"UNCHARTED PASSAGES", A NEW SUN RA ALBUM

Out on the Modern Harmonic record label:

Sun Ra - Uncharted Passages
CD and 2LP (yellow vinyl) release.

..., the tape was eventually identified as a mostly unreleased July 1977 performance by Ra at a downtown NYC "jazz café" called The Axis-in-Soho.

 

YOUTUBE VIDEO: CHAD WACKERMAN HEARS THE MARS VOLTA FOR THE FIRST TIME

From the Drumeo channel.

I guess this is 'the new thing'.
Musicians get to hear an incomplete song and have to add their input.
Afterwards they here the complete, original track and they can comment.
Fun.

And in this case, it shows what an amazing musician Chad is...

MINDLESS MOTION - LITTLE MADNESS

Prague-based jazz / indie pop ensemble Mindless Motion has just released their first EP: "Little Madness".

• Tereza Zajícová: vocals, guitar, violin
• David Le Cam: sax, flute, keyboards
• Kuba Eben: drums
• Fanda Xavier: bass
• Amélie Teršlová: keyboards

6 tracks.
Quite enjoyable.
Check it out !

TOM COLLIER

Tom Collier recorded a fine version of FZ's 'Magic Fingers'.
It got released on his "Boomer Vibes, Volume 1" album in 2023.

Tom elaborated on Frank Zappa:

When I first arrived in Los Angeles in 1975, I was called to be a substitute percussionist for Frank Zappa's orchestra concert in Royce Hall, on the UCLA campus. As it turned out, I was able to participate in the rehearsals and play the concert when one of the other percussionists got sick. Later on, after Ruth Underwood "retired" from his band, Frank asked me to take her place. However, I had other projects I was working on and didn't want to go on the road for the next 10 months. He asked me again in 1979 after I had moved back to Seattle, but once again I was involved in projects I couldn't give up for months of traveling. So, the timing was never right for me to join his band. 

CHATO SEGERER UPDATE

A message from Chato :

The exciting one first: my band ZAPPED plays at Zappanale this year ! The band Z3 can't come this year, so we were asked to substitute for them. We will only be a quartet for this occasion, because Linus the sax player is unavailable, but of course we will give you an awesome show

• 18.7. Zappanale Festival, Bad Doberan, 0:30 (last band of the day), Mystery Stage

Other ZAPPED Gigs in 2025 are:

• 30.8. w/ Bonnen in Gebhardshain, Georgs Garagen Konzert
• 13.9. im Concrete Jungle Jazz Club Nürnberg, 20 Uhr

Also exciting is my solo show called "The Dynamite Chato Solo Extravaganza" and I play it twice this year:

• 29.3. Kaltscher Klup Fürth, 20 Uhr
• 12.9. Zapparossa Festival, Gelnhausen, after the movie Eat that Question

I will do stuff of my projects, original compositions and covers, just guitar or with backing track

Progosaurus Gigs:

• 6.5. Opener der Jazzsession, Tellerrand, Nürnberg, 20 Uhr (auf Hut)
• 18.5. Doppelgig J.O.E. + Progosaurus, Immerhin, Würzburg, Uhrzeit TBA (likely 16 Uhr)
• 11.7. Fürth Festival. 18 Uhr

The gig on May 18th is something special, because it's a double show with Jupiter Orbit Escape aka J.O.E. and I play in both bands !

Peace,
Chato

THE THIRD MIND - LIVE MIND

• The Third Mind: Live Mind
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Bandcamp adds:
... of this group of seasoned musicians, who have joined forces to take a trip back to the psychedelic folk/rock sound of the 1960s

ZAPPA SPIELT FÜR BACH

For quite a number of years, the St. Katharinenkirchd in Hamburg hosted a pre-Zappanale event.
Entitled "Zappa Spielt Für Bach", the concerts ranged from classical over rock to jazz, featured former Zappa sidemen as special guests, and included music by FZ next to contemporary and classical pieces of music.
A number of these concerts were also issued on CD. Great stuff.

I just read on Facebook that there will not be a "Zappa Spielt Für Bach" concert this year.

On the very same Facebook, Steffen Schindler added:
But if a young, aspiring artist with a first-class ensemble were to initiate a continuation of this concert series with a more contemporary focus (her original compositions and a touch of Zappa), would you go there? And would "The Black Page" and "Sad Jane, First Movement" be suitable choices for the Zappa part?

To be continued ?

WINGFIELD, REUTER, STAVI, SIRKIS - THE STONEHOUSE

• Wingfield, Reuter, Stavi, Sirkis: The Stone House
      (2017, cd, USA, moonjune records mjr083)
  

Mark Wingfield (guitar), Markus Reuter (Touch guitar), Yaron Stavi (fretless bass), Asaf Sirkis (drums).

Recorded live in the studio.
Completely improvised with no music written down or rehearsed.

Amazing.

SOFT MACHINE - LIVE AT THE BAKED POTATO

• Soft Machine: Live At The Baked Potato
      (2020, download, --, bandcamp)

Recorded live on February 1st, 2019, at The Baked Potato, Studio City, Los Angeles.
Featuring Theo Travis (sax, flute, piano), John Etheridge (guitar), Roy Babbington (bass), John Marshall (drums).

Soft Machine / progressive rock and jazz / Canterbury.
Showcasing Theo Travis and John Etheridge !!

Love it.
From 2020.
Out on CD by MoonJune Records, Dyad Records (UK), and June Dream (Japan), while Tonefloat released a vinyl version.
I'm enjoying to the Bandcamp digital download (and expecting a CD copy to arrive soon).

Recommended listening !

EIDON - ORCA PAL3TTA!

'orca pal3tta! by Eidon