A source for news on music that is challenging, interesting, different, progressive, introspective, or just plain weird
Here is where I post, at a frequency of about once a week, a list of the new music that has caught my attention that week. All of the releases listed below I’ve heard for the first time this week and come recommended.
Nick Dunston – Atlantic Extraction (2019)
Various Artists – Witchcraft & Black Magic In The United Kingdom (2019)
Peuker8 – Radiance (2019)
Clavicvla – Sepulchral Blessing (2019)
Kyle Erye Clyd – Eggshell (2019)
Source: Luna Composition Lab.
The 2019-20 Luna Composition Lab Fellows range in age from 13 to 17 and hail from all over the U.S., including Springfield, MO; Louisville, KY; Pasadena, CA; Los Altos, CA; and Fayetteville, NY. They are: Olivia Bennett (age 17), KiMani Bridges (age 17), Madeline Clara Cheng (age 15), Ebunoluwa Oguntola (age 14) and Sage Shurman (age 13). Honorable Mentions were awarded to Nicole Balsirow, Emily DeNucci, Helen Feng, Jordan Millar, and Emily Singleton.
Luna Composition Lab addresses the gender gap in the field of classical music by inspiring young self-identifying female, nonbinary and gender non-conforming individuals to compose. Founded in 2016 by 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Reid – the first composer to have been commissioned by Los Angeles’ four major classical music institutions – and 2019 Grammy nominee Missy Mazzoli – one of the first two women to be commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera – with NYC’s Kaufman Music Center, Luna Lab provides mentorship and performance opportunities to girls and young women from eighth grade through college freshmen.
Source: Music and More.
Chris Lightcap – Superbigmouth (Pyroclastic Records, 2019)
Ethan Iverson Quartet with Tom Harrell – Common Practice (ECM, 2019)
Kris Davis – Diatom Ribbons (Pyroclastic Records, 2019)
Source: Variety. Collaborations with Fela Kuti, Hawkwind, and PiL.
When Ginger Baker died Sunday at the age of 80 after years of ill health, the rock era lost its first real superstar drummer.
Mind you, Baker would’ve absolutely hated having his name tied to anything rock — in death and he did in life — despite having made his notoriety, initially, with the genre’s first power trio and supergroup, Cream, in 1966, followed by Blind Faith in 1969.
Like jazz drummers Louie Bellson and Rufus Jones long before him, Baker was a proponent of the double-bass drum sound, and turned the jazz tradition of rolling, raging thunderous solos, a la Max Roach and Art Blakey, into a heavy rock staple. Baker was known for everything from Dixieland to blues, fusion, Afrobeat, free jazz, post-punk and more. Focus on rock while dealing with him, and you could get a caning such as the one that the drummer famously gave film director/acolyte Jay Bulger during his 2012 documentary “Beware of Mr. Baker.”
Source: The Guardian.
Ginger Baker, one of the most brilliant, versatile and turbulent drummers in the history of British music, has died aged 80. His family had previously made it public that he was critically ill and asked fans to “please keep him in your prayers”. His Facebook page said he “passed away peacefully” on Sunday morning.
Here is where I post, at a frequency of about once a week, a list of the new music that has caught my attention that week. All of the releases listed below I’ve heard for the first time this week and come recommended.
Susan Alcorn / Joe McPhee / Ken Vandermark – Invitation to a Dream (2019)
theBABAorchestra – Marigold (2019)
Renaud Bajeux – Magnetic Voices From The Unseen (2019)
Rob Mazurek – Desert Encrypts Vol. 1 (2019)
Snek Trio – Battement Développé (2019)
The Quietus reviews a new Sun Ran release from 1986.
An anthology of Joseph Jarman’s writings has been reprinted.
The new release from Marilyn Crispell and Tyshawn Sorey is reviewed and reviewed again.
