Modern/Avant New Releases: A running thread

[Д.Д.]

It's great to see there are young musicians playing this music. It's such a tough way to make a living (not a way at all nowadays, I guess), and still there are a lot of talented musicians in every next generation willing to dedicate themselves to the art form. 

[unitstructures]

On 10/16/2023 at 12:17 AM, BFrank said:

Just started listening to this album. So far, so good!

Super badass album. Love Ava Mendoza.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Just wanted to leave this link here...my most recent release - a duo with the amazing Nicole Mitchell. It's called 'At Earth School', and is out now on Astral Spirits. Hopefully it might be of interest to at least a few!

Nicole Mitchell/Alexander Hawkins - At Earth School

[Rabshakeh]

1 hour ago, Alexander Hawkins said:

Just wanted to leave this link here...my most recent release - a duo with the amazing Nicole Mitchell. It's called 'At Earth School', and is out now on Astral Spirits. Hopefully it might be of interest to at least a few!

Nicole Mitchell/Alexander Hawkins - At Earth School

I saw you two there, and it was excellent, so I'm very excited about this.

I've bought the digital album.

[Clunky]

1 hour ago, Alexander Hawkins said:

Just wanted to leave this link here...my most recent release - a duo with the amazing Nicole Mitchell. It's called 'At Earth School', and is out now on Astral Spirits. Hopefully it might be of interest to at least a few!

Nicole Mitchell/Alexander Hawkins - At Earth School

will this be distributed in the UK ?

 

[Д.Д.]

2 hours ago, Alexander Hawkins said:

Just wanted to leave this link here...my most recent release - a duo with the amazing Nicole Mitchell. It's called 'At Earth School', and is out now on Astral Spirits. Hopefully it might be of interest to at least a few!

Nicole Mitchell/Alexander Hawkins - At Earth School

👍

[Alexander Hawkins]

2 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I saw you two there, and it was excellent, so I'm very excited about this.

I've bought the digital album.

Thanks so much - I really hope you enjoy it!

1 hour ago, Clunky said:

will this be distributed in the UK ?

 

I'm not sure - although I believe I have some copies on the way, so can gladly hook you up when they arrive!

[Clunky]

A couple of CDs arrived today from Fundacja . Took a wee while to get here but it’s always worth the wait.

 

first up a quarte recording with two from this parish

Karl Evangelista ——What else is there ——-( FSR 11/2023) featuring Alexander Hawkins . 

[Clunky]

On 11/16/2023 at 5:18 PM, Clunky said:

A couple of CDs arrived today from Fundacja . Took a wee while to get here but it’s always worth the wait.

 

first up a quarte recording with two from this parish

Karl Evangelista ——What else is there ——-( FSR 11/2023) featuring Alexander Hawkins . 

the other arrival from FSR has turned out to be equally as good

Herberer/Fonda/Hertenstein-----Remedy Vol. 2------(FSR 12/2023)

 

A quite playful  trio set - trumpet/bass/drums. I really like this .

[jlhoots]

26 minutes ago, Clunky said:

the other arrival from FSR has turned out to be equally as good

Herberer/Fonda/Hertenstein-----Remedy Vol. 2------(FSR 12/2023)

 

A quite playful  trio set - trumpet/bass/drums. I really like this .

Both Remedy CDs are very good.

[mjazzg]

I've been enjoying digging into Sergio Armaroli's discography a bit more recently. Two interesting Hat Art releases

Armaroli, Minton, Schiaffini, Turner - 'I Dream I Was A European'

and his Quartet Prismo disc with Fritz Hauser, Martina Brodbeck, Francesca Gemmo

There's others worth a listen on Leo too

[Rabshakeh]

https://www.freejazzblog.org/2023/12/free-jazz-blogs-2023-top-10-lists.html?m=1

Free Jazz Collective's end of year lists are up.

Akira Sakata & Entasis - Live in Europe 2022 (Trost)

Anna Webber - Shimmer Wince (Intakt)

Fire Orchestra - Echoes (Rune Grammofon)

Irreversible Entanglements - Protect your Light (Impulse)

King Übü Örchestrü – Roi (FMR, 2023)

Lina Allemano - Canons (Lumo Records, 2023)

Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation, 2023)

Matthew Shipp - The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala, 2023)

Mendoza Hoff Revels - Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)

Rodrigo Amado The Bridge - Beyond the Margins (Trost, 2023)

Maybe not a particularly distinguished list, but always nice to see, and the comments give their own suggestions.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Rabshakeh

[Rabshakeh]

On 10/15/2023 at 3:19 PM, Onxidlib said:

Just made a pre-order for something quite special (IMO). Figured it would be of interest for some. Scheduled for mid-November. 

Derek Bailey & Paul Motian - Duo in Concert

Did you receive this in the end? How is it?

[mjazzg]

I'll jump in uninvited if I may to say I think it's pretty special. Well worth a listen.

It hadn't really struck me how important guitarists are to so many Motian recordings, which given how many I have was just obtuse of me, so what initially appeared an unlikely pairing seemed less so as it unfolds.

43 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

https://www.freejazzblog.org/2023/12/free-jazz-blogs-2023-top-10-lists.html?m=1

Free Jazz Collective's end of year lists are up.

Akira Sakata & Entasis - Live in Europe 2022 (Trost)

Anna Webber - Shimmer Wince (Intakt)

Fire Orchestra - Echoes (Rune Grammofon)

Irreversible Entanglements - Protect your Light (Impulse)

King Übü Örchestrü – Roi (FMR, 2023)

Lina Allemano - Canons (Lumo Records, 2023)

Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (Constellation, 2023)

Matthew Shipp - The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp (Mahakala, 2023)

Mendoza Hoff Revels - Echolocation (AUM Fidelity)

Rodrigo Amado The Bridge - Beyond the Margins (Trost, 2023)

Maybe not a particularly distinguished list, but always nice to see, and the comments give their own suggestions.

It struck me as being a list that could have featured in any of the last 5-10 years or so, given the artists.

I don't know Allemano so shall be having a listen. The Mendoza Hoffs Revels seems everywhere in lists at the moment, not for me but that's my loss.

Another recording I'm seeing a lot in EoY lists is the Darius Jones. Gave that a cursory listen and shall definitely be returning for a more focussed one, tough and knotty stuff.

Edited December 30, 2023 by mjazzg

[Rabshakeh]

46 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

It struck me as being a list that could have featured in any of the last 5-10 years or so, given the artists.

That was what I thought too. A bit tired, maybe. I know what half of it will sound like before I listen, which I will do. 

46 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

Another recording I'm seeing a lot in EoY lists is the Darius Jones. Gave that a cursory listen and shall definitely be returning for a more focussed one, tough and knotty stuff.

Any Darius Jones record is a reason for interest. I quite liked it on my first listen. I was a bit surprised by Cleaver's drumming, which I felt was wrong (strange, as Cleaver is a player whom I typically enjoy). I liked the interplay between the strings and the saxophone, although maybe a little constrained and not quite impulsive enough. But lots of good bits. I look forward to re-listening.

There are a few records showing up that I felt were on there because they had to be - The Jaime Branch record and the Matana Roberts records were only solid B+ records to my ears, although clearly a lot of people liked them. 

Overall, a little disappointed by what I've seen coming up. As I mentioned mid-last year, I have been feeling that the scene is offering slightly diminishing returns (although I don't want to overstate this), and possibly failing to renew, and as always am hoping for something fresh.

Over the past year I have been returning to the free improv records of the late 70s to early 90s, and it's amazing how much impact they have.

If anyone has any suggestions for newer stuff that they really rate, I'd love to see them here. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Rabshakeh

[mjazzg]

1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said:

That was what I thought too. A bit tired, maybe. I know what half of it will sound like before I listen, which I will do. 

Any Darius Jones record is a reason for interest. I quite liked it on my first listen. I was a bit surprised by Cleaver's drumming, which I felt was wrong (strange, as Cleaver is a player whom I typically enjoy). I liked the interplay between the strings and the saxophone, although maybe a little constrained and not quite impulsive enough. But lots of good bits. I look forward to re-listening.

There are a few records showing up that I felt were on there because they had to be - The Jaime Branch record and the Matana Roberts records were only solid B+ records to my ears, although clearly a lot of people liked them. 

Overall, a little disappointed by what I've seen coming up. As I mentioned mid-last year, I have been feeling that the scene is offering slightly diminishing returns (although I don't want to overstate this), and possibly failing to renew, and as always am hoping for something fresh.

Over the past year I have been returning to the free improv records of the late 70s to early 90s, and it's amazing how much impact they have.

If anyone has any suggestions for newer stuff that they really rate, I'd love to see them here. 

Yes, I agree about "the scene". It's almost as if it's waiting for the next localised flowering similar to Portugal 10 years ago, to take it forward again 

although I also think there might be a bit of in built inevitability about this feeling as I'm not paying nearly as much attention as I used to it so I'm sure things are slipping by me. I seem to be focussing on UK players a bit more almost by default, anything with Musson, Brice, Kraabel. I hear good things about younger UK players but fail to follow up

This is well worth a listen but hardly newcomers

Armaroli, Minton, Schiaffini, Turner - 'I Dream I Was A European'

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by mjazzg

[Rabshakeh]

13 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

Yes, I agree about "the scene". It's almost as if it's waiting for the next localised flowering similar to Portugal 10 years ago, to take it forward again 

Or Chicago pre-pandemic. Those are the last real flushes of new faces I can think of in this part of the scene.

[mjazzg]

32 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

Or Chicago pre-pandemic. Those are the last real flushes of new faces I can think of in this part of the scene.

Which recordings are you thinking of?

My Chicago collection which is extensive predates that a fair bit - Adasiewicsz, Mike Reed, Tomeka Reid, Jackson, Roebke, Mazurek, Mazarella,  etc etc, so many now in their 40s I guess.

I'd love to know of a younger generation who have picked up the baton

Edited December 30, 2023 by mjazzg

[Niko]

"There are a few records showing up that I felt were on there because they had to be - The Jaime Branch record ..."

I agree - but they did leave the Branch record off the list actually... (Zoh Amba is a fresh face, on youtube is a video with her Immanuel Wilkins and Micah Thomas that i liked quite a bit, doubting though whether they fit the bill)

[mjazzg]

I love everything jaimie branch did but really wish they'd left the final one in the can. I can't connect with it.

I've enjoyed what I've heard of Zoh Amba. She's coming to Café Oto soonish (twice) so will be interested to hear her live

[Rabshakeh]

30 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

Which recordings are you thinking of?

My Chicago collection which is extensive predates that a fair bit - Adasiewicsz, Mike Reed, Tomeka Reid, Jackson, Roebke, Mazurek, Mazarella,  etc etc, so many now in their 40s I guess.

I'd love to know of a younger generation who have picked up the baton

That's who I meant. I really meant up to the pandemic. The energies seem to have dissipated since then, although I still like their work. Tomeka Reid, who at one point along with Jaime Branch was making me feel really excited about the future, has faded out a bit. I'd love to hear more from her.

18 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

I love everything jaimie branch did but really wish they'd left the final one in the can. I can't connect with it.

It's okay. But it's really an outtakes record. I enjoyed hearing it but it's not end of year list material. 

22 minutes ago, Niko said:

"There are a few records showing up that I felt were on there because they had to be - The Jaime Branch record ..."

I agree - but they did leave the Branch record off the list actually..

Sorry - you're right. But it is on a lot of the editors' lists and comments. I usually treat those as having roughly similar standing.

Zoh Amba I quite like too. 

[mjazzg]

41 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

That's who I meant. I really meant up to the pandemic. The energies seem to have dissipated since then, although I still like their work. Tomeka Reid, who at one point along with Jaime Branch was making me feel really excited about the future, has faded out a bit. I'd love to hear more from her.

 

OK, with you now. Shame though as I was hoping for some new names.

Reid seems to do a lot of sidewoman recordings, the newish Melford and Fujiwara come to mind but I'd definitely like to see her lead some recordings.

[JSngry]

David Boykin is prolific on Bandcamp. 

[Steve Reynolds]

I’ll work on a new list of newish recordings.

The younger musicians in NYC/Brooklyn are fire

James Paul Nadian

Chuck Roth

James McKain

Joey Sullivan (from Philly)

Michael Foster

Brandon Lopez (not new any longer)

Charmaine Lee

Caleb Duvall

T.J. Borden

Madison Greenstone

Webb Crawford 

and more 

9 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

That's who I meant. I really meant up to the pandemic. The energies seem to have dissipated since then, although I still like their work. Tomeka Reid, who at one point along with Jaime Branch was making me feel really excited about the future, has faded out a bit. I'd love to hear more from her.

It's okay. But it's really an outtakes record. I enjoyed hearing it but it's not end of year list material. 

Sorry - you're right. But it is on a lot of the editors' lists and comments. I usually treat those as having roughly similar standing.

Zoh Amba I quite like too. 

Tomeka is peaking. Not fading out. 

11 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

That was what I thought too. A bit tired, maybe. I know what half of it will sound like before I listen, which I will do. 

Any Darius Jones record is a reason for interest. I quite liked it on my first listen. I was a bit surprised by Cleaver's drumming, which I felt was wrong (strange, as Cleaver is a player whom I typically enjoy). I liked the interplay between the strings and the saxophone, although maybe a little constrained and not quite impulsive enough. But lots of good bits. I look forward to re-listening.

There are a few records showing up that I felt were on there because they had to be - The Jaime Branch record and the Matana Roberts records were only solid B+ records to my ears, although clearly a lot of people liked them. 

Overall, a little disappointed by what I've seen coming up. As I mentioned mid-last year, I have been feeling that the scene is offering slightly diminishing returns (although I don't want to overstate this), and possibly failing to renew, and as always am hoping for something fresh.

Over the past year I have been returning to the free improv records of the late 70s to early 90s, and it's amazing how much impact they have.

If anyone has any suggestions for newer stuff that they really rate, I'd love to see them here. 

Fwiw Darius better than ever live. Saw him in a duo a few weeks ago with Nick Fraser from 5 feet away. As great an alto saxophonist as is playing today. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Steve Reynolds

[Rabshakeh]

19 minutes ago, Steve Reynolds said:

The younger musicians in NYC/Brooklyn are fire

James Paul Nadian

Chuck Roth

James McKain

Joey Sullivan (from Philly)

Michael Foster

Brandon Lopez (not new any longer)

Charmaine Lee

Caleb Duvall

T.J. Borden

Madison Greenstone

Webb Crawford 

and more 

Other than Lopez, are they recording?

The younger London musicians @mjazzg mentioned are prolific gigging musicians who I enjoy seeing and are releasing on bandcamp, even getting into mainstream publications like The Wire, although I still think they're yet to break through properly. It will be nice when they start to show up in year end polls.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Rabshakeh