Once again, it was my pleasure to fill in on Gerry Koster's Dizzy Atmosphere @PBSFM.
Where did we go? Well, in light of the new Australian Art Orchestra release, Hand to Earth, I thought I'd start by revisiting some projects that the AAO musical director Peter Knight has participated in and created. Over the years - I became aware of Peter's work through the listen / here record label in 2013 - Peter has participated and directed a multitude of diverse and engaging musical projects. Peter's engagement with electronics and processing really interest me, as I feel these processes can create some truly amazing musical forms. In the right hands. We opened with a track from 2012 album Fish Boast of Fishing.
There's two other threads within this bracket too. Brothers Daniel and David Wilfred. Both Yolgnu, they sing on the new AAO release and with the Paul Grabowsky directed Monash Art Ensemble, featuring Peter on trumpet. Though, more than sing, they invite us into their culture. Daniel and David also featured on the two volume AAO releases Crossing Roper Bar I & II. Those voices - they sing time. Embody awe. Humility. Closing the bracket with Way Out West, introducing amongst others, Dung Nguyen - he appears on a track later on in the show.
Then we get Northern European. Revisiting two sublime ECM releases, sandwiching a piece from the new Trondheim Jazz Orchestra album, om du reser mycket. I discovered TJO through trawling Rutger Zuyderveldt's projects, he's a favourite Dutch electronic musician and is perhaps better known as Machinefabriek. He did the cover design. The music is brash, exciting, detailed and pretty damned hip. Equal analogue and techalogued.
The ECM pieces - one spacious, sparse, Dans Les Arbres piece; and a cover of the maestro of melancholy Henry Purcell, by Susanna Wallumrød and friends.Tom Barton is a great vocalist and has an awesome musical vocabulary. His musical arrangements are whack. Like really. Whack. Bold. Soaring. Crunching. Particularly on Wherever I Will Be - it's a strap yourself in kinda journey. He sandwiches Peter and Dung's Minky Star. Worth noting, he and Georgie Darvidis, who sings on Pearl Point, are Invenio alumni
This year has seen the decade celebration of Parenthèses Records - many congratulations to Alexis Courtin. I've enjoyed many of their visionary releases over this period. They have a couple of free compilations, 10... and ...10 celebrating their decade - do suss them out. Parenthèses have released Mark Cain's Cameos a multicultural Stephan Micusesque celebration of global instrumentation. Its beautifully spacious. Exploratory - like new sonic treasure. One of my true hybrid music faves is Residual by Peter Knight and Dung Nguyen - its a Parenthèses release. Released then - still totally now. Will be long ways for many tomorrows.
Closing with Juju. Originally from San Francisco they moved to hang with the Strata-East label community in New York. This label released Clifford Jordan's masterpiece, The Glass Bead Game. It's epic. Juju played live at Ornette Coleman's gallery and it was released as Live At 131 Prince Street. We closed the night with Rosalie/Juju's Door - however, I had to fade it. Bummer. Time ran out. It's a languid, shimmering piece that unfold's into some seriously peaking music. This has been reissued as part of the K7 Strut reissue series featuring the likes of - Hamiet Bluiett, Byard Lancaster, Electric Jalaba, Sun Ra - mmm. Wow!
No comments:
Post a Comment