Д.Д.

Gary where did you source Willisau from, i'm having difficulty finding it at anything other than at stupid prices (£15plus) €18 (£12) from amazon.de (and less through market sellers): http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000...5460409-9124811 I am sure you can find it cheaper in US on-line stroes...

John, Where did you pick this one up? The Music Resource can't get it anymore, Cadence's overseas shipping rate is a bit steep and I couldn't find it anywhere else. I either got it through Verge or Cadence. It was probably Verge, but I don't believe they have it in stock anymore. They don't Hans, try contacting Frode Gjerstad directly: fgjersta@online.no

... then you'll want this one: Michael Formanek's Am I Bothering You? Not quite as ecstatic as Was Da Ist, though a very fine solo bass outing. Formanek even comes up with some extended techniques that Kowald didn't (hard to do)! Thanks Late. This one is on THE LIST.

P.L.M., have you heard Francis Wong (AMG entry)? A very strong post-Coltrane/Sanders/Ayler tenorist, good composer (incorporates elements of Chinese folk music).

Being a solo bass freak I am, there is no way I will miss this one: From DMG review: INGEBRIGT HAKER FLATEN - Double Bass (Sofa 511) Ingebrigt has an impressive resume, playing with Raoul Bjorkenheim in the incredible Scorch Trio and Ken Vandermark in his School Days band and other Vandermark projects. This is Ingebrigt's first-ever solo contrabass effort and rumors of its remarkable nature are quite well deserved. There is little overdubbing going on here, making all the more astounding. Half of these tracks are recorded with his "Emma", an East-German bass from the forties and the rest with his own Italian bass from 1812. Mr. Flaten does a good deal of banging, plucking and bowing, and comes up with an assortment of fascinating alien sounds. Each piece deals with a certain sonic area or approach on the bass, sometimes caressing certain parts of a melody, sometimes turning logic inside-out. "Ulv Ulv" features rather hypnotic and strange buzzing, bowed sounds that are quite unnerving. He plucks and pulls the strings into bizarre shapes and sounds on "Babylon" and get those low notes to hum like molasses on "Kindred Spirit". Sometimes the strings buzz so intensely, you think they were about to explode. The only song that Ingebrigt covers is based on Gershwin's "I Love You Porgy", he does indeed play the melody with righteous grace. "Swedish Impressions" is the one long piece that is filled with some eerie, groaning, ghost-like and nightmarish dark spirits on his bowed bass. Let's welcome Ingebrigt Haker Flaten to the wild world of solo acoustic bass that he now shares with other great bassists like Peter Kowald, Barry Guy, William Parker Paul Rogers. P.L.M. and Nate, let us know about the rest of the CIMP / CJR releases - all look interesting.

Frim Gianni Gebbia's website: May 17th: Recording session@ Sonoma State University with Fred Frith I don't really know Frith's music (I only have his VERY impressive orchestral works recordings with Ensemble Modern), but it all sounds intriguing.

I actually quite liked this one. I never had a feeling of Shipp trying to make any statement here. And for once, I liked William Parker's bass work! Regarding CIMP, I agree - some of their recordings sound very nice, and indeed thez have improved resently. I also really enjoy the cover art.

Looks good. I've never heard of Hunsinger either..oboe, english horn - should be nice... I'll check it out.

Oh yeah, remember those cardboard red/black Swiss Atlantic remasters (you can still see them around here in Europe). This might have been some French provocation, though.

So I assume sound-wise it's better than majority of the CIMP releases?

BTW, ubu - did you get the Chapin's Alive box? Care to share your impressions?

Gary, Acquifer and Waves From Albert Ayler are available cheap from the labels directly (Cryptogramophone and Atavistic, respectively). 50th Birthday is relatively cheap from amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...3600163-1166265 (it's a double CD). Braxton/Wilson duets CD is (was?) available for $7 from themusicresource.com (as well as a lot of other indispensible Music & Arts label releases). For the rest of these CDs try the ususal suspects: themusicresource.com; jazzloft.com; cdconnection.com; forcedexposure.com; indiejazz.com; cadence.

I envy you Gary, you'll be listening to this stuff for the first time. Let us know about your impressions.

Cool, I didn't know Leo stuff is available at e-music. Hope he will be putting some of his OOP stuff there... Check out Alphea Duo: http://www.emusic.com/cd/10814/10814348.html - great stuff. Carlos Ward is a wonderful musicians -a shame he is not too well documented. If you canfind them, get the Ed Blackwell Project quartet live sets on Enja MW (they are called What it be like? and What it is) - some very inspired playing from Ward, who is the main soloist here (but Blackwell and Graham Haynes and Mark Helias also shine) and some of his excellent writing. Actually, there is a Calros Ward's CD on Leo called Lito (could be the most "traditional" Leo release ever?; long OOP) - it is also a quartet in the same configuration saxophone-trumpet-drums-bass, with Woody Shaw, and many of the same compositions as on the Blackwell dates, but I find it much less impressive than Blackwell CDs.

What label is it on - for 4 ears? Yes, that was the label. I've always found interesting the move to incorporate electronics and jazz. Looks like this label is a good place to start, here's their WEB SITE, if anyone is interested. Also able to listen to two others: Theo Jorgensmann Quartet: Snijbloeman (Hatology) which I liked upon the first listen. It is a rather subduded recording, and the artist that stood out for me was Christopher Dell on vibes. Dell was really locked in with the drummer, Klaus Kugel; a lot a of great interaction between the two of them. This cd won't blow anyone out of the water, but it's a keeper. The other disk that I listened to is The Transcendentalists: Real Time Messengers with Daniel Carter, Steve Swell, Tom Abbs, and David Brandt (CIMP#264). A ton of great blowing, with Steve Swell especially being in great form. In fact, it sounded to me that Swell is the person everyone is playing off of, he just seemed to be holding the center together. About Daniel Carter: I love him on William Parker's Painter's Spring, but here, I don't feel his playing makes as strong of an impact as it should. I'll have to spin it a few more times and concentrate on him, but overall, a nice effort from everyone. Edit: Klaus Kugel is the drummer, don't know why I said bass, my brain must have froze on me. I've been planning to buy some for 4 ears releases for some time now - I'll do some random selection from their catalog soon (since I don't rally know 90% of the artists). Snijbloeman is nice (but not too original, IMO), but I really a problem with the clarinet sound here - it was painfully harsh on my sound system. I was also most impressed by the vibist. Daniel Carter is phenomenal on Astonishment - a duo recording with percussionist Federico Ughi - pensive, lyrical, etheral music. Very gentle. AMG review. Other recordings of Daniel Carter I've heard are in a more cliche'd "classical free jazz" vein. Steve Swell (I saw him live once with Cecil Taylor bi band, and he was probably the best soloist in the band) - I've been planning to check out his stuff - any particular recommendations?

On first, not very attentive, listen I was not too impressed by this one - sounded pretty monotone and directionless to me. I'll listen to it again - this time more attentively.

COme on TOny, didn't you know it's available? For only for €147.90! Click HERE now, and become a lucky owner!

This is a phenomenal record. Larry Stabbins was a major revelation for me (influences of Steve Lacy and Evan Parker are there, but overall a original and powerful voice). Tippett and Moholo are in top form and really gel well with each other, and the music is very diverse (from some subtle melodic playing to really intense blowing). It's available pretty cheap from Atavistic website.

What label is it on - for 4 ears?

Well, I doubt these sets sell like hot cakes, so the risk of them going OOP any time soon is not paricularly high (allthough who knows, some 3000 malefactors bought all the copies of Rara Avis CD ). If you place a large order (particularly for Russian stuff ), Leo will most likely give you a nice discount... and he charges only £1 for shipping regardless of the order size and destination. As for STN reviews of 'Golden Years..', these are the same ones that are on the Dan Warburton website.

OK, I'll bring you some more. If this got you interested in Russian / Soviet improv, I would encourage you to check out Golden Years of Soviet New Jazz series on Leo Records (at the bottom of the page here: http://www.leorecords.com/?m=catalogue&id=CD_GY). These are limited editions (500 copies), and they are pretty cheap ($46 per 4-CD set). The music is highly original (and diverse) and probably better displays the unique "Russian" approach to improvisational music (the CDs I sent you are a bit more in the "European" vein) Here are some thoughtful reviews by Dan Warburton: http://www.paristransatlantic.com/magazine...mar_text.html#5 http://www.paristransatlantic.com/magazine...mar_text.html#8

ubu, have you seen this: Taktlos ? A nice little festival, ah?. If I am in Switzerland that weekend, I'll definitely go to Zürich.

I am. 25 Sfr per CD is a bit expensive, but OK, the music is worth it... And you are complaining about the prices Crazy Jazz is charging for Clean Feed CDs?? Well, this is still cheaper than from Crazy Jazz ($19.4 vs. $23.9), it includes shipping, and all the money go directly to the label. I don't mind paying a bit more to a label or artist directly, but to reseller - no way.

I am. 25 Sfr per CD is a bit expensive, but OK, the music is worth it... Fly, Fly, Fly is outstanding, btw - I will write in more detail later, after I listen to it for a second time...

These are next on Intakt: