Playlist, Week of 2024-05-05

Winding down my Muhal Richard Abrams binge... but then I found a cassette copy of a concert I'd forgotten about, so there will be more, and of course, I won't ever stop listening to this great man's great music... I still feel like I don't have a handle on his solo playing... 

Playlist 2024-05-06:

*Muhal Richard Abrams: The Visibility of Thought

*Beatles: Beatles VI (side 2)

*Paul Bley: Annette

*Anthony Braxton: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 (disc 4) (streaming) 

*Centipede: Septober Energy (disc 1) "Part 2"

*Bill Dixon: Tapestries for Small Orchestra (disc 1)

*Dave Douglas: Five

*Forebrace: Steeped

*Kate Gentile: Find Letter X (disc 2)

*Grateful Dead: Road Trips Vol. 2 No. 2 (1968) (disc 1)

*Grateful Dead: 1970-09-17 Fillmore East (CDR) "Dark Star"

*Happy the Man: "Better Late…" (side 1)

*Haters: Tractor 2023

*Jimi Hendrix Experience: San Francisco 1968

*Kaluza/Roder: Am Frankfurter Tor

*Michael Mantler: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra Update

*Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: Hear the Light Singing

*Merzbow: 1930

*Matt Mitchell/Kate Gentile: Snark Horse (disc 6) "Glue Cube|Inkblot Terrain|Clock Levitation|Cat Secrets|Bludgement"

*Roscoe Mitchell and Muhal Richard Abrams: Duets and Solos

*Ivo Perelman: The Art of the Improv Trio Vol. 6

*Prince/New Power Generation: The War

*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile

*Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones (side 1)

*Sharp/Lopez/Kaiser/Amendola: Minus X: A Tribute to the Music of Iannis Xenakis (disc 1)

*Matthew Shipp Trio: Root of Things

*Catherine Sikora/Susan Alcorn: Filament

*Sun & Steel: Off the Hook! Live at Motvind

*Sun Ra: Calling Planet Earth (side 1)

*Sun Ra: In Some Far Place: Roma '77 (disc 2)

*Sun Ra: At the Showcase: Live in Chicago 1976-1977 (discs 1, 2)

*Cecil Taylor: Double Holy House

*Kit Watkins: Labyrinth (side 1)

*Brian Wilson: At My Piano

*Various artists: WSAM: Plunderzombie (CDR compilation)

*Otomo Yoshihide/Paal Nilssen-Love: 19th of May 2016 

Reading List, Week of 2024-05-05

Reading List 2024-05-06:

*Riley, Tim. Tell Me Why: A Beatles Commentary (reread/started)
*Shakespeare, William. King Richard II (Arden 3rd ed., ed. Charles R. Forker) (reread/started)
*Sorrentino, Gilbert. A Strange Commonplace (reread/started)
*Macdonald, Ross. Black Money (reread/started/finished)
*Chast, Roz. Childproof (reread/finished)
*Empson, William. Essays on Shakespeare (finished)
*Roth, Philip. American Pastoral (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2024-04-28

Some random Muhal Richard Abrams shows this week... on the 1977 Chico Freeman sets (audience recordings), he's unfortunately underrecorded... too bad, because as a whole, the lineup is incredible (Freeman and Henry Threadgill on horns and the unbeatable rhythm section of Steve McCall, Fred Hopkins, and Muhal on piano)... Muhal was given a lot of solo space on the jam from the Jimmy Lyons tribute... even in a great band featuring Archie Shepp and Andrew Cyrille, Muhal stands out... finally, another stellar performance of Muhal with the Art Ensemble of Chicago... again, pretty muddily recorded, but I have a high tolerance for bootlegginess, especially with artists like these... In other great piano jazz, Paul Bley's Turning Point (also released as Turns) features some of John Gilmore's best playing outside the Arkestra... 

Playlist 2024-04-29:

*Muhal Richard Abrams: 1976-07-18 NYC (CDR)

*Art Ensemble of Chicago with Muhal Richard Abrams: 1974-08-07 Laren, The Netherlands (CDR)

*Beatles: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band (Anniversary Ed.) (disc 5, PCM Stereo)

*Paul Bley: Turning Point

*Anthony Braxton: Quartet (Standards) 2020 (disc 10)

*Anthony Braxton: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 (discs 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10) (streaming)

*Rodger Coleman/Sam Byrd: Who Doesn't Fade? "Who Doesn't Fade?"

*Rodger Coleman/Sam Byrd: The Mathematics of War "New Landscape"

*Colla Parte: Live at Rhizome DC

*D’Angelo and the Vanguard: Black Messiah (sides 1, 2, 3, 4)

*Miles Davis: The Complete On the Corner Sessions (disc 2)

*Chico Freeman Quintet: 1977-02-11 NYC (CDR) (discs 1, 2)

*Genesis: Foxtrot "Supper's Ready"

*Gentle Giant: Playing the Fool (side 2)

*Benny Goodman: Fletcher Henderson Arrangements (CDR compilation) (discs 2, 3)

*Grateful Dead: 1973-06-10 Washington DC (CDR) "Dark Star"

*Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquino: Concepts in Unity

*Happy the Man: "Better Late…" (side 2)

*Alexander Hawkins Trio: Carnival Celestial

*Fletcher Henderson's Sextet: 1950

*Hüsker Dü: Zen Arcade

*George Lewis/Douglas Ewart: Jila-Save! Mon.-The Imaginary Suite

*Butch Morris: Butch Morris Conducts Berlin Skyscraper (disc 2)

*New Ting: 2024-04-17 OSB, Richmond VA (wav) 

*Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted

*Soft Machine: 5 (side 1)

*Sonic Youth: Evol

*Sparks: Hello Young Lovers (sides 1, 2, 3, 4)

*Sun Ra: In Some Far Place: Roma '77 (disc 1)

*Tasavallan Presidentti: Lambert Land (side 1)

*UYA: 1992-11-10 O.D.-in' w/Donald  (wav) "Old Dick Donald Had a Duck"

*UYA: 1992-12-06/08 We Got (wav)

*UYA: 1992-12-15 Buntcake Wonderland (wav)

*Various artists: Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (discs 1, 2)

*Various artists: Jimmy Lyons Benefit 1986-02-01 NYC (disc 2) "All Star Jam"

*Way Out Northwest: The White Spot

*Joe Zawinul: Zawinul

*John Zorn/Simulacrum: Inferno

*John Zorn: Bagatelles Vol. 12: Cleric

Reading List, Week of 2024-04-28

Reading List 2024-04-29:

*Chast, Roz. Childproof (reread/started)
*Empson, William. Essays on Shakespeare (started)
*Bradbury, Ray. Home to Stay! The Complete Ray Bradbury EC Stories (finished)
*Shakespeare, William. Timon of Athens (Arden 3rd ed., ed. Anthony B. Dawson and Gretchen E. Minton) (reread/finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Roth, Philip. American Pastoral (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-04-21

 Well, it would appear I am not quite done with my deep dive into Muhal Richard Abrams yet... I discovered a few more concert recordings I'd lost track of, and I am still getting a lot out of returning to the '90s albums... between Muhal (these days), Anthony Braxton, Sun Ra, and Cecil Taylor (all the time), my playlist must seem a bit same-y from week to week... but of course the music sustains and encourages this kind of repeated listening, and I am not tired of it yet... 

Playlist 2024-04-22:

*Muhal Richard Abrams: FamilyTalk
*Muhal Richard Abrams: Think All Focus One
*Muhal Richard Abrams: Song for All
*Muhal Richard Abrams: One Line, Two Views
*Muhal Richard Abrams: Celestial Birds
*Zoh Amba: The Flower School
*Jeff Beck Group: Rough and Ready (side 1)
*Anthony Braxton with the Creative Jazz Orchestra: Composition No. 175, Composition No. 126 Trillium-Dialogues M (disc 1)
*Anthony Braxton: Quartet (Standards) 2020 (discs 6, 7, 8, 9)
*Anthony Braxton: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 (discs 6, 7) (streaming)
*Sonny Clark: The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions (disc 2)
*Kris Davis Trio: 2022-05-13 NYC (CDR)
*Jack DeJohnette/Made in Chicago: 2015-07-11 Rotterdam (CDR)
*Duke Ellington: 1899-1974 (sides 5, 6)
*Bill Evans: Trio 64
*Robert Fripp: Love Cannot Bear: Soundscapes - Live in the USA
*Benny Goodman: Fletcher Henderson Arrangements (CDR compilation) (disc 1)
*Lesley Gore: The Golden Hits of Lesley Gore (side 2)
*Grant Green: Street of Dreams
*Mary Halvorson/Jessica Pavone: Departure of Reason
*Alexander Hawkins Trio: Alexander Hawkins Trio
*Fletcher Henderson: Tidal Wave (selections)
*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Stir Crazy (CDR compilation) (discs 2, 3)
*Michael Mantler: No Answer/Silence (disc 1)
*John Medeski: Crawlspace
*Myra Melford: 2009-07-07 NYC (CDR) (disc 1)
*Mendoza Hoff Revels: Echolocation
*Minutemen: Introducing the Minutemen
*Muffins: 1979-03-03 Bethesda MD (CDR) (disc 2)
*New Ting: 2024-04-17 OSB, Richmond VA (wav)
*Zeena Parkins/Ikue Mori: Phantom Orchard
*Pere Ubu: New Picnic Time (sides 1, 2)
*Tomeka Reid Quartet: 3+3 (side 1)
*Sonic Youth: Sister
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Media Dreams (sides 1, 2)
*Li Chin Sung: Past
*Justin Timberlake: Tiny Desk Concert
*UMO Jazz Orchestra: UMO Plays the Music of Muhal Richard Abrams
*UYA: 1992-12-02/06 Attitude Extrusion (wav)
*Alex Ward: Gated
*John Zorn: Bagatelles Vol. 10: Julian Lage and Gyan Riley
*John Zorn: Bagatelles Vol. 11: Jim Black Quartet

Reading List, Week of 2024-04-21

Reading List 2024-04-22:

*Roth, Philip. American Pastoral (started)
*Magee, Jeffrey. The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz (finished)
*Ruff, Matt. The Destroyer of Worlds (finished)
*Bradbury, Ray. Home to Stay! The Complete Ray Bradbury EC Stories (in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Timon of Athens (Arden 3rd ed., ed. Anthony B. Dawson and Gretchen E. Minton) (reread/in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-04-14

Getting into some later Muhal Richard Abrams this week... the 2012 reuniuon show of the Experimental Band from Saalfelden is a knockout, with a truly awesome lineup including Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, Amina Claudine Myers, Wadada Leo Smith, and George Lewis... the AACM All-Stars... I need to listen more to the 2016 quintet with Jonathan Finlayson... In the meanwhile, Jack DeJohnette's Made in Chicago project is another mindblower, again with Mitchell and Threadgill... Muhal especially shines on the Threadgill composition "Leave Don't Go Away"... and this live version of "Chant" (a classic Roscoe Mitchell composition) features Muhal joyfully stretching out, especially at the end... great playing all around...

Playlist 2024-04-15:

*Muhal Richard Abrams Experimental Band: 2012-08-25 Saalfelden (CDR)

*Muhal Richard Abrams Quintet: 2016-01-31 Milano (CDR)

*Art Ensemble of Chicago: The Paris Session "The Ninth Room" 

*Beatles: Beatles for Sale (2009 stereo remaster) (sides 1, 2)

*Anthony Braxton: Quartet (Standards) 2020 (discs 4, 5)

*Anthony Braxton: 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022 (disc 5) (streaming)

*James Brown and the Famous Flames: Think! (side 2)

*Don Cherry/Penderecki/New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra: Actions "Actions"

*Sonny Clark: The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions (disc 1)

*Rodger Coleman: Guitar Experiments

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2023-12-29 Nashville (rough mix wav)

*John Coltrane: Evenings at the Village Gate (side 2)

*Sylvie Courvoisier: Signs and Epigrams

*Jack DeJohnette: Made in Chicago

*Fire! Orchestra/Krzysztof Penderecki: Actions

*Aretha Franklin: Aretha Now (side 2)

*Fully Celebrated Orchestra: Sob Story

*Mary Halvorson: Cloudward

*Alexander Hawkins Mirror Canon: Break a Vase

*Fletcher Henderson: Swing's the Thing (1931-1934) (side 1)

*High Llamas: Hey Panda

*Dave Holland New Quartet: 2023-07-13 Pori, Finland (CDR)

*Kinks: The Journey: Part 1 (side 3)

*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Stir Crazy (CDR compilation) (disc 1)

*Michael Mantler: The Hapless Child

*Michael Mantler: Many Have No Speech

*Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: 2024-03-23 Knoxville TN (CDR)

*Roscoe Mitchell Orchestra: Littlefield Concert Hall, Mills College, March 19-20, 2018

*Butch Morris: Butch Morris Conducts Berlin Skyscraper (disc 1)

*Evan Parker ElectroAcoustic Septet: Seven "Seven-2"

*Annette Peacock: Sky-Skating

*Annette Peacock: Paradiso, Amsterdam February 21 1991

*Annette Peacock: 31:31

*Annette Peacock: 4 Emilia-Romagna W/LV

*Tomeka Reid Quartet: 3+3 (side 1)

*Yamamoto Seiichi: Nu Frequency

*Ches Smith: Laugh Ash

*Bessie Smith: The Complete Recordings Vol. 1 (selections)

*Soft Machine: Fifth

*Sparks: Balls (sides 1, 2, 3)

*Cecil Taylor Orchestra of Two Continents: 1984-10-20 Rubigen, Switzerland (CDR) (disc 2)

*Cecil Taylor Feel Trio: Two Ts for a Lovely T (disc 2)

*Henry Threadgill Very Very Circus: Spirit of Nuff…Nuff

*Henry Threadgill's Zooid: This Brings Us To, Volumes I & II (side 1)

*UYA: 1992-11-17 Sonic Extruder (wav)

*Anna Webber/Matt Mitchell: Capacious Aeration

*Nate Wooley: Mutual Aid Music (disc 1)

*John Zorn/Bladeunner: 2000-07-03 London (CDR)