Outer Modes

 Outer Modes Records

Outer Modes was run by Lenny Kagan in partnership with guitarist Robert Gutzka. Outer Modes only released 3 albums. The label was so poorly run by Kagan that the albums were barely distributed, if at all. The recordings were made at a loft on Greene st. in NYC known as "The Vortical Nexus" and which was run by Gutzka. Guzka had been a folkie who turned to improvising after a jam session at Ornette Coleman's place on Prince st. The first album is a wild affair, two long pieces featuring instruments more associated with bluegrass; banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and bass, but played in a manner as far from bluegrass as possible.

The second release, although under the same band name, features mostly different musicians, but still led by Gutzka. Apparently most of the short pieces on this album were improv "exercises" that Gutzka worked through with whoever was on hand to jam. Notable drumming from Abdul Khalid, and Gutzka, now on electric guitar, is joined on many tracks by wah wah guitarist George Grant (later Grant and bassist Ronnie Jefferson went on to play with fusion band Starlight).

 

 

The final Outer Modes album, Energy Emergency!,  was a live concert recording featuring visiting Japanese pianist Yasahiro Takahashi with some of the VN guys backing him. It's wild, bombastic stuff which resulted in a terrible NY Post review, prompting label owner Lenny Kagan to print it in full on the back of the album! I haven;t located a copy of this album but will update if I do. Email if you have it.

Kagan and Gutzka's partnership ended when they lost the lease on the building and went their separate ways. Supposedly Gutzka was murdered in a drug deal and Kagan died in 1981 while in the middle of trying to reissue the albums. Hopefully someone will reissue these before too long.