LUCKY
BROWN – MYSTERY ROAD
Mystery
Road pays homage to the great unknown musicians throughout america who, with
their self-produced singles, became local and regional hits just around the
time that megacorporations began saturating the market and the radio with
something that was less like music, and more like a product. They, with profit
as their goal, turned the radio into a marketplace, and turned music lovers
into consumers. In only a few generations, the violent severance of our ties to
the traditions of our ancestors represents a loss of cultural heritage and has
thrust us into uncharted waters - a Mystery Road. For the last 7 years, Lucky
Brown has been working with a label in Germany called Tramp. Tramp Records specializes
in uncovering some of this great lost music, finding and interviewing the last
living founders, and licensing the music in reprints of the 45s or for
full-length compilations of never-before-heard studio material. Every other 45
released is an existing band that works within that framework. We are proud to
say that Lucky Brown has a reputation worldwide for being one of the roughest. Today,
Lucky Brown, in this follow up to his first Tramp album: "Lucky Brown's
Space Dream," is realizing another dream - [releasing an album in the form
of a series of singles - each with it's own unique artwork, independent bands
and writing and recording sessions.] {a 2 LP set} entitled Mystery Road. The
different band names are not intended to mislead, different people play
together in each different group. Sometimes Lucky comes in with an idea, other
times the group invents the music on the spot to suit the mood. All of this,
coupled with Lucky's experimental and vernacular approach toward sound
recording and you start to catch the vibe of Mystery Road.
MIKKO
INNANEN / WILLIAM PARKER / ANDREW CYRILLE – SONG FOR A NEW DECADE
Finnish
reedman Mikko Innanen works here with American jazz giants William Parker on
bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums – but in setting that definitely has Mikko
holding his own! Innanen plays alto, baritone, and other reed instruments –
often with a style that's surprisingly soulful, and very spiritual – stepping
out over the work of Cyrille and Parker with a quality that almost takes us
back to the New York loft jazz years of the 70s! Parker really adds a lot of
depth to the record on the first CD – then steps out to allow for interplay
between Cyrille and Innanen on the second CD, which is the longer "Songs
For This Decade" suite. Other titles include "The End Is A
Beginning", "See You At 103", "Blue In Nublu",
"Small & Big Steps", and "A Morning A Day A Night". ~
Dusty Groove
CHRIS
POTTER UNDERGROUND ORCHESTRA – IMAGINARY CITIES
Beautiful
sounds from reedman Chris Potter – working here with an expanded string lineup,
although one that's more of a string quartet added to the core combo – and
maybe not the full orchestra you'd guess from the cover! Still, those subtle
strings really add a lot to the record – creating this sonic balance that's
really sublime, even before Potter comes into the mix on either tenor, soprano,
or bass clarinet, depending on the track – and the quartet often shades in the
tunes with a gentle introduction, before more familiar Potter associates come
in and deepen the sound – including Craig Taborn on piano, Steve Nelson on
vibes and marimba, and Adam Rogers on guitar. Titles include
"Firefly", "Sky", "Shadow Self",
"Lament", and the extended "Imaginary Cities" suite. ~ Dusty Groove
