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    (AND OTHER NYC DOWNTOWN MUSICIANS)

    posts: [e-mail]    sub/unsub: [e-mail]

    *** BACK ISSUES of this digest can be obtained in 3 ways:
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                 put:  send #, where # is the issue you want

    DIGEST #75, 7-14-95
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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 11:17:34 1995
Subject: Cartoon Music

>And are there other similar, or related,  projects (related to "cartoon
>music" ) by Zorn or other jazz musicians ???

I haven't heard a lot of the Carl Stalling recordings (except, of course,
when I used to sit in front of the tube on Saturday AM :-), but what I did
hear didn't come close to comparing to Raymond Scott, who composed many of
the themes later licensed for use in WB cartoons, including "Powerhouse",
which is probably the most famous.

Columbia released a compilation of his stuff a few years ago called
"Reckless Nights and Turkish Twilights."  I think it is all much more
interesting performed by a jazz quintet than an orchestra, although I
probably should go listen to some of those Stalling CDs again...

ObZorn: Have you heard that new DIW album by John Patton, featuring Zorn on
Alto (and co-production)?  It's called "Minor Swing", and it's very nice;
fairly straight organ-jazz quartet, including a "sometime-drummer" for
Masada, whose last name I believe is Wolleson(?).  Not the frenzied blowing
that many people love Zorn for, but a good example of his versatility.

--
joe germuska * [e-mail] * www * res hall net * instruct tech
      academic computing & network services * northwestern univ
"The problem with computers is there isn't enough Africa in them." -- Eno

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 11:19:37 1995
Subject: Carl Stalling Project

Those of you who enjoyed the Carl Stalling Project may be happy to know
that a second volume has recently been released. I haven't had the scratch
to buy it yet, but reviews have it being a more coherent, respectful
collection than Vol. 1.  Here is the info from CDNow:

STALLING*CARL PROJECT -- VOL. 2-MUSIC FROM WARNER BROS.
  1939-57


Tracks:

   1. ZOOM & BORED                   (6:06)
   2. STAGE FRIGHT                   (4:07)
   3. THE HIGH & THE FLIGHTY         (5:36)
   4. BAD SWISS BAND                 (0:36)
   5. MARCHING PINK ELEPHANTS        (1:45)
   6. THE SLAP HOPPY MOUSE           (6:31)
   7. ORCHESTRA GAG                  (0:44)
   8. VARIATION ON GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK (0:11)
   9. VARIATION ON CHINATOWN MY CHINATOWN (0:09)
  10. VARIATION ON LUCKY DAY         (0:27)
  11. WIND-UP DOLL                   (0:45)
  12. GUIDED MUSCLE                  (5:53)
  13. FALL & SPLAT (SFX)             (0:02)
  14. GHOST WANTED                   (3:55)
  15. THE UNEXPECTED PEST            (6:21)
  16. DRUNK LA CUCARACHA             (3:13)
  17. FLEA-RIDDEN SHEEP DOG          (0:24)
  18. GOLF CUE                       (0:25)
  19. BARBARY COAST BUNNY            (6:21)
  20. SATAN'S WAITIN' (EXCERPT)      (2:17)
  21. RUBBER DOG                     (0:55)
  22. PAPPY'S PUPPY                  (5:08)
  23. VARIATIONS ON LA DANZA         (1:28)
  24. VARIATIONS ON JOHANN STRAUSS   (1:32)
  25. KANGAROO (SFX)                 (0:03)
  26. MOUSETAKEN IDENTITY            (6:03)
  27. VARIATIONS ON MEXICAN HAT DANCE (3:05)
  28. FRAZZLED COYOTE                (1:54)

Category: TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK COLLECTIONS
WEA/WARNER BROTHERS  7599 45430 4


Regards,
-Bruce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~L. Bruce Higgins
                                                   [e-mail]
Well, I got hip, got wet, with the jet set
But they were flying too high to see my point of view...

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 11:45:59 1995
Subject: Re: ZORN DIGEST #74

On Wed, 12 Jul 1995 10:05:39 -0400  [e-mail] wrote:
>
> >From [e-mail]  Tue Jul 11 16:26:15 1995
> Subject: Laswell's VALIS??
>
>
> might be completely wrong here, but I thought I'd heard that Bill Laswell
> was releasing an album called VALIS.  being rather fond of Philip K.
> Dick, I was looking forward to its release.  However, I've come across
> nothing in my searching.  Have any of you folks heard anything about such
> a release?

I guess that you know about VALIS by Tod Machover. The Laswell project
surprises me a little bit, but I am sure that Jeff is gonna give us the
answer soon.

    Patrice.

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 11:54:25 1995
Subject: Re: ZORN DIGEST #74

On Wed, 12 Jul 1995 10:05:39 -0400  [e-mail] wrote:
>
> >From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 01:50:48 1995
> Subject: "The Carl Stalling Project"
>
>
> I have never seen this CD anywhere in France. But I've heard a lot
> about it. Is it commonly available in the US ? Is it under John Zorn's
> name ?

Can't be under Zorn's name because Zorn's involvement is only in
writing the liner notes. All the music is by Stalling.

As far as availability, still it once in a while.

There is also the second volume but I have never listened to it.

> I'm going to spend a few days in NYC and then LA during the summer. Any
> suggestion for good CD stores to go look (other than Tower Records) ???

For NY, check DOWNTOWN MUSIC GALLERY at

        211 East 5th Street
        New York, N.Y. 10003
        Tel: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        e-mail: [e-mail]

>
> Also, as far as I can remember, C. Stalling composed a lot of music
> for animated films. What did Zorn do with it ? Is it a collection of
> new interpretations of older musical themes ? Or a jazzier version ?

Again, this is not a Zorn record (but could be :-).

> And are there other similar, or related,  projects (related to "cartoon
> music" ) by Zorn or other jazz musicians ???
>

If you like that stuff, you should definitely check David Shea and
specially his first record:

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

*** - SHOCK CORRIDOR: David Shea

  Anthony Coleman: piano, organ; Shelley Hirsch: voice, electronics; Ikue
  Mori: drum machine; Zeena Parkins: electric harp; Jim Pugliese: percussion;
  David Shea: turntables, sampler, voice, jaw harp, harmonica; Jim Staley:
  trombone, didjeridu.

    1992 - Avant (Japan), Avan 013 (CD)

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

If I remember well, his last one on Sub Rosa (I am not talking about PRISONER)
is also ... very cartoonish.

    Patrice.

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 12:28:06 1995
Subject: Carl Stalling Project (fwd)

> > I was just wondering, has anybody heard "The Carl Stalling Project" which

> Zorn's notes are entertaining and insightful, although John Zorn claims
> to hate this album and is angry with being involved in it.  He said that
> the person at Warner Bros who put this disc together took the liberty of
> rearranging the compositions, sewing parts of one piece together with
> snippets of others - something Zorn would never tolerate if it were done
> to his own work.  Zorn thinks this guy figured that since Stalling was
> dead that "no one would give a fuck about it."

There is a second volume out now, again produced by Hal Willner.  This one
provides complete pieces.  In the liners, Willner acknowledges the
criticism of the first disc, but defends it, and personally believes that
Stalling would've approved.

However philisophically objectionable (I'm not sure where I stand),
musically it works, and both are worth getting.  The music is quite unique.
And if you're new to Stalling's work, you may also want to check out the
CDs available preseenting the work of Raymond Scott, whose themes Stalling
often borrowed to work into his scores.  Very good and distinctive also -
Simultaneously cartoony and jazzy, yet truly neither, and completely unlike
other musics of the 30s and 40s.  You may have heard some of it on Ren &
Stimpy or various other TV/films scenes.  Recordings are on Columbia and
Stash.
--
Vincent Kargatis                           Code 631
Archive Scientist, Hughes STX/NSSDC        Goddard Space Flight Center
PH   301-286-6128                          Greenbelt MD 20771
FAX  [phone]                 e-mail:  [e-mail]

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 12:43:52 1995
Subject: Re: ZORN DIGEST #74

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 01:50:48 1995
>Subject: "The Carl Stalling Project"

>Hi,

>I have never seen this CD anywhere in France. But I've heard a lot
>about it. Is it commonly available in the US ? Is it under John Zorn's
>name ?

>I'm going to spend a few days in NYC and then LA during the summer. Any
>suggestion for good CD stores to go look (other than Tower Records) ???

>Also, as far as I can remember, C. Stalling composed a lot of music
>for animated films. What did Zorn do with it ? Is it a collection of
>new interpretations of older musical themes ? Or a jazzier version ?

>And are there other similar, or related,  projects (related to "cartoon
>music" ) by Zorn or other jazz musicians ???

>Thanks, Remi.


>--
>Remi Ronfard         (e-mail:  [e-mail] )

Zorn only wrote the liner notes to the Carl Stalling Project.  The music is
Warner Bros. sountracks with no dialouge.

Todd

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 13:52:08 1995
Subject: correction dammit

    In Zorn Digest #74, Mitchel from Epiphany concurred with Matt's
opinion that the Carl Stalling Project disc is better than a home remedy
otter spleen oil treatment for a ruptured vertebrae.  And I  would agree
too- this disc is entertaining, fascinating, and nostalgia inducing for
saturday morning childhoods spent 2 inches from the tv with toxic blood
sugar levels.  BUT BE WARNED-  The new versions of The Carl Stallling
Project are SANITIZED of all evidence of Zorn's presence.  He has been
removed from all credits; and his liner notes are gone.  To get the first
pressing, look for it used.  On the back of the first pressing it says:
Produced by John Zorn; and on the second it says Produced by Jack Nobody.

Good luck- the liner notes are a great, but don't just buy any copy
expecting to find them.  Just like with girlfriends, religions and drugs-
shop as usual, and avoid panic buying.

This may be of interest to people living in my hometown, Chapel Hill- look
for the Verbs of Prey show on local acess cable- our new segment is Beavis
and Buckethead ("You RULE!  Play that Praxis thing again!")

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Dr. Sammy Otix, VOP  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 14:20:45 1995
Subject: Re: ZORN DIGEST #74

>>From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 01:50:48 1995
>Subject: "The Carl Stalling Project"
>
>And are there other similar, or related,  projects (related to "cartoon
>music" ) by Zorn or other jazz musicians ???
>
>Thanks, Remi.

Hi!

The Kronos Quartet album "Short Stories", features a composition by Zorn called
"Cat O'Nine Tails (Tex Avery directs the Marquis de Sade)" which has a lot of
cartoon music-feeling to it. It's about nine minutes long if I remember
correctly, and bloody great! (The entire album is great, btw!)

Check it out!

Johan

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 14:23:55 1995
Subject: Re: ZORN DIGEST #74

Hi everybody!

Is there anyone out there who is familiar with Eugene Chadbourne? I've heard a
tune he played and I've read some about him. He seems really interesting. Seems
like his been working a lot with Zorn in the past.

I'd be greatful for any info, like what albums to check out, etc...

Thanks in advance,

Johan

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 21:16:29 1995
Subject: Re: ZORN DIGEST #74

>From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 01:50:48 1995
>Subject: "The Carl Stalling Project"
>
>Hi,
>
>I have never seen this CD anywhere in France. But I've heard a lot
>about it. Is it commonly available in the US ? Is it under John Zorn's
>name ?
>
>I'm going to spend a few days in NYC and then LA during the summer. Any
>suggestion for good CD stores to go look (other than Tower Records) ???
>
>Also, as far as I can remember, C. Stalling composed a lot of music
>for animated films. What did Zorn do with it ? Is it a collection of
>new interpretations of older musical themes ? Or a jazzier version ?
>
>And are there other similar, or related,  projects (related to "cartoon
>music" ) by Zorn or other jazz musicians ???
>
>Thanks, Remi.

Actually, there are now 2 Carl Stalling Discs out.. they are:
1) the Carl Stalling Project (Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1936-58)
    <1990 Warner Bros. 9 26027-2>
2) the Carl Stalling Project Volume 2 (More  Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons
1949-57)
    <1995 Warner Bros. 9 45430-2> that was just released in April '95.

and yes,  they are definitely reccomended.

And while in NY, you should not miss "Downtown Music Gallery".  I don't have
their address as i've never been there personally, but i do mail order from
them for zorn items from time to time and they always have it first!  With
everyone else generally getting new items (such as the masada discs) about
2-3 months later.  Their price might be a $dollar higher, but they are
definitely worth it.  I'm sure someone will post their address if prompted.

hope this helps,
[e-mail]

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 22:14:11 1995
Subject: Re: Carl Stalling Project

Mitchell writes:

>
> I wholeheartedly agree with Matt that this album is incredible and
> Zorn's notes are entertaining and insightful, although John Zorn claims
> to hate this album and is angry with being involved in it.  He said that
> the person at Warner Bros who put this disc together took the liberty of
> rearranging the compositions, sewing parts of one piece together with
> snippets of others - something Zorn would never tolerate if it were done
> to his own work.  Zorn thinks this guy figured that since Stalling was
> dead that "no one would give a fuck about it."
>

Vol. 2 has been out for a few months now.  I prefer it to the first, in
part because the tracks are as Stalling recorded them.  As nifty as Vol.
1 is, Stalling's own juxtapositions are far more interesting than the
posthumous ones on Vol. 1.

Chris Hamilton
Dept. of Philosophy
University of Pittsburgh
[e-mail]

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From [e-mail]  Wed Jul 12 23:30:21 1995
Subject: Re: Laswell's VALIS??

>might be completely wrong here, but I thought I'd heard that Bill Laswell
>was releasing an album called VALIS.  being rather fond of Philip K.
>Dick, I was looking forward to its release.  However, I've come across
>nothing in my searching.  Have any of you folks heard anything about such
>a release?

It's out on the Subharmonic label.  It is being billed as a "trip-hop"
collection, although the liner notes focus on the importance of the DJ.
Lots of scratching, some interesting noise things, some dubby stuff.  I
don't think it will remind you of Philip K. Dick.

Jeff Spirer   [e-mail]
Axiom Web Site: http://www.hyperreal.com/axiom/
``We all enter this world in the same way: naked; screaming; soaked in
blood. But if you live your life right, that kind of thing doesn't have to
stop there."-- Dana Gould

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From [e-mail]  Thu Jul 13 00:54:30 1995
Subject: RE: Laswell's VALIS?

> might be completely wrong here, but I thought I'd heard that Bill Laswell
> was releasing an album called VALIS.  being rather fond of Philip K.
> Dick, I was looking forward to its release.  However, I've come across
> nothing in my searching.  Have any of you folks heard anything about such
> a release?
>
Yep, I bought it two weeks ago.  The album is called VALIS 1: DESTRUCTION
OF SYNTAX.  I'm not sure what the PKD connection is, if any.  Basically
it's Laswell's foray into trip hop, with a little dub and jungle thrown
in to make it totally trendy.  Although it appears to be a compilation,
with different artists listed next to the track titles (DJ Spooky,
Automaton, DXT, Corporal Blossom, etc.), it's got the unmistakable
sound of a Laswell production, for better or worse.  If you are a fan
of the Divination releases, you'd probably like this one.  I personally
found the music less interesting than the liner notes, an essay by DJ Spooky
called "Flow My Blood the DJ Said."  It puts the art of the DJ in a
cultural context.  A short excerpt:

"Hip-hop accepts no barriers.  It is a soundtrack for an absent film,
a theater of the rhyme coupled with a theater of the mind.  The
sampler becomes a time machine in this picture, the record becomes
a meme of metastasis.  The mixed tape becomes a route of the divine
unbecoming of the profane.  These are all signifiers of European
technology being put to an African use, of time unbecoming Time.
The DJ is a reality hacker, a trickster breaking down people's codes
of consciousness, reinscribing their perceptual base.  In this role
the DJ is the new interface, the new trickster of the crossroads.  In
form, the mix that a DJ creates is a fluid dialectic pulling together
an architecture of shards of recorded musical expression blended and
whorled together, as an equivalent of verbal and non-verbal time travel
on association lines.  At the core of dj'ing lies a mode of broken
or syncopated manipulation to permit inclusive or simultaneous perception
of a total or diversified field of representation.  Such indeed is
symbolism by definition - a collocation, a parataxis.  Hip-hop is open
to the unbecomings of the future.  The earliest MC's and DJ's all
plagiarised their material from the collective unconsciousness, the
data-cloud of the records and songs of all the recorded material of
the information space of electro-culture and in the process broke the
laws of what constitued intellectual property and copyright control laws.
Thus in a somewhat roundabout way Lautremont's prophetic phrase
"Plagiarism is necessary.  It implies progress," takes on a different
light when seen from the shattered ruins of the world-cities."

OK class, discuss amongst yourselves.  :-)

--
 Mark Turner
 [e-mail]

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From [e-mail]  Thu Jul 13 01:35:46 1995
Subject: Laswell's VALIS??

>From [e-mail]  Tue Jul 11 16:26:15 1995
Subject: Laswell's VALIS??

might be completely wrong here, but I thought I'd heard that Bill Laswell
was releasing an album called VALIS.  being rather fond of Philip K.
Dick, I was looking forward to its release.  However, I've come across
nothing in my searching.  Have any of you folks heard anything about such
a release?

Yes, VALIS I just came out a couple of weeks ago on Subharmonic.  It seems
Laswell has started a new Subharmonic thread as this release is not a
direct  continuation of the current set of releases.  Info as follows:

VCD 4400-2:  VALIS I:  Destruction of Syntax

Valis I is a mesh of samples, turntables, hip hop beats & electronics with
an occasional jazzy moment put in for good measure.  On top of this Laswell
lays down the ambience & basswork that are his trademarks.  It features DXT
(turntables on the "Rhythm" disc on Divination's "Akasha"), The Jungle
Brothers, and artists working under the names of Spectre, Corporal Blossom,
DJ Spooky etc. etc.  Names listed under Organized Props on the sleeve
include:  S.H. Fernando, The JB's, M.J. Harris, Nicky Skopelitis & Anton
Fier.  I'm not sure if these are the individuals involved in the music, who
may just be working under aliases . . . Anyone know???


-Patrick

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From [e-mail]  Thu Jul 13 01:40:43 1995
Subject: Carl Stalling

A second volume of Carl Stalling has just come out-and is even better
than the first.The albums should be easy to get as they are on
Warners(The Carl Stalling project Music from Warner Bros cartoons
1936-1958 Warner 9 26027-2 and now the Carl Stalling Project Project Vol
2 Warners 9 454302).
In volume 2,Hal Wilmer(co-producer) says the concept for the first volume
was to present the varied sides of Stallings works alternating full
scores with montages to create an album that worked like an audio
filmm.Some people thought they had put Stallings music in too accessible
a light.The second volume concept was to look at the full scores from a
number of films jumping a bit from old to new and occasionally instering
individual cues that were considered important and interesting."Since the
last volume the classica annimation film editor at Warners unearthed more
original tapes mostly from later scores that are wholly free of sound
effects and dialogue.Thought\ not always commplete they are magical to
listen to."
Wild stuff.
Also just picked up Hanna Barbera classics*Rhino R271887).


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Nigel Horrocks ([e-mail])    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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From [e-mail]  Thu Jul 13 02:31:25 1995
Subject: Art of Memory

Got The Art of Memory today.
Frith/Zorn live improv duo-guitar & alto.
Very nice stuff. Similar to their duos on Heretic, but much more elaborate.
Obviously influenced by European free improv, but not nearly as much as
Improvised Music New York 1981 or Yankees. There's none of that
pontillistic stuff-they're both playing A LOT most of the time.
It's amazing how much sound Fred can get from a guitar-he's moving big
chunks of noise around really gracefully, following Zorn's movements, and
doing self-dialogue when Zorn lays out.
Zorn's ability to get electronic music-type sounds out of his horn also
helps him blend with Frith's work-sometimes he'll sound like feedback on
top of a guitar riff.
This LP is like a postscript to the last couple Naked City LPs (Heretic &
Absinthe). John and Fred are exploring a lot of the same territory,
without the baggage of pop song forms which Naked City took on (although I
definitely find Zorn most interesting as a composer when he's working
with/around/against pop song forms, he's definitely at his best as a
player in a free setting like this).
I reccomend this LP, especially as a bridge for folks who came to Zorn
from a rock or jazz thang and are trying to get into the New Music or
European free improv stuff.

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From [e-mail]  Fri Jul 14 02:15:59 1995
Subject: Re: Daleth

Hello all -

can you repeat info on the Zorn 4th CD offer.

thanks
Mitch


***********************************************************

        "The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient
                 while nature cures the disease."    - Voltaire

Mitchell Bebel Stargrove, N.D., L.Ac.
AMR'TA: Alchemical Medicine Research and Teaching Association

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