MoonJune is a new progressive music label out of New York City. MoonJune loves progressive music and jazz music, and especially loves those musics were progressive and jazz cross paths! And if it has anything to do with Canterbury or Soft Machine, count on MoonJune to be there!
Mahogany Frog/DO5 ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'You're Meshuga!')
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Graham Epp & Jessie Warkentin electric guitars, MicroMoog, Farfisa Organ, Farf Muff, ARP String Ensemble, Korg MS2000, electric & acoustic pianos; Scott Ellenberger electric & acoustic bass, Nord, percussion; J.P. Perron drums, conch & electronics; Graham Epp & Scott Ellenberger trumpets. Mahogany Frog's "Do 5" is the fifth full-length release from this Winnipeg-based outfit. Over the past decade the group has been saturating their own brand of psychedelic jazz-rock, an instrumental brew that is hard-hitting, challenging, experimental and noisy, but catchy as hell. "Do 5," the most cohesive Mahogany Frog album to date, and it seems that the four members of MF are on a crusade to change the way people listen to music. Melodic, harmonized leads slice through lush walls of thick, warbling, tube-driven vintage organs and analog synths. Snarling, feedback-ridden guitars riff hard in unison with a punchy, fuzzy bass. Amplified glitch-esque electronic beats melt into sporadic, frantic drumming. The themes progress quickly, and the instruments change roles often. Teaming up with Winnipeg recording wizard/producer Mike Petkau, the recording process in itself was a bit of an experiment. Petkau, who's methods were somewhat familiar to the band (he had engineered the Frog's previous two releases "On Blue" and "Vs Mabus"), was open to trying unorthodox mic setups and amplification techniques, using the unique room (which is typically used for acoustic/choral recordings) to it's potential. Everything was amplified full-tilt through a collection of vintage tube amplifiers, from the synths and guitars to electronic beats and acoustic percussion. The result is a heavy, explosive album that sounds like combusting vacuum tubes and tearing speakers, a hot, dirty trip through countless musical ideas. It is a record that fully captures all the elements involved getting pushed to their limit, from the personnel to the equipment... and the listener hearing it.
D.F.A./4th ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Baltasaurus')
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It's been just one year short of a decade since D.F.A.'s second studio album, 1999's critically acclaimed Duty Free Area. Listening to the results now, the impressive amount of musical substance on offer speaks for itself, and more than makes up for the seemingly endless wait. Most of the album is D.F.A. as we know and love them, with their sonic and stylistic trademarks fully intact - the warm analog sounds, the impressive interplay, with guitar (Silvio Minella) and keyboards (Alberto Bonomi) trading or sharing leads over an ever-shifting rhythmic foundation (Luca Baldassari and Alberto De Grandis), and the unmistakably "Latin" extroversion and exuberance. Anyone who liked the band's first two albums will welcome 4th as a worthy successor. In several ways it is even superior - there is more subtlety, restraint and nuance in the instrumental performance, which allows the epic, largely instrumental compositions to unfold naturally and organically, as if created on the spur of the moment. This is saying a lot about D.F.A.'s almost telepathic interplay, as very little of their music is actually improvised. Although it may display strong similarities to 1970s jazz-fusion at times, it ultimately owes more to the (often maligned) tradition of progressive rock, with its heavily structured compositions characterised by a constant turnover of thematic content. It should be noted that D.F.A.'s main composer is drummer De Grandis - ably assisted by Bonomi -, and he is no exception to the rule that drummers usually have an excellent orchestral feel. The way the opening track, "Baltasaurus", slowly but surely builds up to jamming frenzy from its rather minimalist starting point, is a textbook example of how to structure a group performance. Another example of the band's maturity is "Vietato Generalizzare", which balances passages as intricate as the infamous "Trip On Metro" (from DFA's debut Lavori In Corso) with welcome contrasting, quieter sections. In true "progressive" tradition, there are also moments on the album that depart more radically from the established D.F.A. "formula." The piano- and strings-based intro and outro bookending "Mosoq Runa" mark an unprecedented foray into pure classical music. More importantly, "La Ballata de 's'Isposa e Mannorri", a collaboration with the Sardinian vocal trio Andhira, in an oustanding achievement. If anything, it shows that the human voice can be integrated satisfactorily into the D.F.A.'s music - which has long been a moot point despite the best efforts of Alberto De Grandis and assorted guest vocalists - and suggests exciting new developments for the future. ~ Aymeric Leroy
Hugh Hopper & Yumi Hara Cawkwell - Humi/Dune ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Scattered Forest')
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HUMI: Hugh Hopper (of Soft Machine fame and numerous other Canterbury groupings) and Yumi Hara Cawkwell (who has also worked with former King Crimson violinist David Cross) met in August 2007, and they decided to start a new project immediately. Hopper's complex, multi-layered bass sound with various effects and loops, together with Cawkwell's delicate, but at times violent and explosive keyboard playing and her vocalise stemming from Japanese folk singing create a highly cerebral, yet extremely sensual sound world which breaks the boundaries between psychedelic, progressive rock, free jazz, contemporary classical and world music: in other words, it is 21st century international Canterbury music. Their distinctive stage presence, concentration and communication during the performance have to be witnessed live. Album Profile: From soothing moments of calm reflection to jagged swipes at the psyche, the collective voices of HUMI form textures, moods, improvisation and formal compositions into a cohesive, expressive language. Beyond the confines of genre, there's an eloquent, spellbinding quality that arises when two risk-taking players go exploring. Subtle, exotic and eloquent, don't expect anything obvious
The Wrong Object/Stories From The Shed ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Unbelievable Truth part 1')
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All music recorded live in studio in La Louviere & Waimes (Belgium) with no overdubs, in October of 2007. Belgian heavy avant-prog-jazz-rock combo The Wrong Object returns with a brand new studio release of their trademark instrumentation and sonic landscapes. Laden with a full load of heavy guitar riffs, extravagant jazz themes and electronic sounds, this CD marks a return to the rockier and densely overdriven stance that characterized the band's earlier productions. The sheer sonic texture of this album is driven by a combination of tight prog-rock sequences alternating with more open, freely improvised material. This explosive package consists of a solid, pulsing rhythm section capable of performing with versatility in any situation, aggressive guitar riffs and solos, unusual guitar-synth soundscapes, and fuzz bass guitar laced with a fiery horn duet. With influences ranging from Zappa's whimsical complexities to Squarepusher's glitchy electronics, from Soft Machine and Electric Miles to Stravinsky and Bela Bartok, "Stories from the Shed" will surprise prog-rock fans and modern electric jazz aficionados alike with its genre-defying compositions, eclectic jam improvisations and intricate arrangements. Eclectic band for fans of Frank Zappa, Soft Machine, Primus, King Crimson, Terje Rypdal, John Zorn and jazz-oriented jam-band scene. Check their related release Elton Dean & The Wrong Object "The Unbelievable Truth."
Delta Saxophone Quartet/Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening The Music Of Soft Machine ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Outrageous Moon')
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Featuring guest appearances by Hugh Hopper and Morgan Fisher. Formed in 1984, the Delta Saxophone Quartet has never sought, or needed to find, a level or a comfort zone. Whether performing works by Steve Martland, Mike Westbrook, Steve Reich, Philip Glass or Terry Riley, their musical choices have always come with their own demands and challenges. And what a challenge this new project is! How do you take music from a band as legendary, and even cult-like, as the Soft Machine but make it anew? And how do you do that without destroying the object of fascination itself and without alienating armies of fans, both your own and those of the Softs? Obviously taste and technical ability are essential but as themselves are not enough. It takes a love of the source and a desire to create something fresh and inviting that stands both as a tribute but also on its own terms. That's exactly what DSQ have done. They have invited eight or nine modern composers to do this with them, each one of whom chooses to straddle boundaries and do battle with rigid categorisation in their work. In a sense, this echoes the way the original Soft Machine developed but gradually grew apart. Here different composers provide their vision of what this music could sound like. With Soft Machine, their individual aesthetics would in the end tear them away from their shared goal but would first create some amazing music. It would have been interesting to find ways of recreating those fractious internal dynamics on this record. In fact, Morgan Fisher with Outrageous Moon's medley of Robert Wyatt's Moon In June and Mike Ratledge's Out-Bloody-Rageous comes pretty close. Hopper, incidentally, adds bass and electronics to a fine version of Facelift towards the beginning of the record - something that somehow provides a further thread back through time for this project. But there is so much else to enjoy here and perhaps marvel at.
Soft Machine Legacy/Steam ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'The Steamer')
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Soft Machine alumni and legends Hugh Hopper, John Ethridge and John Marshall join with emerging saxophonist Theo Travis. The group's new release, "Steam," combines collective freely improvised jams with new writing from Hopper, Etheridge and Travis. Gone are the keyboards that so defined 1970s Soft Machine. In their place are modernistic sampling/looping and sonic processing, creating expansive soundscapes not possible during Soft Machine's heyday. Between Etheridge's broad sonics, Hopper's legendary bass loops and "fuzztronics" and Travis' system of ambitronics - allowing him to sample his saxophones and flutes in real time and naturally layer unpredictable harmonies - Soft Machine (Legacy) often sounds larger than a quartet. Powerful rock rhythms, funky jazz-rock grooves and abstract interaction are interspersed with muscular soloing and dense textures. A modern look at 'Chloe & The Pirates' from 1973's "Six" is brought into the 21st Century, anchored by Etheridge's loops and the light but insistent groove of Hopper and Marshall. The group is driven by a tradition of experimentation and unfettered improvisational abandon that remains purposeful, hard-edged and exciting. The limitless possibilities of the band's forward-reaching innovations will not only appeal to fans of 1970s Soft Machine, but to anyone who likes their fusion wide open, their jams loose and totally spontaneous, and their jazz combined with potent grooves and fiery energy.
SimakDialog/Patahan ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Spur of the Moment')
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Compelling Indonesian electro-acoustic jazz/fusion with a distinctive cultural bent. For its first international release Indonesia-based simakDialog delivers Patahan, a live recording that suggests how Pat Metheny might sound were he from the Far East rather than the United States. A combination of electric and acoustic instruments, the 14 year-old group is innovatively propelled by two percussionists rather than a conventional drummer, but the result is no less powerful. Keyboardist/composer Riza Arshad, guitarist Tohpati and bassist Adhhitya join vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki 'Ubiet' and percussionists Endang Ramdam and Emy Tata for five lengthy, episodic and finely detailed compositions that create a unique nexus of jazz and less-traveled ethnicity. Expansive solos, rich harmonies, telling interplay and propulsive rhythms make Patahan a genre-busting album that demands to be heard.
Hugh Hopper/Numero D'Vol ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Earwigs Enter')
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Unconventional grooves from bassist Hugh Hopper and his latest project, Numero D'Vol. For those who think that spontaneously created music is inherently unapproachable, Numero D'Vol proves that it's possible to be pull focused music from the ether that's immediate and richly compelling. Saxophonist Simon Picard, keyboardist Steve Franklin and drummer Charles Hayward join Soft Machine Legacy's Hopper for a session that also proves there's plenty of room for a backbeat in extemporaneous music. Franklin's synth washes, layered underneath his more oblique pianism, demonstrate that there's space for contemporary textures and a touch of the ambient while Picard, a member of guitarist Phil Miller's In Cahoots, brings an angular lyricism to this hour-long experiment in rhythm-based collective interaction.
D.F.A./Kaleidoscope ....double CD $18.99
(excerpt from 'Space Ace Man')
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Italian progressive rock cult band with fusion flavor. First two studio recordings Lavori In Corso (1995) and Duty Free Area (1999) digitally remastered with 3 bonus live tracks, while awaiting the first new studio album in 8 years due in the Winter of 2008. For fans of fusiony side of progressive rock, in the vein of Gentle Giant, UK, Gong, National Health, Bruford, Return To Forever.
Elton Dean & the Wrong Object/The Unbelievable Truth ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'The Unbelievable Truth')
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Saxophone legend Elton Dean shines on one of his final recordings with powerhouse Belgian improv group, The Wrong Object. Recorded live less than four months before his untimely passing, The Unbelievable Truth demonstrates the remarkable breadth of the late British saxophonist's reach. With Dean originals ranging from the 7/4 jam "Seven for Lee" to the tender ballad "Baker's Treat," The Unbelievable Truth also highlights The Wrong Object's equally diverse writing and freewheeling improvisational ability. From quirky Zappa-esque complexity to ominous material reminiscent of Dean's 1970s tenure with Soft Machine and even a hint of swing, The Unbelievable Truth proves that Dean remained a vital musical force to the very end.
Phil Miller & In Cahoots/Conspiracy Theories ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Lydiotic')
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Two years in the making, Conspiracy Theories features Miller's jazz-centric but groove-happy In Cahoots sextet along with numerous guests including Gong alumnus Didier Malherbe (sax/flute), ex-Hatfield members Dave Stewart (tuned percussion) and Richard Sinclair (bass) and others. With ensembles ranging from five to eleven pieces, Miller's writing has never been more complex while providing ample solo space. Jazz fusion with a British sensibility, there's fiery funk, ambling swing and soft balladry, all anchored by a guitarist described as someone who "...would rather play a wrong note than a note somebody else had played." Conspiracy Theories is a strong return for Miller that will appeal to fans of contemporary jazz based on detailed form and cerebral yet visceral playing.
Arti & Mestieri/First Live in Japan ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Strips')
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All the power delivered by the spectacular insane drumming of Furio Chirico (often compared to Billy Cobham) and magnificent analog keyboards of maestro Beppe Crovella (Mellotron, Hammond, Mini Moog, Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano), counter-pointed by the beautiful violin passages of teen-age violin wizard Lautaro Acosta, killer sax lines, wonderful guitar work, robust bass and challenging vocals. Captured live in Kawasaki/Tokyo, during the Japan tour in June of 2005, this 76 minutes album includes most of the material from their two legendary cult albums "Tilt" (1974) and "Giro Di Valzer Per Domani" (1975) with few newer compositions.
Jason Smith with Gary Husband & Dave Carpenter/Tipping Point ....CD $13.99
A live set led by Los Angeles based rock and jazz drummer Jason Smith (Mike Keneally, Sextus), featuring bassist Dave Carpenter (Allan Holdsworth, Peter Erskine) and Gary Husband (Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin), who leaves the kit to Smith and focuses exclusively on keyboards, Tipping Point bristles with rock and fusion energy, yet remains unequivocally a jazz record. Featuring original material alongside tunes by Kenny Wheeler and John McLaughlin with a couple of standards thrown in for good measure, Smith's trio "...avoids any kind of stylistic purity, while still feeling completely natural and unforced." (AllAboutJazz.com). Harmonically rich and metrically complex yet equally capable of understatement and nuanced elegance, this trio skews tradition while remaining fully conversant in it. Honest and unassuming, Tipping Point represents a refreshingly contemporary piano trio that substitutes honesty and commitment for shtick and artifice.
Soft Machine Legacy/Soft Machine Legacy ....$13.99
(excerpt from 'Twelve Twelve')
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The last studio album by Soft Machine, this essential rock band since the sixties, was ten years ago. So this release from Soft Machine Legacy is a strongly anticipated release. Unfortunately it's the last with Elton Dean on sax, who sadly and unexpectely passed away since its recording. Soft Machine alumni Hugh Hopper, John Etheridge and John Marshall complete the line-up for this album which includes classics like "Kite Runner" and "Strange Comforts" along with new songs. As always Soft Machine's music is undefinable, a mix of jazz, rock, blues, and a lot of improvisations: a sort of "jazz free." It's a last occasion to hear again Elton Dean's exceptional sax playing in a brilliant and eclectic album.
Soft Machine Legacy/The Paris Concert ....DVD $16.98
This performance was recorded on December 12th 2005 at the "New Morning" club in Paris, one of the most important European Jazz clubs. Forty years later, The Soft Machine Legacy musicians have not forsaken their dreams. Immune to the leveling pressures of show biz, Hugh Hopper, John Marshall, John Etheridge and Elton Dean - who died shortly after this last reunion at the New Morning - still mesmerized their fans. Four cameras captured the spectacular performance professionally on digital tape and sound engineers ensured perfect stereo sound in Dolby Digital 5.1. Bonus material includes "In conversation with Soft Machine Legacy."
Soft Machine/Floating World Live ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Land of the Bag Snake')
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This CD marks the first release of a live performance by Soft Machine's Bundles line-up featuring Allan Holdsworth on guitar. This concert, recorded for Radio Bremen in January 1975, consists of most of the Bundles material, which hadn't yet come out although in the can since the previous summer, plus a couple of band improvs and solo showcases for Mike Ratledge, Roy Babbington and John Marshall. That era of Soft Machine was unique in that, taking the band's long established tradition of continuous change to an extreme, when Holdsworth joined all the previous repertoire was abandoned, literally at once, in favour of brand new material written by Karl Jenkins and, to a lesser extent, Mike Ratledge. This made the new Soft Machine even more difficult to compare with its predecessors, and gave the band a well-deserved chance for critical reappraisal. At long last, reviewers stopped bemoaning the loss of the band's father figures to judge the new line-up on its own merits. As a consequence, positive reviews again began to pour in, and 1974-75 was to prove Soft Machine's second golden age in many respects. Classic Allan Holdsworth, in one of his best performances ever, monster bass and fuzz-bass lines by Roy Babbington, psycho analog synths and an incredible polyrhythmic drumming by John Marshall! Think of a jazz-rock jam band excuting killer riffs, atop attractive Canterbury-style overtones. Soft Machine fans will rejoice!
TriPod/TriPod ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Dance of the Kabuki')
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"The trio's first effort for this enterprising New York City-based progressive rock record label is a powerpacked affair indeed. Think of asymmetrical parts, Van Der Graaf Generator, Morphine and King Crimson morphed into one neat little package, enhanced by twelve-string bassist Clint Bahr's zealous vocalizations. The instrumentation consists of drums, bass, and sax, as the band’s scorching rhythmic maneuvers complement a fast track methodology. They circumvent any perceived limitations due to the lack of a guitarist or keyboardist. Feverishly recommended." - All About Jazz, USA
Various Artists/Gospel For J.F.P. III - Tribute to Jaco Pastorius ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Teen Town')
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Featuring jazz and fusion legends, band mates and colleagues of the legendary electric bass virtuoso and innovator Jaco Pastorius, among others: Alex Acuna, Carles Benavent, Charles Blenzig, Delmar Brown, Hiram Bullock, Kenwood Dennard, Hugo Fattoruso, Michael Gerber, Gil Goldstein, Danny Gottlieb, Billy Hart, Toninho Horta, Bireli Lagrene, Armando Marcal, Marcus Miller, Bob Mintzer, Othello Molineaux, Jorge Pardo, Felix Pastorius (Jaco's son), John Patitucci, Mike Stern and more. As a musician, John Francis Pastorius III (Jaco) brought change. He boldly took his instrument, the electric bass guitar, to uncharted waters, and an instrument that is commonly placed behind the music, to the front. As a musician, Jaco's talent was not confined to the bass, more than a musician, Jaco was music. The focus of this project, Gospel For J.F.P. III, is on Jaco, the composer, a man with an extraordinary ability to create music. The body of material that he himself composed is not enormous, further proof that less is more, as these compositions rightfully fall into the status of contemporary standards, and sure to pass the test of time. Involved here are many of the musicians that were part of his life, as well as others his music has touched. Needless to say, Jaco's own renditions of his wonderful compositions could never be surpassed, only interpreted, and serve as an inspiration to all those who love his music.
Soft Machine Legacy/Live In Zaandam ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from '1212')
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Featuring Elton Dean, John Etheridge, Hugh Hopper, John Marshall SOFT MACHINE is a legend and an institution of British music, a band who included Robert Wyatt, Daevid Allen, Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers, Andy Summers (later of The Police), Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Roy Babbington, John Marshall, Karl Jenkins, Allan Holdsworth, John Etheridge, Percy Jones, Rick Sanders, Dave McRae and Jack Bruce among others (Jimi Hendrix briefly jammed with the band in 1968!). Since its creation in 1966, this band pioneered Progressive Rock, led the 'Canterbury' trend, pioneered jazz-rock, and then guitar-led fusion (launching the guitar god Allan Holdsworth in 1974), influenced generations of musicians. Disbanded in 1978, recreated in few occasions in 1981 and 1984, the band resurfaces in 1999 under the name of SOFT WARE (Dean, Hopper, Marshall, Tippett), having the brief blast under the name of SOFT WORKS (Hopper, Dean, Holdsworth, Marshall) between 2002 and early 2004, and assuming the final shape in the Fall of 2004 under the name of THE SOFT MACHINE LEGACY (Dean, Etheridge, Hopper, Marshall).
Soft Works/Abracadabra ....CD $14.99
(excerpt from 'Baker's Treat')
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"British jazz-rock pioneers Elton Dean, Allan Holdsworth, Hugh Hopper and John Marshall known for their work with Soft Machine, deliver their most impressive performance to date on 'Abracadabra.' Soft Machine and Holdsworth fans alike will enjoy this contemporary jazz-rock set which at times revokes memories of the band's 'Bundles' era. Soft Machine and Allan Holdsworth each individually have tremendous bodies of work which comprised the cornerstone of UK jazz-rock as well as joint recordings from the Seventies which are legendary among the genre's cognoscenti." - Guitar Nine Magazine
DFA/Work In Progress Live ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Escher')
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Over the last five years DFA has become a household name for fans of progressive/fusion
music. This young quartet from Italy has so far released two studio albums, to growing
critical acclaim, and a token of their international acceptance was the invitation they
received to perform at the prestigious North-East Art-Rock Festival (NEARfest) in
Pennsylvania, in June 2000, sharing the bill with the most famous representatives of the
genre. DFA is a band best experienced in a live context, as demonstrated by "Work In
Progress Live." The repertoire consists of an equal mix of tracks from the
latest album "Duty Free Area" and from their 1997
debut "Lavori In Corso." Sophisticated, complex music served by supreme
musicianship - this is a live album to judge others by.
Finisterre/Storybook ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Phaedra')
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Finisterre is one of the most interesting bands to have emerged from the international 'progressive rock' scene in recent years. While drawing on the rich legacy of landmark 1970s Italian pioneers, Finisterre is a band keen to experiment and explore many different musical directions, while managing to establish a unique and recognizable identity. While their three studio albums to date have been critical and commercial successes, the band's forte lies above all in their breathtaking live performances. "Storybook" documents Finisterre's first American concert, in the Summer of 1997, at the Progfest. and the music here is as adventurous and gripping as we've been led to expect from the band. The repertoire consists of revisited and often extended versions of compositions from Finisterre's first two studio albums ("Finisterre" and "In Limine"), plus a superb cover of PFM's anthem "Altaloma."
Elton Dean & Mark Hewins/Bar Torque ....CD $13.99
(excerpt from 'Bar Torque')
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Saxophonist Elton Dean has long been acknowledged as a supreme improviser in many musical contexts, starting with the Soft Machine in the early 1970s, through his large body of work with the cream of the British jazz scene (most notably with pianist Keith Tippett) as well as Carla Bley and most of the musicians associated with the famed 'Canterbury' scene. "Bar Torque" presents an improvised duo session with guitarist Mark Hewins, a longtime collaborator with a unique talent for atmospherics. The music on this release focuses on the most lyrical dimension of Dean's saxophone playing, his melodic outbursts inspired by Hewins' delicate, often abstract, harmonic base. The musical path treaded is unpredictable and utterly original. "Bar Torque" is improvisation at its most touching and universal.
Jean-Paul Bourelly/Boom Bop ....CD $8.99
(excerpt from 'Three Chambers of Diop')
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Boom Bop is Jean Paul Bourelly's tenth outing as a leader. "Boom Bop" features the uniting of two very powerful yet cohesive forces; the soulful modern approach of jazz legend Archie Shepp (tenor saxophone) and the exciting bluesy expressionism of the innovative guitarist/conceptualist Jean-Paul Bourelly. Utilizing African rhythms as the foundation for a new creative experience the compositions on Boom Bop are modern and original and create a diverse array of fiery solos exchanges, harmonic textures, and sound constellations over the irrepressible flow of African rhythms. The group features the powerful tenor voice of Senegalese griot Abdourahmane Diop known as the "African Howlin' Wolf"; the dynamic drummer Felix Sabaal Lecco (formerly with Peter Gabriel, Manu Dibango); the bassist Reggie Washington and a lively Senegalese percussion section comprised of Samba Sock (boograboo) Makha Diop - sabar, dance and Badou M'Baya - sabar, dance.
Cyrille Dresser & Ehrlich/CDE ....CD $8.99
(excerpt from 'Aeolus')
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Originally formed as a quartet for an appearance at the Knitting Factory's What Is Jazz Festival. 'Free Jazz Economics' dictated another reality that prevented their long time friend trumpeter Bobby Bradford from traveling East. So CDE became a cooperative group of composing performers that dedicated their performances to the music of John Carter and Bobby Bradford, two important avant-garde players from Los Angeles. CDE is the trio of drummer Andrew Cyrille, bassist Mark Dresser, and multi-reedman Marty Ehrlich - three of the leading musicians of the 80's and 90's. Since that first Knitting Factory appearance CDE has evolved a repertoire of seasoned compositions and a distinct ensemble sound. CDE is a band that performs music with deep sentiments without sentimentality.
Mary Ann McSweeney/Thoughts Of You ....CD $7.99
(excerpt from 'R. B.'s Tribute')
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Thoughts of You is the debut release by Mary Ann McSweeney, an exceptional jazz bassist who has been paying her dues on the New York Jazz scene since 1993. For her debut Mary Ann has assembled a band comprising some of the stellar talent that reside in the jazz capitol of the world, New York City. Saxophonist Donny McCaslin, an alumnus of the Mingus Big Band has already made his voice heard on the scene releasing a new CD on the Arabesque, "View From Above". Mary Ann's band mate and husband, Mike Fahn, is considered by many to be one of the next stars of the valve and tenor trombone carrying on the tradition of valve trombone master Bob Brookmeyer. Pianist Henry Hey is currently working with vibraphonist Joe Locke and drummer Tim Horner is the rhythm behind the Maria Schneider Orchestra and can also be heard propelling bands lead by Dave Stryker and Virginia Mayhew.The music on Thoughts of You includes five originals demonstrating Mary Ann's compositional skills and the classic spiritual hymn, Amazing Grace, a piece by Wayne Shorter, Yes Or No and evergreen You Don't Know What Love Is. Thoughts Of You is straight-ahead mainstream jazz performed by the next generation of emerging stars on the New York jazz scene.
Jorge Sylvester/The Ear Of The Beholder ....CD $7.99
(excerpt from 'Songoajira')
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In the Ear of the Beholder is Jorge Sylvester's first release since the critically acclaimed Musicollage a Billboard Critics Choice that received a Downbeat four star rating. Sylvester's collaborative ensemble, The Afro-Caribbean Experimental Trio, with percussionist/drummer Bobby Sanabria and bassist Donald Nicks, slips deeper in to Sylvester's concoction of jazz brewed with Afro-Caribbean forms. The Panama-born soprano and alto saxophonist has worked with the Oliver Lake Big Band, David Murray Big Band, Sekou Sundiata, The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra, Michele Rosewoman, Sonny Fortune, Joe Bowie's DeFunkt Big Band, and numerous of his own ensembles, including The Jorge Sylvester Quintet, Next Legacy Orchestra, and Jorge Sylvester's Musicollage. He is member of Collective Identity Saxophone Quartet. The Ear of the Beholder features six original compositions and two vintage classics arranged by Jorge; Sly Mongoose and Corazon Rebelde. Sylvester samples the Brazilian tambor de mina, coco, and carimbo, plus the Cuban songo and guajira. He also dissects the clave in the title cut, revisits a bolero his mother sang along with the radio, and treats us to his hometown calypsos, and a modal reggae tribute to his West Indian neighbors in Brooklyn. The music on this recording unfolds a journey of artistic imagination through a great planetary crossroads and crucible – The Caribbean.
Steve Lacy/Snips ....double CD $10.99
An historic recording documenting Steve Lacy's first ever solo performance in America recorded at Environ, New York City March 16, 1976. "The album is evenly divided between the Monk-flavored tunes that Mr. Lacy had perfected and more daring excursions that blur the line between jazz and performance art." New York Times "This record is an incandescent triumph. Let its stirring finesse illuminate your own late-night introspection." New York Press "It's disturbing, brilliant, amusing and amazing." Nashville Scene
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