DMG Newsletter for Friday, August 3rd, 2018

The Metronome is Ticking, Back and Forth, Back and Forth
We are waiting for the Beat to Stop, But It will Not Give Up
WoManKind strives to Survive While We All Wait
I Smile, Thinking of Better Times from the Distant Past
Remembering All the Crazy Times that I or We have been through
Music always evokes many memories, ideas and that elusive Spirit
That is often Hidden within but is Sparked by a Magic Presence…
New Muse Ick Comes in many Forms from these Righteous Musicians:

Astral Plane Crash: Vinny Golia / Henry Kaiser / Damon Smith / Bob ‘Rakalam’ Moses / Weasel Walter! Steve Coleman & Five Elements: Miles Okazaki / Jonathan Finlayson! Dave Sewelson Qt: Steve Swell / William Parker / Marvin Bugalu Smith! Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda!

Nonoko Yoshida & Flying Umishida! Celano / Badenhorst / Baggiani! Tigue! Schnell! Curved Air Reissue! And a Large THOMAS CHAPIN Celebration, CD, LP, Cassette & Musaic Book Sale! Plus Albums from Pauline Oliveros! Miles Davis! Charles Mingus! Nina Simone & 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, August 5th:
6pm: MATTEO LIBERATORE / MICHAEL FOSTER / JOANNA MATTREY - Guitar / Sax / Viola
7pm: GUILLERMO GREGORIO / STAN ZENKOV / ZACH SWANSON - Clarinet / Bass Clarinet / Contrabass

Sunday August 12th:
6pm: BEN GOLDBERG and KIRK KNUFFKE - Clarinet and Cornet - CD Release Set
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

Monday, August 20th - Downtown Music Gallery Anniversary Celebration - Part 2:
8pm: NATE WOOLEY and CHRIS PITSIOKOS - Zurcher Gallery - 33 Bleecker Street in NYC!

Sunday, August 26th
6pm: AARON RUBINSTEIN and NATE WOOLEY!
7pm: XANDER NAYLOR / RICK PARKER - Guitar / Trombone and Electronics!

Sunday, September 2nd:
6pm: CHARMAINE LEE!
7pm: KYOKO KITAMURA / LEONID GALAGANOV - Vocals / Percussion & Shakuhachi!

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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DMG/BLG Recommended Gig of the Week!!

MACHINE GUN MEMORIAL / (Partial) REUNION GIG Next Week?!?!

Forces in Motion Presents:

JOHN LUNAR RICHEY / ROBERT MUSSO / ELLIOTT LEVIN / JAIROHM PARKER-WELLS!

Monday, August 6th from 6pm til 10pm at Silvana - 300 West 116th St.

Between Frederick Douglas Blvd & Manhattan Ave.

*****

VINNY GOLIA / HENRY KAISER / DAMON SMITH / RAKALAM BOB MOSES / WEASEL WALTER - Astral Plane Crash (BPA Spa 018; USA) Featuring Vinny Golia on assorted reeds, Henry Kaiser on guitar, Damon Smith on amplified acoustic bass and Rakalam Bob Moses & Weasel Walter on drums & percussion. Amongst the two dozen or so releases that Bay Area guitarist Henry Kaiser has been involved in over the past few years, the Plane Crash Trio, ranks near the top of the great heap. Their two previous releases, ‘Plane Crash’ (on ugExplode) and ‘Plane Crash Two’ (New Atlantis), showed them to be one of the best free/jazz/rock power trios of the past decade! Originally this trio was based in the Bay Area, but since then bassist Damon Smith moved to Texas and now lives in Boston. Drum wizard, Weasel Walter, now lives in Brooklyn and works with a number of NY’s finest: from Lydia Lunch to Peter Evans. A few months ago, in the Spring of 2018, the Plane Crash Trio reunited in Boston to play one gig and record in the studio. They decided to add two other special musicians: Vinny Golia (on reeds: bari sax, sopranino, flute) from L.A. and Rakalam Bob Moses (drums & percussion). Both of these players are veteran musicians with long, diverse & creative resumes. And both push the level of focused interaction higher and higher. Weasel Walter came to visit us at DMG last month to drop off his duo CD with Peter Evans. He talked about this session and mentioned that working (& hanging out with) with legendary drummer Rakalam Bob Moses was a wonderful experience. Both drummers here come from varied backgrounds yet they work together incredibly well, the interplay is often extraordinary. Mr. Golia also brings something special here, switching between bari sax, sopranino & flute, taking his time to solo at length with each axe. As I write this review/blurb (8/1/18), the discs are on their way and should be here shortly. Mr. Kaiser did send me an promotional excerpt video which can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1793&v=2E0wVVnR1TU - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $15


STEVE COLEMAN and FIVE ELEMENTS With JONATHAN FINLAYSON / MILES OKAZAKI / ANTHONY TIDD / SEAN RICKMAN - Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (Pi Records 76; USA) “Alto saxophonist Steve Coleman’s Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. I (The Embedded Sets) is his first live release in over 15 years. It captures his band Five Elements in two joyous sets at the historic New York venue where some of the most famous jazz recording from the likes of John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Bill Evans have been made. Coleman’s personal history is tied deeply with the club: One of the main reasons he moved to New York City from Chicago was for the opportunity to play in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, of which he was a member from 1978 to 1980. After playing there with singer Abbey Lincoln in 1984, there followed a hiatus of over 30 years before he was invited to perform at the club as a leader in 2015. Since then, he has led his band Five Elements at the Vanguard every year, including these two sets recorded in May, 2017. 
Unlike his two most recent releases, Morphogenesis (NPR Critics Poll #2 album of 2017) and Synovial Joints (New York Times #1 jazz album of 2015), both of which are highly orchestrated, Coleman’s recent goal has been to perform as spontaneously as possible, often completely extemporaneously, and yet still retain form and structure. Interspersing the set with tracks that feature these new compositional tactics with long-time Coleman favorites, the musicians tackles Coleman’s typically intricate music with an effortless grace. The band’s mastery over the cross-hatching rhythms, tricky counterpoint and percolating groove, inspired by the magical vibe of the Village Vanguard, is captured here at its absolute peak.”
2 CD Set $19


DAVE SEWELSON With STEVE SWELL / WILLIAM PARKER / MARVIN BUGALU SMITH - Music for a Free World (FMR 0618; UK) Featuring Dave Sewelson on baritone & sopranino saxes, Steve Swell on trombone, William Parker on contrabass and Marvin Bugaloo Smith on drums. Veteran saxist Dave Sewelson is an early member of the Downtown scene, having worked with Wayne Horvitz, Robin Holcomb and the Microscopic Septet in the early 1980’s. Mr. Sewelson is also a member of the Jessie Dulman Quartet, whose LP was recorded right at DMG last year! Actually, all four members of the great quartet are veterans whose varied careers go back to the late seventies. The eldest member of this quintet is drummer, Marvin Bugaloo’ Smith, who has worked Sun Ra, Archie Shepp and David Schnitter.
The opening song is the title track and it was written by Mr. Sewelson. It has a strong, spirited, almost prayer-light theme that rings true for the troubling times that surround us. Many of us can relate to the sentiment of the title, “Music for a Free World”, since we do long to be free of the fascism that is rising around the planet. Mr. Sewelson and Mr. Swell sound like righteous sparring partners, combining forces, blending their solemn, slow burning voices. The longest piece here is called “Tensiana”and starts off with some brooding, thoughtful bass from Mr. Parker. This long work is indeed intense and filled with turbulent currents which rise and fall as the currents swirl around the two horns. Last Sunday (7/2918), trombonist Steve Swell, played a duo here with Canadian drummer Mark Segger. Even in quieter settings, Mr. swell showed himself to be a formidable improviser who kept digging deeper and coming with a wealth of sounds and inspired solos. There are tow songs which were written by both frontline horn men. These are actually duo pieces which are laid back yet a sly, somewhat funky, organic spirit, kinda like a a warm conversation. The quartet together make a strong impression, a solid force, they capture some age old vibes, united in the right ways. A toast to these fabulous veterans! They will be playing here at DMG in the near future, a date to be determined soon so stay tuned please. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD $14


SATOKO FUJII / JOE FONDA - Mizu (Long Song Records 145; Italy) Featuring Satoko Fujii on piano and Joe Fonda on contrabass, This is the third disc from Ms. Fujii and Mr. Fonda, the first two did feature trios with Natsuki Tamura or Gianni Mimmo. The three long tracks here were recorded at De Singer in Belgium or at MUG in Munich, Germany in October of 2017. Right from the beginning, I get the feeling that these two musicians are totally connected since they are quickly exchanging several lines at the same time. The recording here is superb and perfectly balanced, both musicians speed up and slow down together, their lines blurring into one stream, a constantly moving current connecting them. At a number of points here, Mr. Fonda quietly adds short bits of vocal sounds, as if he were balancing (surfing?) on a moving wave and trying not to fall in. What I love about this disc is that it sounds like a story unfolding, as if we are entering a series of scenes which are all connected. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire hour long three part set wondering how things would commence. There is something very natural, organic about the way the thing develop and evolve here. On the final track, “Mizu”, Ms. Fuji mutes certain strings inside the piano, softly tapping on the keys, rather like a jewelry box wind-up melody with Mr. Fonda bows mysterious sounds underneath. Master-bassist, Joe Fonda, is is incredibly fine form here, his notes buzzing at a furious pace, completely astonishing. Ms. Fujii switches between disorienting percussive effects played inside the piano and majestic chords, a shrewd balancing act that is marvelously handled. For the entirety of this year (2018), with Ms. Fujii turning the respected age of 60, she has released one CD per month. I keep thinking that each one is the best of the year, yet the whatever is next is the best one yet. This one is truly OUTstanding! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15


CUBIC ZERO With NONOKO YOSHIDA - Flying Umishida (Nononya Records; 003; Japan) Featuring Nonoko Yoshida on alto sax, Nobuhiko Sasaki on guitar, Tomoaki Motoyama on keyboard, Taro Okubo on bass and Tobu Shibuya on drums. Since moving back to Japan a few years ago, Ms. Nonoka Yoshida, has continued to seek out and work with other creative musicians, releasing around one disc per year. This is her second disc since her return and she now has a formidable quintet to work with. I can’t say that I had heard of any of these musicians before now but I am impressed nonetheless. Although Ms. Yoshida wrote ten of the 15 pieces, two other band members have contributed four songs. I do know know Ms. Yoshida from her previous NY-based bands: Pet Bottle Ningen (2 CD’s on Tzadik) and Super Seaweed Sex Scandal, both of which were odd creative sort-of rock bands with some punk influences, difficult to pigeonhole. “Iwai” blasts open with some tight, post-punk skronk, rather no-wave like but more well-played, nothing sloppy going on here. “Moguttasaki” has a sly, slow groove which is most infectious with a theme that sounds rather familiar, like a spy movie soundtrack. Ms. Yoshida, who used to study with Ned Rothenberg and often sounds like John Zorn with those fractured sax lines, is often featured, here distinctive sax at the center of many of these pieces. The aptly titled “Block of Noise” does features some short noise blasts with in between those laid back, seventies greasy groove sections. “Moldy Coffee Lighter” has a line that sounds similar to “Blue Rondo a La Turk”, but played with some simmering, hypnotic electric piano and scattered punk-rock blast interludes. There are several moments of near-progressive complex twists and turns but with no technical bombast. Considering that this disc is nearly an hour long, there is a great to offer here, a great feral of unexpected twists & turns, many audio gems. The only other band that I could compare Flying Umishida to is Makigami Koichi’s long running outfit, Hikashu, also a quintet with similar instrumentation. The main different is that Hikashu have been around for some 35 years where as this band is a generation (or two) younger. What should come as no surprise is that Ms. Yoshida has (helped) organize a quintet that is as amazing as this one is. Hopefully Flying Umishida will find their way to these shores, in the meantime do not ignore this disc, it is an awesome debut! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

BLG Reviews and Recommends a Few Recent CD’s that Shouldn’t be Overlooked:

TIGUE With MATT EVANS / AMY GARAPIC / CARSON MOODY - Strange Paradise (New Amsterdam 099; USA) Tigue is a New York-based trio featuring Matt Evans on synths, guitar, tapes & percussion, Amy Garapic on percussion & vibes and Carson Moody on drums & kalimba. When this promo arrived last month, I hadn’t heard this group before but read good things about them. This is their second release. The Ohio-born trio have been working together since they were youngsters. The first thing comes to mind whenever I play this disc is that Tigue remind me of the instrumental side of Stereolab, one of my favorite bands from the nineties. Tigue’s music often has a hypnotic pulse at the center, with layers of throbbing synths and percussion. There are three pieces here, each between 8 & 20 minutes in length. Starting with “Triangle”, the ongoing groove at the center is joyous and uplifting. Occasionally the percussion drops out while the pulsating synths, guitar and bass continue to mesmerize us. In a sense, their sound goes back to Kraftwerk, a seventies, German, robotic, space music ensemble, well-loved by hipsters worldwide. Going back even further, the pulsating keyboards remind me of Terry Riley’s late sixties pieces like “Rainbow in Curved Air”. The one long piece is called, “Quilts”, which seems aptly titled since like a quilt, it is based on interlocking patterns. Starting out simply, there is one drum line and one keyboard line which evolve slowly over time, adding subtle shifts which are almost unrecognizable at first. A couple of alternating rhythmic layers provide circular grooves which w=move in and out of sync. It takes some patience to appreciate the way certain patterns slowly shift but the overall effect is most hypnotic. What I find most intriguing is that Tigue often play at New Music Festivals, galleries and colleges, yet they would also do well in a club where the audience could dance or at least groove along to their infectious beats. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $13

CELANO / BADENHORST / BAGGIANI - Lili & Marleen (Clean Feed 476; Portugal) Featuring Joachim Badenhorst on clarinets & tenor sax, Guillermo Celano on electric guitar and Marcos Baggiani on drums. A few years back, Amsterdam-based, IPC reedsman, Michael Moore, sent us a couple of discs by the Celano-Baggiani Group of which he has a guest member. I wasn’t familiar with either of these two Italian musicians who are currently living in Amsterdam. I do know of Joachim Badenhorst, pretty well since he has lived in NY for a while and has some three dozen recordings with: Han Bennink, John Butcher and Frantz Loriot, besides his own numerous dates as a leader. Each member of the trio contributes a song or two, as well as having a few group improvs. The opening track is the title piece, a stunning intro with Badenhorst’s sprawling tenor riding on the waves provided by the circular, simmering guitar and drums underneath. Badenhorst is young master on bass clarinet, so he is at the center of “Inferno Boby”, while the guitar and drums lock into a pulsating repeating pattern while he solos. “Los Gauchos” is a sort of slow, slightly funky blues, that I find most endearing, sort of like a theme from late night film noir that would one humming along. The guitar and drums are consistently a marvel since they create such lush and evocative moods, like a cushion to quietly settle into. Even without the use of a bass player, this trio do a fine job nifty songs, each of which conjure up another scene or story. Another tasty morsel from the Clean Feed Menu. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

SCHNELL With PIERRE BOREL / ANTONIO BORGHINI / CHRISTIAN LILLINGER - Live at Sowieso (Clean Feed 488; Portugal) Schnell features Pierre Borel on alto sax, Antonio Borghini on bass and Christian Lillinger on drums. I know very little about saxist Pierre Borel, except that he does play on earlier disc from drummer Christian Lillinger. Bassist Antonio Borghini has worked with Alex Von Schlippenbach and he has his own CD out on the El Gallo Rojo label. Berlin-based drummer Christian Lillinger is the most visible of this trio, having recorded on some 30 plus records with Rudi Mahall, Rolf Kuhn and Peter Evans. The trio wrote or improvised all of the music here except for one cover, Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing”. The liner notes mention that the trio takes off from the bebop tradition and this is indeed the way thing erupt on the first piece. The tempo is furious and the trio burning up those bebop-like licks at an astonishing pace! “Schnell I” shows how tight and quick this trio can whip out those lines, the mathematic theme somewhere between bebop and Braxton-like fractured bolts of lightning. The boppish theme is mostly continuous as the trio speed up and slow down a bit but keep the pulse steady. Even when they settle down to a calm center, the nervous energy within pervades somehow. Things finally lay back on the Strayhorn cover, showing the trio have another side, a rather solemn ballad with some hushed high-end drone-like sax lines. This helps us to unwind after the roller-coaster ride beforehand, a perfect change of pace. Things come to an end with a more moderate=paced bop-like piece, which includes some bluesy note-twisting splendor. A mostly marvelous trio who know when to let up after knocking you upside your head. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15

CURVED AIR - Phantasmagoria (Expanded Edition)(Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 22638; UK) "Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of an expanded 2 disc edition of the acclaimed Curved Air album Phantasmagoria. Released in 1972 the album was the first to feature a line-up of Sonja Kristina (vocals, acoustic guitar), Darryl Way (violin, piano), Francis Monkman (guitar, keyboards, VCS3 synth), Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums) and new member Mike Wedgwood (bass, vocals). A deluxe 2 disc edition with 3 bonus tracks; two previously-unreleased. And a DVD (NTSC/Region Free) of 1972 television appearances on the Belgian show 'Pop Shop' & Austrian show 'Spotlight'. Features an illustrated booklet with new essay and interviews with Sonja Kristina, Francis Monkman & Darryl Way."
I had the good fortune to catch the early British progressive band Curved Air on two occasions live in the early seventies, once opening for Emerson, Lake & Palmer at the Fillmore East. Their first three albums were/are all superb from what I recall. This, their third album, ‘Phantasmagoria’, was always my favorite on the three. Last year, I listened to a vinyl copy of this album on a good stereo and it still sounded great, some 46 years later! I also caught Curved Air once again in England a couple of years ago (2016) and thought they they still sounded pretty great after so many years. Can’t wait to hear this disc and watch the DVD. - BLG
CD DVD $25

THOMAS CHAPIN CELEBRATION!

It seems hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the passing of the Great Thomas Chapin in February of 1998. Mr. Chapin was an incredible alto saxist, flute player, composer and bandleader, an unstoppable free spirit who touched anyone who met him or witnessed his music live or on record. I am a longtime jazz sax fan-addict and have caught as many legendary, well-known or not so, saxists as I can, still searching for that ultimate inspired solo or improvisation… I have been fortunate to have watched two alto saxists evolve into becoming giants: John Zorn and Thomas Chapin. Both are/were good friends! What I always loved about Mr. Chapin is that he successfully bridged the gap between, the inside and outside schools of jazz, swinging his tush off in one piece and then soaring into free terrain, further and further out and always landing on his feet!
Thanks to Thomas’ longtime partner, Terri Castillo Chapin, we just got in several boxes of Thomas Chapin CDs which are listed below. So, let us celebrate by offering those of you who knew of Mr. Chapin’s recorded works and those of you new to his legacy a chance to listen and capture his unique spirit/force playing. There are two box sets listed first on KnitWorks and Playscape and both are essential for any Thomas Chapin fan. If you want to start off with just a single CD or two, you can select the either of the KnitWorks CDs (both found in the Knit box set) and/or the one Machine Gun CD we still have in stock. The list below includes most of what is still available from Mr. Chapin’s catalogue. I can whole-heartedly recommend anything from below since I dig each and every one of these gems. Besides CD’s, we are also listing a few albums, cassettes and even sheet music!?!

A few years ago, Terri Chapin’s sister Stephanie, directed a documentary about Thomas Chapin called, ‘Night Bird Song’. It is an extraordinary film and has garnered several awards. If you want to order a copy or find out more about the late, great Thomas Chapin, check out: www.thomaschapin.com

THOMAS CHAPIN CELEBRATION and Big Sale:

THOMAS CHAPIN TRIO With MARIO PAVONE/MICHAEL SARIN or STEVE JOHNS et al - Alive: Third Force/Anima/Insomnia/Menagerie Dreams/Haywire/Sky Piece/Night Bird Song/Live! On Tour: UC Davis 1992 (KinitWorks 248; USA) This box-set Incorporates all seven of the late legendary saxophonist/wind player Thomas Chapin Trio's [with Mario Pavone bass and Michael Sarin drums; Steve Johns is the drummer on Anima and Third Force] CD releases on the Knitting Factory [Knitworks] label: 1.Third Force; 2.Anima; 3.Insomnia plus Brass: Al Bryant (trumpet) Frank London (trumpet) Marcus Rojas (tuba) Curtis Fowlkes (trombone) Peter McEachern (trombone); 4.Menagerie Dreams with guest John Zorn; 5.Haywire plus Strings: Mark Feldman (violin) Kiyoto Fujiwara (bass) Boris Rayskin (cello); 6.Sky Piece; 7.Night Bird Song plus an eighth, previously unreleased disc 'Live! On Tour' which contains 50 minutes from University Of California-Davis 3/4/92 concert (audio) plus "Night Bird Song (Excerpt)" at the 1995 JVC/Newport Jazz Festival (video). Luxuriously packaged in book binder/pocket style and receives our extremely highest recommendation musically (as well as for presentation)!!!
    "Listening to Thomas Chapin's seven trio CDs in the wake of his untimely death only drives home further the loss the jazz world suffered when he succumbed to cancer in 1998. Chapin's discography extends beyond the seven albums he and his trio released in the 1990s, but he never sounded more complete and rounded than when with his trio mates -bassist Mario Pavone and drummers Steve Johns and, for most sessions, Michael Sarin. Chapin's searing, rapid-fire solos and intricate melodies begged for a bassist that could match his stair-climb sprints and steep descents, and Pavone did so at all times. With Alive, you get the best tribute imaginable: a complete set of Chapin's Knitting Factory CDs along with a previously unreleased 1995 live session. From his trio debut, Anima, to the last studio album, Sky Piece, the band seems aimed at a group concept that's well defined and intensely creative. Chapin plays with a formal sense and tunefulness that owes tons to Sonny Rollins. Riffs build into mini-solos, and rhythmic breaks become melodies, almost without the ear noticing. Chapin's group concept was expandable, too, which shows on Insomnia--with its five added brass players--and Haywire--with its three added string players. Where Insomnia milks the brass for thick funk, Haywire spins waltzes and string textures that emphasize a completely different realm of sonic nuance. The final CD of the set catches the trio live at the 1995 JVC-Newport Jazz Festival, and they play the complex tunes letter perfectly, with Sarin drumming especially hard and Chapin roughing up his tone far more than usual. At different times, he plays with the bittersweet bite of Eric Dolphy and the drive of Hank Crawford. He made it all an amazingly fluid continuum." - Andrew Bartlett
8 CD Box Set $50


THOMAS CHAPIN QUARTETS With PETER MADSEN/KIYOTO FUJIWARA or SCOTT COLLEY/REGGIE NICHOLSON or MATT WILSON - Never Let Me Go: Quartets '95 & '96 (Playscape 111095; USA) A new three-disc set featuring two UNRELEASED late-career performances by saxophonist/composer Thomas Chapin, including his final New York concert before succumbing to leukemia in 1998 at age 40. Mixed and mastered from original tapes discovered in the private family collection, this special historical release was produced in partnership with Akasha, Inc., the non-profit organization founded in 1999 by Chapin's widow, Terri Castillo-Chapin, to preserve and advance his musical legacy. In addition to the music, the set features liner notes from veteran jazz journalist and broadcaster Brian Morton, exclusive archival photos and remembrances from the musicians who joined him for these shows. Discs one and two capture Chapin's working quartet of the time, with pianist Peter Madsen, bassist Kiyoto Fujiwara and drummer Reggie Nicholson, performing at Flushing Town Hall in Queens on November 10th, 1995. The group played two selections from You Don't Know Me (Arabesque Records), as well as a wide variety of other material, including Artie Shaw's "Moonray", Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty", Charlie Parker's "Red Cross" and Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman". Chapin founded this ensemble in the early 90's to explore new harmonic possibilities in his music after years of performing and recording with his highly regarded trio. In addition to this date, they performed regularly around New York, including week-long engagements at Iridium Jazz Club and The Village Gate. In contrast, the third disc captures the first and only concert ever played by a later quartet featuring Madsen, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Matt Wilson at The Knitting Factory on December 19th, 1996. For what turned out to be his final performance in New York, this ensemble presented extended readings of three new pieces written specifically for its all-star lineup, as well as a version of his well-known composition "Sky Piece" and an arrangement of Roland Kirk's "Lovellevellilloqui". "They can do just about anything," wrote Peter Watrous in his review of this show for the New York Times, "and Mr. Chapin had the group move from freetime sections to swinging parts that moved with complex harmonies. Mr. Wilson doubled and halved the tempos; the music sounded wonderfully unstable. One piece, a ballad, invoked the Blue Note Label in 1964; Mr. Chapin tore through a composition by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, using a hard, rough tone. He likes heat and velocity, and the music flew by, jammed with notes." In summing up Chapin's place in jazz history for the eight-disc retrospective Alive (Knitting Factory Works) in 1999, GRAMMY(r) winning jazz critic and author Bob Blumenthal wrote, "An honest appraisal of the universe of improvised music created in the decade of his activity as a bandleader should persuade all but the most doctrinaire that Thomas Chapin was one of the definitive artists of the 1990s. Not the most heavily exposed or fashionable, perhaps; but a musician who got at the emotional and spiritual nub of what jazz is supposed to be about as successfully and consistently as anyone working during the period." CD #1 & #2 - Quartet 1995 - Thomas Chapin - alto sax & flute; Peter Madsen - piano; Kiyoto Fujiwara - bass; Reggie Nicholson - drums CD #3 - Quartet 1996 - Thomas Chapin - alto sax & flute; Peter Madsen - piano; Scott Colley - bass; Matt Wilson - drums
3 CD Set $25


THOMAS CHAPIN TRIO With MARIO PAVONE/MICHAEL SARIN JOHN ZORN/VERNON FRAZER - Menagerie Dreams (KnitWorks 167; USA) “One of the late Thomas Chapin's finest all-round recordings, this set starts out in somewhat startling fashion with screaming by Chapin and John Zorn on altos before settling down into a relatively straight-ahead jam. Zorn is on two selections (including one that includes poetry from Vernon Frazer) but otherwise this is a trio outing, showcasing Chapin on flute, baritone, soprano, and particularly alto while joined by bassist Mario Pavone and drummer Michael Sarin. While there are adventurous and free sections, Chapin also has the opportunity to play the blues (on Thelonious Monk's "Raise Four"), completely rework Duke Ellington's "Daydream" (which is given a Western motif by bassist Pavone), show off the influence of Eric Dolphy, and introduce such intriguing originals as "A Drunken Monkey" and "The Night Hog." Highly recommended.” - Scott Yanow, AMG
CD $20

THOMAS CHAPIN TRIO With MARIO PAVONE/MICHAEL SARIN - Night Bird Song: Live At Kampo Cultural Center 1992 (KnitWorks 240; USA) I recently wrote a long article about my friend and inspiration Thomas Chapin for a magazine that the Knit is starting. The article explored our ten year friendship and history, highlighted when I convinced the Knit to let Thomas' trio open for a Zorn trio where everyone in attendance was blown away by both units. The Knit soon started their own label, signed Thomas' trio and eventually released six cds by this wonderful trio. This cd was actually recorded in 1992, during the early days of this trio. It was shelved until now and as Thomas wished, it would be released after last year's final effort 'Sky Piece.' Although three of the pieces on this cd were also on "Sky Piece', the versions found here are earlier and different. I recall all these pieces with deep affection, after witnessing this amazing trio on dozens of gigs through the years, as well as playing 'Sky Piece' every day at DMG for months after Thomas' devastating and untimely passing in February of '98. On "Opening" it is Thomas' gorgeous flute playing that soothes a world filled with dark spirits. It is also Thomas' flute that fills "Aeolus" with a sad but breathtakingly beautiful vibe, it was also the very last piece Thomas played in public just two weeks previous to his passing. "Alphaville" was often a set opener, due to its rambunctious groove, it explodes with passion and the celebration of life after the opening alarm clock wakes us all up. It is here where Thomas' bittersweet tone and honking swagger sound rather Dolphy-esque. For many of us, this was thee perfect trio that could do anything-Mario Pavone's contrabass and Michael Sarin's drum are a constant source of combustion, release and surprise, from whirlwinds to soft breeze. Besides alto sax and flute, Thomas also played the rarely heard sopranino on two pieces found here. The sopranino is both shorter and higher pitched than a soprano sax, still Thomas sails with this exotic sounding horn, once more parting the heavens with his soaring sound. Thomas' laughter at the beginning of the final piece "Changes Two Tires" reminds me of the happy spirit that always defined his vibe, this final piece explodes as his alto unleashes frenzied lines for the last wonderful assault on our senses. Thomas chose the mystical Panamanian cloth cover art as well. Just the right cover to adorn this superb release. - BLG
CD $20

* MACHINE GUN [ROBERT MUSSO / THOMAS CHAPIN / JOHN RICHEY / JAIR-ROHM PARKER WELLS / BIL BRYANT] - Pass the Ammo (MuWorks 1011; USA) Mind-blowing, intense and over-the-top! One of the most intense and creative free/jazz/rock/punk/funk/noise bands of all time!
CD $10

MACHINE GUN [ROBERT MUSSO/THOMAS CHAPIN/JOHN RICHEY/JAIR-ROHM PARKER WELLS/BIL BRYANT] SONNY SHARROCK/KARL BERGER - Machine Gun (MuWorks 1001; USA)
LP $8

MACHINE GUN [ROBERT MUSSO/THOMAS CHAPIN/JOHN RICHEY/JAIR-ROHM PARKER WELLS/BIL BRYANT] SONNY SHARROCK - Open Fire (MuWorks 1003; USA)The second amazing album by this great rock/jazz/noise/improv band with stellar players Robert Musso, the late Thomas Chapin, Bil Bryant, Jair-Rohm Parker Wells, John Richey with special guest Sonny Sharrock; all recorded at live shows!
LP $10

* MACHINE GUN (Partial) REUNION Next Week?!?! Forces in Motion Presents:
JOHN LUNAR RICHEY / ROBERT MUSSO / ELLIOTT LEVIN / JAIROHM PARKER-WELLS!
Monday, August 6th from 6pm til 10pm at Silvana - 300 West 116th St.
Between Frederick Douglas Blvd & Manhattan Ave.

MARIO PAVONE With THOMAS CHAPIN / MARTY EHRLICH / PETER McEACHERN / PETER MADSEN / STEVE JOHNS - Dancers Tale (Knit Works 2015; USA) “A musical compatriot of the likes of Paul Bley and Anthony Braxton, bassist/composer Mario Pavone walks a fine line between traditional blowing and open-ended progressiveness on this tribute to Charles Mingus. Here, with the help of pianist Peter Madsen, saxophonist Thomas Chapin, trombonist Peter McEachern, and drummer Steve Johns, he reveals his latest musical vision, a vivid, multi-colored panorama of angular melodies, unpredictable contrasts, tight grooves, unique forms, and articulate blowing.
The weird polyphony of the title track gives way to a toe-tapping rhythm, revealing the tune’s overall scheme: a free-floating section followed by a funky Latin groove. “Bootleg” swings to the articulate brush work of Johns and supports the eccentric improvisational musings of McEachern and Chapin, whose solos give tone color, phrasing, and note choice the same importance. The final track, “Foxwood Shuffle,” especially reveals Pavone’s considerable instrumental skills despite the fact that the recorded bass sound is short on presence and tone. Nevertheless, the low-end ostinato provides a firm foundation for the blowing, which culminates in a rousing free-for-all. An exceptionally organic musical high-wire act that is always suspenseful but never falters.” - Jim Ferguson, Jazz Times
CD $10

ROBERT MUSSO With BILL LASWELL/THOMAS CHAPIN/AIYB DIENG/JONAS HELLBORG/BERNIE WORRELL/BOOTSY COLLINS - Active Resonance (MuWorks 1008; USA) “Guitar great Musso w/ Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins, Jonas Hellborg, Thomas Chapin, Aiyb Dieng. From avant-rock to bizarre funk/jazz! "Guitarist, composer, and master mixing engineer Robert Musso has issued another chapter in his evolving space-dub jam session recordings. This one features many of the usual suspects -- Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Aiyb Deng, Bootsy Collins, and some others, such as the late Thomas Chapin, Jonas Hellborg, and Tanar Catalpinar. The assemblage offers a new listen to Musso's integrational conception of opposites attracting under the influence of rhythm. Here, the post-modal jazz of John Coltrane is heard as it meets the dawn of 1990s funk-dub world-fusion on "A Dream Supreme," and the shifting sands of global cowboy-ism as it voices its desolation on "Alliance." On "All Funked Up," Afro-funk meets the J.B.'s with Bootsy on grunting cheerleader vocals. And so it goes, with the only cohesive glue in the cracks being Musso's disciplined direction, excellent guitar playing, and his indomitable sense of groove no matter what the genre stipulations -- check "Tanar!" with its muezzin wailing over a wall of deep space dub. Or the Eastern-tinged modalism of "Home Growing," where it meets the terrain of euphoric jazz and rock. Recommended." - Thom Jurek, AMG
CD $10

JOHN McCRACKEN & OUTLOUD With THOMAS CHAPIN/CHARLES BALDWIN/ABE SPELLER - Blood from a Tone (MuWorks 1010; USA) Featuring John McCracken on guitar, Thomas Chapin on alto sax, Charles Baldwin on bass and Abe Speller on drums. I caught this quartet at the old Knitting Factory a couple of times and thought they were pretty great!. The rhythm team also worked with Sonny Sharrock on his ‘Highlife’ release. Downtown sax legend was a member of Machine Gun and had his own trio which had some 7 discs out on the Knit Works label. - BLG/DMG
CD $10

THOMAS CHAPIN With RONNIE MATTHEWS / RAY DRUMMOND / JOHN BETSCH ARA DINKJIAN / SAM TURNER - Radius (MuWorks 1005: USA) The great, late reedman Thomas Chapin with Ronnie Mathews, Ray Drummond, John Betsch and guests Ara Dinkjian, Sam Turner. Intense modern jazz with a great improv edge! The first release by Chapin's Radius Quartet burns throughout its 50-minute duration. Backed by stellar players such as bassist Ray Drummond, pianist Ronnie Mathews and drummer John Betsch, Chapin delivers an invigorating, strong, straight-ahead program. Chapin brings all his musical experience - he was the music director of Lionel Hampton's Big Band from '81-'86, as well as collaborating with Chico Hamilton, cellist Jane Scarpatoni, bluesman "Gatemouth' Brown, to name a few - into clear focus. All tunes were composed by Chapin with the exception of his eloquent rendition of Fats Waller's Jitterbug Waltz. Chapin, aside from having an astonishing command of both flute and alto saxophone, also possesses an individual voice on both instruments, a commendable trait these days, especially when many young players seem to disregard the virtues of developing one's own sound. The ever-so-underrated bassist, Ray Drummond, shines throughout Radius; also, pianist Ronnie Mathews' playing is nothing short of spectacular, anchoring the whole band with grace and fire. - CMJ
Cassette $10

THOMAS CHAPIN - Ten Compositions - Volume 1 (Peace Park Publishing) Written/Sheet music for 10 Thomas Chapin Songs from his early period, ‘Radius’ (MuWorks) and ’Spirits Rebellious’ (Alacra) albums.
Sheet Music Book $10

The following Five CD’s from the Playscape label are all still in print and we can get them pretty quickly:

MICHAEL MUSILLAMI With THOMAS CHAPIN/RANDY BRECKER/RAY DRUMMOND/KENT HEWITT/STEVE JOHNS - Mar's Bars (Playscape 120192; USA) Featuring Thomas Chapin, Randy Brecker, Ray Drummond, Kent Hewitt, Steve Johns Guitarist Michael Musillami has a fuzztone/rock approach which might lead one to expect a more pop or fusion date than they get on GlassArt. It's a pleasure to hear aggressive, hard-hitting material rather than overproduced mood music. Musillami's riffs, fills, and phrases are edgy and frequently enticing, with a solid bluesy sensibility and drive. Randy Brecker's trumpet, especially his muted passages, are lyrical yet full and inviting, while Thomas Chapin is a bit more subdued than usual on flute and alto sax but fits the context well. This has a contemporary production style and design but a timeless quality and energy. - Ron Wynn, AMG
CD $15

MICHAEL MUSILLAMI With THOMAS CHAPIN/CLAUDIO RODITI/KENT HEWITT/CHARLES 'CHIP' JACKSON/STEVE JOHNS - Groove Teacher (Playscape 120694; USA) Musillami's band gets bigger with each installment of his reissue trilogy of recordings with Thomas Chapin. On part three, Groove Teacher, the ensemble grows to a septet with the inclusion of tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore. Trumpeter Claudio Roditi replaces Randy Brecker from the previous album, Mar's Bars; bassist Charles (Chip) Jackson also comes on board for the first time. The four who have remained steady throughout are guitarist Musillami, pianist Kent Hewitt, drummer Steve Johns, and alto saxophonist/flutist Thomas Chapin (to whom the album is now dedicated). Hewitt and Chapin are particularly brilliant on this record, having had ample opportunity to absorb Musillami's concept as a composer and bandleader. But, not to be outdone, newcomer Jackson plays a number of showstopping solos during the course of the program. There are quite a few unexpected twists in this batch of original compositions, including the reggae groove of the title track and the shifting meter (6/8 to 4/4) of the high-intensity modal piece "Today the Angels Cry." Other highlights include "Peninsula," a concise suite (four parts in as many minutes) that closes the album, and "The Gift," a fast waltz with the kind of intricate multi-part writing that graced Musillami's previous effort. The scope of Chapin's talent is especially evident in the contrast between his impeccably modern flute solo on "Open Ended" and his pure bop alto escapade on "Big Ears and the Blues."
CD $15

MICHAEL MUSILLAMI With THOMAS CHAPIN / KENT HEWITT / NAT REEVES / STEVE JOHNS - Archives [a/k/a The Young Child] (Playscape 120990; USA) “Michael Musillami recorded this album back in 1990, and in 2000 it was reissued by the guitarist's own Playscape label as part one of a trilogy. (The trilogy also includes 1992's Mar's Bars and 1994's Groove Teacher.) All three albums are eloquent statements from a fine guitarist and composer, but they're also vital documents in the tragically shortened career of the late alto saxophonist and flutist Thomas Chapin. On part one, Archives, Musillami and Chapin are joined by pianist Kent Hewitt, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Steve Johns. The wholly original program kicks off with the title track, its unusual half-time, walking tempo setting a tone that hints at the avant-garde. Musillami's tone is trebly, his attack pointed and well-defined. Chapin's solo is characteristically free jazz in spirit, even as he makes every one of the chord changes. Hewitt brings it back around to a more subdued, hard bop vibe during his solo. Much of the rest of the album is a bit more consonant, or what jazzers call "inside." Chapin's flute is a delight on the brisk waltz "Beijing," the beautiful ballad "Emmett Spencer," and the relaxed Latin piece with the manifesto-like title, "I Still Do It for the Music." Toward the end of the ballad in particular, you can hear Chapin's breath as he pauses between the last few held notes, and this sound is precious indeed. Beginning with a rubato introduction, "The Young Child" then kicks into a fast, driving Latin feel, setting up a soaring, passionate melody played in unison on guitar and alto sax. Another of the more energetic tunes is "Ry-Bop," a swinging event that gets off the ground with a burning solo by Hewitt, followed by Musillami and finally a screaming, riotous round from Chapin. "Mohawk Mountain," an ultra-fast line based on "Cherokee," closes the album; the group plays it down once, making for a concise, 51-second conclusion. - David R Adler”
CD $15

ARMEN DONELIAN With THOMAS CHAPIN/CALVIN HILL/JEFF WILLIAMS - Quartet Language: Live At Visiones 1992 (Playscape 050292; USA) Featuring Mr. Donelian on piano & compositions, Thomas Chapin on alto sax, Calvin Hill on bass and Jeff Williams on drums. This long lost treasure was recorded live at (the now defunkt) Visiones in May of 1992 and has remained in the can ever since, as Armen searched for an appropriate label. The late Thomas Chapin was one of the greatest alto sax & flute players of all time and also close friend and kindred spirit of mine. Many of us who got an opportunity to hear him play live will forever mourn his loss (in 1998), hence it is a joyous thing to actually have two previously unreleased discs come out this year, the other a fabulous live duo with Borah Bergman. Armen Donelian is another of those great unsung jazz piano heroes who has live here for a couple of decades, yet only has a few discs in print as a leader (3 on Sunnyside). Both rhythm team players are also veterans, Calvin Hill has worked with McCoy Tyner, Betty Carter & Max Roach; Jeff Williams has worked with Dave Liebman, Stan Getz & Joe Lovano and has resurfaced in NY over the past few years. Right from the opening tune, "jabberwackey", Thomas' wonderful bittersweet alto sax tone sings true loud and clear and sends shivers of recognition through me. Thomas' solo shows off his infinite charm, balancing between the many worlds of jazz, swinging intensely yet almost breaking free of the song structure as he sails higher. Both Armen's consistently challenging songs and inventive solos are excellent throughout, also pushing the equally creative rhythm team. Each of the five pieces here are over ten minutes long and filled with some crafty surprises, unexpected twists and turns. On "the germ", there is piano and bass duo which sounds as if it were taken from another more classical piece, but still fits perfectly within the overall scheme. "mexico" has a most relaxed and lovely melody, a sort of siesta with a beautiful, rich and haunting solos from Armen, Thomas and Calvin as well as righteous rhythm team support, especially Jeff's mallet work. "brood mood", which closes features another slow, moody theme with a dreamy vibe. For me, Thomas' passionate solo is about as great as it gets, like a spirit reaching forth and pulling at our hearts and minds, all we can say is "amen". Completely stunning. A perfect gift for someone you really love. - BLG/DMG
CD $15

Back in stock:

JUHANI AALTONEN / RAOUL BJORKENHEIM - Awakening (Eclipse 201862; EEC) Featuring Juhani Aaltonen on flute and Raoul Bjorkenheim on 6 & 12 strings guitars & viola de gimbri. Finnish reeds player, Juhani Aaltonen (currently 83), was once a member of Scandinavian prog rock band Tasavallan Presidentti (late 60’s) and later a member of the UMO Jazz Orchestra. Finnish guitar master, Raoul Bjorkenheim (currently 20 years younger), has played with Krakatau, the Scorch trio and currently with eCsTaSy. Both Mr. Bjorkenheim and Mr. Aaltonen worked together with the UMO Orchestra for a disc called, “The Sky is Ruby” on the TUM label. This disc is their first and only duo effort. “Kaleidophonic” was written by Mr. Bjorkenheim and is a strong, expressive duo, lush, warm and completely enchanting. Both of these musicians have been playing and evolving for many years. They bring quite a bit of diverse influences to this session. There is quite of a bit of exciting and inspired playing going on here, a great match of wits and creativity. Although Mr. Bjorkenheim plays with some restraint, Mr Aaltonen does not, hence the duo soar together all over the place… often reaching for the stars and beyond. Besides guitars, Mr. Bjorkenheim plays a “viola da gimbri”, which might just be a name of an instrument that doesn’t quite exist. There is a classical instrument called a Viol da Gamba and there an instrument called a gimbri (a north African three stringed lute) but, I have seen Raoul play this hybrid which does have a pick-up. This is one of the best duo records I’ve heard in recent memory, quite extraordinary. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $17

RAOUL BJORKENHEIM TRIAD With VILLE RAUHALA / ILMARI HEIKINHEIMO - Beyond (Eclipse 201746; EEC) Raoul Björkenheim is a familiar name in the jazz/experimental scene with his fiery guitar playing rooting back to early 80`s. He is best known for multiple bands including Krakatau, Scorch Trio, Ecstasy and the duo Heim(o), also with Heikinheimo on drums. Triad however makes everything bigger, bolder and more experimental. A "spectacular mayhem" of sounds. Ilmari Heikinheimo a is widely recognized drummer collaborating with many household names in the Finnish music scene. Ville Rauhala has performed professionally since 90`s (with Black Motor and many other groups) and his bass playing has a unique touch of soloist and structural elements. Beyond is a strong statement from Triad, a unique musical journey into sounds and textures, bold and raw.
CD $17

LP Section:

PAULINE OLIVEROS - Early Electronic Works 1959-66 (Sub Rosa 460; Belgium) Sub Rosa present a collection of Pauline Oliveros's early material, aptly titled Early Electronic Works 1959-66, released as a part of the label's Early Electronic series. Oliveros was an important American composer, born in Houston, Texas on May 30, 1932; the music she produced in the latter part of her life is akin to the breath of life, notably, through her pieces for accordion (particularly those which she herself performed). In addition to her performances, she also made an impact in the world of contemporary composition through the creation of the Deep Listening Center, her approach to improvisation, and her numerous and varied collaborations including those with John Cage, Morton Subotnick, Terry Riley, Sonic Youth, Erold, and Andrew Deutsch. The music presented here is her early and definitive contribution to the tape and electronic music of the late 1950s and 1960s through her systematic exploration of electronic sounds, which was fundamental during this period. Silver vinyl; Edition of 400.
"My work with electronic music began in 1959. My first tape piece was an ambitious four channel work called Time Perspectives (1959). The piece was made by recording small sounds from objects resonated on a wooden wall and changing the tape speed. I used cardboard tubes as filters by inserting the microphone into the tube and recording sources through the tubes. I used my bath tub as a reverberation chamber." - Pauline Oliveros
2 LP Set $24


MILES DAVIS - Lift To The Scaffold (Wax Love 82099; Italy) Wax Love present a reissue of Miles Davis's soundtrack for the 1958 film Lift To The Scaffold, originally released in 1958. The film, directed by Louis Malle, is in known as Elevator To The Gallows in the USA. Lift To The Scaffold or, in the original French title, Ascenseur Pour L'échafaud, is a brilliant film noir from 1958 that helped to establish the nouvelle vague and the new modern cinema scenes. No less brilliant is the score, composed by Miles Davis and featuring mostly French musicians, including the great Barney Wilen on tenor saxophone, as well as Kenny Clarke on drums, this is some of the most lonesome and morose music Davis recorded in his career. Perfectly matching the stark, dangerous, and grim moods of the film, this is a truly amazing score by one of the biggest names in jazz music history.
LP $17


MILES DAVIS - At Newport 1958 (Wax Love 82101; Italy) Wax Love present a reissue of Miles Davis's At Newport 1958, originally released in 1958. Featuring the majority of the band that would, a year later, release the absolute pinnacle of modal jazz, Kind Of Blue (RUM 2011129LP), Davis brought his group to the Newport festival in 1958 for a brilliant performance. Though the group doesn't play any songs from that record, instead focusing on classics like "Straight No Chaser" and "Bye Bye Blackbird", one can hear the whispers of that LP. Essential live jazz from the greatest trumpet player of all time.
LP $17


CHARLES MINGUS - The Complete Sessions of The Clown (Wax Love 82103; Italy) Wax Love present the complete sessions Charles Mingus's The Clown, originally released in 1957. Featuring two more tracks than the original release of The Clown this is the complete sessions Mingus recorded from February to March 1957. Including the original version of one of his most well-known tracks, "Haitian Fight Song", The Clown is a great album that is one of the earliest Mingus releases to show his compositional excellence as well as his stretched-out and complex sound. Another essential Mingus title on Wax Love.
LP $17


NINA SIMONE - The Amazing Nina Simone (Wax Love 82095; Italy) Wax Love present a reissue of The Amazing Nina Simone, originally released in 1959. Nina Simone's second LP, The Amazing Nina Simone, was her first for the Colpix label who would release most of her early material. A collection of blues, jazz, gospel, and folk music, mostly made up of standards and traditional tunes and favoring string arrangements to the piano work Simone is most known for, The Amazing Nina Simone is a beautiful and unique album when compared to the rest of her body of work. Showcasing her beautiful voice on legendary songs like "Willow Weep For Me" and the Rodgers/Hammerstein standard "It Might As Well Be Spring", this is a gorgeous album from one of the most powerful and idiosyncratic performers of the mid-20th century.
LP $17


KOSMOSE - First Time Out (Sub Rosa 437; Belgium) “Something undoubtedly cosmic but with a DIY, home-made edge: a cosmos for sure, but dirtier than clean, noisier than technology-based. All songs are unreleased. Recorded and mixed in March 1975. After some years rather cosmic and raga-esque music, Kosmose slowly began to explore some more experimental and noisy sonic expression. At the time, the band only owned a few instruments and sound effects and, no drummer. They used to play long tracks in order to follow the trend of the alternative music of the period -- remember, this was 1975. The event was a total spectacle with an inventive light-show including a stroboscope and a frantic projection of strange abstract slides on a giant screen by Freddy Pourcel. Some incense was burnt time-to-time. Personnel: Alain Neffe - monophonic synthesizer, flute, primitive rhythm box, bell, clumsy voice, tarang; Francis Pourcel - bass, bass with violin bow, electric guitar; Daniel Malempré (aka MAL) - electric guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar.”
LP $17

ORQUESTA DE LAS NUBES - The Order Of Change (Music from Memory 033; Netherlands) The subject of Music From Memory's compilation here focuses on Suso Saiz's output as part of the group Orquesta De Las Nubes, formed by Suso Saiz and percussionist Pedro Estevan when the two met whilst studying a course on "Techniques of Contemporary Composition" in Madrid. Following on from a retrospective compilation of solo work and an album of recent work in 2016, Music From Memory continue to explore the work of Spanish ambient and experimental pioneer Suso Saiz. Sharing a curiosity for American minimalist and non-western music, the pair began to share music through many listening sessions, during which the idea slowly evolved to try and make music together. Pedro's partner at the time, soprano singer María Villa, would later join the two on vocals. With Suso's sparse use of guitar loops, synthesizers, and drum computers in combination with the hypnotic percussion of Pedro Estevan and the wordless drifting vocals of María Villa, Orquesta De La Nubes would evolve as a group with a truly unique musical language; an ethereal and almost otherworldly musical realm. Developing at first as a live act, through a number of performances in Madrid and beyond, Orquesta De Las Nubes was very much connected with, and inspired by, the avant-garde arts scene in Madrid at the time. Throughout their shows, a close circle of friends, including a number of painters, sculptors, and designers, would collaborate with the trio to create unique imagery and elaborate stage sets for the group's performances. Yet, despite the growing fascination surrounding Orquesta De Las Nubes' live performances, the trio would however find it extremely difficult to find a label willing to release their music on record. The group's then manager Silvia Lovosevic therefore decided to set up her own label Linterna Música in order to make the work available. The group would release three albums between 1983-1987, two on the Linterna Musica label as well as an album and CD compilation of live tracks on the cult Spanish label Grabacionnes Accidentales. Between this period, the trio would also team up with American percussionist Glen Velez to record as the group Musica Esporadica; a one-off project in which they recorded a single album of the same name in 1985.
LP $25

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

THE STONE RESIDENCIES / MICHAEL ATTIAS / JULY 31–AUG 4

8/3 Friday
8:30 pm - KID ORCHID - Michaël Attias (alto sax) Ralph Alessi (trumpet) Jacob Sacks (piano) Sean Conly (bass) Mark Ferber (drums)

8/4 Saturday
8:30 pm - NUMBERS - Michaël Attias (sax) Tony Malaby (sax) Ralph Alessi (trumpet) Ben Gerstein (trombone, etc) Kris Davis (piano) Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello) John Hébert (bass) Satoshi Takeishi (percussion) Eric McPherson

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - NICOLE MITCHELL - AUG 7–11

8/7 Tuesday
8:30 pm - Cory Smythe (piano) Nicole Mitchell (flutes)
Compositions for flute and piano by Nicole Mitchell

8/8 Wednesday
8:30 pm - Chemistry - Val-Inc (electronics/perc) Imani Uzuri (vocals) Nicole Mitchell (flute/electronics)

8/9 Thursday
8:30 pm - Quartet - Maria Grand (sax) Emma Dayhuff (bass) Shirazette Tinnin (drums) Nicole Mitchell (flute)

8/10 Friday
8:30 pm - Nicole Mitchell (flute) and Robert Dick (flute)

8/11 Saturday
8:30 pm - Xenogenesis Suite: A Tribute to Octavia Butler - Fay Victor (vocals) Darius Jones (tenor sax) Ken Filiano (bass) Angelica Sanchez (piano) Marika Hughes (cello) Pheeroan Aklaff (drums) Nicole Mitchell (flute)

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.
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 Aug 03
6:00PM KAREN AND NORBERT STACHEL & LEHCATS - Norbert Stachel, saxes, flute; Karen Stachel, flutes, vocals; Edsel Gomez, piano; Lonnie Plaxico, bass; Dan Gonzalez, drums; Renato Thoms, percussion; Dave Solomon, guitar
8:30PM IJS FESTIVAL: OR BAREKET TRIO - Nitai Hershkovits, piano; Or Bareket, bass; Kush Abadey, drums
10:00PM IJS FESTIVAL: NADAV REMEZ ORGAN TRIO - Nadav Remez, guitar; Gary Versace, organ; Colin Stranahan, drums

Saturday Aug 04
8:30PM IJS FESTIVAL: ITAI KRISS TELAVANA - Itai Kriss, flute; Cesar Orozco, piano; Rafi Malkiel, trombone; Tamir Shmerling, bass; Ofri Nehemia, drums; Marcos Lopez, percussion; Malaya, voice
9:00PM & 10:30PM IJS FESTIVAL: HADAR NOIBERG - CESAR GARABINI DUET - Hadar Noiberg, flute, alto flute; Cesar Garabini, 7 string guitar

Sunday Aug 05
6:00PM SUMMER SOIRÉE IN THE VILLAGE - Barbara Haimowitz, vocals, piano; Giacomo Merega, bass guitar; Ben Pinnola, alto/tenor sax
8:01PM DJANGO FESTIVAL: GONZALO BERGARA ACOUSTIC TRIO - Gonzalo Bergara, guitar; Max O'Rourke, guitar; PJ Wyderka, bass

Mon Aug 6th:
8:01PM DJANGO FESTIVAL: OLLI SOIKKELI, HENRY ACKER DUO - Olli Soikkeli, guitar; Henry Acker, guitar

Tuesday Aug 07
6:00PM JAVIER ROSARIO TRIO - Javier Rosario, guitar; Akos Forgacs, bass; Zak King, drums
8:00PM DJANGO FESTIVAL: DALLAS VIETTY QUARTET - Dallas Vietty, accordion; Bryce Milano, mandolin; Olli Soikkeli, guitar; Elias Bailey, bass
9:30PM DJANGO FESTIVAL: THOR JENSEN TRIO - Thor Jensen, guitar; Josh Kaye, guitar; Ari Folman-Cohen, bass

Wednesday Aug 08
8:00PM DESMOND WHITE QUARTET - Hugh Stuckey, guitar; Desmond White, bass; Mark Whitfield Jr., drums
9:30PM THE BROTHERS GARABEDIAN - Noah Garabedian, bass; Raffi Garabedian, tenor sax; Carmen Staaf, piano; Jimmy MacBride, drums

Thursday Aug 09
8:01PM GUITAR FESTIVAL: JEFF MILES QUINTET - Jeff Miles, guitar; Nir Felder, guitar; Zach Lapidus, piano; Rick Rosato, bass; Ken Salters, drums

Friday, Aug 10:
6:00PM JUANMA TRUJILLO QUARTET LIVE - Juanma Trujillo, guitar; Kevin Sun, saxophone; Andrew Schiller, bass; Matt Honor, drums
8:35PM GUITAR FESTIVAL: BEN MONDER QUARTET - Ben Monder, guitar; Chris Cheek, tenor sax; Carmen Rothwell, bass; Mark Ferber, drums

Saturday Aug 11
8:35PM GUITAR FESTIVAL: GILAD HEKSELMAN, CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT DUO
Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Cecile McLorin Salvant, voice

Sunday Aug 12
6:00PM TAMUZ NISSIM & GEORGE NAZOS - Tamuz Nissim, vocals, piano; George Nazos, guitar
8:01PM BASS FESTIVAL: MATT ARONOFF QUARTET - Jason Rigby, tenor sax; Carmen Staaf, piano; Matt Aronoff, bass; Daniel Dor, drums


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I-Beam Presents:

Wednesday, August 8th 8:00 PM
Kitamura / Reid / Bynum / Morris Brian Drye
Kyoko Kitamura – Voice
Tomeka Reid – Cello
Taylor Ho Bynum – Cornet
Joe Morris – Guitar
9:30 pm
Brian Drye TBA

Friday, August 17th 8:30 PM
The Out Louds
Tomas Fujiwara – Drums
Ben Goldberg – Clarinet
Mary Halvorson – Guitar

Saturday, August 18th 9:00 PM
Novoa / Noriega / Gress / Rainey
Oscar Noriega, alto saxophone
Eva Novoa, piano
Drew Gress, bass
Tom Rainey, drums

Friday, August 24th 8:00 PM
Innocent When You Dream & Weird Turn Pro
8:00 pm - Innocent When You Dream
Aaron Shragge – dragon mouth trumpet/shakuhachi
Ryan Anselmi -tenor sax
Nico Soffiato -guitar
Alexi David -bass
Deric Dickens -drums
9:30pm - Weird Turn Pro
Chris Klaxton – trumpet
Matt Langley – bass clarinet
Chris Gagne – trombone
Mike Effenberger- piano
Rob Gerry – bass
Mike Walsh – percussion

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 August 6th

:
7pm Drew Wesely - guitar 
Eli Wallace - piano
, Ben Cohen - saxophone
, Nick Dunston - bass


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


9pm David Leon - alto saxophone
Chris Pitsiokos - alto saxophone, 
Asher Kurtz - guitar


9:45pm Nick Fraser: drums, compositions, 
Tony Malaby: saxophones
, Kenny Warren: trumpet
Brandon Lopez: bass


10:45pm Andrew Lamb - tenor saxophone/flute
Tom Abbs - bass
Marvin Bugalu Smith - drums

11:30pm  Adam Caine - guitar
Daniel Carter - woodwinds

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