• Music

    James Ross / Jim Goodin / Joseph Benzola – Ross Drone: 2nd February 2014

    October 31, 2021 - By 

    Joseph Benzola is an electroacoustic composer, drummer and percussionist whose work I had the pleasure of reviewing on my old blog, but it’s time to catch up on his work. He has been joined by James Ross, who composed this 33-minute track and plays guitar and electronics, and Jim Goodin, who adds viola and more electronics. The track is excellent, and what impressed me most was the fact that it was a gentle wall of noise, reminding me of gamelan music somehow. It’s a rather elegant release for an experimental music recording.

  • Music

    Roman Stolyar – Right Back from Bosnija

    August 21, 2021 - By 

    I’m delighted to share a piece from my old friend, the Siberian composer and multi-instrumentalist Roman Stolyar.  This nearly 20-minute improvisation was recorded live on July 30, 2021 at the MMMESSS studio in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  The piano-playing is quick, sharp, with each keystroke coming at you like waves of noise.  A great example of Russian free jazz.

  • Music

    Ikuro Takahashi – しりえないものとずっと

    June 17, 2021 - By 

    An’archives, a French experimental music record label, has released しりえないものとずっと (Forever With The Incomprehensible) by legendary drummer and percussionist Ikuro Takahashi.  Takahashi has worked with the likes of Keiji Haino’s power-trio Fushitsusha, Seishokki, High Rise, Ché-Shizu, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Kousokuya, LSD March and Nagisa Ni Te.  This kind of pedigree is unmatched in the Japanese improvisational music scene.  The album is volcanic in its power, full of thundering percussion which would equal, and in some parts surpass, many percussion based free-jazz albums.

  • Music

    Selen Gülün – TRE

    April 8, 2021 - By 

    I’ve been looking forward to hearing Selen Gülün’s latest release, and to say I’m not disappointed would be an understatement.  I had spent the day listening to John Cage after lunching with my priest, and then this record came on.  The first track, Ah, Tu Dici!, blended into Cage’s Three Easy Pieces as naturally as could be, though Selen’s track is both better recorded and slightly darker, which makes it that much more favorable to my ears. The second track, Cicli E Punti, lets saxophonist Dario Fariello and cellist Stellan Veloce run wild. I’d expect this sort of improvisation on…