Tape recorders echo scream
Orders fly like bullet stream
Drums and cannons laugh aloud
Whistles come from ashen shroud
Leaders damn the world and roar
But no man can find the war
Is the war across the sea?
Is the war behind the sky?
Have you each and all gone blind:
Is the war inside your mind?
Humans weep at human death
All the talkers lose their breath
Movies paint a chaos tale
Singers see and poets wail
All the world knows the score
But no man can find the war
Is the war across the sea?
Is the war behind the sky?
Have you each and all gone blind:
Is the war inside your mind?
If I recall correctly I traded two albums with Randy Cogan at Ashbrook Swimclub in the summer of 1967. I don't remember what I traded, but the two albums I got were Tim Buckley's 'Goodbye and Hello' (in mono) and the Pauper's 'Magic People'. It took a bit to digest the Tim Buckley album but the Pauper's album was an immediate hit as a unique & riveting psych band from Toronto, Canada. After playing the Buckley record over & over, it became and remains my favorite of Buckley's five great albums from 1967-1970. 'Goodbye and Hello' was produced by Jerry Yester, a member of the Modern Folk Quartet, a duo with Judy Henske and a later member of the Lovin' Spoonful. After listening to this album on an expensive stereo in the 1980's, I realized how extraordinary the production was/is. Also Tim Buckley's incredible singing and lyrics (with help from Larry Beckett) are also incredible and close to great poetry of this period. I've been listening to 'Goodbye and Hello' recently, having found cheap CD copies and it still blows my mind nearly six decades later. Please read those words and consider their meaning. There have been nearly endless wars, within and without, since the US was founded more than three centuries ago. The US was founded to escape the tyranny of kings and royalty, we are a nation of immigrants. Everyone, except for Native Americans, comes from somewhere else on this planet and migrated here to the so-called Land of Opportunity, Democracy and Freedom. Immigrant are not our enemies no matter what anyone says. Our enemies are those at the top of the heap who are manipulating the masses with lies and misinformation.
This Saturday, June 14th, is 'No Kings Day', a protest against our the current fascist regime in the Whitehouse and their supporters in congress. There will be protests all over the country as well as around the world. If you feel frustrated, angry and/or confused by what's happening in the news then please go to one of these protests and meet with others who feel the way you do. I am considering closing the store so I too can attend a local rally. I have long believed in the Power of Protest to make others more aware of what is really happening going on before it is too late. - Peace & Love over Division & Hate, Bruce Lee Gallanter at DMG
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THE DMG 34th ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE CONCERT CELEBRATION CONTINUES with:
Tuesday, June 17th:
6:30: RICH ROSENTHAL - Guitar / NICK GIANNI - Tenor Sax / ADAM LANE - Contrabass / MARC EDWARDS - Drums
7:30: YONI KRETZMER - Tenor Sax / NOA FORT - Voice / MAX JOHNSON - Bass / JEFF DAVIS - Drums
8:30: KEN KOBAYASHI - Drums / ERIN ROGERS - Sax / JEFF MILES - Guitar / MICHAEL GILBERT - Bass
9:30: MICROPLASTIQUE
Saturday, June 21st - GAUCI-MUSIC SERIES Continues with:
6:30: TOR SNYDER - Guitar / VANCE PROVEY - Trumpet / ALBEY BALGOCHIAN - Bass
7:30: CALEB CURTIS WHEELER - Stritch-Trumpet-Sopranino Sax / CHET DOXAS - Tenor Sax-Clarinet / YUMA UESAKA - Tenor Sax-Clarinet-Soprano Sax-Reed Trumpet
8:30: STEPHEN GAUCI - Tenor sax-Clarinet-Flute / JONATHAN GOLDBERGER - Guitar / JEFF DAVIS - Drums
Tuesday, June 24th: Relative Pitch Records Presents:
6:30: CHUCK ROTH - Guitar / FRANCESCA H - Sax
7:30: CHUCK ROTH - Guitar / SABRINA SALAMONE - Violin
8:30: CHUCK ROTH / FRANCESCA H / SABRINA SALAMONE Trio
Tuesday, July 1st:
6:30: AMANDA MONACO - Guitar / RAS MOSHE - Tenor Sax-Flute
7:30: HAMIR ATWAL - Drums / CHRIS VAN HOORST - Bass / KYLE NASSER - Tenor Sax
8:30: FLIP CITY: DAVID AARON - Sax / NICK PANOUTSOS - Contrabass / DAVID GOULD - Drums & Toys
9:30: BEN GOLDBERG
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NEW THINGS THIS WEEK BEGIN WITH:
CECIL TAYLOR / TONY OXLEY - Flashing Spirits (Burning Ambulance Music BAM112; USA) Featuring Cecil Taylor on piano and Tony Oxley on drums, recorded live at the Outside In Festival in Crawley, UK in September of 1988. Legendary free/jazz piano master Cecil Taylor and British avant/jazz master drummer Tony Oxley have a long history of playing in duos, trios (with William Parker or Bill Dixon) , quartets (with Evan Parker & Barry Guy) as well as in larger ensembles. This appears to be the fifth disc from this particular duo. I’ve listened to this disc several times over the past few days and I am astonished at the performance and recording quality. Both Cecil Taylor and Tony Oxley are a perfect match of intense, inventive and extraordinary spirits. Although it is a peaceful sunlit day here at home (6/11/25), this music reminds me of a thunder storm which erupts fiercely and then calms down to a more strained conclusion. We just got 15 copies in and they will not last very long. - BLG at DMG
CD $15
AVA MENDOZA / gabby fluke-mogul / CAROLINA PEREZ - Mama Killa (Burning Ambulance Music BAM111; USA) Featuring Ava Mendoza on guitar, gabby fluke-mogul on violin and Carolina Perez on drums. Recorded by Martin Bisi between November of 2024 and February of 2025. Both guitarist Ava Mendoza and violinist gabby fluke-mogul have been making strides in recent times, together & apart, working in a variety of different contexts. I’ve caught Ms. Mendoza with William Parker (Mayan Space Station), James Brandon Lewis, Erik Friedlander, Jon Irabagon and with Bill Orcutt’s Electric Guitar Quartet and she makes each of bands better due to her ever-inventive playing. If you haven’t heard her recent solo offering (‘The Circular Train’), then you really should if you are a guitar freak. Violinist supreme, gabby fluke mogul, has a fine solo effort (on RP) and two strong duo efforts with Joanna Mattrey & Nava Dunkelman. Her set at last week’s Vision Fest with Ms. Mendoza & Charles Burnham was one of many highlights that week. I can’t say that I’ve heard of drummer Carolina Perez before this disc arrived.
Starting with “Puma Punku”, the trio is playing churning, hypnotic post-punk, psych groove with Mendoza’s sustain drenched guitar, fluke-mogul throbbing effects laden violin and solid punk rocking drums (double bass drum pedal?!?!). There’s some creepy whispering going on in the last part of this song which I dig. “Mama Huaco” features Mendoza adding a couple of layers of effects drenched guitars with more pounding drums. Ms. Mendoza sounds more like a metal guitarist here as she added a couple of different mutant guitar parts, stacking them into a more monolithic sound which sounds like it is on the verge of imploding. “Amazing Graces” rocks hard and is a but funky with a great slamming groove and some disturbing mutant guitars and violin interweaving waves together. One of the things which stands out here is the way both Ms. Mendoza and Ms. fluke-mogul both manipulate the sounds of their instruments in different ways so that the combination of both makes for a unique overall sound. Each song has a strong recognizable riff at the center which is repeated as the guitar and violin create their own distinctive sound. Overall I am not sure what we should call this music as it draws from post-punk, and noisy jazz/rock. Most impressive nonetheless. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
BRANDON ROSS / CHARLES BURNHAM / WARREN BENBOW - Breath of Air (Burning Ambulance Music BAM84; USA) Featuring Brandon Ross on guitar, Charles Burnham on violin and Warren Benbow on drums. In 1983, Columbia Records released a record by James Blood Ulmer called ‘Odyssey’ which featured a trio with blood, Charles Burnham and Warren Benbow. Aside from his band, Music Liberation Ensemble, Blood was organizing different personnel for each of his leader records. The Odyssey Band would reunite for three recordings in 1998, 2005 and 2010. I’ve dug each of their four releases and have caught them live on just two occasions. Violinist Charles Burnham has continued with his own career as well as numerous collaborations with Rob Reddy, Bob Musso, Susie Ibarra and Joe Daley. Drummer Although drummer Warren Benbow has worked with Luther Thomas and Ted Daniel, I rarely see his name for live or recorded material. All around nice guy, Brandon Ross, is one of the best and most under-recognized guitarists in the NYC area. Check out Mr. Ross’s work with Henry Threadgill’s Make a Move, Harriet Tubman, for Cassandra Wilson or Koip Hanrahan. Since his first recordings in the mid 1980’s, Brandon Ross has only had a handful of releases, two of which are nearly impossible to find. What I’ve always liked about Mr. Ross is that he changes his tone or approach or style for each project he’s involved with.
When the first song begins, “In Each Eye, a Moon”, there a some flute-like sounds which are hard to figure out. Soon we hear several layers of swirls, volume pedal nuanced peels with more swirls from the violin and the drummer using thin sticks on his drums. The guitar and violin are weaving in and out with one adding bits of wah-wah to the solemn waves. The guitar and violin continue to build, increasing the tempo and intensity as they go, it is hard to tell them apart at times but the interplay is consistently engaging. On “Pucker Up”, Mr. Ross starts with a series of Hendrix-like guitar sounds. Oddly enough, it might just be Mr. Burnham using a wah-wah pedal on his vinyl, making it sound like he is talking at times. On each of the six pieces, the trio appear to me conjuring up a series of spirits or ghosts. Mr. Burnham takes a long, story-like solo on “No One On Earth Can See You Anymore”, which later turns into a greasy funk groove in the last section. While Benbow’s drums often hold things down, both Ross’s guitar and Burnham’s violin keep interacting, weaving their way together in layers or orbits which slowly shift directly as they evolve. For “Spare the World (Your Good Ideas)”, Ross loops a line which keeps repeating adding other layers of guitar and violin fragments altogether sounding like a scene from a film. I used to call Harriet Tubman (a trio that Ross has fronted for many years) a power trio but there is much more going on than that. While Benbow places ritualistic, skeletal drums, the guitar and violin balance their parts into a larger whole, reaching up on occasion as they let loose occasional burst of lightning-like energy before submerges back into the dark waters below. This disc does a fine job of creating a series of moods, some hypnotic, some turbulent, some rather calm. It all fits together rather nicely. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
MATTHEW SHIPP / WHIT DICKEY - Roots (Burning Ambulance Music BAM 76; USA) Featuring Matt Shipp on piano and Whit Dickey on drums. Downtown pianist Matt Shipp and free/jazz drum wiz Whit Dickey have worked together for many years in the David S Ware Quartet, in several of Shipp's trios and quartets and with Ivo Perelman. Both Shipp and Dickey have released a few duo offerings with other players, but this their first duo effort together. Both are gifted improvisers as well as multi-bandleaders. Beginning with "Lattice", we can hear a distinct connection holding them together as one spirit/force. This session was recorded by Jim Clouse at Park West Studios and hence, the sound is superb, warm and perfectly balanced. Mr. Shipp plays slowly, carefully and spaciously with Mr. Dickey also outlining the skeletal rhythmic landscape. Shipp plays more melodically, as if creating a more positive vibe during our more chaotic moments of daily life. On "Cosmic Train", the tone is darker, more intense, as if we are entering a storm which has waves which are crashing over us. Although the undertow gets deeper and darker, it finally calms down in the last section of this piece. It sounds obvious that these two musicians have worked together for many years as they always sound connected to the same inner Spirit. What I find to be most interesting here is that Matt Shipp often plays a handful of themes that I recognize when he plays with certain musicians. This is not the case here as the duo seem to take their time to try out other melodic or dissonant fragments which are different from what we've come to expect. This is one the best Matt Shipp sessions I've heard in a while so don't miss out on this sonic treasure. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
IZUMI KIMURA / GERRY HEMINGWAY - How the Dust Falls (Auricle Records AUR-25; Earth) Featuring Izumi Kimura on piano and Gerry Hemingway on drums, marimba, vibes, harmonica and voice. I hadn’t heard of Japanese-born, Ireland-based pianist Izumi Kimura until she appeared on three disc with American-born, Swiss-based drummer Gerry Hemingway (in a duo, trio & quartet) over the last few years. It turns out that Ms. Kimura is also found on seven other recent discs, one in a duo with Christy Doran. I’ve heard the discs with Barry Guy and Gerry Hemingway, which I quite like. I’ve also caught Ms. Kimura, Mr. Hemingway and Earl Howard in a trio last week (6/7/25) at the Vision Fest. Most likely you know all about Gerry Hemingway, whose long career stretches back to the late 1970’s, working with BassDrumBone (with Ray Anderson & Mark Helias), playing with the great Anthony Braxton Quartet for a decade and leading a number of his own bands over the long stretch. Aside from being a master drummer, Mr. Hemingway has expanded his palette by playing marimba, vibes, harmonica and even singing at times. This is the second duo CD the Hemingway has done with Ms. Kimura.
Mr. Hemingway plays all of the above mentioned instruments on this disc. Recorded in Luzerne, Switzerland in August & September of 2024. “Waterspear” opens and it is filled with suspense, the piano repeating a couple of chords while Hemingway spins around his drumset. Although I think that much of this is improvised, the duo do create their own sound after working together over the last few years. Ms. Kimura plays prepared piano at times by muting certain strings inside the piano with her hands. On "Third Story", the duo slow down to a glacial pace, with both musicians playing sparse, ethereal lines, the effect is most suspense-filled. Kimura only mutes certain notes, balancing between the muted and more organic tones, the duo creating a solemn dreamscape. Both Kimura and Hemingway have a way of locking in rhythmically, tapping out similar lines on their respective instruments. Even when things speed up on "Entrainments I", they play tightly together, pulsating as one force. I like the way they stretch out the notes on "Stillness", slowly extending and slightly bending each sound cautiously. Perhaps it is Hemingway bowing a cymbal or the metal or wood of his marimba or vibes, giving things an eerie ghost-like vibe. Since pulse or space is slowed down on much of this, I had to calm my inner attention span to a more patient rate, making this disc easier to appreciate. I noticed on several of the pieces that the sound of the piano and the sound of the vibes or marimba are quite similar so it is difficult to tell them apart at times. Once I calmed down a bit, I drifted into the magical dreamworld that this duo has created throughout the entire disc. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
ADAM O’FARRILL with MARY HALVORSON / PATRICIA BRENNAN / DAVID LEON / KEVIN SUN / KALUN LEUNG / TYRONE ALLEN II / TOMAS FUJIWARA - For These Streets (Out of Your Head Records 034; USA) Featuring Adam O’Farrill on trumpet, flugelhorn & compositions, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Patricia Brennan on vibes, David Leon on alto sax & flute, Kevin Sun on tenor sax & clarinet, Lalun Leung on trombone & euphonium, Tyrone Allen on contrabass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums. Over the past few years, I’ve had my eye on trumpeter Adam O’Farrill (son of noted jazz pianist Arturo O’Farrill), who has been evolving quickly as a strong, inventive trumpeter and composer as well. I’ve heard Mr. O’Farrill playing with his dad, Rudresh Mananthappa, Stephan Crump and Jacob Garchik, as well as leading his own bands. It seems as if Ms. Halvorson, Ms. Brennan, Mr. Fujiwara and Mr. O’Farrill are part of a group of musicians who play on each other’s albums. Adam O’Farrill is also a member of Mary Halvorson’s current band whose new disc comes out this Friday (6/13/25).
This disc is more than 72 minutes long and will take some time to fully absorb. Starting with “Swimmers”, Mary Halvorson’s guitar and Adam O’Farrill’s trumpet play in a lovely duo, exquisitely lying back as the skeletal drums slowly enter. O’Farrill’s ensemble writing for the four horns & reeds is what makes this piece so great. Although this is an octet, they sound much larger. Drum wiz Tomas Fujiwara (who took an extraordinary drums solo at Mary Halvorson’s quartet last week) and Patricia Brennan on vibes are featured in the next section of this long piece, creating a web of of connected layers. Similar to the writing of Ms. Halvorson and Ingrid Laubrock, Mr. O’Farrill’s composing is exceptional, closer to the complexity of prog-rock, modern chamber music or Third Stream. “Nocturno, 1932” is a quiet, calmer piece with some haunting flute from David Leon and quaint counterpoint from other members of the ensemble. “Scratching the Surface of a Dream” is also skeletal and sparse with the brass players stretching out their notes carefully as the guitar plays elegant lines underneath. Patricia Brennan has been the vibes player to watch since she moved here, check out any of releases or collaborations. Her solo on “Migration” is sublime and eerie, making each note hum or drone. O’Farrill does a fine job here of layering the brass & reeds as if they are.were playing backwards and forwards simultaneously. Although there is not much soling going on here, it is the writing and playing of the entire ensemble which is consistently fascinating. Ms. Halvorson does take an extraordinary solo on “Speeding Blots of Ink”, with the rest of the ensemble creating a tight web of written parts around her. The more I listen to this disc the more I realize that it is among this year’s best, a major achievement for all concerned. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
THE HEMPHILL STRINGTET with TOMEKA REID / CURTIS STEWART / SAM BARFELD / STEPHANIE GRIFFIN - Plays the Music of Julius Hemphill (Out of You Head Records 035; USA) Featuring Curtis Stewart & Sam Bardfeld on violins, Stefanie Griffin on viola and Tomeka Reid on cello. I feel fortunate to have discovered and checked out the music and playing of saxist/composer Julius Hemphill right after his first album as a leader, 'Dogon A.D.', was released on the Arista/Freedom label in 1977. I didn't realize until later that Hemphill had actually released his debut album on his own label five years earlier in 1972. I bought of Hemphill's records way back when and caught him live on a half-dozen occasions with different bands. Before moving to NYC in the mid 1970's, Mr. Hemphill played with the legendary Human Arts Ensemble and was a founding member (and main composer for) the World Sax Quartet when he moved to NYC during the Loft Jazz era. Mr. Hemphill collaborated with (legendary) cellist Abdul Wadud, recording several records together. It turns out that Mr. Hemphill enjoyed composing for strings. Check his Tzadik CD ('One Atmosphere', rel in 2003) where uses the talents of cellists Erik Friedlander and Brandon Vamos.
The string quartet here features four string virtuosos, each one with a different background in jazz, improvised music and modern classical music. Most of the music here was written for the World Sax Quartet and has been adapted for this string group. Mr. Hemphill always left room for those who were playing his music to improvise and this is what this quartet does so well, lifting the music off the page and playing it with a certain exuberance. "Revue" was the title track taken from the fourth World Sax Quartet LP from 1982 and it is a lovely, bluesy song which is done here with an exquisite somber ambience. This is followed by a tribute to Charles Mingus that Hemphill had arranged in 1988, covering three of Mingus' classic songs. "Nostalgia in Times Square" is first. It was commissioned & played live by the Kronos Quartet in 2007. This quartet do a marvelous job bringing this piece to life. "Alice in Wonderland" comes from a Mingus album called 'Jazz Portraits' which was released in 1959. The piece is somewhat restrained and dreamy with some seesawing waves washing over us. While the quartet play this music in a solemn style, Ms. Reid takes a spirited pizzicato solo. "Better Get Hit in Your Soul" comes from Mingus' classic album 'Mingus Ah Um' and it is one of Mingus' most popular and most covered songs. The quartet here do a fabulous job, adding a certain swashbuckling exuberance with some intense free interludes added. "My First Winter / Touchic" comes from a World Music Quartet album called 'Live in Zurich' and has the quartet adapting the melody with Mr. Bardfeld in the first part and Ms. Griffin in the second part. Mr. Bardfeld, who I recall well from his work with the Jazz Passengers, takes an exquisite, heartwarming solo here which I found to be most touching, weaving his way superbly amongst the other strings. Stephanie Griffin and Mr. Bardfeld have both worked with visionary composer Anthony Braxton which is no easy task. Ms. Griffin also takes an extraordinary solo on "Touchic". The last song is called "Choo Choo", taken from a Hemphill album called 'At Dr. King's Table' and played by Julius Hemphill's Sax Sextet, his last working group before passing away in 1995. This is powerful work and the quartet are at their best, pushing the emotions to their zenith, rising higher as the piece unfolds and then calming down once more. I've heard a number of string quartet CD's in recent times (the Jack Quartet & the Sirius Quartet), both of which I really like. This quartet is also a great one and should be recognized as one of this year's best string quartet discs. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
ARCHER with DAVE REMPIS / TERRIE EX / JON RUNE STROM / TOLLEF OSTVANG - Sudden Dusk (Aerophonic 045; USA) "Saxophonist and label chief Dave Rempis invites listeners to come for the punk rock and stay for the meditation session. With his new quartet, Archer, the Chicagoan joins forces with Dutch guitarist Terrie Ex and the Norwegian rhythm duo of bassist Jon Rune Strøm and drummer Tollef Østvang. Sudden Dusk captures two live performances from the group's U.S. tour in the spring of 2024.
Rempis first made waves in the late 1990s with The Vandermark 5 before leading a slew of projects, including the Rempis Percussion Quartet, Ballister, From Wolves to Whales and Kuzu. Terrie Ex (aka Terrie Hessels) and founded the Dutch punk band The Ex, which has evolved over four decades to embrace world music and improvisation. Along the way, he has collaborated with artists such as Paal Nilssen-Love, Thurston Moore, Mats Gustafsson and Ken Vandermark. Strøm and Østvang, meanwhile, have established themselves in the European improvisation scene through their work with groups like All Included (with Martin Kuchen), Universal Indians (with John Dikeman) and Friends & Neighbors (with Thomas Johansson).
At nearly 30 minutes long, "Omen" opens the album with pecking guitar, Østvang's brushwork, Strøm's pulsing bass and Rempis' spiraling soprano saxophone phrases. The energy surges as different players take the lead—whether through Rempis' circular breathing, Østvang's forceful drumming, Terrie Ex's jagged chords, or Strøm's rumbling low end. The chaos of punk and free jazz dominates, yet the quartet consistently weaves in moments of contemplation. When the momentum pauses, Østvang might strike a bell or gong while Terrie Ex repeats a hypnotic motif, soon mirrored by Rempis in a meditative exchange. But the frenzy inevitably returns—this time with Rempis on tenor saxophone, pushing the group into a fiery climax.
This yin-yang dynamic resurfaces on "Bright Side," where Rempis switches to baritone sax as Østvang and Strøm ignite a powerful opening before settling into a mid-track lull for quiet reflection. These introspective moments are striking, as is the mantra-like interplay on "Half Stack," where looping guitar and bass phrases create a deep, immersive trance. With Sudden Dusk, Archer does not just balance aggression and serenity, it forges a sound that thrives in the tension between the two." - Mark Corroto, AllAboutJazz
CD $15
CHRISTOPHER DAMMANN SEXTET with JON IRABAGON / EDWARD WILKERSON, JR. / JAMES DAVIS / MABEL KWAN / SCOTT CLARK - Christopher Dammann Sextet (Out of Your Head Records 033; USA) Featuring Jon Irabagon on alto sax, Edward Wilkerson, Jr. on tenor sax & alto clarinet, James Davis on trumpet, Mabel Kwan on piano, Christopher Dammann on bass & compositions and Scott Clark on drums. Aside from the more popular Chicago avant musicians like Ken Vandermark, Nicole Mitchell, Ernest Dawkins and Dave Rempis, there has been an underground of diverse creative musicians from Chicago who rarely get the recognition they deserve. I am glad to see/hear musicians like Tomeka Reid, Corey Wilkes and Marquis Hill, whose prfiles have risen higher over the past few years, but there are dozens of others who are slowly getting some recognition. Bassist Christopher Dammann is one of these players and I only know him from a band called Restroy, whose CD I reviewed in 2018. Other members of this band include trumpeter James Davis and pianist Mabel Kwan. Many of you should know of veteran saxist/composer/bandleader Edward Wilkerson from bands like Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, 8 Bold Souls and Shadow Vignettes. Award winning saxist Jon Irabagon you should know from his work with Mostly Other People Do the Killing, 3Dom Factor and many others. Drummer Scott Clark you might recall from his two great discs as a leader on Clean Feed.
"If I Could Mend Your Broken Heart" begins with a somber unaccompanied bass solo. Mr Dammann's bass sounds great and is at the center holding tings down with Wilkerson's lone alto clarinet soon joining him. The other horns (alto sax & trumpet) enter slowly and keep that bluesy vibe going. On "Song for Mabel", the sextet swirl freely while sounding like there are some minimal charts or are being directed. Midway, the group breaks into some charted ensemble playing which flows organically from free to charted sections just right. On "No Hope at All Other Than I Don't want to Die Today", there is a smokin' tenor solo pushed by Dammann's revved up bass and followed by a spirited trumpet solo. Dammann takes a powerful churning bass solo here before the sextet returns to the explosive theme. "When I was Young, My Heart Had Windows" also starts with bowed bass and some thoughtful ensemble work. Mr. Irabagon plays a lovely, haunting opening alto solo, his tone righteous, bluesy and immensely heart-warming. The rest of the simmers nicely underneath as his solo digs deep into our hearts. The piece is solemn and prayer-like. It feels like a perfect conclusion to this wonderful Spirit jazz gem. So good. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14 / LP $18
GPS with GUILLERMO GREGORIO / JEFF PEARRING / CHARLEY SABATINO - Directions Destinations (577 Records 5972; USA) A fascinating debut from the trio GPS — clarinetist Guillermo Gregorio, saxophonist Jeff Pearring, and bassist Charley Sabatino — recorded in two sessions a year apart where they capture fourteen dynamic tracks of composed and spontaneous collective improvisation, blending intuitive interplay and diverse genre influences into a distinct, uncategorizable sound.
CD-R $14
MATMOS with SUSAN ALCORN / OWEN GARDNER / THOR HARRIS / JASON WILLETT / JEFF CAREY - Metallic Life Review (Thill Jockey 632CD; USA) "Metallic Life Review is the sound of two people who have collected field recordings of metal objects from around the world for years of their lives together, collaging their magpie hoard into rhythmic patterns, sometimes writing melodies and basslines, but sometimes just letting sound be sound. Patient gathering yields to ADHD editing. Painstakingly made but blink and you'll miss it. Is it music or is it noise? It is without a doubt exceptionally beautiful music wrought from metal detritus. By employing the strong contrast between a harsh industrial clatter-fest and a sweeter melodic dimension that acts as a deliberate counterforce, Matmos created an album that is utterly delightful. A 'life review' is a phrase used to describe the psychological phenomena reported by people who have survived near death experiences: the sense captured in the phrase 'my life flashed before my eyes.' Metallic Life Review is a kind of compressed fast-forward of Matmos' career with a sonic parade of the metallic objects from their lives. The sounds on the album were captured over the entire length of the existence of Matmos as a band. Metallic Life Review features Susan Alcorn's pedal steel, Owen Gardner's glockenspiel, Thor Harris' drumming, Jason Willett's (Half Japanese) guitar, and Jeff Carey's aluminum cans, which were melted, molded into custom aluminum rods, and then bowed and struck. The most dramatic difference from any previous Matmos album is that side two was recorded 'live in the studio,' ala Throbbing Gristle's Heathen Earth. For the first time on recording, Matmos capture the evolving, shifting, slithering dynamic that happens when they play live and let patterns emerge out of chaos and then collapse and then re-form. Their playful blend of compositional brilliance and improvisational playfulness meld perfectly, truly capturing ecstatic moments in a way that can only happen live. Metallic Life Review is a love story transmuted into sound, the result of a life filled with curiosity and powered by boundless exploration. Matmos have again made something spellbinding, brilliant and emotionally resonant.
"The two men of Matmos are living rebukes to the idea that conceptual art is somehow scary and inaccessible. When they decide to make a track out of the sounds of a breast implant or a cow uterus, they're challenging themselves not just to use those noises, but to make them sound funky and fun." - Pitchfork; "Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt have been making music together for so long, and that their music has been so consistently good for so long really is remarkable." - The Quietus, album of the week.
CD $16
THE RESIDENTS // SUN RA / JAMES BROWN / GEORGE GERSHWIN / HANK WILLIAMS / JOHN PHILIP SOUSA / RAY CHARLES - American Composer's Series, 1982-1987 (3cd Preserved Edition)(Cryptic Corp 024; USA) Formed in the early 1970s, The Residents have now been charting a unique path through he musical landscape for a slightly ridiculous fifty-three years. From far-out, experimental recordings to highly conceptual, innovative multi-platform projects, the band refuses to stand still, and continues to move in several different directions at once. But you already knew that.
Produced with The Cryptic Corporation, and digging deep into the band's archive, this set dives into the classic mid-1980s 'American Composers Series', featuring material originally recorded by James Brown, George Gershwin, Hank Williams, John Philip Sousa and Ray Charles, as well as previously unreleased Residential interpretations of songs by Sun Ra, Lou Christie, Buddy Holly and... The Residents themselves? Of special interest to hardcore fans and collectors will be three Sun Ra cover versions originally intended for Volume 3 of the abandoned series, alongside previously unknown versions of Lou Christie's 'Lightning Strikes' and a lost Residents original, 'Burning With Desire'.
pREServed for future generations - this is The Residents as we've always wanted to hear them, and the latest in a series of archival reissues that will continue throughout 2025 and beyond. Look out for forthcoming 'Animal Lover' and 'Tweedles!' sets, and a rumoured 'Randy, Chuck & Bob - In The Studio?' release.
3 CD Set $36
BARBARA THOMPSON'S PARAPHERNALIA with PETER LEMER / JON HISEMAN / et al - Never say Goodbye (Intuition 34052; Germany) In the aesthetic sense, Barbara Thompson was never a revolutionary. She didn't develop any new style, attitude or concept. But that was so never her intention. She was more concerned with breaking up the „men-amongst-themselves" mood and to draw her audience more deeply into her music than was usual in the eccentric Jazz of the 70s. Her trademark was gripping, inviting, but not compromising Jazz Rock. She ridded her Jazz of all reservations. Her unflinching openness made it all the easier for her to integrate all imaginable genres into her music, whether Classical, Pop or World Music, and to move light-footedly between the various contradictory schools and epochs of Jazz, without ever having to resort to programmatic thinking or logos. In that she brought that together, which was excluded elsewhere, she completed & refined on the ideas of her more experimental contemporaries. But in contrast to many of her male colleagues, Barbara Thompson found acceptance where Jazz normally didn't have a chance. She broke with the American pattern early. She didn't necessarily explore new terrain in European Jazz, but she did give it a new face, from which it still profits today. From the very beginning, she cultivated a language which promised to be timeless & which could adopt the most diverse styles without distorting them. As such her compositions, ornamental, rich in arabesques & in which the not at all soft sound of the saxophone remains organic and leads back into the ensemble, have not lost their hypnotic fire. "The album features two well known standards written by my favourite jazz artists, John Coltrane & Benny Golson. The arrangements were great fun, especially 'Giant Steps' with Jon's driving drums leading the way. 'Living in the Fast Lane' was originally composed as a three movement concerto for big band. It has been broadcast by different ensembles several times since & I couldn't resist taking one step further, and with the help of Pete Lemer, re-arranging it"
CD $13
STEFAN PASBORG with FREDRIK LUNDIN / CARSTEN DAHL - Dear Alex (Stunt 25112; Denmark) Stefan Pasborg's Dear Alex is a deeply personal tribute to Danish drumming legend Alex Riel, a towering figure in jazz whose influence spanned generations. More than just a musical mentor, Riel was Pasborg's legal godfather and a guiding presence in his life. With this album, Pasborg honors their bond and Riel's immense legacy, bringing together a trio of top Danish musicians--Carsten Dahl (piano) and Fredrik Lundin (tenor sax)--to celebrate Riel's spirit.
The inspiration for the album came when Pasborg discovered a handwritten list of Riel's favorite songs. Deeply moved, he invited Dahl and Lundin into the studio to reimagine these timeless melodies with the same spontaneity and warmth that characterized Riel's playing. The result is a collection of heartfelt interpretations, capturing both the playfulness and depth that made Riel such a revered musician.
A particularly poignant moment on the album is "In Another Way", where Pasborg weaves five passages from Riel's 1966 solo improvisation In A Way into his own drum solo. For a few seconds, Riel's playing can be heard, living on within this new recording--a moving testament to his enduring impact. Adding to the tribute, Pasborg recorded the title track using Riel's legendary 1960s Gretsch drum kit, the same one featured on his debut album.
'Dear Alex' is more than a tribute album; it's a love letter from one drummer to another, from one generation to the next. Pasborg's liner notes express his gratitude: "Alex, thank you for all you were and all you gave. We will never forget you. This album is from us to you."
CD $16
CHAYA CHERNOWIN - Seltene Erde & Atara (Kairos 22048; Austria) This compelling album presents works by Israeli composer Chaya Czernowin, exploring the fragile balance between destruction and communication, control and surrender. Seltene Erde transforms the double bass and ensemble into a shifting landscape of illusion and resonance, evoking the invisible forces shaping our world. Atara, born from the isolation of 2020, is a powerful orchestral lament, where vast sonic masses collide with the delicate voices of two singers, lost yet luminous. Through these works, Czernowin crafts a deeply visceral experience - where sound becomes both raw material and fleeting shadow, revealing the unseen forces that shape our existence.
CD $18
CASIMIR LIBERSKI RETRIO - The Z Suites (We Release Jazz 015CD; Switzerland) We Release Jazz presents the release of Casimir Liberski ReTRio's The Z Suites, a full-length jazz album reinterpreting the music from iconic Nintendo video game series The Legend of Zelda. The epic Z-Jazz journey is available as limited edition 180g half speed mastered vinyl double LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve with obi (WRJ 015LTD-LP) and digipack CD with cavalier/obi. Casimir Liberski reimagines the golden era of video game soundtracks with jazz versions of Zelda favorites The Legend of Zelda (1986), A Link to the Past (1991), Link's Awakening (1993), and Oscarina of Time (1998) -- plus a few Easter eggs! Dancing between nostalgia and avant-garde, the Brussels-born pianist and composer crafts a sonic world of pixelated folklore where melody and improvisation coexist in harmony.
CD $18
THE BEACH BOYS - Smile (Brother Records ST 2580LP; Poland) "Smile (sometimes stylized as SMiLE) is the unfinished album by the Beach Boys intended to follow their 1966 album Pet Sounds. the project came to be regarded as the most legendary unreleased album in popular music history. The album was produced and almost entirely composed by Brian Wilson with Van Dyke Parks, both of whom conceived the project as a 'teenage symphony to God' It was a concept album that was planned to feature word paintings, tape manipulation, experiments with musical acoustics, themes of youth and innocence, and comedic interludes, with influences drawn from mysticism, pre-rock and roll pop, doo-wop, jazz, ragtime, musique concrète, classical, American history, poetry, spirituality, and cartoons. A mythology grew around the project, and its unfulfilled potential inspired many, especially those in indie rock, post-punk, electronic, and chamber pop genres."
LP $28
DAVID TOOP - Haunted Weather: Music, Silence, and Memory (Serpent's Tail 9781852427894; UK) "Digital technology has changed the ways in which music is perceived, stored, distributed, mediated and created. The world of music is now a vast and complex jungle, teeming with CDs, MP3s, concerts, clubs, festivals, conferences, exhibitions, installations, websites, software programs, scenes, ideas and competing theories. In the eye of the storm stands David Toop, shedding light on the most interesting music now being made -- on laptops, in downtown bars in Tokyo, wherever he finds it. Haunted Weather is part personal memoir and part travel journal, as well as an intensive survey of recent developments in digital technology, sonic theory and musical practice. Along the way Toop probes into the meaning of sound (and silence), offering fascinating insights into how computers can be used for improvisation. His wealth of musical knowledge provides inspiration for anyone interested in music."
Book [288 pages, softcover] $17
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ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE MUSICIANS OUT THERE, Around the world.
If you have a link for some music that you are working on and want to share it with the folks who read the DMG Newsletter, please send the link to DMG at DMG@Downtownmusicgallery.com
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THE STONE RESIDENCIES / LOUIE BELOGENIS / JUNE 11–14
6/11 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Exuberance/Afterlife - Daniel Carter (woodwinds, brass) Louie Belogenis (soprano and tenor saxophones) Hill Greene (bass) Michael Wimberly (drums)
6/12 Thursday
8:30 pm - Dave Douglas, Louie Belogenis, Mark Helias, Kate Gentile; Dave Douglas (trumpet) Louie Belogenis (tenor saxophone) Mark Helias (bass) Kate Gentile (drums)
6/13 Friday
8:30 pm - Terton with Zoh Amba - Louie Belogenis (soprano and tenor saxophones) Zoh Amba (tenor saxophone) Trevor Dunn (bass) Ryan Sawyer (drums)
6/14 Saturday
8:30 pm - Flow Trio with Joe McPhee - Joe McPhee (tenor saxophone) Louie Belogenis (soprano and tenor saxophones) Joe Morris (bass) Charles Downs (drums)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / TRIGGER / JUNE 18-20-21
6/18 Wednesday
8;30 pm - Trigger plays Zorn's Bagatelles/Apparitions
Will Greene (guitar) Simon Hanes (bass) Aaron Edgcomb (drums)
CLOSED FOR JUNETEENTH
THE NEW SCHOOL AND THE STONE WILL BE CLOSED FOR JUNETEENTH
6/20 Friday
8:30 pm - Trigger Quintet - Will Greene (guitar) Simon Hanes (bass) Aaron Edgcomb (drums) Ryan Easter (trpt) Elias Stemseder (keys)
6/21 Saturday
8:30 pm - Trigger Sextet - Will Greene (guitar) Simon Hanes (bass) Aaron Edgcomb (drums) Kevin Murray (drums) Trevor Dunn (bass) Brandon Seabrook (guitar)
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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ESP-Disk’ Concert Series:
June 13 (Friday) at 8 p.m.
Joe Morris & Elliott Sharp -
Release concert for their mind-boggling guitar duo album Realism, due in late May on ESP.
At Loove Annex, 238 North 12th Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
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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 below 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=rgcxTkoIgQI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAWxt3EJSPw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcvoYygehqE
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From 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