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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AMM - Ammmusic 1966

"The first recording by these pioneers of electro-acoustic improvisation, AMMMusic stands the test of time both as a remarkably prescient session and as an utterly powerful and deep piece of 20th century music. Drummer Eddie Prevost's superb and detailed liner notes document AMM's early history, including the confusion engendered not only in audiences and critics but even in the band members themselves, unsure if they were in a free jazz ensemble, a contemporary classical group, neither, or both. The aphorisms adorning the original LP issue (the disc includes additional portions of the concert) give some indication of what was facing listeners and musicians at the time: An AMM performance has no beginning or ending. Sounds outside the performance are distinguished from it only by individual sensibility. Or: Every noise has a note.

Even so, at this early stage in its development, there are more "normal" instrumental sounds with a conceptual basis in either jazz or classical music than there would be later on. Lou Gare's tenor saxophone wrings out occasional avant-garde peals that wouldn't have sounded too out of place in Sun Ra's band of the period, and Prevost's drumming shares some affinities with the energy players of the day. Similarly, Cornelius Cardew's piano and Lawrence Sheaff's cello sometimes refer to this or that modern classical tradition. But the overall sound of the group, even in 1966, was so different, so idiosyncratic, that it's not at all surprising that both new jazz and contemporary classical audiences were baffled, if not horrified. The experimentation in sonic assault, noise, and chance sound (including transistor radios) would, however, reach the rock fringes (as Prevost points out) in the work of '60s bands like Pink Floyd as well as later industrial groups like Test Dept. and the Jesus and Mary Chain. But the palpable thrill of producing such music at the time is unique to AMM. The group's sonic conception in its totality is so enveloping and comprehensive that, once heard, it becomes impossible to hear music the same way again. Recent devotees of electronica, free improv, industrial, and noise bands owe it to themselves to check out their primary source: AMM. Brian Olewnick, All Music Guide

Originally recorded and released in 1966, this has long been considered one of the early high-watermarks of contemporary improvised music/sound. AMM were one of the first completely non-idiomatic free improvising ensembles, and this was their very first release. Out of print for over 20 years, this includes 30 minutes of bonus material from the original sessions.

Lou Gare: tenor saxophone, violin
Keith Rowe: guitar, transistor radio
Eddie Prévost: percussion
Lawrence Sheaff: cello, accordion, clarinet, transistor radio
Cornelius Cardew: piano, cello, transistor radio

Recorded in 1966 in London. Originally released in 1967. Re-released in 1989.
Tracks 2 & 6 are from the 1967 LP, and are shorter edits of tracks 1 & 5 .
Tracks 3, 4 & 7 are from the same sessions, previously unreleased.

link@320

Other Dimensions in Music - Now! (1998)

"Titular infelicities notwithstanding, these worthies make delicious, big-boned music. Now! But to couch its essence to prose. First off, anything involving the bassist William Parker is going to sound unusual. Parker’s an original. Happily, his partners are in all respects peers. As an ensemble (rather, say, than upstaging egoists), they make music immersed in jazz’s easy phraseology, but in terms of enormous originality, with deft, virtuosic interaction as chief among delights. The annotator calls ODIM a collective. The term is apt. These are mature, imaginative, top-shelf players who’ve worked together for a great many years. As intense as the music sounds, its gist is lovingly lyrical. If your system does a good job with the low end, you may at first wonder why the engineer, Jim Anderson, goosed up the bass. Few recordings exercise my woofers as visibly as this. The poor things looked ready to pop from their moorings. Hearing this group in the flesh tells me that all Anderson did was make a true-to-life recording. These studio sessions capture an afternoon’s essence. Between Rashid Bakr’s low drums and Parker’s pungent bass, earthquake becomes the order of the day. Further, the louder you play the disc, the better. It won’t sound unlifelike". - Mike Silverton

"OTHER DIMENSIONS IN MUSIC is a collective creative improvising quartet of epic proportions. 'Now!' was their first new album in 9 years; only their second in 15 years of togetherness. This is soul improv at its most magical; I kid you not. A stone classic this album; for the ages. Soul-sonics of deep compassion and receptivity to the world which surrounds. When the time comes that a majority of Americans listens to ODIM once a week, then we'll all be happier for the wisdom imparted from within". - SJ

1. For The Glass Tear - After Evening's Orange
2. Tears For The Boy Wonder (For Winston Marsalis) [sic]
3. Blue Expanded
4. Whispers & Cries Of Change
5. Dawn
6. Steve's Festive Visions Revisited

Roy Campbell Jr. - trumpet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet
Rashid Bakr - drums
Daniel Carter - alto sax, tenor sax, flute, trumpet
William Parker - bass


Produced by Steven Joerg and ODIM
Recorded and mixed by Jim Anderson at Sound On Sound Studio, NYC on March 19, 1997

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Claudio Rocchetti _ Fhievel _ Luca Sigurta - Pocket Progressive (2004)

Claudio Rochetti - turntable, small percussions, radio

Fhievel - electronics, field recordings, objects

Luca Sigurta - cymbals, objects, toys


Total Time 34:15 © 2005

Recorded on 15 and 16 April 2004, Bologna, Italy

Cover design by Fhievel and Luca Sigurtà

link @320 [here again]