Northern Spy Releases

Our good friends over at Northern Spy have been working hard putting out quality, experimental and avant-garde releases. Although they're not in the vein of avant-garde Jazz, they certainly bring contemporary music to that cutting edge Jazz once did and still does.

The first is a minimalist, drone if you will, collection of compositions by trumpeter/guitarist/minimalist Rhys Chatham called Outdoor Spell. The production of this album is certainly textured, and although it drones about, each of the four tracks are beautifully different in their minimalist forms.

Chatham employs layers of guitars, his own voice, and percussion to create these multi-sensory and multi-instinctual sound bites. And the composition, The Magician, contains more of a Free Jazz hat as the drums, electric guitar, and trumpet erupt into a mass of what seems to be an improvised, dissonant demonstration.

Next up, Northern Spy has debuted their Clandestine Series of audio cassette releases. Clandestine Series Cassette # One brings four tracks by the Messages, Tom Carter, Zaïmph, and Loren Connors & Margarida Garcia. Personally, this is worth the purchase just for Tom Carter's piece, August Is All. A minimalist, melodic, lonesome electric guitar piece that has been on repeat all week in my studio.

With a lot of the tracks, think Aphex Twin ambient works, but less electronic.

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Check these out! They are worth the purchase for any fan of experimental music. In Northern Spy's short existence so far, they have been prolific and I think they're going to be an excellent outlet for great, under-appreciated music. Offering chances to Artists that may not otherwise be getting the exposure they need.

"At the 'Golden Circle', Stockholm" - Ornette Coleman

Last weekend I was invited to record an Object Story (like them on Facebook) at the Portland Art Museum. This is a great project that allows anyone to come in and share something that has a great story (or anything with an interesting personal attachment/history). Naturally when I did mine, improvising for short clips at a time, I left things out I meant to say and said things that weren't necessary. All in all, it was great excuse to talk about my autographed original issued Blue Note of Ornette Coleman's At the 'Golden Circle', Stockholm, Volume 2.

This dual volume Blue Note has to be one of the main reasons that I'm into avant-garde Jazz and why I have looked to Mr. Coleman as my shining light towards more great Jazz and modern concepts. I hadn't obtained these volumes until after a few years of heavy Jazz listening. I remember, when I first started collecting Jazz records I saw both volumes at Rhino Records in upstate New York. That was the first time I became aware of the name Ornette Coleman. The Reid Miles cover design really stood out. Three individuals in the foreground; behind them the desolate, white, stark looking winter woods of Scandinavia. With colorful, contrasting text that wrapped around their bodies. The cover artwork really burned into my mind. I didn't buy the albums, which might of been ok since my novice ears probably weren't ready for this trio's sound.

Fast forward about two to three years, and I'm starting to listen to Ornette's Atlantic sessions. As I'm pulled more into his trance I am able to win an eBay auction obtaining both volumes of At the 'Golden Circle'. Volume 1 a Liberty reissue, and Volume 2 an original pressing. Fast forward another year or so, and I get to meet Ornette Coleman at the 2008 Portland Jazz Festival, resulting in his signature adorning the original issued volume 2.

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Every year Frank Wolff vacationed to Europe, which resulted in many sessions that were captured across the pond. This particular 1965 December brought him to frigid Stockholm. To a small cafe, called the Gyllene Cirkeln where Coleman's Trio was performing on the third and fourth of the month. You'll have to remember that 1965 was Coleman's returning year from his three year hiatus to recording. Returning with new violin and trumpet chops fresh for listeners' ears. David Izenzon and Charles Moffett made the best backdrop for him here. Of course, it's had not to compare them to Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell, but they swung, they played deep riveting lines, and completely allowed Coleman's melodic alto to shine.

Anyway, doing the Object Story was a great excuse to revisit this duo of albums. And I highly encourage anyone interested in Ornette to get these recordings and listen to them on repeat. It's quite the transitional sound in Coleman's career. Not as boogie-ing and whimsical as his early stuff, a bit more contemplative for a contemplative European audience and just as gripping.

1965 Recorded, 1966 Released - Blue Note.

Ornette Coleman - alto saxophone, violin, trumpet; David Izenzon - bass; Charles Moffett - drums.

European Echos from Volume 1

Portland Jazz Fest Upcoming Acts

February has always been a month of tons of PDX Jazz posts. The Portland Jazz Festival is stones throw away on the calendar and all shows still have tickets available except for the Esperanza Spalding event.

My recommendations for must see performances would be Don Byron and Joshua Redman -- the son of the great Dewey Redmen. Here's some info about the upcoming performers:

DON BYRON

Thursday, February 24 - 7:30pm - Newmark Theater

He's been to the festival before and now the conservatory trained social critic and activist brings Plays Mickey Katz, the groundbreaking and virtuosic ensemble that spearheaded the Klezmer revival dedicated to the great Mickey Katz, musical pioneer, humorist, and musical director for Spike Jones.

NIK BARTSCH'S RONIN + BLUE CRANES

Friday, February 25 - 8:30pm - Alberta Rose Theater

Swiss/Zen/Funk best describes the highly theatrical, Zurich based Nik Bartsch's Ronin. He will perform with the invigorating Blue Cranes, whose recent release, Observatories, was named as one of the best jazz releases out of Portland this year by local critics.

PONCHO SANCHEZ - LATIN JAZZ DANCE PARTY

Friday, February 25 - 9:30pm - Crystal Ballroom

Poncho Sanchez's music would best be described as a kaleidoscopic swirl of some of the hottest colors to emerge from either side of the border. The Grammy Award winning conquero will perform with his sizzling rhythmic ensemble to get the party started.

THE 3 COHENS + AFRO-SEMITIC EXPERIENCE

Saturday, February 26 - 2:00pm - Crystal Ballroom

The 3 Cohen siblings- Anat (clarinet), Avishai (trumpet), and Yuval (sax), express lyrical tone qualities of the swing era with a post-Coltrane fervor and a flair for Near-East Mediterranean folk, cross-referenced with Afro-Latin rhythms. The Afro-Semitic Experience is an off-shoot of the creative work of African-American pianist Warren Byrd and Jewish-American bassist David Chevan.

SF JAZZ COLLECTIVE

Saturday, February 26 - 7:30pm - Newmark Theater

A Portland Jazz Festival favorite, this will mark their premiere performance of SFJAZZ Collective Plays Stevie Wonder. They will be feted by an elite octet: Miguel Zenon, Robin Eubanks, Avishai Cohen, Edward Simon, Matt Penman, Stefon Harris, Eric Harland, and Mark Turner.

REGINA CARTER

Saturday, February 26 - 9:30pm - Crystal Ballroom

Violinist Regina Carter traveled through Africa to research and record an album of indigenous folk music. Her latest E1 Music release, Reverse Thread, fuses this folk medium juxtaposed with a contemporary feel while remaining true to the past.

JOSHUA REDMAN

Sunday, February 27 - 2:00pm - Newmark Theater

It's been 20 years since Joshua Redman broke through by winning the famed Monk Competition and he has not looked back since. Redman had a remarkable tenure with The SF Jazz Collective and on this occasion, a special quartet comprised of Aaron Goldberg, Matt Penman and Eric Harland.

MACEO PARKER

Sunday, February 27 - 7:30pm - Crystal Ballroom

Who better than Maceo Parker to close the festival! He's synonymous with funky music and best known for his tenure with James Brown. He's the living, breathing pulse which connects the history of Funk in one golden thread.

You can purchase your tickets by calling 503-228-JAZZ (5299) or visiting the PDX Jazz office at 133 SW 2nd Ave., Suite 420.

Rogue Announces Release of Jazz Guy Ale

Ah, it's nice when my two passions mix together. Although, as a huge beer geek -- like most beer geeks -- I'm not a huge fan of Rogue. I do appreciate their willingness to support PDX Jazz and step up each year. In the eighth year of the festival, Rogue offers their eighth consecutive limited bottling of Jazz Guy Ale, another alias for their American Amber Ale.

It seems like they're ditching the unique bottle designs for each festival. Originally they offered a bottle with a musician, and each year the instrument played changed on the illustration. Starting last year and continuing this year, PDX Jazz Artistic Director, Bill Royston, has been the subject of choice. This makes sense and matches the rest of Rogue's identity. Usually the characters featured on their bottles are actual individuals involved with Rogue, or the story behind the beer contents. So why not continue that tradition with Bill Royston? It's great for Bill, he deserves the credit and is indeed Portland's Jazz Guy.

In any hopes, I will buy a couple bottles of the handsome serigraphed Jazz Guy Ale bottles offering my support to the festival. Look for bottles available at Rogue Pubs and Portland Jazz Festival events.

Also to note, Rogue Ales will be hosting three nights of live Jazz at their Portland Public House & Distillery. Check out PDX Jazz for scheduling and ticket information.

PDX Jazz Fest Receives Two NEA Grants

Great News! The 2011 Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Portland Jazz Festival Presented by US Bank has received two grants by the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA). A much prestigious honor, the PDX Jazz fest received the Jazz Masters Live grant and the Challenge America Fast-Track grant.

It's no easy feat to gain grants from the NEA, and I applaud PDX Jazz for showcasing some of the finest International Jazz up in our little pocket here. And I'm glad to see them getting this huge recognition on a national level.

Press Release:

The 2011 Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Portland Jazz Festival Presented by US Bank has received two NEA grants. PDX Jazz has been awarded a Jazz Masters Live grant and Challenge America Fast-Track grant.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) created the Jazz Masters Live grant to help bring outstanding jazz musicians, writers, producers, and scholars to communities across the nation through NEA Jazz Masters Live. In cooperation with Arts Midwest, these NEA Jazz Masters Live grants support performance and educational activities featuring NEA Jazz Masters, recipients of the nation's highest honor in jazz. The program celebrates these living legends who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz and offers audiences the unique opportunity to share the artists' expertise in performances, master classes, clinics, lectures, and short term residencies. "Live interactions between musicians and audiences are essential to jazz," said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman.

NEA Jazz Master and acclaimed pianist, Randy Weston, will open the 2011 Portland Jazz Festival on February 18 at the Winningstad Theatre with an evening of solo jazz piano. He will also lead a workshop for Portland State University students and participate in the festival's "Jazz Conversation" series, hosted by Marty Hughley. Weston will be appearing in support of his most recent album, The Story Teller, available through Motema Music, and his recently released autobiography, African Rhythms, available through Duke University Press.

The Challenge America Fast-Track grant offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to under-served populations -- those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. This category, as an essential component of the Arts Endowment's goal of providing wide access to artistic excellence, supports local projects that can have significant effects within communities.

Portland Jazz Festival, the first major international jazz festival on the annual global jazz calendar, attracts an audience from a large geographical area, serving a population that does not routinely have access to internationally acclaimed jazz artists without traveling to Seattle or San Francisco. With the Challenge America Fast-Track grant, Portland Jazz Festival will connect more directly to the immediate community it serves, and reach out specifically to minority populations within the greater Portland Metropolitan area. One of the main goals in obtaining these grants is to create a festival that not only showcases today's masters, but also connects the Portland community to jazz as a vibrant, living, changing music that is as relevant today as ever, creating an atmosphere that supports the art form year round.

The National Endowment for the Arts has supported jazz artists and organizations since 1969, providing millions of dollars in grants and awards. In 2004, the NEA significantly expanded its NEA Jazz Masters program and in 2005 created the NEA Jazz Masters Initiative, a comprehensive program of jazz support that includes the NEA Jazz Masters Award; radio programming featuring NEA Jazz Masters; educational resources through the NEA Jazz in the Schools program produced by the Arts Endowment in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center; and publications and reports.

For more information on NEA Jazz Masters, please visit neajazzmasters.org

The Jazz Fest is just around the corner (2/18-2/27) so get to www.pdxjazz.com to start planning your itinerary. You can purchase your tickets by calling 503-228-JAZZ (5299) or visiting the PDX Jazz office at 133 SW 2nd Ave., Suite 420.

I'd also like to point out the redesign of their webpage. Looking sharp!

My Name Is Albert Ayler Screening Tonight In NYC

Just was made aware of this screening. If you're in NYC tonight and able to get up to Harlem, you have the ultra rare opportunity to catch a screening of My Name Is Albert Ayler. "Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin will be present for a Q&A," according to the email I received.

I saw this once in 2008 and it will forever stick with me. If abled to, I would grab any chance instanly to view this film again.

January 20th at 7.30pm.
Maysles Cinema
343 Lenox Avenue [between 127th & 128th]
(212) 582-6050

"Midnight Blue" - Kenny Burrell

My vinyl buying habits have taken to the back burner in the last year. I usually frequent Mississippi Records in Portland -- no bushleague to be found there. A lot of vintage/thrift stores in Portland have stacks upon stacks of vinyl, usually not worth fingering through for my refined taste. Over the weekend, in an effort to buy a mid-century coffee table, I stumbled across a Van Gelder Mastering reissue (sporting the blue label with a black "b") of Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue. The very first record in the front of a large stack of records -- price: $5. The sleeve is higher G lower VG condition (depending on your standards), but the disc plays gloriously.

A digital copy of Midnight Blue exists in my iTunes library and has always gotten modest play. When I arrived home on Sunday afternoon I played this on the turntable right away. With the warm sound, mild crackling, and the vast range of lows and highs from my Bose speakers, I was really taken to a new level for this album.

Along with NPR's Basic Jazz Record Library, Midnight Blue has appeared on numerous best of, must have, definitive lists. On a near nine year post, Murray Horwitz offers a perfect visual assessment:

I know a lot of folks with vinyl copies of this record who wore out the grooves. It's the perfect "late night, neon light flashing outside of the window, cigarette smoke swirling up into nothing" record.

Despite the great music, the typography and cover design by Reid Miles is just world class. The elasticity of the text "blue" is symbolic of the notes contained inside the packing. Touted by many others that this is one of the most memorable Blue Note cover designs. One that has had vast influence on modern design.

While wearing a hard bop hat, the blues couldn't be played any better than this crew here. Every note played, every conga and drum head hit, all in near flawlessness. The rhythm is rich and straight ahead showing that often times less can be more with subtle conga accents from Ray Barretto. The lack of a piano on this date simplifies the 12 bars blue format. And the fat, ever stretching tones of Stanley Turrentine act as the perfect complement to Burrell's liquid smooth guitar chops.
1963 - Blue Note.
Kenny Burrell - guitar; Stanley Turrentine - Tenor Saxophone; Major Holley - Bass; Billy Gene English - Drums; Ray Barretto - Conga.

Jazz Makes It To iTunes LP

I'm ok with the digital age of music that's upon us. I haven't yet fully gravitated to it for Jazz yet. I still rip all my CDs and digitize LPs for use on the ole' iPod, but I still need the artifact, liner notes, pictures, a physical sense to go along with the album. In Fall 2009, Apple launched a new digital concept called iTunes LP. The idea is to bring a more interactive, multi-sensory experience for customers. Offering images, videos, and other bonus materials.

In comes Nu Jazz Entertainment. An audio and video content producer specializing in Jazz in this new digital age. On January 4th, NJE released Ellis Marsalis: An Open Letter To Thelonious as the first iTunes LP in the Jazz genre. Promo video here. Press info below:

The iTunes “LP” Ellis Marsalis: An Open Letter To Thelonious (Platinum Edition) will retail for $15.98 and features the (11) eleven original tracks on the album, (3) bonus audio tracks, and (4) bonus high-definition video tracks, bonus photographs from the Milton J. Hinton Photographic Collection™ and the Marsalis Family Archives™,Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of An American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley. bonus liner notes, and bonus literary content from the award-winning book

Included as the bonus video tracks are: Marsalis Family: First Family of Jazz ( a discussion by Ellis of how his family got their start playing music); Musings On Monk: The Inspiration Behind An Open Letter To Thelonious (A discussion by Jason Marsalis & Ellis Marsalis of what lead them to pursue the current project); and Ellis Marsalis: My Life In My Words (a video autobiography of Ellis’ life in jazz). Interlaced in the videos are intimate family photographs of the Marsalis‘ throughout the years – Ellis as a young musician and educator, Branford Marsalis & Wynton Marsalis -- from toddlers through high school, Delfeayo Marsalis on stage, and Jason perfecting his skills as an up & coming drummer.

The interactive experience brought to you through the new “LP” format offers a different approach to enjoying the music. You can watch as a master educator shares his insights, read the liner notes or hear them read by the author, view the never before seen photographs, learn the etymology and history of the songs performed or enjoy the stories that give insight into the creation of a living legend in jazz.

My guess is this content will seem pretty straight ahead, any fan of the Ken Burns Series will probably dig on this. I feel the idea of the iTunes LP has been a missed opportunity for Jazz labels. I'd like to see some serious content by Prestige, Impulse, Blue Note, Columbia, Atlantic in the iTunes LP format. To younger generations, the idea of owning a CD or Record is becoming more foreign and if this modern "LP" format is used properly, it could offer some serious historic content that's worth paying for and consuming hard drive space. I know there could be many road blocks -- rights and reproduction issues, paying someone to produce all this, etc. etc. -- but I still like to gripe.


Thoughts on the iTunes LP format?

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Happy New Year... I have received some great albums recently and hope to post about them soon.

Ornette Coleman’s Monumental "Free Jazz" Turns 50

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Ornette Coleman’s infamous double quartet date. A historical recording that not only coined the term, “Free Jazz”, describing the music which was to come throughout the following decades, but also the first ensemble of it’s kind. Eight musicians in a free for all spiral that culminated into a web of beauty. A monumental, extended, free improvisation that was unlike anything heard during it's era, Free Jazz revolutionized music then, and still does today.

Free Jazz was probably the third Coleman album I had ever heard. I loved it instantly. I was hooked to this “new sound” from then on out. Musicians playing off each other, inspiring each other in the moment, reacting to each other, supporting and challenging each other at the same time. With written areas arranged and conducted by Coleman that offered an anchor for the listener and the collective.

Think about the large ensemble pieces this has inspired. Coltrane’s Ascension, for one, an offspring that brought yet another revelation to the Avant-Garde. However, it still borrowed from the past -- down to Jazz’s roots. Similar to Dixieland and New Orleans ensembles that exhibited a similar nature. However, Coleman’s more modern approach eliminated chord changes and allowed orchestrated harmony to be unnecessary.

Coleman’s melodic playing keeps a listener engaged for the most part, and Eric Dolphy moans on the bass clarinet like a bird. Dolphy clearly leads his three other improvisers. Ed Blackwell, a double time wizard, offers a quadratic, sporadic approach to the rhythm, while Billy Higgins stays constant on the back beat. Acting as the spinal chord to this group. Don Cherry is of course his usual self on the pocket trumpet, and Freddie Hubbard sculpts his brassier tone, emulating the licks and lines of hard bop. Hubbard’s contrast is interesting compared to the slurring and emotional slabs of the other horn-men.

Free Jazz further involved another conceptual layer. Rather than a slew of eight players on mixed stereo, Coleman allowed each quartet [reed/brass/bass/drums] to exist on it’s own left or right specific channel. This interaction allows us to experience three recordings on one piece of vinyl. The left channel, the right, and the both mixed. Move back and forth between the two, spend time with each individually. It promotes one to pay attention to details that might otherwise be over heard.

Jazz, right now, is in an era of Renaissance. From the acoustic revolution that started in the 80s, to where we are now constantly honoring pivotal recordings on significant anniversaries. In 2009 we reembarked on sessions that produced Kind of Blue and The Shape of Jazz to Come. in 2010 we continue this new tradition with Free Jazz, A Collective Improvisation By The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet at 50 years.


Recorded 1960, Originally Issued 1961 - Atlantic.
Ornette Coleman - alto saxophone; Eric Dolphy - bass clarinet; Don Cherry - pocket trumpet; Freddie Hubbard -trumpet; Charlie Haden - bass; Scott LaFaro - bass; Billy Higgins - drums; Ed Blackwell - drums.

Free N-SPY Trax for the Holidays

I've been following closely and keeping in touch with the folks over at Northern-Spy. If you missed my prior press release post earlier this fall, Northern-Spy is a new indie label out of Brooklyn. The label was created by a few gents that were part of the ESP-Disk' team. Things look promising, and even though the bands represented are not strictly jazz, a lot of the music falls into the far reaching limbs of the Avant-Garde.

Why I bring all of this up, you ask? Free N-SPY Trax for the Holidays. Sample a few cuts and enjoy. Northern-Spy kindly explains below:

Brooklyn’s youngest indie label, Northern-Spy Records, has been following its star for only a short while, but already it’s shining brightly. We (and our fine artists) would like to thank you for coming along the journey with some fine holiday gifts fit for a king. No, we’ve left the myrrh behind, instead we’re offering a little bundle of web-only bonus tracks to download and delight to. Search high and low, you won’t find them on any album — but they’re sure to show up on your next mix tape.

From the team at Northern-Spy and our fine artists, we hope your holidays are filled with joy and send best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year!

Follow N-Spy on Twitter and Facebook.