ALLI BACH TAPS THE BLACK PAGE

Alli Bach is the vocalist & percussionist of Pojama People, a band that plays the music of Frank Zappa.
Here, she taps away a jawdropping version of Zappa's 'The Black Page'.

JOSSE DE PAUW / CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN - OVER DE BERGEN

• josse de pauw / corrie van binsbergen: over de bergen
  (2010, 2cd, nl, brokken records br004)

Last Friday, I went to see the Josse De Pauw / Corrie van Binsbergen collaboration "Over De Bergen" in Brussels.

Driving into Brussels is always a bit of a nightmare: you know where you want to go, but you can't tell when you'll be arriving. Last Friday was no exception. There were traffic jams all over the place. We were happy to arrive 15 minutes in advance. That's not exatly the best preparation for a concert, but hey, we did arrive, and we were on time.

The show took place at the "Theatre National". An excellent choice, as the concert hall has good seats and excellent acoustics.

I had quite high expectations as the line-up included both Josse De Pauw and Corrie van Binsbergen, plus a selection of the finest musicians one can find in Belgium and The Netherlands. Add the impressive soprano Claron McFadden, and you know that it can't go wrong.

Did the show redeem my expectations?
Absolutely. The performance itself was breathtaking.
The musicians were placed in a three-dimensional palisade while performer Josse De Pauw wandered the stage, climbed the wooden structure, and recited his lyrics.
And the music was astonishing. Excellent compositions and superb performances.

Did I like it?
I loved it.
"Over De Bergen" is about having dreams, about desire. It's about the little voice in your head that makes your life more interesting.
Check out http://www.corrievanbinsbergen.com/ for the remaining dates. You don't want to miss this.

The Rotterdam performance got recorded and has been released on Corrie's record label.

Highly recommended!!
Both the show and the album.

www.corrievanbinsbergen.com

YOUNG SURVIVAL COALITION FUNDRAISER

André Cholmondeley's partner, Cheri Jiosne, lost her battle agains cancer on August 25, 2010.

I fondly remember the Akashic Ensemble concert at Zappanale with Don Preston, André and Cheri.

Here's a message from Cheri's sister Candi:

Bike Ride: Saturday, October 16 · 8:30am - 4:30pm
Location: Atlanta , Georgia, USA

"As many of you know I just lost my sister to Breast Cancer on Aug 25. She was extremely passionate about cycling. We rode together many times. I've decided to do my first century ride on Oct 16 in Atlanta in honor of her. It's a fundraiser for the Young Survival Coalition which provides support and educa...tion for young women diagnosed with breast cancer. ALL funds raised go directly to the YSC.

This ride encompasses so many of my passions as well. I too have a deep love for cycling. Just recently I bought a MINI Cooper ~ my newest love. For every $50 donation you get entered into a drawing for a 2010 MINI!!! It would be great for one of my supporters to win the this giveaway and share in that joy with me. But most importantly this ride allows me to honor my sister Cheri and give back to my community at the same time. Cheri helped so many people in her community and in turn had a tremendous amount of suppport throughout her 2 year battle. She would want everyone to have the same. I am hoping the money I raise will go so no young woman goes unsupported in her battle. Because Cheri excelled in everything that she did my goal for this ride is to raise more money than any individual rider.

Please help me with this challenge and help to honor Cheri and all the women facing this horrible disease. General donations are tax deductible. If you choose to donate $50 or more and be entered into the MINI drawing that donation, unfortunately is NOT tax deductible. You do not need to be present to win (see link below). If you cannot donate financially I completely understand that. You can just send me some encouraging words or come out and cheer me on the day of the event. Or think about joining me in the ride! You can ride 20, 50 or 100 miles. There is even an option for walkers! For more info on the ride or to donate click here: http://www.ysctourdepink.org/goto/TeamJiosneYou can also use this link to follow along with my training progress.

For more info on the Young Survival Coalition: http://www.youngsurvival.org/
For more info & official rules for the MINI Cooper drawing go to: http://www.ysctourdepink.org/site/TR/TourdePink/TourdePink-Atlanta?pg=informational&fr_id=1092&type=fr_informational&sid=1078

Please send this on to anyone you know who may be interested in supporting me or joining me. Thanks in advance for your support. I truly appreciate it.
~ Candi"

NEW RELEASES

• jason robinson: the two faces of janus
  (2010, cd, usa, cuneiform)

In Greek mythology, the Two Faces Of Janus has one face looking at the past and the other one looking towards the future.
Applied to Jason Robinson's first solo album, this nice metaphor suggests that the musicians draw from the rich traditions of the past, as well as from modern, contemporary trends.

Jason Robinson's "The Two Faces Of Janus" is an impressive modern jazz album. This is the kind of jazz that I like.



Out on Cuneiform
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/

Available from Mandai
http://www.mandai.be/

• the microscopic septet: friday the 13th
  (2010, cd, usa, cuneiform)

New York based The Microscopic Septet has a new album out. On "Friday The 13th", this experimental jazz band takes on the complex works of pianist and composer Thelonius Monk.

Actually, the ensemble got founded in 1980 by Phillip Johnston (who's also the man behind Fast 'N Bulbous - The Captain Beefheart Project), but got disbanded in 1992. It was the rerelease of their earlier albums on Cuneiform that launched a second career.
"Friday The 13th" is a fine album. Excellent arrangements of 12 Thelonious Monk pieces fill this CD.

The Micros Play Monk. And they do a good job.

Check out the band's MySpace site:
http://www.myspace.com/themicroscopicseptet

Out on Cuneiform
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/

Available from Mandai
http://www.mandai.be/

• univers zero: hérésie
  (2010, cd, usa, cuneiform)

Originally released in 1979, "Hérésie" was Univers Zero's second album. The dark and instrumental music that one finds on "Hérésie", made Univers Zero to be consicered the founder of the RIO movement.

Cuneiform has re-released a remixed version of "Hérésie", and has added a bonus track in the process. This is a piece of history. youtube cuneiform mandai homepage

http://www.myspace.com/universzero

Out on Cuneiform
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/


Available from Mandai
http://www.mandai.be/

• les yeux de la tête: nerf
  (2010, cd, ??, head records)

If I would have to pick one album out of the batch that I received from Mandai, it would be Les Yeux De La Tête's "Nerf" album. Les Yeux De La Tête is an experimental free-jazz-rock trio that recently released their debut album on Head Records.

The band did previously release a limited-edition CDR, "L'Oeuf du Cyclone" on the Le Petit Label, in 2007, but "Nerf" is to be their first 'real' album.

Listen, and be amazed.

http://www.myspace.com/lesyeux2latete

http://www.mandai.be/

INDESCRIBABLY DELICIOUS

• indescribably delicious: s/t
  (1968, lp, usa, -)

If you enjoyed Greg Russo's research into the recordings of Paul Buff at the PAL Studio in Cucamonga, you'll be happy to hear that the Indescribably Delicious album will be released by Greg's label very soon!

Click on the ID entry at the United Mutations Archives for more info about the band:

http://www.united-mutations.com/i/indescribably_delicious.htm

SMEGMA HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT

Experimental, avant-garde band Smegma has a new album out.

• smegma: mirage
  (2010, cd, usa, important records)

http://www.myspace.com/smegmatheoriginal

THE MUFFIN MEN IN 1995

April 1995, The Muffin Men toured with Jimmy Carl Black.

Ian Jump put up an audio extract of the recording of the last gig of that particular tour.
The photo-collage that goes with it, will take you back 15 years as well.
See if you can recognize Zjakki, or Danny, or yours truly (with the lovely spouse) in the amazing set of pictures.

JOHN MARSHALL INTERVIEW ON PROGARCHIVES

There's a very fine interview with John Marshall (Nucleus, Soft Machine, Soft Machine Legacy) over at the ProgArchives.

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=71831

JEAN-LUC PONTY'S ZAPPANALE CONCERT REVISITED

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that Jean-Luc Ponty's fabulous Zappanale concert would be (re-)broadcast on German Rockradio.
Unfortunately, my fellow zappateers failed to record it.
I'm not that good at that sort of thing (recording broadcasts on the PC, that is), so I didn't give it a shot myself.

Did any of you tape this radio broadcast?
If so, please let me know. I'd love to hear this fine concert in soundboard quality (again).

Here's the youtubed Zappa part of this concert:

WILLY'S WEEKLY CHOICE

This week, Willy takes us to Les Prior and his guitar lesson.
From 1978.