Close Enough for Jazz

We step back to the gritty 2009 Brooklyn loft scene to announce the upcoming Birch Grove Media vinyl release of Fall 2009 by Alan's acoustic avant-garde band, Face. In this episode, we explore the origins of the group, tracking their evolution from high school friendships to playing lost Brooklyn venues like Goodbye Blue Monday and Evening Time Place. Alan breaks down the cast of characters, including the late Andrew Carrico, David Schnug, Pascal Niggenkemper, Cody Brown, and vocalist Matt Scollante—whose intense, yelling spoken-word performance at The Stone gave this album an explicit warning. We also take a clinical look at the realities of early DIY recording, with Alan explaining how he salvaged a highly flawed, 44.1kHz session recorded on cheap gear using modern audio plugins. Packed with stories about the "Almost V-Day Suite" and the parallel run of his electric band Smirk, this episode captures a definitive era of Brooklyn music ahead of the album's double vinyl release alongside Bear Skinner later this year.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: A yelling vocalist at The Stone 00:30 - Announcing the release of Face's Fall 2009 album 01:05 - The cast of characters: David Schnug, Pascal Niggenkemper, and more 02:00 - High school connections and moving to a Brooklyn Bedford Avenue apartment 03:45 - How the band's instrumentation evolved from the "Actually Actually" trio 05:27 - Remembering baritone saxophonist Andrew Carrico 06:43 - Recording the album on Halloween 2009 at the "Evening Time Place" loft 08:19 - The thriving 2009-2012 Bushwick loft scene and lost Brooklyn venues 10:00 - Face as a working acoustic band vs. the electric Smirk project 12:58 - Matt Scollante's unique spoken word performance 14:26 - Writing the "Almost V-Day Suite" over four years 16:56 - Salvaging a flawed 44.1kHz DIY recording with modern audio plugins 19:11 - The double vinyl release plan for Face and Bear Skinner 19:57 - Outro: Pick up the Smirk vinyl Podcast Footer:BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

We unearth a 41-year-old time capsule from the first edition of OPtion Magazine that accurately predicted the rise of AI in music. We review a 1985 article by computer scientist Eric Mueller, who envisioned "interactive works" where AI reacts to live human improvisation and "distributed works" that use dial-up phone lines to connect musicians and computers in a massive feedback loop. The conversation traces Mueller's impressive background—from developing the DAYDREAMER program at UCLA to his work on IBM's Watson—and contrasts his highly experimental, avant-garde vision of AI with the style-cloning algorithms of today. We also discuss the LISP programming language, Stefon Harris's Harmony Cloud, and the debate over whether software is truly more interesting than hardware. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode.Featured Musical Examples:George Lewis Rainbow Family Premiere: https://youtu.be/i4bS-0tsVEgLaurie Spiegel on Algorithmic Composition: https://youtu.be/aJBDHxyLEHgTimestamps:00:00 - Intro: What happens when the AI freezes up?00:31 - Unearthing a 1985 AI music time capsule from OPtion Magazine01:46 - Eric Mueller's "Entangling Computers and Music"03:23 - The concept of "interactive works" and reactionary AI04:34 - Comparing early AI ideas to Stefon Harris's Harmony Cloud08:43 - Will musicians become programmers and vice versa?10:42 - Feeding the program multiple source elements for complex reactions13:22 - "Distributed works" and the concept of dial-up avant-garde music17:52 - Learning the LISP programming language in 198520:04 - Debating if software is truly more interesting than hardware22:41 - Eric Mueller's background with UCLA, MIT, and IBM's Watson26:41 - Why 1980s AI concepts lend themselves perfectly to avant-garde jazz27:28 - Interactive free improvisation vs. modern AI cloning apps29:14 - The legacy of OPtion Magazine and its focus on experimental musicBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

To celebrate America's 250th birthday, we explore the wild stories of three legendary jazz musicians whose time in the US military permanently altered their musical paths. We start the conversation with Albert Ayler, who spent his Cold War deployment in France testing out his early free-jazz concepts on GI’s and civilians alike, eventually carrying those twisted military marches into his own quintets. Next, we look at John Coltrane’s strategic enlistment into the Navy to avoid the Army infantry, a move that led to his first public recordings at Pearl Harbor. Finally, we recount Henry Threadgill’s harrowing experience in Vietnam, where a controversial arrangement of "America the Beautiful" resulted in a front-line deployment, surviving the Tet Offensive, and returning home with a reshaped perspective that ultimately defined his compositional voice. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode.Timestamps:00:00 - Celebrating America's 250th with jazz and military history00:42 - Albert Ayler joins the Army during the Cold War01:46 - Testing avant-garde solos in Parisian cafes and barracks04:01 - Weaponizing military marches in his later music05:14 - Listening to Ayler's 1959 Army band recordings08:23 - John Coltrane’s strategic enlistment in the US Navy11:17 - Kitchen patrol and the segregated military band at Pearl Harbor12:53 - Listening to Coltrane's first-ever recording in Honolulu16:47 - Henry Threadgill gets drafted out of Chicago17:48 - An avant-garde arrangement gets Threadgill sent to Vietnam18:46 - Trading a saxophone for an M-16 during the Tet Offensive20:31 - How surviving the war shaped Threadgill's compositionsBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

We open the vault to launch "The Blind Pig," a new ongoing series featuring rare, unreleased bootleg recordings of legendary live performances. To kick things off, we go back exactly 22 years to June 25, 2004, at the Village Vanguard for the JVC Jazz Festival. The featured recording captures Uri Caine’s "Blue Wail" project, featuring Greg Osby, Drew Gress, and Ben Perowsky. We explore the context of the 2004 jazz scene while listening to the MiniDisc audio capture, and reflect on the era. Note: Please go find and enjoy the music of Uri Caine, Greg Osby, Drew Gress, and Ben Perowsky. A few clips of their music were reposted in this episode. Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Launching the Blind Pig bootleg series01:17 - Traveling back 22 years to June 25, 200401:46 - Uri Caine's Blue Wail at the JVC Jazz Festival03:35 - Cheesy Vanguard marketing and Uri Caine's legendary week-long run07:40 - The impressive audio quality of 2000s MiniDisc recorders10:08 - Disclaimer: Birch Grove Media makes zero money on these recordings10:36 - Listening to the trio swing and Ben Perowsky’s deep feel18:22 - Where Uri Caine, Greg Osby, and Drew Gress were in 200421:04 - Alan reflects on his sophomore year at William Paterson27:43 - Giving bass players generous solos and listening to Drew Gress32:03 - Listening to Greg Osby's original composition "Equalatogram"33:57 - Playing Osby charts in James Weidman's ensemble36:09 - OutroBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Keyboardist and producer Carlos Homs sits down with Lindsay to trace his journey from the highly intellectual avant-garde jazz scene back to his roots in hip-hop production. Carlos shares stories from his time in the NJPAC Jazz for Teens program, watching a young Tyshawn Sorey play out-of-this-world piano, and cutting his teeth with heavyweights like Peter Evans and Steve Lehman. The conversation unpacks how Lehman’s Sélébéyone project and the psychotic work ethic of super-producer Cirkut pushed Carlos to team up with bassist Brady Watt and eventually work out of DJ Premier’s studio. They also tackle the debt traps of jazz education, the esoteric nature of channeling music, the 440Hz conspiracies behind his 2020 trio album, and the realities of collaborating with his wife, vocalist Jamie Homs.Please go find and enjoy the music of Aaron Burnett, Brady Watt and Steve Lehman. A few clips of their music was reposted in this episode, Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Couples working together & transitioning to hip-hop00:49 - Growing up on 90s hip-hop and discovering sampling02:03 - Entering the NJ jazz scene and meeting Tyshawn Sorey & Alan Bjorklund04:51 - The intense contrast between playing with Peter Evans and Steve Lehman06:26 - How Steve Lehman’s Sélébéyone brought Carlos back to hip-hop09:27 - Classical piano lessons and the unique New Jersey jazz ecosystem11:12 - NJPAC Jazz for Teens and Tyshawn Sorey's lunchtime concerts15:33 - Berklee dropouts, the problem with jazz education, and college debt22:57 - The Berklee networker who never paid tuition24:12 - Reconnecting with Brady Watt and working out of DJ Premier’s studio27:49 - Learning a "psychotic work ethic" from super-producer Cirkut34:07 - Treating music like entrepreneurship and overcoming the fear of failure37:22 - Is improvisation creating or channeling?45:21 - The Theory Conspiracy: Lizard people, 440Hz, and spontaneous studio albums52:39 - Navigating the industry and keeping collaborations organic with his wife, Jamie HomsBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Drummer and composer Danny Sher sits down to discuss the tug-of-war between highly intellectualized composition and raw emotion. Danny breaks down his desire to dodge "accounting jazz" and write music that forces the audience to feel the rhythm before they can analyze it. Tracing his wild musical evolution, Danny shares hilarious early memories of acting as a "Dog Star Commander" mascot for Manchild, getting humbled at early sessions, and watching a young Tyshawn Sorey casually drum in 15. Danny explains his strategy for writing "jazz disguised as rock" with Horse Torso, navigating the brutal polyrhythms of Atomic Pigeons, and pivoting from insane technical compositions to the catchy verse-chorus songs that got Crippling Alcoholism signed to The Flenser.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Feeling the rhythm before judging the music00:38 - The "Dog Star Commander" mascot in Manchild05:10 - A humbling session07:06 - Sitting behind a young Tyshawn Sorey playing in 1508:48 - Forming Horse Torso and blending dissonance with relatable grooves13:42 - Discovering the Mathcore Index Podcast and playing Saint Vitus17:15 - Pivoting from insane technical music to catchy verse-chorus songs20:39 - Getting signed to The Flenser with Crippling Alcoholism24:42 - Dodging "accounting jazz" and focusing on emotion26:10 - Navigating the otherworldly polyrhythms of Atomic Pigeons & Shardik28:07 - Recording with legendary no-wave producer Martin Bisi30:33 - Peter Apfelbaum's early funk days with Les Claypool32:36 - Disguising jazz as rock: Writing for Travis Reuter and Andrew Smiley38:51 - Writing cliches head-on for the hardcore band Unsee40:04 - Outro: Keeping up with @HorseTorsoBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

In this Special Edition episode, Lindsay and Alan tackle the massive disruption of Artificial Intelligence in music. They break down the controversy surrounding the first AI-generated Billboard charting artist, the fierce pushback from working musicians, and the surreal "uncanny valley" of algorithmic audio. Shifting to the jazz ecosystem, they analyze new tech like Neural Audio Synthesis and Stefon Harris’s Harmony Cloud, before subjecting themselves to some truly horrific Suno AI generations attempting to mimic modern jazz artists.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Going in blind on AI01:13 - Meet Xania Monet: The first AI artist on the Billboard R&B charts05:11 - Alan reacts to the cookie-cutter AI pop track in real-time09:45 - The Gayle King interview and the ethics of "putting in the work"16:18 - Kehlani’s backlash: AI stealing the spotlight from real musicians24:00 - The "Uncanny Valley" effect of perfectly tuned AI audio25:26 - Transitioning to the reality of AI in the Jazz ecosystem27:22 - Neural Audio Synthesis and improvising live with AI models31:40 - Stefon Harris’s Harmony Cloud ear-training app36:39 - Suno AI Experiments: Prompting an Eric Dolphy jazz standard43:24 - Forcing AI to simulate Tyshawn Sorey drumming for Steve Lehman46:30 - Why jazz audiences won't tolerate fake, algorithm-generated music49:09 - The Gen-Z analog revival and getting away from technology50:09 - Birch Grove Media's official anti-AI label stance51:04 - Outro: Podfuel and supporting human-made musicBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Guitarist and composer Josh Lopes opens up about the intersection of classical chamber music discipline and underground experimentation. He walks through the collaborative history of Dither, the psychology of working directly under John Zorn, translating Laurie Spiegel’s planetary orbit tracking data to fretted instruments, and how an iPad mechanical failure turned a performance at the Stone into a living nightmare.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:25 - From Rhode Island to the Avant-Garde Scene01:46 - Euphoniums, Marching Band, and Transferring Schools03:44 - William Paterson University and the "Bossa Nova" Trap05:44 - Unlearning Jazz Robot Habits and Developing Soft Skills06:39 - Getting Academic Probation for Breaking Into Shea09:25 - The Difference Between Chamber Musicians and Jazz Players11:47 - Forming the Electric Guitar Quartet14:22 - The Intensity of Performing John Zorn's Game Pieces18:39 - A Shattered iPad During a Solo Bagatelle20:09 - A Weird Mother's Day Encounter with John Zorn22:23 - Playing "Rugby" at The Kitchen23:22 - Translating Laurie Spiegel's Electronic Scores26:50 - The Pretentious Venice Biennale Concert28:37 - Blasting White Noise for Sensory Deprivation Music33:03 - The $100 Vintage Japanese Guitar Project35:15 - Learning Tuvan Throat Singing in a Trader Joe's Milk Cooler37:37 - Discovering "Genghis Blues" and Ham Radio Harmonics41:56 - Teaching Music in Newark to Kids Who Don't Listen to Music44:29 - Replacing Standard Notation with YouTube QR Codes49:49 - Why Good Guitarists Secretly Have Mental Disorders51:13 - Missing the Grit of the Old StoneBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.