Re: Recent Listenings

[Dave Trenkel <improv@peak.org>]

>Hi all,
>
>Just fer the heck o' it, here's what's been spinning on my CD player
>(and in my brain) the past coupla days.
>
>"Discord" by Ryuichi Sakamoto (featuring dt - aka SPLaTTeRCeLL)
>"Zero Gravity" Laika & the Cosmonauts (surf music from Finland)
>"Happy Ocean" by Pers Boysen (our own LD Swedish looper)
>"Undisonus" and "Ineo" 2 orchestral pieces by Terje Rypdal

What are these like? I was curious about what Rypdal would do with an 
orchestra...

>'Day of the Robot" by Buckethead (I still wonder who this guy really is)
>"Live at the Aquarium - London Zoo 21 May 1992" by Michael Brook
>
>What sortta interesting stuff are you folks listening to of late?
>
>

Lessseee:

The Mars Volta: Deloused in the Comatorium. Very interesting disc, 
it's like a mix of Steve Hackett-era Genesis with Soundgarden, only 
not nearly as atrocious as that sounds. One of the most openly 
prog-rock things I've heard on a major label in years, and damned 
good.

Serge Gainesbourg: Histoire de Melodie Nelson: From 1971, a 28 minute 
concept album. My French is nonexistent, so I don't quite get the 
concept, but a cool, cool sounding disc, understated funk with some 
amazing bass playing, Serge's voice ( think Leonard Cohen in French) 
and some very cool string arranging. The new Beck record (Sea Change) 
steals from this openly, and, as a result, is one of his (Beck's, 
that is) best.

Speaking of new Beck records, I just got the new Jeff Beck yesterday, 
haven't really had a chance to listen to it in depth yet, but it's 
definitely cool to see him working with David Torn. On the first spin 
while working, it seems similar to his last few discs, with the 
electronic elements a bit hipper than before. Inimitable guitar 
playing, of course.

Led Zeppelin: How the West Was Won (DVD and CD). So I grew up 
listening to Zeppelin, Dazed and Confused was one of the first bass 
lines I learned. These live performances point out just what an 
incredible band they were. Given how many terrible bands were 
inspired by Zeppelin, it's easy to forget how innovative they were at 
the time. On listening to these discs, I'm often surprised at how 
funky the Bonham/Jones rhythm section could be.

Joe Meek: I Hear a New World: recorded in 1960, this is a great lost 
pop masterpiece about space travel and life on the moon. Bizarre mix 
of easy listening and almost residents-esque sound manipulation. Like 
the Gainesbourg record above, I'm surprised it has taken me this long 
to discover this stuff.

Sun Ra: Nuits de Fondation Maeght, volumes 1 and 2. Newly re-issued 
live discs from 1970, from concerts in France. Great vintage Ra, just 
after he got his Minimoog, and pretty well recorded, by Ra standards.

recent interesting live stuff:
Oliver Mtukudzi and Black Spirits: Played for free in a park in 
Albany, Oregon, as part of the consistently surprising series of free 
concerts they do every summer. Great Zimbabwean pop, tightly 
interlocking guitar/bass/keyboard lines that seem like they could 
spin out to infinity.

Played a show in Eugene last friday with Surrounded by Ninjas, a 
Portland-based keyboard/DJ duo that do all improv electronica, and do 
so better than most I've seen attempt it. Used a repeater (finally, 
some looping content :-) and a few Kaos Pads to great effect. The 
best part was that for the last set, we did a free improv set with 
them and the members of my band, Eleven Eyes, and it was surprisingly 
successful, so much so that we;re trying to figure out a way to do it 
again. It was one of the better large-group (there were 8 of us on 
stage at the peak) improvs I've been involved in.