12 Trips in 12 Months

Paris, May 13th 1968. There was a general strike. One last plane left the runway, strewn with flaming oil drums. On board were three jazz musicians wondering whether they would be able to return home one day. But for the time being they really want to make it to Madagascar where concerts and workshops with young local musicians were waiting for them. Pianist and bandleader Jef Gilson was accompanied by his bassist Gilbert "Bibi" Rovère (Martial Solal Trio) and the young drummer Lionel Magal (Crium Delirium). Gilson, who already had a reputation for finding new talent (it was thanks to him that, amongst others Jean-Louis Chautemps, Henri Texier, Jean-Luc Ponty or Michel Portal first became known) was literally blown away by the standard of the young Malagasy musicians, all capable of imitating their American idols by ear.

Live in Pittsburgh 1970 (2008) is the sixth (more or less) full-length live set from the Doors' own Bright Midnight Archives. It is also one of its shortest and arguably most dynamic entries – a single CD capturing the quartet of Jim Morrison (vocals/hand percussion), Ray Manzarek (keyboards/bass pedals/vocals), Robbie Krieger (guitars), and John Densmore (drums/percussion) at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA on May 2, 1970…

Grainger’s mastery of choral textures shines out of this wide-ranging collection of folk-song arrangements, each highly individual and memorable. Plus his friend Grieg’s finely scored religious settings. Superior performances by Stephen Layton and Polyphony.