Stars Like Grains of Sand

Derek Bailey Solo Guitar ★★★½ Bailey on Incus, the golden years some might argue. I think so far that's living up to my expectation. Bailey always seems a bit jarring for new listeners, not as much as someone like Evan Parker, but any horn is more likely to attract the attention of the listener. Bailey's improvisations are more intricate, it's like a very detailed maze that requires practice and time to fully figure out. Bailey was an innovator and inspiration to many other guitarists and improvisers and here you can get a glimpse into his earlier stages in becoming that legend. While this isn't my preferred setting for Bailey, I think he creates some stunning improvisational moments and performs the three other "standards" quite well.  I think it's due to the electric guitar, I've always been a bigger admirer of his acoustic playing and the style that with it. I'd perhaps venture to say it's my favorite album from him on ele...

Townes Van Zandt Our Mother the Mountain ★★★ My first toe dip into Townes Van Zandt, a folk / almost bluesy Texas musician who seems to be a little mainstream almost on this record. As in he takes full advantage of every musical trope of the era, that era being the late 60s to 70s. The large unnecessary backing band and strings really feels cheap and emotionless at points. Not to say that Van Zandt's songwriting ability was hindered by that fact, it's just that a more organic and smaller acoustic setting would be able to present his songs in a more upfront and intimate manner that is lost on this album. Minus a few songs that is. I'm sure at the time, adding a lushness through excessive instrumentation would sound pretty professional and impressive to the average listener. But time changes things. For example, on the opening track "Be Here to Love Me", Van Zandt's lyrics are funny and comforting but when coupled with the flute and tambourine, th...

Steve Reid Rhythmatism ★★★ Steve Reid's second release as a bandleader takes him into the funk realm more than his previous outing. Drummers as bandleaders can be really quite amazing, commanding and encouraging to the rest of the players. Some of those leaders include Art Blakey, Max Roach, and Ralph Peterson. They are more than just their drumming; they're represented by the flavor and intensity that everyone pours in. Or the drum leaders can be fairly average, and just allow each player to go their own way and see what the results are. Reid leans more towards this style of leadership and the results are mostly mixed. I don't think one style is better than the other, but for me personally, I really enjoy the cohesiveness and power that seems to come with the more authoritative leaders. But Reid focuses more on his own playing and making it as funky and rhythmically diverse as possible in this environment.  There's not only a definite sense of funk, ...

박지하 [Park Jiha]  Communion ★★★ A unique and contemporary dive into the world of Korean music as well as minimalism. My experience with Korean folk music, or the folk music of any East Asian culture, is fairly limited. So I could not tell you how this compares to a more traditional setting or recording. The use of traditional Korean instruments such as a mouth organ and hammered dulcimer make this an organic and warm listen. Much of which is densely layered and filled with sweetness in between each of those layers, like a simple but flavorful and honey sweet cake. It’s also impressive and brave to an album of this nature as it stands quite alone in all of the genres it touches, with no companion pieces or prior albums to lean on. And that attribute helps elevate the music into something that seems culturally and personally important to Park but also any listener. I was fairly surprised when I discovered there was no electronic manipulation or additions pushed into th...

Mal Waldron With Eric Dolphy And Booker Ervin The Quest ★★ ★ ★ Dolphy has this way of entering my mind and ears that not many other saxophonists have. Coltrane doesn't even give me this chilling feeling as often. A mix of euphoria and pure aural joy comes to mind when Dolphy begins to blow, he becomes this burrowing worm that quickly moves from ear canal to brain stem. I am surprised I haven't heard more acclaim regarding this album; it's very rarely, if ever, mentioned as one of Dolphy's great recordings. Even if he's a sideman, Dolphy stands out as an individual and leader in more ways than one. Not to forget that this is the album of the playful Mal Waldron who shines as well. Booker Ervin proves himself on this too, if he hasn't already with other sessions. This album is a bit unique in that it has Ron Carter on cello and Joe Benjamin on bass, something I'm not sure that I've encountered on a jazz album in a long time.  Starting of...

Franz Koglmann O Moon My Pin-Up ★★★½ The mixing and mingling of music and literature has existed for centuries. Coming from Biblical recitals and chants to something of this creation has been a long and intriguing journey. Koglmann presents on the Hat Hut label, a musical take and look into the The Pisan Cantos by Ezra Pound. There is no doubt that this music is meant to be taken seriously and as pure art. While Pound was a known Fascist and supporter of the dictatorial regimes in Europe at the time, his role on bringing Eastern poetry into modern view still has an impact. I've only read a few of his works, but nothing from what this music is based off of. The music, like the poetry, is filled with vivid detail and the idea of Imagism. A mix of effective and sudden opera with Jazz instrumentation makes this a potent concoction.  This music is not trying to be political in a sort of defense or condemnation of Pound's ideology. Rather it takes a look at his wor...

cv313 Seconds to Forever ★★★½ cv313 is another name of electronic duo that is composed of Rod Modell and Stephen Hitchell. They have multiple aliases and many projects that go with each one. This EP is composed of three songs; two of them are different remix versions, and the other one is a whole twenty three minute long sonic excursion. It's obviously filled with the influence and guidance of their musical ancestors, most notably the Basic Channel Boys. That duo of Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald helped father and raise their child which was minimal techno. But it's important to keep in mind that those two touched almost every electronic scene at the time. From deep house, Detroit techno, dub and reggae, and everything in between. Now Rod and Stephen are pushing forward in their name, and have created some of the most sublime minimal electronic works under their name Deepchord Presents Echospace. Look at the cover too; it's futuristic but cloudy and ...

A.A.L (Against All Logic) 2012 - 2017 ★★★ Against All Logic, the alias for DJ and electronic musician Nicolas Jaar, has released this compilation of house and disco edits that caught everyone by surprise. It's not something you would necessarily expect from a musician like Jaar and the results are pretty mixed if you ask me. But I'm sure this release is not supposed to be a challenging or engaging piece of music. It's more in tune with keeping a set going to a bunch of party goers that feel like they're going to get lucky or are already numb to the world around them. There are some interesting samples and "ah hah" moments but those are very few in comparison to the length of the compilation.  This album is enjoyable and a fun time if you don't really care much about what you're listening to. Otherwise it can become pretty forgettable and all seem to blend together without much distinction. It's sweet and saccharine filled, close to...

Horace Tapscott The Call ★ ★★★ So far I've only listened to Tapscott in small settings, nothing of this scale or ambition. But from this album Horace channels a spirituality and soulfulness that rivals many of the other musicians of that period. Just like the cover depicts, this seems to be a sermon that is passionately given in the church of Jazz. And Tapscott acts like that preacher too; he doesn't play piano on any of these songs but rather acts as a conductor for the big band. There are some Mingus-like moments on here and maybe even some messages being received from the interstellar knowledge of Sun Ra (peep the title of the group too). It swings, it makes you think, and it takes you elsewhere. Everything a successful big band should have in my mind.  I was listening to a vinyl rip of this, and the quality was still good to my ears. Starting with the explosive "The Call", Tapscott shows that he can create an effectively catchy lyrical structure...

Egberto Gismonti Sol do Meio Dia ★★★½ Egberto Gismonti is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist that has released a run of albums on the ECM label. He's most known for his tropical and jazzy guitar playing that is both airy, but also very grounded and earthy. Like it holds the entire history of the people and the land of the Americas in its strings. Gismonti is joined here with a variety of well-known and respected ECM players at the time. These include Ralph Towner, Collin Walcott, Nana Vasconcelos, and Jan Garbarek. They're not all playing together but they joined Gismonti in his endeavors when necessary, and in the most prime moments possible. The album is split between four songs, each about five to nine minutes long, and then a side long piece that acts more like a suite than a traditional song.  The opener, "Palácio de Pinturas", is a duo on guitars between Towner and Gismonti. It's very jazzy and at some times even a bit jagged. Yet it never ...

Ground-Zero 革命京劇 (Revolutionary Pekinese Opera) Ver.1.28 [Kakumeikyōgeki] ★★★½ "Why Hip Hop Sucks in '96" is really quite the statement from DJ Shadow on his seminal debut album, Endtroducing... During this time DJ Shadow had created the so-called first ever album that was created just from samples. And to be honest, it's one of my favorite albums. But after listening to this, I realize that Shadow was not so alone in his sampling game, and he definitely didn't take it to the extremes. Released in the same year, this album really embodies some of the new musical concepts of the time, and how they were incorporated into the Japanese avant-garde.  This could fit perfectly on a Zorn album, or a release by the Tzadik label. But it's not and if it was it would be one of the most ambitious and confusing albums in their discography. There’s certainly some elements of jazz and perhaps acid or mathy rock. Those sections are particularly fun to listen...

Son House Father of Folk Blues ★★★ Age can have various effects on people. Some spoil and wither, while others age like wine and only improve in their musical talents. By learning new talents or expanding upon their established musical style. Son House seems to own a mix of both qualities, in various quantities. His voice has suffered, gaining a considerable amount of grit and staining from the vices of his life. And his playing feels a bit tight like he's putting all his focus into playing ALL the right notes. Those negatives are countered by some unexpected positives that are only clear after listening to this album multiple times. Some of those include the slight sweetness his voice seems to take on, and each song is amplified by what they mean to Son House. Through his life experiences, the lyrics in the song have more meaning; he's lived it all out and is here to tell it how it is. The majority of this is solo guitar and singing, but when House is joined...

Jason Lescalleet The Pilgrim ★ ★ ★★ Everything I've been listening to has been really great recently. This is a very heavy and somber record by Jason Lescalleet. Part of the newer cohort of abstract electronic music, he's known for working with people like Graham Lambkin and Kevin Drumm. This class of individuals have been creating intense and vivid textures in their music with the help of outside sources, mostly field recordings. That concept is also utilized here but not in the usual manner.  Summed up, this album is about the relationship Jason had with his father, and a sort of memorial in remembrance of his passing. It's not easy to create an artistic project like this for anyone, in any medium or platform. Especially not in the niche and sometimes conceptual subgenre that Lescalleet resides in. But he does it beautifully and in great effect. The album starts off with a spoken introduction bye Lescalleet describing how his father felt about his mus...

Max Roach Percussion Bitter Sweet ★★★½ Max Roach is a staple in jazz drumming, from the beginning to end of his length career. Playing with the hard boppers to the avant spiritually inclined; he's been everywhere. And by this time he had just finished his landmark, perhaps even magnum opus,  We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite . This date comes out later that year, and while it isn't as directly political and aggressive, the undertones are subtle and powerful all the same. The song titles are some indication of this, along with the decision to include Abbey Lincoln on vocals. Songs like "Mendacity" serve as a proud and stark plead for change, while also remembering pain and suffering. The solo from Roach is not cheeky or boring at all, it almost serves as his voice. The combo of Booker Little and Eric Dolphy are a powerful dynamic duo throughout this release, Dolphy especially giving his signature sound. It's not as avant as you'd t...

Annie Gosfield Lost Signals and Drifting Satellites ★★★½ Annie Gosfield is a modern composer of the Tzadik and Bang on a Can sort; appealing to the knowledgeable crowd while also luring in newcomers. She has a very industrial sound, that is translated through the edges of the instruments she's composed for. Each one is pushed to its limits in order to create a jarring and memorable experience for the listener, and one that they had not prior thought possible. One of her pieces, "The Manufacture of Tangled Ivory", is a percussive prepared piano masterpiece. There is a primal and dense feel to a lot of her music, and subtle humor as well. On this album, Gosfield has shifted her style in order to explore the possibilities of what a string quartet can provide. The FLUX quartet in particular, is an amazing group which I think translate Gosfield's music very well.  "Lightheaded and Heavyhearted" serves the composition title well. A patient but m...

Cecil Taylor Garden ★★ ★ ★ I've been thinking about Cecil a lot recently because of his passing. Of course he was important in the history of jazz from its rise in popularity to its degeneration in the mainstream and revival by the end of the century. Taylor never conformed no matter what decade he presided in. One of music's true originals, he stayed true to what music meant to him until the end of his life. I haven't listened to the majority of his catalog, which I wish to do, but I decided to take on something new. This happened to be a cascading monolithic solo performance called Garden , which clocks in at an hour and a half. Split into two discs, there's a sense of organization that is being forced unto his music, but really it's futile.  Cecil begins with some chanting and poetry on "Elell" that gives you a taste of what is about to pour out of his mind. The improvisation here, like on any Cecil Taylor album, is really remarkab...

Frankie Knuckles Live at Ministry of Sound, 1991 ★★ ★ ★ Frankie Knuckles is the undisputed godfather of Chicago house music, and for a good reason too. The warehouses in which he hosted his sets was a gathering place for people of all creed and color, simply to enjoy the music. To rave and lose themselves in dancing, if only for a night. The story behind his hit song, "Your Love", is unpleasant but it should be considered that he really made it popular beyond anything that could've been normally achieved. By this time in 1991, Knuckles had released one of his most popular, and catchy tunes: "The Whistle Song". Simply titled, it incorporated an unorthodox sample of a whistle which helped create a very innocent, or childlike, relaxed atmosphere that was ahead of its time. A lot of Knuckle's music might seem dated by itself but when you listen to him at the decks, like on this bootleg, it still sounds powerful and filled with energy.  The sty...