clifford_thornton

I love that one. Have been after an original for many years -- no luck -- but the reissue sounds just peachy to my ears.

The NYT obit is pretty strong. Nate Chinen got it pretty well, though there's a lot more to the Jazz Composers Guild (no mention of Dixon & Taylor?). One reason among many that it dissolved was Sun Ra's opposition to a woman being in the Guild. But that's maybe a discussion for another day and another article. Glad to have recently heard the early trio music with Bill Folwell and Steve Swallow. She was always an innovator even when she may not have thought so!

Seeing the unfortunate news that Carla Bley has passed. I know her health had not been good in recent years. Glad to have seen her direct a later iteration of the Liberation Music Orchestra... a concept which is always needed. One of my favorite composers, especially considering her early works (but not limited to those). RIP.

I saw him with Fred on a number of occasions. He also taught at SAIC (film department I believe), where I was doing graduate school. Excellent musician and a nice man.

Concerning. I do believe some artists and labels will be pulling content from the platform though I assume it will still exist. Reminds me that I need to download much of what I've purchased digitally through Bandcamp. I am less and less satisfied with the platform overall but part of it is because of the absolute deluge of emails.

Rad! Looking forward to hearing the CD, and wish I could be there.

Excellent album. His record for Takt/Japanese Columbia is also wonderful.

Wonderful album indeed. Love that trio. I feel like Tes Esat, if viewed in the context of Dyani, is one of the bassist/multi-instrumentalist's greatest recordings. When I first heard it decades ago, I was blown away by Gary Windo. At this point, revisiting it recently after hearing a lot of music in between, it's Dyani who steals the show.

He's definitely had a lot of work done.

Should be done by 10! And the music room is separate from the bar area. Tubby's only opens on Sundays for performances so there won't be any spillover crowd.

"Burrito Supreme" was the refrain as I remember it, but there are a bunch of variations.

yes, i am in that boat.

Yes! Thanks!

Incredible. Never seen this one before.

Ah -- yeah, this one is pretty much alto-itis. But it's good. Yamame is an excellent album with an even more excellent cover image -- definitely not so indicative of the territory Miyazawa got into in the late '60s/early '70s, but still a strong Japanese modern jazz effort and his tenor playing is unmistakable.

I think most of what Moosicus releases is from NDR. The Browns are great and as far as I know they haven't been reissued (there are a couple of different 70s pressing variations, however).

Awesome, Steve -- yeah, I can't imagine there'll be too many more opportunities to see Mr. Watts play stateside. Please come out if you can.

I took History of Modern Japan in college -- taught by westerners of course, as this was the 1990s in the Northwest -- and one point repeatedly made was the idea of "borrowing" in Japanese culture, or taking something and making it one's own. I think this occurs in every culture to varying degrees but it was interesting to kick around in a sophomore seminar.

Don't forget this one: also issued later with this cover: It's a bit more straight ahead than We Got a New Bag. Iberian Waltz isn't that out -- and I think it's probably their best.

It gives me great pleasure to announce the next installment of "So, What Do You Think?" at Tubby's in Kingston with the saxophone-percussion duo of Trevor Watts and Jamie Harris and the baritone guitar-psalter duo of Chris Turco and Jeff Mercel. Wow -- just typing that out blew my mind! The series itself takes its name from a 1971 LP by the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, a British group founded in 1965 by drummer John Stevens, saxophonist Trevor Watts, and trombonist Paul Rutherford. 59 years later, Watts is the only surviving original member and a massive figure in UK experimental music and beyond. His other bands have included Amalgam (free jazz, jazz-rock), Moiré Music (layered, minimalist Afro-jazz), the Trevor Watts String Ensemble, JaMeTre (groove-based improv with guitarist Mark Hewins and conguero Jamie Harris), and many more. It's hard to convey just how special this rare Hudson Valley appearance will be, so mark your calendars and prepare to buy tix in advance. Trevor will be playing duo with the British percussionist Jamie Harris (congas, cymbals, etc.) and warming up the stage will be local heroes Chris Turco (Ultraam, Throne Down, Rider/Horse) and Jeff Mercel (Mercury Rev, Ultraam). I'll be hyping this one a lot as you will not have another chance to see a bill like this in upstate New York... or anywhere else for that matter. Really. When? October 29, 2023 Where? Tubby's in Kingston, New York How much? $20 at the door or $17 in advance -- remember, all money goes to the musicians!

George & Sleepy on Victor is fairly well regarded also. Given the significance of Blakey, Miles, and Coltrane performing in Japan I would imagine their influence was keenly, keenly felt among both players and audiences. Therefore the "derivations" have felt so naturally linked to the originators that they never bothered me. And the breaks from Coltrane, Miles, Blakey are also that much more severe once you factor in the importance of American forebears.

that show is incredible. Looking forward to the new season when it appears. McPhee is a Poughkeepsie native & that album was recorded (partly) at Vassar College, so the geographical placement was highly appropriate (the show is filmed in the Hudson Valley).

That Sharps & Flats/Yamamoto album is very good. I think there's at least one other collaboration as well.

He was supposed to play as part of a dance-jazz ensemble at KU's Lied Center in like 1998 or 1999. I went anyway and it was cool, but no Max. I can't remember how they refashioned it without him exactly.

I would like to have seen the group with Odean live. Hell, I would have liked to see Max live -- had one opportunity in the late 90s (going to college in Kansas) but he was ill and could not make the concert.