Terry Riley – More Than Just Minimalism at Le Poisson Rouge

October 12, 2009 — Mike

From NYTimes.com:

More than 45 years have passed since Terry Riley composed “In C,” a watershed work that heralded the breakthrough of Minimalism. The piece is in no danger of losing its freshness; the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble, a mostly undergraduate group based in Michigan, will release a new recording of “In C” in November, along with a second CD containing 18 imaginative remixes. The Michigan players will celebrate their new album with a concert at Le Poisson Rouge on Nov. 8.

But when Mr. Riley appeared at that club on Sunday night, “In C” was the furthest thing from the agenda. What became clear during the performance — which also featured Mr. Riley’s son, the guitarist and composer Gyan Riley; Tracy Silverman, an electric-violinist; and Ches Smith, a percussionist — was just how poorly the Minimalist label suits Mr. Riley now.

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Emanem & Psi Releases

October 12, 2009 — Mike
Phil Wachsmann
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From Emanem & Psi:

Latest Emanem releases – available now:
5001 Veryan Weston ‘Allusions’ (2002) solo piano
5002 Okkyung Lee / Peter Evans / Steve Beresford ‘Check For Monsters’ (2008)
5003 Milo Fine ‘Ananke’ (2006/7)
5004 Sophie Agnel ‘Capsizing Moments’ (2008) solo piano
5005 ARC ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ (2008) Gus Garside, Sylvia Hallett & Danny Kingshill
5006 Stellari String Quartet ‘Gocce Stellari’ (2006/7)
5201 People Band ’69/70′ previously unissued
5202 Paul Rutherford ‘Tetralogy’ (1978-82) solo, trio & brass quartet previously unissued

Next Emanem release – available late October or early November:
5007 Grosse Abfahrt ‘Vanity’ (2008)
Matthieu Werchowski, David Chiesa, Theresa Wong, John Shiurba, Matt Ingalls, Tom Djll, Tim Perkis, Gino Robair

Latest psi releases – available now:
09.01 Evan Parker ‘Saxophone Solos’ (1975) reissue
09.02 Per Anders Nilsson / Sten Sandell / Raymond Strid ‘Beam Stone’ (2007)
09.03 Lawrence Casserley & Adam Linson ‘Integument’ (2007)
09.04 Agustí Fernández ‘Un llamp que no s’acaba mai’ (2007) with John Edwards & Mark Sanders
09.05/6 Peter Evans ‘Nature/Culture’ (2008) solo trumpet
09.07 Grutronic ‘Essex Foam Party’ (2006-8)
09.08 FURT ‘Sense’ (2008/9) Richard Barrett & Paul Obermayer

Next psi releases – available late October or early November:
09.09 Evan Parker ‘Whitstable Solo’ (2008)
09.10 Richard Barrett ‘Adrift’ 3 compositions 2007/8
09.11 Evan Parker ‘Set’ (2003)
with Barry Guy, Paul Lytton, Richard Barrett, Paul Obermayer, Lawrence Casserley, Walter Prati & Marco Vecchi

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Henry Threadgill soars on first new CD in 8 years

October 12, 2009 — Mike

The Detroit Free Press praises the new release from Mr. Threadgill.

Alto saxophonist and composer Henry Threadgill hasn’t issued a CD since 2001, an unusually long silence for a musician of his stature, but “This Brings Us To, Volume 1″ has been worth the wait (**** out of four stars, Pi Recordings, out Oct. 27). The album is a major achievement.

At 64, Threadgill has spent his career exploring a disciplined kind of free jazz in which sophisticated, often meticulous compositional forms and strategies merge with an exploratory approach to improvisation and a post-everything inclusiveness. After nearly a decade together, his unique quintet Zooid — which matches his saxophone and flute with guitarist Liberty Ellman, Jose Davila on trombone and tuba, electric bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Elliot Humberto Kavee — has evolved into an improvising chamber ensemble of the highest order.

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Seattle’s Earshot Jazz Festival looks beyond tradition

October 12, 2009 — Mike

The upcoming Earshot fest is previewed.

Among the highlights: Hard-swinging, straight-ahead quartet Tarbaby, featuring drummer Nasheet Waits and Eric Revis, bassist in the Branford Marsalis Quartet; vocalist Saadet Turkoz, who blends jazz with traditional renderings of Turkish music and poetry; Ikue Mori and Zeena Parkins Phantom Orchard, an electronic improvisation duo; the Khoomei Taiko Ensemble, which interprets ancient Mongolian and Japanese drumming traditions; the electronic-acoustic, experimental ensemble Myra Melford Be Bread; Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuna and her quintet; and drummer Greg Williamson’s A-Y-P Large Ensemble, a 16-piece band that will perform turn-of-the-century jazz, originally presented at the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exhibition.

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Clean Feed October Releases

October 12, 2009 — Mike

As the last batch arrives at your favorite music download store, the October Clean Feed releases are now out:

CANADA DAY
Harris Eisenstadt

PIECES OF OLD SKY
Samuel Blaser Quartet

THINGS HAVE GOT TO CHANGE
Marty Ehrlich Rites Quartet

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DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET Photos

October 12, 2009 — Mike
Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, performing a...
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From DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET:

October 10, 2009
Evan Parker Trio with William Parker & Matthew Shipp, The Stone
Steve Dalachinsky, Evan Parker, William Parker, Matthew Shipp

October 06, 2009
Evan Parker Duos & Trios with Sylvie Courvoisier & Ikue Mori, The Stone
Sylvie Courvoisier, Ikue Mori, Evan Parker

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Musique Machine Reviews

October 12, 2009 — Mike

From Musique Machine:

Walter Gross – LA Pink Filth
LA Pink Filth is surely one of the most bizarre, unhinged & ‘not sticking to rules’ Instrumental DJ & sample record you’ve ever likely to come across. You see Walter Gross builds & makes his sonic wears from all manner of sounds & sonic matter you don’t usually associate with hip- hop or Dj based work we have here: noise matter, heavily droning & doomed guitars, unnerving field recordings, and uneasy drone expanses- all of which make LA Pink Filth the truly distinctive, puzzling & often strangely rewarding record it is.

The Kittiwakes – Lofoten Calling
The Kittiwakes are a rather wonderful british folk trio that manage to nod towards past yet offer up something fresh, a little different & distinct. This is their rather fabulous debut which is a concept album based around the stories & folk tales of the Lofoten islands which are just off the Norwegian coast.

Toby Dammit – Satanik
Satanik finds Toby Dammit offer up a c46 cassette worth of sleazed & crude yet grimily entraining & often inventive noise attack & wonky power electronics rants. The album is dedicated/ influenced by the supernatural themed Italian horror comic that ran from ’64 to ’74.

Sylvester Anfang II – Sylvester Anfang II
Sylvester Anfang II finds originally occult tinged primitive folk freak ‘n’ bash Belgium collective Sylvester Anfang morphing into a more off -kilter 70’s bash & chug Psychedelic Occult rock, krautrock churn & muffled ritual affair.

Fabio Orsi & Seaworthy – Near & Faraway
Near & Faraway is a beautiful realized, haunting, often lushly harmonic & warming collaboration between two of today’s most consistently rewarding ambient artists & sonic mood setters. Involved we have Australian electro/ acoustic project Seaworthy with often their often guitar linked ambience & Italy’s Fabio Orsi who also users guitar elements as well old synths & field recordings to create his rich ambient canvas.

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