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Zorn List Digest        Tuesday, April 4 2000        Volume 02 : Number 904



In this issue:
-
       ESP reissues
       RE: kronos "caravan"
       aprildiscs
       Pointers to UK music info
       Re: ESP reissues
       NNBB/Sun Ra
       Re: NNBB/Sun Ra
       cd shelves
       Zorn on Raymond Scott
       Re: NNBB/Sun Ra
       Extra digest delay: Les Noces, Nancarrow, Duckworth, Denyer
       Re: Sun Ra
       Re: Sun Ra

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 11:40:52 -0400
From: [e-mail]
Subject: ESP reissues

Has anybody seen the new series of ESP reissues?  Are they truly "remastered" and what about the packaging?  And any idea if they're planning on doing the whole series?

LT

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 11:58:42 -0400
From: Jennifer Dahmus <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: kronos "caravan"

Julian wrote:
> Does anyone have any info on the new Kronos Quartet CD "Caravan", for
> example even just a track listing?

Pannonia Boundless / Aleksandra Vrebalov
Cancao verdes anos / Carlos Paredes=20
Aaj ki raat / Rahul Dev Burman
La muerte chiquita / Enrique Rangel
Turceasca / Sapo Perapaskero
Szomor=FA v=E1sarnap / Rezso Seress
Cortejo f=FAnebre en el Monte Diablo / Terry Riley
Responso / Anibal Troilo
Romance no 1 / Carlos Paredes
Gallop of a Thousand Horses / Kayhan Kalhor
Ecstasy / Ali Jihad Racy=20
Miserlou Twist / Nicholas Roubanis

Guest performers:  Carlos Paredes, Zakir Hussein, Kayhan Kalhor, Ziya
Tabassian, Souhail Kaspar, Ali Jihad Racy

Release date:  April 18

Jeni   =20

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 12:18:37 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: aprildiscs

in addition to the new ribot, a few other interesting things (culled from the
Philadelphia Daily News listings)

today:
Sonic Youth, Air, Beck, Pavement and others pay tribute to the Groovebox
synthesizer on "At Home with the Groovebox" (Tannis Root/Grand Royal/Capitol),
working out with just the box and their voices.

4/11
Chamber jazz group Tin Hat Trio inflates "Helium" (Angel), showing infuences
from tango to bluegrass to Eastern European, and featuring a guest appearance by
Tom Waits.

4/18
Pere Ubu lead singer David Thomas visits "BayCity" (Thirsty Ear), a
collaboration with Danish musicians.

4/25
Chicago's super Liquid Soul pours on "Here's The Deal" (Shanachie) with acid
jazz, funk, hip hop, rock and Latin flavored music co-mingled in slamming style.
Check out the vocals of Simone, daughter of Nina Simone, and their apt tributes
to Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.

Medeski, Martin & Wood down "Tonic" (Blue Note).


np: Rabih Abou-Khalil: Arabian Waltz



- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 12:29:21 -0400
From: "Jim McLoughlin" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pointers to UK music info

Hi

I'll be traveling form NYC to the UK in April and was wondering if anyone
has pointers to good music:

in London 4/15
in Birmingham 4/16 - 4/19

Reply privately if you have any info.

Thanks... .. .  .   .

Jim


- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 12:53:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ken Waxman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: ESP reissues

Not seen, but talked (by e-mail) with the guy doing the notes. The first
10 or so have the original CD notes (barely in English and very weird). He's
trying to get better info
into the next set (buit of course he had to do them overnight). No idea
about how the discs sound. The whole series should be released, but as is,
that is no additional tracks etc.

Ken Waxman


On Tue, 4 Apr 2000 [e-mail] wrote:

> Has anybody seen the new series of ESP reissues?  Are they truly
"remastered" and what about the packaging?  And any idea if they're
 planning on doing the whole series?
>
> LT>

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 15:40:42 EDT
From: "Bruno Bissonnette" <[e-mail]>
Subject: NNBB/Sun Ra

Hi -- would anyone share opinions, reviews, comments, recommendations, etc.
on the No Neck Blues Band?  And who are the band members and what's the
instrumentation?
Secondly... where to start with Sun Ra?  I've never heard him, so I'd
appreciate someone pointing out the high points in his output.
As always, please reply privately if you feel this is irrelevant to the rest
of the list-members.

Thanks,
Bruno
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com


- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 16:52:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ken Waxman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: NNBB/Sun Ra

Bruno:

Since there are entire Web sites and discussion groups devoted to Mr. Ra
it's hard totell you where to start. Do you want the swing/big band Ra?
the electronic pioneer Ra? the Afro-centric Ra? the space Ra? the
experimental Ra?


For a quick, fun look, I'd pick up either of the sessions titled Space Is
the Place on Impulse and Evidence. After that go for the Evidence and ESP
CDs before anything else.

By the time you've heard two or three Arkestra sessions you'll probably
be able to decide where to go from there.

Ken Waxman


On Tue, 4 Apr 2000, Bruno Bissonnette wrote:

> Secondly... where to start with Sun Ra?  I've never heard him, so I'd
> appreciate someone pointing out the high points in his output.
>

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 17:09:51 -0500
From: Dante Sawyer <[e-mail]>
Subject: cd shelves

i have some cd shelves for sale that hold 1000 cds. if any one is
interested, please contact me privately.

dante

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 21:30:37 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Zorn on Raymond Scott

 JOHN ZORN: ''The Raymond Scott legacy is one of the most varied and vital i=
n=20
20th century American culture, and it is well served by MANHATTAN RESEARCH=20
INC.  Tireless dedication, impeccable taste, and uncompromising perfectionis=
m=20
is evident in every detail of this wonderful collection, which uncovers a=20
neglected library of this maverick's pioneering electronica.  From the=20
astonishing sounds to the beautiful packaging, MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. is an=
=20
essential release."=20
=20
=20
=20

     MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC.  (Basta 3090 782)

     2-CD set of Raymond Scott unreleased electronic music


      * available now *


     RaymondScott.com is accepting pre-orders for MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC., a=
=20
2-CD, 69-track edition of over two hours of RAYMOND SCOTT's unreleased=20
electronic recordings from the 1950s-60s.


     These works feature music machines designed and built by Raymond Scott,=
=20
such as the Electronium, Clavivox, Circle Machine (early sequencer), Bandito=
=20
the Bongo Artist (early drum machine), and more.


     MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. includes maverick (and decidedly "non-kiddie")=20
collaborative works with pre-Muppet-era JIM HENSON, and comes packaged in a=20
144-page, full-color, hard-bound book.  The text features interviews with=20
those who knew and worked with Scott (e.g., Moog synthesizer inventor ROBERT=
=20
MOOG), along with previously unseen photos, lab notes, US patents, and=20
scrapbook items.


     Raymond Scott (1908-1994) was a renowned bandleader, composer and=20
pianist from the 1930s-50s whose melodies found their way into countless BUG=
S=20
BUNNY cartoons through adaptation by Warner Bros. music director CARL=20
STALLING.  During Scott's career in the spotlight, there were reports of an=20
alter ego -- inventor, professor in the lab coat, electronic music pioneer.=20=
=20
But little of this work received public exposure.


     In 1946, Scott formed MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC., billed as "Designers and=
=20
Manufacturers of Electronic Music and Musique Concr=E8te Devices and Systems=
." =20
His colleague ROBERT MOOG said, "Raymond Scott was definitely in the=20
forefront of developing electronic music technology and in the forefront of=20
using it commercially as a musician."

=20

     The "personnel" on MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. consists of such Scott=20
inventions as the CLAVIVOX, a keyboard theremin that was later modified to=20
produce an array of sounds similar to a synthesizer; the ELECTRONIUM, an=20
instantaneous composition-performance console (conceived in the '50s,=20
developed in the '60s, used at MOTOWN in the '70s); polyphonic sequencers,=20
including his "CIRCLE MACHINE"; the Rhythm Modulator; and the Bass Line=20
Generator.


     The recordings range from commercial jingles to decidedly non-commercia=
l=20
experimental adventures in sound sculpture. =20

Also included, for the first time in commercial release, are several=20
mid-1960s film soundtrack collaborations between Scott and Jim Henson.


     MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. was produced by Beau Hunks leader Gert-Jan Blom=
=20
with Jeff Winner, creator of RaymondScott.com. =20

=20

     MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. is now available in
     the USA exclusively from RaymondScott.com


  For ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS, e-mail:  [e-mail]


     More info & preview MP3 clips here:

     http://RaymondScott.com/mripr.html
=20
=20
      ''Tireless dedication and uncompromising perfectionism is evident in=20
every detail of this wonderful collection.  From the astonishing sounds to=20
the beautiful packaging, MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. is an essential release of=20
pioneer electronica, adding yet another page to the ever-growing legacy of=20
American maverick Raymond Scott.''
  --JOHN ZORN
=20
=20
      ''Raymond Scott's electronic work had been long out of print, but the=20
pieces of music on MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC., recorded in the fifties and=20
sixties, sound like nothing so much as the future.''

   --Peter Buck, R.E.M.
=20

=20
      ''MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. is truly an inspiring album.  Very well=20
compiled and presented, it gives you a good look at Raymond Scott's great=20
work which has many repercussions in various fields relating to sound. =20
Scientific, futuristic, novel, as well as humorous and dreamlike.  Mad, but=20
the kind of mad I aspire to be. Raymond Scott truly was ahead of his time.''

   --Keigo, a.k.a. CORNELIUS


=20
      ''MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC. is a brilliant collection of Raymond Scott's=
=20
difficult-to-find electronic work.  I love the packaging, and the interviews=
=20
are incredibly interesting and informative.''

   --Adrian Utley, PORTISHEAD
=20
=20
     ''Whaaaaat??  This is from the fifties and sixties?  I'm trying to=20
achieve something like this now!  Raymond Scott belongs to the phalanx of=20
unique people like Les Paul, Oscar Sala, and Leon Theremin, to whom we owe s=
o=20
much in developing our own musical identity today.  MANHATTAN RESEARCH INC.=20
is one of the best CD presentations I have ever had my hands on.''  =20
   --Holger Czukay, CAN


=20
      ''I rate Raymond Scott as one of the greatest music technology=20
innovators the 20th century.  Many musicians on the charts today are using=20
his ideas fairly directly.  His vision was so wide, that today it is=20
impossible to turn on a piece of equipment in your studio without=20
automatically issuing a benediction to the spirit of Raymond Scott.''

   --Matt Black, COLDCUT

=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
 .




- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 22:48:11 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: NNBB/Sun Ra

In a message dated 4/4/00 3:42:49 PM, [e-mail] writes:

<< Hi -- would anyone share opinions, reviews, comments, recommendations,
etc.
on the No Neck Blues Band?>>

while the NNCK are best appreciated live, their last two projects are
somewhat representative of what they've been up to lately. last year, they
released a double CD (The Birth Of Both Worlds) and a double LP (Meets The
Clear People...) simultaneously on their own label, Sound @ One. either of
these will give you an idea as to whether they're your cup of tea or not. I'm
partial to Birth, which documents two different concerts ended abruptly by
the arrival of the police.

<<And who are the band members and what's the
instrumentation?>>

there are nine members of the band, I believe, with the only two known at all
outside of the band being Matt Heyner (Test) and Dave Nuss (ex-White Out).
the instrumentation varies from concert to concert, usually at least a couple
of percussionists, some guitars, Matt on bass, and a woman who usually plays
a very shrill saxophone, which I love. they rarely play outside NYC, but if
you get a chance to see them, do it.

<<Secondly... where to start with Sun Ra?  I've never heard him, so I'd
appreciate someone pointing out the high points in his output. >>

I'd say start somewhere around 1965, and get anything you can between '65 and
'75. this is my favorite period of his, where he was at his wildest. start
with Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy/Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow
(Evidence) if you can find it.

Jon
www.erstwhilerecords.com

- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 15:07:10 -0500
From: Herb Levy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Extra digest delay: Les Noces, Nancarrow, Duckworth, Denyer

Besides my usual digest delay, I've spent a lot of time away from
e-mail lately (entirely UNrelated, I'm happy to say, to Forth Wort's
recent tornado), so this is in response to a thread from a couple of
weeks or so ago.

I agree with Patrice that the work is one of Stravinsky's best, I'd
like to point to a couple of odd recordings of Stravinsky's Les Noces
that I find more compelling than most of the straight classical ones,
which are often dry as dust.

On Nonesuch (H79335) there's a disc by the Pokrovsky Ensemble, a
chorus with instruments that usually performs Russian folkloric
material. In addition to Les Noces, they also perform lots of
traditional Russian pieces that illuminate the kind of works that
Stravinsky drew on as influences to the piece.

The other disc is, perhaps, stranger still.  Stravinsky's piano
reduction of the score (with no vocals) performed on a pianola, a
player piano with a performer controlling dynamics and rhythmic
shadings. This disc is called the Virtuoso Pianolist by Rex Lawson on
the Other Minds label. I've never seen this in stores but you can get
it at the Other Minds Web site  <http://www.otherminds.org>.

Other Minds has also released a wonderful CD of previously unreleased
music by Conlon Nancarrow called Lost Music, Last Music.  There are
automated versions of some early works as well as the last four
pieces written after the Wergo set was recorded. These works are
performed on instruments designed by Trimpin (most, but not all, on
automated pianos), and are just about the first and only audio
recordings he's made of his own automated instruments. (Trimpin was
the person who designed a player piano to MIDI interface to
transcribe all of Nancarrow's Studies for Player Piano.) The album
also contains about 30 minutes of interview with Nancarrow (there's
about half an hour of music too). This may be more for Nancarrow
completists, but much of the music is very good.

I know a lot of folks really like the recently mentioned Ensemble
Modern disc, but I have major qualms about it.  As usual, the group
plays very well, & the recordings of works composed for live
performers are quite good. I think Yvar Mikhashoff's transcriptions
of Nancarrow's Studies for chamber ensemble are much too slow (the
selection heard on the CD last more than 1.5 times as long as the
versions for player piano) and the orchestrations are all too often
simply corny.

I guess it's interesting as a way to hear the distinct lines of the
various canons more clearly, but since so much of Nancarrow's music
was based on the timbral effects of speed and sound of player pianos,
these pieces seem to be to be analogous to a black & white movie
that's been colorized.  They just seem to make more sense to me as
automated piano works.

Brian asked about music by William Duckworth other than Time Curve
Preludes. There's nothing I know of recorded by Duckworth that comes
close to this piece in it's combination of structure and content.
Both Southern Harmony, a choral work loosely (sometimes VERY loosely)
based on shape-note hymns, and Thirty -One Days, for saxophone, are
good, and there's a good piece on a CD by pianist Lois Svard, but
none of these are as strong, for me, as Time Curve. I've heard a few
things live that I wish were recorded ().

Someone (Brian again?) asked, a long time back, about a CD by
composer Frank Denyer.  As far as I know, the only one available is
Finding Refuge in the Remains on Etcetera. I'll dig it out & give it
another listen. I don't remember much about it, except that I thought
it was odd that he didn't play on it.

That's all I noticed that didn't seem to be covered by some one else
by the time I got back to reading the backlog of digests round here.

Bests,

Herb
- --
Herb Levy
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:  P O Box 9369  Forth Wort, TX  76147
NEW PHONE: [phone]
same old e-mail: [e-mail]

- -

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 04:12:40 GMT
From: "Bill Ashline" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Sun Ra

I think if one can land a copy of the out of print "Live At Montreux," one
has achieved the high point of Sun Ra's prolific output.  But I agree with
Jon mostly that the 65-75 period stuff is the best, and my faves include
Cosmos, the Heliocentric Worlds, and the Solar Myth Approach.  I've been
wondering about getting the Ann Arbor releases "Life is Splendid" and "Outer
Space Employment Agency".  Any input on these would be appreciated.  If one
has a chance, one should certainly see the film "Space is the Place,"
perhaps the kitschiest piece of blaxploitation going.  When I was in NYC the
last time a year ago, I saw a vinyl copy of "Live at Montreux" sitting at
Other Music for a very steep price.  It may still be around.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com


- -

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 00:22:29 -0400
From: Matt Laferty <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Sun Ra

I have to agree with Bill about "Live at Montreux" as one of the best...it's got
the range and sounds damn good.  I lucked out and found a fairly cheap copy on
an online auction...but I guess that there's little point talking about an
unknown record.

I have good luck turning non-jazzers on to the Ra with the Impulse "Space is the
Place" and "jazzers" or at least more trad ones seem to appreciate "Outer Planes
of There"

matt

Bill Ashline wrote:

> I think if one can land a copy of the out of print "Live At Montreux," one
> has achieved the high point of Sun Ra's prolific output.  But I agree with
> Jon mostly that the 65-75 period stuff is the best, and my faves include
> Cosmos, the Heliocentric Worlds, and the Solar Myth Approach.  I've been
> wondering about getting the Ann Arbor releases "Life is Splendid" and "Outer
> Space Employment Agency".  Any input on these would be appreciated.  If one
> has a chance, one should certainly see the film "Space is the Place,"
> perhaps the kitschiest piece of blaxploitation going.  When I was in NYC the
> last time a year ago, I saw a vinyl copy of "Live at Montreux" sitting at
> Other Music for a very steep price.  It may still be around.
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
> -


- -

------------------------------

End of Zorn List Digest V2 #904
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