Mihaly’s, Dave Shimmering Leaves Ensemble - “Eastern Accents In The Far West” - [Porto Franco Records]

San Francisco percussionist Dave Mihaly is joined by brass and sax on these gentle tracks that takes melody and edges it into experimental territory in a rather original way. Haunting and tuneful for improvised music.

Slow to mid tempo, should work well to cool things down after a high energy radio set. Spoken vocals as intro on track 9, otherwise all instrumental.

Clarinet Thing - “Cry, Want” - [Bc Records]

Sheldon Brown, Ben Goldberg, Harvey Wainapel, Beth Custer (left to right in the stereo spectrum) play a wide range of clarinets in this virtuoso quartet. Music with a difference, Beth Custer’s unique take on the instrument and on jazz itself comes shining through.

Very lush polyphony - gorgeous tones, unique interactions.

Last Electro-acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble, The - “Miles Away” - [Stones Throw]

He slices, he dices, he plays acoustic piano, guitars, harp, moog, synth, congas, tambourine, drums, electric flute, electric bass, fretless bass, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, sitar, vibraphone, organ, and accordion. It???s DJ/producer Madlib, a.k.a. Otis Jackson Jr., in an outing as a one-man-band going undercover as an ensemble in order to realize the jazz side of his nature. This double album is a tribute to obscure and famous jazz musicians from decades past. It???s easy on the ears with its smooth, Latin rhythms and beats. Most of the songs have intros and outros that give the entire production a seamless feeling of being in a funky jazz dream. Entirely pleasant and will indeed transport you ???miles away.???

Coltrane, John / Alice Coltrane - “Cosmic Music” - [Abc Impulse Records]

Four tracks - “Manifestation” and “Reverend King” feature Trane late in his life when his music had become freer and less melodic - squawking and harsh at times. “Lord Help Me to Be” and “The Sun” do not feature John Coltrane himself and are more contemplative and bluesy (and are also on Alice Coltrane’s release A Monastic Trio). All musicians are first rate, I really enjoyed Alice’s piano and Pharoah Sanders’ sax and flute.

Fasteau, Kali Z. - “Animal Grace” - [Flying Note]

Her band, her label, her world. It starts out with Kali’s mesmerizing mizmar over Louis Moholo just charging on the drums, and the album never relinquishes that persistent quest for creativity. I was a little worried that a live album might reign in some of the wild nature of earlier recordings but the full array of her multi-dimensional, multi-instro mentality is in effect. Maybe some of the voices spontaneously rising from the band would have been better captured, but
they would pale in contrast to the digito-glotto incantation on “All Things” and “They Speak Through Me.” Two different live sets (the first a two piece with Moholo, the second a quartet) both compelling, but the first seemed more organic, proving a (bo) tree of sound grows in Harlem.

-Thurston Hunger

Stein, Norbert - “Silent Sitting Bulls” - [Pata Music]

Pata, Horns, and Drums continues with improvisation based on Stein’s sometimes goofy, sometimes avant garde compositions combining modern and traditional traditions. Fine playing, but at times the instruments tend to mush together, more than interweave. Intriguing, irritating, original.

Yuganaut - “Sharks” - [Engine Studios]

Naughty naugahyde in a Yugo? The car’s floor littered with
tiny toys, the passengers Stephen Rush tweaking keys, Tom
Abbs the midsection on items driving the transmission; low
notes floating from tuba, cello, bass and didjeriyahoo!
Lastly Geoff Mann is the man, dropping drums and trumpet on
the carpet. On some tracks, like “Vger” Mann gets way out
front (that is the most frantic track). But it’s often
te toys that are the engine. “Local Motive” is nothing
short of toy torture, frequently that carpet is nearly a
drone to work more subtle improvisations on top. The closer
defies the prototype as that is a Rhodes-fest of composition
by Rush. Not my 2112, but maybe you’ll connect. I liked the
seeming shepherd tones ever-rising through “Landfill/Sharks”
but my favorite was “Wrenchwork” which kept sending me out
to get Lost in Space. Seems the theme was part of the
improvising dream on that. Another nice Engine Studios outing.

-Thurston Hunger

Ulmer, James “Blood” - “Revealing” - [In & Out Records]

2010 reissue of this 1977 all-instrumental recording - James “Blood” Ulmer’s first release as a lead. Ulmer’s simultaneous jazz, blues, and free sensibilities (Ulmer was the first electric guitarist to tour with Ornette Coleman) meet here - brilliant, original work on guitar. Fine playing from McBee on bass, Adams on sax, and Hammond on drums - wonderful compositions by Ulmer. This is very special.

Bait and Switch - “What Is Known” - [Clean Feed]

The lineup may look familiar - these are the same four players who comprise Go Go Fightmaster, but it is Lisa Mezzacappa, not Aaron Bennett, who leads this effort, and there is a distinct difference to the resulting sound - less driving and phrenetic, more comtemplative and dissolute, although there are significant beats laid down and worked on many of the tracks. This is unadulterated, unapologetic jazz without an attitude problem - just a sincere delivery from musicians that have played extensively together yet get to explore new ground in this form; diverging, exploring, and coalescing harmoniously in spaces where harmony is optional.

Adasiewicz, Jason Rolldown - “Varmint” - [Cuneiform Records]

Good energy - good tunes all but one written by Adasiewicz - five amazing players. Fine work from Adasiewicz on vibes, Berman on cornet, Shelton on reeds, Roebke on bass and Rosaly on drums. These guys can really play and what a pleasure to hear this take with the vibes in the lead.

Pronounciation of Adasiewicz: ad-uh-she-vits.

Haiku Review:
Some extra cool jazz
Jason on vibes, Frank on drums
Cousin Mary smiles.

Konitz, Lee; Cheek, Chris; Leibovici, Stephane Furic - “Jugendstil II” - [Esp-Disk]

Slow, spare, quiet, dreamy interweaving among 2 saxophones and a bass, subtly joined from time to time by other instruments. Nicely balanced with beautiful tones. Lee Konitz (born 1927) is a jazz composer and alto saxophonist born in Chicago, Illinois. Chris Cheek (born 1968) is an American jazz saxophonist from St. Louis, Missouri. Stephane Furic Leibovici is French new music composer and bassist known for his improvisational groups.

The album’s title Jugenstil translates literally from German as “youth style” but means “Avant Garde”.

Dunmall, Paul / Corsano, Chris - “Identical Sunsets” - [Esp-Disk]

New ESP action of a live 2008 set, featuring a dual duel.
Dunmall starts with a surprise attack on (Scottish) border
pipes. Corsano counters with some sort of wind-drone
or eternally bowed whazzit, it really puts a lot of
electricity into the air to start. The pipes just scatter
and sizzle, they get dizzy dazzling after a bit, but
finish with a sort of folk flaire, those juggling trills
and then a climb up. Excellent work. Moving then to his
tenor, and Corsano to his kit, the duo start with a
few bars of of a flowing melody, that becomes a solid
3 minute work out then hits a gentle section before
taking some snare inhalation… The echo of the quick
trills of the bagpipes are definitely a part of Dunmall’s
sax approach. Around 9 1/2 minutes the duo hits a lock
and relock groove, the crowd chirps up…another down
gentle phase blows in before one last push. “Better Get
Another Lighthouse” is next up and this has a great
Chicago blaze feel with Corsano on a focused roll. On
the closer, “Outa of Sight” the two play mouse and mouse
before getting back to the cat and mouse pouncing. For
more Dumall at KFJC check out some earlier jazz outings
and also Mujician and Marsupilami. Respect the pouch!

-Thurston Hunger

Hooker, William Trio - “Yearn For Certainty” - [Engine]

Dramatic drummer, potent poet, happy Hooker! On this
release he’s reconnected with the ready reeds of
Sabir Mateen and enlisted wild card David Soldier as
the secret weapon. Soldier starts things off with a
near flamenco backdrop for some of Hooker’s incantation,
more quizzical here than impassioned. Rising though in
force till he hits the phrase “Art” and then Mateen
enters gracefully, carrying the conversation on tenor.
I love the pregnant pauses Hooker lets hang before
imploding rolls of toms, and crescendo crashes. I
love that he still puts faith in the rim shot, and
he will build momentum on just a high-hat and thump
in a steady but subtle way. Soldier’s banjo on “Century’s
Soles” fits just perfectly, it feels like the trio is
riding into Deadwood. “Commonplace Travel” connects
wordlessly back to the glory of Hooker’s “Heat of Light”
with Soldier’s violin getting electo-injected. The
tracks flow, and often feature a still point that turns
the playing (sometimes simply to accomodate a switch
of instruments for one of the trio). Check out Mateen’s
flute leading up to another recitation at the end of
the closing title track.

-Thurston Hunger

Shepp, Archie - “Phat Jam In Milano” - [Dawn of Freedom]

Crossover call from Shepp to the masses, grabbing Napoleon
Maddox for beatbox and hip hop drops, even spilling some
Pee Diddy moves by sampling Led Zep’s “Kashmir” (at least
it is different to hear Shepp and Oliver Lake run that riff).
For Shepp fans, this will take you a listen and set you
off on other earlier releases. Shepp does step to the mic
and nail a nice and nasty revision to his “Revolution” still
doing Mama Rose proud. Maddox is all over this release,
making me feel a little bit like youth is wasted on the
young. The “Ill Biz” assails George Bush (and cites Gary
Webb) just doesn’t click despite the abundant energy of
Maddox. His beatbox skills, a good idea, don’t really mesh
with superhuman drummer Hamid Drake (often lost behind in
the mix). Ths album may serve its purpose, and is the first
release on Shepp’s new imprint (is Archieball done?)
also Maddox is more than honorific in his approach to
Shepp, just feels like he’s not up to the match. Maybe
more sweet fruit will come in another harvest.

-Thurston Hunger

If this is the introduction for some folks, perhaps get
hep to Shepp with these

Fire Music
Things Have Got To Change
Attica Blues
Poem For Malcom
Blase

Bey, Faruq Z. W/ Northwoods Improvisers - “Emerging Field” - [Entropy Stereo (Mi)]

Detroit sax player and composer Faruq Z. Bey switched from Fender bass to sax after seeing Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane in 1966. He formed Griot Galaxy in the 1970’s but this unfortunately ended while he was recovering from a serious motorcycle accident. This is the sixth album for Bey with the Northwoods Improvisers on Entropy Stereo.

Influences of blues, free jazz, African and Latin. Want to set a lonely mood? Try track 1.?? Does track 2 remind you of something??? Maybe the beginning of Pharoah Sanders’ Black Unity?
Great stuff, mostly accessible, very original.

Jackson, Michael Gregory - “Clarity” - [Esp-Disk]

Re-issue of 1976 ESP action with superstar support. Jackson’s
a gentle guitarist, think babbling acoustic brooks of sound.
In his composition, he tends towards large strides often taken
slowly, so you get a sort of giraffe tiptoeing for a melody
that may not catch you humming it but instead stepping back
so see its surprising grace. He’s joined here by the always
captivating Wadada Leo Smith (stellar mute-age on “Clarity 4″)
and David Murray and Oliver Lake. The latter gets a track
in his name and honor; sort of a well-enunciated spider’s
tale. “Prelueoionti” is a solo guitar showcase recorded live
in L.A. “Clarity (4)” is pretty fascinating in that it has
the most squonk on this release but also stretches of hypnotic
percussion. It introduces a touch of electric guitar which
then is focused on the next track, with some watercolor
volume washes. The vocals on the lead-off title track, the
short “Ballad” and then the closer, “IOMI” with its wandering
lines going up and down empty alleys, these presage the
more mellow fate for Jackson (subsequently waving a white
flag/glove and renaming himself as simply Michael Gregory).

-Thurston Hunger

Figiel, Piotr - “Organy Hammonda” - [Bureau B.]

Originally recorded in Poland in 1971, this was the first organ release by pianist and film music composer Piotr Figiel. Including jazz, funk, latin and even featuring a Chopin Prelude (maybe that is required for a Polish musician?) - great fun with a heavy Hammond organ sound. Other soloists include Tomasz Stanko (trumpet), Janusz Muniak (flute and tenor sax) and Janusz Stefanski. Although it occasionally sounds a bit dated, thanks are in order for Bureau B. for reissuing this treasure.

PGM: First track on side A begins with the sound of walking in.?? Last track on side B ends with the sound of walking away.

Holly Martins, The - “No. No. Yes. No.” - [Edgetone Records]

Kasey Knudsen on sax, Eric Vogler on guitar form this jazz trio with the very unique vocalist, Lorin Benedict whose scat features a somewhat German sounding made-up language. Without a rhythm section, each must handle both the role of soloist and sideman. Highly improvised, most cuts are composed by trio members with exceptions of one track each for Irving Berlin and George & Ira Gershwin.

Holly Martins (played by Joseph Cotton) is the main character in the classic film “The Third Man”.

The vocals are totally original, all cuts are greatly enjoyable.

Golia, Vinnie & Kowald, Peter - “Mythology” - [Kadima Collective Recordings]

Liner notes tell of Vinnie Golia’s longtime admiration of bassist Peter Kowald, their opportunity to record these tracks together, and then Golia’s desire to release them after Kowald’s death.

By turns fluttering, squawking, groaning like a didgeridoo in these improvisations, Golia plays a wide range of woodwinds that contrasts and nestles nicely against Kowald’s bass. It appears that the terms Pizz (pizzacato: plucking) and Arco (Italian for bow) refer to the technique used for the particular track on the bass.

Thompson, Chester - “Powerhouse” - [Black Jazz]

Hammond B-3 organist Chester Thompson recorded these tracks for Oakland’s now legendary Black Jazz label in 1971. He went on to play with Tower of Power and Santana.

A departure from the usual B-3 jazz combo, this group is organ-sax-trombone-drums, with the trombone adding a very special touch. Great jazz funk, separation of bass and treble on the organ makes for a rich sound.