Funny Rat

[brownie]

Up!

'cause nothing's happening here!

Where are the funny rats?

[king ubu]

Well, here's one funny rat, and here's a great disc (thanks, David!), that this funny rat had with him/herself (what's the sex of "rat"?) while being funnily dressed as depicted above:

Radioactivity. 008 CD

Sergey Letov - leader, baritone and soprano saxophones, alto flute

Yury Parfenov - trumpet, pocket trumpet

Alexandr Alexandrov - bassoon

Terrific stuff!

[king ubu]

Here's another recent ratty listen (again: thanks, David!):

GEBBIA/GIANNETTO/NUNN/PALMA/POWELL/ROBAIR/SMITH: A Night In Palermo

This CD offers 19 improvisations in a variety of duos and trios built from the following ensemble:

Gianni Gebbia - alto saxophone

Lelio Giannetto - bass

Tom Nunn - the bug

Miriam Palma - voice

Garth Powell - percussion, saw, waterphone

Gino Robair - styrofoam, cymbal, bike horn, toy reed

Damon Smith - bass

The tracks include Dossier, Earl Ghetto, Nina In Dogma, Hilt o Vento, Gabbio, Tngnt, Olga Hitler (the gorilla), Mortal Plan, Godmania Inn, Assai Bout, Squeeze, Renatzu Riga, Goo Line, Aryl, Bangui Eng, Gauge, Mirgarjanni, The Mint Geisha Investigates a Moth, and Zing Aria.

Recorded by Natale Lopes at Miao Studio, December 11, 1998 in Palermo, Italy following the Dreamin' California Festival. Mastered by Myles Boisen/Headless Buddha Labs. CD design and layout by Steve Norton/Red Notebook.

Has anyone else heard this? I must confess I didn't like it much. Will have to give it a few more spins, though...

[brownie]

Ubu, glad to see the thread back into action.

Did the other regular rats flee the ship?

[king ubu]

One is deliberately taking time off... don't know about the rest... probably just a little bit busy with other things?

[gnhrtg]

I'm in Turkey, have been for more than a week now, travelling with only intermittent convenient access to the net. Was supposed to rest some here and read and listen a whole lot, turned out I had to attend to quite a number of issues so could not even do those, oh well. Good news is that courtesy of a friend, I will go to Stockholm next week to catch two nights by The Electrics, two by the Sten Sandell trio - joined on one by Magnus Broo, trumpet player in Atomic, and a gig each, I understand, by a Martin Kuchen project and John Tilbury. I think Atomic and Sandell will be at the Glenn Miller Cafe. Nice!

[Д.Д.]

One is deliberately taking time off... don't know about the rest... probably just a little bit busy with other things?

←

Busy with other things, really - haven't even listened to music for a couple of weeks, and probably won't be able to for another three weeks or so. Will be "back" to ratty business in November.

[John B]

Last night I saw Peter Brötzmann in concert with Nasheet Waits. Brötzmann was as fiery and ferocious as I had heard he was on this tour, but he was also as lyrical as I have ever heard him. I was amazed by how emotional, personal and human I found Brotzmann's playing to be last night. Nasheet was an excellent foil for him all night long. I'd seen Nasheet live once before, with Andrew Hill, and was much more impressed by what I heard last night. I need to catch him with Jason Moran one of these days. The duo was a lot tighter and more explosive than they were in the audience recording from 2004 that I've heard.

All in all an excellent show. I really connected with Brötzmann's playing in a way that I haven't with his albums in quite a while. I picked up a copy of the tour-only cd, they are selling (recorded live at the Empty Bottle earlier this summer) which I look forward to hearing. Michael Ehlers seemed certain that a live disc from this tour would officially be released on Eremite at some point.

For those of you open to eai, I highly recommend the new 2cd set on Erstwhile. Four Gentleman of the Guitar - Cloud. The group is composed of Keith Rowe, Oren Ambarchi, Toshimaru Nakamura and Fennesz. The music is beautiful and the second disc, recorded live in Victoriaville last year, is stunning.

Edited October 6, 2005 by John B

[clifford_thornton]

That is a formidable duo. Can't wait to see 'em in Minneapolis next week.

[king ubu]

Forgot to mention I also got a copy of this one:

And it's excellent! These guys are truly fantastic! The combination of reeds, trumpet and bassoon allows tons of different nice sounds. Really a music of their own, like I never heard before. Having Yaremchuk in on this one makes for more reeds and an even broader sonic spectrum.

John: sounds like you had a great time with Brötz! Good to hear! After having heard David's take on the quartet's concert in Geneva (McPhee, Kessler, Zerang), I skipped their Zurich concert, so I still haven't heard/seen Brötz in person...

[P.L.M]

Find this in the Metamkin newsletter (Metamkin is a French distributor of electronic avant-garde & improvised music):

IMPROVISED MUSIC FROM JAPAN

Peter BRÖTZMANN / Shoji HANO, "Funny rat"

Peter Brotzmann: tarogato, clarinette basse, sax tenor. Shoji Hano:

batterie, percussion. Duo enregistre en 1991, et remasterise en 2003.

IMJ 512

CD

16 euros

Can give more info if somebody is interesting.

Edited October 7, 2005 by P.L.M

[Guest Chaney]

NEW BEAK DOCTOR!

Woody Woodman's Circus of Construction, Acts 1-14

Greg Goodman: Unprepared Piano & Objets d'intérieur

Garth Powell: Percussion & Very Bent Saw

George Cremaschi: Contrabass & Cantilevered Chopsticks

Recorded February 8, 2003

Beak Doctor News:

Winter

Probable reissue of two albums as double CD: ABRACADABRA with Evan Parker & Greg Goodman and Evan Parker's At The Finger Palace.

The Beak Doctor

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

From The Jazz Loft:

Celebrating 30 years of HatHut!

Joe McPhee Special

All 3 CDs Plus the McPhee cover Issue of Signal To Noise for $34.00

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

hazard records ::: Alfredo Costa Monteiro - Rubber Music [hr001] -- Exactly what the title suggests: 15 tracks played exclusively with rubber bands. No effects (though you would say there are).

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

Webbed Hand Records is an independent netlabel with a focus on strange works of audio art that defy tidy categories. With an expanding catalog of unique recordings and a growing roster of visionary sound artists, we're the label to visit for sound in the service of enchantment.

Don't knock it: it's free.

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

New label:

Edited October 10, 2005 by Chaney

[gnhrtg]

Last day of Jazz a Mulhouse,

27 August, Saturday - I skipped the Olivier Benoit ensemble and Xavier Charles solo sets (we arrived too early for the Charles anyway and I skipped the Benoit to do some [more] browsing and buying). Now it's been some while since I attended these concerts and my memory's spotty to start with; you have been warned.

Mats Gustafsson solo - The day's noon concert at Chappel St. Jean. Mats had with him the baritone, flutephone, and the slide saxophone. He dedicated a piece each to Alvin Curran and Per Henrik Wallin. The latter piece, iirc, was just about the best piece. I think he played for about 45 minutes followed by a (much demanded, though not by me I should say) encore. It had its highs and lows but he worked with not an especially wide pallette that day and so I had had enough just about the half an hour mark. I agree(d) with a friend that the way he plays, his strengths are probably better utilized in a group setting (how and in what way, precisely, I would rather leave out now as I'm working on keeping it short, bay-bee's).

Trio Chemirani - Three percussionists, father and sons. All Iranian but, at least the sons, reside in France. They played a number of intricately put together pieces, all of which also left plenty of space for solos and call-and-response's. I think all the instruments were Iranian percussion instruments of one kind or another, though most looked very familiar to me, from Turkey. The older son, in proportion with his skills, was given the most solo space. Had a great time for the first 25-30 minutes but then thought, yet again, that all of it was too much for me - perhaps a factor of the novelty, considered in the context of this festival, wearing down. Might watch them again, would not even consider getting the album(s).

Sten Sandell Trio - The whole set was full of highlights and was itself the highlight of the festival, along with Les Diaboliques, for me. It had been some time since I'd heard a band with so much drive and momentum. The contributions of each, as well as the interplay, was extraordinary. Also worth noting is that Johan Berthling took quite a hand that day in shaping the music and it was also nice that we could hear him through the clutter-chaos Nilssen-Love was igniting. Easily better, really, than Flat Iron (on Sofa), their only disc that I have. The good news, then, is that I think they have a new disc out in a year, of a recent live performance.

Max Nagl Big Four - Max Nagl on alto sax, Noel Akchote on guitar, Brad Jones on bass, and Steve Bernstein on trumpet. Max Nagl is, without a doubt, the least charismatic band-leader I have ever seen. Actually it's difficult to imagine that anyone could top (cut?) him. The music was low key, intended I believe, but uneventful. The nice bits were sporadic and the audience was unenthusiastic, which you could not really blame them as Nagl's attire on stage could hardly excite anyone. Bernstein tried to get some chatter going on in between the tunes but with little success, still credit to him for trying. And here, I might add, it was needed, as, again, the music rather snoozing.

Thermal & Tony Buck - Thermal is John Butcher, Andy Moor, and Thomas Lehn. This was quite loud for me and I could not hear Butcher at all (apart from a solo introduction to one of the pieces). We left after about 20 minutes. Perhaps the music was better than I thought at the time but we might just have been burned out and I really wanted to hear Butcher play (or at least make out his contributions to the music, which if audible at all, I could not).

Tomorrow and the day after, I will post some pictures from the festival, taken by a friend.

Until next year, then.

By the way, I just returned from a week long stay in Stockholm. Lovely city, amazing weather and music on five nights, I think. Most of it very satisfactory. More on these soon.

[gnhrtg]

Some pictures taken at Jazz a Mulhouse. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Lars Jonsson. I had already posted these two on jazzcorner but still for those who do not frequent there (and I believe I can post larger files here).

[gnhrtg]

That was Joelle Leandre and here is one of Joe McPhee.

[Guest Chaney]

Good stuff. Thanks Gokhan!

~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Anthony,

Thanks for your Beak Order. We usually would have that all put in a sock

and delivered to you in an armored truck by now. But alas, the new CD, Beak

Docter 8, has had a few mishaps in delivery, due to a few mishaps in

production, due to a few mishaps in Hell. So, delivery to us is in another

week and 1/2. Delivery to you in two. That's if everything goes right.

So far, this CD booklet has been reprinted three times and now the disc

itself has had to be redone: we didn't like the color yellow where white

should have been.

This means our standards are so high that no one will ever get close to the

finished CD--no, don't believe that. We WILL get you your complete order as

soon as we get our hands on anything that looks finished. In fact, you will

be the very first to receive one, even before my Mother. If you want me to

send the other* CD now, instead of both together, just write back and I'll

put that in the mail. Also, be assured that we won't spend even a nickel of

the money you sent until this order is completed, unless we need a drink.

All the Beaks apologize for this unpleasant delay, and suggest going to

the movies.

Sincerely, The Beak Speaks

END

* As David forced be to give him my copy of BD5&6: THE SOCIAL/SCIENCE SET, I've ordered another; thougt I'd give it another chance. If I still don't like it, John B. will most likely force me to send him this second copy.

Edited October 13, 2005 by Chaney

[Д.Д.]

Good stuff.  Thanks Gokhan!

~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Anthony,

  Thanks for your Beak Order.  We usually would have that all put in a sock

and delivered to you in an armored truck by now.  But alas, the new CD, Beak

Docter 8, has had a few mishaps in delivery, due to a few mishaps in

production, due to a few mishaps in Hell.  So, delivery to us is in another

week and 1/2.  Delivery to you in two.  That's if everything goes right.

So far, this CD booklet has been reprinted three times and now the disc

itself has had to be redone: we didn't like the color yellow where white

should have been. 

  This means our standards are so high that no one will ever get close to the

finished CD--no, don't believe that.  We WILL get you your complete order as

soon as we get our hands on anything that looks finished.  In fact, you will

be the very first to receive one, even before my Mother.  If you want me to

send the other* CD now, instead of both together, just write back and I'll

put that in the mail.  Also, be assured that we won't spend even a nickel of

the money you sent until this order is completed, unless we need a drink.

  All the Beaks apologize for this unpleasant delay, and suggest going to

the movies.

          Sincerely, The Beak Speaks

END

*  As David forced be to give him my copy of BD5&6: THE SOCIAL/SCIENCE SET, I've ordered another; thougt I'd give it another chance.  If I still don't like it, John B. will most likely force me to send him this second copy.

←

Now how can I resist ordering from Beak after reading this?

[Guest Chaney]

The Beak Speaker, I believe:

Greg Goodman

You just know it'd be a wild ride hangin' around with this guy.

~~~~~~~~~~

A mysterious possible upcoming release:

Butcher/Fullman/Robair/Sperry, TITLE: ???, LABEL: Periplum

~~~~~~~~~~

With the kind permission of Gino Robair:

Hi Gino,

A question? I participate in posting to a jazz board and back in April

2005 someone posted this:

Among other wonderful things upcoming on EMANEM, there is one that I think

Tony will definitely be interested in exploring:

Gail Brand / Tim Perkis / Gino Robair / John Shiuba / Matthew Sperry

'Supermodel Supermodel' (2002-3)

I'm now not seeing this one listed as an upcoming Emanem release. Any idea

why not? (I'd put the question to Martin Davidson but he's not the most

'talkative' of fellows.)

Thanks!

Tony

PS: "Six Fuchs" is wonderful! Any information on upcoming Rastascan

titles that you'd like to share?

Hello Tony,

Good to hear from you! Glad you enjoyed Six Fuchs -- I'm love how that

record sounds. Birgit Ulher was just here, and we had our CD release party

for "Sputter" (Creative Sources), which went well.

"Supermodel Supermodel" has stalled for some reason, and I hope we can get

it back on track. Long, complicated story. I'll nudge Gail...again! ;-)

Thanks for the heads-up. Basically, it's all mixed/mastered, so we're just

waiting on art and Martin.

The next big Rastascan release is going to be the Braxton Ghost Trance DVD

(6.5 hours of music!), and possibly a couple of others:

a. Splatter 3+N "Clear the Club" (15 years in the making)

b. Robair/Looney/Lindsay "Yellowcake" [electronics/percussion/low reeds],

ltd edition of 300 "real" CDs (not CD-Rs).

Oh, and my opera "I, Norton" is almost done. It may end up as a Rastascan

release, depending on a few things, like timing and funds....

Hope you're well. Talk to you soon.

ginorobair

~~~~~~~~~~

New Balance Point Acoustics release:

Sperrgut

Birgit Ulher, trumpet

Damon Smith, double bass

Martin Blume, drums, percussion

~~~~~~~~~~

Looking for: Jack Wright "Clang"

Tried ordering Clang from dead ceo but received this response:

Sorry about the incorrect info on the website but I'm actually out of the Jack Wright disc. I've refunded the paypal money but thanks for your interest!

No contact information seems to be available for zero eggzie recordings; I have an e-mail in to Jack Wright.

Thanks!

Jack? You there? Pick up! I'll not be denied!

Edited October 17, 2005 by Chaney

[Д.Д.]

Looking for:  Jack Wright "Clang"

Tried ordering Clang from dead ceo but received this response:

Sorry about the incorrect info on the website but I'm actually out of the Jack Wright disc.  I've refunded the paypal money but thanks for your interest!

No contact information seems to be available for zero eggzie recordings; I have an e-mail in to Jack Wright.

Thanks!

Jack?  You  there?  Pick up!   I'll not be denied!

←

DTM might have it - it's not on their website, but I saw it in their store when I was there a month ago. I might even have picked it up, but I am not sure .

[Guest Chaney]

Thanks David. I'll give them a call.

[king ubu]

Hey Tony! Good to see you here again! Was so busy, I didn't even answer your mail(s)!

[John B]

Bagatellen has a review of the new Birgit Ulher/Gino Robair disc Sputter on Creative Sources:

"“Sputter”, a collaboration between German trumpeter Birgit Ulher (a new name to me) and percussionist/electronicist Gino Robair is probably the most divorced from jazz-based improv of the three recordings although I think you can still, often, pick up structural elements that come more out of the tradition of call-and-response than out of the AMM, “listening without listening” school. Ulher operates in the post Dorner/Kelley world of brass players—any sound the trumpet is capable of achieving is fair game—though she alludes to the avant smears of Lester Bowie and even Don Cherry at times. Robair, here credited on “energized surfaces” and “voltage made audible” (I gather this doesn’t exclude items being hit once in a while), makes active conversation with her, the chittering, electronic bird flitting around the bell of her horn. There’s an incessant aspect to the “talking” that you’d be unlikely to hear in much eai and there are occasions when part of me wants to say, “Be quiet and listen for a minute” but that’s probably an unfair way to judge this music. As the album title implies, this is work of an aerated, effervescent nature, hearing and responding with quickness, jumpy even at its most inactive. As one warms to the approach, the last several tracks begin to work their logic and cause one to rethink the first pieces. The last cut in particular, the all too brief “Entelechy”, achieves a perfect balance, a fine conversation indeed."

Sounds very interesting!

[Guest Chaney]

Hi Flurin!

~~~~~~~~~~

Hi John!

I have Sputter, listened to it once and didn't care for it. Early days, though...

Had a listen to Sperrgut (w/ Ms. Ulher) this morning in my office and liked it quite a bit.

~~~~~~~~~~

Before I had a chance to contact DMG re Clang, I received a reponse from Jack Wright.

Copies of Clang may be obtained from Jack at $12 each. If interested, contact Jackie-boy (yea, we're buds) at: jackwri444@aol.com

~~~~~~~~~~

New release by Joe Giardullo on Drimala:

No Work Today (Nine for Steve Lacy)

Limited edition of 600.

Edited October 25, 2005 by Chaney

[king ubu]

Has anyone heard the Joe Giardullo?

Playing this one (just picked it up)

Sounds pretty good! Some sonic problems on track 2 or 3, but the music is cool.

[Guest Chaney]

Has anyone heard the Joe Giardullo?

Not me.