Modern/Avant New Releases: A running thread

[Rabshakeh]

1 hour ago, Steve Reynolds said:

Kuzu

Rempis, Dorji & Damon

All Your Ghosts in One Corner

Recorded right before lockdown 

3/12 & 3/13/2020 @ Elastic Arts in Chicago & Sugar Maple in Milwaukee

greatest power trio in the world. Wish they recorded and released the whole little shortened tour that started on 3/8. Post Covid I’m seeing this band. 
 

Plus as always the recording/remastering from Dave Zuchowski is better than almost anything else released by anyone. Plus Rempis is the real deal. A bit overstated but that’s his way. He’s almost too good but it still fires me up. This group does know how to build and become elastic so it never is too much. 

Aerophonic records 

I really enjoyed Hiljaisuus, so will check this out. I was feeling a bit oversaturated with Rempis and I've started to miss them as they come. Good to have a reminder!

[Steve Reynolds]

4 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

I really enjoyed Hiljaisuus, so will check this out. I was feeling a bit oversaturated with Rempis and I've started to miss them as they come. Good to have a reminder!

Purple Dark Opal from Kuzu is also great. Can never have enough Kuzu. Dorji is awesome. 

[clifford_thornton]

yeah Kuzu is pretty rad. I agree about the oversaturation feelingsbut I understand the need to document one's work and try to get a little coin if possible. When some of these people are eventually gone it'll be quite a legacy to explore.

[Rabshakeh]

57 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

yeah Kuzu is pretty rad. I agree about the oversaturation feelingsbut I understand the need to document one's work and try to get a little coin if possible. When some of these people are eventually gone it'll be quite a legacy to explore.

The Braxtonian Paradox.

I'm definitely in the other camp. I like thinking that I am listening to a well-honed statement that exists as an important aesthetic moment. I feel lost in overdense and underdifferentiated discographies.

[clifford_thornton]

yeah, I have several Rempis releases and like the ones I have. Braxton, Lacy, Taylor, Coltrane, Waldron, Shepp, Brötzmann are all far better represented in the shelves, some displaying more finely-tuned moments than others but it seems important to have a bunch to choose from. Hindsight is 20/20 and had I been accumulating these albums when they were first released it's possible I might've felt differently. Brötzmann is the exception there I guess, as apart from the 70s/80s LPs most are later releases and were purchased as new, fresh albums.

[jlhoots]

I try to order mostly direct from Aerophonic so that Rempis (& cohorts) get all of the $$$ (as meager as they may be).

Usually get a nice personal e-mail from Dave when I do.

[Steve Reynolds]

Rempis might have a fine ear - unless these groups play this good every night as every one of his releases are very very good. Some of them are extraordinary like Apsis, Icoci, Cochonnerie, Perehelion, Strandwal, Of Things Beyond Thule volume 2, From Wolves to Whales & Sud Des Alps. There definitely is not too much. He’s that good and he plays only with great improvisors. Musicians such as Haker-Flaten, Wooley, Niggenkemper, Lopez, Stadhouders, Baker. And drummers like Ra, Rosaly, Daisy & Corsano.  

That doesn’t even cover the Kuzu recordings or Ballister (which for me despite Lonberg-Holm) can be a tough go at times due to Nilssen-Love’s pounding style. 

plus the supreme sound quality and cool esthetic only adds to the attraction for me. Who else is putting out such high quality purely improvised music of this sort? As far as saxophonists go I can only think of Rodrigo Amado as a comparable figure. They are both among the best jazz horn players of the past 10 years in my view.  
 

 

[clifford_thornton]

Ballister is great jogging music. That's pretty much when I listen to it but it does the job mighty well.

Amado is the shit I must say, really one of my favorite under-60 tenor players.

Then there's the "kids" like James Brandon Lewis and Michael Foster.

[Steve Reynolds]

I don’t know much about them but the saxophonists on Barry Guys last 2 Blue Shroud Band box sets are wonderful. Julius Gabriel is awesome especially on baritone.

Also Torben Snekkestad, Per Texas Johansson & Michael Nieseman. Snekkestad stands out as he’s the most radical. I’ll say again that “Tensegrity” & “Intensegrity” are among the best jazz/improv releases of the past 15 years. 

yes I’ve started “hearing” Michael Foster a bit better “Bind the Hands that Feed” with Katherine Young and the *great* Michael Zerang on relative pitch is incredible. I have not warmed up to James Brandon Lewis. Something too direct and much too non-oblique for me ears. Seems he needs to widen his scope / sounds like he’s never heard the insects flying. Sounds like he wants to be up front. Ugh.

Add Steve Bazscowski / he must be under 60. saw him right before the pandemic with Lopez & Cleaver. Incredibly unique. Loved the vibe / part of the 2 sets released on relative pitch but something was lost in the transition to disc.

Ingrid keeps growing on me. Still a bit too mannered and her soprano playing isn’t very strong / plus she often peaks in similar ways. saw her at the one show this summer I saw and she was terrific. With Kris Davis’ Capricorn Climber. But Kris, Mat Maneri and especially Tom Rainey stole the show if you will. Mat non-surprisingly didn’t play anything like he did with the band 7-8 years previously. It was all the in between and transitions connecting everyone to each other. Trevor Dunn was of course magnificent.  Sorry for the diversion / hoping for a show  by the summer:)

As far the guys getting older, Toby Delius has it all. Have not heard much new from Ab Baars or Michael Moore but I’ve loved them forever especially Michael. Always overlooked. gorgeous melodic player. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Steve Reynolds

[clifford_thornton]

Steve Baczkowski is young-ish, yeah. Probably around my age I'd guess (45). 

JBL -- it depends on the situation but I booked him for a duo with Luke Stewart that was tremendous, and have also enjoyed hearing him with Alan Braufman, Cooper-Moore, William Parker, and others. Jesup Wagon is really super too. 

Laubrock is rad but I'll admit not totally being stoked on more arch-seeming recent projects. I think that if those grow it will take a little time / rear view mirror. No knock against Tom, who's one of the best living jazz drummers without a doubt, but I do have fond recollections seeing her duke it out with Tatsuya Nakatani once. I'd be interested in hearing her with other percussionists more often.

[Chuck Nessa]

5 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

Steve Baczkowski is young-ish, yeah. Probably around my age I'd guess (45). 

JBL -- it depends on the situation but I booked him for a duo with Luke Stewart that was tremendous, and have also enjoyed hearing him with Alan Braufman, Cooper-Moore, William Parker, and others. Jesup Wagon is really super too. 

Laubrock is rad but I'll admit not totally being stoked on more arch-seeming recent projects. I think that if those grow it will take a little time / rear view mirror. No knock against Tom, who's one of the best living jazz drummers without a doubt, but I do have fond recollections seeing her duke it out with Tatsuya Nakatani once. I'd be interested in hearing her with other percussionists more often.

Steve is a friend and a "local" here in Buffalo. He also is in charge of the music programs at Hallwalls. I have seen many wonderful shows there.

[Rabshakeh]

A change of discussion, but what has happened to Tomeka Reid recently? She seems to be no longer much talked about. I think that there was one Artifacts record, but other than that she seems to have been very quiet for the last two years, after having been very prolific and feted.

[Dub Modal]

On 1/3/2022 at 6:50 PM, Steve Reynolds said:

James Brandon Lewis. Something too direct and much too non-oblique for me ears. Seems he needs to widen his scope / sounds like he’s never heard the insects flying. Sounds like he wants to be up front.

Totally different reaction here to JBL. Loved his playing from jump. Would love to hear him live. 

[mjazzg]

37 minutes ago, Dub Modal said:

Totally different reaction here to JBL. Loved his playing from jump. Would love to hear him live. 

Me too. First time hooked

1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said:

A change of discussion, but what has happened to Tomeka Reid recently? She seems to be no longer much talked about. I think that there was one Artifacts record, but other than that she seems to have been very quiet for the last two years, after having been very prolific and feted.

I think she's great. I hadn't noticed the lack of recent releases but now you mention it. The duo with Alexander Hawkins is a good one. Maybe she's just keeping a low Covid profile.

Now someone else who has really disappeared is Jason Adasiewicz. He was everywhere and to very good effect up to about 3/4 years ago, if not longer. Now nothing apart from a duo with Gustafsson

Edited January 6, 2022 by mjazzg

[Rabshakeh]

11 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

I think she's great. I hadn't noticed the lack of recent releases but now you mention it. The duo with Alexander Hawkins is a good one. Maybe she's just keeping a low Covid profile.

I didn't mean my post to sound cynical. I really like Tomeika Reid. 

[mjazzg]

Just now, Rabshakeh said:

I didn't mean my post to sound cynical. I really like Tomeika Reid. 

It didn't come across as cynical in the slightest just enquiring

[jlhoots]

58 minutes ago, Dub Modal said:

Totally different reaction here to JBL. Loved his playing from jump. Would love to hear him live. 

[Steve Reynolds]

1 hour ago, mjazzg said:

Me too. First time hooked

I think she's great. I hadn't noticed the lack of recent releases but now you mention it. The duo with Alexander Hawkins is a good one. Maybe she's just keeping a low Covid profile.

Now someone else who has really disappeared is Jason Adasiewicz. He was everywhere and to very good effect up to about 3/4 years ago, if not longer. Now nothing apart from a duo with Gustafsson

I did hear JBL live 3-4 years ago in a group with Kidd Jordan @ Vision Fest. I guess I’m in the minority here. I’ll make another effort to “hear” what I’m missing. 
 

fwiw I think Tomeka Reid is one of the most exciting of all the current jazz musicians/improvisers. Pre-Covid I saw her play live a number of times and every time her playing was transcendent. The 2 recordings of her quartet with Mary are wonderful. I sure wish I didn’t skip their 2 sets @ Jazz Gallery in 2019. I figured I’d catch the next show in 2020:(

 

 

3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

A change of discussion, but what has happened to Tomeka Reid recently? She seems to be no longer much talked about. I think that there was one Artifacts record, but other than that she seems to have been very quiet for the last two years, after having been very prolific and feted.

The “scene” in NYC is understandably dead right now. I’m starving for live music. None of the great NYC players have anything close to any profile at all. It’s really all about the live shows anyway for most of the really great ones. Missing seeing all my guys & gals madly - Randy, Tony, Mat, Mary, Tomeka, Ingrid, Rainey, Cleaver, Wooley, Lopez & all the rest:(

Edited January 6, 2022 by Steve Reynolds

[Rabshakeh]

13 minutes ago, Steve Reynolds said:

The “scene” in NYC is understandably dead right now. I’m starving for live music. None of the great NYC players have anything close to any profile at all. It’s really all about the live shows anyway for most of the really great ones. Missing seeing all my guys & gals madly - Randy, Tony, Mat, Mary, Tomeka, Ingrid, Rainey, Cleaver, Wooley, Lopez & all the rest:(

It's more records - In 2019, she was on so many records, in various styles, and they were all blinders. She seemed to be widely feted as the leading younger player (at least that's how she seemed to me). Then over 2020 and 2021, there seems to have been more and more interest in "modern / avant jazz", but no more mentions of her name. She seems to have dropped out whilst others, who I don't always rate as much, took her place.

This might reflect the move that this music has taken from obscurity back into popular favour in recent years. Growing audience and changing tastes.

However, I'm still ready for Ms Reid to re-emerge from hiding and take her place.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Rabshakeh

[Chuck Nessa]

59 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

It's more records - In 2019, she was on so many records, in various styles, and they were all blinders. She seemed to be widely feted as the leading younger player (at least that's how she seemed to me). Then over 2020 and 2021, there seems to have been more and more interest in "modern / avant jazz", but no more mentions of her name. She seems to have dropped out whilst others, who I don't always rate as much, took her place.

This might reflect the move that this music has taken from obscurity back into popular favour in recent years. Growing audience and changing tastes.

However, I'm still ready for Ms Reid to re-emerge from hiding and take her place.

Tomeka is now on faculty at Mills College. We saw her in October at the Other Minds Festival in San Francisco.

 

[Steve Reynolds]

33 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

It's more records - In 2019, she was on so many records, in various styles, and they were all blinders. She seemed to be widely feted as the leading younger player (at least that's how she seemed to me). Then over 2020 and 2021, there seems to have been more and more interest in "modern / avant jazz", but no more mentions of her name. She seems to have dropped out whilst others, who I don't always rate as much, took her place.

This might reflect the move that this music has taken from obscurity back into popular favour in recent years. Growing audience and changing tastes.

However, I'm still ready for Ms Reid to re-emerge from hiding and take her place.

Very curious why you pay attention to who is visible or who isn’t? 

[clifford_thornton]

4 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Tomeka is now on faculty at Mills College. We saw her in October at the Other Minds Festival in San Francisco.

 

that's awesome to hear. 

FWIW a few years ago I interviewed her for the NYC Jazz Record. Really dug chatting with her.

[Д.Д.]

Well, I didn't know who James Brandon Lewis was, so I checked his Molecular album on INTAKT. I though he was extremely boring. Safe robotic playing, generic compositions. Loved Brad Jones / Chad Taylor team though.      

[jlhoots]

1 minute ago, Д.Д. said:

Well, I didn't know who James Brandon Lewis was, so I checked his Molecular album on INTAKT. I though he was extremely boring. Safe robotic playing, generic compositions. Loved Brad Jones / Chad Taylor team though.      

Jesup Wagon (Aum Fidelity) is good though.

[Д.Д.]

7 minutes ago, Д.Д. said:

Well, I didn't know who James Brandon Lewis was, so I checked his Molecular album on INTAKT. I though he was extremely boring. Safe robotic playing, generic compositions. Loved Brad Jones / Chad Taylor team though.      

4 minutes ago, jlhoots said:

Jesup Wagon (Aum Fidelity) is good though.

Thanks, I might check it out since I like Knuffke, but I tend to avoid anything with William Parker.