mardi 31 août 2010

Rova Saxophone Quartet - Totally Spinning

ROVA SAXOPHONE QUARTET:
Larry Ochs: tenor & sopranino saxophones
Jon Raskin: baritone saxophone
Bruce Ackley: soprano saxophone
Steve Adams: sopranino & alto saxophones

Depending on your preference among saxophone quartets, Rova (comprised of Larry Ochs, Jon Raskin, Bruce Ackley and Steve Adams) and the World Saxophone Quartet would have to rank numbers 1 and 1A. Rova has always been perceived as the more avant-garde of the two, more prone to explorations of abstract sound, closer in spirit (and practice) to Coltrane's Ascension than Ellington.

Ten years ago, however, when Totally Spinning was recorded, Rova was at its most lyrical. Sure, "Radar 11/19/01 sounds like a four-minute radio transmission from outer space as each saxophone sputters and hums along its own path, the lines only briefly coming into contact with one another to set off a spark. But the rest of the hour is as approachable as Rova gets, an enjoyably listenable point of entry into the work of this groundbreaking veteran group. Raskin (on baritone) gets to carry most of the rhythmic water: his playing on his own "Let's Go Totally Spinning is joyous, while on "Stiction he infuses the tune with casual confidence, as Ochs sidles up on tenor and Ackley and Adams fly above on their higher-pitched horns.

"Cuernavaca Starlight echoes Mingus' knack for internal melodic ache as the saxophones intertwine in sympathetic harmony, and the comparatively brief "Preshrunk and "Kick It are peppy, tight and to the point. On previous Rova albums the fifteen-minute "It's a Journey, Not a Destination would seem discursive and intimidating. Here, with its shifting tempos and enchanting tonal moods, spotlighting the impressive intricacies and virtuosity of all four musicians, it defines Rova's aesthetic.

2006 TOTALLY SPINNING


lundi 30 août 2010

Jim Denley - Improvisation: The Entanglement of Awareness and Physicality

I just found a very interesting article by Jim Denley - on his own myspace. Of course, it´s about music, improvisation and composition, mind and body, etc...

mardi 3 août 2010

Panopticon - The big mess @ Belvedere


Faites fi de la pochette messieurs dames, c'est une opération coup de pouce (poing !), modeste certes, mais pas autant que sa tête pensante, Domenico Solazzo, qui pense que je me suis senti obligé de mettre son bootleg "pour lui faire plaisir". Il se trompe, s'il s'agit du disque le plus free du combo (je ne les ai pas tous écouté, evidemment, y'en a trop: voyez ici), et s'il est posté ici même, c'est qu'il correspond à notre critère qualité marque déposé FTM. Bien sûr, on est loin des courses atonales échevelées ou au travail acharné du timbre et de la surface sonore dont vous êtes habitués sur ces pages, mais un peu de groove, ça va vous changer, que diable !

Olivier Catala (bass)
Yves Dellicour (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, effects)
Jean-Jacques Duerinckx (baryton & sopranino saxophones)
Nicolas Gitto (electric guitar)
Mike Goyvaerts (percussions)
François Lourtie (bass & soprano saxophones, voice)
Vincent Stefanutti (alto saxophone)
Domenico Solazzo (drums, loopstation, direction)


Ici

dimanche 1 août 2010

Marc Robot - Lhassa riot (2010)


Marc Robot: electroacousticing fields recording

Ici