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The quartet S tin k h o rn has signed a distribution deal with Omnitone Records, the highly regarded independent New York jazz label, which w ill distribute the group’s just-released new CD, Tunguska, in the U nited States, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The quartet, w hich is Michael Monhart (saxes), Brian Heaney (electric guitar) H o w a rd O u c h i (drums), and John Morris (electric bass), is also planning a tour o f the East Coast and the Midwest. In August it w ill perform at Seattle’s first progressive rock/jazz festival, T h e P rogm an C o m e th (August 16­ 18), at the M oore Theatre, w hich w ill also present Soft Machine w ith A lla n H o ld s w o rth , Hugh Hopper, E lto n D e a n , and John Marshall, as well as former Gong members Daevid Allen and P ip P yle and their current bands. More information on The Progman Cometh event is available online at www.twomonkeyfinger.com. For more on Omnitone, see www.omnitone.com. S tinkhorn’s website is at www.stinkhorn- music.com.

News of bassist M att Sperry , long a fixture on the Seattle improvised-music scene until moving to Oakland, Cal., a few years ago. He appears on three o f the four CDs in a new A n th o n y B raxton box set Six Compositions (Gtm) 2001 (Rastascan Records), that was set to appear late last m onth. He also is on the two recent new C D ’s by T o m W aits, and even appeared w ith Waits on the David Letterman television show. Most of the time, though, he is work­ ing in bands w ith Bay Area improvisers D a n saxophonist and College of Southern Idaho now streaming Origin Radio on the web. Plonsey, John Shiurba, Gino Robair, M a tt prof, Brent Jensen, and Home At Last by O ut from Origin, by the time you read this, In g a lls , and others. Don Lanphere w ith New Stories, have both should be a new release by Seattle percus­ fared very well in national radio play. The sion ace Gregg Keplinger, whose Tribute Living Daylights was in tow n late last tune “Alone Together,” from Home A t Last, duet disc with saxophonist Rick Mandyck month. Well, two of its three members live also was selected by Japanese jazz w rite r/ a couple o f years ago was a killer. This time, here, still, but the power trio is constantly historian Yasukuni Terashima as a track for Keplinger teams up with New York down­ touring, these days. Since saxophonist his Best of 2002 compilation CD entitled town heavyweights Daniel Carter (horns) Jessica Lurie moved to Brooklyn several Jazz Bar 2002, produced by Tokyo’s D IW and Reuben Radding (bass) on Language. months ago, the Daylights have been all Records and set fo r Japanese release this The album presents improvisations recorded around the country, and have dates lined up summer. Meanwhile, Origin head honcho at the end of a Fall 2001 tour. this summer and fall in the West and M id­ John Bishop has launched a second label in west. They’ll be back in Seattle for the OriginArts stable, the artist-cooperative Also just out from Origin is the Seattle Bumbershoot, on Labor Day weekend. More O A 2 Records. Its first release w ill come in Repertory Jazz Orchestra’s first CD on the about them on their new website, up soon. July: Inside Job, by tenor saxophonist label, SRJO Live, and saxophonist M a r k Cynthia Mullis. See www.oa2records.com for T a y lo r’s Origin debut, A fte r Hours, w ith fea­ O rig in Records, H Q ’d in historic dow n­ more details. tures labelmates RadioAction . Recorded in town Ballard, continues its impressive Brooklyn in January, it features original progress in fine mainstream jazz. Two recent O rig in has also hooked up a deal w ith releases, The Sound ofa D ry M a rtin i, by alto on-line jazz retailer, JazzSteps.com, which is