this is one of my favorite drug albums. Along with plus minus graham halliwell is working hard on that front. mark wastells vibra cd is also a mofo

Personally, I think Graham and Mark are doing quite a bit to ensure that there is no need for artificial stimulation whilst listening to music. To relegate this music to the level of 'good drug music' is laughable in my opinion.

I actually have had a review of this sat in the background as a draft at the Bags site for a week or so now, but Brian got in there before me (again! ;) Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the two reviews read very similarly. I'm sure my piece will see the light of day someplace soon, but in the future I'm going to need to type faster...!

This is a great record, in my top three for the year, but also a very original record. It does a couple of things that really interest me.

Firstly, it shows a complete disregard for some people's unwritten rules for improvised music by involving prerecorded material to the degree it does. From what I can tell, Halliwell's singular pursuit has been to create a fine piece of music, irrespective of the process undertaken to get there.
Of course, this is nothing new whatsoever, but it underlines the egoless approach of this new musical genre that places its focus entirely on the sounds generated, rather than the purity or experience of creating it.

Secondly, its a very BEAUTIFUL recording. 'Prettiness' has been an element often missing from this area of music, with all of its grit, white noise and grainy :) textures.
Recorded Delivery remains as abstract as the next "EAI" disc, yet it remains very easy on the ear. Its a rare feat these days for a recording to sound simply very beautiful yet remain vital and complex at the same time.

A thoroughly recommended recording.

Sorry about that, Richard!

...but it underlines the egoless approach of this new musical genre that places its focus entirely on the sounds generated, rather than the purity or experience of creating it.

FWIW, I was under the impression that "composing" (like the tortured heroes of old) is also considered to be soggy with ego in certain quarters. (Surely, Prevost suggests that, e.g.)Anyhow, I'm not sure whether organizing pre-existing bits with, say, sensitivity and architectural brilliance should be thought to be immune from the "taint of ego-involvement." There are other ways to express one's ego than by blowing.

Walto; I don't actually consider ego-involvement to be a 'taint' of any type, just another ingredient to making music that is sometimes present, sometimes not. My preference is for it to be absent, but thats just my opinion.

I was merely pointing out the differences between this newer form of improvisation that is far more concerned with end result than process/experience and more traditional forms of improvisation.

Halliwell's approach to making this disc is similar to what I hear in many "EAI" recordings; a focus on producing particular sounds that work together. The end result is the most important aspect, the 'live' performance and experience is less so.

This approach is of course not entirely without 'ego-involvement' and neither is traditional composition, but it is certainly less pronounced and less likely to colour my opinion on a piece of music than in the case of a traditional improv situation.

The track on this CD with Watell is called Vibra #3, and Wastell's solo tam tam CD on w.m.o/r is called Vibra #1. Did I miss Vibra #2? Does it exist? I love both of the pieces bookending it in its series, I am very curious to hear it as well.

Hi William

The liner notes with Recorded Delivery state that the duo recorded three improvisations, of which they used the second for the disc.

I am making assumptions here, but if the three recordings were titled Vibra #2,3 and 4 that would suggest there are two more recordings that remain unreleased, #2 and #4. I'll try and find out if this is the case.

To the best of my knowledge only #1 and #3 have been released though, so you don't have to worry about missing anything William!

hi richard -

i don't mean to interupt your thread but am new to this amazing & informative site. i have some questions and see no specific place for them. could you tell me if there exists a set group of contributing writers? if so could one make subject suggestions on occasion to them? and if contributing is open to the public, how exactly would one do this?

Hi merry

I really don't know the answer to your questions,
but if you send me an email (click on my name below for my address) and I will put you in touch with the people that do!

Vibra #2 is scheduled to come out soon on Adam Sonderberg's label, Longbox:

http://www.longboxrecordings.com/

Longbox. Cool. Hadn't heard of them before. I like the looks of some of their releases, though. The Mueller/Schoenecker seems promising as I liked their trio with Bhob Rainy on Crouton.

So Vibra #1 and Vibra #2 are both solo Wastell, they are both composed, and they are both tributes to Roger Sutherland. However, Vibra #3 is an improvised duo. Odd. I wonder what it is about #3 which allows it to fit conceptually in the series. Perhaps the use of one of Sutherland's tam tams...

"Perhaps the use of one of Sutherland's tam tams..."

Yes, that's right. Said tam tam has since been returned to Clive Graham where it remains in the Morphogenesis repository. Though Roger had effectively ceased to be a gigging member of Morphogenesis by the time of his death (he'd had to bow out many months earlier because of worsening health problems), there are numerous recordings of concerts and rehearsals in which Roger participated that have yet to be released. Michael Prime was, at one time, rumoured to be bringing out a three-CD set of Morpho music on his Mycophile label, but nothing has yet materialised. About Roger himself I'd say this: he was at times a difficult and demanding friend, but he was always worth the effort. He's missed, in other words. The music book that Mark Wastell and I have edited, that's due to be published very shortly by Sound 323, is dedicated in part to Roger.

As for Graham Halliwell's 'Recorded Delivery' (yes, let's get back on topic) . . . I endorse Brian Olewnick's comments in his review. It's a fabulous disc. Apparently, Richard Pinnell agrees with these sentiments, and I very much look forward to reading what he's written. It's a pity that this needless duplication will oblige him to publish his review somewhere other than Bags. Shouldn't there be an Upcoming Reviews page on the Bags site, so everyone can see what everyone else is or will be writing about?

That's an excellent idea, Brian. Maybe the programming powers that be could set up a tab on the Bags writer's page where we could list the things we're working on. First come, first served.

I've mentioned before that, as far as I'm concerned, I have absolutely no problem with someone appending their own review to mine, assuming it's either a different opinion or maybe coming at the music from a different angle. Fine by me. Unfortunately, Richard's taste in these things seems to be as excellent as my own, so.... ;-)