Avant Music News

A quick plug for a new group that’s not avant, but sounds very good in a jam-band sort of way. Chicago Green features bassist Max Benson, son of my friend, the author Raymond Benson. Their debut CD will be out soon and I’m sure they will be playing live as well.

UPCOMING AT BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HOME

Friday, Aug. 31: Masul/Arrivistes/Ray Bertsch
Electronics/synth player Paul Giallorenzo has worked with many Chicago improvisers, including Jeb Bishop, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Dave Rempis, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, Tim Daisy, Frank Rosaly, Mike Reed, Josh Berman, Jason Ajemian, Jason Stein, and many others. Thomas Mejer, a contrabass saxophonist/composer from Luzern, Switzerland spent 4 months in Chicago […]

From Dusted:

Artist: Massacre
Album: Lonely Heart
Label: Tzadik
Review date: Aug. 31, 2007
Artist: Sun Ra
Album: Strange Strings
Label: Unheard Music Series
Review date: Aug. 29, 2007

This week’s shows in New York:

RASHIED ALI QUINTET (Tonight and tomorrow night) Rashied Ali has had a substantial career in the avant-garde, starting with his percussive role in the late-period groups of John Coltrane. But hard bop is the sturdy foundation for this quintet, with a front line of Jumaane Smith on trumpet and Lawrence […]

From the Free Jazz Blog:

Michael Marcus - The Magic Door
Blaise Siwula - New York Moments
John Surman - The Spaces In Between

The Guelph Festival gets previewed.

Since it was launched in 1994, the Guelph Jazz Festival has been celebrated for showcasing cutting-edge forms of jazz and improvised music.
The 14th edition, which runs Sept. 5-9, will be no different. Organized under a bold theme – “People Get Ready: The Future of Jazz is Now!” – the event is […]

From KFJC:

Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo - “Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo ” - [Vibraphone Records]
Carter, Tom / Robert Horton / Michael Shannon - “Turnstone ” - [Three Lobed Recordings]
Merzbow Carlos Giffoni - “Synth Destruction ” - [Important Records]
Vopat - “Calcutta ” - [Brutal Sound Effects]
A Band - “A Band ” - [Qbico]

October’s Stone calendar is available.

October 2007 at the Stone curated by Paola Prestini / Steven Bernstein
10/2 Tuesday (JB)
8 pm
Tony Arnold—Vocal Magic
Tony Arnold (vocals)
Internationally recognized for her interpretation of contemporary repertoire, Tony Arnold offers an experimental evening of vocal magic. In 2001 she became the first vocalist ever to win the prestigious Gaudeamus Competition.
10 […]

The latest from DOWNTOWNMUSIC.NET:

August 26, 2007
Eugene Chadbourne’s Sacred Insects of Ancient Egypt, The Stone
Eugene Chadbourne, Evan Gallagher, Mary Halvorson, Barry Mitterhof, Jessica Pavone, Stephanie Rearick
August 25, 2007
Chadbourne-Dahl-Schroeder-Fox-Heberer, The Stone
Eugene Chadbourne, Tim Dahl, Dave Fox, Thomas Heberer, Dieter Schroeder

Chicago’s Rob Mazurek is interviewed about his upcoming Jazz Fest performance.

Anthony Braxton’s rehearsal for the Guelph Fest are covered.

I was privileged along with a dozen or so others this morning to attend a partial open rehearsal conducted by Anthony Braxton at the Arraymusic Studio on Atlantic Ave. in downtown Toronto, with a large ensemble of musicians from the Association of Improvising Musicians Toronto, who will […]

From AAJ:

30-Aug-07 Paul Bley
Solo in Mondsee (ECM Records)
Reviewed by Budd Kopman
29-Aug-07 Steve Lacy - Roswell Rudd Quartet
Steve Lacy/Roswell Rudd Quartet: Early And Late (Cuneiform Records)
Reviewed by Nic Jones
29-Aug-07 Twangorama
Twangorama (Independent)
Reviewed by Craig M. Cortello

Shipp’s recent NY performance is reviewed and his new album is discussed.

On Monday night, to celebrate the release of the album — “Piano Vortex” (Thirsty Ear), yet another kinetic phrase — Mr. Shipp led his trio through two sets at the Blue Note. The first took the form of a persuasive suite, with no momentum-sapping […]

Improvised music has a home in New Bedford, Mass with Audible Think:

Here’s the updated/revised schedule of the 2007-08 Season of the Audible Think Improvised Music Series at Gallery X in New Bedford, MA:
Here’s the 2007 Fall schedule:
Wed, Sep 5, 7:30pm: Jeff Galindo (tbn) Project
Wed, Sep 5, 7:30pm: Kevin Frenette (gtr); Forbes Graham (trpt); others TBA
Wed, […]

From Philadelphia’s Bowerbird:

september 5th (wed)
CAGED IN : Celebrate legendary fringe composer John Cage’s birthday with Relâche, Philly’s contemporary music mavens! Caged In is full audience participation: anyone who wants to (that means YOU!) helps enliven Philadelphia’s art scene. Simultaneously and in one place, we’ll paint, sing, read, dance, scream, sculpt, and perform a Cage-ian extravaganza! […]