The drunken politician leaps
Upon the streets where mothers weep
And the saviors who are fast asleep
They wait for you
And I wait for them to interrupt
Me drinkin' from my broken cup
And ask me to open up the gate for you
I want you, I want you
Yes, I want you so bad
Honey, I want you
How my fathers, they've gone down
True love, they've been without it
But all their daughters put me down
'Cause I don't think about it
Well, I'll return to the Queen of Spades
And talk with my chambermaid
She knows that I'm not afraid to look at her
She is good to me
And there's nothing she doesn't see
She knows where I'd like to be
But it doesn't matter
I want you, I want you
Yes, I want you so bad
Honey, I want you
Now your dancing child with his Chinese suit
He spoke to me, I took his flute
No, I wasn't very cute to him, was I?
But I did it because he lied
And because he took you for a ride
And because time was on his side
And because I
Want you, I want you
Yes, I want you so bad
Honey, I want you
Just about every night around midnight in my kitchen, I play some live Dead (from May of 1973 currently), singing and dancing and rejoicing, to celebrate the fact that I am still alive, still smiling (at times) and still being uplifted by Creative Music and those of us will need/want to listen to music as a source on Inspiration. I’ve always dug the Spirit of Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza but the commercialization of these holidays is a drag on many levels. Last weekend was an annual holiday ritual call Santacon in which hundreds of mostly young folks, dressed as Santas, take the trains to NYC, starting to drink alcohol early in the day, sing tasteless Christmas songs loudly and way out-of-tune, yelling and becoming more obnoxious as the train travels to the big city. Many of these youngsters go bar hopping together all day, continuing to drink and sing throughout the day and ending up on the trains at night, drunker and even more obnoxious. Yuck!
Last night while working on a review, I felt asleep at my computer and had a nightmare about being kidnapped from the store by some Russian folks and being held captive somewhere in Brooklyn and told that I was being sent to Russia as a punishment. I was confused, angry and frustrated by this, having no idea why this was happening. There was a guy in charge who I eventually recognized as a villain from an episode of NYPB Blue so I was even more confused, soon waking up and realizing that it was a dream. Why would the Russians kidnap me? Could it be that I referred to Putin as the Fascist/King of the World and that Trump was another of his numerous right wing puppets?!?! Hmmmmmmmmm. I guess I had too much to dream last night.
I want to wish all DMG subscribers, friends, family and serious listeners a happy and healthy Holiday season. I still have Faith in Humankind but am very worried about our future. When that last hurricane hit several years back, I lost electricity in my apt for two weeks. Although I went back to work at the end of the first week, I had run out of food, had no heat and without electricity, no way to entertain myself. I ended up reading several novels by candlelight and ended every night reading and singing lyrics/songs by Bob Dylan, my favorite lyricist of all. I still read and think about the words to songs by Bob Dylan, Robert Hunter and John Kay. The above song, “I Want You”, remains a favorite of mine and Dylan’s voice has a warmer sounder than usual. Bob Dylan has a unique way of casting a spell on those who listen closely to his songs. His words seem to capture inner truths that we all share about life and our relationships with others. A special toast to Bob Dylan (“you can call me Zimmy”), poet laureate and Nobel Prize in Literature winner. If you can’t quite figure out what Dylan is singing about, remember, the answer my friends is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind”. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
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THE DMG 33rd ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
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 / STEVE SWELL - Trombone / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - Drums
8:30: MICHAEL VATCHER - Guest Percussionist
9:00: PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums / JIM CLOUSE - Tenor & Soprano Saxes / MATT HOLLENBERG - Guitar
Tuesday, January 7th:
6:30: ROSE TANG - Guitar / PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums
7:30: ARON NAMENWIRTH - Guitar / STAN ZENKOV - Reeds / STEVE SWELL - Trombone / MARC EDWARDS - Drums
8:30: KRISTIAN SAARUP - Drums / BRANDON LOPEZ - Contrabass / JOE MOFFETT - Trumpet
9:30: MARCO CAPPELLI / EYAL MAOZ - Guitar Duo
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THIS WEEK’S DMG NEWSLETTER STARTS OFF WITH THE FINAL JOHN ZORN/TZADIK CD FOR THE YEAR:
JOHN ZORN // BRIAN MARSELLA / JORGE ROEDER / CHES SMITH - Ou Phrontis (Tzadik 9317; USA) Nothing in Clouds Hill is to be a care upon the world. While I have it there shall be nothing exquisite or unique in it. Nothing to anchor me. - T.E. Lawrence. “Ou Phrontis” means "Who Cares" in Greek. Inscribed on the lintel above the door of T.E. Lawrence’s cottage at Clouds Hill, symbolized a place where Lawrence felt at home, free from the cares of the world. This fourth CD from the dynamic piano trio of Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder (contrabass), and Ches Smith (drums) (Suite for Piano, The Fourth Way, Ballades), presents eight challenging Zorn compositions inspired by stoic philosophy and science. The telepathic interplay and virtuosity of these remarkable musical masters is on full display here—a stunning collection of music that makes you think as much as it makes you feel.
CD $16
MIN XIAO-FEN / RIVER GUERGUERIAN - METTA (Asian Improv Records 118; USA) Featuring Min Xiao-Fen on pipa, ruan (lute-like with 4 strings), sanxian (3 string Chinese lute), finger piano, sound effects, voice, composer & arranger and River Guerguerian on middle eastern & Indian frame drums, talking drums, berimbau, doumbek, Chinese gongs, didgeridoo, rain stick, drum set & voice. I've been a longtime fan of pipa virtuoso Min Xiao-Fen since she moved here in 1996. Although she started out playing traditional Chinese music in an orchestra, she became part of ever-evolving Downtown Scene working with John Zorn (in his filmworks series), doing free improv with Derek Bailey and collaborating with Muhal Richard Abrams, Leroy Jenkins, Wadada Leo Smith & others. She later discovered a rare collaboration between American trumpeter Buck Clayton and Chinese composer Li Jinhui, when they worked on doing soundtrack music for silent Chinese films from the 1930's. Discovering this neglected collaboration, Mr. Fen decided to score a film called "The Goddess', which premiered at Roulette in 2018 with her own Blue Pipa Trio.
More recently Ms. Fen decided to score two more silent Chinese films, "Romance of the Fruit Peddler" and "Romance of the Western Chamber". She collaborated here with Montreal-born percussion virtuoso River Guerguerian, who studies at the Manhattan School of Music and received their Outstanding Percussionist award. Both musicians here play a wide variety of ethnic instruments, sound effects and their voices. The music here is quite extraordinary, mainly acoustic, mysterious and enchanting. Ms. Xiao-Fen uses her voice on "Mellow", creating odd bird-like natural sounds which seem to fit the music just right. Ms. Fen is still a virtuoso on the pipa and these other lute-like instruments and hence, she keeps exploring and evoking a variety of moods and vibes. I like the way these two musicians play together, there is a strong balance both whether balancing the percussion and strings, and both voices at times as well. There are few times where the duo go pretty out for a bit which is great. Ms. Fen seems to putting her pipa through a distortion pedal on "Mantra", which seems like an odd choice but it still works anyhow. Overall, the entire CD does evoke quite a series of images and feelings, a wonderful cross-cultural collaboration done right. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
ZEENA PARKINS / CHRIS BROWN / WILLIAM WINANT / BEN DAVIS - scree (Relative Pitch RPR 1206; USA) Featuring Zeena Parkins on harp, Chris Brown on piano & electronics, William Winant on percussion and Ben Davis on cello. Recorded live at Mills College in January & April of 2013. I am not sure about cellist Ben Davis although I do know that Zeena Parkins, Chris Brown and William Winant, all worked at Mills College around the same time. You know Chris Brown from his work with The Hub or Pauline Oliveros. William Winant is a classically trained percussionist who has worked with John Zorn, Sonic Youth and Fred Frith. Ben Davis has worked with Simon Nabatov, Ingrid Laubrock and Anthony Coleman. Zeena Parkins has long been an important member of the Downtown Scene since moving here in the mid-1980’s.
The music here is mostly acoustic and cleanly recorded. Mr. Davis starts off “Far” with just his solemn, soft cello. The cello is soon joined by the harp, piano and percussion, all playing with eerie restraint. It is often hard to tell the difference between the acoustic harp and what Mr. Brown does inside the piano but no matter, especially since the sound of the percussion and the sound of the cello are also nuanced in similar ways. The overall sound is often mysterious, cautious, with plucked, bowed and tapped on strings all utilized in their own unique way. This music sounds focused, the playing close knit, the combination of sounds organic as well as spontaneous. The music here sounds similar to chamber music where each sound is well placed. The last piece is called “Metamorphosis” and it is the longest piece here. The piece has a dreamy haze with rubbed strings, bent notes carefully placed from the piano, harp, cello and percussion plus haunting electronics interwoven as well. Most impressive and transportative to boot. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
ES TRIO with MABEL KWAN / MICHAEL ZERANG / EDITH STEYER - The Foreign In Us (Relative Pitch RPR 1194; USA) Featuring Edith Steyer on alto sax & clarinet, Mabel Kwan on piano and Michael Zerang on drums & percussion. Recorded at Experimental Studios in Chicago in March of 2023. The ever-ambitious Relative Pitch label continues to unearth avant treasures from different scenes around the world. I’ve known drummer Michael Zerang for many years as he has worked with the cream of Chicago improvisers: Josh Abrams, Ken Vandermark, Joe McPhee and (European sax legend) Peter Brotzmann. Several years ago a couple of smaller Chicago labels sent us promos so I discovered pianist Mabel Kwan from her work with Jason Roebke, Restoy and the 3, 5, 7 Ensemble. I don’t know much about reeds player Edith Steyer except for a fine disc that I reviewed earlier this year (2024) called Sorbd, a female quintet of international improvisers which includes Danish saxist Mia Dyberg (who I met & heard play at the Jyderup Fest/Workshop, north of Copenhagen.
Half of the pieces here are duos, the other half are trios and all are completely improvised. The opening piece is a duo (sax & drums) called “Ornaments (Streets of Neukolin)” and the duo are tight and quite intense. “The Foreign in Me” is also a sax & drums duo and I admit that I really dig Ms. Steyer’s dark, tart, Dolphy-esque tone on alto sax. The trio is in fine form on “Labyrinth”, with Ms. Kwan rubbing the strings inside the piano as Ms. Steyer bends her notes quietly and Zerang also coaxes quirky, skeletal sounds. Ms. Steyer has a unique way of bending and twisting her notes into odd shapes, her sound most distinctive. On “Mechanical Gardeners”, the sound of Zerang’s eerie percussion works especially well with Steyer’s odd muted sax and skeletal piano. The sounds here are most effective at providing a sense of disorienting edginess. Someone who listens to mainly normal music might question whether this is actually “music”, however I find that this music to be able to show another version of (audio) reality, what makes sense if you attend concerts of all sorts of experimental music. This is sour and sweet at the same time. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
SOPHIE AGNEL / MICHAEL ZERANG - Draw Bridge (Relative Pitch RPR 1197; USA) Featuring Sophie Agnel on piano and Michael Zerang on percussion. Recorded at Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago in April of 2023. Thanks to Bridge Sessions and Rogue Art labels, an ongoing series of live & studio sessions & workshops have taken place over the last few years with French musicians and musicians from the burgeoning Chicago Creative Music scene. French experimental pianist Sophie Agnel has already recorded on more than two dozen releases, working with John Butcher, Phil Minton & Martin Kuchen plus she has a formidable trio with the great British rhythm team: John Edwards & Steve Noble. Chicago drummer, Michael Zerang also keeps busy in a variety of groups like the Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet, the Chicago Plan and Sonic Communion. I recall Michael Vatcher telling me how much he enjoyed touring in a trio with Ms. Agnel and turntablist Joke Lanz last year. I reviewed their disc on Klanggalerie from last year (2023) which I thought was excellent.
This is a studio date and the sound is well captured and balanced. Both Ms. Agnel and Mr. Zerang use extended techniques so it is hard to tell at times who’s who. Ms. Agnel is muting certain strings inside the piano to give it an odd more percussive sound with Mr. Zerang also rubbing objects and using pieces of metal (cymbals, gongs, chains) to coax sounds. Some of the sounds here blend high end drones with eerie metal percussion, the vibe is somewhat eerie, a bit disorienting. If I hadn’t seen & heard so much improvised music live, I wouldn’t have a clue as to exactly what is going on here. Using the resonator pedal on a piano allows certain sounds to be expanded, a kind of natural reverb effect. Ms. Agnel does a fine job of carefully expanding her notes or sounds while Mr. Zerang also expands his sounds in similar sounding ways. As this disc unfolds, the sounds get stranger and more effective at creating an altered reality of odd sounds. The quieter sections have a sense of solemn mystery while there are sections which are a bit scary like not knowing what’s coming next. This is an all acoustic recording which has a way of evoking a series of odd spirits which keep popping up when you least expect them. The Relative Pitch label has a way of finding the sonic sweet spot where we are transformed from one reality to another. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
TREVOR WATTS with AMY & ROB LEAKE / MARCUS CUMMINS / COLIN McKENZIE / et al - The Lantern Tree (Jazz in Britain 73-S-CD; UK) Featuring Trevor Watts on alto & soprano saxes, percussion & compositions, Marcus Cummins on soprano & alro saxes, Amy & Rob Leake on tenor saxes, Geoff Sapsford on guitar, Gabriel Keene on piano, Colin McKenzie bass guitar, Ali Laazane on Moroccan percussion and Greg Leppard on drums. At nearly 85, British saxist, Trevor Watts, has had a long (around 70 years?!?) music career which has stretched across categories like from mainstream to out/jazz to more groove oriented trance-like musicians. Mr. Watts was a founding member of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Amalgam, the Moire Music Group and other more recent solo, duo and ad hoc group manifestations. Mr. Watts groups have moved from free (SME) to harmelodic (Amalgam) to trance-like (Moire Music) in nature over time, with more recent endeavors drawing from all three. For this disc, Watts has organized a seven piece band with two guest saxists. I only know of a couple of these players like Marcus Cummins (currently living in NY & playing at DMG on occasion), Colin McKenzie (bassist for Moire Music Group). After the Moire Group split up, Mr. Watts organized the Celebration Band (after the Moire Music group disbanded) which did include the Leakes and Mr. Sapsford. According to the notes here, Mr. Watts organized the Lantern Tree in 1999 and in 2000, was meant to accompany a dance troop for several concerts.
This disc was recorded live in January of 2000 for an event which took place in Hastings in the UK. Starting with, “A White Sail”, each piece has an infectious groove at the center. There are four saxes here with Mr. Watts soprano at the center of the swirling reeds. Mr. Watts writes orchestrally for the four saxes as they sail together and around one another. Often it is Watt’s soprano that leads with the other layered saxes playing in rich harmonies. Mr. McKenzie’s electric bass at the center of the groove, slamming along with the drums and Moroccan percussion. Watts slows down the groove on “Dancing Gods” and solos on soprano while the other saxes join him in a chorus, q & a like effect. The melodies, tight group work and solos are all down with Care and finesse. Instead of cheesy music to dance to, this is righteous, gleefully, music which casts a sweet spell of communication between humans. The way that Trevor Watts writes for the entire band shows how well his music has advanced over his seven decade music journey. This is a real gem on several levels. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
BOBBY WELLINS SEXTET with PETE JACOBSON / LOL COXHILL / ADRIAN KENDON / BRYAN SPRING / SPIKE WELLS - Homage to Caledonia (Jazz in Britain 67-S-CD; UK) Featuring Bobby Wellins on tenor sax, Lol Coxhill on soprano sax, Pete Jacobsen on piano & electric piano, Adrian Kendon on contrabass, Bryan Spring on percussion and Spike Wells on drums. Although I became an anglophile during the first British invasion of 1964 (w/ the Beatles, the Stones & the Animals), it was a wave of psych, pre-prog and experimental rock bands in 1967 that really opened many of us to the possibilities of going beyond the barriers that we thought existed during that era. Around 1969, a number of UK rock bands like Soft Machine, King Crimson, Nucleus, If and Manfred Mann Chapter Three evolved into using elements of modern jazz in their music. Becoming a fanatic for British Progressive Jazz/Rock, I had to go back and learn the history that led to a renaissance of progressive influences. It was then that I discovered the previous generation of British saxists: Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott and Don Rendell. During my ongoing research, I also discovered British saxists like Bobby Wellins, Don Weller, Dick Morrissey, Pete King, Tony Coe, Tony Roberts, Stan Sulzmann and Dick Heckstall-Smith.
I few years back I discovered two great unsung UK tenor saxists, Bobby Wellins and Don Weller. Mr. Wellins was actually Scottish and worked with Stan Tracey, Tubby Hayes and Charlie Watts Orchestra. It took me a while to find just a few of Bobby Wellins’ dozen records, and I am glad to finally hear his great sound. This disc features the “Culloden Moore Suite”, which was inspired by the Battle of Culloden Moor, a disasterish battle which took place in April of 1746. The piece was originally written for and played by the Bobby Wellins Quartet, which was expanded into a sextet for a tour in 1979. The liner notes here describe the battle at length and the way these events are captured in the music. The first four pieces are like intro to the suite and these are played by the Bobby Wellins Quartet. Pianist Pete Jacobsen was another legendary British jazz musician who rarely got the recognition he well deserved and was blind since he was a baby. The opening song has an uplifting, infectious quality which feels good to hear. Mr. Jacobson takes a long unaccompanied piano solo before the suite which is sounds like a long story being told. For the suite the quatet is joined by Lol Coxhill (on soprano sax) and Bryan Spring on percussion. The suite unfolds telling the story of the battle with an intro, a march, the battle and the aftermath. Although the recording is a bit muffled at times, the playing and vibe is infectious and inventive throughout. The legendary Pete Jacobsen takes a powerful electric piano solo on the “March”, before the both saxes play a well-written chamber jazz segment which becomes freer & more frenzied as “The Battle” takes place. “The Aftermath” has a solemn, post apocalyptic vibe and brings the story to a haunting conclusion. The final piece is called “Dizzy’s Blues” and it is indeed a blues with a joyous vibe flowing throughout. The Jazz in Britain continues to unearth under-recognized gems from the vast story of Creative Music making in the UK. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
MORE TREASURES FROM THE INTUITION REISSUES SERIES (In stock in the next 1-2 weeks)
OREGON with RALPH TOWNER / PAUL McCANDLESS / GLEN MOORE / MARK WALKER // THE GREAT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF MOSCOW RADIO - Oregon in Moscow (Intuition 33032; Germany) The formation OREGON has surely been well-known to most jazz and classical music enthusiasts. During the past 50 years of band history, Oregon has become a synonym for genre-crossing music of the finest. Emerging in 1970 from the legendary Paul Winter Consort, Oregon, right from the start combined elements of jazz with those of symphonic classical music and what is known today under the makeshift term "world music." If one takes into consideration that integrating musical elements from non-"western" cultures wasn't exactly common back then, this band's pioneering status is all the more clear. Despite their music defying classification Oregon have not only persevered until today, but they have also long become a legend of their own. In the late 90s the core trio - supported by the outstanding percussionist Mark Walker and star producer Steve Rodby - set out to realize an ambitious project which they had often thought about, but not yet put to action: an Oregon album accompanied by a symphony orchestra. After a long search - and with the tailwind of the Perestroika - Moscow was finally chosen - more specifically, the "Great Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio in the Name of Tchaikovsky", and the musically exemplary State Recording House of the GDRZ. Here, in June 1999, the 15 tracks of this double-album were recorded in just six days of recording. These tracks represent excerpts from the entire musical history of the band Oregon. This album was recorded strictly simultaneously, meaning that the band and the orchestra faced each other in the recording room and played the songs together. No overdubbing each other, no faking a relationship that wasn't there; just recording and mixing with the highest standards of quality. In this respect, "Oregon in Moscow" combines the best qualities of a live recording with those of a studio production.
2 CD Set $24
ACCORDION TRIBE with GUY KLUCSEVEK / LARS HOLLMER / MARIA KALANIEMI / OTTO LECHNER - Lunghorn Twist (Intuition 33892; Germany) 2006 is the 10th anniversary of the Accordion Tribe, a collective of five of the world's most distinctive and innovative contemporary accordionists: Bratko Bibic (Slovenia), Lars Hollmer (Sweden), Maria Kalaniemi (Finland), Guy Klucevsek (USA) and Otto Lechner (Austria). Individually, they are celebrated locally and internationally as adventurers in classical, jazz, folk and avant-garde music circles. Collectively, they have created a multi-dimensional new vehicle for accordion music exploration and entertainment, featuring solos and combinations, new compositions and collaborative arrangements. Accordion Tribe have recently enjoyed greater exposure with the release of the award winning documentary film Accordion Tribe - Music Travels. April 28th sees the release of the third Accordion Tribe album, Lunghorn Twist. Recorded in Lars Hollmer's Chickenhouse studio, Uppsala, Sweden in November 2005, "Lunghorn Twist" showcases the band at their most adventurous and eclectic. The five musicians convened with almost twenty new pieces, some in completed form, others in raw state. The band chemistry kicked in immediately upon arriving at the studio and the music gushed forth for ten days, taking unexpected twists, turns and directions. Over seventy minutes of music was eventually produced from the sessions. Lars Hollmer, in a super-human effort, spent over one month assembling, editing, mixing and preparing the album for final release. The result is the band's most challenging, compelling and brain-contorting music to date. In "Lunghorn Twist", the distinctive personality of each musician is clearly heard while various mixtures of personalities and styles in many of the pieces opens new windows to accordion exploration, in composition, arrangement and performance. The Accordion Tribe hereby presents one of the most fascinating, engaging and enjoyable accordion albums in the history of the instrument.
CD $15
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA - 57 Minutos Con La Realidad (Intuition 30792; Germany) The Argentine bandoneon master Astor Piazzolla did not live to see the completion of his final album. In 1989, shortly after recording some of the new material, he suffered a stroke, the consequences of which led to his death in 1992. These are gems that seem to capture mysterious night-time impressions between calm and frenzy. Before his death Piazzolla discussed details of mixing and editing with producer Kip Hanrahan; at Piazzolla's request, the torso is supplemented here with excerpts from one of his last concerts. Piazzolla's Testament would have been a concept album if he had still been able to play. But even in this form, it lacks none of the stirring urgency of the great "tango nuevo" composer.
CD $15
MORE RELEASES FROM THE LARGE ONGOING ILK MUSIC CD SALE:
JACOB ANDERSKOV AGNOSTIC REVELATIONS With CHRIS SPEED / MICHAEL FORMANEK /GERALD CLEAVER - Granular Alchemy (Ilk 195; Denmark) "This quartet brings together different threads in my production in a way I had dreamed about for some time. It draws upon the large-scale music I have composed for a.o. Anderskov Accident, and yet has a spirit and a kind of awareness also found in my smaller groups and in my solo work. The compositions here are all from a larger series of compositions with a metaphorical starting point concerning basic elements/ materials. (Other compositions from that series - a.o. Bone, Water, Wood & Soil - have found their way into the repertoire of other ensembles, and will probably appear on future albums). The album title (Granular Alchemy) refers to these materials, with a focus on partly their tactility, partly the mental concept of them in culture/religion & science over the millenia, and partly the possible chances of transforming the materials or the concepts of them through conscious or mystic human actions. It is an ongoing adventure to play this music with these musicians. I am grateful to be allowed to experience this." - Jacob Anderskov "Jacob Anderskov on piano & compositions, Chris Speed on tenor sax & clarinet, Michael Formanek on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. Over the past decade, pianist Jacob Anderskov has been one of the most prolific musicians to emerge from Denmark with more than 20 discs as a leader and collaborator. For this disc Mr. Anderskov has chosen an all-star American quartet with three musicians who have worked with Tim Berne at one time or another. This is their second disc together. Each of the pieces on this disc is named after basic elements in nature, "Sediments", "Sand", "Metal" and "Suite: Wind/Skin". The first piece is a sublime, hypnotic work featuring Speed's playful yet expressive clarinet with the piano-led rhythm team playing crashing waves underneath. Anderskov's piano solo is a pure, exquisite delight. 'Granular Alchemy' sounds quite a bit like the recent disc by Michael Formanek on ECM, which also features a quartet with the same instrumentation (except for tenor sax instead of alto). Still, this quartet does work extremely well together and sounds as if they have been playing for many years working as one solid creative force. When Mr. Anderskov gets his chance to stretch out, he shows how much of an expressive and creative pianist he really is." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD Sale $12
LOTTE ANKER With FRED FRITH/PHIL MINTON/IKUE MORI/GARTH KNOX/CHRIS CUTLER et al - What River is This? (Ilk Music 226; Denmark) Everything we've heard from Danish saxist Lotte Anker has been mainly improvised trios and duos, except for the Tim Berne disc that she is on, "Open, Coma". Ms Anker has worked in a number of strong players like: Craig Taborn, Gerald Cleaver, Herb Robertson and Sylvie Courvoisier. This disc, however, was composed for the Hudderfield Contemporary Music Festival. Some of these folks have worked together before: Frith & Cutler were once in Henry Cow and the Art Bears plus Henry Cow once toured with the Mike Westbrook band. which also included Phil Minton. The personnel consists of: Ms. Anker on alto, soprano & tenor saxes, Anna Klett on clarinets, Fred Frith on guitar, Garth Know on viola, Phil Minton on voice, Ikue Mori on electronics, Jesper Egelund on contrabass and Chris Cutler on drums. This disc came in a couple of months ago and I had to listen to it several times to figure out how it worked. The music sounds both partially improvised yet tightly directed in sections. Similar to the way a graphic score is balanced with some written parts. The texts come from two writers: Jorge Luis Borges and Danish poet Ursula Andkjaer Olsen. Mr. Minton's voice is used selectively, creating strange sounds and twisting segments of words into different voices. The music is often stripped down and filled with suspense-filled sections. Minton does a great job of sounding like several different characters in a strange play as he changes the sound of his voice(s). There is little if any soloing going on, but there is quite a bit of intense interplay between everyone. What I really dig about this disc is that once you hear it a few times, you see that an odd, sort of story appears as the piece evolves. The written sections are skeletal yet they add a central structure that takes some time to absorb. I had to concentrate on this disc in order to let it take over and take me away. Most successful! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD Sale $12
BEING with JESPER LOVDAL / BUTCH LACY / MARK DRESSER / KRESTEN OSGOOD - Playing (ILK Music 237; Denmark) Featuring Jesper Lovdal on alto flute, tenor sax & contrabass clarinet, Butch lacy on piano, Mark Dresser on double bass and Kresten Osgood on drums. I recall Mr. Lovdal from a half dozen previous discs on the Ilk label and working with Gunter Baby Sommer, Cuing Vu and Chris Speed. I know little about pianist Butch Lacy other than he is an American living in Denmark for more than three decades and has worked with Gary Bartz. Both San Diego-based bassist Mark Dresser and Danish drummer Kresten Osgood need no introduction since each can be found on dozens of discs, playing with many of the more important musicians from the creative music spectrum. Since free improv is now a universal language, we can hear the way musicians from varied backgrounds combine forces with strong results. The quartet take their time to explore and converse, slowly weaving several strands together, building into a spirited, unified blend. Parts of this are stripped down and filled with suspense. There is one duo piece for just the piano and contrabass which is superb as both of these folks work together so well. When Mr. Lovdal switches to flute on the last piece, the more mysterious side of the quartet takes over inventing a most hypnotic tapestry. This is high end improv at its best! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD Sale $12
TOMASZ DABROWSKI / NILS BO DAVIDSEN / ANDERS MOGENSEN - Tom Trio (ILK Music 193; Denmark) Featuring Tomasz Dabrowski on trumpet & balkan horn, Nils Bo Davidsen on double bass and Anders Mogensen on drums. For this disc, the great Polish trumpeter, Tomasz Dabrowski, organized his own trio with a couple of great, like-minded musicians. Danish bassist Nils Davidsen has also worked with Carsten Dahl, Soren Norbo, Rakalam Bob Moses and Bobby Previte. Drummer Anders Mogensen is busy as well working with Lovedale, Petter Wettre and Michael J. Stevens. No slouches here! "TOM Trio" is Tomasz Dabrowski's debut as a leader, a young polish trumpeter played an active part in jazz/improvised music scene in Denmark for the last couple of years and the international trio's release is presented by the danish ILK Records label. The disc presents 11 composed pieces, mostly in the concise and focused song - format, with hummable and likeable melody that manages to match the slavic romantic nature and the Scandinavian, nordic cool touch. The music shifts seamlessly between lyrical melodicism and edgy intensity, strong themes serve as a jumping point for incisive and insightful interplay. There's the dynamic drive of "The Wave" with the heavy bass riff and cutting trumpet solo as well as the slow and dark (slightly bluesy) "Buzz Wow" right next to it. Each tune has something to offer. "This Way Up" walks on the heavy low bass base. "Triangle" glides sofly in the shades, dark, brooding and mysterious. "After Jam" builds a momentum on a noir theme, which dissolves into thin air, with a nice bass solo (mastefull playing throughout the entire cd), accompanied by the subtle drumming and long horn tones that takes the lead afterwards for a brief solo line. The main theme returns, slowed down and re-arranged during a pristine, dynamic and tasty drums solo, densely filling the air with the thin resonance of the plates, until its edginess is back on full display, clear and sharp. Each of the 11 tracks on the album tells a short story filled with its dramaturgic twists and lines. If you like trumpet trios this cd is a valuable addition to your collection. The tunes are memorable and the playing is rich and colourful." - FreeJazz Alchemist
CD Sale $12
WOJTEK MAZOLEWSKI QUINTET - Beautiful People (NoPaper Records WMQ 009CD; Poland) Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet returns with a new, refreshed lineup with a new full-length album, Beautiful People. The album was recorded in December '23 at Polish Radio's S4 studio after a series of a dozen WMQ concerts in 2023. Buoyed by the wonderful reception in many cities and hungry for new sensations and sounds, the Quintet recorded this album while absolutely in full throttle. Beautiful People is a soulful album heading into the realm of contemporary spiritual jazz while maintaining WMQ's identity and Slavic tradition. The fresh material presents quality new energy, sound and composition of the band. Wojtek Mazolewski is a prominent Polish jazz artist known for his pioneering work in contemporary jazz. A virtuoso bassist and composer, Mazolewski blends traditional jazz with contemporary elements, delivering a mesmerizing and emotionally charged musical experience that has earned him enthusiastic reviews from All About Jazz, DownBeat Magazine, Kind of Jazz, and other publications. With a career spanning decades, he has become an icon in the Polish jazz scene, enchanting audiences worldwide with his fusion of classic and modern jazz styles. His live performances are renowned for their energy and captivating stage presence, providing a memorable and genre-defying jazz experience that has made him a celebrated figure in the global jazz community.
CD $17 / LP $30
FARM - Farm (Guerssen Records Guess 068CD; Spain) Originally released as private pressing in 1971, the Farm album is highly sought-after and revered by collectors. Recorded by this Southern Illinois band in 1971 at the legendary Golden Voice studios, it's chock full of jammy, bluesy guitar psych with heavy dual guitars, organ, congas, harp... Recommended if you like Quicksilver, Allman Brothers, Canned Heat, Ten Years After... Remastered sound; original artwork; includes booklet with photos and extensive liner notes by Kevin Rathert (It's Psychedelic Baby) "A vital album for fans of vintage guitar action." --Patrick Lundborg (Acid Archives).
CD $18
LP SECTION:
NOAH HOWARD with MISHA MENGELBERG / EARL FREEMAN / HAN BENNINK / JAAP SCHOONHOVEN - Patterns (Aguirre Records ZORN 091LP; Belgium) Classic free jazz album reissued for the first time since the '70s. Old-style Gatefold LP, with liner notes by Ed Hazell. Noah Howard, an alto saxophonist and composer, was known for weaving intricate and innovative musical patterns, often likening his work to "sound paintings." His 1971 album Patterns, the first LP he self-produced on his Altsax label, stands as a testament to his experimental and spiritual approach to music. In interviews, Howard frequently used visual terms like "patterns" and "shapes" to describe his compositions, emphasizing the importance of melody and structure even in highly improvisational settings. For Howard, patterns and melodies were essential to guiding listeners through his explorations without alienating them, maintaining a balance between innovation and accessibility. Howard's quest for an original sound was deeply influenced by jazz greats like Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, and Jackie McLean. While he admired these legends, Howard avoided imitation, striving instead to develop his own distinct voice. His sound was unmistakably his own, and he felt a deep obligation to carry the jazz tradition forward through personal expression, not by mimicking others. His music was also rooted in spirituality, a legacy he traced to his upbringing in the Black Baptist Church. He believed jazz had always contained a spiritual essence, from Louis Armstrong to John Coltrane, and his work aimed to channel this cosmic, spiritual energy. Patterns was recorded in the Netherlands during Howard's second stint in Europe, where he found a more open, less racially charged environment compared to the U.S. For the album, Howard collaborated with Dutch musicians such as Misha Mengelberg (piano), Han Bennink (drums), and Earl Freeman (bass). Despite the challenges faced by guitarist Jaap Schoonhoven, who felt out of place in the session, the album came together as a powerful mix of blues, jazz, and classical elements. The music on Patterns is a high-energy fusion of American free jazz and Dutch improvisation. Howard's saxophone work alternates between leading with passionate, lyrical lines and blending into the collective improvisation. The album's dynamic interplay, particularly between Mengelberg's dissonant piano clusters and Bennink's thunderous drumming, creates a vivid "sound painting" full of contrasting forms and colors. Patterns remains one of Howard's most unique and celebrated recordings, showcasing his visionary approach to jazz.
LP $34
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - I'm Not A Young Man Anymore (Live At The Gymnasium NYC)(VUAS 1967LP; Poland) Limited restock "April 30, 1967 recording of a performance at The Gymnasium (424 E. 71st St) in New York City. So its Velvet's White Light/White Heat period in full gloom. In fact, it contains the first public performance of 'Sister Ray' (it clocks 19:10"! ) and the previously unreleased songs 'I'm Not a Young Man Anymore' and the R&B number Booker T. Mastered form recently sourced tapes not comparable with any previous versions. Black vinyl edition. Gatefold sleeve audiophile vinyl bags."
2 LP Set $60
OAAGAADA - Music Of Oaagaada (We Jazz WJLP 062LP; Finland) Mysterious quartet Oaagaada has for some years been one of the best-kept secrets in the vibrant Finnish scene. Now, the band is ready to share their eagerly-awaited debut album on We Jazz Records. Oaagaada's music is "togetherness music" in the lineage and spirit of the great acoustic free jazz innovators, but always moving forward and developing on its own path. This music is far-removed from the sterile "contemporary hi-fi sounds" but it doesn't mean that it would be decidedly "lo-fi" either. Recorded at the band's home base, Hämeenlinna's Odd Funk studios, this is simply how Oaagaada sounds, and their album rendition is true to the band's much-loved live energy. Music Of Oaagaada flows naturally, with the opener "Oag-Ada Sweet" clocking in at mere 52 seconds, and the longform four-part Suite Tuli ("tuli" is "fire" in Finnish) heating up the entire side B of the LP. "Seagull Shapes", driven by the meditative sounds of the shruti box, makes for thrilling listening and echoes the spirit of the likes of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders without sounding that much like either of them. Live, Oaagaada is at home in acoustic settings which offer proximity and intimacy with their listeners. RIYL: Art Ensemble Of Chicago, ESP-Disk', Archie Shepp, Don Cherry.
LP $30
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ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE MUSICIANS OUT THERE, Around the world.
If you have a link for some music that you are working on and want to share it with the folks who read the DMG Newsletter, please send the link to DMG at DMG@Downtownmusicgallery.com
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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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