Tag: Eric Dolphy

Bark Out Thunder, Roar Out Lightning–Albeit in a Small Dose: 150 Absorbing New and Old Recordings Released So Far in 2023

Grey Matter Natter

I am still behind–I feel I owe ten or fifteen records I haven’t laid ear to some time–but sometimes it be’s that way. The most important thing about this update is a new record is at the top of my list. If I graded albums, it just might be an A+. I don’t even give those to my students’essays.

  1. I am a helpless gestaltist–I am really blown away by works that, though they must be somewhat imperfect, make a powerful impact as a whole. From its wraith-like but oh-so-corporeal vocals to its music to its lyrics to its production to its accompanying art to its title to its assessment of this world, Anohni’s My Back Was a Bridge For You To Cross checks the boxes. Even if I wasn’t a Missourian, where cruelty is our state adjective, it would have knocked me out. After all, I am still an American. I’ve always been careful not to overrate a record that is topical in ways I care deeply about, but a) the cruelty the record addresses is definitely nothing new; b) it’s an undeniable message from the targets of cruelty; and c) as a work of art, it would move me if it were sung in Sanskrit. My Back Was a Bridge For You To Cross is the best–and my favorite–album of the year. It rocks in good measure, too, for those who must have that.
  2. I am also a helpless devotee of New Orleans music, especially any that is connected with the Mardi Gras Indian tradition. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah’s been on a roll, but I’ve been too late to recognize his last couple of releases. Not this time. In some ways, it’s a strong pairing with Anohni’s record–but again, if it were sung in Tamasheq, I’d be down with it. Oddly, he doesn’t play much trumpet but it doesn’t really matter.
  3. In Columbia, Missouri, the indefatigable Matt Crook, a Howard Zinn-inspired high school social studies teacher and father of two youngsters, annually puts together the Columbia Experimental Music Festival (as well as ancillary shows of fascinating variety). This year, in partnership with another great local and annual offering, the We Always Swing Jazz Series, Matt and WAS founder Jon Poses will be bringing the Sun Ra Arkestra to our citizens. I saw Sun Ra himself with the Arkestra here twice, once in the late Eighties and once in the early Nineties, shortly after which The Sun One passed. I’d never have expected that, in 2023, I’d be seeing bandleader Marshall Allen still blowing at 99. I mention Allen because he and fellow Arkestra member Knoel Scott come very correct on the latter’s new album Celestial. Reaper, stay thy scythe.
  4. For Mr. Crook, “experimental” folds in hip hop culture, and why shouldn’t it? Last year, he arranged for three pretty underground figures to give a beat- and bar-making workshop at a local high school; this year, he’s snagged London-born, Queens-raised, Bed Stuy-representing Rome Streetz, whom I’d never heard of (Matt always snaps my earlids up like roller blinds). He’s tough, talented, and worth your time–even if you can’t come to Columbia for the fest.
  5. Regarding the Coltrane and Simone excavations–you’ve probably already heard this–temper your sonic expectations and instead focus on the expression and before-your-very-ears musical evolution you’re experiencing. Evolution isn’t ever…pristine.

(Bolded items are new to the list)

  1. Anohni: My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross (Secretly Canadian)
  2. Gina Burch: I Play My Bass Loud (Third Man)
  3. 100 gecs: 10,000 gecs(Dog Show/Atlantic)
  4. boygenius:the record (Interscope)
  5. Bettye LaVette: LaVette! (Jay-Vee)
  6. Buck 65: Super Dope (self-released?)
  7. Jessie Ware: That! Feels Good! (Universal)
  8. billy woods & Kenny Segal: Maps (Backwoodz Studios)
  9. Liv.e: Girl in The Half Pearl (Real Life / AWAL)
  10. Kelela: Raven (Warp)
  11. Big Freedia: Central City (Queen Diva)
  12. National Information Society: Since Time is Gravity (Eremite)
  13. Allen Lowe and the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: In the Dark (ESP-Disk)
  14. Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Spirit Gatherer—A Tribute to Don Cherry (Spiritmuse)
  15. Jason Moran: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes Records)
  16. London Brew: London Brew (Concord)
  17. Fire! Orchestra: Echoes (Rune Grammofon)
  18. Wadada Leo Smith: Fire Illuminations (Kabell)
  19. The Mark Lomax II Trio: Tapestry (CFG Multimedia)
  20. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah & Chief Adjuah: Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning (Ropeadope)
  21. Janelle Monae: The Age of Pleasure (Bad Boy)
  22. Dropkick Murphys: Okemah Rising (Dummy Luck Music)
  23. Isach Skeidsvoll: Dance to Summon (Ultraani Records)
  24. Wild Up: Julius Eastman, Volume 3—If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich? (New Amsterdam)
  25. Parannoul: After the Magic (Poclanos/Top Shelf)
  26. Yaeji: With a Hammer (XL Recordings)
  27. The Urban Art Ensemble: “Ho’opomopono” (CFG Multimedia 16-minute single)
  28. Felo Le Tee & Mellow & Sleazy: The Ill Wise Men (New Money Gang)
  29. Brandy Clark: Brandy Clark (Warner)
  30. Rodrigo Campos: Pagode Novo (YB Music)
  31. The Necks: Travel (Northern Spy)
  32. Kali Uchis: Red Moon in Venus (Geffen)
  33. Marina Sena: Vicio Inerente (Sony)
  34. Young Fathers: Heavy Heavy (Ninja Tune)
  35. Willie Nelson: I Don’t Know a Thing About Love—The Songs of Harlan Howard (Legacy)
  36. Peso Pluma: GENESIS (Double P)
  37. Ice Cold Bishop: Generational Curse (Ice Cold Entertainment)
  38. Allen Lowe and The Constant Sorrow Orchestra: America—The Rough Cut (ESP-Disk)
  39. Tyshawn Sorey:Continuing (Pi Recordings)
  40. Nourished by Time: Erotic Probiotic 2 (Scenic Route)
  41. Walter Daniels: “From Death to Texas” / “Seems Like a Dream” (Spacecase Records 45)
  42. Tyler Keith & The Apostles: Hell to Pay (Black & Wyatt)
  43. Algiers: Shook (Matador)
  44. KAYTRAMINE: KAYTRAMIUNE, Amine, & KAYTRANADA (CLBN)
  45. Withered Hand: How to Love (Reveal)
  46. ensemble 0: Jojoni(Crammed Discs)
  47. Henry Threadgill: The Other One(Pi)
  48. Kari Faux: REAL BITCHES DON’T DIE (drunk sum wtr records)
  49. Lewis Capaldi: Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent (Vertigo Berline)
  50. aja monet: when the poems do what they do (drink sum wtr)
  51. Knoel Scott (featuring Marshall Allen): Celestial (Night Dreamer)
  52. Meshell Ndegeocello: The Omnichord Real Book (Blue Note)
  53. Taj Mahal: Savoy (Cheraw S.C.)
  54. corook: serious person (part 1) (Atlantic)
  55. Haviah Mighty: Crying Crystals (Mighty Gang)
  56. Rome Streetz: Wasn’t Built in a Day (Big Ghost)
  57. Kiko El Crazy: Pila’e Teteo (Rimas)
  58. Islandman (featuring Okay Temiz and Muhlis Berberoglu: Direct-to-Disc Sessions (Night Dreamer)
  59. Edward Simon: Femeninas (ArtistShare)
  60. Kill Bill—The Rapper: Fullmetal Kaiju (EXO)
  61. Rough Image: Rough Image (WV Sorcerer Productions)
  62. Ingrid Laubrock: The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
  63. Rob Mazurek & Exploding Star Orchestra: LightningDreamers (International Anthem)
  64. Kaze & Ikue Mori: Crustal Movement (Circum/Libra)
  65. DJ Black Low: Impumelelo (Awesome Tapes from Africa)
  66. Belle and Sebastian: Late Developers  (Matador)
  67. Satoko Fujii & Otomo Yoshihide: Perpetual Motion (Ayler Records)
  68. Rocket 88: House of Jackpots (12XU)
  69. Taiko Saito: Tears of a Cloud (Trouble in the East)
  70. JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown: Scaring the Hoes (self-released)
  71. Water from Your Eyes: Everyone’s Crushed (Matador)
  72. Lakecia Benjamin: Phoenix (Whirlwind)
  73. Amaarae: Fountain Baby (Golden Angel/Interscope)
  74. Satoko Fujii: Torrent (Libra Records)
  75. Javon Jackson: “With Peter Bradley”—Soundtrack and Original Score (Solid Jackson)
  76. YMA & Jadsa: Zelena (Matraca)
  77. Palehound: Eye on the Bat (Polyvinyl)
  78. J Hus: Beautiful and Brutal Yard (Black Butter)
  79. Das Kondensat: Anderen Planeten (Why Play Jazz)
  80. Iris DeMent: Workin’ On a World (FlariElla)
  81. David Mirarchi: Ink Folly, Orchid Gleam(Unbroken Sounds) (coming soon….)
  82. Baaba Maal: Being (Atelier Live/Marathon Artists)
  83. Bob Dylan: Shadow Kingdom (Columbia)
  84. Lana Del Rey: Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (Polydor)
  85. Romulo Froes & Tiago Rosas: Na Goela (YB Music)
  86. Buselli – Wallarab Jazz Orchestra: The Gennett Suite (Patois Records)
  87. Florian Arbenz: Conversation #9—Targeted (Hammer Recordings)
  88. James Brandon Lewis: Eye of I (Anti-)
  89. Sexyy Red: Hood Hottest Princess (Open Shift)
  90. Joanna Sternberg: I’ve Got Me (Fat Possum)
  91. Tracey Nelson: Life Don’t Miss Nobody (BMG)
  92. Etran De L’Air: Live in Seattle (EP) (Sahel Sounds)
  93. Everything But the Girl: Fuse (Buzzin’ Fly)
  94. Tomas Fujiwara’s Triple Double: March On (self-released EP—coming in March)
  95. Ice Spice: Like…? (10K Projects / Capitol Records EP)
  96. otay:onii: Dream Hacker (WV Sorcerer Productions)
  97. Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe: The Rite of Spring—Spectre d’un songe (Pyroclastic)
  98. Nakimbembe Embaire Group: Nakimbembe Embaire Group (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
  99. Shirley Collins: Archangel Hill (Domino)
  100. Karol G: Manana Sera Bonito (Universal Music Latino)
  101. Andrew Cyrille: Music Delivery / Percussion (Intakt)
  102. Kate Gentile: b i o m e i.i (Obliquity)
  103. Yves Tumor: Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (Warp)
  104. Lonnie Holley: Oh Me Oh My (Jagjaguwar)
  105. Yonic South: Devo Challenge Cup (Wild Honey)
  106. Rudy Royston: Day (Greenleaf Music)
  107. Basher: Doubles (Sinking City)
  108. Lankum: False Lankum (Rough Trade)
  109. Staples Jr. Singers: Tell Heaven (EP) (Luaka Bop) Note: the vinyl gets you more great minutes of testifying.
  110. Brandee Younger: Brand New Life (Impulse!)
  111. Babe, Terror: Teghnojoyg
  112. Heinali: Kyiv Eternal (Injazero)
  113. Tri-County Liquidators: “Flies” / “Weep Then Whisper” / “Bitter” (self-released)
  114. Vinny Golia Quartet: No Refunds (Unbroken Sounds)
  115. Black Country, New Road: Live at Bush Hall (Ninja Tune)
  116. The Art Ensemble of Chicago: From Paris to Paris (Rogue Art)
  117. Clarence “Bluesman” Davis: Shake It For Me (Music Maker Foundation)
  118. The War and The Treaty: Lover’s Game (Mercury Nashville)
  119. Aroof Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad, Ismaily: Love in Exile (Verve)
  120. Asher Gamedze: Turbulence and Pulse (International Anthem)
  121. Normal Nada the Krakmaxter: Tribal Progressive Heavy Metal (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
  122. Natural Child: Be M’Guest (Natural Child Music)
  123. Kara Jackson: Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? (September Recordings)
  124. Tanya Tucker: Sweet Western Sound (Fantasy)
  125. Billy Valentine: Billy Valentine and The Universal Truth (Flying Dutchman)

Excavations and Reissues

  1. Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens: Music Inferno—The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89 (Umsakazo Records)
  2. Kashmere Stage Band: Texas Thunder Soul 1968-1974 (Now-Again)
  3. Dorothy Ashby: With Strings Attached (New Land Records)
  4. Walter Bishop, Jr.: Bish at the Bank—Live in Baltimore (Cellar Live)
  5. Various Artists: Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid’s Dying Years (BBE)
  6. Nina Simone: You’ve Got to Learn (Verve)
  7. William S. Burroughs: Nothing Here But the Recordings (Dais Records)
  8. Balka Sound: Balka Sound (Strut)
  9. John Coltrane: Evenings at The Village Gate (Impulse!)
  10. Hiatus Kaiyote: Choose Your Weapon (Flying Buddha / Sony Masterworks)
  11. Dream Dolphin: Gaia—Selected Ambient & Downtempo Works (1996 – 2003) (Music from Memory)
  12. Various Artists: Purple Haze from East, Volume 1 (WV Sorcerer Productions)
  13. Various Artists: Purple Haze from East, Volume 2 (WV Sorcerer Productions)
  14. The Southern University Jazz Ensemble: Goes to Africa with Love (Now-Again)
  15. Shizuka: Heavenly Persona (Black Editions)
  16. Jacqueline Humbert & David Rosenboom: Daytime Viewing (Unseen Worlds)
  17. Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind Stripped Naked (Columbia)
  18. Various Artists: Blacklips Bar—Androgyns and Deviants / Industrial Romance for Bruised and Battered Angels 1992-1995 (Anthology Recordings)
  19. Various Artists: Ecuatoriana (Analog Africa)
  20. RP Boo: Legacy Volume 2 (Planet Mu)
  21. Les Raillizes Denudes: ’77 Live (Temporal Drift)
  22. Luther Thomas: 11th Street Fire Suite(Corbett vs. Dempsey)
  23. Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Shirley Scott: Cookin’ With Jaws and The Queen (Craft)
  24. Professor James Benson:The Gow-Dow Experience (Jazzman Records)
  25. Various Artists: Strontium 90, Shrimps & Gumbo—Lux & Ivy Dig Motorcycle Boots & Mutants (Righteous Records)

“Weaponize Your Sound”: Best Albums of ’19, 25% through the Briar Patch

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All I had to do was bitch about 2019 and it stepped to me–almost immediately. Top 25s in particular are getting a lot of replay.

Bold-faced entries represent older music, which I usually separate into a dedicated list later. Notable: some very emotionally intense desert blues up in here, and it parallels some shit coming down at the source; some really talkative rap records striking deep; my reading as always effects my musical perceptions–I just finished Dave Cullen’s Parkland.

  1. Little Simz: Grey Area
  2. Eric Dolphy: Musical Prophet
  3. Quelle Chris: Guns
  4. Burnt Sugar: 20th Anniversary Mixtapes—Groiddest Schizznits, Vols. 1-3
  5. Dave: PSYCHODRAMA
  6. Royal Trux: White Stuff
  7. 2 Chainz: Rap or Go to the League
  8. Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty
  9. The Coathangers: The Devil You Know
  10. Various Artists: All the Young Droogs–60 Juvenile Delinquent Wrecks
  11. Mdou Moctar: Ilana (The Creator)
  12. Ben Lamar Gay: Confetti in the Sky Like Fireworks
  13. Usted Saami: God is Not a Terrorist
  14. Robert Forster: Inferno
  15. Heroes are Gang Leaders: The Amiri Baraka Sessions
  16. Yugen Blakrok: Anima Mysterium
  17. James Brandon Lewis: An Unruly Manifesto
  18. Kel Assouf: Black Tenere
  19. The Comet is Coming: Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
  20. Aesop Rock & TOBACCO: Malibu Ken
  21. Zeal & Ardor: Live in London
  22. Joe McPhee / John Butcher: At the Hill of James Magee
  23. Various Artists: Weaponize Your Sound
  24. Helado Negro: This is How You Smile
  25. Ahmed Ag Kaedy: Akaline Kidal
  26. Various Artists: Live at Raul’s
  27. Solange: When I Get Home
  28. Tanya Tagaq: Snowblind
  29. Branford Marsalis Quartet: The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul
  30. Steve Earle: Guy
  31. Rosie Flores: A Simple Case of The Blues
  32. Jenny Lewis: On the Line
  33. Silkroad Assassins: State of Ruin
  34. Various Artists: Rhapsody in Bronze (featuring Cousin Joe, James Booker, and Snooks Eaglin)
  35. Angel-Ho: Death Becomes Her
  36. DKV and Joe McPhee: The Fire Each Time
  37. Various Artists: Travailler, C’est Trop Dur–The Lyrical Legacy of Caesar Vincent
  38. Que Vola: Que Vola
  39. Sir Shina Peters and His Internation Stars: Sewele
  40. Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba: Miri
  41. People Under the Stairs: Sincerely, The P
  42. Powder: Powder in Space (DJ Mix)
  43. Hama: Houmeissa
  44. Ill Considered: 5
  45. Leyla McCalla: Capitalist Blues
  46. M’dou Moctar: Blue Stage Session
  47. CZARFACE & Ghostface Killah: Czarface Meets Ghostface
  48. Matthew Shipp Trio: Signature
  49. Angel Bat Dawid: The Oracle
  50. Better Oblivion Community Center: Better Oblivion Community Center
  51. Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez: Duologue
  52. Bad Bunny: X 100PRE
  53. The Clifford Thornton Memorial Quartet (featuring Joe McPhee): Sweet Oranges
  54. Our Native Daughters: Songs of Our Native Daughters
  55. Bob Mould: Sunshine Rock
  56. Ty Segall: Deforming Lobes
  57. The Specials: Encore
  58. Meat Puppets: Dusty Notes
  59. Mekons: Deserted
  60. Greg Ward and Rogue Parade: Stomping Off from Greenwood

Good to My Earhole, January 10-16: Wailin’ in the New Year with Jazz

Kamasi

In response to the strong showing of Kamasi Washington’s The Epic, a three-CD jazz expression of what might be companion sentiments to Kendrick Lamar’s to pimp a butterfly, a bit of controversy has emerged among music wags regarding whether a) Washington’s project deserves the rankings it’s getting, and b) he really ranks as a jazzman. Rather than be a curmudgeonly old fart shooting my mouth off after a listen and a half, I decided to give it two-and-a-half more listens–it takes up an afternoon, folks–sandwiching each disk between past jazz projects that have similarities with the project’s design. Obviously, it’s sprawling; its inclusion of human voices (sometimes in light chorus) and Washington’s touching at the edges of a Pharoah Sanders-like cry signal that it might be about the endless incidents of black men being shot dead in the street; its cast of players (and Washington’s appearance on to pimp a butterfly) (and its ground zero being Central L. A., long an influential cultural nexus of black America and the classroom turf of Horace Tapscott) could indicate that the record is a statement about community. Here are the records I used in my listening experiments, and my thoughts, for what they are worth (scores given from the ear-brain-gut obstacle course out of 10):

The Sonny Criss Orchestra/SONNY’S DREAM – BIRTH OF THE NEW COOL – 10 – Truly, one of the most underrated records of the late ’60s. Great blowing by alto man Criss, driving and inventive arrangements and compositions by Horace Tapscott (see above, and note subtitle), and some interesting nonverbal social commentary, the most striking in solidarity with Native Americans. Should be a part of every jazz aficionado’s collection.

Booker Ervin/BOOKER ‘N’ BRASS – 9.5 – I have been binge-listening to Denison, Texas’ finest tenor saxophonist this week, and, of the six records or so of his I’ve played (a couple multiple times), this has been the shining star. Nuthin’ fancy: Ervin in front of a powerful orchestra, wailing away on pieces like “Harlem Nocturne” and “Do You Know What It Means (To Miss New Orleans)?” Those selections might not fill you with excitement, but if you want to understand the term “Texas tenor” you’ll want to seek it out. Booker stepped on a rainbow far too soon at 39 years.

Dexter Gordon/MORE THAN YOU KNOW – 9.1 – Like THE EPIC, this album not ineffectively bolsters its star with strings, orchestrations, and occasional vocals. Unlike THE EPIC, the star is consistently inventing, in a wry, knowing, allusive flow of notes that could only emanate from Long Tall Dexter. Also, it’s clear HE’S the show, though I suppose Washington may have intended to be more of a team player on his record.

Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy/CORNELL ’64 – 10 – If you haven’t heard this amazing but oh-so-short-lived band at length, and you like powerful music, sorry–you may not have fully lived. Tenor isn’t the show, though Clifford Jordan plays fine: it’s Dolphy’s scintillating tripartite inventions on alto, bass clarinet, and flute, Jaki Byard’s shape-shifting piano (which kicks things off with the rollicking “ATFW”–that’s short for “Art Tatum Fats Waller”), the leader’s muscular bass, inspiring, funny, and exciting vocal encouragements–the recording is very intimate, but the playing and exhorting are explosive–and the repertoire, a mix of addictive Mingus compositions the band had become deeply invested in, nods to Ellington/Strayhorn and Waller, and a post-St. Pat’s “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” (a March 18th show). To have been there. This band was ALIVE on stage.

David Murray/SOUTH OF THE BORDER – 9 – Just prior to hitting middle-age, I overdosed so much on Murray’s great run of mid-’80s-to-early-’90s recordings that I eventually had to wean myself off of them and regard them as fine wine for special occasions. Complicating that is his habit–slowed a bit recently–of churning out pretty powerful and often conceptually different records at a dizzying pace. This 1995 recording features the tenor giant surrounded by a large orchestra of the last quarter-century’s greatest players, conducted by the late great Butch Morris to put a Latin/Spanish tinge on covers like Sonny Rollins’ “St Thomas,” future standard repertoire (I’m betting) like Wayne Francis’ “Calle Estrella,” and Murray’s on durable, flexible “Flowers for Albert.” One to turn up. LOUD.

Hannibal Peterson/CHILDREN OF THE FIRE – 10 – Like Washington’s record (in part), Peterson’s suite is a response to violence and an attempt at reconciliation–in this case, the children who became collateral damage of the war in Vietnam. One of jazz’s greatest statements about that time, criminally underrecognized, and really, really, really good. Peterson’s on trumpet, Richard Davis is on bass, David Amram’s the arranger, and poetry and voices deepen rather than distract from the message. For more on Vietnam from jazz musicians, look into the work of Billy Bang and Leroy Jenkins.

Pharoah Sanders/TAUHID – 8.8 – Washington’s playing recalls Sanders, though Kamasi doesn’t quite ever enter the all-out scream zone that is/was (?) Pharoah’s domain. On this late ’60s recording, Sanders had something similar to say, and a secret weapon on guitar named Sonny Sharrock to help me get it across. Sharrock’s wellings and wailings at the record’s opening make it all worth it.

Kamasi Washington/THE EPIC – 8.3 – That’s a high score for three discs’ worth of studio recordings of tenor-driven “Compton jazz” with occasional vocals and chorale. Kamasi needs to figure out a more distinct and consistently inventive way to say what’s on his mind (something damned important), but some hard r&b in the middle of disc two and bassist Thundercat’s submarine pulse have gotten me through three full listenings without pain. I will return to it.