Funny Rat

[Guest Chaney]

nice, I'd go check that out too. Lucio and Axel have a duo CD in the works on the Slovenian label l'innomable, nice stuff. Boris and Serge have recently released a few things, including a duo disc on Charhizma and a trio disc on Absinth with Burkhard Beins that I have yet to hear, sadly.

I recently received the trio disk on Absinth. After one listen, interesting. I think I'll learn to like this one. (Also picked up on Absinth: Alessandro Bosetti / Michel Doneda: Breath On The Floor; Axel Dorner / Robin Hayward: dörner/hayward duo; and Activity Center & Phil Minton. David commented favorably on the packaging of these. Really very nice, vinyl 45 size, stitched top and bottom. Pleasing to the eye and friendly to the touch.)

~~~~~~~~~~

Disappointing was:

Jon Mueller, Bhob Rainey & Jim Schoenecker

Wonderful is:

On Sedimental, can't recommend this one highly enough. Axel Doerner/Greg Kelley/Andrea Neumann/Bhob Rainey. For some odd reason, I'm reminded of Roscoe Mitchell's Snurdy McGurdy, and how on that release every sound seems to be essential and inevitable. Same here. Constantly changing but always sounding right. Nice sound on this disk, with a very wide and deep sound stage. Your system will be given a good workout, with some of the low tones generated by Dorner on computer(?). Also of note: none of those eardrum-piercing electronic shrieks all too common with eai, at least in my limited experience.

"There are any number of fine, dark passages, as when Doerner (on laptop) lays down a low rumble, with Kelley finding softly popping sounds and Neumann delicately plucking her innenklavier. It’s as moody, atmospheric and cinematic an effect as you’re likely to find in this area of music. The entire piece undulates with an eely naturalness that sustains strong dramatic tension even as one wants to concentrate on the pure sounds. Very effective. The second, longest, track picks up where the previous one left off, slowly developing a furious maelstrom of wind, breath and screams. Here, as occasionally elsewhere, Rainey allows his soprano to roam into relatively recognizable territory and it works quite well.There’s a marvelous moment, beginning about 15 minutes in, where Neumann (I’m guessing—perhaps Doerner on laptop), initiates a vast, downward-moving throb of sound. Accompanied by staticky detritus and quietly moaning horns, the effect is stunning, swerving into an area as unexpected as it is lusciously verdant."

-B. Olenwick, Bagatellen

Wonderful stuff. Anyone else have this one?

~~~~~~~~~~

Anyone know anything of the current fiscal health of A Bruit Secret?

Edited May 29, 2006 by Chaney

[gnhrtg]

Wonderful is:

On Sedimental, can't recommend this one highly enough. Axel Doerner/Greg Kelley/Andrea Neumann/Bhob Rainey. For some odd reason, I'm reminded of Roscoe Mitchell's Snurdy McGurdy, and how on that release every sound seems to be essential and inevitable. Same here. Constantly changing but always sounding right. Nice sound on this disk, with a very wide and deep sound stage. Your system will be given a good workout, with some of the low tones generated by Dorner on computer(?). Also of note: none of those eardrum-piercing electronic shrieks all too common with eai, at least in my limited experience.

"There are any number of fine, dark passages, as when Doerner (on laptop) lays down a low rumble, with Kelley finding softly popping sounds and Neumann delicately plucking her innenklavier. It’s as moody, atmospheric and cinematic an effect as you’re likely to find in this area of music. The entire piece undulates with an eely naturalness that sustains strong dramatic tension even as one wants to concentrate on the pure sounds. Very effective. The second, longest, track picks up where the previous one left off, slowly developing a furious maelstrom of wind, breath and screams. Here, as occasionally elsewhere, Rainey allows his soprano to roam into relatively recognizable territory and it works quite well.There’s a marvelous moment, beginning about 15 minutes in, where Neumann (I’m guessing—perhaps Doerner on laptop), initiates a vast, downward-moving throb of sound. Accompanied by staticky detritus and quietly moaning horns, the effect is stunning, swerving into an area as unexpected as it is lusciously verdant."

-B. Olenwick, Bagatellen

Wonderful stuff. Anyone else have this one?

Yes, and it gets an enthusiastic recommendation from me as well.

[jon abbey]

A Bruit Secret: I believe Michel Henritzi announced a while back he was ceasing operations.

Thanks, Cash: I set up the NYC show for this quartet, which was just before 9/11 (they actually did a show that night, in Colorado). I don't think the horn-heavy lineup showcases the musicians very well, I personally prefer the nmperign duo as part of a trio, with Jason Lescalleet, Le Quan Ninh (amazing live trio) or Gunter Muller.

there's a new double CD on Intransitive from the trio of nmperign (Kelley/Rainey, in case anyone doesn't know) and Lescalleet, Love Me Two Times, a very ambitious statement I'm still trying to get my head around, but which is decidedly recommended nonetheless (if only for its ambition, something sadly lacking in most improvised music releases these days).

[Guest Chaney]

Nmperign

The Stylus Interview Series: Nmperign

~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~

Fascinating to watch this stuff. I would have guessed this to be partly electronic but, amazingly, it's all acoustic.

The Sealed Knot 1 The Sealed Knot 2

~~~~~~~~~~

The Unofficial Tod Dockstader Web Site -- Check out the Music tab.

~~~~~~~~~~

PRICES / SPECIAL SALE / JUNE 2006

During the whole month of June 2006, prices are :

Back catalogue single CDs at 12 euros.

The Contest of Pleasures's new release Albi Days (P205) remains at 15 euros.

Double CD is at 15 euros.

Above prices include postage worldwide.

Edited May 31, 2006 by Chaney

[John B]

Even with the free shipping I think Potlatch titles are less expensive through Erstwhile, unless you were just buying one disc.

I'm still making my way through the Georg Graewe discs I bought during Chuck's sale on Okka disks. Up now is the Anthony Braxton / Graewe - Duo (Amsterdam) 1991. Another excellent disc.

After that one I'll be spinning Evan Parker & Joe McPhee - Chicago Tenor Duets and Dave Rempis & Tim Daisy - Back to the Circle for the first time.

[.:.impossible]

I thought the Daisy/Rempis duets were very nice. Clean clean playing from both of them. Very focused and engaging throughout. I really enjoyed listening to the two of them together.

Of the Okkas I purchased this time around, I have listened to the Jeb Bishop Trio/Quartet album Afternoons the most. I especially like the ensemble sound of the quartet.

[Д.Д.]

After that one I'll be spinning Evan Parker & Joe McPhee - Chicago Tenor Duets and Dave Rempis & Tim Daisy - Back to the Circle for the first time.

I thought the Daisy/Rempis duets were very nice. Clean clean playing from both of them. Very focused and engaging throughout. I really enjoyed listening to the two of them together.

I am less than enamoured of Rempis playing - I found him thoroughly trite. Same for Daisy.

Evan Parker / Joe McPhee duo, on the other hand, is very impressive - some of the best recent Evan Parker playing on record - and McPhee is at least just as good here.

I still owe you a report on excellent Dörner/Capece concert - some time later.

[gnhrtg]

As I've said a number of times, I really like the Parker/McPhee duo disc. I haven't heard the Daisy/Rempis disc but the couple of times I saw Daisy live, with the Vandermark 5, I didn't think he had sufficient control over what he was playing and, as a seperate matter, I didn't like what he was playing much. A host of musicians who hire or play with him seem to think otherwise, though, and I am happy to hear that he has since improved and is able to play clean.

Edited May 31, 2006 by gnhrtg

[Nate Dorward]

Yeah Daisy seems to me to be getting better--didn't like his work on Airports for Light much (esp. the "jazz" drumming), but subsequent releases & a couple of live concerts have convinced me he's doing interesting things. Though I still find his straight jazz drumming a little mechanical & antsy. The duo with Rempis is quite good, if not earthshattering.

The Evan Parker/Joe McPhee disc is great stuff. Never heard the trio with Daunik Lazro--how's it compare? Anyone?

[clifford_thornton]

Back to drummers: Anybody here familiar with Brit Paul Hession? Very much enjoy his work on the new Borah Bergman trio, with Lol Coxhill, as well as an old LP on Senti, The Real Case, with reedman Hans-Peter Hiby (whatever happened to...). Any other Hession recommendations?

[P.L.M]

Back to drummers: Anybody here familiar with Brit Paul Hession?

HESSION is mostly known for his association with SIMON H. FELL in different trio publish mostly by FELL 's label, BRUCE'S FINGERS.

Any other Hession recommendations?

- HESSION/ WILKINSON/ FELL: FOOM! FOOM!

- HESSION/ WHARF/ FELL: IMPROVABILILLY

- SOMETHING ELSE (BECK/ FELL/ HESSION): START MOVING EARBUDS

All on the BF label.

All excellent, particularly the first and the third.

[Guest Chaney]

And speaking of drummers, Jazz Loft has the following percussion disks on sale at $6.66 each:

Any opinions on these?

[Д.Д.]

And speaking of drummers, Jazz Loft has the following percussion disks on sale at $6.66 each:

Any opinions on these?

Tony, I have all of these. I remmebr liking them all a lot. I would not remmeber now which is which, but all really good stuff - and very different from each other.

In general, as with hatOLOGY, you would normally be safe buying any hat[now]ART stuff.

Edited June 1, 2006 by Д.Д.

[jon abbey]

I don't agree about Hatology, especially these days, but the Tenney and Hauser discs above are both very strong. I haven't heard the other two.

[B. Clugston]

And speaking of drummers, Jazz Loft has the following percussion disks on sale at $6.66 each:

Any opinions on these?

Labrynth is worth a listen--performances of Harrison's early works by a percussion ensemble.

[king ubu]

I don't agree about Hatology, especially these days, but the Tenney and Hauser discs above are both very strong. I haven't heard the other two.

Any particular discs you dislike? I think I might tend to agree with you, but I am not sure... I mean, to be honest, guys like Dave Liebman and Marc Copland are not the ones that grab my attention, and they did quite a number of discs for Uehlinger - but then when we interviewed him, one of the discs he gave us was Copland's "Time" solo recording, which contrary to my expectations, I like quite a bit.

[Д.Д.]

I don't agree about Hatology, especially these days, but the Tenney and Hauser discs above are both very strong. I haven't heard the other two.

Any particular discs you dislike? I think I might tend to agree with you, but I am not sure... I mean, to be honest, guys like Dave Liebman and Marc Copland are not the ones that grab my attention, and they did quite a number of discs for Uehlinger - but then when we interviewed him, one of the discs he gave us was Copland's "Time" solo recording, which contrary to my expectations, I like quite a bit.

True, I tend to forget about these ones. I have practically all the hatOLOGY releases up to #569 (released in 2002), and very few of the later ones (and the latest one is already #633!).

Anybody heard this Polweschel hatOLOGY disc, btw?

And Liebman I just can't stand.

Copeland is good, IMO (have his very tasteful solo on Sketch).

[Guest Chaney]

I was tempted to buy Bookends (hatOLOGY) during the recent Jazz Loft sale because of the presence of Copeland but just couldn't pull the trigger because of Liebman.

Copeland really is suh-weet on Sketch. (The Sketch label seems to ooze tastefulness.) (That meant in a good way.)

Edited June 2, 2006 by Chaney

[jon abbey]

yeah, most of the better Hatology releases seem to be reissues of earlier Hats, not that I've actually heard the bulk of them (largely going by reports and personnel). but the original Hat CD series 6001-6200 was a classic imprint, whereas the last few years, the label seems far less relevant.

I do like the Trapist disc (although I passed on releasing it on my own label in favor of doing the later Too Beautiful To Burn), and I haven't heard the new Polwechsel yet. the ErikM/Fennesz is in desperate need of some editing, it should be maybe a half hour shorter. even pending the Polwechsel (and the Efzeg en route), I'd say it's safe to say that the Vienna releases I've done since 2000 are a far stronger group, and I don't have anywhere near the resources (or the distribution) of Mr. Uehlinger. needless to say, the Berlin, London, Tokyo and any other electroacoustic scenes have been mostly or totally ignored.

[Hot Ptah]

Has anyone heard this one, and if so, what are your thoughts on it? I apologize if it has been discussed before in this thread:

[king ubu]

yeah, most of the better Hatology releases seem to be reissues of earlier Hats, not that I've actually heard the bulk of them (largely going by reports and personnel). but the original Hat CD series 6001-6200 was a classic imprint, whereas the last few years, the label seems far less relevant.

alas I am to young to have known much of the old hat CD series... just have maybe a dozen of stray discs I found here and there (including a few great ones, such as "Jump Up").

I do like the Trapist disc (although I passed on releasing it on my own label in favor of doing the later Too Beautiful To Burn), and I haven't heard the new Polwechsel yet. the ErikM/Fennesz is in desperate need of some editing, it should be maybe a half hour shorter. even pending the Polwechsel (and the Efzeg en route), I'd say it's safe to say that the Vienna releases I've done since 2000 are a far stronger group, and I don't have anywhere near the resources (or the distribution) of Mr. Uehlinger. needless to say, the Berlin, London, Tokyo and any other electroacoustic scenes have been mostly or totally ignored.

As Uehlinger said in the interview I did: he is not doing any systematical work, so it's most definitely not his goal to document any scene in broad fashion. Anyway, your point is valuable, I suppose. Further (re: editing needed) Uehlinger is not an expert or a person with lots of inside knowledge... rather he seems to decide based on his guts. Not that one thing is better than the other, I think.

On "Bookends" and Liebman: I have a short live broadcast of the duo (w/Copland) and that's pretty nice. Also Liebman's Willisau concert (I think it's out on hat, too, I heard it twice on radio) was pretty nice. Still, I don't often feel like listening to Liebman...

A younger artist rather new to the hat roster that I enjoy quite some is austrian sax player Max Nagl. His "Quartier du faisan" is good, so is his Mingus trio (I only know it from a live recording), and I also like (contrary to gnhrtg) his "Big Four" with Bernstein & Akchoté quite a bit (again I only am familiar with their 2005 Willisau gig, not yet with the hat disc), same again for "Ramasuri": very nice band, but I still need to get the hat release.

Of course Nagl has released discs on other labels, too, but going from a statement in a very recent interview (in a swiss daily paper), he is very happy about his working relationship with Uehlinger, and mentioned that Uehlinger gave him lots of impulses on which he would build new bands/projects etc.

I don't have the new Polwechsel - got the other two cheap last year, but haven't played them yet... hélas!

(I hereby promise a serious buying freeze, with the exception of... [fill in yourself])

[king ubu]

Here's a bagatellen review on Nagl's "Quartier du Faisan" and Theo Jörgensmann's "Fellowship":

2 New Hats

Max Nagl Ensemble

Quartier du Faisan

Hatology 621

Theo Jörgensmann

Fellowship

Hatology 616

The Hat labels have long cultivated an interest in reassessments of improvising traditions, sponsoring the radical interpretations of Joe McPhee, Franz Koglmann, and the Vienna Art Orchestra, among many others. Over the last ten years or so, Werner X. Uehlinger’s imprint has cultivated a number of more direct engagements with traditional source materials or, without beating too much around the bush, just plain jazz. Few could have predicted that folks like Lee Konitz or Marc Copland might one day appear on the Hat roster, and yet this is the case. It’s often quite fine jazz, too, and this direction makes the appearance of discs such as these two a little bit less startling.

Nagl is an interesting and somewhat enigmatic figure to me. Part of the crowded and provocative Viennese scene, he’s never gravitated fully towards either the Burkhard Stangl end of the music (though he has played on some interesting dates with Josef Novotny, among others who play electronics) or the arch constructions of Franz Koglmann. A fine alto player with a flair for arranging, he’s always had a healthy mischievous streak. This was certainly audible on the Big Four disc from a couple years back (where he paid tribute to Sidney Bechet and Muggsy Spanier) and it’s quite pronounced on this large ensemble recording from a residence at Vienna’s Porgy & Bess venue. Nagl sticks to his sole horn here (though he ventures out on melodica on “Patient”) and is joined by Clemens Salesny (alto and bass clarinet), Franz Hautzinger (quartertone trumpet), Lorenz Raab (trumpet), Martin Ptak (trombone), Clemens Wenger (piano), Novotny (electronics and piano), Achim Tang (bass), Lukas Knofler (drums), and Luis Ribeiro (percussion). It’s light-hearted stuff, not so much revisionism as reappropriation. There are echoes of Braxton’s early Creative Music Orchestra disc and very strong Breuker allusions throughout (never a bad thing). Though the nine pieces are all written by Nagl, the ensemble charges through with a sensibility similar to Herr Schlippenbach’s hardcore Monk band (especially on the poly-idiomatic “Bycykell,” where Wenger does his best Schlipp to Mengelberg impression). Occasionally there are moments when, in the midst of some abstracted reference to Saint-Saens or somebody, Novotny creates some unpredictable (and frequently ominous) backgrounds. But this disc is mostly a spirited romp. Consult the juiced-up “Bat Chain” (a reference to the Captain?), with quirky organ and sinewy funk and slowly morphing horn sass, or the similarly raucous “Luis.” The tone poem “Patient” features a splattery Hautzinger solo, which contrasts excellently with the polish of the arrangement (the piece picks up and morphs into a spasmodic Kollektief-like reel). In other words, while the basic materials may be familiar ones, the energy of the ensemble and its soloists keep things enjoyably unsettled.

Dating back to 1998, Theo Jörgensmann’s Fellowship assembles a supple sextet of players (the leader on clarinet, Charlie Mariano on alto, Petras Vysniauskas on soprano, Karl Berger on vibraphone and piano, Kent Carter on bass, and Klaus Kügel on drums) to play three lengthy pieces. Should be hot, should be spicy, but I found the proceedings actually a bit bland. On Berger’s “Nameless Child,” for example, there is a real ECM-ish quality to the playing – not just in the somewhat boomy production but in the preponderance of pastoralisms and that soft piano-and-horns bustle that recalls (inevitably) some of Jarrett’s mid-70s groups. About eight minutes in the piece starts to gallop a bit (and Kügel does his best throughout to shake things up and Vysniauskas generates a fair deal of heat too) but there’s too little of this kind of brio. Mariano is the most interesting player on this tune by far, as his angular quirks keep Carter and Kügel on their toes and prevent the blow from becoming too conventional. What’s most problematic to my ears is Berger’s playing, which is at times too ponderous and at times to ethereal. Jörgensmann’s “Nightmare” is somewhat more interesting structurally; despite this band’s gifts for propulsion, I find their playing to be more successful on abstracted pieces such as these (closer to Jörgensmann’s explorations on To Ornette: Hybrid Identity). Perhaps significantly, Berger’s vibes sound miles better than his piano. The leader’s tasty solo perfectly exemplifies the idiomatic combination he always strives for: chamber cool and post-Bop heat. And there are even more craggy shards of bop flying about on Carter’s rumbling “It Will Come” (again Mariano takes honors with some out, abstracted blues fragments), with a fine and unexpectedly atmospheric ending (catalyzed by Carter’s fine arco). So yes, there are some good blowing moments, some good group sections, and some decent writing. It’s fairly nice small group jazz but nothing to lower your jaw overmuch.

Posted by bivins on November 14, 2005 02:30 PM

source: http://www.bagatellen.com/archives/reviews/001056.html

EDIT:

I have "Fellowship", too, but it didn't really grab me... will have to play it again - kind of a likeable disc, but not really a great one, as I remember it.

Edited June 2, 2006 by king ubu

[Guest Chaney]

Updated for June, PARIS Transatlantic Magazine and the What's New section of the European Free Improvisation Pages.

[Д.Д.]

Surely you guys are on a mailing list, but just in case...

Emanem & Psi News

see www.emanemdisc.com

Psi new releases - available early June:

AKI TAKASE piano quintet ‘Tarantella’ (1997) - psi 06.03

AKI TAKASE (piano), ALEKS KOLKOWSKI (violin), MAURICE HORSTHUIS (viola), TRISTAN HONSINGER (cello), NOBUYOSHI INO (bass). Aki Takase has been resident in Berlin for many years now and her relationship with Deutschland Radio resulted in several memorable sessions. Aki felt that this 1997 piano quintet (piano plus strings) deserved a wider audience and psi readily agreed. A fantastic session from an outstanding group of players. 65 minutes.

ADAM LINSON ‘Cut and Continuum’ (2006) - psi 06.04

Adam Linson made his debut recording with the ElectroAcoustic Ensemble's latest CD for ECM, The Eleventh Hour. Here is his first solo recording featuring his real time processing and sampling in a new approach to solo bass. 60 minutes.

EVAN PARKER ‘The Topography of the Lungs’ (1970) - psi 06.05

EVAN PARKER (soprano & tenor saxophones), DEREK BAILEY (guitar) and HAN BENNINK (percussion, etc). The Topography of the Lungs is considered a landmark recording in the history of improvised music. Back in print as a CD for the first time and for the first time in many years. Two previously unissued pieces from the same 1970 session have been found and added. 53 minutes.

Emanem new release - available early June:

ROSS BOLLETER "Secret Sandhills and satellites" (2001-5) - EMANEM 4128

Pieces for ruined pianos and pianos on the edge of ruin. For several years now, Ross Bolleter has been scouring around Western Australia and beyond looking for ruined pianos. He has found the right music for each instrument, and performed and recorded it. This collection contains some recent choice items recorded around Perth and Alice Springs. The main work, inspired by an Aborigine painting, is the 28-minute Secret Sandhills, a generally slow-moving work spliced together from performances on six ruins. There are also 10 shorter and generally faster Satellites, some of which were performed on two ruined pianos simultaneously. Fresh new sounds from decaying old instruments. 68 minutes.

All Emanem & Psi CDs are now available except 4002, 4015, 4042, 4067, 03.06 & 04.01 which are currently out of stock.

[Д.Д.]

Has anyone heard this one, and if so, what are your thoughts on it? I apologize if it has been discussed before in this thread:

I have it (this is a CD-R, btw) - listened to it only once quite some time ago, and remember liking it a lot (some blowhard stuff... Allen in good form)... will revisit it soon.