Kicking off the day with Brand X: "Theory Of Nothing".
Recorded live in 1977.
High-energy style of instrumental jazz-rock fusion mixed with progressive rock.
I've listened to bits and pieces of Brand X in the past, but this was my first in-depth / full album listening session and I'm blown away.
This is superb !
Released on the MoonJune Records label.
https://officialbrandx.bandcamp.com/merch/brand-x-theory-of-nothing-2cd-limited-edition-2nd-pressing-pre-order
https://officialbrandx.bandcamp.com/merch/brand-x-theory-of-nothing-2cd-limited-edition-3
The Moonjune record label made a nice overview of Srdjan Ivanovic's discography.
Jazz, with balkan influences.
https://srdjanovic.bandcamp.com/
Srdjan Ivanovic's latest release:
• Osanna with David Jackson
• Soft Machine with Gary Husband
• Gong with Steve Hillage
• Steve Hillage Rainbow Dome Musick feat. Miquette Giraudy
• Diego Amador Flamenco Free Jazz
• Beledo-Dharmawan MoonUnity Band
• Gary Husband One
• Markus Reuter Truce
• Dewa Budjana & Nicolas Meier
• Stephan Thelen Fractal Trio with Fabio Anile & Anthony Garone
• What's Rattlin' with Beppe Crovella & Michel Delville
• Anton Roolaart band w/ Beledo
• Vittorino Curci Sax & Poesia with Luca Calabrese
• Boris Savoldelli Psychedelic Jazz Trio Plays The Dark Side Of The Moon
• Danilo Di Paolonicola Plays Charlie Parker
• Gustavo Cerqueiras Tierra Mia
• Gómez/Balza
• Derek Shulman ('Giant Steps' Book Presentation)
• Roundtable: 60 years of Soft Machine
• Roundtable: 25 years of MoonJune Music
• MoonJune Awards
• Open Jam Session
Leonardo Pavkovic, the MoonJune Records mastermind.
https://www.therocktologist.com/interview-with-leonardo-pavkovic.html
a message from the MoonJune Records label:
Here is a great interview with Indonesian pianist/keyboardist/composer/arranger/cultural ambassador Dwiki Dharmawan by Michael Limnios in BLUES.GR online blog.
blues.gr/profiles/blogs/q-a-with-indonesian-musician-dwiki-dharmawan-one-the-most-accompl
“Music has always shaped civilizations. It influences identity, memory, protest, healing, and unity. In today's polarized world, music can become a soft power for peace. As an advocate for peace and the environment, I believe music should raise awareness — about humanity, about coexistence, about our responsibility to the Earth. If my music can inspire even one person to become more compassionate, more thoughtful, or more open to dialogue, then it has achieved its purpose.”
'Anagnorisis', Dwiki's 5th album on MoonJune Records is out now:
• 2LP
• CD
• BandCamp 24bit Download
dwikidharmawan-moonjune.bandcamp.com
Mark Wingfield's latest CD arrived a little while ago. I keep on getting back to it.
From the first notes, Mark's very recognizable sound draws all the attention.
Very lyrical and melancholic, but also very inviting to listen to multiple times.
Top-notch instrumental guitar music.
Out on the MoonJune Records label.
"Anagnorisis", the latest in Dharmawan's series of widely varied and impeccably crafted albums for MoonJune Records, might well be the most fully realized expression yet of his expansive musical vision. While deeply grounded in the sophisticated melodic and rhythmic intricacies of his native archipelago, where he’s long been celebrated for his work bridging serious and popular realms, Dharmawan also looks beyond those traditions for inspiration, joining with players from disparate cultures to blend the best of their respective worlds into a meta-music of depth, beauty, and vitality that transcends mere collage.
Modern jazz with Indonesian flavours.
Beautiful.
The album is also out on (coloured) vinyl, with different artwork !
Recommended listening !
The download / streaming version of Mark Wingfield's "Elemental" album has just been released.
If you're into instrumental guitar music, check this out:
There's also a limited CD release, in collaboration with the MoonJune Records label.
If you're in or around Amsterdam on December 13th at Teatro Munganga, don't miss Anton Roolaart's acoustic concert. In addition to occasional local shows, Anton will be on a short tour of Benelux and Northern France in 2026, and he will perform at the 4th MoonJune International Festival in Teramo, Italy, in July 2026.
"The Ballad Of General Jupiter" will be out on CD, on LP and on Bandcamp in January 2026.
I was fortunate to give the complete album a listen and this one got a thumbs up from me.
Check out 'Star Child' on Bandcamp.
Luca Calabrese and his collaborators released "I Shin Den Shin" in September 2022.
The actual album got released by MoonJune Records in September 2024.
Fragile, slow, soothing,...
Wow.
I-shin-den-shin is a Japanese concept that describes a form of communication that transcends spoken words, relying on unspoken understanding, empathy, and shared feelings. The term is often translated as "what the mind thinks, the heart transmits" or "a heart-to-heart transmission." It encapsulates the idea that emotions and thoughts can be conveyed and understood without the need for explicit verbal communication.
The concept has its roots in Eastern philosophy, particularly in Zen Buddhism and Confucianism, where the importance of nonverbal communication, intuition, and a deep connection between individuals is emphasized. It's about the ability to convey meaning and understanding through subtle gestures, expressions, and shared experiences.
In a more contemporary context, i-shin-den-shin has also been used to describe certain interpersonal and artistic experiences, such as in music and other forms of art, where a strong emotional resonance is achieved between the creator and the audience, even without direct verbal explanation.
The term can be applied in various contexts, from personal relationships to artistic expression, emphasizing the power of genuine connection and understanding that goes beyond words.
An update from Gary Husband on his upcoming "Postcards From The Past" album.
To be released on the MoonJune Records label.
For those of you who haven’t heard about this project, it’s a double album packed with previously unreleased material bringing to light music from all elements of my career ranging from the late seventies all the way through to this last decade.
It includes my first ever demo recording with my dear friend and musical brother Allan Holdsworth back in 1979 (well before the IOU record) as well as a fabulous track from the IOU album itself that never made the cut. There are also other fun surprises for guitar fans such as tracks with Steve Topping and even three tracks with myself on acoustic guitar! Throughout, I feature on both drums and keyboards/piano and have included some of my favourite bootlegs and live board tapes from concerts that were personal highlights for me, not least of my all-star band Force Majeure (featuring Randy Brecker, Jerry Goodman, Jim Beard, Arto Tunçboyaciyan, Elliot Mason and Matt Garrison) at Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton, UK.
