Д.Д.

I have it, but have never listened to it. Will check listen to it soon and report here. I gave it a listen today in the car. The recording is not very dynamic, in that there doesn't seem to be any separation between the instruments. I'm not sure about audiophile terminology, so you'll have to bear with me. I will say this, when the music is cluttered, its cluttered, when its sparse, its sparse. I probably won't be listening to this too much. It was running a little long into the third track and lost my attention. Well, I tried this one, and it didn't work for me either. I agree about extremely narrow dynamic range. There is this fairly monotonous peep emanating form unidentified instruments with muddily-recorded clumsy drumming on the top of it. Turned it off after 20 minutes. i. I have one of the FMR Amalgam reissues: "Another Time" - need to get to finally listen to it (particualrly after being so impressed by Watts' solo disc). well i found that amalgam to be my least favorite, DD, but i think you have a more regal ear than i do. see what you think. one of the longer songs is just so annoying with it's repetitive bassline. Regal ear? Meaning I am more likely to enjoy crap? I've actually initiated a mercyless "jazz" CD purge with more than 50 CDs going into get-rid-of bin already. David Murray and Ran Blake have been practically eliminated. Roland Kirk eliminated completely. Of old favorities, a lot (but not all) of Braxton, Mingus, Pullen, Booker Ervin, Roscoe Mitchell and later-perioud Sun Ra will follow soon. Coltrane Atlantic box will go (will buy some individula discs from it, though), and some of Ornette too. Most CIMPs as well. Haven't listened to much improv these days - mostly have been going through excellent ethnic music releaes on Network, particualrly enjoying really groovy Pakistan/Sindh stuff:

Grab this one asap!

I hated this one - tried it 2-3 times, but never managed to finish. I thought Bruckmann sounded extremely ugly and monotonous (and in general I just love oboe sound!), and the whole disc had a rumbling, midless feel to it. I have Bruckmann's solo Entymology, also on bar, and I while I appareciated the instrumental virtuosity, it also didn't sound too interesting to me. Liked Stackpole's percussion work on Grand Mal, though. I have several Diaz-Infante discs, including a couple of solo piano ones as well as duos with Forsyth, and I thought they were all very interesting. Solo paino stuff is quirky pseudo-Feldmanesque minimalism, and guitar duos I need to revisit. A lot of Pax releases are a part of CDbaby $5-sale - and they are definitely worth checking out.

i really like that amalgam disc. it might be too prosaic for a funny ratt-er? it is weird. i don't know too much tippett, but i would imagine this is one of his most straight performances. but it is isn't a straight set. just sort of rhythmically um plodding? on FMR by amalgam i would also recommend samanna (more fusion-ey in a prime time sort of way) and prayer for peace (the most out and the earliest of the bunch thought not really out at all-just looser as it is a sax trio). not so much on another time, where i find the longest track sort of repetitive. this album is also in the prime time vein. for more straighter sort of british jazz on FM you could also check out john taylor's pause and think again with surman, wheeler, levin, slutsman, etc... which if you enjoyed the recent taylor MPS reissue, you will definitely enjoy. and john surman's morning glory is also a great one with rypdal, marshall, griffiths, etc. I have one of the FMR Amalgam reissues: "Another Time" - need to get to finally listen to it (particualrly after being so impressed by Watts' solo disc).

Got the set from amazon.de (amazon.de rules - marked difference to more than a bit ureliable amazon.fr and truly fuck-up of a service amazon.co.uk. In my 3-year history of purchasing from amazon.de (= many, many CDs), there was only one CD that they did not manage to deliver - and I got a €5 credit!; decided this was my Eldorado and ordered the same CD again - only to receive it one week later). Looking forward to listening to it. But so far, gonna finish this one:

It's a shame Joe McPhee's "Nation Time" ("Shaky Jake" track specifically, to be exact) or Thomas' "Funky Donkey" did not develop any stylistical following. What I think coudl approach the definition: Defunkt - Joseph Bowie's band. (Bad ass) funk is definitely there - I am not too sure about avant- or free- elements, but there is some very intricate brass writing and burning high-power solos. Does Lester Bowie Brass Band qualify? I've seen them live (just a 10 days before Lester's death), but don't have any of their discs, so cannot judge... Miles' "Cellar Door Sessions" definitely fit the avant-funk definition. I'my now trying to remember what the the Herbie Mann discs with Sonny Sharrock sounded like - haven't listened to them for years. But as I rememebr there was some funk and some serious guiutar freak-outs by Sharrock. Less on both funk- and free- side, there is Fela Kuti. More sophisticated rhythmically than pure funk, but I haven't heard anything more positively groovy.

I can hardly imagine you being disappointed.

Got the solo Trevor Watts CD on Hi4Head - "World Sonic", and it is fantastic. Solo alto, very melodic, with a lot of stunnig circular breathing. Reminded me quite a bit of Gebbia's "Arcana major" - also references to folk themes (more Scottish jigs-type, than Sardinian dances - but they are related anyway), but Watts has a different sound, of course - more bluesy, lower and with much wider vibrato. 18 short tracks, each quite different. Sound quality is excellent. Higly recommended. Together with FMR releases, this is the ugliest digipack packaging I've seen yet.

Tony, I have 4-5 of the older Ictus editions, and my recollection is that it is all quite mediocre stuff, rather badly recorded as well.

I have it, but have never listened to it. Will check listen to it soon and report here.

Sounds like fun. Nice to hear that they still enjoy playing together. And good to know Ward is still in the game - the main flaw of Dehumanizer is extremely tedious drumming of Vinny Appice - I always wish Ward was there... Anybody heard Geezer's band CDs?

Ozzy still can sing?

The best one with Dio, IMO, and one of my favorite Sabbath albums overall.

Gail is good at talking. Execution suffers a bit, but talking is good.

As I mentioned elsewhere, this one is very weak (but I'm not particularly a fan of either Rivers or Pullen, so...). Pullen/Moye Milano Strut is better, but far from essential. I'd suggest Pullen/Adams discs instead. I would highly recommend Wayne Horwitz - Butch Morris - William Parker trio disc (forgot the title) - dark brooding music. What We Live (Ochs-Ellis-RObinson trio) discs are excellent as well.

A recent "Live in Finland" CD on Cadence.

The only AMM I have (so far) is Generative Themes, and this is a Tilbury-Prevost-Rowe version of AMM. Quite fascinating. Me going through the ErstLive-005 at the moment. I am just approaching the end of disc 1, and so far I do not hear what all the fuss is about. There is much more to come, though. Is this the only Erstwhile release with liner notes? And for Günter Müller, my favorite disc with him is duo with Christian Marclay Live Improvisations (for 4 ears) - the most impressive use of samples/turntables I've heard, and a powerful display of a fast creative mind. And a lot of fun as well.

This is my probably my favorite ECM disc. The first track with these african funeral wailings by femail singers interweaving with equally sorrowful tenor and trumpet moans are mesmerizing.

They are functioning. Their database is woefully out of date (so a lot of stuff turns out to be not avilable), and it takes them ages to fill orders. They also never respond to e-mails. But if you are willing to wait a couple of months, they might ship what you have ordered. In any case, I don't think they will charge your card unless they ship.

Looks interesting - are you recommending it? And do I go for the Japanese issue or the Cortical? This is extremely brutal scream-fest, I am not even sure what to compare it with (imagine Brötzmann and Bailey at their most noisy). I like it a lot. I have DIW edition, and the sound quality is very good. Hmmmm - thanks David - one there for an idle mouse finger to get to work on... This one is available relatively cheap ($18) from downtownmusicgallery.com

I read it ealrier today, and it resonates strongly with my lack of adoration for Evans' music. And of what I heard, the Village Vanguard material is my least favorite (my favorite is probably What's new - a rather muscular date with Jeremy Steig, Eddie Gomez and Marty Morrell).

Looks interesting - are you recommending it? And do I go for the Japanese issue or the Cortical? This is extremely brutal scream-fest, I am not even sure what to compare it with (imagine Brötzmann and Bailey at their most noisy). I like it a lot. I have DIW edition, and the sound quality is very good.

I do, I do. Honestly, other than Otomo, Sachiko and Toshimaru, I really haven't heard anybody from The Tokyo Crew. I also don't know what the last name for Japanese is (Otomo or Nakamura?).