Nows The Time

Monday 5th March Playlist

2007-03-08T13:39:00.000Z

Sad news I'm afraid but Nows The Time is taking a break as of next Monday for a few months. Fair enough, Resonance FM programmes are regularly rotated to give everyone a chance. However we are hoping (fingers crossed) we'll be back some time soon. Keep looking at the Blog for other news, concert reviews, London jazz scene info etc.

Here's the playlist for last Monday's show:

Artist - Track - Album - Label

Langston Hughes - Youth - The Voice of Langstone Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways

Mark Murphy - Stolen Moments (1st Reprise) - Love Is What Stays - Barn Barn Music

Sonny Rollins - Sonny Please - Sonny Please - Doxy

Joshua Redman - Mantra #5 - Back East - Nonesuch

Basquait Strings with Seb Roachford - How do birds hear music - Basquait Strings with Seb Roachford - F-IRE

Trilok Gurtu & Arke String Quartet - Bermansah - Arkeology - Promo Music

Rob Eddy's Gift Horse - O'Brasil - A Hundred Jumping Horses - Reddy Music

Robert Fonseca - Zamazomazu - Zamazu - Enja

Billy Cobham - Bandits - Total Eclipse - Atlantic

Fay Victor Ensemble - Cartwheels Through The Cosmos - Green Avenue Music

Rudresh Mahanthappa - The Decider - Codebook - Pi Records

Led Bib - Manifesto For The Future - Sizewell Tea - Babel Label

T.K. Blue - Dance Of The Nile - Eyes Of The Elders - Arkadia Jazz

Jayne Cortez - I Got The Blues - Find Your Own Voice - Bola Press

Randy Weston & David Murray - The Healers - The Healers - Black Saint

Edsel Gomez - NYC Taxi Ride - Cubist Music - Zoho Music

End

Track listings - Monday 19th Feburary 2007

2007-02-20T16:24:00.000Z

Ola,

Kevin was out of action yesterday so I stepped into the breach and presented the show. I revisited some of the real stonking tunes that we've played on the show throughout 2006 and for this weeks theme I picked flowers - I had lined up a few different tunes on this theme but I decided to play as much of one particualar piece which was choice bit of vinyl I picked up some years back and I don't really get often enough, it was the Andrew Hill Trio (Hill is pictured above) and their composition Misty Flower from the album Strange Serenade. It's a slow build of a piece but after the total 15 minutes have elapsed it gets you right at your core, a wonderful piece of music.

Here is the rest of the tracks:

* Young Blood Brass Band – Camouflage – from the album Centre:Level:Roar – on Ozone records – released in 2003
"6 horns, 2 drummers, a sousaphonist, and an MC," the group was founded in 1995 when these young men were high school students in Wisconsin. The sousaphone is that beautifull rotund tuba like instrument common in marching bands.

* Acoustic Ladyland – Marching Dice – from their album 2004 album Camouflage – on the ever great Babel Label
Acoustic Ladyland are a London based jazz band consisting of Tom Herbert on double bass, Pete Wareham on tenor and baritone saxophone, Seb Rochford on drums and Tom Cawley on Piano. Of course Acoustic Ladyland is another great band that came out of east London’s finest contemporary jazz scene, The F-IRE Collective.

* Christian McBride – Mwandishi Outcome Jam – from his album ‘Live at Tonic’ released last year on Rope A Dope.
A homage to the seminal funk Jazz fusion album Mwandishi by Herbie Hancock recorded in 1970.

* Sex Mob – Pygmey Suite – from their album Sexotica released on the Thirsty Ear
Steven Bernstein's Sex Mob are less obsessive than their name implies. They're the house band for the Leonard Cohen tribute project, which features Rufus Wainwright and Nick Cave.

* The Bad Plus – Flim – reworking of a beautiful Aphex Twin tune – taken from their break-through album – These Are The Vistas – released on Columbia Records in 2003 - jazz trio consisting of pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and drummer Dave King.

* Avishai Cohen – Smash – from his album Continuo released on Sunny Side records in 2005 - Avishai Cohen (upright bass, bass guitar); Amos Hoffman (oud); Sam Barsh (piano); Mark Guiliana (drums, percussion).

I was wondering what the title meant and I think it refers to this - "Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600-1750), were, as the name implies, played continuously throughout a piece, providing the harmonic structure of the music."

* Der Rote Bereich – Da Da Dapp – from their Act label release ‘Risky Business’ put out in 2002. Rudi Mahall - bass clarinet / Frank Möbus - guitar / Oliver Steidle – drums

* Julien Lourou – A Stitch In Time – from Fire on the Label Bleu label. Bojan Z plays the keyboards, Eric Lohrer on the guitar, Daniel Garcia Bruno the drums, Vincent Artaud the bass. Voice on that was by John Greaves, former Henry Cow member – basist and composer.

Theme Flowers

* Andrew Hill Trio - Misty Flower - from the album Strange Serenade on Soul Note records.

FIN

Nows The Time present Cleveland Watkiss Live

2007-02-06T14:14:00.000Z

Nows The Time is more then a radio show, we also host the best London's contemporary jazz and improvised music as part of a monthly gig at The Vortex Jazz Bar here in London.

Below is a live performance by Cleveland Watkiss, enjoy!

To subscribe to Nows The Time live as a podcast go to our Twango page - Click Here - and scroll down to the end you'll see a nice big "Podcast" button in a feisty orange, click on it and it will automatically open iTunes and load a subscription!

Gig Review - Uri Caine at the Vortex 18th Jan 07'

2007-01-22T10:55:00.000Z

I hope Uri will forgive me this analogy, but on Kingsland Road a stones throw from the Vortex there is a Chinese restaurant called Shanghai. Chinese restaurants abound in London but this place serves the best Dim Sum I have ever tasted, the steamed pastry filled pockets of delight present themselves like actual sea creatures, delicate, huddled together in the steaming basket, resting on a film of rice paper - the taste buds squirt in quasi-erotic excitement - well that's how my ears felt waiting for the great Uri Caine's hands to touch those keys on Friday night.

Caine did not disappoint, every note had flavour, texture, colour, wit and grace - a master chef of the keyboard is Uri. Eclectic is a word much maligned in any discussion of contemporary jazz but Uri Caine's mind is a musical map of a world that incorporates Fats Waller, Ellington and Gustav Mahler in an interchangeable topography.

Caine’s interpretation of Monk's ‘Round Midnight’ was one of the best renditions either I or Kevin had heard to date - incorporating a Don Pullen-esque series of punctuated rhythms developing into rich harmonic and melodic rendition of this classic theme that would have pleased Thelonius himself.
From standards like Honey Suckle Rose to Mahler's 3rd Symphony the stops on this particular journey where both emotionally fulfilling and testing in the best sense. The venue was packed and the atmosphere was sparkling. After the gig I got the great man to add to my pension fund in the form of his signature on a prized copy of ‘Shelf-Life’ and he seemed to have enjoyed the performance almost, but not completely I’m sure, as much as the audience did.

A joy

Monday Jan 15th Track Listings

2007-01-16T11:05:00.000Z

This week Kevin was away in warmer climes so I was in the hot seat. In keeping with the midwinter subdued mood in London I kept half the show pretty mellow. Passing through Brussels last week I was able to pick up some classic Belgian recordings. I found two excellent sessions on the Carbon 7 label based in Brussels - firstly an excellent mid 90's album by Erwin Vann titled Eleven and a reissue of the legendary Belgian trio AKA Moon titled Rebirth. The bass player Michel Hatzigeorgiou turns up on both recording. I did'nt have time this week to feature the AKA Moon record but we'll squeeze it in soon. I played a wonderous Erwin Vann track called Djana - Vann's saxophone sketches out a very simple bitter/sweet melody to the sound of a childs gurgles, I love the track but my girlfriend Ruth who was in studio thought it creepy, there you go music is a subjective thing.

Uri Caine is performing on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th of Jan at the Vortex which is surely gig of the year and we are not even mid way through January! I played a stonking funked up sizzler of a tune from Uri Caine's album 'Shelf Life' recorded on the Winter & Winter label the track was titled 'Steakjacket Prelude'.

The theme of this week's show in homage to Uri's pending solo piano performances was solo piano and coincidentally I was sent through the stunning Irene Schweizer CD 'First Choice - Piano Solo KKL Luzern' which is on the ever excellent Intakt Label. This is a stonking recording with Schweizer show-casing her impressive abilities as a musician and improvisor - in an acoustic that is achingly perfect. Intakt have made a stupendous recording, the quality of which is comparable to ECM at it's best. I can't recommend the record more. I admit I was not fully aware of Irene Schweizers brilliance so this record has put me back on track.

I ended on a stunning track by the Dublin tentet The Fuzzy Logic Ensemble , I played a track called Happy New Year which is striking in it's melodic complexity and bodes really well for this Ensemble output and the state of Jazz in my home town Dublin.

I also gave away a pair of tickets to see Abram Wilson perform from his new release on Dune Records. The winner was Lucas, and we got loads of calls, the answer was Louisianna, so figure out the question!

Here's the full listings of this weeks show:

* Prayer Meeting – Langston Hughes – Smithsonian Folkways

* Djana – by Erwin Vann – from his album Eleven recorded in 1995 Carbon 7 label in Brussels - ft. Michel Hatzigeorgiou (he of that other legendary Brussels trio AKA Moon) on bass and Dre Pllemaerts on Drums.

* Perenne – by David Binny – taken from the album Balance – released on the ACT label – featuring Uri Caine on piano, Wayne Krantz on guitar, Tim Lefebvre on Bass and Jim Black on drums.

* I Want More For Me Than This – by Abram Wilson – from his forthcoming if slightly delayed album ‘Ride! Ferris Wheel To The Modern Day Delta’ on Dune Records – ft Abram on vocals and trumpet, Neil Charles on Bass, Ben Burrell on piano and Shaney Forbes on drums to name a few.

* He Still Carries A Torch For Her – by The Nels Cline Singers – from the album 'The Giant Pin' on Cryptogramaphone – the trio includes - Devin Hoff on Contrabass, Scott Amendola on Drums and of course Nels Cline on guitar and all manner of effects.

* Oddfelt - by Jim Black with the AllasNoAxis Qaurtet – ft Chris Speed on Tenor Sax, Hilmar Jenson on Guitars, Skuli Sverrisson on Basses and Jim Black on Drums – track is taken from the album Dogs Of Great Indifference on the Winter & Winter label aus Munchen in Germany.

* Gbede Temin – by the group Gilfema – who are Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocals / Massimo Biolcati on Bass and Ferenc Nemeth on Drums – this track is taken from the eponymous album released on Oblique Sound.

* Dispatches - by Thomas Stronen - from his album 'Pohlitz' on the Rune Grammafon label.

* Out To Lunch – Eric Dolphy’s signature composition - performed by the Daniel Levin Quartet – taken from his Hatology Release ‘Some Trees’ – featuring the dynamic bass of Joe Morris, Matt Moran on Vibes, Daniel Levin on Cello and Nate Wooley on Trumpet. First release ‘Don’t Go It Alone’ was released in 2004 on Joe Morris’s imprint Riti Records.

* Rentals – Mike Ladd & Vijay Iyer – this track is taken from their album ‘In What Language?’ released on PI Recordings – voice is Ajay Naidu – the project was inspired by the story of the Iranian Film maker Jafar Panahi – pre 9/11 - while in transit from Hong Kong to Bueno Aires – passing through JFK he was held by immigration, shackled – kept in a cell for seven hours and deported back to Hong Kong – Panahi wrote an account of his ordeal, a plea to his fellow passengers that he was not a thief but could not at first figure out what language he should proclaim his innocence in, hence the title of the album.

* Steakjacket Prelude – by Uri Caine from his Bedrock project album ‘Shelf Life’ released in 2005 on the Winter & Winter label - featuring the dangerously funky back line of Zach Danziger on drums, Tim Lefebvre on bass & guitar along with a massive line up including most interestingly the electronic wizadry of nnnj, DJ Olive and Luke Vibert.

Theme - Solo Piano

* Jungle Beats II – by Irene Schweizer – taken from her recently released album ‘First Choice – Piano Solo KKL Luzern’ a recording made at the Culture & Congress Centre Luzern – the tune I chose is a homage to the late Don Cherry. Schweizer is famous for her solo performances throughout her long career - but this concert was a bit special – playing as she was within the hallowed walls of the Luzern Concert Hall.

* Solobsession - by Bojan ZULFI / KARPAS – EECH or Bojan Z as he’s more tidily refered to on occasion – track is the title song from his solo piano recording for Label Bleu in 2000.

* Happy New Year – by The Fuzzy Logic Ensemble – this ten piece Dublin outfit are lead by arranger and hammon organist Dylan Rynhardt - too many musicians to (check out their website!)name but the rather haunting voice is provided Sue Brady – you can check them out and download this tune for free. Along with The Crash Ensemble, The Kai Big Band and Zoid there’s a real buzz about jazz in Dublin at the moment. I plan to feature more Irish jazz on the show soon.

FIN

Welcome to 2007

2007-01-12T13:36:00.000Z

Hope all our listeners have got 2007 off to a good start.

Kevin has scooted off to the Carribean for several days and I was in Holland and Brussels so we have not hooked up for a while - hence last Monday's playlist is drifting in the ether - but I'll post it as soon as I find it!

I'll be in the hot seat this coming Monday 15th presenting our weekly Nows The Time on Resonance FM. I'm putting the playlist together as I write, listening to the Daniel Levin Quartet release Some Trees - on Hatology 2006. It's an album that passed me by but I picked up a bargain basement copy over Christmas and I've been playing it constantly since. To be honest I was as interested in Joe Morris featuring on the recording and particularly as he's playing upright bass - Morris is a looming figure in my musical journey through life and his move from one of the great guitar improvisors to playing bass on a host of excellent recordings means I rarely pass up a disc with his name on! Levin is a gifted cellist, composer and improvisor - I'll talk more about the record on Monday's show but for no other reason then to hear a wonderous version of Eric Dolphy's 'Out To Lunch' this record is worth picking up.

Myself and Kevin are really keen to up the listener involvement in the show this year, we are straining at the bit to hear your recommendations and reactions to the artists we feature on the radio show - email us or post a comment on the blog, but let us know your ideas and reactions, Nows The Time as we say!

Track listings for Monday 18th December

2006-12-18T21:37:00.000Z

This is the last Nows The Time before Christmas so a very Happy festive season to ye all. We had a hopping show as there are still so many great new releases to feature and come the new year we'll do a best of 2006 to round up what we think were the best albums of the year.

A particular high point was the track Red Ochre Cowrie by Hu Vibrational from the album Univeral Mother(pictured). The album was Produced by Los Angeles left-field hip-hop/electronic/jazz artist Carlos Nino aka Ammon Contact and features Adam Rudolph, Hamid Drake and Brahim Fribgane as well as special guest and deep jazz legend Yusef Lateef. Well worth checking out on the excellent Soul Jazz Records.

Of course every tune was a joy so here are the full listings for Monday 18th Decembers show:

Artist - Track - Album - Label

1. Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
2. Byard Thunderbird Lancaster - She Divine - A Heavenly Sweetness - Discograph
3. Depart - Magic Transition - Reloaded - Act
4. Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio Ft Billy Bang - Maghoustut - Big M a Tribute to Malachi Favours - Delmark
5. Actis Band - Allende - Allende - Leo Records
6. Clifford Brown - I come from Jamaica - Clifford Brown Joy Spring - Harmoni Mundi
7. Hu Vibrational - Red Ochre Cowrie - Universal Mother - Soul Jazz Records
8. Benjamin Moussay Trio - Playa Del Carman Mexico - Swimming Pool - O+ Music
9. David Binney - Los Angeles - Cities & Desire - Criss Cross Jazz
10. Hironobu Saito - Deep - The Sea - Fresh Sound New Talent

Theme of the week is A Love Song

11. Sam Rivers - Beatrice - Fuchsia Swing Song - Blue Note
12. Kevin Hayes Trio - Beatrice - For Heavens Sake - Jazz Eyes
13. Sam Rivers & Rivbea All Star Orchestra - Beatrice - Inspiration - BMG France

Nows The Time Monday 11th Show

2006-12-14T15:43:00.000Z

We'll in the end we broadcast the cleveland watkiss gig pretty much in full (see post below for info on Cleveland.

The gig was amazing, much much more then we hoped for and myself and Kevin had high hopes. Very generously Cleveland allowed us to make a recording and after a few nips and tucks (a lady pleading with him between songs to not start again until she got back from the toilet as she couldn't bare to miss a note, Cleveland agreeing !) we put the show out as Monday's show.

I'm still trying to get a list of the tunes that Cleveland performed, so sorry for the sketch info on this show.

Check out Cleveland on myspace

This Monday's show we'll be back with more excellent new music and playing some of the albums that are burning the title into my ipod display they are being played that often!

J

Monday 4th December 2006 Track Listings

2006-12-07T11:54:00.000Z

These are the track listings for Monday 4th December's show - unfortunately I wasn't in studio last Monday as I headed with my beloved to a gig that was'nt contemporary jazz at Cargo in London and besides an excellent Vietnamese meal before hand it thought me that the reason why I hear so many great live acts is that they are usually under the heading of Jazz and Improvised music.

Kevin of course put out another stupendous show so here are the tracks. The theme was solo voice because if you read the post below you'll note that tonight Nows The Time at the Vortex is featuring a rare solo performance by the great Cleveland Watkiss.

J

1. Langston Hughes
Prayer Meetin’
The Voice Of Langston Hughes [Smithsonian Folkways]

2. Nancy Wilson/George Shearing
Green Dolphin Street
The Swingin’s Mutual [Capitol]

3. Radio I Ching
Morsing Code
Last Kind Words [Resonant]

4. Benjamin Moussay
Playa Del Carmen Mexico
Swimming Pool [O+]

5. Flat Earth Society
Pyscho Scout
Pyscho Scout [Crammed]

6. Octurn
21 Emanations
21 Emanations [Yolk]

7. Exploding Star Orchestra
Sting Ray And The Beginning Of Time Part 1
We Are All From Somewhere Else [Thrill Jockey]

8. Abbey Lincoln
Tender As A Rose [Part 2]
Over The Years [Verve/Gitanes]

9. Hironobu Saito
Deep
The Sea [Fresh Sound New Talent]

10. Actis Band
Allende
Allende [Leo]

11. Clifford Brown
I Come From Jamaica
Joy Spring [Harmonia Mundi]

12. Taylor Haskins
Call Me Tomorrow
Metaview [FSNT]

13. Anders Aarum
Let’s Put The Fun Back In Fundamentalism
First Communion [Jazzaway]

14. Depart
Chluppli Groove
Reloaded [ACT]

*****************

Theme: solo voice

15. Bobby McFerrin
Drive
Simple Pleasures [Blue Note]

16. Abbey Lincoln
Tender As A Rose [Part1]
Over The Years [Verve Gitanes]

17. Mary Pearson
Lazy Afternoon
You And I [Arkadia]

**************
18. Sonny Rollins
Tenor Madness
Tenor Madness [Prestige]

19. Robert Mitchell
The Thief Of Dimensions
Trust [F-IRE]

Fin!

Nows The Time @ The Vortex Jazz Bar ft. Cleveland Waktkiss

2006-11-29T14:34:00.000Z

Nows The Time is much more then a regular radio programme, we also have the priviledge of hosting a monthly night of live music at London's best contemporary jazz venue The Vortex in Dalston(pictured).

On Thursday 7th December we host a solo performance by the hugely talented Cleveland Watkiss. Cleveland is often billed as the UK's answer to Bobby McFerrin but even though Cleveland himself would recognise this influence the comparison does no justice to Cleveland's compositional and technical abilities. Cleveland's music is a unique hybrid of jazz, gospel, electronic, soul and African-Carribean musical forms that, more then any musician I can think off, sums up London's contribution to contemporary jazz.

Cleveland began his vocal career working with Reggae greats such as Carroll Thomson and Sugar Minott in the early eighties but his music grew beyond Reggea to incorporate jazz, acid-jazz and electronic music. His contribution to London's rich jazz culture is enourmous. Along with Courtney Pine he founded the Jazz Warriors in 1985 a group that was to form the bed rock of the British jazz revival in the eighties and nineties.

He's performed with and alongside the two great female jazz vocalists of our time Cassandra Wilson and Abbey Lincoln.

Some time after the release of two critically acclaimed albums for Polydor Records, "Green Chimneys" and "Blessing in Disguise", Cleveland formed the drum'n'bass trio "Project 23" with American drummer extraordinaire Marque Gilmore and UK garage pioneer DJ Le Rouge. Their album, "23" was released on the Dorado record label to critical acclaim. His CV as a session voclist reads like a who's who, from Pete Townsend to Stevie Wonder.

The Vortex gig is also special as it's a musical homecoming of sorts. The Vortex is very much part of the cultural life of the borough of Hackney in East London and this is where Cleveland grew up. So the vibe as my beloved girlfriend is want to say, will be perfect.

For more info on Cleveland Watkiss check out his myspace site - www.myspace.com/clevelandwatkiss

As actions speak louder then words it's well worth checking out Cleveland's performance on Angel 22 TV - you can see the video here - http://www.angel22.tv/ (bypass the ridiculous intro and ignore the horrendous presenting at the start of the clip and you will be rewareded)

Alongside a rare solo performance Kevin and my good self will be spinning tunes between and after sets. Save to say the Vortex is a great venue to listen to live jazz, hear fantastic DJ sets and you can even order in a pizza to have with your beer and wine.

Go to the Vortex website for full prices and start times etc. - www.vortexjazz.co.uk

Hope to see you there !

J

I'm back - Playlist for Monday 27th November 2006

2006-11-28T15:21:00.000Z

Dear Nows The Time listeners and blog readers,

Apologies that the blog dried up in the last few months - in fact the Nows the time playlists have migrated to the Babel record label website - www.babellabel.co.uk - but I'll be posting them here also.

Mostly I'll try to talk about the records we play and give some links to excellent artists and labels.

A future hope is to post the audio of our radio show on Resonance.

So here are the latest track listings:

Track / Artist / Title / Album / Label
1. Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
2. Caetano Velosa - O Heroi - Ce - Universal
3. Depart (Harry Sokal/Heiri Kanzig/ Jojo Meyer) - Magic Transition - Reloaded - Act
4. Actis Band - Mock Democracy - Allende - Leo Records
5. Flat Earth Society - Psychoscout - Psychoscout - Crammed Records
6. Taylor Haskins - Call Me Tomorrow - Metaview - Fresh Sound New Talent
7. Aviashi Cohen - Continuo - Continuo - Raz Daz Records
8. Vedaki - Gumbe - Untitled - XS4 records
9. Anders Arrum Trio - Let's Put Some Fun Into Fundamentalism - First Communion - Jazzaway Records
10. Led Bib - Lichen - Sizewell Tea - Babel
11. Clifford Brown - I Come From Jaimaica - Joys Springs Series - Harmoni Mundi
12. Led Bib - Lichen (continued)
13. Stone Alliance - Sweetie Pie - Sunday Afternoon at Dingwalls - Ether Records
14. Bob Reynolds - Late Again - Can't Wait For Perfect - Fresh Sounds New Talent
15. Radio I-Ching - Morsing Code - Last Kind Words - Resonantmusic

The theme this week was space

16. Loren Stillman Quartet - Cosmos - Cosmos - Soul Note
17. Actis Band - We Are The UFO - Allende - Leo Records
18. Sun Ra And His Space Arkestra - Astro Black - What Planet Is This? - Leo Records

Gig of the week was Magic Malik this Friday 1sth December at the Vortex in London

19. Magic Malik - XP16 - Orchestra - Label Bleu
20. Thomas Toivoren - Live at the Vasteras Museum Part 1 - untitled - promo / white label

End

2006-11-28T14:57:00.000Z

Track Listing Monday 27th March 2006

2006-03-30T15:16:00.000Z

Hello All,

Very sorry that the posting of the shows listings have been so slow in migrating from my notebook to the blog. My excuse ? I've started a new job this month - I'm now working for BBC World Service on a fabulous new programme called Culture Shock, check it out if you're interested in finding out about trends and new ideas in global culture..can't believe I just wrote that! Check it out!

This Monday's Nows The Time was great. Both Kevin and myself are still on a buzz from the Nows The Time night at the Vortex in Dalston that took place on the previous Friday - 24th. Jason Yarde performed a stonking set live and we had a full house - so things are looking good for the monthly night at the Vortex. I'll post details of the April 24th night next week.

We arrived a little early to the Resonance FM studio on Monday and as usual there was a musical suprise to be had. The Wrong Music people where doing their thing, which is a laptop electro mash up that has all the attitude and energy of pure British punk crossed with the electro-clash aesthetics of Venetian Snares - genius. Scotch Egg was in fine form throwing in enough "fucks" to put everyone on edge but Wrong means Wrong - No!

Sadly this joyous and raucous musical bonanza was the swan song for the show that precedes us each monday You Are Here presented by Magz Hall and Jim Backhaus. Magz and Jim have been a pleasent sight indeed every monday and they'll be missed. Hope to see them back on Resonance FM after the summer. Good news is that Wrong Music people will be filling this slot so good luck to them.

OK the music we squeezed into our slot of 60 minutes:

* Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Cassandra Wilson - Come On In My Kitchen - Blue Light Til Dawn - Blue Note
* David Eyges / Arthur Blythe / Abe Speller - There You Go - Ace - Midatlantic Records
* Juhani Aaltonen / Regie Workman / Andrew Cyrille - The Navigator - Reflections - Tum Records OY
* Nels Cline - New Old Hat - The Inkling - Crypto Gramaphone
* Quadracromia - Quadracromia #4 - Quardracromia - EYS Records
* William Parker - El Puente Seco - Long Hidden: The Olmec Series - AUM Fidelity
* Nik Bartsch & Ronin - Module 35 - Stoa - ECM
* Dianne Reeves - Endangered Species - The Best Of Dianne Reeves - Blue Note
* Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - Santiago - The Sameness of Difference - Hyena Records
* Inner Space Music - Beet Sloe Thyme - Life On The Edge - White Label
* Charles Gayle - Time Zones - Time Zones - Tompkins Square Records
* Huw Warren / Peter Herbert - Innocent Urban - Everything We Love And More - Babel Label
* Judi Silvano & Mal Waldron - Soul Eyes - Riding Zephyr - Soul Note
* David Murray & Randy Weston - Mbizo - The Healers - Black Saint
* Joel Harrison - I Walk The Line (ft. Norah Jones on Vocals) - Free Country - ACT

Fin

Track Listing Monday 20th March 2006

2006-03-30T15:00:00.000Z

Here are the tracks we played on Monday 20th:

* Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Charles Gayle - I Remember - Shout - Clean Feed Records
* Charles Brackeen Quartet - Attainment - Attainment - Silkheart Records
* David Eyges / Arthur Blythe / Abe Speller - There You Go - Ace - Midatlantic Records
* William Parker - El Puente Seco - Long Hidden: The Olmec Series - AUM Fidelity
* Anthony Braxton - (extract) Composition No. 175 - Composition No. 175 & Composition No. 126: Trillium-Dialogues M - Leo Records
* Leon Parker - Everyday - The Simple Life - Label M
* Satoko Fujii Quartet - A Journey Into The West - Angelona - Libra Records
* Jhelisa - See Line Woman - Sunday in Algiers - Rentavibe Records
* Benjamin Koppel/Palle Danielsson / Daniel Humas - Twist - Paris Abstractions - Cow Bell Music
* Booker Ervin - A Lunar Tune - Prestige Profiles: Eric Dolphy - Univeral
* Zoe Rahman - Red Flower - Melting Pot - Manushi Records
* Chucho Valdes - Wakamba - Fatasia Cubana - Blue Note
* Matthew Shipp - Blue In Orion - One - Thirsty Ear

Fin

Track Listing Monday 13th March 2006

2006-03-20T20:58:00.000Z

I usually write a short preamble but I'm afraid time has been an absent friend this week and the last 7 days have flown as quickly as an hour of Nows The Time.

I will however flag up that if your enjoying the radio show you can this coming Friday 24th see Kevin Le Gendre in action doing a Nows The Time Live at the Vortex in Dalston - click on the link to the Vortex for details ! Do Not Miss It !

The tracks we played were:

* Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Nina Simone - Sinner Man - Pastel Blues - Philips
* Zoe Rahman - Last Note - Melting Pot - Manushi Records
* Tom Arthurs - Overwrought - Squash Recipe - Babel
* Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - Santiago - The Sameness of Difference - Hyena Records
* Benjamin Koppel/Palle Danielsson / Daniel Humas - Twist - Paris Abstractions - Cow Bell Music
* Greg Osby - Viewer Discretion - Channel Tree - Blue Note
* Jhelisa - See Line Woman - Sunday in Algiers - Rentavibe Records
* Quadracromia - Quadracromia #4 - Quardracromia - EYS Records
* Satoko Fujii Quartet - A Journey Into The West - Angelona - Libra Records
* Chris Potter - Next Best Western - Underground - Universal
* Steve Lacey & Don Cherry - Evidence - Prestige Profiles Collectors Edition - Universal
* Ray Marchia - Journeys End - In The Ring - Sons of Sound
* Lee Konitz - Alone Together - After Hours - Go Jazz
* Benjamin Koppel/Palle Danielsson / Daniel Humas - Limbo Jazz - Paris Abstractions - Cow Bell Music
* Greg Osby - Vertical Hold - Channel Tree - Blue Note

Fin

Track Listing 6th March 2006

2006-03-09T16:04:00.000Z

I've hit on a bizarre personal truth regarding my subconcious and the weekly feast of improvised music and Jazz that is Nows The Time. When my head hits the pillow on Monday night it is followed by a furtive, chaotic, vivid and oft bizarre night of dreams.

Well last Monday night's tangle with Morphius was particularly surreal (I'll spare you the details) and I've put it down to one particular artist we played - Charles Gayle - specificaly two tracks 'Glory Dance' and 'Unto Jesus Christ' from his superb album Shout on Clean Feed Records recorded last year. Gayle fronts a powerful trio on this recording with legendary bassist and a long time collaborator Sirone alongside the drummer Gerald Cleaver. Gayles compositions have stayed firmly with themes of the spiritual since his re-emergence in the 1980's. For some reason these works tapped into my latent catholicism and effected a very powerful reaction. I'm sure we'll revist this record in the coming weeks and I think it's a must have in everyones record collections.

So alongside Charles Gayle we played the following:

artist - title - album - label

* Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Juliette Kelly - Secrets - Delicious Chemistry - Chantiko
* Calhoun - Native Lands - Enja
* Kahn Jamal – ethnic passion – Return From Exile – Discograph
* Jhelisa - See Line Woman - Sunday in Algiers - Rentavibe Records
* Charles Gayle - Glory Dance - Shout - Clean Feed Records
* Quadracromia - Quadracromia #4 - Quardracromia - EYS Records
* The Mighty Sparrow - Dear Sparrow (excerpt) - The Mighty Sparrow First Flight - Smithsonian Folkway Recordings
* Anthony Braxton & The Six Compostitions Quartet - PZQ - Island Records
* Satoko Fujii Quartet - A Journey Into The West - Angelona - Libra Records
* Quinsin Nachoff - There & Back - Magic Numbers - Songlines
* Zoe Rahman - Last Note - Melting Pot - Manushi Records
* Joe Henderson - Beatrice - Joe Henderson: The State of The Tenor Vol. 1&2 - Bluenote
* Charles Gayle - Unto Jesus Christ - Shout - Clean Feed Records
* Ari Ambrose - How Can You Believe - United - Steeplechase Records
* Richard Galliano & Michel Portal - Mozambique - Blow Up - Dreyfus Jazz

End!

Track Listings - 27th February 2006

2006-03-01T22:29:00.000Z

Apologies for the late posting of the track listings for this weeks Now’s The Time - both myself and Kevin were distracted by our National soccer teams playing this week - Kevin celebrating his beloved Trinidad & Tobago's win over Iceland 2-0 and my nation - the Republic of Irelands brilliant and sparkling defeat over Sweden 3-0. Now surely is the time for our teams to take on the big nations of International soccer, oh yes.

Trinidad & Tobago get to go to Germany this summer so as you would expect Kevin is a happier man then me at present.

Saying that last Monday's show was an International winning show if ever there was one. String sextets, Oliver Nelson remixes and Sun Ra compositions under four minutes meant this was our most tactically diverse and successful show so far. Judge for yourself, here are the tracks we played:

* Langston Hughes - Prayer Meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Kahn Jamal – Nubian Queen – Return From Exile – Discograph
* Goran Kajres - The Man With The Golden Arm - Headspin - Amigo Musik
* Joanne Bracken (ft Eddie Gomez & Jack DeJohnette) - Egyptian Dune Dance - Special Identity - Island Records
* Quinsin Nachoff (ft. Mark Helias and Jim Black) - Branches - Magic Numbers - Songlines
* Mat Meneri - Irena - Pentagon - Thirsty Ear
* Sun Ra - Tell Her To Come On Home - Sun Ra Singles - Evidence Music
* Magik Malik - Untitled - Promo - White Label
* Tyron Brown String Sextet - Subterranean Dream - Song of The Sun - Naxos Jazz
* Oliver Nelson - Stolen Moments (Telefon Tel Aviv Remix) - Revolutionary Jazz Reworked - Impulsive
* Quinsin Nachoff - There & Back - Magic Numbers - Songlines
* Anthony Braxton - Freedom No. 1,4&6 from The Sacred Concert No. 2 - Concept of Freedom - Ology

Fin

Track Listing - Show 20th February 2006

2006-02-22T18:56:00.000Z

Another week goes by another show under our belts, a very warm hello to our growing band of listeners. Thanks to all who have emailed us, Kevin and I get a huge buzz when we get emails wether they are entries for a competition or queries and feedback - every email and comment is welcome.

This is not an Oscars acceptance speech but it's important to say thanks to people who make things happen – so both Kevin and I would like to thank Resonance FM’s stalwart Patrick – the man who gets us on air and never fails to back us up with wit, technical expertise and vital dousings of water.

Last weekend we both glutted out on live music but the high point of the weekend was Zoe Rahman at the Vortex in Dalston. Listening to jazz and improvised music live often means entering into an atmosphere of polite seriousness – a kind of respectful reservedness which is sometimes appropriate but sometimes not – however Zoe Rahman’s gig was from the first note on her handsome Steinberg simply joyous – a celebration of her music, her influences and the skill of her musicians, Oli Hayhurst on bass and Gene Calderazzo on drums. Inspired by this performance the trio featured heavely on the show. But a particular high point of Zoe's gig was her rendition of an oft forgotten gem of a tune by Joanne Bracken titled Egyptian Dune Dance with it's odd time signatures and dazzling melodic shifts. So of course Kevin took out his cellar key, brushed of the cobwebs, descended the stairs to his vault, pushed open the oak door with Joanne Bracken carved into it and pulled out the original recording for your delight dear listener.

Alongside this rarity we played the following:

artist - title - album - label

* Mina Agossi - Au Bois de Boulogne - Well You Needn't - Candid (soon to be released)
* Zoe Rahman - The Calling - Melting Pot - Manushi Records
* Joanne Bracken (ft Eddie Gomez & Jack DeJohnette) - Egyptian Dune Dance - Special Identity - Island Records
* Mat Meneri - Irena - Pentagon - Thirsty Ear
* Julien Lourau - Collateral Damage - Fire & Forget - Label Bleu
* Mina Agossi - (secret track 14) - Well You Needn't - Candid (soon to be released)
* Henri Texier/Louis Sclavis/ Aldo Romano: Le Querrec - Derriere le Sable - African Flashback - Label Bleu
* Tom Arthurs - Overwrought - Squash Recipe - Babel
* Ingrid Jensen – captain jon – At Sea – Artistshare Records
* Craig Harris - The Colour Line - Souls Within The Veil - Questra Music
* Ba Cissoko - Dandala - Sabolan - Marabi Records
* Andrew McCormack - Facing the Fire - Telescope - Dune Records

Fin

Track Listing for Nows The Time - Monday 13th February 2006

2006-02-14T15:14:00.000Z

This weeks show was a little less hectic than last week but action packed none the less. Hot seating in Resonance FM's studio is always a little precarious but it lends to the danger that is at the heart of the stations ethos. I'll post some images of the Resonance studio in the next few weeks for your reference - but myself and Kevin can't help feeling like we are inside the Beatles Yellow Submarine when we are in the studio.

The show had no overt theme but African influences and associations permeated the show. Ba Cissoko's Le Reve De L'oiseau from his album Electric Griotland turned up again on the show and gets the studio all hot and bothered when we play it. Kevin’s mentioned on air Ba Cissoko’s obvious tip of the hat to Electric Ladyland and Hendrix and it is not too far fetched to say that the group are reinventing the role of the Kora, acoustic and electric, on this great album. Africa turned up again in the title of Wilton ‘Bogey’ Gaynair’s classic recording – African Calling – just about to be reissued on Candid. It’s one of the great lost London jazz recordings and a must have if you’re a fan of British Jazz of that era. These were just some of the great tracks that made up this weeks Nows The Time, here are the rest:

* Langston Hughes - prayer meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Otis Taylor – feel like lightening – Below The Fold – Telarc
* Omar Sosa / Adam Rudolph – trace of burning stars – Pictures of Soul – Ota Records
* Zoe Rahman – the calling – The Melting Pot – Manushi Records
* Ingrid Jensen – captain jon – At Sea – Artistshare Records
* Ba Cissoko – Le Reve De L’oiseau – Electric Griotland – 3D Family Records
* Kahn Jamal – ethnic passion – Return From Exile – Discograph
* Billy Harper – dance eternal spirits – Black Saint – Black Saint Records
* Henri Texier/Louis Sclavis/ Aldo Romano: Le Querrec - Derriere le Sable - African Flashback - Label Bleu
* Chic Corea – three ghouls part 3 – The Ultimate Adventure – Stretch Records
* Julien Lourau – collateral damage – Forget – Label Bleu
* Henry Threadgill – crea – Song Out Of My Trees – Black Saint Records
* Wilton ‘Bogey’ Gaynair – the way you look tonight – Africa Calling – Candid
* Charles Lloyd – forest flower 69’ – Soundtrack – Atlantic Records
* Lost Brother – departure – Hopscotch Records

Fin

Monday 6th February - track listing

2006-02-06T02:40:00.001Z

We had an action packed show on Monday 6th February's show. It was stuffed full of great music and a welcome visit from Satch Hoyt from the collective Burnt Sugar. Burnt Sugar is the creation of writer/guitarist/producer Greg Tate. Formed in 1999, Burnt Sugar was conceived as a contemporary version of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew band, exploring the connections between jazz, rock, funk, twentieth century composition, and African music in a lyrical, seductive, exploratory, improvisational manner. We played two tracks from their soon to be released album - More Then Posthuman: The Rise of The Mojosexual Cotillion - which is as good as the title. Find out more by visiting their website - http://www.burntsugarindex.com/index.html

Here are this weeks track listings:

Artist - title - album - label

* Langston Hughes - prayer meeting - The Voice Of Langston Hughes - Smithsonian Folkways
* Cleveland Watkiss & Source - Fresh Water - Victory's Happy Song Book - Touch Down Records
* Byard "Thunderbird" Lancaster - Afro-ville - A Heavenly Sweetness - Discograph Records
* The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of The Infedel (Meshell Ndegeocello presents) - Mu-Min - Universal Music France
* Andrew McCormack - Facing the Fire - Telescope - Dune Records
* Lingua Franca: Peter Epstein/Brad Shepik/Matt Kilmer - Miro - Songlines Recordings
* Ba Cissoko - Le Reve De L'Oiseau - Electric Griotland - 3D Family Records
* Khan Jamal - Ethnic Passion - Return From Exile - Discograph Records
* Lost Brother: Assif Tsahar/Cooper Moore/ Hamid Drake - Departure - Hopscotch Records
* Magic Malik - untitled - White Label
* Tom Arthurs - Overwrought - Squash Recipe - Babel
* Sleep Walker - The Gates - White Label
* Burnt Sugar - Goodyear Robber - More Then Posthuman: The Rise of The Mojosexual Cotillion - Trugroid
* Burnt Sugar - Other Arrangements - More Then Posthuman: The Rise of The Mojosexual Cotillion - Trugroid
* Henri Texier/Louis Sclavis/ Aldo Romano: Le Querrec - Derriere le Sable - African Flashback - Label Bleu
* John Scofield / Mark Anthony Turnage - Nocturnal Mission - Scorched - Deutsche Gramaphone
* Lewis Moholo - Motherless Child (spiritual) - Bra Louis-Bra Tabs - Ogun Records

Fin