There is a place where love wherever shines, and
rainbows are the shadows of a presence so divine,
and the glow of that love lights
the heavens above, and it’s free, come with me,
can’t you see.
The creator has a working plan
Peace and happiness for every man
The creator has a working plan
Peace and happiness for every man
The creator has a master plan
Peace and happiness for every man
The creator has a master plan
Peace and happiness for every man
The creator makes but one demand
Peace and happiness through all the land
The creator makes but one demand —
Happiness… through all the land
The creator has a master plan
Peace and happiness for every man
The creator has a master plan
Peace and happiness for every man
The creator makes but one demand
Peace and happiness through all the land
The creator makes but one demand —
Happiness… through all the land
Beginning around 1967 (a/k/a the Summer of Love & Psychedelics), Ib started to notice the Cosmic or Transcendent side/power of certain musics. I am referring to the way a song or music itself casts a spell on the listener and brings them somewhere else. I recall certain songs, even on AM radio that had that effect on myself and others. Although there are numerous ingredients involved, it is difficult to define how or why this transcendence works. Elements like chanting voices, Indian music's sitars & drones, sustained tones on guitars & other instruments, strange & inventive lyrics, studio effects, wailing saxes are all part of this Cosmic wave. For some, this list includes drugs like marijuana and acid. My favorite music has long been the inventive/transcendent side of psychedelic, progressive, free/jazz and other free form freakiness.
I started to study and take jazz more seriously when I attended college in the fall of 1972. I began a jazz fanatic and studied its long & winding rich history. The first jazz radio stations that I checked out then were WRVR in NYC and WXPN in Philly, plus WMMR for some of the better prog rock of the time. I recall hearing Leon Thomas' version the above song on jazz radio and was truly touched by the lyrics and haunting melody. As I got into some of the more further out jazz of John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra and my British faves (Soft Machine, King Crimson, the John Surman Trio & the Keith Tippett Group), I bought a copy of Pharoah's 'Karma' LP and discovered the long version of "The Creator Has a Master Plan", a truly, Cosmic, transcendent epic which still haunts me today. I have been playing both early versions of this song at the store recently and I still get the chills hearing either/both. A number of jazz and prog bands have covered this song as well. Out this week is the new release by Third Mind, my favorite current psych/jam band, it is called 'Right Now!'. And wouldn't you know it, they also cover this song! Hallelujah! We should have CD & LP copies in stock soon. A word to the Creator, will we ever really get the Peace and Happiness that we are forever seeking?!?! - MC-BruceLee
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ONGOING JOHN ZORN GIGS THIS WEEk:
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 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
Tuesday, October 7th:
6:30: MUSIQUE LIBRE FEMMES with CHERYL PYLE - Flutes / AYUMI ISHITO - Tenor Sax / JEONG LIM LANG - Contrabass
7:30: patrick brennan: CLAIRE de BRUNNER & SARA SCHOENBECK on bassoons, JOSH SINTON on bari sax & NICK GIANNI - bass clarinet
8:30: JONATHAN REISIN - Tenor Sax / EVAN PALMER - Bass / MARC EDWARDS - Drums
Tuesday, October 14th:
6:30: MICHAEL EATON - Soprano Sax / MAX KUTNER - Guitar / KEVIN SHEA - Drums
7:30: JEFF PEARRING - Alto Sax / STEPHEN GAUCI - Tenor Sax / EVAN PALMER - Bass / PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums
8:30: LEE ODOM - Soprano Sax / JEFF MILES - Guitar / ZACH SWANSON - Bass / KEN KOBAYASHI - Drums
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THIS WEEK'S COSMIC TREASURES BEGIN WITH:
NELS CLINE / CRAIG TABORN / MARCUS GILMORE - Trio of Bloom (Pyroclastic PR 42; USA) Featuring Nels Cline on 6 & 12 string guitars, lap steel & bass (on 2 tracks), Craig Taborn on various keyboards and Marcus Gilmore on drums & percussion. Aside from his work with Wilco and his own Concentric Quartet, guitar god Nels Cline often has several other projects that he works on, some one-offs and other multiple disc projects. This is the first disc of this cooperative trio with keyboard wiz Craig Taborn and drum great Marcus Gilmore. I don't think that Mr. Taborn or Mr. Gilmore had recorded with Mr. Cline previously. You most likely know Craig Taborn from his work with Tim Berne, Lotte Anker and Farmers by Nature. I do know of Mr. Gilmore from his time with Steve Coleman, Vijay Iyer and Patricia Brennan.
Instead of being an all improv session, each member of the trio has contributed a song or two plus there are a few selective covers by Ronald Shannon Jackson, Wayne Shorter and Terje Rypdal. The opening track, "Nightwhistlers" was written by the late drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson and appeared on his record called 'Eye on You' (from 1980). It starts with a sly drums-only groove. Nels Cline is a longtime master of a variety of devices for his guitar. hence he adds some sustained tones and echoes to his plying on this piece with Taborn also adding some synth swirls. Craig Taborn's "Unreal Light" begins with some eerie organ-like swirls, before it sails into a playful, sunshiney groove. Both Nels' sublime solo and spacious sound give this piece a most mesmerizing vibe. Mr. Cline's own "Queen King" begins with another great groove, Nels on quick groove bass and Mr. Taborn using several keyboards. Taborn is playing what sounds like a slightly distorted clavinet or electric piano and takes a fine, sly solo. Another is Wayne Shorter's "Diana", which is played in a most laid back, ethereal way. The song comes from a great Wayne Shorter album called 'Native Dancer' (from 1975) and it is played in a lush and haunting way. "Bloomers" is the one all improv track here and shows how well this trio can create something extraordinary without being directed by an outside source. Taborn's "Why Canada" reminds me of the way certain John Zorn pieces sound free and frenzied yet have some unexpectedly tight twists and turns. Each of the eleven pieces here tells a different story or sets a different scene. Both Nels Cline and Craig Taborn use effects or different instruments so that the sound of the is consistently changing. I can tell that a great deal of preparation went into conceiving and producing this disc to I hope to check out this trio live in the future and perhaps they will make another solid effort like this one. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
ELLIOTT SHARP'S TERRAPLANE with ERIC MINGUS / DAVE HOFSTRA / DON MCKENZIE - Livin' Hear (Yellowbird YEB 7853; Germany) Featuring Elliott Sharp on guitars, tenor sax, keyboards, bass & synths, Eric Mingus on vocals, Dave Hofstra on bass and Don McKenzie on drums. Aside from bands like I/SM, Carbon, Semantics, Slan and the Bootstappers, multi-instrumentalist & composer Elliott Sharp has been playing & recording the blues for some three decades. Starting with an instrumental trio called Terraplane (CD from 1994) and a duo with the great singer Queen Esther (called Hoosegow in 1996), the Terraplane band has continued to evolve (personnel & sound/style-wise) with 11 releases under their collective belts. Downtown bassist, Dave Hostra (Microscopic Septet to The President) has been in Terraplane since they started out. Vocalist Eric Mingus (son of Charles) has also been with Terraplane since the turn of the millenium. Ace Downton drummer, Don McKenzie has been working with Mr. Sharp for more than a decade now.
Elliott Sharp and Eric Mingus wrote all but one of the songs on this disc. Instead of playing anything of those ancient blues nuggets, these songs capture a future blues perspective, dealing with the things that are currently giving all of the blues every day. Overall the songs here sound both ancient (in structure & sound) and somehow modern or current simultaneously. The opening track is called “A Jackson” and it refers to President Andrew Jackson whose face is found on a $20 bill. “Where did the money go?” is a plea that has been a part of the blues culture ever since we humans were paid for our work. Mr. Sharp adds all sorts of keyboards, organ, synth, clavinet and such, to these songs, once again, giving the songs an older sound (60’s & 70’s). Don McKenzie is a badass drummer and he does a fine job of slamming out the groove as well as adding many a feisty rave-ups. Mr. Sharp plays some mean/sly slide guitar on “Three Hours Until Morning” which is supported by a rather funky drum n’bass groove. I dig the way Sharp adds some surprising samples, like plucked acoustic strings, in the right places. I have always dug Eric Mingus’ voice, he always sings as if he means business, commenting on the ridiculousness of our world with a larger-than-life set of vocal chords. On the title track, both he and Sharp (on lead guitar) go for the gusto, reaching higher and higher. You gotta love a song called, “Last Night I Saw Sun Ra”, which reflects back on Sun Ra’s view about how bad we treat Mother Earth. One of the that I’ve always dug about the blues is that they often give us something to laugh about, either about ourselves or someone else’s misfortune. These songs are often held by throbbing bass, pounding with layers of cascading guitars and keyboards while Mingus belts it out on top. Although I still listen to many old blues albums, I haven’t heard a newer blues record in many years. Elliott Sharp and his Terraplane posse do a fine job capturing the feeling of ancient blues songs while adding some impressive contemporary sonic effects to entice us. If you still get the Daily Blues, then you should take a take of this medicine. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
ROSCOE MITCHELL & MICHELE RABBIA - In 2 (Rogue Art 145CD; France) "If you listen to nature, all the sounds are done in a confident way. I'm trying to do that. In these turbulent times, it may be worth reconsidering the few solutions offered by the art and know-how of improvisation, of the activity of improvisation. To do so, it may be necessary to start by deconstructing common sense; to start by taking improvisation not as an 'approximation' but as a method, a method of working collectively par excellence, for building situations in dialogue, in responsiveness and interactivity, in inclusiveness and, at the end, creativity. Improvisation is an articulated and articulatory knowledge, which coordinates orders and disorders more than it imposes an order. Improvisation is the art of conversation, of listening to each other, through all the particular languages of the forces at play, and through a common language that is always in the making. The air that comes out of a wind instrument, the one that comes out of the holes in a drum, the idea of this breath that expands, unravels, overlaps, becomes continuous, until it fades away. Roscoe Mitchell and Michele Rabia are made for each other, because they've always made everything audible in their respective music and improvisations. You can hear everything on the percussion of one, the slightest contact, the slightest clash, the slightest impact, and meteor showers on the resonant skins, on the resonant metals. The other's saxophones are like horns of plenty: the slightest breath, the slightest murmur, the slightest clamor, the scratches and welts. Together, they redefine the form and content of duets and dialogue, what exactly is a network connection and a disconnection; they rethink all forms of communication in music."
2 CD Set $18
FIVE FABULOUS NEW DISCS FROM FUNDACJA SLUCHAJ / LISTEN FOUNDATION:
JOE HERTENSTEIN / RAY ANDERSON / MICHAEL MOORE / MICHAEL FORMANEK - The 7th Dinner Live (Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 21/2025; Poland) Featuring Ray Anderson on trombone, Michael Moore on alto sax & clarinet, Michael Formanek on contrabass and Joe Hertenstein on drums & most compositions. German drummer and composer, Joe Hertenstein, keeps pretty busy working with a variety of (often) elder avant jazz musicians from Europe and the US. Over more than two dozen discs (since 2010), Mr. Hertenstein has worked with Thomas Heberer, Jon Irabagon, Ivo Perelman and Matt Shipp. A couple of years back, he organized a fine trio with (reeds wiz) Michael Moore and bassist Greg Cohen, both of whom are/were Americans living in Europe. For this disc, Hertenstein has organized a fine all-star quartet with Ray Anderson, Michael Moore (from the ICP Orchestra) and Michael Formanek. Hertenstein wrote 5 of the six songs here and seems to be the leader of the quartet.
The pieces here were all recorded live at three locations in Berlin, Austria and in Italy while the quartet was on tour in October of 2024. The first piece is called "The 7th Dinner" and it strats with a solo drum groove/intro. The bass and drums take off tightly together playing a buoyant groove and are soon joined by the alto sax and trombone, both of which take strong, spirited solos. It is actually Hertenstein infectious drumming which keeps this piece so jubilant throughout. "Alles Jutta" was inspired by Blue Note pianist Jutta Hipp (1925-2003) and first appeared on an earlier Hertenstein release. Once again the jubilant groove is what makes this disc so fine. Whether playing the theme together or soloing, both horns are in fine form here, shadowing each other no matter where they go. "Ballad for Paul & Poo" also appeared earlier on CD and it is a sumptuous, sublime piece, simmering and haunting at times. It is Hertenstein's masterful, focused drumming that is the heart of each piece here. "Bottle Opener" contains another drum-centered groove fest and features a long, thoughtful, dialogue between the trombone and drums. Michael Formanek's nimble yet insistent bass is at the center of "Fourdance", with Mr. Moore's inventive clarinet and Mr. Anderson's expansice trombone interweaving superbly. The quartet excels at that loose/tight vibe. The last piece is Michael Moore's "Providence", which swings effortlessly and features inspired from Moore on alto sax and Anderson on trombone. Although this quartet got together for the first time when their tour began, they gelled quickly and have a solid, tight, infectious and inventive force throughout all six songs here. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17
SYLVIE COURVOISIER / JEROME DEUPREE / LESTER ST. LOUIS / JOE MORRIS - Canyon (Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 13/2025; Poland) Featuring Sylvie Courvoisier on piano, Lester St. Louis on cello, Joe Morris on contrabass and Jerome Deupree on drums. This 2 CD set was recorded at Firehouse 12 studios in November of 2023. The session was produced by Boston-based drummer Jerome Deupree and Joe Morris, longtime collaborator for Matt Shipp, Ivo Perelman and many others, switching between his guitar and bass duties at different sessions. The two guests here are the ever-adventurous pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and local cellist Lester St. Louis. You should recognize the name Lester St. Louis from his time with the late trumpet hero Jaimie Branch and more recently playing bass with Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones. I only know of drummer Jerome Deupree from his six recordings with Joe Morris. The music here is superbly recorded and balanced just right. On the long opening piece, "Isala", both the cello and bass create a low-end dialogue and the drums and piano also create a similar, percussive/melodic terrain. I listened to this disc on headphones since I wanted to hear each nuance of sound. This piece biulds and escalates slowly and becomes more intense as it evolves. Ms. Courvoisier's playing often intense and explosive at times. There is a section on "Turnback" where the morse code-like drums and high-end percussive piano combine forces, trading tight, quirky lines as the simmer turns to boiling point. There is quite a bit of criss-crossing pollination and and eruptive interplay going on here. Ms. Courvoisier takes a long majestic solo later in "Turnback" with the cello interweaving his own circular lines. Although rare for me, as soon as the first disc was over, I inserted Disc 2 quickly since I was in the middle of an ongoing story and wanted to hear "Part Two" or perhaps the second set. The combination of plucked and bowed strings (from the cello, bass & inside the piano) and percussion (of drums and inside-the-piano manipulation) is rich and well-explored.
2 CD Set $20
IVO PERELMAN / NATE WOOLEY / MATT MORAN / MARK HELIAS / TOM RAINEY - A Modicum of the Blues Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 15/2025; Poland) Featuring Ivo Perelman on tenor sax, Nate Wooley on trumpet, Matt Moran on vibes, Mark Helias on contrabass and Tom Rainey on drums. Recorded at Park West Studios in May of 2024. Brazilian-born, Brooklyn-based saxist Ivo Perelman has been recording weekly sessions at Park West Studios for many years and has a wealth of strong, inspired free/improv discs under his belt. The studio is run by producer/engineer Jim Clouse, who always does a fine job of capturing this music in its full glory. Mr. Clouse is also a gifted tenor & soprano saxist and both he and Ivo have played here at DMG on occasion and blown the audiences away. Mr. Perelman has chosen an all-star cast with the ever resourceful/ diverse trumpeter Nate Wooley, vibesman Matt Moran and the well-respected elder rhythm team of Mark Helias and Tom Rainey. Matt Moran has recorded with Nate Wooley (for 'Battle Trances 4) and with Perelman (in the Seven Skies Orchestra in 2024). Mark Helias and Tom Rainey have worked together for many year with Tony Malaby, Ellery Eskelin and Simon Nabatov, as well as collaborating with Perelman on several occasions in the past.
From the gitgo, the music here is carefully recorded, softly nuanced at first, with both Perelman's sax and Wooley's trumpet slowly stretching out their notes or sounds. The vibes, bass and drums also are engaged and work together organically, trading lines and accentuating certain shared focal points. Mr. Helias and Mr. Rainey often sound like one combined force, pushing their collective spirit higher and higher as they go. Different groupings emerge, each one expanding and contracting as the pieces evolve. Towards the end of the first long piece a trio emerges of vibes, bass & drums, creating their own sound/connection. Each member of the quintet gets a chance to stretch out, solo and interact on different levels. If you listen closely, you will hear the way the different combinations keep having several dialogues going on simultaneously. There is a particularly harrowing section during "Part 3" where the horns, vibes , bowed bass and drums create a series of eerie drones together. The sax and trumpet slowly bend their notes together creating a unique siren-like sound, similar to the way spirits are said to sing. Instead of having a piano here to play chords and comp, the vibes often provide a similar function, playing chords and/or hitting those shimmering drones. Distinctibe master drummer Tom Rainey is often at the center of most of what unfolds here, spinning his own rhythmic web and holding things together. Although the names of this disc and song titles are called "A Modicum of the Blues", there aren't any normal blues licks but there is a similar dark yet hypnotic vibe which flows throughout most of this fine disc. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17
JOE MORRIS / TYSHAWN SOREY / PETER EVANS - Comprehensive (Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 20/2025; Poland) Featuring Joe Morris on contrabass, Peter Evans on trumpet & piccolo trumpet and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. Recorded at Bunker Studio in Brooklyn in January of 2025. The Polish Fundacja Sluchaj or Listen! Foundation label has been around since 2014 and released more than 200 discs. For the most part, it is the international cast of avant/jazz elders who can be found on this impressive label. This collective trio features trumpet master Peter Evans (originally of Mostly Other People Do the Killing), bassist/guitarist Joe Morris, who is also a professor & well-seasoned improviser and drum wizard Tyshawn Sorey, multi-instrumentalist, college professor and beyond category composer. All three of these folks are master musicians with an unending thirst for expression and invention. Peter Evans is often considered to be one of the best and most engaging trumpeters alive and he sounds incredible from the first note here. Although initially known as a great free/form improviser on guitar, Joe Morris has been playing more bass for the past decade or so. The trio take their time, evolving slowly, with Mr. Morris' bass often at the center while the trumpet and drums add their layer of lines. As the tempo increases, so does the intensity and tail-spinning, free spirit ascent, reaching for a higher plane. If you haven't heard Peter Evans before now, you are in for a surprise as Mr. Evans does things on trumpet that so few other could do. He is often astonishing. Mr. Morris takes a long bowed bass solo near the end of the first piece, with Evans playing eerie hissing sounds from his trumpet. Towards the last section of "Grasp", the tempo increases to a furious, frenetic level with incredible trio interplay. Although I don't think that these three musicians had played together previously, this is a great meeting of kindred spirits that work together extremely well. This session is filled with many surprising twists, turns, combinations and daredevil excitement. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17
SIMON NABATOV TRIO with MARK HELIAS / TOM RAINEY - Assemblage (Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 03/2025; Poland) A far-ranging transatlantic trio session from pianist Simon Nabatov, bassist Mark Helias, and drummer Tom Rainey, capturing a dynamic fusion of composed and collective free jazz, as Nabatov's intricate compositions burst with frenetic energy, shifting between exuberant rhythmic interplay, explosive improvisation, and richly textured sonic landscapes in an electrifying set of performances.
CD $17
BETH SCHENCK QUINTET with CORY WRIGHT / MATT WROBEL / LISA MEZZACAPPA / JORDAN GLENN - Dahlia (Queen Bee Records QB-011; USA) Featuring Beth Schenck on alto sax & compositions, Cory Wright on tenor sax & bass clarinet, Matt Wrobel on guitar, Lisa Mezzacappa on bass and Jordan Glenn on drums. When Bay Area bassist Lisa Mezzacappa had a residency at The Stone in July of this year (2025), she left us with a half dozen CD's of her own groups as well as some other Bay Area bands/projects. I reviewed and dug a few of these discs and just received a new one in the mail this week. The leader here is saxist Beth Schenck, who has worked with Vinny Golia, Sifter and Edward Ratliff. The guitarist here, Matt Wrobel, is a new name for me. The other three players, Mr. Wright, Ms. Mezzacappa and Mr. Glenn (from the Fred Frith trio), all known to me from previous projects.
"Every Riven Thing" features Ms. Schenck's alto sax spinning notes with a middle-eastern, slightly bent tone over a sprawling rhythm team, with Ms. Mezzacappa's haunting bowed bass and the cerebral mallet-work of Mr. Glenn. Mezzacappa's pumping bass is the center of "Don't Look Down", the alto sax, bass clarinet and guitar sound splendid together playing the memorable opening theme. Although the music is somewhat subdued, it is Ms. Schenck's crafty writing and inventive ensemble playing which makes this most compelling. Ms. Schenck's alto sax and Mr. Wrobel's guitar are often linked together as they play their shared parts together in nimble and seductive ways. "Playground" has a most cerebral, dreamy sound with exquisite sax and guitar interplay. "Dahlia" also has the dream-like, cerebral sound which I find to have a most calming effect. I can tell that Ms. Schenck spent a good deal of time composing and arranging this music since there are so many buried treasures included here, it just takes some time to hear and absorb the ever-inventive arranging and playing. On "Capable of Small Things", both saxes play a rich, hypnotic repeating line before moving into a more majestic section. The two sections move back and forth seamlessly. Although this music seems modest compared to more avant music, there is something transformational going on as well. On "Jedidiah" the guitar and sax(es) play a dark, metal-like theme, unlike anything else on this disc and most mesmerizing overall. I had to make sure I was still listening to the same CD. Every week when I am working on the DMG newsletter, I sit at my computer in my kitchen listening to and reviewing each week's gems. I never know which disc or discs will reach out and surprise and/or inspire me the most. This is week's big surprise is this modest yet superb date/disc. Please order this disc soon and surprise yourself with what is in store. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13
SIR RICHARD BISHOP - Hillbilly Ragas (Drag City DC 956CD; USA) "The shaman of the six-string is back. Waving his axe of choice, Sir Richard Bishop once again summons forth damnable truth and beauty on an all-new musical kamikaze run through histories both written and -- as of yet -- not commonly known. Since the dying days of the 20th century, the composer/player of spirited polytheistic guitar recitals including Salvador Kali, Improvika, The Freak of Araby, Tangier Sessions, and most recently, Oneiric Formulary has worked feverishly to wrench and wrangle all the music that has and can possibly fall out of the guitar from east to west. With Hillbilly Ragas, Sir Rick stretches his callused hands across the waters to draw diverse musics back to his shack with the gladiatorial bloodthirst and balance of gravitas and jocosity listeners can expect from him in every hot little moment of play. But there's more to be said than these merely glib rantings as to what happens when traditional music heads for the hillbillies:"
"There were a few different approaches I utilized for this release. First and foremost, I wanted to go back to basics, to strip away any excesses and keep it as simple as possible: one man, one acoustic guitar, no overdubs, no effects, no electricity. Taking several cues from the sounds most often associated with the so-called American Primitive guitar style, I wanted to avoid any traditional approaches and instead try something more-raw and aggressive, concentrating more on rhythm and movement as opposed to anything predictable or overly melodic, while also keeping my particular interpretive ideas about East Indian Raga in the mix. I've always felt that the majority of what is considered to be American Primitive music, while certainly based on historical American musical traditions, never really had any sounds that I personally thought of as being primitive -- it always seemed too orderly, too developed, and too safe? During the recording process I was envisioning an undiscovered mountain man or "hillbilly" who had remained hidden in his own private backwoods; one who never learned, or even heard about, any traditional musical canon that he was expected to work within. So what we have here with Hillbilly Ragas are nine pieces for solo acoustic guitar, each one representing a different excursion into the dark woods -- the untamed explorations of a musical loner, an outsider, maybe even an undesirable, embodying a peculiar folklore and turning it into sound -- creating his own folk music in the process. He's still out there, fueled by moonshine, his supernatural surroundings, and a fuck-all attitude!" --Richard Bishop, 2025
CD $15
CONRAD SCHNITZLER & WOLF SEQUENZA - Consequenz III (Bureau B 489CD; Germany) Schnitzler's collaborations with Wolf Sequenza aka Wolfgang Seidel occupy a special place in his vast musical output. They brought him closer to pop music than ever before or since, with the possible exception of Berlin Express and Auf dem schwarzen Kanal. Following Consequenz and Con 3, Consequenz III is now the third album to be released from this phase of his work.
"Consequenz III follows on directly from the two previous albums. Once again, the pieces sound almost like pop music, once again they are rhythmically and harmoniously structured, once again they are between three and four minutes long. And once again, they are not 100% pop music, but rather a balancing act between strict, abstract seriality and contemporary electronics: no melodies, no vocals, and it's up to each listener to decide whether the pieces are danceable. Rather, the eleven pieces are rhythmic études or finger exercises, especially for Seidel, who once again plays with incredible precision, as if he were a sequencer himself. It is not for nothing that Schnitzler gave him the pseudonym Wolf Sequenza for their joint productions. Musicians such as Wolfgang Seidel continue to lend Schnitzler's sonic universe additional radiance. The fact that the pieces on Consequenz III have already been released in 2006 by the Japanese label Captain Trip under the title Consequenz 2 was probably only noticed by very few Schnitzler fans outside Japan. Only a small number of the limited edition ever reached Europe, and sold out in no time. Consequenz III therefore reissues material that was previously known only to a few. And there's no end to it: Schnitzler left behind music that was either only released in very small editions (e.g. on cassettes or CDRs) or has never been released at all. There is still plenty to discover in the various archives. Will we ever get to know the 'whole Schnitzler'? I don't think so." --Asmus Tietchens, 2025
CD $18
ASMUS TIETCHENS & ACHIM WOLLSCHEID - Fundstuck (Klanggalerie GG 501CD; Germany) "Asmus Tietchens is a sound artist and composer from Hamburg, Germany. He got interested in Musique Concrete by listening to a German radio program when he was 10 years old. In 1965, at the age of 18, Asmus started experimenting with tape loops and turned them into musical collages. Soon, the use of synthesizers was added. In 1980 his debut album Nachtstücke, was released, produced by Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream. This was soon followed by a series of albums of electronic pop music for the Sky label, home of many Krautrock bands. Tietchens often uses special source materials for his compositions such as water ('Seuchengebiete'), human voices ('Von Mund zu Mund'), paper ('Papier ist geduldig'). He is associated with the Industrial music scene through his collaborations and releases on labels such as United Dairies, Esplendor Geometrico or Dom Records. Tietchens never studied composition, he has no academic background, everything he does is self-taught or learning by doing. Achim Wollscheid is a media artist whose work over the past 20 years has been at the forefront of experimental music. He has performed and presented installation projects internationally. His work in sound has led to an interest in the relation between sound, light and architectural space, which he pursues through public, interactive and electronic projects. He is a founding member of Selektion, an organisation for the production and distribution of information systems. Achim also forms the collective S.B.O.T.H.I., derivated from research from the '40s: Sexual Behaviour Of The Human Infant, later renamed to Swimming Behaviour Of The Human Infant. Recently, when Asmus Tietchens needed space in his Hamburg flat, he went through boxes in his cupboard and found a recording credited to himself and Achim Wollscheid. It turned out to be an album originally recorded 20 years ago for the Ritornell label (Mille Plateaux) that was, for reasons unknown now, shelved and forgotten."
CD $18
ETANT DONNES - Les Cent Jours Clairs (Klanggalerie GG 518CD; Germany) "Etant Donnes is a French duo named after Marcel Duchamp's last major work. The group consists of brothers Marc and Eric Hurtado, born in Morocco and working mainly as performance artists and musicians. Their sound can be described as a mix of field recordings, found sounds and sometimes whispered, sometimes violent vocals. They describe their sounds like this: 'Through Marc and Eric, it is the volume of each word that becomes an object-sculpture, together with the power of their bodies expressing their voices. Each event is a scream -- indeed even the glissando -- of the strength of the word that sometimes abruptly becomes a rock, a solid surface, not in the least fluvial, as is the narrative of a tale, novel or poetic epic. With both of them, there is no more trace of ancient prosodies, no more trace of the incomprehensible Sainte-Beuve who could claim: 'I have to collect a volume of prose.' The word, the voice, the volume take shape with each other, unveiling a theatre that theatre usually ignores, which has given it such things as a Samuel Beckett's Fin de Partie.' Over the years Etant Donnes have collaborated with people like Lydia Lunch, Michael Gira, Alan Vega, and Genesis P-Orridge. Les Cent Jours Clairs was the group's sixth album and was originally released on Bain Total in 1984."
CD $18
EL INFIERNO MUSICAL with CHRISTOF KURZMANN / KEN VANDERMARK / DAVE REMPIS / KATINKA KLEIJN / LIA KOHL - 2 (Klanggalerie GG 520CD; Germany) "By inevitable coincidence, a street vendor in Buenos Aires became an instrument of providence, when he compelled attention of Christof Kurzmann, sitting outside a coffeehouse. His merchandise were small books of Hispanic writers, and the chosen one that ended up in the buyer's pocket some eighteen years ago was a collection of poems by Argentinean poet Alejandra Pizarnik. Her works abound with music and sounds or absence of it, appreciating silence. For Kurzmann, this served as a sufficient reason to dive into her writings, which resulted in releasing El Infierno Musical: a tribute to Alejandra Pizarnik in the fall of 2011. El Infierno Musical was a quintet started back in 2008 thanks to a wild card given to Kurzmann as a birthday present by the organizers of Music Unlimited festival in Wels, Austria, which hosted its official premiere. For the 50th day of death of Alejandra Pizarnik Kurzmann brought El Infierno Musical back to life again, worked on new material and changed the line-up of the band in which only he himself and Ken Vandermark are left from the founding formation. Dave Rempis -- long-time friend on saxophone, as well as Chicago Symphony Orchestra member Katinka Kleijn who together with another great Chicago-Scene musician Lia Kohl share the role of the cellists in the band. And to round the fresh line-up off, young drummer, percussionist Lily Finnegan completes the newly created Sextet. The music brings a clear structure filled with improvised parts, masterly played by perfectly coordinated musicians, who take advantage of their miscellaneous musical histories and styles."
CD $18
SIROM - In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper (Tak:Til / Glitterbeat GB 179CD; Germany) The Slovenian avant-folk trio Sirom are back with a sonically and thematically expansive fifth album; a thrilling follow-up to their widely praised 2022 release The Liquified Throne of Simplicity (GB 120CD/LP). Navigating almost two dozen instruments (some of which they've handcrafted), and hypnotic compositions that often exceed ten minutes in length, Ana Kravanja, Iztok Koren, and Samo Kutin court patient, deep-dive listeners via intricately woven atmospheres, rhythms and sonics. In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper is arguably the sharpest evocation yet of the group's highly collective music process, enveloping rustic melodic folklore, outernational textures, non-linear song structures and dissonance, and a buzzing ambiance that can at times feel like an ecstatic ritual. Few experimental ensembles from the last decade have created an ouevre as singular and unmistakable as that of this far-sighted trio from the disparate landscapes of Slovenia. Sirom truly sounds like no one else. The band are more melodic and accessible here than they have ever been. The insistent grooves and trademark texture are still present, but there's a new-found sense of linearity that largely replaces the stacks of sound and detailed collages that have characterized their work to date. There is suddenly more air, allowing a string of sublime melodies, in "Curls Upon the Neck, Ribs Upon the Mountain" and "Hope in an All-Sufficient Space of Calm" in particular, to flourish. Everyone's still speaking, just not at the same time, but the drama level remains high. The resulting sense of space, of emergence and arrival, is certainly something a Tim Hecker or indeed Park Jiha fan would instantly recognize. This is as close as Sirom have ever got to a state-of-the-world, state-of-their-lives record. "We don't want to play something that sounds like it already exists," said Samo, and they still don't. File this under contemporary classical, imaginary folk or rural underground, file it under Slovenian, file it under anything you want. People will find this wonderful album regardless. Or perhaps, more probably, it will find them.
CD $17
HISTORIC & ARCHIVAL RECORDINGS, RESTOCKS & REISSUED DISCS:
ART FARMER with JIM HALL / TOMMY FLANAGAN / STEVE KUHN / STEVE SWALLOW / ALBERT HEATH / WALTER PERKINS / PETE LAROCA / et al - In the 1960's (Enlightenment 9247; EEC) Born on August 21, 1928, Arthur Stewart was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet-flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, double bassist Addison Farmer, started playing professionally while at high school in Los Angeles. Art gained greater attention after the release of a recording of his composition "Farmer's Market" in 1952. He subsequently moved from Los Angeles to New York, where he performed and recorded with musicians such as Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, and Gigi Gryce, and became known principally as a bebop player. Art Farmer performed as leader on eight studio and live albums between 1960 and 1965; largely released on Argo and Atlantic, which began with Art in 1960 - a date which Farmer later declared to be his own favourite in his vast catalogue. All Art's early 1960s albums were well received critically and commercially. This 4CD compilation features full, expertly remastered versions of the eight albums Farmer originally released as leader between 1960 and 1965, a selection that brings together some of the finest music this giant of jazz ever released, among a catalogue of almost 50 such works during his long life and esteemed career. Albums included are 'Art' (1960), 'Interaction' (1963), 'To Sweden with Love' (1964), 'Live at the Half Note' (1964), 'Sing Me Softly Of The Blues' (1965).
4 CD Set $18
MY SOLID GROUND - My Solid Ground (Made in Germany MIG 3023CD; Germany) "My Solid Ground was a German progressive rock band that was founded in Rüsselsheim in 1968. Several lineup changes in its early years led to a change in the band's musical direction. In the summer of 1970, the band entered the studio for the first time and recorded the nearly 25-minute opus 'Flash.' The five musicians submitted this track to a band competition organized by Südwestfunk as part of the popular program Pop Shop. They came in second, attracting the interest of the record industry and landing a contract with the progressive Bacillus label of the Frankfurt-based Bellaphon record company. In spring 1971, they recorded the LP My Solid Ground in Dieter Dierks' studios in Cologne, which was released in October of that year. My Solid Ground toured, played at festivals, and made television appearances. In the summer of 1971, they were invited to record another studio album with their own songs at Südwestfunk in Baden-Baden. This album is available as bonus tracks on the re-release. In 1972, the band's lineup changed again, resulting in a complete reorientation of the personnel. Plans for a second My Solid Ground LP were made but never realized. The band broke up for good in 1974 after releasing only one album."
CD $18
NINE DAYS WONDER - The Bacillus Years (Made in Germany MIG 3522; Germany) "Nine Days' Wonder was founded back in 1966, when singer and frontman Walter Seyffer gave his band The Graves a new name. Like so many 'beat groups' in the mid-1960s, NDW started out as a cover band. The line-up changed constantly until the early 1970s, when the first more stable formation emerged with Walter Seyffer (vocals), Rolf Henning (guitar), Karl Mutschlechner (bass), John Earle (saxophone, flute, guitar) and Martin Roscoe (drums). In 1971, the quintet recorded their self-titled debut album, which was released in Germany on Bellaphon and in England on Harvest in the same year. In the summer of 1972, Nine Days' Wonder broke up at short notice; Walter Seyffer joined the psychedelic rock band Medusa, where he met bassist Michael Bundt. Since the quintet had only released one single on CBS, Nine Days' Wonder was reformed in December 1972. The new line-up consisted of four Medusa members (Seyffer, Bundt, guitarist Hans Frauenschuh and keyboardist/saxophonist Freddie Münster) as well as drummer Karl-Heinz 'Hyanzintus' Weiler. In the summer of 1973, the second Nine Days' Wonder album, We Never Lost Control, was released on Bacillus/Bellaphon. In 1974, Rolf Henning returned. Sid Gautama replaced 'Hyanzintus' Weiler on drums. The third NDW album, Only The Dancers, was recorded at Chipping Norton Studios in the UK by Mike and Richard Vernon, with Dave Jackson from Van der Graaf Generator, among others. A year later, the personnel carousel spun again. With a new line-up, the last album Sonnet To Billy Frost was released in 1976, after which the band finally split up. Now, all four albums are being re-released under the title The Bacillus Years, remastered and including bonus tracks (the Maternal Joy aka NDW single 'Ticket to the North Pole / Fat,' 1971)."
3 CD Set $25
LP SECTION:
KEITH TIPPETT GROUP With ELTON DEAN / ROBERT WYATT / MARC CHARIG / GARY BOYLE / NICK EVANS / ROY BABBINGTON / JEFF CLYNE / NEVILLE WHITEHEAD / PHIL HOWARD / BRYAN SPRING - Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening (Be With Records 132LP; UK) The Keith Tippett Group's Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening is a landmark in cutting edge fusion/avant-jazz. A vital and profoundly adventurous jazz-rock record that still swings hard, it was first released on Vertigo in 1971. Original copies are now very tricky to score and, as most of you really should know, it's aged ridiculously well. The stunning gatefold jacket fully restores Roger and Martyn Dean's original, arresting album artwork to complete this must-have reissue. Alive and bursting with a joyful energy that has to be heard to be believed, Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening flirts with perfection. It's truly magical and forever essential. A brilliant jazz pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader "who could make the outlands of modern music feel like the most hospitable of places" (The Guardian), Keith Tippett's second album is oft-regarded as his Canterbury album. Indeed, not only does he draw heavily on Soft Machine members past, present and future but the album title itself archly references a Soft Machine composition. Ray Babbington handles bass alongside Neville Whitehead and the drums are shared between Brian Spring, Robert Wyatt, and Phil Howard. Gary Boyle is on guitar whilst the great percussionist Tony Uter is enlisted for his conga and cow bell expertise. Elton Dean on alto sax & saxello, cornetist Marc Charig and Nick Evans on trombone round out this quite stunning ensemble. Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening presents a collective of superhuman musicians enjoying themselves in the studio. The sheer exuberance of the performance is totally infectious. It's wild, energetic, atmospheric and, bluntly, bordering on chaotic at points. In a word, it's beautiful. This Be With edition of Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis' mastering working together with Cicely Balston's cut at Abbey Road Studios to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings.
LP $46
UMM KULTHUM - The Twinkling Star (Ojo De Mujer 25006LP; Brazil) Legendary Egyptian vocalist and cultural icon, Umm Kulthum was known as "the voice of Egypt" and "Egypt's fourth pyramid." Released in 1961 on Parlophone, this is a stunning showcase of her unmatched vocal power and a cornerstone of 20th-century Arabic music. A national treasure with fans ranging from Bob Dylan to Youssou N'Dour -- essential listening.
LP $24
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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 / ANNA WEBBER / SEPT 24-27
9/24 Wednesday
8:30 pm - DUO: Anna Webber (flute, saxophone) Jason Moran (piano)
9/25 Thursday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Anna Webber (flute, saxophone) Satoshi Takeishi (drums) Sam Pluta (electronics)
9/26 Friday
8:30 pm - QUINTET - Anna Webber (flute, tenor saxophone) Madison Greenstone (clarinet) Ryan Easter (trumpet) Nathaniel Morgan (alto saxophone) John Hollenbeck (drums)
9/27 Saturday
8:30 pm - DOUBLE SIMPLE TRIO - Anna Webber (flute, tenor saxophone) Ingrid Laubrock (tenor and soprano saxophones) Miles Okazaki (guitar) Matt Mitchell (piano) Chris Tordini (bass) John Hollenbeck (drums)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / TOMEKA REID OCT 1-4
10/1 Wednesday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Lesley Mok (drums) Yvonne Rogers (piano) Tomeka Reid (cello)
10/2 Thursday
8:30 pm - DUO - Marty Ehrlich (sax) Tomeka Reid (cello)
10/3 Friday
8:30 pm - TRIO - Tomas Fujiwara (drums) Ikue Mori (electronics) Tomeka Reid (cello)
10/4 Saturday
8:30 pm - TRIO - William Parker (bass) Taylor Ho Bynum (trumpet) Tomeka Reid (cello)
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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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