Playlist, Week of 2017-05-07

Not much to say about the new 3-CD set of Sun Ra singles except that the sound is much improved over the Evidence release. That, and finally having clean, best-sounding-ever versions of the Pat Patrick-heavy single "A Blue One" and "Orbitration in Blue," only rediscovered after the Evidence set came out, make this a must-have collection... The Ingrid Laubrock recording with the Serenus Zeitblom Oktett is more than just her sitting in (I realize my use of the word "just" could be taken pejoratively, but I don't mean it that way); it's a five-part composition by her, and it is wonderful. Strange and spacey at times, the string-heavy instrumentation (two electric guitars, viola, cello, electric bass) plus vibraphone is a great setting for her saxophone work... it's definitely an ensemble piece, not a concerto for saxophone... that being said, at times, it's downright Braxtonian... excellent music... Still loving the Barry Guy New Orchestra discs... I have been working my way through Andy Partidge's Fuzzy Warbles series... many gems scattered throughout, but also many reasons to remind me why he can be so infuriating and irritating at times, with many (most?) of the demos of XTC songs not so different from the released versions as to merit much interest, and with several pieces being just abrasive and self-indulgent (like "The Laugh Track" or "Jacob's Ladder")... but then he includes masterworks like "I Defy You Gravity" and "I Don't Want to Be Here" and all is forgiven...

Playlist 2017-05-08:

*Anthony Braxton: Trillium E (disc 4)
*Anthony Braxton: Trillium J (disc 1)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2007-12-29 Nashville
*Rodger Coleman/Sam Byrd: Perihelion
*Eric Dolphy: Iron Man
*Barry Guy New Orchestra: Oort-Entropy
*Barry Guy New Orchestra: Amphi • Radio Rondo
*Mary Halvorson Septet: Illusionary Sea
*Ingrid Laubrock: Serpentines
*Manfred Schoof: European Echoes
*Sun Ra: Singles: The Definitive 45s Collection 1952-1991 (disc 1)
*John Zorn/Simulacrum: 49 Acts of Unspeakable Depravity in the Abominable Life and Times of Gilles de Rais
*New Ting Ting Loft: 2017-04-17: "Unsudden Settling into Grey Emotion" (wav)
*Serenus Zeitblom Oktett with Ingrid Laubrock: 2016-09-06 Sardinia, Italy (CDR)
*Cecil Taylor Unit: 1981-11-07 Zurich (wav)
*Beach Boys: Made in California (disc 3)
*David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) (disc 1)
*Al Bowlly: Just a Bowl of Cherries
*Deerhoof: selections
*Henry Cow: Late
*Joy Division: Closer
*Andy Partridge: The Official Fuzzy Warbles Collector's Album (disc 9)
*Prince and the Revolution: Around the World in a Day
*Todd Rundgren: Box o'Todd (disc 2)
*UYA: 1991-04-17 Metalayers (wav)
*UYA: 1991-04-21 Castle Shadows (wav)