Best of 2013

My best of 2013 releases and concerts.

Top 10 releases in order (top to bottom):

Barry Guy, et al:  MAD DOGS

Peter Brotzmann, et al:  LONG STORY SHORT

Parker, Guy, Lytton:  LIVE AT MAYA

Peter Evans, Evan Parker:  ROCKET SCIENCE

DKV Trio:  SVHL80F

Kris Davis: CAPRICORN CLIMBER

John Tchicai:  TRIBAL GHOST

Anthony Braxton: ECHO ECHO MIRROR HOUSE

Mary Halvorson: ILLUSIONARY SEA

Mary Halvorson, Kirk Knuffke: SIFTER

Concerts: 

Evan Parker Residency, The Stone, Oct. 2013

Frank Gratkowski & Andrea Parkins, Jack, Brooklyn, 8/31/13

Vision Festival: Larry Ochs, Kidd Jordan, Milford Graves, Charles Gayle, Roswell Rudd, June 2013.

Larry Ochs Residency at The Stone, NYC, September 2013                       Capricorn Climber, Bohemian Caverns, Washington, DC, 2/10/2013        Snakeoil, Atlas Theater, Washington, DC, 10/9/2013                                          Steve Lehman Octet, Atlas Theater, 11/13/2013 

 I'm sure these lists are imperfect and that I've forgotten things but what I did remember to include was very enjoyable.

Best of December 2013:

I've decided to drop the 100+ listening lists each month and just post maybe the 10 or 15 best from that month, and other things that interest me. Here's my list for December 2013:

1) LIVE AT THE COOLER - Arthur Doyle Quintet. Lotus Sound CD.
2) AT JUDSON HALL - Noah Howard. ESP Disk CD.
3) SUSPENSIONS AND ANTICIPATIONS - Evan Parker and Stan Tracey.
4) STAMPS - Steve Lacy. 2LP hat Hut.
5) MONO - The Thing. 2LP The Thing Records.
6) EYE AND EAR CONTROL - Ayler, Cherry, Tchicai, Rudd, et al. ESP CD.
7) THE LAST ALBUM- Albert Ayler - Impulse LP.
8) LOOKING AT BIRD- Shepp, NHOP. Steeplechase LP.
9) "4" - Soft Machine. Columbia LP.
10) Horace Tapscott mini-festival: AT THE CROSSROADS, THE TAPSCOTT SESSIONS, Vol. 4, THE CALL, THE DARK TREE.
11) Cecil Taylor mini-festival: THE WORLD OF CECIL TAYLOR, UNIT STRUCTURES, CONQUISTADOR, DARK TO THEMSELVES, LOOKING AHEAD, CT: THE QUARTET "NAILED".
12) LIVE IN TOKYO- Charles Tolliver, Music inc. Strata East LP.
13) FENIX - Gato Barbieri. Flying Dutchman LP.
14) EAR OF BEHOLDER - Lol Coxhill. 2LP Ampex.
15) Anthony Davis mini-festival: LADY OF THE MIRRORS, I'VE KNOWN RIVERS, EPISTEME.

Happy New Year!

Lotte Anker in New York City, December 19-20-21

Saxophonist Lotte Anker was in NYC this December, appearing with Mephista (Sylvie Courvoisier, Ikue Morie, Susie Ibarra) at the Stone on the 19th; with Craig Taborn and Gerald Cleaver on the 20th at IBeam; and, back to the Stone on the 21st with Fred Frith and Ikue Mori (and Jim Black one set). Really fine shows.  Here's a clip from the Mephista set:

November 2013 Listening

1.       “Whispers from the Archive” Juma's Sultan's Aboriginal Music Society

2.       “Death Rattle” Paal Nilssen-Love & James Plotkin (Rune Grammarphone)

3.       “Solo's and Duo's Volume 1” Frank Wright, Bobby Few & Alan Silva (Center of the World)  

4.       “Solo's and Duo's Volume 2” Frank Wright, Bobby Few & Alan Silva (Center of the World)  

5.       “Stove Man, Love the World” Frank Wright

6.       “Panagaea” Miles Davis (Columbia)  

7.       “The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History” Vaselines (Subpop CD)

8.       “Quintessence” Spontaneous Music Ensemble with John Stevens, Evan Parker, Trevor Watts, Derek Bailey, and Kent Carter (Emanem 4217 CD)

9.       “Peel Slowly and See” The Velvet Underground (Polydor 31452 7887-2 CD)

10.   “Soul Bodies, Vol. 1” Hamid Drake & Assif Tsahar (Ayler Records aylCD-024 CD)

11.   “Mixed Up” The Cure (Elektra CD)

12.   “Faust IV” Faust (Caroline 1885-2 CD)

13.   “Early Piano Works” Morton Feldman by Steffen Schleiermacher (hat[Now] 138 CD)

14.   “Heaven Up Here” Echo and the Bunnymen (Rhino 2564-61162-2 CD)

15.   “All at One” FPR with Frank Gratkowski, Phillip Greenlief & Jon Raskin (Relative Pitch RPR 1015 CD)

16.   “The Marble Index” Nico (Elektra 74029-2 CD)

17.   “Dragonfly Breath” Paul Flaherty, C Spenser Yeh, Steve Swell & Weasel Walter (Not Two MW-890-2 CD)

18.   “From the Discrete to the Particular” Nate Wooley, Joe Morris & Agusti Fernandez (Relative Pitch RPR 1008 CD)

19.   “The Complete Sun Ship Sessions” John Coltrane, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison & McCoy Tyner (Mosaic)

20.   “Uncollected” Galaxie 500 (Ryko RCD 10691 CD)

21.   “50,000 Fall Fans Can't be Wrong : 39 Golden Greats” The Fall    

22.   “Meditations” John Coltrane, Elvin Jones, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Rashied Ali (Impluse! IMPD -199 CD)

23.   “Transit” Transit with Nate Wooley, Reuben Radding, Jeff Arnal, & Seth Misterka (Clean Feed CF055CD CD)

24.   “Every Woman is a Tree” Angles with Marin Kuchen, Magnus Broo, Mats Alekint, Johan Berthling, Mattis Stahl & Kjell Nordeson (Clean Feed CF122CD CD)

25.   “Eplieptical West” Angles with Marin Kuchen Magnus Broo, Mats Alekint, Johan Berthling, Mattis Stahl & Kjell Nordeson (Clean Feed CF182CD CD)

26.   “Trumpets and Drums:  Live in Ljubljana” Nate Wooley, Peter Evans, Jim Black & Paul Lytton (Clean Feed CF282CD CD)

27.   “It's a shame about Ray” Lemonheads (Atlantic 7 83460 2 CD)

28.   “Provoke” Made to Break with Ken Vandermark, Tim Daisey, Devin Hoff, & Christof Kurzmann (Clean Feed CF273CD CD)

29.   “Verses” Ken Vandermark & Mats Gustafsson (Corbett vs Dempsey CD009 CD)

30.   “The Definitive Charley Patton” (Catfish Records KATCD180 CD)

31.   “One Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye” Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Lyons, Sirone, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Raphe Malik and Ramsey Ameen (Hatology 2-599 CD)

32.   “Flowers of Romance” PIL (Warner BSK 3536 LP)

33.   “IV” Led Zeppelin (CD)

34.   “III” Led Zeppelin (CD)

35.   “Reggatta de Blanc” The Police  (A&M SP 4792 LP)

36.   “Franks Wild Years” Tom Waits (Island 7 90572-1 LP)

37.   “Pink Flag” Wire (Harvest SHSP 4076 LP)

38.   “Unknown Pleasures” Joy Division (Factory FACT 10 LP) 

AGM Playlist for November 2013

1) VISITATION RITES: Paraphrase: Tim Berne, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey. Screwgun CD. A nice pick-up at the Snakeoil concert. Really strong.
2) WATER BABIES: Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter. Columbia LP.Corea and Holland on a couple of tracks.
3) WEE SNEEZAWEE: Jimmy Lyons Quintet. Black Saint LP.
4) QUARTET (2008) MESTRE: Braxton, Bynum, Halvorson, Young. Caligola CD. A great performance. I love this group. They also did the Moscow 2008 CD.
5) MIDNIGHT BLUE: Kenny Burrell. Blue Note/King LP.
6) PLUME: Butcher, Stangl, Buck, Maya. Unsounds CD.
7) IMPRESSIONS OF PO MUSIC: Vandermark's Topology Nonet with McPhee. Okka CD.
8) TOPOLOGY: Joe McPhee Po Music. Irene Schweizer, Malfatti, Jaume, Favre, et al. hat Art 2LP.
9) RELATIVITY SUITE: Don Cherry. Klimt LP reissue.
10) THE ECSTASY OF THE MOMENT: The Barton Workshop. Etcetera 3CD. Early, middle and late Morton Feldman.
11) THE STATE OF THE TENOR, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2:  Joe Henderson. BN LP. Impressive.
12) FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHT: Caravan. London LP.
13) COOL STRUTTIN': Sonny Clark. BN LP.
14) SPECIAL PEOPLE: Andrew Cyrille. Soul Note LP.
15) THE TRIO: Curson, Drummond, Haynes. Interplay LP.
16) 5th SYMPHONY: Tchaikovsky, Philharmonic S.O. NY, Mitropolous. Columbia 6-eye LP
17) ZEBULON: Peter Evans. More is More CD.
18) LIVE AT NICKELSDORF KONFRONTATIONEN: Barefield, Anthony Holland, Tabbal. Sound Aspects LP.
19) SYMPHONY in D MINOR: Franck, NY Phil, Bernsetein. Columbia 6 eye LP.
20) MAKE A MOVE WHERE'S YOUR CUP: Threadgill, Columbia CD.
21) LESS MORE: Gjerstad, Stevens, Billy Bang (on 3 trks). CT CD.
22) THE RAJAH: Lee Morgan. BN LP.
23) STRICTLY FOR OUR FRIENDS: Ganelin Trio. Leo CD.
24) POCO-A-POCO: Ganelin Trio, Leo CD.
25) CERTAIN BLACKS: Art Ensemble of Chicago. Inner City LP reissue.
26) SOMETHING ELSE! Ornette Coleman. Contemporary reissue LP.
27) SOFT HEAP: Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, Radu Malfatti, Pip Pyle. Charly LP.'
28) RAM'S RUN: Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre. Cadence Jazz LP.  RIP KMM. I still recall his appearance at the Vision Fest.
29) PEACE AND BLESSING: Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre. Black Saint LP.
30) HUMILITY IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD: KMM. Delmark LP.
31) THE CRY OF MY PEOPLE: Archie Shepp. Impulse LP.
32) TOUFF ASSIGNMENT: Cy Touff Quintet. Argo/Fresh Sound LP. I don't even know why.
33) JAZZ EXPERIMENTS OF CHARLIE MINGUS: Mingus, LaPorta, Macero, et al. Bethlehem LP reissue. I really like these early albums of Mingus, Cecil, where they are on the cusp of avant music.
34) ENIGMA VARIATIONS: Elgar, RPO, Litton, cond. Virgin CD.
35) IMPRESSIONS: Ethic Heritage Ensemble. Red Records LP.
36) RENDEZ-VOUS: Mariano Schiano (as), Sam Rivers, Holland, Altschul. Vedette Records LP. It would be nice to see some of Rivers' Euro recordings in a CD box.
37) CASSAVA BALLS: Hartmut Geerken, John Tchcai, Famadou Don Moye. Leo CD. Wild.
38) BRASS BAG: Gerald Wilson, Tricky Lofton. Pacific Jazz LP.
39) HEMISPHERES: Anthony Davis, J.D. Parran, Leo Smith, et al. Grammavision LP.
37) A FISH STINKS FROM THE HEAD: Brotzmann, PNL. Bro-F CD.
38) THREE FOR SHEPP: Marion Brown, Sirone, Burrell, et al. Impulse LP.
39) INFINITY: Khan Jamal, Byard Lancaster. Jam'Brio LP.
40) THE OTHER VV TAPES: Coltrane Classic Quintet and Dolphy. Impulse 2LP.
41) GEECHEE RECOLLECTIONS: Marion Brown. ABC/Impulse LP.
42) FLIP TOP: Ted Curson. Arista LP.
43) SPIRAL: Bobby Hutcherson. Sam Rivers on 1 trk. BN LP.
44) OLD EYES: Joe McPhee, Jaume, Boni, et al. hatHut LP. Very cool.
45) MYRIAD: Magda Mayas, Christine Abdelnour. Unsounds CD.
46) THE NEW YORK SCHOOL 2: Compositions by Earle Brown, Morton Feldman, John Cage, Christian Wolff. Arranged chronically, which I find really interesting. I also really like Earle Brown's pieces, as well as Feldman. hatArt CD.
47) MYSTIC WINDS, TROPIC BREEZES: Jay Hoggard, Anthony Davis, Cecil McBee, et al. India Navigation LP. Been checking out that Hoggard/Davis circle. This is a pretty good album.
48) WAITING: Bobby Hutcherson. BN LP.
49) SAMA LAYUCA: McCoy Tyner, Gary Bartz, Hutcherson, Azar Lawrence. Milestone LP.
50) BARCELONA: Joe Henderson. Enja CD. This is really solid; free and post-bop playing.
51) BLASE: Archie Shepp. Affinity LP. Nice pressing and hip album.
52) YASMINA, A BLACK WOMAN: Archie Shepp, Clifford Thornton, Lester Bowie, et al. Yes to Jazz LP.
53) TRIOTONE: Braxton, Szabados, Tarasov. Leo CD.
54) OUT OF SOUND: Lauren Newton, Joelle Leandre, Urs Leimgruber. Leo CD. Great stuff.
55) SOWETO: Dollar Brand. Chiaroscuro LP.
56) STRATA INSTITUTE- CIPHER SYNTAX. Steve Coleman, Greg Osby. JMT LP.
57) MUSIC INC. Tolliver, Cowell, McBee. Strata-East LP.
58) THE COOKER: Lee Morgan, Pepper Adams. BN TOCJ CD.
59) THE JOE DALEY TRIO AT NEWPORT '63: Daley, Russell Thorne, Hal Russell. RCA mono LP. Finally found a copy cheap. Another hip album on the verge of a new era.
60) MUSES FOR RICHARD DAVIS: Richard Davis. MPS LP.
61) DEMON'S DANCE: Jackie McLean. JRVG CD.
62) PIANO CONCERTS 2 & 3: Rachmaninov, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Moscow PO, Kondrashin, cond. Decca Legends CD.
63) BILL DIXON IN ITALY, Vol. I and Vol. II. Bill Dixon. Soul Note 2LPs.

64) CELEBRATION: Andrew Cyrille & Maono. IPS Records LP.
65) CHANGE OF THE CENTURY: Ornette Coleman, Cherry, Haden, Higgins. Atlantic LP. Picked this one up without thinking too much about it, as I did not have this title on vinyl. Turned out to be a green label first pressing.
66) GRANT GREEN: RETROSPECTIVE: Disc 1. BN box.
67) INNOVATION: Amalgam. Tangent LP. Yes and yes.
68) THE WINDOW: Steve Lacy Trio. Soul Note LP. More yes.
69) SCHOOL DAYS: Lacy, Rudd, Grimes, Dennis Charles. Emanem LP. A big yes.
70) MUSIC FROM THE SOURCE: McBee, Chico Freeman, McCall, Moye. Inner City LP.
71) SHADES OF REDD: Freddie Redd Quintet, Jackie McLean, Tina Brooks. BN/Toshiba CD.
72) UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS: Alice Coltrane. Impulse CD.
73) TOUCH THE EARTH-BREAK THE SHELLS: Kowald, Wadada Smith, Sommer. FMP CD. Great stuff.
74) SCALES: Manfred Schoof Quintet. ECM LP
75) I GET A BOOT OUT OF YOU: Marty Paich, Art Pepper. Discovery LP.
76) Vol. I: THE QUINTETS: Lennie Niehaus. Contemporary LP.
77) NEW YORK ART QUARTET: eponymous. Get Back LP. This will have to do until one of us buys the $350 set.
78) CONSEQUENCES: NY Contemporary Five. Fontana LP.
79) MAL-1: Mal Waldron. OJC CD.
80) LIVE AT THE AXIS: Roland Alexander Quintet with Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre. Kharma LP.
81) INSIDE JOB: Rudd, Rava, Burrell. Arista Freedom LP. I dug it a lot this time around.
82) TIME ZONE: Braxton and Teitelbaum. Arista Freedom LP. Very cool. Braxton hits the contrabass clarinet.
83) THE BERLIN CONCERTS: Eric Dolphy. Inner City 2LP.
84) BLUE NOTES FOR MONGEZI: Dudu Pukwana, Chris McGregor, Moholo, Dyani. Ogun 2LP.  Performed on the death of Mongezi Feza. I also have "Blue Notes for Johnny," performed on his death.

85) SYMPHONY NO.5: Mahler, LPO, Tennstedt.
86) THE OPENER: Curtis Fuller. JRVG CD.
87) OF LOVE AND PEACE: Larry Young. BN CD. Yes and yes.
88) CONSEQUENCES: Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan. BN LP.
89) SHADOWGRAPH: George Lewis, Anthony Davis, Roscoe Mitchell, et al. Black Saint LP.
90) BLACK MAGIC MAN: Joe McPhee. hatHut LP. Vassar 1970.
91) A NEW CONCEPTION: Sam Rivers. BN LP.
92) REVOLT OF THE NEGRO LAWN JOCKEYS: Jemeel Moondoc. Eremite CD. Best Moondoc?
93) LIVE AT THE KERAVA JAZZ FESTIVAL: Grimes, Murray, Drake. Ayler CD.
94) SPIRIT HOUSE: Moondoc and Jus Grew Orchestra. Eremite CD. I wonder how many jokes are contained in that orchestra's name?
95) GONGS EAST!: Chico Hamilton, Eric Dolphy. Discovery LP. RIP Chico.
96) WITH SILENCE: Karl Berger. Enja LP. Solid.
97) THIS TIME: Braxton, Jenkins, Smith, McCall. BYG LP reissue.
98) ANDREW!!! Hill, Hutcherson, John Gilmore, Davis, Chambers. BN CD. Strong date with Gilmore.
99) SYMPHONY NO.1: Mahler, CSO, Solti. London CD.
100) BOBBY BRADFORD WITH JOHN STEVENS & SME, VOL.I": Bradford, Stevens, Watts, et al. Nessa LP.
101) BIRTHDAY SESSION: JOOKLO Finnish Quartet. Troglosound LP.
102) RISING ABOVE: JOOKLO Duo. Qbico LP.
103) DIVINE LOVE: Leo Smith. ECM LP. It's good but there are hints even then of the grandiosity that plagues Smith, especially now.
104) COMPULSION!!!!! Andrew Hill, John Gilmore, McBee, et al. BN CD. Another kick-ass date with Gilmore.
105) WINTER GARDENS: John Butcher. Kukuruku LP.
106) SYMPHONY NO. 2, "Resurrection": Mahler, LPO, Tennstedt.
107) CHANT: Donald Byrd. BN LT Japanese reissue CD. The Japanese reissued remastered versions on CD of the BN LT series. I picked up some and the ones I heard were pretty good.

Bonnie 'Prince" Billl, November 22, 2013; Davis Performing Arts Center at Georgetown University Washington, DC, US

Maiden Voyage: The Music of Herbie Hancock, Twins Jazz, Nove. 15, 2013

A local group was performing Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" album, as well as other Herbie Hancock songs. I've never heard that music performed live, and I thought it would be fun to hear a Blue Note type performance. The musicians, all quite skilled, were faithful to the music but not slavishly so.  Jeff Antoniuk (ts), Allyn Johnson (p), Kenny Rittenhouse (tp), Mike Pope (b), Todd Harrison (d).

It was a fun set. Here's a partial clip (started late):

Steve Lehman Octet, Atlas Performing Arts Center, DC, November 13, 2013

Steve Lehman Octet: Steve Lehman (as), Mark Shim (ts), Jonathan Finlayson (tp), Tim Albright (tb), Chris Dingman (vibes), Jose Davila (tuba), Drew Gress (b), Tyshawn Sorey (d).

Lehman was a student of both Jackie McLean and Anthony Braxton, and those two influences can be heard in the performance of the sextet. It was a very satisfying show.  Just hearing an octet these days is uncommon; this one was excellent.

Lately Listening

My listening will be limited over the next few weeks. Taking my speakers up to Raleigh this weekend for rewiring and renovation. Ashley Paul plays here next week. Looking forward to that. Either of you make her gig at Pyramid Atlantic?

1. Frank Wright, The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings (ESP Disk 2CD): Some life-affirming shit right here.
2. Frank Wright, Church Number 9 (CD): Gray-area CD reissue I picked up from Dusty Groove years ago. Free-jazz holy grail that lives up to the hype. I believe Mr. T has this on vinyl?
3. Sun Ra, Strange Strings (Atavistics/UMS CD): My favorite Ra.
4. Frank Wright, Last Polka in Nancy? (Fractal CD): Storm and stress.
5. Dave Burrell, La Vie de Boheme (BYG Actuel LP): A weird one, for sure.
6. Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Orchestra, The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1 (BYG Actuel LP): Music from the muddy spheres.
7. The End of the World Championship, In Slow Motion (Umor Rex CS): Intense drone. Another one that sounds like the sun landing in your living room.
8. Burning Tree, Lammergyer (Utech LP): Free-jazz rocket.
9. Ornette Coleman, Ornette at 12 (Impulse! LP): Denardo's playing doesn't bother me.
10. Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Third Decade (ECM LP): It came from the 1980s. Synth, a funk jam. Still enough meat to make it worthwhile.
11. Steve Baczkowski/Chris Corsano/Gregg Kelley/Bill Nace, Live at Spectacle (Open Mouth LP): Fucking jammer.
12. John Wiese, Circle Snare (Post Present Medium LP): Wish I had more Wiese. Certainly no shortage of options. Don't know where to start--any suggestions?
13. Nathan McLaughlin, Karen Studies (Scissortail Editions CS): Bill, you should check this label out. A lot of it would be right up your alley.
14. Aaron Dilloway/Jason Lescalleet, Building a Nest (Hanson CS): An animated conversation between buzz trimmers. Really good.
15. Circle, The Paris Concert (ECM 2LP): A mixed bag.

AGM Playlist for October 2013: The LP Edition!

Yes folks, every item on the list is an LP. Last month I did the CD Edition. Next month: who knows?
I've been playing a lot of new stuff and also going back and checking out what I have on my shelves. One thing that kept recurring to me frequently is that this music requires two or three listens (or more) to fairly grasp it. Practically every valuation must be considered as provisional.

1) WARNE OUT: Warne Marsh. Interplay LP. Great "beat" album cover:

2) HOURS AFTER: Sun Ra. Black Saint LP. Side 1 in Ellington mode. Side 2 is strong avant/free jazz mode. 

3) THE GREAT LARS GULLIN '55-56, VOL. I: Lars Gullin, Chet Baker, Dick Twarzdick, et al. Dragon LP. 

4) MONTMARTRE COLLECTION Vol. 3: Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, NHOP, Albert Heath. Black Lion/Trio Japan LP.

5) ISM: Elliott Sharp, Olu Daru, Bill Lasswell, et al. Zoar LP. 

6) IMPROVISATIONS: Roscoe Mitchell, Tony Marsh, John Edwards. Otoruku LP.

7) SCHL8HOF: DKV Plus. Trost LP. I thought this was pretty good. 

8) XX: The XX. Young Turks LP.

9) MELODIC ART-TET: Charles Brackeen, et al. No Business 2LP. Ornette-ish influence noticeable. I like this and want to hear it again. 

10) FAST LAST! Lester Bowie and the Black Arts Group. Muse LP. 

11) TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE: Victor Feldman, Dizzy Reece, Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott. Jasmine LP.

12) VAINCU VA!: LIVE AT WESTERN FRONT 1978: Evan Parker (solo). Western Front LP. EP told me that a lot of people think this is better than the Needle Factor LP and he thought it could be. 

13) ALL MUSIC: Warne Marsh. Nessa LP.

14) JAZZ A CONFRONTO: Lee Konitz. Horo LP.

15) WARNE MARSH/LEE KONITZ Vol. 3: Storyville LP.

16) ODE TO DUKE ELLINGTON: Dollar Brand (solo piano). Philips Japan 45rpm LP. Very nice performance and great sound. 

17) AFRICAN PORTRAITS: Dollar Brand (solo piano). Sackville LP.

18) UPSIDE DOWN VISIONS: Borah Bergman. Soul Note LP. ALways thought BB was from Europe; turns out he is from Brooklyn. 

19) MORE OR LESS FEW: Bobby Few (p), Muhammad Ali (d), Alan Silva (b). Center of the World LP. First side is varied jazz/free jazz, Side 2 is a furious all-out free  jazz blowout. 

20) IN TRANSITION: Cecil Taylor et al. Blue Note 2LP. I really like early to mid-CT. 

21) NEFERTITI, THE BEAUTIFUL ONE HAS COME: Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Lyons, Sunny Murray. Arista Freedom 2LP.

22) THE GIT-GO: LIV AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD: Mal Waldron, Woody Shaw, Charlie Rouse, Reggie Workman, Ed Blackwell. Soul Note LP. Rouse surprisingly good here. 

23) SONGS OF LOVE AND REGRET: Marion Brown and Mal Waldron. Free Lance LP. Blue mood of course, but with a fair amount of Monk blended in. 

24) SPEAK LIKE A CHILD: Herbie Hancock, Thad Jones, et al. Blue Note LP. 

25) SEXTANT: Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin, Julien Priester, et al. Columbia LP. 

26) MAMA AND DADDY: Muhal with a large group. Black Saint LP. Very muted, doesn't really come off for me. 

27) NOTES: Paul Bley and Paul Motian. Soul Note LP. Good but better cover:

28) BURTON GREENE QUARTET. Eponymous. BG, Marion Brown, Henry Grimes, et al. ESP-Disk LP. A classic free jazz album.

29) PIANO SONATA #1, TROPE CONSTELLATION from Piano Sonata No. 3. Boulez, comp. Charles Rosen, pianist. Columbia LP.

30) THE MAJOR: Nobuyasu Furuya Quintet. No Business LP. These NoBusiness albums tend to improve with age. This one sounds good right off. 

31) CURARE: Daunik Lazro (bari and as), JF Pauvros (elec guitar), Roger Turner (d, perc). No Business LP.

32) LAVA: Liudas Mockunas (ss, ts, bari, bass sax) and Barry Guy. No Business LP. I'm a Mockumas fan. 

33) KABLYS: LIVE AT 11:20: Mockunas trio. No Business, Very hot LP.

34) GUITAR, Vol. 4: John Fahey. Takoma LP.

35) KLIPPE: Clarino: Heberer, Badenhorst, Niggenkemper (LP1); LP2 is solo trumpet Heberer. No Business 2LP. Both LPs are fine, but LP 2 surprised me a bit, since when I think trumpet I think Evans or Wooley. Heberer makes a pretty strong statement here. 

36) MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD: Talking Heads Sire LP.

37) THE UNIQUE THELONIUS MONK: Riverside/Victor Japan LP. Monk, Pettiford, Blakey.

38) STRIKE UP THE BAND: Pete Jolly and His West Coast Friends: Jolly Art Pepper, et al. Atlas Records Japan LP. A series of albums using this type of title all with Art Pepper on them. Intended for Japanese market, they are really Art Pepper albums. Most collected under the Hollywood sessions box. 

39) UNPLANNED OBSOLESCENCE: Weasel Walter, Chris Pitsiokis. Ug 58, ltd. to 100 numbered copies LP. Pretty hot. 

40) DEN SVARTA FANTAN: Weasel Walter, Nonoko Yoshida, Ron Anderson, Joe Merolla. Ug Explode #62, ltd to 100 numbered copies. Also pretty hot!

41) WATCH OUT: Rene McLean plus quintet. Inner City LP. I liked this, has a Wood Shaw feel to it. Rene's later albums are blah.
42) NEW YORK CALLING: Jackie McLean & The Cosmic Brotherhood (includes Rene). Inner City LP. More obscure Jackie Mac album; not bad but not anything special either.
43) JOHN FAHEY, VOL. 5: HE TRANSFIGURATION OF BLIND JOE DEATH: John Fahey. Takoma LP.
44) SPECTRES: Tim Berne, John Lindberg, Olu Dara, et al. Empire LP. I thought this was one of the better early Berne albums. Interesting that he doesn't play with these guys anymore.
45) KLAP OP DE VUURPIJL 1985: Willem Breuker Kollektief. BV Haast LP. Live performance. One third Dutch goofiness, 2/3 strong free jazz performance.
46) SEEKING: The New Art Jazz Ensemble. Revelation Records LP. Interesting notes on how the group started. Ornette influence here as well.
47) NOW CREATIVE ARTS JAZZ ENSEMBLE: NowGroup. Arhoolie LP. Free jazz group out of Berkeley, CA, pretty good, not great.
48) KOSMOGONIA: Penderecki, comp. Warsaw Choir and Orch. Markovski, cond.
49) FRESCOES: WAR IN HEAVEN/CAVES OF ORCUS: William Bolcom, comp. Nonesuch LP. Piano and harpsichord compositions.
50) VARIATIONS ON A COFFEE MACHINE: Burton Greene (solo piano Side 1). BG and Keshavan Maslak (ts), Side 2. Kharma LP. BG treads the line between Cecil and Bill Evans. Side 2 is a nice blowout with Maslak (later known as Kenny Millions).
51) PTAH THE EL DAOUD: Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders. Impulse LP. Last time I found a worn copy I passed it up. Mr Stry showed me the error of my ways. So when I spotted this copy (worn but serviceable and cheap) I didn't want to make the same mistake twice. I never see really nice copies of this album.
52) LIVE IN ANTIBES, 1965: John Coltrane, Tyner, Garrison, Jones. Esoldun LP (French). Excellent sound and performance.
53) STOP/YLEOM: Stockhausen, comp. and conductor, London Sinfonietta. DGG LP.
54) ATMEN GIBT DAS LEBEN: Stockhausen, comp. and conductor, Choir and Orch des Norddeutchen Rundfunks. DGG LP.
55) SME + SMO: Spontaneous Music Ensemble and Orchestra, John Stevens, Evan Parker, Trevor Watts, Nigel Combes, et al. "A" Records LP. I was dubious of the premise of this album but it all works spendidly. Interestingly, there are not-distant echoes of Stockhausen here.
56) BLUE TRAIN: Coltrane, Morgan, et al. Acoustic Productions 2LP 45rpm.
57) MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MONTEREY, 1965...NOT HEARD...PLAYED IN ITS ENTIRETY AT UCLA: Charles Mingus and group (Hillyer, McPherson, Watkins, et al). East Coasting Records 2LP + 7" ep. Ltd. edition.

58) BELLS: Albert Ayler, Donald Ayler, Charles Tylre, Lewis Worrell, Sunny Murray. ESP/Get Back clear vinyl 180g.
59) LOXODONTA AFRICANA: Ricky Ford and group. New World Records LP. Hard to believe or understand the huge promotion Ford got for this first record. It's OK but....
60) CRYSTALS: Sam Rivers. ABC/Impulse LP. Finally got a vinyl copy of this title.
61) MILANO STRUT: Don Pullen, Famadou Don Moye. Black Saint LP. These 2 really push each other and result is a strong album.
62) THE MAGIC TRIANGLE: Pullen, Moye, and Jarman. Black Saint LP. Thi smight be a little bit of subtraction by addition compared to #61, but still a good album.
63) 6X1=10: DUOS FOR A NEW AGE: John Fischer (piano) plus Lester Bowie, Arthur Blythe, Charles Tyler, Mark Whitecage. ReEntry Records LP. Fischer himself is a rather undistinguished pianist, but the duo with Blythe and Tyler are strong.
64) STEAM: Archie Shepp. Inner City LP. Like this more each time I hear it.

65) THE SOFT MACHINE: Eponymous 1st album. Probe LP. Trying to get a handle on Brit prog rock.
66) SPIRITS REJOICE! Louis Moholo, Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, Radu Malfatti, Keith Tippett, Nick Evans, Johnny Dyani, Harry Miller. Ogun LP. All-star affair for Moholo's first leader date. I asked EP about Ogun and he told me a bit about how he helped Harry Miller start the label. Fierce free jazz mixed with some South African lyricism.
67) VOLUME TWO: The Soft Machine. Probe LP.
68) LIVE IN TOKYO: Archie Shepp Quartet. Denon LP. Not free but vigorous performance.
69) ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC MUSIC: Iannis Xenakis, comp. Nonesuch LP. Bohor I, Concret P-H1, Diamorphoses, Orient-Occident III (all 1957-1962).

70) AIR SONG: Air. Why Not LP (Japan). Killer album.
71) DREAMING OF THE MASTERS SERIES, VOL. I: Art Ensemble of Chicago. DIW LP. Lester's kid, Bohnamous Bowie (sone of Fontella Bass) appears on this album. Includes covers of Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and Jimi Hendrix. It kinda works.
72) LOVED BY MILLIONS: Keshavan Maslak (as, ts, bcl), John Lindberg, Sunny Murray. Leo LP. Maslak (now Millions): clown, punk, free jazzer, with current connection to Weasel Walter.
73) NORTH STAR: Philip Glass, comp and performer. Virgin LP.
74) METASTASIS, PITHOPRAKTA, EONTA: Xenakis, comp. Orch National de ORTF, Mauric LeRoux, cond. Le Chant du Monde LP.
75) NASTY: "Shannon Jackson and the Decoding Society." Includes Byard Lancaster and Charles Brackeen. Moers Music LP. Reminiscent of Prime Time.
76) EYE ON YOU: Ronald Shannon Jackson, Billy Bang, Byard Lancaster, Charles Brackeen, et al . Definitely hear the Ornette influence. A stronger group and better results than 75.
77) FLEAS IN CUSTARD: Lol Coxhill, G.F. Fitzgerald (g). Virgin/Caroline LP. Great stuff.
78) ...OH REALLY? THE STORY SO FAR: Stephen Miller, side 1. Lol Coxhil, side 2. Virgin/Caroline LP. Lol is wonderful.

79) SONIC BOOM: Lee Morgan, David Fathead Newman, et al. Blue Note/UA LP (maybe UK).
80) SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION: Decoy with Joe McPhee. Otoruku LP.
81) FAURE CELLO SONATAS: Peter Wyrick (cello), Earl WIld (p). dell'Arte Records LP (UK).
82) DUO CONCERTANT & DIVERTIMENTO: Stravinsky, comp. Eudice Shapiro (vn), Brooks Smith (p). Ava LP. Apparently Eudice had a friendship with Stravinsky.
83) Violin Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, 3: Julius Katchen (p), Joseph Suk (vn). Deca "Ace of Diamonds" LP.
84) THELONIUS MONK IN JAPAN 1963: Monk, Rouse, Butch Warren, Dunlop. Eastwind LP. Taped by the Tokyo Broadcasting Company, so the sound is excellent. Monk is in good form and Rouse plays beautifully.
85) THE STRUGGLES CONTINUES: Dewey Redman, Charles Eubanks, Mark Helias, Ed Blackwell. ECM LP. Excellent.
86) 7XWILDER: Bob Brookmeyer (tb, p), Jim Hall, Bill Crow, Mel Lewis. Verve LP. Well-played.
87) COUNTRY COOKING: Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath." Venture LP.
88) BLUE NOTES FOR JOHNNY: Chris McGregor, Louis Moholo, Dudu Pukwana. Ogun LP. A fine tribute to Dyanni.
89) MR. BILLY HIGGINS: Billy Higgins, Tony Dumas, William Henderson, Gary Bias. Riza LP.
90) IAPETUS: Hadley Caliman, Woody Theus, et al. Mainstream LP.
91) TRIBAL GHOST: John Tchicai, Garrison Fewell. Charlie Kohlhase, et al. No Business LP. Stef gave it 5 stars, I'd give it 4.
92) CHARLIE PARKER: SOUTH OF THE BORDER, Vol. 6: Charlie Parker, et al. Verve/Polydor (Fr). Evey one in a while one needs to go back to Monk and Parker.
93) N THE LAND OF GREY AND PINK: Caravan. London LP. More Brit prog.
94) STEFAN WOLPE: Frances Maynes, David Tudor, et al. Esoteric Records LP. Feldman's teacher and a worthy composer in his own right.

95) IMAGINARY SEA: Mary Halvorson Septet. Firehouse 12, 2LPs 45rpm. Excellent.
96) LUMINOUS: CHICO FREEMAN & ARTHUR BLYTHE: Recorded Live at Ronnie Scott's Club, London, 1989.
97) THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO: eponymous. Verve Mono reissue LP.
98) QUEST: Dave Liebman, Bierach, Mraz, Foster. Palo Alto LP.
99) BERLINER BEGEGNUNG: Wolfgang Fuchs, Fred Van Hove, Peter Hollinger. FMP LP. This really hit me hard on re-listening. This is a heavy album.
100) TSCHUS: Brotzmann, Van Hove, Bennink. Cien Fuegos LP.
101) LETS GO: Bennink, Brodie West, Terrie Ex. Terp Records LP. Really good, kick ass LP.
102) RITUEL & ECLAT/MULTIPLES: Boulez, comp and conductor, BBC SO and Ensemble InterContemporain. CBS LP.
103) MESSAGES de Feu Demoiselle R.V. Troussova: G. Kurtag, comp. AND "...agm..." Harrison Birtwhistle, comp. Pierre Boulez, cond, Ensemble Inter Contemporain. Erato LP. (My initials in Birtwhistle's piece!).
104) INFLATION BLUES: Jack DeJohnette Special Edition with Baikida Carroll. ECM LP. Several really strong free pieces.
105) FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS: Frode Gjerstad, Johnny Dyani, John Stevens. Impetus LP. From 1982, a fairly young Frode. I guess the title comes form the fact that the LP has no side markings.
106) THE MUSIC IMPROVISATION  COMPANY: Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, et al. ECM LP. If this album was on Incus it would cost $200, not $20. Seems to me that Parker learned quite a lot from Bailey, and took Bailey's approach to the guitar and applied it to the sax.
107) ORIENT: Don Cherry, Han Bennink, Johnny Dyani. Get Back 2LP. I would love to read Bennink's life story.
108) THE BLACK ARK: Noah Howard, Arthur Doyle, et al. Bo'Weavil LP. Crazy Hot.
109) BRILLIANT CIRCLES: Stanley Cowell, Woody Shaw, Tyrone Washington, Bobby Hutcherson, Reggie Workman, Joe Chambers. Arista Freedom LP. A good one.
110) THE SOOTHSAYER: Wayne Shorter. Music Matters/BN 2LP 45rpm.
111) SNOW BLIND AVALANCHE: Flaherty, Corsano, Yeh. Important LP.
112) AIGU-GRAVE: Sunny Murray Quintet. Marge LP. Pretty strong album.
113) ARCHIE SHEPP IN EUROPE: Shepp & NY Contemporary Five. Delmark 5. Classic.

That's quite enough!

October 2013 Listening

1.       “Cuckooland” Robert Wyatt (Domino 2003 LP/CD)

2.       “Nuggets” Various Artists  (Rhino R2 75466 CD)

3.       “Wisdom of Uncertainty” David S. Ware, Matthew Ship, William Parker & Susie Ibarra (Aum Fidelity AUM001 CD)

4.       “The Bag” The Thing )Smalltown Superjazzz STS / 151CD CD)

5.       “The Seven Storey Mountain” Nate Wooley, Corsano. C Spencer Yeh, and others (Imprec C 330 CD)

6.       “Bad as Me” Tom Waits (Anti 87151-2 LP/CD)

7.       “Sfumato” Vinny Golia, Bobby Bradford, Alex Cline & Ken Filiano (Clean Feed CF036CD CD)

8.       “Riobec” Cecil Taylor and Gunter Sommer (FMP CD 2 CD)

9.       “M B V” My Bloody Valentine  (mbv mbv lp 01 LP + CD)

10.   “Lorrach, Paris 1966” Albert Ayler, Don Ayler, Sampson, Fowell, & Beaver Harris (Hatology 572 CD)

11.   “A John Coltrane Restrospective - The Impluse Years” John Coltrane (Impluse GRD-3-119 CD)

12.   “Dogon A.D” Julius Hemphill (International Phonograph, Inc. 1028 CD)

13.   “Sound Of Lies” Jayhawks (American 314 566 941-2 CD)

14.   “Ayahuasca” Pelt with Jack Rose (VHF Records vhf#62 CD)

15.   “Blues For Albert Ayler” Frank Wright, Rashied Ali, James Blood Ulmer and Benny Wilson (ESP Disc ESP-4068 CD)

16.   “Patterns in a Chromatic Field (1981)” Morton Feldman with Charles Curtis - Cello & Aleck Karis - Piano (Tzadik TZ8002 CD)

17.   “Hooky - Solo in Montreal 1976” Steve Lacy  (Emanem 4042 CD)

18.   “Live at the Vortex Foxes Fox” Evan Parker, Steve Beresford, John Edwards, and Louis Moholo-Moholo and Kenny Wheeler (Psi PSI 12.10 CD)

19.   “Spontaneous Combustion” Joe McPhee Decoy with John Edwards, Alexander, Hawkins & Steve Noble (Otoroku ROKU 002LP LP)

20.   “Visitation Rites” Paraphrase  with Tim Berne, Tom Rainey and Drew Gress (Screwgun 70002 CD)

21.   “Seconds” Bloodcount with Tim Berne, Michael Formanek, Chris Speed & Jim Black (Screwgun SC70019 CD/DVD)

22.   “White Chalk” PJ Harvey (Island B0009972-02 CD)

23.   “Safari” The Breeders  (4AD 66432-2 CD)

24.   “Criss-Cross” Thelonious Monk, Charlie Rouse, John Ore & Frank Dunlop (Columbia CK 63537 CD)

25.   “Fig. 5” Jackie-O Motherfucker (All Tomorrow's Parties ATPRCD11 CD)

26.   “Sign O the Times” Prince (Warner 1-25577 LP)

27.   “(Without Noticing)” Fire! With Mats Gustafsson Johan Berthling & Andreas Werlin (Rune Grammofon RLP3146 LP)

28.   “Ancient and Future Airs” Sun Quartet with Paul Dunmall, Tony Mallaby, Mark Helias, & Kevin Norton (Clean Feed CF138CD CD)

29.   “Dying Sun” Looper with Martin Kuchen, Ingar Zach & Nikos Veliotis (Another Timber AT38 CD)

30.   “FME- Live at Glenn Miller Café Stockholm - Feb 27, 2002” Ken Vandermark, Paal Nilssen-Love & Nate McBride (Okka Disk 10007 CD)

31.   “Quartet (Dortmund) 1976” Anthony Braxton, George Lewis, Dave Holland & Barry Altschul (Hatology 557 CD)

32.   “Self-Hate Index” Greg Kelley (Semata Productions SEM-002 CD)

33.   “Volta” Bjork

34.   “Broken Staircase” Paul Flaherty, Bill Nace & Liala Salins (Wet Paint 3004 CD)

35.   “Neu!” Neu! (Astralwerks CD)

36.   “Karma” Pharaoh Sanders (Impluse! IMPD-153 CD)

37.   “Echoes of the Past” Dead Moon (Sub Pop SPCD 706 CD)