Silvana DeLuigi | Yo! | American Clavé

When Kip Hanrahan asked me a couple of years ago whether I was interested in doing a record with him, I immediately said yes. But when the moment came to decide on a title, I did not know what to propose. What kind of name could describe something which sounds different from everything I’ve done – and heard – before. I spontaneously pronounced the word “Yo.” It was the simplest expression for me, having given everything I had, including my very own musical and emotional self, into the hands of a musician and producer whom I trust blindly. For me, Kip is the only person capable of recognizing, understand, and transforming into a record my ages old desire to trespass the musical conventions of a music which is mine: which I grew up with, which I love – but which I had to leave behind in order to confront it from a new angle – and make it mine: the tango. So therefore “Yo” stands for a record whose songs may sound familiar, but are completely personal to me. Most of them have been with me since my early youth. Some I had inherited from Argentine popular culture, some came to me from Brazil. Some were offered by Kip and his friends, who all helped me to realize this dream: to look back on my town, my country, my culture, my life – and my music. — Silvana Deluigi Continue reading

Kip Hanrahan | Desire develops an edge | American Clavé

The center of gravity of this record was formed by the labor of Kip Hanrahan, Jack Bruce, Steve Swallow, Puntilla Orlando Rios, Arto Lindsay, Elysee Pyronneau, Scott Marcus, Jon Fausty and David Rodriguez. Among others who sold or contributed their work, time and talent to the project were Ricky Ford, Ignacio Berroa, Jerry Gonzalez, Alberto Bengolea, Ti’Plume Ricardo Franck, Olufemi Claudette Mitchell, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Milton Cardona, John Stubblefield, Tico Harry Sylvain, Daniel Frieberg, Nancy Weiss, Yale Evelev, Paul Haines, Frisner Augustin, Molly Parley, Anton Fier, Sergio Brandao, Marlene Freeman-Semels, Jean Claude Jean, John Scofield, Jody Harris, Yoram Vazan, Edwin Ayala, Frank Rodriguez and Ralf Ridao. It was recorded during July, August and September 1982 and April and June 1983. The editing, overdubbing and mixing were done during October 1982 and January, March, April, May, June and July 1983. All the work was done at Latin/Eurosound Studios, New York City. Continue reading

American Clavé | Anthology 1980 – 1992

HOW TO CREATE AN AMERICAN CLAVE: PRAISE/SONGS FOR A RECORDING PROJECT Begin with two measures of music: three rhythmic strokes in the first measure, two in the second, sounded by wood on wood. You have then the Clave, the basic building/block of salsa, of Afro-Cuban jazz. But what magic transformation occurs when you think of musics under the umbrella of a label like “American Clave?” A rashly superficial assumption runs: salsified jazz, perhaps improvised Tin Pan Alley standards bongoed-up, Sten Kentonized-up, blaring brass choruses meeting a small battalion of percussion. That would be an easy enough music to create and sell, the “how to” established in recording studios and recording company executive suites for a half century. Thank the gods that Kip Hanrahan is one of those who the poet Rilke would have identified as a “lover of the difficult.” This recording project refused that easy way out, that casual slide Latinizing American standard tunes would have represented. This is a story of a musical visionary embracing an American spirit of radical invention, taking on the alchemy of how to make an American Clave. Listen to the beats of different drummers under the enchantment of gods who still ponder what kind of experiment America is…–Norman Weinstein Continue reading

Steven Lugerner | For We Have Heard | No Business Records

Last summer I previewed a concert by an excellent New York jazz trio called Chives, led by the reedist Steven Lugerner, an ambitious composer, arranger, and conceptualist who seems to be overflowing with ideas. That impression is only reinforced by his strong new album, For We Have Heard (due May 14 on No Business/Primary), his second session with pianist Myra Melford, trumpeter Darren Johnston, and drummer Matt Wilson. Lugerner used texts from the Book of Joshua in the Torah to title each piece, and he further composed the music by usinggematria, a traditional rabbinical system of assigning numbers to particular words or phrases. In the album’s press materials he writes, “I devised a couple of ways of turning those numbers into music. For instance, if I had a series of five or six numbers, I could stack them in terms of harmony and build chords out of that. Or I could use those numbers in a time signature or meter of music. The numbers could be reflected in the melody or the duration of a note.” But don’t let that dissuade you from checking the actual music out, because this is no theoretical trip—the sounds stand easily on their own, as you can tell from today’s 12 O’Clock Track, “When a Long Blast Is Sounded.” — Peter Margasak Continue reading

Melodic Art-Tet | No Business Records

Although according to detractors, all free-jazz sessions sound alike, these high-quality dates from 1974 and 1986 put a lie to that supposition. Both also suggest why the music was never popular. Each CD shares trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah and features all stars. 1974’s Melodic Art-Tet included reedist Charles Brackeen, drummer Roger Blank, bassist William Parker and percussionist Tony Waters (Ramadan Mumeen). 1986’s The Group was saxophonist Marion Brown, violinist Billy Bang, bassists Sirone or Fred Hopkins plus drummer Andrew Cyrille. —Ken Waxman Continue reading

Evan Parker | Barry Guy | Paul Lytton | Live at Maya Recordings Festival | No Business Records

As a musician Evan Parker is a man of many faces. On the one hand he is always looking for new collaborations like on C-Section with electronic madman John Wiese (Second Layer Recordings), Live at Akbank Jazz Festival (Re:konstruKkt) with the Turkish group konstruKt or ‘Round About One O’clock (Not Two) with Slovenian drummer and percussionist Zlatko Kaučič. On the other hand he likes long time relations like his Electro-Acoustic Ensemble (although many new members have been added to this project), the legendary Schlippenbach Trio (as to persistence the Rolling Stones of free jazz) and the Evan Parker Trio (with Barry Guy on bass and Paul Lytton on drums). — Martin Schray Continue reading

Correction with Mats Gustafsson | Shift | No Business Records

The inmates riot in the House of Correction. The girls who put up postcards in London telephone boxes – are telephone boxes used for anything else now? – offer correction among other delights. The ticker-tape in newspaper offices – also not much used now – hesitates on a story, flags CORRECTION, and adjusts the casualty figures up or down. We know what the word means, and what it means is somewhere on the pleasure/pain divide, somewhere between sticking to and breaking the rules, some measure of restraint coupled to a throwing over of all restraint. — Brian Morton Continue reading

Lo Galluccio

Lo Galluccio is a vocal artist and poet who’s first CD, “Being Visited” was released on the Knitting Factory label in 1997. NY Dj Vin Scelsa called it “By turns, mysterious, seductive, surreal and spacy.” She first started working with the Jazz Passengers, co-writing a song with Roy Nathanson for the “In Love” CD on the Windham Hill/High Street label, co-produced by Hal Willner. In the mid 90’s she had an avant-rock band called, “Fish Pistol” with slide guitarist wizard Dave Tronzo, bassist Brad Jones, and various drummers including Ben Perowsky. The band played many downtown NYC clubs like Fez and the Mercury Lounge. She’s also sat in with the bands “Sex Mob” and collaborated with Jim Pugliese of “Soultronix”. Continue reading

Satoko Fujii New Trio | Spring Storm | Libra Records

Yes, a new trio, based in Japan, and featuring Satoko Fujii on piano, Todd Nicholson on bass, and Takashi Itani on drums. Musically, we’re somewhere between the drive of the Fujii’s Quartet and the jazzier feel of her Trio, with also something more evanescent. Six new compositions with strongly established themes tied together by arrangements that leave room for surprises. Itani’s playing is vivid and octopusian (and reminiscent of Yoshida Tatsuya). To tell you the truth, Spring Storm is a little bit of unknown surrounded by a lot of known, for, new or not, this trio is 100% Satoko Fujii. — Monsieur Délire Continue reading

Engines & John Tchicai | Other Violets | Not Two Records

In memory of John Tchicai, 1936-2012 It was with great sadness that I heard of John Tchicai’s passing in October of 2012. I’d been familiar with his music since the early 1990’s, when as a high school saxophonist I first heard him on recordings with John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, and Don Cherry that truly changed my own life path. But it wasn’t until the spring of 2008 that I actually heard him in person, and had the opportunity to get to know him more personally. — Dave Rempis, December 2012 Continue reading