Thursday, November 24, 2016

GARRETT LIST – Your Own Self (LP-1972 / Opus One – number 15)




Label: Opus One – number 15
Format: Vinyl, LP / Country: US / Released: 1972
Style: Contemporary, Experimental, Minimal
Label based in Maine run by composer Max Schubel
Works from 1971
Artwork [Cover Art] – Ursula Belden / ?
There are two colour variations of the cover: Green and Orange
Engineer [Recording] – Mike Wolfe
Executive Director – Max Schubel
Composed By – Garrett List
Matrix / Runout (A): OPUS ONE 15AR
Matrix / Runout (B): OPUS ONE 15B

A - Your Own Self ...................................................................... 18:34
B - Your Own Self ...................................................................... 16:37

VOICE –––
          Joan LaBarbara
          Jay Clayton
          Jerry Kaplan
Jon Gibson ––– Saxophone
Mark Gould ––– Trumpet
Lou Ranger ––– Trumpet
David Jolley ––– French Horn
Garrett List ––– Trombone
Roy Pennington ––– Vibraphone
Barry Jekowski ––– Vibraphone
Rick Cutler ––– Piano
Frederic Rzewski ––– Piano
Gregory Reeves ––– Percussion
Gordon Gottliebs ––– Percussion
Mike Williams ––– bass

This piece is a beautiful example of a minimalist/jazz crossover which is exceptionally unique. It inhabits a somewhat similar world to Fred Rzewski's "Coming Together" and "Attica", but is much more indebted to jazz, with a heavily improvised middle section...

Garrett List ––– Trombone

The piece begins with an organ drone, and some quiet singing and reciting of phrases from the text. Gradually more instruments are introduced, primarily horns playing long tones. After a couple of minutes the bass comes in, and starts playing sparse notes, which over several minutes become more frequent until it's playing a full-fledged jazzy bass-line. The horns follow a similar build-up from long tones to faster playing.

The build up in this piece is perfect. It's so slow and fluid, you barely notice anything is happening, until you compare two points in the piece. At 11:00ish on side A there's a sudden break, and a fast, hihat-based drum beat comes in, the first major change in the piece. This section has a beautiful texture with fast piano scales, sparse bass notes, long horn tones, fast vibes, and vocalists singing and reciting the text.

Side A fades out, and Side B begins where A left off, jumping quickly into a long section of freeish jazz, with a propulsive rhythm section laying the base. This goes on for about 9 minutes, and then the piece goes back into a section resembling the first part, with long tones and quiet speaking voices.
There's Fred Rzewski on piano, Jon Gibson on sax, and vocalist Joan LaBarbara (who is an excellent composer as well, and appears on the classic 70s recording of Philip Glass' "Music in Twelve Parts").




Excellently pressed. Great dynamics and sound. Stunningly beautiful piece to be listened to at high volume. Wonderful!


Your Own Self, sought and received, mister ..... correct silence.



If you find it, buy this album!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

LÉON FRANCIOLI and PIERRE FAVRE – Le Bruit Court... (LP-1978 / ESC 367)




Label: L'Escargot – ESC 367
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: France / Released: 1978
Style: Free Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Free Imprivisation
Recorded at studio Aquarius, September 18 and 19, 1976.
Artwork – Wannaz Mantial
Photography By – Alain Ogheri
Recorded By – Alain Français
Compositions by Léon Francioli and Pierre Favre
Matrix / Runout: Face1: E S C  3 6 7  A
Matrix / Runout: Face2: E S C  3 6 7  B

A1 - Le Rêve De Don Quichotte .............................................. 5:20
A2 - Le Bal Des Crapaux ......................................................... 5:25
A3 - Drôles D'Oiseaux ............................................................. 5:21
B1 - Stampede ......................................................................... 6:00
B2 - La Flèche Et L'Arc En Ciel ............................................... 5:35
B3 - Oh! Anton ......................................................................... 3:50
B4 - Singes Moqueurs ............................................................. 1:30

Léon Francioli – double bass
Pierre Favre – drums, percussion

Original 1978 French private pressing on the small independent L'Escargot records imprint. Great Improvisation, Free Jazz LP that hardly ever surfaces. First released on the label Evasion Disques – EB 100821 / France - 1976.



To   maximumbreak.   Enjoy!



If you find it, buy this album!

Saturday, November 12, 2016

MAGOG – Live In Montreux '73 (LP-1973 / Evasion Disques – EA 100 812)




Label: Evasion Disques – EA 100 812
Series: Living Now - 3
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Switzerland - Printed in France / Released: 1973
(Insert a Poem by the Hungarian Poet Endre Ady)
Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation
Recorded live at Centre des Congrès, Montreux, 3 July 1973, Switzerland
Engineer: Chris Pennycate
Layout: Studiopizz
Cover, photo: Franz Glose
Matrix / Runout: Side1: EA 100 812 A1
Matrix / Runout: Side2: EA 100 812 A2

A1 - Magog (One - Two - Three) ................................................................ 7:00
A2 - One For Lucky Luke .......................................................................... 10:23
A3 - Tell (One) ............................................................................................ 9:05
B1 - Tell (Two - Three) ................................................................................ 6:08
B2 - Ganz Zum Überfluss Meinte Eusebius Noch Folgendes .................... 6:35
B3 - Mini Rock ............................................................................................ 5:37
B4 - See Waldi ........................................................................................... 8:05

Musicians:
Hans Kennel – trumpet, fluegelhorn, percussion
Andy Scherrer – tenor sax, alto sax, percussion
Paul Haag – trombone, percussion
Klaus Koenig – piano, Fender Rhodes 
Peter Frei – bass
Peter Schmidlin – drums, percussion


Magog were a Swiss sextet who played many concerts throughout Europe in the seventies - including at the prestigious Montreux Festival in 1973, a performance released on LP on the great Evasion label. They also went on to record one album for JAPO/ECM and both LPs became underground classics garnering much praise from Melody Maker at the time.




The groups approach reflected an all embracing attitude to music making that was akin to other groups of the time such as Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band and the more improvisatory explorations of early Weather Report. However Magog had their own very distinct personality and like British jazz of the early 1970's is clearly deserving of rediscovery.

Enjoy!



If you find it, buy this album!