What'll I do?
When I am wond'ring who
Is kissing you
What'll I do?
What'll I do with just a photograph
To tell my troubles to?
When I'm alone
With only dreams of you
That won't come true
What'll I do?
What'll I do with just a photograph
To tell my troubles to?
When I'm alone
With only dreams of you
That won't come true
What'll I do?
Aside from five different Star Trek series, my favorite TV show of all was/still is 'Northern Exposure'. It is about a Jewish doctor who's stuck in Alaska working for a small town of lovable misfits. There is an episode called 'War and Peace' about a famed Russian singer named Nikolai who comes to town, enchants the customers/old friends at the Brick (the local bar) and whose sworn enemy if a local bigshot/former astronaut named Maurice Minifield, a rich/rightwing/radio station owner. They trade insults and eventually decide to duel with guns, but the duel is called off at the last minute. Nikolai sings Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do" (covered by Frank Sinatra) as the show closes and it never fails to make me cry. I just watched the vid on YouTube and I had a tear in my eye. The music to this song was used as a theme song for Northern Exposure as well and it always sounded somewhat familiar to me. "What'll I Do" is covered by Chris Dillingham on a CD reviewed below. A toast to the way a song or melody can stir so much emotion from us. I still sing "Rank Stranger" to myself when I want to get in touch with my own deep emotions. Check out Bob Dylan's version of this song on his 'Down in the Groove' album. Who Loves you bubbies..!?! That's me, MC-BruceLee
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THREE UPCOMING JOHN ZORN GIGS IN THE NEXT WEEKS:
1.JOHN ZORN's Cobra - at Roulette in Brooklyn, Wednesday, September 17th at 8pm. Zorn has composed 25 game pieces over 25 years and Cobra is the most popular one. In order to help understand the way the piece works, you must witness a live version. Both exciting to watch and challenging to play! You can purchase tickets here: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36368/performance/11675851?performanceId=11675851
2.'THE OCCULT HARRY SMITH' BOOK RELEASE EVENT – LIVE PERFORMANCE BY JOHN ZORN, IKUE MORI, JORGE ROEDER and CHES SMITH - At Anthology Film Archive, 32 Second Avenue New York, NY 10003; Thursday, September 18th at 7:30 - to purchase tickets: https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/4686?siteToken=bsrxtagjxmgh2qy0b6p646xdcr
3.THE NEW MASADA QUARTET with JOHN ZORN, JULIAN LAGE, JORGE ROEDER & KENNY WOLLESEN will be playing for a week at the Village Vanguard (178 Seventh Ave South, NYC) from September 23rd - 28th, 2 sets per night at 8 & 10pm. Tickets at: https://vv.squadup.com/artists/john-zorn-new-masada-quartet I've caught this quartet a half dozen times live so far and they are the best avant/electric jazz band on the planet! I mean this most sincerely, the New Masada Quartet rule! - Bruce Lee Gallanter at Downtown Music Gallery
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THE DMG 34th ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE CONCERT CELEBRATION CONTINUES with:
Tuesday, September 16th:
6:30: JON MADOF TRIO: J M - Guitar / YOSHIE FRUCHTER - Bass / NATE RAPPAPORT - Drums
7:30: FUNGAL BLOOM with FUNG CHERN HWEI - Strings / SHAWN LOVATO - Bass / COLIN HINTON - Drums
8:30: MICHAEL FOSTER - Saxes & Tubes / SANDY EWEN - Guitar
Saturday, September 20th: The Gauci-Music Series continues with:
6:30: RAINER JANCAS - Guitar / TIM DAHL - Electric bass / KEVIN SHEA - Drums
7:30: STEPHEN GAUCI - Tenor Sax - Flute - Clarinet / SANDY EWEN - Prepared Guitar
8:30: TJ BORDEN - Cello / GRANT BEALE - Guitar / LEMUEL MARC - Trumpet
Tuesday, September 23rd: Rosh Hashanah - No In-store
Tuesday September 30th: RELATIVE PITCH RECORDS Presents: 3 sets from 6:30 to 9pm:
1.CHUCK ROTH - Guitar / CAMILLA N - Tenor Sax
2.RYAN SAWYER - Drums / CAMILLA N - Tenor Sax
3.CHUCK ROTH / CAMILLA N / RYAN SAWYER
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This Week's Sonic Gems Start with:
PAUL DUNMALL with PERCY PURSGLOVE / RICHARD FOOTE / MARTIN ARCHER / JAMES BIRKETT / COREY MWAMBA / JAMES OWSTON / JIM BASHFORD / et al - Away with Troubles and Anxieties! (Discus Music 199CD; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on tenor, C & B-flat saxes, pennywhistle & compositions, Martin Archer on E-flat saxes, Alicia Gardener-Trejo on bari sax, Percy Pursglove on trumpet, Richard Foote on trombone, James Birkett on electric guitar, Andrew Woodhead & Glenn Leach on keyboards, Corey Mwamba on vibes, John Ball on tambura, John Pope & James Owston on double bass and Jim Bashford on drums. After releasing a deluge of discs (200 ) of mostly improv sessions, British sax colossus Paul Dunmall has slowed down over the past few years, with just 2 or three discs per year on labels like FMR, Rogue Art, 577 & Discus. Mr. Dunmall has spent more time writing and/or directing different groups in recent times rather than mostly doing free/improv dates with smaller groups. Aside from performing with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra and Keith Tippett's Tapestry, Dunmall has two older large ensemble discs.
For this release Dunmall has gathered 10 musicians plus three guests who play on just a few of these pieces. Aside from reedsman Martin Archer (founder of Discus Records) and vibist Corey Mwamba, I know most of the other musicians here mostly from playing on previous Dunmall sessions. This disc opens with a lovely solo pennywhistle feature before the rest of the ensemble enters. "It's Not Always as It Seems" has a warm, laid back, lyrical melody played by all the horns which feels like a cosmic hug. Little known to most Dunmall fans, Paul once played in a funk band when he was living in Texas back in the early 1970's. That soulful sound on sax is buried at times yet shines through on occasion. Bari saxist, Alicia Gardener-Trejo is featured at the beginning of "Awaken the Coiled Serpent" and has a lovely, golden tone. When the rest of the horns come in, the sound of the ensemble is both enchanting and free, creating warm waves to wash over us weary souls. Although most of Dunmall's previous discs are mostly free form fire music improv, this is not what we find here. "Certain Uncertainties" features some sublime yet engaging trumpet from longtime Dunmall cohort Percy Pursglove as well as some exquisite tasty guitar from James Birkett. Although "...but sometimes it is" is only three minutes long, the ensemble repeats a riff which is free and swirling at first calming down at times to near silence as it fades out. By keeping most of the pieces relatively short, Dunmall keeps the band focused so that this disc sounds like ritualistic series of related episodes. Dunmall does get a chance to stretch out and play a long, thoughtful tenor solo on "Have Seen, Haven't Seen". The first time I listened to this disc a few days ago at the store, I wasn't sure how the 13 pieces were connected. After several listens, I do hear a certain sound/style/glue: the balance between the freer and the more directed sections isn't so obvious at times yet I do hear the inner connection, the human creative spirit which connects all members of our collective family. This is the in-between or shadow world, it exists but most folks don't notice it. This realization seems to come from maturity (a/k/a old age) of listening to music seriously for most of my life. When musicians tap into this netherworld, this is where we travel together as spirits and enter a new land which is free of the usual detours of everyday life. Thanks to Paul Dunmall and his cast of Creative Spirits for inventing and exploring some new terrain. After reading a bit of (daily) bad new earlier today, I feel much more hopeful for things to come. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
HI RES HEART with MARTIN ARCHER / CHARLOTTE KEEFFE / GRAHAM CLARK / MICHAEL BARDON / MARTIN PYNE - Move Fast and Mend Things (Discus Music 201CD; UK) Hi Res Heart features Martin Archer on soprano, sopranino, alto, tenor & bari saxes, clarinet, recorders & harmonica, Charlotte Keeffe on trumpet & flugelhorn, Graham Clark on violin, Michael Bardon on contrabass & cello and Martin Pyne on drums, vibes & percussion. Multi-reeds wiz, multi-instrumentalist, producer and Discus Music founder Martin Archer never ceases to amaze with his many different projects and many recorded releases. His label, Discus Music, has been around for 30 years and has released more than 200 discs, many of which are the different projects that he is creating and expanding. As far as I can tell, this is the second Hi Res Heart release although all of the members have been working with Archer in the past. Those in the know should recognize the name of trumpet great Charlotte Keeffe with three great disc out on Discus and a longtime collaborator with Alex ward & Paul Dunmall. I recall violinist Graham Clark from his work with Daevid Allen and several versions of Gong. Bassist Michael Bardon and drummer Martin Pyne can both be heard on a half dozen discs from the Discus label.
This disc consists of four long improvisation pieces plus three shorter pieces composed by Mr. Archer, Ms. Keeffe and Mr. Pyne. The opening piece is called "Trail of Tears" and was composed by Martin Pyne. The term "Trail of Tears" often refers to the unfortunate treatment of Native Americans in the US. The piece starts with mostly vibes and other percussion with some echo effects. The rest of the quintet comes in as the old school earthly jazz theme is played and repeated over and over. Mr. Archer adds several reeds to the brew, the vibe churning. The trumpet and (tenor?) sax solo around one another. This piece is most memorable and reminds me of harp bop slowed down a bit. The title piece, "Move Fast and Mend Things" is the longest one here and is completely improvised. Mr. Archer solos midway playing a feisty bari sax feature, Mr. Clark plays a poignant violin solo near the end of this piece, summoning some prayer-like vibrations. On "Only Disobeying Orders" there is some strong, spirited interplay between the strings, trumpet, varied reeds and percussion. Ms. Keeffe's "Weeds" has another ancient jazz-like melody which sounds rather familiar with a playful vibes solo and a quirky sopranino solo. "Snake Oil" is another long improv piece which shifts through different sections with spirited and unpredictable interplay. Mr. Archer plays sopranino as the rest of the quintet play in a Braxtonian bent-note like way. The full quintet work together well as the piece unfolds organically.
CD $14
RON CAINES // LAURA COLE / EMBER QUARTET - The Music of Ron Caines - For Solo Piano / String Quartet (Discus Music 196CD; UK) This ambitious 2 CD set features the music of progressive composer Ron Caines being performed by Laura Cole on solo piano, the Ember String Quartet and one piece with Ms. Cole and the string quartet together. Ron Caines plays sax and keyboards and is founding member of the great British progressive rock band East of Eden (a dozen albums between 1969 & 2005). Mr. Caines is also a composer, has played in several free or progressive jazz projects and formed a band with Martin Archer called Axis, with five albums between 2018 and 2024. Laura Cole plays acoustic & electric piano in Axis as well as with several other bands on the Discus label.
Ms. Cole recorded two solo piano pieces of Mr. Caines' compositions which were supposed to on a Caines/Archer Axis disc but Mr. Archer suggested that Ms. Cole performed an entire CD of Mr. Caines' music, which is the first disc here. This disc is called 'Sky Chord' and it has 11 sections. The title track is first and it has a lush, haunting, stark sound. "Mazeep" is also rather stark and rather haunting. I was listening to a John Coltrane CD called 'Meditations' the other day since we were celebrating the birthday of Trane's drummer, the late, great Elvin Jones. The next piece is called "Heavy Loaded Trane" and it has a similar modal, spirit/jazz vibe which radiates throughout this piece. One might think that Mr. Caines' music should or might be coming from a more dense or progressive terrain would be surprised by the stark, suspense-filled music here. While listening to this disc, I had to be patient and savor each note which is not so easy to do as my newsletter deadline pops up. Halfway through "Reverie", a new theme appears, a slow, somewhat funky, blues-like groove which then disappears. "Calypso Roto" does have a sort of calypso-like groove which feels good although the piece is pretty short. Martin Archer and his recording engineer Chris Sharkey add subtle bits of electronic ambience to two of the pieces here. "African Violets" has a most hypnotic repeating riff which had me humming along to the pulsating drone at the center. Once my expectations calmed down, I was able to enjoy this disc more.
On the second disc, 'Haptic Space', Ms. Cole took five of Mr. Caines solo piano pieces and arranged them for a string quartet. Although the solo piano versions were mostly much shorter, Ms. Cole stretches them out with all four strings carefully working their way through the melodies, fragments and harmelodic contours. The spare, suspense music of disc one is expanding, giving more life to this music, occasionally adding some surprising spice here and there. Ms. Cole plays piano on the last piece, "Calypso Roto", giving the piece more depth when the strings come in midway. The strings slow down the piece and wheeze like ghosts with asthma, transforming this piece into a more harrowing, disorienting place. Both discs here show a very different approach to Ron Caines' music with Laura Cole embracing and reinventing what was originally written. The balance between both worlds is just right. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $18
LUCIAN BAN / JOHN SURMAN / MAT MANERI - Cantica Profana (Sunnyside 1766; USA) Featuring Lucian Ban on piano, John Surman on soprano sax & bass clarinet and Mat Maneri on viola. There is a spirit that passes through all the folkloric music of the world. The sounds may differ from region to region and from people to people, but folk music holds deep truths that speak to the connective tissue of humanity. There is something mysteriously universal in the way peasants or, for that matter, jazz musicians approach music.
From Ban and Maneri’s informative liner notes: “Once we took the music on the road an unfolding of a new musical spirit was happening to us with each concert. Revisiting the dances, carols, dowry songs, doinas and lamentations first recorded in Timisoara in 2018 with each live performance new vistas would open, new forms would spring, themes and instrumental roles would be freely interchanged, a ‘pulsing life of peasant-music,’ to use Bartok’s own words, carrying us forward.”
Extensive touring allowed the trio to really explore their repertoire. The pieces began to expand and evolve. Surman observed, “Sometimes using small fragments of material and developing those fragments whilst trying to retain the spirit of the original material.” Each performance allowed the trio to approach each song in a new and original manner, whether it was dropping the theme entirely or just mixing in subtle hints of the melodies or harmonies to lead the group into new territories. The trio had matured to become a seemingly living musical organism, dancing to their own contemporary folkloric sounds.
To find such a dedicated collaborator in Surman has been a blessing for Maneri and Ban: “He has an uncanny way of playing these historic melodies in his own language, while never giving up the recipe that made them so durable in the first place. His wondrous range of instruments and sonorities wove a wonderful sense of orchestration that allowed us to enhance our own extended techniques and rhythmic altercations.”
Each musician brings a unique sound and approach to the music, from Maneri’s singular microtonal viola tones and esoteric musical influences to Ban’s jazz leanings and archaic Romanian romanticism to Surman’s contemporary cool and Cornish shine.
The material presented on Cantica Profana and The Athenaeum Concert stem from the pieces the trio recorded on their initial recording, Transylvanian Folk Songs (Sunnyside, 2020), yet the live reinterpretations of the pieces are so radical that a new songbook was born underlining the extraordinary power contained in these historical gems and the profound originality of an ensemble working night after night in unbound creativity.
Cantica Profana compiles recordings from three different concerts, all captured from November 2022 to November 2023, in remarkable clarity from tremendous sounding spaces, including the Centre Culturel Opderchmelz in Dudelange, Luxembourg, Stanser Musiktage in Stans, Switzerland, and Strasbourg Jazzdor Festival in France. The June 2024 concert at the fabulous Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest was so singularly rewarding in its sound quality and performance that the trio decided to release it as a stand-alone vinyl LP release, entitled The Athenaeum Concert.
“Violin Sing” appears twice on Cantica Profana and once on Athenaeum Concert. Ban plays inside the piano, muting the strings with a strong rhythmic purpose, sounding like a cimbalom or the West African ngoni, providing the perfect drive for Surman’s soprano and Maneri’s viola dance against one another. “Bitter Love Song” is radically reborn as “Evening in the Village” (a nod to Bartók’s famed composition) and “Cantica Profana.” The latter’s opening of percussive piano notes ringing introduces the melody by Maneri, who uses microtones that have been integral to the Blues, Arabic melodies, and Japanese traditional music, not to mention Greek doina and Sephardic dance music introduced to Maneri by his father, the late master, Joe Maneri.
“Carol” is transformed into the somberly cinematic “Dark Forest” using techniques from contemporary classical and chamber jazz improvisation. The two versions of “Up There” feature Surman’s unmistakable bass clarinet, one of the wonders of modern jazz.
“The Return” has two tremendous versions: “First Return” featuring a solemn refrain in a sort of row and “Last Return” showcasing the subtle dynamics of restrained group interplay, reminiscent of Surman’s collaborations with Paul Bley and Paul Motian, both heroes of Ban and Maneri. “Transylvanian Dance” concludes the program with a lilt and flair, conjuring peasants dancing as the spirit of the music escalates until its dramatic finale.
Folk music is a container of a communal culture. Through Ban, Maneri, and Surman’s improvisations on these folk songs, all can partake in the beauty and mystery of this culture long after the Transylvanian peasants sang into Bartók’s Edison phonograph. Cantica Profana and The Athenaeum Concert provide ample proof of the trio’s limitless creative drive and strikingly illustrate Bartók’s foretelling 1921 observation: “A future generation might conceivably discover and embody in their art music properties of the peasant music which have altogether escaped us.”
CD $14
KARL EVANGELISTA'S APURA with ANDREW CYRILLE / FRANCIS WONG / LEWIS JORDAN / REI SCAMPAVIA / LISA MEZZACAPPA - Bukas (577 Records 5980; USA) West Coast Bay Area guitarist Karl Evangelista leads his Apura ensemble — Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), Francis Wong (tenor sax), Rei Scampavia (keys, electronics), and Lewis Jordan (alto sax) — joined by drum legend Andrew Cyrille in a powerful statement of free improvisation, blending expressive intensity and forward-looking vision with deeply rooted passion and creative openness. Bay Area guitarist Karl Evangelista is someone to watch. The three previous discs that he has out are all marvelous spirit jazz with respected elders in his ranks: Trevor Watts, Louis Moholo, Alexander Hawkins & Michael Zerang. Karl is sending us a promo so I will review when it arrives. Really looking forward to hearing a reviewing this disc. - BLG at DMG
CD $14
CHRISTIAN DILLINGHAM with MATT GOLD / JULIUS TUCKER / QUIN KIRCHNER / JODEE LEWIS - Halycon (Greenleaf Music GRE-CD-1110; USA) Featuring Christian Dillingham on contrabass, Matt Gold on guitar & pedal steel, Julius Tucker on piano, Quin Kirchner drums plus Jodee Lewis on vocals (1 track). Chicago bassist Christian Dillingham plays with the Chicago Philharmonic and Sinfonietta and this is his second disc for the Greenleaf label. Matt Gold, Julius Tucker and Jodee Lewis seem play in a variety of rock and roots/rock bands, none of whom I've heard of. Drummer Quin Kirchner has been in a variety of projects over the years, working with Greg Ward, the Lucky 7's, Paul Giallorenzo and a Moondog project. Eclectic resumes for all five members.
Christian Dillingham wrote six of the ten pieces here with covers by Gillian Welch, Irving Berlin, Bob Dylan and Duke Ellington, This disc is dedicated to Mr. Dillingham's father who passed away the that this disc was recorded and whose birthday, October 12th, is also same release date for this disc. "Dimepiece" opens and is a righteous, bluesy edge with a churning groove and effervescent piano solo and tasty guitar flourishes. The title is, "Halcyon" is next and it refers to a peaceful time in the past, a time we all long for during the more turbulent times in our lives. This piece has calm center yet still jubilant with exquisite guitar playing by Matt Gold, who takes the Bill Frisell role on this band. All the music is somewhat laid back and bluesy, it has a heart warming, stirring quality, reminding us that we are all human and often filled with emotions, some of which we can control and other that we can't. As a big fan of Gillian Welch, I really appreciate someone covering one of her songs. Dillingham does a fine job on Ms. Welch's song "Lowlands", which includes some especially soulful guitar by Matt Gold and a sly, funky groove. Aside from five different Star Trek series, my favorite TV show of all was/still is 'Northern Exposure', about a Jewish doctor who's stuck in Alaska working for a small town of lovable misfits. There is an episode called 'War and Peace' about a famed Russian singer named Nikolai who comes to town, enchants more of customers/old friends at the Brick (the local bar) and whose sworn enemy if a local bigshot/former astronaut named Maurice Minifield. They trade insults and eventually decide to duel with guns, but the duel is called off at the last minute. Nikilai sings Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do" (covered by Frank Sinatra) as the show closes and it never fails to make me cry. That song is covered here, so poignant, so sweet, that I almost wept hearing it now. Another unlikely cover is Duke Ellington's "TGTT" (Too Good to title), from Duke's Sacred Concert session. Each song here casts a different yet similar spell over those who listen. Mr. Dillingham takes a heartwarming bass solo on "Twice Lost", with every note ringing true. This disc ends with Bob Dylan's "Boots of Spanish Leather" which is sung by Jodee Lewis. This version is most touching and it seems like a perfect closing to this wonderful disc, which tugs at our collective heartstrings throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14
CRAYOLA LECTERN - Disasternoon (Onomatopoeia Records HUM 052CD; UK) Disasternoon is an album of psychedelic melancholia, a carousel of dreams, otherworldly and fantastical, each song sculpted into an allegory, elegant, rich, textured and authentic. Crayola Lectern explore memories, separation, isolation and the times that changed us, with lyrics scattered sparingly throughout. Crayola Lectern is the project from Chris Anderson, often compared to the piano led jazz of Robert Wyatt, the psychedelic folk of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, with echoes of Mercury Rev, or Flaming Lips, and experimentalism of Fred Frith. In Disasternoon, Chris Anderson performs on vocals, piano, mellotron, synths, organs, sax, guitars and bass, with Alistair Strachan on trumpet, cornet, glockenspiel and Damo Waters on drums and percussion. Bic Hayes performs electric guitar solos on "Disasternoon" and "Coscoroba," and Maria Marzaioli plays violin in "Coscoroba." The live show often also featuring the likes of Jon Poole (Cardiacs, Widhearts) heading-up electronics, gadgets, sounds and keyboard parts, Bob Leith (Cardiacs) on drums, and Bic Hayes (Cardiacs, Levitation) on guitar.
CD $16
PROPAGANDA - Remix Encounters (Bureau B 482CD; Germany) Electronic pioneers Propaganda follow up their acclaimed 2024 comeback with Remix Encounters, a broad and brilliant remix album featuring Moby, Tangerine Dream, Rhys Fulber, Schiller, and more. Released on Bureau B, this remix collection reflects the enthusiasm Propaganda's return after three decades of silence has ignited among contemporary artists, who approached the project with fresh energy and creative freedom.
"Since breaking new ground with their seminal 1985 debut A Secret Wish and its pioneering remix companion Wishful Thinking, Propaganda have thrived on transformation. Yet rather than revisiting the past, Remix Encounters looks forward, building on the vitality of last year's album and celebrating its widespread critical and fan acclaim. What began as a remix request from Finnish electronic maestro Jori Hulkkonen, returning the favor after Ralf Dörper's contribution to his last album, quickly blossomed into an international collaboration, drawing in luminaries such as Moby, Tangerine Dream, Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly, Delerium), and Schiller. Embracing openness, Propaganda spent the fourth quarter of 2024 encouraging the wide range of musicians inspired by their triumphant return to offer their own interpretations. Each brought their distinctive voice to the material, resulting in a thrilling journey through electronic subgenres, from EBM and industrial to rave, ambient, house, and beyond. Rhys Fulber opens the album with a brooding, machine-funk reinvention of 'They Call Me Nocebo,' evolving from a sleek, sinuous introduction into a relentless pneumatic stomp. Next, Schiller offers a powerful remix of 'Distant' that balances raw electro-house and techno energy with the emotional depth of EBM, before Moby transforms 'Purveyor of Pleasure' into a furious early-'90s rave anthem, fusing breakbeats and rolling basslines that pulse with nostalgic urgency yet feel unmistakably modern. Elsewhere, Finnish polymath Jimi Tenor infuses 'Vicious Circle' with cosmic jazz and dub textures, while Pyrolator, a key figure in Düsseldorf's avant-garde scene, delivers a shadowy reinterpretation of 'LoveCraft.' Cult With No Name also contribute a brooding electro-ballad version of the same track. Propaganda's own Michael Mertens teams up with longtime collaborator Hans Steingen to re-envision 'Dystopian Waltz,' shifting its time signature to a gripping 4/4 and intensifying its ominous mood for darker dance floors. The range of remixers speaks volumes: from industrial punks Gewalt and synth purists Metroland to ambient pioneers Tangerine Dream, Remix Encounters unites an eclectic group of electronic artists bound by a shared reverence for innovation and Propaganda's distinctive voice." --Patrick Ryder
CD $18 / LP $38
REISSUES, RESTOCKS & ARCHIVAL RECORDS:
BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND - Fillmore West, San Francisco, 1966 (Retroworld 7264752.2; EEC) The Butterfield Blues Band, particularly in it's early incarnations, was, without doubt, one of the most dynamic and exciting combos to emerge in the mid 1960s. Initially playing a brash, swaggering take on Chicago Blues on their self-titled debut album for Elektra Records (released in October 1965), they soon sought to push out and beyond the rigid Bluesy musical structures to something more innovative and intriguing. Fronted by harmonica player Paul Butterfield, the band came to exert a considerable influence on musicians nationally and internationally. The first seven tracks on this fantastic value release at mid-price come from a recording at the Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, on 14th October 1966 including the classic "East West". "East West" is considered to be the first blues/rock/psych jam song, released on album in 1966. Alongside Butterfield, the line-up for the show was Mike Bloomfield (Guitar, Vocals); Elvin Bishop (Guitar, Vocals); Mark Naftalin (Organ, Vocals); Jerome Arnold (Bass); and Billy Davenport (Drums).The two additional tracks come from a 1970 show in New York City and include a great version of Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign". Butterfield's playing and vocal skills have matured and his band, now supplemented by a horn section featuring a young David Sanborn, have incorporated a distinctly Jazzy influence, and all the better for it.
CD $14
SPACEMEN 3 - Playing With Fire (Space Age Orbit 057CD; UK) Originally released in 1989, the third and penultimate studio album Playing with Fire by Spacemen 3 (Sonic Boom a.k.a. Peter Kember and Jason Pierce) has been repressed due to popular demand. Featuring 22 incredible tracks, spanning 2CD's, including the brilliant singles "Revolution" and "Lord Can You Hear Me." This release is an unrelenting psychedelic experience, with razor-blade riffs and drones that lead you into a sonic underworld of alienation, desolation and raw power. The instantly recognizable artwork of this brand new deluxe digifile sleeve, stays completely true to the original CD release, a delight for old and new fans alike.
2 CD Set $17
CURRENT 93 - Like Swallowing Eclipses (Dirter Promotions DPRMCDBX 076CD; UK) A long time ago in 2010, David Tibet and Andrew Liles decided to ReDream and ReName the first six and two-halves Current 93 albums on Steve Pittis' dirty Dirter label. Now, 3,900 years later, to mark The Death Of The Age, Or Æon, Or Arse, Of Aquarius, they have returned with a CD box-set, consisting of the original vinyl albums in the box-set remastered by Master Monster Liles, and an extra CD featuring C93's album Who Is The Sufferer. The box-set has been taken from the original artwork by Saint Rob Hopeye, and also includes five color cards, and one color poster, painted by David Tibet. Limited to 1,000 copies. The material on these albums and single and postcard, that has now been dreamt and redrawn by Andrew Liles, was originally performed and released by Current 93 on her earlier UnVeiled, Rising, MalD'Aurorian, MoonBled, DayBreaking, Faustian, Suffering, and BlackBird albums and singles. Now Dirter Promotions offers to you all: Nature Revealed, Dogs Blood Ascending, The End Of Red Dreams, Dead At Bar Maldoror, Dusk, Haunt Invocation (Apadno), Who Is The Sufferer. The box-set also includes a 7" single in full-color sleeve, featuring "There's No Hiding From The BlackBird."
7 CD Set $82
ALVIN LUCIER - Music On A Long Thin Wire (Lovely Music LCDb1011CD; USA) 1992 release. First released on Lovely Music in 1980. A 50-foot length of taut wire passes through the poles of a large magnet and is driven by an oscillator; the vibrations of the wire are miked at either end, amplified, and broadcast in stereo. The thin wire is set vibrating four times at four different frequencies; what results is not the low drone one might expect from a long, vibrating wire, but a complexity of evocative, ethereal chords. Music On A Long Thin Wire is a classic example of Alvin Lucier's investigations into the physics of sound and the sonic properties of natural processes.
CD $14
DAVID BEHRMAN - Leapday Night (Lovely Music LCD 1042CD; USA) Originally release on Lovely Music in 1987. A series of three pieces/suites; "Leapday Night", "A Traveler's Dream Journal", and "Interspecies Smalltalk" involving Rhys Chatham/Ben Neill (on trumpet/mutantrumpet), Fluxus mainstay Takehisa Kosugi (violin), and David Behrman himself on electronics. Behrman creates thickly layered liquid sounds utilizing this complex computer music system which absorbs, actually hears, the sounds of instrumentalists, and then plays off their improvisations with its own synthesized reactions. The system consists of pitch sensors ("ears" with which it listens to the performing musicians), various music synthesizers (some homemade), a computer graphics color video display and a personal computer. "Heavy period-synth float with bare accompaniment, thankfully just-pre DX-7."
CD $14
LP SECTION:
VARIOUS - Music From the Mountain People of Vietnam (Sublime Frequencies SF129LP; USA) Other worldly folk music from the Central Highlands of Vietnam performed by some of the most renowned musicians of the region, this exceptional document features small ensembles and solo performers on a variety of unique instruments (many with vocals). This is rare and disappearing music from the Jerai, Banhar, Ede, and Rongao ethnic groups and although the recordings are made during informal settings, they are raw, emotional, dreamy, and transcendent. From Vincenzo Della Ratta's liner notes: "In recent decades, the traditional cultures of various ethnic groups in Vietnam have undergone dramatic changes, leading to the radical transformation or even loss of some long-standing traditions, all of which has also had a significant impact on the musical traditions of the Central Highlands. The recordings on this album reflect this period, in which the last representatives of the old musical traditions have coexisted with a new wave of musicians and performers. This shift has affected the musical instruments used, the functions or contexts in which they are played, the repertoires, and the playing styles. A further characteristic of musical change in the Central Highlands is the influence of Western or Vietnamese music, evident in the way young musicians perform with a clean and measured style, with the standard Western tuning. This contrasts with the traditional playing style of older generations, and both styles are featured on this album. Rather than just being a 'musical postcard,' this album is intended to provide an accurate sonic representation of the musical landscape in the Central Highlands over the past two decades, while still being highly enjoyable. I feel that it is particularly significant, considering the present period of major change, during which the music of the older generations is fading from the villages of the region, making way for new forms of musical expression." Recorded live on location by Vincenzo Della Ratta between 2003-2023, this extremely limited-edition LP includes a four-page full-color insert with photos of the musicians and surroundings, a detailed track list and liner notes by Vincenzo Della Ratta.
LP $28
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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 BLGallanter@gmail.com
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THE STONE RESIDENCIES / BRIAN MARSELLA / SEPT 10-13
9/10 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Pataphysics - Brian Marsella (piano) Sae Hashimoto (vibraphone) Patricia Brennan (vibraphone) Joel Ross (vibraphone)
9/11 Thursday
8:30 pm - Trio - Brian Marsella (piano) Jorge Roeder (bass) Tomas Fujiwara (drums)
9/12 Friday
8:30 pm - Pessimism is for Suckers - Brian Marsella (rhodes, organ, keys) Sally Gates (guitar) Jon Irabagon (sax) Trevor Dunn (bass) Calvin Weston (drums)
9/13 Saturday
8:30 pm - Solo - Brian Marsella (piano)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / DAN WEISS / SEPT 17-20
9/17 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Dan Weiss Trio
Craig Taborn (piano) Peter Washington (bass) Dan Weiss (drums)
9/18 Thursday
8:30 pm - Dan Weiss Trio
Jacob Sacks (piano) Thomas Morgan (bass) Dan Weiss (drums)
9/19 Friday
8:30 pm - OCTET: Ingrid Laubrock (sax) Anna Webber (sax) Caroline Davis (sax) Sophia Kickhofel (sax) Matt Mitchell (piano) Miles Okazaki (guitar) Chris Tordini (bass) Dan Weiss (drums)
9/20 Saturday
8:30 pm - Dan Weiss - Solo 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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THE FESTIVAL OF NEW TRUMPET will take place from September 5th to 12th:
FONT Music will once again feature exclusive online premieres, debuting on the festival’s opening day, allowing global audiences to experience cutting-edge trumpet music from wherever they are. These virtual sets extend FONT’s mission beyond New York City, amplifying bold new voices and innovative collaborations from across the globe.
Friday, September 12 – The Statuary: TEDD CHUBB / LEE HOGANS / TERELL STAFFORD:
7:00 PM – Gratified Never Satisfied: A Tribute to William B. Fielder - A celebration of the late trumpet master and educator William B. Fielder, whose legacy shaped generations of modern trumpeters. The evening features three of his musical heirs:
7:00 PM – Ted Chubb Quintet - Ted Chubb (trumpet), Bruce Williams (alto sax), Oscar Perez (piano), Tom DiCarlo (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums)
8:00 PM – Lee Hogans & Pursuance - Lee Hogans (trumpet), Jesse Fischer (piano/Fender Rhodes), Liany Mateo (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums)
9:00 PM – Terell Stafford Quintet
Terell Stafford (trumpet), Tim Warfield (saxophone), Bruce Barth (piano), Graham Kozak (bass), Justin Faulkner (drums)
This special event honors legendary trumpet educator William B. Fielder, whose teachings shaped generations of trumpeters including all three featured artists. Suggested donation: $25.
Presented in partnership with The Statuary and FONT Music, with support from RiverviewJazz.org and the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund.
The Statuary - 53 Congress St, Jersey City, NJ 07307
thestatuary.org
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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