Music
A pair of pairs
Jim McAuley, The Ultimate Frog (Drip Audio, 2008) Chris Gestrin, After the City Has Gone: Quiet (Songlines, 2007) These two double-disc releases share a lot in terms of mood, timbre, game plan. They’re worlds you can get lost in; time well-spent. McAuley, a West Coast acoustic guitar improviser, goes some way toward reconciling the arid experimental sound of Derek Bailey with
The week on disc (33)
In case you missed the last one… Pete Rodríguez, El Alqiumista/The Alchemist (Conde Music) RIDD Quartet, Fiction Avalanche (Clean Feed) Mark Masters Ensemble, Farewell Walter Dewey Redman (Capri) Odean Pope, What Went Before Vol. 1 (Porter) Luis Perdomo, Pathways (Criss Cross) Nora McCarthy (with John di Martino), Circle Completing (ind.)
Last Knit
Of all the worthy sounds heard Tuesday night, the final night of jazz at the Knit, what stood out most was the slashing, furious freak-jazz of the DaHa Orchestra, short for Andrew D’Angelo and Curtis Hasselbring, both in fantastic form at the helm of a big band. With the unstoppable frenzied pinpoint assault of Jim Black on drums. If it
Six Picks: December 2008
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, December 2008: Bad Touch, Like a Magic Kiss (ind.) Bill Carrothers, Home Row (Pirouet) Sean Conly, Re:Action (Clean Feed) James Moody/Hank Jones Quartet, Our Delight (IPO) William Parker Quartet, Petit Oiseau (Aum Fidelity) Angelica Sanchez, Life Between (Clean Feed)
Sci Fi Philly
My feature on Sci Fi Philly, the Sunday night avant-jazz series at Gojjo, in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.
The end?
The Knit is closing but the musicians carry on. And so will Adam Schatz’s Search & Restore series, in other venues. Meanwhile, go to this multistage blowout and it’s doubtful you’ll regret it.
Aerial Photograph
My favorite writing project of the year was the Philadelphia Weekly cover story on guitarist Matt Davis and his 11-piece ensemble Aerial Photograph. His unique monthly recording and gigging series, “Philadelphia 2008,” draws to a close at Tritone at 10pm on December 18. Matt just sent out a promo email, the text of which is worth circulating more widely. So here’s
Top Ten of 2008
My ballot — with snazzy cover art this year — is now up at the website of the Jazz Journalists Association. More year-in-review posts to follow soon.