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An occasional blog about populist politics and popular music, not necessarily at the same time. LinksLocal Links Social Media My Other Websites Music Politics Others Networking Music DatabaseArtist Search: Website SearchGoogle: Recent Reading
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Saturday, October 31, 2026 Music Week
Music: Current count 46791 [46761] rated (+30), 32 [36] unrated -4). Advance Music Week appeared October 31 on Substack as Music Week (10:5). It is also archived here. Note that I screwed up the initial mailing and left out the Marc Ribot review, but did include the album cover. I've corrected that on Substack's website, and in my archive. Ran late, rushed things, screwed up. Sorry. My cutoff was done before the Substack post. The introduction is slightly edited, but I have a lot more work to do today. It's been a heavy week for me, starting with my rather extravagant birthday dinner. I wound up with tons of leftovers. Lacking any better ideas, I've been nibbling on them all week, probably piling on the pounds. I finally finished the noodles tonight, simply cooking more guanciale, draining most of the fat, then stir-frying them in what's left, blending in a sauteed bell pepper. That still leaves me with lots of ravioli, some of which went into a tomato sauce, seeing as I had a bag of leftover tomatoes. I probably have two more meals of them, after which I'm likely to just toss whatever is left. (The torte and tiramisu are gone. There's still macedonia left, but I've never had much taste for fruit.) I sliced a bit of leftover bread and made a grilled cheese for lunch yesterday, and finished that off today. I probably enjoyed that as much as any of the fancy fare. It feels like the end of the road for my major cooking exploits. Too bad, as it's one of the few things left I feel I'm much good at. I'm also pleased with my political analysis, but I'm disappointed at how little circulation or interest it gets. I spent much of last week cobbling together two posts in anticipation of next week's elections: Elections Past and Present, and Trump's Greatest Hits. I'm pleased to report that the latter piece will be reprinted in a new-for-me publication on Monday (CounterPunch). Hopefully that will steer a few new subscribers this way. My three non-music posts this week basically crashed-and-burned, at least according to the stats that Substack has provided: views are down about 20% from my music posts (120 vs. 150), and signs of approval/enthusiasm are down much further. Meanwhile, I had virtually no new music to report on mid-week, so I had little incentive to post in my preferred Wednesday-Friday window. But my late-week writing afforded some time for listening, albeit not much for writing, so the rated count climbed back into normal range. Aside from the three posts, I put most of the last few days into a Loose Tabs (temporary link, if you want a head start; I'm currently at 200 links, 13314 words). I really hoped to get that done by the end of October, but my drop-dead date is now Monday — otherwise all the pre-election speculation will rots faster than my cooking. My wife often offers "no future thoughts" as a mantra when worries about the future are inevitable. I'll try to honor that for now. In a week or two I should have a better idea what the future holds, and how to deal with it. I'm really at a loss for words right now. New records reviewed this week: Blondshell: Violins (2026, Partisan): Singer-songwriter Sabria Teitelbaum, third album after a 2018 EP as BAUM. Indie pop of some minor distinction. B+(*) [sp] Gustavo Cortińas: The Drum Also Sings (2026, Desafio Candente): Drummer, born in Mexico, studied in New Orleans, based in Chicago, fifth album since 2013, an all-drummer trio with Dave King and Isaiah Spencer — Max Roach is naturally on their minds, but they hedge their bets and slip in some actual vocals. B+(**) [sp] The Flying Horse Big Band: Swingin' With the Flying Horse Big Band (2024 [2026], Flying Horse): Big band based at University of Central Florida, Jeff Rupert director (and composer of 4 of 8 pieces), tenth album since 2015, guest Rob Paparozzi takes a vocal on a John Hiatt song, which may be the best thing here. B [cd] Clay Giberson: Moment's Notice (2025 [2026], Origin): Pianist, albums since 2001 (some as Upper Left Trio), offers a trio here with David Ambrosio (bass) and John Bishop (drums), playing two originals plus seven standards from "St. James Infirmary" up through Jarrett. B+(*) [cd] Danny Green: Let the Music Happen (2026, OA2): Pianist, seventh album since 2008, first solo, four originals, five covers (Lennon-McCartney, Stevie Wonder, three standards). B+(*) [cd] Devra Hoff: Baile as Baile (2019 [2026], AUM Fidelity): Bassist, aka (or fka, formerly known as?) Devin Hoff, under which name Discogs lists 12 albums and 130 appearances, as opposed to 4 appearances as Devra (including Sharon Van Etten and Julia Holter). No recording dates or indication that this is a slightly augmented and re-ordered reissue of a self-released 2019 album. Mostly solo bass, two tracks with Holter (harmonium) and Tara Jane O'Neil (prepared autoharp). Should be of limited interest, but I find myself loving the deep resonance of the instrument, and the slow unfolding of the melodies. A− [cd] Devra Hoff/Matt Chamberlain: And Let Gravity (2026, self-released): Chamberlain is a drummer, has several solo albums since 2005, was a member of two fusion groups I rather liked (Critters Buggin, Floratone), but mostly has studio credits with rock stars (most frequently Tori Amos, but also: Dylan, Springsteen, Bowie, Elton John, John Fogerty, Lorde, Fiona Apple, Randy Newman, Macy Gray, the Who). Hoff plays bass guitar, bass viol, acoustic and electric guitars, and synthesizer, mostly hard, fast, and loud, until it isn't. B+(*) [bc] Clarence Hines Jazz Orchestra: Along the Way (2022-26 [2026], OA2): Trombonist, based in Jacksonville, teaches at University of North Florida, first album, a big band affair. B [cd] Katokye: Obuhangwa Bwa Bayankore Na Baharoro (2025, Nyege Nyege Tapes): First studio album for "legendary singer" John Katokye, follows traditions of the "Banyankore and Bahororo people of Western Uganda," a cappella with complementary response vocals and occasional handclaps. B+(*) [sp] Franklin Kiermyer: Scatter the Atoms That Remain (2026, Gearbox): Canadian drummer, based in New York, albums since 1992, has used this title as a group name two times before (2019 and 2021), but not really a group here, as Davis Whitfield (piano) is the only regular, previous bassist Otto Gardner is limited to two tracks (two more for Géraud Portal, of 10 total tracks), and the horn leads are also limited to two spots each: Keyon Harrold (trumpet), Isaiah Collier (tenor sax), and Linda Sikhakhane (soprano sax). Also some guest spots (Aaron Parks, RaKalam Bob Moses) and vocals (including a choir). Starts off in a heavily spiritual jazz (aka Coltrane) mode, and more or less ends there, with focus on the drums in between. B+(*) [bc] The Klittens: Have a Heart (2026, THK/Cargo): Dutch group, sings in English, first album after singles/EPs, Bandcamp says "feminist fuzz garage indie jangle rock postpunk," which runs their gamut. B+(**) [sp] Finn Loxbo: Lummernikt (2025 [2026], Fönstret): Swedish guitarist, ninth album since 2012, Discogs says "folk singer, singer-songwriter," but this is solo guitar, so perhaps some parallel to the "American primitivism" of John Fahey? B+(*) [bc] Miko Marks: Hell or High Water (2026, Redtone): Singer-songwriter from Flint, Michigan, based in Oakland, released two albums 2005-07, emerged again in 2021-22 with two albums slotted Country/Americana in 2021-22, appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, had a bit part on Beyoncé's "country" album. Goes flat-out blues this time, with producer Justin Phipps on guitar and much more, Steve Wyreman adding more guitar, bass, and keyboards. Some Muddy Waters licks go a long ways. A− [sp] Mali Obomsawin: Automatic (2025 [2026], Out of Your Head): Bassist-singer-songwriter, from Canada (Odanak First Nation), debut album 2022, followed that with a Greatest Hits that wasn't. Group includes Adam O'Farrill (trumpet), Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet), bass clarinet, two tenor saxophones, guitar, turntables/electronics, and drums. I never made much sense out of the voices, but the horns frequently impressed. Eight songs (35:46). B+(***) [cd] Mike Reed's Separatist Party: Sing the Color Blue (2022-24 [2026], Thrill Jockey): Drummer, based in Chicago, has several groups, this one follows a 2023 album, keynoted by poet Marvin Tate, with cornet (Ben Lamar Gay), tenor sax (Rob Frye), guitar/synth (Cooper Crain), and synth (Dan Quinlivan). B+(**) [bc] Marc Ribot Quartet: Hurry Red Telephone (2024 [2026], Pi): Guitarist, hype sheet starts "for more than four decades," so he's been around, and "refusing to stay in one place, moving restlessly between jazz, rock, No Wave, singer/songwriter, solo guitar, music for film, Cuban music, and free improvisation." Spins says "Quartet," but credits list 8 musicians, with just Ribot and Chad Taylor (drums) on all six tracks, the bass divided between Hilliard Green and Sebastian Steinberg, the fourth slot a saxophone (James Brandon Lewis, Briggan Krauss, or Brian Settles), with some extra bagpipes on one track. Lewis is especially strong. Maybe Ribot didn't want to overdo it. A− [cd] Adonis Rose: Live at JazzAscona: The Music of Gregg Hill (2025 [2026], Cold Plunge): Drummer, from New Orleans, leads the trad-minded New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, has a couple of albums with smaller groups, not an obvious follower of the Michigan composer but they've found common ground, and injected extra energy into the repertoire (four Hill compositions, plus "Lush Life" and "Bop Be"). The horns are impressive. Phillip Manuel's vocals might also be, if you're into that sort of thing: a bull in a china shop, until he surprised me with a flexible, almost delicate reading of "Lush Life." B+(**) [cd] Jim Snidero: House of Trane (2026, Savant): Alto saxophonist, 27th album since 1985, quartet with Stefan Karlsson (piano), Nat Reeves (bass), and Jason Tiemann (drums), arrives in John Coltrane's centennial year. B+(**) [sp] RJ Spangler's Bop Insurgents: Ain't Doin Too Bad (2026, Eastlawn): Percussionist (congas, shakers), credit extends to "featuring Bill Heid" (piano/organ), so I suppose this aims at soul jazz groove, with sax (Russ Miller), guitar (Ralph Tope), bass, and drums. Played it twice and it's not unpleasant, but what the group name suggests, the title takes away. B [cd] Ron Vincent: Ray's Hat Trick (2025 [2026], Origin): Drummer, reconvenes Gerry Mulligan's rhythm section from 1989 with Bill Mays (piano) and Dean Johnson (bass), along with Steve Cardenas (guitar) and a bunch of flute players (Dave Brandom, Tim Armacost, Matt Garrison, who less conspicuously also play other reeds). B− [cd] Leslie Waugh: Night Bloom (2026, Smallz): Country singer-songwriter from Texas, bio claims a debut album in 2011 and a trilogy of EPs, Discogs has nothing. B+(*) [sp] Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries: Bulayo: Guitar Songs From Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, and DR Congo (1979-80 [2026], Mississippi): Eleven songs (30:10), field recordings by "a young British-Kenyan musician named John Low [on] the road to learn finger-style guitar from his heroes." This seems slight, but it is beguiling as few vintage African records are. A− [sp] The Ducks: High Flyin' (1977 [2023], Shakey Pictures): Formerly known as the Jeff Blackburn Band, a short-lived group with a couple of veterans from San Francisco cult band Moby Grape (1967-69; I've never understood the attraction), and briefly Neil Young, who salvaged these live tapes for his "Official Bootleg Series." Young sounds pretty great here, but that accounts for less than a quarter of the songs. The other singer-songwriters are pretty average, able to evoke that 1970s country jam landscape from the Grateful Dead to the Eagles, without ever quite matching any of them. B+(**) [sp] Jon Hassell: Music Is Invisible (Pentimento Volume Three) (2015 [2026], Ndeya): Trumpet player (1937-2021), best known for his Brian Eno collaboration on Fourth World Vol. 1: Possible Musics, a brand he subsequently developed. His two previous Pentimento albums came out in 2018 and 2020. B+(***) [sp] Julius Hemphill/Joseph Bowie/Abdul Wadud/Bobo Shaw: Black Artists' Group: February 6, 1974 [Live From Studio Rivbea, Volume 5] (1974 [2026], NoBusiness): Alto sax, trombone, cello, and drums, with less credited "special guest" Raymond Lee Chang on violin, and some voices I can't quite figure out. Hard to parse the cover, but the individuals are named first. BAG was a collective formed in St. Louis, active there 1968-72, with some members moving to Paris in 1973, then to New York in 1974 (Oliver Lake, Hamiet Bluiett, and Baikida Carroll are among the former members not in this group). Three long pieces, 50:15, two by Bowie, the other by Wadud. A find, especially for the trombone. A− [cd] Sunny Murray/Arthur Doyle/Rasul Siddik: New Light (1999 [2026], NoBusiness): Avant-garde drummer, at first I thought he ruined Coltrane, but I've slowly warmed to some of their work together (although I've yet top revisit his ESP-Disk albums). But he released a superb album in 1998 (We Are Not at the Opera), and this label is finding more from that period. This is a free bash with Doyle (tenor sax/flute/voice) and Sidik (trumpet): two improvs, one piece by Doyle, one by Don Cherry. A− [cd] Sunny Murray/Arthur Doyle/Rasul Siddik: Incantations (1999 [2026], NoBusiness): Same group, recorded the same day, so not a lot to choose between this and New Light, but I give the edge to the other one. Maybe the Don Cherry piece makes the difference, or maybe I just paid better attention. B+(***) [cd] Leon Parker Trio 93: Foundations (1993 [2026], Sunnyside): Drummer, just starting out, recorded this before his 1994 debut, after a 1992 side-credit with Dewey Redman. Trio with Brad Mehldau (piano, 23 at the time, two years before Warners released Introducing Brad Mehldau) and Ugonna Okegwo (bass, the elder at 31). The pianist plays some feisty Monk. B+(**) [bc] Old music: Milford Graves With Arthur Doyle & Hugh Glover: Children of the Forest (1976 [2023], Black Editions): "Percussionist, acupuncturist, herbalist, martial artist, programmer, professor and pioneer of free Jazz" (1941-2021), from three sessions: one with Doyle (tenor sax/flute) and Glover (klaxon/percussion); one with just Glover (tenor sax); and a final solo piece (3:13). B+(***) [sp] Franklin Kiermyer: Kairos (1995 [1996], Evidence): Canadian drummer, third album, draws on "world traditions of spiritual music" (samples as interludes from Cameroon, the Black Sea, Arizona), nominally a quartet with Michael Stuart (soprano/tenor sax), reinforced with guest saxophonists Sam Rivers and Eric Person. B+(***) [bc] Grade (or other) changes: Tinariwen: Hoggar (2026, Wedge): Tuareg group, formed in Algeria by exiles from Mali, spent some time in Libya before returning to Mali and getting caught up in political struggles there. Recorded an album in Ibidjan in 1991, but their breakthrough didn't come until 2001, when they started touring Europe and releasing albums there. Tenth album since 2001, all are pretty good but not very distinct. Christgau singled this one out as their best, which seems plausible to me, although that wasn't my first thought. [was: B+(**)] A− [sp] Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
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