Live shot #101!

 

Two musicians. Govinda's Natural Foods Buffet, Tucson 11/23/23. Really musical playing from the guy with the Telecaster.

Live shot #100!

 

Laserthrone; Groundworks Tucson. 11/17/23. Shredding guitar paired with programmed drums and synthesizer color washes. Effective.

RIP Luna's Cafe

 

A few evenings back, Mr. and Mrs. Amnesiac watched Youtuber Metal Leo's recent video, in which he walked around downtown Sacramento. We marveled at his shots of empty store fronts all over River City's once bustling town center. What the hell happened? This is the capitol city of a state that touts itself as one of the largest economies in the world, yeah? As I recall, that area was often kind of sketchy in an inner city kind of way, but restaurants, markets, and small businesses filled its breadth. It seems that now, not so much. Is it going too far to blame Gavin Newsom? Perhaps he's just a symptom of some greater force. As my pal Charlie, with whom I hung out the last time that I was in Sacramento, would posit: Powers and Principalities.

Viewing Metal Leo's clip led me to reminiscing about Luna's Cafe, a spot not quite in downtown Sac, but close enough. Disaster Amnesiac did a Google search and was saddened to see that Luna's closed permanently, earlier this year. My memories of Luna's are all fond. In it, I discovered a place that was friendly to visual artists and musicians, along with being a purveyor of quality food and drink. I heard some really neat music there, saw some arresting visual art on the walls there, ate and drank tasty menu items there. Additionally, the place had a community. As I type these words, I can recall the interesting people who always seemed to be at Luna's, whenever had occasion to trek there from points west of Sacramento. These were fascinating, artistic, creative, non-pretentious people, and it was always wonderful to see them and to speak with them. I hope that they are doing well. I hope that Art Luna is doing well. Again, I'm saddened by this turn of events, but, hey, it seems to be sort of par for the course at this point that I'm eulogizing tons more. It sucks. Luna's Cafe did not suck. It seems that, given the amount of pure suckage that society throws out there, that's not a bad obituary at all. So long, Luna's Cafe, and thanks for the memories.

Live Shot(s) #99!

 

All shots from Desert Drone show at Hotel Congress, Tucson AZ 11/2/2023.

Below: EttKhett. Star power through viola improvisation and astute beat programming.

Above: Machine Oil. Stomping pummel with tight breaks.

Below: Lana del Rabies. Seamless sonic assault attack.

Above: Realize. Krnchy grrrrrrrrrrrrndng. 

Hotel Congress is a truly classy joint! Excellent staff and killer atmosphere always.

Jakal-Peroration; Amalgam Records, 2023

 

Fans of extended Free Improvisation, take note! Jakal, a trio consisting of woodwinds player Keefe Jackson, drummer Julian Kirshner, and cellist/guitarist/electronics man Fred Lonberg-Holm has released Peroration, and it's right in your wheel house! Consisting of two tracks, the longer Peroration and the shorter The Grand Finale, this set features a group that is mining the rich possibilities inherent within the act of musical improvisation, possibilities which each member of the trio are up to and then some. The listener is dropped immediately into the fray; there is not subtle build up or countdown as Peroration begins. One simply finds oneself surrounded by the thickets of improvised music emerging from the axes and minds of the group's players. Disaster Amnesiac has found much enjoyment from Lonberg-Holm's earthy string sounds, Blues-ey at times, Jackson's high end wind song action, and Kirshner's spacious yet simultaneously dense trap set figurations. Jakal always sound as if they're in conversational mode, even at the moments characterized by a more "let 'er rip" type of dynamic. These dudes play together exceedingly well. Top flight sounds from a great group on Peroration. I'll bet that their live shows are corkers!

Goodbye Andrew Palmer

 

Tremendous sadness has been affecting me since I heard the news about the passing of Andrew Palmer, who died on October 2nd, 2023. 

I got to know Andrew over the course of five years, 2015-20, after he contacted me out of the blue with a request to get together and make some music. Andrew's vision of "Sound Art", as he called it, was pure, and influenced by his bright sense of humor. As I've recollected our relationship over the past few days, I've recalled that the very last utterances from him to me were sarcastic jabs at one of the then current societal tropes. Keeping those to myself, though. Getting back to Andrew's wit and its influence on his musical activity, that wit never mired his production down into mere satire. Time spent within what I recall to be a deep art scene in London assured that Andrew would always take his music seriously. He stuck to his principles, always, even as he noted the elements of absurdity embedded within the pursuit. Never were his aesthetic choices not inspiring.

It must be stated that Andrew was also a tremendously devoted husband and father; the love that he showed to his daughters was humbling in its purity. It was always clear that his family was the primary focus of his attentions. 

Andrew was patient and big-hearted, even under stress. I can't imagine a kinder person than him. It is through a prism of tears that I type these words of remembrance. Godspeed and much love to you,  Andrew. This world is diminished by your leaving.

Live shot #98!

 

A Noise musician whose moniker I can't recall. Noto Motors, Menlo Park CA 1/5/19.