Funny Rat

[Martin]

I had some friendly emails with Kilogram records & hopefully the North Quartet - Malamute CD should arrive in the next couple of days.

It probably will, Gary! I got my copy just yesterday!

[Д.Д.]

I had some friendly emails with Kilogram records & hopefully the North Quartet - Malamute CD should arrive in the next couple of days.

It probably will, Gary! I got my copy just yesterday!

Let us know what you think of it.

I also highly recommend you get Unforgiven North - I like it even more, even though this one is without Brötzmann

[clifford_thornton]

The cover on that Konnex is gorgeous... but I don't know anything about the record.

Brotzmann usually yields high returns, except I never could get into the stuff with Drake.

[king ubu]

Friends, this one is highly recommended:

Rent Romus' Lords of Outland! with John Tchicai

ADAPT... or DIE! (Jazhzeads, 1997)

John Tchicai – tenor saxophone

Rent Romus – alto & sop. saxophones

Jon Birdsong – sousaphone

Dave Mihaly – drums

This is some easy-listening music that would not scare out even an Exploding Customer fan. Most of the music is infectiously groovy modal free-jazz stuff (that I am normally not in a mood to listen to these days), but not of formulaic sort - it is cleverly designed music with some quirky melodies and unexpected tempo/mood turns. Romus has HUGE sound on alto (I am not that much of alto saxophone sound fan - I listen to quite a few alto saxophonists of course, but rarely enjoy their sound per se - but Romus' sound is a sheer pleasure for me.. a bit like John Handy's, I'd say). One could call Romus a fire-breathing type of saxophonist if his playing did not sound so easy - fire is there, for sure, but not that much of screaming. He also plays alto- and soprano- simultaniously (well), but not going into gimmicky side too much.

Tchicai is present on half of the tunes, and he is definitely good (btw, I was listeing to this disc right after I listened to some field recordings of Burkina Faso folk music and it stroke me how much African folk music feel there is on Tchicai's playing - these short repetative phrases without much ornamentation, vocal cries, rhythmic feel, etc. - amazing), but compared to Romus here he sounds clumsy and less diverse, IMO.

Very basic but tasteful support form sousaphone/drums (having a sousaphone is a nice idea - makes music more fluid than with bass). Good good stuff. Revewis, ordering info and sounds sample (this is the least successful track, IMO!) here.

Gotta get me more Romus.

Played the first half of this last night, before I fell asleep (the music's not to blame for that!) - enjoyed it very much! Thanks for the recommendation, David!

I think your assessment of Romus, after the bits I've heard, is quite fair. A young guy with chops and some good ideas. Also you're right about his alto sound - I'm pretty much in the same boat as far as sounds/tones of alto players are concerned... Cannonball is an exception, in that respect, with that huge sound he got, but there are relatively few others, Handy, yes, but otherwise no names come to mind right now.

[clifford_thornton]

John Tchicai is one of my favorites - especially his post-NY stuff from the late 60s into the 70s - but I have heard his new one is kinda boring. Haven't picked up much recent Tchicai except for the stuff with Adam Lane or Mat Marucci, and he's very strong with them. Saw JT do some solo stuff recently and it was real good, but the gigs he was on with Lane, Altschul and Paul Smoker a few years back were phenomenal...

Supposedly he has retrieved some reel-to-reels of his Cadentia Nova Danica group playing with Musica Elettronica Viva in the late '60s - that should be really far out stuff, indeed.

[Д.Д.]

For those who might be interested - Tony and I will be having a simultanious listening/live chat discussion session later today (around 7PM CET; 1PM EST) of:

Six Fuchs (Rastascan 2004)

Wolfgang Fuchs: bass clarinet, sopranino saxophone

Tom Djll: trumpet, pocket cornet, balloon, hog caller

Tim Perkis: electronics

Gino Robair: energized surfaces

John Shiurba: guitar

Matthew Sperry: bass, preparations

Everybody is welcome to join.

[Guest Chaney]

This should be interesting as, even though I've owned this disk for a few months, I haven't gotten around to giving it a proper listen; I don't believe I've heard it to its end and I haven't heard it at all on my home sound system.

I won't play in until the appointed hour.

~~~~~~~~~~

bagatellen listen series

~~~~~~~~~~

If interested, Aurora Josephson is selling copies of...

... on eBay for $10 + postage.

Edited December 11, 2005 by Chaney

[Д.Д.]

If interested, Aurora Josephson is selling copies of...

... on eBay for $10 + postage.

Got it.

------------------

Online store for French jazz. Have been looking for many of these CDs for quite some time now...

Edited December 11, 2005 by Д.Д.

[Д.Д.]

New label: Reqords and an interesting first release:

I just got my copy - will listen later this week.

[John B]

This disc, along with two others by Leandre is reviewed in this article over on onefinalnote.

Edited December 12, 2005 by John B

[Д.Д.]

This disc, along with two others by Leandre is reviewed in this article over on onefinalnote.

I opened the link, saw that the reviews are by Ken Waxman, and closed it immidiately .

[Guest]

I opened the link, saw that the reviews are by Ken Waxman, and closed it immidiately .

Hey, David, what's wrong with Ken Waxman in particular? - imho he's not worse than the rest of them record reviewers

[clifford_thornton]

We are shameless, aren't we?

[Д.Д.]

I opened the link, saw that the reviews are by Ken Waxman, and closed it immidiately .

Hey, David, what's wrong with Ken Waxman in particular? - imho he's not worse than the rest of them record reviewers

Long time no see, Sasha.

Regarding Waxman, here is an exemplary passage from his review:

Unleashing his metal clarinet, S shrills irregularly-pitched contralto chirps until Léandre’s encircling continuo leads to a solo section. Taking up the challenge, he reappears with intense, sonorous obbligatos that uptick to tongue-slaps, glottal punctuation, and bell-muting episodes. Finally his textures splinter into shards of trilled and popped notes in ghost registers and she continues strumming, setting up a proper backdrop on which variations can be displayed. The finale involves crooked reed whines on his part and stropped, jagged perambulating string jettes on hers.

So what do I get out of it? Is the music exciting or boring? Is it emotional or cerebral? Is it joyful or sorrowful? Is it beatiful or ugly? Is it diverse or monotonous? Agressive or gentle? Is it loud or quite? Does it feel corwded or sparse?

I don't need no fucking blueprints for sound-extraction. I don't care for music technical specification. I don't want a descriptive of what is being played. I cannot make a buying decision based on "shards of trilled and popped notes" and "proper backdrop on which variations can be displayed". This is not what I look for in music! I want to read the guys' impressions. Biased and subjective, emotional or analytical, but an impression, not a description. It is not easy, and there are very few people who can write improvised music reviews of any value (to me).

In general, I assume all the music critique (at least in a sense of it being the primary tool of getting new listeners familiar with new music and guiding buying decision) will become extinct relatively soon, as more and more musicians are able to post larger samples of their works on-line and more listeners have high-speed Internet access.

And I won't be the one to mourn over music critique's demise.

And yeah, another question - did Ken Waxman like the music or not?

---------------------

On a more interesting subject - did you happen to see the Kuriokhin festival concerts? I didn't manage to go at any, unfortunately...

[Guest Chaney]

Thanks for the link, John.

Excellent post, David.

Gads! That really is some review. Or should I label it reportage? This is what I heard.

I think it's possible to be descriptive without goin' all waxman. See Dan Wharburton's stuff for a good balance. Wharburton also has a terrific sense of humor, a near-must if I'm going to ready a review.

And yeah, another question - did Ken Waxman like the music or not?

Ummm... I think he did. To be certain, I'd have to re-read the piece but there ain't no way I'm goin' back in!

Edited December 12, 2005 by Chaney

[Д.Д.]

Thanks for the link, John.

Excellent post, David.

Gads! That really is some review. Or should I label it reportage? This is what I heard.

I think it's possible to be descriptive without goin' all waxman. See Dan Warburton's stuff for a good balance. Warburton also has a terrific sense of humor, a near-must if I'm going to ready a review.

I like Warburton's reviews.

The Leandre/Akosh disc is brilliant. I haven't finished even the first listen yet, so I will refrain form further comments, but it is definitely some of the most engaging music released this year I've heard.

Edited December 12, 2005 by Д.Д.

[Guest Chaney]

Any North American distributor that you know of?

ON THE EDIT: From the reQuords site and translated from the Frech via Google: Available as of now by correspondence. Cheque of 19 euros with l’ordre of Press Culture to be sent to: Press culture, 242 Voltaire boulevard, 75011 Paris. Sending in followed Distingo. L’envoi n’étant in not recommended, we are not responsible for the losses or damage due to l’acheminement.

Edited December 13, 2005 by Chaney

[Д.Д.]

Any North American distributor that you know of?

ON THE EDIT: From the reQuords site and translated from the Frech via Google: Available as of now by correspondence. Cheque of 19 euros with l’ordre of Press Culture to be sent to: Press culture, 242 Voltaire boulevard, 75011 Paris. Sending in followed Distingo. L’envoi n’étant in not recommended, we are not responsible for the losses or damage due to l’acheminement.

Couple of my secret sources:

Secret store one

Secret store two

[Guest Chaney]

Is that Amazon place new?

Ordered a copy from caiman via Amazon.

Thanks!... and thank YOU Ken Waxman!

[Nate Dorward]

Uh, I'll stay out of the Waxman debate..... Incidentally he did the liners for the new Exploding Customer disc. It shows much more polish & less aimless spew than the extract quoted above.

I was puzzled to find (on my return from Chicago today) that there was a mysterious disappearing note in the inbox from D.D. but I think it was an invite to the Six Fuchs discussion?

I was disappointed to miss Alessandro Bossetti in Chicago (had a fancy dinner that evening--some truly excellent cuisine at the Tiptons' household)--ah well. Caught Benny Golson at the Showcase, & may post a little on it to the thread on that elsewhere on this board.

I went to the Jazz Record Mart & dug around for some o/p CDs: found Sam Rivers' two big-band dates for RCA/Victor among other things & Parker/Bailey's Arch Duo, plus a bunch of OJCs I feared might go out of print.

[clifford_thornton]

Uh, I'll stay out of the Waxman debate..... Incidentally he did the liners for the new Exploding Customer disc.

Neither the disc or the liners are at all bad!

[Guest]

I cannot make a buying decision based on "shards of trilled and popped notes" and "proper backdrop on which variations can be displayed".

As for me, I'm glad people do some reviewing here and there, because I can learn such and such recording exists, and if there is some background information it doesn't hurt. But after that it's "hit and miss" game anyway. Indeed, when a reviewer has style, and sense of humor, it's great, more fun to read but doesn't help me buy stuff...

I want to read the guys' impressions. Biased and subjective, emotional or analytical, but an impression, not a description.

I'd agree, if there wasn't too many reviews where the "impressions" are all alike, often excessively positive and seemingly disconnected from the material.

It is not easy, and there are very few people who can write improvised music reviews of any value (to me).

Yep, that was my point. Especially when it's their job and there is a certain element of routine to it.

In general, I assume all the music critique (at least in a sense of it being the primary tool of getting new listeners familiar with new music and guiding buying decision) will become extinct relatively soon, as more and more musicians are able to post larger samples of their works on-line and more listeners have high-speed Internet access.

Oh, maybe...

On a more interesting subject - did you happen to see the Kuriokhin festival concerts? I didn't manage to go at any, unfortunately...

Meaning the festival in October? (It was in memoriam of Dmitriev, not Kuryokhin). No, I was away at the time. Some of my friends went to various concerts though, and from their impressions I was able to conclude that the St.Petersburg part of the fest mostly sucked for various reasons, except for a French trio including Didier Lasserre on drums, and as far as Moscow, Otomo's concert had better potential but was plagued by photographers, and also Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink pulled a good show as a duo and had some fun with the press conference

[Guest]

PS. Re: online samples and of possible interest to you (although I haven't heard the stuff myself yet, sitting on dial-up), here are some mp3's from Vladislav Makarov's CDR label, Mak-Art down this page.

[Д.Д.]

...

Meaning the festival in October? (It was in memoriam of Dmitriev, not Kuryokhin). No, I was away at the time. Some of my friends went to various concerts though, and from their impressions I was able to conclude that the St.Petersburg part of the fest mostly sucked for various reasons, except for a French trio including Didier Lasserre on drums, and as far as Moscow, Otomo's concert had better potential but was plagued by photographers, and also Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink pulled a good show as a duo and had some fun with the press conference

Yeah, I mixed it all up - Dmitriev memorial, of course...

I saw Otomo Yoshihide / Sachiko M concert (it was Sachiko solo first, Otomo solo second and then a short duo)- it was pretty weak and uninspired/uninspiring. Otomo started with a horrendous (and seemingly very long) verison of "Lonely Woman" on guitar which sounded clumsy, static and directionless. Then there was a boring electronics set (with occasioanlyl interestign moemnts) where he could not really concentrate becuase of the photo flashes.

Sashiko M was interesting in that I discovered that the sound of sine waves changes dramatically depending on the position of the head (ears, I to be exact) - so I spent most of the concert running / jumping around the hall turning my head constantly (to the delight of the audience - the club was packed by the way, 100 poeple or so). Otherwise, sine waves are sine waves, nothing too exciting here - but pretty painful on the ears. They did exactly the same shit when they played together - nothnig really changed, just two solo sets played simultanously.

Mengelberg/Benning set was very short (30 minutes?) and silly, with all expected antics (Bennink banging the drums with his feet, drumming on the floor, sticking the sticks in his mouth; Mengelberg starting somehting and then changing the direction every 30 seconds; some joint signing / wailing / roaring.. you know, regular stuff).. nothing too interesting. They played a bit of Monk in the middle.

Otomo's Live disc on DIW is great, btw. I will listen to it more, and will expand here - it is worth talking about. Woudl be quirious to hear the impressions of his Out to Lunch disc (John B got it, I think...).

Edited December 13, 2005 by Д.Д.

[Д.Д.]

PS. Re: online samples and of possible interest to you (although I haven't heard the stuff myself yet, sitting on dial-up), here are some mp3's from Vladislav Makarov's CDR label, Mak-Art down this page.

Thanks. I still have to listen to Makarov/Letov CD on Pentagramma I have got some 6 months ago...