Modern/Avant New Releases: A running thread

[Steve Reynolds]

Some more comments later but a few passages on arco that Parker was as sublime as I've ever heard him. Drake and Parker together remain as immense as any bass/drum tandem.

Looking forward to 2 sets from the core quartet tonight.

[xybert]

Steve, did you end up picking up the William Parker box set? Not expecting you to have listened to the whole thing yet but any thoughts on the music or the quality of the packaging?

[xybert]

Taylor Ho Bynum has a new album coming out on Firehouse 12 on November 12th.

It's not showing on the Firehouse 12 website yet, but should be at some point. Worth noting that all their albums can be streamed for free now: http://firehouse12records.com/

Here's an Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Navigation-Taylor-Ho-Bynum-7-Tette/dp/B00FAM0DYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381618342&sr=8-1&keywords=Taylor+Ho+Bynum

Here's a JazzTimes article link: http://jazztimes.com/sections/news/articles/101188-taylor-ho-bynum-sextet-7-tette-to-release-4-album-set

From the article: "Firehouse 12 Records will release Navigation (The Complete Firehouse 12 Recordings), a four-album, multi-format set from cornetist and composer Taylor Ho Bynum, on Nov. 12. The project documents four different versions of Bynum’s modular composition “Navigation,” with two sets recorded live with his Sextet (featuring Jim Hobbs on alto saxophone, Bill Lowe on bass trombone and tuba, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Ken Filiano on bass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums and vibraphone), and two sets recorded in studio with the 7-tette (which adds drummer and vibraphonist Chad Taylor). The music was recorded over two days, December 7 and 8, 2012.

The live Sextet recordings (subtitled Possibility Abstracts X & XI) will be released as a limited edition double-LP, and the studio 7-tette recordings (Possibility Abstracts XII & XIII) will be released as a double-CD. The entire four-album set will be available digitally, and buyers of either the LPs or CDs will receive a complimentary download coupon for the entire body of music."

Great to see Jim Hobbs returning. Don't think i'll pre-order this, think i'll wait and see. I consider myself to be a THB fan but i think i enjoy him as a sideman or co-leader more than as a leader. I enjoyed his last album, Apparent Distance, at the time but i just haven't found myself returning to it, at all, or if i do i take it off pretty quickly. Just not feeling it. I'll probably have a change of heart pretty much as soon as i hit 'post'.

[Stefan Wood]

Just received this disc, I find it to be incredibly moving and a deeply personal statement from an excellent musician:

[jlhoots]

Just received this disc, I find it to be incredibly moving and a deeply personal statement from an excellent musician:

Glad to hear that.

I have it. Haven't played it yet. Moved it to the top of the pile.

[Stefan Wood]

Like Blakey did for Monk?

I have no knowledge of the clusterfuck you are referring to. Artists can be dicks. It happens.

1. Not wasting time on that.

2. "It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered."

- Aeschylus

aka the Clusterfuck which was a result of envy. I went into the details in one of the Mathew Shipp threads.

1. Of course you wouldn't.

2. Reading the links was interesting. Thanks.

1. Didn't wast time because I don't think Monk went through the motions like Parker does. I also don't think Parker is in the same level as Monk. I guess you think differently. As in, it just came across as baiting as a response.

2. You're welcome.

No baiting was implied. I don't do that kind of thing. And no, I don't compare Parker to Monk. But I find them equally interesting to listen to.

With regards to the links provided, I stand by the notion that artists can be dicks. I don't know their personalities; never met Ibarra nor Parker; nor can really understand why things fell apart. Could be jealousy, could be sexism, could be something else. She could be a pain in the ass for all I know. I love their music, and I have seen them both live. I have a slew of Ibarra cds, as well as Parker's. But I won't piss on whatever either one is doing musically because of personal conflicts. As a music fan I don't care about those kind of things.

[mjazzg]

Just received this disc, I find it to be incredibly moving and a deeply personal statement from an excellent musician:

Glad to hear that.

I have it. Haven't played it yet. Moved it to the top of the pile.

I couldn't agree more with Stefan's comments. A truly wonderful album that impacts head and heart. Best of the year for me so far

[xybert]

I've been reading so many strongly positive things about Coin Coin Chapter Two, both here and on multiple different blogs. It's rare to see a concensus like this, I definitely need to check this album out at some point.

[Steve Reynolds]

Steve, did you end up picking up the William Parker box set? Not expecting you to have listened to the whole thing yet but any thoughts on the music or the quality of the packaging?

Yes, the first thing I did on Thursday was give Steven Joerg $60 for the box. I'm not an autograph guy so if I was I would have had the box signed by the quartet plus Yamamoto, Cooper-Moore and Leena Conquest.

but I am happily not that person.

Packaging is simple and very nice - a simple sqare box with indidvidual cardboard sleeves in different colors for the different ensembles. What I have listened to is very fine although having just seen 2 nights in as good an environment visually and sonically that is possible, it isn't quite the same.

as far as squabbles, I don't care. As far as William Parker's music, the two nights last week gave me a renewed appreciation of his brilliance as a melody maker and composer - he has a very rare gift that is overlooked by many who eschew his music as they think it is something that it is not. The quartet it the band that many who doubt need to need to hear.

[xybert]

Steve, did you end up picking up the William Parker box set? Not expecting you to have listened to the whole thing yet but any thoughts on the music or the quality of the packaging?

Yes, the first thing I did on Thursday was give Steven Joerg $60 for the box. I'm not an autograph guy so if I was I would have had the box signed by the quartet plus Yamamoto, Cooper-Moore and Leena Conquest.

but I am happily not that person.

Packaging is simple and very nice - a simple sqare box with indidvidual cardboard sleeves in different colors for the different ensembles. What I have listened to is very fine although having just seen 2 nights in as good an environment visually and sonically that is possible, it isn't quite the same.

as far as squabbles, I don't care. As far as William Parker's music, the two nights last week gave me a renewed appreciation of his brilliance as a melody maker and composer - he has a very rare gift that is overlooked by many who eschew his music as they think it is something that it is not. The quartet it the band that many who doubt need to need to hear.

Cheers Steve.

[Blue Train]

A live recording from Mary Halvorson. Listening to it now.

I couldn't agree more with Stefan's comments. A truly wonderful album that impacts head and heart. Best of the year for me so far

I was in the moment I saw her name.

Steve, did you end up picking up the William Parker box set? Not expecting you to have listened to the whole thing yet but any thoughts on the music or the quality of the packaging?

Yes, the first thing I did on Thursday was give Steven Joerg $60 for the box. I'm not an autograph guy so if I was I would have had the box signed by the quartet plus Yamamoto, Cooper-Moore and Leena Conquest.

but I am happily not that person.

Packaging is simple and very nice - a simple sqare box with indidvidual cardboard sleeves in different colors for the different ensembles. What I have listened to is very fine although having just seen 2 nights in as good an environment visually and sonically that is possible, it isn't quite the same.

as far as squabbles, I don't care. As far as William Parker's music, the two nights last week gave me a renewed appreciation of his brilliance as a melody maker and composer - he has a very rare gift that is overlooked by many who eschew his music as they think it is something that it is not. The quartet it the band that many who doubt need to need to hear.

Translation:

1. I don't care he and the others tried their best to ruin another musician's career out of pure envy.

2. William Parker was playing with people that wouldn't allow him to go into William Parker Mode.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Blue Train

[.:.impossible]

Am I the only person that listens to this music that wishes Mary Halvorson would play with more subtlety? I have reached a saturation point. I feel like the records I have will do at this point.

[CPC]

A live recording from Mary Halvorson. Listening to it now.

I'm curious, where did you manage to buy this cd? I see 3 on the For Tune website I'd like to get.

Thanks, c

[colinmce]

Latest from clean feed:

Announcing the new releases to be out october 25th:
CF 283 - Pascal Niggenkemper's Vision 7 - Lucky Prime
CF 284 - Angles - In Our Midst LP
CF 285 - Anna Kaluza/Artur Majewski/Rafal Mazur/Kuba Suchar - Tone Hunting
CF 286 - Kaja Draksler - The Lives of many Others
CF 287 - Angelica Sanchez/Wadada Leo Smith - Twine Forest
CF 288 - Elliott Sharp Aggregat - Quintet

[mjazzg]

A live recording from Mary Halvorson. Listening to it now.

I'm curious, where did you manage to buy this cd? I see 3 on the For Tune website I'd like to get.

Thanks, c

I've purchased directly from the label with success. Also, this Polish store is quick and efficent (at least within Europe)

http://www.multikulti.com/

[mjazzg]

Am I the only person that listens to this music that wishes Mary Halvorson would play with more subtlety? I have reached a saturation point. I feel like the records I have will do at this point.

I'm a fan of her abrasive style but still went through a saturation period myself recently - the danger of over-recording/exposure perhaps? That's hardly her fault as I'm the one choosing to listen to it all in the end....

I find her playing on the recent Septet date is less abrasive and therefore you may enjoy it more. Certainly the date as a whole comes across to me as focussing more on melody and the arrangements for the enlarged horn presence

[xybert]

Am I the only person that listens to this music that wishes Mary Halvorson would play with more subtlety? I have reached a saturation point. I feel like the records I have will do at this point.

I don't know about wishing she would play with more subtlety but i get what you mean, and i definitely reached a saturation point. I had this to say earlier in the thread:

I experienced similar Halvorson-fatigue... she appears on the albums of so many artists that i dig but her sound is so dominant that she is almost a co-leader by default. I rate her very highly but I was starting to go off her leader dates too... would put on an album and take it straight off... forced myself to put on Bending Bridges last night though and it was just such a pleasure being immersed in her sound world. I've cleansed my palate on a Jeremy Pelt bender recently so i'm more than ready for something a bit more Halvorson-esque.

I think it's fair to say that she currently has one of the most distinctive and instantly recogniseable sounds on the planet. It's kind of a double edged sword for me as a listener. It's a weird thing, as i do consider myself to be a big fan of hers, and her leader dates have been must haves for me. On a long enough time line a hugely distinctive sound can be in danger of coming off as self parody, although that will always be in the ear of the behearer...

Expanding on what mjazzg said about Illusionary Sea, i think she is a bit more subtle on the new record, feels a bit less in your face, certainly compared to Saturn Sings (i noticed this progression on Bending Bridges too, sounded a bit less self conscious although i know i'm projecting like crazy here).

Latest from clean feed:

Announcing the new releases to be out october 25th:

CF 283 - Pascal Niggenkemper's Vision 7 - Lucky Prime

CF 284 - Angles - In Our Midst LP

CF 285 - Anna Kaluza/Artur Majewski/Rafal Mazur/Kuba Suchar - Tone Hunting

CF 286 - Kaja Draksler - The Lives of many Others

CF 287 - Angelica Sanchez/Wadada Leo Smith - Twine Forest

CF 288 - Elliott Sharp Aggregat - Quintet

I've been looking out for the latest drop from clean feed... weirdly slightly relieved, budget wise, that there's no 'must haves' (for me) there.

[jlhoots]

Am I the only person that listens to this music that wishes Mary Halvorson would play with more subtlety? I have reached a saturation point. I feel like the records I have will do at this point.

I don't know about wishing she would play with more subtlety but i get what you mean, and i definitely reached a saturation point. I had this to say earlier in the thread:

I experienced similar Halvorson-fatigue... she appears on the albums of so many artists that i dig but her sound is so dominant that she is almost a co-leader by default. I rate her very highly but I was starting to go off her leader dates too... would put on an album and take it straight off... forced myself to put on Bending Bridges last night though and it was just such a pleasure being immersed in her sound world. I've cleansed my palate on a Jeremy Pelt bender recently so i'm more than ready for something a bit more Halvorson-esque.

I think it's fair to say that she currently has one of the most distinctive and instantly recogniseable sounds on the planet. It's kind of a double edged sword for me as a listener. It's a weird thing, as i do consider myself to be a big fan of hers, and her leader dates have been must haves for me. On a long enough time line a hugely distinctive sound can be in danger of coming off as self parody, although that will always be in the ear of the behearer...

Expanding on what mjazzg said about Illusionary Sea, i think she is a bit more subtle on the new record, feels a bit less in your face, certainly compared to Saturn Sings (i noticed this progression on Bending Bridges too, sounded a bit less self conscious although i know i'm projecting like crazy here).

Latest from clean feed:

Announcing the new releases to be out october 25th:

CF 283 - Pascal Niggenkemper's Vision 7 - Lucky Prime

CF 284 - Angles - In Our Midst LP

CF 285 - Anna Kaluza/Artur Majewski/Rafal Mazur/Kuba Suchar - Tone Hunting

CF 286 - Kaja Draksler - The Lives of many Others

CF 287 - Angelica Sanchez/Wadada Leo Smith - Twine Forest

CF 288 - Elliott Sharp Aggregat - Quintet

I've been looking out for the latest drop from clean feed... weirdly slightly relieved, budget wise, that there's no 'must haves' (for me) there.

287 looks interesting.

[David Ayers]

On another topic, anyone else heard the new Tim Berne? Not sure it is quite my cup of tea but there is some pretty fiery and dense playing which ECM-doubters might be surprised to hear.

[Blue Train]

On another topic, anyone else heard the new Tim Berne? Not sure it is quite my cup of tea but there is some pretty fiery and dense playing which ECM-doubters might be surprised to hear.

That's because Manfred Eicher wasn't involved in producing it. So there isn't his usual emo-coma mode!

As in, you basically confirmed what everyone has a problem with ECM/him.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Blue Train

[David Ayers]

On another topic, anyone else heard the new Tim Berne? Not sure it is quite my cup of tea but there is some pretty fiery and dense playing which ECM-doubters might be surprised to hear.

That's because Manfred Eicher wasn't involved in producing it. So there isn't his usual emo-coma mode!

As in, you basically confirmed what everyone has a problem with ECM/him.

Well, yeah, but he issued it, didn't he?

[Blue Train]

On another topic, anyone else heard the new Tim Berne? Not sure it is quite my cup of tea but there is some pretty fiery and dense playing which ECM-doubters might be surprised to hear.

That's because Manfred Eicher wasn't involved in producing it. So there isn't his usual emo-coma mode!

As in, you basically confirmed what everyone has a problem with ECM/him.

Well, yeah, but he issued it, didn't he?

Yes, and if he only stayed away from producing another one.....and just limited it to releasing them.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Blue Train

[Steve Reynolds]

I'm buying it and we will see if I can hear the *great* Ches Smith

didn't hear him on the first CD

[colinmce]

Ches is low in the mix, but it works for the music. He plays a lot of percussion, very few beats or rhythms. The clarity is great, so hearing his gongs and marimba etc always shifting and roiling under the music creates tremendous texture.

Matt Mitchell is the star of the record, IMO. His playing is front and center and drives a lot of the momentum, both rhythmically & melodically. There are times when his left & right hands are playing completely independent lines, the effect of which is dazzling. I wish Oscar Noriega played a bigger role, but all in all I love the record. It's dark, knotty, very noisy stuff.

[David Ayers]

I did wonder if the left and right hand parts has been recorded separately at points....