This disc was released in 2013 and has not been listed at DMG until now. The same quartet made a previous record for the Black Out label in 2009 so this is their second disc. Former Detroit-based saxist, Yusef Lateef (10/1920-12/2013), was one of the first jazz saxists to double on double reeds (oboe, shenai…) starting in the late 1950’s, exploring different ethnic musics and instruments. Mr. Lateef, who also taught at college for many years, had a longterm collaboration with percussionist/sonic explorer Adam Rudolph for many years as well. The ever ambitious Danish drummer, Kresten Osgood, ran a workshop festival north of Copenhagen for nearly a decade. This is where Osgood hooked up with Mr. Rudolph to participate in the workshop and where Danish trumpeter Kasper Tranberg most likely also got involved.
The disc begins with “Antenna” with eerie piano and two horns (trumpet & sax) floating on top and skeletal drumming below. Although the piano is sparse, Rudolph makes every note count. Mr. Rudolph plays congas along with Mr. Osgood on hand percussion on “1.425”, while Transberg plays trumpet with a wah wah-like mute. I love the way the two horns play together, warm, tender, thoughtful, always creating magical, dream-like harmonies. Mr. Tranberg’s trumpet is on full display on “Cobra”, his town somewhere between Miles Davis in the mid-sixties and Dave Douglas in the 1990’s. Rudolph and Osgood get into another great rhythmic groove fest on “For Randy Weston”, which features some mighty fine feisty tenor sax by Mr. Lateef and equally infectious trumpet by Tranberg. Each piece here casts a different spell, mood or vibe. Mr. Rudolph’s solemn throbbing congas kick off and keep a steady pulse on “1.1875”, with haunting whispers and eerie muted trumpet & simmering flute(s). The horn harmonies are a bit bent yet somehow also hypnotic. Mr. Lateef even sings the blues on “Death in the Morning”, unexpected yet somehow fitting for the current times. There is a strong Spirit Jazz vibe which runs throughout this entire disc, a sense of calm at the center of creative storm. A superb endeavor! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
THE TREES with MARK SOLBORG / EVAN PARKER / HERB ROBERTSON / MSTD EILERTSEN / PETER BRUUN - The Trees (Ilk Music 199CD; Denmark) Featuring Mark Solborg on electric & acoustic guitars, Herb Robertson on trumpets & pump organ, Evan Parker on tenor & soprano sax & percussion, Mats Eilertsen on double bass and Peter Bruun on drums & kalimba. Danish guitarist Mark Solborg has more than half dozen discs out with a couple of different projects and both on Ilk: MS4 and mold. mold also includes the same drummer as on this disc. Bassist Mats Eilertsen is a busy and in-demand bassist who can be found on more than two dozen discs with Food & Elephant9 (on Rune or ECM), as well as his own bands on Hubro. Adding two more masters of the horns, Evan Parker and Herb Robertson and you have some great expectations. This is a thoroughly improvised disc with 8 pieces by the quintet and a couple of duos with Mr. Parker and Mr. Solborg. This is a studio recording with warm, clean, well-balanced sound. It starts with just the two horns playing quietly with Solborg soon joining them on somber acoustic guitar. Solborg switches to electric guitar for the next tracks and things become more dense and fractured yet always focused. Herb Robertson and Evan Parker have played together previously on occasion and have developed a rapport. Since neither are the leaders on this date, both lay back and add their own sounds selectively. The two duos with the sax and guitar fit organically within the entire quintet parts of the session. About midway through this disc on "Oak and the Alder", the bowed bass, sax, el. guitar and rubbed cymbals all make similar textural sounds creating an eerie, slowly shifting sonic web which is quite hypnotic. This disc is some 48 minutes long and Mr. Solborg has done a great job of choosing the best parts so that everything flows as one continuous spirited work of art. Most impressive on various levels without any excessive screaming or unnecessary eruptions. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14
KEVIN FIGES with JIM BLOMFIELD / RAPHAEL CLARKSON / PETE JUDGE / RIAAN VOSLOO / TONY ORRELL - You Are Here (Jazz Now Records 2SCD/ Jazz in Britain; UK) Featuring Kevin Figes on alto & soprano saxes, Raphael Clarkson on trombone, Pete Judge on trumpet, Jim Blomfield on piano & keyboards, Riann Vosloo on contrbass and Tony Orrell on drums & percussion. There seems to a new generation of modern jazz musicians in the UK, many of whom record for the Edition, Discus and FMR labels. Saxist Kevin Figes had a previous disc out on the Edition label. The other members of this sextet also come from different UK bands: Pete Judge (from Get the Blessing), Raphael Clarkson (from the Laura Jurd/Paul Dunmall Band) and Tony Orrell (from Spirit Level & a half dozen Paul Dunmall sessions. This disc is dedicated to the late Keith Tippett, perhaps the greatest improvising to emerge from the British Creative Music scene (starting in 1969. It turns out that the leader here studied and/or worked with Elton Dean and Keith Tippett. Except for four short improv pieces, all of the songs here were written by Keith Tippett, Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, (both members of Soft machine), Harry Miller, Dudu Pukwana (both members of the Brotherhood of Breath) plus a King Crimson cover (“Catfood”, which Keith Tippett played on) thrown in for good measure.
My favorite Keith Tippett Group album is called ‘Dedicated to You But You Weren’t Listening” (from 1970) and it is one of my favorite avant-jazz gems of all time. This disc starts with a version of “Thoughts to Geoff” from that great album, as well as doing the title track, which is a cover of a song from the second Soft Machine album (and sung by Robert Wyatt who also plays on the aforementioned Tippett album). I listened to quite a bit of all of the albums that these songs have come from (Keith Tippett Group’s first two, Brotherhood of Breath’s 1st, Soft Machine’s Volume Two and King Crimson’s ‘In the Wake of Poseidon’. The sound/production of these albums from 1969 and throughout the 1970’s is/was something special, some unique and often magical. The horns on these records often sound like they were recorded from one mic placed above with a select amount of reverb. Kevin Figes and recording engineer Jim Barr have obviously studied that sound and have captured it righteously throughout this disc. Although I wasn’t quite familiar with most of the members of this sextet, each one rises to the occasion and plays this music to the best of their abilities. They do capture that transcendent 70’s, Canterbury, jazz/rock/Spirit Jazz sound perfectly. No easy feat! This is my favorite disc of the week since it sounds like those albums that I still love so many years later. A tip of the hat to Kevin Figes and the great members of his fine sextet! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
DOORTRI with GIAMPAOLO MATTIELO / TIZIANO PELLIZZARI / GEOFFREY COPPLESTONE - Eeeeel’s (zOaR ZCD-168; USA) Featuring Tiziano Pellizzari on reeds & electronics; Geoffrey Copplestone on sampler, radio, analog synth & vocals, Giampaolo Mattiello on percussion plus Elliott Sharp - executive producer & guest guitarist on one long track. Doorti are an Italian punk/noise/hardcore improv trio and this is their second disc produced by Elliott for his own zOaR label. When I first started this review a couple of weeks ago, I was going to say that I hadn’t heard much punk/hardcore music in a long while but that is not quite true. Over the past few months, I have been listening to many of the 7” singles that I started collecting in 1966. I’ve listened to over a 100 so far, which includes many types of music aside from 60’s psych, rock & pop music that I grew up with. My biggest list is hardcore/punk bands from the 1980’s. After not listening to much punk music in more than 35 years, I had to get used to that old, intense, occasionally brutal sound of screaming guitars & vocals with bludgeoning bass and throttling drums. I can still tell when the music transcends expectations and brings up to another place.
Downtown polymath Elliott Sharp did the mixing and mastering here so the sound is immensely focused and consistently engaging. The title track, “Eeeeels” is first and is sparse at first, brooding, filled with suspense. Hushed sax, throbbing electronics and effective vocals which draw from hip hop in their delivery. Is that a drum machine or real drums or perhaps a bit of both? No matter since the sound is both disorienting and effective. On “Ventricles Tentacles” the overall noise explodes with some scary, mutated vocals on top. “Untilted” is mostly sax and voice, repeating “What says I?”. Both silly and engaging simultaneously. Instead of guitar, the most commonly used instruments in punk bands, there is/are layers of electronic noises used instead along with the vocals which sound different on each track. In actually, Doortri are more of an experimental band than a punk band. Sampled sounds or noises, percussion and saxes are all used, abused and carefully handled. On “Sumiki, Sumy, Sumisci”, Mr. Copplestone raps in English over an yet compelling groove. The voice is often used the same way the instruments are used, manipulating their sound with a sly attention to detail. Although there are some more quiet, restrained sections, the intensity bristles throughout. The spoken words which are used on some/many of these pieces are in English and often give us some food for thought. Most of the pieces flow into one another which keeps things the vive and insights continuous. The final piece, “Sleeeee” is the only long one at 22 & 1/2 minutes. This piece starts off like a children’s nursery, rap song which I find is quite charming and unexpected. These pieces evolve through different sections: Haunting sampled or real bells or cymbals, somber, spaced out noises (samples?). This piece is effective as a long work of subtle electronics and samples which flow organically throughout. This is not really a punk album in sound but sounds punklike in it's attitude. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
RA KALAM BOB MOSES with TONY DAGRADI / JEFF COFFIN / ART EDMAISTON / MICHAEL ADKINS / CHRIS ALFORD / AARON GONZALEZ / BILL SUMMERS / JOHNNY VIDACOVICH - Ra Kalam in New Orleans (Ra Kalam Records 036; USA) Featuring Tony Dagradi, Jeff Coffin, Michael Adkins & Art Edmaiston on saxes & flutes, Chris Alford on guitar, Aaron Gonzalez on bass, bill summers on percussion and Johnny Vidakovich & Ra Kalam Bob Moses on drums & piano. In the last couple of years, Ra Kalam (a/k/a Bob Moses) moved to Memphis where he is now based. In the last few months Ra Kalam has sent us a half dozen discs from his own label, some reissues of long out-of-print titles and the others, different projects that he has worked on over the past few years.
This project was recorded in New Orleans and features nine musicians playing improvised music. I know of many of these musicians from previous projects that they’ve done: Tony Dagradi (from his work with Carla Bley), Aaron Gonzalez (son of Dennis Gonzalez and longtime member of Yells at Eels), Michael Adkins (2 great discs on Hatology), Jeff Coffin (jam band pioneer who worked with Bela Fleck), Bill Summers (Headhunters) and in-demand drummer Johnny Vidakovich (from the Astral Project to Ray Anderson to Giorgio Gaslini).
Ra Kalam has a distinctive sound on his handmade drum set and this is the first sound we hear. Ra Kalam has long been a master of Spirit Jazz and this is what the opening track sounds like, “Tony Calls the Drums to Prayer”, a Trane-like sound of strong tenor sax (from Tony Dagradi) and the drums whipping up a storm together which eventually calms down to a fine percussion conclusion. Sort of like a more relaxed version of ‘Interstellar Space’. “Dancing Bears” starts with an infectious, second line groove/theme with the saxes all playing together.All three drummers/percussionists are providing the propulsion while the saxes play freely on top, with guitarist Chris Alford playing contrapuntal lines. For “Hope”, the saxes all swirl tightly playing the theme in the first section with a cushion of drummers below. The first solo is by a soprano sax which is followed by two or three tenor saxes joined together like a righteous chorus. Instead of playing completely free, the four saxes here work together as one strong spirit unit. I love those righteous, spirit jazz harmonies that Moses has written for his ensemble, never screaming yet working together as one. Moses gives each of the saxists & the flutist a chance to stretch out and either solo or just interact with the other saxists and rhythm team members. There is a wonderful, joyous vibe that runs throughout this disc. The reeds, percussion and occasional guitar work closely together to create a subdued yet cosmic vibe which flows like blood through the veins of our communal lives. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
RA KALAM BOB MOSES with DAVE LIEBMAN / BILL FRISELL / THEO BLECKMANN / PHILIP GOLUB / PAT METHENY / STEVE SWALLOW / TONY DAGRADI / JERRY BERGONZI / STAN STRICKLAND / et al - Peace Universal (Ra Kalam Records 035; USA) According to the liner notes, bassist Steve Swallow once complemented his own friend (from the Gary Burton Quartet) Bob Moses by telling him that Moses was a great composer and should spend more time writing songs. Moses said that he already had 500 unrecorded songs but he would take Swallow’s advice by composing a new song for Christmas every year. For this disc Moses had some 20 musicians each record one of his original Christmas songs, which is called “Peace Universal” in solos, duos, a trio and one sextet. The musicians are from all over the world and I only recognize around half of the names here. The song itself, “Peace Universal”, has a lovely, quaint heart-warming melody. Starting with Mike Roelofs (from the Netherlands) on piano & whistling, the playing is immensely charming. Dave Liebman is next overdubbing tenor & soprano saxes, capturing the warmth of the melody with some ancient Spirit Jazz grace. Each piece captures the warm spirit of the melody that Moses has provided. Whether I recognize the names of the musicians or not, each piece is still worth hearing. The central melody is expanded through different variations and instrumentation on each piece. The same warm enchanting vibe flows throughout this entire disc. There are a number of highlights here: Javie Vercher (from Spain) overdubs layers of reeds, keyboards & percussion, creating a sprawling, swirling free/spirit/jazz version of this piece. The duo with Bill Frisell & Ra Kalam, has Frisell playing some somewhat darker, weirder effects than he usually does on his own. Vocalist Theo Bleckmann adds layers of vocal sounds in a most orchestral chorus way. The final piece with Pat Metheny playing several instruments is extraordinary, from exquisite to dreamy to cerebral. This wondrous disc has some 18 pieces on it, clocking in at almost 64 minutes and it does capture a certain positive Christmas spirit, something that we all need during these darker times. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD-R $14
SHAWNECI ICECOLD & SHUISHAN YU - Flowing Water - Music for Guqin & Harpsichord (Underground 45 Records UG469; USA)Featuring Shawneci Icecold on harpsichord and Shuishan Yu on guqin. This is the third disc from keyboardist Shawneci Icecold that I’ve reviewed over the past month. Although Icecold has made a name for himself playing hip hop music, his three discs on his own label show a completely different side to his palette. The first disc I reviewed (‘Future Prime’), had Mr. Icecold playing synths along with an all-star cast of fusion greats: Vernon Reid, Matthew Garrison & G Calvin Weston. On the second disc, Shawneci played piano & harmonium with cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm.
For this disc Icecold is playing harpsichord, a renaissance instrument that is rarely played by adventurous improvisers. Shawneci is joined here by Shuishan Yu who is playing a guqin, which is a seven string plucked Chinese instrument which has been around since ancient times. “The guqin is a very quiet instrument, with a range of about four octaves and its open strings are tuned in the bass register.” - wiki. The music on this disc sounds closer to Chinese traditional music than anything else. The sound of the harpsichord and the guqin are similar and sound great working together. Mr. Yu takes that lead on “Wild Geese Descending on the Beach”, slowly telling a story with the harpsichord adding occasional flourishes. The music moves slowly and has an organic, natural, acoustic feel/vibe. Mr. Yu plucks the strings in different ways evoking a series of Eastern Spirit sounds. I find this music to be calm at the center, yet the guqin is often telling a story, setting a scene or unleashing ancient spirits. Although there is a feeling of forlornness here, the peaceful, laid-back sound does have a calming effect. After listening to so much electric music, the sound of purely acoustic music gives us a nice change of pace or grace. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD-R $14
KEYNA WILKINS - The New York Sessions (Self-produced; Australia) Featuring Keyna Wilkins on flute & piano, Michael Kevin Walsh on keyboard, Kevin Kuhn on electric guitar, SoSaLa on tenor & soprano saxes & clapping, Ron Wasserman on electric bass and David Belmont on percussion & poetry. Recorded at the Smooth Spot in 2023. Master flutist, Keyna Wilkins, is based in Australia and came to visit NYC in April of 2023, played a couple of gigs (one here at DMG), as well as recording this disc. The gig in the store was set up by former Iranian saxist SoSala (Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi), who has played here at DMG on a couple of occasions as well as leaving us with a couple of his discs to review and sell. Most of the other members of this group are names that I do not recognize although guitarist Kevin Kuhn once recorded with Downtown trumpet great Brian Groder. I’ve been in touch with Ms. Wilkins ever since she played at the store and has left us or sent us her CD’s.
“Random Thoughts on a Wrought Iron Railway” opens with some delightful spoken words by David Belmont. Both the guitar and el. bass (fretless?) have good with minimal effects. This is all improvised, thoughtful, focused and not too far out. The music often has a relaxed, laid back sound, thoughtful, cool and calm. Ms. Wilkin’s flute is featured on “Central Park at Dusk”. Wilkins takes the first solo with the el bass and guitar soon entering and swirling around her. Mr. Wasserman slaps his bass which provides a rhythmic groove for the sextet. SoSaLa also adds his sax, not soloing but adding some counterpoint to what is going on around him. The flute, soprano sax and piano playing in tight circles together, interacting like bees buzzing. On the last piece, “Why?”, someone (SoSaLa?) starts asking the question “Why?”. The approach and instrumentation of the music seems to evolve organically from one section to the next. What’s interesting is that we never know which direction this ensemble will move into next. Each member of the sextet gets a chance to push the others into a different direction or situation. The music evolves into what sounds like a soundtrack for a spy movie theme in a later section. I found this disc to be rather enigmatic and unpredictable. Odd surprises are indeed in store. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD-R $14
CECIL TAYLOR with STEVE LACY / ARCHIE SHEPP / JIMMY LYONS / JIM HALL / BUELL NEIDLINGER / EARL GRIFFITH / DENNIS CHARLES / SONNY MURRAY - The Classic Albums (Enlightenment 9239; EEC) Born March 25, 1929 in Long Island City, Queens, and raised in Corona, Queens, Cecil Percival Taylor, the American jazz musician, pianist and poet, was classically trained and is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and intricate polyrhythms. His piano technique has been likened to percussion, described as "eighty-eight tuned drums" (referring to the number of keys on a standard piano). He has been compared to "Art Tatum with contemporary-classical leanings." After taking initial steps in R&B and swing-styled small groups in the early 1950s, Taylor formed his own band with soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy in 1956. His first recording, Jazz Advance, featured Lacy and was released in 1956. It is described in the Penguin Guide to Jazz as follows; "While there are still many nods to conventional post-bop form in this set, it already points to the freedoms which the pianist would later immerse himself in." The quartet featuring Lacy also appeared at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. He collaborated with saxophonist John Coltrane in 1958 on the album Stereo Drive. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Taylor's music grew more complex and moved away from existing jazz styles. Gigs were often hard to come by, and club owners found Taylor's approach to performance unhelpful in conducting business. This new 4 CD set features the finest albums released by Cecil Taylor on which he performed as leader, originally released between 1956 and 1962. All featuring a host of other top musicians contributing too, this selection now becomes the best and most complete Cecil Taylor compilation available. Albums included: ‘Jazz Advance’, ‘Looking Ahead!’, ’The World of Cecil Taylor’, ‘At Newport’, ‘Nefertiti, The Beautiful One Has Come’,
4 CD Set $18
STAN TRACEY QUARTET with ART THEMEN / DAVE GREEN / BRYAN SPRING - The Return of Captain Adventure (Ten to Ten Records 5753: UK) 2024 repress of this classic Stan Tracey 2CD set, featuring the complete 1976 LP 'Captain Adventure' and 7 bonus tracks The recording gives us the chance to hear what was, as John Fordham noted, one of the great Stan Tracey line-ups; the quartet featuring Art Themen, Dave Green and Bryan Spring. Like Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, the two names to which his music is constantly appended, Tracey has always had an uncanny gift for finding just the right musical accomplices and in Themen, Green and Spring he had a band of formidable creativity and equal dependability, perhaps itself the perfect recipe for a working jazz group. Recorded live at the 100 Club, London on 3rd November 1975
2 CD Set $22
JUST REISSUED ON INTUITION:
LOUNGE LIZARDS with JOHN LURIE / MICHAEL BLAKE / STEVEN BERNSTEIN / JANE SCARPANTONI / BRYAN CARROTT / MICHEL NAVAZIO / OREN BLOEDOW / BILLY MARTIN / G CALVIN WESTON - Live in Berlin 1991 - Vol. 1 (Intuition 20552; EEC) Featuring John Lurie on alto sax & composing, Michael Blake on tenor sax, Steve Bernstein on slide trumpet, Jane Scarpantoni on cello, Michel Navasio on guitar, Bryan Carrott on vibes, Oren Bloedow on bass and Billy Martin & G Calvin Weston on drums & percussion. The Lounge Lizards began around 1978 and featured saxist John Lurie and his keyboard-playing brother Evan Lurie. There have been three versions of the band between 1978 & 1998, each version recording 3 or four records each. Except for the Lurie brothers, the personnel completely changed on each version of the band. Their basic sound remained throughout their tenure and I am a big fan of all of the versions of this band, as well as all of John Lurie’s solo albums, especially in his ficticious ‘Marvin Pontiac’ guise. Sadly all ten of the Lounge Lizards records are long out of print. Thanks to Intuition for reissuing this gem. You can check some of this music on YouTube so do so if you can. - BLG at DMG
CD $15
OREGON with GLEN MOORE / RALPH TOWNER / PAUL McCANDLESS / ARTO TUNCBOYACIYAN - Northwest Passage (Intuition 3191; Germany) Featuring: Ralph Towner: guitars, keyboards, piano, Paul McCandless: soprano sax, english horn, bass clarinet, oboe, Glen Moore: acoustic bass and Arto Tuncboyaciyan: drums, triangle, shakers, percussion, cymbals. With their recording "Northwest Passage", Ralph Towner (guit, p, keyb), Paul McCandless (sax, oboe, horns) and Glen Moore (bs) have created an absolute milestone of their long-going career under the name ''Oregon'', crowning their musical works to date with a graceful gem of true beauty which shines with 14 new compositional jewels. ''Northwest Passage" also brings back the signature of percussionists to the incomparable sound of Oregon, employing Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Mark Walker - both excellent musicians in their own right. With uncanny sensitivity they have managed to tap into the spirit that the core of Oregon have developed over the years, making the band sound as if it had never existed in any other line-up. Another significant part in the stunning overall sound of this album played producer Steven Rodby (of Pat Metheny fame), who has undoubtedly put his very best into this production: "Northwest Passage" lives and breathes, displaying the fascinating richness of Oregon's wonderful music in dazzling detail and crystal-clear transparency. Together with those high-profile companions, Towner, McCandless and Moore have made "Northwest Passage" an unforgettable journey through the musical worlds of jazz, classical, and ethnic music. Seemingly effortless, they juggle moments of silence and abundance with breathtaking security and nearly tangible mutual understanding. Diverse and full of atmosphere, this exceptional production illustriously and elegantly captivates the senses with every piece; a rare and most exquisite work.
CD $15
OREGON WITH GLEN MOORE / RALPH TOWNER / PAUL McCANDLESS - Troika (Intuition 20782; Germany) Oregon is an American jazz and world music group, originally formed in 1971 by Ralph Towner (guitar, piano, synthesizer, trumpet), Paul McCandless (woodwind instruments), Glen Moore (double bass, violin, piano), and Collin Walcott (percussion, sitar, tabla). For over three decades OREGON has inspired audiences in renowned concert halls including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Berlin Philharmonic Hall, and Vienna's Mozartsaal; at international jazz clubs and major festivals.
CD $15
GLEN MOORE with RABIH-ABOU KAHLIL / CARLA BLEY / STEVE SWALLOW / ARTURO TUNCBOYACIYAN - Nude Bass Ascending (Intuition 31922; EEC) “Glen Moore is one of the most virtuoso bassists in jazz, though his interest in music is open to influences from around the world. These mid-'90s sessions mix duets with oud player Rabih Abou-Khali and a quartet with Carla Bley (on organ), electric bassist Steve Swallow, and percussionist Arto Tuncboyaciayn. The intricate duets with Abou-Khali are mostly excerpted from longer free improvisations; each piece has a unique character due to the free-flowing ideas between the two musicians. In the quartet selections, Bley's technique on the organ is reserved, not using much volume at all. Swallow, long one of the best electric bassists around, offers sparse supportive lines that fit in beautifully. Tuncboyaciayn overdubs multiple vocals over his percussion in the African-flavored "It Takes a Village" to good effect. Throughout the sessions, Moore seems to squeeze every possibility out of his centuries-old instrument, incorporating squeals and percussive effects, in addition to his superb technique whether playing arco or pizzicato. Nude Bass Ascending will definitely appeal to jazz listeners with a sense of adventure. “ - Ken Dryden, AllMusicGuide
CD $15
MEREDITH YOUNG-SOWERS - Agartha: Personal Meditation Music (Important Records Imprec 538CD; USA) Agartha: Personal Meditation Music is a 7 CD boxed set, originally released on cassette in 1986, at the height of New Age, as an aid for meditation and alignment. Bringing to mind 20th century composers like Eliane Radigue, La Monte Young, or even Brian Eno's Shutov Assembly, the time-stopping, enveloping, electronic music contained in this series sounds eerily modern, mysterious and moving. Characterized by deep analog drones, rising overtones, floating frequencies surfing on sine-waves and intervals with mystic modulation, this is truly moving, vibrational music. In Agartha, the individual notes of each Harmonic Triad proceed in a fashion that is neither improvisational nor chance-based, nor is it generative. Instead, the music flows outward as if being transmitted -- or channeled -- from a place outside human consciousness. There is a profound sense of cosmic depth expanding ever outward as the music fills the listener with waves of emotion, and a palpable somatic response is felt, although there are subtle differences with each unique Triad. Each disc is individually packaged in original replica sleeves and housed in a heavy-duty cardboard clamshell box. Digitized and remastered by Jessica Thompson. Liner notes include extensive instructions for use from the original text and an essay by library music scholar David Hollander. The original edition of Agartha: Personal Meditation Music, featured one-track, 30-minute track per tape repeated on both sides. Subsequent editions had unique Side B tracks on all but two of the seven volumes. Important Records have included all tracks in this boxed set. RIYL: Eliane Radigue, Pauline Oliveros, Eleh, Duane Pitre, La Monte Young, Eno, Larajji, Iasos.
7 CD Box Set $50
MATT ROGALSKY - Visitations And Revisitations (XI Records 149CD; USA) With Visitations and Revisitations, Matt Rogalsky continues lines of work that seem to inevitably revolve around explorations and honoring of place, people, and memory. Ambient, expansive and immersive, twelve new songs without words invite listeners on travels through spectral sound worlds. All the compositions combine elements of acoustic and electronic sound, where the electronic sound is often derived from underlying acoustic sources which often remain unheard while their liminal, spectral qualities are evoked in new ways. On this collection, two "Visitations" bracket ten "Revisitations." Each "Revisitation" identified by a letter is an investigation into the work of a composer or musician whose work has meant much to Rogalsky: "The 'Revisitations' all function as homage compositions, in an alphabetical series of 26, where each letter references a composer whose work has touched me, and whose sounds I have spectrally explored in a new response piece." The "Visitations" are different from the "Revisitations" in their referencing of intensely personal conditions: one derives from the resonances of a family upright piano which came from Rogalsky's maternal side, and one evokes experiences in movement, sound and community around the base of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain in Banff Alberta. The range of influences Rogalsky explores on Visitations and Revisitations span from musicians and poets in his local sphere, to internationally well-known contemporary and historical figures in music and sound. Some sources are revealed and others kept private as a guessing game for listeners. A number of the tracks on the album are based in recordings of live performances while others are purely studio compositions. Matt Rogalsky is based in Kingston/Katarokwi, in Ontario Canada where he runs the Sonic Arts Studio at Queen's University. He previously released a double CD album Memory Like Water on XI Records in 2006 (XI 131CD).
2 CD Set $16
LP Section:
FRANK LOWE QUINTET with BUTCH MORRIS / AMINA CLAUDINE MYERS / WILBER MORRIS / TIM PLEASANT - Exotic Heartbreak (Soul Note SN 1032LP; Earth) Memphis-born saxophonist Frank Lowe with his muscular tenor sax voice shines along with Butch Morris' cornet and Amina Claudine Myers' piano on top of Wilber Morris (bass) and Tim Pleasant (drums) angular rhythms. Recorded in 1981.
LP $28
THE FINAL BLACK SAINT / SOUL NOTE / CAM-JAZZ BOX SET CD SALE: It has never been easy to get ahold of these boxes, especially since Harmonia Mundi/USA has gone under. All of the 60 plus Black Saint / Soul Note / CamJazz box sets are now out of print. This might be the last time we are offering these titles so please order them soon. thanks. BLG
MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS with GEORGE LEWIS / DOUGLAS EWART / ANTHONY BRAXTON / LEROY JENKINS / ROSCOE MITCHELL / ABDUL WADUD / HENRY THREADGILL / JACK WALRATH / EDDIE ALLEN / CRAIG HARRIS / STEVE McCALL / MALACHI FAVORS / et al - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note - Volume 2: Sight Song / Shadowgraph 5 by George Lewis / 1-OQA 19 / Lifelong Ambitions / Duet / Colors in Thirty Third / FamilyTalk / Duets and Solos / Song for All (CAM BS/SN BXS 1041; Italy)
9 CD Set $60
ED BLACKWELL With DEWEY REDMAN/ CHARLIE HADEN / DON CHERRY / KARL BERGER /REGGIE WORKMAN / DAVID MURRAY / et al - Complete Black Saint-Soul Note Recordings: Wall-Bridges / Old And New Dreams / A Tribute To Blackwell / Transit / In Willisau / Morning Song / From Bad To Badder (CAM BXS 1030; Italy)
7 CD Set $50
RAN BLAKE With RICKY FORD / DAVID FABRIS / HOUSTON PERSON / JAKI BYARD / et al - The Complete Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note: Duke Dreams / Epistrophy / Unmarked Van / Indian Winter / Suffield Gothic / Improvisations (CAM BS/SN BXS 1034; Italy)
7 CD Set $50
DAVE DOUGLAS With PARALLEL WORLDS With MARK FELDMAN / ERIK FRIEDLANDER / DREW GRESS / MICHAEL SARIN / MARK DRESSER / JOHN LINDBERG / ROVA SAXOPHONE QUARTET: BRUCE ACKLEY / STEVE ADAMS / LARRY OCHS / JON RASKIN / GLENN SPEARMAN / RAPHE MALIK / DENMAN MARONEY / et al - Complete Black Saint-Soul Note Recordings: Parallel Worlds / Five / Convergence / John Coltrane's Ascension / Bounce / Force Green (CAM BS/SN BXS 1020; ITALY)
6 CD Set $45
OLIVER LAKE With BAIKIDA CARROLL / MICHAEL G JACKSON / CHARLES EUBANKS / GERI ALLEN / BORAH BERGMAN / REGGIE WORKMAN / FRED HOPKINS / PHEEROAN AkLAFF / ANDREW CYRILLE / et al - Complete Black Saint-Soul Note Recordings: Holding Together / Prophet / Clevont Fitzhubert / Expandable Language / Edge-Ing / Dedicated To Dolphy / A New Organization (CAM BS/SN BXS 1026; Italy)
7 CD Set $50
ROSCOE MITCHELL With HUGH RAGIN / MATT SHIPP / WILLIAM PARKER / SPENCER BAREFIELD / JODIE CHRISTIAN / MALACHI FAVORS / STEVE McCALL / MUHAL RICHARD ABRAMS / et al - The Complete Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note: Albums included: 'This Dance is for Steve McCall', 'The Flow of Things', '3 x 4 Eye', 'Live at the Knitting Factory', 'Sound and Space Ensembles', 'Duets & Solos', 'Spihumonesty' by Muhal Richard Abrams and Shadowgraph 5' by George Lewis (CAM BS/SN BXS 1036; Italy)
9 CD Set $60
DAVID MURRAY With BUTCH MORRIS / JOHNNY DYANI / JAMES BLOOD ULMER / ALVIN BATISTE / JOHN CARTER / RANDY WESTON / et al - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note - Volume 3 (CAM BS/SN BXS 1042; Italy)
6 CD Set $45
MAX ROACH With CECIL TAYLOR / M'BOOM / ANTHONY BRAXTON / ODEAN POPE / CECIL BRIDGEWATER / JOE CHAMBERS / WARREN SMITH / et al - The Complete Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note: Birth and Rebirth / Collage / Survivors / Historic Concerts / Bright Moments (CAM BL/SN BXS 1038; Italy)
6 CD Set $47
MAX ROACH with CECIL BRIDGEWATER / ODEAN POPE / CALVIN HILL / TYRONE BROWN / LEE KONITZ / TONY SCOTT / RAY MANTILLA / et al - The Complete Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note: Pictures in a Frame / In the Light / Live at Vielharmonie Munich / Scott Free / Early Winners / It’s Christmas Again - Volume 2 (CAM BS/SN BXS 1044; Italy)
6 CD Set $47
GIANLUIGI TROVESI with PINO MINAFRA / ROBERTO BONATI / PAOLO FRESCU / ENRICO RAVA / PIERRE FAVRE / RODOLPHO MIGLIARDI / FULVIO MARAS / et al - Complete Black Saint-Soul Note Recordings: From G To G / Les Hommes Armes / The Village Fair / Around Small Fairy Tales / Electric Five / Missa / Baghet / Cinque Piccole Storie / Nivola (CAM BS/SN BXS 1032; Italy)
9 CD Set $60
MAL WALDRON with CHICO FREEMAN / ANTHONY BRAXTON / STEVE LACY / DAVID FRIESEN / JUDI SILVANO / KIM PARKER / BUELL NEIDLINGER / ED THIGPEN / BILL OSBORNE / ENRICO RAVA / et al - The Complete Remastered Recordings On Black Saint & Soul Note. Volume 2: Up and Down / Update / Sometime I’m Blue / Sempre Amore / Dedication / Our Colline’s a Treasure / I’ll Be Around / Six Monk Compositions / Communique / Riding a Zephyr / Remembering Mal (CAM BS/SN BXS 1043; Italy)
11 CD Set $65
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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 - IKUE MORI - DEC 11-14
12/11 Wednesday
8:30 pm - DUOS, TRIOS, AND QUARTET - Ikue Mori (electronics) Zeena Parkins (harp) Charmaine Lee (voice) Lotte Anker (sax)
12/12 Thursday
8:30 pm - QUARTET - Ikue Mori (electronics) Hans Koch (sax) Florian Stoffner (guitar) Nate Wooley (trumpet)
12/13 Friday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Ikue Mori (electronics) Ingrid Laubrock (sax) Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) special guest Lotte Anker (sax)
12/14 Saturday
8:30 pm - HIGHSMITH Ikue Mori (electronics) Craig Taborn (piano) Tomeka Reid (cello)
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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NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcvoYygehqE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-6p_Q2Dwxc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWJ20KEHAdQ
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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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