Flanders Gallery


This newly found recording offers 13 tracks of all original tunes from Gondwana, the Minneapolis jazz band. Founding members Clinton Little, Drew Gordon and Larry Hennessy were joined by new member Max Ray on saxophone playing live at the Flanders Gallery in Minneapolis. This diverse collections of tunes shows the imagination and originality that will come to define Gondwana's music for the years to come.

Opening track Pet Songs switches meters between 6/4 and 5/4 and offers an easy-to-hum melody. After This Message is an upbeat take-off on TV ad jingles. For Em is a lovely ballad Drew wrote for his partner. Half Byron has a hip yet mysterious presence, as if something odd is just around the corner. Snake Ladder Dream's opening bass groove will give you visions - maybe not of a snake ladder, but something. Andante Contabule has a reassuring calmness to it. 77 is indeed in 7/4, also in 7/8 and with a bar of 6/4 thrown in every so often - count along if you dare. Polkapotheo is like the Three Little Bears of polka - too slow, too fast and just right, but not in that order. Crystal Pygmy is a bass groove tune with the distinction of having three letter "y"s in it's name. Commie Cafe starts with another memorable bass line from Clinton. Old 7 Thing (FOUT) is another example of meter bashing by the group. Iron Music will encourage having fun while doing chores.