The Thing with Barry Guy - Metal! (February 4, 2022 Catalytic-Sound)

Side A

1. Lanthanum

2. Cerium

Side B

1. Praseodymium

2. Neodymium

Side C

1. Promethium

2. Samarium

3. Europium

Side D

1. Gadolinium

2. Terbium

3. Dysprosium

4. Ride The Sky

Recorded live at Saint Catherine's Church, Vilnius, Lithuania on 3rd april, 2011.

Mats Gustafsson (STIM), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (TONO), Paal Nilssen-Love (TONO) & Barry Guy (TONO).

Mixed and mastered at MAMAstudios.

Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Saxophone [Slide] – Mats Gustafsson

Bass [Left Chanel] – Ingebrigt Håker Flaten

Bass [Right Chanel] – Barry Guy

Co-producer – Valerij Anosov

Composed By – Barry Guy (tracks: A1 to B1, C1 to D3), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (tracks: A1 to B1, C1 to D3), Mats Gustafsson (tracks: A1, A2, B2 to D3), Paal Nilssen-Love (tracks: A1, A2, B2 to D3)

Design – Oskaras Anosovas

Drums – Paal Nilssen-Love

Executive-Producer – Danas Mikailionis

Mixed By, Mastered By, Recorded By – Arūnas Zujus

Producer – Barry Guy, The Thing (2)

The Thing appears through courtesy of Smalltown Superjazzz & Supersound.

Limited edition of 600 records.

PRE-ORDER

Live: THE THING | Ronnie Scotts | 21st October 2018

THE THING -  Ronnie Scotts

Sunday 21st October 2018

Doors: 6.30pm

Venue: Ronnie Scotts, 47 Frith Street, Soho, LONDON, W1D 4HT

Tickets: £12.50 - £27.50

MATS GUSTAFSSON tenor, soprano saxophone

INGEBRIGT HÅKER FLATEN double and el. bass

PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE drums

Mixing jazz with noise, avant-rock and punk, the music of The Thing has been described as ‘garage-jazz’ and ‘impro-punk’. The band, from Norway and Sweden, was established early 2000 and has grown into one of the most successful and hardest working free jazz trio’s around, traveling all over the world. They have performed with guests such as Joe McPhee, Ken Vandermark, Otomo Yoshihide, Jim O’Rourke, Thurston Moore, Terrie Ex, Peter Evans, Neneh Cherry and James ‘Blood’ Ulmer.

This Summer The Thing release Again

The Thing with Joe McPhee - She Knows (2018)

1. To Bring You My Love 07:53

2. The Thing 08:51

3. Baby Talk 07:56

4. Kathelin Gray 06:59

5. Going Home 05:51

6. For Real 10:28

7. Old Eyes 07:56

Mats Gustafsson - tenor and baritone sax

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - double bass

Paal Nilssen-Love - drums

Joe McPhee - tenor sax, pocket trumpet

The Thing - The Thing (2018)

Born 1964 in Umeå, Sweden.

Saxplayer, improviser and composer. 

working groups The Thing, FIRE!, Gush, Swedish Azz and Fake (the facts). 1800 concerts and over 200 album productions.

1. Awake Nu 05:06

2. Mopti 11:35

3. Cherryco 08:45

4. Ode to Don 03:37

5. The Art Of Steve Roney - Smilin' 02:38

6. Trans-Love Airways 19:17

Mats Gustafsson - alto and tenor sax

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - bass

Paal Nilssen-Love - drums

The Thing - Mono (2018)

1. Viking 08:52

2. Alfie's Theme 06:15

3. Bruremarsj 03:48

4. Triple Fox 08:57

5. Silver Slipper 02:24

Recorded 31st January - 1st February in MONO at Headgap Studios, Melbourne, Australia.

Mastered at 14th April 2011 at Chicago Mastering Service.

Released February 6, 2018.

Mats Gustafsson: Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten: Bass

Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums

Rune Mortensen: Design

Joakim Haugland: Executive-producer

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Bob Weston: Mastering

The Thing: Producer

Casey Rice: Recorded

Neneh Cherry & The Thing - The Cherry Thing Remixes (2018)

Original tracks recorded at Harder Sound Studios, London, England, and Atlantis Studios, Stockholm, Sweden. 

Original tracks appear on the album Neneh Cherry & The Thing "The Cherry Thing" (STS229LP/CD).

1. What Reason Could I Give (Remix By Kim Hiorthøy) 04:46

2. Dream Baby Dream (Remix By Four Tet) 08:45

3. Accordion (Remix By Hortlax Cobra) 04:51

4. What Reason Could I Give (Remix By Carmen Villain) 04:35

5. Accordion (Remix By Jim O'Rourke) 06:11

6. Cashback (Remix By Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas) 09:54

7. Sudden Moment (Remix By Merzbow) 08:22

8. Golden Heart (Remix By Nymph) 05:00

9. Dirt (Remix By Christof Kurzmann) 06:01

10. Golden Heart (Poole Blount Legacy Dub) (Remix By Lasse Marhaug) 06:40

Performed by Neneh Cherry & The Thing: Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Mats Gustafsson, Neneh Cherry, Paal Nilssen-Love 

Mastering: Chris Sansom 

Kim Hiorthøy: Design

The Thing with Otomo Yoshihide - Shinjuku Crawl (2018)

Recorded live at Pit Inn, Tokio, on 2nd October 2007

Mixed at Chicago Mastering Service on April 3rd, 2009

Mastered Chicago Mastering Service on April 11th, 2009

Released on Smalltown Superjazz 2009

1. Shinjuku Crawl, First Attempt 15:18

2. Shinjuku Crawl, Second Attempt 09:47

3. Shinjuku Crawl, Third Attempt 15:56

4. Uramado (Thank You Mr. Fukuoka) 05:01

5. Dori Dugout, Part 1 07:22

6. Dori Dugout, Part 2 13:09

Mats Gustafsson: Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Saxophone

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten: Bass

Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums

Otomo Yoshihide: Guitar

Bob Weston: Mastering 

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Bob Weston: Mix

The Thing - Bag It! (2018)

Recorded Jan 17-18th, 2008 at Electrical Audio Studios, Chicago

Mixed Jan 19-20th, 2008 at Electrical Audio Studios, Chicago

Mastered April 3rd, 2008 at Chicago Mastering Service, Chicago

Released o Smalltown Superjazz 2009

1. Hidegen Fujnak A Szelek 05:03

2. Drop The Gun 06:08

3. Bag It! 09:41

4. Snusvisan 04:54

5. Hot Doug 08:46

6. Mystery Song 04:57

7. Angels 07:03

8. Beef Brisket (For Ruby's) 30:41

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten: Bass, Electronics

Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums

Mats Gustafsson: Saxophone, Electronics

Rune Mortensen: Design

Steve Albini: Engineer

Bob Weston: Mastering

Roberto (Bear) Guerra: Photography

The Thing - Action Jazz (2018)

Recorded and mixed at Atlantis Studio, Stockholm

Released on Smalltown Superjazz 2006

1. Sounds like a sandwich 02:04

2. Chiasma 04:58

3. Broken Shadows 02:28

4. Ride the Sky 02:13

5. Better Living 07:25

6. Danny's Dream 07:33

7. The Nut the Light 06:38

8. Through BBQ 09:10

9. Strayhorn 07:03

Saxophone [Grafton Plastic Alto], Baritone Saxophone, Slide Saxophone – Mats Gustafsson

Double Bass – Ingebrigt Håker Flaten

Drums, Percussion – Paal Nilssen-Love

The Thing with Jim O'Rourke - Shinjuku Growl (2018)

Released on Smalltown Superjazz 2010

1. THE - If Not Ecstatic, We Replay 22:41

2. Half A Dog Can't Even Take A Shit 14:58

3. I Can't, My Mouth Is Already Full 09:19

4. Shinjuku Growl 09:29

Mats Gustafsson: Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone

Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten: Bass

Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums

Jim O'Rourke: Guitar

Rune Mortensen: Design

Mastering: Audun Strype

Yasuo Fujimura: Recorded

James Blood Ulmer & The Thing - Baby Talk (TROST RECORDS 2017)

And what’s The Thing? In short – as I’m sure you all know them; it’s a tour de force jazz mulisha at its very finest, never afraid – always ready to throw bold ideas in the mix, run it over a couple of times, and spit it out. Composed by a trio musicians who’s played with everyone everywhere. Reading their individual discography is exhausting. With reedist Mats Gustafsson, (Fire! Orchestra, and releasing albums with everyone on the free jazz scene, it feels like), bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Atomic, Fredrik Nordström Quintet, Townhouse Orchestra and many, many others) and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love (Atomic, Frode Gjerstad Trio, The Peter Brötzmann Chicago tentet just to mention a few) – The Thing is …The Thing.

But it is also a band which happens to often meet with their heroes, live and on tape. We, fans of The Thing, have been blessed with great releases such as Immediate Sound (2001, with Ken Vandermark), Collider (2016, with DKV Trio) and Metal (2012, with Barry Guy), just to mention a few. In that aspect it’s not that surprising to see James Blood Ulmer taking the stage with The Thing during the 2015 Molde International Jazz Festival.

Before listening to this album I sat for a while just staring at the cover. What was this going to be like? I was starting to feel afraid that on this album I would hear The Thing either eat Ulmer alive, especially live, with Mats Gustafsson leading the way like a rabid dog. Or that The Thing would fall flat, not knowing how to see eye to eye with the legendary Ulmer. But all these feelings are of course silly, knowing what these people are capable of, on their own – or with others. What was there to worry about?

On this album I hear nothing else than the greatest of respect to what James Blood Ulmer is, whatever that is, and also with the soul, passion and force that is The Thing, intact.

The 4 original Ulmer compositions are all treated with great care albeit twisted, turned and re-invented.

It starts off with ‘Interview’. Ulmer introduces the theme which is a dissonant run of notes which Ingebrigt Håker Flaten follows just behind, like a chase. It’s very elegant. We’re not left with who’s winning though, Flaten leaves Ulmer for another direction and changes the pace. He’s inviting the others to the party. Nilssen-Love and Gustafsson jumps straight in. The elegant chase is transformed into an intense dance. Ulmer’s not late to join The Thing in their typical way of playing while still keeping his distinct and personal tone.

Second song ‘High Yellow’ is also introduced by Ulmer, however this time there’s less patience shown before The Thing picks up the pace to start twisting the song around. Nilsson-Love can really be heard like the master he is in this song. He’s got such a big sound, yet I love how he’s a participator and a creative force throughout the album. However Ulmer’s never left alone, and is never drowned. Mats joins and immediately brings his best lyrical playing to the table. They all bring on the full intensity for a couple of minutes, making sure they’ve explored every corner of the song, before eventually they start to stumble, almost like rolling an uneven stone down a hill, towards those last notes. Ulmer closes the song and I wonder where this is going.

I couldn’t have expected what was to come. Ulmer introduces a kind of naïve tune, or something from a children’s songbook – ‘Baby Talk’ is the name of the third song. The Thing accepts the challenge and starts the adventure with changing around the tune in different directions. You can always here Ulmer right there, he never misses a note, even when Gustafsson brings on his best (worst?) nightmare. Eventually we’re brought back to the original theme and it’s over.

The last song ‘Proof’ is one scary yet fantastic piece of music.

It’s lyrical, simple, bluesy, dark, sad and absolutely brilliant. I sat like on needles waiting for Mats to join in. He does, but perhaps not like you’d think. Not together with Flaten and Nilsson-Love, not like a speeding train, and not alone like a whirling dervish in some manic mental state of mind. The Thing waits patiently while Ulmer sets the stage before Mats edgy baryton starts to sing together with Ulmer; moaning & calling. Ingebrigt’s bass is heard surrounding them like someone walking right beside them. Is he a friend or a foe? Mats pleading and calling builds up with increasing intensity while Ulmer keeps playing the theme repeatedly, with small varations.

About half-way through the song, scene changes. The tension that has been built up must be released. There’s no other solution than to ask for help. Nilsson-Love to the rescue. He’s leading the way, guiding Ulmer, Gustafsson and Flaten back to safety. We’re left with that great feeling you get after hearing something very special. If only there was more songs. 33 minutes is not enough. I’m not sure there will be that many opportunities to hear James Blood Ulmer & The Thing together again, if ever.

Having said that, I highly recommend that you pick this one up. By Gustav Lindqvist / freejazzblog.org