Sunday, February 24, 2019

ANOTHER STICK MEN OFFICIAL BOOTLEG


We are now making recordings like this publicly and officially available for purposes of archiving, (our own) historical research, and for your enjoyment as a fan and collector. Each show is offered for a rather low price and the proceeds from these downloads will get split evenly between Tony, Markus, Pat, and Robert, the four people who worked as a team to make this music come alive.




DUSAN JEVTOVIC


MoonJune Records is releasing later this Spring the new studio album, still to be titled, of the Serbian guitarist based for many years in Barcelona, Spain, Dusan Jevtovic, who is accompanied by Gary Husband on drums, Markus Reuter on touch guitar, and Bernat Hernández on bass.

Here is the video clip of what is most likely to be the opening tune of the album: "Babe" (grandmothers in Serbian, pronounced: bah-beh).



Saturday, February 23, 2019

FRANK ZAPPA - NEW YEARS EVE 1973



This new radio show album presents the so-called 'un-concert', a tape that Frank compiled in 1973 from various 1973 concert recordings.
The Zappateers source of this 60-minute recording is from November 8, 1974, and taped from WXRT. This album states that the tape already got broadcast on New Years Eve 1973 on WLIR-FM. Well, the intro does mention WLIR so I guess this is the same tape but from a different source.

Excellent live compilation.
This needs an official release !!


LA VERDADERA HISTORIA DE FRANK ZAPPA MEMORIAS


  • la verdadera historia de frank zappa memorias
    by frank zappa and peter occhiogrosso
        (2014, book, spain, the art of dying)
I know, I know...
I don't even speak Spanish. I just thought it would look nice next to the other editions that I have of "The Real Frank Zappa Book".

Anyway, finally available (released in 2014) in Spanish.


THE LIVES AND TIMES OF FRANK ZAPPA


  • the lives & times of frank zappa    (1976, book, uk, babylon books)

I remember buying a similar little book (a collection of news paper clippings) in the earlier eighties.
Thanks to the excellent Zappa Books (http://www.afka.net/Books/lives.htm) site, I know now that I have the second edition (pictured above) and the third edition (pictured below).

So much fun  :-)


FLAT EARTH SOCIETY UPDATE


On February 18th 1999, the first live sounds that Flat Earth Society ever produced, could be enjoyed in the Cartoons club in Antwerp. In the ever-expanding FES universe, those early compositions still sound as fresh and invigorating as 20 years ago. FES celebrates this special anniversary with a ‘Best Of’ repertoire, a 100-year jubilee tour of ‘The Oyster Princess’ (Ernst Lubitsch, 1919) and a tour through Canada and the United States in November.

For those who still haven't heard FES live, you are most welcome on Friday April 26th at JazzAhead in Bremen or on any of the published dates below. More dates to follow soon!

17/03: Eye, Amsterdam. The Oyster Princess
22/03: Lantarenvenster, Rotterdam. The Oyster Princess
02/04: CC Diest, Diest. The Oyster Princess
26/04: JazzAhead Bremen. Best of
13/06: NDR Hamburg. The Oyster Princess
14/06: NDR Hamburg. The Oyster Princess
29/11: deSingel, Antwerp. The Oyster Princess
30/11: De Grote Post, Oostende. The Oyster Princess
13/12: De Toonzaal, Den Bosch. The Oyster Princess

Oct/Nov: Canada and USA

Calgary
Vancouver
Seattle
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Nashville
Washington
Philadelphia
New York
.....



SNAKEFINGER - LIVE IN MELBOURNE

In 2015, the Secret Records label (from Madison, WI) released "Live In Melbourne" as a 2LP set in a limited edition of 300 copies.
2 LP's with three sides of music and one side screen printed.
This one's been out-of-print for ages.

Earlier this year, the set got re-released.
175 copies on magenta vinyl, plus a screen print on side four
and
250 copies on magenta vinyl, without the screen print on side four.

So if you didn't get a copy the first time, you might still be able to get one now.
Comes with a digital download of this fabulous concert.

https://secretrecords.bandcamp.com/album/snakefinger-live-in-melbourne-1981-punk-sr05



CARL KING - 50 INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING THEMES



I'm very impressed by the creative output of Carl King. One of his alter egos, Sir Millard Mulch, released a couple of albums between 1995 and 2005, give or take a year or two.
I got hold of "How To Sell" and "The De-Evolution Of Yasmine Bleeth" a while ago already, and I was happy to add "50 Intellectually Stimulating Themes" to the collection recently.

50 short tunes. Sequencer madness. Crazy melodies and drum patterns.
Much to my surprise, 'At The Zoo" includes the guitar solo of Frank Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia'...
Well, thinking about it, it shouldn't have surprised me as it fits in perfectly.

A fine addition to the United Mutations Archives.


NEW ALBUM BY BACKBACK


Belgian quartet BackBack has a new album out, "4".
On the El Negocito Records label.



SUN RA - PATHWAYS TO UNKNOWN WORLDS


Re-release of Sun Ra's "Pathways To Unknown worlds".
Out on LP, CD and digital download.

Cut by Kevin Gray, and pressed on gold vinyl at Third Man for out of this world sound quality! Includes archival document replica of how Ra wanted to spend his major label advance!

First ever CD reissue, containing three Pathways session recordings left off the original, one never before issued!




Thursday, February 21, 2019

CARL KING'S "BARBARIAN BURGER"





DET NORSKE BLÅSEENSEMBLE'S FRANK ZAPPA TRIBUTE


The Norwegian Wind Ensemble, better known as Det Norske Bläseensmble will be doing two Zappa tribute concerts in March :


March 07 - BLÅ GROTTE - FREDRIKSTAD, NORWAY

March 08 - BRYGGA KULTURSAL - HALDEN, NORWAY


-- info: Jan van Kemenade


THE WRONG OBJECT'S "INTO THE HERD"


With their new release, Into The Herd (Off/MoonJune) , The Wrong Object make a return to center stage, with a studio album of original compositions showcasing a variety of fresh, powerful material. After 15 years of an existence marked by extensive touring, recording and numerous collaborations with international jazz and rock luminaries (Elton Dean, Harry Beckett, Annie Whitehead, Alex Maguire, Stanley Jason Zappa, Ed Mann, Robin Verheyen), The Wrong Object ventures further into hybrid musical territories, pushing the boundaries of progressive jazz, rock and contemporary music. Perhaps the influence of the late Frank Zappa has never been more apparent. The songs continually weave, duck, dart, and ‘stop on a dime’; while exhibiting the “controlled reckless abandon” and a similar zany, humorous approach to both harmony and melodic/thematic motifs, akin to that which characterized his work. This is a herculean effort; one that goes a long way in filling the very noticeable long-standing void left in the wake of Zappa’s departure.




NEW HARDY FOX RELEASE


Posthumous release by Klanggalerie : Hardy Fox - 25 Minutes.
Recorded one week before his death.
Released as a limited edition TOOK CD.


And Hardy's eponymous album got re-released with different artwork :



PIERREJEAN GAUCHER


In 1998, Pierrejean Gaucher released a book on how to play and use triads and arpeggios on the guitar.
The book, including the audio fragments, has been made available through Bandcamp.



Monday, February 18, 2019

HENRY KAISER & MAX KUTNER - WILD COURSES

Recorded in April of 2017, this guitar duet album is a particularly special and unusual one. Like Kaiser’s 1979 classic WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE duet album with Fred Frith, this Kaiser-Kutner recording breaks new ground in an unceasingly entertaining manner. Composed of duets on instruments with coursed pairs of strings, acoustic and electric 12-strings and 8-string bass, the music occupies very unique sonic territories.

John “Drumbo” French originally suggested that the two might find a fruitful recording collaboration together. Kutner plays guitar in Drumbo’s current MAGIC BAND, and Drumbo and Kaiser have collaborated for 40 years. A tip of the hat to the music of the original BEEFHEART MAGIC BAND occurs in the duo’s surprising cover of GLIDER from THE SPOTLIGHT KID. The bulk of the duets are improvisation, recorded live in real time.

11 remarkable and beautiful experiments, using a variety of 12-string guitars.
Beautiful.



Sunday, February 17, 2019

APE SHIFTER - APE SHIFTER II

from Glass Onyon PR :

Instrumental Riff-Rock Masters APE SHIFTER To Release Sophomore Album APE SHIFTER II

Since releasing their self-titled debut in March 2017, APE SHIFTER have completed two European club tours encompassing Germany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands. They have shared the bill with Loudness, The Skull, White Cowbell Oklahoma, and Mörglbl, among others. Festival performances have included Zytanien (main stage), Burg Herzberg Festival, OBOA, Free n Easy, Festival Kult!, and others.

On Friday, March 29, 2019, APE SHIFTER release their follow-up album to their debut with their sophomore release APE SHIFTER II.

From rockin' 70's riffs played with punk rock ferocity to creeping metal grooves and all out bashers, APE SHIFTER give new meaning to intense simian instrumental rock from the nasty pits of the Hellabrunn Zoo.



NI - PANTOPHOBIE

Scheduled for the first of March, the second Ni album has just been released.
"Pantophobie".
Eleven tracks, all with 'phobie' in the title.
The first track is called 'Phonophobie' and is 15 seconds of silence. How appropriate.
All the other tracks combine strange rhythms with heavy guitar lines.
Supberb music in a beautiful package.
Great !!

Out on vinyl and on CD.
Also available as Bandcamp download.



NUBIYAN TWIST


Afrobeat and electronics !
Nubiyan Twist has a new album out on the Strut Records label.



TONY LEVIN AND AYUB OGADA


Tony Levin :
With the passing of the wonderful musician Ayub Ogada, it seemed right to share this duet. Recorded at Real World Studios by David Bottrill, Ayub played his nyatiti and sang, while I did some funk fingers bass and sang harmony. A train went by while we were running the song down, which inspired the title, and engineer Tchad Blake kindly donated his recording of that train, which we inserted into the take. It's from my World Diary CD.




NEW RELEASE FROM JOHN TABACCO




NI - LES INSURGES DE ROMILLY

After two mini albums, French band Ni released their first album in 2015 on the Dur Et Doux record label.
Entitled "Les Insurgés De Romilly", the album presents 8 full-blown energetic tracks.
Math rock at its best.
Love it.



SPINIFEX - SOUFIFEX

The latest release by experimental jazz ensemble Spinifex !!

from the Spinifex website :
In 2017, Spinifex adapted two pieces and recorded them for the CD ‘Amphibian Ardour’: a Sufi traditional of Kurdish/Iranian origin, and a Qawali traditional from Pakistan. We liked this music so much that we decided to create a whole project, SOUFIFEX, dedicated to music inspired by Sufi traditions. Deeply rooted in our musical approach of combining cutting-edge composed structures with free improvisation, Spinifex dived into the magic of ritually repeated patterns and concentration on the beat.

Out on the TryTone record label.
https://trytone.org/wordpress_A/catalog/


POLLO DEL MAR - YEAR OF THE ROOSTER



San Francisco based surf band Pollo Del Mar contributed their fine version of Frank Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia' to the 2004 "Lemme Take You To The Beach" sampler.
Two years later, they released a live version (recorded in Belgium) on their "Year Of The Rooster" album.


Saturday, February 16, 2019

INSOMNIO

Insomnio ensemble
in concert in Utrecht, earlier this month.
performing Frank Zappa's The Yellow Shark



Wednesday, February 13, 2019

STEVE VAI'S PIANO REDUCTIONS VOL.2 IS OUT


Steve Vai and Miho Arai - Piano Reductions Vol. 2
"Piano Reductions Vol.2" is out !






VERNEDERLANDISERINGEN - KUT GELUID


Vernederlandiseringen produces Dutch versions of classic pop and rock songs.
They just released their first album, "Kut Geluid", as a Bandcamp Download.
Check out track number 5, a Dutch version of Frank Zappa's 'Mom & Dad' retitled 'Ma & Pa'.

Calling this bizarre would be an understatement...



-- info: Filip Schepers

BESTIAPLANETE - LA HOLOTURIA VENUSINA

The latest album by Bestiaplanete is called "La Holoturia Venusina".
Catchy, energetic funk-rock.
Nice. Very nice.

13 tracks.
Track 6 is about Vinnie Colaiuta.
A great set of songs in a beautiful 3 panel package.



GOV'T MULE TOURDATES


Gov't Mule

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

May 27 @ O2 Academy in Glasgow, UK
May 28 @ Boiler Shop in Newcastle, UK
May 29 @ O2 Academy in Leeds, UK
May 31 @ Town Hall in Birmingham, UK
June 01 @ O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, UK
June 02 @ Academy 2 in Manchester, UK
June 04 @ La Cigale in Paris, FR
June 05 @ AB in Brussels, BE
June 06 @ Batschkapp in Frankfurt, DE
June 08 @ Ribs & Blues in Raalte, NL
June 09 @ Victorie in Alkmaar, NL
Jun 13-16 @ Mountain Jam in Bethel, NY
Jun 28-30 @ Smoky Run in Butler, OH
Jul 19 @ Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Welch, MN
Jul 20 @ Moondance Jam in Walker, MN


VINNIE COLAIUTA


New (?) solo album by Vinnie Colaiuta ?
Released last year.
Called "Descent Into Madness".



THE BIZARRE WORLD OF FRANK ZAPPA * * * UPDATE * * *


THE BIZARRE WORLD OF FRANK ZAPPA - - - TOURDATES

Apr 19/ Port Chester, NY, USA
Apr 20, Rochester,, NY, USA
Apr 22, Red Bank, NJ, USA
Apr 24, Huntington, NY, USA
Apr 26, Boston, MA, USA
Apr 28, Albany, NY, USA
May 1, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
May 2, Collingswood, NJ, USA
May 3, Baltimore, MD, USA

May 09: Playhouse, Edinburgh, UK
May 11: Sage, Gateshead, UK
May 12: Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, UK
May 13: Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK
May 14: The Palladium, London, UK

May 16: Oostende, Kursaal, BE
May 17: RAI, Amsterdam, NL


CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN IN CONCERT


15 feb 2019 - 20:30 Toon Tellegen - Ik wou Stadstheater Zoetermeer, NL
16 feb 2019 - 20:15 Toon Tellegen - Ik wou Stadsgehoorzaal Leiden, NL
17 feb 2019 - 16:00 Toon Tellegen - Ik wou ECI Cultuurfabriek Roermond, NL
22 feb 2019 - 20:00 Hemels en Vergeefs Koppelkerk Bredevoort, NL
26 feb 2019 - 20:00 Toon Tellegen + CvB BijlmerParkTheater Amsterdam, NL
28 feb 2019 - 20:00 Olijven moet je leren lezen De bblthk Wageningen, NL




PIERRE VERVLOESEM UPDATE


Pierre Vervloesem will be releasing his new album, "Artiste Belge", in March.
He has another one scheduled for release in May, a project with Morgan Agren, and is already working on another solo album.

http://off-recordlabel.blogspot.com/





ANOTHER ZAPPA RADIO SHOW CD

Zappa
Vienna, June 28, 1982.
Radio broadcast.



GORESHIT - MEMESTREET


UK band / ensemble / artist Goreshit recorded Frank Zappa's 'Flower Punk'.
It got released on the 2017 "Memestreet" album.
Digital Bandcamp release, plus available on CD.



TEBZ - SONGS TO MYSELF


TEBZ recorded Frank Zappa's 'What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?' and released it on his "Songs To Myself" album.
Digital bandcamp release, but also available on CD and on USB Drive.




POXODD

You may know Poxodd from the artwork for various Ostrich Von Nipple albums, or Renaldo And The Loaf albums.
Well, this very same Poxodd has released a beautiful art zine called "Stone Face Gang".
Issue number one is available as zine and also as separate and paired prints.

I received my copy today.
It looks great.

https://poxodd.com/



SNARKY PUPPY


Time for some Snarky Puppy !!




NEW RELEASE BY LE PRINCE HARRY

Next month, Le Prince Harry will release a new 12" : "Be Your Own Enemy".

In order to change from consistently less funny remarks about the two members' nationality, but to further facilitate easy flow of extremely satisfying mental pictures to your mind when first listening to Be Your Own Enemy, we'd rather tell you this: at the beginning of the eighties, a band called Oingo Boingo (mostly famous for Danny Elfman being one of its members) released an EP soberly entitled Demo EP, which will certainly remind you of elements from the album we're interested in today. It appears this EP was for the most part the inspiration for the soundtrack of a movie called Forbidden Zone, the story of which goes as follows: the Hercule family is settling in their new californian home and discovers in the basement a door leading to the 6th dimension: the dwelling place of a dwarf king, a jealous queen, flirtatious girls in bikini and Satan himself.

Well, consider each new track of Le Prince Harry as such: a fantastic door leading straight to a Forbidden Zone, where the king, the queen, the dwarf, the naked girls and the Lord Of Darkness, all high on steroids, their eyes bulging and their bodies covered in sweat, would come turn the 6th dimension into a backroom of seeping walls and saturated atmosphere of poppers' fumes.

Check it out :



Available from Bandcamp and Rockerill Records :
http://www.rockerillrecords.com/


LOWELL GEORGE RADIO SHOW ALBUM


A Lowell George and Linda Ronstadt 'radio show' album :
"Live In Maryland '74"

Lowell George with Linda Ronstadt at friends, live from the WHFS Studio in Maryland on March 19th 1974. On March 19, 1974, Lowell George and Linda Ronstadt dropped into Bethesda, Maryland radio station WHFS-FM to chat about music, touring, and records, as well as informally play a few tunes. The program was broadcast live and featured George and Ronstadt dueting on unplugged versions of Heartache (later a hit for Suzy Bogguss) and Sailin Shoes. They also did George's classic Willin with help from a few friends, and Lowell performs a solo version of another of his compositions, China White.



FRANK NUYTS UPDATE


Belgian composer Frank Nuyts is 'composer in residence' at the Kade Podiumkunsten in Deinze, BE.
Next to a number of concerts and events, Frank will be the special guest at the 'Music Matters' radio show on  Belgian national radio Klara on Saturday Feb 23. Between 14h00 and 18h00.



NEW ALBUM BY DREAM THEATER TO BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK


The new Dream Theater album, "Distance Over Time", will be released on February 22, 2019.



DAEVID'S YOU, ME & US - RAIN CHECK

In 2014, Daevid Allen was unable to join Chris Cutler and Yumi Hara on the scheduled "You, Me & Us" tour in Japan.
Initially, this DVD was made available for those who had a 'rain check' for one these concerts.
People who didn't have a 'rain check' also wanted the DVD, so it was made available for sale last December.

5 tracks.
Recorded live in Tokyo in 2013. (audio of tracks 1 and 2 have previously been released).
Featuring Daevid Allen (guitar, vocals), Chris Cutler (drums, percussion) and Yumi Hara (piano, synth, vocals).

Impressive.

Get your copy here:
http://www.yumiharacawkwell.co.uk/HTML/body_discography.html#Rain%20Check

Here's a little piece from a 2013 concert in London, UK :



FREAK KITCHEN - LOST IN BORDEAUX

Adding info to the United Mutations Archives, here's the data for the Freak Kitchen "Lost In Bordeaux" promo CD.
It got released as a bonus CD with the (French edition of the) "Move" album.
Limited (?) to 2 500 copies.
11 minutes, recorded live at 'The Koslow', Bordeaux on 28.09.2001.
Released in 2002.



BEAT LOVE ORACLE

Frank Nuyts' Beat Love Oracle ensemble in concert :

Feb 23 - 15h00 rehearsal (open to public) 'Zaal Rekkelinge', Deinze, BE
Feb 24 - 10h30 concert 'Zaal Rekkelinge', Deinze, BE

Mar 8 - 20h15 'Zaal De Brug', Kluisbergen, BE



Sunday, February 10, 2019

A ZAPPANALE NEWSFLASH


Dear Zappafans,
the program of the 30th Zappanale is taking shape.

We‘ve received an above-average amount of applications and the musicians I‘d like to book for this year are demanding some patience from me.

It‘s been your wish over and over again to see one highlight of our memorable 13th Zappanale, Ed Palermo.
Ed Palermo will come to our 30th jubilee in full line-up with all his wind section.
Additionally he will strike up together with Napoleon Murphy Brock.

At the GrandMothers Of Invention concert Ed Palermo will be part of the band with his wind players. More musicians who want to play with GMOI have still to be clarified.
The show from the GMOI will differ from last year‘s concert. I think that with Zappanale #30 they will bid their final farewell to us. It‘s been their great wish to be again part of the 30th Zappanale. We are happy and looking forward to seeing Don and Bunk again, because they have been the first of Frank Zappa‘s companions who performed at the Zappanale. We are united by long years of shared history.

The negotiations with Ensemble Musikfabrik are concluded. Here we will get a program on a very high level, which will be in this vein for the first time at the Zappanale. I‘m actually trying to win Napoleon to fly to Cologne on Thursday before Zappanale to audition together with the Ensemble.

Percussion Under Construction (a branch of the Saarländisches Staatstheater) is going to delight us with 8 musicians playing a Zappa program and later on the Mystery Stage again with a smaller line-up with music from Edgar Varese.

It goes without saying that Jazzprojekt Hundehagen, our house band, must not be missing our jubilee and will be present, too, of course.

Det Skandalose Orkester from Norway will throw the party on Saturday night.

Das Duo Zement will make us happy with sounds à la Cluster and early Kraftwerksound.

Hopefully Ali’N Askin, a former companion of Frank Zappa, is going to escort us into the sunset like 6 years ago.

The AMM-All Stars are going to offer us an interesting version of „Lumpy Gravy“.

And now it‘s time for the second round for all remaining bands.

Music is the best!

Euer Zappanale Team



Saturday, February 9, 2019

SEED ENSEMBLE


Formed in 2016, SEED Ensemble is a ten-piece project led by composer, arranger and alto saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi. Already a giant on the UK jazz scene, she is known for her work with all-female jazz septet, Nerija, and afrobeat jazz group, Kokoroko.

Combining jazz with inner-city London, West African and Caribbean influenced groove, Cassie Kinoshi’s SEED Ensemble explores a blend of genres through both original compositions and arrangements. “SEED Ensemble is my way of celebrating the vibrant and distinctive diversity that has significantly influenced what British culture has become over the centuries.

Projecting this new musical vision are some of London’s most up-and-coming young jazz musicians essential to the modern identity of British jazz including tuba player Theon Cross, trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey, tenor saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael and one of London’s leading guitarists, Shirley Tetteh.



Yelfris Valdes - trumpet
Sheila Maurice-Grey - trumpet
Cassie Kinoshi - alto saxophone + compositions
Chelsea Carmichael - tenor saxophone + flute
Joe Bristow - trombone
Courtney Brown - bass trombone
Ashley Henry - keys
Tal Janes - guitar
Rio Kai - bass
Patrick Boyle - drums


NEW ALBUM BY THE MICHAEL GREGORY JACKSON CLARITY QUARTET


Guitarist and composer Michael Gregory Jackson's latest album : "Whenyoufindityouwillknow".

  • Michael Gregory Jackson – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
  • Niels Praestholm – bass
  • Simon Spang-Hanssen – alto and soprano saxophones
  • Matias Wolf Andreason – drums




THE SONS OF MORPHEUS


SONS OF MORPHEUS’ riff-swampiness has never sounded edgier driven by immediacy only heard by bands that carved their name in stone for eternity. By masters of pigeonholding more and more located in todays lively stoner/psych-scene, it is to mention that the group’s playing and swaying into busy outerspace may be complete overkill to state-of-the-art stoner-potheads… for the good!

Nowhere To Go from the new album The Wooden House Session, out on February 22nd 2019

Czar of Revelations / www.czarofcrickets.com



THE ELECTRIC QUARTERTONE GUITAR TRIO



STRAWBS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION


from Glass Onyon PR

UK Music Legends Strawbs 50th Anniversary 3 Days Celebration in Lakewood, NJ - April 26, 27 and 28

Featuring special guests Tony Visconti, Annie Haslam, Larry Fast and others! Weekend celebration of the first album release by seminal British band.

In celebration of their 50th anniversary, UK music legends Strawbs, plus a host of guest performers, former Strawbs, and Strawbs-related artists, will be performing at the Strand Theater in Lakewood, NJ on April 26-28, 2019!

Come join a weekend celebration of the first album release by seminal British band Strawbs!

Strawbs are Britain's most successful international progressive folk-rock band. They are mentioned in the same breath as progressive rock bands Yes, King Crimson and The Moody Blues. Strawbs have a devoted fan base that continues to grow on the strength of their incredible live performances together with their classic albums over the years including “Grave New World”, “Bursting at the Seams”, “Hero & Heroine” and “Ghosts.” The band has achieved sales of over three million albums, seven consecutive Strawbs albums have featured in the US Billboard Top 200 albums.

Many top musicians have featured in the Strawbs line up over the years, including Sonjia Kristina, Blue Weaver, Don Airey and as well as Rick Wakeman , both his classically trained sons Adam and Oliver have been featured, a certain compliment to the band's talent. After several years of touring in both acoustic and electric lineups, in 2017 Strawbs released “The Ferryman's Curse,” their first studio album of original material in eight years. The album returned to the album charts and garnered rave reviews worldwide!

The current Strawbs line-up comprises David Cousins, lead guitarist Dave Lambert, bass player Chas Cronk, and drummer Tony Fernandez, who recorded and toured together in the 1970s. They are joined by keyboard and guitar virtuoso Dave Bainbridge of Iona - a band who created a mystical blend of rock, folk, Celtic and ambient music - a perfect match for Strawbs.



STEPHAN THELEN - FRACTAL GUITAR

Composer and guitar player Stephan Thelen has just released his debut album for MoonJune Records. Stephan's former projects include his band Sonar, playing guitar and electronics (for various Swiss ensembles), producing albums and composing music for theater plays and film productions. His string quartet Circular Lines recently got recorded by the Kronos Quartet !

"Fractal Guitars" is named after an guitar effect that Stephan uses. 'A rhythmic delay with a very high feedback level that creates cascading delay patterns in odd time signatures such as 3/8, 5/8 or 7/8.'

With the help of Markus Reuter, who adds U8 touch guitar and soundscapes to the album, and some fine guitar players that Stephan had met the last couple of years, "Fractal Guitar" became a pretty impressive album.
Instrumental, post-prog, soundscapes,...
Featuring David Torn and Henry Kaiser to name two.

My cup of tea.
Out on MoonJune Records.
On CD and digitally available on Bandcamp.


Check out this clip !!



Tuesday, February 5, 2019

ANOTHER ZAPPA HOLOGRAM DATE ADDED


THE BIZARRE WORLD OF FRANK ZAPPA - - - TOURDATES

May 09: Edinburgh (UK), Playhouse
May 11: Gateshead (UK), Sage
May 12: Manchester (UK), Bridgewater Hall
May 13: Birmingham (UK), Symphony Hall
May 14: London (UK), The Palladium

May 16: Oostende (BE), Kursaal
May 17: Amsterdam (NL), RAI Theater


Robert Martin adds
"Great news for fans of live Zappa music. I'll be enjoying the great honor of taking the stage with a number of my friends and cohorts from various Zappa tours this year to not only play again the amazing music Frank created, but also to participate in world premiers of Zappa works that were discovered in the vault that have never been performed or recorded. The concerts will include an eclectic mix of pieces that are challenging and satisfying for us as musicians, as well as perennial Zappa favorites that bring a smile and a cheer of recognition with the first few chords. I look forward to making this world-changing music again with my brothers from past tours, and especially to singing again alongside the one and only Ray White.

In the true spirit of the Zappa experience, the concerts will also feature a most creative visual feast to augment the music. This stuff will blow your mind. Tickets are on sale now for the following events in the UK, with more announcements on the way. I've seen some of what's in store, and in addition to making this great music again, we all look forward to seeing both old and new Zappa fans around the world."



FRANK ZAPPA RIFFS (GUITAR LESSON)





FLAT EARTH SOCIETY


Flat Earth Society celebrates its 20th birthday by performing the music for "De Oesterprinses", a movie from 1919 (celebrating its 100th birthday !!).

March 7 - Eye Amsterdam, NL - 16 u
March 22 - Lantarenvenster Rotterdam, NL - 20.30 u
April 02 - CC Diest, BE - 20.30 u



THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND, PERFORMING THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA

Well, not only the music of Frank Zappa, but lot's of other great stuff as well...

2019
  • February 4 - The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • February 16 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542
  • March 2 - The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • April 13 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542
  • April 22 - The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • May 20- The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • June 15 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542
  • June 17 - The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • July 15 - The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • August 12 - The Iridium - 1650 Broadway - NYC, NY
  • August 17 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542
  • October 19 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542
  • December 21 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542
  • December 31 - The Falcon - 1348 Route 9W - Marlboro, NY 12542


Sunday, February 3, 2019

SNAKEFINGER - LIVE IN MELBOURNE 1981


Originally released in 2015 in a very limited edition (and almost immediately sold-out), Secret Records is re-releasing Snakefinger's "Live In Melbourne" album.
Two different vinyl editions. Check it out :



BUNK GARDNER


In 1972, Bunk Gardner contributed to Nicolas Greenwood's "Cold Cuts" album.
The data is already in the United Mutations Archives but you can find additional info here :
http://dariuschrisgoes.blogspot.com/2019/02/nicholas-greenwood-cold-cuts.html

-- info: Jan van Kemenade


MOHINI DEY AT NAMM


Mohini Dey.



ELIO E LE STORIE TESE - COLLECTION

At the end of 2010, La Gazetta Dello Sport released a collection of 11 CDs and 3 DVDs by Elio E Le Storie Tese. One CD or one DVD per week.
Every CD and DVD came in a slipcase and all of them fit in one beautiful box.

Week 10 offered a DVD called "The Lugano Tapes", a digital version of the VHS tape that had been released in 2001.
This recording includes Elio E Le Storie Tese with special guest Ike Willis, performing a.o. 'Broken Hearts Are For Assholes', 'Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?' and 'You Are What You Is'.

Very nice.



BESTIAPLANETE - AMEBAALVAREZ



"Amebaalvarez" (Amoebe Alvarez) is Bestiaplanete's tribute to the music of Rodolfo and Hugo Alvarez.
Contrary to Bestiaplanete's previous albums, "Amebaalvarez" is a straightforward folk/pop/rock album. No sharp edges. No surprises.
I enjoyed listening to it, but I do prefer the more experimental side of Bestiaplanete.

https://bestiaplanete.bandcamp.com/


FREAK ACCIDENT



I mentioned this album earlier, but as some things can't be mentioned enough : "Tha More, Con-Fusing Tha Better" is a superb album by Freak Accident.
A project by Marco Cirone. (guitar player / Muze Orchestra)
From 1999.

An excellent album.
To quote my pal Danny : 'Each Zappa fan should have one...'


THE RESIDENTS PRESERVED


  • the residents: eskimo
        (2019, 2cd, uk, cherry red records nrt008)



  • the residents: commercial album
        (2019, 2cd, uk, cherry red records nrt009)

The Residents' pREServed series continues with "Eskimo" and "The Commercial album".
Both issued as a 2CD set. Remastered and including lots of unreleased material.


Saturday, February 2, 2019

DET SKANDALØSE ORKESTER - TENK OM NOEN SER DEG

Det Skandaløse Orkester's second album, "Tenk Om Noen Ser Deg", got released last year on the Apollon Records label. Around the same time, the label also re-released their first album on CD.

Fun ! Obvious Zappa influences.

Here's track 5, the most straight-forward song on the album.


Here's the band performing some Zappa pieces during the ZappaUnion festival in 2016 !



GOV'T MULE SUMMER 2019 TOURDATES





WARREN HAYNES PRESENTS DREAMS & SONGS - A SYMPHONIC JOURNEY


Warren Haynes Presents: Dreams & Songs - A Symphonic Journey

Featuring Warren Haynes, Oteil Burbridge, John Medeski and Jeff Sipe with the Asheville Symphony

Building on his symphonic journey, Warren Haynes announced a special collaboration with Oteil Burbride, John Medeski, Jeff Sipe and the Asheville Symphony where they will perform works by Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes, Allman Brothers Band, Grateful Dead and more. The one-night-only event will take place Saturday, March 16 at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, NC.


JOHN TABACCO - TOO MUCH SAKE


Released on February 1, 2019,  on John Tabacco's Bandcamp page :



NEW STUDIO ALBUM BY FOCUS


From Glass Onyon PR :

Dutch Music Legends Focus Announce Release of New Studio Album “Focus 11” - OUT NOW!

The current members of Focus are Thijs van Leer, Pierre van der Linden, Menno Gootjes and Udo Pannekeet and they are pleased to announce the worldwide release of the new studio album, “Focus 11.”

This is the band's first new studio album in just over 6 years and forms part of the build up to the band's forthcoming 50th Anniversary. The band is also just starting a world tour, in support of the album, which will be launched on Cruise to the Edge 2019.

The 11 track album has been released as a CD, gatefold coloured LP and Download on the band's own In And Out of Focus Records, via Cherry Red. The album features artwork by Roger Dean.

When asked about the album, Thijs van Leer responded with this poem:
Wow, my joy could not increase
To see this new release
It has Mazzel, Palindrome and Heaven
Plus a title track called Eleven
Both angelic and a beast
It's Focus, to say the least!




Friday, February 1, 2019

THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND FEBRUARY SHOWS


THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND
ATTENTION!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!!
NEWS FLASH!!!
(best read mimicking Walter Winchell)

The Ed Palermo Big Band invites you to TWO NEW YORK AREA EVENTS
in celebration of their latest album, "A Lousy Day in Harlem".
Four years in the making, Ed Palermo returns to his jazz roots with original new compositions.
Come hear fresh cuts from the new CD as well as classic jazz, rock and Frank Zappa, of course!

Monday February 4 at The Iridium Jazz Club in NYC
Saturday February 16 at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY



SUN RA & HIS ARKESTRA - SUN RA WITH PHAROAH SANDERS & BLACK HAROLD

Re-release of the 2009 CD that got released on the ESP label (ESP 4054).
This digital re-release does have some extra tracks compared to the 1976 vinyl album.

You can find more info here :
http://exystence.net/blog/2019/01/06/sun-ra-his-arkestra-sun-ra-with-pharoah-sanders-and-black-harold-2018/

-- info: Jan van Kemenade


IKE WILLIS & ZAPPATIKA - THE HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE MOVIE


Ike Willis & Zappatika - The Highway maintenance movie (2018 Tour)

90 minutes of music and Ike Willis talking to the band.



2000


Initially called 1000, the ensemble recently changed their name to 2000 !

In 2004 JAN KLARE (saxophone), together with trumpet player BART MARIS from Belgium, Dutch bassist WILBERT DE JOODE and American drummer MICHAEL VATCHER, founded the group "1000". From its inception, the group incorporated compositions that were rather unusual points of reference for the world of improvised music – pieces by Bach, Ravel, Monteverdi or Gregorian chants – thus establishing a unique style very early on. When Vatcher relocated to NYC in 2017, ELISABETH COUDOUX joined the band on cello, and soon thereafter, at the invitation of Moers Festival 2018, the six piece edition "2000", including trombonist STEVE SWELL, was born.


-- info: Danny Mathys

SUN RA - SUN EMBASSY



Released one year ago by Roaratoria.
The below link has some extra info :

http://exystence.net/blog/2019/01/05/sun-ra-his-astro-infinity-arkestra-sun-embassy-2018/

-- info: Jan van Kemenade