CHRISTIAN VANDER QUARTET - CONCERT RENNES 2002

• Christian Vander Quartet: Concert Rennes 2002
      (2026, cd, --, acel)

It is no secret that Magma founder, drummer and composer Christian Vander is a huge admirer of John Coltrane. He even did a project called "Offering" (named after a John Coltrane album) in the 1980s.

In 2002, Christian Vander gathered Eric Prost (tenor & soprano sax), Emmanuel Borghi (piano ), and Emmanuel Grimonprez (double bass) to perform a John Coltrane tribute concert in Rennes, France.

Pure energy.
Beautiful.

It even comes with a drum solo :-)

-- info & more: Danny Mathys

SOCIÉTÉ ÉTRANGE - HEAT

Société Étrange, is a Lyon, France-based trio.

With "Heat", Société Étrange extends its work around repetition, groove and cyclic structures, shaping an instrumental music that is both hypnotic and enveloping. Without any radical shift, the Lyon-based trio subtly moves towards more melodic and more cinematic forms, revealing warmer, more textured and sometimes more luminous atmospheres.

THE McHILSON PROJECT

• The McHilson Project: Insurrection
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, --, private release / elastic stage)
      (2026, lp, --, private release / elastic stage)

The debut album "INSURRECTION" by Mark McInnes's McHILSON PROJECT is now suddenly available on both Vinyl and CD !!

You know Mark McInnes from the Zappatika! project, performing the music of Frank Zappa.
Reason enough to check out this new release !

INSURRECTION Vinyl and CD Store
https://elasticstage.com/mchilsonproject/releases/insurrection-album

And here's the Bandcamp link:
https://themchilsonproject.bandcamp.com/album/insurrection

GOV'T MULE

Gov’t Mule Will Be Kicking In Your Stall This Summer:
New Headlining Dates Just Added!

JANEL LEPPIN - SLOWLY MELTING

• Janel Leppin: Slowly Melting
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp / cuneiform)
      (2026, cd, USA, cuneiform)

On "Slowly Melting", Janel Leppin plays all the instruments: her main instrument, cello, but also guitar, keyboard and bass.

"Slowly Melting" is a beautiful album, with cello lines reminiscent of choral singing.
The emphasis is on the melodic aspect, which creates a soothing atmosphere.

THE FURIOUS BONGOS PLAY ZAPPA

a message from The Furious Bongos 

Our Spring tour-ette is right around the corner, AND streaming passes are available for the show May 13 at Keystone Korner in Baltimore for those of y'all who can't make any of the shows in person!

• 5/13 Keystone Korner, Baltimore, MD
• 5/14 West Shore Theatre, New Cumberland, PA
• 5/15 The Queen, Wilmington, DE
• 5/16 Beacon Theatre, Hopewell, VA
• 5/17 Third Room, Asheville, NC

ANGINE DE POITRINE TOURDATES

Yes, I know... It's a bit of a hype.
But I do like their music !

FLASHBACK TO 1990/1991 - - - PRIX ITALIA - ZAPPA 50!

Here's a nice promotional book that I came across recently.

"Prix Italia - Frank Zappa 50!"

A4 sized, 40+ pages, this book presents the transcript (in English) of the interview that Co de Kloet did with Frank Zappa, broadcast during a December 1990 radio show called "Supplement".

Published by NOS Production (the Dutch Broadcasting Company), it also included a French translation of the transcript.

Very nice.

The Prix Italia is a prestigious annual international competition for radio, television, and digital media, established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana. It rewards top-quality, innovative productions from public and private broadcasters globally, focusing on drama, music, and documentaries.
Co de Kloet received the award for the above mentioned Supplement show.

It's this very same Supplement radio show from which highlights were released on cassette:

KAREN MANTLER - KAREN MANTLER'S PET PROJECT

• Karen Mantler: Karen Mantler's Pet Project
      (2000, cd, --, virgin classics)

On "Karen Mantler's Pet Project", the lovely and soothing voice of Karen Mantler explains how she came to terms with the death of her cat Arnold (who was the main character in three of her prior albums).

Nice.

Here's 'Go Fish', where Karen thinks about getting a fish pet.

SETNA - CYCLE I

• Setna: Cycle I
      (2007, cd, France, soleil zeuhl)

French Zeuhl fusion band Setna formed in 2004.
They released their first album, "Cycle I" in 2007 on the French Soleil Zeuhl record label.

Setna's "Cycle I" kicks off, combining Fender Rhodes repetitive melodies with ethereal female vocals. It sets a mellow and laid back atmosphere.
After a couple of songs, Guillaume Laurent starts adding soprano sax lines.
Beautiful.
And then, from track 6 on, both the Fender Rhodes and the bass get more energetic.
The final track even has James Mac Gaw (from One Shot) adding a guitar solo.

I love it.
9 tracks. With a nice shift from mellow to energetic.
Or as the band puts it: from darkness to consciousness.

Compelling.
Beautiful.

Here's what the band sounded like in concert: