Avant-prog binge 2024

[Kcrimso]

Canterbury binge 2024 is already going strong so let's get started with avantgarde-stuff also! This thread is mainly for avant-prog but let's not be too strict: for example avantgardeish jazz or art music are also more than welcome.

My most anticipated avant-proge albums are the new releases from Present and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. I'm also very much hoping for the new Black Midi album. What else is on the horizon?

I start the year by listening to the album that started it all for me: Henry Cow - Leg End. That masterpiece was the first avant-proge album I ever heard. It wasn't necessarily love at first listen, but it made me very curious.

Related reading:

https://pienemmatpurot.com/review-he...-leg-end-1973/

[NogbadTheBad]

I'm in!

The Present and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum are obvious highlights. I'm planning on seeing Sleepytime twice this year ticking off my last active bucket list band.

I'm looking forward to the following releases Mike Johnson's solo album, Janel Leppin Volcanic Ash Ensemble, Cheer-Accident, William D Drake.

[Kcrimso]

I'm in!

I'm looking forward to the following releases Mike Johnson's solo album, Janel Leppin Volcanic Ash Ensemble, Cheer-Accident, William D Drake.

Mike Johnson's solo album! Oh yes! I had forgotten that one!

[selfextraction]

Thierry Zaboitzeff has a new one coming out in February as well.

[Steve F.]

I'm looking forward to the following releases Mike Johnson's solo album, Janel Leppin Volcanic Ash Ensemble, Cheer-Accident, William D Drake.

Mike is not currently scheduled for 2024; early 2025 at this point.

[auxfnx]

Year got off to a good start with Zigzag by Pascal Globensky (new release)
https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/zigzag

Been loving Hello Turbine by Jostaberry (2022) too
https://jostaberry.bandcamp.com/album/hello-turbine

Still really enjoying the very recent Bob Drake album as well
https://bdstudio.bandcamp.com/album/...m-in-the-tower

Hoping for news of new Le Grand Sbam music this year

[mellotron storm]

I'm listening all this week to One Shot's and Univers Zero's latest offerings. Really enjoying both. That one vocal track on Lueur reminded me of John Greaves for some reason so last night I spun Songs by Greaves but honestly didn't hear a connection but I always enjoy playing that one. Tonight I have Uzed in one of the classics of course and how good is Presage? And that middle track turns so dark and twisted late.

[Kcrimso]

Any opinios on Alain Blesing's 2007 cover album Songs From The Beginning? Alain Blesing was original guitarist of Eskaton and here he covers songs by Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Hatfield And The North, King Crimson and more. Songs are arranged to be little bit jazzier than originals and there is lots of wind instruments. Hugh Hopper plays bass and John Greaves sings/speaks.

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...the-beginning/

[Batchman]

Any opinios on Alain Blesing's 2007 cover album Songs From The Beginning? Alain Blesing was original guitarist of Eskaton and here he covers songs by Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Hatfield And The North, King Crimson and more. Songs are arranged to be little bit jazzier than originals and there is lots of wind instruments. Hugh Hopper plays bass and John Greaves sings/speaks.

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...the-beginning/

It's available on Bandcamp:

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...the-beginning/

It's also available on Amazon (audio CD) but the mp3 "is not available for purchase" even though you can listen to it online.

[Mascodagama]

I just found this, released last October:



Puts me in mind of the Hyrrokkin album Pristine Origin from a few years ago in its mixture of non-Euclidian riffage and free jazz. Which is a very good thing indeed, in my view!

Apologies if it was already posted but I don't recall seeing it.

[interbellum]

Any opinios on Alain Blesing's 2007 cover album Songs From The Beginning? Alain Blesing was original guitarist of Eskaton and here he covers songs by Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Hatfield And The North, King Crimson and more. Songs are arranged to be little bit jazzier than originals and there is lots of wind instruments. Hugh Hopper plays bass and John Greaves sings/speaks.

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...the-beginning/

This is the (Google translated) review I wrote in 2007:

Just like Jakko M. Jakszyk on the second disc of The Bruised Romantic Glee Club, Alain Blesing (ex-Eskaton) delves into his musical roots on Songs From The Beginning. It is striking that both gentlemen interpret the music of Henry Cow, Soft Machine and King Crimson. Blesing adds Hatfield And The North and, less obviously, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. The Frenchman invited John Greaves to take care of the vocals and the way in which they have been inserted into the songs is striking. He looked for suitable poems for various tracks, which Greaves read aloud. In Soft Machine's Slightly All The Time, for example, it is The Soft Machine by William Burroughs, a piece from which the band took its name. Musically, Blesing opts for typical SM characteristics, such as his guitar solo in John Etheridge's style and the slow bass run played by Hugh Hopper (!), but adds the playfulness of the flute, clarinet and saxophone parts of HATN. This is in fact the leitmotif of the CD, which also makes the blues-tinged California (Zep), Hendrix's long-stretched 1983 and the Behind Blue Eyes (Who), accompanied by only accordion, double bass and sober tenor saxophone, an interesting one. Getting a Canterbury approach. Greave's singing voice has the same biting intonation in these songs as Roger Waters. The spoken versions of Share It and Mumps in HATN's Mumps are also very amusing, while striking poetry by Dylan Thomas is recited for KC's Fracture, including the radio play Under Mild Wood, containing the phrase "starless and bible-black". An extremely interesting view on progressive classics.

[NogbadTheBad]

I just found this, released last October:



Puts me in mind of the Hyrrokkin album Pristine Origin from a few years ago in its mixture of non-Euclidian riffage and free jazz. Which is a very good thing indeed, in my view!

Apologies if it was already posted but I don't recall seeing it.

I hadn't seen it so thanks! How many bands is Ches Smith in? I always like seeing his name and usually check out anything he's on.

[Mascodagama]

How many bands is Ches Smith in? I always like seeing his name and usually check out anything he's on.

Busy as hell, and I guess you need to be if you want to make a living out of 'interesting' music. I'm on Mattias Olsson's email newsletter and the one he just sent contains the following:

As it is a new year Ive had some time off to reflect over 2023 and what kind of year it was...The work in the studio has been a lot of fun and really creative with 26 different artists that I have recorded with...I've played live with 11 different bands/artists...but this has also come with a price...I haven't really had the time to finish any of my own material...

Yeah, I bet!

[Kcrimso]

This is the (Google translated) review I wrote in 2007:

Just like Jakko M. Jakszyk on the second disc of The Bruised Romantic Glee Club, Alain Blesing (ex-Eskaton) delves into his musical roots on Songs From The Beginning. It is striking that both gentlemen interpret the music of Henry Cow, Soft Machine and King Crimson. Blesing adds Hatfield And The North and, less obviously, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. The Frenchman invited John Greaves to take care of the vocals and the way in which they have been inserted into the songs is striking. He looked for suitable poems for various tracks, which Greaves read aloud. In Soft Machine's Slightly All The Time, for example, it is The Soft Machine by William Burroughs, a piece from which the band took its name. Musically, Blesing opts for typical SM characteristics, such as his guitar solo in John Etheridge's style and the slow bass run played by Hugh Hopper (!), but adds the playfulness of the flute, clarinet and saxophone parts of HATN. This is in fact the leitmotif of the CD, which also makes the blues-tinged California (Zep), Hendrix's long-stretched 1983 and the Behind Blue Eyes (Who), accompanied by only accordion, double bass and sober tenor saxophone, an interesting one. Getting a Canterbury approach. Greave's singing voice has the same biting intonation in these songs as Roger Waters. The spoken versions of Share It and Mumps in HATN's Mumps are also very amusing, while striking poetry by Dylan Thomas is recited for KC's Fracture, including the radio play Under Mild Wood, containing the phrase "starless and bible-black". An extremely interesting view on progressive classics.

That is a pretty good description of the album! I enjoyed the album but did not love it.

[Kcrimso]

My avantish binge of the last two weeks:

Tomeka Reid Quartet : Old New (US, 2019) ****½
Olivier Messiaen : Turangalîla-Symphonie (FR, 1949/1992/2012) ****+
Moving Gelatine Plates : The World of Genius Hans (FR, 1972) ****+
Ghost Rhythms : Spectral Music (FR, 2021) ****+
Ahvak : s/t (IL, 2004) ****
Bill Frisell : Where in the World? (US, 1991) ****-
Daniel Denis : Sirius And The Ghosts (BE, 1991) ****-
John Zorn : Homenaje a Remedios Varo (US, 2023) ****
Camberwell Now : Greenfingers (UK, 1987) ***½
Camberwell Now : The Ghost Trade (UK, 1986) ****
John Greaves : La petite bouteille de linge (UK, 1991) ****½
Alan Blesing: Songs From The Beginning (FR, 2007) ***½
John Zorn : Les Maudits (US, 2020)
Ukandanz : Kemekem ከመከም (FR/ET, 2023) ****-
Slapp Happy/Henry Cow : Desperate Straights (UK, 1975) ****½
The Necks: Travel (AU, 2023) ***½
Ligeti Quartet & Anna Meredith: Nuc (UK, 2023) ****
Henry Cow : Leg End (UK, 1973) *****

[mozo-pg]

What about John Zorn?

[JKL2000]

NP: Sammla - Måltid

I hadn't listened to this album in a long time, and it's sounding better than ever. Both as far as the music itself, and also the recording. I don't usually even pay that much attention to the audio quality as long as an album sounds like it was at least recorded in a studio. But this album sounds pristine - like live in the studio, with a good sonic range. I have it on CD in a Japanese box set from diskunion. That opening track is a stunner!

[TCC]

Gang,
This is my little tribute to Chuck Stern of Time Of Orchids (RIP), I've been listening to:
- Melonwhisper
- Much Too Much Fun
- Early As Seen in Pace
- Sarcast While
- Namesake Caution

And NP:
- In Due Time

Descanse en Paz!

https://www.brooklynvegan.com/chuck-...s-passed-away/

[Kcrimso]

What about John Zorn?

I don't understand the question (If it even was directed at me).

[mozo-pg]

I don't understand the question (If it even was directed at me).

John is the only one without a rating.

[chalkpie]

NP: Sammla - Måltid

I hadn't listened to this album in a long time, and it's sounding better than ever. Both as far as the music itself, and also the recording. I don't usually even pay that much attention to the audio quality as long as an album sounds like it was at least recorded in a studio. But this album sounds pristine - like live in the studio, with a good sonic range. I have it on CD in a Japanese box set from diskunion. That opening track is a stunner!

Oh yeah...fabulous band. Klossa Knapitatet (say that 10 times drunk) is also great. Love the humor and change-on-a-dime groove approach. The "fun-ness" factor must have been sky high playing this music.

[Kcrimso]

John is the only one without a rating.

Well no.. there is two John Zorn albums on my list. Homenaje a Remedios Varo which got four stars and Les Maudits which I have not rated yet. I usually don't like to give rating after only one listen.

Btw. I wrote about Homenaje a Remedios Varo and few other 2023 Zorn albums here: https://pienemmatpurot.com/year-by-y...lbums-of-2023/

[mozo-pg]

[auxfnx]

My avantish binge of the last two weeks:

Tomeka Reid Quartet : Old New (US, 2019) ****½
Olivier Messiaen : Turangalîla-Symphonie (FR, 1949/1992/2012) ****+
Moving Gelatine Plates : The World of Genius Hans (FR, 1972) ****+
Ghost Rhythms : Spectral Music (FR, 2021) ****+
Ahvak : s/t (IL, 2004) ****
Bill Frisell : Where in the World? (US, 1991) ****-
Daniel Denis : Sirius And The Ghosts (BE, 1991) ****-
John Zorn : Homenaje a Remedios Varo (US, 2023) ****
Camberwell Now : Greenfingers (UK, 1987) ***½
Camberwell Now : The Ghost Trade (UK, 1986) ****
John Greaves : La petite bouteille de linge (UK, 1991) ****½
Alan Blesing: Songs From The Beginning (FR, 2007) ***½
John Zorn : Les Maudits (US, 2020)
Ukandanz : Kemekem ከመከም (FR/ET, 2023) ****-
Slapp Happy/Henry Cow : Desperate Straights (UK, 1975) ****½
The Necks: Travel (AU, 2023) ***½
Ligeti Quartet & Anna Meredith: Nuc (UK, 2023) ****
Henry Cow : Leg End (UK, 1973) *****

I can't help but wonder, after so regularly seeing your avant rankings over the past year (and forgive me for being so direct) have you listened to the Rascal Reporters album on Cuneiform from last year?
https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.co...-case-of-steve I'd be quite curious to hear your thoughts based on your other ratings / rankings!

[Kcrimso]

I can't help but wonder, after so regularly seeing your avant rankings over the past year (and forgive me for being so direct) have you listened to the Rascal Reporters album on Cuneiform from last year?
https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.co...-case-of-steve I'd be quite curious to hear your thoughts based on your other ratings / rankings!

No I haven't heard that one yet.