Funny Rat

[Big Wheel]

Matt Wilson's latest one on Palmetto is also a pretty strong date, called Humidity. I have Arts and Crafts, with Larry Goldings (on piano) and Terrell Stafford, but it doesn't grab me like the other record.

[king ubu]

slightly funnyrattier... couldn't say it better!

I never got into the London disc, listened to parts of it in a store several times, yet it never fully grabbed me. I saw John Betsch with Dewey, btw.

John, what do you mean by "one of the Cobra discs"? As I understand it, "Cobra" is a particular composition (of the "new music" sort Zorn calls "game piece", which I think is a very fitting term, that might apply to music by Riley, Rzewski etc, too). Are there several recordings of "Cobra" and you had one of them, or is this some sort of misunderstanding (or of lack of knowledge on my side)?

ubu

[John B]

John, what do you mean by "one of the Cobra discs"? As I understand it, "Cobra" is a particular composition (of the "new music" sort Zorn calls "game piece", which I think is a very fitting term, that might apply to music by Riley, Rzewski etc, too). Are there several recordings of "Cobra" and you had one of them, or is this some sort of misunderstanding (or of lack of knowledge on my side)?

ubu

ubu -

Zorn has released at least five albums of the "Cobra" game piece. The one I owned was recorded live at the Knitting Factory. I just looked at AMG and they only gave it one and a half stars, which sounds about right.

[John B]

Matt Wilson's latest one on Palmetto is also a pretty strong date, called Humidity. I have Arts and Crafts, with Larry Goldings (on piano) and Terrell Stafford, but it doesn't grab me like the other record.

Humidity is one of the discs that was being praised quite a bit. I would still give it a chance, but I won't be seeking it out anytime soon.

[king ubu]

John, what do you mean by "one of the Cobra discs"? As I understand it, "Cobra" is a particular composition (of the "new music" sort Zorn calls "game piece", which I think is a very fitting term, that might apply to music by Riley, Rzewski etc, too). Are there several recordings of "Cobra" and you had one of them, or is this some sort of misunderstanding (or of lack of knowledge on my side)?

ubu

ubu -

Zorn has released at least five albums of the "Cobra" game piece. The one I owned was recorded live at the Knitting Factory. I just looked at AMG and they only gave it one and a half stars, which sounds about right.

I have this one: AMG

I think four stars are fair, but then I know only this version.

Is the 2CD "Cobra" on Hat again this same piece?

Zorn himself wrote the liners for the Tzadik version, and he includes some critical reflections about this sort of piece being successful or not, and ends stating that this one was "Cobra" at its best... alright, he does have to sell CDs, but he wouldn't have to say that, if he didn't consider it to be true.

ubu

[John B]

Is the 2CD "Cobra" on Hat again this same piece?

Zorn himself wrote the liners for the Tzadik version, and he includes some critical reflections about this sort of piece being successful or not, and ends stating that this one was "Cobra" at its best... alright, he does have to sell CDs, but he wouldn't have to say that, if he didn't consider it to be true.

ubu

I believe the material on Hat is different.

This is the disc I owned:

AMG review

The cover is the best thing about this disc.

[king ubu]

Pretty frightening cover! Imagine it LP-sized!

ubu

[John B]

Another disc that I had not listened to in a very long time that had not registered with me upon first listen is Stan Getz & the Kenny Clarke - Francy Boland Big Band - Change of Scenes, part of the Verve Elite Editions series.

AMG review

I relistened to this one again last night and I was completely wrong to write this one off. Great writing and fantastic, energetic playing! I don't know if this one is still in print but I very highly recommend this one.

And, yes, it has a connection to Funny Rat: both Manfred Schoof and Albert Mangelsdorff are in the band.

Edited August 3, 2004 by John B

[king ubu]

That "Change of Scenes" is indeed good! Grab it when you see it! It's OOP for pretty long I think. French Amazon has two listed by some sellers, but not at the cheapest of prizes...

ubu

[John B]

are you familiar with any of the other Clarke - Boland Big Band discs? I'd be interested in hearing more of their work.

[Д.Д.]

Stan Getz & the Kenny Clarke - Francy Boland Big Band - Change of Scenes

...

And, yes, it has a connection to Funny Rat: both Manfred Schoof and Albert Mangelsdorff are in the band.

Oh yes.

The main connection with Funny Rat thread is that it is unpredictable and it is GOOD!!!

[king ubu]

Only a tiny little bit.

The recent MPS reissues include one I know:

Fellini 712

This was part of an earlier twofer that I own, "Three Latin Adventures", which also has the album "Latin Kaleidoscope":

A good one, if you see it!

Two more albums are included in the recent MPS series:

All Smiles

More Smiles

I have yet to get them.

Other than the Three Latin disc, and the one with Getz, I only have this one:

This is a cheap 2CD set (German Amazon sells it for 10 Euros), a reissue of a Europe1 release, including a 1969 concert. I love this one!

Another earlier twofer, I only have a burn of:

Don't really know it yet, but I guess it's all good!

The cover is not original, by the way, on the two older MPS releases.

This site here has tons of covers of big band albums:

http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/bigband/favorite/list.htm

You'll find some CBBB ones there too.

ubu

[king ubu]

Gotta share this one: the original "Sax No End" cover (the music was on the last of the discs I listed above):

ubu

[John B]

those recommendations should keep me going for a while, thank you!

[king ubu]

those recommendations should keep me going for a while, thank you!

Start with the live one, the cheapo! It's incredibly good! And they had so many great men in that band (Benny Bailey, Art Farmer, Tony Coe, Johnny Griffin... Mangelsdorff, that great british alto sax player Derek Humble...)

ubu

[Guest Chaney]

I received my package from eremite and had two listens to Moondoc / Parker: New World Pygmies. VERY impressive.

Is it my imagination or does anyone else hear Karen Borca in Moondoc's playing? (Thinking of the title track.) He seems to play alot of short notes in that probing way that Borca has. (I know: Borca plays bassoon.)

An opinions on this one? (Opinions especially welcome from those not impressed with Moondoc.)

[John B]

I received my package from eremite and had two listens to Moondoc / Parker: New World Pygmies. VERY impressive.

Is it my imagination or does anyone else hear Karen Borca in Moondoc's playing? (Thinking of the title track.) He seems to play alot of short notes in that probing way that Borca has. (I know: Borca plays bassoon.)

An opinions on this one? (Opinions especially welcome from those not impressed with Moondoc.)

I just got this disc in my last eremite order and haven't had a lot of time to sit down with it yet. I really enjoyed it on first listen. NWP. vol.2 is great, also. I hadn't picked up on any Borca / Moondoc similarities but willtry to listen for that next time I spin this one.

[John B]

I just realized that the Austrian label Mego has all of their albums available for listening on their website.

Mego

Anyone interested in electronic music should give Fennesz' Endless Summer a try. It is a gorgeous album and is just about as accessible as this music can be. Right now I am listening to Kevin Drumm's Sheer Hellish Miasma, which is nowhere nearly as hellish as I had been led to believe. I am quite enjoying it, although I would hesitate to recommend it to many people.

[clifford_thornton]

Ubu,

If you're into Lowe, you should pick up "Duo Exchange" with Rashied Ali if you haven't already done so. Knitting Factory reissued it on CD, and it's about as prime as one can get for tenor-drums duets. "Black Beings" is pretty good too, but not up to this level.

[John B]

Ubu,

If you're into Lowe, you should pick up "Duo Exchange" with Rashied Ali if you haven't already done so. Knitting Factory reissued it on CD, and it's about as prime as one can get for tenor-drums duets. "Black Beings" is pretty good too, but not up to this level.

Unfortunately all of the KnitClassics cds have gone oop, so, if you see a reasonably priced copy you should grab it. I have yet to hear this disc, unfortunately.

[John B]

I am listening to another album I haven't heard in a very long time: Trifactor - If You Believe. (8th Harmonic Breakdown) Trifactor is Kahil El'Zabar, Billy Bang and Hamiett Bluiett. This is a very nice disc, with some great grooves created by El'Zabar and Bluiett's baritone work. One Final Note has a nice review of this one posted.

[king ubu]

Listening to Cecil Taylor's "One Too Many Salty Swift..." for the first time (found it used and dirt cheap recently) - like what I've heard so far! Two and half hours of the CT unit... neighbours will love me

[king ubu]

Listening to "passaggio" again, that disc by Sylvie Courvoisider, Joëlle Léandre and Susie Ibarra. Is it possible that I already mentioned how great a drummer Ibarra is? I have also recently listened to Shipp's "Multiplication Table" (thanks to a very generous poster ), and I really am impressed by her playing.

"passaggio" is good! The music ranges from abstract free improvisation to powerhouse free playing. Courvoisier is quite good, too, and Léandre is, well, you all know her, don't you?

I shall spin that "Abaton" disc by Courvoisier/Feldman/Friedlander again, soon.

ubu

[Д.Д.]

Ubu,

If you're into Lowe, you should pick up "Duo Exchange" with Rashied Ali if you haven't already done so. Knitting Factory reissued it on CD, and it's about as prime as one can get for tenor-drums duets. "Black Beings" is pretty good too, but not up to this level. 

Very true. You absolutely need Lowe-Ali "Duo Exchange". I got my copy from themusicresource.com for quite cheap.

And I also think that Black Beings, while good, is not as strong as other early Lowe - The Flam and Fresh (on Black Lion).

Edited August 5, 2004 by Д.Д.

[king ubu]

Ubu,

If you're into Lowe, you should pick up "Duo Exchange" with Rashied Ali if you haven't already done so. Knitting Factory reissued it on CD, and it's about as prime as one can get for tenor-drums duets. "Black Beings" is pretty good too, but not up to this level. 

Very true. You absolutely need Lowe-Ali "Duo Exchange". I got my copy from themusicresource.com for quite cheap.

And I also think that Black Beings, while good, is not as strong as other early Lowe - The Flam and the Fresh (on Black Lion).

Thanks, guys! I shall keep that in mind!

Right now listening (and recording) the Taktlos Basle version of Barry Guy's "Oort-Entropy" (the Zurich version was broadcasted on Tuesday and is already part of my bootlegger's kitchen...)

Will be interesting to compare the two versions, to get an idea about how much of that piece is improvised and how much of it is composed, or pre-structured.

ubu