Ancora per qualche giorno si può sentire attraverso il sito del programma Hear and Now (BBC Radio 3) il concerto, trasmesso sabato scorso, tenuto a novembre a Glasgow dalla BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra con l'esecuzione di lavori di Chris Cutler e John Oswald e con la partecipazione, oltre agli autori, di Jon Rose e Zeena Parkins.

John OSWALD Concerto for conductor and orchestra (07'49")
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov (conductor)

John OSWALD Ariature (04'19")
James Clapperton (piano),
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ian Volkov (conductor)

John OSWALD Debizet (03'51")
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov (conductor)

John OSWALD Idyllilly (12'11")
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov (conductor)

Chris CUTLER P53-3 (45'55")
Chris Cutler (percussion),
Jon Rose (violin),
Zeena Parkins (harp)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov (conductor)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/hearandnow/pip/6zeid

Da sentire nella sezione blog/podcast di Apehouse la divertente - e geniale - miniatura creata da Peter Blegvad a commento dell'album Orpheus - The Lowdown realizzato con Andy Partridge nel corso di diversi anni (più di dodici) e infine pubblicato nel 2003.

"Peter Blegvad and Peter Blegvad the two halves of a self divided, chat to each other about the making of Orpheus The Lowdown, a bit part play for the fable minded. Peter and Andy Partridge recorded the album over a number of years, the tragic love story of Orpheus and Urydice is retold with words and music through an alchemy of sounds."

http://apehouse.prevuz.com

Scrive Aymeric Leroy su What's Rattlin'? a proposito di un concerto fuori-programma tenuto ieri nel locale parigino Le Triton:

"Yesterday night, Jean Pierre Vivante, manager of the Triton, celebrated his 50th birthday with a special evening of music featuring most of the artists that have appeared regularly at the club since its opening in 2001. This included French artists such as Elise Caron, Mederic Collignon's quartet (playing the title track from "Bitches Brew"!), most of Magma (actually One Shot which includes three players from Magma, plus Ad Vitam which includes one), but also representatives of the Canterbury/Paris axis. There was a Soft Bounds reunion with Sophia Domancich, Hugh Hopper and Simon Goubert plus Pierre-Olivier Govin (Polysoft) replacing Elton, playing Simon's signature tune "Le Retour D'Emmanuel Philibert"; John Greaves with Sophia Domancich, Vincent Courtois and singer Jeanne Added, who performed "The World Tonight" and "La Lune Blanche" from John's upcoming Verlaine album; and a quartet of Didier Malherbe, Patrice Meyer, Loy Ehrlich and Francois Merville (Polysoft drummer) playing a couple of Hendrix covers. There was also a big jam at the end which was quite good at times. I must say that the climax of the evening for me, at the risk of offending Canterbury purists, was One Shot's amazing rendition of the title track from their latest album "Ewaz Vader" - jazz-rock at its best. It was nice to see all these people gathered together on the same stage.

On May 5th something a little similar will take place in Cluny, France, as part of an evening in memory of the great Jacky Barbier and his club A L'Ouest De La Grosne. I was asked to coordinate a "Canterbury" set, and came up with a Short Wave-ish line-up of Didier Malherbe, Hugh Hopper, Phil Miller, Patrice Meyer, Alex Maguire and Manu Denizet (the latter being John Greaves' longtime drummer in his early 00s trio, and also played in Hugh Hopper's Franglo quartet a couple of times). Hopefully their 45-minute set will include some old favourites - I specifically requested that they play Hugh's "2PM" which was written for both Phil Miller and Patrice Meyer (thus its title) but never played by both guitarists together."

www.letriton.com

Dovrebbe esser presto disponibile su cd Flaming Tunes, il lavoro che Gareth Williams produsse con Mary Currie e fece circolare (si fa per dire) su cassetta a metà anni ottanta. Auspicabilmente, la prima di una serie di pubblicazioni ufficiali per il compianto bassista e tastierista di This Heat, scomparso nel 2001.

http://www.theserecords.com/files/flamingtunes.html

Come anticipato, il concerto tenuto lo scorso dicembre a New York da Chris Cutler e Fred Frith è ora documentato su cd: è il secondo dei volumi pubblicati da Tzadik in tiratura limitata e a prezzo speciale a sostegno del locale The Stone.

Questo l'annuncio che ne da' Downtown Music Gallery, che con Tzadik e Ipecac ne cura la distribuzione:

FRED FRITH & CHRIS CUTLER - The Stone: Issue 2 - Live At The Stone December 15th, 2006 (Tzadik 0003 LTD Edition; USA)

Incredible! Exactly three months after the December, 2006 DMG Festival of Music, Magic & Mystery at The Stone, the first offering and evidence of what was an amazing and historic month of performances is finally here!

This was the first of three nights of the much-anticipated reunion of three former members of Henry Cow. The first set that night was a trio featuring Fred Frith & Chris Cutler with special guest Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper. It seemed too restrained in part and was a bit disappointing for some in attendance. The second set was just the Frith and Cutler duo and it was phenomenal! Although Fred & Chris' musical relationship goes back the beginning of Henry Cow in the late sixties/early seventies, they have been doing duo gigs periodically since 1979. They have three previous live duo discs out, the last one is from 1999. The duo seemed primed for this particular set and it was an indeed an incredible occasion. Although Fred played an electric guitar with a variety of pedals and a small table of objects and Chris played a drum kit with even more assorted percussive objects, electronics and a small mixing board, when one is listening and even watching the duo play, it was and is difficult to tell who was doing what.

The disc itself captures their entire nearly 51-minute set and immensely fascinating throughout and even throttling at times. It begins with a splash that sounds like magic and lets you know that something wonderful is about to take place. It sounds like a soundtrack to a movie that has you at the edge of your seat. Each sound, each gesture is filled a most compelling vibration. There is a great deal of discussion about "noise" nowadays... what we have here is some of the most well-sculptured and musical noise that I've heard in a long while.

I am truly proud of the way the entire month of performances turned out and especially elated that way this disc has captured the magic of this set. Now it is your turn to dig in and enjoy the great journey within. Thanks to our friends Robert O'Haire for the recording, Scott Friedlander for the cover photo and to Fred & Chris for the music. - BLG

http://downtownmusicgallery.com/Main/index.htm

http://tzadik.com

Fledg'ling, etichetta indipendente specializzata in folk-rock britannico, ha pubblicato su cd poche settimane fa i due primi splendidi album di Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath. Lodevolissima iniziativa, tanto più che Brotherhood, il secondo dei due, è stato per anni di difficile reperibilità.

In the early 70s, pianist Chris McGregor was one of the leading lights of the British jazz scene -- an expatriot South African living in London, whose work with the legendary group The Blue Notes was steeped in an African rhythmic traditions! This seminal work from 1971 shows how much McGregor's style evolved in the late 60's, and how fiercely it had become intertwined with the British avant styles of the time -- in a groove that comes across here with an earthy, rootsy bottom -- but also features plenty of far-reaching solos that go out, yet never too far -- the best balance of modes from players that include fellow Blue Notes Mongezi Feza, Dudu Pukwana, and Louis Moholo -- as well as British jazz luminaries who include Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, and John Surman. Titles include "Andromeda", "Union Special", "Night Poem", "MRA", "The Bride", and "Davashe's Dream".(Beautiful tri-fold pressing -- with a great package that's better than the other previous reissues!)

The great second album from Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath -- a record that's much more obscure than the group's debut, and which has them moving into even deeper territory! As before, there's a wonderful post-colonial groove going on here -- one that builds from McGregor's roots in South African jazz, but inflects it with some of the bolder, more modern modes of the London jazz scene in Chris worked after leaving Africa in 1964. But unlike before, some of the more free-thinking London styles take even stronger roles here -- stretching out in solos that are a bit looser and more exploratory, and which point the way towards the more avant-oriented direction that McGregor and contemporaries would take in the Ogun years -- yet not in ways that leave behind the inherent sense of rhythm in the music. The album starts out with rolling South African jazz piano lines that are quite familiar -- but then soon opens up into much less structured territory, with solo work from players who include Mongezi Feza, Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne, Harry Miller, Gary Windo, Dudu Pukwana, and Nick Evans. Most tracks are long -- and titles include "Think Of Something", "Joyful Noises", "Nick Tete", "Do It", and "Funky Boots March".

http://www.thebeesknees.com/bk-fr-ct.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_McGregor

Terry Riley e il sassofono: questo il tema sviluppato in un programma in onda domani sera dalle 20.00 alle 22.00 su Concertzender (in replica anche lunedì 19, e disponibile successivamente in archivio) spaziando in oltre trent'anni di composizioni rileyane incentrate sullo strumento, da Poppy Nogood a Chanting the Light of Foresight ad Assassin Reverie, eseguite in prima persona o affidate a quartetti di grande perizia quali Rova e Arte Quartett.

http://www.concertzender.nl

http://www.terryriley.com

Tra i titoli in uscita su Tzadik spicca un nuovo documento dal vivo - dopo quello ripreso al Robert Wyatt’s Meltdown londinese nel 2001 - per Massacre (Frith, Laswell, Hayward). Stavolta si tratta del concerto tenuto al Roskilde Festival nel giugno 2003, così descritto:

"Together since 1980, Massacre is one of the world’s classic cutting edge rock guitar trios. Opening for Metallica on the stage of the Roskilde Rock festival in front of an audience of 10,000 metal heads, they break out like never before. Here Frith puts down his brushes and chains and whips out some of the greatest flatout guitar fireworks he has ever performed. Three masters of rock improvisation kick out the jams in one of the greatest performances of their nearly thirty year existence. Astonishing and exhilarating."

http://www.tzadik.com

Dovrebbe essere imminente la pubblicazione, da parte dell'eccellente etichetta Hux Records, di un doppio cd che raccoglie (riprendendo ed espandendo In Concert e On Air) le registrazioni per la BBC effettuate a suo tempo dall'Incredible String Band. Nel sito dedicato al gruppo - dove si annuncia anche un'edizione completa di Glen Row Tapes per Mike Heron - si legge:

"To let you all know that Hux Records has been working with Mike and Robin (and Malcolm!) to put together a new double CD of ISB at the BBC. The first CD is a reissue of the In Concert CD, with unreleased session tracks as bonus recordings. The second CD is almost all sessions. In making selections for this album, we prioritised unreleased material or substantial reworkings, as well as material which has become available in studio quality since the last BBC sessions compilation, On Air, was released in 1991. There are 13 previously unreleased recordings.
Adrian Whittaker has done the liner notes in consultation with Mike, Robin and Malcolm, and there’ll also be a full sessionography, lyrics to unreleased songs etc.
The CDs should be out some time in April – you should be able to pre-order them via the Hux website within the next few days. They won’t be in the shops till some weeks after that date because of the time needed by the distributors."

http://www.theincrediblestringband.com

Scritta e raccontata da Derek Bailey, 'On the Edge: Improvisation from Around the World' fu una serie in quattro puntate televisive dedicata all'improvvisazione e alle sue pratiche che Channel 4 trasmise nel 1992, quasi in coincidenza con la seconda edizione del libro di Bailey sul medesimo argomento. I filmati sono ora disponibili anche in www.ubu.com.

A series of four 55 minute films shown on Channel 4 TV in the UK in early 1992. To say this was the best and most intelligent analysis of improvisation to be screened on UK television is probably unnecessary: it has in all likelihood been the only televised programme on this form of music-making. Written and narrated by Derek Bailey, produced and directed by Jeremy Marr, it developed out of the first edition of Bailey's book on improvisation (the broadcast almost coinciding with the publication of the second edition) and attempted to provide a world-view of the subject, not being bound by country, musical genre or preconception.

The four programmes were:

* 1: Passing it on [Broadcast 2 February 1992]: this programme featured: Douglas Ewart at Haynes School in Chinatown, Chicago; improvisation in Mozart with Robert Levin, piano and the Acadamy of Ancient Music with Christopher Hogwood; John Zorn and Cobra; improvisation in religious and devotional music and communities with: Naji Hakim - organ improvisations in Paris; Gaelic psalm singing on the Scottish Isles of Harris and Lewis; and Indian singing with Pundit Hanuman Misra.

* 2: Movements in time [Broadcast 9 February 1992], tracing the effects of migration on improvising links across continents and the production of new styles from the combinations: qawwali from the Sufis in New Delhi, Northern India; Hindu music of Rajistan with Ram Narayan; early medieval music performed in Andalucia by Symphony (Stevie Wishart, Mark Loopuy, Jim Denley); improvisation in dance with: Mario Maya, flamenco; Indian kathak mime and movement; and Egyptian gypsy music; the mixture of Cuban music and jazz with Eddie Palmieri.

* 3: A liberating thing [Broadcast 16 February 1992], concentrating on jazz based and free improvisation. With Max Roach at the Harlam School of the Arts; Butch Morris conducting (with, among others, Shelley Hirsch); Sang-Won Park and Korean music; Max Eastley's sound sculptures; Derek Bailey (solo and fleetingly with Phil Wachsmann, Steve Noble and Alex Ward); Steve Noble and Alex Ward duo; Nashville musicians including Buddy Emmons; Eugene Chadbourne.

* 4: Nothin premeditated [Broadcast 23 February 1992], with Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead; Buddy Guy; George Lewis and computers (and in quartet with Douglas Ewart and sound and video generation); mbira music from Zimbabwe; music of the Tonga people; concluding with a house party on the Lower East side.

http://www.ubu.com/film/bailey.html

La Columbia University's School of the Arts ha assegnato a John Zorn il premio William Schuman Award per il 2007. Un riconoscimento prestigioso, sull'esempio di quello concessogli lo scorso settembre dalla MacArthur Foundation.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/07/03/Zorn.html

Alle voci riguardanti lavori in corso per un nuovo album di Robert Wyatt da' fiato oggi Aymeric Leroy:

'I'm sure all of you will be happy to know that Robert is currently in the studio in London, recording a new album for release next Autumn (that's Fall for you Americans). It will likely be released on a different label to his last couple of albums.'

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/whatsrattlin

Documentazione fotografica del concerto tenuto ieri per festeggiare il ventennale dell'apertura del locale newyorchese Knitting Factory si trova in http://www.downtownmusic.net/pictures, con ritratti di Laurie Anderson, Steven Bernstein, Oren Bloedow, Don Byron, Jennifer Charles, Michael Dorf, Mike Doughty, Trevor Dunn, Brad Jones, Joe Lovano, Gary Lucas, John Medeski, Rebecca Moore, Roy Nathanson, Ben Perowsky, Mike Rathke, Lou Reed, Marc Ribot, Marcus Rojas, Lee Ronaldo, Jane Scarpantoni, DJ Spooky, John Zorn.

http://www.downtownmusic.net/pictures