SINISTER SISTER PERFORMS ZAPPA 26.02.2016 CHARLEROI (BE)

February 26, 2016
SINISTER SISTER
PERFORMS ZAPPA

Sinister Sister met l’accent sur la musique instrumentale d’un artiste majeur et remarquable du siècle précédent : Frank Zappa, compositeur “classique” et musicien de rock, mais aussi improvisateur hors pair.

26.02.2016 - 21h00
PBA / La Réserve - Palais des Beaux-Arts
Ancienne discothèque La Réserve
Place du Manège
6000 Charleroi - Belgique

http://www.pba.be/fr/saison/343/sinister-sister

THE COAX ORCHESTRA

Next Sunday afternoon, February 28, 2016, Charly will be hosting another Freakshow concert.

The Coax Orchestra will be performing at the Immerhin Würzburg in Würzburg, Germany.
An afternoon concert, starting at 16h30.

-

ZAPPANALE 2016 (PROVISIONAL LINE-UP)

ZAPPANALE 2016 (PROVISIONAL LINE-UP)

July 13 - St.KatharinenKirche, Hamburg

• Inventionis Mater

July 14 - Kamp, Bad Doberan

• ZappNoise
• Paul Green's Rock Academy
• Bad Penny

July 15 - Festival Ground, Bad Doberan

• main stage
• Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra
• Bogus Pomp
• The Magic Band

• mystery stage
• Cowboys From Hell
• BSG9
• October Equus

July 16 - Festival Ground, Bad Doberan

• main stage
• Hazmat Modine
• Paul Green's Rock Academy, feat. Ed Mann
• Zappy Birthday Mister Frank

• mystery stage
• Z.E.R.O.
• ??
• Sior Band

July 17 - Festival Ground, Bad Doberan

• main stage
• The Dorf
• The Grandmothers & The Yellow String Quartet, feat. Ed Mann
• Goodbye session

• mystery stage
• Hyperculte
• Jazzproject Hundehagen

COMPCORD ENSEMBLE - THE MOZART INFLUENCE

• compcord ensemble: the mozart influence
      (2016, cd, usa, naxox / composer concordance comcon0030)

The Composers Concordance or CompCord Ensemble recently released an album on which they explored the music of W.A.Mozart.
As the record label explains :
The thematic core of this album is Mozart, his influences, and the stylistic and structural ramifications of his work. Accordingly, the program utilizes 3 strata of presentation:
* arrangements and reconstructions of his work, by various contemporary composers;
* those composers, of different periods, who have been directly influenced by Mozart;
* new pieces, written especially for this perfomance, that have been directly inspired by Mozart's work.

To be quite honest, I've never been much of a fan of Mozart's musical output.
There's no doubt that the man was a musical genius and that he played an essential role in the history of music as we know it, but to me, it sounds too soft and too predictable.

Anyway, the CompCord Ensemble tried to shed a contemporary light on Mozart's music. I do like the idea, and I did enjoy listening to some of the results.
Having different composers and arrangers working on various pieces does make the album very diverse which, in this case, is a good thing.
And it's a fun album as well as it does present some interesting surprises.

Out on Composers Concordance.
http://composersconcordance.com/

A LITTLE PIECE OF RESIDENTS HISTORY

Homer Flynn and Hardy Fox of the Cryptic Corporation (and Graeme Whifler) took part at the "Media Burn" event that was organised by the Ant Farm art group on July 4, 1975.
Homer, Hardy and Graeme acted as FBI agents during the performance.

Here's a shot :

The picture was taken from a YouTube documentary on the event.
The info was taken from the book "Never Known Questions" by Ian Shirley.

THEORY OF OBSCURITY, A FILM BOUT THE RESIDENTS

Don Hardy's documentary about The Residents has been released on DVD and on blu-ray.

A must-see.

Zappa freaks might want to know that the soundtrack for the documentary includes The Residents (or Snakefinger) performing Frank Zappa's 'King Kong'.

• movie: theory of obscurity - a film about the residents
      (2016, dvd, usa, film movement) 

And here's a picture of the cover of the blu-ray.
The blu-ray has 11 extended interviews as exclusive material.

• movie: theory of obscurity - a film about the residents
      (2016, blu-ray, usa, film movement)

ON-LINE FRANK ZAPPA GUITAR LESSON ON GUITAR PLAYER DOT COM

Here's the link :

http://www.guitarplayer.com/artist-lessons/1026/frank-zappa-shut-up-n-learn-his-guitar-techniques--tab--audio/56754

DWEEZIL ZAPPA ON THE COVER OF GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE

the March 2016 issue of Guitar Player Magazine.

CAPTAIN CHEESE-BEARD * * BRUSSELS * * DECEMBER 17, 2015

recorded at The Soul Inn in Brussels, December 17, 2015
Captain Cheese-Beard.

OSTRICH VON NIPPLE - SWARM SUITE

• ostrich von nipple: swarm suite
      (2015, 10", ger, psychofon records)

I briefly mentioned Ostrich Von Nipple's excellent "Swarm Suite" a bit over a month ago.
It's his latest album. Out on the Germany Psychofon label.
The 10" picture disc comes with a CD and it includes two pieces of music: 'Swarm Suite' and 'So Do They'.
Very nice.

Lots of Residents influences here.
Featuring Nolan Cook on certain guitar parts.
And as you can imagine by the presence of the blue / devine creatures, there's even a sitar to be heard!!

As I was playing the album again this morning, I noticed that I hadn't added pictures of the 10" picture disc to the United Mutations Archives.
So here they are.

Here's a track from OVN's previous album:

THE LAMA HOME BAND - THE END OF THE INTELLECT

• the lama home band: the end of the intellect
      (2015, lp, bel, bananafishin' records)

The Lama Home Band is the brainchild of D.Down and K.Kang. Their latest release "The End Of The Intellect" presents reworked versions of songs that had been previously released on tape and on CDR plus one previously unreleased composition that dates back as far as 1983!

It's always a pleasure to get a new dose of The Lama Home Band.
Especially on vinyl !

"The End Of The Intellect" includes 15 experimental, bizarre and avant-garde tracks.
Great fun in a superb package (love those fake nails !!).
Food for fans of The Residents and Klimperei.
It can happen here !

SATRIANI UPDATE

"Surfing to Shockwave" Tour with Joe Satriani, Mike Keneally, Byran Beller and Marco Minnemann

2/25 Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
2/26 Salem, OR @ Historic Elsinore Theatre
2/27 Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Theatre
2/28 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
3/01 San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre
3/02 Tucson, AZ @ Fox Tucson Theatre
3/03 Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center
3/04 Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Concert Theater @ Palms Casino
3/05 Scottsdale, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Ballroom
3/07 Denver, CO @ Historic Paramount Theatre
3/08 El Paso, TX @ Abraham Chavez Theatre
3/09 Dallas, TX @ The Majestic Theatre
3/10 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
3/11 San Antonio, TX @ Laurie Auditorium
3/12 New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum Theater
3/14 Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
3/15 Pensacola, FL @ Saenger Theatre
3/16 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse
3/17 Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
3/18 Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
3/19 Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre
3/21 Durham, NC @ Carolina Theatre
3/22 Charlotte, NC @ Knight Theater
3/23 Atlanta GA @ Symphony Hall
3/24 Richmond, VA @ The National
3/25 Virginia Beach, VA @ Sandler Center
3/26 Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
3/29 New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
3/30 Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theatre
3/31 Providence, RI @ The Vets
4/01 Brookeville LI @ Tilles Center
4/02 Washington DC @ Lincoln Theatre
4/04 Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre
4/06 Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
4/08 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
4/09 Buffalo, NY @ UAB Center for the Arts
4/10 Cleveland, OH @ Hard Rock
4/12 Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Music Hall
4/13 Detroit, MI @ Fillmore Detroit
4/14 Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre
4/15 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
4/16 St. Paul, MN @ The Fitzgerald Theatre
4/21 Calgary AB @ Grey Eagle Event Centre
4/22 Enoch, AB @ River Creek Casino
4/24 Vancouver, BC @ Hard Rock Casino Vancouver

THE ITALIAN JAZZ ART - THE ITALIAN JAZZ ART

• the italian jazz art: s/t
      (2007, cd, italy, caligola 2091) 

Can't recall if I already mentioned this album, so here we go. (again?)
The Italian Jazz Art, featuring Bebo Baldan, Marco Ponchiroli, Andrea Ghezzo and Paolo Andriolo.
Plus guests.
This is an excellent jazz album that includes a beautiful version of Frank Zappa's 'Blessed Relief'.

A superb addition to "the others of invention".

CAPTAIN CHEESE-BEARD T-SHIRTS

The deal : CD + t-shirt

http://www.mottowsoundz.com/music/captain-cheesebeard-compact-disc-t-shirt

ALIVE AT THE EYBALL MUSEUM

"Alive At The Eyball Museum" is a comic book that tells the 'rather psychedelic' tale of The Residents visiting The Eyeball Museum in Germany.
As far as I know, the visit did really take place somewhere in 2015.
The story, however, is quite a bit... euh... different, if I may say so.

Artwork by Christel Jacobs
Story by Christel Jacobs and Andreas Mathews

published by the nice folks at Psychofon Records.
http://www.psychofonrecords.com/

The Eyeball Museum, if you were wondering, is in Bremerhaven, Germany.

THE RESIDENTS AT TIVOLI

I caught The Residents in concert at Tivoli in Utrecht (NL)yesterday.
Last concert of this tour.

The sound quality was excellent and the show was pretty good.
The Residents (with new member Rico) brought the third part of their Shadowland trilogy.

I  had already seen the show last year (in Ghent) but it was good to see the performance again.
I had fun.

Here's a snippet, Melon Collie Lassie:

THE MUFFIN MEN ON TOUR WITH DENNY WALLEY IN APRIL

a message from The Muffin Men !

online ticket info for forthcoming april gigs, more when we find them:

• chester, sun 3rd april
  http://alexanderslive.com/events/leicester
• mon 4th april
  http://www.wegottickets.com/event/346790
• box, near bath, wed 6th april
  https://www.facebook.com/events/154564494908459
• sheffield, fri 8th april
  www.wegottickets.com/event/344010
• bilston, sun 10th april
  http://www.therobin.co.uk/whats_on/giginfo.asp?gigid=4366
• brighton, fri 15th april
  http://www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/music/the-muffin-men-with-denny-walley/
• hartlepool, sat 16th april
  https://www.ents24.com/hartlepool-events/the-studio/the-muffin-men/4440688
• cavern liverpool, sun 17th april
  http://www.cavernclub.org/whats-on/event/the-muffin-men-2/?date=7108

EVIL DICK IN CONCERT ON MAY 24 IN LEICESTER

Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at the Firebug in Leicester, UK :

The Nightingales, Ted Chippington and Evil Dick (!!)

I'm guessing that Evil Dick will be adding a Zappa tune or two to the setlist...

KEVIN KASTING / CARL CLEMENTS - A FAR REFLECTION

• kevin kastning / carl clements: a far reflection
      (2016, cd, usa, greydisc gdr3529)

Kevin Kastning and Carl Clements have a brand-new album out.
"A Far Reflection" is the duo's fourth release on Greydisc Records.

The result is a beautiful voyage, directed by Kevin Kastning's 36-string double contraguitar, his 30-string contra-alto guitar and ebow, and by Carl Clements' tenor and soprano saxophones, alto flute and Bansuri flutes.
A journey in sounds.
Combining the beautiful tone and a huge range of Kevin's guitars with Carl Clements' Bansuri flutes is unlike anything I heard before.

Recommended listening.

Here's a track from one of their previous albums.

ZAPPA - RARE GEMS FROM THE VAULTS

• frank zappa: rare gems from the vaults
      (2016, 4cd, uk, anglo atlantic)

Another semi-official release.
The Anglo Atlantic label (??) is releasing a 4CD set that consists of two radio shows. One from 1975 (with Captain Beefheart) and another one from 1981.

As these so-called record companies are always fishing in the same pond, there's nothing new to be found (or heard) here: it's the 1975/04/26 providence and the 1981/11/17 new york city concert.

UNIVERS ZERO'S 1ST ALBUM GETS A RE-RELEASE

The Sub Rosa record label is re-releasing Univers Zero's 1977 eponymous album.
This time, it will be a 2 LP set as it will include bonus material.

Longstanding Belgian chamber rockers and avant-garde pioneers led by drummer/composer Daniel Denis, Univers Zero was formed in 1974 with co-composer and guitarist Roger Trigaux (who left

the band in 1980).This is their first album recorded between the 2nd and the 5th of August 1977.

ABSTRACT LOGIX

The Abstract Logix record label is releasing three new albums :

• Tedeschi Trucks Band: Let Me Get By
  
• Snarky Puppy: Family Dinner Volume Two
  
• Beledo: Dreamland Mechanism

MOSCA VIOLENTA / MOMBU - HUNTING DEMONS

• mosca violenta / mombu: hunting demons
      (2015, lp, france, head records)

After sharing the bill one one date while on tour, Italian duo Mombu and French trio Mosca Violenta decided to do a project together.
You might know that Mosca Violenta used to be called Les Yeux De La Tête and that the saxophone player of the Mombu duo is also a part of Zu.

The recording session of the resulting ensemble featured two drummers, one bass player and two saxophone players.
"Hunting Demons" presents four compositions of haunting, instrumental music.
Worth checking out.

Released on the French Head Records label.
http://www.head-records.com/

Available from Mandaï
www.mandai.be

PISCINE - OLYMPIQUE

• piscine: olympique
      (2015, lp, france, a tant rêver du roi)

Don't you love it when a band that's called Piscine (Swimming Pool) releases an album entitled "Olympic" (piscine olympique = olympic swimming pool)?
It fits the superb artwork perfectly !

A noise / fuzz guitar combined with math / prog rock drumming and heavy bass lines.
Very energetic and powerful.
This French trio sure knows how to rock.
Their first album.
Wowie zowie.

Highly recommended !!

Available from Mandaï.
http://www.mandai.be/

http://atrdr.net/

Check it out !!

KEVIN KASTNING / MARK WINGFIELD - ELEVEN ROOMS

• kevin kastning / mark wingfield: eleven rooms
      (2015, cd, usa, greydisc gdr3528)

Last week, I received "Eleven Rooms" a beautiful collaboration between Kevin Kastning and Mark Wingfield.
Kevin Kastning, as you might know, explores the sounds of the acoustic guitars, performing on a 36-string double contraguitar, a 30-string contra-alto guitar, a 6-string classical guitar and a mandolin.
Mark Wingfield is an electric guitar player. Last year, Mark released the impressive "Proof Of Light" on the MoonJune Record label.

On "Eleven Rooms", the duo pays tribute to Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. The liner notes explain that it's the combination of light and shadow, the stillness and the mystery of the paintings that inspired the music.
11 tracks.
11 mysterious soundscapes,
A beautiful combination of electric and acoustic sounds.

Out on the Greydisc label.
www.kevinkastning.com - www.markwingfield.com
Recommended listening.

Here's a sample.

'NEW' ZAPPA RADIO BROADCAST ALBUM

Entitled "Ahoy There", this album presents Frank Zappa's 1980 Rotterdam concert as broadcast on Dutch national radio.

Recordings of this concert can already be found on numerous bootlegs. Now, the so-called radio-broadcast record labels will probably be releasing a bunch of different titles from this broadcast as well.

A SUN RA UPDATE

From Irwin Chusid / Saturn Newsgroup


LP / CD / 7" singles / 10" EPs on Modern Harmonic, a new imprint from Sundazed:

Space Age Is Here to Stay: Sun Ra & His Interplanetary Vocal Arkestra
Double gatefold LP of vocal tracks spanning 25 years, including several previously unreleased tracks. In production, release date TBD, hopefully late spring. Will use new remasters, with an additional QC pass by mastering wizard Bob Irwin.

7" singles:

Saturn / Mystery Mr. Ra
El is a Sound of Joy / Black Sky and Blue Moon
Plutonian Nights / Reflects Motion (Part One)
10" EPs:
Rocket Number Nine / Ankhnation / Project Black Mass
The Lady with the Golden Stockings / Spontaneous Simplicity / Lover in Outer Space (vocal)
Nuclear War / Outer Reach Intense Energy (early version) / Twlight

All the above will feature cover art licensed from the estate of Chesley Bonestell, renowned science fiction illustrator.

Recent digital issues:

Soul Vibrations of Man
Despite the inherent flaws of the original live recordings/mixes, the digital release is an upgrade in audio quality. The digital album has also been sectioned into individual tracks with titles, which were missing from the Saturn LP (but were listed in Earthly Recordings).

Sun Ra: Paris 1983
A previously unreleased, well-recorded 1983 Paris date, from a tape transfer provided by Hartmut Geerken via Peter Dennett. This is not the SR All-Stars, who also performed in Europe around this time — this is the Arkestra. Digital cover art adapted from figures by Jim Flora.

Sun Ra & His Arkestra at Inter-Media Arts, 1991
Previously unreleased, stunningly recorded 1991 performance at Huntington, Long Island arts venue. Originally aired on WNYC in late ’91, and posted for streaming on their website in 2014 for the Sun-tennial. The digital album is separated into individual tracks (in sequence), and the pdf booklet contains track titles (not posted on WNYC site), corrected personnel info, and the backstory. This performance took place after Ra recovered from a stroke. This band packs a wallop. We were provided with a 24-bit, 96Khz transfer from tape by WNYC, who consented to its commercial release. Digital cover adapted from an early 1950s Jim Flora figure study.

Cosmos
In final stages of completion, probably available within a week.

Upcoming: Taking a Chance on Chances (including Side A without defects), Crystal Spears, and Cymbals (both with bonus material).

TERRY BOZZIO - COMPOSER SERIES, DELUXE EDITION

• terry bozzio: composer series, deluxe edition
      (2015, 4cd + dvd + 2blu-ray, japan, ward records)

Next to the 'regular' 4 CD /DVD and 4 CD/blu-ray edition, the Ward Records label als issued a 4 CD/DVD/2 blu-ray package entitled "Composer Series".
It does, of course, offer the same four audio discs but also adds some extras.
The most impressive part of this lot, however, it the 11" hardcover book in which the discs are offered. The book shows all of Terry's paintings in perfect quality.
True, you also got this in the cd-booklet of the regular package, but this sure does look nice...

ZAPPA'S ROXY THE MOVIE RELEASED IN A LUXURIOUS BOX IN JAPAN

Frank Zappa's "Roxy The Movie" got a luxurious release in Japan.
Housed in a 12" box, the happy owner gets a blu-ray video, an audio CD and a cassette.
Plus a t-shirt.
Apparently, Yamaha Music Media had scheduled two variations: one with a cassette and another one with an LP. Unfortunately, the LP-version didn't make it.

'NEW' CAPTAIN BEEFHEART ALBUM

Out on the Go Faster Records label.
Captain Beefheart : Plastic Factory.
CD

"Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band had supported Love at the Avalon Ballroom a month before, but they returned on June 17th 1966 as headliners. Then seen as a blues musician with a big voice, rather than the avant-garde experimentalist he would become, Beefheart didn't disappoint, performing no fewer than four Howlin' Wolf numbers in amongst a number of other blues covers and a smattering of originals. The Magic Band at this time were Doug Moon and Alex St. Clair on guitars, Jerry Handley on bass and Paul Blakely on drums. The Oxford Circle supported on the night, and coming from a Them/Yardbirds impulse as they did, they were well received by the blues enthusiasts in attendance. This Avalon show is augmented here by a number of bonus cuts from radio sessions and demos recorded between 1966 and 1968, all originals and all in surprisingly good quality for material of this vintage. The CD is completed with a rare radio interview (well, more of a chat really) between veteran Brit DJ John Peel and Beefheart, recorded one night in 1973 when the Good Captain joined Peel on his radio show, while touring the UK."

FLAT EARTH DAY AT BOZAR

Flat Earth Day is a FES-tival that will be held at Bozar (Brussels, Belgium) on March 19.

concerts by
- Too Noisy Fish
- Bart Maris & Loops
- Bruno Vansina
- Flat Earth Society featuring Mauro Pawlowski and Pierre Vervloesem

http://www.bozar.be/nl/activities/107416-flat-earth-society-mauro-pawlowski---terms-of-embarrassment