Stars Like Grains of Sand

Sonny Simmons Staying on the Watch ★★ ★ ★ The new school from the west coast makes its way to New York to strut their stuff on ESP. Simmons is the only player I recognize on this quintet recording, and that happens to be from his recording with three-fourths of the John Coltrane quartet, Illumination! . That album was a savory and exciting release from both the respected and innovative rhythm section, as well as the exploratory and curious horn players who were Sonny Simmons, Charles Davis, and Prince Lasha. Now, a couple years later Sonny Simmons arrives to show off his newly gained experience as well as the prowess of the members of his quintet. And it really is something to behold. I got some faint reminders of Billy Harper's album Black Saint . Not really with the soulfulness or grandeur, but a bit with the boundaries it was trying to push while still remaining lyrical and holding onto conventional song structure. It's actually much more sonically up to par t...

Fred Frith Guitar Solos ★★★½ When done right, guitar improvisations can be among my favorite form of music and sound. A key player in that field is Derek Bailey; his music has transformed the way I've understood improvised music especially that of the guitar. Now I haven't gotten around to listening to Fred Frith's music under his own name, but now is the time with his solo debut. I've known about Frith through his work in Art Bears and Zorn's group years later, but I didn't find him very memorable or outstanding. So I went into this album without a clear idea or bias regarding his music, though the album cover really did grab my attention. I heard that Frith was a classically trained violinist before beginning to play the guitar, and I think he brings in some of that 20th century theme regarding sound on this record. Frith is diverse, and it shows with the techniques he uses here as well as the instruments he plays on other projects. Each piece s...

The Clientele Suburban Light ★★½ Is it really fair to come in with some preconceived notions about what I'm listening to, then be able to judge it? No it isn't, but it's impossible to avoid for me. Perhaps the rave reviews and supposed timelessness of this album led me down the path of increased expectations. And to be perfectly honest, I wasn't disappointed just a bit confused as to what really makes this album stand out or be considered a moody classic. It's a compilation, and it's almost immediately understood that there's little cohesiveness. There's various themes and styles that are attempted, sometimes they pay off and other times it just seems redundant and flat. I understand the appeal at the time, it's that perfect image of turn-of-the-millennium melancholy that only the teenagers understand. The local coffee shop band that plays to a small crowd but one that very much appreciates what they play, without getting too close to ...

The Khan Jamal Creative Arts Ensemble Drum Dance to the Motherland ★★★½ Jazz fusion can be icky. Any fusion has the capability to enormously disappoint and bring shame to both of the concepts that it's fusing. But fusion can bring about change and acceptance of ideas from different backgrounds. The world of jazz fusion has been dominated by the likes of Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis and Chick Corea. For the most part they have succeeded in moving the genre forward and incorporating different forms of rock, Latin, electronic and musical styles from around the world. On the deeper edge lie people like Don Cherry and Bill Frisell, and apparently, Khan Jamal and his group. It always seems like no matter what genre of music, the most innovative and boundary pushing sounds originate from live sessions. This is an example of just that, a raw jam session recorded in an underground club in Philadelphia around 1972. The crude recordings of g...

Autechre Untilted ★★★ ★ ½ In my mind, Autechre has always been one of the hardest nuts to crack when it comes to electronic music, or more specifically "IDM". In a world of Aphex Twin's smear of pop infused dance hits such as "Windowlicker" and "Flim", or Boards of Canada's nostalgia intertwined with hip hop beats; there's little room for the avant and stark atmosphere that boldly stands out and pushes you away in Autechre's music. I think their first couple of albums could have actually fit snugly into a niche that was yet to be fulfilled in the electronic music scene of the time. But Sean and Rob are not ones to stick to what's tried and true; they've been experimenting constantly. Reforming and reshaping everything Autechre is and will be, much to the disappointment or excitement of fans. For the majority, I think there's a defining line between the albums before  Confield  and the ones after. While  Confield ...