September 2005 Cuneiform Releases

Press release received from Cuneiform:

Dear friends in Press and Radio:

On Sept 20th, Cuneiform will release the following 5 CDs:

THE CLAUDIA QUINTET    *Semi-Formal*   &n bsp;     ;  file under: JAZZ/ POST-JAZZ 
FORGAS BAND PHENOMENA    *Soleil 12*     file under: ROCK/JAZZ-FUSION/
JAZZ-ROCK 
MATS/ MORGAN BAND  *Thanks For Flying With Us*    file under: ROCK/ JAZZ-ROCK
NDIO       *AirBack* &nb sp;     file under: JAZZ/ JAZZ-ROCK/ FUSION 
DJAM KARET      *Recollection Harvest*  file under: ROCK/ PROGRESSIVE ROCK  


Descriptions of the new releases follow:

THE CLAUDIA QUINTET    *Semi-Formal*   &n bsp;     ;  file under: JAZZ/ POST-JAZZ 
[from USA/ NEW YORK CITY]
The 3rd release by this sensational 'jazz and beyond' ensemble, led by
composer/drummer John Hollenbeck. While clearly influenced by the jazz idiom, the
group's music goes far beyond jazz,  breaching genre walls and exploring areas
in common with such musicians as Morton Feldman, Steve Reich, Tortoise, Lars
Hollmer and others.  The ensembles' genre-bending music led the *Washington City
Paper* to proclaim that: *jazz, more than most genres, needs a band like
Claudia.* Their previous Cuneiform release, *I, Claudia* earned 4 star reviews
from *DownBeat* and other prestigious publications, and led the *Georgia
Straight* to exclaim that "Hollenbeck's Claudia Quintet is a great unknown band just
waiting to be discovered."

FORGAS BAND PHENOMENA    *Soleil 12*     file under: ROCK/JAZZ-FUSION/
JAZZ-ROCK 
[from FRANCE]
Composer/ drummer Patrick Forgas has been hailed as *the French answer to the
Canterbury scene* since his 1977 *Cocktail* album, which featured members of
Magma and Zao. *Soleil 12* is the 3rd release by his new group, the Forgas
Band Phenomena, as well as Forgas' 1st release on Cuneiform & 1st release outside
France. Forgas here leads an 8 piece instrumental ensemble (dual saxes,
trumpet, violin, guitar, keyboards, bass and drums) through epic-length, complex
and melodic compositions that mix ambitious progressive structures and inspired
jazz soloing.

MATS/ MORGAN BAND  *Thanks For Flying With Us*    file under: ROCK/ JAZZ-ROCK
 
[from SWEDEN]
As child prodigies who had independently honed their chops on Frank Zappa's
compositions, Mats Oberg (keyboards) and Morgan Agren (drums) first met and
began playing together 25 years ago (!!) when Mats was 10 and Morgan was 14. 
Zappa played a central role in the early years of their collaboration as both
musical influence and mentor; Mats and Morgan sat in with Zappa's band,  played
in the 1991 Zappa's Universe concert series, and continue to work  on projects
with Zappa's children. The two founded the Mats/Morgan Band about 7 years ago.
In the group's newest release (it's 1st on Cuneiform),  the quintet plays as
a well-honed, cohesive unit. *Thanks for Flying with Us* shows the band
arriving at its own voice in progressive jazz/rock, with a modern-sounding blend of
complexity, composition, chops and beats.

NDIO       *AirBack* &nb sp;     file under: JAZZ/ JAZZ-ROCK/ FUSION       
[from THE NETHERLANDS]
NDIO was formed from the ashes of the Holland-based Hugh Hopper Band, founded
by British Canterbury icon and Soft Machine member Hugh Hopper in 1985. After
the Hopper Band disbanded c. 2001, saxophonis and composer Frank van der
Kooij, a key member from the start, asked Hopper to join a project under his
leadership. Van der Kooij also invited two other Hopper Band alumni to join:
British trombonist Robert Jarvis, and drummer Pieter Bast. Three other Dutch
musicians rounded out the ensemble: guitarist Niels Brouwer and  keyboardist Paul
Maassen. On *Airback*, NDIO’s 1st CD release, the music is a fluid and “airy”
fusion of jazz with elements of rock, folk, ambient, classical music and
sampling. The Netherlands has recently been recognized as a seedbed for some of the
best and most adventurous jazz in recent years. *Airback* shows that young
Dutch musicians are also producing some of the world's best jazz/rock fusion - yet
another musical development in which Hopper has played an integral role.

DJAM KARET      *Recollection Harvest*  file under: ROCK/ PROGRESSIVE ROCK  
[from USA/LOS ANGELES]
Djam Karet is one of the most refreshingly creative, consistently high
caliber and widely respectied contemporary progressive rock bands on the worldwide
progressive scene. *Recollection Harvest*, Djam Karet's 16th (!!!) studio
recording, is a powerful and beautiful album of progressive rock. In the band’s own
words, “Never content to just sit on our ass, we worked diligently to explore
a more melodic and orchestrated vision of high energy progressive rock.
Deeply disturbing atmospheres and netherworlds await.”  The band's releases have
been highly acclaimed, appearing on numerous *best of* lists. As *All Music
Guide* described their previous release: "All the cliches ever used about
insturmental prpg rock at its best would be appropriate here - "soaring," "anthemic,"
"powerful," "gorgeous," "cosmic," and so on.. ...that's good news for anyone
who wants to revisit the glory days of the genre - or find out why this type of
music still has so many fans. ...an excellent, mature recording by a band
that is commendavbly intent upon exploring and expanding its musical universe."

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on other biz:

CUNEIFORM ARTIST NEWS

Cuneiform Artist News will continue to be posted on our website
www.cuneiformrecords.com, as it is received. Joe at [email protected] will continue to
compile it.
 
However, our emailed version of Cuneiform Artist News is on hold until we
determine how to email it more efficiently.


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SPECIAL FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Friends asked us to announce this very wonderful festival in Germany:

*AVANTGARDE FIESTA*
Hamburg/Lübeck
an art-errorist event
SEPT 16th - 18th 2005

http://www.art-errorist.de/fiestaval_2005/

Featuring:
FAUST (including jean-herve peron and zappi diermaier )
Chris CUTLER
Charles HAYWARD
ULAN BATOR
members of AMON DUUL and GURU GURU
ECTOGRAM .....
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