Sam Rosenthal - Before the Buildings Fell (2000)

Before the Buildings Fell was recorded at various points of depression, as a catharsis. While the songs with lyrics became The Rope ( Black Tape for a Blue Girl ), these arpeggiator - driven songs were put aside. Upon reexamination, the emotions were still valid. The songs returned. Kathryn is for Ms. Pilkenton; Jane for Ms. Berube; and The Amber Girl was written so that I might forget Robin, but no such Luck.

This was recorded in my California dorm room on a 4 - track cassete porta - studio using a Korg Poly - 61 ( with Arpeggiator but no Midi ) and a Boss DSD - 2 foot pedal delay.

Sam

Black Tape for a Blue Girl's founder Sam Rosenthal had his musical beginnings in electronic music before there were genre names like "electronica." Back in 1986 (without sequencers, samplers, or MIDI for stringing together computers and keyboards) Rosenthal was experimenting with the creation of instrumental music synchronously warm and ominous. Playing with the shape of sounds in a totally "hands-on" manner, Rosenthal pioneered a style close to the post-prog work of Tangerine Dream and Brian Eno. From this point he evolved to Dark Wave - Gothic soudscapes. P. Ewing

1 - kathryn
2 - diversion
3 - resolution
4 - the room
5 - jane
6 - leading to the edge
7 - before the buildings fell
8 - fragments of benediction
9 - the amber girl (Includes a bonus fifteen minute CD-ROM track of Sam's video art, for the track Fragments of Benediction)

Sam Rosenthal - Electronics

with

Lara Radford - Violin / Industry 8 & voice 6, 8

Cauleen Smith - Cello 4

Anne Sunstrom - Sax / Industry 1, 6

Cover Model: Kathy Rohrbach, from video by Sam

Recorded in 1986 on a 4-track cassette porta-studio.
Released in 2000 by Projekt.

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Barry Weisblat _ Alfredo Costa Monteiro _ Ernesto Rodrigues - Diafon (2005)

Fellow violinist Ernesto Rodrigues runs the Creative Sources label, which has been one of the primary documenters of experimental improv in Lisbon. His new release features accordionist Alfredo Costa Monteiro, here playing amplified turntable, with New York electronicist Barry Weisblat. The disc is deeply quiet, with pauses long enough to lead the listener either to introspection or agita. In the spirit of good improvisation, though, they work well together, carrying out each other’s suggestions and finding a single, unique group voice. Kurt Gottschalk (All About Jazz)

Labelboss Ernesto Rodrigues (violin, pick-ups and objects) is less active as a musician compared to the early days of the label, but on 'Diafon' he turns up again with Alfredo Costa Monteiro (pick-ups on turntable) and Barry Weisblat (electronics) - the latter being a new name for me. Their almost thirty-six minute work was recorded in a studio and is a fine work of electro-acoustic music/improvisation. Very tight and intense playing here, not really soft or something that, but the music remains audible throughout. Another highlight. Frans de Waard (Vital)

Diafon (2005 -cs041)

Barry Weisblat: electronics
Alfredo Costa Monteiro: pick-ups on turntable
Ernesto Rodrigues: violin, pick-ups, objects

Recorded 12 July 2004 at Tcha Tcha Tcha Studios, Lisbon, Portugal
Total Time 40:00 © 2005 CSR

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Django Reinhardt - Djangology (1961)

Born in Belgium in 1910 in a gypsy family, Django Reinhardt is said to be one of the most unique and influential guitar players of all times. In 1934, after his exuberant techniques became notorious in Belgium and France, he and legendary violonist Stephane Grappelly formed the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. The group stayed together until 1939. Django then moved to London and toured the US in the 1940s with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, playing electric guitar. This turned out to be a highly influential tour, and it is usually said that no other European artist has had such an enormous impact in the New World.
The material in this LP was recorded in 1949 in Rome, just four years before his death. The recordings remained unpublished till they were rediscovered in the late 50s by a RCA Victor executive. Reuniting Django and Grappelly, the selections are a characteristically varied assortment. The standards are well-chosen: Charles Trenet's "Beyond the Sea"; Fats Waller's exuberant "Honeysuckle Rose", and the perennials "After you've Gone", "Lover Man", and "I Saw Stars". Several of the originals were written by Django and Grappely. "Minor Swing" was devised a few minutes before a 1937 recording session, later becoming a staple at the French Hot Club. "Bricktop" was also written in 1937; "Heavy Artillery", composed in 1944, was one of Dajngo's favorite tunes; "Djangology", composed in 1935, was his first composition. Compelling versions of Trenet's "Menilmontant" and "Où es-tu, mon Amour" ("Where are you, my Love?) are bonus track in this set, a striking and provocative survey of the playing of a mature, moving musician.

1. I Saw Stars
2. After you've Gone
3. Heavy Artillery (Artillerie Lourde)
4. Beyond the Sea (La Mer)
5. Minor Swing
6. Menilmontant
7. Bricktop
8. Swing Guitars
9. All the Things you Are
10. Daphne
11. It's only a Paper Moon
12. Improvisation on Tchaikovsky's Pathétique (Andante)
13. The World is Waiting for the Sunrise
14. Djangology
15. Où es-tu, mon Amour? (Where are you, my Love?)
16. Marie
17. I Surrender, Dear
18. Hallelujah
19. Swing 42
20. I'll Never be the Same
21. Honeysuckle Rose
22. Lover Man (Oh, Where can you Be?)
23. I Got Rhythm

Django Reinhardt - guitar
Stephane Grappelly - violin
Gianni Safred - piano
Carlo Pecori - bass
Aurelio de Carolis - drums


Recorded in Rome, 1949.
Released by RCA Victor in 1961. CD Re-release in 2002.

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While a simple message would have been enough for us to remove the link, Blogger took the liberty of simply deleting the entire post, together with the text and readers' comments. While Spiderman is out there fighting crime, we can remake the post (minus link) as many times as necessary.

Ghost in the Machine featuring Evan Parker (1996)

This 1993 date featured British saxophone and improvisation deity Evan Parker with Copenhagen's Ghost-in-the-Machine trio and Martin Klapper on electronics. This traditional quartet -- saxophones, bass, drums, and piano -- added Klapper to extend the sonic possibilities of all the instruments, which were amplified by microphones. The results are studies more in texture, atmospherics, and sonic constructions than they are in spontaneous composition. They hold the listener's interest simply because there is no way to predict what direction any particular passage, let alone entire piece, will take. This quintet was making music for its own edification, for its own sense of investigation and discovery -- and that's just fine. The more outside a work's context the listener is placed in -- especially with improvised music -- the deeper one is required to listen to find a common bridge to the sonic language spoken on the recording. Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

1. Beginnings
2. Highup
3. Hipawl
4. Throy
5. Intertuba/Extremii
6. Radio Djibouti
7. Tivoli After Dark
8. Free Techno
9. The Base Piano
10. Birds in Cages
11. Train

Christer Irgens-Moller: piano, keyboards, voice
Peter Friis Nielsen: electric bass
Pere Oliver Jorgens: percussion, drums
Martin Klapper: amplified objects, dictaphone, tapes, toys
Evan Parker: soprano and tenor saxophones.

Recorded in September 1993 in Copenhagen
Released in 1996 by Leo Records.

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Thomas Köner - Nuuk (1997)

Thomas Köner's Nuuk is, in many ways, a crystalline example of ambient music. The album provides ample room for sound to be experienced as mood, thereby allowing the listener to translate his/her emotional reaction into words, with very little interference. As often the case, the process of filling empty spaces with descriptions of the music's strengths seems to run counter to Nuuk's primary objective: To reach beyond the artifice of the conceptual, and to touch more directly upon an individual's core of aural perception.

Tomas Köner is a formidable manipulator of sound and image. Geological shifts, with their unceasing yet patient modulations, form the crux of Köner’s musical analogies; the full weight and implication of time and its corresponding transmutations are felt deeply as the album extends through its cycles, each piece gaining glacial momentum as sound carves grand canyons in gray matter. Nuuk is superficially similar to albums by other electronic manipulators of sound, most notably The Caretaker and Deathprod; each of these artists are familiar with crafting portentous and unsettling soundscapes. Köner’s creations, however, opt for awe and natural majesty as their core, as opposed to the malign funhouse visions and icy caresses of the aforementioned artists. Casey Rae-Hunter

1. Nuuk (air)
2. Polynya I
3. Nuuk (day)
4. Amras
5. Nuuk (night)
6. Polynya II
7. Nuuk (end)

Created by Thomas Köner in May-Nov 1995.
#3 recorded live in Apollohuis Eindhoven 1995.
Part of the Driftworks box-set. Released by Big Cat in 1997.

Performers:
Roland Kentrup & Roland Spekle - Gongs
Thomas Köner - Live Electronics

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Royal Court Music of Thailand

1. Sounds of the Surf Ouverture
Pleng Homrong Kleun Kratob Fang
Composed by His Majesty King Prajadhipok, Rama VII
Performed by the Piphat Mai Khaeng Ensemble

2. The Floating Moon
Pleng Bulan Loy Luen
Composed by His Majesty King Phra Buddha Lertla Napalai, Rama II
Performed by the Piphat Mai Nuam Ensemble

3. A Starlit Night
Pleng Ratri Pradab Dao Thao
Composed by His Majesty King Prajadhipok, Rama VII
Performed by the Krueng Sai Ensemble

4. Heart of the Sea
Pleng Ok Thalay Thao
Composed by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn & Choi Suntharavathin.
Performed by the Mahori Ensemble

Recorded by MR Chakrarot Chitrabongs
Released by Smithsonian Folkways in 1994

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Henry Mancini - Hatari! (1962)

1. Theme for Hatari!
2. Baby Elephant Walk
3. Just For Tonight
4. Your Father's Feathers
5. Night Side
6. Big Band Bwana
7. The Sounds of Hatari
8. The Soft Touch
9. Crocodile, Go Home!



All tunes by Mancini except #3 by Mercer & Carmichael.
Recorded in 1961. CD release by RCA Victor in 1998.

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Asmus Tietchens - Seuchengebiete 2 (1992)

Tietchens' second exploration of the "infested areas" focuses on the actual physical processes of water running through wastepipes, and the noises that these actions generate. The basic sounds were recorded on a three track tape machine via two condenser microphones and one contact microphone. The captured sounds have been treated and processed extensively to achieve a remarkable end product.

Some noises are processed more than others, having the effect of transforming the watery sounds into harp-like string arrangements. At other times, insect communication, a hive of subterranean activity, an insistent vibration pervades the track Hydrophonie 12. Hydrophonie 8 patters along incessantly, glass shivers, ice melts. I swear I could hear voices in there! Tietchens stresses that there is no message to be found in this recording. The result is enthralling. Matthew Riley

1. Hydrophonie 13
2. Hydrophonie 8
3. Hydrophonie 11
4. Hydrophonie 12

Recorded in Audiplex Studios, Hamburg.
Produced by Okko Bekker.
Released by Syrenia Records in 1992.

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Origami Replika - Kommerz (2006)

This CD sees Origami Replika (a now defunct part of the ever changing Origami cultural collective/phenomenon) made up by three of Norway's most diehard noiseheads -- Lasse Marhaug, Tore H. Bøe, and Mads Staff Jensen. Recorded in 1997, this effort is entirely based on sound sources from the back catalogue of Merzbow. With no back-bending, knee-scraping humility, and with a pure love for all source sounds, Origami Replika have shaped classic Merzbow sound into all-new compositions. These are innovative and highly potent re-workings of the harsh soundwaves, recommended to all those who still have a healthy addiction to the Merzbow sounds of yesterday. Thick and meaty, the blasts emanating from the speakers is filled with lusty, fetishized, organic heavy noise and experimental Dadaism, ready to be devoured by the faithful disciples.

Originally planned for release on another label, and now finally unleashed on Segerhuva, this is a CD that has been tried and tested over and over again. These recordings, created almost a decade ago, have been remastered by Lasse Marhaug, and it is safe to say that this CD has stood the test of TIME. After nine years, it sounds remarkable -- a solid chunk of the classic, living breathing Noise Object that some call religion. Bottom line -- the noise fetish is still very much alive and well. Label Hype

01: untitled
02: untitled
03: untitled
04: untitled
05: untitled
06: untitled
07: untitled
08: untitled
09: untitled
10: untitled
11: untitled
12: untitled

All sound sources taken from Merzbow recordings:

Cassetes: Metal Acoustic Music; Chant; Sadomasochismo; Age of 369; Lowest Music 2; Vratya Southward; Kibbutz.
CDs: Spiral Honey; Oersted; Project Frequency; Loves; Akasha Gulva; Rectal Anarchy.
Plus: destroying 9 Merzbow Cassete Cases.

Produced & Mixed in Trondheim, May 1997
Released by Segerhuva Records in 2006

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Barack Obama - Victory Speech (2008)

Yes, We Can't.

Performed live in Chicago, 5.11.2008

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Alan Splet & David Lynch - Eraserhead (1982)

"An astonishing, peerless masterpiece, the soundtrack to David Lynch's debut labor of love creates a world of haunting mechanics and sexual distress in such a bizarre layer of sonic fog that any record collection is simply poorer without it. The enormity of the aural experimentation is extraordinary. With renowned sound designer Alan Splet, Lynch developed any technique he could conjure up -- from recording with pieces of glass tubing, pneumatic engines, or water-based pieces of machinery -- to produce sounds never heard before (or since) in any medium. Pieces of Fats Waller filter in through the unsettling haze. The sounds of the unimaginably horrific baby are nothing less than ghastly. Few directors could have realized such a potent vision only a first time out. Disturbing, haunting, and -- decades later -- still one of the most compelling sonic creations in the history of film." AMG

#1:
Digah's Stomp [Fats Waller]
Lenox Avenue Blues [Fats Waller]
Stompin' The Bug [Phil Worde, Mercedes Gilbert]
Messin' Around With The Blues [Phil Worde]
Pipe Organ - Fats Waller

#2:
In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song) [Phil Ivers, David Lynch]

Excerpts in #1 performed by Thomas "Fats" Waller in 1927.
"Dedicated to the man in the planet's sister".

Recorded in 1976.
Released in 1982 by I.R.S.
CD re-release in 1989.

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Bravo Clippings #37

Satan will win anyway.

Dave Douglas - Convergence (1998)

On “Convergence” the brilliant trumpeter-composer Dave Douglas pursues new territory following up on “Parallel Worlds” and the more recent “Five”. Douglas once again utilizes the sparkling talents of violinist Mark Feldman and cellist Erik Friedlander as the combination of strings, trumpet, and rhythm section consisting of Drew Gress (bass) and Michael Sarin (drums) create music that transcend many of the existing boundaries of jazz. “Parallel Worlds” and “Five” were landmark recordings for Douglas’ chamber-like excursions with his lead trumpet, string arrangements, pounding backbeats and keen sense of swing which comprised a sound that added a new and refreshing dimension to modern jazz.

Historically speaking, Douglas’ utilization of strings within this unit tends to play more of an active role contrasting other projects of this ilk past and present. Douglas’ creative visions along with these superb musicians-stylists project a group feel, which sounds uncannily natural. “Convergence” could be a pivotal masterpiece for this band as they extend their collective wares to provide music that is dazzling, pleasantly hypnotic, non-derivative and flawlessly executed.

The brief opener is a traditional Burmese song which translates to “Will You Accept My Love Or Not?” as the band performs incredible unison runs with all the intensity of a turbo-charged Indian raga or John McLaughlin’s amazing Jazz-East Indian band “Shakti”. Douglas’ “Joe’s Auto Glass” is filled with complex charts which touch upon Ornette Coleman’s renowned harmolodic development while Douglas’ “Tzotzil Maya” exemplifies the trumpeter’s sweet, crystalline tone and brilliant lyricism. Despite flawless technique, Douglas is a team player and skilled bandleader, as his compositions increasingly become more identifiable as time passes by reflecting his glaring personalized vision.

“Meeting at Infinity” borders classical, blues and hefty doses of hard-edged swing as the thematic approach is multi-colored and at times linear. “Meeting at Infinity” is a prime example of Douglas’ collage approach to compositional development. On Kurt Weill’s “Bilbao Song”, the band performs a playful tribute to Weill as Mark Feldman’s sonorous and lush violin passages prod the band into an about face as they deconstruct the familiar melody line. Michael Sarin’s polyrhythmical drumming is a thing of beauty as he lays the foundation for an all hands blowout of sparkling improvisation and winding thematic development. Douglas takes the lead, as wit and humor intentionally and momentarily bastardize the melody while the movements seamlessly transform into lush romanticism.

Douglas’ tribute to the late great “poet of jazz” drummer Tony Williams is portrayed via his composition “Goodbye Tony”. Here, Mark Feldman opens with a monstrous violin solo as Michael Sarin’s intense drumming paves the way for the forthcoming intensity along with Drew Gress’ pulsating bass lines. Douglas solos with passion and fire as this tribute to Tony Williams turns into a ferocious swing romp while Friedlander and Feldman change gears and handle the bottom end with Gress and Sarin. The proceedings heat up as the band engage in impossibly fast yet fluctuating tempos. Douglas and co. trace the evolution of William’s jazz career from Miles Davis, to his 1980’s Quartet with Wallace Roney. Erik Friedlander gradually balances the torrid pace with a pensive, warm cello solo, followed by light choruses that suggest heartfelt or sad emotions in accordance with the untimely passing of this great and important jazz giant. “Goodbye Tony” appropriately ends on a somber note.

“Convergence” is a milestone recording for this band as Dave Douglas continues his masterful assault on modern jazz. Enough said. ***** Out of 5 stars. Hopefully USA jazz radio will not ignore this gem and give “Convergence” some much deserved airplay; hence the pathetic state of affairs for jazz radio in general, that notion may be wishful thinking". Glenn Astarita

1. Chit Kyoo Thwe Tog Nyin Lar (Will You Accept My Love or Not)

2. Joe's Auto Glass
3. Tzotzil Maya
4. Meeting at Infinity
5. Desseins Eternels
6. Bilbao Song
7. Border Stories - The Story
8. Border Stories - The Elaboration
9. Border Stories - The Exaggeration
10. Border Stories - Apocrypha
11. Collateral Damages
12. Goodbye Tony
13. Nothing Like You

Dave Douglas - Trumpet
Mark Feldman - Violin
Erik Friedlander - Cello
Drew Gress - Bass
Michael Sarin - Drums

All by Douglas except #1 (traditional Burmese), #5 (Messaien), #6 (Weill), and #13 (Dorough/Landesman)
Recorded Jan 22-23 1998
Released in 1998 by Soul Note

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