DMG Newsletter for March 9th, 2018

If you think that Music doesn’t matter
Then try and not listen to any for a period of time
A day, a few hours, or even just one hour
Music is the soundtrack to our lives
Wherever we go, wherever we are - it is there surrounding us
It lifts our spirits, it inspires us to reach higher and share in its embrace
and become a part of the human race
It makes us want to smile, dance, sing, scream, weep, laugh and feel
So take some time to tune in to the those sounds which were created out of hard work
And Meant to Help Us Get Through These Trying Times.

Check Out this Week's Sonic Medicine from:

Two from Elliott Sharp: Ensemble Resonanz & Gareth Davis Duo with Helene Breschand! Two from New World: Iannis Xenakis’ Orchestral Works & Sergio Sorrentino! Dave Liebman / Tatsuya Nakatani / Adam Rudolph! Josh Sinton’s Teenage Burnout! Tony Falco Quintet! Giant Dwarf: Martin Philadelphy/Rick Parker/Jeremy Carlstedt! Matt Mottel & Martin Escalante!

Adam Nussbaum Leadbelly Project! Samuel Blaser Trio! The Residents! Elephant9! Plus Archival Music from: Muddy Waters! Spacemen 3! Bobby Bradford / John Carter Quintet! Rare Vinyl from Peter Lemer Quintet: John Surman & Nisar Ahmad Khan! Archie Shepp Quintet 1967! Francois Bayle! Christian Zanesi! Max Roach! Kenny Dorham! Bukka White and Much More!

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THE DMG 27TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES OF SONIC CELEBRATIONS Continue with:

Sunday, March 11th:
6pm: SEAN ALI and AYAKO KANDA - ContraBass & Voice
7pm: DOGWOOD: NICO SOFFIATO and ZACH SWANSON - Guitar and Double Bass!
8pm: BEN GOLDBERG and TOM RAINEY - Clarinet and Drums!

Sunday, March 18th:
6pm: NICK FRASER and INGRID LAUBROCK - Drums and Tenor &/or Soprano Saxes
7pm: NIKOLY HAEN and CHRIS PITSIOKOS - Guitar & Alto Sax

Sunday, March 25th, 2018:
6pm: ROSS HAMMOND and ANDREW DRURY
7pm: BONNIE KANE and ADAM LANE
8pm: DENNIS REA - Solo Electric Guitar!

Sunday, April 1st, 2018 / April Fool’s Day / Easter Sunday!
6pm: LOUISE D.E. JENSEN Birthday Celebration
7pm: JACK WRIGHT and ZACH DARRUP - Alto Sax and Guitar

DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a small gallery. Take the F train to East Broadway or the 6 train to Canal or the B or D to Grand, or the M-15 bus to Madison & Catherine. Come on Down, the Sunday Music Series is Always Free & the Vibes are Always Cosy


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ELLIOTT SHARP / GARETH DAVIS / ENSEMBLE RESONANZ - Oceanus Procellarum (Cavity Search CSR 101; USA) Featuring Elliott Sharp on electroacoustic guitar & composition, Gareth Davis on bass clarinet plus Ensemble Resonanz. This work was recorded at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in November of 2016. “”Oceanus Procellarum takes its name from the vast lunar mare formed by ancient volcanic eruptions that covered the region in a thick layer of magma. The name in translation, Ocean of Storms, gives an indication of the sonic nature of this work: roiling, dark, turbulent. Oceanus Procellarum operates with the vocabulary and syntax developed and explored by Sharp in such orchestral compositions as On Corlear's Hook, Calling, and SyndaKit and making use of recombinant streams; chaining, looping, and superimposition of musical "molecules"; chaotic structures resolving to vibrant rhythmic patterns; timbral counterpoint; melodies (both micro- and macro-) based on the natural overtone series and acoustic principles of the combining of sounds in a form of "acoustic additive synthesis”. In certain sections, the Ensemble uses "alternate bows" constructed from metal springs or wooden sticks with which to generate their sounds. Conceived as the intersection of two moving fronts, Oceanus Procellarum pits the Ensemble Resonanz against two soloists, in this instance, bass clarinetist Gareth Davis and the composer on electroacoustic guitar.” - Elliott Sharp
The first I listened to this disc (at the store), a couple of days ago, I was fascinated by what I heard. Now that I am at home and not distracted, I am even more engaged. The opening section begins with layers of quickly plucked and bowed strings, rather Xenakis-like, with turbulent waves slowly increasing as the piece evolves. Ensemble Resonanz is a 12-piece string ensemble and due to Mr. Sharp’s assured composing, their playing, which includes extended techniques like rubbed or quickly plucked strings, sounds seamless as they work their way through different sections. Both the guitar (another string) and the bass clarinet stand out and rise above the ocean of waves or currents yet seem to be consistently connected to the flow that runs through the entire work. There is a section midway where everything erupts and several layers of string fragments coalesce into a strange combination which is hard not to be impressed by since it doesn’t quite sound like anything else we’ve heard before. Extraordinary on all counts. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14


HELENE BRESCHAND & ELLIOTT SHARP - Chansons du Crepuscule (Public Eyesore 139; USA) Featuring Helene Breschand on harp & vocals and Elliott Sharp on guitar, bass, lap steel electric sitar, electronics & vocals. Inspired by the “works from Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg filtered through other pataphysical flotsam and jetsam of the 20th century to create a mix of neurotica, erotica, noise, grooves, virtuosity, crudity, and the spirit of play.” Longtime Downtown pioneer, Elliott Sharp, never ceases to surprise us with a wide variety of unique endeavors and unlikely choices (in both personnel and genres or styles). Ever since the Tzadik label released a tribute CD to French singer/songwriter/character Serge Gainsbourg, I’ve been a fan, searching out his own albums and collaborations with Jane Birkin and others. Although Mr. Sharp and Ms. Breschand claim to be inspired by Gainsbourg, there is quite a bit more going on than that. All but tow of the songs here were written by Ms. Breschand and Mr. Sharp (often together) plus the do a couple of traditional songs. Ms. Breschand howls at the beginning of “Extase” which features some sly, twisted sustained guitar and electric sitar. Breschand does a great job of cutting loose with all kinds of spooky vocal sounds. Mr. Sharp also uses his deep voice to evoke those sinister spirits on “La Langue Dans Ma Bouche”(“Tongue in My Mouth”), trading hushed spoken word lines (in French) with Ms. Breschand’s equally eerie voice. I love the way Ms. Brechand’s acoustic harp and Mr. Sharp’s electro-acoustic guitar create a soft, mesmerizing haze on “Ne Lui Dis Rien”. Sharp adds subtle electronic seasoning to give this piece a more dream-like haze. I love the way Ms. Breschand uses here voice to add a layer of tasty dialogue to the proceedings. Since my French is rudimentary at best, she still creates vibes or images with the sound of her words. There quite bit sonic sorcery here, which evoke an often mysterious ambiance. Time so sip some wine and have some hors d’oervres by candle light. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $14

Two New Discs from Mode Records in stock early Next Week:

IANNIS XENAKIS - Orchestral Works (Edition 15)(Mode 299; USA) “The orchestral works on this recording include two of Xenakis’ adventurous spatialized works along with Metastaseis, the work with which he emerged onto the international avant-garde scene.
Metastaseis A is the original version, which is better known by its revision, Metastaseis B. The revision was the result of conductor Hermann Scherchen, who was critical of the size of the score and of elements of its instrumentation. He agreed to perform it if certain revisions were made. Ultimately, the première of the revised version, Metastaseis B, would be conducted by Hans Rosbaud at Donaueschingen in 1955, where it created a sensation. The public would have to wait until after the composer’s death before hearing the original version of Metastaseis A, which took place in 2008 in Torino under the direction of Arturo Tamayo, who conducts the work in this recording, its first commercial release. Xenakis explained that the sound world of Metastaseis was inspired by his experiences as a member of the student Resistance during the Nazi occupation of Greece.
Terretektorh and Nomos Gamma are companion works. Both were composed in order to be performed with the orchestral musicians distributed in a large circle with audience members interspersed among the musicians. Both works feature a large string ensemble and complements of woodwinds and brass. The larger number of musicians in Nomos Gamma is due to an increased number of bassoons, trumpets, horns, and percussion.
Terretektorh, which Xenakis referred to as a “sonotron”— essentially a musical particle accelerator — also references Xenakis’s own experiences of solitude in nature: “[A] shower of hail or even a murmuring of pine-forests can encompass each listener … the listener, each one individually, will find himself either perched on top of a mountain in the middle of a storm which attacks him from all sides, or in a frail barque tossing on the open sea, or again in a universe dotted about with little stars of sound, moving in compact nebulae or isolated.” Among the extraordinary effects in this work are hand-held percussion instruments played by the non-percussion orchestral members — whips, whistles, maracas, and wood-blocks — that help to convey the sense of the listener being buffeted by wind, rain, and hail.
In Nomos Gamma, the listener is struck by the increased size of the percussion section, which rings the orchestra and audience, lending a kind of ritual brutality to the piece.”
CD $15

SERGIO SORRENTINO//DAVID LANG / ELLIOTT SHARP / ALVIN CURRAN / LARRY POLANSKY / MORTON FELDMAN / CHRISTIAN WOLFF / et al - Plays "Dream: American Music for Electric Guitar” (Mode 301; USA) ““Dream” is a musical journey through the sound of the electric guitar in American concert music, based on sonic research and on the simplicity and beauty of the electric guitar timbre and colors.
Sorrentino’s transcription of Dream by John Cage opens the program. This version demonstrates the pure beauty of the electric guitar’s clean sound with only the addition of light reverb.
Alpha Aloha by Jack Vees is an experimental composition, where the electric guitar sound is electronically processed. The sounds result from playing guitar through various digital filters which slowly open and close at different rates, the resonance is set in such a way as to let some notes through with more strength than others. It creates an ocean of sound.
David Lang’s Warmth, for two electric guitars, explores the warm sound of the tube amp. No effects, only the overdrive and a gradually increasing amp saturation. The two guitars play almost the same melody at almost the same time, as if you have two lines rubbing up against each other. The music of the piece is a result of the friction between the lines.
The graphic score Mare Undarum by Elliott Sharp is an invitation to a free improvisation. Quoting Sharp: “Sorrentino uses a variety of techniques on his electric guitar to vividly transform the score into a rarefied and hyperreal landscape. His direct and unadorned Stratocaster tone is rich with harmonics and deep with resonance.”
Rose of Beans by Alvin Curran, is an extrapolated fragment for electric guitar solo from a larger ensemble piece. An hypnotic succession of metric and rhythmic changes with a small number of notes and repetitive but always changing patterns, the sound of the guitar is clean with only the addition of a vintage Leslie pedal effect.
This is the first CD release the lost electric guitar composition by Morton Feldman, The Possibility of a New Work for Electric Guitar. Originally composed for Christian Wolff, it was reconstructed by guitarist Seth Josel. Feldman began by writing some long-sounding sequences in his most typical style, and asking Wolff for their feasibility on the guitar. The intention was to make the electric guitar sound completely different, to let the guitar play in a sweet and soft way.
Both of Christian Wolff’s works for electric guitar are included here. Going West, is a work of complex counterpoint. In Another Possibility, Wolff tried to recall Feldman’s (at the time still lost) composition. Wolff invites the interpreter to play the written notes, but freely choosing the type of sound to get on the instrument (techniques, effects, timbre).
Larry Polansky is one of the a greatest experimental guitarist-composers. An Unhappy Set of Coincidences is for any low and high instruments (here electric guitar and electric bass version). Polansky says “Rhythmically, it should be “swing”, like a jazz tune.”
Urutora-man by Van Stiefel (b.1965), a composer and guitarist, is an homage to Toru Takemitsu and is based on the character of the super-hero Ultraman. Its effective fresco of resonances and harmonies enhance the intimate and evocative side of the electric guitar sound.”
CD $15

DAVE LIEBMAN / TATSUYA NAKATANI / ADAM RUDOLPH - The Unknowable (Rare Noise 089; EEC) Featuring Dave Liebman on tenor & soprano saxes, C flute, Native American flute, recorder, piri & Fender Rhodes, Tatsuya Nakatani on drum kit, gongs & percussion and Adam Rudolph on hand drumset, thumb piano, assorted ethnic percussion & processing. The reason that this disc is called, “The Unknowable” is that this is the first time that this trio has played together. There were some previous collaborations (Liebman & Rudolph at The Stone) and a trio with Mr. Nakatani, Mr. Rudolph and Kaoru Watanabe (from Rudolph’s Go organic Orchestra), so no one knew exactly what to expect. Each of these three musicians from different generations and backgrounds. This disc begins with “Benediction” which does have an enchanting, prayer-like vibe. This disc is carefully recorded, the sound warm and free of most sonic trickery. There is a bit of sly, selective reverb on Liebman’s soprano sax (on the title piece) which adds some serpent like dervishes to this disc. On “Skyway Dream”, Liebman plays somber flute while Rudolph creates a hypnotic pulse on his congas, with Nakatani adding eerie bowed cymbals or gongs, ghost-like spirits dancing in the distance. Mr. Rudolph plays sintir (north African bass-like instrument) on “The Turning”, which gives things more ethnic, spiritual vibe. When Mr. Nakatani bows his gongs, this creates a strange, dark sound almost like a voice of Mother earth crying out due to the way we try her. He doesn’t do it much ere but when he does it adds a somewhat disorienting undercurrent. Each piece here does a great job of transporting us another place. Like ghosts moving through a haunted landscape, we are all spirits being set free by the sounds which reach up and guide us through our jigsaw puzzled lives. The snow has been falling all day today (2/07/2018) while this disc has helped to transport me somewhere else. A little vacation for the mind. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

Two New Ones with Josh Sinton:

JOSH SINTON / OWEN STEWART-ROBERTSON / TEENAGE BURNOUT - Los (Self-released; USA) Featuring Josh Sinton on bass clarinet & bari sax, Owen Stewart-Robertson on guitar and Tony Falco on drums. After some time off from recording, bari sax & bass clarinetist, Josh Sinton, is back with several newer discs, each with different personnel. ’Teenage Burnout’ is a trio with Mr. Sinton (from Ideal Bread & Nate Wooley bands), Owen Stewart-Robinson (pretty much a new name for me) and Tony Falco (from several Tisziji Munoz dates). This is a strong, focused free trio session, with Mr. Sinton’s bari sax sailing on top while the guitar and drums connect below, criss-crossing tight lines together. Mr. Sinton switches to bass clarinet midway through, slowing things down to a more introspective vibe. The exchange between all three players is more like a warm conversation taking place with some of that organic magic holding things together, sonly building in tempo and intensity. A solid date on all counts. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12

TONY FALCO & THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - Live in Brooklyn (Sadhu-Bhav Records; USA) Personnel: Josh Sinton - bass clarinet & bari sax, Drew Sayers - tenor sax, Owen Stewart-Robertson on guitar, Aryeh Kobrinsky on bass and Tony Falco on drums. I was introduced to Mew York-based drummer, Tony Falco, from his work with guitar guru Tisziji Munoz, having recorded on a half dozen of Munoz’ more recent discs. Aside from Downtown great Josh Sinton, who leads Ideal Bread & has worked with Nate Wooley, I am not familiar with the other three members of this quintet. It turns out that Drew Sayers is a member of Dead Cat Bounce (Boston-based sax quartet fronted group) and guitarist Owen Stewart-Robinson is on a trio disc with Falco & Sinton that I also reviewed today. Also bassist Aryeh Kobrinsky has worked with Rakalam Bob Moses and is a member of NY’s Hush Point with John McNeil & Jeremy Udden. This sessions was recorded at the now defunct Douglas Street Music Collective in October of 2012. It was released in 2013, but this is the first time we are listing it.
Even moreso than the more current trio CD I reviewed earlier today, this quintet is incredibly strong, focused and intense. The interplay is often tight and free-flowing, always connected. Mr. Falco’s drumming is consistently at the center of the storm, navigating the rapids perfectly. Tenor saxist Drew Sayers has a fine, warm, lush tone, weaving his lines gracefully around the equally bittersweet bass clarinet and hushed yet spidery guitar. Mr. Falco’s superb mallet work is most enchanting, adding a hushed grace to the undertow. Josh Sinton’s bari sax sounds better than ever here, playing more melodically than usual and sounding especially enchanting with Mr. Sayers’ equally charming tenor playing. There are a few sections when Mr. Sinton sounds a bit like John Surman, my favorite bari saxist of all, this is no small achievement. Although this sounds somewhat free, there seems to be a melodic center or glue that holds this together. A spiritual sounding vibe, something that Mr. Munoz often embraces is his music. Guitarist Stewart-Robinson often stays in the background yet still weaves quick lines of notes in an early John McLaughlin-like way without ever stepping on anyone else. This is mostly spiritual jazz at it s best so dig in and help save your soul. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12

GIANT DWARF with MARTIN PHILADELPHY / RICK PARKER / JEREMY CARLSTEDT — Kicking Bones (CS 002; USA) This version of Giant Dwarf features Martin Philadelphy on guitar, Rick Parker on trombone & synth and Jeremy Carlstedt on drums. Earlier this week (2/6/18), the Giant Dwarf duo (Philadelphy & Carlstedt) played here at DMG and were in fine form. Prolific Austrian guitarist, Martin Philadelphy, has played here several times in the past with either Kresten Osgood or Jeremy Carlstedt on drums, always selecting his cohorts with a sharp eye or ear. His label, Delphy, is now up to number 33. Trombonist & electronics player, Rick Parker, has also played here at DMG and has worked with Tim Berne & Eyal Maoz in 9Volt, as well as with Alex Weiss. Downtown drummer, Jeremy Carlstedt, studied and collaborated with Chico Hamilton, as well as with saxist Brian Settles, Steve Gauci and Tim Motzer.
This disc opens with “Cloud Jumps”, a surreal, jazz/rocker with spacey, bubbling synth and an almost krautrockish groove. Mr. Philadelphy uses selective devices to tuen his guitar into a more rock-like demon squall. Instead of bass, Mr. Parker adds a cushion of swirling synth keeping the drums and guitar connected by a web of sorts. On “Crystel Cave”, Mr. Philadelphy creates an eerie soundscape by adding selective reverb his guitar, with droning waves slowly pouring over us with simmering cymbals and synth floating in the mix. Thing erupt on “Inside Walk” with waves of trombone echoes, a thick fuzz bass (synth?) line at the center and a triumphant, slow rocking guitar & drum refrain. The trio often sound as if they are about erupt, with waves upon waves of slowly rocking angst and power. There is something festive and invigorating about this music that feels just right. Srong medicine for difficult times! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12

MARTIN PHILADELPHY / CHRIS MARTINEK & THE ARRESTO KIDS - Ten Years After (Delphy Records DER 033; Austria) Featuring Martin Philadelphy on guitar, bass & vocals, Chris Martinek on keyboards & electronics, Enzo Kogleck on rhythm guitar, David Sieberer on bass and Lukas Konig on drums. Austrian guitarist, Martin Philadelphy, seems to always have many different wild cards up his sleeve, so I never know where he will end up next. Mr. Philadelphy played here last Tuesday (2/6/2018) with Giant Dwarf, a duo with drummer Jeremy Carlstedt. It was a joyous, quietly rocking set that felt good to be a part of. Philadelphy has played at DMG several times throughout the years and often leaves us with one or two new discs. He just left us with a new quintet disc, none of the players I’ve heard of before. Philadelphy wrote most of the pieces here, except for a group improv and one cover by Arthur Lee (leader of the sixties L.A. rock band Love). Strangely enough, this disc begins with “Wullewuh” which sounds like an infectious, laid back reggae/dub song, complete with a fat dub baseline, cheesy keyboards and some sly, sustained lead guitar licks which are quietly psychedelic. The vocals are processed through what sounds like a vocoder, a device I haven’t in perhaps 30 years. The line between cheesy and charming is often blurred on this disc. although I still find this to be somehow enchanting in its own odd way. When I finally caught Arthur Lee play live in the early nineties at the old Knitting Factory with several pick-up bands, he played only one newer song which was called “Everybody’s Got to Live”, a sort of utopian reggae ditty that sounds like it was inspired by John Lennon. Philadelphy does a charming, righteous version of a song no one would ever think to cover. Some of these songs are instrumentals and retain that charm without anything too complex or difficult to understand. Bassist David Seiberer, is often the secret weapon here, reminding me of Bill Laswell, his fat, melodic, throbbing sound/playing is the central ingredient here. I also love the way that Mr. Philadelphy takes these subtle, inventive guitar solos which never push too hard yet remain most endearing. This disc is unlike anything I’ve heard in many years, modest magic at its best! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

MARTIN ESCALANTE / MATT MOTTELL - Chop Party (Mottel Medi #1/Sploosh #13; Mexico/USA) Featuring Martin Escalante on alto sax with a soprano mouthpiece and Matt Motel on synth. Keyboardist Matt Mottel, is a longtime member of the the Downtown duo known as Talibam! As an old friend and fan of this band, I must admit that due to their twisted sense of humor, they rare are taken seriously. Which I find rather unfortunate since they have continued to unleash nearly a dozen gems over their two decade history, often collaborating with other like-minded musicians like Daniel carter, Alan Wilkinson, Sam Kulik and Yasunao Tone. Recently (2/25/18), this duo played here at DMG and blew some minds.
Young Mexican saxist, Martin Escalante, has been garnering accolades for his unique approach to the sax. For his debut here he looked like he had a soprano mouthpiece on an alto sax. His playing had an intense, daredevil quality by bending and twisting notes inside-out. This limited edition single does a fine job of capturing this bizarre duo in their unique glory.
7”  $10  [Very LTD Edition]

ADAM NUSSBAUM With STEVE CARDENAS / NATE RADLEY / OHAD TALMOR - The Leadbelly Project (Sunnyside 1500; USA) Featuring Steve Cardenas & Nate Radley on guitars, Ohad Talmor on sax and Adam Nussbaum on drums. “The discovery of the music of Leadbelly was transformative for young Adam Nussbaum. The only child of artistic parents in Norwalk, Connecticut, Nussbaum was exposed to many recordings, from classical to folk to jazz and blues. It was the image of Huddie Ledbetter on the original Folkways 10-inch record covers that fascinated the five year old. The celebrated blues and folk musician’s music seared itself into his ears, as it does in young listeners, informing the future drummer’s musical approach for years to come, most explicitly on his new recording, The Leadbelly Project.”
CD $15

In last week’s newsletter I made a mistake and listed a Samuel Blaser Quartet CD as his current new release. It turns out that this disc actually came out a while back but we never listed it. Mr. Blaser does have a new trio CD on the same label, Hatology, which is listed right below. So we are listing both here now. Take one or both, just make sure you haven’t originally gotten ‘Boundless’ from someone else. Sorry about the boo boo - BLG

SAMUEL BLASER TRIO With MARC DUCRET / PETER BRUUN - Taklos Zurich 2017 (Hatology 747; Switzerland) “Parsed into four discrete pieces, the Taktlos performance is a fluid exercise in revolving roles from the jump. Ducret trades in jagged punctuations, mercurial arpeggios and swollen drone bursts on Stoppage, the first and longest. Blaser reacts as balm, his lubricious lines drawing a direct invisible lineage back suave and soothing bop purveyors. A reversal and it’s Blaser with low brass growls as Brunn colors the corners and edges keeping a rhythmic presence which bolsters and ornaments without drawing attention away from the colloquy of his colleagues. A drum solo filled with fluid, frothing beats works as both palate cleanser and reset into an ambling blues. Later, a froggy brass ostinato serves a similar purpose signaling first clean picking from Ducret and then feral, sharp-fanged blasts of distortion.”
CD $18

SAMUEL BLASER QUARTET With MARC DUCRET / BAENZ OESTER / GERALD CLEAVER - Boundless (Hatology 706; Switzerland) “In his relatively brief tenure as a professional jazz musician who derives influences from classical music studies and John Cage-tinted abstractions, Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser's craft teems with curiously interesting applications and concepts. He's recorded for other prominent European record labels, but debuts on the historic Swiss-based hatOLOGY label with Boundless.
   Blaser imparts a penchant for innovation, fusing experimentation with structure and loosely organized tenets within a larger compositional picture, and his band of proven futurists share a common plight via resolute expansionism. "Boundless Suite, Part 4" is engineered on a staggered sequence of rhythmic variations. Bassist Banz Oester's organic sound and limber parts offer a rugged underpinning in concert with drummer Gerald Cleaver's dynamic polyrhythmic pulse. Here, Blaser leads the musicians through a portentous set of introspective phrasings, boisterous breakouts and subtle textures. It's a calm-before-the-storm effect, highlighted by the trombonist's corpulent lines, instilled with pathos and swarming cadenzas.
   Guitar hero Marc Ducret's angular and splintering notes foretell a twisted plot, as the band descends into a dark canyon, soliciting imagery of obstacles encountered along the way. But Cleaver flips the cards with his punishing drum patterns, segueing the bridge into a doomsday rock groove, where the quartet concludes on a quiet note.
   Blaser transmits a formidable presence to complement a scientific approach within the artsy side of jazz. He attains a symmetrical balance that unites the best of many musical tangents and song forms, construed with an open-world mindset.” - Glenn Astarita, AllAboutJazz
CD $18

THE RESIDENTS - I Murdered Mommy! (Klanggallerie 257; Austria) "The Residents' soundtrack to a never completed CD ROM game. The 1990s saw The Residents release a series of groundbreaking CD-ROMs. Freak Show was followed up by interactive album Gingerbread Man and then role playing game Bad Day On The Midway. All of these stood head and shoulders above the drivel which increasingly clogged the CD-ROM market and all featured Residential music as an integral part. I Murdered Mommy! would have been no exception. Inscape, the company which had released Bad Day, had some reservations with the proposed concept, 'an interactive game based on the fantasy life of an emotionally abused 13 year old boy' but as the previous title had sold well they green lighted the project. Unfortunately, shortly after this the aforementioned mountain of inferior titles plus the limitations of the medium (poor capacity) caused the bottom to drop out of the market and Inscape went with it. Musically, all that was left of IMM! were some 'sketches'. In 2004, The Residents took those sketches, fleshed them out and released them in a very limited edition on CD. This re-issue is the first time these music pieces have been made available again. Remastered for this re-issue."
CD $18

ELEPHANT9 - Greatest Show On Earth (Rune Grammofon RCD 2198; Norway) It's not often a "jazz" band take the big step from the club scene to a 1300 capacity rock venue like Oslo's Rockefeller. But then again, Elephant9 is not your ordinary jazz band. Often being named Norway's best live band -- surely quite rare for an instrumental band -- they are equally popular in jazz and rock circles. On Greatest Show On Earth, their fifth studio album, Elephant9 is back to the core trio of their first two albums; Ståle Storløkken, Nikolai Hængsle, and Torstein Lofthus, three of Norway's finest musicians. The Greatest Show On Earth displays some truly astonishing playing and is a more dynamic, structured and focused album with all tracks clocking in around the six-minute mark. It's also very much a trio effort where all members are equal, and not only a vehicle for a soloist. Ståle Storløkken (keyboards) is widely considered the most inventive keyboard player on the Norwegian scene, his playing with bands like Supersilent, Humcrush, Motorpsycho, Terje Rypdal, and countless others being firm testament to this. Nikolai Hængsle (bass) is since long a member of popular rock group Big Bang as well as Ketil Møster's quartet Møster!, Needlepoint, and Band Of Gold. Torstein Lofthus (drums) is probably the most in demand session drummer in Norway.
CD $15

MEGUMI YONEZAWA / MASA KAMAGUCHI / KEN KOBAYASHI - Boundary (ESP-Disk 5023; USA) Japanese musicians Megumi Yonezawa, Masa Kamaguchi, and Ken Kobayashi present Boundary. The pianist and drummer live in New York City and often collaborate; the bassist lives in Madrid but comes to New York City twice a year for a month each time. The producer heard them at Manhattan jazz bar Tomi Jazz and immediately booked a session to capture their magic before Masa Kamaguchi left town. Megumi Yonezawa, from Hokkaido, earned multiple awards while studying performance and composition at Berklee, then joined Greg Osby's group on Jason Moran's recommendation and can be heard with him on the Blue Note album Public (2003). Other credits include work with David Liebman, George Garzone, Sam Newsome, and many more. In 2016 the Fresh Sound New Talent label released her debut album, A Result Of The Colors. But none of these credits reflect the freedom with which she plays on Boundary. Kamaguchi, also from Hokkaido, has the most recording credits (upwards of 30) in the trio, ranging from Ahmed Abdullah's Actual Proof (CIMP, 1999) to a series of tribute albums with Vinnie Sperrazza and Jacob Sacks. Inspired to play bass after hearing Jaco Pastorius albums, he studied with Gary Peacock student Yoshio Ikeda, then moved to Boston to attend Berklee, followed by a dozen years in New York City performing and recording with ESP star Sonny Simmons, David Murray, Charles Gayle, Paul Motian, Dave Douglas, Frank Kimbrough, and even Toots Thielemans. Kobayashi, who put the trio together, hails from Tokyo, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in art criticism and art history from Tama Art University. After moving to New York, he expanded his knowledge at the Drummer's Collective. He can also be heard on Jan (2014) with bassist Jochem van Dijk and Nine Stories (2016) with Takeshi Asai. Recorded at Park West Studios on June 4, 2017 by Jim Clouse. Personnel: Megumi Yonezawa - piano; Masa Kamaguchi - bass; Ken Kobayashi - drums. Cover art by Kiichiro Adachi. Liner notes by Matthew Shipp.
Considering that I had only heard of the bassist here before this disc arrived, I remain most impressed by this debut disc. Bassist Masa Kamaguchi cans be heard on discs from the Cosmosamatics, Frank Kimbrough, Billy Mintz and John O’Gallagher. This disc is superbly recorded, the balance of an acoustic trio is just right, warm and spacious. I like that this trio take their time, starting off with soft modest grace, slowly building as they evolve. I am not so sure how long this trio has played together but they do sound as if they have been progressing over a long period go time. Which seems unlikely since Ms. Yonezawa still looks pretty young. Yet, the playing and ideas here are most mature sounding, thoughtful and well-developed. There a could of pieces which exquisite, laid back and unexpectedly subtle. This is certainly one of the best trio dates heard in recent memory and unlike any one I’ve heard I’m a long while. Plus the liner notes by Matt Shipp are most illuminating. This is a perfect entre for the ever-evolving ESP-Disk catalogue, which is past the fifty year mark in 2014. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12

NAT BIRCHALL - Cosmic Language (Jazzman Records 098; UK) Nat Birchall charts new paths toward spiritual communion, connecting jazz with classical Indian influences guided by the wistful flow of the harmonium. Cosmic Language sees the UK-based saxophonist, composer, and arranger return to Jazzman Records with a cross-cultural approach: an exploration of the parallel musical paths of jazz and Indian ragas. Here he takes influence from spiritual jazz forebears such as Alice Coltrane and Yusef Lateef and introduces the Indian harmonium to his band, where it takes the place of the piano. Making new connections to realize his transcendental ambitions, it's a logical next step in making music as spiritual cleanser. The idea for the album was spawned from a one-off performance at a meditation center, the Maharishi Golden Dome in West Lancashire. Seeking to bring a band set-up that was fitting to the quiet-minded setting, Birchall brought the harmonium with him. A small pump organ, it's an instrument he'd been in possession of for many years but hadn't previously used in his music. Building on the spiritual context of that show, and the associations of that instrument, it led naturally to the musical approach undertaken on the album. Both the album and the show which preceded it were recorded with the same tight-knit group of players which have featured on Birchall's previous albums. All members of the group are part of the same like-minded circle of Manchester-oriented jazz musicians. Birchall has always channeled wide-ranging ideas into music that's simple to understand, and this album is no exception. Album opener "Man From Varanasi" is an ode to Bismillah Khan, one of Birchall's heroes of Indian music who hailed from the northern Indian city named in the title. It also sees him taking cues from the Indian raga tradition which, as with most other traditional Indian music, is a foundation which underpinned Khan's music. Crucially, the ragas tap into the idea of music as a means of spiritual release. Birchall sees spiritual experience as an essential part of day-to-day life: instead of brightly-lit, occasional entertainment in lugubrious concert halls, he considers it an everyday, vital source of inspiration. At a moment where jazz-influenced music is undergoing creative renewal and wider appreciation, it's an important perspective that's found resonance elsewhere.
CD $15

First time listing for this Canterbury DVD and Restocked Listing for the 2nd one:

ROMANTIC WARRIORS III - Got Canterbury? / A Progressive Music Saga (Zeitgeist Media; USA) Special features edition: featuring music clips from Soft Machine Legacy, Dave Sinclair & Didier Malherbe (Gong), The Muffins, Wrong Object, Forgas band Phenomena and Glass. Plus Interview footage from Daevid Allen, Pye Hastings, Richard & Dave Sinclair (from Caravan), Bill MacCormack (Matching Mole), David Newhouse (Muffins), Mont campbell (Egg), Theo Travis (Soft Machine Legacy), Elaine DiFalco (Hughscore & Thinking Plague), Giorigio Gomelsky (R.I.P.) plus Canterbury/Prog experts Leonardo Pavkovic and yours truly, Bruce Lee Gallanter. 4 hours long!
DVD $18

ROMANTIC WARRIORS III [V.A. Documentary on the Canterbury Scene: SOFT MACHINE/MATCHING MOLE/NUCLEUS/HATIELD AND THE NORTH/THE MUFFINS et al] - Canterbury Tales (ZeitgeistMedia; USA) Directed by Adele Schmidt & Jose Zegarra Holder; Two hours. An outstanding documentation/story about the Canterbury Scene! How did a small allegedly non-existent "scene" of perhaps a dozen musicians from the mid-sixties British town of Canterbury go on to influence several generations of musicians and fans from around the planet earth for so long and still resonate today fifty years later? This is/was an ambitious task and it is the third in a series of films that these two directors have done to explore and explain certain areas of progressive music that could use (y)our respect. The Canterbury scene started in the mid-sixties with the Wilde Flowers, mostly school friends from the Canterbury area, who by 1967/1968 split into two bands: Soft Machine and Caravan, two odd/pop/psych bands who had a number of similarities at the beginning of their careers. The original Softs featured Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge and Robert Wyatt, four very different creative musicians with distinctive and different personalties. Soft Machine recorded eleven albums between 1968 & 1976, the personnel changed on every record, so their sound was always in flux. Since a handful of key members of the CS have passed away over the past decade (Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, Steve Miller, Kevin Ayers, Pip Pyle and very recently Daevid Allen), there are dozens of interviews with many of the survivors: Daevid Allen (ever-enchanting, longtime leader of Gong speaks the most), Brian Hopper, Richard Sinclair, Roy Babbington, David Sinclair, Bill McCormick, Didier Mahlherbe, Phil Miller, Mont Campbell, Robert Wyatt, Chris Cutler... A number of Canterbury-related bands are mentioned as well: Egg, Matching Mole, Hatfield & the North, National Health, In Cahoots, various versions of Gong, Soft Works and Soft Machine Legacy. There is a large amount of rare footage of different eras of Soft Machine & Gong, Caravan, Hatfield and Softs Legacy, making this a deep treasure chest unending gems. The complex histories of many of these bands are unraveled as best as could be done, making this consistently compelling. About a third of this long film features interviews and live footage from the many bands worldwide who have been influenced by the Canterbury Scene from the time it started until today: Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates, forgas Band, the Wrong Object, the Muffins, Glass, Planeta Imaginario and Sid Arthur. A trio of Canterbury experts also get to make a number of their own points throughout: Americ Leroy (Calyx website, historian & liner notes writer), Leonardo Petrovic (head of Moonjune label) and yours truly (DMG founder & 1/2 century Canterbury devotee). There are a number of magical musicians here who give their own charming perspective and are quoted throughout: Daevid Allen, Didier Mahlherbe, Richard Sinclair, Phil Miller and David Sinclair, who closes this film with a poignant solo version of the Caravan classic "Nine Feet Underground". Bravo here to both directors who have done a marvelous job of capturing the spirit of something most elusive yet still so important to many of us who are long nourished by it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
DVD $20

CHARLES GAINES - Manifestos 2 (Dog with a Bone 008; USA) Dog W/A Bone present the release of Charles Gaines's Manifestos 2. Charles Gaines is highly regarded as both a leading practitioner of conceptualism and an influential educator at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Gaines is celebrated primarily for his photographs, drawings, and works on paper that investigates systems, cognition, and language. His early experiments examined the roles that systems and rule-based procedures play in the construction of forms, objects, and meaning. In creating Manifestos 2, Charles translated language from four influential speeches or manifestos into musical notation: Malcolm X's last public speech, made in 1965 in Detroit's Ford Auditorium; Peace, Power, Righteousness: An Indigenous Manifesto (1999), by Canadian Mohawk scholar and activist Taiaiake Alfred; Indocumentalismo Manifesto -- an Emerging Socio-Political Ideological Identity (2010), by Raúl Alcaraz and Daniel Carrillo; and the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen, written by French activist and writer Olympe De Gouges in 1791. Establishing a relationship between the structures of language and music, Gaines has used a rule-based system, substituting each letter with its corresponding musical note (C, D, E, F, G, A, B) and treating each letter without an equivalent note as a silent musical rest. The scores were then arranged for multiple instruments by Los Angeles composer and Opera Povera director Sean Griffin. As a result, Manifestos 2 explores the ways in which the emotive properties of music affect the content of the manifestos and their interpretation. For the performance, Griffin conducted a nine-piece ensemble, bringing the scores to life. Composed by Charles Gaines; Arranged and conducted by Sean Griffin/Opera Povera. Manifestos 2 was recorded live at REDCAT Los Angeles, December 9th 2015. Personnel: Jonah Levy - trumpet; Joelle Lamarre - soprano; Richard Valitutto - piano; Alison Bjorkedal - harp; Emily Call - violin; Madeline Falcone - violin; Melinda Rice - viola; Betsy Rettig - cello; Scott Worthington - bass.
CD $15

OUMAR KONATE - Live In Bamako (Clermont Music 020; USA) “Smoke-filled nightclub - VIP sections -- seductive ladies in slinky dresses -- guys strutting their stuff -- Saturday night at the club -- Bamako. Recorded live in March of 2017 at the Songhoy, one of the several clubs in Bamako where you can find Oumar Konaté holding court on Friday and Saturday nights. The place is packed by 1AM. Then the high-energy Afro-rock kicks into gear. Around 2AM, Oumar slips into Takamba rhythm and everyone jumps up to dance; like everywhere else in the world, people are having fun on the weekend. An award-winning musician from Mali, Oumar Konaté represents the new generation, influenced by music from around the world. Konaté is a rocker who can deliver heartfelt acoustic ballads as well as jam-band brash crowd-pleasing solos. On these recordings, the core band was: Oumar Konaté - lead guitar and vocals; Mahalmadane Traoré and Makan Camara - drums; Dramane Touré - bass; John F Dilligent - keyboards. The band was joined by a loyal cadre of young talent who add their spice to the mix. Without a doubt, the crowd has come to party and Oumar does not disappoint.”
CD $14

ZEA - Crimes Against Pop (Klanggallerie 262; Austria) "Zea is the alter ego of Arnold de Boer, singer with Dutch experimental group The Ex. Someone described his music once as: 'Arnold de Boer deploying guitar and sampler for an almighty bout of crazily high energy songs - urgent lyrics over guitar, roughshod beats and grimy bass lines. Joyfully obstinate, wonderfully bonkers.' Breakpop is another term used for the style, and it is a fitting term as Arnold mixes pop tunes with breakbeats and electronics to create a totally unique hybrid of experimental pop music. The project started in 2000 and has released six albums up to date. Crimes Against Pop gives a perfect overview over this music. For us at Klang the idea to work together came up when we (as big fans of The Ex) went to see Zea perform a solo show in Austria. We were blown away by the strength in the simplicity and asked Arnold immediately if he wanted to work with us. Luckily he agreed, and here is Crimes Against Pop. This album was originally planned to become a release on TOOK but we decided it didn't fit the parameters that made such a release, so here it is on Klang."
CD $19

SPACEMEN 3 - Dreamweapon (Space Age Orbit 058; UK) Space Age present a reissue of Spacemen 3's Dreamweapon, originally released in 1990. August 1988, Spacemen 3 embarks on one of the strangest events in the band's already strange history. Billed as "An Evening Of Contemporary Sitar Music" -- although consciously omitting the sitar -- the group would play in the foyer of Watermans Arts Centre in Brentford, Middlesex to a largely unsuspecting and unsympathetic audience waiting to take their seats for Wim Wenders's film Wings of Desire (1987). Spacemen 3's proceeding set, forty-five minutes of repetitive drone-like guitar riffs, could be seen as the "Sweet Sister Ray" of '80s Britain. Digitally re-mastered by John Rivers at Woodbine Studios, November 2017. Six-panel foldout card wallet.
CD $15

MUDDY WATERS - Live At Rockpalast (Made in Germany 90782; Germany) "Muddy Waters had a great ear for talent and accordingly the formation which you will hear on this DVD was one of the very best: The pianist Pinetop, the drummer Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith, the bass player Calvin Jones, the two guitarists Luther 'Guitar Jr.' Johnson and Bob Margolin and the harmonica player Jerry Portnoy. At the Rockpalast recording on December 10, 1978 at Westfalenhalle Dortmund Muddy Waters still was at the height of his creative power, his mighty vocals and his splendid charisma on stage fascinated the audience. Muddy's guitar playing on the Fender Telecaster especially comes into full effect with his typical slow blues solos -- and seldom had Muddy such a hot sound as in this TV recording of the WDR. The song selection of the evening consisted of several of his biggest hits which probably are standard discipline of each evening ('Hoochie Coochie Man', 'Walkin' Thru The Park', a superb version of the macho hymn 'Mannish Boy' and, of course, the immortal 'Got My Mojo Workin''), but also less performed titles like 'Soon Forgotten' by St. Louis Jimmy Oden or 'Country Boy', both atmospheric slow blues with slide. When the Muddy Waters Tribute Band appeared at the Rockpalast Open-Air at the Loreley on June 23, 1996 (bonus content on the second DVD), the pianist Pinetop Perkins could unfortunately not travel due to medical reasons and Jerry Portnoy was replaced by blues harper Carey Bell who had already played in Muddy's band in early 1970. All band members switch with the vocals and in 'Gone To Main Street' The Band's Levon Helm is to be heard as a guest singer. Naturally, the repertoire consists mainly of Muddy Waters classics but also songs of Jimmy Reed, two titles that have become known through Albert King and one original composition of the drummer Willie Smith were on the set list."
2 CD / 2 DVD Set $26

Back in Stock:

BOBBY BRADFORD & JOHN CARTER QUINTET - No U Turn (Dark Tree 05; France) Featuring: BOBBY BRADFORD cornet, JOHN CARTER soprano saxophone and clarinet, ROBERTO MIRANDA double bass, STANLEY CARTER double bass and WILLIAM JEFFREY drums. NO U-TURN is the first and only recording by this quintet and the earliest extant recording of Bobby & John live in performance. Also, this shows that window of about 5 years when John was using soprano & clarinet equally. And most importantly, for historians this recording fills a void in Bobby Bradford & John Carter's discography. If you were not in Los Angeles throughout the 70s, this is the first time you'll hear what they were doing during those years! This release includes a 16 pages booklet with great liner notes by Mark Weber as well as many rare and previously unpublished photos by Jak Kilby, Gerard Rouy and Mark Weber.
CD $16

NELS CLINE / ELLIOTT SHARP - Open the Door (Public Eyesore 121; USA) A spectacular collaboration from two of Downtown's most creative and diverse guitarists: Nels Cline (west coast/east coast) and Elliott Sharp (NYC-based). This disc was recorded mainly at Studio Zoar (in 1999) as well as one piece live from The Stone (from 2007). Both of these pickers draw from a wealth of musical experiences in jazz, prog, improv, noise, folk, roots & blues/rock (Wilco & Terraplane) and other beyond-category terrain. Commencing with "Blue Particles", we hear two (semi?) acoustic guitars tangling a series of furious notes, creating a mesmerizing web. Wow! Faster and faster like some frenetic flamenco dancers moving in a blur across our view. "Five Tastes of Sour" starts out calming with two acoustic guitars playing some fragile blues & jazz phrases. Much of this piece is minimal so that each note or group of notes counts, from somber to spacy to eruptive. Yet completely connected. Nels mentions in the liner notes that Elliott has a distinctive sound when he plays slide and he certainly does. On "Isotopes" his slide is featured and sounds just incredible with Nels providing an equally haunting cushion/tapestry underneath. This piece reminds me of those enchanting, folk/psych albums that captivated us in the late sixties/early seventies. A mysterious brew and somewhere in between any established genres or styles. "Let Her In" involves some odd string tapping and percussive manipulation. Someone is playing what sounds like a dobro (perhaps its one of those custom-made guitars that E# owns) with slide and other acoustic effects which add more mystical sounds to this already cosmic duo excursion. The title of this disc is called "Open the Door" with pictures of open doors on the outside and inside cover. I think what they are referring to is opening the door between the different worlds of music to let the magic in. This music is very magical, it creates a fascinating spell which can't be denied. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14

Ongoing Relative Pitch Sale CD’s Plus Weekly CD Sale List:

THE OUT LOUDS [TOMAS FUJIWARA / BEN GOLDBERG * / MARY HALVORSON] - The Out Louds (Relative Pitch 1042; USA) Featuring Mary Halvorson on guitar, Ben Goldberg on clarinet and Tomas Fujiwara on drums. This fabulous Downtown all-star trio consists of three leaders, each with several bands that they are involved with simultaneously. Each one continues to make leaps and strides, as well as collaborating with elder statesmen & women like Anthony Braxton & Michael Formanek (both Halvorson & Fujiwara). Ben Goldberg has recently been tour with piano master Myra Melford as well as playing six sets here at DMG in November & December of last year (2015), each with a different cast (Nels Cline, Tony Malaby & Tom Rainey). Although Ms. Halvorson and Mr. Fujiwara often work together, this is their first collaboration with Mr. Goldberg. The disc appears to be group improv session, long and thoughtfully constructed. The opening piece, “Starry/False” is spacious and cloud-like. On “Trout-Lily”, Mr. Goldberg & Fujiwara play fast, furious lines together while Ms. Halvorson drops several depth charges , well-placed in the flurry quick circling lines until the guitar and clarinet coalesce their lines together tightly before the conclusion. Mary plays some stark, elegant guitar on “Yellow Queen”, letting each note drift, as the rest of the trio quietly rustle around her, building into a more powerful, storm-like eruption when Mary hits the distortion pedal about midway through the piece. Even more explosive is “Preference”, which has the guitar and sax spiraling intensely together navigated well by Fujiwara’s propulsive drumming. This is a powerful, well-balanced trio which revels shifting combinations and dynamics. Often the guitar or clarinet will lock with the drums while the other lead instruments solos, the center or undertow remains intact of the current shifts gears. There are some truly magical moments here when the trio hit their stride, linking several layers of energy before they switch into some unexpected twists and turns. The Out Louds are no doubt Out Standing! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10

*Ben Goldberg, clarinetist extraordinaire, will be playing in a duo with the amazing drummer Tom Rainey this Sunday, March 12th at 8pm for free!!! See our in-store schedule above

MICHAEL BISIO & KIRK KNUFFKE - Row for William O. (Relative Pitch 1043; USA) Featuring Micahel Bisio on contrabass and Kirk Knuffke on cornet. This disc is dedicated to and was inspired by William O. Smith, the contemporary classical composer and jazz clarinetist who worked with Dave Brubeck (as early as 1950) and Shelly Manne. The duo open with a composition by Mr. Smith called, Drago”. After the opening theme, the duo take off for the stratosphere with some incredible interplay: tight, somersaults, sailing around one another in quick flashes. For the title track, the duo slow down to a stark, lovely, ballad-like pace with some sublime playing from both musicians, which builds to a quick grand conclusion. One of the highlights of Mr. Bisio’s Accortet set that I caught at the Zurcher Gallery a couple of month’s ago was when the duo of Bisio & Kirk Knuffke played a piece called, “I Want to Do to You What Spring Does to Cherry Trees”. That piece is found here and I found it to be touching, a delicate balance of elegant playing from both players. “Oh See O.C.” is for the late Ornette Coleman and it is another highlight with quick, incredible interplay, both musicians soaring together, spinning out lines in a flash. This is a magical duo that sound as if they have been working together for a long time, sharing the same spirit and craft, like dancing shadows working together in joyous unison. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $10


AMIRI BARAKA With DINAMITRI JAZZ FOLKLORE - Live in Sant’Anna Arresi 2103 (Rudi Records 1029; Italy) Featuring Amiri Baraka's poetry recitation, Dimitri Grechi Espinoza on alto sax, Beppe Scardino on bari sax, Emanuele Parrini on violin, "Pee Wee" Paolo Durante on Hammond organ & Fender Rhodes el. piano, Gabrio Baldacci on guitar, Simone Padovani on percussion and Andrea Melani on drums. Considering that I hadn't heard any of these young Italian players before this disc, I was again pleasantly surprised by this fine offering. The violinist-Mr. Parrini, it turns out, is also a member of the Italian Instabile Orchestra, whose new disc with Anthony Braxton, we also just received. My first question when I saw this disc was, what does the controversial poet, Amiri Braka, have in common with this young Italian septet? It turns out that their leader and composer, Dimitri Espinoza, has studied at length and been influenced by African culture, referencing quotes in the liner notes. Dimitri has done a most impressive job of composing the diverse music throughout this dynamic disc and backing Amiri's words with constant care and creativity. "Kongo Bells" features just percussion and violin along with Baraka's poem "Speech #38" which deals with the black slang that started in the bebop era and evolved through the spiritual/free jazz era. A most effective opening. Beppe's sly bari sax opens "Ming Blue", a swell, bluesy piece with some fine sax and violin harmonies. The band is both tight and laid back at the same time with a most haunting melody that they repeat until we feel satisfied. The title track, "Akendengue" features another righteous poem from Amiri about ghosts and slaves. The music has a most hypnotic marching groove, matching Amiri's strong words just right. The second half of this great piece features some sumptuous, slow-burning rockin' electric guitar and earthy organ. "When Tony Was in Africa" refers to American reeds hero, Tony Scott, whom this disc is dedicated to and it features some strong but restrained bari sax. Throughout this fine disc, both percussionists do a fabulous job of creating textures and varied ethnic rhythms. Amiri Baraka is featured on about half of these pieces, his voice and wordswell selected and so well-matched by the music that accompanies him. Dimitri's music is a constant source of wonder - extremely memorable and spirited from the beginning to the end. This gem is prettyf**king great, especially since most of the names are new to us. - BLG
CD $10

AVRAM FEFER & BOBBY FEW - Kindred Spirits (Boxholder 048; USA)Featuring Avram Fefer on tenor & soprano saxes & clarinet and Bobby Few on piano. Two strong musicians, both American by birth, met and played together in Paris, where Bobby Few has lived for the past 35 years. Mr. Few is legendary jazz pianist who worked Frank Wright and Steve Lacy since he moved to Paris, is thirty years older than Avram who lives in NY and has played with Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray and can be found on four CIMP discs, as well as another one on Boxholder. The duo play seven covers by Monk, Mingus and Duke, as well as three originals by Avram. Monk tunes are always difficult to do and the duo do four of them, each with taste and elegance. Avram's tenor tone on "Ask Me Now" is sublime, bluesy and done just right. Bobby's beautiful playing is apparent throughout, he is truly a classy pianist, playing with a rare and refined touch. Mingus' "Reincarnation of a Lovebird" is another inspired choice and moves through an assortment of episodes with Bobby showing his deep knowledge of jazz's rich history. On Duke's "Come Sunday", Avram plays some lyrical soprano sax that is both sentimental and graceful. Avram plays Monk's "Friday the 13th" on soprano and gets a nice Steve Lacy-like tone, but it is Bobby's grand two handed piano playing that is such a marvel of dexterity. Avram's writing is also a great thing and both of his tunes are quite special. "Heavenly Places" has a thoughtful, melancholy theme with some superb piano from Bobby and exquisite soprano sax from Avram. This is truly a special duo, rich and inspired from the beginning to the end. - BLG
CD $8

AVRAM FEFER & BOBBY FEW - Heavenly Places (Boxholder 049; USA) Featuring Avram Fefer on tenor & soprano saxes & clarinet and Bobby Few on piano. This duo offering is quite different from the Kindred Spirits disc that was released at the same time, as this one consists of just three long pieces, two of which are improvised duos. Although the first piece was recorded at the same session as the above disc, the other two pieces were recorded live at the Free Music Festival XXXI in Belgium in August of 2004. This marvelous and extremely well matched (although thirty years apart in age) duo takes things much further out on this dynamic disc. They push each other and further and further, yet remain connected no matter how far they go out. They spin layers of lines, sailing and soaring, floating, sparse at times, digging deep into the bag of ideas and unleashing the forces of nature through storms and occasional sunshine. An outstanding endeavor that remains engaging throughout. - BLG
CD $8

GANELIN TRIO PRIORITY - Visions:Live At The Vision Festival XII, New York City 2007 (Solyd Records 0399; Russia) "This was the American debut of the new Ganelin Trio featuring their founder Vyacheslav Slava Ganelin on piano, synth & percussion, Petras Vysniauskas (Greece) on soprano sax and Klaus Kugel (Germany) on drums & percussion. The original Ganelin Trio was an amazing and legendary trio and perhaps the first Russian avant-garde musicians to tour the US and elsewhere. I caught them at Town Hall many moons ago and was knocked out. Slava Ganelin now lives in Israel and has put together another superb trio of excellent improvisers. They began quietly with some delicate piano and built in intensity and creative spirit. All three members of the trio are powerful performers and combined their talents just right. Petras is a virtuoso on soprano sax and weaved both lyrical and serpent-like lines, balancing between Slava's piano and Klaus' masterful drums. Slava used his synth sparingly, creating different colors and tones often as he played piano or percussion with his other hand. Although this music was obviously free , it didn't sound that way, as the trio always worked together as one connected force. Beautiful, deep and cosmic is what is written in my notes." - Bruce Lee Gallanter [from my review of the Vision Fest], Downtown Music Gallery
CD $12

DENNIS GONZALEZ CONNECTICUT QUARTET - Songs of Early Autumn (No Business 6; Lithuania) Dennis Gonzalez on trumpet, Timo Shanko on tenor sax, Joe Morris on acoustic bass and Luther Gray on drums. This seems to be the year of trumpet wiz, Dennis Gonzalez as he has three other fine discs in the past month (October of 2009). Mr. Gonzalez always picks the best musicians from various scenes to work with and for this disc he has chosen three of New England's finest musicians, all of whom have worked together previously in Joe Morris bands and with the Fully Celebrated Orchestra. "Loft" opens with a swell, swinging groove, and sly, swirling trumpet and tenor sax. Although the tenor seems a bit distant with some echo, the overall sound is still most impressive, not unlike one of those hot loft sessions from yesteryear. Joe Morris' throbbing bass is at the center of this strong quartet and keeps things flowing most righteously. Although three of the eight pieces were written by Dennis with the rest being group improvisations, it is hard to tell since the pieces are so well integrated into a group sound. Dennis takes a dreamy, simmering muted solo on "Acceleration" with Timo's tenor drifting sublimely in the background. Dennis' solemn, bluesy "Bush Medicine" features some superb laid back & haunting tenor with uplifting mallet work from Luther Gray. This piece has one of those great South Africa gospel/folk melodies that makes one feel so fine. Dennis always seems to compose pieces that utilize the talents of his collaborators in strong, compelling ways. I dig the way the two horns swirl around one another on "Idolo" like bees around a hive doing the slow burn and becoming one possessed spirit. Pretty f**ling cosmic! "In Talllation" erupts open with the power and spirit of free/jazz at is best, the tenor & drums blasting away. Yowsah! Joe's dynamic bowed bass kicks off "Lamentation" with spacious spirits floating. If this weren't recorded so good, it would sound like a long lost gem from the late sixties or early seventies. Like the rest of the discs that Dennis Gonzalez has bestowed upon us recently, this one is also a gift from the gods. Designed to put a skip to you hip and add a mile to your smile. What more do you need?!? - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $10

JOE McPHEE / PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Red Sky (PNL 016; EEC) Featuring Joe McPhee on tenor sax & pocket trumpet and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums & percussion. This set was recorded live at Energimolla, as part of the Konigsberg Jazz Festival in July of 2008. I was lucky to have caught The Thing with their special guest Joe McPhee last night at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC as part of double celebration for an immense exhibition for the artwork of Christopher Wool (an old customer of DMG) as well as the recent reissue of Joe McPhee's early (1970) classic album 'Nation Time', now an impressive 4 CD Set on the Corbett Vs. Dempsey label. Chicago journalist/professor/curator John Corbett was the gracious host of the evening. The final set featured The Thing with Joe McPhee (looking especially cool in shades and with a plastic white alto sax) and it was wonderful. The Thing is/are Mats Gustafsson on saxes, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten on basses and Paal Nilsson-Love on drums. Mr. McPhee has toured & recorded with The Thing, and in Brotzmann's Chicago Tentet (which has included members of), as well as playing with different members of The Thing in different combinations. This is the second duo disc with Mr. McPhee and Mr. Nilssen-Love and it is most impressive! The inside picture of McPhee sticking his tongue out with a t-shirt which reads 'Thunder Pussy' and Nilssen-Love staring like a zombie with a shirt which says, 'Lick Lick' looks pretty hilarious yet the liner notes by McPhee are quite a bit more serious. Each of the five pieces has a short story or appropriate description by Mr. McPhee."'Red Sky" is sailor's folk-lore for predicting the weather and deals with looking backwards and forwards simultaneously. It is a momentous duo of trumpet & drums in tenor & drums, a perfect combination of sympathetic spirits gliding back & forth and together as one powerful force. There is a certain joy to the freedom which is on display here and it just makes me smile to bathe in its overwhelming glow. "Till" is for Emmett Till, the African-American youth who was brutally murdered because of his color in the south in 1955. The vibe of this piece is most poignant and the duo plays it sublimely, righteously, like a little tale unfolding naturally. There is a lovely young black woman staring at us from the back-cover of this CD puckering up for a kiss. Is this Peach Melba? It is the name of another fine piece on this disc, tightly swirling lines in a flurry like an inner storm erupting. "Iron Man Returns" is dedicated to both Eric Dolphy (who once has an album by the same name) and the Marvel superhero. Paal's powerful drums kick off this piece with an incredible intensity and spirit. The final piece is a superb rendition of Duke Ellington' "Come Sunday", a luscious gem and a perfect conclusion to an excellent offering by two master musicians who sound as if they have been playing together for decades. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12

AKIRA SAKATA & GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO - Iruman (Mbari 21; EEC) Featuring: Akira Sakata: alto sax, clarinet, voice, bells and shakers; Giovanni Di Domenico: piano Commissioned by Portuguese label Mbari, Iruman - which, in a career spanning 40 years, is Sakata's first duo recording with a pianist - is built upon paradoxes. Its title, for example, notwithstanding the deconstructionist urge one senses throughout the CD, suggests brotherhood or even redemption. After all, iruman is a Japanese word of Portuguese origin, derived from the etymon "irmao" (brother), used by Jesuits who reached Japan in the XVI century. But, in the present context, the meaning of the word is only fully captured if we ignore its implicit missionary zeal. In fact, one could argue that what this music evokes does not stem from that ancient geographic and cultural collision but, rather, precedes it. Sakata has always questioned stereotypes. His performance takes on a ritualism that is at times sardonic, others tender, taking communion from a truth that is unreachable and yet perfectly relatable. Perhaps because of this, even while fully integrated in a scene where most have a perfect notion of how free improvisation should sound like, he has remained immune to sectarianism. In Iruman the main drive behind the action was the premonitory nature stirred by an encounter with Giovanni Di Domenico, another iconoclastic juggler. Recorded on November 5, 2012, at the GOK Sound studio in Tokyo, the present material suffered no other predetermination. Steeped in mysticism - one could well describe as anachronistic, if that concept wasn't more of a feature in each listener's own mind - these themes flow naturally with a dynamic that has something in common with that of chamber music though it emphasizes aspects usually neglected in the latter. There are provoking asymmetries, elliptic piano chords and cathartic oratories, niceties on the clarinet and astringent exhalations on the alto sax. An ambiance that could have been construed by a scenographer transports the duo to a remote village, devoted to enigmatic and ancient cults. This is not music of derision, destined to puncture conventions, even though Sakata and Di Domenico practice it splendidly. It isn't specifically servile either. Given over to so many nuances, in these spontaneously generated structures, perhaps its most surprising characteristic is its cohesion. Whirlwind declamations and primeval litanies serve a gregarious logic, in which the well-honed instincts of the improvisers methodically balance out individual utopia and collective drama. A certain phrasing from Di Domenico appears to gather countless phases of jazz piano, while other choices could effortlessly feature on a post-serialist piece. Sakata likewise sails towards a point of synthesis one would argue is inhabited by many other voices apart from his own - a tactic that is both tempted by transcendence as well as marked by minutiae, typical of one who investigates microscopic systems, i.e. those invisible to the naked eye. In that regard, Iruman summons onto itself a perplexity generally absent from, not to mention almost contrary to, improvised music: that which presumes no man is the absolute lord of all he does and even less of his historical time. Sakata and Di Domenico are separated by nearly thirty years and originate from very distinct cultural universes, yet in translating all that is sacred and profane in creation, they are indeed like brothers. "I had a conversation with Henry Kaiser a few weeks ago about a trip he had to Japan and playing Haino Keiji and Akira Sakata at two different gigs. He mentioned that playing with Mr. Sakata was an incredible experience, one of his favorite sets in recent memory. This is what Kaiser has to say, "Sakata is one of the greatest individual stylists of the alto sax; he is one of the few in a class with Ornette Coleman or Jimmy Lyons. He can also play both more lyrically and more out, at the same time, than just about anyone else that I can think of." I've listened to this CD several times this week and believe it is one of the finest improvised duos I've heard in a long while. There is something magical about this that I can't really put my finger on but it truly touches me." - BLG
CD $10

MATTHEW SHIPP / GIULLERMO E. BROWN - Telephone Popcorn (Nu Bop 04; Italy) Featuring Matt Shipp on piano and Guillermo E. Brown on Zendrum, electronics and laptop. Matt Shipp and Guillermo Brown have worked together in the David S. Ware Quartet for the past decade, until that group broke up last year. They have also worked together on a few projects on the Thirsty Ear label, some organized by Matt. This is their first duo disc and what is interesting is that Guillermo plays no regular drums, as he has done for years with David S. Ware. This combination of piano and electronics is quite different from anything we've heard from either musician, as well as being quite unique in its own way. Commencing with "Between Here and Everywhere," Matt plays some stark, quaint piano while Guillermo adds layers of strange alien sounds. Guillermo takes his time and is careful to slowly manipulate those electronic sounds, creating calm yet alien landscapes. The title track is somewhat dark, while Guillermo adds layers of slightly mutated drum samples, Matt repeats a phrase and slowly alters his dense low-end chords. The overall vibe is one of rather scary yet somehow hypnotic dream-like images. On "Escape from Tomorrowland" Matt plays some lovely, melancholy chords while Guillermo adds some more twisted beats or percussion samples to the brew. For "The Everlasting Sun," Guillermo takes Matt's piano and manipulates its sound in a variety of weird ways, bending notes inside-out and often sounding like a jewelry box melody breaking down. This piece is somewhat disturbing at times, yet most effective at creating a new alien world were Sun Ra would feel at home. "Until We Meet Again" consists of Matt playing a series of somber, haunting sounds while Guillermo quietly manipulates those sounds and adds some subtle grooves. "Melt to Dream" brings things to grand conclusion by adding a layer of sly static to Matt's hypnotic repeating lines. Quite a strong combination of talents for something called "Telephone Popcorn". - BLG
Cd $10

SOFT MACHINE LEGACY - Live in Zaandam (MoonJune 006; USA) SOFT MACHINE is a legend and an institution of British music, a band who included Robert Wyatt, Daevid Allen, Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers, Andy Summers (later of The Police), Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Roy Babbington, John Marshall, Karl Jenkins, Allan Holdsworth, John Etheridge, Percy Jones, Rick Sanders, Dave McRae and Jack Bruce among others (Jimi Hendrix briefly jammed with the band in 1968!). Since its creation in 1966, this band pioneered Progressive Rock, led the 'Canterbury' trend, pioneered jazz-rock, and then guitar-led fusion (launching the guitar god Allan Holdsworth in 1974), influenced generations of musicians. Disbanded in 1978, recreated in few occasions in 1981 and 1984, the band resurfaces in 1999 under the name of SOFT WARE (Dean, Hopper, Marshall, Tippett), having the brief blast under the name of SOFT WORKS (Hopper, Dean, Holdsworth, Marshall) between 2002 and early 2004, and assuming the final shape in the Fall of 2004 under the name of THE SOFT MACHINE LEGACY (Dean, Etheridge, Hopper, Marshall). "Getting in and out of sight, the way SOFT MACHINE roll on seems unstoppable, not least because the band's many line-ups allow former members come together in any combination and still sound canonical. Or not so canonical, as the band that visited Zaandam on May 10th, 2005 lean more towards highly charged jazz fusion rather than progressive experimentation - judging by this limited edition concert recording which is only a part of what was played on that night. It starts elegiac, with John Etheridge and Elton Dean popping interplay of guitar and sax on "Ash", gains momentum when Hugh Hopper's bass and John Marshall's drums hit the bottom and clicks into Coltrane-esque groove on a new Hopper's tune, "1212". Yet the groove and the momentum are emotional, while the rhythmic extravaganza is mostly withdrawn from here. Still, exotic ebbing and quirky patterns are retained in classic "Kings And Queens" and let loose on "Big Creese" where the instrument jolt as if to get back to the time the legacy of which this MACHINE fully live up to. Simply a must." - Dmitri Epstein, Let It Rock
CD $10

WEASEL WALTER QUARTET AND DOUBLE TRIO With MARSHALL ALLEN / MARCO ENEIDI/ MARC EDWARDS / et al - Firestorm (UgExplode 22; USA) This colossal offering was recorded at three gigs in New York (Tonic & The Stone) and in Philly (Danger House) in February of this year (2007). All three groups feature Weasel Walter on drums and Damon Smith on acoustic bass. The four saxists feature Elliott Levin (tenor on all but 1 track), Marshall Allen (alto on 3 tracks), Marco Eneidi (alto on 4 tracks) and Mario Rechtern (alto, sopranino & zurna on 2 tracks) plus bass great Lisle Ellis & powerhouse drummer Marc Edwards, both on two tracks. I caught the Tonic show and was completely blown away by the incredibly powerful hurricane force of this mighty double trio. This captures these imposing daredevil improvisers in all of the brutal glory. For those of us who still worship at the free/jazz totem of overwhelming power, this disc does capture that sound, that force incredibly well. All three groups sound as if they are on the verge of exploding into hyper-space. All we can do is stand back and marvel. Holy sh*t! This is the real thing! Watch out for the avalanche! Too much is quite enough! - BLG
CD $10

LP Only Section:

PETER LEMER QUINTET With JOHN SURMAN / NISAR AHMAD KHAN / TONY REEVES / JON HISEMAN - Local Colour (ESP-Disk 1057; USA) ESP-Disk' present a vinyl reissue of Peter Lemer Quintet's Local Colour, originally released in 1968. British pianist Peter Lemer studied with Jaki Byard, Paul Bley, and Bill Dixon. His lengthy and distinguished career has found him in a wide variety of settings. As an avant-garde jazz pianist, he recorded with Spontaneous Music Ensemble; in the jazz fusion realm, he was a member of Gilgamesh and Paraphernalia; as a progressive rock keyboardist, he played with Gong, Baker Gurvitz Army, the Mike Oldfield Group, Seventh Wave, and In Cahoots. Sideman credits include work with Annette Peacock, Harry Beckett, and more. Surprisingly, Local Colour -- his debut recording -- is Lemer's only album as a leader. Recorded in London in 1966, it belongs in the collection of anyone who cares about the British jazz scene, and not only because of Lemer's talents. Everyone in this quintet went on to notable achievements. This was sax great John Surman's recording debut; he is now arguably the premiere British jazz saxophonist. Chances to hear the also scintillating sax sound of the more obscure Nisar Ahmad Khan (AKA George Khan) in a jazz context are much rarer, though near the end of 2017, Emanem released an excellent two-disc compilation of concert recordings, and some may remember his appearance on Robert Wyatt's Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard (1975) and his work with Cream lyricist Pete Brown and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Drummer Jon (then going by John) Hiseman had already established himself on the British jazz scene by co-founding the New Jazz Orchestra in 1964; two years after the Local Colour session he started jazz-rock band Colosseum, and he even collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the musical Cats. Bassist Tony Reeves had had a hit single in 1965 with Sounds Orchestral ("Cast Your Fate to the Wind"); after a brief stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Reeves joined Hiseman in Colosseum; he was also a member of Greenslade and Curved Air. Together, they make a sort of inside/outside jazz that doesn't abandon themes and harmony but is still quite freewheeling when it wants to be. A seminal album of British avant-jazz. Personnel: Nisar Ahmad (George) Khan - tenor saxophone; John Surman - baritone and soprano saxophones , bass clarinet; Peter Lemer - piano; Tony Reeves - bass; Jon Hiseman - drums. Opaque red, 180 gram vinyl.
LP $18

ARCHIE SHEPP With ROSWELL RUDD / GRACHAN MONCUR III / JIMMY GARRISON / BEAVER HARRIS - Life At The Donaueschingen Music Festival 1967 (MPS 20651; USA) Gatefold 180 gram reissue. "One For The Trane" taking up both sides, with Roswell Rudd (trombone), Grachan Moncur (trombone), Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Beaver Harris (drums). Recorded in 1967.
"This is an exciting album. The important tenor Archie Shepp and his 1967 group -- with both Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur on trombones, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Beaver Harris -- romp through the continuous 43-and-a-half-minute "One for the Trane" before an enthusiastic audience at a German music festival. Although he improvises very freely and with great intensity, Shepp surprised the crowd by suddenly bursting into a spaced-out version of "The Shadow of Your Smile" near the end of this memorable performance. On the whole, this very spirited set represents avant-garde jazz at its peak and Archie Shepp at his finest." - Scott Yanow, AlMusicGuide
LP $18

FRANCOIS BAYLE - Tremblements... (Recollections GRM 019; Austria) François Bayle on Tremblement de terre très doux (1978); first performance on March 19, 1979 at the Grand Auditorium of Radio-France, Ina-GRM's Cycle Acousmatique: "The familiar generates the strange. These rolls, these hums, these sudden rushes; this song, these peaceful circlings; these sudden outbursts, these returns to quiescence -- what do they remind us of? This piece's trajectory could also be a representation of the dramatic unfolding of a day -- of a life -- from sunrise ('Climate 1') to night-time ('Landscape 4') via restless encounters, transitions ('Transit 1', '2', and '3') that announce the drama climaxing in 'Landscape 3', before reaching its denouement in "Climate 4"... A whole concrete 'story'. The subterranean properties inherent to listening gently shift our ideas..."
François Bayle on Toupie dans le ciel (1979); first performance on January 21, 1980 at the Grand Auditorium of Radio-France, Ina-GRM's Cycle Acousmatique: "A wave is swaying on two minors thirds. This constantly uniform yet constantly varied swaying revolves in a swarm of sharp designs that blink on and off in a layer of growing density and mobility. Distance, speed, pressure, density, temperature, color, intensity, are the 'themes' of the 27 short interconnected cells flowing together though this seemingly unified movement. Occasionally, a breach in the texture reveals skies dotted with little comets. In the center, a slow gliding picks up the distant harmonics of a basic chord. Toward the end, this gliding returns with a fiery burst. Fine lines and whirs are generated from the song of a spinning antique top. To end on a lighter note the title Toupie dans le ciel -- 'Spinning Top in the Sky' reminds us of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' by The Beatles as well as Lucy, the oldest Australopithecine (three million years), our African grandmother in the Erosphere... The overall title Erosphere alludes to the desire inherent to the listening experience, and to the very primitive cues that sustain the auditory attention and are the basis of all musical pleasure."
LP $22

CHRISTIAN ZANESI - Grand Bruit/Stop ! l'horizon (Recollection GRM 020; Austria) Christian Zanési on Grand Bruit (1991): "The great mobile sound bodies have an ordinary yet amazing ability to place the listener-traveler within, as if he or she was inside a giant double bass, in this case a train stroked by a double bow: the rails and the air. In 1991, I explored this phenomenon during my daily commute from the studio to my home. I used only a 21 minutes recording and treated it as a single sound object. I then processed and enhanced it as a photographer would have done, immersing it in successive 'baths'. The title I chose for this singular form was Grand Bruit."
Christian Zanési on Stop ! l'horizon (1983): "Saturday morning, nine o'clock as I reach the studio. No one here. I only turn on the spotlights as the fluorescent tubes are too noisy. I switch the power on, shut the door, unplug the telephone. I then switch the mixing desk on, which sends an electronic impulse into the amps. The four speakers react individually with a very brief and low hiss. A kind of presence. I haven't listened to anything since the evening before and my ear is refreshed by a night's sleep. I feed the original mix into the master recorder and sit down in the center. Remote control: PLAY With the first sound I close my eyes. The studio instantly vanishes. Another place, a much larger space opens up. I enter it. I have the very distinct feeling that music is merely a 'great noise', chiseled inside with a thousand details. It opens up like a living organism to let my hearing wander across it. A magnetic relation quickly occurs and all the sounds that constitute this great noise draw me towards the East. I accept this direction. Later, much later, I reach a distant point on the horizon which pulls me towards it."
LP $22

MAX ROACH With GEORGE COLEMAN / BOOKER LITTLE / et al - Award-Winning Drummer
(Time Records 70003; USA) "A good '59 session on the Bainbridge label, with drummer Max Roach leading his late '50s band through some stirring numbers. The group included tenor saxophonist George Coleman and trumpeter Booker Little and was among the finest hard bop ensembles around." - Ron Wynn, AllMusic
LP $14


KENNY DORHAM - Jazz Contemporary (Time Records 52004; USA) "Originally on the Time label, this LP features the excellent (but always underrated) trumpeter Kenny Dorham heading a quintet that also includes baritonist Charles Davis, pianist Steve Kuhn, either Jimmy Garrison or Butch Warren on bass, and drummer Buddy Enlow. The results are not quite essential but everyone plays up to par, performing three of Dorham's originals plus 'In Your Own Sweet Way,' 'Monk's Mood,' and 'This Love of Mine.' It's fine hard bop, the modern mainstream music of the period." Scott Yanok, AllMusic
LP $14

BUKKA WHITE / SON HOUSE / MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT / SKIP JAMES / et al- The Mississippi Blues 1927-1940 (Original Jazz Library OJL 005; USA) 180 gram exact repro reissue, originally released in 1963. "16 rare sides by: Bukka White, Willie Brown, Kid Bailey, Robert Wilkins, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, William Harris, Skip James...."
LP $16

CEM KARACA - Parka (Pharaway Sounds 054; Spain) Pharaway Sounds present Turkish legend Cem Karaca's fourth album Parka, originally released in 1977. Parka is a compilation of singles released in Turkey between 1969 and 1976, featuring DerviÅŸan, KardaÅŸlar, ApaÅŸlar, and MoÄŸollar. You can expect the usual dose of powerful and deep vocals by Karaca backed by great Anatolian arrangements.
LP $27

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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for March of 2018:

THE STONE AT THE NEW SCHOOL—55 WEST 13TH STREET

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - JOHN SCHOTT - MAR 6–10

3/9 Friday
830 pm - What Comes Before
Ben Goldberg (clarinet) John Schott (guitar) Michael Sarin (drums)

3/10 Saturday
830 pm - Cosmic Diaspora - Jake Marmer (poetry) Anthony Coleman (piano) John Schott (guitar) Aaron Alexander (drums)

SUNDAY MARCH 11 AT 3PM AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
JOHN ZORN IMPROV MATINEE—A STONE BENEFIT at the Village Vanguard on
At 3PM: John Zorn (sax) Jim Staley (trombone) Marc Ribot (guitar) Mary Halvorson (guitar) Ikue Mori (electronics) Christian McBride (bass) Kenny Wollesen (drums) Ches Smith (drums)

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - BEN PEROWSKY - MAR 13–17

3/13 Tuesday
8:30 pm - Camp Songs - Uri Caine (piano) Drew Gress (bass) Ben Perowsky

3/14 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Moodswing Orchestra Analog - Charlie Burnham (violin) Ed Pastorini (piano) Oren Bloedow (bass, guitar) Ben Perowsky (drums, percussion, electronics) Special Guest Jennifer Charles (vocals)

3/15 Thursday
8:30 pm - David Tronzo (guitar) John Medeski (keyboards) Ben Perowsky (drums, percussion, electronics)

3/16 Friday
8:30 pm - Tim Berne (alto sax) Hank Roberts (cello) David Torn (guitar, electronics) Ben Perowsky (drums, percussion, electronics)

3/17 Saturday
8:30 pm - Ben Perowsky Quartet - Chris Speed (tenor sax, clarinet) Ben Monder (guitar) Scott Colley (bass) Ben Perowsky (drums)

All Sets at The New Stone start at 8:30pm Tickets: $20
There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone.
Only music. All ages are welcome.
Cash Only at the door. There is no phone.
There is no food or beverage served or allowed
just a serious listening environment.
The Stone is booked purely on a curatorial basis

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The CORNELIA STREET CAFE - 212-989-9319
29 Cornelia St in the heart of the West Greenwich Village, NYC

Friday Mar 09
8:35PM BEN MONDER, TONY MALABY, TOM RAINEY TRIO - Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Ben Monder, guitar; Tom Rainey, drums

Saturday Mar 10
8:30PM COURTNEY HARTMAN - Courtney Hartman, guitar, voice
10:00PM CELIA WOODSMITH - Celia Woodsmith, voice; Johnny Duke, guitar; Justin Goldner, bass; John Hadfield, percussion

Sunday Mar 11
8:00PM KLAZZ-MA-TAZZ - Benjamin Sutin, violin; Elijah Shiffer, alto sax; Alec Goldfarb, guitar; Robbie Lee, piano; Mat Muntz, bass;Tim Rachbach, drums9:30PM ASTRID KULJANIC QUARTET - Astrid Kuljanic, voice; Alex Perry, piano; Mat Muntz, bass; Zack O'Farrill , drums

Monday, March 12:
6:00PM KATHERINE ELLA WOOD & THE JAZZ FESTIVITY - Katherine Ella Wood, vocals; Jonathan M. Michel, bass; Charles Goold, drums; Reuben Allen, piano
8:30PM MERCURY - Sabina Petra, composer/writer; Ally Bonino; Laura Yen Solito; Natasha Thweatt; abina Petra; Wiley DeWeese, piano

Tuesday Mar 13
8:00PM OLLI SOIKKELI, CESAR GARABINI - Cesar Garabini, guitar; Olli Soikkeli, guitar
9:30PM ANDY BIANCO QUARTET - Andy Bianco, guitar, comp.; Seth Trachy, tenor sax; Sam Trapchak, bass; Eric Halvorson, drums

Wed March 14th:
6:00PM KALIA VANDEVER QUARTET - Kalia Vandever, trombone; Theo Walentiny, piano; Nick Dunston, bass; Connor Parks, drums
8:00PM JEFF DAVIS DRAGON FATHER TRIO - Ben Monder, guitar; Eivind Opsvik, bass; Jeff Davis, drums, comp. Jeff Davis Dragon Father Trio image
9:30PM AARON IRWIN SEXTET - Aaron Irwin, clarinet; Peter Hess, clarinet, tenor sax; Matthew McDonald, trombone; Chris Commer, french horn; Terry McManus, guitar; Gary Wang, bass

ThursdayMar 15
8:00PM NICK SANDERS TRIO - Nick Sanders, piano; Henry Fraser, bass; Devin Gray, drums
9:30PM JULIAN SHORE QUARTET - Yotam Silberstein, guitar; Julian Shore, piano; Edward Perez, bass; Colin Stranahan, drums

Friday Mar 16
8:35PM RALPH ALESSI AND THIS AGAINST THAT - Ralph Alessi, trumpet; Andy Milne, piano; Drew Gress, bass; Mark Ferber, drums

Saturday Mar 17
8:35PM MAT MANERI “DUST” - Mat Maneri, viola, comp.; Lucian Ban, piano; John Hébert, bass; Randy Peterson, drums

Sunday Mar 18
6:00PM COMPCORD ENSEMBLE - Michiyo Suzuki, clarinet; Gene Pritsker, guitar; Mat Fieldes, bass; Cesare Papetti, percussion
8:01PM MICHAEL BLANCO QUARTET - John Ellis, tenor sax; Mike Moreno, guitar; Michael Blanco, bass; Billy Drummond , drums

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I-Beam Presents:

Friday, March 9th 8:30 PM
Jason Mears Presents:
8:30 - Quentin Tolimieri – solo piano
9:30 - Jason Mears- saxophones
Matteo Liberatore- guitar
Quentin Tolimieri- electric piano
Carlo Costa- drums

Saturday, March 10th 8:00 PM
Aaron Shragge Ben Monder / A Circle Has No Beginning
Aaron Shragge – dragon mouth trumpet/shakuhachi/composition
Ben Monder – guitar
9pm - A Circle Has No Beginning
Sameer Gupta – drums/tabla
Pawan Benjamin – tenor sax
Arun Ramamurthy – violin
Rashaan Carter – Bass

Friday, March 23rd 8:30 PM
The Astral Pines Henry Raker
Shawn Russell – Electric Guitar
Keegan Arnold – Bass
Liam Stride – Drums
Kellen Radulski – Organ
Ryan Gleason – Vocals
Henry Raker – Tenor Saxophone

I-Beam is located at 168 7th Street in Brooklyn, NY 11215 - Directions: SUBWAY: Take the F or R trains to 4th Ave & 9th Street. Walk down 4th ave to 7th street. Make a left on 7th and walk past 3rd ave. We are located on the ground floor, the grey doors to the right of the stairs of #168.

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Shapeshifter Lab Presents:

Mar 11:
7p - Sofia Paola & Alper Tuzcu

Mar 12: Broko Mas
8pm: BRCO MASS: Sonic Arts
Brooklyn College

Mar 13: Will Schmid
7pm - Will Schmid Group
Will Schmid – Guitar
David Acevedo – Trumpet
Conner Duke – Bass
Sean Kim – Keyboards
Jesse Thorson – Drums

Mar 15:
ShapeShifter Presents Take Off Collective Double Bill with Justin Mullen
7pm - Sebastian Noelle
Sebastian Noelle - guitar
Moto Fukushima - electric bass
Jared Schonig - drums
8:15pm - Take Off Collective
Matt Garrison- Bass
Marko Djordjevic- Drums
Ole Mathisen - Sax

Mar 16: Greg Spero and Hadrien Feraud
7pm - Hadrian Feraud
8:15pm: SPRIT FINGERS
Greg Spero: Piano
Dario Chiazzolino: Guitar
Hadrien Feraud: Bass
Mike Mitchell: Drums

Shapeshifter is located at
18 Whitwell Place in Brooklyn, NY
R train to Union stop

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The Bushwick Improvised Music Series Continues
on March 12th @ Bushwick Public House!
 
Monday March 12th
7pm Eric Plaks - piano
Aron Namenwirth - guitar
John Loggia - drums

8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Sandy Ewen - guitar/electronics
Adam Lane - bass

9pm Michael Lytle - bass clarinet
Matthew Ostrowski - electronics
Nicolas Letman - bass

9:30pm Caroline Davis - alto saxophone
Caleb Curtis - alto saxophone
Charlotte Greve - alto saxophone
Oscar Noriega - alto saxophone

10:30pm Eli Wallace - keyboards/electronics
Ben Cohen - tenor saxophone
Dave Miller - drums

11:15pm Will Greene - guitar
Elias Stemeseder - synthesizer
Raf Vertessen - drums

Downstairs @ Bushwick Public House 
https://bushwickpublichouse.com/
1288 Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick
(Across the street from M train Central Ave stop)