ep1str0phy

The Black Saint album is a favorite of mine. This is perhaps my favorite of Tchicai's post-post-Ornette-alto-phase albums--a subtle, simply beautiful album. Tchicai has a decisively 'electric' aesthetic, and it shows through the proceedings--there's hard groove, beats, and bottom everywhere. The difference is in the relative sensitivity of the ensemble; there's a slight sort of delicacy to the album, as if the instrumental transparency were letting some light into Tchicai's brighter, less brazen spots.

Butler also produced Lee Morgan's "The Last Session"--sort of uneven, but not a failure by any means (and the band is terrific). It's one of Lee's more progressive dates, any way you cut it.

Extremely sad, but I'm not entirely sure how to react to this. This does seem like one of those die-by-the-sword moments. Regardless, my condolences to his family, friends, and fans. He was a bright personality.

Dustin Hoffman Dustin Diamond Dustin the Turkey

I'll be damned if that didn't well me right up. Thanks for showing up, man.

My sister loves that band. Please post her cell number for interested parties. Not after the last boyfriend.

My sister loves that band.

If I weren't so depressed about Dewey leaving, I'd be a little more enthusiastic--so here goes: -'Duo Exchange' is terrific and on CD. Some of Rashied's heaviest work. -'Black Beings' is some explosive shit--some of the hardest post-Trane free blowing on record (although not very dynamic). -I'm a huge fan of the CIMPs, although they're not as explosive as the earlier sides. A lot of sensitivity here.

In Dewey's memory, I'll refrain from using the expletive I feel like shouting. Both his solo work and his classic, classic sides with Ornette were instrumental in my upbringing. Thank you, thank you, thank you Dewey. I'll be spinning one for you.

I'm glad there are people here with brains who can help me to remember things like this. Have either of you heard this album? I'm just asking because if you haven't, and are expecting some "typical" Jack Wilson fare, you might be disappointed. It's a good album, but it's a lot more "commercial" than Wilson's other work. That's certainly a shame. I'm a huge album of Wilson's other stuff (even the slightly 'groovier' sides).

As long as it's up--how is that Holland/Phillips album? I've seen it everywhere, but I'm somewhat tentative on what seems (up front) like it could be mismatch.

I'm fairly convinced that this is one of those 'high wall' albums that it's sometimes just too difficult to scale. Even if the following statement does sound terrifically elitist and maybe a little condescending (that's certainly not the intent), it takes commitment to appreciate Machine Gun. Once you can get past the mass of sound up top--and the unmitigated heaviness is sorta frontloaded on these cuts--there's a lot of fun, humor, and joy. It may be best to buy this one, listen, take a deep breath, and then come back. As in CT's case, coming back to it after some time certainly takes off a bit of the edge. What's left is a very, very fine Euro free jazz/improv record.

High Frequency, High Frequency, High Frequency... Also (less forceful on this, 'cause I know it's going to happen) the Change date.

Great footage--thanks for picking it up!

Kofi Annan John Bolton Miriam Defensor Santiago

Aha, you clever son of a gun. I'm listening to this now. Nice, thanks! Can't seem to get Priester's Love Love and one of the Miles shows. Must be gone. The Eddie Henderson Mwandishi album is on there, too (supposedly), but it can't be downloaded. There are some issues with some of the not-yet-deleted darkfunk downloads--a crackdown, maybe (although Love, Love was there for months after ECM reissued it).

I'm pretty sure this is still on darkfunk, if you look hard enough... ...and this is a favorite album of mine. Extremely low key--especially for this bunch--but it showcases a side of post-Miles fusion/funk that is far too seldom heard. A lot of it is quite beautiful.

I have to admit, I wasn't entirely taken with Machine Gun on first listen--it is a 'splitting headache' sort of side, and it takes a little commitment (and probably a little aesthetic soul-searching) to really get too much from it (sonically). Oh yeah--and I love that marching band theme. Second the enthusiasm for Nipples, although it never had the same sort of effect on me (that nerve grinding thing). Thanks for contributing, guys--I thought Brotz was going to die a quick death here.

Max Roach: Max Roach Trio feat. the Legendary Hasaan/Drums Unlimited AMM: AMMusic 1966 Joseph Holbrooke Trio: The Moat Recordings John Carter: Shadows On A Wall Gary Windo: Anglo American

The Haden/Izenzon band was fairly binary in bass assignments; Haden was his pizzicato stylist, Izenzon the arco (I still hold that few can move the bow like Izenzon--man, he's bad on those trio sides). Although both were fully capable of holding the other position, I suppose that Ornette's two-bass acoustic ensembles just fall most comfortably into the 'role' dynamic.

I'd actually like to know if anyone has compiled a list of the known compositions played by the new quartet (or quintet, when it is). Song X and Lonely Woman, at least, have shown up numerous times--I had no idea about New York.

It's always fun when so-called "landmark" recordings--our canonized stuff--wind up on the AOTW block. We're brought to air--in passionate, occasionally violent fashion--some of the longstanding predilections, prejudices, and, oftentimes, commonalities--I mean, however far out or in you listen, it's nice to know and hear so many people coming to the same place. Even if we can't agree, we can get together, right? Machine Gun, in spite of it all, remains obstinately, perfectly divisive. Perhaps it's because Brotzmann's early work is too difficult to place; it's far too ragged, histrionic, and, well, early to fall in line with the bulk of Euro free improvisation and, at the same time, quite a bit more rough and nihilistic than what the later breed of free jazz players (even, arguably, the Energy cats--although Brotz would find a kindred spirit in Frank Wright, who was as spiritual as any of the later free jazz guys) were waxing in the States. This isn't just a secular, 'ecumenical free jazz'--the music of the far more sensitive, cerebral AACM inhabits that appellation to a far more suitable degree (replete as it is with spiritual, if not religious, overtones)--it's downright atheistic--brutal, scatological, and, at times, almost comically so. Once you get past the pulse of the skronk and the hot, hot, hot, recording quality, Machine Gun is actually quite fun. Maybe that's Brotzmann's contribution to the New Thing mythology: surrendering the God, philosophy, and revolutionary, militaristic phraseology of earlier free jazz in favor of a decisively unenlightened--if unpretentious--aesthetic. Yeah, it's called Machine Gun, but only the sounds are violent--this is, at root, a more final liberation, where thoughts as well as sounds yield to ecstasy... for all of Brotzmann's braggadocio and sledgehammer-subtle discourse, it really does come down to sound. This is Europe to America's Sound (the Roscoe album), anyway. So where are we on this one?

I may have heard the same thing. Is it the one with the Dancing in Your Head motif (they call it Tutti, I think). The band is killin.

Carrot Top Darryl Strawberry Barbara Broccoli

All the Virtuosos are worth it, IMO. Virtuoso 3, however, is a personal, sentimental favorite--it concentrates on originals, far more subtle (read: less flash) than the others. For all the bombast and technique, Pass was, foremost, a remarkably tasteful player... on full evidence, here.