Angharad Davies/Rhodri Davies/Phil Durrant/Mark Wastell
London Strings
Absinth
004
Marcus Liebig’s series marches on with the latest four-pack of mini-discs, this time a small survey of London-based string players. As before, the range covered is pretty wide with some variation in quality as well.
Angharad Davies’ work for prepared violin, “Tri Swn”, is in three sections, the first of which is stunningly beautiful, a delicate and ethereal evocation of ghost tones that, for all its restraint, is seething with passion. For myself, these several minutes alone are worth the price of entry. The remaining portions of her piece are grittier exercises in roughly bowed drone harmonics, still absorbing if not quite reaching the ecstatic extremes of that opening, though the closing moments nudge into a similar area. I’d be curious, with regard to this and the Durrant work, to get our own resident violinist Dan’s thoughts. This is the first I've heard of Ms. Davies and "Tri Swn" whets my appetite for more.
Angharad’s brother Rhodri presents “Perdereau” (translation, anyone? I can only find proper name referents), an apparently composed (or, at least, pre-designed) piece for one harp and eight hands, assisted here by John Wall, Taku Unami and Jonathan Dunstan. The need for the additional personnel is a bit hard to fathom. The first ten of the work’s 15 minutes consists of single, massed plucks (perhaps the number of strings excited requires the combined spans of four sets of hands!) allowed to reverberate until they disappear. The music takes on a dark, processional character, very blunt and pared down and quite moving in its single-mindedness. With nothing else to perceive one is cannily lured into considering all the complex elements that make up each booming thrum as it dissipates. Two thirds of the way in, Davies begins to wield an e-bow, lengthening the tones, stretching them out into an attenuated weave. There’s a touch of Lucier here, but far more concern shown for the somber beauty of the sound than for its physics. A lovely, deceptively simple piece.
The only disappointing round this time comes from Phil Durrant. He writes that his contribution, “almost” “focuses on ‘in between sounds’, sounds that are nearly there” and “the vulnerable qualities of the violin”, intriguing ideas that make it all the more dispiriting when the improvisation reads as merely a sequence of related technical exercises. In some sense, his playing isn’t in a vastly different place than Angharad Davies’ but where it counts, where the depth is to be found, Durrant’s conception is lacking, resulting in a list-like enumeration of marginally different approaches. Again, I’d be interested to hear Dan’s take on this one; I may easily be missing some technical facet that would elicit wonderment if I understood the instrument more keenly.
Happily, the best is saved for last (at least in the order I listened to them): Mark Wastell’s string bass and Nepalese singing bells concoction, “For John Entwistle 1944-2002”. Wastell, I’d been informed by Jon Abbey, is a massive Who fan, hence the otherwise surprising dedication. The work certainly reads as an elegy, all dark, thrumming, reverberant notes placed among the softly ringing bells. Much of it is based on a two-note figure that’s actually (check it out!) more than a little reminiscent of Charlie Haden’s wonderful introduction to Keith Jarrett’s “Prayer” from “Death and the Flower” as well as, more metaphorically, Entwistle’s heavy, propulsive sound, more than once conjuring up slightly comic images of a lumbering giant. It’s a wonderfully realized performance, unconcerned with fitting itself into any contemporary scene, simply nodding with respect and appreciation to an admired fellow musician.
Here’s hoping Mr. Liebig keeps ‘em coming.
(further info at: www.absinthRecords.com)
~ Brian Olewnick
Posted by on September 7, 2004 6:05 PMHaven't had the chance to listen to Rhodri Davies' contribution yet - and, to be fair, have only listened to the rest the once - but I was a bit bored by it. Angharad Davies is great on the album "Cranc" (with her bro and Nikos Veliotis), and SOWARI demonstrates just how impressive Durrant's solo playing can be, but both their contributions to this sounded directionless to me - to much like they had an allotted 20-35 minutes they were obliged to fill and were simply getting on with the commission.
In general, I prefer the sounds/techniques that both Durrant and Davies use to, say, Phil Wachsmann's or Carlos Zingaro's playing (which can occasionally be a bit cloying - a bit too nice, frankly). But not here.
Posted by: matt milton at September 8, 2004 6:30 AMThe mp3 samples sound pretty interesting, but I haven't heard the full things to see how the rest pans out.
My concerns are for the diversity in the lineup. I speak particularly about Davies/Davies/Wastell here. Angharad and Rhodri are sister/brother. Rhodri and Mark Wastell play together in Broken Consort (a lot), and often with Angharad. Mark has released Rhodri, Durrant, and himself on Confront. Daviesx2 and Wastell live in north North London. I don't know where in London Phil lives. (BTW, I don't know exactly where they all live; I am not stalking them!)
Though as Absinth's site states: 4 contributions of contemporary strings artists forming an exceptional snapshot of current style on string instruments. Style being appropriately singular in this case. Just personally if I were to make a set called London Strings or London Drums or London Kazoos I would want a more varied stylistic (and political) range.
But this all comes down to curatorial objectives, and Marcus certainly has his own focus. I don't doubt the quality of the products or much of the music itself, it just seems a shame to be so limited when faced with such a fun project.
M
Posted by: Michael Rodgers at September 8, 2004 8:07 AMWell, my own thoughts on this one will be in October's PT - but if you haven't heard Angharad before Brian, try & find a copy of CRANC, the trio with Rhodri and Nikos Veliotis. Sounds a bit Xenakis like compared to what they're all doing now, but it rocks. It's also the only album ever released in human history with liner notes in Welsh AND Greek..
Posted by: dan warburton at September 8, 2004 8:43 AMPerdereau is dedicated to the memory of French new music promoter Jacques Perdereau (as is Jerome Noetinger and Fabrice Eglin's new album on A Bruit Secret incidentally)
Posted by: dan warburton at September 8, 2004 8:45 AMto be fair - i've listened to each section only once aswell, but i wasn't bored.
"My concerns are for the diversity in the lineup. I speak particularly about Davies/Davies/Wastell here. Angharad and Rhodri are sister/brother. Rhodri and Mark Wastell play together in Broken Consort (a lot), and often with Angharad. Mark has released Rhodri, Durrant, and himself on Confront. Daviesx2 and Wastell live in north North London. I don't know where in London Phil lives. (BTW, I don't know exactly where they all live; I am not stalking them!)"
i didn't realise you knew us so intimately michael, very impressive. btw, phil lives in colliers wood, south london.
Posted by: mark wastell at September 8, 2004 9:09 AMAbout Jacques Perdereau:
He was a great guy.
He was a militant in parisian anarchist groups.
He made a great job in a Parisian radio "Radio Libertaire", one of the first independant "free" radio in Paris.
He had a broadcast every thursday and he played on the air electroacoustic, contemporary, sound poetry and improv music.
He organized a festival every year.
We all miss him.
Thanks for the info on M. Perdereau, Dan & Jacques.
Posted by: Brian at September 8, 2004 10:44 AMIndeed Jacques Perderau was a dedicated person and we all remember him
I also think of Gerard Terrones
on the same Radio ..and producer of so many shows and albums ( Futura / Marge and more ...) These people if you were in paris could
could change your musical life
( thinking of Gerard who s still struglin around ...he had this 2 hours weekly Jazz and Free jazz radio show ...supposed to let the tapes going after midnight but he would Stay and go
i remember him calmy annoucing things like
AND NOW we re gonna listen to the B side of this album ...19 minutes of solo ... that was such a thunder for me at the time being 15 ....can you imagine ? a 12 hours Free Jazz radio program in your bed from the best recorc collection you can imagine ?)
if you were in paris into improvised music
PERDERAU was really someone
n
Mr Wastell ...
got so high recomandations to come to the shop from Beresford
but i kinda of lost myself on the way ( got Steady Rock and Dub albums instead )
was in London on a very short one , called but no answer .... stupid ..... i know
anyway
best regards
looking forward to hear more
n
Futura put out some great stuff in the seventies, Red Noise, Jacques Thollot, Jacques Berrocal, etc. nice label, well ahead of its time.
Posted by: jon abbey at September 8, 2004 1:15 PMMr Wastell ...
got so high recomandations to come to the shop from Beresford
but i kinda of lost myself on the way ( got Steady Rock and Dub albums instead )
was in London on a very short one , called but no answer .... stupid ..... i know
anyway
best regards
looking forward to hear more
n
it seems that the people who are still now running this program Epsilonia, they are enthousiastic i feel, they seem to have energy to keep on
i did also met jacques perdereau often at instants chavirés. i cant say i knew him at all. he invited a trio i play with for his yearly festival in campus...
did gérard also not run a special evan parker nite when he played only his stuff for so many hours?
gérard was a fan of this concerts serie called 'la sirène' we use to do once a month in paris, just outside, acoustic stuff. he was really always there, for more than 2 years, even winter. that was really nice time we spent always after the concert in the café...
hummm...
alexandre
Posted by: alexandre at September 8, 2004 1:21 PMJon YES
for Futura ..way head ...
jetter la Girafe a la mer from Thollot is
really underrated i find ....
it s always been a strong link with jean Rochard NATO who followed in his way after
but we all linked together
doing the come back albums of Thollot
for example and later that Sam Rivers album quintet we did for Nato
originally John Gilmore was planned for it
but by the time we tracked him
he just died .....
i included some of La GIRAFE
for the soundtrack of the feat film i m on now
and hope to use more of of Futura Marge too
best
n
Noel, yes, that's the Thollot CD I have, very nice. other good ones are Fille Qui Mousse, Semool, Jean Guerin.
I don't know much on NATO, I tend to like this area when it's more towards experimental rock, less towards jazz.
Posted by: jon abbey at September 8, 2004 1:39 PMReading the above seems to give the impression Gérard Terronès has died too, but as far as I know he - and his label - is still very much alive. What happened to Rochard from Nato, Noel? Jac Berrocal told me he thought he'd moved to the US, even said something about working with Prince (!). Haha, that would be good.. a Nato Prince album with horn arrangements by The Melody Four (all three of them).
Posted by: dan warburton at September 8, 2004 9:48 PMJean Rochard shares his time between Minneapolis (he married there) and Paris where he sometimes works with Daniel Richard (Universal), the guy who worked in the past at Lido Musique (CD shop).
Nato keeps on producing some stuff from time to time.
Gerard Terrones has a very bad health. But he is always here and he makes a lot of things. Last time I saw him: in julyy at a gig with Thomas Lehn, Frederic Blondy and Pascal Battus.
He was THE man who introduced free jazz in France.
Thank you for your attention for these Paris news.
Posted by: Jacques Oger at September 9, 2004 12:35 AMWell i havent seen Jean Rochard for a While
But he got together with old time friend Daniel Richard who s the head of Universal jazz France and worked out some Free Jazz reissues together and also produced some
Michel Portal albums with Prince rhythm Section indeed (but seems Jacques said it all )
Jon , Nato s not just a Free Jazz label at all
he started Zorn Arto Lindsay and many other things more widely open
but most of it is unavailable now
AND NO GERARD s VERY ALIVE INDEED
i just said it that way ..cause he s having a Harsh time i find for someone who did so much before ...he was the main tour manager of so many Free Jazz artists that are now more big names
the actual records i played on where the like
of Mike Cooper, Tony Hymas, Lol Coxhill , Thollot or Sam Rivers but rarely FREE as you d say a genre .....
And Jacques i wouldnt say Rochard brought Free Jazz it had been around before with LA VIEIILE GRILLE and BYG Bisceglia and many others it s more like NATO and Chanteny Festival brought UK improv and all the things that later came with Zorn or all sorts of mixes
like MELODY FOUR
First album of Pauvros for example s with Terry Day, Arto Lindsay, ted Milton
not exactely FREE JAZZ
they are Nato records with
Marianne Faithfull & Tony Coe & Ali Farka Toure ... Charlie Watts and Evan Parker
these things
we always crossed people in projects
jeff Beck Pauvros and Myself on the Indian album with Tony Hymas for example
But our Jacques here !
played with Berrocal and many others in the old days ...he should tell all that much better than me .....
Jon when i mean not just Free Jazz
it s cause if you take Coxhill for example
well he played as much with Evan Parker than with The Damned, Captain Sensible, the Stones ( each separately but openeing for them in the start ) and Jimi Hendrix too and
barely anyone in these era not talking bout his old mates John Peel and Wyatt
DAN !!!!!
"Haha, that would be good.. a Nato Prince album with horn arrangements by The Melody Four (all three of them)."
it s been seriously THOUGHT of
but a long while ago already
Though Blue Note stupidly turned down a bebop album from prince he offered recently
n
If someone would like a fair dose of Wachsmann (and in one case another london sting player Sylvia Hallett) check Freezone Appleby 2003 on Evan Parker's label PSI. And for more Wachsmann check APPARITIONS, fresh release on Leo Records. What i just saw is the guy who runs an improv concert series in our main town in Shitenia (sometimes i do the programme there) will in October bring an interesting trio (which is apparently touring Europe)- Phil Wachsmann/ Paul Lytton/ Ken Vandermark- who knows maybe Ken will be Evanparkeresque in company of these to vets (and just in case yeah i am aware of Ken * Paul duo album)
all best Z
Posted by: lukaz at September 9, 2004 5:44 AMcorrection:
in a past email in this thread about someone called gérard téronnes, i made a mistake and was talking about another gérard. sorry...
bye
alexandre
Posted by: alexandre at September 9, 2004 11:28 AMSomebody REFUSED a Prince album? Whatever happened to the pieces he wrote for Miles?
Yes Luka, Phil Wachsmann is very much out & about. The Appleby set is nice enough, but I find the new Leo decidedly soporific.
FWIW Wachsmann's also heard to good effect on The Needles with Evan P & Teppo Hauta-Aho: the recording quality of disc 1 is a bit uneven (the strings get fainter & fainter as the disc progresses) but it's OK, & disc 2 has some really good stuff on it.
& there's that disc with Oxley's oddly named BIMP quartet--never figured out what I made of it. Anyone have a take on it?
Posted by: ND at September 9, 2004 10:59 PMBlue Note refused an instrumental Prince album based on Bebop he wanted to produce
butn the reason was they re too small to market such a product
though Norah Jones came right after ... but no one really could ever expect such a hit
Steven Bernstein still had pictures at a reharsal with Norah in his mobile .... in 6 months she just became a star
( she tours with some Sex Mob musicians )
best
n
They are bootlegs though of Prince playing Charlie Parker, Ray Charles and others
Piano Vocals ..... and he really knows that
why not getting him to do a Nat Cole trio then ?
Blue Note refused an instrumental Prince album based on Bebop he wanted to produce
butn the reason was they re too small to market such a product
though Norah Jones came right after ... but no one really could ever expect such a hit
Steven Bernstein still had pictures at a reharsal with Norah in his mobile .... in 6 months she just became a star
( she tours with some Sex Mob musicians )
best
n
They are bootlegs though of Prince playing Charlie Parker, Ray Charles and others
Piano Vocals ..... and he really knows that
why not getting him to do a Nat Cole trio then ?
Mr Wastell ...
got so high recomandations to come to the shop from Beresford
but i kinda of lost myself on the way ( got Steady Rock and Dub albums instead )
was in London on a very short one , called but no answer .... stupid ..... i know
ok noel, would have been nice, maybe next time.
Posted by: mark wastell at September 10, 2004 3:38 AMI heard that Prince was partnering with the U.S. Military on a Top Secret Project known as The Subatomic Project. Imagine the hidden possibilties.
I have some clues:
http://www.trustmedia.tv/subatomic
Posted by: Shawn Farrell at November 23, 2005 12:14 PM.................................................. © 2003 - 2006 bagatellen ..................................................