corto maltese

I've checked my copy of the "Anthem Suite". It's got two inserts, one about the label (I've learned from it that daagnim stands for "Dallas Association for Avant-Garde and Neo-Impressionistic Music"... neo-impressionistic??) and one about the musicians . One Zoran Pistotnik writes: "Each of his successive records has also inevitably been at the time of release his best record, but we know that it could have been even better [...] Perhaps this lack of perfection might be tolerated with regard to the not-well-enough-known musicians from Dallas who play with Gonzalez."

I think I understand about Area. I never cared much for the progressive jazz-rock Area, but I do like the free improv freakout Area. A lot. Try "Event '76", a live album with Steve Lacy and Paul Lytton. As for the Demetrio Stratos solo albums, well it's simple, you need to hear them. They're unique, in the real sense of being incomparable to almost anything else.

That's a funny little disc, but I like it. They also appear on one of the Area records ( "Maledetti" IIRC). There's a much older 7" EP on a Spanish label, but that one's not in my collection.

Recent reissues of some of their soundtracks seem to market them as a proto-krautrock or even avant-funk band, but that's only a minor part of the story. Also, their name ("Nuovo Consonanza") might be misleading, because their music has nothing whatsoever to do with more recent "new consonant" or "new simplicity" trends in classical music. For me their mix of avant-garde composition techniques and free improvisation made them one of the most interesting ànd successfull exponents of the incredibly fertile Italian new music scene of the 1960s. I'm a big fan, obviously. "The private sea of dreams" is actually a reissue of their untitled first album, issued a couple of years earlier -much more attractively packaged!- in Italy.

Actually the Arista-Freedom predates the Durium reissue (late 70's and eminently avoidable because of the cover art). The original "Hamba Khale!", credited to the "Gato Barbieri Dollar Brand Jazz Duo", has a beautifully designed cover and was released in 1969 on the Togetherness label, which is indeed quite obscure (I don't know any other release). To make things complicated "Togetherness" is also the title of a (very fine) recording by the Gato Barbieri-Don Cherry quintet which was originally issued in 1966 on the... Durium label. The rhythm section on that album are Jean-François Jenny-Clarke and Aldo Romano and maybe that's the reason why it's sometimes mixed up with "Obsession", a trio session from 1967 which only saw the light of day in 1978 on the Affinity label. Sorry about the disgression, but these Italian recordings of the 1960's are really very worthwile and the discographical mess might be one of the reasons they're often neglected.

Very sad indeed. I can only repeat what others members have said and express my gratitude for the wonderful music.

80 and still going strong, playing over here with the "Now This" trio. Wonderful. When I started buying jazz records and exploring beyond the (free jazz) classics, I was often led by bass players and drummers. Gary Peacock was among them. Happy birthday.

Go for the French Atlantic mono. Good pressing and a nice alternative cover.

Both Carter and Romano continued to play on and off with Lacy, so maybe they just didn't fancy the South American expedition?

Together with the extra tracks by the "Disposibility" trio (with Crater and Romano) of which, according to legend, a 10" test pressing exists...

An account put together from various Lacy interviews: The musicians were regular Lacy associates of the time, based in Rome. Enrico Rava's wife was from Argentina, and booked them a series of concerts at a theater in Buenos Aires. They bought one-way tickets, but hardly made any money in Argentina, and couldn't afford to get home for eight or nine months. "That was the wrong group at the wrong time in the wrong place playing the wrong kind of music...." He said that they did build up a small following over the months, but they were really glad to get out of Argentina. Thanks for unearthing those quotes. Seems extraordinary that they achieved excellent and well recorded session under those circumstances. That also explains for me why some early Rava leader sessions are recorded in Argentina. Thanks Jeffcrom Lacy was indeed based in Italy at that time ("Disposability", "Sortie", "Nuovi Sentimenti"...), but his regular associates would have been Kent Carter and Aldo Romano, so I'm still wondering how he ended up with Dyani and Moholo in South America.

Announced by Umlaut Records. Clips on the website. This could be the stuff dreams are made of. Bengt Nordström Sven-Åke Johansson Alexander v. Schlippenbach Orchestra A unique 3CD-box from Umlaut Records putting in attention the musical collaborations between two of Sweden’s most headstrong musicians: the pioneers Bengt “Frippe” Nordström and Sven-Åke Johansson. The previously non-released music was recorded in Stockholm 1970, 1977 and 1982 and portrait the musicians both in format of a trio, including legendary pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach, and in a large orchestra led by Johansson including, at the time, young groundbreaking jazz musicians from Sweden, like Bernt Rosengren, Roland Keijser, Björn Alke and Bengt Berger. This Stockholm Connection not only connects Central Europe with the Scandinavian scene of improvised music and jazz, but also put in attention the very important hidden role Bengt “Frippe” Nordström played for the development of this music in USA and beyond (he was the one who released the two first albums of his friend Albert Ayler in 1962 and 1963). The breath of Ayler is heard through the questioning saxophone of Frippe in this historical 3CD-box. At the same time, this music is not only presented as a historical guidance. The perspectives distort, and we hear something, almost alarming, actual. A music unfolding the scenery of the current gray haze of today. As if in a remembrance. The past glimpse of the future. The box also includes extensive text material, photos and cuttings from among others Thomas Millroth, Orkester Journalen, Musics, and Joel Grip.

It is.

This one hasn't survived the current trimming down of my collection. She's a fine player, but this set never really catches fire and things aren't helped by the thin, boxy recording and AkLaff's not very inspired drumming. I much prefer Bang's "Rainbow Gladiator". Just played it a second time. Keeper for me. My opinion sounds a bit harsher than it was meant to be. After all, I've had and enjoyed this for years. But I won't miss it when it's gone. That's a feeling I've got with quite a few Soul Note/Black Saint titles from the 1980s. Probably I simply haven't been discriminating enough in buying them. Last night's playlist: Art Ensemble of Chicago "People in sorrow" (Pathé-Marconi) (Gorgeous.) Cecil Taylor "Solo" (Trio Japan) (I've played this one LOUD.) Stan Getz Quartet "The Steamer" (HMV UK) (Lights and volume turned down.)

Not yet mentioned, I think, is his late 60s work in Europe, where he recorded "Watch what happens" for MPS with Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen (they look very young on the cover) and "Childhood is forever" for BYG, which has a lousy cover but another great rhythm section (Steve Swallow and Aldo Romano). Besides, he would be one of my favourite pianists if for nothing else than his work with Karin Krog.

I saw him live only once, I think, back in the 1990s with Jimmy Bosch, both playing some exuberant trombone. In fact, it's one of those jazz musicians that I like very much playing in a salsa dura context, but whose straight jazz work I'm not really familiar with.

This one hasn't survived the current trimming down of my collection. She's a fine player, but this set never really catches fire and things aren't helped by the thin, boxy recording and AkLaff's not very inspired drumming. I much prefer Bang's "Rainbow Gladiator".

"Conceits" is a fine album, as is the slightly later "News from the sheds" (already reissued on Emanem). Once again, I'll have to buy the CD for the extra music.

What would happen if Homefromtheforest would put a sub-$ 100 record on his turntable? Anyway, great choices!

John Coltrane Coltrane (Impulse) Not his most highly regarded album, but one of the records that pulled me into "classic" jazz. "Out of this world" still is one of my favourite tracks by the quartet.

Both are great, although they are a lot less known (and harder to find) than "Alors". "No, no, but it may be" is another fine one. And there are many more... I just realize he will turn 80 this years. We should cherish him.

It's the only bootleg in my collection, I think. I loathe those cheaply produced counterfeits the reissue market is flooded with (think Phoenix records for this kind of music). But this is a record I really want and I still haven't found a copy at a price I could afford. So the boot is there on the shelf. Mind you, I refuse to play it. It's just waiting to be replaced by the real thing.

Much as I like the original box set, a slimmed-down reissue is a rather meager present for Ornette's 85th birthday.

Of course it's about the medium. I've never been excited about finding a CD. And of course it's about the music. Most of my friends collecting records are musicians themselves.

Although I don't have many (if any) "straight" jazz records featuring Mr. Soloff, I've enjoyed his playing on a lot of salsa records. Sad news indeed.