AllenLowe

also, the last Hemphill Sextet - his way of saying 'screw you' to the WSQ - "I got something that'll go them one, or really two, better."

yes, Carisi, not to forget Angkor Watt - Carisi was surprising un-frustrated when I knew him a few years before he died, I always asked him, "John, don't you feel the need to do more writing?" but he was happy playing society gigs - guess he figured it was time to relax and just make a living -

latest review; aside from questioning my perfect vocal pitch, a rather pleasant piece: For those unaware of Allen Lowe, it is safe to say that Lowe wears a lot of hats. Known best for his exploits as a musician, writer, composer, and engineer, he is truly someone who marches to his own beat. (In) Jews in Hell, Lowe presents his take on the Jewish experience with a broad musical program of jazz, blues, country, rock and punk. In other words, for those looking for straight-up jazz, this is not your cuppa. If you are still tuning in, as a musician Lowe made his previous mark as a saxophonist. However, since 2001 Lowe’s experiments center squarely on the guitar. Therefore the main focus here, other than a few tracks, is Lowe’s prickly, off-kilter attack that is definitely more D. Boon (of the rock band The Minuteman) than Jim Hall. There is a great deal of music to digest here (38 tunes over 2 cds), a stylistic potpourri with its common theme focusing on Lowe’s conceptual musings both in terms of lyrics and musical content. Best yet, Lowe’s lengthy libretto provides insight into his thoughts, as well as to serve as an instructive track-by-track overview. Trumpeter Randy Sandke guests in the bop of “I Licked Bird’s Blood” (yes check the liners for the story) and "I Am The Swan,” with brilliant contrabass clarinet work from Scott Robinson on the former, in the company of Lowe’s alto. Pianist Matthew Shipp and guitarist Marc Riobot also add their singular touch to several pieces. Shipp transverses the lovely vignette “I’m Not Nico” and the rollicking tribute to Jaki Byard, “Jaki’s Boat,” while Ribot’s two appearances, filled with dramatic about faces and stabbing shards, demonstrate rather vividly here where Lowe may have caught the inspiration for his guitar approach. The majority of the program, however, concentrates on Lowe mostly in the company of a “power trio” of bass and drums, with solo duties given to Lowe’s guitar’s abrupt timbral mutations. Compositionally speaking, the program is infused with Lowe’s incredible knowledge of American music history, a mix of instrumental and those containing his off-center, pitch-challenged vocalizing (which is not meant as a put down, though, as Lowe’s ruminative lyrics, rather than technical prowess, is what matters here).A biting country blues, “Lonesome and Dead,” opens the record, while the gorgeous murder ballad sung by Erin McKeown, “Blood on the Mountain,” offer just two examples of Lowe’s folk leanings. The influence of gospel is also considerable here, with the best representation being “Gwine to Heaven (Gwine to Hebben),” thought the blues are also a vital wellspring, such as on the humorously titled “All the Blues You Could Play By Now If Stanley Crouch Was Your Uncle” or the shuffling “Riot on the Sunset Strip.” But alas, the sarcastic humor of Lowe’s commentary is perhaps the most compelling factor, such as pieces like the punk rock sarcasm of “Suburban Jews,” “Flakowitz I n Love,” a well as the Velvet Underground homage “Where’s Lou Reed?” including a side-splitting satire on the refrain of “Walk on the Wild Side.” Instrumentally the clever madness is also potent on “Jews in Hell,” with its hockey rink organ, or the cowboy funk of ‘G Major Simplex (Cowboy Tryst-ano),” a perfect calling card for Lowe’s wooly guitar stylings. Lowe’s incredibly varied program is all over the place, and will certainly appeal to those with a wide-open mindset. Some might call it a sloppy, disjointed mess that is rather charming after all; others might call it a compelling portrait, a soundtrack to a non-existent movie; still others might not know what to think. All things being equal, with Jews in Hell Lowe has given the world a document with plenty to chew on. In other words, a record that makes you think. -Jay Collins, Cadence

the best large group writing of the last 20 years was the big band recording Julius Hemphill made for Nonesuch - this is not a matter of opinion but of absolute fact - if you don't agree please don't post, as this is now MY thread - moderators, please delete all opposing opinions -

sorry, I don't begrudge him his money, but the music is all crap - and annoyingly calculated crap at that -

well, Benson can talk all he want, but he's lying if he says he plays what he plays for anything but money - and I can't say that I blame him; I just wish he was honest about it -

how about we take over a crack house, have music there, and call it "The Nodding Factory" ?

I'm a little late, but I though it meant that the player had great juggs -

well, I just hope she can give me some decent career advice -

Connie Francis Francis Wayne Paris, France

Jim Alfredson recently claimed that his 4 year old daughter was more mature than I am, a charge which I do not take lightly. So I checked with a third party, an impartial source who has met both me and Jim's daughter - unfortunately he confirmed that Jim was correct, that she far surprasses me in this realm - I can accept this and just want to add that, while it's not that great an accomplishment - many others have preceded her - I will concede to her greater wisdom and maturity.

I agree - but would add - when Jim refers to an "audience" I would cite Walter Benjamin, who has pointed out that there is no such thing - audience means too many things to too many people to cite it as a singular and specific entity - there are indeed audiences who like difficult and cerebral "heady" music; there are audiences who can listen to a Lamont Young drone for 45 minutes - there are some who would walk out; some who can only listen to vocals; some who can only listen to music if there is also a stripper along side (at least this is what 7/4 has told me he likes); point is, we have to avoid reverse-snobbery and anti-intellectualism and realize that there are a lot of different audiences out there -

well, someone once asked me if I wanted to take a trip around the world - I said I'd rather go someplace else -

I do miss the Knitting Factory - recorded two great gigs there, one with Hemphill, another with Doc Cheatham and David Murray- but it has long since turned into something quite different -

your opinion -

someone's opinion -

Bobbi Gentry? Dwayne Bobbit? Wayne Newton? Isaac Newton?

actually, I heard Morgan was having an affair with Hubert Humphrey - or was it Humphrey Lyttleton?

I'm old here - predictable, annoying, one those guys on everyone's ignore list -

I don't get it - does anybody actually PLAY on this recording?

interesting, and it confirms that the best recording medium is THICK analog tape (1/2 inch or larger) at 15 ips - even best is no noise reduction, though Dolby SR is quite good - I don't like DBX, which was in common use in the 1980s when I started recording-

I'm assuming that all of these use digital signal processing? my biggest complaint about digital synths is sound - a certain lack of connection between individual touch and sonority/timbre/tone, whatever - something about the old analog technology made people work harder, so you can hear the sweat and strain -

send an email to the owner - I have found him to be very responsive - or I would complain to your credit card company, if that's how you paid -

"Chewy & Jack Black together?" yes, taking out a 7-11 -

hey, shtupping Lee Morgan is enough to make her a jazz great in my book - and I think she stabbed him with her flute, which is how he really died -