SOFT MACHINE - LIVE AT THE BAKED POTATO

• soft machine: live at the baked potato
      (2020, cd, usa, moonjune records)

After a 37 year hiatus, Soft Machine released "Hidden Details" in 2018.
It was followed by a world tour by John Etheridge (electric guitar), Roy Babbington (bass guitar), John Marshall (drums) and Theo Travis (saxophones, flute, Fender Rhodes piano) in 2018 and 2019.

"Live At The Baked Potato" got recorded during this tour, in February 2019.
It got released on vinyl (200 numbered copies each on transparent, blue and marbled vinyl), on CD, and as a digital download.

The album shows the band in fine shape. Great tunes are enriched with beautiful, lyrical improvisations. Timeless.
I love the full sound, created by just four instruments. These musicians understand the fine balance between taking the space and giving it to someone else.
Recommended listening.

Check it out at Bandcamp :

NEW RELEASE BY ADAM MINKOFF

Adam Minkoff.
Guitarist / vocalist in Dweezil Zappa's "Zappa Plays Zappa" band.

"Tomorrow's Tomorrow",
A re-imagination of the music from The Wicker Man, the 2006 horror movie.

AKINETÓN RETARD

Akinetón Retard is a rock quintet from Chile.
I recently got hold of their first two albums.
Both discs can be found on YouTube, although I'm quite happy with my CDs

Here's their first album. From 2001 !

The sound of the band did evolve through the years.
Here's an example from 2015 :

NOLAN COOK & HARRY ELEKTRON

Facebook told me that Nolan Cook contributed to an album by Harry Elektron.

Discogs confirmed :
https://www.discogs.com/Harry-Elektron-The-Black-Tower/release/5586452

Here's a sample :

CONCORDIA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE - CONCORDIA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

• concordia chamber ensemble: concordia chamber ensemble
      (2005, cd, usa, mmc records)

On their eponymous album, the Concordia Chamber Ensemble, featuring the Sirius String Quartet, conducted by Marin Alsop, performed a ‘Tribute’ suite in three pieces. Composed by Peter Homas, the ‘Tribute’ opens with ‘Frank’, a musical tribute to Frank Zappa.
It also quotes 'King Kong'.
Quite appropriate.

SANDRO OLIVA - CICCIO / SAUNA

• sandro oliva: ciccio / sauna
      (1998, cdr, italy, private release)

I recently got hold of this 2 track promotional CDR single by Sandro Oliva.
The liner notes say 'Both songs are alternate mixes of the ones included in the "Heavy Lightnings" CD.

As far as I know, "Heavy Lightnings" got released in 2004 and it didn't include any of those two tracks. But then again, maybe there was an earlier version of "Heavy Lightnings" that I still need to discover.
'Ciccio' and 'Sauna'. Two fine zappa-eque tracks that feature none other than Jimmy Carl Black on percussion.
Nice.

Sandro Oliva for those of you who might not know him, toured and recorded with Jimmy Carl Black, Don Preston and Bunk Gardner as The Grandmothers, but he also released some great music before and after that.
He also played a memorable concert at Zappanale (with Tim op het Broek on vocals). Who remembers that ?

THE RESIDENTS - METAL, MEAT & BONE

from Psychofon records
https://www.psychofonrecords.com/product/residents-metal-meat-bone/

The Residents – Metal, Meat & Bone
Six Songs Inspired by Dyin’ Dog – Special Edition

The Residents brand spankin’ new upcoming album, soon to be available in 3 different collector’s editions!

Metal Edition – €89,99
Clear plastic cover, screen printed on front and backside! The Record comes in a deformed aluminum sheet with embossed Psychofon Stamp. The thick aluminium cover holds the record plus a large Alvin Snow insert on 300g paper.
Hand-numbered and strictly limited to 100 copies on silver and black swirl vinyl.

Meat Edition – €69,99
Straight from the butcher to your plate…fresh meat for your hungry brain! The 12“ is sealed and dated for freshness (freshness may vary) in meat-packaging plastic, and comes in a clear plastic sleeve and a “butcher paper white” LP cover. Also included is an 11“ foldout 200g paper cover insert and a wooden cutlery set–napkin included! The package is hand-numbered on a super cool “supermarket” pricing sticker on a separate clear plastic sleeve. Only 100 copies, on red and white swirl vinyl.

Bone Edition – €39,99
The Bone Edition is the third beauty, and completes the set. This brown, clear sienna, white splatter pressing really has the appearance of a cross-section slice of bone! The record comes in a thick glossy foldout cover. This Edition is hand-numbered on the black inner sleeve. Like the others, only 100 copies exist!

THE SYMPTOMS - ALWAYS HEED THE SYMPTOMS - LIVE IN '78

• the symptoms: always heed the symptoms - live in'78
      (2008, cd, usa, almeron records) 

Adding data to The Others Of Invention:
Missouri based band The Symptoms performed FZ’s ‘The World’s Greatest Sinner’ in concert in 1978. The recording can be found on their “Always Heed The Symptoms” album.

COR VAN DIEJEN - STRAVINSKY UITGEBAGGERD

Cor van Diejen has written a book about Stravinsky.
In Dutch.
And in 2017.
The perfect reason to spin some Stravinsky.

https://www.opusklassiek.nl/boeken/diejen_stravinsky.htm

FLASHBACK TO ZAPPANALE 2007 WITH TRIGON

• trigon: live 2007
      (2008, dvd, ger, private release)

Guitar power trio Trigon performed at Zappanale in 2007.
The band released a part of this concert on DVD (in 2008).
Fun.

The band performed FZ's 'Filthy Habits' during this gig. The songs did not make it to the DVD, but it's still an excellent concert to see again.