Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers – Primal Waters (2012)

Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers – Primal Waters (Sagittarius A-Star, 2012)

Personnel:
Faruq Z. Bey - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone
Skeeter C. R. Shelton - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Mike Johnston - Bass, Bells, Shaker
Mike Carey - Flute, Bass Clarinet, Kalimba
Mike Gilmore - Vibraphone [Vibes], Kalimba
Nick Ashton - Drums, Drum [Drum Log]

Tracklisting:

01 - Kins

02 - Primal Waters

03 - Cat and Mouse

04 - Talon

05 - Kahtuhlpa

06 - Mamaka II

(cd version?)

A recent recording from the legendary Faruq Z. Bey – working here with the highly creative Northwoods Improvisers! Bey's tenor and alto are very much at the front of the recording, but the album also really draws a lot from the other players in the group – the vibes of Mike Gilmore, bass of Mike Johnston, drums and log drum of Nick Ashton, and additional reeds of Mike Carey and Skeeter CR Shelton – who all work with Faruq in ways that almost seem more structured than before – really held together with a great sense of composition on the longer tunes, while still stretching out with some freedom on the solos. The blend – possibly because of the bold use of vibes – reminds us a lot of the Chicago work coming from artists like Mike Reed or Jason Adasiewicz – and titles include "Kins", "Primal Waters", "Talon", and "Kuthuhlpa".

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Black Motor - Club El Toro (2008)

Black Motor - Club El Toro (Ruby Red Editora, 2008)

Personnel: 

Sami Sippola - tenor saxophone

Ville Rauhala - double bass

Simo Laihonen - drums

Tracklisting:

01 - Homeward 

02 - Club El Toro

03 - Nekala High

04 - Amur

05 - Tulee Päivä

06 - Farewell

07 - Homeward

Black Motor was founded in Tampere in 2005 as an improvising trio of saxophonist Sami Sippola, bassist Ville Rauhala and drummer Simo Laihonen. From the beginning, the group was devoted to free jazz in the tradition of Rashied Ali, Albert Ayler and Peter Brötzmann and soon began an active performance schedule both in Tampere and elsewhere. Beginning in 2005, Black Motor has been largely responsible for the program of the Fly-Rite Festival club in Tampere organizing approximately ten events per year featuring various guest performers. During 2008 and 2009, Black Motor organized a monthly Hertta Jazz Monday club, also in Tampere. During the past few years, Black Motor has also begun to receive increasing national attention and has organized club events outside of Tampere as well. In 2009, Black Motor began organizing music workshops at various elementary and high schools around the Tampere region, an activity that still continues today with children of different ages. In 2011 and 2012, Black Motor performed school concerts under the rubric "Jazz Before And Now" around of Finland as well as organizing club events at the Telakka Restaurant in Tampere.

Almost from the outset, Black Motor began featuring various guest artists in their performances. One of the very first was guitarist Jukka Orma soon followed by trumpeters Mike Koskinen and Verneri Pohjola, saxophonists Juhani Aaltonen, Mikko Innanen and Jorma Tapio, guitarist Raoul Björkenheim, bassist Teppo Hauta-aho, pianist Samuli Mikkonen, guitarist/singer/songwriter P.K. Keränen and many others. They have also performed with circus acts, dancers, poets, rap artists and DJs in addition to fellow improvisers. In July 2012, Black Motor even performed with one of their early heroes, saxophonist Peter Brötzmann, at Häiriöjatsit, a mini-festival organized in Tampere.

Black Motor released its first two recordings in 2007 (On Duty and Black Motor). Five additional recordings have followed (Club El Toro in 2008, Vaarat Vastukset in 2008, Never Out Of Fashion−Live In Amsterdam in 2010, Hoojaa in 2011 and Jumehniemi in 2012).[TUM Records]

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Steve Reid Trio - Invitation (2002)

Steve Reid Trio - Invitation (CPR Records, 2002)

Personnel:

Steve Reid - drums

Boris Nersvetaev - piano

Chris Lachotta - bass

Tracklisting:

01 - Invitation

02 - Manteca

03 - Lover Man

04 - Impressions

05 - Nature Boy

06 - Blues

07 - Stolen Moments

08 - Just One Of Those Things

09 - Milestones

10 - Along Came Betty

"We'll have a chance to maybe acknowledge the people's musical menu without the large record companies directing it. Like in the movies the studios used to control everything, but that broke down. Now it's happening in the record business. The musicians are on top calling the shots, and the record companies have to readjust and get back into putting out creative music. And this is the answer to their revival".[Steve Reid and AllAboutJazz]

OUT OF PRINT!

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Nacka Forum - Fee Fi Fo Rum (2012)

Nacka Forum - Fee Fi Fo Rum (Moserobie, 2012)

Personnel:

Goran Kajfes: Cornet, Bass trumpet, Steiner EVI, Percussion, Tutor, Flexatone, Electric trumpet
Jonas Kullhammar: Tenor-, Baritone- & Bass saxes, Piccolo flute, Clarinet, Mini Moog, Mellotron, Percussion, Moisturizer
Johan Berthling: Double Bass
Kjell Nordesson: Drums, Vibraphone, Timpani, Tambourine

Tracklisting:

01 - Fanfarum För Forum
02 - Borkum Riff
03 - Jimmy
04 - Buss 446
05 - Dinner With Inner
06 - Yasuragi
07 - Gluck
08 - Occasions
09 - Fanfarum For Electric Forum 

The group's only a quartet, but they've got a combination of sounds and instruments to rival that of a much larger ensemble! The strength of the record really comes from the twin horn talents of Goran Kajfes and Jonas Kullhammar – the former on cornet, bass trumpet, flexatone, electric trumpet, and Steiner EVI – the latter on tenor, baritone, bass sax, flute, clarinet, minimoog, mellotron, and even moisturizer! These two stalwarts of the Swedish scene are well grounded by the rhythms of Johan Berthling on bass and Kjell Nordeston on drums (and a bit of vibes) – working with a firm guiding hand on some of the more focused tunes here, and really letting Kajfes and Kullhammar stretch out their tones at other points. Titles include "Fanfarum For Electric Forum", "Jimmy", "Dinner With Inner", "Yasuragi", "Borkum Riff", and "Gluck".[Dusty Groove America]

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Best record of the year, in my humble opinion!!!

Arthur Doyle Electro-Acoustic Ensemble - Live In Nashville & Louisville (2011)

Arthur Doyle Electro-Acoustic Ensemble - Live In Nashville & Louisville (Sagittarius A-Star, 2011)

Personnel:

Arthur Doyle: tenor sax, voice
Vin Paternostro: roland 505
Ed Wilcox: percussions
Leslie Q: bass

Tracklisting:

01 - Sin
02 - Ash
03- Vanish
04 - Us
05 - Soul 

Recorded march 26 & 27, 2004 at Springwater tavern & Artswatch

"The final available rec. i have left of Arthur, unfortunatly ?! I kept it for the last since i find it a really special goody: a more intimate 4et live dates from 2004".

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Prezens - Slipped On A Bar. (2006)

Prezens - Slipped On A Bar. (Screwgun, 2006)

Personnel:
David Torn - guitar
Tim Berne - alto saxophone
Craig Taborn - keyboards
Tom Rainey - drums

Tracklisting:
01 - Bar To Be (11:41)
02 - Bar To See (08:46)
03 - Bar Too, Eh (09:12)

"this live performance, from 2006, was one of the 1st in which it
became apparent (to me, anyways) that the band showed itself as a
natural ensemble effort, with its own kinda vivacity & push/pull/push;
the 4 of us, stable instabilities, steady irregularities, hyperdense
and/or empty.....
..... but, regardless:
with a strong motive to become immersed in whatever it was the damned
music seemed to want, & the freaking electric nerves of trust required
for that." David Torn, 2008

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Enrico Rava - On The Dance Floor (2012)

Enrico Rava - On The Dance Floor (ECM, 2012)

Personnel:
Enrico Rava: trumpet
Andrea Tofanelli: trumpet, flugelhorn
Claudio Corvini: trumpet, flugelhorn
Mauro Ottolini: trombone, tuba
Daniele Tittarelli: alto saxophone, flute
Dan Kinzelman: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Franz Bazzani: keyboard
Giovanni Guidi: piano, Fender Rhodes, toy piano
Dario Deidda: bass
Marcello Giannini: electric guitar
Zeno de Rossi: drums
Ernesto Lopez Maturell: percussion

Tracklisting:
01 - Speechless
02 - They Don't Care About Us
03 - Thriller
04 - Privacy
05 - Smile
06 - I Just Can't Stop Loving You / Smooth Criminal
07 - Little Susie
08 - Blood On The Dance Floor
09 - History

It was only after Michael Jackson’s death that Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava gradually became aware that he had for many years been ignoring, in his words, “one of the great protagonists of 20th century music and dance. A total artist. A perfectionist. A genius. I felt the need to delve more deeply into Michael’s world. There was only one way to do that: play his songs.” Thus this live album, recorded at the Rome Auditorium with the Parco della Musica Jazz Lab. Enrico’s trumpet is at its most extroverted here, vaulting above the spirited arrangements by Mauro Ottolini. Michael Jackson’s protean pop songs have never been heard quite like this. Rava is currently playing European festivals with this programme.[ECM]

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICHAEL! You are a genius!

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