Ellen Fullman "Staggered Stasis" (Anomalous Records CD)
Over the last two decades, Ellen Fullman has been perfecting her Long String Instrument. This unique instrument of her own design is some 80 feet in length and played by literally walking through it. The resulting sounds are beautiful gliding tones with a rich harmonic content. The CD presents two works from her time in Austin, Texas in the late 1980's which beautifully display a sound you can get inside of. These long tracks envelope you in their cascading overtones. Even though she has performed widely in the United States and Europe, this is only Ellen's third solo CD, following previous releases on XI Records and New Albion. So hearing these gorgeous and important pieces from her archive is cause for celebration.
available from Anomalous Records http://www.anomalousrecords.com
CONFLUXUS Shoup/Makihara/Arnold (Leo LR 399)
"Wally Shoup (alto sax) collaborates with long-time co-horts Toshi Makihara (drums) and Brent Arnold (cello) to create a program of 10 multi-faceted improvisations. Recorded live on KEXP's Sonarchy on July 26, 2003, the group's lively spontaneous compositions are captured in pristine clarity by mix engineer extraordinaire, Doug Haire. Melliflous, organic and occasionally jarring, the trio explores a variety of soundscapes, from delicate to maurading, with telepathic aplomb. The cover art, by Shoup, implies movement - parallel, intersecting, incongrous - mirroring the music itself."
Available at Wall of Sound, Playback (on Broadway near Dick's), Bud's Jazz Records, http://www.leorecords.com or http://www.speakeasy.org/wshoup
Ellen Fullman/Konrad Sprenger: "ORT"
Composer Arnold Dreyblatt, already based in Berlin for many yearsintroduced Fullman to Jörg Hiller, aka Konrad Sprenger, a composer, producer, DJ, arranger, recording engineer and founder of Choose Records. The pieces on "Ort", or "place" in German, range from covers of Woody Guthrieıs "I Ainıt Got No Home" and the traditional "John Hardy" (featuring vocals by Jessika Kenny) to new versions of Fullmanıs original recordings from the early 1980ıs and more recent song/compositions. Fullmanıs haunting voice blends eerily with the sonorities of the Long String Instrument, which seems to function as a kind of cosmic fiddle. Hiller has created a "wall of sound" behind Fullman with a potpourri of acoustic instruments. Rashad, of Dubplates & Mastering, fills out the sound-picture with a brilliant mix in which the individual sound sources are uncannily present.
available from: www.choose-records.de
Hector Zazou: "Strong Currents"; Materiali Sonori Sonora Portaits 2
Seattle musicians Bill Rieflin and Dennis Rea appear on "Strong Currents," the latest release by acclaimed French composer Hector Zazou. Recorded in Italy, the UK, Paris, Tokyo, NYC, and Seattle, this follow-up to Zazou's masterful "Songs from the Cold Seas" is a collection of highly unusual songs composed for a top-flight cast of female singers including Laurie Anderson, Lori Carson, Jane Birkin, Lisa Germano, Nina Hynes, and Melanie Gabriel (daughter of Peter). Other musicians on the album include Ryuichi Sakamoto, Renaud Pion, Stefano Bollani, Carlos Nunez, and the Archaea Strings.
For more information, see the Materiali Sonori site at http://www.matson.it/html/news.asp?codice=8012957013424
Robert Millis: Leaf Music Drunks Distant Drums - Recordings from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar (Anomalous Records, CD)
"Culled and carefully edited from many hours of field recordings made in Southeast Asia by Robert Millis, member of Climax Golden Twins (who are responsible for the OST of Session Nine, also the Anomalous Records released CD Lovely, and more besides). A mix of ambiance and music including a beguiling improvisation performed by an elephant mahout using only a leaf, ethereal temple orchestras, blind street musicians, insect choruses, stagecoach rides, singing cabbies, drunken spirit orchestras performing Leo Sayer songs, naughty and nice children...an impressionistic ride from the 21st century Thailand to the medieval corners of Myanmar...strange meetings of natural and supernatural, East and West..."
Available at Wall of Sound and http://www.anomalousrecords.com
Alex Keller and Meri von KleinSmid (mimeograph CD)
"Keller and von KleinSmid created unusual sound performances placed in unusual sonic contexts that allowed the collaborators to regenerate sound ideas in a real-time improvisational setting, moving the sources of sound around the space. All of the works use sound-ideas that have been borrowed from popular American media, from video games to self-help tapes and were performed live without any subsequent editing."
Available through mimeograph at www.mimeograph.net
Steven A. Barsotti: Say "tin-tah-pee-mick" (mimeograph, CD)
"Subtle manipulations of a variety of sound sources including squeaking chairs, impalpable locations and invented instruments. The first two tracks combine improvised elements with existing recordings of disparate locations and ordinary objects. Two live excerpts offer minimal approaches to some of the same material from the studio pieces and explore our auditory perceptive limits by requiring concentrated listening. Steve Barsotti: field recordings, studio situations, invented instruments, and household objects."
Available through mimeograph at www.mimeograph.net
Dual: Destroy All Improv (Toast and Jam Recordings, CD)
"Dual's music is about the tension, release, destruction, resurrection and intersection of sound-objects in space. This release was recorded live in the studio. Doug Theriault (guitar), a sound artist based in Portland, Oregon, works in improvisational live performance. He has presented his work all over the United States with a wide variety of musicians and in many festivals for the last 10 years. All of his projects concern the use of Music Improvisation, in its many forms and contexts. Ed Chang (electronics) has been performing and composing music since 1984, and has spent most that time developing a personal voice and aesthetic in the language and anti-structure of free improvisation and experimental composition. He also performs/records with Ringsteppers, Spin-17 and Blindfold."
Available through www.tandjrec.com
Various Artists: (si-ke-del-ik) Vol.1 (PsychForm Records, LP and CD)
"The sounds within are characterized by hallucinations, distortions of perception, altered states of awareness, and occasionally, behavior resembling psychosis. This release will be issued on LP in a limited edition of 500, and also on CD in an edition of 500 as well. With work by Contagous Orgasm, Christian Renou (formerly Brume), The Haters, Noggin, John Wiese, Grillhaus (Frank Rowenta's partner), Mixed Band Philanthropist / Broken Penis Orchestra, and Rowenta/Kahn."
Available through www.psychform.com