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Posts Tagged Improvisation

Archive

April 24, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Hermione Johnson with Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson (April 21, Wellington)

Hermione Johnson w/ Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson Meow; Wellington Thursday, April 21 Earlier in the week I made sure I bought a ticket to see Hermione Johnson with Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson. Because I knew that if I didn’t book it then and there I’d make any excuse at the end of a […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 2022, Anthony Donaldson, April, April 21, Coronavirus, Covid, Covid-19, Drums, Gig, Gig Review, Gig Review: Hermione Johnson with Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson (April 21, Hermione Johnson, Hermione Johnson w/ Riki Gooch and Anthony Donaldson, Improv, Improvisation, Live, Live Gig, Live Music, Meow; Wellington, Percussion, Piano, Review, Riki Gooch, Thursday, Wellington ·

Archive

June 1, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Masabumi Kikuchi: Hanamichi

Masabumi Kikuchi Hanamichi Red Hook Records Masabumi Kikuchi was a pianist working across jazz and improvisation. We don’t always get to know aspects of the rich story of the Japanese musicians creating jazz unless we seek it out – although Kikuchi not only created solo piano albums and was the leader of small combos, he […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Hanamichi, Improvisation, Jazz, Masabumi Kikuchi, Masabumi Kikuchi: Hanamichi, Piano, posthumous, Red Hook Records, Solo, Standards, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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May 25, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt: Made Out of Sound

Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt Made Out of Sound Palilalia I love Bill Orcutt. He hits at the guitar in a way that makes me think of heroes like Marc Ribot and Sonny Sharrock. There’s wildness in his way – he tears at the strings and the ugly side of a beautiful melody is instantly […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Bill Orcutt, Chris Corsano, Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt, Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt: Made Out of Sound, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Drums, Free Jazz, Guitar, Improv, Improvisation, Instrumental, Lockdown, Made Out of Sound, Pandemic, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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May 5, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Chris Abrahams / Mark Wastell: A Thousand Sacred Ships

Chris Abrahams / Mark Wastell A Thousand Sacred Ships Confront Recordings Two great improvisers finally recording together. Back in 2018 The Necks had a European residency – so while over there and in that place pianist Chris Abrahams recorded this EP with multi-instrumentalist Mark Wastell. The British percussionist (at least on this recording) and Australian […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged A, A Thousand Sacred Ships, Album Review, Chris Abrahams, Chris Abrahams / Mark Wastell, Chris Abrahams / Mark Wastell: A Thousand Sacred Ships, Confront Recordings, Duo, EP, Improvisation, Mark Wastell, Sacred, Ships, The Necks, Thousand, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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November 22, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: NGĀ TUONE by Riki Gooch (November 20, 2020)

Riki Gooch: NGĀ TUONE St. Peter’s on Willis, Wellington Jazz Festival Friday, November 22 I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone else that thinks about music the way Riki Gooch does. You can pile up any of the usual clichés – the music flows through him, he is a conduit for groove, he lives and […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 20/20, Al Fraser, Anna Edginton, Bridget Kelly, Conduction, Conductor, Cory Champion, David Long, Friday, Gig, Gig Review, Gig Review: NGĀ TUONE by Riki Gooch (November 20, Improvisation, Jazz Festival, Jeff Henderson, Live Gig, NGĀ TUONE, November 20, November 22, Parks, Premiere Series, Riki Gooch, Ruby Solly, St. Peters, Wellington, Wgtn, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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August 30, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Thurston Moore: Spirit Counsel

Thurston Moore Spirit Counsel Daydream Library For some 40 years now Thurston Moore’s guitar has been making noise in public. Sometimes it’s in the shape of a song, other times it couldn’t seem more removed. With a band or solo, as a guest or with guests of his own – it’s a dizzying discography and […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 3-Disc, Album Review, box-set, Daydream Library, Glenn Branca, Guitar, Improvisation, Instrumental, Noise, Sonic Youth, Spirit Counsel, Thurston Moore, Thurston Moore: Spirit Counsel ·

Archive

March 7, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Laurie Anderson – Here Comes The Ocean (March 6, Wellington)

Laurie Anderson – Here Comes The Ocean MFC, Wellington Friday, March 6 Laurie Anderson was invited to the NZ Festival as one of the guest curators – that meant performances from Anderson as well, including this: her symphony of ocean-inspired songs from late husband Lou Reed and various texts and spoken word pieces of her […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 20/20, Arts Festival, Budi Putra, Eyvind Kang, Festival of the Arts, Friday, Gamelan, Gamelan Wellington, Gig Review, Gig Review: Laurie Anderson – Here Comes The Ocean (March 6, Greg Cohen, Horomona Horo, Improvisation, Laurie Anderson – Here Comes The Ocean, Live Gig, Live Music, March 6, Megan Collins, MFC, NZ Festival, Rubin Kodheli, Shahzad Ismaily, Spoken Word, Stewart Hurwood, Symphony, Wellington, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

Archive

July 22, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 279 

Keith Jarrett, Solo Concerts: Bremen/Lausanne (1973) There’s so much Keith Jarrett out there – and more by the day as he archives swell and see release. And maybe I want it all! I certainly want lots – and was pleased to get this, not exactly rare or anything, but good timing to find this at a good […]
Posted in Blog, The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged 1973, 3-LP, Boxset, Bremen, Concerts, Improvisation, Keith Jarrett, Koln, Lausanne, Live, Piano, Solo, Solo Concerts: Bremen/Lausanne, The Vinyl Countdown, The Vinyl Countdown # 279 ·

Archive

October 11, 2017 by Simon Sweetman

Brötzmann/Leigh: NZ Tour (Nov/Dec 2017)

Altmusic and the Audio Foundation are proud to present a nationwide tour of renowned saxophone/pedal steel guitar duo, Brötzmann / Leigh. Peter Brötzmann is a living legend of improvised music who has embodied the leading edge of the European avant-garde for over 50 years, challenging audiences and convention alike with a relentless intensity. On pedal […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged (Nov/Dec 2017), 2017), Altmusic, Audio Foundation, Brötzmann/Leigh, Brötzmann/Leigh: NZ Tour (Nov/Dec 2017), CNZ, Creative New Zealand, December, Duo, Heather Leigh, Improvisation, New Zealand, November, NZ, NZ Tour, Pedal Steel, Peter Brotzmann, Saxophone, Tour Announcement ·

Archive

June 13, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Wayne Shorter (June 8, Wgtn)

Wayne Shorter Opera House, Wellington Wednesday, June 8 Joining the legendary saxophonist were three virtuoso talents, the incredible Brian Blade (drums), the sublime John Patitucci (bass) and the thoughtful Danilo Perez (piano). This quartet has been performing together across the last few years as Shorter leaves his reputation as a composer to the side and […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 2016), Brian Blade, Danilo Perez, Dominion Post, Free Jazz, Gig Review: Wayne Shorter (June 8, Improvisation, Instrumental, Jazz, Jazz Festival, John Patitucci, June 8, Live Gig, Live Review, Review, Saxophone, Stuff.co.nz, Wayne Shorter, Wednesday, Wellington, Wgtn ·

Archive

March 21, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Uri Caine with The New Zealand String Quartet (March 20, Wgtn)

Uri Caine w/ The New Zealand String Quartet MFC Sunday, March 20 I had looked forward to this – but as soon as the show started, the pairing of Uri Caine (piano) with The New Zealand String Quartet seemed like an odd mismatch, a pointless exercise. I feel cheated too that we didn’t get one […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged 2016), Arts Festival, Beethoven, Chamber Society, Classical, Gig Review: Uri Caine with The New Zealand String Quartet (March 20, Improvisation, Jazz, March 20, MFC, Mike Nock, New Zealand String Quartet, NZ String Quartet, Piano, Reimagining The Classics, Strings, Sunday, Uri Caine, Wellington, Wgtn ·

Archive

November 19, 2015 by Simon Sweetman

Gig Review: Susan Alcorn (November 19, Wgtn)

Susan Alcorn MEOW Wednesday, November 19 Baltimore-based Susan Alcorn has lifted the pedal steel guitar up and away from country music. You can still hear that weepy quality, that yearning in her sound. But, in fact, you hear the history of so many guitar noises in her sound – from the mythical B.B. King playing […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Gig, Gig Review, Gig Review: Susan Alcorn (November 19, Improvisation, Live Gig, Meow, Nell Thomas, Pedal Steel, Susan Alcorn, Tom Callwood, Tristan Carter, Wellington, Wgtn ·
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