Altro nobil personaggio che festeggia il compleanno in questi giorni - precisamente domani, davanti a una torta con ben 87 candeline - è Leo Feigin, nome caro a musicisti e appassionati di jazz e improvvisazione di ogni età e provenienza grazie all'attività della sua Leo Records, etichetta indipendente con grandi meriti nella diffusione di musiche di pregio oltre confine fin dalla sua fondazione nel 1979 ('Music for the Inquiring Mind and the Passionate Heart') e oggi forte di più di 900 titoli in catalogo. Alla storia dell'etichetta e a quella del suo tenace protagonista è dedicato il film Leo Records-Strictly For Our Friends diretto dalla giovane regista rumena Ioana Grigore, presentato in anteprima poche settimane fa all'Astra Cinema Festival di Sibiu, in Transilvania. Auguri Leo!

https://leorecordsmusic.com

 

E ai frequentatori del suo sito Une discographie de Robert Wyatt Jean-Paul Marillier offre da qualche anno - questa è la quinta volta! - la versione in formato pdf dell'intero archivio, articolata in sezioni che comprendono discografia, elenco alfabetico dei materiali, interviste e rassegna stampa in varie lingue e un compendio di tutte le aggiunte e le modifiche intervenute nel frattempo. Merci infiniment!

http://www.disco-robertwyatt.com/archives_site/V5

 

A proposito di reinterpretazioni di brani wyattiani, tali e tante ne ha rintracciate Jean-Paul Marillier da poter dedicar loro un'intera sezione - perennemente in progress - del suo magnifico archivio Une discografie de Robert Wyatt. Con qualche precisazione sulle scelte operate: "The covers include tracks by Robert Wyatt - as author and/or composer - as well as all the Soft Machine and Matching Mole tracks that he performed during their creation, in the studio or on stage. This is also true of the many collaborations of which he was a significant co-creator. Hatfield And The North's Calyx, Brian Eno's Music For Airports - Part One and John Greaves' The Song are all examples of possible covers. I also consider a cover to be a song from the early Soft Machine repertoire (with RW) played by the "post-Fourth Soft Machine" or a fortiori by bands such as Soft Legacy, Soft Bounds etc. Finally, there are covers of covers whose reference will be Robert Wyatt's interpretation rather than the original version (Charlie Haden's Chairman Mao or Chic's At Last I Am Free, for example). So you'll understand that I'm taking a few liberties in deciding the songs covered here: Robert Wyatt's position in the artistic creation process is more important to me than the strictly legal status of the works."

http://www.disco-robertwyatt.com

 

Non poteva mancare oggi, nel giorno dell'ottantesimo compleanno del Nostro, il primo aggiornamento del 2025 del prezioso archivio Une discografie de Robert Wyatt, frutto della paziente e appassionata attività di indagine e catalogazione di Jean-Paul Marillier nel corso degli anni. Con una dedica affettuosa a nome di lettori e collaboratori, e una prima selezione di loro cover preferite. Grazie Jean-Paul, e naturalmente auguri Robert!

http://www.disco-robertwyatt.com

 

Nella contea di Innlandet in Norvegia tornano a risuonare le note sublimi del Westbrook-Blake per iniziativa del cantante e sassofonista Knut Laasbye, che dopo gli allestimenti per ampio ensemble degli anni scorsi le propone mercoledì prossimo a Lillehammer in uno speciale adattamento per quartetto, con il rinforzo corale di cinque altre cantanti. Presso la chiesa di Nordre Ål, alle 19.00.

'The interest for and knowledge about William Blake is growing in Norway, and we are doing our best helping by presenting Blake's lyrics and works of art accompanied by Mike Westbrook's fantastic music from his Glad Day compositions. We have had five concerts (two of them with a 15 piece ensemble and a 20 minute lecture about Blake) around and in the olympic city of Lillehammer, and on the 29th of January we are having our first concert of 2025, this time as a quartet plus five backing singers.'

https://tinyurl.com/Lillehammer2025

 

Uno sguardo a quel che verrà, ed è assai più che una promessa: l'Anatole di Misha Mengelberg reinventata dall'Artchipel Orchestra. Al Top!

https://www.facebook.com/ArtchipelOrchestra
https://www.musicajazz.it/gennaio-2025

 

Le sue memorabili performance dal vivo si sono fatte via via più rare nel corso degli ultimi anni, così come le sue produzioni musicali - reperibili in gran parte tramite Bandcamp - ma Bob Ostertag è tutt'altro che inattivo, impegnatissimo anzi tra giornalismo libero e controcorrente, la diffusione di pamphlet di protesta e manuali di auto-aiuto, la redazione di blog e podcast su temi scomodi e attuali, e il costante coinvolgimento nelle comunità queer e Lgbtq+ di San Francisco anche per divulgarne la storia e sostenerne le iniziative. Mentre da noi sta per uscire per Colibrì la versione in italiano di Creative Life (University of Illinois, 2009) è pronto da pochi giorni il suo nuovo libro per Black Lawrence Press, atteso, urgente e personale: Encounters with Men.

"Many, though not most, encounters described in this book took place far away from my home. For most of my adult life I have been a professional touring musician. During those years, I was as likely to have a night of to go to a gay bar in Taipei, Lisbon, Yogyakarta, Beirut, or Mexico City as in my home town of San Francisco. Nights off on the road feel diferent. You have been working hard, playing a concert in a different city every night, and now you have one free night before the tour starts up again, so you make it count. And you are in a foreign place. You are not going to run into any friends. And most likely, you will not see the people you meet that night ever again. You are free: to find gold, to make mistakes." 

http://bobostertag.com
https://bobostertag.bandcamp.com
https://blacklawrencepress.com/authors/bob-ostertag
https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/encounters-with-men

 

E in omaggio a un altro irriducibile dell'improvvisazione radicale della scena britannica storica, Paul Burwell (1949-2007), si è tenuta a inizio mese a Londra al Cafe Oto una speciale serata con la proiezione del film documentario Burning Bridges, prodotto da Nova Studios, e gli interventi di tre tra i suoi più cari amici e collaboratori ai tempi del London Musicians' Collective, David Toop, Evan Parker e Sylvia Hallett. Ve n'è traccia su YT.

Burning Bridges tells the story of Paul’s remarkable and exciting life and work, but also throws light on a period in British art and music that is often overlooked. "Well before punk there was an exciting underground movement in UK art and music that was rooted in the DIY culture that punk claimed as its own” explains Burning Bridges director Matt Stephenson. "These artists and performers were exciting and iconoclastic in the way they challenged the boundaries of safety and acceptability, but the work also explored a dark side too. People often regard punk as a kind-of ground zero, but the rebellion, the cut-and-paste, kick-down-the-walls, junk-as-art approach was being employed by Paul and his friends long before Malcolm Mclaren and the Pistols."

Described by saxophonist Evan Parker as 'The world’s first fine art drummer' Paul started his career in a duo named Rain In The Face with musician and writer David Toop, who he first met at a midnight jam at Camden’s famous Roundhouse. The pair worked closely with the influential poet Bob Cobbing, who also happened to be the father of Paul’s girlfriend Sheila. In the later 1970s Burwell and Toop were founder members of the London Musicians Collective. In the 80’s Burwell teamed up with the now-internationally acclaimed artists Anne Bean and Richard Wilson to form the Bow Gamelan Ensemble, making huge musical sculptures from junk and playing large scale events all over the world, gaining wide coverage in newspapers and on TV. Paul’s work, which involved magick, explosions, amazing drumming, and death-defying acts of danger, blurred the lines between life, entertainment, performance art and improvised music, “He was regarded as having a kind-of Samurai nature” says Paul’s closest friend, collaborator and sometime partner, Anne Bean, “People were scared of him, but he could be very gentle and thoughtful too.”

https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/burning-bridges

https://www.novastudios.co.uk/paul-burwell

 

Tre serate consecutive a partire da oggi in omaggio a Derek Bailey (1930-2005), nel ventennale della scomparsa e nello spirito delle sue storiche Company Weeks. Le promuove come è ormai tradizione il newyorkese Roulette, quest'anno coordinate da Jim Staley: Improv Nights 2025: A Tribute to Derek Bailey.

Join us for the third annual Improv Nights, a three-night run bringing together master improvisers to perform in multiple configurations and combinations. This series was originally initiated by John Zorn, to whom Derek Bailey was a dear friend and mentor. Bailey’s passion for pure improvisation inspired generations of musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds. For these three nights we return to the Improv Night tradition that began as benefits for The Stone, and that have been, in many ways, inspired by Derek Bailey’s legendary Company Weeks. Each evening will present a rotating kaleidoscope of musicians, who will then divide into smaller improvisational units - each concert promising a unique and exciting experience. A heartfelt tribute to the art of improvisation, to the ever-thriving, ever-expanding Downtown Scene, and to the spirit of Derek Bailey and Company.

https://roulette.org/event/improv-nights-2025-1
https://roulette.org/event/improv-nights-2025-2
https://roulette.org/event/improv-nights-2025-3

 

Torna su Resonance FM la saga di Selfish in Space, con Bing Selfish al centro di un nuovo avventuroso episodio, il terzo della serie: in diretta questa sera (più o meno a ora di cena) o in replica venerdì (più o meno all'alba). Poi in Mixcloud come i precedenti.

Selfish Tales is the latest emanation from The Bing Selfish Radio Show and will bring you stories you never knew you wanted to hear. Expect music, a reckless attitude to health and safety standards, unfair management practices, dance numbers, extreme empathy and tunes. In this episode the intrepid crew of the USSDAUPA Spoontaneous have to contend with threats animal, mineral, technological and political in their most psychedelic adventure yet, not to mention matters of group choreography, timing and pitch correction. I guess you could use it as both a dancefloor filler and a labour relations manual, but either way, you’d probably end up in some kind of trouble. Tune in, it’s a gas.

https://www.resonancefm.com/programmes/SelfishTales

 

E non è un caso che l'episodio di questa settimana nella serie Symposium di Eugene Chadbourne sia The Bully Song. Animato propriamente da violenti e tracotanti, prepotenti e bellimbusti, ma accompagnato da un cosciente presagio: "The Cyclops and the Minotaur, aggressive bullies that were considered undefeatable until..."

https://eugenechadbourne-documentation.squarespace.com

 

Alcuni artisti motivati del giro InPolySons riuniscono nuovamente sforzi ed intenti per comporre una seconda No Trumps Compilation - ché rispetto alla prima le cose sono anche peggiorate - libera, gratuita, attuale più che mai oggi nel giorno dell'insidiamento.

https://inpolysons.bandcamp.com/album/no-trumps-2024

 

Riprende a oltre vent'anni di distanza il dialogo tra Lukas Simonis e Pierre Bastien, anche stavolta grazie ai buoni uffici dell'autodichiarata 'sempiternally pataphysic' etichetta francese In-Poly-Sons: Zeldzame Mensen.

"Insane", or in French "un truc de malade": expressions often used to describe a strange work of art, a daring piece of architecture, or an experimental piece of music. It’s a comment that should be taken figuratively: not necessarily pejorative, and most often even positive. In contrast, the music of this album reflects a sick theme in the true sense of the word, as the two protagonists chose to resume their twenty-year collaboration in the antechamber of a hematologist's office. The album’s title should be understood in this sense: rare people, not necessarily in their behavior, but rather in an exceptionally grim period of their lives. The music on this album is sometimes harsh, sometimes tender, but always filled with energy, despite the treatment it has undergone. Temporarily dubbed 'instant songs', the compositions were created and recorded in the moment, subject to free improvisation, leaving no chance for smoothing or refinement - resulting in rare music.

http://inpolysons.free.fr
https://inpolysons.bandcamp.com/zeldzame-mensen

 

Celebra oggi a Les Lilas (Francia) un quarto di secolo di attività il locale Le Triton, con una doppia maratona musicale che vedrà protagonisti nelle sue due sale da concerto complessivamente un'ottantina tra i musicisti più affezionati e più presenti nel corso degli anni, tra cui Chassol, Henri Texier, John Greaves, Emmanuel Borghi, Himiko Paganotti, Sophia Domancich, Simon Goubert, Louis Sclavis, Daniel Humair, Jean-Philippe Morel, Franck Vaillant, Philippe Bussonnet, Christophe Godin, Bruno Ruder, Thierry Eliez, Vincent Courtois, Régis Huby, Élise Caron, Pierre Bensusan, Catherine Delaunay e naturalmente i Magma. Cibo, musica, gioia & rivoluzione non-stop dalle due del pomeriggio fino a mezzanotte. Passionément!

Le 12 décembre 1999, au terme d'une longue bataille citoyenne menée dans le seul but d'avoir le droit d'exister, le Triton naissait officiellement à l'occasion d'une inoubliable journée de 12h de musique non-stop. Après plus de 2500 concerts, des dizaines de milliers d'artistes programmés, 70 albums parus sur notre label, 500 concerts filmés et des centaines de milliers de repas servis dans notre restaurant, le Triton n'est plus tout à fait le petit nouveau qu'il était encore il y a un quart de siècle dans le paysage des lieux de création et de diffusion du pays. Tant de choses s'y sont faites, tant de projets y sont nés, tant de rencontres s'y sont produites, tant de souvenirs indélébiles pour les artistes et le public... Bien sûr, il a fallu (et il faut encore!) se battre et travailler sans compter, souvent contre vents et marrées, mais aujourd'hui l'heure est à la fête et nous souhaitons surtout dire à quel point ces 25 années ont été celles de la joie, du partage, de l'amitié, de l'émulation et de l'audace. 25 ans à fond les ballons, tous les jours. 25 ans de création, 25 ans de liberté, 25 ans de musique. 25 ans passionnément! C'est pour célébrer ces 25 ans de bonheur, et toutes celles qui suivront, que nous vous donnons rendez-vous le 18 janvier 2025! Au programme: un marathon musical de 14h à minuit avec 80 artistes compagnons qui ont fait l'histoire du Triton. Le tout, en entrée libre bien sûr!

https://www.letriton.com

 

Anche un'altra illustre istituzione cittadina a Birmingham, la Facoltà di Arti Design e Media, ufficializza un'importante acquisizione: l'intera collezione della fanzine Facelift, diciannove numeri in formato cartaceo realizzati nel decennio tra la fine degli anni Ottanta e Novanta - più un ventesimo pubblicato più tardi online - donati direttamente dall'autore, Phil Howitt.

"This collection contains the complete run of Facelift a music fanzine that ran for 19 issues from 1989 to 1998. Facelift, or as was latterly known, Facelift-The Canterbury Scene And Beyond was first published in 1989 by Phil Howitt on a xerox machine. Phil was inspired by Pete Frame's rock family tree which made the author aware of how prolific the music scene from the Canterbury area was in the late 1960’s, and how deserving the topic was of more attention than it garnered from mainstream music media such as NME and Melody Maker. By the second issue production became more professional and it had moved from being printed on xerox to being published by Opel Press, later it would move to the Juma Press. The fanzine concerned itself primarily with the progressive rock music/jazz fusion scene of the 1960’s and 70’s that centred on Canterbury, Kent. It contained articles about and interviews from bands and artists such as Caravan, Bill Bruford and Soft Machine, as well as family trees charting the fluid movement of musicians between groups. The final issue was published in 1998, as other projects took precedence for Phil Howitt, however in 2006 a final 20th issue was released online as a digital issue. This collection of Facelift fanzines was donated to the Arts, Design and Media Archive in 2023 by Phil Howitt."

https://www.bcu.ac.uk/arts-design-and-media/phil-howitt

 

Un messaggio di buon augurio da parte di Herm Mew, vedova del compianto Phil Miller (1949-2017), rammenta che presso il Royal Birmingham Conservatoire non soltanto si è fatto tesoro del ricco lascito di materiali documentali del Nostro - audio, video, scritti, manoscritti e partiture - ma è stata riconfermata la volontà di promuoverne la divulgazione anche attraverso i concerti della Legacy Band, formazione costituita da allievi musicisti dell'istituto pronta a incontrare il pubblico di club e festival vari nel corso del 2025. A far da biglietto da visita sono le piacevoli versioni di alcuni classici milleriani - No More Mr Nice Guy, Calyx e Delta Borderline - riprese in occasione del debutto a febbraio dell'anno scorso, proposte al sito del Phil Miller-The Legacy e disponibili anche su YT.

https://philmillerthelegacy.com/the-phil-miller-legacy-band
https://tinyurl.com/PM-LegacyBand

 

Oggi a Southend on Sea e domenica prossima a Walton-on-Thames (Regno Unito) si presentano due splendide occasioni per sentire dal vivo le musiche di Mike Westbrook rilette da Chris Biscoe per piccolo ensemble strumentale come già nell'album Music Is (Trio Records, 2022). Con il sassofonista ci saranno Kate Williams, Mike Outram, Dave Whitford e Jon Scott, alle prese tra gli altri con Mama Chicago, Aggro-Vancouver-Desperado, View From The Drawbridge, July '79, Graffitti, Wasteground and Weeds e due classici da sempre tra i preferiti di Mike, You Leave Me Breathless e Johnny Come Lately. Al secondo dei due concerti sarà possibile assistere anche in live streaming su YT: Chris Biscoe Plays Mike Westbrook.

"Mike Westbrook is one of the most important composers in jazz with a huge body of work from small band jazz through big bands, cabaret, fusion, chamber works, opera, settings of poetry, creative re-workings of Rossini and The Beatles’ Abbey Road, always retaining his unique character. The idea behind Music Is is a simple one: take some of these great pieces out of their context and play them with a small jazz group, as you might an Ellington, Monk or Gershwin song."

https://www.chrisbiscoe.co.uk/diary.shtml
https://www.facebook.com/ChrisBiscoe.Jazz

 

Invece ai propri affezionati Mike Westbrook offre l'intera serie dei suoi concerti in solo degli anni più recenti, registrati amorevolmente da Matthew North in diverse occasioni - a Dartington, Londra, Topsham e Ashburton tra il 2022 e il 2024 - accomunate dall'accattivante titolo The Piano and Me: quattro volumi, grosso modo l'equivalente di cinque cd, ora integralmente disponibili in formato digitale a cura di Chris Topley tramite Bandcamp, accompagnati da un paio di estratti video e da un'approfondita presentazione scritta da Gary Bayley. Grazie, Maestro!

"Perhaps this is the music that late period Keith Jarrett and/or Brad Mehldau could have come up with had they had been equipped with the composing, arranging, and orchestrating, experience of some seventy years. Perhaps this is the music that Berg, Webern, or Schoenberg, could have produced had they been interested in performing for an audience and with a concern for entertainment by effective communication. Whatever! Such comparisons are fun thought-experiments but the best thing to do practically is to listen to this music as it is, on its own terms, as being Mike Westbrook art-music in the Mike Westbrook jazz tradition'."

https://mikewestbrook.bandcamp.com/the-piano-and-me-I-IV

 

E ai propri affezionati John Thurlow di Jazz in Britain augura buon anno donando un inedito del Warleigh Manor - quartetto composto da Allan Holdsworth, Ray Warleigh, Ron Mathewson e Bryan Spring attivo a Londra sul finire degli anni Settanta - sfuggito alle precedenti antologie di rarità tratte dai nastri donati all'etichetta dal bassista: The Return.

Scrive Thurlow: "Back in 2020 Jazz In Britain released a cd and download titled Warleigh Manor, from a quartet of Allan Holdsworth, Ray Warleigh, Ron Mathewson and Bryan Spring, using a recording which we discovered in Ron Mathewson’s tape archives, and which we believe was recorded at Ray Warleigh’s home studio in Hammersmith, London (hence the title), most probably during 1979. Although that quartet performed in London on a number of occasions in '79-'80, including at least two shows staged by the Jazz Centre Society at the Half Moon, until the discovery of the tape it had been thought that they never recorded anything together. The limited edition Warleigh Manor cd quickly sold out, though it’s still available as a download. Now we have discovered another recording, not from Ron Mathewson’s tapes this time, but in Bob Cornford’s tape archive which we have been given access to by Tony Rees. So, in the spirit of the season, and as a big thank you to all the Jazz In Britain supporters who have helped make 2024 such a successful and fulfilling year… here’s this newly discovered track for free!"

https://jazzinbritain1.bandcamp.com/return-to-warleigh-manor

 

Inizia bene il 2025 anche Cuneiform Records, con la pubblicazione in doppio cd di una sessione di studio inedita di John Surman risalente all'aprile 1969, registrata in Germania ad Amburgo alla guida di un ensemble di dieci elementi: Flashpoints and Undercurrents, con Alan Skidmore, Ronnie Scott, Mike Osborne, Malcolm Griffiths, Erich Kleinschuster, Kenny Wheeler, Fritz Pauer, Harry Miller e Alan Jackson.

At the time of the recording released here, Surman had just finished recording his second album as a leader, How Many Clouds Can You See (Deram, 1970). Flashpoints and Undercurrents is thus a unique chance to get an expanded view of both Surman's formative work as a leader, and also at the early work of his musical compatriots appearing with him here. For this occasion, Surman led a ten-piece ensemble featuring the cream of modern British jazz players as well as two Austrian musicians. What's doubly valuable about this release is that it contains a large amount of pieces never recorded elsewhere, captured in excellent stereo sound.

https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/flashpoints-and-undercurrents

 

Comincia bene il 2025 al Cafe Oto a Londra con un emozionante weekend - in parte trasmesso in diretta streaming - dedicato allo storico trio di Alexander von Schlippenbach, Evan Parker e Paul Lytton, cui si uniscono tra oggi e domani anche Axel Dörner e John Edwards. Fantastico!

https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/schlippenbach-parker-lytton

 

E' confermato per domani il ritorno di Bob Drake a una nuova stagione di trasmissioni in diretta streaming dalla sua sede di Caudeval (Francia): e per dare il benvenuto all'anno appena iniziato sfoggerà una sua nuova chitarra, a dodici corde. Su Twitch, a partire dalle ore 19.00.

https://www.bdrak.com

https://www.twitch.tv/bob_drake

 

C'è un nuovo gioioso episodio anche per la ONe_Orchestra New, l'ensemble orchestrale di una ventina di sole donne, trans e persone non binarie coordinato da Caroline Kraabel, diffuso qualche giorno fa tramite Bandcamp a conclusione di un anno particolarmente intenso e fruttuoso per le complesse dinamiche del gruppo: Live at The Vortex July 2024, galvanizzante doppio set di musiche e danza tenuto nel celebre club londinese con esiti sorprendenti per le protagoniste stesse: "The courage, sensitivity, togetherness, readiness to go all out or to hold back… exceptional!"

https://oneorchestranew.com

 

Tre i punti esclamativi nel titolo del nuovo gioioso episodio - il terzo, appunto - della serie di auto-archeologia del geniale Martin Tétreault inaugurata nel 1992 (in audiocassetta) presso Ambiances Magnétiques: Vraiment plus de Snipettes!!!

Vraiment plus de Snipettes!!! est la suite de l’incroyable Plus de Snipettes!! précédé de l’inattendu Snipettes!. Il s’agit d’une autre sélection de morceaux choisis, résultat de nombreuses heures de transfert de bandes magnétiques et de cassettes audio vers l’ordinateur pour être ensuite détruites. Dans certains cas, les enregistrements originaux ont été faits sans console de mixage, directement sur magnétophone à ruban. J’ai voulu conserver le plus possible les qualités originales de ces matériaux et de leurs supports. Cela implique les bons coups et les erreurs propices à l’apprentissage et à la naïveté de l’époque. Ce disque regroupe des archives de gestes révolus, d’outils analogiques et de sons magnétiques. La plupart des outils ayant servi pour ces enregistrements ont disparu de mon entourage. Quant à la musique, elle fixe dans le temps des jeux et des explorations qui sont ailleurs…

https://actuellecd.com/tetreault

 

A chi è affetto da sindrome da rientro post-feste due specialisti d'Oriente, giustamente coperti da anonimato, suggeriscono un beverone a base di Constantinople, Goosebump, Santa Dog, Birthday Boy, Diskomo e Smelly Tongues. A piccoli sorsi, con una massaggiante risata.

https://youtu.be/AAi0i0wloRs

 

Tutto l'immaginabile (o quasi) sugli impareggiabili Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band è in Still Barking, strabiliante box antologico Madfish con 17 cd audio, 3 dvd, biografia, cronologia completa, raccolta di memorie dei diretti protagonisti e degli affezionati ammiratori, album fotografico di 150 pagine e mille materiali extra. Ai più buoni forse lo porta la Befana...

As one of the UK's most beloved and unconventional bands, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band have delighted audiences for over 60 years with their distinctive blend of music, comedy, and surrealism. This comprehensive 20-disc collection, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band: Still Barking, celebrates the complete works of the legendary Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and their impact on a generation of revered artists and comedians, from The Beatles to Monty Python. Formed in the early 1960s by art students Vivian Stanshall and Rodney Slater, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band began as a jazz ensemble parodying the music of the 1920s and 30s before evolving into a pioneering force in rock and comedy. Their satirical songs and eclectic performances quickly made them a favourite on the London underground scene. They gained national fame through appearances on the TV show "Do Not Adjust Your Set," which also featured future members of Monty Python. Known for their hit I'm the Urban Spaceman, produced by Paul McCartney under the pseudonym Apollo C. Vermouth, the Bonzos left an indelible mark on the British music and comedy landscape.

https://burningshed.com/bonzo-dog-doo-dah-band_still-barking

 

Il 2025 si apre con una nuova speciale iniziativa editoriale di Eugene Chadbourne rivolta anch'essa a studiosi, curiosi e ammiratori tanto quanto l'incredibile serie Head of Books appena conclusa. Con alcune somiglianze e molte differenze: le pubblicazioni avranno cadenza non più giornaliera ma settimanale, saranno a carattere tematico, vagamente autobiografico e spiccatamente antologico, destinate a comporre episodio dopo episodio la struttura del nuovo libro Musiceeniemeanieminie, ora in preparazione. Per ottenerle si può scegliere tra abbonamento mensile o annuale, e il primo capitolo (Amber) è già stato consegnato ai sottoscrittori: Symposium.

"The Symposium is a subscription series that will run for the whole year, and could possibly be renewed if the results are satisfactory. For 2025 there will be 52 editions of the Symposium, each focusing on a different one of my musical compositions, including both instrumental and vocal pieces (original songs). The pieces will be chosen from throughout my career. A typical edition will feature a lyric sheet, written music if available and a selection of recordings of the work that have been done so far. In the case of new pieces highlighted there will be so-far unreleased recordings. Once each month the subscriber will receive a chapter of a new book I am writing entitled Musiceeniemeanieminie that is both a dream journal and a series of impressions and memories about my own music as well as music performances by others that have made an impact on me over the years. By the end of the year the subscriber would feasibly be able to put together their own book collecting the information on the musical pieces as well as owning an advance copy of a large chunk of my new book - if not the entire thing!"

https://eugenechadbourne-documentation.squarespace.com

 

Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes
(Mick Hobbs, 1965-2025)

 

All'anno da poco concluso torna anche Nico Bogaerts di Moacrealsloa, settimanale di musiche non convenzionali prodotto per Radio Panik, segnalando nella puntata del 31 dicembre le principali interviste realizzate nel corso del 2024, ora conservate negli archivi dell'emittente belga. Spicca tra le più recenti quella condotta - in francese - con Tim Hodgkinson, nel bel mezzo dei preparativi dei concerti di Fred Frith dello scorso ottobre presso il Cafe Oto a Londra.

https://www.radiopanik.org/emissions/moacrealsloa

 

"How Cuneiform Records has remained a label ‘in opposition’ for the past 40 years". Lo spiega Steve Feigenbaum a Mathew Schumer di CapitalBop, in chiusura dei festeggiamenti per l'invidiabile traguardo tagliato dall'etichetta nell'anno appena concluso.

"2024 has been a momentous year for Cuneiform Records: our 40th anniversary as an independent record label internationally devoted to innovative music. Since our founding in 1984 in Washington DC's DMV - downtown Silver Spring, MD - Cuneiform has released well over 500 high quality recordings by both avant garde icons and young rising stars, and premiered both new recordings and previously unreleased archival gems. Our label name came obliquely from the earliest known form of writing, because cuneiform was a distinctive and radically innovative form of recording / recorded information. Our goal was to release New Music: innovative recorded sound. And thus, for the past near-half century, Cuneiform Records released and promoted cutting edge recordings that charted the course of music to come, championing groundbreaking artists from around the world, new boundary-defying musical genres, and revolutionary new music. We've met challenges over the decades. But we've persisted in our dream to serve as a platform for music that's beyond the mainstream and deserves to be heard - because that music is what paves the way for the future."

https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com
https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/the-albums-of-2024

 

Era uscito solo a livello locale e in lingua orginale, ora è invece pronto anche in versione inglese e per la distribuzione internazionale il testo che i norvegesi Thomas Hylland Eriksen e Øivind Hånes hanno amorevolmente dedicato al loro (e nostro) album del cuore: Book Bottom-Historien om Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom. Evviva!

Hærverk Forlag AS
Sentralen, 3. etg, Øvre Slotts gate 3
0157 Oslo
jege1001@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/haerverkforlag
https://www.haerverk.no/products/book-bottom
https://hibou-anemone-bear.blogspot.com/Book+Bottom
https://www.disco-robertwyatt.com/images/Robert/book_bottom