clifford_thornton

the Silvas are very different animals from what is being discussed here. no, Otis Harris never led a date, but his playing is of a piece with some of the musicians being discussed here. His writing was maybe a bit more boppish, as evidenced by the additional tracks on the Ted Daniel Sextet album.

yeah, for sure, I was not thinking so much in a European perspective but Prayer for Peace is certainly in a related zone. Beautiful album. "Communications Network" is a neat document of areas in progress though to me it's not quite on the level of CT's other albums. However, there are certainly reasons he sought to release it on his own label and spend the money getting it out into the world. I say this with obvious love for the man and his work.

I can't think of very many records yet to be reissued that merit much hype, the exceptions being the Marzette on Savoy and the Colbeck on Fontana. Otherwise, most of the truly great records in free music have seen the light of day at least a few times. re: ESP, I zoomed in on the two Tylers but there are of course many on the label that I love. Not sure they'd fit in whatever bucket we're putting Black Unity Trio into, but if Ayler-influenced rust belt "free jazz" is the criteria, I'd continue to check into Tyler, Jones, Frank Wright, Otis Harris (Cleveland) as well as Charles Gayle (Buffalo). Not sure about Pittsburgh as it's a town I mostly associate with drummers (f.e.: Beaver Harris, J.C. Moses, Joe Harris). Erie, PA and Gary, IN I don't know enough about to hazard a guess. Cisco Bradley is working on a book about rust belt musicians; I'd imagine it will be an interesting volume.

yeah, the later Tyler LPs are excellent but I don't feel like they are in the same bucket as the Black Unity Trio. His compositional voice and playing were a bit more fully formed by the time "Saga of the Outlaws" came around. for what it is worth, the ESP I gravitate to the most is "Eastern Man Alone," which features Tyler and a string trio of University of Indiana players: the professor David Baker on cello and U of I students Brent McKesson and Kent Brinkley (basses). It does fit in with a certain conception of hummable, spiritual tunes and gooey interplay that Ayler certainly put forth in his music.

Arthur Jones' "Scorpio." I like Scorpio better, but honestly if I had heard Al-Fatihah in the late 90s it probably would be in my pantheon of emotionally rich and direct "power trio" records as well. It wasn't until 2007 or so that I actually sat down with the music, via a CD-R from a friend. Not for nothing, Arthur Jones was also from Cleveland. I suppose the case could be made for Charles Tyler's ESPs having a bit of similarity, vibe-wise, but Tyler's writing and solos have a different cast from Yusef Mumin's.

Happy Birthday, Guy! Thanks for all you do!

Lucky you are. I really want one of those John Butcher t-shirts. Hopefully Oto has some left.

Perhaps he was under contract to Impulse at the time of its recording (June 17, 1965) and thus Impulse felt it had the rights to release it? This was mere weeks before he went over to Englewood Cliffs to record On Impulse!.

yeah, have the same pressing. Great record!

Damn. The Phil Zone was really something else. Monumental figure, huge ears, and a fascinating life. RIP. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/phil-lesh-grateful-dead-age-death-b2635863.html

seems to be an abbreviated part of the set, but it is something. Acceptable sound, fierce performance.

Definitely, he always has been. I've never heard the Davis set with Stinson. Diving in now (albeit through computer speakers)

Wow, what an incredible piece of writing.

Gosh, 2005? NYC, Iridium IIRC. Hearing them do "Love & Hate" was something... René was also on the gig; I forget who was in the rhythm section, might've been Leroy Williams on drums.

I know Moncur did have embouchure problems periodically. I've always adored his playing, though. Glad to have seen him with McLean & Hutcherson once, a weighty experience as you can probably imagine.

fine Pearson date for sure.

Side two track titles are quite something.

yeah, it was a really wonderful site and I honed my writing chops there for sure. Dan was very forgiving (and repairing) of my "occasional" word salads. Glad you dug the interview. It remains one of my favorites.

was just coming here to post this as well. She was a badass and a very cool person. RIP.

I have a rip of a Sick Dick cassette with Miller that sounds like AMM. Some of the band's music veered into no wave territory as well. I think Sick Dick had at least a few iterations/aesthetics from what I gather. Ditto Cool & the Clones, depending on who was involved. Borbetomagus were incredible, and the records are uniformly wonderful. I have a particular soft spot for the self-titled black cover album (two were self-titled) and the Zürich double LP, but each one is impressive and nuanced. I had the distinct pleasure of presenting both Jim Sauter and Don Dietrich in separate concerts in the last several years, albeit not Mr. Miller. The documentary on Borbetomagus, A Pollock of Sound, is very well done.

Sorry to read the news that guitarist Donald Miller has passed. Best known for his work in Borbetomagus (who I was lucky enough to see many years ago), he also performed in Cool & the Clones, Sick Dick & the Volkswagens, and as a solo string wrangler, both electric and acoustic. RIP and thanks to him for being there and doing what he did. His recent solo work can be heard here, to brilliant advantage: https://donaldmiller.bandcamp.com/album/transgression

Excellent.

ah, that's too bad -- I've been meaning to catch up on CvsD CDs, as some of the recent ones I haven't bought yet. Think the only Soufflé CD I have is the Perception -- nice session, gatefold digipak looks good. All three proper Perception LPs are really excellent as well.

Yep! I have one of those, as well as a handpainted McPhee and a couple of her small paintings framed.

I was told that Judith Lindbloom was supposed to be the artist for the Ornette LP but her "indisposition" at the time got in the way of her contributing cover art. https://www.judithlindbloom.com/