Playlist, Week of 2021-06-27

Running out of words... lots of great music out there... I know enough to know I could never be a critic... The remastering on Ape of Nonsuch sounds fantastic on vinyl... 

Playlist 2021-06-28:

*Beatles: Please Please Me (2009 stereo remaster) (sides 1, 2)
*Beatles: Help! (2009 stereo remaster) (side 1)
*Beatles: Let It Be (2009 stereo remaster) (side 1)
*Blue Cheer: Outsideinside
*Anthony Braxton: 12 Comp (ZIM) 2017 (Comp. 402, 408)
*Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: 2014-12-30 Nashville (wav) "No. 1"
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Midnight in Paris
*Tomas Fujiwara: 7 Poets Trio
*Guided by Voices: Down by the Racetrack
*Guided by Voices: How Do You Spell Heaven
*Guided by Voices: Warp and Woof
*Joe Henderson: Black Narcissus
*Henry Cow: Hamburg (Cow Box Redux)
*King Crimson: Starless (disc 11)
*Jackie McLean: Jacknife
*Jackie McLean: Consequence
*Nicole Mitchell & an_ARCHE NewMusic Ensemble: Arc Of O: For Improvisers, Chamber Orchestra & Electronics
*Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory: Song for My Sister
*Joe Morris Quartet: Graffiti in Two Parts
*New Ting: 2020-03-02 "Media Scan" (wav)
*Robert Pollard: Coast to Coast Carpet of Love
*Robert Pollard: Honey Locust Honky Tonk
*Bobby Previte/Jamie Saft/Nels Cline: Music from the Early 21st Century
*Psycho and the Birds: All That Is Holy
*Psycho and the Birds: Check Your Zoo
*Archie Shepp: Yasmina, a Black Woman
*Wayne Shorter: Speak No Evil
*Slobber Pup: Black Aces "Accuser"
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Jazz in Silhouette (sides 1, 2)
*Thumbscrew: Never Is Enough
*Various artists: The Birth of the Third Stream (selections)
*Various artists: Ad-Rock & Mike D's Alphabetical Jukebox (CDR compilation) (disc 28)
*Brian Wilson: No Pier Pressure (side 1)
*XTC: Nonsuch (sides 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Yardbirds: Roger the Engineer
*John Zorn: Chaos Magick
*John Zorn: Les Maudits

Reading List, Week of 2021-06-27

Reading List 2021-06-28:

*Smith, Ali. Autumn (started/finished)
*Waters, Sarah. Fingersmith (started/finished)
*Joyce, James. Ulysses (reread/finished)
*Brooks, Cleanth and Robert Penn Warren. Understanding Poetry (rev. ed.) (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2021-06-20

Another brilliant Roscoe Mitchell recording... can't have enough of 'em!

Playlist 2021-06-21:

*Tim Berne’s Snakeoil: Shadow Man "OC/DC"
*Booker T. & the MGs: Time Is Tight (disc 2)
*Marion Brown: Sweet Earth Flying
*Paul Chambers Sextet: Whims of Chambers
*Paul Chambers Quintet: Paul Chambers Quintet
*Chicago Trio: Velvet Songs (disc 2)
*Ornette Coleman Trio: At the "Golden Circle," Stockholm, Vol. 2
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2009-07-23 Nashville (wav) track 3 (moon landing)
*Connie Crothers/David Arner: Spontaneous Suite for Two Pianos (disc 4)
*Kris Davis: Rye Eclipse
*Duke Ellington: His Piano and His Orchestra at the Bal Masque
*Gong: Acid Motherhood
*Guided By Voices: The Grand Hour (EP)
*Guided By Voices: I Am a Scientist (EP)
*Guided By Voices: The Official Ironmen Rally Song (CD single)
*Guided By Voices: The Pipe Dreams of Instant Prince Whippet (EP)
*Guided By Voices: Half Smiles of the Decomposed
*Joe Henderson: Black Narcissus
*Hypercolor: Hypercolor
*Susie Ibarra Trio: Songbird Suite
*Susie Ibarra: Folkloriko
*Jefferson Pilot: The Hopeless News
*Elvin Jones: The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions (disc 3)
*Jackie McLean: Right Now!
*Charles Mingus Sextet: Concertgebuow Amsterdam April 10th, 1964 (sides 2, 4)
*Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory: Song for My Sister
*Muffins: Secret Signals 3
*Andrew Oliver/David Horniblow: The Complete Morton Project
*Didier Petit/Alexandre Pierrepont: Passages: A Road Record - Woodstock - New-York - Chicago - Los Angeles)
*Sun Ra: Outer Reach Intensity-Energy "Stars that Shine Darkly… (pt. 2)"
*Cecil Taylor: Looking Ahead! (side 1)
*Weather Report: Recordings of Wayne Shorter 2
*Yardbirds: Roger the Engineer

Reading List, Week of 2021-06-20

Reading List 2021-06-21:

*Brooks, Cleanth and Robert Penn Warren. Understanding Poetry (rev. ed.) (in progress)
*Joyce, James. Ulysses (reread/in progress)

Happy Bloomsday!

 Happy Bloomsday!

Playlist, Week of 2021-06-13

Fire at Newport in July of 1966.... holy cow!.... 

Playlist 2021-06-14:

*Muhal Richard Abrams: Think All, Focus One
*Chicago Trio: Velvet Songs (disc 1)
*Otis Clay: Trying to Live My Life without You
*John Coltrane Quintet: 1966-07-02 Newport Jazz Festival (CDR) "Leo"
*Chick Corea/Return to Forever: Light as A Feather
*Connie Crothers/David Arner: Spontaneous Suite for Two Pianos (disc 3)
*Curlew: 1st Album + Live at CBGB 1980 (disc 2)
*De La Soul: Stakes Is High
*Hamid Drake & Bindu: Reggaeology
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: A Drum Is a Woman
*Duke Ellington: New York New York
*Gong: Acid Mothers Gong Live in Tokyo
*Guided By Voices: Mirrored Aztec
*Joe Henderson Quintet: At the Lighthouse
*Joe Henderson: In Pursuit of Blackness
*Joe Henderson: Joe Henderson in Japan
*Jimi Hendrix Experience: Winterland (disc 1)
*Elvin Jones: The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions (disc 2)
*McGough & McGear: McGough & McGear
*Jackie McLean: It's Time!
*Jackie McLean: Action
*Roscoe Mitchell: Numbers
*Roscoe Mitchell/Jerzy Mazzoll/Sławek Janicki/Qba Janicki: Four Sure
*Moving Gelatine Plates: Moving Gelatine Plates
*David Murray/Milford Graves: Real Deal
*Larry Ochs Sax & Drumming Core: Stone Shift
*Andrew Oliver/David Horniblow: The Complete Morton Project
*PainKiller: Execution Ground (disc 2)
*Krzysztof Penderecki: Kosmogonia
*Alexandre Pierrepont/Mike Ladd: Maison Hantée
*Tom Rainey Obbligato: Untucked in Hannover
*Talking Heads: Remain in Light
*Wilde Flowers: The Wilde Flowers (discs 1, 2)
*John Zorn: Chaos Magick

Reading List, Week of 2021-06-13

Reading List 2021-06-14:

*Brooks, Cleanth and Robert Penn Warren. Understanding Poetry (rev. ed.) (started)
*Bloom, Harold. The Anatomy of Influence: Literature as a Way of Life (finished)
*Sorrentino, Gilbert. Gold Fools (reread/finished)
*Joyce, James. Ulysses (reread/in progress)

Why Not Indeed?

 

On the music of the MMM Quartet:

Experiencing such creative, distinct personal powers, acting with an admirable intense stamina, with a continuous motion of subtle details, is stimulating and sensual in an often weird way. It is a tour-de-force that celebrates their beings to the fullest, here and now, free.  A total form of art expressed in highly communicative interplay, delivered in an almost telepathic, collective yet highly eccentric camaraderie ...

This is the powerful role of art, the truest and most noble role. If we are bewildered by such an arresting performance that celebrates freedom in a most passionate and profound manner we may find ourselves overpowered by its very essence. We may then think: why can't we adopt such creative expressions? If we can enjoy this magnificent show of sensual freedom, why not desire to express such freedom and energy off-stage, post-listening? Why do we need to distance ourselves in our daily lives from common, collective expressions of unselfish compassion? And why are we not inspired to insist on more democratic forms of regimes not only in the artistic world but the world at large, that empower us all and not just the small, greedy and hedonistic elite? (Eyal Hareuveni, from liner notes to MMM Quartet Oakland/Lisboa, RogueArt 2015)

Playlist, Week of 2021-06-06

All of a sudden it's summertime, and a perfect time for absorbing Matt Mitchell's elliptic and cryptic piano work with Anna Weber... and also on Tim Berne's Snakeoil's live recordings... Slowly absorbing lots of new sounds (new to me, anyway): Burial, Robert Turman, Duke Ellington... so many worlds... 

Playlist 2021-06-07:

*B-52’s: Cosmic Thing
*Beach Boys: Today
*Beatles: Rubber Soul (2009 stereo remaster) (sides 1, 2)
*Tim Berne's Snakeoil: The Deceptive 4 (Live) (disc 2)
*Ran Blake Quartet: Short Life of Barbara Monk
*Burial: Tunes 2011-2019 (disc 1)
*John Coltrane: Meditations
*Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Get Happy
*Connie Crothers/David Arner: Spontaneous Suite for Two Pianos (disc 2)
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Live at Newport 1958 (discs 1, 2)
*Duke Ellington: Live in Mexico
*Explorers Club: Grand Hotel
*Grateful Dead: 1972-04-11 Newcastle Upon Tyne, England (CDR) "Truckin'"
*Jimmy Giuffre 3: 1961 (disc 2)
*Al Green: Greatest Hits (sides 1, 2)
*Johnny Hodges and the Ellington All-Stars without Duke: Duke's in Bed
*Buddy Holly: The Buddy Holly Collection (disc 1)
*John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (Ultimate Collection) (disc 7)
*Paul and Linda McCartney: Ram (half speed remastering) (side 2)
*Charles Mingus: Charles Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975 (disc 4)
*Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory: Song for My Sister
*David Murray Big Band: David Murray Big Band
*Sean O'Hagan: Radum Calls, Radum Calls
*Mustafa Özkent: Gençlik İle Elele
*Queens of the Stone Age: Rated R
*Robert Turman: Chapter Eleven (disc 4)
*Various artists: The Rough Guide to Boogaloo
*Anna Webber: Simple
*John Zorn: Azoth

Reading List, Week of 2021-06-06

Reading List 2021-06-07:

*Bloom, Harold. The Anatomy of Influence: Literature as a Way of Life (in progress)
*Joyce, James. Ulysses (reread/in progress)
*Sorrentino, Gilbert. Gold Fools (reread/in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2021-05-30

Friends is a damn near perfect album, easily one of the Beach Boys' greatest... not the least because of Dennis Wilson's compositional debuts... Money Jungle is way overrated... things just don't click... fine playing, fine players, of course.... and Duke's playing is truly sublime... but Max Roach just doesn't fit in... you really want to like it more, because, hell, it's Mingus... but it pales compared to Ellington's trio work the same year on Piano in the Foreground... Speaking of Mingus, the Bremen 1975 recording with the George Adams-Don Pullen lineup is a gift from overseas... there's not that much live stuff from this band, and Mingus and Dannie Richmond are at the top of their game... 

Playlist 2021-05-31:

*Beach Boys: Friends
*Tim Berne's Snakeoil: The Deceptive 4 (Live) (disc 1)
*Blue Cheer: Outsideinside
*Burial: Tunes 2011-2019 (disc 2)
*Taylor Ho Bynum/John Hébert/Gerald Cleaver: Book of Three
*Daniel Carter/Matthew Shipp/William Parker/Gerald Cleaver: Welcome Adventure! Vol. 1
*Charlie Christian: The Genius of the Electric Guitar (disc 1)
*Elvis Costello: This Year's Model
*Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Armed Forces
*Duke Ellington: The Seattle Concert "Harlem Suite"
*Duke Ellington/Charles Mingus/Max Roach: Money Jungle
*Jimmy Giuffre 3: 1961 (disc 1)
*Globe Unity Orchestra: Pearls “Every Single One of Us Is a Pearl”
*Indigo Trio/Michel Edelin: The Ethiopian Princess Meets the Tantric Priest
*Joëlle Léandre/Nicole Mitchell/Dylan van der Schiff: Before After
*Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy
*Charles Mingus: Charles Mingus @ Bremen 1964 & 1975 (disc 3)
*Nicole Mitchell: Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds
*Muffins: Loveletter #2: The Ra Sessions
*Sam Rivers/Alexander von Schlippenbach: Tangens
*Sugar: Copper Blue
*Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures
*Carla Thomas: The Memphis Princess: Early Recordings 1960-1962
*Carla Thomas: Let Me Be Good to You (The Atlantic & Stax Recordings 1960-1968) (disc 4)
*Robert Turman: Chapter Eleven (disc 3)
*Weather Report: Mr. Gone
*XTC: English Settlement
*XTC: Skylarking (sides 1, 2)
*Neil Young: American Stars 'n' Bars
*John Zorn/Fred Frith: The Art of Memory

Reading List, Week of 2021-05-30

Reading List 2021-05-31:

*Bloom, Harold. The Anatomy of Influence: Literature as a Way of Life (in progress)
*Joyce, James. Ulysses (reread/in progress)
*Sorrentino, Gilbert. Gold Fools (reread/in progress)