Д.Д.

Some new releases on Enja Winkelmann. Could be interesting.

I assume that in addition to Leo's unmitigated enthusiasm and total commitment, this is also the result of Leo's "cost sharing" approach (i.e. the cost of release is shared with an artist) - this way he can release (in meaningful quantities) more than any other creative music label I can think of (I counted 34 releases in 2004!).

I have a bunch of Scelsi, but it's been a few years since I've heard them. I'll have to dig them out and give them a spin. I've had this one for quite a few years and never really was able to either like or appreciate it. My ears were much less attuned to this type of music until I started listening to all things Funny Rat. Now, it comes so much easier. (Not to say that the Scelsi is easy listening.) I guess all these Cold Blue CDs I sent you had an enlightening effect on you. Wait till you get to hear Yanni discs in the new package coming your way - this will broaden your horizons.

I have a HatHut Scelsi disc - still sealed. Good pretext to listen to it over the weekend.

From the Leo Records April press release: 5 new releases, including: another Braxton 4-CD Standards box, Wadada Leo Smith quintet - judging from the blurb something along the lines of Miles' fusion stuff (Leo considers this one to be among his 10-15 best releases ever) Braxton / Walter Franks duo (Franks is a pianist) Evan Parker & September Winds (the one released by the same group a couple of years ago was quite strong) Fredrik Soegaard & Hasse Poulsen duo Leo found a couple of copies of OOP John Wolf Brennan Hextet - "Through the Ear of a Raindrop" Carlo Actis Dato & Kazutoki Umezu - "Wake Up With the Birds" Simon Nabatov & Hann Bennink - "Chat Room" I urge you to get Actis Dato and Nabatov/Bennink CDs (Brenan might be good as well, but I haven't heard it). Also, Leo started distributing Russian Long Arms label - including just released Peter Brötzmann solo CD called Petroglyphs.

Please let us know what you think of this one (probably The Rat will be the most appropriate place for it)!

A bootleg.

I just noticed that all Rossbin discs are only 6 euros ($7.84) shipped anywhere in the world. That is a great deal.

I liked this one as well. Quite a gentle music indeed.

Paul Dunmall Matthew Welch

Excellent disc! Indeed, there is A LOT here, and I too have to spend more time with it. What's Muhal Richard Abrams up to these days, btw?

I have an excellent performance of Webern quartets on naive label (Warner Music group) - I think it/s by Arditti String Quartet - I will check when I get home. Can't coment on Berg. Emerson Quartet I cannot stand - I have their CD of Prokofiev quartets, and it is very "flat" and mechanistic - so I wouldn't judge on the merits of music based on their performance.

Alan, have you heard Gebbia's Arcana Major, btw?

Just amazing how much there is released these days. I'll go for Leimgruber, I guess... for Rutherford also, perhaps.

It was merely so-so. Konitz is in a decent form, but the solos mostly didn't seem to build up - all sounded very raw and directionless (except for the mandatory encore - "Cherokee" which sounded really exciting). Ed Schuller, the bassist who I normally like did a lot of pretty boring (very mainstream) soloing and drummer George Schuller was way too stiff and "traditional" - a bit more flexibility in the drumming definitely would not have hurt. Again, it does not seem like either of the musician enjoyed it too much.

Tony, I agree with your point - but in case of tentet (nonet now, I guess), as I mentioned, there will be much more than groove alone.

Steve, I was at the second set only. My recollection of particualr details is quite vague now (although after you mentioned it, I do seem to remember the silent episode of meditation), except for the totally elated feeling I had during and after the concert. In addition to phenomenal music, what I also liked was the crowd - a very enthusiastic and positive group of poeple - the only negative point was the drunken guy on the left who would holler all through the concert.

Steve, looks like we were at the same concertin in NYC in 2002 (in Tonic, as far as I remember). A terrific experience indeed. ------------- Now, I'll try to get to Geneva to see Lee Konitz trio (with Ed and George Schuller). "Try" because we have extremely heavy wet snow (thankfully I was so lazy I haven't changed the winter tires yet) - quite amusinc after total and seemingly irrevesable spring we've had for last three weeks.

Braxton's "23 Standards" and, more importantly Nabatov/Bennink "Chat Room" on Leo are sold out! I am not sure how it happened, as both are very recenty releases - I will check with Leo (he used to do 1000-copies runs - could he have switched to 500-CD batches?). Nabatov/Bennink is an outstanding record - one of the best ones for both musicians, and beautifully recorded. Grab it while you can! And yeah, Leo mentions that there will be another Braxton 4-CD standards box coming out leter this month.

Interesting Bagatellen write-up on Jack Wright's "Places to Go". An excellent disc indeed.

One of the more overrated drummers of late... I actually avoid him when possible. Same here.

Tony, I suggest you go if only for Paal Nilssen-Love's drumming. Also, tentet is actually quite diverse live (I saw them a couple of years ago in NYC), and with Mars Williams having quit you get the least interesting player out.

It's a rather weak record (mostly because of Simmons, not Tapscott), and not particularly well-recorded either.

Saw Brötzmann-McPhee-Kessler-Zerang live yesterday. Quite weak. Repetative semi-burnig blowouts alternating with tired solemn lyrical passages. McPhee played a lot of soparano and pocket trumpet, and sounded meiocre on both, IMO. His tenor playing was better (with some very impressive altissimo playing), but I don't think that McPhee's forte is this sort of fire music - IMO, he thrives in a quiter setting with more space and more intent listening. Brötzmann was just going through the motions on all his instruments (his best playing was acutally during the pre-concert warm-up when he did some very impressive super-fast runs on alto). On the other hand, the sound as always in this hall was flawless, and Brötzmann's tenor sound is a pleasure to hear live. The most interestign player yesterday was Michael Zerang with his really creative drumming (he did one solo were by manipulating the drums he created what sounded like a mutant baritone saxophone solo - amazing that sounds llike these can be created on drums). The musicians themselves didn't look particualrly pleased with their playing either. I chatted with McPhee a bit after the concert. I asked him about any upcoming solo works, and he said he will indeed have one on Roaratorio, but it will be an LP-only release. He also told a story of his brief collaboration with McLellan. Sounds like the guy is some sort of a freak, so McPhee does not consider working with him anymore. He loves the Grand Marquis, though.

Have you heard The Shell Game, by the same lineup? I'm wondering how that compares. If it is anywhere near as good I will have to pick it up one of these days. Don't have this one.