Avant Music News

Label

An annual event, Festival Musica this year includes pieces by Stockhausen, Ligeti, Carter, and many others, and features a Zappa tribute, as well as performances by Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Intercontemporain, and much more.

Vivo Records has an interesting cadre of releases including a recent effort by Amir Baghiri as well as an upcoming Muslimgauze CD. MP3 samples are available.

The latest version of the Squid’s Ear is now out, featuring Susie Ibarra, a review of the Victo FIMAV festival, CD reviews, and much, much more.

AMN reader Ron writes:

Samla Mammas Manna, PAK, Doctor Nerve
Thursday, August 28, 9:00pm
The Knitting Factory
74 Leonard Street
New York, NY 10013
212-219-3006
Advance tickets $10/$12 at the door

Swedish Prog-Rock Legends Samla Mammas Manna was formed by Lars Hollmer in 1970. This performance will mark Samla’s New York premiere. They have released dozens of records, (if you include their many side projects,) but may be best know for being the back-up band on Fred Frith’s Gravity. Their drummer for the evening will be none other than the incredible Yoshida Tatsuya of the Japanese duo Ruins.

New CD: Dear Mamma – label: Krax

“Pak is led by New York guitar great Ron Anderson who is also in RonRuins and was the leader of the now disbanded Molecules. Pak mix Ruins, Magma, Zappa, Beefheart and other progressive influences into their own unique and often over-the-top prog/punk blend. Extremely tight, intricate and constantly shifting through a myriad of ridiculous changes.” Bruce Gallanter – Downtown Music Gallery

New CD: 100% Human Hair – label: Ra Sounds

Nick Didkovsky negotiates his avant/metal/mutant/thrash/Jazz/seven piece ensemble, through torturous arrangements. These musicians create music that is filled with stunning ideas that maintain a rock energy of power and beauty. Busy with recording and European festivals this will be Doctor Nerve’s first New York performance in three years.

New CD: EREIA: (with Sirius String Quartet) label: Cuneiform Records

Websites:
Samla Mammas Manna: www.amigo.se/krax
PAK: www.ronanderson-molecules.com
Doctor Nerve: www.doctornerve.org

Dave Holland will be on tour for most of the next six months in both Big Band and Quintet formations.

Jul 08, 2003 London UK
Jul 10, 2003 Vienne France
Jul 11, 2003 The Hague Holland
Jul 12, 2003 The Hague Holland
Jul 14, 2003 Torino Italy
Jul 16, 2003 Molde Norway
Jul 17, 2003 Vitoria Spain
Jul 18, 2003 Lisbon Portugal
Jul 19, 2003 Coimbra Portugal
Jul 20, 2003 Gdynia Poland
Jul 22, 2003 Karlsruhe Germany
Jul 24, 2003 Paris France
Jul 25, 2003 Paris France
Jul 26, 2003 Stockholm Sweden
Jul 27, 2003 La Seyne-sur-Mère France
Jul 29, 2003 Mosciano S. Angelo Italy
Jul 30, 2003 Roma Italy
Aug 31, 2003 Saalfelden Austria
Sep 02, 2003 Sant’ Anna Arresi Italy
Oct 24, 2003 Santa Barbara, CA at Lobero Theatre USA
Oct 26, 2003 San Francisco, CA at the San Francisco Jazz Festival USA
Nov 08, 2003 Philadelphia, PA at the Painted Bride USA
Nov 12, 2003 New York, NY at Birdland through November 15 USA
Nov 21, 2003 Newark, NJ at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center USA
Dec 04, 2003 Pittsburgh, PA at the Manchester Craftsmen Guild through December 7 USA
Jan 24, 2004 Princeton, NJ at McCarter Theatre USA
Feb 26, 2004 Detroit, MI at Orchestra Hall USA

A list of releases for this year on FMP is available. Although all of the ones listed have apparently been out since February, the difficulty of find this label’s material implies that this is probably news for most of us.

Blurb:
“THE LIGHT OF CORONA
Cecil Taylor & Ensemble
Recorded live at Total Music Meeting 1996
FMP CD 120
(Released: February 7, 2003)

THE NEW FLAGS
Wolfgang Fuchs/Xu Fengxia/Roger Turner
Recorded live at Total Music Meeting 2002
a/l/l 007
(Released: February 24, 2003)“

According to the Jazz institute of Chicago:

“The 25th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival opens with a special tribute concert on Thursday, August 28 at the Symphony Center (220 S. Michigan Avenue). It will also feature extended hours, 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. in Grant Park, Friday–Sunday, August 29–31. The Jazz Club Tour, sponsored by the JIC, returns Wednesday, August 27.

While details of the final lineup are still under negotiation, the following acts are expected to appear: McCoy Tyner Big Band; “The Message Lives: A Tribute to Art Blakey,” featuring the Branford Marsalis Quartet and the Jazz Messenger Alumni All-Stars; the Dave Holland Big Band; the Elvin Jones’ Jazz Machine; Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana; Ken Vandermark; Freddie Cole; and Karrin Allyson.“

Rumor has it that Roscoe Mitchell is also scheduled to perform.

According to ECM, AEoC will be at Yoshi’s in Oakland CA Oct. 30 – Nov. 1. These guys rarely play live anymore, so this may be one of the last chances to see them perform. The date has been confirmed by Yoshi’s calendar.

From Jazzwise Magazine:

“Bassist Miroslav Vitous, formerly of key jazz-rock group Weather Report, is to release an as-yet-untitled album with a supergroup for the German ECM record label. He’s to work with guitarist John McLaughlin, formerly of the 70s Mahavishnu Orchestra; Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek, whose 70s work included My Song with Keith Jarrett; drummer Jack deJohnette, who was on Miles Davis’ era-defining Bitches Brew, and pianist/keyboardist Chick Corea, leader of jazz-rock group Return to Forever. Vitous has not been active on the jazz scene for some years, recording a solo project for ECM back in the mid-80s but little has been heard of him internationally since. As a founder member of Weather Report, co-led by Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul, he recorded on the group’s eponymous debut recorded in 1971 and was also on I Sing the Body Electric, Live in Tokyo, Sweetnighter and Mysterious Traveller. The Czech born-player, who is 55, moved to the United States in the mid-1960s and worked with Herbie Mann and Miles Davis before becoming a member of Weather Report. The album is expected in October.“

I guess this could go either way…