Carlos Niño & Friends, "Placenta" (International Anthem). Percussionist and L.A. community kettle-stirrer Carlos celebrates the first birthday of his second niño with a gently respirational tribute to the gestation process and those who help it along. Bells tinkle; sythesizers burble & flex; the sax of Devin Daniels or Aaron Shaw occasionally jams out in shades of Sonny Criss or Pharoah Sanders; the beats appropriately build toward the end. Smooth delivery guaranteed! Fave trax: the flute duel between Maia and Andre 3000 over Jesse Peterson's earthy guimbri and Niño's free-jazz drums on "Birthworkers Magic"; and a trademark Niño remix of a live show, the anomalous but entertaining 17-minute closing cut-up celebration, "Play Kerri Chandler's RAIN." Read the New York Times' recent feature on Carlos Niño here. Listen/buy here.
Rhythm Plague, "Time Machine, 1984-2024" (Killzone). Rhythm Plague are keyboardist Wayne Peet, bassist Steuart Liebig and guitarist Nels Cline, polishing up an L.A. project they launched 40 years ago, when da funk was fresh in their fingers and spilling over into gushes of noise. Drum machines supply the rhythm, and the three proficient young/old men provide the glee, torturing their FX boxes and mangling their strings with the sure knowledge that Daddy ain't looking over their shoulders. And then, four decades later, they're looking over their own and going, "Yeah!" Spontaneity rides comfortably with connective knowledge, as the trio are already well acquainted in the early sessions, and they peel out, burning rubber and doing doughnuts. Trippiest comprovisation: the 11:33 "North." Listen/buy here.
Theo van Niel, "Self-Education" EP. Fusionistic guitarist van Niel teams with superdrummer Shane Gaalaas (Cosmosquad, B'z, Michael Schenker) to technically impress. The variety of tempos, styles, tones and touches is a whoopin' carnival, especially since the rhythmic teamwork is sufficiently relaxed. Great to hear saxist Jorgen Munkeby of Norwegian blackjazzers Shining cut up in a new context (the speedy key-change hoedown "Anxiety Express"); and the syncopated "On the Clock," with its dynamic contrasts and integrations of several approaches to lead playing, is a real wondermaker. Second release from this reclusive Dutch axman.