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!