B. Clugston

Was flipping through the latest edition today. The index has returned, the type is shrinking and some old reviews have become capsule reviews. Sadly it's still error ridden, including a review of fictitious Braxton quartet CD, and poorly edited. There are some bewildering judgements: Hill's Andrew!!! is in the "Core Collection" instead of Black Fire or Judgment, Thornton's The Panther and the Lash and the Cellar Door Sessions get three stars, etc. etc. They've also delved into the nebulous world of the Lonehill catalogue, reviewing an edition of Ayler's Slugs Saloon which omits a track when there's far superior alternatives available and falling for Lonehill's claim that Lalo Schifrin is the pianist on a Dolphy date. A couple of editions ago, they reviewed the latter in a different edition with the correct personnel. Wouldn't they have clued in? Earlier editions in this series were a great resource and helped introduce me to the likes of George Russell, Ganelin Trio and others. But now it's evolved into an unreliable mess. It's almost as if they don't listen to half the CDs, instead regurgitating the liner notes. One and a half stars.....

The Splatter Trio and Debris CD is a good introduction to Braxton the composer. Haven't heard the duets with the bassists. The Teitelbaum duo is straight improv. Enjoyable enough, but not essential. I like the Reichman duo slightly more. Not the best intros to Braxton, but the price is nice.

Interesting performer. Keeps reinventing himself. Had that hairy chest run in the '70s, bounced back with a cool (for the times) look and a big hit in the '80s, sang Italian songs in the '90s, and is still performing.

www.destination-out.com has a clip from John Stevens – Spontaneous Music Ensemble from 1969. Would love to see that on CD.

I only have one Horo and it's excellent: Sam Rivers Black Africa! Perugia, a trio recording with Rivers on tenor, soprano, flute and piano (and voice), plus Joe Daley on tuba and baritone horn and Sydney Smart on drums. I've read elsewhere on these forums that Horo's owner is, at best, eccentric, and may not even be the actual owner of some of the recordings. So CD reissues are unlikely until the Andorrans swoop in.

Coleman has played with Reed before. And, of course, Don Cherry was a former sideman.

Dang, ain't that the truth! Anybody have recommendations for the best place to buy these online, in the US? Not much chance of finding these in any brick-n-mortars around here. Jazz Loft is a good source: www.jazzloft.com

I have half of the Free Americas. The ones I listen to the most are the Thornton and, suprisingly, the Shepp (though I wish they had put a little more distance between Chicago Beau and the mic). Braxton's Donna Lee is a must have; the 2-CD solo is one of his best if you like sax solos. Phase One is fantastic; Certain Blacks is not my cup of tea. The Waldron/Lacy disc didn't appeal to me at first, but I've come to really like it; The Gap is a good one as well.

Anyone mention Crouch yet?

I thought it was Aretha, too. But what we are thinking of is Aretha's "Freeway of Love" which had the line: "Goin' ridin' on the freeway of love In my pink cadillac." Clarence Clemons' presence on the song only adds to the potential for confusion. Apparently, Aretha never did "Pink Cadillac."

Peter Bennink has been known to pick up the bagpipes as well.

From the Pi Recordings website: Streaming Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis & Roscoe Mitchell Any new recording by Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis and Roscoe Mitchell would be a notable occasion, but a recording by all three together is a genuine historical moment. All three are members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Muhal Richard Abrams (piano and percussion), a founder of the AACM, is a hugely influential musician who has been responsible for vastly expanding the boundaries of jazz. Roscoe Mitchell (saxophones and percussion) is well known as the founder of one of jazz’s most recognized groups: The Art Ensemble of Chicago. George Lewis (trombone and laptop) is a MacArthur genius grant recipient who is influential in his use of computer electronics. The three have worked together in the past, recording on each other’s albums such as Lewis’ Shadowgraph (Black Saint, 1977), Mitchell’s Nonaah (Nessa, 1978) and Abrams’ Spihumonesty (Black Saint, 1980). The trio most recently played together at the 2003 Venice Biennale and that concert provided at least part of the impetus for the three to collaborate again as a trio. So how to describe this music? As George Lewis wrote in his liner notes for the CD, “What we hear are particular moments in time, in which improvisative musical experience proceeds directly from manifestations of trust and openness, and from visions of new models of community.” “Trust” and “open” are two words that Lewis often goes back to when describing the creative process behind this music. Unlike the composed pieces found on the trio’s previous recorded works, the five pieces found on this CD were openly improvised – each piece is a spontaneous creation. There were no prior agreements as to tempo, timbre, volume or length — any such rules would only restrict the open flow of ideas. The AACM draws a clear distinction between improvisation that is “open” as opposed to “free.” Perhaps it’s just a matter of semantics, but “free” improvisation as a genre is often thought to be an act of solipsistic self-absorption, where connection to your fellow musicians takes second place to the indulgence of the ego. “Open,” on the other hand, as George explained to us, implies boundless possibilities. Because there is a tacit agreement to converse in a non-hierarchical manner, each musician is entrusted to not impose his will in a manner that is destructive to open dialogue. With this trust, the dialogue is truly open – open for each musician to move around in space, use silence, softness and sustains without fear of someone else crowding in to fill your space. As George said, “Open is not a practice, but a possibility. All you are required to do is to bring your own experience, concentrate on what’s at hand and be prepared to evaluate, come up with solutions, view ideas from multiple perspectives and state ideas from multiple points of view.” How then can a listener experience this music? It certainly would be difficult to listen to this music in a casual way. Because there are no familiar guideposts, the listener must concentrate to understand the dialogue. Who is leading with the exposition of an idea? How do the others respond? Listen for the mobility from one idea to another and the tension that is created when one musician is ready to move on and the others want to stay on point. Listen for texture, the use of space. Listen for how the musicians relate to one another, sometimes with deference, other times like friends engaged in a vigorous discussion. Just listen to the first couple of minutes of the first track “Scrape.” George is the first to make a statement, soon joined by both Roscoe and Muhal, each trying to get a word in edgewise. After a brief pause, Roscoe lets loose a cry, after which all three scramble to make their point. Roscoe then takes the lead in his statement, only to let go when Muhal reenters with a stentorian rumble. When one listens in this way, what is revealed is music with unpredictable dramatic twists and turns, like an operatic dialogue without cliches. Streaming joins Pi Recording’s releases from The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Henry Threadgill, Wadada Leo Smith, Anthony Braxton and The Revolutionary Ensemble in our continuing commitment to document the music of the AACM. We are proud to have Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis and Roscoe Mitchell join that esteemed group.

It's definitely a curiousity--especially when a mystery movie suddenly turns into a musical. Edward Woodward gives a great performance. There are actually two cuts of this movie. The shorter one is the more common version. The longer one makes much more sense. The Wicker Man for Americans with Cage was released earlier this fall.

And last seen in Burnaby, next door to guess where I am. Hey, are you missing a Tina Brooks CD as well? The bastard...

And last seen in Burnaby, next door to guess where I am.

R U NUTS?!! I WOULD GO BUT I CANT CROS STATE LINES!?!?!?

The liner notes indicate that Woody rehearsed the band a lot in Berlin, yet also say it was all-new material and Frank Foster was a late addition. Slide Hampton also met the band in Berlin. The rest were part of Woody's quintet.

I see this huge news has prompted another reunion: Chewy/Aric and ALLCAPS.

It's never struck me as memorable. Leroi/Amira's poem is laughably bad, rascist comments aside.

Heavy on obscurity--at least at the time it was published. Kind of has a "my record collection is cooler than yours" vibe. Never liked Sunny's Time Now. Funny anecdote about the session here: www.ayler.org/albert/html/revsonny.html

I've seen it, but never heard it. Here's the details: Marion Brown: Live In Japan DIW-356 CD November 8, 1979 Shiminkaikan Hall, Hirosaki, Japan November Cotton Flower [16:10] (Marion Brown) Sunshine Road [13:10] (Marion Brown) Angel Eyes-Hurry Sundown [10:20] (Matt Dennis ~ Clarence Williams) La Placita [17:50] (Marion Brown) Africa [13:00] (Marion Brown) Marion Brown (as) Dave Burrell (p) Gon Mizuhashi (b) Warren Smith (d)

Were any other songs played (and recorded) at the concert? IIRC, one of the songs begins with a fade.

I’m glad you picked this. Live At The Berliner Jazztage doesn’t get talked about much, but it’s an incredible album. I like much more than Stepping Stones. Slide Hampton and Frank Foster were great recruits for this band. What distinguishes this album are the arrangements and a well-rehearsed band. It’s incredibly intense. “Hello to the Wind” was written by Joe Chambers (Eugene McDaniels wrote the lyrics, though you will have to visit Bobby Hutcherson’s Now to hear). A variant on this song, featuring Woody, appears on Chamber’s The Almoravid. I believe Chambers did the arrangement for the Berlin concert. It’s an incredibly beautiful arrangement and the soloists are great. Larry Young’s “Obsequious” boils with intensity as well, especially when the hornmen trade fours.

Versions of "Venus" and "Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt" appear in the Ayler box. Not as good as the studio versions, but historically interesting and Ayler blows the roof off during his solo.

Those filthy rich aging rockers just can't keep away from the trough. And while I've got problems with naming people Sir this and Lord that, what country in its right mind would name Cliff Richard a Sir?