Playlist, Week of 2024-11-24

I have been enjoying Picasso, an underrated David Murray Octet album... as great as his playing always is in the myriad configurations he plays in, I think the octet recordings have consistently been where his playing and compositions come together most fruitfully... Bob Dylan: the perfect DJ... After a drought over the summer, it's been nice to play with New Ting pretty regularly the last few weeks... "Suite Thursday" is a strong Ellington suite that ends with a swinging bang propelled by Sam Woodyard's shuffle...

Playlist 2024-11-25:

*Art Ensemble of Chicago: Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City: Live at Iridium (disc 1) "On the Mountain"

*Derek Bailey/John Butcher/Gino Robair: Scrutables

*Gus Bodenheim: Slouching Towards Bodenheim (disc 1)

*Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 (BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Nelson Goerner)

*Anthony Braxton/Ensemble Braxtonia: 2 Compositions (Järvenpää) 1988

*Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022 (disc 1)

*John Butcher/Pat Thomas/Dominic Lash/Steve Noble: Fathom

*Kris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet

*Miles Davis: Miles Davis Quintet 1965-'68 (disc 4)

*Miles Davis Quintet: 1969-07-07 NYC (CDR)

*Miles Davis: Directions (side 3)

*Miles Davis: Miles at the Fillmore: Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3 (disc 2)

*Bob Dylan/Various artists: Theme Time Radio Hour S01 E02 "Mother"

*Bob Dylan/Various artists: Theme Time Radio Hour S01 E04 "Baseball"

*Bob Dylan/Various artists: Theme Time Radio Hour S01 E05 "Coffee"

*Bob Dylan: Fallen Angels

*Bob Dylan: Triplicate (discs 1, 2)

*Duke Ellington: The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion, and Okeh Small Group Sessions (disc 7)

*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Suite Thursday - Controversial Suite - Harlem Suite (side 1)

*Duke Ellington: Midnight in Paris (sides 1, 2)

*Jefferson Pilot: Recordeo

*Brian Marsella’s iMAGiNARiUM: Mediatas (disc 1)

*Jackie McLean: Right Now!

*Myra Melford/Han Bennink: Eleven Ghosts

*Matt Mitchell: Zealous Angles

*David Murray Octet: Picasso

*New Ting: 2024-11-18 "Ocean World" (wav)

*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (discs 14, 15)

*Ivo Perelman Quartet: Water Music

*Rascals: Peaceful World

*Tomeka Reid/Kyoko Kitamura/Taylor Ho Bynum/Joe Morris: Geometry of Caves

*Tomeka Reid/Kyoko Kitamura/Taylor Ho Bynum/Joe Morris: Geometry of Phenomena

*Soft Machine: Breda Reactor (disc 1)

*Sun Ra and His Ninth-Dimensional Arkestra: 1983-09-15 Toronto (CDR) (discs 1, 2, 3)

*Sun Ra Arkestra: 1984-12-28 Squat Theatre, NYC (CDR)

*Sun Ra Arkestra: 1985-10-31 Munich (CDR) (discs 1, 2)

*Sun Ra and His All-Star Inventions: 1991-11-17 NYC (CDR) (disc 2)

*John Zorn: Calculus

Reading List, Week of 2024-11-24

Reading List 2024-11-25:

*Powell, Padgett. Edisto (started)
*July, Miranda. All Fours (started/finished)
*Smith, Ming. Invisible Man, Somewhere, Everywhere (started/finished)
*Berman, Tosh. Sparks-Tastic: Twenty-One Nights with Sparks in London (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Tingen, Paul. Miles Beyond: The Electric Explorations of Miles Davis, 1967-1991 (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-11-17

We Are on the Edge just gets better and better every time I listen to it... a true landmark record... Nice to have more Charlie Parker but nothing earth-shattering or revelatory on Bird in Kansas City... Brilliant piano trio playing from Matt Mitchell, but from him I expect no less... Revisiting old favorites: Juju: comfort food for the ears... Joe Henderson rocking it on Unity... John Gilmore smoking on Music from Tomorrow's World... I had it in my mind that he didn't solo so much on the Majestic session, but he definitely does, especially on "Possession"... that whole CD is damn revelatory, and explores whole sides of Sun Ra not heard elsewhere... specifically, live 1960 Arkestra and the superlative arrangements on the Majestic session (more florid and worked-out than the Transition albums)... 

Playlist 2024-11-18:

*Art Ensemble of Chicago: We Are on the Edge: A 50th Anniversary Celebration (disc 1)
*Beatles: Real Love (maxi CD single)
*Paul Bley/Evan Parker/Barre Phillips: Time Will Tell
*John Blum Quartet feat. Marshall Allen: Deep Space
*Kim Cass: Levs
*George Clinton/P-Funk All Stars: How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent? (disc 1)
*John Coltrane: The Prestige Recordings (disc 15)
*Miles Davis: Miles at the Fillmore: Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3 (disc 1)
*Bob Dylan: Together Through Life
*Bob Dylan: Tempest
*Duke Ellington: The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion, and Okeh Small Group Sessions (disc 7)
*Farmers By Nature: Out of This World's Distortions
*Agustí Fernández Ensemble: Via Augusta
*Forebrace: Steeped
*Grateful Dead: 1989-10-09 Hampton VA (CDR) "Dark Star"
*Mary Halvorson: Reverse Blue
*Hatfield and the North: The Manor Demos
*Alexander Hawkins Trio: Carnival Celestial
*Dave Holland New Quartet: 2023-07-13 Pori, Finland (CDR)
*Jackie McLean: Action
*Matt Mitchell: Zealous Angles
*Roscoe Mitchell's Cards For Orchestra Project: 2009-08-30 Sant'Anna Arresi, Italy (CDR)
*Roscoe Mitchell: Conversations II
*New Ting: 2024-11-11 "Wall Hangings and a Crustacean"(wav)
*Charlie Parker: Bird in Kansas City
*David Sancious and Tone: Transformation (The Speed of Love)
*Wayne Shorter: Juju (side 1)
*Sparks: Big Beat (side 2)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Music from Tomorrow's World
*Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra: Strange Strings (Expanded Edition) (sides 1, 2)
*Sun Ra and His All-Star Inventions: 1991-11-17 NYC (CDR) (disc 1)
*Sun Ra: Saturn Research: Rarities and Oddities (CDR compilation) (discs 1, 2)
*Craig Taborn/Tomeka Reid/Ches Smith: 2023-03-05 Vienna (CDR)
*Sharon Tandy: You Gotta Believe It's... Sharon Tandy
*Cecil Taylor Unit: 1966-11-30 Paris (CDR)
*Thumbscrew: Wingbeats
*Lennie Tristano: Personal Recordings 1946-1970 (disc 5)
*Anna Webber: Shimmer Wince
*Anna Webber: simpletrio2000
*Larry Young: Unity

Reading List, Week of 2024-11-17

Reading List 2024-11-18:

*Berman, Tosh. Sparks-Tastic: Twenty-One Nights with Sparks in London (started)
*Tingen, Paul. Miles Beyond: The Electric Explorations of Miles Davis, 1967-1991 (started)
*Gibson, William. Agency (started/finished)
*Davidson, Mark, and Parker Fishel. Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine (finished)
*Gibson, William. The Peripheral (finished)
*Marguerite Young, Our Darling: Tributes and Essays, ed. Miriam Fuchs (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2024-11-10

I am still under the sway of seeing Annette Peacock at Big Ears over two years ago... The Advocate has some of Tony Oxley's most powerful and intricate playing... in a dream world, there would have been a trio album with Oxley, Derek Bailey, and Cecil Taylor... "Dark Star:" comfort food for my ears... much needed this week...

Playlist 2024-11-11:

*Muhal Richard Abrams featuring Malachi Favors: Sightsong (side 2)

*Zoh Amba: Bhakti

*André 3000: New Blue Sun (disc 2)

*Boredoms: Wow 2

*Brides of Funkenstein: Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy (side 2)

*Peter Brötzmann/Fred Hopkins/Rashied Ali: Songlines

*Kim Cass: Levs

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-08-28 Nashville (rough mix wav)

*John Coltrane: The Prestige Recordings (disc 14)

*John Coltrane: Evenings at the Village Gate (side 4)

*Marilyn Crispell: Live at Mills College, 1995

*Kris Davis Trio: 2022-05-13 NYC (CDR)

*Kris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet

*Bob Dylan: 14 Hidden Gems from the Bootleg Series 1963-1997

*Bob Dylan: Oh Mercy

*Duke Ellington: Primping for the Prom (side 1)

*Alèmayèhu Eshèté: Ethiopiques 2: 1969-1974

*Grateful Dead: 1969-06-14 Monterey (CDR) "Dark Star"

*Grateful Dead: 1972-05-11 Rotterdam (CDR) "Dark Star"

*Grateful Dead: 1972-09-27 Jersey City, NJ (Dick's Picks 11) (disc 3) "Dark Star"

*Grateful Dead: Dark Star Comp 4 (1984, 1989-1990) (CDR compilation)

*Milford Graves: Stories

*Dave Holland/Sam Rivers: Dave Holland/Sam Rivers

*Dave Holland New Quartet: 2024-09-14 Santa Fe (CDR) (disc 2)

*Steve Howe: Beginnings

*Michael Thomas Jackson:  chrONiclEs 1: O.N.E: Free Improvised Chamber Music 2003-2004

*King Crimson: Live in Toronto (disc 2)

*Peter Kowald: Was Da Ist

*Joëlle Léandre/Craig Taborn/Mat Maneri: hEARoes

*Brian Marsella’s iMAGiNARiUM: Mediatas (discs 2, 3)

*Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra: Live at the Adler Planetarium

*Myra Melford/Han Bennink: Eleven Ghosts

*Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime (side 1)

*Roscoe Mitchell/Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble: Three Compositions "Quintet #9 for Eleven"

*New Ting: 2024-11-04 "Inconsiderate Concrete Implications" (wav)

*Office Ladies: Brains in Bed, Brains and Boots, No Boots in Bed (side 2)

*OOIOO: Nijimusi

*Tony Oxley/Derek Bailey: The Advocate

*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (disc 13)

*Annette Peacock: 1982-09-16 BBC Radio 3 "Jazz in Britain" (CDR)

*Annette Peacock: Sky-Skating

*Annette Peacock: I Have No Feelings

*Rascals: The Island of Real

*Don Redman and His Orchestra: 1931-1933

*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden

*Sonny Rollins: East Broadway Run Down (side 1)

*Santana: Borboletta

*Elliott Sharp/Sally Gates/Tashi Dorji: Ere Guitar

*Wayne Shorter: 1965-08-01 Village Vanguard, NYC (CDR)

*Sun Ra and His Outskirts of the Universe Arkestra: 1980-10-31? Philadelphia (CDR) (discs 1, 2)

*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: 1985-06-10 Philadelphia (CDR) (disc 2)

*Sun Ra: Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC (side 4)

*Sun Ra: Kingdom of Discipline

*Cecil Taylor/Bill Dixon/Tony Oxley: Cecil Taylor/Bill Dixon/Tony Oxley

*Anna Webber: Shimmer Wince

*John Zorn: In the Hall of Mirrors 

Reading List, Week of 2024-11-10

Finally finished the mammoth Miss MacIntosh, My Darling... took me over half a year, but damn it was worth it... a monumental, bewildering, beautiful novel...

Reading List 2024-11-11:

*Gibson, William. The Peripheral (started)
*Marguerite Young, Our Darling: Tributes and Essays, ed. Miriam Fuchs (started)
*Vellekoop, Maurice. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir (finished)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (finished)
*Davidson, Mark, and Parker Fishel. Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine (in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-11-03

Excellent clarinet playing from Alex Ward on Steeped... Been digging deep into classic second quintet Miles Davis... this music has fascinated and puzzled me for years and years, largely due to the brilliance of Tony Williams... As much as I loved (and was influenced by) Bill Bruford's drumming with Yes, I gotta say I prefer Alan White's, especially on Tales and Relayer... Bruford really didn't come into his own until King Crimson, where his almost uptight syncopations and off-kilter beats meshed better, whereas White is anything but uptight...he's earthy and he swings... I lost interest in Yes as a going concern pretty soon after Awakening, but I return quite often to Tales, largely because of Alan White... 

Playlist 2024-11-04:

*AMM: The Crypt - 12th June 1968 (disc 2) "Coffin nor Shelf"

*Derek Bailey/John Butcher/Gino Robair: Scrutables

*Blast: Stringy Rugs

*Blood Incantation: Hidden History of the Human Race

*John Blum Quartet feat. Marshall Allen: Deep Space

*Boredoms: Pop Tatari

*Brand X: Unorthodox Behaviour (side 1)

*Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022 (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)

*John Butcher/Pat Thomas/Dominic Lash/Steve Noble: Fathom

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

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-05-02/03 Nashville (rough mix wav) (disc 2)

*John Coltrane: The Prestige Recordings (disc 13)

*Lol Coxhill: Ear of the Beholder

*Kris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet

*Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (disc 2)

*Miles Davis: E.S.P.

*Miles Davis Quintet: Miles Smiles

*Miles Davis: Sorcerer

*Miles Davis: Nefertiti

*Miles Davis: Miles in the Sky

*Miles Davis: Miles Davis at Fillmore (side 3)

*Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding

*Earth Wind and Fire: All 'n All (side 1)

*Folk Choir: They'll Know We Are Christians

*Forebrace: Steeped

*Marvin Gaye: What's Going On (50th Anniversary) (side 1)

*Mary Halvorson Quintet: Bending Bridges

*Mary Halvorson Septet: Illusionary Sea

*Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage

*Joe Henderson: Barcelona

*Jimi Hendrix: First Rays of the New Rising Sun

*Dave Holland New Quartet: 2024-09-14 Santa Fe (CDR) (disc 1)

*Bobby Hutcherson: Joe Chambers: Composer (cassette compilation) (sides A, B)

*King Crimson: Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Elemental Mixes)

*Christian Marclay: More Encores

*Brian Marsella’s iMAGiNARiUM: Mediatas (disc 1)

*Roscoe Mitchell/Malachi Favors: 1993-10-16 Oakland CA (CDR)

*Roscoe Mitchell Discussions Orchestra: Discussions "Who Dat"

*New Ting: 2024-10-28 "I'm Step Not Your Stones" (wav)

*Office Ladies: Brains in Bed, Brains and Boots, No Boots in Bed (side 1)

*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (disc 12)

*Annette Peacock: I Have No Feelings

*Ivo Perelman Trio: Garden of Jewels

*Tomeka Reid/Kyoko Kitamura/Taylor Ho Bynum/Joe Morris: Geometry of Caves

*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee

*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis (side 1)

*Soft Machine: Six (side 2)

*Tyshawn Sorey: Pillars (disc 2)

*Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra: Strange Strings (Expanded Edition) (side 4)

*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: 1985-06-10 Philadelphia (CDR) (disc 1)

*Sun Ra: Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC

*Various artists: Tokyo Flashback

*Anna Webber: simpletrio2000

*Mary Wells: Forgive & Forget: Selected Tracks 1960-64 (CDR compilation)

*Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (side 2)

*Yes: Yes (side 1)

*Yes: Time and a Word (side 1)

*Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans (2016 remaster) (disc 2) "Ritual"

*Yes: Relayer (2016 remaster) (disc 1)

*Neil Young: Zuma

Reading List, Week of 2024-11-03

Down to the finish line with Miss Macintosh...

Reading List 2024-11-04:

*Vellekoop, Maurice. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir (started)
*Walker, David F. et al. Bitter Root: Omnibus Book 1 (started/finished)
*Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (finished)
*Waters, Keith. The Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-68 (finished)
*Davidson, Mark, and Parker Fishel. Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine (in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-10-30

Been immensely enjoying the newest Anthony Braxton box of Lorraine music, played by saxophone quartet (plus computer)... this particular configuration really suits the music, in a different way I think than the various combinations on 10 Comp (Lorraine) 2022... at any rate, this is a wealth of new Braxton music that I'm sure will continue to yield years of pleasure... RIP Phil Lesh, and a tip of the hat to Daniel Barbiero, who got me to check out (again, and it's been a while) the great bass playing on "Eyes of the World" from June 16, 1974 in Des Moines... 

Playlist 2024-10-28:

*Alco Frisbass: Le Bateleur
*At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command
*Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022 (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Carter Family: 1927-1934 (disc 1)
*Kim Cass: Levs
*Stephan Crump: Slow Water
*Kris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet
*Miles Davis: 1969-03 Rochester NY (CDR) (disc 2)
*Duke Ellington: The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion, and Okeh Small Group Sessions (disc 6)
*Duke Ellington: …And His Mother Called Him Bill
*Grateful Dead: 1974-06-16 Des Moines (CDR) (disc 2)
*Herbie Hancock: Takin' Off
*Jimi Hendrix: Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision (discs 1, 2, 3)
*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Brink
*Love Cry Want: Love Cry Want
*Brian Marsella's iMAGiNARiUM: Chapter One: The Clocks Have Gone Mad
*Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra: Live at the Adler Planetarium
*Jackie McLean: It's Time!
*Micro-East Collective: 20000325 Micro​-​East Collective, Red Room, Baltimore, MD
*Matt Mitchell: Zealous Angles
*New Ting: 2019-09-30 "Emulsify My Desires" (wav)
*New Ting: 2024-10-14 "Druids and Salarymen on the Oedo Line Weep Silently before Dawn" (wav)
*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (disc 11)
*Annette Peacock: 31:31
*Elvis Presley: The Complete Elvis Presley Masters (disc 20)
*Pretty Things: S.F. Sorrow
*Tomeka Reid/Kyoko Kitamura/Taylor Ho Bynum/Joe Morris: Geometry of Phenomena
*Jon Rose/Mark Dresser: Band Width
*Sara Schoenbeck: Sara Schoenbeck
*Ches Smith: Laugh Ash
*Soft Machine: 1967-11-10 London (CDR) (disc 2)
*Sparks: Angst in My Pants (sides 1, 2)
*Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra: Strange Strings (Expanded Edition) (side 3)
*Sun Ra: Media Dreams (sides 1, 2)
*Sun Ra: Kingdom of Discipline
*Cecil Taylor Feel Trio: Two Ts for a Lovely T (disc 5)
*Cecil Taylor: 2016-04-14 Whitney Museum, NYC (CDR) (disc 2)
*Thumbscrew: Wingbeats
*Tom and Marty Band: Afraid to Go to Sleep
*Various artists: That Devilin' Tune (Vol. I, disc 4)
*Various artists: Éthiopiques 1 : Golden Years Of Modern Ethiopian Music 1969-1975
*Alex Ward: Gated
*Anna Webber/Matt Mitchell: Capacious Aeration

Reading List, Week of 2024-10-27

 

Reading List 2024-10-28:

*Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (started)
*Davidson, Mark, and Parker Fishel. Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine (started)
*Waters, Keith. The Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-68 (started)
*Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker, ed. Robert Mankoff (finished)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

Dirda on When to Read

 

This seems about right...

When to read

Mine is a simple system: I read from morning till bedtime, with breaks for my job, family, meetings with friends, exercise, household chores and periodic review of my life’s greatest blunders. (Michael Dirda, "10 rules for reading from someone who does it for a living," Washington Post, 2024-05-18)

Playlist, Week of 2024-10-20

For an excellent example of Duke Ellington (and/or Billy Strayhorn?) as arranger, try "Stomping at the Savoy" from The Private Collection, Vol. 2... and dig Sam Woodyard's bass drum driving the arrangement!... Kinda on a little Bob Dylan kick these days, don't know why... maybe it's in anticipation of starting that new Dylan book... and I did thoroughly enjoy Chronicles, which I finally got around to reading... I think "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" is my favorite Dylan song... I'm really enjoying rediscovering the Bill Dixon in Italy albums... I've owned them for years but never gave them the attention they deserve... trying to catch up now... Kudos to Irwin Chusid and Cosmic Myth Records for another fine Sun Ra release... Strange Strings is as strange as ever... I especially like the unreleased material... my only quibble: putting "Worlds Approaching" in stereo means you're missing the Bugs Hunter reverb effects, which are only on the mono version and are especially strong in John Gilmore's solo... definitely worth tracking down the mono version... 

Playlist 2024-10-21:

*[Ahmed]: Giant Beauty (disc 3)

*Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: 1965-06-11 NYC (CDR)

*Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022 (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)

*Peter Brötzmann Octet: The Complete Machine Gun Sessions "Machine Gun Live"

*James Brown: Live at the Apollo (Vol. 2) (sides 2, 3)

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2015-05-14 Nashville (wav) track 4

*Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (SACD) "Spanish Key"

*Bill Dixon: Bill Dixon in Italy, Vol. 2 (side 1)

*Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited (side 1)

*Bob Dylan: 1965-07-25 Newport Folk Festival (CDR)

*Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks

*Duke Ellington: The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion, and Okeh Small Group Sessions (disc 3)

*Duke Ellington: The Private Collection, Vol. 2: Dance Concerts, California, 1958

*Everly Brothers: The Very Best of the Cadence Era

*Lee Hazlewood: Requiem for an Almost Lady

*Joe Henderson: The Milestone Years (disc 7)

*Dave Holland: Prism

*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Brink

*Layers of Memory: 2019-12-07 RVA (wav)"Improvisation No. 4"

*Medeski Martin and Wood: The Dropper

*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (disc 10)

*Rolling Stones: Aftermath (Expanded mono ed.)

*Wadada Leo Smith & Roscoe Mitchell Creative Orchestra: 1979-06-03 Moers "track 3"

*Soft Machine: 1967-11-10 London (CDR) (disc 1)

*Soft Machine: 1969 Patasoft Demo & Other Rare

*Tyshawn Sorey: Alloy "Movement"

*Tyshawn Sorey: The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism (disc 3)

*Sparks: Live at the Record Plant 1974 (side 1)

*Sun Ra: Saturn Research: Rarities and Oddities (CDR compilation) (disc 3)

*Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra: Strange Strings (Expanded Edition) (sides 1, 2, 3, 4)

*Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Other Strange Worlds

*Sun Ra and His All-Star Inventions: 1991-11-15 NYC (CDR) (discs 1, 2)

*Tarbaby: Fanon

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

*Cecil Taylor: 2016-04-14 Whitney Museum, NYC (CDR) (disc 1)

*Various artists: Tenor Sax Battle 1982-07-18 Den Haag (CDR)

*Various artists: Subradar Sampler #01

*Anna Webber: Shimmer Wince

*Lester Young Trio: Lester Young Trio

*John Zorn/Simulacrum: Nostradamus: The Death of Satan

Reading List, Week of 2024-10-20

Reading List 2024-10-21:

*Willis, Ellen. Out of the Vinyl Deeps: Ellen Willis on Rock Music (finished)
*Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker, ed. Robert Mankoff (in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-10-13

Hot damn, the small group sessions of Duke Ellington from the '30s and '40s are jumpin', quirky, and divine... "Frolic Sam"... Delving into some Sun Ra rarities as well, several from only a mere ten years or so later... then things diverge... or do they?

Playlist 2024-10-14:

*Muhal Richard Abrams featuring Malachi Favors: Sightsong (side 1)

*[Ahmed]: Giant Beauty (discs 1, 2)

*Mose Allison: The Word from Mose

*Johann Sebastian Bach: The Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin (Sergio Luca) (disc 2)

*Ran Blake Quartet: Short Life of Barbara Monk

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-05-02/03 Nashville (rough mix wav) (disc 1)

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2022-11-26 Nashville (wav)

*Alice Coltrane: The Carnegie Hall Concert (discs 1, 2)

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

*Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind

*Duke Ellington: The Complete 1936-1940 Variety, Vocalion, and Okeh Small Group Sessions (discs 1, 2, 4, 5)

*Duke Ellington: All American in Jazz

*Duke Ellington: Midnight in Paris

*Mary Halvorson Quintet: Saturn Sings

*Joe Henderson: The Milestone Years (disc 6)

*Susie Ibarra: Folkloriko

*Irreversible Entanglements: Irreversible Entanglements

*Vijay Iyer: Compassion

*Roscoe Mitchell: L-R-G/The Maze/S II Examples

*New Ting: 2024-10-07 "Attention Kemar Shoppers! (He's Bald But He Can Hear)" (wav)

*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (disc 9)

*Polyorchard: Ink (disc 1)

*Residents: Fingerprince (pREServed Edition) (disc 1)

*Soft Machine: The Soft Machine

*Soft Machine: Volume Two

*Soft Machine: Spaced

*Soft Machine: Høvikodden 1971 (disc 1)

*Soft Machine: Six (side 1)

*Sun Ra: Saturn Research: Rarities and Oddities (CDR compilation) (discs 1, 2)

*Sun Ra: Black Utopia Excerpts (CDR compilation)

*Sun Ra: Excelsior Mill

*Cecil Taylor Orchestra of Two Continents: 1984-10-20 Rubigen, Switzerland (CDR) (disc 1)

*Henry Threadgill's Zooid: This Brings Us To, Volumes I & II (side 2)

*Lennie Tristano: Personal Recordings 1946-1970 (disc 4)

*Various artists: Tenor Sax Battle 1982-07-18 Den Haag (CDR)

*John Zorn/Simulacrum: Spinoza

*John Zorn/Chaos Magick: Chaos Magick

Reading List, Week of 2024-10-13

Reading List 2024-10-14:

*Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker, ed. Robert Mankoff (started)
*Willis, Ellen. Out of the Vinyl Deeps: Ellen Willis on Rock Music (started)
*Granville-Barker, Harley. Prefaces to Shakespeare, Vol. II (started/finished)
*Smith, Ming. Ming Smith: An Aperture Monograph (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2024-10-06

A beautifully relaxing solo guitar album from Henry Kaiser... Tyshawn Sorey's drumming on Vijay Iyer's Compassion is outstanding... primo piano trio stuff!... nice to hear a Stevie Wonder cover in this context... Every time I delve into Two T's for a Lovely T I am astounded by the rich interplay and vitality of all three players... Such Sweet Thunder is still floating my boat... It's fun listening to Bud Powell through a Cecil Taylor lens... I plan on doing the same with Horace Silver... Of course, Cecil is drenched with Duke Ellington...

Playlist 2024-10-07:

*[Ahmed]: Giant Beauty (discs 4, 5)

*Art Ensemble: 1967/68 (disc 2) "Trio (Oh Susanna)"

*Johann Sebastian Bach: The Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin (Sergio Luca) (disc 1)

*Beatles: Hard Day's Night (2009 stereo remaster) (sides 1, 2)

*Beatles: 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) (side 5)

*Beyonce: Lemonade

*Peter Brötzmann Octet: The Complete Machine Gun Sessions "Machine Gun"

*Sonny Clark: The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions (disc 2)

*Stephan Crump: Slow Water

*Bill Dixon: Bill Dixon in Italy, Vol. 1 (sides 1, 2)

*Dave Douglas: Spirit Moves

*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Such Sweet Thunder (side 1)

*Duke Ellington: The Far East Suite (sides 1, 2)

*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Featuring Paul Gonsalves (side 1)

*Joseph Haydn: Complete Symphonies, Vol. 3: Nos. 82, 88, 95 (Heidelberger Sinfoniker)

*Henry Cow: Glastonbury and Elsewhere

*Freddie Hubbard: Hub Cap

*Vijay Iyer: Compassion

*Henry Kaiser: Everything Forever

*Layers of Memory: 2019-12-07 RVA (wav)"Improvisation No. 4"

*Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra Featuring Roscoe Mitchell: Matter Anti-Matter (disc 1)

*Roscoe Mitchell: Duets with Tyshawn Sorey and Special Guest Hugh Ragin

*Roscoe Mitchell: Not Yet: Six Compositions

*New Ting: 2024-08-27 Richmond VA "Dated a Rockefeller: Live at Scuffletown" (wav)

*New Ting: 2024-09-30 "It's Raining, Understood" (wav)

*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (discs 6, 7, 8)

*Polyorchard: Ink (disc 2)

*Bud Powell: The Genius of Bud Powell (side 1)

*Tyshawn Sorey: Alloy "Movement"

*Tyshawn Sorey: The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism (disc 2)

*Sparks: A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (sides 1, 2)

*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Bad and Beautiful

*Sun Ra: Exotica (discs 1, 2)

*Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra: Continuation (side 1)

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

*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: 1989-08-11 Cambridge MA (CDR) (disc 3)

*Sun Ra Sextet: At the Village Vanguard

*Masayuki Takayanagi New Direction Unit: April Is the Cruellest Month

*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 5)

*YoshimiOizumikiYoshiduO: To the Forest to Live a Truer Life

*John Zorn/Insurrection: Salem 1692

 

Reading List, Week of 2024-10-06

Another strong Malazan entry from Esslemont... several steps up from the last one...

Reading List 2024-10-07:

*Esslemont, Ian C. Forge of the High Mage (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/in progress)
*Smith, Ming. Ming Smith: An Aperture Monograph (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-09-28

Still catching up... Sun Ra and Duke Ellington are keeping me going...

Playlist 2024-09-30:

*[Ahmed]: Giant Beauty (disc 3)
*Jack DeJohnette/Made in Chicago: 2015-07-11 Rotterdam (CDR) "Chant"
*Bob Dylan: Another Side of Bob Dylan
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Such Sweet Thunder (sides 1, 2)
*Duke Ellington: Midnight in Paris
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2/Suite Thursday
*Duke Ellington: His Piano and His Orchestra at the Bal Masque
*Duke Ellington: 1899-1974 (side 7)
*Grateful Dead: 1972-05-16 Luxembourg "The Other One"
*Kinks: The Journey: Part 1 (side 3)
*Janel Leppin: Ensemble Volcanic Ash
*New Ting: 2024-09-16 "Bone Technology" (wav)
*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (disc 5)
*Polyorchard: Ink (disc 1)
*Wadada Leo Smith & Roscoe Mitchell Creative Orchestra: 1979-06-03 Moers "track 3"
*Sparks: Interior Design (sides 1, 2)
*Sparks: Exotic Creatures of the Deep (sides 1, 2)
*Sun Ra Arkestra: Kosmos in Blue: A John Gilmore Anthology, Vol. 1
*Sun Ra Arkestra: Blues at Midnight: A John Gilmore Anthology, Vol. 2
*Sun Ra: Acetate 1955 (CDR)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Jazz in Silhouette (Expanded Edition) (side 2)
*Sun Ra: 5 Unreleased Tunes 1962-1965 (CDR compilation)
*Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra: Holiday for Soul Dance
*Sun Ra: The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra (sides 1, 2)
*Sun Ra: Spaceways [Outer Spaceways Inc.]
*Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra: The Night of the Purple Moon (sides 1, 2)
*Cecil Taylor: Unit Structures
*Lennie Tristano: Personal Recordings 1946-1970 (disc 3)
*Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans (2016 remaster) (disc 1)

Reading List, Week of 2024-09-29

Reading List 2024-09-30:

*Esslemont, Ian C. Forge of the High Mage (started)
*Sax, David. The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/in progress)
*Smith, Ming. Ming Smith: An Aperture Monograph (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-09-24

Running a bit behind here... getting caught up... most of the John Zorn Simulacrum-related albums have relatively short tracks, but Baphomet is one long 40-minute-plus piece that goes all over the place... well, it cooks... Can Cladders is balm for the soul... 

Playlist 2024-09-25:

*[Ahmed]: Giant Beauty (disc 2)
*Louis Armstrong: The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions (1935-1946) (disc 3)
*Daniel Barbiero/Steve Hilmy: Take a Sound
*Gus Bodenheim: Slouching Towards Bodenheim (disc 1)
*Booker T & the MGs: Play the "Hip Hits"
*John Carter: Shadows on a Wall
*Pete Christlieb/Warne Marsh Quintet: Apogee
*George Clinton: R&B Skeletons in the Closet (side 1)
*George Clinton: Why Should I Dog U Out ? (12" maxi-single) (side 1)
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2010-07-30 Nashville "Track 5" (wav)
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: Aphelion
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-08-28 Nashville (rough mix wav)
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-11-25 Nashville (rough mix wav)
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2023-07-19 Nashville (wav)
*Bill Dixon: Bill Dixon in Italy, Vol. 1 (side 2)
*Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding
*Duke Ellington: All American in Jazz
*Duke Ellington: All Star Road Band, Vol. 2
*Grateful Dead: Dark Star Comp 3 (1973, 1979, 1981) (CDR compilation)
*Mary Halvorson Quintet and Septet: 2011-10-14 NYC (CDR)
*Alexander Hawkins Trio: Carnival Celestial
*High Llamas: Can Cladders
*Bobby Hutcherson: Stick-Up!
*Janel Leppin: Ensemble Volcanic Ash: To March Is to Love
*Gianmarco Liguori: Duga-3
*Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: 2024-03-23 Knoxville TN (CDR)
*New Ting: 2024-09-09 "Taco Strip Limbo, or, Rock Around the Satellite Lounge" (wav)
*New Ting: 2024-09-16 "Bone Technology" (wav)
*Charlie Parker: Live and Private Recordings in Chronological Order (discs 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Rascals: See
*Rascals: Search and Nearness
*Tomeka Reid Quartet: 3+3
*Sparks: A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (sides 1, 2)
*Sparks: In Outer Space (sides 1, 2)
*Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra: Other Planes of There (side 1)
*Young Rascals: Groovin'
*John Zorn/Simulacrum: Beyond Good and Evil
*John Zorn/Simulacrum: Baphomet 

Reading List, Week of 2024-09-24

Reading List 2024-09-25:

*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Sax, David. The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/in progress)
*Smith, Ming. Ming Smith: An Aperture Monograph (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-09-15

One of those albums...

Playlist 2024-09-16:

*أحمد [Ahmed]: Giant Beauty (disc 1)
*Beatles: Beatles for Sale (2009 mono remaster)
*Beatles: Rubber Soul (2009 mono remaster)
*Beatles: Sessions (side 1)
*Beatles: 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) (selections)
*Beethoven/Schubert: String Trios (Beethoven String Trio of London)
*Boredoms: Vision Creation Newsun
*John Coltrane: 1963-11-04 Stuttgart "Mr. PC"
*Stephan Crump: Slow Water
*Miles Davis Quintet: Workin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet (side 2)
*Bill Dixon: Bill Dixon in Italy, Vol. 1 (side 1)
*DJ Spooky: Creation Rebel
*George Duke: Faces in Reflection
*Bob Dylan: Live 1964: Concert At Philharmonic Hall (disc
*Genesis: Selling England by the Pound (side 1)
*Herbie Hancock: The Prisoner (side 1)
*Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore: Blowing in from Chicago
*Joëlle Léandre/Craig Taborn/Mat Maneri: hEARoes
*Janel Leppin: Ensemble Volcanic Ash
*Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra: Lightning Dreamers
*Roscoe Mitchell: Splatter
*Louis Moholo Octet: Spirits Rejoice! (side 1)
*OOIOO: Gold and Green
*Pere Ubu: No Jane
*Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley
*Soft Machine: Seven (side 1)
*Tyshawn Sorey: The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism (disc 1)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Discipline 99 (Out Beyond the Kingdom Of)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Prophet (side 1)
*Cecil Taylor: The World of Cecil Taylor
*Various artists: That Devilin' Tune (Vol. I, disc 3)
*Young Rascals: The Young Rascals
*Young Rascals: Collections
*John Zorn/Simulacrum: 49 Acts of Unspeakable Depravity in the Abominable Life and Times of Gilles de Rais
*John Zorn/Simulacrum: The Garden of Earthly Delights 

Reading List, Week of 2024-09-15

I'll be reading this one for quite some time... 

Reading List 2024-09-16:

*Smith, Ming. Ming Smith: An Aperture Monograph (started)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Sax, David. The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-09-01

Found a nice used copy of Pete La Roca Sims' LP Turkish Women at the Bath (in the version released under Chick Corea's name, Bliss!), featuring some choice John Gilmore... always interesting to hear Gilmore in a non-Sun Ra context, although I still maintain that he did his best work with Ra... Someday I'll compile a list of favorite non-Ra Gilmore solos to go along with my other Gilmore list... 

Playlist 2024-09-09:

*Tim Berne's Snakeoil: Shadow Man "OC/DC"
*Anthony Braxton: Quartet (New Haven) 2014 (disc 1)
*James Brown: Star Time (disc 2)
*Claypool Lennon Delirium: Monolith of Phobos
*Coxhill Sinclair Band: 1975-11-21 Reims, France (CDR)
*Miles Davis: The Prestige 10-Inch LP Collection, Vol. 2 (LP 4: side 1)
*Miles Davis: Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings 1951–1956 (disc 4)
*Miles Davis: Collector's Items (side 4)
*Miles Davis: Kind of Blue (side 1)
*Miles Davis Quintet: Miles Smiles
*Digital Underground: Sex Packets
*Bob Dylan: Live 1964: Concert At Philharmonic Hall (disc 1)
*Duke Ellington: All Star Road Band
*Grateful Dead: 1991-06-17 East Rutherford NJ (CDR) (discs 2, 3)
*Jimi Hendrix Experience: Axis: Bold as Love (side 2)
*Jazz Composer's Orchestra: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
*Mars Volta: The Bedlam In Goliath
*Roscoe Mitchell: Conversations
*Roscoe Mitchell/Montreal-Toronto Art Orchestra: Ride the Wind
*New Ting: 2019-10-07 "We All Answered" (wav)
*Sean O'Hagan: Radum Calls, Radum Calls
*Elvis Presley: The Complete Elvis Presley Masters (disc 3)
*Prince: 1982-03-08 First Avenue, Minneapolis (CDR)
*Rascals: Once Upon a Dream
*Rascals: Freedom Suite
*Pete La Roca Sims: Turkish Women at the Bath (sides 1, 2)
* 夢遊病者 [Sleepwalker]: 5772
* 夢遊病者 [Sleepwalker]: Skopofoboexoskelett
*Tyshawn Sorey: Unfiltered (disc 2)
*Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra: When Sun Comes Out (side 1)
*Sun Ra: Astro Black (side 2)
*Cecil Taylor: Unit Structures (side 2)
*Cecil Taylor: Student Studies
*Cecil Taylor: Cecil Taylor Unit (side 1)
*Lennie Tristano: Personal Recordings 1946-1970 (disc 2)
*McCoy Tyner: The Real McCoy (side 2)
*Alex Ward: Gated
*John Zorn/Simulacrum: Simulacrum
*John Zorn: The Painted Bird

Reading List, Week of 2024-09-01

Reading List 2024-09-02:

*Sax, David. The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter (started)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 3rd ed., ed. David Daniell) (reread/started)
*Jost, Ekkehard. "Instant Composing as Body Language: Towards an Understanding of Cecil Taylor's Music of the Last Twenty Years," in Cecil Taylor in Berlin '88 (reread/started/finished)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 2nd ed., ed. T.S. Dorsch) (reread/finished)
*Yudkin, Jeremy. Miles Davis, Miles Smiles, and the Invention of Post Bop (started/finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2024-09-02

There's something about hot weather and driving that makes me want to listen to funk... lots of it... in this case, hours and hours of Prince...  been driving a lot, and it's hot as hell outside these days, so... 

Playlist 2024-09-02:

*John Carter: Dance of the Love Ghosts
*John Carter: Fields
*Grateful Dead: 1975-03-23 San Francisco (CDR)
*Grateful Dead: 1991-06-16 East Rutherford NJ (CDR) (discs 1, 2, 3)
*Grateful Dead: 1991-06-17 East Rutherford NJ (CDR) (disc 1)
*Mary Halvorson Trio: 2009-12-14 London (CDR)
*Billy Hart: Enchance (side 2)
*New Ting: 2024-08-27 Richmond VA "Dated a Rockefeller: Live at Scuffletown" (wav)
*OOIOO: Feather Float
*OOIOO: Kila Kila Kila
*OOIOO: EYヨ Remix
*Plymouth: Plymouth "Standish"
*Prince: random Magic Jukebox selections
*Prince: Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic
*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter One: Les Gens de Couleur Libres
*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis
*Wayne Shorter: Creation
*Spontaneous Music Ensemble: Low Profile
*Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra: Fate in a Pleasant Mood
*Sun Ra: Jazz by Sun Ra, Vol. 1 [Sun Song]
*Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra: When Angels Speak of Love "Next Stop Mars"
*Sun Ra: Excelsior Mill
*Sun Ra: Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC (side 3)
*Sun Ra: Pink Elephants on Parade
*Cecil Taylor: The Complete Candid Recordings of Cecil Taylor and Buell Neidlinger (disc 1)
*Cecil Taylor: Live in Bologna (side 3)
*Cecil Taylor Orchestra Humane (Ubuntu): 2004-03-28 (CDR) (disc 1)
*Various artists: That Devilin' Tune (Vol. I, disc 2)

Reading List, Week of 2024-09-01

Reading List 2024-09-02:

*Dylan, Bob. Chronicles, Vol. 1 (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 2nd ed., ed. T.S. Dorsch) (reread/in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-08-25

Primo Gilmore on Taking a Chance on Chances, especially side 2... I was a little disappointed when Prophet first came out, but I have to say it's growing on me... There's not enough large-ensemble Cecil Taylor in the world... Anyway, this week, it was mostly Sun Ra, Cecil, and Prince... 

Playlist 2024-08-28:

*Area: Maledetti (Maudits) (sides 1, 2)
*Borderlands Trio: Rewilder (disc 1)
*John Carter Octet: Dauwhe
*John Carter: Castles of Ghana
*Grateful Dead: 1973-03-26 Baltimore (CDR) "Truckin'"
*Mary Halvorson: 2009-06-28 NYC (CDR)
*Billy Hart: Enchance (side 1)
*Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra: Galactic Parables: Vol. 1 (disc 2)
*New Ting: 2024-08-19 Richmond VA (wav)
*Prince: 1981-12-20 Houston (CDR)
*Prince: 2009-07-18 Montreux Jazz Festival (CDR) (disc 2)
*Prince: Small Club Jams (CDR compilation)
*Ravi Shankar: The Sounds of India
*Matthew Shipp Trio: The Trio Plays Ware
*Sun Ra and His Blue Universe Arkestra: Universe in Blue
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Taking a Chance on Chances
*Sun Ra: Of Mythic Worlds
*Sun Ra: Ra to the Rescue
*Sun Ra Arkestra: 1986-02-06 Toronto (CDR) (disc 4)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Prophet
*Sun Ra Arkestra: 1986-10-11 Washington DC (CDR) (discs 1, 2, 3)
*Horace Tapscott: The Dark Tree 1 & 2 (disc 2)
*Cecil Taylor: 1983-07-27 Genoa (wav)
*Cecil Taylor/Music from Two Continents: 1984-10-27 Belfort, France (wav)
*Cecil Taylor and the Sound Vision Orchestra: 2002-06-21 Knitting Factory NYC (CDR) (disc 3)
*Cecil Taylor/Tony Oxley: 2003-11-07 Berlin (wav)
*Cecil Taylor/Tony Oxley: 2008-02-24 Vienna (CDR) (discs 1, 2)
*Henry Threadgill Zooid: Poof

Reading List, Week of 2024-08-25

Reading List 2024-08-28:

*Dylan, Bob. Chronicles, Vol. 1 (started)
*Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar (Arden 2nd ed., ed. T.S. Dorsch) (reread/started)
*Lovecraft, H.P. "The Colour out of Space" (started/finished)
*Freeman, Philip. In the Brewing Luminous: The Life and Music of Cecil Taylor (finished)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-08-18

Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Sparks... lots of good tunes out there! Hope you're listening...

Playlist 2024-08-19:

*Horacee Arnold: Tales of the Exonerated Flea
*Anthony Braxton: Orchestra (Pisa) 1980 "Comp. 46"
*John Carter: Shadows on a Wall
*Miles Davis: 1969-07-27 New Brunswick NJ (CDR)
*Miles Davis: Bitches Brew Live
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 8 (disc 2)
*Forebrace: Steeped
*Grateful Dead: Dick's Picks 4 (1970-02-13 Fillmore East) "Dark Star"
*Mary Halvorson Trio: Dragon's Head
*Mary Halvorson: 2009-02-13 NYC (CDR)
*Joseph Jarman: As If It Were the Seasons "As If It Were the Seasons/Song to Make the Sun Come Up"
*Prince: The Chocolate Invasion
*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile
*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (sides 3, 4)
*Tyshawn Sorey: Unfiltered (disc 1)
*Sparks: Kimono My House
*Sparks: Indiscreet
*Sparks: Whomp That Sucker
*Sparks: Hello Young Lovers
*Sparks: Hippopotamus
*Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra: Visits Planet Earth
*Sun Ra: Bandcamp Tracks (CDR compilation) (disc 1)
*Sun Ra and His Mythic Science Arkestra: The Paris Tapes: Live at Le Théâtre du Châtelet 1971 (disc 2)
*Sun Ra Arkestra: 1986-02-06 Toronto (CDR) (discs 1, 2, 3)
*Sun Ra: Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC (side 4)
*Cecil Taylor: Love for Sale
*Cecil Taylor: The Complete Candid Recordings of Cecil Taylor and Buell Neidlinger (discs 2, 3, 4)
*Cecil Taylor Unit: 1966-10-16 Stuttgart (CDR) (discs 1, 2)
*Cecil Taylor: Calling It the Eighth (side 1)

Reading List, Week of 2024-08-18

Reading List 2024-08-19:

*Levin, Ira. A Kiss Before Dying (started/finished)
*Van Sciver, Noah. As a Cartoonist (finished)
*Freeman, Philip. In the Brewing Luminous: The Life and Music of Cecil Taylor (in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-08-11

Lots of affinities between Matana Roberts' Coin Coin series and John Carter's 5-album series Roots and Folklore: Episodes in the Development of American Folk Music... Miles Davis played some of the hottest trumpet of his life on the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival (as heard on Bitches Brew Live)... Wayne Shorter was a no-show (stuck in traffic), so Miles led a quartet as the only horn... On a Cecil Taylor kick while reading the new Philip Freeman biography (well, I am often on a Cecil kick anyway, so what's new?)... On a Sun Ra kick, too, well, just because... 

Playlist 2024-08-12:

*Louis Armstrong: The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions (1935-1946) (discs 1, 2)
*Horacee Arnold: Tales of the Exonerated Flea
*Art Ensemble: 1967/68 (disc 1) "Quartet No. 2"
*Art Ensemble of Chicago: Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City: Live at Iridium (disc 1) "On the Mountain"
*Beatles: Past Masters (2009 stereo remaster) (side 1)
*Beatles: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band (2009 stereo remaster) (side 1)
*Gus Bodenheim: Slouching Towards Bodenheim (discs 1, 2)
*Anthony Braxton/Joe Morris: Four Improvisations (Duo) 2007 (disc 2)
*Anthony Braxton/Eugene Chadbourne: Duo (Improv) 2017 (disc 1)
*John Carter: Dance of the Love Ghosts
*John Carter: Fields
*Sonny Clark: The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions (disc 1)
*Rodger Coleman: Guitar Experiments
*Miles Davis: Bitches Brew Live
*Bob Dylan: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 (disc 2)
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Works of Duke: Integrale Vol. 16 (side 2)
*Duke Ellington: Centenary Celebration 1999: Vol. 3: The Great Bands of the 1940s
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 8 (disc 1)
*Grateful Dead: Road Trips Vol. 4 No. 3 (1973-12-06 Cleveland) (bonus disc) "Dark Star > Eyes of the World"
*Joe Henderson: An Evening with Joe Henderson
*Arve Henriksen: Towards Language
*Roscoe Mitchell Discussions Orchestra: Discussions
*Gerry Mulligan/Lee Konitz: Revelation (side 1)
*Elvis Presley: The Complete Elvis Presley Masters (discs 1, 2)
*Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden (sides 1, 2)
*Ravi Shankar: India's Master Musician
*Ravi Shankar: Three Ragas "Raga Jog"
* 夢遊病者 [Sleepwalker]: 5772
*Sonic Youth: Washing Machine "The Diamond Sea"
*Sparks: Propaganda
*Sparks: Balls
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: In the Orbit of Ra (side 1)
*Sun Ra: Disco 3000 (Complete Milan Concert 1978) (disc 2)
*Sun Ra: Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC (side 1)
*Sun Ra: 1985-10-27 Hamburg (CDR) (disc 1, 2)
*Sun Ra Arkestra: Reflections in Blue
*Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of John Gilmore: 1992-12-30 Northampton MA (CDR) (disc 1)
*Cecil Taylor: In Transition [Jazz Advance] (side 1)
*Cecil Taylor: The Complete Candid Recordings of Cecil Taylor and Buell Neidlinger (disc 1)
*Cecil Taylor with Albert Ayler: 1962-11-16 Copenhagen (Holy Ghost disc 1)
*Cecil Taylor: Rotterdam 1967-07-01 (CDR)
*Cecil Taylor: For Olim
*Cecil Taylor Ensemble: Always a Pleasure
*Various artists: Little Club Jazz: Small Groups in the '30s (side 1)
*Neil Young with Crazy Horse: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
*Neil Young: On the Beach
*John Zorn: Insurrection

Reading List, Week of 2024-08-11

Reading List 2024-08-12:

*Van Sciver, Noah. As a Cartoonist (started)
*King, Stephen. Danse Macabre (reread/finished)
*Freeman, Philip. In the Brewing Luminous: The Life and Music of Cecil Taylor (in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-08-04

Lots of Sun Ra this week... as always, it's really good for the soul, especially in stressful and trying times... the more I listen to Disco 3000, the more I love it...  the depths of John Gilmore's tone and his approach to constructing his solos are continually intriguing to me... and Ra's playing is truly sublime...  

Playlist 2024-08-05:

*Muhal Richard Abrams Sextet: 1973-11-04 Berlin (CDR)

*Beach Boys: Friends

*Beach Boys: 20/20

*Anthony Braxton/George Lewis/Derek Bailey: 1982-07-13 Pisa (CDR)

*John Carter: Castles of Ghana

*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-08-27 Nashville (rough mix wav)

*Miles Davis: Directions (side 2)

*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 7 (disc 2)

*Grateful Dead: The Twenty-Nine Ones (CDR compilation) (disc 1)

*Grateful Dead: 1974-07-25 Chicago (CDR) "Dark Star"

*Grateful Dead: One from the Vault (disc 2)

*Anna Högberg Attack: Lena

*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Stir Crazy (CDR compilation) (disc 11)

*Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra Featuring Roscoe Mitchell: Matter Anti-Matter (disc 1)

*Roscoe Mitchell: Sound Songs (discs 1, 2)

*Dewey Redman/Cecil Taylor/Elvin Jones: Momentum Space

*Soft Machine: Høvikodden 1971 (disc 4)

*Sparks: Lil' Beethoven

*Sun Ra: Sun Song (side 1)

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

*Sun Ra: 1976-11-27 Chicago (CDR) (disc 1)

*Sun Ra: Disco 3000 (Complete Milan Concert 1978) (disc 1)

*Sun Ra: Sleeping Beauty

*Sun Ra: 1988-06-30 Bremerhaven, Germany (CDR)

*Cecil Taylor: Respiration

*Cecil Taylor and the Sound Vision Orchestra: 2002-06-21 Knitting Factory NYC (CDR) (disc 2)

*Various artists: That Devilin' Tune (Vol. I, disc 1)

*Various artists: Rimshots & Reverbs: The Best in Instrumental Rock and Pop (disc 2)

*Yardbirds: The Ultimate Live at the BBC (disc 4)

Reading List, Week of 2024-08-04

Reading List 2024-08-05:

*Freeman, Philip. In the Brewing Luminous: The Life and Music of Cecil Taylor (started)
*Gaiman, Neil, Andy Kubert, and Richard Isanove. Marvel 1602 (reread/finished)
*King, Stephen. Danse Macabre (reread/in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-07-28

I have really been enjoying the two Myra Melford Fire and Water Quintet records... For the Love of Fire and Water is a suite which deftly emphasizes and affirms the individual personalities and strengths of the players... Hear the Light Singing is a follow-up with several pieces intended as modular "inserts" which are designed to fit in the suite different ways on different performances... I got to hear this in action with the Quintet's Big Ears performance... 

Playlist 2024-07-29:

*Muhal Richard Abrams: Afrisong
*AMM: Place Sub. V.
*AMM: Until the Next Time
*Borderlands Trio: Rewilder (disc 2)
*Anthony Braxton: 19 [Solo] Compositions, 1988
*Anthony Braxton/Ensemble Braxtonia: 2 Compositions (Järvenpää) 1988
*Anthony Braxton: Eight Improvisations (Trio) 2014 (disc 2)
*John Carter Octet: Dauwhe
*Chicago/London Underground: A Night Walking Through Mirrors
*John Coltrane: The Classic Quartet: The Complete Impulse! Studio Recordings (disc 5)
*Brian Eno: Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks
*Grateful Dead: 1972-09-27 Jersey City, NJ (Dick's Picks 11) (disc 2)
*Herbie Hancock: Empyrean Isles
*Alexander Hawkins Ensemble: No Now Is So
*Joe Henderson: Black Is the Color
*Keith Jarrett: Paris Concert
*Jens Joneleit featuring Roscoe Mitchell: Illuviation
*Brian Jones Quintet: Spell Canon
*Ned Lagin: Seastones (disc 2)
*Ingrid Laubrock: Monochromes
*Andrew Lisle/Alex Ward: Doors
*Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: For the Love of Fire and Water
*Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: Hear the Light Singing
*Myra Melford's Fire and Water Quintet: 2024-03-23 Knoxville TN (CDR)
*Roscoe Mitchell & the Note Factory: Song for My Sister
*Roscoe Mitchell: Sustain and Run
*György Szabados/Roscoe Mitchell: Revelation (Jelenés)
*Soft Machine: Høvikodden 1971 (discs 2, 3)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Super-Sonic Jazz
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Bad and Beautiful
*Sun Ra: Cosmo Mystery Concert 1978
*Sun Ra: 1978-11-03 Washington DC (CDR) (disc 4)
*Cecil Taylor and the Sound Vision Orchestra: 2002-06-21 Knitting Factory NYC (CDR) (disc 1)
*Various artists: Rimshots & Reverbs: The Best in Instrumental Rock and Pop (disc 1)
*Various artists: The Rough Guide to Boogaloo 3
*Yardbirds: The Ultimate Live at the BBC (discs 2, 3)

Reading List, Week of 2024-07-28

Reading List 2024-07-29:

*Gaiman, Neil, Andy Kubert, and Richard Isanove. Marvel 1602 (reread/started)
*Hickman, Jonathan, et al. House of X/Powers of X (reread/finished)
*King, Stephen. Danse Macabre (reread/in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)

 

Playlist, Week of 2024-07-21

 

The new Soft Machine 4-CD set is really strong: two nights of invigorating classic quartet sets, great sound, with Robert Wyatt's drumming particularly aggressive and driving... easily one of the best live recordings from this lineup... 

Playlist 2024-07-22:

*Muhal Richard Abrams Quintet: 2016-01-31 Milano (CDR)
*Bix Beiderbecke: Bix Restored: The Complete Recordings and Alternates, Vol. 5
*Jason Bivins/Ian Davis/Jimmy Ghaphery: 2003-11-15 Richmond VA (CDR)
*Paul Bley and Scorpio: Paul Bley & Scorpio
*Borderlands Trio: Rewilder (disc 1)
*Boulez: Le Marteau sans Maître/Sur Incises (Ensemble Intercontemporain) (CDR)
*Anthony Braxton: Eight Improvisations (Trio) 2014 (disc 1)
*Don Byas: 1946
*Cloud Sounds Trio: Cloud Sounds Trio
*Rodger Coleman: Guitar Experiments
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2019-05-02/03 Nashville (rough mix wav) (disc 3)
*D'Angelo: Live At The Jazz Cafe, London
*Bill Dixon: Tapestries for Small Orchestra (disc 2)
*Bob Dylan: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 (disc 1)
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 7 (disc 1)
*Duke Ellington: Anatomy of a Murder
*Foundations: Build Me Up Buttercup: The Complete Pye Collection (disc 1)
*Benny Goodman: Fletcher Henderson Arrangements (CDR compilation) (disc 3)
*Herbie Hancock: Thrust
*Alexander Hawkins/Tomeka Reid: Shards and Constellations
*Jimi Hendrix: Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision (disc 3)
*Pete Johnson: King of Boogie
*Ingrid Laubrock: The Last Quiet Place
*Joëlle Léandre/Craig Taborn/Mat Maneri: hEARoes
*Myra Melford's Happy Whistlings: 2010-04-09 New Haven CT (CDR)
*Tony Oxley Quintet: The Baptised Traveller
*William Parker: 2019-08-03 Stone, NYC (CDR)
*Don Pullen: Jazz a Confronto 21
*Soft Machine: Høvikodden 1971 (disc 1)
*Sun Ra and His Arkestra: Super-Sonic Jazz
*Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra: When Angels Speak of Love
*Sun Ra: God Is More than Love Can Ever Be!
*Third Coast Ensemble: Wrecks
*Lennie Tristano: Personal Recordings 1946-1970 (disc 1)
*Various artists: The Rough Guide to Boogaloo 2
*Yardbirds: The Ultimate Live at the BBC (disc 1)
*John Zorn: Homenaje a Remedios Varo
*John Zorn: Bagatelles Vol. 16: Sam Eastmond

Reading List, Week of 2024-07-21

Reading List 2024-07-22:

*Hickman, Jonathan, et al. House of X/Powers of X (reread/started)
*Clowes, Daniel. Wilson (started/finished)
*Gaiman, Neil, and P. Craig Russell, Scott Hampton. American Gods, Vol. 3: The Moment of the Storm (finished)
*King, Stephen. Danse Macabre (reread/in progress)
*Mendelson, Cheryl. Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (in progress)
*Young, Marguerite. Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (in progress)