TV Times 02 May 2020

French TV are back with a snappy 2-cd set. Disc One is a new studio effort continuing the meticulous twists and turns of their last two releases, with essentially the same players. Disc Two is a (mostly) live-in-the-studio affair, BBC-style, containing the set they performed at Chicago's"Protoberfest" in 2018. For music fans who always wondered what if the members of Henry Cow decided to make a fusion record.

Thundercat is set to release his new album “It Is What It Is” on Brainfeeder Records on April 3, 2020. The album, produced by Flying Lotus and Thundercat, features musical contributions from Ty Dolla $ign, Childish Gambino, Lil B, Kamasi Washington, Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, BADBADNOTGOOD, Louis Cole and Zack Fox.

A new 7 CD box set The Bowie Years, exploring Iggy Pop’s Berlin-era albums is set for release on 29 May via UMC. The box set features remastered versions of The Idiot, Lust For Life, live album TV Eye and rare outtakes, alternate mixes and a 40 page book.

CD1: 1-2 Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, 15th march 1967; 3 CBC TV Studio, Toronto, 14th September 1967; 4-5 CBS TV Studios, LA (Ed Sullivan Show) 17th September 1967; 6-7 CBS TV Studio (Jonathan Winters Show) 27th December 1967; 8-9 Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, 4th December 1968; 10-15 Critique TV Show, recorded 28th April 1968; CD2: Konserthuset, Stockholm, Sweden 20th September 1968; CD3: Cobo Arena, ~Detroit, 8th May 1970, FM Radio Broadcast; CD4: Center Coliseum, Seattle, 5th June 1970, FM Radio Broadcast; CD5: PNE Coliseum Vancouver, 6th June 1970, FM Radio Broadcast 4th July 1992; CD6: Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 21th July 1972, FM Radio Broadcast.

René Thomas (1927-1975) was considered the best European jazz guitarist of his generation by fellow musicians and critics, but his career was marred by the pervasive skepticism of jazz fans. Despite trying hard to carve his own space, he never obtained the recognition he deserved for his immense talent, perhaps because of his introverted character and prolonged withdrawals from the scene.

Saris founded back in 1981. From 1981 until 1983 they toured extensively in their native Germany, as well as recording the single “Out of Your Night”. For various reasons, there was disagreement about the new musical direction and an upcoming album. So Saris went on the back burner for a few years. In 1992, a new line-up was in place though, as Martin Gellhaus (vocals), Udo Raitzig (bass), Stefan Kremer (keyboards) and Helge Bungert (drums, vocals) joined Akkermann for the recording of an album, released as “Dead End Street” in 1993. A subsequent tour followed and at the end of this, Raitzig and Bungert left the band.