JON - カセット盤

• JON: カセット盤
      (1999, cd, Japan, oz disc ozd-066)

Uehara Shoko is a mysterious musician. She performs and records as Jon The Dog.
A dog who dreams of being a wolf, and performs in a high-pitch voice, accompanying herself on a pump organ.

In 1994, JON released a cassette tape called "Singapore". It included JON's version of FZ's 'Let's Make The Water Turn Black'.
I've not been able to locate a copy of that cassette (yet), but I was happy to find out that it got included in JON's 1999 compilation album entitled "カセット盤" (which translates as "cassette").

There's a fascinating interview with JON here: 
https://www.shy.center/p/jon-interview

And here's Jon, The Dog with 'Sasatteru':

THE BAND FROM UTOPIA IS TOURING

Here's a set of pictures of yesterday's gig at the Heimathaus Twist in Germany, provided by Jan.
Jan added:
An excellent concert. Despite Ray White being there (still in fine voice!), there was plenty of instrumental music. Highlights included ‘Sleep Dirt’ and the guitar duel between Mike and Jamie.

I'll be seeing them this evening in Tilburg !!

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-- pictures: Jan van Kemenade

ECHOES OF ZOO - COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE

• Echoes Of Zoo: Collective Intelligence
      (2026, cd, Belgium, zephyrus)

Contrary to their previous releases, the latest album by Echoes Of Zoo is not only made available on vinyl but also on CD.

"Collective Intelligence" is all about performing together.
Or as the Bandcamp liner notes add:
Echoes of Zoo is back with "Collective Intelligence" — an album that grooves like a pack on a mission. Inspired by the clever coordination of animals, these tracks celebrate the magic that happens when individuals move as one. Drawing from the intelligence of swarms, flocks, and ecosystems, the record invites listeners to rethink how we, as humans, might face global challenges together. Deep African grooves and wild oriental melodies, all tangled up with Western twists and turns. Music that feels both primal and futuristic. Every beat buzzes with urgency and curiosity, inviting us humans to dance our way toward smarter, shared solutions. "Collective Intelligence" is not just a listening experience, but a call for awareness, connection, and shared responsibility.

A great message. Yes, but the way that they bring it is truly amazing.
Nathan Daems (sax), Falk Schrauwen (drums & percussion), Lieven Van Pée (bass), & Bart Vervaeck (guitar).
The interplay, the rhythms, the non-Western influences,...

Superb !!

THE FALL - CEREBRAL CAUSTIC

• The Fall: Cerebral Caustic
      (2026, lp, UK, cherry red) – black vinyl
      (2026, lp, UK, cherry red) – yellow/ brown marbled coloured vinyl
      (2026, 5cd, UK, cherry red)

Originally released in 1995, a remastered LP version of The Fall’s “Cerebral Caustic” got released earlier this year. The album included The Fall’s version of FZ’s ‘I’m Not Satisfied’.
Next to the vinyl re-issues on black and on yellow/ brown marbled coloured vinyl (the latter limited to 500 copies) of The Fall’s 1995 “Cerebral Caustic” album, the Cherry Red record label also issued a 5 CD box set, presenting alternative versions and a live concert.

Each disc was housed in a separate album cover.

Disc 1, “Cerebral Caustic”, presented the remastered version of the original album, including The Fall’s version of FZ’s ‘I’m Not Satisfied’.

Disc 2, “Sessions & Mixes”, presented a John Peel session and some pre-release rough mixes, including the one for FZ’s ‘I’m Not Satisfied’.
This material was also included as a bonus disc with the 2006 re-release.

Disc 3, “Live In Rennes, April 1995”, presented a concert recording, including a live performance of the aforementioned Frank Zappa piece.

Disc 4 & 5, “The “Twenty-Seven Points”, presented a re-release of the 1995 live compilation that carried the same name.

BRAND X - THEORY OF NOTHING

Enjoying this excellent release !

https://officialbrandx.bandcamp.com/merch/brand-x-theory-of-nothing-2cd-limited-edition-2nd-pressing

The iconic progressive jazz-rock fusion band Brand X revisit their 1977 US tour amid the successful salvage of a heap of reel to reel tapes from Robin Lumley's attic after nearly 50 years.

Over the decades since Brand X released its seminal Livestock, recorded during its 1976/1977 UK tours, hardcore fans may have collected a few bootlegs of varying quality levels. For most bands, that's business as usual, but in the case of Brand X, these sub-standard recordings were made all the more painful since the band never earned a penny from those pirated releases.

Bootleg collectors or faithful fans who purchased retrospectives of live material in the 1990s, often heard substandard recordings from the band's 1977 US tour, since none of the bootlegs, poorly produced FM broadcasts such as Squared or long out of print collections ever yielded a penny for the band, it made sense for Brand X to finally issue its own live album from these reel to reel tapes found in Robin Lumley's personal collection; if a few of these tracks are already familiar to dedicated fans, the double album Theory Of Nothing finally represents a complete concert experience from North America in the fall of 1977. A period which road manager Pete Donovan recalls as the happiest in the band's short stint through the 1970s. It showcases what can arguably be described as "the band at its peak performance”.

Theory Of Nothing was remastered by Percy Jones from a set of stereo reel to reel tapes once intended for broadcast. Audio was meticulously restored so that every number played in these shows could be presented on this record. The band features the usual cast of suspects, John Goodsall, Percy Jones, Robin Lumley, Morris Pert and Kenwood Dennard. And curiously, three tracks from what would become Masques a year later are already performed in earlier arrangements, with Robin on keys and copious live banter from the stage in between numbers.

This live album by Brand X, released in collaboration with MoonJune Records - and take note: for the first time ever, fully owned by the legitimate band owners, and all proceeds go to Percy Jones and estates of John Goodsall and Robin Lumley. This album is a nod to all Brand X fans, and also an homage to the long lost era of Hipgnosis inventions, when opening the box and leafing through the photos and graphics was the start of the journey!

This is the first in what is sure to be a new series of exceptional archival releases.

ANDREAS RAUSCH'S "ZAPPAESK" BOOK

as mentioned on the BooksOnDemand website:

https://buchshop.bod.de/zappaesk-andreas-rausch-9783696780029

A completely fictional story based on true events in the life of Frank Zappa, Surrealism & Philosophy in the work of Frank Zappa, One Size Fits All & Freak Out! This is the Book.
This is ZAPPAesk.
Zappaesk - In the spirit of Zappa

Hilarious.
Essential for every Zappa fan !!

Andreas also has this fabulous YouTube channel:

EDDIE JOBSON U.K. REVISITED - - - EUROPEAN TOUR DATES

The first dates have been confirmed, and tickets are (becoming) available !

Eddie Jobson's U.K. Revisited
feat. Eddie Jobson, Marc Bonilla, Alex Machacek en Marco Minnemann.

2027 01 18 - Studio Club, Krakow, Poland
2027 01 19 - Palladium, Warsaw, Poland
2027 01 20 - Cosmopolite, Oslo, Norway
2027 01 21 - Pustervik, Gothenburg, Sweden
2027 01 23 - Nya Cirkus, Stockholm, Sweden
2027 01 25 - 013, Tilburg, The Netherlands
2027 01 26 - Boerderij, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands

JAKE REICHBART - - - SLEEP DIRT

'Sleep Dirt' (F. Zappa)
Fingerstyle Guitar, Jake Reichbart

AN OTTLA UPDATE

Bert Dockx' Ottla ensemble is working on some Thelonious Monk tunes. They're even considering releasing an album with all Monk tunes.
As a teaser, here's 'Bye-Ya': 

FLAT EARTH SOCIETY FLASHBACK

• Various Artists: FES XLS
      (2014, 3cd, Belgium, igloo)

In 2014, the Belgian Igloo record label released a 3 CD slipcase box set. The set included Flat Earth Society's "Boot & Berg" and "Call SHeets, Riders & Chicken Mushroom", plus X-Legged Sally's "(1986-1997) X-Legged Sally Compilation" album.
Common denominator being composer and bandleader Peter Vermeersch.
Next to the 3 CDs, the slipcase also presented a card with download codes for 12 previously released albums (by FES and by XLS).

You may find it interesting that one of these albums, X-Legged Sally's "Fired", included a fine rendition of Frank Zappa's 'City Of Tiny Lites'.

Anyway, I wanted to listen to some older FES material today, so I went for the "FES XLS" box.
An enjoyable decision, even if I say so myself.

Here's FES, December 2025.