stuartjewkes

Just starting to get into Stravinsky while reading The Rest Is Noise. So far I've been spending some time with The Firebird Ballet (1910) and The Firebird Suite (1919) as well as Petrouchka. I have a Stokowski (sp?) Rite of Spring but it's not stellar by any stretch. I think I need to start raiding the Naxos.

Picked that one up for £3 a few years ago. It's extremely good ! (RCA I think) Yep indeed it's RCA. Sound is pretty good and the selection is interesting too. Nice to finally hear the Far East Suite and some of the spiritual cuts which I was suprised at how much I enjoyed.

Yesterday I got: Pillows and Prayers 1982-1983 - Cherry Red compilation £2.49 Polish Jazz Old Timers Vol. 57 - with Wild Bill Davidson £2.49 Jesus & Mary Chain - Some Candy Talking £2.49 Duke Ellington - The Age of Ellington 3LP set £4

Duke Ellington - The Age of Ellington 3LP set. Right now it's the Far East Suite

Should be fun! It really was! Lots of swinging tracks with great bluesy vocals injected with lots and lots of fun. Allen can still skronk his socks off and has melodic invention to spare. Calling them the Arkestra was a bit free and easy though. Mostly young, but very talented, musicinas.

I made her listen to 2 cds of Ayler straight the other week and she didn't see too perturbed. She even commented that some of it was quite pretty! And then throughout Ghosts told me that I play the theme on my sax better than Albert

Quite a few of the Saturns have been reissued in the US on LP during the last 10 years and they sound OK (in so much as a Sun Ra Saturn can sound OK, sound-wise). I have a few of them. I might try and track down a few more as the sound is quite pleasing and there is far more low end on this recording compared to the MP3 version that I got from emusic a while ago.

My fiancee strongly dislikes modern jazz but has learnt to live with it. In the same way I find the vast majority of the films that she enjoys to be dross but I've learnt to live with it. When she's watching a crap film I can read a magazine or a novel. When I'm listening to Braxton at high volume she can have a bath or read a book in the other room etc. It's just give and take as far as I'm concerned.

Got what looks like an American reissue of The Magic City by Sun Ra. It lists the label as Saturn but I am 100% sure it isn't an original as the condition is far too good. Only £10 so I'm happy!

Have you ever checked out Wolf Eyes or their kin? No, as a matter I haven't. Details please Most often called noise musicians, Wolf Eyes did a CD recently (haven't heard it yet) with Anthony Braxton. I'm fascinated by the kind of performances and products that are offered by people like Wolf Eyes. They manipulate electronic sources to create sound textures in waves with crushing percussion and throw in a bit of skronk sax now and then. It's quite oppresive at times but if you give it time it can be quite rewarding. It just strikes me that there could be some cross over appeal for people interested in more out there jazz. I'm certainly sold and I record albums of lo-fi improvisations with my personal take on some of the ideas thrown about by certain circles. I find it refreshing, and it cleanses the palette after a more structured or fluffy listening experience.

Just realised. I class myself as a big Braxton fan but haven't bought any of his new releases this year. That's a pretty poor show really considering the fact that I try and support artists releasing worthwhile music now and not 50 years ago. If I get some money through any time soon I might rectify that by doing an internet order of a few of his most recent releases. Either that or I might get a few as downloads from Leo. I pulled my Brax collection so far together the other day and I plan on marking down the years that they were recorded alongside the comp numbers to see where the gaps are. I'd really like to have at least one item from every year and then have a marathon listening session of one album for every year he has been recording over a week period. Anyone ever used the blog site inconstantsol? I'm not sure if I am allowed to link to it due to ts and cs but it's worth tracking down to hear some of the DCW stuff from this year that wasn't released and some out of print Braxton. Edit: Just went for a browse on the Leo site and was redirected to the website www.lulu.com with all of Braxton's Leo releases for download in what looks like VBR for around £3.50 per CD. I've picked up the Moscow 2008 Quartet and I'm listening to it now. The electronics seem to act as a launch pad for everyone. I'm 20 minutes in so far and there hasn't been a wasted gesture. I'm thinking of getting one of the 1985 British albums as well. Is one better than the others?

Have you ever checked out Wolf Eyes or their kin?

I binged my arse off on Anthony Braxton last refresh So much good new stuff.

Picking up more of the Robert Wyatt reissues. A new Fall album. of Montreal live at the end of January. The inevitable stream of Anthony Braxton. Spending some more time with Sun Ra and Albert Ayler. Discovering more noise and improv acts int he local area and hopefully playing with them. Recording a couple of new sessions and giving them away (unless someone with a penchant for ugly wants to put my stuff out on vinyl ) Hopefully discovering more new music than ever before. Maybe continuing my exploration of late period Coltrane.

I try to see plenty of live music but it is mainly small local acts that push my buttons. Affordable door prices and some really good bands! Also playing live with my band has exposed me to a lot of new and exciting acts. I might even end up playing with a few of them in the near future, plus I've been invited to do a short recording for a brilliant looking creative commons licenced project. I don't see much in the way of live jazz as there isn't much about that does anything for me. Mainly just boppish groups retreading old ground. I did get to see the Sun Ra Arkestra this year as well as a good Django Bates show, but it's mainly been experimental noise and more leftfield rock-ish acts that have done it for me. I spend a lot of time listening to my MP3 player as I have to travel to and from work, about 2-3 hours commuting a day. Lets me explore music more fully. I most enjoy sitting in the comfort of my home with no distractions really listening to an LP or a CD. I decided not to put my Ayler box set on my MP3 player soley so I would have to properly sit down and make listening to each of the sets an event. Haven't listened to it as much as I would have but I've certainly enjoyed every second of the experience so far, especially the Cecil Taylor bit! Last night I listened to a Braxton LP with full concentration and it made me all warm and glowy. I also think that an underrated way to 'listen' is to simply walk around a city and take in the ambient noise. Some great natural and man made sounds to be found. I suppose that's the noise musician in me talking.