drums | music clip of the day

It’s a wonderful life—sometimes, anyway. This weekend, in Chicago, I got to hear these folks twice: Saturday night all together (Constellation), Sunday in a series of (mostly) duos and trios (Elastic Arts).

Instant Composers Pool (ICP) Orchestra*

“Lavoro” (S. Bergin, borrowing from “Moten Swing”), live, Oakland, Ca., 2013

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“East of the Sun, West of the Moon” (Brooks Bowman), recording (East of the Sun), 2014

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*Ab Baars, tenor saxophone; Tobias Delius, tenor saxophone; Michael Moore, alto saxophone; Thomas Heberer, trumpet; Walter Wierbos, trombone; Tristan Honsiger, cello; Mary Oliver, violin; Ernst Glerum, bass; Han Bennink, drums.

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2015

Friday, May 1st

only rock ‘n’ roll

The Ex, “That’s Not a Virus,” live, France (Annecy), 2015

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lagniappe

art beat

William Klein (1928-), 4 Heads, New York, 1955

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2015

Thursday, April 30th

tonight in Chicago

These folks—three reed players and a cellist from Chicago, along with a drummer from Norway—will be playing (and recording a live album) at a performing-arts center on the city’s northwest side (Elastic Arts).

Dave Rempis (saxophones), Keefe Jackson (reeds), Jason Stein (bass clarinet), Tomeka Reid (cello), Tollef Østvang (drums), live, Lafayette, Ind., 4/25/15

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2015

Friday, April 24th

only rock ‘n’ roll

Metz, “Get Off,” live, Seattle, 2014

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2015

Thursday, April 23rd

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Mingus!

Charles Mingus, composer, bandleader, bassist
April 22, 1922-January 5, 1979

Better late than never for someone who, like Miles and Monk, Bach and Beethoven, I couldn’t live without.

Charles Mingus (bass) with Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute), Clifford Jordan (tenor saxophone), Johnny Coles (trumpet), Jaki Byard (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums), live, Belgium, Norway, and Sweden, 1964*

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lagniappe

musical thoughts

There’s something about listening to Eric Dolphy that makes you feel glad to be alive.

—Cliff Preiss, DJ, WKCR (Columbia University), yesterday (Mingus birthday broadcast)

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*Set lists (courtesy of YouTube):

Belgium
00:00-00:45 Intro
00:46-05:33 So Long Eric
05:35-11:20 Peggy’s Blue Skylight
11:23-32:03 Meditations On Integration

Norway
32:30-54:46 So Long Eric
56:30-1:11:40 Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk
1:13:53-1:16:20 Parkeriana
1:16:22-1:29:05 Take The “A” Train

Sweden
1:30:05-1:33:55 So Long Eric
1:34:02-1:52:35 Meditations On Integration
1:52:40- 1:59:50 So Long Eric

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2015

Wednesday, April 22nd

sounds of South Africa

Fantasma, “Basbizile,” live, London, 2015

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Another take (Free Love, 2015)

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2015

Tuesday, April 21st

sounds of Malawi

The Very Best with Mafalika, “Let’s Go,” live, Malawi (Kumbali Village), 2/15

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Another take (Makes a King, 4/15)

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2015

Wednesday, April 15th

MCOTD Hall of Fame

Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy (LB, trumpet; Steve Turre, trombone; Frank Lacy, trombone; Bob Stewart, tuba; Phillip Wilson, drums, et al.), live, Berlin, 1986