#Stephan Crump

[americanahighways]

REVIEW: Joel Harrison, Anthony Pirog, Stephan Crump & Allison Miller "The Great Mirage"

REVIEW: Joel Harrison, Anthony Pirog, Stephan Crump & Allison Miller "The Great Mirage" @joelharrisongtr @anthonypirog @crumbletones #allisonmiller #JohnApice #americanahighways #thegreatmirage

Joel Harrison, Anthony Pirog, Stephan Crump & Allison Miller – The Great Mirage These Washington, D.C. musicians have a common ancestral line musically. They enjoy in equal measure jazz, rock, fusion, avant-garde, folk, funk & country genres — but not separately. They take a needle & thread them into one fabric for quite a unique blended showcase. A true collaboration between Mr. Harrison…

[dustedmagazine]

Stephan Crump/Ingrid Laubrock/Cory Smythe – Channels (Intakt)

Released in 1995 on ECM, Time Will Tell teamed pianist Paul Bley, saxophonist Evan Parker, and bassist Barre Phillips in a project that evinced an indelible connection to a sea-changing trio of the same instrumentation led by reedist Jimmy Giuffre thirty-five years earlier. Channels makes no direct reference to either ensemble, but its cogent and personal assemblage of musical personalities and implements in the service of thoughtfully-realized chamber pieces that merge free improvisation and jazz still makes it feel like an instant analogue, if not an intentional answer. It’s also the second release by the group on the Swiss Intakt. Where their first album was a studio encounter, the four collectively improvised pieces here are pulled from a concert hit at the unerhört-Festival in December of 2017.

Crump, Laubrock, and Smythe are part of a larger cadre of New York improvisers that includes guitarist Mary Halvorson, drummer Tom Rainey, bassist Drew Gress and a score of others. One of their guiding musical principles remains flexibility of practice and purpose. It’s a fluid means of music-making that relies on conversation and trust and its all over this set as the players negotiate and realize forms in-the-moment. On the opening “Fluvium,” Laubrock blows melodic clusters on aerated tenor that cue her colleagues’ contributions in the opening minutes but remains just as comfortable passing the baton to either Crump or Smythe to counter or recalibrate. Crump shift between fingers and bow with a smooth celerity that betrays nothing of the switch other than a clean and incisive alteration in tone.

Smythe is similarly unbroken in his alterations, ranging over his keyboard and applying pedal effects that feel at once gradual and immediate in a contradictory experience that is wholly musical. When he and Crump overlap in overtones in the closing minutes of the initial piece it borders on the hypnotic. Laubrock enhances the effect with keenly-placed, rasp-laced breath sounds that only heighten the confluence. During her first turn to soprano on “Benthos” she does the technique one better, constructing a clipped, serpentine flow of tones that create the illusion that she’s playing her horn backward in a centripetal spin of flurries. The precision and consolidation of digital and oral exactitude evoke the earlier-mentioned Parker, not in any sense of imitation or adherence, but instead an undiluted exposition of virtuosity. 

“Benthos” and “Presence” offer logical and independent extensions. Laubrock jousts Smythe in crenellated salvos on the first in a jostling chase. Crump’s entry adds a bottom but does little to ebb the velocity of the exchanges. Bits of possible Monk peek out amidst the choppy tenor patterns, but once again the trio resists any form of direct reference. The piece ends with a bulbous exposition from Crump minus his mates, ringing harmonics trading with stoutly resonant plucks. Bowed strings from two sources set up the finale alongside hollow reed pops from Laubrock leading luminous, melancholy close and attendant, well-earned applause. An arguable lineage may be possible to draw, but these three players aren’t waiting around for it. Nor should they.

Derek Taylor

[30000songs]

#207 - Accelerando - Vijay Iyer

Question: Is there a better young, in their prime composer in jazz right now as good as Vijay Iyer? Answer: No, there isn’t. He values beauty and complexity in equal measure, and he is going to go down as one of the greats, mark my words. 

84/100

[freethejazzblog]

Free The Jazz #53 [for Peter Harrison]

1 - Charles Mingus - Hog Callin' Blues (from "Oh Yeah", 1962 Atlantic)

2 - Russ Johnson - Confluence (from "Meeting Point", 2014 Relay)

3 - Joe Henderson - Water (from "The Elements", 1974 Milestone)

4 - Borderlands Trio - Borderlands (edit) (from "Asteroidea", 2017 Intakt)

5 - Brötzmann / Wilkinson Quartet - Greeting Herr B and Herr K (edit) (from "One Night In Burmantofts", 2007 Bo' Weavil)

6 - John Butcher /  Damon Smith / Weasel Walter - Modern Technological Fetishes (edit) (from "The Catastrophe Of Minimalism", 2017 BPA)

7 - David Murray Octet - Flowers for Albert (from "Murray's Steps", 1982 Black Saint)

Listen to a new show each week on 8K, and find previous shows over at Mixcloud.

[lovelyballetandmore]

Stephan Azulay | Royal Winnipeg Ballet | Wizard of Oz | Photo by Daniel Crump

[jbgravereaux]

Vijay Iyer Sextet - Far From Over                                                                                  ��                                                                                                                     Album: Far From Over (2017)                                                                              Label: ECM Records                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Alto Saxophone – Steve Lehman                                                                    Cornet, Flugelhorn, Electronics – Graham Haynes                                              Double Bass – Stephan Crump                                                                            Drums – Tyshawn Sorey                                                                                    Piano, Electric Piano – Vijay Iyer                                                                      Tenor Saxophone – Mark Shim

[onett199x]

Vijay Iyer | Far From Over

The latest from Vijay Iyer features a new sextet, which includes cornet/flugelhorn player Graham Haynes, saxophonists Steve Lehman and Mark Shim, bassist Stephan Crump, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey.  The program is all Iyer originals, and these run the gamut from groovy funk-oriented tracks like Nope, which takes its inspiration from 90s hip-hop, to isolated, starkly minimalist pieces like Wake.  Having listened to 5 or so of Iyer’s albums before, I’ve grown to expect a certain amount of experimentation and weirdness from him.  The question isn’t whether he will be ‘weird’, but how ‘weird’ he will be, and in what way.  Sometimes, that weirdness works very well for me - I’m a big fan of Historicity and of Tirtha.  Sometimes, though, I just don’t get it.  That’s not to say that it isn’t good - I’m just not as versed in the avant-garde and experimental end of jazz, so some of this stuff is definitely intended for a different audience than me (for example, his recent collaboration with Wadada Leo Smith, as well as his album Mutations).  This particular effort for me struck the perfect balance of experimental and accessible, with groovy rhythms from Tyshawn Sorey and Stephan Crump matched with new and unique melodies and harmonies from Iyer and his horns.  There were several different tracks on this album that all struck me in different ways, from Poles’ opening salvo to the intensely rhythmic Into Action, to the almost film noir-like Wake, to the 90s influenced funk of Nope.  It’s a great achievement in his music as well as one of the most indicative of his overall aesthetic of an artist.  I’d say it’s a great place to start.

[segundasculturais]

[gustojazz-blog]

Break Stuff - Vijay Iyer.��Live at the Appel Room Jazz At The Lincoln Center. Jan 2014.

“Break Stuff” is what happens after formal elements have been addressed. Vijay Iyer calls the break “a span of time in which to act. It’s the basis for breakdowns, breakbeats, and break dancing... it can be the moment when everything comes to life.”

Vijay Iyer is probably best known as a pianist and bandleader in the African-American creative improvisational tradition — most say "jazz" for short — though he's also several other things in music. He's a composer of chamber, large ensemble and mixed-media works; a Harvard professor; a student of Indian classical music; a father and New York City resident. Committed as he is to multiplicity, there's one place you can see many of his interests distilled at once: the trio he's led for nearly a dozen years. The long-standing relationship he's forged with Stephan Crump (bass) and Marcus Gilmore (drums) accommodates all sorts of risk and translates into reward. The three play daring games of rhythmic interaction. They take Iyer's pieces designed for strings or big band and reduce without losing vitality. They do John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, Flying Lotus and M.I.A. The morning after a gig in Washington, D.C., the trio got up to visit NPR headquarters before a noon train back to New York. (There was a lot of espresso involved.) In one continuous performance, Iyer, Crump and Gilmore treated us to a few pieces from Iyer's deep catalog, including two from the new album Break Stuff — ending on the scintillating "Hood," inspired by pioneering Detroit techno DJ Robert Hood. After the blaze of the main set, they played a calm and pretty theme dedicated to the late poet and activist Amiri Baraka – it originally came Iyer's suite for string quartet and piano Time, Place, Action. There's excitement, daring, overload, and speed in Vijay Iyer's music, but, as we were reminded: Just like anyone else, he looks for beauty too.

Patrick JARENWATTANANON

[artspacerichmond]

Stephan Crump @crumbletonesTONIGHT @artspace_richmond7pm doors / 8pm concert (one set) $20 at the door/$10 for students.  Grammy-nominated, Memphis-bred bassist/composer Stephan Crump comes to Artspace for a solo concert celebrating his new album, Rocket Love. 

[thewaysoundtravels]

Vijay Iyer with Stephan Crump & Marcus Gilmore - Galang (Trio Riot Version)

Historicity by Vijay Iyer with Stephan Crump & Marcus Gilmore

(Vijay Iyer with Stephan Crump & Marcus Gilmore - Galang (Trio Riot Version))

This jazz reworking of the MIA track of the same name makes you notice the original song in a whole new light.

[dustedmagazine]

Borderlands Trio – Asteroidea (Intakt)

An outfit engineered for collective improvisation, bassist Stephan Crump still earns a symbolic slot at the top of the roll call for the Borderlands Trio’s Asteroidea. The pun-pivoting title works as a suitable corollary to group’s spontaneous peregrinations as they negotiate the gravitational pull of three very strong musical personalities. Pianist Kris Davis is a prolific leader and a fixture on the Brooklyn creative music scene. Drummer Eric McPherson travels in slightly different circles having been a pupil of both Jackie McLean and Andrew Hill and a regular behind the kit at the Greenwich Village jazz club Smalls. All three players are A-list in terms of imagination and prowess.

The band devises a devious obstacle course for themselves on the opening band-named piece in regards to intricacy and sustained invention. Davis sets up a dark and unrelenting ostinato with pedal dampened keys stamped by the cymbal accents of McPherson. Crump gauges the ensuing rhythmic field, threading arco and later pizzicato commentary through it with a deft and vigorous touch. Davis answers with stark adjustments, alternating surging clusters with aggressive punctuation against a shifting syncopated meter. The effect shares kinship with a refracted Mal Waldron itinerary on an entropy-observant loop as repetition and gradual deviation become rewards that are at once immediate and lasting.

The disc’s remaining pieces combined add up to the temporal capaciousness of their program-initiating counterpart. “Carnaval Hill” and “Ochre” are the length of jukebox singles, but each packs a wealth of interplay in its terse running time. The former has faint echoes of McPherson’s erstwhile mentor Hill in its inky cross-hatched sonorities and incremental advancement while the latter trades in frosty minimalism and muted gestures. “Flockwork” and “Body Waves” are longer, but equally involving with under-the-hood manipulations and focused velocity bringing a brow-arching brittleness to Davis’ percussively cyclic string patterns. “From Polliwogs” closes the date with amphibian-minded ambiguity that proposes the trio’s maturation as welcome work in progress.

Derek Taylor

[joshcockroft2]

The Perfect American – Peter Stephan Jungk 

17.3.2021

The fictionalised biography is an awkward genre for me*, I want to know where the truth ends and the imagination takes over, and with a subject you have no previous knowledge about it requires much further reading. This was enjoyable though, and it led me down a rabbit hole of youtube videos showing the process and progress of building the Disney parks.

*Unless its the kind of absolute madness that Simon Crump wrote for Elvis and Michael Jackson. 

[freethejazzblog]

Free The Jazz #58 [for Naomi Klein]

1 - José Lencastre / Jorge Nuno / Pedro Santo - 08.30 (from "08.30/18.09/10.10/10.18", 2017 Creative Sources)

2 - Mike Caratti / Rachel Mussen  / Steve Beresford - A Unique Haircut (from "Hesitantly Pleasant", 2017 Iluso)

3 - Pharoah Sanders - Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah (from "Jewels of Thought", 1970 Impulse!)

4 - Stephan Crump / Ingrid Laubrock / Cory Smythe - Tones for Climbing Plants (from "Planktonic Finales", 2017 Intakt)

5 - John Butcher / John Edwards / Mark Sanders - Lucid (from "Last Dream Of The Morning", 2017 Relative Pitch)

6 - William Parker Quartet - Wood Flute Song (from "Sound Unity", 2005 AUM Fidelity)

7 - Brötzmann / Bennink - This Is My Faith (from "In Amherst 2006", 2008 BRÖ)

Listen to a new show each week on 8K, and find previous shows over at Mixcloud.

[paranormalhappenings]

Scariest Haunted Places

Disclaimer: This is mostly by opinion and research

1. Myrtles Plantation

The Myrtles Plantation was built in 1796 by General David Bradford, the home is said to be haunted by several restless spirits. It is good to take note that research has said that upwards of 10 murders took place there, but others say that only one murder can be confirmed. Some of the spirits that haunt the home have their own notable personalities as they’ve been seen by visitors who have stayed at the now bed and breakfast. Disturbances are most noticeable during the night. One guest, Stacy Jones, founder of Central New York Ghost Hunters, said that while she was taking a tour she saw a heavy-set African-American woman wearing what appeared to be an apron walk by, on the porch of the home. If you’re someone who doesn’t particularly believe in paranormal activity, you may think it was just a worker in period clothing, but Stacy looked out to see where the person or spirit went, and nobody was there. As they stayed overnight, Stacy’s bet friend experienced most of the paranormal phenomena, she was held down and poked all night, unable to cry out for help. 

Now to name some of the notable happenings and spirits who haunt the home, other guests have experienced: 

A spirit named Chloe who was a former slave on the premises was allegedly hung for killing two girls, however the murders and the existence of Chloe are still in question.

The spirit of the two girls who were murdered are often seen playing on the veranda.

An attorney by the name of William Drew Winter lived at Myrtles from 1860 to 1871. William was shot by a stranger on the porch, as he was slowly losing life he managed to make it into the home and climb the stairs to try to make it to the second floor, however he didn’t make it up. He died on the 17th step. It is said that his last dying footsteps can be heard on the staircase. His murder is the only one that has been verified. 

Spirits of slaves have been known to appear and ask if they can do any chores. 

The grand piano is often heard being played by itself, repeating one haunting chord. 

2. Eastern State Penitentiary 

A favorite destination for many ghost hunters and open for public tours, the penitentiary as a spine chilling backstory. 

Built in 1829, the Gothic Structure was originally designed to hold only 250 inmates in solitary confinement. However, as many as 1,700 inmates were crammed into the cells. Al Capone was incarcerated to the penitentiary for an illegal weapons possession in 1929. It is said that during his stay, Capone was tormented by the ghost of James Clark, a man who was murdered by Capone himself during the infamous St. Valentines Day Massacre. Hauntings in the prison date as far back as 1940s, two guards and individuals were said to have experienced visions and many unexplained and unusual experiences. The Eastern State Penitentiary was abandoned sometime in 1971, this is when the activity spiked dramatically. Since the prisoners were so isolated and when being moved from one location to the other they had to wear a black hood to block there vision, there is no surprise that is commonly named one of the most haunted places in America. The famous TV show Ghost Hunters, caught one of the most famous and popular moments on camera in the Penitentiary. A shadow figure was caught on video in the catwalk section of the prison. 

Other guest encounters: 

Shadow-like figure that scoots away when you approach it. 

A figure that commonly stands in the guard tower is seen from time to time. 

In cellblock 12, an evil laugh or cackle is commonly heard.

A shadow-like figure has been spotted sliding down the wall in cellblock 6. 

Ghostly faces are said to appear in cellblock 4. 

3. The Queen Mary

This famous ship is known to be quite haunted, according to many people who have visited it or have worked on the ship or still do work there. The Queen Mary was once a luxury ocean liner, ending its days in 1967 to be purchased by the city of Long beach, California and transformed into a hotel. Said to be the most haunted part of the ship is the engine room, s 18-year-old sailor was attempting to escape a fire when he was crushed to death here. Knocking and banging on the pipes have been heard by many people. Frequently guests have witnessed the ghost of “lady in white.” It is thought that 150 ghosts haunt the ship, however the site has at least 49 known deaths, and has gone through the terrors of war. 

In the engine room where the 18-year-old was crushed to death, is Door 13, where another man was crushed to death in 1966 during a watertight door drill. The most popular areas for guests are the first and second class pools, they are no longer used for that purpose, but the ghosts still haunt the area. The first class swimming pool that has been closed for more than three decades, women are often spotted in 1930′s style swim suits wandering the decks near the pool. Some have said they heard the sound of splashing and have seen wet footprints near the pool leading to the changing rooms. A young girl has also been spotted with her teddy bear. In the second class pool, the ghost of a girl named Jackie is seen and heard quite often, she drowned in the pool back in the sailing days and refuses to move on, her voice and the sounds of laughter are often heard. 

4. Waverly Hills Sanatorium 

Originally a two-story wooden structure opened in 1910,  now a larger brick and concrete structure still standing today was completed in 1926. This hospital was dedicated to the treatment of tuberculosis patients. The treatments that patients underwent could be considered bizarre to most people. Medical authorities felt that fresh air, lots of fresh air, was the best medicine, so patients were rolled out onto porches and patios, no matter the weather or temperature, this happened year-round, during rain storms, sunny days or snowy days. Other “ therapy” included surgically removing several ribs and muscles from the person, this was in hopes that their lungs would expand further, potentially curing them. Balloons were inserted into lungs in the hopes of the same effect. Many patients died due to these attempted “cures.” The treatments were failures, up until the 1040′s when medications were being discovered and were successful, tens of thousands died at Waverly Hills, the deaths started to cause problems for the staff, they feared that living patients would give up hope seeing so many hearses come to the building, so they decided to add on a tunnel that was rigged to take corpses from an entrance on the ground floor to the far side of the nearby hill, this kept the corpses out of sight. 

Once the number of tuberculosis cases astonishingly plummeted, the sanatorium was closed in 1961 only to be reopened and converted to a care facility for the elderly. Rumors quickly spread that abuse was taking place in the facility, this included strange experiments on unwilling victims and electro-shock treatments done to patients that had non-existent conditions. The elderly who went into the facility who were sound of mind didn’t remain there for long, eventually the facility was closed down in 1982.

Paranormal phenomena has been reported by ghost investigators, this includes voices, cold spots and unexplained shadows. Screams have also been heard in the abandoned hallways, and apparitions have been encountered. 

5. Rolling Hills Asylum 

This 53,000+ square foot building sits in New York, and is a popular destination for ghost hunters. Opened in 1827 and originally The Genesse County Poor Farm, it was created to house eligible for assistance, this included paupers, alcoholics, lunatics, the blind, lame, or handicapped, orphans, widows, vagrants, and a couple murders. In the 1950s it became the Old County Home and Infirmary, and initially in the 90s it was made into shops and an antiques mall. 

Back when it was the Genesse County Poor Farm, the cost to care for each person was low, only $1.08 back in 1871. The residents in their care were referred to as inmates, no matter what there were housed for and those who were physically able to work, were put to work on the farm and many actually build and made wares to sell to help with the cost of living expenses. They raised pigs, horses, chickens and ducks, grew vegetable and fruit crops, canned jams, jellies and meats as part of their chores, there was also a bakery and even a wood shop where they crafted coffins were made to sell to local mortuaries and used when needed. They would bury those who had no family, and the records indicated that they was once a cemetery on the property. In 1886 the burying ground was improved by building a fence in front and was graded and leveled. The cemetery is now faded away, the stones crumped, grass has grown and the forest was replanted. No one was around to keep up the cemetery for the ones who were buried there and long forgotten. 

There has been reports of voices, doors being mysteriously held shut, screams at night, and shadows. Rolling Hills Case Manager, Suzie Yencer, experienced something herself in September 2007. During a public hunt, a man who was filming a document took the group and hey sat in a circle, only a pink glow stick for a light source in the middle, they also placed a ball and a rocking horse in the middle. She was conducted to be the only on to talk and try to make contact, the more she talked the more things began to happen. The glow stick moved back and forth, the rocking horse rocked and an arm came out of nowhere to grab the ball and shortly vanish. 

6. Stanley Hotel

This hotel was completed in 1909 by Freelan Oscar Stanley, the inventor of the Stanley steamer automobile, it is a 138-room hotel in Colorado. It is famous for being the inspiration for Stephan King’s book The Shining, which he wrote after staying at the hotel in room 217, however he didn’t write the book there, nor was the film filmed there, but the TV movie version the hotel was used as the location.  

The story of the hotel started back in 1903 when Stanley arrived in Colorado, he was weak and underweight, but staying in Colorado for a season restored his health, this caused him to return for each summer until he passed away. His wife Flora however was used to the East Coast society, the little community of Estes Park offered little to nothing for her to stimulate and challenge her genius mind. So, together they decided to build a hotel, once opened, the guests were amazed of the beauty. 

There are reports of several apparitions and other phenomena:

The ghosts of Freelan and Flora haven been spotted dressed formally on the main staircase and in other areas, like the lobby and billiard room. Freelan has also been seen in offices as if he was watching over the books and Flora’ s piano playing occasionally echoes throughout the ballroom. 

Voices are heard and footsteps without owners are heard in the hallways and rooms. Staff and guests have said that their clothing gets yanked by unseen people and more than one guest has reported to have their blankets taken from beds and neatly folded. 

The Earl of Dunraven, the original owner of the land before the Stanleys, is said to haunt room 407, the smell of his cherry pipe tobacco still lingers. A face has also been spotted peering out of the room while it is not occupied. 

In room 217, the room Stephen King stayed in, there was a tragic accident in 1911, a housekeeper by the name of Elizabeth Wilson was nearly killed by a gas leak explosion. After her death in the 1950s, there has been strange, unexplained activity has been reported in room 217, doors open and closing by themselves, and lights switching on and off.

Room 418 is considered to be the most haunted room by hotel staff, it is apparently haunted by ghosts of children. Guests who have stayed in the room have said that they can hear children playing in the hallways at night. A couple complained to staff of the noisy children, but there was no children staying at the hotel at that time. There has also been impressions in the bed when nobody was in the room. 

A ghost of a child has been spotted on the second floor, including by Stephen King, the child calls out for his nanny. 

7. Sallie House

A simple brick house in Atchison, Kansas, gained national reputation as one of the most haunted places in the U.S. And also the most haunted in the state. It sits at 508 N. Second St, it doesn’t give off a spooky vibe from the outside. It was built between 1867 and 1871. 

It was first brought to national attention when Debra and Tony Pickman owned it, they lived there from 1992 to 1994, they had many disturbing encounters, this included physical attacks on Tony, these were documented  by the Sightings TV show. The name Sallie come from the daughter of previous tenants who had an imaginary friend named Sallie, she is believed to be one of the ghosts who haunts the home. When Tony drew a picture of the ghost Sallie he had seen, the daughter immediately identified her has her friend. In the 1940′s, by coincident or not, a family who lived there had a daughter named Sallie, however she did not die in the house or at a young age. 

The Pickmans experienced many different encounters of paranormal phenomena, this included their pictures hung on the walls being turned upside-down, candles melted in a strange away along with burnt finger marks, multiple phots anomalies, Tony’s spotting of Sallie on Halloween morning in ‘93, Tony heard a voice of a woman said “Here’s your remote,” as the remote itself was placed on his chest by an unseen person, during the Sightings taping, Tony got three bloody scratches on his arm, and one night Tony dreamt that he was being pulled out of bed by a girl, when he woke up he found burn marks on his wrist, the fingerprints were the size of a small child. 

The home has been investigated by the Kansas Paranormal Group, they have done extensive research, they even labeled the home as being possible haunted by a demonic force, this is because of the many violent incidents. 

8. Ohio State Reformatory

Considered one of Ohio’s greatest buildings still stand today, it sits right outside of Mansfield. It has a gothic and dark look, which has caused it to be a set for multiple movies, such as The Shawshank Redeption, also it’s a pretty haunting place because of it's history.

The history of the Ohio State Reformatory started out in 1861, the field where it would be built was a training camp for Civil War soldiers, the name was Camp Mordecai Bartley, this was to honor a Mansfield man who served as the Ohio governor in the 1840s. Mansfield was promoted as a possible candidate for the placement of a penitentiary, an Intermediate Penitentiary, it was indented to be a halfway point between Boys Industrial School in Lancaster and the State Penitentiary located in Columbus. It was meant to house mostly young offenders who were first-timers who might of been still reformed.  

Mansfield was officially selected in 1885 as the site for the Reformatory ,construction began with Levi T. Scofield as the head architect. the design was meant to replicate that of Cathedral style buildings, this was mainly in hopes that the inmates would be inspired to be better people. Even with that inspiration it still ended up with a gothic style, somewhat like if Dracula decided to build a castle in Ohio. In September 1896 the building was opened and the first 150 prisoners were brought to the Reformatory by train from Columbus, once there they were immediately put to work, they worked on the prison sewer system and the 25-foot wall that surrounded the 15-acre complex. It took until 1910 to officially finish the building. It houses the world’s largest free-standing cell block, that is six tiers high. 

There was a few famous prisoners that were in the prison, Henry Baker went on to achieve notoriety as a member of the Brinks Gang in the 50s. Gates Brown served a year from ‘58 to ‘59, he played baseball for the Detroit Tigers. And in ‘89 Kevin Mack was a star running back for the Cleveland Browns, he did a month for drug charges. 

The Reformatory is known to have accumulated horror stories over the years, two corrections officers died here, one in 1926, he was shot to death by a former inmate attempting to spring his friend, and another in 1932, he was beaten to death with a iron rod in solitary confinement

Several ghosts haunt the reformatory, including Warren and Helen Glatkee, who once worked there. Helen died from an accidental gunshot, some suspect her husband shot her. Warren died sometime later, after he died the haunting began.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Live Picks: 5/11-5/20

Jess Williamson; Photo by Kari Rosenfeld

BY JORDAN MAINZER

I’ll be in London from tonight until the 19th, so I wanted to get you covered until the 20th!

5/11: Shabazz Palaces, Empty Bottle

When we saw Shabazz Palaces at Riot Fest last year, we noticed the headiness and understated nature of the set in comparison with other sets at the festival. Seeing them in a small venue, in contrast, is ideal.

Experimental hip hop band Leaf Set opens. Jill Hopkins of Vocalo Radio DJs before the show.

5/11: Kem, Anthony Hamilton, & Eric Benet, Wintrust Arena

The R&B Super Jam tonight at Wintrust Arena features a diverse lineup. There’s quiet storm artist Kem, who mixes spirituality and love on albums like Intimacy. There’s the best known, neo soul singer Eric Benet. And then there’s Anthony Hamilton, whose Back To Love remains one of the best R&B albums of the decade and who often finds himself collaborating with hip hop artists, unlike the other two. Whether they play together or alone or a mix of both, it’ll be sure to be a great show.

5/11: Loma & Jess Williamson, Schubas

Loma, the band consisting of Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg and Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski from Cross Record, has only their self-titled debut, which we enjoyed very much. In a headlining set, they should be able to play most or all of it. The extent to which they replicate live an album that’s loaded with effects and nature sounds is to be seen.

Jess Williamson follows up 2016′s great, stark Heart Song with something much more expansive. Cosmic Wink, out today, is her Mexican Summer debut. It’s inspired by her move from Texas to California, new love, and the death of her dog. “When I don’t know what home is, I can turn into your arms,” Williamson sings on album closer “Love On The Piano”. It’s a sweet sentiment, but the rest of the album, despite the romance, still has those Texas high and lonesome qualities--it was recorded there, after all. Opener “I See The White” recalls some of the more melancholy tracks on Angel Olsen’s My Woman, while the Rhodes-laden “Wild Rain” is desolate and emotive.

Williamson will also be doing an in-store performance and signing at Shuga Records at 5 P.M.

5/11: Bing & Ruth, Constellation

The last time we saw ambient classical collective Bing & Ruth, they put us in a trance playing their great No Home of the Mind. Sine then, they’ve released an EP, Dorsal, as well as a single, the gorgeous “Quebec (Climber)”, released as part of the upcoming Stadiums & Shrines 10th anniversary compilation Dreams.

TüTH, the industrial project of Disappears bassist Damon Carruesco, opens. Brent Heyl DJs before the show.

5/11: Meat Wave, Catapult Records & Toys

Here’s what we wrote about Meat Wave when they opened for Hot Snakes at Thalia Hall back in March:

“If you’ve read us for the past few years, you know we love the songs and shows ever-ascending local heroes Meat Wave, having covered three different sets of theirs. Their last full-length release was 2017′s The Incessant, but earlier this year, they released two new songs, one-minute stomper 'Shame' and creepy slow-burner 'Dogs At Night'. Subtle, but still just as pummeling; their set should contain a lot of the latter, and not much of the former. Be thankful for that.”

Local two-piece punk band Drilling For Blasting and UK grunge band Strange Planes open.

5/11 & 5/12: Lizzo, Aragon

I’ve been a fan of Minneapolis hip hop artist Lizzo since her 2013 debut Lizzobangers, which she followed up in 2015 with Big GRRRL Small World. The former established her as a dexterous, hyperactive MC with a feminist tilt. She showed off her singing chops on the latter. But her 2016 EP Coconut Oil and tracks she’s released recently see her going in many different directions. The title track to the former is soulful and infused with gospel, while new tracks like “Truth Hurts” and “Fitness” are some true Lizzo bangers.

Fleetwood Mac worshipers Haim headline.

5/12: Helen Money, Hungry Brain

Cellist Alison Chesley is classically trained, but that’s right where formality ended. She started Verbow with Jason Narducy and then, after Verbow broke up, was a session musician in Chicago. But it wasn’t until her first solo album Helen Money and her subsequent adoption of the moniker that she truly started pushing the cello to its limited. Fast forward to 2016, and Chesley released her magnum opus Become Zero. Featuring Neurosis’ Jason Roeder and Rachel’s Rachel Grimes, Become Zero is a true mash of genres, bending the lines between experimental noise and metal while Chesley used digital processing for the first time. It was to great effect, as she made an album as full of sorrow and empathy as harsh soundscapes.

She plays with Peter Maunu and Carol Genetti, who play an opening set of their own.

5/12: Moritz von Oswald, Smartbar

Moritz von Oswald was one of the most influential 90′s dub techno producers, having done great work with both Basic Channel and Maurizio. Over the past 10 years or so, he’s branched out under his own name, whether with Detroit pioneers Carl Craig and Juan Atkins, by himself, or with the Moritz von Oswald Trio, his project with Sun Electric and Vladislav Delay. (I’m particularly fond of their album Fetch.) The Hamburg master should give a fantastic DJ set.

Deep techno DJ Olin and TEXTURE Detroit resident and founder Soren and Jacob Park open.

5/12: Speedy Ortiz, Subterranean

In 2015, Speedy Ortiz followed up their great debut Major Arcana with the even better Foil Deer. Supporting that album, they improved tenfold as a live band. When they went to record what would become their third album Twerp Verse, the 2016 U.S. presidential election happened, and they scrapped the strictly personal stuff and went political. Sadie Dupuis and company have always been political from a social and feminist perspective, but not so outspoken as on Twerp Verse. Musically, the album is consistent with Dupuis’ solo project Sad13, embracing the synth and Dupuis’ ever-improving voice over the wiry guitars for which the band first became known.

Local hero Nnamdi Ogbonnaya and Ohio band Didi open.

5/12: Vijay Iyer Sextet, Constellation

Vijay Iyer is captivating by himself and in duo form. So performing his sextet material (last year’s great Far From Over) with a steady band (besides a set of rotating drummers) should be a captivating live show. The band includes horn players Graham Haynes, Steve Lehman and Mark Shim alongside bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore.

There are two shows: one at 8:30 P.M. and one at 10:00 P.M.

5/13: Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker, Cafe Brauer

They’ve already turned upside-down one wholesome holiday. Whose to say they won’t do it at Mother’s Day Brunch at the Lincoln Park Zoo? Over/under on Walker banter about yoga pants stands at 2 jokes.

Walker’s release shows for his new record Deafman Glance, out next Friday, are on 5/18 and 5/19. We previously wrote that Deafman Glance is “an arty record, subdued, embracing of free jazz and minimal synth music as much as folk.”

5/13: Obituary, Pallbearer, & Skeletonwitch, Metro

Obituary’s self-titled album, released last year, wasn’t just a return to form. It’s one of their best records, one that stands to refine the death metal tropes the band has been exploring from the get-go, from the swirling riffs of “Kneel Before Me” to the stomping “Lesson In Vengeance”. The songs should sit well beside the band’s catalog.

Last year, Pallbearer followed up their breakout album Foundations of Burden with the divisive Heartless. We liked but didn’t love Heartless. Either way, whatever you think of the band, they’re becoming better and better live. They just released a new single, “Drop Out”, and mini-documentary to go along with it, as part of Adult Swim Singles Program. It’s your typical track from the Arkansas band: lead singer Brett Campbell goes full-on Ozzy Osbourne, while the divide between the sky high electric guitars and guttural electric bass is larger than ever.

Despite turning over band members quite a bit, Ohio metal band Skeletonwitch is remarkably consistent, from 2011′s great Forever Abomination to 2013′s Serpents Unleashed. They release their sixth full-length Devouring Radiant Light in July and have released a single, the epic and black “Fen Of Shadows”. It showcases new vocalist Adam Clemans (who first appeared on their 2016 EP The Apothic Gloom) while reminding you why you’ve always loved the band: the dynamism between guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick.

German thrash metal band Dust Bolt opens.

5/14: Damien Jurado & The Light, Lincoln Hall

Singer-songwriter Damien Jurado has been popping up here and there since the 90′s to release an occasionally jaw-dropping, brilliant record, like 2003′s Where Shall You Take Me? or the trilogy of Maraqopa, Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son, and Visions of Us on the Land. A week ago, he released his 13th studio album, the gentle The Horizon Just Laughed. While it might not have the psychedelic leanings of his best work (save for “Silver Timothy” sibling “Florence-Jean”), it’s sparse and gorgeous nonetheless.

Afro-folk singer-songwriter Naomi Wachira opens.

5/15: Justin Townes Earle & Lilly Hiatt, SPACE

Justin Townes Earle played City Winery back in February. Here’s what we wrote about him then:

“The Justin Townes Earle of 2018 may not be as exciting as the same singer-songwriter who released the mighty one-two punch of Midnight at the Movies and Harlem River Blues almost 10 years ago, but he’s got so many good songs across his discography that it’s almost better to see him live than take a deep dive into his discography. He quietly released his 7th album, Kids in the Street, in 2017, and it’s probably his best since Harlem River Blues, but you know the crowd’s gonna cheer the loudest for 'They Killed John Henry' and 'One More Night in Brooklyn'.”

Nashville singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt recruited a new band for her third album Trinity Lane, and it’s her best record yet. With John Condit on guitar, Robert Hudson on bass, and Allen Jones on drums and production by Michael Trent of Shovels & Rope, Hiatt has found the perfect sound for sad stories like “The Night David Bowie Died” and honky tonk jams like “See Ya Later” alike.

5/16: Asking Alexandria, The Forge

Back in January, Asking Alexandria co-headlined the Riviera with Black Veil Brides. They co-headline The Forge with Black Veil Brides this time. Here’s what we wrote about them then:

“British metalcore band Asking Alexandria perhaps peaked with 2016’s The Black. While their new self-titled album, released last month, is an interesting departure in their sound, opting for more straightforward, melodic hard rock, it makes you miss the band’s louder moments.”

Scottsdale metalcore band Blessthefall open.

5/16: Rival Consoles, Empty Bottle

Persona, the latest album by Rival Consoles, is purportedly inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film of the same name. What’s more obvious is its obsession with perception, space, light, and darkness. His use of analogue-heavy synths, acoustic and electric instruments, and effect pedals creates a sonic world that travels faster than the speed of light between beauty and ugly. Songs titled like “Unfolding” do what their title suggests, slowly developing into a beat. The title track skitters, “Memory Arc” attacks like a monster, and “Phantom Grip” loops ominously. And then there’s Nils Frahm collaboration “Be Kind”, a truly light moment on a record, and one that exemplifies the spirit of shared label Erased Tapes.

Local experimental acid house project Africans With Mainframes opens.

5/16: Jean-Michel Blais, Constellation

Quebec composer and pianist Jean-Michel Blais has been slowly rising over the past few years. His debut album II was followed by an especially inspired collaboration with CFCF on last year’s Cascades EP, four tracks of original material and one John Cage rework. Today, he releases his second solo effort Dans ma main, which sees him combine his usual piano-led intimacy with synthesizer textures.

5/16: Power Trip & Sheer Mag, Reggie’s

Dallas thrash metal band Power Trip just released a collection of their earliest non-LP recorded material, showing the raw areas from where they came. 2013′s Manifest Decimation was their debut, but it was last year’s Nightmare Logic that brought them beyond the metal spheres to spots like a co-headlining tour with Sheer Mag.

As a live band, Sheer Mag stood out even before they released their best songs. Now that they’ve released the tracks, they’re on top of the world. Last year’s proper debut Need To Feel Your Love was an effective juxtaposition of 70′s radio rock with radical politics, accessible and loud enough to land on our top albums of the year list. 

Orange County hardcore band FURY and DC punks Red Death open. The same bill plays Empty Bottle on 5/19.

5/17: Prong, Bottom Lounge

Groove metal legends Prong are still going strong. Albums like the excellent Carved Into Stone and last year’s Zero Days show that the band is still capable of telling a musical story from start to finish while making room for meaty riffs and complex arrangements, holding up alongside their 80′s and 90′s work.

New York alt metal band Helmet co-headlines.

5/17: Josh Rouse, SPACE

Josh Rouse’s best record is 1972, which combined 70′s songwriting and production techniques with personal, political songwriter. Love in the Modern Age is the 80′s equivalent. Is it as successful? Of course not. But the similarity between the two albums makes me think Rouse will play lots of 1972 favorites.

Synth pop singer-songwriter Deanna Devore opens.

5/17: Marc Ribot, Art Institute of Chicago

Marc Ribot is one of the most creative guitarists around. I’ve seen him do a one-man score to Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid, play with his Ceramic Dog band, and jam with Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo. This time around, he’s doing an in-gallery solo performance at the Art Institute of Chicago in response to the paintings of Ivan Albright, presented in association with the exhibition Flesh: Ivan Albright at the Art Institute of Chicago.

5/17: Wye Oak, Thalia Hall

The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs completes Wye Oak’s transition from raw, guitar-and-drums folk band to expansive synth rockers. Front woman Jenn Wasner’s pop project Dungeonesse and solo project Flock of Dimes as well as Wye Oak’s previous two albums, Shriek and Tween, are clear predecessors to the new record, the band’s best since Civilian. Natural and unbridled, it shows the least restrained version of Wasner and percussionist Andy Stack. The title track’s interweaving arpeggio synths and squawking guitars are the perfect soundtrack to a song poking fun at those trying to find order within chaos. The vocal-driven, cinematic “My Signal” and layered, washy “You Of All People” round out the album’s highlights.

Philadelphia indie rockers Palm open.

5/17: Charly Bliss, Empty Bottle

Charly Bliss frontwoman Eva Hendricks told us regarding the band’s live show, “Our live show is probably the most important aspect of making music for us, so we always want our shows to be as satisfying and fun as possible!” Their debut album Guppy (one of our favorites of 2017) was already fun and continues to satisfy well into 2018. There’s a reason this show is sold out.

Punk band Skating Polly opens.

5/18: Objekt, Smartbar

We haven’t heard much from avant techno genius Objekt since his great 2014 debut Flatland--apart from a few singles here and there. Maybe he has new material. What better place to debut it than Smartbar? Mixes of his old material works, too.

Pre-party for the Movement festival in Detroit. Stripped-down techno DJ Helena Hauff headlines. Local busy and prolific DJ Justin Aulis Long opens.

5/18: Raekwon the Chef, Promontory

Raekwon is responsible for some of the best rap albums ever, whether as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan or solo. Next Friday, he’ll be playing solo hits and Wu Tang Clan songs with the Mo Fitz Band backing him up. Though he may start with tracks from his most recent album The Wild, he should eventually delve into 36 Chambers and Cuban Linx classics, perhaps even performing for other Wu-Tang members, dead or alive.

Raekwon also is somehow playing another set this night at Bourbon on Division. DJ Ryan Ross opens that one.

5/18: Fever Ray, Metro

A Fever Ray show is not to be taken lightly, since Karen Dreijer doesn’t play very often, either as a part of The Knife or with her solo project. Plunge, last year’s follow-up to 2009′s self-titled album, was a stunning achievement. It was one of our favorite albums of last year due to its outspoken politics, frank sexuality, and chaotic beats. She revealed her live band members in a video for standout “IDK About You”.

There are two shows: one at 6:00 P.M. and one at 10:00 P.M.

5/19: TesseracT, Metro

British band TesseracT prove that djent prog metal can actually be tasteful in addition to good. Their masterpiece, 2013′s Altered State, was cohesive and actually beautiful at times, particularly thanks to vocalist Ashe O’Hara. Over the past two albums, including last month’s Sonder, the band has reunited with old vocalist Daniel Tompkins. While his vocals are more cliche whiny than O’Hara’s, the band’s instrumentation remains vital.

Australian metal guitarist Plini and rockers Astronoid open.

5/19: Pig Destroyer, 3 Floyds

Alexandria grindcore masters Pig Destroyer last left us in 2012 with their opus Book Burner. It was fast, violent, and truly dangerous-sounding. Next Saturday, they’re one of many bands playing 3 Floyds’ Dark Lord Day, which we’ve covered twice. To a drunk crowd wanting to hear favorites, expect them to...well...bounce all over the place.

Death metal band Dying Fetus headlines. The abrasive Revocation, blackened thrashers All Hell, jazz-metal outfit Brain Tentacles, and blackened doom two-piece Canyon of the Skull also play.

5/19: Elizabeth Cook, City Winery

Two years ago, we caught singer-songwriter Elizabeth Cook admirably perform songs from her latest release Exodus of Venus, an album inspired by death and tragedy. Over the past year or so, however, she’s been performing lots of new songs that should be out on a new record this fall. She should pepper them into her back catalog next Saturday.

Singer-songwriter Caleb Caudle opens.