DMG Newsletter for Friday, April 24th, 2026

People are watching, people who stare
Waiting for something that's already there
"Tomorrow I'll find it," the trumpeter screams
And remembers he's hungry and drowns in his dreams

Saying, "Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"
"Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"

My head is a nightclub, with glasses and wine
The customers dancing, or just making time
While Daevid is cursing, the customers scream
Now everyone's shouting, "Get out of my dream!"

Saying, "Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"

It begins with a blessing, it ends with a curse
Making life easy, by making it worse
"My mask is my master," the trumpeter weeps
But his voice is so weak, as he speaks from his sleep

Saying, "Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"
"Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"
"Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"
"Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"
"Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"
"Why, why, why, why are we sleeping?"

Why are we all sleeping? A great question to ask ourselves. As our fragile planet is enveloped in flames of lies, misinformation, frustration and disbelief, we are all on a raft in the middle of the ocean, bailing out the water before we sink and drown. The tides are turning and the waves are getting higher and higher. I hope we can swim. "Why Are We Sleeping?" comes from the first legit Soft Machine album, which was released in 1968 and it was the beginning of what many refer to as the Canterbury Scene. I bought this album while I was in 9th grade, that same year and I kept playing it over and over and over. I was both fascinated and somewhat confused about this album since it didn't sound like anything else I had heard before then. Although 1967/1968 were considered as the Psychedelic Era, Soft Machine went further out musically, lyrically, philosophically than any other band of that time. The only other weird/progressive/beyond category band that I loved at that point was the original Mothers of Invention. Soft Machine were considered to be the Royal Orchestra of the School of Pataphysics, a make-believe school and philosophy which began with Alfred Jarry's play, 'Ubu Roi' from the turn of the last century. I've heard this song in my dreams and nightmares and it still haunts me just to hear in my mind. The Canterbury Scene began around 60 years ago (in 1966) with a band called The Wilde Flowers, most of whom were from the town of Canterbury. Most of the original Soft Machine and Caravan members have since passed away: Daevid Allen, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Pip Pyle, Phil Miller, Lol Coxhill, Keith Tippett ... But still their music remains within all of us who are still searching for the meaning of life in the songs, music and lyrics that we listen to. A toast to all members of the Canterbury Scene, past and present, living here or having moved on to the next world. Peace & Love Always from Bruce Lee Gallanter at DMG

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THE DMG 35th ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE CONCERT SERIES Continues with:

Tuesday, April 28th:
6:30: GABRIEL ZUCKER - Synth / TRAE CRUDUP - Drums
7:30: SARA SCHOENBECK - Bassoon / KEN FILIANO - Contrabass / ELLEN BURR - Flutes
8:30: DAVE MILLER - drums / RAS MOSHE - Tenor Sax & Flute / ROBERT BOSTON - keyboard

Tuesday, May 5th:
6:30: NICK NEUBERG - Drums / AYAKO KANDA - Vocals / BRITTANY KARLSON - Bass
7:30: MICHAEL EATON - Sax / EVAN PALMER - Contrabass / PATRICK GOLDEN - Drums
8:30: AYUMI ISHITO / KATE MOHANTY - Sax Duo

Tuesday, May 12th:
6:30: AMANDA MONACO - Guitar / RAS MOSHE - Tenor Sax & Flute
7:30: AYAKO KANDA - Voice / LUKE ROVINSKY - Guitar / JAMES PAUL NADIEN - Drums
8:30: SKETCHBOOK SERIES #17: the thing they cannot imagine is us (after Rebecca Solnit) - Featuring: ELLEN CHRISTI, BOB HOLMAN, SUSAN HWANG & DAFNA NAPHATALI - Voices / ON KA'A DAVIS - Guitar / CLAIE de BRUNNER - Bassoon / patrick brennan - Alto Sax, Composition & Conducting

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THIS WEEK’S DYNAMITE DISCS BEGIN with:

BONNER KRAMER / THURSTON MOORE - They Came Like Swallows: Seven Requiems for the Children of Gaza (Silver Current SC 067CD; USA) "Two giants of alternative/experimental music join creative forces for the first time in their storied, nearly fifty-year careers. A startlingly cohesive union that burns through landscapes of primitive outsider rock, avant-garde composition, progressive ambient and further locales boldly and beautifully unnamable. Bonner Kramer (previously known as Kramer) decoded the sounds of Galaxie 500 as producer on all of their records as well as producing Low, Will Oldham, and Urge Overkill's hit single 'Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon' for the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, to name just a few of his over three hundred and seventy producer credits listed on Discogs. He is the proprietor of iconic indie label Shimmy-Disc (a one-time home to Daniel Johnston, Ween, Boredoms, and John Zorn's Naked City among countless others), and an esteemed recording studio mastermind. Thurston Moore is a founding member of Sonic Youth, and responsible for Chelsea Light Moving and a massive and varied solo career, and remains an era-and genre-defining composer, cultural critic, prime mover of all things cool, and one of the most iconic, singular guitarists in rock music's long tail, the keystone of the explored tension between rock and noise."
CD $17 [In stock in 1-2 weeks]

DAUNIK LAZRO / JOELLE LEANDRE / PAUL LOVENS - For Baritone Sax, Double Bass & Drumset (Relative Pitch RPR 1275; USA) Featuring Daunik Lazro on baritone sax, Joelle Leandre on contrabass and Paul Lovens on drums. Recorded live at Les Temps du Corps in Paris in May of 2013 by Jean-Marc Foussat. This is a strong line-up of great European improvisers from different scenes/backgrounds. Daunik Lazro is an elder member of the French Free/Music scene (1st recording in 1980), having worked with Joe McPhee, Siegfried Kessler, Evan Parker, Le Quah Nin and Peter Kowald. Also starting out around the same time is contrabass great Joelle Leandre, who can be found on more than 100 discs with many other giants: Irene Schweizer, Mario Schiano, Derek Bailey and Steve Lacy. Legendary Free/Jazz drummer, Paul Lovens,  started off around 1969 and has worked with Alex Von Sclhippenbach, Cecil Taylor, Eugene Chadbourne and Aki Takase.
      All three members of the trio have worked with one another in different contexts over a long period of time. Recording engineer, Jean-Marc Foussat, who has worked with Ms. Leandre very often does a fine job of recording this trio, the sound is warm, clean and superbly balanced. Both Mr. Launik and Ms. Leandre are playing in similar low-end  tonal/textural areas as does Lovens when he plays his toms and bass drums. From quiet to explosive, the trio is a tight-knit group. Ms. Leandre takes a powerful solo towards the end of “Temps de Corps 1”, with the bari sax and drums adding to the focused offering as it calms down to a more skeletal section. Ms.Leandre has long been one of the greatest free improvising bassists and is in fine form here. I like when things slow down to a more sparse section, with eerie bowed bass, haunting bari sax and simmering cymbal and drum work. Each piece evolves organically so it feels just right. Lovens plays with his lands or does light mallet-work on “Temps du Corps 3” while Leandre matches his more subtle excursions while Lazro adds somber squeals and squeaks on top. “Temps du Corps 4” unfolds slowly and keeps building throughout. The bari sax and bowed bass keep stretching their notes/tones out, taking their times and eventually erupting. This disc captures European Free/Improv at its very best! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG  
CD $13

ADAM O’FARRILL with YVONNE ROGERS / WALTER STINSON / RUSSELL HOLZMAN - Elephant (Out of Your Head Records OOYH 042; USA) Featuring Adam O’Farrill on trumpet, electronics, Fender Rhodes & compositions, Yvonne Rogers on piano & synthesizer, Walter Stinson on contrabass and Russell Holzman on drums. Local trumpet hero, Adam O’Farrill, has a good deal going on for himself and his career. Mr. O’Farrill was born into the Chico & Arturo O’Farrill Latin-jazz dynasty and has become the trumpeter to watch (grow) over the past two decades. Considering that this is O’Farrill’s fifth album since 2016, he has also worked with heavy hitters like Rudresh Mahanthappa, Mary Halvorson, Patricia Brennan and the Anna Webber Large Ensemble. His rhythm team here includes pianist Yvonne Rogers (whose 1st album comes out soon on Pyroclastic). Bassist Walter Stinson has worked in a couple of previous bands with Mr. O’Farrill. After recording with both of his musician parents, Adam Holzman and Jane Getter, Russell Holzman has also worked with guitarist Steven Wilson (from Porcupine Tree).
    After working with composer/bandleaders like Mary Halvorson, Patricia Brennan and Anna Webber, Mr. O’Farrill’s shows that he favors a more progressive, challenging aesthetic. “Curves and Convolutions” has Ms. Rogers playing a series of difficult rolling and repeating lines, Mr. Adam’s trumpet solo is a beaut, sailing high over the modest quartet. “Sea Triptych” is a suite in three parts and it has a lush melody and a laidback groove/vibe. Mr. O’Farrill uses some echoplex on his trumpet so that his playing has a spacious, gleeful sound. “Part 1” pulsates quietly with a solemn inner throb at the center. The bass part speeds up on “Part 2”, which features an inspired solo from Mr. O’Farrill. “Eleanor’s Dance” seems to have an infectious, string popping bassline at the center “Herkimer Diamond” starts off at a moderate tempo and features a fine solo by O’Farrill who keeps riding the waves as he soars above. Drummer Holzman gets a chance to play some fast slamming drums on “The Return”, which features a furious, high flying solo by O’Farrill with some tight stop and start repeated circular spins. Both the trumpet and piano play in tight lines together at an astonishing rate. One of things I like most about this disc is that O”Farrill adds selective subtle echo or reverb to his trumpet without overdoing it. Overall, this disc has a more modest, not overly rambunctious vibe. It can be challenging only in short bursts and Adam O’Farrill’s trumpet often sounds like a ray of sunshine shining through some dark clouds. Looking forward to checking out this group live whenever that may be. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG        
CD $14

JEFF LEDERER / MARY LaROSE with The WILDEBEEST QUINTET with MIKE McGINNIS / MICHAEL GENTILE / SARA SCHOENBECK / KATIE SCHEELE / NATHAN KOCI - There’s a Yearnin’ - Music for Winds and Voice (Little Music LIMCD 115; USA) Featuring Jeff Lederer on clarinet & music, Mary LaRose on vocals & lyrics, plus the Wildebeest Quintet with Michel Gentile on flute, Mike McGinnis on clarinet, Katie Scheele on oboe, Sara Schoenbeck on bassoon and Nathan Koci on horn. Saxist/composer/bandleader, Jeff Lederer, never ceases to amaze with each of his ambitious projects. After working with Matt Wilson for several year and playing on Mr. Wilson’s odd yet winning Christmas Tree-O, Mr. Lederer has four fine discs out as a leader or co-leader and each with a different, diverse theme. Mr. Lederer’s previous disc was a tribute to 12-tone composer’s Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, earlier 20th century composers that are rarely covered by jazz musicians.
For this new disc, Mr. Lederer and his vocalist wife, Mary LaRose, perform some rare compositions by Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and Oliver Nelson, three very different composers. The featured soloists are Mr. Lederer on clarinet, Ms. LaRose on vocals plus a woodwind quintet backing them. No doubt you know of Downtown star soloists Mike McGinnis and Sara Schoenbeck, who have played here at DMG relatively often. I know of flutist Michel Gentile’s work from Braxton’s Tri-Centric Orchestra and from Adam Rudolph’s Go Organic Orchestra as well as a handful of duos and trios CD’s. Ornette Coleman’s “Forms and Sounds, mvt 1” was first composed in 1965 and it doesn’t quite sound like any other (jazz) song by Mr. Coleman. The great Sara Schoenbeck takes an expressive bassoon solo/interlude here which is a gem. This piece is a thoughtful, cerebral chamber work and with no rhythm section, the pulse is internal. Oliver Nelson’s “Images” is next and Ms. LaRose adds her own voice and lyrics to the chamber quintet. Her voice is in a similar register to the clarinets and fits the music just right as an integral part of the ensemble. Oliver Nelson’s “Nocturne” is next and it is done with a solemn, dreamy sound. Ornette’s “Forms and Sounds, mvt 2 & 3” are also covered here and Lederer adds a short yet tasty alto sax solo to the 2nd movement, which rises nicely outside of the more cerebral arrangements/playing. Eric Dolphy’s “Woodwind Sextet, mvt 2” is a newly discovered piece and is performed here for the first time with Michel Gentile as the featured flute soloist. This piece is an extraordinary one with Gentile’s superb flute leading the quintet. “There’s a Yearnin’” by Oliver Nelson features the voice of Ms. LaRose and she sounds great, singing so soulfully in a low-key sort of way. This piece comes from Mr. Nelson’s classic ‘Afro/American Sketches’ (from 1962), one of Nelson’s best and oft overlooked works. Nelson’s “Three Seconds” features a fine French horn solo from Nathan Koci and it is an adventurous piece with more fine singing from LaRose. Mr. Lederer contributed one piece here called “Cruxifiction” and it is a serious piece, somewhat dark, haunting and most mesmerizing. The chattering reeds, expressive clarinet solo and arrangements show that Mr. Lederer is also a strong composer to be reckoned with. The third movement from Mr. Coleman’s “Forms and Sounds” is the longest and engaging and features an incredible clarinet solo from Mike McGinnis. The piece has a somewhat bewildering feeling, as certain notes or phrases are stretched out past our comfort zones. There is something going on here which is rather unexpected. This disc blends sounds, forms and ideas which bridge the gap between progressive jazz and modern chamber music into an entirely new thing, as yet unnamed. Challenge yourself. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

MARCIN B0ZEK / DANNY KAMINS - Ignorantka (Studio Fiqu Miqu; Earth) Featuring Marcin Bozek on bass and Danny Kamins on soprano sax. I know of Texas-based saxist Danny Kamins from the times he has played here at DMG as well as from a half dozens records with Kris Gruda, Vinny Golia Sandy Ewen and the Dennis Gonzalez Legacy Band. Polish bassist Marcin Bozek I just know from one previous disc with Francois Carrier & Michel Lambert, as well as being a member of the Krakow Improvisers Orchestra (great disc on Not Two). From what I can tell, it looks like Marcin plays electric bass. This disc wads recorded in July of 2024. “The Slow Burn” starts off quietly and sparsely, the duo taking their time and trading lines carefully. Eventually, Kamins starts to play what sounds like a fragment of a song, which evolves in a series of spurts. Things become more spirited and intense on “The Need for the Unused” with Kamins bending certain notes as Bozek matches him by tapping, picking and rubbing the strings of his bass. The duo exchange gets more agitated as this piece unfolds. Since there is no drummer or rhythmatist involved, both players provide some rhythmic counterpoint and interaction. On the fourth and final piece, “An Exhausted System”, the duo hit their stride, tightly interweaving their lines in a circular fashion. There is an organic bond and balance between these two musicians. Rather like having a heated conversation which unfolds the way friends exchange ideas. Bassist Marcin Bozek gets a chance to solo and stretch out on the last long piece. The duo keep pushing things further out and into a more intense area. Kamins is circular breathings a stream which keeps shifting as his breath slowly pulsates. Higher and higher, soaring together to another level. Breathing fire.
CD $15

GOAL WEIGHT with MAGGIE COX and JENNIFER GERSTEN - Keep Telling Yourself That (Relative Pitch RPR 1268; USA) Goal weight features Maggie Cox on contrabass and Jennifer Gerstan on violin. Recorded at Tidbit Sonos in Philly, PA in August of 2025. Considering that the NJ-based Relative Pitch label has more than 200 releases since 2011, I amazed that they continue to crank out all sorts of challenging music from creative musicians known and little known. Both bassist Maggie Cox and violinist Jennifer Gersten are NY-based musicians, although I hadn't heard much about them before now except that Ms. Cox did play once at a Relative Pitch series night here at DMG with Robbie Lee and Chuck Roth, while Mr. Gersten also played at a RP series night here as well. The first piece, "Candy Doll Bluff" seems to have a drummer in the distance playing a marching beat. Strange, but there is no drummer listed here?! "Brian 1" features bowed bass and pizzicato violin, often playing quietly. The interaction increases in tempo and intensity slowly as this piece unfolds, the bowing getting more agitated as the violin strings are twisted somewhat. On "Who's Who When the Alarm", the duo push things further by bowing and bending their notes is a disorienting direction. Both players here seem to be coming from a similar place, bending certain notes carefully in similar ways. Things get abrupt and fractured on "Charlie 3" as far as the bowed bass goes while the violin is plucked lightly, bending notes rather carefully. As the bass gets more dense the plucked violin gets a bit lighter, not as far out. On "Pyrex Messiah" it sounds as if the two stringed instruments are answering each as they create odd harmonies. This piece is solemn and prayer-like and like a lullaby of sorts. It sounds like a good way to bring this disc to a more humble close. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

CLAIRE ROUSAY - The Bloody Lady (Viernulvier Records 008CD; Belgium) Electroacoustic composer claire rousay (US) presents her new album, The Bloody Lady, featuring the reimagined score she wrote for Viktor Kubal's 1980 eponymous animated film. Kubal (1923-1997), a pioneering Slovak animator, is considered one of the most influential animation filmmakers of the 20th century. Known as a singular artist who challenges conventions in experimental and ambient music forms, Rousay crafted the score in her home studio immediately after moving to LA over the course of 2023. The inaugural performance, a screening of the film accompanied by Rousay performing the score live, took place at Videodroom / Film Fest Gent 2023 in Ghent, Belgium. The project has since been developed into an 11-track album with alternating themes that evoke the film's atmosphere while standing on its own as a distinct sonic work. Based on the lurid folk tale of Elisabeth Bathory (1560-1614), the trippy Slovak animated film The Bloody Lady follows the story of a Slovak noblewoman. Accused of murdering hundreds of girls and women. Her murderous motive: hoping to remain eternally young, she allegedly bathed in their blood. Central to both the film and rousay's score is the heart and its rhythmic pulse. Much like the story itself, her compositions are whimsical, with subtle hints of looming menace. As this underlying tension lingers in the background, the score incorporates everyday sounds and nature recordings to evoke an ethereal yet unsettling atmosphere. To create these emotive textures, Rousay primarily relied on a blend of granular VST synths, piano, pitched-down violin, and an array of field recordings. In a twist of serendipity Claire mentions she had been traveling around Hungary and had actually visited the castle of Elisabeth Bathory a full year before being commissioned to work on the new score. She had made some field recordings there, in both the forests and around the site and randomly recorded the ambiance in a local bar. All these sounds have found their way as foliage into the live soundtrack. The Bloody Lady marks an unexpected new chapter in Rousay's blossoming career, demonstrating her ability to apply her delicate melodic sensibility and meticulous attention to detail to the medium of film. This score becomes a deeply personal and heartfelt project, casting new light on Viktor Kubal's more-than-40-year-old magnum opus and helping it regain the recognition it deserves.
CD $17

ANNEA LOCKWOOD - World Rhythms (Room40 4270CD; Australia) A note from Lawrence English: "In late 1975, Annea Lockwood realized her composition World Rhythms. It represents one of the first creative works exploring the potentials of field recordings in a multichannel setting. It is a landmark work and a composition that, on its 50th anniversary, has gently carried forward over the decades, but arguably now is only starting to come into true focus, and be understood for exactly how revolutionary it was. World Rhythms was a work concerned with a practice of sustained listening into the world, and beyond. It expanded outward from many of the compositions and themes Annea Lockwood had been exploring since the 1960s. It sought to take those learnings and apply them to a new set of terrains and circumstances. Moreover, it suggested a sensing of sound that was drawn from profound curiosity, matched only by patience. In 2019, I reached out to Annea and started a conversation about a revisitation of World Rhythms. My initial proposition was a simple one: a re-issue that was remastered and touched up, reflecting Annea's thoughts on the piece in this moment. The conversation quickly spun outward though, and before long Annea had asked if I might be interested to revisit the master tapes with the thought that the work could be revived and prepared for performance presentations going forward into this century. On listening to the materials, during the period of restoring the audio from the original master tapes, I was struck by the profound dynamism of the recordings. Each of the sound-fields held an attentive flux, a rhythmic pulse that was breathing. Each one a story of the pulses of the world, and our universe, that spoke to a possible reading of reality that sits in excess of our everyday capacities. A poetics of pulse if you like. Here then is the result of those conversations and also the presentations of the piece that followed -- several of which Annea has overseen herself. On this newly rendered imagining of World Rhythms, new relations, listening paths and ways of exploring her sound-fields are brought into focus. The core of the piece remains, a prioritized zone of listening, but emerging from deep within it new sonic formations emerge, a reminder of the dynamism of our energetic world and its surroundings." Composition by Annea Lockwood; gong performed by Vanessa Tomlinson and Annea Lockwood; mix realized by Lawrence English. Design by Traianos Pakioufakis; essay by Lawrence English.
CD / BOOK $25

LP SECTION:

ALVARIUS B. with ALAN BISHOP / MAURICE LOUCA / SAM SHALABI / EYVIND KANG / ASHER GAMEDZE / et al - Malarial Dream (Abduction ABDT 063LP; USA) Alan Bishop's solo persona appears again from his now 15-year-old home of Cairo where it was recorded in and around many other projects over the past few years. And unlike his more recent singer/songwriter material, Malarial Dream drifts closer to latter day Sun City Girls (Mister Lonely/Funeral Mariachi) amidst a melodic Middle Eastern and beyond psych-warped folk setting. Mostly instrumental and, except for two obscure covers, original compositions that feature a cast of extraordinary players: Adham Zidan, Aya Hemeda, Cherif El Masri, and Morgan Mikkelsen (The Invisible Hands), Maurice Louca and Sam Shalabi (The Dwarfs of East Agouza), Amelie Legrand, Asher Gamedze, Eyvind Kang, Hana Al Bayaty, Huda Asfour, and Sammy Sayed. LP Limited to 500 copies. Produced by Alvarius B. and Adham Zidan.
LP $28

JERICHO JONES - Junkies, Donkeys and Monkeys (Guerssen Records Guess 274LP; Spain)
Born from Israel's groundbreaking psychedelic pioneers The Churchills, Jericho Jones emerged in 1971 with Junkies, Monkeys & Donkeys -- an internationally-minded leap into hard rock, proto-prog, and melodic songwriting. Recorded in a single, electrifying 24-hour session at London's Tangerine Studios, the album captures a band in full creative flight. Blending heavy riffs, lush melodies, and subtle Middle Eastern influences, Junkies, Monkeys & Donkeys stands today as a lost classic of early '70s rock -- a vital bridge between psychedelia and the heavier sounds that followed. Features original artwork in gatefold sleeve. Newly remastered sound. Includes insert with detailed liner notes by Mike Stax (Ugly Things) with input from original member Robb Huxley as well as extra insert with lyrics.
LP $36

JERICHO - Jericho (Guerssen Records Guess 286LP; Spain) Already pioneers at home under their earlier name The Churchills, the band relocated to the UK in 1971 under the guidance of a big management, changing their name to Jericho Jones and finally Jericho. Released by A&M in February 1972, the self-titled Jericho album was heavier, longer, and more progressive than anything they had done before. Built around extended compositions, fearless arrangements, and telepathic ensemble playing, it captured a band operating at full creative stretch. The album opens with "Ethiopia," a ferocious multi-section rocker whose volcanic riffing and sudden twists set the tone for everything that follows. "Don't You Let Me Down," later issued as a single, delivers urgent hooks wrapped in the group's distinctive modal flavor. The towering "Featherbed" moves from melodic introspection to a widescreen instrumental workout that became the band's breakthrough moment on British stages. At the heart of the record lies "Justin and Nova," Robb Huxley's sweeping, cinematic psychedelic/ progressive epic. With its emotional narrative, dramatic dynamics, and lush piano and strings, the track has grown into a cult classic, often cited by fans as one of the era's lost masterpieces. The album closes with "Kill Me With Your Love" a hard-edged, proto-metal piece, ending the journey in grand, theatrical fashion. Internal strains and homesickness soon led to lineup changes, and despite tours, new singles, and even interest from heavyweight industry figures, momentum proved difficult to sustain. Within a short time, Jericho was over. Newly remastered sound. Includes original artwork in hard cardboard sleeve and insert with detailed liner notes by Mike Stax (Ugly Things) with input from original member Robb Huxley. Also includes extra insert with lyrics.
LP $36

WENDY EISENBERG - Its Shape Is Your Touch (Vin Du Select Qualitite VDSQ 023LP; USA) Last copies of this 2018 release. Wendy Eisenberg is an extraordinary guitarist dedicated to the completely unconstrained exploration of music, language and time. Her work has taken her from conservatory to DIY space to concert hall, from performing improvised music and punk-metal to writing the quietest of songs. On Its Shape is Your Touch, Eisenberg turns her gaze to the guitar in its most absolute, essential form. Having traversed musical genres as she has, the intricate improvisations she weaves on this record have as much to do with the vast history and musical conventions that she chooses to leave out as the sounds she chooses to play. In the process Eisenberg invents a vibrant, fiercely unique language all her own. The artist in her own words: "The title Its Shape is Your Touch, from the final line the Richard Brautigan poem 'Here is something beautiful,' is one-half of the thesis of this record. The other, the absent antithesis, comes from the William Gaddis novel The Recognitions: 'you can change a line without touching it.' The shape of the guitar is the context for the sounds it makes; your touch activates this machine, alters, creates and transforms its possibilities. The shape is created and outlined by the touch, but it contains absence, undefined space. In my music, the lines change with and without physical touch: my touch creates the sound, but those sounds expand, contract, rotate, and dance as I re-establish and constantly evolve the contexts and boundaries of this world. This record has to do with absence, the spaces and movements implied by the lines of a sketch and the other worlds that choice of representation chooses to ignore. I want to let linearity be not a crutch but a device for intelligent travel through musical space. I like to think of these recordings as a gentle exorcism. Recorded in a year of significant, deep loss, it is hard for me not to hear this record as a kind of metamorphosis, a blood-letting, a culling and casting of musical and personal values. This music is reflection on loss and implication: a bluessless blues."
LP $24

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THE CANTERBURY / BRITISH JAZZ / PROG CD SALE LIST:

60 years ago in 1966, a group of musicians, mostly high school friends from the British town of Canterbury, called themselves the Wilde Flowers. They played mostly cover songs from that era and a handful of originals. They played just a few gigs but mostly played for themselves. When they split up in 1967, they turned into two bands: Soft Machine and Caravan. Two Soft Machine singles were released in 1967 and both bands’ debut albums were released in 1968. Although both bands were quartets and had similar instrumentation when they started, both would evolve, personnel-wise and music-wise in very different ways. As musicians left the bands, new musicians would take their place, altering their sound and progress. I’ve long been a massive Anglophile from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, Yardbirds, The Kinks & the Who through Traffic, Procol Harum, Family, Fairport Convention, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream,… hundreds more known and little known. Since the Summer of 1967 when I started buying albums, the Mothers of invention were/are my favorite sixties band. After that I became fascinated with Soft Machine and then in 1973, it was Henry Cow as my fave progressive outfit.
Thanks to Soft Machine and Caravan, I became a Canterbury Scene fanatic. I still love all of the offshoot bands: Gong, Kevin Ayers & the Whole Word, Egg, Matching Mole, Hatfield & the North, National Health… In the fall of 1975, I did an exchange program and attended school in London (Trent park College) for one semester. I interviewed and hung out with members of Soft Machine, as well as with Lol Coxhill, Gerry Fitzgerald, Keith & Julie Tippett, Geoff Leigh, Gary Boyle & Hugh Hopper, and several others. After hearing the Keith Tippett Group’s ‘Dedicated to You, But You Weren’t Listening’ and The Trio (John Surman, Barre Phillips & Stu Martin) 2 LP set on Vogue, I was convinced that the British Avant Jazz & Progressive scenes were and still are my favorites. I decided to study the history of creative music in the UK and now have a good idea of how these scenes evolved. Here’s a list of mostly British composers and musicians that I’ve come to appreciate: Keith Tippett, Mike Westbrook, Graham Collier, Michael Gibbs, Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, Joe Harriott, the Blue Notes (expats from South Africa), Spontaneous Music Ensemble, (Music Improvisation) Company, Amalgam, Neil Ardley, Stan Tracey, Michael Garrick… I still search for creative music from all of the above as well as any newly discovered old and forgotten recordings. Below is a list of mostly CD’s and a few LP’s from a variety of UK musicians and composers, that we’ve gotten in the last few months. There are reviews for all or most of these in the DMG database and few blurbs below.

TONY COE'S AXEL with PHIL LEE / GORDON BECK / CHRIS LAURENCE / BRYAN SPRING - What Say We Play Today? (Jazz in Britain 68-S-CD; UK) Featuring Tony Coe on clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano & tenor saxes, Phil Lee on guitar, Gordon Beck on piano, Chris Laurence on bass and Bryan Spring on drums. Recorded at the Camden Festival, Shaw Theatre in London in March of 1977. British multi-reeds wizard, Tony Coe, is well known for his consistently inspired playing as well as the multiple genres/disciplines that he has long succeeded at. Although he famous for playing the tenor sax solo on Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme", he has worked in bands like Johnny Dankworth, the Clarke/Boland Big Band and Stan Tracey Orchestra, he has also worked with Derek Bailey, Kenny Wheeler and Lee Konitz, His dates as a leader are also relatively rare, drawing from a whole host of other players from the UK and elsewhere. For this session, Mr. Coe has organized a great British quintet, whose personnel come from varied backgrounds. Jazz piano giant Gordon Beck has worked with Tubby Hayes, John McLaughlin, Alan Holdsworth and John Stevens. British guitarist Phil Lee is much less lauded but has played in bands: Paz, Gilgamesh (Canterbury) and the Trevor Tomkins Sextet. The great British bassist Chris Laurence has worked with Tony Coe in several bands as well as with John Surman, Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone. Aside from playing on the seminal Keith Tippett Group's 'Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening', Bryan Spring has drummed for Joe Harriott, Alan Skidmore and Stan Tracey.    The set here was recorded in March of 1977 at the Camden Jazz Fest in London. I wasn't sure what to expect when this disc showed up last week but I am most pleased nonetheless. This disc is quite long (71 minutes) and features four long pieces. "Cela" opens and is laidback with simmering el guitar and el piano swirling together in lush waves. Gordon Beck has that mid-seventies Herbie Hancock-like echoed electric piano sound, with Phil Lee adding another layer of buzzing guitar counterpoint. This quintet is tight  and united as one force. Tony Coe takes a long, cerebral, outstanding clarinet solo here. Everyone in this quintet is/are fabulous at what they do. Bassist Chris Laurence takes an extraordinary bass solo in the second half of this piece. "Love Song" from the "Zeitgeist Suite" comes from a great yet obscure Tony Coe album called 'Zeitgeist' from 1977. Mr. Coe is featured here on soprano sax and takes another long, classic solo. Phil Lee is an under-rated guitarist who never ceases to amaze me on the handful of albums he can be found on. Mr. Lee takes several long, expressive solos here. If you are a jazz guitar freak, I urge you to give him a listen. "Your Dancing Toes" was written by Phil Lee, a strong piece coming from a gifted guitarist who never recorded a leader date (just a duo with bassist Jeff Clyne. While Mr. Lee takes a long, inventive solo, the rest of the quintet plays feverishly and tightly with him, ever so fluidically. Pianist Gordon Beck is also rather under-recognized and here takes a number of astonishing solos. The last piece, "What Say We Play Today?" was written by Gordon Beck and it is a long and winding masterpiece (almost 28 minutes). It begins with Mr. Beck strumming the strings inside the piano while the rest of the quintet soars freely along with him. This piece evolves organically with a number of great solos from each member of the quintet. The year that this disc was recorded, 1977, was a couple of years past the point of when fusion (a/k/a jazz/rock) had long steam and had become rather predictable and commercial. This disc however shows that jazz/rock could still be fresh, inspired, inventive and beyond expectations. Outstanding throughout so do not overlook this great gem! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG  
CD $17

TONY COE ENSEMBLE with THE DELME STRING QUARTET - The Buds of Time (Jazz in Britain 70l UK) This is the first ‘lost’ album Jazz In Britain has discovered. We’ve released albums that were only previously released on vinyl, or even cassette tape, ie never on CD, or albums produced from sessions by groups that never made a record, or we’ve included unreleased tracks that never made it only albums… but this is a real first for us.    In 1979 Tony Coe and Bob Cornford composed pieces for an unusual, and unrepeated, combination of a six-piece jazz ensemble (two reeds, bass trombone, piano, percussion and double bass) with a string quartet. The main piece Tony called The Buds of Time. The music was rehearsed, pieces for an album were recorded and, under the auspices of an Arts Council Contemporary Music Network tour, concerts took place at six venues around the UK. We had read about this in John Wickes’ book Innovations in British Jazz Volume One 1960-1980.    Early in 2024 we were given lists of recordings in the Bob Cornford tape archive and spotted references to a number of Buds of Time recordings in there. We secured consent from Tony Coe’s family to release those recordings and also acquired (from Tony’s and Bob Cornford’ archives) memorabilia from the Arts council tour, photographs from some of the concerts, examples of the musical scores plus contemporaneous reviews. We’ve included as much as we could of this in a comprehensive booklet which tells the complete story of this remarkable and unique album. In terms of the actual music, it’s very different from anything you’ll have heard on a ‘jazz’ label but we’ll leave you to discover that and make your own mind up!    "Reeds wizard Tony Coe is one of the eclectic, diverse and successful of all British reeds players! Who else has worked with this diverse list of giants: Derek Bailey, Neil Ardley, Steve Beresford, Kenny Clark Big Band, Franz Koglmann, the Melody Four and many others. Plus he was the featured soloist on the "Pink Panther Theme" for Henry Mancini!." - BLG at DMG
CD $17

DELTA SAXOPHONE QUARTET with GRAEME BLEVINS / PETER WHYMAN / TIM HOLMES / CHRIS CALDWELL plus HUGH HOPPER - Dedicated To You..But You Weren't Listening: The Music Of Soft Machine (Moonjune 017; USA) This is a most extraordinary date and is so much more than anyone could have imagined. The Delta Sax Quartet feature Graeme Blevins on soprano sax, Pete Whyman on alto sax, Tim Holmes on tenor sax and Chris Caldwell on bari sax, plus special guests Hugh Hopper on electric bass & loops and Morgan Fisher on vocal, hurdy gurdy & electronics for one track each. The great Delta Sax Quartet (DSQ), founded in 1984, and in the recent five wears the ensemble in residence at Kingston Universtiy in Britain, have several fine discs out - including one on FMR - , and have covered the music of Terry Riley, Mike Westbrook, Steve Martland, Steve Reich, Gavin Bryars, Michael Nyman, Philip Glass, and Karl Jenkins [of Soft Machine/Nucleus fame]. The music of Soft Machine, considered to be England's most influential progressive/jazz/rock band, was always a work-in-progress. The personnel and sound changed/evolved on each of their eleven albums with only one original member (Mike Ratledge) remaining from their humble beginning in 1967 to the bitter end in 1976. Soft Machine was influenced by Terry Riley and utilized their own tape loop experiments, which can be heard on albums 'Third' and 'Six'. This influence was pervasive and ran like an invisible thread throughout much of their history. Even when they stopped using tape loops, the cyclical, repeating or minimal sound remained. Rather than just play the music from various Soft Machine records ('Volume Two' through 'Bundles'), the Delta Sax Quartet have written their own arrangements (often altering and evolving further), as well as composed a few of their pieces with the Soft Machine sound in mind. Another magical quality of the Soft Machine sound was their ability to float in a dreamlike way and this quartet is the perfect choice to do this justice. Opening with an extrapolation of Hopper's "Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening", the quartet sails into Hopper's incredible "Facelift" with Hugh's electric bass and loops adding something special. The original version of this piece (which opened 'Third') was live from two different concerts and had some distorted sounds, like fuzz-organ and fuzz-bass. Here, Hopper's rich and haunting melodies, as well as his warm, tasty electric bass blend into a sublime mix, with an excellent soprano solo to make it even better. The quartet take part of "Kings & Queens' from 'Four' and rearrange it with layers of echo and repeating phrases, both used to make it quite hypnotic. Hugh's "Mousetrap" (only found on live recordings), is rich in layers of complex harmonies and is superbly performed. On "Everything is You", Blevins' soprano sax is featured and sounds more like an oboe in the middle of a Baroque string quartet. One stroke of genius is blending two very different pieces from 'Third', Robert Wyatt's "Moon in June" with Mike Ratledge's "Out-Bloody-Rageous". Morgan Fisher guests distant, spooky Wyatt-like vocals and eerie hurdy-gurdy sounds. There is too much wonderful music found here to mention it all and at one hour, it is consistently fascinating. The Delta Saxophone Quartet do an amazing job of illustrating the cosmic thread that runs through all of the great music that Soft Machine provided during their decade-long transformation. - BLG
CD Sale $12

PAUL DUNMALL / HAMID DRAKE / COREY MWAMBA / SOWETO KINCH / XHOSA COLE / DAVE KANE - Bright Light, A Joyous Celebration (Discus Music 162CD; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on tenor & C soprano saxes, Soweto Kinch on alto & tenor saxes, Xhosa Cole on tenor sax, Corey Mwamba on vibes, Dave Kane on double bass and Hamid Drake on drums. Revered Free/Spiritual Music elders like UK’s Paul Dunmall and Chicago’s Hamid Drake have worked together on five discs previously. When Hamid visited the UK in November of 2022, Dunmall organized this sextet session. Although I hadn’t heard of either guest saxist here, I do recognize the names of vibesman Corey Mwamba from previous sessions from Dunmall and Martin Archer plus bassist Dave Kane has also worked with Dunmall on several previous discs as well as being in a fine trio with Matthew Bourne & Steve Davis. It turns out that I had heard Soweto Kinch at least once on a CD I found where he works with Shabaka Hutchings.    Over the past few years, Paul Dunmall, who used to do exclusively improvised dates, has been composing for several of his own bands. This holds true for this date as well. “You Look Away” has an infectious repeating line right from the start with Mr. Mwamba inserting his own lines in & around the bass and drums. He takes a modest, yet thoughtful vibes solo later in the same song which I really like. As each of the three saxists solo separately, they all bring a different sound to the ensemble. Mr. Dunmall does not play his soprano sax often on recordings so it is a treat to hear him here, taking several inspired solos. Bassist Dave Kane takes an extraordinary solo here as well, speeding up and slowing down before getting back to that cool walking bass groove. All three saxists kick off “Many Sparrows” tightly together before the rhythm team joins them and Mwamba takes another feisty vibes solo. The sextet soon launches into hyperdrive as the tempo speeds up and the energy increases. “Disbelief” slows things down so that each saxist can take a slower, more modest solo. Mr. Kinch takes an extraordinary solo on this piece in which Mwamba’s vibes tangle with Mr. Kinch, the two pushing each other higher throughout the piece. By track 4, “I’ve Had a Lot”, the three saxes start off together quietly with the vibes simmering underneath. As the rhythm team kicks in, the three saxes all solo together, weaving a fine web but stepping on each other's toes. The ever-great Hamid Drake takes a wonderful solo here with vibist Mwamba adding some nice rhythmic spice. The piece ends with a fine three-part sax conclusion warmly arranged by Mr. Dunmall. The title track, “Bright Light, A Joyous Celebration”, has a righteous theme that will stay with you long after the disc ends. The sextet is tight and swings hard with an inspired vibes solo first, each saxist takes a fine solo here, showing off their own unique sound. The theme here has that South African soulful groove that many of us hold so dear. There is endless jubilation and good vibes going on here that make me and hopefully you smile when we listen to this treasure once and for all time. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG        
CD $14

PAUL DUNMALL ENSEMBLE with JULIE TIPPETTS / CHARLOTTE KEEFFE / MARTIN ARCHER / et al - It' a Matter of Fact (Discus Music 148CD; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on tenor & soprano saxes, compositions & wood engravings for the cover, Julie Tippetts on voice, Martin Archer on alto & bari saxes & harmonica, Charlotte Keeffe on trumpet & flugelhorn, Richard Foote on trombone, Steven Saunders on electric guitar, James Owston on contrabass and Jim Bashford on drums. British sax colossus, Paul Dunmall, turns 70 this year and has slowed down a bit as far as new releases go. Since his label Duns folded up in 2010, Mr. Dunmall has had discs coming out on the FMR, Discus, 577 and Slam labels, just a few per year. Instead of the usual free-jazz releases, the Discus label gives their artists some breathing space to prepare for, compose in advance and spend more time in the studio to flesh out different ideas. Mr. Dunmall's large group releases are pretty rare so it is a great thing to see & hear him have a fine octet for this release. Some of these musicians have worked with Dunmall in the past: Julie Tippetts, Richard Foote, James Owston, Steven Saunders & Jim Bashford, while the others have recorded for the Discus label: Martin Archer and Charlotte Keeffe. “Calling the Spirits" opens this disc with a strong Spiritual Jazz vibe. Over the past two decades, British jazz vocalist, Julie Tippetts, has been collaborating with Martin Archer on some six great discs. Instead of doing the free Improv that she has done since the early 1970's, Ms. Tippetts is backing to doing some more song or lyric oriented material, her voice strong, spirited and singular in sound. Although she is just a member of this octet and her voice no louder than the other instruments, her sound/presence adds something special to the group. There is a middle section to the first long piece which features some slow-burn Trane-like tenor, understated yet haunting el guitar, strong trombone solo and an infectious groove to boot. Later on in the same piece, the octet play a fine freer section which is both low-key and cerebral, before they go back to the song/theme. “Golden Boat" sounds like one of those sensuous jazz/pop songs that were popular in the sixties, with Ms. Tippetts actually scatting (superbly) along with the horns & guitar, something she rarely ever does. Her vocals when she does freely improvise fit just right with the rest of the octet, trading lines the ways great improvisers often do. On “Latu/Return" Dunmall's soprano, the guitar, voice & other horns work together effortlessly and include some strong, spirited, well-written ensemble writing and playing. The last piece, "A Matter of Fact/Ahimsa/Dreaming Again" is the longest and goes through different sections. Guitarist Steven Saunders solos slowly throughout the first section with the rest of the ensemble moving in tight waves around him. One section features some feisty tenor sax from Dunmall dueting with the drummer. The music here and throughout this disc has a joyous, uplifting vibe that feels particularly refreshing. So glad that Paul Dunmall has been working hard to bring us music that inspires us all. This is music for the heart, mind and souls of us all. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

PAUL DUNMALL with JOHN ADAMS / ROBERTO BELLATALLA / MARK SANDERS - Jazz Suite - Outcome of Choice (FMR CD714-0125; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on tenor sax, John Adams on electric guitar, Roberto Bellatalla on contrabass and Mark Sanders on drums. Recorded at the Custard Factory in Birmingham, UK in February of 1999. After the release of more than 200 titles as a leader on DUNS, Slam, Discus, Cuneiform and Listen! Foundation, British sax colossus Paul Dunmall has slowed down to around 2-3 discs a year, mostly on Discus, FMR and Jazz in Britain (an amazing recent Mujician 3 CD Set]. Unlike Philip Gibbs, UK guitarist John Adams has only recorded with Mr. Dunmall on around ten records. British bassist Roberto Bellatalla has also recorded with Mr. Dunmall on rare occasions, working also with Elton Dean, Dreamtime and John Law. The everbusy British drummer Mark Sanders has also recorded with Dunmall more than 50 times as well as with Evan Parker, Jah Wobble, Larry Stabbins and Pat Thpmas.    Although most Paul Dunmall releases were recorded within the last few years of their release, this one is from 1999, more than a quarter century ago. It is also titled as a "Jazz Suite", something that Mr. Dunmall rarely did until more recently when he started bringing in written material instead of releasing a deluge of free/improv records. This disc is broken into four parts. "Part One" begins slowly with a cerebral, 4/4 modal groove over a subdued yet throbbing bassline. John Adams takes a long, thoughtful, inventive jazz guitar solo. "Part Two" has another strong Trane-like riff at the center which is played tightly by the tenor sax & guitar frontline. John Adfams takes the first solo and it is an impressive one with Mark Sander's ever-supportive drums egging him on and on. Dunmall follows and erupts on tenor spinning out layers of lines at an astonishing tempo which is later followed by a spirited unaccompanied bowed & plucked bass solo. "Part Three" is the longest piece here and the opening riff which is played by the guitar is hypnotic and probing, holding the rest of the quartet together while Mr. Dunmall solos at length around the riff/theme, his lines long and free-flowing, digging deeper as he goes. After Dunmall, Mr. Adams takes a long and winding guitar solo, fanning the flames higher and higher, strumming at a super-quick early John McLaughlin-like way. Mark Sanders remains one of the best British jazz drummers and also takes a colossal solo as well. Although the sound quality is far from perfect, the energy and inventive spirit is righteous and inspiring. It is Christmas Day (2025) as I write this and it does feel like I/we have been given a wonderful gift. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG  
CD $14

PAUL DUNMALL - A Bad Day at the Office of Charles Ives (FMR CD724-0925; UK) Featuring Paul Dunmall on solo piano and solo organ. This disc combines two sessions: solo piano recorded at the University of West England in January of 2006 and solo organ at Bristol University in March of 2010. After more than 200 releases of mainly free music played on several reeds and bagpipes, British sax colossus Paul Dunmall still comes up with the occasional surprise. Considering that I've reviewed the majority of Mr. Dunmall's releases over the past three decades, I don't recall him playing piano or organ on any previous recordings. According to the liner notes, both of these sessions came about unexpectedly. Dunmall says that he often plays piano at home, occasionally jotting down melodies for a future session. The title of this disc, "A Bad Day at the Office of Charles Ives", comes from a feeling that Mr. Dunmall had while listening back to these sessions and being reminded of the music of Charles Ives, an early American 20th century composer that Dunmall truly appreciates. Mr. Ives was also a successful insurance salesman so perhaps his bad day had something to do with this aspect of his life.    The titles of the solo piano session are based on the titles or music of Mr. Ives like, "Questions Unanswered". That title is first here and the music is stark and filled with suspense. Over time, the music gets more rambunctious and spirited. Dunmall takes his time as the music unfolds, from sparse to more animated or dramatic. At times Dunmall will play a fragment or a line of notes and then expand it with well placed punctuation. Even with some of the lines are fragments of melodies or ideas, Dunmall does a good job of expanding these phrases and twisting them into something else. The longest piece here is called, "One Day in 1927" and it is darker and somewhat sparse and has more suspense as the piano pedal is held down. This piece gets more intense and rather violent as it unfolds. The solo organ section of this disc is something else entirely. Dunmall sounds like he is playing a large church organ, the playing is more majestic overall. Dunmall plays long, drone-like tones, stretching them out over time. Since I don't listen to very much organ music (outside of John Medeski, Larry Young & Big John Patton), I can't compare this to anyone else. The music is strong and filled with powerful emotions. I love the way those swirling notes move and the way the organ pulsates. I find this section to be most moving, evoking ghosts of ancient church or ritualistic music. This is an unexpected delight from my main man Paul Dunmall. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

KEVIN FIGES with JIM BLOMFIELD / RAPHAEL CLARKSON / PETE JUDGE / RIAAN VOSLOO / TONY ORRELL - You Are Here (Jazz Now Records 2SCD / JazzinBritain; UK) Featuring Kevin Figes on alto & soprano saxes, Raphael Clarkson on trombone, Pete Judge on trumpet, Jim Blomfield on piano & keyboards, Riann Vosloo on contrabass and Tony Orrell on drums & percussion. There seems to be a new generation of modern jazz musicians in the UK, many of whom record for the Edition, Discus and FMR labels. Saxist Kevin Figes had a previous disc out on the Edition label. The other members of this sextet also come from different UK bands: Pete Judge (from Get the Blessing), Raphael Clarkson (from the Laura Jurd/Paul Dunmall Band) and Tony Orrell (from Spirit Level & a half dozen Paul Dunmall sessions. This disc is dedicated to the late Keith Tippett, perhaps the greatest improvising to emerge from the British Creative Music scene (starting in 1969. It turns out that the leader here studied and/or worked with Elton Dean and Keith Tippett. Except for four short improv pieces, all of the songs here were written by Keith Tippett, Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, (both members of Soft machine), Harry Miller, Dudu Pukwana (both members of the Brotherhood of Breath) plus a King Crimson cover (“Catfood”, which Keith Tippett played on) thrown in for good measure.    My favorite Keith Tippett Group album is called ‘Dedicated to You But You Weren’t Listening” (from 1970) and it is one of my favorite avant-jazz gems of all time. This disc starts with a version of “Thoughts to Geoff” from that great album, as well as doing the title track, which is a cover of a song from the second Soft Machine album (and sung by Robert Wyatt who also plays on the aforementioned Tippett album). I listened to quite a bit of all of the albums that these songs have come from (Keith Tippett Group’s first two, Brotherhood of Breath’s 1st, Soft Machine’s Volume Two and King Crimson’s ‘In the Wake of Poseidon’. The sound/production of these albums from 1969 and throughout the 1970’s is/was something special, some unique and often magical. The horns on these records often sound like they were recorded from one mic placed above with a select amount of reverb. Kevin Figes and recording engineer Jim Barr have obviously studied that sound and have captured it righteously throughout this disc. Although I wasn’t quite familiar with most of the members of this sextet, each one rises to the occasion and plays this music to the best of their abilities. They do capture that transcendent 70’s, Canterbury, jazz/rock/Spirit Jazz sound perfectly. No easy feat! This is my favorite disc of the week since it sounds like those albums that I still love so many years later. A tip of the hat to Kevin Figes and the great members of his fine sextet! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

The following half dozen JOHN GREAVES discs have come out over the past decade but I hadn't heard about them until I discovered the Dark Companion label recently. All are limited and we just have a few of each. I recently listened to 'Songs' and 'Folly Bololy' and thought they were both great!

JOHN GREAVES With SOPHIA DOMANCICH / ROBERT WYATT / ELTON DEAN / DAVID CUNNINGHAM / PAUL ROGERS / et al - Songs (Dark Companion; Italy) John Greaves has had a long and distinguished career having been a member of Henry Cow and later becoming a highly respected composer and solo artist. Here is perhaps his greatest 'pop' effort, backed by Sophia Domncich, Paul Rogers, and Francois Ovide. Featuring special guest vocalists Robert Wyatt (3 truly astonishing from start to finish! excellent songs!) Caroline Loeb, Kristoffer Blegvad, and S'Ange. This is a reissue of a long out-of-print CD from the Resurgence (Voiceprint offshoot( label.
CD $20

JOHN GREAVES / ANNIE BARBAZZA / NORTH SEA ORCHESTRA - Folly Bololey - Songs from Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom (Dark Companion DC 012; Italy) "This concert is a beautiful event for me. These musicians seem to me to have really grasped what my songs are about; but at the same time, created an entirely fresh way of putting the music together. I feel so honored and so grateful." - Robert Wyatt, March 2019 "One of the greatest albums of the 1970s, beautifully reimagined and re-written for orchestra. I have listened to Rock Bottom hundreds of times, and thought I was familiar with it: but this brilliant new version opens up new depths, fresh vistas, hidden truths. An amazing achievement." - Jonathan Coe, March 2019 "Critically acclaimed as one of the best records ever, Robert Wyatt's 1974 masterpiece "Rock Bottom" has been re-arranged by Craig Fortnam for his amazing North Sea Radio Orchestra. Featuring longtime Wyatt's collaborator and Henry Cow founder John Greaves on bass guitar and vocals and the amazing vocalist Annie Barbazza as lead singer, "Songs from Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom" is a heartfelt, fantastic tribute to Robert Wyatt's music."
CD $20

JOHN GREAVES with MIRABELLE GILIS / LAURENT VALERO - Chansons d’Antoinne (Dark Companion DC031; Italy)
CD $20

JOHN GREAVES with ANNIE BARBAZZA - Piacenza (Dark Companion DC003: Italy)
CD $20

JOHN GREAVES / ANNIE BARBAZZA - Earthly Powers (Dark Companion 018; Itlay)
CD $20

HENRY NOW with FRED FRITH / TIM HODGKINSON / JOHN GREAVES / CHRIS CUTLER - Then Again (Dark Companion DC 030; Italy) Featuring Fred Frith on guitar, piano & editing, Tim Hodgkinson on clarinet, lap steel guitar & editing, John Graves on bass guitar & vocals and Chris Cutler on drums, percussion and texts. Recorded at Teatro President in Piacenza, Italy on 11/18/22 and at Salsa Perriera in Palermo, Italy on 11/19/2022. "Some people buy motorcycles. Others embark on epic journeys or lavish, pharaonic holidays. For my sixtieth birthday, I received something beyond my wildest dreams: the return of my favorite band from the ’70s, Henry Cow. 
  At first, none of the four shared my enthusiasm for reviving that venerable name. Over the decades, each had pursued their own path – intelligent, courageous explorations, diverging from the original core. “People expect us to perform Nirvana for Mice…” was the familiar refrain. But I saw something else, something they all shared: an unshakable brilliance in the intuitive and syncretic art of spontaneous music.
  Then one morning, the name came to me like a key: Henry Now. I told John (probably waking him), then Fred. And so, on November 18, 2022, they returned to the stage. Not to recreate the past, but to perform new music. Together again.
 Ephemeral within the ephemeral, this is a musical supernova, a convergence of talent, grace, musicianship, and wild imagination. I am deeply grateful to Fred for the care, patience, and dedication he and Tim brought to releasing this album for Dark Companion; to Chris, for his legendary wit and help with the cover; and to John, for helping make Henry Now a reality. - Max Marchini, founder of Dark Companion Records When I was a freshman at college (Glassboro State) in the Spring of 1973, an old friend of mine named Bob Grohl contacted me and said that he had a present. I met Bob at record stores in Elizabeth, NJ and he was a big Anglophile and occasional DJ. He had the largest collection of obscure British & Euro rock bands, albums & singles. He gave me the first Henry Cow album 'Led End' and after several spins, I was completely blown away by that record. I felt (and still feel) that Henry Cow were the ultimate progressive rock band, blending the best influences/ideas from the Mothers of Invention (circa 'Uncle Meat'), Soft Machine, modern classical, avant jazz, art-rock, free-form improv, electronics, humor and Marxist philosophy. Their first two albums, 'Leg End' and 'Unrest' sound as fresh, alien, challenging and enchanting as they did when I first heard them more than fifty years ago. I wrote to the band while I was at college and got letters from Fred Frith, Tim Hodgkinson & Chris Cutler in the mail. My roommates & myself, all Canterbury, Zappa & prog freaks kept playing those records along with Soft Machine, Hatfield & the North, Gong, etc over & over. I spent a semester in London on an exchange program in the fall/winter of 1975/76, interviewed members of Soft Machine past & then present and hung out with Fred Frith and Chris Cutler at a bar near Virgin records. Henry Cow broke up in 1979, after making six seminal albums and Fred Frith moved to New York, where he became an important part of ever-evolving early Downtown Scene. We became good friends and it was Frith that introduced me to Eugene Chadbourne, John Zorn, Tom Cora, Henry Kaiser and many others. Thanks Fred! I stay in contact with some of the members of Henry Cow through the years. In December of 2006, John Zorn offered me & my partner Manny Maris an opportunity to curate a month at the first Stone location. I decided to choose some thirty of my favorite musicians from around the world and offered them $1,000 each for transportation fees plus hotels if they needed it. 25 of those musicians said yes! Holy sh*t, it was like a dream come true! I asked 3 members of Henry Cow, Fred Frith, Tim Hodgkinson and Chris Cutler to reunite for two/three nights and they said yes. I was not expecting a Henry Cow reunion but just three old friends reconnecting and performing free/form improv. I had all of the sets that month recorded and filmed and hoped to release several recordings, only 2 of which have been released. I was hoping to release a 4 CD set of the four sets with the 3 former Henry Cow members, but it has never been finished I am sad to say. I haven't heard the Henry Now release yet since it arrived today at the store and I am home working on reviews but I am excited nonetheless. Both formats are limited so do not hesitate to order your copy now. If you don't own all six of the Henry Cow records and consider yourself a seasoned proghead, that you best get them asap! There is also a lovely box set of 17 CD's & a DVD which contains their entire catalogue with many spectacular live recordings. It sells for around $110 but we and our distributor don't have copies in stock at present. "A rose is a rose is a rose".... - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $21 [Now out-of-print & we have a handful left]

MUJICIAN with KEITH TIPPETT / PAUL DUNMALL / PAUL ROGERS / TONY LEVIN - In Concerts (Jazz in Britain 80-S; UK) Featuring Keith Tippett on piano, Paul Dunmall on tenor sax, Paul Rogers on contrabass and Paul Levin on drums. Over three hours of in concert performances from Mujician - the improvising quartet of Paul Dunmall, Keith Tippett, Paul Rogers and Tony Levin. The triple CD comes in an 8-panel digifile with a 20 page booklet with notes from Paul Dunmall and illustrated with material from Mujician's archives. Ever since hearing British piano giant Keith Tippett play that ridiculously cool piano solo on the King Crimson song "Catfood" (from 'In the Wake of Posiedon", 1970), I have been completely enchanted by anything that Mr. Tippett has done on record and in concert. I bought a copy of the second Keith Tippett Group album, 'Dedicated to You But You Weren't Listening' (released also in 1970) while I was attending college in London on an exchange program in the fall of 1975. To me that record is a masterwork of free/spirit jazz and it still sounds just as amazing today, more than a half century later. I feel fortunate to have caught Mr. Tippett play live in London during me 1975 trip, once in a quartet with Elton Dean and another quartet with Trevor Watts & John Stevens. I kept searching for and acquiring each Mr. Tippett's large catalogue of gems, from solo efforts on FMP, an incredible duo effort with his wife Julie Tippetts, his trio Ovary Lodge, assorted trios, quartets and large ensembles like Centipede, the Dedication Orchestra and his own Tapestry. Sadly for his American fans, Mr. Tippett has played in the USA once, at the original Knitting Factory in the mid 1990's in duet with Andy Sheppard. Thanks to Victo Festival founder Michel Levasseur, I've caught Mr. Tippett play solo, in the Mujician Quartet as well as in his own Tapestry Orchestra in Quebec. Thanks to mike old friend Mike Panico, I also caught Mr. Tippett play two incredible solo sets at Cafe Oto a decade or so ago. Starting in the early 1990's, Mr. Tippett organized a colossal quartet with Paul Dunmall on tenor & soprano saxes, Paul Rogers on contrabass and Tony Levin on drums. I caught them at the Victo Fest and have savored each of their 8 releases, most of which are all out of print. Aside from their one & only large ensemble disc, all of the quartet Mujician discs are completely improvised and absolutely brilliant! Thanks to our good friends at Jazz in Britain, we now have a three CD, live in concert(s), all unreleased box set! I've only listened to a a partial set so far on bandcamp and can't wait to hear the rest. According to the label all 500 copies are/were already sold out. We just got 10 of them and as far as I know, they will not be reissued so only downloads are available for anyone who misses out on the initial physical copies. Do not delay, order today! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
3 CD Set $35 [Sold out again & we have a half dozen left]

NEWS FROM BABEL with LINDSAY COOPER / CHRIS CUTLER / ZEENA PARKINS / DAGMAR KRAUSE - Letters Home (ReR NFB1; UK) Recorded at the legendary Cold Storage studio in London and first released in 1986 this is one of the greatest chapters in the '80s post-Henry Cow/Art Bears era. News From Babel was the song project inaugurated by two ex-Henry Cow, Lindsay Cooper (bassoon, sopranino and alto saxophone, keyboards) and Chris Cutler (drums, electrics) plus Zeena Parkins (harp, electric harps, accordion). A band that created a totally new sound as a result of the combination of unusual instruments and arrangements. A highly integrated mixture of avant-rock, chamber music, and Brecht-Eisler cabaret-oriented songs, not much like anything else recorded before or since. Letters Home is the band's second album and it features contributions by Bill Gilonis (The Work) on bass and guitar and vocals appearances from four master singers such as Robert Wyatt, Dagmar Krause, Phil Minton, and Sally Potter. This is the art of extended song form at its peak and it's of course highly recommended to anyone looking for adventurous new sounds.
CD Sale $10

NEWS FROM BABEL with LINDSAY COOPER / CHRIS CUTLER / ZEENA PARKINS / DAGMAR KRAUSE With ROBERT WYATT / PHIL MINTON / SALLY POTTER - Sirens And Silences - Work Resumed On The Tower (ReR NFB1; UK) "News from Babel was the song project inaugurated by Chris Cutler with fellow ex Henry Cow composer Lindsay Cooper. The pieces for this first LP were written for a band that also included Zeena Parkins (harp - her first recording with the instrument) and the incomparable Dagmar Krause (another ex-band member) singing. Using the studio as an instrument and experimenting with unusual instrumentation and techniques, these are songs stretched into a less than familiar shape. Phil Minton and Cow bassist Georgie Born also appear. Re-mastered and repackaged with full text and illustrations enclosed."
CD Sale $10

SOFT WORKS with HUGH HOPPER / ELTON DEAN / ALLAN HOLDSWORTH / JOHN MARSHALL - Abracadabra (Moonjune/Tone Center 4029; USA) Soft Works is that Canterbury supergroup featuring four former Soft Machine musicians/magicians: Elton Dean on alto sax, saxello & Fender Rhodes el. piano, Allan Holdsworth on lead guitar & synthaxe, Hugh Hopper on el. (fuzz) bass and John Marshall on drums. Soft Machine were the ultimate Canterbury band that constantly evolved with changing personnel and sound on each of their nine official releases from 1968 to 1977. Elton was in Soft Machine from 'Third' - 'Five', Hugh from 'Volume Two'-'Six', Allan on 'Bundles' only and John from 'Five'-'Land of Cockayne'. What is most surprising is that although each member of Soft Works was in the Softs at different and occasionally overlapping periods, some quarter century later, they sound as if they have been playing together for many years. 'Abracadbra' is a most appropriate title since they only rehearsed for a short bit before recording this most magical and mature treasure. Soft Machine were known for composing hypnotic, repeating riffs that were inspired from their early work with tape loops and here still seduce us with those mesmerizing grooves. What is also beautiful is how strong their playing is throughout this hour-long treat, both Elton's saxes and Alan's guitar have incredibly warm tones, as they play with a calm fire. All four have brought their best tunes, so that each one stands out in a variety of memorable ways. Hugh's "First Trane" has an exquisite melody that is rather Trane-like. As Elton plays his enchanting and relaxed solo, Alan plays elegantly behind him, creating a perfect blend of dreamy spirits. When Allan solos, he also plays equally calm fire, but it his swirling chords that really create a lovely haze. Both Hugh and John also play with incredible taste and resourcefulness throughout, so good to hear from one of the greatest of all British jazz drummers for the first time in many years. Except for a brief Nucleus reunion, I can't recall seeing Marshall's name much since his days in the Softs. One highlight here is Phil Miller's "K Licks" which is also known as "Calyx" from the first Hatfield & the North record, it is grand to hear that Hugh's fuzz-bass at the center of this thoroughly charming offering. When Elton finally takes out his mighty saxello (a rare sax between a soprano & alto in size/sound) on "Baker's Treat", he also spins his sublime web which Allan works perfectly to enhance. Elton's "Willie's Knee" is a funky tune which is certainly catchy enough to be heard on jazz radio, so who knows, stranger things have happened. The title track is also a powerful piece which hits hard and escalates higher as the spirits ascend and soar. The final piece is an incredible duo for Alan and John with some brilliant guitar and drums which builds to a volcanic conclusion. Bravo! Soft Works played one amazing set at last year's Progman (Canterbury) fest in Seattle [under their original name Software] and are touring Japan this very week. - BLG at DMG
CD $14

JULIE TIPPETTS & MARTIN ARCHER With PETE FAIRCLOUGH / GARY HOUGHTON / et al - Serpentine (Discus 41; UK) lie Tippetts is - of course - Julie Tippetts and Martin Archer is a saxophonist and electronics man who has worked with a huge variety of artists from Hornweb to Mick Beck to Combat Astronomy to Radio Massacre International (whose guitarist also appears here): Julie Tippetts - voice, chimes, amplified doll's house; Martin Archer - electronics, keyboards, woodwind; Pete Fairclough - drums, percussion, washboard; Gary Houghton - lead, rhythm and glissando guitars; with Miya - flute; Rosie Brown - co-lead and backing vocals; Peter Sells - bass guitar Chris Bywater - remake / remodel; Julie Archer - handclaps; Pete Whitfield, Alex Stemp, Paulette Bayley, Nick Trygstad, Simon Turner - strings "The third album from the collaboration between singer / lyricist Julie Tippetts and multi-instrumentalist Martin Archer finds the duo exploring more melodic and regular songforms than found on their previous releases. Serpentine is a single album with a strong narrative arc (a double theme on animals and deceit), with more strongly rhythm-based music - in other words, a song cycle - experimental songs informed by free improvisation and sound research, but songs still, more so than on the previous two albums. This makes Serpentine the duo's most accessible record, and possibly their most accomplished too. In any case, it makes for a highly enjoyable listen, and I strongly recommend you seek it out" - Francois Couture, Monsieur Delire
CD Sale $16

JULIE TIPPETTS & MARTIN ARCHER - Ghosts of Gold (Discus 37; UK) "Working with Martin always gives an inspiring kind of freedom within his extraordinary soundscapes. His structures on this album provide perfect settings for this selection of texts, drawn from an anthology of poetry written between 1994 - 2004, opening wide all doors with his particular flavour combinations, and yet indicating to me, almost instantly, the precise choice of poems for each piece. To use track 8 as an example, Martin brought this wonderful ingredient to the pot as an after-thought on our last day of recording. I went straight to the text, and within minutes was in front of the mic, and Rainsong was born. No rehearsal, no prior thought or decisions, and yet it gives the impression of being a structured composition. That's what I love about working in this way. The magic of the unexpected." - Julie Tippetts "Most of the music for this collection was written and recorded by myself between mid 2007 - mid 2008. Julie matched texts to the music and recorded the vocal parts at my studio in the final part of 2008. I tried to write music for this CD which I believed would have some personal relevance for Julie rather than to write in the abstract and hope for the best. Looking back, I've been aware of Julie's music just as long as I've been aware of creative music. I distinctly remember borrowing a copy (on the original Neon label) of Septober Energy from someone's hip older brother while still at school, not registering that many of the players involved in this incredibly ambitious and joyful work were in reality not a whole lot older than I was. Then before very long I'd also heard the diametrically opposite Blueprint and Ovary Lodge albums, which helped me to learn that there was room for space and melody inside total improvisation, as well as jazz informed "chops" and extended technique playing. It was not until the 1980's that I first met Julie while I was promoting free improv concerts in Sheffield, and not until the 2000s did we make records together - Julie sang on both of my albums with Geraldine Monk, and also on my latest solo release In Stereo Gravity. One memorable aspect of this recording for me is that despite this being the first record of Julie's whose method is based substantially on software processing and editing (her previous Shadow Puppeteer was, amazingly, a virtuoso product of traditional tape editing!), she immediately "got" the possibilities of working in a virtual studio and seconds after completing each take behind the mic was seated next to me in front of the screen enthusiastically directing the editing and processing choices. Julie really is the best and most detailed editor of her own work I've ever worked with. I'm sure there will be more to come." - Martin Archer
CD Sale $16

JULIE TIPPETTS & MARTIN ARCHER - Tales of FINN (Discus 39; UK) Following on from the duo's widely acclaimed first full length collaboration Ghosts of Gold, which was essentially an album of poetry plus electronic soundscapes, FiNiN shifts toward extended jazz and electronic song forms and widens the sonic palette to include a larger group of musicians together with an emphasis on rhythm. The result is an adventurous and beautiful suite of 17 musically and thematically linked songs spread over 2 CDs. Although the duo is a studio rather than a live group, this is most definitely not another "singer submits to studio producer" type album; Martin and Julie are equally hands on for both the performance and the production of this CD from first to last." "Julie Tippetts is a unique singer with distant blues and jazz roots. She was briefly a pop star and fashion icon with the hit single This Wheel's on Fire in the 1960s, and has made remarkable original music with her pianist husband Keith Tippett for decades. This album is ambient experimental music of a different kind. Computer musician and multi-instrumentalist Martin Archer created soundscapes for Tippetts's mysterious poems and found texts on last year's Ghosts of Gold album, but this double CD adds strings, percussion, and guitar from Chris Sharkey of Acoustic Ladyland and trioVD fame. The words suggest a gothic world of clashing armies and windblown castles; the aural scenery slowly shuffles John Surmanesque overdubbed saxes, cymbal clashes, church-organ roars, squirty synth sounds, fidgeting strings and, at one point (on the funky, uptempo The Other Side), an exhilarating guitar outburst from Sharkey. Although Tippetts's rich tone and soulfulness suggest an exploratory Cassandra Wilson or Sarah Jane Morris, this is a one-off for listeners willing to hang up all preconceptions - about free-jazz, noise collages, meaning and language, ambient electronics or pretty much anything else."- John Fordham /Guardian
2 CD Sale Set $16

JULIE TIPPETTS & MARTIN ARCHER with PETER FAIRCLOUGH / SETH BENNETT / GARY HOUGHTON / MICHAEL SOMERSET WARD / Et Al - Vestigum (Discus 48; UK) Although reminiscent at times of Jaco-era Joni Mitchell, this double-album – the fourth collaboration between Julie Tippetts and Martin Archer – feels genuinely experimental. And it's often an exhilarating listen, the singer and the multi-instrumentalist (and their 12 excellent fellow musicians) attempting to explore genuinely new ground. Tippetts has a remarkable voice, of course, her melodies here are appealingly ‘serpentine’, to borrow the title of one of their previous collaborations. The whole edifice exists right at the edge of song form, hence the echoes of Joni Mitchell – or indeed of 1970s Robert Wyatt, who still regards Tippetts' 1975 album Sunset Glow as a companion piece to his own Rock Bottom. Yet it is in the nature of experiments that the success rate falls below 100%. There are moments – and these are usually the moments at which Tippetts moves from singing into spoken word – when Vestigium falls suddenly flat, making for a frustratingly patchy overall experience. - Jazzwise Review
2 CD Sale Set $16

JULIE TIPPETTS and MARTIN ARCHER with PETER FAIRCLOUGH / GEORGE MURRAY / COREY MWAMBA / SETH BENNETT / ANTON HUNTER / HERVE PEREZ / CHARLOTTE KEEFFE / et al - Illusion (Discus Music 131; UK) Featuring Julie Tippetts on vocals, lyrics & arrangements, Martin Archer on saxes, keyboards, clarinet & direction, Charlotte Keeffe on trumpet, Anton Hunter on el. guitar & loops, George Murray on trombone, Seth Bennett on bass, Corey Mwamba on vibes and Peter Fairclough on drums. I've long been fascinated by the singing, stage presence and ever-evolving creative spirit of UK vocalist, Julie Tippetts, formerly known as Julie Driscoll. Her several records with Brian Auger & the Trinity from the late sixties, are all stone cold classic of pop/jazz/rock/prog at its best, especially their last record, 'Street Noise', her last with the band until their reunion record a few years later. From the late sixties onwards, Ms. Tippetts played in the Spontaneous Music Ensemble (one of the founders of British Free Jazz) and married master pianist Keith Tippett, their lives and music journey forever linked. In the early seventies Ms. Tippetts recorded two jazz/prog/rock records, '1969' and 'Sunset Glow', both superb. Aside from that Ms. Tippett, has mostly been a member of several of Keith Tippetts' projects (Centipede, Tapestry, etc.) as well as in a duo/trio with Keith called Couple in Spirit, whose first album was produced by Robert Fripp and which remains one of Manny Lunch & myself's favorite discs of all. Both Keith & Julie recorded infrequently over the past couple of decades, both taught as well. Saxist, keyboardist & (Discus) label founder, Martin Archer, wisely sought out Ms. Tippetts to do a series of collaborations over the past decade or so, getting her to sing and write lyrics, bringing her back full circle to the way she sang a half century ago. Although Ms. Tippetts & Mr. Archer recorded several great discs together, they never played live until they were invited to play at the Victo / FIMAV Fest in Quebec a few years ago. I caught that set and was completely knocked out by Ms. Tippetts' voice and they playing of the great ensemble that Mr. Archer had put together especially for that occasion. This is the seventh collaboration that Mr. Archer has done with Ms. Tippett and most of them are also 2 CD sets. Obviously they work hard on each of these impressive discs. Each of the two discs here has a name, "Circle of Whispers' and "Illusion Suite'. Martin Archer fans should recognize several of the members from varied ensembles/projects that he has organized for his Disc label, which recently passed the 100 mark of discs. Unlike the sextet that Mr. Archer brought to the FIMAV Fest, he has added strings, drones, loops, field recordings to his ever-expanding ensemble. Starting with "Chances", we hear Ms. Tippetts singing lead and overdubbing several other voices, all immensely enchanting over the great electric ensemble that Archer has assembled. Each member of the ensemble: el. guitar, trombone, saxes, keyboards, electronics, bass & drums are well chosen and play together in a most magical, enchanting way. "Less' has layers of subtle beats, samples & electronics bubbling underneath Ms. Tippetts' sorceress voice, giving the song a most dreamy sound. There are way too many great moments and special ingredient involved here to mention them all but I will mention a few: some superb flugel/trumpet by Charlotte Keeffe, nimble, sly guitar by Anton Hunter, succulent trombone by George Murray, pulsating vibes by Corey Mwamba Mostly it is the superb arrangements and production by Martin Archer and ever seductive, engaging vocals by the legendary Julie Tippetts. It doesn't get any better than this. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Sale Set $16

KEITH TIPPETT with JULIE TIPPETTS / PAUL DUNMALL / CHRIS BISCOE / KEVIN FIGES / BEN WAGHORN and THE APOLLO SAXOPHONE QUARTET - The Monk Watches the Eagle - A BBC Recording (Discus 102; UK) The late, great Keith Tippett was one of modern music's true iconoclasts, a keyboardist whose reach flexed well beyond his jazz roots to embrace contemporary composition, the avant-garde, free-playing in all its enthusiastic glory, and pretty much everything in between. When Tippett guested on band X's recording, it instantly rubberstamped the group's cred and rep. Those among you who are the man's admirers (this writer among them) will never forget their reaction to Tippett's performance on King Crimson's evil slice of prog pop, "Cat Food". His contributions to that whimsical bit of British aural eccentricity catapulted an already nifty little tune into the prog pantheon; it surely did this listener's ears in. Many enthusiasts of the man's work went on to discover his now-legendary back catalog, either recorded under his own name, with his various hydra-headed collectives, or with the likes of Ovary Lodge, Centipede, Mujician, Low Flying Aircraft, etc., etc. Tippett's mercurial abilities always held him in good stead”he seemed to innately understand how his contributions would inform a given recording, how he would best interact with his fellow bandmates, and that near-telepathic sense of structure and malleability has resulted in music that has confounded, perplexed, exhilarated, and delighted our ears for decades. Discus label runner Martin Archer has continued to honor Tippett's work over the past few years, and now with this unique, spellbinding recording, he cements it in perpetuity. The average Tippett aficionado might at first be taken aback by the lack of the man's trademark piano; instead, Tippett and his wife and partner-in-sound Julie act as both composers and conductors, leading the BBC singers and their instrumental accompanists (Paul Dunmall, Julie, plus additional soloists and the Apollo Saxophone Quartet) across a rapturous forty-one minute hymnal "opera'. Yes, you read that correctly. Performed at Norwich Cathedral in 2004, the influence of the performance space no doubt plays a critical role, but it is Julie Tippetts's textual recitation that lifts this music heavenward. Once wholly engulfed by the spiritual intensity of the ever-arcing choirs, it is nigh on impossible to do anything but utterly submit your very soul to the music's powerful, monastic pull. Comparisons leap to mind”the Gyuto Monks, John Adams, Arvo P֤rt, the Hilliard Ensemble”but the Tippetts and their cohorts seem to be calling forth something far more mysterious and enlightening. Though mostly a vocal-based recording, as the instrumentalists make their presence known, their contributions are strikingly integrated into the performance's schema: when Dunmall's sax arrives, it rings out like a lighthouse beacon, illuminating the music's twilit airs in a warm, comforting gauze. For optimal enjoyment, it's suggested you dim the lights and allow for no interruptions once "play' is chosen, the better to completely imbibe in this work's many-colored splendor. As for Tippett and this latest entry into his impeccable recorded library, well, the man's sui generis in all respects, his musical legacy a literal institution. If you're not already a card-carrying member, now's the time. - Darren Bergstein, DMG
CD $15

KEITH TIPPETT - The Unlonely Raindancer (Discus 81CD; UK) "A re-issue of Keith's first solo piano double LP from 1980, originally released on the Universal Productions label.The Unlonely Raindancer is undoubtedly a beginning, it is also an enigma. More than its means. The seminal first solo album by Keith Tippett released by Universal Productions in 1980 is a live recording from the previous year's short tour of the Netherlands. The audience applause was edited out, leaving the listener with the intensity of one lone musician literally improvising into composition.The word 'unlonely' could be described as uneven grammatically, but given nuance by juxtaposing the reality of a man 'on the road' vs no family or friends to accompany him (except producer, engineer and driver Rob Sötemann). The title of track 3, Thank God For My Wife And Children bears witness to the yin and yang of loneliness turned under, celebrating being 'unlonely'. Forty years on, it returns as a circle dance of choreography; in 2016 Discus Music released Keith Tippett Octet's The Nine Dances Of Patrick O'Gonogon.Mr Tippett recently told me he believes Raindancer "set the template" for all his later solo performances. The two Tortworth Oak performances are probably the most explicit evidence. The 1980's trilogy of lone Mujician performances are classics within his portfolio. They were followed by three other key solo sessions, The Dartington Concert (1990), Une Croix Dans L'Ocean (1994) and the 'jazz art' wonder that is Friday the 13th (1997). Then came 2012's poignant, Mujician Solo IV Live In Piacenza.Aspects of all these recordings have their roots in what took place on that 'unlonely' Netherlands tour in 1979. No money to pay for his usual sidekicks, instead a road trip into Europe where Keith Tippett connected with the solo strength of his own psyche (or if you prefer - soul). For any artist/musician who takes that journey it's a distance longer than any list of one nite-stands. Ride the speed of The Muted Melody; discovery is dizzy.Thinking back I must have bought my double vinyl copy of The Unlonely Raindancer around the end of 1980. Trying to recapture that first earful forty years on is not easy. In the preceding decades I've travelled to many concerts, hung in on the recordings, watched as well as listened to the Dancer. Now I steer the ears to a unique miniature, The Pool. Under five minutes, it was the first track on the final side of the double LP. I distinctly remember every time the track completed taking up the hi-fi arm and placing it back on the edge of black vinyl. I couldn't let it pass, something to do with the lyrical repetition being periodically bombed at that deep bottom end. Listening again, it still holds a terrible beauty for me and why I believe it is important that Martin Archer has now produced Raindancer in a digital format. The Unlonely Raindancer is not being re-released to complete a piece of the past. Tomorrow will forever be our history and dance is our beyond."- Discus
CD CD $16

KEITH & JULIE TIPPETT - Couple in Spirit / Sound on Stone (Discus 143CD; UK) Featuring Keith Tippett on piano, zither, music boxes, percussion & voice and Julie Tippetts on voice, zither, music boxes & percussion. Keith Tippett has long been my favorite ever and I feel fortunate to having caught him live around a dozen times from late 1975, when I was going school in London, at the Knitting Factory in the early 1990's, three times at the Victo Fest (solo, Mujician & Tapestry Orchestra) and a brilliant solo concert at Cafe Oto in London in the mid aughts. I bought an original LP copy of his second album, "Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening' when I was in London and that record changed my life. It remains one of my favorite avant-jazz records of all time. Mr. Tippett did the arrangements for and played on world class/jazz/soul singer Julie Driscoll's first solo album called '1969', released in the early 1970's. Keith & Julie got married and continued to work mostly together through a variety of bands organized by Keith throughout their long journey together. Keith & Julie Tippett recorded a duo album called "Couple in Spirit' which was produced by Robert Fripp and released in the mid-1980's. Ms. Tippetts sings into the piano while both of them play small utensils & toy boxes with Keith at the keyboard. The first "Couple in Spirit' record is again totally mesmerizing and one of all-time favorites. The duo would go on to record three other duo records as well as a great trio with Paul Dunmall. The duo were about to work on another "Couple in Spirit' record when Keith started to have health issues. Mr. Tippett passed away in June of 2020. Julie Tippetts and Martin Archer (head of the Discus label) decided to organize another "Couple in Spirit' record by taking several live recordings of Mr. Tippett from 1979, 1991 and 1995/96 and have Julie add her parts, multitracking and adding some sonic seasoning. This disc is the results of those recordings. Ms. Tippetts has been writing her own lyrics ever since she worked with Brian Auger & the Trinity in 1968 & 1969. After her two first solo albums, '1969' and 'Sunset Glow', Ms. Tippetts abandoned using lyrics, concentrating on being a gifted improviser and vocalist in several of Keith's projects. Mr. Archer asked Ms. Tippetts to collaborate for six albums they've done over two decades (2002-2022), with Mr. Tippetts again writing the lyrics. I really enjoy each of these discs and had the good fortunate to catch Ms. Tippetts & Mr. Archer in a sextet a few years back at the Victo fest, their first live set ever and it was excellent. Over time, Ms. Tippetts has become a spirited and resourceful wordsmith. She adds her voice and words to seven of the eight pieces here and each one is a gem. Over the past decade I've gone back to re-listen to all of Ms. Tippetts' early record with Brian & the Trinity and her two solo efforts (both of which were recently reissued). I have even checked her out live with the Trinity on Youtube. Ms. Tippetts has become one of my favorite vocalists of all. The combinations of talents on this disc is just incredible. Keith Tippett's often startling and occasionally dark, turbulent piano is just one element in this rich cosmic brew. Ms. Tippetts adds layers of voices, often sounding like a cosmic choir of ghosts weaving several golden threads together. The words often remind me of Keith Tippett's spirit, the one that was at the center of his soul whenever I heard him live or on record. I find this music to be consistently spiritual, uplifting, powerful and transcendent. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD Sale $15

KEITH & JULIE TIPPETT / LINO CAPRA VACCINA / PAOLO TOFANI - A Mid Autumn Night's Dream (Dark Companion DCLP 006; Italy) "Another true masterpiece. A Mid Autumn Night's Dream faithfully reports a one-shot concert that took place at Conservatorio Nicolini in Piacenza on October 1st, 2016. The four giants of new music never played together before: Keith Tippett, Julie Tippetts, Lino Capra Vaccina, and Paolo Tofani. As the lights turned off something magic started. A spontaneous interplay, an amazing flowing of notes. The subject was the night, its mystic flavors. Paolo Tofani, now a Hindi monk, is a living legend in Italian avantgarde music having been the driving force of the band Area in the seventies. He worked and recorded with many musicians including John Cage, Alvin Curran, Steve Lacy, just to mention a few. His last album, Real Essence (2015), an acoustic solo album, impressed the late Greg Lake who eventually wrote the liner notes. Lino Capra Vaccina provided the visionary sound of the seminal Italian ensemble Aktuala then formed the legendary Telaio Magnetico with Franco Battiato and Juri Camisasca, and later played percussion in La Scala Orchestra with Claudio Abbado. In Italy he is a true legend and a respected musician. His first solo album, Antico Adagio (DS 027-1LP/027CD) along with his last one Metafisiche del Suono (DCLP 002CD/LP), are considered amongst the very best avant garde albums ever. Keith Tippett is another living legend in British jazz music -- band leader, composer, and visionary pianist -- with an uncompromising career full of outstanding gems. A larger audience knows him as a member of King Crimson or the leader of Centipede. His skills go from contemporary jazz to larger compositions for orchestra and classical music as well. One of his latest piano solo album, Mujician IV live in Piacenza, has been critically acclaimed all over the world. Julie Tippetts lent her fantastic voice to various situations, many times side by side with her husband Keith. The team called one of their duo album, Couple in Spirit (1988), as they are in life and art. Julie is a fantastic musician who added a magic touch, a siren call to this masterpiece."
CD Sale $16

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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 / APRIL 22-25

4/22 Wednesday
8:30 pm: Trio: Brian Marsella (keyboards) Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Craig Taborn (keyboards)

4/23 Thursday
8:30 pm: April Showers: Brian Marsella (piano) Wendy Eisenberg (guitar) Henry Fraser (bass)

4/24 Friday
8:30 pm: Life of Brian: Brian Marsella (piano) Trevor Dunn (bass) Kenny Wollesen (drums)

4/25 Saturday
8:30 pm: The Modulators: Brian Marsella (keyboards) John Lee (guitar) Reid Taylor (bass) Liam Summers (drums)

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - A TRIBUTE TO CONNIE CROTHERS
APR 29-MAY 2

We celebrate the life and legacy of the great pianist Connie Crothers on the 85th anniversary of her birth. A virtuosic improviser and composer with a truly original sound, her importance in the world of improvised music cannot be overstated. Powerfully committed to honest self-expression, Crothers forged her own path, living her life just as she played the piano: intensely, fearlessly, lovingly.

“When we create music, it’s always from love” — Connie Crothers

Curated by Deep Friendship: The Connie Crothers Legacy Project—Virg Dzurinko, Carol Liebowitz, Andrea Wolper

4/29 Wednesday
8:30 pm: RICHARD TABNIK QUARTET
Richard Tabnik (alto saxophone) Harvey Diamond (piano) Cameron Brown (bass) Billy Mintz (drums)

4/30 Thursday
8:30 pm: WEBER-HARRIS DUO / DIMENSIONALITY
Mark Weber (poet) Ratzo Harris (bass) Dimensionality: Ursel Schlicht (piano) Ken Filiano (bass) Lou Grassi (drums) Andrea Wolper (vocals); Dimensionality was created by pianist Ursel Schlicht in homage to Connie Crothers' dimensional approach to life and music. The group debuted as a trio in New York City in 2017 and, later the same year, as a quartet at JazzFest Kassel, Germany.

5/1 Friday
8:30 pm: MICHAEL WIMBERLY SOLO AND QUARTET - Michael Wimberly (piano, drums) Alexis Marcelo (piano) Adam Lane (bass) Steve Swell (trombone)

5/2 Saturday
8:30 pm: KAZZRIE JAXEN SOLO AND DUOS
Kazzrie Jaxen (piano) Bill Payne (clarinet) Roger Mancuso (drums)

THE STONE is located in
The New School at the Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th Street - near 6th ave
For more info: https://thestonenyc.com/calendar.php?month=1

LIVE MUSIC
wed-sat - music at 8:30pm

ADMISSION - $20 per set
unless otherwise noted
cash only payment

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Thursday, April 23
@IBeam Brooklyn
8pm - Quartet
Carol Liebowitz . piano
Nick Lyons . alto saxophone
Adam Lane . bass
Vijay Anderson . drums
(this 8pm Quartet set is not on the website but it's happening!)

9pm - Trio
Anthony Coleman . piano
Adam Lane . bass
Patrick Golden . drums

Sunday, May 3
@IBeam Brooklyn
2pm Quartet
Carol Liebowitz . piano
Patrick Holmes . clarinet
Stephanie Griffin . viola
Adam Lane . bass

3pm - Trio
Ursel Schlicht . piano
Adam Lane . bass
Vijay Anderson . drums

4pm - Duos and Trio
Virg Dzurinko . piano
Claire de Brunner . bassoon
Ryan Messina . trumpet

At IBeam Brooklyn
168 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
$20 suggested donation