Weekly Picks and Misc. for May 18

May 18, 2023

Most Definitely Devin Gray’s first (so far!) solo album. I did not see this coming, and in retrospect I probably should have. It is a truly dazzling set of electro-acoustic madness and highly recommended.
22/23 Gerald Cleaver’s third(!) solo album with 577 Records—following Signs and Griots—is another super brilliant mix of all things Cleaver-esque. These albums get me thinking of Taborn and Mori’s awesome Highsmith, and now I will be obsessed with the idea of a Cleaver, Taborn, & Mori electronics trio album until it happens.
27 Licks y’all. 27 Licks. Maybe my personal favorite thing about both drummers is how deeply they listen. I love hearing the two play off each other with such sureness and openness. There’s a nice video on insta from peak-COVID times with the two of them together at SEEDS::Brooklyn.
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But does it swing?