13 Mar
Timaeus by Neil Leonard
Tuesday, 13 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
By nature, jazz is closely aligned with the intuitive human spirit. Every now and again, an individual comes along with a new and improved idea to keep the genre of jazz fr…
09 Mar
Eslabones by Leo Masliah
Friday, 09 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Leo Masliah is not necessarily a household word in the annals of jazz. As his level of exposure increases, he may very well be in the not to distant future as more listener…
09 Mar
In Harmonys Way by Jeff Berlin
Friday, 09 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
In Harmony's Way is a CD with quite a few surprises. One is "Emeril Kicks it Up." I hear everything from down home blues, jazz and Sesame Street all rolled into one. I hope…
08 Mar
Vivid by Kali Fasteau William Parker Sabir Mateen and Hamid D
Thursday, 08 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Within this CD is the promise of an outstanding recording. The musicians are top drawer, including Fasteau on soprano sax & a variety of other instruments, Joe McPhee on so…
02 Mar
Duets 2001 by Robert Barry and Fred Anderson
Friday, 02 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
I attended a June 29 "CD Release Party" for Duets 2001 at the Velvet Lounge, Fred Anderson's South Side Chicago club. Robert Barry and Anderson both performed and were soli…
02 Mar
Seeing By The Light Of My Own Candle by Rob Reddy's Sleeping Dogs
Friday, 02 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Rob Reddy is a NYC-based saxophonist/composer who came to the attention of the world’s jazz community with his stint in drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson’s Decoding Society, a…
02 Mar
Piercing The Veil by William Parker & Hamid Drake
Friday, 02 March 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Rhythm As Subject and Object Hamid Drake and William Parker have integrated their talents on a new AumFidelity release entitled PIERCING THE VEIL. This recording only ap…
27 Feb
Sic Bisquitus Disintegrat by A.D.D. Trio
Tuesday, 27 February 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
I think it’s safe to say that Robert Dick is one of the best flutists alive in virtually any genre; Irish/Swiss guitarist Christy Doran wields a fine, noisy axe; Steve Argu…
24 Feb
The Constant Flame by Alex Cline Ensemble
Saturday, 24 February 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
A long-standing fixture on the Los Angeles music scene, Alex Cline has always been more than just a drummer. Playing a drum kit that is augmented by numerous cymbals, bells…
15 Feb
Amaryllis by Marilyn Crispell / Gary Peacock / Paul Motian
Thursday, 15 February 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Pianist Marilyn Crispell has been known to play some "out" jazz, on her lonesome and with fellow travelers Anthony Braxton, Peter Brotzmann, Mats Gustafason, Larry Ochs and…
12 Feb
The Laughing Owl by Han Bennink & Terrie Ex
Monday, 12 February 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Not many jazz drummers would record an album of free improvisations with a guitarist from a political ethno-punk rock band -- but Han Bennink is, of course, no ordinary jaz…
10 Feb
Gongol by Ori Kaplan Percussion Ensemble
Saturday, 10 February 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
One of the major detriments included in the jazz recording industry's last-decade crossover from analog to digital is the question of what exactly to do with all that new s…
04 Feb
Junction by Satoko Fujii Trio
Sunday, 04 February 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Satoko Fujii is a Japanese-born pianist/composer who plies her trade in the USA, NYC area. This is her fourth album with her Power Trio: bass titan Mark Dresser and ace tub…
30 Jan
Dismiss Television by David Aaron
Tuesday, 30 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Who can pass by album titles such as "Obvious Sexism & the Unfortunate Media", "Short Memory", "No Recollection" and now "Dismiss Television"? David Aaron's sardonic titles…
30 Jan
Obliteration Percussion Quartet by Brad Dutz
Tuesday, 30 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Some recordings move past all boundaries. This is one of them. Percussionist Brad Dutz, a veteran of numerous recordings and film scores, and a fixture on the…
29 Jan
Dark Day by Fred Anderson Quartet
Monday, 29 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Chicago’s tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson has been a mainstay of that city’s A.A.C.M. scene/movement since its inception, yet he’s not yet attained the relative fame of pee…
27 Jan
On Tour...Toronto and Rochester by Trio X
Saturday, 27 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
This is the third recording made by Trio X. And the third time is quite a charm. I cannot tell that it is taken from live sessions except for one brief applause splash in t…
19 Jan
Amaryllis by Marilyn Crispell / Gary Peacock / Paul Motian
Friday, 19 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Pianist Marilyn Crispell has been known to play some "out" jazz, on her lonesome and with fellow travelers Anthony Braxton, Peter Brotzmann, Mats Gustafason, Larry Ochs and…
19 Jan
Never mind the MSBR, heres the NAPALMED by Radek Kopel
Friday, 19 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
This CD collection of unusual avante garde jazz features various musicians performing on guitars and other homemade instruments. A collage of sounds and effects makes this …
14 Jan
Freedom & Unity by Clifford Thornton
Sunday, 14 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Valve trombonist/composer Clifford Thornton is a nearly forgotten figure of 1960s free-era jazz. He’s recorded with Sun Ra and Sunny Murray, and led a fine big band for his…
14 Jan
Specific Gravity by Joe McPhee & Joe Giardullo
Sunday, 14 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Physics is not a thing; it is the name of a science that analyzes the functions and occurrences of the physical world. Just as physics is not a thing, gravity is a universa…
13 Jan
Life Cycle by The Nommonsemble
Saturday, 13 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
With certainty is the assignment of titles to each part of the new AUM Fidelity release, LIFE CYCLE, by the Nommonsemble. As certain as is the determination of each of the …
10 Jan
Underground Railroad by Joe McPhee Quartet
Wednesday, 10 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Trumpeter and tenor saxophonist Joe McPhee has with his many recordings proven himself to be one of the free scene’s most daring and intense improvisers. This 2-CD set cont…
09 Jan
No Borders by The Nihilist Spasm Band & Joe McPhee
Tuesday, 09 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Certainly many years ago, I would have not listened to one minute of these recordings. In fact, when I listened to them for the first time, I said out loud, "How can Joe re…
05 Jan
Foxy Music by Mushroom
Friday, 05 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Foxy Music seems to be like 70's psychedelic fusion mixed in with a whole lot of today's sampling. Here the combination does not work. Each track seems to miss something th…
04 Jan
Song by Marty Ehrlich
Thursday, 04 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Fans of the late Julius Hemphill's Sextet will no doubt be familiar with saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, who eagerly lists Hemphill has his main teacher and mentor. Ehrlich perf…
02 Jan
Coyotes in the City by Rich Halley
Tuesday, 02 January 2001
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
If you ask a jazz musician what the music is about, they'll typically respond that one just needs to listen and draw their own conclusions. That can leave some listeners in…
17 Nov
Funky Donkey Parts 1 & 2 by Luther Thomas
Friday, 17 November 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
The title is most accurate because this is one Funky Donkey indeed. Released as part of Atavistic's Unheard Music Series, this is in interesting blend of funk, fusion and f…
27 Oct
The Inkling by Nels Cline
Friday, 27 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
With an almost chameleon-like ability to merge into any musical context, one might wonder, of guitar wunderkind Nels Cline, what he does when left completely to his own des…
23 Oct
Brass Reality by Paul Smoker
Monday, 23 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Trumpeter Paul Smoker’s Brass Reality was released in 2000. It sometimes takes some catching up to realize the importance of a disc. The concept here is to combine t…
16 Oct
Merry Melodies by Nadelöhr
Monday, 16 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Picture a world of rampant hysteria, unbridled joy, explosive anger, gorgeous beauty, and unbelievable violence, and you take a frantic turn into the magical realm of the a…
12 Oct
Amen: Improvisations on Messiaen by Keith Yaun Quartet
Thursday, 12 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Jazz is not, despite what you may have heard, "America's classical music." First of all -and this is a major pet peeve of mine- the phrase follows the unfortunate custom of…
11 Oct
Last Minute Gifts by Rob Blakeslee Quartet
Wednesday, 11 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Just when I’ve darn near had it with the excesses and redundancies of jazz’s avant garde (skronk, doodle, wheeze, blatt) to the point where the only new jazz releases I fee…
09 Oct
The Miyumi Project by The Miyumi Project
Monday, 09 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
The Miyumi Project is actually primarily the project of Tatsu Aoki, who is best known for producing last year's highly acclaimed reading of Ellington's "Far East Suite" by …
08 Oct
Albert’s Lullaby by Hal Russell Michael Staron Sparrow Rick Shandling
Sunday, 08 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Albert’s Lullaby contains some of the last recordings of Hal Russell before his untimely passing in 1992. Southport is promoting the disc as such and while this might be a …
03 Oct
Straight Lines Skewed by Donald Robinson Trio
Tuesday, 03 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
STRAIGHT LINES SKEWED appeals to a visual sense. (Some of the titles of the cuts allude to visual art ventures as in BRUSH UP, BLUE ABSTRACTION, SLICE OF LINE, WET PAINT, &…
01 Oct
After Appleby by Evan Parker Barry Guy Paul Lytton Marilyn Crispell
Sunday, 01 October 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
After Appleby is a two-disc set featuring music that saxophonist Evan Parker, pianist Marilyn Crispell, bassist Barry Guy, percussionist Paul Lytton recorded in June of las…
30 Sep
Under the Pyramid by Dominic Duval with the C.T. String Quartet
Saturday, 30 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Screeching strings begin "The Mayan (The Worriers)" which opens this disc. Jason Hwang’s violin creates a pulsating sound that the other musicians try to match. The pace bu…
29 Sep
Skin by Erik Friedlander
Friday, 29 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Cellist Erik Friedlander has played classical music and with leaders as diverse as Joe Lovano, John Zorn, Harvie Swartz and Dar Williams as well as leading his own groups T…
28 Sep
Windogur by Lena Willemark
Thursday, 28 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Lena sings her own original compositions on this, her second Amigo release. Most lyrics are in the Swedish regional language of Älvdalen. The album title, Windogur ,transla…
25 Sep
The Experiment by Dominic Duval and Jason Kao Hwang
Monday, 25 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Mind set. Frame of mind. Instruments of choice. The dedication to the solvency of sound that Dominic Duval and Jason Kao Hwang have manifested is solid, strong, and extreme…
24 Sep
Thirteen Kinds of Desire by Pamela Knowles/Yusef Komunyakaa
Sunday, 24 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Beginning with one long exhaled breath, Knowles' adaptation of the words of Pulitzer Prize winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa sets a spacious tone. Most "jazz singers" merely si…
23 Sep
Rigmor Gustafsson Live by Rigmor Gutafsson
Saturday, 23 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
STRAIGHT LINES SKEWED appeals to a visual sense. (Some of the titles of the cuts allude to visual art ventures as in BRUSH UP, BLUE ABSTRACTION, SLICE OF LINE, WET PAINT, &…
19 Sep
Expansion Slang by Tripleplay
Tuesday, 19 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Vermont’s Boxholder Records is quickly becoming one of the premier labels for creative improvised music. It was only last year that the label issued its first recording but…
19 Sep
Burn The Incline by Vandermark 5
Tuesday, 19 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
The Vandermark 5 is a Chicago quintet led by multi-reed player/composer Ken Vendermark, who might be termed a member of the "post-Anthony Braxton generation' of young jazz …
05 Sep
Toward, To West by Satoko Fujii
Tuesday, 05 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Satoko Fujii is the Queen of Improvisational Jazz Piano performances, and she is a unique composer in a class by herself. Her trio release with Fujii on piano and Mark Dres…
03 Sep
Pipelines by Hans Kennel and John Wolf Brennan
Sunday, 03 September 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
The trumpet and pipe organ duo of Hans Kennel and John Wolf Brennan instantly create a rich sound on Pipelines. "Numinous" opens the disc and features the bold, exquisite, …
30 Aug
Snips by Steve Lacy
Wednesday, 30 August 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
It is painful to have to criticize one of the greatest saxophonists of all time, but this solo album by Steve Lacy is little more than a historical curiosity. Only his most…
27 Aug
Presence of Truth; ... Mastery; ... Joy by Tisziji Munoz
Sunday, 27 August 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
In interviews, mega-Grammy winner Carlos Santana often pays homage to John Coltrane as an early inspiration. That’s a nice nod. Yet despite fumbling attempts at imitation, …
17 Aug
Wong Fei-Hong Meets Little Strudel by Edward Ratliff's Rhapsodalia
Thursday, 17 August 2000
Published in
Free Jazz / Avante Garde - CD Reviews
Now we come to one of those long-playing albums which defies easy categorization. Superficially it is jazz, yet hard-core jazz-heads may not like it because of its "quirkin…