Bklyn Sounds 8/23/2023 - 8/29/2023

Mea Culpa and an Announcement + Shows: "Alice Coltrane Birthday Tribute" / 75 Dollar Bill / Andres / "Haus of Altr" featuring Nativesun / "Charlie Parker Music Festival" / "Negroclash" / and more

A mea culpa — and an announcement.

First off, apologies for a second straight Bklyn Sounds column without a feature — and for not yet publishing the one that was ear-marked for last week…which was also earmarked for this week, but is still not finished. The piece continues to be edited and fact-checked (both by me - making matters worse), and due to its length and focus is simply taking a lot longer than I expected. I hope to have it for you by the weekend.

Second, this week marks Bklyn Sounds’ move to a regular Wednesday-publish schedule. There are multiple reasons for this. There’s the practical personal reason: my own schedule is changing and Wednesdays simply fit better. There’s the community-driven reason: writing on Mondays and publishing on Tuesdays regularly left mid-week-announced DIY shows off the list. There’s the data-driven reason: folks open this newsletter far more on Wednesdays than Tuesdays (not sure why). And there’s the symbolic reason: enough people have paid Bklyn Sounds the “it’s like the Voice listings” compliment that…sheeeeit, I wanted to cosmetically and calendaristically mirror the model of my heroes. So, from here on in, Wednesday it is.

Thank you to all the recent subscribers. Another edition of “Welcome To Dada Strain is coming up for you before New York kids go back to school. For now, here’s one more week of non-paywalled show listings, so if you like the choices below and find them useful, please upgrade to paid.

Thank you for reading, listening and musicking.

This Week’s Shows:

Bklyn’s premiere Afro-funk-rock ensemble, Kaleta & Super Yamba Band, return after spending much of the summer on the road. The Yambateers are always a massive groove, but when led by Kaleta (a.k.a. guitarist Leon Ligan-Majek, who spent time in Fela’s Africa 80, before coming to New York and helping found The Akōya Afrobeat Ensemble, among other projects), they’re truly next-level. Also: Peruvian disco trio Tipa Tipo, and DJ Bailey. (Wed 8/23, 7p @ The Sultan Room - $25)

One of three (!!!) Eli Escobar gigs in the city this week, the one at public records will see him taking a rare all-night tag-teaming turn with Kim Anh, whose own big-room disco-house potpourri is a great match for Escobar’s self-described “sad boy electro.” (Thurs 8/24, 9p @ public records - $25-30)

Haus of Altr is one of the best techno labels operating in New York, and their compilations are 100% a great way to stay in touch with the first-rate electronic producers/DJs currently re-generating the city’s sound. No surprise, since it’s operated and curated by MoMA Ready and AceMo, two of those producers/DJs. These comps and the Haus’ occasional parties also showcase young talent from outside the city, like DC’s Nativesun, a “rebellion music” DJ who is one-third of the great Black Rave Culture. (Thurs 8/24, 10p @ Nowadays - $10)

Imani Dennison’s “Black Science Fiction” has become one of the best events series in the city, and this evening’s birthday tribute to Alice Coltrane continues the winning streak. The tributes will be provided by the multi-disciplinary artist/researcher Akeema-Zane, the Queens-raised Afro-Latinx soul singer duendita, the New Orleans-based harpist Cassie Watson Francillon and the great Haitian turntablist/electronics improvisor Val Jeanty. Highest Recommendation! (Fri 8/25, 7p @ public records - $25)

The weekend’s finest DJ double-bill finds one of Detroit’s secret heroes, DJ Dez Andres (a.k.a. Humberto Hernandez) partnering with the mighty Toribio, whose gigs I’ll only stop promoting when I hear him play a boring set (i.e. not bloody likely any time soon). Both Dez and Cesar are drummers, so they’ve got their own common language. This will be my first time at Jolene BK. Looking forward to it.  (Fri 8/25, 10p @ Jolene Sound Room - $20)

One of the city’s best festivals of the music often called “jazz,” the Summerstage-produced Charlie Parker Music Festival has two excellent line-ups this weekend. Saturday at Marcus Garvey Park features The Cookers, who get called a “bebop supergroup” because when you bring together drummer Billy Hart, bassist Cecil McBee, trumpeter Eddie Henderson and saxophonist Billy Harper that’s a lot of historical power. (Not sure about the “bebop” part though.) They’ll be joined by exquisite South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini’s trio, bassist Endea Owens and her great Cookout band, plus vocalist Akua Allrich. The highlight of the Sunday bill at Tompkins Square Park is saxophonist Charles McPherson, a veteran of Charles Mingus’ bands, playing in a duo with trumpeter Terell Stafford. Also there: a soul-jazz classics set from saxophonist Vincent Herring’s Septet, saxophonist Chelsea Baratz’s all-women’s HERA Collective, and vocalist Michael Mayo. DJ cuts on both days provided by Uptown Vinyl Supreme. (Sat 8/26, 3p @ Marcus Garvey Park, Manhattan + Sun 8/27, 3p @ Tompkins Square Park, Manhattan - FREE)

To say I have positive memories of DJ Lindsey, DJ Duane and DJ Language’s “Negroclash” parties at Meatpacking District’s APT club is an understatement. In pure NYC tradition, it was a party where you could hear any kind of music that made you dance, and pointed to the fact that all three had encyclopedic musical skills which would translate to a long continued life in music. (Check and check!) Lindsey Caldwell, Duane Harriott and Joshua Language are three of the best we’ve got, and I am happy that they still occasionally form like Voltron to bring all those records back, and add new ones to the mix. Highest Recommendation. (Sat 8/26, 5p @ Sultan Room Rooftop - $25) 

To celebrate its 45th anniversary as one of New York’s pre-eminent new-music institutions, Roulette Intermedium is presenting an exceptional bill at Bryant Park, starring three of its great recent residents. The alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins is one of the young stars of “jazz.” The tireless 75 Dollar Bill (guitarist Che Chen, percussionist Rick Brown and an endless potential cast) is an indie-groove-meets-global-rhythm jam-band of depth and surprise. And if you’ve never experienced the vocal improvisor Ka Baird, hold on to your hats. Highest Recommendation. (Sat 8/26, 7p @ Bryant Park, Manhattan - FREE) 

Another weekend, another Sun Ra Arkestra show in New York City, this one courtesy of Union Pool’s always on-point “Summer Thunder” series. By my count that’s at least seven Arkestra gigs in the area since Memorial Day — and at least the second freebie. Still wanna say the city’s cultural pull is waning? NOTE: get to Union Pool early if you actually wanna get in. (Sun 8/27, 2p @ Union Pool - FREE)

Local Qawwali practitioners and local Gnawa practitioners unite. Falsa is a decade-strong collective that sets the words of cornerstone Sufi poets such as Amir Khusrau, Rumi and Hafez to the music of Pakistan’s classical spiritual tradition. Longtime Morocco expat Samir Langus is New York’s hardest-working guembri player, and has been spreading the Gnawa gospel as both a solo artist and with his old mates in the Grammy-nominated group, Innov Gnawa. It’s quite a pairing. (Sun 8/27, 6p @ Joe’s Pub, Manhattan - $25+minimum)

FILM: A brand new documentary about the legendary drummer, civil rights activist and educator, “Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes” will screen as part of Nowadays’ free outdoor films series. (Tues 8/27, 8p @ Nowadays - FREE)

Rodolphe Coster is a veteran of the Brussels indie-rock scene. who recorded his excellent 2022 new-wave-tastic psyche-drone album, High With the People, in Brooklyn, with among other guests, saxophonist Jeff Tobias. He returns to Bklyn for a rare appearance, at TV Eye, where Coster and Band are joined by Tobias’ own psychedelic merchants, Sunwatchers. Also: Cinemartyr. (Tues 8/27, 8p @ TV Eye - $10)