Modern/Avant New Releases: A running thread

[mjazzg]

1 minute ago, Rabshakeh said:

it was only a bit of emotional engagement. Promise. 

You're on their radar now, be very careful in future if I were you

[Д.Д.]

Not necessarily new (actually a lot of old stuff), but Scott Fields is selling a lot of his CDs for just €5 from his website. Flat worldwide shipping regardless of the order size.

https://www.scottfields.com/store  

[clifford_thornton]

On 7/11/2021 at 7:04 PM, Rabshakeh said:

I think that Clean Feed started very good indeed and has since turned into something I'm not into at all. What grated a bit about the FJC coverage is how it has skewed to the latter.

agree.

the Free Jazz Blog is weak sauce.

[Д.Д.]

A nice sale at erstwhile records: https://www.erstwhilerecords.com/news . 

[Steve Reynolds]

I’m very interested in the new 2 CD set from Anna Webber (plus her trio & large ensemble that is featured on this recording is playing on September 23rd at Roulette in Brooklyn) plus a 6 CD set from Snark Horse (co-led by Matt Mitchell & Kate Gentile). I saw a version of that group pre-pandemic at The Stone and it was pretty amazing and very unique. Both on Pi recordings which is usually a very good sign. I liked Webber’s Clockwise but I’ve been up & down on Mitchell’s recent releases although they are very unique and he puts a whole lot of thought and work into his music. His music is almost sui generis.

Off topic a bit - but here’s hoping that the covid numbers peak soon and then decline by the concert date in September. I e seen one live concert (Kris Davis’ Capricorn Climber 6 weeks ago or so) but I’m less comfortable with what’s happening now. The Stone has now tentatively set mid-October as a start date with Kris Davis playing in various groups the week of October 19th and Mary Halvorson playing the week of October 26th. 

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Steve Reynolds

[Rabshakeh]

I've never listened to any Webber (I think). Is Clockwise where you'd start?

[mjazzg]

My copy of her new release arrived yesterday.  I passed Clockwise to a mate as I really didn't get on with it - it seemed too beholden to Steve Coleman and Steve Lehman and didn't have enough of a distinct identity, seemed too written, rigid and precise to me.  Maybe I should relisten.  She's someone I want to like for some reason.

However I thought her her big band collaboration with Angela Morris was great so giving the new one a try for the big band disc more than the trio

https://angelamorrismusic.com/bigband/

45 minutes ago, Steve Reynolds said:

Off topic a bit - but here’s hoping that the covid numbers peak soon and then decline by the concert date in September. I e seen one live concert (Kris Davis’ Capricorn Climber 6 weeks ago or so) but I’m less comfortable with what’s happening now. The Stone has now tentatively set mid-October as a start date with Kris Davis playing in various groups the week of October 19th and Mary Halvorson playing the week of October 26th. 

 

I cancelled a gig attendance for today as it was in a unventilated basement space that sits 30 or so people very snugly.  Just not prepared to take the risk with community infection figures as high as they are in London. Live music's important but not that important. 

Interestingly for me at least, I've discovered that I missed attending art galleries more than live music. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by mjazzg

[Steve Reynolds]

58 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

My copy of her new release arrived yesterday.  I passed Clockwise to a mate as I really didn't get on with it - it seemed too beholden to Steve Coleman and Steve Lehman and didn't have enough of a distinct identity, seemed too written, rigid and precise to me.  Maybe I should relisten.  She's someone I want to like for some reason.

However I thought her her big band collaboration with Angela Morris was great so giving the new one a try for the big band disc more than the trio

https://angelamorrismusic.com/bigband/

I cancelled a gig attendance for today as it was in a unventilated basement space that sits 30 or so people very snugly.  Just not prepared to take the risk with community infection figures as high as they are in London. Live music's important but not that important. 

Interestingly for me at least, I've discovered that I missed attending art galleries more than live music. 

I also think Clockwise is too rigid. I’m a sucker for avant-garde large ensembles. Let’s hope it’s not too composed/worked out. 

[mjazzg]

Glad to hear it's not just me what with the near universal praise it received

[Д.Д.]

There is a 20% discount on this Webber / Morris big band recording at bandcamp valid till the end of the day today (August 8th) , the coupon is bcaugust20

Just bought me a copy.

https://webbermorrisbigband.bandcamp.com/album/both-are-true  

Btw, this looks like quite a popular release on bandcamp - bought around 1000 times. With my going pop, I feel the need to question my values. Normally the stuff I buy is summarily ignored at bandcamp, reinforcing my image of a true rebel. For example, the most wonderful "Flockterkit" by Aram Shelton ( https://singlespeedmusic.bandcamp.com/album/flockterkit ) I bought recently is "in 4 other collections".      

Regarding live music, I am considering attending the Konfrontationen festival next week. I normally don't like festivals - too much music at one go for me, but just check out this line-up:

https://www.konfrontationen.at/ko21/# 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Д.Д.

[Д.Д.]

5 hours ago, Steve Reynolds said:

6 CD set from Snark Horse (co-led by Matt Mitchell & Kate Gentile).

6-CD set? Severe case of braxonitis?   

[Steve Reynolds]

3 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

6-CD set? Severe case of braxonitis?   

But there are numerous configurations including Brandon Seabrook, Mat Maneri & Ben Gerstein. So at least it isn’t 6 hours of the same group. Plus from what I remember the hour set was all kinds of different throughout and very unpredictable. I had no idea what they were doing as far as the compositional elements. 

4 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

There is a 20% discount on this Webber / Morris big band recording at bandcamp valid till the end of the day today (August 8th) , the coupon is bcaugust20

Just bought me a copy.

https://webbermorrisbigband.bandcamp.com/album/both-are-true  

Btw, this looks like quite a popular release on bandcamp - bought around 1000 times. With my going pop, I feel the need to question my values. Normally the stuff I buy is summarily ignored at bandcamp, reinforcing my image of a true rebel. For example, the most wonderful "Flockterkit" by Aram Shelton ( https://singlespeedmusic.bandcamp.com/album/flockterkit ) I bought recently is "in 4 other collections".      

Regarding live music, I am considering attending the Konfrontationen festival next week. I normally don't like festivals - too much music at one go for me, but just check out this line-up:

https://www.konfrontationen.at/ko21/# 

Omg - very surprised the Americans have traveled during the ongoing nightmare of the Covid 19 pandemic. Dream line-ups in normal times - I’m just waiting for a good 1 or 2 set night with some of the great NYC improvising masters!!! 

[Rabshakeh]

10 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

Normally the stuff I buy is summarily ignored at bandcamp, reinforcing my image of a true rebel. For example, the most wonderful "Flockterkit" by Aram Shelton ( https://singlespeedmusic.bandcamp.com/album/flockterkit ) I bought recently is "in 4 other collections".      

I might make it five. You'll have to drop that "5 other collections" pop sell out, and find some real underground music.

[Д.Д.]

2 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I might make it five. You'll have to drop that "5 other collections" pop sell out, and find some real underground music.

Please don't, got to keep my rebel status intact. Will send you the full edition of Backstreet Boys for cooperation.

 

8 hours ago, Steve Reynolds said:

Omg - very surprised the Americans have traveled during the ongoing nightmare of the Covid 19 pandemic. Dream line-ups in normal times - I’m just waiting for a good 1 or 2 set night with some of the great NYC improvising masters!!! 

Traveling to Austria from the US is relatively trouble-free, but UK is actually in the "red" zone, not sure how the Brits (Steve Beresford and Pat Thomas) will manage. Don't care about Thomas too much, but really would like to see Steve Beresford. 

[Rabshakeh]

4 minutes ago, Д.Д. said:

Please don't, got to keep my rebel status intact. Will send you the full edition of Backstreet Boys for cooperation.

Done!

[Д.Д.]

9 minutes ago, Д.Д. said:

Please don't, got to keep my rebel status intact. Will send you the full edition of Backstreet Boys for cooperation.

5 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

Done!

 

Well, I can always fall back on "Kinda Green" by Djll / Perkis - I am the only person who bought this one. 

https://djll.bandcamp.com/album/kinda-green 

[Д.Д.]

In case you guys have not seen it, you san subscribe to Astral Spirits at bandcamp for $15 / month, and immediately receive 50 (!) back-catalog items and all the new stuff they release as long as your subscription is running. And yes, nobody prevents you from canceling your subscription immediately after you pay your first $15 and download 50 albums. Not cool, though . 

Subscribe to Astral Spirits | Astral Spirits (bandcamp.com)  

 

[Rabshakeh]

I feel like the polish has come off Astral Spirits' operation recently. I'm not sure why (lower marketing budget? oversaturation? getting squeezed out by International Anthem?), but the releases don't seem to be making the splash online and in the press that they once were. I assume there's been no dip in quality.

By the way, has anyone encountered anything stellar recently? I'm in the mood for something new, but nothing has caught my eye. It feels a bit like everything got released last year, and this year artists are having a breather. Then again, I may have just blinked at the wrong time.

[mjazzg]

I agree about Astral Spirits and I'd go for over saturation. Like other labels (Clean Feed?) when release schedules rachet up I suspect the eyes/ears that took care initially start to look elsewhere in the operation. Just guessing.

But I'm not sure I hear much crossover between AS and International Anthem, different musical perspectives to my ears.

Best thing I've heard is recent Tom Challenger. Not stellar but very good.

3 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

 

And this 
https://sluchaj.bandcamp.com/album/di-logos

There's been some good stuff from the Argentine label NendoDango which features Diaz and Shocron from above

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by mjazzg

[Rabshakeh]

17 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

I agree about Astral Spirits and I'd go for over saturation. Like other labels (Clean Feed?) when release schedules rachet up I suspect the eyes/ears that took care initially start to look elsewhere in the operation. Just guessing.

But I'm not sure I hear much crossover between AS and International Anthem, different musical perspectives to my ears.

Best thing I've heard is recent Tom Challenger. Not stellar but very good.

And this 
https://sluchaj.bandcamp.com/album/di-logos

There's been some good stuff from the Argentine label NendoDango which features Diaz and Shocron from above

 

Thanks. I have that Brice duo on my list to check out, and will have a look at the Polish one too. 

On the AS / IA front, the only crossover is that the people on social media whom I used to see enthusiastically endorsing AS records are now enthusiastically endorsing IA records. I don't think they share much musical ground, but possibly they share an audience.

[mjazzg]

6 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

Thanks. I have that Brice duo on my list to check out, and will have a look at the Polish one too. 

On the AS / IA front, the only crossover is that the people on social media whom I used to see enthusiastically endorsing AS records are now enthusiastically endorsing IA records. I don't think they share much musical ground, but possibly they share an audience.

Got it, fickle fancy of social media folk eh?

 

On 09/08/2021 at 11:23 AM, Д.Д. said:

Traveling to Austria from the US is relatively trouble-free, but UK is actually in the "red" zone, not sure how the Brits (Steve Beresford and Pat Thomas) will manage. Don't care about Thomas too much, but really would like to see Steve Beresford. 

I've never really enjoyed anything by Beresford but Pat Thomas, definitely.  What would you recommend of Beresford's for me to have another try?

[Д.Д.]

15 hours ago, mjazzg said:

I've never really enjoyed anything by Beresford but Pat Thomas, definitely.  What would you recommend of Beresford's for me to have another try?

I am not too knowledgeable of Beresford's music, but I like this one a lot: http://www.emanemdisc.com/E5032.html 

[mjazzg]

52 minutes ago, Д.Д. said:

I am not too knowledgeable of Beresford's music, but I like this one a lot: http://www.emanemdisc.com/E5032.html 

Thanks

[Д.Д.]

19 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

By the way, has anyone encountered anything stellar recently? 

Old, old news (2016, gosh), but I just stumbled upon this one, and have been enjoying it immensely: https://open.spotify.com/album/1FhPcficpQobaXNbwxALso (Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/8163771 ).

Btw, looks like Mikroton Recordings is no more. Their releases are available on streaming, but if you are into physical objects, do not delay. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Д.Д.

[Rabshakeh]

2 minutes ago, Д.Д. said:

Old, old news (2016, gosh), but I just stumbled upon this one, and have been enjoying it immensely: https://open.spotify.com/album/1FhPcficpQobaXNbwxALso 

Thanks. So uncompromising that you can't even google it. I will check it out.