Reissues
Quintessence 2 (1973-4)
2nd volume. The unissued duo works by Stevens (cornet, voice, percussion) and Watts (ss) are way out and an invigorating reminder of the outlandish possibilities of free improvisation, especially "DAA-OOM" ("a loose composition inspired by the music of both the central African pygmies and Albert Ayler -- even 23 years later, the rawness of these pieces is somewhat startling." -- Martin Davidson).
Quintessence
The eight-five minutes of totally improvised music produced at the 1974 ICA concert are so cohesive that it sounds as if this quintet had worked together for some considerable time. However, apart from a brief sound check earlier that day, this was the only occasion that these five musicians performed together.
Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, John Stevens and Trevor Watts had been part of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble for a few months in 1967 [heard on Withdrawal - Emanem 5040], which performed a tr…
A new distance
Two of the last performances by the SME which then comprised John Stevens (percussion & pocket trumpet), Roger Smith (guitar) and John Butcher (soprano & tenor saxophones). A new direction for the music that was sadly terminated later that year (1994) by Stevens' untimely death. Added to this reissue are two short pieces from the previous year, when Neil Metcalfe (flute) was also in the group, and some perceptive comments by Stevens. Reissue of Acta CD 8 with extra material. 63 minutes. Reissue …
Biosystem
John Stevens (percussion & cornet), Nigel Coombes (violin), Roger Smith (guitar), Colin Wood (cello). The first recording of the 'string' version of the SME, that lasted (minus Wood) until 1992." "We had a willow tree in the back garden and I used to look at the willow tree and the grass and think, well we could be like this. We could be very close to nature if we learned how to just purely interact..." John Stevens. Reissue plus 35 minutes of extra material from the same session. Originally re…
Summer 1967
All previously unissued recordings, mainly made up of the duo of John Stevens (percussion) and Evan Parker (ss, ts), with Peter Kowald (b) on about a third of it. This marks the earliest to date recordings of Parker and is a tremendous snapshot of some ancient history. "Parker and Stevens seemed to break through to a deeper level of hearing, where a sound was not set against other sounds but rather against the silence around it, so that one gained heightened awareness of its growth and decay, it…
Sonopsys N° 2/3
Realized at and commissioned by Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM). Premiered April 25, 2004, salle Olivier Messiaen, Maison de la Radio (Paris, France). Comes within 108-page book with original texts in French translated in English including interview/discussion between Alexandre Yterce, Florence Gonot & Jacques Lejeune; also including is a full list of works by the composer.
The Cahiers Sonopsys will question some composers of this Musique Concrète / Acousmatique which, since 1948, the year…
33 1/3
This vinyl edition of 33 1/3 is limited to 1000 copies. Includes a bonus track only available on the vinyl version.
Nattering naybobs of negativity
The second in the series of Harbinger Sound's efforts to present the Smegma back catalog. This album originally came out in the UK only back in 1987 and is backed by the studio side from the 1988 cassette release, Morass. Twenty-one tracks in total. Dedicated to Tom (Pig Champion) Roberts. Limited to #1000 copies. CD features an eight-page booklet with photos and a pre-1988 Smegma discography
Moooohieee!
A dead voice gathers on this Musical Saw and Hawaiian Guitar Soli Recorded in Early 1920s. Innovator of the octo-chorda (an open-alternate-tuned eight-string steel guitar), banjo, singing saw, inflated rubber balloon, and various other 'household instruments', Floridian samuel Pasco moore (1887-1959) was a darling both in NYC and on the vaudeville circuit during his 1920s heyday. While novelty acts suffered the pitfalls of most soft-soapers, moore's sound is of startling, heavenly haunted southe…
Objekt 2
Volume 2 of the music of RUNE LINDBLAD (1923-1991). This cd consists of the remainder of the long out of print Radium double lp. These works cover the years 1962-1988. Lindblad, a Swede began composing music in 1953. Ignored by the musical establishment in Stockholm, Rune went his own merry way, composing over 200 works of electronic music. Limited in the early years to often primitive equipment, he carved out his own musical niche. The sounds were often raw, occasionally scary.
Die stille liebe
With this double-CD from Elektron an important step has been taken in the proclamation of Rune LINDBLAD's artistic work. This does not constrain itself solely to his musical activities, but also embraces the visual arts, with woodcuts, collages, etchings and so forth, of which reproductions are printed in the booklet and on the beautiful CD cover.The selection of the musical works has been executed by Mattias Petersson, Kent Tankred and Berndt Berndtsson, and I can certify that the selection is …
Blown bone
Previously only available on a very rare 1979 Japanese LP, these two jazz sessions feature Rudd as a fine composer/arranger and organiser of unlikely-looking line-ups, as well as an exceptional trombonist. The CD opens with Rudd, ENRICO RAVA (trumpet), STEVE LACY (soprano sax), WILBUR LITTLE (bass) and PAUL MOTIAN (drums) all showing themselves to be in good form. Then SHEILA JORDAN (voice) joins them for some timely environmental protest. The other session (from the previous day) has KENNY DAVE…
Early works vol. 1 (1979/82)
Very last copy. First release of the early sound installations from the German sound artist Rolf Julius, ranging from 1979 to 1982 : Music on Two High Poles (1979), Morning Song (Berlin Concert Series, 1981, in collaboration with Joan La Barbara), Music for the Earth (Berlin Concert Series, 1981), Music for the Eyes , (1981), Music for a Pane of Glass (1980), Music for a Yellow Room (Berlin Concert Series, 1982), Chamber Concert for Three Loudspeakers, (Berlin Concert Series, 1982), Concert for …
Valve division
LAST COPIES, NOW DELETED - special priced first solo release by the Berlin-based tuba player. 'Though not specifically about the tuba, the three pieces presented here reflect particular ways of regarding the instrument. Whereas in the first two pieces, Dial and Coil, it is viewed as a labyrinth of tubing within which air may be trapped and redirected, in the final piece, Valve Division, it is seen as a collection of individual tube lengths, tuned to one another by positioning the valve slides in…
1939
This release reissues Robert Rutman's Pogus Lp (P201-1) and includes an additional track. Rutman (b. 1930) has been building and performing on his homemade metallic instruments for many years. This recording features his buzz chime, steel cello, and bow chime, along with tabla, Tibetan horn, and Rutman's vocal chants. Rutman caresses the metal, drawing out eerie drones and overtones that buzz and trumpet. The music in turn can be as fragile as glass or reach the depths of resonance, as if one ha…
In Sara, Mencken, Christ and Beethoven There Were...
**Deluxe slip-cased version features a 110-page book** Definitive CD reissue of this original Cramps label album from 1974, an early classic from Robert Ashley with music provided by Paul DeMarinis. This deluxe slip-cased version features a 110-page book, reproducing the original John Barton Wolgamot text along with fascinating liner notes explaining the whole project from Keith Waldrop and Robert Ashley. The CD features one long composition with Ashley reading a text by poet John Barton Wolgamo…
String Quartet
Double LP reprint of the compact disc by Robert Ashley titled String Quartet Describing the Motions of Large Real Bodies / How can I Tell the Difference? (I & II). 'String Quartet' was composed as the potential orchestra for an opera based on the text of 'In Sara, Mencken, Christ and Beethoven There Were Men and Women'. When the work was composed, in 1972, it was clear that a huge change in electronic instrumentation was just beginning, a change that would involve computers and sound producing d…
The wolfman
For the performance of "the wolfman" recorded here, produced at the university of california at davis, Robert Ashley used an earlier (1960) tape composition entitled "the 4th of july". that composition changes gradually from a parabolic-microphone documentation of a backyard party into a layering of tape loops and tape-head feedback.Long deleted original lp edition of 290 copies only with detail photo from the performance and full score.
Atalanta (Acts of God)
Originally released on Lovely Music in 1985. Robert Ashley makes use of the story of Atalanta
- a royal princess, discarded by her family, who was raised by the
animals to become the fastest-running human, and who was later reclaimed
by her father to marry her off for dynastic purposes - to present the
character aspects of the "successful suitor". These three aspects of
character are presented in the opera as anecdotes about three
extraordinary men of our times: Max Ernst (surrealist paint…