Funny Rat

[king ubu]

Supersilent ... their last album, "6," all the more impressive to me.

A very good one!

[king ubu]

No, no, page 38    (on my computer, that is)

Me too.

CRIPES UBU! Get with the program, would you! B)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Hans for the information on the Brotz Hat release.

ubu, you'd better standardize on 40 posts per page... don't test the limits of our tolerance

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

All those american and russian imperialists! Holy shit! We small european countries got to stand together! (As the swiss do with the EU )

ubu

[king ubu]

First listen to this one - very impressed!

[Д.Д.]

First listen to this one - very impressed!

Oh yeah, Dewey was the man.

[Д.Д.]

Enja MW has started selling CDs directly: http://www.enjarecords.com

VAT is deducted for non-EU countries.

[couw]

I have been much less than overwhelmed by Jagga Jazzist. Nice stuff for sure, but save for some tracks, it doesn't really get out of the whole trip-hop lounge thing I find. The overall sound they create lies too close to what groups like Boards of Canada or Jazzanova produce. I have grown weary of that kind of music after delving into it quite a bit for some time. The only stuff I still find myself returning to is those old Funki Porcini albums, which really are a blast and show much more balls and wicked fun than many a free jazz icon has produced, and Amon Tobin, who succeeded in creating a very dark sound world that is rather unique if also a bit dated (I found on last listen). Maybe it's time to dig the other crap out as well and give it an honest fresh listening again.

Supersilent sounds a bit more promising but also has this often rather boring lounge quality that I find has become rather tiresome as well.

Just another opinion.

[Д.Д.]

Loos like there is one more Maneri-Maneri-Phillips disc coming:

[Д.Д.]

I e-mailed Eremite and asked them whether they are planning to release anything any time soon (since it's been a year since last batch, and one of the OOP Eremite CDs was reissued on Atavistic, Ii thought the label is folding or something). Here is what I received back:

...two volumes of sunny murray recordings, mixed ensembles with mateen,

oluyemi

thomas, john blum, w. parker, dave burrell, others.

brotzmann/bennink duo on 'bro'

new bro/drake/parker trio

reissues of a number of unusual recordings......

Now how about that? Hope Brötzmann/Bennink duo (unpresedental thing, correct?)is released on CD, not LP...

[Д.Д.]

Looks like this one is finally released:

[Guest Chaney]

And speaking of Hat, looks like the HAT site now features an early warning system, with certain disks being labeled: LAST CHANCE, SOON SOLD OUT. Included is Tapscott's The Dark Tree 1& 2.

Site also lists the next update at August 2004. LONG TIME! Better start putting some money away.

ON THE EDIT:

hatOLOGY 2-535 / MIDPRICE / LAST CHANCE, SOON SOLD OUT

Misha Mengelberg

Two Days In Chicago

2 CD set available at $14 from CADENCE.

Edited May 16, 2004 by Chaney

[P.L.M]

Anybody here heard Andre Jaume's "Peace / Pace / Paix" (CELP)? It's a trio with Jaume on ts and bcl, Charlie on Haden and Olivier Clerc on drums. Beautiful melancholic stuff. Jaume has a pretty unique sound (very soft) and melodic concept (...flexible - really free,meaning not particularly "out", but liberated - a bit like Lee Konitz, with endless melodies created out of nowhere). Haden plays beautifully and Clerc provides understated clever drumming (a lot of brushes). Interesting selection of compositions: a couple of Ornette's (in general, the whole disc has a bit of Ornettish feel, but more relaxed and melancholic, as I mentioned), four by Haden, two by Django Reinhart and one each by Buddy Collett and Jaume himself. Highly recommended.

The sound quality of PEACE/ PACE/ PAIX is also a blessing.

I use this one to test HIFI (among few others to whom I've already name one on this thread) and see how the high register (who can be on some system a bit hard to the ear) is restitute.

In less glorifying sound, I highly recommand, anyway, this ANDRE JAUME CD on CELP:

GIACOBAZZI: AUTOUR DE LA RADE.

A strange title for a stunning free jazz date in trio (again) from 1992, with Barry ALTSCHUL on drums and BARRE PHILLIPS on bass who is not the worst rythm section that you can pick for this kind of session.

The playing is at the level of the expectations that the names of these three musicians rise.

ALTSCHUL, alas, has never plays better since and PHILLIPS demonstrates that he is one of the five greatest bass players currently alive.

Each players have bring one or two compositions, there is one from Joe McPhee (ELEUTHERA) and three freely improvise titles who will leave you breathless (RENDEZ-VOUS A MAYOL, who close the record is the hightlight of the record).

JAUME, on teno sax and bass clarinet is here at the top of his talent.

To my taste, his best record ever.

[P.L.M]

Has anyone here heard this one?:

Whit Dickey Trio - Transonic

It is a 1998 release on Aum Fidelity featuring Whit Dickey, who is probably best known as one of David S Ware's drummers along with Rob Brown on alto and flute and Chris Lightcap on bass.  The tunes are all inspired by Monk's "Off Minor" and "Criss Cross," as well as the playing of Ware.  The tunes are great, the playing is fiery and lyrical by turns and I am very glad I decided to give this disc another listen after ignoring it (undeservedly) for the past year or more.

I like it very much but I like ROB BROWN playing quite a lot.

Not a groundbraking player, more a journeyman, but one who always fits perfectly with the music he plays in and the musicians he plays with.

There is another date from WHIT DICKEY who feature ROB BROWN and who is also a one to have.

It's call PROPHET MOON, it's on RITI and it's also in trio setting (the one that DICKEY calls AHXOLOXHA - a palyndrome who seems to come right from JULIO CORTAZAR books.)

The third part of the trio is the guitarist JOE MORRIS.

Never like much the guy but he is ok and a little bit more than that, here.

It's from 2000.

Edited May 16, 2004 by P.L.M

[Matthew]

Spent the afternoon listening to this:

Gerry Hemingway Quartet: Devils Paradise, which is on Clean Feed Records, and I was very impressed with it. Quartet consists of Hemingway, Ellery Eskelin, Ray Anderson, and Mark Dresser. The interaction between Dresser and Heminway was impressive, they seemed to know where each one was going, and drove the music in a very forcefull manner. This cd is not "wild free-jazz " by any means. All the songs are Hemingway compositions, and the front-line of Eskelin on Tenor Sax, and Anderson on Trombone kept finding nice cracks in the music to add wonderfully creatively solos. The cd has a Coleman/Cherry session aspect to it, the outside - inside feel they had to their quartet. If you see this, don't be afraid to take the plunge and buy it.

Edited May 16, 2004 by Matthew

[John B]

Gerry Hemingway Quartet: Devils Paradise,

If you haven't done so already you should pick up Johnny's Corner Song, which has been OOP for a while but is now available again through Gerry directly. Same lineup as Devil's Paradise with Robin Eubanks in place of Ray Anderson. Very much in the same vein and an excellent album.

[John B]

There is another date from WHIT DICKEY who feature ROB BROWN and who is also a one to have.

It's call PROPHET MOON, it's on RITI and it's also in trio setting (the one that DICKEY calls AHXOLOXHA - a palyndrome who seems to come right from JULIO CORTAZAR books.)

I have that one, too, and haven't listened to it in quite a while, either. Perhaps tomorrow I will give it another listen.

[Guest Chaney]

If you haven't done so already you should pick up Johnny's Corner Song, which has been OOP for a while but is now available again through Gerry directly...

It is not news to me that most of my recordings are difficult to attain through the usual means. What follows are several ways to go about getting my recordings. The first is through me directly. Here is a listing of what I have copies of and their price. Postage & Handling would be in addition. Please email me at (gh@gerryhemingway.com) and I will foward neccessary details. I have listed distributors below and I have made arrangements for Alan Lawrence at JazzLoft to keep most of the same titles in stock if you need to use a charge card.

[John B]

Actually, I remember there was one disc with Rob Brown that I liked - and it also features Dickey (on AUM):

I've had this disc on my "to buy" list for years and have never gotten around to buying a copy. I'll have to do so next month.

[Guest Chaney]

Found this over on the FREEJAZZ.ORG site:

Noah Howard- Live at the Village Vanguard 

Posted by Andy (Tuesday May 11 2004 @ 08:30PM MDT)

Hello. My label Iron Mna recently released Noah Howard's Live at the Village Vanguard album on a limited pressing of 200 CD-Rs. This was done with the cooperation of the artist and comes with liner notes and information. This album was pressed in a very small quantity on a private label in the 70s and has been out of print for over 30 years. This is the first time it has been made available on CD. The personnel on this recording includes Frank Lowe, Earl Freeman, Juma Sultan, Rashied Ali, and Robert Bruno.

It can be ordered from http://www.phantom-limb.com/, or drop me a line at andy@phantom-limb.com. It is only $8.00 plus shipping, so don't miss out on this lost classic!

As Noah Howard has his own WEBSITE (gee! who doesn't nowadays?!), I sent him an e-mail asking if this was legit and received the following response:

hi anthony,

                  thinks for your concern/ i personally decided to

release this limited edition

                  for my fans so please buy it and enjoy it

                                              noah

Title: Live at the Village Vanguard

Recording : Recorded Live at the ViIlage Vanguard, New York City, 22nd August 1972

Recording Engineer: John Sadler

Label : A FREEDOM recording (FLP40127)

Recorded with : FRANK LOWE, (tenor saxophone and bells)

ROBERT BRUNO (piano)

EARL FREEMAN (electric bass)

JUMASUTAN (congo drums and timbali)

RASHIED ALI (drums)

Tracks :

SIDE ONE

1.BACK A'TOWN BLUES - Howard (Time: 2.42)

2.CONVERSATION - Howard (Time: 8.33)

SIDE TWO

1.DEDICATION (TO ALBERT AYLER) - Howard (Time:14.34)

(Can those short playing times be correct?)

Liner notes :

Noah Howard belongs to the first generation of post-Ornette Coleman saxophonists. That Means that although he is relatively young, he is an experienced artist by comparison many of the younger players in United States.

He comes to the music with all the right credentials. His birthplace was New Orleans, the city famed not only for its contribution to early jazz, but for the funky rhythms that sparked a whole era of rhythm-and-blues. Motown tried to pin down those unchainable rhythms but could never duplicate them; Noah Howard can draw on them at any time and that, combined with his extensive experience in the Black Church, makes him a exceptional musician. Whatever Noah does, and wherever his impulsive head may lead him, he always retains his technical skill and what the critics usually refer to as 'taste'. That means that although he will yell lustily through his instrument, he never achieves the grainy coarseness of, say, Pharoah Sanders or Albert AyIer. His is more of a conventional purity and contrasts well with the hoarse "desperation" of Frank Lowe.

This remarkable tenor saxophonist, who joined the Howard unit for this and several Sunday concerts at the Village Vanguard, has sand-blasted most of the surface of his horn to increase its overtones. He is an energy man first and foremost. Born and raised in Memphis Tennessee, Frank Lowe had most of his playing experience in San Francisco whilst in New York he has played ith Sun Ra's Arkestra, with Alice Coltrane and Milford Graves.

Robert Bruno, a pianist since the age 'of 12, comes from Silver Springs, Maryland. He has recorded with Louis Armstrong, and played for artists as diverse as The Platters, Fathead Newman and the late Jimi Hendrix. Playing conga drums and other percussion is Juma Sutan, another Hendrix alumnus from - the Band of Gypsies days. Originally from California, he has. lived in New York since the late I sixties where he is most famous as a manufacturer of the non-Western instruments which are played by the floating population of his Aborikinal Music Society. That Noah Howard takes care of business in all departments is obvious from his choice of bassist. The adept and propulsive Earl Freeman who appears here on Fender bass instead of his more usual acoustic model, was born in Oakland, California. He had played with Sun Ra in Chicago, but most of his professional experience was acquired in Europe with Sonny Murray, Kenneth Terroade, Burton Greene, Noah and Frank Wright. Rashied Ali, immortalised through his work with the late John Coltrane, is a king among percussion's princes. He never falters for an instant wherever he plays; he is the modern drummerman for all seasons. His work here is absolutely superb, even though he was called in at the last minute to substitute for Noah's regular drummer, Art Lewis.

Back A' Town Blues (not related to the Louis Armstrong piece of similar name) is a reminiscence of one of the sections of New Orleans, and is his bowtothe sounds he heard there as a child. The next selection, Conversation, a solo composition for alto saxophone, has the leader's most relaxed playing of the evening. Essentially melodic, it is lengthy but to the point, and revealing of the artist's inner nature. Dedication, was written by Noah Howard in memory of the late great innovator Albert Ayler. Frank Lowe, propelled by Rashied Ali blows with almost frightening intensity, and is the ideal foil for Howard's more thoughtful approach.

There are those who dislike 'live' recordings, preferring i'me more controlled conditions of the recording studio. But given that it is still difficult to really capture the energy and impact of the new music through any recording process, 'live' dates contain more of those elements than do their studio counterparts This is a strong session because Noah Howard picked his components with taste and skill. The same way he plays his saxophone, in fact.

Valerie Wilmer

[P.L.M]

Well, BARRY GUY.

First I will list some records that I've never heard but I'd like to:

His new solo album SIMMETRIE (2002, MAYA)

Three EVAN PARKER dates:

DIVIDUALITY (2001, MAYA)

BUSH FIRE (1997, OGUN)

4,4,4 (publish in 2004 on KONNEX but recorded in the seventies, eighties?)

and this trio on EMANEM: IMPROVISATIONS ARE FOR EVER NOW, from 1997 with Philipp WACHSMANN/ HOWARD RILEY/ GUY

If any of you know some of it, please comment.

What I have and like:

FIZZLES (MAYA), his (first) solo date.

A great record. Like The KOWALD's, it's a collection of short pieces (from 2'15 to 9'14) and it's much in the same musical family. To my ear, the KOWALD is still ahead but this one come as a close second.

I don't know so well ARCUS his series of duos with BARRE PHILLIP, as I have only listen to him... once. Must give it another try.

The duets with PARKER:

OBLIQUITIES (1994, MAYA) is a must to have (even if it seems to be rejected here and there.) Very muscular and violent at time. Love it.

BIRDS AND BLADES (STUDIO & LIVE) (INTAKT, 2003) is different from the former. More deep, more streep to the essential. Not much difference between the studio & the live part. A great record. Love it much, also.

The PARKER/ GUY/ LYTTON TRIO:

The best free impro. trio ever.

All of their records are worth to be listen to, IMO.

I'll select these four, aniway:

ATLANTA (1986, IMPETUS)

IMAGINARY VALUES (1993, MAYA)

AT THE VORTEX (1996, EMANEM) (maybe my favorite, leave you breathless.)

LIVE AT 'LES INSTANTS CHAVIRES' (1997, LEO) (close second in less glorious sound.)

+ EVAN PARKER 50th BIRTHDAY CONCERT (1994, LEO) Guy is only on one of the two discs. Great playing all over. The contrast between the two trios (PARKER/ SCHLIPPENBACH/ LOVENS, PARKER/ GUY/ LYTTON) is a proof of the diversity of the european improvised music, even if some think that "it sounds always the same."

The duos & trios with MATS GUSTAFSSON:

FROGGING (1999, MAYA, under the name of GUSTAFSSON.)

A duo who anticipe on... BIRDS AND BLADES. Muscular at time but never agressive.

MOUTH EATING TREES AND RELATED ACTIVITIES (1992, OKKADISC, under the name of GUSTAFSSON.)

Trio, with PAUL LOVENS on drums. Strange one. Five parts, some short, some long.

The first one is a solo from Gustafsson, the third a solo by GUY.

The trio sides are very concentrated & very contrasted in the same time: can be quiet for some period and suddenly exploded with an incredible violence.

YOU FORGET TO ANSWER (1994-1995, published in 1996.) The name of GUY comes first but, like MOUTH, the music is entirely improvised. More of a group playing here. The three with RAYMOND STRID on drums (a hell of a drummer/percussionnist. I find him better than LOVENS in this context) are simply astonishing.

GUSTAFSSON has, maybe, never been closer to EVAN PARKER than on this record and, in the same time, as a paradox, he's more is own man here than on the preceding. My favorite GUY with the swedish without doubt.

To follow...

Edited May 18, 2004 by P.L.M

[Nate Dorward]

this trio on EMANEM: IMPROVISATIONS ARE FOR EVER NOW, from 1997 with Philipp WACHSMANN/ HOWARD RILEY/ GUY

It's good music but a warning: the original tapes were lost & it's mastered from an LP. Not bad sound but it's a little blunt & bass-heavy. There's also one track with an irritating high-pitched whine near the end. All that said, it's a very interesting disc, & there's also an extra studio session added at the end which is in excellent sound.

OBLIQUITIES (1994, MAYA) is a must to have (even if it seems to be rejected here and there.) Very muscular and violent at time. Love it.

I've always found this incredibly dull & impenetrable. I'm told the new Intakt set is very good though.

[David Ayers]

Looks like this one is finally released:

When I first heard this I thought it lacked balls and the guitar sounded silly. Listening to it more recently, I find some of the most fantastic sounds, especially in the slower pieces. Recommended.

[Д.Д.]

Noah Howard- Live at the Village Vanguard 

Nice. I'll be picking this one up.

[Д.Д.]

Gerry Hemingway Quartet: Devils Paradise,

If you haven't done so already you should pick up Johnny's Corner Song, which has been OOP for a while but is now available again through Gerry directly. Same lineup as Devil's Paradise with Robin Eubanks in place of Ray Anderson. Very much in the same vein and an excellent album.

I would say Johnny's Corner Song is better than Devil's Paradise - more varied in mood and slightlz more experimental. Both are solid, if not outstanding works.

[Guest Chaney]

Both are solid, if not outstanding works.

I like this and so I've decided to honor it with a newly created acronym - full credit to David - we'll split the royalties: SINOW

So often, when I've wanted to recommend a particular CD, I've searched for the proper words to convey the idea that you'll like this one alot but it probably won't change your life. A good, solid effort which you'll enjoy but may not revere.

SINOW

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue but it'll do.

[Guest Chaney]

An Interview with Russell Summers of nuscope recordings