Playlist Week of 2014-06-14

* Schoenberg, et al. (Boulez/Pollini): Lucerne, Switzerland 2004-09-16 (FM 2CDR)

* Cage: Sonatas & Interludes (Tilbury): Milan, Italy 2007-10-21 (FM CDR)

* John Coltrane: Impressions (Impulse! CD)

* Alice Coltrane: A Monastic Trio (Impulse!/Superior Viaduct LP)

* Eric Dolphy: Outward Bound (Prestige/Fantasy LP)

* Don Cherry: Organic Music Society (Caprice 2LP)

* Andrew Hill Quartet: Lugano, Switzerland 2004-03-13 (FM 2CDR)

* Bobby Hutcherson: Head On (Blue Note CD)

* Keith Jarrett: Arbour Zena (ECM LP)

* Keith Jarrett: The Celestial Hawk (ECM LP)

* Larry Coryell & The Eleventh House: Planet End (Vanguard LP)

* Al Dimeola: Electric Rendezvous (Columbia LP)

* Al Dimeola: Scenario (Columbia LP)

* Matthew Shipp Trio: Elastic Aspects (Thirsty Ear CD)

* Dawn of Midi: Live (iTunes MP3)†

* Dawn of Midi: Live at WFMU (WFMU MP3)†

* Grateful Dead: Giants Stadium, E. Rutherford, NJ 1993-06-05 (selections) (SBD 3CDR)

* Santana: Caravanserai (Columbia/Mobile Fidelity SACD)

* Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority (Columbia/Rhino 2LP)

* Steven Wilson: Cover Version (KScope 2LP)

* Anathema: Distant Satellites (KScope 2LP/CD/DVD)

* Earth: Hex; Or Printing In The Infernal Method (Southern Lord 2LP)

* Earth: The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull (Southern Lord 2LP)

* Sunn O))): Monoliths & Dimensions (Southern Lord 2LP)

* Ambarchi/O’Malley/Dunn: Shade Themes From Kairos (Drag City 2LP)

* Alceste: Les Voyages De L’Ame (Prophecy Productions CD)†

* Jack White: Lazaretto (Third Man LP)

* Wild Nothing: Nocturne (Captured Tracks CD)

* Nothing: Guilty Of Everything (Relapse LP)†/‡

†=iPod/iTunes

‡=car

Commentary:

As we await the vinyl LPs of Cosmologies to arrive from United, work has begun in earnest on the album jacket. Collaborating again with Griffin Norman (who designed my CD), we are creating one-of-a-kind letterpress prints at Isle of Printing in Nashville.  And, in the spirit of the music, we are improvising with the press and having some serious fun with it.

Bryce McCloud, renowned artist and owner of Isle of Printing, kindly loaned us some laser-cut woodblocks of giant letter forms, which we are layering to create abstract images which subtly suggest an inchoate meaning. That is certainly in keeping with the title and they are looking very, very cool - though we still have a long way to go to finish the job.

Not really knowing anything about the letterpress process, I had no idea how time-consuming and labor-intensive it is, particularly when you are running each piece through the press multiple times (as we are). I did not initially think 200 copies was that many, but now I'm not so sure! In any event, they are going to be beautiful works of art and well worth the wait, believe me.

Thank you Bryce and Griffin for being so amazing and helping to make our vinyl album something special!