Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Music 2008 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 3


Top Ten Jazz Releases 2008


( Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)


BAR KOKHBA: Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10 CD (Tzadik)

BERNSTEIN, STEVEN: Diaspora Suite CD (Tzadik)

BROWN, ROB (ENSEMBLE): Crown Trunk Root Funk CD (AUM Fidelity)

BY ANY MEANS: Live At Crescendo DCD (Ayler)

GONZALEZ, DENNIS (& FARUK Z. BEY W/NORTHWOODS IMPROVISERS SEPTET): Hymn For Tomasz Stanko LP (Qbico)

MAHANTHAPPA, RUDRESH (Pictured Above): Kinsmen CD (Pi Recordings)

MAHANTHAPPA, RUDRESH (Indo-Pak Coalition): Apti CD (Innova)

PARKER, WILLIAM (QUARTET): Petit Oiseau DLP (Shortwave)

RUDOLPH, ADAM (MOVING PICTURES): Dream Garden CD (Justin Time)

VANDERMARK 5 (Pictured Below) : Beat Reader DCD (Atavistic)


Monday, December 29, 2008

Music 2008 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 2


Top Five Live Shows 2008


( Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)


Steven Bernstein (Pictured Above) - 1/27/08 - At the Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco, CA

Alan & Richard Bishop, “The Brothers Unconnected” Tour, with Neung Phak - 5/21/08 - At Slim’s in San Francisco, CA

Entrance (Pictured Below), with Rodriguez, Sleepy Sun, and Matt Baldwin - 11/23/08 - At the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA


Jandek - 1/12/08 - At the Swedish-American Hall in San Francisco, CA

William Parker Quartet (Pictured Below) - 5/20/08 - At Yoshi’s in San Francisco, CA

Friday, December 26, 2008

Music 2008 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 1


Yawn. After not posting in sooooooo long, it's hard for me to imagine that it matters, that anybody even cares about my little blog nor the opinions expressed within, but, what the hell...

Here's the list of new releases I purchased in 2008, which will provide the basis for my various top ten lists. Of note is the sad total of items up for consideration - only 87. In the days of a better economy and greater personal bandwidth, that number was routinely 200+! I know, I know, others should have it so rough. And I agree, but still...

Anyway, here's the list:

AHMED, ILYAS: The Vertigo Of Dawn LP (Time-Lag)

BAR KOKHBA: Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10 CD (Tzadik)

BERNSTEIN, STEVEN: Diaspora Suite CD (Tzadik)

BIRD SHOW: S/T CD (Kranky)

BIRDS OF MAYA: Vol. 1 LP (Holy Mountain)

BISHOP, ALAN AND RICHARD: The Brothers Unconnected - A Tribute To Charles Goucher & Sun City Girls CD (Abduction) - Tour Only CD

BLACK ANGELS: Directions To See A Ghost TLP (Light In The Attic)

BORIS: Smile CD (Diwphalanx)

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: My Bloody Underground DLP (A Records)

BROWN, ROB (ENSEMBLE): Crown Trunk Root Funk CD (AUM Fidelity)

BURKETT, JOSHUA: Where’s My Hat? LP (Time-Lag)

BY ANY MEANS: Live At Crescendo DCD (Ayler)

CLOUDLAND CANYON: Lie In Light CD (Kranky)

CLOUDLAND CANYON/LICHENS: Exterminating Angel LP (Holy Mountain)

CLUTCHY HOPKINS: Walking Backwards LP (Ubiquity)

DAY, GRAHAM AND THE GAOLERS: Triple Distilled LP (Damaged Goods)

DEAD MEADOW: Old Growth DLP (Matador)

DER BLUTHARSCH: The Philosopher’s Stone LP + One-Sided 7-S (WKN)

ENDLESS BOOGIE: Focus Level DLP (No Quarter)

ERSEN: S/T CD (Finders Keepers)

ETERNAL TAPESTRIES: Mystic Induction LP (Not Not Fun)

EX REVERIE: The Door Into Summer CD (Language Of Stone)

FENNESZ: Black Sea LP (Touch)

FERN KNIGHT: S/T CD (VHF)

FRUCHTER, YOSHIE: Pitom CD (Tzadik)

GONZALEZ, DENNIS (& FARUK Z. BEY W/NORTHWOODS IMPROVISERS SEPTET): Hymn For Tomasz Stanko LP (Qbico)

GRAILS: Doomsdayer’s Holiday LP (Temporary Residence)

HEAVY HANDS: Smoke Signals LP (Language Of Stone)

HOSPITALS: Hairdryer Peace LP (Self-Released)

INDIAN JEWELRY: Free Gold! CD (We Are Free)

KAWAGUCHI, MASAMI (NEW ROCK SYNDICATE): Cat vs. Frog LP (Palindrone Recordings)

KRYSMOPOMPAS: Heute Schlafen - Morgen Aufwachen DLP (S-S Records)

LEE, SHAWN (& CLUTCHY HOPKINS): Clutch Of The Tiger 2 x 12-EP (Ubiquity)

LIGHTS: S/T CD (Language Of Stone)

LOS LLAMARADA: Take The Sky LP (S-S Records)

LUMERIANS: S/T 12” EP (Subterranean Elephants Recording Company)

MAGIC LANTERN: S/T LP (Woodsist)

MAGIC LANTERN: High Beams LP (Not Not Fun)

MAHANTHAPPA, RUDRESH: Kinsmen CD (Pi Recordings)

MAHANTHAPPA, RUDRESH (Indo-Pak Coalition): Apti CD (Innova)

MY EDUCATION: Bad Vibrations CD (Strange Attractors Audio House)

NASH, BEN: The Seventh Goodbye LP (Blackest Rainbow)

NOTHING PEOPLE: Anonymous LP (S-S Records)

NUDITY: The Nightfeeders 12” Single (Discourage Records)

ONRA: Chinoiseries CD (Bo Bun Records)

ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU: The Vodoun Effect 1972-1975 - Funk And Sato From Benin’s Obscure Labels CD (Analog Africa)

ORCHESTRE REGIONAL DE KAYES: S/T LP (Mississippi)

PARKER, WILLIAM (QUARTET): Petit Oiseau DLP (Shortwave)

PLASTIC CRIMEWAVE SOUND: S/T LP (Eclipse)

PIERCED ARROWS: Straight To The Heart LP (Tombstone)

PONTIAK: Sun On Sun LP (Thrill Jockey)

PRISONSHAKE: Dirty Moons DLP (Scat)

RACOO-OO-OON: S/T DLP (Not Not Fun)

RUDOLPH, ADAM (MOVING PICTURES): Dream Garden CD (Justin Time)

RUSALNAIA: S/T CD (Camera Obscura)

S. T. MIKAEL: In Harmony LP (Subliminal Sounds)

SECRET CHIEFS 3: Xaphan: Book of Angels Volume 9 CD (Tzadik)

SHALABI, SAM: Eid CD (Alien8 Recordings)

SILVER SUMMIT: S/T LP (Language Of Stone)

SLEEPY SUN: Embrace CD (Sol Diamond)

SONICKETTLE: En CD (Sonic Records)

SPECTRUM MEETS CAPTAIN MEMPHIS: Indian Giver CD (Birdman)

SPEER, D. CHARLES (& THE HELIX): After Hours LP (Sound@One)

SUARASAMA: Fajar Di Atas Awan DLP (Drag City)

SUN CITY GIRLS: Live At The Sit & Spin, Seattle, May 17, 2002 LP (Abduction)

THUNDERBOLT PAGODA: S/T LP (Mutant Music)

TUCKER, ALEXANDER: Portal LP (All Tomorrow's Parties)

ULAAN KHOL: I CD (Soft Abuse)

ULAAN KHOL: II CD (Soft Abuse)

UWAIFO, SIR VICTOR: Guitar-Boy Superstar 1970-76 DLP (Soundway)

VANDERMARK 5: Beat Reader DCD (Atavistic)

WHITE MAGIC: New Egypt CD Single (Latitudes)

ZEDEK, THALIA (BAND): Liars and Prayers LP (Thrill Jockey)

ZORN, JOHN: Filmworks XIX: The Rain Horse CD (Tzadik)

ZORN, JOHN: The Dreamers CD (Tzadik)  

V/A: A Kind Of Awe And Reverence And Wonder CD (Twisted Nerve)

V/A: African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds
From Benin & Togo 70s DLP (Analog Africa)

V/A: Asian Flashback: Underground Music From Asia CD (PSF)

V/A: Brazilika CD (Far Out Recordings)

V/A: Love, Peace & Poetry - Chilean Psychedelic Music LP (QDK Media)

V/A: Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic, Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk In 1970s Nigeria DLP (Soundway)

V/A: Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6 Part 1 DLP (Soundway)

V/A: Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues
1970-6 Part 2 DLP (Soundway)

V/A: 1970’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground LP (Sublime Frequencies)

V/A: Radio Myanmar (Burma) CD (Sublime Frequencies)

V/A: Shadow Music Of Thailand LP (Sublime Frequencies)

V/A: We Are All Circling The Stars DCD (Cosmos Recordings)


Labels Of Note:

Tzadik = 6

Language of Stone = 4

Soundway = 4

Not Not Fun = 3

S-S Records = 3

Sublime Frequencies = 3

Abduction = 2

Analog Africa = 2

Holy Mountain = 2

Kranky = 2

Soft Abuse = 2

Thrill Jockey = 2

Time-Lag = 2

Ubiquity = 2

I purchased only 1 title from 46 labels