king ubu

Re. Zurich - 29th of September 1964 can be confirmed. I just dug up these in the archives of the NZZ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung): On September 23rd (repeated on 25th and 28th, thus not prepared), there was this: On September 29th, it looked somewhat different ("Heute" means "Today", or in this case rather: "Tonight"): And then, on October 6th, there was this review: my quick and dirty translation: "American Jazz Festival in Switzerland" bsp. It was a great idea to have the jazz orchestras that were booked for the Berliner Festwochen tour in the following weeks. Some of them were brought to Switzerland in the course. Thus, jazz fans were able to hear an All-Star-Group led by trombonist J.J. Johnson as well as saxophonist Roland Kirk at Zurich's Volkshaus last week. The concert's first part was dedicated to the memory of the late saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker, who face-lifted jazz like no other musician in the forties yet is almost forgotten today. All the more it is welcome that a group of musicians from his circle could be put together for a short time. However, each musician has walked his own path in the past years, and it was obviously difficult for them to arrive at a good level of interplay. As far as solos go, Jay Jay Johnson was particularly convincing with his impressively simple and confident manner of playing. Sonny Sitt had to accept the ungrateful part of filling the role of Parker's - a comparison that has to be disadvantageous for him. Trumpet player Howard McGhee appeared insecure, just like Kenny Clarke, who only regained his usual superiority late towards the end of the concert. Tommy Potter proved a reliable accompanist on bass. The miserably tuned grand piano of the Volkshaus spoilt the fun for the otherwise excellent Walter Bishop. Blind Roland Kirk, appearing like a carnival vendor hung with his eccentrically adapted saxophones, flutes and whistles, is likely one of the most amazing musicians brought forth by jazz. Whether playing two or even three instruments simultaneously, producing new sounds on flute, or sitting down at the piano for a few bars - he does all of this with musical supremacy and technical perfection only very few jazz musicians possess. Spanish (sic!) pianist Tete Montoliu accompanied with subtle empathy and proved a soloist of high class. The attentive audience was appreciative of what they got to hear and had Roland Kir play a solo encore of towering brillance. As part of the same organisation, a second concert took place at Zurich Kongresshaus with the quintet of the well-known american trumpet player Miles Davis. With him were saxophonist Sam Rivers, technically outstanding but too much under the influence of Davis' strong personality; pianist Herbie Hancock, not very stylistically distinct; excellent bassist Ron Carter; as well as somewhat one-sided drummer Tony Williams. MIles Davis himself proved to be in perfect shape, particularly in several ballads, while the partly forced fast numbers failed to fully convince. Altogether this concert left the impression that many modern musicians seem to have forgotten that uncompromising, avantgarde jazz, too requires a real connection to the audience to stay alive.

Indeed it was! But consider Météo Mulhouse, Brötzmann in Warsaw, Berlin Jazzfest and a few others (Zorn in Willisau, Unerhört and Taktlos in Zurich) listed by set ... those were a couple of intense but enormously rewarding weeks, long weekends or just days. Not planning to keep up that pace, actually other than a few opera and classical tickets and trip to Milan in a few weeks (Roscoe Mitchell again, a visit to La Scala, and then Bobby Bradford in Novara) I have no plans for 2017 yet. Will wait for festival programmes to be published and then decide ...

Mighty impressive concert year for me ... I've compiled this list for a German forum (click), links are mostly leading to German reports (mostly also up here: http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch). Highlights include the trip to Warsaw in March (four days of Brötzmann, about which I have reported here, back then), as well as my first time catching Wadada Leo Smith live (both in duo with Alexander Hawkins on church organ, and with his quartet), and more impressive Chicago firsts: Jack DeJohnette (w/Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Garrison) and Muhal Richard Abrams. Also I had a great time at the festivals in Mulhouse (August) and Berlin (November) and enjoyed plenty of fine concerts here in Zurich. The list has several classical concerts in high positions. Haitink w/Gerhaher doing Brahms was most impressive, my very first Bruckner (Haitink in No. 9) was terrific as well (I've since started exploring the symphonies, only got to No. 2 so far though, but that does include 0 and 00), and Nono's "Prometeo" was an incredible experience. Debussy came up on top, I guess in the longer run the Nono will be quite a bit more memorable, but for now, the glowing orchestra playing and the amazing music of Debussy's opera still are on top. Decoy (Alexander Hawkins-org, John Edwards-b, Steve Noble-d) with Evan Parker – Novara, 30 January 2016 Peter Brötzmann in Warsaw with Toshinori Kondo (t) and Han Bennink (d) (not on picture Alexander von Schlippenbach-p) – 9 March 2016 * * * * * Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande – Opernhaus Zürich (Alain Altinoglu) – 27.5. (Bericht) Nono: Prometeo – Theater Luzern (Clemens Heil) – 15.10. Peter Brötzmann/Jason Adasiewicz/John Edwards/Steve Noble/Hamid Drake – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 7.3. Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Bernhard Haitink, Zürcher Sing-Akademie, Christian Gehaher, Camilla Tilling – Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem – Zürich, Tonhalle – 16.1. (Bericht) Wadada Leo Smith & Alexander Hawkins – Jazzfest Berlin, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche – 6.11. Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk – Opernhaus Zürich (Vasily Petrenko) – 27.12. Barry Guy Blue Shroud Band – Zürich, Miller Studio – 19.9. Peter Brötzmann/Toshinori Kondo/Alexander von Schlippenbach/Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 9.3. Decoy & Evan Parker – Novara, Attico delle arti – 30.1. (Bericht) Poing + Maja S. K. Ratkje – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5. Roscoe Mitchell Trio with John Edwards & Mark Sanders – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 27.8. Alexander von Schlippenbach & Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 10.3. Peter Brötzmann/Mateusz Rybicki/Toshinori Kondo/Jason Adasiewicz/Alexander von Schlippenbach/John Edwards/Zbigniew Kozera/Steve Noble – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 10.3. * * * *1/2 Ellery Eskelin/Christian Weber/Michael Griener – Unerhört, GZ Riesbach, Zürich – 23.11. (Bericht) Verdi: Don Carlo – Zürich, Opernhaus (Fabio Luisi) – 7.12. Jack DeJohnette/Ravi Coltrane/Matthew Garrison – Jazzfest Berlin – 5.11. Tonhalle-Orchester, Bernard Haitink, András Schiff – Beethoven: Klavierkonzert Nr. 5 / Bruckner: Symphonie Nr. 9 – Zürich, Tonhalle – 8.12. (Bericht) Kristian Bezuidenhout, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardiner (Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert) – Zürich, Tonhalle – 14.11. (Bericht) Louis Moholo „5 Blokes“ – Ravenna Festival, Teatro Rasi – 21.6. (Bericht) Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner – Bach: Matthäuspassion – Luzern, KKL – 17.3. (Bericht) Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet – Jazzfest Berlin – 3.11. Booklet (Tobias Delius-Joe Williamson-Steve Heather) – Unerhört, WIM, Zürich – 24.11. (Bericht) Sophie Agnel/Joke Lanz/Michael Vatcher – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 24.8. Nicolas Masson „Parallels“ – Zürich – 21.5. (Bericht) Peter Brötzmann & Heather Leigh – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 8.3. Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Thierry Fischer & Patricia Kopatchinskaja – Weinberg, Prokofiev, Beethoven – Zürich, Tonhalle – 9.5. (Bericht) Jazz Against Apartheid: Celebrating the Music of Johnny Dyani – Basel, Bird’s Eye – 27.10. (Bericht) Gyan Riley and Julian Lage play The Bagatelles Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9. Elina Duni & Jean-Paul Brodbeck – Zürich – 10.6. (Bericht) Zeitkratzer: Lou Reed „Metal Machine Music“ Parts 1-4 – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 26.8. Anja Harteros, Tonhalle Orchester, Donald Runnicles (R. Strauss, Webern, Wagner) – Zürich, Tonhalle – 28.10. (Bericht) Joachim Badenhorst – Météo, Mulhouse, Chapelle Saint-Jean – 26.8. Julia Fischer/Igor Levit – Beethoven: Violinsonaten Nr. 9 & 10 – Zürich, Tonhalle, Kleiner Saal – 10.1. (Bericht) Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart – Theater Rigiblick, Zürich – 15.6. Eve Risser’s White Desert Orchestra – Jazzfest Berlin – 6.11. Igor Levit – Hamburg, Laeiszhalle – 12.10. Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail – Opernhaus Zürich (Maxim Emelyanychev) – 21.12. John Zorn’s Masada Quartet – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9. Mat Maneri/Randy Peterson – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 4.9. The Thing & Joe McPhee – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 24.8. Bruce Springsteen – Zürich, Letzigrund – 31.7. Ephrem Lüchinger – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 20.5. Isabelle Faust/Jean-Guihen Queyras/Alexander Melnikov – Schumann, Schubert, Sciarrino: Piano Trios – Zürich, Tonhalle – 17.4. (Bericht) Muhal Richard Abrams Quintet – Milano, Teatro Manzoni – 31.1. (Bericht) Steve Lehman Octet – Jazzfest Berlin – 6.11. Kris Davis Solo – Zürich, Villa Irniger, 17.5. (Bericht) Alexander von Schlippenbach/John Edwards/Steve Noble – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 8.3. John Edwards solo – Jazzfestival Willisau, Rathaus – 3.9. Oum – Zürich, Moods – 1.4. (Bericht) Toshinori Kondo/John Edwards/Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 8.3. Peter Brötzmann/Toshinori Kondo/Heather Leigh/Han Bennink – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 10.3. * * * * Ken Vandermark & Nate Wooley – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5. Christian Weber Solo – Wila – 3.7. Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits plays Masada — The Book Beriah – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9. Hamid Drake/William Parker/Pat Thomas – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 26.8. Heiri Känzig (w/Thierry Lang & Chico Freeman) – Zürich, Moods – 4.12. Der Verboten – Météo, Mulhouse, La Filature – 27.8. Sonic Communion (Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Douglas Ewart, Joëlle Léandre, Bernard Santacruz, Michael Zerang) – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 27.8. Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret – Jazzfest Berlin – 4.11. Asmodeus plays The Bagatelles – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9. Mats Gustafsson Nu Ensemble – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 25.8. Globe Unity Orchestra – Jazzfest Berlin – 4.11. David Murray & Aki Takase – Zürich, Moods – 29.4. (Bericht) Áine O’Dwyer – Météo, Mulhouse, Église Sainte-Geneviève – 26.8. Matthew Shipp Solo – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5. University of London Chamber Choir – Mantova, Basilica S. Barbara – 28.6. Lia Pale & Mathias Rüegg – Wien, Porgy & Bess – 27.7. G. Ramanathan – Zürich, Museum Rietberg – 8.5. (Bericht) Jason Adasiewicz/Heather Leigh/John Edwards/Steve Noble – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 9.3. Clayton Thomas – Météo, Mulhouse, Chapelle Saint-Jean – 27.8. Toshinori Kondo & Heather Leigh – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 7.3. Verdi: Aïda – Arena di Verona (Julian Kovatchev) – 30.6. (Bericht) Fazil Say – Mozart, Chopin, Say – Zürich, Tonhalle – 19.04. (Bericht) Bertrand Denzler/Axel Dörner/Antonin Gerbal – Zürich, WIM – 13.5. (Bericht) MinAfric Orchestra & Louis Moholo & Keith Tippett & Julie Tippetts – Ravenna Festival, Teatro Rasi – 20.6. (Bericht) Jean-Paul Brodbeck Trio – Zürich, Moods – 29.4. (Bericht) Zeena Parkins solo – Météo, Mulhouse, L’Entrepot – 24.8. Agustí Fernández/Kjell Nordeson – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 25.8. Tobias Meier „Im Wald“ – Jazzfestival Willisau, Rathaus – 4.9. Mulatu Astatke – Zürich, Moods – 6.2. (Bericht) Han Bennink & Jason Adasiewicz – Warschau, Pardon To Tu – 7.3. Roscoe Mitchell with John Edwards (b) and Mark Sanders (d) – Mulhouse – 27 August 2016 * * *1/2 Els Biesemans – Zürich, Grossmünster – 20.7. Simulacrum – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9. Tonhalle Orchester, Paavo Järvi, Steven Isserlis: Prokofiev, Kurtág, Schumann – Zürich, Tonhalle – 16.12. Robert Glasper Experiment – Zürich, Moods – 7.4. (Bericht) Julia Holter & Strings – Jazzfest Berlin – 6.11. Silvan Jeger/Silvan Schmid, Jonas Labhart/Gabriela Friedli, Sandra Weiss/Christian Weber – Zürich, WIM – 23.12. Hans-Peter Pfammatter & Big Band der Hochschule Luzern-Musik – Unerhört, GZ Riesbach, Zürich – 23.11. (Bericht) Alice Borciani/Musiker des Tonhalle Orchester – L’état, c’est moi: Couperin, Montéclair, Lully – Tonhalle, Zürich – 12.6. Native Instrument (Stine Janvin Motland, Felicity Mangan) – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 27.8. Colin Vallon/Matthieu Michel/Flo Götte/Domi Charnson – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5. Keith Tippett & Julie Tippetts – Ravenna Festival, Teatro Rasi – 20.6. (Bericht) Clayton Thomas/Anthea Caddy – Météo, Mulhouse, L’Entrepot – 24.8. Jacob Wick & Christian Weber – Zürich, WIM – 13.5. (Bericht) Per-Ake Holmlander – Météo, Mulhouse, Bibliothèque Grand’Rue – 25.8. dieb13 solo – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 25.8. * * * Joachim Kühn Trio „Beauty & Truth“ – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 4.9. Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau Duo – Jazzfest Berlin – 4.11. Tobias Meier „Im Wald“ – Zürich – 27.2. Mette Henriette – Jazzfest Berlin – 3.11. Green Dome (Zeena Parkins) – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 26.8. Cleric plays Masada – The Book Beriah – Jazzfestival Willisau, Festhalle – 3.9. Peter K. Frey (solo) – Unerhört, WIM, Zürich – 24.11. (Bericht) Nik Bärtsch „Ronin“ & hr-Bigband – Jazzfest Berlin – 5.11. Alexandre Babel solo – Météo, Mulhouse, Chapelle Saint-Jean – 25.8. * *1/2 Mike Majkowski – Météo, Mulhouse, Église Sainte-Geneviève – 26.8. Louis Minus XVI – Météo, Mulhouse, Noumatrouff – 24.8. Julia Hülsmann Quartet & Anna-Lena Schnabel – Jazzfest Berlin – 3.11. The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums – Taktlos, Zürich, Rote Fabrik – 19.5. * * Angelika Niescier/Florian Weber Quintet – Jazzfest Berlin – 5.11. Kris Davis/Christoph Irniger Duo – Zürich, Villa Irniger, 17.5. (Kurzbericht)

r.i.p. Another one I never managed to catch live but enjoyed on many a recording. Alphonse, I think? (If so, might be nice to change the title)

Congrats on reaching the funding goal!

Listening to the Basie volume now - and am enjoying it immensely! (Paid close to 20$ though, which I find a bit over the top ... not sure how prices are for others, the first album was around a third cheaper - and of course installation and all that was a pain, that whole iTunes package is such an overblown mess, you click somewhere and a second later there may be a reaction ... or not, and then you click again).

Absolutely they should! I'm even more hesitant to install iCrap and buy these files if they come in some useless format ... will still look into it after x-mas though, I need to hear the music!

Mine has been shipped two days ago, I expect it just before or right after x-mas, I guess ... I ordered it with amazon.de when it was displayed as "currently not in stock", but a mere couple of days later, it was shipped ... shows again as "currently not in stock", second offer here: https://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B01N53EK3O/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new Irritatingly, they display a vendor (one that's not shipping to Switzerland, and I guess not to anywhere outside Germany) as the "main" offer. I guess amazon itself will eventually get it again, so ...

Thanks John - guess I'll have to re-install that sucker of a programme then ... maybe over christmas, little energy for that kind of thing these days, but I want, I need to hear the music, obviously!

1st of April? Or else link please? To Vol. 1 as well ....

So you still didn't get it? Mine arrived in time to make it to the personal list of best 2015 releases. A truly wonderful album!

Gotta get this! For yurpeens: http://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/73336/duke-ellington/the-duke-box-2-7cd-dvd

Why? Assuming this is the Dustygroove-associated label (and not Real Gone Jazz or whatever that crapola cheapo label is called exactly).

I agree with all of that - including liking the record.

It's pretty nice ... first disc is mostly the narration (and it's somewhat botched I'm afraid, but not bad), second has more music and some of it is pretty fine indeed (changing line-ups, hardly any by the full band). Jayne Cortez has a very strong appearance - one of the high points of the album for me. I was kinda hoping for a "sum" of Weston's work, a follow-up/addition to "Spirits of Our Ancestors", but for that there's somehow not enough meat to the bone, I found. All in all I don't think it holds up to the best of Weston's amazing Gitanes/Verve albums (Ancestors, Volcano Blues, Saga, also the glorious solo Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening). But obviously, anything new by Weston is most welcome! Just in case, the album has been out for a few months, via cdbaby. It's pretty nice ... first disc is mostly the narration (and it's somewhat botched I'm afraid, but not bad), second has more music and some of it is pretty fine indeed (changing line-ups, hardly any by the full band). Jayne Cortez has a very strong appearance - one of the high points of the album for me. I was kinda hoping for a "sum" of Weston's work, a follow-up/addition to "Spirits of Our Ancestors", but for that there's somehow not enough meat to the bone, I found. All in all I don't think it holds up to the best of Weston's amazing Gitanes/Verve albums (Ancestors, Volcano Blues, Saga, also the glorious solo Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening). But obviously, anything new by Weston is most welcome! Just in case, the album has been out for a few months, via cdbaby.

Enjoyed his playing wherever he popped up, from Sal Salvador to J.R. Monterose and a couple of his own discs. r.i p.

don't you dare forget the Leopard-Skin pumps

Still laughing out loud as I'm trying to type this - thanks! Had totally forgotten about that ...

Huh? Then share the link to that thread, willya?

It's mainly a question of how you define "dead", right?

Ha, don't really like Beatles covers most of the time ... but I'm in nonetheless

The listing on amazon.de has backets for the first two discs (Remaster 2000 and RVG mentioned): https://www.amazon.de/5-Original-Albums-BURRELL-KENNY/dp/B01KL0L9GC/ Not sure I'd trust this ... either way, bad thing that "On View at the Five Spot Cafe" isn't including all the additional material the old CD did!

Shit, so no use trying hmv.co.jp then, I guess? I saw "Le Temps Fou" listed as "sold out" on cdjapan a few days back and that had me scratch my head already. Fontana (Colbeck) and Polydor (Temps Fou) are both part of Universal, right? If 'merika had any sane cultural laws (but it has lost its sanity anyway, it seems), they would oust that dreaded company and do something about its jazz holdings and thus its cultural heritage (but wait, I guess they belong to a company located in Bermuda or on Guernsey or Delaware or whatdoIknow - all protected by 'merikin law again, and that part of the law, el toupe is unlikely going to change, I assume).

Anyone familiar with Zenzile feat. Marion Brown? Also listed on hmv.co.jp (2009 release). There's one rather tasty track on youtube (though not much Brown to be heard):