In case you hadn't noticed

This place has become busy as of late. One factor is some occasional time to breathe. Until the 2nd of January, I'm on vacation, which gives me some time to line up some music to post. Even before that, once my courses were sufficiently prepped late in the semester, I was able to devote more to this particular endeavor. We'll see what the interterm and spring semester do to my schedule - I wouldn't expect the current torrid pace to go on indefinitely, but realistically I should be able to up a couple albums a week most weeks. The other factor was - thanks to some very kind donors - I've been able to afford some better software for ripping and transforming my cd collection to high-quality mp3 files (at least better than Windows Media Player). You've already begun reaping some of the benefits, and I'm only warming up. Over the next several months, I should be able to treat you to some out-of-print and often hard-to-find jazz recordings, as well as some industrial music, fourth world, and some other dangers.

In the meantime, if you're new to this joint, take a look around - there are plenty of albums to download (as of now there are over 120 active downloads available). To those who visit, I never say this enough: thanks.

Randy Weston Vishnu Wood Duo: Perspective

Perspective is one of many fine recordings that has slipped through the cracks. Although out of print, it's not impossible to find used at a semi-reasonable price. For whatever reason, no one that I know of has shared this album either via p2p or via the music sharing blogs. It's certainly a pleasant enough listening experience, and a piano-bass duo setting is pretty unusual for Weston making the recording a fairly unique one in Weston's extensive (and thankfully extensively recorded) career. Vishnu Wood is considerably less known of the two, perhaps best known for his performance (playing oud) on Alice Coltrane's album Journey in Satchidananda. Wood appeared on some of Weston's albums during the 1970s, and appeared on at least one Archie Shepp album before disappearing. It's warm music perfect for those cold winter evenings.

Personnel:
Randy Weston - Piano
Vishnu Wood - Bass

Tracks:
1. Blues to be There (Ellington, Strayhorn)
2. Body and Soul (Eyton, Green, Heyman, & Sour)
3. Hi Fly (Weston)
4. Khadesha (Wood)
5. African Cookbook (Weston)

Both musicians play together except for "Hi Fly", which is a Randy Weston piano solo, and "Khadesha", which is a Vishnu Wood bass solo.

Recorded December 14, 1976. Issued on Denon, probably 1977, catalogue # YX-7564-ND. Reissued on CD by Denon, catalogue # 8554.

Download Perspective

Maleem Mahmoud Ghania with Pharoah Sanders: The Trance of Seven Colors

This was my first album of Gnawa trance music, and what led me to pick it up in the first place was the mere fact that Pharoah Sanders was on it, and during the late 1990s I was on a Pharoah Sanders binge (much to my wife's chagrin). Once the first few seconds of the first track unfolded, I was hooked, and there was no looking back.

The mid-1990s marked something of a renaissance for Pharoah Sanders, who rediscovered the fierceness of his early years on Sonny Sharrock's last proper studio album Ask the Ages, and subsequently became a highly sought-after sideman on numerous projects (e.g., Franklin Kiermyer's album Solomon's Daughter in which Sanders is part of the quartet, a couple tracks on Jah Wobble's Heaven and Earth, an appearance on a remake of the Last Poets' classic "This is Madness" for the Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool compilation CD). Sanders would shortly thereafter record the album Message From Home. Whether it was drawing on the legacy of Trane's classic quartet era, or pushing the envelop with some fierce playing in hip-hop, alternative rock, or world music genres, Pharoah Sanders was proving a force to be reckoned with once more.

In some respects, this album recalls some of the more world music moments from such Pharoah Sanders albums as Thembi, and his playing is consistently fiery throughout. Not to worry: Sanders does not steal the show, laying out for a couple tracks and ever mindful that the music is the Gnawans' vision. He does get a moment all to himself though - see "Peace in Essaouira (For Sonny Sharrock)" - and his tone is rich and warm as he pays homage to a deceased friend. Bill Laswell produces, but unlike a lot of Laswell joints, this time around Laswell hangs back and simply documents the action. The album feels like some master Gnawa musicians and a jazzer (and friends & family) getting together to party. Somehow I feel physically better whenever I play this recording - that may be merely psychosomatic, but I'd like to believe that this is truly healing music.

Note, I believe this album does tend to circulate around blogtopia. Hopefully I won't be stepping on too many toes, and hopefully the perspective I offer is unique enough to make it worth your while.

Performers:
Maleem Mahmoud Ghania - Guimbri, Lead Vocal, Tbel
Pharoah Sanders - Tenor Saxophone
Maleem Boubker Ghania - Second Guimbri (track 6), Tbel
Maleem Mahmoud Ahkaraz - Tbel (track 8)
Maleem Abdellah Ghania - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Abdellah Ahkaraz - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
El Moktar Ghania - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Mohamed Abdellaoui - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Mohamad Outanine - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Abdellatif Abdellaoui - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Hassan Machoure - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Mohamed Boujmia - Krkaba, Vocal Chorus, Handclaps
Abdellah Lamsuiger - Handclaps

On "Handouchi" only
Hamadcha of Essaouira:
Maleem Abdelkabir Addabachi - Lead Ghaita
Abdelmalak Ben Hamou - Ghaita
Abderrahman Nimini - Tbel
Abdelmoula Hnikkich - Harrz
Mustapha Bouson - Harraz

Female Vocal Chorus
Zaida Ghania - Leader
Mina Ahkaraz, Saida Battach, Fatna Ifis, Fatima Labied, Hafida Ghania, J'mia Ghania, Khadija Ghania, Malika Ghania

Tracks:
1. La Allah Dayim Moulenah (Ghania, Sanders) 11:10
2. Bala Moussaka (Traditional) 3:54
3. Hamdouchi (Traditional) 9:07
4. Peace in Essaouira [For Sonny Sharrock] (Sanders) 7:23
5. Boulandi Samawi (Traditional) 13:56
6. Moussa Berkiyo/Koubaliy Beriah La'foh (Traditional) 4:34
7. Salat Anbi (Traditional) 8:17
8. Casa Casa Atougra (Traditional) 5:05
9. Mahraba (Traditional) 7:48

All tracks are traditional and arranged by Maleem Mahmoud Ghania except:
Track 1: written by Maleem Mahmoud Ghania & Pharoah Sanders
Track 3: Traditional, arranged by Maleem Abdelkabir Addabachi
Track 4: written by Pharoah Sanders

Recorded in the House of the Caid Khoubane in the Medina of Essaouira, District Chbanat, Morocco on June 1, 1994 - June 3, 1994. Released on Axiom, catalogue # 524047.

Download The Trance of Seven Colors

The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco featuring Randy Weston

I first heard Gnawa trance music around a decade ago, and was immediately hooked. I remember telling a younger friend about the genre, but made the mistake of including the term "trance music" in the description. It became clear in a hurry that each of us held a radically different definition of "trance" - Gnawa trance music is performed exclusively on acoustic instruments. Whether or not my younger friend ever checked into the music of the Gnawa I do not know - I lost touch with him probably six or seven years ago.

This particular album was actually the second Gnawa trance CD that I picked up (the first was The Trance of Seven Colors), and part of the appeal was Randy Weston's involvement in the project. Weston mainly takes a back seat, save for some brief piano accompaniment on the final track, "Chalabati" and handling the production chores. In the wrong hands, this could have been an exercise in exotica for the sake of exotica. Not so here. Weston's interest in the music is quite genuine and deep-seated - going back a few decades (his first stint residing in Morocco was from 1968-1973), and a Gnawa influence can be found in much of his recorded jazz output since the 1970s. Since about the late 1990s (if not before), Weston has been performing in concert with master Gnawa musicians - occasionally dropping a live CD every now and then. A great deal of care went into the production and packaging of this particular album - including a fair amount of material in the liner notes regarding the context of the Gnawa tribe, their history, and some information about the selections included on the finished product. Needless to say, since a traditional Gnawa healing ceremony would last for hours, we're merely being treated to a portion of what would be experienced. If I ever get the opportunity to travel to Morocco, the music of the Gnawa is definitely on the list of experiences to savor. The music and the information on the CD are themselves to be savored as both a sensuous and educational experience.

Performers:
Hag'houge, clapping, vocals
The M'Alems (The Masters):
Ali El Mansoum
Molay Abdelaziz
Mohamed Zourhba
Boubker Gania
Mohamed El Ghorfi
Ahmed Boussou
Abdelouahid Berrady
Mahmoud Gania

Karkaba, backing vocals, clapping
M'Barek Ben Outman
Abdemebi Oubella

Hag'houge, clapping, vocals
Abdellah El Gourd

Piano
Randy Weston

Tracks:
1. La Voix Errrante: Sorie/Folinho Rejale/Ahayana Wayi/Bokarli Ana (18:58)
2. Sound Playing: Bermaryo/Fanyro/Merkadi/Yobady/Ya la la/Concoba/Tembara (43:26)
3.Chalabati (8:31)

Recorded September 17, 1992 in the ballroom of the La Mamounia Hotel, Marrakech, Morocco. Released on Verve-Antilles in 1994 (catalogue # 314 521 587-2).

Download The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco

Griot Galaxy: Kins

Griot Galaxy was a Detroit-area crew that flourished during the 1980s. Kins was, as far as I know, their first release. I first of heard of Griot Galaxy in 2004, and over the next year learned a good deal about the band and one of their members, Faruq Z. Bey. These cats at times sound like a portion of one of Sun Ra's arkestras - indeed the song titles alone suggest a Sun Ra influence, as did the band's apparent tendency to perform in Sun Ra-style costumes. At other times throughout the album, they show some definite punk and funk influences, such as on "Zenolog Aintro". Overall, the music is moody, angular music, perfect for the times (then and now). Fans of Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman (especially his Prime Time band), James "Blood" Ulmer (even though there is no guitarist in this band), late-1970s Human Arts Ensemble, and Defunkt should find plenty to like about this crew.

Personnel:
Jaribu Shahid - Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
Tani Tabbal - Drums
David McMurray - Flute, Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Anthony Holland - Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Faruq Z. Bey - Tenor Sax, Alto Sax

Tracks:
1. Xy-Moch
2. Zycron
3. Zenolog Aintro
4. Androgeny
5. Kins
6. Xy-Moch Theme

Recorded September 13 & 14, 1981 at Spectrum Sound Studio, Detroit, Michigan. Poem by Mashashahid dated 1-4-82. Released on Black & White Records, catalogue # B & W 001.

Download Kins

Arthur Doyle Quartet: Live @ The Cooler

Live @ The Cooler is a nice follow-up to the Blue Humans album I posted previously. This time around, Arthur Doyle is in charge. The tunes are ones that are among Doyle's standards (to the extent that someone as obscure as Doyle can have songs considered standards) - especially "Flue Song" and "Noah Black Ark". The former features Doyle playing the flute; the latter is a homage to Noah Howard, who gave Doyle his first big break in the free-jazz realm on The Black Arc (the piece builds on that album's tune "Mount Fuji"). On the opening track, Doyle sounds like he's playing multiple reeds at once. For his part, Rudolph Grey's playing is as loud as ever, but the sound is more atmospheric. To these ears, 15 years allowed Doyle and Grey to become wiser, more skillful collaborators. It doesn't hurt that the rhythm section is up to the task of keeping up with those two.

Personnel:
Arthur Doyle (tenor sax, flute)
Rudolph Grey (electric guitar)
Wilbur Morris (bass)
Tom Surgal (drums)

Tracks:
1. Spiritual Healing
2. Flue Song
3. Noah Black Ark

All compositions by Arthur Doyle (BMI)
Photos: Simon Badger
Liner Notes: Sumner Crane
Recorded March 15, 1995

Released on The Lotus Sound in 1996

Download Live @ The Cooler

The Blue Humans: Live - N.Y. 1980

This album was my introduction to Arthur Doyle. The way that cat could hold his own with Rudolph Grey's guitar playing (with the amps turned all the way to 11) turned me into a believer. During the relatively quieter moments, Beaver Harris lays out this tribal groove that practically calls listeners to join the pit. These cats were playing some extra-loud free-form energy music at punk clubs in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which seems appropriate enough. Hell, we'll call it jazz you can mosh to. Free jazz buffs who dig on punk and no wave, and punks who can groove on jazz will want to play this one at stun volume.

Personnel:
Rudolph Grey (Electric Guitar)
Arthur Doyle (Tenor Saxophone, Flute)
Beaver Harris (Percussion)

Tracks:
1. Untitled
2. Untitled
3. Untitled
4. Untitled

Cover Photo: Ronald V. Williams
Cover Design: Rudolph Grey
Recording Engineer/Graphics Production: R. Bianca
Recorded at Hurrah, NYC March 12, 1980

Released on Audible Hiss in 1995.

Download Live - N.Y. 1980