Legendary Free Jazz Label ESP-Disk’ Turns 45, Throws Party, Buys a Motorcycle
By Jon Lorenz on 11-06-2009
ESP-Disk', the label responsible for shedding light on such monumental free jazz players as Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Milford Graves, and Pharoah Sanders -- not to mention weirdo folk bands like The Fugs, The Godz, Holy Modal Rounders, and Pearls Before Swine -- is turning 45 years old. Since 1964, the label has released over 100 records, and its back catalogue is still highly sought after by collectors.
On November 8, ESP-Disk' will be throwing itself a big ol' b-day party at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York. In addition to performances by many of the artists included in its catalogue over the years, ESP will be helping out a great cause by giving 100% of the door money to the Jazz Foundation of America. They'll be using a sliding scale for tickets, from $20 to $100, but of course donations will be accepted for higher than the suggested amount. The event will start at 2 PM with 11 groups playing, including Talibam!, Alan Sondheim, Sonny Simmons Trio, and many more. Check out the full lineup here:
- 2 PM - Mercy
Joe Morris - bass
Charles Downs - drums
Ras Moshe - tenor, alto
Matt LaVelle - trumpet, bass clarinet
- 2:40 PM - Alan Sondheim
Myk Freedman - guitar
Azure Carter - voice
Alan Sondheim - string instruments
- 3:20 PM - Paul Thornton solo
- 4:00 PM - Flow Trio
Louie Belogenis - tenor sax
Joe Morris - bass
Charles Downs - drums
- 4:40 PM - Kali. Z. Fasteau
Nioka Workman - cello
Kali. Z. Fasteau - soprano sax, viola, drums, nai flute, voice, mizmar
- 5:20 PM - Randy Burns solo
- 5:50 PM - Totem>
Bruce Eisenbeil - guitar
Tom Blancarte - bass
Andrew Drury - drums
- 6:30 PM - Juini Booth solo bass
- 7:00 PM - Giuseppi Logan Quartet
Matt LaVelle - trumpet, bass clarinet
François Grillot - bass
Warren Smith - drums
Giuseppi Logan - saxophone
- 7:50 PM - Talibam!
Matthew Mottel - piano, fender rhodes, mini moog
Kevin Shea - drums
- 8:30 PM - Sonny Simmons Trio
Warren Smith - drums
Tom Abbs - bass
Sonny Simmons - saxophone
Help Save Free Music in Good Ol’ Chi-Town
By Kid Midnight on 11-06-2009
One of the best things about Chicago, in addition to the endless hot dog joints, is that you can find so many entertaining and free ways to listen to music. There's a ton of $0.00 block parties during the summer that ALWAYS have bands worth watching. Then, of course, there are the free concerts at Millennium Park, and let's not forget Jazz Fest, Blues Fest, Downtown Sound, Music Without Borders, SummerDance, etc.
But Chicago is in a little financial crisis, just like everyplace in this great, empty-pocketed country of ours. And how does America usually solve its financial problems? By cutting arts and music. However, there is something you can do besides just heading to City Hall and yelling at the endless stream of business-suited government officials. Friends of Chicago Music have set up an online petition that you can sign, with a message to all those government fat cats. Please ensure that my (and, to a lesser extent, your) free-music summer will be entertaining and sign the petition.
DOOM EP to Feature Production by Thom Yorke, Dave Sitek, and J Dilla
By Mr P on 11-06-2009
If you haven't already noticed, DOOM has made a big-time return this year. He dropped BORN LIKE THIS. (TMT Review) earlier this year and is set to release a compilation LP Unexpected Guests on November 10. Meanwhile, Madvillain (his collabo with Madlib) is scheduled to drop its long-awaited follow-up LP soonish and are even performing at the We The People festival (TMT News).
Now word is out that DOOM has a new EP set for release in December, titled Gazillion Ear (named after a track off BORN LIKE THIS.). Not only that, but the EP, according to a press release, features production by J Dilla, Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio), and Thom Edward Yorke! Read for yourself:
Masked maverick DOOM (previously known as MF Doom) is set to release his new GAZZILLION EAR EP this December. The record includes production by Radiohead frontman and longtime DOOM fan Thom Yorke, the much-missed J Dilla, psychedelic hip-hop artist Jneiro Jarel and TV On The Radio lynchpin Dave Sitek. The EP follows DOOM’s earlier BORN LIKE THIS album opus - one of the hip-hop highlights of 2009.
The Dutchess and The Duke to Go on Tour For, Like, Ever; Wait, Which One’s The Dutchess and Which One’s the Duke, Again?
By Nobodaddy on 11-06-2009
If royal folk-like Duchesses and Dukes need to work hard at one thing, it’s drilling home the fact that they are better than you} in every conceivable way. As we reported earlier, Jesse Lortz, Kimberly Morrison, and their crew of noblemen have already released a new record called Sunset/Sunrise on Hardly Art earlier this fall and are currently playing the requisite amount of West Coast supporting dates. And sure, they were GONNA stop there... but then they realized that that’s just plain quitter-populist-talk!
Thus, in a deliberately shock-and-awe-style display of their wealth, superiority, fortitude, and dispassionate nonchalance, The Dutchess and The Duke have stopped clucking their tongues and stroking their beards long enough to issue the following edict:
Citizens: Whereas we have no reason to toil endlessly in day jobs as the likes of thee; and whereas our seal is recougnized, validated, respected, and feared throughout all fifty kingdoums of these United States, allowing us to pass through bourders as effortlessly as the honeyed mead which we drink through our porous royal tongues; and whereas our teeth are straighter, smiles brighter, faces gentler and more kind of continence, legs more agile, buttocks more slender, breasts fuller and higher, penises larger and longer, and so on and so forth than any mere common mourtal’s; thus also is our fall/winter tour fuller, brighter, larger, and longer than any other band’s in the land. We will, therefore, hencefourth, fourthwith commence touring these United States INDEFINTELY, so that our afourementioned kind and gentle continences may be duly and dutifully beheld by as many myriads of your humble cities’ wretched denizens as possible (women, children, and minourities exluded, of course).
Your Superiors,
The Dutchess and the Duke
(dictated but not read)}
Man... what a bunch of assholes.
11.07.09 - Sacramento, CA - Luigi's Fun Garden %
11.08.09 - Oakland, CA - 1-2-3-4 Go! in-store, 3pm #
11.08.09 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *
11.10.09 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Crepe Place *
11.11.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland *
11.13.09 - Irvine, CA - UC Irvine / Acrobatics Everyday *
11.14.09 - San Diego, CA - Casbah *
11.15.09 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room *
11.17.09 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad *
11.18.09 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge *
11.19.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court (early - all ages) *
11.19.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge (late)
11.20.09 - Jackson, WY - Lyndsay McCandless *
11.21.09 - Boise, ID - Neurolux *
11.22.09 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir *
11.25.09 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern *
12.04.09 - Grinnell, IA - Gardner Lounge @ Grinnell College *
12.05.09 - Chicago, IL - Reckless Records Wicker Park in-store#
12.05.09 - Chicago, IL - The Empty Bottle *
12.06.09 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry *
12.07.09 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room *
12.08.09 - Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge *
12.09.09 - Columbia, MO - Mojo's *
12.10.09 - Little Rock, AR - Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack *
12.11.09 - Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves *
12.12.09 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk *
12.13.09 - Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington *
12.14.09 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks *
12.15.09 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree *
12.16.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
12.17.09 - Indianapolis, IN - Locals Only *
12.19.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Club Garibaldi *
01.06.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's ^
01.07.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall ^
01.08.10 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge ^
01.09.10 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall ^
01.10.10 - Cambridge, MA - TT the Bear's ^
01.11.10 - Montreal, QC - Il Motore ^
01.12.10 - Toronto, ON - Sneaky Dee's ^
01.13.10 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Cafe ^
01.14.10 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Ladies Literary Club ^
01.15.10 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop ^
01.16.10 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center ^
01.17.09 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery ^
# all-ages and free!
% Blues Control
* Greg Ashley
^ Medication
