  |
|
ARTS |
CULTURE |
|
Mission Newsletter |
|
Dear Readers, Support the writers and musicians by buying
from their publisher or their label, and better yet, buy
directly from the artists. Keep our independent local book
stores and record stores like DowntownMusicGallery.com
alive. They fertilize our artistic communities.
CRAIG NIXON As it is every year, recordings are a trove of riches. It's always next to impossible to narrow it down ... the first draft gets it down to about 100 recordings. In addition, choosing the best really implies you've heard all the rest. Lifelong record nerd that I am, that was pretty much true in years past, not as much any longer. Of the dizzying myriad choices, these are 20 new releases, along with several historical, that particularly moved me this year. Pedro Melo Alves' Omniae Large Ensemble - Lumina.
(Clean Feed) 
Rodrigo Amado This Is Our Language Quartet - Let
The Free Be Men. (Trost) Gregg Belisle-Chi - KOI - Performing
the
music of Tim Berne. (Relative Pitch) Tim Berne-Chris Speed-Reid Anderson-Dave King - Broken
Shadows. Samuel Blaser & Marc Ducret - Voyageurs (Jazzdor Series). Anthony Braxton - 12 Comp (ZIM) 2017.
(Firehouse 12) Michael Formanek - Imperfect Measures.
(Intakt)
Jeffrey Foucault - Deadstock: Uncollected Recordings 2005 – 2020. (Blueblade) jeffreyfoucault1.bandcamp.com/releases Irreversible Entanglements - Open The
Gates. (International
Anthem) Marc Johnson - Overpass. (ECM) Jeff Lederer - Eightfold Path.
(LedRose) James Brandon Lewis / Red Lily Quintet - Jesup
Wagon. (TAO Forms) Russ Lossing - Metamorphism.
(Sunnyside) Joe Lovano Trio Tapestry - Garden of
Expression. (ECM) Ben Monder-Tony Malaby-Tom Rainey - Live at
the 55 Bar. (Sunnyside) Natural Information Society with Evan Parker - descension
(Out of Our Constrictions). (Eremite)
William Parker - Mayan Space Station.
(AUM Fidelity) williamparker.bandcamp.com/album/mayan-space-station 
Mario Pavone Tampa Quartet - Isabella. (Clean Feed) cleanfeedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/isabella The Warriors Of The Wonderful Sound - Soundpath,
Composed
by Muhal Richard Abrams. (Clean Feed) Miguel Zenon - Law Years: The Music of
Ornette Coleman. (Miguel
Zenon)
HISTORICAL RELEASES John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Live in Seattle. (Impulse) jazz.centerstagestore.com/collections/new-releases/products/john-coltrane-a-love-supreme-live-in-seattle-cd? Bill Evans - Everybody Still Digs Bill
Evans: A Career Retrospective (1956-1980).
(Craft Recordings) Charles Mingus - Mingus at Carnegie Hall. (Atlantic) Lee Morgan - The Complete Live at
The Lighthouse (Blue Note)
ROBERT F. REIGLE BEST ALBUMS OF 2021 Mark
BARDEN
(born
1980).
Anatomy. Wergo
WER-64342. Ras Moshe BURNETT
& Music Now (born
1968).
50 Shades
of May.
Recorded March 24, 2018. Personnel:
Dave
Ross-guitar, Jason Hwang-violin, Larry Roland-bass, John
Pietaro-percussion, Charles Downs-drums, Ras Moshe
Burnett-reeds, flute, percussion, birthday. Tube Room
Records.  CHINA. Folk
Music of China, Volumes 9-20.
Naxos World Music. Vol. 9 - Folk
Songs of the Uzbeks and Tatars of China John COLTRANE (1926–1967). A Love Supreme, Live
in Seattle. Carlo
GESUALDO
(1566–1613).
Dolcissima
mia
vita. Madrigali a cinque voci, Libro quinto (1611).
Collegium
Vocale
Gent, Philippe Herreweghe. Phi LPH-036. Milford GRAVES (August 20, 1941 –
February 12, 2021) Georg
Friedrich
HAAS (born
1953).
Ein
Schattenspiel
/ String Quartets No. 4 & No. 7.
NEOS
12006. David Philip HEFTI
(born
1975). Light
and
Shade.
NEOS
12101.
Toshio HOSOKAWA (born 1955). Works
for Flute.
Kairos 0015092KAI. José Luis HURTADO.
Parametrical Counterpoint. Kairos
0015093KAI. Martin IDDON (born 1975). Sapindales. Another Timbre at179. anothertimbre.com JOSQUIN Desprez (circa 1450–1521). I prefer to celebrate birth rather than death dates, but the former are often unknown for composers born before 1600, and I welcome any chance to hear more music by my favorite composers. This quincentenary of Josquin’s death saw many wonderful new releases. Here are three of them, each with a different approach to vibrato, ornamentation, and musica ficta (pitch alterations that composers did not bother to write down).  Rebecca Stewart directing her ensemble Cantus Modalis, Seconda Prat!ca Josquin
Desprez: In memoria mea.
Cantus Modalis, Seconda Prat!ca, Maestro di cappella –
Dr. Rebecca Stewart. “She received her PhD in
ethnomusicology in 1974 after having worked for many
years in Hindusthani classical music.” Includes
Josquin’s “Missa Mater patris.” 50-page booklet. “The site gives the
full text of this booklet, expanded with additional
information and detailed references to the consulted
literature.” Josquin, the
Undead.
Graindelavoix, directed by Björn Schmelzer. 32-page
booklet. Glossa GCDP32117.
Josquin's
Legacy.
The Gesualdo Six, Owain Park. Hyperion CDA68379. Georg
KATZER
(1935–2019),
Friedrich Goldmann (1941–2009). 
Koko-Mojo
Records. This
enterprising
label from Germany, self-described as “the dark side of
RockStar Records,” issued a slew of 50s and early 60s
rhythm and blues reissue compilations in 2021. Begun in
2017 with one-theme per disc, 2021 saw the continuation
of several multi-disc, themed series, along with the
introduction of three new series. Each album has 24-28
songs from almost as many artists. Southern
Bred adds
volumes
12-21, Boss
Black
Rockers
continues with volumes 8-10, The
Mojo
Man Special
V2-5, and Motorvatin'
(Songs
from the Green Book Era) V3-4. New series: Diner V1-4, Popcorn
Story V1-2,
and
Rock
and Roll Vixens V1-7.
Ulrich
KRIEGER
(born
1962).
236
Strings. LST CD-07211. Catherine LAMB (born 1982). String Quartets (2 CDs). Jack Quartet.
Kairos 0018010KAI. 
ALVIN LUCIER (May 14, 1931 – December
1, 2021). A great loss this year. Several companies
issued albums of his music during 2021, including
Bastille Musique, Grand Piano, Sound on Paper Editions,
and Dialogo (reissue of his 1975 Cramps Lp, Bird
and Person Dyning).
My
favorite among them is the album of string quartets by
Quatuor Bozzini. Navigations.
Collection QB CQB-2128. Guillaume
de
MACHAUT (circa 1300-1377). The Lion of Nobility. pygmies MBENZÉLÉ –
pygmies AKA. Days
Full
of Sound - Life in the Rainforest. Roberto Monari
field recordings. 40-page booklet (English and Italian).
Disc 1 – Mbenzélé; disc 2 – Aka. Rituals, polyphonies,
chants, voices, rhythms, games, ceremonies. I Dischi di
Angelica IDA-047. Alberto
POSADAS
(born
1967).
Veredas.
Kairos 0015034KAI. QUASAR
quatuor
de saxophones. De souffles et de
machines III. Works by Jimmie LeBlanc,
Georgia Spiropoulos, Annesley Black, Sergej Maingardt.
Collection QB CQB-2127. R&B IN DC. Limited
and numbered edition of 1,500 copies. 16-CD box set.
352-page hardcover book (LP format) by Jay Bruder, with
biographies and comments on each track. Includes
rarities by Little Walkin’ Willie (Willie Hickerson),
Frank Motley, and TNT Tribble. Bear Family BCD17052. Jacob REGNART (circa 1540–1599). Missa Christ ist
erstanden & other works. Cinquecento.
Hyperion
CDA68369. Adam ROBERTS (born 1980). Bell Threads. New Focus fcr312. Giacinto SCELSI (1905–1988).
Works
for violin and for viola.
Marco
Fusi.
Kairos 0015063KAI. Salvatore
SCIARRINO (born
1947). Works for Flute (3
CDs). Kairos 0015074KAI. SHEPPARD, WHITE,
MUNDY, BYRD. The
Sweetest
Songs: Music from the Baldwin Partbooks III. Contrapunctus,
directed by Owen Rees. Signum Classics SIGCD633. Wadada Leo SMITH
with Milford GRAVES and Bill LASWELL. Sacred Ceremonies. Recorded 2015,
2016. CD1 Smith and Graves; CD2 Smith and Laswell; CD3
Smith, Graves, Laswell. 52-page booklet with liner notes
by Petri Haussila, poetry by Wadada Leo Smith. TUM
Records TUM-BOX-003. Marcin STAŃCZYK (born 1977). Mosaïque. Kairos 0015108KAI. Cecil TAYLOR (1929-2018).Three albums
from Fundacja
Słuchaj Records. Lifting
The
Bandstand.
Recorded live, October 30, 1998. Personnel: Harri
Sjöström-soprano saxophone, Tristan Honsinger-cello,
Cecil Taylor-piano, Teppo Hauta-aho-double bass, Paul
Lovens-drumset, cymbals, gongs. Liner notes (English)
Ettore Garzia, John Corbett. FSR-01-2021. 
Cecil Taylor’s handwritten score, in Göttingen album Göttingen. Recorded live at Junges Theater Göttingen, September 15, 1990. Cecil Taylor-piano, poetry, with an 11-piece ensemble. Liner notes-Ove Volquartz. One of Cecil Taylor’s hand-written scores reproduced on inside of double CD. FSR-10-2021 Music from Two Continents: Live at Jazz Jamboree ’84. Personnel: Tomasz Stańko and Enrico Rava-trumpets, Jimmy Lyons-alto saxophone, Karen Borca-bassoon, John Tchicai and Frank Wright Jr.-tenor saxophones, Conrad Bauer-trombone, iconic vibraphone and bass clarinet player Gunter Hampel-vibraphone and bass clarinet, Henry Martinez-drums, William Parker-bass. FSR-16-2021.
STEVE KOENIG Laubrock, Lopez, Rainey. Ingrid Laubrock, tenor sax; Brandon Lopez, bass; Tom Rainey, drums, Yuko Otomo, art. 90-minute concert video: facebook.com/ArtsforArt/videos/436655370776582, artsforart.org, ingridlaubrock.com, brandonlopez.nyc, tomrainey.bandcamp.com Fay Victor Chamber Trio. Fay Victor, voice, compositions; Darius Jones, alto sax; Marika Hughes, cello Jan 7, 2021. artsforart.org, fayvictor.com Shai Wosner, piano, and Friends. Virtual Schubertiade. People’s Symphony Concerts, January 30 and 31. pscny.org, shaiwosner.com
PERFORMANCES: Covid-Era THEATER (Streaming) The Belle’s
Stratagem
by Hannah Cowley. Red Bull Theater benefit reading.
February 22, 2021. The Mystery Of
Edwin Drood by
Rupert
Holmes. Manhattan School Of Music Musical Theatre. A
brilliant production, showing complete mastery of what
can be done via Zoom when you have both artistry if
ideas, technical ability, and top-notch staging (much in
Central Park) and first class singers and actors.
February 20, 2022 * * * * * * * * *
PERFORMANCES: Covid-Era THEATER (In-House) George and Ira
Gershwin. Porgy And Bess. My
one
risk-taking adventure to a live performance this year.
Conductor David Robertson was spectacular, in both
pacing and presenting orchestral colors. Every single
one of the leads, minor characters, chorus and orchestra
was at the top of their game, making this the best Porgy
and Bess I’ve seen live, on film or on disc. The drama
was palpable throughout. Metropolitan Opera, NY.
* * * * * * * * *
Once Upon A Time In China: The Complete Films. This films in this collection, conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, include Once Upon A Time In China [I] though V plus Once Upon A Time In China and America, most featuring Jet Li. This genre and its cousin samurai films are new to me. Its a very entertaining, often laugh-aloud funny, and thought-provoking mix of martial arts ballet and sociopolitical aspects of the entry of “Western” military and culture to 1880s China. Criterion usually offer much more in the way of extras; this one has no commentary tracks for any of the six films but it does have a feature documentary on the real-life Wong Fei-hung, martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero. I have the earlier collection on Eureka, which lacks IV and V but has many of the same extras as this set plus all of the films include commentary tracks by martial arts cinema specialists. Criterion Collection 1103, 6 Blu-rays, slipcase. Potato Dreams Of America. Based on a true story of a young (later, adult) gay kid and his mother in Russia with television fantasies of America. Things get strange when the mother’s dream seems to come true when she becomes a mail-order bride. Very funny, very surreal, very moving. I streamed it three times at this year’s NewFest. Wes Hurley, writer and director. Trailers, clips, and reviews on YouTube. potatodreamfilm.com, newfest.org,
* * * * * * * * * ONLINE WEBINARS, ZOOMINARS, STREAMED PERFORMANCES, courtesy of Covid-19. History /
Conversation bout Lauren Redniss & Nicole Krauss: Oak Flat: A Fight for
Sacred Land in the American West.
* * * * * * * * *
 James Brandon
Lewis / Red Lily Quintet. Jesup
Wagon.
William Parker, bass, guimbri; Christopher Hoffman,
cello; Kirk Knuffke, cornet; Chad Taylor, drums; Chad
Taylor, mbira. George Washington Carver designed a
mobile classroom to take education out to farmers. He
called it a "Jesup wagon" after the New York financier
and philanthropist Morris Ketchum Jesup, who provided
funding to support the program. The record-release (or
was it pre-release) concert knocked my socks off. TAO
Forms TAO 05 (also on LP).
JD Allen. Queen City. An album of tenor
saxophone solos remarkable for its subtlety; no
pyrotechnics for its own sake. High Note/Savant SCD
2194. Anthology: Forbidden Planet: 37
Outer Space Shock Treatments.
No Sun Ra, but 37 tracks with the savor of rocket fuel,
by artists ranging from Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Prima
(not together) to the other-worldly Nervous Norvus. I
had no idea that Judy Garland did a live performance of
“Purple People Eater,” and what’s more, it’s good. Bear
Family BCD 17617, 2 CDs with a 20-page booklet. Anthology: It’s A Good, Good
Feeling: The Latin Soul Of Fania Records: The
Singles.
Ray Barretto, Joe Bataan, the Fania All-Stars, Larry
Harlow, and many other Latin soul artists. Craft
Recordings CR 0027, 4 CDs + 7” vinyl; also available is
an orange- or black-vinyl double LP (same catalog
number). 
Anthology: R&B in DC
1940-1960 - Rhythm & Blues, Doo Wop, Rockin’
Rhythm and more.
From swing era to the start of soul music, a few
popular, but most are undeservedly obscure. Bear Family
BCD 17052, 16 CDs with a 351-page 12x12 hardcover book.
The Beatles. Let It Be (Super Deluxe CD/Blu-ray Edition). I’ve seen written that if you want a de-Phil Spectorized version, skip this box and simply get Let It Be .... Naked. There’s much to be aid for that, but as I am an avid collector of alternate takes and out-takes bootlegs, this is a treasure trove. Apple/Universal 0602507138691, 4CDs, 1 CD-EP, 1 Blu-ray, large format book, oversize box). Bob Bellerue. Radioactive Desire.
Brandon Lopez, double bass; Luke Stewart, double bass;
Jessica Pavone, viola; Gabby Fluke-Mogul, violin; Ed
Bear, baritone sax; Bob Bellerue, electronics. A work
for free chamber music in feedback environments.
Elevator Bath eeaoa058, 2CD. Rubén Blades y
Roberto Delgado & Orquesta. Salswing!
If you like Rubén Blades, or salsa at all, this has your
name on it. The surprise (to me) is that Blades can also
croon in English with such panache; there are several
standards here on which he is at least as good as any of
the Rat Pack. Sample some online if you don’t believe
me. Ruben Blades Productions 2-RPB-0021zw. David Bowie. Toys. Recorded in 2000, Bowie tackles some of his classic, often Music Hall style, songs in new versions which bring back to (de)light some of his charming early 1960-1971 songs. The most fun Bowie album since Pinups. Special props to the yearning “London Boys” track. Also available in a three-CD Toy (Toy:Box) edition I’ve not heard. [Release date: January 7, 2022.] Cleveland Crochet
& The Sugar Bees. Hillbilly
Ramblers
and Sugar Bees.
Cajun
music, mostly from the early 1960s. Bear Family BCD
17598, 2CDs with a 40-page booklet.
John Coltrane. A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle. I often do things backwards. A Love Supreme, for many, is the ultimate Coltrane album. I didn’t care for it so much at first, not liking the opening vamp/chant. My first Coltrane breakthrough was with one of the ‘hardest' albums to get into, the LP two-fer, John Coltrane with Pharoah Sanders Live In Seattle (now on CD, with more tracks). When I bought it at 14 years old, I didn’t get it at all; it was noise, but I heard about it and gambled on it from my membership in the Columbia Record Club since it was two albums for the price of one. Although I didn’t
‘get’ it, I knew there was something there and after two
years of playing it every month, one day it broke
through and I just couldn’t understand why it didn’t get
to me beforehand. Since then, I bought the live French A Love Supreme on the Radio France
label, which I rather liked. Now, from the same Seattle
residency as above, comes A
Love Supreme: Live In Seattle, 75-minutes of total joy, a
visceral performance, in fine sound.
¡Impulse!
B0034290-02 (also on a double LP).
Cowboys &
Frenchmen. Our
Highway.
Ethan
Helm, saxophone; Owen Broder, saxophone;Addison Frei,
piano;Ethan O’Reilly, bass; Matt Honor, drums. Exciting
jazz quintet with fascinating compositions using many
concurrent undercurrents. Outside In Music (no catalog
number). Benoît Delbecq.
The Weight of Light. The
French
pianist —— Pyroclastic PR 13. Ellery Eskelin. Trio New York - Live
in NYC, 2010.
Three extended improvisations by the sax player with
Gary Versace on B3 with drummer Ted Poor recorded at
NYC’s 55 Bar. Download only.
Futari. Underground.
Satoko
Fujii,
piano, voice, Taiko Saito, vibraphone, voice. A remote collaboration.
Saito writes that many of the tracks involved
“overlaying sounds or cutting and splicing them like
cut-paper pictures.” Every one of Fujii’s albums is
unique. Libra 202-069. Sheila Jordan. Comes Love: Lost
Session 1960.
Discogs
reports, “This music was found by two collectors on a
test pressing recorded in 1960. The rhythm section is
unconfirmed.” Capri 74164-2. John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (Super Deluxe CD/Blu Ray Edition). Apple/Universal 0602507354299, 6CDs, 2Blu-Rays, —-page hardback book in 10x10” box.
Allen Lowe. A Love Supine:
Ascension Into The Maelstrom.
The bio
describes this as “musical examination of jazz
modernism.” The soundworlds range from ’50’s style
electric guitar to ragged-ensemble pieces which bring to
mind everything from New Orleans to Frank Zappa’s and
Willem Breuker’s ensembles. It’ a great deal of fun.
Another of my treasured Lowe albums is the 8-CD Jews & Roots:
Disconnected Works, 1980-2018,
ESP-Disk’ 5034. ESP-Disk’ 5044, 2 CDs. Philadelphia
International
Records. Nearly
all
of the classic soul label Philadelphia International’s
albums are being reissued by Epic/Philadelphia
International/Legacy for the label’s 50th
anniversary, along with several compilations and a few
remix sets, such as one of Teddy Pendergrass’s work.
Highly recommended is the 48-track anthology The Philly Sound:
Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff And The Story of Brotherly
Love,
which also includes relevant non-PIR tracks such as Joe
Simon’s “Drowning In The Sea Of Love,” originally on
Polydor’s Spring label. Noah Preminger
with Kim Cass. Thunda. Noah
Preminger,saxophone;
Kim Cass,bass. A wide variety of rhythms and
compositional styles. Dry Bridge 009. André
Previn.
On
Contemporary:
André Previn. Craft
has
released a series of artist anthologies taken from Les
Koenig’s Contemporary Records (no relation to me, but
also pronounced “Kay-nig). The first ones are of Art
Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, André Previn and
Shelly Manne. I highlight this one because it’s likely
that many don’t know of the delights of Previn’s jazz
works. Excellent sonics (Craft bills Contemporary “an
audiophile label”). Download only. R.E.M. Adventures In Hi Fi
(25th Anniversary Edition).
I’ve come
late to R.E.M. and this is just the right thing to
satisfy my post-1980s rock need. Newly remastered with 13
very-worthy bonus tracks (try their take on “Wichita
Lineman”) on the double CD, containing photos and new
liners, postcards, and a poster. Also available on 2 CD
+ Blu-ray, double-LP, or download. 
Craig Taborn.
Shadow Plays (Live at Konzerthaus, Wien/2020). Pianist Taborn’s solo
concert is a different kind of magnificent from
Jarrett’s, despite sharing the ECM label. The seven
tracks are sometimes introspective, but one can detect
whiffs of Ravel and Debussy, James P. Johnson and a
whole panoply of influences/references which all add up
to: Craig Taborn. ECM 2693. Craig Taborn. 60 x Sixty.
“This is not a CD but a concept. Sixty pieces of music…
each about sixty seconds in length. Pressing PLAY
initiates a run of 60 tracks in randomized order.” Neil Young with
Crazy Horse.
Way Down
In The Rust Bucket.
I suspect you already know what you’re getting, you’ll
be right, and you’ll be delighted. Live from The
Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA November 13, 1990. Reprise
093624893684, 2CDs. Miguel Zenón. Law Years: The Music
of Ornette Coleman- Live At The Bird’s Eye Jazz Club
(Basel).
Miguel
Zenón, alto saxophone;Ariel Bringuez, tenor
saxophone;Demian Cabaud, bass;Jordi Rossy, drums. They
navigate the curves beautifully. Miel Musix.
|
(c)2008 - 2016 All contents copyrighted by AcousticLevitation.org. All contributors maintain individual copyrights for their works.