ACOUSTIC LEVITATION
BEST OF 2020
Dear Readers, Support the writers and musicians by buying
from their publisher or their label, and better yet, buy
directly from the artists. Keep our independent local book
stores and record stores like DowntownMusicGallery.com
alive. They fertilize our artistic communities.
Steve Koenig
Editor
* * * * * * * * *
CRAIG NIXON
Beacon, NY
Managing Editor
As it is every year,
recordings are a trove of riches. It's always next to
impossible to narrow it down ... the first draft gets it
down to about 100 recordings. In addition, choosing the
best really implies you've heard all the rest. Lifelong
record nerd that I am, that was pretty much true in years
past, not as much any longer. Of the dizzying myriad
choices, these are 15 that particularly moved me this
year.
Tim Berne's Snakeoil - The
Fantastic Mrs. 10 (Intakt)
timberneintakt.bandcamp.com/album/the-fantastic-mrs-10
The Nels Cline Singers - Share the
Wealth (Blue Note)
store.bluenote.com/products/the-nels-cline-singers-share-the-wealth
Avishai Cohen - Big Vicious
(ECM)
ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1576244364
Chris Forbes - Film Noir (Unseen
Rain)
chrisforbes.bandcamp.com/album/film-noir
Heroes Are Gangleaders - Artificial Happiness
Button (Ropeadope) heroesaregangleaders.bandcamp.com/album/artificial-happiness-button
Dave Holland-Zakir Hussain-Chris Potter
- Good Hope (Edition) crosscurrentstrio.bandcamp.com/album/good-hope
Quin Kirchner - The Shadows and the
Light (Astral Spirits)
quinkirchner.bandcamp.com/album/the-shadows-and-the-light
Charles Lloyd - 8: Kindred Spirits
Live from the Lobero Theater (Blue Note) store.bluenote.com/products/charles-lloyd-8-kindred-spirits-live-from-the-lobero
Joao Lobo. Simorgh - Clean Feed
(Shhpuma/Les Albums Claus)
cleanfeed-records.com/product/simorgh/
Luís Lopes Humanization 4tet - Believe,
Believe (Clean Feed)
cleanfeed-records.com/product/believe-believe/
Simon Nabatov Quintet - Plain
(Clean Feed)
cleanfeed-records.com/product/plain/
Bobby Previte, Jamie Saft, Nels Cline -
Music from the Early 21st Century (RareNoise) rarenoiserecords.com/releases/music-from-the-early-21st-century/
Samo Salamon & Friends - Almost
Alone, Vol. 1 (Samo Records) samosalamon.bandcamp.com/album/almost-alone-vol-1
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Axiom
(Ropeadope)
christianscott.bandcamp.com/album/axiom
Marcin Wasilewski Trio with Joe Lovano -
Arctic Riff (ECM)
ecmrecords.com/shop/1580804906
* * * * * * * * *
ROBERT F. REIGLE
Long Beach, California
Ethnomusicologist, composer, improviser
BEST ALBUMS OF 2020: TOP 30!
All issued in 2020, except Huber in 2019.
AFRIQUE de l’Ouest: Archives musicales d’Afrique de
l’Ouest. Les années 1970 à Bouaké.
Enregistrements et photographies par Bernard Mondet.
Edition: Musée d’ethnographie de Genève. Direction
éditoriale: Madeleine Leclair. MEG-AIMP117. ville-ge.ch/meg/en/edition_619.php
APNM. Music from the Association for the Promotion of
New Music, vol. 1 & 2. Chamber Music;
Computer+Electronic Music. 14 composers, including
Elaine Barkin, Joel Gressel, and Hubert Howe. New Focus
fcr248. newfocusrecordings.com/catalogue
BECKER, John J. (1886-1961). Soundpieces 1-7.
Includes first recordings. New World Records No. 80816. newworldrecords.org
BILLONE, Pierluigi (born 1960). "Mani. Giacometti"
for violin, viola and violoncello "2 Alberi" for alto
saxophone and percussion. Kairos. kairos-music.com
BIRDS. Two albums of Suara Burung (“Bird
Sounds”) from Indonesia. Internet Archive,
Indonesian Cassette Collection. Suara Burung-Ledekan
Sulingan, Ledekan Laut.
archive.org/details/suara-burung-ledekan-sulingan-ledekan-laut
Suara Burung-Kepodang Poksay Cemani. archive.org/details/suara-burung-kepodang-poksay-cemani
BUTCHER, John (born 1954). Crucial Anatomy.
Butcher, Edwards, Sanders. Trost Records. trost.at/artist-last-dream-of-the-morning.html
ENESCU, George (1881-1955). See PIANO,
below.
FIRE ORCHESTRA! Penderecki-Actions for Free
Jazz Orchestra. Mats Gustafsson. Rune Grammofon
RCD2212. runegrammofon.com
GEDIZLIOGLU, Zeynep (born 1977). Verbinden und
Abwenden. Wergo WER-64282. en.schott-music.com/wergo/
GESUALDO, Carlo (1566-1613). Tenebrae.
Graindelavoix. Björn Schmelzer. 3 CDs. Glossa
GCD-P32116. glossamusic.com/glossa/default.aspx
GRATKOWSKI, Frank (born 1963). Flatbosc &
Cautery. With Achim Kaufmann, Wilbert de Joode, and
Tony Buck. Recorded live in 2018. Liner notes by Georg
Graewe. NoBusiness Records NBCD-133. nobusinessrecords.com/
HOWE, Hubert (born 1942). Harmonic and
Inharmonic Fantasies. Centaur CEN-3759. hbdirect.com/album/4112431-hubert-howe-harmonic-and-inharmonic-fantasies-hubert-howe-computer.html
HUBER, Nicolaus A. (born 1939). HARAKIRI;
Gespenster; l'inframince; No Exit. First recording of
Huber’s notorious “Harakiri.” See Beate Kutschke’s article
from 2009 uni-salzburg.at/index.php?id=206768.
Coviello Classics COV-91915. covielloclassics.de/Katalog/cov-91915-nicolaus-a-huber-harakiri/
IBARRA, Víctor (born 1978). The Dimension of
the Fragile. Works for Ensemble. NEOS 12001. neos-music.com/
KRIEGER, Ulrich (born 1962). the
yggdrasil-soli. “9 solo pieces to be performed
independently or simultaneously in any combination.
Conceived and curated by Ulrich Krieger 2006-2014.” Incorporates
compositions by Antoine Beuger, Julia Holter, Ulrich
Krieger (2), Radu Malfatti, Aniela Perry, Michael
Pisaro-Liu, Mar So, and Carter Williams. Streaming and
download; limited edition (110 copies) USB flash
drive+digital album. Winds Measure Recordings wm47. Sample
track: windsmeasurerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/the-yggdrasil-soli.
Links to Information, Essays, and Scores: windsmeasurerecordings.net/catalog/wm47/
LUPI, Johannes (1506-1539): Te Deum &
Motets; HELLINCK, Lupus (1493-1541): Missa Surrexit
pastor. The Brabant Ensemble, Stephen Rice (conductor).
Hyperion Records CDA68304. hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68304
NONO, Luigi (1924-1990). La lontananza
nostalgica utopica future. A stunning version played
by Marco Fusi in close collaboration with Pierluigi
Billone, who worked with Nono’s tapes over several months.
“This recording is available in two digital formats: The
.mp3 version is identical with the physical CD. The .wav
version is an HD binaural recording and comes free with
the purchase of a physical CD (download instructions
included in the booklet).” Kairos 0015086KAI. kairos-music.com
PENDERECKI, Kryzstof (1933-2020). St Luke
Passion (composed in 1966). Kraków Philharmonic
Chorus, Warsaw Boys Choir, Orchestre symphonique de
Montréal, Kent Nagano, conductor. BIS Records BIS-2287
SACD Hybrid. bis.se/
PENDERECKI, Kryzstof. See Fire Orchestra!,
above.
PIANO. Daniel Ciobanu plays Prokofiev, Enescu,
Debussy, and Liszt. Highlight: an extraordinary
performance of George Enescu’s “Carillon Nocturne,” the
slowest ever recorded. The YouTube video of his live
performance of the Nocturne, played a bit faster, is also
highly recommended. Accentus Music ACC30515, booklet in
English, German, French, and Romanian. accentus.com/discs/515/
PIANO. Bells. Anthony Romaniuk. “Fascinated by low
sustained notes (known as ‘pedal points’, the descendants
of drones) – hence the title Bells – Anthony Romaniuk
exceeds the boundaries of classical orthodoxy, ranging
from Mozart to Crumb. An incredible compendium of music
and emotions that enables us to discover Rameau, Byrd,
Beethoven, Debussy, Purcell in a new light. We go from
Bartók’s Mikrokosmos to a fascinating medieval melody that
he has harmonised like a jazzman.” Alpha Classics
ALPHA631. outhere-music.com/en/albums/bells-alpha631
POSADAS, Alberto (born 1967). Poética del
laberinto. Cycle for Saxophone Quartet. Sigma
Project saxophone quartet. Wergo WER73902. en.schott-music.com/wergo/
SABAT, Marc (born 1965). Gioseffo Zarlino.
Harmonic Space Orchestra. Sacred Realism sr-010. sacredrealism.org/label/main.html
SCELSI, Giacinto (1905-1988). Scelsi-Miscellanea
(Live), Fontana MIX ensemble. Pranam II; Mantram;
Quartetto N.3; Natura Renovatur; Elohim. FontanaMIX. fontanamix.it/fontanamix-live/scelsi-miscellanea/
Scelsi Revisited. Works based around Scelsi’s
improvisation tapes, by Ragnhild Berstad, Uli Fussenegger,
Georg Friedrich Haas, Fabien Lévy, Tristan Murail, Michael
Pelzel, Michel Roth, and Nicola Sani. (2 CDs). Kairos
Music 0015030KAI. kairos-music.com/
SEARS, Big Al (1910-1990). “Goin’ Uptown” -
The R&B Years. Jasmine Records JASMCD3215. jasmine-records.co.uk
SHEPPARD, John (circa 1515-1558). Media
Vita. Robert Quinnery, Choir of New College Oxford.
Includes world premiere recordings of four works. Linn
CKD-632. linnrecords.com/recording-sheppard-media-vita
SNEKKESTAD, Torben (born 1973). The Swiftest
Traveler. Snekkestad: trumpet, clarinet, tenor
saxophone, soprano saxophone; Agustí Fernández: piano;
Barry Guy: double bass. Recorded in 2018. Trost Records
TR187. trost.at/
STIEBLER, Ernstalbrecht (born 1934). Für
Biliana. Another Timbre at155. anothertimbre.com/stiebler.html
TAIWAN. Folk Music of China, Vol. 5:
Aboriginal Folk Songs of Taiwan. Naxos World Music
NXW76092-2. naxos.com/
TAYLOR, Cecil (1929-2018). Cecil Taylor at
AngelicA 2000 Bologna. Music, poetry, discussion. Two
discs and 40-page booklet. I Dischi di Angelica ida-042. aaa-angelica.com/aaa/dischi/
TIBET and CHINA. Musique religieuse chinoise et
tibétaine (Chinese and Tibetan Religious Music).
Originally released on Disques BAM in 1961. One of the
first published recordings of Tibetan music. Internet
Archive, Community Audio collection, added in 2020. archive.org/index.php
* * * * * * * * *
STEVE KOENIG
New York
PERFORMANCES: Pre-Covid CONCERTS
Triple Bill: Laurent David, solo el b. Joe
McPhee, reeds, brass; Raf Vertessen, dr. Lele
Dai, solo sewing machine. Downtown Music Gallery,
NY. February 23, 2020. laurentdavid.bandcamp.com, joemcphee.com, downtownmusicgallery.com
Triple Bill: Nick Fraser, dr; Tony Malaby,
tenor; Brandon Lopez, b. Cheryl Pyle, fl; Robert
Dick, fl. Erin Rogers, solo sax. Downtown Music
Gallery, NY. February 16, 2020. nickfraserthedrummer.com, robertdick.net, erinmrogers.com, downtownmusicgallery.com
Kaze. Satoko Fujii, p; Kappa Maki, tpt; Christian
Bezos, tpt; Peter Menard, dr. February 11, 2020. Roulette,
Brooklyn. satokofujii.com,
roulette.org
Voices: Odeya Nini. The Chutneys
(Gelsey Bell, voc; Chris Cochrane- el gtr; Fast Forward–
perc). thechutneys.bandcamp.com/album/home,
odeyanini.com,
roulette.org
PERFORMANCES: Pre-Covid THEATER
Wozzeck by Alban Berg. Peter Mattei (Wozzeck),
Elza van den Heever (Marie). Conducted by Yannick
Nézet-Séguin. Animations by William Kentridge. Set by
Sabine Theunissen. Metropolitan Opera, NY. metopera.org
Fires In The Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith.
Michael Benjamin Washington. Saheem Ali, dir. Washington
played brilliantly the 25 real characters in this tale of
what I call “The Troubles,” in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He
equaled or perhaps even surpassed the magnificence of
Smith’s own performance decades ago. Signature Theatre,
NYC. annadeaveresmith.org,
signaturetheatre.com
Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl. Leigh Silverman, dir.
Second Stage Theater. Helen Hayes Theater, NY. besswohl.com, 2st.com
The Hot Wing King by Katori Hall. Steve H.
Broadnax III. Cast: Nicco Annan, Sheldon Best, Cecil
Blutcher, Korey Jacks. Signature Theatre, NY. katorihall.com, signaturetheatre.org
Così Fan Tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Phelim
McDermott, production. Harry Bicket, cond. Cast: Nicole
Car, sopr; Serena Malfi, mz; Ben Bliss, t; Adam Plachetka
and Gerald Finley, bass-baritones; Heidi Stober, sopr.
Metropolitan Opera, NY. metopera.org
FILM
The Boys In The Band by Mart Cowley. Jim
Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells,
Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael
Banjamin Washington, Tuc Watkins. Joe Mantello, director.
netflix.com
Summer of ’85. Written and directed by François
Ozon, partly based upon the novel Dance on My Grave
by Aidan Chambers. Félix Lefebvre (Alexis), Benjamin
Voisin (David). US distributor: musicboxfilms.com. Trailers and
reviews on YT.
ONLINE WEBINARS, ZOOMINARS, STREAMED
PERFORMANCES, courtesy of Covid-19. There’s a lot of
events here, but then again, I was home a LOT.
Art/ A Sacred Emblem: Trefoil in Early Korean
Metalwork and Beyond with Dr. Minjee Kim. Video at koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1364-a-sacred-emblem-trefoil-in-early-korean-metalwork-and-beyond-with-dr-minjee-kim
Art/ Inside Vincent’s Creative Process: Van Gogh and
Popular Culture, lecture by art historian Michael
Lobel, Professor, Art History at Hunter College. hunter.cuny.edu/news/hunterhome-inside-vincents-creative-process-van-gogh-and-popular-culture/?news-feed=hunter-at-home-videos&source=24913
Ludwig van Beethoven. Barenboim’s Beethoven
Marathon. November 15, 2020, 8am-8pm. medici.tv
Ludwig van Beethoven. Dover Quartet. Complete
Cycle, Part 1. Op18/2, Op59/3, Op135/16. People’s Symphony
Concerts Online. December 5, 2020. doverquartet.com, pscny.org
Leonard Bernstein. “Make Our Garden Grow.”
Heartbeat Opera. heartbeatopera.org
Buyer & Cellar by Jonathan Tolins. Michael Urie,
actor. donate.broadwaycares.org/campaign/covid-19-emergency-assistance-fund/c276873,
broadway.com/buyerandceller
Cooper-Moore, piano. July 17, 2020. aumfidelity.com/cooper-moore.html, artsforart.org
The Noël Coward Foundation Present: A Marvellous
Party. actorsfund.org
(US), actingforothers.co.uk/donate
(UK)
Whit Dickey, drums; Rob Brown, alto saxophone;
Brandon Lopez, bass. July 1, 2020. aumfidelity.com/dickey.html
The Dolphin in the Mirror: Reflections on Dolphin
Intelligence & Communication. Zoom presentation
by Diana Reiss, Director of Hunter’s Animal Behavior &
Conservation Program. hunter.cuny.edu/news/hunterhome-the-dolphin-in-the-mirror-reflections-on-dolphin-intelligence-communication/?news-feed=hunter-at-home-videos&source=24913
Dover Quartet and pianist Shai Wosner. Haydn SQ
Op76/2, Brahms Intermezzo op116/2; Dvorák Piano Quintet 2.
People’s Symphony Concerts Online. November 15, 2020. doverquartet.com,
shaiwosner.com,
pscny.org
Vladimir Feltsman. Schubert: Impromptus, Op142.
Beethoven: Seven Bagatelles, Op33. People’s Symphony
Concerts Online. November 28, 2020. feltsman.com, pscny.org
Food/ My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes.
Book talk with Korean Chef Hooni Kim. koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1377-chef-hooni-kim-with-andrew-friedman
Frankenstein, by Nick Dear, based on the novel by
Mary Shelley. Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller,
alternating roles of the Dr. and his Monster. Danny Boyle,
dir. nationaltheatre.org.uk/whats-on,
ntlive.com/
Dean Friedman. Singer/songwriter streaming from
home. Frankenstein. deanfriedman.com,
facebook.com/DeanFriedman/videos/10156982290096464
42nd Street (from London’s West End). Book by
Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble (Director), lyrics by Al
Dubin and Johnny Mercer and music by Harry Warren.
Choreography by Randy Skinner. Tom Lister (Julian Marsh),
Philip Bertioli (Billy Lawlor), Clare Halse (Peggy
Sawyer), and Bonnie Langford (Dorothy Brock). broadwaycares.org/
Historians of the Jews and the Making of Plague
Memory. Professors Joshua Teplitsky and Magda
Teter. Fordham University's Center for Jewish Studies. May
6, 2020. news.fordham.edu/event/historians-of-the-jews-and-the-making-of-plague-memory/
History/ The Great Kosher Meat War of 1902: Immigrant
Housewives and the Riots That Shook New York City.
Book talk with author/historian Scott D. Seligman. Center
For Jewish History. December 1, 2020. seligmanonline.com, cjh.org
History/ The Lenape: An Indigenous Peoples Day 2020
Discussion. October 12, 2020. Lenape land includes
all of New York City, and spans from western Connecticut
to eastern Pennsylvania, and the Hudson Valley to
Delaware. Mr. Hadrien Coumans, Co-founder and Co-director
of the Lenape Center. Brooklyn Public Library. bklynlibrary.org/calendar/lenape-indigenous-peoples-virtual-20201012
History/ X Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos of
World War II, talk by Leah Garrett, scholar,
professor and Director of Jewish Studies at Hunter
College. Hunter@Home. hunter.cuny.edu/news/hunterhome-x-troop-the-secret-jewish-commandos-of-world-war-ii/
Jason Kao Hwang’s Human Rites Trio. Hwang, v; Ken
Filiano, b; Andrew Drury, dr. June 10, 2020. jasonkaohwang.com, artsforart.org
Bill Irwin’s On Beckett / On Screen.
Bill Irwin, performer and writer. November 17, 2020. Irish
Repertory Theatre. bill-irwin.com,
irishrep.org
Leoš Janáček. Lecture and performance “Out Of The
Mists: From Imagination To Reality.” Zoomed from
Philadelphia with Katelyn Bouska, Czech Center, NY. youtube.com/watch?v=J8TIzmtg1S0, new-york.czechcentres.cz
Kaiser Chiefs. Lockdown Session. royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2020/royal-albert-home-kaiser-chiefs/,
kaiserchiefs.com
LGBT/ Roosevelt House and the LGBTQ Policy Center at
Hunter College. Interview of Eric Cervini, author of The
Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of
America, a biography of Frank Kameny. roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/events/deviants-war-homosexual-vs-united-states-america/
Brandon Lopez, solo bass. May 28, 2020. artsforart.org
A Night In November by Marie Jones.
Matthew Forsythe, actor. Matthew McElhinney, director. May
17, 2020. Irish Arts Center, with Culture Ireland. irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=30265,
matthewforsythe.co.uk,
irishartscenter.org
Lorkin O’Reilly. Scottish singer/songwriter. Irish
Arts Center, May 10, 2020. stage.irishartscenter.org/videos/at-home-with-irish-arts-center-lorkin-oreilly
William Parker, bass, composition; Patricia
Nicholson, text, movement, composition; Ellen Christi,
voice; Jean Carla Rodea, voice. July 3, 2020. artsforart.org
Raga Live Festival. 24 sets of music rooted in
Indian classical over the course of 24 hours, presented by
Pioneer Works, Brooklyn Raga Massive, NYC Radio Live and
the Rubin Museum of Art. ragaslive.org
Dave Sewelson, baritone saxophone; Steve Swell,
trombone; William Parker, bass; Marvin Bugalu Smith.
drums. July 8, 2020. artsforart.org
William Shakespeare. Lady M. Directed and
adapted by Ethan Heard. Felicia Moore,Lady M; Quentin
Oliver Lee, Macbeth; Tyler Putnam, Banquo; Jamilyn
Manning-White, Taylor-Alexis Dupont, and Sishel Claverie
and the Weird Sisters. Heartbeat Opera. heartbeatopera.org
Small Island. Adapted by Helen Edmundson from a
novel by Andrea Levy. National Theatre at Home. nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/nt-at-home-small-island
Lisa Sokolov, voice, piano; Jake Sokolov-Gonzalez,
cello. July 15, 2020. lisasokolov.com, artsforart.org
Stephen Sondheim. Take Me To The World: A
Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration. broadway.com/sondheim90/
Steve Swell’s Kende Dreams, William Parker, bass;
Dave Sewelson, baritone saxophone; Michael TA Thompson,
drums. December 3, 2020. AFA On_Line Salon. steveswell.com, artsforart.org
Theater of War. The King Lear Project. A dramatic
reading of scenes from King Lear as a catalyst for guided
discussions about elder care and family dynamics. theaterofwar.com/projects/king-lear-project
Richard Thompson. Live streaming from home. March
29, 2020. richardthompson-music.com
Viral Monologs: The 24 Hour Plays. 24hourplays.com/viral-monologues/
RECORDINGS
Anthology: Return Of The Tokoloshe Men! (Demented
Sounds From The 60s Teen Scenes Of Jo'burg, Cape Town,
Durban And Beyond!). Rubble RUB6CDBOX13, 6CDs and
88-page book. No website listed.
Asaf Avidan. Anagnorisis. Telmavar TMR008,
CD or LP. asafavidanmusic.com
Jon Balke. Discourses. Balke, piano,
soundscapes. ECM 2648. ecmrecords.com
Ludwig van Beethoven. Late String Quartets:
opp. 95, 127, 131, 132, 135, Grosse Fugue. Brodsky
Quartet. Chandos 201143, 3 CDs. brodskyquartet.co.uk, chandos.net
Ludwig van Beethoven. Complete Piano Sonatas.
Fazil Say. Warner Classics 0190295380243, 9CDs. fazilsay.com, warnerclassics.com
Luciano Berio. Coro. Cries of London.
Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Norwegian RO, Grete Pedersen,
cond. BIS 2391, hybrid SACD. bis.se
John Coltrane/Vinny Golia. A Love Supreme
Electric: A Salvo Inspired by John Coltrane: A Love
Supreme & Meditations. Golia, sax; John
Hanrahan, dr; Henry Kaiser, g; Wayne Peet, org; Mike
Watts, b. Cuneiform Rune 470/471, 2 CDs or download. cuneiformrecords.com
Bill Evans. Live At Ronnie Scott’s. Evans,
p; Eddie Gomez, b; Jack deJohnette, dr. Resonance
HCD-2046, 2 CDs or 2LPs. resonancerecords.org
Wesley Fuller. Seven by Seven. Two
compositions for computer alone and five for computer with
soloists. Neuma 122. neumarecords.org
Kenneth Gaburo Conducts New Music Choral Ensemble.
NMCE1. Works by Ben Johnston, Pauline Oliveros,
Charles Hamm, Gaburo, Robert Shallenberg, Leslie Bassett,
Anton Webern (op.2), Luigi Nono (Sara Dolce Tacera),
Olivier
Messiaen (Cinq Rechants). Neuma 124. neumarecords.org
Dave Glasser. Hypocrisy Democracy.
Glasser, saxes, flute; Andy Milne, p; Ben Allison, b; Matt
Wilson, dr. Here Tiz HTM003. daveglasser.com
Gordon Grdina. Resist. East Van Strings,
with cellist Peggy Lee, violinist Jesse Zubot and violist
Eyvind Kang; Grdina’s Triomates, bassist Tommy Babin and
drummer Kenton Loewen. Irabbagast 012. gordongrdinamusic.com, jonirabagon.com
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York. Entity.
Oscar Noriega, Briggan Krauss, Ellery Eskelin, Tony
Malaby, Andy Laster, Natsuki Tamura, Herb Robertson, Dave
Ballou, Curtis Hasselbring, Joe Fiedler, Nels Cline, Stomu
Takeishi, Ches Smith. Libra 214-058. satokofujii.com
Satoko Fujii, p; Natsuki Tamura, tpt. Pentas.
NotTwo MW 999-2 satokofujii.com,
nottwo.com
Lafayette Gilchrist. Now. Gilchrist, p;
Herman Burney, b; Eric Kennedy, dr. Lafayette Gilchrist
Music (no catalog no. given) 2 CDs. bakerartist.org/portfolios/lafayette-gilchrist
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten. Til Anna:
Confirmations and Abstractions. Solo acoustic bass.
Catalytic Sound. Sonic Transmissions Records STR 01, LP or
download. ingebrigthkerflaten.bandcamp.com/, catalytic-sound.bandcamp.com
Rich Halley. The Shape of Things. Halley,
tenor; Matthew Shipp, p; Michael Bisio, dr; Newman Taylor
Baker, dr. Pine Eagle 013. richhalley.com
Jimi Hendrix Experience. Live in Maui.
Experience Hendrix/Legacy 19439799031, 2CDs or 3LPs or
multichannel Blu Ray. jimihendrix.com,
legacyrecordings.com
Jason Kao Hwang Human Rites Trio. Hwang, v; Ken
Filiano, b; Andrew Drury, dr. TrueSound TS03. jasonkaohwang.com
Charles Ives. Symphonies 1-4. Gustavo Dudamel,
LAPO. Deutsche Grammophon 00028948395057, streaming or
download only. deutschegrammophon.com/en/
Keith Jarrett. Budapest Concert. ECM
2700/01, 2CDs. ecmrecords.com
Kaze. Sand Storm. Satoko Fujii, p; Natsuki
Tamura, tpt; Christian Pruvost, tpt; Peter Orins, dr; plus
Ikue Mori, laptop. Circum/Libra 205. satokofujii.com
Rued Langaard. Complete Works for String Quartet.
Nightingale SQ. da capo 6.200004, 3 SACDs. dacapo-records.dk
Allegra Levy. Lose My Number: Allegra Levy
Sings John McNeil. Levy, voc; Carmen Staaf, p;
Carmen Rothwell, b; Colleen Clark, dr; John McNeil, tpt;
Pierre Dørge, uke. SteepleChase SCCD 31900. allegralevy.com, steeplechase.dk
Noa Levy and Shimpei Ogawa. You, Me & Cole.
Vocal and acoustic bass, my favorite vocal album this
year. Belle Records. noalevylive.com, basshipogw.wixsite.com/shimpeiogawa
Rudresh Mahanthappa. Hero Trio.
Mahanthappa, alto; François Moutin, b; Rudy Royston, dr.
Whirlwind. WR4780. rudreshm.com
Delfeayo Marsalis’s Uptown Jazz Orchestra. Jazz
Party. Troubadour Jazz TJR083119. dmarsalis.com
Joni Mitchell. Archives Volume 1: The Early
Years (1963-1967). 5CDs, book, 8x8 box, inserts.
Rhino R2 6-4555. www.rhino.com/
Thelonious Monk. Palo Alto.
Rhythm-A-Ning/Impulse! B0032180-02. monkzone.com, impulse-label.com
Claudio Monteverdi. Complete Madrigals. Delitiae
Musicae. Marco Longhini, cond. Naxos 8.501505, 15
CDs, all the original 9 booklets with notes, complete
texts and English translations in a hardbox. naxos.com
Quinsin Nachoff. Pivotal Arc. Violin
Concerto: Nathalie Bonin, v; Mark Helias, b; Satoshi
Takeishi, dr; Michael Davidson, vib; wind and string
ensemble. String Quartet: Molinari SQ. Pivotal
Arc: Nachoff, tenor sax; ensemble. Whirlwind
WR4761, CD or LP. quinsin.com
Francis Poulenc. Cto P; Concert champêtre; Trio P
Ob Bsn; Son Ob P. Mark Bebbington, p; Jan Latham-Koenig,
RPO. Resonus RES10256. resonusclassics.com
Shabaka & The Ancestors. We Are Sent Here
By History. Impulse B0031632-02, CD or 2LPs. shabakahutchings.com, impulse-label.com
Franz Schubert. 12 Great Piano Sonatas (d.537,
568, 575, 664, 784, 840, 645, 850, 894, 958, 959, 960).
Daniel-Ben Pienaar. Avie AV2425, 5CDs. danielbenpienaar.com, avie-records.com
Dmitri Shostakovich. Symphony 13 “Babi Yar.” Muti,
CSO; Alexey Tikhomirov, b; Men pf the Chicaho Symphony
Chorus. CSO Resound 8.011901. symphonystore.com/music/cso-resound/
Cory Smythe. Accelerate Every Voice.
Kyoko Kitamura, voc; Michael Mayo, voc, loops; Raquel
Acevedo Klein, voc; Steven Hrycelak, b, voc; Kari Francis,
perc, voc; Smythe , p, electronics. Pyroclastic PR 08. corysmythe.com,
pyroclasticrecords.com
Natsuki Tamura, tpt; Satoko Fujii, p; Ramon Lopez, dr.
Mantle. nottwo MW 1003-2. satokofujii.com, ramonlopez.com, nottwo.com
Michael Thomas. Event Horizon. Thomas,
sax; Jason Palmer, tpt; Hans Glawischnig, b; Johnathan
Blake, dr. Giants Step Arts GSA 005, 2 discs. michaelthomasjazz.com, giantsteparts.org
Richard and Linda Thompson. Hard Luck Stories
1972-1982. All their studio albums, outtakes, demos,
live, alt mixes. UMC/Universal 7768997, 8CDs, 10x10” box,
hardcover book. Remastering much better than the Island
Remasters issues. richardthompson.com,
umc-music.com
Lucinda Williams. Good Souls Better Angels.
Thirty Tigers/Highway 20 H2006. lucindawilliams.com, thirtytigers.com
Matt Wilson. Hug. Wilson, dr, xyl, voc;
Jeff Lederer, saxes. cl, pic, voc; Kirk Knuffke, cor, sopr
cor, voc; Chris Lightcap, b, el b, 8-string space bass,
voc. Palmetto PM2196. mattwilsonjazz.com, facebook.com/PalmettoRecords/.
[Health warning: One track contains voice samples of
Twitler.]
Neil Young with Crazy Horse. Return To
Greendale. Reprise 0093624893868, 2CDs, 2LPs, other
formats. [Note: probably best for fans only.] neilyoungarchives.com
Young M.A. Herstory In The Making. Duck
Down DDM CD 2943, CD or 2LP. youngmamusic.com, duckdown.com
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