Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/15/06 - 6/16/06

Now I'm getting busy!!!!!

Adds - JAZZ IS BACK!!!

JORDAN + HAMID DRAKE + WILLIAM PARKER, KIDD: Palm of Soul CD (AUM Fidelity) - Outstanding new release from this trio of world class improvisors led by veteran New Orlean’s musician, Jordan. A wide array of instruments and influences from Asia and Africa are used to create the music on this release. Highlights include the trancedant, “Forever”, with gongs setting the atmosphere for some excellent, soulful, blues wailing and the burning, “Unity Call”. A beautiful release that continues to expand the concept of what Jazz is and can be!

SHEPP, ARCHIE: On This Night LP (Impulse) - Found an original LP version of this somewhat “straighter” early Shepp title. Good post-early 60’s Coltrane informed sounds, most notable for the battery of percussionists/instruments (traditional trap kit, vibes, and africian “rhythm logs”, the latter, courtesy of the late, great Ed Blackwell!) that provide an excellent sonic foundation for Shepp’s saxophone excursions. Nice.

VARIOUS: Ethnic Minority Music of Northeast Cambodia CD (Sublime Frequencies) - The latest blasts from the usually dependable and interesting Sublime Frenquencies imprint are in! This volume features cosmic Cambodian folk music created on a wide variety of indigenous instruments. Excellent!

VARIOUS: Radio Algeria CD (Sublime Frequencies) - A wide range of musical styles are represented on this disc: folk, modern pop (in both Arabic and French), sacred Islamic music, and so on. Overall, very good, but I must admit that I still don’t care much for the “cut and paste” aspect of the all the “radio sourced” discs in this series. At least on this one most of the transitions are less jarring and the “real” musical pieces actually run 2, 3, or more minutes, unlike some of the earlier discs which were very audio collage-like.

It’s a wonderful world we live in. Access to so many cool sounds that would have been unknown to all but locals and a few hard core musical ethnologists only a few years ago.

Did Not Add -

LATERNA: S/T LP (Obuh) - Unfortunately the minimal, jazz-influenced improv contained on this fine vinyl LP from the usually reliable Polish label, Obuh, failed to sufficently capture my interest.

Running Count For The Year

Adds 78/60%

Did Not Add 52/40 %