Steve Reynolds

funny how that *I* am called the names imagine if I started a thread here about Joe Maneri..... have a nice day Allen peace and blessings

if Hemingway (based on your sublime knowlegde and listening experience) can't play 4/4 time, then so what? you say that you have a hard time listening to him since that experience but Hemphill was the greatest, or most amazing musician you ever knew - but he couldn't play standards where is the logic here? Hemingway's music and drumming is not standards based, so why do you dismiss him out of hand when Hemphill is on some kind of pedestal although apparently the both of them have some sort of deficiency in your mind makes little sense to me

some silly comentary above I saw Hemingway once with Mark Dresser and Joe Lovano - and although much of the show was Ornettish in feel, the time-keeping when applicable, was inpeccable the thought that he is unaware or unable to play straight time is silly and foolish what discs have you given some listening time to, Allen? listne to the title track of Special Detail to hear some mad swing - but alas - it ain't standard type swing - or the last two tracks from the same album - or what about the last track from Demon Chaser? ever heard this shit??? - or are you just trying to piss on a parade??? plus even if he doesn't play standards well, who the fuck cares? his music and his drumming are both beyond what is the norm from a technical and mucicality standpoint how many times do we have to hear some irrelevant commentary about a great musician just because the muci they play might not be what *you* or someone else expects from the music? Dark was the Night, baby

the quintet from 1993 with Ernst Reijseger, Michael Moore, Wolter Wierbos & Mark Dresser - the long time working band of the 1990's. sublime, adventurous 54 minute suite - beyond category on hatART for those who don't know - and if only for the closing 16 minute section which brings all the power and glory of these master musicians to full flower - stunning - Michael Moore transcends his reputation as a coolish, restrained player with some of the most outrageously intense, yet collected alto saxophone playing of his wonderous recording history - and Hemingway absolutely unloads behind his kit - tremendous recorded sound - and the themes from all the preceding sections appear, dissapear and coalesce into something I still never think existed - even after all these years of loving this band - at one time this recording was the one that was a bit mystifying - today, it might be their best to these ears more later.....

Foxes Fox and The Ayes Have It are prime Evan Parker in strong tenor mode - slight edge the The Ayes - great trio set with Rogers & Muir - and the 1991 set is a quartet with Wierbos, Rogers and the *great* Mark Sanders - Sanders is spectacular throught the 36 minute improvisation - Parker stciks to tenor on this piece - he alternates between his two horns on the ealier session - great sound and tons of energy throughout

anyone who thinks drugs are necessary for listening to or making great music are fucking lost I speak from experience - I have found a new way to live - and it like nothing that I have ever experienced before - some of us have found that we can't smoke a joint anymore - because it leads us to other places where a simple hit of weed seems meaningless. however - much of what I listen to might be considered music that is suitable for this sort of indulgence - and that might be the case for some who can smoke a couple of joints or have a few drinks - some of us cannot - and let me tell you something - music has never sounded better to this person - with no "help" from mood altering shit blood and guts, baby

I don't hear Ghostly Thoughts as a violent recording - in fact I think it is Dunmall at his most striking as far as Mujician - Colours Fulfilled and Birdman are extraordinary recordings - again Dunmall is in prime form - I think Birdman is more intially satidfying while Clours rewards more repeated listenings

Joe Maneri: Let the Horse Go & Get To Receive Yourself seconds on We Are Everyone in the Room - and I still havn't heard it Brotzman's Die Like a Dog: Little Birds Have Fast Hearts many of the other best titles I use regularly

Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds Joe Maneri: Dahabenzapple Fred Anderson: 2 days in april William Parker: O'Neal's Porch Duke Ellington: Far East Suite Count Basie: Atomic Basie John Coltrane: A Love Supreme Miles Davis: Kind of Blue Hank Mobley: Roll Call Andrew Hill: Shades Joe Henderson: So Near So Far Steve Lacy: Morning Joy Myra Melford: Even The Sounds Shine Art Ensemble of Chicago: Le Stances A Sophie Clusone Trio: I Am An Indian Paul Dunmall: Ghostly Thoughts Mujician: Birdman AMM: Live in Allentown David Murray: Ming Simon H Fell: Composition # 30 Evan Parker: The Two Seasons Horace Tapscott: The Dark Tree Sonny Rollins: Live at the Village Vanguard Booker Little: Out Front Misha Mengelberg: Who's Bridge Freddie Hubbard: Open Sesame Tina Brooks: True Blue Peter Brotzmann: Tentet Box Mats Gustafsson: You Forget to Answer AALY + Ken Vandermark: Hidden in the Stomach Dennis Gonzalez: Stefan Charles Brackeen: Worshippers Come Nigh Gianlugi Trovesi: From G to G Pino Minafra: Sudori London Jazz Composers Orchestra: Harmos Gerry Hemingway: Demon Chaser Randy Weston: Saga Frank Lowe: The Flam Julius Hemphill: Raw Materials and Residuals Arthur Blythe: Spirits in the Field Trio 3: Live in Willisau Italian Instabile Orchestra: Skies of Europe Anthony Braxton: Dortmund 1976 Clifford Brown: At Basin Street Mal Waldron: Mal, Verve, Black and Blue Mat Maneri: Sustain Sam Rivers: Trio with Holland and Altscul Spontaneous Music Ensemble: A New Distance Ben Webster: King of the Tenors Coleman Hawkins: The Hawk Flies High Art Pepper: The Art of Pepper Cecil Taylor: One Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye Jimmy Lyons: Jump Up John Lindberg: Bounce all for now

No Try No Fail is simply one of the great improv recordings ever stunning and beyond

any word when the NYC show is?

that wasn't me - it was a guy sitting or standing way to the left of me screaming "BROTZMAAAAANN" a few times - I think it actaullay added to the musical hysteria of the last buring composition and wild soling/cacophony!!! then again, even Brian O might have uttered a few gutteral sounds during the onslaught!!!

yes - @ Tonic two short but blistering sets do you remember the band standing silently at the outset until they lauched into a fanfar of sorts on the oepning carnival-like Brotzmann composition? two great long form things that night - one by Williams and a longer one to close out the second set by KV - which was partly almost "Brotz plays afro-cuban or calypso - never have I heard a band groove so much. hope Hamid's shoes are filled rightly - as he was incredible in this band.

do NOT miss the Brotzmann Tentet - I will be seeing them (with Nilson-Love for the first time - I have seen them twice with Drake) and am looking forward to it. the previous tow times were among the best shows I have ever seen - the last time - in 2002 - was simply the greatest live music I have ever witnessed.

sounds like a great little quartet anyone attend? for those who havn't heard Lindberg, he is one of the great bassists in music today - or ever

from the 1970's with the leader on bass Keith Tippett - piano Mark Charig - trumpet Malcolm Griffiths - trombone Mike Osbourne - alto saxophone Louis Moholo - drums a stunning 37 minute suite - with the fanfare that begins the first piece - one knows it is a special day - with Tippetts priceless ostinato behind the trombonist - with Charig follwing - with Tippett involving himself in the playful nature3 of the music - the leader's bouncing bass lines underpin the whole thing creating a joy leading up to the great altoists early cries for help... by the third piece (of the four) the band is one - with Moholo playing beyond himself - and hearing the trio of Tippett with the bass and drums towards the end of the long (15 minute) "Jumping" - one hears the majesty of musicians playing at the peak of their mighty powers priceless - one the great jazz sessions of it's time - and of any time, really found in the Harry Miller box - on ogun for those who don't know - konow - feel - and live in the beauty of genius among us Harry Miller, RIP for Mike Osbourne - I pray for you every day peace and blessings

listen to Don Byron then listen to John Carter or Marty Ehrlich or Michael Moore then you might understand what Nate is talking about

don't know many naysayers when it comes to O'Neal's Porch will be looking to find a way to get this one - if it is anywhere near as great as the previous recording, watch out.....

nice post, relyles I find that most so-called jazz critics don't pay nearly enough attention to what is going on in today's world of jazz and improvisied music - save for the many that are writing for the less mainstream publications or on-line sites. even people like Francis Davis and Gary Giddens are out of touch with much of what has and is transpiring in the world of jazz and related musics.

my comments on the Hemingway/Lehn show on saturday 3/12 posted in live section - but maybe more apt here Thomas Lehn is a fucking lunatic - whatever brought him to a life that includes doing what he does with that crazy monster might make the thoughts in my head seem rather tame. He didn't seem comfotable that everything was right at the beginning as there seemed to be a small unwanted buzz that was eminating from some of the wires that connected his briefcase like thing that I would imagine is hooked up somehow to a couple of other boxes, the analogue syntheziser keyboard thingy and a laptop type thing - a few glowing lights here and there and someelse maybe - and once the thing is turned on or activated somehow, how he controls this monstrosity of wires, tubes and whatever the hell else is there is beyond me - almost like he sets the sound off and has to control it, let it loose, reign it in, and mainipulate it the best f his ability to somehow make music that might seemingly make no sense or more sense than anything that exists in sound - sometimes all at the same time - and whatever happened at the end of the almost closing third piece would have changed a few perspectives of some if they had been sitting in the room last night - then again, nobody hears anything the same with this stuff I call music of almost complete immediate invention - and despite having thought that the *great* Gerry Hemingway had reached a peak with his hand drumming earlier in the piece (after being sure nothing could top whatever the hell he invented on a little steel drum type instrument placed on his snare during the epic like second 20-25 minute second piece, somehow I knew that there would be an explosion of sounds that only Gerry Hemingway is capable of when he decides to go what might be called full bore - well my head almost fucking exploded when the hammer dropped - and for about 6 or 7 minutes, it was better than ejaculating twice lordy lordy only complaint is that the opening improvisation (at 12-14 minutes) didn't really gel, and I thought for sure that Anthony's friend must have certainly thought us insane and after having pizza with us previously) certainly thought me insane as some people have thought that before about me - and I am - but in a good way By the time the hour+ set was done - as they closed with a beautiful short somewhat quiet improv with Hemingway blowing into something or other into his snare drum, the circle was completed - now I wish I could hear it agina, and decide whether to watch and listen or not to watch and listen - instead of sometimes doing both - and I still sometimes find myself wondering what the hell Lehn is doing rather just accepting what he does - he is certainly an incredible musician with a range and creative imagination that makes me think that almost anything is possible in this world what a night - special, special night for me..... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

my comments: Thomas Lehn is a fucking lunatic - whatever brought him to a life that includes doing what he does with that crazy monster might make the thoughts in my head seem rather tame. He didn't seem comfotable that everything was right at the beginning as there seemed to be a small unwanted buzz that was eminating from some of the wires that connected his briefcase like thing that I would imagine is hooked up somehow to a couple of other boxes, the analogue syntheziser keyboard thingy and a laptop type thing - a few glowing lights here and there and someelse maybe - and once the thing is turned on or activated somehow, how he controls this monstrosity of wires, tubes and whatever the hell else is there is beyond me - almost like he sets the sound off and has to control it, let it loose, reign it in, and mainipulate it the best f his ability to somehow make music that might seemingly make no sense or more sense than anything that exists in sound - sometimes all at the same time - and whatever happened at the end of the almost closing third piece would have changed a few perspectives of some if they had been sitting in the room last night - then again, nobody hears anything the same with this stuff I call music of almost complete immediate invention - and despite having thought that the *great* Gerry Hemingway had reached a peak with his hand drumming earlier in the piece (after being sure nothing could top whatever the hell he invented on a little steel drum type instrument placed on his snare during the epic like second 20-25 minute second piece, somehow I knew that there would be an explosion of sounds that only Gerry Hemingway is capable of when he decides to go what might be called full bore - well my head almost fucking exploded when the hammer dropped - and for about 6 or 7 minutes, it was better than ejaculating twice lordy lordy only complaint is that the opening improvisation (at 12-14 minutes) didn't really gel, and I thought for sure that Anthony's friend must have certainly thought us insane and after having pizza with us previously) certainly thought me insane as some people have thought that before about me - and I am - but in a good way By the time the hour+ set was done - as they closed with a beautiful short somewhat quiet improv with Hemingway blowing into something or other into his snare drum, the circle was completed - now I wish I could hear it agina, and decide whether to watch and listen or not to watch and listen - instead of sometimes doing both - and I still sometimes find myself wondering what the hell Lehn is doing rather just accepting what he does - he is certainly an incredible musician with a range and creative imagination that makes me think that almost anything is possible in this world what a night - special, special night for me.....

Cecil Taylor Alexander Von Schlippenbach John Tilbury Paul Bley Misha Mengelberg

I voted for "Bemsha Swing" others that I love- Oska T Green Chimneys Little Rootie Tootie Well You Needn't in Walked Bud Hackensack Four in One for today....

I liked relyles long post Paul Dunmall might be a bit more out - but he belongs on the list

and try "Nailed" from 1991 with Evan Parler, Barry Guy & Tony Oxley more down the road - and more intense - a little less space - but you get to hear the only other saxophonist (besides Lyons) who really meshes with Cecil at his highest and strongest and yes - the late 70's band might be the pinnacle for the unit - one here for One Too Many - love the out of tune piano - like on Nefertiti....