Charlie Haden Quartet West: 'Hello My Lovely', from the "Haunted Heart" album.
-- info: Jan van Kemenade
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
GIORGIO LIBERA - RED POWDER
- Giorgio Libera: Red Powder
(1998, cd, Switzerland, private release)
I mentioned Giorgio Libera's second album, "What's All This Noise For?", a little while ago.
In the meantime, I also got hold of his first album: "Red Powder", released on CD in 1998.
"Red Powder" is a wild, genre-bending ride. The record seamlessly mashes up jazz-fusion, blues, and progressive rock, while unmistakably wearing its primary influence—the eccentric, satirical genius of Frank Zappa—on its sleeve.
Across six sprawling tracks, Libera crafts a complex, kaleidoscopic musical journey. Opener "Red Powder" sets the stage with frenetic energy, quickly followed by the genre-splicing grooves of "Grease In Greece". The compositions are dense, often relying on jarring time signatures, intricate fretwork, and playful, unexpected detours.
While the music occasionally flirts with classical Indian music, orchestral motifs, and contemporary electronic sounds, the guitar is always front and center. It isn't an album for passive listening; rather, it’s a demanding and highly rewarding experience for those who appreciate avant-garde musicianship. If you are a fan of quirky, heavily arranged, zany instrumentals, this debut is a hidden gem.
Here's 'Grease in Greece':
MIQUEL ALVAREZ - MARTINETE A TRANE
Miquel Alvarez' "Martinete A Trane",
With Perico Sambeat on the saxophone !
-- info: Jan van Kemenade
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
ARTHUR BARROW RELEASES A NEW TRACK ON BANDCAMP
Arthur Barrow:
This is a composition that I started on about ten years ago. I thought it would be nice to write something that is a bit nostalgic for a change. Hope you like it.
credits
released May 26, 2026
Composed, recorded, mixed, and produced by Arthur Barrow.
Performed by Arthur Barrow with Tommy Mars on Hammond organ at the end of the tune.
Mastered by Bob Rice.
FRANK ZAPPA'S "ZAPPATITE" TO BE RELEASED ON VINYL
Frank Zappa's "ZAPPAtite" got released in 2022. It was album #106.µ
In July the album will be re-issued:
- black vinyl 2 LP
- pink swirl vinyl 2 LP
- CD
ZAPPAtite dishes out an 18-track feast of Zappa's tastiest tracks — spanning psychedelic rock mutations and jazz-rock excursions to orchestral oddities, sharp satire, and other sounds unsuitable for polite dinner company.
Consider it a convenient gateway into the Zappaverse for the uninitiated, and a neatly packed reminder of the classics for those who already know better.
Available for the first time on vinyl as a 2LP pink swirl vinyl or 2LP black edition — both housed in gatefold jackets complete with a collectible "menu" insert. Also, available on 1CD. Come hungry.
Monday, May 25, 2026
THE PURPLE LAGOON
Filip Fjellstrom: drums
Christian Bjerring: guitar, bass, mixing
Fredrik Eriksson: keys
Christian Bjerring: guitar, bass, mixing
Fredrik Eriksson: keys
THE FURIOUS BONGOS
The Furious Bongos commented:
First video from our performance at Syraucse Jazz Fest 6/27: City of Tiny Lites, with special guests Andre Cholmondeley (Project/Object) and Bruce McDaniel (Ed Palermo Big Band). More to come!
GREEN SEAGULL - SMOKE AND MIRRORS
- Green Seagull: Smoke And Mirrors
(2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
(2026, cd, UK, spinout nuggets)
(2026, lp, UK, spinout nuggets)
Green Seagull takes you back in time.
Their bandcamp page adds:
Green Seagull are a London, UK-based baroque psych pop band, taking influence from the likes of The Left Banke, The Zombies, and The Association.
Released on the Spinout Nuggets record label, "Smoke And Mirrors" sounds as it got recorded in the late sixties. And I mean that in the most positive way.
Beautiful songs with nice references to classic pop songs, great harmonies, perfect for radio airplay.
Also noteworthy is the fact that all of the bandmembers wrote songs for this album !
I enjoyed "Smoke And Mirrors" as a digital download, but the album is also available on LP and on CD.
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