Circuit des Yeux at the Sugar Maple in Milwaukee on April 16, 2025

Vocalist Haley Fohr has been recording and touring under the moniker Circuit Des Yeux for the last 18 years. This past week she brought her band (including Alan Sparhawk on guitar and Andrew Scott Young on bass) to the intimate space of the back room at the Sugar Maple for a concentrated and intense show.

   

Purchase the new album here.

Recording information:

CIRCUIT DES YEUX

2025-04-16

Milwaukee, WI

The Sugar Maple

Haley Fohr: vocals

Alan Sparhawk: guitar

Andrew Scott Young: bass

Drew Christopherson: drums

Tracklist:

01 Skeleton Key (2:45)

02 Anthem of Me (3:08)

03 Megaloner (4:42)

04 Canopy of Eden (4:17)

05 Truth (5:08)

06 Double Dare (5:09)

07 Dogma (9:42)

08 Cathexis (3:42)

09 It Takes My Pain Away (5:35)

10 Black Fly (9:39)

Total time = 53:47

microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in ORTF

additional source: mono soundboard

recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (281 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (157 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Gustavo Cortiñas Quartet at the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery on April 13, 2025

On April 13th, the Jazz Gallery hosted an album release concert by the Gustavo Cortiñas Quartet from Chicago, featuring jazz luminaries Mark Feldman on violin, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, and guitarist Dave Miller, with Cortiñas on drums. The new album, The Crisis Knows No Borders, contains compositions by Cortiñas addressing climate change and its eventual effects on all humans regardless of geographic location.

It was exciting to have such an impressive group on the Gallery's small but storied stage, and I felt that this recording came out quite well.

Purchase their album here.

    

Recording information:

GUSTAVO CORTINAS QUARTET

2025-04-13

Milwaukee, WI

The Jazz Gallery

Jon Irabagon: saxophone

Mark Feldman: violin

Dave Miller: guitar

Gustavo Cortinas: drums 

Tracklist:

01 The Basic Economic Farsity (13:31)

02 The Growth Imperative (9:42)

03 Oil and Water Don't Mix (8:43)

04 Skepticism (13:54)

05 Sea Levels Rising (10:28)

06 The Crisis Knows No Borders (4:20)

07 Your Right Under The Sun (6:29)

08 The Man of Flesh and Bone (6:29)

Total time = 73:36

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 pair in ORTF in front row; Shure SM58 in front of drums

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (455 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (191 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

a video of the concert:

Sunwatchers at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on April 12, 2019

I've been going through my files and looking for shows that I had inexplicably not posted yet and found this amazing set by the New York band Sunwatchers at the 2019 Milwaukee Psych Fest. It was an afternoon slot, but the band was in full glory here featuring some exquisite playing from many songs featured on their at-the-time new LP.

     

Recording information:

SUNWATCHERS
2019-04-12
Milwaukee, WI
The Cooperage
Milwaukee Psych Festival

Peter Kerlin: bass
Jim McHugh: guitar
Jeff Tobias: saxophone and keyboards
Jason Robira: drums

Tracklist:
01 New Dad Blues (5:47)
02 Beautiful Crystals (7:50)
03 Sunwatchers vs. Tooth Decay (5:58)
04 Love Paste --> Brown Ice (7:51)
05 Strollin' Coma Blues (10:40)

Total time = 38:06

microphones: stereo pair of Audio-technica AT853
preamp: Church UBB
recorder: Roland R-07 at 16/44
software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

A recording by fellow taper and friend of the blog Joel Berk from the following day in Chicago is available here.

Purchase their most recent album here.

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (241 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (97 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

a video excerpt of a live performance from the following month in Genoa, Italy:

Ra Bishop at the Sugar Maple in Milwaukee on April 6, 2025

Ra Bishop is the name of a Chicago group co-led by trombonist Jeb Bishop and percussionist Avreeayl Ra, which also features Ed Wilkerson, jr on tenor sax, clarinets, and didgeridoo, and Erez Dessel on piano. They have released a new album and this incredible concert was part of a pair of shows commemorating the release.

  this photo which shows Mr Dessel  is by Keith Berg

The front room of the Sugar Maple was an excellent venue to really hear the different instruments -- sometimes in the much smaller back room everything can get drowned out by a powerful drummer.

Purchase their new album here.

Recording information:

  

RA BISHOP

2025-04-06

Milwaukee, WI

Sugar Maple

Ed Wilkerson: tenor sax, bass clarinet, clarinet 

Jeb Bishop: trombone

Erez Dessel: piano

Avreeayl Ra: drums

Tracklist:

01 First Improvisation (36:26)

02 Second Improvisation (12:52)

03 Third Improvisation (17:22)

Total time = 66:40

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in ORTF in front row

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (377 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (197 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

concert video from a few days prior at Constellation in Chicago:

   

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