Playlist, Week of 2017-01-30

Another magnificent recording from Ingrid Laubrock. The playing and composition on this are just marvelous; she continues to grow as a composer, and her playing continues to knock me out. Just amazing.

Playlist 2017-01-30:

*John Abercrombie: 1981-06-11 Seventh Avenue South, NYC (cassette) (side A)
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium E (disc 4)
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium J (disc 1)
*Taylor Ho Bynum: Enter the Plustet
*Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (Sketches of Spain) (disc 4)
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Such Sweet Thunder
*Barry Guy New Orchestra: 2014-05-22 London (CDR) (disc 2)
*Mary Halvorson: Meltframe
*Haste: A Broad Margin
*Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House: Roulette of the Cradle
*Ingrid Laubrock: Serpentines
*Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House Quartet: 2016-11-12 Wels, Austria (wav)
*Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth: Epicenter
*NVS Trio: 2016-12-12 Rhizome, Washington DC (wav)
*Charlie Parker: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve (disc 5)
*Charlie Parker: Unheard Bird: The Unissued Takes (disc 1)
*Tom Rainey Trio: 2016-07-01 NYC (CDR)
*Sonny Rollins Quartet with Don Cherry: Complete Live at the Village Gate 1962 (disc 3)
*Slobber Pup: Pole Axe
*Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Solar Research Arkestra: 1971-11-11 Delft, The Netherlands (CDR) (selections)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: 1976-08-25 Châteauvallon, France (CDR) (selections)
*Sun Ra: Lanquidity
*Sun Ra And His Arkestra: Sun Ra And His Arkestra At Inter-Media Arts April 1991
*Henry Threadgill Zooid: This Brings Us To, Volume 1
*Henry Threadgill Zooid: Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, Spp
*Various artists: Wavelength Infinity: A Sun Ra Tribute (disc 1)
*Nate Wooley: Battle Pieces
*Serenus Zeitblom Oktett with Ingrid Laubrock: 2016-09-06 Sardinia, Italy (CDR)
*John Zorn/The Spike Orchestra: Cerberus: The Book of Angels Volume 26
*Beatles: Don't Forget the Apples When You Go Downtown (boot CDR)
*Mike Elder/Harry Forrest/Greg Jordan/Sam Byrd: 2016-10-08 (wav) (selections)
*Brian Eno: Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)
*Jerry Garcia Band: 1993-11-12 NYC (disc 1)
*Hatfield and the North with Robert Wyatt: 1973-01-02 Paris (CDR)
*King Crimson: Live in Toronto (disc 1)
*Paul McCartney: Pure McCartney (Deluxe Ed.) (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Stereolab: Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center
*Uriel: Arzachel
*Wig Drop: Wig Drop 2

Reading List, Week of 2017-01-30

In it for the long haul: Better get used to seeing these two books on my weekly reading lists, because they are both very long (668 and 1,062 pages respectively), and because I only read a few pages out of one or the other (rarely both) a day. These are other channels for me, that I flip to occasionally while plowing through whatever novel I've got going. The Anatomy is in the style of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy  and is quite dense and packed with quotations. My sister and brother-in-law gave it to me years ago, and now the time is right to finally read it. Silliman's mammoth book is actually 26 books of "language poetry" (one for each letter of the alphabet), and no, I can't begin to explain what language poetry is, except to say that it's detailed and quite fun to read. I read Silliman's prose poem Ketjak back in the early '80s, and really enjoyed it, so I was delighted to discover this. I've delved into his blog from time to time (and was pleased to discover he once did a reading/performance with Marilyn Crispell!), and now is the right time for me to delve into this...but a little goes a long way. I am enjoying savoring the detail of 2-3 pages at a time.

Reading List 2017-01-30:

*Parsons, Brad Thomas. Amaro (selections)
*Rolls, Albert. "“A Dual Man [and Oeuvre], Aimed Two Ways at Once”: The Two Directions of Pynchon’s Life and Thought," in Orbit (Vol. 4, Issue 1, 2016) (started/finished)
*Jackson, Holbrook. Anatomy of Bibliomania (in progress)
*Murakami, Haruki. 1Q84 (transl. Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel) (in progress)
*Showcase Presents: Legion of Super Heroes, Vol . 1 (in progress)
*Silliman, Ron. The Alphabet (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2017-01-22

This just in! Just released: the new Wig Drop album, Wig Drop 2. Full disclosure: one of my brother's bands, and I play on one track. More fun power-folk rock with lo-fi original twists. Do especially check out the first track, "The Waves"....this should be a hit!


Playlist 2017-01-23:

*John Abercrombie: 1981-06-11 Seventh Avenue South, NYC (cassette) (side B)
*Kenny Barron: What If?
*Tim Berne Bloodcount: Discretion
*Paul Bley: Turns
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium E (disc 3)
*Nels Cline/Larry Ochs/Gerald Cleaver Trio: 2016-12-08 Philadelphia (CDR)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2016-12-26 Nashville (wav)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2016-12-28 Nashville (wav)
*John Coltrane: The Major Works of John Coltrane "Om"
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 14 (disc 2)
*Jerry González and the Fort Apache Band: Obatalá
*Mary Halvorson Octet: Away with You
*Shannon Jackson & the Decoding Society: Nasty
*Ingrid Laubrock: Serpentines
*Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble: Intergalactic Beings
*Roscoe Mitchell: Conversations II
*Music Revelation Ensemble: No Wave
*New Ting Ting Loft: 2016-12-20 Gallery 5, Richmond VA (wav)
*Charlie Parker: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve (disc 2)
*Don Pullen: New Beginnings
*Tom Rainey Trio: Hotel Grief
*Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra: Secrets of the Sun
*James Blood Ulmer: Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions
*James Blood Ulmer: Birthright
*Circles Around the Sun: Interludes for the Dead (selections)
*Cream: Disraeli Gears (Deluxe Ed.) (disc 1)
*Carmen Electra: On Top (boot CDR)
*Eno/Cale: Wrong Way Up
*Funkadelic: Toys
*Hatfield and the North with Robert Wyatt: Calyx (boot CDR)
*Heldon: Stand By
*Opeth: Sorceress (Limited Edition) (disc 1)
*Richard Pinhas: 2014-05-16 Victoriaville (CDR)
*Richard Pinhas/Yoshida Tatsuya: 2016-12-01 Tokyo (CDR)
*Robert Pollard: Cock Blocking the Romantics (selections)
*Prince: Montreux Jazz Festival 2013/From The Soundboard, Vol. 1 (boot CDR) (disc 2) (selections)
*Prince: Montreux Jazz Festival 2013/From The Soundboard, Vol. 2 (boot CDR) (disc 1)
*Sonic Youth: Washing Machine
*Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Multi-Love
*UYA: The Unrealized Sessions of UYA (High Noon ADAT Mixes) (disc 2)
*Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks: Orange Crate Art

Reading List, Week of 2017-01-22

Finally got around to this; it's been on my to-read list for years. Quite enjoyable! Return here for more trenchant literary analysis, heh heh

Reading List 2017-01-23:

*Murakami, Haruki. 1Q84 (started)
*Silliman, Ron. The Alphabet (started)
*Smith, Zadie. White Teeth (finished)
*Manguel, Alberto. Reading Pictures: A History of Love and Hate (finished)
*Jackson, Holbrook. Anatomy of Bibliomania (in progress)
*Showcase Presents: Legion of Super Heroes, Vol . 1 (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2017-01-15

I am not a huge opera fan. I am a huge Braxton fan. I knew that someday I'd have to come to terms with Braxton's ongoing opera project. It's obviously an important part of his oeuvre. So, my lovely wife came through for me this Christmas and gifted me with these Trillium boxes. Wow! Now that I have plowed through all 10 discs at least once, I can safely say: I am bewildered, but intrigued. I love the instrumental stuff going on throughout these discs...there are some amazing passages, instrumental interludes that sound nothing like anything else I've heard from Braxton's large ensemble work....but I am still struggling with the vocals. Many times it sounds they're singing one note, kind of talking-singing rather than singing a melody. That's probably intentional, but it gets tiring after a while to these non-theatrical-music-fan ears. But! Some of this stuff is funny as hell, and it's actually growing on me. It doesn't strike me as typical opera at all, based on my limited knowledge of opera--but then again,I shouldn't be surprised, it is Braxton, after all. So how does it compare to other modern opera? Couldn't say. How does it compare to other large ensemble Braxton? Very favorably. This is challenging, dense music that I am sure is going to intrigue and beguile me for years to come.

Playlist 2017-01-16:

*Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (Boulez)
*Anthony Braxton: Quartet (Warsaw) 2012
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium E (discs 1, 2)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2016-12-26 Nashville (wav)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2016-12-28 Nashville (wav)
*Decoy & Joe McPhee: Oto
*Fred Frith/Marc Ribot: Sounds of a Distant Episode
*Barry Guy/London Jazz Composers Orchestra: Study II, Stringer
*Andrew Hill: The Complete Blue Note Andrew Hill Sessions (1963-66) (disc 5)
*Elmo Hope: Sounds from Rikers Island
*Illegal Crowns: Illegal Crowns
*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey/Kris Davis/Ralph Alessi: Lark
*Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House: 2016-11-05 Strasbourg, France (CDR)
*Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire
*RAIC: 2016-08-13 Richmond VA (wav)
*RAIC: 2016-09-01 "Lovers Never Leave" Sound of Music Studios, RVA (wav)
*Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Myth Science Solar Arkestra: Horizon (side 1)
*Sun Ra: Disco 3000: The Complete Milan Concert 1978 (Art Yard) "Disco 3000"
*Serenus Zeitblom Oktett with Ingrid Laubrock: 2016-09-06 Sardinia, Italy (CDR)
*Elvis Costello and Bill Frisell: Deep Dead Blue
*Dick Dale and His Del-Tones: Surfers' Choice
*Gentle Giant: In a Glass House
*Grateful Dead: Live to Air
*Opeth: Sorceress (Limited Edition) (disc 2)
*Prince: Montreux Jazz Festival 2013/From The Soundboard, Vol. 1 (boot CDR) (disc 1)
*Richard Pinhas/Yoshida Tatsuya: Welcome in the Void
*Stereolab: Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center
*UYA: The Unrealized Sessions of UYA (High Noon ADAT Mixes)
*XTC: Homegrown
*Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans (2016 remaster) (disc 3)

Reading List, Week of 2017-01-15

Reading List 2017-01-16:

*Smith, Zadie. White Teeth (started)
*Shih, Nai-an, and Kuan-chung Lo. Outlaws of the Marsh [Shui Hu Chuan] (trans. Sidney Shapiro) (finished)
*Jackson, Holbrook. Anatomy of Bibliomania (in progress)
*Manguel, Alberto. Reading Pictures: A History of Love and Hate (in progress)
*Showcase Presents: Legion of Super Heroes, Vol . 1 (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2017-01-08

I am still absorbing the almost four hours' worth of music Rodger Coleman and I recorded in December. Rodger is a true wizard. He's an expert at creating spaced-out sonic landscapes that are easy to travel, and his moog and guitar work this time were truly exemplary. Tons of zonked-out megaspace suites to absorb! I also got to try out his Yamaha DTX-12 Multi set-up, and it was a blast integrating pre-programmed percussive sounds with the acoustic kit. Rodger also has a new 6.5"x14" Ludwig Black Beauty snare, which had me drooling--so responsive and brilliant sounding, I almost didn't have to touch it for it to sound great.

Playlist 2017-01-09:

*Ensemble 303: Treatise by Cornelius Cardew
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium E (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium J (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Taylor Ho Bynum: Enter the Plustet
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2016-12-26 Nashville (wav)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2016-12-28 Nashville (wav)
*Marilyn Crispell: Live in San Francisco
*Decoy: Vol 1: Spirit
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 14 (disc 1)
*Mary Halvorson Octet: Away with You
*Alexander Hawkins: Song Singular
*Ingrid Laubrock with Liam Noble & Tom Rainey: Sleepthief
*Ingrid Laubrock: Serpentines
*Joe Morris: 2015-12-04 Amsterdam (CDR)
*Sonny Rollins Quartet with Don Cherry: Complete Live at the Village Gate 1962 (discs 1, 2)
*Wadada Leo Smith: Kabell Years 1971-1979 (disc 1)
*Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra: Planets of Life or Death, Amiens '73
*Henry Threadgill Zooid: This Brings Us To, Volume 1
*Henry Threadgill Zooid: Tomorrow Sunny/The Revelry, Spp
*Henry Threadgill Ensemble Double Up: Old Locks and Irregular Verbs
*Flaming Lips: The Terror
*Opeth: Sorceress (Limited Edition) (disc 1)
*John Oswald: Discosphere
*UYA: 1990-07-22 Definite Electric (wav)
*Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention: Road Tapes, Venue #1 (1968) (disc 2)

Reading List, Week of 2017-01-08

The year is already 1/52 over....my, how time flies!

Reading List 2017-01-09:

*Showcase Presents: Legion of Super Heroes, Vol . 1 (started)
*Jackson, Holbrook. Anatomy of Bibliomania (in progress)
*Manguel, Alberto. Reading Pictures: A History of Love and Hate (in progress)
*Shih, Nai-an, and Kuan-chung Lo. Outlaws of the Marsh [Shui Hu Chuan] (trans. Sidney Shapiro) (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2017-01-01

Good listening (and playing!) at Rodger's this past week! Stay tuned for more on our sessions...whew! Happy new year, everyone.

Playlist 2017-01-02

*Morton Feldman: Palais de  Mari (Siegfried Mauser) "Palais de  Mari"
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium E (disc 1)
*Massimo Discepoli/Daniel Barbiero: An Eclipse of Image
*Duke Ellington: Three Suites
*Alexander Hawkins Trio: Alexander Hawkins Trio
*Ingrid Laubrock: Serpentines
*Beatles: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band (side 1)
*Ray Charles: Anthology
*Sam Cooke: Greatest Hits
*Finnforest: Demonnights
*Flaming Lips: Imagene Peise ‎– Atlas Eets Christmas
*Hatfield and the North: Hatwise Choice
*Jade Warrior: Last Autumn's Dream (side 1)
*Tom Jones: The Best of Tom Jones: The Millennium Collection
*Oranssi Pazuzu: Värähtelijä
*Le Orme: Felona e Sorona (side 1)
*William Onyeabor: Who is William Onyeabor? (side 1)
*This Heat: This Heat
*Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans (2016 remaster) (discs 1, 3, 4)
*Yes: Relayer (2016 remaster) (disc 1)

Reading List, Week of 2017-01-01

Read Daniel Barbiero's excellent review here.

Reading List 2017-01-02

*Manguel, Alberto. Reading Pictures: A History of Love and Hate (started)
*Gottschalk, Jennie. Experimental Music since 1970 (finished)
*Jackson, Holbrook. Anatomy of Bibliomania (in progress)
*Shih, Nai-an, and Kuan-chung Lo. Outlaws of the Marsh [Shui Hu Chuan] (trans. Sidney Shapiro) (in progress)