Tom Hull: Tom Hull - on the Web

Company departed, and left me feeling exhausted. I've been making very slow progress on the upstairs bedroom/closet project, but have very little to show for it, other than a gargantuan mess. I have a lot of sanding to do -- hopefully tomorrow will be good enough, after which I move on to primer and (still undecided) paint. The paneling for the closet is cut, and so far seems to fit. After an initial misstep -- one of way too many to count -- I think I bought the right glue today, and also some screws (which are more likely to work than the prescribed process of nailing around the edges). I can imagine someone who knows what they're doing wrapping this up in two days (plus breaks to let paint dry), but it's probably going to take me another week. And the soreness just adds to the frustration.

Somehow, in my spare time I knocked out a rather substantial Speaking of Which yesterday. I added a couple small bits today, as I don't have a file open for next week, and without searching found a few items worth noting (e.g., an obituary for rapper Ka, whose recent records are noted below, and a record review by Allen Lowe).

More records this week than last. Probably more next week than this, although it's hard to imagine ever getting back to normal.

Jessica Ackerley: All of the Colours Are Singing (2022 [2024], AKP): Canadian guitarist, based in New York, has several previous albums since 2019, this one backed with bass and drums, plus viola/violin (Concetta Abatte) on four (of seven) tracks). B+(*) [sp]

Adekunle Gold: Tequila Ever After (2023, Def Jam): Nigerian Afrobeats singer-songwriter, Adekunle Kosoko, went through a Silver phase before he turned Gold. Has an interesting beat I can't quite match up elsewhere. B+(**) [sp]

Bad Moves: Wearing Out the Refrain (2024, Don Giovanni): DC-based power pop quartet, third album after a 2016 EP, doesn't seem like much as first, but grows on you, especially with earworms like "I can't get the part where you fucked up out of my head." B+(***) [sp]

John Chin/Jeong Lim Yang/Jon Gruk Kim: Journey of Han (2024, Jinsy Music): Piano/bass/drums trio, some electric keyboards, six originals by Chin, one each by the others, plus a few standards. B+(*) [cd]

Guy Davis: The Legend of Sugarbelly (2024, M.C.): Blues singer-songwriter, son of actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, first album 1978, has been remarkably consistent since his third album in 1993. B+(***) [sp]

The Kris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet (2024, Pyroclastic): Pianist, from Canada, a major figure since 2004, with Robert Hurst (bass) and Johnathan Blake (drums). This is very good, rewards patient listening, but never quite grabs me. B+(***) [cd]

Wendy Eisenberg: Viewfinder (2022-23 [2024], American Dreams): Jazz guitarist, more than a dozen albums since 2017, singer-songwriter here, the songs focusing on seeing, occasioned by eye surgery. But the shift to instrumentals, chopped and skewed, gets more interesting. B+(**) [sp]

Frode Gjerstad Trio: Unknown Purposes (2023 [2024], Circulasione Totale): Norwegian saxophonist, started in Detail in the early 1980s, many albums since 1996, Discogs lists 22 just for his Trio, here with Jon Rune Strøm (bass) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums). B+(***) [bc]

Frode Gjerstad/Margaux Oswald/Ivar Myrset Asheim: Another Step (2024, Circulasione Totale): Relatively short live set (2 pieces, 30:41), the leader on alto sax and clarinet, backed with piano and drums. B+(*) [bc]

Joel and the Neverending Sextet: Marbled (2023 [2024], Motvind): Norwegian cellist Joel Ring, second group album, with Karl Hjalmar Nyberg on tenor sax/clarinet, backed with piano, tuba, bass, and two drummers. B+(***) [sp]

Ka: The Thief Next to Jesus (2024, Iron Works): Rapper Kaseem Ryan, just got news of his death at 52 and recalled that he had a recent album that I had trouble finding. B+(**) [sp]

Omer Leshem: Play Space (2024, Ubuntu Music): Tenor saxophonist, from Israel, based in New York, third album since 2017, Bandcamp shows two releases (2008, 2016) from what seems to be a different Omer Leshem (plays guitar, in Israel), Discogs is no help here (one co-credit with Naama Gheber for an arrangement that could go either way). Original pieces, backed with guitar, piano, bass, and drums, nicely done postbop. B+(**) [cd]

Terence McManus: Music for Chamber Trio (2024, Rowhouse Music): Guitarist, albums start around 2010 with several duos, including ones with Ellery Eskelin (tenor sax) and Gerry Hemingway (drums), who return to fill out this trio. "Chamber" seems to mean soft and slow, which over 71 minutes can add up to plodding, but it's always nice to hear Eskelin. B+(***) [cd]

Kate Pierson: Radios & Rainbows (2024, Lazy Meadow Music): B-52s singer-songwriter from 1976 on, released a solo album in 2015, and now this second one. The herky-jerk one seems to have been Fred Schneider, but occasionally you get a whiff of that here. Notable lyric: "If you give your heart to science, I will give you mine." B+(**) [sp]

Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sï Quartet: 3 Sides of the Coin (2024, Dafnison Music): Cuban drummer, moved to New York in 1999, debut album in 2004 was widely acclaimed, won a MacArthur in 2011, never any doubt about his chops but I've been slow to warm to his records, at least until this utter delight, with Ricky Rodriguez on electric bass, and star turns by Martin Bejerano on piano and Peter Apfelbaum on soprano sax, tenor sax, and flute. A- [cd]

Dave Rempis/Jason Adasiewicz/Joshua Abrams/Tyler Damon: Propulsion (2023 [2024], Aerophonic): Saxophonist (alto, tenor, baritone) from Chicago, first appeared replacing Mars Williams in Vandermark 5 and immediately established himself as one of the world's greats. He's been releasing 3-5 new albums per year, some a bit rough for my taste, but most are so brilliant even that can be an advantage. Not much to differentiate his many releases, but key value added here comes from the vibraphonist. A- [cd]

Dred Scott/Moses Patrou/Tom Beckham/Matt Pavolka: Cali Mambo (2023 [2024], Ropeadope): Piano, vibes, bass, percussion. One original, the rest standards, with "Manteca" especially fine as a closer. B+(**) [cd]

M Slago/Homeboy Sandman: And We Are Here (2024, Fly 7 Music): Hip-hop producer Chris Jones, originally from Nashville but based in Dallas, has a previous (2021) solo album, Sandman is presumably the rapper ("feat." on all tracks, but joined on a couple, one with Aesop Rock). B+(***) [sp]

Walter Smith III: Three of Us Are From Houston and Reuben Is Not (2024, Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist, from Houston, debut 2006 -- with bassist Reuben Rogers, who returns here (he's from the Virgin Islands), along with two other Houston natives who have made names for themselves: Jason Moran (piano) and Eric Harland (drums). Exemplary postbop, nicely balanced, ever-shifting, sketchy but pointed. A- [sp]

Sulida: Utos (2023 [2024], Clean Feed): Norwegian trio of Marthe Lea (tenor sax/flute), Jon Rune Strøm (bass), and Dag Erik Knedal Andersen (drums), first group album (but all three have albums under their own names), all songs joint credits. Very solid effort. B+(***) [sp]

Kampire Presents: A Dancefloor in Ndola ([2024], Strut): "Up-and-coming" DJ Kampire spins fourteen East African grooves, some dating back to the 1970s, others "present day," details hard to come by, although influences include Congo and Zambia -- home to Ndola, where the Kenya-born DJ grew up before landing in Uganda, where his parents started. A- [sp]

Miami Sound: Rare Funk & Soul From Miami, Florida 1967-1974 (1967-74 [2023], Soul Jazz): Pretty rare, with George and Gwen McRae the most recognizable names, but funk, for sure. [Rhapsody version is truncated from 17 to 9 tracks.] B+(**) [r]

Miami Sound: More Funk and Soul From Miami, Florida 1967-1974 (1967-75 [2024], Soul Jazz): More adds up to 20 songs, a few more artists I'm familiar with (Betty Wright, Latimore). B+(**) [r]

Ka: Languish Arts (2022, Iron Works): One of a pair of short albums released same day, at least digitally (vinyl and CD came out in 2023). Ten songs, 28:23. B+(**) [sp]

Ka: Woeful Studied (2022, Iron Works): Same day release, ten more songs (26:27), not sure this is any better but his calm narration over modest squiggles of sound may be growing on me. B+(***) [sp]

Don Walser: Rolling Stone From Texas (1994, Watermelon): Country/western swing singer-songwriter (1934-2006), best known for his yodeling, started a group called the Panhandle Playboys in 1950, later led the Texas Plainsmen, but spent most of his adult years as a mechanic and auditor in the National Guard, before "retiring" in 1994 and recording this career-defining album. Wikipedia notes that "his extraordinary vocal abilities earned him the nickname 'the Pavarotti of the Plains," which definitely overlooks Roy Orbison -- a comparison that occurred to me as soon as the opening sea of yodel parted, although it took a couple of covers -- "Shotgun Boogie" and "That's Why I'm Walking" -- to clarify into something uniquely his own. Per John Morthland: "perhaps the last of God's great pure country singers." A- [sp]

Don Walser: Texas Top Hand (1996, Watermelon): Second album, opens with a yodel on the title song, drifts through various covers from "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" to "Weary Blues From Waiting" to "Divorce Me C.O.D." to "Danny Boy." B+(**) [sp]

As I explained in my "PS" last week, I didn't expect to blog much this week. I did catch a break yesterday, and posted a fairly respectable Speaking of Which (131 links, 7251 words), but that was the first day I managed to listen to much new music, which is why this Music Week has anything at all, but as you can see, not much -- nothing A-listed, some solid high B+ (which next week will include Terrence McManus: Music for Chamber Trio), as I've been working through my rather stuffed promo queue in release date order.

I left Speaking of Which so abruptly when I posted last night that it would have been easy to add more stuff today. But I decided the more sensible approach is to open a new draft file right away, and start putting anything new and notable there. I have a trick devised to suppress display of unfinished draft posts, but for now I'll let this one go up in normal blog order, its incomplete nature implicit in its date (October 14) and the "(draft)" in the title. I usually only update the website when I have new posts, but if I do, you can observe whatever progress I've made.

Next week should be a bit better, for blogging that is, but there are still lots of distractions, and a lot of other work to do. The project of sorting out 75 years of accumulated life from my childhood home isn't really finished, but we made a lot of progress, and can take a break before going back to it. I have several boxes of stuff here, and will probably pick up some more later in the week. I did manage to find one day to rustle up some dinner before my brother and his wife headed back to Washington. My niece is still here for a couple more days.

My upstairs bedroom/closet project has languished, but I need to return to it, making it top priority after I post this. (But then I blew all afternoon, so I may get nothing done on it today. I did go buy a tool belt -- something I've never felt the need for before, but I need to be able to stand on a stool in a very confined space with at least five tools handy, including power drill and screwdriver.) Still mostly doing wall repair at this point, with painting after that. At least we got the paneling cut, which among other things means I don't have to get the walls very good. Once I finally get going, I figure I have about three days of work to go, plus whatever it takes to move back into the room. So I should wrap that up within the week, but it will take a lot of time away from here.

Seems like I've been plagued with a lot of minor tech problems lately: nothing insurmountable, but every little thing chews up a lot more time than seems right, and adds to my sense of ever increasing decrepitude.

El Khat: Mute (2024, Glitterbeat): "Home-made junkyard band" from Tel Aviv, a quartet led by multi-instrumentalist Eyal El Wahab, whose roots are in Yemen. Third album. Arab groove with extra angst. B+(*) [sp]

Forq: Big Party (2024, GroundUP): Jazz fusion group, led by Henry Hey (keyboards), one 1999 album and several since 2014, a fairly long list of players here. Seems to have some intersection with Snarky Puppy. B+(*) [cd]

Satoko Fujii Quartet: Dog Days of Summer (2024, Libra): Japanese pianist, has run many groups for many albums since the mid-1990s, bills this particular one as her "jazz-rock fusion quartet," a revival "after an 18-year pause" -- Bacchus was recorded in 2006 and released in 2007, also with Hayakawa Takeharu (bass), Tatsuya Yoshida (drums), and Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), after four previous 2001-05 albums -- I've heard three, liked Zephyros (2003) a lot, but I didn't care for Bacchus at all. b>B+(***) [cd]

Alden Hellmuth: Good Intentions (2023 [2024], Fresh Sound New Talent): Alto saxophonist, based in New York, first album, shifty postbop quintet plus guest trumpet/keyboards on several tracks. B+(***) [cd]

Keefe Jackson/Raoul van der Weide/Frank Rosaly: Live at de Tanker (2022 [2024], Kettle Hole): Tenor saxophone/bass clarinet player, from Chicago, live set in Amsterdam with a local bassist and another Chicagoan on drums. B+(***) [cd]

Simon Moullier: Elements of Light (2023-24 [2024], Candid): Vibraphonist, several albums since 2020, this mostly quartet with piano-bass-drums, plus a guest spot each for Gerald Clayton (piano) and Marquis Hill (trumpet). B+(*) [cd]

Patrick Shiroishi: Glass House (2023-24 [2024], Otherly Love): Alto saxophonist, from Los Angeles, prolific since 2014, no musician credits given here although there is a lot of piano/synths in the mix. B+(*) [sp]

Raphael Roginski: Plays John Coltrane and Langston Hughes (2024, Unsound): Polish guitarist, albums since 2008, this reissue first appeared in 2015. eight Coltrane tunes plus two originals, solo guitar, adding voice (Natalia Przybysz) on two pieces built around Hughes texts. Reissue adds four bonus tracks on a second CD. B+(**) [sp]

Too many distractions this past week to spend any serious time listening to new music. I wouldn't be surprised if I come up with even less next week, although things should settle down shortly thereafter.

Again I took an extra day for Speaking of Which, mostly because that's how I set the file up. I expected it to be similarly abbreviated, but I wound up with 171 links, 10275 words -- nowhere near record length, but pretty substantial, with lots of interesting stuff.

Then I rushed this out on the same day, to keep it within September. I may update this (and/or Speaking of Which) on Tuesday, but really need to be working on something else.

PS [10-01]: I rushed this post out late last night, to squeeze it into September, which mostly mattered because I didn't want to take the extra time to dig out this week's paltry offering and replant it in the now extant but empty October Streamnotes file. In the clear light of morning -- something I prefer to sleep through, but once again failed today -- I can add a few more words. It takes me a while to get going these days, so this is prime time for collecting my thoughts.

When I do get moving, my main task today will be to work on the small (12x12) second bedroom upstairs, and its adjacent L-shaped closet. The house was built in 1920, which means the walls and ceilings were plaster on lathe. When we bought the house, in 1999, the room had ugly wallpaper and the ceiling was painted with a glittery popcorn finish. The closet was also wallpapered, with a pattern simulating wood. We hated all those things, but lived with them. I built a bookcase that covered the entire west wall, except for the closet door. I built another bookcase I situated on the east wall, just north of the big window. The other side of the window had a standalone bookcase, as did the north wall next to the east corner. The rest of the north wall, underneath its own big window, was occupied by a futon, usable as a spare bed, on a crude platform I had built. Laura's desk was up against the south wall.

A few years after we arrived, I noticed a crack in the ceiling, near the southwest corner, extending from the entry door out about three feet. I watched that crack grow over twenty-some years. A few months ago, some of the plaster had detached and lowered an inch or two, making its collapse inevitable. I started thinking about ways to push it back up and/or patch it over, but did nothing before it did collapse. I started looking for help to repair it, and finally found some.

Finding more cracks in the same ceiling, we decided to recover the whole ceiling with a new layer of 3/8-inch plaster board. We -- meaning our money and their labor, but I wasn't exctly a passive bystander -- did that last week. To prep, we had to move everything out of the room. For good measure, I also had them steam off the wallpaper, so I could paint the walls, and I cleared out the closet. Some years ago, I figured the walls weren't worth the trouble of repairing, so could be covered up with paneling. I bought several sheets, stored in the garage wood pile for an opportune time, such as now.

Riverside Handyman did the ceiling, including a quick paint, and took down the room wallpaper. I used his steamer to work on the closet, where the walls proved to be as bad as anticipated. That leaves me with the task of finishing the painting, fixing up the closet, and moving everything back so we can reduce the upstairs clutter to normal levels. Big push today (and probably tomorrow, and possibly longer) will be to sand and prep the bedroom walls, caulk the window frames, and mask them off for painting. But also I need to finish prepping the walls and ceiling in the closet -- the latter has a big hole, which used to provide attic access, to fill in and level. The walls mostly need a rough mud job, filling in cracks, corners, and some large missing chunks, but it won't need much sanding, as it will all be covered with paneling.

Aside from impatience, I have another deadline, which is that my brother, his wife, and their daughter are coming for a visit, arriving late Wednesday. They won't be needing the bedroom, and chances are I can put them to work on various projects -- not just this one, as I have more lined up -- but one point of the trip is a separate project, which is to finally sort through the stuffed attic of our ancestral family home on South Main Street.

My parents bought that small house in 1950, a few months before I was born, and lived their until they died, in a three-month span of 2000. They both grew up on farms -- my mother in the Arkansas Ozarks, my father in the Kansas Dust Bowl -- and through the Great Depression, moving to Wichita in the 1940s for war work. They were resourceful and self-sufficient, which among much more meant that they kept a lot of stuff. My father's "super-power" was his knack for packing things to maximize use of space -- I'm pretty good at that myself, but not nearly as good as he was at remembering what he had and where it was.

After they died, we cleared out some obvious stuff, but left most of it for my brother, who moved into the house, and added his own stash. When his work took him to Washington, my sister -- who had inherited the deed -- moved in with her grown son (and her own stash), who still lives there, after she died in 2018. While the attic has been plundered several times over the years -- that "wall of books" in the bedroom I'm working on mostly date from my purchases from before I left home in 1972 (or 1975) -- one harbors the suspicion that there are still precious memories (probably just junk to others, as antique treasures aren't very likely) buried in deep nooks and crannies.

So the plan is to gather some younger folk willing and able to do the spelunking to drag everything out, so we can sort it all out into the obvious categories (trash, recycle, desired by one of us, or deferred/repacked). They're figuring two days, which strikes me as optimistic, but not inconceivable. I think part of the operation should be to catalog everything (except the rankest trash) into a spreadsheet for future reference -- especially everything that gets deferred. I could use some sort of database of my own stuff, especially as I feel increasing need to unburden.

I'm not sure of the schedule for all of this. My niece is just budgeting enough time for the housecleaning, but my brother may be able to stay a bit longer. However long that is, I will mostly be occupied with them, while letting my usual grind slide. Plenty to do later, as we wrap up the year with another Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. Obvious point from below is that the unheard demo queue has grown considerably. And that doesn't count the download offers waiting in a mail directory, if indeed I ever get to them. (I did download the new Thumbscrew, but most just get shunted aside.)

This week's King Sunny Adé albums were a side-effect of Brad Luen's Ten favorite African albums of 1974. I didn't manage to get to the Adé albums on his list, because I started looking for gaps in my own list, especially as the 1974 albums Luen cites are late entries in multi-volume series.

Having just finished Timothy Egan's Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis, I felt it was time to dust off my copy of Ned Blackhawk's much broader Native/American history, The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History. I've long had non-expert but somewhat more than passing knowledge of the subject -- I'm guessing I've read ten or so more/less focused books, starting c. 1970 with Peter Farb, Alvin Josephy, and especially Vine Deloria Jr.'s Custer Died for Your Sins -- and I've often of late found myself thinking back on that history, especially for insights into possible evolution of settler-colonial societies.

Breaking news today: Iran launches about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. Scroll down and the previous headline reads: "Israel's recent airstrikes destroyed half of Hezbollah's arsenal, U.S. and Israeli officials say." As I've noted, Hezbollah's arsenal was always intended not to attack Israel but to deter Israeli attack. Obviously, it was never sufficient to do so, and even less so as Israel is amassing tanks on the Lebanon border. I've never bought the argument -- so often and readily repeated by American media -- that Hezbollah is some kind of Iranian proxy, its strings pulled from Tehran, or that Hezbollah has any aggressive intent against Israel beyond what it sees as self-defense, or that Iran has any designs against Israel beyond the self-defense of its co-religionists in the region. But Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon are, as was undoubtedly their intent, forcing Iran to fight back.

I am saddened by this, and do not approve, but it's time to reiterate a point that I just made just yesterday:

One thing that follows from this is that every violence from any side is properly viewed as a consequence of Netanyahu's incitement and perpetuation of this genocidal war.

I didn't write this up yesterday, but I did entertain the idea of offering an extreme example: suppose Hezbollah has a nuclear bomb, and could deliver it deep inside Israel, and explode it, killing a hundred thousand or more Israelis (including quite a few Palestinians), would that still be Netanyahu's fault. Yes, it would. (It would also lead to a "why didn't you tell us?" scene, like in Dr. Strangelove. And while it was a pretty safe bet that Hezbollah had no nuclear capability, perhaps Israel should have a think before "counterattacking" Iran in the same way it went after Lebanon.)

One way you know that this is all Netanyahu's fault is because he is the single person who could, even if just acting on a whim, put an end to the entire war. He has that power. He should be held responsible for it.

Manu Chao: Viva Tu (2024, Because Music): French-born Spanish singer-songwriter, sings in both, English, and several other languages; started group Mano Negra (1984-95), six solo albums 1998-2008 (a couple personal favorites there), returns after a 16 year break (although he's released several singles). First couple songs had me wondering, before he found his old groove, and delighted to the end. A- [sp]

Colin James: Chasing the Sun (2024, Stony Plain): Canadian blues-rocker, eponymous debut 1988, early albums had a retro-swing aspect -- especially those with his Little Big Band. B [sp]

Lizz Wright: Shadow (2024, Blues & Greens): Jazz singer, from Atlanta, started in a gospel group, eighth album since 2003. Impressive voice, but limited appeal. B+(*) [sp]

Sunny Ade & His Green Spot Band: The Master Guitarist Vol. 1 (1970 [1983], African Songs): Nigerian singer-guitarist, has produced many albums from 1967 on, came to world attention in 1982 when Mango released his Juju Music, some of his earlier work later issued by Shanchie (The Best of the Classic Years and Gems From the Classic Years (1967-1974). I still recommend those (the former I have at A+, as does Christgau), but streaming offers other spots for toe-dipping, like this 6-or-10-song, 34:16 former LP (first "side" has five song titles mixed into one track). Date info is spotty. I'm not sure I'll be able to make fine distinctions among many similar albums, but this one is superb. A- [sp]

King Sunny Ade and His African Beats: The Message (1981, Sunny Alade): Robert Christgau, in his dive into Adé's early Nigerian albums (such as he could find), singled this one out as the pick of the litter (while alluding to another one with orange cover -- later identified as Eje Nlogba. Hard for me to be sure, but this is certainly a contender. A- [yt]

King Sunny Ade and His African Beats: Check 'E' (1981, Sunny Alade): Another nice Nigerian album, feels a bit slighter. B+(***) [sp]

King Suny Ade & His African Beats: Juju Music of the 80's (1981, Sunny Alade): More seductive grooves. B+(***) [sp]

King Suny Adé & His African Beats: Ajoo (1983, Sunny Alade): Cover just shows the man with electric guitar, which may be the focus, but the beats are complex, the groove sinuous, and the vocals neatly woven in, whatever they mean. Not sure I've heard it all -- first side for sure, and at least half of the second, but I'm satisfied. [Reissued in US by Makossa.] A- [yt]

King Sunny Ade & His African Beats: Bobby (1983, Sunny Alade): With Juju Music released internationally on Island, he continued releasing albums in Nigeria, with this one of several (five?) before his second Island-released album, 1984's Synchro System. This one is relatively subdued, although seductively so. B+(***) [sp]

King Sunny Ade: E Dide/Get Up (1992 [1995], Mesa): Island dropped him after Aura (1984), as best I recall due to the expense of touring with his big band. He kept up recording, with this one of the few albums to get much notice outside Africa. B+(***) [sp]

Batsumi: Batsumi (1974 [2011], Matsuli Music): South African jazz-fusion group founded in Soweto, South Africa in 1972. Some typical township jive riffs, attractive as ever, with other things, including vocals, that don't have quite the same appeal. B+(*) [sp]

Moldy Goldies: Colonel Jubilation B. Johnston and His Mystic Knights Band and Street Singers Attack the Hits (1966, Columbia): One-shot album by Bob Johnston (1932-2015), started c. 1956 as a songwriter (as were his grandmother and mother), recorded a couple rockabilly singles, but made his mark as a producer, scoring a hit for Timi Yuro in 1962, working for Kapp and Dot, and moving on to Columbia in 1965, which assigned him to produce Bob Dylan (through New Morning), Simon & Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Flatt & Scruggs, Burl Ives, and Leonard Cohen, before going independent c. 1970 ("most successfully with Lindisfarne on Fog on the Tyne" -- so not so famous, but probably beat his Columbia salary). This, as I said, was a one-shot project, artist name folded into the subtitle (and compressed above), the credited musicians aliased (although most appear to have been obscure studio musicians). The eleven songs were all big hits from the previous year, things I still remember well from AM radio at the time, although if you're even a few years younger you may have missed more than a few. They were "goldies" by RIAA calculation, rendered instantly moldy by mock-skiffle arrangements and brass band, but 58 years later they've aged into postmodern classics. Compares well to Peter Stampfel's 20th Century in 100 Songs, except focused on a year that really holds up to the treatment. Of course, some people won't get the joke (although probably fewer now than then). Nadir is "Secret Agent Man" followed by "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration." If you're down with them, you'll love the rest. A- [sp]

After an abbreviated Speaking of Which yesterday, this is an even shorter Music Week. For most of last week, I've been prepping the house for arrival of a contractor, to fix the collapsed ceiling in a small upstairs bedroom. Main thing there was moving 25 years of accumulated living out to somewhere else. Some things got thrown away, but most -- including three bookcases of books -- just had to find temporary storage elsewhere. Contractor arrived today, and should have another couple days of work, after which I intend to refinish (mostly paint) everything, including a closet that long been the most wretched corner of a 100-year-old house.

So I haven't had much time to listen to music, or to write. Expect no more (and probably less) for next week, and probably the week after -- hopefully the bedroom will be done by then, but I expect project repercussions to spread far and wide. I'm looking forward to these weeks, figuring they'll produce more tangible accomplishments than I've felt from writing all year. Indeed, I'm rushing this out now, so I can go back to my closet and get a couple more hours of work in. Downside is that it can be physically wearing.

One minor accomplishment last week was when I fixed one of my "inventory reduction" dinners on Saturday: I turned shrimp and vegetables from the freezer, the end of a bag of dried pasta, and some aging items in the refrigerator into a small dinner of: shrimp with feta cheese, penne puttanesca, pisto manchego, and a lemon-caper sauce with green beans, artichoke hearts, and prosciutto; followed by a chocolate cake with black walnut frosting (one of my mother's standards).

I have nothing much to say about this week's music, other than that the Ahmad Jamal records were suggested by a question. I thought "why bother?" at first, then "why not?"

Benjamin Boone: Confluence: The Ireland Sessions (2023 [2024], Origin): Alto saxophonist, has some good records, especially the pair backing poet Philip Levine. Trio with bass and drums plus scattered guests, including singer JoYne on three songs. They're nice enough, but the saxophone is better. B+(***) [cd]

Michael Dease: Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill (2022 [2024], Origin): Trombonist, also baritone sax, has more than one album per year since 2010. Hill is a Michigan-based composer with no records of his own, but several of his students have released tributes to him recently, and this is Dease's second. Large group, eleven pieces, and probably the best yet. B+(***) [cd]

Delia Fischer: Beyond Bossa (2024, Origin): Brazilian singer-songwriter, plays piano/keyboards, recorded two albums 1988-90 as part of Duo Fênix, solo albums after that. As the title implies, the atmosphere here is familiarly Brazilian, but there is much more going on, including interaction of many dramatic voices, which suggest opera (or at least concept album). Not something I feel up to figuring out, but seems exceptional. B+(***) [cd]

Heems: Veena (2024, Veena Sounds): New York rapper Himanshu Suri, formerly of Das Racist, named his album (like his label) after his mother. His earlier 2024 album, Lafandar, tops my non-jazz list. This one is iffier, and not just because they redo the old phone message thing. B+(***) [sp]

Jason Kao Hwang: Soliloquies: Unaccompanied Pizzicato Violin Improvisations (2024, True Sound): Exactly what the title promises, which sets an upper bound on how enjoyable this can be, but he comes remarkably close to hitting the mark. Hwang became our greatest living jazz violinist when Billy Bang passed, and is a safe bet to maintain that claim until he, too, is gone. A- [cd]

Miranda Lambert: Postcards From Texas (2024, Republic Nashville): Country singer-songwriter, debut 2005, probably the most consistent one since, even if you count her Pistol Annies side project. Another batch of good songs. A- [sp]

Matt Panayides Trio: With Eyes Closed (2023 [2024], Pacific Coast Jazz): Guitarist, based in New York, fourth album since 2010, a trio with Dave LaSpina (bass) and Anthony Pinciotti (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Anne Sajdera: It's Here (2024, Bijuri): Pianist, some solo (two tracks), some trio (two more), some with various horns (four). B+(*) [cd]

Jason Stein: Anchors (2022 [2024], Tao Forms): Bass clarinet player, based in Chicago, leads a trio with Joshua Abrams (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums). Billed as his "most personal album to date," impressive when he hits his stride, but seems to back off a bit much. B+(***) [cd]

Nilüfer Yanya: My Method Actor (2024, Ninja Tune): British pop singer-songwriter, father is Turkish, third album. Didn't grab me right away, like the first two, but snuck up. B+(***) [sp]

Charles Bell and the Contemporary Jazz Quartet: Another Dimension (1963, Atlantic): Pianist (1933-2012), only released two albums, one called The Charles Bell Contemporary Jazz Quartet in 1961, this this one a couple years later. Four originals, covers of "Django," "Oleo," and "My Favorite Things," with guitar (Bill Smith), bass (Ron Carter), and drums (Allen Blairman). B+(***) [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: Poinciana (1958 [1963], Argo): Early compilation LP, took the title song from Live at the Pershing, then tacked on seven songs from his September sets at the Spotlite (released in 1959 as Portfolio of Ahmad Jamal; Ahmad's Blues also comes from the Spotlite stand, but only two songs there are dupes from here). So this seems like a sampler for more definitive editions. B+(**) [r]

The Ahmad Jamal Trio: The Awakening (1970, Impulse!): With Jamil Nasser (bass) and Frank Grant (drums). B+(**) [r]

Ahmad Jamal: Live in Paris 1992 (1992 [1993], Birdology): French label, founded 1992 and ran up to 2005, associated with Disques Dreyfus. Mostly trio with James Cammack (bass guitar) and David Bowler (drums), with alternates on one track. B+(*) [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: I Remember Duke, Hoagy & Strayhorn (1994 [1995], Telarc): Covers as noted, plus a couple originals along those lines. With Ephriam Wolfolk (bass) and Arti Dixson (drums), but they don't add much. B+(*) [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: The Essence, Part 1 (1994-95 [1995], Birdology): The first of three volumes the label collected, this from live sets in Paris -- six quartet tracks with piano, bass (James Cammack), drums (Idris Muhammad), and percussion (Manolo Badrena), plus two tracks from New York with a different bassist (Jamil Nasser) and George Coleman (tenor sax). I wish we had more of the latter -- his bits are really terrific -- but without him I'm still reminded of how bright Jamal's piano is. A- [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: Big Byrd: The Essence, Part 2 (1994-95 [1996], Birdology): More quartet tracks from the same dates in Paris and New York, with guests Joe Kennedy Jr. (violin) on one track, Donald Byrd (trumpet) on the other (the 15:13 title track). B+(***) [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: Nature: The Essence, Part 3 (1997 [1998], Birdology): A later studio session from Paris, with the same quartet -- James Cammack (bass), Idris Muhammad (drums), Manolo Badrena (percussion) -- joined by Othello Molineaux on steel drum. Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax) drops in for one track, and is terrific. B+(**) [sp]

Another week, another day delayed, as Speaking of Which ran into overtime. When I finally called time late last night, it had run to 290 links, 15664 words, which is the most words and 2nd most links since I twiddled with the software to automatically post counts at the end of the files. I'll probably fix some typos and add a few minor bits by the time I post this tonight, and they will be flagged as usual, but I don't expect to put much more work into it.

What I am doing new this time is to go ahead and open a draft file before I finish Music Week. The downside is that the new one will appear ahead of Music Week in the blog roll, but the headline will be marked (draft) to indicates that I'm not done working on it. I'll drop that marking when I decide the piece is to be posted, and mark later additions and major edits with my red change bars, as I've been doing.

I work in a local copy of the website, and update the public copy when I have something to post. But sometimes I have reason to update without having a new post. This new approach just saves me the trouble of hiding posts that are still in draft stage. I figure there's no harm in whatever glimpses readers may find. Regularly updated files, like the music lists, will also be more up-to-date, which means they will run ahead of Music Week. (This has always been the case, but it's less evident if I only update for blog posts.)

Big haul of A-list records this week. Several came from Robert Christgau's latest Consumer Guide, which had an unusually large number of albums I hadn't heard and took kindly to -- and perhaps most importantly, spurred me to finally check out the Kate Nash record, which I wound up liking more than anyone else. Note that the three songs he picked out are the the least string-driven, including both of the ones that Thaae didn't claim co-credit on. I loved the string stuff from the start, then only latched onto this tryptich after several plays, although they did help push it from A- to A.

I'll admit that it's possible that without the CG, I'd have left Smither and Wade at B+(***). Several albums I previously graded:

I haven't returned to any of them, but I did belatedly revisit Zach Bryan and bumped its grade from B+(***) to A-. Others I'll get to in due course. Amy Rigby was a previous Christgau B+, but I say it's at least as good as Smither and Wade. Much pre-CG speculation focused on Anderson, LL Cool J, MJ Lenderman, and Sabrina Carpenter -- the latter I already had at B+(***).

Two more records overcame my anti-EP prejudices, basically by blowing them to smithereens. Only A-listed jazz album this week was a delightful surprise from the most down-home of the Marsalis clan, although there are other fine records in the B+(***) niche. I've been maintaining the EOY Jazz file, so I'm perhaps overly conscious of far above historic norms this year's A-list is (73 albums, which is a typical year-end figure, one that would extrapolate to a totally unprecedented 100+ number. (By the way, I've been finding a lot of mistakes in my bookkeeping lately, including three albums from last week that I failed to add to the EOY Jazz file. If you see something amiss, please let me know.)

I have a rather uneasy relationship to Substack. I have a couple subscriptions I've been comped, and one more my wife pays for but where I'm still treated as a freeloader. I know of a half-dozen more ones by music writers that I regularly click on, but haven't subscribed to, and there are probably several times that many mostly political writers I'd enjoy reading when/if I could. But the first new one I immediately subscribed to is one launched by the terrific jazz critic Tim Niland. Here's his first batch of Music Capsules. By the way, his 822-page book of "selected blog posts 2003-2015" is still available.

The next few weeks for me are going to be, well, complicated. I doubt I'll be writing much, and may completely blow the usual schedules. Nothing dire. Just lots of distractions and other things to do.

Gino Amato: Latin Crsossroads (2024, Ovation): Pianist, Discogs gives him one credit (arranger), leads many musicians (including strings) and singers through a set of Latin-tinged standards from "Blackbird" to "Green Flower Street" via Monk and "Aranjuez." B+(*) [cd]

Laurie Anderson: Amelia (2024, Nonesuch): Spoken word artist, started with Big Science in 1982, the first of several remarkable albums, back here with the story of pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart on her ill-fated attempt to fly around the world in 1937. A- [sp]

Eric Bibb: Live at the Scala Theatre Stockholm (2024, Repute): Easy-going blues singer-songwriter, originally from New York, first album 1972, lives in Stockholm, evidently for some time, so the choice of venue isn't so strange. B+(**) [sp]

Peter Case: Doctor Moan (2023, Sunset Blvd.): Singer-songwriter, from Buffalo, debut 1986, I thought his 1993 album Sings Like Hell was pretty good, but the dozen or so since, until this one showed up on a blues list. Plays piano, and sings, like hell, but not the same way. B [sp]

Dawn Clement/Steve Kovalcheck/Jon Hamar: Trio (2021 [2024], self-released): Piano-bass-guitar trio. I have Clement listed as a singer, but she doesn't here. B+(*) [cd]

Coco & Clair Clair: Girl (2024, Nice Girl World): Atlanta duo of Taylor Nave and Claire Toothill, third album since 2017, synthpop with some rap, most sung, short (9 tracks, 24:03) but nearly every song tantalizes, confirming the line "my girl and I just made a hit." A- [sp]

Buck Curran: One Evening and Other Folks Songs (2021-22 [2024], Obsolete/ESP-Disk): Singer-songwriter, plays guitar, several albums since 2016, first I've heard, based on title I filed this under folk (hype sheet confirms: "freak folk") but it doesn't really belong anywhere: a second vocalist, sometimes the lead, Adele Pappalardo, complicates the "singer" part, and keyboardist Jodi Pedrali spreads out the music, with ambient instrumentals in the mix. The alternate "Black Is the Color" has some prog appeal. B+(*) [cd]

Zaccai Curtis: Cubop Lives! (2024, Truth Revolution Recording Collective): Pianist, studied in Boston, based in New York, brother Luques Curtis is a notable bass player (present here, along with three percussionists). B+(**) [bc]

The Vinny Golia Quintet 2024: Almasty (2024, Nine Winds): Saxophonist, all weight plus many clarinets, very prolific since his debut album 1977 -- most on his own poorly promoted label, so my own exposure has been limited. Free jazz quintet here with Kris Tiner (trumpet/flugelhorn), Catherine Pineda (piano), Miller Wrenn (bass), and Clint Dodson (drums). B+(**) [bc]

Hot Club of San Francisco: Original Gadjo (2024, Hot Club): Gypsy jazz group, or a fair facsimile of one, inspired by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli's Hot Club de Paris, on their 15th album since 1993. B+(**) [cd]

Ill Considered: Infrared (2024, New Soil): British jazz group, active since 2017, improvises freely over deep world grooves. This seems a big darker than usual, though not without some moments. B+(**) [sp]

Ive: Ive Switch (2024, Starship Entertainment, EP): Korean girl group, six women, two listed as rappers, first single 2021, has a 2023 album, second EP (if I'm parsing this correctly), six songs, 18:13. They all sound like hits. A- [sp]

Julie: My Anti-Aircraft Friend (2024, Atlantic): Shoegaze band from Los Angeles, first album after an EP and several singles. Fills a niche. B+(*) [sp]

MJ Lenderman: Manning Fireworks (2024, Anti-): Guitarist, singer-songwriter from Asheville, North Carolina, is the great-grandson of saxophonist Charlie Ventura, has a couple solo albums and a band gig in Wednesday, which had a much-admired album in 2023. This one's also gotten a lot of hype. Seems lean at first, but fleshes out midway, mostly because the guitar gets denser, until eventually it's all that remains. (PS: When I added this to my EOY file, I found it on the line next to Adrianne Lenker's even more hyped Bright Future. Both are "good" albums hold little that I find interesting and/or pleasurable.) B+(***) [sp]

LL Cool J: The FORCE (2024, Def Jam): Rapper James Smith, first album (1985) went platinum, second album doubled that, third (Mama Said Knock You Out) probably his peak, got into acting early, landing a long-running role in NCIS in 2009, as the albums thinned out: just one in 2013, now this one. Title an acronym for "Frequencies of Real Creative Energy." Produced by Q-Tip, who really keeps it moving. A- [sp]

Delfeayo Marsalis Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Crescent City Jewels (2023-24 [2024], Troubadour Jass): The famous family's trombonist stays closest to home, especially in spirit, with a big band (and then some). "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" (Kermit Ruffins vocal) never needed this kind of firepower, but it's wonderful to behold. Only "Lil Liza Jane" returns to that vein, but the more generic standards are often delightful -- notably what may be the best "'Round Midnight" (Tonya Boyd-Cannon vocal) I've heard. A- [cd]

Chad McCullough: In These Hills, Beyond (2023 [2024], Calligram): Trumpet player, started in Seattle, recording for Origin from 2008, until he moved to Chicago, started a new label, and seems to have fallen in with a new group of musicians who are pushing him much further out on the postbop spectrum: Bram Weijters (piano/keyboard), Dave Miller (guitar), John Christensen (bass), Kobie Watkins (drums). B+(***) [cd]

Kate Nash: 9 Sad Symphonies (2024, Kill Rock Stars): British pop singer-songwriter, fifth album since 2007, all great, but I was slow getting to this, partly because I was warned off, and partly because it's been a while. Turns out there are ten songs (not 9), averaging a very unsymphonic 3:51 (total 38:30). I don't process sung words fast enough to rule on their sadness, but there's nothing mopey here: her phrasing is sharp and crisp, and most of the music is very sprightly. True that it's dominated by strings with pizzicato fillips, but only one violinist is credited. Nearly everything else comes from producer Frederik Thaae, whose credit reads: "keyboards, orchestra direction, percussion, programming (all tracks); background vocals (track 4), guitar (5, 10)." The effect is more Pet Shop Boys than Beethoven or Wagner. The delirious swirl of synth strings parts for the two songs that Thaae didn't co-write, but they too are remarkable. I don't keep a singles list, but if I did, "Millions of Heartbeats" would be near the top. Also "Vampyre" and "My Bile," and possibly "Ray" and "Misery." And maybe more. A [sp]

Amy Rigby: Hang in There With Me (2024, Tapete): Singer-songwriter, started in the 1990s in a group called the Shams, went solo, released a series of brilliant albums, including duos with pub rock veteran Wreckless Eric (who produced here), although they've been spread out since 2005's Little Fugitive. I'm glad to have this one. A- [sp]

Jeff Rupert: It Gets Better (2021 [2024], Rupe Media): Tenor saxophonist, teaches at University of Central Florida, recorded with Sam Rivers in the 1990s, has an album from 2009, several more since, including a joust with George Garzone. He sounds pretty mainstream here, but what else would you do with a dream rhythm section of Kenny Barron (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Joe Farnsworth (drums)? B+(***) [cd]

Otis Sandsjö: Y-Otis Tre (2021-23 [2024], We Jazz): Swedish saxophonist (mostly tenor, but also baritone, clarinet, flute, keyboards, drums), based in Berlin, two previous Y-Otis albums since 2018, here with Petter Eldh (bass, electronics) and Dan Nicholls (drums, keyboards). B [sp]

Claudio Scolari Project: Intermission (2023 [2024], Principal): Italian drummer, debut 2004, also plays (or programs) synth here, leading a quartet with trumpet (Simone Scolari), electric bass (Michele Cavalca), and a second drummer (Daniele Cavalca, also into synths and keyboards). B+(***) [cd]

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band: Dirt on My Diamonds: Volume 1 (2023, Provogue): Blues-rock guitarist-singer, debut album 1995, this is his 11th. B [sp]

Nala Sinephro: Endlessness (2024, Warp): Born in Belgium, father a saxophonist from Martinique/Guadeloupe, plays pedal harp, modular synthesizer, keyboards, and piano, second album seems viewed as jazz, whereas I filed her first one under electronica, the shift reflecting new prominence of saxophone (mostly Nubya Garcia, also James Mollison). B+(***) [sp]

Chris Smither: All About the Bones (2024, Signature Sounds): Folk singer-songwriter, released two albums 1970-71, one in 1984, then every couple years from 1991 on. I've heard most of them, and enjoyed many, but never got excited about him. Not about this one either, but it's going down so easy and pleasantly that I'm pretty satisfied. A- [sp]

Superposition: II (2024, We Jazz): Finnish jazz group, second album, names: Linda Fredriksson (alto/bari sax), Adele Sauros (soprano/tenor sax), Mikael Saastamoinen (bass), Olavi Louhivuori (drums), all with separate song credits. B+(**) [sp]

Verraco: Breathe . . . Godspeed (2024, Timedance, EP): Colombian DJ/producer, has one album (2020) and a half-dozen EPs, this one 4 tracks, 21:14. Nice one. B+(***) [sp]

Morgan Wade: Obsessed (2024, Ladylike/RCA Nashville): Country singer-songwriter, fourth album since 2018, last couple albums have been most impressive. This one sounds fine, but the preponderance of slow ones lulled me into apathy -- until I realized how many different songs caught my attention on one spin or another. A- [sp]

Gillian Welch/David Rawlings: Woodland (2024, Acony): Folk singer-songwriters, Welch grew up in a show biz family in New York before parting for Nashville in 1992, with a striking debut album in 1996. Rawlings played guitar on that album, and their partnership grew from there, with releasing albums under his name from 2009, and under both names in 2020. B+(***) [sp]

Alan Tomlinson Trio: Loft 1993 (1993 [2024], Scatter Archive): British trombonist (1947-2023), had an album in 1981, mostly played with Barry Guy (LJCO) and Peter Brötzmann, trio here with Dave Tucker (guitar) and Roger Turner (drums). B+(**) [bc]

Unholy Modal Rounders: Unholier Than Thou 7/7/77 (1977 [2024], Don Giovanni, 2CD): Village folkies Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber started recording old folk songs as Holy Modal Rounders in 1964, releasing two albums on Fantasy that are now beloved classics. Weber played guitar and straight man, while Stampfel's antic vocals were even scratcher than his fiddle, and they just got weirder, even altering their name in 1976 when they joined with Michael Hurley and Jeffrey Fredericks for one of the greatest albums ever, Have Moicy!. This live date picks up some songs from there, plus a nice mix of older tunes, some trad, plus covers given their unique spin -- "Goldfinger" I've heard before, but "I Must Be Dreaming" (the Coasters or Robins, not Neil Sedaka) is even better. A [sp]

Ahmad Jamal: Ahmad's Blues (1958 [1994], Chess): Pianist (1930-2023), born Frederick Russell Jones in Pittsburgh, changed his name on his conversion to Islam in 1950, recordings start with Okeh in 1951, his January 1958 trio At the Pershing: But Not for Me was widely regarded as a breakthrough. Same trio here -- Israel Crosby (bass) and Vernell Fournier (drums) -- at the Spotlite Club in DC, in September. B+(***) [sp]

Speaking of Which overshot its Sunday deadline once again. Not sure whether I should brag about how hard I worked (154 links, 10515 words, several lengthy comments), or make excuses for the time I spent on other things -- notably, a fairly large menu for dinner Thursday. I added a bit more today, but not much. I figure most stories will keep, but I did add some more pieces on the late jazz critic Dan Morgenstern.

Big expense of time today was casting a ballot for the DownBeat Readers Poll, for which I've taken a few notes. I put very little thought into the effort, as the results are usually pretty worthless. I've already noted one vote I clearly didn't think through (Female Vocalist: Catherine Russell over Fay Victor; both have good records this year, but Victor's is my top-rated album; careerwise they're pretty comparable, with Victor taking the riskier path.)

What took considerable time was reformatting the album lists, which I used to check how much I've listened to: new jazz albums: 97/110 (88.1%), historical jazz (24/32, 75.0%), blues (23/34, 67.6%), and "beyond" (28/32, 87.5%). I'll nudge those numbers up a bit in coming weeks, but the first 3-4 new jazz albums I looked up weren't readily available.

One disturbing thing that emerged from the exercise was that I found four albums I had reviewed but didn't have an entry for in my database. I found all of the reviews in the Streamnotes archives. I also found this week's Patricia Brennan review back in the August archive. At my age, mental lapses like these are troubling. My eyes have also been pretty bad the last few days. I haven't gotten back to the "to do" list I started a couple weeks ago, let alone checked much off of it. We did manage to get the latest Covid boosters today, and stocked up on groceries. Plus I have this almost ready to roll out.

Seems like the A-list albums this week (except for Lowe) took a lot of extra plays. Hicks, Alvin/Gilmore, and Shorter all got upgrades the day after I had them filed at B+(***). The others got re-checks. The old rap records came off a checklist of 5-mic albums as rated by The Source (in a notebook entry). Oddly enough, all four albums I hadn't heard came in sequence, from 2001-10. I've often explained that my focus shifted in the 1990s from contemporary rock/rap/pop to jazz and oldies when I grew tired and/or disgusted with "grunge and gangsta." This just shows how completely I tuned gangsta out. Much more back then that I missed, including everything by the Scarface and Bun B precursor groups (Geto Boys, UGK). I doubt I'll do a dive any time soon, but the old school beats struck a chord, and not much really offends me these days.

Speaking of checklists, I compiled one based on two posts by Dan Weiss on "The Best 50 Rock Bands Right Now" (links therein). A couple of this week's records were sampled off this list, and there's still a dozen I haven't heard yet.

I didn't watch the Tuesday debate, but my wife did, and stuck with it to the end. She thought Harris did fine. I overheard bits, and watched the recap on Colbert. I heard Harris say a few things I really disagree with, especially on foreign policy. Literally everything I heard Trump say was a lie, but he delivered them with relentless conviction, which seems to be all that way too many people need. Plenty of time to rehash that next week.

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore: TexiCali (2024, Yep Roc): Country-folksingers from California and Texas, the former starting in the Blasters, the latter in the Flatlanders, both with long and distinguished solo careers, Gilmore with an especially remarkable voice. This starts off rather perfunctory, but gets better, and better still, with "We're Still Here" an applause line, anticipating an encore. A- [sp]

Bacchae: Next Time (2024, Get Better): "Punk band from Washington, DC," Katie McD (vocals/keys), with guitar (Andrew Breiner), bass (Rena Hagins), drums (Eileen O'Grady), fourth album since 2024. B+(***) [sp]

Rahsaan Barber & Everyday Magic: Six Words (2022 [2024], Jazz Music City): Saxophonist (alto, soprano, tenor), fourth album since 2011, leads a sextet with trumpet (Pharez Whitted), trombone (Roland Barber), piano, bass, and drums, through a nice set of original pieces. B+(**) [cd]

Andrew Barker/William Parker/Jon Irabagon: Bakunawa (2022 [2024], Out of Your Head): Drummer, not a lot under his own name, but I remember a 2003 album with Matthew Shipp and Charles Waters fondly, also his work in Gold Sparkle Trio (also with Waters). Discogs gives him 65 credits since 1993. Of course, the bassist (also playing b flat pocket tuba and gralla here) has a great many more, and the saxophonist (tenor/sopranino) is up to 144 since 1998. Best part here is the gralla/sopranino clash. B+(***) [sp]

Beabadoobee: This Is How Tomorrow Moves (2024, Dirty Hit): Filipino-born, Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus, grew up in London, pop singer-songwriter, third album, opened on top of UK charts, limited US breakout. Girly voice, has a soft touch that I find rather appealing, but don't quite trust, until she delivers some substance. A- [sp]

Geoff Bradfield: Colossal Abundance (2023 [2024], Calligram): Tenor saxophonist, also plays bass clarinet and mbira, albums since 2003, this one mostly features an expansive 12-piece group with African percussion. B+(***) [cd]

Patricia Brennan Septet: Breaking Stretch (2023 [2024], Pyroclastic): Vibraphonist, if memory serves was the Poll winner for her debut album, has since only grown more ambitious. Wrote compositions here, also plays marimba and electronics, but this is mostly a powerhouse group, with saxophonists Jon Irabagon and Mark Shim, trumpet (Adam O'Farrill), bass (Kim Cass), drums (Marcus Gilmore), and percussion (Mauricio Herrera). A- [cd]

The Chisel: What a Fucking Nightmare (2024, Pure Noise): English punk band, second album. B+(*) [sp]

Clairo: Charm (2024, Clairo): Singer-songwriter Claire Cottrill, born in Atlanta but grew up in Massachusetts, started with home recordings in her teens, with an EP at 15 and a full album just before she turned 20. Third album here, relaxed and engaging. B+(***) [sp]

Greg Copeland: Empire State (2024, Franklin & Highland, EP): Folkie singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, three widely spaced albums (1982, 2008, 2020), the debut produced by Jackson Browne. This adds five more well-observed songs, 20:31. B+(**) [cd]

Elbow: Audio Vertigo (2024, Polydor): Britpop band, debut 2001, won a Mercury Prize in 2009, 10th album, only the second I've bothered with. Not bad, but still not very interesting. B [sp]

Fontaines D.C.: Romance (2024, XL): Irish post-punk band, from Dublin, fourth album since 2019, singer-songwriter Grian Chatten also has a solo album, sounds good. B+(**) [sp]

Future Islands: People Who Aren't There Anymore (2024,4AD): American synthpop band, based in Baltimore, Samuel T Herring the singer-songwriter, seventh studio album since 2008, has a beat, a vibe, and some human interest. B+(*) [sp]

Dylan Hicks & Small Screens: Modern Flora (2023 [2024], Soft Launch): Singer-songwriter (and novelist) from Minnesota, plays piano, called his first self-released cassette The New Dylan in 1990, has one album I've A-listed (2012's Sings Bolling Greene), a couple more that high in Christgau's estimation, though not quite in mine. I was surprised to receive this, but found it opens with a slow jazz instrumental, with horn section and cello, setting the mood before easing into a song. He sustains the jazzy vibe, reminding me of Donald Fagen, while interesting bits of songs sneak into your subconscious. A- [cd]

Illuminati Hotties: Power (2024, Hopeless): Indie rock (or twee pop?) band led by Sarah Tudzin, third album. B+(**) [sp]

Jon Irabagon: I Don't Hear Nothin\' but the Blues: Volume 3 Part 2: Exuberant Scars (2024, Irabbagast): Tenor saxophonist, fourth installment of a series that started in 2008 as a duo with Mike Pride (drums), added guitarist Mick Barr for Volume 2, and a second guitarist, Ava Mendoza, for Volume 3. Each album consists of one long improv piece, this one 45:52. B+(**) [bc]

Jon Irabagon Trio + One: Dinner & Dancing (2023 [2024], Irrabagast): Tenor/sopranino saxophonist, also alto clarinet here, trio with Mark Helias (bass) and Barry Altschul (drums) described as "longstanding" (I didn't find any previous "Trio" album, but they shared credit for a 2013 album, and there's one with Altschul from 2010.) The "+ One" is pianist Uri Caine. B+(***) [bc]

Tom Johnson Jazz Orchestra: Time Takes Odd Turns (2023 [2024], self-released): Not the minimalist composer, this one is a professor emeritus of psychology at Indiana State, has studied "effects of listening to sad music and personality styles of jazz musicians," first album, arranged for 20-piece big band plus some extras. B [sp]

Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: Louis Armstrong's America Volume 1 (2023-24 [2024], ESP-Disk, 2CD): In Lowe's America, Armstrong never died but just entered some parallel dimension where he continued to evolve, along with Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dave Schildkraut, Bo Diddley, Ornette Coleman, Lenny Bruce, Roswell Rudd, and hundreds of others. I've long thought of him primarily as a historian, but he plays alto sax, has been making records since 1990, and significantly picked up the pace c. 2011 (cf. the 3-CD Blues and the Empirical Truth), which seems to have been around the time he somehow figured out how to tap into this extra dimension, and claim copyright for all he found. My eyes aren't good enough to read the microprint on the CD packaging, but it's online, and entertaining with or without the music, which sounds like something altogether different. Bill James came up with a concept he called "similarity scores," which is relatively easy to calculate for baseball players, as so much of what they do can be quantified, whereas very little for musicians can. But intuitively, the jazz figure Lowe is most similar to is Henry Threadgill, as they both make music that is new yet steeped in everything that came before. A- [cd]

Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: Louis Armstrong's America Volume 2 (2023-24 [2024], ESP-Disk, 2CD): Major personal peeve here is that something that was obviously intended as a single 4-CD work (the discs here are identified as "CD 3" and "CD 4," and the liner notes cited in the Volume 1 review cover them) has been split up into a pair of releases. I've spent a lot of energy the last couple years forcing poll voters to choose between related releases -- I thought the 2022 Mary Halvorson releases (Amaryllis, Belladonna) were distinct enough for an easy call, the Charles Lloyd "trilogy of trios" came out separately before they were eventually boxed, and the first two Ahmad Jamal Emerald City Nights were part of a series that lapsed into the next year -- but forcing people to split hairs between these two volumes will be tough. I'm not sure I can do it myself (although as I'm writing this, "CD 4" is sounding exceptional). One should mention somewhere here that the supporting cast, as noted on the front covers, includes "Marc Ribot, Andy Stein, Ursula Oppens, Lewis Porter, Loren Schoenberg, Aaron Johnson, & Ray Anderson," although there are others (not in the "liner notes" but in the fine cover print I can't read, which minimally includes Matthew Shipp, Ray Suhy, Elijah Shiffer, and Jeppe Zeeberg -- names I recognize as regulars and/or as more recent raves. A [cd]

Shelby Lynne: Consequences of the Crown (2024, Monument): Country singer-songwriter, 16th studio album since 1989. Ended before I had anything to say, which is probably unfair, but noteworthy in itself. B [sp]

Rose Mallett: Dreams Realized (2024, Carrie-On Productions): "Veteran jazz and soul singer," "living jazz legend," old enough for white hair, but nothing on her in Discogs, even for backup vocals at Motown, so this seems to be her debut album. Standards (counting BB King and Stevie Wonder), one original, striking voice, interesting arrangements. B+(***) [cd]

Brian Marsella/Jon Irabagon: Blue Hour (2019-22 [2024], Irabbagast): Duo, piano/keyboards and saxes (mezzo soprano/tenor/sopranino). Interesting clashes, but can get a bit sketchy for too long. B+(*) [bc]

Claire Rousay: Sentiment (2024, Thrill Jockey): Moved from Winnipeg to San Antonio, "is known for using field recordings to create musique concrète pieces," Discogs lists 26 albums since 2019, this by far the closest to a high profile label. B+(*) [sp]

Bria Skonberg: What It Means (2023 [2024], Cellar Live): Canadian trumpet player, half-dozen albums since 2009, also sings (quite well), recorded this one in New Orleans, which provides musicians and inspiration -- the better part of the album. B+(**) [sp]

This Is Lorelei: Box for Buddy, Box for Star (2022 [2024], Double Double Whammy): Solo album by Nate Amos, away from his group, Water From Your Eyes. B+(**) [sp]

Raymond Burke: The Southland Recordings 1958-1960 (1958-60 [2024], Jazzland): New Orleans clarinet player (1904-86, trad jazz, his earliest recordings are collected by American Music in 1937-1949. This picks up three sessions, most previously unreleased, later but probably little different. B+(*) [sp]

Gastr Del Sol: We Have Dozens of Titles (1993-98 [2024], Drag City, 2CD): Chicago-based experimental rock group, principally David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke, released four albums 1993-98, the dozen titles here (103 minutes) mostly previously unreleased live dates, although this includes a 17:12 EP where the group expands to ten. Vocals are rare, but some talk got picked up. The music itself leans toward avant-minimalism, but not just that. B+(**) [sp]

Wayne Shorter: Celebration, Volume 1 (2014 [2024], Blue Note): First in a promised series of archival albums from the late saxophonist, a live set from the Stockholm Jazz Festival with a quartet of Danilo Perez (piano), John Patitucci (bass), and Brian Blade (drums) -- the same quartet that put Shorter back in business c. 2000 (cf. Footprints Live!). I've never been much of a Shorter fan, but this group gets him going, finally convincing me that there's something distinct to his soprano sax. A- [sp]

Charles Bevel: Meet "Mississippi Charles" Bevel (1973, A&M): Google identifies him as an actor, multi-media artist, and lecturer, but Discogs credits him with two albums, this debut and one more from 2000. Easy as folk, light on the blues. B+(**) [yt]

Bun B: Trill O.G. (2010, Rap-A-Lot): Houston rapper Bernard Freeman (b. 1973), started in UGK, went solo in 2005 with Trill, sold enough for RIAA Gold, kept "Trill" in all of his subsequent titles, of which this was his third. The next-to-last of The Source's 5-mic albums -- Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, also 2010, was the last -- starts out as another gangsta retread, but ends strong ("All a Dream" and "It's Been a Pleasure"). B+(**) [sp]

Raymond Burke: Raymond Burke 1937-1949 (1937-49 [2014], American Music): Trad jazz clarinetist from New Orleans, the first batch (15 tracks from 1949) by Ray Burke's Speakeasy Boys, one track from 1937 with George Hartman's Band, others from 1942 with Vincent Cass and 1945 with Woodrow Russell. Sound is variable, but there is some real spirit here. B+(**) [sp]

Lil' Kim: The Naked Truth (2005, Atlantic): Rapper Kimberly Jones, recorded four albums 1996-2005, selling 15 million, only one more album since. This was her fourth, "the only album by a female rapper to be rated five mics by The Source," runs 21 songs, 76:31, mostly filler, and not just the skits and guest shots. B [sp]

Nas: Stillmatic (2001, Columbia): Rapper Nasir Jones, fifth album checks back on his 1994 debut Illmatic, justly famous, although I was warned off the stretch of albums that followed, including this one -- which, like the original, showed up recently on a checklist which added only a handful of post-2000 albums to its roster of 1990s classics. This remains haunted by gangsta myth, hooked by savvy samples. High point is "Rule," what "everyone wants." B+(***) [sp]

Scarface: The Fix (2002, Def Jam South): Houston rapper Brad Jordan, joined the Geto Boys in 1989 and never really left, despite a string of solo albums from 1991 on, this his 7th. Cold-blooded gangsta rhymes, so relentless it's hard to stay offended, especially given the beats, which is what made the '90s rock. B+(**) [sp]

Yesterday's Speaking of Which slacked off a bit, only citing 141 links, less than half of the previous week's 290 (although the word count only dropped by 28%, as I got off on more tangents; also last week included an extra day plus extra adds, whereas this one appeared on schedule, and I haven't tallied up what little I've added since).

Music Week is also coming in a day short. Rating count got a boost as my dive into Houston Person's old records carried over from last week, and led me to a new one. Also the A-list bounced back after only one record each in three of the last four weeks (but 7 for the week of August 20. Three of those came from promos I had been sitting on until their late August release dates. (An extra day would have added Patricia Brennan's Breaking Stretch, but that's banked for next week.)

I'm still updating the 2024 Jazz list, which has already reached a ridiculous A-list length (70+3 new music, 16+1 old music). I haven't sorted out the Non-Jazz yet, but at this point it's unlikely that I have half as many albums in any subdivision. Four pop records I tried I played multiple times before leaving them in the B+ ranks: Sabrina Carpenter, Lainey Wilson, Buoys, Magdalena Bay. The latter's Mercurial World was one of my favorite records of 2021, but only hints at that level toward the end. Same fate seems likely for Beebadoobee's This Is How Tomorrow Moves next week, but there's a lot to like there.

I started to write up a "to do" list in my Aug. 30 notebook entry, and hope to get back to it soon. I did cross a couple items off today already: I updated and did the indexing for August Streamnotes. I was surprised to find I have more patience for that kind of work early in the day.

Joan Didion's Where I was From is the first (of three) books I picked up in the brick-and-mortar bookstore last week. I've never read her fiction, but have read two books of political reporting: Political Fictions (2002), and Fixed Ideas: America Since 9.11 (2003), by which time she was a recovering Republican. Less of a memoir than I expected, but interesting as history, even as drawn from novels. I have more typical political books "on the nightstand" (Zack Beauchamp, Danielle Allen, Henry Farrell/Abraham Newman), but figured I could use a break.

The Buoys: Lustre (2024, Sony): Australian indie rock band, Zoe Catterall the lead singer and only constant member since 2016. This seems to be their first album, following several EPs (as far back as 2017). On first play, they're about as good as a dozen similar bands going back at least to the Go-Gos in the early 1980s. B+(***) [sp]

Bex Burch: There Is Only Love and Fear (2023, International Anthem): Percussionist, from London, but ranges far and wide (Ghana and Berlin are mentioned), makes her own instruments, calls this first album "messy minimalism." It's messy, but that's where the charm emerges. A- [sp]

Gunhild Carling: Jazz Is My Lifestyle! (2024, Jazz Art): Jazz singer-songwriter from Sweden, started in her cornetist father's trad-oriented big band, also plays trombone, likes it bold and brassy. Group credit could be expanded "Big Band with Strings" (Prague Strings Chamber Orchestra). B+(***) [cd]

Sabrina Carpenter: Short n' Sweet (2024, Island): This month's pop sensation, started posting YouTube videos when she was 10, became a Disney teen actor, first album at 16, fourth at 25. Slick, or sleek, took me a while, and I'm still not there, not that I quarrel with "refreshingly light" or "cheeky, clever, and effortlessly executed." B+(***) [sp]

Bill Charlap Trio: And Then Again (2024, Blue Note): Mainstream pianist, albums started on Criss Cross in 1995, moved to Blue Note in 2000. Trio with Peter Washington (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums) formed in 1997, their boast as "one of the great working jazz groups of our day" well earned. Eight standards, with Barron, Monk, and Brubeck from the jazz side, the show tunes even more impeccable. B+(***) [sp]

Doechii: Alligator Bites Never Heal (2024, Top Dawg/Capitol): Rapper Jaylah Hickman, third mixtape, has a couple EPs. B+(**) [sp]

Girl in Red: I'm Doing It Again Baby! (2024, Columbia): Norwegian indie pop singer-songwriter Marie Ulven Ringheim, second album after a couple EPs, short at 27:51 (10 songs). B+(**) [sp]

The Haas Company [Featuring Frank Gambale]: Vol. 2: Celestial Latitude (2024, Psychiatric): Drummer Steve Haas, credits keyboardist Pete Drungle as the fusion group's musical director, with Gambale the featured guest guitarist (replacing Andy Timmons from Vol. 1, an improvement). B+(**) [cd]

Javon Jackson/Nikki Giovanni: Javon & Nikki Go to the Movies (2024, Solid Jackson/Palmetto): Tenor saxophonist, started with Art Blakey 1987-90, led his first album on Criss Cross in 1991, moved to Blue Note 1994-99, then to Palmetto through 2008. He's been much less prominent since then, mostly on his own label, but got some notice in 2022 for his album with the famed poet (22 years his senior). They return here with a mixed concept album. She's featured on three tracks, spread out to make room for the movie-themed standards sung superbly by Nicole Zuraitis, lavishly burnished with Jackson's saxophone. A- [cd]

Magdalena Bay: Imaginal Disk (2024, Mom + Pop): Synthpop duo, Mica Tenenbaum (vocals) and Matthew Lewin (arrangements), with lots of strings and brass. I thought their first album was terrific, but this one is less immediately appealing. B+(**) [sp]

Mavi: Shadowbox (2024, Mavi 4 Mayor Music): Rapper Omavi Ammu Minder, grew up in Charlotte, NC; third album since 2019. B+(**) [sp]

Nicole Mitchell and Ballaké Sissoko: Bamako Chicago Sound System (2017 [2024], FPE): The AACM flautist hosts the Malian kora player and his cohort, most notably Fassery Diabaté (balafon) and Fatim Kouyaté (vocals), for a session that's much more theirs than hers, even with backing from additional jazz musicians Jeff Parker (guitar), Joshua Abrams (bass), and JoVia Armstrong (percussion). This is pretty delightful. A- [sp]

Houston Person/Peter Beets: Live in Holland: Houston Person Meets Peter Beets Trio (2024, Maxanter): I get nervous when I see a live album without the recording date, especially when the star up around 89. His first notes here sound as strong as ever, but that was also true of his eature turn in Emmet Cohen's Master Legacy Series Volume 5, which I have reliably dated to 2023. Beets is a Dutch pianist I should probably learn more about: he has several albums on Criss Cross (Chopin Meets the Blues is one on a recurring theme), other albums back to 1997, ranging from Concertgebouw to an ICP quartet with Han Bennink, with an Oscar Peterson tribute along the way. Beets is in Peterson mode here. Norman Granz would love this. A- [sp]

Catherine Russell/Sean Mason: My Ideal (2023 [2024], Dot Time): Standards singer, eighth album since 2006, had a famous father but their lives only overlapped seven years, with a great distance between his early peak in the late 1920s and her late emergence (first album at 50). Backed with just piano here, a young pianist steeped in blues and stride, which makes her sound rather like Bessie Smith. (I'm assuming that the August 2003 recording date is a typo.) A- [cd]

Taliba Safiya: Black Magic (2024, self-released, EP): Singer-songwriter from Memphis, some rhythm, more blues, first release, seven songs, 19:17. B+(*) [sp]

Sault: Acts of Faith (2024, Forever Living Originals): British r&b group, members mysterious, eleventh album since 2019, one track of 32:09. Their best stuff reminds me of Chic. The rest reminds me they're not as good as Chic. B+(*) [yt]

Philip Weberndoerfer: Tides (2023 [2024], Shifting Paradigm): Guitarist from Germany, 26, based in New York, seems to be his first album, seven originals plus two covers, backed by bass and drums, with saxophonist Dayna Stephens joining on five tracks. Billed as "a sonic portrayal of the human condition," I found it reassuringly pleasant. B+(**) [cd]

Lainey Wilson: Whirlwind (2024, BBR): Country singer-songwriter, fifth album since 2014, sounds great at first, upbeat, one could even say rocks out. B+(***) [sp]

Miguel Zenón: Golden City (2023 [2024], Miel Music): Alto saxophonist, from Puerto Rico, has explored his roots music extensively, but is mostly a postbop guy, with an Ornette Coleman tribute on his résumé. Some Latin tinge here (but not much, or at least not the main point), in an expansive set of pieces commissioned by the Hewlett Foundation and SFJAZZ, themed for San Francisco, performed by an all-star nonet that hits all the bases. A- [cd]

Ashtyn Barbaree: Debut EP (2018, self-released, EP): Country/Americana Singer-songwriter from Fayetteville, plays ukulele and guitar, voice somewhat quirky, backed with guitar, piano, bass, and drums, for six songs, 19:31. Followed up with a 2022 album, and has a new one coming out late October. B+(*) [bc]

Ashtyn Barbaree: Better Luck Next Time (2022, self-released): First album (9 songs, 29:10), after an EP (2018) and a couple of singles. Nice enough, but little stands out. B+(*) [bc]

Houston Person: Broken Windows, Empty Hallways (1972 [2004], Prestige): The tenor saxophonist's tenth album on Prestige, a fairly large group arranged and conducted by Billy Ver Planck, with Cedar Walton on piano and Ernie Hayes on organ. Reissue adds a second album from the same sessions, originally released as Sweet Buns & Barbeque. Both feature recent rock tunes, the first starts with Randy Newman and moves on to "Mr. Bojangles" and "Imagine" before slipping in a Monk and an original; the second kicks off with a swell "A Song for You" and winds up funky. B+(***) [sp]

Houston Person: A Little Houston on the Side (1977-94 [1999], 32 Jazz): Compiled from the tenor saxophonist's Muse albums, not so much his as the occasions where he appeared on others' albums. Discogs has artist credits, and undated source albums (some from other 32 Jazz comps with their own lapses), so so this could really use better documentation. Two Etta Jones vocals, one from Charles Brown. He is solid as ever. B+(**) [sp]

Houston Person: My Romance (1998, HighNote): Same quartet, but slower, as Person's evolving into one of the great ballad saxophonists. B+(**) [sp]

Houston Person: Soft Lights (1999, HighNote): Grady Tate takes over on drums, and guitarist Russell Malone joins in -- adding another dimension, where more saxophone might have been better. B+(**) [sp]

Houston Person: In a Sentimental Mood (2000, HighNote): Quartet with Stan Hope (piano), George Kaye (bass), and Chip White (drums), playing well-worn standards. B+(***) [sp]

Houston Person: Blue Velvet (2001, HighNote): Quartet with Richard Wyands (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), and Grady Tate (drums), for another luscious batch of standards. B+(***) [sp]

Houston Person With Ron Carter: Dialogues (2000 [2002], HighNote): Tenor sax and bass duo, a third album after two on Muse: Something in Common (1990), and Now's the Time (1993). B+(**) [sp]

Houston Person: Sentimental Journey (2002, HighNote): Another very nice set of standards, a little more upbeat, backed by Richard Wyands (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Grady Tate (drums), with guitarist Russell Malone in on four (of nine) tracks. B+(***) [sp]

Houston Person: Social Call (2003, HighNote): Another batch of standards, mostly drawing on jazz composers -- leads off with title piece by Gigi Gryce, followed by Tadd Dameron, Horace Silver, and Benny Carter, with Cedar Walton and "Daydream" coming later. Quintet with Stan Hope (piano), Paul Bollenbeck (guitgar), Per-Ola Gadd (bass), and Chip White (drums). He's been so consistently superb, and so casual about it, that it's picking any album as a breakthrough is arbitrary. But no ballad master has ever offered a better "Bewitched," and that's just one example. Bollenback is an especially nice fit. By the way, Person's next album, To Etta With Love, is even better. A- [sp]

Houston Person: The Melody Lingers On (2014, HighNote): I heard nearly all of his albums from 2004's To Etta With Love on in real time, but this one slipped by. Quintet with Lafayette Harris (piano), Steve Nelson (vibes), Ray Drummond (bass), and Lewis Nash (drums). B+(***) [sp]

Houston Person: Something Personal (2015, HighNote): Another easy one, with Nelson (vibes) again, John Di Martino (piano), James Chirillo (guitar 4/10 tracks), Drummond and Nash, the title song the only original. B+(**) [sp]

Houston Person: Rain or Shine (2017, HighNote): Past 80, his duo album with Ron Carter, Chemistry, was one of my top albums in 2016. Here he augments his quartet -- Lafayette Harris (piano), Matthew Parish (bass), Vincent Ector (drums) -- with guitar (Rodney Jones on 8/9 cuts) and cornet (Warren Vache on 5). B+(***) [sp]

Once again, Speaking of Which took an extra day, and I'll probably spend more time today adding to it than I spend writing here. [PS: I did wind up adding another 63 links, 2607 words.] Good reason to get this organized early, which means collecting the reviews here, and also opening up a new draft file for September, as this is the last installment in the August archive. Meanwhile, I've been playing old Motown comps, and now some Sonny Boy Williamson -- things I can enjoy immensely without having to think (or write) about.

A-list shrunk back this week, with the Ottaviano coming early, and nothing else coming very close (although I may have cheated Houston Person, knowing that better albums were coming; maybe also Dyani, whose 1978 Song for Biko is a favorite). The old music offered welcome relief from the August doldrums. Phil Overeem mentioned Dyani, and I realized that my ex-LP Music for Xaba was missing from my database (memory pegged it at B+, and the YouTube recheck refined that). I noticed Person when I was looking at the late guitarist Russell Malone's discography. But before getting to the albums Malone played on, I thought I'd check out some of Person's early Prestige releases. We'll get to the later stuff, and maybe some of Malone's own work, next week.

I mostly followed up recent posts from Michael Tatum, Christian Iszchak, Chris Monsen, and Dan Weiss. It's worth noting that despite critical pans damn near everywhere else, Iszchak and Tatum A-listed the Eminem album, while Weiss liked it about as much as I did (from one quick and not very focused play, I must admit).

Some small progress on my house projects. After four failed attempts, I gave up and hired an electrician to install the back door light, so that's done. Key thing he did was to install a box to mount the light to, whereas the old one was hung on the vinyl siding cover. Still, the main trick was standing on a ladder while holding the dead weight of the new fixture and securing all of the wires. I'm supposed to be getting a quote on repairing the fallen plaster ceiling. So if it's reasonable, we can knock that off.

I did manage to do one small project on my own: shimming a counter top to keep water from pooling and dripping. Next project will be to try to weld a broken plastic garbage can lid. I bought a tool, but I've never tried using it. Also note that the electrician looked at the loose camera wire, and decided he couldn't fix it, so I'm on my own there.

Just one more chapter in the late Lewis H Lapham's Age of Folly: America Abandons Its Democracy. Takes me back to much history I lived through, starting in the late 1980s, but mostly focuses on 2001-05, during the early days of the war on the abstract noun. Sharp analysis, with many delicious turns of phrase. One could go back and mine the book for aphorisms. I should see if I can recover a few. One he uses several times is the strange belief that "money is good for the rich, but bad for the poor."

I stopped by Barnes & Noble last week, for the first time I've been in a bookstore since the pandemic, possibly some years longer. I picked out three books that I wouldn't have thought of to buy had I not seen them first, so they're likely to be next up. For most of my life, I headed to bookstores 3-4 times a week, so it took considerable business malpractice to end that habit. (Borders closing was a major blow, after which B&N seemed to morph into some kind of glorified toy store. I was even under the impression that B&N had stopped carrying magazines, but they still had a fairly substantial section.) Next up should be a return to the library. I need to figure out how to make use of local library resources to do anything along the lines of the research I need.

My future direction is very uncertain. But I've been getting some help recently on the Jazz Poll, which makes it more likely to continue.

Neil Adler: Emi's Song (2024, self-released): Pianist, also plays harmonica, and incorporated that into his website. Seems to be his first album, a quartet with bass, drums, and congas, on a wide range of covers along with three of his own. B+(**) [cd]

Erlend Albertsen Basspace: Name of the Wind (2024, Dugnad Rec): Norwegian bassist, second album as leader, group a quintet, mostly strings and keyboards, with Albertsen also playing some soprano sax, plus: Ellie Mäkelä (viola, Hardanger fiddle), Egil Kalman (modular synth, double bass), Simon Albertsen (drums, synth), and Hogne Kleiberg (piano, synth). B+(**) [sp]

Gonçalo Almeida: States of Restraint (2023 [2024], Clean Feed): Portuguese bassist, based in Rotterdam, prolific since 2014. With Susana Santos Silva (trumpet) and Gustavo Costa (percussion), for "a set of remarkable minimalist tone poems distinguished by their brooding crawl-time intensity and austere meditative aesthetics." B+(***) [sp]

Marc Ciprut: Moonshine (2024, White Label): Guitarist, from New York, plays fusion/funk, various lineups, mostly electric keyboards (or organ), electric bass, drums. B+(*) [cd]

Walter Crockett: Children So Long (2022, self-released): Folk singer-songwriter, from Massachusetts, seems to be his first (and only) album, although he looks like he's been around a long time, dropping hints like "drives through Michigan or Kansas in the '40s and '50s," "listening to Elvis in 1955," "Mom is 98 now," and he dates his songs back to 1976. B+(**) [sp]

Eminem: The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) (2024, Shady/Aftermath/Interscope): Twelfth studio album since 1996, namechecks the title character of his 1999 megahit, still sells enough he can laugh off the bad reviews (46/15 Metacritic, 50/15 AOTY, 4.8 at Pitchfork). I don't know what the beef is, and midway through I hadn't noticed much one way or the other, but "Houdini" is pretty damn catchy, and tuning in on words the next few songs was interesting enough, even though the only words I jotted down were "deep down I'm a dork." B+(**) [sp]

Signe Emmeluth: Banshee (2023 [2024], Motvind): Danish alto saxophonist, based in Oslo, debut album in 2018 launched her group, Emmeluth's Amoeba. B+(***) [sp]

Flukten: Flukten (2023 [2024], Odin): Norwegian quartet, second album, I have the filed under saxophonist Hanna Paulsberg but the writers this time are drummer Hans Hulbækmo (6) and guitarist Marius Hirth Klovning (2); also with Bárður Reinert Poulsen (bass). B+(***) [sp]

Sahra Halgan: Hiddo Dhawr (2024, La Région/Danaya Music): Singer from Somaliland, which is a "de facto independent state" broken away from Somalia in 1991 but still unrecognized by most other countries. Second album, combines Ethiopian and Arabic influences, with some of the flavor of the "Saharan rock" common in Niger and Mali. B+(***) [sp]

Eirik Hegdal Eklektisk Samband: Turnchest (2022 [2024], Particular): Billed as "a new Scandinavian Super band!" with the Team Hegdal saxophonist the "initiator," joined by Thea Grant (voice/electronics), Per Texas Johansson (tenor sax/flute/clarinets), Anja Lauvdal (piano/synth/pump organ), Ole Morten Vågan (bass), and Hans Hulbækmo (drums/percussion/mouth harp). As is often the case, it's the vocals that turn me off, but while my usual complaint is arch or starchy, this time it's deliriously disruptive. B+(*) [sp]

Danny Jonokuchi Big Band: A Decade (2022 [2024], Bandstand Presents): Trumpet player, has at least one previous album (hype sheet says four, and mentions an ISJAC award), leads a conventional big band through one original and a batch of nicely done standards, ending with his vocal on a bonus take of "Skylark." B+(*) [cd]

I. Jordan: I Am Jordan (2024, Ninja Tune): British electronica producer/DJ, previously released an EP as India Jordan, seems this is first album. Opener is dead (or worse), but gets better after finding a beat. Much better. B+(*) [sp]

JPEGMafia: I Lay Down My Life for You (2024, AWAL): Rapper-producer Barrington Hendricks, half-dozen albums since 2016, last year's Danny Brown collaboration Scaring the Hoes got a lot of critical applause, but I never made any sense out of it. I can't say much about this one either, but with only three "feat." slots, it mostly dwells in dank and dark noise -- I've seen comps to Death Grips, which does even less for me (perhaps because of the occasional break one catches here). B+(*) [sp]

Move: Free Baile: Live in Shenzhen (2023 [2024], Clean Feed): Free jazz trio, Portuguese and/or Brazilian: Yedo Gibson (sax), Felipe Zenicola (bass), João Valinho (drums). Second album, a rabble-rousing crowd-pleaser. B+(***) [sp]

Simon Nabatov Quartet Feat. Ralph Alessi: Lovely Music (2021 [2024], Clean Feed): Russian pianist, left at 20 in 1979, ostensibly for Israel but wound up in US, studying at Juilliard, becoming a US citizen in 1986, but he's lived in Germany since 1989, which is shortly after his discography kicks off (Discogs credits him with four 1988 albums). Quartet is rounded out with Sebastian Gille (sax), David Helm (bass), and Leif Berger (drums), so doesn't count the featured guest on trumpet. Rather grand and, sure, lovely. B+(***) [sp]

Navy Blue: Memoirs in Armour (2024, Freedom Sounds): Rapper Sage Elesser, albums since 2020 (after a string of EPs back to 2015). Underground, "conscious," flows about as well as ever, not much sticks though. B+(***) [sp]

Nils Økland Band: Gjenskinn (2021-22 [2024], Hubro): From Norway, plays Hardnager fiddle, debut 1986, third group album since 2015, draws on folk and aims for ambient. B+(**) [sp]

Roberto Ottaviano/Danilo Gallo/Fernando Faraò: Lacy in the Sky With Diamonds (2023 [2024], Clean Feed): Italian soprano saxophonist, fairly long list of albums since 1985, here with bass and drums, playing seven Steve Lacy songs plus a few originals/improvs with a bit of "These Foolish Things." A- [sp]

Jerome Sabbagh: Heart (2022 [2024], Analog Tone Factory): French tenor saxophonist, postbop, dozen or so albums since 2004, trio with Joe Martin (bass) and Al Foster (drums), three originals and five standards (from Ellington to "Body and Soul"). B+(**) [cd] [08-30]

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Swing Forever (2023-24 [2024], Ovation): Latin jazz 13-piece big band led by pianist Oscar Hernández, ninth studio album, with Doug Beavers co-producing, and guest vocalist Gilberto Santa Rosa. Seems like records like this always sound great to start, but tiring by the end. B+(**) [cd]

Aki Takase Japanic: Forte (2023 [2024], Budapest Music Center): Japanese pianist, long based in Berlin, Quintet with Daniel Erdmann (tenor/soprano sax), Carlos Bica (bass), Dag Magnus Narvesen (drums), and Vincent von Schlippenbach (turntable), with guest credits for Nils Wogram (trombone) and her husband, pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach. First track hints at things Japanese, but the rest careens wildly, which can provide a thrill, or not. B+(**) [sp]

Zach Top: Cold Beer & Country Music (2024, Leo33): Country singer-songwriter from Washington State, 25, first album, no hint that's not his original name, serves up a nice batch of country clichés -- title song is wedged between "[My Life] Sounds Like the Radio" and "Cowboys Like Me Do," along with "Dirt Turns to Gold," "The Kinda Woman I Like," "Bad Luck", "Ain't That a Heartbnerak," "I Never Lie," and "Things to Do" (that's not all, but you get the drift). B+(**) [sp]

Luis Vicente Trio: Come Down Here (2023 [2024], Clean Feed): Portuguese trumpet player, many albums since 2012, this a trio with bass (Gonçalo Almeida) and drums (Pedro Melo Alves). B+(**) [sp]

Jack White: No Name (2024, Third Man): Singer-songwriter, founder of White Stripes and other alt/indie groups, sixth studio album under his own name, such as it is. I've never liked his solo albums, aside from the first (and even then not much), but this "back to roots" effort is pretty crunchy. B+(**) [sp]

WHO Trio: Live at Jazz Festival Willisau 2023 First Visit (2023 [2024], Ezz-Thetics): Trio of Michel Wintsch (piano), Bänz Oester (bass), and Gerry Hemingway (drums/voice); have at least a half-dozen albums since 1999. Live improv based (loosely) on Ellington compositions. B+(***) [bc]

Wilco: Hot Sun Cool Shroud (2024, Nonesuch, EP): Six decent songs, isolated bits of showy guitar, 17:36. B+(*) [sp]

X: Smoke & Fiction (2024, Fat Possum): Postpunk band from Los Angles, debut 1980, John Doe and Exene Cervenka the singer-songwriters, with D.J. Bonebrake on drums and Billy Zoom on guitar (except for 1986-99, missing only one album, but it took them even longer, until 2020, to come up with another). This is supposed to be their last ever. I was never much of a fan, but don't have any complaints here. B+(*) [sp]

Johnny Dyani With John Tchicai & Dudu Pukwana: Witchdoctor's Son (1978 [1987], SteepleChase): South African bassist (1945-86), one of the Blue Notes who went into exile in 1964, along with Pukwana (alto/tenor sax), joined here by the Afro-Danish alto/soprano saxophonist, and a global rhythm section of Alfredo Do Nascimento (guitar), Luez "Chuim" Carlos de Sequaira (drums), and Mohamed Al-Jabry (congas/percussion), with Dyani also on piano and vocals. Some two sax sections are quite wonderful. B+(***) [sp]

Johnny Dyani Quartet: Mbizo (1981 [1995], SteepleChase): Bassist-led quartet with two saxophonists -- Ed Epstein (alto/baritone) and Dudu Pukwana (alto/soprano) -- and drums (Churchill Jolobe). B+(***) [sp]

Johnny Dyani Quartet: Angolian Cry (1985 [1986], SteepleChase): Bassist-led quartet with John Tchicai (tenor sax/bass clarinet), Harry Beckett (trumpet/flugelhorn), and Billy Hart (drums). B+(**) [sp]

Johnny Dyani/Okay Temiz/Mongezi Feza: Music for Xaba (1972 [1973], Sonet): South African bassist, Turkish drummer, South African trumpet player, recorded in Stockholm, two pieces rooted in South Africa, two joint improvs. B+(***) [yt]

Johnny Dyani/Okay Temiz/Mongezi Feza: Music for Xaba Volume Two (1972 [1980], Sonet): Five more tracks from the same session, the opener by Feza, the rest by Dyani. B+(**) [yt]

Houston Person: Underground Soul! (1966, Prestige): Tenor saxophonist, b. 1934 in South Carolina, now regarded as one of the great mainstream tenors ever, started here at Prestige, where he also did a&r work for Prestige -- continuing with Muse from 1976-94, and HighNote after 1996. Soul jazz quartet with trombone (Mark Levine), organ (Charles Boston), and drums (Frank Jones). Gets off wrong-footed with a chintzy cover of "What the World Needs Now Is Love," but rights that with a couple of originals, which get the organ working, and show off some already impressive sax. B+(*) [yt]

Houston Person: Blue Odyssey (1968, Prestige): They cut 'em fast and loose at Prestige, so this was number four, but the earliest reissue I've found to stream, a sextet session that kicks off with two songs by pianist Cedar Walton, followed by four covers, most expressively on "Please Send Me Someone to Love." With Curtis Fuller (trombone), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Bob Cranshaw (bass), and Frank Jones (drums). B+(**) [sp]

Houston Person: Goodness! (1969, Prestige): Sixth prestige album, only horn in a sextet with organ (Sonny Phillips), guitar (Billy Butler), electric bass, drums, and congas. B+(***) [sp]>

Houston Person: Legends of Acid Jazz (1970-71 [1996], Prestige): A volume in a series that each collected two relatively obscure soul jazz albums onto a single CD, tied in to the then-current "acid jazz" genre, which sometimes sampled albums like those included. Person's entry combines the 1970 album Person to Person! (with Virgil Jones on trumpet, Grant Green on guitar, Sonny Phillips on organ/piano, plus electric bass, drums, congas) and 1971's Houston Express (two groups with Billy Butler on guitar, one with a lot of extra horns arranged by Horace Ott. B+(*) [sp]

Houston Person: Person-ified (1996 [1997], HighNote): The tenor saxophonist followed Joe Fields from Prestige to Muse to HighNote, where this rather mellow quartet was his first album -- a session with Teddy Edwards was recorded earlier in the month, but not released until later, and in any case gave Edwards first billing. This one is impeccably mainstream, with Richard Wyands (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), and Kenny Washington (drums), playing one Person piece and a batch of standards. B+(***) [sp]

Delayed a day, because that's how long the week's Speaking of Which took (219 links, 12161 words, before whatever I add today). Probably just as well, given that (as I noted yesterday) my week was light, which I can only partly blame on time out to cook a nice dinner on Saturday. I made no attempt to count calories, which ingredients suggest were astronomical, but can now report that my weight is down 0.2 lbs today, compared to a day or two before, so maybe I can afford to indulge on the rare occasions when I can line up some willing guests.

I've been bemoaning my inability (and sometimes incompetence) at getting routine maintenance tasks done around the house. One of those came crashing down after dinner on Saturday: a big chunk of plaster-on-lath ceiling in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I've been aware of a crack growing there at least since 2005, viewing it with increasing alarm over the past few months. I even started to plot out possible ways to fix it. After the first pieces broke away, I got up and tore out some extra, so now I have about a 4 sq. ft. patch of exposed lath. In some ways it's less troubling (certainly less ominous) now, especially as I can gauge the thickness of the plaster (about 3/8-inch, the state of the lath (ugly but dry), and how solid what's remaining is (looks like I'll wind up doubling the size of the patch, but nothing else is likely to fall down on its own). In the past, I would have figured out how to fix this, but we've started looking for help. Same for some other small projects.

Barely topped 30 albums below, but the A-list -- after only one album each of the last two weeks -- came roaring back. I'm also pretty caught up with the demo queue, although I still have a lot of albums in hand for September into mid-October. I spent some time re-checking older albums, so came up with a couple re-grades.

I guess I can finally mention now that Fifth Column Filmworks has a web page with a 4:52 trailer for a feature documentary about saxophonist Sam Rivers, based on the extraordinary 764-page book, The Sam Rivers Sessionography by Rick Lopez.

I considered using "we" in the opening line, because this film was originally my idea, but about all I did was to introduce Rick, an internet friend for over 20+ years, and Mike Hull, my nephew and the filmmaker who previously directed and produced Betrayal at Attica, dump some starter money into the project, and let them work it out.

Okaidja Afroso: Àbòr Édín (2024, Chechekule): Singer-songwriter and traditional dancer from Ghana, has a couple previous albums. B+(*) [sp]

John Alvey: Loft Glow (2022-23 [2024], Jazz Music City): Nashville-based drummer, first album, wrote first song, local-based band members added two more, plus some jazz covers (Benny Golson, Ron Carter, John Stubblefield), nice postbop group with a little swing. B+(**) [cd] [08-25]

Charlie Apicella & Iron City Meet the Griots Speak: Call to Action/Call to Prayer (2022 [2024], OA2): Guitarist, his Iron City group has mostly played funk-fusion since 2008, but his griots are from another musical planet, mostly veterans of the old NYC loft scene, like Daniel Carter, William Parker, and Juma Sultan. B+(**) [cd]

Art Baden: How Much of It Is Real (2023 [2024], Rainy Days): Tenor saxophonist, born in Russia, first album, also plays bass clarinet and flute, leads a quartet with Joe Locke (vibes/keyboards), Jay Anderson (bass), and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums, recorded in his studio). B+(**) [cd]

George Dearborne: Lotta Honky Tonkin' Left in Me (2024, Wingate): Country singer, from Beaumont, Texas, started out as a drummer in the 1970s, started leading bands in the 1990s, released his first album in 2020. No original songs, but most are new to me (exceptions: Doug Sahm, Merle Haggard). B+(**) [sp]

Jeff Evans Porkestra: Willow Pillow (2024, self-released, EP): Evans is "a seasoned figure in Atlanta's roots and alt-country scene," seems to have had a previous group called Chickens and Pigs, calls this "a musical rewrite" of their 2021 album Guitars Food Music Beer Dog, which I can find no corroborating evidence for (although Spotify has three other Chickens and Pigs albums, none in Discogs). Six songs, 22:31. B+(***) [sp]

Claudia Gibson: The Fields of Chazy (2024, self-released): Austin-based folk singer-songwriter, second album, has some appealing songs. B+(**) [sp]

Russell Haight: Go Forth (2023 [2024], OA2): Saxophonist (tenor pictured), studied at Texas, was based in Austin until moving to Saratoga Springs and Skidmore college. Has a previous album, also a book on Odd-Meter Etudes for Saxophone. Quartet with Sean Giddings (piano), bass, and drums. Original pieces. Strong on upbeat pieces. B+(***) [cd]

Joel Harrison & Alternative Guitar Summit: The Middle of Everywhere: Guitar Solos Vol. I (2024, AGS): Harrison, a notable guitarist in his own right, is credited as producer here, with eleven other guitarists doing the heavy lifting. No recording dates given, but AGS has at least existed for 14 years, so they're probably working off some backlog. Only two names don't ring a bell for me, but check yourself: Fareed Haque, Nguyen Lê, Nels Cline, Liberty Ellman, Anupam Shobhakar, Camila Meza, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Anthony Pirog, Cecil Alexander, Miles Okazaki, Henry Kaiser. Not ambient exactly, but insider plays I suspect are more to impress each other than to excite fans. B+(*) [cd]

Hyeseon Hong Jazz Orchestra: Things Will Pass (2023 [2024], Pacific Coast Jazz): Korean composer and band leader, based in New York and/or Seoul, has a previous album from 2017, leads a conventional big band with saxophonist Rich Perry getting a "featured" credit. B+(**) [cd]

Ice Spice: Y2K! (2024, 10K/Capitol/Dolo): Rapper Isis Gaston, first studio album (10 songs, 23:17) after a well-received EP in 2023 (13:08, then 16:01, then finally in a 24:15 "deluxe edition," which is the one I liked). B+(***) [sp]

Eric Jacobson: Heading Home (2023 [2024], Origin): Trumpet player, based in Chicago, couple previous albums, this a postbop quintet with Geoff Bradfield (tenor sax), Bruce Barth (piano), bass, and drums. B+(*) [cd]

Boldy James/Conductor Williams: Across the Tracks (2024, self-released): Rapper James Clay Jones III, several albums per year since 2020, various producer/collaborators, this one is Denzel Williams, from Kansas City, coming off joints with Stik Figa and Conway the Machine. B+(**) [sp]

Kirk Knuffke: Super Blonde (2023 [2024], SteepleChase): Cornet player, albums since 2007 range from free to mainstream, often superb either way. This one is mostly standards, sharply etched, with a mainstream rhythm section of two bassists (Jay Anderson and Thommy Andersson) and drums (Adam Nussbaum). A- [sp]

David Liebman & the CNY Jazz Orchestra: If a White Horse From Jerusalem . . . (2022 [2024], CNY Jazz Arts Foundation): This should probably be filed under Bret Zvacek, who is music director of the Syracuse-based Central New York Jazz Orchestra -- spine credit is just CNY Jazz Orchestra -- a conventional big band -- but the featured soprano saxophonist gets top billing on the cover. Zvacek composed the title suite (4 parts, 25:27), with others arranging the rest of the program, including covers of "Somewhere" and "Where or When." B+(**) [cd]

Lux Quartet: Tomorrowland (2023 [2024], Enja/Yellowbird): Co-led by Myra Melford (piano) and Allison Miller (drums), with Dayna Stephens (tenor sax) and Scott Colley (bass). Relentlessly inventive postbop, the pianist can delight and dazzle, the sax more tentative but substantial,the rhythm always en garde. A- [cd]

Matt Mitchell: Zealous Angles (2024, Pi): Pianist, one of the best to have emerged in the last decade, presents a trio of Chris Tordini (bass) and Dan Weiss (drums), playing a batch of original pieces. B+(***) [cd]

ØKSE: ØKSE (2023 [2024], Backwoodz Studioz): Free jazz quartet with an electronic twist -- "sound chemist" Val Jeanty plays electronics, while bassist Petter Eldh also wields sampler and synths, along with saxophonist Mette Rasmussen and drummer Savannah Harris -- but four (of eight) pieces also feature guest rappers: Elucid, Billy Woods, Maassal, and Cavalier. Remarkable on all counts. A- [sp]

Jonathan Powell: Mambo Jazz Party (2022 [2024], Circle 9): Trumpet player, from Florida, based in New York, has played in Latin jazz bands, leading this one, a powerhouse outfit. B+(***) [cd]

Alvin Queen Trio: Feeling Good (2023 [2024], Stunt): Drummer, born in New York, credits start in 1970, picking up after he moved to Switzerland in 1979. Trio with Carlton Holmes (piano) and Danton Boller (bass), playing standards, and doubling down on Cedar Walton. B+(*) [sp]

Ayra Starr: The Year I Turned 21 (2024, Mavin Global Holdings): Pop singer-songwriter, born in Benin, grew up in Lagos, titles so far note her age -- debut was 19 & Dangerous. B+(**) [sp]

Linda Thompson: Proxy Music (2024, Storysound): Much beloved as the better half of a 1970s duo with then-husband Richard Thompson, spotty solo career since then with several decade-plus breaks, no longer sings but co-wrote a batch of songs, performed by various family and friends, with son Teddy Thompson most involved. B+(*) [sp]

Tinashe: Quantum Baby 2024, Nice Life): R&B singer-songwriter, born in Kentucky but grew up in California, last name Kachingwe, seventh album since 2014, single "Nasty" her biggest since 2014's "2 On." B+(**) [sp]

Piet Verbist: Flamenco Jazz Summit: El Mar Empieza Aquí (2023 [2024], Origin): Belgian bassist, has several albums, none particularly like this foray into Spanish flamenco, represented with bansuriney (Carmelo Muriel), guitar (Carlos Cortés), and drums (Juan Sainz), mixed with piano (Milan Verbist) and alto/soprano sax (Tom Van Dyck). B+(***) [cd]

África Negra: Antologia Vol. 2 (1979-90 [2024], Bongo Joe): Band, established in the early 1970s by Horacio and Emidio Pontes, in the formerly Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Principé, islands in the Atlantic of the west coast of Africa, fitting midway between Nigerian highlife and Congolese soukous. A- [sp]

Phil Haynes' 4 Horns and What?: The Complete American Recordings (1989-95 [2024], Corner Store Jazz, 3CD): Drummer, mostly associated with the late trumpet player Paul Smoker (on all three sets here), also with Ellery Eskelin (tenor sax, on the first two sets) and Herb Robertson (on the last two, credited here with "multi-brass"). Other horns here include Andy Laster (alto/bari sax/clarinet/flute on all three sets), Joe Daley ("low brass" on the first), and John Tchicai (tenor sax on the third). It's a formula that generates a lot of excitement. A- [sp]

Okaidja Afroso: Jaku Mumor (2022, Chechekule): From Ghana, earlier album has a nicer flow. B+(**) [sp]

Ellery Eskelin/Drew Gress/Phil Haynes/Paul Smoker: Joint Venture (1987, Enja): Free jazz group, artist names -- tenor sax, bass, drums, trumpet -- on cover but appears conceived as an eponymous group album, first of three albums through 1993, although their intertangled histories continued much longer. Starts with two covers, a slow "Day Dream" and a "Just in Time" which picks up momentum before getting into the originals. B+(***) [bc]

Rosie Tucker: Lowlight (2015, self-released, EP): Singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, first album if you count it -- nine songs, 23:26, as best I can figure was 17 at the time, very much on her own. Her latest album sent Christgau back to her 2019 "debut," which I will get to in due course, but this one is very impressive in its own right, with several songs I'm tempted to quote not just lines but verses from, including two where she advises guys to look for love elsewhere, with one turning to suicide instead. A- [sp]

Rosie Tucker: Never Not Never Not Never Not (2019, New Professor): With 11 songs, we'll call this a proper album, but still only runs 26:40, with only one song topping 3:04. She also has band backup here, but maybe the new songs needed that -- they're not as immediately striking, nor are they obviously not. B+(***) [sp]

Rosie Tucker: Sucker Supreme (2021, Epitaph): Fourteen songs, 35:43, semi-major label dropper her after one album, music continues to develop, lyrics get harder to follow, or maybe just more complex and elusive. This seems to be the consensus pick among her albums, but I don't quite get it. B+(***) [sp]

Chappell Roan: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023, Amusement/Island): I played this last year, wrote virtually nothing on it, so must not have been paying much attention, losing the single "Red Wine Supernova" after the later ballad fare, which on closer inspection turns out to be pretty good, too. [was: B+(**)] A- [sp]

Rosie Tucker: Utopia Now! (2024, Sentimental): I played this when it came out, and liked it but didn't get much. Christgau picked it, went into her back catalog, and was even more smitten by Sucker Supreme. Various others have seconded his approval. So I figured odds were good that I had been hasty, and her previously unreported Lowlight raised my expectations even higher. Working forward confirmed her smarts and added chops and (less often) hooks, but as her increasing chops brings extra clutter, I'm getting less and less satisfaction out of her records. When I played this last night, I wound up inclined to save myself the paperwork by leaving my original grade. Playing it again today, I'm finally hearing lots of interesting stuff, but I'm still not enjoying it enough -- perhaps her voice, the time shifts, other little things I don't have any idea how to characterize. But her rep is certainly earned. [was: B+(**)] B+(***)

I went ahead and pushed Speaking of Which out late last night, on schedule for the first time in many weeks. I'm probably not done with it, but figured that at 270 links, 12539 words -- I do love that little counter I programmed in a week or two ago -- I figured I had enough to present. Anything additional I come up with today will be flagged by the red border bar. [PS: Not much. Today's been shot to shit.]

Writing this mid-afternoon Monday. I probably won't post until late, but I wanted to get it ready, so I don't slip up and delay it again. At this point, I'd much rather work more on Speaking of Which than on Music Week, not least because I find it easier and more relaxing to do, but also because I feel like I know what I understand what I'm reading there, and I'm able to write about it with some coherency.

Whereas with music I just drop a lot of names and dates, and arbitrary knee-jerk reactions, and have little if any inspiration to write actual criticism. That feeling is being reinforced today as I'm only fifth straight B+(*) or less album -- trying to whittle down the demo queue while unpacking this week's haul pushed it back up again, all the more aggravated because I can't see the small print I need to file it all properly. (Optometrist has been telling me for years that I need cataract surgery, but somehow I flunked the surgeon's exam a couple weeks ago, so have to wait until inevitably become even more debilitated.)

I suppose my self-doubts were pricked by the latest batch of Questions and Answers, only one of which is less than a year old. I thought the one on Michael Brecker was worth not just answering but putting a bit of time and thought into. That took some time getting to, and in the end turned out rather unsatisfactory, as I still can't point to any albums that justify his reputation. I started to explain more here, then decided to add that as a PS, and leave it there.

I don't have much to say about the music below. Again, only one A- record, which like Jay Skeese last week, sounded qualitatively superior from the beginning, although I don't see it coming close to the top of the annual list. Some leftover hip-hop and country from the previous week's searches, some jazz from poll ballots and the demo queue, and a lot of old stuff from the Q&A. Gabriel Sielawa was recommended by a reader in a Q I just decided to treat as a tip.

I have an essay in a new book, The Death Project: An Anthology for the Living, edited by Gretchen Cassel Eick and Cora Poage. The essay is called "Reading the Obits," which has been significantly revised from an old blog post. Very pleased to be part of this project.

Livio Almeida: The Brasilia Sessions (2024, Zoho): Tenor saxophonist from Brazil, based in New York, has mostly worked with Arturo O'Farrill, second album as leader (first on a real label), quartet with keys, bass, and drums. B+(**) [cd]

Robby Ameen: Live at the Poster Museum (2024, Origin): Drummer, from Connecticut, based in New York, early Latin influence with Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, and Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez. Sextet with two saxophonists (Bob Franceschini and Troy Roberts), trombone (Conrad Herwig), Fender Rhodes, and bass, playing "Oleo" and six originals. B+(**) [cd]

Olie Brice/Rachel Musson/Mark Sanders: Immense Blue (2022 [2024], West Hill): British bassist, many groups since 2011, trio here with tenor sax and drums. B+(**) [bc]

Bridgetown Sextet: Functionizin' (2023 [2024], Rivermont): Portland-based trad jazz group, "actually a septet" (see back cover photo), but I'm counting even more credits. Old songs, from Jelly Roll Morton through Fats Waller. B+(**) [sp]

Melissa Carper: Borned in Ya (2024, Mae Music): Country singer-songwriter, from Arkansas, plays banjo and upright bass, started in a family band. half-dozen albums since 2015, appeared recently in Wonder Women of Country, along with Brennen Leigh, who co-wrote several songs here. She also pulls out two unexpected covers -- "That's My Desire" and "Every Time We Said Goodbye," and namechecks Hank Williams, Leadbelly, and Hazel Dickens in the title song. A- [sp]

Morten Duun: Code Breaker (2024, Cmntx): Guitarist, from Denmark, aka Morten Duun Aarup, mostly a trio with trumpet (Brandon Choi) and drums (Wouter Kühne), plus piano on two tracks, interesting as far as it goes, but he adds voice on four tracks, which is where I lose interest. B+(*) [cd]

Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band: Walk a Mile in My Shoe (2024, Imani): Pianist-led big band (less than conventional, at 11 pieces, but supplemented with guests -- among whom vocalist Lisa Fischer gets "very special" status) fifth group album since 2010. B+(*) [cdr]

The Sofia Goodman Group: Receptive (2023 [2024], Joyous): Drummer, based in Nashville, couple albums, eight-piece group playing her original pieces. Fairly slick postbop, nicely arranged. B+(*) [cd]

Richard Guba: Songs for Stuffed Animals (2024, self-released): "Veteran saxophonist, debut album": three original pieces, five jazz standards, nicely done, reminds me in spots of Horace Silver. B+(**) [cd]

Monika Herzig's Sheroes: All in Good Time (2023 [2024], Zoho): German pianist, also plays electric, moved to US 1988, studied at Indiana, albums from 2000, formed her Sheroes band in 2016, currently seven women, with Jamie Baum (flutes), Reut Regev (trombone), Camille Thurman (tenor sax), Leni Stern (guitar), Gina Schwarz (bass), and Rosa Avila (drums), playing originals by her and Schwarz, plus a Beyoncé cover. B+(**) [cd]

Ize Trio: The Global Suites (2024, self-released): "Multi-cultural" trio of Chase Morrin (piano, compositions), George Lernis (percussion), and Naseem Alatrash (percussion), jazz with Middle Eastern flavors, joined here by John Patitucci (bass, get a "featuring" on cover but plays on only 2 of 10 tracks) and by singers Farayi Malek (2 tracks) and Heiraza (5 tracks). [cd]

Karen Jonas: The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch (2024, self-released): Country singer-songwriter from Virginia, seventh album since 2014. B+(*) [sp]

Rosemary Loar: Vagabond Heart/Curação Vagabundo (2024, Atlor Music): Singer and actress, mostly theatrical, Discogs credits her one previous album, from 2003, but website claims four, and hasn't been updated for this one yet. Title song, from Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa, is the only Brazilian venture, and the only other non-English title is from Sting. Other than that, three originals, and a bunch of show tunes. With pianist Frank Ponzio as music director/co-producer, bass-drums-percussion, and a bit of harmonica in lieu of horns. B+(***) [cd]

Mai-Liis: Kaleidoscope (2023-24 [2024], OA2): Canadian jazz singer-songwriter, has a previous album from 2021, backed by piano, guitar, bass, and drums, with guest spots for horns and vibes. B+(*) [cd]

Paula Maya: Rio De Janeiro (2024, Yellow House): Brazilian singer-songwriter, last name Niemeyer, plays piano, her six originals supplemented by a Jobim standard. B [cd]

Megan Moroney: Am I Okay? (2024, Columbia Nashville): Country singer-songwriter, second album, seems pretty good, quite consistent. B+(***) [sp]

Sam Newsome/Max Johnson: Tubes (2023 [2024], Unbroken Sounds): Saxophonist, started on tenor but has focused on soprano at least since 1998's The Tender Side of Sammy Straighthorn, and that's what he plays here, along with toys and treatments, accompanied by bass (often the most interesting thing here). B+(**) [sp]

Miles Okazaki: Miniature America (2022 [2024], Cygnus): Guitarist, eclectic mix of albums since 2022, gathers ten musicians here for "22 vignettes exploring the wonder of chance encounters and 'found' compositions." The musicians are all prominent names (not all-stars, but people you should know, like Patricia Brennen and Jacob Garchik). Unfortunately, three of them are vocalists, and while they (Ganavya, Jen Shyu, and Fay Victor) don't always rub me the wrong way, they do so way too often for me here. B [cd]

Michael Pagán: Paganova (2023 [2024], Capri): American pianist, based in Kansas City, debut album 1995, accent suggests Latin heritage, and there's much more than tinge here, driving the rhythms behind saxophonists Michael Herrera and David Chael. B+(***) [cd]

The Palomar Trio [Dan Levinson/Mark Shane/Kevin Dorn]: The Song in Our Soul (2023, Turtle Bay): Swing trio from New York, with tenor sax/clarinet, piano, and drums, playing old standards, including Jelly Roll Morton and Edmond Hall. B+(**) [sp]

Planet D Nonet: Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol. 2 (2024, Eastlawn): Detroit group, founded by James O'Donnell (trumpet) and RJ Spangler (percussion) back in 2010, when they were working with John Sinclair, and their repertoire extended from Bennie Moten to Sun Ra, only recently turning to Ellington. B+(***) [cd]

Real Bad Man & Lukah: Temple Needs Water. Village Needs Peace. (2024, Old Soul Music/Real Bad Man): Los Angeles-based producer Adam Weissman, has a dozen albums since 2020, mostly collaborations with underground rappers, this one from Memphis. B+(**) [sp]

Tarbaby: You Think This America (2022 [2024], Giant Step Arts): Pianist Orrin Evans, took this group name from his 2006 album, sixth group album since 2009, various horn players over the years but just the core trio here, with bass (Eric Revis) and drums (Nasheet Waits). Songs from each and nall, plus covers of Sam Rivers, Fats Waller, Oliver Lake, Andrew Hill, Paul Motion, and Bad Brains. B+(***) [bc]

Juanma Trujillo: Howl (2024, Endectomorph Music): Guitarist, from Venezuela, based in New York, fifth album since 2018, quartet with Kevin Sun (tenor sax), Andrew Schiller (bass), and Matt Honor (drums). Slippery enough, but tends to slip past me. B+(**) [cdr]

Phil Ranelin: The Found Tapes: Live in Los Angeles (1978-81 [2024], ORG Music): Trombonist, moved to Detroit in the 1960s, did some Motown session work, in 1971 co-founded the Tribe (an important if very underground group with Wendell Harrison and Marcus Belgrave), later moving to Los Angeles where Horace Tapscott had been at the center of a similar community-oriented free jazz movement, going on to found a new band, Build an Ark. Previously unreleased live tapes, more tribal vibes. B+(***) [sp]

Joanne Brackeen [Featuring Michael Brecker]: Tring-a-Ling (1977 [1978], Choice): Pianist, born JoAnne Grogan in California, married saxophonist Charles Brackeen in the 1960s but started releasing her own records in 1975, and easily eclipsed him. Fourth album, "featuring Mike Brecker," the saxophonist in the Brecker Bros. (1975-81), who already had a ton of studio work on rock albums. Brackeen pushes him hard here, and he responds credibly. B+(**) [yt]

Michael Brecker: Don't Try This at Home (1988, Impulse!): Tenor saxophonist (1949-2007), his eponymous 1987 album wasn't technically his first but his run as a leader/star started there, with this as its sequel. Producer Don Grolnick took over piano on 2 tracks, and brought in big names -- Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Mark O'Connor, Peter Erskine -- limiting Brecker's touring band to bit roles: Mike Stern (guitar, 6 tracks), Joey Calderazzo (piano, 2), Jeff Andrews (bass, 4), Adam Nussbaum (drums, 3). The result is pretty scattered, I'd say "not even fusion." Of course, if the saxophonist was as great as some critics claimed, it shouldn't matter (cf. Sonny Rollins). But he isn't, so it does. B- [sp]

Michael Brecker: Now You See It . . . (Now You Don't) (1990, GRP): Third album, three Brecker originals, two each by producer Don Grolnick and keyboardist Jim Beard, ends with a Bobby Troup blues, with a revolving cast of guitar-bass-drums-percussion. That backing is rather lacklustre, but the saxophone, as least on the slow ones, sounds pretty good. B [sp]

Michael Brecker: Tales From the Hudson (1996, Impulse!): With Grolnick gone, he's co-producing, lining up stars like Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette, with pianist Calderazzo spelled on two tracks by McCoy Tyner. With less muddle in the middle, he finally juices up the saxophone. B+(*) [sp]

Michael Brecker: Time Is of the Essence (1998 [1999], Verve): Sixth album, George Whitty produced, group is reduced by a quartet, with Pat Metheny (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), and any of three drummers (Elvin Jones, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Bill Stewart). I'm still not convinced he's a great saxophonist, but he can be a pretty good one, and Metheny can be a pretty good guitarist, too. B+(**) [sp]

Don Grolnick [Featuring Michael Brecker]: Hearts and Numbers (1985, Hip Pocket): Pianist (1947-96), played in fusion groups Dreams and Brecker Bros. before recording a pair of well-regarded albums on Blue Note (I'm thumbs up on Nighttown but not Weaver of Dreams). This was his first, playing as much synth as piano, and taking the closing title song solo. B [sp]

Herbie Hancock/Michael Brecker/Roy Hargrove: Directions in Music: Celebrating Miles Davis & John Coltrane: Live at Massey Hall (2001 [2002], Verve): Live set, piano, tenor sax, trumpet, backed by John Patitucci (bass) and Brian Blade (drums). Each brings an original in the style, they collaborate on one more, and cover the obvious bases, plus a version of "My Ship" that won a Grammy. B+(*) [sp]

Pat Metheny: 80/81 (1980 [1981], ECM): 2-LP set, recorded over four days in May, 1980, the guitarist is backed by an exceptional rhythm section (Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette), and joined by two tenor saxophonists, Dewey Redman and Michael Brecker (both on three tracks, one with Redman only, three with Brecker only. short final track with neither). B+(***) [sp]

Gabriel Sielawa: Terra (2022, Bangue): Brazilian, I think, sings and plays guitar, bass, cavaquinho; first (probably only) album, very little on the web, recommended by a virtual friend. B+(*) [sp]

Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (1995, MCA): Beach Boys genius-turned-madman, promised to be coming out of all that when he released a solo album in 1988 that wasn't either, and wasn't followed up either, at least until this short (29:27) collection of remakes from the madman period dropped seven years later (or the solo album). Some of these songs once seemed like mad genius, but here the singer sounds tired, as if nostalgia is all there is left. B- [sp]

Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks: Orange Crate Art (1995, Warner Bros.): Parks wrote all of the songs, so all Wilson had to do was sing. Parks wrote song cycles, long on concept with eclectic borrowings that should be interesting but, at least in my limited experience, aren't. B- [sp]

Brian Wilson: At My Piano (2021, Lakeshore): Solo, no vocals, songs you no doubt know, may not impress as jazz, but the melodies are lovely as ever, harmony too. B+(**) [sp]

Limited Sampling: Records I played parts of, but not enough to grade: -- means no interest, - not bad but not a prospect, + some chance, ++ likely prospect.

Keith Jarrett: The Sun Bear Concerts (1976 [1989], ECM, 6CD): I still don't feel up to taking on the entire 6+ hours, but a 41:14 excerpt on YouTube ("Sapporo, Pt. 1") is really quite good. Maybe, someday. ++ [yt]

Links

Music Database

Website Search

Recent Reading

Music Database

Website Search

Music Week [0 - 9]

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week

Music Week