Д.Д.

OK Nate, I'll go with Dresser/Anderson - this will be an ultimate litmus test .

With regret, I decided to refrain from further CIMP purchases (ubless it is somehting totally exceptional) - the CIMP sound really ruins the listening experience for me (exacerbated by my sound system being far from optimal) - I really cannot understand how you can record music this bad in a studio setting. I never thought I would discard music based on sound quality alone (after all I have loads of really crappy-sounding Zappa bootlegs, which I enjoy listenig to a large extent to), but with every CIMP release I have it's the same story - drums are banging lound, bass is flat and nearly inaudible, reeds are extremely flat and colorless. "Superb dymanic range" results in my having to adjust the volume all the time - I either don't hear shit, or it is too lound (and muddy). (Rare) CIMP recording sessions outside of Spirit Room (with piano mostly) are somewhat better, but still are far from good.

Is there anyone here who speaks Hungarian and can tell if this label has distribution in the U.S.? I''d love to hear this one. ← John, Fono website has an English page, if not a complete one. You can contact them directly: http://www.fono.hu/?page=magunkrol&content...hetoseg〈=en. I see it's availabale at amazon.fr: http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000...0323877-0021819.

Listening to a very interesting disc: David Murray and Balogh Kalman Gipsy Cimbalom Band featuring Kovacs Ferenc (on Hungarian Fono label, 2004). Murray is playing with a folk Hungarian Gypsy band (two violins, guitar, cimbalom, bass) plus a guest trumpeter (also more from folk music background, I figure). I am not a fan of Muray, to put it mildly, but here his overly-exuberant and voluble style fits relly well into all these odd-meter dance tunes. He solos quite a lot and is effective both on tenor and bass clarinet (also contributes two Hungarian-style compositions). Trumpeter is a virtuoso and also has enough solo space. Balogh plays some mesmerizingly beautiful cimbalom - both on breakneck-speed fast numbers and on a couple balads - amazing what rich sound it can produce. Very enjoyable music - highly recommended.

Haven't heard any of those yet. Curious about Bauder/Braxton. Bauder's previous disc on 482 Music Weary already on the way is a powerful and original work. I am not sure how Bauder's concepts would work with Braxton, though (and I am very cautious of any new Braxton's projects - IMO, the man is in a stalemate, and horrendous 23 Standards set (haven't heard 20 Standards) is a further proof of it). I am no a fan of David S. Ware. Very much so. To my ears what he plays is a fake jazz devoid of any creativity and forward motion, not too much different from what Wynton is doing. New Vijay Iyer is outstanding, IMO. I-ve been listnein to it mesmerized for several weeks in a row now. Paul, I am not aware of the "sound sculptures" projects. You might want to contact Whitecage directly: Acoustics. If you hear anything back, please let us know - Whitecage is an outstanding musician, and his solo projects (I assume these "sculptures" are solo, correct?) should be very interesting. I can highly recommend recent duo of Whitecage and Dominic Duval, Rules of engagement on Drimala (and I am normall far from being a Duval fan). I was actually not too impressed by the Dearly Departed part of the disc - the material itself is good, and synthesis of folk and improvised music (not that many of the latter, though) sounded very interesting, but vocals are so mechanistic qnd bleqk (with this ugly reverb) I found it nearly unbearable to listen to. Guyvoronsky/Volkov part is excellent.

The one I meant is Sept variations sur Lenny Tristano (Sketch). I like it. But it's music done "by the rules". You should (and UBU too) check their pairing on a CD publish by EMOUVANCE who's name is... TRISTANO. I suppose it will suit better your taste. They play the tunes of TRISTANO, or those associate to him (317 EAST 32 ND, LINE UP, REQUIEM, LENNIE-BIRD, YOU DON'T NOW WHAT LOVE IS, WOW, DREAMS + one from LENNY POPKIN) and some originals by both in a straigth piano duo. And it's really amazing. ← P.L.M. indeed means Tristano on Emouvance. I like it. But it's music done "by the rules". You should (and UBU too) check their pairing on a CD publish by EMOUVANCE who's name is... TRISTANO. I suppose it will suit better your taste. They play the tunes of TRISTANO, or those associate to him (317 EAST 32 ND, LINE UP, REQUIEM, LENNIE-BIRD, YOU DON'T NOW WHAT LOVE IS, WOW, DREAMS + one from LENNY POPKIN) and some originals by both in a straigth piano duo. And it's really amazing. ← Is this the Sketch in question? And this the one that's better, I guess: And here's some Oliva that looks interesting: Anyone knows of a place where Sketch discs are cheaper than on French Amazon? I still ought to pick up the two Waldrons and some of the Humairs! ← Some Sketch discs are avialable at indiejazz.com for $12. I have this Oliva's Visions disc on Owl - it's a really good one -a pretty original reinterpretation of Bill Evans' music. Get it (it should be cheap at amazon.de).

According to Keith Utech of Utech Records, PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / LASSE MARHAUG "PERSONAL HYGIENE" won't be reissued. I got my copy from Lasse Marhaug directly.

Nothing that realy interests me here. I can very easily imagine what it will all sound like - and this is not how I like my improvised music.

Yeah, when ubu and I saw Gratkowski quartet live the free blowing part didn't work too well (noisy cliché-ridden noodling) either.

Glad to see that Leo has come to his senses with download prizes! ← ← oh well.. and after that again up to 10$? Guess I ought to get a few, then! How long will summer last? It's already over here! ← I think regular price for download was brough down to $6 or $7 a couple of months ago. Looks like Leo is still investigating what the most appropriate pricing for a download is - and he does it the right way: through e-bay auctions: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=4741146188. Looks like in June somebody won a download for £0.01.

Glad to see that Leo has come to his senses with download prizes! ←

John, I downloaded this Document set and had some random listening. What I heard (Vapirov/Kuryokhin, Goncharova, Archangelsk, Chekasin) was very good. Information about new releases on Leo website.

Really?

Gorgeous music indeed. I'm grateful to P.L.M. for recommending this one way-back-when at AAJ forum - no way would I have learnt about this disc otherwise. Don't have the Bley one, but I remember P.L.M. mentioned it was relatively weak. ← Yes. And he also likes the Oliva best, I think. Will have to spin all of these soon, again (and for the first time, in case of the Bley). Oliva was artist in residence at this year's "Bleu sur Scènes" festival in Paris. He played several duos with partners of his choice (Susanne Abbüehl was one of them - he has replaced her original piano player on some occassions... or maybe for good, I don't know that), and France musiques has just broadcasted the first part of the set they did record, with Oliva & Joey Baron. Second part will be broadcasted after their summer break, will try and catch it, too. ← I hve this Oliva/Roulin "Tristano" disc on Sketch, but remember not liking it too much - seemed to polished for me. Will revisit it soon.

Gorgeous music indeed. I'm grateful to P.L.M. for recommending this one way-back-when at AAJ forum - no way would I have learnt about this disc otherwise. Don't have the Bley one, but I remember P.L.M. mentioned it was relatively weak.

I doubt it - I doubt even whether Yaremchuk has a bank account. I will try to see him in October in Moscow, so I am taking orders. CDRs are $5.

Friends, incredible things do happen. I had a dinner with my Polish colleague today. On the way out of restaurant I grab a copy of "events" newspaper. Get back to hotel, idly skim through it. What do I see in the "jazz" section? - "Yuriy Yaremchuk; abbreviation of a day; 9pm". I check abbreviation in the dictionary - means Sunday. Look at the watch - 9.10pm. Check the map - the club is 10 minutes walk from my hotel. 9.30pm I am there - Yaremchuk and his quartet (piano-bass-drums-reeds) have just started. The music they play is '60s mainstream "standards" ("Love Supreme", "Maiden Voyage", etc.); Yaremchuk is playing tenor and soprano, and he is (non-)suprisingly excellent in a mainstream setting. Very muscular post-Coltrane extravert tenor (reminded me of Joe Farrell at his most experimental) with beautiful full sound, and quite reserved Shorter-ish soprano. It was fun to watch more free elements creeping in more than occasionally - "In a Sentimental Mood" had some Butcheresque solo intro, and a most of the solos had some impressive multiphonics and extended techniques display (all not forced and really organic within relatively mainstream framework). Yaremchuk played soprano and tenor simultaniously a bit (in a perfect unison). The band was OK, but obviously not on the level of Yaremchuk. In the intermission I talk to the man - he is shocked. Think about it: Russian, in Warsaw who knows his music (I don't think he ever saw "fans" of his music; he actually was not aware that such exist). Very sweet guy. Was a bit apologetic about playing mainstream (said club owners asked him to) [i thought to myself that such a mainstream would send half of the Organissimo forum home running]. Talked about the creative music situation in Ukraine and Russia (bad, as elsewhere), and creative music in general. It was a pleasure to see a musician who is actually extremely curious about music of other people. Yaremchuk praised highly Michel Doneda, Daunik Lazro, Ramon Lopez and Urs Leimgruber - seems like these are the musicians he identifies himself most with. Mentioned that he and Doneda have been planning to record something together but cannot find a way to set it up financially. Mentioned a recent concert he did in Krakow (Southern Poland) with some 60-year old "prepared tubist" who left him mightily impressed - as an example of a world-class innovative musician whom nobody heard about. Also told me about some St. Petersburg bassist (Khomkin? Sasha do you know him, by chance?), who played duo with Han Bennink during the latter's visit to St. Pete, and according to Yaremchuk, Bennink was blown away by his talent. I mentioned I know several more people interested in his music, and we actually discuss his music on Internet - this was beyond his belief. This fact seemed to have really inspired him (in general, I noticed that he is acutely attuned to audience's reaction - he feels that playing to audience, however small and "uninitiated", is critical for development of creative musicians; I mentioned that (relatively random) crowd gave him a very warm reception (which it did, IMO) - he, in turn noted regretfully that "some people left in the middle"). Regarding upcoming projects, Yaremchuk mentioned that he might record some "tough free jazz" in a trio later this year in Krakow (to be released on Not Two, I assume). In early October there is a Moscow Composers Orchestra concert in Moscow (looks like Yaremchuk is already looking forward to it) - with Sainkho et al. (Sasha, are you going to be there, by chance?). Got some goodies, of course (Yaremchuk didn't have them on display - you have to ask for it) - CDRs released on his own 3yar records, including a solo tenor disc. Thanked me profusely for being interested in and supportive of creative music (not his specifucally, but creative music in general).

I'm in Warsaw now - went to a CD store and bought some Polish music, including Mikolaj Trzaska / Peter Friis Nielsen / Peeter Uuskyla: "Inforgiven North" (Kilogram records). Cannot listen to the record itself, but found a Kilogram records website with a lot of mp3s. This is the disc I am talking about: http://www.kilogram.pl/?l=pl&id=katalog&ex=8. Sounds good to me. Friis Nielsen / Uuskyla are bass / drums of the Brötzmann's "Nefertiti" trio. ------------------- Listened to all the samples (40 minutes available!) - this is really good stuff!

More from CDBaby - some solo alto saxophone: Hermann Bühler.

Geoff, of those I have only two: Virtuosi, and I think it is excelent - slow, pensive with great interaction of the players. The opening theme is fascinating. I found Bowise/Wilson suprisingly boring (suprisingly, because normally I like Bowie a lot) and unfocused.

Amazingly enough, there is a Tri O CD avialble at CDBaby. This is from the earlier incarnation of the band. --------------------------- Another one that sounds interesting: Agenda. Gianni Lenoci plays Steve Lacy on piano.

I have it - haven't listened to it yet. ------------------------------------------------------ Carnatic saxophone: Prasant Radhakrishnan. Very interesting, I say. And the guy was 17 when it was recorded!

David: Any recommendations from the new age category? :rsly: ← Tony my friend, you just have to ask: new age.

I'm not much on that first one, but the second grabs me. (just making sure I get my five posts in for the next 5000....) ← Got both CDs and listened to them. Both are good, but the second one, Electro-Magnetic Trans-Personal Orchestra is indeed a more interesting one. Very original music - highly recommended. It's a part of $5 sale ($ 5 !!!!) ← Friends, in case you are thinking what else form the $5 sale (yes, $5!!!!) to add to the your CD Baby order, I would highly recommend this one: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mackstaller - guitar trio, definitely on mainstream side, but tasteful, unpretentious and not without originality. Great fluid drumming. Another $5 ($ 5 !!!!) baby could as well be: for John: http://cdbaby.com/cd/medulla some pretty exciting guitar (meaning GUITARRRRRRR!!! trio jams). for everybody: http://cdbaby.com/cd/neilleonard - this one I franky don't have yet, but samples sound very interesting.

Are you sure you are not taking Smith's violin playing for scratching noises ?