Record-release roundup

Bassist/composer Mark Dresser will debut his CD Nourishments at Dizzy’s in P.B. on Friday, where he’ll perform with his West Coast Quintet, featuring tenor saxophonist Ben Schachter, trombonist Michael Dessen, pianist Joshua White, and drummer Kjell Nordeson. The CD’s musical collaborations were achieved via telematics, which allows artists in different locations to perform together using high-speed, high-bandwidth internet connections.

“What started out as a means to transcend the persistent problems of traveling with a bass in a post-9/11 world has developed into a meaningful way to collaborate and broach new artistic potentials,” says Dresser.

Plateaus’ new ten-inch drops Saturday at Soda Bar in City Heights. Singer/guitarist Chris Rosi says, “We’ve begun to incorporate some additional influences, such as psychedelia and kraut rock, into our pop-garage sound.” Limited to 500 splattered vinyl copies on the Mt. St. Mtn. label, the EP features cover art by animator Jay Howell, of Bob’s Burgers and Nickelodeon’s Sanjay and Craig.

Also new this week is the seventh full-length from Anoushka Shankar, Traces of You, released by Deutsche Grammophon. “I approached the album as a whole, as opposed to a series of songs,” says Shankar, whose father, sitar master Ravi Shankar, died during the recording process. “A lot of it happened unconsciously. Life took a journey of its own, and the music followed that form. The sitar leads the listener through the album like a narrator.”

Former Roxy Dioxide singer/guitarist Scott Samuels debuts his EP The Fall at Leucadia’s Café Ipe on November 2. “I’ll be joined by bassist Kevin Lydy,” says Samuels, “and we’ll mix in a few covers with my tunes, stuff from the Monkees, the Troggs — on a ukulele! — and Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly, among others. I’ll tell some of the strange life stories behind my songs. For example, reminiscing about the Sinclair dinosaurs at the Chicago premiere of Raquel Welch’s movie One Million Years B.C.”

November 19, a new LP from Imperial Beach rockers Hocus is to be released digitally, on CD, and (eventually) on vinyl. “It’s called Outside Your Door because Hocus is always here, no matter what trends in music are in favor at the time,” says singer/guitarist Fat Lando. “Just like flies!”