GA Russell

This is a very brassy big band album. I like that sound.

Happy Birthday 2017 Adam!

Happy Birthday Elgin!

Billy Mintz Quintet/Sextet Performances! "If you are a fan of modern jazz drumming but have not heard Billy Mintz, you have not heard it all." -Tom Conrad, JazzTimes Billy Mintz: Drums, Compositions Sunday, July 23 6:00 PM Billy Mintz Quintet: Tony Malaby, John Gross: saxophones; Roberta Piket; piano, organ; Hilliard Greene: bass Downtown Music gallery 13 Monroe St., New York 1 set only ● free admission Sunday, July 23 8:00 PM Billy Mintz Quintet: Tony Malaby, John Gross: saxophones; Roberta Piket: piano, organ; Hilliard Greene: bass Legion 790 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn 1 set only ● $10 Friday, July 28 8:00 PM Billy Mintz Sextet: Tony Malaby, John Gross, Adam Kolker: saxophones; Roberta Piket: piano; Rufus Reid: bass Trumpets Jazz Club 6 Depot Square Montclair 2 sets ● $20 Saturday, July 29 7:30 PM Billy Mintz Sextet: Tony Malaby, John Gross, Adam Kolker: saxophones; Roberta Piket: piano; Hilliard Greene: bass Smalls Jazz Club 183 W. 10th Street, New York 2 sets ● $20 Sunday, July 30 8:00 PM Billy Mintz Quintet: Tony Malaby, John Gross: saxophones; Roberta Piket: piano; Hilliard Greene: bass Shapeshifter Lab 18 Whitwell Pl., Brooklyn 1 set ● $15 Saturday, August 5 8:30 PM Billy Mintz Quintet: Tony Malaby, John Gross: saxophones; Roberta Piket: piano; Hilliard Greene: bass iBeam 168 7th Street, Brooklyn 2 sets ● $15 "I like to let the music unfold in the moment," venerated drummer, composer and bandleader Billy Mintz said recently. "For me, it’s about a feeling." Nowhere is Mintz’s zen-like reverence for the moment more apparent than on his extraordinary new 2-CD set, Ugly Beautiful. Recorded on a December day in 2015 in one room with no headphones ("when you record that way you can hear the instruments naturally"), it documents his quintet playing his eclectic reserve of original compositions. Being in the moment does not mean being unprepared. Indeed, from Mintz’s point of view, preparation is a prerequisite for spontaneity. At the age of 69, he still practices every day; not just out of a highly developed work ethic, but out of sheer joy and love for the process. The band members are also well-prepared to dig into the Mintz repertoire. (They clock a total of 75 years playing with Mintz.) Their intimate familiarity with Mintz’s music is a catalyst for a freedom and spontaneity that was more common in the bygone era of six-month six-night-a-week nightclub engagements. Thirteenth Note Records | 751 Palisades Ave. #62, Teaneck, NJ 07666

GAUDI'S Magnetic Renowned Composer, Producer and Performer Gaudi Draws Inspiration and Sounds from the RareNoise Catalog to Create Novel Compositions at the Crux of Electronica, Rock, Jazz and Ambient Music. CD, VINYL AND MULTIPLE DIGITAL FORMATS AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE ON JUNE 30, 2017 AND THROUGH WWW.RARENOISERECORDS.COM. FOR EXACT LINE-UP, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN. TO WATCH THE VIDEO, SEE BELOW New York, June 13, 2017 - Magnetic is the exciting new album by London based music producer / musician GAUDI, which features a choice selection of sounds from the catalog of internationally respected experimental label RareNoiseRecords, as well as direct contributions by several top caliber musicians from the worlds of rock, jazz and electronica. The making of Magnetic truly was a creational challenge, even for a man who has been working to dissolve musical boundaries for over 35 years. The initial idea of the project was to compose an album of entirely new music using sounds from the RareNoise catalog as his 'orchestra of musicians'; over the course of its development it grew though into a full spectrum artistic interaction with a further array of international music giants, some of which GAUDI has worked with in the past. Best loved and noted to date for his genre blending and high quality dub-centric productions, in Magnetic, GAUDI has shown us another aspect of his musical self, other ranges in his musical landscape and he has done it with an all-star cast of supporting musicians. The list of artists whose sounds were initially chosen by GAUDI from the RareNoise catalog of releases or who successively added their sounds and skills to the overall project reads like a 'who's who' of musical talent and gives warranted indication as to the quality of the ingredients; They include bass legend and producer extraordinaire Bill Laswell, psychedelic prog-rock bassist Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree fame, drummer Steve Jansen (of Japan fame), Ted Parsons, the drummer from cult band Killing Joke, Roger Eno on piano, Grammy award winning Eric Mouquet (aka Deep Forest) on grand piano, drummer extraordinaire Pat Mastelotto (known for his work with XTC, King Crimson and David Sylvian), innovatory avant-guarde guitarist Eraldo Bernocchi, post-punk experimental guitarist Buckethead (collaborator with Guns 'n' Roses, Bootsy Collins, Iggy Pop), drummer Nikolaj Bjerre from Lamb, multi-instrumentalist Jamie Saft on bass...to name a few! (For the full list of featured artists please see below). GAUDI, alongside programming and production, returns to his roots as a pianist / keyboard and theremin player, playing here his full arsenal of vintage analog synthesizers. Gaudi © Benoit Audereau Magnetic is like a tour around the other side of GAUDI, who always had the off-beat of reggae in his step, but since his teenage years also had music from experimental electronica, new wave, Krautrock and proto-punk flowing through his veins. Bands like Bauhaus, Tuxedomoon, Yello, Cabaret Voltaire, Devo, Killing Joke, Talking Heads and The Residents informed his early years. For those familiar with GAUDI's work these influences can be heard in a myriad of different ways in most of his 15 albums to date, but predominantly as flavors amongst the dub textures. In Magnetic, however, he has reversed the polarity, north has become south, there is dub seasoning to be found within, but the body, tone and flavor of this album are another beast altogether. Magnetic is a contemporary tribute to the darker side of the 80's; to psychedelic rock and an era when Sigue Sigue Sputnik dropped proto-punk on the world! It is not a departure from the GAUDI we know and love, however... Magnetic is a celebration of bass in all its guises - there are six world class bass players featured in the album - and GAUDI's roots as a pianist and self confessed lifelong synth junkie, come up fairly center stage. His use throughout the album of original, modular and analog synths, from his big guns: the ARP 2600, Fender Rhodes, Minimoog, Korg MS20 and ARP Odyssey, to the diminutive but no less iconic Casio VL Tone, to his trusty vintage tape echoes and the 24 track analog tape machine it was recorded on, give the sound an authenticity and integrity right down from the musicians to the mechanics. Magnetic is a both a visual journey of great, but hidden, complexity and richness, which yearns to be listened to with closed eyes, but also a voyage across a full spectrum of tempos, from near ambient soundscapes to rocky up-tempos with seamless bridges in between. Magnetic is an album of polarities, spacious yet introspective, dark yet with a hint whimsy, deep and soothing yet fundamentally groovy; it was created both as a homage to the joy music brings and as an act of appreciation for great musicians. Why 'MAGNETIC'? From the far reaches of the universe to our solar system and the planets within it, it is the force that keeps everything together. Magnetism moves us, pulls us toward each other, keeps the particles together. Magnetic is the unseen in music, the intangible that draws and holds the notes and the musicians together, and it is, in the end, how the recording of this album ended up: on a magnetic tape. Magnetic will be available on June 30th on a limited edition transparent vinyl LP, CD and Digital download. PLEASE NOTE: These are no remixes but thorough re-compositions! Gaudi took individual instrumental parts from across the RareNoise catalog treating them as individual 'musicians' then he processed/altered and re-combined them into his new compositions. He then added his own analog keyboard, piano and theremin parts. When opportune, Gaudi also called upon additional musicians (Deep Forest, Roger Eno, Nikolaj Bjerre, Pippo DePalma, Colin Edwin) and had them create extra parts, adding the newly recorded parts to the final mix. TRACKS & MUSICIANS 1. 30HZ DUB PRELUDE GAUDI: Minimoog, Korg MS20, Fender Rhodes, Programming COLIN EDWIN: Bass TED PARSONS: Drum BRIAN ALLEN: Trombone ERALDO BERNOCCHI: Guitar COPPE': Voice 2. OPUS 12, NO.7 GAUDI: Arp 2600, Guitar, Piano, Programming SHANIR EZRA BLUMENKRANZ: Bass ERIC MOUQUET: Grand Piano ERALDO BERNOCCHI: Guitar TERJE EVENSEN: Elecronic Drum ROBERTO GUALDI: Drum 3. MEMORIES IN MY PENTAGRAM GAUDI: Piano, Korg MS20, Theremin, Guitar, Programming JAMIE SAFT: Bass MASAMI AKITA: Noise Electronics PAT MASTELOTTO: Drum CYRO BAPTISTA: Jew's Harp MICHELE CAVALLARI: Fender Rhodes 4. NOCTURNAL SONATA GAUDI: Drum, Piano, Vocal Choir, Minimoog, Korg MS20, Programming BILL LASWELL: Bass MARK AANDERUD: Piano BUCKETHEAD: Guitar Noises. MARTIN SCHULTE: Electronics, Programming HERNAN HECHT: Drum 5. ELECTRONIC IMPROMPTU IN E-FLAT MINOR GAUDI: Theremin, Minimoog, Programming BILL LASWELL: Bass STEVE JANSEN: Drum MASAMI AKITA: Noise Electronics ALESSANDRO GWIS: Piano ERALDO BERNOCCHI: Guitar LORENZO FELICIATI: Bass 6. MODULAR RONDO GAUDI: Minimoog, ARP2600, Programming TONY LEVIN: Bass NIKOLAJ BJERRE: Drum PIPPO DE PALMA: Guitar JAN PETER SCHWALM: Electronics, Programming 7. DIE BALLADE VOM FROSCH GAUDI: Arp 2600, Minimoog, Fender Rhodes PAT MASTELOTTO: Drum COLIN EDWIN: Bass STEVE NORRIS: Guitar ERALDO BERNOCCHI: Baritone Guitar EYAL MAOZ: Guitar 8. EPILOGUE LEITMOTIF GAUDI: Drum, Theremin, Korg MS20, Programming ROGER ENO: Piano BILL LASWELL: Bass JAN PETER SCHWALM: Electronics, Programming VINYL: SIDE A (TRACKS 1-4) / SIDE B (TRACKS 5-8) CAT. NO.: RNR080 (CD) / RNR080LP (SINGLE VINYL)

"Raise the Marc," A Benefit CD by the Marc VW Allstars & Produced by Peter Michael Escovedo, To Be Released July 14 Proceeds Will Benefit Bassist Marc van Wageningen, Who Was Severely Injured January 12 When Struck by an Amtrak Train In Front of Yoshi's in Oakland Contributing Artists Include Dave Koz, Sheila E., Ray Obiedo, Tony Lindsay, John Santos, Pete Escovedo, & Peter Horvath June 19, 2017 On January 12 of this year, bassist Marc van Wageningen was struck by an Amtrak train on his way to a Tower of Power performance at Yoshi's in Oakland's Jack London Square. (Marc has been subbing with the renowned funk band since 2002.) The accident was widely reported at the time by CNN and other media outlets. Thankfully, Marc continues to recuperate from critical injuries and is expected to play again. Multi-instrumentalist and music producer Peter Michael Escovedo organized a benefit concert which took place 10 days after the accident, and also set up sessions at Oakland's 25th Street Recording for a studio album called Raise the Marc. Featuring a long list of top-tier musicians including Dave Koz, Sheila E., Ray Obiedo, Tony Lindsay, Peter Horvath, John Santos, and Pete Escovedo, among many others, the CD will be released July 14 on the producer's Peter Michael imprint. All proceeds will benefit Marc and his family, who have been facing substantial medical expenses. Born in Amsterdam in 1958 and based in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than three decades, Marc van Wageningen is one of the most sought after bassists on the West Coast. In addition to his work with Tower of Power, he's toured and recorded with Steve Winwood, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Pee Wee Ellis, Maceo Parker, and many other artists. An ace studio musician called for a vast array of situations, he's played on network and cable television house bands (ABC's The One, The Wayne Brady Show, and VH1's But Can They Sing?). But Marc VW is best known for his ferocious grooves playing funk and Latin music, styles he honed with his late brother, drummer Paul van Wageningen, his rhythm section partner and co-leader in the VW Brothers (Muziek, Patois Records, 2010). Peter Michael Escovedo hails from a prominent Bay Area musical family that includes his father, percussionist Pete Escovedo, as well as sister and famed vocalist Sheila E. Peter Michael has recorded and performed with a long list of stars including Mos Def, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Kenny G, and many others. The producer and the major driving force behind the Raise the Marc project, Escovedo also composed the tracks "Heaven," originally heard on a Sheila E. album but changed here from a funk vibe to a bossa nova, and the closer "Wherever You Go I'll Go." Saxophonist Dave Koz was available for a mere hour and a half before needing to catch a plane, but in that time he contributed a slice of Oakland funk called "Marcandave," which he co-wrote on the spot with Escovedo, Ray Obiedo, Raymond McKinley, and Peter Horvath and recorded immediately afterwards. "Oakland in Da House," originally from one of Sheila E.'s albums, captures her band onstage at Yoshi's and is the only song on Raise the Marc on which Marc VW plays. Also included on the new CD: the ballad "Sorry," written and performed by former Tower of Power lead singer Larry Braggs (who was also the lead vocalist on the VW Brothers' Muziek album); two Ray Obiedo compositions, "Sweet November" and "Awaken"; and the percussion tour de force "Glory," featuring Jesus Diaz, John Santos, Jon Bendich, Juan Escovedo, and Peter Michael Escovedo. "I am extremely grateful for all of these super-talented musicians and friends," says Marc van Wageningen. "How lucky am I to be part of such a wonderful community. A special thank you to Peter Michael Escovedo who not only produced the CD but also two benefit concerts and a music video. I hope everyone enjoys the music as I did." Photo of Marc van Wageningen by David Belove VW Allstars "Sacrifice" from "Raise the Marc" ***Pre-order CD here

June 18 Born... 1938 - Don "Sugarcane" Harris 1942 - Paul McCartney 1976 - Blake Shelton ***** 1993 - Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss announced they were leaving A&M Records.

I saw Jackie and Rene McLean together at the New Orleans Jazzfest (1991?), That was fun.

© 2017 ECM | ECM Records USA | 1755 Broadway, 3rd floor | New York NY 10011

Don Matthews passed away this morning at 77. RIP. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the 1985 Grey Cup, which you will recall he and the Lions won. http://3downnation.com/2017/06/14/legendary-cfl-coach-don-matthews-passes-away/#comments http://3downnation.com/2017/06/14/reaction-pours-don-passes-away/#comments http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/legendary-cfl-coach-don-matthews-dead-age-77-1.4160687 http://www.tsn.ca/canadian-football-hall-of-famer-matthews-passes-away-at-77-1.779082 http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/don-matthewss-brilliant-lone-wolf-style-perfect-fit-cfl/ https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/14/cfl-mourns-loss-hall-fame-coach-don-matthews/ https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/14/tributes-pour-loss-game-changing-matthews/ https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/14/like-no-headstrong-brilliant-playful-presence-don-matthews/ https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/14/tributes-pour-loss-game-changing-matthews/#DougFlutie https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/14/cfl-mourns-loss-hall-fame-coach-don-matthews/#JimPopp

Happy Birthday 2017 Kevin!

Happy Birthday 2017 Craig!

Born June 9... 1891 - Cole Porter 1915 - Les Paul 1929 - Johnny Ace 1934 - Jackie Wilson ***** 1964 - Bob Dylan records Mr. Tambourine Man.

Natalia Zagorinskaya soprano; Gerrie de Vries mezzo-soprano; Yves Saelenstenor; Harry van der Kamp bass; Jean-Guiten Queyras violoncello; Elliott Simpson: guitar; Tamara Stefanovich piano; Csaba Király pianino, spoken word; Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble / Netherlands Radio Choir Reinbert de Leeuw conductor This 3-CD set is a milestone in the documentation of Hungarian composer György Kurtág’s work and also a labor of love. It brings together all of Kurtág’s works for ensemble and for ensemble and choir, presented in chronological order of composition (1959 -2011). The insightful and precise performances bear witness to extensive preparation by the dedicated Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble. Conductor Reinbert de Leeuw speaks of “learning Kurtág’s oeuvre step by step, and performing these pieces repeatedly over a period of twenty years.”, and he consulted extensively with György and Márta Kurtág before and after each session. The extensive CD booklet includes all song texts with translations, an interview with Reinbert de Leeuw, liner notes by Wolfgang Sandner and Paul Griffith, and a statement by György Kurtág. © 2017 ECM | ECM Records USA | 1755 Broadway, 3rd floor | New York NY 10011

Happy Birthday 2017 bertrand!

Bear Woods has signed with the Argos. http://3downnation.com/2017/06/07/argos-sign-linebacker-bear-woods/#comments http://www.tsn.ca/argos-sign-international-lb-woods-1.773178 https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/07/argos-capture-free-agent-linebacker-bear-woods/ ***** Next year's Grey Cup has been awarded to Edmonton. http://www.tsn.ca/edmonton-to-host-106th-grey-cup-in-2018-1.770889 ***** Here's a photo of the Grey Cup loonie. https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/06/cfl-loonie-greatest-loonie-canadian-mint-history/

ECM Stephan Micus - Inland Sea release date July 14, 2017 Stephan Micus: balanzikom, nyckelharpa, chord and bass zithers, shakuhachi, voice, steel string guitar, genbri Inland Sea is Stephan Micus's 22nd solo album for ECM, each one taking his audience on musical journeys to far-flung places and unique sound worlds. For decades, he has been travelling, collecting and studying musical instruments from all over the world and creating new music for them. Micus often combines instruments from different cultures and continents that would never normally be played together, adapting and extending them, and rarely playing them in a traditional manner. The instruments then become a cast of characters that help tell the particular story of that album. While he plays nine different instruments on Inland Sea, the lead role belongs to the nyckelharpa - a keyed fiddle from Sweden, with an array of other instruments and vocals providing layers and textures throughout.

Cal 23....BC 18 https://www.cfl.ca/2017/06/07/stamps-hold-win-pre-season-debut/ To my great surprise and pleasure, Scott Rintoul was back in the Lions' radio booth. I'll see if I can find any word about this.

The pre-season games begin tonight with BC at Calgary at 9:00 pm eastern. http://globalnews.ca/radio/newstalk770/ ***** ESPN3 will carry four pre-season games. https://www.cfl.ca/2017/05/29/ticats-redblacks-kickoff-cfl-tsn-pre-season-coverage/

Happy Birthday 2017 Kalo!

Happy Birthday 2017 Ray!

My contact has responded thus: I read George (sic) Russell's comments, and he's sort of right....except that this project was never intended to be listened to as an album. In this age of streaming and downloading, singles are the best way to get your music to a wider audience. It really is a digital release and we only burned CDs to get the music to reviewers.

Entertainment Cruise Productions Announces 10 Year Partnership with Vail Jazz The Jazz Cruise and Blue Note At Sea Will Serve as the Presenting Sponsors of the 2017 Vail Jazz @ Vail Square series. Two of North America's preeminent jazz festival producers - the Vail Jazz Foundation and Entertainment Cruise Productions - celebrate 10 years of partnership with the announcement that The Jazz Cruise and Blue Note At Sea will serve as the Presenting Sponsors of the 2017 Vail Jazz @ Vail Square series. The 23rd annual presentation of the Vail Jazz Festival will feature over 70 performances between June 9 - September 4, 2017, and Vail Jazz @ Vail Square serves as the Festival's summer-long, flagship series, showcasing the genre's most prolific talent week after week. The nine-week series is held in the enchanting Bavarian-inspired village of Lionshead, situated at the base of Vail Mountain. In similar fashion, The Jazz Cruise and Blue Note At Sea will sail on the top-rated luxury cruise ship, Celebrity Summit, to showcase the world's most celebrated jazz musicians in unparalleled venues. The 2017 Vail Jazz @ Vail Square series is a world tour of jazz music's past and present, kicking off Texas roadhouse-style with Marcia Ball (July 6), then hopping over the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans for a musical gumbo of big band jazz, Caribbean, classical, pop, blues and R&B with Butler, Bernstein & the Hot 9 (July 13). Frank Vignola's Hot Club of France Tribute Band will conjure the intoxicating sounds of Gypsy jazz and the music's patriarch, Django Reinhardt (July 20), punctuated by the Afro-Cuban explosion, Cubanismo! (August 10), and international flair of Brazilian samba delivered by Grammy-winner Eliane Elias (August 17). Other highlights of the series include appearances by Grammy-nominee Rene Marie & Experiment In Truth (August 3), Joey DeFrancesco & the People (August 24) and a specially-curated presentation by Artistic Director Howard Stone: Ella and Louis, Together Again - featuring Carmen Bradford and Byron Stripling. Recounting the seminal recordings of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, the show will celebrate the best-loved duo's most cherished numbers (July 27). Vail Jazz has found not just a kindred spirit in Entertainment Cruise Productions, but a treasured friend and partner. The organizations share a focus on creating unique listening experiences for passionate jazz fans, as well as a similar taste in artistic excellence (Vail Jazz Party House Band members John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Bill Cunliffe and Lewis Nash all appeared as featured performers on the 2017 Jazz Cruise). Jazz fans from coast to coast appreciate the alignment between the organizations. "Every year, I bump into more and more Vail Jazz Festival goers on The Jazz Cruise," says Vail Jazz Development Director Owen Hutchinson, "and likewise for seafarers coming to the mountains in the summer!" Blue Note At Sea, sailing January 27 - February 3, 2018, features living legends of jazz including Chick Corea, Marcus Miiller and David Sanborn alongside the hottest of the new generation of greats like Robert Glasper and Leslie Odom, Jr. Ports of call include Labadee, Haiti, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I, San Juan, Puerto Rico and CocoCay, Bahamas. The Jazz Cruise, sailing February 3 - February 10, 2018 is dedicated to the very best straight-ahead jazz around including Monty Alexander, Kurt Elling, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Arturo Sandoval, Niki Haris and so many more. Ports of call include a special 24-hour stopover in New Orleans, LA and Cozumel, Mexico. Vail Jazz is honored to partner with The Jazz Cruise and Blue Note At Sea in celebration and perpetuation of the jazz tradition. For more information, visit www.vailjazz.org, www.thejazzcruise.com, andwww.bluenoteatsea.com.

ECM Roscoe Mitchell Bells for the South Side Roscoe Mitchell: sopranino, soprano, alto and bass saxophones, flute, piccolo, bass recorder, percussion James Fei: sopranino and alto saxophones, contra-alto clarinet, electronics Hugh Ragin: trumpet, piccolo trumpet Tyshawn Sorey: trombone, piano, drums, percussion Craig Taborn: piano, organ, electronics Jaribu Shahid: double bass, bass guitar, percussion William Winant: percussion, tubular bells, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, roto toms, cymbals, bass drum, woodblocks, timpani Kikanju Baku: drums, percussion Tani Tabbal: drums, percussion U.S. Release date: June 30, 2017 ECM 2494/95 2-CD Set B0026784-02 UPC: 6025 571 1952 7 Multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser Roscoe Mitchell contrasts and – for the first time - combines the sounds and distinctive characters of his four trios in a very special recording made at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Mitchell had been invited to premiere new music at the museum, in the context of the exhibition The Freedom Principle, which celebrated the directions in music and art set in motion by the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians on Chicago’s South Side. In this recording, Roscoe Mitchell offers what amounts to a composer self-portrait in continually changing colors and textures, reflecting on his own history while looking toward the future. Two pieces – including the title composition – draw upon the full percussion instrumentarium of the Art Ensemble of Chicago – a panorama of gongs, bells, rattles, sirens, hand drums and more. Recorded in 2015 on the occasion of the AACM’s 50th anniversary, Bells for the South Side is released half a century after the founding of the Art Ensemble - the Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble, as it was originally called. The double album opens with “Spatial Aspects of the Sound”, the inventiveness of Mitchell’s writing immediately striking. Craig Taborn and Tyshawn Sorey are both on pianos here and William Winant on tubular bells, the austere character of the music counterbalanced by Kikanju Baku’s sprite-like entry with ankle bells and sleigh bells. The piece is capped by Mitchell’s melody for piccolo. After this anything can happen - and there are many highlights along the way to “Odwalla”, the famous Mitchell-composed theme song of the Art Ensemble, played here by all nine musicians, which concludes the program. These highlights include Roscoe’s own performances on his many woodwinds, from sopranino to bass saxophone. In the trio music Mitchell is heard with Hugh Ragin and Tyshawn Sorey on “Prelude to a Rose”, with Craig Taborn and Kikanju Baku on the freely improvised “Dancing in the Canyon”, with Jaribu Shahid and Tani Tabbal on “Prelude to the Card Game”, “Cards for Drums” (with an outstanding performance by Tabbal), and “The Final Hand”, and with James Fei and William Winant on “Six Gongs and Two Woodblocks” and “R509A Twenty B”. It’s a highly gifted cast of players. Craig Taborn, Jaribu Shahid and Tani Tabbal have appeared on previous Mitchell recordings including Nine to Get Ready, Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and Far Side, while Tyshawn Sorey, Hugh Ragin, William Winant, James Fei and Kikanju Baku, all significant voices in creative music, make ECM debuts here. Fei and Winant are fellow professors, with Mitchell, at Mills College in Oakland, California. Winant has collaborated with composers including Cage, Xenakis, Boulez and Terry Riley as well as improvisers across the genres. Fei, also active as a composer and known for his association with Anthony Braxton, explores extreme regions of sound on woodwinds and electronics; his electronics playing, together with Taborn, on “Red Moon In The Sky” provides some exhilarating moments. Kikanju Baku, youngest of the musicians here, was invited by Mitchell to join him for a set at London’s Café Oto: this has led to spirited work in an ongoing trio with Roscoe and Craig Taborn. Tyshawn Sorey’s remarkable threefold accomplishment as drummer, pianist and trombonist is well displayed throughout the project, and on the title track he plays inside the ‘percussion cage’ originally created by Roscoe Mitchell for Art Ensemble performances. The music was recorded both in the Museum of Contemporary Art’s theatre and in the exhibition space itself, where the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s percussion instruments were on display and artworks by AACM members hung on the walls – including Roscoe Mitchell’s painting Panoply (reproduced in the CD booklet). The compositions “EP 7849” and “Bells for the South Side” were recorded in the exhibition space. The dramaturgy of “EP 7849” includes features for Taborn’s electronics and Jaribu Shahid’s bass guitar. On “Bells for the South Side”, James Fei offers subterranean tones on contra-alto clarinet, and Hugh Ragin – a Mitchell collaborator since the 1970s (and currently a member of the revamped Art Ensemble of Chicago) - builds a vaulting piccolo trumpet solo from pitches suggested by the pealing of multiple bells. *** Roscoe Mitchell, born 1940 in Chicago, has been a restless explorer of forms, ideas and concepts for more than 50 years and, as player, composer and thinker, has been an inspiration for successive generations of musicians. In 1966 his album Sound brought a new dynamic into improvised music with emphases on texture and silences and group creativity and set some directions for the shape of new jazz to come - directions further crystallized in the pioneering work of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, whose ECM albums include Nice Guys, Full Force, Urban Bushmen, and Tribute to Lester. In 2004, Roscoe Mitchell co-led the Transatlantic Art Ensemble with Evan Parker (albums: Composition/ Improvisation Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and Boustrophedon). Recordings with Mitchell’s Note Factory band on ECM are Nine To Get Ready and Far Side. 2017 has seen Roscoe Mitchell working across a characteristically broad range of idioms, beginning the year with a series of tributes to John Coltrane, followed by a London residency with the Art Ensemble, and premieres of new orchestral music with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra Del Teatro Comunale Di Bologna. Activities in the coming months include solo performances and trio work.

Jimmy Piersall passed away yesterday at 87. My favorite memory of him was when he stepped up to the plate in '64 wearing a Beatle wig! http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/former-major-leaguer-jim-piersall-passes-away-at-87-060417