Steve Reynolds

Was VERY fortunate to see Andrew Hill and his group back in 1999 or 2000 about the time Dusk was released. With old friends from Jazz Corner/Jazz Central Station. The band included Chris Potter, Ron Horton, Scott Colley & Billy Drummond. it was a spectacular set at The Knitting Factory. I remember that Potter was outrageous as was Drummond IIRC RIP, Sisco peace and blessings

Astral Plane Crash is wonderful Vinny Golia’s Regards for Norma Desmond is one I think of as I’ve considered buying it for 20 years!!

Second listen to the both of these. As good as this sort of thing gets, IMO I probably prefer the trio set due to Mazur. Plus if I have to hear anyone play the sopranino saxophone it would have to be Kuchen. I’m usually not as attuned today the higher pitched saxes as some might be but his excursions on this horn are very exciting to my ears. He only plays sopranino on the trio release. Alto & tenor on the release with quartet (or trio plus if you will)

I expect that show gets released in the next year or two along with 3/30/73 many people were surprised they went with 3/24/73 over this show last year It has a great set list including an opening China>Rider which is very unusual - includes Bird Song, Playing & Dark Star. There has been only one show from 1973 released with a Bird Song (6/22/73 from the Pacific Northwest box) and both 3/16 & 3/30/73 include versions of the Garcia/Hunter classic. Later 1980’s & 90’s versions do not compare to the great late 72 & 73 versions. Plus we need 2/23/74 released which includes the last pre-hiatus and only 1974 version. how much about the show do you remember?

Usually it’s been 3 out of 4 winners. I expect a great show for Dave's 36. This year Dave's 33 was a great 10/29/77 show, Dave’s 34 was an even better 6/23/74 show with amazing bonus material from 6/22/74 on the bonus disc. The 4/20/84 show released as Dave's 35 was good for almost one listen but the other 3 releases more than make up for it. last year was also great: Dave’s 29: 2/26/77 - one of the best shows of the year - I like it better than the famous May 77 shows Dave’s 30 - see above Dave’s 31 - 12/3/79 - like the 1984 show - lousy cassette based sound and a so so show Dave’s 32 - 3/24/73 - great show

There are quite a few - probably the only thing holding back the end of the year Boston Tea Party shows are a missing Owsley reel on one of the shows. Still expect some of this late 69 stuff coming out over the next couple of years. A good amount was recorded by Owsley on reel to reel. Some don’t love his recordings but I think they are tremendous despite the odd stereo that he recorded the music with - with vocals primarily on one channel. I also LOVE the metallic sound he got from the guitars, the ultra crisp sound of the dual drums (MUCH more to my liking than the post-hiatus sound of the dual drummers although the 76-78 Betty Boards are of course spectacular). Very glad we got 1/2 & 1/3/70 via Dave's 30. Very strong release - maybe especially the 1/3/70 stuff on the bonus disc. Great Owsley Stanley reel to reel recordings.

Yes no matter what they think. Add professional athletes to the top of that list.

I’ve told this story before On my first visit (one of only a few) to the Jazz Standard I think in 2009 to see Bobby Bradford with his group including David Murray, Marty Ehrlich, Mark Dresser & Andrew Cyrille, Stanley took one of the last seats sitting directly across from me at one of the small front tables on the left. I think he was there as he had a relationship with Murray and/or Bradford. I had never seen him before or since at any of the hundreds of shows I’ve attended in NYC I’ve the years which is very much not surprising. He had long since stopped listening to anything outside of what he deemed meaningful. As we know he spent decades demeaning music that he had stopped listening to and therefore had no idea of the new music being played since the early to mid 80’s. As the band played he seemed more interested in his dinner (but who knows) but when Ehrlich & Dresser engages in what was pretty easily the most “out“ and by a margin the most exciting and engaging playing of the set - with all due respect to Bradford who played very well that night - I thought Stanley was gonna strain his neck turning to hear who was playing the most magnificent b-flat clarinet and double bass he had probably heard in 20 years. and although I was thinking of engaging with him after the set, I smartly decided to go on my way my friends often encourage me not to speak poorly of the dead so I will now move on here as well.... Comin’ On, baby

Two of the somewhat recent Fundacja SLUCHAJ releases with Martin Kuchen sound amazing on first listen Noobject with Rafal Mazur & Vasco Trilla Sumpflegende with Ferran Faces, Alex Reviriego & Vasco Trilla the former is a bit more typical free jazz like - the inclusion of the great Rafal Mazur takes it to a high level. Kuchen is great as always.

I agree with your comments regarding Evans. He is lacking in self editing and restraint. He is awesome as a foil to a saxophonist like Amado or Parker. the playing on the Muthspiel is fine (I feel the same way about the other 4 band members) but the music is not anywhere near my point(s) of interest. Too much restraint, maybe

sad reality is the great little small rooms that I’ve been watching and hearing the greatest improvising musicians play in over the past 25 years or so will be very last places that can safely open. Just a matter of fact. my dream remains that this happens - hopefully within a year or so I miss the musicians and their shows as much as food and water on some days - of course it is just a feeling but my heart goes out to all of the mad geniuses that I’ve NEVER taken for granted in being blessed to be able to witness. Many of these sets of music have been highlights of my adult life. Experiences beyond the realm of beauty and wonder. I could mention dozens of concerts over the years that were musically life altering experiences including the last few I attended this past January through March 2nd this year. so yes I miss it madly and I’m pretty damn sure the musicians miss it much much more than that - so when it’s safe there will be some rooms to see and hear Mat, Randy & Tony among many others because as much as I miss all my musical heroes playing in those great small rooms in NYC, the three I miss more than any of the others are Mat Maneri, Randy Peterson & Tony Malaby. Not just because at their peaks they’ve excited and moved me beyond words maybe more than any of the multitude of improvising masters, but because of their wonderous spirits and their love of the music and and their love of the dedicated listeners and their fellow musical warriors. Get Ready to Receive Yourself

I’ve only heard bits & pieces but I’m much more interested in other more abstract modern day trumpeters like Susana Santos Silva, Nate Wooley, Axel Doerner, Taylor Ho Bynum, Peter Evans, Josh Berman, Kirk Knuffke, Stephen Haynes, Purcy Pursglove or even the great 80 year old Joe McPhee on his pocket trumpet. Not sure what all the buzz is all about exactly... Standing on a Whale Fishing for Minnows

2/18/71 show is a 16 track live recording - only the 5 minute “Beautiful Jam” from the Dark Star has been previously released.

I agree with Allen & Chuck

Streaming On Tidal: Fracture Mechanics right in my wheelhouse for this sort of stuff. Some quieter portions but no limits on wildness while still having a measured approach with restraint which gives much of this ultra abstract improvised music such power and tensile qualities. Martin Kuchen adapts well to this type of music and anything I’ve heard with Burkhard Beins has been worth hearing.

Digging in to the Astral Spirits catalogue too bad about the cassette & vinyl only as I’ll be buying up almost all the CD releases. Starting with my first listen to Interpersonal Subjectivities this AM also have the wondrous 2 CD set with our own Alexander Hawkins, Watts, Moholo-Moholo & also our very own Karl Evangelista plus I received the trio with Brandon Seabrook, Cooper-Moore & Gerald Cleaver - plus they sent me a bonus - a quartet that includes Daniel Carter, Brandon Lopez & Marc Edwards - led by Colin Fisher - not familiar with him - might be a bit too straight free jazz for my sweet spot - but a nice gift and Lopez is a favorite younger bassist who I’ve seen live a few times over the past few years and he’s marvelous. He’s almost 40 but still a bit younger than many. Glad this label is featuring all sorts of known and unknown to me musicians the first Above sounding as exciting as this sort of stuff gets - guitar, tenor & drums - one of my favorite combinations of instrumentation when there is a good guitarist. This Tetuzi Akiyama sounds like my type of abstract layer making dude that I love. very impressed with Nicolas Field on drums and Gregor Vidic is an understated yet powerful force on tenor. Very excited to revisit this often.

Some of the seemingly odd Relative Pitch releases are the best. Top of the list for me is Bind the Hands that Feed with Michael Foster, Katherine Young & Michael Zerang. The one with Thollem Electric & Rob Mazurek is also great. The catalogue is strong throughout - but I can do without the excess of Ingrid/Tom duos. even the straighter free jazz stuff is not quite in the center and you might like most of it more than you think you will. Kevin Reilly has good ears.

Thanks I’m a sure yes on the first one with Lazro & Zingaro & the second with Ninh - he’s extraordinary. I do like austere stuff so I’ll probably investigate some of the more recent releases as well. there is an excellent recent release with Ninh on relative pitch that you might be interested in. That local NYC label has some releases that would be of interest to you.

Thanks for this. Some very enticing looking recordings. Any BIG favorites you would recommend? I’ve been aware of the label for years and I might have 1 or 2 discs that were sent to me years ago but I’ve not investigated their catalogue. no doubt I’ll be placing an order some time next month for a few of these titles

Plus it’s got Han Bennink on it. One of the greatest drummers alive then and now and in between.

Pre-ordered

Thanks no wonder I liked the first track so much!! When I’m streaming I don’t have my CD case to reference. In any event he sounds great as does the band

Streaming “The Fantastic Mrs. 10“ which is the newest on Intakt with Ryan Ferreira on electric guitar. Opening 12 minute title track hit me as hard as any Berne or Berne/Snakeoil piece maybe ever has. Fairly typical Berne type intro with those very long lines. The greatness of the piece was the mid-section (with Ferreira to the fore) where the music morphs into abstraction - and then organically comes back to the compositional materials. Not an unusual methodology of course but how it was done was wondrous. second 11:30 piece doesn’t seem to have the guitar - but now here it is....Sorry Colin....also this piece turns into seeming nothingness (which for my ears is by far the best aspect / I’d like to hear the band play a set of free improvisations but I’d almost always prefer that to notated music) let’s see what happens. Pretty great stuff. Listeners familiar with the group know his great Mitchell, Noriega & Smith are. Berne is Berne, of course but he’s never been intimidated by hiring or playing with more complete or advance improvisors. Surely both Mitchell & Smith are in the virtuoso category and Noriega is a subtle and captivating player. That being said Berne’s playing in this track is incendiary.

I’m adding Art Ensemble’s Early Combinations to my next order. It’s Prime at a regular price so now I will have more of the material from the original box set. I’m a huge fan of Old/Quartet. It’s become one of my favorite recordings of this era. Stunning precision & fire which is a very rare thing. Plus Philip Wilson. good to the one I’m ordering has some early Thurman Barker

I’ll check him out / anyone playing with Toyozumi has my attention as did the clip posted above. I’m in a free jazz saxophone mode lately so it seems Countryman will fit right in.