We were waiting for the end of the world
Waiting for the end of the world, waiting for the end of the world
Dear Lord, I sincerely hope You're coming
'Cause You really started something
Things got back to normal as the train began to roll again
We got to the station about twenty minutes later
The legendary hitchhiker says that he knows where it's at
Now he'd like to go to Spain or somewhere like that
With his two-tone Bible and his funny cigarettes
His suntan lotion and his castanets
He was waiting for the end of the world
Waiting for the end of the world, waiting for the end of the world
Dear Lord, I sincerely hope You're coming
'Cause You really started something
And then the bride, the groom, the congregation and the priest
All got onto the train when we were three stations east, yeah
Hiding from a scandal in the national press
They had been trying to get married since they stole the wedding dress
You may see them drowning as you stroll along the beach
But don't throw out the lifeline till they're clean out of reach
Waiting for the end of the world
Waiting for the end of the world
Waiting for the end of the world
Last night I went to Easton, PA to catch a performance by Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve. Ever since receiving a copy of his debut album, ‘My Aim is True’ (along with Talking Heads’ 77 & Television’s ‘Marquee Moon’), I’ve been a big fan. Although I was mainly a jazz and prog snob during my years at college (1972-1976), it was musicians like Neil Young, Little Feat, Pere Ubu and a handful of so-called New Wave bands that got me back into rock music again in 1977. For me, Elvis Costello was one the greatest songwriters of that period and I bought every record he made and caught every tour for many years. His first five albums are still essential listening, his songs, his lyrics, his sarcastic attitude were/are all something to marvel at for anyone who felt that they were not being treated fairly. I still buy his records although I haven’t heard one in awhile that knocked me out like his early ones. I have also continued to check him out live from time to time and he has never let me down in concert. I hadn’t heard him live in several years and last night was interesting but not what I expected. I recognized about 2/3 of the songs he played, although he has reworked many of them in odd ways. Elvis played several acoustic and electric guitars while Steve Nieve switched between piano, organs, synth, melodica and some electric keyboards which I couldn’t identify. Similar to Bob Dylan, who often reworks his old songs until they are (almost) unrecognizable, Elvis also reinvented most of his songs so it took awhile to get used to or just figure out what each song was. Mr. Costello was often considered to be an angry young man, his lyrics often capturing the ongoing fight between the opposite sexes. He is also a talented wordsmith, something I’ve long admired about him as I consider his lyrics. Later in the evening Mr. Costello commented that many of his songs were about the women who had done him wrong. He mentioned that he broke as many hearts as women had also done to him and that he was going to do a song that was more honest about relationships. For a long time, I’ve been attracted to the spirit of revenge/equal justice that is found in the songs of Richard Thompson and Elvis Costello. That early venom has subsided by now but that the words to many of those early songs still nails certain feelings just right. He did the above song last night which I feel is somewhat apt right now. It does feel like we are all waiting for the end of the world to take place. I am still an old hippy with the soul of a punk so I can relate to the animosity found in these words. - A toast to Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve, two old heroes still stirring up the cauldron of emotions we all share. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
*****
THE DMG 34th ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE FREE MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
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: JOHN HAGEN - Tenor Sax / KEN FILIANO - ContraBass / TODD CAPP- Drums
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
*******
CREATIVE NEW MUSIC THIS WEEK COMES FROM THESE RECORDING ARTISTS:
PAINKILLER with BILL LASWELL / JOHN ZORN / MICK HARRIS - The Equinox (Tzadik 9319; USA) The Equinox is the exciting follow-up to PainKiller’s acclaimed 2024 release Samsara, and this time around there is greater variety and flexibility in their approach. Sixtracks of various feels and tempi are performed with trademark Painkiller intensity, with jazz, metal, noise, grindcore, techno, and more coming together into the PainKiller gristmill. Inspired by the magickal procedures of Aleister Crowley, this new recording is filled with great melodic, rhythmic, and textural invention. Almost orchestral in its layered complexity, The Equinox is an exhilarating masterwork from three radical and uncompromising forces of nature.
CD $16
JOHN ZORN // ERIK FRIEDLANDER / MICHAEL NICOLAS - The Bagatelles vol. 2 - Erik Friedlander and Michael Nicolas (Tzadik 5212; USA) From March to May 2015, John Zorn composed 300 new tunes that were eventually collected into a book of music he called The Bagatelles. After five years of performances around the world in venues large and small, the choicest ensembles have gone into the studio and the results are some of the most exciting and varied music Zorn has ever presented. The second volume features the telepathic interplay of two of the most important cellists working today—Erik Friedlander and Michael Nicolas. Touching, sensitive and deeply heartfelt, this is a further view into the world of Zorn’s Bagatelles.
CD $18
IKUE MORI - Of Ghosts And Goblins (Tzadik 4053; USA) Lafcadio Hearn is an author who spent much of his life researching, documenting, and preserving the ancient folk tales of Japan. He published a series of books in the late 19th and early 20th century including In Ghostly Japan, Kwaidan, and Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan. Inspired by these evocative stories Ikue captures a glimpse of these mysterious ancient myths, summoning Fox-women, insects, ghosts, goblins, dreams, and delusions. This charming collection of instrumental miniatures is some of her most beautiful and sensual solo music to date.
CD $14
URI CAINE // BRUSSELS PHILHARMONIC / DAVE LIEBMAN / JOHN HEBERT / DJ OLIVE - Agent Orange (Winter & Winter 910 286-2; Germany) Featuring Uri Caine - piano & composition, Dave Liebman on soprano & tenor saxes, John Hebert on contrabass, DJ Olive on electronics with the Brussels Philharmonic. Longtime Downtown/Philly-based pianist/composer/arranger Uri Caine has been producing a large number of successful records for the Winter & Winter label. Around half of these releases are tributes/rearrangements to popular classical composers like Mahler, Beethoven & Gershwin. The other half of these releases have Mr. Caine working with string quartets, various jazz outfits and improvised duos & trios. Mr. Caine was commissioned by the Brussels Jazz Festival to compose a piece for orchestra and four improvisers, celebrating the turmoil that went on around the world in 1968 when there were political assassinations and violent protests in the streets around the world. The theme of this work is a reaction to the first Trump presidency, a dark time for many of us aging boomers and all other sane & intelligent humans around the world.
Agent Orange was a chemical herbicide which was used in the Vietnamese war by the US military, exposing four million people and causing great harm to the Vietnamese people as well as our own troops. The title of this work, ‘Agent Orange’ refers to President Trump and the calamities that his first presidency got us all into. Each piece is named after one of these calamities/situations. “Premonitions” is first and it has the orchestra playing some harrowing (Penderecki-like) music with the soloists interweaving on top. Dave Liebman’s soprano sax soars splendidly on top while Uri Caine’s exuberant piano dazzles underneath and the bass rumbling on the bottom. There are no lead vocals or words used to express anything specific here, it is just the music and song titles to convey what inspired each piece. All of the ten pieces are continuous, flowing righteously one into the next. If one didn’t know the name of this work and/or the name of each piece, they wouldn’t know what inspired this work. Yet what makes this so effective is that the music itself is strong, thoughtful, spirited, inventive and does evoke layers nightmarish twists and turns. There is a woman laughing and then twisting her voice throughout “Fine People on Both Sides” which somehow sounds creepy. As a symphonic work, I find this piece to be consistently fascinating. Bravo to Uri Caine, the other soloists and the Brussels Philharmonic. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
URI CAINE // BARBARA WALKER / CATTO FREEDOM ORCHESTRA / NEDRA NEAL SINGERS / PHILADELPHIA CHORAL ENSEMBLE / et al - The Passion of Octavius Catto (Winter & Winter 910-269-2; Germany) Last week (from 2/12 to 15/2025), pianist & composer Uri Caine played four nights at The Stone. He left us with a handful of his newer CD’s from the award-winning Winter & Winter label. On Saturday of last week, Mr. Caine had a quartet who did a tribute to civil rights activist Octavious Catto. The set featured vocalist Barbara Walker, a jazz/blues/soul singer from Philly, who was the highlight of the set. This disc is a larger version of this piece and features Ms. Walker on vocals, Uri Caine on piano, Mike Boone on bass and Clarence Penn on drums with the Cato Freedom Orchestra, the Philadelphia Choral Ensemble & Nedra Neal Singers.
Octavius Catto was a fascinating figure (2/22/1839-10/10/1871) who worked hard to end slavery and uphold civil rights black Americans during his short but productive life. Each of the ten pieces describes a different important event in Mr. Catto’s life. The “Prologue” is an introduction to the life of Mr. Catto and features a large vocal chorus with Ms. Walker’s spirited voice up front. Uri Caine’s impressive piano is featured on “The Mob Burns Down Pennsylvania Hall…”, as is the passion-filled orchestra music. On “No East, No West”, Ms. Walker’s feisty voice sails over the rest of the chorus, the overall effect is powerful. Even better is “The Philadelphia Streetcar Protests”, which has some impassioned singing from Ms. Walker and a vibe of strong resistance against racist activities from streetcar conductors at the time. One of the best things about this disc is Ms. Walker’s powerful singing. She sounds a bit like Aretha Franklin and I admit that I really love her voice and singing. Catching here live last week was a real treat for me and others in attendance at the gig we attended. Considering what is currently going on in the US, it is heartening to hear creative music which confronts the hypocrisy which we all have to deal with every day. On October 10, 1871, Octavius Catto was attacked and murdered on his way to vote, the court absolving the man who killed him. The murder and the aftermath are well portrayed in the music here giving us a chance to consider our still unjust justice system. This disc does a fine job of outlining and celebrating the life of a true American Freedom Fighting Hero named Octavius Catto. Due to reading the ongoing bad news every day (written 2/20/25) and listening to this disc, I have mixed feelings about the future of the USA. A toast to all of those who resist the way that fascism, racism and division have taken over our lives. Resistance is essential for any hope of the future. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
STEVE LEHMAN with MARK TURNER / MATT BREWER / DAMION REID // ANTHONY BRAXTON - The Music of Anthony Braxton (Pi Recordings 106; USA) Featuring Steve Lehman on alto sax, Mark Turner on tenor sax, Matt Brewer on contrabass and Damion Reid on drums. Recorded live at ETA in Los Angeles in June of 2023. I recall when the Arista/Freedom label released two albums by Anthony Braxton, ’New York, Fall 1974’ and ‘Five Pieces 1975’ and being completely blown away by both records. There was nothing quite like either of these albums and I recall thinking that they were Mr. Braxton’s debut records. It turns out that Braxton already had more than a dozen records on different labels like Delmark, BYG, America & ECM. I’ve been a big Braxton fan ever since and still search for each of his many (over 300) releases. Mr. Braxton has also been a professor at several colleges, inspiring and working with many of his former students. Saxist/composer Steve Lehman is one of his former students & collaborators. Mr. Lehman pays tribute to Mr. Braxton here by playing five of his compositions, as well as composing a few in the Braxton style, as well as covering a song by Thelonious Monk, another of Braxton’s inspirations.
For this session, Mr. Lehman works with the same rhythm team he’s used on numerous previous discs, Matt Brewer and Damien Reid, plus another talented/popular saxist Mark Tuner, who has more than a dozen discs as a leader or co-leader. This disc begins with Braxton’s “34a”, an early repeating phrase piece which predates Braxton later Ghost Trance Music by several decades. On this piece, the bass keeps playing the quick repeating line over and over, breaking up the flow at certain points. Mr. Lehman takes a solo here which features some of those jagged lines that Mr. Braxton still uses in his own playing. Mr. Lehman’s own “L.A. Genes” features a blending of those Braxton-like jagged lines with an M-Base-like frenzied rhythmic interaction. Braxton’s “40b” starts off with a spirited bass solo and then breaks into another zigzagging theme played by both saxes. There is quite a bit of strong back and forth soloing between both saxes which provides for some astonishing interaction. “23b 23g” comes from the aforementioned early Braxton Arista/Freedoms albums and still sounds fresh and invigorating 50 years later. “23c” also comes from ’New York, Fall 1974’, which I haven’t listened to in a long while after hearing it over and over when it was first released. So good to hear it again plus this quartet does a fine job playing this challenging piece and altering it a bit due to their own styles or playing abilities. Lehman’s “Unbroken and Unspoken” sheds a light on Braxton’s own composing style/sound by using some of the same lurching, shifting rhythmic lines and twisting them somewhat. Mr. Braxton covered Monk’s classic song “Trinkle Tinkle’ on an album called ’Seven Standards’ from 1985. The version here starts with just the two saxes spinning their lines tightly around one another before they break into the theme. I dig this disc since the quartet do a fine job of shining a spotlight on Anthony Braxton’s early composing and playing and bringing it forward by putting their own unique spin upon it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
SERGIO ARMAROLI QUINTET with ELLIOTT SHARP / STEVE PICCOLO / JOHN EDWARDS / MARK SANDERS - Introducing a Very Heavy Person - First Visit (Hat Ezz-Thetics 114; Switzerland) Featuring Sergio Armaroli on vibes, Elliott Sharp on guitar & soprano sax, Steve Piccolo on speech & electronics, John Edwards on contrabass and Mark Sanders on drums. Italian vibesman & percussionist, Sergio Armaroli has been recording since 2012 and has some forty plus releases out (most on the Dodicilune label) playing with Fritz Hauser, Giancarlo Schiaffini and Harri Sjöström. More recently Mr. Armaroli has two trio discs with Elliott Sharp and Steve Piccolo (original member of the Lounge Lizards), both on the now defunkt Leo Records label. Although Steve Piccolo was the first bassist for the Lounge Lizards, he has since been working as a vocalist & playing electronics, moving to Italy many years back. For this session, that trio is joined by the great British rhythm section of John Edwards and Mark Sanders, both of whom have worked with Evan Parker and Paul Dunmall.
The session here was inspired by a radio play conceived by beat poet Kenneth Patchen and composer John Cage. Things begin sparsely with Piccolo’s calm voice and skeletal bass & vibes underneath. Although the spoken words are used minimally, they still paint a picture or set a scene to consider in our imaginations. The rest of the quintet often erupt with Mr. Armaroli’s vibes fueling whatever direction they go. It’s nice to hear E# playing some soprano sax, an instrument he plays on rare occasions. The band takes off on “Rubber Boots” with the soprano sax & vibes playing some intense interaction as the rhythm team also soars together. Mr. Piccolo just recites one line (with subtle eerie electronics in the distance) which sets the stage for the vibe of the piece, rather like a voice from a detective novel. On “Iron Scaffolding”, the group slows down to a sparse, suspense-filled space. “20 Scratchin Pencils” actually swings with a good groove led by the vibes and a spirited noisy guitar solo by E#. Each of the dozen pieces here evoke a different vibe or mood as the quintet explore different combinations of free form improv which seems to be directed at times. There is an unlikely combination of musicians from different scenes or backgrounds but it does work well. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
ECLECTIC MAYBE BAND with GUY SEGERS / MICHEL BERCKMANS / CECILE BROCHE / MICHEL DELVILLE / DIRK WACHTELAER / TATSUYA YOSHIDA / et al - Cosmic Light Clusters (Discus 188CD; UK) Featuring Guy Segers - bass, samples & virtual instruments, Cecile Broche violin, Michel Delville on guitar, Dirk Wachtelaer on drums, Tatsuya Yoshida & Sean Rickman on drums, Michel Berckmans on oboe, etc. This is a Belgium-based ensemble with four previous discs on the Discus label starting in 2018. There are some 29 musicians utilized here although I only recognize around a half dozen names: leader Guy Segers (from X-Legged Sally), Cecile Broche (played here at DMG with Lou Grassi), Michel Delville (Wrong Object), Tatsuya Yoshida (from Ruins), Sean Rickman (from the Steve Coleman Band) and Dirk Wachtelaer (from Phantom City).
The pieces here were either written by Guy Segers or are collective improvisations or both combined and often with a dozen or more players involved. It hard to tell the collective improvisations from whatever is written or directed as all of this music sounds focused and purposeful. “Nebuleuse” has what sounds like haunting strings and horns swirling together. On “Cratere”, Mr. Seger’s bass is at the center of a series of swirling lines with a trumpet quietly soloing in the distance and flute(s) also soloing on top. Belgian violinist Cecile Broche, who has played here at DMG on a couple of occasions, is featured on a few of these pieces and sounds great. Each piece evokes a different vibe, somewhat dark and unsettling with what sounds like someone directing the flow. On a piece called “Hypnopedie”, there are three women spoken word vocalists who are used more subtly, more sparsely. My favorite piece here is called "Bottle Opener" and it is somewhere in between prog and great fusion. Challenging written ensemble sections which keep shifting directions and tempos. I am listening to this disc for the third time and on each listen, I hear more interesting combinations of sounds. All of the pieces sounds like they are connected, the inner story will be revealed after a few more listens no doubt. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
JAMES MAINWARING / DAVE KANE / EMIL KARLSEN - The Exu (Discus 182CD; UK) Featuring James Mainwaring on saxes, Dave Kane on double bass and Emil Karlsen on drums. Leeds, UK-based saxist James Mainwaring has worked with UK pianist John Law, as well as a handful of other more obscure British jazz groups. I know British bassist Dave Kane from his work with Paul Dunmall and Dave Stapleton. Drummer Emil Karlsen has worked with the London Improvisers Orchestra as well as in a trio called Tern with Philipp Wachsmann. All of the songs on this disc were written by Dave Kane or James Mainwaring. On “Riddle Me This”, Mr. Mainwaring has written a piece which switches between the main theme and a more skeletal section. The trio strips things down on “84B”, the tenor sax playing every note slowly, the vibe simmering softly, carefully. There is a thoughtful drum solo here, spacious and well-crafted. I like that this music is not too far out, no screaming or abrasive intensity. It is still adventurous on a more subtle level with occasional freer flights of fancy which evolve from more modest beginnings. On “Waffles”, the trio starts to got a bit further out during the sax solo yet still play the written parts in a more calm way. Starting with “That’ll Do It”, the trio start to push things further and freer while weaving some structured sections in and out. Mainwaring sounds like he is playing a soprano sax on “The Field Next to the Road”, again the trio playing with some skeletal structure. “Kurt (for Kurt Cobain)” has Mainwaring playing bari sax over a cool, somewhat punkish groove with a fine squealing sax solo midway. Kurt Cobain was the frontman for Nirvana, the great Seattle punk trio. This piece shows another side to this avant/jazz trio which I do like. On “Bug Glass” the trio picks up the tempo for another punk-like groove, the saxist going further out as he stretches each note in a frenzied sound. This is not an over-the-top Free/jazz trio blasting up a storm but much more well-paced and thoughtfully executed throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
HISTORIC RECORDINGS, REISSUES and RESTOCKED GOODIES:
THE TRIO with JOHN SURMAN / BARRE PHILLIPS / STU MARTIN plus MIKE OSBORNE / ALAN SKIDMORE /CHICK COREA / et al - Incantations (Esoteric Eclec 28635; UK) The Trio features John Surman on baritone & soprano saxes & bass clarinet, Barre Phillips on contrabass and Sty Martin on drums. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a remastered 2 CD anthology comprising all the recordings made for the Dawn label by the ground-breaking Progressive Jazz ensemble, The Trio. Coming together in 1969. All three musicians had earned fine reputations for excellence in the Jazz world and had a desire to push musical boundaries in their work and had a desire to appeal to the emerging "progressive" music scene. Performing on bills with rock acts such as Captain Beefheart and Yes, The Trio signed to Pye Records' newly formed progressive imprint, Dawn Records in 1970. Their self-titled double album was produced by Peter Eden and released in July of that year. Aimed squarely at a progressive audience, The Trio was critically acclaimed. The 1971 album Conflagration saw the three musicians joined by a host of celebrated musicians for the sessions at Pye Studios in Marble Arch, London. Notable guests included Chick Corea, Dave Holland, John Marshall and Mark Charig among others. This new 2 CD anthology has been re-mastered from the original Dawn Records' tapes and includes a booklet with an essay by Sid Smith featuring exclusive interviews with John Surman, Barre Phillips and producer Peter Eden.
“I bought a copy of the double Trio album when I was living in London & attending college in the fall of 1975. Three albums I bought, which were all released in 1970, are the Crown Jewels of British Progressive Jazz from that era: Soft Machine ’Third’, Keith Tippett Group’s ‘Dedicated to You But You Weren’t Listening’ and The Trio’s self-titled 2 LP debut. John Surman has long been my favorite baritone saxist and is in a class of his own. Both of those Trio albums are astonishing, Free Cosmic Music at it's very best! I’ve played these albums over & over & over and they still completely blow my mind! There is also a third session included here called ‘Conflagration’ in which the trio are joined by the cream British Out/Jazz giants which is also just incredible. If you do not already own these, then grab them quickly before they disappear once more.” - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $21
DON CHERRY // KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI With THE NEW ETERNAL RHYTHM ORCHESTRA with MANFRED SCHOOF / ALBERT MANGELSDORFF / PETER BROTZMANN / WILLEM BREUKER / GERD DUDEK / PAUL RUTHERFORD / KENNY WHEELER / et al - Actions (Intuition INT 3606-2; Germany) ‘Actions’ was recorded live in 1971 at Donaueschingen and features the "New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra" (especially assembled for this project to perform under the direction of Krystzof Penderecki and Don Cherry). The Orchestra were a veritable who's who of the then emerging European Free Jazz scene; Peter Brotzmann, Willem Breuker, Paul Rutherford and Han Bennink, plus Terje Rypdal, Kenny Wheeler and Tomasz Stanko are all in evidence.
These must have been very heady days indeed when 'serious composers' like Stockhausen and Penderecki could find a common ground with jazz players like those above. For whatever reasons the Classical composers were finding that their interests and working methods (structured improvisation, graphic scores, conduction and gesture as composition) were overlapping with like-minded musicians from an altogether different area, that of free jazz.
Meanwhile Don Cherry had come out from under the shadow of his mentor Ornette Coleman to spearhead the influence of the new found freedom (particularly in Scandinavia), whilst at the same time letting different folk musics seep into his musical DNA. So it should be little surprise to hear echoes of Turkish folk and classical Indian rhythms on Cherry's pieces ("Sita Rama Encores") interspersed with explosive passages of 'energy' playing.
The Penderecki piece ("Actions for Free Jazz Orchestra") explores the balance between composition and improvisation in a less playful yet no less meaningful way. Drones and extended techniques such as overblowing (which explore a concern with timbre) sit alongside brass chords which hang in the air as well as 4/4 walking bass. Apparently influenced by the Original Globe Unity Orchestra piece of 1967, "Actions" often sounds more overtly 'jazz' than that group; there are episodes that showcase the explosive playing of guitarist Terje Rypdal and saxophonist Brotzmann that will make your hair stand on end.
Sadly Cherry has passed on, and Penderecki's promised further pieces for the group didn't materialise. That said, the combustible influences that shaped both pieces are still relevant today and find echoes in the work of Butch Morris and myriad others. Oh, I've almost forgotten to say, (amongst all this talk of structure and influence) this is still damn fine music of any stripe that can be enjoyed without any prior knowledge of its participants whatsoever. Heady days indeed. - Ian R Watson, BBC.Co.UK
CD $15
SUN RA with JUNE TYSON / JOHN GILMORE / MARSHALL ALLEN / DANNY DAVIS / DANNY RAY THOMPSON / WALTER MILLER / MICHAEL RAY / ELOE OMOE / CRAIG HARRIS / DALE WILLIAMS / DAMON CHOICE / RICHARD RADU WILLIAMS / MICHAEL D. ANDERSON / JAMES JACSON / EDDIE THOMAS - Lights on a Satellite (Resonance Records HCD-2074; USA)Available for the very first time, the intergalactic icon Sun Ra and his Arkestra's Lights On A Satellite: Live at the Left Bank was recorded on July 23, 1978 at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, Maryland by the Left Bank Jazz Society. The limited-edition 2 CD set contains audio from the Sun Ra Archives, and was researched and compiled by Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson. Mastering by engineer Joe Lizzi and lacquers cut by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab. The critically acclaimed independent filmmaker Robert Mugge has also provided audio from the recordings he made at the Left Bank which was featured in his 1980 film Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise. The deluxe package includes liners notes by veteran music critic J.D. Considine, plus interviews with the centenarian Arkestra saxophonist Marshall Allen, NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Gary Bartz and pianist Craig Taborn. This is one of those extremely limited Record Store Day items. A must for all of Sun Ra fan addicts! - BLG at DMG
2 CD Set $28 [Limited Edition, 5 left as of now]
URI CAINE TRIO with JOHN HEBERT / BEN PEROWSKY - Siren (Winter & Winter 910-177-2; Germany) “Pianist Uri Caine holds a unique distinction, known the world over as a stellar jazz pianist, but a critics' darling for his genre-blind reworkings of classical music. His takes on the work of Gustav Mahler, Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Richard Wagner have become modern classics which straddle several musical worlds, but Caine's is no one-trick pony. When he isn't busy turning classical music history on its head, his restless artistic curiosity has taken him to a variety of other realms. The pianist tipped his hat to Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock, with album-length salutes to each, took a stroll down Tin Pan Alley (Winter & Winter, 1999), visited Brazilian music via Rio (Winter & Winter, 2001), explored the possibilities within the solo piano context on Solitaire (Winter & Winter, 2001), and tackled fusion in his own personal way with his Bedrock band.
On Siren, Caine works within the piano trio format, but this is no cocktail piano record or comfortable ride through The Great American Songbook. Caine challenges trio conventions with a program of originals and one standard ("Green Dolphin Street"), further confirming his compositional acumen and musicality. While he's capable of tugging at the heartstrings ("Foolish Me") and playing to post-millennial piano trio trends ("Interloper"), this merely indicates he can comfortably walk where others have left their mark. When Caine uses musical free association, rhythmic trickery, and group interplay, either separately or in combination, he puts his own mark on this format.
His compatriots on this twelve song sojourn—bassist John Hébert and drummer Ben Perowsky—share in the pianist's musical vision, regardless of where it takes them. They're comfortable playing in concentric circles around one another ("Siren"), working in a funky format ("Crossbow"), and allowing musical ideas to cohere and dissolve at will. One piece might be an evolving journey ("Free Lunch"), while the next might simply be a fun-filled, four-plus minute musical party ("Manual Defile"). Caine opens the album with a metric labyrinth ("Tarshish") that provides a challenge to count along with, and, from that point on, it's clear that he's willing to go where few people have traveled. While no single work will ever define an artist as multitalented and stylistically mercurial as Uri Caine, Siren proves to be a fine document of his thoughts on the art of the trio in the year 2011.”
- Dan Bilawsky, AllAboutJazz
CD Sale $14
KING TUBBY - Dub From The Roots (Clocktower CTCD 8888CD; Canada) 2017 cardboard sleeve edition. There are very few individuals who command the respect of dub aficionados greater than "The Dubmaster" himself, King Tubby. On Tubby's venerable 1974 release Dub From The Roots, he introduces the "Shalom Dub", a method of mixing flying cymbals with horns in what he describes as "going in and out in a dub way". Borrowing from the 45s of Johnny Clarke, Jackie Edwards, Cornell Campbell, John Holt, and Horace Andy, King Tubby takes the listener on a journey through a vast array of different emotions, rhythms, and soundscapes. One of the standout cuts, "Iyahta" explores Tubby's use of deep electric basslines to evoke a melodic calmness in the listener, while "Mine Field" and "Hijack The Barber" bring the listener back with the cavernous echoes of stabbing guitars, horns, and cymbals.
CD $14
SCIENTIST - Scientific Dub (Clocktower LPCT 119CD; Canada) 2017 digipak edition. Originally released in 1981. A virtual wizard of the mixing desk, Overton H Brown has been one of the key figures in dub since the late 1970s. Getting his start as a teenager at King Tubby's legendary studio in Waterhouse, Brown was known as The Scientist because his imaginative approach to the mixing desk and electronic gadgetry seemed to derive from magical powers that linked him to some intangible, futuristic realm.
CD $14
SCANDINAVIAN GUITAR GREAT RAOUL BJORKENHEIM JUST STOPPED BY & AGVE US THE LAST COPIES OF THESE TWO RARE DISCS OF HIS:
RAOUL BJORKENHEIM & UMO JAZZ ORCHESTRA KRAKATAU - Primal Mind - UMO Plays The Music Of Raoul Bjorkenheim: Live In Jumo Jazz Club, Helsinki May 10 1991 (UMO 111; Scandinavia) Jukka Linkola conductor. UMO: Esko Heikkinen, Simo Salminen, Timo Paasonen, Heikki Haimila, trumpet; Jari Hongisto, Juhani Aalto, Mircea Stan, trombone; Mikael Langbacka, bass trombone; Jukka Perko, alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet; Pentti Lahti, alto, soprano and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet, bass flute; Kari Heinila, tenor saxophone, flute; Teemu Salminen, tenor saxophone, alto and bass flute; Pepa Paivinen, tenor and baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, alto flute. Krakatau: Raoul Bjorkenheim, electric guitar; Ulf Krokfors, Pekka Sarmanto, bass; Tom Nekljudow, drums, percussion. Raoul Bjorkenheim (b. 1956) is a Finnish jazz musician, composer and guitarist. He received the Yrjo Prize of the Finnish Jazz Federation in 1984. His own band, Krakatau, released its first album in 1988. He has also worked with Sound & Fury led by Edward Vesala and with Roommushklahn, the Scorch Trio, the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra and the Tampere Philharmonic. Raoul Bjorkenheim has been collaborating with UMO for nearly 30 years. He wrote his first work for UMO, 'Other Places,' in 1982, followed two years later by 'Some'. Later, in 1998, he appeared on the album Electrifying Miles with UMO and Eero Koivistoinen. His most recent release is a solo album with orchestra entitled The Sky is Ruby, which he composed and recorded in 2007. The second album to be released in the UMO Recordings series (26th Aug. 2010) of archival recordings is Primal Mind - UMO Plays the Music of Raoul Bjorkenheim, Live in Helsinki 1991, a live recording of a concert given by Raoul Bjorkenheim and UMO at the Jumo Jazz Club on 10 May 1991, originally broadcast in Finland at that time. The concert consists of the premiere of Primal Mind, a work for solo guitar and big band lasting nearly 70 minutes. A freeform nine-movement suite, it showcases a wide range of guitar sounds. In an interview with Harri Uusitorppa in Helsingin Sanomat (10 May 1991), Raoul Bjorkenheim described Primal Mind as dark and unpredictable, a sort of 'shock treatment' in the spirit of Frank Zappa. The concert was given a glowing review by Jukka Hauru a few days later (Helsingin Sanomat, 12 May 1991). Hauru hailed the work as a milestone in the history of Finnish big band music and described Bjorkenheim's music and personality thus: "The primeval soloist power of [Jimi] Hendrix, the orchestral imagination of [Gil] Evans and the timeless vision of [Miles] Davis."
CD $14 [Long out-of-print, last copies]
RAOUL BJORKENHEIM with EMANUELE PARRINI / SILVIA BOLOGNESI / TIZIANO TONONI - Solar Winds (Long Song Records 154; Italy) Featuring Raoul Bjorkenheim on electric guitar, Emanuele Parrini on violin, Silvia Bolognesi on contrabass and Tiziano Tononi on drums & percussion. Since moving to Helsinki several years ago, Scandinavian guitarist Raoul Bjorkenheim has been teaching, composing and playing in several bands. Always keeping busy with varied projects going on simultaneously. In 2018, Mr. Bjorkenheim recorded with The J. & F. Band, which included Joe Fonda, Jaimoe Johanson (from the Allman Brothers!?!) plus a handful of Italian musicians, for an Allman Brothers tribute CD. The other drummer on that date was Tiziano Tononi, who has worked with Daniele Cavallanti and the Italian Instabile Orchestra. Violinist Emanuele Parrini also plays with Dinamitri Jazz Folklore, as well as in Mr. Tononi's Ornette Coleman Tribute project. Bassist Silvia Bolognesi is in the current expanded version of the Art Ensemble of Chicago as well as with a string trio called Hear in Now with Tomeka Reid and Mazz Swift.
This is disc a tribute to John Coltrane, the most influential saxist of the the 1960's and spiritual jazz composer par excellence. Five of the seven songs were written by Trane with two written by Mr. Bjorkenheim. Mr. Tononi has long been involved in a variety of tribute discs/projects for Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and an earlier Trane tribute. The reason why so many folks seek out spiritual jazz is that it helps us to transcend our common state of stressful reality. The first song here is Trane's “Joy", which seems most apt since the sound here is joyous, uplifting. Both Mr. Bjorkenheim's guitar and Mr. Parrini's violin soar together from the opening. The rhythm team here are also most impressive, often reminding me of William Parker (with whom Ms. Bolognesi studied) and Hamid Drake, pumping that rhythmic life force together as one spirit. On Trane's “Transition", the violin takes the first solo and it reaches higher and higher, rather Billy Bang-like, the ecstatic vibes flowing. Raoul takes an incredible Sonny Sharrock-like guitar solo reaching even higher, go man go!!! Mr. Tononi actually sounds like Elvin Jones here, which makes sense since Mr. Jones is featured on drums for Sonny Sharrock's best record, 'Ask the Ages'. “Living Space" is a later period Trane piece which was released posthumously and not recorded live. This piece is laid back, cerebral and dream-like, short and sweet. The title track, “Solar Winds", was written by Bjorkenheim and it is played at a frenzied pace, capturing that ecstatic vibe just right. Raoul takes an incredible solo here, with some lightning-like licks right out of the Tisziji Munoz songbook. Violinist Parrini is also in fine form here, both he and Bjorkenheim trading lines as the intensity increases to boiling point! “Peace on Earth" is a great choice to cover as it has that stirring, spiritual-jazz melody at it center. I found the violin solo to be absolutely touching, bringing me close to tears. The final piece is called “Volition" and it is the other original song by Raoul. It is also soars, explodes and erupts into a joyous, bone-shaking climax. There is no better feeling than having music pull one out of their seats and put them on a roller coaster ride or magic carpet journey and that is what we get here. I hope to get this quartet a gig in the New York since we need some of that spiritual salvation to help us deal with. Thanks to Raoul Bjorkenheim and his marvelous quartet! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD Sale $12
LP SECTION:
RASHIED ALI QUINTET Featuring FRANK LOWE / JUMAANE SMITH / ANDREW BEMKEY / JORIS TEEPE - Sidewalks in Motion (Survival Records SR 553LP; USA) "Rashied Ali stood as a magnetic force for the musical environment around him. In his last decades he sponsored rehearsal opportunities for young musicians, tightened up neighborhood street-corner drum circles he happened to pass, and for years would pull promising young talents into his orbit. One unique group that Ali led at the 2002 Vision Festival in NYC, along with Frank Lowe, he also took into the studio -- and the moment you hear on Sidewalks in Motion features Ali and Lowe along with young musicians Jumaane Smith (trumpet), Andrew Bemkey on piano, and bassist Joris Teepe. In the years after Lowe's death Ali selected the best takes, and mixed and mastered for release, but the material remained on the shelf, frozen on the runway at the time of Rashied's own untimely passing. The reborn Survival Records is honored to reanimate these sounds in 2025. Survival Records SR-553 is a single LP in an old-school tip-on jacket featuring photos and recollections from Joris Teepe."
LP $30
RASHIED ALI / LEROY JENKINS DUO - Swift Are The Winds of Life (Expanded Edition)(Survival Records 512LP; USA) "Part of Rashied Ali's artistic strength involved turning improbable sound combinations into unchallenged masterpieces. After the pattern established by John Coltrane's Interstellar Space, and Duo Exchange with Frank Lowe, the drummer stepped into a rather unlikely duet with violinist Leroy Jenkins for Swift are the Winds of Life. Five years with the Revolutionary Ensemble had established Jenkins as a composer; he designed all the pieces played on these 1975 duets with Ali. That record is issued on vinyl here for the first time in almost a half century. The LP is augmented by an informal phantom session in which Ali and Jenkins explore thoroughly other territories -- standards, Coltrane's music, and two untitled, unbridled improvisations. SR-512 is a deluxe 2LP set packaged in an old-school tip-on gatefold jacket that includes Stanley Crouch's original 1975 essay along with new liner notes and excerpts from an interview with Jenkins."
2 LP Set $46
BEAVER HARRIS 360 DEGREE MUSIC EXPERIENCE with GRACHAN MONCUR III / KEN McINTYRE / RAHN BURTON / et al - Beautiful Africa (Soul Note SN 10002LP; Italy) Under the driving force of drummer extraordinaire Beaver Harris, the 360-Degree Music Experience was one of the great ensembles of the late '70s/early '80s. A stellar collective playing music deep in the African-American jazz tradition. A bunch of heavyweights like Grachan Moncur III on trombone, Ken McIntyre on alto sax and bassoon, Rahn Burton on piano, and Cameron Brown on bass. First released in 1979 and reissued here for the first time on vinyl, Beautiful Africa stands as a fierce statement of post-bop jazz.
LP $27
PAUL MOTIAN QUINTET with BILL FRISELL / JOE LOVANO / JIM PEPPER / ED SCHULLER - Misterioso (Soul Note SN 121174LP; Italy) Back in the mid '80s, Paul Motian, one of the greatest jazz drummers of all times, assembled one of the most inventive groups of the decade. Motian invited four highly individual players such as Joe Lovano and Jim Pepper on tenor sax, Bill Frisell on electric guitar and Ed Schuller on bass, and the result was a unique sound in perfect balance between post-Ornette free-bop and a new and spacier form of interplay. First released in 1987 Misterioso stands as a stunning example of modern jazz!
LP $27
CASSETTE SECTION:
PRIMITIVE ART GROUP - Live Cuts 1981-1983 (Amish Records AMI 059CS; USA)
"Following the recent archival release of Primitive Art Group's studio albums, 1981-1986 Amish Records present the release of this 65-minute album of live PAG performances recorded between 1981 and 1983. These recordings document the beginnings of the PAG in all its raw beauty and chronicle its development into a unique improvising unit. Made from original cassettes tapes, this fills a missing part in the story of free music and in the story of underground music from New Zealand. Live Cuts 1981-1983 contains three tracks featuring early member Pam Grey on cello and vocals, a snapshot of a remarkable and largely unrecorded musician. Wellington legend Gerard Crewdson joins for one improvisation on wordless vocals. The band work out on covers of Albert Ayler's 'Ghosts' and 'Bells,' a few group improvisations, some originals and a homage reworking of Cecil Taylor's 'Unit Structures.' Live Cuts 1981-1983 presents the band live and spontaneous, anticipating their later recorded output. Another crucial piece of the Primitive Art Group and New Zealand free music story."
Cassette $12
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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 / 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 RESIDENCIES / WENDY EISENBERG / FEB 26-MAR 1
2/26 Wednesday
8:30 pm - SOLO - Wendy Eisenberg (solo guitar)
2/27 Thursday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Wendy Eisenberg (guitar) Laura Cocks (flute) Mari Maurice (pedal steel, violin)
2/28 Friday
8:30 pm - DARLIN' - Wendy Eisenberg (guitar, voice) Lester St Louis (cello) Ryan Sawyer (drums, voice)
3/1 Saturday
8:30 pm - Machinic Unconscious - Wendy Eisenberg (guitar) Trevor Dunn (bass) Ches Smith (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 22 - Polka Loca
Erica Mancini, James Nadien, Lynn Ligammari, Ron Caswell Michael Winograd
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THIS NOTE COMES FROM MY GOOD BUDDY JOEL HARRISON, Gifted Guitarist and Organizer. His yearly concerts at LPR have been a highlight for myself and other Guitar Freaks…
Dear Guitar Enthusiasts … There's a lot going:
—MIDWESTERNERS: please take note of the above dates. I'm lucky to be playing with two of the greatest B-3 organ players alive, and fantastic drummers as well. https://joelharrison.com/shows/
—On March 14 AGS (Alternative Guitar Summit) recordings releases ANUPAM SHOBHAKAR'S LIQUID REALITY, a tour de force on double neck guitar that fuses Indian music, jazz, and rock. If you like John McLaughlin this is for you. Preorder here: https://agsrecordings.bandcamp.com/
—We have uploaded some GREAT NEW PODCASTS to the AGS youtube channel with Ben Monder, Redd Volkaert, and more to come. Please check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/@alternativeguitarsummit
—For a couple of years I have been working on a major piece entitled "Burn Pit." The orchestration is jazz big band and a 16 person chorus. The subject matter is the deadly toxic burnpits from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that killed or sickened hundreds of thousands of military personnel. To fulfill my obligation to the NY State Council on the Arts and the Governors Office of NY, from whom I received a generous composition grant, I have posted a video discussing and playing excerpts from this work here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulyk1Pgrym8
Don't forget to sign up for our summer camp! Kevin Eubanks, Vernon Reid, Kurt Rosenwinkel, John Scofield...come on! https://www.alternativeguitarsummitcamp.com/ - Joel Harrison
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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