WPCu,//6xHH(FG(HH(dH'@  HH   Times   HH    Times New Roman    H l   Times New Roman     H l   Times New Roman    H l   Times New Roman    H  l    Times New Roman     H %l %   Times New Roman    DH *l D*   Times New Roman  #  hH /l Dh/   Times New Roman    HH HR33   Times New Roman     uLH H[33uL   Times New Roman  PtPtStyl *|+q+ p+y+ ++*7 +4C +>O+H[+Rg+\o!{WP}23 1Paragraph 2Paragraph 3Paragraph 4Paragraph 5Paragraph 6Paragraph 7Paragraph 8ParagraphTxBr_p4 TxBr_p3  {WP}10UUUUUU    Times New Roman Books UUUUUU   Ъ+ 1Paragraph   ۫   4431$#4 Arcana/Zorn    Oxford Companion to Jazz    Saxophone Book   Special    Charlie Parker on Savoy/Dial    Sun Ra on Evidence + 1201   Reissues     Charlie Parker    Booker Ervin     Don Wilkerson     Stan Levey     Von Freeman      Brubeck/Carnegie     Brubeck/Japan    Monk in Tokyo    Monk At Jazz Workshop    Miles/Round About Midnight    Miles/Milestones    Miles/At Newport    Miles/Jazz At The Plaza    Miles/Big Fun    Miles/On The Corner    Miles/Get Up With It    Miles/Aura    Ornette Coleman/SciFi    Ornette Coleman/Skies    Ornette Coleman/Dancing    Mahavishnu Orch.    Peter Br?tzmann    Leo Cuypers    Sven-"ke Johansson    John Tchicai-Irene Schweizer     Joe McPhee   ! Joe McPhee   " Luther Thomas    # Barry Altschul   $ Don Pullen   % Karl Berger/Dave Holland   & Richard Davis   ' Sam Jones   ( Monty Alexander   ) Art Blakey   * Stan Getz   + Tito Puente   , Pancho Sanchez   -   .New   / Coleman Hawkins   0 Miles Davis/Collection   1 Dave Douglas   2 Jane Ira Bloom   3 Mick Rossi   4 Antonio Fara;   5 Ray Bryant   6 Gary Burton   7 Chucho Vald)s   8 Tardo Hammer    9 Robert Creeley: Elton Dean   ; Metheny/Heath Bros.   < Steve Lacy   = Ken Vandermark   > Spaceways Inc.   ? Originations   @ Steve Davis   A Wogram/Bauer   B Wogram/Bauer/Duval   C Lynn Seaton   D Miami Jam   E Caribbean Jazz Project   F Sam Rivers Orchestra   G Scott Colley    H Larry Goldings   I Matt Wilson   J M.O.B. Trio    K Ernesto Diaz-Infante   L Joel Frahm   M Pete McCann   N DeSteno/Magnuson 2   O Magnuson/DeSteno 4   P Phillip Greenlief   Q Chris Speed   R Chris Speed 3   S Oscar Noriega   T Tony Malaby   U Avram Fefer Trio   V Rob Reddys Honor System   W NY Art 4   X Goldberg/Schott/Dunn   Y Graewe/Phillips/Van Bergen   Z Futteman/Levin 3   [ Blaise Siwula   \ Terrie Ex/Han Bennink    ] Jacques Chanier   ^ Bill Mays 3   _ Thomas Tedesco   ` John Stein   a Jack West   +        Times    Times New Roman     ArialBOOK NOTES   Times New Roman      The Oxford Companion to Jazz, edited by Bill Kirchner (Oxford University Press, New York, 2000, xi + 852 pages, illustrated with photographs, $49.50) picks up where a general text like the companion to the Ken Burns series leaves off. Editor Kirchner seems to have gotten everyone in America who writes about jazz to contribute to this massive volume with a short essay of between 10 to 20 pages, ending up with 60 writers. Heres a sampling: Max Morath on  Ragtime Then And Now, Bob Porter on  The Blues In Jazz, Dan Morgenstern on Armstrong, Digby Fairweather on Bix, Loren Schoenberg on Lester Young, Max Harrison on  Jazz Composing And Arranging, James Patrick on Charlie Parker, Dick Katz on pianists of the 1940s and 50s, Brian Priestley on Monk and Mingus, Lewis Porter on Coltrane, Kiyoshi Koyama on jazz in Japan, Randy Sandke on  The Trumpet In Jazz, Gunther Schuller on  The Trombone In Jazz, Ron Welburn on jazz criticism, and Gene Santoro on Latin jazz. Its a great resource, dense with information but very readable just the same. In addition to a select bibliography, there are two indices, one of names and subjects, and another very helpful one of songs and recordings ... Composer, alto saxophonist, scene-maker, and now book editor John Zorn prefaces his Arcana: Musicians On Music (Granary Books/Hips Road, New York, 2000, vi + 379 pages, $24.95) by noting that in more than 20 years of music-making by himself and like-minded musicians  not one single writer has ever come forward to champion or even intelligently to analyze exactly what it is that we have been doing. Zorns music is in fact almost totally absent from the conventional wisdom that gets codified in books like the Oxford Companion. His astute observation led him to commission writings from people who dont usually write for the printed page: the musicians themselves. Zorn got as wide a response to his project as he would have received by issuing a call for tracks on a new CD. Approaches include strictly functional pieces (Bill Frisell on guitar exercises, Mark Dresser on extended bass techniques, Larry Ochs strategies of composing for improvisers), complex extended essays (David Rosenbooms  Propositional Music: On Emergent Properties in Morphogenesis and the Evolution of Music, Scott Johnsons  The Counterpoint Of Species), personal memoirs (Lois V. Vierk on  Studying Gagaku, Peter Garlands travelogue of Australia, Fred Friths journal extracts), a detailed look at the innovation of John Coltrane by John Schott, even a film treatment from Zorn himself. With 30 contributors having the chance to say their piece, Arcana is a unique and valuable resource ... The huge coffee table format of Masters Of Jazz Saxophone: The Story Of The Players And Their Music edited by Dave Gelly (A Balafon Book, London, 2000, 224 pages, illustrated with photographs) led me to expect a once-over-lightly look at the history of saxophones in jazz, but Im very happy to report that this book, yet another set of commissioned essays, is a valuable and enjoyable work that respects all the styles of jazz. There are 25 chapters by 15 authors in addition to the editor, arranged to cover the history of the instrument in jazz chronologically, ending with editor Gelly on the future of the saxophone. Both Schoenberg (here writing on Coleman Hawkins) and Priestley (on Parker and Coltrane) reappear here, along with British writers like Richard Cook, Alyn Shipton, and Peter Vacher. The British origin of the book insures a slew of fresh photos for American eyes and the nicely laid-out full-color pages make it a pleasure to read and leaf through ... Jazz is peripheral but crucial to the story of How The Fender Bass Changed The World, a large-format paperback by Jim Roberts (Backbeat Books, San Francisco, 2001, 190 pages, illustrated with photographs, $27.95). Leo Fender got the publicity he needed for his new instrument after a meeting with Lionel Hampton in 1952. Hamp got his bassist at the time, Roy Johnson, to try it out at a jam session. When the bandleader decided he liked the sound, Fender made him a gift of the instrument, and the exposure that Fender got from Johnson and later Monk Montgomery was decisive in making the electric bass a popular instrument. Ironically, most jazz bassists stuck with their uprights, and the rest of the book is mostly devoted to rockers from Paul McCartney and Jack Bruce to fusion stars like Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius who exploited the instruments volume and power. Roberts strikes a good balance between hardware minutia, style analysis of the dozens of musicians he mentions, and the 50-year history of electric basses, making this a very entertaining read.   -- Stuart Kremsky    ܁  CHARLIE PARKER  THE COMPLETE SAVOY AND DIAL RECORDINGS 1944-1948  SAVOY 92911     Disc 1 (72:13): Tiny Grimes Quintette (9/15/44, Savoy): TINYS TEMPO (x3)/ ILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU JUST THE SAME (x2)/ ROMANCE WITHOUT FINANCE (x5)/ RED CROSS (x2). Dizzy Gillespie Sextet (2/28/45, Guild, Musicraft): GROOVIN HIGH/ ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE/ DIZZY ATMOSPHERE. Dizzy Gillespie All Star Quintet (5/1//45, Guild): SALT PEANUTS/ SHAW NUFF/ LOVER MAN/ HOT HOUSE. Charlie Parkers Reboppers (11/26/45, Savoy): WARMIN UP A RIFF/ BILLIES BOUNCE/ NOWS THE TIME/ THRIVIN FROM A RIFF/ MEANDERING/ KOKO.   Disc 2 (69:08): (11/26/45 session continued): BILLIES BOUNCE (x4)/ NOWS THE TIME (x3)/ THRIVIN FROM A RIFF (x2)/ KOKO. Slim Gailliard and His Orchestra (12/29/45, Bel-Tone): DIZZYS BOOGIE (x2)/ FLAT FOOT FLOOGIE (x2)/ POPPITY POP/ SLIMS JAM. Dizzy Gillespie Jazzmen (2/5/46, Dial): DIGGIN DIZ. Charlie Parker Septet (3/28/46, Dial): MOOSE THE MOOCHE (x3)/ YARDBIRD SUITE (x2)/ ORNITHOLOGY (x3)/ A NIGHT IN TUNISIA (x3, including  The Famous Alto Break).   Disc 3 (64:11): Charlie Parker Quintet (7/29/46, Dial): MAX MAKING WAX/ LOVER MAN/ THE GYPSY/ BEBOP. Home recording (2/1/47): BLUES ON THE SOFA (BLUES #1)/ KOPELY PLAZA BLUES (BLUES #2)/ YARDBIRD SUITE/ LULLABY IN RHYTHM, PART 1/ LULLABY IN RHYTHM, PART 2/ HOME COOKING II: CHEROKEE/ HOME COOKING III: I GOT RHYTHM/ HOME COOKING I: OPUS. Charlie Parker Quartet (2/19/47, Dial): THIS IS ALWAYS (x2)/ DARK SHADOWS (x4)/ BIRDS NEST (x3)/ COOL BLUES (x4, as  Hot Blues and  Blowtop Blues).  Disc 4 (64:58): Charlie Parkers New Stars (2/26/47, Dial): RELAXIN AT CAMARILLO (x4)/ CHEERS (x4)/ CARVIN THE BIRD (x2)/ STUPENDOUS (x2). Charlie Parker All Stars (5/8/47, Savoy): DONNA LEE (x5)/ CHASIN THE BIRD (x4)/ CHERYL/ BUZZY (x4).  Disc 5 (66:01): Miles Davis All Stars (8/14/47, Savoy): MILESTONES (x3)/ LITTLE WILLIE LEAPS (x3)/ HALF NELSON (x2)/ SIPPIN AT BELLS (x4). Charlie Parker Quintet (10/28/47, Dial): DEXTERITY(x2)/ BONGO BOP (x2)/ DEWEY SQUARE (x3)/ THE HYMN (x2)/ BIRD OF PARADISE (x3)/ EMBRACEABLE YOU (x2).  Disc 6 (75:10): Charlie Parker Quintet (11/4/47, Dial): BIRD FEATHERS/ KLACTOVEESEDSTENE (x2)/ SCRAPPLE FROM THE APPLE (x2)/ MY OLD FLAME/ OUT OF NOWHERE (x3)/ DONT BLAME ME. Charlie Parker Sextet (12/17/47, Dial): DRIFTING ON A REED (x3)/ QUASIMODO (x2)/ CHARLIES WIG (x3)/ BONGO BEEP (x2)/ CRAZEOLOGY (x4)/ HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN? (x2).   Disc 7 (58:58): Charlie Parkers All Stars (12/21/47, Savoy): ANOTHER HAIR DO (x4)/ BLUEBIRD (x2)/ KLAUNSTANCE/ BIRD GETS THE WORM (x3). Charlie Parker All Stars (9/18/48, Savoy): BARBADOS (x3)/ AU-LEU-CHA (x2)/ CONSTELLATION (x5)/ PARKERS MOOD (x5). Charlie Parker All Stars (9/24/48, Savoy): Master takes of PERHAPS/ MARMADUKE/ STEEPLECHASE/ MERRY-GO-ROUND.  Disc 8 (65:23): (9/24/48 session continued with alternate takes): PERHAPS (x6)/ MARMADUKE (x11)/ MERRY-GO-ROUND (x1). Red Norvo and His Selected Sextet (6/6/45, Comet): HALLELUJAH (x3)/ GET HAPPY (x2)/ SLAM SLAM BLUES (x2)/ CONGO BLUES (x5).     If five years ago, when mega-boxed sets were already fairly commonplace, someone had told me that soon Id be able to carry around in one hand the complete works of Charlie Parker on Dial and Savoy and even smaller labels, Id have seriously wondered what they were smoking. But here it is, eight compact discs of original bebop, and even though Im looking at the set as I type this, its still amazing that it even exists.   This Orrin Keepnews production covers the period from the Tiny Grimes session of September 15, 1944 through Birds final Savoy date of September 24, 1948. Savoy has licensed the Dial material from Spotlite Records in the UK, as well as tracks originally on Guild, Musicraft, Bel-Tone (the Slim Gailliard date, including two alternates), and Comet (the swing-flavored Red Norvo date from 1945 with alternate takes, out of chronological order at the end of the set) to make this by far the largest official collection of Birds music ever. Even the scratchy Chuck Kopely home recordings of February 1, 1947 that first came out on Spotlite and Stash are here. The producer has taken a sensible approach to the multiple takes and many false starts and breakdowns by programming the originally issued master takes at the start of a session and following them with the remainder of the issued takes in strict chronological order. The arrangement allows for ease of listening for pure enjoyment as well as the chance to make in depth comparisons of Birds solos from take to take and the development of the master take.   In the interests of space, Ive omitted full musician credits for this massive set, and indicated only leaders and recording dates above. Interested listeners will already know that the likes of Miles Davis, Max Roach, Tommy Potter, and Dizzy Gillespie are well represented here. Committed fans will no doubt have many of these solos and even the breakdowns like  The Famous Alto Break committed to memory, and working with a myriad of original sources and transfers made at various times, Keepnews and engineer Paul Reid III have done an exemplary job of restoring the masters.   As a listening experience, the set is tops (how could it not be with so many undeniable bebop classics?). The package design, though, does not measure up to the same high standards. Its pretty enough, an oddly-sized spiral bound case for the discs in individual cardboard sleeves plus room for a 92 page booklet. It takes a firm grip on a disc to remove it from the sleeves, which are manufactured just a bit too small. In fact, Ive removed the discs and put them in spare jewel cases for ease of use, leaving the package a mere decoration. The booklet includes discographical information, an introductory note by Orrin Keepnews, plus commentary by Ira Gitler on Charlie Parker, James Patrick on the Savoy dates, and Bill Kirchner on the Dial sides. In addition, theres a reprint of Bob Porters revealing interview with Savoy producer Teddy Reig, which appeared in the 1980 reissue of the complete Savoy material. Thats all well and good, but it would be nice if it wasnt mostly printed in reflective red-brown ink on brownish paper, making the text hard to distinguish. And while theres been a fair amount of photo and documentary research done for the display, all the illustrations are dark and murky.   But thats all secondary to this treasure chest with some of the most glorious and wonderful jazz ever preserved. In the immortal words of Slim Gailliard,  its Charlie Yardbird a-roonie! ... lets get together and blow!  -- Stuart Kremsky    ܁  Sun Ra and His Arkestra     Evidence Records massive reissue program of Sun Ra albums continues with some much sought-after titles, all in reasonable sound considering the source material. When Angels Speak Of Love is a rarity among rarities, and one of the most anticipated releases among hard-core Ra fans. No doubt one of the reasons is the comparative paucity of small group performances in the massive Sun Ra discography. Highlights of this set include tenor saxophone giant John Gilmore in full flight along with some choice Ra piano on  The Idea Of It All, the incendiary alto of Danny Davis on  Ecstacy Of Being, and the work of unheralded Walter Miller, whose trumpet bursts are all over the record. The four individual features lead up to a final space excursion with Miller and five reeds on  Next Stop Mars. Drummer Tommy  Bugs Hunters unique recording style, with its weird echoes and ghostly voices, becomes a key factor in the music. Lots of fine saxophone work on this one, originally issued as Saturn 1966 by Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra. (Evidence ECD 22216; Sun Ra (p, clavioline, gong) Walter Miller (t) Marshall Allen (as. oboe, perc) Danny Davis (as, perc) John Gilmore (ts, perc) Pat Patrick (bari s, perc) Robert Cummings (b cl) Ronnie Boykins (b) Clifford Jarvis (d) Thomas  Bugs Hunter (perc); NYC, 1963; CELESTIAL FANTASY/ THE IDEA OF IT ALL/ ECSTACY OF BEING/ WHEN ANGELS SPEAK OF LOVE/ NEXT STOP MARS; 45:47)  Presumably recorded for Ras Saturn label, Pathways To Unknown Worlds was actually issued only by Impulse Records (as ASD-9298) in that labels brief flirtation with Sun Ras music, and even then it was available only briefly. (See producer Ed Michels notes in The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums, reviewed below, which tell almost the whole story.) The Evidence reissue (Pathways To Unknown Worlds + Friendly Love by Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra) adds a previously unissued track ( Untitled) to the very short original album. Beginning a sequence of guided improvisations, the title piece is swampy and discursive, a slowly moving mass of sound that goes through a lot of changes in 12 minutes. Extra thanks go to engineer Roger Seibel for making some sense out of the multi-track recordings, which were intended for mixdown to quadraphonic (remember that?).  Untitled is just as enigmatic, with Ras electric piano and synthesizer prominent.  Extension Out goes right for the jugular with a frantic bass clarinet solo by Eloe Omoe and plenty of drums. The last track,  Cosmo-Media, features more synth work plus Ronnie Boykins on bass. Evidence has coupled Pathways with the previously unissued and unknown Friendly Love. This four part album-length suite of cued improvisations was probably recorded around the same time as Pathways, but without the services of Boykins. Brassman Akh Tal Ebah, alto saxophonist Danny Davis, and tenor saxophonist John Gilmore are the key soloists amid the obscure rumblings of this new addition to the Ra canon. (Evidence ECD 22218; Sun Ra (org, synth, el vibes) with Akh Tal Ebah (flgh, mellophone, perc) Kwame Hadi (t, perc) Marshall Allen (as, oboe) Danny Davis (as) John Gilmore (ts, timbales) Eloe Omoe (b cl, contra-alto cl, perc) Danny Ray Thompson (bari s, bongos,  Neptunian libflecto) Ronnie Boykins (b) Clifford Jarvis, possibly Harry Richards (d) James Jacson (perc) Atakatune (conga); Pathways: NYC, 1973; PATHWAYS TO UNKNOWN WORLDS/ UNTITLED/ EXTENSION OUT/ COSMO-MEDIA; Friendly Love: prob. NYC, early 1973; FRIENDLY LOVE, PARTS I-IV; 70:56)  Pathways managed to sneak into the marketplace before Impulse pulled the plug on the entire series, but they left two albums dangling and unreleased until now on the 2-CD set The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums: Cymbals & Crystal Spears. Cymbals includes 3 tracks that appeared on a Saturn album called Deep Purple (LP 485), but the balance of both discs is previously unissued. The music, as so often from this period, is murky and odd, unfolding as a series of small group pieces with the basic trio of Ra on organ, Ronnie Boykins on bass, and Harry Richards on drums augmented by various Arkestra members, with no two pieces sharing the same lineup. The standout piece is the soul blues  Thoughts Under A Dark Blue Light, where John Gilmore makes the most of his only appearance on the date with a long and thrilling solo. Crystal Spears was likely drawn from the same 1973 sessions as Cymbals, but here the Arkestra is back to nearly full strength, with the leader heard on an unusually wide array of instruments. Aside from the absence of his frequent chants and vocal features, this is a typical Sun Ra record, if there could be said to be such a thing. Lots of percussion, abrupt shifts in focus, bursts of synthesizer noise, interlocking riffs for the horns, herky-jerky rhythms, agitated ensemble work with complex backgrounds, and a general sense of freedom and disciplined experimentation prevail. Again its John Gilmore who makes the strongest impression as a soloist, along with Ra himself. For fans there can never be too much music available, making the belated issuance of these Sun Ra albums a very welcome event. (Evidence ECD 22217; Disc 1 (Cymbals, 42:28): Sun Ra (org, Rocksichord & elec vibes on 3) Akh Tal Ebah (t on 2, 4) Danny Davis (as on 5) John Gilmore (ts on 2) Eloe Omoe (b cl on 1) Ronnie Boykins (b) Harry Richards (d) Derek Morris (conga on 2,3); NYC, 1973; 1.THE WORLD OF THE INVISIBLE/ 2.THOUGHTS UNDER A DARK BLUE LIGHT/ 3.THE ORDER OF THE PHARAONIC JESTERS/ 4.THE MYSTERY OF TWO/ 5.LAND OF THE DAY STAR. Disc 2 (Crystal Spears, 41:39): Sun Ra (org, marimba on 1, synth on 1, 3, Rocksichord, elec vibes & gong on 4) Akh Tal Ebah, Kwame Hadi (t, perc) Marshall Allen (oboe, as, fl, picc) Danny Davis (as, fl, perc) John Gilmore (ts) Eloe Omoe (b cl, perc) Danny Ray Thompson (bari s, bongos) Clifford Jarvis (d) Atakatune, Odun (congas) Eugene Brennan (perc); NYC, 1973; 1.CRYSTAL SPEARS/ 2.THE ETERNAL SPHINX/ 3.THE EMBASSY OF THE LIVING GOD/ 4.SUNRISE IN THE WESTERN SKY.)  Theres been especially heavy demand for Lanquidity, with original Lps on the short-lived Philly Jazz label changing hands at many hundreds of dollars. This 1978 set was done on 24-track tape, and its one of the better recordings of the Arkestra. The fascinating story behind the recording is told by executive producer Tom Buchler in a new note for the CD booklet, along with a reminiscence of the Arkestra in Philadelphia by John Diliberto and photos of Ra at home. The main reason its so much in demand is its combination of a fatback funk rhythm section with free jazz horns and Ras inimitable sense of swing, creating one of the most influential of Arkestra albums. From the ritualistic opening of the title track to the plodding  There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of), with its late-night synthesizer and  ethnic voices overdubs, Lanquidity is one of the more intriguing albums among hundreds of Arkestra releases; more than 20 years since it was recorded, the music still sounds ahead of its time. Good to have it on CD at last. (Evidence ECD 22220; Sun Ra (kybds) Michael Ray, Eddie Gale (t) Marshall Allen (as, oboe, fl) James Jacson (bassoon, fl, oboe) John Gilmore (ts) Ego Omoe (b cl, fl) Danny Thompson (bari s, fl) Julian Pressley (bari s) Dale Williams, Disco Kid (g) Richard Williams (b) Luqman Ali, Michael Anderson (perc) Artaukatune (congas, tympani) Sun Ra, June Tyson, James Jacson, Eddie Tahmahs ( Ethnic Voices); NYC, July 17, 1978; LANQUIDITY/ WHERE PATHWAYS MEET/ THATS HOW I FEEL/ TWIN STARS OF THENCE/ THERE ARE OTHER WORLDS (THEY HAVE NOT TOLD YOU OF); 43:31)  And not everything newly issued comes from Evidence. 1201 Music has released Standards, a valuable, albeit short, selection of songs from the jazz tradition performed by Sun Ra in small group settings. Any CD that offers a batch of John Gilmore solos in quartet and quintet settngs is more than welcome to his fans, and the great tenor man doesnt disappoint here, particularly with his rollicking solo on Cole Porters  Easy To Love. Since Sun Ra rarely performed in this context, its also a chance to pay some attention to his piano work and its pivotal role in the band. With the exception of the duet with Wilbur Ware, these tracks were one side of the El Saturn release The Invisible Shield; the other side of that album is included on another 1201 title, Janus With a amazing array of Arkestra releases available on compact disc, this small group collection is one of the more accessible places for a novice to start. The proceedings are in pretty decent sound too, considering the age and the less than perfect recording situations, thanks in part to the 24-bit remastering. (1201 Music 9019; Sun Ra (p) Wilbur Ware (b); Chicago, IL, ca. 1955; CAN THIS BE LOVE?; John Gilmore (ts) Sun Ra (p) Ronnie Boykins (b) prob. Lex Humphries (d); NYC, late 1962 or early 1963; SOMETIMES IM HAPPY; add Walter Miller (t) Clifford Jarvis (d); NYC, late 1962 or early 1963; EASY TO LOVE/ KEEP YOUR SUNNY SIDE UP/ BUT NOT FOR ME; 30:19)      -- Stuart Kremsky      ܁  TimesSHUFFLE PLAY  COMPACT DISC REVIEWS by STUART KREMSKY   Times New Roman    Reissues   The great Charlie Parker was in superb form for a 1953 club date as guest soloist with Washington D.C.s Joe Timers Orchestra, originally issued on Elektra Musician (60019). For Blue Notes CD version of The Washington Concerts, six previously unissued tracks have been added. Four are from a show at the Howard Theater in March 1953, with a quartet featuring Max Roach on drums, and the final pair of tracks are taken from an earlier performance at the Howard in October 1952. As good as the big band material is, with some first-rate Bird, the small group tunes from the Howard are just fantastic. Was there a better drummer for Bird than Max? Just listen to Max and Bird trade fours on  Ornithology or navigate the forbiddingly fast tempo of  Anthropology for evidence of their uncanny rapport. Any fresh Charlie Parker material is cause for celebration and with the music this good, and in fairly decent sound thanks to Jack Towers, the party should last quite a while. Red Rodneys reminiscences tacked on the end of the disc are just icing on the cake. Bird lives! (Blue Note 22626; Charlie Parker (as) with (A) Joe Timers Orchestra: Ed Leddy, Marky Markowitz, Charlie Walp, Bob Carey (t) Earl Swope, Rob Swope, Dan Spiker (tbn) Jim Riley (as) Jim Parker, Angelo Tompros, Ben Lary (ts) Jack Nimitz (bari s) Jack Holliday (p) Mert Oliver (b) Jack Timer (d); Washington, D.C., February 22, 1953; FINE AND DANDY/ THESE FOOLISH THINGS/ LIGHT GREEN/ THOU SWELL/ WILLIS/ DONT BLAME ME/ MEDLEY: SOMETHING TO REMEMBER YOU BY, BLUE MOON/ ROUNDHOUSE. (B) Holliday (p) Franklin Skeete (b) Max Roach (d); Washington, D.C., March 8, 1953; ORNITHOLOGY/ OUT OF NOWHERE/ COOL BLUES/ ANTHROPOLOGY; (C) Bill Shanahan (p) Charlie Byrd (g) Oliver (b) Don Lamond (d) unidentified (congas) on *add Zoot Sims (ts) Walp (t) Kai Winding, E. Swope (tbn); SCRAPPLE FROM THE APPLE/ MEDLEY: OUT OF NOWHERE, NOWS THE TIME*. (D) RED RODNEY INTERVIEW, 1982. Total time: 68:24)  For a number of reasons, the CD reissue of Booker Ervins Structurally Sound album is cause for celebration on the part of every fan of this great Texas tenor saxophonist. For one thing, theres the unexpected appearance of a pair of previously unreleased versions of  Shiny Stockings and  White Christmas, as well as alternate takes of  Franess and  Deep Night. Another is Ron McMasters excellent remix and digital mastering of these 1966 recordings. And finally, with this release, all of Ervins work as a leader for various labels has been reissued on CD, with the exception of a posthumously released Blue Note session. This small band date is considerably better than his other Pacific Jazz date (Booker N Brass), with the unusual but very tight and toughly swinging rhythm team in John Hicks, Red Mitchell, and Lenny McBrowne, plus the brightly toned trumpeter Charles Tolliver joining Ervin in the front line. With a blues feeling hovering over the proceedings, a intriguing array of standards and a few originals make up the program, with Oliver Nelsons  Stolen Moments and a rare small-group version of Strayhorns  Take The A Train among the dates highlights. The extra material adds about 20 minutes to Ervins recorded legacy, definitely welcome tracks for a fine musician who died too young. If youre not a Booker Ervin fan already, this most enjoyable reissue wouldnt be a bad introduction to his many charms. (Blue Note 27545; Charles Tolliver (t) Booker Ervin (ts) John Hicks (p) Red Mitchell (b) Lenny McBrowne (d); Los Angeles, CA, December 14 (5, 6, 9), 15 (1, 4, 8, 11) or 16 (2, 3, 7, 10. 12), 1966; 1.BERKSHIRE BLUES/ 2.DANCING IN THE DARK/ 3.STOLEN MOMENTS/ 4.FRANESS/ 5.BOOS BLUES/ 6.YOURE MY EVERYTHING/ 7.DEEP NIGHT/ 8.TAKE THE  A TRAIN/ 9.SHINY STOCKINGS*/ 10.WHITE CHRISTMAS*/ 11.FRANESS (alternate)*/ 12.DEEP NIGHT (alternate)*; 61:43. Tracks marked * are previously unissued.)  Don Wilkerson was the tenor saxophonist who soloed on most of the great Ray Charles records of 1954, so its no surprise that he played soulful RnB flavored jazz when he got a chance to record for Blue Note in the early Sixties. His three albums for the label (Preach Brother [BST 84107], Elder Don [BST 84121], and Shoutin [BST 84145]) have now collected in a two CD set as The Complete Blue Note Sessions. The Texas tenorman, whos accompanied on all the dates by guitarist Grant Green, is heard in three mildly different contexts. Preach Brother puts him in the most jazz-oriented context, with hard boppers like Sonny Clark and Butch Warren in the rhythm section for a program of Wilkerson originals. A slight Latin flavor is in the air for Elder Don, with Willie Bobo now at the drums and Wilkersons  Se9orita Eula plus Bob Wills  San Antonio Rose on the musical menu. On Shoutin, tenor and guitar are joined by funky organ (John Patton) and in-the-pocket drumming (Ben Dixon) for another kind of soul-jazz experience. Whatever the context, Wilkerson is never far from his blues and gospel roots, with a smoothly expressive and winning sound plus an attractively forceful attack. Guitarist Green is equally comfortable no matter what the surroundings, delivering blistering and inventive solos throughout these dates. Undemanding music thats soulful and lots of fun. (Blue Note 24555; Don Wilkerson (ts) Grant Green (g) with (A) Sonny Clark (p) Butch Warren (b) Billy Higgins (d) Jual Curtis (tambourine); (B) Johnny Acea (p) Lloyd Trotman (b) Willie Bobo (d); (C) John Patton (org) Ben Dixon (d); Englewood Cliffs, NJ, (A) June 18, 1962, (B) May 3, 1962, (C) July 30, 1963; Disc 1 (54:23): (A) JEANIE-WEENIE/ HOMESICK BLUES/ DEM TAMBOURINES/ CAMP MEETIN/ THE ELDORADO SHUFFLE/ PIGEON PEAS. (B) SE8ORITA EULA/ SAN ANTONIO ROSE/ SCRAPPY. Disc 2 (53:56): LONE STAR SHUFFLE/ DRAWIN A TIP/ POOR BUTTERFLY. (C) MOVIN OUT/ COOKIN WITH CLARENCE/ EASY LIVING/ HAPPY JOHNNY/ BLUES FOR J/ SWEET CAKE.)  Any group powered by the economical and fundamentalist drumming of Stan Levey simply has to swing, and the dynamic sextet on This Time The Drums On Me is no exception. This hip hard bop album features one of Dexter Gordons rare outings in the 1950's. Long tall Dexter was in good form and contributes his lasting original blues,  Stanley The Steamer. The albums many highlights include George Handys bopping  Diggin For Diz (originally recorded by Gillespie with Bird for Dial in 1944 with Levey on drums) with good Dex and Conte, plus a exciting round of fours with all three horns alternately trading with Levey; a romping  Tune Up; the sparkle of Lou Levy on every tune: you get the idea. Its a pleasure to report that this date is available again, and with Burt Goldblatts humorous original cover art intact. (Avenue Jazz/Bethlehem Archive R2 76683; Conte Candoli (t) Dexter Gordon (ts) Frank Rosolino (tbn) Lou Levy (p) Leroy Vinnegar (b) Stan Levey (d); Los Angeles, CA, September 27-28, 1955; DIGGIN FOR DIZ/ RUBY MY DEAR/ TUNE UP/ LA CHALOUPEE/ DAY IN DAY OUT/ STANLEY THE STEAMER/ THIS TIME THE DRUMS ON ME; 42:49)  Young And Foolish, a 1977 concert recording by the Von Freeman Quartet, finds the idiosyncratic Chicago tenor saxophonist in superb form on three lengthy versions of jazz standards. This release got extremely enthusiastic reviews on its 1981 reissue, with five stars in Down Beat and pick of the month in the UK Jazz Journal. It sounds just as good today, as the solid rhythm team of John Young, David Shipp, and Charles Walton are perfectly attuned to Freemans energetic creativity. The long performances never run out of steam, and great thanks are due to Challenge Records for making this one available again on its Daybreak imprint. (Daybreak DB CHR 75017 [originally Daybreak D002]; Von Freeman (ts) John Young (p) David Shipp (b) Charles Walton (d); Laren, The Netherlands, August 12, 1977; ILL CLOSE MY EYES/ YOUNG AND FOOLISH/ BYE BYE BLACKBIRD; 53:15)  Sony/Legacy continues to mine their vaults and restore to print albums by their major artists, like The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Included in a recent batch of Brubeck rarities is the double-CD At Carnegie Hall, a typically wonderful performance by the classic version of the Brubeck group with Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright, and Joe Morello, and since its presented in the original performance order, an object lesson in how to structure a concert. Its just as enjoyable now as it was the day it came out. (Columbia/Legacy C2K 61455; Paul Desmond (as) Dave Brubeck (p) Eugene Wright (b) Joe Morello (d); NYC, February 21, 1963; Disc 1 (53:21): ST. LOUIS BLUES/ BOSSA NOVA U.S.A./ FOR ALL WE KNOW/ PENNIES FROM HEAVEN/ BRIAR BUSH/ THREE TO GET READY; Disc 2 (52:08): ELEVEN-FOUR/ ITS A RAGGY WALTZ/ KING FOR A DAY/ CASTILIAN DRUMS/ BLUE RONDO A LA TURK/ TAKE FIVE) Also available again is Jazz Impressions Of Japan, a 1964 date that uses Japanese styled melodies to expand the quartets pallette. You might not think that it would work very well, but youd be wrong. The opener,  Tokyo Traffic, is enough to dispel that feeling and make a believer out of you. Short, but sweet. (Columbia/ Legacy CK 65726; Paul Desmond (as) Dave Brubeck (p) Eugene Wright (b) Joe Morello (d); June 16-17, 1964; TOKYO TRAFFIC/ RISING SUN/ TOKIS THEME/ FUJIYAMA/ ZEN IS WHEN/ THE CITY IS CRYING/ OSAKA BLUES/ KOTO SONG; 35:06)  Finally getting some attention is the Columbia output of Thelonious Monk. The first fruits are double disc reissues of Monk In Tokyo and Live At The Jazz Workshop. Both recordings feature Monk mainstay Charlie Rouse on tenor sax. The earlier Tokyo concert has Butch Warren and Frankie Dunlop on bass and drums; by the time of the Jazz Workshop gig in San Francisco, they had been replaced by Larry Gales and Ben Riley respectively. The Japanese concert, featuring many of Monks favorites, is essentially a replication of the double-album Lp set, and could have been squeezed onto one CD. The Jazz Workshop album, however, has been virtually reinvented, with no fewer than a dozen new recordings plus restored versions of three songs from the original Lp release. In the context of a contemporaneous marketing decision, its easy to understand why Columbia never thought of releasing this material in a four album set, and why they excised bass and drum solos to get more tunes on the record and keep listeners from getting bored. But its just as easy to see from our historical vantage point that fans want every available note. From the recorded evidence, Monks groups were fairly consistent. Even so, they sound particularly  up for these shows. With Ben Rileys snare drum popping and Monks piano ringing out, Rouse digs deeply into Monks unmistakable melodies while Larry Gales holds it together with his thick pulse. While very little of Monks Columbia work can be considered essential, these releases are excellent documents of what his groups put out on stages around the globe, night after night. Get the Jazz Workshop set first; its a better value and the tasty Riley is a total gas. (Monk In Tokyo: Columbia/Legacy C2K 63538; Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) Butch Warren (b) Frankie Dunlop (d); Tokyo, Japan, May 21, 1963; Disc 1 (38:35): STRAIGHT, NO CHASER/ PANNONICA/ JUST A GIGOLO/ EVIDENCE (JUSTICE)/ JACKIE-ING/ BEMSHA SWING/ EPISTROPHY; Disc 2 (42:13): IM GETTING SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU/ HACKENSACK/ BLUE MONK/ EPISTROPHY; Live At The Jazz Workshop: Columbia/Legacy C2K 65189; Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) Larry Gales (b) Ben Riley (d); San Francisco, CA, November 3-4, 1964; Disc 1 (74:08): DONT BLAME ME/ BA-LU BOLIVAR BA-LUES ARE#/ WELL YOU NEEDNT#/ MEDLEY: EVIDENCE, RHYTHM-A-NING/ EPISTROPHY (THEME)*/ HACKENSACK*/ BRIGHT MISSISSIPPI*/ EVIDENCE*/ EPISTROPHY*. Disc 2 (73:49): BLUE MONK#/ WELL YOU NEEDNT*/ BRIGHT MISSISSIPPI*/ BEMSHA SWING*/ ROUND MIDNIGHT*/ NUTTY*/ STRAIGHT, NO CHASER*/ THELONIOUS*/ HACKENSACK/ MISTERIOSO/ BA-LU BOLIVAR BA-LUES ARE/ EPISTROPHY (THEME). Tracks marked * are previously unissued; tracks marked # were previously available only in edited form and is here restored to full length.)  Not unexpectedly, on the heels of their well-received six-CD Miles and Coltrane boxed set, Columbia has been re-reissuing classic albums by Miles Davis in spiffy new packages that preserve the original album sequences and add bonus tracks at the end where available. Round About Midnight was Miles first Columbia Lp, and the label has finally done right by this classic album. The bonus tracks here were issued at the time, but scattered on other releases. This CD offers the sessions complete at last. Sound quality, thanks to the Super Bit Mapping technology, is superb, with each instrument distinct and crisply defined (fabulous sound on Philly Joes snare drum!). Essential listening. (Columbia/Legacy CK 85201; Miles Davis (t) John Coltrane (ts) Red Garland (p) Paul Chambers (b) Philly Joe Jones (d); NYC, October 26, 1955 (2, 7-9), June 2, 1956 (4-6), or September 10, 1956 (1, 3, 10); 1.ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT/ 2.AH-LEU-CHA/ 3.ALL OF YOU/ 4.BYE BYE BLACKBIRD/ 5.TADDS DELIGHT/ 6.DEAR OLD STOCKHOLM/ 7.TWO BASS HIT*/ 8.LITTLE MELONAE*/ 9.BUDO*/ 10.SWEET SUE, JUST YOU*; 58:15) Milestones adds the distinctive voice of alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley to the ensemble on another important album. This one includes three alternate takes from the February 4, 1958 taken from the box. Inspired music, absolutely top-notch. (Columbia/Legacy CK 85203; Miles Davis (t) John Coltrane (ts) Cannonball Adderley (as) Red Garland (p) Paul Chambers (b) Philly Joe Jones (d); NYC, February 4 or March 4*, 1958; DR. JACKLE*/ SIDS AHEAD*/ TWO BASS HIT/ MILESTONES/ BILLY BOY/ STRAIGHT, NO CHASER/ TWO BASS HIT (alternate)/ MILESTONES (alternate)/ STRAIGHT, NO CHASER (alternate); 68:47) Miles Davis At Newport 1958 combines the album side originally released as Miles And Monk At Newport (CS 8978) with the set-ending  Bye Bye Blackbird and  The Theme that first appeared on 1982's Newport Jazz Festival Live collection (C2 38262) for the first intact release of this exciting performance outside of the boxed set. (Columbia/Legacy CK 85202; Miles Davis (t) John Coltrane (ts) Cannonball Adderley (as) Bill Evans (p) Paul Chambers (b) Jimmy Cobb (d); Newport, RI, July 3, 1958; INTRODUCTION BY WILLIS CONOVER/ AH-LEU-CHA/ STRAIGHT, NO CHASER/ FRAN-DANCE/ TWO BASS HIT/ BYE BYE BLACKBIRD/ THE THEME; 40:16) Finally, theres the smoking Jazz At The Plaza album. No bonus tracks here, just the original album (with some corrected credits), recorded at a Columbia Records promotional event in New Yorks Plaza Hotel. After some miking problems with the trumpet at the very beginning, the balance settles down into decent live sound for the period. Coltrane seems particularly on fire for this date, tearing through his solos like a man with more ideas than he can cram into them. It might have been just another gig to the band perhaps, but its pretty special all the same. (Columbia/Legacy CK 85245; Miles Davis (t) John Coltrane (ts) Cannonball Adderley (as) Bill Evans (p) Paul Chambers (b) Jimmy Cobb (d); NYC, September 9, 1958; IF I WERE A BELL/ OLEO/ MY FUNNY VALENTINE/ STRAIGHT, NO CHASER; 40:24)  The folks at Sony/Legacy havent been neglecting the later, electric-era Miles Davis albums. Recently reissued are Big Fun, originally a two-record set with four very different side-long tracks, now lengthened with the addition of four tracks first released on The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions boxed set (Columbia/Legacy C2K 63973; Miles Davis (t) with Steve Grossman, Wayne Shorter, Carlos Garnett (ss) Sonny Fortune (ss, fl) Bennie Maupin (b cl, fl) John McLaughlin (g) Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul (el p) Larry Young (org, celeste) Lonnie Smith, Harold I. Williams (p) Khalil Balakrishna (el sitar) Bihari Sharma (tambura) Ron Carter, Dave Holland, Harvey Brooks, Michael Henderson (b, el b) Billy Cobham, Al Foster, Billy Hart, Jack DeJohnette (d) Airto Moreira, James  Mtume Forman (perc) Badal Roy (tabla); Disc 1 (73:54): GREAT EXPECTATIONS (11/19/69)/ IFE (6/12/72)/ RECOLLECTIONS (2/6/70)/ TREVERE (11/28/69). Disc 2 (68:39): GO AHEAD JOHN (3/3/70)/ LONELY FIRE (11/28/69)/ THE LITTLE BLUE FROG (11/28/69)/ YAPHET (11/18/69); the still-controversial On The Corner, Miles and producer Teo Maceros grand experiment in layering rhythms and using overdubs to create a uniquely funky polyrhythmic musical environment, with fresh notes by reissue producer Bob Belden and saxophonist Dave Liebman, full personnel credits, and in richer sound than the Lp, which was quite long for vinyl (Columbia/Legacy CK 63980; Miles Davis (t) David Liebman (ss on 1) Carlos Garnett (ss on 2, ts on 4) Bennie Maupin (b cl on 2) John McLaughlin (g on 1) David Creamer (g on 2-4) Herbie Hancock (el p, synth) Chick Corea (el p) Harold  Ivory Williams (org, synth) Michael Henderson (b) Colin Walcott (el sitar on 1, 3, 4) Khalil Balakrishna (el sitar on 2) Billy Hart, Jack DeJohnette, Al Foster (d) Don Alias (perc) Badal Roy (tabla); NYC, June 1, 6 & 7, 1972; 1.ON THE CORNER/NEW YORK GIRL/ THINKIN OF ONE THING AND DOIN ANOTHER/ VOTE FOR MILES; 2. BLACK SATIN; 3. ONE AND ONE; 4.HELEN BUTTE/ MR. FREEDOM X; 54:46); and another very long double-album set, Get Up With It, a hodgepodge of material from sessions over a four-year period that ranges from the lengthy dirge for Duke Ellington,  He Loved Him Madly, to the simplistic RnB of  Red China Blues, complete with a blues harmonica solo by Wally Chambers. This set also features extensive notes by Liebman that put the music into perspective. (Columbia/Legacy C2K 63970; Disc 1 (59:58): HE LOVED HIM MADLY (6/19 or 20/74)/ MAIYSHA (10/7/74)/ HONKY TONK (5/19/70)/ RATED X (9/6/72). Disc 2 (64:04): CALYPSO FRELIMO (9/17/73)/ RED CHINA BLUES (3/9/72)/ MTUME (10/7/74)/ BILLY PRESTON (12/8/72). Also available is Aura, a suite for large ensemble composed by Danish trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg on the occasion of the award of the Sonning Music Prize to Miles Davis in 1984, and first issued as a double-album in 1989. The electronic sheen of this music, dominated by generic keyboard sounds and electric drums, seems dated in a way that most of Miles own electric music is not. Some nice work from guitarist John McLaughlin and from Miles himself, but still non-essential. (Columbia/Legacy CK 63962; Miles Davis (t) Palle Mikkelborg, Benny Rosenfeld, Palle Bolvig, Jens Winther, Perry Knudsen, Idrees Suleiman (t, flgh) Vincent Nilsson, Jens Engel, Ture Larsen (tbn) Ole Kurt Jensen (b tbn) Axel Windfeld (b tbn, tba) Jesper Thilo, Per Carsten, Uffe Karskov, Bent Jaedig, Flemming Madsen (woodwinds) Niels Eje (oboe, cor anglais) Lillian Toernqvist (harp) Thomas Clausen, Ole Koch-Hansen, Kenneth Knudsen (kybds) John McLaughlin, Bjarne Roup) (g) Bo Steif (el b) Niels-Henning Prsted Pedersen (b) Lennart Gruvstedt (d) Vince Wilburn (el d) Marilyn Mazur, Ethan Weisgaard (perc) Eva Thaysen (v); Copenhagen, Denmark, 1985; INTO/ WHITE/ YELLOW/ ORANGE/ RED/ GREEN/ BLUE/ ELECTRIC RED/ INDIGO/ VIOLET; 66:59).  The one and only Ornette Coleman was signed to Columbia only briefly in the early Seventies, but he managed to get a near-total cross-section of his musical concerns on tape in that time. Now Legacy has done the right thing and compiled The Complete Science Fiction Sessions, a double-CD set that collates the original Science Fiction album and another Lp of afterthoughts called Broken Shadows, adding three new masters to the canon in the process (An alternate take of  Street Woman, an alternate mix of  Civilization Day, and the previously unissued  Written Word.) By gathering all of his significant collaborators for a widely varied program that included flat out swingers like the exhilarating septet version of  Happy House or  School Work (another reworking of the melody that became  Theme From A Symphony), unique melodic songs like  Broken Shadows or  Law Years, vocal features (Asha Puthli on  What Reason Could I Give and  All My Life Webster Armstrong on  Good Girl Blues and  Is It Forever), and experiments with poetry and with extended instrumentation featuring guitarist Jim Hall on Armstrongs features, Coleman made the most of his contract and crafted a set of pieces that summed up his career to that date while simultaneously pointed out new directions for his music. The absolute highlights for me are the first four tracks of disc 2 featuring the double drumming of Billy Higgins and Ed Blackwell, but instrumental high points abound, with lots of powerful work from the masterful Charlie Haden throughout. Often magnificent music, very well presented. (Columbia/Legacy C2K 63569; Collective personnel: Ornette Coleman (as, t, vln) Don Cherry (pocket t) Bobby Bradford, Carmine Fornarotto, Gerard Schwartz (t) Dewey Redman (ts, musette) Jim Hall (g) Cedar Walton (p) Charlie Haden (b) Billy Higgins, Ed Blackwell (d, perc) David Henderson (poet) Asha Puthli, Webster Armstrong (v) plus unidentified fl, cl, oboe, bassoon, Fr hn on *; NYC, September 7-10, 13, 1971; Disc One (60:57): WHAT REASON CO LD I GIVE/ CIVILIZATION DAY/ STREET WOMAN/ SCIENCE FICTION/ ROCK THE CLOCK/ ALL MY LIFE/ LAW YEARS/ THE JUNGLE IS A SKYSCRAPER/ SCHOOL WORK/ COUNTRY TOWN BLUES/ STREET WOMAN (alternate take)#/ CIVILIZATION DAY (alternate mix#). Disc Two (47:57): HAPPY HOUSE/ ELIZABETH/ WRITTEN WORD#/ BROKEN SHADOWS/ RUBBER GLOVES/ GOOD GIRL BLUES*/ IS IT FOREVER*. (Tracks marked # are previously unreleased.) One part of his work not documented during the Science Fiction sessions was Colemans writing for orchestras. Skies Of America, with Coleman performing with the London Symphony Orchestra, was his other Columbia release, 40 minutes of pretty melodies expressing complexly with dramatic string writing most often set against a pulse established by the percussion. Due to an assortment of problems, this is not exactly the music that Coleman envisioned when he began the project. Union hassles forced the cancellation of a British concert, and caused changes of form for the music to reflect the practical realities of the situation; technical considerations required the elimination of two movements. Still, the music that made it to record is as progressive today as it was on its premiere in 1972. The singular flavor of a wailing Coleman on alto saxophone with a string background is not to be missed by fans of this key figure in modern American music. (Columbia/Legacy CK 63568; Ornette Coleman (as on *) London Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Measham; London, England, April 17-20, 1972; SKIES OF AMERICA PART ONE (SKIES OF AMERICA/ NATIVE AMERICANS/ THE GOOD LIFE/ BIRTHDAYS AND FUNERALS/ DREAMS/ SOUNDS OF SCULPTURE/ HOLIDAY FOR HEROES/ ALL OF MY LIFE/ DANCERS/ THE SOUL WITHIN WOMAN/ THE ARTIST IN AMERICA*)/ SKIES OF AMERICA PART TWO (THE NEW ANTHEM/ PLACE IN SPACE/ FOREIGNER IN A FREE LAND*/ SILVER SCREEN*/ POETRY*/ THE MEN WHO LIVE IN THE WHITE HOUSE*/ LOVE LIFE*/ THE MILITARY/ JAM SESSION*/ SUNDAY IN AMERICA); 41:13)  Dancing In Your Head was the first documentation of Ornette Colemans electric ensemble Prime Time. Two long explorations of  Theme From A Symphony (a/k/a  School Work or  The Good Life) were joined by a brief snippet of Coleman and writer/clarinetist Robert Palmer joining the master musicians of Joujouka in Morocco. Another equally revealing but even shorter fragment of the Moroccan material makes its first appearance on the CD reissue. It would be interesting to learn if Ornette fans who couldnt follow him down the electric road back in 1975 have come around to his modern sound or not. The clarity of the new mastering job is more revealing than ever of his harmolodic conception at work. Its just too bad that the Prime Time band is so sparsely documented, particularly when we have just tantalizing glimpses of the groups powerful cohesion. (Verve 314 543 519; Ornette Coleman (as, perc) with Charles Ellerbee, Bern Nix (g) Jamaaladeen Tacuma (el b) Ronald Shannon Jackson (d, perc) Bob Burford (perc); Paris, France, December 28, 1975; THEME FROM A SYMPHONY (VARIATION ONE)/ THEME FROM A SYMPHONY (VARIATION TWO); Coleman (as) Master Musicians of Jajouka (ghaita, stringed instruments, perc) Robert Palmer (cl); Jajouka, Morocco, January 1973; MIDNIGHT SUNRISE/ MIDNIGHT SUNRISE (alternate); 35:31)  Most IAJRC members, understandably, have no use for fusion, but every genre has its gems. Birds Of Fire, the second album by John McLaughlin and The Mahavishnu Orchestra, is one of them. It flat-out rocks, and the new 20-bit remaster makes it sound even better. (Columbia/Legacy CK 66081; John McLaughlin (g) Jerry Goodman (vln) Jan Hammer (kybds) Rick Laird (b) Billy Cobham (d); London, England and NYC, August 1972; BIRDS OF FIRE/ MILES BEYOND/ CELESTIAL TERRESTRIAL COMMUTERS/ SAPPHIRE BULLETS OF PURE LOVE/ THOUSAND ISLAND PARK/ HOPE/ ONE WORD/ SANCTUARY/ OPEN COUNTRY JOY/ RESOLUTION; 40:24)  Atavistics Unheard Music Series, produced by Chicagos John Corbett, is dedicated to unearthing barely-known avant-garde treasures from the last four decades, including a number of releases from European labels. All titles are in newly designed packages that incorporate the original design. Their biggest seller to date is Nipples, a 1969 Lp by The Peter Br?tzmann Sextet & Quartet featuring what even then was an all-star cast of the European avant-garde. (Buschi Niebergall has passed away, but all the others remain quite active.) Originally issued on Calig (CAL 30604), this is noisily agitated music, though not without some quieter passages. When both Br?tzmann and Evan Parker get to wailing on tenor on the title track, the resulting maelstrom is both invigorating and a little scary. (A curious note: the title track was produced by Manfred Eicher of ECM Records fame, and is as far from that labels sound as it is possible to be.) The playing throughout is outstanding: Van Hoves rippling piano, Niebergalls deep rumble, Baileys sideways textures, and Benninks volcanic drumming create a distinctively appropriate environment for the saxophonists to go for broke. The quartet piece, recorded the following week at the end of another session, is not as dense but just as passionate. It starts with a bass and drums dialog, which builds slowly until Br?tzmann takes over with his roaring tenor. Brawnily intense music. (Atavistic UMS/ALP205CD; Peter Br?tzmann (ts) Evan Parker (ts on *) Derek Bailey (g on *) Fred Van Hove (p) Buschi Niebergall (b) Han Bennink (d); Ludwigsburg, Germany, April 18, 1969* or Godorf, Germany, April 24, 1969; NIPPLES*/ TELL A GREEN MAN; 33:27) From Holland comes Leo Cuypers Heavy Days Are Here Again, a heavyweight quartet from 1981 with Cuypers on piano, more Bennink, Willem Breuker on saxophones, and Arjen Gortner on bass. Relatively short in time but rich in ideas, the seven tracks include an homage to fellow Dutch pianist Misha Mengelberg (a screech-fest with Bennink on C-melody sax), the requisite tango (Dutch improvisers love slightly bent tangos), a jumping riff-based tune with a twisty head that opens the show, the vaguely South African  Alsdat de Olifantstand,stolen, Cuypers says from  a bad record of Cannonball Adderley with some orchestra, and more. Originally released on BvHaast (037), its quite a trip, and as Cuypers says in these new interviews,  its not so bad at all. (Atavistic Unheard Music Series UMS/ALP207CD; Willem Breuker (saxes) Leo Cuypers (p) Arjen Gorter (b) Han Bennink (d, ss, tbn); Amersfoort, Holland, June 12, 1981; HAPPY DAYS/ ALSDAT DE OLIFANTSTAND/ MISHA/ STEFANUS/ BE-BACH/ BLUE TANGO/ COUPERIN; 35:38) Schlingerland/ Dynamische Schwingungen, a solo recording by drummer Sven-"ke Johansson was originally issued by the artist in an edition of several hundred, then reissued as the initial release on SAJ (SAJ-01), sister label to Germanys FMP label. These compositions for drum kit ( Kurze Studie is previously unreleased) are thoughtful and absorbing as Johansson keeps the focus on rudiments, avoiding bombast and mere displays of technique. A wonderful record. (Atavistic/Unheard Music Series UMS/ALP212CD; Sven-"ke Johansson (d); Stockholm, Sweden, October 1972; NAHBILD/ KURZE STUDIE/ ETWAS ENTFERNT VON MIKROFON; 46:18) The rarest title in the Unheard Music Series, besides the original pressing of Johanssons Schlingerland, is undoubtedly Willi The Pig - Live At The Willisau Jazz Festival by the John Tchicai-Ir/ne Schweizer Group, first released by Willisau Live Records (WIL-1) in an edition of 500 with hand-painted covers and never reissued. This impassioned performance starts out in high gear with Schweizer, bassist Buschi Niebergall, and drummer Makaya Ntshoko pushing and prodding a soaring Tchicai on alto. Its not all bluster and power, though, as the group moves through zones of calm interactions as well in their exploration of the simple theme for better than 45 minutes. Schweizer immediately mentioned this release when asked about her out-of-print material. Listening to her articulate and high-energy performance, its easy to hear why. (Atavistic/Unheard Music Series UMS/ALP210CD; John Tchicai (as, ss, p) Irene Schweizer (p) Buschi Niebergall (b) Makaya Ntshoko (d); Willisau, Switzerland, August 30, 1975; WILLI THE PIG, PARTS 1 & 2; 48:25) Not to neglect the American avant-garde, two extremely rare albums by multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee are also available in the Unheard Music Series. Both Nation Time and its follow-up, Trinity, were on the barely-distributed CJR Records (CJR-2 & 3). Nation Time documents a 1970 quintet concert at Vassar College with two long pieces, plus a third track recorded the following day with an octet. McPhees brand of free jazz means the freedom to meld all kinds of music, from funky rhythms to sweet melodies to the extremes of Cecil Taylor or the Art Ensemble of Chicago. The world is just catching up to his  inclusionary tactics, as Ken Vandermark puts it in his liner note manifesto, and here is where he started. The live recording quality leaves much to be desired, but theres no denying the energy and enthusiasm that McPhee and his cohorts bring to his concept.   (Atavistic UMS/ALP201CD; Joe McPhee (ts, t) Mike Kull (p, el p) Tyrone Crabb (b, el b, t) Bruce Thompson, Ernest Bostic (perc) on  Shakey Jake add Otis Greene (as) Herbie Lehman (org) Dave Jones (el g); Poughkeepsie, NY, December 12-13, 1970; NATION TIME/ SHAKEY JAKE/ SCORPIOS DANCE; 40:50) On Trinity, the group is down to a trio of McPhee, keyboard man Mike Kull and percussionist Harold E. Smith. Opening with the lengthy  Ionization, McPhee revels in his panoply of effects on tenor sax, with an assortment of whistles, honks, squawks, and moans. Kull and Smith stay right with him, applying lessons learned from McCoy Tyner and Rashied Ali. McPhees excursions on pocket cornet are more traditional, clear toned with a bluesy edge. The feel of the blues is central to  Delta, an abstract blues that begins with an electric piano and drum duet straight out of the Sun Ra book. The stately  Astral Spirits, with a focus on Kulls electric piano, is an oasis of serenity amidst the frenzy. This CD reissue reveals for the first time the true sound of the album, which was heavily compressed on vinyl to account for the long playing time. More uncompromising free jazz from an unsung master. (Atavistic UMS/ALP214CD; Joe McPhee (ts, ss, t, pocket cnt) Mike Kull (p, el p) Harold E. Smith (perc); West Park, NY, November 28, 1971; IONIZATION/ ASTRAL SPIRITS/ DELTA; 55:52) Funky Donkey, Volumes I & II, credited to the Luther Thomas Human Arts Ensemble and originally released on Thomas own short-lived Creative Consciousness label, lays bare the connections among the Midwest free jazz and RnB scenes as revealed in artists organizations in St. Louis (Black Artists Group) and Chicago (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians). The cacophonous title track is twenty minutes of funky rhythms from a percussion-heavy ensemble spearheaded by guitarist Marvin Horne with free solos on top from Lester Bowie, brother Joseph Bowie, and leader/alto man Thomas. Drummer Charles Bobo Shaws  Una New York, the original side 2, is more of the same. The final piece, Oliver Lakes  Intensity, was scheduled to be (a short) volume 2, but was never issued. This sprawling track shifts the focus to the horns for some wild collective improvisation. The appealingly raw hour is mostly of historical interest, though not without some inspired passages. (Atavistic UMS/ALP215CD; Lester Bowie, Floyd LeFlore, Harold Pudgey Atterbury (t) Joseph Bowie (tbn) Luther Thomas (as) J.D. Parran (rds) Marvin Horne (g) Eric Foreman (Fender b) Charles Bobo Shaw (d) Abdella Ya Kum, Rocky Washington (perc); St. Louis, MO, Fall 1973; FUNKY DONKEY/ UNA NEW YORK/ INTENSITY; 64:17)  Barry Altschuls fairly brief but potent album, You Cant Name Your Own Tune, kicks off with the jumping freebop of the title track which elicits powerful solo statements from bassist Dave Holland, trombonist George Lewis, and the multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers, heard here on tenor sax. Rivers moves to flute and Holland to cello for the austere  For Those Who Care, with Altschuls chattering drums in the lead. The three note free-for-all of  Natal Chart has its own gutbucket charm. Pianist Muhal Richard Abrams shines on his own  Cmbeh, a hard-charging trio performance that also features an authoritative solo from Dave Holland. The drummer takes the spotlight for  Hey Toots!,a solo piece that explores the timbral possibilities of his extended kit. The finale is another uptempo excursion for the full quintet, this time on Carla Bleys  King Korn, with Abrams sounding vigorous as Altschul stokes the fires and keeps the band on track. The overall effect is like a snapshot of the avant-garde scene of 1977. (32 Jazz 32192; George Lewis (tbn) Sam Rivers (ts, ss, fl) Muhal Richard Abrams (p) Dave Holland (b, cello) Barry Altschul (d, perc); NYC, February 8-9, 1977; YOU CANT NAME YOUR OWN TUNE/ FOR THOSE WHO CARE/ NATAL CHART/ CMBEH/ HEY TOOTS!/ KING KORN; 32:56)  The Toronto-based Sackville label has been responsible for recordings in all styles of creative music over the course of its history. For the Sackville Collection, the label is releasing 9 of its more outside releases in limited editions of 1,000, available singly or by subscription. (Subscribers get a bonus CD of Archie Shepps I Know About The Life.) The first of these creative music classics to appear is Don Pullens 1975 Solo Piano Album. As Im reminded by Stuart Broomers extensive notes, this was not only Pullens first solo recording, but the very first solely under his name. The four tracks show this inside/outside pianist stretching out at length. Each of his originals has a very different character. It begins in a relaxed and meditative state of mind with  Richards Tune, dedicated to Muhal Richard Abrams. Pullens pieces tend to grow denser and more involved as they go on, and this one is no exception. The clarity of the original recording is evident on the opening to the excerpt from  Suite (Sweet) Malcolm, with high-pitched clusters at the very start ringing out and suggesting church bells. The gospelish main melody ( Memories) and variations eventually give way to fiercely dissonant masses of sound ( Gunshots) in an expansive display of programmatic music-making.  Big Alice was Pullens signature piece, recorded in a variety of formats. This version of the funky soul tune is very nice, with a sinuous beat and the kind of rolling gospel-style piano that sounds like it could go on all night. The finale is the most difficult listening, a composed melody literally played backwards, a strategy which suggested the entire direction of the improvisation. The result is a highly unusual form and development, and a crucial insight into the possibilities available to the creative improviser. A wonderful reissue. (Sackville SKCD2-3008; Don Pullen (p); Toronto, Ontario, February 24, 1975; RICHARDS TUNE/ SUITE (SWEET) MALCOLM (PART 1: MEMORIES AND GUNSHOTS)/ BIG ALICE/ SONG PLAYED BACKWARDS; 43:18)  All Kinds Of Time, by the duo of Karl Berger & Dave Holland, is an exceedingly gentle and soothing album and the second release in the Sackville Collection. The set begins with Bergers rolling  Simplicity, with the composer on piano, which elicits a wonderfully engaged duet (and a great Holland solo). Its quite clear from the start that the players are extremely comfortable with the music and with one other, and the resulting generally quiet dialogue is most enjoyable. Berger is a limited player, but with great rhythmic strength and a canny sense of how to write for his strong points. Holland is practically without peer as an all-around modern bassist, and its always a pleasure to hear him well-recorded and in a minimalist setting. A lovely set that benefits from a careful digital Remaster ING. (Sackville SKCD2-3010; Karl Berger (p, vbs, balafon) Dave Holland (b); Toronto, Ontario, April 26, 1976; SIMPLICITY/ PERFECT LOVE/ FRAGMENTS/ THE BEGINNING/ MEDLEY; NOW IS, DACCORD, ALL KINDS OF TIME, WE ARE; 42:30)  Forest Flowers is compiled from three albums that master bassist Richard Davis made for Muse in the late Seventies, selected to showcase Davis gorgeous and penetrating arco sound (Bill Lees  Monica or Billy Strayhorns  Passion Flower) as well as his dancingly deft pizzicato on tunes like Strayhorns  Take The A Train or Lees madly swinging  Baby Sweets. A tasty set that includes a wonderful bass/tenor sax duet with Joe Henderson on  On The Trail. (32 Jazz 32208; Marvin  Hannibal Peterson (t) James Spaulding (as, fl) Consuela Moore (p) Ted Dunbar (g) Richard Davis, Bill Lee (b) Freddie Waits or Billy Hart* (d); NYC, May 3 & 16, 1977; FOREST FLOWER/ TAKE THE A TRAIN*/ PASSION FLOWER/ A THIRD AWAY*/ WIND FLOWER; Chick Corea (p) Sam Brown (g) Davis, Lee (b) Sonny Brown (d) Frankie Dunlop (perc); date and location not specified; DEAR OLD STOCKHOLM/ MONICA/ THE RABBI/ BABY SWEETS; Eddie Henderson (t) Joe Henderson (ts) Stanley Cowell (p) Davis (b) Billy Cobham (d); Berkeley, CA, June 30 & July 1, 1977; ON THE TRAIL/ IM OLD FASHIONED/ SONG OF GRATITUDE; 63:04)  Stalwart bassist Sam Jones led a number of tasty medium size bands over the years for record dates on Riverside, Interplay, and Muse. Something In Common features a sextet on the first six tracks, with a Jazz Messengers feel, powered by Jones and his section mate, smilin Billy Higgins on drums. They kick it off with a Jones original, the modal  Seven Minds, featuring a hot piano solo from Cedar Walton. The pianist contributes two of his hip tunes to the proceedings, including his well-known  Bolivia, heard here in a cool finger-snapping tempo that makes for a fine demonstration of Jones mighty sense of swing. A very solid and easily enjoyable date, as enjoyable now as it was when it came out in 1978 as Muse 5149. The CD is rounded out with three sparkling trio tunes from a live Cedar Walton session for the label (Firm Roots, Muse 5059). Easily recommended. (32 Jazz 32217; Blue Mitchell (t) Slide Hampton (tbn) Bob Berg (sax) Cedar Walton (p) Sam Jones (b) Billy Higgins (d); NYC, September 13, 1977; SEVEN MINDS/ BOLIVIA/ SOMETHING IN COMMON/ EVERY MAN IS A KING/ FOR ALL WE KNOW/ BLUE SILVER; Walton (p) Jones (b) Louis Hayes (d); Rochester, NY, April 1974; SHOULDERS/ ONE FOR AMOS/ YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE; 62:27)  Island Grooves combines the first two releases by Monty Alexanders Ivory And Steel band, which incorporates Caribbean rhythms and steel drums into a small jazz band context. An exceptionally wide range of material, from Milt Jacksons  S.K.J. and Nat Adderleys  Work Song to Bob Marleys  No Woman No Cry and Joni Mitchells  Big Yellow Taxi, shows the formats versatility. Getting famed steel drummer Len  Boogsie Sharp into the group for 1988 session is a real plus. Only real minus is the self-indulgent singing on  Sly Mongoose and  Linstead Market. The sunny jazz/reggae/pop fusion sound of these albums grows a tad predictable after a while, but this package is loads of fun nonetheless. (Concord Picante CCD2-4940; Disc 1 (Ivory & Steel, 45:07):Monty Alexander (p) Othello Molineaux (steel drums) Gerald Wiggins (b) Frank Gant (d) Robert Thomas, Jr. (perc); NYC, March 1980; HAPPY LYPSO/ CAVATINA/ MONTEVIDEO/ S.K.J./ THATS THE WAY IT IS/ WORK SONG/ MEDLEY: IMPRESSIONS, SO WHAT/ STELLA BY STARLIGHT/ STREET LIFE; Disc 2 (Jamboree, 49:07): Alexander (p) Molineaux, Len  Boogsie Sharpe (steel drums) Marshall Wood (b) Bernard Montgomery (el b on *) Marvin  Smitty Smith (d) Thomas, Jr. (perc); NYC, February & March 1988; SLY MONGOOSE*/ THINK TWICE/ NO WOMAN NO CRY/ LOOK UP/ ACCOMPONG/ YOU CAN SEE/ BIG YELLOW TAXI/ REGGAE LATER/ CRYING*/ LINSTEAD MARKET*.)  If you were never lucky enough to catch a performance by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, the  two--fer Coast To Coast is definitely the next best thing. These documents of the post-Wynton Marsalis ensemble were done live in a New York club and then almost a year later at San Francisco with the same line-up. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard ,who went on to lead a quintet for a while with front-line partner alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, is a standout soloist on both sets. Hes particularly effective on his East Coast feature, a long version of  Tenderly. Mr. Blakey is a powerhouse as always, and the hour and a half is a small education in how to power and guide a small group from the drum throne. Not essential Blakey, but nearly so. Too bad theres no extra material included from the club dates. (Concord Jazz CCD2-4926; Terence Blanchard (t) Jean Toussaint (ts) Donald Harrison (as) Mulgrew Miller (p) Lonnie Plaxico (b) Art Blakey (d); Disc 1 (New York Scene, 45:03): NYC, May 1984; OH, BY THE WAY/ BALLAD MEDLEY (MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE/ ITS EASY TO REMEMBER/ WHO CARES)/ CONTROVERSY/ TENDERLY/ FALAFEL; Disc 2 (Live At Kimballs, 48:06): San Francisco, CA, April 1985; SECOND THOUGHTS/ I LOVE YOU/ JODY/ OLD FOLKS/ YOU AND THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC/ POLKA DOTS AND MOONBEAMS/ DR. JEKYL (sic). )  My Old Flame combines two live sets by Stan Getz recorded at San Franciscos fabled Keystone Korner and originally issued as The Dolphin and its followup, Spring Is Here. The sweet-toned Getz was a consistent and recognizable performer, and heres 100 minutes of strong evidence. Lou Levy is elegant and swinging in the rhythm section, with a particularly nice spot introducing  Close Enough For Love on disc 1. The bass and drums team of Monty Budwig and Victor Lewis is smooth and reliable throughout, and Getz is in pretty good form. Its hard to go wrong with this set. (Concord Jazz CCD2-4955; Stan Getz (ts) Lou Levy (p) Monty Budwig (b) Victor Lewis (d); San Francisco, CA, May 1981; Disc 1 (The Dolphin, CCD-4158, 48:28): THE DOLPHIN/ A TIME FOR LOVE/ JOY SPRING/ MY OLD FLAME/ THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES/ CLOSE ENOUGH FOR LOVE (THEME FROM  AGATHA). Disc 2 (Spring Is Here, CCD-4500, 52:33): HOW ABOUT YOU/ YOURE BLAS(/ EASY LIVING/ SWEET LORRAINE/ OLD DEVIL MOON/ IM OLD FASHIONED/ SPRING IS HERE.)  Theres a satisfying dose of Latin jazz  la Tito Puente on the double-disc set Puente Caliente!, a coupling of 2 of Puentes Concord Picante releases. Great tunes, from the opening percussion blast of Bud Powells  Un Poco Loco to Chick Coreas well-known  Spain, combine with Puentes unbridled enthusiasm and superb drumming to make this irresistible music. The stripped-down band on Sensaci;n is a nice contrast with the full orchestra of Un Poco Loco, affording a good opportunity to concentrate on Titos timbales. For an added touch, special guest Terry Gibbs swinging vibes on  Jordu give Duke Jordans famous line a new dimension. Thank you Tito Puente for so much wonderful music. (Concord Picante CCD2-4953; Tito Puente (timbales, vbs, marimba, perc) Disc 1 (Un Poco Loco, CCD-4329, 48:43): Jimmy Frisaura (t, bass t, flgh) Piro Rodriguez (t, flgh) Bill Ortiz, Robbie Kwock (t) Jeff Cressman, Dan Reagan, Wayne Wallace (tbn) Mary Fettig, Harvey Wainapel (as) Mario Rivera (ts, ss, fl, melodica) Melecio Magdalayo (bari s) Sonny Bravo (p) Bobby Rodriguez (b) Jose Madera (congas, timbales) Johnny  Dandy Rodriguez (bongos, congas) John Santos (bongos); San Francisco, CA, January 1987; UN POCO LOCO/ SWINGING SHEPHERD BLUES (GOES LATIN)/ ALMA CON ALMA/ EL TIMBALON/ CHANG/ MACHITO FOREVER/ PRELUDE TO A KISS/ KILLER JOE/ TRITON/ ALLUYA; Disc 2 (Sensaci;n, CCD-4301, 41:39): Frisaura (valve tbn, t, flgh) Ray Gonzalez (t, flgh) Rivera (ts, ss, alto fl, piccolo) Bravo (p) B. Rodriguez (b) Madera (congas, perc) J. Rodriguez (bongos, perc) Terry Gibbs (vbs on *); San Francisco, CA, December 1985; FIESTA A LA KING/ GUAJIRA FOR CAL/ ROUND MIDNIGHT/ QUE SENSACI:N/ JORDU/ CONTIGO EN LA DISTANCIA/ MORNING/ SPAIN)  Poncho Sanchez was playing congas with Cal Tjader when that master of Latin jazz passed away. The Concord repackaging of the first two of many albums for the label is fittingly entitled Keeper Of The Flame. The California-based Sanchez ensemble is a mainstay of the current Latin scene, and this pair of excellent albums will immediately tell you why hes been on top since these albums were first released back in 1983 and 1984. (Concord Picante CCD2-4956; Disc 1 (Sonando, CCD-4201, 42:10): Poncho Sanchez (congas, perc) Ramon Banda (timbales, d) Steve Huffsteter (t) Mark Levine (tbn) Gary Foster, Dick Mitchell (sax, fl) Charlie Otwell (p) Tony Banda (b) Luis Conte (bongos, bat, perc) Jose Perico Hernandez (v); Hollywood, CA, August 1982; A NIGHT IN TUNISIA/ SONANDO/ THE SUMMER KNOWS/ CON TRES TAMBORES BATA UN QUINTO Y UN TUMBADOR/ ESTE SON/ ALMENDRA/ SUE8O/ CALS PALS/ PERUCH0N; Disc 2 (Bien Sabroso!, CCD-4239; 40:02): Sanchez (congas, perc) Huffsteter (t, flgh) Levine (v tbn) Mitchell (ts, fl) Otwell (p) T. Banda (b) R. Banda (timbales) David Romero (bongos); Hollywood, CA, no date listed; AHORA/ BIEN SABROSO/ NANCY/ KEEPER OF THE FLAME/ BRISA/ SIN TIMBAL/ UNA MAS/ HALD AND HALF/ ICAN)  ܁  New     Heres a find: Coleman Hawkins performing in Lausanne 1949 for Swiss radio, and issued on CD in 1999 by the Swiss TCB label. Not unexpectedly, given the age and circumstances of this performance at the Maison du Peuple, this is not exactly in high fidelity sound, but the soloists sound quite good and undistorted. Even the cymbal work and some subtleties like quiet encouragements from the band are very distinct. Hawkins is in superb form, and since his magnificent tone is so well-captured and his consistently enthralling solos are the main attraction, this release from the critical post-WWII swing-to-bop transition era is very welcome indeed. A sample of Kenny Clarkes work during this transition period and a hip program of standards and Hawkins originals that includes Birds  Ornithology is a nice bonus. (TCB 02132; Coleman Hawkins (ts) Jean-Paul Mangeon (p) Pierre Michelot (b) Kenny Clarke (d) on tracks marked *, add Nat Peck (tbn) Hubert Fol (as) James Moody (ts); Lausanne, Switzerland, December 3, 1949; ROBBINS NEST*/ RIFFTIDE*/ ITS THE TALK OF THE TOWN/ THE MAN I LOVE/ HAWKS BLUES/ STUFFY/ DISORDER AT THE BORDER*/ SOPHISTICATED LADY/ SWEET GEORGIA BROWN/ BODY AND SOUL/ ASSY PANASSY*/ ORNITHOLOGY*; 67:04 [booklet]; 69:06 [CD player])  The Essential Miles Davis, a two-CD career retrospective, trumps the recent Ken Burns Jazz single disc collection (with which it shares 5 tracks) by offering just shy of 2_ hours of music. With material recorded over a 43-year period, beginning with a Charlie Parker Quintet track from 1945 (the wholly appropriate  Nows The Time) and ending with a tune from Miles Tutu album for Warner Bros., this comprehensive cross-label anthology chronologically documents all of the major bands and associations in Davis musical life. Given its non-judgmental approach to the Davis canon, its the perfect introduction to his artistry. (Columbia/Legacy C2K 85475; Disc 1 (76:28): NOWS THE TIME (11/26/45)/ JERU (1/21/49)/ COMPULSION (1/30/53)/ TEMPUS FUGIT (4/20/53)/ WALKIN (4/29/54)/ ROUND MIDNIGHT (6/5/56)/ NEW RHUMBA (5/23/57)/ GENERIQUE (12/4-5/57)/ SUMMERTIME (8/4/58)/ SO WHAT (3/2/59)/ THE PAN PIPER (3/10/60)/ SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME (3/20/61). Disc 2 (73:12): MY FUNNY VALENTINE (2/12/64)/ E.S.P. (1/20/65)/ NEFERTITI (6/7/67)/ PETITS MACHIN (6/19/68)/ MILES RUNS THE VOODOO DOWN (8/20/69)/ LITTLE CHURCH (6/4/70)/ BLACK SATIN (7/7/72)/ JEAN PIERRE (10/4/81)/ TIME AFTER TIME (1/26/84)/ PORTIA (2/13/86).)  Its fine with Dave Douglas if you dont want to call the music on his luscious new A Thousand Evenings  jazz. As he writes in the cogent liner notes to his second RCA Victor CD,  What this new music is called is, perhaps, not our [the musicians] choice. Names only attach themselves to established and codified artforms. Whatever you call it, the combination of Douglas ravishingly rich trumpet sound, his intelligent composing, and his impeccable sense of the right instrumentation to realize his songs results in the exhilarating and wonderful sound of the Charms of the Night Sky ensemble. One thing thats become clear of late is that any configuration of instruments will work, given the right material and performers. Thus the blending of Guy Klucevseks accordion, Mark Feldmans violin, and Greg Cohens bass with Douglas trumpet seems perfectly natural for the chamber approach that Douglas writing for this group emphasizes. Of course, it helps a lot that theyre all virtuoso players on their instruments, adaptable and utterly compelling soloists. One listen to their version of Nat Adderleys  The Little Boy With The Sad Eyes or the groups respectful take on the theme from  Goldfinger should be all the convincing that anyone needs. With diverse influences on Douglas compositions that range from klezmer ( The Branches is dedicated to the seminal clarinetist and composer Dave Tarras) to Mingus, Ellington, Stevie Wonder, Henry Mancini, and beyond, this music often takes off in unexpected directions. The thing to do is relax and let this music take you on a journey beyond mere description. Stunningly beautiful music, and absolutely recommended to anyone interested in where  jazz is headed. (RCA Victor 09026-63698; Dave Douglas (t) Mark Feldman (vln) Guy Klucevsek (accordion) Greg Cohen (b); NYC, February 2-3, August 14, 2000; A THOUSAND EVENINGS/ THE BRANCHES (IN TWO PARTS)/ WORDS FOR A LOSS/ VARIETY/ THE LITTLE BOY WITH THE SAD EYES/ IN SO MANY WORLDS (ECSTATIC/ MOURNFUL/ IN PRAISE)/ GOLDFINGER/ ON OUR WAY HOME/ MEMORIES OF A PURE SPRING; 66:42)  Soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom has been making wonderful records for years, and Sometimes The Magic, her latest for Arabesque, is no exception. A lot of factors contribute to the string of successful projects. For one thing, theres her singularly gorgeous tone, heard here to marvelous effect on her solo renditions of the two standards on the date,  Bewitched and  How Are Things In Glocca Morra. Her own tunes are excellent at creating moods and providing solid foundations for improvising. The languid  Without Words and the jumping  Varo are two fine examples here. Then theres the way she humanizes the live electronics that she uses to provide more colors to her music; check out the ironically titled  Truth In Timbre. And I dont want to forget the superb musicians that she surrounds herself with. Mark Dressers earthiness and Bobby Prevites dynamism make for a dream bass and drums team. Vincent Bourgeyx, on piano, is a new name to me, but based on his tasty and sensitive work here, I suspect that well be hearing a lot from him. I could go on, but you get the idea. The playful and beautifully performed Sometimes The Magic is just that, magical. (Arabesque Jazz AJ0155; Jane Ira Bloom (ss, live elec) Vincent Bourgeyx (p) Mark Dresser (b) Bobby Previte (d); NYC, June 28-29 & July 21, 2000; DENVER SNAP/ NOW YOU SEE IT/ BEWITCHED/ BLUE POLES/ PACIFIC/ TRUTH IN TIMBRE/ WITHOUT WORDS/ IN EVERYTHING/ VARO/ MANY LANDSCAPES/ HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA; 52:15)  Mick Rossis original compositions on his impressive release They Have A Word For Everything are complex and multi-sectioned pieces with a definite dramatic flair evident from the first minute of  Camus. Its a good thing that hes put together such an intrepid ensemble to play these tunes, or there wouldnt be much to say. But Dave Douglas, Andy Laster, Kermit Driscoll, and Charles Descarfino deliver the goods. Individual high points abound: just for starters, theres Douglas growl on  Camus, an impassioned Andy Laster on alto over the herky-jerky flow of the rhythm section on  Whatever, the Laster and Douglas duet on  A Stubborn Thereness, and Rossis dynamic exploration of the piano on  Dont Call Me Here. Its the kind of unpredictable and quickly changing music that makes the listener eager to know whats going to happen next. From the way it all moves, I wouldnt be surprised to learn that much of this was composed with dancers in mind. Well-conceived and beautifully executed, They Have A Word For Everything is a gem of up-to-the-minute creativity, and heartily recommended. (Knitting Factory KFW-256; Dave Douglas (t) Andy Laster (as, bari s) Mick Rossi (p, glockenspiel) Kermit Driscoll (b) Charles Descarfino (d, perc); Weehawken, NJ, January 1999; CAMUS/ SPACE-JUNK/ AS IF/ TRANSLATOR/ HAUS/ WHATEVER/ A STUBBORN THERENESS/ THEY HAVE A WORD FOR EVERYTHING/ DONT CALL ME HERE/ COLLISION/ SHADOW OF A THRUSH/ I STOP THERE; 68:54)   For his latest Enja CD, Thorn, Spanish pianist Antonio Fara; took the familiar step of flying to New York to record with top American jazzers, enlisting Drew Gress and Jack DeJohnette as his bass and drums team, with saxophonist Chris Potter joining in for 4 songs. Classically trained beginning at the age of 11, Fara; has a marvelous touch at the keyboard, as just one listen to a jumping trio piece like  Preludio will prove. Hes also bursting with ideas, a ceaseless flow that makes the seven minutes of that tune just fly right by. The sensitive bass of Gress and the polyrhythmic DeJohnette are perfect for the pianists style, which emphasize a strong left hand and complex internal rhythms. Listeners new to Fara; might want to start with the one standard here, an impressive trio reworking of  Caravan that really moves. Potter makes the most of his appearances, with his limber tenor and snake-charmer soprano fitting in well with Fara;s dramatic compositional style. Thorn is very enjoyable straight-ahead modern jazz  (Enja ENJ-93992; Chris Potter (ts* or ss#) Antonio Fara; (p) Drew Gress (b) Jack DeJohnette (d); Brooklyn, NY, April 19-20, 2000; THORN*/ TIME BACK/ PRELUDIO/ EPOCH(#/ CARAVAN/ ARABESCO*/ B.E./ TANDEM*/ MALINCONIE; 58:55)  Soulful blues-oriented jazz piano doesnt come much better than the music from The Ray Bryant Trio on the newly-issued North Of The Border, drawn from a 1997 Toronto club date. This is the second in what promises to be an ongoing series of releases from Bryants stash of cassettes, handed out by sound men around the world after his performances; the first was last years solo Somewhere In France. Since there was no need to play it safe for the tape machines, Bryant and his companions Harry Anderson on bass and Winard Harper on drums were simply doing what they do best, and performing for the enthusiastic audience. And now theyre playing for you too. (Label M 495741; Ray Bryant (p) Harry Anderson (b) Winard Harper (d); Toronto, Ontario, January 20, 1997; SLOW FREIGHT/ DJANGO/ LIL DARLIN/ GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE/ NARDIS/ MOANIN/ CON ALMA/ WHEN SUNNY GETS BLUE/ LITTLE SUSIE; 59:02)  Gary Burtons latest, For Hamp, Red, Bags, And Cal, pays tribute to the eminent vibraharpists of jazz in an intelligently conceived and well-executed program. Kicking off with Mongo Santamarias Latin jazz classic  Afro Blue, Burton evokes Cal Tjaders playful spirit with on-the-money support from Danilo Perez on piano, John Patitucci on bass, Horacio Hernandez on drums, and Luis Quintero on percussion, who also perform on  Body And Soul, played as a slow rhumba, and Clare Fischers  JoMo, written for Tjader back in 1964. A totally different ensemble (Mulgrew Miller, Christian McBride, and Lewis Nash) performs Milt Jacksons bop mainstay,  Bags Groove. Theres also a lovely version of his well-known  Django, first performed with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Burton clearly feels at home in the modern idiom, but hes evidently just as comfortable paying homage to the first jazz vibes man, Red Norvo, using Norvos vibes/guitar/bass trio configuration with bassist McBride and guitarist Russell Malone on a pair of tracks from the  Birth Of The Cool sessions that swing like mad. He also delves further back into Norvos career with a version of the swing chestnut  Back Home Again In Indiana, as well as dusting off his xylophone for Norvos old-fashioned  Hole In The Wall and his marimba for  Dance Of The Octopus, a pair of duets with pianist Makoto Ozone. Hampton is represented by his two signature tunes, the romantic  Midnight Sun and the big band flagwaver  Flying Home. In his comprehensive liner notes, Neil Tesser discusses Burtons relationships with this quartet of vibes stars, remarking that Burton knew them all, and in fact toured with both Norvo and Jackson. That personal connection gives the session a depth and resonance thats often lacking in tribute albums. The result is a distinctly satisfying collection; dont miss it. (Concord Jazz CCD-9491; Gary Burton (vbs, xylophone on 11, marimba on 12) Mulgrew Miller (p on 2, 4-6) Makoto Ozone (p on 11-12) Danilo Perez (p on 1, 8, 10) Russell Malone (g on 3, 7, 9) Christian McBride (b on 2-7, 9) John Patitucci (b on 1, 8, 10) Horacio Hernandez (d on 1, 8, 10) Lewis Nash (d on 2, 4-6) Luis Quintero (perc on 1, 8, 10); NYC, May 11, 23-24, 2000, and Boston, MA, June 3, 2000; 1.AFRO BLUE/ 2.BAGS GROOVE/ 3.MOVE/ 4.MIDNIGHT SUN/ 5.FLYING HOME/ 6.DJANGO/ 7.BACK HOME IN INDIANA/ 8.BODY AND SOUL/ 9.GODCHILD/ 10.JOLO/ 11.HOLE IN THE WALL/ 12.DANCE OF THE OCTOPUS; 67:33)  Solo: Live In New York captures Chucho Vald)s playing for the uptown New York crowd in a recital at Lincoln Center. From the start, its easy to be dazzled by this virtuosos formidable pianism, but continual tempo changes throughout each of the tunes leave the performances unfocused. Vald)s habit is to break the flow of plainly pretty passages with bursts of dissonance and florid runs up and down the keyboard. His rhythmic variability and the seemingly random onrush of different approaches to the material conspire to rob these renditions of much of their effectiveness. Theres tons of technique on display here, but not much else. (Blue Note 93456; Chucho Vald)s (p); NYC, January 16, 1998; A MI MADRE/ MU8EQUITA LINDA/ RUMBA GUAJIRA/ BESAME MUCHO/ EL MANICERO/ SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW/ SON/ NOVIA MIA/ DELIRIO/ TRES LINDAS CUBANAS/ LA NEGRA TOMASA; 60:18)  Starting things off with an up-tempo version of Bud Powells  Johns Abbey, the Tardo Hammer trio on Something Special is right in the pocket, as modern bopper Hammer flies over the keys with bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Leroy Williams in excellent support. The group is best at moderate and quick tempos; the music tends to bog down almost to a crawl when they slow it down, which makes a tune like Rodgers and Hammersteins  If I Love You a bit of a snooze. But there are more hits than misses in the program, as Hammer dusts off some rarely played tunes like Sonny Clarks  Somethin Special, Sonny Rollins  Blues For Philly Joe, and the biggest surprise, a swinging version of  Take Me Out To The Ball Game (check out that intro, straight out of  Two Bass Hit), plus a few originals. Worth a listen. (Sharp Nine CD 1020; Tardo Hammer (p) Dennis Irwin (b) Leroy Williams (d); Brooklyn, NY, May 19, 2000; JOHNS ABBEY/ DIVERTIMENTO/ IF I LOVED YOU/ SOMETHIN SPECIAL/ TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME/ YOURE MY THRILL/ LIZARD LIPS/ BLUES FOR PHILLY JOE/ INTO THE FIRE/ SUBTERRANEAN; 64:33)  Delicate and eerie soundscapes predominate as backdrop for poet Robert Creeley and his deceptively simple words on Have We Told You All Youd Thought To Know? This seamless concert performance has a band anchored by drummer Chris Massey and bassist Steve Swallow, who previously worked with Creeley on his Home album for ECM. David Torn, on guitar, loops and more, and David CasT, on saxes and bass clarinet, noodle on top, making room for Creeleys plainly delivered readings of his work.  I Was At The Door ends with the line  no friends but those one finds. The poet has found some very good friends here to interpret and support his singular voice. This is a successful entry in the often problematic subgenre of poetry and music. (Cuneiform RUNE 144; Robert Creeley (poetry, voice) David CasT (ts, ss, b cl) David Torn (g, loops, oud, microcassettes) Steve Swallow (b) Chris Massey (d); Buffalo, NY, September 1998; INTRODUCTION/ WHATS HEART TO SAY/ BLUNTED EFFORTS AS THE DISTANCE/ I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD/ IT SEEMED YOUR FRIEND/ UPON REFLECTION/ I WAS AT THE DOOR/ I LIKE THE WAY/ WERE HERE/ WORDS SCATTERED/ MON FR.RE/ HAVE WE TOLD YOU ALL YOUD THOUGHT TO KNOW?; 57:16)  TimesL Times New Roman SPECIAL NOTE TO RUSS: CasT is how the name appears on the disc!Times7 Times New Roman   Moorsong, the latest from veteran British saxophonist Elton Dean, starts off as a good-natured set of fusiony grooves. The group is powered by Hammond organist Alex Maguire on the first five tracks for some polite and danceable funk. Theres also some downright pretty playing from the saxophonist on Deans smooth and slightly overlong  Bakers Treat. Mark Hewins on guitar and Mark Sanders on percussion take over from Maguire and drummer Liam Genockey for the final three pieces, which are much more spacious and relaxed. (The title track, which ends the disc, is an angular and moody duet by Dean and Hewins, dedicated to Pink Floyds Syd Barrett.) From the photos of the musicians in the booklet, it seems that Dean is keeping young and in touch with the music by working with the next generation of players. The strategy that worked so well for Miles Davis and Art Blakey before him seems to be working for Dean on this accessible and fun session. (Cuneiform RUNE 143; Elton Dean (saxes) Mark Hewins (g on 6-8) Alex Maguire (org on 1-5) Fred T. Baker (b on 1-7) Liam Genockey (d on 1-3) Mark Sanders (perc on 6-7); London, England, August 9, 1998, February 20 and March 23, 1999; 1.JOHNS FRAGMENT/ 2.WILLY THE KNEE/ 3.BAKERS TREAT/ 4.BEDROCK RUSE/ 5.FULL FATHOM FIVE/ 6.REEL WELDERS/ 7.SOLDERING ON/ 8.MOORSONG; 59:27)  Most of Move To The Groove documents a 1983 French concert featuring Pat Metheny & The Heath Brothers. The tunes are pretty basic, easy to jam with, and Jimmy Heath on tenor sax and Pat Metheny with his guitar synthesizer make the most of it, entertaining the enthusiastic audience. Metheny also steps out with a pretty 7-minute solo piece. The live portion covers 38 minutes or so. The disc is rounded with a pair of forgettable songs taken from a totally unrelated session led by veteran drummer Jerry Granelli. An interesting band, but these tracks are dont offer much in the atmospheric and synth-heavy  Koputai or the slow blues  I Could See Forever. An oddity, appealing mainly to fans of the Heaths and Pat Metheny. (West Wind WW 2155; Jimmy Heath (ts) Pat Metheny (g, guitar synth) Percy Heath (b) Albert  Tootie Heath (d); Cannes, France, January 18, 1983; SASSY SAMBA/ ARTHURDOC/ GUITAR IMPROVISATION (Metheny solo)/ ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE /MOVE TO THE GROOVE; Julian Priester (tbn) Denny Goodhew (as) Robben Ford (g) Ralph Towner (synth) Charlie Haden (b) Jerry Granelli (d, synth); Seattle, WA, November 24-25, 1988; KOPUTAI/ I COULD SEE FOREVER; 52:23)  Snips: Live At Environ documents the first solo performance in the US by expatriate Steve Lacy. The soprano saxophonist played two sets at painter John Fischers loft space on March 16, 1976, and looking at the photos included in this two-disc set, it appears that not more than 40 people attended this historically significant evening of solo music. That we have this to listen to at all is rather remarkable, a tape recording on less than professional equipment by a fan whos never strayed far from the jazz business. The microphone was located in the small crowd, which generated some random noise at times, and the sound is true in the sense that the saxophone sounds somewhat far away. Lacys first recording in this demanding format dates from 1972, and by this time he had a good sense of how to structure an evening of solo saxophone. Each set focuses on one of Lacys suites,  The 4 Edges for the opening set, and his great  Tao suite in the later show. Lacys whole approach in this period included more extremes of tone and timbre than in his current appearances: the piercing scream of his solo on  Underline (Fire) or the very high range  whistling on the title track are just two examples here. Of late, Lacys been opening his solo performances with tunes by Thelonious Monk, but all the music on this set is original, though he manages to work some Monk into his solo on the opening  Hooky ( Dont go to school! he shouts). This is a most unexpected release, an important part of the Lacy discography from about a quarter century ago. (Jazz Magnet JAM-2001; Steve Lacy (ss); NYC, [back cover says May 16, 1976, liner notes say March 16, which is correct, since Lacy was in NYC recording for Black Saint on March 11 & 14, and was back in Europe touring with Mal Waldron in May; Disc 1 (45:56): HOOKY/ THE NEW YORK DUCK/ THE 4 EDGES: OUTLINE (AIR), UNDERLINE (FIRE), COASTLINE (WATER), DEADLINE (EARTH)/ SNIPS; Disc 2 (41:02): PEARL STREET/ TAO (EXISTENCE/ THE WAY/ BONE/ NAME/ THE BREATH/ LIFE ON ITS WAY)/ REVOLUTIONARY SUICIDE)  Song dedications often give insight into whats going on in the minds of musicians. Its clear from the list of honorees on Burn The Incline, the latest release from Chicagos celebrated Vandermark 5, that leader/composer Ken Vandermark has been absorbed in the spectrum of avant-garde music from around the globe, particularly the creative scene in Holland. Beginning on a fairly quiet note with  Distance, dedicated to guitarist Joe Morris, and ending up with the riotous  Ground, for the Dutch band The Ex, Vandermark and his cohorts cover a lot of ground here. Theres the stratospheric screaming by saxophonist Dave Kempis on the aptly-titled  Accident Happening (for William Parker), the cool groove and boppish theme of  In Focus (for Per Henrik Wallin), the occasional invasion of Jeb Bishops raw guitar textures, and throughout, the steady rhythms and rapid-fire responses of bassist Kent Kessler and drummer Tim Mulvenna. Besides giving the group plenty to work with, Vandermark also takes pains to create backing riffs to break up the solos and provide the transitions in his multi-sectioned compositions. Hes one helluva of a reeds player also, fiery when he wants to be, but with great control. His inspired opening to  Accident Happeningor his relaxed and careful parsing of the melody of  Last Night Wait Around (for Ab Baars) are two of the better examples here. Bishops versatility on trombone (fleet, articulate, sometimes with a clear tone, sometimes growling) and guitar gives the quintet an especially wide range. These guys have the kind of collective instincts that come from working hard and playing together a lot, a situation that leads to superior recordings like Burn The Incline. Definitely recommended. (Atavistic ALP121CD; Ken Vandermark (ts, cl, b cl) Dave Rempis (as, ts) Jeb Bishop (tbn, g) Kent Kessler (b) Tim Mulvenna (d); Chicago, IL, December 9-10, 1999; DISTANCE/ THE COOLER/ LATE NIGHT WAIT AROUND/ ROULETTE/ ACCIDENT HAPPENING/ IN FOCUS/ THE TROUBLE IS/ GROUND; 59:53; the first 1000 copies included a bonus disc, Free Jazz Classics, ALP121CD-X; 63:06)  A gentle version of Sun Ras  Tapestry From An Asteroid kicks off Spaceways Incorporated, Thirteen Cosmic Standards By Sun Ra & Funkadelic arranged for the trio of Ken Vandermark, Nate McBride and Hamid Drake. This mellow bit of cosmic weaving, powered by McBrides rich-toned acoustic bass, lulls the listener into a pleasant daze, making the sonic onslaught of  Alice In My Fantasies/Cosmic Slop seem even more boisterous than it already is. The gruff-toned and aggressive saxophonist Vandermark had a cool idea to tackle material from two modern tone scientists with a common interest in outer space. The decision to use a stripped-down trio format takes the emphasis away from the density of the original large group performances, instead focusing on the basic tune and on the trios improvisatory powers. The irreplaceable Hamid Drake is equally at home in the tough funk rhythms of the Funkadelic tunes and the artful swing of the Sun Ra songs. McBride pulls out his electric axe for the funkified tracks, setting up tight grooves underneath with Drake, while Vandermark roars on top. The alternating and contrasting styles make this hour go by really quickly without ever losing steam. They take it out perfectly with a typical Sun Ra set closer,  We Travel The Planets, a smooth and peaceful groove with Vandermark on clarinet. Spaceways Incorporated is a distinctive and thoroughly enjoyable disc. (Atavistic ALP120CD; Ken Vandermark (reeds) Nate McBride (ac & el b) Hamid Drake (d); Chicago, IL, January 13-14, 2000; TAPESTRY FROM AN ASTEROID; ALICE IN MY FANTASIES/ COSMIC SLOP; STREET NAMED HELL; TRASH A GO GO; BASSISM/ RED HOT MAMA/ SUPER STUPID; EL IS A SOUND OF JOY; FUTURE; YOU AND YOUR FOLKS, ME AND MY FOLKS/ HIT IT AND QUIT IT; WE TRAVEL THE SPACEWAYS; 61:48)  Originations is the easiest way to get a taste of Chick Coreas new Origin ensemble and the music of the performers in that group as they get a chance to record their own music on Coreas Stretch label. The 11 tracks include tunes taken from individual discs by saxophonists Steve Wilson and Tim Garland, trombonist Steve Davis, and bassist Avishai Cohen, in addition to a newly recorded song by drummer Jeff Ballard (in a trio with tenor saxophonist Mark Turner and bassist Larry Grenadier). Bookending these tunes are a pair by the Origin group, including one piece ( Psalm) that appeared only on the Japanese version of their Change CD. This is a well-chosen and instructive set. (Stretch SCD-9034; WIGWAM: Chick Corea & Origin; I B 4 U: Avishai Cohen Band; TURNIN THE CORNER: Steve Wilson Quartet; SHADOWS: Steve Davis Quintet; MADE BY WALKING: Tim Garland Group; BEAT STREET: Jeff Ballard Trio; MADRID: Avishai Cohen Band; ROOTS & HERBS: Steve Wilson Quartet; IM OLD FASHIONED: Steve Davis Quintet; FLICKS: Tim Garland Group; PSALM: Chick Corea & Origin; 65:17)  Trombonist Steve Davis, at one time a Jazz Messenger and currently a member of Chick Coreas Origin sextet, makes his Stretch Records debut with Portrait In Sound. This generously timed disc puts his gorgeous tone and bountiful imagination front and center from the very beginning, and the result is an extremely pleasurable and satisfying collection of straight-ahead jazz. Davis, influenced most strongly by J.J. Johnson and Curtis Fuller, is equally convincing at a variety of tempos. His slow  Darn That Dream is delicious and appropriately moody, followed up with the snappy  Runway, one of seven Davis originals on the date. Lots of old and new ties among the players insure a consistently high level of interplay. All told, a very well realized project that delivers completely and fulfills Davis aims for this self-produced effort. And hes right, the trombone/vibes combination is definitely worth exploring further. (Stretch SCD-9027; Steve Davis (tbn) Steve Nelson (vbs) David Hazeltine (p, el p) Nat Reeves (b) Joe Farnsworth (d) Steve Wilson (as on 4, alto fl on 9) on 3 & 9: Brad Mehldau (p) Avishai Cohen (b) Jeff Ballard (d); NYC, March 20-21, 2000, exc. 3 & 9, Brooklyn, NY, April 25, 2000; 1.PORTRAIT IN SOUND/ 2.IM OLD FASHIONED/ 3.SHADOWS/ 4.THE SLOWDOWN/ 5.DARN THAT DREAM/ 6.RUNWAY/ 7.SOMBER SONG/ 8.A BUNDLE OF JOY/ 9.I FOUND YOU/ 10.SAMBA D; 70:45)  Theres Serious Fun in store as trombonists Nils Wogram & Konrad Bauer get together for an inspired session of duets. Going back at least as far as the Kai Winding and J.J. Johnson group, twin trombones are not that unusual, at least in a band context. But offhand I cant thing of another trombone duet recording. Over the course of 16 tracks, all improvisations credited to both performers and generally lasting less than five minutes, Wogram and Bauer utilize the full range of their horns and then some. Beginning with the low-level drone of  Good Morning Folksand following that up with the aggressive and aptly titled  Right In Your Face, the pairs creativity and artistry are impressive, and the CIMP style of recording and its raw ambience does full justice to their dynamic interplay. Wonderful stuff, and a special treat for bone fans.(CIMP #212, Nils Wogram, Konrad Bauer (tbn); Rossie, NY, September 12-13, 1999; GOOD MORNING FOLKS/ RIGHT IN YOUR FACE/ ARE YOU SHY?/ WILD TURKEY/ STANDING IN THE SITTINGROOM/ FAT FREE/ THE TRAIL/ MORE PIE!/ COOKIES FOR THE LISTENER/ THE HUMMINGBIRD/ DONT MOVE/ THE NO NO/ NORTHERN LIGHTS/ INDUSTRIAL/ THE THREE LEGGED CAT/ SERIOUS FUN; 65:21)  In case you cant get enough of this modern trombone combination, check out the companion volume, Serious Fun + One for a trio of Nils Wogram, Konrad Bauer, & Dominic Duval. This date, unplanned and following right on the heels of their duets when bassist Duval showed up at producer Bob Ruschs suggestion, is an object lesson in the way one more voice can change the musical environment. CIMP has arranged the tracks in the order in which they were recorded, which allows us to hear Duval insinuate himself in the ongoing dialogue of trombones. The set begins with the eerie  dark one, featuring the bassists electronic effects which create a subterranean world from which more definite sounds slowly emerge. Both trombonists seem to enjoy competing with Duvals bass way down low before spiraling upwards on their horns. Theres a particularly abstract quality to much of this music, as the musicians interests lie in pure sound and spontaneous interaction. Their titles tell a lot:  country ballad has the bones  singing over busy pizzicato bass and  Thoughtful - Furious - Fast offers just that sequence, featuring more electronics and a developed melody.  Latin Tap has Duval tapping his bass at the same time that he plucks it, for a dense percussive accompaniment. By the time they get to the finale,  tahw ew evirts rof, it sounds like theyve been playing together for a long time instead of just one day. Yet another gem from CIMPs Spirit Room. (CIMP #221; Nils Wogram, Konrad Bauer (tbn) Dominic Duval (b); Rossie, NY, September 14, 1999; DARK ONE/ GETTING STARTED/ COUNTRY BALLAD/ BEAT/ DUET K D/ DUET N D/ INTERRUPTET REPETITIONS/ THOUGHTFUL - FURIOUS - FAST/ LATIN TAP/ GUELPHIAN BALLAD/ TAHW EW EVIRTS ROF; 62:57)  Any disc that can jump convincingly from the venerable  Moten Swing to a variation on Jimi Hendrixs  Foxey Lady gets my vote as sweet surprise of the year. Its even more of a surprise when this segue comes on a solo bass recording! The astonishingly versatile Lynn Seaton is the artist, and his Solo Flights is the album, 55 minutes of rewarding solo music that takes on some standards as well as a number of original tunes. Seaton, whos worked with the likes of the Woody Herman and Count Basie bands, Tony Bennett, and George Shearing, put together this program of mostly first takes back in 1996, and its taken him a while to find someone to put it on record. The gorgeous recording reveals every nuance of his playing, from his flamenco-like pummeling of the bass on  Barcelona to the alternate bowing technique called col ligne that he uses on  Rain. If youve always thought that a solo bass recital was just an excuse to take a nap, Solo Flights is the album that will change your mind. Thanks to OmniTone for getting this thoroughly absorbing session released. (OmniTone 15002; Lynn Seaton (b); Warwick, NY, 1996; IMPROV FOR AUBREY/ MOTEN SWING/ ODE TO JIMI/ BODY AND SOUL/ RAIN/ BARCELONA/ TRANES CHANGES/ MEDLEY: HOW HIGH THE MOON, ORNITHOLOGY/ FIRST MELODY/ HONEYSUCKLE ROSE/ LILTIN WITH MILTON/ YESTERDAYS; 54:30)  The killer percussion section on Jam Miami: A Celebration Of Latin Jazz, with Pancho Sanchez, Pete Escovedo, Horacio Hernandez featured prominently, is enough to recommend the disc to anybody with the slightest interest in salsa and Latin jazz. A veritable Whos Who of the Latin music scene, plus Chick Coreas Origin sextet, made its way to the stage of the Jackie Gleason Theatre for this benefit concert, and the results are exceptional, beginning with a pair of Dizzy Gillespie tunes and ending up with what is almost certainly the most recognizable Latin melody to a mass audience, the  Theme From I Love Lucy. The flexibility of the musicians is apparent and their enthusiasm is infectious. Jam Miami is a valuable document of an historic concert. (Concord Jazz CCD-4899; Collective personnel: Arturo Sandoval (t, flgh) Claudio Roditi, Ray Vega, Jason Carder, Steve Reid (t) Steve Turre (tbn, conch shells) Steve Davis, Dana Teboe, Joe Barati (tbn) Ed Calle, Tim Garland (ts) Billy Ross, Steve Wilson (as) Mike Brignola (bari s) Nestor Torres, Dave Valentin (fl) Robert Rodriguez, Hilton Ruiz (p) Chick Corea (el p) Dave Samuels (vbs) Leo Quintero (g) Nicky Orta, Avishai Cohen (b) Horacio Hernandez, Jeff Ballard (d, perc) Samuel Torres, Richard Bravo (perc) Poncho Sanchez (congas) Pete Escovedo (timbales) Oscar DLe;n (v); Miami, Florida, May 18, 2000; GUACHI GUARO (SOUL SAUCE)/ A NIGHT IN TUNISIA/ MEDLEY PARA TITO (RAN KAN KAN; OYE, COMO VA)/ ICAN/ WIGWAM/ VEN MORENA/ PONCHO CON SU TAMBOR/ BESAME MAMA/ A MIS ABUELOS/ THEME FROM I LOVE LUCY; 71:15)  Paraiso features the latest incarnation of the Caribbean Jazz Project with Dave Valentins flute, Steve Khans guitar, and instigator Dave Samuels vibes as the main solo voices. As Samuels notes, vibes and guitar are  underexposed in Latin jazz, but this album makes it clear, with the right musicians, any instrument will sound at home. An eminently danceable set, the program includes original tunes by Samuels and Khan, along with Latinized treatments of a pair of famous jazz compositions (Coltranes  Naima plus Ellington and Tizols  Caravan). The disc ends with a percussion-oriented tribute to the great Tito Puente on a medley of Mongo Santamarias  Obaricosa and Richie Flores  Ritmos Colores y Sentidos. Guests artists flugelhornist Ray Vega (on  Naima), congero Pancho Sanchez (on Samuels dedication to Cal Tjader,  Jamboree) and trombonist Conrad Herwig (on  Naima and  Caravan) deepen the feeling of this spirited album. Recommended. (Concord Picante CCD-4946; Dave Samuels (vib, marimba) Dave Valentin (fl) Steve Khan (g, gGiro) Rub)n Rodriguez (b) Richie Flores (congas, shekere) Luisito Quintero (timbales, perc on 2, 3, 5, 8-10) Dafnis Prieto (timbales on 1, 4, 6-7; d on 10) Poncho Sanchez (congas on 8) Conrad Herwig (tbn on 2, 4) Ray Vega (flgh on 2); NYC, November 6-8, 2000; 1.ONE STEP AHEAD/ 2.NAIMA/ 3.MALUCO/ 4.CARAVAN/ 5.EL TACA8O/ 6.FIVE FOR ELVIN/ 7.SECOND OPINION/ 8.JAMBOREE/ 9.CNI-MO!/ 10. MEDLEY: OBARICOSO; RITMOS, COLORES Y SENTIDOS; 69:09)  Culmination is another helping of the imposing and impressive Sam Rivers Rivbea All-Star Orchestra from sessions recorded in 1998. (The first disc was 1999's Inspiration.) A true original, Rivers is a serious composer and thinker about music. The compositions represented here go back as far as 1969's  Spectrum, and they offer examples of Rivers various approaches to the challenge of a large ensemble, including one-chord layered riffs ( Riffin and  Bubbles), the atonal pieces  Culmination and  Neptune, and even a traditional 32 bar jazz ballad in  Ripples. Although many of Rivers big band pieces would fill up an entire CD in their complete form, hes arranged them succinctly for this project in order to document more of his music. Buoyed by Rivers regular rhythm section of electric bassist Doug Matthews and drummer Anthony Cole, the orchestra struts and swaggers on command. The truly all-star lineup rises to the occasion with concise soloing, striking the right balance between passion and precision in what was surely a labor of love and respect. Culmination is a stimulating and absorbing release. An extra bit of praise goes to instigator and producer Steve Coleman who convinced BMG France to do the project in the first place. (RCA Victor 74321-68311; Sam Rivers (ss, ts, fl) Ravi Best, Ralph Alessi, James Zollar, Bakaida Carroll (t) Ray Anderson, Joseph Bowie, Art Baron (tbn) Joseph Daley (bari horn) Bob Stewart (tba) Steve Coleman, Greg Osby (as) Chico Freeman, Gary Thomas (ts) Hamiet Bluiett (bari s) Doug Mathews (b) Anthony Cole (d); Brooklyn, NY, September 28-29, 1998; SPECTRUM/ BUBBLES/ REVELATION/ CULMINATION/ RIPPLES/ NEPTUNES/ RIFFIN; 59:34)  In-demand bassist Scott Colley (Chris Potter, Andrew Hill) leads his own trio on The Magic Line, a stirring session of original material delivered with verve and enthusiasm.  Take It And Like It, Colleys opener, acts as an introduction to each player, with the leaders forceful bass, a hip drum solo from Bill Stewart, and Chris Potters well-controlled if slightly strained tenor sax. Theres an appealing openness to the ensembles sound. Potter sounds particularly relaxed in the piano-less context, and his work on the title track and  Dog Logic is especially effective. Drummer Stewarts sensitivity and restrained touch are just perfect for the setting. Most of the tunes are by Colley, typically with saxophone and bass stating the heads in unison before they diverge and start to mix it up. Potter and Stewart also brought one tune apiece to the date, while  Epilogue, credited to the two of them, sounds like an impromptu for bass clarinet and cymbals. The reedmans  Monroe Street is a pretty line that fits right in with Colleys songs, while Stewarts  Mayberry is a mysterious number built from a simple four-note figure. There are plenty of highlights, from Colleys thoughtful bass solos to the tight bass and drums support for an impassioned Potter on  Dog Logic to the starkly beautiful ballad  Soul Gravity. Spend some time with The Memory Line, and youll doubtless find your own. (Arabesque Jazz AJ0152; Chris Potter (ts, ss, b cl) Scott Colley (b) Bill Stewart (d); NYC, June 17-18, 1999; TAKE IT AND LIKE IT/ THE MAGIC LINE/ CONVERGENCE/ MONROE STREET/ METROPOLIS/ TRIP TO WILLIAMSBURG/ DUALESSENCE/ SOUL GRAVITY/ MAYBERRY/ DOG LOGIC/ EPILOGUE; 62:53)  On As One, it sounds like The Larry Goldings Trio, a working band of organist Goldings, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Bill Stewart, arrived up at the studio, set up their instruments, and proceeded to play the kind of set youd hear from them on a club date. The smooth grooves, the mix of moods and tempos, and a few surprises in song selection (did anyone ever think theyd hear the Zombies  Time Of The Season in this context?) make for an unpretentious and pleasantly enjoyable release. (Palmetto PM 2068; Larry Goldings (org) Peter Bernstein (g) Bill Stewart (d); Pipersville, PA, May 26, 2000; MIXED MESSAGE/ GOING TO MEET THE MAN/ THE THRILL IS GONE/ BACK IN THE DAY/ CALLS/ AS ONE/ TIME OF THE SEASON/ MYNAH/ GLASS; 49:41)  Goldings moves over to piano for Arts And Crafts, the latest CD by drummer Matt Wilson, whos put together a tight quartet for the date, rounded out by trumpeter Terell Stafford and veteran bassist Dennis Irwin. Wilson is an especially musical drummer, who reminds me a bit of Max Roach in his approach to the melodic line. He makes the point right out of the gate with his sparse solo spot on Rahsaan Roland Kirks  Stompin Grounds. Hes not the kind of bandleader who takes over and makes everything into a feature for himself; in fact, he barely solos at all, evidently seeing his role to be a facilitator and musical director. A glance at the composers represented here along with Wilson, including Kirk, Bud Powell, Nelson Cavaquinho ( Beija Flor), Ornette Coleman (the obscure  Old Gospel), and George Gershwin, gives an indication of where his interests lie. As for his playing, just listen to his measured accompaniment to a hot Terell Stafford solo on the title track, a Wilson original that cuts a groove a mile wide. In spite of the occasional awkward moment, Stafford is quite impressive in the difficult role as the lone horn. He contributes a scorching solo on the up tempo treatment of Buds  Webb City and hes equally convincing on a moderate version of  Love Walked In. Bassist Irwin, solid throughout, is at his best with the bossa rhythms of  Beija Flor, where he turns in a lovely solo. Goldings turns out to be a sensitive pianist with a strong left hand. His bluesy gem of a solo on  Arts And Crafts is one of the albums high points. He seems equally at home with the bop of  Webb City and the traditional Welsh folk song that closes the album in a peaceful and tranquil fashion. Put it all together and you come up with another fine project under the leadership of Matt Wilson. (Palmetto PM 2069; Terell Stafford (t) Larry Goldings (p) Dennis Irwin (b) Matt Wilson (d); Pipersville, PA, October 2, 2000; STOMPIN GROUNDS/ LESTER/WEBB CITY/ BEIJA FLOR/ FINAL ANSWER/ THERES NO YOU/ ARTS & CRAFTS/ OLD GOSPEL/ LOVE WALKED IN/ ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT; 50:59)  The members of the M.O.B. Trio call themselves  The Tightest Untight Band in jazz, and one listen to Loose, new on OmniTone, will tell you why. Take a track like bassist Bob Bowens  Proxy, where the three musicians play the head in unison, then stretch out for over eight minutes as shifts in the tempo drive the tune forward. Its an all-original program, and the trio can play a song very slowly (drummer Matt Wilsons ethereal  Surround) or they can romp through a tune (tenor saxophonist Ohad Talmors  Denis & Dilek) and be completely convincing and effective either way. Talmor, who seems quite comfortable in the exposed space of the trio, has a gruffly sweet sound on tenor, reminiscent of both Joe Henderson and Wayne Shorter. Bowen has a deep and rich sound on his 5-string bass, the better to fill up the bottom of the group sound, while Wilson continues to impress with his melodically based and sensitively swinging style. The combination of the three sounds cool from the start and its clearly inspiring to the performers. Loose is the M.O.B. Trios first release, but I hope it wont be the last. (OmniTone 15004; Ohad Talmor (ts) Bob Bowen (b) Matt Wilson (d); Pipersville, PA, 10/29/99; SLINKY/ YURNAME/ COMPULSION/ SLOG/ S.A.D./ PROXY/ SURROUND/ DENIS & DILEK/ FUNK ASSEMBLY; 69:07)    Solus presents Ernesto Diaz-Infantes ruminations at the keyboard in mostly short excursions into the realm of knotty spontaneous invention. Theres no tentativeness about Diaz-Infantes attack. The music is a sort of dissection of some of Cecil Taylors favored intervals with a decidedly spacious conception of the musical landscape and the evident desire not to fill it up with too many notes. It moves to its own internal kind of staggered beat, an approach that lets the notes ring out and not become obscured in the flow. Lovingly recorded, this is severe and demanding music, ultimately rewarding due to Diaz-Infantes gorgeous touch at the piano and his clarity of vision. (Pax PR90250; Ernesto Diaz-Infante (p); Pacific Grove, CA, no date specified; I/ II/ III/ IV/ V/ VI/ VII/ IX/ X/ XI/ XII/ XIII; 45:58)  Joel Frahm is a young tenor saxophonist whos been heard in Matt Wilsons quartet and on sessions led by pianist David Berkman. The latter repays the favor as a member of the quartet heard on The Navigator, Frahms second Palmetto release. Frahms fluid delivery shows great command of his horn, with a sound that builds on the work of Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, and Joe Henderson. He clearly enjoys working with Berkman; theyre continually bouncing fresh ideas off of one another. The quartet is completed by the first-call rhythm team of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Billy Drummond. They supply an unobtrusive drive and bounce to the proceedings while getting one well-placed solo apiece. An interesting group of tunes includes four each by Frahm and Berkman, along with Matt Wilsons  Hymn For Don Cherry. Theres also a lone standard,  My One And Only Love, where Frahm relaxes and sings the sweet melody on his horn. Frahms propulsive romp through his original tune  The Navigator is one highlight, particularly his opening solo where Berkman lays out. Frahms  Shards is another standout, an intricate high-velocity melody over surging bass and drums Theres a nice mix of tempos and moods and some fine playing here, making for a solid and enjoyable days work in the recording studio. (Palmetto PM2063; Joel Frahm (ts) David Berkman (p) Scott Colley (b) Billy Drummond (d); Pipersville, PA, March 26, 2000; WHITE BEAR SPEAKS/ GRADUALLY, I INSERTED MYSELF INTO THE CONVERSATION/ HYMN/ THE NAVIGATOR/ THE SHOKO DANCE/ SHARDS/ MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE/ FORT WAYNE/ ANTS/ SISTER JULIE; 58:33)  Guitarist and dyed-in-the-wool modernist Pete McCann fronts a tight and adaptable quartet on You Remind Me Of Someone, his second Palmetto CD. The versatile stringbender can play it soft (the lovely acoustic version of Steve Swallows  Falling Grace or his own  Letting Go, one of three trio pieces) or he can rock out with wild abandon (his own  Mr. Fritters is a good example, with Mike Sarins drums laying down a solid beat). Peter Epsteins saxophones are out in front of the sound, and his forceful work and soaring lines are generally pleasing, especially when he joins McCann in unison. Hes best on  Inquisition, where his surging alto melds with McCanns piercing guitar over tango-ish bass and drums. His tendency to go up to the top range of his horns for an inarticulate squawk as a indication of intensity is a minor annoyance, a habit common to a whole generation of saxmen, though Im not sure where it started. Bassist John Hebert grounds the quartet with deep solidity and calm, leaving Sarin and McCall the freedom to play around with the beat. I hear a bit of John Scofield in McCanns sound at some points; theres some Bill Frisell in there as well. With songs inspired by his surroundings, from the antics of his small son ( Mr. Fritters) to national politics ( Inquisition) to the abstract expressionism of  Pollock, McCann will likely never run out of ideas, which means weve got a lot to look forward to. Good stuff. (Palmetto PM -2066; Peter Epstein (as, ss) Pete McCann (ac & el g) John Hebert (b) Mike Sarin (d, perc); Pipersville, PA, March 22, 2000; KNEW BLUES/ YOU REMIND ME OF SOMEONE/ POLLOCK/ FALLING GRACE/ MR. FRITTERS/ INQUISITION/ I LOVE YOU/ LETTING GO/ ORNERY/ THE PATRIOT; 52:46)  The drums and tenor sax duo of Tom DeSteno & Bob Magnuson makes inspired free music on the lengthy Over The Edge, drawn from three 1998 recording sessions. Their long-time collaboration of freely improvised duets utilizes, in Magnusons words,  raw emotions, primal screams, and primitive connections to our souls as the driving forces behind the music. Think of Coltranes duets with Rashied Ali on Interstellar Space as a starting point for the pair. Magnusons burly tenor and DeStenos unhurried drum style are equally forceful and committed. Over The Edge is a deeply felt and energetically realized project. (Cadence Jazz CJR 1113; Bob Magnuson (ts) Tom DeSteno (d); Paramus, NJ, July 18, 1998, exc. *Palisades Park, NJ, December 26, 1998 or #November 7, 1998; OVER THE EDGE/ INNER TRUST/ ANTHEM/ ASCENTION/ MEETING 2/ INNER LIGHT/ ARRIVAL/ CRAZY TRAIN*/ PRIMITIVE CONNECTIONS*/ THIRD EYE#; 67:37)  Magnuson and DeSteno are joined by fiery alto saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc and stalwart bassist Dominic Duval in the Bob Magnuson-Tom DeSteno Quartet. Their CIMP outing, Omens, offers another hour-plus of intensity and passion with a mixture of group improvisations and compositions, including Denis Charles  We Didnt, played as a wailing elegy to the late drummer. The quartet is loose and spontaneous, and they came ready to play, launching into their performance practically before the tape was rolling. The exhilarating saxophone chase on  Nonau is one of the discs more stirring passages. Moondocs one composition, the bouncy  Highrise, inspires more freewheeling saxophonics, with a roiling DeSteno and a rumbling Duval holding down the bottom. The oddly titled  Fortu Sicksninenine B is a spacious and open structure, with the quartet letting the music breathe and move along at its own pace.  The Wall, derived partly from a graphic score from the very first CIMP session now posted in The Spirit Room, hits several peaks of fervent intensity over the course of 10 minutes. Things calm down again with a brief Magnuson/Duval duet, then its back to a full roar for the collective improv of  Sink to conclude another winning CIMP program. (CIMP #204; Bob Magnuson (ts) Jemeel Moondoc (as) Dominic Duval (b) Tom DeSteno (d); Rossie, NY, July 19-20, 1999; CHANT ONE/ WE DONT/ NONAU/ HIGHRISE/ FORTU SICKSNINENINE B/ THE WALL/ GAMOUD/ SINK; 67:40)  Phillip Greenlief and Covered Pages bring to life reedman Greenliefs soundtracks for his dreams of Russia on the complex and vigorous Russian Notebooks. This unusually configured quartet has Greenlief joined by fellow multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia and the twin guitars of Nels Cline and G.E. Stinson for a dense and often startling ride. The very Japanese-sounding  34 Plechanova Ulitza, KB 7, for instance, has flute on top of mysterious guitar noise, while the long  Portrait Of Anna Ahkmatova is a slowly moving haze of electronics with the saxophonists playing long drone-like lines that mesh with the guitars. The pervasive gloominess of the soundscapes and the dense blend of instruments makes this music challenging and harsh. The set ends on a less challenging note as the simple and beautifully rendered  Last Night On The Neva effectively conveys Greenliefs melancholy over leaving Russia. Angular, abrasive, and fascinating all at once, Russian Notebooks is never less than intriguing. (Evander Music Em 007; Phillip Greenlief (cl, fl, t, ss, as, ts, ray gun) Vinny Golia (cl, b cl, alto & C fl, shakuhachi, ss, bari s) Nels Cline (6 & 12-string g, ray guns, v) G.E. Stinson (6 & 12-string g, tool kit, kalimba g); Los Angeles, CA, February 13-14, 1999; CATHEDRALS OF NOVGOROD/ WHEREWITHAL/ LITTLE VACATIONING IN CHECHNAYA/ 34 PLECHANOVA ULITZA, KB 7/ PORTRAIT OF ANNA AHKMATOVA/ NOTEBOOK FRAGMENT FOR SVETLANA CHERKINA/ RASKOLNIKOVS ATTIC/ LAST NIGHT ON THE NEVA; 52:40)  Emit by tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Chris Speeds Yeah No quartet jumps off with the immediately likeable and sinuously melodic  Constance And Georgia, featuring a spirited collective solo section that has the band shredding the theme until they miraculously resurrect it to take the tune out.  Suggestible (all songs are Speed originals) begins gently with trumpeter Cuong Vu and Speed on clarinet noodling around until a fired-up Jim Black sets the quick tempo, and the horns move to the vaguely Middle Eastern theme. The track features a rhythmically adept and singing solo from Vu.  Waltzing opens with a section of music sculpted with long held tones, sounding almost like a backwards tape effect. Then about a minute in, a melody emerges, stately and unresolved. The effect is a bit like Hermeto Pascoals short whistling pieces on Miles Davis Live/Evil album.  Tangents sounds a little like one of Wayne Shorters more abstract tunes, as seemingly random lines are played in unison by trumpet and tenor over throbbing drums and burbling electric bass. Skuli Sverrisson is another electric bassist who tends to avoid the typical bass parts and instead makes his instrument sing with countermelodies. The elegaic  Tralala has a genuinely folky feel, a vibe that continues in  Kompa, though now its more of a dance with a strong beat. All told, an impressive and captivating set, as four of New Yorks finest do what they do best: make bold and complex music. (Songlines SGL-1532; Cuong Vu (t) Chris Speed (cl, ts) Skuli Sverrisson (b) Jim Black (d, melodica); NYC, March 11-12, 2000; CONSTANCE AND GEORGIA/ SUGGESTIBLE/ BERAN&E (BERANCHE)/ WALTZING/ KOSMIA/ TANGENTS/ TRALALA/ KOMPA/ TRANSPORTER; 52:18)  Iffy by the Chris Speed Trio offers a funkier set in the soul jazz vein with Jamie Saft at the keyboards (primarily organ) and the excitable Ben Perowsky on drums. The first of Speeds compositions here,  A Little Odd, is a straight-forward swinger, a bit reminiscent of Rahsaan Roland Kirks treatment of  Never Can Say Goodbye with the attractive lineup of clarinet, organ and drums.  Graphic Ridiculous is pumped up fusion like a John McLaughlin tune, but they dont do much more than thrash their way through it, and it winds up seeming like much ado about very little, which is how too much of this album comes off. Id stick with Speeds quartet. (Knitting Factory KFW-275; Chris Speed (cl, ts) Jamie Saft (org, synth) Ben Perowsky (d); Brooklyn, NY, December 14-15, 1999; A LITTLE ODD/ GRAPHIC RIDICULOUS/ FMU/ GINA/ PART III/ SKEW/ SKIPPING REALLY HIGH/ COO COO/ SLIPPERS; 43:56)  Oscar Noriegas Play Party is a crack downtown ensemble, performing Noriegas original compositions on Lucianos Dream. With musical influences ranging from the complex meters of Balkan and Turkish music ( 7 Of 9" and  Funky Number 5) to folk songs of the world ( The Z) to basic jazz grooves ( Back to Back), plus real-life experience performing dance and party music beginning at the age of 12, Noriega puts real emotion into his tunes and playing. His lithe alto saxophone work is immediately attractive, flowing eloquently with a sweet tone. On bass clarinet, he gets a clear and very pure sound, almost ethereal. Trumpeter Cuong Vu, an expressive player with a grainy complex sound and a thoughtful soloist, makes a good foil for Noriega in the front line. The odd metres are second nature to guitarist Shepik, who sounds very much in his element in Noriegas emotionally direct sound-world. His rich chords effectively fill in the bottom of the groups sound, making the absence of a bass generally unnoticed. Drummer Rainey is typically sensitive and right on the mark with an economic style that wastes nothing. The disc is very well sequenced with a mixture of slower and faster material. In one of the more telling juxtapositions, the serene flow of the appropriately melancholy title track, written in memory of Noriegas brother, a suicide at 28, gives way to the snappy rhythms of  Kashikoi Hitoi, as if to affirm the continuity of life in the face of tragedy. This is a very impressive release that presents the quartet working within the song form while simultaneously expanding the styles range in terms of both rhythms and timbres. Definitely recommended. (OmniTone 12004; Oscar Noriega (as, b cl) Chong Vu (t) Brad Shepik (g) Tom Rainey (d); FUNKY NUMBER 5/ 7 OF 9/ THE Z/ BACK TO BACK/ SKIMCOAT/ LUCIANOS DREAM/ KASHIKOI HITO (WISE OLD MAN)/ CANCI:N PARA CECILIA (SONG FOR CECILIA); 50:32)  Tenor saxophonist Tony Malabys influences are clear on his new quartet recording, Sabino. Its the inside/outside players that seem to strike his fancy, men like Joe Henderson, George Adams, and, leaning more to the outside, Dewey Redman, with their blend of a healthy respect for melody and song form with a constant urge to break it up and expand the limits of their music. By using the deeply grounded and adaptable Michael Formanek on bass and, once again, the exquisite drumming of Tom Rainey, and the solid-body aggressiveness of guitarist Marc Ducret, Malaby has guaranteed high degrees of both musicianship and enthusiasm. From the dark rumblings of Ducret and Formanek on  Remolino/Hamza to the gently flowing  Love Dogs which ends the proceedings, there is a cohesion and sense of shared purpose to this music that grows deeper with each audition. Recommended. (Arabesque Jazz AJ0153; Tony Malaby (ts) Marc Ducret (g) Michael Formanek (b) Tom Rainey (d); NYC, February 20, 2000; AJO COMINO; SABINO; REMOLINO/HAMZA; GATES PASS; MIA; COSAS; THIRD MYSTERY; LOVE DOGS; 56:01)  It takes some gumption for a saxophonist to make his recording debut as a leader in a trio setting with bass and drums, but the Avram Fefer Trio definitely has the goods to back it up on Calling All Spirits. Just to set the barrier even higher, the first track is a fifteen-minute version of Charles Mingus complex composition  Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Blue Silk. Fefer and his bandmates Eric Revis on bass and Igal Foni on drums get completely inside this piece, and they really make it their own. Fonis very musical drums, Revis thick and resonant bass, and Fefers controlled passion combine to create a magical performance. The music of Ornette Coleman is a big influence. Theres a version of the electric-era  Mothers Of The Veil, rendered with clarity and economy. Having the drums voice the melody in unison with Fefers alto is a nice touch. The track is followed immediately by a wonderful take of Don Cherrys enduring theme  Guinea. The band shifts into high gear for the inspired freebop of Fefers  Going Nowhere Fast, then brings it down again for a three-way conversation on  Loss (For Flo). The finale, an attractive second cousin to Alice Coltranes  Ptah, The El Daoud, is marred by the inevitable stiffness that results from overdubbing a horn part on music that relies so much on spontaneous invention. Aside from that, Calling All Spirits is a very fine release, as Fefer and company glance backwards and invoke the masters while simultaneously pointing towards the musics future. (Cadence Jazz CJR 1123; Avram Fefer (saxes, b cl) Eric Revis (b) Igal Foni (d); NYC, December 15, 1999; ORANGE WAS THE COLOR OF HER DRESS THEN BLUE SILK/ AFRICAN INTERLUDE/ MOTHERS OF THE VEIL/ GUINEA/ GOING NOWHERE FAST/ LOSS (FOR FLO)/ CALLING ALL SPIRITS, CALLING ALL POETS; 66:25)  The unusual instrumentation of Rob Reddys Quttah, combining violin and cello with soprano or alto sax, electric guitar and hand percussion, gives Reddys lengthy explorations on However Humble a fresh sound and an almost chamber music sensibility. The music this band makes can go anywhere instantly: when they launch into a hoedown section led by violinist Charles Burnham and cellist Rufus Cappadocia halfway through the opening  Angel Tiger, it makes perfect sense. Theres drama as well as a distinct spiritual aspect in Reddys songs, which tend to be plainly alluring melodies played with strong feeling. The pungent and effects-laden electric guitar of Jef Lee Johnson makes him the real wild card in the arrangements, giving the music an air of unpredictability and tension. Reddys smoothly flowing saxophone work on both the soprano and alto models is plainly pretty, with a well-rounded tone and strong feeling in his unhurried approach. Rewarding listening. (Koch Jazz KOC-CD-8579; Rob Reddy (ss, as) Jef Lee Johnson (el g, 6 & 12-string ac g, el sitar) Charles Burnham (vln, mandolin) Rufus Cappadocia (cello) Dom Richards (d) Hearn Gadbois (perc); Brooklyn, NY, May 17, 2000; ANGEL TIGER/ PRAYER II/ WORKMAN/ HEAL/ HOWEVER HUMBLE/ OLDEST BEING BORN THE YOUNGEST/ SACRA; 64:58)  Great idea, to bring together the one-shot New York Art Quartet for a 35 th Reunion. Still raucous, rude, and right in your face, they pretty much pick up where they left off back in the Sixties, only now you can hear them a lot better. All the musicians take equal roles and contribute two tunes each, one with guest Amici Barika, one without. Among the discs high points are the sweet freedom of drummer Milford Graves  Perceiving Passerbys, energized by the composers tom-toms and cymbals, the loose bluster of trombonist Roswell Rudds  V.G.s Birthday Celebration, which features some marvelous work by alto saxophonist John Tchicai, and the delicate mystery of bassist Reggie Workmans  Visiting Gun. Theres more fine playing, but to get to it, you have to get past Barika ranting and raving, an acquired taste I found no reason to develop. (Diz DIZ-936; Roswell Rudd (tbn) John Tchicai (saxes) Reggie Workman (b) Milford Graves (d) Amici Barika (poetry); NYC, June 14, 1999; A MEETING OF REMARKABLE JOURNEYS/ REENTERING/ LAND DEL INDIA/ V.G.S BIRTHDAY JAMBOREE/ VISITING GUN/ PERCEIVING PASSERBYS/ SEEK LIGHT AT ONCE/ MUSICS UNDERWEAR; 66:59)  Almost Never is a moodily introspective set by frequent San Francisco Bay Area collaborators Ben Goldberg, John Schott, & Trevor Dunn, clarinet, guitar, and bass, respectively. Devoted to Goldbergs skeletal compositions, the fluidity of the performances creates a starkly emotional and elegaic mood. There arent really any solos per se, rather one or another of the players will emerge as the dominant voice in the three-way conversation for a minute or two, then blend back into the ensemble, beautiful captured by ace engineer Cookie Marenco. Goldberg tends to stay in his dark lower register most of the time, balanced by Dunns thick bass underneath and Schotts careful guitar on top. The generally wistful mood enforces the meditative aspects of the group sound, and on those rare occasions when the trio does get somewhat riled up, notably towards the end of  Pause and throughout most of the agitated  Zero, the effect is that much stronger. The music is a bit hard to warm up to, and the sustained moodiness makes this best listened to in small doses, a testament to the focused power of this quietly intense music. (Nuscope CD 1007; Ben Goldberg (cl) John Schott (el g) Trevor Dunn (b); Belmont, CA, April 16-17, 1999; PITCHBLEND; SECRET LONGWAY; STORYBOOK; D/L; LONE; PAUSE; RAFTER; ZERO; ALMOST NEVER; 54:56)  The ad-hoc trio of Georg Graewe, Barre Phillips and Peter van Bergen convened on an off afternoon at 1999's du Maurier International Jazz Fest in Vancouver to commit their Other Songs to digital tape. The resulting free improvisations present a tender music, graceful and often gentle. Even at its most intense and impassioned ( Afore and  May Be True, for instance), the music is still fairly quiet, which has the unsettling effect of increasing the intensity that much more. Graewe has a lovely touch at the keyboard and is an especially ingenious instantaneous composer. His shapely and imperturbable structure on  Anew gives van Bergen the chance to get loose and talkative with his tenor as Phillips supplies ghostly swoops from his bass. The music often begins very simply. On  Versucht, for example, each member of the trio plays one note in turn to begin, the most rudimentary of strategies. Yet the units refined sense of interaction makes this three minutes an elegant and stimulating exercise in on-the-spot creation. This quiet gem has many such moments of surprise, and is heartily recommended to adventuresome ears. (Nuscope CD 1008; Georg Graewe (p) Barre Phillips (b) Peter Van Bergen (ts, contra b cl); Vancouver, B.C., June 28, 1999; VERBUNDEN/ MAY/ VERLOREN/ VERBROCHEN/ AFORE/ MAY BE/ MAY BE TRUE/ ANEW/ VERSUCHT/ ASTRAY/ ALIVE/ AGAIN/ VERKRUEMMT; 57:02)  A pair of lengthy improvisations by The Joel Futterman/Ike Levin Trio bracket a group of shorter explorations on InterView. The music gets a bit rambunctious at times, like on the rapid-fire one-minute  Dispatch, or the opening of  Micro Climates, but the natural tendency of these instant composers is to blend their concepts, making a track like the basic and bluesy  Melon Juice both coherent and immediately engaging. Futtermans facility on both piano and soprano sax gives the group a broad sound palette for its size, and provides the ability to quickly switch gears in mid-performance. The overt compatibility of the players gives the session a relaxed and friendly feeling. Powerful and playful, InterView is an entertaining and amiable session of freely improvised music. (IML Music IML 26-001; Joel Futterman (p, curved ss, Indian fl) Ike Levin (ts, kalimba, Indian fl, tambourine) Randall Hunt (b, bells); Berkeley, CA, August 2000; SCENARIOS/ MELON JUICE/ INTERVIEW/ MR. LEKISH/ DISPATCH/ ON WORD/ MICRO CLIMATES; 52:37)  Were in for some serious noise-making from the trio of Blaise Siwula, Vattel Cherry & Jeff Arnal right from the start of Badlands: Expositions of Freedom ... Now!. Alto saxophonist Siwulas opening solo track is severe and unusual in its concentration on staccato blips as he gets his horn sounding more like damped piano strings than any kind of sax.  Freedom Of Thought introduces the trio, a freely improvising unit that offers heated and impassioned music. Trio and solo pieces alternate for the duration of this lengthy program, sharply contrasting the trios go-for-broke raging on stage at the Knitting Factory and Siwulas carefully sculpted solos. Siwula obviously has great command over his horn, with a definite tendency towards extreme and unusual sounds. This high-intensity release is not for the faint-hearted. (Cadence Jazz CJR 1120; Blaise Siwula (as) Vattel Cherry (b on *) Jeff Arnal (d on *); Williamsburg, NY, January 11, 2000 or *NYC, May 2, 2000; PICA CATO/ FREEDOM OF THOUGHT*/ VIBES/ FREEDOM IN WIND*/ A GAP/ FREEDOM AT SUNSET*/ HI COO/ FREEDOM OF HOPE*/ GOOD BYE/ FREEDOM OF HORIZON*; 73:06)  Han Bennink & Terrie Ex lay down a set of totally free drum and electric guitar duets on The Laughing Owl, the US version of an album originally on the Dutch Terp label (IS-03). The guitarist from Hollands The Ex and avant garde legend Bennink make ultra-hip and vigorous freewheeling music from the fringes of free jazz. (Atavistic ALP129CD; Terrie Ex (g) Han Bennink (d); Koog a/d Zaan, Holland, January 5, 2000; KIEFT/ DEMP/ BUMS/ KLUFT/ HET SPOOK EN DE KAAS/ KNIJT/ TZWET & TKALF/ TWOTOTANGO/ TUK/ SONG OF THE SLENDER MOA/ FIK/ THE LAUGHING OWL/ SKOTS & SKEEF/ ZEEPIJN/ DUG/ GLENFLOJ/ TAALING; 46:41)  Its not radical or innovative, but Kite Flight by the Boston area Jacques Chanier Trio presents solid musicianship and effective mood-building by a well-balanced group. The tunes, a mix of blues, ballads, and bop-flavored heads, are all Chanier originals, and they provide a series of frameworks for the trio to enliven. They shift the focus seamlessly from piano to bass to drums, with the easy precision of a snappy double play combination. Chanier sounds throughly versed in the styles of modernists like Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans, and his playing reflects a wide array of approaches, sometimes strongly rhythmic (the insistent title track), at other times dreamy and rhapsodic ( Quiet Memories). In his solos, bassist Kneeland for some reason favors a thin and twangy tone, as opposed to the deep bottom of his playing behind one of Chaniers solos. Thats about my only problem with this otherwise enjoyable disc. A self-produced release thats worth looking around for. (La Ronde Music 001; Jacques Chanier (p) Thomson Kneeland (b) Brooke Sofferman (d); Westwood, MA, May 4-5, 2000; TWO BLUES IN ONE/ NAIVE CAT/ ROADBLOCK/ BLUE BEC/ QUIET MEMORIES/ KITE FLIGHT/ REMEMBERING MILES/ PASSING BY/ BLUEBERRY PANCAKES/ HYMN; 46:32)  Summer Sketches by the Bill Mays Trio is a throwback to the jazz concept albums of the Fifties, with ten songs relating to summertime. The concept has pianist Mays and his cohorts Martin Wind and Matt Wilson exploring tunes with music by the likes of Harry Warren ( Summer Night), Victor Herbert ( Indian Summer), Benny Carter ( Summer Serenade), Russ Freeman ( Summer Sketch), and Michel Legrand ( Once Upon A Summertime), along with one original each. With three essentially melodically oriented players joining forces, the trio presents a unified and harmonious approach to the format, and the results are as refreshing as fresh lemonade on a hot afternoon. They had a good time making the disc, and youll have just as good a time listening. Recommended. (Palmetto PM-2076; Bill Mays (p) Martin Wind (b) Matt Wilson (d); Pipersville, PA, October 26, 2000; SUMMER NIGHT/ ESTATE (SUMMER)/ FIREFLIES/ INDIAN SUMMER/ SUMMER SKETCH/ (GOTTA GO TO) SUMMER SCHOOL/ EARLY AUGUST/ THE THINGS WE DID LAST SUMMER/ SUMMER SERENADE/ ONCE UPON A SUMMERTIME; 51:54)  The pleasing front-line combination of Garnett Browns smooth trombone and the leaders crisp guitar distinguish Dont Ever Be Afraid To Be Ascared by the Thomas Tedesco Ensemble, a swinging group of Southern California veterans. No surprises here, just straight-ahead blowing, mostly on functional originals by Tedesco, but when the band is as cohesive and together as this one is, thats just fine. Worth checking out. (9 Winds NWCD0219; Thomas Tedesco (g) Garnett Brown (tbn) William Henderson (p) Henry  The Skipper Franklin (b) William Jeffrey (d); Hollywood, CA, June 7, 1995; CAN YOU HEAR IT/ DORIS MARIE/ QUICK TO HEAR YOU SPEAK/ PARIS EYES/ LIMPOP/ THE ALCHEMY OF BOBBY BRADFORD/ TO DRINK WATER FROM A WOODEN BOWL/ DONT EVER BE AFRAID TO BE ASCARED; 70:33)  Guitarist John Steins latest is Portraits And Landscapes, from the German Jardis label, and this smooth hour is definitely worth your time. The easy swing of the ensemble is impossible to fake, and the straight-ahead ambience plus Steins easy-going originals in a variety of styles make this a pleasure from start to finish. Keyboard man Larry Goldings is surely the best known member of the ensemble. His understated organ on  Sammy really makes the uptempo tune fly, goosing a hot Stein solo before contributing a thoughtful one of his own. Steins crisp and clean sound and engrossing solo style are a big plus. Kaumeheiwa and Conroy on bass and drums are consistently swinging and everything cooks along the way that it should. Definitely recommended to guitar fans, but really to anyone that loves a swinging good time. (Jardis JRCD 20029; Bill Thompson (fl, as, ts) John Stein (g) Larry Goldings (p, org) Keala Kaumeheiwa (b) Greg Conroy (d, perc); Westwood, MA, December 16, 1999 & January 7, 2000; SAMBA NIGHTS/ MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT/ BE OOO BA/ SARLAT/ MISTER DAVE/ MADELYN/ SAMMY/ RIO CON BRIO/ BEN J MAN/ SWITCH-A-ROO; 61:18)   Some days it seems like theres a guitar whiz on every corner, so it helps to have a little gimmick if you want to stand out from the crowd. In Jack West & Curvature, the hook is that the leader plays a custom-made 8-stringed instrument with extra high A and low A strings. This gives him the opportunity to play strong bass lines with his thumb, providing the group with a solid bottom end. San Francisco Bay area drummer Scott Amendola (T.J. Kirk, Charlie Hunter) works particularly well with guitarists, and his participation in whats essentially a chamber jazz band with guitar, cello and marimba, provides a richly rhythmic thrust to Wests music. The songs on Big Ideas are all Wests original compositions. His writing is by turns forceful, like  Smile with Amendola kicking it along, and reflective, like the lovely  Something About The Dream. The uniquely configured ensemble brings the music to life, and Lee Townsends sympathetic production keeps all the elements in focus. Excellent playing from all (West plays a mean slide guitar) and an instantly attractive and different group sound make this a winner. (Ahead Behind Music ABM 014; Jack West (8-string g, slide) Mark Summer (cello) Joel Davel (marimba) Scott Amendola (d); San Francisco, CA, June 6-8, 2000 except  Smile recorded July 11, 2000; INTRODUCTION/ THIS LIFE MAY BE MONITORED (FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE)/ BIG IDEAS/ SOMETHING ABOUT THE DREAM/ CURVED LIKE GLASS/ SMILE/ THIS LIFE REPRISE/ RICOCHET/ SAME PLANET, DIFFERENT UNIVERSE; 40:32)        Some contact information:  Accurate Records, P.O. Box 390118, Cambridge MA 02139; Ahead Behind Music. 5756B Hermann St., Oakland CA 94609; Arabesque Recordings, 32 West 39 th St., New York NY 10018; Cadence Jazz Records and CIMP, The Cadence Building, Redwood NY 13679; Cuneiform Records, P.O. Box 8427, Silver Spring MD 20907-8427; Evander Music, P.O. Box 22158, Oakland CA 94623-9991; Evidence Records, 1100 E. Hector St., Conshohocken PA 19428  IML Music, www.drimala.com; Knitting Factory Records, 74 Leonard St., New York NY 10013; Koch Jazz, 2 Tri-Harbor Court, Port Washington NY 11050; La Ronde Music, 1 Wyatt Circle, Somerville MA 02143; 9 Winds Records, P.O. Box 10082, Beverly Hills CA 90213; Nuscope Recordings, P.O. Box 601027, Dallas TX 75360; OmniTone, 39 Plaza Street West, Brooklyn NY 11217-3933; Palmetto Records, 71 Washington Place #1A, New York NY 10011; Sackville Recordings, Box 1002, Station O, Toronto, Ontario M4A 2N4 Canada; Songlines Recordings, 1003-2323 W. 2 nd Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6K 1J4 Canada; 32 Records, 250 West 57 th Street, New York NY 10107.