Day 3: Vision Festival: Bern Nix Quartet

The Quartet is Nix on guitar, Matt Lavelle on trumpet, Francois Grillot on bass, and Reggie Sylvester on drums. Never heard of Reggio before this. Grillot was fine. Lavelle goes on my "Worst of the Festival" list.

Nix is certainly different, doesn't sound like anyone else on guitar on the current scene, which I think is in his favor.  Anyway, Ornette liked him I guess, so there's that.

(I realize there is a duplicate vid here, but could not get rid if the bugger)

Day Two: Vision Festival: Roscoe Mitchell

The highlight of Day 2 was clearly the set with Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Grimes and Tani Tabbal.

(The lowlight was uncontestedly Roy Campbell's Akhenaten Band, but if you ask me very nicely, I will publish a clip).

Before I get to Roscoe, a word about Henry. Watching him closely on stage, that dude is LOCKED IN on the music and the other musicians.  His communication with the other musicians is high-level. Pretty interesting.  I like his bass playing; he gets big fat bass notes out of that green bass, and I like that.

Roscoe's set built from level to level.  IIRC, he started with sopraninos, moved to shakahachi (I think), finally to the alto sax. I think the vids are in sequence, so try to watch that way. BTW, before the set, I found myself standing in the back of the theater with Roscoe.  I looked over and there he was.  I was kind of startled.  I said, "Good luck with your set." He kind of gave me that look, and replied, "Thanks." Yes, a great moment, LOL.

More Opening Night at Vision Festival, NYC June 12, 2013: Milford Graves, Roswell Russ, Charles Gayle

Just a sizzling set. I found Roswell Rudd particularly interesting to watch (and listen to).

Dispatches from Vision Fest 18, Roulette, Brooklyn, NY 2013

Milford Graves? Kidd Jordan? Charles Gayle? Roswell Rudd? You know you want to be there! Some very hot performances last night at Vision Fest. Some quick clips and pics, more to follow.

Lately Listening

Not too much jamage in my life over the past two weeks. Checked out Wayne Horvitz playing a bunch of duos at the Stone, but was unable to met up with Kevin for the Nate Wooley gig--perhaps next time.

1. Henry Flynt, Graduation (Superior Viaduct LP): There's a solid single LP here. The first LP occupies the middle ground between Nova Billy and the dronier stuff like Ascent to the Sun. The first side of the second LP in this two-LP release--wow, it's cheesy-bar-band awful.

2. Earn, Living Wage (Digitalist Tape): Pedal steel and tape fuckery.

3. David S. Ware, Onecept (Aum Fidelity/Rank LP): Two bonus tracks. Picked this up for about $20. Already had the CD.

4. Jeremie Grandsenne, Ritorno a la Vide, Ritournelle (Space Slave Tape): Very spare solo piano. I've played this a number of times. Really enjoying it.

5. Paul Metzger, Tombeaux (Nero's Neptune LP): Another solid entry in Metzger's discography.

6. Sheldon Siegel, 3 Euro Breakfast (House of Alchemy Tape): Hits and misses, but there is some fiery free jazz at points.

7. Tuluum Shimmering, Raag Wichikapache/Lake Mapong (Space Slave Tape): Drone.

8. Geoff Mullen, Filtered Water (Type LP): Really digging this one.

9. Masayuki Takayanagi, Eclipse (PSF CD): Restores my faith in humanity. Holy shit.

10. Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt, The (Palilalia LP): Immensely disappointed that I was unable to see this tour in Raleigh.

11. Ashley Paul, Line the Clouds (REL LP): Don't mind the vocals on this on. Lots of plinking and plunking.

12. Cactus Truck, Brand New for China! (Public Eyesore LP): A freebie. Decent first effort.

13. Afteroomed, Tallgrass (Tabs Out Tape): Critical mass.

14. Kaoru Abe, Solo 1973.3.30 Pitt Inn Tearoom (PSF CD): We're lucky his brief career is so well-documented.

15. Diamond Terrifier, The Subtle Body Wears a Shadow (Terrible LP): Even better than the last one.

16. Cough Cool, 29 (Bathetic LP): Gauzy rock fuzz.

Brotzmann & McPhee at Union Arts & Manufacturing, Washington DC; June 9, 2013

Brotzmann & McPhee in Concert Washington DC June 8, 2013

A very hot set. Nice to see McPhee in top form again. Brotzmann of course was fantastic.  Check out the clip >>>>