Is Friday the 13th really an unlucky day?
Does luck really exist or are we victims of fate?
Or Are we just manipulated by outside forces like the turning of the tides?
Special Thanks to Everyone who has Congratulated me on Winning the Jazz Hero Award!
It is Always Wonderful to Hear from my Old Friends from Way Back When…
You can view my acceptance speech on the DMG Website Homepage
I Remain the Same Friendly Dude, Inspired by Music - Recorded and Live!
This Week’s Sonic Treasures Include:
Joe McPhee / Rodrigo Amado / Kent Kessler / Chris Corsano! Michael Foster / Steve Swell / Brandon Lopez / Weasel Walter! Sarah Bernstein & Satoshi Takeishi! David Mott & Vinny Golia! Two from Roswell Rudd with Fay Victor / Lafayette Harris / Jamie Saft / Trevor Dunn..! Christy Doran Guitar Orchestra! Herbert Joos Spirit Jazz Orchestra! The CP Unit!
Matt Penman / Mark Turner / Nir Felder..! Plus Historic Discs from Don Cherry’s ‘Home Boy’! Eric Dolphy Sextet! Jackie McLean Quartet! Tony Williams Quintet with Brian Auger! Arthur “Big Boy†Crudup! Henry Mancini! Copperhead! Al Kooper! Desmond Dekker! The Maytals and Much More!
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Upcoming Sets at Downtown Music Gallery - FREE, every Sunday at 6pm
THE DMG 28TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES OF SONIC CELEBRATIONS Continue with:
Sunday, July 15th:
6pm: WELF DORR / ON KA’A DAVIS / JOE HERTENSTEIN - Alto Sax / Guitar / Drums
7pm: * SCOTT FIELDS - Solo Guitar with Special Guest ELLIOTT SHARP - Guitar Duo
Sunday, July 22nd:
6pm: GUSTAVO OBLIGADO / BRANDON SEABROOK / ANDREW DRURY - Alto Sax / Guitar / Drums
7pm: DREW WESLELY / HERY PAZ / RAF VERTESSEN - Guitar / Tenor Sax / Drums
Sunday, July 29th:
6pm: NATE SCHEIBLE and SARAH HUGHES - Drums and Alto Sax
7pm: STEVE SWELL and MARK SEGGER - Trombone and Drums
Sunday, August 5th:
6pm: JESSE DULMAN QUARTET: RAS MOSHE / DAVE SEWELSON / LEONID GALAGANOV
7pm: MATTEO LIBERATORE / MICHAEL FOSTER / JOANNA MATTREY - Guitar / Sax / Viola!
Sunday August 12th:
6pm: BEN GOLDBERG and KIRK KNUFFKE
7pm: JUANMA TRUJILLO / HERY PAZ / DAYEON SECK - Guitar / Sax / Drums
Sunday, August 19th
6pm: ROBERT DICK and LESZEK “HEFI†WISNIOSKI - International Flute Duo
7pm: ALEX LOUDOUDIS and RAS MOSHE - Drums and Tenor Sax
* SCOTT FIELDS / ELLIOTT SHARP CD/LP Sale! This weekend will commence here at DMG with a rare performance from guitarists SCOTT FIELDS (solo & duo with) ELLIOTT SHARP! Purchase any & all three dozen plus CD’s & LP’s from both men and get $2 off of each one! Come on down and help celebrate both of these gifted guitarists!!!
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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Big Gig Recommendation:
THUMBSCREW Featuring MARY HALVORSON on Guitar, MICHAEL FORMANEK on ContraBass and TOMAS FUJIWARA on Drums will make their Debut at The Village Vanguard in NYC from Tuesday July 17th until Sunday July 22nd! THUMBSCREW have two discs out on the Cuneiform label ‘Ours’ and ’Theirs’ and both are Outstanding! Get tickets here: villagevanguard.com/tickets
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This Week's Selection of Sonic Treasures Begins with...
RODRIGO AMADO / JOE McPHEE / KENT KESSLER / CHRIS CORSANO - A History Of Nothing (Trost 170; Austria) Great dedicated music by four strong individual players, brought together by Rodrigo Amado -- intense communication with room for outbreaking solo-parts but always held together through a vision of playing together, all the time exiting and interwoven with beautiful melodies. Personnel: Rodrigo Amado - tenor saxophone; Joe McPhee - pocket trumpet, soprano sax; Kent Kessler - double bass and Chris Corsano - drums.
CD $17
MICHAEL FOSTER / STEVE SWELL / BRANDON LOPEZ / WEASEL WALTER - Throes are the Only Trouble (FSLW; USA) Featuring Michael; Foster on tenor & soprano saxes, Steve Swell on trombone, Brandon Lopez on bass and Weasel Walter on drums. There seems to be an endless number of combinations of Downtown and visiting musicians both playing gigs (at The Stone, DMG, I-Beam & Bushwick Improv Series), as well as recording whenever the opportunity arrives. Many of us who live in the NYC area, take this for granted but I remain enthused and inspired by the number of diverse gigs and recordings that land in my hands or ears.
This quartet date was recorded in a studio a little over a year ago (6/18/17) and features a fine unit of creative spirits from varied backgrounds. No Doubt you should recognize all of the names from a variety of sessions that have taken place throughout our current history. Just last night (7/10/18) I caught an excellent trombone trio at the Zurcher Gallery: Dick Griffin, Joe McPhee & Steve Swell! Earlier in the day, I was playing a recent duo CD with Peter Evans & Weasel Walter, a particular favorite of mine & other folks at DMG.
The first thing I noticed about this disc is the sound/production: It was recorded by (drummer) Andrew Barker and mixed by Weasel Walter. Mr. Walter is a master of sonic seasoning in the studio so the sound here is extraordinary. The sound is robust, powerful, focused and intense. Mr. Walter’s drumming often pushes his colleagues into an explosive roller coaster ride. The longest piece, “With the Tonsure of Yr Holeâ€Â, brings things down to a low simmer with more restrained, minimal free improv. The secret weapon here is saxist Michael Foster, one of those Downtowners who rarely gets the recognition he deserves but is respected by those in the know. Mr. Foster is always pushing himself beyond the usual barriers that most jazz sax players adhere to. He often comes up with a number of twisted sounds, making it difficult to tell what sax or perhaps what instrument he is actually playing. There is a section of the long piece where both Foster (on tenor) and Swell (on trombone), play these sputtering, split notes, while the rhythm team moves organically (increasing & decreasing the tempo) underneath them. I like when the quartet strip things down to a more skeletal section, carefully combining their talents into a more subtle, spacious flow. What makes this disc special is the way this quartet combines their talents, moving together as one flow of activity, several steams combined as one. Superb! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
SARAH BERNSTEIN UNEARTHISH With SATOSHI TAKEISHI - Crazy Lights Shining (Phase Frame PFM 004; USA) Featuring Sarah Bernstein on violin, voice & text and Satoshi Takeishi on drums & percussion. Last Sunday (7/08/18), Sarah Bernstein played a set here at DMG, performing the string music of Ornette Coleman for solo violin. For a encore, she played with three members of the previous ensemble: Guillermo Gregorio on clarinet, Nick Jozwiaak on cello and Nico Letman-Burtinovic on bass. Both parts of her set were well executed, showing two different sides of her talent. Ms. Bernstein is a restless musician who plays in a trio known as Iron Dog, the longtime Downtown band known as Barbez and a more recent quartet with Kris Davis and Ches Smith. This disc consists of nine pieces, two instrumentals and the rest with texts/poems written by Ms. Bernstein. “For Plants†starts things off with a sort of prayer for humans, animals and plants. It is solemn, thoughtful and filled with suspense. Ms. Bernstein’s soft, sad voice sounds like ancient spirit drifting between two worlds, the real (dark) and the imagined (blessed with sunlight). Ms. Bernstein says “Be Safe†on a song called “Safeâ€Â, but who is really safe and from what? Each piece seems to ask a question or make an observation worth considering. What is a “Meaningless Map?â€Â. A direction or a set of directions worth considering? What I dig about this disc is this: these pieces are often stripped down to minimal fragments: a handful of words with minimal violin and percussion. This gives us the time and space to consider the meaning within and each time I listen I think of another aspect of what is going on. It will take some time to adjust and figure out just what characters, voices or ideas the Ms. Bernstein is exploring. At a few points Ms. Bernstein’s voice and words have a way of digging deep below the surface and exposing the collective nerve that unites us all, no matter what our beliefs are or were. This is a very personal offering which will continue to unfold as I/we spend more time listing and considering… - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
DAVID MOTT / VINNY GOLIA - “Have You Heard?†(Pet Mantis PMR 011; Canada) Featuring David Mott and Vinny Golia both on baritone saxes. I have long admired the playing of Canadian bari saxist David Mott but knew little about his background. Didn’t know that he was involved in the healing aspects of music and has played for the Pope and Dalai Lama. I have heard him live on a few occasions at the Victo Fest and at David Lopato’s loft in Tribeca, as well as having reviewed some discs he has done with William Parker, Mark Dresser and Nick Fraser. He has also taught at Yale & York Universities. LA-based multi-reeds wizard, Vinny Golia, also is a professor at Cal Arts and has inspired/worked with many of his former and current students. It is rare for Mr. Golia to stick with just one reed instrument for an entire CD but this is the case here.
There are some sixteen pieces of this disc so most of them tend to be on the shorter side. Ever since hearing John Surman play at length on the baritone sax with The Trio (2 LP set from 1970), I have been a big fan of this oversized sax. Both Mr. Mott and Mr. Golia take their time to explore the wide range of sounds, textures and dynamics of this great instrument. Commencing with, “Good Morning New Worldâ€Â, their sound is lush and haunting, softly, slowly bending notes around one another, building to an intense conclusion. Both of these men have superb, warm, deep and thoughtful tones on their saxes. The liner notes explain which channel each saxist appears on, which helps us to figure out who is who, since they often sound similar. The combination of their talents/sound makes for a glorious program since both men shadow or compliment each other perfectly. There is something ancient sounding going on here, like spirits form the distant past hypnotically evoking better times in the present or future. There is a never-ending flow of shifting lines, expanding tonalities and circular waves going on here. On “The Power of Too Manyâ€Â, one of the bark’s creates one spirit/force while the other slowly weaves lines around the ghost-like figure. The two saxes build to a grand, intense conclusion, turning into one solid force.
CD $14
Two Newer Titles from the Great Roswell Rudd in Stock on Tuesday:
ROSWELL RUDD With FAY VICTOR / LAFAYETTE HARRIS / KEN FILIANO - Embrace (Rare Noise 85; UK) For his follow-up to 2016's purely improvised studio recording Strength & Power (a cooperative quartet album featuring pianist Jamie Saft, bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Balazs Pandi), the ever-adventurous trombonist-composer Roswell Rudd made a decided shift in direction on his first RareNoise Records release as a leader by embracing jazz standards he has loved and played throughout his long and illustrious career. Accompanied by the brilliant pianist Lafayette Harris, upright bass virtuoso Ken Filiano and soulful vocal sensation Fay Victor, the 81-year-old jazz master delivers with rare potency and poignancy on the aptly-titled Embrace. This intimate, drum-less quartet session is brimming with conversational playing between all the participants, with Rudd and Victor partaking in some particularly interactive exchanges on jazz classics like Billy Strayhorn's "Something to Live For," Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," Thelonious Monk's beautiful ballad "Pannonica," the standard "Can't We Be Friends" and the traditional "House of the Rising Sun."
CD $16
ROSWELL RUDD With JAMIE SAFT / TREVOR DUNN / BALAZCS PANDI - Strength & Power (Rare Noise 60; UK) “Buckle up. This is one wild ride that cares not for your apprehension, concerns, expectations, or fears. Pianist Jamie Saft and two of his regular collaboratorsâ€â€bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Balazs Pandiâ€â€got together with trombone icon Roswell Rudd to get down to the art of music making with nothing but their senses to guide them. It was an improvised session in its purest formâ€â€no charts, no sketches, and no preconceived notions about where things should or shouldn't go. These men simply used intuition, receptiveness, attentiveness, and a willingness to let go as the key to open the doors to the outer limits of possibility.
Anybody familiar with these names shouldn't be surprised by the fact that there's brazen blowing, jabbing bass, slamming drums, and pummeled piano a plenty here. These four don't dance around an idea or wax hesitantly with their instruments. They take the plunge, head first, with no regrets. But that's not to say there's no thought in their actions. These musicians have far too much experience to simply turn up and tune out. You can hear that in they way they gently build and explore a radiant world ("Luminescent"), you can spot it when they flip focus to Dunn during a lengthy journey ("Cobalt Is Divine"), and, believe it or not, you can even get a glimpse of it when they chip away at cacophony at the conclusion of a shambolic and heady boxing match ("The Bedroom"). It's everything you could expect from a set of musicians known to be open to dialogue and new thought(s) yet strong-willed in their actions.
For some, Rudd will be the main draw here. He breathes a lifetime of experience through his horn, evident in his tribal chatter ("Dunn's Falls"), his beautiful peculiarities ("Luminescent"), his explorations in an avant-NOLA atmosphere ("Struttin' For Jah Jah"), and his unrestrained use of force. For others, the brash trio of Saft, Dunn, and Pandi will make the sale. And for a third groupâ€â€the truly curiousâ€â€the inter-generational action may be the attraction. All of that is well and good, but the selling point is of less concern than the art itselfâ€â€a powerful blend of untethered and unbelievably exciting music. Strength and power indeed.†- Dan Bilawsky, AllAboutJazz
CD $16
These Three Great Discs of European Avant Jazz will be in stock early Next Week:
CHRISTY DORAN With DAVE GISLER / WALTER BELTRAMI / PHILIPPE SCHAPPI / et al - 144 Strings for a Broken Chord (Between the Lines 71245; EEC) As a longtime fan of Swiss guitarist, Christy Doran, I wasn’t sure what to expect of this unusual line-up: 20 guitars, 4 electric basses and a drummer. Over more than three dozen records, My. Doran has proven to be one of the most creative and resourceful electric guitarists on the planet. There are several guitar ensembles/orchestras that have existed like those led by Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham and more recently Adam Rudolph. This sounds different. “Cannon Street Canon†opens with those angelic, heavenly chords, each guitar a part of the rolling waves which flow over and over, the effect magical and somewhat mysterious. Mr. Doran does a fine job of getting the guitars to play interlocking sections, repeating certain phrases in a most hypnotic fashion. On all but one of the seven pieces, 1 or 2 different guitarists gets a chance to solo. More so than the soloists, it is the music itself which finds its way into our ears, minds and souls. The waves rise and fall while certain sections are enhanced but the drumming and varied intersecting layers. There is a sense of calm at the center of this music, busy not not too busy or frenetic. On the aptly titled, “Gunslingersâ€Â, there are a few inspired guitar solos which rich out to grab us while the different layers of guitars criss-cross, connecting at several common rhythmic points. Most impressive! Yet somehow still modest and inventively arranged. By the final piece, the guitar pets are expanded into several layers being bent and twisted into orchestral fragments. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
SILVAN SCHMID QUINTET - At Gamut (Hatology 751; Switzerland) Featuring Silvan Schmid on trumpet & compositions, Tapiwa Svosve on alto sax, Silvan Jeger on cello, Lucas Wirz on tuba and Vincent Glanzmann on drums. This is a Zurich-based quintet with no members I am previously familiar with, except for the cellist Silvan Jeger who is a ember of Day & Taxi, a trio led by Christoph Gallo. The instrumentation here: trumpet, alto sax, cello, tuba & drums is what makes this quintet unique. With no bassist to nail down the rhythm team, the tuba player often takes that role of the bass. Henry Threadgill comes to mind as another bandleader who uses a tuba player instead of a bassist. In actuality, the quintet don’t quite sound like anyone else’s, rather enigmatic and consistently fascinating. On “Mottenâ€Â, the trumpet, alto sax & cello all play several spinning orbits together while the tube and drums swirl tightly underneath. On “Spartitur IIâ€Â, while Mr. Svosve†takes a long, Jimmy Lyons-like alto solo, the rest of the band play in tight spiraling spurts underneath, increasing and decreasing in tempo throughout. I like the way “Ins Leere†is completely restrained, sounding as if it is about to break out but doesn’t, the inventiveness is ultra-subtle, simmering underneath the soft waves. Things see to move in spurts on “Spartitur Iâ€Â, with tight parts looped together while things start and stop over and over. It doesn’t quite sound like any other ensemble I’ve heard and takes a bit of time to figure out. On the final and longest piece, “In Bocca Al Lupoâ€Â, Mr. Shcmid likes to let thing simmer slowly and build, with some delicate solos from the cello and trumpet bubbling underneath.
CD $18
HERBERT JOOS With MICHEL GODARD / WOLFGANG PUSCHNIG / HARRY SOKOL / ACHIM TANG / PATRICE HERAL / et al - Change of Beauty (JazzHaus 470; Germany) This, the Herbert Joos Orchestra features: Wolfgang Puschnig on alto sax & flute, Harry Sokol on Harry Sokol on tenor sax, Michel Godard on tuba, Achim Tang on bass and Patrice Heral on drums plus Mr. Joos on trumpet, flu gal and all compositions. I haven’t heard from much from German trumpeter player Herbert Joos in a long while outside of a trio CD with Joe Fonda & Patrick Bebelaar from 2012. Mr. Joos was also a member of the Vienna Art Orchestra along with Wolfgang Puschnig and Harry Sokol. I am not familiar with most of the other members of Mr. Joos’ 16 piece large ensemble except for toe of the rhythm team players: Achim Tang (w/ Jon Irabagon & Max Nagl) and Patrice Heral (for Christy Doran).
From the gitgo, this disc blasts open with a hard swinging eruption featuring Harry Sokol on tenor sax, blowing up a storm. The double rhythm team (2 basses & 2 drummers) is in full force, pumping hard. All six pieces on this disc are called, “Change of Beautyâ€Â, each one a different chapter. Mr. Joos takes the next solo on muted trumpet, spinning out quick yet soft lines while the rest of the horns swirl majestically around him. The next tow solos are also outstanding, burning intensely and feature Tobias Weidinger on trumpet and Gavino Murgia on bari sax. What makes this disc so special is rich, complex, writing/arranging for the many horns (7 brass & 4 reeds) throughout. Practically everyone in this ensemble gets a chance or two to stretch out and solo. When even get a few double solos for both bassists, both tuba players and two of the trombonists. Although there are often several things (subsections) going on simultaneously, things still remain focused or connected somehow. Even the handful of rare chaotic moments seem to grow out of whatever came before and after. There is way too much great moments/music here to describe it all adequately. What holds it all together is Mr. Joos’ breathy, sizzling trumpet or flugel, which emerges and submerges above and below the waves around it at just the right time(s). Outstanding on several levels and filled with many surprising twists and turns! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $16
MATT PENMAN With MARK TURNER / NIR FELDER / WILL VINSON / OBED CALVAIRE / ROGERIO BOCCATO - Good Question (Sunnyside 1513; USA) “The music on this recording is a series of musical questions I posed to my bandmates over two days, that I might get their input on a range of subjects that interest me. Much like having prescribed topics for conversation, I wrote these tunes in the hope of starting a dialogue that could provoke reactions, new angles and corollaries that were unforeseen, yet welcome. In fact all of the musicians on this album have their own points of view and a strong opinion, as well as a natural inclination to collaborate, and these are the reasons why I wanted to record with them. This is also why the musical discussion proved to be so rich and wide-ranging. – Matt Penman
 Bassist/composer Matt Penman has spent much of the past decade developing and presenting music for the illustrious SFJazz Collective and the fantastic James Farm collective. That had left a gap between solo recordings that he felt it was time to abate. The result of his efforts are presented here on Good Question, a poignant recording of pieces meant to challenge, engage and entertain both its listeners and the musicians involved in its creation.ÂÂ
 Originally from New Zealand, Penman, since his arrival in 1995, has been an essential voice in the musical landscape of New York. His experience in the States has provided him with both inspiration and exasperation. He has chosen to address his feelings as a part of his new music:
There are a variety of musical moods and spaces, some written with these exact musicians in mind, some not; some written as a response to the cultural and political climate in the country I have chosen to make my home, and some as purely musical excavations. Overall, you could say that the album represents a general delight, bemusement, indictment and celebration of the American experiment through the eyes of a foreigner who has now lived more than half his life in the States.â€Â
CD $15 (in stock next week)
ALVARO DOMENE - The Compass (Iluso IRCD 12; Earth) Featuring Alvaro Domene on 7-string guitar & electronics, recorded live at Menegroth in NYC. The Iluso label is run by two musicians from different countries: Michael Caratti (drums) and Alvaro Domene (guitar). This is their 12th release and they’ve worked an interesting international cast: Lotte Anker, John Butcher and Steve Beresford. Mr. Domene can be found on three previous releases for Iluso, each one working with a different cast of players. This is Mr. Domene’s first solo offering on this label. “Temor V†opens with some dark, metalish power chords, dense and intense. It sounds as if Mr. Domene is rubbing or ponding on the strings with a piece of metal, some of those abrasive sounds have a Jimi Hendrix-like (National Anthem) quality. There is a dark, somewhat disorienting vibe here that I find most effective, reminding me of some of the harrowing news that often interrupts our lives. On a piece called, “Planck Epochâ€Â, it sounds like there are several layers of guitars hovering around one another, some more disturbing than the others. Some of the guitar parts are on the edge of feedback yet never give way to total abandon. When things calm down, bits of reverb add a dreamy quality to the sound. At times it is hard to tell what is going on here, like when he is rubbing, tapping of manipulating the strings in all sorts of odd ways. Much of this is brutal, way intense, like the way Hendrix used that whammy bar on the national anthem… when will those bombs be dropping and from where… - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $12
A Recent Classic Deserving of Wider Recognition:
CHRIS PITSIOKOS / CP UNIT With SAM LISABETH / TIM DAHL / HENRY FRASER / JASON NAZARY / CONNOR BAKER - Silver Bullet in the Autumn of Your Years (Clean Feed 481; Portugal) When the NY No Wave scene burst open in the late seventies, I wasn’t so sure what to make of it being a prog & jazz snob of sorts. It took me a while to accept and finally enjoy the likes of DNA, the Contortions, Mars and Richard Hell & the Voidoids. There seemed to be more bands popping up every week: Gangster Choir, Regressive Aid, Material, Massacre… each of whom tapped into the punk/funk/noise/experimental scene in their own way. By the early eighties, the Downtown Scene exploded and included members of many of the above mentioned bands. It was an exciting time for New Music if you were willing to recognize the new forces of creativity taking over. Why do I bring this up nearly 40 years later???
Because Chris Pitsiokos’ CP Unit sound like they are a direct descendent of that time and sound. This is the second disc from Mr. Pitsiokos’ CP Unit, the personnel has changed but there basic sound has remained. This disc features tow versions of the quartet with Chris & guitarist Sam Lisabeth up front and two different rhythm teams supporting. Young Mr. Pitsiokos plays alto sax and is considered to be one of the freshest new voices on alto sax we have. Pitsiokos has taken inspiration an earlier period of John Zorn’s extended technique/experiments (multiphonics, circular breathing, etc.) and evolved into a seasoned, focused improviser and composer. His recent solo sets here at DMG and elsewhere show him to have grown in leaps & bounds, stronger and better than ever. He leads several bands and also works with Nate Wooley, but the CP Unit is his most intense and revealing of all. Be prepared since the CP Unit are brutal. On “The Dalai Lama’s Got the PMSâ€Â, the quartet is tight and sounds as if they are about to burst at the seams. “Once Upon a Time Called Now†sounds quite a bit like punk/funk meets James Blood Ulmer with an infectious barbed wire groove at the center. Aside from alto sax, Mr. Pitsiokos also uses bits of wind synth and sampler, mostly to insert unexpected bits of noise here and there, selective sonic seasoning tasty administered. On occasion this sounds like early Material with Mr. Zorn siting in a sputtering sax. The results are tight and focused with some amazing interplay between the sax and guitar, frenzied, fractured and often in your face. Mr. Pitsiokos has been touring over the past year in Europe, Japan, the midwest and here. Keeps your eyes and ears open since each and every appearance is special in its own unique way! And grab this disc ASAP, reward yourself for all of the bad news you have to endure day in and day OUT! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15
* Two upcoming gigs for the CP Unit:
Wednesday, July 18th: with Charmaine Lee, Wsabi Fox at C'mon Everybody, Brooklyn at 8pm
Saturday, July 21st: with Jessica Pavone solo; Record Shop, Red Hook 8pm
Plus: NATE WOOLEY & CHRIS PITSIOKOS @ the Zurcher Gallery on Mon, Aug 10th at 8!
CLAUDE DEBUSSY / MARIUS-FRANCOIS GAILLARD - Debussy's Traces (Arbiter 166; USA) Arbiter has uncovered unknown performances by musicians who reached Claude Debussy's inner life more so than those accepted as his emblematic interpreters. Marius-François Gaillard played Debussy's piano music from memory, starting in 1920 when he was twenty, receiving praise from Mme. Debussy. Each work explores an enigma that reveals itself through its individuality. Mieczyslaw Horszowski heard the composer play and brings his experience into pieces that he performed by him for over eighty years. Irén Marik played the composer throughout her entire life and had been close to Bartók, who often performed Debussy's music. Marie-Thérèse Fourneau, a lost master, takes a late work to an unprecedented height. Our restoration of Debussy himself at the piano with Mary Garden capture 1904 sounds that have finally become audible. Gailliard's Debussy recordings include early works, Suite Bergamasque, Pour le Piano, Estampes, nine Préludes, and others. Marik plays two Préludes and En Blanc et Noir. Horszowski is heard in Children's Corner Suite and Fourneau in a late Étude. Irén Marik and John Ranck also perform En blanc et noir. Most of the recordings are published for the first time and Gaillard's Debussy receives its first restoration from original shellac discs.
2 CD set $24
SUN ARAW - Guarda In Alto OST (Goodfellas 2805; Italy) Cameron Stallones, aka Sun Araw, is the quintessential contemporary cosmic courier. Emerging from the fumes of an ancient Egyptian civilization and now settled in one of the meccas of the American lysergic experience, Austin, Texas, he boasts an endless discography and collaborations with luminaries of the caliber of Laraaji (a solo new age traveler discovered by Brian Eno) and the legendary Rastafarian group, Congos. For the soundtrack of the feature film Guarda In Alto (2017), directed by Fulvio Risuleo -- the daring story of a baker who has access to a parallel universe on the roofs of the city -- Sun Araw looks towards the possible horizons. Bypassing psych and electronic glitch, Sun Araw jets through a double album that seems to refer to the golden age of computer music as well as to the inventions of the Lovely Music roster -- the legendary New York label specializing in minimalism and 20th century avant-garde -- and to a certain immeasurably psychotic dub aesthetic. A disk composed of many micro-cells, which marries the adventure to the "edge of heaven" of the protagonist, reiterating that dreamy feeling that the protagonist has accustomed us to for several years now.
CD $18
OISEAUX-TEMPETE - Tarab (Sub Rosa SR 455; Belgium) Tarab (in literary Arabic: euphoria, secular exaltation, ecstasy), Oiseaux-Tempête's sixth release on Sub Rosa, is the result of live recordings captured during the AL-'AN! (SR 440CD/LP, 2017) tour. In a handful of improvised albums circumnavigating the troubled waters of the contemporary Mediterranean -- Greece with the eponymous Oiseaux-Tempête (SR 381CD/LP, 2013), Turkey and Sicily for Ütopiya? (SR 396CD/LP, 2015), and Lebanon with AL-'AN! -- the collective Oiseaux-Tempête has stretched its electric arc over musical genres and borders, imposing itself in a river of tours and releases like a wild UFO within the hexagonal indie scene. It is little surprise that following the remix album -- Re-Works (SR 387LP, 2014) -- and collection of B sides -- Unworks & Rarities 2012-15 (SR 424CD/LP, 2016) -- Oiseaux-Tempête unveils, by way of a new opus, an album entirely recorded in concert. Tarab is the result of live recordings captured during the AL-'AN! tour which led the group, after a preliminary residency at l'Autre Canal in Nancy, to cross Europe and into Canada, performing at Le Guess Who? in Utrecht, opening for Suuns and Jerusalem In My Heart in Montreal and Toronto, following Jerusalem In My Heart through France then from Brussels to Berlin, and closing at the Irtijal festival in Beirut. Tarab is a meeting of the Parisian founding members Frédéric D. Oberland and Stéphane Pigneul, electronic sound wizard Mondkopf, G.W.Sok (The Ex), Sylvain Joasson (Mendelson), videographers As Human Pattern, and the Lebanese musicians Charbel Haber, Abed Kobeissy, and Ali El Hout (Two Or The Dragon). The studio pieces are stretched, deconstructed, and rearranged here while new works from the road -- poems "Grasse Matinée" by Jacques Prévert and "Tuesday And The Weather Is Clear" by Mahmoud Darwish -- find unique musical settings. It is in symbiosis, in the fever and visceral experimentation, that the musicians seek rapture. Arranged in a semicircle, they invoke the elements and attempt the catharsis, inviting the spectator to spiral with them, entwined in the sonic explosions, finding beauty and peace in the spaces of improvisation and elaboration. Marrying free-rock, organic electronics, traditional instruments, and unbridled electricity, Tarab, far beyond the vibrant testimony, is a generous invitation to experience, to meditate, and to share. CD version comes in an eight-page digipack.
CD $16
Historic & Archival, Reissues & Restocks:
DON CHERRY - Home Boy, Sister Out (WeWantSounds 014; UK) Don Cherry's downtown Paris funk masterwork Home Boy, Sister Out, produced in 1985 by Ramuntcho Matta and originally released by Barclay in France only, finally gets a worldwide release on Wewantsounds. Featuring French post-punk muse Elli Medeiros, avant-garde poet Brion Gysin, and cult Senegalese drummer Abdoulaye Prosper Niang (Xalam), this is a unique soundbite of Paris in the early '80s at its coolest when funk, jazz, and new wave were mingling with sounds from Africa, Jamaica, and Latin America. Recorded at the legendary Studio Caroline in Paris, a hotbed for the African diaspora in Paris the '80s, and produced by cult French-Chilean musician and producer Ramuntcho Matta (his father is painter Roberto Matta and half-brother is cult New York artist Gordon Matta-Clark), Home Boy, Sister Out is one of Don Cherry's funkiest albums. Coming back from New York where Matta had immersed himself in the downtown scene working with the likes of Peter Gordon, Arto Lindsay, The Talking Heads, Meredith Monk, and Laurie Anderson, he crossed path with the American trumpet player in Paris by chance. It was love at first sight and together they had the idea of an album where Cherry would not only play but also sing. Accompanied by a first class cast of musicians from the Paris scene, they recorded Home Boy, Sister Out in Spring 1985. Very little known outside of France, where it has achieved cult status in some circles, the album embodies the spirit of the "Sono Mondiale", the multi-ethnic sound of '80s Paris, pioneered by Radio Nova and Celluloid Records. Featuring legendary Senegalese drummer, Abdoulaye Prosper Niang (Xalam), Negrito Trasante, Elli Medeiros, Jannick Top, and Don Cherry on various instruments plus vocals, the album is a fascinating mix of Downtown New York funk, jazz, new wave, reggae, and African music. The release also includes a handful of bonus tracks taken from Ramuntcho Matta's vaults including the cult 1983 single "Kick" featuring legendary multi-artist Brion Gysin who's influenced such artists as David Bowie, Keith Haring, John Zorn, Brian Jones, Genesis P-Orridge, among others. A fascinating album. Newly remastered. Includes five bonus tracks. Double LP version comes in a gatefold sleeve and features a new essay by French journalist Jacques Denis (Liberation).
CD $17 or 2 LP Set $35
ERIC DOLPHY SEPTET WITH DONALD BYRD / NATHAN DAVIS - Paris '64 (Hi Hat 3106; UK) Eric Dolphy Septet, with Donald Byrd, live from the Qui Péche club, Paris on June 11th, 1964. Just a few weeks before his death, Eric Dolphy performed a concert at the Le Chat Qui Péche club in Paris on June 11, 1964, broadcast on French radio station France Musique, with a septet including fellow jazz luminary Donald Byrd on trumpet. The six tracks on this disc include selections from his albums Outward Bound (1960), Out There (1961), and Far Cry (1962), as well as a version of John Coltrane's "Naima". Personnel: Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, bass, clarinet, flute; Donald Byrd - trumpet; Nathan Davis - tenor saxophone; Jack Diéval - piano; Jacques Hess - bass; Franco Manzecchi - drums; Jacky Bambou - congas. The entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, with background liners.
CD $17
JACKIE McLEAN QUARTET - Montreal '88 (Hi Hat 3040; UK) Jackie McLean Quartet, live from the University of Quebec, Canada on July 3rd, 1988. The performances on this disc were broadcast on CBC/CBOF-FM in Montreal at the University of Quebec on July 3, 1988. This disc features jazz alto sax great Jackie McLean leading a quartet as he was getting ready to make more albums after a relatively quiet decade on the recording front. Featured are four songs he'd cut for his Dynasty album four months later (1990), as well as his composition "Minor March", which he first recorded with Miles Davis and Milt Jackson in the mid-1950s. The entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, with background liners.
CD $17
TONY WILLIAMS ALL STARS With BRIAN AUGER / RONNIE MONTROSE / et al - Live Tokyo 1978 (Hi Hat 3095; UK) Tony Williams All Stars, live from the Denen Coliseum, Tokyo on June 27th, 1978. For a 1978 tour of Japan, Tony Williams All Stars featured a truly all-star lineup. The legendary drummer led a band with guitarist Ronnie Montrose, keyboardist Brian Auger, and future Huey Lewis & the News bassist, Mario Cipollina. Originally broadcast on NHK Radio, the music presented here is from their June 27, 1978 show in Tokyo's Denen Coliseum, featuring material originally heard on albums by Williams, Montrose, and Auger, as well as a guest appearance by drummer Billy Cobham. The entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, with background liners. Personnel: Tony Williams - drums; Ronnie Montrose - guitar; Brian Auger - keyboards; Mario Cipollina - bass; Billy Cobham - drums.
CD $17
ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP - If I Get Lucky (JSP 77204; UK) "All the vintage recordings of this seminal figure, rightly described as the 'Father Of Rock & Roll' are meticulously gathered here in the best ever sound. The presentation is superb-vintage pictures, wonderful design and a detailed sleevenote from Neil Slaven who was one of the main figures in the 1960's British Blues explosion and 'was there' when Arthur came back on the scene."
4 CD Set $28
HENRY MANCINI - The Classic Soundtrack Collection: 1958-1963 (Enlightenment 9148; EEC) Having composed some of the most recognizable themes in film history, Henry Mancini will always be remembered as one of the all-time greats in the field of soundtracks. Across a career that spanned six decades, Mancini received an astounding number of accolades for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards. Although he would enjoy consistent success throughout his lifetime, it was during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when Mancini began composing entire film scores independently, that he produced his most legendary work. Henry Mancini remained professionally active throughout the rest of his career, and in all he produced over 90 albums, both soundtracks and original music. He also performed at over 600 orchestral concerts. During his life he received 72 Grammy Award nominations, of which he won 20, and 17 Academy Award nominations, with four wins. Henry Mancini passed away on 14th June 1994, aged 70. This 4 x CD collection, totaling almost five hours of his finest soundtrack work from 1958 to 1963, contains nine complete Mancini records. In completion, this set perfectly demonstrates the huge talents of this master composer, as he almost single-handedly transformed the accepted role of what a movie score could achieve. -
4 CD Set $18
COPPERHEAD FEATURING JOHN CIPOLLINA - Live At Pacific High Studios, San Francisco 1972 (Air Cuts 8085; UK) Copperhead with John Cipollina, live at Pacific High Studios, San Francisco in 1972. After leaving Quicksilver Messenger Service near the end of 1970, John Cipollina also played lead guitar with Copperhead, who issued just one 1973 album before disbanding. Performed at Pacific High Studios in San Francisco, this January 23, 1972 KSAN-FM broadcast, includes several songs from that LP, as well as eight the band did not release in studio versions. Also in Copperhead, was future Jefferson Starship bassist Pete Sears and guitarist-keyboardist-singer Gary Philippet, later (as Gary Phillips) in the Greg Kihn Band. The entire original broadcast is presented here, professionally remastered, with background liners and rare archival photos.
CD $17
DUSTIN E PRESENTS… CORNFLAKE ZOO - Episode Thirteen "20 Ways To Shake Your Flake" (Particles 4083; UK) From the minds behind the siege of Sebastopol of 1854, the flakey, shaky, shoop, shoop show continues unabated. The cast of the latest Zoo call on you to shake your tailfeather, with 20 modernist wallops of wunderbar, all recorded from 1966-1970. Hammond organ, fuzz guitar, bongos, and breakneck adrenaline set the pace. Get aboard and get a grip, this one's gonna be rockin. Features The Rivets, Lost And Found, Hu & The Hilltops, The Long Johns, The Shoes, The 'In' Crowd, F. J. King & Smash, Slam Creepers, The Shane, King George Discovery, The Incrowd, The Boots With The Sanford Alexander Beat, Ronnie Bird, Dorian & The Mackensies, The Clan, The Shake Spears, The Roosters, and Rob Hoeke R&B Group. Includes 20-page, full-color booklet with comprehensive liner notes and rare color photographs.
CD $17
NORTHERN SONGS - The Continuing Story Of The Beatles / Various Artists (Particles 4090; UK) The Beatles euphoria was still thriving with some force in the late 1960s, amidst an explosion of new talent in songwriters and groups. Against a tide of emerging talents such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ray Davies, and David Bowie, the continued appeal of Lennon and McCartney remained devout and was evident across the globe in the countless translations and interpretations of their songs. From Africa to Italy to South America and China, The Beatles songbook was a virtual new testament for young people across the world. Thus, their songs and continued appeal will never expire. Northern Songs is a 24-track set of rare, obscure, and beguiling interpretations of The Beatles songbook from America, Italy, Africa, Portugal, and England. Features Katja Ebstein, I Rolls 33, Claes Dieden, Ward 6, Danny Cox, Terry Manning, Theo Bikel, Jackie & Roy, Duffy Power, Hard Meat, Napoleon, The Cavalry Twill, Russ Loader, Peter Sellers, Charlotte Dada, Noel Harrison, The Sunshine Company, The Portable Flower Factory, Bobby Bryant, Morgana King, P.P. Arnold, Chriss & The Stroke, Camel, and Pop Five Music Inc.. Includes 28-page, full-color booklet with comprehensive liner notes and rare color photographs.
CD $17
GIRLS IN THE GARAGE - Volumes 1-6 (Past & Present 006; UK) The original groundbreaking and iconic compilation series, Girls In The Garage, is now restored and brought back to life in a deluxe six-disc set with expansive liners and rare archival photos. The sound has also been upgraded with fully remastered audio. Prior to Joan Jett, Patti Smith, Courtney Love and other era-defining women in rock, there were the girls in the garage. Like their male counterparts had discovered, being in a band was not only cool and alluring, it was sexual and ultimately political, but without the statement. The garage band was a medium that enabled their voices to be heard, and these girls weren't going to be kept in the kitchen. Like Pebbles did for the boys, Girls In The Garage captures the raw essence of those juvenile dreams played out through guitars, drums, mics and amplifiers. Prevailing gender roles would be tested as rock'n'roll became someone else's domain: the girls'. Features Denise & Co, The Puppets, The Models, The Chymes, The Bittersweets, The Interpreters, The ID, The Glass Opening, The Belles, Luv'd Ones, Kim And Grim, Lydia Marcelle, The Continental Co-Ets, The Beatle-Ettes, Cathy Rich, Althea & The Memories, The Blue Orchids, The Girls, The Ladybugs, The Bootles, The Termintes, Kathy Lynn & The Playboys, The Virginia Wolves, The Sanshers, The Whyte Boots, Lyn & The Invaders, The Daughters Of Eve, The Mam Cats, The Chimes Of Freedom, The Starlets, Laurie, Heartbeats, Patti's Groove, The Liverbirds, The Plommons, Mandy & The Girlfriends, Jean & The Statesiders, The Tone Benders, Las Dilly Sisters, Jacqueline Taieb, Ace Of Cups, The Southern Belles, Bonnie Jo Mason, The Cake, Kathy Clarke, Minnie & The Kneebones, The Supergirls, Kay Bell & The Tuffs, Feebeez, Jean Robinson, The Rums & Coke, The Sham-Ettes, The Debs, Society's Children, The Gto's, The Majorettes, The Bermudas, The Occasionals, Bente Lind & The Lunicks, The Pussycats, Jeff/The Atlantics, The What Four, Linda Gayle, Stacy's 5th, Mavricks, Tammy & The Sounds, Beatle Maids, Angel & The Devines, The Electric Lollipop, Zuma, Kari Lynn, Pat Downey & The Vistas, Dori Peyton, Cupons, Ellaine & The Shandells, Crazy Girls, Jonna Gault, Mille Rogers, Karin Krogh & The Public Enemies, Tacey Robbins, Donna Loren, Fatimas, Karen Verros, Roberta Wolfson, and Venus Flytrap.
6 CD Set $50
AL KOOPER - Live... At The Record Plant '74 (Rox Vox 2018; UK) Al Kooper, live from the Record Plant, Sausalito, CA on October 23rd, 1974. Having played and recorded with Bob Dylan, the Blues Project, Mike Bloomfield, Stephen Stills, Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many others, Al Kooper was already a living legend by 1974. Broadcast that October on KSAN-FM, this rare solo performance finds him playing guitar, keyboards and vocals on an intriguing, emotionally charged selection of material. The entire broadcast is presented here, together with background notes and images.
CD $17
DESMOND DEKKER - You Can Get It If You Really Want (Expanded Edition)(Doctor Bird 015; UK) "First ever CD issue of one of Trojan Records' best-selling albums. Features three major UK hits: 'You Can Get It If You Really Want', 'Pickney Gal' and 'Sing A Little Song'. Desmond Dekker tribute act regularly performing live at significant venues around the UK through-out the year."
CD $19
THE MAYTALS - Monkey Man / From The Roots (Expanded Edition)(Doctor Bird 017; UK) "Led by the dynamic Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert, the Maytals were at the vanguard of the reggae explosion of late 1969/early 1970, with their anthemic 'Monkey Man' among Trojan Records' earliest UK chart successes."
CD $19
TUMBELE! - Biguine, Afro & Latin Sounds (Soundway SNDW 017; UK) ...From The French Caribbean, 1963-74. Often overlooked in the English-speaking Caribbean, the scattering drums and soaring clarinets of the biguine ruled the airwaves and dancefloors of Martinique and Guadeloupe in the 1960s. This album showcases the vibrancy of the scene on the islands in the '60s and '70s -- a scene that would go on to develop the all-conquering sound of zouk in the '80s. Uptown bands like Ensemble La Perfecta and Les Loups Noirs combine heavy rhythms and psychedelic effects in an inimitable style -- check out the crazed "Jet Biguine" for a better idea. The deep and introspective sounds of Monsieur Dolor and Guadeloupean hero Robert Loison show the deep African roots of the music -- songs born out of the plantations, with an insistent rhythm and mournful vocals that are unique to these islands. Overlooked outside of Paris, Montreal, and the French Caribbean for many years, this collection redresses the balance by presenting the vital sounds of Martinique and Guadeloupe - missing pieces of the musical jigsaw puzzle of the Caribbean. CD includes a 24-page booklet with detailed historical notes and rare photos. Features Barel Coppet et Mister Lof, Les Loups Noirs D'Haïti, Abel Zénon, Raphaël Zachille, Robert Mavounsy Quartet, L'Orchestre Jeunesse de Paul-Emile Haliar, Orchestre Combo Zombi et Michel Yéyé, Les Kings, Claude Rolcin et Le West Indian Combo, Anzala, Dolor, Vélo, Les Léopards, Ensemble La Perfecta, Le Ry-co Jazz, Lola Martin, Les Aiglons de Basse Terre, Les Gentlemens, L'Ensemble Abricot, Francisco, Monsieur Dolor et Les Guitar Boys, and Robert Loison. 2009 release.
CD $15
AFRO TROPICAL SOUNDZ - Vol. 1 (Soundway 024; UK) A retrospective "discovery price" sampler featuring a choice selection from some of Soundway's favorite tracks they've released from 2001-2010. From the highlife, disco, and rock sounds of '70s Nigeria to the golden age of Panamanian music, Benin's Afro-Latin grooves, Colombia's champeta and all other forms of tropical and Afro sounds imaginable, Afro Tropical Soundz Volume 1 is an essential introduction for music fans who are new to African, Latin, and tropical music and also a superb overview for fans of the label. For the first time ever, Soundway mix and match both sides of the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa to the Caribbean islands, the Isthmus of Panama and beyond. Presented in a brown manila CD digipack, this collection clarifies Soundway's unstoppable thirst for unveiling forgotten chapters from some of the world's richest musical cultures. Soundway's mission is to present the very best in obscure A-sides, B-sides, and album cuts that have remained unavailable -- until now. Artists include: Ebo Taylor, Fruko Y Sus Tesos, Papi Brandao, Lito Barrientos, Oscar Sulley & The Uhuru Dance Band, Les Loups Noirs de Haiti, The Sweet Talks, The Action 13, Los Silvertones, Celestine Ukwu, and Orchestre Poly-Rythmo. 2010.
CD $15
KAMAL KEILA - Muslims And Christians (Habibi Funk 008; Germany) "Songs about the unity of Sudan, peace between Muslims and Christians and the fate of war orphans, backed by grooves equally taking influence from Arabic sounds, American funk as well as neighboring Ethiopia. Kamal Keila was among the first artist we met in Sudan during our two trips to Khartoum and Omdurman last year. He is one of the key figures of the Sudanese jazz scene that was a vital part of the musical culture in Sudan from the mid-1960s until the Islamist revolution in the late 1980s. When we meet Kamal he luckily presented us with two mold covered studio reels. Each tape included five tracks. One with English lyrics and another with Arabic ones. Musically you can hear the influence of neighboring Ethiopia much more than on other Sudanese recordings of the time, as well as references to Fela and American funk and soul. His lyrics, at least when he sings in English which gave him more freedom from censorship, are very political. A brave statement in the political climate of Sudan of the last decades, preaching for the unity of Sudan, peace between Muslims and Christians and singing the blues about the fate of war orphans called 'Shmasha'. A note inside one of the boxes specified the track titles, durations and the fact that the sessions were recorded on the 12th of August 1992. Both sessions stand as a hearable testament how Kamal Keila stuck to a sound aesthetic from decades ago, while incorporating current events into his lyrics. Kamal Keila's album is the first in a series of releases covering the Sudanese jazz scene on Habibi Funk. Be on the lookout for albums by The Scorpions and Sharhabeel coming soon."
CD $17
ALVIN LUCIER - Music On A Long Thin Wire (Lovely Music 1011; USA) Repressed; 1992 release. First released on Lovely Music in 1980. A 50-foot length of taut wire passes through the poles of a large magnet and is driven by an oscillator; the vibrations of the wire are miked at either end, amplified, and broadcast in stereo. The thin wire is set vibrating four times at four different frequencies; what results is not the low drone one might expect from a long, vibrating wire, but a complexity of evocative, ethereal chords. Music On A Long Thin Wire is a classic example of Alvin Lucier's investigations into the physics of sound and the sonic properties of natural processes.
CD $14
ELIANE RADIGUE - Trilogie de la Mort (XI Records 119; USA) 1998 release. Voted one of 1998's top 15 Records of the Year in Modern Composition by the writers and critics of The Wire, Trilogie de la Mort is a work in three parts for analog Arp synthesizer. The first third of the work, Kyema, is inspired by The Tibetan Book of the Dead and invokes the six intermediate states that constitute the existential continuity of the being. Kailasha, the second chapter, is structured on an imaginary pilgrimage around Mt. Kailash, one of the most sacred mountains in the Himalayas. Koumé makes up the last part of the trilogy and emphasizes the transcendence of death. 2018 repress.
3 CD Set $30
LP Section:
VAINIO & VIGROUX - Ignis (Cosmo Rhythmatic 008; Germany) Mika Vainio and Franck Vigroux's brutal yet filigree electronics hauntingly come to light in Ignis, which finally discloses the further, etheric results of recording sessions that made up their Peau Froide, Léger Soleil album in 2014, their celebrated previous collaboration for Cosmo Rhythmatic (COSMO 003CD/LP). Posthumously issued following Mika's untimely death in 2017, Ignis taps into the pair's mutual respect for unsound and proprioceptive allusion, operating at liminal levels of tonal and spatial perception in a six-track LP that leaves the project with a sense of unresolved tension. Since Mika Vainio's seminal Pan Sonic group with Ilpo Väisänen ceased service in 2009, Mika found one of his sharpest foils in French multi-instrumentalist Franck Vigroux. They embarked on a lengthy creative process, articulated through studio and live performances, resulting in the powerful Peau Froide, Léger Soleil album and stacks of further recordings planned for a second release. The end results of their efforts are collected on Ignis, a set of six parts paying tribute to a mutual fascination with what lies at and beyond the threshold of sonic comprehension. Where their previous effort traded in a mix of colossal, pendulous industrial funk and abyss-baiting doom, this follow-up fully embraces the void in all its glorious mystery. From a trail of icy bleeps, "Brume" lures you into cathedral-like ice cave dimensions with breathtaking cinematic effect, before the antechamber of "Ne Te Retourne Pas" highlights those supposed dimensions with streaks of phosphorescing light to much more paranoid, imposing degrees, before calving off into the mechanical jaws of "Luxure". Deep in the beast's mouth, Vigroux bleats a forlorn vocoder message on "Un Peu Après Le Soleil", and their "Luceat Lux" gives rise to their most extreme, dynamic frequency massages, for "Feux" to wrap up the trip in a barbed wire bouquet of ravishing distortion.
LP $18
FRANCIS PLAGNE & CRYS COLE - Two Words (Black Truffle 035; Australia) Two Words is the debut release from the duo of Canadian sound artist crys cole and Australian songwriter Francis Plagne. Building on a series of experimental live performances in which the pair toyed with possible common languages for their seemingly unrelated approaches to music, the LP's two sides present a single piece that brings together abstract texture and slow-motion song in a sonic space where genre cedes to the logic of dreams. The piece begins with a long, nearly static sequence built primarily from rubbed surfaces, using movement in the stereo field and changing mic placements to create a unified but unstable sonic environment that mimics wind, water, and breath, opening an impossible space between nature and artifice. This artificial outdoors ultimately makes room for Plagne's electric organ, which sounds a series of melancholic chords to accompany a wandering Wyatt-esque keyboard line as cole's intimate contact mic textures sizzle and pop in the foreground. From here the piece makes a surprise detour into song, as the majority of the second side finds Plagne intoning a series of obtuse two-word phrases (from a text by Berlin-based poet Marty Hiatt) to an austere organ accompaniment. Working closely with engineer and producer Joe Talia, cole and Plagne extend the studio-as-an-instrument tradition of Teo Macero and This Heat, introducing subtle yet unexpected production shifts that lead the listener from the initial austerity of the organ and voice to an oneiric space of asynchronized vocal doubles, creaking textures, and distant whistling, ultimately arriving at something like an imagined meeting of Organum and Arthur Russell. Packaged in a suitably mysterious sleeve featuring a lush work by Australian painter Anne Wallace on the front and text by Hiatt on the back, Two Words is both comforting and strange, a disorienting blend of seemingly discrepant elements. Sleeve design by Stephen O'Malley. Mastered and cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.
LP $25
JAN VAN DEN DOBBELSTEEN - Kringloop/New Adventures (Feeding Tube FTR 365; USA) Feeding Tube Records present the first US LP by Dutch experimental artist Jan van den Dobbelsteen. Jan has been releasing music, non-music and kinda-music on his Cosmic Volume label since 1978. Often these works are connected to visual exhibits or installations, but they also work as standalone sound events. Feeding Tube Records had been tracking Jan's work for a good long while, but it was only after Phil Milstein told them he was friends of Jan and his partner, Danielle Lemaire, that their wheels began to spin--They had sponsored Milstein's show-and-tell song-poem trip to the Low Countries. Introductions were made, and here are the most excellent results. Because van den Dobbelsteen's conceptual palette is so wide, Feeding Tube Records approached this project without preconceptions or suggestions. What he came up with was a set of wild pieces for bells of all sorts. The effect is something like a shoebox version of Charlemagne Palestine's work with carillons, perhaps crossed with one of those records documenting the sounds of mechanical toys. When pressed for a few words, Jan described it thusly: "Constructing a music machine inspired from musical automata, self-playing instruments. Music boxes, barrel and street-organs, automatic mechanical pneumatic organs. Self-playing ensemble of bells. electromechanical random clicking and tinkle. No virtuosity or individual genius. Automated musical bells generates the sounds and motion in the performance and produce richly-textured sounds and jingle while there is no need for a composer or performer. rinkelen jingle tinkle jangle chink clang clank klingelen jingle tinkle tingelen tinkle jingle rammelen rattle jingle strum jangle sputter clash kletteren clatter clang clank patter rattle jingle gerinkel tinkle jingle clank jangle chink clang klinkklank jingle clink chink tinkle jangle ding a ling ring ding ping chime tintinnabulation clink chink tinkle ring ding ping ringing chime jingle bell toll peal rumble grumble carillion." Edition of 200.
LP $19
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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for July of 2018:
THE STONE RESIDENCIES / GYAN RILEY / JULY 10–14
7/13 Friday
8:30 pm - PROBOSCI - Timba Harris (violin) Gyan Riley (guitar)
CD release show for our 2nd album NETHERMEAD!
7/14 Saturday
8:30 pm - Iva Bittová (voice, violin), Gyan Riley (guitar) with special guest Tony Fajt (piano, electronics)
THE STONE RESIDENCIES - MATT HOLLENBERG - JULY 17–21
7/17 Tuesday
8:30 pm- Hollenberg-Millevoi Quartet play John Zorn’s Bagatelles - Johnny DeBlase (bass) Kenny Grohowski (drums) Matt Hollenberg, Nick Millevoi (guitars)
7/18 Wednesday
8:30 pm - iNFiNiEN - Jordan Berger (bass) Tom Cullen (drums) Matt Hollenberg (guitars) Chrissie Loftus (vocals, keyboards)
7/19 Thursday
8:30 pm - Shardik - Matt Hollenberg (guitar) Nick Shellenberg (keys) Matt Buckley (drums)
7/20 Friday
8:30 pm - Cleric performs Retrocausal [Matt Hollenberg (guitar) Daniel Ephraim Kennedy (bass) Larry Kwartowitz (drums) Nick Shellenberger (keys, vocals)
7/21 Saturday
8:30 pm - Cleric performs John Zorn's Book Beri'ah - Matt Hollenberg (guitar) Daniel Ephraim Kennedy (bass) Larry Kwartowitz (drums) Nick Shellenberger (keys, vocals)
THE (NEW) STONE is located in The New School’s Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th street - near 6th ave
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 Jul 13
6:00PM JULES BRAVE & MIKE BARETZ - Jules Brave, piano, bass vocals; Mike Baretz, piano, guitar, vocals ; Tim Holt, percussion, vocals, Noreen Abdon,
8:35PM JACOB SACKS & FRIENDS - Jacob Sacks, piano; Chet Doxas, tenor sax; Jacob Garchik, trombone; Dave Ambrosio, bass; Vinnie Sperrazza , drums
Saturday Jul 14
8:35PM JEFF DAVIS, TONE COLLECTOR - Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Eivind Opsvik, bass; Jeff Davis, drums, comp.16
Sunday Jul 15
8:01PM NEW BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVES: FLAVIO SILVA & BREAK FREE - CD RELEASE PARTY - Flavio Silva, guitar; Vitor Gonçalves, piano; Alex Apolo Ayala, bass; Curtis Nowosad, drums
Mon July 16
6:00PM SMASHING HUMANS - Sana Nagano, violin, compositions; Michael Attias, sax; Keisuke Matsuno, guitar; Ken Filiano, bass; Max Jaffe, drums
8:30PM COLE DAVIS QUARTET & IMMANUEL WILKINS/JOEY CHANG - Cole Davis, bass; Vaughn Stoffey, guitar; Manuel Schmeidel, piano; Jongkuk Kim, drums; Immanuel Wilkins, alto saxophone; Joey Chang, piano
Tuesday Jul 17
8:00PM STEVE SANDBERG TRIO - Steve Sandberg, piano; Jay Rodriguez, tenor sax; Premik Russell Tubbs, reeds
9:30PM TIMO VOLLBRECHT FLY MAGIC, CD RELEASE - Timo Vollbrecht, tenor sax; Keisuke Matsuno, guitar; Elias Stemeseder, piano; Martin Nevin, bass; Jason Burger, drums
Wednesday Jul 18
6:00PM RYAN SLATKO TRIO - Ryan Slatko, piano; Ari Hoenig, drums; Ben Tiberio, bass
8:00PM TONEWHEEL - Leo Sherman, bass, comp.; Paul Jones, tenor sax; Alex Goodman, guitar; Ben Winkleman, piano; Peter Kronreif, drums
9:30PM YUHAN SU QUARTET - Yuhan Su, vibraphone; Ralph Alessi, trumpet; Tom DiCarlo, bass; Mark Ferber, drums
Friday Jul 20
6:00PM AYA ISHIDA: "DAY BY DAY" - Aya Ishida, vocals, composition; Berta Moreno, tenor sax; Ray Gallon, piano; Aidan O'Donnell, bass; Francisco Mela, drums
8:35PM TOM CHANG QUARTET - Tom Chang, guitar, comp.; Quinsin Nachoff, tenor sax; Matt Clohesy, bass; Alex Ritz, drums
Saturday Jul 21
8:35PM MARIO PAVONE, VERTICAL QUINTET - Mario Pavone, bass, comp.; Dave Ballou, trumpet; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Peter McEachern, trombone; Gerald Cleaver, drums
Sunday Jul 22
8:00PM PHILIPPE LEMM TRIO - Philippe Lemm, drums; Angelo Di Loreto, piano; Jeff Koch, bass
9:30PM OPEN TABS - Santiago Leibson, piano; Eli Asher , trumpet; Yuma Uesaka, tenor sax; Shawn Lovato, bass; Mareike Wiening, drums
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I-Beam Presents:
Friday, July 20th 8:30 PM
Luca Soul Trio
Elias Stemeseder – piano
Billy Mintz – drums
Luca Soul – bass & compositions
Saturday, July 21st 8:00 PM
Eva Novoa Kenneth Jiménez Trio
8:00 Eva Novoa
piano solo & Chinese gongs
9:00 Kenneth Jiménez Trio
Kenneth Jiménez, bass
Santiago Leibson, piano
Juan Pablo Carletti, drums
Friday, August 17th 8:30 PM
The Out Louds
Tomas Fujiwara – Drums
Ben Goldberg – Clarinet
Mary Halvorson – Guitar
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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The Bushwick Improvised Music Series
Continues on July 16th @ Bushwick Public House!
Monday July 16th
7pm Eli Wallace - piano
Ben Cohen - tenor saxophone
Dave Miller - drums

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

9pm Sam Newsome - soprano saxophone
Hilliard Greene - bass
Reggie Nicholson - drums

9:45pm Giacomo Merega - bass
Todd Neufeld - guitar
Josh Sinton - baritone saxophone/bs. clarinet

10:45pm Alex Louloudis - drums
Aaron Rubinstein - guitar
Kalun Leung - trombone
Hsen Wen Chen - percussion
Michael Larocca - electronics
Rosdeli Marte - vocals

11:30pm Javier Robiou quartet
Downstairs @ Bushwick Public House
1288 Myrtle Avenue , Bushwick
(Across the street from M train Central Ave stop)
bushwickpublichouse.com/ gaucimusic.com
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Sunday, July 17 at
Scholes Street Studio 8 & 10 PM
THE DOUBLE TRIO
Jeff Pearring & Nick Lyons, alto sax
Ken Filiano & Francois Grillot, bass
Billy Mintz & Todd Capp, drums
Scholes Street Studio is at 375 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn.11206 718-964-8763;
L to Lorimer Street, G to Broadway, j,Z,M to Lorimer Street
************
Saturday, July 21st at 3pm:
SUNWATCHERS
SUSAN ALCORN
EAMON FOGARTY & the BLUE VALUES
at Trans-Pecos - 9-15 Wyckoff Ave in Queens, NY
**********
Wed. July 25th at 7:30pm
GARY LUCAS with FEIFEI YANG & JASON CANDLER
"The Edge of Heaven Live:
From Shanghai to New York"
At The Loft at City Winery at 155 Varick Street in NYC