Indian Summer in NY brings new discs from: Emanem: John Butcher, Elliott Sharp & Charlotte Hug, Trio of Uncertainty (Veryan Weston, Hannah Marshall & Satoko Fukuda), New Kevin Ayers CD, Thurston Moore, Sir Richard Bishop, Nick Didkovsky, Jessica Pavone & Till By Turning, Aaron Seigel Ensemble,

David Rosenboom, Lasse Marhaug & Paal Nilssen-Love, Trey Gunn's Quodia, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Player Piano Compilation, Steve Reich, Vic Chestnutt, Joachim Kuhn/Majid Bessak/Raymon Lopez, Zakir Hussain, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock's Joni Tribute, No Neck Blues Band,

Incredible Archival Gems from: Mike King's New Reel Recordings w/ Kevin Ayers Live in 1970, Pam & Gary Windo, Ray Russell Unit, Gerry Fitzgerald & Lol Coxhill + Ken Hyder's Talisker, 2 from King Crimson & Mahavishnu Orchestra DVD Set, Fred Katz' "Folk Songs for Far Out Folk" + Four Classic Gems from Hatology: Anthony Braxton Quartet, Oliver Lake Trio, Mike Westbrook Orchestra & Hans Kennel!



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Friends of Bang present
We Take Care of Our Own
A Benefit for Billy Bang

3 Phenomenal Bands:
Other Dimensions in Music: Roy Campbell, Daniel Carter, William Parker, Charles Downs Aftermath Band: Ted Daniel, Andrew Bemkey, Todd Nicholson, Newman Taylor-Baker Commitment: Jason Kao Hwang, Sabir Mateen, Henry Warner, William Parker, Zen Matsuura

Sunday, September 30, 7 pm - Admission: $25

at Ariane and Alain Kirili's
17 White Street (bet. Ave of Americas & Broadway), NY, NY

New York, NY - On August 7, violinist Billy Bang received a much-needed hip replacement surgery at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, NJ (thanks to the Jazz Foundation of America for making the procedure possible). Billy is recovering nicely, but he has not been able to work at all for the past few months. He needs to continue to rest and recover for at least another three to four weeks. In an effort to assist him in meeting all of his expenses, his friends have organized a benefit that will include performances by some of the best musicians living in New York.

The benefit will be taking place at the home of sculptor and avantJazz enthusiast Alain Kirili and his wife photographer Ariane Lopez-Huici. Alain Kirili has a history of collaborating with musicians of the avantjazz scene. In fact a Bang solo CD, "Commandment" was recorded during a live performance in Kirili's loft in March of 1997.


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Three New Emanems:

JOHN BUTCHER - The Geometry of Sentiment' (2004/6) (Emanem 4142; UK) John Butcher's latest collection of saxophone solos starts off in a Japanese cavern and ends up in a German gas holder (with even more echo). In between there are performances at 'normal' venues in London and Paris. A couple of tracks use amplification and feedback. 60 minutes.
CD $20

ELLIOTT SHARP & CHARLOTTE HUG - pi:k (2004/5) (Emanem 4143; UK) Two musicians from very different backgrounds finding common ground. The first half consists of studio duets on guitar and viola recorded in New York City without any electronics, but they are not what one would expect from these two instruments. The second half is very different - recorded in concert in Geneva with a liberal amount of electronics. 57 minutes.
CD $20

TRIO OF UNCERTAINTY [VERYAN WESTON/HANNAH MARSHALL/SATOKO FUKUDA] - Unlocked (Emanem 4141; UK) Featuring Veryan Weston - piano, Hannah Marshall - cello) & Satoko Fukuda - violin. A leading member of the London improvising scene teams up with two very talented newer members, both of who come from 'classical' backgrounds. The result is improvised chamber music of the highest order, with no sign of any uncertainty. 61 minutes.
CD $20


LASSE MARHAUG & PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - Stalk (PNL 01; EEC) Marhaug and Nilssen-Love create a phantasmagoria of sounds as diverse as the films they named the tracks after. With tracks titled "Paranoia Agent" (Japanese animation), "Satanico Pandemonium" (B-grade Euro horror), "The Last Exile" (Japanese animation), "Tenebrae" (named after one of the films by Dario Argento, the master of horror), "The Lodger" (presumably the Hitchcock film), and "I Will Walk Like Crazy Horse" (French art house film) one can only assume that cinematic references the titles allude to had a profound influence on their compositions. Even the disc is named after Tarkovsky film! From free jazz freakouts, to wall of noise, to sparse electronic interplay Marhaug & Nilssen-Love use everything they have at their disposal to create a soundtrack unlike no other. As an added bonus, "Stalker" is graced by the presence of special guest Hild Sofie Tafjord (Fe-mail, Spunk) who also recorded and mastered this disc. This cd is definitely worth checking out as well as the films mentioned. - Chuck Bettis / DMG
CD $16

and this with full info & review from last week

SCORCH TRIO - Live in Finland [Limited Edition] (SCD 001; USA) Featuring the amazing Raoul Bjorkenheim on electric guitar & electric viola da gimbri, the incredible Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on electric bass & electronics and the colossal Paal Nilssen-Love on drums & percussion. An unbelievably intense Finnish/Norwegian power trio at their best, taken from three dates during their tour of Finland in December of 2006. Edited & mastered by Bob Musso with a great cover by Jeff Schlanger, Music Witness. Clocking in at about 60 minutes.
It begins with eerie guitar drones and spacious percussion, slowly building into a haunting, free space jam. "Roh" features some strange bowed electric viola da gimbri, an instrument custom-made for Raoul. Paal's dynamic percussion is closed mic'd, well-balanced and is blended perfectly with Raoul's simmering gimbri, as the trio builds to an intense, cosmic conclusion and then it glides back down once again. On "Kurnutus", Raoul makes his guitar growl with a wah-wah while Paal plays his propulsive drums and Ingebrigt makes some dark, twisted sounds on his bass with some electronic noises hovering. They eventually evolve into a great rocking groove that is both majestic and orgasmic. Yeah, go ahead and get it on! When they finally hit their stride, it is truly a joyous moment and release of pent-up energy! "Ulvoo" also begins slowly and spaciously and builds to a grand and intense series of waves, higher and higher. The mighty Scorch Trio are about begin their fall European tour and will make it to Japan as well. You don't want to miss them if they come close to your town. Our good friend and guitar god, Raoul Bjorkenheim, has just moved back to Finland, where he has many more opportunities than he did when he lived in NYC. Everyone here at DMG wishes him the best and looks forward to his next venture to our shores. Raoul's incredible set with William Parker and Hamid Drake live at The Stone from last December will be released on DMG/ARC in the next few months. - BLG
CD $16 (Limited fall tour edition of 400, we have just 50 left as of 9/26/07)


New on the Peacock label:

JESSICA PAVONE//TILL BY TURNING QUINTET - Quotidian (Peacock 08; USA) Quotidian is a suite for violin, viola, cello, bassoon, and piano. Composed in four movements: "Hypnopompic", "Post Meridiem", "Weight of Dusk", and "The Darkest Hour", it examines four temporal landmarks that occur within each single day. 'Quotidian' stems from a belief that the shifting balance between light and dark, as well as other environmental changes constantly affect us regardless of how conscious or aware we are of them. Our external environment has a direct effect on our moods and feelings and therefore, in a sense, has ultimate control over all living beings. Jessica Pavone's Quotidian performed by Till By Turning: Erica Dicker - violin, Amy Cimini - viola, Loren Dempster - cello, Katherine Young - bassoon and Emily Manzo - piano.
I was listening to this modest work in the store last night (9/25/07) with Paul Tai from New World Records and we were marveling at the lush beauty and exquisite delicacy of this music. "Hypnopompic" refers to the semiconscious state prior to wakefulness and this section finds the quintet slowly blending their waves cautiously flowing around one another. It sounds and feels like we are floating in the space of a dream world, not knowing what we will encounter. The piece becomes more agitated as we come closer to the wakeful state, closer to the surface of reality. As the piano repeats an abrupt phrase, the strings add layers of counter harmonies, keeping the center somewhat more calm. "Post Meridiem" (or PM) refers to the afternoon and was inspired by a folk songs' simplistic beauty and quintet caress the stark melodies just right. "The Weight of Dusk" deals with when the sun sets and we get home from work. It is even more spare and filled with silence and suspense, like the calm after the storm. "The Darkest Hour" deals with nighttime vibrations and it is more turbulent and quite stirring. For me, it evoked a time when although it is quiet around me, there is a great deal of feelings and thoughts swirling around inside my head. 'Quotidian" is powerful and probing and thoughtfully written and executed. - BLG
CD $12

AARON SEIGEL ENSEMBLE With JESSICA PAVONE/MATT BAUDER - Every Morning, A History (Peacock 09; USA) Brooklyn-based composer /percussionist Aaron Siegel, best known in improvising circles for his work with Anthony Braxton, releases his ensemble's first recording, 'Every Morning, a History.' Joined by Emily Manzo (piano), Matt Bauder (clarinet), Jessica Pavone (viola), Leah Paul (flute) and Sabrina Schroeder (conductor), the recording features two compositions: A Diminished Thing (solo piano) and Every Morning, a History (mixed ensemble). This debut album on Peacock Recordings features Siegel's exploration of transition-less composition. "From a compositional standpoint, transitions pose a troubling dilemma," explains Siegel. "They can be anticipated and are also radically sudden. I wanted to see how eliminating transitional material would affect the listening experience."
This disc contains two side-long pieces, "A Diminished Thing" and "Every Morning, A History". "A Diminished Thing" was inspired by the forests of Vermont, where Aaron was living at the time he composed this piece. This piece seems to evolve in fragments or spurts, with different combinations of players constant shifting and playing angular harmonies. There is well-selected blend of short drones and odd fragmented activity. It seems to make sense in a way that is somewhat inexplicable. The title piece consists of dozens of short phrases composed two seasons. It moves quickly, developing various threads simultaneously and restlessly explores shifting patterns throughout its 18 &1/2 minute length. Numerous themes are explored and then abandoned, yet it seems to flow together in a way that feels logical and connected. There is a haunting and slightly disconcerting vibe going on here like things are in flux and we are not sure what will come up next. - BLG
CD $12



A New Kevin Ayers album - Rejoice!

KEVIN AYERS With HUGH HOPPER/PHIL MANZANERA - The Unfairground (Tuition; EEC) Almost two years in the making from New York City to Tucson Az to London to Glasgow [and 15 years since his last studio album], here is Kevin Ayers' long awaited new 2007 album from the pioneer of the British Psychedelic scene. On this long-awaited release, Ayers is helped by long time musician and close friend Hugh Hopper from Ayers' Soft Machine days, Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music, as well as being accompanied by artists he inspired like Teenage Fanclub, Ladybug Transistor, Candie Payne and Euros Childs . Word is that this is Kevin Ayers' best effort in many years and we Canterbury fan-addicts can't wait to hear this supposed gem. Also, the latest disc from Robert Wyatt is also due out very soon and is even more eagerly awaited. Could we be any happier?!?
CD $22

..and, The Debut of Mike King's 'Reel Recordings' label!

KEVIN AYERS AND THE WHOLE WORLD With MIKE OLDFIELD/LOL COXHILL /DAVID BEDFORD/ROBERT WYATT - Hyde Park Free Concert 1970 (Reel Recordings 02; Canada) Kevin Ayers: define as you please, the songs, the singer. The Whole World: organist David Bedford, saxophonist Lol Coxhill, bassist Mike Oldfield, and on this occasion, drummer Robert Wyatt. Whilst the BBC sessions broadcast other sides of the Whole World that produced their classic Shooting at the Moon album, this summer 1970 Hyde Park Free Concert recording brings to life a deliriously heavy, heady rock experience in overdrive! How else to handle Kevin's Soft Machine classics Did It Again and Why Are We Sleeping. Arguably, few other groups from this era offered such eclectic musical experiences and personalities, occasioned by legendary lapses of public professionalism. Restored as fully as possible from a two track copy, Hyde Park Free Concert 1970 is presented with the fond endorsement of a former festival Jester. "That was a happy band!" - Robert Wyatt 2007
CD $16

PAM & GARY WINDO With HARRY MILLER/LOUIS MOHOLO/FRANK PERRY - Avant-Gardeners (Reel Recordings 01; Canada) Pam and Gary Windo were coupled in spirit with a private passion for the musical road less traveled. During their marriage, Gary taught Pam how to approach the piano as an "expressive extension of life", the aesthetic which informed his mastery of the tenor saxophone. Their mutual support flowered into numerous compositions for various recording projects, while journeys into the realm of free improvisation remained private. In 1976 an opportunity to perform at the Maidstone College of Art as a duo allowed them to bring along the rhythm section from the Brotherhood of Breath, bassist Harry Miller and drummer Louis Moholo for a set. Gary captured this concert by placing on stage a consumer reel-to-reel tape recorder and stereo microphone. In addition, an extraordinary private home session with the magnificent percussionist from Ovary Lodge, Frank Perry, was recorded. Reel Recordings has meticulously remastered and edited forty minutes of explosive and exploratory episodes of moments frozen in time. With friends in tow, the extant recordings of Gary and Pam Windo soaring in improvisational flight, with gale force winds in their slipstream can now be experienced. Avant Gardeners is a vital, visceral listen rooted in love and passion.
CD $16

RAY RUSSELL With HARRY BECKETT/GARY WINDO/DARYL RUNSWICK /ALAN RUSHTON - Secret Asylum (Reel Recordings 05; Canada) Ray Russell is a composer whose wild explorations and sonic extensions of the electrified guitar set him aside from the famed British guitar heroes of the late sixties and seventies. Ray's Rhythm and Blues roots with The John Barry Seven, Georgie Fame, Graham Bond Organisation were set aside by the urgent call of the free jazz movement, and a succession of classic recordings (Turn Circle, Dragon Hill, Rites & Rituals, Live at the ICA, The Running Man) gave rise to his most challenging and ultimately rewarding suite of spectral sounds, the magnificent Secret Asylum. As always, percussionist Alan Rushton batters beyond belief alongside the darting double bass of Daryl Runswick, with Harry Beckett playing inimitable figurines from his flugelhorn. The Quintet is finalized by tenor titan Gary Windo who gives the last word in whirlwind intensity. Throughout the journey Secret Asylum presents sonic caresses and searing assaults from all its featured participants, and its success has yet to be equaled. Ray Russell has since closed the doors of his Asylum times and has enjoyed a successful career with many related and unrelated musics, however decades later Ray looks back with affection for what can now be looked forward to with open ears, his Secret Asylum.
CD $16

GERRY F FITZ-GERALD & LOL COXHILL - Echoes of Duneden: Three Fairy Dance Duets For Electric Gutar & Soprano Saxophone (Reel Recordings 03; Canada) Gerry F. Fitz-Gerald is a Scottish born guitarist, possessed with kaleidoscopic imagination and commanding ability for improvisational music conversation. Lol Coxhill is a British legend, internationally recognized for his inimitable soprano saxophone sounds and situational performance art. Gerry's discography rests with his psychedelic rock masterpiece Mouseproof, a contribution for Guitar Solos II album (with Fred Frith, Derek Bailey, Hans Reichel), and Coxhill's Fleas in Custard record, while Lol's catalogue is now a published book. In 1975 the duo resided with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, welcoming unsuspecting audiences for "An Evening of Improvised Music and Confused Humor". The concerts were beautifully recorded, and Gerry edited the many hours of music at Tom Newman's barge studio, only to have the resulting program shelved by Virgin Records. These master tapes present Lol's soprano saxophone and Gerry's electric guitar with great accuracy and presence. This is eccentric music making, presented as Three Fairy Dances, brimming with buoyancy and painted with cohesive sound colours. Echoes of Duneden invites an intimate experience to the open hearted listener.
CD $16

KEN HYDER'S TALISKER - Dreaming of Glenisla (Reel Recordings 04; Canada) Davie Webster alto sax, John Rangecroft tenro sax and clarinet, Lindsay L Cooper and Marc Meggido basses, Ken Hyder drums and comps. Drummer Ken Hyder left his Dundee, Scotland home during the summer of 1970 headed for the London jazz scene, where he quickly found himself replacing Robert Wyatt on the vacated throne of Mal Dean's Amazing Band. Study with John Stevens led to his playing with numerous different cutting-edge musicians at John's Little Theater Club, which was the center of new music in the 1970's. Soon Hyder founded his own band, Talisker, focusing on spontaneously improvised music and traditional Scottish folk music, with both aesthetics being mutually informed. The instrumentation driven by Ken was unique: paired double bass and paired reeds (alto, tenor, clarinets) with voices and whistles. In 1975 Talisker recorded their debut album, the breathtakingly beautiful Dreaming of Glenisla, which was released on the Virgin subsidiary Caroline Records. By turns serene and sensuous, impassioned and celebratory, this magnificent marriage of musical styles ultimately proves seamless. However, Dreaming of Glenisla's success was more than musical; with micro and macro-dynamics gloriously preserved it stands among the finest acoustic recordings of its generation. This long awaited reissue of Ken Hyder's classic album is augmented with previously unreleased studio recordings of his grand quintet, Talisker.
CD $16


Four Hat classics Just Reissued:

ANTHONY BRAXTON With RAY ANDERSON/JOHN LINDBERG/THURMAN BARKER - Performance [Quartet] 1979 (Hatology 610; Switzerland) Originally two-LP set, this is a continuous 71-minute performance by Anthony Braxton's 1979 quartet, a unit that features the leader on alto, clarinets and contrabass clarinet along with the masterful (and sometimes hilarious) trombonist Ray Anderson, bassist John Lindberg and percussionist Thurman Barker. The group interprets seven of Braxton's compositions. Since the Braxton-Anderson musical partnership did not last all that long and resulted in some real fireworks, this twofer is one that Braxton's fans will want to search for. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG
The great advantage of having complete live concerts on record is that we can hear also those intriguing spaces between the compositions: the improvisations which take the group from point A to point B are also the areas in which some of Braxton's most radical notions have first been voiced. As we do see, Performance (Quartet) 1979 is of particular interest in this regard. - Graham Lock
CD $20

OLIVER LAKE TRIO With MICHAEL GREGORY JACKSON/PHEEROAN AkLAFF - Zaki (Hatology 639; Switzerland) 'Zaki' captures the Oliver Lake Trio live at the 1979 Willisau Jazz Festival. Lake was also performing at the festival as a member of the World Saxophone Quartet and was asked to have his trio, which had been performing together for about three years, participate as well. This trio, sans bass, features Michael Gregory Jackson on electric guitar and Pheeroan Aklaff on drums. Throughout the 78 minutes of spontaneous free jazz, many risks are taken, sometimes rewarding, occasionally repetitious.
CD $20

MIKE WESTBROOK ORCHESTRA - On Duke's Birthday (Hatology 635; Switzerland) Recorded live May 12th, 1984 Le Grand Theatre, Maison de la Culture, Amiens
In many ways, this is the most delightful and most confounding of all of Mike Westbrook's recordings. The music here is not Ellington re-arranged or reconceived, it' s not a set of Ellington impressionist sketches, nor is it any attempt to reincarnate or bring back the big band in the postmodern era. What it is, is difficult to say, and why Westbrook titled his record that way is anybody's guess. What can be said about this music is that it is ingenious. Westbrook has written a series of five thematic musical conversations for a large band. All of the individual pieces are highly structured rigid in the way they address and, in Westbrook's work, "interlace the various sections harmonically and melodically, as a way of creating a new harmonic language. But the way this is accomplished is so ingenious in that each tune has very few chord changes to work with. These few changes allow a particular piece, such as the opener, "Checking in at Hotel la Prieure," to flow a series of melodic and rhythmic balances into the harmonic field, ever so slowly -- yet the piece swings like mad -- drop in solos of prescribed length and dynamic and resolve itself with a flying violin, a la Joe Venuti, and the horns carrying the original harmonic statement to a big band rave out. On the title track, which is almost Gil Evanish in its plodding, impressionistic canvas where Georgie Born's cello plays a slow counterpoint to near opaque horns likes as the subtle shaded chord voicings of Mick Goodrick's guitar. "East Stratford Too Doo" echoes thematically Ellington's structure in "Such Sweet Thunder," but not its voicings, harmonics, or dynamics. Westbrook's unfolds more gradually, and stays in the pocket longer with wildly chromatic horn arrangements and a swing-'em-easy drum chart by Toni Marsh. Ultimately, this is one of Westbrook's most accessible records, in that he leaves the vanguard completely out of the mix and moves instead toward opening up diatonic harmony to a set of colors and shades it perhaps hasn't encountered before, and the winner, of course, is the listener -- just take in the rave applause this band gets from the crowd. If you can only have one Mike Westbrook record, let it be this one. -- Thom Jurek
CD $20

HANS KENNEL - Mytha: How It All Started - Alphorn Quartet & Orchestra (Hatology 648; Switzerland) compilation from Hat Art CDs 6110 & 6151.
Mytha in this sense attempted the opposite of a reconstruction of Alpine roots. The energy of the music of this (at times extended) alphorn quartet hasn't diminished since its first CD was released in 1991. Hans Kennel is a leading expert on folk tradition, in particular on that of Central Switzerland. His interest, however, does not stem from ethno-musicological hunting and gathering practices but from a living experience with music, both improvised and other kinds. In his approach, distance and emotion are equally involved. The many English titles are not used to jazz up something old or familiar; on the contrary, they are used to eschew ingratiation, or arrogance that here we have jazz musicians coming to show the Alpine folks what traditional music really sounds like. As for the original titles, they are meant as reverence: for the Muotathal (Muota Valley) Kennel knows like the back of his hand; for Martin Christen, the doyen of the Swiss alphorn Renaissance, who already in the forties of the last century because of his polyphonic experiments had to fight against the narrow-mindedness of the self-appointed guardians of the Holy Grail of Swiss folklore; or for Hans-Jorg Sommer, the most important composer in the field of 'traditional' alphorn playing. You are mistaken if you believe that the traditional alphorn players ignore what Kennel set in motion. It's the national associations that are inflexible, or at least almost immovable, and still regard themselves as the custodians of tradition, of so-called time-honoured, localised customs. - Peter Ruedi
CD $20.



NICK DIDKOVSKY - Ice Cream Time (New World Records 80667; USA) Nick Didkovsky's music reflects current trends and practices including the use of live, interactive computer-assistance, genre jumping, and blurring the distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow. Although the accoutrements of Western tonality are never far off, his musical sensibility allows for some radical departures from the stock-and-trade of tonality. Didkovsky is attracted to the ambiguous boundaries between human-generated and software-generated materials. Ice Cream Time (2003) is a multi-movement piece scored for saxophone quartet, electric guitar, and live electronics. As might be expected, Ice Cream Time embraces, or engages with, a wide range of influences and material contrasts. Nine of the movements feature live sampling by Thomas Dimuzio, whose job was to capture and process the saxophone and guitar sounds in real time, using his Kurzweil K2600RS. Because the unaltered signals are also heard, a rich and subtle texture is produced. Featuring Nick Didkovsky, electric guitar, laptop; Thomas Dimuzio, sampling, live sampling, and processing; ARTE Quartett: Beat Hofstetter, soprano & baritone saxes; Sascha Armbruster, alto & baritone saxes; Andrea Formenti, tenor sax and Beat Kappeler, baritone sax.
CD $15

DAVID ROSENBOOM - Future Travel, And Out Comes the Night Ears (New World Records 80668; USA) Featuring David Rosenboom on Buchla Touche & 300 Series Music Box, piano, violin, percussion and texts. "Future Travel (1981) is a journey in sonic imagery. It is set sometime in the future and its starting point is Earth. The traveler, whose point of view we imagine, is a spirit being, representing the first awareness of a new form of consciousness to which humans have evolved. At an earlier point in the evolution of the Earth human beings had become aware of the unstoppable momentum of the course they had set and the unlikelihood of their surviving. Consequently, attention was turned towards learning to direct the process of their evolution to a new form. This form is a macroscopic one, a large-scale organism, to which all, individual entities of earlier Earthly forms contributed. The first awareness of this new form of existence is beginning now. "And Out Come the Night Ears" (1978) is a solo for piano interfaced with an electronic system developed through a particular improvisation practice that manifests anew in each performance. Because this practice has an identity in my mind associated with specific piano exercises I composed for myself, certain musical materials, particular interactive electronics techniques, and a body of performances, it is as such a piece that is not a piece and I call it a piece. The recording presented here is extracted from an approximately one-hour-long performance given in a concert that was coincident with the rollout of the then new Buchla 300 Electric Music Box. I sometimes think of the piano as if it was an orchestra, and in this rendition, the Buchla 300 provided a means of extending that orchestra." - David Rosenboom
CD $15

STEVE REICH//BILL RYAN GVSU NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE - Music For 18 Musicians [H-SACD] (Innova 678; USA) [This is a Hybrid SACD, which means it is playable on ordinary CD players as well!] "1970s downtown New York City and Steve Reich's brand of minimalism are inextricably linked. That is all about to change. His era-defining opus, 'Music for 18 Musicians,' one of his most enduringly popular works with its creamy orchestration and trippy patterns, has found new roots in the heartland. A band of regular Michigan students and volunteers led by Bill Ryan has devoted the last year to perfecting it; in the process, turning it into something of a lifestyle. This hybrid SACD/CD audiophile, surround recording captures every phrase of the work, as though you were hearing it for the first time in your life, farm-fresh. Engineered by Silas Brown on location at Grand Rapids' Victorian temple to great music, the St. Cecilia's Music Center, the work seems newly-minted for the 21st century.
Walking around Allendale, Michigan, home of the ensemble, where the land is flat, where one can see for miles and miles and miles, and where this view sometimes seems infinite, the music seems written for the location. The piece is huge, monolithic, yet unencumbered by its hour-long frame, by its huge staff of players and interlocking rhythms and melodies. It stretches long and far and encourages deep breathing and space, as does the home of this recording: The GVSU [Grand Valley State University] New Music Ensemble performs 'Music for 18 Musicians' with a spirit and abandon befitting the passion of its composer, inspired by the commitment and experience of its leader, and with the exuberance and vision of its youth. With performances lauded by The New York Times and Bang On a Can marathoners, we now invite you to discover this ensemble, and to rediscover this extraordinary work in its 100% organic glory."
CD $17

KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN - Bass Clarinet & Piano (MDG 6131451; Germany) Performed by Voker Hemken (bass clarinet) and Steffen Schleirmacher). "On his new MDG release, Steffen Schleiermacher pays homage to the great Karlheinz Stockhausen, who will turn eighty next year. This pianist specializing in modern music offers new interpretations of Stockhausen's 'Klavierstuck IX,' the most frequently performed work of modern piano music, as well as of 'Tierkreis', together with the clarinetist Volker Hemken. For Stockhausen, the piano was made for experimentation, and it was for this instrument that he wrote his serial compositions. In the transition between extremes and the mediation of them, 'Klavierstuck IX' nevertheless makes a very strong impression."
CD $17

PLAYER PIANO 4 [V.A.] - Piano Music Without Limits (MDG 6451404; Germany) Original compositions for player piano from the 1920s. Features works by Stravinsky, Hindemith, Haass, Toch, Munch, Lopatnikoff, Casella, Malipiero, Duchamp, Antheil. Furious glissandi, monumental chords, breathtaking velocities, most highly complicated rhythms compounded by multilayered meters, note cascades of hurricane force together with puffy little musical clouds innocently drifting by the dawn of the 20th century brought with it the fully automatic player piano and revolutionized the keyboard world."
CD $17

MARIO BERTONCINI - Arpe Eolie and Other Useless Things [Book + CD] (Die Schachtel 15; Italy) Deluxe silver CD box, silver-foil design complete with a 31-page booklet in Italian and English. English/Italian 196-pages book, 26 black and white photos, matte white cardboard cover with flaps, silver design. "One of the most adventurous composers and performers of the Italian avant garde scene, member of the Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, great performer of the music of John Cage, Bertoncini started in the early '70s to design and build incredibly complex and visually fascinating 'sound sculptures' based on the aeolian sound principle. Amongst his more spectacular installations there were 'Vele,' a massive Aeolian harp (more than 7 meters high); 'Venti' (winds), for 20 Aeolian sound generators and 40 performers; and 'Chanson pour Instruments - Vent,' an assemblage for Aeolian harps, Aeolian gongs, and one performer. His self-built harps and gongs are excited by blows of compressed air, or by the composer's own breath, and the resulting sound is amplified through contact microphones. If at superficial levels they may sound like electronic music (long drones and swooshes of otherwordly sounds), at a close listening they reveal the intensity of a the pure and analogic sound of air, far removed from both any artificial or measurable principle as well as from any casual or chance method of composition, In fact, all the pieces are carefully composed and even notated. The CD presents the complete series of his works for Aeolian harps, from 1973 to more recent days. The accompanying 196-page book, in both English and Italian and rich with photos, is a rather profound dissertation on the Aeolian harps, their generation and meaning, as well as on experimental sound and avant-garde music in general. Written by the composer in the form of a Platonic dialog (between an old and rather bitter master and his young enthusiastic pupil), the book not only conveys a wealth of information on its subject matter, but it also renders perfectly the voice full of wit of one of the most personal and uncompromising composers of the present times."
BOOK + CD $46

YURI KALENDAREV - Sound Sculptures CD (Die Schachtel ART04; Italy) "Bronze silkscreened custom designed heavy natural cardboard digipak, complete with booklet in Italian and English. 300 hand-numbered copies. Yuri Kalendarev belongs to the generation of Russian underground 'non-conformist' artists -- the dissidents of the '70s. He has been working for 30 years with different media such as granite sculpture, land art and light. He came upon the sonic possibilities of his work while exploring the intersection of sculpture and sound vibrations. His 'Sound Plates' are forged with hammers and fire out of acoustic bronze compounds. They are designed to generate a large range of frequency oscillations, from massive low-frequency drones to deep percussive sounds that allow multiple interactions with the listener's inner being. In redefining the concept of sculpture in pure sound terms, the work of Yuri Kalendarev aims to explore a new aural experience beyond the act of listening, an investigation into the realm of 'pure acoustics.' The performances captured on this CD represent the crystallization of the physicality of Kalendarev's sound sculptures, his attitude to rhythm, and his ability to create an atmosphere of deep concentration, silent communion, and mystery." CD $25

BEN BARUCH - The Complete Recordings 1949-50 [2 CD Set] (Sub Rosa 255; Belgium) This box set reissues the complete recordings of legendary Brussels-based Jewish cantor, Yitshak Jacques Zaludkowski (Ben Baruch), originally published on 78 rpm picture discs by Saturne in 1950. Nine discs were recorded under Rene Cloerec's direction, the other two under Leon Algazi's. Also included are "Yehi Rotson" and "Shabes Baym Shalesh-Shudes," two songs found on a non-picture disc record released by Le Disque Folklorique Yiddish. This singer's repertoire is diversified: synagogal-like religious songs in Hebrew, Yiddish songs, songs about religious topics in Hebrew or Yiddish and songs in Hebrew about the inception of the State of Israel. Haunting, ancient and mesmerizing.
2 CD Set $17



QUODIA [TREY GUNN/JOE MENDELSON With MATT CHAMBERLAIN/PAT MASTELOTTO/MICHELE KINNEY] - The Arrow: A Story In Seven Parts [CD + DVD] (7D Media 0701; USA) Quodia, featuring Trey Gunn & Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) and Joe Mendelson (Rise Robots Rise & Fibre) "is a synthesis of music, theater, video art, and animation; a psychedelic contemporary parable." - BBC Moscow. Using video projection and live instruments (including 10 string touch guitar, keyboards, and electronic percussion) Quodia creates an experience that is part movie, part theatre, and part concert.
Quodia has toured in Russia, Norway, Spain, Italy, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and the USA. Each Quodia show is a little different, with improvisationas built into the score and performance adaptations to the given space and the particular audience. The new double-disc CD/DVD, "The Arrow", is divided into seven chapters. The CD contains the full piece in audio form, while the DVD adds the visual aspects of the story along with an innovative approach to sound placement in the 5.1 suround sound mixes. In addition, the DVD included a children's audio commentary track (which is a fascinating perspective on the piqued imaginations of our youth when fertilized by modern/ancient storytelling) and special performance-only videos of the "Water Woman" story told in Russian by Regina Spector and in Spanish by Nadia Velencia Mazuela. The Arrow weaves an intricate tale with myth-like characters who seem to exist outside of time: A boy who finds a gold hand, a woman who consumes water to her own undoing, a dark presence that builds sculptures in the forest, six plotting birds...
"Many moons ago, I had the good fortune to check a couple of lesser-known downtown bands that both knocked my out. One was called Fibre and the other was Rise Robots Rise and both were led by Joe Mendelson, both containing some of the same folks, yet they were very different. Fibre recorded two discs (one for Tone Casualties), wore strange costumes and masks live and were rather Residents-like in a few different ways. They played with Dr. Nerve at an early DMG anniversary party and were fascinating muscially and visually. Rise Robots Rise were an amazing sort-of P-Funk meets Zappa group that made two great discs (one for TVT) and were also immensely fun live and most creative in the studio. I had not heard from Joe Mendelson since and was pleased to see his name on this disc more than a decade later. 'The Arrow' is a spoken word tale based on a story by Geronimo. Trey Gunn's voice tells the tale with help from the treated voice of Joe Mendelson. Ms. Azam Ali spins her exotic voice on one track, with three other vocalists on a few other tracks. The story is an ancient Native American tale that resounds within and is of mythic vision. The tribal percussion, music and sampled sounds work perfectly with the words, reminding me of Peter Gabriel's 'Security' album at times [or his concept story album OVO]. The upper register of Trey's bass/guitar combo instrument, the Warr Guitar, weighs in with some Frippish guitar lines and the disc is consistently enchanting. I haven't watched the DVD yet, but I would imagine at it is even better with the visual presentation added." - BLG
CD + DVD set for $20


A new Crimson Club disc!

KING CRIMSON [ROBERT FRIPP/MEL COLLINS/BOZ BURRELL/IAN WALLACE /PETER SINFIELD] - Live In Denver 1972 (DGM KCCC 35; USA) The 35th Collectors' Club release (May 2007). Live at The Soundtrack, March 13th 1972, the day after the Summit Studio broadcast (found on Club 9). Featuring Robert Fripp - Guitar, Mellotron, Mel Collins - Sax, Flute, Mellotron, Boz Burrell - Bass Guitar, Lead Vocal, Ian Wallace - Drums, Backing Vocal [A note to the suspicious: This disc is legitimate DGM [Fripp's label] product, not the Russian counterfeit copies that are found on eBay and elsewhere!]
CD $16

And finally back in printÉ

KING CRIMSON [ROBERT FRIPP/BILL BRUFORD/ADRIAN BELEW/TONY LEVIN] - Absent Lovers: Live In Montreal 1984 [2 CD Set] (DGM 9804; USA) A complete set taken from the final shows of the 1981-84 King Crimson (Robert Fripp/Bill Bruford/Adrian Belew/Tony Levin) at Le Spectrum in Montreal, the last stop of the last tour of this lineup, parts of which were originally broadcast [albeit as mixed by Bill Bruford instead of as by Robert Fripp on this CD] on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. Every Crimson fan we've talked to at DMG raves about this - stellar performance and recording - except MannyLunch, who thinks he hears the reasons Fripp cancelled the band, put succinctly "sleepwalking superb professionalism devoid of creative chance". But he's the odd-man out.
2 CD Set for $18


MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA [JOHN McLAUGHLIN et al] - Live At Montreaux 1974 & 1984 [2 DVD set] (Eagle; USA) Formed by John McLaughlin in 1971, the Mahavishnu Orchestra pioneered the fusion of jazz elements into rock music while still undeniably retaining the power and muscle of a full on rock band. With McLaughlin as the ever-present, the line-up went through various phases and these two concerts from Montreux showcase the band at distinctively different times of their career, with the seventies show featuring, amongst others in this large lineup, Jean-Luc Ponty on violin, Ralph Armstrong on bass, and Narada Michael Walden on drums, and the eighties concert featuring saxophone maestro Bill Evans and upcoming bass star Jonas Hellborg, along with keyman Mitch Forman and Danny Gottlieb on drums. Visual footage only exists of three tracks - Wings Of Karma, Smile Of The Beyond, and Hymn To Him - from the 1974 show (although this is still over 73 minutes of footage!) but the other tracks exist as audio masters and they have been added as bonus material.
2 DVD set $18


SIR RICHARD [RICK] BISHOP - Polytheistic Fragments (Drag City 349; USA) "It goes without saying that Polytheistic Fragments is an instrumental release -- who among us would want it otherwise? In the tradition of his classic debut, Salvador Kali, this new record features equal amounts of improvisation and composition. Sir Richard's powers lie in his ability to captivate with just the sound of his guitar, but he doesn't completely abandon studio processes, which allow Polytheistic Fragments to communicate a greater wholeness: all Sir Rick, all the time, if you will. We have come to expect a few solo acoustic guitar pieces with the gypsy stylings of his hero, Django Reinhardt -- and as if to tenderize our consciousness and prepare it for the ride, 'Cross My Palm with Silver' meets and exceeds our expectations. 'Rub 'Al Khali' is an ode to the oud, a northern African lute of sorts. On 'Free Masonic Guitar,' Sir Richard manifests free form acoustic playing wholly in his own style. Peppering the mix are the sounds of electric guitar and lap steel guitar, bringing contrast and color. 'Hecate's Dream' is a dreamy praise to a dark Greek Goddess, but 'Tennessee Porch Swing' and 'Canned Goods and Firearms' switch gears to good old down home Americana and country twang. Sir Richard is renowned for his prowess and mastery with the guitar, but the piano playing on Polytheistic Fragments shows a fluid, meditative style. 'Saraswati' is a lengthy river piece bathed in Hindustani serenity, while 'Cemetery Games' is a short celebratory skeletal dance, with more light-heartedness than spook. In a record with so many spirits, Bishop fills in the space where necessary and rounds out the feeling with catchy tunes such as 'Elysium Number Five' and 'Ecstasies in the Open Air.' Polytheistic Fragments shows that the divinely inspired Sir Richard Bishop cannot be contained in one form."
CD $14.


THURSTON MOORE - Trees Outside The Academy (Ecstatic Peace 91; USA) "It's Thurston's first solo outing since 1995's Psychic Hearts. Of course, Thurston's been releasing records here, there and everywhere, mostly in the context of rowdy and rambunctious noise/improv escapades but this new one is killer diller SONGS! Unlike Psychic Hearts' skeletal trio rock, this new jammer, 12 years post, has a far fuller bouquet of sonic depth and proves this Sonic dude to have a very real songwriting life outside of the legendary Sonic Youth (of which he is a founding figure, duh). This newborn disc is 12 songs long. Thurston recorded primarily on acoustic guitar and bass, laying down the core of the tunes with drummer compatriot Sonic Youth's Steve Shelly and violinist Samara Lubelski, a noted player from MV/EE and The Golden Road, Hall of Fame and other awesome gatherings as well as solo artiste. Most of the tunes are lyric driven but there are a couple of majestic instrumentals like 'Trees Outside The Academy,' which brings the album to a musical and breathless close. There's also some weird cassette tape that Thurston found at his mom's of him at 13 years old in the early '70s making some kind of sound-theatre. It's kinda nuts, and it's the last 'hidden' track. Tracks like 'Frozen Gtr,' 'The Shape Is In A Trance,' 'Silver Blue,' 'Never Day' and 'Fri/end' (a theme song to the hippest TV show yet to be broadcast) will lead you in to a sparkling and heavy new world of Thurston's heart, mind and soul."
CD $12

MAGIK MARKERS - Boss (Ecstatic Peace 100; USA) "When confronted with an example of magnificence in nature, such as a waterfall, Jane Goodall reported that the chimpanzees she observed were captivated, as if in awe of the beauty of the world. On BOSS, the Magik Markers have tried to capture the chimps' awe. A formality and restraint the Markers have never exerted on their previously recorded material is present on BOSS. Now the Markers are Jainists, with their mouths masked so as to not inhale even one tiny insect, here pursuing the killer gentle with a vengeance. Recorded in the cavernous dark of Echo Canyon West, with producer Lee Ranaldo working the boards like a diviner, BOSS documents the Markers with a previously unheard fidelity and orchestration. Idiosyncratic song structure and melodies interspersed with a destructive drum stomp are reminiscent of the early electrified blues of Junior Kimbrough, or the black hole rhythms of Kousokuya. Mixing a gentle vulnerability with a winded egomania, the Markers have always had a musical tunnel vision; BOSS is that vision made manifest. The tug of war the Markers enact, the way they are fully prepared to start yanking their world apart as they find themselves losing their place in, makes moot possibilities of greatness or mediocrity. It makes them unapologetic soothsayers with their ears pressed to the ground, waiting for footsteps. With Peter Nolan, we finally hear what Lou Reed would have sounded like had he sallied with the drums instead of getting seduced by the easy praise of front man status. Like Rashid Ali squeezed into the Teutonic leather pants of Faust, Nolan drums like there are hell hounds at his heels but he just can't be bothered. Here both laconic and frenzied, Nolan's drumming arms reach out like an octopus': tickling the ivories, humming the organ and blasting taps on some kind of endtime trumpet. As a pianist, Nolan reminds us that the piano is a percussive, beating out the whoomp of some old war dance, a bare foot-fall rhythm of fighters to battle and the heavy hands of a whiskey burlesque in the afternoon. Nolan is easy to underestimate, but finally, here is high fidelity record of the strange soul of one of America's most natural and quizzical musical minds."
CD $12


NO-NECK BLUES BAND [a/k/a NNCK] - Meets the Clear People with Mystery Gypped: Live at Ken's Electric Lake [2 CD set] (Locust 98; USA) Reissue of this old S@1 48/49 double CD from 1998. "Nearly ten years of swimming up stream through the sonic flotsam & jetsam, the folks have gotten freaky, noise is the 'new noise,' the chin scratchers have joined the metal circus and the No Neck Blues Band remain as relevant today as ever. Their indoor /outdoor audio assaults in upper & lower Manhattan are the stuff of legend but on 1998's Live at Ken's Electric Lake the band took a distinct turn, crossed the Canadian border, hooked up w/ some Sunburned folks and made a sudden diaspora to a rural retreat in the country for a full day's session of acid-head tribal percussion clatter that is utterly different than anything the band had put on the public record up to that time." -Dawson Prater
2 CD Set $20

ETHAN ROSE - Spinning Pieces (Locust 96; USA) "On the heels of last year's celebrated Ceiling Songs debut full length by Portland, Oregon electronic musician Ethan Rose, comes Spinning Pieces - a collation of nearly five years of small edition art object releases produced for Locust music. The aptly-titled collection chronicles one man's obsession with & magical approach to old mechanical noisemakers both big and little - from a carillon in California ('Singing Tower'), to the sounds of old player pianos ('The Dot & The Line') in a dusty Portland piano shop to modified music boxes ('The Miniature & Sea'). Ethan's approach and music exudes a deep compositional sense and inviting warmth that often eludes the cold & foreboding genre of electronic music."
CD $14.

230 DIVISADERO - 230 Divisadero (Locust 96; USA) "The transcontinental duo 230 Divisadero make stately, finely-crafted atmospheric songs that stand outside the bounds of contemporary musical trends. Their self-released languorous drone EP has drawn comparisons to SunnO))) and Nurse With Wound. On their self-titled full length debut, the duo of Britain's Matt Shaw (Tex la Homa) and Monaco's Nick Grey have honed in the wide audio brush strokes of their EP and have produced one of the finest blends of Brian Eno-inspired art song we've heard in years. 230 Divisadero is simultaneously refreshing and reminiscent of classic acts like Talk Talk & New Zealand's sterling & sadly under-recognized act, This Kind of Punishment."
CD $14


VIC CHESTNUTT - North Star Deserter (Constellation 046; Canada) "We have been massive Vic Chesnutt fans for many years. Prior to starting Constellation together in 1997, among the first records we bonded over was Is The Actor Happy, a slab of vinyl played so often (and so often late at night) that its grooves are well chewed. Our friend, Brooklyn-based filmmaker Jem Cohen (Benjamin Smoke, Instrument, Chain), has known Vic for many years. When Jem proposed that Vic make his next album at the Hotel2Tango studio in Montreal, with various Constellation musicians (along with a couple of American friends) as players for the session, we were thrilled. When we heard the results, we were floored. When offered the opportunity to release the record, we were honored. Vic Chesnutt is one of the finest songsmiths we know. His words knock us out, his voice is like no other, and the two combined can deliver lyrical phrases that echo in your brain for weeks, months, years... that you find yourself adding to your quotidian vocabulary of sardonic asides, devastating metaphors, witty rhymes... words that are never clever for their own sake, but smart and substantive as all hell. The songs on North Star Deserter are some of the most bracing and intense we've ever heard from him: macabre and fearless, playful and funny, at times deeply personal and at others, incongruously hopeful." CD $15
Also available as 2LP set for $18

HRSTA - Ghosts Will Come and Kiss Our Eyes (Constellation 048; Canada) "Hrsta (her-shta) is the brainchild of founding Godspeed You! Black Emperor guitarist Mike Moya, who is joined on this third album (the band's second on Constellation) by Brooke Crouser (Jackie-O Motherfucker) on organs, guitars and various effects. Brooke has emerged as the core second member of the band, joining Mike on live dates since 2006, and contributing to composition and arrangement on this new record. The ever-faithful rhythm section of bassist Harris Newman and drummer Eric Craven provide additional backbone on select songs. Ghosts Will Come And Kiss Our Eyes is a collection of gently foreboding psych-folk, anchored as always by Mike's unique guitar sound and otherworldly, cracked vocals (think a sedated Daniel Johnson or Wayne Coyne). With Hammond and pump organs now featured prominently in the mix, much of the new material here sits on a thick, saturated foundation of shifting tones, drones and sustained chordings. Alternating between vocal tunes and instrumentals, the album creaks and cascades through hazed visions of cataclysm and calm, worry and wonder CD $15
Also available as LP for $17

FEU THERESE - Ca Va Cogner (Constellation 049; Canada) "Feu Therese caught spark from the embers of Fly Pan Am's break-up in 2005, when FPA guitarist Jonathan Parant joined forces with longtime collaborators Alex St-Onge (bass, electronics) and Stephen de Oliveira (synths, voice) to form the new group. Painter turned drummer Luc Paradis completed the new line-up. Their debut self-titled album, released on Constellation in spring 2006, expanded on FPA's sonic agenda, while relying more on instrumental juxtapositions - rather than electronic interventions or intentional sabotage at the mixing desk - to hijack the music. The Feu Therese mandate of knitting critical and non-conformist elements right into their song structures, instead of having these 'collide' with the music as if from outside, has reached a new level of bizarre sublimation on their new record."
CD $15


JOACHIM KUHN/MAJID BEKKAS With RAMON LOPEZ - Kalimba (Act 9456; EEC) Featuring Joachim Kuhn on piano & alto sax, Majid Bekkas on gimbri, oud, kalimba & voice and Raymon Lopez on drums. We got this promo in a couple of months ago and we've been playing it pretty consistently. I am a longtime fan of German pianist Joachim Kuhn who recorded a bunch of great diverse discs on the CMP label. I didn't know of Majid Bekkas before this disc, but he is the magical ingredient here. I know of Raymon Lopez from his work on the Leo label with Joelle Leandre & Paul Rogers. There will be a longer review next week when I remember to take the promo home, but I do think that this is a thoroughly enchanting disc and different from anything else I've heard from Mr. Kuhn. - BLG
CD $15


HERBIE HANCOCK With LARRY KLEIN//JONI MITCHELL - River: The Joni Letters (Verve; USA) On 'River: The Joni Letters', the always progressive pianist/composer Herbie Hancock aimed to dissect the lyrics of some of Joni Mitchell's most famous songs. Instead of the instruments accompanying the lyrics, Hancock and project initiator producer/arranger/bassist Larry Klein [who also brought Joni - his ex - into the recording] arranged the music to interpret or express the emotions of the lyrics, all while keeping the melodies Mitchell fans know and love.
CD $17

JONI MITCHELL - Shine (Concord/Hear; USA) Shine may ultimately register as a "fans only" milestone, but it proves that Joni Mitchell retains many of the storied calling cards of her best albums. The searing lyricism of 1971's Blue and the penchant for self-redefinition hailed by 1974's 'Court and Spark' make cameos here, but sadly, lesser efforts' drawbacks abound. True, "Big Yellow Taxi" reprises the environmental dystopia Mitchell first poeticized on 1970's Ladies of the Canyon, but the occasion only prompts new pedantic effrontery ("This Place," "If I Had a Heart"). In this regard, Shine's especially cloying title track marks the worst offender. Blissfully, though, "Hana" boasts a driving rhythm section and blurting squirts of electric guitar and saxophone in support of a compelling character sketch, and "If"--based on Rudyard Kipling's poem of the same name--paints a lyrical message of affirmation in bold strokes. Mitchell's songwriting shines brightest at such singularly poignant moments where specificity of images meets the vagaries of the instrumental arrangements, and, in the end, these and other highlights ("Bad Dreams," "Night of the Iguana") definitively carry the torch. - Jason Kirk, Amazon
CD $17.00


***************


Recent Releases Reviewed by Bruce Lee Gallanter:

SHIBUSA SHIRAZU - Lost Direction (Moers Music 3016; Germany) Featuring Fuwa Daisuke on bass & most compositions, Uchihashi Kazuhisa on guitar, Katayama Hiroaki, Kawaguchi Yoshiyuki & Komori Keko on reeds, Murodate Aya on flute, Kita Yoichiro on trumpet, Takaoka Daisuke on tuba, Shibuya Takeishi & Sasaki Ayako on keyboards and Uemura Masahiro & Sekine Mari on drums & percussion. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this disc since the cover showed a thin waif-like man in whiteface with a flower painted on his forehead and the inside picture of the band playing live shows some women dancers in silver dresses with short blond wigs. The music turns to be fabulous and word is that this large (12 piece) ensemble has some dozen or so other discs out. This disc was recorded live in Tokyo in April of 2002. "Hyottoko" has that Umezu-like klez/rock sound that we love so dear here at DMG. The fat-toned tuba takes a soulful solo with some righteous organ underneath. The horns play that memorable theme with a fine, slightly drunken sounding swagger. "Yukue Shirazu" is nearly 30-minutes long and features some great free yet focused guitar from Uchihashi (from Altered States), electric bass, drums, flute and saxes. The piece is tight yet loose in spirit and builds intensely adding instruments as it evolves. Fuwa's strong electric bass is often at the center of each piece, holding things together. The (Anthony Coleman-like) organ is used selectively throughout and helps establish the great grooves. All three saxes also keep the energy churning, dancing on top of joyous grooves. Guitar wiz, Uchihashi, takes a few slamming solos, but most often provides the needed spice to make things even more jubilant and interesting. When Fuwa change the piece mid-stream, Kazu takes a great Zappa-like guitar solo. There are a number of great charted sections that evolve throughout this long piece that keep everyone on their toes the changes keep things consistently engaging and exciting. On "Hyottoko 3," Fuwa's charts give the horns and guitar some great, challenging parts to play. The layered harmonies and interplay between the guitar, bari sax and organ is something else indeed and closer to progressive/jazz/rock than anything else, with elements of klez/rock and Zappa-like multi-genre insanity thrown in to make things more interesting and unpredictable. Like I said, this entire disc is an unexpected delight. - BLG
CD $20 [only a few left, don't know when/if we'll get more]


WILLIAM HOOKER, EYVIND KANG & BILL HORIST - The Seasons Fire (Important 133; USA) Featuring William Hooker on drums, Eyvind Kang on strings and Bill Horist on guitar. This was recorded live at the Rainbow Room in Seattle, Washington in October of 2001. No doubt longtime DMG listeners know all about drum-master and multi-bandleader William Hooker, as well as the consistently spirited string demon and diverse recording artist, Eyvind Kang. I've only heard guitar explorer and sonic manipulator, Bill Horist, on a handful of recordings through the years, but I did have a chance to check our Horist live at The Stone earlier this year when Trey Spruance was the curator. Horist's distinctive approach to the guitar, bowing in odd places and shoving things between the strings, showed him to have a completely unique and fascinating sound.
This disc captures this great trio just right and was superbly recorded. It begins with some cautious, quieter free-flowing sounds and drones. As William spins his web of sounds on the drums and cymbals, the guitar and violin play eerie electric drones together. There is something quite cosmic in the way that the electric guitar and violin bend their strings into similar tones, swirling together as William spins his fine percussion web below, all three players as one force. The trio often plays calmly, slowly building to an intense whirlwind later on, in this disc. Each piece seems to evolve organically and the trio is well balanced with all three members equally adding to and determining the direction. Eyvind Kang sounds as if he is quoting Rahsaan's "The Inflated Tear", one of the most poignant of all Rahsaan tunes, on "Under the Hammer". It is a touching moment and fits perfectly in the center of the storm that erupts in others sections of this concert. The trio does truly explode on "Baron" which has some incredible wailing wah-wah violin, powerful swirling drums and eerie guitar noise. Is that Eyvind quoting that popular Black Sab riff and does William even know or care? I used to think that most discs/gigs by William Hooker & Co. were mostly in-your-face and over-the-top improv sessions. This is certainly not the case anymore since William always does a great job of directing, balancing and selecting just the special players to do a most focused and musical session. This is a most magical disc, diverse, often laid-back and consistently enchanting. - BLG
CD $14.


PETER VAN HUFFEL QUINTET - Silvester Battlefield (Fresh Sound New Talent 290; Spain) Featuring Peter Van Huffel on alto & soprano saxes & (all but one) compositions, Scott DuBois on guitar, Jesse Stacken on piano, Michael Bates on bass and Jeff Davis on drums. This is former Canadian-based saxist, Peter Van Huffel's second disc and he has brought together an impressive downtown crew. Scott DuBois is one of the best and most adventurous jazz guitarists in NY at present with two superb discs out on Soul Note. Another former Canadian-born musician, Michael Bates also has two fine discs out. Local drum wiz, Jeff Davis, can be heard on both discs by his wife & pianist Kris Davis, as well as with Tony Malaby in Tone Collector and a recent Black Sabbath jazz tribute. I hadn't heard of Jesse Stacken before this, although he wrote the only other song not written by Van Huffel.
"Closed Tight" opens with tight and difficult theme, followed by spirited solos from the piano and tenor sax, What I dig about this piece is the way the rhythm team swings tightly and flexibly as each soloist spins his lines of notes. "Delirium" shows how the piano and guitar swirl together in tight, intricate formation while Huffel sails on top. After a short but inspired bass solo the quintet slows down to a lovely, ballad-like section with sublime piano, guitar and sax interplay that builds to hypnotic dream-like conclusion. Mr. Stacken's one tune is called "Good Mornings" and it features some superb contrabass from Mr. Bates, with a lovely, dreamy melody played exquisitely by the soprano, guitar and piano in a poignant harmony. Although "The Traveler" begins freely and spaciously, it soon hits its stride with a powerful two-handed piano solo and then it concludes with slow, eerie guitar solo. The title piece opens with a great free bowed bass and tenor sax duo, yet then builds into a fast, furious piece the continues to ascend higher and higher until it fades into the sky. What is most interesting is that most of these pieces start one way and then turn into something unexpected. "Luminescence" begins slow and haunting but soon builds into a more intense, free-swinging piece. On the final piece, the dynamic rhythm team flows together in tight waves while Scott takes a great guitar solo that is followed by another spirited tenor solo from Peter. It never to amaze me when an under-recognized gem like this turns out to be one of the year's best. - BLG
CD $15


SATOKO FUJII & NATSUKI TAMURA - In Krakow in November (Not Two 774; Poland) This is a superbly recorded studio date recorded in Poland in November of 2005 featuring Satoko Fujii on piano (3 compositions) and Natsuki Tamura (5 compositions) on trumpet. Although Satoko and Natsuki have some 25 discs that they play together in various groupings, this is only their third disc as a duo. Natsuki wrote 5 of the 8 pieces and there they redo a couple of older pieces. They start with "Strange Village", the title track from their disc under the name of Gato Libre, a quartet where Satoko played accordion instead of piano. The melody reminds me of one of those quirky Brecht pieces with a bit of tango thrown in, a minimum of notes are used, yet the mood is well established. "North Wind" features Natsuki on those lower case breath-like sounds with Satoko rubbing things inside the piano to good effect, dark and spooky and then building to a dark, spooky conclusion. "Morning Mist" is an aptly titled hushed, melancholy piece that is a poignant, ballad-like song. Satoko's "Ninepin" is a lovely song with a majestic melody that the duo plays together exquisitely. Natsuki's "Explorer" is another well-written, difficult piece with some tight sections where the trumpet and piano swirl around one another in tight circles. "Inori" brings this disc to a solemn close with some touching trumpet and stark piano accompaniment. This is another gem from our favorite Japanese couple. - BLG
CD $17


FRANZISKA BAUMANN & MATTHIAS ZIEGLER - Voices & Tides (Leo 495; England) Featuring Franziska Baumann on voice & SensorLab electronics and Matthias Ziegler on various flutes and loops. [You may remember Ms Baumann from a quartet recording she did with Fred Frith, among others] Like the liner notes states, the voice and flute are both ancient instruments that both utilize the voice, breath, air-flow, lips, tongue and oral cavity. For this disc, both the voice and the flutes have been updated with electronic and looped manipulations. We know of master-flutist, Matthias Ziegler, from his work with Mark Dresser, Ned Rothenberg and Peter Schmid. Matthias plays some extraordinary looking flutes like the bass flute and the contrabass flute. Ms. Baumann can be heard on a trio CD ('Potage du Jour') with Christoph Baumann and Jurg Solothurmann, also found on Leo. The (SensorLab) electronics and loops transform the voice and flute into some strange sounds and shapes. This was recorded both live at the Schaffhausen Jazz Festival and in the studio in Zurich. Franziska's warm, enticing and exotic voice works well with Matthias' warm, spacious and enchanting flutes. Both her voice and flutes use some delay devices give both a mysterious, spacey quality and blend/balance between the high notes of the voice and low notes of the flute is especially mesmerizing. The overall vibe is one of an ancient journey of fairytale for the mind, since Franziska's wonderful voice conveys a variety of feelings and communication without using the specifics of words. Matthias also does a wonderful job of extending his vocabulary of flute sounds by manipulating, looping and adding dramatic effects in the right places. - BLG
CD $17


BILL McHENRY With BEN MONDER/REID ANDERSON/PAUL MOTIAN - Roses (Sunnyside 1167; USA) Featuring Bill McHenry on tenor sax, Ben Monder on guitar, Reid Anderson on bass and Paul Motian on drums. Local tenor wonder, Bill McHenry, has been garnering attention for the past few years and for good reason. He has an incredible warm, sturdy tone on tenor and chooses his sidemen wisely, as each of his four fine previous discs show. This is his first session for Sunnyside and he has put together a perfect all-star quartet. Both Paul Motian (120+ discs) and Ben Monder (nearly 50) are masters, leaders, composers and can be heard on dozens of recent discs. Bassist Reid Anderson is of course from the ultra-popular The Bad Plus and also keeps busy with many other projects. Bill composed 7 of the 9 pieces with two group improv pieces. The title tune opens and has a dreamy melody that is played superbly by Bill and Ben on tenor and guitar. It is a most haunting and quietly enchanting work with Paul Motian's ultra subtle drums and Reid's lyrical bass. Monder has a unique distant distorted tone that hovers slyly close to Bill's dreamy tenor. Reid's rich-toned, buzzing bass is at the center of "African Song", which has a sublime folky melody. I like the way Monder's dark tone and somewhat twisted playing adds some turbulence to "The City," while Bill's tenor stirs the calm inside the storm. While Bill plays most lyrically on "The New One", the rest of the quartet swirl around him and add shadows and shades to keep things from being too sunny. Bill writes these pieces that have these sort of sluggish, rhythmic melodies, perfect for a Paul Motian Band disc. Ben Monder gets a few chances to stretch out and take some of his amazing and unpredictable guitar solos. What I like best is when he and Bill solo together and bend their notes magically around one another. These moments make this already fine disc even better than expected. - BLG
CD $16


ACID MOTHERS GURU GURU - Psychedelic Navigaror (Important 160; USA) "Acid Mothers Guru Guru features Mani Neumeier from the legendary and influential German Krautrock group Guru Guru as well as Kawabata Makoto and Atsushi Tsuyama from Japan's holy Acid Mothers Temple. The result is a fiery fantasy filled, loud/soft, colorful trans-generational psychedelic collaboration. The Acid Mothers Guru Guru started in a spontaneous session in March of 2006 in Nagoya, Japan. When the improvisation commenced, the passionate excitement was clear to all in the room and it was then that this special psychedelic trio began. A Japanese tour was planned, an album was recorded and this recording is the fruits of this mutual musical admiration. While all involved will admit that this is a dream collaboration, it was the Acid Mothers Temple guys who were worshipping Guru Guru in their teens. The Acid Mothers Guru Guru is two generations of psychedelic rock joining forces for the 21st century."
While working the door at The Stone last month, Ikue Mori came in with and introduced me to Mani Neumeier, drummer for the legendary Krautrock trio Guru Guru. I was honored to shake his hand, as I am a big fan of Guru Guru. Mani was in town and on tour with a new trio collaboration of AcidMothersGuruGuru. This trio features Kawabata Makoto on guitar & vocals, Atsushi Tsuyama on bass, flute & voice (both from Acid Mothers) and Mani Neumeier on drums & vocals. What amazes me is that the Acid Mothers folks continually find the musical superheroes of their & our youth (Gong & Ruins) to work with. Guru Guru was an amazing rock/prog/jazz el. guitar fronted power trio that made many riveting records from the early 70's onwards. This disc sounds like a continuation of that crazed, intense spirit. This trio rocks hard and Kawabata wails some molten guitar solos. This CD consists of 5 tracks, from 2 to 20 minutes long, clocking in at more than 60 minutes. Mani sings in German and Atsushi sings in Japanese, as well as an invented psychedelic language. This music often has a primal, rockin' throb at its center and would probably sound even better if was stoned out. One toke over the line, sweet Jesus! - BLG
CD $14

PAN-ASIAN ENSEMBLE - Mujou / Live (Leo 493; UK) Featuring Georgy Mnatsakanov & Dmitry Kalinin on shakuhachi & Chinese gong-chimes, Varvara Sidorova, Kakujo Nakagawa & Misako Mimuro on biwas, Pyotr Nikulin on dijeridu and Dmitry Schyolkin on percussion. The Pan-Asian Ensemble formed in 2000 as a collaboration between Russian and Japanese musicians who played traditional instruments in radical ways. This CD consists of three long pieces recorded in Moscow & Japan in 2000 and 2001. The title piece is first and koto, shakuhachi, dijeridu, biwa and gong-chimes. While it seems odd to hear a non-traditional approach to these exotic acoustic instruments, these musicians do a fine job breathing life and adding excitement to this music. The three biwas (a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, similar to the Chinese pipa) sound like sitars with far fewer strings but the notes are often bent into odd, percussive shapes. This music is occasionally violent and quite intense at times. The dijeridu and shakuhachi sound especially well matched, even moreso when the percussion comes in. "Mahakala" is immensely spooky with howling shakuhachis, mysterious throat-singing and suspenseful percussion (gongs?). There is also some scary electronic sounds used as well which are often mind-blowing. The final piece, "Kofuu" is for two biwas and a shakuhachi and is more laid back, but no less mysterious. The biwa and the shakuhachi have similar tones that work so well together and combine their sounds just right. This piece moves more slowly and is a fine way to bring this magical disc to a grand conclusion. - BLG
CD $17

BANZ OESTER - Blosperment Suite / Solo Bass (Leo 496; UK) Mr. Oester plays solo contrabass and can be heard on three other previous Leo discs with Michel Wintsch and Gerry Hemingway. Banz composed all of the pieces on this disc except for a rendition of "Donna Lee" by Charlie Parker. Right from the first piece, "La Plage", Banz sounds as if he is playing some hand percussion along with his plucking of the bass strings. The sound is fascinating, but it doesn't sound as if he is playing an acoustic bass, since the pluckings and percussion are of equal presence in the mix. Perhaps he is banging on the bass strings with a rattle or something similar. "Lovebird" is quite stark and he pluck just a few notes at a time, letting them ring out one at time and then building in tempo and intensity. Banz bangs more quickly on the strings on "Egberto-Maraga", the notes swirling as he weaves an enchanting web of notes. Banz seems to muffling the strings on "Not for Sale", so that each one buzzes, creating a strange yet hypnotic sound. On each piece Mr. Oester creates a slightly different ambience with the way he approaches and plays the bass. Each piece succeeds in different ways, yet his sound throughout remains unique, his own. "Cafe Longtemps" has a fine melodic phrase that he repeats and it soothing in the way that it throbs like a heartbeat. Another in a long line of treasures from the fine folks at the Leo label. - BLG
CD $17

KAORI OSAWA - Aluminum: Solo Piano (Leo 494; UK) I can't say that I had heard of Ms. Osawa before this disc, but it turns out that she studied with Aki Takase in Germany, attended Berklee in Boston and works with Paris-based trumpeter Itaru Oki. Kaori Osawa composed or improvised all of the pieces here except for Monk's "Well You Needn't." She is a most gifted pianist and right from the first piece, "Soda Funk", she is off and exploring some riveting two handed free streams. Her playing is a nonstop display of various traditions and forms, from free, in and out, spacious, elegant, abrupt, intense, dramatic. She will take a phrase and then explore it by turning it inside out and upside down. Her playing is often forceful yet there is a clarity in what she chooses to play. She is adventurous, has a wealth of ideas but never seems to play too "free". On "Optimism" she works on one level at a time building layers of notes as she explores a few different yet connected themes. "Winter in Berlin" is a nearly 16-minute piece is slow, spacious and haunting, yet it remains quietly engaging throughout. I dig the repeating theme that she works with on and occasionally varies on "Dr. Martin" while her right hand explores counter melodies. Although some of these pieces are mainly improvised, she always has a focus, a purpose behind everything she plays. All is connected to an inner thread that is her (elastic) style. Her version of "Well You Needn't" is unique as it seems to balance a few different ideas at the same time. She goes back and forth between the main theme and her own extrapolations, something that I think would make Monk smile. Kaori Osawa's 'Aluminum' is a fine debut from a pianist that we will no doubt be hearing much more from in the not too distant future. - BLG
CD $17


HENRY BRANT - Collection Volume 4 / Meteor Farm - A Spatial Concert of Ceremonies (Innova 411; USA) Henry Brant is America's foremost composer of acoustic spatial music and never does anything on a small scale. For "Meteor Farm," Mr. Brant utilized the Wesleyan University Orchestra, the Wesleyan Singers & Concert Choir, the Gamelan Ensemble, a South Indian Trio, a West African drumming ensemble, the Wesleyan Big Band, extra saxes and soprano soloists. Nearly 200 musicians and singers were involved in this vast project. 'Meteor Farm' deals with the myriad of meteors that fall to earth every day, strike human brains and compel us to take action. Four separate choirs were used with various musical cultures to draw from. "Meteor Farm" is divided into 17 sections and specific combinations are not repeated. Due to the way that this piece is laid out spatially, it is difficult to grasp its entirety by listening to a single CD with a stereo perspective, but I do the picture by gazing into a small hole.
"Part 1" features female Indian vocals, haunting strings and drone-like percussion. "Part 2" features a large swinging jazz ensemble, "Part 3" a distant gamelan ensemble and bird-like vocals. What is interesting is the way each section evolves through kaleidoscopic changes that seem to organically and magically appear. Some of the vocal choirs are a bit scary when they shriek or twist they voices in odd ways. What is most fascinating is when certain combinations or groups turn into another group, melting reality and combining extremes in surprising yet magical ways. On "Part 6," one repeating percussive riff is slowly altered as layers of horns, clapping and strings weave their way around the central groove. Some of the more demented choir sections are especially engaging and you never know when certain weird sounds will pop up and then transform into something else. Although I might have edited out the occasional sneeze (if it is possible), this work is quite fascinating and filled with a great deal of unexpected twists and turns. This work is too vast to be perfect, but its scope is too engaging to be denied. - BLG
CD $14


More Archival Recordings, Reissues, plus Restocks

ZAKIR HUSSAIN - The Deserts of Rajasthan [2 CD Set] (Saregama 150670; India) Limited edition collector's edition with a miniature replica of a tabla. Zakir Hussain's all-star ensemble features a stellar cast: Ravi Shankar on sitar, Ali Akbar Khan on sarod, Hariprasad Chaurasia on flute, Shiv Kumar Sharma on santoor, Dr. L. Sumramaniam on violin, Pandit Jasraj & Lakshmi Shankar on vocals and Zakir Hussain on tablas.
2 CD Box-Set $30 USTAD BISMILLAH KHAN - Solo Shenai (First Album: 1961) (Saregama; India) (7.5" x 7.5" packaging)) CD version of the first solo LP recording of Ustad Bismillah Khan. Bismillah Khan was awarded the Bharath Rathna, the highest civilian honor in India, in 2001. He was invited by the then Prime Minister J. Nehru to play on India's First Independence Day. The First LP Record series features CD replicas of the masters' first LPs, truly a rare opportunity to treasure these immortal performances. Beautiful limited edition special packaging features the original LP cover. Originally released in 1961.
CD $15.


FRED KATZ - Folk Songs for Far Out Folk (Reboot Stereophonics 07; USA) Much like Gershon Kingsley, Fred Katz has had one of the more extraordinary, if offbeat, careers in contemporary music. A vet of Army bands and Hollywood orchestras, plus sessions with Lena Horne and Carmen McRae, Katz made his biggest mark by bringing the cello to the forefront of the jazz repertoire. He did this best as a member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet, the ever-experimental ensemble that dropped Zen, a Pacific jazz gem of Katz compositions. Of course, he also did all the arranging for Harpo Marx's Harpo in Hi-Fi LP, Ken Nordine's classic Word Jazz project, the original score to Little Shop of Horrors, and the ever-popular Sidney Poitier Reads Plato record. He did an A&R stint at Decca before settling into a longtime academic gig as a must-take music professor. The most admired (if under-discussed) Katz album is probably this one, which is dedicated to the idea that all jazz is born from 'the roots of people.' The roots explored here are folk songs - American, Hebrew, and African. Baal Shem Tov and Rav's Nigun feature guest appearances by Paul Horn on sax and legendary LA jazzman Buddy Collette on flute. The tracks, from 1959, sound prophetic - an avant tackle of jazz and Jewish tradition.
CD $15


DUDLEY MOORE - Bedazzled [sndtck] (Acme [Gramophone] 1046; EEC) "First time official reissue of this classic psychedelic jazz soundtrack rarity from the legendary 1967 film with Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore. For the first time ever, this is taken from the original 20th Century Fox master tapes and you get mono and stereo versions of the album! Plus it comes complete with the original UK artwork from the 1967 Decca album release and artwork from the London American release! In addition it comes with a thick booklet packed with film stills and rare photos from the movie plus cinema storyline."
CD $21


STALLION - The Hard Life (Lightning Tree 08; UK) "Lightning Tree is proud to present a complete previously unreleased album by a legendary British '70s UK progressive rock band Stallion who issued a now-rare single in 1975 and performed with some of the UK greats in the mid 1970s: Curved Air, T-Rex, Edgar Broughton, Stray, Stackridge, Gong, Rare Bird, Magic Muscle, Budgie, Traffic and Osibisa to name but a few. Their sole album is a powerful mixture of classic early '70s progressive music and with renowned keyboardist Phil Thornton on board, Stallion played a remarkably tasty brand of song-based, erstwhile prog-influenced rock that was also tainted with the aggressive and charismatic energy of front man John Wilde. Typically '70s and mixing the musical textures of contemporaries such as Fantasy, Mainhorse, Stackridge & Armageddon, and with a vocalist somewhere between early Genesis and Wishbone Ash, this is a genuine missing piece of British progressive rock history. The CD also features a detailed booklet with band history and photos and includes the band's rare single."
CD $22


MICHAELANGELO - One Voice Many (Fallout 2048; UK) This lost 1971 folk-rock classic finally gets its first vinyl reissue, pressed on 180g virgin vinyl. Led by the aptly named Angel, the band only recorded one album, which has become one of the best-loved folk-rock albums of its era. Recorded in New York and produced by longtime Wendy Carlos collaborator Rachel Elkind, it's a haunting collection of autoharp-led pop songs, boasting strong melodies and powerful electric guitar. Guaranteed to delight all fans of soft psychedelia. LP $22
Also on CD for $16


CHRIS CHRISTENSEN/MARK SCHULTZ - Songs From The Xenozoic Age: Cadillacs & Dinosaurs (Beat Brothers; USA) Based on the popular comic books "Xenozoic Tales" aka "Cadillacs and Dinosaurs," "Songs from the Xenozoic Age" is the work of composer, musician, producer Chris (a.k.a. John) Christensen and Harvey/Ink Pot/Eisner award winning artist and writer Mark Schultz. The packaging by Bob Chapman and Mark Schultz, with artwork by Mr. Schultz, is absolutely superb! Anyone who buys modern comics collectibles knows about Graphitti Designs' complete commitment to quality. The production on this disk sits comfortably with their best work.
Lyrically and musically this CD is a complete concept album, with words and music themed to the Xenozoic Tales comic books. Even so, Mark and Chris were careful to structure the songs so like the music of, say, "Sgt. Pepper," the songs would stand on their own when removed from the context of the books and the album. Stylistically it's a vintage rock and roll record.
When Chris first approached Mark about the project, Mark asked Chris what type of music the books suggested to him. Chris replied that he envisioned a record that would "incorporate the spirit and essence of such influences as Little Richard, Link Wray, Eddie Cochran and New Orleans rock and roll; Professor Longhair, Benny Spellman, and Earl Palmer. It would not be a "Sha-Na-Na" nostalgic retread. The recording would contain that spirit, that essence, done today, as if those guys had been progressing for the last 30 or so years."
"Songs from the Xenozoic Age" contains guest appearances by all the (other) members of Seduction of the Innocent, Bill Mummy [yep, childstar of Twilight Zone and Lost In Space; now adult bandleader], Miguel Ferrer [Mummy and Ferrer were Barnes & Barnes], Max Allan Collins [mystery novelist and longtime writer of Dick Tracy], and artist Steve Leialoha. The CD opens with a dramatic reading, "Liturgy," performed by Miguel Ferrer. Other artists contributing their talents include; Bob Ernest (Hot Food To Go!), Don Wittsten (Lucille's Night Out), Tom Habenstreit (The Jenerators), Robert Haimer a.k.a. Artie Barnes (Barnes and Barnes), and Kathy Bee (The Nashville Network).
CD $12


************RECOMMENDED NYC GIGS************


THE DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY 'FREE IN-STORE MUSIC' CONTINUES:

This Sunday, September 30th -
6pm - Clifton Hyde / Matoko Shimuzu / Robin Siwula -
Wild & wacky song-based trio of steel guitar / toys / viola!

Next Sunday, October 7th -
T.J. TROY - Solo tabla & percussion


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THE STONE is located at the NW corner of Avenue C & 2nd St.
September, 2007 is curated by Theo Bleckman

9/28 Friday
8 pm - Jerome Kitzke's The Mad Coyote with special guest actor Jennifer Kathryn Marshall - Jennifer Kathryn Marshall (actor/vocals) Mike Lowenstern (bass clarinet) Harvey Sorgen (drums) Steve Rust (bass) Jerome Kitzke (piano, vocals); Some Kitzke standards and the prototype of Kitzke's latest antiwar work, WINTER COUNT-with texts from Aeschylus to Pinter.
10 pm - Lisa Sokolov - Solo (voice, piano)

9/29 Saturday
8 pm - The Curha-chestra w/ Curtis Hasselbring (trombone, other), Brandon Seabrook (banjo, guitar), Mike Pride (drums) Curha (Curtis) creates acoustic remixes of his electronic works with the aid of Seabrook and Pride.
10 pm - Ted Reichman Solo (accordion, piano)

9/30 Sunday
8 pm - Rhiannon Solo (voice) A unique and extraordinary vocalist, performance artist, composer and master teacher whose musical vision embraces jazz, acapella, improvisation, world music and storytelling.
10 pm - Triple Dutch Unit w/ Gary Versace (piano) John Hebert (bass) John Hollenbeck (drums, percussion) Music inspired by jazz-like music, The Necks, etc. that might sometimes, for brief moments, sound like music you have heard and loved.

October, 2007 curated by Paola Prestini / Steven Bernstein

10/2 Tuesday
8 pm - Tony Arnold-Vocal Magic - Internationally recognized for her interpretation of contemporary repertoire, Tony Arnold offers an experimental evening of vocal magic. In 2001 she became the first vocalist ever to win the prestigious Gaudeamus Competition.
10 pm - Lukas Ligeti-Traveling Voices (percussion and electronics)
After his recent release, "Mystery System", a program of chamber music on Tzadik Records, Ligeti returns to The Stone to elaborate on his unique musical blend: polymetric experimentalism crossed with musical voyages to Africa.

10/3 Wednesday
8 pm - Dave Eggar and the Quartet of Disparate Voices
Dave Eggar (cello) Eric Huebner (piano) Matt Zebroski (drummer) Peter Evans (trumpet); A riveting evening exploring video and electronica collaborations with new works by Jim Altieri, Sam Pluta, Emil Margolis, Michael Brecker, Toshiro Mayazumi and Morton Feldman.
10 pm - Milica Paranosic-"A Musical Jackson Pollock" (electronics and vocals)
An evening of original, improvised and arranged compositions by Paranosic (a native of Belgrade) using new and extended techniques involving electronics, ethnic, toy and found instruments, vocals, movement, spoken word and visuals, rendering a variety of musical styles (pop, folk, hip-hop and classical).

10/4 Thursday
8 pm - "Such a Pure Force"-the Verge Ensemble - Lina Bahn (violin) Steve Antosca (composer) Collin Oldham (cellomobo/Radio Tape Knife, inventor) Nick Antosca (writer/reader); The Verge Ensemble hails from Washington DC and brings "Such a Pure Force", a work that explores the force and inspiring power of life at its final moments with text from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's Cien Sonetos De Amor.
10 pm - No Surrender - Jamal (Seraphim) Van Sluytman (vocals) with No Surrender and special guests; No Surrender returns from recent trips to Europe to offer a rare appearance in NY. An alternative electronic band, No Surrender was a pioneer of the Avant-Garde hip hop movement and have helped shape the current landscape where electro meets punk and hip-hop.

10/5 Friday
8 pm - David Cossin (percussion) - A specialist in new & experimental music, Cossin stretches the boundaries of percussion performance by incorporating new media across a broad spectrum of musical and artistic forms.
10 pm - Vijay Iyer and Rudresh Mahanthappa-Raw Materials w/ Vijay Iyer (piano) Rudresh Mahanthappa (alto saxophone); This innovative duo offer an evening of music in a chamber-like setting, their original music blurring the boundaries between composition and improvisation, drawing from African-American jazz and experimental music, South Asian and African musics, and modern composition.
10/6 Saturday
8 pm - New Voices-a Visual and Vocal Journey - Paola Prestini and Milica Paranosic (composer/performers) and ensemble; Frequent collaborators, composer-performers Milica Paranosic and Paola Prestini offer an exciting evening of multimedia that travels from Mexico to Serbia and beyond. Guests include Trinidadian poet Lynne Procope, Mexican filmmaker Erika Harrsch, German filmmaker Carmen Kordas, and VisionIntoArt artists Erik Carlson, Duncan Cutler, Richard Mannoia and Pablo Rieppi.
10 pm - XAMBUCA presents"Dicentra"-A Poisonous Flower in Two Parts
Chandra Shukla (electronics) Larry Thrasher (Psychic TV) and RK Faulhaber (Nurse With Wound)(multi-instrmentalists, sonic specialists) Jon Weber (video artist); In from San Francisco, XAMBUCA presents"Dicentra", a story about the life of a flower who's anatomy appears to be split into two, its journey through its growth, its inevitable lament, and the potentially poisonous hallucinations rendered by its consumption.

10/7 Sunday
8 pm - Cornelius Dufallo with members of Ne(x)tworks w/ Cornelius Dufallo (violin) Joan La Barbara (voice) Miguel Frasconi (glass and electronics)
Violinist/composer Cornelius Dufallo and members of Ne(x)tworks present music by Wadada Leo Smith, Cornelius Dufallo, Joan La Barbara, and Miguel Frasconi.
10 pm - Kathleen SupovŽ with Special Guest: Charles Woodman w/ Kathleen Supove (piano) Charles Woodman (interactive video artist); Pianist Kathleen SupovŽ performs new multimedia creations for piano, including the 2007 work INNER CITIES #13 by Alvin Curran. This special performance uses hand sensors and video processing in real time by Charles Woodman (University of Cincinnati).

Performances take place at 8 & 10 PM from Tuesday - Sunday nights
There are no advance tickets, first come, first served, there is no phone
There is no food or beverage served or allowed, just a serious listening environment
Admission for each set is $10, unless otherwise indicated
Check out the website for The Stone at thestonenyc.com


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The FIFTH ANNUAL Festival of New Trumpet Music [FONT Music] begins on September 15, 2007 and will continue every day until September 30, with performances at venues all over New York City. The festival will present over 60 trumpeters from across the spectrum of musical genres.

The Festival of New Trumpet Music proudly commissioned works from five musicians in its 2007 schedule, which also includes an even greater number of world premieres. In this way FONT maintains its commitment to support emerging musical arts and artists.
FONT Music is a non-profit charitable organization. If you appreciate our work, please consider supporting us with a tax-deductible contribution:

FONT MUSIC
PO Box 31
Croton, NY 10520

Dave Douglas founder and curator; Taylor Ho Bynum, Mark Gould, John McNeil, Jeremy Pelt curators. For even greater detail on each performance, go to http://fontmusic.org/schedule.html and click on any particular scheduled event!

SEPTEMBER 28-29
@ Cornelia St. Cafe, 29 Cornelia St, Manhattan - 212 989 9319 [http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com]

On the 28th [Fri.]:
9:00: NICOLE RAMPERSAUD Quintet
10:30: JOHN McNEIL

On the 29th [Sat.]:
9:00: The TAYLOR HASKINS Experiment
10:30: RESPECT SEXTET with ELI ASHER

SEPTEMBER 29 [Sat.] 1 PM - 5 PM
@ St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th St, Manhattan - 212 674 6377 [http://www.stmarkschurch-in-the-bowery.com] BREATHS & BEATS: New Directions in Trumpet & Percussion Music 1:00 - FORBES GRAHAM
2:00 - BIRGIT ULHER/SEAN MEEHAN duo
2:45 - LEONEL KAPLAN/TATSUYA NAKATANI duo
3:30 - LAURA ANDEL With TAYLOR HO BYNUM & GAMELAN SON OF LION [*FONT MUSIC COMMISSION / WORLD PREMIERE*]

SEPTEMBER 30 [Sun.]
@ The Eldridge Street Synagogue, 12 Eldridge St, Manhattan - RSVP 212 219 0888 [http://www.eldridgestreet.org] 2:00: The MYSTIC TRUMPETERS featuring Amir El Saffar, Mark Harvey, Frank London & Natsuki Tamura (2:00)

SEPTEMBER 30 [Sun.]
@ Abrons Art Center, 466 Grand St - 212 766 9200 [http://www.henrystreet.org/arts] 8:00: NATE WOOLEY with Paul Lytton & David Grubbs (8:00) - celebrating the release of their new self-titled LP on Detroit's Broken Research Records

also, the premiere of "The Seven Storey Mountain" by Wooley, commissioned by the FONT festival; a new piece for tape, trumpet, percussion and harmonium

For even greater detail on each performance, go to http://fontmusic.org/schedule.html and click on any particular scheduled event!


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j a z z a t t h e s e a p o r t - Fridays at 10pm

September 28
louie belogenis, tenor saxophone
eivind opsvik, bass
harris eisenstadt, drums

seaport district cultural association performance space
Front Street at Beekman Street (South Street Seaport)
rsvp: 1.212.393.9191
subway: 2,3,4,5 to Fulton Street or A to Broadway/Nassau


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Dee Pop presents: The Freestyle Creative Music Series
EVERY SUNDAY @ Jimmyâs Restaurant
43 East 7th Street, NYC 212-982-3006

Sunday Sept 30 - Jim Pugliese - The 7pm set is Jim Pugliese & Dana Maisel: songs for percussion, harmonium and voice.; The 9pm set is Jim Pugliese & Kevin Norton: pieces for two percussionists, by Jim and Kevin.

Sets are at 7pm & 9pm $10 PER SHOW (cheap!)


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Tuesday, October 2nd
Briggan Krauss - saxophones
Wayne Horvitz - keyboards/electronics
Brandon Seabrook - banjo

Spike Hill in Williamsburg.
A New Tuesday Music Series in Williamsburg
Creative Music Tuesdays at Spike Hill
184 Bedford Avenue (@ N7)
Brooklyn, NY 11211 - (718) 218-9737
$5 cover per set

Located on the corner of Bedford and North 7th, with delectable pub food, gold-standard Guinness, pristine sound and two full bars, Spike Hill has flourished into a staple among the area's clubs while still maintaining its intimate atmosphere.


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ROULETTE presents
20 Greene St (between Canal and Grand St)
8:30 PM Admission TICKETS/RSVP: 212.219.8242
Roulette 228 West Broadway New York, NY 10013

Friday, October 5th
Kyoko Kitamura with Valeria Vasilevsky & ok|ok [Mike McGinnis: reeds, Khabu: guitar, Kyoko Kitamura: voice and laptop]:
Nihon Anime Night. In tonight's work, conceived by Kyoko Kitamura & Valeria Vasilevski and performed by ok|ok (Mike McGinnis on reeds, Khabu on guitar & Kitamura on voice and laptop), several Japanese silent animations from the 1920s and 1930s will merge with a live performance. ok|ok's performance will honor the original content and add an English translation as well as original music both composed and improvised. Theater director/writer Valeria Vasilevski and vocalist Kyoko Kitamura first started exchanging creative ideas informally at a cafe in Brooklyn in the beginning of 2007. The purpose: to come up with ideas, no matter how strange or unrealistic, for multi-media projects which incorporated music, visuals, and Japan. Since then, the meetings have given birth to several possible projects, from small and light to big and heavy, based on classic Japanese animation from the 20s, 30s and 40s. Tonight's performance is the first realization of these ideas.


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From Lukas Ligeti:

FRIDAY, OCT. 5: BURKINA ELECTRIC!!! For the first time in the US, voila! My African-electronica band - all the way from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso! This concert will be a warm-up gig for our upcoming tour: we will hit Norwich, NY; Troy, NY; Pittsburgh; Charlottesville, VA; Boston; and on OCTOBER 20 we will be at JOE'S PUB!

If you can't make it on October 20, the Oct. 5 concert is the chance to see us straight out of the woodshed. We will be rehearsing for a couple of days at the Bushwick Starr, a beautiful space in my hood of Bushwick, Brooklyn, and to celebrate the end of our rehearsal phase, we will open our doors to you and play this semi-secret, very informal concert.
I assume the starting time is 8 pm but I'm really not sure, it may be 8:30 or 9 so

PLEASE check the Starr's calendar at http://www.thebushwickstarr.org/CALENDAR.html a few days beforehand. The location is: The Bushwick Starr, 207 Starr St. #4, (between Wyckoff Ave. and Irving Ave.), Bushwick, Brooklyn - a 2-minute walk from the Jefferson St. stop on the L train. http://www.thebushwickstarr.org, info@thebushwickstarr.org

Burkina Electric is: Mai Lingani (vocals), Wende K. Blass (guitar), Pyrolator (electronics), As Zoko (dance), Vicky Kafando (dance) and as you can see, our shows are not only music but also feature African-modern dance and live video!

ALSO...very shortly, we will be releasing REEM TEKRE, a double EP featuring some of our songs plus remixes by DJ SPOOKY, PAUL DE JONG OF THE BOOKS, RUPERT HUBER OF TOSCA, BADAWI (RAZ MESINAI), and MAPSTATION (STEFAN SCHNEIDER OF TO ROCOCO ROT). I will soon send out another email with information about this CD and how to purchase it, and about our Oct. 20 concert at Joe's Pub. Until then: http://www.myspace.com/burkinaelectric


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Thursday October 11th
Matana Robertsâ Gens De Couleur Libre
(chapter 1 of the Coin Coin Continuum)

featuring:
Matana Roberts-- reeds, Jessica Pavone - viola, Amelia Hollander--viola
Shoko Nagai-piano, Thomson kneeland- bass, Tomas Fujiwara- drums
Daniel Givens÷ Visual Projections

Short post concert Q and A discussion with Matana Roberts after performance.

ISSUE PROJECT ROOM
The (OA) Can Factory
232 3rd Street, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(closest public transport)F train to Carroll Gardens
www.issueprojectroom.org


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AACM NEW YORK CITY CHAPTER PRESENTS:

Friday, October 12th at 8pm at The Community Church of NY
40 E. 35th St (between Madison & Park Avenues)

REGGIE NICHOLSON PERCUSSION TRIO PLUS ONE featuring:
Warren Smith, Don Eaton & Reggie Nicholson - percussion & Salim Washington - woodwinds

THE INTERNATIONAL BRASS & MEMBRANE CORP. featuring: Charles Burnham - violin, Joseph Daley - tuba, Ted Daniel - trumpet, flugel & cornet & Newman T. Baker - percussion


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TREVOR WATTS & JAMIE HARRIS DUO!

Amalgam, SME & Moire Music legendary saxist with a great percussionist!
A rare stateside appearance

October 28th, 2007 at 5pm

At The Lounge at Hudson View Gardens
116 Pinehurst Ave at West 183rd St.

For more info, call 212-923-7800 ex. 1941


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ROB REDDY TO UNVEIL NEW WORK, NEW ENSEMBLE THIS OCTOBER in BROOKLYN, NY

Saxophonist/composer Rob Reddy and his new ensemble, Rob Reddy's Tenfold, will be in residence at

Brooklyn's Jalopy Theater every Friday night in October to perform his latest and most ambitious extended work, Episodes and Antinomies. The world premiere of this ten movement suite, commissioned by the American Composers Forum,

Friday, October 5th at 9:00 p.m. Three other performances will follow on October 12th, 19th and 26th respectively, further exploring the nuances and possibilities of this diverse music.

The opening acts will be the
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet (10/5)
Jon Margulies: Stone Tablet Interface (10/12)
Sarah Bernstein Unearthish (10/19)
Jessica Lurie Ensemble (10/26).

Admission to each of these four concerts will be $15 at the door. The Jalopy Theater is located at 315 Columbia Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Venue information is available at (718) 395-3214

Episodes and Antinomies, which takes roughly an hour and a half to perform, was written for Reddy's newly formed ten-piece ensemble featuring Douglas Yates (clarinets), John Carlson (trumpet), Mark Taylor (French horn), Charles Burnham (violin and mandolin), Rubin Kodheli (cello), Brandon Ross (guitars), Bryan Carrott (vibraphone and marimba), Dom Richards (double bass), and Pheeroan akLaff (drums). The music further explores many of the hallmarks of Reddy's most acclaimed musical projects, including a variety of time signatures, co-existing melodies, alternating through-composed and improvised movements, and the influence of genres ranging from traditional marches to modern rock to avant-garde jazz.

Episodes and Antinomies, the second of three commissioned Reddy works to receive its world premiere in New York this year, will be followed by the debut of a new book of music for his sextet, Rob Reddy's Gift Horse, at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in late November.

On September 18th, Reddy will release The Book of the Storm (Reddy Music), which documents his 19-piece ensemble, Rob Reddy's Small Town, at the March world premiere of his four-movement piece of the same name.


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MATT SHIPP & THE NU-BOP QUARTET
MATT SHIPP / DANIEL CARTER / WILLIAM PARKER / GUILLERMO E. BROWN

Saturday, October 27th at 8pm
At Miller Theatre at Columbia University - 2960 Broadway at 116th St.


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IRENE SCHWEIZER US & Canadian Tour Schedule for November, 2007:

November 5th - Solo - EUROJAZZ MEETS CHICAGO, USA

November 6th, Trio w/ FRED ANDERSON and MICHAEL ZERANG at VELVET LOUNGE, CHICAGO

November 9th - Trio with Jean Derome, jazz club MONTREAL

November 10th - Solo concert in Montreal, La chapelle historique du bon pasteur.

November 12th - Solo at ROULETTE, New York City


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