NEW RELEASES - KOUDEDE, DAVE REMPIS /JOSHUA ABRAMS / AVREEAYL RA, THE REMPIS / DAISY DUO

KOUDEDE - GUITARS FROOM AGADEZ VOL. 7

A sweet EP of guitar-laden grooves from Koudede – a Mali musician we've really grown to love from this excellent series! The record's got the strongest punch of any work we've heard from Koudede so far – a growing sense of pride that not only informs the bold rhythms at the bottom, but also the sharpness of his own lead guitar lines and vocals – so powerful and anthemic you can almost get the politics in his music, even if you don't understand the language. Titles include "Adounia", "Taghlamt", "Ewellan", and "Tamidit". ~ Dusty Groove 

DAVE REMPIS / JOSHUA ABRAMS / AVREEAYL RA - APHELION

A trio of tracks by a tremendous trio – the wonderfully spiritual combo of Dave Rempis on saxes, Avreeayl Ra on percussion, and Josh Abrams on bass, small harp, and guimbri! Abrams' presence is really felt here – and his growth towards even more soulful styles in recent years seems to bring Ra's music into great focus, and give Rempis a sensitivity that goes even beyond some of his best recent material in other settings. The music is always focused with a cosmic sort of energy – often relatively free, but never too loose – and driven by a shared spirit between the players that really holds the whole thing together. Titles include "Ruah", "Soria", and "Saqiya". ~ Dusty Groove.

DAVE REMPIS / TIM DAISY (THE REMPIS / DAISY DUO) - SECOND SPRING

An amazing showcase for the reed talents of musician Dave Rempis – working here on alto, tenor, and baritone sax – alongside some powerful drum work from Tim Daisy! The duets are great – unbridled, but still with a sense of structure that really shows Rempis' careful execution of his talents – a way of laying out these long, expressive lines on the different instruments – often with a sense of spirit that takes us back to Dolphy at his most out, the best ESP power trios, and some of the high points of the New York loft jazz scene. Titles include "Numbers Lost", "Three Flags", "For R Barry", "Impasto", and "Gerosten & Gesalten". ~ Dusty Groove