Modern/Avant New Releases: A running thread

[Steve Reynolds]

3 hours ago, Leeway said:

Yeah, those look very tasty.  There's also a Barry Guy 4 CD box coming out  on Not Two that looks very interesting

That is the Blue Shroud band in small formations. Available for ~$60. Some different guys and some stalwarts like Agusti Fernandez. It's mine soon.

[CraigP]

I came out of my self-imposed "blog retirement" because I was so impressed with Mary Halvorson's new CD, Away With You, that the words came easily.

http://improvisedblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/mary-halvorson-octet-away-with-you.html

[relyles]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 2:16 PM, xybert said:

New Taylor Ho Bynum and Mary Halvorson albums are coming out. The preview tracks for each album on Bandcamp sound nice as f@&!! Can't find personnel for the Halvorson but that sounds like Steve Lehman taking a solo. Will be intersting to find out whether that's him (edit: it's not).

http://firehouse12records.com

I picked up the Bynum disc from him at his 7-tette performance at Firehouse 12 Friday night. Looking forward to give this a listen.

[clifford_thornton]

I like that new Octet disc. Parts of it are like a concerto for pedal steel and small orchestra, which I can get behind.

[Leeway]

Some interesting new releases from Emanem.  The Giuffre is almost mandatory:

5044 VERYAN WESTON  Discoveries on Tracker Action Organs (2014)
After superb solo CDs on piano (5001) and luthéal piano(4095), Veryan Weston makes an equally fine solo organ album. Touring England in search of tracker-action organs, Weston tried about 40 to see if both the instrument and the space were suitable for the planned trio TUNING OUT TOUR (5207). In several cases there wasn't the opportunity to try them extensively, but in others it was possible to get beyond the discoveries of the particular instrument, and make some magnificent music. This collection consists of seven such instances in seven locations, with the resulting pieces lasting from two to twenty-four minutes. 63 minutes

5208 JIMMY GIUFFRE 3  Bremen & Stuttgart (1961) 2-CD set
The Jimmy Giuffre 3 with Paul Bley and Steve Swallow only lasted about a year, but their work, which ranged from blues to tempo-less group improvisation, became a major influence on a wide variety of subsequent music from 'soft jazz' to 'hard-core' free improvisation. This double CD reissues their only known well-recorded concerts, originally released in 1992/3 on hat ART 6071/2. In addition, there are six previously unissued performances from the Bremen concert, three trios and three piano/bass duets. Also included are the two tracks from their FUSION album which were not included in the ECM double-album reissue. 158 minutes.

5209 SPONTANEOUS MUSIC ORCHESTRA  Search & Reflect (1973-81) 2-CD set
Contemporaneous examples of some of the pieces described in the classic manual, SEARCH & REFLECT, by John Stevens. Outrageous sounds produced by a workshop orchestra directed by him in 1973 - an SME-type improvisation; instrumental & vocal drones; a mechanically rhythmic yet unpredictable piece; and an all-out improvisation featuring non-vocal mouth sounds, vocal sounds & instruments. This is followed by what is perhaps the pinnacle of Stevens' attempts to make music with a large (21 strong) group made up of both experienced improvisers (including Evan Parker & Trevor Watts) and workshop musicians. This 40 minute performance from 1975 starts off with just the 11 workshop musicians for a few minutes, and then everyone joins in for a long mainly sustained section, before ending with an all-out improvisation. The 1981 London concert features two more of Stevens' didactic pieces, performed by nine or ten musicians.141 minutes.
This double-CD is a reissue of Emanem 4039, and A LP 003 (later on Emanem 4062), and SFA LP 092 (later on Emanem 4150). One lesser orchestral piece has been omitted from 4062, as have the trio performances from 4150.

psi 16.01 EVAN PARKER  as the wind (2012)
A 2012 set of trio improvisations by EVAN PARKER playing soprano saxophone, MARK NAUSEEF playing metallophone based percussion and TOMA GOUBAND playing lithophone based percussion. Recorded by genius engineer Adam Skeaping in the warm, natural acoustics of St Peters, Whitstable.  Parker feels strongly that this is one of the best records he has ever made. 61 minutes. 

[mjazzg]

Ordered my copy of the Parker. I saw him perform with Toma Goubard a few years ago, it was fascinating music. The Giuffre will be next despite having the Stuttgart and Bremen Hats

[Clunky]

Evan Parker's - as the wind and the Giuffre double arrived today.

 

Both excellent releases. I'm no Parker expert but I can see why he's so pleased with this release.  I only had one of the Hat discs so this new edition brings lots of new music. The sound is exceptional btw.

[mjazzg]

I think the Parker is marvellous and as you say very obvious why he regards it so highly. 

[clifford_thornton]

Love that SME large ensemble stuff.

[mjazzg]

Here's a must for all Leandre fans

http://www.nottwo.com/copy-of-mw-box6

I wish they'd stop releasing all these very good boxes at Not Two. Not enough time, space or money ...

[clifford_thornton]

If CDs are still around by the time I am old and retired, I'd actually have time to listen to and enjoy that. Not right now really.

[Steve Reynolds]

Not Two releasing another Brotzmann Swell Nilssen-Love live recording

previous Kraków Nights from 2015 was tremendous. I imagine this from the same early 2015 performances. Another must buy from the best free jazz label operating today.

 

 

[xybert]

On 27 September 2016 at 3:40 AM, relyles said:

I picked up the Bynum disc from him at his 7-tette performance at Firehouse 12 Friday night. Looking forward to give this a listen.

I'm really digging Enter The Plustet. The previous albums on Firehouse 12 have all been excellent but there's something extra special about this one to my ears. Total knock out.

[mjazzg]

On 04/11/2016 at 7:23 PM, Steve Reynolds said:

Not Two releasing another Brotzmann Swell Nilssen-Love live recording

previous Kraków Nights from 2015 was tremendous. I imagine this from the same early 2015 performances. Another must buy from the best free jazz label operating today.

 

 

I need to catch up with that band - there's so much good Brotzmann about at the moment. In the same batch there's an intriguing release by The Motion trio with Rodrigo Amado and Gabriel Ferrandini with a cellist, Miguel Mora who I don't think I've come across before

[Steve Reynolds]

8 hours ago, mjazzg said:

I need to catch up with that band - there's so much good Brotzmann about at the moment. In the same batch there's an intriguing release by The Motion trio with Rodrigo Amado and Gabriel Ferrandini with a cellist, Miguel Mora who I don't think I've come across before

The Flame Alphabet?? With Jeb Bishop?

one of the great modern day saxophone quartet recordings 

or is there a new one?

Now I see it. "Desire & Freedom"

on the list once the price drops down as they sometimes do for not two releases 

will get the Brotzmann, Dragonfly Breath III & the Amado plus waiting for the Jones Jones (Ochs, Dresser & Tarasov) Moscow Improvisations to drop in price. They were as great as I expected when I saw them earlier this year. 

I did order the Pink 5 CD box. Next will be the Red plus the Barry Guy 4 CD Blue Shroud band small formations box.

Not Two records is killing it. Best jazz label going right now.

[uli]

 

 

Matana Roberts ‏@matanaroberts

For Standing Rock: http://matana-roberts.bandcamp.com/album/for-standing-rock … @cstrecor

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2016 by uli

[.:.impossible]

On 10/1/2015 at 7:09 PM, king ubu said:

Has anyone actually received "Pomegranate" by Stephen Haynes by now?

I took part of the funding campaign, and I wrote a mail a couple of weeks ago inquiring ... I *am* patient, but ...

I don't think we will be getting our discs. 

 

Edit: I see that you did in fact receive yours. I haven't been on the forums in quite some time it seems. I was a backer as well and have been in contact with Stephen over the years. I just chalked it up to the vastness of the universe, but it has been in the back of my mind all along. My last correspondence with Stephen was September of 2015.

I seem to have inadvertently called attention to the last sentence. With the new software, I don't know how to correct that. It was not my intent. 

Edited December 12, 2016 by .:.impossible

[king ubu]

So you still didn't get it? Mine arrived in time to make it to the personal list of best 2015 releases. A truly wonderful album!

[.:.impossible]

I gladly funded in March of 2013. We were in contact more than a few times throughout 2015. 

His last message led me to believe that I, along with whoever else is on the mailing list, may or may not be receiving the disc. 

 

I have resolved my donation as a small offering to the greater good. 

[OliverM]

On 12/12/2016 at 4:13 PM, .:.impossible said:

I don't think we will be getting our discs. 

 

Edit: I see that you did in fact receive yours. I haven't been on the forums in quite some time it seems. I was a backer as well and have been in contact with Stephen over the years. I just chalked it up to the vastness of the universe, but it has been in the back of my mind all along. My last correspondence with Stephen was September of 2015.

I seem to have inadvertently called attention to the last sentence. With the new software, I don't know how to correct that. It was not my intent. 

Ed Ricart had to send another copy to me since my first order never came, you should contact him again, he was very friendly and helpful. Apparently their distributor handled things strangely in the midst of bankruptcy.

[xybert]

A couple of upcoming new releases that i'm looking forward to:

Matthew Shipp - Piano Song: http://www.thirstyear.com/2016/12/01/matthew-shipp-trio-new-album-jan-27-2017/

Harris Eisenstadt - Recent Developments: http://songlines.com/release/recent-developments/

Shipp's trio albums are must haves for me, i find them to be immensely enjoyable. Eisenstadt is also a favourite of mine, really dig his compositions, drumming and groups.

 

 

[king ubu]

Shipp seems to release a monthly album ... no way I can keep up, I have actually given up.

Re: Eisenstadt, I found his recent Clean Feed a bit ... tame, very nice for sure, but I guess a concert by the same band would have been more interesting (and that is actually a thought that more and more often crosses my mind when I listen to discs that are on topic here).

Anyway, I finally joined the ranks of Intakt subscribers and got my first delivery yesterday ... it was to be Aki Takase/David Murray and Ellery Eskelin/Christian Weber/Michael Griener - the later I had already bought at the trio's gig in town in November, and it's very good (though again, the concert was amazing, the disc is a bit pale by comparison, but still in my top 10 of the last year ... official release is just about now, I think):

It mixes old tunes (Basie, Jelly Roll, Waller) with free originals that attempt to capture places of the trio's common NYC sojourn. They did the same in concert, always switching between the old tunes and their own stuff - and it works pretty nicely indeed!

The discs I did get yesterday and gave a first spin to are these:

The colour of the Takase/Murray is much nicer in real ... more towards orange ... but we're in it for the music, right? I enjoyed both, the Takase/Murray surprisingly much. The played a concert in town around the time of the recording and I was a bit disappointed by it, Murray sounding a bit tame, though it had been his wish to play with Takase, who seemed to be reading most of what she played for the entire set (and that inhibited her music to making to the point that her faux-stride sounded awkwardly off-beat sometimes). On CD though, Murray sounds absolutely gorgeous and the combination works rather well indeed. So positive surprise!

The Crump/Laubrock/Smythe was both more captivating and more difficult to approach, I found ... I will need to sit down and listen to it a few times, I assume, but the first impression is very favourable indeed.

[xybert]

12 hours ago, king ubu said:

Shipp seems to release a monthly album ... no way I can keep up, I have actually given up.

Re: Eisenstadt, I found his recent Clean Feed a bit ... tame, very nice for sure, but I guess a concert by the same band would have been more interesting (and that is actually a thought that more and more often crosses my mind when I listen to discs that are on topic here).

Anyway, I finally joined the ranks of Intakt subscribers and got my first delivery yesterday ... it was to be Aki Takase/David Murray and Ellery Eskelin/Christian Weber/Michael Griener - the later I had already bought at the trio's gig in town in November, and it's very good (though again, the concert was amazing, the disc is a bit pale by comparison, but still in my top 10 of the last year ... official release is just about now, I think):

It mixes old tunes (Basie, Jelly Roll, Waller) with free originals that attempt to capture places of the trio's common NYC sojourn. They did the same in concert, always switching between the old tunes and their own stuff - and it works pretty nicely indeed!

The discs I did get yesterday and gave a first spin to are these:

The colour of the Takase/Murray is much nicer in real ... more towards orange ... but we're in it for the music, right? I enjoyed both, the Takase/Murray surprisingly much. The played a concert in town around the time of the recording and I was a bit disappointed by it, Murray sounding a bit tame, though it had been his wish to play with Takase, who seemed to be reading most of what she played for the entire set (and that inhibited her music to making to the point that her faux-stride sounded awkwardly off-beat sometimes). On CD though, Murray sounds absolutely gorgeous and the combination works rather well indeed. So positive surprise!

The Crump/Laubrock/Smythe was both more captivating and more difficult to approach, I found ... I will need to sit down and listen to it a few times, I assume, but the first impression is very favourable indeed.

Yeah Shipp's output can be hard to keep up with... the trio albums are essential listening for me, i just stick to them and on average he puts out about one a year (unless there's some that i'm missing!). Haven't really explored his non-trio stuff too much; what i've heard generally hasn't really been my cup of tea (which is slightly perplexing for me as if i'm a fan of a piano player i tend to be all in on all contexts that they play in). 

Eisenstadt's Old Growth Forest album was definitely a bit subdued... can't gather my thoughts on it at the moment. I was less enthusiastic about it than his previous albums, but i feel like it's going to click for me on further listens and/or when i'm in the right mood for it. 

Been meaning to check out that new Eskelin album on Intakt. Need to get on that! Cheers.

[king ubu]

2 hours ago, xybert said:

Eisenstadt's Old Growth Forest album was definitely a bit subdued... can't gather my thoughts on it at the moment. I was less enthusiastic about it than his previous albums, but i feel like it's going to click for me on further listens and/or when i'm in the right mood for it. 

Oh, I hope so, too! I have given it three spins since December, it's surely nice.

 

2 hours ago, xybert said:

Been meaning to check out that new Eskelin album on Intakt. Need to get on that! Cheers.

Do so! I'm not sure if it would have clicked right away without the amazing concert I attended in November (that's where I bought the CD, official release is now, but they already sold it), but it went high up on my 2016 best albums list.

[mjazzg]

Crump, Laubrock, Smythe - nice line up, enticing 

does the Intakt subscription mean you're guaranteed to get sent the new releases or is it back catalogue too? Sorry, I should just go and read their website...