Д.Д.

So you'll be there for goon, on April 17? They are playing here in Geneva on April 15th (http://www.amr-geneve.ch/prog2005/jazzfest/affiche.htm), so unless I am exceptionally inspired to make a 250km drive, I won't make it your way. Who are they playing with in Zürich?

Well Tony, you have strange tastes for music. You don't like death metal either, do you? Sorry you didn't like it. Perhaps this thread could help finding this music some love. The word "vapid" I didn't know. Always learn something new in this thread.

Just got an e-mail from Joe McPhee who responded to my question about the possibility of the continuation of his work with Johnny McLellan. The answer is no. Joe mentions he would elaborate when we meet in Switzerland next month (concert in quartet with Brötzmann, oh yes).

Got Bailey's "Aida" from CDUniverse a couple of weeks ago - haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. ------------------------- 382 Music is planning a couple more releases in early may: 1. Natto Quartet - Thousand Oaks 2. Anthony Braxton / Matt Bauder - 2 + 2 Compositions Not too interested in Braxton, frankly - all the recent releases I've heard lack in ideas, sound and technique compared to ealier works, IMO. But Natto Quartet I've been meaning to check out for quite some time.

Please remember that when you leave your home, you do so as a representative of the Funny Rat so PLEASE, behave accordingly. Have fun! When I am back I would like to see written confirmations of your ordering Grand Marquis.

Looks good! Funny that Indie Jazz doesn't seem to offer this Boxholder title. Where'd you get your copy? Tyler from indiejazz wrote that they were about to restock all available Boxholder releases couple of months ago. What I see is that none of the earlier Boxholder's are avialbele from indiejazz (BXH3 - KONK, BXH4 - Grand Marquis, BHX5 - Malik-McBee Moffet, BXH6 - Tripleplay, BXH7 - Kolhause/Langley; BXH 8/9 - Bill Cole; BHX 10 - Keith Yuan (for which I specificall asked); BXH 11 - Bill Cole). The only one that's there is BXH1/2 - Parker/Budbill. Don't want to start a PANIC but could they be going OOP? Will send an e-mail to Tyler - they seem to be in touch with the Boxholder guys regularly. -------------- OK, enough for today - dinner and then to disco.

Friends, I try to restrain myself when it comes to grand procalmations about particular recordings, but here I feel I can make an announcement absolutely responsibly - this is a M A S T E R P I E C E. I listened to it ten times at least, and my impressions gets only stronger at each listen. Joe McPhee / Johnny McLellen - "Grand Marquis" (Boxholder, 2000). Joe McPhee - tenor saxophone Johnny McLellan - drums (and composition on all but one track) Words fail me to describe this music. I thinks Derek Tylor did a decent job. And so did Thom Jurek. I will just note that I consider myself quite a fan of Mr. McPhee's work, and highly enjoy 90% of his recordings - but this one is, IMO, the best one. And I wish there were more recordings of McLellan available (there is only other one I know of - Keith Yaun quintet on Leo, a good one).

This one is beautiful - hopefully you receive it. Got it. Tony, have you had a chance to listen to this one yet? - would be interested to hear your opinion. I found this to be a very charming and original work. Listened to it once but became upset as track five has some very serious sonic problems. I'm guessing your copy is problem free? I'll have to see f I can get another copy... but Drimala is now out of this one and I'm doubtful that Sachimay would be interested in replacing my $5 copy. I'll have another listen and post an opinion. My copy is fine. I think you won't have problems getting a replacement from Sachimay - you got their porduct in a legit way, and the price does not really matter.

From Marco Eneidi website: "Mar. 19th, 2005 Ayler Records and Annan Muusic presents trio with Paul Lovens and Peter Janson at the Museum of Modern Art in Norrkoping, Sweden". As Ayler Records are involved, hopefully this one got recorded and will be released one day - looks like a kick-ass combo!

From the Gerry Hemingway website: "April 15th, 2005 is the street date for the release of a new quartet cd called The Whimbler which will be coming out on Clean Feed Records of Portugal". I saw this quartet live and was not too impressed - but if you like the previous Hemingway Cleen Feed release ("Devils's Paradise"), you might enjoy this one as well - same well-writted, slighly funky post-bop tunes, same safe in-the-pocket playing... I am more intrigued by this one (upcoming on between-the-lines): Hemingway: "Wolter Wierbos came as the only carry over from the original quintet, Frank Gratkowski ably took over the reed chair, Amit Sen, who I had met through the Swedish project played cello, and Kermit Driscoll joined as bassist (el and ac)". I am interested to hear Gratkowski playing somebody else's material.

This one is beautiful - hopefully you receive it. Got it. Tony, have you had a chance to listen to this one yet? - would be interested to hear your opinion. I found this to be a very charming and original work.

ubu, you are the master of suspence.

Great to see Parallactic stuff available as downloads - and $5 per dosc is about what I am preparepd to pay for a download... ---------------------- If you are interested in exploring some contemporary "classical" music try the internate radio at: http://www.contemporary-classical.com/ Good selection, and you can place a request, which will be played in an hour or so.

No experience yet, but I want to order three of these. (Neumann/Nakamura, Kawasaki / Kahn, Muller / Nmperign) One is now OOP, so I'll have to grab a copy asap. I'd be very interested to read Jon's thoughts on these titles, if he checks in again and sees this. I have one, and it's excellent:

Jeez, your high-frequency sensitivity must be taking a beating if that's in heavy rotation in your house. Just listening to it straight through is enough to get my ears tingling. Interesting disc but it's definitely not one I pull out lightly. Same thoughts.

When I was 12-13 I listened to The Beatles A LOT (all albums equally frequently, with slight preference to "Revolver") - although I don't listen to their stuff nearly as much now, I proibably still haven't cought up listenig this mch to any other disc. When I was 14 I listened to Pink Floyd "The Wall" for a year or so nearly every day - there is no way I will ever be able to catch up with this with any other album (even though it is very unlikely I will listen to "The Wall" ever again). If you take more "mature" years, these two will share the first position - and are very likely to keep it in the years to come: Interestingly enough, the second disc was bough basically accidentally - this was my first CD I bought myself. I had money only or one CD, so I confusingly browsed in a store and liked the cover of this one (having been vaguely familiar with Prokofiev's name), tried it in store and loved it. The two young guys who perform on it are absolutely unknown - but whatever performance of Prokofiev violin sonatas I've heard later (and I heard at least 5 of them), including some by very big names, they cannot overshadow this one for me.

I have Steve Nelson-Raney's duo with Hal Rammel (winds and invented instruments, respectively) "Breathing" on Penumbra. Never listened to it. Gonna listen to it NOW!

Tony, we had a bit of a discussion on Kaoru Abe on in The Rat with some recommendations from Jon and Nate, I think.

To Jason's excellent list of major solo saxophone works I would add: Gianni Gebbia "Arcana Major / Sonic Tarot Sessions" (Ratascan / Studio Supremo) Bhob Rainey "Ink." (Sachimay) Jack Wright "Places To Go" (Spring Garden) Ned Rothenberg "The Crux. Selected Solo Wind Works (1989-92)" While all four are highlyl individual musicians, you will hear elements of "For Alto" in each of these works. Today listened to Braxton's "Saxophone Improvisations Series F" for the first time, and indeed this is an outstanding record - and quite different from his later solo works (which I also enjoy a lot - in fact I strongly prefer Braxton in solo stetting).

Incidentally, just yesterday I was enjoying the first listening of the Brandenburg concerts, Alfred Cortot conducting (EMI Reference series - now OOP?). Now, the quality is not exaclty hi-fi (but very decent for '30s recording) but the performances is very lively and moving.

I think you'd dig either one of the Marion Browns. Charles Tyler's "Eastern Man Alone" is surely very accessible (and very good). Same refers to two piano trio albums - Lowell Davidson trio and Baob james trrio.

Gonna do some listening this weekend. Have you listened to any of those?

Good, Chuck. Now how about releasing it?

Not true. Go for Ivo Perelman.

Some catchy, ruggedly-swinging tunes -- much swagger, meant in a good way -- but no great shakes, IMHO. Reminds me a bit of Raphe Malik's ConSequences. Good music to play while driving. Driving? Too dangerous for me - I can easily fall asleep listening to "O'Neal's Porch"...