Д.Д.

Tony, have you listened to the lIMItEd SEdItION stuff? I just litened to the CD (CD-R, to be exact) optimistically called Spotted Dick, and I think it's pretty amazing. John Shiurba: guitar Scott Rosenberg: winds Gino Robair: non-perishables (percussion, actually) Morgan Guberman: contrabass Now, I am not sure I can even try to describe what it sounds like... Insane, would probably be a right word. I will make an attempt later. The site has some samples. And yeah, this is a limited edition of 96 copies...

Anybody knows tis one by chance: Dave Holland / Barre Phillips "Music from Two Basses" (ECM, 1971). I see it's just been reissued on CD in Japan (with corresponding price). Barre Phillips is one of my favorite bassists (his solo CD Camouflage (Victo) is my favorite solo bass record... Dave Holland is no slouch either... but the price...

Hans, "the Malik problem" can be solved pretty easily: get Give It Up (also on Black Saint). This one has Enrico Rava on trumpet! I actually remember there was a Malik CD I did like - I forgot what it is called; it consists mostly of ballads... I think it's on Mapleshade lable... I'll look for it...

the one I liked the most (although I haven't heard them all) is his solo Unto I Am (on Victo).

Well, I listened to first dic today, and I am confused - I didn't like it at all... And I was listening quite attentively. I have a big problem with Raphe Malik (here in particular, since his solos are endless) - I find his sound to be absolutely "flat" and somehow I am very annoyed by the fact that he can't play long notes (and when he does they (notes) sound "shaky"). I never really thought about long note issue before, but here I just absolutely clearly felt that some of the notes should be played longer - otherwise it all gets jammed... Lyons is better, but also nothing outstanding or particularly original here (sorry). Drummer is good, but lacks variety, IMO. Compositions are typical early free pieces (Ornette, etc.).... I'll listen to it again some day...

A GREAT record! Can't say enough good things about that one! Everybody's at the top of their game. And dig "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" - that version still could teach Wynton some lessons! ubu And I remember the liner notes saying they recorded more stuff during this session (including Hancock's "Maiden Voyage")... I'm not sure - though it would be lost if it's not on the VEE disc, as the VEEs did include extra material when available - sad! ubu Form the booklet Ed Thigpen: "We did "Maiden Voyage", and we really caught everythig on it. We didn't use it because Creed was into movie themems, at that time... THere wasn't room on the LP for everythig that we did. Sidenote: "Maiden Voyage", "Gingerbread Boy", and "Bring It on Home to Me" were all recorded at the Out of the Storm sessions and not released. These recordings have not survived in the PolyGram tape library. Nice.

Yeah, I'll get it pronto.It is one of the early Okka releases, so it's probably better not to wait for too long...

Gary, in the light of Tony's and my observations, if you are interested in Brötzmann-drummer duets, you will probably be better off starting elsewhere - with Dried Rat Dog (Okka) with Hamid Drake, for example (even though I haven't heard it, I suspect it is not bad ). Are there any other Brötzmann-drummer duos on CD, btw?

OK, I'll follow up on ubu's example and recommend some of the FMPs I have (skipping Brötzmann and Cecil): Lacy-Evan Parker-Kowald-Wheeler-Mangelsdorff-Rutherford-Lovens-von Schlippenbach. Mighty! Blowing! Free!!! This is the only Globe Unity CD I have (and there are quite a few), so I can't comment on how itcompares ot other ones. Master bassist brings out the best in his partners here. There is also a second volume, also highly recommended. von Schlippenbach-Evan Parker-Paul Lovens. Yes! Yes! Yes! I am not too sure about Charles Gayle's "Touchin' on Trane". It's good (and it's always a pleasure to hear Ali), but I don't think Gayle is that interesting here. Probably my perception of this disc was jaded due to the fact that I listend to it both times back-to-back with Ivo Perelman's Trio "The Eye Listens" (Boxholder), which is a much more dynamic record, with a more versatile bassist (Wilber Morris)...

I don't own a ton of FMPs but have or have heard maybe two dozen. There's a huge amount of good stuff on the label & now on the ancillary A|L|L, though I haven't had much luck lately with the review copies--I keep ending up with all-right-but-nothing-to-write-home-about discs like Fractured Dimensions or Tone. ¨Hmm, I thought Fractured Dimensions was an excellent CD. I am quite a fan of Silva's synth playing, Danile Carter plays beautifuly and even Roy Campbell, who I normally don't care too much about sounds interesting here. I will give it one more listen and will expand here. I have about 20-30 FMP CDs, and in general the quality is very very high. I got many of them from themusicresource ($14.75 per CD).

While I still don't have Funny Rat, I got Organized Chaos (Konnex), a trio recording of Brötzmann, Nicky Scopelitis on guitar and Shoji Hano on drums. Interesting record, if not entirely successful. Brötzmann plays more fast and virtuosic here than anywhere else I've heard him - I assume this is because Skopelitis keeps challenging him, playing ultra-fast distorted runs, often imitating saxophone sound - poor Brötzmann has no choice but respond in a similar manner. However, there is a a problem here, and it is Hano - he seems completely lost in this battle: plays clumsy heavy out-of-context drunken-one-handed-Sunny-Murray thing (and again, this contrasts extremely fluid plying by both Brötzmann and Scoplitis), and becomes pretty unbearable soon after beginning. Hmm.. Funny Rat, you say?

I still have to listen to this one...

Good idea. I am getting ready to go to a disco, btw.

I'll go for it.

For me it does. Well, this is a bit like what my friends say when they (accidentally) get exposed to music I listen to: "what the fuck is that? what's the intention of this music? - you can't dance to it and there are no words to sing along". The only thing I can respond to this (and I think this is the most valid explanation possible) - "I like it".

I assume this was a bit of a tongue-in-cheak question, but seeing a bit of contreoversy that followed, I will add my view on this matter. I am not sure there should be any intention other than creating music (or inhumane soundscapes, if you wish). Does music necesserily has to convey human emotions? - I don't think so.

John Handy's works ESP catalog

The box is OOP and is becoming a bit difficult to find.

he-he ubu, have you heard "Little Birds..."?

Nice post, Gary! A lot has been said about these CDs already, but I would just like to add that for me it is Kondo's unique playing that makes Die Like A Dog so fascinating. "Die Like a Dog" typifies creative "jazz" interaction at its very best for me, and I rank it up there with KOB and Mingus' "Antibes"... -------------------------------------- And btw, if you enjoyed Evan Parker and Anthony Braxton CDs, I am pretty confident that this one will make you extatic:

Hans, what's your feeling on Vintage Duets vs. Back Together...? As you might have noticed, I feel that while Back Together... is SINOW, Vintage Duets is far superior...

Glad you enjoyed it, Gary. I am not sure whether this trio is still together, but they recorded quite a few CDs (3 at least). I am about to receive this one (it's on Slask records): I don't know how different it is from "Nefertiti" though, since it is recorded on the day after it I'll report.

I am also intrigued... can't really imagine these two together.

Friends, I just recieved The Cosmosamatics - "Live at Banlieues Bleues" (Bleu Regard, 2003). I am just on a 2nd track, but it is already evident - this is powerful stuff. Cosmosamatics here are: Sonny Simmons on alto, Michael Marcus on baritone and (insane) saxello, Tarus Mateen on bass guitar (!) Andrew Cyrille Great, great stuff (persuasive enough, no?). Sonny Simmons seems to be getting better and better these days.

I assume everybody here is aware that there is a Cecil Taylor / Mat Maneri duo CD coming out soon (on Bridge records)? http://www.bridgerecords.com/9146.htm