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Zorn List Digest       Wednesday, April 22 1998       Volume 02 : Number 339



In this issue:
-
       Gregg Bendian; was Re: Cecil Taylor
       Re: Gregg Bendian; was Re: Cecil Taylor
       Hemphill reissues
       Re: mantler/cecil taylor/jcoa
       new derek bailey albums
       davis/laswell
       Re: jcoa
       Re: Gregg Bendian; was Re: Cecil Taylor
       Re[2]: jcoa
       Re: jcoa
       Re: Cecil Taylor
       Re: jcoa
       John Szwed's review of Dave Douglas's "Mahfouz"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 21:08:07 -0400
From: Brian Olewnick <[e-mail]>
Subject: Gregg Bendian; was Re: Cecil Taylor

Steve Smith wrote:

> Very well recorded, nice integration of poetry and music.  It lives or
> dies on what you think of Bendian... I know plenty of people who just
> hate it for that reason alone, but I'm not one of them.

Any other comments on Bendian's work from anyone?  I tended to be in the
camp cited by Steve above, but a couple of years go I picked up the
album 'Noir' by Paul Plimley, Lisle Ellis and Bendian and found myself
enjoying his work, and compositions, very much. Haven't heard anything
really under his own name though. Recommendations, as always, would be
appreciated.

Brian Olewnick

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 21:32:17 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jeff Lawrence Schwartz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Gregg Bendian; was Re: Cecil Taylor

I recently saw Gregg Bendian with Nels Cline in L.A., covering Coltrane's
Interstellar Space (no, I'm not kidding). They were fearsome. Although I
thought of Bendian more as a percussionist, his kit playing was
tremendous. It reminded me a lot of Book of Heads, in that he seemed to
have taken the approaches of early free drummers like Sunny Murray,
Milford Graves, and (of course) Rashied Ali, and systematized them in a
way informed by European avant stuff like Nancarrow and Elliot Carter.
I thought it was cool. I also like In Floresence, though I haven't
listened to it for a while.
I have several other albums with Bendian on them-impressions follow:
Gregg Bendian's Interzone: fairly restrained session with Clines (Nels &
Alex) and Mark Dresser. Bendian plays mallets only-Alex Cline's got the
kit. Claims to be a tribute to Gentle Giant-I know nothing about that
band. Whatever the GG reverence portends, the album is not tainted by
whatever it is that I negativly associate with progressive rock (flame
away y'all)
Derek Bailey/Pat Metheny/Paul Wertico/Bendian 3CD thing on
Knitting Factory: This has already been discussed a lot on this list-I
don't getit. Too much mayhem. Maybe the 2 drummer/guitarist pairs are mixed hard
left and right for a reason...
Bailey/Bendian-Banter: One of my favorite Derek Bailey records. Often, it
seems Bailey's collaborators play simultaneously with him rather than WITH
him (see above). Bailey is enough of an anarchist to keep doing his own
thing no matter what other players throw at him, and has big enough ears
that he can comprehend mere simultanaety as interplay (or whatever). Of
the folks I've heard play with Bailey, Anthony Braxton, Henry Kaiser,
Barre Phillips, and Bendian seem to get inside of his sound-world the
most. I haven't heard the Bailey/Cecil Taylor thang yet. I like Bendian a
lot on mallets and hand instruments with Bailey-they fit with the colors
and levels he gets from the guitar.

That's all I know about that. Bendian must have been hella young when he
played with Cecil-he doesn't look much older than 25 now...
I guess the summary is-get Banter and keep a lookout for a Bendian/Nels
Cline Coltrane thang this Fall-the show was scary as can be.


- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 22:41:03 EDT
From: JonAbbey2 <[e-mail]>
Subject: Hemphill reissues

In a message dated 4/21/98 8:48:58 PM, [e-mail] wrote:

<<> PS can someone fill me in about Screwgun's Julius Hemphill release

> programme?



Right now it's just a straight reissue of the rare album "Blue Boy=E9"

which Tim helped Julius self-release in the '80s.  Down the line there's

talk of digging into a wealth of live material from the early days of the

B.A.G. that Baikida Carroll's been sitting on for years, he seems to have

been that scene's primary archivist.  Early Hemphill and Lake and so on.>=
>

How come we can't get a reissue of Dogon AD? Does someone have the rights=
=0Alocked up and is waiting for Julius' 100th birthday celebration to rel=
ease it?=0AWhat a crime.

Jon=0A


- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 01:05:39 -0400
From: Lang Thompson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: mantler/cecil taylor/jcoa

At 01:59 AM 4/17/98 -0400, you wrote:
>It is available on a single CD on the JCOA label,


Is the single CD the complete original album?  For some reason I got the
impression that it wasn't but there's no indication on the disc of any
trimming.
- ------------------------------------------------------
Lang Thompson
http://www.tcf.ua.edu/wlt4
New at Funhouse:  Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan obituary.

"No one ever listens to Zathras.  Quite mad they say.
It is good that Zathras does not mind.  Has even
grown to like it."  --  Zathras

- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:10:48 +0200
From: Stefan Verstraeten <[e-mail]>
Subject: new derek bailey albums

Hi Zornies,
for those interested in derek bailey, check out the following new
albums:

(1)take fakes & dead she dances (incus): new stuff recorded 1997
(2)karyobin (chronoscope): recordings from 1968 with bailey, kenny
wheeler, evan parker
(3)tohjimbo (paratactile): new stuff from derek bailey & the ruins
(4)no wating (potlach): duo with joelle leandre

I know it's hard to find those albums, but for those who live in Europe,
I mention that you can order them from derek bailey himself:

The cd's cost 12=A3 (including p&p) and the adress is:

INCUS RECORDS
14 DOWNS ROAD
LONDON
E5 8DS
ENGLAND

Eric Clapton is God, no way, derek bailey is....................
- --=20
Stefan Verstraeten
Belgium (Europe)

- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 23:38:13 +1000
From: "Julian" <[e-mail]>
Subject: davis/laswell

I know this has probably been discussed before, but anyway, what is the
"laswell manipulates miles davis" disc like? And incidentally for future
reference what's it called?


- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:03:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: Brent Burton <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: jcoa

> At 01:59 AM 4/17/98 -0400, you wrote:

> >It is available on a single CD on the JCOA label,

i was wondering if anyone knew of other records on the jcoa label?  i
have a don cherry album (the one with "trans-love airways") on jcoa and
i remember william hooker saying something about jcoa distributing his
records, but i've never seen anything else they've done.

also, on a similar note, i recently acquired a jerome
cooper/kalaparuscha/frank lowe double lp on kharma records and i was
wondering if any of you folks knew anything about that label (or about
the record for that matter).  the library of congress holds only one
kharma title and it's frank lowe's _dr. too much_.  did they release
anything else?

thanks,
b

- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:39:06 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ken Waxman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Gregg Bendian; was Re: Cecil Taylor

I too was turned on by "Noir" and because of it picked up a couple of
Gregg's discs. The prize, to me, is "Counterparts" (CIMP) which features
his percussion/drums, plus Mark Dresser on bass, Paul Smoker on tmpt and
flugel and Vinny Golia on reeds. It's a fast-paced, joyous, free bop
session. "Interzone" (Eremite) is more problematic since Gregg limits
himself to vibes and glokenspiel and besides Dresser the CD also features
Nels Cline on guitar and Alex Cline on drums/percussion. The session does
grow on you, but to my ears is pretty "soft" compared to the CIMP. Be
warned (or excited, depending on your interests), by the way, the session
is dedicated to the British rock band Gentle Giant, which Bendian hymns as
the first group to introduce him to contemporary composition.

Bendian also does very fine work on vibes on William Parker's
Little Huey Creative Orchestra's "Sunrise In The Tone World" on Eremite,
including one track that is set up as a duet between him and Marco Eneidi
(as). And, also featuring William Parker and , on some tracks, Steve
Swell (tmb), Bendian is the rock-solid bottom for Christopher Cauley's
"FINland" (Eremite).

I'd definitely get the other three CDs and decide on "Interzone"
according to your tastes.

Ken Waxman
[e-mail]



On Tue, 21 Apr 1998, Brian Olewnick wrote:

> Steve Smith wrote:
>
> > Very well recorded, nice integration of poetry and music.  It lives or
> > dies on what you think of Bendian... I know plenty of people who just
> > hate it for that reason alone, but I'm not one of them.
>
> Any other comments on Bendian's work from anyone?  I tended to be in the
> camp cited by Steve above, but a couple of years go I picked up the
> album 'Noir' by Paul Plimley, Lisle Ellis and Bendian and found myself
> enjoying his work, and compositions, very much. Haven't heard anything
> really under his own name though. Recommendations, as always, would be
> appreciated.
>
> Brian Olewnick
>
> -
>
>

- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 98 10:45:19 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re[2]: jcoa


Brent wrote:

>i was wondering if anyone knew of other records on the jcoa label?  i
>have a don cherry album (the one with "trans-love airways") on jcoa
>and i remember william hooker saying something about jcoa distributing
>his records, but i've never seen anything else they've done.

     Aside from the Mantler and Bley's ESCALATOR, JCOA released:

     Don Cherry         Relativity Suite
     Leroy Jenkins      For Players Only
     Roswell Rudd       Numatic Swing Band
     Grachan Moncur     Echoes of Prayer
     Clifford Thornton  The Gardens of Harlem

     I think that's all, though perhaps I'm missing one or two.

     I don't think any have been re-issued on disc. The Cherry and Thornton
     albums have some great playing and compositions on them. The others,
     IMHO, are a bit hit and miss.

     What Hooker is likely talking about was the distribution service run
     out of JCOA: NMDS (New Music Distribution Service). During most of the
     70's they were the prime place to order otherwise-impossible-to-find
     records on tiny labels. They operated out of a townhouse on West 95th
     St. (Bley's home, I believe). It was a great place to walk into and be
     bowled over by the amount of amazing records lying around and talk
     music with the quite knowledgeable staff (including Kip Hanrahan for a
     while).

>also, on a similar note, i recently acquired a jerome
>cooper/kalaparuscha/frank lowe double lp on kharma records and i was
>wondering if any of you folks knew anything about that label (or about
>the record for that matter).  the library of congress holds only one
>kharma title and it's frank lowe's _dr. too much_.  did they release
>anything else?

     Was this the label run by Dan Spero? If so, he's still around involved
     in record dealing; he shows up at record fairs around town (NYC)
     occasionally. Not sure if he's on the Net anywhere.

     Brian Olewnick



- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 08:01:48 -0700
From: "Patrice L. Roussel" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: jcoa

On Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:03:27 -0400 (EDT)  Brent Burton wrote:
>
> > At 01:59 AM 4/17/98 -0400, you wrote:
>
> > >It is available on a single CD on the JCOA label,
>
> i was wondering if anyone knew of other records on the jcoa label?  i
> have a don cherry album (the one with "trans-love airways") on jcoa and
> i remember william hooker saying something about jcoa distributing his
> records, but i've never seen anything else they've done.

Could it be New Music Distribution?

> also, on a similar note, i recently acquired a jerome
> cooper/kalaparuscha/frank lowe double lp on kharma records and i was
> wondering if any of you folks knew anything about that label (or about
> the record for that matter).  the library of congress holds only one
> kharma title and it's frank lowe's _dr. too much_.  did they release
> anything else?

I know of at least two others:

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

***  - UNEXPECTED: Kenny Davern

    Recorded in New York City on May 30, 1978

  Kenny Davern: soprano, clarinet; Steve Lacy (all but (2)): soprano; Steve
  Swallow: bass; Paul Motian: drums.

    1978 - Kharma, PK 7 (LP)

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*** - IN TOUCH... BUT OUT OF REACH: Butch Morris

    Recorded on December 22 and 23, 1978

  Lawrence "Butch" Morris: cornet; Gracham Moncur III: trombone; Charles
  Eubanks: piano; Wilbur Morris: bass; Bobby Battle: drums, percussion; Steve
  McCall: drums, percussion.

    1978 - Kharma, PK9 (LP)

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------


- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 08:21:04 -0800
From: George Grella <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Cecil Taylor

DR S WILKIE writes:


> While so many people are focused on this subject, can I ask for
> opinions about (?) In Fluorescense (?), on the same surprise A&M
> label as a couple of Sun Ra's from the late 80s
>

I used to have In Flouresence but traded it in, never found it
satisfying to listen to.  Like the record CT made with the AAOC, the
musicians (Bendian) never really connect at all.  Bendian's soni
vocabulary doesn't stand up well to Taylor's playing, he's more of an
impressionistic musician than one with any kind of pulse.  There always
seemed to be a missing element on the record.

gg


- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 11:16:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Brent Burton <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: jcoa

On Wed, 22 Apr 1998, Patrice L. Roussel wrote:
> > the library of congress holds only one kharma title and it's frank
> > lowe's _dr. too much_.  did they release anything else?
>
> I know of at least two others:
>
> ***  - UNEXPECTED: Kenny Davern
>     1978 - Kharma, PK 7 (LP)

> *** - IN TOUCH... BUT OUT OF REACH: Butch Morris
>     1978 - Kharma, PK9 (LP)

that's interesting, because i know the frank lowe lp is pk 1 and the
jerome cooper double lp (1978) is pk 3/4, so there must also be pk 2,
pk 5, pk 6 and pk 8 floating around somewhere.

thanks,
b

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 20:40:34 -0400
From: Steve Smith <[e-mail]>
Subject: John Szwed's review of Dave Douglas's "Mahfouz"

This is a longish but really good review of the new Dave Douglas project
"Mahfouz" which I talked about last week.  Leave it to John Szwed
(author of the Sun Ra biography) to say it a lot better than I did.
This is in the new Village Voice:

===========================================

When my editor first suggested last week that I should hear trumpeter
Dave Douglas's meditations on the works of Naguib Mahfouz at Roulette, I
thought he said Nassim Maalouf, the Lebanese four-valve trumpeter whose
microtonal melodies turn up in many a French DJ's orientalist mixes. But
no, it was Egypt's Nobel Prize-winning author whom Douglas was
celebrating. An understandable error, since jazz musicians have been
multicultural from the beginning, drawing inspiration from anywhere they
could find it, their own mythical geographies as finely detailed as
those of an Italo Calvino or a Jorge Luis Borges. In fact, it was just
at the moment when classical music was beginning to      abandon
programmatic composition under the  influence of neoclassicism that jazz
arrived, sprinkling its titles and lyrics with the street names,
railroads, junctions, deltas, coasts, and cities that made up its
America. Soon whole countries and continents also surfaced in this music
through the borrowed and imagined melodies and rhythms of Mexico, India,
Cuba, Brazil, and Africa (which I don't have to remind you includes
Egypt).

Dave Douglas's own personal geography has that same grand sweep. His
three recordings with guitarist Brad Schoeppach and drummer Jim Black as
the Tiny Bell Trio (such as their latest--and my favorite--Live in
Europe, on Arabesque Records) take their inspiration from Balkan
instrumental music; his Strings Group projects (Parallel Worlds and Five
on Soul Note) have worked the repertoires of Kurt Weill, Webern, and
Stravinsky. But Douglas also draws from the books of Monk and Herbie
Nichols, and two of his best recordings honor Booker Little (In Our
Lifetime on New World) and Wayne Shorter (Stargazer on Arabesque). Even
in a cosmopolitan music, his range marks
him as singularly urbane.

Douglas is something of a stealth success, having moved from sideman of
choice to a leader who can now play almost anywhere, from the usual
new-music haunts to mainstream jazz clubs. But he paid his way, working
in every conceivable trumpet role in the bands of Horace Silver, Myra
Melford, Don Byron's Mickey Katz project, Guy Klucevsek, Uri Caine, and
most notably in John Zorn's Masada, where Douglas continues to walk the
wire between free jazz and klezmer.

In spite of the company he keeps Downtown, he is too persistently
lyrical and melodic to be considered a postmodernist. If anything, he is
pre-modernist, even romantic, in his respectful approach to sources, his
willingness to treat any musics of the world as potential for covers. He
plays with the bright, piercing tone of the classic lead trumpet, but
also with the poise, emotion, and intelligence of a first-rate
improviser (he's one of those musicians you can hear thinking).  He
possesses a style rich with a variety of vibrato and attack and the
facility to push the horn to its limits with multi-octave jumps; and he
draws
from a full catalogue of buzzes, half-valve squeezes, and choked tones
that mark the nexus where the blues and the 20th-century avant-garde
meet unashamed.

Last year he turned a corner with Sanctuary (Avant), an ambitious
two-hour foray into
electronics with a double quartet of samplers, trumpets, bassists,
saxophones, and drums which updates the '60s experiments with double
groups of John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, and remarkably manages to
sustain interest over two CDs. Douglas credits Coltrane and Coleman on
the record, along with Arnold Schoenberg, Pierre Boulez, Boccaccio, and
the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral of Florence, Italy. But given
Douglas's affinity for Wayne Shorter's music and the electric rumble and
shifting textures of this record, it would be hard to imagine that the
spirit of Shorter's composition "Sanctuary'' (which concluded Miles
Davis's Bitches Brew) is not also lurking somewhere in the mix.

Despite the billing at Roulette last week, the compositions that Douglas
presented were not noticeably programmatic: they seemed less walks
through Cairo's Khan al-Khalili bazaar or the alleyways of Gamaliyya
than a sonic fantasy in the strict musical sense of the term. He
extended the directions he had begun on Sanctuary, and though the
evening was heavy with electronics (Douglas and the ubiquitous Ikue Mori
on samplers, along with Jamie Saft's keyboards and Kenny Wollesen's
drums), the music was flush with melody, tone color, and dynamics, and
even moments of fastidiousness and delicacy. And if I
say that I most enjoyed those moments when Douglas picked up his horn, I
mean it as no
disrespect to his ambitions: it's just that I suspect that Douglas can
play anything on his trumpet that he can get from his electronics, and
probably anything else he wants to. As Amiri Baraka used to say, hear
him now, and prepare to be moved.

copyright 1998 John Szwed / Village Voice

Steve Smith
[e-mail]





- -

------------------------------

End of Zorn List Digest V2 #339
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