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Astor Piazzolla, Jorge Luis Borges - El Tango (1965)


Kim jest Astor Piazzolla chyba każdy szanujący się fan muzyki rozrywkowej wie ? Tak samo jak każdy szanujący się czytelnik wie kim jest Jorge Louis Borges, więc nie ma chyba sensu przedstawianie szczegółowo tych postaci. Zrobię to zatem w skrócie:

Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992 r. w Buenos Aires) – kompozytor tanga argentyńskiego, wirtuoz bandoneonu, tanguero.

Astor Piazzolla był jedynym dzieckiem Vincentego Piazzolli i Asunty Mainetti, emigrantów, którzy przyjechali do Argentyny z miejscowości Trani we Włoszech. W 1925 r. rodzina przeniosła się do Nowego Jorku, gdzie mieszkali do 1936 r.

W 1929 r. Piazzolla dostał od ojca pierwszy bandoneon, a cztery lata później podjął naukę u Beli Wildy, wybitnego węgierskiego pianisty, ucznia Siergieja Rachmaninowa. Piazzolla powiedział o nim później: dzięki niemu pokochałem Bacha. W 1934 r. zagrał w filmie El Día Que Me Quieras razem z Carlosem Gardelem, królem klasycznego tanga.

Po powrocie do Argentyny, w roku 1939, zaczął grać w zespole Aníbala Troilo – najsłynniejszej wówczas orkiestry grającej tango. Po śmierci Tróili Piazzolla zaczął karierę solową. W 1954 r. otrzymał stypendium, dzięki któremu wyjechał do Paryża, by kształcić się u Nadii Boulanger. To ona nauczyła Piazzollę czerpać z ojczystej muzyki i skierowała jego uwagę na tango. Międzynarodową sławę Piazzolla zdobył na początku lat 80., gdy tworzył z Quinteto Tango Nuevo, założonym w 1976 r. Koncertował z tą grupą do 1989 r., a potem skoncentrował się na koncertach na bandoneon solo z orkiestrą. Piazzola osiągnął sukcesy muzyczne w Stanach Zjednoczonych w latach 80. W 1990 roku jego kariera została przerwana przez udar mózgu. Zmarł dwa lata później w Buenos Aires.

Oryginalny styl stworzony przez Piazzollę znany jest pod nazwą „nuevo tango”. Nie jest to tango przeznaczone do tańczenia, lecz kunsztownie stylizowana muzyka do słuchania (podobnie jak wcześniej tango Igora Strawinskiego). Charakterystyczne jest dla niego nawiązanie do baroku: do formy passacaglii, do barokowego kontrapunktu w sposób nasuwający skojarzenie z fugą. Rytm tanga bywa wyraźny, ale równocześnie ulega wyraźnym zakłóceniom. Harmonia również odbiega od tradycji, dzięki chromatyce, a nawet dysonującej chromatyce. Częste są nawiązania do jazzu. Stosowane są również niekonwencjonalne sposoby gry (jak w sonoryzmie), charakterystyczne dla brzmienia są glissanda. Wyraźnie zachowana jest natomiast charakterystyczna dla tanga atmosfera pewnej melancholii.

"Nuevo tango" stanowiło tak daleko posunięte przetworzenie tanga tradycyjnego, że wielu argentyńczyków do tego stopnia nie mogło się pogodzić z takim sposobem potraktowania ich narodowego tańca, że kompozytor spotykał się nawet z przejawami agresji. (wiki)


Jorge Luis Borges urodził się w Buenos Aires w 1899 roku gdzie również zmarł w 1986 roku. W rok wybuch pierwszej wojny światowej Jorge Borges wyjechał wraz z rodziną do Europy gdzie się uczył i zdobył maturę. W 1921 roku wrócił do Argentyny. Na życie Borgesa wielki wpływ miała jego matka. Pisarz większość życia spędził w bibliotece gdzie pracował w Buenos Aires. Kiedy Borges został dyrektorem argentyńskiej Biblioteki Narodowej z której został zwolniony przez dyktatora Perona z krytykę jego reżimu. Borges w późniejszych latach został profesorem literatury angielskiej na uniwersytecie w Buenos Aires. Przez bardzo długi okres Jorge Borges był kandydatem do Nagrody Nobla. Do najważniejszych dział Borgesa należą: „Powszechna historia nikczemności” (1935), „Fikcje” (1944,1956), „Twórca” (1960), „Kroniki Bustosa Domecqa” (1967), „Pochwała cienia” (1969), „Raport Brodiego” (1970). Broges stworzył sobie swój własny świat. Odkrył że biblioteka i system katalogowania są świetnym wyobrażeniem porządku przy tworzeniu wymyślonych światów. W zbudowanym przez siebie kosmosie wszystko wydawało się możliwe. Borges mieszał teksty naukowe z fikcyjnymi, tworząc nowych autorów dla starych książek lub dopisując fragmenty do różnych dzieł jak na przykład „Historia naturalna” Pliniusza. Barges odkrył, że tworzenie obszernych dzieł jest pracochłonną i wyniszczającą ekstrawagancją. Pisał notatki o książkach wyobrażonych. Stąd między innymi tytuł „Fikcje”. Pisarz cierpiał na postępująca ślepotę dlatego musiał swoje utwory dyktować przez co stały się krótsze dzięki czemu zaczął używać krótszych form bardzo często były nimi parabole.

Astor Piazzolla - bandoneon y dirección musical
Edmundo Rivero - voz (cantando)
Luis Medina Castro - voz (poesía, recitado)
Jaime Gosis – piano
Oscar Lopez Ruiz - guitarra
Roberto Fillippo – oboe
Margarita Zamek – arpa
Antonio Yepes - timbales y xilofon
Leo Jacobson - guiro y percusion
Antonio Agri – primer violín
Hugo Baralis - segundo violin
Mario Lalli – viola
José Bragato – cello
Kicho Diaz - bajo

In 1965, Borges and Astor Piazzolla collaborated on an album of tangos and milongas called El Tango. For whatever reason, it was allowed to go out of print and was never transferred onto CD. In 1996, Emmanuel Chamboredon and Envar el Kari decided to “rescue” this work, and they recommissioned a new recording. To assemble and conduct the sizable musical ensemble, Daniel Binelli was chosen – the very bandoneón player who worked with Piazzolla and Borges on the original record. The result was Borges & Piazzolla: Tangos and Milogas, featuring the Argentine singer Jairo and the Chilean actor Lito Cruz, with Daniel Binelli himself on the bandoneón.

And what can I possibly say except “Thank heaven they did this?” Borges & Piazzolla is a wonderful accomplishment, one of those rare albums that seems truly charmed, brimming over with exuberance, wit, and passion. (Be warned: I am about to launch into an unabashed rave.)

When I first got this CD, I played it casually as I was working, just to get a preliminary feel for it. And while I certainly enjoyed it, I must say that most of it passed unnoticed, slipping by my busy and diverted mind. The next night I went out on the town, and as fate would have it, I was carousing with a few friends. (OK, so it’s not exactly stabbing a gaucho to death in a bordello, but nevertheless I did have a certain mind-set.) On my way home I started up my Discman, thinking I had a Beck CD in the player.

Much to my surprise, the unmistakable bars of a Piazzolla tango began. Maybe it was the chilly night with its full moon; maybe it was the walk home through the streets of the city; maybe it was just the result of a few drinks – but suddenly the album gripped me and wouldn’t let me go. In fact, I delayed my arrival home just to finish the CD, mesmerized on the steps of the local library, my head full of knife fights, mysterious candillos, and the romantic streets of a mythical BA. The next day I played it again, and then again, and since then I have not been able to get it out of my player.

Borges & Piazzolla is a short disc, but one that covers a lot of musical ground. Comprised of six stand-alone pieces and a suite based on the story “El hombre de la esquina rosada,” the work calls for a narrator, a singer, and no less than twelve musicians. And while this might sound a bit unwieldy, the whole thing works marvelously, combining elements of a tango band with a chamber ensemble, blending poetry with song, and all delivered with flawless virtuosity, seamless integration and an irrepressible enthusiasm.

The disc starts off with one of the most ambitious pieces, “El tango.” Constructed as a “musical poem,” the band backs Lito Cruz as he delivers a theatrical reading of Borges’ poem. The music is a whirlwind of color and texture, spiked with improvised effects that range from scratching nails across metal guiros, thumping instruments for percussion, and crazy sounding “glissés” gleefully ripped from shrieking strings. While the band in The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night was instructed to evoke tangueros playing in a whorehouse, this band seems more suited to a madhouse, and the frenetic energy of the music is perfectly echoed in the urgency Cruz brings to his verses. This is followed by “Jacinto Chiclana,” a milonga that calms things down with a beautiful melody touched off by a gently rolling Spanish guitar. This marks the first appearance of Jairo, a singer with a resumé that includes previous Borges collaborations and a seductive voice that touches every line with trembling passion. As the guitar gives way to a gorgeous violin melody, Jairo delivers the middle stanza in spoken word, underscoring the drama of Borges’ verse. The next song is “Alguien le dice al tango.” The most traditional work in the collection, this spirited tango winds down to a lovely hush before disappearing in a sudden flourish. “El títere” then emerges on a manic tune played on the bandoneón, accompanied by a scratching riff that recalls the opening number. It is one of the most energetic songs on the album, filled with stuttering musical runs, sudden stops, and strings that whistle like sirens. It is followed by “A don Nicanor Paredes,” my personal favorite. A milonga, the dramatic music weaves around Jairo’s lush voice, occasionally falling into perfect moments of pure chamber music. It is a dark song, a romantic evocation of a vanished candillo, touched by melancholy and a slight taste of bitter nostalgia. The final song, “Oda intima a Buenos Aires,” is labeled a “porteno ode” and brings back the narrator. It is also, according to Piazzolla, the most vocally audacious piece – to the narrator is added a large chorus of chanting men and wailing women. The result is a song charged with a sentimental grandeur possessing all the nutty beauty of an old Spaghetti Western score. While this could certainly sound campy, or at least parodistic, there is a certain level of “audacious” honesty present which successfully carries off the effect and draws the listener inside.

The final work on the disc is the multi-part suite, “El hombre de la esquina rosada,” a setting of the story often translated as “Streetcorner Man.” (Or, more properly, “Man on Pink Corner.”) Here we have Piazzolla in experimental mode again, and the work spans a lot of territory over its seven parts, even dipping a toe into the waters of serialism. Back again are the joyful bevy of effects, the scratching, the thwacking pizzicati, the whirring glissés. But here they sound less frenetic, more focused, and the twelve-piece band propels the work along with a sure and steady confidence. The vocal parts, too, are more mannered, especially the harshness of the narration in “Aparición de real” and the unresolved edginess Jairo brings to “Rosendo y la Lujanera.”

For a Borges fan looking to explore the world of Argentine music, I can’t imagine a better start than this disc. Though Valeria Munarriz covers many of these songs on her Chante Jorge Luis Borges – and she carries them off wonderfully – I still prefer these versions. Although whether you prefer a male or female singer may be a matter of taste, Binelli’s band is more comfortable with the complexity and energy inherent in the music, and they play more in the spirit of Piazzolla’s own recordings. The recording quality is excellent – each instrument and effect comes through with crystal clarity, and the vocals are rich, warm, and perfectly positioned. The bilingual liner notes helpfully reprint Piazzolla’s commentary from the 1965 recording, supporting that with remarks from Laura Escalada Piazzolla, María Kodama, and Daniel Binelli. There are also small biographies on Daniel Binelli, Jairo and Lito Cruz. Curiously absent, however, are the actual lyrics – a serious oversight I find difficulty to understand, given the excellence brought to all other facets of the project. I would also have welcomed some explanation as to why the original 1965 El Tango is no longer available.



Before commenting on this record’s music I would like you to know what it means to me to be a collaborator of Jorge Luis Borges. The responsibility has been big, but even larger the compensation when I learned that a poet of his magnitude identified himself with all my tunes – and it will be even greater if you share that feeling.

The music for “El hombre de la esquina rosada” was composed in march, 1960, in New York City. The work came out of an idea by choreographer Ana Itelman, who adapted sentences from Borges’ short story. The score is for narrator, singer, and 12 instruments.

The musical treatment ranges from the simplest tango essence to hints of dodecaphonic music. The music for Jorge Luis Borges’ poem “El Tango” has been especially composed following and respecting its contents. This gave me the opportunity to experiment with aleatoric music in the percussion scores. The recording has been made exclusively by my quintet, which means noises you hear were made solely with their instruments. The violin produces a percussive effect by hitting the end of its handle with a ring, doing “pizzicati” with “glissé,” imitating a siren with a “glissé” on the string, imitating sandpaper with the end of the bow behind the bridge and a drum by doing “pizzicati” with the nails between two strings. The electric guitar imitates a bongo, sirens with “glissé” effects, add minor seconds and strange effects with six strings open behind the bridge. The pianist hits treble and bass notes with the palms of his hands, and with his fists on the lower notes. The bassist hits the back part of his instrument with the palm of his hand, makes “glissés” on the bass strings and hits four strings with his bow. Bandoneón imitates a bongo by hitting the box with the left annular finger. It also has, on a side, a sort of metallic guiro to be scratched with a nail. All these effects were improvised to introduce so-called aleatoric music into tango.

The milonga “Jacinto Chiclana,” the tango “Alguien le dice al tango,” and the tango-milonga “El títere” are the simplest tunes in this recording. Simple because they simply follow the spirit of Jorge Luis Borges’ poems.
”Jacinto Chiclana” has the spirit of a milonga played with guitar, that is, the type of improvised milonga.
”Alguien le dice al tango” can be considered, melodically and harmonically, within the 1940s style, and “El títere” could be defined as the prototype of light, joyful and “compadrón” rhythm of the turn of the century.
Due to its dramatic contents, I have composed “A don Nicanor Paredes” on an 8-bar measure of Gregorian chant and resolving the melodic part without artificial modernism – everything very simple, deeply felt and honest.

The “Oda intima a Buenos Aires,” composed for singer, narrator, choir and orchestra, is perhaps the most audacious of all tunes for singing. Despite that, its melodic line is simple. It begins in ascending chromatic mode and ends up in descending chromatic mode.

To all . . . my thanks for having the opportunity to make this record.--- Astor Piazzolla

(source)
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Koi Pond - So Higher (2012)


Ciekawe trio z Nowego Jorku eksperymentujące z psychodelicznymi brzmieniami, które zadebiutowało kasetą "Volcano" wydaną w 2008 roku. Kolejne ich wydawnictwo to właśnie "So Higher", album wypełniony bez reszty ciężkim jammowaniem, konkretny oraz wciągający styk improwizacji i solidnie zagranej psychodelii.



Koi Pond is comprised of 3 friends who get together when the time is right to do what is known to many band participants as “jamming”. This term may be a bit harsh on your eyes, but when friends David Aron, Arik Roper and Pete Vogl some together to “jam”, its an epic dense solid session of heavy playing. Koi Pond originally released a cassette on Night People entitled Volcano, which I has the pleasure of happening on to. That limited cassette peaked my interest, sounding like a basement tape from Exmagma or some other lost recording from the mid seventies. After contacting the band to find out this is a one-off project between friends, I coerced the trio into reuniting for a recording, which became So Higher, a recording of 2 side dimensions between locked Krautrock groove with washes of synth exploration. Side two is a very different affair, more improvised heavy jamming comprised of solid bass line, dubby drumming and heavy psych guitar workouts. Those same elements from the cassette “jams” are there, but more focused and sonically represented. At times side A showcases a beastly resemblance to Monster Magnets 25 - Tab mixed with Spacemen 3, side B on the other hand, is a journey unto its own... 
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David Hykes and the Harmonic Choir - Hearing Solar Winds (1983)


David Hykes to urodzony w 1953 roku amerykański kompozytor oraz wokalista, skupiający się w swojej pracy artystycznej nad wykorzystaniem potęgi ludzkiego głosu. Po raz pierwszy zdał sobie sprawę z istnienia harmonii wokalnych w 1971 roku usłyszawszy nagrania chorałów gregoriańskich, następnie przyszedł czas na kontakt z twórczością La Monte Younga, Pandita Pran Natha oraz z tradycjami śpiewu gardłowego z Tybetu, Mongolii i Tuvy. Zainspirowany do głębi tamtejszymi niesamowitymi technikami wokalnymi, w 1975 roku założył w Nowym Jorku zespół pod nazwą Harmonic Choir, będący swoistym mostem łączącym w harmonijny i duchowy sposób kultury Wschodu i Zachodu. 


David Hykes (born March 2, 1953, Taos, New Mexico) is a composer, singer, musician, author, and meditation teacher. He was one of the earliest modern western pioneers of so-called overtone singing, and has developed since 1975 a comprehensive approach to contemplative music which he calls Harmonic Chant (harmonic singing). After early research and trips studying Mongolian, Tibetan, and Middle Eastern singing forms, Hykes began a long series of collaborations with traditions and teachers of wisdom and sacred art, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Gyuto and Gyume monks.

Hykes founded the Harmonic Choir in 1975, and has performed and taught Harmonic Chant and the related Harmonic Presence work in America, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and many other countries. Of overtone singing and his own study of the form, music theorist Charles Madden writes, "David Hykes has done everything I had hoped to do, and more." His choir incorporates both basic overtone signing as well as additional advanced forms.

His work is organised within The Harmonic Presence Foundation.

His song "Rainbow Voice" is featured in the films "Blade: Trinity" (2004), "Blade" (1998), "Baraka" (1992), and "Dead Poets Society" (1989).

Hykes was educated at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio where he studied with avant-garde experimental filmmakers Tony Conrad and Paul Sharits, free jazz with the Cecil Taylor Unit, and contemporary, classical and medieval music with John Ronsheim and David Stock. He received an M.F.A. from Columbia University in New York in 1993. For many years he studied North Indian raga singing and the history of Indian music with Smt. Sheila Dhar.

David Hykes is a Dharma student of Choky Nyima Rinpoche, who gave him the name Shenpen Yeshe, "the Primordial Wisdom that brings happiness to beings," and Tsoknyi Rinpoche. He completed twenty years of spiritual studies in the Gurdjieff Foundations in New York, San Francisco, and Paris, as a student of Gurdjieff's successors Lord John Pentland and Dr. Michel de Salzmann. Over the years he has received teachings from Tibetan Buddhist masters including Dhuksey Rinpoché and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as well as the Gyuto and Gyume Monks, whom he helped bring to the United States for the first time in 1985-86. (wikipedia)
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Kuruucrew - Battle Disco (2008)


Japoński kwartet, który od czasu powstania w 2002 roku szybko stał się bardzo ważną częścią współczesnego tokijskiego undergroundu. Jak dotychczas z dwoma albumami na koncie,w przyswajalny sposób mieszają eksperymenty z noisem, w utworach swoich stawiając na przyjemnie agresywne brzmienie o prostych i hipnotycznych rytmach.


Someone once called them a “Violent Neu!” and that’s not a bad assessment. However, there is nothing vintage about Kuruucrew’s mix of relentless rock assaults and noisy head-banging cacophony. Neu! and other Krautrock bands of the 70’s are often defined by their experimenting with electronics over a steady motorik drum beat. Kuruucrew takes the same trance-inducing repetitive groove of Krautrock’s motorik and modernizes it into a hardcore rock sensation that grinds your head to a pulp. In addition to the stone solid rhythm section, wailing saxophone lines run through effects pedals from saxophonist Akkun (also from Henrytennis) and flagrant guitar massacres from Murata make Kuruucrew worthy carriers of the Japanoise torch. But be careful when getting lost in Kuruucrew’s music, you may snap out of it to find your ears bleeding and your brain washed. (lastfm)
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Ellen Fullman - Body Music (1993)


Ellen Fullman to urodzona w 1957 roku kompozytorka amerykańska znana przede wszystkim z gry na własnoręcznie zbudowanym instrumencie (tzw. long string), w skład którego wchodzi zestaw strum przekraczających nawet 20 metrów długości. Gra na wielu tak długich strunach przynosi niepowtarzalny efekt w postaci przenikliwego dronu, który niezwykle sugestywnie oddziałuje na świadomość słuchającego.


Ellen Fullman is an artist, musician, and sculptor of sound. Combining her longtime loves of sound and form into new artistic directions is something Fullman pursues by design and by chance. After graduating with a B.F.A. in sculpture from the Kansas City Art Institute, one of her first performances was 1980's "Streetwalker," in which she wore her "Metal Skirt Sound Sculpture" for New Music America in Minneapolis. Not long after, Fullman noticed the haunting, seemingly endless tones made by long, vibrating wires. This accidental discovery sparked one of her longest-running projects, the Long String Instrument. The instrument consists of 100 wires, with 90-foot-long bass strings and 30- to 60-foot-long treble strings, all tuned with just intonation. It is played by three performers rubbing the strings gently, bringing out its eerie sound. Not surprisingly for such an ambitious project, it took a while to develop and record this instrument; Fullman's first recording with it was 1985's Long String Instrument, released by the Dutch label Apollo Records. Change of Direction was released in 1999.

While the Long String Instrument has been one of the main projects of Fullman's career, she has pursued many other works during that time. In 1986, she received a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship; some of her other awards and grants include NEA Visual Artists Fellowship in New Genres in 1989 and 1990, and a New Forms Regional Initiative project grant for her collaboration with vocalist Tina Marsh in 1992. Fullman's other collaborations include a 1986-1989 composer/choreographer project with choreographer Deborah Hay, "The Man Who Grew in Common Wisdom," in Austin, TX, and an appearance on Poi Dog Pondering's 1992 album Volo Volo.

She continues to collaborate with the Deep Listening Band, and her albums Body Music and Staggered Stasis appear on their Deep Listening label. Fullman currently teaches composition classes and leads sound meditations at her Candy Factory studio in Austin. (Heather Phares)
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Jiří Stivín - Zvěrokruh / Zodiac (1977)


Jiří Stivín jest czeskim multiinstrumentalistą i kompozytorem urodzonym w 1942 roku. Znany przede wszystkim jako współzałożyciel znanej jazz rockowej grupy Jazz Q. Niekwestionowany wirtuoz gry na flecie oraz znakomity saksofonista. Ma za sobą studia na wydziale filmowym Akademii Muzycznej w Pradze a także w Royal Academy of Music w Londynie. W twórczości swojej nie skupia się wyłącznie na jazzie, od lat 80-tych koncentruje się na wykonywaniu muzyki klasycznej, występuje solowo oraz współpracuje z licznymi orkiestrami symfonicznymi i kameralnymi. 


The decade of 1970s was replete with various fusion styles.  Jazz was illegally married with rock.  Rock flirted with symphonies and suites.  And analog electronics pervaded all styles of music.  Much of the surge in creativity actually reflected the ferment of the 1960s, and by 1974 the thrill was gone.

But there are exceptions.  Prague flutist Jiří Stivín made rare inroads into syncretic forms virtually untested elsewhere.  His cogent approach to classical, experimental and free jazz music facilitated his exposure to London’s improvised scene, including Scratch Orchestra and Cornelius Cardew. 

In an era when many Czech and Slovak jazz musicians faced significant obstruction by the Communist regime, Stivín’s cross-border activity may be surprising, but the results were nonetheless spectacular.  His Jazz Q quartet recorded a trailblazing session with Radim Hladik’s Blue Effect.  Later collaboration with guitarist Rudolf Dašek also gained notoriety on the continent.

By mid-1970s, Stivín achieved a remarkable level of synthesis between electric jazz and baroque music.  He used his versatility to create a poetic idiom of the highest standard.  For many, such shameful heterodoxy would amount to little more than an artistic cul de sac.  Yet Stivín’s luxurious arrangements are not only cosmopolitan and multifarious, but often entirely counterintuitive.  It is therefore not surprising that in later years Stivín specialized in Vivaldi’s and Telemann’s repertoire. (sonicasymmetry)
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Koncerty, koncerty - wydarzenia


18.02.2013 (poniedziałek)
Galeria Freta | Freta 39 (Rynek Nowego Miasta)
Warszawa | g. 20.00
WSTĘP WOLNY

Kolektyw terenNowy i Galeria Freta zapraszają 18 lutego 2013 o godzinie 20.00 na trzecią edycję niecodziennego cyklu muzycznego “101% improwizacji” w przestrzeniach etno-experimental-ambient. Tym razem wspólnie z kolektywem terenNowy będzie improwizował kompozytor, śpiewak i multiinstrumentalista Mieczysław Litwiński.

terenNowy.live - to samorodna sekcja kolektywu terenNowy. 101%improwizacyjna podróż po przestrzeniach etno-experimental-ambient. Zespół ma własną filozofię istnienia, działania, tworzenia i konsekwentnie realizuje ją w kolejnych emisjach. Muzyka improwizowana przez terenNowego podczas koncertów jest konstrukcją utkaną z dźwięków generowanych przy użyciu najnowszych technologii, najstarszych instrumentów i ludzkich głosów.

Projekt terenNowy to otwarty kolektyw twórców, spontanicznie rozwijających motto: 101% improwizacji. Wielowątkowość i zróżnicowanie form autorskiej wypowiedzi, stają się podstawą do swobodnego multiplikowania idei organiczności, czyli - każdy po swojemu, a przyjemnie wszystkim. Wzajemne wpływy i inspiracje ewoluują w nieprzewidywalne kombinacje scenograficzno-dźwiękowe, tworząc samorodne sekcje projektu, takie jak terenNowy.live czy terenNowy.kids. Tu nie ma miejsca na próby, ani na scenariusze - każde spotkanie generuje własny klimat, w naturalnej konsekwencji dopasowany i do przestrzeni, i do publiczności, bowiem oba te elementy są w projekcie równie ważne, jak sam kolektyw. Interakcja to inicjacja kreacji. Albo na odwrót.



Mieczysław Litwiński urodził się w Będzinie. Studiował kompozycję w Akademii Muzycznej im. Fryderyka Chopina w Warszawie. Występował z zespołami reprezentującymi szeroki zakres stylów i konwencji od jazzu, poprzez free-jazz, muzykę rockową, klasyczną, współczesną. Śpiewał w zespole "Novi Singers". Współzałożyciel Niezależnego Studia Muzyki Elektroakustycznej (m.in.Krzysztof Knittel, Paweł Szymański, Stanisław Krupowicz, Andrzej Bieżan, Tadeusz Sudnik). Swoją muzykę wykonywał w Stanach Zjednoczonych, Kanadzie, wielu krajach Europy Zachodniej i Centralnej, jak również w Rosji, Ukrainie i krajach nadbałtyckich.

W latach 1986-1991 mieszkał w Nowym Jorku, gdzie jego muzyka często rozbrzmiewała na falach National Public Radio i innych stacji, w telewizji oraz w najznakomitszych salach koncertowych, muzeach i galeriach. Swoje kompozycje wykonywał, solo i w zespołach, m.in. ze swoim "Litwinski Ensemble & Choir", w wielu różnych miejscach, od słynnej Carnegie Hall, poprzez Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall, Muzeum Historii Naturalnej, Great Hall of Cooper Union, po takie legendarne już dziś "downtown venues" jak LaMama, Dance Theater Workshop i Knitting Factory. W ciągu swej długiej i owocnej kariery współpracował też z wieloma muzeami: m.in. Muzeum Historii Naturalnej, Muzeum Roericha i Whitney Museum w Nowym Jorku, Muzeum Ciurlonisa w Kownie, Muzeum Narodowym oraz Muzeum Azji i Pacyfiku w Warszawie. Wywiad z Mieczyslawem Litwińskim.

17/18.01.13 Wschodni Front (PR 1)

W audycji Wschodni Front, nadawanej raz na dwa tygodnie, w PR1 (Jedynce), po północy, gośćmi będą:
Doskonały debiut - hard rock trio z Warszawy: Magnificent Muttley oraz Jacek Kleyff, który opowie o swojej nowej książce i skomentuje swoje nagrania: od Salonu Niezależnych przez Ork. Desorient i Orkiestrę na Zdrowie, aż do nagrań solowych.



18.01.13 Elektrićni Orgazam
TR (Teatr Rozmaitości), Warszawa (20.00)

08.02.13 Savage Republic
Café Kulturalna, Warszawa (22:00)

Działali przez całe lata 80. Od 2004 grają znowu razem. Zawsze było słychać, że to zespół jedyny w swoim rodzaju. Mieszali wiele muzycznych wątków, ale punkowa czy też post-punkowa energia i poetycki, filmowy klimat były ich stałą cechą. Przyswoili brzmienia z Factory Records i wczesnego 4AD i zmieszali z kalifornijską psychodelią, zapożyczyli wiele z industrialu, wpletli wątki niczym z soundtracków westernów, dali się uwieść muzyce bliskowschodniej, a plemienne rytmy nigdy nie były im obce. Nagrali sześć studyjnych płyt, trochę koncertówek, kilka epek. Kilkakrotnie grali we Wrocławiu, po raz pierwszy odwiedzą Warszawę.



12.02.13 Spear of Destiny/Theatre of Hate
Punkt & Radio Luxembourg Club, Warszawa

Trasa „SPEAR OF DESTINY / THEATRE OF HATE Tour 2013″ została zorganizowana w związku z dwiema rocznicami. Dwa lata temu minęło 30 lat od powstania legendy nowej fali – grupy Theatre Of Hate, zaś w tym roku 30 urodziny obchodzi druga grupa Kirka Brandona – Spear Of Destiny. Podczas koncertów Brandonowi towarzyszyć będą: basista Craig Adams (The Mission, ex-Sisters Of Mercy, ex-The Cult), perkusista Mike Kelly (The Mission) i gitarzysta Adrian Portas (ex-New Model Army, ex-Sex Gang Children). Na repertuar koncertów złożą się kompozycje Spear Of Destiny i Theatre Of Hate. Nie będzie to pierwsza wizyta Theatre Of Hate w Polsce. W 1983 roku zespół wystąpił na warszawskim Torwarze.

Jako support wystąpią: WIEŻE FABRYK (Zimna Fala, Łódź) oraz -HATESTORY (Post Punk, Warszawa)

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Terry Riley - Persian Surgery Dervishes (1972)


Terry Riley (ur. 24 czerwca 1935) – amerykański kompozytor, przedstawiciel minimalizmu.

Riley urodził się w Colfax w Kalifornii, uczył się w Shasta College na Uniwerytecie Stanowym w San Francisco i w konserwatorium w San Francisco, następnie zdobył tytuł magistra sztuki w dziedzinie kompozycji na Uniwersytecie Kalifornijskim w Berkeley, na który uczęszczał wraz z Seymourem Shifrinem i Robertem Ericksonem. Był związany z eksperymentalną instytucją San Francisco Tape Music Center, w ramach której współpracował z Mortonem Subotnickiem, Steve'em Reichem, Pauline Oliveros i Ramonem Senderem. Największy wpływ na twórczość Rileyego miał jednak Pandit Pran Nath (1918–1996), wykładowca klasycznego śpiewu indyjskiego, który uczył również La Monte Younga i Marian Zazeelę. Riley w czasie ich znajomości wielokrotnie podróżował do Indii, gdzie uczył się i akompaniował mu na tabli, tamburze i w śpiewie. W latach 60. XX wieku często podróżował po Europie, gdzie utrzymywał się z gry na pianinie w barach i zbierał muzyczne inspiracje. W 1971 roku został wykładowcą na Mills College, gdzie nauczał indyjskiej muzyki klasycznej. W 2007 roku Uniwersytet Chapmana w Orange w Kalifornii przyznał Rileyowi doktorat honoris causa.

Wykładając na Mills College Riley poznał Davida Harringtona, co zaowocowało długoletnią współpracą z założonym przez niego Kronos Quartet. Riley między innymi skomponował dla zespołu 13 kwartetów smyczkowych. W 1991 roku skomponował swój pierwszy utwór orkiestralny Jade Palace. Współpracował również z Michaelem McClurem, wydał z nim kilka płyt i skomponował muzykę do nowej odsłony jego sztuki The Beard. Obecnie Riley naucza, śpiewa ragi i występuje jako pianista.

Riley początkowo inspirował się muzyką Stockhausena, ale po poznaniu La Monte Younga zmienił styl. Od 1965 do 1966 roku grał w jego Theater of Eternal Music. Pierwszym dziełem Rileyego w tym stylu był String Quartet (1960); wkrótce potem skomponował trio smyczkowe, w którym po raz pierwszy zastosował charakterystyczne dla minimalizmu powtarzające się krótkie frazy.

Muzyka Rileyego jest aleatoryczna i minimalistyczna (utwór IN C uważa się za początek minimalizmu) i repetytywna, często oparta na powolnym zwiększaniu różnicy w tempie gry dwóch instrumentów, co stopniowo dysharmonizuje utwór. Ze względu na trudność wykonania tak wolnego przesunięcia tempa, często podczas występów na żywo do wykonywanej przez jednego bądź obu muzyków frazy włącza się co pewien czas dodatkową nutę. Chyba najbardziej znanym utworem Rileyego jest In C (1964). Zagrał go po raz pierwszy m.in. ze Steve'em Reichem, Jonem Gibsonem, Pauline Oliveros i Mortonem Subotnickiem.

Komponuje utwory w skali naturalnej i mikrotonowej. (wikipedia)


California Composer Terry Riley launched what is now known as the Minimalist movement with his revolutionary classic IN C in 1964. This seminal work Provided a new concept in musical form based on interlocking repetitive patterns. It's impact was to change the course of 20th Century music and it's influence has been heard in the works of prominent composers such as Steve Reich, Philip Glass and John Adams and in the music of Rock Groups such as The Who, The Soft Machine, Tangerine Dream, Curved Air and many others. Terry's hypnotic, multi-layered, polymetric, brightly orchestrated eastern flavored improvisations and compositions set the stage for the prevailing interest in a new tonality.

While working on a masters degree at UC Berkeley in 1960, he met La Monte Young, whose radical approach to time made a big impact and the two made a life long association.

During this time Riley and Young worked out many of their seminal ideas while working with influential dancer Anna Halprin.

During a sojourn to Europe 1962-64 he collaborated with members of the Fluxus group, playwright Ken Dewey and trumpeter Chet Baker and was involved in street theater and happenings.

In 1965 he move to New York and joined La Monte Young’s Theater of Eternal Music.

1967 was the year of his first all night concert at the Philadelphia College of Art and he began a collaboration with visual artist Robert Benson resulting in more all night concerts.

Recordings of In C, A Rainbow in Curved Air, Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band and the Church of Anthrax were all issued by CBS Masterworks in 1968-69.

In 1970, Terry became a disciple of the revered North Indian Raga Vocalist, Pandit Pran Nath and made the first of his numerous trips to India to study with the Master. He appeared frequently in concert with the legendary singer as tampura, tabla and vocal accompanist over the next 26 years until Pran Naths passing in 1996. He has co-directed along with Sufi Murshid, Shabda Kahn of the Chisti Sabri India music study tours 1993-2000.

Terry regularly appears in concerts of Indian Classical Music and conducts raga singing seminars.

While teaching at Mills College in Oakland in the 1970's he met David Harrington, founder and leader of the Kronos Quartet and began the long association that has so far produced 13 string quartets, a quintet, Crows Rosary and a concerto for string quartet, The Sands (1990), which was the Salzburg Festival's first new music commission and SUN RINGS (2003), the 2 hour multi media piece for choir, visuals and Space sounds, commissioned by NASA.

The Cusp of Magic (2004) another quintet for Kronos features Wu Man, pipa, and was released on Nonesuch records in 2007.

Cadenza on the Night Plain was selected by both Time and Newsweek as one of the 10 best Classical albums of the year.

The epic 5 quartet cycle, Salome Dances for Peace was selected as the #1 Classical album album of the year by USA Today and was nominated for a Grammy.

The orchestral piece Jade Palace was commissioned by Carnegie Hall for the Centennial celebration 1990/91. It was premiered there by Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony.

June Buddha's, for Chorus and Orchestra, based on Jack Kerouac's Mexico City Blues was commissioned by the Koussevitsky foundation in 1991. (terryriley)
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Ohkami No Jikan - Mort Nuit (2002)


Kolejna supergrupa założona przez legendę japońskiego undergroundu - Asahito Nanjo. Ten wszechstronny muzyk (gitarzysta, basista, wokalista) ma za sobą udział w wielu ważnych na tamtejszej scenie formacjach, m. in. High Rise, Mainliner, Musica Transonic czy Seventh Seal. Do współpracy w Ohkami No Jikan zaproszeni zostali weterani japońskiej psychodelii grający w zespołach Les Rallizes Denudes, Fushitsusha czy Toho Sara. W składzie takim nagrali w 2002 roku świetny album "Mort Nuit" zawierający głownie ciężki ,gitarowy rock psychodeliczny wzbogacony rzecz jasna nieodzownymi dla takiej ekipy elementami improwizacji i noise rocka.


Asahito Nanjo is best-known as the leader of High Rise, Mainliner, and Musica Transonic, and all of these groups offer varying degrees of high energy, noisy, psychedelic music. Ohkami No Tikan is another of Nanjo's projects, and on this release he's replaced the hyperactive elements of his better-known combos with a heavier sound that is no less intense with psychedelic overdose. The lengthy first track opens quite unsubtly with a sledgehammer of free form noise before settling down to slow, thunderous rhythms with scorching guitar textures that erupt endlessly to create a dark, noisy din in similar territory as the legendary and mysterious Les Rallizes Denudes. The long instrumental passages of blistering guitar freak-outs are interspersed with sections of deadpan gloomy vocals. The second track slows things down even more with bursts of noise and silence, while Nanjo spouts off monosyllables. The final piece cuts loose with a dense cloud of droning, thundering free-for-all, at a couple points it suddenly stops and then explodes again with a slightly different tone. Like the better stuff from Acid Mothers Temple and Fushitsusha, Tikan's Mort Nuit is another brain-shredding foray into the darker side of heavy Japanese psychedelia. (AMG)
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Andre Williams & The Out Of Sighters - Red Beans And Biscuits. Rare & Unreleased Recordings 1966-1970


Zephire Andre Williams (born November 1, 1936) is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.

Born in Bessemer, Alabama, United States, Williams lived in a housing project with his mother until she died when he was six years of age. A sly and smart young boy, his "aunties" raised him until he was around 16. He then set out on his own and moved to Detroit, Michigan. There, he became friends with Jack and Devora Brown, owners of Fortune Records which was located at the back of a barber shop. Williams would become labels mates with fellow Fortune Records stars Nolan Strong and Nathaniel Mayer.

He then became lead singer for The 5 Dollars in 1955, which already had a contract with Fortune Records. Though most of the songs were billed as 'Andre Williams and the Don Juans' (on Epic in 1956 billed as 'Andre Mr Rhythm Williams and his New Group'), "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait" were solo efforts. "Bacon Fat" hit #9 on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1957. "Bacon Fat" (written by Williams) was such a success that Fortune Records sold the song to Epic Records, a much larger distributor (released as Epic 5-9196 "Bacon Fat/Just because of a Kiss"). Since "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait" were such successes, Williams figured that "talking instead of singing" was a better idea for him, for he did not have as good a voice as some other singers from the 1950s. In 1960 Fortune released a complete LP, of all of his singles with the Don Juans, which was titled Jail Bait (rereleased in 1986). This was just the start of Williams' nationwide fame.

In 1960 he appeared on Motown's Miracle Record label releasing "Rosa Lee".

In the early 1960s, Williams co-wrote Stevie Wonder's first song, "Thank You for Loving Me." Williams' "Shake a Tail Feather" was also a hit in 1963 for the Five Du-Tones and then for Ike & Tina Turner. Alvin Cash & the Crawlers also made a hit out of the Williams song "Twine Time". As well as making these hits, Williams also supervised the making of two or more albums by The Contours. Additionally, in the '60s, Williams was the manager and roadie for soul singer Edwin Starr.



In 1966 Williams released two records on the Avin Record Label, then two records were released on Detroit's Wingate label: "Loose Juice" and "Do it". Then on the Ric-Tic label in 1967 he released "You Got It and I Want It".

In 1968, Williams was signed to Chess Records on Checker, Chicago's major blues label. He was back... wearing velvet lavender suits and playing "bucket-of-blood" styled joints. Chess released many hits for Williams — "Humpin' Bumpin' and Thumpin'" and "Cadillac Jack" in particular. Then, he began to work with many unknown black labels and release songs like "Sweet Little Pussy Cat" and "Rib Tips, Pts. 1 & 2." In 1968, Williams collaborated with the Natural Bridge Bunch to release "Pig Snoots," a novelty song about a man named Ricky who would "come all way cross town to get me some snoots". In the 1970s, Williams wrote some songs for Parliament (band) and Funkadelic, two popular funk groups. (Comedian Redd Foxx then dubbed Andre Williams his most famous nickname, Mr. Rhythm). Once again, Williams began to produce cuts for Ike Turner.

Throughout the 1980s, Andre Williams was in poverty because of his drug addictions. He lived in Chicago, Illinois; at one point, he was homeless and begging for money on a Chicago bridge.

In 1996, Andre Williams released Mr. Rhythm, which featured new renditions of his old tunes from the "Jail Bait" era. Some included "The Greasy Chicken," "Mean Jean," and "Pass the Biscuits Please." It was a definite comeback for Williams, but most of the crowd had already forgotten about him, and wanted newer-styled music.

He changed his style with 1998's Silky. Considered the "world's sleaziest album ever", Silky revolutionized the punky style, dubbed sleaze rock. Mark Deming speaks about Silky: It's "noise-spattered, stripped-down, roots-punk assault, and the results are flat-out nuts." Though sleaze rockers idolized Williams, most critics preferred his original style.

In 1999, he began his relationship with Bloodshot Records by recording a country album with The Sadies, entitled Red Dirt.

In 2000, Andre Williams released The Black Godfather. The noisy, electric, fuzzy sound was back, with two songs backed by The Dirtbombs. By this time, Andre was already back on stage, performing at the "bucket-of-blood" clubs again. 'The Black Godfather' became his new nickname, along with the outdated 'Mr. Rhythm'.

In 2001 he discussed his recent conversion to Judaism and circumcision.

In 2002–2003 he toured with the Dutch sleaze rock band Green Hornet.

A return to soul-style music came with Aphrodisiac in 2006. "The result is a more laid-back and funky groove that's soulful but potent at the same time, fusing '70s blaxploitation sounds, Jimmy Smith-style jazz figures, and Booker T.-influenced R&B workouts into one solid package" is the way Mark Deming described the album.

Williams still plays shows in the USA, and toured Europe in 2001 (with Dutch band Green Hornet as backing band), 2005 and 2006 (with the Marshall Brothers). From August to November 2006, he had a short European tour, ending in Switzerland. Then in early 2008 a European tour with The Flash Express.

In 2007, Andre finished recording his latest album with the New Orleans based band, Morning 40 Federation. The album, titled Can You Deal With It, was released by Bloodshot Records in 2008 and is credited to Andre Williams & the New Orleans Hellhounds (the pseudonymous Morning 40 Federation).

In 2010 Williams contributed a cover version of "The Way You Dog Me Around" for the compilation LP Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos. The album is a tribute to the late Nolan Strong, a Fortune Records sensation during the 1950s and early 1960s.

Williams has also been known to go by the alias "Rudibaker"  or "Rutabaga", with which he puts on a different personality and speaks in a gravely voice.

The 2007 documentary "Agile Mobile Hostile: A Year with Andre Williams" tells of Williams' early career at Fortune Records, his hard life on the streets of Chicago in the 1980s, drug and alcohol abuse, his return to the stage and recording studio in 1995, and his current life and musical career - and the struggles that come with it. (wikipedia)
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Gunter Hampel - The 8th of July 1969 (1969)


Hampel, Gunter, vibraphone, multi-instrumentalist, composer; b. Gottingen, Germany, 31 August 1937. He is son to Hildegard Keck (born 21 June 1911, Gedern -Hessen, Germany) and Gotthard Hampel (born 10 February 1910, Sayda, Erzgebirge, Sachsen,Germany). His father was a great piano and violin-player, but the economics made him become a roofmaker. His father was also his first teacher (piano). His grandfather was a composer and multi-instrumentalist. He composed a lot of tunes, folk dances, Polkas, waltzes, etc.

Gunter had formal training on piano, vibraphone, recorder, and clarinet from 4 years old. Dr. Trompke was his first piano teacher. He studied vibraphone with Dr. Wolfgang Doering and with a player from the symphony-Orchestra and with every jazz musician who lived and passed through our town (Goettingen). They had a very active jazz scene, at least 3-4 concerts every week (it was a University town). Young students came to study and there were at least 100-150 active jazz musicians.

Gunter is mostly self-taught, especially when since he learned from listening the records and in some cases, seeing live performances.

He began learning other reeds as well, and at age 17 began playing vibes. By his late teens he was leading his own groups, concentrating on vibes, but he continued his close study of the reeds, including all the saxophones. He studied all aspects of music, including theory and composition as well as his instruments. He was drafted into the German army at age 19 in 1957. He studied Architectur at the University in Braunschweig 1958-1962.

By the early 60's he was playing around Europe with his own groups, mostly playing vibes. A personal milestone of sorts happened in 1964 during the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop's tour of Europe. Hampel was in Paris assisting the local promoter, and he put up Eric Dolphy in a house for a few

days. They jammed together for long periods of time, Hampel on vibes and Dolphy on his reeds, including of course his bass clarinet. At Dolphy's suggestion they switched instruments for a while, and the American was impressed with Hampel's bass clarinet prowess. (Hampel recalls that Dolphy also demonstrated a surprising skill at the vibes.) Inspired by Dolphy's words of encouragement, Hampel developed his skill on bass clarinet, eventually arriving at his own original style.

He first saw singer Jeanne Lee (1939-2000) on a TV-performance with Ran Blake 1963 (J.E.Berendt-show on jazz in Germany). He met her at his recording session for ESP (Music from Europe) in 1966 in Holland. They fell in love in 1968.

Through the rest of the sixties, Hampel met several key artists who would play great roles in his future projects. One was the Dutch reedman Willem Breuker, and another was saxophonist Marion Brown, with whom Hampel toured in 1968-69. Perhaps most importantly, in 1966 he met singer/poet/future wife Jeanne Lee, who plays a vital role in Hampel's music to this day. These connections fell together in Hampel's first major musical statement, The 8th of July 1969, a recording featuring Breuker, Lee, Anthony Braxton, drummer Steve McCall,and bassist Arjen Gorter. Hampel had moved inexorably toward a free form of expression and group interplay which reached a full flowering on The 8th of July.

Early on, Hampel elected to take full control of his work and founded his own label, Birth records. His catalog on Birth (which begins with The 8th of July) is widely varied and includes a solo record (Dances), a duet for Hampel and synthesizer (Symphony No. 6), further work with Lee, Breuker and others (People Symphony), and even a duet recording with the flamenco guitarist Boulou Ferre (Espace).

In addition to his own projects, Hampel and his players were later employed by the composers Hanz Werner Henze and Krysztof Penderecki to play their music. Both were initially inspired by the work Hampel was doing on The 8th of July and Dances and wrote with Hampel's aesthetic in mind. With Henze, Hampel collaborated on the compositions, "so we wouldn't find ourselves in a cage form which we couldn't escape. And he also used some of my pieces."


Hampel gained an important new ally and foil in 1971. American clarinetist Perry Robinson, beginning a long-term association which has continued on and off ever since, joined Hampel and Lee for two recordings, Spirits and Out of New York. His association with the German musician was solidified as he became a member of Hampel's Galaxie Dream Band. This group, first assembled in 1973, features a regular family of players including Lee, Robinson, Marion Brown, saxophonist Mark Whitecage and various other reeds, strings and percussion.

With Jeanne Lee he had two children. Their son is Ruomi Lee Hampell (b. Sept 18th, 1974 in New York). He has started to play drums (teacher: SteveMcCall) and is now studying at Hunter College (NYC) to become a filmmaker. He is an actor, poet, and writer, and performs with Gunter's groups: Next Generation and his German Music+Dance Company. He also is part of the Workshops+Concerts With And For Children as a teacher for poetry (Rap) and movements.

They teach the children, that music making comes from the body's movements. In China we will, besides their (phantastic) concerts at Jazz Festivals, clubs etc., they will also help the Chinese Cultural development with their Children Workshops (ages 6-13) to animate the Chinese communities to help building schools in way down yonder areas.

Ruomi also appears on Gunter's CDs The Higher Dimension and Concert With And For Children.
Their daughter, Cavana-Lee-Hampell (b. February 5, 1976 in Goettingen, Germany) is a singer and trumpet player, but so far has not followed up a musical career. She lives in Berlin,Germany. (source)
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K.S. Chithra (2012)


Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra, popularly known as K. S. Chithra or simply Chithra (born 27 July 1963), is an Indian playback singer.  Chithra sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. She has lent her voice to Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga and Punjabi films. She is a recipient of six National Film Awards (the most by any female singer), five Filmfare Awards South and more than thirty different state film awards. She is the only singer to have won all the four South Indian state awards till date.

Born on July 27, 1963, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, into a family of musicians, Chithra’s talent was recognized and nurtured from an early age by her father, the late Krishnan Nair. He was also her first guru (teacher). Her elder sister K. S. Beena is also a singer who has performed in many films as a playback singer. Chithra received her extensive training in Carnatic music from Dr. K. Omanakutty, and got a Master Degree in Music from the University of Kerala. She was selected for the National Talent Search Scholarship from the Central Government from 1978–1984. She is married to Vijayashankar, an engineer and businessman and settled in Chennai. Their only daughter Nandana died aged 8, in a pool accident in April 2011 in Dubai.

Chithra was introduced to Malayalam playback by M. G. Radhakrishnan in 1979 and went on to become a regular singer for many Malayalam musicians, including Raveendran. Attahasam, Snehapurvam Meera and Njaan Ekananu were the first few films in which she recorded her songs.

She also performed live concerts with K. J. Yesudas in India and abroad and that was a turning point in her career. Veteran music directors such as Raveendran, Shyam, Jerry Amaldev, Mohan Sithara, Kannoor Rajan and Johnson also helped her move up in her career ladder. She made her debut in the Tamil film industry through the song "Poojaikketha Poovithu" from the film Neethana Antha Kuyil, which was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. She was given the title Chinnakuyil after singing the song "Chinna Kuyil Paadum" from the 1985 released film Poove Poochudava. Director Fazil cast her for this song after Ilaiyaraaja got impressed with her song sung in original version in Malayalam for the film Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu in 1984 directed by himself.

By the mid-eighties, she became the most sought after female singer in Malayalam and Tamil. She recorded many hit songs for the most famous composers in Malayalam and numerous songs for Ilaiyaraaja in Tamil. She has been accredited as the only female singer to have sung the maximum number of songs for the Academy Award winning composer A. R. Rahman for his Tamil film songs. She also sang for veteran composers such as Ilayaraja, G. Devarajan, M. S. Viswanathan, K. V. Mahadevan, Ouseppachan, Deva, Vidyasagar, Bharadhwaj, Chakravarthy, M. Jayachandran, M.G.Sreekumar, M. M. Keeravani, Hamsalekha, Sharreth, Raj-Koti, Rajan-Nagendra, S. A. Rajkumar, Mani Sharma, Harris Jayaraj, Devisri Prasad and many other south Indian music directors.



She has recorded many memorable Hindi songs for various music directors in Bollywood, namely A. R. Rahman, Anand-Milind, Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan, Viju Shah, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Naushad, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Jatin-Lalit and many others. She also recorded the Hindi versions of her own Tamil songs sung for A. R. Rahman.

Apart from playback singing, she also appeared among the panel of judges in the singing reality Television shows at Kerala (Idea Star Singer) and Tamil Nadu (Airtel Super Singer Junior).

Chithra recorded her first studio album with Voodoo Rapper for the album called Ragga Raaga in 1993. She has in her credit, private albums in Hindi, namely Piya Basanti and Sunset Point. The former was penned by Ustad Sultan Khan and was certified Gold while the latter was penned by Gulzar.

Her first ghazal album with Ghulam Ali and Asha Bhosle is ready for release. In 2006, she released an album in dedication to Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi named My Tribute. It is a collection of krithis and bhajans dedicated to Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi. Sony Music is planning to release a solo album soon owing to success of Piya Basanti. She also recorded many Malayalam albums for K. J. Yesudas, M. Jayachandran and Sharreth compositions.

Chithra, who is a Grade A artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan, has established her own recording label, Audiotracs, to promote new talents in the music world by giving them opportunities to collaborate with her as singers, lyricists and music directors.

Chithra, along with a Kerala based satellite channel, Asianet Cable Vision (ACV), has jointly launched a fund raising organization Sneha Nandana to raise funds for the betterment and welfare of long forgotten and aged musicians who have lost their careers to the emerging technological elements in the music industry. She has launched this organization on the occasion of her completion of three decades in the music playback industry. Chithra has remarked that the fund would provide help to the musicians with financial impediments and those suffering from health problems.A cultural event named Chitra Pournami was held on 15 February 2011 at Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate the 30 glorious career years of Chithra and also to officially launch this organization. The who's who of South Indian music industry attended the event and felicitated Chithra with a Tamboora instrument. The prominent personalities being K. J. Yesudas, V. Dakshinamurthy, Sreekumaran Thampi, P. Susheela, Hariharan, P. Jayachandran, M.

Jayachandran, M. G. Sreekumar, Sharath, Sujatha Mohan, Unni Menon, G. Venugopal, Minmini among others felicitated Chithra and praised her noble cause and intentions to help for the ailing musicians. (wikipedia)
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Joakim Skogsberg - Indi Dust Garden (1999)


Joakim Skogsberg to szwedzki artysta urodzony w 1946 roku w Sztokholmie. Znany ze swych proekologicznych poglądów, w latach 60-tych brał udział w wielu różnych projektach artystycznych, współpracował m. in. także z grupą Träd, Gräs och Stenar. Szersze uznanie zyskuje wraz z wydaniem fenomenalnej acid folkowej płyty "Jola Rota" w 1971 roku, nagranej przy współpracy z muzykami z zespołu Kebnekaise. Po długiej przerwie, w  1999 roku ukazuje się nagrany w podobnym duchu i nie mniej wciągający album "Indi Dust Garden", zawierający m. in. przykłady transowych eksperymentów z głosem. To olejny przykład znakomitych umiejętności Szwedów w łączeniu psychodelii z etnicznymi brzmieniami.


Joakim was born in November 1946 in Stockholm, and got interested by nature in an early age. Perhaps it was because his grandfather was a boat builder on the Dal River fisherman and his Grandma was magic knowledgeable and had a divine laughter? He worked with many of his own and joint projects in the creative 60's in Stockholm, where film, music and art flowed together in “happenings.” Among other things he recorded some live gigs with Träd, Gräs och Stenar (the “Festen Pa Gärdet” CD). He later moved from the city to the nature in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden.

Jola Rota was recorded on the very small label GUMP in 1971 (which was actually the big Metronome labels side project for more experimental music). It's inspired by folkmusic from Jämtland. The kind of humming that is on the record is traditionally called “Jola” and “Rota”. The record was produced by Swedish artist Pugh Rogefeldt who's also on the record, as well as some members of folkpsych group Kebnekajse .

Lately Skogsberg has made a living on art (painting etc), and in recent years been involved with some music in much the same form as on Jola Rota, thus Jamtlandish folk. In 1999 he released the album “Dust Indi Garden” which is very similar to his LP and includes the 43 minutes long song “Holi bands.” The last two discs, “Black'n'Red Blues” and “Booga Heart” are less official and exist only in very small edition of about 50-100 copies and are in first place meant for his friends, acquaintances and members of various art associations. (lastfm)
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VA - The BYG Deal (2009)


Tym razem rewelacyjne Finders Keeprs zrobiło składankę poświęconą wykonawcom związanych z francuską wytwórnią BYG, która była miejscem wokół którego koncentrowali się młodzi muzycy głoszących wolnościowe idee w życiu i w muzyce. Znajdziemy tam m.in mało znane lub wręcz nieznane nagrania Gong, Brigitte Fontaine, Art Ensamble Of Chicago, Ame Som, Vangelisa (!) etc.

[ENG]

The most cherished school of selector-educators is back in session with the latest Finders Keepers release giving a masterclass on the seminal fringe Jazz BYG label. Hailed as the catalyst of the French underground scene, BYG was born from the ashes of the 1968 student revolts, when three record industry gents were inspired by a rush of creative freedom sparked by the revolution, giving impetus and shape to their collective love of American jazz and blues, psychedelic rock and many subsequent styles. The label was an early home to records from monolithic touchstone artists like Vangelis, Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Gong, Brigitte Fontaine, Don Cherry and members of Soft Machine, Procol Harum, MAGMA besides many more, acting as a deeply rooted jazz and blues imprint, with a keen eye on the happenings occurring at the fertile edges of the scene. The accompanying sleevenotes are reliably thick, covering the initiation of the label and detailed notes on each track and artist for your perusal, but it's really all about the fantastic music, no? Be prepared to sink your head deep into stunning early works from Alpha Beta, the first incarnation of Evanghleos Odyssey Papathanassiou, better known to Bladerunner and synthesizer fans as Vangelis (as well as his later self-titled work), next to magickal drone folk from Gong, avant-funk from Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Brigitte Fontaine's raunchy fonk-rock or even British pop legends Procol Harum v1.0 aka Freedom. All freaky folk and world-tripping psyche pickers need to sign on the bottom line...Highly Recommended. (bookmat)


Record store denizens of a certain age will likely remember some of the albums released by the short-lived French BYG label during the late 1960s and early ‘70s. Those who actually brought them home from the import and cut-out bins might recall being treated to a puzzling—but compelling—kaleidoscope of sounds that can only barely be explained by citing categories like jazz-rock, space rock, art rock, and prog. Born at the further-out ends of the European counterculture, much of this varied output evinced a commitment to textured psychedelia, the theatre of revolution, and conceptually wide-open fusions of everything from jazz and acid rock to folk poetry and dreamy pop. There were fuzz-tones galore. And lots of flutes.

As befits the recent trend for careful record label archaeology, Finders Keepers have put together a well-selected and annotated anthology culled from this output. The liner notes detail a Byzantine record label history of music industry rebels, commune-dwelling rockers, jazzbos, poets and performance artists crossing paths during heady, experimental times—an era when the chaos and self-indulgence of the counterculture twilight was already beginning to cast dark and fascinating shadows on rock and pop.

Some of the more celebrated BYG records, by artists like Gong, Ame Sun, and even the Art Ensemble of Chicago, came out under the instantly-recognizable Actuel rubric. Actuel tended to serve up long tracks with avant-garde leanings, illuminating the counter-intuitive concept—picked up on soon after, perhaps, by the likes of the British label EG—that un-categorizable new music is often best marketed in a uniform edition.

The aforementioned artists are represented here, of course: Gong with the spacey, communal/tribal hard jazz-rock stomp of “Hip Hypnotize You” and the dreamy, breathy, proto-ambient poetry of “Mother Long Shanks (Oh Mother I am Your Fantasy.)” ; Ame Sun with the echo-ey acid jam-of “Eclosion (Marie Aux Quatre).” The Art Ensemble of Chicago’s “Rock Out” is short but stunning—an Ur-funk/ rock workout that sounds as if it could be say, a few hundred years old.

Other treasures, more obscure, abound. A boogie-fied glam take on the Standells’ snarling “Dirty Water” might seem to be an utterly misguided idea, but the trio Freedom (with roots in Procol Harum!) execute it with such tight, amps-cranked-up perfection that it’s truly mesmerizing. Jazzers Joachim and Rolf Kuhn’s early “Bloody Rockers” is a somewhat Zappa-esque—but nonetheless poppy—instrumental, with Rolf’s distorted electric clarinet and Joachim’s wide-ranging palette of organ sounds creating some heavy timbres. Alan Jack’s “My Change Rien” is a lost gem found—fuzzed guitars and flute adding a slightly scary acid-drenched undercurrent to hooky, psychedelic, baroque French blues-rock.

One particularly memorable example of how these strange strands could sometimes come together in a timeless way might be found on “Floating,” mysteriously credited to the Inter-Groupie Psychotherapeutic Elastic Band. With its communal vocal chant, percussion and strummed guitar underpinnings, and Beatle-esque harmonic instincts, it’s a tiny masterpiece of dreamily-textured, almost unbearably catchy pop There’s an innocence to it, yes; but, as with much of the music here, there is perhaps something foreboding in the way that conjured innocence can seem so studied, so carefully wrought. --- Kevin Macneil Brown
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Sławomir Gołaszewski - Asunta (1995)


Sławomir Gołaszewski to postać kultowa i niezwykle zasłużona dla polskiej kultury alternatywnej. Z wykształcenia filozof specjalizujący się w filozofii kultury. Zaangażowany w szerokie spektrum działań twórczych. Współpracował z Teatrem Źródeł Jerzego Grotowskiego, współtworzył muzykę dla Teatru Adekwatnego. W latach 80. związał się z muzyczną sceną undergroundową współpracując z zespołami tej miary co Kultura, Izrael i Armia. Autor tekstów. Był producentem legendarnej dziś składanki "Fala 1984" prezentującej dokonania ówczesnych młodych gniewnych.

Nieocenione są jego zasługi dla polskiej sceny reggae, którą promował jako dziennikarz prasy i radia (na falach Polskiego Radia gościł z audycją "Pieśni Wędrowców"). Autor wielu książkowych publikacji poświęconych muzyce tego gatunku ("Reggae Rastafari", "Muzyka Drogi", "Reggae Katalog", "Dapspolski - Regementarz"). Znawca muzyki etnicznej i World Music, o której publikuje felietony i recenzje. Twórca psychodelicznego projektu Asunta. Pozostaje twórczo aktywny do dziś działając jako producent i performer pod pseudonimem Audiomara. (polskieradio)

W nagraniach Asunty wzięli udział :  Sławomir Gołaszewski - klarnet oraz Wojciech Karwacki - harmonium. Autorem grafiki na okładce jest litewski twórca Linas Domarackas.



Sławomir Gołaszewski is a wonderfully meritorious cult figure in polish alternative culture. He is a philosopher concerned in philosophy of culture. He was engaged in a wide spectrum creative actions. He cooperated with Jerzego Grotowski's Teatr Źródeł (Theatre of Sources), was co-creating a music for Teatr Adekwatny. In 80's, he attached to the underground music scene cooperating with such bands like Kultura, Izrael i Armia. He was a text writer. He was a producer of legendary music collection called "Fala 1984" containing achievement of contemporary "young angry".
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Jacques Thollot - Quand le son devient aigu, jeter la girafe à la mer (1971)


Jacques Thollot (ur. 1946) - utalentowany francuski perkusista jazzowy oraz kompozytor. Debiutował na francuskiej scenie jazzowej w wieku kilkunastu lat, ma za sobą udaną współpracę z wieloma zdolnymi muzykami tego pokroju co Bud Powell, Chet Baker, Eric Dolphy czy Don Cherry. Swój pierwszy solowy album "Quand le son devient aigu, jeter la girafe a la mer" nagrywa  w 1971 w zasłużonym wydawnictwie Futura. Jest to interesująca pozycja łącząca w sobie w pomysłowy sposób wątki muzyki eksperymentalnej i jazzu, na której Thollot udziela się osobiście na wszystkich wykorzystanych instrumentach.


French drummer Jacques Thollot started playing with jazz bands at an early age towards the end of the 1950's, being recognized as a prodigy child. One can find clips of him from 1958 playing the drums at the age of 13 in a night club with a jazz band (Barney Wilen Trio). He would pass his teenage years in this surrounding developing his musical vision which would be much wider and more experimental than what he used to play during that time.

His first release, which is also the most striking one, released on the Futura Records in 1971, is called "Quand Le Son Devient Aigu, Jeter La Giraffe A La Mer"; it is a splendid example of spacey-like, fragile and imaginative compositional style fusing jazz, electronic experiments, psychedelic elements and rock together, culminating in a blissful listening experience and it has earned Thollot the place in the NWW list.

Thollot went on to release 4 more albums, "Watch The Devil Go" (1975), Résurgence (1977), Cinq Hops (1978) and most recently Tenga Nina (1996). Whereas the first album is the one of most interest to those looking for the avant-prog/experimental side of his, the others are more jazz-oriented and include vocals. Of these the most notable and recommended is Cinq Hops with its more structured and direct approach (compared to Quand Le Son.) and contains and female-vocals fronting in a chant-like style with the rest of the band providing an ethereal atmosphere, making this a very pleasant album to listen to with a touch of Magma-like zeuhl elements and style. (progarchives)
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Fred Van Zegveld Hammond Organ - Dynamite (1969)


Fred van Zegveld became known as the organ player of a charting Beatlesque group called Roek Williams & The Fighting Cats, though they changed their name into Roek's Family on the day Fred joined them in 1968, ready for their biggest hit Get Yourself A Ticket in '69.

1969 must have been a busy year for him, because Van Zegveld was also a member of a group called The Flood that year, together with two musicians that also played in Roek Williams's group: Richard de Bois on bass (who became a top producer ten years later, for amongst others The Dolly Dots) and Will Luikinga on sax and flute (who became a famous dj on Radio Veronica afterwards).

Van Zegveld's only solo album "Dynamite" shows his love for Booker T & The MG's, Jimmy Smith and such, though most of the tracks on it are his own compositions. Van Zegveld, who is still active as a musician today, doesn't even own a proper copy of his album anymore, and if he wants to buy one on eBay, he has to pay at least 300 dollars! (Secret Vault

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