Program 656: Eclectic Experimentation
KALW Broadcast Date: June 18, 2021 | Host: Mark Abramson
This program is a freeform set of experimental work that’s truly cross-genre. I’m not going to try to tie everything together for you. Instead, I’m hoping you’ll keep an open mind and let yourself be surprised by what you hear. It’s sort of like “new music for people with a short attention span.” If you don’t like a particular piece, stick around for the next one…it will likely be completely different. An effort was made to choose music that worked well together, to stick to experimental music in multiple genres and to include some artists that will be participating in Other Minds Festival 25. The resulting set contains music that ranges from improv to jazz, exotica to electronica. We played some improvised music from Festival artists Elliott Sharp (along with collaborator Jim O’Rourke), from Mary Halvorson (along with her collaborator John Dieterich) and from Amirtha Kidambi, represented here with her group Elder Ones. We’ll listen to two short works by Norwegian composer Øyvind Torvund, from his Exotica album. We’ll hear a wide variety of jazz, from Rudresh Mahanthappa, Miles Davis, and more exotica from Sun Ra. Some jazz with a beat, from Angel Bat David, Makaya McCraven (with Gil Scot Heron) and King Britt and Moor Mother, from Britt’s “Fhloston Paradigm” project. We’ll hear a short Robert Ashley work called “She Was A Visitor.” A couple of solo pieces from Moor Mother, and an epic piece of voice and electronica From Bill Laswell and the Opening Performance Orchestra, with voice from Iggy Pop and William S. Burroughs vocalizing posthumously. There’s even a cameo from Nico and a zinger from Eden Ahbez if you make it to the end. Eclectic experimentalism.
Program Audio
30-Second Spot
Track Info & Links
Title: Short Knives, Balloon Chord
Composers: Mary Halvorson, John Dieterich
Performers: Mary Halvorson, guitar; John Dieterich, guitar, drums, synth
Recording Title: A Tangle of Stars (2019)
Record Label: New Amsterdam Records
Catalog Number:
Title: Time Float, DIY Time Machine
Composer: Moor Mother
Performer: Moor Mother
Recording Title: Fetish Bones (2016)
Record Label: Don Giovanni Records
Catalog Number: DG-121
Titles: Kola Superdeep Borehole, Kokytos
Composers: Jim O’Rourke & Elliott Sharp
Performers: Jim O’Rourke, synthesizers & electronics; Elliott Sharp, bass clarinet, Strandberg Boden 8-string guitar bass, electronics
Recording Title: Sakuraza (2021)
Record Label: zOaR Music
Catalog Number:
Title: She Was A Visitor (1966-67)
Composer: Robert Ashley
Performers: Robert Ashley; Cynthia Liddell, Mary Ashley, Mary Lucier, and Barbara Lloyd; The Brandeis University Chamber Chorus, Alvin Lucier, Director
Recording Title: Automatic Writing (1979)
Record Label: Lovely Music Ltd.
Catalog Number: LCD 1002
Title: Evening of Light
Composer: Nico
Performers: Nico, harmonium, vocals; John Cale, instruments, arrangements
Recording Title: The Marble Index (1968)
Record Label: Elektra
Catalog Number: EKS-74029
Title: Starry Night, Out of the Jungle
Composer: Øyvind Torvund
Performers: Kjetil Møster, saxophones & electronics; Jørgen Træen, modular-synth & noise; BIT20 Ensemble, conductor Trond Madsen
Recording Title: The Exotica Album (2019)
Record Label: Hubro
Catalog Number: HUBROCD2580
Title: People of the Light, Running
Composers: Gil Scott Heron & Makaya McCraven
Performers: Gil Scott Heron, Makaya McCraven
Recording Title: We’re New Again (2020)
Record Label: XL Recordings
Catalog Number: XL1006CD
Title: Black Family
Composer: Angel Bat Dawid
Performer: Angel Bat David, instruments & voice
Recording Title: The Oracle (2019)
Record Label: International Anthem
Catalog Number: IMRC0023
Title: Black Satin
Composer: Miles Davis
Performers: Miles Davis, trumpet; Bennie Maupin, bass clarinet; Paul Buckmaster, cello; Don Alias, congas; Jack DeJohnette, drums
Recording Title: On The Corner (1972)
Record Label: Columbia
Catalog Number: CK 53579
Title: Decolonize The Mind
Composers: Amirtha Kidambi
Performers: Amirtha Kidambi – Compositions, Vocals, Harmonium, Synthesizer; Matt Nelson – Soprano Saxophone, Moog; Nick Dunston – Bass; Max Jaffe – Drums, Electronic Sensory Percussion
Recording Title: From Untruth (2019)
Record Label: Northern Spy
Catalog Number: NS 113
Title: Abhogi
Composers: Rudresh Mahanthappa
Performers: Acoustic Bass – François Moutin; Alto Saxophone – Rudresh Mahanthappa; Drums – Dan Weiss; Electric Guitar – David Fiuczynski
Recording Title: Gamak (2013)
Record Label: ACT
Catalog Number: ACT 9537-2
Title: …All
Composers: King Britt & Moor Mother
Performers: Fhloston Paradigm
Recording Title: After… (2017)
Record Label: King Britt Archives
Catalog Number: KBA016
Title: The Acid Lands
Composers: Opening Performance Orchestra, Bill Laswell, Iggy Pop and William S. Burroughs
Performers: Bill Laswell – bass, electronics; Opening Performance Orchestra, electronics; Alfred Sabela, synth, Audio Generator; Martina Potůčková, theremin; Iggy Pop, voice; William S. Burroughs, voice
Recording Title: The Acid Lands (2020)
Record Label: Sub Rosa
Catalog Number: SRV500
Title: la Mer
Composer: Eden Ahbez
Performers:
Recording Title: Eden’s Island (1960)
Record Label: Del-Fi Records
Catalog Number: DFLP-1211
