"Richard James came up with the idea of controlling a 48 piece string section and a 24 strong choir by remote control, using midi controllers, lots of headphones and some remote visual cues, after being commissioned to write some pieces for the European culture congress in Poland. There was only one opportunity for a rehearsal to see if the idea worked, it was in the morning, the day of the concert! This is the result."
- Self Titled Magazine.
- And a Happy new and exciting music year to everyone !
Hesitated for quite a while over this given the price/length ratio. The glut of new music over Christmas and the glut of emu credit persuaded me to take the leap - and it's very good. Rich Tangerine Dream-esque drones.
The more I work my way into the intricacies of this album, the more important I think it is. Incredibly good. Almost finished a MiG piece on it. Can't remember being this absorbed in an album for quite a while.
For more than 60 years, Chris Barber has been one of the giants of the British jazz scene. Without compromising his high musical standards or the precision of his trombone playing, he has displayed the ability to adapt to seismic changes in jazz music, earning admiration well beyond these shores. His band has embraced traditional jazz, blues, R&B, skiffle and gospel, and theyre all represented here on this glorious two-CD set.
The title-track tells us a lot about the spirit of this man and his music. It was written by American blues singer Brownie McGhee, whom Barber brought over from America to Europe at his own expense, so that his band could learn more about performing the blues from musicians steeped in the tradition. On his return, McGhee wrote this affectionate song listing the places where theyd played, and the people they met, while in the UK and Europe. As Barber recalls in the liner notes, some names posed a problem for the writers at Smithsonian-Folkways: "They tried to write down exactly what hed sung Ottilie (Paterson) was transformed into the blues singer R. B. Patterson!"
Many tracks here are very rare, compilers often eschewing Barbers commercial recordings for more distinctive performances. Muddy Waters sings the Leiber/Stoller Kansas City taped at the Capital Jazz Festival of 1979; and Trummy Young, a legendary trombonist from the Earl Hines orchestra of 33-37, leads off Georgia on My Mind, recorded on a German tour in 1978. More home-grown are the bands resident singer Ottilie Patterson performing St Louis Blues as if she were at a wake, the rough recording adding to the atmosphere, and Lonnie Donegan doing his thing with Diggin My Potatoes. Ottilie is mesmeric again on Lonesome Road, from a BBC Jazz Club session of 1962.
Other treasures include Joe Darensbourg on clarinet for the sweet ballad Rose Room, innovative guitar playing from Rory Gallagher on Cant Be Satisfied, Jeff Healeys paean to Satchmo in Goin Up the River, and the sprightly Ken Colyer composition Goin Home with Van Morrison on vocals. Hes one of a handful of relatively more contemporary artists, including Andy Fairweather-Low, Eric Clapton, Paul Jones and a supremely relaxed Mark Knopfler, who duet with Barber. Each displays fine versatility and easily conveys their enjoyment in performing with this legendary figure.
@ GP: that Richard Knox & Frederic D. Oberland sounds very nice. Is it nice enough to become a New & Noteworty ?
Artifact Recordings - 01 February 2001
"For piano and computer-driven electronics Philip Perkins & Scott Fraser, with Blue Gene Tyranny, piano
For piano improvisation (by Blue Gene Tyranny) on five timed note rows, with an interactive computer-controlled electronic instrument system following both the musical gestures of the performer and a score in real time."
The first offering, recently recorded, focuses on cantatas by Cristofaro Caresana, a composer born in Venice who went on to become, according to Florio, one of the two greatest musical figures from Naples from the second half of the 17th century, alongside Francesco Provenzale. Both the music and the performance here are imbued with the theatrical and exuberant reflection of the Neapolitan spirit of the Baroque; stylish and accomplished singers such as Maria Grazia Schiavo, Giuseppe De Vittorio and Rosario Totaro form part of the team for a group of multi-voiced Christmastime works and a solo offering the cantata Partenope from 1703 featuring Schiavo as its singer. Instrumental sonatas from Pietro Andrea Ziani, thought to be Caresanas teacher in Venice, demonstrate the virtuosity of I Turchinis string players.
Musicians for Where the Wild Things Are:
Patti Monson, flute, piccolo; Michael Lowenstein, clarinet, bass clarinet; Wayne Du Maine, trumpet; Julie Josephson, trombone; Todd Reynolds, electric 5-string violin; Elizabeth Knowles, violin; Ann Klein, electric guitar; Kathleen Supov
Comments
Arrivals by worriedaboutsatan
Angel - Kalmukia
- "Angel is Ilpo V
ETA ...and cheap at Amazon.
- A 15 minutes Youtube video, adds a new dimention to the works of Richard D. James - Fascinating ! - And a Happy new and exciting music year to everyone !
Hesitated for quite a while over this given the price/length ratio. The glut of new music over Christmas and the glut of emu credit persuaded me to take the leap - and it's very good. Rich Tangerine Dream-esque drones.
Glad I revisited this - it's a very fine album. Another of those bands that made a couple of really fine albums then seem to have disappeared.
- Biography.
The more I work my way into the intricacies of this album, the more important I think it is. Incredibly good. Almost finished a MiG piece on it. Can't remember being this absorbed in an album for quite a while.
@amclark - good point about the 2004 version of Smile. There are tracks on there I don't like that much but I really love them on the original.
A long time since I've played this EP!
Source - review on BBC website
Still 4.99 at AMZ, how much longer will those prices last?
Good to start work in the morning and find you back at the old stand, Greg!
The Rustle of the Stars by Richard Knox & Frederic D. Oberland
Another polar expedition project. Nice video on their page for one of the tracks. emusic link
Artifact Recordings - 01 February 2001
"For piano and computer-driven electronics
Philip Perkins & Scott Fraser, with Blue Gene Tyranny, piano
For piano improvisation (by Blue Gene Tyranny) on five timed note rows, with an interactive computer-controlled electronic instrument system following both the musical gestures of the performer and a score in real time."
The first offering, recently recorded, focuses on cantatas by Cristofaro Caresana, a composer born in Venice who went on to become, according to Florio, one of the two greatest musical figures from Naples from the second half of the 17th century, alongside Francesco Provenzale. Both the music and the performance here are imbued with the theatrical and exuberant reflection of the Neapolitan spirit of the Baroque; stylish and accomplished singers such as Maria Grazia Schiavo, Giuseppe De Vittorio and Rosario Totaro form part of the team for a group of multi-voiced Christmastime works and a solo offering the cantata Partenope from 1703 featuring Schiavo as its singer. Instrumental sonatas from Pietro Andrea Ziani, thought to be Caresanas teacher in Venice, demonstrate the virtuosity of I Turchinis string players.
A recent emusic Jonah's Pick - I'm really liking it, now half way through
Meridian Arts Ensemble; New Millennium Ensemble; Bradley Lubman, conductor; Eve Beglarian. Voice & keyboards; Jean DeMart, flute; Kathleen Supov
Musicians for Where the Wild Things Are:
Patti Monson, flute, piccolo; Michael Lowenstein, clarinet, bass clarinet; Wayne Du Maine, trumpet; Julie Josephson, trombone; Todd Reynolds, electric 5-string violin; Elizabeth Knowles, violin; Ann Klein, electric guitar; Kathleen Supov
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