Steve Reynolds

Fantastic conversation. Thanks so much for posting this.

Saw one of his new groups 2 weeks ago. Wonderful. Often these complex compositions interspersed with improv is not my thing but Mitchell is very talented. Bought his last two group recordings at the concert and they are in the Q.

Awesome news for the *great* Mary Halvorson

I’ll miss him. I’ve been sad all week since hearing this. I’m sure he would have been at the show I’m going to tonight. We had a nice rapport and he treated my wife like a princess when she came to shows with me. She referred to him as the Mayor.

Matt Mitchell’s group - I’m 99% sure this is a first time playing together ensemble. About a month ago, Jon Irabagon was listed as being included on saxophone. I’m not upset he’s been dropped as I’m still not on board to what he’s doing despite his obvious virtuosic abilities. That being said: Mitchell on piano & compositions Brandon Seabrook on electric guitar Ben Gerstein on trombone Mat Maneri on viola Kate Gentile on drums Gentile is new to me and I’ve been almost a year without seeing my favorite of all-favorites, the brilliant Mat Maneri show is @ 8:30 @ The Stone at New School’s Glass Box Theatre, 55 West 13th Street near 6th Avenue

Me too. Only quibble is not quite enough low brass and not enough Ben Gerstein that will be remedied tomorrow night as Gerstein will be in Matt Mitchell’s group I’m seeing @ The Stone. I havn’t seen him play in maybe two years, I think. Great expressive very unique trombonist.

Back to the thread topic - here are some/most of my most recent buys: Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity Live in Europe 3 CD set - trio on the first disc, augmented by others on discs 2 & 3 I normality avoid Clean Feed but reviews on this were strong. In the Que by this weekend Anthony Braxton Quartet (New Haven) 2014 - 4 CD set with Taylor Ho Bynum, Nels Cline & Greg Saunier Momentum 3: quartet of small form improvisation on Leo records Fire! Trio plus Jim O’Rourke: Unreleased? ingrid Laubrock: Ubatuba Pere Ubu: The Long Goodbye

listening today to “The Early Bird Gets” which is Rempis with Brandon Lopez & Ryan Packard. This is the trio I saw this summer. Recorded mostly on March 2nd, 2018 @ Elastic - last track June 28th, 2018. honestly this performance is a bit stronger than when I saw them live which doesn’t happen much to me. Usually I might tend to be overly impressed with an up-close viewing/hearing of a great improvising group. Maybe a couple of you Chicago guys saw one or both of these shows. Great new trio of Dave's.

Fwiw we had a similar discussion on the old JCS board regarding KV back some 18 to 20 years ago. I know it became clear to me as a newish listener to freeish jazz that Vandermark was not in the same league as an improvisor as people like Evan Parker, Joe McPhee, Brotzmann, Gustafsson, Paul Dunmall, Fred Anderson, Mark Whitecage, etc. Glad we are having this discussion. I remember somewhere Vandermark stating (not even paraphrasing as it’s foggy in my mind) that standing next to Mats & Peter could make him feel unworthy. Yet of course both of those 2 clearly great or arguably historically great players deemed Vandermark worthy to release multiple recordings of them as a trio called Sonore. Of course in my view the strength of KV’s playing in that context are the riffing which seem to work as a glue to the music. Surely by now Ken’s playing has advanced but also it is in some ways very similar to what it was 20-25 years ago. Plus now we have a whole new generation of exciting saxophonists/reed players like Rempis, Keefe Jackson & Greg Ward (among others from Chicago - and many I’ve become much more familiar with in NYC being that I’ve lived nearby. Ingrid Laubrock, Ellery Eskelin, Tony Malaby, Briggan Krauss, Josh Sinton, Darius Jones, Rob Brown are just a few of the now well seasoned brilliant players who to my ears are also clearly greater players than Vandermark. Doesn’t mean he’s not worth listening to him - and I listen to his music quite often. It just means quite a few play free/creative saxophone at a very high level. Of course *I* view McPhee as another one of the historically great players - on any of his saxophones (especially on tenor) and also magical on that little pocket trumpet he plays.

I’ve heard this before. He’s not my favorite reed player by a long shot but I think you are selling his compositional abilities with a large ensemble short. I know you’ve seen and heard them. I also know once I get a fixed idea about what’s what I have a hard time letting it go. I still can go where you are when I hear KV in the same group as Rempis or Gustafsson or maybe especially with Brotzmann. I try to focus on his strengths rather than his weaknesses which are tone (especially on either of the clarinets he plays) and his lack of flexibility on the tenor. I still get a charge out of his riff based playing - especially on the baritone - but I may be a minority in that view.

He’s always a highlight in the many terrific Vandermark large ensemble recordings.

I’m filling the holes as well. I’m veer towards the groups with drummers. The two drummer group with a Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten is one of my favorites. I saw Dave in a trio with Brandon Lopez & Ryan Packard this past summer. Excellent set and the recording is also very good.

Don’t miss #20, the trio with Tashi Dorji & Tyler Damon

Which ones? I’m debating on the 2 newest releases. I love the original quartet record with Wooley, Niggenkemper & Corsano. I’m sure I’ll get that new one from that group.

Best 79 show I’ve heard. Great reel-to-reel soundboard. Great yet short first set with a stunning opening Sugaree and a long sweet Row Jimmy. Maybe the best post-Keith Terrapin>Playing in the Band I’ve heard.

Maybe this is for me but here are some upcoming highlights as it seems to be an especially vibrant time here near NYC as far as music from the edge is concerned details to be found on the websites for the venues - these are easy to find. Matt Mitchell’s week at The Stone next week - look especially at 9/18, 9/20 & 9/21. My plan is 9/18 with Mat Maneri, Ben Gerstein, Brandon Seabrook & Kate Gentile Fred Frith’s week at The Stone starting 9/24 - with his great young trio with added guests. My plan is 9/26 with his trio augmented with Lotte Anker on saxophones great improv concert on 9/19 with Anker, Craig Taborn & Gerald Cleaver - 244 Rehearsal Studios Ingrid Laubrock’s Sextet at Jazz Standard on 9/23 with Brandon Seabrook, Mazz Swift, Tomeka Reid, Michael Formanek & Tom Rainey - 2 sets - I REALLY want to see this group but I just can’t swing it. Just announced two sets with Mat Maneri at Jazz Standard with following: 7:30: with Lucian Ban, Brad Jones & Randy Peterson 9:30: with BOTH Craig Taborn & Matt Shipp!!!, Joe Morris, Tanya Kalmanovich & Tony Malaby Then among highlights next month Assif Tsahar is here from Israel at The Stone starting on 10/22 and he has a trio with Cooper-Moore & Chad Taylor on 10/22, a trio with Mat Maneri & Ches Smith on 10/23 (I’m there), a saxophone quartet on 10/24, then 2 nights, Friday & Saturday 10/25 & 10/26 with William Parker & Hamid Drake. Wowza - maybe I can make both night but at least one.

Let me try and see what the total is. Right now the currency exchange not working so good. YES - if you see my order for TWO copies of the brand new one, please replace one of those with the first CD from your trio.

Having trouble finding it at Squidco. I really want to get both of these recordings. love Delius & Sanders. I’m not as familiar with your playing, Olie.

Thankfully for all of them - they are all busy and all are still very productive.

Me

Thanks for this Larry I always appreciate your commentary on live musical events too bad Rempis (or you?) were not 100%. I’m also a big follower of his roof shaking saxophone playing. I was able to see him this past summer in NYC with a trio with Brandon Lopez & Ryan Packard and he was in strong voice.

But he is an original like Bailey was:) Look for Proton Pump with Sakata. With Corsano ripping it up plus Satoh on piano. Amazing recording

Thanks so much for the commentary. Sounds like a wonderful festival.

I’ve spent a lot of listening time with Tensegrity. As much time as any other new music since it’s release a couple of years back. It’s a bit overwhelming as although it is “only” 4 CD’s, each is of ‘old school’ CD length - I think often over 70 minutes - and the music is often dense, intense and demands one’s full attention. But what I did is that I kept listening to 20 or 30 minute pieces/segments. Then I became fascinated with some of the individual musicians like Ben Dwyer on ‘classical’ guitar. By the second box, Dwyer was now playing as a fearless improvisor with duet or small groupings. Like a modern day Derek Bailey only from a different world. The new 5 CD box, Intensegrity is maybe even more daunting as the 5th disc is a long full ensemble Guy composed and improvised suite. I’ve deliberately not yet listened as I’ve been busy going through the other 4 discs multiple times. I’ve probably listened to each disc 3 times but I’m kind of obsessed with disc 4 - which is where Lucas Niggli first appears and as great as Ramon Lopez is, Lucas elevates some is these small formation improvisations to places I’ve yet to encounter in music. That being said, there is music within these discs (as with Tensegrity) that also break into realms that open new places in my mind. I love both of the Mad Dogs boxes with the members of the New Orchestra but the Blue Shroud Band is truly a ‘New’ Orchestra. Adding these younger and thoroughly unknown to free jazz or jazz listeners, people like Ben Dwyer, Fanny Paucoud, Julius Gabriel, Torben Snekkstad, Michael Nieseman & the insanely amazing vocalist Savina Yannatou turns this music into something completely new and unique. Plus having the *great* Michel Godard on tuba & serpent often raises the excitement level to the stratosphere.

Pursglove is amazing on the Guy Intensegrity Box Set