Artist: Lukas Ligeti and Thollem McDonas
Title: Imaginary Images
Label: Leo Records
Genre: improv/free style/nu music
Review by Dawoud Kringle
The most natural thing in the world is a meeting between two improvising musicians. On Imaginary Images drummer/percussionist Lukas Ligeti and pianist Thollem McDonas have given us an assemblage of deftly crafted improvisations.
Artist: Manu Koch & Filtron M
Title: Mandatory Underground
Label: True Groove Rec
Genre: jazz/fusion
Review by Dawoud Kringle
Manu Koch has released an EP CD with his project Filtron M; music platform which attempts to act as as a filter in the age of musical and cultural multiplicity. It is mainly a live act consisting of various units such as Astoria Roots and Unique Afrique that showcase Manu’s compositions and the community of international musicians he’s been associated with.
The two projects that meet under the guise of Filtron M are Unique Afrique: Patrick Andy (bass), Harvey Wirht (drums), Brahim Fribgane (oud, percussion); and Astoria Roots: Panagiotis Andreou (bass, voice), Mauricio Zottarelli (drums), and Sebastian Nickoll (congas). Manu Koch plays piano and keyboards, and composes for both projects.
Artist: Cassis & Boxerin
Title: Flypaperthin – A Symphonic Suite for Chamber Ensemble
Label: self released
Genre: singer-song writer/soundtrack/alternative rock
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
The “classical” model of the chamber ensemble of Europe’s antiquity has clearly branched off into directions that Bach, Mozart, and Vivaldi could never have anticipated. Cassis & Boxerin is such a project.
Artist: Hypercolor
Title: Hypercolor
Label: Tzadik Rec
Genre: free style/free rock/noise
CD review by Dawoud Kringle
Tzadik has released a CD by the newest of the Downtown No-Wave improv scene: Hypercolor.
Artist: Richard Bennett and Dhanashree Pandit Rai
Title: Mumbai Masala
Label: Times Music
Genre: nu Indian music/Indian jazz/West meets East?
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Pianist / composer Richard Bennet is one of the forefront musicians who are blending Indian raga with jazz. He released several groundbreaking recordings (including New York City Swara, Raga & Blues, Rhapsody in Yaman, etc.), and performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, The Guggenheim Museum, BAMcafe, Brooklyn Museum of Art, and NJPAC. He has toured the world with various jazz and blues ensembles.
