The Magic Triangle Concerts, sponsored by UMass Residential Arts and WMUA Student Radio, began its 13th series with an interpretation of Bach¹s Goldberg Variations by the Uri Caine Ensemble. The ensemble was made up of Cornell Rochester, drums, Barbara Walker, vocals, Ralph Alessi, trumpet, Dave Binney, sax, DJ Olive, turntables, Drew Gress, bass, Joyce Hamman, violin, and Uri Caine, piano. For the last week, I have thought long and hard about how to approach writing this article. In fac

After a long absence, the Amherst Meetinghouse Music Series, put on by Michael Ehlers, resumed with a startling performance by The Clarinet Trio with Walter Perkins on drums & vocals, Perry Robinson on clarinets and William Parker on bass, flutes, vocals & reed instruments. This group is not at all presumptuous. I could tell that they came together because they are dedicated to their music, they love making the music, their music is the extension of their inner selves to the outside worl

A low-key night in the Main Space at the Knit brought together Joe McPhee as featured artist with the Deep Listening Band and Straylight. The too short 80 minute set enveloped the audience with a mood that was penetrating. A mood that was inherent in the cohesion of the multiplicitous percussion instruments and the major players - Joe on sax and pocket trumpet, and Pauline Oliveros, from the Deep Listening Band, on accordion. The blending of the sound of the instruments reached beyond expecta

Last night to an intimate, appreciative audience, Steve Lacy and trio, made up of Jean-Jacques Avenel on bass and John Betsch on drums, revealed nothing but jewel-like precision , which is Lacy's total concern and has been ever since he began playing. The concert began with a Monk tune so fluidly rendered by the group that it proved an easy entrance into the growing intensity that filled the remainder of the evening. The next tune, Lacy's "The Bath", delivered a wonderful lilting and breath o

The second in the series of Amherst Mtghouse Concerts, put on by Michael Ehlers, took place last night to a full house crowd. The group, OTHER DIMENSIONS IN MUSIC (led by Roy Campell, brass; with Rashid Bakr, drums; Daniel Carter, reeds; and William Parker, bass), performed in keeping with its name. Accompanied by Matthew Shipp at the piano, the basic quartet played a one-hour long first set; the group, not to mince words here, simply jumped in. Carter, on tenor, and Campell, on trumpet, seem