Steve Reynolds

what other recordings do you have with Han Bennink? those two CD's do not represent his playing 2 great ones are duet with Myra Melford (Eleven Ghosts) and Ellery Eskelin (Dissonant Characters). Han is very serious on these dates(while not lacking in humour in his playing) - he just plays the hell out of the drums - no tearing of coardboard or other zany antics (not that there is anything wrong with that - I'd just rather hear him dowhat he does best - which is play world class drums - and his range is remarkable - he swings, he plays all the little sound and details interacting with the pianist/tenor saxophonist - both are incredible while be very different from each other

I love Love Henry and especially I Am An Indian - with the Dewey Redman tune (Qow) being a highlight with Bennink swinging madly while Michale Moore plays some somewhat uncharacteristicly emotive and sometimes even waling alto saxophone. I like both Rara Avis & An Hour Wit... as well - but I like the more loosely structured earlier dates - maybe to my ears the later material (or rather performances) became more homogenized and less unpredictable in any event a great trio that is sorely missed fwiw - I'm new here - and this is cool thread - but I fear it extends the bifurcation with jazz circles by separating so-called "out' or "avant-garde" jazz music which ensures that the mainstreamers will simply ignore it when actually much of the music discussed on the 200+ pages is quite accesable to many people who wouldn't even know it. Much of this music *is* today's mainstream, whether some die-hard conservators like it or not Get Ready To Receive Yourself

to me most of them are large ensembles that rarely, if ever, come to the States - mostly dude to financial or logistical reasons Italian Instabile Orchestra - appeared in Chicago a few years ago - that has been it Globe Unity Orchestra - never appeared in the States to my knowledge - and have only had a few appearances of any kind over the last 10 years - latest version was only about 10-11 strong with Schlippenbach, Brotzmann, Parker, Lytton, Rutherford, etc. Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra - Alexander von Schlippenbach's other big band (he is the founder and driving force behind the Globe Unity Orchestra). For those who havn't heard them, they have at least 3 recordings - the fist being the self-titled one on ECM which features Kenny Wheeler's long Ana and two fantastic Misha Mengelberg pieces. Some might be surprised that Benny Bailey sits in one of the trumpet chairs while Ed Thigpen swings the big band mightly. "Morlocks" on FMP is a grittier more "out" recording which still jas many swinging elements and fantastic charts throughpout. The last recording that I know of is Live in Japan 1996 on DIW - which combines disparate elements (and some fine local (Japanese) musicians augmenting the core members of the band. Amazing ot hear Paul Lovens in this context as on some tunes (like Jackhammer) one would swear it couldn't possibly be Lovens at the kit (if you know anything about Paul Lovens' playing - you would know what I mean and lastly - a chance to hear Barry Guy's "New Orchestra" might be the highlight of highlights being that the great long standing London Jazz Composers' Orchestra appears to be defunct after an incredible 25 year run which includes, IMO, the greatest recorded large ensemble music since Duke Ellington. Ode,Harmos, Theoria, Double Trouble and Double Trouble II are all lnadmark recordings - the more recent ones (all but the early 70's Ode-which is whole different more untamed animal than the late 80's and 90's recordings) include pianist like Howard Riley, Irene Sweitzer and Marilyn Crispell with a reed section that includes Evan Parker, Paul Dunmall & Trevor Watts. to see this band or the smaller 10 piece New Orchestra LIVE would be an incrediable experience - (check the recording Inscape/Tableaux - my record of the year from a couple of years back) but it includes Parker, Mats Gustafsson, Johannes bauer, Herb Robertson, Marilyn Crispell and both Raymond Strid and Paul Lytton in drums. at least I've gotten to see the *great* Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tentet twice - ironically their full power and grace has never been captured on record = live in the small confines of NYC's Tonic was an incredible experience indeed - and for me I was lucky enough to see them twice (in 2000 & 2002)

although it will neve again happen, I think seeing the Nailed Quartet would be a highlight that even that for the prospect fo witnessing it would be more exciting for me than any other small band.

Don Byron used to make good records last one I heard was the quartet date with Dejohnette, I think - I sold it or traded it in soon after I bought it - and I hated the silly retro music - was it called Bug Music or something like that? just horrendous awful - a real snoozefest he also used to play a great baritone sax - his playing on Gerry Hemingway's tremendous 1989 quintet recording "Special Detail" is nothing short of amazing

besides all of the above, I really like a more recent disc (without Jarman) "Coming Home Jamaica" make sure you get the most recent issue which includes a couple of strong extra Roscoe Mitchell tunes a very blusey date with excellent sound (much better audio fidelity than the ECMs with Moye sounding as good ar better than any other AEOC disc I've heard. And Lester and Roscoe are in prime form - the band stays pretty straight and narrow for them - a real good one start to finish with one caveat - the first two tracks are probably the best things on the record - so there is a slight sense of mild dissapointent that they don't quite reach those heights besides the added longer Mitchell piece.

clementine mentioned another one of his great records - At The Vortex - The Rwo Seasons is in the same vein - Evan is in his "free jazz mode" other good starting points (my taste run towsrda his tenor playing - although I also like the soprano stuff - much of it is the amazing circular breathing stuff - and this playing adapts itself more to abstract less jazz like forms or solo playing (not that there's anything wrong with that. Elf Bagatellen - Schilippenbach Trio - a rare studio recording from the great trio with Paul Lovesna & Parker - from 1991 on FMP Most Materiall - duo with Eddie Prevost - many people count this as one their favorite Parker recordings - 2 CD set on matchless from 1997 - as stunning and as accomplished as Coltrane's classic Interstellar Space. There is not another saxophone player alive who is worthy of the comparison The Ayes Have It - emenen - 2 sessions, single CD - 1983 with Paul Rogers and Jamie Muir - Muir is outrageously good here - 1991 session with Wolter Wierbos, Paul Rogers & Mark Sanders - this one is full bore and features the wonderful trombonist in an more aggresive and excitable mood - as with The Two Season, Mark Sanders lights buildings on FIRE - the man is a relentless groove machine

Evan Parker - 90% tenor John Edwards - bass Mark Sanders - drums 2 CD'd - about an hour and a half of bliss my record of the year from a few years ago 5 stars

this one has been on my "to get" list for some time

Al: excellent review - you put my thoughts about the recording into your words!

Martin Kuchen: ss, as, ts - composed all the tunes Tomas Hallonsten - trumpet Benjamin Quigley - bass

not intended to offend - David asked me to give it a shot - I almost picked The Ganelin Trio - so you guys can relax I presume the trumpter has heard Feza - my experience is that musicians who are playing music like this would have naturally had an interest in bands like the Brotherhood of Breath and other great composing/inprovising ensembles of the past 20-30 tears - and Feza's playing comes right to the fore when listeneing to MacGregor's big band plus the trumpeter leans more towards his manner than, let's say, Don Cherry maybe it's my ears telling me this, who knows??

on ayler records bop on speed maybe - very alive playing by the quartet - Ornette like instrumentation - trumpet, sax, bass, drums - recorded 5/27/2002 was only familiar with the drummer - same dude from the great AALY Trio - Kjell Nordeson - and he drives this band like a locomotive - make that a bullet train - both horn players are fine - but still finding their voice - but they are hardly stuck in the rut that many of today's american mainstream trumpeters find themselves in - these guys have heard Lee Morgan *and* Mongezi Feza plus although it is mostly theme-solos-theme - there is quite a bit of change-ups and the interplay of the horns is a pleasure - as an exmaple - during the bass solo during the great second track Quoting Frippe (what's the name of the bass player?) - the horn players comment with written and improvised sections during thr bass solo - so I guess it ain't even a solo - what it is is a surprise - isn't that what jazz is supposed to be? this one lives and breaths will be enjoyed by anyone who either still loves jazz - or by anyone who might be afraid of total abandonment 4 stars fine sound as you would expect from Jan Strom's crew