I have done this before but ...

[gnhrtg]

Some months ago before ordering some stuff that I have neither heard nor read here about, I provided the list and asked for some feedback or general thought on the list. The comments that proved very helpful and since my girlfriend will be coming from US in a couple of weeks, I have gathered yet another adventurous list. Any feedback is greatly appreciated (honestly - but then, of course, how are you to find out) thank you.

Jamie Saft - Sovlanut or Breadcrumb (I try to keep as open a mind as I can and have also been enjoying Optometry, certain tracks from Spring Heel Jack's earlier efforts, how do these two sound, or better yet, which one is a "better" representative of what Saft does?)

New Winds - Potion (I quite like and enjoy Rothenberg - thanks to Vince, I've heard some more of his work over the last few months - how does this group work really with all the winds; is it more improvisation oriented; is it more relaxed or energetic?)

Tippett / Kellers / Tippett - Twilight Etchings (I love both Tippett's and I will almost surely get this, putting it here for any comments you might have nevertheless)

Vandermark - Furniture Music (in case you have heard this one)

Eugene Chadbourne - keeping with the spirit of keeping an open mind, I thought that "Songs" might be a good start, is this so?

Being a real fan of Michael Moore's output, I also want to get Bering and Chicoutimi. On this note I think that downtown music gallery would be the place to get these but a search on their search engine does not bring the hits I want for Moore (or for Gustafsson for that matter). Where else in NY can my poor girlfriend drag herself to have a chance of getting this (or other similar) stuff?

Once again, many thanks to everyone who reads this.

P.S. From what went on in the reviews section my understanding is that Spring Heel Jack "Live" and Brotzmann/Parker/Drake's recent double disc live album are sure go's for someone interested in this type of music, no ?

[Sergio Zamora]

I haven't heard a single one of those, but your girfriend can try Other Music if DMG doesn't have them. It's a tad more
expensive, though.

For Michael Moore, I imagine that Ramboy operates out of Holland. You're in France, no? Moore with the Monitor Trio also has two superb recordings on Between the Lines, which is out of Germany.

And yes, the Broetz/Parker/Drake and the SHJ are, imo, definitely in the get get get category.

[Chris Castelle]

Potion by New Winds is awesome, particularly their take on Dave Douglas' beautiful early composition For Every Action with Robert Dick on bass flute. It's the only New Winds release with trumpeter Herb Robertson replacing founding member JD Parran, and the energy level is definitely higher than the one earler NW album I have with Parran on board. I think the addition of a trumpet player, and specifically the addition of Herb Robertson, jacked the energy level up by quite a bit. I wish they'd regroup sometime.

[gnhrtg]

Since there have been quite a few views with just a few posts I guess most posters here have not heard these particular releases. What I'll do then is to post a short (but hopefully informative) review of each of the releases I end up getting. A note for those who might think that I have not done my HW, I, of course, have cheked AMG on all of these releases but when available multiple opinions, and from people whose tastes I know better, help.

Sergio - thank you for pointing out Other Music, I'll get the address and tell my girlfriend to try it as a second resort and thanks for (re)confirming my two sure-gets

Chris - I was a little hesitant on Potion and hoped that it would be the on the high-energetic side so I will also definitely get this one since you seem like this and that's good enough for me.

Thanks guys.

[Sergio Zamora]

Ghnhrtg,

You can easily find the address of OM, but fyi, it's just a couple of blocks from DMG. Right across from a big Tower Records.

That's the CD safari district of NY, I believe.

[Other Steve]

Originally posted by Sergio Zamora
You can easily find the address of OM, but fyi, it's just a couple of blocks from DMG. Right across from a big Tower Records. That's the CD safari district of NY, I believe.

Sure is, and I work in that neighborhood three days a week. No wonder I'm always in trouble.

gnhrtg, Other Music is on East 4th Street between Broadway and Lafayette, and, as Sergio says, it's right across the street from a big Tower Records world music outlet (the "normal" Tower is at the other end of the same block; the video and bargain annex across Lafayette -- a real playground). But I wanted to make sure that you and your girlfriend are aware Downtown Music Gallery moved last year, and is currently located on the Bowery, not East 5th. Wouldn't want any confusion and disappointment to result.

There's one other store in the general vicinity that bears checking, comparable in many ways to Other Music but markedly superior in the jazz/improv department: Mondo Kim's, on St. Mark's Place (a.k.a. East 8th Street at Cooper Union). They're a definite source for your Gustafsson needs, and quite likely a good bet for Moore, as well. Pretty much anything Bruce doesn't have can be found here.

[gnhrtg]

Great help and advice, thanks guys - for all the references to stores I've never heard of, addresses, and also the comments on the albums.

Other Steve - I do know that DGM moved (although my girlfriend also did visit them in their old location since she came here in January as well). Thanks a lot for your the addresses and also for informing me of the existence of Mondo Kim's

Sergio - Thank you for the address and earlier comment again.

David - the comment is not opaque so long as it conveys some valence, which I take to be positive in this case - over comparable Tzadik records is good enough for me to give it a try

Hmm, looks like I'll have some more saving to do hearing that I can get some more Gustafsson and Moore and all that.

"And incidentally, do call me Tom, I don't like any of that Thomas nonsense." But seriously, my name's Gokhan and I think this would make it easier for all in referring to me in the future.

[LeMo]

Why do you want to buy Ramboy discs in USA when they are distributed in France By ImproJazz?
And that you can buy all this directly to the distributor?
ImproJazz has this label in distribution.
- AA
- Abray Prod.
- Acoustics
- Acta
- Ada
- AFK
- Agapes
- Agaric
- All
- Altri Suoni
- Animul
- Arabesque
- Arc
- ASC
- Audiorama
- Aum Fidelity
- Av-Art
- Ayler
- Balance Point Acoustics
- Bassfere
- Bead
- Belle de Quai
- Between The Lines
- Bimhuis
- Birth/ Birth Millenium
- Bishop
- Boheme
- Botticelli
- Bruces's Fingers
- Bvhaast
- Cadence
- Charlotte
- CIMP
- Circulasione Totale
- CMC
- Concept Of Doing
- Creative Source
- Creative Sources
- Creative Works
- Curva Minore
- Cut Records
- Data
- Drimala
- Dreamtime
- Dr Jim Records
- Dun
- 8th Harmonic Breakdown
- Ektic
- Elabeth
- Emanem
- Entropy
- Eremite
- Ergodic
- Erstwhile
- Evolving Ear
- Fibrr
- Fish Music
- 577 Records
- FMP
- FMR
- Foghorn
- For Four Ears
- 482 Music
- Fractal
- Futura/Marge/Impro
- Geestgronden
- Golden Horn
- Golden Years
- Grob
- Headlights
- Hipshot
- Hopscotch
- Horlieu
- ICP
- Incus
- Inouïe
- Inpolysons
- intuitive
- Ishtar
- Kahaib
- Kontrans
- Leo Records/ Leo Labs
- Le Systeme Records
- Long Arms Records
- Meniscus
- Mesostics
- Minuit Regards
- Moers Music
- Musica Genera
- Mutable
- New Contemporary Music
- Newsonic
- Nimbus
- Ninth World Music
- No Budget Records
- No Man's Land
- No More
- Nova Musica
- No Wave
- Nuscope
- Ogun
- Okkadisk
- Omba
- Omni Sonic
- Oreille Electronic
- Ouïe Dire Prod.
- Paradigm
- Pata Music
- Peacock
- Pentagramma
- Penumbra
- Percaso
- Pink
- Potlach
- Psi
- Public Eyesore
- Quixotic
- Quodlibet
- RAMBOY
- Random Acoustics
- Rare Music
- Red Toucan/ Cactus
- Red Wharf
- Reform Art Unit
- Road Cone
- Roar
- Rossbin
- Rude Noises
- Sheer Sound
- Sirr
- Silkheart
- Slam
- Slask
- Sofa
- Solstice
- Solyd
- Sonore
- Splasc(h)
- Split
- Spool
- Sublingual
- Takla Records
- 33 Jazz
- Trytone
- Two: Thirteen
- Unsound
- Vandoeuvre/ 33Revpremi
- VKH
- Volatile
- W.M.O/R
- Wave
- (De) Werf
- Wig
- Without Fear
- Wobbly Rail
- X-OR
- Yourbuz

And, whatever the label is, they sell all records by:
- François Cotinaud
- Elton Dean
- Mark Helias
- Urs Leimgruber

Their adress is: ImproJazz 14, Allée des Myosotis 41000 Blois, France

Tel/Fax 33 (2) 54 43 14 80
e-mail: improjazz@wanadoo.fr
site: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/improjazz

They publish a revue too called... ImproJazz.

BTW, I have "Furniture Music". I prefer it to the last Vandermark5 (but I like very much the live Rollins side of this one), even if it's a "severe" records.
Generally, the pieces are short. Seems that they are half composed/ half improvised.
Vandermark uses clarinet, bass clarinet, Tenor & Baryton sax (I'm more & more convinced that the baryton his is best horn).
IMO, a one to have.

[gnhrtg]

Thank you LeMo

Knowing that these things depend on one's experience I'll say this: I have not had great fun dealing with the French in general about whatever it was I had to buy (one reason might be that I don't speak French even though I live here).

Much more importantly, I do not know (I do but that would not fit the sentence as well) why on earth I have to pay up to 50% for the same CD in France (compared to prices in US or Verge, for instance - especially with the might euro). And yes, I've even had this with French labels. I do understand their concerns and costs and whatnot but I have my own financial troubles to look after. On a second note, the prices of ImproJazz are the cheapest I've seen around here (I mean in France), so I'll probably be a regular from now on.

That is why (even though I will keep checking in the future on ImproJazz and thank you for letting me now, as you can tell I'm a bit frustrated with the unabashedly unbalanced prices, once again, thanks). As a side note, since you asked, I'll be in Turkey throughout the summer and therefore have no chance of acquiring the CDs from France (and no, you would not want to hear my experience and opinion on customs there).

LeMo - Thank you for sharing your opinion of Furniture Music. To me, your comments mean that I'll also have to get that one. Thanks also for letting me know of ImproJazz, which I'll dub "the best this side of Atlantic" and will call upon when I'm in a rush to get me CDs.

[Vince Kargatis]

Originally posted by Chris Castelle
Potion by New Winds is awesome [...] It's the only New Winds release with trumpeter Herb Robertson replacing founding member JD Parran, and the energy level is definitely higher than the one earler NW album I have with Parran on board.

I'll second the Potion rec, but will note I like the previous Parran releases too - the double reed matchup sounds very nice, including lots of bass clarinet, iirc.

gnhrtg, too bad you didn't ask for some cuts - this album was in the list! :)

[gnhrtg]

Vince - I think, first, that I had asked enough to fill a disc but it is also because (as I state in my first post here) these are albums which I just found out, except for the Vandermark one. Most of the stuff on the disc you sent out is awesome, though - especially the live cuts (Bass Desires, Berne/Roberts, and Rova)