Rabshakeh

Currently listening to this one: From G To G (Soulnote, 1992) by the Gianluigi Trovesi Octet. It easily stands up to the best records by Threadgill's or Murray's octets (no disrespect to those great groups - I'm using them as a marker for quality). As always, I'm struck by how (comparatively) under-explored and under-promoted the Italian scene is. I seem to have a thousand Brötzmann records and yet I am hearing this utter gem for the first time today. Some nice recommendations in the above thread, but if anyone has any more albums they want to suggest to some receptive ears, please let me know.

I can't think of another artist who keeps you guessing what's coming next quite like Harris does.

Thanks Hutch! I saw your post earlier and thought it was worth checking.

There've been a couple mentions of Eddie Harris albums and sideman dates in the '80s popping up recently. It hadn't occured to me that he kept recording that late. Are any of them really worth tracking down? Does he switch to standard tenor or is he still using effects?

Thanks Steve! I love the older RED trio records with some of the collaborators here and was sizing this one up. I'll take the plunge.

How is this one? I can always use Oliver Lake recommendations.

I take the same view. It's pretty shredding and fun. I'm not sure I'd take the platinum option dining experience at $9,500 though.

Gotta say, I'm really enjoying Mat Walerian's bass clarinet playing at the moment on his records with Matthew Shipp and others (e.g., last year's Every Dog Has Its Day But It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Richer on ESP).

It's been uploaded to Bandcamp: https://talkingjazz.bandcamp.com/album/talking-jazz Purchase or streaming. A wonderful resource.

He went through a funny comeback about a decade and a half ago. It faded as fast as it came. Always plumped for Martin Denny meself.

I doubt that anything in it would be news to you. It is very much an overview. I enjoyed the telling, and the way he tied the threads into an overall narrative.

Atomic / School Days - Nuclear Assembly Hall (Okla, 2004) Nice to reconnect with this one. It has aged well. Not dissimilar to Chicago Octet/Tentent in style, but more easily digestible.

I finished this book today. I have to say that I enjoyed it about as much as any book that I have read about the jazz avant garde (which is what it is: it's about avant garde jazz and improvised music from the New Thing in the 60s to the European Free Improv and NY Downtown scenes of the 90s; it really isn't about jazz in the 70s), except possibly for books made up of interviews with musicians (in which category I'd put Val Wilmer etc). It has a nice feel for narrative and development, and it stays reasonably open-minded and free of polemic. I particularly liked the mixed focus, which draws in economic, structural and critical developments and gives them near-equal billing with musical developments.

Quite right. Never post during childcare.

Harmolodic funk needs it's own Wikipedia page...

That Al Di Meola offer is quite something.

Thanks. That's helpful. Things always seem different when you learn about them as history. Funny that the one page the board doesn't have is an M Base discussion area.

Did Steve Coleman etc. ever openly discuss the link between the M Base concepts and Ornette Coleman's harmolodic funk period? I wasn't alive / able to pay attention at the time when it all was happening, but it had never really occured to me that there was a link.

It's been getting some good write ups. How does it compare to In Pursuit?

Walter Wierbos!

On jollier Parker "news", I hadn't realised he plays on 90s British comedian Vic Reeves' album I Will Cure You. He has a long solo on "Oh, Mr Songwriter", half way through which Reeves, supposedly out of hearing, shouts "PACK IT IN, PARKER!". Edit: Ha! Han Bennink's on it too. They're on a couple of tracks. The whole thing was produced by Steve Beresford. Here it is: at 1:55. https://youtu.be/wjkyrI2NukM

I just buy Rivers vinyl when I see it. Luckily for my family, it's in limited supply in the UK.

Such a classic.

Thanks!

It does have a bit, but it is through Wilmer's lense. Much as I love that book, he comes across much like all the other subjects.