This Week at the Vortex Jazz Club

August 14, 2010 — Mike

From London’s Vortex Jazz Club:

Sunday 15 – Tuesday 17
Fête Quaqua
John Russell’s Fête Quaqua has become a highlight in the improviser’s calendar and this year’s event once again features twelve major international voices from the world of free improvisation. From the foremost Japanese sound artist Akio Suzuki to Phil Wachsmann’s stratospheric violin and Russell’s own remarkable guitar work, this is a never to be repeated aural delight. Prior booking is recommended.

The full line-up of musicians includes;

Chris Burn (trumpets), John Butcher (saxophones), Tania Chen (piano), Gunter Christmann (trombone/cello), Lol Coxhill (soprano saxophone), Dominc Lash (bass), John Russell (guitar), Akio Suzuki (self made instruments/iwabue), Sabu Toyozumi (percussion/erhu), Phillipp Wachsmann (violin), Alex Ward (clarinet), Ute Wassermann (voice).

For more go to: www.mopomoso.com

Wednesday 18
Shabaka Hutchings Trio
Rising star of the London jazz and free Improvising music scene, Shabaka Hutchings on clarinets and saxophone joins forces with bass player John Edwards and drummer Mark Sanders, rhythm section for many stars from Europe and the USA, including Paul Dunmall, Evan Parker, Charles Gayle, John Tchicai, Wadada Leo Smith, Peter Brotzmann, Paul Rutherford and Johannes Bauer.

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Audiences hate modern classical music because their brains cannot cope

August 14, 2010 — Mike

From Telegraph, an article with an unsurprising, if poorly worded conclusion.

While traditional classical music follows strict patterns and formula that allow the brain to make sense of the sound, modern symphonies by composers such as Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern simply confuse listeners’ brains.

Philip Ball, author of The Music Instinct, has drawn on the latest scientific findings from neuroscientists to show structure and patterns in music are a fundamental part of musical enjoyment.

He said: “Many people still seem to find modern classical music challenging. If that is the case, then they can relax as it is challenging for a good reason and it is not because they are in some way too musically stupid to appreciate it.

Replace the word “stupid” with the word “unprepared” or some similar synonym and I’d be happier…

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Newsbits

August 14, 2010 — Mike

Michael Rother of Neu! put together a new group. Free streaming of their NY performance is available.

Andrew Lamb has an upcoming performance with Tom Abbs on the bass, tuba, and percussion; Newman Baker on the drums and percussion; and Menshemsaqa Angaza with the spoken word and percussion, taking place August 24 in New York.

The latest from Billy Bang is reviewed.

The Root Investigates Who Really Gets Paid in the Music Industry – and it ain’t the artists.

A Quiet Norway have a couple of nice dark-ish ambient tracks up for free streaming.

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Vijay Iyer's jazz pulls from grab bag of genres and years

August 14, 2010 — Mike
Vijay Iyer
Image via Wikipedia

From latimes.com:

A new solo album due at the end of the month will be Iyer’s 11th recording since 1995, and while “Historicity” marked a breakthrough for the 38-year-old pianist, its sales numbers are the sort that Katy Perry might find between her sofa cushions (7,000 copies sold at the time of this writing, according to Nielsen Soundscan). Regardless, if you want to know where jazz is in 2010 and where it’s headed, Iyer is among the first musicians to hear.

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Chamber/jazz composer James Falzone to release new Allos Musica album

August 14, 2010 — Mike

From ALARM Press :

Chicago clarinetist and composer James Falzone uses his different Allos Musica ensembles to traverse modern chamber music, world music, and jazz — often within the same song.  Lamentations, the debut album from his newest Allos incarnation, will be released on November 2 and derives a good deal of inspiration from Arabic music.

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