ANTHONY COLEMAN

Pianist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Anthony Coleman (born 1955) is a notable artist in New York Downtown avant-jazz scene as well as a pioneering figure of the Jewish traditional and modern jazz. Active since late 70s, Anthony Coleman has contributed on 80s albums such as "The Big Gundown", "Spillane" and other classic works which established John Zorn as an avant-garde super star. In early nineties Coleman created his first major solo work "Disco By Night" (1992). He also extended the circle of his collaborations, he wrote commissioned music and did many live appearances in free-jazz, klezmer or improvised music festivals all over US and Europe.

Among many collaborations and projects we note Coleman's work with Krakauer Trio, Glenn Branca, the duos with Roy Nathanson, his contributions on soundtrack "Camp Stories"and his own groups Sephardic Tinge, Selfhaters...The main body of his music can be found on labels Avant, Knitting Factory, Tzadik...

An introduction to Anthony Coleman:

01 Anthony Coleman, Roy Nathanson Bird-jews
("The Coming Great Millenium...", 1992)
02 Anthony Coleman Trend man 
("Disco By Night", 1992) 
03 Anthony Coleman Quando el rey nimrod
("Sephardic Tinge", 1995)
04 Sephardic Tinge Ghetto (ich bin ein marrano)
("Morenica", 1998)
05 Professionales takah
("Voices From The Wilderness", various artists, 2003) 
06 Camp Stories Camp stories opening credits
("Camp Stories", o.s.t., 1996)
07 Sephardic Tinge La cantiga del fuego 
("Morenica", 1998) 
08 Anthony Coleman Belz
("Sephardic Tinge", 1995)
09 Anthony Coleman, Roy Nathanson Sheik of avenue B
("The Coming Great Millenium...", 1992)
10 Sephardic Tinge Morenica
("Morenica", 1998)
11 Selfhaters A house is not a home
("Great Jewish Music: B. Bacharach", various artists, 1997)
12 Sephardic Tinge Youkali
("Our Beautiful Garden Is Open", 2002)
13 Camp Stories Camp Stories closing credits 
("Camp Stories", o.s.t., 1996)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Anthony Coleman Collection (approx. 1 hour)

ANDY STATMAN: Forms Of Spiritual World Music

Statman's urban folk: from jewish mystics and bluegrass to impressionistic jazz and world eclectisism

ANDY STATMAN is a rare occasion of a multiculturalist, innovator and strongly rooted to the folk traditions artist. By a very young age, while he was already an accomplished bluegrass mandolinist, attracted by the free/spiritual jazz of Ayler and Coltrane and begun, as a saxophonist, his first adventures in avant-jazz and ethnic music. As a Jew, on the other hand, he involved with the old jewish music and, developing his clarinet virtuosity under the guidance of great Klezmer teachers (as David Tarras), he finally became one of the masters of the genre.

His approach though, in hebrew traditions hasn't been preserving the music of the past. On the contrary, Statman's art is in a constant search for an expansive form which extracts the timeless from the ancient jewish tunes and blends it with his many other influences.
This highly melodic world trip draws pictures of an urban-folk-bluesy american landscape and leads back to Balkan, Mediterrania, Eastern Europe, places where Chassidic culture bloomed. It has for sure its strong references to a collective memory, it is though the very personal journey of someone who attains to put to question our historical-geografical music certainties, communicating with us on the base of an old/new spiritual language.

...circa 1996

front cover of 1997 Statman's work, eloquently titled "Between Heaven & Earth"

A LFDJ introduction to Andy Statman

01 Shalom Aleichem
(Andy Statman & David Grisman "Songs Of Our Fathers", 1995)

02 Bashie's Bounce
("Songs Of Our Fathers", 1995)

03 Slivovitz
(Andy Statman Quartet "The Hidden Light", 1998)

04 Crossing the Bosphorus
("The Hidden Light", 1998)

05 Hispodedus
(Andy Statman "Avodas ha-levi: archival recordings from 90's", 2005)

06 Badekns Niggun
("Avodas ha-levi", 2005)

07 Yonah
(Andy Statman Quartet "Between Heaven & Earth", 1997)

08 L' cha dodi
("Avodas ha-levi", 2005)

09 Waltz
("Avodas ha-levi", 2005)

10 For the sake of my brothers and friends
("Songs Of Our Fathers", 1995)

11 Journey to the center of twang
(Andy Statman & David Grisman "Mandolin Abstractions", 1983)

12 'Till we meet again
("Mandolin Abstractions", 1983)

13 Mah Yedidus
("The Hidden Light", 1998)

14 Chassidic waltz
("Between Heaven & Earth", 1997)

15 Adon olam
("Songs Of Our Fathers", 1995)

16 If not for...
("Between Heaven & Earth", 1997)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

LISTEN HERE
(16 tracks, 56min)


ANDY STATMAN QUARTET - If Not For...


" A holy melody has the power to bring someone to a state of prophecy" (A Chassidic Mystic)

HASIDIC NEW WAVE "Kabalogy" (US, Knitting Factory, 1999)

Few months ago we posted HNW`s third album, "KABALOGY", at club amigos del .rar y ALF. Here it is just a new link to it. HNW, as a trully alternative thinking and acting band expands klezmer jazz to a wide range of sound references. Check also our post of HNW excellent 2nd LP "PSYCHO SEMETIC".

Kabalogy (78mb)

HASIDIC NEW WAVE "Psycho-semitic" (US,1998)

Their 2nd and my favourite "Psycho-semitic". Hasidic New Wave's characteristic blend of klezmer-avant-free-funk-impro-jazz-core has, this time, a strong dose of psych influence coupling dark mystic moods with the festivity of creating and playing music for simple things happiness.

"Mashke iz YASH un blaybt af a vayle - whiskey is BOOZE and lasts for a while - Negine iz YESH un farbaybt yom ve-layle - but music is a REALITY that lasts day & night.

In other words, the right notes at the right time can change a person` s being: There`s a way, say the kabbalists, to extract fire from water[...], a few drinks might change the water`s colour but the right sounds can turn waves to flame. It`s like the difference between a birthday sparkler and the Burning Bush, which burns and burns but is never consumed. And that`s the point-to take the voices of many waters and make them all into a fire that doesn`t stop burning..."

Michael Wex ( from the inner notes of PSYCHO-SEMITIC)

Listen here (50mb)

Psycho-semetic @256Kb/s (95.5mb)

tracklist
01.seven blessings from the high priest (achas)
02.AKS
 03.seven blessings (achas ve-achas)
04.HEBE BOP
05.seven blessings (achas u-shtayim)
06.TRANSCENDENCE -because of our shortcomings, we live in exile
07.AL-OSFOUR AL-MANJOUN (crazy bird)
08.seven blessings (achas ve sholosh)
09.VE-SAMAKHTO DUB
10.seven blessings (achas ve-arba)
11.HABIBI
12.seven blessings (achas vo-sheysh)
13.BLUES IN EXILE
14.seven blessings (achas ve-khamesh)
15.MEN TRINKT MASHKE (people drink whiskey) -you drink whiskey, you get happy,and then you start to dance