Re: Paul Dresher / Was Re: essential loop recordings

[Kim Flint <kflint@loopers-delight.com>]

At 09:45 AM 6/27/2003, Richard Zvonar wrote:
>At 10:06 PM -0700 6/26/03, Kim Flint wrote:
>>you mentioned a couple of other albums featuring Paul's looping in the 
>>early 80's - Way of How and Are/Are. But I don't see them on Paul's 
>>discography. Are these still available anywhere? and if you are familiar 
>>with all of these, do you think those two are a better representation of 
>>his looping style of the time, or would "This Same Temple" be a better 
>choice?
>
>I don't know if either of these was ever released as an "album" though 
>there was a cassette version of "The Way of How." You'd probably have to 
>approach Paul directly to get a copy.

For the essential listening page, I think we should use something that 
people can actually get relatively easily. So "This Same Temple" seems 
like 
a good choice for that. Since I guess you actually have it, can I get you 
to write up a little review for the page?

>As to what is "a better representation of his looping style of the time" 
>I'd say that you'd really want to listen to both the material on "This 
>Same Temple" and "The Way of How." It's clearly the same composer working 
>with the same technology, but with different source material in the 
>ensemble work. Note that Paul was a member of George Coates Performance 
>Works for three productions, the third of which did not use the loop 
>system. He then formed the Paul Dresher Ensemble with drummer Gene 
>Reffkin 
>and writer-performer Rinde Eckert in 1985. The loop system was essential 
>to their first production "Slow Fire" and is another representative 
>recording.

wow, I actually have "Slow Fire". I bought it used years ago and forgot 
about it. (it's even autographed!) I went and listened to it again just 
now. It's really something how intricate the looping is on this. Paul was 
way, way beyond the sound texture thing at that point. He smoothly creates 
multiple parts with a lot of interlocking harmonic and rhythmic elements, 
and mixes the different loops on the fly for different song sections. He 
even grabs bits of Rinde Eckert's vocals into the loops. The music is 
composed, and it's cool to hear how precise it all comes out. It would be 
easy to think it was pre recorded samples being triggered by a sequencer, 
but it if you listen you can tell it's all live. I think that really gives 
it a better energy than pre sampled stuff ever has. The cd was actually 
recorded in 1992, so maybe they updated some aspects of it between 1985 
and 
then. If they were doing it exactly like that in 1985, that would be 
really 
amazing. "Slow Fire" would be good to include along with "This Same 
Temple" 
for the essential listening.

kim



______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                     | Looper's Delight
kflint@loopers-delight.com    | http://www.loopers-delight.com