Lately Listening

1. Pierrot Lunaire/Sleeper, Lesser Invocation (Sic Sic CS): The Pierrot Lunaire piece reminds us that real life underpins music--easy to lose sight of that in consumer/collector culture. Especially when you live in an area where live music of this nature occurs with less frequency.
2. Keir Neuringer, Ceremonies on Air (New Atlantis LP): An incredible statement. This album has been getting a lot of play.
3. Deep Listening Band, Then &  Now Now & Then (Taiga 2LP): The wall shelf helps to bring out so much more detail from this release.
4. Sam Rivers, The Live Trio Sessions (Impulse 2LP): Sam Rivers killing it.
5. Steve Lacy, Stamps (HatHut 2LP): I don't mind Irene on this one. Lacy is in fine form on these sides.
6. Mengelberg/Lacy/Lewis/Gorter/Bennink, Change of Season (Soul Note LP): Jamming Herbie Nichols' tunes.
7. Anthony Braxton & Derek Bailey, Moment Precieux (Victo LP): I'll have to dust off the 4-disc box of Braxton duos with Joe Morris. I remember that leaving me a bit cold. This one blows mostly hot.
8. John Carter, Fields (Gramavision LP): Some of the synth work sounds dated, but this is still a very good album.
9. Rova Saxophone Quarter, Beat Kennel (Black Saint LP): Doing their thing
10. Sheldon Siegel, Midden (Sky Lantern CS): Free jazz on cassette.
11. Fushitsusha & Peter Brotzmann, Nothing Changes, No One Can Change Anything, I am Ever-Changing, Only You Can Change Yourself (Utech 3CD): Believe the hype.
12. Wolf Eyes, Six Arms and Sucks (Esquilo CD): Tough to follow a great Def Leopard joke, but the Wolf Eyes pulls it off. Brought me back to seeing them in Buffalo.
13. Art Ensemble of Chicago, Go Home (CD): Dubious reissue of ultra-rare LP on Galloway.
14. Frank Lowe, Black Beings (ESP Disk CD): Such a great album.
15. Bill Lews & Khan Jamal, The River (Philly Jazz LP): Getting out with vibraphone and marimba.
16. MAP, Fever Dream (Taiga 2LP): Lots of scratching, plinking and plunking. Great record.
17. Various Artists, Dynasty at Ghost Town (Bathetic 11 CS): Perfect listening for the dog days of the southern spring. Check it out.