There comes a redeemer, and he slowly too fades away
There follow his wagon behind him and that's loaded with clay
And the seeds that were silent all burst into bloom and decay
And night comes so quiet, it's close on the heels of the day
Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world
And the heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own
Wake now, discover that you are the song that the mornin' brings
But the heart has its seasons, its evenin's and songs of its own
Sometimes we live, no particular way but our own
Sometimes we visit your country and live in your home
Sometimes we ride on your horses, sometimes we walk alone
Sometimes the songs that we hear are just songs of our own
Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world
And the heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own
Wake now, discover that you are the song that the mornin' brings
The heart has its seasons, its evenin's and songs of its own
Over the past few months, I’ve continued on my journey of listening to live Grateful Dead music, almost every night in my kitchen for an hour or so, in chronological order, before I go to bed. I have worked my way up to November 21st of 1973 (from December of 1965, when the Dead began). I still find joy and transcendence in singing and dancing along every night that I listen. Starting in late 1972 and early 1973, the Dead added seven new songs which appeared in their next studio record called, ‘Wake of the Flood’. I’ve come to really dig each of these songs after hearing them evolve many times over that year. Side B features three longer tracks, “Here Comes Sunshine”, “Eyes of the World” and “Weather Report Suite / Let It Grow”. These song are different for what the Dead had been doing earlier. Lyrically speaking, I like that Dead lyricists Robert Hunter, Bruce Barlow & Eric Anderson dip into American mythology to show the bigger picture of what unites our collective memory. For me, these three songs show some funky (like Curtis Mayfield), reggae (like Jimmy Cliff) and even a progressive influences (unlike anyone I can think of) in the way both guitars and band have to lock in to play some more challenging written parts which gone through some difficult twists and turns. Some folks complain that the Dead often/occasionally sing out of tune or play sloppily. I rarely hear things this way since at almost every concert they hit moments of transcendence. They work their way through around 50-60 songs on each tour, never playing any song the same way twice. Whenever they play certain songs in 1973 like “Dark Star”, “The Other One”, “Playing in the Band”, “Bird Song” or any of those newer more progressive songs, they often shine, soar and take us with them to another place. I’ve been making a series of best of tapes (cassettes) since I started my Dead journey in March of 2020, when the pandemic gave many of the time to pursue some often previously ignored interests. I was was up to tape # 80 and my cassette deck gave up the ghost. Oh well. I keep many of these tapes at the store and play them before I go home each night to wake me tired tush up and ready for my journey back to my apt in NJ. We’ve gotten even more donations in, in the past few weeks so again, thanks to you, our friends and supporters, who inspire us and make our journey better. Peace & Love from MC BruceLee
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THE DMG 34th ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
Tuesday, February 18th:
6:30: DAWOUD KRINGLE - Sitar
7:30: SAMANTHA KOCHIS - Flute / CONNOR BRYHN - Bass
8:30: BEN GOLDBERG - Clarinet / JOHN ELLIS - Tenor Sax / LUKE BERGMAN - Pedal Steel Guitar / SPENCER HOEFERT - Electric Guitar / HAMIR ATWAL - Drum
Saturday, February 22nd, The GAUCI-MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
6:30pm: SANDY EWEN - Prepared Guitar / BRANDON LOPEZ - ContraBass
7:30pm: STEPHAN GAUCI - Tenor Saxophone-Flute-Clarinet / PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums
8:30pm: JAMES McKAIN - Tenor Sax / CAROLINE MORTON - Bass / KEVIN SHEA - Drums
Tuesday, February 25th: Relative Pitch Records Presents:
6:30: CHUCK ROTH - Guitar / NATE WOOLEY - Trumpet
7:30: KELSEY MINES / ERIN ROGERS - Tenor & Soprano saxes
8:30: NATE WOOLEY / CHUCK ROTH / KELSEY MINES / CHUCK ROTH
Tuesday, March 4th:
6:30: KILLICK / HARVEY VALDES - Guitar Duo
7:30: TODD CAPP- Drums / JOHN HAGEN - Tenor Sax / KEN FILIANO - ContraBass
8:30: BASSMOSPHERE: Eli Asher, Caylie Davis, Thomas Heberer, Frank London, Jordan McLean - trumpets, Aaron Pond - french horn, Steve Swell - pocket trumpet/trombone, Westbrook Johnson - trombone & patrick brennan - cornet
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THIS WEEK’S SONIC GEMS BEGIN with MY GOOD FRIEND JAMES BRANDON LEWIS:
JAMES BRANDON LEWIS with JOSH WERNER / CHAD TAYLOR - Apple Cores (Anti 188102.2; USA) Apple Cores is the latest full-length album from New York tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, "one of the fiercest sounds in jazz today" (The Guardian) with a "penchant for unbound exploration" (Pitchfork). Informed by the rhythms and textures of hip-hop and funk while remaining rooted in jazz, Apple Cores was recorded with Chad Taylor (drums/mbira) and Josh Werner (bass/guitar) over the course of two intense, entirely improvised sessions.
The album takes it's name and intention from the column that poet and jazz theorist Amiri Baraka wrote for DownBeat in the 1960s. In addition to Baraka, the influence of another jazz giant looms mightily over Apple Cores: trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist, Don Cherry. In a testament to Cherry's influence over the music that the trio is playing, Lewis designed each song title as a cryptogram of sorts, making subtle references to Cherry's life and music. Apple Cores further cements Lewis as one of the provocative and prolific musical voices of his generation. It follows his breakthrough with JazzTimes' Album of the Year Jesup Wagon (2021), a dreamlike mosaic of gospel, folk-blues, and catcalling brass bands inspired by inventor George Washington Carver, and Eye Of I (2023), his joyous and exploratory debut for Anti.
CD $15 / LP $25 [In stock early next week]
WOLF EYES & ANTHONY BRAXTON - Live At Pioneer Works, 26 October 2023 (ESP-Disk 5089LP; USA) Formed 29 years ago (1996) by Nate Young, Wolf Eyes is currently a duo generally characterized as "noise," though they have called themselves "psycho jazz" (among other things). Extremely prolific, they have literally hundreds of releases and are a towering presence in underground music. Saxophonist Anthony Braxton was an early member of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) and has won a MacArthur and been named an NEA Jazz Master, though his work is hardly confined to jazz. He's also an extremely prolific recording artist, debuting on record in 1968. Braxton famously first heard Wolf Eyes at the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville and immediately bought all the band's CDs that they were selling that night; a year later, they made their first album together, Black Vomit (also a concert recording). Their new untitled album (calling it Live At Pioneer Works, 26 October 2023 is merely a way of helping people distinguish it from their other collaborations and to give it a vintage) is the third Wolf Eyes/Braxton release. The LP has no track titles or even side designations. ESP has tried to keep that same spirit in the other formats.
"Both parties clearly understand what the other stands for and adapt their approaches accordingly. Braxton purists are in for a solid headache, of course, but something really clicked between these artists, and it was all in good fun. As far as Wolf Eyes' discography goes, this is also one of their best-recorded albums." - François Couture, All Music Guide, regarding Black Vomit
CD $13 / LP $20
FOUR NEW DISCS FROM THE WONDERFUL RELATIVE PITCH LABEL:
SHELLEY BURGON / FRED FRITH - The Life and Behavior (Relative Pitch RPR 1202; USA) Featuring Shelley Burgon on harp and Fred Frith on acoustic guitar. Experimental guitar pioneer Fred Frith has released dozens of recordings both during and after the demise of Henry Cow in 1979. Of the many recordings the Mr. Frith has done, it is a rarity for him to play just acoustic guitar. The only other disc to feature his acoustic playing is/was ‘Clearing’ (Tzadik, 2001). I recall when harpist Shelley Burgon moved to MYC in the early aughts and recorded three discs with bassist Trevor Dunn. Ms. Burgon also worked with Anthony Braxton and played in bands like Stars Like Fleas and Family Dynamics, both of whom have recordings that I’ve never heard.
This disc was recorded in May of 2002 and in March of 2005 at Guerilla Recording in Oakland, California, when Mr. Frith was teaching at Mills College. Mr. Frith is a master of using an assortment of effects on his electric guitar so it is interesting to hear his just playing acoustic with little of no effects. “Memory Lane” is a lovely intro piece, with the guitar and harp both playing similar chord/melodic fragments. On “Every Word I Say”, it sounds like Frith is running the body of his acoustic guitar with a wet finger to give it an almost vocal quality with Ms. Burgon is tapping on the strings and/or body of her harp with her hands or an mallet or other similar object. What’s interesting about this recording is that the sound of the acoustic guitar and acoustic harp are quite similar so that is hard to tell them apart at times. On “Skipped a Beat”, someone is coaxing a drone, perhaps an ebow is being used on either or both instruments? Even without an effects, the duo is able to create ethereal, dream-like sounds which have a way of altering on reality as we listen. Each of the 12 pieces here creates a different mood as if we are moving through different scenery within or outside of our imaginations/view. Much of this music is on the quieter side of things, much different what many of us expect from Mr. Frith. Still, the music is also adventurous, thoughtful and consistently engaging as well. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
JACQUELINE KERROD / JOE MORRIS - Morpeth Contemporary 2024 (Relative Pitch RPR 1222; USA) Featuring Jacqueline Kerrod on harp and Joe Morris on guitar. Over the past decade or so Joe Morris has been collaborating a number of former & current students of his both in concert and for recordings. Mr. Morris own label, Glacial Erratic, has released a handful of recordings from these collaborations. I am unsure if Ms. Kerrod is/was a former student or not but I did find that she also did a duo project with Anthony Braxton in 2018, as well as working with percussionist John Hadfield. The music here was recorded at a gallery called Morpeth Contemporary in Hopewell, NJ, in May of 2024, hence the title of this disc. Although this is a live recording, the sound is superb, warm and clean. What’s interesting is that both Ms. Kerrod and Mr. Morris often sound like one another in the way they pluck the strings of their respective instruments. Hence, it is hard to tell them apart at times. The music here is actually quite lovely, rather majestic sounding. At times, things become dense and rather intense. Joe Morris has a unique of caressing, bending and striking his strings, allowing certain notes to buzz. Although Mr. Morris is most likely the elder on this recording, both musicians are well integrated and play with clarity, resourcefulness and focused abandon. Over time, I’ve heard a few harpists who play with extended techniques like Zeena Parkins, Carol Emanuel and Shelley Burgon. Ms. Kerrod seems to go even further in exploring a variety of ideas or techniques on her harp. Her playing is often astonishing and she is a perfect match for the a longtime master improviser like Joe Morris. Outstanding on several levels. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
BRANDON LOPEZ with ZEENA PARKINS / MAT MANERI / CECILIA LOPEZ / DoYEON KIM / GERALD CLEAVER / TOM RAINEY - nada sagrada (Relative Pitch RPR 1204; USA) Featuring Brandon Lopez on bass, Zeena Parkins on electric harp, Mat Maneri on viola, Cecilia Lopez on electronics, DoYeon Kim on gayageum, Gerald Cleaver & Tom Rainey on drums. This set/disc was recorded live at the Vision Fest at Roulette in June of 2023. Over the past decade or so, contrabassist Brandon Lopez has become of the busiest, most dependable and most creative bassists to emerge from the Downtown Network. Two recent duos with Kriton Beyer on daxophone and Max Johnson on bass were both extraordinary sets. Although Mr. Lopez plays often live and has numerous recordings, he doesn’t often lead his own ensembles, preferring to do this for special occasions. Mr. Lopez has put together a unique seven piece ensemble for this set which features several senior members of the Downtown Scene: Zeena Parkins, Mat Maneri, Gerald Cleaver & Tom Rainey, all great creative spirits, players, composers & bandleaders. The other two members are Cecilia Lopez who is Brandon’s marital partner & who has worked with him on several occasions and DoYeon Kim, who plays gayageum (a/k/a kayageum), a Korean stringed instrument similar to a koto. Ms. Kim can be heard on recording with Joe Morris and Agusti Fernandez.
The title of this disc, ‘nada sagrada’ translates to “nothing is sacred”. For myself, Creative Music is the most sacred of all human endeavors. Right from the opening sounds, the musicians are closely mic’d and the balance is just right. bowed bass, Mr. Maneri’s ever present bent note viola, gayageum fragments, electric harp fractures, spooky electronics and both drummers swirling together and apart. Although the music sounds free, there sounds like something, a direction perhaps, is helping the musicians to navigate an organic sounding flow. Although this music might be fully improvised, it often doesn’t sound that way since there is a thread which holds it together. Both Gerald Cleaver and Tom Rainey are amongst the best drummers of the longtime Downtown Scene, both are immensely creative at doing a wide variety of rhythmic inventiveness. Here, they often lay back and play more orchestrally, never overplaying or overwhelming their ensemble mates. There are several wild cards here, Mat Maneri, Zeena Parkins and Cecilia Lopez, seem to weave their wares in select places. If you listen closely, you will hear some surprising twists and turns. Nobody takes any solos here, this is more about ensemble playing. A solid and inspired date for all concerned players. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
JIM HOBBS and TIMO SHANKO - The Depression Tapes (Relative Pitch RPR 1221; USA) Featuring Jim Hobbs on alto sax and Timo Shanko on contrabass. Both Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Shanko are members of the Fully Celebrated Orchestra, mainly a Boston-based free/jazz trio that has been around for nearly three decades. Both of these musicians have also collaborated with Joe Morris on several recordings as well. One of the things I like most about Jim Hobbs is that he has long developed his own tone and unique way of playing his alto sax. The first sound we hear, is Mr. Shanko’s warm, tasty contrabass. This is a wonderful duo and I can tell that they’ve been playing together for years as they are well-matched. Mr. Hobbs has a tone somewhere between Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy, yet the way he bends certain notes shows his distinctive sound/approach. On “Departure”, Shanko bows and plays a with a solemn tone while Hobbs let his notes cry out and reach deep into an emotional wave. For “The Shield”, Mr. Hobbs keeps bending and twisting certain notes, each note or sound closer to a vocal-like cry, weighing the feelings inside and expressing a rather disorienting animal-like spirit/force. When Hobbs lays out, Shanko’s bass takes over and adds a sense of calm balance which feels fine, speeding up, slowing down and always touching our hearts at the same time. Shanko himself takes a few short bass solos which are indeed highlights, he is also reaching deep and exposing his passion and inventive spirit. One of the main things I like about this disc is that this is a strong duo and don’t really a drummer to complete their sound, which is consistently solid and inspired. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
NORTHWOOD IMPROVISERS with DOMINIC BIERENGO / DONAVON BOXEY / JACK O’BRIEN / MIKE JOHNSTON / NICK ASHTON - Fanfares (Entropy Stereo 022; USA) Featuring Dominic Bierenga on tenor, alto & soprano saxes, Donavon Boxey on alto & soprano saxes & melodica, Jack O’Brian on cello & bass, Mike Johnston on bass & wood flutes, Nick Ashton on drums & percussion and Mike Khoury on violin & viola (on 2 tracks). The Northwood Improvisers (NWI) were originally an acoustic/ethnic/multi-instrumental trio from Michigan who formed around 1976 with two members, Mike Johnston and Nick Ashton, who have been with them since the beginning. The NWI have released around two dozen recordings, nine with legendary Detroit saxist Faruq Z. Bey (who passed in 2012) and the rest with occasional guests like Mike Khoury, Dennis Gonzalez, Mike Carey and Skeeter Shelton. Starting with their previous release ‘Raft’ from 2021, the NWI have added to fine saxists to their frontline: Dominic Bierenga and Donovan Boxey, who also have an obscure duo recording from 2017, which I have never seen or heard of until now.
This disc was released in 2023 and the Northwood Improvisers released just one more offering, ‘Kuthuhlpa’ from last year (2024). This disc begins with a Don Cherry song called “Luna Turca”, which can be found on a rare Cherry album called ‘Om Shanti Om’. This intro goes straight into “Ground Swell”, another of those infectious groove tunes that the Northwood Improvisers specialize in creating. This song was written by saxist Donovan Bierenga and what makes this group sound so great is the way both saxists play together, a joyous vibe rings throughout. “Anointed: from David to Christ” features some superb flute and soprano sax playing above a churning, modal, hypnotic bass line. Although it is the great groove which makes this so alluring, there are some simmering strings (cello & violin) which add even more sly magic to the piece. “Swamp Birds” features more sublime wooden flute and lush tenor sax, the vibe is most haunting. Faruq Z. Bey’s “Fanfare of A.J.”, has both saxes playing its difficult theme tightly together before each sax plays their inspired solos. My favorite piece here is called, “Hymn for Dennis Gonzalez”, Mr. Gonzalez was an amazing Texas-based trumpeter who recorded with the Northwood Improvisers in 2009 and sadly passed in March of 2022. This piece was co-written by Mr. Gonzalez and NWI’s Mike Johnston. Mr. Johnston’s deep bass playing is at the center of this hymn-like work. The solemn vibe simmers through this long work reminding me of the sadness I felt when I heard of Dennis Gonzalez’s passing. We were old friends and he was one of nicest, warmest folks I’ve met plus he was a wonderful musician whose two sons, Stefan and Aaron still play great music in his honor today. The last piece, “In Fields”, features more great sax work from both reeds players. Although it starts off quietly, it soon leaps into a freer section with burning saxes riding on top. This powerful conclusion sounds just right for this special Spirit Jazz treasure. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
FARUQ Z BEY & NORTHWOODS IMPROVISERS With MIKE CAREY / SKEETER SHELTON / MIKE GILMORE / MIKE JOHNSTON / et al - Emerging Field (Entropy Stereo 019; USA) Emerging Field marks the sixth release of Faruq Z. Bey with the Northwoods Improvisers on the Entropy Stereo label. This release finds the group exploring rhythm and space in a broader sense than previous offerings. Faruq Z. Bey, Mike Carey, and Skeeter Shelton create thoughtful space and intricate conversations in their horn lines evoking a relaxed and passionate response with a solid blues focus. Mike Johnston and Nick Ashton root the group with their sound rhythmic foundation. The track "Mokondi" brings out the strength of this rhythm section. Mike Gilmore floats in and out of the music with vibes and marimba reminding one of some of the fantastic work of the late Walt Dickerson. Among the highlights are Carey's arrangement of Ornette Coleman's "Beauty is a Rare Thing," and Mike Johnston's "Tenere".
CD $15
MARK KIRSCHENMANN - Tonics: Seven Melodies for Trumpet with Bamboo Mouthpipe (Infrequent Seams 1069; USA) Mark Kischenmann is a “PhD, whose pioneering live electric trumpet performances are internationally acclaimed, is a composer, performer, and scholar of creative improvisation.” - from Discogs. I hadn’t heard of trumpet virtuoso/explorer Mark Kirschenmann before this disc arrived a couple of weeks ago. I was most intrigued since Mr. Kirschenmann is playing a four valve pocket trumpet (on the cover) with a a double bamboo reed instead of the normal trumpet mouth piece. Mr. Kirschenmann is accompanied by an ensemble of strings, percussion, voices and prepared piano, yet none of the other musicians are listed anywhere on this disc. As the ensemble creates a buzzing drone cushion, Mr. Kirschenmann plays his slightly altered trumpet on top. The music has an ancient, older classical sound (somewhat baroque), rather majestic and somewhat transcendent. The music behind the trumpet is often sparse making every note or sound count. The blend between the slightly odd sounding trumpet and the accompaniment is something else. A distinctive balance between the ancient and the modern and it works. On “Downtempo Nocturne” the trumpet is accompanied by a restrained yet haunting percussion ensemble. The percussion is slow, solemn and somewhat melodic. “Fairlight” is a type of synthesizer and the title of track 5, so this might be what is being used on this piece. The synth sound is pretty close to the sound of the trumpet on this piece with some occasional swirling synth sounds floating in and out. On “Episodes in Blue”, the trumpet is backed by a distant chorus and pizzicato strings, a nice combination. For the final piece, "Vulnerable Yet”, the trumpet sounds more like a flute and is backed by a dark undertow. Since I listen to so little pre-20th century music, I can’t really compare this music to anything I usually hear. It take a bit of getting used to but I am glad to hear some thing different from my usual sonic meal. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
NEW FROM THE HAT-EZZ-EZZ-THETICS LABEL: These will be in stock with a week so please pre-order now
CECIL TAYLOR UNIT with JIMMY LYONS / ALAN SILVA / JEROME COOPER / SUNNY MURRAY - Live At Fat Tuesday's February 9 - First Visit Archive (Hat Ezz-Ezz Thetics 101; Switzerland) A superb and extended live performance from 1980 at NYC's Fat Tuesday jazz club, from the outstanding sextet of forward-thinking free improvisers, Jimmy Lyons on alto sax, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Alan Silva on double bass & cello, Jerome Cooper on drums & African Balaphone and Sunny Murray on drums, led by Cecil Taylor on piano in an ecstatic concert never previously released.
CD $18
CECIL TAYLOR UNIT with JIMMY LYONS / ALAN SILVA / JEROME COOPER / SUNNY MURRAY - Live At Fat Tuesday's February 10 - First Visit Archive (Hat Ezz-Ezz Thetics 111; Switzerland) The 2nd night of the superb, extended live performance from 1980 at NYC's Fat Tuesday jazz club, from the outstanding sextet of forward-thinking free improvisers, Jimmy Lyons on alto sax, Ramsey Ameen on violin, Alan Silva on double bass & cello, Jerome Cooper on drums & African Balaphone and Sunny Murray on drums, led by Cecil Taylor on piano in an ecstatic concert never previously released.
CD $18
ALBERT AYLER with DON CHERRY / GARY PEACOCK / SUNNY MURRAY - 1964 Recordings First Visit Completed (Hat-Ezz-Ezz-Thetics 2-105; Switzerland) Four sets of recordings from September, 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark from a week performing live at Club Montmarte, and a recording in Hilversum, The Netherlands for VARA Radio, collecting and remastering these vital recordings from tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler's most vital free jazz quartet with Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on double bass and Sunny Murray on drums.
2 CD Set $20
ANTHONY BRAXTON - Solo Bern 1984 First Visit (Hat-Ezz-Ezz-Thetics 103; Switzerland) Thirteen years after his breakthrough solo saxophone album For Alto, Anthony Braxton is heard in an inventive solo concert on the same instrument, performing at the Altes Schlachthaus Theatre in Bern, Switzerland for a set of original numbered compositions, the standards "Alone Together" and "I Remember You", and two Coltrane pieces: "Giant Steps" and "Naima".
CD $18
STEVE LACY THREE with BARRY WEDGLE / JEAN-JACQUES AVENEL - Live Lugano 1984 - First Visit (Hat Ezz-Ezz-Thetics 110; Switzerland) Recorded live in Lugano in 1984, Steve Lacy's trio with guitarist Barry Wedgle and bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel reimagines his compositions in an intimate and transparent setting, where Lacy's masterful soprano saxophone carves precise yet expressive lines, drawing on influences from poetry, Monk, and visual art to create a striking balance between structure and improvisation.
CD $18
AMANOJAKU with TATSUYA YOSHIDA / SATOKO FUJII / NATSUKI TAMURA - Bishamonten (Magaibutsu MGC-73; Japan) Emerging from an improv session during the pandemic, Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), Satoko Fujii (piano), and Tatsuya Yoshida (drums) formed Amanojaku, named after the contrarian demon of Japanese folklore, embracing a balance of composition, improv and mischievous interplay with a uniquely Japanese sensibility through virtuosic spontaneity and irreverent humor, captured live at Koen-dori Classics.
CD $17
JEAN-JACQUES BIRGE / CORINNE LEONET with LINDSAY COOPER / BALANESCU STRING QUARTET / DEE BRIDGEWATER / HENRI TEXIER - Sarajevo (Suite)(L'Empreinte Digitale 13039; Quebec, Canada) A profound 1994 GRRR label release, Sarajevo Suite is a conceptual collaboration produced by Jean-Jacques Birgé and Corinne Léonet, featuring a global assembly of jazz and experimental artists-including Lindsay Cooper, Henri Texier, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the Balanescu Quartet-crafted to support Bosnian war victims.
CD $16
JEAN-JACQUES BIRGE with ALEXANDRA GRIMAL / SYLVAIN KASSAP / EVE RISSER / EDWARD PERRAUD / JULIEN DESPREZ / et al - Pique-nique Au Labo (GRRR 2031-32; Quebec, Canada) Jean-Jacques Birgé invited 28 improvising musicians to the studio to perform in duos and trios, the theme for each of the 22 recordings chosen just before each recording, with noted performers including Birgé himself, Sophie Bernado, Pascal Contet, Julien Desprez, Jean-Brice Godet, Alexandra Grimal, Sylvain Kassap, Edward Perraud, Eve Risser, &c.
2 CD Set $18
SPIRITUAL JAZZ 17 with ELVIN JONES / DAVE PIKE / NATHAN DAVIS / JEF GILSON / GEORGE GRUNTZ / ALBERT MANGELSDORFF / JOACHIM KUHN / et al - Spiritual Jazz 17 (Jazzman Records 146; UK) "High quality music to be enjoyed by many people all around the world, no matter where they are." - Andreas Brunner-Schwer, MPS Records. The German SABA and MPS family of labels extended this sentiment to include music from musicians all around the world, no matter where they were from -- and here on Spiritual Jazz 17: SABA/MPS, Jazzman explores that very theme. Throughout the '60s and '70s both labels released a wealth of music from a wealth of international jazz musicians coming from both North and South America, Europe, the Caribbean and the Far East. The aim was to release jazz that was exciting, innovative and interesting, regardless of style: there was swing, blues, bop, avant-garde, fusion -- and spiritual jazz. Plurality became a defining feature and the immense breadth of their output made both SABA and MPS worthy European counterparts to American imprints such as Blue Note and Impulse. On Spiritual Jazz 17: SABA/MPS Jazzman features, among others, international contributions from Americans Elvin Jones, Nathan Davis, and Dave Pike, Europeans Pedro Iturralde, Jef Gilson, and George Gruntz, and the Japanese Hideo Shiraki. The extensive liner notes outline the history of the SABA and MPS labels, and go some way to explain the spirit and philosophy behind the long-standing record company and the musicians who bore their souls to the recording process. Friedheim Schulz, who oversaw many of the sessions, has fond memories: "These guys had ideas, they had their special thing, it was the time when there were lots of ideas and new sounds and what have you, and [SABA proprietor] Hans Georg was always of the mind that people should do their own kind of music. So he gave them the chance to record and then he would just put out the albums and that was it! The musicians would really play what they wanted to play." Their great legacy is a lineage of music that has transcended the fatigues of time, and Jazzman has picked prime examples from the SABA and MPS catalogues to uphold its own legacy in the long-running series of Spiritual Jazz. Also featuring Tony Scott and the Indonesian Allstars, Albert Mangelsdorff Quartet, Orchester Roland Kovac, Fritz Pauer, and Joachim Kühn Group.
CD $16 / 2 LP Set $34
MULATU ASTATKE & HOODNA ORCHESTRA - Tension (Batov Records BTR 103CD; UK) Ethio-jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke joins the Hoodna Orchestra, Tel Aviv's number one Afro funk collective, melding his enchanting vibraphone playing with their brass heavy force across original compositions that play tribute to the classic Mulatu sound while forging fresh paths. Produced by and featuring Dap-King Neal Sugarman, the results are gritty, yet majestic, soulful and uplifting. Mulatu Astatke requires little introduction at this point. Born in Jimma, Ethiopia, Mulatu went on to live and study in London, Boston and New York. Initially drawn to and trained in jazz and Latin music, he developed the sound he called "Ethio-jazz" over a series of seminal albums combining jazz, Latin, funk and soul, with traditional Ethiopian scales and rhythms. Long a cornerstone of the Ethiopian recording industry, his albums and even guest appearances were long sought after by record collectors and music enthusiasts around the globe. Formed in 2012 on the south side of Tel Aviv, the 12-member Hoodna Orchestra is a collective of musicians and composers who initially bonded over a shared love of Afrobeat. They have gone on to incorporate psychedelic rock, hard funk and soul, jazz, and East African music into their sought-after releases, winning praise and airplay from the likes of Iggy Pop and Huey Morgan on BBC Radio 6 Music. The collective draws together a huge array of musical talents such as guitarist Ilan Smilan and organist Eitan Drabkin of Sababa 5 fame, Shalosh trio drummer Matan Assayag, and percussionist Rani Birenbaum of The Faithful Brothers, many of whom also contribute compositions to the orchestra, ensuring its collaborative environment. Over time, members of the orchestra came to find they shared a growing interest in Ethiopian music, particularly the Ethio-jazz of Mulatu Astatke. One can imagine the band slowly marching out of the venue through the crowd at the end of their show, the audience clapping in time with the orchestra's brass and percussion, recalling another legend, the late great Sun Ra. On one hand, Tension is clearly a deeply personal tribute by the Hoodna Orchestra to iconic Mulatu Astatke, but at the same time the recordings emit a remarkable amount of chemistry, and together they have created an essential addition to Mulatu's rich discography that charts new directions in his Ethio-jazz trajectory and provides the Hoodna Orchestra with their strongest album to date.
CD $19 [we listed the LP version last month, the CD version just arrived at our distributor this week]
THE SEA OF WIRES - The Sea Of Wires (Cold Spring Records 345CD; UK) The Sea Of Wires were a very early '80s electronic duo hailing from the industrial wastelands of Coventry. Followers of the German electronic scene of the time (Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, Popol Vuh, Cluster etc), Chris Jones and Tony Murphy used elements of Kosmische Musik in their compositions, with a variety of warm synths, analogue effects, and layered experimentation. This double-CD collects cassettes which appeared on their own Sea Of Wires label: Individually Screened (1980, then 1981 on the famous Flowmotion label); Chris Jones' Diversions (1981, featuring Murphy on synth); and Beyond The Edge Of Tomorrow (1982), representing the absolute peak of their sound. These tracks appeared as a double LP on the illustrious Vinyl-on-Demand label back in 2014 as part of the massive 12LP boxset 80's Minimal Synth. Wave Vol.2, but are presented here on CD for the first time ever. FFO early Human League, Vice Versa, We Be Echo, Tangerine Dream. Double CD in a matt-finish gatefold ecopak.
2 CD Set $20
CHILDREN OF THE MUSHROOM - Children Of The Mushroom (Out-Sider OSR 109CD; Spain) With only one 45 released back at the time, Children Of The Mushroom epitomized the psychedelic-garage sound coming out from California in the late '60s. Formed in Thousand Oaks by Jerry McMillen and Dennis Swanson, they evolved from a mid-'60s teen-beat band called The Captives. In 1967, they became Children Of The Mushroom, a name which reflected their new psychedelic sound and image. The following year, they caught the attention of a couple of young producers, who signed the band for a 45 release. Recorded in 1968 for Soho Records, "August Mademoiselle"/"You can't erase a Mirror" is one of the masterpieces from the first psychedelic era: feedback, fuzz, organ, and mysterious vocals. Soon after, the band incorporated a new guitar player, shortened their name to The Mushroom and started playing in a more heavy-psych vein, in a similar style to Iron Butterfly. This retrospective album includes both tracks from their monster 45 with sound taken from the masters plus previously unreleased tracks by The Mushroom, recorded in 1968. These are raw, lo-fi home recordings (some of the tracks were recorded in a real garage!) with lot of fuzz guitar and organ. It's the sound of a psychedelic band in 1968 playing free and wild, without any producer or record label executive telling them what to do. An incredible document. CD version includes two newly discovered bonus tracks: fantastic live renditions of the two songs from their 45 recorded at a band reunion in 2006.
CD $18
ILK MUSIC CONTINUING CD SALE:
STEFAN PASBORG with MIKKO INNANEN / LIUDAS MOCKUNAS / et al - “Free Moby Dick” (ILK Music 194CD; Denmark) Considering that this is subtitled “Interpreting Six Standards from the History Book of Rock ’N’ Roll” It felt a bit perverse for me to tackle this review given that many of these songs are tunes I don’t often reach for these days (Led Zeppelin, Stones) or am not as big a fan of (White Stripes, Tom Waits). That said; thankfully the interpretations and arrangements are creative, engaging and take enough liberties to be compelling and earn repeat listens.
The interpretations range from faithful to playfully abstract where the main riff is used as a focal point for extended improvisation - Led Zep’s - “Out In The Tiles” (sic) being a romping example of taking the spirit of the song and quoting from big band swing and free jazz as much as blues rock. Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” takes the foundational heavy metal song and turns it into a delightfully grinding marching band dirge with the mellow sax blowing on the bridges providing some breathing room amongst the heaviness. The surprising standout for me the quartet’s take on Tom Waits’ “Johnsburg, Illinois” which they extend by a few minutes and somehow improve on this beautiful ballad.
From Stefan Pasborg’s CD liner notes: “In 2011 I was offered to be 'Artist-in-Residence' at Jazzhouse in Copenhagen, and early on I decided to present six new and unique constellations to the club. I decided to name one of the constellations "Free Moby Dick" (a free and abstract name-twist of the big "rock n' roll whale" known as Moby Dick, with a little hint in direction of quite bad american B-movies about locked up whale lookalikes) in which the dogma should be to ONLY perform tracks from the history book of rock 'n' roll within a free approach. Therefore I invited three of my favorite European musicians to join the fun, and decided to record the outcome of that "experiment" - The result is this record!” - Rich Mudge for DMG
CD $12
MATT CHOBOTER - Postcards of Nostalgia (Ilk Music 344CD; Denmark) Postcards of Nostalgia” sonically re-imagines the solo acoustic piano. It playfully explores the “sounds between the notes”. Inspired by LaMonte Young and John Cage and sounding like Eve Risser and Benoît Delbecq, Choboter uses a newly invented tuning system, magnetic preparations and ethereal electronics to evoke subliminal landscapes between post-jazz, ambient electronic and Balinese Gamelan music.
The album invites one to reflect into the deep past whether on a personal or collective scale. On a personal level, the music reflects on Choboter’s travels to various places. On a collective scale, “Postcards of Nostalgia” might describe the awe-inspiring Upper Paleolithic cave art.
CD Sale $12
BANDAPART with SOREN KJAERGAARD / JAKOB BRO / JONAS WESTERGAARD / JEPPE GRAM - Bandapart (Ilk Music 103; Denmark) Bandapart features Soren Kjaergaard on Wurlitzer piano & loops, Jakob Bro on guitar & vocal, Jonas Westergaard on bass and Jeppe Gram on drums. This Bandapart CD was released in 2004 and is/was co-led by Danish keyboardist Søren Kjærgaard and Danish guitarist Jakob Bro. Since that time, both Mr. Kjærgaard and Mr. Bro have recorded more than a dozen discs as leaders or co-leaders, as well as numerous side person projects. Danish bassist Jonas Westergaard also keeps pretty busy and is listed on nearly two dozen discs on Discogs. Danish drummer Jeppe Gram has two discs as a leader but can be found as a bandmember for more than a dozen projects.
Mr. Kjaergaard wrote most of the songs on this disc except for two by Mr. Bro and two by Mr. Gram. Beginning with “Truckdrive”, the quartet is playing a laid back groove piece with smokey electric piano and mellow Bill Frisell-like guitar. “Home” is even more restrained, moving in sparse, slow motion with the el piano and guitar playing the theme together. The music here is a bit too bland for my tastes although I can see how some listeners can appreciate this mellow groove music rather than anything too far out. On a few of these pieces, that smokey, dreamy, simmering quality does provide a more calming vibe than most of the other more outside discs that I usually review. - BLG at DMG
CD Sale $10
LP SECTION:
JOHN BLUM QUARTET with MARSHALL ALLEN / ELLIOTT LEVIN / CHAD TAYLOR - Deep Space (Astral Spirits AS 240; USA) Featuring John Blum on piano, Marshall Allen on alto sax & EWI, Elliott Levin on tenor sax & flute and Chad Taylor on drums. Recorded 12/14/2021 at Rittenhouse, Soundworks, Philadelphia, PA. Consider this: avant sax legend, Sun Ra Arkestra bandleader since 1996, Marshall Allen will turn 101 in May of this year (2025)! Mr. Allen has been a member of the Arkestra since 1956, almost 70 years in the same incredible space-age/avant & ancient jazz big band. Unbelievable but true! Since becoming the Arkestra bandleader after the passings of Sun Ra and John Gilmore, Marshall Allen has also a long career as a sideman for a variety of other projects. One of those projects has been an occasional band with another Philly legend, Elliott Levin, a fine tenor saxist, flutist & poet, who has been in number of great bands like Iltar, Taka-Iki, New Ghost, Cecil Taylor Orchestra, Odean Pope Sax Choir and many others. Part-time NY drummer Chad Taylor has been one of the best and busiest drummers in NYC. I recently caught Mr. Taylor shipping up a rhythmic storm for two night with Larry Ochs, Nels Cline & Trevor Dun at The Stone and both nights were just incredible. Pianist John Blum is at the top of the heap of brutal free/jazz pianists, his playing is often powerful and even scary at times! He doesn’t record that often and some studios are afraid that he will destroy their pianos!?!
This LP starts with Marshall Allen’s EWI (electronic valve instrument), which often reminds me of Sun Ra’s synth playing. Soon the tenor sax, piano and drums join in with everyone swirling intensely together. On the second piece, “Electromagnetism”, Blum plays his intense fractured piano as both Mr. Allen al alto & Mr. Levin on tenor play their own fractured note torrents. Allen’s EWI kicks off “Gravity Well” while Blum whips up a storm on the piano and Mr. Taylor also provides an intense, ritualistic, pounding rhythmic flow. Mr. Blum, who is often known for his beyond intense piano playing, takes his time here which gives this album an easier to deal with organic yet cosmic sound. On the last piece on Side A, both Elliott Levin on tenor and Marshall Allen on alto sax launch off into the Sun Ra like heavy duty bent-note barrage for some short blasts. Side B is one long piece called “The Aether”. Both Mr. Blum and Mr. Levin studied and played with piano legend Cecil Taylor and we can hear some of his influence here, fractured yet focused and often breathtaking in power and Creative Free Spirits. Mr. Blum has a unique of playing piano, spinning out furious lines and erupting intensely at times. Rather than having an entire LP of beyond believe intensity, as many of Blum’s previous records have, this one is more well-balanced and extraordinary on several levels. I know there a number of Free Jazz Freaks out there just like me who need this sort of Free/Intensity/Creativity. This is The Sh*t!!! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
LP $20
FRANCOIS TUSQUES / SUNNY MURRAY - Intercommunal Dialogue 1 & 2 (NI-VU-NI-CONNU LP 014/015; France) A historic reunion captured live at Le Triton in Les Lilas, France, in 2007, bringing together pianist François Tusques and drummer Sunny Murray for the first time in decades to renew their blues-infused, avant-garde dialogue, blending percussive exploration, evocative dedications, and rich improvisation that honors their shared history while forging new sonic landscapes.
2 LP Set $35
QUARTETO NOVO with HERMETO PASCOAL / AIRTO MOREIRA / et al - Quarteto Novo (Jazzybelle JB 001LP; France) First reissue in 25 years of the Brazilian jazz holy grail, licensed from Universal Music Brazil. A mix between traditional music of northeast Brazil, bebop, jazz, and folk to create an organic sound. Featuring Hermeto Pascoal, Airto Moreira, Theo De Barros, and Heraldo Do Monte. Quarteto Novo only released one album, yet they number amongst one of the more influential acts in Brazilian music. Originally set up as a "Trio Novo" by a pharmaceutical company who wanted a live band at an event, they were then picked up by Geraldo Vandré (who was, at that time in 1966, the winner of a Brazilian music popularity competition) for a tour of the Brazilian northeast. After the tour, the trio -- comprised of a very young Airto Moreira (percussions), composer, solo artist and soundtrack composer, producer and arranger Theo de Barros (bass and subsequent guitarist) and Heraldo do Monte (guitar) who also went on to have a fairly successful career -- was joined by multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal. Recorded in 1967, this was the first album for Airto, and it was a hugely influential release -- mixing the traditional music of northeast Brazil with bebop jazz and folk. Quarteto Novo emphasized northeastern Brazilian music and acoustic instruments for an "organic" sound. This first reissue in 25 years of this holy grail is a must for any lover of Brazilian jazz, samba and folk music. Jazzybelle is a new label launched by Olivier Rosset (founder of Chronowax) and Elvin Pagiras, from Modulor (key French distributor who are also behind renowned reissue labels We Want Sounds and Le Très Jazz Club). Jazzybelle will be focused on Brazilian musical gems, but not exclusively.
LP $35
BOOK & MAGAZINE SECTION:
ALICE COLTRANE - Monument Eternal (Delmonico Books 9781636811567; USA) 192 pages. "Edited with text by Erin Christovale. Foreword by Ann Philbin. Text by Franya J. Berkman. Interviews by Ashley Kahn, Erin Christovale. Rashid Johnson, Cauleen Smith and others pay tribute to a truly extraordinary figure in 20th-century American jazz. This volume unpacks the cultural legacy of musician, spiritual leader, wife and mother Alice Coltrane. Accompanying the eponymous exhibition at Los Angeles' Hammer Museum, the book takes its title from Coltrane's 1977 autobiography and devotional text, Monument Eternal, in which she reflected on her newfound spiritual beliefs and the path to healing and self-discovery. Coltrane was 'ahead of her time,' as her son, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, says: she was 'one of the first people to move outside the mainstream, and certainly one of the first female, Black, American jazz musicians to record her own music in her own studio, and to release music on her own terms.' Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal explores themes including spiritual transcendence, sonic innovation and architectural intimacy. The project juxtaposes works from 19 contemporary American artists with pieces of ephemera from Coltrane's archive -- including handwritten sheet music, unreleased audio recordings and rarely seen footage -- to honor her cultural output and practice. Alice Coltrane was born in Detroit in 1937 and took up music at an early age, beginning piano lessons at seven years old. In 1967 her husband, saxophonist John Coltrane, gifted her a harp, on which she went on to record seminal albums including Journey in Satchidananda and A Monastic Trio, making her one of the very few harpists in the history of jazz. Coltrane moved to Southern California in 1972 and founded the Sai Anantam ashram. She lived and worked in Los Angeles, where she died in 2007 at age 69. This book was published in conjunction with Hammer Museum."
Book $53 [192 pages / 2.75 pounds]
JOE McPHEE - Straight up, Without Wings: The Musical Flight of Joe McPhee (CvsD 126BK; Chicago, USA) In Straight Up, Without Wings, Joe McPhee surveys sixty years in creative music. Starting with his trumpeter-father's influence and formative years in the U.S. Army, McPhee recounts experiences as a Black-hippy-cum-budding-musician based in upstate New York, perched at an ideal distance from Manhattan's free jazz demimonde of the 1960s and its loft scene of the 1970s. A natural storyteller, revealing never-told tales and reveling in the joys of noise, McPhee puts the influence of -- and encounters with -- Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Albert Ayler into the context of an independently-minded young player, ravenous for experience, dealing with the crucible of racism, seeking to break out beyond the bounds of a regional Hudson Valley scene that he knows like the back of his hand. The memoir draws forward through thrilling passages in Europe and across the United States, as McPhee gains momentum, as his music becomes the impetus for multiple record labels, as he collaborates with figures from Peter Brötzmann to Pauline Oliveros, and as he eventually goes on to inspire musicians far and wide. Written as an oral history, deftly conducted by Mike Faloon to preserve McPhee's unique narrative voice, Straight Up, Without Wings includes "reflections" by eight musicians from across the protagonist's rich history. Photography: Ziga Koritnik, Ken Brunton, John Corbett. First printing, edition of 1000. 166 pages. Dimensions: 8.5" x 6" x .5".
Book $34
WE JAZZ MAGAZINE - We Jazz Issue 13 Winter 2024: Zoning (We Jazz WJMAG 013; Finland) All articles presented in English. Includes "Mary Lou Williams" by Anton Spice, "Tomeka Reid" by Michael Mikesell, "Horace Silver" by Seymour Wright, "Wind Up & Julius Eastman" by Marc Medwin, "Esmond Edwars at Prestige" by Francis Gooding, "Contemporary Ethio-Jazz" by Nathan Hamelberg,
"Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp" by Phil Freeman, "Arooj Aftab" by Rob Garratt, "John Surman" by Bret Sjerven, "Punk Jazz with Benjamin Herman" by Danny Veekens, "Discaholic Column" by Mats Gustafsson, Odysseus Festival 2024 photo report, reviews, and more. 128 pages, 170 x 240 mm in size and printed on 140g Edixion paper with laminated 300g Invercote covers.
Magazine $30 [128 pages]
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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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JOHN ZORN - Hermetic Cartography at the Drawing Center- Feb 7th - May 11th, 2025:
John Zorn’s ‘Hermetic Cartography’ will be accompanied by a series of musical performances curated by Mr. Zorn that will be performed in the exhibition. Performances will be held from 7:30 - 9pm on the first Saturday of each month (March - May, 2025) and will be free and open to the public. The Drawing Center is located at 35 Wooster Street, in Soho in Manhattan, NYC. Website: https://drawingcenter.org
Known predominantly as a groundbreaking figure in New York’s avant-garde and experimental music scenes, John Zorn has long been celebrated for his radical innovations in music. However, his abstract drawings—a private language of symbols and notations—have remained a closely guarded secret. Offering profound insight into Zorn’s creative mind, Hermetic Cartography reveals a new dimension of his artistic practice by showcasing works on paper that span seven decades of his visionary engagement with mark-making, improvisation, and the esoteric.
The exhibition includes a diverse array of Zorn’s visual artworks, graphic scores, dense philosophical notations, abstract poetry and artist books, and not only highlights Zorn’s radical approach to marks on paper but also his unique Theatre of Musical Optics and other experimental projects. By exploring these visual elements, the exhibition provides a new perspective on how Zorn's abstract works intersect with and inform his musical compositions.
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THE STONE RESIDENCIES / URI CAINE / FEB 12-15
2/12 Wednesday
8:30 pm - DUOS: Uri Caine (piano) Steve Wilson (saxes)
2/13 Thursday
8:30 pm - SOLO - Uri Caine (solo piano and electronics)
Original pieces and some Zorn Bagatelles.
2/14 Friday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Uri Caine (piano) Mark Helias (bass) Ben Perowsky (drums)
2/15 Saturday
8:30 pm - “The Passion of Octavius Catto"
Barbara Walker (vocals) Uri Caine (piano) Mike Boone (bass) Ben Perowsky (drums)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / MATTHEW SHIPP / FEB 19-22
2/19 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Matthew Shipp solo piano
2/20 Thursday
8:30 pm - Matthew Shipp (piano) Rob Brown (sax)
2/21 Friday
8:30 pm - Matthew Shipp (piano) Michael Bisio (bass)
2/22 Saturday
8:30 pm - Matthew Shipp (piano) Newman Taylor Baker (drums)
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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HONK NYC!, Barbès and Loove Labs present
Frank London: Music of Love and Resistance
Saturdays in February, 2025
at Loove Annex
238 N 12 Street,
McCarren Park in Brooklyn
Weekly Performances featuring London w/ Powerhouse Lineups
Sliding Scale Ticket Prices Start at Under $20
February 15 - Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars
Eleanor Reissa, Michael Winograd, Brian Drye, Ron Caswell Aaron Alexander
February 22 - Polka Loca
Erica Mancini, James Nadien, Lynn Ligammari, Ron Caswell Michael Winograd
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NEW VIDEOS from GUITAR MASTER HENRY KAISER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAWxt3EJSPw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcvoYygehqE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-6p_Q2Dwxc
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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