Steve Reynolds

Second listen reveals even more wonder. Most importantly I started to not listen to who is playing what. Wow.

Saw them at the Old Stone and they were marvelous

Hope Baker has his awesome electronic set-up on this one

And he’s a bore

RIP to a fine musician - Clifford and I were at a show in early 2018 I think with that great quartet called The Nu Band with Mark, Thomas Heberer, Joe Fonda & Lou Grassi. Great set. I saw him play a couple of decades before at an early Vision Fest when he was with Michael Jefry Stevens on piano I think and again with Joe Fonda on bass - can’t remember the drummer. His sound and approach seemed to have a timeless quality and a real purity on the alto.

Very grateful that the *great* Peter Brotzmann still walks this earth among the most 4-5 most influential musicians in my listening life. His playing has only added depth in my experience as I’ve aged and as he’s aged. So much more *there* than what many on the periphery of thinking they know what is what think. long live BROETZMANN the disbanded Tentet remains THE band for me.

RIP, sir I loved those quartet dates with David Murray - and the Fo’Tet records

Red Trio 10 year Anniversary with Celebration band will be a recording I will return to often. Much to hear here with many of my favorite lesser known and somewhat well known musicians on hand for the concert/recording. Love having Butcher & Amado with the lesser known trumpeters. Plus all the additional string players make subtle yet intriguing additions to the music. Something new yet gracious and traditional in this EFI and small form improv influenced music. Restraint and control with appearances of high energy happening when it was meant to happen. glorious first listen the last 2 days.

Only listened to the one with Bailey. It’s incredible. It’s got the Mark Sanders peak dynamic drumming that made me fall in love with him many years ago. The mix of the other odd instruments is sublime and creates drones organically (I hate using that term but I couldn’t think of any other way to describe it). It’s shocking that this music is 16+ years old. Sounds more like the best stuff that’s been recorded over the past 5 years or so on Relative Pitch, Fundacja & Astral Spirits. I guess Bailey’s legacy is strong.

Bruised with Derek Bailey - 3 long improvs - stunning abstract stuff - right in my wheelhouse I stepped on a Bee (trio with Sunny) has Bevan only on tenor while The Gearbox Explodes has a bunch of bass sax - so get the latter which is a live date with more extended playing

Not all recent but the batch of Tony Bevan CD’s I received recently are uniformly fantastic. Two trios with John Edwards & Sunny Murray - and two Bruise group improv recordings - one with Derek Bailey and one without. Love his playing - especially on the bass saxophone.

Listening to Flat-Out Jump Suite for the first time in years to open my ears to dig into the box set

Yeah - all of it The emotion he had when he finally was able to get behind the drum set to play with Andrew. He would not be denied and he said no matter what he was going to do it for Andrew on Mr. Cyrille’s special night. He was glowing when I said hello to him like he was truly blessed to have a few of us appreciate him. and the film, wow stuff no paradigm for Milford Graves

Ugh so glad to see him years ago with William Parker & Peter Brotzmann - maybe 1999 or 2000. They were blazing. Milford was roaring doing what he did with his homemade wondrous drum set. Somewhere down town NY - maybe CBGB’s basement?!?! Even more grateful to see him on June 12, 2019 @ Vision Fest when he willed himself to get there - and then to get on stage and play what must have been his last concert - a duo with Andrew Cyrille. I made it a point to say hello and thank him for being him. RIP, sir and now thinking of Uli:)

And Tidal

Just ordered the 2 CD set Red Trio plus guests - 10 year celebration I have a few (not enough - under 20) of their CD’s and they are uniformly challenging, musically exciting and wonderfully produced.

No Neuringer on it:( But he translated Mazur’s short liner notes! saving the 4th disc which is a quintet with Fujii, Gregario, Tamara & Ramon Lopez on drums

Fwiw the Rafal Mazur box is wondrous. Duets with Gregario & Majewski hit the spot for me. so far none of the Astral Spirits have let me down - maybe my favorite is Zoning with Nick Fraser, Kris Davis & Tony Malaby (with Ingrid Laubrock & Lina Allemano guesting on 3 tracks). It’s short like an old school LP and the tunes are hidden and the improvising is focused and powerful. Malaby’s soprano playing continues to astound. Ingrid is a great foil on her 3 tracks (she’s on tenor).

Saw this group 3-4 years ago and it was wonderful. Charles Downs was sublime.

I was at the 3/3 show - the last live show I attended before the pandemic pretty great - 2 hours and 20 minute set with no breaks - the young saxophonists are not fully formed but overall a fine performance. Sorey as a drummer is spectacular from any perspective. When I saw him twice in a quartet with Evan Parker, John Hebert and John Escreet he pushed the great saxophonist to great heights on the tenor during an amazing 75 minute set. I was close enough to touch Parker’s Sax if I chose to the second time I think in 2016 @ The Stone.

Too Many to Count

Set Up on Steeplechase is a beauty RIP, sir

I’m not even upset any longer that I haven’t received my 3 CD set I also assumed a painstakingly remastered/refined release with decent audio sources. Cuts due to having a Vinyl LP release and still charging $30 for the set?? I’ll never order from this company again

Really in 1967 who else could have it possibly been?? fwiw I haven’t received my copy - I guess I should have ordered from Amazon - would have been less expensive plus I would have my 3 CD set!!

Me too as I’m most interested in those small groups with drummers from the late 70’s through the mid 80’s. Anything with Philip Wilson & Abdul Wadud, please.