Modern/Avant New Releases: A running thread

[jlhoots]

I really like Sweet Oranges.

[Steve Reynolds]

29 minutes ago, jlhoots said:

I really like Sweet Oranges.

I was pretty much floored by it. McPhee has a seemingly endless variety of modes and phrases of improvising. Plus Lazro and/or McPhee are great foils for each other. Add in that drumming and the mysterious analogue synthesizer and again - Wow

while we are at it here are a few other pretty incredible way WAY under the radar recordings:

another Joe McPhee release - Six Situations with Damon Smith & Alvin Fielder - in some ways not as exciting as the 2 more recent trio & quartet recordings but this one is all tenor saxophone and a bit more traditional with the legendary Fielder on a great sounding old school drum kit in a great slightly bigger room (Roulette) from September 2016. 

How about this one - never heard of this saxophonist - Liudus Mockunus. This is Trio with Rafal Mazur & Raymond Strid - also on Not Two. Short session under 40 minutes - called Live in Divadlo 29 - released in 2017 but recorded back in 2012.

one of the most stunning improvised suites of music I’ve heard in recent years / just another WOW

also some fairly recent No Business releases that stand out:

The Attic - cooperative trio with Goncalo Almeida on double bass, Rodrigo Amado on tenor saxophone & Marco Franco on drums. Probably stronger than Amado’s Desire & Freedom recent Motion Trio Disc on Not Two.

Before the Silence - another group improvised disc - quartet with Albert Cirera on tenor & soprano saxophones, Hernami Faustino on double bass, Agusti Fernandez on piano & Gabriel Ferrandini on drums.

Edited October 16, 2018 by Steve Reynolds

[jlhoots]

14 minutes ago, Steve Reynolds said:

I was pretty much floored by it. McPhee has a seemingly endless variety of modes and phrases of improvising. Plus Lazro and/or McPhee are great foils for each other. Add in that drumming and the mysterious analogue synthesizer and again - Wow

while we are at it here are a few other pretty incredible way WAY under the radar recordings:

another Joe McPhee release - Six Situations with Damon Smith & Alvin Fielder - in some ways not as exciting as the 2 more recent trio & quartet recordings but this one is all tenor saxophone and a bit more traditional with the legendary Fielder on a great sounding old school drum kit in a great slightly bigger room (Roulette) from September 2016. 

How about this one - never heard of this saxophonist - Liudus Mockunus. This is Trio with Rafal Mazur & Raymond Strid - also on Not Two. Short session under 40 minutes - called Live in Divadlo 29 - released in 2017 but recorded back in 2012.

one of the most stunning improvised suites of music I’ve heard in recent years / just another WOW

also some fairly recent No Business releases that stand out:

The Attic - cooperative trio with Goncalo Almeida on double bass, Rodrigo Amado on tenor saxophone & Marco Franco on drums. Probably stronger than Amado’s Desire & Freedom recent Motion Trio Disc on Not Two.

Before the Silence - another group improvised disc - quartet with Albert Cirera on tenor & soprano saxophones, Hernami Faustino on double bass, Agusti Fernandez on piano & Gabriel Ferrandini on drums.

Agusti Fernandez & Rodrigo Amado are among my favorites - & of course, McPhee!!

[Steve Reynolds]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

Agusti Fernandez & Rodrigo Amado are among my favorites - & of course, McPhee!!

I’m so far not as thrilled with the last Amado Quartet on Trost as I was with the previous “This is Our Language” on Not Two. I think I need to get that one in the rotation over the next couple of weeks. Amado is a fascinating powerful yet restrained improvisor. Similar in some ways to a guy like Jeb Bishop on trombone or one of your favorites - Kirk Knuffke on trumpet/cornet.

Not surprising is that the 2 quartet recordings with Bishop joining Amado’s Motion Trio from 2012 are wonderful. I think “The Flame Alphabet” is much more than that - another one of those Not Two releases that in a different musical world would be recognized as a stone cold classic. It’s a short <43 minutes (IIRC) improvised suite like recordings that hits unexpected and very intense simultaneously improvised passages. The longer live recording is the one that is just simply wonderful. It’s called something like Live at Jazz Central. I lent this to a friend of mine who is new to this sort of jazz (young guy - 23 who plays a bit of guitar and likes all kinds of other music and started with more straight jazz via shows @ Smalls and older classic bop and post-bop recordings) and then he met me!!! I brought him to a few shows and he was starting getting into some of this stuff. 

then we went to Malaby with Tim Dahl, Ben Monder & Gerald Cleaver in August and he was liking much of it yet I think still not sure what was happening.

THEN 10 days ago Malaby, Monder but this time Nasheet Waits. I told him we will hear intensity but with Waits it will be JAZZ at the core and it was that and more. First set was great but THEN the second set happened and we both experienced one of those magic music genius sets of impossible energy & creativity and I think he’s really into it. Amado is like that as well. Lots in common yet different than Tony Malaby. Malaby also restrained in his way but more radical and extreme plus he plays with his melodies and phrases from his roots which are obviously way different than Rodrigo. Too bad Malaby doesn’t have maybe the best/highest quality free jazz label documenting his music like Amado does. Plus Amado comes across better on record. Malaby is a much more inconsistent player who can lose even me (as I’m a very dedicated committed listener) for parts of even most of an hour set.

happily this year he’s playing as well as he was 3-4 years ago. Previously his playing from 2011 up through 2014 or maybe 2015 was often astounding yet sometimes I’d be mystified at what the hell was happening and that happened more in 2016 & the beginning of 2017. At the 4 or 5 shows I’ve seen over the last year starting with an incredible 2 sets last fall with Daniel Levin & Randy Peterson he’s been just burning smoking hot on both horns. 

[Д.Д.]

Oh wow, Randy Peterson, have not heard about him for a long time. What a drummer! His playing on Mat Maneri's trio discs on Leo is fantastic.

[jlhoots]

4 hours ago, Steve Reynolds said:

I’m so far not as thrilled with the last Amado Quartet on Trost as I was with the previous “This is Our Language” on Not Two. I think I need to get that one in the rotation over the next couple of weeks. Amado is a fascinating powerful yet restrained improvisor. Similar in some ways to a guy like Jeb Bishop on trombone or one of your favorites - Kirk Knuffke on trumpet/cornet.

Not surprising is that the 2 quartet recordings with Bishop joining Amado’s Motion Trio from 2012 are wonderful. I think “The Flame Alphabet” is much more than that - another one of those Not Two releases that in a different musical world would be recognized as a stone cold classic. It’s a short <43 minutes (IIRC) improvised suite like recordings that hits unexpected and very intense simultaneously improvised passages. The longer live recording is the one that is just simply wonderful. It’s called something like Live at Jazz Central. I lent this to a friend of mine who is new to this sort of jazz (young guy - 23 who plays a bit of guitar and likes all kinds of other music and started with more straight jazz via shows @ Smalls and older classic bop and post-bop recordings) and then he met me!!! I brought him to a few shows and he was starting getting into some of this stuff. 

then we went to Malaby with Tim Dahl, Ben Monder & Gerald Cleaver in August and he was liking much of it yet I think still not sure what was happening.

THEN 10 days ago Malaby, Monder but this time Nasheet Waits. I told him we will hear intensity but with Waits it will be JAZZ at the core and it was that and more. First set was great but THEN the second set happened and we both experienced one of those magic music genius sets of impossible energy & creativity and I think he’s really into it. Amado is like that as well. Lots in common yet different than Tony Malaby. Malaby also restrained in his way but more radical and extreme plus he plays with his melodies and phrases from his roots which are obviously way different than Rodrigo. Too bad Malaby doesn’t have maybe the best/highest quality free jazz label documenting his music like Amado does. Plus Amado comes across better on record. Malaby is a much more inconsistent player who can lose even me (as I’m a very dedicated committed listener) for parts of even most of an hour set.

happily this year he’s playing as well as he was 3-4 years ago. Previously his playing from 2011 up through 2014 or maybe 2015 was often astounding yet sometimes I’d be mystified at what the hell was happening and that happened more in 2016 & the beginning of 2017. At the 4 or 5 shows I’ve seen over the last year starting with an incredible 2 sets last fall with Daniel Levin & Randy Peterson he’s been just burning smoking hot on both horns. 

What do you think about Searching For Adam (Amado, Ho Bynum, Hebert, Cleaver)?

[Steve Reynolds]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

What do you think about Searching For Adam (Amado, Ho Bynum, Hebert, Cleaver)?

I love it. Maybe best Cleaver on record. Sounds like he does live in a small room. Maybe *the* first recording where I really *heard* Rodrigo Amado.

1 hour ago, Д.Д. said:

Oh wow, Randy Peterson, have not heard about him for a long time. What a drummer! His playing on Mat Maneri's trio discs on Leo is fantastic.

He is better than ever. He deserves some appearances on some of the fine labels releasing records these days. I see him every chance I can. Among the most powerful explosive drummers playing today. A different sort of power than Nasheet Waits - Randy's methods are almost an anti-groove thump. Plus he’s a soloist and Nasheet isn’t. Peterson might be the only drummer who can play 2 or 3 big time solos in one set and it’s not overkill.

[king ubu]

9 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

Oh wow, Randy Peterson, have not heard about him for a long time. What a drummer! His playing on Mat Maneri's trio discs on Leo is fantastic.

He played a wonderful duo set with Mat Maneri at Willisau 2016 (I was there).

[Д.Д.]

I see Randy Peterson is on a recent piano trio date led by Rema Hasumi: https://www.ruweh.com/collections/frontpage/products/rema-hasumi-billows-of-blue 

The label's site also has an interview with him: https://www.ruweh.com/blogs/news/randy-peterson-interview 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Д.Д.

[mjazzg]

Ruweh, interesting label with some very good releases

[Steve Reynolds]

Did I say how good this Per-Ake Holmlander 3 CD mini box is?

the large group recording on disc 3 is very good or maybe better BUT these small formation improvisations on the first 2 discs are more than that. Steve Swell again showing his greatness on a couple of the quartet improvised pieces but maybe the locals/youngins are even more exciting. Wonderous Double bassist Elsa Bergman shining on a couple of these pieces. And listen to these trumpeters I never heard before!!! Susana Santos Silva, baby!!!! 

[Д.Д.]

Santos Silva is good. I like this one a lot: https://www.subradar.no/album/santos-silvawodrasckameaas-svendsenberre/rasengan  

[king ubu]

Heard a wonderful set by Life and Other Transient Storms (Sten Sandell, Susana Santos Silva, Torbjörn Zetterberg, Lotte Anker, Jon Fält) at Artacts in March (the photo was taken in a small "box" set up for tiny solo sets) ... my favourite disc of hers so far is the duo with Kaja Draksler on Clean Feed, but I have yet to check out what she did elsewhere (she's got plenty on Clean Feed and it's probably all worth listening if you like her - which I do).

[Д.Д.]

Yes, this duo with Draksler is nice. Santos Silva actually reminds me of Barbara Donald from those excellent Sonny Simmons sides of 60s/70s. Same forceful sound (too forceful for my taste), plying very direct, a bit rigid.   

[king ubu]

a bit rigid, yes ... and I think she frees up a bit on the duo album, which is this one, just in case:

 

 

[jlhoots]

I have that duo CD too & agree!

[jlhoots]

Also Clean Feed 275, 379, &433.

[Scott Dolan]

Currently most of the way through Tyshawn Sorey’s four hour epic, Pillers. For whatever reason, this one just did not cooperate with my ears at first. It just seemed less than inspired. But at the 38 minute mark of Part 1, things just exploded and I’ve been entranced ever since. 

Very, very, VERY highly recommended! 

[mjazzg]

Similarly in the process of getting to know this. The more I listen the more I'm intrigued. Pillar 2 doing it for me the most so far

[Scott Dolan]

Parts 2 is definitely my favorite. Great call! The last few minutes of it is some of the most interesting sound I’ve heard in a long time. 

[Steve Reynolds]

On 10/28/2018 at 2:41 PM, Scott Dolan said:

Parts 2 is definitely my favorite. Great call! The last few minutes of it is some of the most interesting sound I’ve heard in a long time. 

Agree with this - I’ve only played Pillars II so far and it is very interesting music. Last few minutes is stunning. It inspired me to go back to the last Tyshawn double CD and disc 2 of that disc is now exploding in my brain. Waited ~ 20 to 25 minutes for the drum kit but that’s Tyshawn. Forcing or inspiring me to listen and to have patience - Forcing or inspiring me to listen to the music as a whole and not necessarily the individual playing or improvising. Similar in those respects to small form electronic/acoustic improvisation. 

[Steve Reynolds]

On 4/3/2018 at 10:00 AM, Scott Dolan said:

Asteroidea and A Quietness Of Water are my two favorite albums from 2017. 

Another listen to the latter this morning. First 2 tracks (album is 5 tracks ranging from 10 to 12 minutes each) with Fernandez obsessed with the inside of the piano take some time to build some momentum. By the end of the second track, things are getting very exciting. Tracks 3 & 4 are high water marks for this sort of music. Evans & Gustafsson show so much restraint that when we get any sort of release the power & energy of this drummerless trio is really beyond any other group I’ve ever heard of this sort of configuration. Grand Masters of the highest order.

 

 

[Scott Dolan]

Steve, you know what the funniest part of all this is? 

The first time we ran into each other was the old Freejazz.org message board (circa late 90’s?) where I used to drag you over the coals for abiding this “silly” European-style Free Improvisation “nonsense”. 

NOW! Not only am I turning you onto shit I’ve heard in that vein, but NOW you’re (by way of your last two posts) encouraging me to go back and listen, yet again, to the same shit because it’s worth yet another listen! 

Life is fucking hilarious! 

Hope you are well, my friend. Looking forward to your next suggestion!  

[Steve Reynolds]

30 minutes ago, Scott Dolan said:

Steve, you know what the funniest part of all this is? 

The first time we ran into each other was the old Freejazz.org message board (circa late 90’s?) where I used to drag you over the coals for abiding this “silly” European-style Free Improvisation “nonsense”. 

NOW! Not only am I turning you onto shit I’ve heard in that vein, but NOW you’re (by way of your last two posts) encouraging me to go back and listen, yet again, to the same shit because it’s worth yet another listen! 

Life is fucking hilarious! 

Hope you are well, my friend. Looking forward to your next suggestion!  

I think maybe the most exciting recent issues might be the two recent Not Two recordings that feature Joe McPhee. “Journey to Parazzar” is what initially appears to be a somewhat standard sax-bass-drums trio gig (noting that as mostly always McPhee plays a decent amount of his pocket trumpet along with his alto saxophone for this concert recording). Klaus Kugel is a fairly standard yet excellent drummer for this sort of thing but the inclusion of John Edwards gives it a shot to be special. First track of 28-29 minutes is great but the real treat is the next 20 minute piece then the two short pieces that ended the show. Not worth me trying to explain why but this is very special music and McPhee is playing in a manner that separates him from his peers. He takes lack of cliche to an extreme but doesn’t play with some of the extreme extended techniques that we hear from some of the younger players.

the other is the previously discussed Sweet Oranges on which McPhee plays tenor saxophone & slide trombone

Another stunning recent recording is the trio recording with Liudas Mockunas with Rafal Mazur & the *great* Raymond Strid - Live at Divadlo 29 - also on Not Two Records - under 40 minutes but worth it to the extreme 

Also I just ordered a holiday package that includes a bunch of unheard by me releases from Not Two:

Joelle Leandre: A Woman’s Work - an 8 CD box that is mostly duets with 1 disc that is a quartet with Joelle, Evan Parker, Agusti Fernandez & Zlatko Kaucic

(reminding me to remind you and everyone here of the great 5 CD Zlatko Kaucic box)

Dreamstruck - Trio with Harvey Sorgen, Joe Fonda & Marilyn Crispell

Threefold - Trio with Rafal Mazur, Percy Pursglove & Ramon Lopez

Agrakal - Trio with Marco Colonna, Agusti Fernandez & Zlatko Kaucic

plus some more traditional free jazz trios with Brotzmann & Hans Peter Hiby plus the brand new seemingly more traditional Quintet release called The Diagonal with Jeff Parker, Jeb Bishop, Pandelis Karayorgis, Nate McBride & Luther Gray) 

plus I dug up decent priced copies of Rumble Seat which is a trio with the GREAT Herb Robertson & the Nu Band’s Cosmological Constant which features the wonderous front line of Thomas Heberer & Mark Whitecage.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Steve Reynolds

[Scott Dolan]

OH! 

That Joelle Leandre box set was all you needed to say!  

Will check out everything else, as well. 

Much appreciated, brother. 

Did you check out The Selva yet?