Avant Music News

From Musique Machine:

Schimpfluch Commune Int. - Self Titled
Schimpfluch Commune Int. brings together the demented sonic minds of Dave Phillips, Joke Lanz(Sudden Infant) and Rudolf Eb.Er( Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck). To give one of the most deranged, Strange and freakish collection of sound worlds ever committed to audio, this been a reissue of the cdr album that came with their 20th anniversary box set, which is now out of print.

Septicflesh - Communion
Strings/ classical elements and metal have always been difficult bed-fellows with often the strings been used as a gimmick with little sonic understanding of how or where to use them, or the metal elements are too underplayed losing their power. Communion is one of the better more consistent and well rounded mix of these two dramatic and sonic powers.

Z’ev - Outwaard
Outwaard finds z’ev submerging the listening in brooding, sinister and dense musique concrete.The three tracks with-in are built from recordings made at a petting Zoo in Kleve Germany,though the way they’ve been manipulated has more in common with horror films than a child friendly atmosphere.

Robert Rich - Michael Somoroff’s Illumination
The seven deep, vast and haunting ambient tracks with-in where composed for a video installation that was original performed and built around Rothko Chapel in Texas, which is also the location which modern classical composer Morton Feldman based one of his celebrated pieces around.

Various artists - Wilde Jaeger (extra disk & box)
This is an extra disk of material and wooden box set that’s an add-on to the excellent original Wilde Jaeger compilation(reviewed here)- the beautiful green stained hand made wooden box fitting the original two disks set inside.

From AAJ:

09-May-08 Roy Campbell
Akhenaten Suite (AUM Fidelity Records)
Reviewed by Lyn Horton

09-May-08 Jacob Young
Sideways (ECM Records)
Reviewed by Martin Gladu

08-May-08 Bobby Previte and the New Bump
Set The Alarm For Monday (Palmetto Records)
Reviewed by Troy Collins

An upcoming Pittsburgh show by the Chicago-Luzern Exchange is previewed.

Longtime followers of avant-garde jazz may be aware of the importance of the Chicago-based Delmark label and its storied representation of many of the giants of Windy City adventurism such as the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Anthony Braxton, as well as its advocacy of the blues scene. But unless they’ve been paying attention, they might have missed the rebirth of the imprint as an avid reporter of the latest generation of jazz heroes in Chicago, many of whom are 20 to 30 years younger than a Roscoe Mitchell or a Fred Anderson.

From Time Out New York:

The AACM, which began as the brainchild of four musicians and has grown to include more than 40, has long enthralled critics and fans. But a comprehensive chronicle has been lacking. That changes this month with the release of George E. Lewis’s A Power Stronger than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music. Combining musicology with cultural history and candid reminiscence, the 600-plus-page book benefits greatly from its author’s own experiences as a longtime member of the collective. A remarkable trombonist, Lewis will perform with pianist and AACM cofounder Muhal Richard Abrams and trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith at the tome’s Friday 9 release party, which also features a panel discussion moderated by critic Greg Tate.

From Ground and Sky:

8 May 2008
New review: Scorch Trio - Live in Finland

5 May 2008
Concert review: Earth, Kayo Dot and Stymphalian Birds

The now biennial RIO Festival has scheduled their next event.

Once again, the Rock In Opposition 2009 will be an event of international quality. It will be held in the same musical venue that proved to be the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy really innovative music in optimal conditions: the “Maison de la Musique de Cap Découverte”.

With an additional feature however: a special Opening Day will also be organised in Albi.

During the Festival, specific locations will be dedicated to record labels, press representatives or any relevant “movement” showing some fighting spirit in the field of contemporary musical expression.

Specific venues will also be provided to facilitate dialogue between the musicians and the audience.

Additional activities, such as artist residences, workshops, conferences, exhibitions and installations will also be organised within the framework of the festival.

The tentative lineup includes:

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (USA)
Koenjihyakkei (JP)
Daevid Allen/Hugh Hopper/Chris Cutler (Aus/UK/USA)
Univers Zero (B)
Charles Hayward (UK)
Yolk (F)
Peter Brotzmann (D)
Present (B/USA/F/Israel)

From ART.CappuccinoNet.com:

We are invited to present Ge-Suk Yeo’s project ilgob-sorigori live at the Re:New 2008 festival. Re:New 2008 presents during May 19-23 in Copenhagen a wide selection of the newest ground-breaking works of digital music, video, installations, performative, and distributed/collaborative art. Re:New 2008 will present over 30 individual events, with space for around 150 art-works, and will be a meeting-point for artists and art users from all over the world.

One of the favorite DJ’s here at AMN central, El-P is profiled.

From DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET:

May 05, 2008
Hillmer-Jones-Bettis, Lit Lounge
Chuck Bettis, Sam Hillmer, Darius Jones
Walter-Edwards-Moshe-Rechtern-Barker, Lit Lounge
Andrew Barker, Marc Edwards, Ras Moshe, Mario Rechtern, Weasel Walter

Joe McPhee’s classical Nation Time gets much-deserved attention:

Although Joe McPhee is not as well-known as other players in the free jazz scene, the 60s and early 70s saw work of consistent brilliance. Nation Time was his second release and captured an exact moment when black artists were politically charged with the need for change. Recorded at a 1971 live show at the Vassar college urban centre for black studies (where McPhee was teaching a music course called Revolution in Sound), it demonstrated how much a wild, improvised trip McPhee’s head was in at the time: funky, loose and ultimately free.

From Improvised Communications:

On Wednesday, June 11th, Vision Festival XIII will present an entire night of music dedicated to this year’s special honoree, New Orleans saxophonist and educator Edward “Kidd” Jordan. Five groups, four featuring Jordan himself, will pay tribute to a musical legacy that spans more than a half century.

AMN friend Lyn Horton discusses jazz journalism in a new article.

UPCOMING AT BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HOME

Thursday, May 8 through Saturday, May 10th: gallery opening with Slippery Weasel Society (Jeanne Bieri, Carl Butler, Todd Erickson, Matt Hanna, Mary Fortuna, Arthro Rodriguez)
As we’re part of Art Detroit Now’s big gallery weekend, we’re going to have a 3 night opening reception where you can see our new show and enjoy some live entertainment as well. Slippery Weasel Society brings together a wide range of work from these well established Detriot artists, including installation, painting, graphics and fibers.

JUST ADDED! THURSDAY MAY 8th: CLOUDLAND CANYON
We didn’t have a music act for the first night of the Art Detroit Now show, until our friend Regina Greene let us know about an emergency fill-in show. Cloudland Canyon mines several different sounds, including psyche, krautrock and ambient drones. Music at 9:30 pm. $5.

Friday, May 9th: Clangstrum
Electro-acoustic music with a multi-media presentation by experimental trio Clangstrum. Jerry, Mary and Marko love to mix in unusual instrument combinations, concert music cerebralness and wild improvisation. With video projections! Music at 9m; $5-10.
Saturday, May 10th: Demons with Roger Stella, Sick Llama, Tyvek, Helicoptere Sanglante
This bill has grown quite a bit, with the addition of Tyvek’s danceable and angular take on electric guitar primitivism. Demons and Rodger Stella will combine droning, textural electronics and really big robots! It’s a little dark, but not too scary; the Demons are of the friendly sort! Plus tape-culture experimentation from Sick Lama and France’s Helicoptere Sanglante- who’ll feel right at home with the Michigan folks and their assorted broken gadgetry!
Doors for music at 9 pm; $5.

Wednesday, May 14th: OFFONOFF (members of The Ex and Zu)
This trio has been described as the intersection of Last Exit, James Blood Ulmer, Sonic Youth and Locust. Guitarist Terrie Ex is best known as a founder of Dutch avant-rock group The Ex, who often employed the talents of of non-rock experimenters like the late cellist Tom Cora. As a label head, he has put out records by Han Bennink and Konono No. 1. Massimo Pupillo is the bassist for Italy’s Zu, another group that blurs the lines between rock and experimental music. Paal Nilssen-Love, a veteran of groups with Peter Brotzmann, Evan Parker and Ken Vandermark, brings his distinct drumming to Bohemian National Home for the third time. Doors at 8:30 pm; $5-10.

Friday, May 16th: Dave Daniell and Josh Abrams
Guitarist David Daniell, last seen here working with Rhys Chatham, makes experimental rock with a nod in the direction of minimalism. With musical cells less precious sounding than many of the famous minimalists, he gradually evolves compositions in an additive manner that avoids dull repetition. He’s joined by Josh Abrams, a bassist equally at home playing with rock related groups- like Sam Prekop, The Roots, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Tortoise, Will Oldham and his own Town and Country- as he is with Chicago’s free jazz leaders like Fred Anderson, David Boykins, Nichole Mitchell. The collaboration of these two musicians is full of exciting potential. Doors at 9 pm; $5-10.

5/18 Brad Duncan curated poetry night with Steve Bloom, Kim Hunter
5/23 Detroit Summer and Allied Media Conference Benefit with Viki, ‘Munk and Underground Resistance
JUST ADDED: 5/24 Thrones

COMING MAY 30 & 31: The Third Annual Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music
Sponsored by: Robert Loomis and Assoc., Pat Frisco, Niraj Ganatra, Stormy Records, Barberella, Avalon International Breads, Modati.com, International Minute Press (now@ 450 W. Fort), Car City Records, Slows Bar BQ, Cass Cafe

A couple additions to the lineups:

Friday, May 30th doors at 5 pm
Matthew Shipp Trio with Joe Morris/Whit Dickey
The Raw Truth
Faruq Z Bey and the Northwoods Improvisers
Tatsuya Nakatani
Joe Morris/Ben Hall/Hans Buetow
Michael Carey/Piotr Michalowski

Saturday, May 31st workshop at 2pm; music at 3 pm
Fred Anderson/Skeeter Shelton/Hakim Jami/Ali Allen Colding
Sabir Mateen Ensemble (Michael Wimberly/Warren Smith / Jane Wang / Shiau-Shu Yu /
Raymond A. King)
Andrew Lamb Trio (Tom Abbs, Warren Smith)
Ellery Eskelin/Sylvie Courvoisier
Saris (Sara Schoenbecck, Harris Eisenstadt)
EDGE (Jason Hwang, Taylor Ho Bynum, Ken Filiano, Andrew Drury)
Jack Wright
The Vizitors
Hasan Abdur Razzaq/Ryan Jewell
members of New Music Detroit

From Atavistic:

On Tuesday, May 13th from 10am to 3pm PDT, there will be a 5 hour Vandermark 5 special hosted by KFJC San Francisco’s Thurston Hunger and Daryl Licht. This event will not only see the airplay of some V5 rarities, but will also feature an extended interview with Ken!

You can listen to this show, entitled ‘Applying The Principles Of The Jazz Dialectic: An Aural History of the Vandermark 5’ by visiting these links:

For iTunes listeners, KFJC is listed under both the “Eclectic” and “Public” categories, where you will find MP3 feeds to suit your needs.

For NON-iTunes listeners, click HERE.

To view a full description of this show, please click the following link: KFJC News & Events.

From Philly’s Bowerbird:

MAY 10th
(saturday)
WILL GUTHRIE, NEWTON ARMSTRONG, HOWIE STELZER TRIO
CHANDAN NARAYAN / PAUL NEIDHARDT DUO
ANDY GILES
@ The Gershman Y, Borowsky Gallery

MAY 14th
(wednesday)
SHOT X SHOT CD RELEASE SHOW
ELI LITWIN
LIONSHEAD (JULIUS MASRI / BEN REMSEN)
@ The Rotunda *FREE EVENT*

MAY 17th
(saturday)
CHICAGO LUZERN EXCHANGE
DAN BLACKSBERG TRIO
BRACKETS & ARROWS
@ Vox Populi