New Gems from:

David S. Ware! Feldman/Caine/Cohen/Baron! Borah Bergman Trio + John Zorn! David S. Ware!, Matt Shipp Trio! Trio 3 + Irene Schweizer! Okkyung/Evans/Beresford! Aki Takase & Rudi Mahall! King Crimson - Live in Italy!

Rare LP-Only Discs from Sunny Murray & Charles Bobo Shaw's Solidarity Unit! Gerald Cleaver imports! and so much more!...



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A VERY SPECIAL EVENT!

Richard Foreman is one of the most important theatre directors in the world, and has been a personal hero of John Zorn's for over 30 years. This theatre/music piece is the historic first-time collaboration for two masters of the bizarre (both MacArthur geniuses) who individually have challenged, enlightened and entertained adventurous audiences for decades.

ASTRONOME: A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is a work dominated by ecstatic groans, grunts and babbling, and explores the initiation of a group of people into a world where ambiguous behavior alone leads to freedom--perhaps under the tutelage of the necessary "false messiah." This is one of those events that can only happen downtown - culminating from a chance meeting in the street - independent of any special grants, funding, institution or administration.

Based on ASTRONOME, the intense second CD of a series featuring Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn and Joey Baron, Richard Foreman's staging of it is absolutely stunning!

Please make a special effort to see this once in a lifetime event, opening FEBRUARY 5th and RUNNING FOR ONLY TWO MONTHS through APRIL 5th at the ONOTOLOGICAL-HYSTERIC THEATRE @ St Marks Church in the East Village, 131 East 10th St on Second Ave.!


to purchase tickets, go to:

https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/633735


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A JOHN ZORN WEEKEND!


John Zorn: New Masada Sextet
Friday, February 6th at 8 pm

John Zorn returns to the Abrons with the US premiere of his hot new Masada ensemble. The classic quartet of Zorn, Dave Douglas, Greg Cohen, and Joey Baron are augmented by the spectacular pianist Uri Caine and percussionist extraordinaire Cyro Baptista. The evening features two sets of Masada material old and new by this dynamic super band.


John Zorn: The Dreamers/O'o
Saturday, February 7th at 8 pm

Featuring: Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, Cyro Baptista, John Zorn.

Two sets of music presenting The Dreamers and the World Premiere of The Dreamers Volume 2 (O'o) in one exciting concert! Named for an extinct Hawaiian bird whose delightful song will never be sung again, O'o is the exotic and charming follow up to The Dreamers, one of Zorn's most appealing projects. Featuring the same dynamic band of masters from Zorn's inner circle, O'o presents more lyrical and adventurous instrumentals exploring World Music, Surf, Exotica, Minimalism, Film Soundtracks and more.

Tickets have just gone on sale. To purchase go to:
www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/635675
Tha Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement
466 Grand Street, NY, NY, 10002
212-598-0400 / www.henrystreet.org/arts


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First 4 Tzadik CDs for 2009!

MARK FELDMAN/URI CAINE/GREG COHEN/JOEY BARON - Secrets (Tzadik 8130; USA) A spectacular debut CD by a dynamic new quartet featuring four of the most acclaimed musicians in jazz: pianist Uri Caine, violinist Mark Feldman and the legendary Masada rhythm section of Greg Cohen and Joey Baron. Performing the spiritual compositions of the Hassidic dynasties of Lubavitch, Satmar, Bobov and Modzitzer Hassidim, a rich catalog of thousands of tunes passed down for centuries by oral tradition, Secrets is a brilliant collection of soaring spiritual Jewish music performed by a swinging modern jazz quartet. TZADIK RADICAL JEWISH CULTURE SERIES
CD $14

BORAH BERGMAN TRIO - Luminescence (Tzadik 8131; USA) The long awaited follow-up to Borah Bergman's critically acclaimed solo recording Meditations for Piano takes his lyrical cross hands contrapuntal technique into the dynamic context of the classic piano trio. Rich and soulful, this is Borah at his most thoughtful, supported by a fabulous rhythm section and performing music very close to his heart. Influenced by the exotic melismas of cantorial singing, the counterpoint of Bach and the harmonic beauty of Alban Berg and Bill Evans, Borah forges a new language of joy and sadness, firmly rooted in the Jewish tradition. John Zorn guests on one track. TZADIK RADICAL JEWISH CULTURE SERIES
CD $14

ORI DAKARI - Entrances (Tzadik 8132; USA) Born in Kfar-Saba Israel, Ori Dakari is a spectacular young guitarist who has studied in the States and now resides in New York. Performing regularly with a tight group of musical colleagues, Ori has surrounded himself with an exciting community of exceptionally talented players, who now step out for their debut recording. Lyrical and powerful, this is a new generation of Radical Jewish Culture. Rooted in Israeli, Yemenite, East European, North African music and more. TZADIK RADICAL JEWISH CULTURE SERIES
CD $14

JAMIE SAFT - Black Shabbis (Tzadik 8133; USA) After two stunning jazz piano trio recordings featuring the music of Dylan and Zorn, dubmeister Jamie Saft returns to his roots with a masterpiece of Jewish heavy metal. Slashing and burning his way through nine tracks of unbridled madness, this is Radical Jewish Culture at its best. Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and Slayer for the frum, Black Shabbis presents uncompromising and intense sounds from one of the most versatile creative lights in the downtown scene. TZADIK RADICAL JEWISH CULTURE SERIES
CD $14


3 New ones from Martin Davidson's Emanem label!

OKKYUNG LEE/PETER EVANS/STEVE BERESFORD - Check for Monsters (Emanem 5002; UK) Cellist Lee organised this trio with Evans on trumpets and Beresford on piano for a mini-tour. This CD contains music from two of their four concerts - in New York City and Philadelphia. Although they had not played together before as a trio, they manage to sound like a long-standing improvising group, with much togetherness and listening to each other - finding numerous ways to complement each other. The music is often very dense or fast, but they do frequently come back down to earth. Anyone who either likes or dislikes any of the participants is bound to enjoy this music which showcases both the individuals and the group. 58 minutes.
CD $20

MILO FINE With JASON CHILDS/DAVU SARU - Ananke (Emanem 5003; UK) (2006/7) Never mind the piano, the pianist is Fine! Milo Fine describes the particular piano as 'more remains than intact', yet he still manages to get the right music out of 'that wonderful beast'. The earlier date is unaccompanied piano improvised mainly at the keyboard. On the other longer concert, recorded towards the likely demise of the 'beast', Fine spends most of his time working on the innards resulting in a very wide range of sound. He also uses some electronics, and is joined by alto saxophonist JARON CHILDS and percussionist DAVU SARU in a trio set that ranges from the minimal to full-on blowing. This should appeal to those who love pianos both in and out of tune.
CD $20

VERYAN WESTON - Allusions (2002) (Emanem 5001; UK) Most of a solo piano concert performed in Bordeaux. The free improvising basically follows on from his 1993 recording Playing Alone (Acta 9). It is mostly a leap forward from the earlier album, but there are also some fond looks backwards as when fragments of tunes from the jazz age creep in. One can hear the influence of the two major pianists of the 1960s - both the spaciousness of Paul Bley and the density of Cecil Taylor - and also that of composers, most notably Bela Bartok and, above all, Conlon Nancarrow, who used piano rolls to create music not playable by mere mortals. Out of all these influences, Weston has long found his own voice in a style that is administered strictly through the keyboard and pedals. His improvising ranges from somewhat isolated pecks at the keyboard to involved passages that sound impossible for one pianist to play. There are times when his left and right hands sound like fairly unrelated entities, as if there was a duet going on. Since Weston first appeared on record (with Lol Coxhill) over thirty years ago, he has continued to get better and better, making him one of the major musicians in the world of free improvisation. Over twenty years ago, the notes on his first solo record stated that: 'Veryan Weston is a pianist whose reputation has yet to match his talent'. That is still true, even though both his reputation and talent have grown considerably.
CD $20


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DAVID S WARE With JOE MORRIS/WILLIAM PARKER/WARREN SMITH - Shakti (AUM 52; USA) The new work from master musician David S. Ware arrives! Shakti is Ware's first new studio recording in almost 6 years, and his first with a new group since his highly esteemed Quartet was disbanded. The Quartet's final performance was documented on Renunciation (AUM042). Even before that album was released, Ware was developing a new group concept, and beginning to compose for same. In July 2007 this new group, featuring guitarist Joe Morris, made its live debut at the Iridium jazz club in NYC. The line-up was then solidified with the addition of long-time musical compatriot William Parker on bass and fellow master musician Warren Smith on drums. A European tour in November 2007 followed, and a studio session was booked for May 2008, resulting in the luminous Shakti. Working with musicians (as he ever has) who fully understand the profound ebb and flow of his music, and who can trace the tendrils thereof as close to infinity as human fingers allow, Ware here presents five new compositions and a re-interpolation of his own "Antidromic" which first appeared on Wisdom of Uncertainty (AUM001).
CD $14

(This is an urgent notice on David S. Ware's health. David needs to find a kidney donor.
David S. Ware was diagnosed with kidney failure in 1999 and he began dialysis that fall. He had an intensive three week hemodialysis regime toward beginning peritoneal (self-administered) dialysis, which would allow him to travel. David has been on this self-administered dialysis regime multiple times every day and night since October 1999. While certainly difficult, he has been able to travel, and perform his music undiminished, since then.
However, late this past December, David called to say that after 9 years this treatment was no longer working as it had been, and that a kidney transplant is the only viable option for his survival.
Since then a number of friends and family members have offered to give him one of their kidneys. Unfortunately, they have all been disqualified due to health reasons or not having David's blood type, O.
Some basic/initial requirements for viable donors are that they must be under 60 years of age, do not have diabetes or high blood pressure, are in general good health, and have blood type O (either O+ or O- is fine).
The hospital where a transplant would take place is the very highly regarded Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ http://www.rwjuh.edu/

Willing and able potential donors should please get in touch with us as soon as possible:
Steven Joerg, (David S. Ware's manager) telephone: 718 854 2387
We will then get them directly in touch with the Kidney Transplant Center at RWJU Hospital to begin the screening process for donor viability.
Thank you on behalf of David S. Ware; please feel free to forward this notice.)

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MATTHEW SHIPP TRIO With JOE MORRIS/WHIT DICKEY - Harmonic Disorder (Blue Series/Thirsty Ear 57187; USA) Featuring Matt Shipp on piano, Joe Morris on bass and Whit Dickey on drums. This is a marvelous studio date from Matt Shipp's current trio that has been around for the past couple of years, although Matt has been playing with Joe Morris (first on guitar, later on bass) and Whit Dickey for some two decades. This disc features 14 shorter (all under 7 minutes) tracks, all but two written by Mr. Shipp. The two covers are old school jazz standards, "There Will Never be Another You" and "Someday My Prince Will Come." What is interesting is that although, there are tow standards, the rest of the tunes do have a fine familiar sound. The opening piece, "Gng" has a rather Monk-like sound with a couple of different lines intersecting at the same time. There is something both simple yet captivating about this music that is not so easily explained.The title track is an explosive freer piece, intense and relatively short. "There Will Never Be Another You" is slow and dreamy and drifts by gracefully, as does "Someday My Prince Will Come," which slowly picks up speed and becomes more cerebral about midway and continues to float until it disappears into the either. On most of these pieces, Matt Shipp sounds as if he has reinvented his playing to become more restrained and less dense. On "Mr. Jm", the drums lay out and both the piano and bass swirl around one another superbly, completing each other's lines. My favorite piece is called "Mel Chi 1" since it has a most haunting and memorable repeating line that you just can't get out of your head once you hear it. One of the things that makes this disc unique is the way Matt inserts these dark chords inside unexpected places without things ever getting too dense or disturbing. In some ways, this is a piano trio disc that doesn't always sound like what one might expect from a regular "jazz piano trio". There are a number of odd surprises, subtle twists and turns that make this in a class of its own. The more I listen, the more I dig this wonderful gem. - BLG
CD $15


Intakt opens 2009 with..

AKI TAKASE/RUDI MAHALL - Evergreen (Intakt 152; Switzerland) Since 1995, whenever Aki Takase has not been making solo recordings, she has always sought the company of Rudi Mahal: The depth of their knowledge of jazz history and their craft-oriented approach are self-evident - if actually rather secondary to their remarkable, dazzlingly entertaining connections between a tempered drive toward freedom and a quite specific wit that shows how to take life both as seriously and as lightly as possible. Their take on this striking collection of evergreens moves through airy amusement, the serious rapport of a sensitive give and take, intellectual juggling, and bizarre dance theater as they wander between aesthetic peaks. The CD is a stroll through many styles, from stride piano in "You Took Advantage of Me" to free-jazz impressions in "You and the Night and the Music" or the surprisingly pensive paraphrase of "It's Only a Paper Moon." This is vital chamber music, infinitely rich and imaginative, featuring the complex and miraculous sound of the best bass clarinetist in the world. Ulrich Olshausen, Liner Notes
CD $20

TRIO 3 [OLIVER LAKE/REGGIE WORKMAN/ANDREW CYRILLE] + IRENE SCHWEIZER - Berne Concert (Intakt 150; Switzerland) What we get to hear on this album is a transatlantic encounter that casts an up-to-date yet historical light on many relations and cross-links. The African-American jazz community of New York has formed the drummer Andrew Cyrille, the saxophonist Oliver Lake and the bassist Reggie Workman; and they have rewarded this environment with important stimuli - e.g. as peers of artists like John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp. As a pioneer of the European jazz piano, Irene Schweizer is also part of this history. She has already worked with Andrew Cyrille twenty years ago. It is wonderful to hear how relaxed they improvise on this CD. Virtuosity is barely an issue - it is unpretentiously presumed. So this is really about the balance of sound, energy and rhythm, about solos, duos and trios - and quartet formations that allow individual qualities to unfold. It is fascinating how the well-rehearsed trio opens up to the guest to allow the voices to unfurl and to connect. Irene Schweizer's agility to integrate into the trio is very persuasive, and she delivers enriching ornaments and insertions in the composed pieces in a way one rarely hears.
CD $20

JURG WICKIHALDER OVERSEAS QUARTET - Furioso (Intakt 153; Switzerland) Featuring Jurg Wickihalder on soprano & alto sax & compositions, Achille Succi on bass clarinet & alto sax, Mark Zubek on bass and Kevin Zubek on drums. This is certainly an odd international quartet of players from varied backgrounds. I know of downtown drummer Kevin Zubek from his work with Satlah ( 3 CD's on Tzadik), the Lemon Juice Qt and a trio with Daniel Carter, but I wasn't familiar with his brother Mark before this. Jurg Wickihalder I only know from a recent duo disc also on Intakt with Chris Weisendanger. Italian reed player, Achille Succi, has a fine duo disc out on El Gallo Rojo. It turns out that these players met at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the 90's.
Mr. Wickihalder wrote all but two of the songs here with two Monk covers: "Four in One" and "Played Twice". On the opener, "Warm-up Party" the combination of bass clarinet and soprano sax is especially charming. The piece has an old school, swinging and an infectious theme with tasty solos form both reeds players. It seems that Jurg excels at writing songs that sound as if they were popular in the fifties, amongst classics like "Jitterbug Waltz" by Fats Waller (I know it from an earlier era) or some of Monk's gems on the Riverside label. There is something enticing about the combination of bass clarinet and soprano or alto sax that makes these tunes so enchanting and inventive simultaneously. I dig the way both saxes play the theme together, twisting it slightly as they go on "Desert Voices". "Lovers" has one of those swell post-klez-like melodies that bands like Satlah specialized in, so it is another delight and most memorable melody. "Four in One" is one of Monk's more difficult songs, so it is gas to hear both saxes play the theme together even if it is so short. "Surfing and Flying" is a spectacular, fast and furious piece with a most challenging, tight two sax theme that must be heard to be believed. Wow! "Moonwalk" also starts off quickly and then goes into a goofy melody that keeps switching back to a high speed theme. Incredible! Jurg has a knack for writing tunes that go in unexpected directions, keep the quartet on their toes and surprising us as well. How the mighty Intakt label continues to blow minds with each and every release is still a mystery to me but thank the powers that be they do! - BLG
CD $20


3D [CHRISTOPHER DELL/CHRIS DAHLGREN/MAURICE DE MARTIN] - Not3 [2 CD set] (Not Two 795; EEC) Featuring Christopher Dell on vibes, guitar & el. bass, Chris Dahlgren on acoustic & electric bass and Maurice Demartin on drums & percussion. I knew of bassist Chris Dahlgren from when he lived in town and played with local musicians like Peter Epstein, Marc Whitecage, Briggan Krauss and Anthony Braxton (duo CD on Clean Feed). Since moving to Berlin, I've been less aware of his activities aside from his work with Gebhard Ullmann. Hence, when we got in this double disc from Not Two with two German musicians that I am not familiar with, I had no idea what to expect. What is most interesting is how wonderful and weird this little box-set turned out to be...
Like Mr. Dahlgren's former collaborator, Anthony Braxton, each piece is identified by a diagram in the inner booklet. The music is an odd blend of assorted pieces, each with a different sound or strategy. Even with the basic trio of vibes, bass and drums, you never know what direction each piece will develop into. The first piece is a minimalist duo exchange for skeletal vibes and percussion with unexpected moments of fuzz bass weirdness in the last section. The second piece consists of a stripped down el. bass and drums martial beat with layers of sinister, soft spoken word vocal weirdness. Rather Residents-like. It sounds as if someone is playing toy percussion on the third piece, along with Chris' fractured bass sounds. The fourth track features layers of a woman's voice sampled and speaking German, when it starts. The vocal samples are used like spice along with minimal percussion, twisted guitar fragments and snippets of noise. The overall effect is fascinating yet truly strange. I often get the feeling that there is a play or a story hidden in here somewhere, as if we are missing one layer or ingredient in the overall structure. The first piece on disc 2 features some eerie rumbles, distant vibes and occasional percussion. With some patience the mystery slowly unfolds, bit by bit. In a way this music is environmental or even Morton Feldman-like. One must fill in their own idea as to what is exactly taking place, filling in the space. I am interested to know what anyone else thinks of this odd little box. Please forward your comments to BLG here at DMG so I can see what anyone else thinks of this weird set. - BLG
2 CD set for $30

SZILARD MEZEI TRIO - Barkimor, Most / Anytime, Now (Not Two 807; EEC) Featuring Szilard Mezei on viola & compositions, Ervin Malina on double bass and Istvan Csik on drums & percussion. Hungarian string wiz, composer and multi-bandleader, has some strong discs out on Leo, Red Toucan and Creative Sources. I've reviewed three of these discs previously and was knocked out by each. Since then Mr. Mezei has sent me another dozen or so other self-produced discs to check out, some of which I have and the others given to Michael Parker to check out. I barely have enough time to listen to the ocean of promos that I get at the store each week.
This is a studio disc recorded in Serbia in May of 2006. The titles of the pieces are listed in both Hungarian and English, so we have an idea of their specific title. "Indulo" (March) opens with a most memorable repeating viola theme and strong groove from the fine rhythm team. Szilard takes a long and exciting viola solo which is followed by another inspired bowed bass solo. Both members of the rhythm section can also be found in Szilard's quintet, whose disc on Leo is a true gem. Two of the pieces here are named with small diagrams so there is no telling what they mean, yet they sound just as great as the rest of the pieces. In some ways this trio reminds me of the Revolutionary Ensemble, especially since the instrumentation is so similar. Szilard has that great free/jazz string sound that we all know and love, his solos consistently intense and inspired. I dig the twisted somewhat Braxtonian pizzicato intro to "Lynx", which features a completely bent-note solo from the viola, as well as a more laid-back yet just as twisted solo from the bass. I love the forlorn, haunting melody of "Most Nem/Now No," completely stripped down yet still evoking deep sadness. Another thing that makes this trio special is that they are completely acoustic and superbly recorded. The balance and interplay between all three musicians is superb. The drummer. Istvan, often plays delicately and inventively throughout, swirling around the drums quickly without ever losing his dynamic force. The two longer pieces, "Hep 3" and "You Speak, I Fall Asleep" both go through a variety of interconnected sections , which organically evolve like a story unfolding most naturally. In a blindfold test, many would guess that this is The Revolutionary Ensemble, no small feat for a little known trio from Hungary. - BLG
CD $18


XABIER IRIONDO/GIANNI MIMMO - Your Very Eyes (Amirani 10; Italy) Featuring Gianni Mimmo on soprano sax and Xabier Iriondo on taisho koto, mahai metak & low-fi devices. Recorded in a 10th century cave-church named Santa Lucia alle Malve in Matera in south Italy at the dawn of Summer Solstice. Gianni Mimmo runs this, the Amirani label, plays soprano sax and has some fine solo & trio discs on Amirani. Xabier Iriondo plays a (taisho) koto and a mahai metak which is a 10-stringed board-guitar. Xabier has worked with Damo Suzuki, as well as with Simone Massaron and Carla Bozulich on a recent disc on the Long Song label.
The overall sound of the soprano sax and koto, metak or low-end devices recorded in this cave/church is just extraordinary and often breathtaking. The soprano sax resonates with warmth and depth while Xabier creates cosmic drones and exotic textures. Gianni appears to be in a different spot on each piece so that his soprano sounds different as he moves. Xabier also changes his sound on each piece, creating strange textures by approaching his stringed instruments differently. The often opposite approach to textures (acoustic vs. electric) or (warm vs. brittle) can be disorienting at times yet it works out when you give it time to develop, so that the sounds wind up coming closer to each other often enough. This is an extremely dynamic duo that takes some time to get used to but is often astonishing to behold. - BLG
CD $15


GIORGIO GASLINI TRIO/ENSEMBLE/BIG BAND With STEVE LACY/JEAN-LUC PONTY/PAUL RUTHERFORD/HARRY BECKETT/TONY OXLEY et al - L'Integrale Vols 7 & 8 [2 CD set] (SoulNote 121356/7; Italy) First disc features: Giorgio Gaslini on piano & compositions, Jean-Luc Ponty on electric violin, Steve Lacy on soprano sax, Harry Beckett, Enrico Rava & Guido Mazzon on trumpets, Paul Rutherford on trombone, Bruno Tommaso on bass and Tony Oxley on drums. This is the fourth double disc anthology featuring Italian jazz piano great and composer Giorgio Gaslini. Each of the two discs here feature some five different ensembles from a trio to a big band plus chorus. What amazes me is how different each ensemble is and how Gaslini composes unique material for each one. The first ensemble is a large one (16 piece) and they play an epic length two-part work "Message (Parts 1 & 2)". The personnel includes big names like Enrico Rava, Paul Rutherford and Guido Mazzon, as well as a number of Italy's best modern jazz musicians. The band is called Double since most of the instruments are in doubles like the piano, bass, drums, trombones and 4 saxes. While the ensembles spins tight layers of waves, one or two players will solo on top. One rhythm team will follow the soloist while the other will play through the focused frenzy of the charts. All of the horn players get a chance to solo and all sound inspired and often intense. Gaslini's piano is often riding the waves and inserting dialogue throughout. About the closet comparison I can make is the Globe Unity Orchestra with perhaps Keith Tippett as the main soloist. At more than a half hour in length, this is pretty phenomenal throughout.
The next ensemble is an all-star octet with Jean-Luc Ponty, Steve Lacy, Harry Beckett, Paul Rutherford, Bruno Tommaso, Tony Oxley and Gaslini. It is also another long two-part piece. What is interesting is to hear Ponty's distinctive electric violin with Steve Lacy's soprano and Oxley's unique drums. Ponty been playing with Frank Zappa just previously to this and is playing some sly wah-wah violin, taking some strong, wild solos. Gaslini's free-sounding piano solos are also crazed and sound great with Oxley's crafty drums. The charts are demanding and especially well-played. The last piece on the first disc is a trio with Gaslini, Tommaso and Oxley. It is a sort of twisted ballad with Oxley's distinctive sounding drums at the center, the trio becomes freer as it develops. I was a bit skeptical since the second disc featured spoken word and operatic vocals, but I needn't be concerned. The first piece is a long suite called "Favola Pop" featuring many of the same musicians from the large double ensemble on disc 1 with an added violin. The spoken words are done by Gaslini and Simona Caucia, with an operatic singer as well. Gaslini speaks in Italian and I am reminded of John Lurie doing his sly vocal recitations. The music is well written and accompanies the words just right. Too bad I don't know Italian since the words sound interesting. The violin player's name is Guido Mozzato and he is featured, doing a marvelous as well. The music is consistently enchanting, the melodies and charts always memorable but it sounds nothing like anything on the first disc. The final piece features a big band with a chorus and it is another long work called "(A Musical Action) for Malcolm X". The music sounds like early Duke Ellington with more operatic female vocals, sung in English, as well as sections of espionage film music from the fifties. This music is often hilarious, unpredictable and reminds me of John Zorn's tribute to Morricone. It turns out that Giorgio Gaslini has many diverse and successful facets. This two disc set has just a fraction of recorded output, but it remarkable nonetheless. - BLG
CD $32.


AMSTERDAM KLEZMER BAND - Zaraza (Essay 19; Germany) This is the second release on Essay Recordings by the Amsterdam Klezmer Band, an energetic and poetic stage act that has charmed international audiences with their refreshing approach to klezmer and Balkan music that transcends the traditional, resulting in a very lively mix of Eastern-European sound. The Amsterdam Klezmer bug is spreading, hence the title of Amsterdam Klezmer Band's latest release Zaraza. In Slavic languages, zaraza means "infectious" or "contagious," in Polish, it is the word for "epidemic." Zaraza is indeed an infectious album from an extremely virulent and passionate band. The album contains 15 brand new tracks -- all original compositions rooted in the klezmer tradition and infused with Romanian, Turkish, Serbian, Russian and Macedonian sounds -- showcased in their purest form, with virtuoso and provocative performances by Jasper de Beer (double bass, guitar banjo, backing vocals), Job Chajes (alto saxophone, vocals), Alec Kopyt (vocals, percussion), Gijs Levelt (trumpet), Joop van der Linden (trombone, percussion), Janfie van Strien (clarinet, backing vocals), and Theo van Tol (accordion). Since its foundation in 1996, the band has evolved rapidly, becoming world-famous on countless festival tours for bringing the Amsterdam streets and pubs to the world at large. Nowadays, only part of the Amsterdam Klezmer Band repertory consists of traditionals of Balkan or klezmer origin. Most of the AKB repertory has been created by the band members themselves, who all without exception contribute musically to an ever-growing melting-pot of infectious Balkan/Gypsy/klezmer cross-over grooves. Passionate performances, spectacular live shows and a good dose of street credibility form the ingredients of their crazy cocktail.
CD $17


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HUMCRUSH [THOMAS STRONEN/STALE STORLOKKEN] - Rest At Worlds End (Rune Grammofon 2081; EEC) This is the third full-length album from Norway's Humcrush (Thomas Stronen and Stale Storlokken). Rest At Worlds End was recorded live at various European venues, although the high level of musicianship and focus on detail could easily lead you to think it would be a meticulously assembled studio recording. With this record, the duo continue adventurous explorations of abstract grooves and atmospheric moods. Thomas Stronen has studied music and composition and is a regular member of several bands, most notably Food, Maria Kannegaard Trio and Parish, the quartet led by Swedish ace pianist Bobo Stenson. As is the case for most Norwegian jazz musicians of his generation, he has played with just about everybody and has been a frequent performer on the Norwegian and European festival circuit for several years. Stale Storlokken is a founding member of Supersilent, Elephant9, and played on Terje Rypdal records, but was first noticed with freeform trio Veslefrekk with fellow Supersilent members Arve Henriksen and Jarle Vespestad. He is probably the most versatile and adventurous electric keyboard player within the Norwegian scene at the moment. Rest At Worlds End perfectly showcases each artist's individual technical virtuosic talent -- Stronen's percussion is textured, precise and surprising, while Storlokken's keyboard work is diverse and varied, using daubs of sound across a colorful sonic spectrum. Sometimes frenetic, sometimes meanderingly contemplative, Rest At Worlds End stimulates your nerve-endings and fires neurons you never even knew existed. Stale Storlokken (keyboards), Thomas Stronen (drums, electronics).
CD $17

OR, GET the double-LP set with extra cuts:

HUMCRUSH [THOMAS STRONEN/STALE STORLOKKEN] - Rest At Worlds End...Plus! [ltd 2 LP ed of 500 copies] (Rune Grammofon 2081; EEC) 500 copies only limited edition 2LP that is comprised of 7 bonus tracks not on the CD version.
2 LP set for $26


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JOE PRESTON & DANIEL MENCHE - Cerberic Doxology [DualDisc: CD/DVD] (Anthem 01; USA) A single piece statement from Joe Preston and Daniel Menche, and an epic tome carved from some form of primordial stone. As an album containing a regular CD audio side in addition to a DVD audio/video side, this release breathes life musically and visually on three different planes of existence. First, as a 25 minute audio recording, which is born of a vocal chant evocation from both Joe and Daniel, of which layers expand, contract, and weave within each other in an otherworldly, mysterious dronescape, in a way that feels like a moment of mystical/mythical creation akin to Gyorgy Ligeti's introduction to the monolith, in the film 2001 (or Ash Williams' mispronunciation of the Necronomicon and it's results, if you prefer)? second (on side 2 of this CD/DVD dualdisc), as DVD audio, specifically mastered for this intent, which enables the absolute full range of the recordings high and lows to be acutely present, thus expanding an already head shrinking experience? and third, as the DVD audio with a full length video, culled from footage of the mysterious landscape of the Pacific Northwest, exhibiting its terrain, volcanic activity and atmospheric disturbances, from obscure locations throughout the region, in addition of footage of Sam Hill's Stonehenge memorial located in Southeastern Washington State. The visuals, combined with the unusually forceful subtleties of the audio makes this an experience to behold a multitude of occasions, with different effect, depending on one's mindframe. CD/5.1 DVD audio/video dualdisc (region 0, NTSC)
"Daniel Menche is a electronic musician that DMG customers are familiar with and needs no introduction. Joe Preston, however, may perhaps need an intro for most of you. Preston has spent some time with west coast metal heads High On Fire and The Melvins, but he known mostly for his doomy metal one man band, The Thrones. Thrones kicks ass, but I digress. Together these Oregon natives charted out into lesser known territory of the cinematic kind and this document is the beautiful product of said exploration. Here we have on one side, a soundtrack for their collaborative film, which as the press release accurately states, gives a nod to Ligeti's "Lux Aeterna" used in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "2001" but would also fit perfectly in Dario Argento's "Suspiria". Both Preston & Menche create trance-inducing drones that spread a horrorfic blanket of uncertainty. These demonic howls become a driving force that rides your ears into the abyss with the aide of the visuals on the flipside. The film itself, with its Ingmar Bergman-esque landscapes, is a drifting montage of mountainous terrain that most likely served as the compositional guideline in the creation of the soundtrack and is as equally as compelling as the music. Listening and watching this in a room by yourself in a room with the all the lights turned off is the way to go. For those not quite ready to read the "Necronomicon" head straight for this. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!" -Chuck Bettis / DMG
CD $16


MARTIAL SOLAL - I Can't Give You Anything But Love: Live At The Village Vanguard (CAM 5030; USA) On the evening of October 12, 2007, history was made: a piano solo recording was made for the first time at the legendary Village Vanguard. Martial Solal runs deeply through his own improvised resources and, as always, recreates the material as he moves closer to it. The audience follows him with intense attention, captured by the inexhaustible creativity of this tremendous pianist.
CD $15


KING CRIMSON [ROBERT FRIPP/ADRIAN BELEW/TREY GUNN/PAT MASTELOTTO] - Live in Milan, Italy 2003 [2 CD set] (DGM KCCC 39; USA) The 39th Collectors' Club release (January 2009). King Crimson Live in Milan, Italy June 20th 2000. "That is what makes this such a great show. The light and shade within the set, the dynamics within the numbers themselves and the thoughtful pacing of the different numbers. This isn't a band going through the motions. This is a band with no passengers, actively listening to each other, taking risks and working with each other to push boundaries" - Sid Smith [A note to the suspicious: These are the legitimate DGM product, not the Russian counterfeit copies that are found on eBay and elsewhere!]
2 CD set for $18


Two IMPORTANT ULTRA-RARE GEMS make their appearance again after nearly four decades!
[Neither has ever been issued on CD anywhere!]

SUNNY MURRAY With RONNIE BEER/KENNETH TERROADE/FRANCOIS TUSQUES/ALAN SILVA/BEB GUERIN et al - Big Chief [Ltd EDd of 600] (Eremite 51; USA) sunny murray drums; ronnie beer alto saxophone; h. le roy bibbs vocals; becky friend flute; beb guerin bass; francois tusques piano; alan silva viola, violin; kenneth terroade tenor saxophone; bernard vitet trumpet
Examples on record of Sunny Murray's enduring originality & influence as a drummer are many (refer to eremite 14, 45 & 46, among others), but very few recordings demonstrate his strikingly unusual voice as a band leader & composer. None do so more spectacularly than his 1969 album Big Chief. Unfortunately, it's been a sick collector's item since long before ebay. So it is with great pride & satisfaction that Eremite returns to our friends in the human clan this long unavailable masterpiece. The group assembled for this Parisian studio date includes musicians from France, South Africa, Jamaica, & the USA, and the huge sweeping sound they conjure while absolutely nailing Murray's highly irregular compositional structures is as thrilling as free jazz gets. Hart Le Roy Bibbs appears once only in a wildly memorable turn. Everywhere & thru-out, Murray uses the instrumentation's orchestral range to explore his fascination with the far extremes of the frequency range. Prepare your hearing for searing high-end burn! The record resolves beautifully in a performance of 'This Nearly Was Mine' that manages to be both otherworldly & poignant. Not only is Big Chief one of Murray's great achievements, it's one of the truly special recordings in free jazz history. Seriously. There is no greater love. The music was fastidiously remastered from the best available sources by Mike King (Reel Recordings), pressed on premium HQ-180 gram vinyl by RTI, & presented in a heavyweight Stoughton replica sleeve in an edition of 600.
"All you fans of the BYG Parisian '69-'71 recordings mixing the best Americans of the period with their opposite European numbers - and EVERYONE ELSE - don't miss this mislaid ultra-gem! You know how many thumbs UP - ALL!" - MannyLunch
LP $26

SOLIDARITY UNIT, INC [CHARLES 'BOBO' SHAW/OLIVER LAKE/JOSEPH BOWIE/BAIKIDA CARROLL [YASEEN] et al] - Red, Black And Green [Ltd ED of 600] (Eremite 52; USA) This concert was originally dedicated to jimi hendrix, & performed on the day of his death! charles wesley shaw, jr. "bobo" percussions; richard martin guitar; oliver lake alto saxophone, flute; floyd leflore trumpet; joseph bowie trombone; carl richardson bass; clovis bordeaux piano; danny trice conga drums; baikida yaseen [aka baikida e j carroll] trumpet; kada kayan bass.
Originally produced & issued by Charles 'Bobo' Shaw himself, Red, Black & Green, was recorded by the band Solidarity Unit, Inc., an adjunct of the Human Arts Ensemble, and part of a St Louis scene wherein Joseph Bowie, Marty Ehrlich, J D Parran, Luther Thomas, Lake, et al, paralleled the growth of Joe's brother Lester's Art Ensemble Of Chicago/AACM environment. The album documents what happened at The Bag Room in St. Louis, MO, the day Jimi Hendrix died. Captured in a gloriously blunt & low-res recording that is as stark as the B&W cover art, Shaw & the ten piece group produce a raw, teeming, clattering sound that never relinquishes.
Lake & Bowie were by this time already powerful soloists, & both declaim fervently & damn near relentlessly over Shaw's swaggering themes. Dead at age 34 & recorded just four times, guitarist Richard Martin's performance is a true revelation; as Martin leaps from blues idioms to screaming attacks to pure howling feedback, one wonders if even Sonny Sharrock reached these places with the instrument. Furious kit & hand drumming, violently rattling little instruments, jabbing percussive Rhodes, thundering bass guitar -- these guys don't hold back! Easy to say 'lost underground free jazz classic,' but that's the real story here. The music was remastered from the best available sources by Mike King (Reel Recordings), pressed on premium HQ-180 gram vinyl by RTI, & presented in a heavyweight Stoughton replica sleeve in an edition of 600.
"I've been waiting for this HEAVYWEIGHT JAM to make it's appearance in any form again - I've owned it myself for 3 decades and keep having to give out copies of it so others can share its joy with me. MILLION THUMBS UP!" - MannyLunch
LP $26


Former Detroit-based drum master, Gerald Cleaver's two fine discs on Fresh Sound have both been difficult to find. Thanks to Gerald himself, this is the first time that we can offer both of these gems & both are highly recommended. In more than a dozen different situations that I've caught Gerald Cleaver play throughout the past decade, he has consistently surprised me/us by reinventing his role at each gig or on each disc. He has collaborated with a diverse list of downtown's best: Craig Taborn, Chris Lightcap, Mario Pavone, Mat Maneri, Matt Shipp, as well as Lotte Anker, Gebhard Ullmann, and Michael Moore... Recently I heard him with Sylvie Courvoisier and John Hebert and it was another revelation!

GERALD CLEAVER'S VEIL OF NAMES With BEN MONDER/CRAIG TABORN et al - Adjust (Fresh Sound NT 112; EEC) Gerald Cleaver (d), Mat Maneri (v), Ben Monder (g), Craig Taborn (organ & keyboards), Reid Anderson (electric & acoustic bass), Andrew Bishop (cl, ss, ts) Featuring Gerald Cleaver (drums & compositions), Mat Maneri (violin), Ben Monder (guitar), Craig Taborn (organ & keyboards), Reid Anderson (electric & acoustic bass), Andrew Bishop (clarinet, soprano & tenor sax) "Gerald Cleaver, a sought-after drummer in both straight-ahead and avant-garde circles, debuts as a leader with the highly adventuresome Adjust. The band is called Veil of Names, and its makeup is striking. Guitarist Ben Monder and violist Mat Maneri are paired for the first time; reedman Andrew Bishop completes the front line. Craig Taborn plays organ and keyboards, and bassist Reid Anderson is heard on both upright and electric (another first). Cleaver is on fire behind the drum kit, but he also proves himself an extraordinary composer on this wholly original outing. What catches the ear first is the Maneri/Monder sound, a captivating blend of wobbly microtonality and searing distortion. The clipped yet forceful declamations of the leadoff track, "Hover," make for an enticing prelude to a clamorous bout of free improvisation. Cleaver's thoughts are generally more in tempo, however: Witness the off-kilter, unpredictable grooves of "The Wheat and the Tares" and "Chinese Radio" and the foreboding, almost Zawinul-esque "Force of Habit." Monder's big feature arrives on "Way Truth Life," which, following an unaccompanied guitar setup, winds up through some very surprising meter and tempo changes. Monder blows clean but dizzyingly fast lines over the rhythmic maelstrom, and the tune ends with what literally sounds like a pulled plug. Later on, the bleak and ghostly "Sight" functions as an intro to the funky, densely packed finale, "Veil." The richly varied instrumentation -- at times you'll hear clarinet, fuzz guitar, and creaking viola all at once, with electric piano or organ underneath -- gives this music more sonic dimensions than one can even count. Repeated listens are recommended, and pleasure is assured. - David Adler, AMG
CD $15

GERALD CLEAVER'S DETROIT With J D ALLEN/ANDREW BISHOP et al - Gerald Cleaver's Detroit (Fresh Sound NT 301; EEC) Recorded live at Barbe's in December of 2006 and featuring Gerald Cleaver (drums & compositions), J. D. Allen (tenor sax), Andrew Bishop (soprano & tenor sax, bass clarinet), Jeremy Pelt (trumpet & flugelhorn), Chris Lightcap (bass) and Ben Waltzer (piano). "Gerald " Cleaver's Detroit is typified by the hard bop of the '50s that brought young players from the Motor City to New York City, and the jazz world at large. But Gerald Cleaver's Detroit, as defined by the breadth and depth of his compositional skills (he wrote all of this material) is also identified by the creative improvisers who roamed the city in the '80's, brimming with hope and new ideas stemming from a former economically and culturally rich urban area that has since decayed, struggling with infrastructure and image problems. This is not Yusef Lateef's Detroit of the 1960's, rarefied, funky, riot-torn, and divided. Instead, this is the current modern strain of post-bop informed by Cleaver's drumming heroes who have recently passed away -- Roy Brooks, George Goldsmith, Richard "Pistol" Allen, and Lawrence Williams. Southeastern Michigan saxophonist Andrew Bishop and former Michiganians pianist Ben Waltzer and tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen are at the core of Cleaver's Detroit, with New Yorkers Chris Lightcap on bass and Jeremy Pelt on trumpet very much in the fold. This is a fine ensemble, able to express what the drummer's concept of what Detroit can be in positive terms. Bishop's bass clarinet is front and center in solo and ensemble form for the 10/8 rhythm of "The Silly One," a quirky, deep, probing tune that recalls Geri Allen's Open on All Sides in the Middle band recording. On the low-end horn, Bishop is out first on the refreshing "Carla's Day" which shifts from dark to light refrains in waltz and hard bop modes. A piece in beats of seven per measure, "Detroit" is the witty, bright inference of the major city rising to new dimensions. It sports a clean melody line reminiscent of Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, or Woody Shaw, and has the quality of a standard-to-be. In a similar Blue Note fashion is the solid hard bopper "Pilgrim's Progress," and Pelt leading the shuffle shorty "Praise the Lord." There are several pensive free discourses as on the spacious free ballad "Henry," and the airy and unforced rhythm section number "6350," while "Far East (Side)" starts moody and introspective, then jumps up in intensity, fading out. Waltzer's relaxed stride style with Bishop's soprano sax provides a twist on "Grateful," and a scattered free bop workout with shout choruses drives the hard bop influenced "Dorham." The horns overall work very well together, and would be an in-concert delight, while the ever vigilant Cleaver is making great headway with his personal, unpredictable, ruminating, soul laden, implied and direct rhythmic constructs. This is close to a great album, and another triumph in the still young career of Cleaver's ever expanding discography, as a sideman for sure, but now as a legitimate bandleader and particularly a composer." - Michael G. Nastos, AMG
CD $15


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