mjazzg

Yes, very interesting novel and an addictive read. Her latest novel is a sequel of sorts Yes, very interesting novel and an addictive read. Her latest novel is a sequel of sorts

I've yet to come across a bad GUO album

I always enjoy Maupin's album 'Penumbra' on Cryptogramophone. Acoustic and adventurous with some great bass clarinet playing Wish I'd partaken in this BFT. Looks like there was fine listening to be had

Joe McPhee - Graphics [Hat Hut]

that sounds well worth the visit. the opening of the Hermitage's treasures to travel has certainly been a positive by product changes in Russia. Yesterday I saw an excellent exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, "Giacometti-Pure Presence" concentrating on his portraiture both painted and sculpted. Very in depth investigation of his approach to both and his artistic development over 50 years

Peter Kay is very talented I think. His one man shows, that often crop up on telly, tend to be very funny too. I haven't seen Car Share but I like the premise and can definitely imagine how Kay's everyday humour and his everyman approach would fit the concept well

Just finished Jaume Cabre - Confessions 750 pages of very well translated investigation into amongst other things, the history evil from the Inquisition to the Holocaust, consequences of one's actions and a love story

letter to Santa?

one of the best releases of the year for me. Pleased your wait finally proved fruitful. Nice description too That does look very tempting. The Guy/Lopez trio is one of my favourite piano trios

don't be put off Free Jazz Collective by it's name. It's definitely not just good old Free Jazz. It throws its net very wide and does invaluable service highlighting much of the European improve scene. Whilst I'm no great fan of assessing releases on online samples I'll give a shout to Squidco who post more generous than usual clips and also have their own review centre, Squids Ear

Anecdotally I'd say not very common. Many releases are on smaller labels that understandably keep costs lower. Exceptions might be Clean Feed, Matchless and some Emanems. Looking at my list of recommendations above none have significant notes that I can think of. Maybe read Point of Departure http://www.pointofdeparture.org/ and Free Jazz Collective http://www.freejazzblog.org/ for often informed reviews. Also there's some reliable champions of the music right here on the board Also don't forget label and musician websites for some info and links to reviews, articles etc Someone needs to write the book

Thanks

Matana Roberts - Coin Coin 3. Long may this fantastic project run Tomeka Reid - Hairy Who & The Chicago Imagists (her quartet on Thirsty Ear was good too) Stephen Haynes - Pomegranate Darius Jones - Le bebe de Brigitte Mural - Tempo Black Top - 2 w. Evan Parker and on the LP front (collector gene alert) pleased to finally get a copy of James Newton - Flute Music, numerous Masahiko Togashi, Brotzmann's Machine Gun, a bespoke artist cover (Albert Irvin) edition of Barry Guy's Statements V-XI for Double Bass & Violine and the Matte Rolling edition of Dewey Redman's Look For The Black Star and yes Magnificent Goldberg that Kasse Mady Diabate - Kirikeis tremendous

Good suggestions indeed, Late (Adolphe Sax is a great record). Treader was recently reactivated and released some new discs this year, Wadada/Tilbury being a highlight.

Anthony Braxton Quartet [Braxton, Fei, Ho Bynum, Halvorson] - Bristol Colston Hall Jone Takamaki, solo - Café Oto Brotzmann, Parker, Drake - Café Oto Strata East Live [Cowell, Harper, Tolliver, McBee, Queen, Carne] - Barbican Sidsel Endresen w. Jan Bang - Kings Place Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit - Café Oto Fred Frith w. Lotte Anker & Hannah Marshall - Café Oto Konstrukt w. Alex Hawkins - Café Oto Brotzmann, Adasiewicsz, Edwards, Noble - Café Oto Roscoe Mitchell w. Edwards & Noble - Café Oto Nik Barstch Mobile Extended - Kings Place David Virelles Quartet - Kings Place all in all a good year seemingly spent mostly at Café Oto. There were as many again at Oto that I would've gone to if health and life hadn't got in the way and looking forward to Joe McPhee/Chris Corsano, Dunmall/Tippett and Fire! early in 2016

Topography of Lungs, definitely. SME are fascinating and the range of line-ups that played under that name is very interesting. Steve's already given you a later one and I'd suggest Karyobin for an early one but that'll break the bank so more realistically perhaps Withdrawal or Eighty-Five minutes both available on Emanem (don't miss Oliv either, different again). Contemporaneous to SME you've got Iskra 1903 with Baily, Guy and Wachsmann/Rutherford (go to Emanem for them too) I like Steve's recommendation of Mad Dogs as an interesting insight into many players from the earlier generation playing now amongst younger folk. Another similar approach can be found on Brotzmann's 5 nights in Oslo. Both a pretty heavy investments to a taster though. The Von Schlippenbach Trio are about as road tested as you can get in this music and are phenomenal. None of their recordings will disappoint. It is more Evan P (never a bad thing) and he is pretty prominent in the list so far I always think of Art Ensemble of Chicago when I think Free Improv (US branch) but maybe others don't as they've not been suggested, 'People in Sorrow'' is the statement issue for me but there are obviously many more especially the Paris years. Thinking about now there's some interesting current stuff being played out of Portugal (often featuring Luis Vicente but by now means exclusively) - The Red Trio (often with interesting collaborators), Chamber 4 http://www.discogs.com/Marcelo-dos-Reis-Lu%C3%ADs-Vicente-Th%C3%A9o-Ceccaldi-Valentin-Ceccaldi-Chamber-4-Chamber-4/release/7296174 and Clouds and Clocks http://www.discogs.com/artist/3819502-Clocks-And-Clouds It could be worth sampling some sounds from French label Improvised Beings and definitely worth checking the work of Didier Lassere, Benjamin Duboc, Daunki Lazro on different French labels. Dark Tree Records would be my first port of call followed by Ayler Records And finally, at the risk of parochialism check out the London label Fataka for what's happening in this fair city at the moment Scott, you've got a fabulous journey ahead with many different roads and routes some of which will inevitably be dead ends, when you hit one just turn around and head down the next turning.....

I can't say myself but my friend who most definitely didn't buy into the hype went to see him in London and was very impressed. The last concerts I attended with this friend were Roscoe Mitchell and Peter Brotzmann so he doesn't set his sights low. The concert was very well received critically (and a second gig was added the following night) but that could well have had elements of wave riding. I read that too. I don't trust Petridis's critical acumen, I'm afraid but I did listen to the sample track and was pleasantly impressed. I've not listened to Bowie since Scary Monsters and not very closely even when I did. I'll give the album a spin when it's out

£15 (inc tip) for a haircut in a more traditional barbers. Always fancied "all towels" shave and I live in an area of significant Turkish population so there's plenty of options. One day

ready and waiting.....haven't played it in hours. Japanese, coloured vinyl, 3x 10" edition, naturally (traded from Mats G)

Art Ensemble of Chicago - People in Sorrow [Nessa] I'm just far too open to suggestion. Vinyl is on the thin side but sounds good. Blemishes fit into CT's "used not abused" category I suspect

welcome back!

I nearly had to come and join you over here as the original thread was blocked to me too. Switched form IE to Chrome and was able to post. So no gatecrashing required in the end

Dewey Redman Quartet - Look For The Black Star [Fontana Japan]

Togashi Masahiko - Guild For Human Music [Denon] I do wish I could read the Japanese insert notes

Tomasz Stanko Quintet -Purple Sun [Calig] straight out of the postman's hands.......great music in lovely sound. Great cover design too, just why we love LPs