Category: 2020 releases

J.Peter Schwalm and Arve Henriksen, Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra, and Bill Evans

Artist: J.Peter Schwalm and Arve Henriksen

Title: Neuzeit

Label:  Rarenoise Records

Release Date: 11/27/20

Personnel: J. Peter Schwalm – piano, drums, electronics, programming; Arve Henriksen – trumpets, percussion, voices

Impression: Schwalm’s ghostly production aesthetic is the perfect backdrop for Henriksen’s lilting, noir-ish delivery which is apropos during this pre-winter 2020 environment.

More Info: Schwalm site and RareNoise Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and RareNoise Records Store

 

 

Artist: Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra

Title: Dimensional Stardust

Label: International Anthem / Nonesuch Records

Release Date: 11/20/20

Personnel: Rob Mazurek – director, composer, piccolo trumpet, electronics; Damon Locks – voice, electronics, texts; Nicole Mitchell – flutes; Macie Stewart – violins; Tomeka Reid – cellos; Joel Ross – vibraphone; Jeff Parker – guitar; Jaimie Branch – trumpet; Angelica Sanchez – acoustic piano, electric piano; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten – bass; Chad Taylor – drums, percussion; Mikel Patrick Avery – drums, percussion; John Herndon – drum machines

Impression: Mazurek continues to raise the bar with his Exploding Star Orchestra by hitting that sweetest spot between accessible and challenging, routine when you have one of the most fire contemporary ensembles in your employ.

More Info: Nonesuch Records site

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and Nonesuch Records store

 

 

Artist: Bill Evans

Title: Bill Evans Live at Ronnie Scott’s

Label: Resonance Records

Release Date: 12/4/20

Personnel: Bill Evans – pinao; Eddie Gomez – bass; Drummer Jack DeJohnette – drums

Impression: Any excuse to hear more late 60’s Evans is just fine by me, but this dexterous set is hitting the spot right now.

More Info: Resonance Records

Listen/Watch Here:

Buy Here: Resonance Records store

 

André Gonçalves, Ingrid Laubrock, and The End

Artist:  André Gonçalves

Title: Instrumentals

Label: ShhPuma Records

Release Date: 10/20/20

Personnel: André Goncalves – compositions and sounds

Impression: Instrumentals showcases Gonçalves as a kind of enlightened musical sand-artist who fashions arresting works out of malleable and eroding sound elements, and it is striking for both it’s sublime simplicity and the meticulous attention to detail AG has given.

More Info: André Gonçalves website and ShhPuma Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and ShhPuma Store

 

 

Artist: Ingrid Laubrock

Title: Dreamt Twice, Twice Dreamt

Label: Intakt Records

Release Date: 11/20/20

Personnel: Intakt; 11/20; Disc 1: EOS Chamber Orchestra w/ Soloists: Sam Pluta – Electronics: Cory Smythe – Piano, Quarter-Tone Keyboard; Robert Landfermann – Double Bass; Tom Rainey – Drums; Ingrid Laubrock – Tenor and Soprano Saxophones; Disc 2: Ingrid Laubrock – Tenor and Soprano Saxophones; Cory Smythe – Piano and Quarter-Tone Keyboard; Sam Pluta – Electronics + Zeena Parkins – Electric Harp; Adam Matlock – Accordion; Josh Modney – Violin

Impression: Laubrock utilizes both chamber-orchestral and smaller ensemble arrangements of a new set of positively revelatory pieces to navigate the cloudy world of oneiric logic through music, not unlike how Freud did using psychoanalysis…though the reward for undivided attention to her method far outweighs anything he could have offered.

More Info: Ingrid Laubrock website and Intakt Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and Intakt Records Store

 

 

Artist: The End

Title: Allt Är Intet

Label: RareNoise Records

Release Date: 11/13/20

Personnel: Sofia Jernberg – Voice; Kjetil Møster – Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Electronics; Mats Gustafsson – Baritone Sax, Flute, Live Electronics; Anders Hana – Baritone Guitar, Langeleik (Norwegian Zither); Børge Fjordheim – Drums

Impression: One of the fiercest and most pummeling collections of music this year also happens to contain some of the most poignant musical moments in recent memory due in no small part to the expressive proficiency of Sofia Jernberg.

More Info: Mats Gustafsson website and RareNoise Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and RareNoise Records Store

 

Charles Mingus, Susan Alcorn Quintet, and The Nels Cline Singers

Artist:  Charles Mingus

Title: @ Bremen 1964 & 1975

Label:  Sunnyside Records

Release Date: 11/13/20

Personnel: Charles Mingus – bass; Johnny Coles – trumpet (1-6); Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet (1-6); Clifford Jordan – tenor saxophone (1-6); Jaki Byard – piano (1-6); Dannie Richmond – drums; Jack Walrath – trumpet (7-15); George Adams – tenor saxophone, vocals (7-15); Don Pullen – piano (7-15)

Impression: This bounteous collection features the greatest ensemble in all of music (’64 Mingus Euro tour group) at the height of its powers as well as the little-documented Mingus ’75 group who had recently wrapped up the Changes One and Changes Two recording sessions, and there is little to be done to quiet my rapturous applause to Sunnyside Records for releasing it.

More Info: Sunnyside Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: Susan Alcorn Quintet

Title: Pedernal

Label: Relative Pitch Records

Release Date: 11/13/20

Personnel: Susan Alcorn – pedal steel guitar; Mark Feldman – violin; Michael Formanek – bass; Mary Halvorson – guitar; Ryan Sawyer – drums

Impression: This singular set of music tenderly invites you in and suggests that you take a seat and to breathe in deeply and receive this stirring gift, and to then be rewarded anew by subsequent adherence to these simple directions.

More Info: Relative Pitch Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: The Nels Cline Singers

Title: Share The Wealth

Label: Blue Note Records

Release Date: 11/13/20

Personnel: Nels Cline – guitars; Scott Amendola – drums, percussion; Skerik – tenor saxophone; trevor Dunn – bass; Brian Marsella – Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano, Hammond C3, Farfisa, melodica, analog synths, toy piano; Cyro Baptista – percussion universe vox

Impression: Composerly Nels is peak-Nels and considerable and compelling territory is deftly covered here with a distinctive aesthetic, making StW his magnum opus to this point in time.

More Info: Nels Cline website and Blue Note Records

Listen/Watch Here:
and

Buy Here: Blue Note Store

 

The Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, Stephan Thelen, and Ennio Morricone

Artist: The Warriors of the Wonderful Sound

Title: Soundpath

Label: Clean Feed Records

Release Date: 10/30/20

Personnel: Marty Ehrlich – conductor/alto saxophone; Bobby Zankel – alto saxophone; Julian Pressley – alto saxophone; Robert DeBellis – tenor and soprano saxophone; Hafez Modirzadeh – tenor saxophone; Mark Allen – baritone saxophone; Dave Ballou – trumpet; Dwayne Eubanks – trumpet; Graham Haynes – cornet; Josh Evans – trumpet; Steve Swell – trombone; Michael Dessen – trombone; Alfred Patterson – trombone; Jose Davilla – bass trombone; Michael Formanek – bass; Tom Lawton – piano; Chad Taylor – drums

Impression: Soundpath is a Muhal Richard Abrams-penned, Bobby Zankle-comissioned piece consisting of a number of majestic vignettes for big band that premiered in 2012, was recorded in 2018, and is presented now for the first time so that we might all listen in awe at MRA’s total compositional mastery as executed by a like minded and boffo ensemble.

More Info: Clean Feed Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Clean Feed Records Store and Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: Stephan Thelen performed by Al Pari Quartet, and Kronos Quartet

Title: World Dialogue

Label: RareNoise Records

Release Date: 10/30/20

Personnel: KRONOS QUARTET: David Harrington – Violin 1; John Sherba – Violin 2; Hank Dutt – Viola; Sunny Yang – Cello + AL PARI QUARTET: Marta Lucjan – Violin 1; Alicja Miruk-Mirska – Violin 2 ;Magdalena Maier – Viola Elzabieta Rychwalska – Cello

Impression: In all honesty, I came for Kronos and the hypnotizing syncopation Thelen has showcased in his wicked ensemble Sonar, but I am staying for the delicious melodies adorning his signature brand of minimalism, all beautifully performed by both quartets on this recording.

More Info: Stephan Thelen’s Site and Rarenoise Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and RareNoise Records

 

 

Artist: Ennio Morricone

Title: Morricone Segreto

Label: CAM Sugar Records and Decca Records

Release Date: 11/6/20

Personnel: various

Impression: No one excelled at putting music to film like Morricone and a collection of the less-orchestral, more tripped-out and groovy side of the maestro circa late 60s-early 80s, seven tracks heretofore unissued ’til now, is cause for celebration in a time that is short on celebration of any sort.

More Info: Ennio Morricone’s site

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Decca Records shop

 

Craig Taborn’s Junk Magic, Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl, and Joshua Van Tassel

Artist: Craig Taborn’s Junk Magic

Title: Compass Confusion

Label: Pyroclastic Records

Release Date: 10/30/20

Personnel: Chris Speed – saxophone; Erik Fratzke – bass; Mat Maneri – viola; David King – drums; Craig Taborn – piano, keyboard and synthesizer

Impression: Compass Confusion detonates at the junction of Partch Parkway and Autechre Avenue forming it’s own superhighway, and then curtly curtsies as the most satisfying listening experience of 2020.

More Info: Craig Taborn’s site , Pyroclastic Records and Compass Confusion page

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl

Title: Artlessly Falling

Label: Firehouse 12 Records

Release Date: 10/30/20

Personnel: Amirtha Kidambi – voice; Maria Grand – tenor saxophone, voice; Adam O’Farrill – trumpet; Mary Halvorson – guitar; Michael Formanek – bass; Tomas Fujiwara – drums, beer cans on track 2; Robert Wyatt – voice on tracks 1, 3, 5

Impression: Just when we were convinced the core of Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl couldn’t be improved upon, along comes the improbable and inspired inclusion of Robert Wyatt on guest vocals, one of so few utter delights of 2020 – though technically recorded in 2019, so maybe 2020 is actually all bad – only November will tell.

More Info: Mary Halvorson’s site and Firehouse 12 Records site

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: Joshua Van Tassel

Title: Dance Music Volume II: More Songs For Slow Motion

Label: Backward Music

Release Date: 09/11/20

Personnel: Joshua Van Tassel – Ondea, Therevox, piano, vibraphone, field recordings, electronics; The Venuti String Quartet: Drew Jurecka – Violin Rebekah Wolkstein – Violin Lydia Muchinsky- Cello Shannon Knights – Viola

Impression: Horrendous acts of hatred and villainy have begotten great beauty: Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Picasso’s Guernica, and Basinski‘s The Disintegration Loops are now joined by Van Tassel’s Dance Music Volume II: More Songs For Slow Motion.

More Info: Joshua Van Tassel site

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

Nick Dunston, Steph Richards, and WHO Trio

Artist: Nick Dunston

Title: Atlantic Extraction: Live at Threes

Label: Out of Your Head Records

Release Date: 7/24/20

Personnel: Nick Dunston – double bass, compositions; Louna Dekker-Vargas – flute, alto flute, piccolo; Ledah Finck – violin, viola; Tal Yahalom – guitar; Stephen Boegehold – drum set

Impression: As evidenced by the overabundance of inspired ideas/execution/processes on this modestly recorded live date, there is no doubt that Dunston will continue to flourish as a major force in the direction of new music. Additionally, for every sale of this album OOYH Records will donate $1 to the Third Wave Fund, an organization chosen by Dunston.

More Info: Nick Dunston website and Out of Your Heads Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: Steph Richards

Title: Supersense

Label: Northern Spy Recs

Release Date: 10/23/20

Personnel: Steph Richards – trumpet, flugelhorn, resonating drums/water; Jason Moran – piano; Stomu Takeishi – bass; Kenny Wollesen – drums, Wollesonics; Andrew Munsey – track 7, Wollesonics; Sean Raspet – scent design

Impression: In the midst of this recording of consummate masters tasked with, among other assignments, interpreting/responding to an array of scents, we are submerged in a truly distinctive environment…one that I anticipate experiencing in full when scratch-and-sniff swatches are mailed out with physical copies of the release in December.

More Info: Steph Richards website and Northern Spy Recs

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

 

Artist: WHO Trio

Title: STRELL The Music of Billy Strayhorn & Duke Ellington

Label: Clean Feed Records

Release Date: 09/04/20

Personnel: Michel Wintsch – piano; Gerry Hemingway – drums, voice; Bänz Oester – bass

Impression: No one has bested Duke Ellington’s mastery of all things musical and no group of musicians in recent memory has done greater justice to the Ellington / Strayhorn’s songbook as a pan-genre blueprint than WHO Trio.

More Info: Gerry Hemingway website and  Clean Feed Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp and Clean Feed Records Store

 

 

SPAZA, Ron Miles, and Erik Friedlander

Artist: SPAZA

Title: UPRIZE! (Music from the Original Motion Picture)

Label: Mushroom Hour Half Hour

Release Date: 10/16/20

Personnel: Ariel Zamonsky – bass; Gontse Makhene – percussion; Malcolm Jiyane – piano/trombone/vocals; Nonku Phiri – vocals

Impression: With their original motion picture soundtrack to the documentary UPRIZE! the revolving-member South African musical collective known as SPAZA artfully asserts that the bold and transformative spirit of resistance to oppression from ’76 Johannesburg endures, underlining it’s significance to our current, tragic reality.

More Info: Mushroom Hour Site  and  SPAZA site

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

 

Artist: Ron Miles

Title: Rainbow Sign

Label: Blue Note Records

Release Date: 10/09/20

Personnel: Ron Miles – Cornet; Brian Blade – Drums; Bill Frisell – Guitar; Jason Moran – Piano; Thomas Morgan – Bass Guitar

Impression: One could attempt to discover a more cohesive contemporary ensemble performing refined tunes with seemingly effortless proficiency, but that exercise would be in vain.

More Info: Blue Note Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Blue Note Store

 

Artist: Erik Friedlander

Title: Sentinel

Label: self-released

Release Date: 10/02/20

Personnel: Ava Mendoza – guitar; Diego Espinosa – drums & percussion; Erik Friedlander – cello

Impression: Incisors, canines, and molars masticate in concert on Sentinel with decidedly amenable results.

More Info: Erik Friedlander’s Site

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp

Support Musicians via Bandcamp on Friday 3/20/20…and beyond

To support musicians during the Covid-19 pandemic, Bandcamp is waiving their revenue share on all sales Friday, March 20, from midnight to midnight PST.

Though certainly not exhaustive, I have assembled a list of some of my favorite recent and forthcoming releases on some of the greatest labels in the world available via Bandcamp. Just click on the label to see all their offerings on Bandcamp and/or click on the album title to see that specific release.  You can use the players on this page to listen.

Musicians are some of the hardest-hit by our new reality, so please consider supporting these and other artists now by loading up if you are able AND by spreading the word about this opportunity.

Don’t forget, you can pay in excess of the asking prices of releases on Bandcamp, making this an optimal way to enact your generosity for all that our favorite musicians do for us.

While you’re at it, ease into the habit of frequenting Bandcamp along with other great music retailers on the regular if you haven’t already!

Music matters friends, so let’s do our best to propagate it in any way we can.

Be safe and be well.

 

GEENLEAF MUSIC

Webber/Morris Big Band “Both Are True“

listen here

 

 

INTAKT RECORDS

Tim Berne’s Snakeoil “The Fantastic Mrs 10“

listen here

 

 

Aruan Ortiz “Inside Rhythmic Falls“

listen here

 

 

Ohad Talmor Newsreel Sextet “Long Forms“

listen here

 

 

INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM

Irreversible Entanglements “Who Sent You?“

listen here

 

 

NORTHERN SPY RECORDS

Horse Lords “The Common Task“

listen here

 

Jerry Cunningham “The Weather Up There“

listen here

 

 

ORANGE MILK RECORDS

Nick Storring “My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell“

listen here

 

 

OUT OF YOUR HEAD RECORDS

Curt Sydnor “Deep End Shallow“

listen here

 

 

NEW FOCUS RECORDINGS / PANORAMIC RECORDS

Ali Can Pushkulcu “Gibberish Shreds“

(pre-order, so no preview yet)

 

Hasco Duo “The Same Old Wonder“

listen here

 

Luis Ianes “Instrucciones de Uso“

listen here

 

 

PI RECORDINGS

Tyshawn Sorey “Unfiltered“

(preview at link above)

 

Liberty Ellman “Last Desert“

listen here

 

 

PYROCLASTIC RECORDS

Kris Davis “Diatom Ribbons“

listen here

 

 

RARE NOISE RECORDS

Bobby Previte, Jamie Saft, and Nels Cline “Music From The Early 21st Century“

listen here

 

Giorgi Mikadze “Georgian Microjamz“

listen here

 

 

RATTLE RECORDS

Steve Barry and Judy Bailey “Elements“

listen here

 

Ferocious “Ferocious“

listen here

 

 

CHRIS BROKAW

Chris Brokaw “End of the Night Band Live at the Lost Church“

listen here

 

Chris Brokaw “End of the Night“

listen here

 

 

FENNESZ

Fennesz “Live at Empty Bottle/Chicago”

listen here

 

Fennesz “Live at Jazz Café“

listen here

 

 

OREN AMBARCHI

Oren Ambarchi “Simian Angel

(preview unavailable)

 

 

STEAMROOM RECORDS

Jim O’Rourke “Steamroom 46“

listen here

 

 

SOUTHERN LORD

Caspar Brotzmann Massaker “Home“

listen here

 

 

SHHPUMA

Bernhard Meyer and John Hollenbeck “Grids“

listen here

 

 

BIRDWATCHER RECORDS

Jessica Pavone “Brick and Mortar“

listen here

 

 

CHANT RECORDS

Curha “II“

listen here

 

Randi Pontoppidan & Christian Rønn ” HEAD¨SPACE“

listen here

 

 

EARS & EYES RECORDS

Nuturia “Meeting In Progress“

listen here

 

Squarepusher, Dave Douglas, and Lele Marchitelli

Artist: Squarepusher

Title: Be Up A Hello

Label: Warp

Release Date: 02/07/20

Personnel: Tom Jenkinson – all sounds

Impression: Nobody perverts accessible themes with manic permutations until the listener must come around to another mode of perception the way Tom Jenkinson does and with his return to record-making as Squarepusher with BUaH after 5 years, he seems to have perfected this approach.

More Info: Squarepusher’s website

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Squarepusher’s website

Amazon

 

Artist: Dave Douglas

Title: Marching Music

Label: Greenleaf Music

Release Date: 02/14/20

Personnel: Dave Douglas – trumpet; Rafiq Bhatia – guitar; Melvin Gibbs – bass; Sim Cain – drums

Impression: Ferocity and persistence, two key ingredients in the resistance of toxic ideology/politics, are also central to Douglas and company’s Marching Music: Music To Protest By. Get access to this and so much more top-shelf material by subscribing to Greenleaf!

More Info: Greenleaf

Bandcamp

Listen Here: subscription exclusive

Buy Here: Greenleaf

 

Artist: Lele Marchitelli, et al

Title: The New Pope Original Soundtrack

Label: Milan

Release Date: 02/07/20

Personnel: original score by Lele Marchitelli; songs by Afterhours feat. Samuel; Agnes Obel; Angelo De Augustine; Be Svendsen & AYAWAKE; Flock of Dimes; Grasscut; Karmic; La rappresentante di lista; Lane 8 & Anderholm; Lean Year; Millie Turner; Paolo Conte; Recondite & Henrik Schwarz; Sofi Tukker feat. Charlie Barker; Sumie

Impression: Paolo Sorrentino’s series The New Pope has achieved must-see-TV status not only because of outstanding direction, inspired casting, and absurdist writing, but the seamless and affecting score of Italian composer Lele Marchitelli and the inclusion of some of the freshest minimal techno and pop bangers this side of an exclusive Roman nightclub keeps this viewer coming back every Monday at 9pm.

More Info: HBO

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Amazon

Jeff Parker & The New Breed, Aly Keïta, and Jim Black Trio

Artist: Jeff Parker & The New Breed

Title: Suite for Max Brown

Label: International Anthem

Release Date: 01/24/20

Personnel: Jeff Parker – drums, vocals, piano, electric guitar, Korg MS20, sampler, etc; Ruby Parker – vocals; Paul Bryan – bass guitar; Jamire Williams – drums Paul Bryan – bass guitar Josh Johnson – alto saxophone and electric piano; Katinka Kleijn – cello; Rob Mazurek – piccolo trumpet; Makaya McCraven – drums and sampler; Jay Bellerose – drums and percussion; Nate Walcott – trumpet

Impression: There is no shortage of catchy tune-age here…ranging from accessible and danceable jams to virtuosic flights of fancy, this is the most well balanced release of 2020 so far.

More Info: Parker’s Website

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp  or  Amazon

 

 

Artist: Aly Keïta

Title: Kalan Teban

Label: Intakt Records

Release Date: 01/17/20

Personnel: Aly Keïta –  Balafon, Kalimba, Voice; Jan Galega Brönnimann – Contra Alto- and Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Kass Kass, Thumb Piano; Lucas Niggli – Drums, Percussion

Impression: Folky tunefulness is the refreshing and key ingredient in this delicious gumbo of mallet-magic and percussive propulsion.

More Info: Keita’s website  and Intakt Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp  or Amazon

 

Artist: Jim Black Trio

Title: Reckon

Label: Intakt Records

Release Date: 01/17/20

Personnel: Elias Stemeseder – Piano; Thomas Morgan – Bass; Jim Black – Drums

Impression: Black, who has never sounded better, leads this trio through polyrhythmically dense terrain with what must be telepathy and smoke signals, for the path abounds with fire.

More Info: Black’s website and Intakt Records

Listen Here:

Buy Here: Bandcamp or Amazon

 

Invisible Ritual by Jennifer Curtis and Tyshawn Sorey

The time for honesty is upon us…the world doesn’t need another person – certainly not me – carrying on about why he/she likes something. And really, who has the time to rummage for a new metaphor or embarrassing hyperbole to said end? However, it is still gratifying hipping people to new music that might otherwise fly under the radar.

This is my first attempt at this new approach to spreading the word about what I consider to be the good stuff…enjoy!

 

Artist: Jennifer Curtis and Tyshawn Sorey

Title: Invisible Ritual

Label: Tundra / New Focus Recordings

Release Date: 01/24/20

Personnel: Jennifer Curtis – violin; Tyshawn Sorey – piano and percussion

Impression: This is a thoroughly riveting set of improvised music that at times seems composed due to the uncanny interplay between master musicians Curtis and Sorey.

More Info:

Curtis Website

Sorey Website

New Focus Recordings

Listen Here: 

 

Buy Here:

Bandcamp

New Focus Recordings

Amazon