Jazz

record_store_listening_booths

Faruq Z. Bey with the Northwoods Improvisers featuring Mike Carey and Skeeter Shelton | AUZAR | Entropy Stereo Recordings

Posted by

2

Faruq Z. Bey returns with his third effort on Entropy Stereo, Auzar. Auzar features the three horn lineup of Bey, Michael Carey and Skeeter Shelton, representing the first time Bey has recorded with the three horn line up since his days with his seminal Detroit group Griot Galaxy. Representing a clear evolution from Bey’s last two efforts 19 Moons and Ashirai Pattern, Auzar features a unified ensemble sound with an emphasis on unique rhythmic and harmonic possibilities. Bey contributes three compositions to the disc. Faruq Z. Bey and the Northwoods Improvisers comprise a natural joining of mind and soul on Auzar in their strongest effort yet. Featuring the composition Zycron by Tani Tabbal. Continue reading →

Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers | Journey into the Valley | Entropy Stereo Recordings

Posted by

1

Faruq Z. Bey – tenor, alto saxophone, poetry | Mike Carey – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute | Skeeter Shelton – tenor, soprano saxophone | Mike Gilmore – vibes, marimba | Mike Johnston – bass, gongs | Nick Ashton – drums. Executive producer: Mike Khoury. Recording, mixing & mastering: Tim O’Brien. Photography: Jay Shurtliff. Design: Mark Rudolph. All music is acoustic.A film by: Timothy O’Brien and Andrew Bare. Original DVD contains: • 1 hour feature live music performance • 3 bonus songs • 3 interviews • 3 poetry pieces • slide show (plus more) • bonus CD of 5 tracks taken from the dvd (same sound mixes). Continue reading →

Farouq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers | Emerging Field | Entropy Stereo Recordings

Posted by

2

Emerging Field marks the sixth release of Faruq Z. Bey with the Northwoods Improvisers on the Entropy Stereo label. This release finds the group exploring rhythm and space in a broader sense than previous offerings. Faruq Z. Bey, Mike Carey, and Skeeter Shelton create thoughtful space and intricate conversations in their horn lines evoking a relaxed and passionate response with a solid blues focus. Mike Johnston and Nick Ashton root the group with their sound rhythmic foundation. The track Mokondi brings out the strength of this rhythm section. Mike Gilmore floats in and out of the music with vibes and marimba reminding one of some of the fantastic work of the late Walt Dickerson. Among the highlights are Carey’s arrangement of Ornette Coleman’s Beauty is a Rare Thing, and Mike Johnston’s Tenere’. Continue reading →

Griot Galaxy | Live at the D.I.A. | Entropy Stereo Recordings

Posted by

0

For nearly two decades Griot Galaxy was at the vanguard of the Detroit Music scene. Members of the band performed and recorded with Roscoe Mitchell, Sun Ra, Abdullah Ibrahim and Phil Cohran. The fact that there were only two releases of the band under their own name during this period seems criminal. Entropy Stereo is pleased to present this complete concert performance at the Detroit Institute of Arts from 1983. Beautifully recorded, this is Griot Galaxy at their peak. Griot Galaxy was Faruq Z. Bey, Tani Tabbal, Jaribu Shahid, Tony Holland and David McMurray. Continue reading →

Connie Crothers Quartet | Deep Friendship | NA1058

Posted by

0

The deepest friendship fosters freedom and from there, the joy of flight. The deepest friendship, like real freedom, is pluralistically unified, a place where the boundaries are malleable, at one moment wide open to the slow build and arc of myriad histories, then suddenly capturing a single moment in all its import, a look, a shared remembrance, a phrase spoken with neither artifice nor conceit, a simple act of communication whose ramifications define and transcend the shared experience, worlds and galaxies emerging from the gestural seed. Continue reading →

Albrecht Maurer | Norbert Rodenkirchen | Loplop’s Call | Nemu Records

Posted by

1

Their new project Loplop’s Call is about the surrealistic painter and poet Max Ernst who was born in the Rhineland, went to Paris and later to the USA to become one of the most influential artists of the early 20th century. His artworks and poetry as well as his fascinating biography inspired the two Cologne based musicians to create a tableau of own compositions and improvisations for viola & alto flute and for fiddle & transverse flute. In these works they orient themselves towards the sound of the early 20th century. At the same time they create a contemporary modern form of surrealistic music, influenced by the magic power of the subconscious. The central theme of the album is the fantasy figure Laptop, the superior of the birds, who was one of Max Ernst’s most important artistic obsessions and his alter ego. Loplop is always connected with Nachtigall (the nightingale] – also called Windsbraut [the wind’s bride]. Continue reading →

Francesco Massaro | Beppe Scardino | Danilo Gallo | Adolfo La Volpe | Giacomo Mongelli | Color Network | Aut Records

Posted by

0

Color Network is conceived as a tribute to one of the leading characters in the international music scene: Ornette Coleman. What sets Col-(or Net)-work apart from the others that share the same intention is the choice to focus exclusively on one album, 1957’s “The Shape of Jazz to Come”, which is regarded as one of the texan saxophonist’s seminal works. Coleman’s compositions frame a musical environment that serves sometimes as point of departure and sometimes as landing place for reckless improvisations which explore unfamiliar acoustic regions. The sound resulting in the unusual combination of two baritone saxophones and electronics turns out to be surprisingly effective and constitutes the distintive feature of the music. The band that takes risks and assumes the task of merging some of the forms of free jazz and the search for atypical, contemporary sonorities into a fresh, colourful and autonomous musical statement. Continue reading →

Jean Luc Cappozzo | Christine Wodrascka | Gerry Hemingway | 2° étage | Grey Matter | No Business Records

Posted by

2

Les titres des pieces sont evocafeurs: sur un fond de matiere grise, un sherif possede arrive d’un train fantome, va pres d’un ruisseau, commence un mouvement: en haut en bas, c’est le moment de danser, belle echappee! Le trio 2° etage, compose de Jean- Luc Cappozzo, Gerry Hemingway et Christine Wodrascka improvise sa musique comme des conteurs, des peintres, des poetes. Ces trois musiciens sont des magiciens de la spontaneite, inventant dans I’instant un decor, une histoire, un monde imaginaire avec leurs sons nes de tuyaux, coquillages, peaux, ca-houtchou, bois, cloches, billes, scotch, pinces a linge… Us jouent ensemble comme des enfants, avec generosite et authenticite, pour vivre une aventure musicale et humaine, en osmose dans I’instant present.

The titles of the pieces are evocative: on the bottom of grey matter, a possessed sheriff arrives from a ghost train, goes near a rivulet, begins a movement, up down, its time to dance, beautiful escape! The trio 2° etage, comprised of Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Gerry Hemingway and Christine Wodrascka, improvise their music as storytellers, painters, poets. These three musi-cans are magicians of the spontaneous, instantly creating a setting, a story and an imaginary world with their sounds born from pipes, shells, skins, rubber, wood, bells, balls, adhesive tape, clothespins…. They piay together as children play together, with generosity and authenticity, living a human and musical adventure, through osmosis in present time. Continue reading →

Daunik Lazro | Joëlle Léandre | Hasparren | No Business Records

Posted by

7

ERRATIC MILESTONES. Although we (MADAME Leandre & me) have carefully listened to each other and regularly played together since 30 years or so, we have rarely documented on records our musical meetings. After all, regarding improvisation, to disappear in the air is the rule, almost the law. The sand castle everytime erased, we must build a brand NEW one at every concert. Four notable EXCEPTIONS : « Enfances », excerpts from a unique concert at the legendary club 28 rue Dunois (Paris) in January 1984, a trio with wonderful George Lewis (issued as side D in the 2LP album « sweet zee »for Hat Art). « Paris Quartet»: Joe’He Leandre, pianist Irene Schweizer, trombonist Yves Robert and myself, from two brilliant concerts (issued in 1989 on swiss label Intakt). « Madly you », recorded at festival Banlieues Bleues in 2001 : a sublime quartet-with violonist Carlos « Zingaro » and drummer Paul Lovens (issued on label Potlatch, 2002). Then Christine Baudillon realized a film on Joelle : « Basse continue » (issued on DVD, hors-ceil editions, 2008), including among lots of other sequences (with Barre Phillips or Mr Braxton) an excerpt of our duo snooted at club « 7 Lezards » (Paris) in november 2006. Fortunately, on December 2011, Catherine Luro invited the duo to play in HAS-PARREN (Pays Basque) and our dear Jean-Marc Foussat was there, with good mikes and his exceptional ears. Of course, the music was beautiful. This is our milestone #5… — Daunik Lazro Continue reading →