Elsewhere NZ

Some record producers have a sound so distinctive that – like the names of John Wayne and Arnold Schwarzenegger on the marquee outside the cinema – they are the drawcard in themselves. Few but the most diligent rock scholars could name the various Checkmates, Shirelles or Ronettes, but everyone can recognise they were produced by Phil Spector. His “wall of sound” and “little symphonies for the kids” became his aural fingerprint and utterly distinctive. And copied.

The Kiwi Jahzz pages at bandcamp, coupled with the sister label iiii Records are – like Auckland's Rattle label – constantly being filled with new releases. From to time when get the time we try to scoop up a batch and give Elsewhere readers a steer on them. Here we look at the improvised music from artists and bands with revolving memberships.

Of last year's folk-influenced Dime by Tāmaki Makaurau electronica artist Callum Mower (aka Serebii) we said it hit “an interesting place between ambient music, the chill-out room and a kind of subdued and soulful folktronica”. This new one weaves an even more seductive sound design.

The recent death of the avant-guitarist James Blood Ulmer – reference point being Hendrix-goes-harmolodic – sent us towards this recent jazz-rock collision between punk and hard bop, sax (John Brandon Lewis) and Sonny Sharrock's guitar shredding (courtesy of Anthony Pirog). This is muscular and confrontational stuff (the rhythm section is from Fugazi) but it is never less than powerfully persuasive.

Kurt Vile's career has been fascinating to follow and in various reviews of his albums we've noted his alt-rock owed as much to Cohen as Cobain and we've name-checked Neil Young, the Church , Neil Halstead, stoner rock, Springsteen and John Prine in our reviews. He can be a bit inconsistent but is always someone you'd give time to.

A few years ago I had occasion to go to a medical appointment in Mt Eden. The huge, expanded villa near Mt Eden Village – it is still quaintly called that, at least in my family – was familiar to me from some time back. When I approached the reception desk near the large and comfortable front lounge the young woman asked me if I had been there before. I said I had and she asked who I had seen. “Dr Adams,” I said.

As we discussed on the new Sound Thinking podcast, this guy comes with a name which could be a blessing or a curse: he's the song of Dickey Betts who was one of the guitarists in the Allman Brothers Band (and died in 2024), and he is named for guitarist Duane Allman who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971. Singer-guitarist Duane is no kid – he's 48 – and has been in any number of bands, many with the scions of Allmans or Allman-adjacent people.

And here we go again with the Marty Duda/Graham Reid podcast where the duo talk about live concerts, new albums and forthcoming concerts. New albums this week by Pussy Riot, Japanese guitar band (with choir and orchestra) MONO, Joan as Policewoman (and a Marty interview with her), Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers), the wonderful Aja Monet, Wellington band Welcomer and ... some mention of the Cream box set of the 1968 Wheels of Fire double album (with extra tracks and so on).

Jamaican DJ Errol Scorcher (born Errol Archer in the parish of St Catherine in 1956) wasn't much known outside of the hardcore reggae audience in the world beyond his homeland. However back in JA he enjoyed a number of hits and was a staple on the sound systems. But although his song Peace Truce celebrated the stand down between political rivals which lead to the famous One Love Peace Concert he didn't appear at that show.

Alan offers this alarmingly simple recipe for a chicken dish from the Philippines. Couldn't be easier -- or more tasty. INGREDIENTS 4 skinned chicken breasts 1 cup water 1 cup white vinegar 3 tbsp light soy sauce 3 bay leaves 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tbsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp oil Rice enough for four people. METHOD Cut chicken into serving size pieces.