Leeway

Even Taruskin, the (self-described?) "pit bull" of modern music criticism, is a lot more measured that the original article you referenced. He seems mostly interested in taking shots at Donald Martino and Milton Babbitt, maybe side-swiping "academic composing" along the way. This seems to me to be a rear-guard action. It seems a little late in the game for that.

The album is like the novel, which has also been said to be dying. Nevertheless, the novel has shown tremendous resilience through the centuries. There is a reservoir of great writing available, and more contemporary works being produced literally daily, and people continue to read them. Whether the novel is downloaded to Kindle or purchased at a bookstore, the art form remains the same. I think the album is like that too; it is long-form music that tells a larger story. The discussion here has kind of gone into the technology side of things. I think whether DL, streaming, digital servers, whatever the technology, unless for some strange reason it absolutely inhibited album music, they will simply serve as the platform of choice, but the album itself will remain viable because of its inherent attractions.

Some nice music there. Is that the original "Baraka" or the new reissue?

Lately it seems to be going for $65 to $105 (on Popsike). Mine was around $5 or $6. Sounds fine too. Too bad Gato left the fold; he plays really well on the early sessions.

Reissue of the album, "Togetherness" on Durium label. The Inner City is a lot cheaper Don Cherry, Gato Barbieri, J.F. Jenny Clark, Karl Berger, Aldo Romano. Really a very nice album.

QUOTE: "Fast forward to 1990, and the Times does a big article on the death of twelve-tone music (after it had completely emptied the concert halls), citing many of the leading composers of the day saying things to the effect of, 'Oh, it was all just a big mistake, and we won't do it anymore, if you'd just come back to the concert halls...'" Can you supply a link or some specific text from this article. Frankly, none of it rings true. I don't believe that 12-tone "emptied the concert halls" or that such composers "begged" audiences to come back. Sounds like a spurious way to discredit some serious music.

TENOR RISING DRUMS EXPANDING - Sabir Mateen (ts) and Daniel Carter and Davis Nuss (drums). 1995. NYC. 1-sided 12" LP, hand-made and colored LP sleeves. Mine looks a bit different than the one pictured (has more blue); the LP label is the same. About 20 min of mind-altering flat-out, ferocious, wailing, screaming, crashing free playing. I love that stuff. Congratulations to Homefromtheforest: How about KOB for a chill pill?

Sylvia Beach George Sand Bennett Cerf

THE HOTHOUSE BY THE EAST RIVER (1973)- Muriel Spark Set in wartime England (and particularly an intelligence compound in the countryside) and 1970s Manhattan (particularly an apartment on East 44th St. overlooking the East River), this fantasia is filled with Spark's usual obsessions: the supernatural, madness, fat ladies, thin ladies dieting, great wealth (thrown about carelessly), unsatisfactory son, hapless husband, etc. Elsa, the main character, has a rather unusual characteristic: her shadow falls the wrong way. The reason is revealed in an O-Henry-like twist later in the novel. Spark's usual efflorescence of wit is here, but very little joy of life. It may be that the subject matter precluded it, but still one detects a sour note, something tired and dismal, resonating throughout. Clearly, the WWII theme is important to Spark, but here it is not handled as well as it is in the early novels. There was a little sliver of biographical interest to me in this novel, in that while Elsa and her associates are perched high over Manhattan's East River looking towards Queens, early 1970s, I was living across the East River in Queens looking at Manhattan.

The Disappeared Ones Spirits in the Material World The Invisible Man

Any good or chaotic mess. I rather liked Exit . I rather like chaotic messes, but this double set is not a chaotic mess; indeed, rather well-behaved really, although there are moments when the big engine gets revved up to satisfying effect. The emphasis has shifted to the vocalists; there is almost a prog rock feeling. I think it's good, even very good, but on first listen, I like Fire! Exit! more; seemed more exciting, more focused. I need to hear this again to ascertain (or not) my initial impressions. There was a lot to listen to here. Nothing in the runoff area? Gotta be a matrix # for each side? Yeah, I did look there (habit from RVG days ); there is a pressing number but not clearly a side number. I just think it's one of Mats' little jokes, and serves to emphasize the open nature of the recording. I really think you can play it in any order; the sides strike me as self-contained. The LPs come with a CD, which identifies Parts 1-4, so I suppose that could be used as a guide. BTW, This is not the first time Mats has used blank labels recently, although I can't remember which album it was. Weird optical effect.

ENTER - Fire Orchestra - Rune Grammofon 2LP 3 vocalists singing together and separately against a humongous free orchestra. The LP labels are a solid color with no markings; give the impression that the LP is not moving, which can be a bit dicy when puttering around the TT. You're also not going to be able to refer to Side A or C or whatever; since none of them are marked, one can assume they can be played in any order.

A Lark Ascending Greensleeves Tom Tallis

Sinead O'Connor Sinbad the Sailor Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

Herman Munster Hermann Goering Frank Gehry

THE AWKWARD AGE (1899) - Henry James I had an aversion to Henry James until I got to graduate school, where I suddenly and surprising found myself enamored of his work. I proceeded to read through all his novels and most of his stories, and have revisited all of them from time to time. For me, James is inexhaustible. I decided to re-read The Awkward Age, the story of the social coming of age of Nanda Brookenham, in light of such recent reading as Lessing's Martha Quest and Drabble's Jerusalem the Golden.

Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski Percy Grainger Groupon

I.F. Stone I.M. Pei I.M. Singer

AZZ APPEAL - Swedish Azz - Not Two LP. Like this group more each time I hear them. Plus they put on a terrific concert this year in Philadelphia, which I was fortunate to catch.

IIRC, Monder's playing has lots of "washes" to it, Frisell-ian, except more chord-based, plus I think he sang on one of his discs, which didn't really appeal to me. At first blush, he would seem to be an odd fit for Malaby's group.

Nice write-up Steve. Tony can be a bit variable (inspiration of the moment), and also a slow starter, so sticking around for the 2nd set is a good idea (as you know). I always do; they are usually better too. I've never seen Monder live; should probably check him out. Some of his recordings didn't work for me, but that was some time ago.

Keenan Wynn Keenen Ivory Wayans Richard Wyands

Alan Paton Dick Van Patten Patton Oswalt

Sorry, I looked through the posts and didn't see the article. Not sure what you mean by "taskmaster." I just think it's useful to keep in mind the human costs as well as the technology costs. Anyway carry on.