AGM Playlist March 2013

Apologies for the inordinately long list this time, but when you are convalescing from surgery, there is not much to do but lie on the couch and listen to music. By the same token, one is not much up for typing up lists either. Anyway, hope y'all find something interesting in here to repay your time.


1) MUSIC FOR PEOPLE, BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES & MOSQUITOES: Jimmy Giuffre 3. Choice/Inner City LP. Beautiful, deep record, something of Lacy about it, but without Lacy's tartness.
2) IMPROVISIE:  Paul Bley, Annette Peacock, Han Bennink. America LP. Quite a trio. Weird hearing Bley play synthesizer throughout. Peackock fascinated me, and Bennink was kicking it.
3) NATURAL ESSENCE: Tyrone Washington. Blue Note LP. Obscure BN hard bop album.
4) AXIS: Paul Bley, solo piano. Improvising Artist LP.
5) BLISS: Chick Corea, John Gilmore. Inner City LP. Darned if this isn't good.
6) CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS: Dave Holland, Rivers, Braxton. ECM LP. A great record.
7) JUMPIN IN: Holland, Steve Coleman, Priester. ECM LP.  Very very good.
8) NEUTRONS: DK3, including Vandermark. Quarterstick LP. Hard charging record. More KV would have been nice.
9) CURLEW:  NORTH AMERICA: Frith, Corsa, et al. Moers LP. What passed for avant jazz in the benighted 80s.
10) MAMA AFRICA: Peter Tosh. EMI LP. Reggae lite.
11) WE THOUGHT ABOUT DUKE: Koglmann, Konitz, et al. Hatology. I'm not a particular fan of Ellington, Koglmann, or Konitz, but this album really made a good impression on me.
12) LIVE AT MANDEL HALL: Art Ensemble of Chicago. Delmark 2LP. You know I am a fan of AEC.
13) ENRICO RAVA QUARTET:  with Roswell Rudd. ECM LP. With trumpet and bone front line, this group works the body like an old prizefighter.
14) SEVEN COMPOSITIONS (TRIO) 1989: Braxton, with Oxley, honing his genius. Hatology CD.
15) A BIG HAND: Tony Bevan group. Foghorn CD. Big inventive horn sound, imaginative, but definitely not in the Parker or Butcher school.
16) CLARINET & STRING QUARTET: Morton Feldman, Composer. Pelligrini Qt. hat [now] ART CD.
17) UNTITLED COMPOSITION FOR CELLO AND PIANO: Morton Feldman, comp.
18) MEMORY SELECT: THE PARIS CONCERT III:  Tim Berne Bloodcount. Winter CD.
19) THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE LUNGS: Parker, Bailey, Bennink. Great hearing Parker matched up with other musical masters rather than some dial-twiddler "playing" an Apple laptop. psi CD.
20) SYMPHONY No. 5 & No. 9: Shostakovich, comp. Prague S.O, Maxim Shostakovich, cond. Supraphon CD.
21) CREATIVE ORCHESTRA (KOLN) 1978: Braxton, Golia, Rothenburg, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler, whew. Hatology CD.
22) THE WHITE STRIPES: Eponymous. Third Man Records LP.
23) THE ULTIMATE ELVIN JONES: Elvin with Joe Farrell, Jimmy Garrison. Blue Note LP. Pretty good. Farrell plays with sophistication and the music is interesting.
24) KEEPIN' UP WITH THE JONESES: Thad, Hank and Elvin Jones, recorded March 1958. Metrojazz LP.
25) ENIGMA VARIATIONS & WAND OF YOUTH (rather an odd title! Attention Dr. Freud): Elgar, comp. Sir Adrian Boult cond, London P.O. This is on an old HMV LP. I finally checked out the box it comes in, and discover a Miro litho in it!
26) SOMETHING IN BLUE: Monk, McKibbon, Blakey. Black Lion LP. Recorded in London 1971.
27) REJOICING: Metheny, Haden, Higgins. ECM 1984. Really a good album, Metheny plays strongly, and nice sonics too.
28) THOUGHTS: Bill Dixon, with Wm Parker, Peter Kowald, Marco Eneidi, et al. Soul Note LP.
29) VIOLIN SONATA: Elgar, comp. Alan Loveday (vn), Leonard Bassini (p). Decca (UK) LP.
30) WILDFLOWERS: NY JAZZ LOFT SESSION, Vol 5: Sunny Murray, Byard Lancaster, Roscoe Mitchell. Douglas LP. I dig the music but it bothers me that I can go up to NYC and hear the same music 30+ years later.
31) WILDFLOWERS: NY JAZZ LOFT SESSION, Vol. 4: Bluiett, Hemphill, Lyons, Lake, Murray.
Douglas LP.
32) SOLILOQUY FOR OBOE & ORCHESTRA: Elgar, comp. Leon Goosens, Oboe, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, cond Norman Del Mar.
33) EIGHT (+1) TRISTANO COMPOSITIONS 1989 FOR WARNE MARSH: Braxton and group play like they had a plane to catch, Still some interesting elements, but I doubt Warne would be too well pleased.  hatology CD.
34) FUCHSIA SWING SONG: Sam Rivers. Music Matters 2LP 45rpm. The more I listen the better these 45s sound.
35) SIZZLE: Sam Rivers. Really just one long jam session. ABC/Impulse LP.
36) STONEWATER: Brotzmann Chicago Tentet. Okkadisk LP.
37) THE ATLANTA CONCERT: Brotzmann, Fred Hopkins, and Hamid Drake, Okkadisk ltd ed LP.
38) SYMPHONY No.1 & MEDEA SUITE & ADAGIO FOR STRINGS: Samuel Barber, comp. Eastman Rochester Orch, Howard Hansen, Mercury Golden Imports LP (they have excellent sound).
39) STEVE LACY PLAYS MONK: Lacy with Michael Graillier (p), J-F Jenny Clark (b), and Aldo Romano (d). You know it's good.
40) OUT TO LUNCH: Dolphy, Hubbard, Hutcherson, Richard Davis, Tony Williams. This album never gets old for me. Blue Note/King Japan LP.
41) MINGUS IN EUROPE, VOL. I: Mingus, Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Byard, Richmond. This performance took place in WUPPERTAL, Germany on April 26, 1964. Might not Brotzmann (or Kowald) have been in the audience? Has PB ever mentioned it in an interview? Enja LP.
42) MONTREUX TWO: Archie Shepp group. Arista Freedom LP.
43) FRANK WRIGHT TRIO: Wright, Grimes, and Tom Price. ESP/Get Back LP.
44) BACK TO BLACK: Amy Winehouse. Universal CD.
45) BILLIE HOLIDAY'S GREATEST HITS: MCA Records LP. Miss Winehouse must have listened to some Billie as she developed her singing style. There are some interesting similarities.
46) EXPLORATIONS: Bill Evans Trio. Riverside/Victor Japan LP.
47) MUSIQUE POR LA VIOLE: Marin Marais, comp. Charivari Agreable group. ASV CD. Marais, my favorite Baroque composer. Beautiful music for the bass viol.
48) CENTERING: Wm Parker box set. Disc 1.Parker, Daniel Carter, John Hagen, Arthur Williams. No Business CD. They were young once and full of ideas and vigor.
49) CENTERING: Disc 2. Blistering performance by DSW worth the price of admission.
50) PIANO CONCERTO #3 (Prokofiev), & PIANO CONCERTO IN G MAJOR (Ravel): Martha Argerich, Berline Phil Orch. DGG LP. A great performance.
51) SONATAS & INTERLUDES FOR PREPARED PIANO: John Cage, comp, Joshua Pierce, piano. Wergo CD.
52) IN FULL CRY: Joe and Matt Maneri. ECM CD.
53) NEW DIRECTIONS IN MODERN MUSIC: Rashied Ali Quartet. Survival LP. Just been reissued on another label.
54) THE WOMEN BLUES OF CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Folkways LP.
55) WARDELL GRAY MEMORIAL: Wardell Gray. Prestige LP.
56) PIANO CONCERTO (Delius) & SONATA, Op. 26 (Barber): Marjorie Mitchell, piano & NDS S.O.. Wm Strickland, cond. Decca LP. I pick up albums by female classical musicians, esp. pianists, as many were denied a real career, although their performances are often quite fine.
57) l'OISEAU DE FEU: Stravinsky, comp. Concertgebouw, Colin Davis, cond. Philips LP.
58) THIN AIR: Halvorson & Pavone. Sometimes sounds like a late night session at the NYU dorm by two aspiring sorority sisters. Anyway, it has the characteristics of early work. Thirsty Ear CD.
59) THE FISH: Guionnet, Duboc, Perraud. Clean Feed CD. Fish is good for you, and tasty.
60) CATCHING NET: (the connection between 59 & 60 is purely coincidental). Eli Keszler. Pan 32 CD. Mr. Staas turned me onto this. Thank you sir.
61) PRESQUE RIEN: Luc Ferrari. RGRM 2LP. Thanks again to Master Peter. Pretty interesting, I'm still getting my head around this one.
62) STRONG PLACE: Laubrock, Halvorson, Hebert, Rainey, Kris Davis. Intakt CD. Excellent.
63) PLATFORM 1 TAKES OFF: Vandermark, Broo Swell, et al. Clean Feed CD.
64) INSOMNIA:  Tim Berne. Clean Feed CD.
65) THIRTY YEARS FROM MONDAY: Alvin Currant, Coxhill, Zigaro, Trovesi, Centazzo. Another gem from the Ictus box. CD.
66) LIVE IN EUROPE 1967: BOOTLEG SERIES, VOL. I: Miles Davis Quintet. Disc 1. Columbia 3 CD box.
67) DARKLY AGAIN: Coxhill, Koglmann, Centazzo. More fine stuff from Ictus Box.
68) DE STIJL: White Stripes. Third Man Records LP.
69) YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT; Wilco. Nonesuch CD.
70) THIS BRINGS US TO, VOl. I: Henry Threadgill Zooid. Pi CD.
71) NEFERTITI: Andrew Hill Trio. Inner City LP. Beautifully recorded and performed.
72) PRAYER FOR PEACE: Amalgam. No Business. LP. I'm liking this more now.
73) FOXES FOX: LIVE AT THE VORTEX: Evan Parker, Beresford, John Edwards, Moholo, Wheeler. Emanem CD. Good but I like the original Foxes Fox more.
74) SYMPHONY No.8: Shostakovich, comp. Kirov Orch, Gergiev, cond.
75) THE EIGHT: Cecil Taylor, Lyons, Wm Parker, Bakr. hatology CD.
76) CENTERING:  Disc 4. Wm Parker, Moondoc, Carter, et al. Pretty hot set.
77) CHECK FOR MONSTERS: Okkyung Lee (cello), Peter Evans (piccolo tp, tp), Steve Beresford (p). Emanem CD. I think a really superior album. Certainly has the best liner notes I've seen in a while.
78) PLANET DREAM: Swell, Rob Brown, Dan Levin. Clean Feed CD. Ingredients don't really mix.
79-81) CALLING PLANET EARTH, OUTER SPACEWAYS INCORPORATED, SPACEWAYS: Sun Ra. 3CD Freedom Box Set.
82) ESTILHACOS: Steve Lacy. A bit short but definitely worthwhile. Clean Feed CD.
83) AOYAMA CROWS: Die Like a Dog Quartet. Brotzmann, Kondo, Parker,, Drake. Jazzwerkstatt CD.
84) LIVE AT CAFE OTO:  Lean Left. Terrie Ex, Andy Moore, Vandermark. Unsounds CD. Strongly done.
85) SOMETHING WILD: MUSIC FOR FILM: Morton Feldman, comp. Ensemble Recherche. WDR CD. Music with an interesting history and worth listening to.
86) TROUT MASK REPLICA: Captain Beefheart. Rhino reissue 2LP. Zappa's fingerprints, footprints and handprints are all over this one.  Never been much of a Zappa fan myself. Has its moments but I doubt the claims for it as a masterpiece.
87) NEW YORK IS NOW: Ornette, Dewey Redman, Garrison, Jones. Blue Note LP.
88) REVENUE: Steve Lacy, Potts, J-J, Betsch. No Irene!  Soul Note CD.
89) MATADOR: Grant Green, Tyner, Cranshaw, Elvin (again). Music Matters 2LP 45rpm. Call these packages my guilty pleasures. Plus these Green titles were only released in Japan.
90) UNKNOWN PLEASURES: Joy Division. Factory/Rhino LP.
91) OUT THERE: Dolphy. Prestige LP.