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This playlist is 91% vinyl friendly. Near perfect. Philips, The Tina Century Bluetooth Turntable room.. A £350-£400 retro look to blend in with your wood panelling room, it reminds me of a car grill from the 1960s. Built-in speakers with deep (how low can you go) bass and crystal-clear highs. Any track marked * has been given either a tiny or a slightly larger 41 Rooms tweak/edit/chop and the occasional tune might sound a bit dodgy, quality-wise. On top of that, the switch between different decades and production values never helps in the mix here. Lyric of Playlist 154 Tim Hardin’s lyric and song title. 00.00 (Intro) THE FLAMINGOS – Stars (Edit) – Unreleased demo – 1983. Episode #1 for info. 00.41 NEW ORDER – Dreams Never End (John Peel session: 16.2.81) – The Peel Sessions 12″ EP – Strange Fruit – 1987 Diary for Jan 16, ’81 says ‘Karl W round. NEW ORDER JOHN PEEL…‘ Those caps signal something special and the journey had begun at Heaven, London a week earlier. Two good mates called Karl were there, though I hadn’t realised the one at my house listening to the first broadcast of the session was a Carl. 03.45 THE TEARDROP EXPLODES – Second Head – Kilimanjaro, LP – Mercury – 1980 Listening to this album now it’s got a bit of a bubbly and bouncy feel. Judging by a set list suggested for the Manchester Poly night’ that followed ours/mine it doesn’t look like Second Head made into our night here. Packed with Kilimanjaro tracks though. 06.55 TOM PETTY and THE HEARTBREAKERS – I Need To Know – 7″ – Shelter – 1978 Still with a fair amount of ‘rock’ in my world at this point in time, for some reason I thought I’d had a 12″ of this but that would have been a bit daft. At just 2mins 22 plus, a fiery new wave feel that could have made it as an Elvis Costello tune. 09.17 FORMAL SPPEEDWEAR – Who Needs Spain Ball – Punch Card, LP – Melodic – 2026 “Who Needs Spain Ball?”. ‘On the surface, the single functions as a highly accessible, synth-forward New Wave track featuring the record's biggest, most infectious pop chorus. However, the title and the song’s inner mechanics are intentionally surreal, designed to “pull the rug” out from under the listener‘. – Apologies, I forgot the source. An early Talking Heads vibe going on? They’re pulling the rug even more with their merch – with the band’s name the only lettering… album t-shirts! 12.28 BIG JOANIE – It’s You – Sistahs, LP – The Daydream Library Series – 2018 So post punk! 14.48 EGOSLAVIA – Twist Face – Self-titled, (mini) LP – 9 1/2 x 16″ Records – 1982 Not that many will have debated it but I’ve always pronounced this band as ‘Egoslayvia’ and it’s only just dawned on me it was likely ‘Egoslahvia’. Better late… and a band I was introduced to by a US guy who dropped in on John Peel’s radio show somewhere in the ’80s. Very unusual for Peely to have anyone else in the studio with him but his guest was picking tracks from three or so US bands that Peely had never heard of, something that irritated the latter, slightly. 20.08 BIFFER BONKER – 4 Prong, Fucked Up, 2 Potato Thing – Biffer Bonker Is…Unabashed, download album only – ? – 2026 Anyone with a decades long history of Bedford, UK’s musical landscape stretching back to punk bands of the mid to late 70s will have knowledge of Biffer in a former life or three fronting a wealth of different bands but his present world view is available here, with something from the man for me currently getting waylaid by various postal services. ‘No god is required… ‘ Ain’t that the truth and if there isn’t a lyric sheet involved somewhere I might be requesting one :), as he’ll be back here at some point. He’s also the man who introduced me to Click Click via an early demo tape of theirs somewhere around 1984. 23.17 BROKEN SPINDLES – To Die, For Death – Fulfilled / Complete, LP – Saddle Creek – 2004 Content with having spun Induction on an earlier show, and as it turns out, rightly guessing on the album’s diversity I hadn’t been rushing to grab the physical vinyl… but here we are! One Joel Peterson, from Omaha, Nebraska. 25.35 TARWATER – 20 Miles Up – Silur, LP – Kitty-Yo – 1986 From the US to Germany and there’s a far wider breadth to this duos ‘catalogue’ than the two tracks now spun on 41 Rooms would suggest. 29.35 RIPPLE – I Don’t Know What It Is But It Sure Is Funky – 7″ – GRC – 1973 I don’t know about I Don’t Know… but with no UK release it’s unlikely our mainstream radio of the time spun this, though maybe a DJ or two down the Pilgrims or in the Anglers (Inn) Lair across the road could have. I have strong memories of hearing Willie Henderson’s Dance Master at the latter. 32.53 MARY KENT – Lost Generation – 7″ – CBS – 1969 It’s a slower, darker take than the version the song’s writer, Jim(my) Webb put out himself a year later and though Mary’s intro needed red carding for the show her version has some gravitas and feels ‘worthier’ now than it may have done to the UK’s record buyers back in 1969… what with the Vietnam war being… yep, somewhere else. The intro brings to my mind Common Sense’s Resurrection ’95. 36.57 LADY BLACKBIRD vs CROOKED MAN – Whatever His Name (Pt 1) * – Crooked Spirituals Remixes, 12″ – Foundation – 2025 She’s rightly got her soul audience but I much prefer her vocals set against some electronic goings on, as with the already 41 Rooms’ spun Athletes Of God and some remixing bods, including here, Crooked Man. They seem to give her vocals more of an edge for me. 42.18 ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ (feat. MAX C) – About This Love (Crazy P Remix) (Dub) * – 12″ – Compost Black Label – 2009 The vocals are incidental but the track just keeps building, dropping, shifting. A head-nod-a-thon of slight unease. 45.42 CLICK CLICK – Stay Out Of The Water – 12″ b-side – Rorschach Testing – 1985 Great times in the summer and autumn of ’85. Our RT label is off and running with a party at Winkles (Bedford), a P(roduction) and D(istribution) deal with Rough Trade, 500 copies of the initial yellow and blue sleeved 12″ pressing head straight to the US off the back of A-side (Sweet Stuff) getting CC Single Of The Week in Sounds and with spins on John Peel’s radio show there are one-off gigs in London, Brighton and Northampton and rehearsals are sounding great. Gig poster for 28.11.84. Part of a Rorschach Testing ad, The Catalogue #29, Aug ’85. 49.24 SIMPLE MINDS – Premonition (John Peel session: 7.1.80) – Silver Box, 5CD – Virgin – 2004 Having already seen them on the OGWT (live from Hurrah’s New York) and live at the Marquee the previous month I must have heard this session but for whatever reason I definitely didn’t record it. A ropey photo below of mine from London’s Hammersmith Palais, 26.8.80. 54.28 THE FALL – Dktr. Faustus * – Bend Sinister, LP – Beggars Banquet – 1986 It’s about time Mark E Smith (RIP) and his gang made it back here… so they have. 00.01.00 ECHO and THE BUNNYMEN – I Bagsy Yours (John Peel session: 22.8.79) – The Peel Sessions 12″ EP – 1988 This show’s third Peel session track of the era and the song renamed Monkeys in time to nestle next to the track Crocodiles months later on their debut album. I’m with ‘Bagsy’, though. Even us southerners used the term back then, though it might be best to not remember how it was being used here. 01.02.47 THE MOVE – I Can Hear The Grass Grow – 7″ – Deram – 1967 ‘An early, proto-psychedelic freakbeat masterpiece‘ in some modern day circles but a fab bit of wild pop back then. As the years rolled on though, the ‘weedier’ (sadly) Roy Wood’s guitar interjections have sounded. 01.05.52 PETULA CLARK – The Other Man’s Grass (Is Always Greener) – 7″ – Pye – 1967 Husband and wife writers, Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent (or in this particular case, Jackie Trent and Tony Hatch :)), with their key and tempo changing swirler giving ‘Our Pet’ her last Top 20 hit. So idiosyncratic it never got covered by anyone else or maybe offered as an exclusive to Petula? Either way, I bet Trent (no mean singer herself) forwarded a guide vocal version and I’d have been interested in hearing that. And it’s taken me a week to realise I’ve placed two songs next to each with ‘Grass’ in the title. Very unintentional but spooky and true. 01.08.49 BROOKE COMBE – Tears Won’t Lie * – 7″ – Fontana – 2026 I reckon Northern soul’s younger followers will dance and some older purists will very likely pick at the production but Combe and co-writer, James Skelly have nailed it, and if this song had been recorded in the mid 1960s – and maybe on the label this 7″ now pays homage to (with say Kiki Dee?) – there’d be an even bigger price tag on it than this barely out of the 2026 pressing plant £18 7′ already commands. Also, all involved in the Combe camp will have been as meticulous on the look for the dancers in the video as was MT Jones for his I Don’t Understand. Paying homage can be tough stuff. 01.11.19 TERRY CALLIER – Ordinary Joe – 7″ – Cadet – 1972 Terry and producer, Charles Stepney with a ‘skipping along the road’ feel. An even more expensive buy than the above… and I have neither. 01.15.17 CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD – Give Me Just A Little More Time – 7″ – Invictus – 1970 INV 501. Did Invictus kick off their UK releases with a homage to Tamla Motown’s UK singles catalogue. Five years earlier the latter had also started with (TMG) 501, via The Supremes’ Stop In The Name Of Love. 01.17.57 JACKIE WILSON – I Get The Sweetest Feeling – 7″ – Brunswick – 1968 1968 for Jackie but the mid ’70s for me. Putnoe, Bedford… sunshine… Gill H… 01.20.49 THE CONTROLLERS – Somebody’s Gotta Win, Somebody’s Gotta Loose (7″ version) – 7″ – Juana – 1977 I didn’t knowingly hear this til maybe twenty years ago. With the amount of music that bypasses us, is it possible I’ve never heard the greatest song I could ever hear? 01.24.42 UMBRA MOON – Don’t Let Me Down – Download only – 2024 This Australian girl is seemingly taking longer to break out than I would have imagined but though stylistically aside of my normal listening, this is a gem. 01.28.02 SHAWN PHILLIPS – Solitude – 7″ b-side – Columbia – 1965 With my copy bought for this side alone, there are few artists I’ve come across who have been both super jaunty and deeper than deep in the songwriting department and 41 Rooms can be with Shawn in both moods. 01.30.48 JOHN and BEVERLEY MARTYN – Primrose Hill – 7″ – Warner Brothers – 1970 In 1970 approximately 1% of the American population had a passport, so aside thinking (at best) Primrose Hill maybe had some Civil War battle reference for them they were going to struggle to warm to this London landmark being referenced, even though somebody at Warners US – as opposed to their UK counterpoints – thought this Carole King-like tune had legs as a single. Sadly, they were wrong, with the promo 7″ likely more common than the stock copy. 01.33.40 TIM HARDIN – You Upset The Grace Of Living When You Lie – 7″ promo only – Verve Forecast – 1967 Yep, lyric and title of show 154 goes to… though at 1min 45 it’s nearly over by the time he’s got through singing the line. A ragged, slightly altered take of the song was part of Hardin’s performance at Woodstock but his set only got to make it to an official release of the festival in 2019. 01.35.22 JOSE FELICIANO – Dirty Work – For My Love… Mother Music, LP – RCA – 1974 It’s likely I’d be outnumbered with my thinking here but Jose’s passion makes Steely Dan’s own recorded version, sung by their then main vocalist, David Palmer, sound lack lustre. 01.38.08 VANGELIS – He-O – Earth, LP – Vertigo – 1973 Back in Vangelis’ big years I only got around to wanting his 1976 single, Pulstar but then hearing the Beatfanatics Balearic Boogie Remix of Let It Happen in 2007 led me backwards to this album and it’s the vocals (of one Robert Fitoussi) on both tracks that seem to make the difference for me. 01.42.05 STEVIE WONDER – Pastime Paradise * – Songs In The Key Of Life, 2LP – Tamla Motown – 1976 I bought the album at the time but my youthful ignorance didn’t fully take in the scale of Stevie’s accomplishment and looking now at the full tracklisting there were only six tracks I regularly played, with Pastime Paradise being one of them. The American buyers who took Songs… to No 1 in the Billboard album charts will have delved deeper. 01.45.21 KOICHI OZAKI – Petal Of The Cherry Blossom * – Novo Tempo / Koichi Ozaki: Novo Tempo Meets Eurasian Suite Vol. 2, 12″ – Eurasian Suite – 2004 If I could dip into the whole of the soul/(acid)jazz/beats etc etc world of the Japanese from the ’90s onwards there’d be a basket full of great tunes I’ve yet to hear. So little time… 01.51.22 KEITH JARRETT (TRIO) – Dancing – Changeless, LP – ECM Records – 1989 ‘Original material which is deeply subversive (though also respectfully aware) of the whole tradition of jazz as a system of improvisation on ‘the changes’… On Changeless, there are no chord progressions at all; the trio improvises each section in a single key, somewhat in the manner of an Indian raga‘. – The Penguin Guide to Jazz. ‘These pieces – not written, rehearsed, thought out, sketched, or arranged – ‘came up’ in the middle of four distinctly different concerts. Process is swifter and more accurate than thought.‘ – Keith Jarrett’s album liner notes (edited). Show 155 arrives Sept 6. Dec x The post Post Punk Plus Podcast Playlist 154 – Original upload 2.8.26 appeared first on 41Rooms.
Today we put The Tonearm's needle on Ben Wendel.Ben is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist, composer, and co-founder of Kneebody, with a discography that covers post-bop, chamber jazz, and electronic music. He's worked with Bill Frisell, Tigran Hamasyan, Terence Blanchard, and yes, Prince.His new album BaRcoDe just dropped on Edition Records. It's built around a concept that's hard to pull off: four of the most in-demand vibraphonists working today—Joel Ross, Simon Moullier, Patricia Brennan, and Juan Diego Villalobos—surrounding one saxophonist. The group developed the music across two residencies at The Jazz Gallery in New York City, and the result is something that sits between chamber music and jazz improvisation, with electronics running through all of it.Ben's here to walk us through how this project came together and what it took to write for an ensemble like this.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Ben Wendel's album BaRcoDe)—Dig DeeperArtist and AlbumVisit Ben Wendel at benwendel.com and follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTubePurchase Ben Wendel's BaRcoDe from Edition Records, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choice.BaRcoDe — Postgenre reviewBaRcoDe — PopMatters reviewKneebody — Ben Wendel's long-running band; Reach (2025) includes "Repeat After Me," also recorded on BaRcoDeThe Jazz GalleryThe Jazz Gallery — the New York venue where BaRcoDe was commissioned and developed across two residencies (2023 and 2025)Ensemble MembersJoel Ross — iplayvibes.com | Blue Note Records pageSimon Moullier — simonmoullier.comPatricia Brennan — patriciabrennanvibes.com | The Tonearm InterviewJuan Diego Villalobos — juandiegovibes.comMusical Influences and ReferencesSō Percussion — the Grammy-winning new-music percussion quartet whose members came up with Wendel at the Eastman School of Music; a key inspiration for BaRcoDeAntônio Carlos Jobim — "Olha Maria" — one of Wendel's favorite compositions of all time; the sole non-original on the albumKit Downes — British pianist and organist on ECM Records; a loose inspiration for "Birds Ascend"Aidan O'Rourke — Scottish fiddle player and composer; also a loose inspiration for "Birds Ascend"The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin — Wendel paraphrases a line from this book when discussing the title BaRcoDeLos Angeles ConnectionsThe World Stage — performance and education space in Leimert Park Village, Los Angeles; co-founded by drummer Billy Higgins; a formative venue for WendelTerrace Martin — Wendel's high school friend and collaborator; hip-hop producer for Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg (verify URL before publishing)Billy Higgins — legendary jazz drummer and World Stage co-founder; an early mentor whose spirit Wendel also invokes when describing the Village VanguardFurther Reading / ListeningJohn Patitucci — bassist scheduled to guest with Wendel at the Village Vanguard in JulyUnderstory: Live at the Village Vanguard — Ben Wendel (Edition, 2024)All One — Ben Wendel (Edition, 2023) — Grammy-nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album—Dig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com—• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate The Tonearm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. • Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of The Tonearm in your podcast app of choice. • Looking for more? Visit podcast.thetonearm.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Talk Of The Tonearm email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn. • Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today we put The Tonearm's needle on Ben Wendel.Ben is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist, composer, and co-founder of Kneebody, with a discography that covers post-bop, chamber jazz, and electronic music. He's worked with Bill Frisell, Tigran Hamasyan, Terence Blanchard, and yes, Prince.His new album BaRcoDe just dropped on Edition Records. It's built around a concept that's hard to pull off: four of the most in-demand vibraphonists working today—Joel Ross, Simon Moullier, Patricia Brennan, and Juan Diego Villalobos—surrounding one saxophonist. The group developed the music across two residencies at The Jazz Gallery in New York City, and the result is something that sits between chamber music and jazz improvisation, with electronics running through all of it.Ben's here to walk us through how this project came together and what it took to write for an ensemble like this.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Ben Wendel's album BaRcoDe)—Dig DeeperArtist and AlbumVisit Ben Wendel at benwendel.com and follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTubePurchase Ben Wendel's BaRcoDe from Edition Records, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choice.BaRcoDe — Postgenre reviewBaRcoDe — PopMatters reviewKneebody — Ben Wendel's long-running band; Reach (2025) includes "Repeat After Me," also recorded on BaRcoDeThe Jazz GalleryThe Jazz Gallery — the New York venue where BaRcoDe was commissioned and developed across two residencies (2023 and 2025)Ensemble MembersJoel Ross — iplayvibes.com | Blue Note Records pageSimon Moullier — simonmoullier.comPatricia Brennan — patriciabrennanvibes.com | The Tonearm InterviewJuan Diego Villalobos — juandiegovibes.comMusical Influences and ReferencesSō Percussion — the Grammy-winning new-music percussion quartet whose members came up with Wendel at the Eastman School of Music; a key inspiration for BaRcoDeAntônio Carlos Jobim — "Olha Maria" — one of Wendel's favorite compositions of all time; the sole non-original on the albumKit Downes — British pianist and organist on ECM Records; a loose inspiration for "Birds Ascend"Aidan O'Rourke — Scottish fiddle player and composer; also a loose inspiration for "Birds Ascend"The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin — Wendel paraphrases a line from this book when discussing the title BaRcoDeLos Angeles ConnectionsThe World Stage — performance and education space in Leimert Park Village, Los Angeles; co-founded by drummer Billy Higgins; a formative venue for WendelTerrace Martin — Wendel's high school friend and collaborator; hip-hop producer for Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg (verify URL before publishing)Billy Higgins — legendary jazz drummer and World Stage co-founder; an early mentor whose spirit Wendel also invokes when describing the Village VanguardFurther Reading / ListeningJohn Patitucci — bassist scheduled to guest with Wendel at the Village Vanguard in JulyUnderstory: Live at the Village Vanguard — Ben Wendel (Edition, 2024)All One — Ben Wendel (Edition, 2023) — Grammy-nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album—Dig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com—• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate The Tonearm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. • Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of The Tonearm in your podcast app of choice. • Looking for more? Visit podcast.thetonearm.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Talk Of The Tonearm email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn. • Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
While the new world struggles to be born, people all round this dying old world cannot help but keep making music. Too many, frankly. Please stop. Anyway, I cannot help but keep playing you all this incredible music, postpunkindustrialdubjunglegamelanglitchjazzfolkclassical, as those in the know call it *taps nose* LISTEN AGAIN to the music of the spheres. Stream on demand from fbi.radio, podcast here. Laeter – Isolate [Laeter Bandcamp] Laeter – Leibowitz [Laeter Bandcamp] Liam Bosecke is based on Kaurna country, in Adelaide, and he’s founded a creative community called Empty Frames that aims to raise mental health awareness. His latest album as Laeter is released via that platform, but is of course available on Bandcamp (and in a handsome CD edition!) Blanket Doubt is a wonderful thing that kind of answers the question, “What if indietronica except slow-moving industrial dub?” Intense distorted drum machines and synthetic screeches underscore almost-spoken vocals, or shudder and crash under New Order-esque synth melodies. Pure perverted pleasure. Damos Room – All Shall Go [Long Gone/Bandcamp] Damos Room – Gullet (Dirty Protest) [Long Gone/Bandcamp] Last time I played Damos Room on the show was a mere month ago. I wrote at the time: I’m not sure who Damos is or what’s in their Room, but signs point to it being three guys: Luke Miles, Nicholas Elson & Huw Oleskar. I’ve just found out (because they told me, nothing underhand) that Huw Oleskar is also known as Elijah Minnelli, responsible for some of the most interesting and lovely dub-folk hybrids in recent times, ostensibly under the auspices of Breadminster County Council. As for Damos Room, you can find a series of fantastic, weirdly-shaped releases on their Bandcamp, including a mixtape of two bizarre 40-minute radio pieces, some quasi-singles of abstracted dub/spoken-word/electronics, and the experimental electronics of their collaboration with rapper LYAM, which I played on this show a few years back. So, a month ago I played something from Walk With The Militia, a vaguely-album-shaped item that wasn’t actually their new album – rather it’s a mixtape, entirely in keeping with the mystery what all this is about. It collects – I said – a whole lot of weird shit, but it’s all dub-based experimental electronics, with Minnelli’s distinctive spoken word & low-key singing, odd radio interludes and noise bits and so on. It’s really fantastic. So how about All Shall Go, their new album which is really released now? Well, it’s just as murky, weird-shaped and all as the prior mixtape and earlier works. And as with earlier works, there are also some head-nodding beats and bass, and tracks where Oleskar’s voice chants and sings in nearly melodic fashion. Don’t expect pop, dancehall or grime here, but do expect music that’s evocative, challenging, ancient and modern. Do go deep, but don’t miss that mixtape, or 2020’s Commencement either. Carl Gari – Pick’n’Peel [Molten Moods/Bandcamp] Most of us know German band Carl Gari from their incredibly strong albums made with Egyptian singer/trumpeter/poet/composer Abdullah Miniawy, on AD93 and Amphibian Records. Between those two releases, the band & singer released a live album on Molten Moods, and it’s that label that Carl Gari return to now for their self-titled album, forthcoming in June. This is the first single (by the time of writing I’ve heard the second), and it’s just what the doctor ordered – dark, insistent minimal drum’n’bass if it was produced by Depeche Mode circa Songs of Faith and Devotion, a very specific reference that probably only makes sense to me 🖤 Fez The Kid & BRUK – Original Secret [RuptureLDN/Bandcamp] Two young junglists from Bristol tearin’ it up on this new EP, their first for the iconic jungle-revival label RuptureLDN. These guys really know their jungle originals and are making the kind of tracks that wouldn’t have been out of place in an East London club circa ’93. Both Fez The Kid & BRUK have a number of EPs to their names, but have also worked together for a while, and DJ back2back as well. Turn up yr subs and feel the bass pressure while the snares go renegade. Rrrrrrrince out! A.Fruit – I Left You [YUKU/Bandcamp] A.Fruit – Choice [YUKU/Bandcamp] Anna Derlemenko aka A.Fruit is a Ukrainian music producer, born in Moscow, but her family relocated to Spain after Russia’s war on Ukraine. She co-runs the Distorted Barcelona club and does a lot of music production training & tips on her Patreon – in fact, the first track I played tonight is the subject of a full track breakdown there, and she’s shared the full Ableton project. Her productions are consistently adventurous, mixing up genres and manipulating sounds while remaining dancefloor friendly, and that’s certainly the case on her new EP Choice for the one & only YUKU. She’s an artist I’ll never not recommend. upsammy & Valentina Magaletti – Superimposed [PAN/Bandcamp] upsammy & Valentina Magaletti – It Comes To An End [PAN/Bandcamp] Dutch producer & DJ upsammy (who visited Sydney recently for Soft Centre) has previously worked the built & natural environment into her music: Germ in a Population of Buildings in 2023 created a whole environment of hallucinatory fauna and automata, repurposing IDM in a similar-but-different way to Eora’s own gi. Valentina Magaletti is one of the most versatile drummer/percussionists working at the moment, found in the postpunk-electronica band Moin, but also remaking kuduro & batida with Afro-Portuguese producer Nídia, a kind of postpunk dub with electronic producer Al Wootton, and plenty of other avant-garde stuff. upsammy & Magaletti’s collaborative album Seismo (yes, it means “earthquake”) came out of a commission from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, for which they sampled the sounds of the museum itself, using its spaces as percussive surfaces, and much of the joy of the album comes from the blurring of live drums and other acoustic rhythms with electronic programming and manipulation. Around & amongst the percussion are snippets of voice (a callback Mageletti’s work with Raime and Moin, albeit applied very differently), strange fragmentary samples of guitar & bass, piano notes stretched thin, slow melodic synths. Mostly delicate, mostly the opposite of an earthquake, these are musical giants striding across our world while imps dance in their footprints. It’s a wonderful album. Hoavi – Song of the Forgotten [Peak Oil] Hoavi – Colossus [Peak Oil] And speaking of imps dancing, Russian producer Hoavi is one of the exemplars of music that sounds like skittering insects and tumbling waterfalls, drawing jungle-ish IDM into dub technoid waters. His second album for Peak Oil, Architectonics, takes those aspects into newer territories, with a bank of samples of percussive sounds from around his house, and inspiration taken from Indonesian gamelan and minimalist composition. For all this though, it’s vintage Hoavi – rhythmically complex, deep sound design. Genius. Foote/Dickow – Underwater Welder [Geographic North/Bandcamp] Peak Oil is run by two Bria/ons – Brion Brionson is the “o” guy, and the other is Brian Foote, who’s been kranky‘s media guy forever as well as running various labels (including Peak Oil just above here!) and playing in various bands. Brian’s also a connoisseur of IDM, electronica & rave in all its variations (solo as Leech), and here he teams up with Paul Dickow, best known as Strategy, maker of much dubwise, ambient & technoid musics and himself co-founder of the Community Library label. High Cube is their first outing together as a duo, and you can feel their shared musical heritage in its bones. Skittering IDM glitchbeats hover above a dub techno skeleton, and there’s a jazzy sensibility to the keyboards. Charming. Richard Pike – III. “August” [Salmon Universe/Bandcamp] Sydney’s Richard Pike, alum of PVT, is now based in London. He can be found in various ensembles, including with Joe Quirke, with whom he co-runs the Salmon Universe label, and under his own name has been making ambient-techno-hybrid-orchestral soundtracks for TV. Outside of that, he’s released solo music under the alias DEEP LEARNING on Oxtail Recordings, based around subtly rhythmic glitchy loops, but now returns to his own name for album that mixes late-night piano and glitchy dub-techno. It’s not surprising to discover that the creation of this music was directly triggered by the death of Ryuichi Sakamoto, but the music takes darker paths than the Japanese master. The full album’s out later in May, and the last single brings in something of the jungle-meets-dub techno we’ve heard a lot of tonight. Laurence Pike – Guardians of Memory [Balmat/Bandcamp] It’s lovely to find Laurence Pike – brother to Richard above – coming out on Philip Sherburne & Albert Salinas‘ Balmat label in late May. Pike was drummer in Pivot/PVT and Triosk, and the hallucinatory melding of live jazz and micro-sampled loops has remained central to his DNA since the start. There’s a trickery at the heart of Possible Utopias for Jazz Quintet, hinted at with “possible”: while there are guests on these tracks, it’s never a jazz quintet, and still predominantly Laurence solo. The “utopias” denote an idea of freedom which Pike is reaching for, in continuity with his last album The Undreamt-of Centre – that people are not atomised individuals but exist interdependently with their environment. And for all that this is a solo album, Pike begins the album with a substantial, sumptuous feature from Eora/Sydney pianist Novak Manojlovic. Utopian indeed. David Norland – E-Car Soul reNYX [Denovali] English composer David Norland, who lives between LA & London, is best known as a soundtrack writer for film and stage, as well as a composer of electronic and experimental choral music. He has an album coming via Denovali called La Source, which is not a soundtrack, but incorporates choral music into its beat-driven electronic framework. Strangely, I didn’t hear the single “E-Car Soul” as choral, but the “reNYX” by UK vocal/electronic collective NYX reworks it into their image, with vocal harmonies and rearranged electronics. Carl Stone & Asuna – Ulna As Ancestor [Room40/Bandcamp] A pioneer of live laptop music, Carl Stone has been at it since the 1980s, and has had a renaissance since Unseen Worlds released a series of his early music on triple LP sets. Stone has for a long time lived between LA and Japan, and on this new CD he’s collaborating with Japanese artist Asuna Arashi, whose toy instruments are sampled and processed by Stone and then handed by to Arashi for her to rework and… send back to Stone. With all these layers of processing, it’s not often easy to make out the original toy instruments, but it’s pretty immersive, experimental but friendly. In keeping with a lot of Stone’s own work, the titles are all anagrams of “Carl Stone Asuma”, all of which are unreasonably good (“A Nacreous Slant”? “Nascent Arousal”!) Loom & Thread – Spheres [Macro/Bandcamp] A few years ago, German jazz trio Loom & Thread released their debut album Island Grammar on macro rec. Pianist Tom Schneider is known as “frontman” of the live techno act KUF, playing as lead instrument the sampler. On Loom & Thread’s debut, Schneider at least played piano primarily, albeit sampled and processed live, as were the double bass of Tobi Fröhlich and the drums of Daniel Klein. For their follow-up Bandcamp, Schneider is well and truly a sampler-player (although yes, piano’s in there too), triggering & manipulating samples of two saxophonists and two vibraphone players (one of whom is drummer Daniel Klein). The samples’ use can range from chaotic scatter to undulant layers, around which is constructed a form of contemporary jazz. It’s weirder than their first album, but just as enjoyable. You can see them playing some of this live here, with Fröhlich also alternating between double bass & sampler. Christian Wallumrød Ensemble – Not new to [Aspen Edities/Bandcamp] It’s seems like yesterday – well OK, it was only last week – when I was talking about the richness of the Norwegian (and generally, Nordic) music scene(s), highlighting among others the stunning new solo album from saxophonist, singer, composer etc Espen Reinertsen. Reinertsen’s album was released on SusannaSonata, run by the artist known as Susanna or Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, who is also Susanna Wallumrød. She’s the youngest of a family of musicians – as well as their cousin, jazz pianist David Wallumrød, her brother Fredrik Wallumrød is a drummer of mainly rock & pop, and the oldest of the lot is pianist Christian Wallumrød (born in 1971 – Susanna was born in 1979), a renowned jazz pianist & keyboard player, whose eponymous Ensemble have released a series of albums on ECM Records. Christian & Fredrik also release music made of drum machines & synths as Brutter (also here) – glitchy, arhythmic synthetic grooves. Anyway, last week I remarked on the uncanny beauty of Reinertsen’s album, and there’s something similarly bewitching, gorgeous but slightly wrong about the music on the Christian Wallumrød Ensemble’s latest album Non Sonett, released by Belgian post-folk/jazz label Aspen Edities. The label specialises in acoustic experimental music by and large, but does slip sideways into electronics at times, and so does this latest album, where minimalist jazz compositions sidle up to Norwegian folk and haunted electronics, while remaining utterly restrained throughout. You may think this would sound cold & difficult, but it’s not: it’s engrossing and delightful, like Penguin Cafe Orchestra recording Talk Talk’s last albums, Keith Jarrett jamming Sunn O))), Henry Purcell discovering free jazz. If you only listen to one Norwegian jazz/folk record this week, make it this one (but don’t stop there). tokesmo – 02.02 [tokesmo Bamdcamp] tokesmo – 01 [tokesmo Bandcamp] Andrea B of doom/psych/metal trio Morkobot is tokesmo, a project in which he combines field recordings and found sounds with electronics. Two EPs launch the project; on tksm 01 it’s more sound-art and noise than rhythms, while tksm 02 transforms found sounds into percussive instruments for its IDM-meets-industrial beats. Whitney Johnson, Lia Kohl, Macie Stewart – paper folding | disappearing [International Anthem/Bandcamp] Whitney Johnson, Lia Kohl, Macie Stewart – laundry | blood [International Anthem/Bandcamp] Last year I played a track from a trio of Chicago-based women who were all string players and singers – in fact, I loved it so much I played it in Part 2 of my Best of 2025. Whitney Johnson on viola, Lia Kohl on cello and Macie Stewart on violin don’t just all sing – they all operate various tape machines, into which they feed their sounds and alchemically transmute their playing & singing into dusty loops. You can see this gorgeous transformation happening in real time in this video. Last year’s “stone | piece” was one partially improvised composition that’s part of the BODY SOUND album now released by Chicago (post-?)jazz institution International Anthem. There’s a surprising variety of sound here – string drones melting into tape hiss are part of it, but so are plucked prepared cello, loops glitched through manipulated recording heads, deconstructed folk melodies and quasi-classical accompaniments to angelic singing, squalling loops played at triple-time and roaring bass as the cello is pitched down multiple octaves. An extraordinary album like no other. Hara Alonso – A Second is a Choir (feat. Lia Kohl) [FUU/Bandcamp] Lia Kohl also turns up as one guest on the brilliant new EP Music of Many Nows from Stockholm-based Spanish sound-artist Hara Alonso. Here, Alonso combines accidental and casual recordings of life going by, combined with recordings of a nearby choir, a found piano and a couple of guests, and makes beautifully cracked vignettes, much deeper musically than this method would suggest. Honestly this couldn’t be more Utility Fog, and I love it so much. Daniel O’Toole – Breathing Colour [Cascade Rumble Records] Naarm-based artist & musician Daniel O’Toole was based here in Eora until a few years back, and was responsible for a lot of well-loved street art under the name Ears. Accompanying that were a few albums of funky instrumental hip-hop as Captain Earwax, but these days Daniel is emphasising the more abstract, gallery-friendly side of his art – gorgeous colour gradients and textures that you can sample here – and musically he’s making incredible custom-built instruments alongside his own strings, keyboard playing, percussion etc: check out the particle plate and the particle drum. Hand-made gestural instruments like this are at the core of O’Toole’s new album Outer Magnolia, but equally there’s a lot of acoustic sounds here – folktronica but not like your Daddy made it. Euan Alexander Millar-McMeeken – Nothing Moves In Me [Sleep In The Fire Records] London-based Scottish musician Euan Alexander Millar-McMeeken has recorded a lot of solo ambient music as glacis, and led indie/folk band The Kays Lavelle for many years. He has a substantial number of collaborative projects, many of them duos, all of them wonderful: Graveyard Tapes with Matthew Collings and Civic Hall with Craig Tattersall, Bird Battles with Jesse Narens and now Yoal with Satomimagae. In 2024, Euan released his first album under his full name, All The Weather Of The Human Heart, a deeply moving work that’s a meditation on loss, in which the central vocals & piano are cracked & smudged through digital & analogue means. Similar approaches to sound design are found on the solo follow-up Framed Insects – fragile songs and tape hiss interrupted by distorted beats or glitched into strange structures. Just gorgeous. Listen again — ~217MB
STANDARS SEMANAL.-.Qué Profundo Es el Océano.-VINILOS MITICOS DEL JAZZ.-KeithJarrett-Köln Concert-1975JAZZACTUALIDAD.-ANDREA DE BLAS - EN FRENTE MÍO- KeithJarrett-Köln Concert- El Concierto de Colonia es un álbum doble en directo del pianista Keith Jarrett, grabado en la Ópera de Colonia , Alemania Occidental , el 24 de enero de 1975 y publicado por ECM Records ese mismo año. Es el álbum solista más vendido de la historia del jazz y el álbum de piano más vendido. En 2025, la Biblioteca del Congreso lo consideró "cultural, histórica o estéticamente significativo"y lo seleccionó para su conservación en el Registro Nacional de Grabaciones . ANDREA DE BLAS - EN FRENTE MÍO "En frente mío" El álbum de debut de Andrea de Blas, "En frente mío", muestra el talento y la originalidad de esta joven compositora, pianista y cantante, situándola como una de las voces más singulares del mundo del jazz. "En frente mío" es, ante todo, una frase incorrecta. Una construcción gramatical que la norma rechaza, pero aquí se convierte en el punto de partida de una reflexión artística. Una rebelión poética contra lo que se considera correcto. Es una invitación a romper los moldes —académicos, sociales o personales— que inmovilizan lo que somos. Es un gesto de desobediencia creativa, una defensa del movimiento frente al estático, de la autenticidad frente a la expectativa. El proyecto se enmarca dentro del jazz contemporáneo, entendido desde una mirada abierta en la que conviven géneros como el neosoul, el hip hop o el pop. El disco explora esa frontera difusa entre lo improvisado y lo estructurado, entre lo acústico y lo electrónico, entre lo intimista y lo urbano. El álbum se despliega como una historia contada en 13 temas que viajan desde “Silencio”, el primer tema del disco, cuya letra parte de un escrito de Marilyn Monroe sobre los monstruos internos que nos atormentan, hasta “Que las cosas salgan bien”, que simboliza la superación del miedo al éxito y la disposición. Cuenta con la colaboración de músicos invitados como: Borja Lange (guitarra), Ires, Cristina Jiménez y Martina Burón (voces), Koldo Munné (saxo alto) y Víctor Carrascosa (trompeta). Créditos técnicos: Andrea de Blas - Composicions, veu, piano i teclats. Roger Castells - Bateria. Joan Pedrajas - Baix i contrabaix. Borja Lange - Guitarra en "El vals". Koldo Munné - Saxo alt en "Que las cosas salgan bien" i "Lo que soy". Víctor Carrascosa - Trompeta en "Lo que soy". Ires - Veu en "Quiero". Martina Burón, Ires, Cristina Jiménez - Cors en "Por delante de mí". Sergi Felipe - Mezcla y masterización. Grabado en los estudios de Underpool (Barcelona) en abril de 2025 por Sergi Felipe y Joan Hernández como ayudante de grabación. Claudia Herrán - Fotografía, vídeo making of y diseño de portada. Andrea González - Maquillaje y peluquería. Andrea de Blas Nacida en Logroño (La Rioja), empezó su formación musical a los 8 años en el Conservatorio Profesional de su ciudad natal, donde obtuvo el Título Profesional de piano clásico. Es graduada en Historia y Ciencias de la Música (UAM) y en Matemáticas (UCM). Más adelante, su interés por el jazz la llevó a Barcelona, donde estudia el Grado Superior de Jazz y Música Moderna en el Conservatori del Liceu. Allí se forma como pianista de jazz, desarrollando una identidad sonora propia que combina tradición y contemporaneidad. En los últimos años ha actuado en escenarios y festivales como el Festival TOCA'M de Tortosa, Fem Música en el Harlem Jazz Club (Barcelona), Robadores23, Milano Jazz Club, Feminajazz (Madrid), JazzMadrid19, Teatro Tribueñe, Café El Despertar, Festival Octubre Jazzea (Logronyo) 2025, entre otros. Su trayectoria ha sido reconocida con varios premios y becas: en 2019 ganó el Concurso de Jóvenes Talentos del Jazz organizado por Feminajazz; en 2021 recibió una beca de la AIE para estudios en el Aula de Música Moderna y Jazz del Conservatorio del Liceu; y en 2024 fue becada por la Muestra de Arte Joven en La Rioja para la grabación de su primer álbum de estudio. Andrea de Blas es una artista en constante evolución, que apuesta por un lenguaje musical propio, íntimo y personal, capaz de crear puentes entre el jazz y una sensibilidad moderna.
It's Cyber Monday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/Keith Jarrett's "The Köln Concert" is the best selling solo piano album of all time. But why this album? Possibly because it sounded like nothing else in popular music at the time of its release in 1975. It is cinematic, genre-fluid and masterful – in many ways ahead of its time.Jazz musicians Adam Maness and Peter Martin listen to one of the most popular albums in the history of jazz, pulling apart all the elements that make it great: the melodies, the vamps, even the "soul" of Jarrett's notoriously flawed piano. If you know "The Köln Concert" well, watch for the analysis and hot takes. If you haven't heard this album before, it may just become the soundtrack to your life!00:00 - Is it Köln or Cologne?06:30 - Part I09:20 - How Jarrett Made Music for the Moment17:00 - Jumping Back Into Part I23:00 - Joyful and Fearless 29:00 - All the Genres33:20 - Legit Amazing AND Popular36:05 - The Harp42:00 - Part II a48:25 - 80s Cinema Vibes54:20 - Part II b1:00:55 - Part II c1:04:00 - Apex Moments & Categories1:11:45 - GALA + Black Friday at Open Studio!
This week on Jazz After Dinner Joe features Drummer and Pianist Jack DeJohnette from his 1984, ECM Records recording, titled “Album, Album.”
In the 56th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by lute player Rolf Lislevand, whose new album "Libro Primo", released on ECM's New Series, was produced by Manfred Eicher. Rolf discusses his personal approach to Baroque music and improvisation, the repertoire he chose to play on “Libro Primo” and more.
In the 55th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by pianist and composer Fred Hersch, whose new trio date "The Surrounding Green" was produced by Manfred Eicher. Fred talks about nature, mental health, the art of the trio and more.
In the 54th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by the great reedsman and composer Bennie Maupin, whose iconic leader-debut "The Jewel In The Lotus" was just reissued as part of ECM's Luminessence vinyl series. Bennie talks about spirituality, arts, Miles Davis and much more.
In the 53rd episode of the ECM podcast the great saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano joins us to discuss his second recording alongside the Marcin Wasilewski trio “Homage”, which was produced by Manfred Eicher. Joe talks about the evolution of his work with the trio, about the heritage that this new album falls in line with. He also talks about ballads – how to not play something the way it looks – and much more.
In the 52nd episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by Greek singer Savina Yannatou, who talks about her new album "Watersong", produced by Manfred Eicher. She talks about languages, nature, emotion through art and much more.
In the 51st episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by Yuval Cohen and discuss his ECM debut album "Winter Poems", which features his new quartet with Tom Oren on piano, Alon Near on double bass and drummer Alon Benjamini. Yuval talks about his inspirations from classical music, about how a single word or melody can fix a broken heart and much more.
In the 50th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith to speak about their second offering as a duo "Defiant Life", which follows their almost a decade old collaboration for ECM, 2016's "A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke". Vijay and Wadada talk about the album's main themes: resistance, defiance, the art of the present and much more.
In the 49th episode of the ECM podcast Norwegian trumpet player Mathias Eick speaks about his new record "Lullaby", recorded in Oslo and produced by Manfred Eicher. We talked about musical education, lyrics, the magic of the studio and so much more.
The Cosmic Spheres of Being Human + A Lost Nightingale Laura Cannell The Rituals of Hildegard Reimagined Record LabelUnexpected Joy + The Veil + To the Rising Moon Stephan Micus To the Rising Moon ECM RecordsPervane Erkan + Neyledim + Neyi Erenler Râhı (con Merdan Güzelgün) Erkan Oğur Sakla Kalan Ses GörüntüEssaouira + Stranger in a Mirror Lionel Loueke y Dave Holland United Edition RecordsA Faithful Longing John Zorn, Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith Ou Phrontis Edition RecordsEscuchar audio
In the 48th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by the German-American pianist Benjamin Lackner, to discuss his new record "Spindrift", recorded with Mathias Eick, Mark Turner, Linda May Han Oh and Matthieu Chazarenc - produced by Manfred Eicher. Benjamin talks about dynamics in the band, creative process and routine, the healing properties of music and more.
In the 47th episode of the ECM podcast the Norwegian percussionst Thomas Strønen joins us to discuss his latest album "Relations" - a collaborative project with Craig Taborn, Chris Potter, Sinikka Langeland and Jorge Rossy - produced by Manfred Eicher. Strønen talks about promises, distance, sounds and much more.
An unreleased cassette tape of Paul Motian practicing and composing on his piano interspersed with recordings with a variety of pianists he played with: Keith Jarrett, Marc Copland, Frank Kimbrough, Marilyn Crispell, Masabumi Kikuchi, Lowell Davidson, Anat Fort, & Bill Evans. Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2025/02/paul-motian-piano-and-some-pianists.html Photo: Paul Motian & Keith Jarrett 1973 05courtesy ECM Records photographer unknown
In the 46th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by the German violoncellist Anja Lechner to discuss her frist solo album after years of collaboration with ECM: "Bach/Abel/Hume", produced by Manfred Eicher. Anja talks about freedom, composer's dynamics, the art of playing solo and much more.
We've come to the end of another year at LTA headquarters. Normally, I'd be doing a wrap up with friends in the music community as to their favourite discoveries of the year.......I wasn't feeling like doing that this year. If there's one thing that's consistent with this podcast, it's inconsistency. Welcome to episode 181 of Love That Album. For ages, I'd been wanting to put together a show to discuss a selection of records from the ECM label. ECM was started in 1969 by Manfred Eicher. The label started out dedicated to jazz exclusively, but it has branched out into classical recordings as well – no surprise seeing as Eicher was trained as a classical musician. ECM has been home to so many wonderful musicians....too many to include in what is effectively a sampler episode of its work. I have been glad to have made friends with a lovely fellow in the LTA Facebook group, Ed Ross. I've known two important things about him – he loves his puns (the more you groan, the more he feels his work is done), and he loves his music, particularly power pop and jazz. I approached him to see if he'd be interested in chatting with me on the show about four important ECM records, and was very happy when he agreed. As is LTA's way, there are many digressions and references to other artists and albums, but the intended focus is on these records: Keith Jarrett – The Koln Concert Pat Metheny Group – Offramp John Abercrombie – Timeless Gary Burton and Chick Corea – Crystal Silence If you're a longtime fan of ECM, don't ask why wasn't some other artist or album focused on....unless you're volunteering to join me for volume 2 of this series.....if you know nothing about the label, download, grab a beverage, and let Ed and myself tell you stories about broken pianos, guitars that sound like battle horns, and the greatest drummer in jazz (I won't hear any arguments about this). Huge thanks to Ed for making himself and his knowledge available for the show. First time guest – it won't be his last. BUT WAIT.....there's more. I'd asked the LTA FB group to send me their thoughts about their favourite ECM recordings. I received two emails from my long time friend Rani Gerszonovicz (who introduced ECM to me when we were in our early 20s) and last month's guest, author / musician Lisa Torem. I read their correspondences during the show, and Ed and I muse over their opinions. Thanks so much, Rani and Lisa. Download this episode of LTA from your podcast app of choice (not Spotify). The wider back catalogue of episodes can also be found at https://lovethatalbumpodcast.blogspot.com Love That Album is proudly part of the Pantheon Podcast network. Go to https://pantheonpodcasts.com to check out all their great shows. You can send me feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3 voicemail) or join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Joe is featuring Saxophonist and Composer Charles Lloyd from his 1999 ECM Records recording, titled “Voice In The Night.”
In the 45th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by the Swiss pianist Colin Vallon, who talks about his new trio record "Samares", on which he is joined by his longstanding trio with Patrice Moret on bass and Julian Satorius on drums. Colin talks about his family tree, botanical inspirations, how he collects objects on travels which he uses to make music, and much more.
In the 44th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by two guitar heros, Jakob Bro and Bill Frisell, and discuss Jakob's new album "Taking Turns" recorded alongside an all-star lineup and produced by Manfred Eicher. We talked about Paul Motian, Lee Konitz, ECM-history and guitar cases.
In the 43rd episode of the ECM podcast the pianist Marilyn Crispell joins us to discuss her trio album "Amaryllis", originally released on CD in 2001 and now available, for the first time, on vinyl as part of the Luminessence series. We talked about Marilyn's journey in music, her friendship and collaboration with Paul Motian and Gary Peacock, the encounters that changed her life and much more.
In the 42nd episode of the ECM podcast drummer Ziv Ravitz and pianist Yonathan Avishai of Avishai Cohen's quartet join the podcast to discuss the group's new album "Ashes To Gold". They talk about the art of "Kintsugi", the choice of hope and light and storytelling.
In the 41st episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by Florian Weber, who's new recording "Imaginary Cycle" sees the pianist in the company of a major brass section plus a flute. Florian talks about the various inspirations that went into the cycle, including madrigals and Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble's "Officum" album. He talks about his conpirators in music, the process of developing this major musical project in collaboration with producer Manfred Eicher and about how in music, asking a question can be a lot more interesting than finding the answer.
In the 40th episode of the ECM podcast, the Danish String Quartet's Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen and Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin join us to discuss their new album "Keel Road". They talk about the history of the quartet, their mission as classical musicians, the influence of folkloric music and many other things.
In the 39th episode of the ECM podcast, Lucain Ban and Mat Maneri join us to discuss the fascinating process of making their new album "Transylvanian Dance". They talk about Béla Bartók, the duo's shared passion for folk music, and the beauty of transmission.
In the 38th episode of the ECM podcast, we're joined by the trio of Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas and Misha Mullov-Abbado, who present a rare alchemy on their trio debut "Za Górami", fusing folk idioms from a multitude of sources with free flowing interplay and fluid structures. Inhabiting their own stylistic realm, the trio encompasses folk song, chamber music, improvisation and acoustic jazz, and presents the full span of their reach in a mesmerizing whole. Alice, Fred and Misha talk about the meaning behind the Polish term "Za Górami", the emotional impact of Ladino songs, how the three came together and where they meet in music as well as aobut the recording session at the Auditorio in Lugano, and more.
This week's Jazz After Dinner with host Joe Parillo features Bassist and Composer Dave Holland,” from his 1999 ECM Records recording “Prime Directive.”
In the 36th episode of the ECM podcast, the legendary singer Norma Winstone joins us to talk about her new duo album "Outpost of Dreams", recorded in duo with pianist Kit Downes. Norma talks about her incredible career, her history with ECM and the collaboration with Kit Downes.
In the 35th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by saxophonist Oded Tzur, whose third recording for the label features an altered version of his quartet, with Nitai Hershkovits on piano, Petros Klampanis on bass and new arrival Cyrano Almeida on drums. "My Prophet" was recorded at Studios La Buissonne, in Southern France, and produced by Manfred Eicher. Oded talks about love, faith and how music can save lives.
Featuring pianist Masabumi 'Poo' Kikuchi improvisational compositions from CDs he recorded at home and gave to Paul Motian. Most unreleased.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2024/06/kikuchi-mostly-at-home-030317.htmlPhoto: Masabumi 'Poo' Kikuchi © Abby Kikuchi courtesy ECM Records
In the 34th episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by pianist Fred Hersch, whose solo-debut for ECM Records, "Silent, Listening", was recorded in Lugano, in 2023 and produced by Manfred Eicher. In the conversation, Fred talks about the close collaboration with Manfred Eicher, the serendipity of life and how special this album is to him.
In the 33rd episode of the ECM podcast we're joined by Arve Henriksen and Harmen Fraanje, whose duo debut "Touch of Time" presents the musicians in both freely improvised forms and carefully wrought themes, picking up and finishing each other's phrases. They talk about their approach to improvising, how "Touch of Time" presents exactly where they meet in music and about how various literature informed the titles on this album.
In the 32nd episode of the ECM podcast we're once again joined by Vijay Iyer, whose new album "Compassion" is the pianist's second outing with his trio of Linda May Han Oh on bass and drummer Tyshawn Sorey and was co-produced with Manfred Eicher. Vijay talks about the state of the world, the bond created when making music in collaboration with others, album titles and compassion.
In the 31st episode of the ECM Podcast we're joined by the French Saxophonist Matthieu Bordenave, whose second leader-date for ECM, "The Blue Land" features a quartet with Florian Weber on piano, bassist Patrice Moret and new addition James Maddren on drums. The album was produced by Manfred Eicher. Matthieu talks about the inspirations behind the music, his approach to composition and how it all comes together in collaboration with Manfred Eicher.
In the 30th episode of the ECM Podcast we're joined by Nils Økland & Sigbjørn Apeland, whose second duo recording with ECM, Glimmer, showcases their special musical chemistry in a trans-idiomatic context. On the album the violinist and harmonium player equally draw from traditional folks songs and contemporary music. Nils and Sigbjørn talk about the inspirations behind the music on the album, and how much of it is actually improvised in the moment.
In the 29th episode of the ECM Podcast we're joined by pianist Nitai Hershkovits, whose leader-debut for ECM Records is an impressive piano-solo album, recorded in Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher. In our conversation, Nitai talks about his inspirations, the old wise ones in his life, the recording of this album and the magic of music.
In the 29th episode of the ECM Podcast Sinikka Langeland joins us to talk about her new album "Wind And Sun", featuring a Norwegian cast of ECM-stalwarts including trumpeter Mathias Eick, saxophonist Trygve Seim, bassist Mats Eilertsen and Thomas Strønen on drums. Sinikka talks about nature, sounds and poetry.
In the 27th episode of the ECM Podcast we are joined by John Scofield, whose newest recording, the double-album "Uncle John's Band" - the guitarist's third leader-date for the label - features Vicente Archer on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. John talks about the music he loves, the joy of playing with friends and how to turn anything into a jazz song.
In the 26th episode of the ECM Podcast we met up with Austrian guitarist/composer Wolfgang Muthspiel to talk about his new trio recording "Dance of the Elders" with Scott Colley on bass and Brian Blade on drums. On the album the group's interplay has grown even more fluid. Wolfgang takes us through the album song by song and talks about the collaborative spirit he shares with his sidemen and about the magic of being able to tell a good story through the sequencing of an album.
In the 25th episode of the ECM Podcast Polish alto-saxophonist Marciej Obara joins us to talk about his new album "Frozen Silence", recorded with his long-standing quartet of Dominik Wania on piano, Ole Morten Vågan on bass and drummer Gard Nilssen. It is the group's third album for the label and perhaps the quartet's strongest musical statement to date, inspired by the dramatic landscapes of South West Poland. Maciej talks about the different voices and colours his bandmates bring to the group, and about the various influences - from free jazz musicians like Bill Dixon to classical composers like Rachmaninoff - that informed the writing process of the music for the new album.
Ben Monder's album Amorphae was released in 2015 by ECM Records, but it was recorded in 2010. Monder was a member of Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band. The show features readings by Paul Motian from the EBBB's 2001 European Tour Book. Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2023/08/ben-monders-amorphae-110615.htmlPhoto: Ben Monder courtesy ECM Records ©Jesse Chun
Paul Motian Band album Garden of Eden was released on ECM Records in 2006. I feature the album with readings from a Motian interview with Paul Olson for All About Jazz from the same year. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/paul-motian-theres-a-million-songs-out-there-paul-motian-by-paul-olson Members of the band are Chris Cheek, Tony Malaby, Steve Cardenas, Ben Monder, Jakob Bro, Jerome Harris and Paul Motian.Set List: https://jazzcloset.blogspot.com/2023/08/garden-of-eden-101615.htmlPhoto: Jerome Haris, Steve Cardenas, Chris Cheek, Tony Malaby, Jakob Bro 2006 photo: Robert Lewis courtesy ECM Records
In this 24th episode of the ECM Podcast we're joined by Elina Duni to talk about her new recording "A Time To Remember", which sees her continuing her intimate musical conversations with Rob Luft on guitar, Fred Thomas on piano and percussion as well as Matthieu Michel on flugelhorn. Elina talks about images, sounds, exile, water and love.
In this 23rd episode of the ECM Podcast, guitarist Jacob Young joins us to talk about his new trio recording "Eventually", with Mats Eilertsen on bass and Audun Kleive on drums. Jacob talks about the process of writing and recording his first guitar trio album, about other guitarists and guitar trio records that inspired him and about the influence ECM stalwart Jon Christensen - his mentor of many years - had on him.
In the 22nd episode of the ECM Podcast, trumpeter Ralph Alessi talks about his new quartet recording "It's Always Now", on which he is joined by pianist Florian Weber, bassist Bänz Oester and Gerry Hemingway on drums. The album was produced by Manfred Eicher. Ralph gets into the differences of being a musician in the US and Europe, talks about education in music and about the art of naming songs.
In the 21st episode of the ECM Podcast, Zsófia Boros joins us to talk about her new album "El último aliento". The Vienna-based, Hungarian guitarist recorded the album at the Auditorio Stelio Molo in Lugano, with Manfred Eicher producing. On the record Zsófia interprets contemporary Argentinian compositions from Carlos Moscardini, Joaquín Alem, Quique Sinesi and Alberto Ginastera as well as expressive pieces by French composer Matthias Duplessy. In our conversation Zsófia talks about the recording session in Lugano, about how she lets instinct guide her choices of repertory, and she outlines her relationtionship to the songs she interprets and how they become her "good friends".