David Fiuczynski - Amandala 2001

Guitarist David "Fuze" Fiuczynski served up jazz/rock and fusion-based renditions of Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life," Jimi Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun," and Chopin's Prelude Opus 28 no. 4 on his curiously interesting and altogether impacting 1999 release titled Jazz Punk. Now in 2001, the artist cranks out a set consisting of blazingly executed original compositions, augmented by a powerhouse band. Fiuczynski's now trademark style of execution comes to fruition in gleaming splendor with this enthusiastic melding of electrified interplay with rock-solid and often steamy rhythmic developments amid tricky time signatures and propulsive undercurrents. However, percussionist Daniel Sadownicksupplements the overall proceeding via his shrewd employment of worldbeat and loosely structured accents while drummer Gene Lake and bassist Fima Ephron prove to be near perfect foils for the guitarist's emphatic lines, rippling harmonics, and enticingly unorthodox phraseology. And while theHeadless Torsos are not for the faint of heart, this recording dutifully highlights David Fiuczynski's distinct artistry. AMG.


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Ronald Shannon Jackson & the Decoding Society - Raven Roc 1992

Drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, and his Decoding Society of the 1980s, learned from the example of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time and were a logical extension of the group. They featured colorful and noisy ensembles; were not afraid of the influence of rock; and their rhythms were funky, loud, and unpredictable. Jackson played professionally in Texas with James Clay when he was 15. He moved to New York in 1966, where he worked with Byard Lancaster, Charles Mingus, Betty Carter, Stanley Turrentine, Jackie McLean, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Dorham, and most significantlyAlbert Ayler (1966-1967), among others. He took time off of the scene and then joined Ornette Coleman's Prime Time (1975-1979). Jackson also worked with Cecil Taylor (1978-1979) and James "Blood" Ulmer (1979-1980). The Decoding Society (formed in 1979), through the years, featured many talented and advanced improvisers, with the best-known ones being Vernon Reid, Zane Massey, Billy Bang, and Byard Lancaster. Jackson also played with the explosive group Last Exit(starting in 1986), and in the early '90s with Power Tools. Ronald Shannon Jackson's music is not for easy-to-offend ears. The drummer died at his home in Fort Worth, Texas on October 19, 2013 after battling leukemia; he was 73 years old. AMG.

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The Hillbilly Goats - Out Of The Mountains Show 2012

With their undeniable passion for Mountain Music, the instruments and the harmonies, their recordings paint a picture of traditional songs from 1710 through to the 1940’s with a high energy, modern & quirky edge.  Featuring Banjo, Bones, Mandolin, Double Bass, Guitars, Fiddle, Dobro, Harmonica, Percussion, Tap Dancing, 4 part Harmonies and more, there is a tale told of the history of Mountain Music’s evolution into Blues, Country, Bluegrass and Rock n Roll.

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Objectivo - Out of Darkness Anthology 1969-72 (2009)

Objectivo were one of the most important psychedelic bands in Portugal operating from 1969 to 1972. Some of the best musicians of the time were in the band (through several line-ups) such as Mike Sergeant (Marmalade (UK), Quarteto 1111, José Cid, etc.), Jim Cregan (Cockney Rebel, Rod Stewart, Blossom Toes, Family (all UK)), Zé da Cadela (Xarhanga, Kama Sutra, etc.), Mário Guia (Ekos), Zé Nabo (Banda do Casaco, Heavy Band, José Cid, etc.). The band sang in English and they recorded one EP and three singles, all of them very rare and nearly impossible to find. The music ranges from psych pop influenced by the Beatles to harder, groovier freakbeat. For the first time reissued in glorious white vinyl, with full color cover and 2 page insert with detailed band history and rare photos. Includes their 3 singles, the EP and one super rare test-pressing edit version!

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Screaming Headless Torsos - Screaming Headless Torsos 1995

Part jazz/funk/rock orgy, part political tirade, this 1995 debut by Screaming Headless Torsos is not for the easy listening fan. Strongly allied with the Black Rock Coalition, the Torsos at times sound like an angrier and infinitely funkier Living Color. Vocalist Dean sings, raps, and emits heavy metal screams while David Fiuczynski lets loose with his signature guitar pyrotechnics. The rhythm, absolutely monstrous, is laid down by bassist Fima Ephron, drummer Jojo Mayer, and percussionist Daniel Sadownick. This is no mere wall of sound, however. The music is thick with harmonic and rhythmic detail, the stuff of stellar musicianship. The group's lyrics are rancorous, subversive, and at times racially provocative, with buckets of vitriol directed against sellouts and jazz-funk phonies, the analog to those hip-hop arch-villains, "sucker MCs": "Tell a story of the honky dory/Living in the past/Kicks off his shoes, destroys the blues/Let's splice his ass." They also take aim at mainstream American entertainment in general: "We celebrate mediocrity and worship crap/This country went to camp and never came back." Declaring war on corrupted aesthetic values, the group answers with defiant pronouncements: "I won't be a fool in your school of misinformation"; "I won't sublet or pretend to beget/a shackled down music that's nothing but hype." In "Graffiti Cemetery," the Torsos decry the disappearance of New York subway graffiti as a loss for oppositional culture. Going beyond local concerns, the band laments war in the Balkans with "Wedding in Sarajevo." They also pay Miles Davisa double tribute with "Blue in Green" (hit the dirt, jazz purists) and the theme from A Tribute to Jack Johnson. Along with outfits like Lost Tribe, the Torsos are creating a new kind of uncompromising fusion that Miles would likely have smiled upon. AMG.

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Louise Taylor - Written in Red 2000

Louise Taylor is a talented singer/songwriter whose openness to new cultures has helped define her purpose and growth as a musician. It's taken her down the paths of American balladry and Celtic storytelling, along the back roads of the blues, into the realm of self-discovery. Storytelling is important to her songs, but she embraces folk, jazz, Celtic music, and blues to expand her avenues of expression. Taylor's songs came from tough wisdom in 2001 after enduring the personal hardships of divorce and her mother's death. Despite these personal setbacks, her songs remained earthy and poetic and full of melodic grace. Travels to Ireland inspired her 2000 CD, Written in Red (Signature), Taylor's fourth album, which blended her bluesy style with the lyrical beauty of traditional Irish storytelling. For Taylor, music was not always an integral part of her life. She hit the road from her home in Brattleboro, VT, at age 15 as an itinerant troubadour unsure of herself, playing songs on the street, but not consciously seeking a career in music. In her youth she was shy, but through the encouragement of her brother and other musicians, she found her way. Finally, in 2000, after three albums, she discovered the confidence and poise to make her an accomplished singer/songwriter on Written in Red, but she's always ready to learn new things. Two other vital factors in her development as a musician came from her association in the late '90s with guitarists Chris Smither and Ray Bonneville. From Smither, she learned more about the emotional expression needed in playing the guitar and from Bonneville she honed a sharp fingerpicking style. Taylor's newfound expression on guitar took her from being primarily a rhythm player to one adept at maneuvering through any number of musical styles and ideas. Thanks to B. AMG.

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Chad Taylor - Circle Down 2009

As an important contributor to the Chicago underground creative music scene, drummer and composerChad Taylor has been on the rise, even leading his own groups. Circle Down should elevate him much further nationally and internationally, a beautiful statement of modern jazz music played with attractive melodic content courtesy of pianist Angelica Sanchez, the deft bass musings of Chris Lightcap, and Taylor's spot-on rhythmic shadings, mid-level urgency, and a taste factor that should appeal to many stripes of listeners. This set of originals -- with no scent of standards -- is played with ease, grace, and dynamism, especially from the viewpoint of Sanchez. She is developing into a first-rate post-Geri Allen performer whom everyone should be paying close attention to in the coming years. Playing pretty on "Box Step" or in sneaking, tip-toe refrains through raucous discourse during the steadied beats of "Rock," Sanchez proves an able and original musician that can transcend both time and space. Lightcap continually emerges as a force of natural rhythmic propulsion, via his probing, two-note musings on "No Brainer," setting up, then establishing a rolling stream of consciousness between Sanchez and Taylor. The Asiatic flavor of "Traipse" is undeniably lovely, another example of how this trio dedicates itself to a certain sophistication wise beyond its years. Where the first half of the program concentrates on the compositions of Sanchez and Lightcap, Taylor's pen takes over on the remainder of the session. "Opal" is a lithe theme in 6/8 time, and "Level" is only slightly diffuse but more elusive, à la Allen or perhaps Cecil Taylor. There's the short waltz "Miriam"; a repeat Latin/Spanish sentiment to variation from Sanchez pervading "Pablo"; and Taylor finally getting a workout for "Pascal" with Lightcap, as Sanchez rambles on. Every selection is finely crafted and thoughtfully performed, and it is rare that any modern jazz effort is so satisfying from start to finish. What is even more remarkable is that there is no wasted motion, no histrionics or grandstanding, as pure emotion is translated to superlative music making on this most highly recommended recording, one for the ages. AMG.

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Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Rhythm 2014

If Wildbirds & Peacedrums' music had to be described with one word, it would be Rhythm, and the duo's fourth album delivers all the power and complexity suggested by its title. Following the success of 2010's expansive, experimental Rivers, Mariam Wallentin and Andreas Werliin embarked on a long string of performances that honed their already powerful live act. Inspired, they pared Rhythm's songs down to the most vital aspects of their music: vocals and percussion. While Wildbirds & Peacedrumsalready generated more sparks than many acts with bigger lineups and fuller sounds, now they sound more self-assured and direct than ever. Thanks to Rhythm's up close and personal production, it feels like listeners are inside Wallentin's throat and Werliin's kit. Meanwhile, the duo's songwriting is equally primal and sophisticated, refining the raw power of previous standouts like "There Is No Light" just enough to give it a few more facets. The album's insistent lead single, "The Offbeat," is a fantastic example of the duo's newfound clarity: Werliin and Wallentin both have room to be as simple or elaborate as they wish, and they complement their hard-hitting moments with flourishes that nod to their jazz roots. Throughout Rhythm, they find different ways of expressing the album's focus, ranging from the way "Gold Digger" builds from slinky, bass-driven verses into something towering and imposing to "Mind Blues"' stomping beat and Wallentin's rapid-fire questioning of her very existence. Fittingly for an album that revolves around creative rebirth, songs such as this one and "Who I Was" explore identity, a quest that takes on mystical dimensions as Rhythm unfolds. Wallentin's voice is commanding on its own, but when it's multiplied on "Soft Wind, Soft Death," she sounds like a choir of beautiful but terrifying angels; meanwhile, "Keep Some Hope" and "Everything All the Time" touch on life's great questions with incantation-like intensity. Mysterious and riveting, Rhythm is one of the most stunning distillations of Wildbirds & Peacedrums' powers yet. AMG.

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Mazes - Ores & Minerals 2013

Their debut established Mazes' sound as an indie rock band with a fondness for power pop, but for their follow-up, the London group spread their arms open wide to invite in a wealth of influences and blossomed into a uniquely special band. Leading up to the release of Ores & Minerals, singer/guitaristJack Cooper explained that a new appreciation for Krautrock had played a big part in the making of the album. With Can being a near-constant reference point for bands and hipsters alike, that type of statement usually foreshadows a lackluster impression of Motorik rhythms, but instead of losing track of their initial vision, Mazes carefully incorporates slight details, like one-string bends or a chugging beat without letting any single stylistic idea dominate their songs. Angular guitar interplay and circular syncopation play a large part now, but never to the point that a song feels disjointed. Instead, everything flows naturally. The ghosts of Clor or aspects of Field Music can be heard in the London group's winding, quirky melodies, interweaving instrumentation, and geometric song structures. However, the songwriting is articulate and purposeful. Even when there are unpredictable spikes and shifts, the album feels breezy, subtle, and very accessible. Contradictory feelings dominate Ores & Minerals more than ever. A song like "Skullking" is filled with so much nervous energy that it is on the verge of spilling over, which is compensated for with the bittersweet calm of "Slice." Meanwhile, the best moments, "Dan Higgs Particle", "Sucker Punched," and the title track "Ores & Minerals," are excellent, sneakily elaborate spins on indie pop, molded around Television-esque guitar interplay. Overall, Ores & Minerals is a showcase of the band's strengths that finds an original band settling in and taking their ideas to the next level of clever. AMG.

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Irène Schweizer, Nicols, Lewis, Léandre & Sommer - The Storming of the Winter Palace 2000

At the Moers Jazz Festival in 1986, the quintet of Irène Schweizer, Maggie Nicols, George Lewis, Joelle Leandre and Guenter Sommer caused quite a commotion. The "Frankfurter Allgemeine" wrote: "a great moment of free improvised music; the listeners gave endless ovations, were stunned, moved, even happy just like the protagonist themselves, who lay in each others arms after the magic process of spontaneous interaction". The record with excerpts from the Moers concert as well as from the subsequent performance at the Zurich Taktlos Festival was awarded the German Record Crtics Price. Now this "great moment of free improvised music" is finally available on CD.

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Malachi Thompson & Africa Brass - Buddy Bolden's Rag 1995

Malachi Thompson is impressive not only because of his talents as a composer and a soloist, but also because of his versatility. The Chicago trumpeter has no problem playing Blue Note-flavored hard bop/post-bop, but he's equally comfortable in avant-garde situations. Though Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, and Freddie Hubbard are strong influences on Thompson, he has also learned a lot fromLester Bowie. In fact, Bowie is a featured guest on Buddy Bolden's Rag. This superb CD findsThompson celebrating the contributions of New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden, one of jazz's pioneers and a major influence on such greats as King Oliver and Louis Armstrong. It has been argued that Bolden single-handedly "invented" jazz in the 1890s, and while it's a stretch to say that he invented jazz all by himself, he most certainly played a crucial role in its development. (Jelly Roll Morton, by the way, claimed to have "invented" jazz -- again, no one should take credit for single-handedly inventing it). On Buddy Bolden's Rag, Thompson and his band Africa Brass salute Boldenin an unconventional way; instead of playing traditional New Orleans jazz, they provide inside/outside post-bop that acknowledges Crescent City brass bands as well as avant-garde and AACM jazz.Thompson looks back on jazz's early history but does so without being the least bit dogmatic about it, and the result is a very enriching and unpredictable CD. AMG.

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Unni Wilhelmsen - 7 (2010)

She may be less known on an international level, but Unni Wilhelmsen is something of a star in her own country, with her 1997 debut going gold and winning two Norwegian Grammy Awards ("Best Female Artist of the Year," "Best Album of the Year"). Not bad for a singer/songwriter who began playing guitar at the age of 20, and whose first performance at an Oslo club serendipitously caught the attention of a journalist, who helped connect her with the record label, leading to the release of To Whom It May Concern (Polygram, 1997) eight months later. Thirteen years and six albums on, the simply titled 7 teams Wilhelmsen with producers Jan Bang and Erik Honoré—the duo that, amongst many other accomplishments, brought the renowned Punkt "Live Remix" Festival into existence six years ago.

Not surprisingly, Bang and Honoré bring a more electronic-centric sound world to Wilhelmsen's folk-informed pop and a host of guests who, despite spending most of their time in the jazz and improv worlds, clearly understand the importance of getting to the heart of a song in the same way that the two producers do. Wilhelmsen writes personal, direct songs of love but, despite the melancholy nature of the subject matter, avoids angst and melodrama. Instead, with a strong instinct for catchy hooks and eminently memorable melodies, Wilhelmsen delivers nine originals, along with a contemporary update to Joni Mitchell's classic "Both Sides Now" that, anchored by her gently finger-picked electric guitar, turns more expansive through Bang's samples, soft programming and string arrangements, Honoré's subtle synth work, and Lars Danielsson's ever-tasteful double-bass work.

Danielsson appears on half of 7, bringing warmth and spare lyricism to the bottom end. Another jazzer, trumpeter Arve Henriksen, brings similar personality and beauty to the haunting "Pedestrian Slow," where Bang's economical woodwind arrangement adds orchestral breadth. The trumpeter's shakuhachi-like tone creates a soft, layered cushion on the more rhythmically propulsive "Orange," which also features another fixture on the Norwegian scene, electric bassist Audun Erlien, heard most recently in Bergen with trumpeter Mathias Eick and in guitarist Eivind Aarset's Sonic Codex.

Aarset also makes a couple of appearances on 7, though they're of the same absent nature as on Bang's own exceptional debut as a leader, ...and poppies from Kandahar (SamadhiSound, 2010). Samples of Aarset's "guitar atmosphere" add celestial textures to the folkloric but electro-centric "Revolving Door," "Pedestrian Slow," and the atmospheric closer, "Forslag Til Drøm," the album's only non-English tune.

Throughout, Wilhelmsen's non-melismatic vocal approach brings a vulnerable honesty to the music. For Wilhelmsen, it's all about exploration and growth, and by teaming with the forward-thinking and unfailingly innovative Bang and Honoré, she's shaped an album where direct subject matter, delivered with egoless simplicity, transcends its inherent singer/songwriter roots through sonic landscapes that more purposefully convey the inner meaning of 7's deeply personal poetry.  Thanks to B. AllAboutJazz.

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David Murray - Interboogieology 1978

For this fairly early recording, avant-garde tenor saxophonist David Murray teams up with cornetistButch Morris, bassist Johnny Dyani and drummer Oliver Johnson for some fairly free improvisations, with the originals written by either Murray or Morris. Two of the numbers also utilize the adventurous voice of Marta Contreras. The results are stimulating if not essential; a lesser but still interesting effort AMG.

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