Funny Rat

[Guest Chaney]

Leo's site lists:

:: Ogg compression quality - nominal [variable] bitrate/Kbps: *=128, **=176, ***=at least 192 ::

Note the number of asterisks and their corresponding bit rate.

[Д.Д.]

When I bought a digital juke-box I did a little comparison, and found I don't like the sound of MP3 files too much (even at higher bit rates), so I use WMA (300+ kbit bit rate). Leo offers OGG files which aparently sound better than WMA at the same bit rate (haven't had a chance to check myself yet).

What's the bitrate of e-music MP3s?

I've never sampled OGG files either, but they supposedly sound very good.

The bitrate varies at emusic, depending on what each label supplies them. Some older tracks are encoded at lower rates. Mostr tracks (and I believe all of the Leo tracks are done this way) are encoded using VBR (Variable Bit Rate) at an average of 192k.

I used to be an e-music subscriber a couple of years ago when they had all-you-can-download-for-flat-fee policy - still have dozens of CD-Rs with poorly sounding OJC mp3s.

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

Just finishing a first listen to this one:

I like it quite a lot! Thanks, David!

I have five or six nuscope titles, including the one pictured above. Sounds like you might be enjoying Light's View more than I am. Can't really get the hang of Graewe and unfortunately, he's on most of the nuscopes I have. More listening ahead, though.

I like Gräwe a lot.

Have you had a chance to hear his solo work on nuscope or (even better) the one on Music & Arts ("San Franciso 1995" it's called, I think)?

The only one Gräwe I found less-than-inspiting is the one in trio with Ernst Reijseger and Gerry Hemingway on Music & Arts "The View from Point West" (whereas a disc by the same trio on Random Acoustics - "Flex 27", recorded more-or-less at the same time, I though was outstanding).

[John B]

I used to be an e-music subscriber a couple of years ago when they had all-you-can-download-for-flat-fee policy - still have dozens of CD-Rs with poorly sounding OJC mp3s.

Yes, I was thinking of the OJCs when I made my comment about the quality depending on what the label provided. I have quite a few of those here, too.

I'm guessing you are grabbing that set from Leo now. If so, let us know what you think of each disc, as you have time to listen to them. I'll start adding them to my emusic queue.

Edited February 5, 2005 by John B

[Guest Chaney]

I like Gräwe a lot.

Have you had a chance to hear his solo work on nuscope or (even better) the one on Music & Arts ("San Franciso 1995" it's called, I think)?

Listening to Georg Graewe Fantasiestucke I - XIII for piano solo (nuscope CD 1014) now, for the first time.

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

And proceded to listen to this one FOUR times. WOW this is good stuff!

Now I'll have to go back and re-listen to Light's View and also (nuscope's) Subsymbolism.

nuscope news:

Unearth, the new disc by pianist Achim Kaufmann, reeds player Frank Gratkowski, and bassist Wilbert de Joode, will be released on Tuesday, February 8.

On September 28th, 2004, pianist Achim Kaufmann, reedist Frank Gratkowski, and bassist Wilbert de Joode performed this marvelous session at the LOFT in Koln, Germany.

According to journalist Marc Chenard, "Call them spur-of-the-moment pieces if you will, or instant compositions, these essays in spontaneous music are outgrowths of a collective playing experience. Since its inception almost three years ago, this unit has criss-crossed Europe on more than one occasion, one of its tours yielding enough material for a first recording on the Berlin-based Konnex label, a disc entitled Kwast.

In this follow up release, pianist Achim Kaufmann, reedist Frank Gratkowski and bassist Wilbert de Joode have succeeded in meeting one of the prime challenges of improvised music, i.e. of achieving a very different sounding set of music than in its previous effort. In Unearth, these musicians focus moreso on discursive strategies, whereas its predecessor emphasized timbral explorations."

This release features an 8-page booklet with liner notes from Montreal-based journalist Marc Chenard, and very original cover art from Achim Kaufmann's wife, Gabriele Guenther.

Nice prices on nuscope titles from Indie Jazz.

[Д.Д.]

I like Gräwe a lot.

Have you had a chance to hear his solo work on nuscope or (even better) the one on Music & Arts ("San Franciso 1995" it's called, I think)?

Listening to Georg Graewe Fantasiestucke I - XIII for piano solo (nuscope CD 1014) now, for the first time.

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

And proceded to listen to this one FOUR times. WOW this is good stuff!

Tony, the other great Gräwe solo record, San Francisco 1995 (on Music & Arts), that, as I mentioned I feel is even better than Fantasiestucke solo release, is avialable for $7 or so at your favorite themusicresource.com and Cadence.

[Д.Д.]

Nice prices on nuscope titles from Indie Jazz.

Also, a very reliable service - and they send you discount coupons for future purchases. If a CD form one of the labels they sell is not featured on their website, just send them an e-mail - they will get it for you.

I recently purchased a lot of pfMENTUM releases form indiejazz - still have to go through them.

Just noticed they added between the lines label, which is good, as finding reasonably-priced BTL releases is not easy in Europe.

Hey, they added Double Moon label as well! Might buy this one with my next order:

Edited February 7, 2005 by Д.Д.

[Guest Chaney]

Isn't pfMENTUM Jeff Kaiser's label? Still have never managed to get me some Kaiser but I hear he's pretty darned impressive.

between the lines scares me more than a bit due to the presence of Koglmann. I picked up two or three BTL releases, had a single listen (maybe) to each and put them aside.

Not familiar with Double Moon. Eclectic mix of talents, to say the least. Achim Jaroschek/Peter Brötzmann: Neurotransmitter? Never heard of it or of Jaroschek.

Looks like the pair also did (on Konnex):

Edited February 7, 2005 by Chaney

[king ubu]

Got this one in a sale:

And liked it pretty well. Nice to hear some Malachi Favors! Smith sounds a lot like Miles, but somehow he is pretty much his own man, his sound being somewhat clearer, and lacking the fingernails-on-blackboard-effect that some seem to hear in Miles' playing...

>samples here<

Also gave a listen to a couple of the Leos (I went back to that store and picked up another 12 of them, in addition to the four I mentioned getting two weeks ago): Giorgio Occhipinti's "Kaos Legend" needs a few more spins, it's pretty dense, three long tunes (an hour, all together) plus one very short to end the disc. Gianni Gebbia is on the first half, Eugenio Colombo on the second, Lauro Rosso (I always thought his last name was "Rossi"...) on trombone, and a few more of the Minafra/Instabile guys are present (though not Minafra himself).

Then I gave a first listen to "Position/Dark/Red" by the Not Missing Drums Project. Pretty whack stuff, but good!

Also gave a first concentrated listen to the Remote Viewers' disc I got from Chaney (one of the unloved babies), and liked it pretty well.

Seems like I'll soon be heading to that sale once again picking up some more Remote Viewers, and needing to check out Gies (he's involved with Not Missing Drums Project) solo release on Leo.

The discs I bought are by James Fei, Keshavan Maslak (the trio with Lindberg & Sunny Murray), Trio Alliance, Gies (the duos), Bechegas, Karayorgis (two of his trio's releases)... can't list them all going from memory, but I got most of what was recommended, so many thanks again!

ubu

[Guest Chaney]

I've been listening to Closed Mountains (Rocher / Quillivic / Ros / Yaremtchuk) (Thanks again David!), looked around the 'net and noticed a second Yaremtchuk release on Jazzland (?) / Landy Stars:

Duets

This new work by multi-instrumentalist and composer from Lvov Yuri Yaremchuk needs some preliminary remarks. The project “Duets” is already the second disk produced by label “Jazzland” featuring Yuri Yaremchuk, but in fact it’s the first officially published author’s album. Today’s musician’s priorities such as his enthusiasm for rough structures with extemporaneous episodes are fully reflected in this album. Thanks to it the composer becomes close to such masters as John Cage, Pierre Bulles, Karlhainz Shtockhausen. Sound emptiness, pauses come to take place of expressive energetic musical stream. Open sax sounds become resonant and precious. In this disk there are ten duets with five musicians from different countries performed in divers periods of time.

I must get my hands on a copy of this one. Anyone know where it might be obtained?

[Д.Д.]

I've been listening to Closed Mountains (Rocher / Quillivic / Ros / Yaremtchuk) (Thanks again David!), looked around the 'net and noticed a second Yaremtchuk release on Jazzland (?) / Landy Stars:

Duets

I must get my hands on a copy of this one. Anyone know where it might be obtained?

Incidentally, I was also listening to "Closed Mountains" this morning!

As for "Duets", you can get it from your most reliable (if not too fast) Russian music supplier, of course. This is an excellent disc (I like it more than "Closed Mountains"), allowing Yaremchuk to display his talents in a more pronounced way. Some folk-inlfuenced singing on a couple of tracks, though.

I have a feeling it might be not available anymore - in this case, I will make you a CD-R.

[Guest Chaney]

Thanks for the information and the offer, David.

Let me send Landy Stars an e-mail and see what they have to say as to my getting a copy.

[John B]

As for "Duets", you can get it from your most reliable (if not too fast) Russian music supplier, of course. This is an excellent disc (I like it more than "Closed Mountains"), allowing Yaremchuk to display his talents in a more pronounced way. Some folk-inlfuenced singing on a couple of tracks, though.

That is saying a lot, as Closed Mountains is a fantastic disc.

Chaney,

let us know if you are able to track down a copy.

[Д.Д.]

Thanks for the information and the offer, David.

Let me send Landy Stars an e-mail and see what they have to say as to my getting a copy.

Tony, don't bother - I can get it relatively cheap in Russia (if it is still in print), and sent it to you - and anyway I need to send you some stuff (Captain Beefheart concert, etc.).

Shipping directly from Russia is expensive and unreliable.

[Guest Chaney]

Thanks David!

Let me know the cost and if you want to send stuff to John, I don't believe John would mind your sending it to me and I can then send it to him.

[Guest Chaney]

An eBay seller with some pretty good deals: gastarit

I just bought, for $7.95:

[Nate Dorward]

Incidentally, re: Giorgio Occhipinti, his new band Less of Five is really worth checking out--they have one disc, Acrobati folli e innamorati, on Nine Winds.

[Д.Д.]

An eBay seller with some pretty good deals:  gastarit

I just bought, for $7.95: 

Other good sources of it (although not necesserily the cheapest ones) are:

Brennan

Denzler

Weber

Wolfarth

Leo Records

Edited February 8, 2005 by Д.Д.

[Д.Д.]

Hope Jon won't mind:

From Erstwhile's newsletter:

OK, in the 5-plus years I've been running Erstwhile, I've never had a sale before, and I don't expect to have one again for a while. but I moved this week, and am having a "I have too much stuff and not enough money" one-time sale, through the end of February, details below.

all single CDs are $10, doubles $15, plus my shipping estimate. buy any 5 releases, get an additional single CD free. the box set is still $100 plus shipping, but you also get two single discs of your choice included for free. sale ends last day of February and is only good for all-Erstwhile orders directly through me at ErstRecs@aol.com. no preorders will be accepted; this only applies to releases out now. please e-mail me your orders before sending money so I can tell you the correct shipping.

the full catalog is listed here, 010 is OOP, and 004 has only a handful of copies left, everything else I've got...

http://www.erstwhilerecords.com/catalog.asp

thanks for your time!

-jon abbey

[king ubu]

Gave the Collective Quartet's disc "Live at Crescent" (one of Chaney's "unloved babies") a listen last night.

I'm quite impressed, I have to say. Freely improvised music that at the same time sounds pretty focused. Heinz Geisser is a very subtle drummer, Parker is rather good here, the trombonist is ok, too (though he is often just adding a bit of colour or some textures, rather than being an impressive solo voice), but the main man here, in my opinion, is pianist Mark Hennen (who's name I haven't heard before).

Thanks a lot to Chaney for letting my CD rack (or rather, my piles of CDs on the floor) being the asylum for this nice disc!

ubu

[Д.Д.]

Gave the Collective Quartet's disc "Live at Crescent" (one of Chaney's "unloved babies") a listen last night.

I'm quite impressed, I have to say.

If you like this one, you can go for all of the other Cllective 4tet discs you find - they are all good (I haven't heard the very recent one, though). As for Willism Parker, as I mentioned, I believe that Collective 4tet features some of his most creative low-cliché playing in recent years. Interestingly, I 've been lately listening to a couple of CDs from late 70s and early 80s with Parker (trio with Wayne Horwitz and Butch Morris on Black Saint, and "Through Acceptance of a Mystery Peae" on Eremite), and he sounds like a much more diverse and explorative musician there.

[king ubu]

Gave the Collective Quartet's disc "Live at Crescent" (one of Chaney's "unloved babies") a listen last night.

I'm quite impressed, I have to say.

If you like this one, you can go for all of the other Cllective 4tet discs you find - they are all good (I haven't heard the very recent one, though). As for Willism Parker, as I mentioned, I believe that Collective 4tet features some of his most creative low-cliché playing in recent years. Interestingly, I 've been lately listening to a couple of CDs from late 70s and early 80s with Parker (trio with Wayne Horwitz and Butch Morris on Black Saint, and "Through Acceptance of a Mystery Peae" on Eremite), and he sounds like a much more diverse and explorative musician there.

Thanks! I'll see if that sale is still on...

[jon abbey]

Hope Jon won't mind:

From Erstwhile's newsletter:

OK, in the 5-plus years I've been running Erstwhile, I've never had a sale before, and I don't expect to have one again for a while. but I moved this week, and am having a "I have too much stuff and not enough money" one-time sale, through the end of February, details below.

all single CDs are $10, doubles $15, plus my shipping estimate. buy any 5 releases, get an additional single CD free. the box set is still $100 plus shipping, but you also get two single discs of your choice included for free. sale ends last day of February and is only good for all-Erstwhile orders directly through me at ErstRecs@aol.com. no preorders will be accepted; this only applies to releases out now. please e-mail me your orders before sending money so I can tell you the correct shipping.

the full catalog is listed here, 010 is OOP, and 004 has only a handful of copies left, everything else I've got...

http://www.erstwhilerecords.com/catalog.asp

thanks for your time!

-jon abbey

just saw this, thanks for the repost! the response has been very strong so far, which is really nice. anyway, I'm happy to answer any questions anyone has or to give pointers as to where to dip in, I check the new EAI thread more than this one...

[Д.Д.]

Upcoming release on INTAKT:

BARRY GUY NEW ORCHESTRA

"ENTROPY"

Barry Guy

Agusti Fernandes

Evan Parker

Mast Gustafsson

Hans Koch

Johannes Bauer

Herb Robertson

Per Ake Holmlander

Paul Lytton

Raymond Strid

This is the fantastic band ubu and I saw the other day.

Edited February 12, 2005 by Д.Д.

[Guest Chaney]

This is the fantastic band ubu and I saw the other day.

That's an incredible lineup. You two guys are very lucky.

[Д.Д.]

This is the fantastic band ubu and I saw the other day.

That's an incredible lineup. You two guys are very lucky.

Well, yesterday I saw another no-slouch rocking combo:

Alexander Schlippenbach - piano, trumpet

Rudi Mahall - bass clarinet

Axel Dörner - trumpet

Jan Roder - bass

Uli Jennessen - drums

playing the music of Thelonius Monk. Will collect my thoughts, and will make a write-up some time later. The band just released an all-Monk 3-CD ("Monk's Casino") set on INTAKT, and they were offering it at the concert at Sfr. 60 ($50). I decided to skip it for now. But I will get it.