Steve Reynolds

Search out any or all 3: The Flame Alphabet Searching for Adam This is Our Language former features local cellist and drummer with Jeb Bishop as Amado's foil, middle recording features NYC dudes Taylor Ho Bynum(or maybe from a little north of the city - not sure), John Hebert & Gerald Cleaver with the great drummer as powerful as I've ever heard him - on record or even live the newest - last on the list - I've only listened to twice and it has a shot to be comparable to these other awesome records. Initial highlight is Joe McPhee - rhythm team is Kessler & Corsano Amado's style or language is very unique in that it is essentially groove based free jazz inprovisations that eschew the more detailed small improv *and* free jazz blowout screaming escatic style. No sheet music here and always focused group improvisation often with both horns in play simultaneously these 3 recordings are the works of a major tenor (sometimes baritone) saxophonists recorded with sympathetic world class musicians - all recordings are edited to somewhat short lengths - both The Flame Alphabet & This is Our Language have LP running time (low 40 minutes or so) so there is little or no filler. Not a track on any of these records I'm ever thinking of skipping plus the sound quality on all three of these is as good or better as anything I own. For the audiophiles here, I say try The Flame Alphabet first - hard choice as the sound that Cleaver makes on that record is like he is in the room. The only label I've heard that makes current recordings that sound this good are Nessa and maybe Hat Art (when they made a few more new recordings!)

Dick's Picks 16 from 11/8/69 contains continuous 90 minute playing covering most of discs 2 & 3. Despite not optimum sound for Garcia's guitar, this is mostly beastly primo primal Dead in peak awe inspiring power improv mode

Thought of our friend Clifford when these fucking guys play a suite selected from Skies of America with no rehearsal with only a 10 minute set-up by Josh Sinton and some charts. 50 minutes later I'm dumbfounded. Heard the piece 20 something years ago. This thing last night if it was released would bend the 2-3 minds that should be kicking themselves for not being in front of the maelstrom. 2 drummer back line awe-inspiring despite maybe never having played besides each other - how's that work?!?!? lots of winners all round but that new guy tenor dude from the first band is a real voice, Sinton is always immense, but Nate Wooley and Darius Jones take the cake - they oughtta be - well you know.... wow - why I sometimes take the rush hour 2 hour drive to Brooklyn on a weekday Giants Walk This Earth

Very sad. My wife befriended or reconnected with his wife a couple of years back - a wonderful woman who was a childhood friend. I therefore heard second hand the awful reality of the repercussions of his 2011 stroke. RIP

Combination of Dark Star>Sugar Magnolia>Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks) from 4/8/72 @ Wembley Pool, London now *this* is the sequence of all sequences for the naysayers of The Grateful Dead energy level through the roof

Excellent in/out quartet at Cornelia Street Cafe featuring Ellery Eskelin & Eric McPherson on 4/22. Plus the bassist Stephan Crump is excellent / not familiar with the trumpeter Plus I'm going to an amazing show on 4/21 in Brooklyn @ Threes Brewing 2 bands playing Ornette music featuring a quartet with Darius Jones, Nate Wooley, Trevor Dunn & Ryan Sawyer and a quintet featuring Josh Sinton. Been wanting to see the above quartet for a while - awesome alto/trumpet tandem with what looks like should be a destructive bass/drum team 3rd set combines the 2 for a Nonet who will play some of Skies of America

Lots of incredible stuff but the choice is the second 16+ minute track from "Hotel Grief" - unexplainable and uncategorizable

One never knows what be real..... maybe one day my new minion Kate might take a visit to NYC this August and experience a tired,decrepit, dying sub-genre of music known as free jazz with losers has beens/never weres like Joe McPhee, William Parker, Joe Morris, Tony Malaby, Hamid Drake, Gerald Cleaver, Taylor Ho Bynum, Mat Maneri all playing within 4 days of each other with a few sets that have the double drumming pair of the above Cleaver and Drake!!!! All available from a few feet away..... not sure about 83-84 Dead though.....???

Grateful Dead: Viola Lee Blues 5/2/70

Been listening to much Dead lately with an emphasis on many different Dark Stars from 68 through 74. I have the bug?

Black Saint is one of the many of mine that disappeared!!

Say hi to Tony from Steve Reynolds from Wayne, NJ if you can?

Speaking of "The Flam", my copy missing for about ten years. An all-time game changing recording for me. Makes all other Frank Lowe recordings secondary and non-essential compared to his masterpiece.

3 big ones off the top of my head this morning: Peter Brotzmann Die Like a Dog Quartet: Little Birds Have Fast Hearts, volume 1 Anthony Braxton Quartet: Dortmund 1976 John Law Quartet: Exploded on Impact many more lost or especially sold back in 2003-4 will get them all back one day - takes time as I am continually listening to new music to these ears

Trying to post a couple of pictures? And yes it was awesome. As good as music gets for me. Craig Taborn is a marvel, Ches Smith is masterful and the *great* Mat Maneri makes the whole thing gel. Standing ovation which is not an every day thing around these parts. Big crowd - full room. Intense 75 minute set. Front row center. Lady next to me almost fainted a few times when the sound was more than a bit elevated.

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Tomorrow night @ Rubin Museum of Art in NYC @ 7:00 Ches Smith Trio with Craig Taborn & Mat Maneri

Sorry to get any hopes up. Mine were dashed when I opened up the thread I found and NO LISTING appeared for NYC I rarely travel but I sure am trying to figure out a way to have a business trip to Louisville, KY on May 13th!!!

Oops - I should be more careful. In any event, great opportunity if one is near Austin!!

Above tour in May includes Jason Adasiewicz filling out the quartet maybe I can make a trip to Montreal or Louusville or Chicago - not likely look it up - band in Austin, Dallas, LA, SF, Portland, Detroit and a couple of other stops - well worth it / see above from Ubu!!! I need another Brotzmann experience and I need to see Edwards/Noble one of these days. I don't think either the great bassist or the extraordinary has ever been to NYC - not sure if they ever have been stateside until this upcoming short tour

Leaning towards the Nonet note that Peter Brotzmann touring with the quartet including Edwards & Noble closest show to me Montreal - 327 miles away. Oh to see this band - disappointed no NYC stop?

All mad props to Sir Ubu what this board should have more of are experiences and posts like the above next show this upcoming Sunday night March 20th / choice between: Tomeka Reid quartet with Mary Halvorson, Jason Roebke & Tomas Fujiwara at I-Beam in Brooklyn plus: the band!!!! Want to see them live very badly!! minus: Brooklyn - maybe only 1 set as it simply lists 8:30 OR: Angelica Sanchez Nonet at The Stone in Manhatten plus: 2 sets!!! with Thomas Heberer AND Kirk Knuffke on trumpets and what looks like a fine band including Michael Attias, Chris Speed and John Hebert minus: I don't know the drummer, no low brass and especially the fact that the other band (above) is playing the same night I've finally carved out for a show - first since February 20th!!! Help me Rhonda!!!

I thought I saw a man named Hamid Drake Noble, Drake and Bennink pictures incredible priceless experience, I'm sure I need to be able to explain this to my wonderful wife

Any comments, pictures, reviews???