Monday, May 4, 2015

Music Week

Music: Current count 24909 [24889] rated (+20), 407 [404] unrated (+3).

Rated count fell significantly this week. I'd like to blame it on Rhapsody, which did one of those redesign things "to give you a better experience" and got rid of the "Browse" option. My modus operandi of late has been to play a new CD when I'm not at the computer -- the stereo is set up to play in the kitchen/dining room and basement as well as in my office space -- then look on Rhapsody when I know I'm going to be on the computer for a while. Sometimes I have something I've searched for there, but often I just browse to see what pops up. Except I can't do that any more. I've written two angry letters. Maybe it's time to drop them and pick up Spotify? My experiments with the latter were far from satisfactory, but that was with their "free" account. I've never found much difference in what's available, so it's mostly a choice between one sucky/piggy UI and another.

But there's another reason for the rated count drop. I've spent several days on a woodworking project: building a wheeled cabinet on which I'll mount my cheapo Ryobi router table (basically designed as a table-top unit, although it's really too high on top of a full workbench). Got it assembled and a first coat of paint on it. Should take another coat plus some touch-up and a handle, so a couple days (depending on weather). I've never done much with it (or any of my routers), although it should be a sweet setup. Does at least get it off my floor, and adds a storage drawer which should be more than enough to hold all my router bits. Organization of the tools areas is if anything a more pressing need than clean up of books or CDs.

Probably a week away from May's Rhapsody Streamnotes (tempted to drop the brand name there). Currently have 75 records in the draft file. Four (of six) A-list records this week come from scrounging through the Expert Witness notices -- Booker from Christgau, Protoje from Gubbels, Marley and King Curtis/Champion Jack Dupree from Phil Overeem. I got hep to Rich Halley many years ago. I don't think the new one is his best, but it may be the hardest, and after six or seven plays I gave up my reservations. As for Davison, I still hold that the old jazz is the real jazz. A cornet player, he's a name I'm familiar with but haven't listened to much -- shows up mostly on Eddie Condon records -- but he sounds brilliant here, even way past his prime. Someone to look into deeper.

No time for Weekend Roundup yesterday. No telling when the tweet reviews will resume.

New records rated this week:

  • Tony Adamo: Tony Adamo & the New York Crew (2015, Urban Zone): [cd]: B+(***)
  • Harry Allen: For George, Cole and Duke (2015, Blue Heron): [r]: B+(***)
  • Roberta Donnay & the Prohibition Mob Band: Bathtub Gin (2015, Motéma Music): [r]: B+(*)
  • Lorenzo Feliciati: Koi (2015, Rare Noise): [cdr]: B+(***)
  • Rich Halley 4: Creating Structure (2014 [2015], Pine Eagle): [cd]: A-
  • Heikki Koskinen/Teppo Hauta-Aho/Mikko Innanen: Kellari Trio (2011 [2015], Edgetone): [cd]: B+(*)
  • Urs Leimgruber/Jacques Demierre/Barre Phillips: 1 - 3 - 2 - 1 (2012 [2015], Jazzwerkstatt): [r]: B
  • Joe Locke: Love Is a Pendulum (2014 [2015], Motéma Music): [cd]: B+(***)
  • Metallic Taste of Blood: Doctoring the Dead (2015, Rare Noise): [cdr]: B+(**)
  • Allison Moorer: Down to Believing (2015, E1): [r]: B+(**)
  • Protoje: Ancient Future (2015, Indiggnation Collective/Overstand): A-
  • Eli Wallace/Jon Arkin/Karl Evangelista: Cabbages, Captain, & King (2014 [2015], Edgetone): [cd]: B+(***)
  • Zubatto Syndicate: Zubatto Syndicate 2 (2015, Boscology): [cdr]: C+

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries rated this week:

  • James Booker: Gonzo: Live 1976 (1976 [2014], Rockbeat, 2CD): [r]: A-
  • Wild Bill Davison: The Jazz Giants (1968 [2015], Delmark/Sackville): [cd]: A-
  • The Kingbees: The Kingbees (1980 [2015], Omnivore): [r]: B+(**)
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers: Easy Skanking in Boston '78 (1978 [2015], Island/Tuff Gong): [r]: A-
  • Leroy Smart: The Don Tells It Like It Is . . . (1972-77 [2013], Kingston Sounds): [r]: B+(***)

Old records rated this week:

  • Jaki Byard and the Apollo Stompers: Phantasies II (1988 [1991], Soul Note): [r]: B+(**)
  • King Curtis & Champion Jack Dupree: Blues at Montreux (1971 [2005], Atlantic/Rhino): [r]: A-
  • Leroy Smart: Superstar (1977, Justice): [r]: B+(**)

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Dmitry Baevsky: Over and Out (Jazz Family)
  • Thomas Bergeron: Sacred Feast (self-released): May 12
  • Joshua Breakstone: 2nd Avenue (Capri): May 21
  • Chicago Reed Quartet: Western Automatic (Aerophonic): June 23
  • Brian Landrus Trio: The Deep Below (BlueLand/Palmetto): June 16
  • Opus: Definition (BluJazz)
  • Billie Rainbird: Deep Blue (Phantom): May 29
  • The Rempis Percussion Quartet: Cash and Carry (Aerophonic): June 23
  • Marta Sánchez Quintet: Partenika (Fresh Sound New Talent)
  • Nisse Sandström Quintet: Live at Crescendo (Moserobie)
  • Steve Smith and Vital Information NYC Edition: Viewpoint (BFM Jazz): May 26

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