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ubu - Gush is the Swedish improvising trio, collective , of Sten Sandell on piano/voice/electronics, Raymond Strid on percussion, and Mats Gustafsson on reeds (not really Gustafsson's group but one put together on the suggestion of Frippe Nordstrom, I think, but anyway no big deal, that's how it's come to be known as due to Gustafsson's greater exposure, I guess). Glenn Miller Cafe is in Stockholm, Sweden. Yes, should have made that clear - so I'm tryingn to decide which of these, the festival or this gig (plus whoever is on on the nights surrounding the 8th of June). More expensive to travel to Stockholm but there I might just have a place to stay.

ubu - Would you have some idea of how much I'd have to pay to get a decent room for two at some place that is conveniently located. I also heard that Gush will be playing at Glenn Miller on the 8th of June but it's cheaper for me to travel to Switzerland.

Speaking of festivals, do not forget to check out Jazz a Mulhouse - a strong program once again. I was there last year and I think the festival pass offers very good value for money (and there are two free concerts each day). I'll be there from the 24th of August until the end, which is the 27th.

Thanks for posting this. Very much looking forward to Simulated Progress and Steve Lehman's new one.

Thanks for posting that, Chaney. At least half a dozen releases of interest, there.

David - if you'd like more info on any of those, feel free to PM me, I see that I haven't said much about many of the titles so I might perhaps have more to say that'd help you choose. Listening now to Haunted from The Thing's Garage, before that listened to disc 1 from the excellent Growing Pains by Bik Bent Braam.

Of the titles on the Subterranean page, here are my very short takes on some: Bik Bent Braam - Growing Pains (greatly entertaining, pretty much everyone in top form - and you get to hear how good some barely known, overlooked?, musicians are - some, mind you, as the line-up also includes the likes of Wierbos, Gratkowski, De Joode, and Boeren) Michiel Braam - Michiel vs. Braam (took a little getting into, solo versions of his compositions, recorded live, you get the lead sheets as a bonus, hmm I don't know what else to say - there's a nice summary on one of the recent Coda's, though I like it more than the reviewer does) October Meeting 1991 - 3 Quartets (some very nice versions of standards by the quartet of Dresser, Hemingway, Mengelberg, and Braxton - where, I think, Mengelberg delivers some very good solos - bad sound and underrecorded bass, though - the rest of the disc is good, too - Evan Parker delivers a short tirade, over music as well as entering a nice Bye Bye Blackbird quote, one of the tunes played by the aforementioned quartet) oh well, I got lazy (very uncharacteristic of me wouldn't you say)more below March of Dimes is OK, very good in places but not all that interesting in others (Hemingway and Anderson are good, somehow Helias not as much surefooted). Ab Baars' Four is another I'm not much fond of. Astronotes I liked but not as much as Growing Pains. APA INI, I've had different reactions to on every spin, almost, it's not bad that's for sure but it's not one I'd recommend just like that either. Cellotape and Scotchtape was a bit too rough and wandering for me in light of Reijseger's later work. Guus Janssen's Holywood OK Pieces I got very recently and I like the compositions and the solos by Chancey, on French Horn, and Rabinovitch, on bassoon, but found the playing by the better known Van Bergen and Janssen to be disappointing. Still, it was interesting enough so that it'll be one of the first discs I'll listen to when I get back home. Of Aan & Uit and Oh My Dog!, I like the latter better but find both very worthwhile. And highly recommended all (on Ramboy) are Trio Clusone, Available Jelly's Monuments, Bering, and Jewels and Binoculars. The second disc of Dylan tunes, Floater, is ok (after all, they play all the melodies beautifully and elaborate elegantly) but not much more and certainly nowhere as good as Jewels and Binoculars. White Widow, I also found disappointing - but that was a year or two ago, perhaps should have kept it for some more spins. That's about it. Anyone with other rec's or different opinions on these?

Keep the Rudd, I'd say.

Overseas, too, in case anyone had any doubts. Jon is very responsive to inquiries, quick to ship and packages the discs very well/safely.

ubu - I thought you had At the Vortex too, no? Anyway, I gave another listen to both discs of Birds and Blades yesterday - great music overall, beautifully recorded too. Another one I would recommend is Chicago Tenor Duets with Joe McPhee, for the most part Parker is outside his comfort zone (however wide that zone might be), a very good disc with very musical and amazing interplay between the two.

And thanks for the BFT 24, ubu. Now if only I could find some time to decide what to include in my Gustafsson compilation (sorry, Nate).

Well, here's a picture I took, not one I'm fond of but you at least get to see the old lone wolf looking slightly the part.

and the second, (yes, they were all taken during a particularly furious segment, no Brotz though, sorry)

Chaney - thank you, I'm sure she'll appreciate it. Looking at some of my pictures, it turns out that Vandermark played the baritone saxophone too. Of the pictures she took, two more came out nicely, if you've never seen him play, I think these do give a good sense of how Mats moves to the music Here's the first,

Out of the blue, here's picture taken (by my girlfriend) at the Sonore gig on the 17th of Februrary. Was a good enough concert, some amazing moments let down by others that were either somewhat predictable or didn't really click. Still was very much worth the trouble (had to stay over in Paris as it ended rather late). Whether they are comfortable or would agree with this assertion or not, each seems to occupy a certain territory/role and work from there, if anything, Ken's the most flexible in this setting (although he mostly sticks to riffing and takes the lead rather infrequently). Oh, they didn't speak a word until the end (before the short blues encore). Brotzmann played taragato, alto, and tenor; Mats stuck to the flutephone and baritone, and Ken played - let's see, tenor and clarinet and I think that was about it. Have some more pictures I would like to and will post soon.

Ubu - I got that set not too long ago (at Perspective 2004 from Patrik) and I, too, like it quite a bit. I now feel like giving it another listen sometime tonight. The engineer, by the way, is Martin Pearson - they're both amazing, though. If any of you will be around Paris during March, the Banlieues Bleues festival is on and I will certainly be present for the pairs of concerts on the 15th, 30th, and 31st of March.

Not a review, obviously, but I quite like the Rudd. It packs good energetic playing and fine solos, especially by Rudd - nice tunes too.

Happy new year, all!

Crispell Trio's "Live in Zurich" is one of her earlier recordings as she has a number of other releases recorded from 1982 onwards. There might be even earlier recordings, though I'm unaware of them. edit: I might just end up picking the Collective 4tet based on your remarks D.D., though I'd prefer to wait some impressions of the music, from yourself and others.

Thank you, Jon - now there's a responsive person (both of you!).

Wishing you all a good time.

I thought you'd have the answer to this lingering question I had. do you mean whether that's a new record or a reissue? I could find out, I'll ask Martin Siewert next time I write to him. Right. I'll probably get it either way, but just wondering.

I thought you'd have the answer to this lingering question I had.

Glad to see Willisau being re-issued, gladder still that I recently shelled out for Santa Cruz, and not Willisau.

Rudresh's "Black Water", on Red Giant Records, is at least as good. More jazzy and I like the compositions better, on the whole. Also, the drums are not mixed as up front, in your face, as they are on "Mother Tongue" and Kavee plays with a bit more restraint. Rudresh was definitely in good form on the day this was recorded. Even so, I really enjoy "Mother Tongue" too.