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Theoretical Girls - 1978-1981 (No Wave)

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1. Theoretical Girls 2:34
2. Lovin in the Red 3:15
3. Computer Dating 3:51
4. Europe Man 4:20
5. Contrary Motion 2:15
6. Mom and Dad 3:51
7. U.S. Millie 3:03
8. No More Sex 3:26
9. Keyboard Etude 1:08
10. Nato 2:04
11. Electronic Angie 1:23
12. Chicita Bonita 5:35
13. Polytonal 3:29
14. Parlez-Vous Francais 3:55
15. Theoretical Girls 2:53
16. Chicita Bonita 5:29
17. Lovin in the Red 2:35
18. Electronic Angie 3:37
19. Computer Dating 2:43

AMG:

"Some may believe, if they are aware of the late-'70s New York no wave scene at all, that the genre begins and ends with the Brian Eno-produced compilation No New York. But only four bands are found on that album, and in truth there were dozens of New York-based groups that fell into the no wave category represented only by a single or two, a ROIR cassette, or nothing. Theoretical Girls were a major group in New York no wave, but their reputation mainly rests on one small-run 45 containing two songs that was issued on their own Theoretical Records imprint in 1978. The 19 selections heard on this disc, the first release from Acute Records, vastly improves Theoretical Girls' fortunes, albeit more than 20 years late. It constitutes a treasure trove of classic New York no wave that anyone interested in this genre will want.
Theoretical Girls were led by guitarist, keyboardist, and singer Jeffrey Lohn and featured future legendary New York producer Wharton Tiers on drums, Glenn Branca on guitar, and avant-garde composer Margaret De Wys on keyboards and bass. On the Acute disc Lohn is the primary writer and singer on all the material included, although the others pitch in backing vocals from time to time. 'U.S. Millie,' the track included from the single, is an acknowledged classic of the genre and makes its bow on CD here. There is little detail provided as to the origin of the recordings, and no notes to speak of, but some are obviously live, others are from rehearsals and yet others may be low-budget studio recordings or demos. Certainly these recordings are better preserved, or at least more carefully transferred, than the average no wave artifacts that have surfaced so far on CD. The sound of Theoretical Girls is like a well-oiled machine that nonetheless has several moving parts sticking out of it. As Theoretical Girls' drummer, Wharton Tiers works magic, keeping these difficult arrangements (and divergent stylists) on one page. Margaret De Wys demonstrates that among no wave keyboardists (such as the Contortions' Adele Bertei and DNA's Robin Crutchfield) she had a unique sound, particularly shrill and disjointed, yet amply fitting the bill. Alternate versions are given for some titles, and in the case of 'Chicita Bonita' this is particularly helpful, as the alternate has entirely different surface elements, yet the structural underpinning is the same. The two versions of 'Chicita Bonita' are only six seconds apart in length, although they sound wholly different. The band's theme, 'Theoretical Girls,' succeeds in being hypnotic, compelling, noisy, innovative, and catchy all at once with its counting and repetition; indeed, the word 'innovation' could be applied to any number of the pieces included here.
Theoretical Girls split up in 1981, and shortly thereafter Glenn Branca went onto prominence as a semi-classical composer of noisy, massed electric guitar symphonies. The others were not quite so lucky in terms of celebrity, and in Lohn's case this lack of recognition has been something of a sore spot. Hopefully, the Acute release will help to improve matters all around. One side of the original single, 'You Got Me,' was withheld from this all-Theoretical Girls disc, as it was written by Branca; it can be found on his Atavistic compilation Songs '77-'79. Despite that so much time has gone by, and that so many bands have worked towards a similar end since, Theoretical Girls are still fresh, edgy, witty, raw, and fun. None of this music has a date stamped on its forehead, and it remains both timeless and welcome after its long eclipse and obscurity."



1978-1981

or

1978-1981


First House - Cantilena, 1989 (Jazz/Fusion)

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1. Cantilena 3:28
2. Underfelt 4:52
3. Dimple 3:51
4. Sweet Williams 5:05
5. Low-Down (Toytown) 3:28
6. Hollyhocks 3:23
7. Madeleine After Prayer 1:47
8. Shining Brightly 4:12
9. Jay-Tee 3:55
10. Pablo 3:15

Ken Stubbs - Sax (Alto)
Django Bates - Horn (Tenor), Piano
Mick Hutton - Bass
Martin France - Drums

AMG:
"During the mid- to late '80s, this British fusion band featured keyboardist Django Bates and bassist Mick Hutton, both also members of Bill Bruford's Earthworks ensemble."



Cantilena

or

Cantilena

Dan Kaufman - Force of Light, 2007 (Avant-Garde Folk)

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1. Shibboleth 2:23
2. Force of Light 5:10
3. Aspen Tree 7:52
4. Corner of Time 6:45
5. Count the Almonds 6:59
6. The Black Forest 6:19
7. Conversation in the Mountains 14:32
8. Sky Beetle 5:51

Dan Kaufman - Guitar
Pamelia Kurstin - Theremin
Danny Tunick - Marimba, Vibraphone
Peter Hess - Clarinet (Bass), Clarinet (Contrabass)
Dan Coates - Bass
Peter Lettre - Bass
John Bollinger - Drums
+
Fiona Templeton - Vocals
Catherine McRae - Violin
Catherine McRae - Violin
Sarah Bernstein - Violin
Julia Kent - Cello

AMG:
"The notion of creating a musical album around the works of a poet, any poet, is a contentious one, whether the music is composed by the writer, or, as it is here, a posthumous homage and affirmative response to one of the most enigmatic, mysterious, and brilliant poets of the 20th century, Paul Celan. Guitarist Dan Kaufman and his collaborators have undertaken a mighty effort because Celan's body of work, though emotionally loaded with images of separation, death, and an unnameable, even unspeakable loneliness and anguish, is a quiet one. His poems speak slowly, deliberately, and more often than not, indirectly. They are, nonetheless, razor sharp at getting through to the small root that opens into a vast abyss at the center of language; where it doesn't hold meaning captive any longer. In Celan's work, it breaks down instead, allowing the reader to fall headlong into the space generated by its broken bits and pieces; it leaves nothing to hold onto, even though his lines are taut, spare, skeletal. They leave no room for the reader escape from what they reveal, and draw tears from the pit of the belly.
Born in Romania, Celan was a Jew who, along with his parents, was rounded up by the Nazis and sent into the labor and concentration camps. Both his parents died there: his father contracted typhus; his mother was executed. Almost in direct response to Theodor Adorno's notion that there can be no poetry after Auschwitz, Celan wrote the most beautiful and haunting poetry from the very root pot of that poisonous plant. Celan and Edmond Jabes (another Jewish poet, in this case exiled from Cairo during the Suez crisis) wrote consistently and totally from the place of the wound caused by the Holocaust and historical exile of the Jew, and neither was didactic. In Celan's case, that wound was so great that it finally consumed him; he committed suicide. While literary critics debate the deconstruction of meaning in Celan's (and Jabes') work, the rest of us have merely to open the book and consider it, to allow it in and to let it change our worlds.
Kaufman has done just that. Far from stringing along musical phrases to underscore poignant points in the writer's text, he understands that every pause is poignant. His job lies elsewhere, to reveal the ready meaning in these poems, to allow the listener to hear the way a human voice can utter them, and with his music, accompany them along into the depths of the human heart and its own mystery. Kaufman plays both electric and nylon-string guitar and, on occasion, lap steel. His collaborators include Pamelia Kurstin on theremin, Danny Tunick on vibes and marimba, Peter Hess on clarinets, Dan Coates and Peter Lettre on basses, and drummer John Bollinger. Other musical guests include Julia Kent on cello and Catherine McRae and Sarah Bernstein on violins. The voice reading these poems is no less than Fiona Templeton's. On the first track, Kaufman offers up one of Celan's most famous works, 'Shibboleth.' His nylon-string guitar fills the space very carefully as Templeton reads: 'Together with my stones/Grown big with weeping/Behind the bars/They dragged me out into the middle of the market/That place where the flag unfurls/To which I swore no kind of allegiance/Flute, double flute of night/Remember the dark twin redness of the enemy and Madrid/Set your flag at half mast, memory/At half mast today and forever/Heart, here too reveal what you are/Here in the midst of the market/Calling Shibboleth/Call it out into your alien homeland....'
Kaufman's dramatic tension rises even as Templeton's voice remains steady, the music revealing the calling out of 'Shibboleth' into the 'alien homeland,' where both speaker and spoken ring incessantly in the hollows of history. It may have been Madrid, invoked by the excruciating memory of the author, but it rings inside all of us and without us, forgotten but ever a reminder in our world, shown almost daily on television; when passively agreed to, this place approaches the same possibility as the former Yugoslavia, or Darfur. Kaufman is no autodidact. In the music of Celan's skeletal poems, he hears that there can be no symphonies to adorn them, only sonic appendages to his 'Force of Light.' The title track that follows this opening is loaded and no words ever come from the mouth of the reader. The terrain where 'force' happens - painted by electric guitars, cello, vibes, marimba, an electric bass, and drum kit - is a fragile one, so one must approach cautiously. And this band does - slowly, every slowly at first but gaining ground and momentum even as this field of sound is broken - wrangling itself through counterpoint and dynamic changes with angles not measured so much as simply manifested, almost to shake off the meaning of the previous poem, but instead underscore what it means. Consequently, the tune doesn't end; it just ceases a frame at a time.
Kaufman follows no formula on this album. Some pieces have poems within them and some are purely instrumental tracks, such as 'The Black Forest,' in which off-kilter marimba and guitars call out for the violins and drums to answer. Basslines point a way into the tangle, but Kaufman's indirect, emotionally taut composition digs ever deeper into the mass of sound for 14 minutes, allowing listeners to experience glimpses of sunlight through the shadows. There is a repetitive theme, but it's the pulse of itself, insistent on its existence as the instruments engage one another and give way from one thematic concern to the next, always with klezmer and Yiddish folk music in equal tension with jazz and modern classical music; they are in turns quizzical, ambiguous, humorous, and nearly aggressive. The solos by theremin and bass clarinet to this restated theme are some of the more remarkable moments on this already quite stunning record. Elsewhere, 'Voice in the Mountains' is an extended meditation on what it means to be a Jew: the other to others, to oneself, and to other Jews, who are united so deeply under the skin by history yet wholly other to the cultures of the world - and as spoken of in the world, even in the mountains, where one 'Jew recognizes another Jew.' There is that space of acknowledgement through thousands of years, and that space of aloneness and singularity lying in the heart that cannot be answered in earthly tones. The text opens by itself, is drawn in and out by a composition that takes into account ambient soundscapes, jazz, folk themes, and klezmer, and then fades out, in, and out again, drawn in ever widening circles by Kaufman's varied and brilliant harmonic interplay, accents, colors, and textures, which feel lush but with hidden sharp edges.
Celan gave a speech to a German audience in the '50s, speaking to them in their native tongue, and likened the poem to starting a dialogue, but knew not with whom, as 'a message in a bottle, sent out in the - not always greatly hopeful - belief that somewhere and sometime it could wash up on land.' Kaufman writes in his liner notes that 'these are songs washed up on land.' This is the response to that opening dialogue, set in song no less, one that carries on with volume and vibration long after silence appears to have overtaken it. Kaufman's Force of Light is among the most profound settings for poetry in music. It is musically so rich, varied, and poetic in its own right that it can not be separated from the poems - nor can it contain them, and he understands this implicitly. Nor can the language in the poems contain this music; it speaks out from the land not into the sea, but into those mountains where not only does 'Jew recognize Jew,' but anyone human being can, should he or she desire it, see another. Kaufman's recording is among the best of 2007; it is sophisticated yet accessible to anyone, heartbreaking in its articulation, and provocative in its assertions because its speaks gently enough for the moral authority of both spoken and musical text to be not only heard and assented to, but grasped for its context in history and in this present future moment."



Force of Light

or

Force of Light

Runaway Totem - Andromeda, 1999 (Zeuhl)

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1. Kontakt 13:03
2. Tempus Fugiens? 8:44
3. OD .: OB .: 8:48
4. Kadman Neso 10:39
5. Andros Medoman 8:08

(CAHÅL DE BÊTÊL) Roberto Gottardi - guitars, guitar synthesizers, voice
(MIMHÏR DE BENNU) Renè Modena - guitars
(TIPHERETH) Germano Morghen - drums, percussion
(VîRHÜR) Roberto Veronese - piano, synthetizer, keyboards
(NEZAH) Dario Gelmetti - bass profundo

progarchives:
"Runaway Totem is surely one of the most incredible band that you can find in Italy. They use their rich instrumentation (keyboards, vocals, backing vocals, guitars) to create ethereal, romantic climates, with the deep singing, the grandiose backing vocals. They use too some nearly Magma-like passages, a vocal paroxysm evoking Area, energetic King Crimson rhytms with a Amon Duul II touch and even Gentle Giant's echoes.
Their third album titled "Andromeda" is their masterpie ce... surely better recorded than the first one, "Trimegisto", and more diversified than the previous one "Zed". It's very recommended to the symphonic-epic rock lovers as well as the classic music's extimators."



Andromeda

or

Andromeda

SuperSax - The Japanese Tour, 1975 (Jazz)

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1. Scrapple from the Apple 10:01
2. All the Things You Are 10:51
3. Salt Peanuts 6:41
4. Parker's Mood 5:01
5. Just Friends 3:10
6. Ornithology 7:54
7. Embraceable You 2:45
8. Moose the Mooche 8:49

Med Flory - Sax (Alto)
Joe Lopes - Sax (Alto)
Warne Marsh - Sax (Tenor)
Jay Migliori - Sax (Tenor)
Jack Nimitz - Sax (Baritone)
Frank Rosolino - Trombone
Lou Levy - Piano
Buddy Clark - Bass
Jake Hanna - Drums

AMG:
"In 1972, Med Flory and Buddy Clark formed a five-sax nonet (usually including a trumpeter) dedicated to playing the harmonized solos of Charlie Parker. Their recordings for Capitol, MPS, and Columbia (unlike their live performances) did not contain any individual saxophone solos and found the sax section playing note-for-note Bird improvisations (including the roller-coaster 'Ko Ko') with impressive precision. Clark left the band in 1975, but Flory continued the group on a part-time basis for several decades, sometimes using the L.A. Voices. Among the top sidemen through the years have been Bill Perkins, Warne Marsh, Jay Migliori, Jack Nimitz, Lanny Morgan, trumpeter Conte Candoli, and trombonist Carl Fontana."



The Japanese Tour

or

The Japanese Tour

Boards Of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children, 1998 (Electronica)

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1. Wildlife Analysis 1:17
2. An Eagle in Your Mind 6:23
3. The Color of the Fire 1:45
4. Telephasic Workshop 6:36
5. Triangles & Rhombuses 1:50
6. Sixtyten 5:49
7. Turquoise Hexagon Sun 5:08
8. Kaini Industries 0:59
9. Bocuma 1:36
10. Roygbiv 2:31
11. Rue the Whirl 6:40
12. Aquarius 5:58
13. Olson 1:32
14. Pete Standing Alone 6:07
15. Smokes Quantity 3:08
16. Open the Light 4:25
17. One Very Important Thought 1:14
18. Happy Cycling 7:51

Marcus Eoin
Michael Sandison

AMG:
"Although Boards of Canada's blueprint for electronic listening music - aching electro-synth with mid-tempo hip-hop beats and occasional light scratching - isn't quite a revolution in and of itself, Music Has the Right to Children is an amazing LP. Similar to the early work of Autechre and Aphex Twin, the duo is one of the few European artists who can match their American precursors with regard to a sense of spirit in otherwise electronic music. This is pure machine soul, reminiscent of some forgotten Japanese animation soundtrack or a rusting Commodore 64 just about to give up the ghost. Alternating broadly sketched works with minute-long vignettes (the latter of which comprise several of the best tracks on the album), Music Has the Right to Children is one of the best electronic releases of 1998."



Music Has The Right To Children

or

Music Has The Right To Children

Anne Briggs - Sing A Song for You, 1973 (Folk)

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1. Hills of Greenmor 3:15
2. Sing a Song for You 4:24
3. Sovay 3:14
4. I Thought I Saw You Again 3:39
5. Summer's In 5:15
6. Travelling's Easy 4:37
7. The Bonambuie 4:28
8. Tongue and Cheek 3:58
9. Bird in the Bush 3:16
10. Sulliivan's John 4:10

Anne Briggs - Bouzouki, Guitar, Vocals
Barry Dransfield - Violin
Steve Ashley - Harmonica, Vocals
Richard Byers - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
Brian Diprose - Bass
John Thompson - Drums

AMG:
"There are generally reasons why a record remains unreleased for 23 years. But in this case, it's the fault of Briggs herself, dissatisfied with her singing on the album. And that's a shame, because if it had been released in 1973, it could have made her into a bigger name. With only two other albums to her credit, this is definitely something worth hearing, the only time she's been accompanied by a band and a venture into something of the folk-rock (albeit with the emphasis on folk) idiom. A mix of original and traditional material, it has to be said that Briggs' voice isn't at its most alluring, but she remains an irresistible vocalist, one who can bring any song alive, be it the gender-bending old piece 'Sovay' or the hippie-anthem material of 'Travelling's Easy.' Nurtured by the English folk revival, her style always reverts to that, as does her writing, but there's a strong streak of the iconoclast in her. Working with a band was an experiment, and while they flesh out the sound, it's obvious that the songs were written for an individual performer, so that while there might be a raucous, ragged joy to the proceedings, it might have been more effective stripped to the bone, a duo of Briggs and fiddler Barry Dransfield. Not a masterpiece then, but with Anne Briggs releases rarer than hens' teeth, it remains worth its weight in gold."



Sing A Song for You

or

Sing A Song for You

Dave Brubeck, December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012


Rostropovich/Tachezi - Cello and Organ (Classical)

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1. G. Frescobaldi - Toccata
2. A. Marcello - Adagio
3-5. J.S. Bach - Three Chorale Preludes
6. G.F. Haendel - Aria
7. J.S. Bach - Adagio
8-14. L. de Caix D'Hervelois - 7 altfranz. Mädchenbilder
15-17. J. Rheinberger - Three Pieces from Op. 150
18. C. Sain-Saent - Priere Op. 158

Mstislav Rostropovich - Cello
Herbert Tachezi - Organ, Harpsichord




Cello and Organ

or

Cello and Organ

John Zorn - Locus Solus 50, 2004 (Free Improvisation)

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1. Intro 0:34
2. That Scene 1:23
3. Doll Moment 2:53
4. Unwritten Law 2:55
5. Ponce 4:00
6. Come Yelling 1:50
7. On the Ropes 3:28
8. Klossowski 2:21
9. Pacing 2:37
10. In Memory Of 2:38
11. Detroit for No Reason 1:18
12. This Year's Skirts 2:50
13. Want Those Boots 4:19
14. Trampoline at Dawn 1:13
15. Last Thing to Get Moist 4:58
16. Ceiling 4:01
17. Doll Sport 1:25

John Zorn - Sax (Alto)
Arto Lindsay - Guitar, Voices
Anton Fier - Drums

AMG:
"Locus Solus was the name of John Zorn's improvised rock trio, which featured a rotating cast. For Zorn's 50th birthday celebration (the entire month of September 2003 at Tonic), the trio of Zorn on alto, Anton Fier on drums, and Arto Lindsay on guitar and vocals got back together for a hot set of crazed rock improvisations. Arto Lindsay is a truly unique guitar player, almost never coming close to an identifiable riff or conventional technique. However, if you listen to the interactions and musical conversation involving these three, you realize that he clearly knows exactly what he's doing. The level of communication between players is stunning, developing lurching, spastic grooves that then get blown apart like ducks in a shooting gallery. Fier can be a powerhouse when he wants, but also pays close attention to the other players. Zorn uses everything in his alto arsenal and Lindsay's extemporaneous vocalisms are almost as entertaining as his guitar is deranged, especially on 'In Memory Of' (Peter Watrous). The recording itself is excellent, to the point that you can catch snippets of conversation/musical strategy between tunes ('Let's play another one like that'). Certainly not for all tastes, this is a noisy, fun listen."



Locus Solus 50

or

Locus Solus 50

Masayoshi Takanaka - Super Takanaka Live!, 1979 (Rock/Fusion)

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1. Blue Lagoon
2. Explosion
3. Japanese
4. Rainy Day Blue
5. Tropic Bird
6. Disco B
7. Ready to Fly
8. Japanese

Masayoshi Takanaka - Electric Guitar
Hidefumi Toki - Saxophones
Kazuo Shina - Electric Guitar
Kiyoshi Ishikawa - Keyboards
Izumi "MIMI-CHAN" Kobayashi - Keyboards
Getao Takahashi - Electric Bass
Yukari Uehara - Drums
Shigeru "SHI-CAHN" Inoue - Drums
Hajime Nakajima - Percussion
Yuki "SUGA-CHIN" Sugawara - Percussion

Wiki:
"Sadistic Mika Band bio:
...The original lineup of the band included Kato, Mika, drummer Hiro Tsunoda and lead guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka. This lineup recorded the single "Cycling Boogie" in 1973. Subsequently Tsunoda left the band, to be replaced by Yukihiro Takahashi, and bassist Ray Ohara joined the band. This lineup completed the band's self-titled debut album, which was released on the Harvest label in the United Kingdom...
...Masayoshi Takanaka went on to become one of the most famous guitarists in Japan. He has been releasing studio albums and touring to this day..."



Super Takanaka Live!

or

Super Takanaka Live!

Bill Frisell - Unspeakable, 2004 (Progressive Jazz)

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1. 1968 4:37
2. White Fang 5:41
3. Sundust 2:38
4. Del Close 5:05
5. Gregory C. 5:41
6. Stringbean 5:58
7. Hymn for Ginsberg 2:26
8. Alias 7:56
9. Who Was That Girl? 4:53
10. D. Sharpe 4:13
11. Fields of Alfalfa 3:41
12. Tony 3:37
13. Old Sugar Bear 7:12
14. Goodbye Goodbye Goodbye 8:59

Bill Frisell - Guitar
Steven Bernstein - Trumpet
Adam Dorn - Synthesizer
Tony Scherr - Bass
Kenny Wollesen - Drums
Don Alias - Main Personnel, Percussion
+
Briggan Krauss - Sax (Baritone)
Curtis Fowlkes - Trombone
Jenny Scheinman - Violin
Eyvind Kang - Viola
Hank Roberts - Cello
Hal Willner - Sampling, Turntables
The 858 Strings

AMG:
"With the exception of 2003's Intercontinentals, Bill Frisell had been playing it pretty safe for some time, sticking to his own personal vision of variations on the Americana theme (with nearly all of those albums being produced by Lee Townsend, by the way). Well, a change of producers often means a change of pace, and teaming up with eclectic producer Hal Willner for Unspeakable seems to have gotten the creative juices flowing again. Their working relationship goes back a long ways, all the way back to the Amarcord Nino Rota tribute from the early '80s. The use of a string section on more than three-fourths of the tunes already adds a different flavor to this album, but the fact that Frisell and Willner seem to have taken inspiration from the sounds of classic soul music is what really sets this apart from others in the Frisell catalog. Not only that, but Frisell's delays return in a more prominent role and he offers up some of his fiercest playing in years. There are a handful of introspective pieces that feature just the strings and guitar, with some slight sonic embellishments from Willner. The majority of the tunes, however, sound something like Bill Frisell scoring the music to Superfly! The soul grooves are tough to miss, but with this cast of players, it comes off like some cinematic offshoot of soul music. The grooves are fantastic, and Frisell really rises to the occasion, bringing back the delays, nasty distorted tone, and ugly harmonics that have been largely absent from his more recent releases. There are still lots of lovely sounds, but it's great to hear him stretching out a bit more again. Tony Scherr and Kenny Wollesen have not only served as Frisell's rhythm section in the past, but they also play together in Sex Mob. Sometimes aided by Don Alias, they really drive the tunes, with the strings and occasional horns punctuating the melody and Frisell's guitars floating all over the place. Willner's use of turntables and samplers adds some great sounds to the mix, sometimes adding an almost exotica flavor. It's all quite accessible, but fans with delicate ears may be put off by some of the noisier moments on the album, like the keyboard (?) sound on 'Stringbean' or the guitar solo on 'Old Sugar Bear.' Other fans will be delighted to hear such a glorious din on a Bill Frisell record again. After so much of a similar thing, it's just great to hear Frisell being pushed in a new direction (and quite a fun one, at that)."



Unspeakable

or

Unspeakable

Manitas de Plata - Libres conto el viente, 1974-1975 (Flamenco)

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1. Tarantas De Manero 7:40
2. Six Fandangos De Manero En L' Honneur De Manitas 7:57
3. Recuerdo De Don Pablo 5:09
4. Hommage A Sabicas 2:42
5. Tarde Al Campo 3:13
6. Cubanas De Manitas 2:32
7. Tapame 4:20
8. Chilipoum 3:18
9. Improvisation N° 11 5:50
10. Rhumbita De Los Cincos 8:02
11. Porque Maria 4:07

AMG:
"He was born in a Gypsy (Gitano) caravan in Sète in southern France. He became famous by playing each year at the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Gypsy pilgrimage in Camargue, where he was recorded live by Deben Bhattacharya. Manitas de Plata only agreed to play in public ten years after the death of Django Reinhardt, unanimously considered the king of gypsy guitarists. One of his recordings earned him a letter by Jean Cocteau acclaiming him as a creator.
Upon hearing him play at Arles in 1964, Pablo Picasso is said to have exclaimed 'that man is of greater worth than I am!' and proceeded to draw on the guitar.
Manitas de Plata became really famous only after a photography exhibition in New York, organized by his friend Lucien Clergue. He had recorded his first official album in the chapel of Arles in France, in 1963, for the Phillips label. It was also later re-released, in 1967, by the Connoisseur Society Label and sold through the Book of the Month Club. This was a popular LP that brought him to the attention of an American audience. An American manager obtained a booking for him to play a concert in Carnegie Hall in New York in December 1965.
In New York, Manitas de Plata, who was illiterate, represented Europe at the yearly gala of the United Nations.
Since 1967 Manitas de Plata has been touring the whole world and recording discs. He played with the dancer Nina Corti. In 1968 he played at the Royal Variety Performance in London.
Despite the fact that Manitas de Plata was famous, he was also known for disrespecting certain rhythmic rules (compás) that are essential in flamenco.
Manitas de Plata is the father of Jacques, Maurice, and Tonino Baliardo and also uncle to Nicolas and Andre Reyes (the sons of renowned flamenco artist Jose Reyes), all members of the world-famous Rumba Flamenca musicians, Gipsy Kings."



Libres conto el viente

or

Libres conto el viente

Volapük - Polyglöt, 2000 (Avant-Prog)

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1. Vieux Futur 5:02
2. Nusrat 3:09
3. Voilà Pük 2:39
4. Sanza 2:21
5. Tante Yo 4:03
6. Entre 2 Zoo 2:51
7. Technovo 4:03
8. Marimba 3:23
9. Des liens invisibles 3:43
10. Valse Chinoise 2:29
11. Pablo 3:15
12. Medication & Yoghurt 2:20
13. L'oeuf d'Apük 3:24

Michel Mandel - clarinet, taragot
Guillaume Saurel - violoncello, flute
Takumi Fukushime - violin, vocal
Guigou Chenevier - drums, vocals, keyboards, marimba, sanza

AMG:
"Polyglöt, the third Cuneiform Records release by Volapük, preserves the lively energy of the French ensemble's previous recordings and introduces new levels of depth and nuance. Volapük sounds like a cutting-edge gypsy band throughout much of Polyglöt, drawing heavily from Eastern European folk styles and simultaneously carrying forward the progressive sensibilities of the 1970s 'Rock in Opposition' movement. The band also moves toward modern classical music of the minimalist school, while always retaining a folkish warmth and accessibility. Volapük's core trio are joined on the CD by Takumi Fukushima, a violinist previously in the alternative pop band After Dinner. As an added bonus, Swedish accordionist and composer Lars Hollmer of Accordion Tribe, Looping Home Orchestra, and Samla Mammas Manna contributes 'Voilapük,' a tango-inspired piece on which he also performs accordion, harmonium, and melodica (overdubbed in Sweden and merged with a Guigou Chenevier/Michel Mandel rhythm track recorded in France). Mandel is wonderful on a bevy of clarinets and even plays the exotic Hungarian tarogato on one short tune, 'Sanza.' Throughout much of Polyglöt, Mandel pushes Volapük along with his deep, rumbling bass clarinet tone, contributing greatly to the band's unique sound. Cellist Guillaume Saurel often assumes the role of fiery soloist, as on the opening track 'Vieux Futur.' His playing is much indebted to the late Tom Cora, whose rough textures and expressive phrasing firmly established the cello in the world of avant rock, folk, and creative improvisation, far outside the traditions of the classical conservatory. Chenevier has always been at the helm of Volapük, and on this recording his growth as a bandleader is particularly evident. Chenevier's precise, rock-based drumming remains prominent but he also displays the confidence to step back and allow a shift in focus to other instruments in the group. Unlike some of the more famous progressive groups, Guigou Chenevier and his bandmates seem to realize that Volapük can best enhance the depth and sophistication of its music through greater subtlety rather than heavier doses of bombast and bluster. It's a step in the right direction."



Polyglöt

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Polyglöt

Heiner Goebbels - Black On White, 1996 (Modern Composition)

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1. Qui Parle?' 2:21
2. The Concert (Zither) 2:31
3. Text Machine (Spiele) 3:31
4. Readings I (Ye Who Read) 5:23
5. 'Du Der Lesende...' 1:35
6. In The Basement 1:55
7. Readings II (Over Some Flasks) 4:44
8. Writings I (Strs) 1:52
9. Harrypatari 2:03
10. Unisono 0:41
11. Readings III (A Dead Weight - Un Poids Mortel) 2:19
12. Chaconne/Kantorloops 6:10
13. Marseille, 22. September 91 (Pegelton) 6:19
14. Readings IV (Cependant Nous Poussions Nos Rires) 1:28
15. Letter Brass 1:37
16. Brass On 2:05
17. The Brazen Doorway 1:41
18. 'Wir Sassen Nachts...' 2:08
19. That Corpse 4:53
20. Toccata For Teapot & Piccolo 4:15
21. Writings II (Tutti) 2:38
22. Koto Machine 0:37
23. "Doch Allmählich Hörten Unsere Lieder Auf..." 4:35

Ensemble Modern

heinergoebbels.com:
"Heiner Goebbels' Black On White is a defining achievement in contemporary music, one of those rare works that reorders our perception of what music theatre is and what it can be.
It seemed extraordinary and unclassifiable when the Ensemble Modern, for whom the piece was written and who realise it with a virtuosity and commitment that are sometimes hard to believe, introduced it to the Edinburgh Festival two years ago. The London premiere on Thursday demonstrated that it has lost very little of that power to amaze and enchant. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the show is a little less slick that before - tonight's performance at the Barbican will be the 50th the Ensemble has given - but it is still unique.
Black on White operates on several planes. On one level it is a memorial to the German dramatist and director Heiner Mueller, a close collaegue of Goebbels, who died while composition was in progress. Mueller's recorded voice is heard at several points during the 70-minute work reading from an Edgar Allan Poe short story, which is one of the elements binding the structure together. Leading on from the tribute, it becomes an exploration of the whole business of creativity, too, of putting black on white - words on paper as Mueller did, notes on staves as Goebbels does.
But most allusively of all, the whole relationship of instrumental performance to dramatic gesture is redefined. The musicians are required to do many other things besides playing their instruments superbly: they play skittles with brass mutes, use the lid of a harpsichord as a chequerboard, throw tennis balls at a metal sheet. The soundworld combines conventional music - driving bass riffs, delirious instrumental breaks and bluesy laments - with the sounds of the surreal byplay; at one point the piccolo player solemny fills a whistling kettle with water and brings it to boil, before playing a intricate little solo around the sound of its whistle.
There is a whole emotional world there, with moments of menace and moments of eloquent stillness. The ending is heartstopping: to the sound of a Japanese Koto strummed by a swinging pendulum, the ensemble makes a silent salute to Mueller's memory. Catch it while you can. Black On White is a masterpiece."



Black On White

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Black On White


Four Tops - Breaking Through, 1963-1964 (Vocal Jazz)

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1. This Can't Be Love 2:35
2. On the Street Where You Live 2:37
3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You 3:20
4. Nice 'N' Easy 2:56
5. Maybe Today 3:12
6. Stranger on the Shore 2:38
7. Young and Foolish 2:44
8. Discovered 3:46
9. I Left My Heart in San Francisco 4:05
10. Fascinating Rhythm 1:31
11. The End of a Beautiful Friendship 2:21
12. If My Heart Could Sing 4:10
13. Can't Get You Out of This Mood 2:41
14. When I'm Alone I Cry 3:06
15. Until I Met You 2:32
16. I'm Falling for You 3:40
17. Every Day I Have the Blues/Goin' to Chicago Blues 3:47
18. I Could Have Danced All Night 2:22
19. I'm Falling for You 6:59

Lawrence Payton - Vocals
Levi Stubbs - Vocals
Renaldo "Obie" Benson - Vocals
Abdul "Duke" Fakir - Vocals
Kasuka Mafia – Saxophone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Eli Fontaine – Saxophone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Hank Cosby – Saxophone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Thomas "Beans" Bowles – Saxophone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Johnny Trudell – Trumpet (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Maurice Davis – Trumpet (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Bob Cousar - Trombone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Don White - Trombone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
George Bohannon - Trombone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Paul Riser - Trombone (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Joe Messina – Guitar (1-18)
Earl Van Dyke – Organ (1-11, 13, 15-18)
Johnny Griffith – Piano (1-18)
James Jamerson – Bass (1-18)
Richard "Pistol" Allen – Drums (1-18)

AMG:
"The Four Tops' early years as a jazz-vocal group are generally glossed over in capsule histories. Long before they signed to Motown - nearly a full decade as a matter of fact - they had been one of the popular Detroit jazz-vocal groups, earning the admiration of such luminaries as Smokey Robinson and Billy Eckstine, whom the group supported. After some persuasion, the group signed with Motown on the condition that they could record jazz. Over the course of a year, they cut nearly two albums' worth of material, which boiled down to one album, Breaking Through. Berry Gordy pulled the record at the last minute, believing that it would have been a commercial failure. Gordy's fears were not unfounded - indeed, had the album that comprises Breaking Through (1963-1964) been put out in 1964, it likely wouldn't have found much of an audience. Still, Breaking Through is a strong record, firmly within its tradition and working well on those terms. The Four Tops may not sound as distinctive singing jazz as they did with pop-soul, but they are convincing, as are the Motown house band. Neither of them take many chances, however. The songs are primarily standards, plus four new songs that feel like standards, all given good generic arrangements. This may sound like a dismissal, but it isn't; it's hard to do this kind of music right, but the group most certainly does. And it's not just one member that shines; everyone gets to take a lead, and the results are uniformly strong. Even so, Breaking Through appeals primarily to hardcore fans of the group, plus a handful of straight-ahead vocal-jazz aficionados. Reminiscent of a cross between Eckstine and the Four Freshmen, it's good stuff, but it's essentially a curiosity."



Breaking Through

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Breaking Through

Savoy Brown - Looking In, 1970 (Heavy Blues)

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1. Gypsy 0:57
2. Poor Girl 4:05
3. Money Can't Save Your Soul 5:31
4. Sunday Night 5:23
5. Looking In 5:14
6. Take It Easy 5:41
7. Sitting An' Thinking 2:49
8. Leavin' Again 8:26
9. Romanoff 1:00

Lonesome Dave Peverett - Guitar, Vocals
Kim Simmonds - Guitar, Harmonica, Piano
Tony Stevens - Bass
Roger Earl - Drums
Owen Finnegan - Congas, Percussion

AMG:
"Savoy Brown's blues-rock sound takes on a much more defined feel on 1970's Looking In and is one of this band's best efforts. Kim Simmonds is utterly bewildering on guitar, while Lonesome Dave Peverett does a fine job taking over lead singing duties from Chris Youlden who left halfway through the year. But it's the captivating arrangements and alluring ease of the music that makes this a superb listen. The pleading strain transformed through Simmonds' guitar on 'Money Can't Save Your Soul' is mud-thick with raw blues, and the comfort of 'Sunday Night' is extremely smooth and laid back. 'Take It Easy' sounds like it could have been a B.B. King tune as it's doused with relaxed guitar fingering. The entire album is saturated with a simple, British blues sound but the pace and the marbled strands of bubbly instrumental perkiness fill it with life. Even the Yardbirds-flavored 'Leaving Again' is appealing with its naïve hooks, capped off with a heart-stopping guitar solo. This album along with Street Corner Talking best exemplify Savoy Brown's tranquilizing style."



Looking In

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Looking In

Brass Construction - Golden Classics, 1975-1984 (Disco Funk)

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1. Movin'8:40
2. Right Place 6:33
3. The Message (Inspiration) 4:45
4. Walkin' the Line 4:01
5. Partyline 4:01
6. Never Had a Girl Like You 3:24
7. Changin' 8:13
8. Ha Cha Cha (Funktion) 5:50
9. Can You See the Light 5:49
10. Help Yourself 4:05
11. L-O-V-E-U 3:43
12. What's on Your Mind? (Expression) 3:26

Mickey Grudge - Saxophone, Vocals
Jesse Ward - Saxophone, Vocals
Wayne Parris - Trumpet, Vocals
Morris Price - Trumpet, Vocals
Joseph Arthur Wong - Guitar
Randy Muller - Keyboards, Percussion, Timbales, Vocals
Wade Williamston - Bass
Larry Payton - Drums, Vocals
Sandy Billups - Congas, Vocals

AMG:
"Vocalist/instrumentalist Randy Muller was at the helm of two pivotal East Coast funk and disco aggregations in the '70s and '80s. One was Brass Construction; the other was Skyy. Muller, a vocalist and instrumentalist who doubled on keyboards and flute, organized the band with drummer Larry Payton, trumpeters Wayne Parris and Morris Price, lead guitarist Joe Arthur, vocalist/conga player Sandy Billups, saxophonists Michael Grudge and Jesse Ward, and bassist Wade Williamston. Their 1975 debut, produced by Jeff Lane, went platinum and contained two dancefloor anthems in 'Moving' and 'Changin.' Brass Construction II, III, IV, and V mined the same territory, though only the single 'Ha Cha Cha (Funktion)' in 1977 and 'L-O-V-E-U' in 1978 came close to attaining similar commercial heights. They recorded for United Artists until 1980, then moved to Liberty and recorded for them until 1983. Muller became their producer in the early '80s, and he shifted their emphasis into a heavily synthesized direction. They continued on Capitol from 1983 to 1985, but couldn't regain their past momentum. The group's vintage hits were remixed and reissued internationally by EMI's Syncopate label in the late '80s, and Brass Construction reappeared on England's charts in 1988."



Golden Classics

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Golden Classics

William Parker Trio - Painter's Spring, 2000 (Avant-Garde Jazz)

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1. Foundation, No. 1 7:47
2. Come Sunday 5:48
3. Blues for Percy 5:26
4. Flash 4:54
5. There Is a Balm in Gilead 3:36
6. Foundation, No. 4 5:50
7. Foundation, No. 2 9:26
8. Trilog 1:55

Daniel Carter - Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
William Parker - Bass
Hamid Drake - Drums

AMG:
"As the second release in the acclaimed Blue Series from Thirsty Ear Recordings, Painter's Spring by the William Parker Trio sustains the living bolt of energy infused in the free and avant-garde jazz genres by the debut of Matt Shipp's Pastoral Composure. Bassist William Parker wrote all of the compositions except the traditional 'There Is a Balm in Gilead' and 'Come Sunday,' and together with Daniel Carter on alto and tenor sax, flute, and clarinet and Hamid Drake on drums, the trio lifts the program to the listener's attention with the melding of individual talents into one powerful musical force. The CD features a three-song suite - 'Foundation #1,''Foundation #2,' and 'Foundation #4' - and all are pure Parker with their wicked, loosely defined vamps full of buzzing, open drones, and short jabs. His spontaneous feelings and subtle variations that on 'Come Sunday,' complete with ample blocks of rhythm and melody, allow one to experience another level of sound through his masterful musician dimensions. As a master of the acoustic bass, Parker's techniques on Painter's Spring range from playing the bass in a percussive-like mode to using a mixture to staffed notation and diagrams in order to achieve an orchestral fidelity. Daniel Carter's performances are never the same and he blows an amazing set from beginning to end. Hamid Drake improvises his visions within the setting provided by Parker and Carter, drums an astounding solo on 'Flash,' and through this dynamic trio, this program pierces the veil of avant-garde and free jazz mystery."



Painter's Spring

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Painter's Spring

Giya Kancheli - Magnum Ignotum, 1997 (Modern Composition)

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1. Simi, for cello & orchestra 28:18
2. Magnum Ignotum, for wind ensemble, double bass & tape 22:18

Mstislav Rostropovich – Cello (1)
Jansug Kakhidze – Conductor
Koninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest Van Vlaanderen

.schirmer.com:
"I am touched most by the mysterious spiritualization of the Georgian tradition of folk music. In my opinion, the masterworks of the many-voiced folk music could only have been created as a result of joint artistic effort by highly gifted people. The more I admire this unknown genius, the more I realize that I have no right to tamper with its creations. The material in Magnum Ignotum has been rendered in a very simple manner and serves only one purpose: to evoke a state of mind in which humbleness lodges itself in the soul in anticipation of divine singing. The tape consists of four parts: a chant by a high priest, an authentic recording from the thirties of a three-voiced improvisation by West Georgian greybeards, a mix of natural and artificial tone colors, and a Georgian hymn sung by the vocal ensemble Rustawi. All this music is full of that mysterious spirit that I shall never be able to grasp.

Giya Kancheli"



Magnum Ignotum

or

Magnum Ignotum

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