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Ran Blake / Dave Knife Fabris:
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Ran Blake presents eleven solo performances at Amsterdam's Bimhuis, interpreting a captivating selection of tunes, including works by Duke Ellington and Abbey Lincoln; followed by eight duos with electric guitarist David 'Knife' Fabris, continuing their collaborative legacy from albums such as Horace is Blue and Something to Live For, along with their releases on Soul Note and NoBusiness. ... Click to View


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Alfredo Colon (Colon / Korten / Williams / Parks):
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Brooklyn-based saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Alfredo Colon's debut album presents an engaging set of enthusiastic works rooted in the blues tradition, featuring a cover of Delta blues singer Son House and performed with his Brooklyn quartet: Lex Korten (piano, Klavins Una Corda), Steve Williams (upright bass), and Connor Parks (drums), blending lyrical expression and balanced dynamics. ... Click to View


Lisbon String Trio & Carlos Santos:
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Chemical Expansion League, The (Bohman / Lynch / Northover / Mengersen):
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The UK-based Chemical Expansion League of Adam Bohman (prepared strings, voice), Adrian Northover (sax, theremin, wasp synth), Sue Lynch (sax, clarinet, flute), and Ulf Mengersen (bowed & prepared double bass) present thirteen mostly succinct and eccentric improvisations that oscillate between sanity and absurdity, punctuated by industrial elements, bent tones, and surreal soundscapes. ... Click to View


Vasseur / Serries:
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French guitarist Christian Vasseur, known for his explorative approach and use of unique instruments like the archlute and electric 10-string lap-steel guitar, joins Dirk Serries (A New Wave of Jazz, Vidna Obmana), who employs an archtop guitar with bow and objects in this live-recorded album at Kapel Oude Klooster in Belgium, featuring seven chamber-like duets that weave resonant, tension-filled acoustic textures with surreal and exotic elements. ... Click to View


Michael McNeill (w/ Susan Alcorn / Dave Ballou / Shelly Purdy):
Barcode Poetry (Infrasonic Press)

After their 2022 tour, the quartet of Michael McNeill on piano, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, Dave Ballou on trumpet, and Shelly Purdy on vibraphone and percussion recorded seven studio improvisations composed by McNeill, using a compositional framework inspired by the black and white keys of the piano (the 'barcode') to fuel their poetic and expressive impulses. ... Click to View


Wooden Cities:
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Opening with an adaptation of Cornelius Cardew's "Red Flag", the Buffalo-based new music ensemble Wooden Cities Brendan Fitzgerald introduces the first of a trilogy of albums, a set of narrative works that confront topics of work, labor, commodity, and justice through a blend of composition and improvisation, including works by Cardew, Julius Eastman, and Frederic Rzewski. ... Click to View


Eddie Prevost:
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Breaking from the AMM collective, British percussionist Eddie Prévost's 1996 solo debut showcases six studio-recorded works highlighting expressive momentum and textural nuance through innovative drumming and cymbal techniques, crafting layered and intense sonic landscapes with extraordinary skill and the inventive application of external objects. ... Click to View


AMM (Prevost / Tilbury):
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Recorded in Turkey in 2016, this extended improvisation features a core duo from later AMM configurations — percussionist Eddie Prévost and pianist John Tilbury, who also performs on harpsichord — captured in the exceptional acoustics of The Sibelius Museum concert hall where the intimate setting elicits profound, beautifully recorded dialogue between these two masterful performers. ... Click to View


Kanngiesser / Prevost / Wright:
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The third volume in the High Laver Levitations series that started with the duo of John Butcher and Eddie Prévost, continued with Silvan Schmid, Tom Wheatley & Prévost, now presents Ute Kanngiesser on cello, Seymour Wright on alto sax, and Eddie Prévost on drum kit, recording two extended improvisations that explore the resonant acoustics of All Saints Church in High Laver, Essex. ... Click to View


Axel Dorner / Oliver Schwerdt / Julian Sartorius:
Jul Fuel (Euphorium)

The title refers to the dynamic addition of drummer and percussionist Julian Sartorius, whose energy injects 'jet fuel' into this bassless, windless trio's live 2021 performance at naTo in Leipzig, Germany, with Euphorium label leader Oliver Schwerdt igniting the grand piano and Axel Dörner's thrillingly unconventional slide trumpet playing adding to the burn & mdash; exceptional! ... Click to View


Peter Evans / Petter Eldh / Jim Black:
Extra (We Jazz)

An exhilarating trio with bassist Petter Eldh and drummer Jim Black, recorded in Lisbon in 2023, capturing inventive synergy across eight original compositions by Peter Evans, ranging from the fiery intensity of "Freaks" and "Boom" to the surprising twists of "The Lighthouse", as their close-knit rapport fuels rhythmic depth and jaw-dropping improvisation. ... Click to View


Dougie Bowne:
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Phill Niblock / Anna Clementi / Thomas Stern:
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A posthumous realization of Phill Niblock's 2022 composition, this dense, resonant work of drone and sonic intensity, written for Italian vocalist Anna Clementi and shaped and developed with guitarist and bassist Thomas Stern of Einstürzende Neubauten and Crime & the City Solution, is presented in two monumental, haunting longform versions. ... Click to View


John Zorn:
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The second volume of John Zorn's vocal compositions, performed by virtuoso Barbara Hannigan alongside returning pianist Stephen Gosling, expands with orchestration for string quartet, a dynamic work for voice, cello, vibes, electronics, and drums, a lively piece for voice, piano, and rhythm, and Zorn's unique interpretation of the classic 'Pandora's Box. ... Click to View


Musicworks Magazine:
#149 Fall 2024 [MAGAZINE + CD] (Musicworks)

The Fall 2024 issue of Canada's premiere music magazine: On The Cover Brendan Grey and the Evolving Ethos of Super Duty Tough Work; avant-garde sound murals of Filipino composer José Maceda; Montreal-based composer and improviser Allison Burik; Kurt Gottschalk interviews Rita Ueda; Windsor-based post-classical guitarist Bilal Nasser; plus reviews and a CD of artists covered in this issue. ... Click to View


John Zorn (Roeder / Wollesen / Zorn / Lage):
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The third volume in John Zorn's New Masada Quartet — Zorn on alto sax, Jorge Roeder on bass, Kenny Wollesen on drums, and Julian Lage on guitar — captures a packed 2024 concert at Roulette in Brooklyn, where fervent interplay and exceptional soloing bring six Zorn compositions to life in a single, seamlessly indexed track before an enthusiastic audience. ... Click to View


Parker / Costa / Ernstring:
Pulsar (NoBusiness)

Rotterdam-based collaborators, alto saxophonist Hugo Costa and drummer Philipp Ernsting, invite legendary bassist William Parker to join them in a Netherlands studio for threeimprovisations that emphasize emotional spontaneity and raw intensity, creating music that finds beauty in exploration and a transformative journey through expressive conversation. ... Click to View


Elephant9 with Terje Rypdal:
Catching Fire (Rune Grammofon)

Recorded live in Oslo, the Norwegian jazz-rock trio Elephant9 of Torstein Lofthus (drums), Nikolai Haengsle (bass) and Stale Storlokken (keys) join with legendary guitarist Terje Rypdal, channeling the intensity of bands like King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra as they blend and evolve layered psychedelia with angular improvisation for a raw, electric fusion experience. ... Click to View


Elephant9 with Terje Rypdal:
Catching Fire [VINYL 2 LPs] (Rune Grammofon)

Recorded live in Oslo, the Norwegian jazz-rock trio Elephant9 of Torstein Lofthus (drums), Nikolai Haengsle (bass) and Stale Storlokken (keys) join with legendary guitarist Terje Rypdal, channeling the intensity of bands like King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra as they blend and evolve layered psychedelia with angular improvisation for a raw, electric fusion experience. ... Click to View


Rodrigues / Sa / Rocha / Rodrigues / Silva / Varela / Goncalves / Flak / Trindade:
Mimesis (Creative Sources)

Primarily an acoustic ensemble of nine improvisers led by Ernesto Rodrigues on viola — including saxophonist Joana Sá, percussionist Monsieur Trindade, guitarist Flak, and pianist Luisa Gonçalves — performs a live, extended improvisation of tightly controlled, deeply detailed conversation as part of the 2024 Creative Sources Cycle in Lisbon. ... Click to View


Hunter Underwater (Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Kohn / Lin):
Archipelago (Creative Sources)

In their second release, the Hunter Underwater quartet of four cellists — Guilherme Rodrigues (Portugal), Gábor Hartyáni (Budapest), Guido Kohn (Buenos Aires), and Hui-Chun Lin (Taiwan) — record at Berlin's Zentrifuge, creating sound sculptures and landscapes with layered harmonics and dynamic interplay through composition and improvisation. ... Click to View


Nandor Nevai:
<<The PRICE of FRONTIER>> Book 1: FULK [BOOK + 4 CDs] (Psykomanteum)

Each volume of Nandor Nevai's musikbook series merges four CDs of genre-focused music — folk, industrial, jazz, or hard rock — with autobiographical text and vibrant images, creating a multi-sensory journey through evolving sub-genres, as Nevai's narration and Alex Theoret's mastering bring pristine studio works and raw recordings into a cohesive, powerful experience. ... Click to View


Nandor Nevai:
<<The PRICE of FRONTIER>> Book 2: MARTIAL [BOOK + 4 CDs] (Psykomanteum)

Each volume of Nandor Nevai's musikbook series merges four CDs of genre-focused music — folk, industrial, jazz, or hard rock — with autobiographical text and vibrant images, creating a multi-sensory journey through evolving sub-genres, as Nevai's narration and Alex Theoret's mastering bring pristine studio works and raw recordings into a cohesive, powerful experience. ... Click to View


Nandor Nevai:
<<The PRICE of FRONTIER>> Book 3: JASSOM [BOOK + 4 CDs] (Psykomanteum)

Each volume of Nandor Nevai's musikbook series merges four CDs of genre-focused music — folk, industrial, jazz, or hard rock — with autobiographical text and vibrant images, creating a multi-sensory journey through evolving sub-genres, as Nevai's narration and Alex Theoret's mastering bring pristine studio works and raw recordings into a cohesive, powerful experience. ... Click to View


Nandor Nevai:
<<The PRICE of FRONTIER>> Book 4: HARD-WON [BOOK + 4 CDs] (Psykomanteum)

Each volume of Nandor Nevai's musikbook series merges four CDs of genre-focused music — folk, industrial, jazz, or hard rock — with autobiographical text and vibrant images, creating a multi-sensory journey through evolving sub-genres, as Nevai's narration and Alex Theoret's mastering bring pristine studio works and raw recordings into a cohesive, powerful experience. ... Click to View


Brian Marsella's iMAGiNARiUM:
Medietas [3 CDs] (Tzadik)

Led by pianist Brian Marsella, the sonic theater supergroup iMAGiNARiUM unites a remarkable cast from the Downtown NY scene for a wildly creative 3-CD set that blends jazz, fusion, psych, experimental, and contemporary forms with a sense of awe, humor, and effortless ingenuity, resulting in a captivating journey filled with wonder and, yes, imagination. ... Click to View


Ackley / Chen / Centazzo / DeGruttola / Kaiser / Manring:
Two Views Of Steve Lacys The Wire (Don Giovanni Records)

Saxophonist Bruce Ackley, percussionist Andrea Centazzo, pianist Tania Chen, cellist Danielle DeGruttola, and bassists Henry Kaiser and Michael Manring present a tribute to soprano saxophonist & composer Steve Lacy's 1977 album The Wire, replicating the instrumentation of that album but electrifying the bass, as they reflect twice on Lacy's incredible contribution to creative jazz. ... Click to View



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  The Remote Viewers 
  Inside The Blizzard / Trivia  
  (Remote Viewers) 


  
   review by Massimo Ricci
  2024-10-23
The Remote Viewers: Inside The Blizzard / Trivia (Remote Viewers)

The Remote Viewers represent the archetypal sui generis musical entity. Their line-up consists of varying permutations of more or less permanent members (David Petts, Adrian Northover, Sue Lynch, John Edwards, Caroline Kraabel) who, from time to time, recruit collaborators for a particular project. In this instance, they welcomed the contributions of Rosa Theodora, whose piano is a pivotal element in "Inside The Blizzard", and trumpeter Hutch Demouiplied, who participated in two tracks on "Trivia". As usual, the core of the group is occupied with saxophones, flutes and programming (Petts, Northover, Lynch, Kraabel), plus double bass (Edwards).

The title(s) provide a straightforward hint regarding this release, comprising in fact two distinct compositions divided into five and eight segments respectively, with diverse instrumental combinations. A decision was made to combine these relatively short works onto a single CDR, even if they are presented separately on Bandcamp. Despite this organization, no significant stylistic contradictions arise. The Viewers' unique approach remains consistently in evidence, principally highlighting entangled counterpoints that sound as if they were sculpted from balsa wood using a razor blade. The result of this process exhibits a severe dissonance, and is frequently typified by a minimalist drive that may occasionally verge on obsessive. Yet it will also appear exceptionally clever and ear-pleasing to discerning listeners, mild perturbation and utter gratification walking hand in hand.

It can happen that one or more of the wind instruments are left uncontrolled, losing touch with the mathematical coordination typical of much of the scores, and crumbling all form in a sort of semi-authorized homage to free. This is finely exemplified by the solos within "The Tank in The Clinic", opener of "Inside The Blizzard". However, during the scored sections our mind keeps picturing a well-coordinated, but still very strange dance of a puppet ensemble, shades of Michael Nyman and Tom Johnson intersecting with the eerie atmosphere of a Dario Argento movie. In this and other episodes, a kind of edginess influenced by concatenations of oblique clusters and repetitive fragments of melody takes shape, soundtracking our acquisition of the acoustic data. Only when everything has ceased do we realize that we now miss that discipline. And that low-budget drum machine as well.



The Remote Viewers: Inside The Blizzard / Trivia
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